Saturday, December 19, 2009

Today's Featured Wine #2: 2004 Poggio Argentiera Finisterre

Great Wine Profile

We don't mess around with swill at CellarThief...nope, only great wines at stellar prices. Here is another great find from the cellar...

2004 Poggio Argentiera Finisterre


Looking for something a little bit different, but still downright delicious? This Italian beauty fits that bill. It also fits the "something that can be drunk now and be cellared for a few years" bill, the "hey check me out...I can show off how much I know wine because I found this gem few know about" bill and the "I'm looking for a spectacular wine with a cool package that preferably has yellow in the label" bill. This blend of Syrah and Alicante will tickle the palate and leave it laughing until it almost needs to pee its pants.

Poggio Argentiera Winery: 2004 Finisterre


Wine & Spirits Magazine - 92 points
WINE & SPIRITS MAGAZINE: A rich red for chocolate lovers, this 50/50 blend of alicante and syrah shows a lot of oak extract at first, while there's plenty of equally dense fruit underneath that evolves with air. The tannin is expansive, with a ferrous character that keeps the structure firm and allows the pretty fruit to show through. Probably best six to eight years from the vintage.
CELLARTHIEF TRANSLATION: A big dog - tons of fruit and big mouth puckering tannins with a lip curling pay-off like delicious chocolate all gooey from being left in your pocket on a warm day. Throw a couple of these in your cellar and you'll be happy you did - especially at this smokin' price!!

Poggio Argentiera Winery: Owner

Gianpaolo Paglia and Justine Keeling

Poggio Argentiera Winery: Region

Tuscany, Italy (Wine Italy)

Poggio Argentiera Winery: Background

Gianpaolo Paglia, an agronomist born and bred in Maremma, and Justine Keeling, an English marketing manager, bought the estate in 1997. Poggio Argentiera is today composed of two estates situated in two different areas of Tuscany's Maremma, near the town of Grosseto. In this impossibly stunning area of the world the winery owns two properties with different micro-climates but each with enough potential and charm that you wouldn't mind throwing a tent down and living there for the next...ohhh...50 years.

Even though it was only founded in 2007, it has already acquired an impressive record of awards and critical acclaim, both in Italy and worldwide from all the top dogs.

Poggio Argentiera Winery: Wines Made

Poggio Argentiera makes some wild and crazily delicious wines from some wild and crazily fun grapes like Sangiovese, Ansonica, and Vermentino.

Poggio Argentiera Winery: Food Pairing

The 2004 Poggio Argentiera Finisterre should be paired with hefty, rich and hedonistic foods that you'll be ashamed you ate the next morning:

  • Cheese: Any of the incredible cheeses from Tuscany
  • Meat: Tuscan Steak
  • Pasta: Gnocchi with meat sauce, meat raviolis with even more meat in the sauce
  • Other Suggestions: Anything...and I do mean anything...wrapped in bacon (heck, if it doesn't pair well, you'll still be eating bacon!!!); Wild Boar - if you dare (cue the scary B-Movie music)

Poggio Argentiera Winery: Wine Style.

This wine is a "Big Bomber"!
Like all "Big Bomber" wines - this one will almost make you go weak in the knees. With each sip, your teeth turn a deeper shade of red and your appetite starts roarin' for a big steak. These wines are mostly unruly in their youth (who isn't) though they are fun in their extra bit of danger (again, who isn't). Put them down in the cellar for a while and these wines will mature and shed the exuberance of youth without losing their fiery spirit.

More great wine from Italy. Wine Italy.