Mile High's Wine of the Week: August 18th
Casa Contini Brindisi Riserva 2013
Regular Price:
$15.99
Sale Price:
$9.99
Sale End:
8/21/2016
The days of buying kick a$$ wine for less than ten bucks are not in the rearview mirror. They’re still squarely in our sites. This weekend we have a real gem from our friends at Small Vineyards, the 2013 Casa Contini Brindisi Riserva. This delicious Negroamaro based blend hails from the heel of the boot way down in Southern Italy along the Adriatic coast where sunny days and cool sea breezes in the evening have made the cultivation of wine grapes an important industry since Roman times. Come by the shop tonight to taste the 2013 Brindisi Riserva at our tasting bar and prepare to be blown away by just how dog-gone good it is. A luscious perfume of crushed plums, sweet vanilla, toasted graham crackers, and wilted violets will jump right out of the glass to greet you and encourage you to have a big sip. When you do, you’ll find that the wine offers up a wonderfully mouth-coating texture and an abundance ripe fruit notes ranging from overripe cherries to macerated strawberries and right on through to kirsch liqueur. The finish is a tapestry of flavors with lingering notes of cinnamon, rose, and cedar all making appearances. There are no aggressive tannins or tart acidic components here. Instead this delicious “house red” is all about fun. You simply cannot buy better wine for less.
On to the Tasting Notes:
I’ve had the pleasure of tasting several vintages of Casa Contini’s Brindisi Riserva over the years and I have been consistently impressed by the level of complexity and interest that this wine delivers. Our relationship with the good folks at Small Vineyards affords us the opportunity to showcase this dynamic red at a silly low price and I couldn’t be happier to tell you about it. The 2013 Casa Contini Brindisi Riserva draws heavily on the classic grape of Southern Italy, Negroamaro. It is a ripe red, no doubt, but it’s not sweet or sticky. Instead it feels like the winemaker picked a touch earlier in order to preserve the grapes’ freshness and levity. In previous vintages I felt like the Brindisi Riserva might have been a touch overripe but this 2013 is spot on. It delivers an abundance of fruit, like you’d expect from a far Southern Italian red, but it does it in a way that seems controlled and composed. I love the aromatics too. The nose seems more playful in this vintage with lovely little hints of violets and graham crackers as well as a generous pop of ripe berries. The palate has medium body and avoids the tendency of other Negroamaros to become syrupy. Instead it just works. This yummy bottle should show very well for 2 or 3 years but, in my mind at least, there’s no reason to wait that long. Drink this one up!
Food Pairing:
A classic pairing for Negroamaro is Fritto Misto. And who doesn’t love assorted fried nibbles, right? So hit up your local farmer’s market and grab some veggies then roll up to whole foods and grab some seafood then mix yourself up some light beer batter and get to frying. Fritto Misto is a fun first course to a bigger dinner or a great way to do a light lunch on a warm afternoon.
You MUST mention this special or print it out to receive the price on the above wine.
This price expires 8/21/2016 at 6pm and is limited to in-store quantities.
No rain checks given. Call (303) 936-0272 to reserve bottles with a credit card.