Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

I picked this up off the display because 1) it was cheap 2) it was from California 3) I had never heard of it. Turns out that it is a blend of Napa and Sonoma wines, probably bought surplus and blended. Anyway, it turned out well. This is a nice medium bodied Cab with moderate fruit and toasty fruit nose. Goes down easy and I don't think it will offend anyone. Buy a case.

$6.99 at Whole Foods

Ordinary Wine Co., Lot 21 Boneshaker Red, NV

38% Zinfandel, 34% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petite Sirah, 2% mix red varietals – 100% California fruit with 42% from Lodi. About 15% of this blend was barrel aged for approximately 6 months in a mix of new and old French and American oak barrels. The wine displays aromas of ripe red and dark berry fruits layered with notes of slight white and black pepper and crème de cassis. The aromas carry into the palate with red fruit flavor notes on the entry and full fruit in the middle. The finish is lush and fruit flavors linger through the aftertaste. Made by Harry Parducci at his custom-crush facility in Santa Rosa, CA. $9.99 at Whole Foods

Snoqualmie Sauvignon Blanc 2007

This was my Thanksgiving wine for 2008 and it turned out to be a good pairing. From the winemaker: "Bold and bright aromas fill the nose followed by a rich mouthful of citrus and melon which linger on the palate. This is a very crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc that will pair well with a variety of foods."

From the Columbia Valley in Washington State. $10 at Western.

Parducci Petite Sirah 2005

It's medium to full-bodied with nice peppery spice. From the grower: "This wine has aromas of black cherry, plum and black pepper, with hints of leather and oak spice. The lush flavors on the palate are of black fruits, smoke and chocolate, complemented by supple tannins. This is the perfect full-bodied wine for summer barbecues, blue cheeses, and blackened anything."

And if that's not good enough for you they are the first winery in the USA to be carbon neutral!

2 stars, 9.99 at Western

Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel 2004

Good Zin at a good price. If there was some left and I could think about it I might say something like "Ripe and a trifle on the jammy side with evident, slightly dry but focused varietal aromas of blackberries and a hint of spicy peppercorns, this one is full on the palate and slightly fleshy in feel at entry before its tannins kick in and rough up the latter going. Its tilt to gruffness suggests service with savory meats." Note this is the Sonoma Heritage Vines. $8 at Whole Foods.

What I Did On My Winter Vacation

It's been awhile since I have posted to this blog. Not because I gave up drinking, far from it! It is because I have been drinking the same wines listed here. I have not gone out and tried something new and instead went for the familiar and the inexpensive. You see I have been living with a pregnant woman during my winter vacation and while she is a very pleasant and beautiful mommy to be, she's not much of a drinker. So logic tells me not to buy an expensive wine that I may not finish or a new wine that she will not enjoy with me. Just stay with the tried and true. Here are some of the wines that I have been enjoying.

My every day wine (just a figure of speech, not a drinking problem) is in that $10 and less sweet spot. It has to be an easy drink and cheap so if it goes back in the fridge and goes bad before I can get to it, so be it. I'll just open up another bottle of cheap wine. The wines in my bandoleer are:

Big House Red -- a long time favorite with a screw top for longevity in the fridge.
Ten Mile -- I think this has a screw top.
Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel
Castono Hecula Monastrelli -- I like to think of this as my Spanish Big House Red.
Casono Monastrelli -- same place, cheaper wine. David and Rachel gave this to us as hosts gift and I am drinking this as I type. A lovely bottle even if it makes me sound gay. Happy gay not, um, you know, oh never mind.

When I want to break out of my cheap bottle and go for something extravagant I have been opening two of my favorites.

Ridge Three Valleys -- a man trip favorite
Seghesio Zinfandel -- a consumer reports favorite

While each of these costs $20+ at the local wine shoppes (note fancy spelling) I can get them for about $16 at Costco. And while I am there I grab a few big house reds and ten miles. And maybe a large jar of Atomic Fire Balls, a 4 family size box of Cheerios and the latest Family Guy season out on DVD. Damn you Costco!

I can't go any further without giving a "shout out" to my new friend, the off-brand 8 bottle wine cooler. Leigh bought this for me at Lowes and I tried to mount it in a cabinet but it never would get cool. So that's why you can't cover up the vents. It now lives on the floor under Leighs sewing table and does a wonderful job of keeping my wine at lovely 58 degrees. There's that word again.

I keep the corks from the wine I drink. Not because I have any hording issues but I know one day I will be able to do something with them all like float down the Cahaba River. It IS a little disturbing that the bowl has been filling up and Leigh has not been drinking for at least 8 months. Oh well, I guess she just needs to catch up.

That's all for now. I'll probably keep up this routine for a few months more and at least until Pinot Grigio season gets here. I might even tone it down because newborns don't care if you drank a bottle two hours ago, they want to be changed, NOW!

So, what did you do on your winter vacation?

Shawn

Beringer Founders' Estate 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel

I haven't had anything by Beringer in quite a while but they have a very good reputation in my mind. We found this to be an easy drinking Zin. Not really a peppery Zin.

Tasting Notes from the winery: Historically, a vineyard like this often has multiple varieties mixed-in among the Zinfandel vines, so it seemed fitting that the wine be made in that traditional and crowd-pleasing ‘American-Zin’ style. The resulting wines showcases clove, white pepper and jammy black fruit aromas that lead into a mouth full of black berries and sweet spice.

Found this at Bruno's on sale for about $9.

Castano Monastrell 2005

The Winoblog team has been drinking but not posting. Sorry 'bout that. I think we have mainly been repeating selections previously written about. Anyway, here's a new one that caught my eye this week in the supermarket. The large bold "C" on the label seemed familar. Turns out it's another juicy tasty offering from Bodegas Castaño. (see July 1st post). This is 100% Monastrell (Mourvèdre) - loaded with fruit in the right concentration.

Winemaker notes: "Excellent example of the Monastrell grape in its early years. Intense aromas of black fruit (plums) and less ripe red fruit (cranberries, mulberries, redcurrants, blackcurrants). On the palate it is fruity and fresh, and alive with tannins which leaves a pleasant aftertaste."

The Wine Advocate - "The 2005 Monastrell is an insane value produced from three vineyard sites ranging in age from 40-60 years. Opaque purple-colored, it gives up fragrant aromas of blue fruits, plums, and prunes. Ripe, layered, and full-flavored, this hedonistic effort can be enjoyed now but will surely evolve for 2-3 years. Match it with beef and lamb."

$6.99 at Western.

The Wolftrap 2005

This is a Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre, Viognier blend from the South African makers of The Chocolate Block. It's a really sensational blend in the style of a southern France wine such as Chateauneuf du Pape, Cote du Rhone, or Cotes de Provence. (Interesting that a little white is used.) We are posting this just after having our first couple of glasses with grilled pork chops and wilted spinach.

2+ stars. Great value at 8.99 at Village Wine Market. (Imported by Vineyard Brands of Birmingham)

86 Points - Wine Spectator
"Soft and forward, with mocha, cherry and plum flavors and an easygoing finish. Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvedre and Viognier. Drink now. 27,500 cases made."

Ten Mile

What a great wine. A suggestion from the wine dude at the Piggly Wiggly in Homewood. I wanted something easy to drink and cheap. A wine that would appeal to the "I don't care what it tastes like as long as it's Merlot" crowd and not hurt the wallet when the complained. In a nutshell I wanted something in the Big House Red or House Wine family. This was great and a big hit with everyone at the party. I suggest you pick up a bottle of this and because it is so cheap (around $10) maybe you should get two or three. And for those of you interested in the grape, it is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane and Barbera .

Marco Real Tempranillo Navarra 2004

This is our second bottle of this great Spanish that's 100% Tempranillo. First bottle came from a store we visited with the Olivers and I found one locally at V. Richard's. Rick commented that the best values in reds are coming from Spain right now and I have to agree.

"Exhibiting greater fruit, complexity, and elegance than the Garnacha without sacrificing any of its meat or succulence, is the fuller, more rustic, but savory, distinctive, medium to full-bodied 2003 Tempranillo. Floral, blue and black fruit, abundant texture, and a heady finish suggest it should be drunk over the next several years." Robert Parker, Jr., The Wine Advocate

We enjoyed this with smoked beef brisket. $9.99. 3 stars for under $10 is pretty unique.

Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel

I was looking through the December 2006 Consumer Reports magazine for who knows what, I came across the wine buyers guide. They looked for affordable, under $20, red's and whites. Two reds came in as excellent and one we have reviewed. The Seghesio Zinfandel which comes in at $20. The other red was Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel and can be purchased anywhere for under $10. This received Consumer Reports Best Value title. Not that I would go to CR for wine suggestions but they are right on it for this review. This is a great bottle of Zin and for under $10 it will become one of my standard drinkin' wines.

Dona Paula Los Cardos Malbec 2005

Tasted on 2 recent occasions, this proves to be delicious and a great VALUE. The most recent tasting was shared with the Olivers and the Berrys at Slogar in Crested Butte, CO. Its medium body with some spice and dark berry flavors (no pun). It paired surprisingly well with the fried chicken that Slogar is well-known for.

Variety: 100% Malbec
Winemaker’s comments: This wine of great varietal character stands out for its elegance and complex aromatic expression, reflecting the typical characteristics of an Argentine Malbec wine. On the nose it opens with notes of red berries and plum, intermixed with agreeable notes of spice, black pepper, mint and graphite. On the palate the wine is soft and fresh, full-bodied and very delightful, which reflects the slow maturity of the grapes and a careful management of the winemaking process.
Aging potential: 1 to 2 years, this wine is recommended to drink young in order to fully enjoy the freshness of its aromas.

$6.99 at World Market, probably available widely. Bonus Spanish Lesson: Los Cardos = the thistles

Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Recently served by our friend Claire at book club, this Cab was a great match with the flank steak grilled (!) by her oft kitchen-phobic husband Frank. According to the bottle it is one of Chile's oldest estates and is controlled by Domaines Baron de Rothschild (Lafite). Yep, the big baron of France. Cabernet Sauvignon is the classic production of Los Vascos, and is the grape that made the estate famous. The vintages all share a mature and fruity quality, fresh aromas, and a supple and fleshy structure. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

It is an attractive ruby in color with a very red fruit nose and some very chocolate and bay leaf touches. This wine is pleasant, excellent body, juicy and ripe. Highly concentrated with strawberry & cherries fruit notes and marked spices. Persistent and outstandingly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon.

"Wines like this helped Conchagua earn its Wine Region of the Year Award... for not much cash you get a ripe, smoky Cabernet with black plum and cassis aromas..."
-Wine Enthusiast

Price: $10 or less; Where: tbd; Rating: 3.5 / 5