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 unless noted otherwise.
Peachy Canyon Winery Incredible Red Zinfandel 2008 Central Coast – Paso Robles, California Alcochol 13.9% by volume – $8.49 at Vons
On the Label: “Incredible Red is a great Zinfandel for everyday enjoyment. Excellent with a variety of foods from peppered stead to pasta. Consume this wine with pleasure.”
My Take: I was so astounded to see a bottle of Peachy Canyon in the store, that I reached for it, quite forgetting that the last time I’d been to Peachy Canyon Winery, I hadn’t been impressed with the wines at all. Also, the Incredible Red part of the label is big – I thought it was a blend. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized it was a Zinfandel blend. But I like Zins, so I was pleased.
The wine itself was also pleasing. There is truth in advertising on this label – it is, indeed, “a great Zinfandel for everyday enjoyment”. It’s not too deep, not very thought-provoking – just tasty and welcoming. I might have to stop at Peachy Canyon, the next time I’m in Paso Robles.
My Take ~ Very Drinkable ~ Plus it has the added benefit of being a California wine that isn’t often on the grocery store shelves. A nice little tidbit to share when you arrive at your Holiday party.
Folie a Deux Menage a Trois 2010 California Red Wine Napa County, California 
Alcohol 13.5% by volume Under $10 at Vons
On the Label: “A delightful blend based on three varietals – Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.”
My Take: I’ve been a fan of Folie a Deux since I first found them a few years ago. Their red blends, however, do vary from year to year. 2009 was not Hubby’s favorite year; 2010 seems to be faring better, taste-wise. The label is nicely brief, and the name will give a certain panache to both the giver and the giftee, especially when presented with a wink and a smile in front of a wide-eyed audience. It is not, however, my favorite red blend.
My Rating: ~ Drinkable ~ Hubby liked this one better than I did, and would rate it higher on the Christine scale. So be it!
Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 Sonoma County, California Alcohol 14.5% by volume. $11.69 on sale at Vons – normally $16.99
On the Label: “Sonoma County has been our home for nearly twenty years, and we take great pride in crafting these wines from the County’s top growers and appellations. They represent the very essence of the finest vineyards from our own back yard. Our Sonoma County Pinot Noir explodes with dried cherry, vanilla, and cranberry flavors, followed by a velvety palate. Lovely with roast chicken, salmon, or ribs.”
My Take: Despite the chatty label, this is one wine you want to spend the extra cash on. It’s a step above their normal line (hence the “reserve” in the title) and it shows in a luscious feel in your mouth. This is definitely a wine to save for dinner; that first sip will allow you to relax and enjoy the rest of the evening. Complex, but not too complex (it is a Pinot Noir, after all), it’s a satisfying wine with an elegant label.
My Rating: Very, Very Drinkable This is one wine you will never be ashamed to give, and will be delighted to receive.
On to France…
La Vieille Ferme Recolte 2010 Rhone Valley Vineyards Red Wine 1.5 L; Alcohol 13.5% by volume $9.99 at Costco La Vieille Ferme online.
On the Label: “This full-bodied and fruity wine comes from vines grown high on the slopes of Mount Ventoux, one of the best vineyards in the Rhone Valley. It has been meticulously selected and blended by the Perrin Family, who also produce one of Frances most acclaimed wines: Chateau de Beaucastel. The blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, and Cinsault grapes has produced a typical Rhone valley style full of fruit and spice aromas, it has soft tannins and good body. Winemaker interviews, recipe ideasl, for all details: www.vincod.com/VFROE .
My Take: Well. This is the Chameleon wine. I must warn you my friends, Chameleon wines don’t always change for the better. I cannot swear this wine changed for the better. But I digress.
I was off at a party last Saturday night, without the hubby (all-girl party); Hubby opened this big bottle sitting on the counter. When I came home a couple hours later, he was still complaining about it. “Thick and viscous” were the words he used. The next morning, he made me take a sip of it before we went off to my company holiday brunch – it was not a good way to start my morning.
The next day, however, I had a glass while cooking. Well, I had half a glass – I couldn’t finish it. It was like the wine hadn’t made up its mind what it wanted to be. It started to open up, but it was also getting watery. Very strange.
The third day, we had nothing else open so I had another glass. This time, I finished it. And poured myself another. The taste still wasn’t the best – hubby could only drink it by adding water to it. If we had mulled it, I’m not entirely sure it wouldn’t have been a waste of brandy. Times being what they are, though, I couldn’t bring myself to pour it out.
By the end of the week, it had become a more or less presentable table wine. Something fine for us, but nothing I’d want to press on anyone else. Which is really too bad – it’s a nice-looking bottle, and at $10 for 1.5 L, a bargain and a nice presentation to a host/hostess – but the taste rendered it ungiftable. I am VERY glad I didn’t take that bottle to the Saturday night party, as originally planned!
Why did the wine change so much? Well, wine can do that. Maybe it had rough handling crossing the Atlantic from France. Or maybe the 2010 vintage just needs more down time, and next year it’ll be a lot better. I don’t know, but I’m pretty sure I won’t go down this path with this wine again.
My Rating: ~ Undrinkable Chameleon Wine – Stay Away ~ Don’t let the nice bottle, the cheap price, and the French on the label change your mind. Bad wine is bad wine at any price.
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.
~ 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
With all the fabulous vegetables ripening in the garden and the variety now available in the Farmers Markets across town, I’ll continue with a couple more Chardonnays today, especially since I’m celebrating the high school graduation of my youngest son, Timothy! (We thought the day would NEVER arrive, lol!)
First up is a Festival ’34 Collection, Vintage 2009 Chardonnay. Produced by Wine World Estates, Napa, California. The cost was under $10 on sale at BevMo! – I lost the receipt for this one, sorry!
On The Label: It was very uninformative, had nothing about the winery or the wine. I actually don’t mind a label that doesn’t tell me what the wine is supposed to taste like, allowing me to make up my own mind and not be intimidated by the expert.
My take: A hint of oak makes this Chardonnay for me. It’s *not* big and buttery and in your face; those of you who like more “naked” Chardonnays will like this one I think. It has a nice, fresh first taste with the hint of oak hitting mid-taste.
The scent is of peach and vanilla, light and crisp. It would go well with any hot-weather meal based around vegetables, or with brunch with a seafood quiche as the star. Also a great sipping wine as you read pool-side this summer. It’s an unpretentious, very drinkable wine and good to share.
I rate this wine ~Very Drinkable~ .
Next we’ve got Toasted Head Barrel-aged Chardonnay 2009 Regular price, $16.99; on sale for $9.99 at Vons.
On The Label: “Toasted Head is named for the age-old practice of toasting barrel heads with fire, which is what helps to create the distinct, toasty flavor in all our wines.
Our Chardonnay is 100% barrel fermented and aged for eight months, imparting a unique richness and complexity to the wine, complemented by tropical fruits, peaches, and pineapple on the palate. The finish is well-rounded with toasty coconut and butterscotch notes.”
Well. Talk about a label shoving the wine down your throat. I am learning to be suspicious of labels that go into such detail about how the wine tastes and smells, as if needing to explain the wine or else it would maybe not taste good? I don’t know.
Anyway – it was a good wine. Not, in my opinion, worth $17; but not bad for under $10. I can smell the pineapple, when I concentrate very hard; but a wine shouldn’t take that much concentration to enjoy. I wonder if perhaps my sniffer isn’t up to par? A complex wine can be a joy; this wine, while perfect for summer, made me work too hard. Again, it’s light and non-oaky – those of you who like your nakeds will enjoy this one, too.
My rating: At $17 a bottle, ~Drinkable~ . At $10 a bottle, ~Very Drinkable~ . But don’t take my word for it – taste for yourself (hopefully at the cheaper price) and let me know what you think.
I’m curious – do you like a chatty label that goes on and on about the wine? Do you prefer a label that sticks to the facts? Or do you like something in between – informative, but not in your face?
And now in most of the country, school is out and summer is upon us. Next week I’ll be hitting up Merlots. Forget what the movie Sideways taught – there are good Merlot wines out there, and I’ll be bringing them to you. For under $10 a bottle.
Happy sipping, and remember – your taste buds may vary!
~ ~ ~
Have you read DEMON SOUL yet? You can find it at Crescent Moon Press or Amazon.com. Happy Reading!
by Christine | Wine Friday
Welcome back to Wine Friday! It’s Memorial Day weekend and you’ll probably have something on the grill at some point, unless it’s still snowing/raining where you live. I’m currently loving the So Cal sunshine! So let’s get to it.
Talking about wine…It cracks me up to read Food & Wine Magazine, and see what they recommend to drink. The May 2011 issue touts “discovering fantastic pinot noir” on the cover. As it turns out, that article is about some great winemaker in Italy making Patagonian Pinot Noir. Not, I think, something I’ll find at Vons for under $10.
Looking further in the magazine, I think maybe I’m going to get lucky – there’s an article on page 70 about “Finding Tasty Wine on a Public-TV Budget”, so I head over there to check it out.
The article is well written but I skim it, looking for the prices…aHA! Found them! To my surprise, all the wines are at the $15 or lower price range. Hmmm. There’s a 2009 Bibi Graetz Bianco Di Casamatta for $11 – apparently it’s a vibrant, citrusy Vermentino.
Um. What? Any wine that makes me think of rats and cockroaches isn’t on my radar (Vermentino – vermin – get it? lol…).
The next one is a 2008 Argiolas Perdera at $12, from the Monica grape (who knew?), and this is a juicy red that’s now grown in Sardinia. Ooookay.
Well now here’s one that I understand. More or less. It’s a 2008 Michele Chiarlo Le Orme Barbera D’Asti for $12. This is an aromatic, berry-rich wine, which according to the author has a fantastic price tag.
Okay now I’m just tired, lol! I’m a busy woman. I pick up my wines at the grocery store, and I search out those well under $10 a bottle. Am I the only one? Don’t think so. All the above wines can be found in several NY City wine shops which is great if you live in NY City. We don’t have a wine shop where I live. Oh, WAIT – we DO! BevMo! Okay, consider this whine cut short.
Still…when I get dinner, and need to pick up wine to go with, I really don’t want to hop on the freeway at rush hour and question the BevMo staff about wines made from the Monica grape that are in my price range. I buy 95% of my wine at my local grocery store, so getting a well-made wine for as little as possible is always my goal.
(Before I go further, I do adore Trader Joe’s and still shop there for wine, but I outgrew Two Buck Chuck about ten years ago. I still try $2 bottles of wine, though. You never know when you’ll hit on a winner.)
I have a definite go-to wine that I buy when I don’t want to think and don’t want to spend over $6. My go-to wine is the Smoking Loon Pinot Noir. It’s usually $5.99 at Vons, sometimes it goes up to $6.99 – but even when it’s NOT on “special”, it’s a $9.99 bottle of wine – at least, it is in California.
As a matter of fact, when I go wine tasting up in Paso Robles, if a wine isn’t considerably better in my mouth than a Smoking Loon Pinot, I won’t buy it. I really don’t want to spend the money, especially now.
Why Smoking Loon Pinot Noir? It’s consistent over vintages. It’s an easy sipping wine that goes with a lot of different foods. It’s got depth, flavor, and a nice lingering taste (plus, goes great with either a campfire or at the beach). It’s perfect with an elegant chicken dish, vegetarian offerings, or hamburgers and dogs off the grill. It’s unpretentious, a nice bottle of wine. Kind of like the unspoiled girl next door.
Okay – I understand that I’m not talking of the taste of the wine, the aromas, the flavors that I sense – I guess because my tastebuds will vary from yours. I will include those things when I write while I sip, and that’s not the case currently – but always remember, when it comes to wine? Your mileage may vary.
Oops, and I forgot! I rate the Smoking Loon Pinot Noir as ~Very Drinkable~ mainly because it has been consistent over the past five years. Plus – I just discovered that Smoking Loon is owned by the Sebastiani family, and has been in existence since 2000. So there are their bona fides!
Anyway – to further my wine education (which began many years ago with a trip to Napa Valley), I will continue to read Food & Wine Magazine (as they highlight expensive wine and fouffy food, for the most part, also NOT CHEAP to make, tho in their defense they never promised CHEAP dishes, now did they?) and stop by at BevMo for tastings. Plus have tastings with friends – that way, you get more opinions than just mine.
In the meantime, if you’ve got a wine you like that’s under $10 a bottle (and I’m not talking box or jug wines – I’ll get to those in a year or so), give me a holler!
Coming next week (probably): Three different Chardonnays, under $10
P.S. Oh, one thing I should mention – these wines are mostly grown in California, and I live in California – so my prices will be lower than yours if you’re in the Central states or on the other coast. I can tell you that every time I visit my friend Tammy in Snowmass, Colorado, I am shocked at the wine prices – one bottle of Smoking Loon there is around $15!
