If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might remember that I used to do a somewhat regular column called Twelve Dollar Bottle. It was way fun, and I’ve really missed doing it! Being pregnant/having newborns for a significant part of the past 4 years of my life (biggest blessing ever, let me say!) really put a hold on my ability to drink wine (or my ability to have friends over with whom to drink the wine), but I’m happy to say that Twelve Dollar Bottle is officially BACK! (Unless I get pregnant soon, which is all up to The Big Man.) But for this current moment, it is BACK!
The idea behind Twelve Dollar Bottle is to get an inexpensive bottle of wine ($12ish or under), pour it up amongst friends/fam, then drink it together and discuss! I, nor any of my friends, are very educated in the wine world so Twelve Dollar Bottle is just a super casual review from a bunch of regular, everyday folks.
Anyway! Since I do love wine and wish to be more educated in it, I’ve teamed up with Colony Wine Market in Madison and their owner/sommelier Scott Jackson to help guide Twelve Dollar Bottle selections! His selection for this round did not disappoint!
The conversation:
Laurel: This is a type of wine that honestly I’ve never heard of. Have y’all heard of this kind? *stumbles through pronunciation while showing the label to the group*
Group: No… Can’t say I have… Never… What’s it called again…?
L: Ok y’all all take a sip and say your first thoughts!
Walter: What region is it from? It has a robust aroma
L: It does have a strong smell! And… it’s Italian.
Talyr: It’s strong, but I really like it!
L: It’s heavy.
Mary Rachel: It’s warm.
L: It’s not like a bright, sweet wine is what I mean by heavy.
Price: It could be because I just finished an Abita Strawberry before this, but it’s a little bland to me at first sip…
Rob: It’s really easy to drink
W: Rather smooth. With blackberry undertones and a vanilla finish…
L: Walter are you for real? Are you a wine guy?
MR: Nooooo he’s making stuff up.
T: Ok I want to say it’s rustic, but I don’t know how to explain the rustic taste I’m tasting. But it’s a good thing!
P: To me, it has a stronger smell than it does taste.
W: I’m gonna go down as saying this is a really good twelve dollar bottle of wine.
L: I feel like I’m drinking something that costs more than $12.
W: This just may be the Pangs’ new house red.
P: Honestly, it’s a little too bland for me.
L: That’s ok! Not everybody likes every bottle!
R: It’s not biting me back and I like my wine to bite me back a little more than this.
L: Is it just me or does it make this cheese taste better?
MR: It DOES make the cheese taste better! When I took a sip then ate a piece of cheese, it made the cheese taste much better!
L: The guys at Colony Wine Market did say it’s best with food. That’s why I have this charcuterie here for y’all to be snackin’ on!
MR: Say that word again? Charcuterie?
W: That sounds so fancy.
P: It’s what Laurel serves when people come over to make us look classy. It’s a fancy term for “meat and cheese platter”
L: It has other stuff besides meat and cheese! Olives, nuts, berries… Plus, I used to work for a food blog! I learned cool terms like charcuterie…
P: Ok I have something to say! This wine brings out the flavors in the food I’m eating right now. I wouldn’t drink this wine by itself, but I do agree that if you drink it with food, it makes your food taste way better. It accentuates the taste of stuff. Like the cheese really pops after a sip!
MR: I agree with that. Well said, Price
P: I’m a wordsmith. What can I say?
// aaaaaand scene //
So overall, everyone but Price liked this bottle! Rob wished it bit him back a little more, but you know, not every wine has “bite!” ha! It certainly brought out the flavor in the food. And I thought the food brought out the flavor in the wine. So this is not a great pick if you’re just looking to have a glass of wine one night by itself. It’s intended to go with food, as Scott said, and I absolutely see what he’s talking about!
(Sorry, should’ve cleaned my fingerprints of that glass there before photographing!)
If you are looking to get yourself a bottle of this Cortenova, be sure to head to Colony Wine Market on the corner of Highway 463 and Highland Colony Parkway in Madison. They have an awesome selection. And this particular bottle retails at $12 and some change.
Thank y’all so much for stopping in on this reinstatement of TDB! It’s always such an honor to have you here reading. Have a WONDERFUL weekend (and why not do your own review of this same bottle?!)
XOXOXO!
Supported by Colony Wine Market
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