The Good Wine Guru » Dry Wines

Ruta 22 Malbec 2010

George — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:00:19 +0000

Varietal: 100% Malbec
Region: Patagonia, Argentina
Cost: $13 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: A deep ruby-colored wine with rich, smooth blackberry flavors and vanilla aromas. Pairs well with red meats, cheeses, and pastas.

My Review: I’ve been a fan of Malbec for some time now, I’ve found it to be, on the whole, a nice inexpensive alternative to numerous other budget wines where you can get far better quality than your dollar would lead you to believe, especially coming out of South America, and it tends to pair well with the foods I like to eat. Because of that, I was pleased to receive a bottle of Malbec as a sample right at the end of the year, and my wife and I finally decided to pop the cork and give it a try last night.

When I usually think of budget Malbec I think of wines with good fruit notes, maybe a bit fruit forward, but with dark notes and some body that can hold up to bolder meals. The 2010 Ruta 22 Malbec exhibited most of those things, but it wasn’t nearly as fruit forward as I was expecting, and that’s not a complaint at all.

As I was pouring the wine into a decanter (my wife and I received a custom etched decanter from my wife’s brother for Christmas and have found ourselves using it for just about every bottle of red we open lately) I noticed a lot of purple notes slashing through the deep red of the wine. On the nose I got a bit of alcohol at first, in no small part because of the 14.5% alcohol content, but that eventually gave way to blackberry notes and a touch of spice.

In the mouth the wine had tons of fruit, but instead of being “fruit forward” there was a nice dryness to the finish that I wasn’t expecting but appreciated. Paired with some pasta with red sauce and meatballs it wasn’t terrible, but my wife and I suspect that it would have paired better had we not thrown crushed red pepper into the sauce. That being said, when sipping on the wine after we’d finished eating it was a nice easy sipping wine with a bit more character than your usual budget Malbec.

If you want to give this wine a try and can’t find it at your local store, just follow this link and you can have it shipped directly to you.

Steininger Gruner Veltliner Grand Cru Kamptal Reserve 2009

George — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:00:14 +0000

Varietal: 100% Gruner Veltliner
Region: Austria
Cost: $24.50

My Review: I had picked up this wine last month to open up on Thanksgiving at my parents’ house, and while it made the trip up there, in the confusion of a dozen or so people drinking and talking and having fun, it just never got opened. Oh well, just meant I had to bring it back home with me and drink another time – which just happened to be last night.

As you’ll recall back in August I had an end of summer party featuring a case of white wine, among which was a bottle of Gruner Veltliner that I quite enjoyed. Because of that I had rather high hopes for the 2009 Steininger which, unfortunately, it just didn’t quite meet.

Now, that’s not to say that the wine was bad, because it wasn’t. It was a nice golden color in the glass and I got dry aromas of some apple and a little spice that carried through to a rather dry and round mouth feel that wasn’t unenjoyable and paired quite well with a dinner of salmon and mashed potatoes. That being said, I just didn’t like it as much.

Maybe I didn’t think it was quite worth the cost, or maybe I enjoyed the bit of effervescence on the one I’d had in August that I just never quite got on this bottle. Whatever it was, while I’d hesitate to call the wine bad, I just wasn’t blown away by it.

The problem I run into here is that my limited amount of experience with Gruner Veltliner has me unsure about which of the two I’ve had is more indicative of the grape. I kind of hope it’s the former because I’d like to try more Gruner in the future, especially once summer comes back around. Definitely give it a try if somebody already has a bottle open, but I don’t know that I’d say rush out and buy it either.

Thanksgiving 2011 Wine Selection

George — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:00:59 +0000

There are a lot of different wine sites out there giving suggestions on what you should be pouring during your Thanksgiving festivities. Since, however, it’s been fairly well established what varietals go well with the traditional Thanksgiving feast, I thought I would change it up and let you know what I’m pouring at dinner, or rather, what I’m taking up to my parents house to pour for the army-sized feast my mother will be cooking.

2009 Coastal Vines Pinot Noir – Sonoma, CA – $10

I picked up a pair of these at my local Richmond wine shop since it would have been irresponsible of me to not show up with some Pinot Noir. While there are plenty of wine sites that will be recommending $30 and $40 bottles, I don’t see the reason to break the bank when there are perfectly serviceable bottles under $20. I’ve never had this one before, so it will be interesting to try it out on Thursday.

2010 Ponga Pinot Noir – New Zealand – $14

I’ve had other Ponga varietals before (namely Sauvignon Blanc), so I’m holding out high hopes for this being a good value wine that over-performs for the price.

2010 Alamos Torrontes – Argentina – $13 (SRP) *

Much like the Ponga, I’ve had other wines from Alamos, so I’ll be interested to try this one. For those unfamiliar with Torrontes, the best approximation I can give, and the comparison I usually use, is Viognier. Given that I live in Virginia, and that I’m not bringing any Viognier myself (sorry VA Wine Marketing Board), it seems appropriate to bring something similar.

2009 Steininger Gruner Veltliner – Austria – $25

A few months back I received a case of summer white wines to try out, and of those my favorite was a Gruner Veltliner. I found it to be light, minerally, and refreshing. Since Gewurztraminer is a popular choice for Thanksgiving, I wanted to mix it up and try something a bit different though similar. As I’ve only had one Gruner (that I remember), I’ll be interested to see if this one is as enjoyable to me as the other one.

Freixenet Cordon Rosado – Spain – $12 (SRP) *

Rose’ in general has been finding its way more and more into my wine selection, as have sparkling wines. It’s only natural that they should combine. A blend of Trepat and Garnacha grapes, this wine will probably be a good selection before and during the dinner. I may use this bottle as a way to entice my parent’s neighbors that pretty much only drink bubbles to come over for a drink at some point in the evening.

2011 Christmas at Biltmore – California – $12 (SRP) *

This one will most likely get brought out for dessert, as one of the suggested pairings is pumpkin pie. A blend of Gewurztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Chenin Blanc, and Riesling, this wine has 4% residual sugar, so it’s definitely going to need something to either cut or compliment the sweetness.

2008 Foris Gewurztraminer – Oregon – $15

Since I was grabbing some Pinot Noir to bring, I of course had to bring some Gewurztraminer as well. I’m always a bit gun-shy around this particular grape, so I had my guy at my local wine shop show me to his driest Gewurztraminer. Hoping that this will go well with the feast my mom puts out.

Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut – Spain – $18 (SRP) *

A blend of Pinot Noir and Trepat (85%/15%), it will probably be a coin flip to see if this or the other sparkling rose’ makes it to the dinner table and which one gets opened up early for cocktails before dinner. I’m leaning towards dinner with this one though.

2009 Montinore Estate Reserve Pinot Noir – Oregon – $21

My wife and I actually bought half a case of this wine thanks to enjoying a glass of it so much at our local Flemings while there for happy hour. Since it’s rude to not share, I grabbed a bottle of this to throw into the selection that we’re taking up to Norther Virginia with us.

Hopefully you’ll all enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner and I hope you all have a safe Thanksgiving and have safe travels. If you feel like sharing what you’re pouring I’d certainly be interested to hear it.

Wines marked with a (*) were received as samples.

Saying Goodbye to Summer

George — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 14:00:02 +0000

Well, the end of summer isn’t that far away, so when I was recently sent a mixed case of summer white wines, it seemed a shame to sit on them and try to go through them each individually as I would have quickly run out of summer by the time I was able to get to them all. With that in mind I invited some friends over, opened up all the wines, and tasted them all at once, because let’s be honest, that’s what summer’s really all about. Here’s what I thought.

The first one I tasted was the 2010 La Fiera Pinot Grigio (SRP $8). I got mostly apples on both the nose and the palate with a nice lingering finish with just the right amount of acid. There was a slight hint of sweetness to my palate, but for being the first one I tried, it was a good start and it’s a good value for these kinds of parties.

Next up were two from Tiamo. First was the Tiamo Prosecco (SRP $15) which had a hint of citrus on the nose with medium sized bubbles and a slight bit of yeast on the palate and a mix of crisp fruit. This was definitely not a super-dry Prosecco and it was quickly consumed by my friends.

The other was the 2010 Tiamo Pinot Grigio (SRP $12) which I found to have some citrus on the nose and apple and lime in the mouth. It was nice and crisp with just a hint of effervescence to me, a trait I find I enjoy this time of year.

From Argentina I had some Santa Julia wines, starting with the 2010 Santa Julia Pinot Grigio (SRP $10), which had notes of tropical fruit and banana, which I think added a hint of sweetness on the finish of the wine.

Next was the 2010 Santa Julia Innovacion Torrontes Pinot Grigio (SRP $11). This was actually a 1L bottle and is a Whole Foods Exclusive “Summer Top 10 Wine” and was certainly one I was interested to try given my growing enjoyment of Torrontes. I got notes of orange peel on the nose and floral notes in the mouth with a slight almost petrol note. For the price this is a good value and an interesting combination (90% Torrontes/10% Pinot Grigio) that I think I’d like to see more of.

Finally from Santa Julia was the 2011 Santa Julia Organica Chardonnay (SRP $11), which is made from 100% organically grown Chardonnay grapes. On the nose I got green apple and pineapple, with the pineapple carrying through to the palate. There was a nice finish to it that was at once both crisp and long tasting. This is a stainless steel wine for those that have an aversion to oaked Chardonnay (you know who you are).

The first of three Rieslings that I had was the 2009 Dr. H. Thanisch Riesling Classic (SRP $18) which had a nice minerality with peaches, grapefruit, and a nice crisp, dry finish. There was a subtle sweetness to this one, which at least to my palate was the driest of the three and one I’d be interested to pair with some spicy Thai food.

Next was the 2009 Heinz Eifel “Shine” Riesling (SRP $10) which was slightly sweeter than the previous Riesling and had flavors of green apple. I could still probably drink this one with the right meal, but again I’d want some kind of spicy Asian cuisine to go with it and cut through the sweetness.

The final Riesling was the 2010 Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling (SRP $12). With an aroma of apple and honeysuckle, petrol, and some minerality in the mouth it was also the sweetest of the Rieslings and featured a lemon/sour note that wasn’t off-putting, but neither was it great.

Up next was the 2010 Biohof Pratsch Gruner Veltliner (SRP $14). This was probably my favorite wine of the night and is a great value considering the bottle was 1L. Made from organic grapes, there was apple on the nose and a fresh, tangy dry minerality in the mouth with just a touch of white pepper. I kept going back to this one all night and was sad to see it gone.

The 2010 Fire Road Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $12) was one I had actually seen in stores a few times but never picked up. Might have to now. Aromas of gooseberry an herbal note were nice, but on the palate I was really intrigued with this wine that was nice a dry with flavors of stone fruit and what was debated as being either nettles, tomato vines, or just “green”. Either way, I really liked this one.

The final wine of the night was the 2010 Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $16). Like the Fire Road, it was from New Zealand, and like the previous bottle it featured similar aromas with some grapefruit coming into the mix and some of the nettle/tomato vine/green. A touch of a mineral note on the palate was welcome as well.

All in all this was a great selection of wines. The Rieslings weren’t terrible, even though when I first received the wines I’ll admit I cringed at the sight of three German Rieslings – my memories of growing up in Germany tasting sickly sweet German Rieslings are hard to get over.

I really enjoyed the Gruner Veltliner, this being my first real experience with it, and the two New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs had intriguing aromas and flavors that make me want to see if this is something about that particular vintage in the region or just something those winemakers were doing.

There’s not a single one of these wines that I would tell somebody to avoid like the plague, but if I had to pick one to buy it would be the Gruner Veltliner with the two Sauvignon Blancs closely following.

FlipFlop Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

George — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:00:06 +0000

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: California – USA
Cost: $7 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Black pepper notes and berry aromas for this full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with blackberry fruit, dark cherries, and a long, lingering finish. Pairs well with New York strip steak, spinach ravioli, or Portobello mushrooms.

My Review: This one has been sitting in my rack for a while, and I’m regretting that I took so long to get to it. When I see an inexpensive California Cabernet come my way, I have certain expectations – fruit forward, medium-bodied, and not too dry. With FlipFlop Wines having sent me several samples, I knew they were making nice, approachable wines, but nothing that was going to change the way you looked at a particular grape, which is perfectly fine. Opening up the bottle of 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon didn’t change my outlook on the grape, but it may have changed my outlook on inexpensive California Cabernet.

For one, the wine was darker in the glass than I was expecting, with not much light actually making its way through. On the nose I got the black pepper and berry aromas that were advertised, but they seemed more robust than in your usual sub-$10 California Cab, and I wasn’t overwhelmed with an alcohol aroma either.

In my mouth the wine was nothing like I was expecting. Where I was expecting a fruit-forward wine with not much body, I got a fairly dry, fuller-bodied wine that still had berry flavors, but berry that had some character to it, thanks in part to the dark cherry. I took the advice of the bottle and paired it with a New York strip off the grill and I’m glad I did – this was a better than average steak wine. It may be the best value steak wine I’ve ever had.

As I’ve said, this wasn’t the first bottle of FlipFlop wine that I’ve had, but this may actually be the first one that totally surprised me. I’ve had my issues with California Cabernet in the past, but it’s wines like this that are making me look forward to my trip out to San Francisco next month – wines that defy expectations.

If you want to give the 2009 FlipFlop Cabernet Sauvignon a try and can’t find it in your local store, follow this link and you can order it directly from them.

Alex Elman Malbec 2009

George — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 16:00:38 +0000

Varietal: 100% Malbec
Region: Argentina – Mendoza
Cost: $11

Winemaker’s Notes: This unoaked, delicious, cozy, well-balanced Malbec is ruby in color and texture. Notes of cherry, candied apple and caramelized onion mingled with great tannins to make this a perfect wine for hearty stews, smoky mushrooms, spicy sauces, sausages, tomato based pastas and steaks.

My Review: You may (or may not) remember that a few months ago I reviewed the 2010 Alex Elman Torrontes and that I enjoyed it overall, but that it wasn’t what I was expecting based on my experiences with Torrontes. Had I kept that in mind I probably would have been less surprised by the 2009 Alex Elman Malbec.

While I had received both the Alex Elman Torrontes and Malbec at the same time, it took me a while to get around to the Malbec, partly because I was waiting for more regularly warm weather to give it a chance at pairing it with some BBQ.

In the glass the wine was a deep red color and on the nose I got some bright cherry notes that I would expect from a Malbec; in the mouth, however, the wine was fairly different than I was expecting.

Maybe it’s just the Malbec’s that I’ve gotten used to, but this wine was much dryer than I was expecting, with none of the juiciness that I was anticipating and hoping to pair with some grilled chicken basted with BBQ sauce. While I got the typical flavors of a Malbec, cherry in particular, the wine was dry with good tannins on the finish and honestly made me feel like I was drinking a cabernet sauvignon instead of a Malbec.

That being said, my only complaint with this wine was my own fault in that I paired it with BBQ chicken instead of a steak or some pasta which I think would have been a better pairing with this particular wine.

If you want to try a Malbec that’s different than others you’ve probably tried, the 2009 Alex Elman Malbec is a good value and Alex’s story is certainly interesting if nothing else. If you can’t find the wine at your local store you can follow this link and have it shipped to you directly.

A Memorial Day Weekend Trip to VA Wine Country

George — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 15:00:40 +0000

I hope everybody had a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend filled with friends, family, cookouts, and good wine. On Saturday my wife and I decided to jump on the Virginia Wine Trail and hit a few vineyards – some we had been to before and others we hadn’t visited yet. Four vineyards, several bottles, and a wine club membership later and we lived to tell the tale, and now I get to share it with you.

White Hall Vineyards

A shot from outside White Hall Vineyards

We started out our tasting at White Hall, partly because of the area we were looking to go tasting in, they were the first one open, but also because I we hadn’t actually been out to the tasting room in many years. On the Saturday morning we stopped in they were pouring 9 different wines and my wife and I were happy to sample them all.

We started out with two Chardonnays, the 2008 Chardonnay ($15) and the 2008 Chardonnay Reserve ($24). The stainless steel Chardonnay featured all the usual citrus and pear notes I would have expected, but had a smoother finish than I anticipated, though certainly not “oaky”. The 2008 Reserve featured a bit of oaky nuttiness on the nose and while it had the “oaked” finish I would expect, it was subtle and even my wife, who doesn’t usually care for oaked Chardonnay, preferred it to the stainless steel.

Next up was the 2009 Viognier ($17) which offered a good floral nose with rose and honeysuckle in the mouth with just a hint of sweetness on the finish. This is a great summer wine and my wife and I did actually bring a bottle of it home with us. Following the Viognier was the 2008 Pinot Gris ($17) which didn’t have much nose to it but was a nice dry wine with a good minerality on the finish. Our final white was the 2008 Petit Manseng ($16) which like the Viognier had a floral nose with tropical notes in the mouth. The best way to describe this wine is as a less floral and more sweet Viognier. A good dessert wine though.

Moving on to the reds. We started with the 2008 Merlot ($15) which had a smoky nose but was lighter in the palate with raspberry flavors. I really enjoyed this one and we made sure to grab a bottle to bring home. Following that was the 2009 Touriga ($18) with a jammy nose and soft tannins. The 2008 Petit Verdot ($20) was a stand-out for me. It was a dark reddish-purple in the glass with smoke and pepper on the nose that carried through to the palate to mix with raspberry and a nice soft tannic finish. This was arguably my favorite wine of the tasting and we made sure to grab a bottle to bring home.

We finished up the tasting with the 2007 Soliterre ($17), a dessert wine with floral and apricot notes on the nose and candied fruit on the palate. With 6% residual sugar you had better make sure to pair it with something, but I will say that had I not known how much residual sugar was in the wine I might have guessed less as it certainly wasn’t syrupy.

Our tasting complete and some wines purchased we moved on to our next stop.

Mountfair Vineyards

The entrance to the Mountfair tasting room

I’d be lying if I didn’t mention that Mountfair was a big reason we headed out to do some wine tasting. Everybody in Virginia that’s been there has nothing but good things to say about it, and what’s not to love about a vineyard that specializes in small-batch red wines?

We started off our tasting with a few sparkling wines from Thibaut-Janisson, the Blanc de Chardonnay and the Virginia FIZZ. Mountfair sells these wines for them as they don’t have their own tasting room. They were both enjoyable, one a champagne style and the other a prosecco style.

As for the actual Mountfair wines, we started off with the 2009 Merlot ($20) which is a blend of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. With a peppery nose I expected more of it in the palate, but the Merlot does a good job of smoothing it out and makes this a great wine for just sipping on. We grabbed a bottle of this as well, bringing our Merlot total up to 2 in as many vineyards. Next was the other of their single varietals, the 2009 Cabernet Franc ($20) which is the opposite of the Merlot at 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot. The wine was heavier in the mouth than I expected with a subtle pepper and smoke finish with good cherry notes leading the way in. We didn’t buy this one, but mostly because it lost the coin toss against the Merlot.

Next was the 2008 Indigenous ($25) a blend of 50/50 Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc with a velvety pepper nose and a tart finish that I attributed to the Cabernet Franc. Finally we sampled the 2009 Engagement ($25) a blend of 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a great wine for grilled food with a lot of the Cabernet Franc notes coming through, but with more body thanks to the Petite Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

I really enjoyed Mountfair and before we left my wife and I even signed up for their wine club so that we’ll get shipments of their wine as their released. If you visit Mountfair or have at least tasted their wines I certainly recommend it as it’s a great value and a good way to get their signature wine, the Wooloomooloo, which pretty much sells out as soon as it’s released.

Pollak Vineyards

Inside the Pollak tasting room

My wife and I had visited Pollak a few years back just after they opened their new tasting room (which is beautiful and has a patio and deck area perfect for a picnic lunch), but wanted to head back now that the new vintages were out, especially since I enjoyed what of them I was able to taste back in February at the Virginia Wine Expo. We started out with the 2009 Chardonnay ($19) which had a creamy nose with citrus and vanilla notes on the palate and a soft, light oak hint on the finish.

Next was the 2010 Viognier ($20) with a nose of honey and peach and floral notes on the palate. This was a light wine that will be good on a hot day. Next was the 2010 Pinot Gris ($18) which was so light in the glass as to be nearly clear. This was a medium dry wine and the only thing I can really say about it is that it was so-so, and nothing to get too excited about. Next was the 2009 Durant White ($16) a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 30% Viognier, and 10% Pinot Gris. With a subtle floral nose and good tropical flavors this was easily my favorite white of the tasting and the only reason I didn’t grab a bottle to bring home is that I already have one.

Moving on to the reds we started with the 2009 Durant Red ($12) which is a 50/50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Light red in the glass with pepper and a “meaty”, smoky aroma and a tart finish this is a good value wine, especially for those big cookouts that come up this time of year. Our next wine was the 2008 Cabernet Franc ($20) with a nose of pepper and generic red fruit with cherry on the palate.

Next was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon ($24) with a nose full of dark fruit and a juicy palate with soft tannins on the finish. This wine is just begging for a grilled steak and I bought a bottle to take home for just that reason. Our final sample was the 2008 Meritage ($25) a blend of 44% Cabernet Franc, 43% Merlot, and 13% Petit Verdot that has a lot of dark fruit on both the nose and the palate with a nice smooth finish. It’s very “petit verdot-y” (according to my notes) and another great steak wine that we only didn’t buy because we decided to go with the Cab Sauv.

After staying at Pollak for a bit to eat some lunch on their deck area, it was on to our final stop.

Veritas Vineyards & Winery

Behind the Veritas tasting bar

I always have a soft spot in my heart for Veritas as my wife’s brother got married there and we had, quite frankly, one helluva time. Veritas lets you select either a white tasting or a red tasting, but since my wife and I were both there, we picked one of each and shared, starting off with the whites.

First was the Scintilla ($30) a French style brut sparkling wine with apple on the nose, big bubbles and a nice dry finish. Next was the 2010 “Saddleback” Chardonnay ($18) which is done in the Chablis style and has lots of tropical notes as well as some vanilla and apple. Following up that was the 2009 “Harlequin” Chardonnay ($25) which has spent 6 months in French oak. With a buttery/oak nose I was almost surprised at how much acid I found on the palate, though it certainly wasn’t a lot. That being said both my wife and I liked the “Harlequin” much better than the “Saddleback”.

Next we tasted the 2010 Viognier ($20). Floral and honeysuckle notes on the nose with peach on the palate and a slight hint of sweetness on the finish (.7% residual sugar) made this a very typical, but very enjoyable, Virginia Viognier. The 2009 Petit Manseng ($25) had kiwi on the nose and even with 10% residual sugar was sweet without being syrupy. The 2009 Kenmar ($35) is an ice wine style made from Traminette and offering rose aromas on the nose with honey and rose water on the palate. This is a very sweet wine, but a good dessert wine if paired correctly with something like pound cake.

Moving on to the reds, we sampled the Mousseux ($30) a sparkling wine using Merlot grapes with notes of strawberry and a tartness that I actually found rather refreshing. The 2010 Rose’ ($14) is made with 46% Cabernet Franc and 54% Merlot and features .5% residual sugar. A medium-light pink in color with a strawberry nose and a dry, slight pepper/spice note on the finish that makes this a good summer wine for pairing with something like grilled chicken.

The Red Star ($18) is a blend of 37% Cabernet Franc, 37% Merlot, and 26% Chambourcin. A nose of dark fruit and pepper and a palate of smoke and cherry make this a good wine to pair with burgers. The 2009 Claret ($18) is a blend of 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Petit Verdot. The petit verdot really came through on this wine, with a nice juiciness to the wine and aromas of smoke and pepper that will make this another great wine for drinking with some gourmet burgers off the grill – which is why my wife and I grabbed a bottle.

Finally, the 2009 Vintner’s Reserve ($25) a blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Petit Verdot that spent 18 months in mostly new French oak barrels. A smoky aroma with tons of dark fruit notes on the palate a nice soft tannic finish makes this a great wine to pair with a steak.

My wife and I had a great time tasting all these wines, and everybody that we dealt with at the vineyards was incredibly pleasant, knowledgeable, and friendly. If you have the chance to visit any of these vineyards I highly recommend it, and I’m already looking forward to another trip out to Virginia Wine Country to visit some other vineyards and taste some more wines.

Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

George — Fri, 27 May 2011 15:00:40 +0000

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Chile
Cost: $10-12

My Review: So as they are want to do, on a recent trip to my parents’ house they insisted on sending home some wine with my wife and I as they are big supporters of this site and of my drinking habits. I love my mom and dad.

In the glass the wine was a dark purple color that can only be described as inky. It was so dark (how dark was it?) that the only way I was actually able to pick up some of the color was thanks to some bubbles on the surface right after I poured the wine. On the nose I got jammy aromas of dark fruit with a little spice and a smoky/tobacco note.

In the mouth the wine was medium to full-bodied with lots of dark fruit and a nice smoky finish that I really enjoyed. Paired with a dinner of some sausage tortellini (or tortelloni…it’s really all the same to me to be honest) in some red sauce it really brought out the bolder flavors of the meal, though honestly I’d love to pair this wine with a steak and plan to grab another bottle in the future to do just that.

While it’s certainly no secret that I’m a fan of Chilean wine, this bottle is just another example of why. A Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for less than $15 is a value any way you slice it, and the fact that this one is full of flavors that just scream to be paired with something off the grill makes this a great wine to pick up during the summer months when the grill gets the most use.

If you can’t find the 2008 Santa Rita Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon at your local store, you can, as always, follow this link and have some shipped to you.

Winfield Estate “Bone Dry” Pinot Gris 2009

George — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:00:07 +0000

Varietal: 100% Pinot Gris
Region: Oregon – USA
Cost: $15

My Review: I don’t drink too much Pinot Gris, so when the Good Works Wine Club included a bottle in a recent sample pack they sent to me I was certainly interested to try it. If you don’t remember my previous mention of the Good Works Wine Club you can check out the details of their organization here, but the long and short of it is that they make charitable donations when you buy wine from them.

With Cinco de Mayo upon us, my wife and I decided to forgo the typical “Mexican” food that is prepared on this “holiday” and went with some tequila/lime chicken and homemade fried rice with bell peppers. Wanting something crisp and acidic to go with that, and not feeling like blending up some margaritas, I decided to open up the bottle of 2009 Winfield Estate Pinot Gris, wanting to see just how “bone dry” it really was. It was plenty dry.

Light in the glass, the nose was full of citrus that carried over to the palate. In the mouth the wine was light and crisp with lots of acid, though not enough to make your teeth hurt, and a lots of lime and a crisp finish that was a perfect pairing with our dinner.

If you’ve never had Pinot Gris, or at least not a dry one, the best comparison I can give to this wine is a South American Sauvignon Blanc with all the citrus that it brings along. The 2009 Winfield Estate “Bone Dry” Pinot Gris certainly had more acid, but if you’re a fan of the Sauvignon Blanc from down south there’s a good chance you’ll want to at least give this wine a sporting chance, and like I’ve said before, there’s charity involved so you can feel good about drinking it no matter what.

Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco

George — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:00:01 +0000

Varietal: Prosecco (100% Glera grapes)
Region: Italy
Cost: $9-$12

Winemaker’s Notes: Light and refreshing with a nose that shows hints of white peach, grapefruit, and honey-dew melon. The fine effervescence gives way to creamy flavors of ripe lemons and refined citrus notes with a toasted brioche finish. Medium froth, our Prosecco is reminiscent of lemon meringue pie. Pair with gorgonzola crostini and prosciutto wrapped melon.

My Review: Bubbles are one of those things I find in my fridge more and more often. It’s not that I’d had anything against sparkling wines in the past, just that I hadn’t made a point of keeping them on hand. However, a few really good experiences with sparkling wines, and a good friend that drinks them almost exclusively, has lead to me at least always perusing the sparkling aisle at whatever wine shop at happen to be in.

On a recent trip to a new grocery store with my wife, I came across an end-cap featuring a smattering of Cupcake Vineyards wines. I’d tried (and reviewed) several of them, but was interested to see they had recently added a Prosecco to their offerings. Not one to pass on something to write about, I grabbed a bottle to be enjoyed later. Later just happened to be last night.

Since Wednesdays deserve all the celebration they can get, my wife and I decided to pair the Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco with a pasta dish we had prepared a few nights before and had sitting in the fridge just waiting to go in the oven. Now, before I talk about the wine in great depth, I feel obliged to speak on the dinner. There is a chain of Italian restaurants called The Macaroni Grill where my wife and worked at some years ago (and in fact met at), which features a dish, their signature dish mind you, known as the Penne Rustica. It’s a mix of penne pasta, chicken, shrimp, prosciutto, and seasoning all in a gratinata sauce and baked with cheese on the top. It’s very delicious and I do recommend it. Ok, on to the wine.

The Prosecco was very light in the glass, nearly clear, and I caught hints of a green color when it was in just the right light. On the nose I got a fairly generic citrus aroma, and not much of one to be honest. In the mouth I picked up notes of peach and a hint of a toasted bread on the finish. All in all, it was fairly middle of the road with nothing to really make it stand out. However, I’d still recommend giving it a try. Why you ask? Because this wine very much fell into the category of “table bubbles” for me – it wasn’t spectacular or earth shaking, but it also wasn’t a disappointment, especially for around $10.

If you want to give it a try yourself and can’t find a bottle at your local shop, you can always follow this link and have some sent directly to your home or office.