Ruffino Chianti – 2008 – Italy

Since we have tasted so many wines from overseas, I decided it was time for an Italian red, and since I just sampled an Italian white (Kris), now seemed like a good time. Sunday night is “Sit Down Dinner” night at my house, and I always try to get a roast or something resembling a roast on the table. This week it was rib eye steaks from Costco (great deal, all meat should be purchased at Costco, if you have room to freeze, and a plan to cook it soon!)

The label does not have any recommendations as to what to serve with the wine, but I would recommend some kind of pasta dish, with a red sauce, something typically Italian. That said, it is a great accompaniment to the steak – especially if you like your steak rare to medium rare!

This wine is much lighter, both in color and texture, than some of the Pinot’s and Shiraz’ we have been drinking lately. And that just makes it easier to drink with a perfectly clean finish, a touch of tannin, and blackberries, just to keep things interesting. As Tony said, it is indeed a very drinkable wine.

Drink up, enjoy, and cut yourself another piece of steak! At a mere $8.99 a bottle (in Utah), the wine is cheaper than the Costco steaks, so you should probably buy at least two bottles, one for now, and one for six months from now.



Cheers!

Kris – Pinot Grigio – 2008 – Italy

Before we go any further, I must apologize for not posting this sooner - I have really good excuses moving, wedding planning, life in general,dog ate my homework!  We drank this wine a few weeks ago, and the memory of it's deliciousness has almost faded, must be time to buy another bottle!

Last night we had friends over for dinner. This was our first official “dinner party” in our new home. Mike and Shawnie joined us for cedar planked salmon, rice & vegetables, and thankfully, they drink wine. I say thankfully, as there seem to be fewer and fewer people of my generation who enjoy wine, and are willing to try something new in the wine genre!

I bought the Kris a few weeks ago, after it was recommended by some friends, and noticed it on several wine menus. It’s not overly expensive, $11.99, although you will find it marked up to $30 in some restaurants. I always recommend bringing your own wine to dinner, many restaurants allow it, and the corking fee is considerably cheaper than most of the over-priced wine on the menu.

The Kris label extols its contents as combining”modern technology and traditional winemaking artistry to handcraft an exquisite modern Italian expression of Pinot Grigio from the classic Delle Venezie region”. They are not far wrong, at least on the exquisite part, I know nothing about the region or the winemaking artistry! Shawnie exclaimed “Wow, this is the best white wine I have ever tried”, immediately after her first sip. The second and third sips just improved the fabulousness of this masterpiece white. Crisp, clean, with honey and lime, this was a delight to drink on what turned out to be a hot, sunny evening. The wine served as a perfect accompaniment to the smells of the salmon, grilling on the bbq with its mouthwatering marinade of soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic. You hungry yet?

In closing, this is another must try…Cheers!

Morgan Pinot Gris 2008

Let’s just start with the last line…buy it, try it, it’s delicious! That’s the simple part, describing this wine and where it came from (2008 Pinot Gris, Santa Lucia Highlands, R&D Franscioni Vineyards bottled by Morgan Winery), gets a little more complicated.

That’s not to say that the taste is overly complicated, or that this is overly difficult to drink. It is easy going, with a lot going on. Gooseberry hits hard, with the first sip. Many of you may not know what a gooseberry is, but take it from me, it’s there. This wine is definitely dry, with less of the crispness you find in a Pinot Grigio. The finish is softer, but still dry, with none of the hanging on you find in a Chardonnay. This can be drunk straight from the fridge, or even room temp, like I said, it is easy going.

I have heard many of my friends say they prefer reds, and I think I know why. The reds we drink are the Pinot’s, and Shiraz, or the blends. They are warm, full, comforting, with velvety finishes. And, that is great in the winter, when we need a little warming up from the inside.

In the summer, you need to get lighter, put away your warm sweater of a red wine, and get your summer wines out, that keep you fresh, cool and relaxed. I know, it’s tough, and that’s why I try not to put too much pressure on you, but eventually, you have to give it a try. Oh, and at $7.56 a bottle, this is a good way to get started.

Remember what I wrote at the beginning…Cheers!

Justin – Isosceles – Paso Robles – 2005

After 10 hours in the car, it was such a relief to pull up to my brother’s home in LA. Not only has it been too long since I have seen him, but I knew there was the chance of really good wine…and I wasn’t wrong! Doug and Minda have a membership with Justin Vineyards & Winery (it’s a new thing, check it out!)


This wonderful red is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot. Based out of Paso Robles, California, this could potentially be considered its flagship wine. The label provides a somewhat serious description of the growing, harvesting, blending and eventual bottling of this wine. Although rather dry reading, it gives the drinker a great basis for understanding the incredible woodsy flavors that inhabit the deep red depths of the glass.

A generous sniff provides the recipient with plenty of blackberry and you may even get some of the french oak that this wine is aged in. As you may know from prior posts, I am no wine aficionado, but this is quite something else. I have no clue how much it costs, but I am fairly certain that it will not fall within my $10 budget. Additionally, you probably won’t find it at the liquor store, at least in Utah. There is an off chance that you may find it at a restaurant, or the odd wine distributor. I am pretty sure it will cost you more that (quite a bit more), than most of the wines you purchase and drink immediately. But, you have to find it. It is a wine that you can fall into oh so easily – slightly spicy, with generous fruit flavors.

Minda, who has more experience with Justin wines than I do, and has tasted more aged Isosceles wines, feels that is could age a little longer. In the past, older Isosceles (bottles which had been put away, forgotten, and re-discovered years later), resulted in full, velvety flavors, that she remembers with fond words, as though reminiscing about old friends. And, those of you who have tasted the really delicious aged wines, know that a great wine is like an old friend, it holds your hand, tells you everything will be just fine, and puts you to bed with a gentle hug and kiss.

I recommend you start looking for a bottle, and put it away in a cool (around 52 degrees), dark place, on it’s side. Forget about, then when you are re-modelling, moving or doing some long needed spring cleaning and find it – open it up, let it take a breath, and sit down to enjoy with a good friend. Minda and I have made short work of several bottles of Justin red this weekend, so you may want to find more than one!

Cheers!

Concannon – Merlot – 2007

About a year ago, I found a delightful Petit Syrah by Concannon, in a great bottle. Yes, being of the female persausion, packaging is important to me. The bottle, embossed with the Concannon “logo”, had a real foil top, something you don’t find too often these days. I grabbed a bottle, we tried it, and decided that it would be our anniversary wine.


Recently, I bought a bottle of their Merlot, after enjoying the Petit Syrah so much. We opened it tonight, to drink with londron broil, roast potatoes, onion and mushrooms, and some peas. It was a simple meal, and I thought the Merlot might accompany it quite well.

This Merlot is uncomplicated, and starts out very easily. Tony finds it rather dry on the finish, not as enjoyable as the Petite Syrah (don’t worry, I have two bottles on hand, I shall blog about it soon!). That said, I really enjoy it. It is dry, and less “fruity” than some of the Shiraz & Pinot Noir we have been drinking. The label talks of blackberry and cherry, both of which I can imagine as I drink it, although I would not have come up with those analogies myself. Well, blackberry, definitely, try swishing it across your tongue, it will happen.

It is always a good idea to try other “genre’s” of wine, and this is a good choice to broaden your “mighty grape” horizon. With a price of $9.99, this proves to be a great value, although next time I think it will be better suited to a bolognese sauce.

Later in the evening, I added some Coastal cheddar (Costco) and Creminelli Barolo Handcrafted salami (www.creminelli.com). Both are delicious in their own right. The addition of the Merlot makes for a fabulous ménage a trios - most of you know I am partial to cheese and wine, but add some salami, and the experience is positively blissful.

I recommend extending your wine experience to some Merlot, and this is a must try!



Cheers.

Castillo de Molina - Sauvignon Blanc - Chile - 2009

As summer approaches (no matter how slowly), I have been stocking up on some whites that seem to be worth trying.  So, as we prepared for our annual Mothers Day dinner at Market Street Grill, I had quite a selection from which to make a decision, and since Sauvignon Blanc has been making a regular appearance on my shopping list of late, it should come as no surprise that I ended up choosing one.

Knowing what I was to eat made it easier, as Market Street is celebrating Alaskan Halibut, and they know how to cook it right!  I was prepared to order the same meal that I had last year, Seafood Florentine, and this wine would be the perfect companion.

Perfect, if not for the one hour wait, which brought my wine to room temperature, and the waitress who decided to pour it at room temperature.  I know, rude!  Prior to that, we had ordered delicious Hickory Smoked Salmon to keep us going, and two glasses of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, by Matua.  That particular white was overly sweet, and I absolutely do not recommend it, unless you enjoy puckering after every sip.

Even at room temperature, this white is delightful.  Slightly smokey, with some fruit, and a clean finish, that didn't linger past it's welcome.  Now, I am enjoying it chilled (the day after), with a brownie and vanilla ice cream (dessert after a fabulous Mothers Day of steak prepared by Tony). 

The wine has stood up well, crisp, fresh, clean - everything you want from a Sauvignon Blanc.  Still lightly smokey, with plenty of gooseberry to keep it interesting.  And that finish, it leaves you wanting more, and then some more. 

This is definitely a wine I could easily drink myself, the entire bottle, in one evening.  Jealously guarding each drop for myself, I want to experience it as it develops from chilled to warm temperature.  With birds singing their evening chorus in the background, I can settle in for a relaxing evening, with what will become a regular guest in our household (temporary only, wine just doesn't last long around here!).

Please accept my apologies for no photo - digital camera is dead!

Unfortunately, I did not keep the reciept, but I am pretty sure it is affordable, less than $10.  Definitely worth it, especially if you want to become more familiar with white.  This wine is sure to please.

Cheers.

Gallo Family - Sonoma - Pinot Gris- 2008

Call me a wine snob, but I'm a cheap wine snob!  It has been more than 10 years since I have tried a Gallo wine of any kind.  My experience with Gallo dates back to the 80's, when Chardonnay & Rose (or pink Zinfandel) was all the rage, and cheap wine didn't seem to offend anyone.  Since then, I have broadened my horizons, and moved from only drinking white to a lover of red.  I don't remember any good Gallo experiences from the 80's, but I know I drank lots.  I lived in California, and I hung out with probably the most stereotypical 80's California girls (blonde hair, big racks, small bikini's, you know the kind!).  Cheap white, or almost red, was everywhere.

What I carry with me, all these years later, is an extremely low opinon of Gallo wine, and California wine for that fact.  I have been trying hard to overcome my aversion to California wine, and, indeed, have found some fine wines from that region.  This, however, is the first Gallo I have tried in a very long time.

And, it will be the last.  It is not memorable, and it failed to finish.  Tony explained it as starting as though it had great things in store, but never completing.  The drinker is left unsatisfied and disappointed.  At $8.99, it is about $8 too much.

Instead, let me tell you about the food we had.  I made some delicious salmon, with a citrus basil viniagrette.  For dessert, mini cheese cakes we purchased from Harmons at Corner Canyon (they have a fabulous bakery!)  The wine seemed to improve when paired with the cheesecake, perhaps the sweetness of the cheesecake was complimentary to the overly tart, failing finish of the Pinot Gris.

In closing, let me recommend a delicious summer Pinot Grigio - one from Cavit (which I will review as the summer progresses), not overly pricey, and the crisp, snappy finish doesn't miss a beat.

Cheers!