Black Hawk Ridge Lodi Tempranillo 2005

September 14, 2007 — -

Black Hawk Ridge Tempranillo 2005This Black Hawk Ridge Lodi Tempranillo 2005 is produced in a region in California east of San Francisco. This is a dark, reddish-purple color in the glass with a yummy nose of plums and apricots. It is a medium body with tannins that are somewhat firm but not grippy. (I personally enjoy a wine with more pronounced tannins than this one, but this one is quite lovely.) The finish is long and satisfying with hints of cherries, some chocolate, and a bit of pepper.

It’s a Friday night and we are having a lovely evening listening to Vivaldi on the stereo and reading the paper. We started cocktail hour with a martini (Plymouth gin and Martini & Rossi vermouth) and just opened this wine to enjoy. I was eager to try it. We are looking forward to our drive up to northern Michigan tomorrow to see my parents.

Posted in California wines, Over $10, Tempranillo. 2 Comments »

Mouton Cadet Bordeaux (2004)

September 13, 2007 — -

Mouton Cadet Bordeaux 2004This Mouton Cadet Bordeaux 2004 consists of a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. I purchased this wine for just under $10. I am enjoying the wine but I can’t, in good conscious, rave about it. The complexity is not what I had expected from a French Bordeaux. It is quite simple, but very drinkable. I have made a beef stew for our dinner tonight and I am not certain this wine will hold up well, but we’ll see. The nose is pleasant but it is not particularly savory. While the taste is lovely, it is not complex. And, finally, the finish is brief.

All in all, this is a highly drinkable wine with absolutely nothing objectionable about it. It is just that it is simple and should be enjoyed as a simple, mid-week quaff.

The label says, “Le vin il nait, puis il vit, mais point ne meurt en l’homme il survit.” (Wine is born, and ages, but it never dies, for it lives on within the drinker.)

Posted in Bordeaux, French wines, Under $10. Leave a Comment »

Dona Ermelinda Palmela DOC Castelão (2004)

September 12, 2007 — -

Dona Ermelinda Palmela DOC 2004This Dona Ermelinda Palmela DOC 2004 is made from the Castelão grape in Portugal. The winery is just south of Lisbon in Palmela, which was founded in 310 B.C.

I chose this wine to go with pizza tonight (another very hectic day at work). This medium-bodied Portuguese wine is rich and fruity. It is a deep purple color. The nose is spicy and fresh. On the palate is soft tannins, oak, and dried cherries. It is a bold and assertive wine that will hold its own with pizza. It is delightful; there’s not a thing I would change about this wine.

Posted in Over $10, Portuguese wines. 45 Comments »

La Cour Pavillon Bordeaux Superieur (2005)

September 11, 2007 — -

La Cour Pavillon Bordeaux Superieur 2005We belong to a couple of wine clubs. This La Cour Pavillon Bordeaux Superieur 2005 arrived today from “4 Seasons.” It is always fun and exciting to open the box of wine. I had a feeling I was going to really enjoy this particular wine. I am very fond of French Bordeaux generally, and especially if it has the qualities I enjoy.Well, this one does.

The nose is dark cherries and raspberries. In the mouth it is silky smooth with well-structured tannins. The finish is chocolaty and spicy. Long after the sip is finished I can taste chocolate-covered cherries. Yet, the wine is not overly jammy and is not sweet. My kind of wine! This La Cour Pavillon (The Court House) Bordeaux 2005 is simply wonderful. I am delighted that our wine club shipped four bottles of this!

I can’t brag too much about dinner tonight. I have been so busy at work so all I did tonight was to thaw a batch of chili for dinner tonight. It is simmering on the stove while we read the paper and enjoy this lovely Bordeaux. Although I will make a fresh salad from my garden, it is hardly a meal to brag about!

Posted in Bordeaux, French wines, Over $10. 6 Comments »

Tenimenti Conti Neri Valpolicella Classico Superiore (2005)

September 9, 2007 — -

Tenimenti Conti Neri ValpolicellaThis Tenimenti Conti Neri Valpolicella Classico Superiore 2005 is an Italian red with a lovely floral-fruity bouquet complemented with vanilla notes. The tannins are light and well rounded. This is a full-bodied, big red that is velvety smooth and delicious. I am very pleasantly surprised at how delicious it is!

I selected this wine to go with our Italian-smelling dinner, which is simmering on the stove. I picked a basket of fresh tomatoes from my tiny, little garden today and prepared a pot of very fresh and fragrant spaghetti sauce. No can opener needed today! Nothing but ground beef, fresh-chopped onions and garlic, lots of chopped, fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes, and basil, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Believe me, it smells wonderful! One thing I decided not to do was to blanch the tomatoes and remove the peels. I just can’t believe it is necessary. As I gaze into the pot, I can see the tomatoes have cooked down nicely, and the peels are just tiny flecks in the pot. I have convinced myself it is healthier and tastier this way (and saved me some dishes)!

Posted in Italian wines, Under $10, Valpolicella. Leave a Comment »

Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz 2006

September 8, 2007 — -

Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz 2006We had this Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz 2006 as a mid-week quaff. It is a pleasant, fruit-forward shiraz with hints of spicy cherries and vanilla. Very pleasant and drinkable.

Posted in Australian wines, Shiraz, Under $10. 1 Comment »

Waterstone Bridge Reserve Shiraz (2004)

September 8, 2007 — -

Waterstone Bridge Shiraz 2004I finished up this bottle tonight. It is delicious! See previous post for a good description. I have dinner almost ready!

Posted in Australian wines, Over $10, Shiraz. Leave a Comment »

Waterstone Bridge Reserve Shiraz (2004)

September 7, 2007 — -

Waterstone Bridge Shiraz 2004Ahhh, it’s Friday. The end of a very hectic week for us. Both of us are extremely busy in our jobs at this time of the year. We started our cocktail hour with a martini made with Plymouth Gin and Martini & Rossi vermouth. Excellent!

Now, a glass of this delicious Waterstone Bridge Reserve Shiraz 2004 from Australia. When Tom blind-tasted this (I didn’t tell him which bottle I opened) he guessed that it was Australian (right!) and shiraz (yes!). Wow, he is really getting good at this!

The first thing I noticed about his wine is that the nose is gentle and pleasant. The aroma is not the least bit alcoholic, but pleasantly herbaceous. On the palate, a fruit-forward quaff with black cherries and pepper. Frankly, this is everything you should expect from a quality Shiraz. The quality I appreciate tonight is that, while it is not a tannic wine, it is also not syrupy sweet. A well-balanced wine. Cheers and happy Friday!

Posted in Australian wines, Over $10, Shiraz. 12 Comments »

Cherry Creek Cellars Montage 2003

September 5, 2007 — -

Cherry Creek MontageOur son Tommy, a graduate student at Eastern Michigan University, came by for dinner last night. I asked him to choose a wine for dinner and he chose this one — my absolute favorite Michigan wine! (Smart son.) Tom and I are finishing the bottle tonight.

I’ve posted before on this wine (see previous posts here, here, and here) and nothing has changed. I still love it. What really impresses me now is that, even though I have had dozens and dozens of other wines, when I open this one, I am never disappointed. It always lives up to my high expectations.

Thank you, John Burtka – Cherry Creek Cellars wine maker!

Posted in Blends, Michigan wines, Over $10. 2 Comments »

Terra Australis Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2003

September 4, 2007 — -

Terra Australis Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2003This Terra Australis Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2003 is medium tannic and fruit forward (berries and cherry) with a hint of vanilla and a big, rich bouquet. It’s jammy and a bit spicy (must be the shiraz in the blend).

It’s a fun, big-tasting, New World red. We drank this while we watched Trigger race around and around our back yard with her new friend from next door, Molly, a border-collie mix. It also went well with spicy turkey soup.

Posted in Australian wines, Blends, Under $10. 2 Comments »
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