It's been such a long, long time...And other things

My Apologies...
It goes without saying that once again, I have pretty much neglected my wine blog...this time for three entire months! I want to apologize to my readers (the few of y'all that are out there!), but I do have a good excuse to offer up, I promise =) But for that, I'm going to have to stray from the topic of wine for a bit...

And, An Excuse...
For the past several months, I've been tired. Not as in "I'm tired by the end of the day", but as in "I'm so tired that I feel like I haven't slept once I wake up and can't get out of bed in the mornings" tired. I knew something wasn't quite right, but I brushed it off as another harmless case of anemia and started taking my iron pills again. However, after a couple of months, I started having to get up in the middle of the night to guzzle water because I was so thirsty...Then, of course, I would have to get up again to go to the bathroom, and drink more water, and so on.

After about a month of that, I had a light bulb moment. You see, I'm very good at self-diagnosing. Almost every time something is going on with my body, I've identified what it is before I get to see the doctor. This time, though, I was hoping and praying I wouldn't be right.

My sister was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes a few years ago at the age of 16, and my dad found out he had Type II about two years ago. My sister, of course, has to be on insulin (and has a pump now), but my dad was able to control his through diet and exercise--he lost 30 pounds, and eats salads almost every day! Anyway, even though it was something my family had dealt with, I didn't think it would ever happen to me.

Fast-forward to a month ago, and there I was. I borrowed Dad's blood glucose meter and started testing myself over the weekend, then made an appointment Monday because my blood sugars were definitely on the high side. Monday afternoon, one of the local doctors came in after having ran some tests and told me I had Diabetes. Just like that. I had prepared myself for it in advance, so I held it together pretty well, but I couldn't help but imagine how horrible it would have been for someone who wasn't expecting it to find out that way.

At my next appointment later that week, he lectured me (seriously, he used a dry-erase board and everything) on the disease and how it works, and even though I am technically overweight by a pound or two according to Body Mass Index, he managed to make me feel like it was my "fault" that I got Diabetes because I ate like a pig. Which I don't, I swear! When I told my dad, "I guess I'll just have to eat healthier," he said, "But you already eat healthy..." Now, after having read several books on the subject, I know that you have to have the Diabetes gene(s) to get the disease, and I think the fact that I was obese as a child and preteen has something to do with having triggered its development. I guess I'll never know for sure, and wondering doesn't help, but the investigator in me wants to know!

Anyway, a month later, I'm doing just fine. I went to see the endocrinologist that my sister and dad see yesterday, and found out that mine is most likely Type II and that I'll probably be able to diet and exercise to keep my numbers down. He also alleviated a more personal concern I had about the disease--having children in the future--and reassured me that I would be fine in that respect, which came as a great relief.

Back to the Subject at Hand (Wine)
And, of course, one of my other concerns (much more minor in the greater scheme of things!) was whether or not I would be able to continue drinking wine. I did some research on the subject online and in my Diabetes books, and found out that the occasional alcoholic drink is fine as long as your numbers are good, and that since most red wines have little residual sugar, they don't have a big effect on blood sugar. Of course, the key (as with anything) is moderation. Also, an important note (especially for those with Type I or are on insulin) is that alcohol can lower your blood sugar too much--something to take into consideration when you're planning on having a drink!

Word of caution: I'm definitely not an expert and I'm not going to try to give medical advice to anyone else, but I'm glad that I'll be able to enjoy my wine much like I used to...Especially since I'm having to make so many other changes to my diet and routine! I believe that wine (mainly red) is good for you due to its natural antioxidants and other health benefits.

For further reading about wine and diabetes, I encourage you to visit the following pages:
--Wine Spectator Article on Diabetes and Wine:
http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/Diabetes-Patients-May-Benefit-From-Wine_4082

--WebMD Article on the future of a chemical found in red wine in treating Diabetes:
http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20091009/red-wine-chemical-may-one-day-treat-diabetes

--Wine Whines Blog:
http://blog.wineeducation.com/2007/03/diabetes-and-wine.html

--Tino's "Little Fat Wino" Diabetes Page:
http://www.littlefatwino.com/tinodiabetes.html

In the weeks to follow, I hope to upload some reviews I still have in my wine journal and look forward to tasting new and exciting wines to share with you. Today I received the order I placed on Wine.com in July (it was on hold due to the lovely Texas summer heat), so I now have another six bottles on hand to test!

Barefoot Moscato, $5

Barefoot is one of the more well-known and widely available "bargain" brands of wine, but generally unremarkable in my (limited) experience. In the past, I've sampled their Pinot Noir (which had no chance in surpassing the Robert Mondavi version I had tried just before) and their Zinfandel, which made it into "The Wine Trials 2010" but did not impress me. The brand is reasoably priced, but considering that for virtually the same cost I can get a bottle of [yellow tail], there's no contest. [yellow tail]'s wines are delicious, and especially so since they're such a steal.

That being said, my latest Barefoot endeavor was remarkably more satisfying than my previous ones. Described as "deliciously sweet" on the bottle, the pale yellow Barefoot Moscato is filled with yummy fruit and is very definitely sweet, but still balanced with just enough acidity.

On the nose, this white wine offers notes of white grape, stone fruit, and citrus. A noteable sweetness is at the forefront on the tongue, giving way to plenty of juicy fruit (peach and citrus), which continue for a very respectable finish for a cheap, less "serious" wine!

By now my readers have probably noticed that I tend to favor red varieties, but this has been my favorite white wine thus far. I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is because it's the most honest, straightforward wine I've tried from Barefoot. As I said, it's definitely not "serious," and it's extremely unlikely that it would impress a wine critic; however, in its playfulness it isn't trying to be something it's not, which makes me love it even more.

My Grade: ++++

2008 Montes Malbec, $11

Okay, being that tomorrow would make two months since my last post, I decided I better get with it and get some reviews on here! As with the last (unintentional) "break" I took from my blog, I do have several new wine reviews to share with you...Six, in fact! I've been so busy lately that time has been flying by at lightning speed, and I honestly didn't realize how much I've been slacking with getting my reviews posted until I counted the ones since my last post!

So, without further adieu, here it is:

I bought this one from World Market in March for $11. Montes is a Chilean winery noted for their red wines, and their Malbec is no exception. Although their Alpha Series is the more critically-acclaimed line, its higher price matches its reputation.

Purple-hued and full-bodied with plenty of jammy sour cherry, plum, and spicy American oak on the nose, it has pleasant, supple tannins that lend a nice structure and mouthfeel.

The same notes continue on the palate, with the oak nicely complementing the cherry/plum flavors. It could use a little more sweetness to balance out the acidity, but overall, a nice wine.

My Grade: ++

2007 Ravenswood Vintners Blend Zinfandel, $10

If you're a wine buff, you probably already know that Ravenswood is one of the big names in Zinfandel, and for good reason, as I recently found out. This is another of the three bottles of wine I bought at World Market in March, and I paid around $10 for it.

This full-bodied, dark ruby red Zin gives off tantalizing aromas of sour cherry, oaky vanilla, and just a hint of chocolate. On the palate, round, smooth tannins give way to intense fruit at the forefront. Spicy oak emerges to compliment the fruit flavors (cherry, other berry), leading to a nice fruit finish.

I can't say enough how impressed I was with this Zinfandel. It truly lives up to its hype, and does the Ravenswood family proud. Soft, supple tannins and a round flavor profile make this Zin a joy to drink, and it is extremely well balanced. It is full-bodied, but not heavy; fruity but not overly so; and just all-around yummy...It would be great with food, too!

My Grade: ++++

Pink by Yellowglen Australian Sparkling Wine, $10

I purchased this pink-tinted sparkling wine at World Market last month for around $10. I have to admit, that it was an impulse buy--I just couldn't resist the girly-bubbly-pink-ness of it, and so I ended up buying it along with my more "serious" wine purchases!

Upon opening the bottle and pouring myself a glass, I noted that the color is more of an orange-tinted pink instead of just pink, and there was white grape, peach, and grapefruit on the nose. At first sip, it was acidic and very bubbly, along with an almost salty quality. Next, soft peach and grapefruit flavors emerged, growing stronger as time passed to round out a nice finish.

All in all, this one was good, but I think it could use a little more of something (time?) to allow a better balance in acidity and sweetness. Soft fruit flavors carry this sparkling wine, while acidity and bubbles tend to overdominate.

My Grade: +/- to +

2008 [yellow tail] Shiraz-Cabernet, $5

An Amazing Bargain Wine--At the Right Temperature

[yellow tail] has greatly impressed me thus far with their budget-friendly, but still flavorful wines. This Shiraz-Cabernet blend is yet another example of [yellow tail]'s excellence at a price point that won't scare off an oenophile with a limited cash supply.

I bought this bottle at (yep, you guessed it!) Walmart for just under $5. I really wanted to try the Cabernet-Merlot blend, but my local Wally World didn't carry that particular variety, so I opted for this one instead.

In my original tasting of this wine, I noted that this full-bodied red wasn't bad, but not great either--just okay. The grade I then assigned it was a +, because it had good balance, but a "wierd taste at the midpoint." The next evening, I decided to try it again, this time at just a little cooler than room temperature. You see, the first time I tried it, I did so right out of the fridge. Since I had nothing to lose, I figured I better at least try and taste it at a different temperature before writing it off as a "nothing special" wine.

Upon allowing it to come close to room temperature, an amazing array of flavors and balance came forth--plum, boysenberry, oak, & spice at the forefront, with a superb balance of acidity and sweetness. Plum flavors rounded out a more-than-respectable finish. This Shiraz-Cabernet blend brings out the best characteristics of both varietals, and makes for a very, very good wine for a steal!

My Grade: ++++

Lesson learned...Temperature, temperature, temperature! I had a similar experience with Barefoot Zinfandel (see my review in March), but surprisingly it didn't readily occur to me that I would have the same issue with this variety.

I'm sure most wine experts serve their wines at precise temperatures, but I think I've found an easy rule of thumb for most bottles:

• Reds taste best at slightly cooler than room temperature rather than just out of the refrigerator--Not warm, but definitely not chilled either. I think that's the problem most people have with dry red wine--they drink it cold, which doesn't allow its true flavors to come forward, and can even make it taste "off."


• White wines, many rosé/blush wines, and sparkling wines tast best chilled, or at least at a fairly cold temperature. The richer the white wine is, the (slightly) warmer its optimal temperature.

I found a good, down-to-earth article on MSNBC's Food and Wine section about wine temperature if you're interested in learning more:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9392760/

2008 [yellow tail] The Reserve Shiraz, $12

I knew it had been a while since I'd posted a wine review for my blog, but I didn't realize just how long it had been until I looked at the date of my last post...Almost a whole month ago! How I let that get away from me, I don't know. Nonetheless, I have been tasting wine during the past month, if not making the actual leap of posting them on here! Anyway, I have four new reviews to post, so bear with me!

2008 [yellow tail] The Reserve Shiraz, $12

This is one of three bottles I purchased in February on Wine.com. I highly recommend their site if you want to order wine online--they have a great selection and their prices are reasonable. If you're a really dedicated oenophile, you can also pay $49 to enroll in their Steward-ship program, which includes unlimited standard shipping for a year with no minimum purchase requirement. I did just that, because due to the limited selection of wine in my area, I knew the cost of membership would pay for itself in no time.

This deep ruby red full-bodied Shiraz from [yellow tail]'s Reserve line gives off aromas of cherry, spicy oak, mocha, vanilla, and black pepper. On the palate, it has an acidic effervescence at the forefront with red berry flavors emerging and carrying through the finish.

This wine is smooth and pleasant, but lacks the richness of the Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz. It is, however, good in its own right. Its light effervescence plays on the tongue with smooth tannins and nice acidity. This Shiraz is an easy drinker, straightforward with a subtle roundness of flavors.

Grade: ++ to +++

2007 Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz, $10

Over the course of my wine tasting journey, rarely has a wine completely surpassed my expectations. Usually, I'm either simply satisfied that a wine turns out to be as good as I thought it would, or disappointed that it doesn't measure up. This one, however, broke the mold.

I bought a bottle of Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz at Walmart a while ago, towards the beginning of my quest for budget wine. It caught my eye because I instantly recognized it as one of the wines from "The Wine Trials 2010". Since I was just starting out (and didn't trust my own judgment as of yet), I was relying chiefly on recommendations from wine books for my purchases. A "Two-Time Wine Trials Selection," it was hailed as the Shiraz to go with on the cheap, as opposed to other "fruit bombs" that are cloyingly sweet.

This, however, turned out to be one of the few bottles that has sat in my wine rack for longer than a few weeks, probably because I'd never tried Shiraz...I just wasn't sure what to expect. I'll admit that I was a bit weary that I was going to hate it, mainly due to the fact that I never expected chocolate, a flavor common to Shiraz, to taste good in a wine.

I'm usually excited to open my wines shortly after buying them, but even up until the point that I uncorked this one for a glass one evening, I was just begrudgingly thinking of getting rid of it so I would have another space open on my wine rack. I don't know why I was so halfhearted about trying this one, but in the end, it turned out to be one of my favorites!

To start with, it's a dark plum-red full-bodied wine with a strong, jammy sour cherry nose and a hint of vegetal aromas. On the palate, there is acidity and astringent tannins at the forefront, with plenty of red, jammy berries dominating on the tongue. Dark chocolate, spiciness, and a slight (but not unpleasant) bitterness, come into play to round out the background, and at the end, there's a great, fruit filled finish.

Smooth and supple, Rosemount Diamond Label Shiraz has superb balance, with the perfect amount of acidity, tannins, and fruit. Its flavor profile is round and complex, but it remains easy to drink. Overall, I think this is an amazing wine for the price. This Shiraz evokes luxury, and could even be deemed sexy--it's everything dark chocolate is, embodied in wine. Everything about it, from the dark, square-shaped bottle to the dark plum-hued wine inside, oozes mystery. Speaking of the bottle, it is a little intimidating, but don't let it fool you--the wine inside is perfectly approachable.

My Grade: ++++

2007 Pink Truck, $11

It's been a while since I've had a chance to post a wine review, mainly due to the fact that my husband and I are in the process of trying to buy a house. If you've ever been through that maze, you know how much time is involved in the process, and how stressful it is. It's a good thing that I have a decent wine supply on hand, because it's really nice to have a glass at the end of those especially hectic days!

With that out of the way, I thought I would tell you about the first wine I've bought on recommendation from a friend/family member, a blush/rosé known aptly as Pink Truck. It's an off-dry (slightly sweet), pinkish-rose-red light-bodied wine from Red Truck Winery of California. I purchased it last month on Wine.com for $11.

It gives off aromas of strawberry, raspberry, orange, white grape, and, of course, alcohol. The same notes are found o nthe palate, with an acidic "bite" at the forefront that gradually resides into pleasant fruit flavors. The finish is decent, but somewhat weak.

This wine has fairly good balance, although I would have liked for it to have had just a bit more sweetness (or a little less acidity)--but then again, it's called an off-dry wine for a reason! The fruit flavors are delicate, but harmonious.

Although I prefer the Canyon Wind Desert Rosé over this bottle, it's still a nice, straightforward rose wine. My mom, whom I shared the second half of the bottle with, really loved this one. It definitely has an undeniably universal appeal, and who wouldn't love its creative and nostalgic label?!

My Grade: ++

2007 Smoking Loon Merlot, $6

A Great-Tasting Wine for the Price

I've bought most of the wines that I've sampled over the past couple of months on recommendation from wine books and friends, and I've rarely been disappointed. With this one, however, I have to be honest...I bought it at Walmart out of sheer curiosity, mainly due to its unique name and eye-catching label. Now I'll be the first to acknowledge that you can't judge a wine by its bottle, yada yada; BUT, let's face it--we've all done it at some point. And it's no accident that wineries pour tons of money into marketing their wines--they know that with a striking label and a unique name, they're bound to make countless sales on novelty factor alone.

Nonetheless, I found myself scanning the local Walmart's (rather limited) wine selection with a somewhat-more-trained eye, trying to make an "educated" decision as to which wine to try next. However, as the generic, neutral colored + cursive text + picture of a vineyard labels started to run together, I found my eyes drawn to the Smoking Loon's bold red and gold label, playing right into the wine marketing industry's plan to conquer the wine world through appearances alone. Thus is the route by which I ended up pouring myself a glass of Merlot (the first I've formally tasted) this weekend.

This brick red, medium-bodied wine gave off aromas of spicy, earthy oak, black pepper, red berries, and a hint of leather. On the palate, there were more of the same, along with a touch of milk chocolate and plum. It had nice tannins, was easy drinking, and had a respectable finish for a wine in this price range.

Overall, I was impressed by how pleasing this wine was. It had a surprisingly well-rounded flavor complex and a superb balance. Perfect on its own, it also has enough body to withstand a meaty main dish and is food-friendly enough to pair with cheese and crackers. A true crowd pleaser, I don't see how anyone could not like this wine.

My Grade: +++

Canyon Wind Tempranillo, $20

A Sassy, Spicy Red

Since I finally caved and opened my "intended for a special occasion since I bought it on our honeymoon" Canyon Wind Desert Rosé (on a nondescript Tuesday, nonetheless), I decided I might as well make it two for two and uncork my Canyon Wind Tempranillo to enjoy.

Tempranillo is a grape of Spanish origin, and produces a characteristic plum-red wine. This particular bottle gives off aromas of cherry, plum, and smoky spices, along with a hint of oaky vanilla. The texture is velvety smooth, with lots of nice, balanced tannins and a medium-to-full body.

On the palate, the same richness continues: red berries and spice at the forefront, with oak rounding out the background and a hint of red plum to add interest. These flavors remain on a nice, long finish that leaves you wanting more. It's very balanced, low on the spectrum in both acidity and residual sugar, which is definitely not a bad thing--and there's still enough acid to add to the spicy "bite" of this wine.

This wine is everything I hoped it would be. It's complex, balanced, round, and elegant, and although it's more of a splurge than a bargain, I would buy this one again in a heartbeat if ever given the chance.

My Grade: +++

2008 Canyon Wind Desert Rosé, $14

Last night, I decided that rather than finishing the bottle of Barefoot Zinfandel, I wanted to try something a little lighter. I had been chilling my Canyon Wind Desert Rosé in the fridge for the past several days, waiting for an excuse to open it. Figuring that the first Tuesday in March was a good enough reason to uncork a special bottle of wine, I did just that.

Let me just say, what a way to celebrate the first hints of spring! This Rosé evoked the sense of warmer days to come, something that I'm very much looking forward to.

Canyon Wind's Desert Rosé is described on the label as a semi-sweet wine, and that it is--pleasantly sweet, with just enough acidity to balance it out. The nose is ripe with aromas of white grape, strawberries, and just a trace of peach. On the palate, there is plenty of red berry (strawberry & raspberry), as well as a touch of peach rounding out the background.

My Grade: ++++

All in all, this is the best rose/blush wine I've tasted thus far. The bright sweetness and berry flavor pairs extremely well with the rosy pinkish-red color...For some reason, most rose wines are always a tad disappointing for me, just because something that is such a joyfully feminine color should be at least a little sweet, in my mind anyway.

Maybe that's just me, but then again, wine is a highly subjective subject. What tastes good to one person may repel another, as with anything else that draws an opinion. I've stressed it before and I'll say it again--just because I may like (or dislike) a wine, doesn't mean that you will love (or hate) it too. I think that should be Lesson #1 in any wine tasting class--"good" wine is whatever tastes good to you, not what someone else hails as "worthy". Lesson #2, and the whole purpose behind this blog: "good" wine doesn't have to cost an arm or a leg, or even a pinky finger. A $100 bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is worthless to you if you don't like the oaky, dry flavors of Cabernet, and a $5 Riesling can taste better than bottles that cost twice or three times as much. It's all about what you like. And finding out what that may be is a process of trial and error, but I assure you that the journey will be as good or better than the end result.

Barefoot Zinfandel, $7

Proof that first impressions aren't always right...

I bought a bottle of Barefoot Zinfandel (Lodi, California) from Walmart several weeks ago, and finally uncorked it this weekend.

I purchased this on recommendation from "The Wine Trials 2010", which blind-tasted and picked 150 top wines under $15 that beat $50+ bottles to feature in their book. They touted this wine as a rare find--a Zin for $7 that didn't "send you running for the hills". After reading their review, I decided I would give it a try.

I pulled the bottle from the fridge and poured myself a glass on Friday night. Upon sitting down at the table to taste it, I took a big whiff. The first thing that came to mind was that this smelled more like a Cabernet Sauvignon than a Zinfandel...It had the spicy, oak-vanilla-red berry aromas of a Cab, and was about the same color.

After taking a nice big sip, I noted that this medium- to full-bodied Zin also tasted like Cabernet Sauvignon--jammy red berries dominated, with spicy oak rounding out the background. So...It looks like a Cabernet, smells like a Cabernet, and tastes (almost) like a Cabernet, but it's a Zinfandel? I have to say, I felt pretty confused about this one. I knew there must be something more that would distinguish this as a Zinfandel, so I took several more sips.

Almost immediately, I noticed that there was something different about this one...and it wasn't very pleasant. A few sips in, I detected a weird, almost salty flavor that dominated on the palate and made it difficult to drink. After this discovery, I started writing this one off as a failure in my mind, but I also knew there was something "off" about it that deserved more investigation.

The next night, I poured myself a (much) smaller glass of the Barefoot Zinfandel, intent on finding out what "The Wine Trials" saw in this one that I was missing. Then it hit me--It was very similar in all facets to Cabernet Sauvignon, so why not try drinking it like a Cab? This time, I let the glass set out on the counter until it came to room temperature before tasting it, as you would Cabernet. I took one tentative sip, then another...And liked it. Not really liked it, definitely not loved it, but liked it. That weird salty flavor that put me off the night before was gone now, and the flavors were much more balanced as a result. I went back to my wine journal and noted my new impressions, and was glad to have given this one another chance.

I think too often we are quick to form judgments based on first impressions, and take them as our final opinion without revisiting them again. This wine is proof that sometimes, even when our first impression is decidedly negative, a little tweak in method can make a huge difference in the end result, and in our final opinion on the subject. My suggestion? If you don't like a wine (especially a bargain wine), try tasting it at different temperatures instead of tossing it in the trash can...It can't hurt, right? And you never know, you might be (pleasantly) surprised! =)

My Grade: +

P.S.--For some great direction and/or guidance in choosing bargain wines, I highly recommend "The Wine Trials 2010". Its method is completely unbiased, and the results may shock you...Gone are the days when you have to shell out big bucks for a good wine!

A White Zinfandel & A Sparkling Anniversary

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: +++

2008 Watusi California Zinfandel, $7

Summertime in a Bottle

This fun, flirty Zin by Watusi is a delight to drink. It’s the first Zinfandel I’ve “formally” tasted, and it didn’t disappoint. Bright with prickly acidity and tannins, it provides excellent depth of flavors for a Zinfandel at this price point.

The Watusi Zinfandel is a medium-bodied strawberry red number that gives off aromas of red berries, florals, and a little oaky vanilla to round it out—in fact, I wrote down that it smells similar to a Cabernet.

On the palate, there are strong floral notes that dominate the first wave of flavors, along with strawberries and a trace of herbs. The floral taste lingers, but gives way to more red berries and a hint of peach, which gradually and subtly takes over and lingers on the finish.

This one may be too sweet for some (especially for the more exacting palate), but then again, Zinfandel isn’t a grape that conforms to French Bordeaux-loving standards either. If taken for what it is, this Zin is overflowing with joyous fruit flavors, and packs just enough acidity to balance out the residual sugar.

It turns out that this is not a very well-known wine, so it may be difficult to find; however, it just happened to grab my attention while heading for the checkout at World Market, and I’m glad I ended up buying a bottle of it. During what seems like a never-ending winter, this Zinfandel provides a glimpse of the bliss that is spring and summer!

P.S.--Sorry about the horribly blurry picture, guys...although I guess it kind of goes with this wine's illusiveness!

My Grade: ++++

2006 Beringer Founders' Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $11

The night before last, I opened this bottle of Beringer Cabs for tasting. I let it sit on the counter during supper to allow it to come to room temperature (the "proper" way to drink cabernet sauvignon), then poured myself a glass.

After a good swirl, this ruby red wine gave off tantilizing aromas of red berries, spice, and oaky vanilla. According to Kevin Zraly's method of wine tasting, I took one sip to get over the initial "shock" to the taste buds before beginning my tasting impressions.

This cabs coats the mouth with a healthy amount of tannins, lending it an astringent quality at the onset. It immediately provides just the right acidity--nothing "too" about this one. The mouthfeel is rich and suede-like, with a slight "furry" quality to it. [By the way, I definitely thought that word sounded gross when I first read it in a wine review too, but you just have to experience it to know it's not a bad thing!]

The flavor is big, bold, and peppery, with an abundance of red berries and oak. It achieves superb balance in a short amount of time, and has great depth and length for a wine of this price.

As with any cabernet sauvignon, you wouldn't want to pair this one with a weak dish due to its full body and high tannin content, because it would overpower the food. This wine would pair well with red meat, pasta with heavier sauces, or even pizza. Or, of course, you could do like I did and just drink it on its own! Either way, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Speaking of disappointment...I poured another glass of this last night and left it on the counter to bring it to room temp, but since my hubby was much later getting home than I thought he would be, it got a little too warm, so I stuck it in the fridge. BIG mistake. I had set it on a shelf inside the door where the gallon jug of tea had been, and closed the door. After we ate supper, I went to the fridge to put some stuff away, and as soon as I opened the door, my wine came crashing down and splashed all over the floor, the inside of the fridge, and me. Luckily, my glass survived the fall, but I think that's because all of our glassware, from iced tea glasses to my wine glasses and my hubby's beer mugs (and juice glasses, and water goblets...) are all Libbey brand. I have never (*knock on wood*) had a Libbey glass break, and they're all I've used for the past three and a half years.

Anyway, I was majorly bummed that so much of my wine had gone to waste, especially since we're talking about a big glassful. Oh well...You live and you learn--and sometimes you spill your wine!

Barefoot Pinot Noir, $7

Barefoot's wines are among some of the most well-received bargain wines by critics for their relatively good quality-to-value ratio, and rightfully so. Their wines are "real" enough to pass muster with all but the hardest to please oenophile, and they cost much less than most decent wines on the market.

Billed by Barefoot as a "New Release", this one caught my curiousity at Walmart. I can't recall if I bought this wine at the same time or after the Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir (See my archive for its review) but I remember thinking it would provide a comparison point for the latter. At $7, it cost around $4 less than the Mondavi version.

On the nose, this variety is fairly diluted. There are hints of red fruit and flora, but it doesn't provide much to be sniffed.

This medium-bodied wine is similarly weak on the palate, albeit for the acidity, which is a little on the heavy side. Red fruit (cherry, raspberry) is predominate, but still doesn't provide much to think about. There is enough oak to add a touch more interest, but even it is vague in its perception.

I suppose it's because the Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir was so amazing in comparison, but I just can't seem to come up with much excitement for this one. It isn't bad, and it does go down easily with a smooth touch, but it doesn't have any length to speak of...In a matter of seconds, what flavors it does have to offer have already faded into oblivion. On the positive side, it didn't seem like the alcohol in this wine really affected me, but that's about all I can say...

When looking at the big picture, I would pay the extra $4 for the Robert Mondavi Pinot Noir in a heartbeat. There's just no way that this one can measure up to the pleasure that one provided, even though this is a good, basic, unoffensive red for a party or less discerning palates.

My Grade: +

2006 Colombelle Cotes de Gascogne Blanc, $7

This white wine is a "Vin de Pays" from France, which designates that it is a step above table wine, but is below the VDQS and AOC classifications. These designations signify that a wine is made according to certain specifications, with the rules being more stringent for higher classifications than lower ones.

I paid around $7-8 for this bottle from World Market. It was pale yellow in color, and gave off delicate aromas of flowers and citrus fruit. On the palate, it had nice acidity (not overwhelming), and was bursting with graprefruit and white peach. This medium-bodied white wine had a great balance between acidity and sweetness, with just enough of both. It had decent length, and a good harmony of flavors.

All in all, this is a white worth noticing. It had great flavor and value for the price.

My Grade: +++

2007 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir, $11

"Whatever you do, pour yourself into it."

--Robert Mondavi

I have to say, Mondavi et al really poured themselves into this one. It's a light bodied, dark ruby Pinot Noir with plenty of flavor to go around.

At around $11 at Walmart, this is an amazing wine for the price. Attractive aromas containing plenty of jammy, ripe fruit and a hint of vanilla from the oak lead into a beautifully complex palate bursting with fruit (blackberry?) and just enough oakiness to round out the edge.

Honestly, I would drink this wine with just about anything--or nothing! This bottle serves as proof that you don't have to spend a fortune to find a true treasure in the wine world. It has amazing balance and complexity, and the finish has impressive length for such a (relatively) cheap selection.

This was my first Pinot Noir, and it definitely set the bar high. I'm going to buy another bottle of this one for sure...It's a keeper!

My Grade: ++++

2007 Hayes Ranch 'In the Saddle' Cabernet Sauvignon, $7

"California Wines with a Western Spirit"

The tagline for this California winemaker seems to be the perfect description for the style of their wine. Everything about it screams "Western," from the label design to the stuff inside the bottle.

This is another wine from my first round of purchases last month at World Market, and it's a steal for what you get.

This dark red Cab gives off aromas of oak, vanilla, spice, red jam, and an unspecific vegetative bouquet.

It proved to be a supple, warm, jammy red wine with plenty of spicy oak flavor and just enough tannins to add interest. It has a nice complexity of flavors and is overall an extremely pleasing wine.

When I first opened it, it had a slightly chemical taste, but I think that it might have disappeared had I let the open bottle sit for a little bit before the first sip. After the bottle sat in the fridge for a few days, it seemed like the flavors only got better. As time went by, it got more complex, smoky, and I was finally able to taste the blackberry noted on the label.

Hayes Ranch 'In the Saddle' is a big, oaky wine with plenty of fruit for the tasting. It's great on its own (the way I've enjoyed it the last couple of cold winter nights), but also goes well with pizza. It has enough substance to stand up to a nice steak, but is gentle enough to enjoy with chicken.

My Grade: +++

My Wine Grading System

By this point, I've written reviews on several different wines, and I feel that there's a need to somehow quantify how I feel about them. I'm not going to go so far as to assign a number grade or devise a complicated scoring system for them, but I think I've come up with a way to give you a better overall idea of what to expect should you decide to take my reviews to heart and try (or not waste your time on) the wines I've reviewed.

Also, keep in mind that any wine review or grade should be taken with a grain of salt, so to speak, because in the end, only you can decide whether or not you like a particular wine--after all, the best-reviewed wine in the world has little personal value if you don't like it! Wine reviews are merely meant to provide a starting point on which you build your expectations, much like food descriptions on a menu. Sometimes, those descriptions hit the nail on the head, but other times, they bear little resemblence to what you actually end up with.

My goal in writing this blog is to provide a frame of reference for people like me--people who have a limited budget and a similarly restricted knowledge of wine--and to encourage those who want to learn more about wine to do so by simply "diving in," just as I have.

Grading System:
- and below
Not so great; probably wouldn't buy again, due to either a lack of flavor or too high a price, or both

+/-
Not horrible, but not very good either; might possibly buy again in another vintage or allow to age longer

+
A good, balanced wine with few flaws; would likely buy again

++
Superb balance and flavor; one to buy again

+++
Excellent flavor and value; above average complexity and length for the price; will buy again in the future

++++
Simply amazing; outstanding flavor and value; one for the books

A French Rose: 2008 La Vieille Ferme, $8

This is the first rose wine I've reviewed for this blog, and I have to say it proved to be a worthy one. I bought this bottle at World Market a month ago, and it cost around $8.

This is one of three varieties offered by La Vieille Ferme (the other two being a red and a white), and comes from Rhône Valley Vineyards in the Côtes du Ventoux AOC, which is located near the Côtes du Rhône appellation.

>>Appellation d'origine contrôlée (or AOC, for short) is a French term that certifies that a wine is made from specific grapes from the area stated on the label, and that it is produced in a certain way.

La Vieille Ferme Rose is made from Cinsault (50%), Grenache (40%), and Syrah (10%) grapes. It is a medium-bodied wine that is light red in color, and gives off aromas of red berry (strawberry, cranberry, etc.), grape, and a slightly earthy scent. It has very little sweetness or tannins and is moderate in terms of fruit and acidity.

On a side note, I finally figured out after some time that the word "Récolte" on the label means "crop or vintage," as in "Vintage: 2008", and is not part of the name of the wine itself! That just goes to show that you learn something new everyday, and more so, it seems, when it comes to the wine world! =)

At the onset, acidity overwhelms with this one, but slowly fades away and balances out as fruit flavors appear. In the 30-45 second time frame, harmony is reached as the flavors and acidity balance further, and from 45 seconds onward, this balance continues as the flavors gently reside.

All in all, this rose is a dry, delicate wine that is pleasant but nothing to write home about. It would be great with appetizers, or as a good compromise to offer a divided group of red and white wine lovers.

My Grade: + or ++

(I'm on the fence as far as the grade to assign this one...As I said, it's nothing terribly exciting, but it's also a good, strong, straightforward rose.)

Canyon Wind Cellars Wine Tasting

While we were on our honeymoon, I somehow convinced my husband (the obstinate beer man) to venture over to the Canyon Wind Cellars tasting room in Georgetown, Colorado. Canyon Wind's vineyard is located in Palisade, Colorado, where they produce a wide variety of wines using sustainable (eco-friendly) practices. While my hubby stood by (obviously bored with the wine talk), I sampled several of Canyon Wind's red varieties. Keep in mind that I only had a couple of sips of each and didn't bring my wine journal along with me, so I won't be able to go into much detail about the nuances of each one. Also, since I wasn't able to do a "proper" tasting of these wines, I'm not going to assign a grade to them--I simply don't remember enough about each one.

Merlot
Described by the maker as "One of our most successful and popular wines...The nose has nice scents of cherry and cedar. A medium bodied, balanced red with a soft full mouth feel. This wine is perfectly suited for a picnic or a black tie dinner," this was a fairly straightforward, balanced merlot. Nothing "off" about this one; it was pleasant to both the nose and the mouth. I'm sad I left without picking up a bottle of this one, especially since Canyon Wind only ships within Colorado.

Syrah

"A wonderfully intense version of this popular varietal with a deep, rich color. Coffee and fruit aromas abound. On the palate it is a well balanced, and richly flavored wine with a long finish. Perfect for hearty meats and stews." This wine had a much more powerful quality than the merlot; there was nothing delicate about it. That's not to say it was unpleasant in any way; it would simply require a similarly substantial food to stand up to its intense flavors.

Tempranillo

"This red wine is originally from northern Spain and has now found a home in Colorado. A lighter red with a nose of bright cherry, smoke, and spice." Although Canyon Wind only offers this short and simple description, this wine is arguably deserving of much more. It was a delightfully spicy red wine, and evoked the sultriness of its country of origin. The man behind the counter suggested pairing this one with Mexican or Italian food, both of which I can see this one working beautifully with. This one impressed me so much that I decided to buy a bottle of it to take home, so I'll be reviewing it in more detail in the future.

Petit Verdot

"One of the noble Bordeaux varietals. This wine is a dark, tannic, and rich with exceptionally deep color, great weight and structure. A must try...with great pepper overtones!" Out of all the wines I tasted at Canyon Wind, this one was without a doubt the most interesting one. The gentleman behind the counter instructed me to really take my time with this one, and rightfully so. He told me to imagine what a rose would taste like if it was melted into a wine...And that is exactly what this one tasted like! Now I'll be the first to say that eating (or drinking) a rose never sounded appealing, but against all odds, this wine pulls it off. It was a little too different for my taste, but it was definitely an adventure in and of itself!

Desert Rosé

"Based on our Cabernet varietal, this Rosé has a beautiful youthful color. Bright fruit aromas of strawberries and raspberries burst from the glass. On the palate there is an array of red berry flavors. The balancing acid provides a nice crisp finish making this wine a drink for all occasions." This was the last wine I tasted, and was also the sweetest by far. Marked as Canyon Wind's dessert wine, this rosé was intensely fruity with overtones of red berries both on the nose and the palate. Although it arguably lacked the complexity of the other wines Canyon Wind offers, it had an innocent appeal that can't be denied...I bought two bottles of this variety, one for myself and one as a gift for my mom!

A Wine-Filled Honeymoon

Obviously it's been a while since I've posted (over two weeks, in fact), but I'm not going to apologize this time around! My new hubby and I got back from our honeymoon in Colorado on Monday, and we've been getting our house set up since then. Today is my first day back to work in a couple of weeks, and I finally have full internet access again...Two weeks is a significantly long web hiatus for me!

Anyway, we had an amazing time in Colorado, and it turned out to be a relaxing and much-needed vacation for both of us. You just can't beat eight days of a private hot tub and a breakfast of fresh fruit and crescents delivered to our room each morning (through a window in the wall, nonetheless!). We were sad to leave our cozy room at the Hotel Chateau Chamonix behind, but I don't think we'll miss the crazy altitude changes anytime soon!

Since I last posted, I've sampled several different wines, and a pretty wide array of them at that. According to the best of my memory, here is a list of them:

Wines From Personal Collection:
--2009 Yellow Tail Riesling (Australia)
--2008 La Vieille Ferme Récolte Rose Wine (France, AOC Côtes du Ventoux)
--2007 Hayes Ranch "In the Saddle" Cabernet Sauvignon (California)

Wines From Honeymoon:
--[Bodegas?] Borsao Red Wine (Spain)
--Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon (California)
--Sutter Home White Zinfandel (California)
--Unidentified White Wine (Received upon check-in at hotel)
--Unidentified Red Wine (Drank with dinner on Two Below Dinner Sleigh Rides in Frisco, CO)

Wines From Tasting at Canyon Wind Wine Cellars in Georgetown, Colorado:
--Merlot
--Syrah
--Petit Verdot
--Tempranillo**
--Desert Rosé**
**Added to Personal Collection

I'll try to describe each of them for you in as much detail as possible in separate posts, so keep reading!!!

Yellow Tail Riesling, Aussie Style, $5

I bought this 2009 Yellow Tail Riesling from Walmart a few weeks ago. It cost just under $5 and was one of many Yellow Tail varieties offered there.

To start off, let me just say that I loved this wine. In fact, although it's a tough choice, I might go so far as to say that this one beats the Moselland German Riesling, and it cost about half as much.

The nose evokes an intense fruity aroma, and at first sniff, the acidity is obvious, but in no way offensive. Upon first taste, the acidity lends a light, refreshing note to the taste buds and is balanced out by just enough sweetness. Fruit flavors emerge in the form of apple, white grape, and a hint of pear. Yellow Tail also cites a hint of orange blossom that "may linger on the finish," but I can't say that I remember that particular flavor...Maybe my allergies are getting the best of my sense of taste too =(

To sum it up, this wine is definitely a crowd-pleaser. It would pair with a wide variety of different foods, and is definitely enjoyable on its own as well. I have to recommend it, and look forward to trying more of Yellow Tail's varieties in the future.

MY GRADE: ++

A Weekend With Two German Rieslings...and a Wedding Cake

This weekend proved to be a pretty eventful one. Not only did I pick up my wedding dress (which fits, thank goodness!), but the bakery also delivered our wedding cake and groom's cake. The wedding isn't until next weekend, but due to a stroke of bad luck, the entire staff at the cake company is going to be gone on a cruise this whole next week...so they had to come set up our cake this weekend, and we'll keep it in the deep freeze until the big day. Anyway, the girl assigned to our delivery got all five tiers stacked and ready to go, then she and my dad set about lowering it into the deep freeze using a couple of tie-down straps. My mom and I looked on anxiously, since all we could do was pray that the whole cake wouldn't come crashing to the ground on what seemed like the longest three foot journey in the history of mankind. I guess our prayers worked, because even though the cake was just a moment away from disaster the entire way down, it miraculously made it to the bottom of the freezer in one piece. Although the poor girl seemed calm during the whole process, as soon as the cake was safely in the freezer, she collapsed against the wall in relief. I think ours was without a doubt her most stressful delivery ever, but she handled it extremely well, and hopefully she isn't scarred for life from the whole experience!

Later that afternoon, my mom brought over some of the wine she had picked out from World Market, and we had a "tasting party," just the two of us. The night before, I had opened one of my bottles, a 2007 German Riesling called "bloom".

2007 bloom Riesling (Germany)
After swirling it, I took a lengthy sniff. It had a very acidic aroma, and smelled like a combination of green apple, white grape, flowers, and weeds. In accordance with Kevin Zraly's suggestions in his "Windows on the World Wine Journal," I took a sip, then waited 30 seconds before taking another in order to be able to properly take in its flavors after the initial "shock to the taste buds". Next, I began Mr. Zraly's 60-second tasting process. The first 15 seconds were overwrought with acidity, and provided no sweetness or fruit flavors. The next 15 were much the same, with a small decrease in the level of acidity and a small hint of green apple and white grape flavors. In the next 30 seconds, all of the flavors faded, and the sweetness I was searching for never emerged. Overall, this wine was fairly unoffensive, but unremarkable all the same. It seemed to need some more time to achieve a better balance between the acidity and fruit flavors, as the acidity was rather overpowering all the way through. I might pair it with an equally unremarkable dish, such as chicken or a mild seafood.

MY GRADE: +/-

2007 Moselland Ars Vitis Riesling (Germany)
Saturday afternoon, my mom brought over another 2007 German Riesling, Moselland Ars Vitis. This was the first wine I had ever opened with a corkscrew (the bloom Riesling was also a screw-cap variety), which turned out to be an adventure in and of itself! I used a corkscrew from my Oneida wine set, and removed the cork without any problem. I was feeling pretty proud of myself until I realized that I couldn't get the cork off the corkscrew...I tried twisting it off to no avail, and finally abandoned the task in favor of sampling the wine.

This variety turned out to be infinintely more appealing than the bloom Riesling. Its aroma was much more mild, and consisted primarily of white grape and a hint of green apple. After the initial sip, the first 15 seconds of tasting proved to be very pleasant; this wine was only mildly acidic, and the fruitiness (white grape)appeared much sooner. By the end of the 30-45 second time frame, the flavors achieved a pleasant balance: the acidity all but disappeared, and though there was still little residual sweetness, the fruit flavors showed themselves very well.

The bottom line? The Moselland Ars Vitis Riesling was much more appealing and ready to drink than the bloom Riesling, achieving a very pleasant balance between sweetness and acidity and a harmony of flavors, both of which the bloom very much lacked. The Moselland could withstand a more flavorful chicken or seafood dish than the bloom, and would undoubtedly appeal to a much wider variety of palettes.

MY GRADE: + or ++

Next, I'm planning on trying an Australian Riesling by Yellow Tail, which is chilling in my fridge as we speak. We'll see how the Aussie stacks up against the German varieties!

In the meantime, if you're looking for a great wine reference book, I highly recommend Kevin Zraly's "Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 25th Anniversary Edition", along with his wine journal of the same name. They're great reads if you want to learn more about wine, and Mr. Zraly is simultaneously thorough and accessible in his approach to wine.


Oh, and about that stubborn cork...After drinking a glass of the Moselland Riesling, I easily unscrewed it from the corkscrew. Apparently, that's the trick to successfully removing the cork after opening your bottle of wine...You just have to drink some of it first! =)

A Rose by Any Other Name?

While I was laying awake last night thinking the sort of random thoughts that only seem to float around in your head when you should be sleeping, it hit me that my blog about wine is, thus far, almost as much about coffee and beer as it is about the main topic. Which got me to thinking--should I change the name of my blog? After all, anyone hoping to read about wine would have to skip the first few paragraphs entirely before they could get to the subject at hand. So then I tried to come up with other names, but the best I could do at that hour was "The Pour Blonde: Adventures in Wine (and Other Refreshing Beverages) on a Budget"...Which is a tad too lengthy and distracting even for my taste. Therefore, unless a brilliant alternative hits me one of these days (or in the middle of the night), I've decided to leave it the way it is for the time being. If anyone objects, please say "aye"......

Okay, now that we've got that business out of the way, I thought I would tell you about our latest coffee and beer trials. =) This morning, I drank Green Mountain Nantucket Blend from the variety pack that came with our Keurig. And I did make it to the grocery store yesterday, so I got to add half and half this morning--yay for no more black coffee! Anyway, this one is okay...Nothing special, but definitely not bad. Yesterday, I tried the Gloria Jeans Hazelnut in the morning and Van Houtte French Vanilla in the afternoon, and I really didn't care for either of those. Both of them were too bold & bitter for my taste, and had that almost burnt taste that I could definitely do without. Out of all the different coffees I've tried so far, I like the Coffee People Donut Shop Coffee the best. It's just a basic, unoffensive, well-rounded coffee that would probably to appeal to almost anyone. I bought some Belgian Chocolate Toffee and some kind of Almond Something-Or-Other creamer at Walmart this afternoon, so I'm excited to try them. I also ordered several different sample packs of various flavored coffees to try, and those should arrive by next Tuesday. I figured I better try them before ordering a whole box of any of them!

Now for the beer update. Dennis tried Shiner Black from his variety pack last night, and he ended up liking it! If that isn't a surprise, I don't know what is...I never dreamed he would like the darkest beer of the bunch, especially since he's such a Bud Light devotee. The only other dark beer I've tried was Guinness (I was using it in a recipe), and I hated it...It reminded me of beer mixed with coffee! This one was nothing like any other he or I have ever tasted, but in a good way. It didn't have an aftertaste, and it was a lot milder than the color suggests. Although he plans to let his buddies sample it before making a final conclusion about it, I think we may have found a winner!

As far as wine is concerned, I used almost all of the rest of the Arbor Mist Blackberry Merlot to cook a roast in that I put in the crock pot this morning before I left for work. I seasoned the roast with pepper, the Original Blend of Mrs. Dash, and garlic and onion powder, then I mixed a can each of beef broth and golden mushroom soup with a little of the wine. It all went into the crock pot, and eight hours later, it should be nice and tender...I hope! I didn't go from a recipe, so you can never tell how those things are going to turn out. Last night we had orange marmelade & brown sugar glazed ham (another recipe from the confines of my head), and I have to say it turned out pretty good. I've about decided that all you can do is put a little love and effort into everything you make, and it never turns out bad in the end. It's the stuff that you throw together in a hurry from a box or the freezer that doesn't come out so great...

Anyway, while I was at Walmart today (which is 30 miles away), I ended up buying three more bottles of wine...I just couldn't help myself! My mom asked me why I was buying more, and I told her I was collecting it. =) I was joking (sort of), but strangely enough, she didn't question me further! The total wine bottle count at my house is now nine, plus a bottle of sparkling chardonnay for our wedding toast. My wine rack only holds eight bottles, so it looks like I've got some serious sampling to do!

Which reminds me...My wine books and tasting journal were delivered today, so I'm excited to get home and look through them. Then I'll get down to business. ;)

Different Day, Same Story...Almost

This morning, I'm drinking Gloria Jean's Hazelnut Coffee from our new Keurig and wondering why I still haven't bought any creamer! I've drank black coffee (with Splenda) for the past three days, and let me just say that although it hasn't been horrible (and if it was, would I still be drinking it? Who knows!), I'm just not a black coffee kind of person. I suppose I'll just have to make today's mission a trip to the grocery store, considering I'm out of milk, eggs, and bread too. It's too bad our [one and only] grocery store doesn't carry wine...our little town is dry, so we have to drive 30 miles in one of two directions to buy alcohol, and even then the selection is pretty limited. On a side note, I should probably say that I really don't drink very often, so even though this experiment revolves around wine, my experience with alcohol in general is limited. Case in point: My first glass of wine for this blog left me somewhat tipsy, even though the Arbor Mist only has 6% alcohol...This should be an interesting adventure!

At any rate, last night was much like the one before. After I made, ate, and cleaned up after supper, my fiance and I recommenced our respective "research". His next choice was Shiner Light--my mom got him a six-pack variety of Shiner because she didn't want him to feel left out during the bridal shower! He poured it from the bottle into a fresh beer mug from the freezer (which he was sure to put in as soon as he walked in the door!), and was exceedingly proud of his pouring skills--he achieved less foam than the night before! In the midst of his beer-pouring-professional glory, he took a more assured drink from the mug and didn't make any strange faces this time. His verdict? It didn't have the aftertaste that the Shiner Blonde did, but it "still wasn't Bud Light." I guess that once you find a favorite, nothing else can quite compete!

After I tried a sip of his beer (which still tasted similar to Coors Light to me), I picked a 14-ounce bordeaux glass from my new collection and poured myself another glass of the Arbor Mist Blackberry Merlot.

Okay, before I go any further, I have to say that the whole proper glass debate still has me confused. If anyone knows whether a merlot tastes better in a glass for a burgundy or a bordeaux, please let me know!

Last night's sample of the Arbor Mist tasted much like the one from night before, and as much as I tried to extend my senses, I came to the conclusion that my first assessment was about as complex as it was going to get. I thought I might have detected a hint of strawberry flavor in this glass, but it could have just been my imagination and the desire to find something more in there. The texture was also much the same; it was still a bright, refreshing wine until I let the remainder of my glass sit for a bit while I did some laundry--then it became slightly flat.

Speaking of laundry...I had decided to sit at my dining room table for last night's tasting, not considering that my dining room is connected by swinging doors to the laundry room. I had some towels in the dryer, and due to the lack of a seal on the connecting doors, the scent of laundry detergent and dryer sheets soon overcame any wine-related scent. At this point, I had already decided that I wasn't going to get any more complexity from this particular wine, so I just gave up and drank the rest of the wine without paying as careful attention to its characteristics.

I'm thinking of using the last of the wine when I cook my roast in a crock pot, so I guess this marks the end of my Arbor Mist Blackberry Merlot evaluation. As much as a true wine connoisseur would most likely dismiss this variety as nothing more than a typical low-end wine, I still stand by my opinion that it is a pleasing and refreshing (if quite simple) drink.

The Adventure Begins...Sort Of--Arbor Mist Blackberry Merlot, $4

As I'm finishing up a warm cup of Coffee People Donut Shop Coffee from my new Keurig Platinum Coffee Maker (which, by the way, is also a new venture for me, as I'm not normally a coffee drinker either!), I thought I would detail my experience last night with my favorite screw-cap Arbor Mist wine, Blackberry Merlot. I've worked my way through three or so bottles of this wine in the last several months, so I'm quite familiar with its more obvious qualities; however, I figured I might as well try to "properly" taste and describe it while I'm waiting on my wine books and tasting journal to arrive.

After unpacking and putting away the gifts we received at our wedding shower this weekend, my fiance and I decided to sit down on the couch and try one of our newly-acquired beverages of choice. Since he's more of a beer man (and wouldn't so much as take a sip of my wine), his pick was Shiner Blonde, a golden lager made by the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas. He slowly poured it into one of his new beer mugs (fresh from the freezer), careful to not create the oh-so-undesirable foam on top, and took a drink...immediately followed by a cringe and a face he doesn't normally make while drinking beer. At this point, my interest was piqued (if only out of amusement)and I was distracted from my wine endeavor long enough to sample his beer, which he said reminded him too much of Bud Light & Clamato. I can't say I know what that tastes like, but to me it tasted quite a bit like Coors Light, albeit with a markedly bitter after taste. It definitely wasn't bad, but not something I would want to drink much of. After a couple more sips, I handed his beer mug back to him and continued in my quest for wine bliss.

I pulled the bottle from my fridge, where it has been chilling for a few weeks now, and went about opening it. You would think that by having prior experience with this particular wine, I would easily be able to remove the cap, but embarrassingly enough, I wasn't. You see, although I did graduate with a 4.0 from Texas Tech University, I sometimes lack the more common sort of sense that is much more useful in daily life. It is now safe to say that a foil cutter is only useful for opening corked wine bottles, because the screw cap variety have a tab that you pull to remove the foil! But I digress...

I rinsed out one of the glasses from my new Libbey Vintner's 12-Piece Wine Tasting Goblet Set (a great wedding gift from my parents!), a 13 1/2-ounce burgundy, and proceeded to pour myself a healthy glass of the Blackberry Merlot...Nevermind that I later discovered that in my relative cluelessness, the 14-ounce bordeaux would have been the better glass for a merlot! Nevertheless, I sat down on the couch with my loving almost-husband and proceeded through the Swirl-Sniff-Sip routine, which seemed to amuse my sweet, mocking fiance. As he laughed at me, I explained that I was not trying to act like a "rich person" as he accused, but rather, was trying to enjoy my wine more--to which he responded, "My point exactly!" Nevermind that the wine in question cost less than $4 for the bottle...

Anyway, the first sniff gave the expected blackberry overtones (duh), as well as a good amount of alcohol, despite the fact that it only contains 6% of the latter. As far as the texture goes, this wine was very refreshing. It has a thickness similar to juice, but it's not so thick that it coats the mouth. I found that it was fairly acidic with a hint of carbonation minus the bubbles; however, it is definitely primarily a sweet wine. The foremost flavor, of course, is blackberry, but I detected a hint of raspberry essence in it as well.

After repeating the tasting process a few times to see if I detected any other aromas/flavors/other qualities, I came to the conclusion that Arbor Mist Blackberry Merlot is a simple, straitforward wine (if you could truly consider it as such) without the complexity you find in more expensive wines.

The bottom line: Although it is, admittedly, a true embodiment of a "cheap" wine, I find that Arbor Mist's Blackberry Merlot has an appealing taste and refreshing texture, and although I don't know if it would "go" with anything other than dessert or on its own, it definitely has a place in my wine world!

MY GRADE: ++

A New Journey

I'm a 21-year-old recent college graduate (B.A. in Anthropology, minor in Psychology) that grew up in a small town in Texas, so I suppose you could say that I haven't had a lot of "cultural experience" in my life thus far! Nonetheless (or perhaps due to this fact), I've decided to embark on a journey to learn about wine. I've always enjoyed the taste of wine, but my current knowledge of its nuances and attributes is rather limited...Let's just say that my repertoire up to now has consisted of screw-cap bottles, which should explain a few things!

I don't have an exact strategy as of yet to guide me through this mission, but the basic idea is to try as many different types of wines as I can get my hands on that fit within my also-rather-limited budget, and to experience the beauty of wine without the snobbery it often implies. I want to record my observations of each wine in a wine tasting journal and, of course, on this blog.

I'm hoping that through this adventure, I will be able to hone my palette and expand my horizons—wine, at least for me, is a window to the rest of the world beyond my own. Although I may never get to see the Italian countryside, I can curl up with a good book and a glass of wine and taste its splendor.

"Wine to me is passion. It's family and friends. It's warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art. It's culture. It's the essence of civilization and the art of living."
—Robert Mondavi