100% Grillo from Sicily, Italy and 100% Sangiovese from Tuscany, Italy. Organic and vegan.
Both have an SRP of $15 and are available for around $12 for a 1 Liter Tetra Pak. Samples received courtesy Monte Bernardi for review purposes.
Today's wines are a new introduction from Monte Bernardi, and they are a bit of a rarity as they are Italian wines packaged in a Tetra Pak. Why a Tetra Pak you may ask? Two reasons. First, these wines are intended to be consumed young which makes a bottle unnecessary. Second, and more importantly, one shipping pallet of Tetra Paks equals 38 pallets of glass bottles! Aside from the obvious environmental impact, this lowers prices. The cheaper the shipping cost the lower your price, something we definitely appreciate here at The Reverse Wine Snob! Of course, this is all for naught if the wine isn't any good, so let's see how each of these wines rate. Up first, the Sangiovese.
From the Tetra Pak:
"This wine expresses the classic qualities of Italian Sangiovese - intense ruby red with hints of purple; aromas of cherry and red plums, and spice; on the palate it's fresh and fruity, medium-bodied and well balanced, with a juicy acidity and a long finish.
As a winemaker I was drawn to Italy out of a love for Sangiovese, Tuscany and the distinctiveness of Italian wines. Enjoy this delicious ready to drink Sangiovese, in an environmentally conscious package, from vineyards farmed organically by passionate growers!
13.5% Alcohol"
The 2010 Fuori Strada Off Road Sangiovese by Monte Bernardi begins with a fabulous bouquet of red cherry, plum and other ripe red fruit along with some nice spice and succulent smoked meat. The wine tastes...really good. This medium-bodied wine features nice fresh juicy fruit, good spice and some smoked meat notes that continue from the bouquet. The finish is dry, fruity, spicy and delicious with some lingering smoky notes. Underlining the fact that this wine is meant to be drunk young, it did not hold up very well on day 2, but that's about the only thing even slightly negative I can say about it. This is a really easy to drink and delicious wine that would be fabulous for pizza night.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here
Overall Rating: 7.8
Highly Recommended
Next up, the Grillo! From the Tetra Pak:
"Grillo is thought to have been used in one of Julius Caesar's favorite wines. Et tu, Brutus? This wine expresses the classic qualities of Italian Grillo - crisp, bright and pale lemon in color; aromas of citrus zest, with a hint of wild flowers; on the palate it's generous, well-balanced - with a fresh acidity and a touch of minerality.
13.0% Alcohol"
Grillo is a grape you don't hear much about, but it is grown throughout Sicily. The 2011 Fuori Strada Off Road Grillo by Monte Bernardi begins with aromas of zesty citrus and a little melon along with some floral notes. The wine tastes, crisp, simple and good with fresh fruit flavors plus some nice minerality and good acidity. It ends with flavorful fruit on the medium length finish. Thanks to its easy drinking character and food flexibility, this one is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.
Overall Rating: 7.3
Recommended Buy
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