2011 Argiolas-a good pasta or grilled fish wine
2011 Argiolas-grapes grown on the Italian island of Sardinia
I realize that sunshine strikes a cord for Pinot Gris, Chardonnay or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc but, as I’m typing, there’s a breeze in the air and I could lean toward pasta just as easily as someone else could be talked into barbecue chicken right now.
In that case, may I propose the 2011 Argiolas Monica di Sardegna Perdera? The nose gave way to dark berry leaning toward cherries which made me nearly think of a tawny port (still have Europe on the brain, no doubt). There are baking spices, leather, tobacco and a slight toast from the oak.
High acid, medium tannin, and green pepper greeted me as I swished it around in my mouth. I could almost smell meatballs as I drank it (vegetarian, of course) and, suddenly, I was craving a big bowl of spaghetti with thick marinara sauce.
In our house, grilled tuna sandwiches are our Friday night special and have been for years. I just love comfort food. I would easily pair one with a bottle of 2011 Argiolas. Revisiting the pasta, a cream sauce would not work with this wine. It has to be a thick tomato-acid with acid.
The medium tannins would hold up well to savory cheeses and I’d lean toward Italian because of the pasta influence so the suggested pecorino is a perfect choice or a quality Parmesan grated over the main course.
This wine is obtained from Monica grapes which I’ve not heard of. A quick Wiki search uncovered that Monica grapes are a dark-skinned grape found on the Italian island of Sardinia though they originated in Spain. The Italian food pairing makes a good bit of sense with that background info.
The 2011 Argiolas Monica di Sardegna Perdera measures 13.5% alcohol. Purchased at Battle Ground Produce for $15. Cheers!
Viki
I am a Clark County native. I am Level 2 WSET (wine and spirit education trust)-certified and enjoy pairing wine with my passion for travel and fondness of food. My most prized possessions are the memories of places I've been with my husband, the chance encounters we've been blessed to have along the way and my carry-on bag. I can often be seen around town and in tasting rooms with our two beautiful, double-Merle Australian shepherds, Challenge and Baby Girl.