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While visiting Santa Ynez, California, last December, I had the opportunity to taste several memorable wines, and the Rusack Anacapa was one of them. I’m not usually a fan of wine blends; I enjoy single fruit wines the best. However, one of the things I have grown to learn and respect about wine over the years is that one cannot restrict wine with absolutes – there will always be that one wine in a category that changes everything you thought you knew about wine. The Rusack Anacapa reminded me that blends can be delicious.

Appearance: The 2008 Anacapa was dark and clear.

Color: The wine was a deep ruby red color.

Aroma: I was a little confused when I first smelled this wine. It was hard to pull out a predominate aroma. I picked up a mix of rose petals, coffee and liquorice. I could barely pick up a little fruitiness, maybe a hit of cherry, but it was overshadowed by the rose and coffee bouquet.

Flavor: The flavor didn’t match the aroma profile very well. I immediately tasted black cherry and cocoa, not the rose, coffee and liquorice I was expecting. I did get a hint of those flavors before the finish, but it wasn’t at all what I had expected. The wine had an incredibly rich, lush texture and the tannins were nicely refined. While my first taste wasn’t exactly what I expected, the velvety mouth-feel of the wine and the blending of the flavors made it enjoyable.

Pairs Well With: The 2008 Anacapa would pair well with lamb, beef steak, grilled Portobello mushrooms, and grilled salmon.

Additional Comments: While I don’t think that I would add this wine as a staple, it was an enjoyable way to “mix” things up.

Overall Rating: I could drink this wine monthly.

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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.

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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.

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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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!

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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.

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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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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.

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The A to Z 2008 Pinot Noir carries the “Oregon” designation because its grapes are sourced from vineyards throughout the state of Oregon. Unlike many of the up and coming vineyards in the Northwest, A to Z Wineworks doesn’t limit its Pinot Noir grapes to the popular Willamette Valley. Considering how fickle the Pinot Noir grape is, I think sourcing grapes from other vineyards is a fantastic way for the vineyard to keep their prices down while still offering a quality wine.

Appearance: The wine was light and lively.

Color: The A to Z 2008 Pinot Noir is garnet in color.

Aroma: The wine opens with the aroma of black and red cherries followed by a playful spice. It has all of the attributes that I expect from a good Pinot Noir.

Flavor: The A to Z 2008 Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied wine that’s round and smooth. It’s not an overly complex wine, but that’s okay. It’s a fresh, fruit forward wine that offers a bit of cherry and plum before dissolving into a spicy, earthy finish with dusty tannins. The finish fades nicely, giving this wine a pleasant, refreshing quality.

Drinkability Rating: Weekly. I really enjoyed this Pinot Noir.

Pairs Well With: The wine was a perfect accompaniment to our appetizers and entrées at Mias. For the appetizer, Michael had the crab and Corn Chowder (Maine crab meat, corn stock, sherry, bacon, onions, celery, leeks, corn, garlic, thyme, potatoes and cream), and I had the Pear Salad (mixed greens, burgundy-vanilla poached pears, gorgonzola, spiced walnuts, and honey-pear vinaigrette). For the entrée, we both had the grilled tenderloin of beef with cheddar au gratin potatoes, sautéed vegetables and raspberry steak sauce.

Additional Comments: This is one of my favorite Pinot Noirs from the Oregon region. It’s a little more restrained than most Oregon Pinot Noirs, which tend to have heavy cherry and oak flavors. The A to Z 2008 Pinot Noir is ready to drink now. Happy sipping!

Today’s wine, a blend from vintner Georges Duboeuf, is a good example of the latter. It’s nothing spectacular, but at the sub-$10 price I got it at, it’s a great bottle for an average night.  That price doesn’t get me a listing of the exact grapes that go into the mix, but what can ya do? It is a medium-strength red, at 13 percent alcohol by volume. A bit of research suggests that wines like this Morgon – which is from Beaujolais, though I’m not educated enough to link any significance to that statement – would age very well, and take on the qualities of a pinot from the region.

How’s it look? The Morgon has a fairly opaque ruby color, with thick legs and a bit of sediment.

How’s it smell? Boozy, tannic, and a bit floral, without any significant fruit notes.

But how does it taste? This is one of the first wines I’ve reviewed in which the tannins really overpower the fruit notes. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Morgon starts with a tart fruit flavor – something between a strawberry and a green apple – but then the tannins attack the back of the palate. The wine has a thick mouth feel, and finishes with some richer berry notes. Maybe black currant? For an inexpensive bottle of wine, this is complex enough to remain interesting through the end of the glass, and well into the next one.

What should I eat with it? A rich but simple meal – maybe a medium-rare ribeye with some garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus stalks. This red can stand up to a greasy cut of meat, but the flavors aren’t strong enough to accompany or counteract anything too outlandish on your plate.

Wine Category:

Continuing with my ONEHOPE wine reviews, today Michael and I tried the most expensive bottle in the collection, the ONEHOPE Arroyo Seco Reserve Pinot Noir.

The ONEHOPE Arroyo Seco Reserve Pinot Noir was created in a partnership between ONEHOPE vineyard and Robert Mondavi, Jr. The grapes for this wine were sourced from Force Canyon Vineyard in Arroyo Seco, Monterey County, California. The wine was aged for seven months in American and French oak.

Appearance: The ONEHope 2009 Pinot Noir wine was bright and clear.

Color: The wine had a dusty rose color.

Aroma: The aroma for this wine was pleasant. Upon my first inhale, I detected red berry and roses. The fruit and floral notes were nicely balanced; as the rose bouquet filled my nose and started to reach its fragrant peak, the smell of warm berry rose up to greet and complete the scent profile.

Flavor: This is a light-bodied wine that had a velvety mouth-feel. On the palate, I picked up gentle fruit flavor, followed by a long rose and spice finish. The wine is a little more floral on the finish than what I like in a Pinot Noir. It’s actually the spice in the finish that makes this wine worth drinking. If the spice wasn’t there to round it out, the finish would have left me with the feeling that I had just drunk rose water. We aerated the wine, hoping it might soften the floral notes; it helped a little.

Drinkability Rating: Monthly. This is an enjoyable wine. If you like light, floral wines, this is a great find.

Pairs Well With: According to the producer, the wine would be best accompanied by lean meats, mild cheeses, and mushrooms or truffles; I absolutely agree. I think this wine would be sensational served with grilled chicken and mushroom risotto.

Additional Comments: ONEHOPE wine is a charitable organization that donates an astounding 50% of its profits to various charities. The ONEHOPE Arroyo Seco Reserve Pinot Noir benefits Children’s Hospitals, which treat over 17 million children every year for all types of imaginable diseases and injuries, including pediatric cancer.

Wine Category: Red

The merlot grape originates from the Bordeaux region of France; it’s known for producing medium bodied wines with a variety of fruit flavors. It’s a fruit forward wine that often lingers with notes of black pepper and cocoa. Because of its round, sweet flavors, Merlot is often blended with other varietal wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, to help mellow out the Cab and give the Merlot some more structure.

Appearance: The ONEHope Merlot was brilliant – it was clear with no cloudiness.

Color: The wine was a dark garnet color.

Aroma: It was easy to pick up the black cherry and cola aromas, but the bouquet was overpowered by a harsh, tinny smell. The astringent aroma gave me serious pause about moving forward with the tasting.

Flavor: The ONEHope merlot is a medium-bodied wine that offers a first taste of black cherry and plum, followed by a hint of fig. It definitely tasted a lot better than it smelled. It has rich tannins and a soft mouth-feel. The finish starts smooth and then wham! It hits you with a punch of spice at the end that lingers.

We aerated the wine hoping it would open it up a bit more and mellow out the bouquet and the flavors. Aerating worked wonders for the flavor but didn’t solve the harsh aroma.

Drinkability Rating: While this wasn’t an outstanding merlot, knowing that 50% of the proceeds go to charity, I’d say it’s worth drinking monthly.

Pairs Well With: This wine is best accompanied by dishes that offer big, bold flavors. We enjoyed a bowl of jambalaya with our bottle.

Additional Comments: ONEHope wine is a charitable organization that donates an astounding 50% of its profits to various charities. Each wine has a designated charity (The ONEHope Merlot proceeds toward the fight against AIDS); however, you also have the option of selecting an additional charity at the time of purchase.

As a Spanish restaurant, the tapas bar’s list focused mainly on wines from the Latin world (with a couple of domestic bottles to round out the econo portion of the list.) I picked out a 2008 Malbec from Argentina and gave it a swirl. I definitely was not disappointed – though unfortunately, unlike my home-tested reviews, I don’t have the rest of the bottle sitting back at the lab.

How’s it look? Very dark, opaque currant colors. The wine looks thick in the glass, and the legs run short and wide.

How’s it smell? There are some rich berry notes (again, mostly currant), and some clear tannins as well.

But how does it taste? The Briseo might as well be advertised as a two-for-one special. At first, the currant flavors charge the palate, and with this wine’s thick, viscous mouth feel, it can be a bit overwhelming – almost like stuffing your mouth with a handful of Jolly Ranchers. Swirling the wine through my mouth, I expected to find deeper currant flavors, with maybe some tart grapey acidity to go with it.

Instead, the profile of the wine changed completely, becoming very dry and tannic, with a bit of black pepper. Very cool. Every sip of the wine cleans the palate of itself. I’m sure I’ve had another glass of wine like this before, but right now, I can’t remember it.

What should I eat it with? You’re at a tapas bar. Order at least half the menu and share it with the table. The wine will give each bite of a new plate a different spin. (Failing all that, nachos. Or for those of you drinking along at home, a good old-fashioned taco night.)

Wine Category: Red

Easing into a long weekend of rest on the heels of one too many late nights over the past few weeks, Michael and I decided to celebrate our time off from work by purchasing a bottle of our absolute favorite wine: David Bruce 2007 Pinot Noir. This wine is the benchmark I use to judge all other Pinot Noirs. If you ever want to get on my good side – just send me a bottle.

David Bruce is located in Sonoma Valley, California. The region is known for its cool ocean climate in the evenings with warm sunny days and ample rainfall – an environmental mixture that lends itself perfectly to grow the fickle pinot noir grape. In 2007, Sonoma Valley produced some of the most superb Pinot Noir grapes, and the masterful vintners at David Bruce harvested those grapes into a truly elegant wine.

Appearance: The David Bruce 2007 Pinot Noir wine was vibrant and clear.

Color: Maroon red with tinges of pink when held up to light or a piece of white paper

Aroma: The wine immediately presented a bouquet of ripened cherries and cranberries with a hint of soft floral notes. Next, I caught the aroma of nutmeg, vanilla, cinnamon, and a tad of clove.

Flavor: On the palate, the red cherries and plum took over at first then rounded out nicely with the mild spices promised in the aroma. This is a full-bodied wine – it’s decadent and silky with a soft, supple mouth feel. It has a perfect balance among the acidity, fruit and tannins. The finish is absolutely lovely – fine tannins add to the smooth and creamy finish with hints of lingering berry.

Drinkability Rating: I would drink this wine daily if I could fit it into my daily caloric and monetary budgets.

Additional Comments: Michael and I first discovered the David Bruce Pinot Noir in May of 2006 and we’ve been fans ever since. We’ve introduced this wine to friends and family members and it consistently has been good every single time. For fans of well balanced Pinot Noirs, I highly recommend the David Bruce 2007 Pinot Noir.

Most drinks have a traceable “original” recipe (cocktail writer David Wondrich has tracked down many of them on Esquire’s drinks database.) Many have a popularly accepted recipe, and some even have a “sanctioned” recipe from the International Bartender’s Association (which I picture to be something akin to SPECTRE in the James Bond movies.) But the “right” recipe? Drinks change over time, as do tastes, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is my recipe (if I’m mixing your drinks) and yours (because you should really know what you like, and how you like it.)

I mention all that because whenever I bring sangria to a party, and people ask me for the recipe (more to make conversation than because they’re actually interested), I’m at a loss. It’s a little flip, but my answer is something along the lines of “wine and fruit.” Because that’s all you really need. And that’s really how I think of sangria.

My recipe changes a bit every time I make sangria. I usually buy whatever fruit is on sale in the produce section and pick out a fairly inexpensive wine as well. (There’d be no sense in buying something complex or expensive, since we’re going to fuss with the flavor anyway. And besides, I’m a writer, so I can’t afford it.) A little bit of brandy adds some punch, and a bit of fruit juice helps to balance the flavors, but for the most part we’re just infusing wine with fruit. You’ll be surprised how well it works.

Please note that this recipe makes over a gallon of sangria; plan your guest list accordingly.

Sangria

• 4-5 bottles inexpensive red wine (if you’d prefer, you can use white instead.)
• 1/2 pint (8 oz.) brandy
• One bottle sparkling wine
• 2-3 pounds mixed fruit (for the sake of an example, let’s say a pound of strawberries, a half a honeydew, and an orange.)
• 2 cups fruit juice (anything would work, but again, if you need an example, let’s say pineapple)

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The first time I tried Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon was in 2006. Michael and I were driving cross country, as I moved from Illinois to New England. On our way back to Maine, we took a small detour and spent an afternoon wine tasting in New York’s Finger Lakes region. One of the vintners eagerly compared his wine to Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon, promising it was just as good as the critically acclaimed wine. After tasting the local vintner’s wine, we purchase a couple of bottles in anticipation of our own wine tasting at home. That weekend, we purchased our first bottle of Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon so we could do a side-by-side tasting of the two wines. Stag’s Leap won our vote and has been a favorite ever since.

This past weekend, Michael and I opened another bottle of Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon for a proper tasting…

Appearance: The Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon was brilliant.

Color: The wine is a deep, dense ruby red color.

Aroma: The Stag’s Leap Cabernet Sauvignon has exactly what I expect from an outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. First on the nose is black currant, followed by plum, dark chocolate and a hint of toast.

Flavor: This is a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has a smooth, velvety feel in the mouth. At first I tasted the black currant and flavors promised in the bouquet, but then I picked up some tobacco and dark chocolate notes. The tannins are remarkably present. It was a tad astringent at first, but it mellowed a little with the decanter. This is a nicely balanced wine.

Drinkability Rating: Monthly. The only thing that keeps me from enjoying it on a more frequent basis is the price point. While not outrageously priced, my budget only allows for this kind of indulgence every once in a while.

Pairs Well With: Beef, hearty pasta, duck, or all by itself.

Additional Comments: This is still a very young wine, but it shows a lot of promise. Properly cellared, the Stag’s Leap 2007 Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon should be an outstanding wine in another four to seven years.

Trivia: A few years ago Michael and I watched the movie Bottle Shock, which depicted vintner Jim Barrett’s struggle to produce Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, and the wine’s surprising victory in the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 (otherwise known as the Judgment of Paris). After watching the movie, I researched the Judgment of Paris and learned that California wines won each category. I was excited to discover that Stag’s Leap took top honors in the Cabernet Sauvignon category.