Sangre de Toro 2007

This wine comes from Spain as it is obvious from the bottle and the name (de Toro - bull in English). Deep ruby colour with a hint of ochre. Rich complex Mediterranean aromas with exuberant notes of spices and blackberries. Velvety tannins are noted on the palate with elegant flavours of small dark forest fruits (blueberries and blackcurrants).

I loved this wine. It does remind me of my trip to Barcelona long time ago when I tried Sangria for the first time. Sangre de Toro has a very similar taste! Naturally, it goes well with all kinds of tapas. I would recommend it for a cosy night-in with a Spanish dinner.

I will also give credit for the interesting story on the bottle label of the wine. I was pleased to learn that the name is inspired by Bacchus, Roman God of wine, known in ancient time as the " Son of the Bull". Now I know why my favorite wine magazine is called Bacchus.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2010

I picked up this wine from the shelf of a local supermarket when going to visit my sister in her new apartment. It was recommended to my be a close friend who insisted to buy this "outstanding young french wine" and I was tempted. And yes, a few hours later, bottle empty, I could hardly focus on my driving, because the wine has got my head spinning from just a half glass. There is something about the young wine which is fascinating on its own.

Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 is very well-structured, lightweight and drinkable. The nose is of wild berries and pears. The colour is purple-pink.

The young Beaujolais Nouveau 2010 also has some interesting history behind it (there is even a page in Wikipedia about it, click here). It is made from the Gamay Noir a Jus Blanc grape (or simply Gamay) and is produced exclusively in the Beaujolais region of France. Every year, it is released on the third Thursday of November and is intended for immediate drinking (in general, it should not be kept for more than a year). By law in France, all grapes must be harvested by hand! It may sound just like a good marketing strategy, but it is worth it!

Feudo Arancio Merlot Sicilia 2009

A very charming Merlot from beautiful Sicilia in Italy. Light and sweet, with some cherry taste and soft tannins - this wine is great for your dinner with friends.

The wine has won the Best Buy Award by the prestigious magazine Wine Enthusiast and I can strongly confirm this statement, although I don't know the price as the wine was a gift.

Lovely red, which goes into my recommendations list straight away!

Question mark Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot 2008

This year again I had the chance to taste this wonderful wine, which I liked so much and blogged about it last year in February. This time, I will blog about vintage 2008, which has won gold medal on the prestigious International MUNDUS VINI competition in Germany.

By chance we had two different bottles of the same wine on our New Year's table. The one with the red neck is the ordinary bottle and the other had the gold medal stick on it and looked more stylish.

The wine is splendid! A colourful and rich aroma of black and red fruits, pepper and French oak. Full body with long lasting finishing and velvet taste of chocolate and mocha.

The richness and the taste, the stylish bottle and the overall classical appearance of the wine makes it perfect for a New Year's gift or a companion to your festive evening.

MUKUZANI 2008

This strange ceramic bottle and the even stranger name Mukuzani comes from a village in Georgia called Mukuzani. The grape also has the same name. Usually the Mukuzani wine is left to age in oak barrels for longer than 2 years.

The wine is extremely dry with very strong nose of herbs and oak. The colour is dark ruby. The taste is a bit edgy and soar. Not exactly my type of wine, but probably goes well with heavy red meats.

We had this wine on New Year's Eve and most of my friends who tried it did not approve, because of its complexity. I wasn't charmed by the taste also, but the beautiful bottle made me buy it and try it. Costs about 10 Euro in supermarkets.

Alianza Estate - Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (Chile)

Today I checked my blog attendance and to my surprise, the people reading the blog have surged to 40 a day! So, I decided it is about time to renew my writing and get this blog back on track. It is Christmas time after all! It's time for family gatherings, wine tasting and good old mom's cuisine.

My gap of 4 months not writing a single line is just the result of a busy schedule, not an end to my wine passion or wine tasting. I just hope I can write down at least the most memorable wines I had in the last few months. I will start with the wines which I had during my travels this year. I start from London, where I spent my birthday.

Alianza Cabernet Sauvignon is the typical New World wine from Chile. The colour is dark ruby with some purple. A very intense aroma of berries, cherries and soft menthol. The wine is very soft tannins and good persistence. A brilliant wine for the evening!

We had the wine with the most tasty dinner I have ever tried in London (some pictures attached) - greek salad and some starters, then we finished with a very well cooked home-made pasta, English style. I also highly recommend the restaurant: Fire & Stone (31-32 Maiden Lane, Covent Garden).

Frascati Superiore Terre dei Grifi 2008

Frascati Superiore Terre dei Grifi shows a brilliant golden yellow color and nuances of straw yellow. The nose denotes intense, clean and pleasing aromas that start with hints of plum, apple and hawthorn followed by aromas of citrus fruits, pear and almond. The mouth is masterly balanced by alcohol, good body, intense flavors. The finish is persistent with flavors of apple, plum and almond.

I loved the style and taste of this gorgeous Italian wine, which was a gift from a friend and will always remind me of fresh Italian brusketi, sea breeze and hot summer evenings in Nessebar.