Memorial Day Treats

Hello Wine Lovers!
Well it is here, Memorial Day Weekend! It is to honor our fallen who keeps this beautiful country of ours "The land of the free" and to, although you would not know it here in Chicago, kick off summer. It is rainy, cold and nasty, certainly nothing like summer as I remember it! Maybe... someday... the sun will shine, the temps will climb and all will be good.
So the way I see it this is a good weekend to treat yourself to some great food and wine! I chose two wines for today's entry, a Cabernet from Chile and a Chardonnay from California.
Let's start with Chile. Odfjell "Armador" Maipo Valley Cabernet 2007. This wine will make you write a bad check it is so good! Dark and rich in color with notes of cassis and dark berries with just a kiss of oak. It is soft yet has enough backbone to carry it through the finish with a touch of tannins to let you know you are drinking a Cabernet. Here is what Wine Enthusiast had to say,
A top-notch value Cabernet with no flaws. The fruit on the nose is pretty and stylish but doesn't force the issue, while the palate is juicy and fresh with flavors of cola, cassis and wild berry. Not a complicated wine, but one that pushes all the right buttons. Ripe and friendly to the last drop. A lot of wine for the money." Speaking of money, sit down for this...$8.99 a bottle at Wine Discount Center. All I can say is BUY IT!
Next on the list is the Hacienda "Claire de Lune" Chardonnay 2009, also at Wind Discount Center for $5.99 with a rating of 86 points. A blend of 85% Chardonnay, 10% Viognier and 5% of a mystery grape that the producer refused to reveal, they state dry wine for the last 5%. You will find a bit of oak, some clean pear fruit, and a nice long, clean finish.I don't think you will find a better Chardonnay for the money. Perfect for those summer BBQ and patio get togethers!
Cheers!
J

A Red and White, World's Apart

Hello Wine Lovers!
It's that time again where I write about wine that I either drank this past week or ran across at a local wine shop and felt the need to pass it along. Obviously it is much more fun when I write about the wine that I partake in the consumption of said wine. It doesn't take a neurosurgeon to figure that out. The first wine is an unknown wine from Portugal from three grapes that I would bet my first born you never heard of. It is a blend of Alfrocheiro, Tinta-Roriz and Touriga-Nacional grapes. (That is a mouthful) As you may or may not be aware of, most wine exported from Portugal is of the Port variety. They produce a lot of great red wines for local consumption but most of their exports are Port. I am not going to bore you with the history (As I usually do) of these grapes, I will just get to the meat of it. Buy this wine! You will not be disappointed, it is a lush and lovely wine with spicy, ripe huckleberry aromas which lead to a palate of very pure, spicy, mineral, and most important of all, balanced, fruit. This wine was given 90 points by the Wine Spectator and at $8.99 at The Wine Discount Center you can't beat it with a stick. I will tell you just a bit about Portugal...
Although quite small, Portugal produces a great variety of wines ranging from light and fizzy Vinho Verde to hearty and tannic Port. Portugal is Europe's fourth-largest wine-producing region, and has been exporting its wine since the 14th century. The Douro Valley of Portugal is home for the world's finest Port. The valley spans from east of the city of Oporto all the way to the border of Spain and is the country's best known wine region.
The second wine is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc my Daughter turned me on to, 90+ Cellars from Marlborough Region. This wine will set you back a whopping $7.99 and drinks like Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, which sells for $14-$18 a bottle. This wine will taste like a typical Sauv Blanc from New Zealand with grapefruit, citrus and melon notes with plenty of crisp acidity and a well balanced finish. The winery has an interesting concept and here is what the have to say from their website. "We are taking advantage of the current economic conditions by purchasing high quality and highly rated finished wines direct from wineries at a discount and then passing the savings on to you. Price and availability aren't the only selection criteria. The wines we purchase must have a pedigree of 90 or higher ratings, best buy or gold medal accolades from a respected wine authority or publication.
Other companies with a similar concept are usually buying the winery's excess or distressed wine. We are buying a winery's best and most highly rated finished wine, which they would normally sell under their own label. Wineries are willing to work with us because they either produced more than they need or sales have slowed. In return, they are promised complete anonymity, which we take very seriously." How cool is that?
At any rate, you will find this wine at The Wine Discount Center and I believe it is at Binny's as well. Thanks to Ashley (My Daughter) for getting this wine to me!

Cheers!
J

A Couple of Nice Reds!

Hello Wine Lovers!

I hope all the Mothers out there had a great day! What a beautiful day you had in Chicago! I hope by now you have lifted a glass of champagne for Mom and I am quite sure you shared a nice dinner. Maybe you made breakfast for her, a bottle of her favorite perfume, flowers, chocolate or even a gift certificate to her favorite spa. Whatever you did for her, she deserves it all!
Now, down to the wine. I am writing about two reds that are both outstanding values and I believe you will find them outstanding as well. The first one is a little obscure blend called Reds, A Wine for the People, from Lodi California. It is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignan (You see, I did call it obscure...) You will find this wine to be a mouthful of dark berry flavors and plums with spice, a few tannins and a nice long, smooth finish. At $8.49 a bottle at the Wine Discount Center you can't beat it with a stick! Now a little info about that grape you haven't heard of before...
Carignan is believed to have originated in Spain in the Aragon region and was historically a component of neighboring Rioja's red wine blend. From Spain it gained prominence in Algeria and fed that country's export production to France. Upon Algeria's independence in 1962, the French supply of Carignan wine was cut off and growers in Southern France began to plant the vine for their own production. The grape's prominence in France hit a high point in 1988 when it accounted for 167,000 hectares and was France's most widely planted grape. That year, in a drive to increase the overall quality of European wine and to reduce the growing wine lake phenomenon, the European Union started an aggressive vine pull scheme where vineyard owners were offered cash subsidies in exchange for pulling up their vines. Out of all the French wine varieties, Carignan was the most widely affected dropping by 2000 to 95,700 ha (236,000 acres) and being surpassed by Merlot as the most widely planted grape.In winemaking the grape is often used as a deep coloring component in blends, rather than being made in a varietal form with some exception. The grape is a difficult one for winemakers to work with being naturally high in acidity, tannins and astringency which requires a lot of skill to produce a wine of finesse and elegance. I believe you will find this winemaker did his homework!
The second wine for today's entry is a wine from Washington, Columbia Crest's Amitage. This wine is a blend of 64% Merlot, 19% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5.5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5.5% Malbec. It has been aged in both American oak and French oak for 16 months. When it is all said and done, this wine delivers layers of dark fruit, soft tannins and a silky mouth feel with a nice long elegant finish. At $7.99 at the Wine Discount Center or at Binny's, this is well worth the money!

Cheers!
J