Corona De Aragon 2014 Old Vine Garnacha
What a pleasure to discover a wine bargain like the Corona De Aragon 2014 Old Vine Garnacha. The D.O. (wine appellation) is Cariñena. The Cariñena wine region is in the region of Aragon, in the northeastern area of Spain. I purchased the Corona De Aragon 2014 at the Foster City Costco for $9.99.
The Corona De Aragon is 100% Garnacha, but it is a much different style of Garnacha from what typifies Spanish Garnacha. Garanach wines from the Priorat and Montsant are big and bold with deep fruit flavors. The Corona De Aragon is light-to-medium bodied with fresh red fruit on the nose and palate. In a sense, more Pinot Noir-like. The Corona is a food-friendly wine. There is a sparkle to this wine, with delicate flavors that make it a delightful sipping wine, and it pairs nicely with pasta, chicken, salmon, and, of course, Paella.
For $10 the Corona De Aragon 2014 Old Vine Garnacha certainly qualifies as a Best Buy wine. Steven Tanzer rates the Corona at 90 Points; I will go with 89 Points. I went back and purchased a few more bottles for our Paella garden party we are hosting in September.
2016 Pico Maccario Lavignone Barbera D’ Asti – $12.99
Delightful Barbera D’ Asti
I am impressed by the many new and interesting imports at the Foster City Costco. The Corona above and the 2016 Pico Maccario Lavignone Barbera D’ Asti are two excellent examples. I like the Lavignone better than the wine critics. I rate it at 88 Points. The critic consensus is 87 Points.
What I like is the acidity, the spice, and fresh fruitiness of the wine. It is a fantastic wine to pair with tomato-based foods. Try a Margherita Pizza or Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes with spinach and parmesan cheese.
Have you tried a Barbera D’ Asti? Whether you are learning about wine or are a seasoned wine lover, a Barbera D’ Asti should be in your wine cellar.
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The 2016 Pico Maccario Lavignone Barbera D’ Asti has just been restocked at my local Costco (Folsom CA) after a brief absence.
It is now priced at $8.97 per bottle which is a STEAL !
The ‘trick’ is, to let it breathe for at least 1 hour prior to major consumption (I always taste the wines right after opening, to see what they are initially). It takes on a much ‘darker’ character, the longer it’s opened.
SO, if you drink wine with EVERY Italian meal, this is the most cost-effective option…
Wow! Thanks for alerting us. That is a steal. I will look for it on my next Costco run.
Joe
And…… It’s gone…
CRAP! THAT IS WHY YOU NEVER BUY JUST 1 !!!
The ‘wine guy’ is going to see if the ‘central depot’ still has any…
But, as a more expensive substitute, one of my local Costco’s now have a 2017 “Valmorena” Barbera D’Asti for $12.99 which I will have to try next week…
Tasted the 2017 “Valmorena” Barbera D’Asti the other night (paired with one of my pasta/snausage meals) and it was as good or better than the Pico Maccario…
The ‘wine guy’ at the Folsom Costco noted that a female ‘wine snob’ did not care for it, and I’ll will re-taste-test it this week.
Wine is ‘subjective’, and you have to ‘like’ Barbera D’Asti’s (a lot of wine drinkers do not like Barbera at all). The varietal is ‘not’ acidic or ‘deep’ like most Italian wines…