Surfrider Malibu Newton Canyon Red 2005
Posted on March 9, 2010 - Filed Under American Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, California Wine, Full Bodied Wines, Meritage, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $30, blended red wine | 1 Comment
Varietal: Meritage (Merlot; Cabernet Sauvignon; Petit Verdot)
Region: California – USA
Cost: $22
Deeply colored and full bodied. Blackberry, cassis, and jammy red fruit flavors pair well with a variety of foods such as lamb chops, chicken marsala, Osso Bucco, steaks, pork, BBQ, or day old meat loaf.
Recommendations: First of all, I want to clear something up. It’s [...]
Trefethen Double T 2006
Posted on March 8, 2010 - Filed Under American Wine, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, California Wine, Full Bodied Wines, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $30, blended red wine | 1 Comment
Varietal: Blended Red Wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec)
Region: Napa, California – USA
Cost: $25
Deep color on this “Bourdeaux Blend” with silky flavors of fruit. Excellent body that pairs well with most meats or with a group of friends.
Recommendations: Well, it’s official – the last bottle from my October trip to California is [...]
Marques de la Real Defensa Navarra 2006
Posted on March 3, 2010 - Filed Under Cabernet Sauvignon, Full Bodied Wines, Merlot, Red Wine, Spanish Wine, Tempranillo, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20, blended red wine | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Navarra (50% Tempranillo; 25% Merlot; 25% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Region: Spain
Cost: $11
Robust color with floral and fruit aromas. Flavors of ripe fruit that pair well with meat, pasta, or cheese.
Recommendations: I’ve become a huge fan of Spanish wines over the last few years, and so I never pass up the opportunity to enjoy one. I let [...]
Brazilio Red Wine 2006
Posted on February 25, 2010 - Filed Under Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, Full Bodied Wines, Red Wine, South American Wine, Syrah, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $10, Wine's Under $20, blended red wine | Leave a Comment
Varietal: 50% Syrah; 50% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Brazil
Cost: $10
Ruby red color with aromas of crushed fruit and smoke. Smoke flavors carries through to the palate with a subtle yet robust finish. Pairs well with meats, pastas, and roasted chicken.
Recommendations: I’d never had a wine from Brazil, so I was instantly interested in this wine when I [...]
Santa Cristina Sangiovese 2007
Posted on February 17, 2010 - Filed Under Dry Wines, Italian Wine, Merlot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20, blended red wine, sangiovese | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Sangiovese (90% Sangiovese; 10% Merlot)
Region: Italy
Cost: $14
Ruby red with hints of purple color featuring aromas of ripe fruit with floral hints. Fruit on the palate with soft tannins on the finish. Pairs well with meat, roast beef, white meat, or medium-aged cheeses.
Recommendations: If you haven’t figured it out by now, I’m a fan of [...]
Root:1 Carmenere 2007
Posted on February 16, 2010 - Filed Under Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chilean Wine, Dry Wines, Full Bodied Wines, Red Wine, South American Wine, Syrah, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20, blended red wine | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Carmenere (75% Carmenere; 15% Cabernet Sauvignon; 10% Syrah)
Region: Chile
Cost: $13
Deep red in color with gentle and silky tannins and rich flavors of ripe plum, blackberry, vanilla and spice. Pair with pasta, grilled meats, spicy entrees, eggplant, or bell peppers.
Recommendations: I’ve been a fan of Root:1 wines for a while, regularly keeping their Sauvignon Blanc [...]
Vignali Roccamora ‘Carlo Alfano’ Nero d’Avola Merlot
Posted on January 22, 2010 - Filed Under Dry Wines, Italian Wine, Merlot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20, Wine's Under $30, blended red wine, nero d'avola, red table wine | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Blended Red Wine (50% Nero d’Avola; 50% Merlot)
Region: Italy – Sicily
Cost: $14
Intense red colors with hints of purple featuring aromas of cherry, sweet spices and tobacco with balanced tannins on the palate. Pairs well with pasta with meat sauce, braised beef, juicy steak.
Recommendations: When this wine showed up for me I instantly started thinking [...]
Big House Red 2008
Posted on January 21, 2010 - Filed Under American Wine, California Wine, Grenache, Medium Bodied Wines, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, Red Wine, Syrah, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $10, blended red wine, red table wine, sangiovese, tannat, zinfandel | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Blended Red (Sangiovese, Syrah, Carignan, Barbera, Zinfandel, Mourvedre, Montepulciano, Petit Verdot, Tannat, Aglianico, Petite Sirah, Nero d’Avola, Grenache)
Region: California – USA
Cost: $7 – $10
Cherry, raspberry, blueberry, cassis, and chocolate flavors all blend together. Pair this wine with chicken, ground beef, pizza.
Recommendations: I’ll be the first to admit, my wife and I first paid attention [...]
Little Chica Tempranillo Garnacha
Posted on January 6, 2010 - Filed Under Medium Bodied Wines, Red Wine, Spanish Wine, Tempranillo, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20, blended red wine, garnacha, red table wine | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Tempranillo (55%); Garnacha (45%)
Region: Spain
Cost: $12
Dark purple wine with flavors of blackberry and fresh crushed fruit. Medium bodied wine that pairs well with chicken, pork, red meat, or by itself.
Recommendations: Still drinking while entertaining my brother-in-law and his wife, we opened up this blended Spanish red. Dark purple in the glass with a bit [...]
Middle Sister Rebel Red
Posted on January 4, 2010 - Filed Under American Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, California Wine, Medium Bodied Wines, Merlot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $10, blended red wine, red table wine, wine advice | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Blended Red Wine (Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)
Region: California – USA
Cost: $8 – $10
Dark coloring with forward flavors of fruit and cherry with a smooth finish. Pairs well with chicken, pork, and sharp cheeses.
Recommendations: I picked up this wine with a pretty good idea of what to expect, and not necessarily in a negative way. [...]
