Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
$10 Sangiovese that’s actually good – yes, it’s possible. Medium-bodied Italian wine with a great plum nose. Fruit-forward, rich flavors. Super table wine.
Pairings: Pasta with red sauce, macaroni and cheese, roasts
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot
Region: Tuscany, Italy
Price: $10
I uncorked this wine that had been in my cellar the other and simply loved it. This Bordeaux-style wine offers earthy and stone-fruit aromas and a well-balanced, plummy-in-the-mouth Cabernet Sauvignon with all the finesse and elegance a California Cab should have.
Pairings: Grilled meats, pasta with Bolognese sauce, mild blue cheese
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA
Price: $65
Mom brought this Canadian wine down with her when she came to visit. She served it with an Easter dinner of lamb and it was a nice pairing.
This Bordeaux-style blend is an intense, deep purple/red in the glass and offers aromas of ripe berries, mocha and chocolate. I expected big, bold flavors to come through based on the sheer color and aromas of this British Columbia wine but got a medium-bodied, roundish Merlot palate with a nice level of acidity and good fruit. Well-balanced with a pleasant, slightly spiced finish. One of the better Canadian reds I’ve had.
Pairings: Grilled meats, cheese course
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec, 3% Petit Verdot
Region: Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
Price: $40
Was fortunate enough to have a friend bring this bottle of the 2011 Williams Selyem Papera Vineyard Zinfandel to a dinner party where I was able to sample it. What a big, bold, beautiful Zin.
The inky black color of the wine as it hit the glass was just gorgeous. The aromas of jammy dark berries with chocolaty notes were intoxicating. Who could pull away from this nose for a sip? Me, of course, but with difficulty. Ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors abound in the mouth along with fig jam and mocha undertones. Simply a big, concentrated and delicious mouthful.
Thanks Marty and Joan for sharing!
Pairings: Lamb, grilled beef or game, blue cheese
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Zinfandel
Region: Sonoma, CA, USA
Price: $70
As a huge Pinot Noir fan (and who isn’t?), I thought this 2007 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Central Coast was pretty outstanding. It’s not easy to find, and after buying through a reputable online seller, I was eager to sip it.
In the glass, it’s a beautiful, vibrant red color. The aromas are of dark raspberries and pumpkin pie spices with some floral notes. The palate offers big, ripe cherry flavors and that silky, velvety mouthfeel other Pinots wish they could attain. The finish is long and earthy.
Pairings: Duck, turkey, grilled chicken, any mushroom-centered dish
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Region: Central Coast, CA, USA
Price: $75
Smith-Madrone Winery is located in Napa Valley in the Spring Mountain District. The 200-acre estate has vineyards that sit at elevations up to 2,000 feet. Some of the vines are planted on slopes as steep as over 30 degrees.
Two of the Smith-Madrone wines I recently had the opportunity to sample are the 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2009 Chardonnay.
As far as idyllic California Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon go, these are super examples.
These wines were provided to me for sampling and I am adding to my repertoire as they are truly enjoyable.
I uncorked this Napa Valley Cabernet blend to pair with grilled steaks, garlic and Vermont cheddar mashed potatoes and peppercorn sauce and it was simply delicious.
I decanted half of the wine and actually enjoyed it both ways, although, predictably, it softened a bit after 30 minutes in the decanter.
In the glass, it’s inky red. I just knew I’d enjoy it by just looking at it in the glass and getting a sniff of the chocolaty, oaky, dark berry aromas. A good swirl showed legs wrapped around my glass. As far as taste goes, this California wine has delectable blackberry, stone fruit and mocha flavors. The finish is long and dry and I just loved it.
Aged in French oak barrel for over 20 months, this is a big, bold, almost jammy boy that’s right up my alley.
Pairings: Grilled beef, mac and cheese
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec
Region: Napa Valley, California, USA
Price: $50
Red/blueish in the glass, this young Spanish wine offers a noseful of stone fruit and earthy notes. This food-friendly Tempranillo is bright with rich fruit flavors.
Pairings: Grilled lamb, garlicky shellfish, seared salmon
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Tempranillo
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Price: $8.99
A bit transparent red in the glass, this Oregon Pinot Noir is floral on the nose with earthy notes. In the mouth, it’s Burgundy-like in style with strawberry and cherry flavors and crisp, dry finish.
Pairings: Duck, roast turkey, pasta with mushroom sauce
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Price: $30
Only 275 cases of this California Petite Syrah were made, so don’t be surprised to find that it’s nearly impossible to buy at your local store or online. I was fortunate enough to sample this rich, deep wine at a recent dinner.
In the glass, it’s dark and leggy. The aromas are of dark fruit and moist soil. The flavors are of stone fruits, fig jam and juicy dark berries. Big, bold, peppery, delicious.
Pairings: Grilled meats, pasta with Bolognese sauce, blue cheese
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Petite Syrah
Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA
Price: $60
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