Today an amazing woman who is a WANA friend is undergoing surgery for breast cancer. As today is also the day I get a mammogram, I felt that I had to give a shout-out to Susie Lindau (along with a LOT of our other WANA friends), tell her that I’m thinking about her, and to remind my other dear friends to not forget about scheduling your mammograms. I’ve been scolded for not getting one since 2010; both my doctor AND her nurse chided me about it. So here I go, into the squeeze machine, and you can bet I’ll be thinking of Susie and her doctors while I do so.

In Surgery Today.

In Surgery Today.

Susie writes with humor and grace, and you can find her at Susie Lindau’s Wild Ride. Go check her out; she’s totally a blogger worth following. And to show your support, tweet her at #SusieStrong – Susie know you’re thinking about her!

For more information about the WANA Revolution, check out Kristen Lamb’s blog today. Talking about wine after discussing Susie seems a bit trivial, but – onward!

Wine Friday – Two Chardonnays for Summer

In these days of high unemployment and wild uncertainty, it’s nice to relax with a bottle of wine that doesn’t break your pocketbook. I’m here to sort out the memorable from the truly awful, and each bottle is under $10.

seekerThe Seeker California Chardonnay 2010 Alcohol 13.8% by Volume  Website: TheSeekerWines.com

On the Label:  “The Seeker relentlessly tracks down the world’s finest wines across time zones and continents.  Our wines are made with care by talented winemaking families, crafting flavorful, individual wines from selected grapes where they grow best.  The first Seeker wines come from France, New Zealand, Argentine, California, and Chile.  If you share the joy of discovery, this wine is for the Seeker in you.

“The grapes for our Chardonnay were discovered across California’s finest cool-climate vineyard sites to deliver a wine with ripe pineapple, golden apple, and pear flavors with a smooth, creamy finish.  Pour a glass and transport yourself to Sunny California wine country.”

My Take: I’m not usually a fan of what I like to call “consortium” wines (though that’s probably the totally wrong word); by that I mean, I prefer wines from a winery. From what the label says, these people go all over the world to find wines, then put their own label on them and import them. So it makes me kind of wiggly tentative about trying the wine.

But luckily, I bought before I read the label. This was a nice, easy-sipping wine, perfect for summer and fish on the grill. Barely any oak, so you stainless steel Chardonnay fans will be happy (though I’m glad I can say there’s no “tinny” taste at all). To top it off, it’s got a screw top, which makes it easy (especially for arthritic hands) to open.

My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~

Ooh La La Chardonnay 2011  California Alcohol 9.0% by Volume  oh lala                     Website: Oohlalawines.com

On the Label: “Ooh La La wines are light and refreshing with just at touch of mouthwatering zing that allows the fresh fruit flavors to rush forward.  The Chardonnay is lush and juicy with flavors of apple, tropical fruit and vanilla.  The perfect start to any occasion! SERVE WELL CHILLED.”

My Take: At 9% alcohol, THIS is the white wine you want to serve at parties. It is ever-so-slightly effervescent, which was a delightful surprise; and it stood up to appetizers just fine. Plus the bottle is – wait for it – capped, like a soda. How innovative! I’ve only seen that on a couple of bottles in the past. (Bonus – they also put out a Rose´, Pinot Grigio, and Riesling.)

My Rating: ~ Very, Very Drinkable ~ Stock up, so you’ll be ready to go all summer long, no matter where you’re invited.

As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.

My Rating System: Undrinkable; Barely Drinkable; Drinkable; Very Drinkable; and the ever-popular “Stay Away! This is MY wine, you Slut!”

~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to get that mammogram! ~

~oOo~

Demon Soul and Demon Hunt are all available for the Kindle and Kobo! Have you fallen into the Caine Brothers’ world yet?