My top three enjoyed wines for December 2011

When looking at the list of wine reviewed this month, to my surprise, I had not reviewed a single white wine. Not that I did not drink any, but those enjoyed had previously been reviewed on this blog. Recently I purchased some Spiegelau white wine glasses and can't wait to try them. If the previous month was a great month for French wines, in December Italy took over this spot with some great food friendly wines. It is always difficult to narrow the list down to three wines, here are a few wines that did not make my list but are worth an honourable mention; Kilikanoon Parable Shiraz 2007, McLaren Vale, Australia and Mission Hill Quatrain 2006, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada and Ramon Bilbao Gran Reserva 2004, Rioja, Spain. Speaking of Italy, I could not pick one wine for the number 3 spot, which explains the two wines sharing this spot. Each of them for two very good and different reasons. Here are the wines that made the final cut.

My top three enjoyed wines in December;

1-Château Ségur de Cabanac 2004, AC Saint-Estèphe, Cru Bourgeois, France
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/12/chateau-segur-de-cabanac-2004-ac-saint.html

Mixing power and great structure with elegance, you get this fantastic Bordeaux which is drinking beautifully right now. An easy pick at number one.


2-Stags' Leap Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley, California, USA
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/12/stags-leap-cabernet-sauvignon-2006-napa.html

I am not sure that if this would have been a full size bottle, it would have been in this position. Benefiting from being in a small bottle, allowed this wine to mature quicker. A robust yet approachable Cabernet Sauvignon

3-Valiano Poggio Teo Chianti Classico 2006, Tuscany, Italy
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/12/valiano-poggio-teo-chianti-classico.html

I cannot say enough about this Chianti Classico with a real sense of place, love the fact that its 100% Sangiovese grapes, a wine which doesn't taste manipulated, where the winemaker let the grapes and region express themselves. An at $17.95 a fantastic value, I have already returned to purchase, twice.


  -Canonica A. Cerreto Chianti Classico Riserva 2007, Tuscany, Italy
http://paulnjoywine.blogspot.com/2011/12/canonica-cerreto-chianti-classico.html

The right food and wine pairing should enhance and make each other better. When you achieve this in a restaurant; the wine arrives at your table at cellar temperature, is poured without overflowing your glass and when your glass is refilled with you hardly noticing it. Discovering a wine and vineyard which you haven't heard before, really make for an memorable evening.