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 [...]
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 [...]
Jacuzzi Sangiovese
Posted on January 13, 2010 - Filed Under American Wine, California Wine, Medium Bodied Wines, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $30, sangiovese | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Sangiovese
Region: California – Sonoma Valley – USA
Cost: $22
Bright raspberry, cherry, and pepper flavors with a deep red color. Light and smooth on the palate, pairs well with grilled chicken, red meat, seasoned pork.
Recommendations: Sangiovese will always hold a special place in my heart as Chianti was the first red wine that I ever truly [...]
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Sauvignon Blanc
Posted on January 11, 2010 - Filed Under American Wine, California Wine, Light Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20 | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Region: California – USA
Cost: $11
Light color with aromas of citrus that are also found on the palate. Refreshing and crisp, pairs well with seasoned white meat, creamy dishes, cheese, or by itself.
Recommendations: I’d picked up this bottle a while back with an idea of what I would be pairing it with – leftovers [...]
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. [...]
Tisdale Merlot
Posted on December 14, 2009 - Filed Under American Wine, California Wine, Medium Bodied Wines, Merlot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $10 | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Merlot
Region: California – USA
Cost: $5 – $8
Dark red color with flavors of black cherry and spice on the finish. Pair with steak, pork, or chocolate.
Recommendations: I’m not really a fan of Merlot. Before the merlot-loving hate-mail starts rolling in, let me quantify that. I am a strong proponent of the belief that price doesn’t [...]
Potato Lasagna
Posted on December 7, 2009 - Filed Under California Wine, Food Recipes | 1 Comment
I’ve had a lot of people ask me for the recipe that I referenced in my review of the Peju Provence. So, while I do appreciate all of the emails asking for it, here’s the recipe for Potato Lasagna.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
7 medium red potatoes, sliced 1/4 [...]
Chateau St Jean Chardonnay
Posted on December 4, 2009 - Filed Under American Wine, California Wine, Chardonnay, French Oak Whites, Medium Bodied Wines, White Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20 | Leave a Comment
Varietal: Chardonnay
Region: California – Sonoma County – USA
Cost: $14
Aromas of stone fruit with flavors of pear and sweet melon with a clean finish. Pair with seafood or chicken.
Recommendations: Having set long enough in my wine fridge since coming back from California with my wife and I, this bottle of Chardonnay was finally opened this week [...]
Kenwood Vineyards Pinot Noir
Posted on December 1, 2009 - Filed Under American Wine, California Wine, Light Wines, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Wine Reviews, Wine's Under $20 | 1 Comment
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Region: California – Russian River Valley – USA
Cost: $15 – $20
Aromas of cherry and red currant lead into a light, smooth wine with excellent acid and very subtle tannins. Pair with pork, chicken, lamb, or salmon.
Recommendations: I had picked out several bottles of Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving, but this is the bottle that [...]
