Windsor Sauvignon Blanc

2006
Mendocino County
Kenwood, California

Would drink again.

This Sauvignon Blanc was the second bottle from Windsor Vineyards that The Guy and I tried this weekend (out of four). It's scent was a bit tropical with pineapple being the main focus. It was a light straw color and the taste was pineapple with slight lemon and a hint of oak. The finish was fairly smooth with a slight Sauvignon Blanc zip.

I had this with a lemon yogurt pasta dish and stir-fried chicken. Just like I find Merlot is a great accompaniment to garlic-enhanced dishes, I find Sauvignon Blanc is excellent with lemon-flavored dishes.



You can't just say "I Love You",
You've got to live "I Love You".

-Ben Harper


8.0 out of 10
13.0% alc. by vol
Approx. $15 / 750 ml bottle
www.windsorvineyards.com

Windsor Vineyards Merlot

2005
Merlot
Sonoma County, California

Would definitely drink again, and again, and again.

I have to say I love this Merlot. I knew I was going to like it by its scent alone - it was an earthiness - but not a "damp" earthiness or musty earthiness like I get from some French reds. It was more of a woodsey-earth with a hint of smoke. Although it immediately reminded me of a higher-end Barossa red, it's very distinct at the same time - I feel like I could pick it out in a blind taste-test.

Overall tasting notes: woodsey, earthy, smoked. slight vanilla and a bit "slick " (oil-mineralness) on the finish. The finish isn't very long, but it's not too quick either. Though it's higher alcohol than I prefer, it doesn't taste it. So it's dangerous. It sneaks up on you.

I have always found that Merlot accompanies garlic dishes very well. If you've marinated a steak with lots of garlic and then throw it on the grill and serve a medium to heavy bodied Merlot, your pairing is golden. If you make a creamy pasta dish like Fettuccine Alfredo, but throw in lots of garlic in the sauce and serve Merlot, you're still going to have a nice pairing. This wine was great on it's own, but it's flavor was accentuated with my very-garlic-y pizza.






8.75 out of 10

14.8% alc. by vol.
Approximately $25 / 750 ml bottle
www.windsorvineyards.com

Twenty Bench

2005
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, CA

Another entry from our friend "PasaRoblesCab" to whom "The Guy" and I are indebted as we are only reviewing wines on weekend evenings. As this is a Tuesday, we've got nothing new to review. But "PasaRoblesCab" had "Twenty Bench" this evening and filed the following report and accompanying photos:

This is a full bodied wine with deep rich cherries on the nose, and flavors of coffee and ripe blueberries. Distinctive character, with rich palate coating textures and lots of layers and depth. It has a long pronounced finish with full tannins and fruit, balanced with good acidity. Dark ruby color and surprisingly full for a wine of this price, about $18.50. This is what makes a young Napa Cab worth drinking. With A HINT OF CHOCOLATE and fresh berries I decided to melt some milk chocolate, which I don’t often eat. Dark chocolate is my poison, as I feel better after eating a 1 lb. bar due to its antioxidant power (wink, wink). The strawberries and milk chocolate weren’t as great as I thought but did compliment it somewhat on the finish. I think it did better with my mesclun salad with grilled lemon chicken and sea salt. I would definitely drink again and will most likely pick up a case or two to cellar as I am sure in a couple of years it wont be as affordable for a Napa Cab.

$18.50 / 750 ml bottle
14.3% alc. by vol.
www.ninenorthwines.com

Silverado

2004
Cabernet Sauvignon
Napa Valley, CA
(Stag's Leap District)

First: Thank you to "Morgan" for the post giving me a head's up on the "Red Truck" changeover. I will be interested to see what comes of it. I am a fan in general of "Cline" wines - especially the ancient vine zin.

Blend: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Cabernet Franc

Would definitely drink again - though not in the budget.

This was a gift from my boss so it wasn't in my usual price range. He gave it to me in December and I saved it for a special occasion. I decided to share it with my mom and stepdad and grandmother over Easter dinner. My mother made my grandmother's Yankee Pot Roast and it seemed as good a time as any.

I loved the scent right away - it had an oak and earth scent that drew me in. The flavor was probably more of a black cherry mixed with oak, earth and licorice or eucalyptus. The finish was smooth and lingering. It accompanied the pot roast very nicely. BUT - once again - the age-old question. Is a more expensive wine bound to be better than a less expensive one? I believe, in most cases, no. My mom and I really enjoyed this wine - in fact we all did. But, as my mom and I discussed, I wouldn't spend $45 myself to experience it again. There are many equally tasty wines for $20 and under.

And the song of the day in my head (one of my all-time FAVORITES):

How many special people change?
How many lives are living strange? . . .
Someday you will find me
Caught beneath the landslide
In a champagne supernova in the sky

Champagne Supernova, OASIS

8.5 out of 10
14.5% alc. by vol.
$45 / 750 ml bottle
www.silveradovineyards.com

Primitivo - Layer Cake

2006

Italy

Will drink again.

We previously reviewed the Layer Cake Shiraz. The Primitivo (Zinfandel) was equally as good. Dark, inky purple in color, this wine is bottled in Italy. A lot of black cherry and a bit of licorice and spice, the finish was not as flavorful as the initial taste and mouthfeel, but it was still an enjoyable wine.

Song of the Day:

Nothing's too good for a veteran

yeah, this is what they say

So nothing is what they'll get in this new American way

The lies that were told to get us to go were criminal, let us be straight

Let's get to the point where our voices are heard behind the White House gate

With his mind he's saying...no more

With his heart he's saying...no more

With his life he's saying...no more war

With his eyes he's saying...no more

With his body he's saying...no more

With his voice he's saying...no more war, no more war

No more innocents dying

No more terrorizing

No more eulogizing

No more evangelizing

No more President's lying

No more war

Eddie Vedder, No More War

8.25 out of 10

$15 / 750 ml bottle

13.5% alc. by vol.

Woop Woop

2006
Shiraz
McLaren Vale, South Eastern Australia

***PARTICIPATE IN THE NEW POLL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE***

Will definitely drink again for the price - good value.

I'd sort of been avoiding this wine for many months because I don't know why. I think I thought the name was too silly nilly for the wine to be any good. I picked it up and really looked at it and saw it was from McLaren Vale and I took it more seriously and bought it. Another little positive: Woop Woop Winery is a supporter of Trees For Life. (http://www.treesforlife.org/)

Full-bodied, blackberry and licorice flavors, deep plum color and a decent finish make this wine a pretty good value. Good on its own and good with fresh parmesean and apricots and later, pizza.

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

-Khalil Gibran

8.25 out of 10
$11 / 750 ml. bottle
15% alc. by vol.
http://www.woopwoop.com.au/

Contrastes

2003

Red Languedoc

Saint-Chinian

France

Would drink again.

Not bad, just not as full as I had hoped. It's bouquet was inviting and I thought it would be very good. It reminded me (in scent) of a Barossa Shiraz. But it was much lighter in taste than I had hoped. The flavor was good. It was earth and olives for me. It took on a spicey finish following a bite of pepperoni bread. Overall, enjoyable though not as I had anticipated following the scent.

I have made a new friend from France. I am excited as he has friends with vineyards and he knows I am partial to Merlot. He is going to gather some info for me and recommend a wine or two from a region whose wine is comprised mostly of Merlot grapes. So stay tuned.

No thoughts, no poems, just a good day with two of my girls resulting in another "song of the day". It was one of those days I dreamed about when they were younger, but didn't know if it would ever happen. We went clothes shopping, got ourselves some Starbuck's drinks and drove home with the radio blaring (one of my juvenile behaviors I've been unable to let go of when I hear a song I like), all three of us singing at the top of our lungs, looking at each other and laughing. Priceless. I like a lot of different kinds of music, but I always thought my children's tastes and mine would never coincide. However, they have been patient listening to my favorites, and I have done the same for them, and sometimes common ground is found - like today.

I've got a way of knowin' when something is right

I feel like I must have known you in another life

Cause I felt this deep connection, when you looked in my eyes

Now I can't wait to see you again

The last time I freaked out

I just kept lookin' down

I st-st-stuttered when you

Asked me what I'm thinkin 'bout

Felt like I couldn't breathe

You asked what's wrong with me

My best friend Leslie said, "Oh she's just being Miley"

The next time we hang out

I will redeem myself

My heart, it can rest 'till then

Oh woah woah I, I can't wait to see you again

"See You Again" - Miley Cyrus

8.0 out of 10

$12.99 / 750 ml. bottle

13% alc. by vol.

Red Truck

2005
Sonoma, California
Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc and Mourvedre Blend

Will probably drink again.


So, my co-worker "Deb" (who doesn't drink), gave me an article she'd printed out of her Sunday paper about a woman who reviews wines for a living. She did a brief article on the best "grocery store" variety wines for your buck. Deb said to me, "You should review the reviewer." I thought it was a pretty good idea, brought it home to The Guy, and he agreed. Only thing is I then lost the article (but I'm sure it will turn up again soon). Anyway, this was one of the wines she reviewed. Two of her other wines we actually did previously review here but I have to find the article to remember which ones (one was the Banrock Station Chardonnay I believe).

I honestly wasn't looking forward to trying this one. Especially when I smelled the cork and it smelled like red wine vinegar, I almost passed. However, I plodded on and it was good for it's price. It had a blackberry, slight worcestershire taste. It was better on it's own before any food. (The flavor became "cheap" following turkey, sweet potatoes and salad.) I would say it's medium bodied with somewhat of a finish and worth it's price.

Are you gone and onto someone new?
. . . Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You'd die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
Your trust, you must
Confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
I've got another confession my friend
I'm no fool

Best of You - Foo Fighters

7.75 - 8.0 out of 10 (undecided)
$9 / 750 ml. bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon

2005
Paso Robles
California



Would drink again.

I thought I'd reviewed this in the past, but apparently not. The Guy and I had a glass of Liberty School Cab ages ago on Martha's Vineyard and it was SO good. I haven't had that good an experience with the cab since. This is good. It's pleasant. It's drinkable. It's just missing a slight edge. Nice, safe berry flavor mingled with vanilla.

I recommend drinking it with beef or grilled foods. It's also good enough to drink on its own.

Hopefully this is the last of the "Cut and Paste" as I'm very happy to report that my broken camera has been repaired and is once again in my hands. I've missed taking photos of the wines we drink. I'm looking forward to getting "back in business" as I've felt something missing for the last few weeks.

"By making this wine vine known to the public, I have rendered my country as great a service as if I had enabled it to pay back the national debt."

Thomas Jefferson

8.0 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$14.99 / 750 ml bottle (on sale from $19)

Solaris Cabernet Sauvignon

2005

California

Probably will not be drinking again.

As I sit here drinking Kahlua and Hot Chocolate following a day out in the cold gathering fire wood with my chillen', I am thinking of this disappointing wine to blog about. I only find it motivating to blog following a good wine experience. But, you need to know the bad with the good if you're considering buying anything reviewed here. So, I shall plod on - though I think I already gave you what you need to know.

Was it really bad? No, just not interesting. And there are so many better wines in the same price range available. However, different people do have different taste buds so you may like it yourself. I just wouldn't pay for a whole bottle - try it at a friend's or by the glass at a restaurant. It actually did take on some interesting characteristics following different food. I made oat-flax pita bread mini pizza for lunch with organic oregano, chopped olives and fresh mozarella. I had a small glass of the Solaris with it and the wine took on more of an herb and earth flavor than fruit. Then I had a piece of cold pumpkin pie and had another sip - the wine tasted exactly like cherry coke. Strange but fun. Overall, there's not much flavor midway through a sip and not much finish.

A bit common

A bit dry

Then nothing to draw me in

Oak here and cherry there

Followed by a disapppinting sigh

It's nothing like the 2003 Solaris Zin

7.5 out of 10

$9.99 / 750 ml. bottle

13.6% alc. by vol.

www.solariswinery.com

RED

2004
St. Francis Winery
Sonoma County, CA

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Zinfandel

Will most likely drink again.

Would probably pair well with more casual Italian flavored foods. I had it with baked chicken and then it's flavor took on a woodsiness that I liked.

A blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, and not just one Cabernet,
heady fruit and grapelike bouquet.
Somewhat heavy bodied but aloof with its chalk-like state,
a little leather in the middle, slight spice, almost difficult to rate.
And so it was with the fleeting finish glass of RED,
not compelled to write much more, I'm off to bed.

8.0 out of 10
13.5% alc. b vol.
$10.99 / 750 ml. bottle
http://www.stfrancisred.com/

Dynamite Chardonnay

2004
Mendocino County
Sonoma, California

Will drink again.

This wine was pretty good on its own, but it was really good with shrimp, ricotta, garlic and basil pizza. It's scent was of pineapple and oak. The flavor was definitely pineapple, apple and vanilla. It wasn't as rich and buttery as I would have liked, but I did pick up ever so slight mineral notes when having a sip after a bite of pizza. Overall, it was worth it's price.

Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.
-Ernest Hemingway, "Death in the Afternoon"

8.0 out of 10
13.6% alc. by vol.
$13.99 / 750 ml. bottle
http://www.dynamitevineyards.com/

Cline Zinfandel

2006
Sonoma, California

First of all, I'd like to thank PasaRoblesCab for his contributions the last couple of nights. And I'd like to add to his comments on realizing that not everybody knows what it's like to taste fresh currants from a garden and how the $100 wine tasted just as good as the $30 wine, etc.

It's true that not everyone is afforded such opportunity. I've always wondered what a fresh currant tasted like - I hear it so often described in wine tasting. Yet, I loved hearing PasaRoblesCab's endearing memory with his grandmother's garden and how one night of wine tasting brought him back all those years. I do love to hear and learn about others' interpretations and experiences with wine. There is no right or wrong. We all have different tastes and likes and dislikes. What one person loves, another maybe can't stand. I don't believe that's a reason for someone to hold back describing their own experience because they feel they might offend someone who has never experienced the same thing. The wine world is all about differing experiences. And, also as PasaRoblesCab pointed out, there is something to be said for "Yeah, I really liked that wine - I don't know why, I just did." You don't have to taste this specific thing or that particular flavor. And, laying down $100 or more does not guarantee a "better' wine experience. It is all about whether or not you enjoyed it and would recommend someone else try it no matter what the price. Actually, I would say it is more beneficial to hear someone recommend a $11 wine than a $100 wine as I almot expect the more I pay the better it should be. So, when I hear a $11 bottle was fabulous, I feel I've been given valuable information. And, if I've been told a $50 wine was "OK", I know to stay away.

Onto the Cline Zinfandel - not ancient vine mind you.

The Guy brought this home last night and opened it prior to dinner. Meanwhile, I had planned dinner around a bottle of Dynamite Chardonnay I've had that I've wanted to try. So, I was stuck. It was so COLD, and it was snowing, and all I felt like was red wine. Yet, I wantd to taste-test the Chardonnay and I had thought all day about what home-made Friday night pizza I was going to do to accompany it. I'd settled on shrimp pizza made with jumbo shrimp, ricotta, fresh garlic, parmesean, and mozarella with basil leaves.

Well, I had a full glass of the Cline prior to dinner and while I was cooking, and it was good. It just wasn't as good as the Ancient Vine zin. It had nice berry flavor up front and finished with vanilla oak (which I normally like), but it also thinned out a bit in the finish and tasted slightly grape juice like. Overall, I would say it was worth the sale price. I did move on to the Dynamite Vineyards Chardonnay with my dinner. I will review that tomorrow.

Look at me
I'm in a place
I never thought I'd be
Don't have the strength
To fight anymore
Or a reason not to leave
So tell me why I still keep holding on
To something I just cannot see
What makes you stay
When your world falls apart
What makes you try one more time
When it's not in your heart
At the end of your rope
When you can't find any hope

Deana Carter, What Makes You Stay

7.75 out of 10
$11.99 on sale for $9.99 / 750 ml. bottle
14.0% alc. by vol
http://www.clinecellars.com/