Altos Las Hormigas

Name: Altos Las Hormigas
Color: Red
Varietal: Malbec
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Argentina
Region: Mendoza
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was more like it!! After a little bit of a disappointment with the Centine, this Malbec from Argentina was exactly we needed. I bought this bottle several weeks ago after seeing it highly recommended in the Wall Street Journal (Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher) article about Malbecs. In fact, this was the authors' top choice…The color was a very dark purple and the aroma was also "dark" --- dark cherries, plums, blackberries…very jammy. The taste was similar to the nose, with a little bit of spice. The flavor had a lot of different layers and all were very delicious. The wine was medium to full bodied and paired very well with the steaks that I grilled.

This was the second Malbec we've had recently (we had the Trapiche Oak Cask in February), and both were excellent. I will definitely be buying more Malbecs from Argentina in general and the Altos Las Hormigas in particular.

Castello Banfi Centine

Name: Castello Banfi Centine
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
Vintage: 2006
Country/State: Italy
Region: Tuscany
Price: $12
Stars: 2.5 (out of 5)

I was really excited to try this wine based on several recommendations on blogs and newspaper Wine of the Week selections. On paper, this wine was one I really should have enjoyed. It's a red blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. I expected it to be a nice, smooth blend with good weight and structure. We opened the bottle last night and Krista and I each had a glass with our pizza. Unfortunately, it really didn't work for either of us. It almost seemed like something was off, but I can't exactly say what --- maybe it was too bitter? I don't know. I tried another glass later that night, hoping that some air would help, but it wasn't much better.

I got out the Vacu-Vin, sucked out the air, stuck the bottle in the fridge overnight, and tried another glass tonight after letting it sit in the glass for awhile to warm up. It's definitely a little better tonight. I can pick up the dark red fruits with some plum. The tannins are nice and gripping, but there's still a hint of some bitterness on the finish. Maybe it's just me. But for my taste, in this price range, I can think of several red blends that I have enjoyed much more.

Luzon Jumilla 2007

Name: Luzon
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Monastrell, Syrah)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Spain
Region: Jumilla
Price: $9
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


I bought this wine a couple of months ago after having seen it on the Wine Enthusiast's Top 100 Best Values of 2008. It wasn't just on the list, it was their #1 best value. It cost about $9 at Total Wines, and it truly was a great value. This was a fairly "big" wine for the price. The color was very dark, like an inky purple with a violet rim (at least that's how I've seen it described in other places, and it seems to sum it up well). On the nose, it was all dark fruits with some peppery spiciness. Very interesting. The taste is also spicy with dark cherries and cranberries and black pepper. It was full bodied with a nice, long finish. The tannins were definitely present but not at all obnoxious.

We drank this wine with steaks that we marinated and grilled. The flavors of the wine went perfectly with the steaks. This is really a food wine. Because of its size, it's not one that I would sip on its own. But with a big, hearty meal, I highly recommend the Luzon. We continue to have good luck with Spanish wines.

Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red

Name: Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: Australia
Region: Barossa
Price: $11
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


Another red blend that was right in our comfort zone. This is really a type of wine that Krista and I both enjoy very much. It's really hard not to like wines like this. Sort of medium to full bodied, but very smooth and easy to drink. I definitely picked up on the red fruits -- cherries, strawberries, with some bold blackberry and a little bit of peppery spice. There was something else on the back end that I really couldn't place, but it was very enjoyable. I guess I'm still learning to identify all the possible smells and tastes. The color was a deep plum and it had a nice structure and weight. I bought this bottle for $11 at Total Wines. We drank it with a gourmet meal of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese (one of our kids' favorites)!!

Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red

Name: Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red
Color: Red
Varietal: Blend (Syrah, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Vintage: 2005
Country/State: Washington
Region: Columbia Valley
Price: $8
Stars: 4 (out of 5)


This was another delicious red blend that I picked up based on several online recommendations and reviews. It was spicy, but smooth with a nice finish. We had a couple of glasses tonight after dinner. The nose and taste were both similar -- raspberry, strawberry, blackberry, plum, with some spice. I've always read good things about Columbia Crest, especially their Grand Estates wines, as being excellent sources for quality and value. This effort from the Two Vines brand definitely fit those descriptions.

Banfi Rosa Regale

Name: Banfi Rosa Regale
Color: Red
Varietal: Sparkling (Brachetto d'Acqui)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: Italy
Region: Piedmont
Price: $18
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

I've been reading a lot about sparkling wines lately and have wanted to try this one for awhile. Finally, we had this wine last night for dessert with some dark chocolate, based on several recommendations I read on the internet. It was a beautiful ruby red color with tiny sparkling bubbles. The nose was all red fruit -- strawberries, raspberries, with a little bit of a flowery component. The taste was very much like the nose, primarily raspberry, strawberry, and cherry. Very fun!!

We polished off the bottle tonight with some brownies. This wine would do well on its own as an apertif, or with dessert like we had it. It's not something I could drink every night, but for what it is (nice, sweet, refreshing), it's a great change of pace. I can't imagine anyone not liking this one.

Chateau Guibon White Bordeaux

Name: Chateau Guibon
Color: White
Varietal: Blend (Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc/Muscadelle)
Vintage: 2007
Country/State: France
Region: Bordeaux (Entre-Deux-Mers)
Price: $12
Stars: 4 (out of 5)

This was a really nice wine that I bought at Total Wines on a whim after reading the most recent WSJ Tastings article (Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher) about white Bordeaux. I couldn't find the specific labels that they recommended, so I took their advice and just grabbed a couple of bottles in the $10-12 price range. Note that we had the 2007 (the picture on the left is from much older vintage).

We had this wine with grouper and rice, along with a big bowl of crab meat in butter and garlic sauce. Very delicious!! The color was a pale, yellow gold. It had kind of a tight, limited nose of lemon, pear, and grapefruit, with a very slight grassy small (although not nearly as much as a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc). I'm also getting over a cold, so that may have contributed to the muted nose. The wine was dry with really good acidity. It had a medium body with very good taste -- crisp, refreshing, paired very nicely with the seafood. I would be interested in trying this wine after another year or two. I think it would really hold up well and may even open up more with some more time in the bottle. I can't wait to try other white Bordeaux wines.

RIP, Layne

I just wanted to note that today is the day that Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) passed away 7 years ago. Although his body was not found until April 20, it was determined that he died on the 5th. No other band and no other singer has had more of an impact on me than Alice in Chains and Layne. He packed such a powerful voice into his small, slight body. His voice is the most distinct voice in rock music, and every year it seems a new band trots out a singer who attempts to replicate it, but fails every time. When I hear all the garbage that accounts for rock music on the radio today, I can't help but think how much better things would be if Layne was still alive (along with Kurt Cobain, Shannon Hoon, and Andy Wood; 3 others that were taken long before their time).

I'll never forget the two times I was able to see AIC in concert, and I continue to listen to all of the amazing music they made together when Layne was alive.



Rest in peace...

Happy Birthday, Jackson!!!

Today was my oldest son's 6th birthday. We decided to take advantage of Disney's free admission on your birthday offer, so we let Jackson decide where he wanted to go. He really wanted to go back to Hollywood Studios, so we spent the day there today. He had a great time!! He really loves the new Toy Story 3-D ride.

Jackson's favorite present this year, by far, has been his Nintendo DS...He can't put it down. He loves playing the Speed Racer game and the Super Mario game (the only 2 games he has so far).

Happy Birthday, Jackson!!! We love you!!

Welcome, Coach Cal!!!

A new era kicked off today in Lexington, as John Calipari was introduced as the new head coach of the University of Kentucky basketball program. I really think Mitch Barnhart and Dr. Todd got the right man this time, after the disastrous Billy Gillispie era. I think Gillispie is a good coach, but it was clear that he just didn't have the right personality to be the head coach at UK. Coach Cal, on the other hand, just gets it. Plus, he can flat out recruit and coach. I can't wait to see what kind of athletes he brings in to run the Dribble Drive Motion Offense in the Bluegrass.

Calipari really killed it at his introductory press conference. He started off by noting the anniversary of the death of Mr. Wildcat, Bill Keightley. He mentioned talking to former coaches Joe B. Hall, Tubby Smith, Eddie Sutton, and Rick Pitino, and former players Jeff Sheppard, Tayshaun Prince, Nazr Mohammed. He knew that Richie Farmer is the secretary of agriculture in Kentucky. He recognized Herky Rupp in the crowd. Kentucky fans appreciate those gestures and eat that stuff up. Coach Cal is the perfect fit for this job. I can't wait until next season!!!


Coach Cal's ready to return the Cats to the Final Four: