For the past two nights, my hubby and I have eaten off ourbeautiful new ivory Waechtersbach dishware that we received as wedding gifts. The night before last, my mom and "little" brother (who is half a foot taller than I am) came over and I made Arroz con Pollo (A spanish dish--"Rice with Chicken") for dinner. My dad missed out since he was gone on business, but we had a good time regardless.We ate the chicken and rice, baked beans, green beans, salad, and dinner rolls. I opened a 2007 Clear Bottle Bay White Zinfandel to go with our meal, although my mom and I were the only ones that drank any of it--my husband and brother opted for Coke instead.
2007 Clear Bottle Bay White Zinfandel, $7
I found this White Zinfandel to be just okay for my taste...It wasn't bad persay, but it's not something I'll buy again. As far as White Zinfandel goes, this fit the varietal to a T. It tasted very similar to the Sutter Home version I had over our honeymoon. That bottle seemed to improve after a couple of days of being open, but I'll have to rely on my mom's assessment on this one, because I sent the rest of the bottle home with her.
The Clear Bottle Bay White Zin was acidic first and foremost, and as sweet as it was, it somehow just didn't balance well on the palate. The strawberry flavors were nice, but the fruit tended to be overpowered by the acid as well. Overall, it was a light, zippy (though I'm not sure in a good way) wine that would probably taste better on a hot summer day.
My Grade: +/-
Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto 2008, $25
Last night was mine and my new hubby's one month "anniversary", so I made a nicer-than-usual dinner to celebrate. We ate off our new dishes again (which, by the way, make everything look more elegant!), and opened a celebratory bottle of Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto, which is a (slightly more expensive) sparkling wine from Italy.
My ever-so-helpful husband had to uncork the bottle, because I tend to have a deep-seated fear of things that go "POP" at unexpected moments, i.e., biscuit cans...I'm sure I'll have to get over it someday, but at this point in time, there usually seems to be someone around to enable me =]
Anyway, I poured a glass of the Banfi for myself, then offered a sip to my husband, who as most of you probably know by now isn't a wine drinker. At all. Surprisingly (after some coaxing to actually try it), he didn't make a horrible face, and although he said he'd still stick to his Bud Light, this was the best wine he'd tasted so far. I'll count that as a success any day, even though he went right back to his beer and didn't touch the wine again. Oh well...you can't make anyone love something just because you do, no matter how hard you try!
This sparkling cranberry-hued wine is brimming with fruit, both on the nose and the palate. It's sweet, but not too much so, as it has enough acid to balance it out. Rasberries and strawberries dominate on the tongue, with a touch of rose petals at the back if you take the time to really taste it. You wouldn't think rose petals could possibly taste good, but somehow they do, at least in this wine!
I think while drinking this wine, it would be impossible not to share in some of the joy it imparts. It's bright red, it's fruity, and it's sparkling with carbonation. How can you get more happy than that?!
My Grade: +++
No comments:
Post a Comment