Rodney Strong Chardonnay Sonoma County 2009

I picked up this lovely bottle the other day because when I think of the Rodney Strong winery, I have good feelings. Somewhere in the amazing brain I have, there are memories of drinking Rodney Strong wines and liking them. I just know it. So, I went with my gut and grabbed this Chardonnay to have with a pot of ham and beans. That sounds gross now that I typed it, but it wasn't in real life.

Rumor is, this is another silver medal winner and 87 point getter. There are a lot of contests and people who get to assign point values. One day, perhaps I'll figure out just how many. I used to ignore these things and go with the bravado of  "Who cares what some crusty old man in a windsor tie thinks? I'm going to drink what I want. Dammit." Then, I realized I liked all the wines that win awards and get big points. So, you do the math. For the record, I also like a man who can tie a windsor knot. He's in the shower right now, presumably not wearing a windsor tie.

Anyway, totally loved this wine. It was the perfect blend of crisp and fruity and dry - which is the Chard trifecta for me. I also love a buttery Chard but that makes 4 adjectives and there is no "trifecta" sort of impact to a quadfecta. And, besides, this wasn't buttery.

I served it really cold, which might be a no-no, but I like it that way. Plus, the steaming hot bowl of ham and beans demanded an icy cold sort of beverage.

Would absolutely drink this one again-- looking forward to it, in fact. Try it out for yourself. I'd like to try the '08, too.

Retails between $12-$14. Bought locally on sale for $9.99. Worth every penny!

Toasted Head Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I've been avoiding this winery for years now, I admit. From a distance, the label looks like it has a bear vomiting fish. Only upon closer inspection do I realize the bear is actually breathing (or eating) fire. This is preferable, naturally, to a vomiting bear. Once I cleared this up, I bought a bottle of North Coast Cabernet to go along with my favorite TriTip roast for dinner the other night.

The fruit for this wine comes from the Lakes Region, a bit farther north from the Napa-Sonoma region I've been tasting wines from. Yes, I know I could rework that sentence so as to not dangle my preposition, but I'm feeling wild this morning.

I liked this wine in a "it's decent" sort of way. I don't really mean that as a slam - it was a decent cab and I was able to immediately drink it - no decanting. Sometimes, this is very much appreciated. It was a bit....man...I don't know the word I need here. It was a bit too light, or something like that. I like big, heavy cabs and this was sort of a nice and easy version. It smelled good and tasted good, though -- also did a great job standing up to my roast and brussel sprouts. That's right. I eat brussel sprouts. Shut your mouth!

For under 10 bucks, it's not a bad choice. I'd drink it again but it wouldn't be my first choice. Too many fantastic cabs out there.

Wattle Creek Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino 2007

The other day as I was standing there staring at all the fabulous wines I have yet to try, my eyes settled on this one. It has a couple of strange things going for it. First, let's be honest. The label has a picture of something that seriously looks like a penis and three balls. And we all know how rare a three baller is. Then there is the name. When I hear the word "wattle" I think of my chin and this is NOT a pleasant experience. I'd rather think about a three baller. So why would I pick this wine, you are asking. Well, I was intrigued by all that strangeness and by a sauv blanc from Cloverdale, CA. I don't even know where that is - pause while I go find out...got it! Northwest of Napa, straight up the old 101.

Anyway, enough about three balls, my chin, and locations. I really enjoyed this wine. It's a silver medal winner of some contest, which seems right to me. I must say though, that had it been a blind taste test I probably would have guessed it to be a Chardonnay. This says a lot about how totally unrefined I am. Whatever. But, the wine had a bigger, bolder and almost but not quite buttery sort of taste..like you'd associate with a Chard. I'm wondering if this is something  more common in Sauv's from this particular region. I can't wait to find out.

I drank this wine by itself and with a homemade pasta dish (sauteed chicken breast over angel hair pasta with vodka sauce) and it stood up quite nicely. I'd definitely have it again.

Retails for around $14. Bought at Raley's for $8.99.

Domaine Chandon -- Chandon Extra Dry Riche Sparkling Wine

Yesterday, I spent a little time at one of my new favorite places - Sepay Olive Oil Company. You can taste olive oils and vinegars, learn a TON about the industry, health benefits, etc., and shop to your heart's content. Truly a gem in Fairfield. Fresh off of that, I went grocery shopping. I knew I wanted to get some bread so I could dive right into my fabulous new assortment of oils and vinegars. As I was perusing the bakery selections, I spotted some fondue. Ah.....fondue. Dinner came together rather quickly after that.

When I was a kid, we had fondue with some sort of regularity. In other words, I don't see it as a special or extravagant thing. It is a fabulous rich and hearty winter time meal for any night. For our dinner, we had fresh bread cubes, a Bosc pear (cubed), a pink lady apple (cubed), and some leftover Thanksgiving ham. Somewhere in there, I decided we should have champagne with it. Why not class it up a bit?

I selected this sparkling wine because I've driven passed the winery numerous times and it was on sale. Yes, those really are the criteria. It was fantastic! We both enjoyed it tremendously. We don't like sweet wines, so I purposely chose the extra dry on this one. Top notch! I could drink this every day. It was crisp and flavorful and perfectly bubbly. It worked so well with the heaviness of the fondue. And, nothing says class like eating fondue out of a soup pot and drinking champagne out of cocktail glasses. (Somewhere I have a fondue pot and champagne glasses, but not in this house) Apparently the experts agree with me on this one -- it is a 92 pointer!

This sparkling wine is made in Napa, CA by the Domaine Chandon Winery. It retails for around $20. I bought it locally for $12.99.

2008 Monogamy North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

The other night I was hunting for a new cabernet to try and found myself eyeball to label with this one. I've seen its clever little label before and never been interested. This time, I was. Partly because it was on sale. I was getting some "take out" for dinner last Friday. We've discovered that Raley's, our closest market, makes a stupid good BBQ TriTip roast. They can be found near the rotisserie chickens. I don't know why these things are so dang fantastic, but sweet mama dog, they are. So, TriTip roast in my basket I scoodled over to the wine aisle. Someone should analyze why I choose the wines I do. Someone -- but not me. The results sound interesting but not the work in getting there.

The Monogamy winery is in Santa Rosa, CA. Relatively close to my house, though on the other side of Napa and Sonoma. Haven't been there yet.

The wine was lovely. It was dry and had a nice deep, robust lingering sensation to it. That sounds...really like something else. But, I'm still talking about the wine. Really. Very enjoyable. Not over powering or too bold. Newer cabernet drinkers would likely be just as happy as self-proclaimed big cab lovers.

I would and will happily get this one again. For the money, it's right on. Got it on sale for right around $10. Normal retail around $14. And yes, it was super yummy with the roast. I can almost smell that roast. Mmmmm.....

2007 Seven Terraces Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough

Another joy of living in Northern California is the abundance of interesting groceries. A new favorite of mine is a chain called Grocery Outlet. They operate in a couple of western states, but I'd never been in one till moving here. Love! You literally never know what you are going to find there, because of the very nature of their business. Therefore, you must go often just to see what's there. Thankfully, I'm extremely good at going into stores and buying nothing. I do this more often than not. So, no harm done in going in a lot. Boy, what a digression. Anyway- the Grocery Outlet carries wine! Be still my heart! This is where I found a new fave, Seven Terraces Sauvignon Blanc.

This is a New Zealand wine. I don't think I've ever had a NZ wine I didn't like. You'll be the first to know should I encounter one. I felt confident about trying it for three reasons. I like sauvignon blancs. I've enjoyed sauvignon blancs from the Marlborough region before. It was cheap. There it is.

Fabulous. Truly. It is so good that Lance finally agreed to try it. He was stunned. He loudly exclaimed, "Write this down as my favorite and only sauvignon blanc. And go buy a case of it."

Dry. Crisp. Perfect.

The first time I had it, I munched my favorite meal of cheese, fruit and homemade bread. Last night, I had it again with some spinach tortellini. Wonderful in both cases.

Should you see this, get it. Air high 5  me  right in the store and go home happy.

Paid $4.99. Apparently, it usually retails around $15.

I am soooo behind and the bottles are piling up

Perhaps you thought I hadn't blogged lately because I hadn't had any wine. Silly, silly you! Now I have so many bottles laying around my office that it is getting to be a hazard. It will take me awhile to catch up, but thankfully we've got a break coming up. I've been drinking a lot of bad wine, lately. Not on purpose, certainly. To help myself out, I'm just going to list the wines I have added to the Avoid At All Costs list so that you too can avoid. What else needs to be said?

Rachel's Avoid At All Costs List of Wines from Fall 2010
2008 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon, Founder's Estate - this one surprised me because I have enjoyed many of their wines and love cabs. However, it tasted almost sweet to me and I do not like sweet wines. In fact, I dumped out my glass and the entire bottle. Shame.

2009 Wente Louis Mel Sauvignon Blanc -- as we know, sauv blancs are almost always winners for me. This was was really something though. Really, really not good. It was my first sampling of anything from the Livermore, CA area and by all means won't be my last. Sometimes you just find a bad one -- no reason to avoid that winery or that type of wine. But this particular one...yup, I'm done.

2009 Sutter Home White Merlot -- caveat on this one....I actually did think this wine tasted really good. However, it is much too sweet to me. I could make a killer wine spritzer with it and some club soda. If you like sweeter wines, this is your baby. Too much for me.

Alright good. We've got those out of the way. let's move on to "Meh" wines. These aren't bad, but they are just...well...non descript. If you are going to pay money for a beverage, by golly I want something for it. I need an experience! Otherwise, I could drink water for free. When I taste the wine and someone asks me how it is, the answer should NEVER be. <shrug> "It's ok".

Rachel's Meh List of Wines, Fall 2010

2007 Guenoc Petite Sirah -- did nothing for me. Nothing at all. I have REALLY enjoyed wines from them before, so I'm not scared to try again.

2008 Beringer Chardonnary, Founder's Estate

2008 Mark West Pinot Noir -- like it needed to open up and never got there

2009 Gosford Reserve Shiraz (Australia)

2008 Castle Rock Barrel Fermented Central Coast Chardonnay


Never fear, all 2 of you dear readers. I have enjoyed some good wine as well. back with full reviews on those soon!

Estancia - 2008 - Zinfandel - Paso Robles - Keyes Canyon Ranches

See! I told you I had other Estancia bottles with different junk in the title.

So, right from the go with this one, I knew I'd have a winner. Let's discuss why. First, I'd had other Estancia reds, including a cabernet recently at my fave St. Louis restaurant, Bristol's, which was fabulous. (the cabernet. well, and the restaurant) Anyway, I felt good about it already. Plus, I love Zinfandels. LOVE. (Note -- hang with me on this one. Zinfandels are BIG reds. Not WHITE and NOT pink. K?) And, reason numero tres why I knew I'd have a winner -- the label says Paso Robles. I KNOW I love reds coming from that area. One day, dear reader, I'll know why. Or, I will never know. Who cares? The point is - I love reds from Paso Robles.

So the Estancia winery itself is in Sonoma. But, they have several "ranches" in California where they grow different kinds of grapes. Obviously, these grapes were grown down south in their Keyes Canyon Ranch . The bottle tells me this is a mere 20 miles from the ocean. Important? I guess so. Let's remember that the sauvignon blanc I just reviewed was from their Pinnacles Ranch -- which is also near the same darn ocean, but farther up the coast.

Back to the Zin...I enjoyed this wine. It was full bodied and intense with a satisfyingly long finish. That said, not my favorite Zin. (note to self - review the AMAZING Zin you just tried in Suisun Valley) But, it is darn solid and delivers what you are looking for when you go lookin' for Zin. Get some and try it out. If you disagree, post a note and let me know your thoughts. I'm starting to wonder if I have strange taste or if others find the same things when they try the same wines. I know we all have our own preferences, of course.

By the way, those of you who care about points...this wine got 89 points from the people who seem to know what they are talking about. Pretty good stuff!

Bought locally, on sale, for $9.99.

Estancia 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Monterey County, Pinnacles Ranches

Wow! What a long title for this wine. I wouldn't normally include all that junk but I bought another bottle of Estancia and it has different stuff. Therefore, somehow, I bet it is significant. Ah, look at me...so smart!

Where to begin with this one...? Oh, I know. Have you ever been to the dentist? You know when they clean your teeth and they splash them with the little water gun and then use the mini vac thing to suck all the water out of your mouth? Even sometimes have you close your lips around the mini vac to get every single last molecule of liquid? Perfect! Now you know how this wine makes your mouth feel.

I am a fan of dry wines. Really. Hate the sweet stuff. But, Lord have mercy I thought I might need a tongue transplant after drinking this stuff. I literally even stuck my tongue out at my guests and asked them if it looked "withered and all dried up and crooked." They said, "yes."

I decided to slap the bottle back in the fridge for the night and try again the next day. Perhaps I was dehydrated. Or senile. Or otherwise incapable of seeing the real beauty in this bottle.

Night 2. First sip. No dice. Or saliva.

I can't even comment on flavor because my tongue was unable to detect anything but its need for moisture.

I'll say this. I like this winery a lot. I would try another year, because I also like Sauv Blancs a lot. But, I will not try this exact one again. And neither should you. Unless you love that part at the dentist. Then, this one's for you!!

Bought on sale at $8.99.

Castello di Amorosa Pinot Nero 2008

There is a splendid castle in northern Napa - way up near Calistoga - called Castello di Amorosa. It is beautiful and you can take a tour through it - which is worth the $31 bucks. There is a 30+ minute wine tasting at the end included in that price. My husband and I did this tour while here over the summer (before we moved here) and we sent my parents there last week. They came home with a bottle of this Pinot, which we happily drank last night.

Pinot Nero is the Italian Pinot Noir. The Castle produces Italian style wines, so they follow the naming rules as well. As you may recall, I've been known to like a Pinot Noir and this Nero was no exception.

We opened this bottle after finishing a bottle of cabernet -- which produced some interesting initial tastings by comparison. For example, it tasted a bit sweet. It certainly isn't a sweet wine, but the contrast to the cab made it seem so the first couple of sips.

The wine was delicious -- hearty and smooth. Complimented our grilled steak, sauteed veggies and baked potatoes quite well. Didn't overpower anything. The wine has a hint of smokiness to it. We sampled a wine on our visit which was intensely smoky and I was hoping this was it because we loved it, but it was not. At any rate, it was quite good.

I can't find the pricing list for this particular wine on their website, so I'm not sure what they paid for it but I imagine in the high 20s. The castle doesn't sell their wine outside of the castle, so while I recommend you try this and a couple of others, you have to come here to do so! (FYI- should you visit, I LOVE their Gioia, which is a DRY rose. Fantastic summer wine. They also have a couple of amazing, though very pricey, reserve wines, in particular their Chardonnay and Cabernet)

Five Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Five Rivers is one of my old standbys. This winery is in Paso Robles, CA - an area I've come to know for producing consistently good cabernets. For the price, this one is hard to beat. It's a pretty good sized cab with lots of vibrant fruit and mouth feel. And velvety smooth, too! You can get a better cab, for sure, but you'd need to punch up into the $20 range most likely.

My family and I drank this as a prelude to our hearty steak dinner last night and all really enjoyed it. We'd finished the bottle before the meal but it would have held up well with the steak.

So, to sum up - this is a low cost winner! Worth a try if you've never had it. I can usually buy it for $10 or a bit less on sale, which is what I got it for this time $7.99.

2006 St. Francis Cabernet

My parents came out for a visit on Sunday- having driven all the way across the country in my little sportscar. To celebrate their arrival and the cooler, overcast (glorious) weather, I threw a pot roast in the oven. I'd been sandbagging this cabernet for their arrival and couldn't wait to crack it open.

This is a more expensive wine, but as you surely expect by now, I bought it on sale. Anyway, I had high expectations for this one. The St. Francis winery is in Sonoma county, which sits next door to Napa. So close and yet so different, really. I've never been so amazed with soil as I am now really getting to see the difference it makes in the taste of wines. What's different over the hills in Sonoma from Napa? Not a stinkin' clue. I'll let you know if/when I find out.

So, this wine had that great velvety mouth feel that I tend to associate with more expensive ($20+) wines. I know, I am such a high roller. However, I must say I was a tad bit underwhelmed with it overall. I prejudged it to be a peer of favorites Robert Mondavi Cab and Franciscan Oakville Estate Cab -- both of which can usually be had for $25+ and are wonderful. It just didn't really do it for me. It tasted fine, don't get me wrong. It certainly wasn't bad. But for the money, I'm buying Mondavi or Franciscan.

If I knew more (that is, anything) I could speculate on whether this wine is just past its peak. It is an 06. I think the 08's are in their prime this year. At least for American wines. Am I wrong? Who knows. I am basing my guess here on reading about recently crowned winners...most of which are 08's. Must be their year to shine, right?

To sum up, won't buy this one again. At least not the same year. I might be willing to try a more recent year - especially if I see good reviews of it. Recommend you do the same!

Retails $20-$25. Bought locally on sale for $14.99.

Grayson Cellars Cabernet

On Monday of this week, I found myself celebrating the long awaited promotion of a friend and, now, co-worker. So, there are now 3 of us! We dined at Brio in Las Vegas. I had never been but really enjoyed it. We decided to try a bottle of Grayson Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon.

I confess I felt a little dirty ordering wine from Paso Robles now that I'm a Napa area girl. But, I got over it. I generally love cabs from Paso Robles, such as long time faves J. Lohr and Five Rivers, so I felt rather confident ordering this one.

Now, I tried to see across the table to the bottle at one point so I would know what year we were drinking. I can't say I know for sure, but I believe it was the '09. I went hunting down some reviews and apparently the 08 was the bomb and frankly, this wasn't the bomb. My novice taste buds felt like while the wine was good, it seemed young. I thought perhaps it needed to open a bit but it never quite got there for me.

Nevertheless, it was a pleasant accompaniment to my extremely yummy lasagne and wedge salad!

So, overall...I did like the wine. It was a nice cab but not a favorite because it tasted young and, oddly, a bit sweet. Sweet might not be the word to really describe it but I can't come up with something more accurate. Almost...too fruity? I'd really like to get my hands on the 08 - if the experts are right, it is the year to drink.

We got this bottle in the restaurant which means we paid way over retail for it. We scored it for $27. Looks like you can normally score it for around the $10 range.

One of my fellow wine drinkers that night may comment here and let you know what she thought....comment away!

2007 Ghost Pines Chardonnay

Most of the time, I drink relatively inexpensive wines. This is because I drink a lot of wine and because I don't have a lot of money. But sometimes, you just gotta get out there and drink the really good stuff. You can't limit yourself all the time. So, at a recent outting to check out the latest wine sales, Lance and I picked up this bottle of Ghost Pines Chardonnay. We noticed it right away because it was on sale,  it was on the top shelf and it has a cool label. Don't laugh. Why do you notice wine when yo are staring at rows and rows of it?

We didn't recognize the winery until we read the back of the label and saw it comes from the Louis M. Martini winery - which is already a favorite of mine. It's a local Napa winery. I haven't actually visited it yet but I've been a huge fan of their cabernet for years and a couple of years ago while getting my PMP certification, my boot camp instructor told us she was the project manager for the Martini winery 4th of July fireworks show. What else is there to say? Wine, fireworks. Amen.

This wine is wonderful. Truly wonderful. It has a darker color and you get a good amount of fruit from it- a plus in my book. Anyone keeping score? If so, Robert Parker gives it an 88. It does have some oak to it. Not a ton, but some. I used to hate oak but I'm digging it lately so this is also a plus.

Definitely a winner here, especially if you can find it on sale. I am really looking forward to another glass tonight! We enjoyed it with homemade rotisserie chicken and sauteed greens. It stood up well and complimented both. We also had a small cheese and water cracker tray for an appetizer while the rotisserie worked its magic and the wine was superb with that.

Retails around $20, bought on sale for $12.99.

A by Acacia 2007 Red Blend

Call me crazy, but I'm intrigued by wines that are vague like this. "Red blend" you say. "Get in my glass", I say. To make matters worse...or better, the back of the bottle says "if you like pinot noir, you'll love our red blend!" Does that mean it is pinot? I don't know. But, I have been known to like a pinot so I was determined to love their red blend.

I just enjoyed a nice steak dinner. It wasn't the best steak dinner ever or anything, but it was steak and it was cooked to my preference (medium) and therefore the evening calls for red. The kitchen was a bit warm so I stuck the wine in the fridge. For a bit too long. Now, the wine is too cold. The smart thing to do on occasions such as this, is to simply wait for the wine to warm up a bit. However, it is Friday night and I'm not feeling smart...so I'm drinking it cold.

I went to do some digging to find out just what is in this here red blend. Despite the label leading me to believe it might be pinot noir, apparently, the major grape is syrah. Huzzah. We all know I like syrahs. And I like pinots, which may or may not matter here. Seems likely this is a good one for me.

It is cold, which is throwing it off for me but it is a decent sized red. While I am waiting for it to come up in temperature, I'm checking out what the so called experts have to say about it...I'm seeing comments on cherries, plums...maybe a raspberry or two. I'm not down with the raspberries but I get the cherries and plums. Now that someone pointed it out, that is. Ok, ok, maybe my palate needs a bit of refinement.

Finally we're at the right temp. I do like this wine but to this non-pro, I would say that it is a bit harsh on the swallow. It's not going down like butter. More like...hmmm...what goes down rough? Ah, got it. Whiskey. It doesn't burn your lungs like whiskey but it has that rough edge to it. Seems like maybe many people wouldn't like this attribute. I don't mind it. But then again, I like whiskey.

Good grief, I'm long winded tonight. I'll blame it on the wine having to warm up. To sum up, this is a decent red. I wouldn't refuse a glass if it was offered, but I likely won't buy it again. There are simply too many others in the same price range that I like far better.

Retails $13.99. Bought locally for $7.77.

Larry, I think I love you

Another fabulous delight of my new neighborhood here in Northern CA is all the farmer's markets. My aunt (who lives a bit farther north) has been telling me for years that you can grow anything here. Now I see it with my own eyes!

While we were here for Lance's job interviews, I was busy reading Yelp, Chowhound and other sites that mentioned anything and everything to eat or drink in the area. Time and time again, I came to people raving about Larry's Produce in Suisun Valley. I said to myself, "Self- get thee to Larry's".

I'm not sure I can adequately describe all the things I love about this place. But I will sure try. First of all, on my very first trip, we were still "living" at the Homewood Suites while house shopping. In other words, I didn't need much. Heehee. As I drove up on a late Saturday afternoon I wasn't sure I'd find parking. In fact, I had to park on the street.

Now, this is a very rural area. Not much out that road except vineyards and farms. You either live there or you're going for the fruit of the earth. And by golly, there are a lot of hungry and thirsty people out here.

So, I pull up and I see a large stagecoach driving around giving rides. And by driving, I mean, horses are pulling it. That is just cute. Larry's main building is sort of an open air kind of barn, for lack of anything better. On either side, there are acres of crops. You can either shop in the barn, or you can walk into the field and pick things yourself. Who wants to pay for that? I don't know but for some reason, I find it delightful.

Next, I see all these people pushing around wheelbarrows. Yes, wheelbarrows. Full of produce.And I mean FULL. Thought #1: man, where did they get all these wheelbarrows? #2 how can a family consume a wheelbarrow full of produce in a week? #3 where can I get a wheelbarrow?

As if I'm not already having the best time, I see the prices. You MUST be kidding me. Packages of fresh picked berries for $1. HUGE cucumbers 3/$1. Swiss Chard for 79 cents???? A bag of cilantro the size of my torso for $1. Papaya like I've only ever seen in Fiji for 89 cents a pound. Tiny bananas like we grow in Roatan! Heaven!! Oodles of mushrooms...handfuls and handfuls of them and it only came out to $2. And then there is the wild section. Where I walk through oohing and ahhing and wondering, 'what the hell is this stuff?' I don't know, but I want it! Peaches, plums, pluots, grapes, nectarines...cheap, cheap, cheap. No longer do I have to eat what's on sale. This is better than on sale. It is dirt cheap and uber fresh. Kill me now!

So, move forward a couple of weeks and now I'm a Larry's regular. I don't buy produce in the stores unless it is an after hours emergency. You know what I'm saying. We are currently a one car family so I asked my husband to run to Larry's during lunch yesterday to pick up some things. I gave him a list. He forgot it. :) So, I emailed him the list. Here was said list.

1 lemon
2 onion
2 swiss chards (red or green)
Couple of handfuls of mushrooms
1 lettuce (red or green leaf, not a big bag of lettuce)
1 bag spinach
2 tomatoes
Cilantro

He came home with
 
1 lemon
2 onion
1 swiss chard
mushrooms
1 cabbage (which he adamantly tried to claim was lettuce. "It said lettuce!!!")
1 HUGE bag of lettuce (which he tried to claim was spinach "The sign said spinach. That is spinach!" me"Just because the sign says spinach, doesn't mean this is spinach. This is lettuce" him "Whatever")
box of tomatoes
HUGE bag of cilantro
 
But you know what? He delivers for free. And it was cheap. And so, sooooo tasty!
 

2008 Kenwood Sauvignon Blanc

Last night, I poured the final glass of the BV Sauv Blanc to drink while beginning to prepare dinner. However, it was not meant to be. The wine was no longer good. There was a time in my life, that I would have gone ahead and finished that glass. This is not that time. I've moved on into the life-is-too-short-to-drink-bad-wine era. In other words, you can state it like this -- I have enough money to buy more. Whew! Thank God.

So, I cracked open a fresh bottle of Kenwood 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. I sensed I'd like this very much because it is from my favorite area in Sonoma County (fave for sauv. blancs anyway) and it was another california state fair winner. I don't know who these people are at the state fair voting on these wines, but they are smart!

As it turns out, I "accidentally" grabbed the wrong year. I was just checking out the kenwood website and the 09 is the state fair silver winner from this year. Hmmm...I've seen this before and do not care for it -- the store stocks mismatched years all together under the one advertisement. Either you are a fool and don't realize that ALL years didn't win the award or you are deceptive. Either way, it makes me not want to shop with you so knock it off! That said, the 08 was delightful and cheap so really, why complain?

I liked this wine because it was dry; I could definitely taste some citrus and grassyiness (I know, I know...surely there is a better way of saying this but I'm just a girl not a pro!). Not sweet (not much of a fan of sweet wines anymore) - but totally delicious and I had it perfectly chilled. It was hearty enough to withstand a spicier dish. We whipped up a Mexican-ish meal of cage free organic ground turkey breast, noodles, and sauce -- all simmered down in a skillet for a really robust flavor.

All said, I'd recommend this one. I'd like to try the 09 as it is listed as their best year yet and if it is better than the 08 it is mighty tasty, I bet. For a few bucks more, you could score the Hanna, which still stands at the top but -- if you need to stay closer to $10, try this puppy out.

Retails $14. Bought locally for $9.

2005 Renwood Syrah

Last night, Lance (husband) decided to have wine and he almost exclusively drinks reds. So, he chose this lovely bottle of Syrah. When he first opened it, I said "let me sniff it!" He sniffed. I said -- "what does it smell like?" So then I sniffed. Then we said in unison..."it smells like it needs to open up". So, we set the bottle and glasses down and went about our business of making dinner. Now, sometimes we eat strange things. I get it. Don't be a hater. Last night, we dined on blue cheese stuffed dates, wrapped in smoked bacon and roasted for 30 minutes. Steamed cauliflower, drizzled with local olive oil and sprinkled with cracked pepper. Baked potatoes with fresh green onions, real butter, light sour cream, mild spattering of aged cheddar and salt and pepper. In other words, probably a night to drink a white. But whatever. Ain't no snootiness here.

By the time our little meal was ready, the wine had opened up (maybe 15 minutes in total). Now, perhaps you don't know what I mean by "opening up". I can't give you much more than this -- some wines, especially big reds, need some time to let the air mix with them in order to really settle into their true flavors. Not too much time, of course, or they will be bad - you can't leave a bottle sitting there open overnight, for example. Unless you like nasty wine. And who am I to judge? We haven't moved our decanter up from the other house, so we just let it sit in the bottle sans cork and in our glasses. Easy enough.

This wine was muy good. I really, really liked it. It was full bodied, hearty, warm and delicious. It made me desperately wish I was eating roast. Or steak. Or other red meat meals.  And yet, despite my meal of 2 white vegetables, it was still absolutely yummy. It was a bit overpowering for the cauliflower but I don't fault the wine. This was everything you want a syrah to be - creamy, rich, bold, spicy. Man. Just talking about it makes me want to have a glass with my morning muffin.

This winery is not in the Napa area. It sits north east a bit -- between Napa and Tahoe in the Sierra foothills. So says the bottle and their website. Apparently, they are most known for their zinfandels. You know what this means! Mama needs to get to the market and pick up a bottle of that - sho nuff!

To sum up, if you like a robust red in general, and a syrah in particular, this wine is a great choice. In addition to being a fabulous drink, I would love to try cooking with it. I make a mean red wine stew that this would work very well in.

Retails $11.50. Bought $8.99.

2008 BV Sauvignon Blanc

After a long day of driving, we decided to have one of our favorite dinners. It is a tastebud's delight of little delectables. The contents vary but last night's spread included: smoked gouda, aged sharp Wisconsin cheddar, fresh baked french bread, local green grapes, a sliced Gala apple, locally made olive oil, olives stuffed with garlic and jalepenos, blue cheese, water crackers, thin slices of ham and hard genoa salami. Yum! Try not to commit the sin of envy when you see my sweet tableware. That's how we roll around here.

And of course, the meal isn't complete without a terrific glass of wine. I picked up a 2008 BV Sauvignon Blanc for the occasion.

Those of you silly, uneducated people who also cannot read cursive -- BV stands for Beaulieu Vinyards. The winery is in northern Napa county...a little town called Rutherford. This particular bottle is from the Coastal Estates line, which is what they deem the "everyday" collection. In Vinofesto lingo, this means your average humble blog writer can afford to drink it on a given Monday night.

Considering the price and the ahem, lower end status, I really enjoyed this wine. It was clean and light tasting-- didn't overpower any of our nibbles but was able to stand up to the sharp cheddar and blue cheese. I really didn't get any particular flavors out of it -- no citrus, grass, kiwi, barley, melba toast or whatever other things they sometimes say you can taste. I do have taste buds and have detected such things previously in life...just not last night with this wine.

To sum up, this is a nice summer wine. It tastes clean and goes down easy. That said, it isn't big on particular flavors or at all complex or hearty. If you are sitting around some hot evening and thinking to yourself, "Man, I sure am having an easy breezy evening" then this might be the wine to choose.

Retails around $10. Bought it locally for $8.

Meridian 2008 Cabernet

Greetings, earthlings from 6000 feet in the air. I’ve spent my day enjoying my neighbor’s boat here on Lake Arrowhead and now I’m chilling out on my favorite crazy couch and sipping one of my old standards, the Meridian Cabernet. Let me tell you something – this wine isn’t going to rock your boat or your world but it is consistently good and has that nice clean sort of finish. It is not particularly bold and it doesn’t have that huge mouth feel that some cabs have. What I like about it is that I can usually score it for 8-10 bucks and it is just flat tastes good. So, here’s the punch line- If you don’t want to drink cheap tasting cabernet but you can’t swing a really fantastic bottle – this is your juice.


Retails $8-$10. I bought it right at 8 locally.

Bogle Petite Sirah 2007

Last night, I whipped up a nice pot of spaghetti and meatballs, with a side dish of sauteed red swiss chard. Therefore, I needed a nice red wine. I only had one, so I went with the Bogle Petite Sirah, 2007. I am a HUGE fan of syrahs (of the Australian and New Zealander variety) and generally also a fan of sirahs (as we Americans spell it). I have no clue why some are called "petite" but, being petite myself, who am I to judge? Apparently, petite sirahs come from the durif grape and should not be used interchangeably with unpetite sirahs/syrahs. Get it together, would you? Whatever the heck this stuff is, it is good. Good, I tell you. It has intense big robust hearty flavor. This is the kind of wine worth ramming your nose in the glass for a sniff, even if it makes you look like a snooty snob.

Retails $10-$12. I scored it for $7.99.

Playing Catch Up

I started my list before I started my blog, so I'm behind. I'll try to normally blog once for each bottle but this one will deal with 6 different wines. Scuse.

Hanna Sauvignon Blanc
Holy smokes was this wine awesome. I'm talkin' smack yo' mama good. Get it. Drink it. Love it. I admit I generally like any sauvignon blanc but this one is just well above average. It has that fabulous balance of being not sweet but not too dry and leaves no funky aftertaste. Mercy. The Hanna vineyard where this type of wine is made is in the Russian River Valley area of Sonoma. What does that mean to you? I don't know. To me, I'm starting to get the feeling I like sauv blancs from Sonoma in general and the Russian River Valley in particular. I have plans to extensively test this theory.
Retail $19. I bought it locally at Raley's for $14.99 on sale. W00t.

Ravenswood Zinfandel
Sometimes you just need a hearty glass of red wine and it doesn't need to blow your socks off. This was that. I like zinfandels because they are really stand up wines -- they get the job done even in a cheaper bottle, like Ravenswood. I'm calling this one good, because it was good. It was no more and no less. Would I recommend it? Not if you can afford more. If you can't, why not. This is also made in Sonoma.
Retail under $10. I bought it locally for $7.

Sterling Chardonnay 2009
Call the Lord and get some chicken -- I loved this bottle of wine so much I considered drinking the entire bottle in one evening and then thought better of it. But, I did hastily finish the bottle on the following evening before my husband had a chance to steal any. Get your own bottle. The Sterling vineyard is a massive fortress of a place over in North Napa County -- Calistoga to be exact...I saw it across the way when I was visiting the Castle (more on that later). Anyway, this Chard is delish. It might even, in fact I think it does, trump my normal favorite Chard, Kendall Jackson. It just scored a crap load of points at the California state fair, which is why I noticed it. Not because I look for wines that score crap loads of points, but because my local grocer pointed out the state fair winners AND discounted them. Oh yeah. Get in my cart! If you like Chardonnay and don't mind the price tag, load up, my friend.
Retail $16-18. I bought it on sale for $8.99.

Gnarly Head Cabernet 2006
I am a fan of Gnarly Head's Zinfandel but I had never tried their Cabernet until last weekend. Yes, it was another California state fair winner (91 points if you care) so Raley's pointed this out, discounted the price and behold I was drinking it that evening. For the price, this is a great catch. It is what you want a cab to be-- at least what I want a cab to be -- big, powerful, strong, other adjectives that are synonyms. I drank it with a pot roast I slow cooked all day on Sunday and I was just pleased as poop with both. Is that even an expression? Who cares? You won't if you drink this wine.
Retails around $10. Bought it on sale for 8ish. I think.

Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet 2008
I generally like anything Mondavi - especially their higher end stuff (DUH). The private selection wines are not the higher end stuff but they are a nice easy on the wallet compromise when you just need a decent bottle of wine. The Mondavi winery is in Napa -- haven't visited it yet, but I drove by and drooled at its sign. If you are wanting a nice big cab, this isn't it. For the same price, you can get the Gnarly Head cab and be lovin' life. This is a decent cab that most people who don't like the big cabs will probably find pleasing. It's nothing to write home about but you can finish your glass.
Retails around $10. I bought it locally for $7 on sale.

Dry Creek Fume Blanc 2009
I had the first glass of this last night. I've been intrigued by it for years because it has a sailboat on its label. Stupid? Yeah, so what? This is a really dry wine that could easily overpower a wimpy, bland meal. I drank it after eating tacos. Yeah, that is weird. I get it. I need to have another glass in approximately 25 minutes and then report on it later. I am not convinced how I feel about it yet. Fume Blancs are secretly sauvignon blancs, and it is from Sonoma, where I am rumored to like all sauv blancs so it seems highly likely this is a winner for me.
Retails around $12. Bought at retail cause I thought I remembered it normally costing more.

Keeping a Master List

I recently moved to a medium sized California town about 10 miles from Napa. Ah....yes. You are right; my life is good.

I love to write and drink wine -- not at the same time, usually. So, I thought it would be nice to keep a list of all the wines I try and wineries I visit. Let's be honest, after you drink quite a bit of wine, you don't have the best memory. It is important to write things down!

The list has begun...I will write down every bottle consumed for as long as we live in the area and share the results with you. Keep in mind, I'm just a normal chick who likes wine. Perhaps along the way, I'll learn fancy words and be able to use them correctly in a sentence...words like tannins...but until and unless we'll be working with the basics. An example would be, "I liked this wine because it tasted really good." Or, "Don't drink this wine if you don't like the taste of oak, because it is like sucking on tree bark."

Got it?