Vino Rosado

It's been awhile, but I am going to try and get back on track with posting. Drumroll please...

Spain has been providing plenty of great wines for less than $15 for some time now and I love stumbling upon these terrific values. During my last visit to Costco, I purchased the 2010 Cruz de Piedra Garnacha Rose for $8. And it was the perfect treat to pop open (actually it's a screw cap so there was no popping, just twisting) on a warm Monday evening while grilling Bratwursts. My glass was filled with watermelon Jolly Rancher and candy cherry scents. But this is not sweet pink wine. Instead, it's pretty firm with red fruit tartness, good acidity, and a dry finish. And it paired well with the bratwursts and the grilled chicken I had on Tuesday night. It even had enough acidity to stand up to a side dish of cole slaw dressed with lime juice.

If you're looking for an inexpensive and satisfying wine for the summer, then go find this $8 beauty! It will provide some relief during those hot afternoon and evenings.

Awesome Aussie Blog

In reading through my "Special Issue" of Wine & Spirits for Fall 2010, which I just received today, I came across an article on Shiraz. It is a great read and discusses the trend for overblown Australian Shiraz (super-ripe Shiraz with alcohol levels approaching 15% or more) The author is Max Allen, and it just so happens he has a blog called Real Australian Wines. I checked it out and his initial posts are quite informative and entertaining. I especially enjoyed his post on Australian Rose. Check it out if you have a chance.

Vinho Verde Rose

It's been a hot week here in Kansas City and to cool down on a warm Friday evening, I found myself drinking a glass (or two) of chilled Vinho Verde in pink form. The local grocery store recently started selling the Casal Garcia Rose and I snagged a bottle for $8. It has soft, fruity aromas and is refreshing just as the label describes. Very fresh and very fun to drink.

It's already the end of July and...

time for another intermittent blog posting so I can share a few noteworthy wines I've tasted.

2007 Cline Syrah - Sonoma County

This is a good introduction California Syrah. It's not big and overripe like some Aussie Shiraz and those other California Syrah's trying to be Shiraz. There is some light funk in the aroma to hint at Syrah's wild side and its ability to exhibit non-fruit aromas and flavors. It's still juicy, but not over the top, with some spice to round out the dark fruit flavors. After it was open for a bit, I started to notice some toasted marshmallow in the aroma. It's fun to drink and would be a great companion to grilled meat or sausages. Cline has a variety of affordable reds which are usually consistent in quality.

2009 Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc

I like to drink Sauvignon Blanc throughout the summer because it can so crisp and refreshing. A well made Sauvignon Blanc has refreshing acidity that can stand up to a variety of acidic foods. I have found it to be a fine companion for a green salad with vinaigrette, which is traditionally a difficult dish to pair wine with. The Pomelo has the right amount of citrus juiciness and fresh green pepper aromas which make it a pleasure to sip and smell. I drank it with pasta topped with a fresh heirloom tomato sauce. It was able to match the acidity of the tomatoes and pungency of the garlic, while providing a nice lingering finish of heightened sauce flavors.

I took a bottle of the 2008 Lioco Chardonnay "Sonoma County" out to my family a couple of weeks ago and we had it with dinner. It is a truly fabulous Chardonnay for just under $20. It puts all of those big, buttery, oaky and boring California Chardonnay's to shame. I know there is disdain in the wine world by some towards this grape and the number of boring wines it has produced, but I say don't blame the grape, blame those who have made it into an uninspiring drink. Now the Lioco is anything but. And this is technically their low end Chardonnay! I would like to get my hands on some of their vineyard designated Chards, but of course they do rise in price. This wine has a totally engaging aroma and had scents of fresh toasted popcorn during my second tasting. It's absolutely delicious with it's funky, cool, and clean fruit flavors. I have already purchased another bottle and am trying to resist drinking it immediately. It is a must buy if you are looking to taste some of the best California Chardonnay being made at a reasonable price. Check out my previous posting on this one.

Summertime

Lots of tasting and drinking since April, but not much blogging. I'm going to try and rectify that.

Since it's technically summer now, I thought I would toss out a few wines I've recently tasted that would be great for picnics, barbecues, or general warm weather consumption.

Charles & Charles 2009 Rose: A full bodied rose (it's 100% syrah) that's juicy and has great mouthfeel. This one is a great sipper and would make for a happy summer meal when paired with grilled chicken and potato salad. And it can be found for under $12.

Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvee Chardonnay 2008: This was a Cellar Rat monthly wine club selection and I'll admit my excitement level was low when I picked it up. I reluctantly opened it up during the week and was completely surprised. In fact, I absolutely loved it. The cool fruit flavors (peaches & apricots) are rounded out with some vanilla cream on the finish. This one can be found for under $15 and for that price, I think you get a far more interesting Chardonnay than many others in the same price range from California.

Casal Garcia and Broadbent Vinho Verdes: I love Vinho Verde during the summer and these two can be found for less than $10 and are perfect for those summer bbq's with friends and family. The Casal Garcia is slightly more sweet, while the Broadbent has a few more bubbles to it.

Lioco Chardonnay 2008: My wife summed it up best when she said the aromas and flavors reminded her of the baked brioche with brie and apricot preserves appetizer at the recently closed City Tavern. It costs a little more (I paid $18 for this one at Cellar Rat) but is well worth it.

Spring Awakening

The past week was fabulous. It finally looked, smelled, and felt like spring. Temperatures in the 70's, birds singing in the mornings, plants with rapidly growing green buds, and the sweet smell of blooming hyacinth bulbs. And to top that off, my order of Wind Gap winery's spring wine offerings arrived. I ended up up with a case and a half of wine which will be split with my father and father-in-law. Yeah, I'm pretty geeked up about this. But rightfully so because I am now in possession of Wind Gap's 2008 Pinot Gris. This wine already fascinates and I haven't even tasted a drop. A Pinot Gris that is described as an "orange wine". Why? Because this white wine spent a little bit of time fermenting on its grape skins, which gave it the orange color. What aromas and flavors will this Pinot Gris have to offer? And how will it taste with food? I am thinking it will pair nicely with the baked curry chicken from Habashi House, among many other dishes. I can't wait to try it.

On tap for today is a roast lamb Easter dinner with my wife's family. I think a full flavored red will be in order. Happy Easter to everyone!

Saturday tasting at Cellar Rat

Foris Winery was at the Cellar Rat today pouring 4 of their wines (Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Noir). My wife and I enjoyed them all, but really liked the Pinots. The Pinot Gris has a nice whiff of honey in the aroma along with a little coconut. It has a very light color and finishes clean and dry. The 2007 Pinot Noir had a delicate red color with fresh cherry aromas and flavors. It definitely leaned more towards a California style of Pinot Noir. Very soft with some cinnamon spice on the spice. The lady from the winery noted that the style of their Pinot Noir can vary from year to year due to the progression and quality of the grapes. Some years the grapes may lend themselves to a lighter style and in other years a deeper, more richly flavored style like many other Oregon Pinots. I am a big fan of Pinot Noir and really appreciate the lighter style versions. They usually taste fresh and are extremely food friendly.