The Good Wine Guru » red table wine

Dos Lomos Malbec 2010

George — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:06 +0000

Varietal: Malbec
Region: Mendoza – Argentina
Cost: $9

Winemaker’s Notes: Full-bodied and smooth with intense black fruit flavors and aromas. A good pairing with grilled foods including steaks.

My Review: I have this habit of picking up steaks and red wine whenever my wife is gone for the evening and I’m feeding myself. This past Thursday was just one of those nights and given the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having here in Virginia I decided to take advantage of being able to use my grill and grabbed a steak at my local Fresh Market. While there I browsed the wine aisle to see if anything caught my eye and was recommended with a steak and decided on this bottle of 2010 Dos Lomos Malbec, in no small part because of the unique bottle shape.

The wine was fairly dark in the glass, with violet being the predominant color. On the nose I got dark fruit with just a touch of spice. In the mouth the wine was medium dry and medium/full-bodied with good notes of dark fruit. It paired well enough with the steak and baked potato that I cooked up, holding up well enough to the grilled flavors though not standing out either.

For the price it was a good value wine, and one I could see myself grabbing again when I was looking for an inexpensive table wine. It certainly wasn’t the best steak wine I’ve had in recent times, but it also wasn’t a terrible wine to sip on before, during, and after my dinner. If you’re looking for a big, bold steak wine pass on this one, but if you’re looking for a table wine that stands a chance against a big grilled steak and doesn’t cost a ton there’s certainly something to be said about the 2010 Dos Lomos Malbec.

Folatre Carmenere Reserve 2007

George — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:00:11 +0000

Varietal: Carmenere
Region: Chile – Curico Valley
Cost: $8

Winemaker’s Notes: Dark garnet color or great intensity with an aroma of generous ripe red fruit and merged peppers with toasted French oak. A silky, flavorful mouth feel, creamy with great volume. Firm tannins provide an enjoyable finish. Best paired with light hors d’oeuvres and pastas.

My Review: My wife and I are always on the lookout for inexpensive wines that may not excite or inspire us, but are easy to sip on and are more interesting than cheap merlot or cabernet sauvignon from California, Australia, or New Zealand. Chile has become a favored region to get affordable wines that mix it up ever so much. When a friend recently brought over a bottle of Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon that he had picked up and we enjoyed it we decided to pick some up at the store the next time we went. They were out of the Cab Sauv, but had a healthy supply of the Carmenere that we decided to give a try to.

On Sunday, while watching my 49ers lose to the Giants (frigging special teams!), we opened up the bottle of 2007 Folatre Carmenere Reserve. We had tried another bottle of it before, but there was something different about it this time. The wine is a nice deep red in the glass, and on the nose I got some fruit but a good amount of green peppers and brambles that I didn’t experience the first time we opened one of these bottles.

In the mouth I got more of the same that I got on the nose and a smoother finish than I remembered from my first try at the wine. Since we were watching football I had whipped up some buffalo chicken bites and while I wouldn’t call the pairing a revelation, it certainly wasn’t horrible.

I’m not going to sit here and say this is the best carmenere I’ve ever had – it’s not even the best one I’ve had in the last 6 months, but for an affordable wine you can do a lot worse and if nothing else it was a good bottle to drown my sorrows in while watching Kyle Williams give the game to the Giants.

Table Wine: What’s It Mean To You?

George — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:48:41 +0000

Odds are pretty good that while in your wine shop you’ve seen wine labeled as table wine. What does that mean though? Is it a generic term or are there requirements? What’s a good use of table wines and how do you pick one out? Can things not labeled as “table wine” be used for the purpose?

What Is Table Wine?

Depending on where you live table wine can mean a lot of different things. Here in the United States it’s a wine made from grapes with a maximum alcohol by volume content of 14%. Other than that there’s not much that determines what is or isn’t a table wine and it’s somewhat left up to the vineyard or winery to determine whether or not they want to label their wine as a table wine.

In Europe the standards are a bit more stringent with different categories of table wine existing within the overall “table wine” genre.

Picking Out Table Wines

Regardless of the standards for what can or can’t be labeled as a “table wine”, for most of us it’s a wine that we keep around the house to go with everything from pizza and pasta to chicken and munchies. Be it red or white, for many of us a table wine is an inexpensive wine that we pick up at the store that won’t set the world on fire, won’t change the way you feel about a grape or varietal, but instead goes with a wide range of foods or no foods at all.

While only you can determine what your personal standard for a table wine is, it wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t at least share what I look for in a table wine for my wife and I. There’s not a particular grape that I look for, though I do find myself gravitating to pinot noir and malbec as of late for reds and sauvignon blanc for whites, especially those from Chile.

I don’t have a set price, and every person’s budget will dictate what’s an “affordable” wine for them, but I do attempt to keep it under $20 a bottle. Lately I’ve even found bottles at my local grocery store for under $10 that are enjoyable and are perfect for a Sunday afternoon while watching football on the couch.

It’s Your Choice

The only opinion that matters when it comes to picking out a table wine is your own. If you enjoy the bottle pick up several bottles of it, keep it around your house, and enjoy a glass or two with a quick dinner, after a hard day at work, or because…wine is awesome. The most important part is that even after you’ve found a table wine that you like, to be open to trying new ones since a little variety certainly never hurts.

Cheapism’s Best Budget Wines

George — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 21:08:52 +0000

The holidays are upon us and if you’re anything like me you’re about to enter into a heady mix of family, friends, and other relatives for dinners, parties, and just to catch up. Times like these call for wine. Lots of wine. Thanksfully, Cheapism.com did some research to come up with a list of the best budget reds, whites, and sparkling wines that are perfect for this time of year. Here’s the list they came up with:

White

Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay
Dr. Loosen Red Slate Riesling
Château Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc

Red

Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Meleni Chianti Borghi d’Elsa 2010
Dancing Bull Zinfandel
Mirassou Pinot Noir 2010

Sparkling Wine

Roederer Estate NV Brut
Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV
Freixenet Cordon Negro Extra Dry

All of the reds and white are $10 or under, and all of the sparkling wines are under $20. While we’d all love to put out the best wine available for every party we host and attend, sometimes having some affordable wines is the best option, especially when you’re hosting a party with dozens of people where your’e going to go through a lot of wine.

Big House Red 2010

George — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:00:51 +0000

Varietal: Petite Sirah; Tempranillo; Syrah; Grenache; Malbec; Mourvedre; Nebeillo; Tannat; Souzao; Aglianico; Barbera; Zinfandel; Petite Verdot; Cabernet Franc; Charbano; Nero d’Avola; Sanviovese; Sagrantino
Region: California – USA
Cost: $10 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: This Big House Red lives up to that old Fruit Bomb moniker that you’ve come to expect. It starts with a nose full of blackberries and raspberries, with hints of leather and spices. The palate is clean, exhibiting flavors of cranberries, roses, and a touch of rhubarb. This finish lingers, with flavors of vanilla and a touch of dark cherries in the finish. Pairs well with all grilled meats, lasagna Bolognese, grilled vegetables, or even sashimi grade Ahi tuna.

My Review: The previous version of this wine was one of those that I was torn on. I liked what they were trying to do by creating a table wine with a little bit of everything that could then go with a little bit of everything, but I felt that the attempt created a wine that just fell flat. This vintage was different.

Now, to preface, I’m not saying that the 2010 Big House Red is some revolutionary wine, but I did like it better than the previous years bottles I had tried. They’ve changed the mixture some and I think it’s for the best. On the nose I got mostly raspberry with a touch of spice and in the mouth I got dark cherry and some cranberry with a juiciness that made me feel like the Zinfandel as much as anything was coming through.

With a dinner of pizza after a trip the grocery store to stock up after the Thanksgiving holiday, a simple bottle of inexpensive red was a welcome sight and I continue to be a proponent of what Big House is doing – making nice affordable wines that might not set the world on fire, but are certainly welcome after a long day at work.

Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

George — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 14:00:07 +0000

Varietal: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Central Coast – California – USA
Cost: $12 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: With its maritime influence, California’s Central Coast region has an extended growing season that yields wines with full flavor development and great acid balance. Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon has rich layers of currant and cherry fruit, framed by nicely integrated oak.

My Review: I know when a lot of people think of inexpensive California Cabernet they think of light, fruit-forward wines that are great when you’re just getting into red wine, but that later you find less enjoyable, preferring something with some body on it. I know this because I have those moments myself. This was not one of those moments.

With a pizza in the oven (cheese with some herbs and crushed red pepper thrown on in case you’re wondering), I I looked over my options at wine and decided on the 2009 Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon. In the glass the wine was unremarkable, in so far as it wasn’t particularly light or dark. On the nose I got aromas of cherry with a touch of oak.

Currant and cherry really came through once I took a sip, and the wine did a nice job of walking the line between being too light and too big, with a nice soft finish thanks to the oak. This may in fact be the quinissential medium bodied wine. The wine paired nicely with the pizza, contributing far more to the dining experience than the Costco product did, and was just as enjoyable after the food was gone.

Normally I shy away from budget priced California Cabernet in the store because for every good one you get, there are three fruit-bombs waiting to get picked up. That being said, I would definitely pick up the Mandolin if I came across it in the store, and for the price it’s a great table red to keep around.

If you can’t find the 2009 Mandolin Cabernet Sauvignon at your local store, you can follow this link and have it shipped directly to you.

Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet 2009

George — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:00:10 +0000

Varietal: 47% Zinfandel; 29% Merlot; 19% Cabernet Sauvignon; 5% Petite Sirah
Region: California – USA
Cost: $14 (SRP)

Winemaker’s Notes: Reddish purple in color with aromas of chocolate, deep rich blackberries, and red fruits that carry through to the palate to a creamy mocha finish reminiscent of a blackberry chocolate cupcake with mocha coulis. Pairs well with sweet and spicy Hoisin steak, BBQ bacon cheeseburger, or dark chocolate fondue.

My Review: I’ve had Cupcake Vineyards wines before, so when this sample showed up, I was excited to give it a try as it looks to be their first offering of a blended red. On a night when I was home alone cooking for myself, I decided to open it up and give it a try with a dinner of meatballs and rice with gravy. Nothing too fancy, but nice and hearty against the end of winter weather outside.

The wine was a darkish red in the glass with hints of violet streaking through that were really only visible when I swirled the wine. On the nose I got blackberries and red fruit, but didn’t really pick up the chocolate that the tasting notes claimed would be there. In the mouth the fruit and berry continued on with a hint of what I can only call cola (no brand names here) and a bit of tartness on the finish that I actually enjoyed.

Paired with my simple dinner of rice and meatballs it was a pretty good compliment, though with the cola and berry flavors I would love to pair this with with a BBQ bacon cheeseburger – the mixture of sweet and tangy would be great from both the wine and the food.

Cupcake is doing a great job of putting out wines that maybe aren’t setting the world on fire, but are certainly good solid wines that can be relied on. If you’ve never tried any of their wines before I would recommend grabbing a bottle, and if you’ve tried their whites and enjoyed them, I can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t want to give the 2009 Red Velvet a try. If you can’t find it near you, you can follow this link and have it shipped to you.

Lucky Duck Tempranillo

George — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 17:00:58 +0000

Varietal: Tempranillo
Region: Spain
Cost: $4

Dark garnet in color with aromas of berry and dark cherry. On the palate, dark cherry, spice, and bittersweet chocolate. Pairs well with grilled lamb, olives, and rich cheeses.

Recommendations: So I don’t remember where or when, but somewhere, on some blog or website, I had read about the Lucky Duck line of wines. Unfortunately I don’t remember what that blog/article/website said. So, when I came across the wines at my local Wal-Mart while poking around after buying new glasses (the eye kind, not the drinking kind), I knew that I was familiar with the wine’s name, but not much else. However, since I’m always looking for something new to try, I grabbed some.

The wine itself was a dark garnet color in the glass, and the aromas of dark cherry were pretty in your face. That cherry and some berry carried into the palate in what was a very bright, fruit forward wine, but also very clearly a Tempranillo. With a dinner of beef stew that the wife had been cooking all day it was a nice bright note against the heartiness of the meal.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that this is an amazing Tempranillo and that you simply must buy it. However, at $4 a bottle, it’s a noticeable step up from the usual cheap cabernet/shiraz/merlot table wines you usually find at your big box stores, with a selection that included a Malbec as well (that I will be reviewing at a later date). Is this wine even in my top 30 all time-time Tempranillos? No, of course not. Would I buy it again as an inexpensive wine to keep around as a slightly above average table wine? Sure.

If you’re looking for a quality Tempranillo that really shows off all that the grape has to offer, look elsewhere. If you’re looking for a cheap bottle of wine that’s different than the usual varietals you see on the shelves, than you should absolutely give this one a whirl. I mean, what do you really have to lose beyond the four bucks?

CMS Red 2008

George — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:00:30 +0000

Varietal: Blended Red (48% Merlot; 46% Cabernet Sauvignon; 6% Syrah)
Region: Washington State – Columbia Valley – USA
Cost: $16

Deep red in the glass with black cherry and licorice on the palate with a finish of dried herbs and mineral notes. Pairs well with a wide variety of dishes, including pizzas, pasta dishes, meat dishes, and cheese platters.

Recommendations: The first wine review of 2011. Feels good to get back into the swing of things after a busy holiday season. After a busy first day back at work from the New Years weekend, I was desperately in need of a drink when I got home, and while my wife cooked up an easy dinner of baked pasta with meatballs, I decided to open a bottle of wine.

My wife had bought the bottle of C.M.S. Red several weeks before from our local wine shop while out doing some Christmas shopping for me, and after a rough start to the week, it looked great. The wine was a deep red with hints of brown (I hate using that descriptor, but it’s the best I’ve got) and while I didn’t get much on the nose, there were hints of cherry.

On the palate I definitely got the black cherry and dried herbs and just a bit of the mineral on the finish as the wine had a bit of time to open up in my glass. I didn’t get any of the licorice, but given as I’m not a huge fan of licorice, that’s actually a good thing in my book. Paired with the dinner it was a good pairing and held up well against the sauce, meat, and baked cheese flavors.

While the 2008 CMS Red doesn’t do anything that really makes it stand out, it’s also a very versatile wine and that alone makes it worth picking up. For the price point it’s hard to find a wine that goes with such a wide variety of foods as the flavors aren’t so bold as to demand a particular meal pairing. If you come across this wine in your local store I definitely recommend giving it a try, and if you can’t find it and want to give it a try, you can order it by clicking on this link and having it shipped to your home.

Virginia Wine Tasting

George — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:00:40 +0000

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a Twitter tasting of several bottles of Virginia wine, which I was rather excited about, given as how I live in Virginia and am always looking to both sample new wines from my home state and to help promote wines from my home state to those that don’t happen to live here. A selection of five bottles was chosen, 2 whites and 3 reds, and myself and several other tasters in person and many more online all worked our way through, sharing our thoughts. Here are mine.

2009 Tarara Nevaeh White

Just in case you were wondering “nevaeh” is heaven backwards. Yeah, that’s what I thought too. A blend of 70% Viognier and 30% Chardonnay, with all the Viognier on the nose and nothing but Chardonnay in the mouth. Crisp flavors of honeysuckle and pineapple with a slight oaky creaminess on the finish. It’s not a bad wine, and would go well with grilled chicken, but I have hard time recommending it at the $30 price point. It’s not enough of a game changer for the price point.

2009 Notaviva Ottantotto Viognier

Very light in color and with a very subtle nose that came out the more I let the wine open up, but was never very bold. Light and crisp with nice acid and a hint of sweetness on the finish that was anything from bubble gum and cotton candy to banana flavored Now n Laters. The consensus of the people I was tasting in person was that it wasn’t very “viognier-y”. Of the two whites, I liked the Tarara better, but would could justify the $20 for the Notaviva more.

2008 8 Chains North Dry Red Wine

A deep purple/red color. The wine is a blend of 33% Malbec; 30% Cabernet Sauvignon; 30% Petit Verdot; 5% Cabernet Franc; 2% Merlot. Later in the evening, when I was finishing this bottle, the cabernet franc really started to come out (not a bad thing), but at the tasting flavors and aromas of smoke, berry, tobacco, and a jamminess made it a great wine to want to pair with a steak. For $22 this is a great value and one I certainly plan to pick up again.

2007 Breaux Vineyards Cabernet Franc

I would love to use this wine in a blind tasting to screw with people. It doesn’t taste like a cabernet franc at all, and certainly not one from Virginia. A deep dark red with jammy notes of berry, smoke, and pepper with dark chocolate on the finish. Even with 16.4% alc/volume there was not aroma or flavor of alcohol, which I was incredibly impressed with. Even at $32, this wine is a great wine and one I just wanted to pair with a steak and a cigar.

2008 North Gate Petit Verdot

I felt bad for the North Gate because we tasted it after the Breaux. That’s not to say it wasn’t good, with a dark purple color and jamminess on both the nose and palate. But the bright flavors and subtle tannins of this Petit Verdot should have come before the bold, dark flavors of the Cabernet Franc. That being said, this is another great value wine at $24.

I want to thank John Witherspoon of The Wine Cellar for hosting us for the tasting, and thank the hosts of the wine tasting for organizing the event and putting together a great selection of Virginia Wine. I really did enjoy them all, and while the reds were our clear favorites last night, there’s not a single bottle that I would be ashamed to have in my wine cellar.