I don’t know about you but the Guru and I often spend weekend nights hanging out with friends, playing games, talking about life and typically drinking wine. We have over the years tried a variety of methods of transport for our wine: fabric wine bags from vineyards and the grocery store, holding in my lap during the drive, rolling about on the floor boards, etc. A few weekends ago when going to a friends house for game night I got to try out my newest method the Bella Vita Wine Bag (in Blossom).

Bella Vita Wine Bag in Blossom

Bella Vita wine bag side view

This is a great little bag Continue Reading »

Tags: accessories, Bella Vita, girls night, leather, purse, shoes, wine, wine bag, Wine bottle stopper, wine charms

Varietal:  Petite Sirah
Region:  Clarksburg & Lodi, CA – USA
Cost:  $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Showcasing trademark characteristics, the wine is impressively inky, dark, and luscious in the glass. Supple fruits, including wild blackberry and Oregon blueberry, are distinct both in the aromatics and on first sip. Concentrated and rich, savory notes of toasty oak combine with mocha and hints of salted caramel. The finish, firm and full bodied, lingers and lasts as only Petite Sirah can. Try this unique wine with rich meat dishes of lamb, pork, or game and their heart sauces.

My Review:  A funny thing happened some weeks back when I received a box with several bottles of Bogle Vineyards wine in it – just days earlier I had been at the store and, when deciding to pick out a nice budget red, I grabbed a bottle of 2011 Bogle Vineyards Petite Sirah, only to have a bottle show up at my door not three days later. Apparently it was meant to be.

In the glass the wine was nothing if not an inky purple, and on the nose I picked up dark fruit notes, most notably blackberry – I don’t know the difference between a regular blueberry and an Oregon blueberry, but either way, it wasn’t there for me. In the mouth the wine showed notes of oak and salted caramel mixed in with soft berry notes.

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Tags: blackberry, blueberry, budget wines, oregon blueberry, salted caramel, value wines

Varietal:  100% Brachetto
Region:  Piedmont, Italy
Cost:  $21 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  Festive cranberry in color with a haunting, aromatic bouquet with hints of raspberries, strawberries, and rose petals. A fresh raspberry taste, with crisp acidity, enticing the palate with an initial softness, graduating to a round and clean and dry finish. A unique and festive sparkling wine and a seductive aperitif. Pairs well with seafood, chesses, spicy fare, and chocolate. Serve chilled.

My Review:  This wine showed up at my house a few weeks back rather unexpectedly. I’ve had Banfi wines in the past, and I’ve always kept a soft spot in my heart for Italian wines, but I’ll admit that when this wine showed up with some chocolate in tow, I was caught a little off guard and not quite sure what to do as I don’t typically go for pairing wines with desserts (not that I don’t believe the pairings aren’t there, just not something we usually do in my house).

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, we decided to open up the wine to have with our dinner. We quickly realized our mistake, given the meal we were having (a pasta dish with chicken, shrimp, and a creamy gratinata sauce). Given my unfamiliarity with the grape, and since I hadn’t tracked down any tasting notes (none were sent with the wine), I was unaware of the fact that this wine was on the sweeter side.      Continue Reading »

Tags: brachetto, dessert wines, Piedmont, raspberry, sweet wines

Varietal:  50% Malbec; 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:  Colchagua Valley, Chile
Cost:  $15 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  On their own, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvingon shine, but when paired up, these two classic varieties complement each other perfectly. It’s a sensational double-bill:  smooth, velvety texture from the Malbec with wonderful richness, structure, and fruit from the Cabernet. Part Malbec, part Cabernet, adding up to a wine that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

My Review:  It’s no secret that I have a fondness for wines from south of the equator. It’s not that I don’t like wines from my home of Virginia, or from the rest of the US and Europe for that matter, simply that I’ve had a good record of finding good quality wines at great values when I head south (in the store…never been there in person unfortunately). So, when a pair of wines from Chile showed up a few weeks back I was, admittedly, happy to try them. You can check out my review of the Montes Syrah Rose’ to see how the first one went.

For the 2012 Montes Twins I knew something heartier was going to be needed for pairing, which is why when my wife and I decided to make beef stew for dinner one day (it’s been a bit cold here in Virginia lately), I knew exactly what I wanted to open and pair with it.

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Tags: coffee, colchuaga valley, dark fruit, mocha, value wines

Varietal:  Pinot Noir
Region:  Russian River Valley, CA – USA
Cost:  $50

Winemaker’s Notes:  Our best expression of a full-bodied Pinot Noir. Lush fruits of cherry, blackberry, and sweet raspberry end with a long, smooth, and sensual finish.

My Review:  So a few months back I helped Underground Cellar run a contest to give away $50 to use on their site. Wanting to try it out, I decided to pick out an offer on their site that looked good. For those that haven’t checked out the site, you purchase an offer, mine was $28 dollars, and you can receive one of several wines, which range in price from what you paid to much more. In my case, I received a bottle that was $50, making my investment a great value.

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Tags: 2009 vintage, blackberry, cherry, raspberry, reserve wines

Varietal:  Cabernet Sauvignon
Region:  Lodi, Clarksburg, Sonoma, CA – USA
Cost:  $11 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes:  A classic example of the varietal, Bogle’s Cabernet is crafted with notes of tea and tobacco leaf on the nose. Plump, red cherries and black currants round out the mid palate, with supple eart tones balancing the fruit. Spicy American oak offers clove and pipe tobacco on the finish, with chalky tannins and a sturdy and satisfying structure. This wine is enjoyable now, but can be cellared for 6-9 years. Pair with a variety of meat dishes, rich sauces, or aged cheeses. Try a ribeye with blue cheese butter.

My Review:  Ah the budget California Cab. Often something that I’ve avoided because of my general distaste for big, overly fruity wines, AKA, the fruit bomb. That’s not to say I dislike fruit in my wine, only that I like something a bit more as well. Fortunately, Bogle has managed to create a Cabernet that’s budget friendly while avoiding the fruit bomb label.

On the nose I picked up tea leaves more than tobacco, and the cherry was more prominent for me than the black currant, but I may just be more sensitive to that flavor. I did, however, enjoy the bit of earthiness and pipe tobacco (especially since I enjoy a pipe from time to time) that I found towards the end of the wine.

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Tags: budget wines, pipe tobacco, tea leaves, tobacco, value wines