WineLife365

Posts Tagged ‘Wines under $20’

Sometimes you just want a red wine that tastes great and doesn’t make you feel like you’re drinking another meal with your meal.  That’s what the 2010 Apaltagua Reserva Malbec (Sample, MSRP: $12 US) is all about.  There’s nothing heavy or overblown in the least with this estate-grown juice from Chile.

It’s a little quirky with its smoky herbs, mixed with violets on the front palate, but then it changes up on you with a silky-smooth kick of black cherry, plum and black pepper finish.

3 Stars out of 4 for the 2010 Apaltagua Reserva Malbec.  It’s light on its toes for an Chilean Malbec, but being lean and just a little bit mean ain’t a bad thing!

After all the holiday gorging, it actually feels good to raise the white flag and yell “Mercy!”…returning to some (much needed) healthier eating habits.  After plowing through so many plates of food and downing enough tannic reds to fill a barrel, I’m excited to be taking steps in the right direction to get back on my ‘A’ game.  And I’m just as excited to find some white wines that send my taste buds racing with crisp and zesty acidity, which will be perfect for my post-holiday detox.

What better place to start than a place that breeds these types of mouthwatering champions:  Marlborough, New Zealand.  My first pick for 2012 is the 2010 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc (Sample, MSRP: $14 US).

The 2010 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc is like a breath of fresh air:  it’s lively, vibrant and intense with a full charge of grapefruit, orange peel and lemon/lime flavors.  One interesting thing to note about this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is that it doesn’t possess an overwhelming grassy/herbaceous element that oftentimes is the giveaway that you’re drinking a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  So…if that’s something that has been a turn off for you, you may want to give this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc a shot.

3 Stars out of 4 for the 2010 Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc.  A perfect pairing with some much needed lighter fare; it offers a rewarding kick of fruit flavors to thrust you straight into a healthier state of mind.

Hallelujah…we’re finally done our Christmas shopping!!  Wrapping those little buggers will be a whole different story…but that can wait until tomorrow!  Tonight’s post is about celebrating life’s small achievements – NOW!  On the 21st day of this Christmas countdown, what better way to end a nightmare day of standing in long lines, sitting in slow moving traffic, and having no damn place to park, than with some BUBBLY and your honey!

Woohoo!  Pop those corks, baby!!

Last night, we decided to celebrate the Tuesday before Christmas.  Why, you ask?  Why not, I say!

To ring in the New Day, I decided to pop open two badass sparklers from California:  the Mumm Napa Brut Prestige (Sample, MSRP:  $20) and the Mumm Napa Brut Rose (Sample, MSRP:  $20).  But wait…we need dinner too!

One of my favorite combinations of flavors is Sparkling wine and any foods that have an Asian flare.   I find that the wide range of spiciness, sweetness and textures of Asian-infused dishes, or even some Chinese takeout, really complement a refreshing glass of bubbly.  Each play well with one another and nobody is starving for attention.

In preparation for the gluttony to come in the next week, I decided to keep things clean, simple and light by preparing a tossed salad with a little twist to have with the sparkling wines:

• 1 Part Trader Joe’s “Champs Elysées Salad” *Green leaf lettuce, frisee, radicchio and carrots mixture 
• 1 Part Spring Mix Salad
• A sprinkle of fully-cooked lentils (Also from Trader Joe’s)
• Diced salad beets (Also from Trader Joe’s)
• A sprinkle of chopped walnuts
• A sprinkle of crumbled bleu cheese
• Drizzle with Trader Joe’s Asian Style Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

The Mumm Napa Brut Prestige was absolutely brilliant!  An assemblage of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, it’s crisp and refreshing with flavors of pear, fig and sweet spices, enveloped by creamy vanilla.  This sparkler is fruity, spicy and delicious!

My favorite with the salad, though, was the Mumm Napa Brut Rose.

This bubbly, made from 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Chardonnay – with its fresh and lively strawberry and zippy flavors – played terrifically off the Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette, beets and lentils in the salad,

Cheers to celebrating EVERY day!

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.