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Welcome

This is a resource for people who want to buy an interesting bottle of wine on a budget of about $20. If you get lost between Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and have access to a Dan Murphy's or Vintage Cellars (or Aldi, as of 2015!), you've come to the right place. Where possible, wines are listed with their single-bottle price from DM/VC/A and the winery's home page.

A good place to start is the 'Index', or if you know what type of wine you want, head straight to the 'Recommended Reds', 'Worthy Whites' or 'Stunning Sparklers' that only show 4 & 5☆ wines.

Your experience will be different to everyone else's, which makes wine such a pleasure. The same vintage wine at different ages will be distinct, as will the same aged wines from different vintages. What the glass holds is a unique parcel of time that should be enjoyed as such.

Friday, 2 November 2018

(S) Riccadonna: Ruby Dolce, from Piedmont, Italy

Appearance
Bright cherry-red with enough bubbles to form a light head.

Smell
This is a simple, yet deliciously berry-fruity wine. Lots of confected fruit, strawberries, raspberries & cranberries.

Palate
In the realm of table wines, this is quite sweet, however it's not in the league of dessert wines. At only 8% abv, about one third of the natural grape sugar would still be present.
Sweetness aside, there is some acid to balance the wine & plenty of spritz to keep it refreshing. The dominant flavours are all red berries, however there's a bit of sour cherry lingering at the back, which is less noticeable straight from the fridge. It would be great to know more about the "blend of Italian aromatic red grapes" that goes into this wine.
With low alcohol & not much body, this is the wine equivalent of Solo - "Light on the fizz, so you can slam it down fast". Perfect for celebrating the Spring Racing Carnival & the arrival of Summer.

Tale
Riccadonna has been part of the Campari Group since 2003, however it was founded in 1921 by Ottavio Riccadonna in the North-West Italian town of Canelli. Canelli lies half way between Milan & Nice (France), in the province of Asti. Asti itself lies at the heart of Piemonte/Piedmont, which is possibly Italy's greatest wine region thanks to its intense & long-lived Nebbiolos.

The wines of Riccadonna are at the opposite end of the wine spectrum from their famous Nebbiolo neighbours, as most of the Riccadonna range are light, fizzy & sweet. Unfortunately the brand is in the midst of changing its look from the distinctive skinny neck & fat bottom, to a more Champenois look (both bottles shown below). This may also be why I was able to pick up a few bottles of the old shape from the $5 bargain bin. At that price, it's definitely gets 5☆ for value!

I previously reviewed the Riccadonna Asti, which ticks most of the same stylistic boxes as the Ruby.

Price: $13
Quality: ☆☆☆☆
Value: ☆☆☆☆

www.danmurphys.com.au/product/DM_906044
www.camparigroup.com/en/brands/sparkling-wines/riccadonna



 
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