Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine

Name: Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs
Color: White
Varietal: Sparkling
Vintage: 2003
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $30
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We took a bottle of the Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs sparkling wine with us on our trip to St. Augustine to celebrate our 13th anniversary!! We drank it in our room without food (well, we did have some chocolates that we bought earlier in the day from Claude's Chocolates!)....

The wine had a fairly strong aroma (Krista could smell it from across the room after I opened it and poured some in our glasses). The nose was softly fruity and nutty. On the palate, I tasted creamy strawberries, peaches, and a doughy/nutty component. It was quite tasty, especially as the night went on. I don't have much experience with sparkling wines, so I don't have a whole lot to compare to. Being a 2003 vintage, I don't know if this wine was considered past its prime or not, but we enjoyed it for what it was -- the perfect accompaniment to our quiet anniversary celebration. I will always remember this wine for the role it played in our trip to St. Augustine.


I noted somewhere online that Wine Spectator rated the 2003 vintage 92 points.

Stump Jump Shiraz

Name: Stump Jump Shiraz
Color: Red
Varietal: Shiraz
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Australia
Region: McLaren Valley
Price: $10
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

The Stump Jump Shiraz was recently featured in the St. Petersburg Times as the Wine of the Week. When I saw a bottle on sale for $10, I picked one up. Krista and I have always enjoyed the big fruity, jammy taste of a good Shiraz from Australia, so we took it with us for our day after Christmas meal at her parents' house. This wine also placed in the Top 100 of Wine Spectator's best wines of 2009.

Unfortunately for us, the tasting of this wine was tainted by some poor glassware at the in-laws house. The first two glasses we tried were plagued by a soapy smell that over-powered the wine. After rinsing the glasses, we were able to salvage one, but I ended up drinking mine out of a green plastic disposable picnic cup. Still, the wine itself was as we expected, full of blackberry and raspberry flavors with a nice mouthfeel and a decent finish. We will definitely have to try it again with better glasses.

Four Vines Zinfandel Old Vine Cuvee

Name: Four Vines 'Old Vine Cuvee' Zinfandel
Color: Red
Varietal: Zinfandel
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: California
Region: Paso Robles
Price: $12
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

We had this wine on Christmas Eve with a dinner of barbeque pork and ribs. It was delicious and paired very well with the BBQ. The wine was medium to full bodied with dark berry flavors with some smoke and oak spices. It was very smooth and juicy and was exactly what I was looking for in a Zinfandel to go with our meal. This was an excellent value and one I will gladly buy again.

Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone

Name: Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre/Cinsault)
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: France
Region: Rhone
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

The Perrin Reserve Cotes du Rhone is a red blend from the Rhone Valley made by the Perrin brothers, owners of Chateau Beaucastel, who are renowned for their Chateauneuf du Pape. They also make a very good value wine under the La Vieille Ferme label. We've had several bottles of the white and red versions of La Vieille Ferme and have enjoyed them very much. The 2006 Perrin Reserve is predominantly Grenache (60%), with Syrah (20%), Mourvedre (10%), and Cinsault (10%).

We drank a glass of the Perrin Reserve last night and finished the bottle tonight with a big bowl of chili and rice. It was very good on its own and with the meal. The nose was nice and dark and earthy. The taste was primarily dark fruits, like black cherry, blackberry, and blueberry, but you could also taste the earthy qualities that really give the wine some character. It's an excellent value.

I would like to try the Perrin Reserve side by side with the La Vieille Ferme to see if I can detect any noticeable differences. If not, then we might as well save a few dollars and go with the La Vieille Ferme.

Fetzer Gewurztraminer

Name: Fetzer
Color: White
Varietal: Gewurztraminer
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Central Coast
Price: $10
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

This was our first Gewurztraminer, which is known for its spicy-sweet flavor and medium body. It seems to do well in Alsace, California, and Germany.

This Gewurztraminer is from Fetzer Vineyards in California. It is consistently recommended as a great value wine that's also very versatile in terms of the types of food to which it can be paired.

We had this wine tonight with a chicken/artichoke/pasta dish and it paired very well. Krista also used a bit of the wine in the sauce for our meal. The wine was very good, but with a touch too much sweetness for my taste. The color was pale gold, with an aroma of sweet apricots and peaches. The taste was similar to the nose, with some honey in addition to the fruits. I didn't get a lot of the spice that is to be expected from this varietal, which is probably why I thought it was too sweet. The finish was nice and long.

I really want to try a Gewurztraminer from Germany or Alsace next to see how they compare to this one.

Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Clos du Bois
Color: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: California
Region: North Coast
Price: $9
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

Krista and I both really liked this Cabernet from Clos du Bois. The wine was nice and dark and inky in the glass, with a great nose of blackberry, black cherry, and plum, with some vanilla from the oak. It was well-balanced and velvety smooth in the mouth. I tasted mostly dark berries with a bit of spice. The finish was fairly long and left me wanting more.

We drank this delicious wine with steaks and mushrooms and a spinach salad. The wine went well with the steak and was also excellent on its own after dinner. It wasn't long before we finished this bottle. For the price, I would highly recommend the Clos du Bois Cabernet.

Cristalino Brut Cava

Name: Cristalino Brut Cava
Color: White (Sparkling Cava)
Varietal: Blend (Macabeo/Parellada/Xarello)
Vintage: NV
Country/State: Spain
Region: Cataluna
Price: $8
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)


This Spanish sparkling wine has been widely hailed as a great budget sparkler and a terrific value for the money. I don't have too much experience with sparkling wines, so I don't have much of a base to compare to. For me, this was a good wine, but nothing to get too excited about. It was nice and dry and tasted primarily of toast, apples, pears, and a little bit of lemon. The finish was probably the most note-worthy aspect of the Cristalino Cava for me. It was very long, as the taste lingered well after each sip.

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc
Color: White
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Chile
Region: Casablanca Valley
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

The Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc is one I'd been meaning to try for awhile now. I set out to pick up the Nobilo SB, but it was sold out. Then I remembered the Veramonte, stumbled across it, and brought it home. This wine was a pale straw color with a nose of citrus, melons, and white fruit. I also noticed a pretty strong grassy aroma, especially right after opening the bottle. The grassy smell went away as the night went on, leaving more citrus aromas.

The taste was also citrus with grapefruit and a bit of lemon and lime. It was really crisp and refreshing with great acidity. The acid wasn't as tart and overpowering as it can be with some New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. The finish was nice, but not exceptionally long. We drank this wine with Mahi filets, and easily finished the bottle later in the night. Krista and I both really enjoyed our first Chilean white wine and can't wait to more wines from Chile in the future.

Eroica Riesling

Name: Eroica Riesling
Color: White
Varietal: Riesling
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: Washington
Region: Various
Price: $16 (on sale)
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


The Eroica Riesling is the result of a collaboration between Washington's Chateau St. Michelle and Germany's Dr. Loosen and is apparently named for a Beethoven symphony. Grapes from all over Washington state were used in the 2006 blend.

I had read terrific things about this wine and had been meaning to try it for some time. When I saw it on sale at Leuken's, I picked up a bottle. I think it normally sells for just over $20, but I bought this one for about $16.

The wine was a light straw color in the glass, with a nose of melon, pineapple, and honey. It had a nice, medium body weight in the mouth and was really well balanced with good acidity. The taste was pretty fruit forward, tasting primarily of green apple, pineapple, and citrus. It had some slight sweetness to it, but was still bright and fresh. The finish was exceptionally long. The taste lingered quite nicely after each sip.

We drank this wine tonight with dinner (pork and pasta) and quickly finished the bottle after the kids were in bed. Krista and I both highly recommend the Eroica Riesling.

7 Deadly Zins

Name: 7 Deadly Zins
Color: Red
Varietal: Zinfandel
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: California
Region: Lodi
Price: $15
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

This was the wine I picked out to go with our Thanksgiving meal. I decided to stick with a big American wine to go with the holiday. Krista made Sangria, and the rest of our family was content with their "wine" of choice - namely white zinfandel.

The 7 Deadly Zins has received many recommendations from many sources online, so I decided to give it shot. I'm glad I did. It was delicious. Raspberry, blackberry, and black cherry dominated the nose and the taste, but it was balanced out by some peppery spice and a little whiff of nuttiness. When I first opened it, the wine was a little oak-y, but that blew off after about 30 minutes of air. The wine was terrific on its own, but also went well with all of the turkey, stuffing, green beans, mashed potatoes, etc...It didn't overpower the food. It was really silky smooth and very tasty.

I highly recommend the 7 Deadly Zins and will definitely buy more in the future.

Renwood Viognier

Name: Renwood Winery
Color: White
Varietal: Viognier
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: California
Region: Lodi
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was one of the wines I tried at Ed's Fine Wines last Friday night. I bought a bottle that night and we drank it last night with mahi filets and noodles. The wine was delicious with the fish and on its own. Krista and I quickly finished the bottle before bed.

The Renwood Viognier was a crisp, medium-bodied wine, that was a pale gold color in the glass. The nose was grapefruit, apple, apricot, and citrus. The taste was primarily green apples with really nice acidity. It was very well-balanced and easy drinking. We will definitely keep this one on the list.

Coppola Black Label Claret

Name: Francis Ford Coppola Black Label Claret
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot/Merlot/Malbec/Cabernet Franc)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: California
Region: Napa Valley
Price: $12 (on sale)
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

The Coppola Claret was a nice red blend that we enjoyed with dinner last night. I grilled some steaks and mushrooms and the wine really complemented the steaks. It had nice fruit, mostly red and black fruits, with a little spice. Krista thought the mid-palate was a bit watery but still liked the wine. I thought it was pretty well-balanced. It was smooth and easy to drink.

For a few dollars less, I think we both prefer the Coppola Presents Rosso a little bit more. Even so, this was a nice wine at a good price.

Monte Antico Toscana

Name: Monte Antico
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot)
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Price: $10
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

This was a very pleasant surprise. It's a terrific Italian blend of Sangiovese (85%) with some Cab and Merlot...I had read great reviews of this wine in the past, but this was my first bottle. I also noticed that it was recently named one of the Top 100 wines of the year by Wine Enthusiast.

I drank a couple of glasses with pizza on Friday night and finished the bottle tonight. It's medium bodied with great balance and good acidity. It drinks well with food and on its own. It's very tasty and really opens up as it gets some air. After about an hour of air, it was excellent. The nose isn't real strong but the taste is of juicy red berries, blackberries, with a hint of chocolate.

The Monte Antico is a great bargain that I'll be buying more of very soon.

Note: Krista tried a small glass, but couldn't get past the black licorice on the nose...She really didn't care for it at all. More for me!!

Wine Tasting Notes

I attended the weekly Friday night wine tasting at Ed's Fine Wines last night and was able to taste several new wines, including my first Torrontes. Here are a few brief notes:

• Conquista Torrontes - my first Torrontes and I really liked it. I will definitely add this one to my list...Very distinct taste, crisp and clean. White fruit and citrus. A little sweetness. Approx. $9.

• White Haven Sauvignon Blanc -I normally really like New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs from Marlborough, but this one just didn't do it for me. On the nose, I picked up bell pepper or some other vegetal aroma that I didn't care for. I couldn't get past it...It just wasn't my taste.

• Renwood Viognier -Really delicious. My favorite white of the tasting...I bought a bottle to enjoy at home.

• Renwood Zinfandel -Not bad for a $10 Zin...cherry, blueberry, blackberry...very smooth, medium bodied, easy drinking.

• Broke Ass Red -blend of Malbec and Syrah...OK, not much to get excited about...cheap

• MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir -Wow!! I really enjoyed this one and will add it to my list. Light and juicy with cherry, cranberry, and strawberry flavors, plus a little earth. I think it's about $15...Excellent quality for the price.

• Conquista Malbec -not bad for the price (about $10), dark color and dark berry flavors, medium bodied, kind of soft and easy drinking.

• Villa San Juliette Chorum Red -really nice blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, about $20, will add to my list to buy...pretty full-bodied but well balanced...rich, ripe dark fruit with a big, full mouthfeel...I really liked this one.

• Villa San Juliette Petite Sirah -not bad at all...fairly full-bodied and tasty, lush and rich with blueberry and other dark berry flavors...I was really impressed by the Villa San Juliette wines and will make a point to buy some soon.
  

Fish Eye Pinot Grigio

Name: Fish Eye
Color: White
Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $7
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)


I'm still not really a fan of Pinot Grigrio, but this one was recommended in several places and the price made it worthwhile to take a shot. The Fish Eye Pinot Grigio was a clear, pale straw color in the glass. It was pretty tasty, with lemon and green apple flavors dominating. The wine was well-balanced and highly drinkable.

We drank this wine with a dinner of fish and crab meat with pasta. It paired very well and was also nice on its own after dinner.

Nostrada Garnacha

Name: Nostrada
Color: Red
Varietal: Garnacha
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Spain
Region: Campo de Borja
Price: $7
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

We drank this wine last night with dinner (lasagna) and finished it after the kids were in bed. We had a busy day -- the boys and I spent the day at my parents house lowering my old basketball hoop to 8 feet so that they could shoot some hoops. Jackson really had a blast, making several shots. Owen's still working on his form, but for a 4 year old, he did great! It's probably too early to count on getting a scholarship from Kentucky, but they are both on their way to great things. I think I'll wait a couple of years before trying to teach them the intricacies of the Dribble Drive Motion Offense....Speaking of the DDMO, Coach Cal and the Cats got their first win of the year on Friday night, holding off a better-than-you-think Morehead St. team. Eric Bledsoe went nuts and dropped 24 on Morehead, including a couple of amazing drives in the lane. I can't wait until John Wall joins the mix on Monday. On top of all the basketball excitement, UK's football team beat Vandy to become bowl-eligible for the 4th straight year.

The Nostrada Garnacha was a nice, easy drinking wine that went well with the lasagna and was great on its own. It was very smooth and mellow, a really versatile wine that most people would enjoy. The nose was kind of smoky, with juicy red fruits. The taste was primarily cherry, raspberry, maybe a little blueberry.

Spanish wines continue to really outperform their price points. This one is an excellent value that we would definitely recommend.

Safety Harbor Wine Festival

Last night, Krista and I got a babysitter for the boys and headed out to spend a couple of hours at the 8th Annual Safety Harbor Wine Festival, sponsored by our favorite local wine store, Ed's Fine Wines (http://www.edsfinewines.com/)...It was a beautiful, comfortable night in Safety Harbor. The temperature was in the low 70's with no humidity. We had a great time tasting wines and people-watching. We especially enjoyed the nuts who were bundled up in sweaters, jackets, and sweatshirts. Just because it's below 90 degrees, doesn't mean it's quite time to pull out the winter gear.

We started with the Ironstone Old Vine Zinfandel, which retails for about $10-12...We both really enjoyed this wine. It was medium-bodied and smooth, with really good balance. The flavors were mostly red fruits and blackberries. I think we had the 2005, but I'm not 100% sure. It was good enough to pick up a bottle in the near future. A very good start to the night!

We also tried a couple of Mark Davidson wines, the Mark Davidson Shiraz and the Mark Davidson Cabernet/Merlot blend. We've had the Shiraz before and really enjoyed it. The glass we had last night was also very good. The Cab/Merlot blend was also very enjoyable. We've been very impressed with all of the Mark Davidson wines we've tried. We especially enjoy his white blend, which I've posted on this site in the past. Most of the Mark Davidson wines retail in the $10 range.

The last wine I tried last night was the Dante Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a delicious fruit-forward cab, with red berries and blackberries on the nose and in the mouth. It wasn't a big, bold cab. It had a more easy-drinking style with good acidity and versatility. I really liked this one.

Krista really liked the Sangria that she tried...I think it was called Toro or El Toro...We'll have to remember to check with Ed's to get the right name.

Next year we need to remember to bring our own glasses like many of the more serious wine drinkers were carrying around. It's hard to get a true sense of the wine when you're drinking it out of small plastic cups.

Red Guitar

Name: Red Guitar
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Tempranillo/Garnacha)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Navarra
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


We've had this wine a few times and always enjoy it. This was our first bottle of the 2007 vintage, and while it was very good, I remember liking the 2006 a little bit more. The '07 Red Guitar is a blend of 55% Tempranillo and 45% Garnacha.

I had a couple of glasses tonight, one with pizza and one later on its own. The flavors are primarily cherry and raspberry, with a medium bodied feel in the mouth. It's a very smooth wine that may be able to be aged for 2-3 years. I might try to pick up a bottle and put it aside for a couple of years to find out how well it ages.

Cupcake Chardonnay

Name: Cupcake Vineyards
Color: White
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Central Coast
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)



We enjoyed this wine last night with rotisserie chicken and salad. We had previously tasted it at a local wine tasting at Ed's Fine Wines in Safety Harbor. Krista really liked it then, so I picked up a bottle a couple of weeks ago when I was at Leuken's Liquors in Dunedin. The Cupcake Chardonnay was very nice...easy drinking, well balanced, with a medium body. It was crisp, clean, and refreshing, and tasted primarily of citrus and white fruit with some cream and vanilla imparted by the 9 months it was aged in American oak. The oak presence was not over-bearing; it was more in the background and didn't detract at all from the taste and drinkability.

This was one of the better Chardonnays we've had recently and we will definitely keep it on our list.

Into the flood again...

The first new Alice in Chains album (Black Gives Way to Blue) since the death of Layne Staley was released recently, and it's good....really good....much better than I figured it would be. I should have had higher expectations given the fact that Jerry Cantrell really is the driving force and the creative genious behind the band. But everyone knows that Layne was the face of the band and the voice of the band. That being said, he's gone, and the band shouldn't be criticized for continuing on without him. Jerry, Sean, and Mike have consistently honored his memory and haven't rushed to get a new album out the door just to make a quick buck.



Back to the album....Most of the songs are very good, but a few are excellent. "A Looking in View" has the classic AIC feel and harmonies, "Your Decision" is as good as any song from Jar of Flies, and "Private Hell" is incredible and holds up well against anything the band has ever done. It would fit in nicely on the greatest album of all-time, Dirt.

It seems that the band made a conscious decision to ease new "lead" singer William Duvall into the band slowly. Jerry Cantrell sings the lead on the majority of the songs and does a great job, as usual. As a result, many of the songs have more of a solo Jerry feel to them, like songs that could have been on the amazing Degradation Trip. I have a feeling that William will be featured more heavily on the band's next release. Until then, I'm extremely happy with the new album. It's so great to have new music from my favorite band, especially when I was beginning to think it would never happen.







"Lay down
Black gives way to blue
Lay down
I'll remember you"

The Crusher Petite Sirah

Name: The Crusher
Color: Red
Varietal: Petite Sirah
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: California
Region: Clarksburg
Price: $14
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


The Crusher Petite Sirah was really good. We had it last night with pizza and continued with it after dinner. It had a really good fruit forward taste, with a big nose and long finish. It was a dark purple in the glass and tasted like blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Nice, full, big body and taste. Krista and I really can't go wrong with a good Petite Sirah.

This wine capped off a great fall day in Safety Harbor. We went to Jackson's baseball game earlier in the day, watched football, picked out some pumpkins with the boys at the pumpkin patch, and really enjoyed the first day of cool weather this year. I don't know how long it will last, but we'll take it!!

To top it all off, UK beat Auburn for the first time since the 1960's...especially amazing since we had to rely on our two backup quarterbacks...Luckily, we still have Randall Cobb. That guy's a beast.

Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet

Name: Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet
Color: White
Varietal: Picpoul
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Languedoc
Price: $10
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


We had our first wine made from the Picpoul grape last night and loved it!! It went excellently with our dinner of mahi fish fillets. The color was a pale gold. The body was light to medium with great acidity. It was very refreshing, delicious, and came at a great price ($10) at Total Wines. The Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet reminded me of a combination of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and an Albarino from Spain. It tasted more like an Albarino, but had the great acidity and liveliness of a Sauvignon Blanc. The taste was mostly lime, lemon, grapefruit, with some peach. It was also great on its own after dinner.

I would highly recommend this wine and will definitely be buying more in the future.

Talon Winery Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Talon Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Color: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: Kentucky
Region: Lexington
Price: $22
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

Last night we had the Cabernet Sauvignon that we picked up at the Talon Winery in Lexington, Kentucky. At first this wine was a little tight or closed up, but after about an hour in the decanter, it really got smoother and more mellow. The dominant aroma and taste was black currants and cherry, but it also had an indescribable taste that was neither good nor bad...It was just different compared to most Cabs we've had in the past. We drank this wine last night with steaks and mushrooms that were seasoned and grilled. The wine was better with the food than without. All in all, it was nice to drink a wine that reminded us of our summer trip to Kentucky!! Plus, it's always fun to try new wines from outside of the common wine producing states.

Nostrada Tempranillo

Name: Nostrada
Color: Red
Varietal: Tempranillo
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Spain
Region: Tarragona
Price: $7
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

The Nostrada Tempranillo is a really nice value for the money. I thought it was very fruity, smooth, and easy to drink. I had a glass on Sunday night with our paella, although I mostly stuck with the Tres Ojos. I had another glass of the Nostrada last night. For my taste, I prefer the bigger, earthier tastes of the Tres Ojos Garnacha, but I would definitely drink the Nostrada Tempranillo again. The nose and taste were primarily red fruits, cherry, and plum. The finish wasn't particularly long, but for the price, it's tough to complain.

Tres Ojos Old Vine Garnacha Tinto

Name: Tres Ojos Old Vine Garnacha Tinto
Color: Red
Varietal: Garnacha
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Calatayud
Price: $10
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


I really loved this wine. For the price, you can't do much better than a good Spanish wine. Spain is full of great values and this was one of my favorites. The Tres Ojos Garnacha (Grenache) is a ruby colored, medium/full-bodied wine. The nose was nice, but a bit lighter than the taste. It had blackberry, dark cherry, and plum flavors, with some earthiness. It was very smooth and well-balanced.

We drank this bottle last night with a big bowl of paella. It went really well with the meal and was easily finished later that night. I would highly recommend the Tres Ojos Garnacha and will look forward to drinking more in the future.

Lindeman's Shiraz

Name: Lindeman's Bin 50 Shiraz
Color: Red
Varietal: Shiraz
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Australia
Region: SE Australia
Price: $6
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was a very inexpensive wine that I picked up based on its reputation as being a quality, budget-friendly wine...It definitely didn't disappoint. It didn't blow me away, but it was really enjoyable on its own and with food. I drank this bottle myself over two days, once with dinner (pizza) and the next night after dinner. It was a simple but typical Australian Shiraz -- fruit forward, red berries and blackberries, juicy, smooth, and easy-drinking. For the price, you can't go wrong.

Talon Winery Sweet Evening Breeze

Name: Talon Winery Sweet Evening Breeze
Color: White
Varietal: Blend (Vidal Blanc/Cayuga White)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Kentucky
Region: Lexington
Price: $13
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)



Tonight we opened one of the bottles we purchased this summer at the Talon Winery (http://www.talonwine.com/) in Lexington, KY. While we were there, we tasted about 8 wines and bought a red (their Cab) and a white (this Sweet Evening Breeze)...The Sweet Evening Breeze is a blend of Vidal Blanc and Cayuga White, two varieties we've never had before. It's really good, but definitely sweet. The name is not at all misleading. This was probably the sweetest non-dessert wine I've ever had. It was a nice change of pace for us, but Krista and I both generally prefer much drier wines. The nose and taste featured peaches and sweet apples...The winery describes it as An elegant Riesling style white wine, semi-sweet with tropical undertones.



Krista and I both highly recommend a visit to the Talon Winery. We had a great time exploring the vines, tasting the wines, and eating a picnic lunch in their pavillion. The boys had a blast running through the fields and enjoying a crisp, cool day at the vineyard (especially compared to the Florida heat that they are used to).

Backspacer!!

The new Pearl Jam album, Backspacer, was released today....The boys and I went to Target after church to get "our" copy. This album included the ability to download 2 recent concert bootlegs from a pre-selected choice of 11 shows...I already had most of the shows on the list, but I was able to use the opportunity to pick up the Hartford '08 show and East Rutherford '06 show.

After listening to Backspacer several times throughout the day, I'm really enjoying it. It's nice and tight (about 38 minutes total)...The songs are great mix of upbeat, pop and punk with some slower songs that remind me of Ed's great work on the Into the Wild soundtrack.

What a great weekend!! First UK beats the 'Ville, and now a new CD by the greatest American rock band!

White Hall Vineyards Viognier

Name: White Hall Vineyards
Color: White
Varietal: Viognier
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Virginia
Region: Monticello
Price: $17
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was the last of the wines we picked up when we were in Virginia earlier this summer. According to the White Hall Vineyards website, this wine is actually 80% Viognier, blended with some Petit Manseng, Muscat, and Gewurtztraminer. Whatever's in it, it was very good. (the picture to the left is from the 2006 vintage, but we had the 2008)

The color was very pale, nearly clear, which is to be expected from such a young wine. The nose and taste were similar -- apple, peaches, honey, and grapefruit. The body of the wine had a nice medium-full weight to it and was very well balanced. It paired nicely with honey-lime scallops and crab meat we had for dinner last night. We finished the bottle later that night after the kids were in bed.

Viognier is Virginia's signature white grape and this wine by White Hall was highly recommended by a Virginia wine store owner. Krista and I both really enjoyed it and would like to try some other Viogniers in the future.

D'Autrefois Reserve Pinot Noir

Name: D'Autrefois Reserve
Color: Red
Varietal: Pinot Noir

Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Vin de Pays
Price: $13
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

I picked up this wine at Total Wines based on the recommendation of one of the employees. The standard (non-reserve) bottling of D'Autrefois Pinot Noir is the best selling Pinot in the store. I really want to try that version to compare it to the Reserve, which is about $3-4 more than the regular bottling. We drank this last night with chicken and pasta. It was good, but not particularly memorable in any way that would make me want to rush out and buy more. It was light, a little fruity with some earthiness, and was easy to drink. I wish I had stuck with my original intention of picking up a bottle of the Castle Rock Mendocino Pinot that I have seen highly recommended as a great value Pinot Noir.

Happy Birthday, Owen!!!

Today was our youngest son's 4th birthday!! Happy birthday, little man!!! We spent the day with family down in Seminole, after having a birthday party with his friends at Chuck E. Cheese last week. Owen loved all of his presents, especially a Star Wars lego set and several new Bakugans (don't ask).

Happy birthday, Owen!! We love you so much.

Coppola Presents Rosso

Name: Coppola Presents Rosso
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Zinfandel/Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $7
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

We had this for the first time back in February and really liked it then. It was the 2006 vintage and was very smooth with a good body, nose, and taste. Last night we enjoyed the 2007 version, and it was fantastic. It was rich, juicy, and very smooth. The aroma and taste were similar -- cherries, raspberries, and plums.

According to the FFC Winery website, the 2007 Rosso was a blend of grapes grown in Lodi and Paso Robles. It is 44% Zin, 34% Syrah, and 22% Cab.

We drank a glass with dinner (pizza) and finished the bottle after dinner. The Rosso normally sells for around $10, but I found it at Publix for $7. For that price, this is an incredible wine. I wish I had bought more.

White Hall Vineyards Chardonnay

Name: White Hall Vineyards
Color: White
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Virginia
Region: Various
Price: $15
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This is another Virginia wine that we picked up during our trip to Virginia and Kentucky several weeks ago. We drank it Sunday night with chicken and stuffing and finished the bottle tonight without food. It was very good on both nights.

According to their website, White Hall Vineyards is located just outside of Charlottesville, with amazing views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The grounds look spectacular, and Krista and I would definitely love to visit it the next time we're up that way....I bought this wine, along with their Viognier, based on the recommendation of a local wine shop owner in Richmond. It's 100% Chardonnay, aged in French and American oak barrels and then held in stainless steel tanks for 10 months.

The aroma was pear, apple, and citrus. The taste was similar, with the apples coming through more for me. Krista also picked up on the apples. The wine was very crisp and refreshing, with just enough acidity to pair well with a variety of foods.

I can't wait to try the White Hall Viognier.

MezzaCorona Pinot Grigio

Name: MezzaCorona
Color: White
Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Vintage: 2008
Country/State: Italy
Region: Trentino - Alto Adige
Price: $8
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

For a widely available, inexpensive, mass-produced wine, this MezzaCorona Pinot Grigio is very good. It's a wine that's definitely meant to be drunk young, and it functions as a cool, crisp, refreshing white for a hot summer day. The color is a pale straw, with a nose and taste of lemon, lime, peach, and citrus.

We drank this wine first on Friday night, with tilapia and crab meat. We finished it tonight on its own after dinner. The wine went well with the fish and was also very refreshing and tasty without food. It's hard to get too excited about a cheap Pinot Grigio, but for a summer sipper, you could do a lot worse than the MezzaCorona.

Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere" Vacqueyras

Name: Pierre Amadieu "La Grangeliere"
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Grenache/Syrah)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: France
Region: Southern Rhone (Vacqueyras)
Price: $16
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)


We loved this wine! We drank it last night with steaks that we grilled on our new grill. We finally had to part ways with our last grill that we had for about 12 years. It got to the point that it became more of a fire hazard than an outdoor kitchen appliance. We broke in the new one last night and it was great - I forgot how nice it is to have an automatic ignitor switch and to have both burners working evenly...

Krista and the boys bought this bottle of wine for me last Christmas, and I've been anxious to try it ever since. Finally, we got around to opening it last night and it was definitely worth the wait. Right out of the bottle, it was little hot, so I poured into the decanter and let it sit for about an hour. It definitely mellowed as it sat and got better and smoother throughout the night. The color was a deep, dark red. The nose was big dark fruits, dark cherries and plums, with some pepper and spice. The taste was similar to the aroma, and it paired really well with the peppery steaks. The finish was nice and long. Overall, it was a pretty full-bodied wine and was the type of red blend that we really like.

Chateau Montet Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Chateau Montet
Color: White
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Bordeaux
Price: $9
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


The Chateau Montet is a white Bordeaux made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It was very clean, crisp, and refreshing. I picked up on lemon and lime flavors, with maybe a little grapefruit. It also had some nice mineral notes that I really liked. One thing that really stood out to me was the relatively "tame" acidity level. It was nicely balanced, without the higher acidity found in most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs.

We drank this wine last night with a dinner of white fish and crab meat. The wine and the meal went perfectly together, as the wine really picked up on the fresh lemon flavor of the fish. It also drank very well on its own after dinner...For $9, this was an extremely good value.

Chalone Chardonnay

Name: Chalone Vineyards
Color: White
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: California
Region: Monterey
Price: $9
Stars: 4.5 (out of 5)

This was a fantastic Chardonnay for the price. We drank this wine last night with an Asian chicken salad and thought it was terrific...The color was a brilliant yellow-gold, and the nose was bright white fruits (apples, pears, citrus). The taste I picked up most was creamy, buttery apples. It was very smooth and very well balanced with just the right amount of acidity. It had a nice, medium body with a very good mouthfeel. This is a very versatile wine that would match up well with many dishes.

Coincidentally, the Chalone Chardonnay was one of the five American Chard's recently recommended by Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal's Tastings column. They bought and tasted more than 50 Chard's and found most to be boring with a lemony, oaky water taste. The Chalone was a standout, however, so much so that it was rated "Very Good" and named the "Best Value". My tastes generally tend to agree with theirs, and this wine was no exception. Krista and I really enjoyed it and will definitely buy it again.


Just one note: this was the "regular" Monterey bottling, not the more expensive "Estate" bottling.

Obvio Malbec

Name: Obvio
Color: Red
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

It's really hard to go wrong with a Malbec from Argentina. This wine, by Obvio, is just another example. It has a deep purple color with a nose of red and black fruits. The taste is really fruit forward and it does a good job of filling and coating the mouth. The finish is nice and fairly long. For $10, it's an excellent value.

We drank a couple of glasses tonight with a dinner of turkey with BBQ sauce, macaroni and cheese, and salad. Maybe not the ideal match (most people think of Zinfandel with BBQ), but it really seemed to work well for us...especially because this wine is so easy going and approachable. I'm starting to think that you can just walk down the Argentina Malbec aisle blindfolded and walk away with a good wine. They are consistently good buys.

Elk Creek Sweet Owen Red

Name: Elk Creek Vineyards Sweet Owen Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Norton
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: Kentucky
Region: Owenton
Price: $12
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

We picked up this wine during our recent trip to Lexington. As we were visiting Rupp Arena, we noticed a wine store in the mall that's connected to Rupp. This store sold only wines made in the state of Kentucky. Knowing that we would be visiting Talon Winery the next day, I didn't want to spend too much money on wine in the store, but this one really caught my eye, especially the name "Sweet Owen Red". Our youngest son is Owen, so buying a bottle of this wine was a no-brainer. It turns the wine is made by Kentucky's largest winery, Elk Creek Vineyards. (After checking out the winery's website, Krista and I can't wait to visit it one day...It's huge with lush grounds and an amazing tasting room, complete with on-site accommodations.)

We drank this bottle last night after dinner and really enjoyed it. It was our first experience with a wine made from the Norton grape, which after some research, appears to be generally compared to Zinfandel. From what I have read, the Norton is also known as Cynthiana. It is grown primarily in Kentucky, Virginia, and Missouri, and may be the oldest grown grape native to North America. Anyway, the Sweet Owen Red was very distinctive in its aroma and taste. It smelled and tasted of sweet red fruits. It also benefited from the exposure to air. We decanted it and it really got better (and less oak-y) as the night went on. It's kind of hard to describe with my limited experience...It wasn't as full bodied and mouth-filling as most red wines that we prefer, but that certainly didn't stop us from finishing the bottle!

Jefferson Vineyards Cabernet Franc

Name: Jefferson Vineyards
Color: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Virginia
Region: Monticello
Price: $20
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

We drank this wine last night with stuffed shells and finished the bottle later that same night after the kids were in bed. It was our first 100% Cab Franc, and we really enjoyed it. It wasn't nearly as fruit forward as most of the reds we end up drinking, but I still picked up on some raspberries with a peppery, spicy undertone. It had a nice, medium body with soft tannins.

We bought this wine based on the recommendation of the owner of a local wine store in Richmond during our recent trip to Virginia, where we visited my brother and his family. I'll probably write a separate post about our trip to Virginia and Kentucky as soon as I get settled back into a routine here at home. We had a great time and picked up a handful of wines from both states.

Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc

Name: Barefoot Cellars
Color: White
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: NA
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $6
Stars: 3 (out of 5)

We drank this wine tonight after dinner as we prepared to leave on a 10 day vacation with the kids. We're headed north to Richmond, VA to visit my brother and his family, then over to Lexington, KY for the kids' first visit to UK. I don't know who's more excited, me or them!

The wine was served well-chilled and was crisp and refreshing. The aroma and taste were primarily white fruits, pear and apple. For our tastes, we definitely prefer the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, but for the price, the Barefoot was just what we needed as we packed.

Concannon Petite Sirah

Name: Concannon
Color: Red
Varietal: Petite Sirah
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: California
Region: Central Coast
Price: $14
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

We enjoyed the Concannon Petite Sirah last night with pepperoni pizza. It was really good, with cherry, peppery, smoky flavors. It didn't seem as full-bodied as the Petite Sirah we had recently from Bogle, but was still very tasty and smooth. I didn't decant the wine before drinking it, and after reading some reviews on the internet, it seems like maybe I should have, as it may have opened up a bit more. Even so, we still really liked this wine...Petite Sirah is becoming one of our favorite varietals and I can't wait to try some from other producers.

Double Dog Dare Chardonnay

Name: Double Dog Dare
Color: White
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: NA
Country/State: California
Region: Various
Price: $4
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


For the price, $4, you can't beat the Double Dog Dare Chardonnay. I bought this wine recently at Total Wine after seeing it recommended on various websites as a tremendous value. I figured for $4, it was worth a shot...After having a couple of glasses last night with dinner (grilled swordfish!), I agree with all of the positive reviews. It's incredibly fresh, fruity, and light. The nose is rather limited, but the taste is apples and citrus fruit with a lemony blast at the end. The finish is nice, though not particularly long. Not much oak, if any at all. Very refreshing!! For the price, it's tough to beat. This wine would best be enjoyed on its own or with light seafood or chicken dishes.

Amaretto Sour w/ Prosecco

We took a break from the wine tonight and made one of our favorite summer time drinks instead. The Amaretto Sour with Prosecco is a recipe we found last year from Giada de Laurentiis of the Food Network. The recipe can be found here... It's one of our favorites and tonight was the first time we've made it this summer. We adjusted the recipe to make a pitcher, using a full bottle of Prosecco (we used the Lunetta Prosecco from Cavit), about 8 tablespoons of Amaretto, 8 tablespoons of simple syrup, and juice from a couple of lemons. Then we added a sugar rim to the glasses with sugar, lemon zest, and lime zest.

We really need to make this more often. The only problem with this drink is that it's a little too good. Krista and I drank the whole pitcher in less than an hour. Next thing I knew we were having a dance party with the kids in the family room. The boys love the Kidz Bop!!

El Prado

Name: El Prado
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Tempranillo/Cabernet Sauvignon)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Valencia
Price: $6.5
Stars: 2.5 (out of 5)

This wine was OK. It fit the bill as something cheap and drinkable, but for just $2-3 more there are so many better options, especially among Spanish wines. In the $7 range, I would highly prefer the red from La Vieille Ferme.

I drank a couple of glasses of the El Prado last night after dinner, and Krista and I finished it off tonight with spaghetti. The aroma and taste were mostly raspberry and blackberry and it had a reddish purple color. The description on the label is misleading. It's described as a full-bodied wine, when really it's on the light side of medium-bodied. It's even a little watery at first, but then settles in to a more medium body style.

It was worth a shot for the price, but I probably won't be buying this wine again anytime soon.

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon

Name: Liberty School
Color: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: California
Region: Paso Robles
Price: $12
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

We broke out the Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon tonight and really enjoyed it. It was just a coincidence, but now that I think about it, it's pretty appropriate that we chose a wine with "Liberty" in its name to enjoy on July 4th. We stayed in tonight after keeping the kids out late last night to watch the fireworks show after the Clearwater Threshers minor league baseball game. There's nothing like minor league ball. For $25, a family of four can get tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 drinks, and 4 bags of chips. A great value for the money. Speaking of great values...

This wine was silky smooth and had the honor of being the first wine poured into the decanter I received for Father's Day. It probably didn't need decanting, but I really wanted to break in the decanter!

The wine was a deep purple in the glass with a nose of blackberries, blueberries, and vanilla. It was rich and full with a sweet spiciness that was really brought out by the cracked pepper in the grilled chicken we had for dinner. It didn't take long for Krista and I to polish off this bottle tonight. It was very well balanced, had a nice mouthfeel and long finish, and at just $12, was an excellent value. It's bold enough to be paired with red meat, but smooth enough to enjoy on its own. We both really liked this wine and would definitely purchase it again.

La Vieille Ferme Rose

Name: La Vieille Ferme
Color: Rose
Varietal: Blend (Cinsault/Grenache/Syrah)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Rhone
Price: $7.50
Stars: 3.5 (out of 5)

I don't know what it is about Rose wines, but they just don't seem to do it for me. They aren't quite as crisp and refreshing as a white, and they aren't as bold and mouth filling as a red. We've enjoyed the white (Cotes du Luberon) and the red (Cotes du Ventoux) by La Vieille Ferme, so I was excited to try their Rose...It was quite tasty, mostly strawberry and raspberry, but it just felt like something was missing. I've a read a lot of articles recently proclaiming Rose as the wine for the summer. This one is very drinkable, but I prefer a Sauvignon Blanc or white blend as a cool, summertime wine. Krista was even more direct, refusing to even drink a glass after trying a couple of sips of mine. "What's the point?" was how she described it.

I guess we'll pull the plug on Rose wines for awhile. At some point, I want to try one from the Tavel region of France, a region that really specializes in Rose. But for now, we'll stick with the whites and the reds.

St. Francis Red

Name: St. Francis
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Merlot/Syrah/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon/Zinfandel)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: California
Region: Sonoma
Price: $10
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

The St. Francis Red is a delicious blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, with just a touch of Zinfandel. This wine had a dark red color and a nose of ripe red fruits, with just a little spice. The taste was similar to the nose and was very smooth, with a medium body and a pleasantly long finish. I drank it without food after dinner, but I imagine it would go very well with any number of dishes.

I see this wine all the time and am definitely glad I finally tried it. I know I'll be buying more in the future. It's a fun everyday drinker type of wine that would appeal to most tastes. At $10, it's an excellent value.