Wine Wednesday: Alice White Chardonnay

While perusing the wine aisle the other day, I ran across something new to me. Easily portable (perfect for picnics!) little cardboard boxes that hold wine -- sorta like a Capri Sun for adults. Each box holds almost 3 glasses worth of wine. Yes, it's box wine -- but at least it doesn't come in the gallon sizes!

This mini-box comes from Australia and contains the Alice White Chardonnay, but don't ask me about the year -- it's not listed. This wine has a light mouth feel and an almost non-existent nose. I really can't smell much except the alcohol. There might be a hint of citrus and pear, but it's faint at best.

The taste is very similar to the smell. It's a faint flavor of citrus, apples and pears. But the mild alcohol flavor almost overwhelms it. Really, its one of the strangest chards I've had. It lacks both smell and flavor. Because of this it's not bad.... but it's not great either.

Wine Rating:

Score: 2.5/5

Price: $

Wine Info:
Alice White Chardonnay (500ml)
South Eastern Australia
http://www.alicewhite.com/

Wine Wednesday: Heitz Chardonnay

Ok, so I'm actually posting this on Thursday... but it's not my fault.... the dog ate my homework!

Wait. No. That was a lie. I don't own a dog, and lets face it, my cat will only eat tuna. So, I was busy yesterday and I didn't get a chance to write this. Ok?? That's the truth! (Mostly....)

But back to the wine, which came via California, from my parents. They wanted to share some of their fall-back wines. So, I readily agreed to the shipping terms (all I had to do was open the door for the UPS guy) and waited for the delivery. Shortly after the red and white wines arrived, I served them with an appropriate dinner.

The 2006 Heitz Chardonnay was a welcome addition to my wine holder. I haven't seen it at any of the local stores, and I kinda liked the label too. But when it came to the wine, my wife and I were split. The wine had a strong scent of pears and apples. However, the taste was that of acid and grapefruit. The acid gave it a crisp mouthfeel, and a lightness that usually comes with sitting in steel barrels, instead of oak.

This is something my wife really enjoyed. I however, am more of an oak barrel, buttery and oaky sorta guy. Don't get me wrong, I readily drank it. And the bottle was finished shortly after the dinner.

But this shows how wines can taste differently to different people. My wife loved the crispness while I found it wasn't my cup of tea.

But I'd like to thank my folks for the wine delivery! Sometimes its nice to have your own personal wine club deliveries! :)

Wine Rating:

Score: 3/5

Price: $$

Wine Info:
2006 Chardonnay
Heitz Wine Cellar
436 St. Helena Highway
St. Helena, California
p) 707-963-3542
http://www.heitzcellar.com/

Wine Wednesday: Matchbook Tempranillo

This wine is yet another new experience from my all too brief (aren't they always?) vacation last week. After dinner at High Thyme, my wife and I walked next door to a coffee store. This is one of my favorite coffee shops EVER. Do you know why?

Time's UP!

Not, it's not just because they sell coffee. It's because they sell coffee AND wine. Yeah, I could have moved in and never left.

While perusing I ran across this Tempranillo by Matchbook. If you're like me you're asking. "Tempran-What-A?" After a brief Google search, I learned that Tempranillo is a wine grape that is Spanish in origin. And it's at it's finest when mixed with other wines.

Apparently the folks at Matchbook know their stuff because this wine was rockin'. Served with pasta and home-made tomato sauce, this wine held its own against the acidity and robust flavor of the sauce.

At first the wine was slightly dry. But after a second, WOW. My palate was hit with flavors of cherry, fruits, a hint of vanilla and a whiff of leather. The wine shows a complexity I wasn't expecting. And it's REALLY good.

For the price, it's one of the best wines I've had. This seriously needs to be on your shopping list.

Wine Rating

Score: 5/5

Price: $$ ($15)

Wine Info:
2006 Matchbook Tempranillo (Blend: 77% Tempranillo, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Graciano )
Dunnigan Hills, California

Crew Wine Company
12300 County Road 92B
PO Box 493
Zamora, CA 95698
p) 530-662-1032
http://www.crewwines.com/matchbook_tempranillo.php

Wine Wednesday: Bell'agio Chianti

I've gotta admit, I fell in love with this wine years ago -- because of the bottle. This sorta round bottle of wine is covered in a straw/wickerish covering. It just screams Italian, and since I love Italian food, this was a match made in heaven.

In fact, I even went so far as to use one of these bottles as a candle holder -- something I learned from a small restaurant when I was in DC. But now I'm married, and if I still had that wax covered bottle of wine on the table, my wife would probably have a aneurysm. So, it's gone, but the fond memories remain.

All this back story leads to the fact, that when I learn about an upcoming Italian meal being made at home, it's the first thing I reach for!

So this weekend when my wife made a delicious lasagna, I had that bottle of wine opened about 30 minutes before the lasagna left the oven.

This 2007 Chianti isn't a great wine and it won't rock your world. But it is a good wine, and has enough tannins to make it perfect for most Italian cooking. I took a whiff, and detected a slight hint of cherries. With the sip I tasted currant and cherries. It's a light wine and goes down easy. But it does have a dry finish that lingers for a while.

Overall a good wine, that's a good value. In order to get more value from the wine, I suggest you use the empty bottle as a candle holder. :)

Wine Rating:

Score: 3/5

Price: $$ (Just over $10)

Wine Info:
2007 Chianti
Bell'agio
Italy

Wine Wednesday: 2006 Pine & Post Chardonnay

As I've mentioned previously, I have a love for the Pine & Post Cabernet. Dollar for dollar, I think it's the best value out there. So, the other day while cruising the Harris Teeter wine aisle, I came across a Pine & Post Chardonnay. Needless to say, I snapped it up in record time.

This 2006 Chardonnay is from the Columbia River region of Washington State, from the same region where their Cabernet is from.

I found this Chardonnay to be much lighter in texture and taste than other Chardonnays. This wine lacked the butter and oak flavors that I typically enjoy in chards. Instead it has flavors of pineapple, citrus, and green apple. The finish is crisp with a slight acidity, but not too crisp. If I had to guess, I'd say that this wine was aged in steel and not oak barrels.

It's a good wine, and if you're going for a lighter and crisp wine, this is a good choice. But to me it seemed more like a Sauvignon Blanc and not a Chardonnay. It's good, just not my style.

FYI, It would be a perfect compiment to lighter dishes including fish and sushi.

Wine Rating:

Score: 3/5

Price: $ ($6-$7)

Wine Info:
2007 Chardonnay
Pine & Post
Columbia Valley, WA
http://www.pineandpost.com/

Wine Wednesday: 2007 Newman's Own Cabernet Sauvignon

Now, I know what you're thinking. The late Paul Newman's company - Newman's Own - makes salsa, marinades, salad dressing, cookies, lemonade, cereal, popcorn, and pizza. What's the only remaining food group missing?

If you answered "Ice Cream," you're wrong. (But good idea!)

You should have answered wine!

In general I've found Newman's Own products to be darn tasty, so when I was at the opening of the Bloom grocery store off of Beaties Ford Rd., I decided to splurge and grab one.

This 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is heavy on the fruit. It is moderately dry and leaves a fuzzy feeling on the tongue. It has strong amounts of cherry and blackberry, with a hint of spice. While my nose detected some vanilla, which was completely overwhelmed by the previously mentioned fruit.

It's a decent wine, but for the $12 (sale price) I paid, I've had better. Then again, I've had worse, too!

Wine Rating: 2.5/5

Price: $$

Wine Info:
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Newman's Own
Rebel Wine
St. Helena, CA 94574

Wine Wednesday: Paso Creek Merlot

It's been several years since I last had the opportunity to visit California's Central Coast. This region's wine growing abilities were highlighted in the movie "Sideways," which was shot on location in some great vineyards. (Yes, this is one of my favorite movies)

This means, that whenever I get the chance to try a new wine from that region, I will try it if it's in my price range. This Paso Creek Merlot, was about $14, so it was on the higher side of my standard price range, but I'm glad that I got it. It's a GREAT find!

I served this 2006 Merlot with a steak, covered with grilled peppers. And I've got to say, the wine held up against this flavorful meal very well. This is a dry Merlot with a full body. It has a lingering finish that has a hint of currant and spice, with a whiff of vanilla. It was a deep red / purple, and after a brief spill, I learned that it can leave a stain like nothing else!

According to the Paso Creek Vineyards website, this Merlot was aged for at least 18 months in French and Eastern European oak. And 35% of the barrels were new. The alcohol content on the bottle says 13.5%, but the website claims 13.8%. I believe the website -- this wine packed a very good wallop!

But I've gotta say, this was a great Merlot. That's $15 well spent.

Wine Rating

Score: 4/5

Price: $$

Wine Info:
2006 Merlot
Paso Creek Vineyards
Paso Robles, California
http://www.pasocreek.com/

Wine Wednesday: Pizza Week Edition

Since I've declared this to be "Pizza Week", I've decided to do a run-down with the top three wines, which I've already reviewed, that would be perfect with a slice of pizza.

These are full bodied wines, that will be able to hold-up against a slice of spicy pepperoni, or will compliment a more mild tomato and basil.

Either way, these are wines that you should savor and enjoy. And with the exception of the St. Clement Merlot, they're under $10.

Pine & Post Cabernet

Rosemount Shiraz

St. Clement Merlot

Wine Wednesday: Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon

As you all know, I'm a sucker for marketing. And when I saw this Cupcake Vineyards bottle, my interest was piqued. So, I picked it up and noticed that it was from California's Central Coast. This bottle was getting better.

Then I saw it. Listed on the back. Livermore, CA.

Two of my favorite under-appreciated wine growing areas in California are the Santa Cruz Mountains and Livermore. Chances are, if I see a wine from there, I'm going to buy it.

So, needless to say this bottle of wine with the girly label and cute name was mine. Yeah, I traded in my Man Card to buy it.... but it was a worthwhile trade.

This 2006 Cabernet was good wine. It has a strong currant and fruit flavor that hits you the second you drink it, and it's finish is surprisingly dry -- which I typically don't like. However, this dry after-taste didn't last long; as soon as I noticed it, it began to fade.

My wife and I shared this bottle over Spaghetti Bolognese, and the bottle didn't stand a chance. This didn't taste like your typical Cabernet Sauvignon -- it lacked the spicy complexity that many have. However, it went down easy, and tasted pretty darn good.

If you're looking for a simple bottle of red that's relatively cheap and tastes good -- this is your bottle.

Score: 3.5/5

Price: $-$$ (Originally priced at $14, I got it on sale at Harris Teeter for $10)

Wine Info:
2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Central Coast

Cupcake Vineyards
Livermore, CA
http://www.cupcakevineyard.com/

Wine Wednesday: Rosemount Shiraz

Last weekend I hit the local grocery store and wanted to find a red wine that I'd never tried before. I didn't know what I wanted -- but I'd know it when I found it. After a few minutes of perusing, I found it.

A 2005 Rosemount Shiraz.

For those of you who don't know -- the syrah and shiraz grapes are the same. Most of the world uses the name syrah. However, in Australia they like to do things a little differently -- so they use the name shiraz. Also, the bottom of the bottle is square -- literally!

But if this wine is different -- I like different!

This 2005 Shiraz is one of the smoothest red wines that I've had. There was never an acidic kick. It hit the tongue smooth, went down smooth, and left me wanting more. It was sort of like drinking water -- REALLY REALLY tasty water!

This Black Diamond Label from Rosemount had a stong currant flavor, with a hint of cherry, and an whiff of leather. All these flavors mixed together well and produced a light, yet deep, red that would seem to compliment anything from pizza and pasta to steak and lamb. However, because of it's smoothness, it would also be perfect just for sipping.

Add this to the fact that this wine is less than $10, and I've come to believe that this is a wine that everybody should have in their house.

FYI, according to Rosemount's US website, it looks like they've got some sort of sponsorship deal with the upcoming Season of Hells Kitchen on Fox. So, this winery may become a household name pretty soon.

Rating: 4/5

Price: $

Wine Info:
2005 Rosemount Shiraz, Bkacj Diamond Label, South Eastern Australia
Rosemount Estate
GPO Box 753F
Melbourne VIC 3001
Australia
p) +61 3 9633 2000
http://www.rosemountestate.com/

Wine Wednesday: Bogle Sauvignon Blanc

In my efforts to keep from trying the same wines, I've largely abandoned my Bogle addiction. Before I started this blog, there was ALWAYS a Bogle in the house -- just waiting to be tasted.

Fortunately, this weekend I broke down and grabbed a Bogle Sauvignon Blanc. I'm still learning about Sauvignon Blancs, and I wanted to give this one a try. Bogle has never let me down before, and this time was no exception.

My wife and I shared this 2007 vintage over sushi last night, and this wine perfectly complimented the delicate flavors and light nature of this meal. This wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, and because of this it remains very light with no hint of oak. The fruit is readily apparent with a strong pineapple flare, that doesn't hide the pear and peach overtones.

There is a mild acidity that remains balanced throughout the taste, and gives the wine a crisp and light feel on the tongue. A great summer wine, that isn't too sweet, and is perfect with a lighter meal or sipping on a warm night.

Rating: 4/5. It's good, drink it now. I don't see much reason to let this one age.

Price: $

Wine Info:
Bogle Vineyards
2007 Sauvignon Blanc
37783 County Road 144
Clarksburg, CA 95612
http://www.boglewinery.com/