Tasting - Costera Cannonau di Sardegna 2013

I'd be lying if I said I was even remotely looking forward to the second red wine after just finishing such a strong red prior to this, but it was now time for the fourth wine of the tasting - the Costera Cannonau di Sardegna 2013 from Sardinia, Italy priced at $17.95.

The following review from Wine Advocate, along with a 90 point rating was provided by The Vintage Cellar:
"The 2013 Cannonau di Sardegna Costera hits all the right buttons. This is a steady and well presented red wine from the heart of the Mediterranean. It shows a high level of confidence and boldness with big, black cherry aromas followed by more subtle nuances of spice, tobacco and freshly milled black pepper. Although the wine tastes very dry, it is not without its softness and plushness in terms of texture." 

First scent and already not a fan - woah the alcohol smell was present in this one. Aside from the heat of alcohol and a tart scent to follow, I really didn't get much from the nose. In terms of tasting, I immediately noted that this was a spicy wine and had a strong presence of pepper. There were tastes of cherry that came through in the middle and finish, which I enjoyed, but I found that the dryness of this wine killed it.

From my perspective, I didn't find this wine to be great. Initially, I found that I was surprised by enjoying the flavor that this wine brought forward, but couldn't seem to get past the immense dryness it left in my mouth.