The white whale to my Ahab is what I call a good pizza wine. What do I mean by that? Well what I am always on the lookout for is an inexpensive red (preferably Italian) that we can crack open on a weeknight with a quickie meal of spaghetti, pizza or any of the other Italian inspired cuisine we seem to eat so much of. Kind of like the house wine at Stately Fred Manor. For many years our go to pizza wine was Taurino Salice Salentino. Used to be able to get it by the case for under six bucks a bottle. Something happened to the wine after the death of the founder and the wine changed dramatically. We really stopped drinking it and went on to others. I also haven’t seen a vintage since 2003 so I’m not sure what the story is
Now I understand that price wise those days are long gone for any red I am going to drink but I am always on the lookout for something in the $8-11 range. With that background I decided to give the 2006 Terre Di Sole a try. Its a 100% Sangiovese from Sicily. I purchased it at the Frederick WIne House for $12.99. ( a touch over my price point for a pizza wine I know, but if it was really good I figure it would be worth it.)
MY notes: It was a ruby red color and had a nose of sour redfruit and some smoke. Medium bodied and light. Fairly simple tastes with sour fruit, cherry and some peppery notes on the finish. Mild tannins. Not nearly as acidic as other Sangiovese’s that I’ve had. This is a wine to be drunk as part of a meal, not savored. All in all it was a decent drink with pizza. I gave it an 85. Do I have a new pizza wine? No. Why? QPR wasn’t there- just too expensive for the wine you are getting.
The quest continues.
Fred
Fred Foodie- Eating and Drinking in and around Frederick, Maryland 