Every Wednesday is delivery day at the retail store I manage. And every Wednesday, we open at least one wine to try, maybe even two. It’s not only fun, it’s a learning tool, and whomever the part time staff is on that day, they reap the benefits of trying the wines. My firm belief is if you don’t know what it tastes like, how in the world are you going to sell it?

This weekly blog will focus on new wines that I’m bringing in, that are between $30 and $40. There’s a lot in that price range, and some REALLY good ones too!  So come and check out Thirsty Thirty-Something Thursdays with me starting RIGHT NOW!

Sicily is hot. Yes, heat-hot, but that’s not what I’m talking about. Hot as in trendy hot! The region, and the wines coming into our market, have never been more popular. Last night, I tasted this unbelievable 2006 Nero D’Avola from Duca di Salaparuta called Duca Enrico. Oh. My. Goodness…Needless to say, I didn’t spit that one out! However, it doesn’t qualify for this post…it’s a $125 bottle of wine! You never know though…it may come up in a different post!

I was proud of my boss this last week!  While I was away writing my Diploma exam, he did the buying for the week.  This man is typically a new world guy. I’M the old world lover, specifically wines from Italy or France. BUT, he brought in a new Italian wine! (yes, another one!) Called Micro Cosmo from the Marilena Barbera family vineyards in Menfi, a town in south east Sicily. This place pretty much sounds like paradise to me. Described as Eden with sandy dunes, palm trees, ocean breezes and bright sunshine, the constant air flow in the area keeps the humidity and therefore fungal diseases, at bay.

I studied a lot of Italian grapes, but one of them in this blend I had never heard of before called Perricone. The blend is 90% Perricone and 10% Nerello Mascalese (which by the way, is fast becoming one of my favourite grapes!), which makes this an IGT wine because it doesn’t follow the DOC rules of the region. That my friends…is another blog altogether!  Rules! These old world countries are full of them!  Oi!

Annnyyyywayyyy…the grapes are planted together, as they consider the vineyard area for these two varieties a single entity: they don’t want to capture the grape’s individual characteristics, but the harmony of them working together, all in the name of microcosm…hence the name of the wine. The wine is medium ruby in colour with a nose distinctly of cherries, and herbaceous spices…like sage or Italian spices.  It truly reminds me of making spaghetti sauce! In the mouth, it has balanced acidity to chalky tannins and sour cherries with more of a sweet spice component…like cloves and cinnamon. And it tastes better today than it did yesterday! Always a great thing! Fitting into Thirty-Something nicely at CAD $37.95. Cin Cin!