1 April 2026 2022 Evolution Big Time Red

2022 Evolution Big Time Red

April 1, 2026 By Leave a Comment

I was excited to see this delicious and affordable red wine at Total Wine & More recently. It’s great to have on hand for summer grilling season and pairs beautifully with many things like grilled pork chops, ribs, skirt steak, pizza and even grilled chicken wings.

It’s by Evolution Wine which is a label of Sokol Blosser from Oregon, which I had the pleasure of visiting on two occasions and highly recommend.

Get yourself a case for summer grill outs, I sure did!

Producer: Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee Hills, Oregon, USA

Color in the glass: Bright purple-red

Aromas: Cherry, tart raspberry, tad herbal with floral notes

Taste: Medium-to-big bodied, juicy cherry, little stone fruit

Price: $14.99

Grape(s): Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, with a small percentage of Pinot Noir and a touch of Evolution Lucky No. 9 White

Region: Columbia Valley, Washington, USA

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Red Wine, Syrah / Shiraz, United States Tagged With: , , , , ,
24 January 2024 Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero 2019

Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero 2019

January 24, 2024 By

Hadn’t enjoyed an Emilio Moro wine is some time and need to more often! This is a classic Spanish Tempranillo that I served with roasted pork for a great pairing.

👁️ Inky purple

👃 Blackberry/ripe raspberry

👅 Juicy cherry, little mocha on the finish

💲 $25

🍇 100% Tempranillo

🗺 Ribera del Duero, Spain

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Spain, Tempranillo, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
4 December 2023 2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo Tasting Notes

2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo Tasting Notes

December 4, 2023 By

Had this lovely Barolo at a dinner party I hosted at my home and boy did it deliver. Paired great with the beef I served, but also held up to the secondary meat, pork belly. Pretty traditional, classic version of Barolo.

In the glass: Dark ruby red

Aromas (nose): Leather, mocha aromas with some earthy notes

Flavors (palate): Chocolate-coated cherries flavor with some dried fruit notes

Texture/finish: Medium body, velvety medium finish

Pairing: Grilled or roasted meats (beef, lamb, duck), charcuterie

Wine type: Red wine

Grape: Nebbiolo

Region: Piedmont, Italy

Cost: $75 – $90

Adding the 2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo to my repertoire.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Italy, Nebbiolo, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
18 May 2023 2020 Tenuta di Biserno Campo di Sasso Insoglio del Cinghiale

2020 Tenuta di Biserno Campo di Sasso Insoglio del Cinghiale

May 18, 2023 By

We ordered this Tuscan wine at a dinner where our party was divided foodwise and it worked well with all our dishes. This Italian wine was smooth and rounder than I thought it would be, which was great to pair with our various meals.

This Tuscan blend is a great value!

Look/in the glass: Medium purplish red

Nose/aroma: Floral aromas with a note of tobacco/leather

Palate/taste: Juicy cherry and dark berries with a touch of spice

Texture/finish: Medium body, fresh, crisp, great acidity, medium finish

Pairing: Pasta with red sauce, meats, charcuterie, even grilled salmon would work

Wine type: Red wine

Grape: 33% Syrah, 33% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot

Origin: Tuscany, Italy

Price: $37

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Italy, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Syrah / Shiraz, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
4 May 2022 2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Los Amigos and Limerick Lane

2019 Limerick Lane Zinfandel Los Amigos and Limerick Lane

May 4, 2022 By

I’ve been a huge fan of Limerick Lane Cellars (www.limericklanewines.com) wines for many years. This boutique Sonoma wine producer makes some of my very favorite California Zinfandel and this bottle was outstanding. I love their motto “while we lack pretension, we are very serious about our craft”.

I was fortunate enough to visit Limerick Lane in 2019 and their place is intimate, tranquil and just magical. The tasting room is mere feet from the vineyard and we had an opportunity to spend time in the field and on the patio after our tasting.

We enjoyed this Russian River Valley wine on Easter where I served grilled lamb chops and it was an amazing pairing.

At this price point for such a delicious wine, I’m sorry I only have two bottles left in the cellar. Only 325 cases of this wine were made, so if you can get your hands on some, do it. I can’t wait to taste the newer releases.

Looks: Inky dark red in the glass

Smell: Inviting dark berry and cherry with some mocha and herbal (sage?) notes on the nose

Taste: Ripe strawberry and raspberry with some peppery notes on the palate

Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, with great acidity on the long finish

Pairings: Grilled beef or lamb. Would be great with skirt steak tacos

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Old vine Zinfandel

Region: Sonoma County, CA

Price: $48

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , , , ,
12 January 2022 Champagne Louis de Sacy NV Brut Originel

Champagne Louis de Sacy NV Brut Originel

January 12, 2022 By

I purchased this wonderful grower Champagne at my favorite wine shop, Amanti Vino, in Morristown, NJ. The owner always has special finds and small production bottling that one cannot find at other stores. If you’re a fan of quality, small producer wines, check out her website.

Creamy, refined, fresh and elegant wine with flavors of ripe pear and apple with a touch of citrus and great minerality.

Smell: floral and fruity (apple) with nutty and yeasty notes

Taste: juicy pear, sweet meyer lemon, ripe stone fruit and toasted bread

Texture and Finish: fine moussy bubbles, great minerality, long finish

Pairings: oysters, seafood, sushi, light cream sauced pasta, shellfish

Style: sparkling

Grape Type(s): 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier

Region: Champagne, France

Price: $35

I need to order more of this well-made grower Champagne, a great bottle for $35.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: Chardonnay, France, Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
21 July 2021 2017 Sean Minor North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

2017 Sean Minor North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

July 21, 2021 By

About Sean Minor Wines

The goal of Sean Minor Wines is to make enjoyable, approachable, quality wines that won’t break the bank. The popular California North Coast wine producer doesn’t own vineyards and instead sources fruit from some of the top sustainably conscious growers in California and Oregon.

About the 2017 Sean Minor North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

I uncorked this affordable California Cabernet Sauvignon the other night to pair with cheese burgers and it was a perfect pairing.

The wine had lovely dark berry aromas and it was smooth with a small amount of tannins. For that price, admittedly I don’t drink a lot of Cali Cabs at this pricepoint, I thought it was a nice glass of wine! This wine is easy to locate at wine stores across the country, even in this vintage from a few years back.

Looks: Dark ruby red in the glass

Smell: Dark berries, cassis notes

Taste: Juicy dark cherry and blackberry flavors with some coffee notes on the finish

Texture and Finish: Full-bodied, light tannins, smooth, dry finish

Pairings: Grilled meats – beef or lamb, cheesy burger

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Region: North Coast, CA, USA

Price: $21.99

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
7 July 2021 2019 Early Mountain Vineyards Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc

2019 Early Mountain Vineyards Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc

July 7, 2021 By

This Virginia wine was in my April wine club pack put together by The Cork Report. There were only 370 cases made, so finding a bottle could prove challenging, but definitely worth it.

Photo by Early Mountain Vineyards

About Early Mountain Vineyards

Early Mountain Vineyards is a 350-acre property situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The popular Virginia winery was voted the number one USA tasting room by USA Today in 2016.

Early Mountain Vineyards was acquired by Jean Case in 2012. Case, a philanthropist, is the Chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Impact Network and the Case Foundation. Her primary vision in buying the winery was to advance respect for Virginia wines.

One of the first things Case did after buying the winery was hire Ben Jordan, a native Virginian, as Winemaker. Jordan started his winemaking career in Sonoma County, CA and was the GM and Winemaker with Michael Shaps Wineworks in Charlottesville, VA prior to joining Early Mountain Vineyards. Jordan and Early Mountain align on a philosophy “to craft high quality wines that showcase a commitment to the vineyard and the expression of place”.

About the 2019 Early Mountain Vineyards Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc

The 2019 Early Mountain Vineyards Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc shows what kind of wines can be crafted when left to the care of an artisan like Ben Jordan. More Burgundy than Bordeaux in style, this Virginia Cabernet Franc is a delight of dark fruit and berry on the nose and palate with a smooth/silky texture. I served the wine with grilled steaks and roasted mushrooms and it was outstanding.

Looks: Medium ruby red in the glass

Smell: Dark berries, plum and tobacco aromas

Taste: Juicy dark cherry and ripe raspberry/blackberry flavors with some leather/earthy notes

Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, medium tannins, smooth, dry finish

Pairings: Grilled meats – beef or lamb, cheesy burger, roasted mushrooms

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Cabernet Franc

Region: Shenandoah Valley, VA, USA

Price: $30

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Franc, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
2 December 2020 2019 Limerick Lane Rosé

2019 Limerick Lane Rosé

December 2, 2020 By

I wrote about my visit to Limerick Lane Cellars after my last Sonoma County winery tour. The place is amazing, and I highly recommend a visit next time you’re in wine country. Very intimate setting with very knowledgeable staff and some of the very best wines in Sonoma.

As part of my allocation, I ordered a few of the rosé bottles as it’s a special wine. The creation of the Limerick Lane Rosé was inspired by Jake Bilbro’s 2012 visit to Southern Rhone region of France then Provence.

The grapes for the 2019 Limerick Lane Rosé are grown and picked specifically for this wine and not a saignée of Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. If you’re fortunate enough to find this wine (less than 500 cases made), buy buy buy!

Looks: Medium salmon in the glass

Smell: Inviting juicy citrus and floral notes on the nose

Taste: Zesty citrus, ripe strawberry on the palate

Texture and Finish: Light-bodied, with great acidity with a dry/clean finish

Pairings: Seafood (specially oysters and mussels), fish (ceviche would be great). Great as an aperitif but so food friendly also

Style: Rosé Wine

Grape Type(s): 50% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache & 3% Grenache Blanc

Region: Sonoma County, CA

Price: $28

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Grenache, Mourvedre, Rose, Blush Wine, Syrah / Shiraz, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

2018 No Curfew Pinot Noir

November 11, 2020 By

The 2018 No Curfew Pinot Noir is part of the Amici Cellars and Olema Wines family from Calistoga, California, known for expertly crafted wines of character, quality, and personality.

I’m trying to incorporate a few wines I’ve never sampled, priced under $15, every time I go to the wine store. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir was found on one of my shopping trips and I need to stock up on it and check out the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon No Curfew also produces. It  drinks young and fresh with cherry cordial flavors and a lovely velvety finish.

The 2018 No Curfew Pinot Noir is affordable, a very enjoyable easy drinking wine and I’m digging its motto of “Because Limitations Are A Drag”.

Looks: Dark garnet red in the glass

Smell: Bright cherry and dark berries aromas with notes of tobacco

Taste: Chocolate-covered cherry and ripe strawberry with a little spice on the palate

Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, spice on the long finish

Pairings: Duck, turkey, mushroom-based dishes (mushroom risotto would be stellar), grilled salmon, a great cheesy burger

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: California, USA

Price: $14.99

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
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