friday holiday wine dinner tapas 12/16

A mix of italian and spanish wines for the holidays:
the mael is a tapas menu mix and match..meal and wine 30 dollars/meal only 22
Bon Appétit: Holiday dinner, Friday, December 16, 2011

NV Cristalino Cava Brut, Catalonia, Spain #/bottles, $ amount
This fine Spanish sparkling wine is made using the Traditional Method, in which the secondary fermentation producing a sparkling wine's bubbles occurs in the bottle. Its fresh, toasty nose, beautiful citrus, green apple and mineral flavors, supple, lively mouth-feel, and clean, crisp finish make it the ultimate celebratory wine. Enjoy it on its own and with caviar, sushi, seafood, fried foods and Asian dishes.
One bottle: $12

12-bottle case (mix and match of all 5 wines): $10
2008 Antano Rioja Crianza, Aragon, Spain #/bottles, $ amount
Bodegas Antaño is located in the historic and picturesque town of Briones, in the Rioja Alta subdivision of Rioja region. It is bordered on the north by the town of San Vincente de Sonsierra and on the south by the towns of Ollauri and San Asensio. To the east are the towns of Cenicero and Elciego and on the west, it is adjacent to the town of Haro. The wine: 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 5% Mazuelo, 5% Graciano, all spending 12 months in American oak before bottling. Our Crianza is ruby red in color with ripe fruit aromas of plum and cherry. In the mouth, it has fresh raspberry integrated with spicy oak and vanilla flavors. A great match for roasted chicken, grilled meats and various stews.
One bottle: $12
12-bottle case (mix and match of all 5 wines): $9

2009 Li Veli Primitivo, Puglia, Italy #/bottles, $ amount
A wine made from 100% Primitivo from the heel of the boot of Italy, the Puglia region. Made by the father and 2-son winemaking team, while this winery has only been around for 15 years, winemaking in Puglia goes back over 2,000 years to the 7th century B.C. The wine: Vinification on the skins in steel vats followed by temprature-controlled. Aged six months in steel. A forward and intense nose opens to aromas of red fruit, notably cherry, accented by notes of cinnamon and nutmet. Full, powerful, and smooth on the palate, with a long finish and a balanced acidity. And in case you have heard, Primitivo is a cousin to Zinfandel, but not one in the same.
One bottle: $20

12-bottle case (mix and match of all 5 wines): $15
2007 Le Corti Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy #/bottles, $ amount
The Le Corti estate has been active in the Chianti Classico region on Tuscany for over eight centuries. And while the Corsini family has been the owner of the estate only for the past 15 years, their history in Tuscany dates back even further: the oldest records show the Corsini active in Florence, along with the Medici family, in the banking and military sectors. In fact one of the Corsini’s was pope in the early 1700s. About the wine: Sangiovese 95%, Canaiolo e Colorino 5%. The wine ages in cement vats for 12 month, part in large wood cask. It exhibits attractive floral red fruits, smoke, tobacco and subtle earthiness. This pleasant, easygoing Chianti Classico should continue to drink nicely for the next few years