Ruby Fine Wines tasting: 45 wines tasted
Two industry wine tastings were held yesterday (9/20). Ruby Fine Wines out of Iowa City and Des Moines distributor Johnson Brothers. Today I'll focus on Ruby's tasting.
Ruby Fine Wines is a small, eclectic distributor out of Iowa City. Their portfolio leans more towards imported than domestics. This is the first tasting of theirs I've been to here in Des Moines. It was held at Mojos on 86th in Johnston and was very tastefully done. The food & wine were nicely displayed and buckets & water were prevalent. Ruby's price book was easy to maneuver and had plenty of room for notes. Here's some of your wine and food guys finds:
Chateau Renni Brut non-vintage Cava from Spain: Great bubbly for the $$$. Rich, full mousse with brioche & baking spices on the nose. Bright and lively on the palate. Try it with a salmon mousse (as I did at Mojos) or spicy Asian fare.
Pardevalles 2010 Albarin (85% albarino/15% verdejo) is a crisp, slightly spicy (think gewurtz) white from the Leon region of Spain. This will be a great white to go with holiday meals (think turkey & ham), appetizers & cream sauces. Drink over the next 2-3 years.
Sticking to Spain and looking towards reds, two very nice tempranillo based wines from "De Bardos" stood out. 2007 Ars Romantica is a straight tempranillo from the Ribera del Duero region that has beautiful, sweet fruit and soaring aromatics. The 2006 Ars Mitica is a cabernet/tempranillo blend that's fuller and deeper but still maintaining that beautiful ripe fruit. When beef is for dinner, de Bardos is the pour.
From Argentina Dominia del Plata winemaker Susana Balbo has won many accolades. The 2008 Balbo Cabernet Sauvignon is likely to win many more. From the winemakers notes:
"If Cabernet Sauvignon dreamed at night, this is what it would dream about! Pairs well with a wide range of foods from beef and pork to lamb, quail and other game birds, and cream-based sauces. This wine will age very well, so don't forget some bottles for the cellar too." Blend: 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec
Lastly, keep an eye out for Virna di Borgogno 2006 Barolo. This is a great value barolo that hits all the right notes. Nice now, it will hit it's peak in 2014 and drink well through 2022 at least.
There are many more great wines in Ruby's portfolio. For the average consumer, if you see a Ruby deposit sticker on the bottle it's worth picking up and giving it a try. If you have any questions about it give me a yell.
P.S. For fans of the La Posta line of wines, the former "Cocina Blend" is now called simply "Tinto". Same blend of malbec, syrah & bonarda, just a different look.
Thanks Liz
Eat well, drink well, live well,
Howard Bernstein
Wine & Food Guy
Des Moines Wine & Food Connection
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