The Pinot Project

Hello Wine Lovers!
I missed everyone last week! Just didn't have enough time to post a blog, but I did have time to drink... which of course leads to more entries here. So that being said I drank a very nice and interesting Pinot Noir called the The Pinot Project 2009.
The inaugural vintage of 2009 The Pinot Project drinks as an absolutely delicious, yet serious, Pinot Noir that any wine lover would be proud to pour liberally at their dinner table! Hand-crafted from the finest California Pinot Noir grapes. Pure Pinot aromas and flavors -- black cherries kissed by oak and complimented by just the right amount of Asian spice. This wine has body, structure and yet very elegant and mouth pleasing. I know some of you out there find Pinot Noirs too soft and light, now I will be the first to tell ya, this is not a Cabernet but I feel many anti-Pinot drinkers will find this wine enjoyable! It will set you back about $9.99 at Binny's and worth every penny!
My white wine entry for today is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Brancott is the producer and it will set you back a whopping $7.99 at Binny's with your Binny's Card. You will find this wine to be lush and a mouthful of fruit. A wonderful Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Refreshing grapefruit, and tropical aromas with notes of minerals and melon flavors on the finish. It has the typical characteristics of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and I think you will find it up your alley!

Cheers!
J

California Dreaming

Hello Wine Lovers! Spring is supposed to be here... tell that to Mother Nature! A cold and lousy weekend weather at best here in Chicago, but it gives us character. (So they say) I am going to get right to the point this week, no long winded sermons about wine making, cork, glasses or what you should be drinking instead of this or that... just talk about two wines I feel you should run, not walk, run to your favorite wine shop and buy! Both California producers, both great values and both will keep you thinking your rich! Trentadue Winery, Old Patch Red and Huntington Cabernet Sauvignon. Both of these wines are around $9 and will just floor ya! Trentadue is a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane, (Don't worry, I'm not going into one of my explanations about this little known grape) Sangiovese and finally Syrah. The grapes are grown in Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma Counties and this wine is packed with abundant berry flavors, mostly black cherry and plum with a nice long smooth finish. A touch of oak on the finish as well, but not over powering where you feel like you just swallowed a 2x4, just enough to say hello. Huntington Cabernet is from the Hahn Family Wines and has an interesting story behind it. (I'll keep it short) The Hahns own a ranch in northern Africa and assist the community in building schools and to help preserve the culture and endangered landscape there. Gaby Hahn is a painter/artist and her paintings are made into the labels for their wine bottles. You will find this wine to be rich with a dense black purple color. You will find aromas of sweet black plum and cherry, pretty French oak, spice, cedar and coffee. This is a wine where both Old and New World meet, and you will discover enough structure and just a touch of sweetness after you swallow. I think it shows very nicely for the money! Enjoy! Cheers! J

Perky Pinot

Hello Wine Lovers! Did you miss me? I allowed my Sunday (my usual posting day) to get away from me... dinner guests that came early and stayed late! It was OK, it was my son and nephew with their girls, fun for all. The food was good, the laughs were hard, and the wine flowed ever so freely. I know a certain friend that said he now knew more about cork than he ever needed to know... so this week I am going to talk about how wine is made. I asked myself if I thought I could do this without getting too windy and lengthy... time will tell I will do my best to keep you engaged, here goes... Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented grape juice,the natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients.Wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different types of wine, you see, that wasn't so bad now was it? A brief history... Wine's history dates back thousands of years, with the earliest known production occurring around 8,000 years ago on the territory of modern-day Georgia.(the country not the state) It first appeared in the Balkans at about 4500 BC and was very common in ancient Greece, Thrace and Rome. Wine has also played an important role in religion throughout history. The Greek god Dionysus and the Roman equivalent Bacchus represented wine, and the drink is also used in Christian Eucharist ceremonies and the Jewish Kiddush. So basically what this is saying is wine has been a part of our world for quite a long while and it is important to religion as well, who would have thunk it? Now for the wine review, Block 9 Pinot Noir from California, they only make Pinot Noir and this one at around $8 at Wine Discount Center is definitely worth the trip! This wine is smooth and silky with hints of strawberry and cocoa on the nose with raspberries and strawberries in the mouth which leads to a nice elegant finish! Even if you're not a fan of this noble grape, I believe you will enjoy this! Cheers J!

Wine production by country 2007 Rank Country Production 1 Italy 5,050,000 2 France 4,711,600 3 Spain 3,645,000 4 United States 2,300,000 5 Argentina 1,550,000 6 China (People's Republic) 1,450,000 7 South Africa 1,050,000 8 Australia 961,972 9 Germany 891,600 10 Chile 827,746