Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2006

I know we've reviewed this before - in fact twice, with very different views expressed. Now it's back on the shelves at ANBL, so why not give it a third review?  I like it just as much as I did last time - well, I'm not sure I'd give it 91+, but I would definitely give it a big thumbs up, so long as you like a fairly austere style.  But I would say that whether you like this wine is very much a matter of your personal tastes.  Iron Chef called it "an austere Chianti," and I'd say that pretty accurate.  The good news is that this time around the price has actually gone down - $18.99 instead of $24.99.  So, why not give it a try and let us know what you think?
(BTW, if you're searching for it on the ABNL site, it is misspelled as "Cannonnau").

Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2006

I had this wine a few days ago, and my memory isn’t as sharp as I would like, but I loved this wine and I can’t let it go without blogging.  Cannonau is the name for Grenache in Sardinia.  This wine is very much in the old world style.

 It is moderate in alcohol (13.5%), medium bodied and medium coloured.  It bears no resemblance at all to the jammy style of Australian Grenache based wines.  The nose is reserved, but interesting, and I found it beautifully balanced on the palate, with good length and a distinct aftertaste of chocolate.  Kelly found it to be too astringent the first time she tried it, but she had been drinking something sweeter just before.  I mention it by way of saying that this is not a lush wine.  I am not as familiar with Grenache based Châteauneuf-du-Pape as I would like to be, but I found it more elegant and much more interesting than impressive that the Gigondas I have had at a similar price.  I wouldn’t have been disappointed to have paid $40+ for this wine – in fact, it reminds me quite a lot of the Bocca di Lupo.  There is not much left in the province.  If you like an old world style, give it a try and let us know if you like it as much as I do.  But be warned – if you like a lush, ‘big’ new world style, this wine is not for you.

$24.29
Score: 91+
Value: 5/5
Grape: Grenache
UPC 8006725100256

PS - I gave it a 91+ because I'm having a hard time dealing with score inflation / compression.  Jamie Goode has a very interesting post on the subject.

Torrelongares Tinto Garnacha 2008

This is the other half of Iron Chef’s twofer Grenache review. This is more like what I’d expect for the price.

— Iron Chef’s Review —

Nose- Dried herbs, like a greenish tobacco. Some woody popsicle notes. Hot cherries with some plasticine aromas.
Taste- Chalky sour cherries- like drywall plaster. Some green pepper veggies tastes late on the finish.
Overall- not my favourite style of wine, but it was good to try opposite the Borsao.

Price: $12.99
Score: 81
Value: 1/5
Region: Spain, Carinena
Alcohol: 13%
UPC #8424659010067

Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva 2006

I thought this was a new grape to me - but according to Oz Clarke, it is just the Sardinian name for Grenache.

— Iron Chef’s Review —

Decanted for 45 minutes.
Never had a wine from Sardinia before. The grape is the original Grenache that was later imported to Rhone and other places. This winery has been producing this wine since 1899.

Nose: Leather, earth, barnyard and root vegetables. Some oak and orange liquor notes. Rose petals and Port-like oxidized aromas.
Taste: Rustic. Sour cherries, menthol and dusty tannins. Cloves and black tea. Tastes like an austere Chianti. Chalky acidity. The palate is hollow in spots. Delicate tastes.
Overall the nose was much better than the taste. There just wasn't enough fruit to support the dusty tannins, felt unbalanced and hollow. Interesting to try.

PS Robert Noel's wine of the week.


Price: $24.29
Value: 2/5
Score: 83
Grape: Cannonau / Grenache
Region: Italy, Sardinia
Alcohol: 13.5%
UPC: 8006725100256

Tapena Garnacha 2006

This review is from Iron Chef:

The colour is a deep violet purple. The scent is Gamey, meaty with wood vanillas and Asian spices- a real fun smell. The palate is very drying but devoid of grippy tannins. Possibly coriander seed mixed with wild berries, Raspberry and black berry. A slight stemmy nature also. The smell is better than the taste, long mouth feel shorter on the palate though. A fun wine with vibrant fruit, reminds me of an reduced oak Vinsobres.

Price: $14.99
Value: 4/5
Score: 82
Alcohol: 13%
Tasted: Nov 2008
UPC: 033293051008

d'Arenberg The Derelict Vineyard 2004

I was a bit harsh about the d'Arenberg High Trellis a while ago, but I do like d'Arenberg as a winery. To prove it, I thought I'd review The Derelict Vineyard Grenache. Grenache is originally a Spanish grape (where it is known as Garnacha) but it is famous as one of the three main grapes of the southern Rhone. In Australia I find that Grenache can often be unpleasantly candied (something I've never noticed in a Grenache based Rhone wine). But this is a wonderful example of a new world Grenache. The distinctive Grenache candy is still there - the d'Arenberg website claims it's marachino cherry, and I'll go with that - but instead of being overwhelming it's just one element in a delicious balanced mix. A bit of a fruit bomb, maybe, but nothing wrong with that if it's done well. And that may even out with age. Their website claims it will age for 10 years or more, and Wine Spectator agrees, though I think it's drinking well now.

If you like Aussie style Shiraz, you should give this a try for an Aussie style Grenache. There are only a few bottles left in the province. Let's hope we get more of the next vintage!

Price: $30.70
Value: 4/5
Score: 91
Tasted: May 2008
ANBL UPC: 9311832467000