Wine Wednesday: St. Clement Merlot

Sitting down over a nice meal with my wife, I opened this 2005 bottle of Merlot to share. But after I had a sip, I wasn't so sure if I wanted to share it with my wife....

This wine is actually 93% Merlot and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it's noticeable. The merlot doesn't taste as mellow / relaxed as other merlots that I've had. The Cab definitely adds some flavor and complexity.

This wine starts with a hint of leather, that gives way to a vibrant currant / berry flavor with a very slight hint of tobacco. Then finishes with a dry tannin.

Also, when doing a little research, I learned that I'm not the only one who likes it. Wine Enthusiast gave it a 92, and Wine News gave it a 90. Both rather good scores from folks who know their wines.

Rating: 4/5 It's a solid wine that I'll definitely buy again.

Price: $$ (I paid less than $20, but I've seen it for almost $30 online)

Wine Info:

St. Clement Vineyards

2005 Merlot

2867 St. Helena Highway North

St. Helena, California

p) 800-331-8266

http://www.stclement.com/

Wine Wednesday: Schramsberg Blanc De Blancs

First off, let me say that I know very little about Champagne. Except that 1) it's yummy. And 2) the French, and certain wine lovers with their noses in the air (a.k.a the French) get all bent out of shape every time you refer to any sparkling wine as a champagne. Apparently Champagne is a term only to be used for sparkling wines grown in the tiny Champagne region in France. Hey, don't look at me -- it's legal stuff that's outlined in the 1891 Treaty of Madrid!

Anyhow, the other day my wife and I celebrated our Anniversary with a bottle of Champagne sparkling wine from Shramsberg Vineyards (Calistoga, CA). It's a 2005 Brut; which means that it's not a sweet wine and contains less than 15 grams of sugar per liter. In addition, it's a Blanc de Blancs. For you non-frenchies out there, that means literally, "white of whites," and the term is used only for champagnes sparkling wines made with only Chardonnay grapes.

Ok, lesson done. Now for the drinking!

I'm not used to tasting champagnes sparkling wines, so it's hard to describe. The bubbles were very fine, and it had a nice finish that lingered on the tongue. I definitely got some fruit flavors out of it, apple and peach come to mind. The flavors were delicately balanced with a mild acidity that gave this bottle a crisp feel to it.

I'd drink this champagne by itself, or with a mild meal. Fish, crab, and maybe chicken. I do think that with a spicy meal that this beverage would be overwhelmed.

Heck, I'm not going to worry about calling it champagne. This Sparkling Wine from California's Napa region could easily go up against the best stuff that France could create. The name doesn't matter -- it's what's in the bottle that counts.

Rating: 4.5/5. Buy it today, tomorrow, and every day for the next two weeks. It is that good, and you'll enjoy it every time.

Price: $$$$ (about $30 - $35)

Sparkling Wine Info:
Schramsberg Vineyards
2005 Blanc de Blanc; Brut
1400 Schramsberg Road
Calistoga, CA 94515
p) 800-877-3623
http://www.schramsberg.com/

THANK YOU to Wikipedia. For more information on Champagne, please visit this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Champagne_(wine)

Wine Wednesday: Red Bicyclette Chardonnay

Monday I was hopeful that I'd have good news to share with ya'll. I was the front-runner for a full-time job that would have me commuting to Raleigh a couple of days a week. It matched my skill-set, I'd have fun doing it, and I had a good interview.

However, things did not go as I had hoped. The President acknowledged that they had planned to hire me, but the Chairman of the Board had other ideas, and insisted on hiring someone else who had less experience.

So, looking for a way to cheer myself up, I chilled a bottle of Chardonnay and waited until 10:05pm, so I could enjoy the bottle while watching the Oakland A's take on the Red Sox.

The good news: the A's played a solid game and won.

The bad news: this wine wasn't what I was hoping for.

This light straw colored Chardonnay has a very sweet and floral smell. Which had me worried at the beginning. I thought it was going to be waaay too sweet.

However, when I let the wine wash over my taste-buds sweet wasn't the main flavor that I tasted. Tart was. The wine first hit me with sweet, and just when it almost became too much, it was followed by a tart taste that actually made me squint my eyes. It's like that fake apple taste, just concentrated to such an extent that it no longer tastes good. And all that was followed by a burning in the back of my throat.

Ugh. This wine tastes the same way the Red Sox played last night. Or maybe it just tastes like socks. But either way, I won't be buying this one again any time soon.

Rating: 1/5

Price: $ (About $10)

Wine Info:
Red Bicyclette
2005 Chardonnay
Languedoc Region, France

Wine Wednesday: Napa River Chardonnay

Last week when I was on my way to Trader Joes, I was excited. Not only would I get a chance to find foods that I normally wouldn't find at the grocery store, but I'd get a chance to look over a new selection of wines too. Needless to say, once I made my way into the store, I was a very giddy Foodie!

As I browsed the wine aisle, I saw some wines that were familiar, so I skipped those. And eventually I made my way to the 2005 Napa River Chardonnay. The price was right (under $10), and I liked the description. So, I grabbed it. And made my way back home with a car-load of delectable goodies. (One day I'll be sure to mention the french pizza with onions, gruyere cheese, and ham!)

The next day I prepared dinner and needed a white wine. So, the first thing I reached for was the Napa River Chardonnay. When I poured it I was surprised by the pale light straw color. It was so light, that at first I thought it was completely colorless.

Next came the smell test. Yeah, right! With my allergies? I was lucky I wasn't sneezing into the wine glasses! To my nose the wine had a light floral aroma, but I could barely notice it with my limited sniffing capabilities. However, to be fair, my wife did confirm the light floral scent.

Then came the taste test -- yup, I was screwed. Sneezing and wine tasting don't go together. I didn't taste much. It has an initial sweetness that turns a little sour during the follow-through. However, I did detect hints of caramel and cedar. It should be noted, that my wife (who was my surrogate smeller and taster) commented about the light body and taste to the wine. It appears that the light smell and taste, and slight sweetness of this wine lends it to a summer wine.

Due to my nasal handicap this time, I looked online for some other reviews to see if I was in the ball park, and it appears that some others agree with me. So, even though my nose was giving me problems, my review is somewhat accurate.

Now, all I need is an aisle in the grocery store with wine AND Zyrtec -- I'll be in great shape!

Rating: 3/5; from what I could tell it was a relatively average chardonnay. Good, but not great.

Price: $ (under $10)

Wine Info:
Napa River
2005 Chardonnay
Napa, CA

FYI, this wine is made by Bronco Winery, the same folks who make Charles Shaw wines.