Shannon Ridge Wrangler Red

2010
Lake County California
High Elevation Edition
Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre & Grenache

Vanilla, oak, pepper spice, & dark cherry flavors were the main flavor players in this medium bodied multi-varied blend. I was pretty happy about the blend layers. This wine is very good. I just don't know that I would pay $19 for it. Maybe $14. I was hoping for a longer finish and more depth. I would like to try it again with grilled steak and mushrooms. It is recommended  to serve with red meat and barbecued pork. I had it with Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage & Kale & Spinach Ravioli sauteed with garlic. I preferred it with the meal more than on its own.

Today I was driving in the beautiful sunshine with the sun roof completely open listening to Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" and thinking about the associations I have with almost every piece of music I hear. I can remember hearing this song for the very first time as it came on the radio and my brother and I were riding in the backseat of our old black Dodge Rambler going to get our Christmas tree. My mom was driving and my dad was riding shotgun which was unusual as he usually drove. This song came on and I just loved the beginning where Carly whispers: "Son of a Gun" before she begins singing. My mom told my dad about some couple they knew who was getting divorced and how the wife played this song for the husband and had told her husband how it reminded her of him. 

For quite awhile after that Christmas I would hear the song. It became my favorite that year. I remember telling my neighborhood friend about it and asking her if she knew it. She said: "Is that the song about the clouds in the coffee cup?" I said it was and she said: "I hate that song. It's so stupid. What does it even mean to have clouds in your coffee?" Mind you, we were both like 7 or 8 as we sat evaluating its meaning. I remember shrugging and thinking it was her loss that she didn't get it. What's funny is I knew at my young age that it was just a metaphor, but I didn't truly grasp it other than I figured it was adult speak for describing something deeper. I couldn't make my friend get it. Listening to it today, those memories came back and I smiled. Especially as, since growing up, I love getting to know meanings behind songs and reading autobiographies of artists, etc. 

Long before Adele wrote about her first love gone bad, or Taylor Swift hung John Mayer, Carly Simon wrote about her previous beau, Warren Beatty. In classic self-assured pride, Beatty reportedly thanked her for writing the song. Carly has said it was actually about a combination of men. The apricot scarf was reportedly for Nick Nolte. The cheating boyfriend was reportedly about Mick Jagger's preoccupation with David Bowie's wife. I just love how much she set the entertainment world abuzz with vain speculation with that piece of music! 

Anyway, I have always loved the lyrics, and the "clouds in the coffee" reference I interpret now as foreshadowing in an otherwise simple, happy life - like finding that the morning comfort of drinking warm, soul-filling coffee while sitting in the sun suddenly portrays the presence of clouds overhead as if providing warning to an unseen emotional storm dead set ahead. It's one of those awesome self-discovery items like poetry, open to great self-interpretation. 

You had me several years ago,

when I was still quite naive.

Well you said that we made such a pretty pair,

and that you would never leave.

But you gave away the things you loved,

and one of them was me . . .

I've had some dreams there were clouds in my coffee,

clouds in my coffee and . . .

You're so vain . . .

--Carly Simon (with, incidentally, Mick Jagger on backup!)

8.0 out of 10

$19 / 750 ml. bottle

14.5% alc. by vol.

Honig Cabernet Sauvignon

2008
NAPA Valley
Can be enjoyed now or cellared through 2016


The day we opened the Honig was a GREAT day. It was just one of those pivotal "happy" days. My brother David was here and we had no where to go, Christmas had just been the day before, we were both off from work and enjoying the Christmas tree and the fireplace and cheese and crackers and wine and music. We had some great wines that week, but the Honig Cabernet was by far our favorite. It just made us smile on first sip and we had a really nice quiet time just sipping and smiling. This had milk chocolate silkiness and flavor intermingled with black fruits and vanilla and wood spice with a lingering, great finish.

Of course, after we had enjoyed a glass or two, we were in such a good mood we decided on some mischief. The Guy was out and the girls were shopping with my mother-in-law. David decided we needed to go get one of the old big stuffed lions my girls had given me to discard of upon cleaning out their rooms. The animals were all in the garage in a bag waiting for removal. David saw the lion and decided we should go put it in a tree in the backyard so that either one of the girls and/or The Guy would be surprised when taking the dog out to do his duty. We went to great lengths. I dragged out the big ladder and we propped it up against the tree and David strategically placed "Goliath" in the branches overhead the dog's "walking" area. We were in absolute hysterics the entire time imitating what we thought The Guy would be like, or one of the girls, out waiting for the dog to do his business just standing there looking around.

For DD

From the bedroom closet, we lifted shoes; one by one we placed them in a box. She was unbelievably strong, set in her task, as she handed me one pair after the other: a pair of well worn black leather slippers, some heavy brown dress shoes.

Boat shoes, and loafers in many leather shades, I ran my hands over them and looked at your smiling face from one of many pictures on the dresser, Charlie’s picture next to you, and Heath’s bridal portrait hangs on the wall. You and your first bride, and me here on Earth with your other bride, Charlie’s first.

Next came the knitted island shoes, two pairs, one obviously favored more by you than the other; she held those out for a moment and hesitated, smiled dreamily, and quietly said how you loved those shoes.

Then she gave me your wool blazers, and suits, each well-made and classically styled; she handed them off to me to hang on the cart we would use to roll them away. I thought of the many times I’d seen you dressed in them, always with a welcoming, happy smile, accompanied by a kiss.

To the next closet, where we gathered your ties: Lobsters, sailboats, Santa Claus, crabs, Easter eggs, whales, Christmas trees, pastel flowers and red hearts. Your life map unfolded with each one – sailor, beach lover, Christian, sense of humor, a life filled with beauty, adventure and love.

All packed up, we rolled the luggage dollie out of the bedroom and into the hallway, opened the door and out into the main hall we went, down to the elevator and into the basement. It was emotional for me, though unspoken. Your things being rolled away to the basement – there they joined the remnants of the lives of others: crystal chandeliers in storage, dresses from eras gone by, sun hats and record players, and suitcases that have been around the world. But it has to be this way.

I miss you in that place, by my grandmother’s side, surrounded by your needlepoint wall hangings and pillows, sunshine on the porch, where you sat the last day I ever spent with you, determined to beat those cancerous brain lesions that rendered you speechless, as you raised your weights over your head and lifted your legs one by one, demonstrating your strength and your resolve to not give up without a fight. But it was out of your hands - six days later you were gone.

It feels to me like you are still there, you, and my grandfather, and Heath, all watching over your fourth companion – as she sits on the sun porch, quietly waving as I drive away.

8.5 out of 10
14.5% alc. by vol.
$32/750 ml. bottle

Dead Canyon

2009
Horse Heaven Hills
Cabernet Sauvignon

I haven't had a really tasty wine in awhile - one that makes me take notice. Tonight we celebrated my mom's birthday and she brought a wine that someone had given her as a gift. It was Dead Canyon and it was extremely good and it made me take notice. Especially for a Washington State wine. Wine Out West. Loved it alot. I liked it best on its own. It had herb undertones, peppery heat, vanilla oak, a healthy dose of earth and a lasting 1 minute finish. As I knew my mother was bringing this wine for before dinner, I went through my recipe books and found an appetizer to accompany a hearty cabernet. It was Ricotta and Mushroom Crostini out of my Food & Wine 2011 Annual Cookbook and the two were a great pairing together. The spiciness and heat of the wine came out with the appetizer, but the more herbal and earthy tones of the wine were more evident prior to any food. Very good either way.

I feel I've lost my creative edge all the way around. I follow the same pattern of: go to work, come home make dinner, help with homework, attend school meetings, go to bed, get up and do it all over again. I have no time to take drawing classes like I was, I am too tired to take pictures, I rarely feel inspired. There just isn't enough time in the day. However, I devoted all of today to making a meal for my mother's special dinner. I made a gourmet meal for the first time in awhile. I haven't put any effort into dinners in a long time for a lot of reasons. But today I felt like making it my mission for the day. So we had the ricotta mushroom crostini for our appetizer and a spicy rosemary lemon marinated pork loin for the main meal, accompanied by Boston lettuce with cranberries, feta and roasted walnuts, roasted rosemary and thyme baby potatoes, homemade organic applesauce (and all three of my children assisted with each phase: washing, peeling, coring and cutting of apples), South Beach Diet Mashed Potatoes (cauliflower mashed with butter and half and half), and a tomato and scallion warm salad with ricotta and lime. Aside from the tomato and scallion salad being warmer than I wanted, the rest was pretty darn good and it felt nice to make a decent meal again.



Water is my eye, most faithful mirror, fearless on my breath
Teardrop on the fire of a confession
Fearless on my breath most faithful mirror
Fearless on my breath

Teardrop on the fire, fearless on my breath
Stumbling a little, stumbling a little

Teardrop
by Massive Attack





8.25 out of 10
13.9% alc. by vol
$18 / 750 ml. bottle

Vitiano Umbria

2009
Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese & Merlot Blend


This was an improvement over Big House red, which I am beginning to think I over-rated. I don't like that I have to cool it to keep it - which means I have to pour it an hour or so before I want a sip so that it comes to room temp. And then it tastes so different. It would probably come to room temp sooner if I didn't keep our house temp at only 60 (Brrrrrrr!) to save $$ on oil! However, that said, it never really "warms" up the way I like my reds.

Anyway, this isn't about Big House at all, it is about Vitiano. And Vitiano is a really good vanilla-oak-cherry dry wine with thyme essence.

I enjoyed this on its own, but it was very good with fettucine and broccoli rabe, chicken sausage, mushrooms, Gouda and some crushed red pepper with a little grape seed oil. I highly recommend this "Super Tuscan" category wine.


So, I am a Steve Poltz fan. He played for awhile on the road with Jewel and they have co-written songs together. But my absolute favorite song of his is from the soundtrack of the movie Notting Hill. The song from the actual soundtrack is electrified and has bagpipes, whereas other versions do not. This, for me, is the sexiest song ever written. Word is that he wrote it for Jewel, though they have not been romantically linked, but whoever it was he had in mind, is the luckiest girl in the world to have someone seeing her in this manner.

I love everything about you
I love the way you comb your hair
And I love the way you sachet in the room
Your perfume lingers in the air
I love everything about you, whoa-oh, about you

I love the way you lick your lips, dear
You got fireworks in your head
And I love the way you bring me water
When I'm thirsty in your bed
I love everything about you, whoa-oh, about you

You were surely kissed by angels
Look at the freckles on your face
You got the devil in your eyes
You disappear without a trace

I love sneaking up behind you
When you're looking in the mirror
The way your eyes lock into mine, dear
Without guilt, without fear
I love everything about you, whoa-oh, about you


8.25 out of 10
$12 / 750 ml. bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.

Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon

2007
Sonoma County, CA


NICE. Finally, a good wine for the first time in awhile. While not quite a "budget" wine, the black fruit flavor with slight vanilla, and bit of herbs and creamy oak on the nice finish make it worth the price. It accompanied very nicely a pork loin roast I made (see recipe below) with mashed, buttered and peppered cauliflower.

Tonight, I am opening the Spanish Tres Picos Borsao (Garnacha) which I have not had in a couple years (since summer's July in Vermont, spent with my brother who introduced me to it). If I recall correctly, it is wonderful; with chocolate especially. I am looking forward to opening it once again. I am trying the 2008. I previously reviewed the 2007, so I will review tonight's bottle soon. Surprisingly, the price remains the same so I am wondering if flavor has been sacrificed with the more recent vintage.


Sage and Rosemary Pork recipe adapted from Arthur Agaston's The South Beach Diet Cookbook.

FILLING:
1-1/2 T chopped fresh sage
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 T extra virgin OliveOil
2 t Dijon Mustard
1/4 t salt
1/4 t black pepper

PORK LOIN
1 boneless center loin pork roast (approx. 2 lbs.)
3/4 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 T extra virgin Olive Oil
fresh sage leaves for garnish
fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine the sage, rosemary, garlic, oil, mustard salt, and pepper.

Butterfly the pork loin. Spread the filling across the loin and close up again. Rub entire loin with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Place the loin in a small roasting pan and position on center rack in oven. Roast for 1 hour, or until internal temp reaches 155 deg. F and juices run clear. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage leaves and rosemary sprigs.




Don't forget the time
I wooed him with red wine.
The devil he wore such a fine, fine shirt
and it stayed so clean while he dragged me through the dirt.
--Deb Talan, Rocks and Water--

8.25 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$19.99 / 750 ml. bottle

Oberon

2007

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley

Here it is. One of those wines you pay more for . . and get less. I was really disappointed. And the bottle was so PRETTY! Just kidding - that is SUCH a girl thing. "I don't know, the label looked nice."

Smelled a little French. Earthy dirt meets dark berry. That's not a bad thing. But the flavor just wasn't there. :( Really, really dry with some dark fruit flavor and oak, but not much of a finish.

I made prosciutto and fontina pinwheels and couldn't wait to try this with them. We once had a Justin Cab that was AWESOME with the pinwheels. For $5 more, we could have had the Justin again and it would have been a nice evening. But I wanted to try something we haven't had before. There really wasn't much change in the flavor with or without the pinwheels.







I next set my hopes on chocolate fudge brownies I was making. I was sure the wine's taste would improve with dessert. It didn't. Not even after having been exposed to some air time did things change.

I’m taking a ride off to one side
It is a personal thing.
Where?When I can’t stand
Up in this cage I’m not regretting.

I don’t need a better thing,
I’d settle for less,
It’s another thing for me,
I just have to wander through this world
Alone.

Pete Yorn, "Lose You"

7.50 out of 10
13.7% alc. by vol.
$22 / 750 ml. bottle

Sassy Bitch Cabernet Sauvignon

2007
Central Valley
Chile


This medium cherry bomb with ever so slight vanilla and herbal flavors and a slight pepper heated finish was a birthday gift from me dah. Thanks Dah.


With every bubble she sank with a drink
And washed it away down the kitchen sink.
The dog days are over
The dog days are done
The horses are comin' so you better run
Run fast for your mother; run fast for your father
Run for your children all your sisters and brothers
Leave all your love and your longing behind.
You can't carry it with you if you want to survive

Florence and the Machine




7.75 out of 10
14% alc. by vol.
$10/750 ml. bottle

Columbia Cabernet Sauvignon

2006
Columbia Valley
Washington State

This vintage actually got some good reviews. For me, it was OK. A little "grape-y" at first taste. The scent was of dark berries and green olives. It was recommended to serve with red meat, especially steak. I don't do that. I actually had it with rice pasta, white beans, roasted asparagus and roasted sweet onion, mixed with olive oil and balsamic and it tasted better than on its own. This is one of those freaky things where it did seem to improve with being exposed to air for an hour. And it seemed to be a good match with the balsamic. The taste was very Spanish olive like. It tasted quite better on its own the next night - smokey. Tonight. I am tempted to change my rating below, but I won't.

Which brings me to a discussion I previously had recently with a friend with regard to decanting. He believes, and was told, that decanting a young wine is necessary. I was always under the impression that you did not need to decant young wines. But older wines, especially ports, should be decanted to separate out the sediment mostly. The idea of airing a young wine didn't seem necessary. But I have to say I've recently found a few younger wines seemed to taste better upon opening up for a bit. I loved the fact that some of their scents filled the room and made my mouth water.

I consulted my Kevin Zraly book to find that he feels there is NO difference whether a young wine is decanted or not. Old wines should only be decanted to separate sediment. However, if you've got a pricey old wine, DO NOT decant for any more than 15 minutes as you may actually miss the best moments of tasting for that particular wine. The longer it sits, the more its taste evaporates. He does state that he's had a few students swear to him that they notice a younger wine tasting better upon decanting for an hour. So, his suggestion is to decant for an hour if you wish, though he doesn't feel it's necessary. At best, it will fill the room with the wine's aroma for the arrival of any guests for the evening. If you have an old wine, with possible sediment, let it sit for 10 minutes, light a candle, and hold the bottle and decanter up to the candle and pour slowly, watching for any sediment arriving at the bottle neck. Then put it down again and let rest for 5 more minutes to let remaining sediment settle again, and do again.

--Men are like wine, some turn to vinegar - the best improve with age.--
Pope John XXIII (was this Pope fond of wine, or fond of men???????? Regardless, I find this statement to be fantastically true)

7.75 out of 10
$12 / 750 ml. bottle
13.5% acl. by vol.

Stag's Leap ARTEMIS

2006
Cabernet Sauvignon
NAPA

Oh. That's so more like it. I am content. The Bro and I went wine shopping tonight - he did the purchasing and we brought home some good stuff. The Artemis gave off a braised meat-herb sent and tasted like black berry fruit with rosemary mixed in. I loved it. The Bro (I have to find a new handle for him - not only does he hate it, but I do too) wasn't sure at first and thought there wasn't much of a finish. I experienced a subtle, slow to arrive finish that was just fine. The Guy liked the tannins he experienced right off. Once we introduced aged Old Quebec cheddar cheese and La Panzanella Croccantini peppercorm crackers to the wine, we were all pretty happy. Something about the peppercorns brought the wine to a new level. Highly recommend.

This wine on-line is regularly $55, on sale for $47. The Bro and I found it locally at a regular price of $48, on sale for $37. The taste and sale price are well matched. I highly recommend this wine if you can get it for the lower price. I think $55 would be paying too much. $48 would be pushing it.


May no man's touch ever tame you.
May no man's reigns ever chain you,
And may no man's weight
ever lay freight your soul...

And as for the clouds
Just let them roll . . .

Roll away

RAY LaMONTAGNE


8.25 out of 10
$37 / 750 ml. bottle (on Sale)
13.8% alc. by vol.

Artisan Cabernet Sauvignon

2005
California

Do you truly taste your wine?

So, I have a co-worker who is very impressed by the amount of money spent on a bottle of wine. The more expensive it is, he is sure the better it tastes. I have tried to tell him that the price tag doesn't mean diddly. He tastes with his eyes, not his mouth. And I think he's a fool for it.

He has access to interesting people and parties and fabulous wines. His neighbor has a wine cellar to die for, a brother who is somewhat of a connoisseur, and a bank roll to buy the latest and greatest (or in most cases, the oldest and greatest). So, he tells me about the wines he experienced over the weekend and/or holiday. But when I ask for label info, or vintage, etc., he can never remember. All he can ever tell me is what color it was and it cost $90 a bottle and they went through ten of them (etc.). It's disappointing. So, I tend to have my more meaningful wine conversations with the guys who work in our machine shop that spend less than $15 on a bottle. I actually get good suggestions from them.

This is a perplexity that remains on my mind frequently. When I was bartender a few weeks back at an auction, the auctioneer's assistant came up and talked wine with me. He actually asked for a glass of Little Penguin Merlot. He passed up a 1995 Folonari and a few other older, more expensive labels that I wasn't familiar with myself. When I poured it for him, I told him it actually isn't a bad wine and it's great for the price. His eyes lit up, he winked at me, and he said: "I know!" Then he proceeded to impress me with tales of his extensive collection at home and the square footage of his cellar, etc. He told me how he and his wife held their son's wedding at their home and he was chief wine supplier to a very discriminating group of guests, especially on his new daughter-in-law's side (specifically, her mother). He served a few thousand dollars worth of wine before deciding later in the evening that everyone had totally ruined their palate and it wasn't worth bringing up the expensive stuff anymore. So, he took out the other wine. One of those he served was Little Penguin merlot. He said his daughter-in-law's mother came up to him with an empty glass and asked for more. He poured her a glass of Little Penguin and stood back and watched. She began to walk away, took her first sip, and then turned right around again and emphatically asked him what delicious wine he'd pulled from the cellar now. He told her, and she'd never heard of it( not surprisingly). But she told him it was "fantastic" and she could only guess how much it must have cost. Well, he and I had a huge laugh over that story. He told me that he was glad to see that I could recognize good wine doesn't always have to have a big price tag. And thus ends my story, but think about it. How do you really taste your wine? What factors must be present before you even bring the rim of the glass to your lips? Are you cheating yourself out of a better experience?

Well I finally had a taste of Toffee on the palate from a wine. This wine is pretty good. Though the Guy spent $12, I've seen it for $9, thereby making this a really good deal. I had it well after my dinner, but it is recommended with hearty stews and barbecue flavors. Mostly blackberry-forward, there is a melancholy headiness to it (I don't know what the hell that means - it just came to me in trying to describe my experience). But the Toffee kind of wraps it up nicely in the finish. I recommend it, especially if you can get it for the lesser price. And try it with a barbecued meal and then COME BACK HERE and comment on the experience. PLEASE.

She lives with a broken man
A cracked polystyrene man
Who just crumbles and burns.

--Radiohead, "Fake Plastic Trees"

8.0 out of 10
13.8% alc. by vol.
$9-12 / 750 ml. bottle

Newman's Own Cabernet Sauvignon

2006
NAPA, CA

Might drink again, but would probably not seek it out.

My boss gave me a bottle of this to try. Although I've been curious to try it for awhile, I wasn't in a big hurry. But it was handed to me so I figured I'd give it a shot.

I have loved Paul Newman from the day I watched him in "Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid". I was pretty young then, but he had an effect on me. I have enjoyed many of his products and am in awe of the money his line has earned for charity over the years. I cried the day he died because he was just one of the few actors who managed to stay classy (and still very sexy) and devoted to his wife and family. He never gave in to the "Hollywood" way of life. He stayed true to himself, and kept his privacy. So, I hate to say anything even slightly negative about his label.

However, the wine was OK. A bit on the "grapey" side, it had an ever so slight hint of woodsey vanilla (something I usually do like), but just not enough to carry it. It completely disappeared into what I thought to be a weak, watery "finish". But, I must say, I did like it better the next day - it took on a licorice and Kalamata Olive taste, and seemed to have a bit of that flavor lingering for a brief finish.

7.5 out of 10
$10 / 750 ml. bottle
13.5% alc. by vol.

Los Vascos Cabernet

2006
Colchagua Valley
Chile

Overall, this wine is a good deal for the price. Owned by one of the more premier older French vineyard owners, this wine was medium bodied and dry with a light oak flavor and scent, mingled with green pepper taste, slight black cherry and black pepper finish. Not a long finish, not a deep wine, but perfect for every day to have on hand. The Guy and I reviewed Los Vascos 2004 Reserve last year, and I think I like this more.




My Wine Eludes Me

In the midst of hardening reality
Questioning, praying, on the edge of delusion and then forsaking
Only to initiate the cycle again

Knowledge, religion, veracity, asseveration
Ebb and flow through the veins
Afflicting the heart and the brain
Even my wine eludes me

Ransacking for solace, or just a sign
Beholding the electronic medium
It is the lyrics to a song that taunt me in possessive irony
The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" offers me no mental release

Nothing is as it seems



7.75 out of 10
$10 (or less) / 750 ml bottle
14% alc. by vol.

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

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

Donati Cabernet Sauvignon

2003

96% Cabernet Sauvignon / 4% Cabernet Franc

California

1,825 Cases Produced

This is not my post or "The Guy's", it comes from our friend "PasaRoblesCab" with my gratitude in absence of anything from myself or "The Guy".

When poured it has a nice garnet shade and good long legs in the glass. Medium-bodied mouthfeel. It starts out much milder than I expected. It's mostly dark fruits, cherries and plums. Definitely not a fruit bomb. Medium fruits, medium body, moderate tannins Good dark fruit flavors (mostly cherry) and a tab bit of of licorice.The color is rich and dark.

You may want to let this wine breathe a little before drinking. Maybe let it decant for a while, The moderate tannins and full mouthfeel do a good job standing up against the alcohol.

This 2003 Cabernet reminded me of another wine I have enjoyed from Paso Robles: J Lohr. If you've enjoyed the Seven Oaks Cab from J Lohr, you will love the Donati Cab from Paso Robles. The nose is reminiscent of currant. It reminded me of being in the garden with my grandmother picking currents and eating more than I saved for fresh jam. The Donati Cab has a nice and smooth mouth, and it was a very pleasant wine with almonds as you can see from the pics they were freshly cracked by my 8 year old who just loves to be destructive.

When poured it has a nice garnet shade and good long legs in the glass. I picked up hints of peppercorn, vanilla, and a slight bit of alcohol in the nose. There is a moderate amount of fruitiness, mainly black cherry and currant flavors. As it's pretty young, there is a slight tartness and you do taste some alcohol but it doesn’t overpower the wine. After decanting, the black cherry does come out a bit more to match the alcohol and the tartness dissipates making for a very satisfying wine. It is a mouthful, perhaps in a perfect world it could have used another couple months in Donati’s oak barrels, but it was very enjoyable. I think if cellared for a year or two it would be a knockout. Thats why I bought 3 cases to keep for my future. It makes me feel like I am saving for college tuition for the little one. Buy now at $30 or pay $80 later, with 1,800 cases shipped, get it while you can. This one is definately a keeper.

Submitted by PasaRoblesCab

15.3% Alcohol

$30-$40 / 750 ml bottle

http://www.donatifamilyvineyard.com/

Frei Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon

2005
Alexander Valley
California


Will drink again - and will try the Merlot as well.

My cousin is married. The wedding was the first Jewish wedding I've ever attended. The best part? The bride and groom share wine during the ceremony with each other and then with their parents. Had I only known this when I was planning my wedding - I might have converted. But seriously, it was absolutely beautiful - the Rabbi was wonderful. The words spoken and meaning given behind the significance of each phase was just beautiful. As the bride lost her dad suddenly last year, his not being there was felt by all, especially she and her mom and sister. Her mom walked her down the aisle and handed her to my cousin. They then stood with the Rabbi under the Chuppah (a marriage canopy that symbolises the bride and groom's first home together). The bride's dad had a prayer shawl and his shawl was woven into the canopy of the Chuppah so that his presence was enveloping them - very emotional. The significance behind the breaking of the glass spoke volumes to me. Awesome.

The Guy, The Bro and I had a nice time in NYC (see some of my pictures posted so far at http://www.cheznathalie.com/ ). I did not, however, have any memorable wine experiences. The Frei Brothers Cabernet was the one I enjoyed the most out of the weekend. I had a glass at my hotel on Friday afternoon while feverishly trying to write a decent poem for The Cuz and his soon-to-be wife.

It's scent was warm spiced oak. It had a bit of a dark chocolate meets tobacco flavor, with a hint of slight vanilla and oak on the lingering finish.

Other wines I enjoyed but didn't care to bother scoring (mostly due to lack of label information)were a good Tempranillo that I had at the rehearsal dinner at La Palapa with the most delicious fried plaintains and sour cream, Cipriani Prosecco which I had at the wedding reception with the first course of lobster and asparagus in an olive oil and lemon dressing, and Beringer Stone Cellars Cabernet which I had at the cocktail hour before dinner and found it accompanied a juicy marinated beef appetizer nicely.

These beautiful flowers adorned the bar during the reception:


After the wine has been poured and life settles in,
A slight, inadvertent fading begins to vows taken among friends and kin.
So capture this moment, or any moment in the day ahead,
And savor it, return to it, let it ground you long after you have wed.

8.25 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$21 - $25 / 750 ml bottle
http://www.freibrothers.com/

HRM Rex-Goliath Giant 47 Pound Rooster Cabernet

Non-vintage
Woodbridge, California
Cabernet Sauvignon



Might drink again.

My friend Mike at work (who also recommended the Dynamite Cab) also recommended I try this one as a cheaper every day wine. I finally purchased it, but hadn't tried it yet when my dad came for Thanksgiving. As he came through the door, from behind his back he presented another bottle of HRM Rex-Goliath! I was destined to try it.

I liked the claret color. The nose was a little bit broccoli mixed with a non-disclosed berry and a lot of alcohol. (I recall smelling broccoli previously with a different wine.) The taste was a little woodsey, a little non-disclosed berry, high alcohol, slight earthiness and a small heat finish. No broccoli showed up in the taste thank Heaven.

For the price, this is a good everyday kind of wine to have on hand for casual company. I actually brought a bottle with me to my wreath making gathering the other night and a couple of women commented that they liked it.

Someone said they paired this wine with barbecued pork and it was great. I could see how that just might be.

To everything . . .There is a season
And a time for every purpose, under heaven
A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing
A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, A time for peace
I swear it's not too late

Adapted from Turn, Turn, Turn by The Byrds and The Book of Ecclesiastes from The Bible

7.50 out of 10
13.5% alc. by vol.
$7.99 / 750 ml bottle

Root: 1 Cab 2005

2005
Cabernet Sauvignon

Colchagua Valley, Chile

Will drink again (yet another good value - great taste for the money).

The Guy and I have had Root: 1 before and enjoyed it, but it was prior to posting our blog. So I decided to revisit it this weekend on a whim when I saw it for $9.99. I smelled and tasted . . . "Hot Rocks" - not The Rolling Stones, mind you, just hot rocks. This is an awesome experience. I've had it before with another previously reviewed wine (Terra Bossa 2004 Cabernet), but not as strong as this. It is definitely an "earthy" taste but taken to the next level. It really reminds me of granite warmed by the sun. I believe this is different, however, than a "mineral" experience. Which, brings me to my next reflection: the mineral survey. Thank you to those of you who participated. Next time I'll let a survey run without deadline.

The November issue of Wine Enthusiast (http://www.wineenthusiast.com/) has an article by Tim Patterson on the last page: Rocks In My Head - The rule in trying to grasp the elusive concept of minerality is, fake it 'till you taste it.

Mr. Patterson basically writes that he at first tasted minerality everywhere in every wine, trying hard to understand it. He even attended seminars related to geology and vineyard cross-sections and soil samples. He then checked the science behind it and seems to have succumbed to believing it's mostly "hooey". Some of what he had to say is summarized below:

"Nothing in winedom is more prized than the miracle of minerality. This elusive characteristic, found only in certain wines and discernible only to selected palates, carries a potent symbolic charge: tasting minerality is tasting the living soil that gave birth to grapes.

There's a good chance, of course, that minerality is mostly hooey.

First of all, people have the darndest time agreeing on what 'minerality' is . . . flavor, aroma, a texture?

Then there's the little problem that rocks don't taste or smell at all . . . (yet here he mentions his friends' contradictions) My mineral-centric buddies explained, with some condescension, that wet rocks clearly do have a smell - even a hosed-down sidewalk gives off a scent.

It gets worse. Modern plant biology holds that flavors and aromas are manufactured within the grapes through photosynthesis, not transported up from the ground into the berries.

More likely, according to state-of-the-art research, what gets called minerality is some combination of acidity and sulfur compounds."

I don't know exactly what minerality is or isn't. But I can tell you that I do indeed believe it exists. It is very exciting for me when I taste a wine that's got it. It only happened to me for the first time in the last couple of months and it's happened maybe three times total since. It was definitely a new experience for me and, I would say it was a textural thing when it happened. For lack of a better term, the wine "softened" all of a sudden in the finish. And it was pretty awesome.

For me, Root: 1 smelled exactly as it tasted. I knew when I smelled it that it was going to give me that "hot rocks" taste. I did not taste a lot of fruit - slight cherry in the beginning followed by spicey earthiness and warm stone with a lingering finish. But, alas, there was no mineral experience here.

Robert Parker gave this wine a 90 rating.

8.25 out of 10
$9.99 / 750 ml bottle
14% alc. by vol.
http://www.root1wine.com/