Uncorked #18: The Red Wine Tasting

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Nine of them....yep that's right!
So here's the story, a couple months ago Christi came up with the genius idea to have a wine tasting just for us sisters. Unlike me, Christi is a white wine girl, and she thought it would a great time to try a variety of reds to find her fav. Luci came down for a visit and we had the day all planned.

It started with some professional photos of us for our parents (gotta love groupon), then we went out for sushi, did some shopping, and then settled at my house for some red wine and cheese.

I have attended a couple wine tastings, but I didn't really know how to proceed with my own tasting. I went to the local wine store and the owner suggested that we arrange the bottles from sweet to dry. Really, I should have done some homework on it :)

I picked up every kind of red (pretty much) that they had at the store and it ended up being nine bottles. I tried to stick to cheap wines, so most of them are $7.00 and under.

Here are all the bottles we had:

Manyana 2009 Tempranillo ($5.99)

Conquista 2010 Malbec ($6.99)

Barefoot Pinot Noir ($5.99)

120 2009 Carmenere ($6.99)

Barefoot Merlot ($5.99)

Yellowtail Shiraz ($5.99)

Dancing Bull 2009 Zinfanedel ($7.99)

And two that ended up being significantly higher priced than the others because I sampled them at the store:

Flock 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($12.99)

Tamarack Cellars 2008 Firehouse Red ($19.99)

We set up the wine, opened the bottles, set out glasses, and dined on some excellent cheese.

I know the presentation of the cheese isn't the best but I didn't have a way to mark them without the wrapper. (Which brings me to mention my upcoming post on cork cheese markers.)

Christi made a homemade boursin cheese recipe that she found on Pinterest, which I think we all agreed the original is better, but for a large party it would be a great substitute.

To let you all know we are not alcoholics, we did a small pour of each of the wines. Despite the small pour, we soon found out why usually when you do a wine tasting, you should only have a few bottles...not nine.

We started the wine tasting off with the 120 2009 Carmenere.

The bottle describes the Carmenere as: "the signature grade of Chile, has rich aromas of ripe, red fruit. On the palate, lush fruit flavors and a touch of spice lead to an elegant finish. A heavenly choice every time." What we found, is that it's a very acid wine. We poured a glass and after one sip I decided that we probably should let it breathe for a little. After letting it breathe for about 30 minutes, the wine tasted great. It was full bodied and fruity. However, it was still a little acid so we all thought this wine was just not for us.

Then onto the next wine, the Manyana 2009 Tempranillo

This bottle is described as a "juicy classic that is saturated with wild black fruit, cherries, and a hint of savory spices: perfect with all kids of meats or veggies - or relax into Manyana with a classical regional dish of a few olives and salted almonds." We all really liked this wine, it was light bodied, fruity, and a very pleasant drinking wine.

The next wine was the Yellowtail Shiraz

It's described as "Flavors of mulberry, spice, smooth vanilla." This was a medium body red, that was fairly fruity with some spices in the taste. This wine was ok, but I don't think any of us were very impressed with it.

The next bottle was the Tamarack Cellars 2008 Firehouse Red

The bottle's label say it's a "blend of 37% cabernet sauvignon, 30% syrah, 16% merlot, 7% cabernet franc, 3% malbec, 3% sangiovese, 3% petit verdot and 1% carmenere. Since it's first vintage, Firehouse Red has been consistently recognized as an outstanding red wine of depth and distinction." Now I sampled this earlier in the day and thought it was a good example of a blend. It was very acidic compared to the other wines we had sampled so far. A good example why some people equate a more acidic wine with a higher price. This was one of those bottles, that I would enjoy the first glass, but need to switch to something different on the next. My sisters were not fans of this wine at all.

On to the next bottle, Conquista 2010 Malbec

This is described as "spiced red plum flavors combined with this silky texture." I believe this was the first Malbec that both Christi and Luci had and they were really impressed by it. Malbecs have really become popular over the last 6 months. This was a full bodied wine with a nice peppery finish. It was enjoyed by all of us!

At this point, Christi started to ask how I knew what was light bodied and full, so we did a swirl test. We poured a little of the Tempranillo (light bodied) into one glass the the Malbec (full bodied) and Luci swirled the two glasses around to show the difference. It was fun to see her do it without spilling because if it was me, I would have spilled :)

Next and final one Barefoot Pinot Noir

This bottle is described as "Medium bodied wine with tantalizing flavors of ripe cherry and wild raspberry. Hints of vanilla and spice complement a smooth lingering finish." This was a great wine- it smelled very fruity, more than anything else we have had, and ended up being very light and fresh. Christi also said "I am actually surprised I liked it because I thought it would be very dry."

Now this ended up being our last bottle of wine, because we found out why wine tastings are usually are only with a few bottles and people spit out the wine. After a while, the wines started blending together and it was really hard to tell them apart.

At this point, we decided to just pick a fav and have a full glass.

So what was the verdict?? Well, we finished two bottles that night. The Manyana 2009 Tempranillo and the Conquista 2010 Malbec. I guess the South American wines win! Probably another reason why they have become so popular over the last year.

I should give honorable mentions to the bottles we opened, but we did not drink. Look for them on an upcoming Uncorked.

Barefoot Merlot
"A luscious wine with alluring flavors of boysenberry and chocolate. Hints of anise and subtle tannins complement the decadent silky finish."

Flock 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

"Intense varietal flavors with retained acidity, balance, and depth of character."

Dancing Bull 2009 Zinfandel

"Bright, zesty and bursting with flavors of black cherry and raspberry with just the right amount of spice."

The wine tasting was a really fun time! Next time I think we will stick with maybe four bottles and try to actually follow some sort of wine tasting guide. If you have every done your own wine tasting, let me know, I would LOVE to hear suggestions on how to do our next one!

Overall, the sister day was a blast! We ended up going to bed at 3am, after lots of laughs, wine, and good times!

~Beth

Uncorked #17: Fünf German Reisling

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Fünf German Riesling

Description: Fünf Riesling is a juicy, mouthwatering, easy to get along with wine. The refreshing fruit flavors complement a wide range of foods from chicken and burgers to pizza, Chinese, sushi and Mexican dishes. Keep a bottle handy in the fridge for those last minute take home dinners or when unexpected guests drop by. Serve chilled.

Price: $5.00 per bottle
Region: Germany

This wine comes from the same makers of Relax Riesling, but to me this wine seems to be Relax's less high maintenance and cheaper stepsister. I love Relax, but the price makes it a wine that I don't buy very often. So when owner of the local wine store suggested this wine to me, I thought, why not! I can say that this Riesling is one of the best that I have ever had! At a price of $5 there is nothing better and I think I might be in LOVE! This wine is light, smooth, crisp and fruity! It is the perfect balance of dry and sweet for a Riesling. I believe that any wine drinker (and even wine newbies) would really enjoy this bottle. Also, I LOVE the wine bottle description. Take note wine producers, details on a label are always are a plus! I love the fact it tells you everything you need to know about this wine, food parings, and how to serve it! In addition to the wonderful label, the company has a very fun website. They feature details on all their wines, mixers recipes with the wines, and a funny 'Daily 5' list that features a quirky top five list on various subjects

Would I buy it again? OH YES! I have had a glass of this wine every day, just one, and have spread the enjoyment of this wine out for the last four nights. This is the perfect summer wine and with a price of $5 who can complain! I just wish I would have found this bottle before now. I actually plan to head back to the store and pick up another bottle (or two) later today!

Fun Wine Fact: German immigrants brought Riesling to the New World: 1850 (South Africa), 1857 (California), 1871 (Washington State).

Pairs Well With: As the label states, "...complement a wide range of foods from chicken and burgers to pizza, Chinese, sushi and Mexican dishes."

"Everything that is beautiful and noble is the product of Riesling and calculation."
– Baudelaire

~Beth

Uncorked #16: Columbia Valley's 2008 The Jack

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Columbia Valley's 2008 The Jack

Description: Saviah Cellars' namesake, A. Saviah Hutchens married Jack Hutchens in the early 1900's and they homestead at Star Meadows in northwest Montana. We're betting you'll enjoy THE JACK while you reflect on your own family history.

Price: $15.99 per bottle
Region: Walla Walla, Washington

I could say that this was my first ever Washington state bottle of wine, but I would be lying. When visiting Seattle a few years ago, I enjoyed many of the local wines and Washington state has a great selection of wines! I love how this bottle of wine gives a history of how the name came about. I wish they would have gone into more detail about this relative of theirs (and a little about the wine itself) but I am sure the label size was just too small. The label looks really cool too, but this font was so hard to read! I looks like the year is 288. Anyways, that is my criticism from having a graphic design background. So the wine...it's a nice red blend. According to the website it's blend from a lot of vineyards around the area:
88% Merlot – Pepper Bridge Vineyard – Walla Walla Valley; Milbrandt Vineyard – Columbia Valley; Stone Ridge, Columbia Valley
4% Cabernet Sauvignon – McClellan Estate Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley
4% Cabernet Franc – McClellan Estate Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley
2% Syrah – Lewis Vineyard, Yakima Valley
2% Petite Verdot – Stillwater Creek Vineyard

When it says blend, wow, it's a blend, but a good one at that! The wine definitely has more of a Merlot feel. It was medium bodied, with hints of some cherries in it and I might be crazy, but I also think I could taste a little coffee. Maybe that is just me though associating it with Seattle :)

Would I buy it again? I guess. It's a nice wine and we really enjoyed it but usually if I am going to pay higher than $12 for a bottle I will usually be adventurous and try a new wine. If you are wanting a blend, one guaranteed to have your dinner party enjoy, I would recommend this wine. I am just not sure if I will become a repeat customer.

Fun Wine Fact: Washington's wine industry has become the fastest-growing agricultural sector in the state. The number of wineries in the state has increased 400% in the last decade, attracting two million annual visitors to Washington wine country and creating a two million dollar wine-tourism industry.

Pairs Well With: Chicken marsala, beef tenderloin, minestrone or veal Parmesan.

"If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul"
– Clifton Fadiman

~Beth

Uncorked #15: 2009 Watusi California Zinfandel

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

2009 Watusi California Zinfandel

Description: Forgot to write it down

Price: $5.99 per bottle
Region: California

Talk about a great summer red wine! I picked up this little cheap bottle of zinfandel from World Market for just under $6. What a steal! This medium-bodied wine features fruity flavors of red berries and strawberries, with a hint of pepper. The wine also has a nice, but not too overwhelming, oaky finish.

Would I buy it again? At $6 it's totally worth the buy. If you can't tell by the empty bottle pictured, we finished it pretty quickly. If you are red lover like me, it's a good summer option. Some zins are too sweet for me, but I really enjoyed this wine. It's bright, not overly sweet, and well balanced to make a great summer drinking wine.

Fun Wine Fact: Red zinfandel should be served at around 65 degrees, which is NOT room temperature nor fridge temperature. It's somewhere in the middle.
Pairs Well With: Ribs, burgers, and grilled steak. Really anything barbecued. Just another reason why it might be the perfect summer red!

"I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food"
– W. C. Fields

~Beth

Uncorked #14: 2007 Michel Picard Vouvray

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

2007 Michel Picard Vouvray

Description: No bottle description...bummer!

Price: $15.99 per bottle
Region: Loire Valley in Tourraine, France

I was so impressed by this wine, it might be my new favorite white wine! In fact, I went to a wine bar last week and was raving about it to the wine bar's owner. This wine was a perfect summer wine. I would categorize it as a demi-sec wine, that is light, sweet, with a dry finish. I have never heard of the grape this wine was made from, Chenin Blanc, but I am definitely going seek out more of this kind of wine.

Would I buy it again? For sure! This is a great summer wine and really the fruity flavors mixed with the dryness are a good combination for the heat wave. I find that though fruitier drinks are usually associated with the warmer weather, but I just can't stand to drink more than one.

Fun Wine Fact: Vouvray is a French region of the Loire Valley located in the Touraine district of France. Chenin blanc is the dominant and nearly exclusive grape of Vouvray. It has a wide range of sweetness styles, the wine labels may indicate the sweetness level by the terms Sec*, Demi-Sec*, Moelleux* and Doux*.
Pairs Well With: White fish, veal or chicken

"Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy."
– Alexander Fleming (1881-1955),
the Scottish bacteriologist credited with discovering Penicillin in 1928

*Sec-French term for 'dry', as in the opposite of sweet.
*Demi-Sec-French for medium dry.
*Moelleux-French term which translates as 'mellow', but in the context of wine means sweet or medium sweet. You'll often find this term on bottles from the Loire.
*Doux-The French word for sweet. Usually refers to the sweetest category of sparkling wines.

~Beth

Uncorked #13: White Headed Robin Winery's Partridge in a Pear Tree

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

White Headed Robin Winery's Partridge in a Pear Tree

Description: Experience the fragrant aroma, buttery texture, and succulent taste of ripe pear in our 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' wine. Roquefort or Gloucester cheese and pear wine are an excellent combination. This is a holiday favorite, or use white wine in cooking.

Price: $16.99 per bottle
Region: Viborg, South Dakota

This week was the first official week of summer! I celebrated with some nice pear wine! For some reason, pear beer and wine really always have just screamed summer to me. I picked up this bottle, not really realizing that it's a local wine, and was pleasantly surprised! I am not usually a sweet wine fan, but this pear wine was a nice change to the norm. First off, it has a nice lively nose on the wine, with floral* and fruity notes. They sure didn't skimp on the pears when making this wine, but it finishes with a nice buttery flavor. Be prepared though, when drinking this wine, it is sweet!

Would I buy it again? Yes. I think it's a great sweet summer wine. Serve it chilled on a hot day and it's quite refreshing! It also would be a wonderful addition to any wine and cheese party. Of course, it's a little pricey, but that is what you get when you buy things local. I am usually willing to pay the higher price to help out a fellow neighbor. Also, if you are a plum wine fan (Scott and Rob), you would love this wine!

Fun Wine Fact: In Britain, a very common drink is Perry, which is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears. Perry is made from pear juice which has undergone two different kinds of fermentation. The first fermentation is carried out by yeasts which have either been added deliberately or which are naturally present on the pear skins.
Pairs Well With: Brie, light seafood, and personally I found goat cheese.

"Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy."
– Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), the Scottish bacteriologist credited with discovering Penicillin in 1928

*Floral- Suggests the aroma or taste, usually aroma, of flowers in wine. "Floral" usually employed as an adjective without modifier to describe attributes of white wine aromas. Few red wines have floral aromas.

~Beth

Uncorked #12: Bodega Norton Malbec 2010

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Bodega Norton Malbec 2010

Description: Bodega Norton was founded in 1895 at the Mendoza River Valley. The estate winery is located at the foothills of the Andes, at altitudes ranging between 850 to 1100 m. above sea level. The climate at these altitudes is characterized by warm days and cool nights. This allows the grapes to mature slowly toward perfect ripeness, providing deep colour, rich aromas and flavors. This fresh and fruity wine invites you to discover the unique characteristics of its grape variety.

Price: $8.99 per bottle
Region: Mendoza, Argentina

I know, another Malbec right?? Well, this one has been sitting on my shelf for a while and after my two week hiatus of not writing any Uncorked, I went for a my default wine...a red one :) Normally I love me some cab, but today I thought I would choose something slightly different so I reached for this Malbec. I know I just reviewed a Malbec, but I just couldn't help myself. Tonight's dinner was pizza and I thought the spiciness of this wine would go great with our dinner. One thing I noticed right away with this wine is that I couldn't smell the nose of the wine. Maybe it's my allergies kicking in, but I was expecting the worst from this wine. Usually, no nose usually means no flavor, however I was pleasantly surprised by this wine. The taste is fruity yet spicy and there is something almost smoky* about the wine. It really went well with the pizza we ate tonight.

Would I buy it again? For sure! With the price of $9, I thought it was a pretty good little wine. I know I can't smell the nose, which really is most likely my allergies, but I was really overall impressed by the wine. The last Malbec I reviewed had to breath for 30 minutes before it was great to drink. This one was great just out of the bottle, with no wait! With the busy moving/cleaning/parenting going on in my life, being able just to sit down and enjoy a nice glass of wine with some pizza (delivered of course) is such a nice treat to start my weekend. And yes, it's Thursday night and the start of my weekend...No, I am not bragging, because my weekend will be moving the big stuff and unpacking :(

Fun Wine Fact: Malbec was originally grown in France, but a hard freeze in 1956 wiped out most of the plants. Malbec was introduced to Argentina in the mid-1800’s, and they now produce over 70% of the world’s Malbec grapes. Due to the increasing popularity of the wine, France has began to grow the grape again. Together the two countries produce over 90% of all Malbec wines.

Pairs Well With: Smoky meats, sausages, BBQ, (and pizza!)

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance."
– Benjamin Franklin

*Smoky- Some wines, either because of the soil or because of the barrels used to age the wine, have a distinctive smoky character.

~Beth

Uncorked #11: Rene Barbier Catalunya Mediterranean White

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:
Rene Barbier Catalunya Mediterranean White

Description: For hundreds of years, wine has been a part of everyday Mediterranean life. This temperate area of warm, sunny days and cool evenings has produced some of the world's finest wines. Among the most celebrated are the wines of Rene Barbier. These wines are made from the same indigenous grapes the Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans cultivated here over 2,000 years ago. Mediterranean White is crisp, dry and lightly refreshing. Serve chilled as an aperitif or as a wonderful complement to seafood, summer salads, pasta, poultry or shellfish.
Price: $4.99 per bottle
Region: Spain

This is another World Market find. I was on a quest to try different wines and this one had such a tempting price of $4.99 I thought, better give it a go! And I am so glad I did! This is a coupage* wine, with blends of 40% xarel·lo, 30% macabeo, and 30% parellada. I don't know about you, but I have never heard of these grapes. I really liked this wine and for the price you just can't get a better deal. With the onset of summer, this is a great spring to summer wine. It's bright, refreshing, and has a nice fruity flavor of apple and pineapple. It's not too sweet and it's not too dry. I learned something new with this wine. The company describes the wine as "elegant, greenish tones" which I had no idea what that meant. Turns out green wines are wines made from under ripe grapes; they lack richness of full mature grapes. Who would have known?

Would I buy it again? Yes, for sure. This is a great wine to get you out of the same old, same old white wine shell. It's not the standard pinot grigio or chardonnay but a nice choice that is a balance between the two.

Fun Wine Fact: Did you know that white wine is preferred by more women than men? Supposedly it’s because white wine is more delicate in flavour and scent, and red wine’s rich, full qualities may lead the gentlemen to hard liquor like whisky, brandy or cognac.

Pairs Well With: Seafood, summer salads, pasta, poultry or shellfish.

Never, never trust anyone who asks for white wine. It means they're phonies.
-Betty Davis

*Coupage - derives from the French word "couper," meaning "to cut." In the world of wine, coupage refers to a blending wine or a cutting wine that is used to change the taste or color of the primary grape.

~Beth

Uncorked #10: 2009 Lindemans Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

We spent a few weekends ago in Minneapolis, sort of a mini vacation, and had such a great time! Here's is our view of downtown from our hotel room

We had two great bottles of wine while in the cities. I reviewed the first bottle last week, and this was the other bottle we had while up there.

This week's wine is:

2009 Lindemans Bin 45 Cabernet Sauvignon

Description: Sorry guys, forgot to copy down the wording on the bottle

Price: $5.99 per bottle
Region: South Eastern Australia

On our drive up to the cities, my husband stopped by a small town liquor store to pick up a bottle of wine. He knows I LOVE my Cabernets, and this one was super cheap, so he thought we should give it a try. We finally got to our hotel room, put the baby to bed, ordered some pizza from Pizza Lucé, and crawled in our king sized bed to watch a movie and enjoy this wine. I don't know about you, but it's always hard for me to enjoy a glass of wine, drinking it out of those plastic cups found in hotel rooms. However, we both really liked this wine. It was nicely balanced with some full fruit flavors of cherries and currants. It was an easy to drink wine, great for a lazy night after driving all day. The only con to this wine was it sure turned our teeth purple!

Would I buy it again? Yes, but I probably won't. There was really nothing spectacular about this wine that would make me go out of my way to buy it again. It was great tasting, easy to drink, and very cheap. I just know that I love to try new wines, so the reality of me picking up this wine again is pretty slim...not to mention I hate having purple teeth!

Fun Wine Fact: Cabernet Sauvignon grows almost everywhere. In warmer regions like Australia, you'll frequently get more ripe fruit flavors upfront. Grapes are picked when higher in fruit and lower in acid, often giving a more approachable wine.

Pairs Well With: Beef, lamb, and goose. It also is a great match for brie, cheddar cheese, and dark chocolate. (Ooops, we had it with pizza!)

What is the definition of a good wine? It should start and end with a smile.
– William Sokolin

~Beth

Uncorked #9: 2010 Casillero del Diablo Malbec

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

We spent this last weekend as a mini vacation in Minneapolis and had such a great time! Here's is our view of downtown from our hotel room. We had two great bottles of wine while there and I will post one this week and the other next week.

This week's wine is:

2010 Casillero del Diablo Malbec

Description: Sorry guys, forgot to copy down the wording on the bottle

Price: $11.99 per bottle
Region: Rapel Valley, Chile

Our lovely bottle model is Melissa, a family friend (or practically an adopted sister) of my husband. Anyways, she has recently been diving into Malbecs, so we picked out this one to try. We were staying in a hotel room, so we poured the wine into the classiest plastic cups (you know the ones that come wrapped in plastic in your hotel room) and headed down to the hot tub with wine in hand. Upon trying the wine, my first thought was "WOW! This thing is sharp*!!" I set it down and decided to let it breathe*. After about 10 minutes we picked it back up and it was amazing the change in the wine! As Melissa said "The wine was bright at first, then fruity with a hint of spice. It's better when allowed to breath for a while."

Would I buy it again? Yes, we all agreed that we would buy it again. In fact, shortly after this wine I was a local wine store and met a girl who was pretty fond of this wine. She told me the translation of name is the Devil's Cellar. Interesting name, considering the sharpness at first. The wine is a nice mid-ranged price and well worth a try.

Fun Wine Fact: The original Malbec vineyards were located mainly in France but a hard freeze in 1956 wiped out approximately 75% of the Malbec grapes. Now most of the Malbec vineyards are located in Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United States.

Pairs Well With: Spicy foods such as Mexican, Latin, Cajun, Indian, and Italian dishes. They also pair well with grilled steaks, BBQ, sausage, and chili.

Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.
– Benjamin Franklin

*Sharp- Sharp and its opposite, smooth, are words used to describe the acidic taste in a wine. Sharp wines are those in which the acidity is an overpowering characteristic. Also called Acrid.
*Breathe- Letting a wine breathe simply means allowing the wine to contact oxygen. Helps soften the tannins and acidity and develops the nose.

~Beth

Uncorked #8: La Fiera Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

2009 La Fiera Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Description: La Fiera Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is a full-bodied red wine with violet highlights and a fruity bouquet. The palate boasts dark berry fruit and spice. Best paired with tomato-based pastas, pizza and roasted poultry.

Price: $6.99 per bottle
Region: Italy

I am sure I have said this before on this blog, but World Market is my favorite store. I stopped by there today to kill some time and I found myself again in the wine aisle. I wanted to blog about a different type of wine and they usually have a nice variety to choose from. This is the first time I have drank a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. I looked it on Wikipedia, and it's a type of wine that is made from a grape that grows in the Abruzzo region of Italy. I have no idea where this region is, but Christi might as she has been to Italy.
First off, the color of this wine is very pretty. It's a deep burgundy color. I swirled it around in the glass and my little guy was mesmerized by it. The smell very berry-like and peppery. When you finally take a drink, after noticing the wonderful smell and color, you really taste quite a few spices with an acidic ending. The description says it is a full bodied wine, however my husband thought it was thin*. I didn't agree with him on that description, but would say it was more medium-bodied than the full-bodied as described.

Would I buy it again? Yes. Though I am usually not a fan of acidic wines, I actually liked the balance between the berries and spice with the acid ending. My husband, though he thought the wine was thin, said that it was a pretty good and he would drink it again.

Fun Wine Fact: Italy has been making wines for over 2800 years and is the largest wine producing country in the world.

Be careful to trust a person who does not like wine.
– Karl Marx

*Thin- thin: A synonym for shallow; it is an undesirable characteristic for a wine to be thin, meaning that it is watery, lacking in body, and just diluted.

~Beth

Uncorked #7: Lucky Duck Riesling

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Lucky Duck Riesling

Description: Lucky you! We searched the globe to create a collection of authentic, great tasting international wines, with layers of flavor. Sweet notes of citrus and apricot. Enjoy Lucky Duck alone or paired with white meats, fresh vegetable dishes, or spicy Asian cuisine.

Price: $3.97 per bottle
Region: Germany

There I was, walking through the wine section at Walmart and this very cute bottle jumped out at me. I love ducks, I mean who doesn't, right? Well with a price tag of $3.97 I thought, it was worth a try! Riesling is one of those wines that I love and I love to hate. It can vary so much from very dry to a super sweet dessert wine. With that in mind, unless you are familiar with the bottle or the winery gives you a description on the label, you have no idea what you are getting. This bottle gave no description of the level of sweetness, but I thought for the price it was worth a try. I do not discriminate with price and in the past have found some pretty good cheap bottles of wine (Trader Joe's anyone?) So, I poured myself a glass and took a nice big inhale of wine's bouquet. The nose was not very sweet, which gave me the heads up that I shouldn't be expecting a super sweet wine. I could smell a little apple and maybe some peaches, but something was a little off about the smell. The first sip was quite a disappointment, but somewhat expected from a $4 bottle of wine. I thought overall the wine lacked flavor. Usually with a Riesling you will have a nice crisp burst of fruits, and I really think they can be some of the most refreshing white wines out there. However, this one just was pretty blahh and slightly metallic tasting (which might be what I couldn't quite place with the smell.)

Would I buy it again? No. This might be my most harshest review on a wine, but I just really didn't like this wine. And Lucky for me I paid less than $4 for it! My husband thought I was being a little hard on this wine, but I have had much better bottles of wine for around the same price. There are some good cheap bottles out there. Quite literally, this wine gets the three T's for me: Tinny*, Tired*, and honestly Terrible.

Fun Wine Fact: Riesling is almost always aged in stainless steel and should not have characteristics of oak. (Probably why I thought the wine was so metallic tasting.)

A person usually has two Rieslings for doing something: a good Riesling and the real Riesling. – Thomas Carlyle

*Tinny- Metallic tasting
*Tired- Limp, feeble, lackluster

~Beth

Uncorked #6: Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed! I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Robert Mondavi Private Selection 2009 Pinot Grigio

Description: Through tireless wine making innovation, an uncompromising eye for quality and unshakable faith in California's vineyards, Robert Mondavi was a pioneer in producing wines that rival the world's finest. Our Pinot Grigio captures bright citrus, pear and tropical fruit flavors that culminate in a crisp refreshing finish.

Price: $7.99 per bottle
Region: Woodbridge, CA

I've said it before and I am sure you can tell with all the uncorked so far, I am a red girl. However, it can get boring reviewing red wines all the time so I decided to actively seek out a white one for this week. With the onset of spring, I thought a Pinot Grigio would be a good start to kick off the season. Pinot Grigios are an Italian white wine that usually is a nice mid-palate* balance with a short, clean finish. This pale golden wine opens up with a fruity, yet floral bouquet*. Immediately I could taste pear in the wine, but not an overpowering amount. The wine is on the dryer side, but has a fresh and crisp taste.

Would I buy it again? Like I said before, I always have considered myself a red girl, but this white wine might make me change my ways...or at least make me break out of my red shell. I was pleasantly surprised to find a white wine that I am looking forward to drinking again. Because it's an Italian wine, I served it with Spicy Tomato Cream Penne Pasta and some garlic bread. The wine went great with the meal and we ended up finishing the bottle. In fact, my husband even commented on how he wished we had some more...so yes, I will be buying this one again.

Fun Wine Fact: Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have determined that Pinot Grigio has a remarkably similar DNA profile to Pinot Noir (a red wine) and that the colour difference is derived from a genetic mutation that occurred centuries ago.

*Mid-palate- When you take a sip of good wine there is often a sequence of flavor and texture impressions, of which the mid-palate is the impression registered as you hold the wine in your mouth for a moment but before you swallow.
*Bouquet- As a wine's aroma becomes more developed from bottle aging, the aroma is transformed into a bouquet that is hopefully more than just the smell of the grape.

~Beth

Uncorked #5: Big Green Box Cabernet

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a wine that I've tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed!

I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Pepperwood Grove Big Green Box Cabernet Sauvignon

Description: Inviting red fruit aroma, with black currants, Italian espresso, and bittersweet chocolate flavors

Price: around $21 per box
Region: Chile

I know what you are thinking...box wine?!?!..this is Uncorked! Well, I don't know if you have tried boxed wine lately but there are so many different kinds out there that can really give their bottled counterparts a run for their money...quite literally! This particular box is my "go to" wine that I love to keep around the house. Don't let the box fool you, this is a great wine that does some great things. The company boasts how the box is "green" because it's made from 100% recycled product, uses less energy because glass bottle production isn't required, its light-weight and compact so less transpiration cost, and the packaging is printed on paper from a sustainable forest. That stuff is all nice, but really how does the wine taste?? Well, it's a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Syrah grapes, so it's not a true Cabernet Sauvignon*. The wine is medium bodied and well-balanced*. It opens with the flavor of oak, raspberries, and cherries and finishes dry with a little lingering flavor.

Would I buy it again? Um, yes! This is my go to wine daily wine. I am actually drinking this wine as I write this post! For those of you out there who turn your nose up at box wine, I really suggest trying this one. Just pour it out of the box and put it in a decanter and I swear no one will know otherwise. It's a great drinking wine and the perfect accompaniment for a piece of dark chocolate, a nice books, and a relaxing way to end your evening.

*Cabernet Sauvignon- Originally this type of wine was derived from a blend of Merlot and Cabernet grapes.
*Well-balanced- Wines whose components - acid, alcohol, tannin and residual sugar - relate in a balanced way, so none overwhelm the others.

~Beth

Uncorked #4: Naked Chardonnay

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a new wine that we tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed!

I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This week's wine is:

Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

Description: Step away from the barrel. This Chardonnay was fermented in 100% stainless steel and has not see any oak, not does it want to. This is crisp, concentrated Chardonnay with all its natural acid. Eat oysters and drink "Naked" often!! Share with a friend...

Price: $12.99 per bottle
Region: Santa Barbara County, CA, USA

Well, if you have noticed by now I like my red wines, but I felt my Uncorked has been overran by reds so I decided to review a Chardonnay. I purchased this wine back on Valentine's Day and I am now just getting around to finishing the bottle! It's been sitting in my refrigerator with about two glasses left. It didn't help that the cold weather also left me without any desire to drink cold wine. So given the recent sunshine and milder temps, I thought it would a perfect time to review the bottle. The wine has a very clean taste to it, hence the name "Naked". You can taste a little apple, pear and peach in the wine but as the desription on the bottle states there is no oaky* cast to the wine. Personally, I like my wine a little oaky. I don't know why but that flavor just seems to provide an organic feeling; as though the wine is from the fruit of this earth..

Would I buy it again? Maybe... it depends on what I am serving it with. If you are eating a dish where you want the wine to compliment the flavor of the dish, like the bottle suggests of oysters, this wine would be perfect. This wine is clean and crisp and would compliment the flavor of your meal, rather then overpower it. If you are looking for a Chardonnay for a wine party and are focused on tasting and drinking, I guess I would choose a different brand. To quote a fellow blogger, "I like my wine dirty, but sexy." As I stated before, I like my wines with a little more oak to them or some other organic flavor. Although the name is sexy I just don't feel the wine is "dirty" enough for me. So whether you like this wine or not I know it would be a hit at any party because of the name. I'm sure it might evoke some interesting conversations and facebook statuses to say the least!

*Oaky- Having the aroma and flavor of oak, resulting from aging in oak casks or barrels. Oak-like qualities may impart smokiness, vanilla tones, or clove or other spicy characteristics. Some oakiness is desirable, but too much is not.

~Beth

Uncorked #3: Prairie Berry Winery

Welcome to Uncorked! Where I feature a new wine that we tried and let you know my thoughts on it. There is a little disclaimer: I am by far no wine expert --I am just going to tell my thoughts on a wine. Some wine snobs out there might turn their nose up at my opinion and that's fine with me! Wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed!

I might throw out some wine terms here and there and if I do, I will make sure that I give you the definition and try to explain them to the best of my abilities. My goal is to share some tasty wine picks with the world and hopefully encourage some of you out there to try a new wine. No bottle shall be discriminated against, price is no matter (with in reason), and this is just going to be all about exploring the world of wine.

This last weekend was quite a treat! My husband's parents live in the Black Hills of South Dakota and I was lucky enough to spend some time with them while my husband attended a conference in a nearby town. We explored all over the Black Hills and stopped by Prairie Berry Winery, a nice local winery in Hill City. When you walk in you are greeted with a large open room, crates of wines, a roaring fire, and of course a little counter serving wine tastings and some delicious hor'dourves.
Prairie Berry Winery has been creating wines for five generations. They have a large selection of wines all developed from South Dakota grown grapes, fruits, and honey wines.

The winery was closing for the day when we arrived, so we weren't able to try all of the different wines, which was quite a disappointment. Lucky for us, they had a nice art exhibit put on by their own employees called the Prairie Berry Homegrown Art Show. We were surprised to see all the creative artists that work at the winery. They were eager to give us a glass of their award winning Three Red Necks wine and encouraged us to look around at all the art exhibits. I met one great artist in particular, Sarah, who had a nice film exhibit of super 8mm footage taken of her Grandfather. Everyone we met there was very friendly and like I say wine is meant to be savored and enjoyed and there is no better enjoyment then a nice glass of wine with some new friendly faces.

This week's wine is:
Prairie Berry Winery's 3 Red Necks

Description: The bottle doesn't have a description on it and neither did the website but I did find another review that summed it up as "A dry, maroon wine with noticeable legs and intriguing aroma."

Price: $16.00 per bottle
Region: South Dakota, USA

This wine was delicious and very different then what we expected. The wine is considered a Cabernet Sauvignon but it tasted much lighter and sweeter then a normal Cabernet. It seemed more like a Pinot Noir to us. There was a hint of some fruit, maybe some raspberries or cherries, but really no particular type of fruit stood out in the flavor. I thought I could taste a hint of some spice, maybe some cinnamon or cloves. For a person who has never enjoyed a Cabernet, maybe due to the dryness and full bodied quality, this would be a good starter wine as an introduction to the Cabernet family.

Would I buy it again? Yes, we really enjoyed this wine. Most Cabernets are very full bodied and much of the time the flavor is better with a side of cheese or a dark chocolate. This wine, because it was a lighter than normal, made for a great sipping wine. Also, I just love the fact that the wine is made from local South Dakota grapes and fruits. I love supporting locally grown food. I think it just gives the produce an exceptional taste and freshness, plus it's a great way to strengthen your local economy and support endangered small family farms.

~Beth