Purchased at Whole Foods in Los AngelesFrom the Family Zuccardi Website

Price - $10.99

Alcohol - 13%

I have been starting to see more and more organic wines on the market and this looked like a good value wine to try.  It's also an interesting varietal (specific type of grape used to make the wine).  I've never had this varietal before and neither have most people.  It originally comes from Northern Italy, but like many varietals, has made its way to other parts of the world and in this case, Mendoza, Argentina.  Here is the Family Zuccardi website, the makers of this wine.

Pop and Pour

On the Nose - Plum, boysenberry, spice, hints of vanilla

This wine has great acid; it's just zinging on my tongue, yet it's quite smooth.  The flavors of plum and spice are nice.  The spice is hard to pinpoint, but I seem to pick up hints of red pepper and cinnamon.  Also, this wine has a very low tannic structure, which is a plus for most wine drinkers.  I know few wine drinkers that like heavy tannins in their wine. (Tannins or tannic acid is a product of the wine making process.  The grape skins and stems and seeds as well as the oak barrels produce tannic acid.  This gives the wine an astringent quality and one can normally feel tannins rather than taste them; they tend to make your tongue stick to your palate and teeth.)  A low tannic structure does mean the wine is not meant to be cellared, but that is fine and dandy for this wine is ready to drink now.

After an Hour

On the Nose - Cranberry, plum, spice, oak

Again, the acid is ripping.  I get some white pepper now  and the wine seems to be even smoother.  Tannins are still low and the flavor is nice, but simple.  The finish is not very long lasting, but at least it has one.  I think I'm tasting just a little bit of coffee too.

Summary - 88 points

On the whole, this is a nice value for a weekday or weekend type wine.  Nothing too special, but it's not really doing anything wrong either.  The acid will pair well with food, especially meats, even more grilled meat ;)