Reading last night's post, it seems like I went off a bit on an unrelated tangent. However, the point I was trying to make was how, just like food, environment can play into one's wine experience. In my case, I was melancholy from the music I'd been playing and feeling blessed looking and listening to my children while thinking about my past and their future all rolled into one. The wine enhanced that feeling and created an overall nostalgic experience. Whereas the night prior, I was in a different emotional state and was listening to classical music and even though I drank more of the wine then, it didn't seem to enhance my mood. It's the same thing as going to a great restaurant and thoroughly enjoying the food and the company you're with and ordering a wine that tastes great. I've done that and left deciding I've got to go buy a bottle of that great wine. I've bought it, brought it home, and it just doesn't taste the same. As a matter of fact, I've wondered what the heck I liked about it in the first place. The food, the music, the lighting, the company, everything plays a part in the total experience.
All right, onto today's wine experience (with less emotion I promise):
Charles Shaw Shiraz
California 2005
NAPA
Well, I finally tried it, "Two Buck Chuck" - the el cheapo "Trader Joe" phenomenon. I had the Shiraz on it's own, no food accompaniment. For $2.99 (sells for $1.99 in California) I was thinking it would taste like vinegar, but it really wasn't that bad. But it tasted more fruity than heady - the balance was off. Though there wasn't much body, there was a slightly enjoyable flavor. My mother encouraged my 88-year old grandmother and myself to keep drinking it. She said (and only as my mother can) "The more you drink the better it tastes." The three of us consumed half a bottle and surprisingly found ourselves feeling a buzz prior to our Mother's Day afternoon dinner.
To sum it up, I probably wouldn't intentionally buy it, though it might be a consideration for a large holiday party or family gathering in which lots of wine is needed on a budget. I would also definitely use it for cooking - it added great flavor to our New England Pot Roast.
6.5 out of 10
Recolte 2003
Chateau Peyfol
Cotes De Castillon
Red Bordeaux Wine
We consumed this wine with our Mother's Day Pot Roast (my grandmother's tried and true Yankee recipe). It was a nice accompaniment to the whole meal: Beef pot roast, mashed sweet potatoes, asparagus, Cauliflower, spinach salad with strawberries, and Italian bread. Though it had nice flavor, I was again missing body. I have not had a nice heady experience with any French reds which is why I usually avoid that aisle altogether (just give me California!) - they tend to taste weak to me (the exception being Uncle Bob's cellared Pomerol a couple of years ago - but that's not in the budget). This reminded me of a Beaujolais - nice light luncheon / picnic wine.
I purposefully bought a red Bordeaux because I am a lover of Merlot and felt I needed to go straight to the horse's mouth. This just wasn't the right label. I've got t0 persevere the whole French thing and I will find something before year's end.
7 out of 10
Chateau Peyfol 2003
Grand Vin de Bordeaux
$19.99 / bottle
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