WineLife365

Can you believe it’s July already?  It seems like just yesterday that our sons finished up their last day of the school year and now summer camp is in full swing.  Our boys are having a blast doing the usual camp stuff like swimming and sports.  But they’re also enjoying learning the words to wacky camp songs like “I’ve Got a Pair of Combination Underwear”.  But the big hit is GaGa - all of the kids at camp have gone GaGa for GaGa.

Not this GaGa:

But rather this GaGa:

GaGa is also known as Israeli dodgeball, and before this summer began I sure as heck hadn’t seen or heard of this camp game before.  But my kids have become addicted to GaGa and I’ve gotta say, after playing a few rounds with them, I can see why they love it!  So after learning the lyrics to the underwear song and getting the hang of GaGa, it was nice to sit down at the dinner table with the entire family and enjoy a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and hear more about summer adventures at camp.

We had two reds from California which I’d like to share with you.  Our first red wine from California was “Red Truck”.  This red was born in 2007 and contains a number of different grapes, including Syrah, Petite Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.  I was really hoping that the 2007 Red Truck would deliver the goods in the flavor department based on the interesting blend that compelled me to purchase it.  Sadly, the 2007 Red Truck pulled up a little short on our taste scale.  It was ok, but a little too fruity and it did nothing in the way of really revving up our taste buds with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.  If you’re looking for a not-so serious bottle of red wine for less than $10, then I’d say give it a try.  But, if you’re looking for a red wine that can really put it in gear, then keep reading because our second wine of the evening did not come up short.  

Our second California red wine on this Fancy Dinner Friday was from Robert Mondavi.  It was the 2007 Robert Mondavi “Private Selection” Meritage.  Like the 2007 Red Truck, this Cali red is also an interesting blend of several different grapes.  The 2007 Mondavi Meritage is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec and 2% Cabernet Franc.  However, unlike the easy-drinking blended Red Truck, this Meritage delivered the goods!  It packed a delicious punch of fruit and oak that is integrated to near perfection.  It was very good with our Friday night spaghetti and meatballs and had our taste buds looking for more.  In my opinion, the 2007 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Meritage is one of the tastiest value reds in the marketplace right now.

Our verdict for the evening’s wine:

The 2007 Red Truck was ok.  It was just a little too fruity and one dimensional (simple) to us.  At $10, there are some better choices if you’re looking for something a little more serious.  I give it 2 Stars.

Conversely, the 2007 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Meritage is no joke.  This wine definitely commands your attention and tastes much more expensive than it actually is.  It’s a killer value red wine in the “under $10″ price category.  On a side note, I’ve been drinking and enjoying both the 2006 and 2007 vintages.  Both are equally good.  I give it 3 Stars out of 4.

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