This Brunello displays dark fruits and licorice on the nose with a palate of bright red fruit and intense tannins that will benefit from further aging. If you are going to drink now, please allow 45 minutes to an hour for decanting, but this one is best laid down for at least a couple of more years. The tannins integrate well and the wine opens up to be increasingly complex and pleasing. Excellent on its own or bringing the best out of a well-paired meal. If you see it in a shop, grab it. , Appx. $40 per bottle.

Borgo Scopeto e Caparzo Srl Società Agricola Strada Provinciale del Brunello km 1,700 Località Caparzo
53024 MONTALCINO (Siena)
Italia Tel. +39-0577-848390/847166
Fax +39-0577-849377
Twitter: @vinitoscani

Sales & Marketing Office (for distributor information):
Antonio Delle Donne
Tel. +39 0577 848390
adelledonne@caparzo.com

Woodland prides itself on offering wines from “undervalued places around the world.” Mission accomplished. Woodland’s selection of Italian whites, for example, includes a number of Sicilian wines you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else in Nashville, or Tennessee for that matter. Their stock also includes Spanish whites from Rioja and Rias Baixas, and more traditional offerings like sauvignon blancs from New Zealand and Bordeaux. Woodland has a large and high-quality selection of German whites, complimented by a small but impressive section of diverse bubbly. Woodland has a strong assortment of dessert wines, port, and sherry, along with rows of unique producers from regions you’d expect to find in any wine shop you walk into — French and Australian whites; Oregon, California, and Burgundy Pinot Noir; Spanish, Italian, Australian, South American, and California reds; and an impressive if relatively small section of red Bordeaux. All that was missing were some bottles from Virginia and the Finger Lakes (personal favorites).

Woodland also has an outstanding spirits section where you can add the finishing touches to your home bar. You can impress your fellow booze hounds with Dubonnet Rouge, Coccho Americano, slow gin, creme de viollette, cynar, and genever. Don’t think your home bar or wine cellar are complete until you have taken a walk through Woodland Wine Merchant.

Woodland Wine Merchant
1001 Woodland Street
Nashville, TN 37206
(615) 228-3311
Twitter: @WoodlandWine

Altovinum 2010 Evodia Old Vines Garnacha is light purple with aromas of blueberries and aged wood. This wine is medium bodied, with soft, supple tannins and moderate acidity. Smooth, with flavors of blueberries, cherries, and just a hint of chocolate, this wine is an outstanding value at a price range generally from $7-12.00. 1/2

Here is another in my series of posts about some of the best wine shops in Nashville. Today, I am writing about Grand Cru Fine Wine & Spirits, which has a wonderful selection of wines. It’s offerings are particularly strong if you know that you are in the market for a few good reds.

Grand Cru is an attractive shop with bright yellow walls and numerous racks of reds flanked by refrigerators with a small but respectable selection of whites. The racks open with an assortment of Italian and Spanish reds and a nice collection of Argentinian malbecs.  These are alongside pinot noirs from California, New Zealand, and Burgundy.  French offerings continue with Bordeaux and the Rhone. Domestic reds are primarily from California and Washington and include cabernets, merlots, syrahs, and zinfandels (including Lodi). There is also a selection of Chilean cabernets, merlots and Australian syrahs, and a small offering of local Tennessee wines.

Grand Cru also has a reserve room with its higher end selections. These include South American blends, Napa Valley cabernets and chardonnays, French and Italian reds, and assorted pinot noirs. In addition, Gand Cru offers some unique labels of standard spirits, complemented by some delicious looking eau de vie. Definitely worth a look.

Grand Cru Fine Wines & Spirits
3433 Murphy Road
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 627-9300

My final review of six of the 2010 Finger Lakes riesling is of Fulkerson Winery’s 2010 Dry Riesling. Fulkerson Winery is located on land that the Fulkerson family has owned since 1805. The Fulkersons now offer over twenty varieties of wine, over thirty varieties of fresh grape juice, and a full line of home wine making supplies, all of which can be purchased on their website.

Fulkerson’s 2010 Dry Riesling has a bright golden color with aromas of apples, petroleum, and a hint of tart peach. It has a bright acidity with flavors of apple, peach, and citrus. Given a few minutes to open up the citrus flavors come to the forefront and are joined by a note of pineapple. It’s a crisp, dry wine that pairs well wit any number of cheeses and light meals, including pasta dishes. At $12.99 a bottle, it may be the best value of the six wines I have tasted to date.

Fulkerson Winery
5576 Route 14
Dundee, NY 14837
(607) 243-7883
Twitter: @FulkersonWinery

My fifth of six reviews of the 2010 Finger Lakes riesling vintage is of Keuka Lake Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling. Keuka Lake’s vineyards are on the southern slope of Keuka Lake in the Finger Lakes. Keuka Lake specializes in dry wines, particular rieslings and vignoles. These wines and its limited red offering are available for purchase online.

Keuka Lake’s 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling is a nearly colorless wine with tropical, floral (orange blossom), and nectarine aromas.  The wine has mildly tart citrus and peach flavors. It is delicate with moderate acidity, well-balanced, and it is a stand out in that it is on the dry side of semi-dry when compared to some of its sister wines from this vintage. It is a good sipping wine, and will work best with foods with flavors on the delicate side. 1/2, $18.00 per bottle.

Keuka Lake Vineyards
8882 County Route 76
Hammondsport, NY 14840
(607) 868-4100
Twitter: @KLVwines

My fourth of six reviews of the 2010 Finger Lakes riesling vintage is of Swedish Hill Winery‘s 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling. Swedish Hill, and its sister winery, Goose Watch, are both located on Cayuga Lake. Swedish Hill opened in 1986 and, since that time, has produced numerous award winning wines that have been recognized in New York and beyond. Its selection of red, white, and sparkling wines are available for purchase online.

Swedish Hill’s 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling is straw colored with aromas of balloon rubber, pineapple, and peaches. The wine has high acidity with flavors of tropic fruits and melon. It is semi-sweet, but it maintains a relatively light mouth feel considering its sugar content. It will compliment a number of foods and is not so sweet so as to overwhelm a meal. Good wine and priced just about right. 3/4, Appx. $15.99 per bottle.

Swedish Hill Winery
4565 Rt 414
Romulus, NY 14541
(315) 549-8326
Twitter: @SwedishHillWine

El Coto 2010 Rioja Blanco DOC — Made entirely from viura grapes, this dry white wine has aromas of grape and citrus. Its bright acidity is akin to a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, and it flavor is reminiscent of grapefruit. This is a great alternative to your everyday dry white. 1/2, appx. $9.00 per bottle.

Nine Stones 2008 Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Aus. — A subtle, smoky aroma and flavors of dark chocolate, black cherries, and a hint of pepper. The smooth but slightly bitter tannins create a wine that is easy to drink but also complex. It was a wonderful compliment to a pepperoni pizza and is a good value if you can get it at the listed price. , appx. $13.70 per bottle.

The third of my six reviews of the 2010 finger Lakes riesling vintage is of Damiani Wine Cellars 2010 Davis Vineyard Dry Riesling. (You can find my previous two reviews here and here.) Damiani’s vineyards are on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes and produce cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, merlot, pinot noir, syrah, sauvignon blanc, and, of course, riesling. Its wines are available for purchase online.

Damiani’s 2010 Dry Riesling is a clear pale yellow with aromas of apple, pineapple, peach, and hints of petroleum. It has moderate to high acidity and crisp flavors of tart apples, grapefruit, and lemon. Given the tart (to my tastes) profile, this wine is best with food and this dry version has more versatility in pairing than its semi-dry counterparts (a fact reflected in a higher price point). I enjoyed the Damiani Dry Riesling very much with baked chicken and cave-aged gruyere. 1/4, $21.99 per bottle.

Damiani Wine Cellars
4704 Rt 414
Burdett, NY 14818
(607) 546-5557
Twitter: @DamianiWine