WineLife365

Posts Tagged ‘Blend’

Thus far in the WineLife365 25 Days of Christmas countdown, I’ve shared with you some terrific wine choices, under $20, for holiday parties, marathon wrapping sessions, and even a cookie/wine pairing.  With Christmas now only 8 days away, it’s time to intensify the countdown.  If you’re a frantic, harried procrastinator like me, shopping for last–minute Christmas gifts, then you don’t have time to mess around with bargain shopping.  You need something amazing NOW!  So for the remaining shopping days, it’s only 100% totally badass wines…regardless of price! You can worry about that credit card bill later, when it arrives next month.

The first badass is the 2007 Bodega DiamAndes de Uco Gran Reserva (Sample: $42 US) from Argentina.  Take a close look at the label on this red wine:  it’s got a big ole sparkling diamond – the size of the rock that Kris Humphries gave to Kim Kardashian – on the front.

The 2007 Bodega DiamAndes de Uco Gran Reserva is a luxurious treat of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It’s an avalanche of blackberry, black cherry, plum, black currants, black pepper, leather, roasted almonds (breathe…breathe…), and finally some vanilla.  And the finish?  Let’s put it this way – it lasted way longer than that Humphries-Kardashian union.

Expect at least 10 “atta boys” and 5 high fives from your peeps thanking you for bringing such a great bottle of wine.  There are only 3,500 cases to go around, making this gift even more special!

Stay tuned for more tomorrow!

You have no idea how happy I am that it’s Friday! 

How are you making out with your holiday to-do list?  For my wife and I, it sure has been one long and busy week trying get all of the usual weekday stuff done, in addition to hunting down “the right” Red Bull hat ($40 for a freakin’ baseball cap…seriously?!), Tony Hawk skateboard, and running from one video store to the next looking for Nintendo Wii games.  In two words:  we’re spent!

Last night, it sure felt great getting home and just parking it on the couch to enjoy some pizza, a “not-so-usual” bottle of red wine from Chile, and getting our fill of ridiculous reality TV shows.  Yep, it’s the little things in life…

What was so unusual about last night’s Chilean red wine, you ask? 

If you’re a fan of Chilean red wine, then you’ve undoubtedly heard of or have tried a Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or even a Carménère from Chile.  However, are you familiar with Carignan from Chile?

Last night we had the pleasure of trying a sensational Chilean Carignan sourced from 60-year-old vines.  The 2010 Meli Carignan (Sample: MSRP: $15) is a blend of 93% Carignan and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon.  I’ll be honest with you:  I was so damn tired last night that I thought it was a Carménère that I was pulling off the rack.  From the very first sip though, this red wine immediately grabbed my attention; so much so, that it made me take a closer look at the front and back label to see just what deliciousness we were actually tasting.  Looking at my chicken scratch for tasting notes, words like “fleshy,” “fresh,” and “rich” immediately came to mind.   The cherry, raspberry and pepper notes on the 2010 Meli Carignan exploded out of the glass!

If you love Chilean red wine, but you’re looking for something a little different to try, a Chilean Carignan might be something worth adding to your holiday shopping list.

I’ve been chomping at the bit, like a rabid old junkyard dog gnawing on a bone.

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to holiday or special meals, not many combinations make me froth at the mouth with excitement quite like digging my teeth into a rack of lamb; cooked and seasoned to perfection, paired with a delicious, earthy, hearty red from France’s Côtes du Rhône wine region.

But I ask, “WHY does this classic pairing need to wait ‘til Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve?  And why can’t this ‘formal union’ of tender and succulent heaven, topped with fresh rosemary, partnered with a gusty Côtes du Rhône red be enjoyed anytime?”   Rather than wait for Christmas Day, or worse yet, until New Year’s Eve, I thought that I’d take matters into my own hands and hit the streets to ask for a little help.  First, I hit the local butcher shop and told my butcher that I was going to snap if I had to wait another day to bite down on a little lamb.  He asked, “Do you want a leg or rack of lamb?”  I told him, “I’m pretty hungry and my wife is fully capable of doing her own damage on a sizeable piece of lamb, but between the two of us, I’m not really sure if we could take down a whole leg or rack.”  (At least, I don’t think so…)  So he suggested a few center-cut loin lamb chops.  “Perfect!” , I said.  Now all I needed was some primo Côtes du Rhône to go along with the chops.  I decided to call in the experts for some help.  I set off to visit several terrific nearby wine shops that have a huge selection of Côtes du Rhône wines, as well as having knowledgeable wine staff.  I asked each of the shop owners the very same question :  “Can you recommend a terrific, inexpensive, Côtes du Rhône red (i.e., no more than $20) that would be a marriage made in lamb heaven?  Whether it’s my  simple, center-cut lamb loin chops or a rack/leg of lamb fit for a king?”

 Here were the recommendations chosen by my team of local wine experts:

1. 2007 Chateau Du Trignon Vacqueyras ($20)
2. 2009 Kermit Lynch Côtes du Rhône ($15)
3. 2007 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône ($15)
4. 2010 Saint – Damien ‘La Bouveau’ Côtes du Rhône ($17)
5. 2007 Chateau Du Trignon Côtes du Rhône ($15)
6. 2009 Domaine Alary ‘La Gerbaude’ Côtes du Rhône  ($15)

Before revealing our top three picks, let me just say that the margin of uber pleasuredome between all of them was thinner than LeAnn Rimes in a string bikini…so kudos to my local wine merchant for delivering an amazing selection of wines.  If you see any of these wines on the shelves at your local hangouts, BUY ‘EM!!

Ok, so coming in 3rd place was the 2010 Saint – Damien ‘La Bouveau’ Côtes du Rhône ($17).  This Rhone blend is made of 80% Syrah and 20% Grenache.  It’s still just a baby.  Big, sharp and a bit tart around the edges.  The red fruit was bursting like the Fourth of July!  Once the 2010 Saint – Damien ‘La Bouveau’ Côtes du Rhône has a chance to grow up in the next couple of years, it’s really going to party!

Our second place wine was the 2007 Chateau Du Trignon Côtes du Rhône.  I believe the first word that came out of my mouth was “WOW!”  Fully mature and totally awesome!  The 2007 Chateau Du Trignon Côtes du Rhône is a delicious blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre; beaming with dark fruit and peppery spices, it packs a super long finish.

Our first place winner happened to be the most expensive wine in the group.  At $20, the 2007 Chateau Du Trignon Vacqueyras was a beast of refinement and elegance.  What can I say other than, it truly tasted like it was the most expensive wine of the group, with its massive concentration of dark fruit, spice and acidity.  Drinking great today, this wine has a bright future ahead as well.

To wrap this up (no pun intended), here’s a tip that one shop owner shared with me.  He told me to decant all of the wines before trying them.  He suggested pouring each wine into a decanter and then funneling the wine back into their bottle.  I didn’t do that because there were six bottles and only my wife and I, but I did break out my Vinturi Aerator!  Maybe that’s what made all of these wines taste so good!  Thanks, Scott, for the tip!!

My December 2^nd wine reminds me of the classic 1947 Christmas film, Miracle on 34th Street.  In the film, Santa Claus is institutionalized as being “insane” and a young lawyer defends him by arguing in court that he is the genuine Jolly Old Saint Nicholas.

For at least three straight vintages, I’ve been touting the realness and delicious virtues of Pine Ridge’s Chenin Blanc + Viognier to every wine lover that I know.  This white wine IS the real thing at less than 40 shekels (just over $10 US).

The percentage of this white blend can change from year to year:  the 2010 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier consists of 79% Chenin Blanc and 21% Viognier.  Filled with mouth-watering apple, citrusy-lemon, peach and pear flavors with a dash of honeysuckle, this value white is versatile and smooth.  Perfect for parties, but beware:  it’s like drinking liquid crack.  Ok…probably not the best analogy, but you will be seeing dancing nutcrackers and lots of empty bottles lined up in front of you by the end of the night!