Epicuro Salice Salentino Riserva 2009

Lovely, dark red plum color. Very noticeably oak on the nose. Lots of flavors all over the place--blackbery, cinnamon, some earthy, mineral thing. A little pckery on the tip of the tongue, but not tannic at all. Nice acid. Should be a good food wine. Pizza tonight. US$4.99 at Trader Joe's.

Rich garnet hue, aromas of stewed plums and sweet wood, flavor notes of bright, candied plums, boysenberries with a pinch of allspice, framed with integrated tannins and a kiss of walnut. A terrific wine for the money that loves tomato dishes.

A nice blend of Neroamaro (80%) and Malvasia Nera (20%) with plenty of body and smooth aroma. Mature and earthy-frugal taste good for a daily enjoyment.

Day twenty (20) of vacu-cork in the fridge and this is still interesting to drink. Acid and tannins have faded but the fruit is still awesome, black cherry and blackberry along with strong dose of tea made from flowers and sweetened. I assume the flowers come from the Black Malvasia. Never tasted such and I'll keep the bottle for a few more days given this flavor.

This is a big wine, not only soft, spicy, and fruity but also a bit harsh, probably from the acids. Nose, taste, and acid improved vacu-corked in the fridge over seven (7) days (you read that right). Nice nose with mild floral, strong spice, backed by almost a salt air and acid aroma with indistinct mild fruit. In the mouth the fruit is chewy and lasts a long time if you swish it about, like chewing rich gum berries. Taste is also quite acidic, not so much tannin, plus an orange flavor with a bit of mineral and earth. Finish is mostly an acidic hum with a hint of orange. You'd need a hearty southern Italian dish to pair with this wine.