Simple Wine Talk

Sebastiani Merlot '07 $9 (on sale)

2012-02-14T14:24:00.000-05:00

Sonoma County, CA I really haven't had a desire to pickup a Merlot lately and I have no good reason why. As some of you may remember the movie, Sideways and how it really hurt Merlot sales years ago...we should all be over that I hope. I guess I just think of the wine as being overly fruity and I must admit its not...at least not this one. At first pour a musty kind of barnyard scent came at

Borsao Crianza Seleccion '07 $12

2012-02-08T22:42:00.001-05:00

Campo de Borja, Spain As stated in text message language...OMG! This was an incredibly delicious, smooth drinking wine with character. Beginning with aromas of crushed dark cherries, hints of warm toasted wood and finishing with a subtle touch of vanilla, I was ready to jump into tasting this. Patience, I know isn't my best trait. The flavors on this blend of 50% Grenache, 25% Tempranillo

Francois Lurton Hacienda Aravcano, "Clos de Lolol" '07 $20

2012-01-31T17:58:00.002-05:00

Colchagua Valley, Chille First off, this was an amazing wine! I wasn't sure what to expect however I'm always a fan of red blends. I think it's just finding the right balance and grape varietals to marry together. Something all of us can thank a good wine maker for doing. With a blend of Syrah 36%, Cab Franc 33% and Carmenere 31% it's pretty much equal for all 3. Taking the blend aside,

Cruz Alta, Malbec '10 $13

2012-01-17T18:03:00.001-05:00

Mendoza, Argentina Crushed dark cherries, plum, subtle oak and what some might call a barnyard aroma all blended together to give this wine an interesting start. I wouldn't get too concerned on the barnyard thing as being anything disgusting. This is mostly to describe a wine that is young and the acid & tannins are up front while the fruit flavors are hiding behind. This could be also

Sean Minor, Pinot Noir ‘09 ($14)

2011-12-13T15:35:00.000-05:00

Columbia Valley, Washington This wine was on a special at my local wine shop for a great deal compared to what I had seen it for online. It probably wouldn’t be fair to say but it was $16 vs. normal retail of $26-$30. I see it now for $19 and either way, a great find for $16 but maybe a bit pricey for $30. Shop it around out

14 Hands, Hot To Trot 2009 ($9)

2011-05-17T14:51:00.000-04:00

Washington State Without knowing anything about this wine, I picked it up merely on my past experience with 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon. Also, for the price of $8.78/bottle it wasn’t going to be something I’d expect much out of for the BBQ I was taking it to. I was wrong…it was a great, easy drinking wine! I wouldn’t label it as a “big red” but sometimes it’s nice to

Bodegas Caro, Amancaya ’09 $16

2011-04-24T23:31:00.000-04:00

Mendoza, Argentina This blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon is probably one of the best wines I’ve had in the past year! It’s bursting with aromas of ripe blackberries, spicy black pepper and toasted wood. Deep purple-red color led to flavors of ripe plums, currants and dark cherries followed by a rich cocoa and vanilla blend. With a definite fruit forward flavor, the

Sur De Los Andes, Bonarda 2008 $10.99

2011-03-23T01:14:00.000-04:00

Argentina This is definitely a new varietal for me. It’s relatively unknown however those of you liking Malbec wines have possibly had it as a blending grape in Malbec. As one of Argentina’s most widely planted grapes, it still hasn’t caught on, yet it’s a great value and won’t leave you disappointed. For those of you liking a red wine with rustic and mild tannin

Borsao 2009 (Granacha/Tempranillo) $6

2011-02-23T18:52:00.000-05:00

Borja, Spain It used to bother me when aromas from a wine exuded a musty scent which gave me the wrong impression that it might not be good. I’ve definitely learned to appreciate it now, as just about every one of them has tasted great. Complementing the musty aromas a black pepper spice and slight hint of wood rounded things out. With blended flavors of raspberries, strawberries and cassis

Toro De Piedra, Carmenere – Cabernet ’09 $11

2011-02-10T14:53:00.000-05:00

Maule Valley, Chile I wasn’t sure what to expect in a recent visit to a local wine store I’d been putting off going to. Much to my surprise, it turned out to be a great find with knowledgeable and very nice people. Now I’m not into promoting wines, stores, products, etc. but if you’re looking for some great deals on excellent wines and you’re in the Orlando, FL area, they have a store, but not

Dominican Oaks, Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 $16

2011-02-01T00:43:00.000-05:00

Napa, CA After strolling the aisles of this large wine store, I was becoming overwhelmed with what to try in a new Cab. I had my list of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 but I can’t really afford most of those even though I’m sure they’re amazing. One of the sales guys was re-stocking the racks and I decided to ask what he was drinking these days. I forgot his name or I’d thank

Elderton Friends, Shiraz ’08 $18

2010-12-08T16:36:00.000-05:00

Barossa Valley, Australia Taking a trip to the wine & liquor mega store becomes overwhelming for many of us given the amount of choices on the shelves. I usually go in with a pre-determined list of what I want however this time; I was just browsing…for about an hour or so. Yeah, I know you think I’m crazy but without striking up conversations with the people working there

Angeline Merlot ’07 ($13) & Angeline Pinot Noir ’08 ($12)

2010-11-03T16:57:00.000-04:00

Sonoma, CA It’s not often I buy 2 different varietals from the same winery in one shopping trip. In this case I had tried the Chardonnay from Angeline and was pleased, so my thought was, if even one of these new wines (Merlot or Pinot Noir) was good, I’d be happy. Well, I was fooled they both were great. The Merlot started with aromas of cedar and black pepper. It

Kim Crawford, Pinot Noir '08 - $18

2010-10-11T15:11:00.000-04:00

Marlborough, New Zealand I’ve always liked the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay so I decided to try the Pinot Noir. It was a moderately priced bottle and given the great results for the other varietals, I didn’t think I could go wrong. I was right! With pleasant aromas blending black pepper, dark cherries and hints of oak I couldn’t wait to try this. The

Willamette Wine Tasting

2010-09-12T00:20:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago I had a wonderful experience while visiting wineries in Oregon’s Willamette valley and while they were all good, the folks at Anne Amie provided a unique and special experience for me. I joined Thomas Houseman, Winemaker along with Andy Gribskov and Tammie Crawford both assistant winemakers in a tasting for some of their upcoming releases. Not knowing what

New Beverage Trends

2010-09-02T12:09:00.000-04:00

Benchmark Hospitality Releases Beverage TrendsHOUSTONBenchmark Hospitality International released its Top Ten Beverage Trends for 2010. The beverage trends were released in response to requests following the distribution of the company’s popular annual dining trends.“This is an exciting time for the beverage industry, with lots of positive changes occurring,” said Mary Watson-DeLauder, chief

Penascal Estate, Tempranillo-Shiraz $6

2010-08-12T14:52:00.000-04:00

Spain (Castilla y Leon) I must apologize for not having postings over the past few weeks. Life, work, travel and such has got in the way. Non-the-less, I’m back! It’s not often you think a six dollar bottle of wine is going to do anything for you but I’m never shy to give it try. Worst case is I use it for a London broil marinated if I don’t like it. Well this

Forefathers Shiraz ’05 $16

2010-06-28T01:31:00.010-04:00

McLaran Vale, South AustraliaI hadn’t heard of this wine and as many of my purchases are based on trying something within a reasonable price point, for most average wine drinkers, this one fit the bill. There are so many Shiraz wines available these days from different countries and regions. Given this scenario, I’m not sure on my thoughts yet for this varietal’s differences coming from these

Wine Quest

2010-06-07T17:04:00.018-04:00

I wanted to take a moment and share with you a event being held for a wonderful cause which I'll be attending. The Wine Quest Annual Wine Tasting & Auction, June 11-13 in Orlando, FL. I hope to have many new wines to share with all of you from this event which is dedicated to helping about 1,000 people per day in our community. Quest helps people with disabilities achieve their dreams of

Brancaia “TRE” 2005 $26

2010-05-18T15:29:00.004-04:00

Tuscany, Italy I generally don’t rush out to purchase wines listed as “tops” in any category, unless there appears to be something noteworthy and moderately priced. In this case it was the #10 wine in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list and being priced below $30, it was worthy of a trip to hunt down locally in one my wine stores. This is a nice blend of Sangiovese (80%), Merlot (10%) and Cabernet

Villa Mt. Eden, Cabernet Sauvignon ’05 $15

2010-05-10T23:20:00.009-04:00

Napa Valley, CA I bought this wine completely on the experience I had with the Villa Mt. Eden, ’05 Zinfandel (see March 2009). After trying the Zin and going back to buy up as much as I could afford, I felt not trying their Cab might leave me missing out. I recommend everyone try out something new from time to time and use whatever knowledge base you want including your own tasting experience

Little Vineyards, Syrah-Zinfandel '07 ($25)

2010-04-30T14:43:00.006-04:00

Sonoma, CAThis winery has proven to be one of my all time favorites! They just don’t fail at putting out some fantastic wines. Since my visit a little over a year ago, I’ve had a wonderful, full bodied, Cabernet Sauvignon, an incredible Zinfandel and now a blend of Syrah & Zinfandel. I’m not sure if it’s in the soil, the vines or just the passion from the team of great people at Little

Navarro Correas, Cabernet Sauvignon ’07 $10

2010-04-19T10:59:00.005-04:00

Argentina, Mendoza For an inexpensive bottle of Cab., I wasn’t let down. It started off with aromas of must and an earthy hint then followed by a toasted oak. A few subtle herbs and black olives on the nose brought out some interesting nuances as well. I’d give this a medium body classification with flavors exuding chocolate, plums and ripe blackberries. With jammy fruit flavors and mild

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Valeriano, 2005 $40

2010-03-18T22:15:00.008-04:00

Sonoma, CALast year I wrote about a Sangiovese from Jacuzzi Vineyards, which was a wonderful winery recommendation to visit in Sonoma. The property was beautiful and felt as if it was something out of modern day Tuscany. After trying more recognizable varietals, our tasting person recommended I try the Valeriano. So for those of you who know me, I needed to ask, “…what is it.” Well, it’s a

Layer Cake, Primitivo 2007 $17

2010-03-02T10:40:00.000-05:00

Puglia, ItalyI first tried this wine in a local Italian restaurant. I was so happy to see it was only double retail pricing vs. so many restaurants at 3 times retail. Therefore, I didn’t waste time to find the wine for my own home enjoyment. World Market had it for $16.99 on sale so I scooped up a few bottles.Without going into too much detail, Primitivo is the same grape as Zinfandel. So if

Excelsior, Shiraz 2006 $10

2010-01-29T14:08:00.007-05:00

South Africa This wine came to me as a sample after inquiring about a South African Chardonnay (Indaba). I had asked the importer what other South African wines were being brought to the US and they introduced me to Excelsior Shriaz. It may sound like an awkward way to get introduced to wines although I try to reach out to importers, wineries & distributors to tell me what’s new rather than

Mark Davidson, Cabernet/Merlot (NV) $14

2010-01-25T15:06:00.007-05:00

South Eastern AustraliaI first had this wine in a favorite restaurant of mine with a pecan crusted, baked snapper. Probably one of the most flavorful fish entrees I’ve ever had. The wine was on their “by-the-bottle” specials that night so I decided to try it. As the story goes for most of us once we find something we like…”where can I buy this?” Its always a challenge especially for those

Mac Murray Ranch, Pinot Noir $17

2010-01-24T23:23:00.005-05:00

Central Coast, CAI admit, I bought this wine after reading a Wine Spectator issue recommending it as a moderately priced and very good Pinot Noir. I honestly don’t follow up on all the notes I take from reading wine related magazines but I’m glad I did on this on.The aromas began with bright fruit, cherries and dried mushrooms followed by a hint of Fall-like wet leaves. Sounds like a lot going

Frick Winery “CAFÉ” Merlot, 2003 $10

2010-01-12T14:34:00.006-05:00

Sonoma, CAEven if you blind tasted this wine, you’d probably never guess it was a Merlot. I guess that’s a pretty bold statement for those of you who are pros at determining the wine's varietals (grapes) from just a taste. Is it still lingering from the days of the movie “Sideways” that Merlot has a bad reputation? I would hope not however, who am I to control that except to say that this $10

Montecillo Crianza 2005 $10

2009-12-18T14:02:00.004-05:00

Spain, RiojaI admit, I’m not that well versed on wines from Spain however I’m not shy to tell you about a deal that tastes great as well. This purchase was purely on an impulse buy when I saw a “buy-one, get-one free” sign over the display in a local grocery store. I’m not big on doing my wine shopping at the grocery store as the selection can be limited however dinner was being planned for

Tin Barn Vineyards Pinot Noir 2007 $34

2009-11-28T16:54:00.005-05:00

Sonoma, CA (Carneros)Thanksgiving has come and gone once again but not without enjoying family, good food (too much) and a great bottle of Pinot Noir. I know many of you have heard how good Pinot goes with turkey and this vintage was no exception as it especially went well with everything on the table. From the beginning aromas filled with an earthiness, smoke and woody sensation to the supple

Natura Syrah 2005 $11

2009-11-24T23:39:00.003-05:00

Valle Colchagua, ChileThis wine purchase was on a complete whim! Walking through the grocery store I saw the bottle display, which I had not recognized before. After a short read to the back of the bottle, the appealing price and the 2 ribeye steaks picked out from the butcher, this bottle was destined for dinner tonight.At first smell the aromas had a smoky-woody scent followed by plum and

Kanu, Chenin Blanc 2008 $10

2009-11-04T13:53:00.005-05:00

South AfricaI’m beginning to find more Chenin Blanc wines from South Africa which are quite nice. They’re obviously young and ready to drink now so don’t hesitate to open a bottle today. Throw out the old adage that whites are for summer only and try something like this in place of a cocktail before dinner or even with seafood. Hey, Oysters & Stone Crabs are in season now that waters are

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

2009-11-01T17:05:00.011-05:00

If you're able to make this annual event on a visit to Disney World’s EPCOT Center between late September and early November, you’ll find a vast selection of wines, beers, spirits and culinary delights from across the globe. I usually make it to a half or full day and this time I took notes to share here. We started mid-morning by trying some aged cheddar with brown bread from Ireland…no beer

Yarraman Estate “Hell Raiser” Cabernet/Merlot 2005 $10-$12

2009-10-08T22:23:00.009-04:00

South Eastern AustraliaI had the opportunity to enjoy this wine twice by the glass at a local restaurant before writing about it. The first time I was amongst friends and engaged in conversation so I didn’t pay close attention to the aromas and tastes yet I did recall it was very good. The second time was the other night when I really took note of this pleasant red blend of Cabernet and

Joseph Phelps, Le Mistral 2006 $35

2009-09-24T14:57:00.005-04:00

Monterey county, CAA few months ago I wrote about the 2005 Le Mistral. Granted it was the vintage I had on hand at the time, the 2006 was released this past March. After tasting the 2006 now, its safe to say this winery is producing once again a wonderful and consistent Rhone style wine for all to enjoy.With aromas of black cherry, toasted oak and a hint of pepper I thought immediately this was

Loma Larga, Quinteto 2006 ($21)

2009-09-08T23:23:00.004-04:00

Chile (Casablanca Valley)Without knowing anything about this wine, I relied on an owner of a small wine shop nearby to guide me on my purchase based on our discussions. He definitely wasn’t wrong in directing me to this wine and I urge all of you looking for something new to just ask for help. It’s my belief that most all wine store personnel really do enjoy helping people find something you’ll

Rombauer Zinfandel 2006 ($24-$29)

2009-08-25T14:39:00.006-04:00

Napa, CAThis bottle was given to me as a gift from a friend and co-worker. I had no idea of what to expect yet I was blown away at how wonderful this wine is! If you’re looking for an easy drinking, full flavor, smooth…smooth red wine, this is the one.On the nose it brought out black pepper and cedar. The tongue flavors were warm and full of ripe blackberries and cherry. A very mellow, well

Valserrano, Crianza 2005 ($14)

2009-08-12T14:47:00.002-04:00

Rioja, SpainOn a day I planned to do some wine buying of my favorites, I ran across a wine tasting in the store. Given my limited knowledge of wines from Spain I proceeded to taste a few the store was “pushing” that day. I’m a big fan of wine store tastings because how else would many of us ever get to try something new prior to a bottle purchase. I only make mention and share that the store

Sequillo White 2006 ($12 on sale)

2009-07-30T16:38:00.012-04:00

Swartland, South AfricaIn an effort to bring more white wines into my repertoire, I saw this wine mentioned in a local wine store’s online newsletter. It intrigued me that it was a white blend I had not yet experienced. In the style of a southern French white blend using 60% Chenin Blanc, 20% Granache Blanc, 10% Roussane and 10% Viognier my desire to try this became impatient before the sale

Heritage Des Caves des Papes, Cotes-Du-Rhone ($11)

2009-07-27T15:01:00.008-04:00

FranceIts not often a good bottle from France is moderately priced however this selection truly impressed me. I had no information on the wine prior to buying and the only insight was from one of the wine store’s associates feeling the same as I did…”for eleven bucks, its worth trying.”I can’t help but like various blends as mentioned in past postings and this one was quite nice complementing

Neu Direction, Malbec 2005 ($11)

2009-07-21T21:53:00.023-04:00

Mendoza, ArgentinaTo those of you following me, sorry it’s been a few weeks since my last posting. My “real” job took over but I haven’t forgotten you.It’s no surprise that most of us are looking to find more “value wines” in today’s economy. Well it’s not hard to find a match between reasonably priced bottles and good wine. By reasonably priced lets just say under $20.One of my recent

Let It Breath! ---------- VINTURI ($39)

2009-06-29T14:16:00.005-04:00

I was introduced to the Vinturi during a tasting in Sonoma. At first I didn’t know what the tasting room person was doing by pouring their red wine through this clear, funnel-bullet shaped thing. I was so focused on watching the wine flow through it while hearing this fizzy, gurgling sound that I didn’t pay attention to the explanation of what the device was supposed to do. It became clear

Veramonte, Sauvignon Blanc Reserva, 2008 ($10)

2009-06-23T15:34:00.005-04:00

ChileIt had been a few years since I tried a Sauvignon Blanc after mostly drinking reds for so long. In my efforts to engage in some more white wines this summer, this was recommended by a small wine shop owner. I was looking for something under $20 and not a Chardonnay.The bottle uses a screw cap but don’t let that fool you in this wine’s quality. I’ve been told (but not an expert) that screw

Dancing Coyote, Tango 2004 ($18)

2009-06-22T15:15:00.005-04:00

El Dorado, CAAfter receiving a gift certificate to a small wine store, which I hadn’t yet visited, we wanted to make the best of the certificate’s value and get 2 bottles. Tango was recommended by the store’s owner and after not having a wine from this region of California, it turned out to be very pleasing on the palette.The first smell from this red blend hinted of an earthy aroma (no, not

Joseph Phelps, Le Mistral 2005 ($35)

2009-06-11T14:52:00.005-04:00

Monterey county, CAI first tried this wine a few years ago at a somewhat high priced steakhouse. It was priced, as most restaurant wine prices are, at higher than retail yet I couldn’t complain as it was moderately priced (around $75), compared to everything else at well over $100. Upon the server’s recommendation and after asking for their choices in red blends, I decided to try it. At the

Indaba Chardonnay 2008 ($8)

2009-06-03T14:48:00.008-04:00

South AfricaAfter a brief stroll through one of my local wine shops, which I hadn’t visited in a few months, I was stuck on what to purchase. My desire was for something unknown to me yet leaning toward white varietals such as a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc in the $10 range. My recent postings have predominately been reds and with summer coming upon us I was feeling a bit guilty for not

Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Sangiovese, 2005 ($15)

2009-05-26T14:24:00.005-04:00

Sonoma, CAOn a recommendation from other Sonoma wineries, Jacuzzi Family Vineyards continued to be one that everyone said you must see. I must say the place was beautiful and felt as if the main building was right out of Tuscany…except with some modern day amenities. It was the first visit of the day so our taste buds weren’t shot yet. I noticed the Sangiovese bottles sitting on a table with

Goldschmidt Vineyards "Fidelity", 2006 ($9)

2009-05-25T23:38:00.006-04:00

Crazy Creek EstateAlexander Valley, CAOnce again I was walking the aisles at Sam’s Club looking for a wine I hadn’t tried, as I didn’t plan on buying wine during this visit. I saw this wine (Fidelity) and decided to read the label, which was informative enough to tell me that it was a red blend. If you’ve followed some of my other postings you’d know these are some of my favorite types of wines

Tiz Red, 2004 ($11)

2009-05-25T10:53:00.000-04:00

Santa Rosa, CA (Sonoma County)I’ve been drinking this red blend for just under a year now and it continues to impress me with consistency from the 2 vintage years I’ve tried (2003 & 2004). If you’re looking for an everyday, easy drinking red that’s got nothing to be ashamed of at $11, then give this one a try.With subtle aromas of strawberries and raspberries the taste followed through with

Preserve It!

2009-05-18T15:04:00.007-04:00

Not every posting needs to be about a new wine I've tried…right? I think some of the ways to serve wine, tools, gadgets, etc. are just as important to enjoy the overall experience. This one little bottle of “air” is probably one of the greatest things I’ve run across. I’ve been using it with great success and felt it was time to share some insight.Private Preserve is a combination of inert

Little Vineyards ’06 Zinfandel ($25)

2009-05-13T14:17:00.008-04:00

Sonoma, CARecommended by numerous people to visit this winery’s tasting room during my visit to Sonoma, I can't say enough about how great the reds were which I tasted.Rich & Joan Little along with Joan's brother Tom make the wine and manage the vineyards. They’ve all done a wonderful job of turning out some great varietals such as; Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and 2 blends to name a few

Torres Malena, Garnacha 2007 ($8)

2009-05-06T13:21:00.004-04:00

I picked this wine up at Sam’s Club just to give it try. At $7.99 I wasn’t overly worried should I not like it. Guess what? I went back and bought 4 more bottles. It surely taste more expensive than its price point but I’ve always been told not to let price influence your buying. You never know when a wine like this one will surprise you.With minimal aromas this wine still carried a hint of

Larson Family Winery

2009-05-05T08:53:00.008-04:00

After driving down a short bumpy road lined with humorous tree signs scattered throughout reading; “Caution Kamikaze Squirrels Ahead”, “You’re Almost There” and on the way out, “We already miss ya”; how could you not believe this is going to be a fun place to visit? Needless to say I wasn’t disappointed! From a warm welcome meeting Tom & Becky Larson (owners), Carolyn Craig (winemaker) and

Sonoma, CA

2009-04-27T14:47:00.010-04:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile and I apologize to those of you just beginning to visit here. I promise it will be more regular especially since I have so much to share from my recent visit to Sonoma, CA. To say it was unbelievable would be an understatement!I want to begin with the many different wineries I visited although first a big thank you to the Larson Family Winery who allowed me to

Stephen Vincent Crimson, 2006 ($11)

2009-04-13T20:46:00.008-04:00

Petaluma, CA (Sonoma)I can’t help to say that this wine was bought on a complete whim! In the store, it was in the same area of other red blends, which are my current favorites to try. I thought, why not try this one given its description and price point. I’ve been back to buy a lot more!“Crimson” is made in the style of a French Rhone blend, yet made in California. The aromas are pleasant

Blauer Zweigelt "St. Severin", 2005 ($16)

2009-04-08T16:08:00.012-04:00

Krems, AustriaWinzer Krems, Kremstal VineyardI first had a Zweigelt wine during a visit to Vienna. The grape’s original birthplace is in Austria and many say the varietal is close to a Pinot Noir.My story began, in 2007, while on a hunt for good homemade Wiener Schnitzel at a recommended Gasthaus, which is generally where you’ll find traditional dishes, homemade specials and a pleasant home-like

Columbia-Crest, Two Vines Merlot-Cabernet, 2005 ($7)

2009-03-30T22:43:00.003-04:00

Washington StateEarlier last year I had the “Two-Vines Vineyard 10" which I thought was very nice and an affordable red blend, so I decided to try the Merlot-Cabernet blend. For the price, I couldn't go wrong. Guess what, I’ve been back to snatch up more before the price heads north! I found it at my local Albertsons grocery store in Florida.Aromas of raspberries (maybe even strawberries) blend

Tormaresca Neprica, 2006 ($10)

2009-03-18T15:09:00.020-04:00

Puglia, ItalyI would have never thought to try this wine if it hadn’t been for attending the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. I met a distributor and emailed him after the event to ask if they had any other red blends that I should try. After finding this wine in my local grocery store Publix (FL), I was just happy to find it on the shelf, given the many wines people tell me about yet

Farallon Chardonnay, 2007 ($9)

2009-03-12T13:07:00.012-04:00

Woodbridge, CA (Central Coast)I honestly didn’t get a tip on this purchase other than seeing another shopper loading her basket with a few more bottles than the average vino drinker might buy. Now for those of you who know me, I wasn’t shy to ask “…what’s up with this wine and would you please leave one on the shelf for me to try?” She smiled, said it was very good and kind enough to leave me a

Mollydooker "The Boxer" Shiraz, 2006 (apx. $20)

2009-03-05T22:30:00.003-05:00

McLaren Vale, South AustraliaThis bottle was given to me by a friend - I'm guessing she bought it for the fun label and hopefully, also on a good recommendation from the store's wine expert. The label is fun and has a good story (see below) but I'm not into a cute label when searching out new wines. Mostly I'm interested in the quality tied to the price point. Even though I didn't buy this

Villa Mt. Eden Zinfandel, Fox Creek, 2002 ($13-15)

2009-03-04T23:04:00.002-05:00

St. Helena, CA (Napa)After being introduced to a new "wine guy" in one of my local liquor stores, which carry a nice selection of wines, I was becoming discouraged at everything he was showing me. $35 and up wasn't for me and usually isn't, as I prefer to keep my price point affordable under $20 (unless it's something I've tried and would like for a special occasion). Well, I credit him with

Red Guitar Tempranillo-Garnacha, 2006 (under $12)

2009-03-01T11:30:00.030-05:00

Navarra, SpainA friend gave me this bottle as a gift and I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, I was pleasantly surprised and really liked it! I would recommend this wine for those that primarily drink whites and interested in venturing to the "red" side. For those of you new to different varietals (grapes), Garnacha is the same as Grenache. It's most notable in French Southern Rhone blends such

14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005 ($12-$15)

2009-02-27T00:00:00.016-05:00

Washington StateSo here it is...my first posting for a wine I've been drinking for almost a year now. Please remember, I'm giving my own description of the wine when your tastes could find something different. It's ok since all of us don't taste and smell things identical. I always smell a wine before taking a taste. It's amazing how much better a wine tastes when you take in the aromas.