by Christine | Wine Friday
Wow – after cover reveals and guests this week, I’m finally back with some tasty wines. Spring is here, and the weather is warming up where I live. It must be time for some Chardonnay! Today I’ve got three, and they’re all from California…and they were all on sale.
Edna Valley Vineyard 2009 Chardonnay Paragon ~ San Luis Obispo County Alcohol 13.9% by Volume. Regularly $13.98; on sale at Vons for $9.97
On the Label: “Our vineyards enjoy one of California’s longest and coolest growing seasons, thanks to sea breezes funneled inland through Edna Valley. Our Chardonnay has amazing flavors of lush white peach and sweet spice with a crisp, clean finish. You will love our Chardonnay with fresh seafood, grilled chicken or roasted pork.”
My Take: Edna Valley wines can be in the upper teens, so when I saw this one for under $10 I grabbed it. It was actually a chilly day and I wasn’t in the mood to cook; luckily Ocean Fresh, our local seafood monger, had sent me an ad for freshly made clam chowder and crab cakes ready to pop into a pan or the oven. (The food was divine!) This Chardonnay stood up well to both the creaminess of the chowder and the spice of the crab cakes. It was not a big, oaky Chardonnay, but it had the clean finish of a Pinot Grigio as well as the lush fruit, and it handled the seafood brilliantly.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ I shall have to check out more of Edna Valley’s wines.
Simi 2010 Sonoma County Chardonnay Alcohol 13.5% by volume; regularly $17.49,
on sale for $12.59 at Vons
On the Label: “Simi Chardonnay reflects the diversity of flavors found throughout Sonoma County. The area to the west gives pear and a luscious mouthfeel. The southern region brings citrus and crisp acidity, and vineyards in the north add tropical notes. These combine into complex fruit aromas, a creamy and toasty round mouthfeel with a brilliant balance that makes this Chardonnay delicious with cream-sauced chicken, salmon and mild cheeses.”
My Take: This was a lovely Chardonnay. It had that creaminess that I like, but it wasn’t over-oaked – in fact, oak was almost impossible to detect. I really enjoyed this wine, which we had with our “I doan wanna cook” meal of a rotisserie chicken from Costco and smashed potatoes. Add some fresh green beans to that, and you’ve got a delicious meal. Anyway – the wine went beautifully.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ But a bit on the pricey side.
Geyser Peak Winery 2009 Chardonnay Alexander Valley Alcohol 13.5% by Volume $11.12 regular price (HA!) at Vons, on sale for $7.78
On the Label: “At our winery in the heart of the famed Alexander Valley, our winemakers are impassioned to create wines that engage the senses and inspire the soul. To ensure the bottle you open delivers all the delicate aromatics captured here at the winery, we seal our Chardonnay with a screwcap closure.
Taste profile: Ripe pear and tropical fruit flavors with a hint of vanillin oak. Creamy and elegant with a crisp finish.
Enjoy with: Light pastas, roast chicken and light veal dishes.”
My Take: I really enjoyed this wine, but a part of that could be that I am partial to Geyser Peak. We visited the winery back in the late 1980s, on our first-ever wine tour, and had a blast, so the wine is suffused with rosy memories. I will say, though, I’ve never been disappointed in a Geyser Peak wine. This one has that hint of oak that I so adore.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~
So there you have it, three Very Drinkable California Chardonnays. Go forth, and stock up for the ever-changeable weather to come!
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and depend upon my mood, the weather, and whether the cat has tried to kill me that day. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
BLOOD DREAMS, a Caine Brothers Short Story, will be out June 1st. DEMON SOUL is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet? Catch up, because soon DEMON HUNT will be out (summer 2012)!
Rating System: Undrinkable, Barely Drinkable, Drinkable, Very Drinkable, and the ever popular Stay away! This is MY wine, you slut!
by Christine | Life, Wine Friday
While I was at Cypher a couple of weekends ago, the sexy ex-computer-geek-turned-tasting-room-guru T, let me in on the secret of Primitivo. Primitivo is a grape identical to Zinfandel and grown mostly in Italy, Argentina, and Chile.
Bells went off in my head. No WONDER I was drawn to Primitivo! I’d found it at Fresh & Easy, for $5.99 a bottle, and couldn’t understand how I could so love that wine. But it was hiding its true colors; and now that I know it’s a Zinfandel by another name, I’m SO on board. (Of course, the last time I went to Fresh & Easy, they didn’t have Primitivo any longer. Sigh.)
Tuesday night at Casa Ashworth, the Santa Ana winds blew. Hard. They blew hard enough to force our double front doors open wide; they blew hard enough to take lots of white picket fencing off my front fence, leaving an already-worn fence looking like an old woman’s mouth with teeth missing. The winds blew so hard, that it toppled – and split – a 30+ year old tree, narrowly missing landing on the corner of my bedroom. The power went out. I was late to work, disoriented by the winds I could hear in my sleep, and grumpy from lack of coffee.
Landscape with Windblown Trees, by Vincent Van Gogh
That afternoon, with the power still out, I found true parafin lamp oil (the other stuff is crap, don’t buy it unless it says PARAFIN lamp oil) and some new wicks for our many oil lamps. My boss, sensing my uneasiness, let me go while it was still light out, so the hubby and I could get our act together before darkness descended.
Yes, we have battery lanterns. But which would you rather gather around – the mellow yellow light of an oil lamp, or the harsh, blue light of a flourescent camping light? Yeah, us too.
By the time darkness descended, I was happily puttering about in the kitchen with three lamps burning so I could see what I was chopping, what was going into the pot on the stove, and what I needed out of the fridge. (Thank goodness for gas stoves!) I made soup from leftover veggies in the fridge, plus the rest of a Costco chicken. For those who want to know, I sipped on the last of a bottle of La Gioiosia Pinot Grigio ($7.99 a bottle at Fresh & Easy, tiny bubbles but it’s NOT a prosecco), and we opened a bottle of Rose from Adelaida to go with the soup – and that was yummy!
But there was the sense of primitivo about our night. Every room I went into, I flipped on the light – only to remember, too late. We made sure we had flashlights with fresh batteries easily available (our family’s prediliction lately is for headlamps – keeps your hands free), we charged our phones in our cars as we drove during the day, and used them as our morning alarms. It was nice, if slightly surreal. It wasn’t cold and we had water and gas; we weren’t that disabled by lack of electricity (except the hubby and the youngest didn’t get their NaNo words in, and grumped about it all night).
To revel in the winds and the darkness, at about ten I went outside. The winds had died to mere puffs of air; the stars were half-obscured by the bright quarter-moon. And the silence I’d been expecting?
Filled with the hum of generators. I much preferred my lamps.
Next week I promise I’ll get a wine blog together – this week, life’s been kinda crazy!
~ Cheers – and remember to Drink Responsibly! ~
by Christine | Wine Friday
In these days of high unemployment and global financial crisis, 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. Please note, however, that the prices I quote are what I paid at my local store; your pricing will probably differ.
Stonehedge Reserve Petite Syrah, 2007 Special Vineyard Select – Alcohol 14.5% by volume. Cellars located in Arroyo Grande, California. $9.99 at Vons.
The label was uninformative, but a couple of wine sites – the Vino File particularly – had the scoop I needed. Surprisingly, the website for Stonehedge didn’t show the Reserve Petite Syrah 2007 at all.
This Wine Judging site gave it a gold medal. Another site I didn’t bookmark said the $10 price was about right for the quality. So there you go…
My Take: It had a nice juiciness, plus a zing of pepper that I love. If you’re a SWEET red wine drinker, this is not the wine for you. If you like medium-sized reds with a bit of a bite, you would probably like this. Plus, if you give it as a gift, the whole “Reserve” on the label makes it look more expensive than it is – and the taste doesn’t detract from the label. A win-win!
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ I guess I’m getting picky as I taste. I’ve got a few favorites, and this, sad to say, didn’t make my “I’d buy it again” list. But that doesn’t detract from it’s tastiness!
Bear Flag California Smooth Wine Blend Modesto, California Alcohol 12% by
volume Blend of Tempranillo, Touriga, Zinfandel and Alicante Bouschet (I know – don’t know a couple of these, either!!!) $6.99 at Vons.
On the Label: It’s wild. Check out the website. The label, plus it’s low price, is why I picked it up.
Characterized as closer to the “sweet” scale, this is a “sweet” red that I enjoyed. In fact, I was surprised to see they characterized it as such. It was an easy-sipper and went very well with the clean-out-the-veggie-bin soup I made yesterday.
Easy. Not a big wine; if I had to put only one varietal to it, I’d put it close to a Merlot. The label is cool, and they have other blends I’m hoping Vons will carry so I can try them out.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Again, it wasn’t a breathless wine – but it’s a solid choice for that rushed evening when you’re really looking to sip something as you make those burgers. Or chicken patties. I will say you won’t regret it!
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and will depend upon my mood, the meal I just ate, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?
by Christine | Wine Friday
In these tough economic times, it can be difficult deciding which wine to buy, and how much to spend. But no worries – I’m your guide through this interesting dilemma, showcasing wines that can be purchased (usually) for under $10.
Today I’m looking at two Trader Joe’s wines. Both are under $6.00 a bottle – both deserve a second look.
Trader Joe’s Coastal Chardonnay 2009 – Central Coast. Alcohol 13.5% by volume, $4.99 regular price. Vinted and bottled for Trader Joe’s by Castoro Cellars, San Miguel, California
On the Label: “Located in the beautiful valleys of the Central Coast, Trader Joe’s presents this lush Chardonnay. Tropical hints of melon and peaches give way to a crisp and clean finish.”
My Take: This is an interesting wine. It’s not an oaky chardonnay by any means, but neither does it have the steel-infused flavor of a non-oaked chardonnay. It’s as the label says – tropical, crisp, clean. It almost tasted like a cross between a Pinot Grigio and a Chenin Blanc, with the crispness of the Grigio and the hint of sweetness of the Chenin Blanc. I really enjoyed it, to my total surprise. We had it as a sipping wine before dinner, and then with the meal – a lovely Moroccan-inspired dish my Hubby made. With the Hubby off to a big movie shoot late last night, and with me on carpool duty at 9:30pm, we didn’t imbibe the whole bottle – there was enough this morning for hubby to have a glass before he collapsed into bed at 5:15am, and enough for me to have a post-dirty kitchen cleanup glass when I got home this evening. And you know what? It was still a lovely wine.
My Rating: ~ Very Drinkable ~ Especially for the price!
Tuscan Moon Sangiovese 2009 California – Alcohol 13.4% by volume. Vinted and bottled by Trader Moon Wine Co. Manteca, California $4.99 a bottle (or maybe $5.99 – not too sure! But UNDER $6.00)
On the Label: “Sangiovese, the star of the Tuscan wine varieties, is a luscious, full-flavored grape with a shape reminiscent of the full moon in autumn. Tuscan Moon Sangiovese celebrates a lovers rondesvous in the vineyards by the light of the full autumn moon.
“Tuscan Moon Sangiovese is a smooth textured, medium-bodied wine. Enticing aromas of black cherries and plums with flavors of juicy blackberries, ripe blueberries with a hint of spice. Pairs well with a wide variety of foods including pork, beef, duck, creamy pasta dishes or just a plate of olives.”
My Take: This is a nice wine, straight after opening. Do not let it air; instead pour heartily for your guests. Unlike the Chardonnay, this wine did not age well in my refrigerator (even with the proper technology to keep it from spoiling). However, that said, that first day it was a nice wine, big but not too big.
I bought it because a couple days earlier the Hubby and I had gone to see the Kings and the Ducks in a pre-season hockey game. We got to Staples Center so early that we had plenty of time to eat at Wolfgang Puck’s Grill across the street. I chose a pricy Sangiovese to go with our meal, and we thoroughly enjoyed both while people-watching in the common area.
Does this wine match up to the fancy bottle of wine from Wolfgang Puck’s? No. Of course not. But the same Sangiovese grape flavor was there, you could tell they were kissing cousins, and because of that, I was not disappointed.
Plus, I’m a sucker for Moon in the title of just about anything. (Hmmm…must put Moon in the title of my next book…)
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Or maybe I just have higher standards for red wines? At any rate, of all the Trader Moon wines I’ve tried, I’d willingly drink all of them again. And at under $6 a bottle, it’s a bargain.
~ ~ ~
As usual, this is just my honest opinion and it definitely depends upon my mood, whether my kids have done the dishes, and what cycle the moon is in. Your taste buds will differ.
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet?
by Christine | Wine Friday
I’ve been so busy writing and working that I’ve got nothing for the blog today (hangs head in shame). So I’m riffing on wine below, while in a complete brain stupor from too much learning of Quick Books at work and too much editing at home. Enjoy!
~ ~ ~
Wine. It’s been used as a vehicle for poison – remember all those scenes with the wine glasses switching places? It’s been used as a way to impress (“I’ll have the Chateau LaFitte Rothschild ’64, my man”) and as a way to get a young, lissome teenager easily drunk (Boone’s Farm, anyone?).
When I was younger, red wine, red meat and garlic bread would ease my monthly cramps and put me in a happy place. (Actually, now that I think about it, those three ALWAYS put me in my happy place, lol.) When it’s cold outside, I love a big bottle of red wine to warm me up. Mulled wine is not out of place when it’s snowing or sleeting or even raining outside, no matter where you are in relation to sea level. But … moving on.
As you know, I’m all for the inexpensive, yet tasty, bottle of wine. So what do I do when a respected and revered person gives me a bottle that easily costs – oh, say, six to ten bottles that I normally buy? And is sincerely interested in my opinion?
One genuflects, of course, and with all appreciation. The bottle is resting in my tiny wine cellar *koff koff* and I shall enjoy it this Saturday night, with an appropriate meal around it. Word has it on the internet that it benefits from an hour’s worth of aging. I think I can bring myself to allow it to age that long…but maybe not before taking a tiny sip.
Hopefully I can wrench myself away from editing on Sunday and can find the time to spill the beans on this wine. I’m really looking forward to it – I hope I love it!
Now, the weather is cooling down but the politics are heating up. What to drink while you’re avoiding all the debates, caucuses, rants and missteps leading up to the next election? Why, the 7 Deadly Zins, of course! (Whosoever amongst you be without sin, throw the first stone…man, I so wish ALL our politicians were compelled to follow that! I’m just so tired of rhetoric. What to watch on TV is another post, entirely!)
(By the way, did you get it? Zins? Sins? Politicians? Sorry…I crack myself up…) Anyway, I couldn’t let this post go without at least one wine mention. This unfortunately ISN’T under $10 – according to the sites I checked online, it’s running about $16 – but it’s a good, solid Zinfandel that will go well with any big, hearty meal you’re planning – especially as the weather turns again and grows cooler. And let’s face it – when politics heats up, we all need a little something special to keep our ears deaf to the noise. I truly believe 7 Deadly Zins is that special wine.
However, since I don’t have it in front of me and cannot in good conscience give it any sort of rating, I’ll merely say here that I’ve bought it in the past and I’ve enjoyed it.
And now my ducks, I must get my beauty sleep. Morning and rehab come all too quickly for my taste – but hopefully, in the afternoon, I’ll get the pesky boot off (remember it? No? Here’s a picture…) and I can start, slowly, reminding my body what it’s like to walk evenly on two feet. I was so hoping to just jump back into 
getting into shape – ah, not so. There’s this whole “getting your body used to having two good legs” thingie that my therapist is also helping me with, bless her heart.
Hopefully the change of topic so often didn’t give you whiplash…so, onward. Go forth and drink the fermented grapes, and let me know what you’ve discovered!
~ Until the next time, cheers – and remember to drink responsibly! ~
Demon Soul is available for the Kindle and the Nook! Have you read it yet? Go buy it now, lol!
