Malbec
Dona Paula
2006
Argentina
Will drink again.
Thank you, HRChick for your comments - you wouldn't be biased would you? :)
Contradiction. That's what the word of the day seems to be - and my life today has played out that way:
After a very stressful week, and financial disarray, I debated spending any money at all on a bottle of wine. As I am having a family gathering tomorrow, I knew I had to buy something at least for then. I decided to just see what there was and go with the flow. My little one has turned six, and we are celebrating her birthday. But my mother-in-law just lost her mother (Great Granny Dot) this morning following a very brief illness.
I am grilling chicken kabobs for lunch tomorrow and am excited about a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc that was wicked cheap. I will report on that at some point this weekend. For myself this evening, I considered purchasing the very cheap "Yellowtail Shiraz" because it tastes halfway decent and I have no money, yet I haven't enjoyed any wine since Monday, I'm feeling the stress of the week, and, I need something new to review. I chose Los Cardos.
"Los Cardos" means "the thistles" - flowers known for their intense, surprisingly vivid color and their sharp thorns. A contradiction. Like this week for me. My children returning to school - new teachers, new schedules. The promise of a set routine at the cost of initial chaos and uncertainty. My work schedule has returned to "normal" hours following a summer schedule of going in early, but leaving early to be home with my children for the last half of the day. Now I'm back to 5:00 p.m. yet there is some comfort in a set routine. My children are busy and working during the day like me. Yet we meet again for dinner and each discuss the highlights, and lowlights, of our day. The topic tonight turned from birthdays to death.
Great Granny Dot. She lived her life the way she wanted. She didn't care what anyone else thought. She did what made her happy. She was strong in her conviction. An admirable trait indeed. Something I've been unable to do, yet long to do. So, as my youngest turns six and we celebrate her life just beginning, we remember Dot, and remember her life as it comes to an end.
I teach our children that death is not to be feared. It is a relief to pain, a relief to suffering. It is not an end, but a new beginning. Life is amazing. Death being a part of that life. Life is indeed a gift. But there is a whole universe out there and behind it a supreme being to be met in awe. Life is a part of so much more that is all interconnected, I can feel it.
Life and Death. Do not fear the prickly flower, and its sharp thorns. Beyond them an intense, beautiful, lively color awaits.
The wine: Rich, smooth and a deep velvet hue. A nice balanced bouquet of contradiction. Herb meets berry. Hint of vanilla intermingled with subtle spice. A tiny bit of sweet, a tiny bit of acid. Mild yet pungent.
8.25 out of 10
14% alc. by vol.
$11.99 / bottle
Lujan de Cuyo
Mendoza, Argentina
http://www.donapaula.com.ar/
Friday, August 31, 2007
Monday, August 27, 2007
Red
2004
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel BLEND
Sonoma County
Would buy again.
I absolutely love a good blend. For the skinny on the wine skip below to the end.
So, my friends, The Guy thinks my poetry sucks and I should take it the hell off of here (OK, maybe he didn't say it "sucked", but he told me to find a new home for it - like Chez Nathalie). Here's my response to that:
The highlight: from Brady to Donte, a 37 yard bomb!
Jarvis blocks another Kasay field goal, and the crowd is not calm.
Final points reign as the Patriots-Panthers game is scored,
And Evans takes Cassel's handoff and rumbles in from the 2.
Had I watched, my excitement probably could not be contained - how was it for you?
Cassel bobbles the snap, snatching it out of the air and gets it to Evans who continues the play,
And the poor Panthers succumbed to the Patriots last Friday.
Yes, friends, the Panthers were indeed dead,
But I'm, like totally, over it as I partake in a glass or two of "Red".
(Excerpts adpated from: http://patriots.scout.com/2/672316.html)
Put that under your Patriots hat which (still) needs to be washed. Ha!
OK, wine review:
I like this wine. I was a little hesitant at first, but liked it even more with a strange combo of pseudo lame leftovers. Mashed parmesean potatoes, grilled turkey burgers, and Romaine, celery and tomato salad (with Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing). I was completely shocked that it actually tasted great and different following each separate otherwise blase forkful.
The initial bouquet was of dry, tart rasberry. The color was a beautiful deep burgundy. The first taste was dry, followed by rasberry, then a little bitter, then a nice new saddle taste. (I can't remember the last time I ate a good saddle.) I guess it was a kind of leather taste I'm trying to explain.
Enter, a bite of mashed potatoes. A sip of Red. Vanilla hits the tongue! Then slowly dissipates. A bite of salad (with red wine? - yuck!) and a wonderful cream-of-mushroom beef burgundy flavor hits. Really, really fun. Very versatile wine.
I took the liberty of posting it on my last entry below ("The 3rd Bottle" from earlier today) as one of the recommended "stock" wines.
8.25 out of 10 (for its ability to food pair with less than exemplary dish flair)
$12.99 / bottle
http://www.stfrancisred.com/
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Zinfandel BLEND
Sonoma County
Would buy again.
I absolutely love a good blend. For the skinny on the wine skip below to the end.
So, my friends, The Guy thinks my poetry sucks and I should take it the hell off of here (OK, maybe he didn't say it "sucked", but he told me to find a new home for it - like Chez Nathalie). Here's my response to that:
The highlight: from Brady to Donte, a 37 yard bomb!
Jarvis blocks another Kasay field goal, and the crowd is not calm.
Final points reign as the Patriots-Panthers game is scored,
And Evans takes Cassel's handoff and rumbles in from the 2.
Had I watched, my excitement probably could not be contained - how was it for you?
Cassel bobbles the snap, snatching it out of the air and gets it to Evans who continues the play,
And the poor Panthers succumbed to the Patriots last Friday.
Yes, friends, the Panthers were indeed dead,
But I'm, like totally, over it as I partake in a glass or two of "Red".
(Excerpts adpated from: http://patriots.scout.com/2/672316.html)
Put that under your Patriots hat which (still) needs to be washed. Ha!
OK, wine review:
I like this wine. I was a little hesitant at first, but liked it even more with a strange combo of pseudo lame leftovers. Mashed parmesean potatoes, grilled turkey burgers, and Romaine, celery and tomato salad (with Newman's Own Olive Oil & Vinegar dressing). I was completely shocked that it actually tasted great and different following each separate otherwise blase forkful.
The initial bouquet was of dry, tart rasberry. The color was a beautiful deep burgundy. The first taste was dry, followed by rasberry, then a little bitter, then a nice new saddle taste. (I can't remember the last time I ate a good saddle.) I guess it was a kind of leather taste I'm trying to explain.
Enter, a bite of mashed potatoes. A sip of Red. Vanilla hits the tongue! Then slowly dissipates. A bite of salad (with red wine? - yuck!) and a wonderful cream-of-mushroom beef burgundy flavor hits. Really, really fun. Very versatile wine.
I took the liberty of posting it on my last entry below ("The 3rd Bottle" from earlier today) as one of the recommended "stock" wines.
8.25 out of 10 (for its ability to food pair with less than exemplary dish flair)
$12.99 / bottle
http://www.stfrancisred.com/
The Third Bottle
Red Table Wine
St. Helena, California
There is a tavern in the town,
And there my true love sits him down,
And drinks his wine with laughter and with glee,
And never, never thinks of me.
Anonymous
Would buy again.
This is a really good, basic red wine to have on hand. It would probably accompany most things well. I had it with organic bowtie pasta, olive oil, crushed tomatoes with roasted garlic and turkey meatballs, parmesean and whole green beans, and a crusty Tuscan Boule. I actually enjoyed the wine's flavor more on its own prior to eating. The alcohol came out with the meal. (And what is up with wines having higher and higher alcohol content? I don't like to sacrifice taste for more oomph. If I want oomph I'll shoot Jose Cuervo 1800.) The intial taste for me had slight vanilla followed by a very so slight smokey earthiness. It reminded me very much of "Old Vine Red Lot Number Forty-Two" which I previously reviewed at 8 out of 10. The Guy said it reminded him a lot of Martin Ray's Red (the little jug we previously reviewed though I failed to assign a number to - I would give it also an 8 out of 10).
Looking back, I would recommend the following to stock up on:
Cheap ($10.99 and below):
Yellowtail Shiraz 2006
Old Vine Red Lot Number Forty-Two (if you can still get it)
Luna di Luna Chardonnay Pinot Grigio 2005
Not as Cheap, but Reasonable ($10.99 - $15)
Red 2004 (St. Francis Winery)
The 3rd Bottle
Red 2002 (Martin Ray Winery jug)
Museum Royale Crianza (Spain) 2002
Yalumba Barossa Shiraz, 2004
Duck Pond Syrah 2003
Clos de los Siete (Argentina) 2005
More Expensive - but worth a special evening ($20 - $25)
Museum Real Reserva Cigales (Spain) 2001
Yangarra Vineyard Shiraz 2004
8 out of 10
13.8% alc. by vol.
$13.99
http://www.gustavothrace.com/
St. Helena, California
There is a tavern in the town,
And there my true love sits him down,
And drinks his wine with laughter and with glee,
And never, never thinks of me.
Anonymous
Would buy again.
This is a really good, basic red wine to have on hand. It would probably accompany most things well. I had it with organic bowtie pasta, olive oil, crushed tomatoes with roasted garlic and turkey meatballs, parmesean and whole green beans, and a crusty Tuscan Boule. I actually enjoyed the wine's flavor more on its own prior to eating. The alcohol came out with the meal. (And what is up with wines having higher and higher alcohol content? I don't like to sacrifice taste for more oomph. If I want oomph I'll shoot Jose Cuervo 1800.) The intial taste for me had slight vanilla followed by a very so slight smokey earthiness. It reminded me very much of "Old Vine Red Lot Number Forty-Two" which I previously reviewed at 8 out of 10. The Guy said it reminded him a lot of Martin Ray's Red (the little jug we previously reviewed though I failed to assign a number to - I would give it also an 8 out of 10).
Looking back, I would recommend the following to stock up on:
Cheap ($10.99 and below):
Yellowtail Shiraz 2006
Old Vine Red Lot Number Forty-Two (if you can still get it)
Luna di Luna Chardonnay Pinot Grigio 2005
Not as Cheap, but Reasonable ($10.99 - $15)
Red 2004 (St. Francis Winery)
The 3rd Bottle
Red 2002 (Martin Ray Winery jug)
Museum Royale Crianza (Spain) 2002
Yalumba Barossa Shiraz, 2004
Duck Pond Syrah 2003
Clos de los Siete (Argentina) 2005
More Expensive - but worth a special evening ($20 - $25)
Museum Real Reserva Cigales (Spain) 2001
Yangarra Vineyard Shiraz 2004
8 out of 10
13.8% alc. by vol.
$13.99
http://www.gustavothrace.com/
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Les Trois Poules Rose
2005
France
100% Grenache
"Wine brings to light the hidden secrets of the soul, gives being to our hopes, bids the coward flight, drives dull care away, and teaches new means for the accomplishment of our wishes." --- Horace (the leading Roman Lyric-Poet during the time of Augustus)
If "Mr. Pink" (Jeff Morgan, http://www.solorosawines.com/) is out there, I want to give you a heads up that I let the "Patel" family (liquor store owners, wine buyers, operators of http://www.getwines.com/, and Sommelier and Sommelier-in-training) know that I am interested in having them purchase your wines for retail at their local store. I don't know if anything will come of it, but I hope they at least make it possible for me to purchase it from them. (I know I can get it direct from your site, but I thought if I could get others interested, the better for you.)
Tonight I tried "Les Trois Poules" Rose. Slightly sweet strawberry followed by a sudden "disappearance of sweetness" and a light bitter edge. It was fairly good as long as it remained well chilled. I had a glass outside with me as I grilled dinner and the humidity and warmth of the air quickly took the chill away. It had a slight metallic taste at that point.
I grilled pork loin that I had marinated all day in "Bone Suckin' Sauce"
(http://www.bonesuckin.com/). The wine tasted "thin" following a bite of meat. But, it was good again following a bite of my parmesean-encrusted mashed potatoes. It was even better when I added my salsa concoction to my pork. (I chopped up cantaloupe, red onion and fresh mint and let it ferment together awhile and then put it over the barbecued pork.) The wine tasted really good following a bite of the the salsa and pork together.
All that said, it was a better Rose than the Tegernseerhof but not as good as the Turkey Flat. I still need a Rose that rocks my world.
7.25 out of 10
13% alc. by vol.
$13.99 / bottle
http://www.les3poules.com/
France
100% Grenache
"Wine brings to light the hidden secrets of the soul, gives being to our hopes, bids the coward flight, drives dull care away, and teaches new means for the accomplishment of our wishes." --- Horace (the leading Roman Lyric-Poet during the time of Augustus)
If "Mr. Pink" (Jeff Morgan, http://www.solorosawines.com/) is out there, I want to give you a heads up that I let the "Patel" family (liquor store owners, wine buyers, operators of http://www.getwines.com/, and Sommelier and Sommelier-in-training) know that I am interested in having them purchase your wines for retail at their local store. I don't know if anything will come of it, but I hope they at least make it possible for me to purchase it from them. (I know I can get it direct from your site, but I thought if I could get others interested, the better for you.)
Tonight I tried "Les Trois Poules" Rose. Slightly sweet strawberry followed by a sudden "disappearance of sweetness" and a light bitter edge. It was fairly good as long as it remained well chilled. I had a glass outside with me as I grilled dinner and the humidity and warmth of the air quickly took the chill away. It had a slight metallic taste at that point.
I grilled pork loin that I had marinated all day in "Bone Suckin' Sauce"
(http://www.bonesuckin.com/). The wine tasted "thin" following a bite of meat. But, it was good again following a bite of my parmesean-encrusted mashed potatoes. It was even better when I added my salsa concoction to my pork. (I chopped up cantaloupe, red onion and fresh mint and let it ferment together awhile and then put it over the barbecued pork.) The wine tasted really good following a bite of the the salsa and pork together.
All that said, it was a better Rose than the Tegernseerhof but not as good as the Turkey Flat. I still need a Rose that rocks my world.
7.25 out of 10
13% alc. by vol.
$13.99 / bottle
http://www.les3poules.com/
Friday, August 24, 2007
Sebastiani Merlot
2002
Sonoma County
California
First, thank you to "PasaRobles" for your comments and personal experience. Your wine worthy recommendations are noted. But I must say that the wine pricing is NOT the same - $10.99-$13.99 for a 1.5 L bottle - almost double the amount of wine for at least $6 less per bottle. So if it is a budget constraint, Yellowtail probably isn't that bad for the buck.
I might actually try the Chenin Blanc when I have fresh scallops next week.
There it is!!! I saw it! "Spike's Sexiest Bartenders" being advertised on my site by Google - not by me. I tried to visit Spike's and leave my comments but couldn't. I want to know where the hell the male bartenders are.
Whose Opportunity?
Renovations, BMWs, reservations at dining establishments so fine,
Darfur, Somalia, AIDs, orphans, no clean water supply.
Electricity run amuck, closets full of clothes, clean water flowing freely to beautify the lawn.
Amidst violence, oppression, hatred and the list goes on,
barefoot women and children walk for miles to reach a bacteria-filled water hole.
Helpless elders watch their offspring of blank stares and protruding empty bellies,
feeling far beyond shocked to either cry or console.
A well-meaning friend tells me "There's nothing you can do. You're born where you're born, get over it and move on."
In some ways she's right - feeling bad's not good enough in this messed up world of extremes gone wrong.
Blackberries, flat screen TVs, rooms full of toys, everything bigger, better, faster is the norm it seems,
Half a world away from both, drinking Sebastiani by candlelight, children safely within reach, and a roof over their heads, I am fortunate enough to know not either extreme.
Nice wine. As a merlot lover, it was very welcome for a change. Beautiful, velvety deep crimson color - you can see the warmth - makes me want to wrap myself in it and go to sleep. Cherry, dark chocolate, smoked mushroom-earthy taste with spicy heat. Long finish. This would probably be fabulous with a beef dish or stew. I enjoyed it with my pen and paper only.
8.5 out of 10
$16.99 / 750 ml bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.sebastiani.com/
Sonoma County
California
First, thank you to "PasaRobles" for your comments and personal experience. Your wine worthy recommendations are noted. But I must say that the wine pricing is NOT the same - $10.99-$13.99 for a 1.5 L bottle - almost double the amount of wine for at least $6 less per bottle. So if it is a budget constraint, Yellowtail probably isn't that bad for the buck.
I might actually try the Chenin Blanc when I have fresh scallops next week.
There it is!!! I saw it! "Spike's Sexiest Bartenders" being advertised on my site by Google - not by me. I tried to visit Spike's and leave my comments but couldn't. I want to know where the hell the male bartenders are.
Whose Opportunity?
Renovations, BMWs, reservations at dining establishments so fine,
Darfur, Somalia, AIDs, orphans, no clean water supply.
Electricity run amuck, closets full of clothes, clean water flowing freely to beautify the lawn.
Amidst violence, oppression, hatred and the list goes on,
barefoot women and children walk for miles to reach a bacteria-filled water hole.
Helpless elders watch their offspring of blank stares and protruding empty bellies,
feeling far beyond shocked to either cry or console.
A well-meaning friend tells me "There's nothing you can do. You're born where you're born, get over it and move on."
In some ways she's right - feeling bad's not good enough in this messed up world of extremes gone wrong.
Blackberries, flat screen TVs, rooms full of toys, everything bigger, better, faster is the norm it seems,
Half a world away from both, drinking Sebastiani by candlelight, children safely within reach, and a roof over their heads, I am fortunate enough to know not either extreme.
Nice wine. As a merlot lover, it was very welcome for a change. Beautiful, velvety deep crimson color - you can see the warmth - makes me want to wrap myself in it and go to sleep. Cherry, dark chocolate, smoked mushroom-earthy taste with spicy heat. Long finish. This would probably be fabulous with a beef dish or stew. I enjoyed it with my pen and paper only.
8.5 out of 10
$16.99 / 750 ml bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.sebastiani.com/
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Yellowtail Chardonnay and (yet another) Turkey Flat Food Pairing
2006
Australia
"I think it is a great error to consider a heavy tax on wines as a tax on luxury. On the contrary, it is a tax on the health of our citizens."
Thomas Jefferson
I thought for sure I had previously reviewed the 2006 Yellowtail Chardonnay. However, I can't find it in my history. I have had this wine previously during the summer and evidently failed to blog it (perhaps a sign in and of itself). Actually, it's not too bad. It is decent for the cost. It exudes one of my favorite flavors: vanilla. Not very oakey. Slightly tropical. It wouldn't be my first choice, but not my last either.
Tonight I made a great salad - it's not that often I can say that. Salads always taste great to me in restaurants, but not necessarily when I make them. I grilled some (organic) chicken and portabella mushrooms. I added them to (organic) baby greens and (organic) Romaine lettuce leaves. I added Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, (organic) celery, roasted some Pignolia nuts and threw them in, freshly grated Parmesean and topped it all off with Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing (http://www.newmansown.com/).
The Guy hates most olives (definitely black), and garlic too I might add, and being 50% Italian (his sadly orphaned grandfather came to the US from Northern Italy on a ship at the age of like 12 on his own), it is completely devastating for me. I am exactly 50% English (father) and 50% Scottish (mother) and yet I love Italian and Mediterranean recipes and tend to want to make those types of dishes. Anyway, tonight I bought some fabulous Greek olives and, as I laid out all the salad ingredients, The Guy asked me about the olives. I got (slightly) excited and told him that he'd probably actually like those olives. He popped one in his mouth and ran to the bathroom. My middle child and I looked at each other, shook our heads and laughed. I thought he was going to throw up. But he just spit it out in the garbage. Anyway, the ingredients all together were great (minus olives from The Guy's salad).
Now, I find pairing a wine with salad next to impossible and really don't ever intentionally set out to do so. However, tonight I took out the Yellowtail Chardonnay and what was left of my Turkey Flat Rose (see previous blog entry) and compared and contrasted. I was fascinated to find that the Turkey Flat had its distinct flavor right off the bat, but then finished with a blast of total Pignolia nut flavor! The Yellowtail, followed by a well mixed bite of salad, tasted extremely vanilla. Either one was a pretty good accompaniment depending on your personal preference.
I don't recommend either, however, as an accompaniment to an organic frosted Cherry Pomegran pop tart.
7.25 out of 10
$13.99 / 1.5 L bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.yellowtailwine.com/
Australia
"I think it is a great error to consider a heavy tax on wines as a tax on luxury. On the contrary, it is a tax on the health of our citizens."
Thomas Jefferson
I thought for sure I had previously reviewed the 2006 Yellowtail Chardonnay. However, I can't find it in my history. I have had this wine previously during the summer and evidently failed to blog it (perhaps a sign in and of itself). Actually, it's not too bad. It is decent for the cost. It exudes one of my favorite flavors: vanilla. Not very oakey. Slightly tropical. It wouldn't be my first choice, but not my last either.
Tonight I made a great salad - it's not that often I can say that. Salads always taste great to me in restaurants, but not necessarily when I make them. I grilled some (organic) chicken and portabella mushrooms. I added them to (organic) baby greens and (organic) Romaine lettuce leaves. I added Kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, (organic) celery, roasted some Pignolia nuts and threw them in, freshly grated Parmesean and topped it all off with Newman's Own Olive Oil and Vinegar dressing (http://www.newmansown.com/).
The Guy hates most olives (definitely black), and garlic too I might add, and being 50% Italian (his sadly orphaned grandfather came to the US from Northern Italy on a ship at the age of like 12 on his own), it is completely devastating for me. I am exactly 50% English (father) and 50% Scottish (mother) and yet I love Italian and Mediterranean recipes and tend to want to make those types of dishes. Anyway, tonight I bought some fabulous Greek olives and, as I laid out all the salad ingredients, The Guy asked me about the olives. I got (slightly) excited and told him that he'd probably actually like those olives. He popped one in his mouth and ran to the bathroom. My middle child and I looked at each other, shook our heads and laughed. I thought he was going to throw up. But he just spit it out in the garbage. Anyway, the ingredients all together were great (minus olives from The Guy's salad).
Now, I find pairing a wine with salad next to impossible and really don't ever intentionally set out to do so. However, tonight I took out the Yellowtail Chardonnay and what was left of my Turkey Flat Rose (see previous blog entry) and compared and contrasted. I was fascinated to find that the Turkey Flat had its distinct flavor right off the bat, but then finished with a blast of total Pignolia nut flavor! The Yellowtail, followed by a well mixed bite of salad, tasted extremely vanilla. Either one was a pretty good accompaniment depending on your personal preference.
I don't recommend either, however, as an accompaniment to an organic frosted Cherry Pomegran pop tart.
7.25 out of 10
$13.99 / 1.5 L bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.yellowtailwine.com/
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Cuisine Effects on Drylands, Tegernseerhof and Turkey Flat
Con pan y vino se anda el camino [With bread and wine you can walk your road].
Anonymous: Spanish Proverb
Although all of the above wines have previously been reviewed, I wanted to comment briefly on their flavor with dinner this evening. I grilled some Alaskan Sablefish (if you're not familiar with this fish, it's sometimes called "Black Cod" but it's not really a Cod)http://www.oceansalive.org/eat.cfm?subnav=fishpage&group=Sablefish . I marinated it a bit in Sesame Oil and fresh minced ginger root. I grilled yellow and green squash and sauteed Shitakes in Sesame Oil and fresh minced ginger as well.
The first wine I revisited was the Drylands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - it was excellent with the meal, especially following a bite of the fish. I then revisited the Tegernseerhof Rose which I enjoyed much more tonight with this food combo than I did the first night I had it. It's sweetness became more dry and more enjoyable with both the vegetables and the fish - it was good. Finally, I revisited the Turkey Flat Rose which lost it's distinct flavor with the fish and vegetables. But, interestingly enough, an immediate "grilled" flavor burst forth following a sip of the Turkey Flat which was sort of fun to experience.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Tomero Cabernet Sauvignon
2004
Mendoza, Argentina
"In water one sees one's own face; But in wine, one beholds the heart of another."
An Old Frech proverb
The Guy is back from whence he came for the last three weeks but I am dealing with it OK. The first thing he did when he came home was open the fridge and exclaim: "OMG!! There are six bottles of half-drunk wine in here!!" (As if all I did was drink away my misery because I was so sad he was gone and I was left with the horribleness of peace and quiet and no set schedule and no one to make dinner for and do laundrey for, not to mention picking up the hair on the drain, and the extra toilet bowl scrub, left to prepare my own meals my own way, totalling missing flack and giving flack you know?) I told him he should be happy I left a half bottle - there could be no bottles left in the fridge which would have been totally selfish of me, not to mention an indication of a bigger problem no matter how you look at it. OK, well he did bring back upclose pix of Jon Bon Jovi from the sidelines for the second year in a row.
In this wine's bouquet I first noticed high alcohol which I couldn't get past. It was then followed by olives, earth and maybe blackberry, and a slight hint of bitter chocolate - an awesome combination if it was the right balance. The color was a very dark ruby. The finish was fairly long and not bad, but for me it was more accentuated by dryness and a definite high alcohol taste. Think: I prefer the $18.99 Turkey Flat Rose.
I should comment that I liked the wine better on its own first. Then I had a Mediterranean Salad (with a lot of citrus) and sundried tomato, chicken, roasted red pepper and mushroom pizza, and then another sip and that's when the real dryness and alcohol taste became more pronounced. Interestingly enough, when I doused my pizza in EV olive oil, as I often do, the wine tasted slightly better the next sip.
As our children watched The Guy and I raise, swirl and sniff our glasses, they asked if they could "sniff" too. My five-year-old was first and she thought it smelled "like the Doctor's office" !!! (Maybe a little Isopropyl-y?) My middle child exclaimed it smelled "like banana chocolate chip pancakes without the syrup, and alcohol" (she might just be a future Sommelier) and my eldest said "Yep, alcohol and maybe a little berry-ish" (maybe more an indication of a future drinker). Hard to say if they were or weren't just influenced by our own comments. But it was an interesting and fun scenario anyway.
7 out of 10
14.2% (.2????) alc. by vol.
$11.99 / 750 ml bottle
http://www.carlospulentawines.com/
Mendoza, Argentina
"In water one sees one's own face; But in wine, one beholds the heart of another."
An Old Frech proverb
The Guy is back from whence he came for the last three weeks but I am dealing with it OK. The first thing he did when he came home was open the fridge and exclaim: "OMG!! There are six bottles of half-drunk wine in here!!" (As if all I did was drink away my misery because I was so sad he was gone and I was left with the horribleness of peace and quiet and no set schedule and no one to make dinner for and do laundrey for, not to mention picking up the hair on the drain, and the extra toilet bowl scrub, left to prepare my own meals my own way, totalling missing flack and giving flack you know?) I told him he should be happy I left a half bottle - there could be no bottles left in the fridge which would have been totally selfish of me, not to mention an indication of a bigger problem no matter how you look at it. OK, well he did bring back upclose pix of Jon Bon Jovi from the sidelines for the second year in a row.
In this wine's bouquet I first noticed high alcohol which I couldn't get past. It was then followed by olives, earth and maybe blackberry, and a slight hint of bitter chocolate - an awesome combination if it was the right balance. The color was a very dark ruby. The finish was fairly long and not bad, but for me it was more accentuated by dryness and a definite high alcohol taste. Think: I prefer the $18.99 Turkey Flat Rose.
I should comment that I liked the wine better on its own first. Then I had a Mediterranean Salad (with a lot of citrus) and sundried tomato, chicken, roasted red pepper and mushroom pizza, and then another sip and that's when the real dryness and alcohol taste became more pronounced. Interestingly enough, when I doused my pizza in EV olive oil, as I often do, the wine tasted slightly better the next sip.
As our children watched The Guy and I raise, swirl and sniff our glasses, they asked if they could "sniff" too. My five-year-old was first and she thought it smelled "like the Doctor's office" !!! (Maybe a little Isopropyl-y?) My middle child exclaimed it smelled "like banana chocolate chip pancakes without the syrup, and alcohol" (she might just be a future Sommelier) and my eldest said "Yep, alcohol and maybe a little berry-ish" (maybe more an indication of a future drinker). Hard to say if they were or weren't just influenced by our own comments. But it was an interesting and fun scenario anyway.
7 out of 10
14.2% (.2????) alc. by vol.
$11.99 / 750 ml bottle
http://www.carlospulentawines.com/
Friday, August 17, 2007
Tegernseerhof Rose
2006
Zweigelt
Austria
Before I review this Rose, I must let Mr. Jeff Morgan, co-owner of Solo-Rosa wines (http://www.solorosawines.com/) know that I appreciate your comments to my post. Thank you for the education. And, no, I unfortunately do not know what it's like to try to make a living as a winemaker, though I would be happy to trade in my crappy job for the opportunity. That said, don't be too hard on me as I was venturing out of the norm to try to overcome my preconceived notions of Rose so I am actually to be commended. I enjoyed the WE article and it was specifically the piece on you and your Solo-Rosa Wines and your Rose Avengers and Producers (http://www.rapwine.com/) that intrigued me enough to venture out. Now that I have two Roses under my belt, I will definiftely look forward to tasting your SoloRosa Syrah Rose even though it is a bit beyond my normal budget. I will make it a once-a-month category purchase.
I will admit that, for me, it is the color that makes it difficult to not pre-judge based on the very few past experiences with (albeit cheap) Rose. I shut my eyes and tried ever so hard to use my other senses when tasting last night's Turkey Flat and tonight's Tegernseerhof. I think I did a fairly good job but I am sure the color still messed me up a bit. I will continue to work on that issue.
Tonight I appreciate last night's Turkey Flat even more. It has a more distinguished flavor than the Tegernseerhof, and a better finish. The Tegernseerhof was much more fruity and light for my taste though I am sure there's a food pairing out there somewhere that it will work well with (I had it with cold Chinese sesame noodles). In hindsight, maybe I was a bit harsh on judging the higher price paid for the Turkey Flat.
I will probably purchase Turkey Flat again as I thought it might accompany grilled salmon well. I will most likely not purchase Tegernseerhof again. I will purchase SoloRosa Syrah Rose Russian River Valley 2006 in the near future and will definintely review it here.
7.0 out of 10
$12.99 / 750 ml
12.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.kwselection.com/
Zweigelt
Austria
Before I review this Rose, I must let Mr. Jeff Morgan, co-owner of Solo-Rosa wines (http://www.solorosawines.com/) know that I appreciate your comments to my post. Thank you for the education. And, no, I unfortunately do not know what it's like to try to make a living as a winemaker, though I would be happy to trade in my crappy job for the opportunity. That said, don't be too hard on me as I was venturing out of the norm to try to overcome my preconceived notions of Rose so I am actually to be commended. I enjoyed the WE article and it was specifically the piece on you and your Solo-Rosa Wines and your Rose Avengers and Producers (http://www.rapwine.com/) that intrigued me enough to venture out. Now that I have two Roses under my belt, I will definiftely look forward to tasting your SoloRosa Syrah Rose even though it is a bit beyond my normal budget. I will make it a once-a-month category purchase.
I will admit that, for me, it is the color that makes it difficult to not pre-judge based on the very few past experiences with (albeit cheap) Rose. I shut my eyes and tried ever so hard to use my other senses when tasting last night's Turkey Flat and tonight's Tegernseerhof. I think I did a fairly good job but I am sure the color still messed me up a bit. I will continue to work on that issue.
Tonight I appreciate last night's Turkey Flat even more. It has a more distinguished flavor than the Tegernseerhof, and a better finish. The Tegernseerhof was much more fruity and light for my taste though I am sure there's a food pairing out there somewhere that it will work well with (I had it with cold Chinese sesame noodles). In hindsight, maybe I was a bit harsh on judging the higher price paid for the Turkey Flat.
I will probably purchase Turkey Flat again as I thought it might accompany grilled salmon well. I will most likely not purchase Tegernseerhof again. I will purchase SoloRosa Syrah Rose Russian River Valley 2006 in the near future and will definintely review it here.
7.0 out of 10
$12.99 / 750 ml
12.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.kwselection.com/
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Turkey Flat Rose ("Roh-zay" - can't do the accent mark!)
2006
Barossa Valley
South Australia
Rose = "roh-zay"
(Review in bold below if you wish to escape the Wine Poet's ramblings)
Sitting out after dark to escape dinner's cooking inferno,
Heat lightning illuminates the twilight pink sky.
Going over all things ever said,
Making miracle wishes on bright stars up high.
Billie Holiday's "Stormy Weather" drifts from the kitchen,
But it's another song continuously running through the head.
Chad Kroeger and Carlos Santana sing,
'Every time I try to talk to you I get tongue tied
Turns out, everything I say to you comes out wrong and I don't know why
So I'll say why don't you and I get together
Take on the world be together forever
Heads we'll win
Tails we'll try again.'
Living off of distraction, it's still been a good day,
Rich's Dairy Farm, Kent Falls, and Turkey Flat Rose.
I never thought I'd see the day when I would actually pay money for a Rose. The July issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine is dedicated to Roses (over 300 are rated and some are surprisingly pricey). I had to give one a try. I was actually looking for 5 particular producers (all California, mostly Paso Robles) and vintages (mostly 2006 as we're talking a young breed), and had to settle for a lesser choice as my local wine shop only had a very small section dedicated to this "new" fancy. I bought the South Australian "Turkey Flat" for $18.99 and bypassed Austria's "Tegernseerhof". When I got home and immediately tore through my WE issue, I discovered both bottles were reviewed with "Tegernseerhof" being a WE rating of "90" and only $12! The "Turkey Flat" received a mere WE rating of "88" and cost me $6 more. (Incidentally, when I spoke to the wine merchant about their small Rose section, she said that they will actually be building on the selection as it's becoming the latest interest).
The Wine Enthusiast article focused on "Jeff Morgan", "Rose Avenger". He runs "SoloRosa" (which means "only pink" in Italia) in Napa Valley, CA and he has written a book entitled Rose, A Guide to the World's Most Versatile Wine. I quote him as follows: " . . .a few of my rose-loving wine colleagues and I also founded the Rose Avengers and Producers (RAP), which is dedicated to 'righting the wrongs' done to dry rose. We've put on "Pink Outs" in New York and San Francisco with as many as 150 winery members pouring their pink wines for sold-out capacity crowds. Anyone can join RAP. It's free, too. For details, go to www.rapwine.com.'
"Turkey Flat" was interesting for me. First, it's color was a "darker" almost flourescent pink. It's bouquet was a little "sweet" for my usual taste, but the finish surprised me. The first sensation I had was of strawberry. It did become less sweet with the finish and was refreshing and slightly dry where I didn't expect it would actually have a finish. It is 64% Grenache, 19% Shiraz, 11% Cabernet, and 6% Dolcetto. I found it light and refreshing alone, delicious with my olive loaf (kalamata, black and green olive wheat bread dipped in olive oil) and non-existant with my dinner. I made a chicken, sun-dried tomato, broccoli and white wine and garlic bowtie pasta. (I actually used my 2006 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc in the dish). Neither the wine or the meal was accentuated by the other. However, the olive flavoring in the bread was greatly enhanced when followed by a sip of the Turkey Flat. And the Turkey Flat was more dry and less sweet following the olive loaf. I have to say I surprisingly enjoyed it - better than the Papio Pinot Grigio.
Bottom Line: It was a refreshing wine on a warm summer's eve, but I wouldn't pay that much for it - should have been more along the lines of $12.99.
7.5 out of 10
12.5% alc. by vol.
$18.99 (Gulp! Yes for a Rose!)
http://www.turkeyflat.com.au/
Barossa Valley
South Australia
Rose = "roh-zay"
(Review in bold below if you wish to escape the Wine Poet's ramblings)
Sitting out after dark to escape dinner's cooking inferno,
Heat lightning illuminates the twilight pink sky.
Going over all things ever said,
Making miracle wishes on bright stars up high.
Billie Holiday's "Stormy Weather" drifts from the kitchen,
But it's another song continuously running through the head.
Chad Kroeger and Carlos Santana sing,
'Every time I try to talk to you I get tongue tied
Turns out, everything I say to you comes out wrong and I don't know why
So I'll say why don't you and I get together
Take on the world be together forever
Heads we'll win
Tails we'll try again.'
Living off of distraction, it's still been a good day,
Rich's Dairy Farm, Kent Falls, and Turkey Flat Rose.
I never thought I'd see the day when I would actually pay money for a Rose. The July issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine is dedicated to Roses (over 300 are rated and some are surprisingly pricey). I had to give one a try. I was actually looking for 5 particular producers (all California, mostly Paso Robles) and vintages (mostly 2006 as we're talking a young breed), and had to settle for a lesser choice as my local wine shop only had a very small section dedicated to this "new" fancy. I bought the South Australian "Turkey Flat" for $18.99 and bypassed Austria's "Tegernseerhof". When I got home and immediately tore through my WE issue, I discovered both bottles were reviewed with "Tegernseerhof" being a WE rating of "90" and only $12! The "Turkey Flat" received a mere WE rating of "88" and cost me $6 more. (Incidentally, when I spoke to the wine merchant about their small Rose section, she said that they will actually be building on the selection as it's becoming the latest interest).
The Wine Enthusiast article focused on "Jeff Morgan", "Rose Avenger". He runs "SoloRosa" (which means "only pink" in Italia) in Napa Valley, CA and he has written a book entitled Rose, A Guide to the World's Most Versatile Wine. I quote him as follows: " . . .a few of my rose-loving wine colleagues and I also founded the Rose Avengers and Producers (RAP), which is dedicated to 'righting the wrongs' done to dry rose. We've put on "Pink Outs" in New York and San Francisco with as many as 150 winery members pouring their pink wines for sold-out capacity crowds. Anyone can join RAP. It's free, too. For details, go to www.rapwine.com.'
"Turkey Flat" was interesting for me. First, it's color was a "darker" almost flourescent pink. It's bouquet was a little "sweet" for my usual taste, but the finish surprised me. The first sensation I had was of strawberry. It did become less sweet with the finish and was refreshing and slightly dry where I didn't expect it would actually have a finish. It is 64% Grenache, 19% Shiraz, 11% Cabernet, and 6% Dolcetto. I found it light and refreshing alone, delicious with my olive loaf (kalamata, black and green olive wheat bread dipped in olive oil) and non-existant with my dinner. I made a chicken, sun-dried tomato, broccoli and white wine and garlic bowtie pasta. (I actually used my 2006 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc in the dish). Neither the wine or the meal was accentuated by the other. However, the olive flavoring in the bread was greatly enhanced when followed by a sip of the Turkey Flat. And the Turkey Flat was more dry and less sweet following the olive loaf. I have to say I surprisingly enjoyed it - better than the Papio Pinot Grigio.
Bottom Line: It was a refreshing wine on a warm summer's eve, but I wouldn't pay that much for it - should have been more along the lines of $12.99.
7.5 out of 10
12.5% alc. by vol.
$18.99 (Gulp! Yes for a Rose!)
http://www.turkeyflat.com.au/
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Papio Pinot Grigio
2006
California
"I tasted - careless - then -
I did not know the Wine Came once a World - Did you?
Oh, had you told me so -
This Thirst would blister - easier - now"
-Emily Dickinson 1830 - 1886
No. 296 [c.1861], st. 3
Wine is a curious drink. It's really hard to review or blog knowing someone may buy a wine based on what you have to say when different people have different tastes. Add to it food and you've got another obstacle to consider. Add to it yet again - atmosphere (company, solitude, music, a good book, a warm fire - you get the drift) and you're in a new dimension. This wine was an example of how atmosphere can either take away from a wine or add to it.
I stepped back in time in so many nostalgic ways as I took my children to the home of my best friend from high school. She lives by my mother's old high school stomping grounds, and around the bend from my grandparents beautiful home of so many memories (long since sold). We picked up my friend's daughter at a horse camp in MY old hometown of first really happy memories - Glastonbury. I was raised in a duplex on a horse farm and loved that gorgeous animal from age 2 on. So, I was in heaven as there were almost 40 horses there, and I think we visited each one. The smell of a horse's neck hits my senses like the bouquet of a great wine. My eldest child inherited my equine love and was equally happy. My other two children were content to get to brush a couple of horses and "take care of them".
We went back to my friend's for dinner and, while our girls sat playing cards and laughing, eating popcorn and drinking soda, she and I sat by the pool, listening to classic Rolling Stones, and drank Papio Pinot Grigio. It struck me as I was driving home that night how the wine didn't have to be good. It was cold, melon-like in taste, slightly dry, but more sweet - possibly even headache material for me later. I wasn't knocked over by it, but I enjoyed it anyway. It was the atmosphere, the atmosphere was key. My friend and I don't talk sometimes for a year or more - I sometimes even get bent out of shape about it and think I won't knock myself out pursuing getting together (yes, I am unfortunately high maintenance). Then she calls me, or I even call her out of the blue and just arrange a time. And it's as if no time has passed. The imperfections that may exist from time to time fade away and no longer matter. We're together again, unconditionally, emotional, reminiscing, confiding. This wine was like that for me. It's imperfections faded away as I sat side by side with my Soul Sister once again.
As I did not purchase this wine, I went online looking for pricing and came across the following review by someone else (LOL):
"Tastes like licking the floor of a factory that made green apple jolly ranchers but stopped some time ago."
Seriously, it was not THAT bad! Actually, that was a review for the 2005 Pinot. So, perhaps a year made a slightly positive difference. In addition, Papio Wines supports primate conservation which is pretty cool indeed.
7.25 out of 10
$10.99 or less / 1.5L bottle
12.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.papiowines.com/
California
"I tasted - careless - then -
I did not know the Wine Came once a World - Did you?
Oh, had you told me so -
This Thirst would blister - easier - now"
-Emily Dickinson 1830 - 1886
No. 296 [c.1861], st. 3
Wine is a curious drink. It's really hard to review or blog knowing someone may buy a wine based on what you have to say when different people have different tastes. Add to it food and you've got another obstacle to consider. Add to it yet again - atmosphere (company, solitude, music, a good book, a warm fire - you get the drift) and you're in a new dimension. This wine was an example of how atmosphere can either take away from a wine or add to it.
I stepped back in time in so many nostalgic ways as I took my children to the home of my best friend from high school. She lives by my mother's old high school stomping grounds, and around the bend from my grandparents beautiful home of so many memories (long since sold). We picked up my friend's daughter at a horse camp in MY old hometown of first really happy memories - Glastonbury. I was raised in a duplex on a horse farm and loved that gorgeous animal from age 2 on. So, I was in heaven as there were almost 40 horses there, and I think we visited each one. The smell of a horse's neck hits my senses like the bouquet of a great wine. My eldest child inherited my equine love and was equally happy. My other two children were content to get to brush a couple of horses and "take care of them".
We went back to my friend's for dinner and, while our girls sat playing cards and laughing, eating popcorn and drinking soda, she and I sat by the pool, listening to classic Rolling Stones, and drank Papio Pinot Grigio. It struck me as I was driving home that night how the wine didn't have to be good. It was cold, melon-like in taste, slightly dry, but more sweet - possibly even headache material for me later. I wasn't knocked over by it, but I enjoyed it anyway. It was the atmosphere, the atmosphere was key. My friend and I don't talk sometimes for a year or more - I sometimes even get bent out of shape about it and think I won't knock myself out pursuing getting together (yes, I am unfortunately high maintenance). Then she calls me, or I even call her out of the blue and just arrange a time. And it's as if no time has passed. The imperfections that may exist from time to time fade away and no longer matter. We're together again, unconditionally, emotional, reminiscing, confiding. This wine was like that for me. It's imperfections faded away as I sat side by side with my Soul Sister once again.
As I did not purchase this wine, I went online looking for pricing and came across the following review by someone else (LOL):
"Tastes like licking the floor of a factory that made green apple jolly ranchers but stopped some time ago."
Seriously, it was not THAT bad! Actually, that was a review for the 2005 Pinot. So, perhaps a year made a slightly positive difference. In addition, Papio Wines supports primate conservation which is pretty cool indeed.
7.25 out of 10
$10.99 or less / 1.5L bottle
12.5% alc. by vol.
http://www.papiowines.com/
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Yellowtail Shiraz
2006
Yellowtail Shiraz
Southeastern Australia
The water a silver blue
Reflecting the early morning sun
Sitting on the deck alone, overlooking Fisher's Isle
A train in the distance making its first run
Seagulls calling back and forth
Dingies and foghorns echo
American flags flap in the wind
Suddenly not wanting so much to go
Sea breeze, cleansing my soul
An isolated boat glides past as if on glass, erecting its sail
Deep breath in, deeper breath out
Savoring the memory of last night's Yellowtail
I don't know if it was my State of Mind following a harrowing ride on I-95 to pick up my children, or the nerve-settling view before me, but last night's Yellowtail Shiraz was just what I needed. My step-father-in-law (I can hear him saying "blood or lack of blood has got nothing to do with it - we're family") poured me a glass on the Stonington deck and I relaxed.
My car gave me trouble. It's been so good to me and I am thankful it got me all the way to my destination after failing me on the Groton-New London bridge in the middle lane with a psychedelic purple Mack truck on my tail. I couldn't get my shifter to shift. I was in neutral going nowhere with traffic all around me. I still had a ways to go.
By the time I got to where I needed to be, I was frazzled. My step-father-in-law insisted that I have a glass of wine at that moment rather than waiting for dinner. I relinquished and I'm glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised with the 2006 Yellowtail Shiraz. For the going price, this is a buy. Nice berry, but even nicer vanilla. Quiet, decent soft finish. Great without food and great with grilled steak.
8 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$12.99 / 1.5 L bottle
http://www.yellowtailwine.com/
Yellowtail Shiraz
Southeastern Australia
The water a silver blue
Reflecting the early morning sun
Sitting on the deck alone, overlooking Fisher's Isle
A train in the distance making its first run
Seagulls calling back and forth
Dingies and foghorns echo
American flags flap in the wind
Suddenly not wanting so much to go
Sea breeze, cleansing my soul
An isolated boat glides past as if on glass, erecting its sail
Deep breath in, deeper breath out
Savoring the memory of last night's Yellowtail
I don't know if it was my State of Mind following a harrowing ride on I-95 to pick up my children, or the nerve-settling view before me, but last night's Yellowtail Shiraz was just what I needed. My step-father-in-law (I can hear him saying "blood or lack of blood has got nothing to do with it - we're family") poured me a glass on the Stonington deck and I relaxed.
My car gave me trouble. It's been so good to me and I am thankful it got me all the way to my destination after failing me on the Groton-New London bridge in the middle lane with a psychedelic purple Mack truck on my tail. I couldn't get my shifter to shift. I was in neutral going nowhere with traffic all around me. I still had a ways to go.
By the time I got to where I needed to be, I was frazzled. My step-father-in-law insisted that I have a glass of wine at that moment rather than waiting for dinner. I relinquished and I'm glad I did. I was pleasantly surprised with the 2006 Yellowtail Shiraz. For the going price, this is a buy. Nice berry, but even nicer vanilla. Quiet, decent soft finish. Great without food and great with grilled steak.
8 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$12.99 / 1.5 L bottle
http://www.yellowtailwine.com/
Friday, August 10, 2007
2002 Museum Royale Crianza and 2001 Museum Real Reserva
Please post your own experiences with either of these wines in the "comments" section below (or any of the other wines listed on this site). I welcome hearing what others out there have to say.
2002
Museum Royale
Crianza
Spain
2001
Museum Real
Reserva
Cigales
Spain
(See reviews at end below)
SOLITARY
A photo capturing
A sorta feeling
Leaves gone, stark black in the foreground
Backdrop to
Gray skies, white earth, blinding snow
Boughs bend to the point of breaking
Fighting alone under the weight of wind
A life living
A sorta feeling
Comes and goes, right or wrong, confusing foreground
Backdrop to
A long history
Heart bends to the point of breaking
Fighting alone under the weight of need
I am acutely aware that whomever is visiting this site is looking just for a quick review for a particular wine and to move on. I appreciate your misery as you sift through my poetic rantings that haunt me until I write them down. If you wish to be on your way, skip to the bottom of this intro to find the quick rating scale for each of the above wines - which are by the way, both very good.
I need to start with my dinner last night at my favorite restaurant. Unfortunately, it was an "off" night mealwise, but I was introduced to a good Spanish wine that lead me today to a fine Spanish wine. It is the 2002 Museum Royale that I had last night. Although I have the name and vintage, as well as the taste, I have no more info. I was unable to find much further info in the last 24 hours. On my way home from work however, I did find the better 2001 Museum Real. Both of these wines have a fabulous finish, with the 2002 Museum Royale being more light bodied, similar to a Pinot Noir but more flavorful. The 2001 Museum Real was more full and had a finish that, for me, was slightly reminiscent of my favorite 1993 Clos du Bois Merlot. I know many people are not fond of "oakiness", but I do tend to gravitate toward it. The 2001 had a smokey oak to it with vanilla and coffee-like spice. Both the 2001 and 2002 had an interesting bouquet that I can't quite explain other than it was different for me. The taste did not really match the bouquet.
I had Paella last night (for a whopping $35 - if The Guy reads this I hope he didn't hurt himself too much when he hit the floor) and couldn't wait to pair a fine Spanish wine with it. I was actually hoping to try an Alberino but the Spanish red was recommended. I had a few sips prior to my entree and totally enjoyed the wine. My wicked expensive paella I believe was overloaded with saffron and the flavor was compensated. I had mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp and sausage and all of the shellfish tasted like they had been soaked in Ivory soap. The flavor of the wine was ruined by this unpleasant experience, and the soapiness to the meal was accentuated by the wine. I am lucky to have had the wine on its own first so that I knew it would be worth finding to have again.
I enjoyed the 2001 Museum Real tonight totally without food. It stands alone nicely.
My guess is the 2002 Museum Royale sells for around $15 a bottle (the restaurant charged $10 / glass).
2002
Museum Royale
Crianza
8 out of 10
2001
Museum Real Reserva
Cigales, Spain
Tempranillo vines
14% alc. by vol.
$20.99 / bottle
8.5 out of 10
2002
Museum Royale
Crianza
Spain
2001
Museum Real
Reserva
Cigales
Spain
(See reviews at end below)
SOLITARY
A photo capturing
A sorta feeling
Leaves gone, stark black in the foreground
Backdrop to
Gray skies, white earth, blinding snow
Boughs bend to the point of breaking
Fighting alone under the weight of wind
A life living
A sorta feeling
Comes and goes, right or wrong, confusing foreground
Backdrop to
A long history
Heart bends to the point of breaking
Fighting alone under the weight of need
I am acutely aware that whomever is visiting this site is looking just for a quick review for a particular wine and to move on. I appreciate your misery as you sift through my poetic rantings that haunt me until I write them down. If you wish to be on your way, skip to the bottom of this intro to find the quick rating scale for each of the above wines - which are by the way, both very good.
I need to start with my dinner last night at my favorite restaurant. Unfortunately, it was an "off" night mealwise, but I was introduced to a good Spanish wine that lead me today to a fine Spanish wine. It is the 2002 Museum Royale that I had last night. Although I have the name and vintage, as well as the taste, I have no more info. I was unable to find much further info in the last 24 hours. On my way home from work however, I did find the better 2001 Museum Real. Both of these wines have a fabulous finish, with the 2002 Museum Royale being more light bodied, similar to a Pinot Noir but more flavorful. The 2001 Museum Real was more full and had a finish that, for me, was slightly reminiscent of my favorite 1993 Clos du Bois Merlot. I know many people are not fond of "oakiness", but I do tend to gravitate toward it. The 2001 had a smokey oak to it with vanilla and coffee-like spice. Both the 2001 and 2002 had an interesting bouquet that I can't quite explain other than it was different for me. The taste did not really match the bouquet.
I had Paella last night (for a whopping $35 - if The Guy reads this I hope he didn't hurt himself too much when he hit the floor) and couldn't wait to pair a fine Spanish wine with it. I was actually hoping to try an Alberino but the Spanish red was recommended. I had a few sips prior to my entree and totally enjoyed the wine. My wicked expensive paella I believe was overloaded with saffron and the flavor was compensated. I had mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp and sausage and all of the shellfish tasted like they had been soaked in Ivory soap. The flavor of the wine was ruined by this unpleasant experience, and the soapiness to the meal was accentuated by the wine. I am lucky to have had the wine on its own first so that I knew it would be worth finding to have again.
I enjoyed the 2001 Museum Real tonight totally without food. It stands alone nicely.
My guess is the 2002 Museum Royale sells for around $15 a bottle (the restaurant charged $10 / glass).
2002
Museum Royale
Crianza
8 out of 10
2001
Museum Real Reserva
Cigales, Spain
Tempranillo vines
14% alc. by vol.
$20.99 / bottle
8.5 out of 10
Monday, August 6, 2007
Calina Reserva Merlot
2005
Valle Del Maule
Chile
The wine urges me on, the bewitching wine, which sets even a wise man to singing and to laughing gently and rouses him up to dance and brings forth words which were better unspoken.
HomerThe Odyssey, bk. XIV, l. 463
I have learned my lesson: 1. Limit myself to one glass (unless it is a wine I myself rate greater than an 8, or greater than a Robert Parker or Wine Spectator 90 or 91 in which case, provided I am not responsible for any children or driving anywhere, I will just continue to drink as long as I am still revelling in the flavor - EVEN if I am alone, talking to the dog, belting out tunes, and getting jiggy with it.) 2. Don't buy wine without having Windows on the World Complete Wine Course easily accessible - like out in the car. I don't care if I need to leave the wine shop 3 or 4 times to go consult. Hell, from now on I will just bring the book in with me.
I bought a Chilean Merlot, 2005 Calina Reserva, imported by Santa Rosa, CA. But I was remembering (ineffectively) Kevin Zraly mentioning Chilean 2005 red being exceptional, especially Caliterra Reserve (not exactly Calina Reserva) and Santa Rita - Casa Real (not quite Santa Rosa, CA import) being two of the best wineries. Well, I did get the 2005 red right on.
I taste-tested this last night with corn on the cob and Chairman's Reserve Pork Loin. NOT a good pairing. However, Yellowtail Chardonnay was GREAT with the corn. Tonight, I had half of a leftover spinach, ricotta, mozarella, mushroom and fresh garlic calzone, and the glass of Calina
Reserva was better.
The initial tasting the previous night was that it was very dry for me. It had a fairly decent bouquet, and I thought it might be pretty good. But when I tasted it, my mouth immediately was dried out, there was a hint of cherry, followed by . . .nothing. It went flat and tasteless. However, having it again tonight with the calzone, there was a slight finish, though not as long as even the shorter version of what I like to experience. But I tasted a hint of vanilla. HERE IS THE COOL THING: Much later tonight, I ate a piece of dark chocolate and, as I am forever looking to find the perfect red with chocolate, I had another sip of the Calina. I tasted tobacco and it was really awesome. I am not particularly fond of tobacco, though I am sure there may be an instance where I might be interested in tasting it, I know both red wine and chocolate can let such flavor loose. I don't know if it was the wine bringing out the tobacco-ness of the chocolate, or the chocolate bringing out the tobacco-ness of the wine, but I liked it.
7.25 out of 10 (with the recommended food pairing of pizza, pasta or cheese and I might add chocolate)
$9.99 / bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
Valle Del Maule
Chile
The wine urges me on, the bewitching wine, which sets even a wise man to singing and to laughing gently and rouses him up to dance and brings forth words which were better unspoken.
HomerThe Odyssey, bk. XIV, l. 463
I have learned my lesson: 1. Limit myself to one glass (unless it is a wine I myself rate greater than an 8, or greater than a Robert Parker or Wine Spectator 90 or 91 in which case, provided I am not responsible for any children or driving anywhere, I will just continue to drink as long as I am still revelling in the flavor - EVEN if I am alone, talking to the dog, belting out tunes, and getting jiggy with it.) 2. Don't buy wine without having Windows on the World Complete Wine Course easily accessible - like out in the car. I don't care if I need to leave the wine shop 3 or 4 times to go consult. Hell, from now on I will just bring the book in with me.
I bought a Chilean Merlot, 2005 Calina Reserva, imported by Santa Rosa, CA. But I was remembering (ineffectively) Kevin Zraly mentioning Chilean 2005 red being exceptional, especially Caliterra Reserve (not exactly Calina Reserva) and Santa Rita - Casa Real (not quite Santa Rosa, CA import) being two of the best wineries. Well, I did get the 2005 red right on.
I taste-tested this last night with corn on the cob and Chairman's Reserve Pork Loin. NOT a good pairing. However, Yellowtail Chardonnay was GREAT with the corn. Tonight, I had half of a leftover spinach, ricotta, mozarella, mushroom and fresh garlic calzone, and the glass of Calina
Reserva was better.
The initial tasting the previous night was that it was very dry for me. It had a fairly decent bouquet, and I thought it might be pretty good. But when I tasted it, my mouth immediately was dried out, there was a hint of cherry, followed by . . .nothing. It went flat and tasteless. However, having it again tonight with the calzone, there was a slight finish, though not as long as even the shorter version of what I like to experience. But I tasted a hint of vanilla. HERE IS THE COOL THING: Much later tonight, I ate a piece of dark chocolate and, as I am forever looking to find the perfect red with chocolate, I had another sip of the Calina. I tasted tobacco and it was really awesome. I am not particularly fond of tobacco, though I am sure there may be an instance where I might be interested in tasting it, I know both red wine and chocolate can let such flavor loose. I don't know if it was the wine bringing out the tobacco-ness of the chocolate, or the chocolate bringing out the tobacco-ness of the wine, but I liked it.
7.25 out of 10 (with the recommended food pairing of pizza, pasta or cheese and I might add chocolate)
$9.99 / bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Cambria Chardonnay
Katherine's Vineyard
2005
Santa Maria Valley, California
Mankind . . . possesses two supreme blessings. First of these is the goddess Demeter, or Earth whichever name you choose to call her by. It was she who gave to man his nourishment of grain. But after her there came the son of Semele, who matched her present by inventing liquid wine as his gift to man. For filled with that good gift, suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep; with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery.
Euripides c. 485 - 406 B.C.The Bacchae [c. 407 B.C.], l. 274
The Guy brought home a lifetime ago, from a business trip to California, a bottle of Cambria Pinot Noir from "Julia's Vineyard". It was a gift from a colleague who knew our latest baby was "Julia". At his suggestion, we laid it down awhile. When we drank it, it was good but it was long before this blog and my more detailed concentration on each new tasting. Therefore, I have no valuable recollection of each glass other than I enjoyed it.
I picked up a bottle of Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay on a hot summer afternoon this week. I opened it tonight and thoroughly enjoyed the first few sips on their own. I grilled a piece of salmon fillet, bought fresh from the Maine fish man, and also grilled one of the "Fish Man's" fine crab cakes. While I normally enjoy my salmon baked with olive oil, fresh dill and lots of lemon, tonight I used what I had on hand. I rubbed it down in fine organic E.V. Olive Oil, Sea Salt, and fresh lime juice, fired up the grill and grilled it alongside the crab cake. I sat on my patio with my citronella candles, and absolute quiet, and sipped this wonderful Chardonnay. What I liked the most was its lingering finish. It tricked me at first and I thought the flavor was gone within seconds of swallowing it. Then a wonderful, buttery vanilla-ness came creeping back on my tongue.
My salmon came out the best. Crispy grilled on the upper surface and moist and buttery on the inside. I had a heavenly first bite of the salmon and then followed it with a sip of the Chardonnay. I could taste the oak and pear. I then had a delectable bite of crab cake and followed with another sip. I could taste a definite citrus-pineapple burst. It was really fun to have two totally different flavors with each bite of something different. But in the end, that wonderful buttery vanilla came back.
8 out of 10
13% alc. by vol.
http://www.cambriawines.com/
2005
Santa Maria Valley, California
Mankind . . . possesses two supreme blessings. First of these is the goddess Demeter, or Earth whichever name you choose to call her by. It was she who gave to man his nourishment of grain. But after her there came the son of Semele, who matched her present by inventing liquid wine as his gift to man. For filled with that good gift, suffering mankind forgets its grief; from it comes sleep; with it oblivion of the troubles of the day. There is no other medicine for misery.
Euripides c. 485 - 406 B.C.The Bacchae [c. 407 B.C.], l. 274
The Guy brought home a lifetime ago, from a business trip to California, a bottle of Cambria Pinot Noir from "Julia's Vineyard". It was a gift from a colleague who knew our latest baby was "Julia". At his suggestion, we laid it down awhile. When we drank it, it was good but it was long before this blog and my more detailed concentration on each new tasting. Therefore, I have no valuable recollection of each glass other than I enjoyed it.
I picked up a bottle of Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay on a hot summer afternoon this week. I opened it tonight and thoroughly enjoyed the first few sips on their own. I grilled a piece of salmon fillet, bought fresh from the Maine fish man, and also grilled one of the "Fish Man's" fine crab cakes. While I normally enjoy my salmon baked with olive oil, fresh dill and lots of lemon, tonight I used what I had on hand. I rubbed it down in fine organic E.V. Olive Oil, Sea Salt, and fresh lime juice, fired up the grill and grilled it alongside the crab cake. I sat on my patio with my citronella candles, and absolute quiet, and sipped this wonderful Chardonnay. What I liked the most was its lingering finish. It tricked me at first and I thought the flavor was gone within seconds of swallowing it. Then a wonderful, buttery vanilla-ness came creeping back on my tongue.
My salmon came out the best. Crispy grilled on the upper surface and moist and buttery on the inside. I had a heavenly first bite of the salmon and then followed it with a sip of the Chardonnay. I could taste the oak and pear. I then had a delectable bite of crab cake and followed with another sip. I could taste a definite citrus-pineapple burst. It was really fun to have two totally different flavors with each bite of something different. But in the end, that wonderful buttery vanilla came back.
8 out of 10
13% alc. by vol.
http://www.cambriawines.com/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)