Lamuri d'Almerita 2008

We bought a whole bunch of groceries and began cooking. Here is what we picked for the night.

Lamuri d'Almerita 2008
Reddish brown and opaque in color, this wine had a pretty incredible nose. It was earthy, toasty (like raisins dried under the sun), plush juicy fruits of ripe red cherry and cantaloupe with hints of dried Shitake mushrooms. At first sip, I thought it needed time to open up. But upon some decanting, the butterscotch, toasted caramel, plush juiciness just took over! Well balanced with smooth silky tannins, it had some spiciness going on with good full mouthfeel. Although there was a slight astringency from tannins at the end, it felt like I was tasting the grape seed which was an experience in itself. I was surprised to know that this was 100% Nero D'Avola (one of the indigenous grape varietal of Italy) because it was rather different from the one I tasted some time back. OOOO

Although the New York Steak/Filet Mignon was overcooked a little, both had mouthwatering juiciness that complement each other. Lamuri seem to have added layers of spices and juiciness to the steak, which made it even better. On the side, we had orzo salad with chickpeas (Or Garbanzo, which ever you prefer), black olives and feta cheese. This was alright with the wine compared with the steak.

I was gifted by a friend the same bottle so I cannot wait to have it again!

Fun fact: With two estates in the heart of Sicily, Tasca d'Almerita has been in the Regaleali family eight generations.