Marques de Caceras Rioja Crianza and Cecchi Chiantii Classico

February, 2010 Dave and I began an  online wine class at winespectator.com.  My goal was to learn about the various grape growing regions, varietals, and tasting/analyzing.  Winespectator.com sounded like the perfect way to learn at my leisure.  I wanted Dave to take the class with me so I'd have someone to discuss the wines with and bounce ideas off as I tasted.  Alas, we found the  class was lacking information on tasting and the varietals common characteristics so we dropped  it.  

Now that Dave and I are back from California we need to keep improving our palate and wine knowledge.  The only way to do this  is taste, taste, taste. Armed with our new found knowledge and confidence, plus the guidance we received  from Karen MacNeil and the CIA Mastering Wine I class, Dave and I decided to resume the class at winespectator.com.   This time our results, and the fun, were 1,000 times better.  

Sunday we picked up our winespectator.com class where we left off.  The chapter was "Traveling the Old World:Explore Italy, Germany and Spain".  Below are the reviews of  the two wines we  tasted at the end of the class.


Marques de Casceres 2005 Rioja Crianza ($14.79) is from Rioja,, Spain.  A ruby red color with mild aroma and flavor.  The aroma is raspberry and cherry with a hint of green olive and earthiness.  The flavor was not fruit, but more earthy. Light body and very light tannins. Paired nicely with our food - Parmesan cheese and beef short ribs.  

Winemaker'''s Notes: Bright ruby red color. Lively bouquet with notes of red fruit that add a pleasant freshness softened by a discreet touch of vanilla. Deliciously full in the mouth where silky, well-integrated tannins highlights the wine's fruit. Good length in which the complexity of flavors come through delicately. A perfect accompaniment to Mediterranean cuisine, fried food, grilled vegetables, pulses, paella and other rice dishes, pasta, fish in tomato sauce, ham, chorizo, pate, beef (roast, stewed or grilled) and cheese (mild or medium matured).


Cecchi 2007 Chianti ($13.69) from Castellina,, Italy.  A medium ruby red color, the aroma was a bit like jam with a hint of cherry.  Also aromas of tobacco and earth.  No fruit on the palate, but more earthy notes. Also, light bodied and very light tannins. This paired well with the Parmesan cheese and pasta bolognese we were eating.   

Wiinemaker's Notes: An intense bouquet of violets and iris.  Its reddish purple color turns to a rich garnet red with age.  Dry with ripe fruit flaors when young, Cecchi Chianti Classico matures into a wine of velvety warm delicacy.  Served at room temperature, Chianti Classico is a perfect match for hearty fare, from pasta dishes to roasted meats.