Walker Road Vineyards

Red Table Wine
Woodbury, CT

In addition to tasting this wine, I had the privilege of meeting the demure and unassuming owner of this small vineyard in Connecticut. This full-bodied red wine, made from 70% St. Croix grapes is actually quite delicious and grew on me. I served it with homemade lasagna and it was a fantastic accompaniment. And, two days later, the remainder of the bottle tasted so fine on its own.

Wine making in Connecticut is, to say the least, challenging, given the cool and sometimes wet climate. Jim Frey seems to have worked his way around that fact. This wine has herbal tendencies (thyme) with mushroom earthiness that I happen to love. I highly recommend this as an every day drinking wine.



I don't care if we don't sleep at all tonight
Let's just fix this whole thing now
I swear to God we're gonna get it right
If you lay your weapon down
Red wine and Ambien
You're talking sh*t again, it's heartbreak warfare

-John Mayer, Heartbreak Warfare



8.0 out of 10
12.5% alc. by vol.
$14 / 750 ml. bottle
walkerroadvineyards.com

Tiz Red Red Wine

2004

Red Table Wine

Santa Rosa, California

Would drink again.

This is a simple, berry flavored red wine. Slight finish. Not bad. Wasn't too bad alone or with lasagna. Cheap.

Can't get no rest, don't know how I work all day

When will I learn? Memories get in the way

I walk around, I can't hear a sound, folks talkin' loud

But I don't see at all, I gotta get away, gotta get away
I don't know where to go

It's hopeless so I guess I'll leave it alone

Games people play, night or day, they're just not matchin'

What they should do keeps me feelin' blue

The Spinners, Games People Play

7.50 out of 10

$7.99 / 750 ml. bottle

13.5% alc. by vol.

http://www.tizwinery.com/

Ladybug Red Cuvee VI

Red Table Wine
Redwood Valley
California

Will drink again. (Good every day wine to have on hand and drink now.)

Ladybug Red is a blend of Zinfandel, Carignane, Merlot and Cabernet. The vines are aged an average of forty years. Although it does not say so on the label, this is an organic wine. I have not found any really good organic wines for some reason, but this was a pleasant surprise to learn it was organic and yet tasted so good.

It drinks well on its own and would probably pair well with lighter foods (turkey burgers, chicken, tomato-based light sauces and pizza). Nice berry flavor followed quickly by pepper and then a slight toasted oak fnish.

Besides being a pretty good value, I really like the Lady Bug factor here. Lolonis Vineyards shipped in huge amounts of Lady Bugs and Praying Mantis for use as natural pesticides. Lady Bugs do not like grapes but they do like eating other insects.

She walks along the cliff's edge,
always searching out to sea.
Waiting, watching, longing,
Eyes on the horizon, wishing today for it to be.
Her Victorian dress, long and black,
tattered by the constant tug of the wind.
Her black boots worn to gray, always walking,
waiting for that ship to come in.
Watching to see that mast rise up,
where water and sky form a line.
Longing for the Captain to finally come home,
bringing her faraway treasures and fine wine.

8.0 out of 10
$12.99 / 750 ml bottle
13.9% alc. by vol.
http://www.lolonis.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/