Wine Category

Michael and I received a bottle of Big Fire Pinot Noir for Christmas and finally got around to tasting it over the weekend. I love getting wine as a gift – it’s always fun seeing what type of wine someone picks out for me to try. I’m not at all surprised this was a Pinot Noir since I’ve made it pretty well known that Pinot Noirs are my favorite type of wine. I was excited to see the Big Fire was another Oregon wine – the more I try Oregon wines, the more I like them.

Appearance: The wine was light and clear.

Color: The 2009 Big Fire Pinot Noir had rich plum color.

Aroma: The wine had a pleasant fruit bouquet. At first I detected the aroma of ripe red cherries, plum and pomegranate. I was able to pick up a delicate earthy spice mixed in with some floral notes, but the fruit aroma was the strongest.

Flavor: This was a light-bodied wine with a soft mouth-feel. The wine opened up with the red fruit flavors before giving way to mild spice. The finish was incredibly smooth, with no noticeable tannins. Upon my second taste, I was able to pick up the wild rose and mushroom spices noted by the producer. This was a well-balanced, soft, and easy to drink wine.

Pairs Well With: The 2009 Big Fire Pinot Noir would pair well with filet mignon, pasta dishes, and steak-cut seafood like Mahi-mahi.

Additional Comments: This is an excellent wine for new wine drinkers who may prefer a lighter, fruitier wine; however, it shouldn’t be overlooked by established red wine drinkers. The 2009 Big Fire Pinot Noir has enough body to appeal those who prefer heartier, richer reds.

Overall Rating: I could drink this wine daily.

Consulting my always-reliable source for wine knowledge, Wikipedia, I’ve learned that moscato, made from the muscat grape (in this case, the white variety), is often made as a fortified wine, or even (in Italy) as a sparkling wine. Alternatively, it can make a sweet dessert wine, like today’s bottle, a 2011 J.W. Morris moscato. Value-priced at a ridiculous $4.99 at Trader Joe’s, today’s wine is just like the one I’d tasted before — maybe not the most complex wine you’ll ever find, but still fun. It’s not so sweet that it’s cloying, and it’s interesting enough that a seasoned wine drinker wouldn’t mind knocking back a glass. At the same time, it’s very accessible for any houseguests who aren’t normally wine drinkers.

How’s it look? The Moscato is a very light, translucent yellow-amber color. The wine seems thin in the glass, but leaves thick legs on the side, suggesting a high sugar content.

How’s it smell? No strong fruit notes, tannins, or overwhelming alcohol odors are noticeable on the nose — just some light floral aromas.

But how does it taste? Like candy, basically. The wine is very sweet, as the thick legs suggested — the sweet flavor is more like honey with lemon than straight sugar, but it is the main note you’ll notice in the flavor. There are some light fruit notes — peach or pear — along with just a hint of elderflower, or some other light floral flavor. This is definitely a dessert wine — though at 10 percent alcohol by volume, it’s nothing to be trifled with. In fact, this wine is so sweet and simple, and drinks so easily, you might find yourself quaffing it. Not that we judge in regards to that sort of thing…

What should I eat it with? As a dessert wine, this should be served either alongside something sweet, or in place of it. It would complement a rich slice of chocolate cake, a warm winter cobbler, or maybe a fruity sherbet or sorbet. You won’t get in too much trouble for trying to serve it with dinner, as long as that dinner is on the light side, and not too salty. (The moscato fits the same basic profile as a Riesling, so following the same guidelines would be smart. Asian food, then?)

There are a few hot drinks out there (the hot toddy, the Tom and Jerry, the blue blazer.) There are any number of punches that can be served warm (Esquire cocktail writer David Wondrich has done plenty of research on punches, and wrote this book.) But the list ends soon after that… and except for the toddy, most of those drinks have a high degree of difficulty.

Not so with mulled wine. I have a recipe below, and it’s not a bad one. But it’s more of a starting point than anything else. Mulled wine is nothing but a warm, mildly boozy winter concoction meant to be gulped — well-flavored, yes, but weak enough that it can be gulped with impunity. Mulled wine can warm you up, but it will be very hard to drink enough to mess you up… unless you’re very dedicated. Again, here’s a recipe. You can alter it as you like.

Mulled wine

• 1 bottle wine (preferably something dry and complex — a cab? a malbec?)
• 2 cups apple cider (any fruit juice would work here, but I wouldn’t use citrus, and grape would be redundant.)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cloves, ground (and/or 1 tsp. nutmeg, and/or 1 tsp. allspice, and/or even 1/2 tsp. ginger, if you’re feeling frisky.)
• 1 orange, sliced. (For an extra-sweet flavor, roast the orange slices in a casserole dish for 15 minutes, then dump the slices and the resulting juice into the mix.)

Combine all ingredients in a medium- or large-size saucepan, and warm under low heat until hot, but not scalding. Serve in a large mug. Grate extra nutmeg on top to garnish, if desired.

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Over the weekend, my fiancé, Michael, and I set out to dispel the myth that you can’t find a good Pinot Noir for less than $15.00. We ventured up the street to our local wine store and pored over their selection. We were both attracted to Jargon’s bright and playful label. The character on the front of the bottle caught our attention, but it was the jumbled words he was shouting that helped us seal the deal for the purchase, “Just Good Wine.” That’s a pretty bold statement for a $12.00 wine.

Appearance: The wine was light and brilliant.

Color: The 2009 Jargon Pinot Noir had a light ruby color. The wine reflected the light well.

Aroma: I was pleasantly surprised by the aroma. The wine opened up with a bouquet of ripe red berries, mainly strawberries and red cherries. Next, I was able to detect a slight vanilla aroma, followed by a lovely oaky spice.

Flavor: This was a light-bodied wine with a silky smooth mouth-feel. The flavor was really interesting (in a good way!). I was immediately hit with the fruity flavor promised in the aroma, but just as I was able to detect the fruit flavors, the spice and vanilla came through. The finish was nice and long with the spice and vanilla owning the first part but then giving way to a delicate fruit and spice notes.

Pairs Well With: We enjoyed the 2009 Jargon Pinot Noir with Indian food. Just like other Pinot Noirs, the Jargon would be a perfect playmate with any meal.

Additional Comments: While this wine isn’t refined as some of my more expensive favorite Pinot Noirs, it should not be discounted. It was delicious, easy to drink, and surprisingly well-rounded for its price point.

Overall Rating: I could drink this wine daily.

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While traveling through the Santa Ynez Valley last month, we stopped off at the Star Lane Vineyard to check out some of their wines. The vineyard rests at the eastern end of the Santa Ynez valley in the “Happy Canyon” region. While we tasted several of the Star Lane wines, their Sauvignon Blanc was one of my favorites.

Appearance: The 2009 Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc presented as a light, clear wine in the glass.

Color: The wine had a greenish yellow tint that resembled bales of hay.

Aroma: At first inhale, the 2009 Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc opened up with a distinct tropical fruit aroma. Sauvignon Blanc’s flavor profile can range from assertively grassy to sweetly tropical. Luckily, this wine was on the sweetly tropical side. I was able to pick up a little mango, pineapple and papaya gently mixed with a slight grassy herbaceousness.

Flavor: First on the palate was a distinct citrus fruit flavor. The most noticeable of these was the flavor of mandarin oranges. The wine is fresh and elegant with hints of apple and pear. The finish is long and crisp, with the slight flavor of baking spice.

Pairs Well With: This wine would pair well with any kind of fish or seafood dish, including halibut, swordfish, sushi, or a classic ceviche. It would also go nicely with cheese and crackers or pear and walnut salad.

Additional Comments: This would be a perfect wine to enjoy during warmer weather. I could see the 2009 Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc being a staple during the late spring and early summer months.

Overall Rating: I really enjoyed this wine. I could drink it daily during warmer months.

As you’ve probably noticed, all grapes, whether light- or dark-skinned, have translucent pink flesh inside. Red wines (and whites) get most of their color and flavor from the complex compounds in the grapes’ skins. When the juice made from zinfandel grapes is separated from the crushed skins before fermenting, the result is white zinfandel — low-voltage, simplistic, and quaffable. My unfortunate source on winemaking and wine history, Wikipedia, tells me that the modern method and recipe for producing white zinfandel was discovered almost accidentally, but that once its commercial potential was discovered, it quickly became unstoppable.

But for all that ill repute, zinfandel can make a very decent wine when left to its own devices. Today’s wine, an economy zinfandel from Sonoma County in California, is a sweet, yet well-bodied wine, equally suited for drinks with friends or for sipping with dinner. It won’t be the best wine you ever drink, but if you’re in the mood for something a bit less dry than normal, it’s a nice change of pace.

How’s it look? Dark and opaque, and much more purple than red — something between royal purple and indigo. The legs are thin, especially for a sweet wine like this, but the wine does coat the glass well after it’s been swirled.

How’s it smell? Fairly ordinary — mid-range, nondescript fruit notes with some light floral touches. I don’t notice any tannins or other such harsh touches. That’s a bit surprising, since the bottle tells me this zinfandel is 15 percent alcohol by volume.

But how does it taste? Again, solid, but fairly ordinary. There are sweet berry notes — blackcurrant, or maybe plum. By now, this 2008 wine has aged fairly well, so the tannins are almost nonexistent, and the high alcohol content only serves to clear the palate after every sip. Overall, this a nice, if uncomplicated, wine. I’ll drink it again.

What should I eat it with? I realize it’s mid-winter, but anything grilled — meat or vegetable — would be nice with this zinfandel. Any simple oven-roasted or broiled dish would work as well. Maybe a nice sweet, savory sausage? German meatballs?

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My fiancé, Michael, and I just returned from our vacation in California. During our trip back West, we took a private tour of four truly astonishing vineyard tasting rooms. The Rusack tasting room was the last one on our trip, but it supplied us with our favorite Chardonnay of the entire day. It’s surprising to me that even after tasting several different wines all day, we were able to find our favorite wine at the end of the tour; however, the Rusack Chardonnay is no ordinary Chardonnay – it’s a bright, crisp, nicely balanced wine. I think this is partly due to the unique growing climate of Santa Barbara county.

Appearance: The 2009 Rusack Chardonnay was brilliant and light.

Color: The wine had a pale gold color.

Aroma: The 2009 Rusack Chardonnay had a delightful fruit aroma. First on the nose was the mixed bouquet of honeydew melon and orange.

Flavor: The wine had a light-mouth feel. I immediately tasted the melon and citrus notes. The producer notes hints of Asian pear, which were pleasing to find. While this wine was fermented in a mixture of new (40%) and older French oak barrels, it didn’t have an oaky aftertaste. The finish was crisp and refreshingly clean.

Pairs Well With: While the 2009 Rusack Chardonnay can certainly stand on its own, it would be delicious paired with a light pasta dish or grilled chicken.

Additional Comments: This wine will be best while it still has strong young fruit aromas; it should be enjoyed now.

Overall Rating: I could drink this wine daily.

Port fits that bill just fine. Port is a Portuguese fortified wine, made both strong and sweet by the addition of distilled grape spirits near the end of the fermenting process. The extra alcohol kills the yeast in the wine before the fermentation process consumes all the sugar from the grapes, so unlike a liqueur, the extra sweetness here isn’t from added sugar — it’s from the grapes themselves. For all that sweetness, it’s a bit stronger than a standard red wine — usually around 20 percent alcohol by volume. (If you want to know more, read up on it with Dr. Wikipedia here.)

Today’s bottle is a fairly economical bottle of port from everyone’s favorite wine cellar, Trader Joe’s. It retails for about $7 there. For that price, this port is a bargain, as it’s a very pleasant, smooth wine that would serve as a great coda to just about any meal. Pour yourself a gulp or two after dinner tonight, and you’ll see. (And since it’s fortified, a gulp or two will give you the same pleasant after-dinner glow as a glass of red would.)

How’s it look? The port is a deep dark ruby red. It swirls thick, and the extra sugars create some very thick legs.

How’s it smell? Rich and fruity, with broad plum and mid-berry scents, and a hint of some island spices.

But how does it taste? Rich and thick, with a broad plum base and notes of vanilla and molasses. The Morgado doesn’t have a lot of tannins, but the nearly 20 percent alcohol volume does lend the port a bit of a kick. The texture is smooth, but thick.

What should I eat with it?  Dessert, for the most part — though if your meal was too big, you can serve this port in lieu of a dessert, rather than in addition to it. Port is also a great cooking wine — try deglazing a skillet after cooking a steak, then mix in some dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. The sauce will put A1 to shame.

Port also pairs very well with cigars, if you’re the type to smoke them. Dip the tip (the tip you draw from, not the lit tip) into the port between puffs.

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The Seghesio Zinfandel is produced in the same area as one of my all time favorite Zinfandel wines (Ravenswood), so I figured why not give a wine from the region a try? I’m so glad that I did! I think Sonoma, California has hit the jackpot for quality Zinfandels.

Appearance: The Seghesio Zinfandel was dark and clear, with a velvety sheen.

Color: The wine was a ruby red color.

Aroma: At first, I picked up the fruit aroma. It smelled like a mixture of black and red berries. Next I was able to pick up a little bit of cherry, oak, vanilla, and a hint of mushroom earthiness.

Flavor: Seghesio Zinfandel is a full-bodied wine that has a lush, velvety mouth-feel. First on the palate was a bit of raspberry and blackberry flavors. Next, a tinge of earthy spice coated my tongue before giving way to a faint hint of oak. The tannins are nicely refined, so the wine’s finish was incredibly smooth and rich. My only complaint about the Seghesio Zinfandel is that the finish didn’t linger nearly as long as I had hoped it would. I would have liked to enjoy the flavor of the wine a tad longer. Then again, all things considered, that’s not the worst thing that I could say about a wine.

Pairs Well With: I would pair this wine with red meat and hearty vegetable dishes. I think it would go particularly well with steak or beef stew.

Additional Comments: According to the producer, the Seghesio Zinfandel grapes come from four estate-farmed vineyards, including San Lorenzo, Home Ranch, River Road in Alexander Valley, and Cortina in Dry Creek Valley.

Overall Rating: I could easily drink this wine on a daily basis.

Happy sipping!

But for a special occasion — and what’s a more special occasion than New Year’s Eve? — you need the genuine article. Which means you’ll need to spend some money on a decent bottle of honest-to-goodness champagne, bubbles and all. Today’s bottle retails for $25-$30, depending on where you find it. That’s not the cheapest bottle you can find out there, but it’s certainly not as expensive as Veuve Clicquot ($40 or so), Moet (which goes at $45-$50), or some of the more ridiculous bottles you can find.

At that price, Perrier Jouet might not be the nicest bottle of champagne you’ll drink in your life, but it’s good enough to make a special occasion just a bit better.

How’s it look? Peach-colored, with much finer carbonation than a lesser bottle of sparkling wine — kind of like a bottle of sparkling mineral water like Pellegrino or Perrier has finer carbonation than a simple glass of soda water.

How’s it smell? Mild, with subtle citrus and floral notes.

But how does it taste?  Just as mild and delicate as it looks. The flavor is smooth and mild, with some pear and strawberry notes. More important, though, is what’s missing — there are no boozy or tannic notes at all. This is a very smooth champagne, one that could be enjoyed even by party guests who aren’t regular drinkers.

What should I eat it with? Strawberries, angel food cake, or any other light, effervescent fare you’ll be serving at your New Year’s Eve party. Just don’t serve it with mistletoe — that stuff’s poisonous.

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Riesling is an under-appreciated wine here in the United States. Elsewhere, it’s considered to be one of greatest white wines. Its adaptability to styles makes this wine unique in that it can be incredibly sweet or remarkably dry. Personally, I like my Rieslings on the dryer side, so I was a little skeptical when the Sommelier recommended this wine, noting the balance between sweet and dry.

Appearance: The wine was crystal clear and luminous.

Color: The 2010 St. Urbans-Hof Weingut Riesling had a light straw color.

Aroma: The aroma of this wine as what I expect from a proper Riesling – fruity, but not grapey. The bouquet sang with the aroma of apricot, peach, and apples. I could immediately tell this was going to be a sweet wine.

Flavor: This was a light-bodied, fruity wine. The flavor contained a well-balanced blend of peach, slate, and citrus flavors. The 2010 St. Urbans-Hof Weingut Riesling had the hallmark characteristics of a Riesling – a sweet, honey-like flavor. It had a crisp acidity that gave the wine a refreshing quality on the finish. While the wine did manage to strike a balance between the dry and sweet side, it tipped a little more toward the sweet side. Personally, I think it could have been a tad drier, but that’s just my personal preference. Overall, this was good Riesling.

Pairs Well With: The 2010 St. Urbans-Hof Weingut Riesling would pair nicely with spicy dishes or it can be served all by itself.

Additional Comments: This would be a great wine to enjoy over the holiday season. It’s easy to drink, sweet enough to appeal to almost everyone, and its low alcohol content is perfect for serving during holiday parties.

Overall Rating: I could drink this on a monthly basis.

Happy sipping!

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It’s no secret that Pinot Noir is my favorite wine. Its balance of fruit and spice makes it easy to drink and its versatility makes it an easy pick for any occasion. Despite it being a favorite, I’m open to trying new wines. That’s part of the fun of wine tasting – discovering something new, so when Michael brought home a bottle of Pinot Meunier, I was intrigued.

Pinot Meunier is a black grape that’s a mutation of the Pinot Noir grape. The Pinot Meunier grape is most often used in champagne or in a red wine blend; however, it has recently gained popularity and is being used as a singular varietal. Hmmm… a grape that’s a close cousin to my beloved Pinot Noir? I was ready for a tasting!

Appearance: The Pinot Meunier was clear and brilliant. It was shockingly light in color; it looked more like a rosé than a Pinot Noir.

Color: The 2007 Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier was brick red in color.

Aroma: This was an incredibly fruity wine. The strong aromas of cherry and strawberry were all I could really smell.

Flavor: This was a light-bodied, fruit forward wine. The promise of red fruit flavor attacked my palate first before giving way to a spicy finish. The spice was reminiscent of a Zinfandel – it had a warm lingering sensation, like being hugged from the inside. This was a well balanced wine with nicely refined tannins.

Pairs Well With: The 2007 Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier would pair nicely with spicy food. I’d like to try it with Indian food.

Additional Comments: I’m going to be on the lookout for more Pinot Meunier producers. I’d imagine it will be easier to do since the Pinot Meunier grape is far less fickle than the difficult to grow Pinot Noir.

Overall Rating: I could easily make this a weekly indulgence.

Happy sipping!

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Last Saturday night Michael and I met some friends for dinner at a local restaurant, The Chef and the Gardener. After we perused the wine menu, we opted on the Angeline Pinot Noir for three of reasons. First, it’s a California Pinot that uses sourced grapes from two of California’s best areas for Pinot Noir – Santa Barbara and Sonoma counties; second, it was a 2010 (a Pinot Noir vintage we haven’t had yet); and finally, we knew that no matter what we decided to order, Pinot Noir is an incredibly versatile wine that pairs well with anything.

Appearance: The wine was brilliant and clear.

Color: The 2010 Angeline Pinot Noir was a dark brick red color.

Aroma: The wine opened up with the powerful aroma of black cherry and the subtle hint of ripe strawberries. Next, I detected a pleasant smoky spice.

Flavor: This was a medium-bodied wine that had a smooth and silky mouth-feel. First on the palate was a bit of the red fruit promised in the aroma. The fruit flavor lasted just long enough to get the point across that I was drinking a Pinot Noir before it slowly dissolved into a pleasant, earthy spice finish. The finish lingered slightly with just a tinge of heat before it finally faded. This is a shockingly well-rounded wine for the vintage.

Pairs Well With: The 2010 Angeline Pinot Noir was a perfect accompaniment to the entire meal. We started enjoying the wine during each of our appetizer courses (clam chowder and grilled pear salad) and our chicken entrees.

Additional Comments: The producer noted that the 2010 harvest was unusual – it was a long, cold season that placed them about four weeks behind schedule, which unexpectedly produced a sensational harvest of grapes.

Overall Rating: Daily. At the price point, this is a new favorite.

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Wild Horse Pinot Noir is one of those wines that I enjoy immensely when I’m drinking it, but for one reason or another, I don’t often pick it up when grabbing a bottle of wine from the store. I’m not sure why I keep forgetting about this treasure, but in some ways I’m happy that I do. Drinking this wine is like rediscovering why I fell in love with it in the first place.

Appearance: The 2009 Wild Horse Pinot Noir wine is a light and brilliant wine.

Color: The wine had a rich ruby red hue. It presented exactly as a Pinot Noir should.

Aroma: I easily detected red berries (raspberries and strawberries) and maybe a little pomegranate. It was difficult to pinpoint the fruit flavors since the playful aroma of vanilla and delicate scent of spices insisted on tickling my nose.

Flavor: The 2009 Wild Horse Pinot Noir has a light mouth-feel. Like all good Pinot Noirs, this was a fruit-forward wine that gently gave way to an earthy, lingering finish. After letting the wine breath for an hour, it opened up nicely, offering a little more cherry up front. Overall, this is a fairly balanced wine that delivers excellent quality for a reasonable price. While the wine is delicious now, it can cellared and enjoyed for another three years.

Pairs Well With: We enjoyed the wine with grilled filet and rice pilaf. This is a versatile wine that can easily be paired with lamb, fish, poultry and light pasta dishes.

Additional Comments: The Wild Horse name was derived from the wild mustangs that used to run free east of the Wild Horse estate.

Overall Rating: Weekly.

But it’s not perfect. My (regrettably) constant source on wine education, Dr. Wikipedia, tells me that montepulciano grapes have lots of fruit, but almost no skin (since they grow in such a temperate region.) The result? A wine with lots of sweet, fruit body but not a lot of tannic complexity — a bit of a one-trick pony. Not bad to wash down your spaghetti, but nothing you’d want to serve to impress anybody, either.

Today’s wine came from the bargain bin at my local wine superstore. For the $6 I paid for it, it made me happy, but it’s nothing I’d write home about. (This review notwithstanding, of course.)

How’s it look? Dark indigo, opaque, and thick, with wide, stout legs that linger almost endlessly. (That usually means we’re in for a sweet wine.)

How’s it smell? There are some vaguely berry-like fruit notes, along with a bit of alcohol, but no real tannins.

But how’s it taste? The notes on low skin-to-fruit ratio seem to be borne out in this wine. It’s sweet, and almost syrupy on the palate, with little tannic or alcoholic flavor to cut through the mix. Plum, strawberry, and just a bit of kiwi flavors fill up this montepulciano’s profile, with an almost grassy finish.

What should I eat it with? This montepulciano would complement the sweetness of tomatoes or peppers, but anything too greasy (read: cheesy) would overwhelm it. I’d say ratatouille, but the French would revolt at suggesting an Italian wine for their dish. And if I suggested chili, the Italians would be livid that we’d passed up so many quality Italian dishes and suggested something American. So maybe with an appetizer/antipasto course? A crudités platter, a simple bruschetta (light on the Parmesan), that sort of thing. Alternately, this might go well with a tart dessert, or a rich, dark, bitter chocolate.

Or you could cook with it. The sweet, mid-range fruit flavors would taste great in a spaghetti sauce. If you’re not sure how to make it, here’s Clemenza’s recipe from The Godfather. I never trust any recipe that can’t be explained in 30 seconds — and as much as anything else, that scene is probably the reason.

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Growing up in California, I thought that everyone knew that Zinfandel was a red wine. Zinfandel is probably the most symbolic grape of California wine making since it’s planted in over ten percent of all California vineyards.

It wasn’t until I moved to New England that I discovered when most people hear “Zinfandel” they think of a sweet, rose wine. While White Zinfandel certainly can be a refreshing summertime drink, I am not a fan. I prefer my Zinfandels bold and spicy, in their natural varietal form.

Appearance: The Liar’s Dice Zinfandel was dark and clear.

Color: The wine was a ruby red color.

Aroma: At first, I picked up the aroma of cherry, pepper, and vanilla. In fact, on the nose, the wine is incredibly fruity with an abundance of all red cherry aromas. At first it appeared to be a little one-dimensional, but after my second inhale I was able to pick up a bit of pepper, rose, and earthy aromas.

Flavor: The Liar’s Dice is a full-bodied wine. It had a slightly silky texture that melted into a deliciously juicy finish. The wine lingered on the finish with hints of fruit and a little pepper. The tannins were nicely refined, coating the mouth with a smooth feeling.

Pairs Well With: This wine would go well with just about anything. It would be especially good served with a bowl of piping hot harvest stew and a slice of warm bread.

Additional Comments: According to the producer, approximately 20% of the grapes from this wine were sourced from Dry Creek Valley, giving the wine a nice balance of spice and black raspberries. In the tradition of classic Zinfandels, the winemaker blended with wine with 3% Carignane grapes.

Overall Rating: This is one of my all time favorite zinfandels. I could easily drink this daily.

Happy sipping!

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Ravenswood is one my personal favorite producers of Zinfandel wine. The winery has been making Zinfandel for over 35 years, and is dedicated to mastering the art of creating a great Zinfandel. I usually drink their Zinfandel from the Lodi appellation, but this weekend I decided to try something a little different – the 2007 Old Vine Sonoma County Zinfandel. According to the producer, this vintage is a classic representation of the area’s best Zinfandels. We’ll see…

Appearance: The Ravenswood Old Vines Zinfandel Sonoma was luminous. The wine wasn’t cloudy and it didn’t have any floating particles in it.

Color: The wine had a deep ruby red color.

Aroma: At first, I picked up the aroma of ripe blackberries and purple plums. Next I detected a gently earthy bouquet laced with an oak finish. On my final inhale I was able to pick up a little bit of spice and vanilla. Overall, the aroma was pleasant.

Flavor: When I first tasted the wine, the predominate flavors that came through were plum and red berries. The fruit overtones gave way to layers of vanilla, oak, and spice. The wine had a medium-body mouthfeel. The texture was thick and chewy with a slightly tannic finish.

Pairs Well With: This wine would go well with burgers, stew, steak, or all by itself.

Additional Comments: Most people think of a white wine when they hear the word “Zinfandel.” Zinfandel is actually a variety of a red grape. White Zinfandel is a semi-sweet rosé wine that is produced from processed red Zinfandel grapes. Red Zinfandel is a bold, spice wine.

Overall Rating: I really enjoyed this wine. I could easily see myself drinking it daily.

Happy sipping!

This week’s wine was a bargain for me — I found it in a 2-for-$10 bin — but a bit of research (how did people ever write wine reviews before the Internet?) shows that it usually slots into a $6-$7 per bottle price range. For a sub-$10 bottle of wine, this tempranillo packs a lot of flavor. Before bottling, this Spanish wine was aged for three months in oak barrels (American oak, the bottle tells me, which doesn’t exactly say a lot for its bragging rights, but does explain why this is such an economical purchase, since those barrels are much cheaper than French oak.) The time spent mellowing in the cask, along with the three years in the bottle, have helped make this wine a great value purchase.

How’s it look? The Casa Solar is a dark, black cherry color – closer to magenta or outright purple than most reds I deal with. The wine is mostly opaque, and looks fairly viscous, though the legs are fairly thin.

How’s it smell? Balanced, with equal parts alcohol, tannins, and tart raspberry fruit notes.

But how does it taste? Again, well-balanced — ridiculously so, for such an economical bottle of wine. There are subtle strawberry and lime notes, but the fruity flavors aren’t too sweet or overbearing. The alcohol flavors are mellowed a bit, and the tannins are mild enough to serve as a perfect counterpoint for the fruit notes. Most importantly, maybe, the three months spent in oak haven’t overpowered the rest of this wine (probably because the tempranillo grape has a much stronger flavor than, say, chardonnay grapes.)

What should I eat it with? The Casa Solar would go wonderfully with a course of strong cheeses, or with a rich poultry dish. It doesn’t quite have the strength to pair with anything as rich as a steak, but for $5, what more can you ask for?

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While roaming up and down the wine aisle of my local wine merchant’s store, in search of my next victim, I paused in front of a red labeled Zinfandel that sported the name Gnarly Head. What a great name for a wine, I thought. I broke out the iPod and pulled up the vineyard’s website in an effort to learn more about them before committing myself to the purchase. I learned that the wine’s name was inspired by the gnarled old vines that are pruned in a special, mop-topped way. The owners of the vineyard decided to call their company “Gnarly Head” as a way of paying homage to the wine’s roots (pun intended).

Appearance: Brilliant. The 2009 Gnarly Head Zinfandel was extremely radiant; it wasn’t cloudy and didn’t contain any visible floating particles.

Color: The wine had a deep purplish-red color.

Aroma: At first, I was hit by a focused red berry and plum flavor. After my second inhale, I picked up the scent of vanilla and a little oak.

Flavor: The promise of red fruit that I detected in the wine’s bouquet came and passed entirely too quickly. I had barely tasted the plum before the flavor quickly dissolved and I was left with a lingering spicy finish. The flavor of oak came through on my next sip. The texture was chewy and smooth. A friend who tasted the wine with me commented, “There’s no nasty after-grossness,” which means it didn’t have a harsh tannic finish.

Pairs Well With: According to the producer, this wine pairs well with pizza and barbecue. I’d have to agree.

Overall Rating: While I liked this wine, I like my Zinfandels to be a little more complex. I would drink this on a monthly basis.

Happy sipping!

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Last Saturday night Michael and I enjoyed a sinfully delicious dining experience at The Melting Pot. We decided took the plunge and ordered the “Big Night Out” four course extravaganza that includes a cheese fondue course, a salad course, a meat course with steak, chicken, shrimp and lobster, and a chocolate fondue course. Since we were eating such a wide variety of items, we wanted a wine that paired well with such a diverse offering. Naturally, we agreed on a Pinot Noir since it’s a versatile wine that compliments just about anything, including chicken, beef, fish, and seafood.

Michael and I were a little disappointed in The Melting Pot’s Pinot Noir offerings – they had few to choose from and the ones had listed were less than exceptional. We had just about given up when we came across a Pinot Noir from Cloudline Cellars in Willamette Valley in Oregon. Since we really enjoyed another Pinot Noir from that region (Illahe), we decided to give Cloudline a chance.

Appearance: The wine is dark and brilliant.

Color: The wine is a deep ruby red color – exactly what you would expect from a Pinot Noir.

Aroma: It was easy to pick up the scent of red fruit and ripened red cherries. Next, I detected a hint of oak, but it wasn’t too predominant in the bouquet.

Flavor: The Cloudline Pinot Noir absolutely delivered on flavor. It’s a fruit forward wine that dissolves nicely into a playful oak finish. On the palate, the Cloudline is soft and round, with gentle tannins that lead into a nice finish that lingers. This is an extremely well balanced wine that is ready to drink now and will cellar nicely.

Additional Comments: Cloudline Cellars sources its grapes from several vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley.

Overall Rating: Daily. I loved this wine.

Both, of course, will dictate the wine selection you plan on offering three Thursdays from now. You may have friends and family who insist on always drinking red, no matter the season. (They’re easy to please in this case. While something complex and tannic would be ideal, I can’t think of any red that wouldn’t go with Thanksgiving dinner.) Other guests will insist on white, since you are serving poultry, right? (I’d suggest a strong Chardonnay, or failing that, any other strong white you can convince your guests to drink. Nothing else would stand up to the rich food you’re serving.) Some guests will insist on beer, some will be teetotalers, and there might well be children.

While you’ll want to provide something for all those tastes, I’m suggesting you pull out something fun and seasonal, as well – something like this cranberry-apple wine I picked up at the Nashoba Valley winery in Bolton, Massachusetts. Grapes might be king in the wine world, but any kind of fruit can produce wine. In this case, cranberries are added to Red Delicious cider, mid-fermentation. The result is a sweet, seasonal 11 percent alcohol-by-volume wine that would be great as a dessert, but tart enough to stand its own on the dinner table as well. It doesn’t have all the complexity of a grape wine (most of that comes from the thick skin and grape seeds), but it’s a conversation starter.

How’s it look? The cranberries definitely give this wine its flavor. It’s a slightly less deep version of the garnet color you see in cranberry juice. When swirled, it leaves thick legs (it does, after all, still have 3 % of its latent sugar left after fermentation.)

How’s it smell? Aside from the cranberry and apple scents, the wine gives off an overall sugary smell – almost like cotton candy – along with fresh, sweet citrus smells – almost like an orange blossom, or maybe a fresh, sugary glass of lemonade.)

But how does it taste? While the smell and the thick legs both suggest the wine will be sweet, it isn’t cloying. The cranberries give the flavor a bit of complexity but  add only a little bitterness to the palate. The sugary flavors are very focused, and very true to the Red Delicious apples that give this wine its base.

What should I eat it with? The cranberry-apple wine would pair all right with your Thanksgiving dinner, if you like white meat (it’d be overwhelmed by greasier, gamier dark meat.) It’d pair well with most of your sides, as well — especially with yams and veggies, though your mac and cheese might be a bit too rich to play well with it. For a fail-safe plan, bring out a couple of bottles with the pies. Even if your guests don’t have room for a full dessert, they can probably squeeze in a glass of wine…

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I tasted the Steele “Rats Reserve” Pinot Noir for the first time last Saturday night. A good friend of  Michael’s  and mine recently returned from the region and had a few amazing bottles to share with us.

The grapes for the “Rats Reserve” Pinot Noir are harvested from two California vineyards: Bien Nacido, which is the single largest vineyard conglomerate in Santa Barbara County, and the Goodchild Vineyard, which is owned by one of the most renowned grape growers in the area – Louis Lucas. The Rats Reserve Pinot Noir is aged in 30% new French oak barrels for eight months before being moved into production.

Appearance: The wine is dark and luscious.

Color: The Steele “Rats Reserve” Pinot Noir is a dark burgundy color.

Aroma: The wine opened up with the scent of blackberries and ripened red cherries. Next I detected a little cola and a slight mineral aroma. It had a slight astringent smell that caused a little bit of concern; I was afraid the wine wouldn’t deliver on the fruit flavor.

Flavor: I’m happy to say my reservations about the aroma were completely unfounded. The Steele “Rats Reserve” Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied wine. It’s a round, smooth, pleasant wine. As with all good Pinot Noirs, the “Rats Reserve” delivers strong cherry and berry flavors at first before melting into other flavors. After the first punch of cherry and strawberry, I picked up tones of cola and sassafras. It finished with a long, earthy note. This wine has an excellent, complex structure.

Additional Comments: Steele Wines believes in taking a minimalist approach when crafting wine – they feel the appellation should be able to speak for itself. Considering that the Santa Barbara growing region is an ideal location for the finicky Pinot Noir grape, I couldn’t agree more with their decision.

Overall Rating: Weekly. This wine could easily become one of my favorites.

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Tonight, we finished off the final ONEHOPE wine in our collection – the Sauvignon Blanc. Like the other ONEHOPE wines, the ONEHOPE Sauvignon Blanc was hand-crafted in partnership with Rob Mondavi, Jr. from select vineyards in Napa Valley, Sonoma County and California’s Central Coast.

Appearance: The wine was light and clear.

Color: The ONEHOPE Sauvignon Blanc was a light straw color. It actually had a slight green hue in the bottle.

Aroma: At first, I detected grapefruit, melon, and apricot, followed by the pleasant aroma of green herbaceousness. These are the hallmark aromas for a good Sauvignon Blanc.

Flavor: I was really surprised by this Sauvignon Blanc. At first I tasted grapefruit and melon as the aroma promised, but then I caught a subtle flavor of green grass. The finish had a crisp acidity to it, making the wine incredibly refreshing. This would be an excellent summertime wine.

Pairs Well With: I’d have to agree with the producer’s notes on this wine – it would pair well with fruit and cheese, light pasta dishes, salmon, halibut, and salad.

Additional Comments: ONEHOPE donates 50% of profits generated from the sale of every bottle of its Sauvignon Blanc to the cause Supporting Our Planet. From ONEHOPE’s website: “Few issues are as pressing today as the need to curb and reverse the effects of global warming on our planet. There simply is no deferment of this potentially cataclysmic issue. We must act now, before it’s too late. One way to help reduce the impact of our carbon imprint on the world is a rather simple one: the planting of trees. Trees convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. Not only that, they provide habitat for wildlife and create beauty that lasts generations. Everyone must do what he or she can if we are going to tackle global warming and for our part, ONEHOPE will plant one tree for every bottle of Sauvignon Blanc sold. Who knows, one day you can enjoy a glass of that Sauvignon Blanc under the shade of a tree you helped plant.”

Overall Rating: I could drink this weekly in the summer.

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The 2009 ONEHOPE Cabernet Sauvignon is the last of the reds in my ONEHOPE winery review series. Like most of the other ONEHOPE wines, this vintage was hard-crafted by winemaker Robert Mondovi, Jr. Proceeds from the 2009 ONEHOPE Cabernet Sauvignon go toward helping autistic children reach their potential.

Appearance: The ONEHOPE Cabernet Sauvignon was clear and brilliant.

Color: The wine is a dark ruby red.

Aroma: I was pleasantly surprised with the wine’s bouquet. At first I detected dark cherry and black currant (also called cassis), followed by hints of tobacco and earthy notes.

Flavor: This is a light-bodied wine, not something I expect from a Cabernet Sauvignon. On the palate, I tasted the cassis and red fruit flavors. The wine finish with a floral note with good tannins. It wasn’t too harsh or astringent, but I was really hoping for a stronger spice or earth on the finish. Aerating helped round it out a bit, but the 2009 ONEHOPE Cabernet Sauvignon isn’t my first purchase when looking for a cabernet sauvignon. This would be a great wine to serve at an office Christmas party.

Pairs Well With: Like most cabs, this wine would go well with lamb, duck, or prime rib.

Additional Comments: From the ONEHOPE website: ONEHOPE donates 50% of profits generated from the sale of every bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon to benefit ACT Today! to help autistic children achieve their highest potential. The partnership between ONEHOPE and ACT Today! helps provide funding and support for families who cannot afford specialized care for their autistic children. From social skills groups and referrals to biomedical treatments, ACT Today! is making positive change and providing hope to individuals with autism and their families.

Overall Rating: Monthly, but only because the proceeds go to a charity.

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Continuing with the ONEHOPE winery reviews, tonight Michael and I tasted the 2009 ONEHOPE Zinfandel. Like many of the other ONEHOPE wines, this vintage was hard-crafted by winemaker Robert Mondovi, Jr.

Appearance: Brilliant. The 2009 ONEHOPE Zinfandel wasn’t cloudy and didn’t have any visible floating particles.

Color: The wine had a deep brownish red color.

Aroma: First on the nose was a slight berry scent, which was immediately followed by a spicy, peppery bouquet. At one point, it almost came across as too astringent, but the moment the wine presented too much of an alcohol-ladden scent, I picked up a pleasant, earthy-mushroom aroma.

Flavor: The 2009 ONEHOPE Zinfandel has a light mouth-feel. It’s a mellow wine. In fact, it was too mellow. The promise of pepper and spice never came through. It was silky as a Zinfandel should be, but it was too soft. Based on the aroma profile, I expected a well-balanced, complex Zinfandel. Instead, I got a soft, bland wine that tasted more like a table red – simple, and easy to drink, but not a lot going on.

Drinkability Rating: At this point, I would not drink it again. It may do well as a base for mulled wine, but on its own – it’s just not complex enough for my liking.

Additional Comments: From the ONEHOPE website: ONEHOPE donates 50% of profits generated from the sale of every bottle of its Zinfandel to Snowball Express, an organization that supports families and children of fallen soldiers. Since September 11, 2001 more than 8,000 children have lost a U.S. service-member parent as a result of ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Snowball Express brings families together to provide hope for the future during the difficult loss of a loved one.