Gold Rush Red Wine

We are being adventurous tonight and trying this wine that we purchased at Trader Joe’s for a very small price (I’m guessing under $5). This is just a simple table wine. The wine label doesn’t tell us the year nor does it say which grapes were used in this wine. So, one must assume that the wine was made economically with a “deal” on certain leftover grapes.

The nose is not offensive but it certainly doesn’t suggest that something wonderful is in store. The taste is simple. So simple, in fact, I might as well be having a glass of cran-grape juice. There is just nothing complex or interesting about it. I think this is a wine that I should use for sauteing mushrooms, not sipping, to be honest.

For dinner tonight, I had some ground beef to use. So, I made a kettle of beefy/vegetable soup. It is simmering now and I have a loaf of sour dough bread to go with it. Should be a cozy dinner for a dark, damp and cold December evening. (Now, I think I will put this wine away and find something else.  .  .)

Tom: This Gold Rush Red is a simple light-to-medium-body red, with cherry-ish fruit. It would be awesome chilled in the summer with something grilled. It will serve fine as a middle-of-the-week table wine.

Fife Petite Sirah (2007)

My first sip was disappointing. . .however, a little air does wonders for this California Petite Sirah. It is getting better as I swirl and wait. We bought this wine on a little outing to Trader Joe’s this past week. This wine, like many at Trader Joe’s, was very inexpensive and we thought we would give it a try. I didn’t care for the nose or the taste, at first, but as I said, decanting helps a lot.

This wine has a definite cherry taste. As of right now, I would choose not to get a second bottle, but that may change as it continues to open.

For dinner, I am making baked chicken and vermicelli. I also just took a cobbler out of the oven. I had some apples and pears that were not getting eaten, so I peeled and sliced into a casserole and topped with a sugar/flour/oatmeal combination.

I am going to make a salad, too. My salads this week have been so delicious; I just can’t get enough! I make a basic green salad with Romaine and leaf lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, green onions and my own, homemade salad dressing, which is olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, oregano, rosemary, savory and thyme. . .all shaken in the remains of leftover spicy mustard. (When our spicy mustard get almost empty, I add all the salad dressing ingredients to it; perfect.)

My chicken is almost ready to come out of the oven so it is time to toss the salad. I will take my glass of wine with me and toss away. Cheers!

Tom: This Fife Petite Syrah 2007 is a pleasant, inexpensive ($5-6) Trader Joe’s wine. The first whiff felt a little rough, but air softened it a lot. The main nose and taste is cherries, medium body, medium tannins. This will turn out to be a fun table wine that will go great with Melody’s chicken.

Bridgman Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

Here we are, another Friday night. We opened a bottle of this Washington State Cabernet. I looked back to see when we had this the last time, and wouldn’t you know, we had it on a Friday night just like tonight?

We liked it then and we like it now. Rich aromas of fruit and wood. The palate is spicy with a pepper finish.

For dinner, I am grilling brats (from Trader Joe’s), I am making a salad and also a vermicelli dish tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

Cheers!

Chateau Les Tuileries (2008)

We are having some extreme weather tonight in Michigan. The wind is steady at 40 mph with gusts up to 60 (if the weather reports are accurate, and by the sounds outside, I believe it). I had to really grasp the steering wheel on my drive home tonight from work. My car was getting blown around. Also, the temperature is in the 20′s but the wind chill is below zero. So, winter has arrived with a vengeance. I am so grateful to be home and out of weather. I can’t imagine what a homeless person does on a night like tonight.

So, it is Wednesday night and we are glad to be home with power. I imagine there are many people who have lost power by now. I have a casserole in the oven. This casserole is a new recipe I am trying with ground beef, noodles, mushrooms, onions, cottage cheese & sour cream, broth (the noodles were added without being cooked, hence the broth to make sure the noodles get cooked to “tender perfection”). . .a  comforting and filling dinner, I hope, for a very cold night.  I am also baking an acorn squash and I am going to make a green salad.

Oh dear. I hear sirens. How many mothers out there cringe when they hear a siren? I still do. . .I always think about my two sons and wonder where they are and if they are safe.

Getting back to the purpose of this blog entry — the wine. It’s good. It’s earthy and fruity (but emphasis on the earthy).This is exactly what I would expect from a French Bordeaux blend.No complaints here!

Sterling Vintner’s Collection Meritage (2007)

It’s Monday night and very dark. . .we have our Christmas tree lights on and the house is cozy. Trigger is snuggling with me and we are reading the newspaper. Tom poured me a glass of this California blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The nose is a rich black cherry and a bouquet of roses. The taste is delicious. . .chocolate, raspberries and pepper. The tannins are just right: Firm but mellowing as the wine breathes.

For dinner, I prepared a casserole. . .but I wrapped it in foil and put it in the refrigerator for another night (I have a busy week ahead). For tonight. we are going to have leftover steak & broccoli stir fry with brown rice and the most delicious cole slaw. (Although this cole slaw recipe is very simple, it is the best I have ever had.) Want the rec ipe? Just let me know!

I am enjoying this glass of wine very much. I would not hesitate to buy this again (it was on sale for $8.99).

Francis Coppola Malbec (2005)

Tom poured me a glass of this California Malbec. I bought this for Tom and paid $20 for the bottle so was expecting something quite good.  Instead, I find the nose to be musty, which is a turn off for me. I am patiently swirling and sipping and hoping that as the wine breathes, the mustiness will subside. Getting past the nose (which smells like a closet filled with damp, dirty clothes). . .the taste is pretty good but, for me, the nose is such a big part of my enjoyment. I am having a difficult time getting past it.

For dinner, I am baking yams (which I received from the food co-op) along with chicken. I also have an apple cobbler baking (again, I had some extra apples from the co-op). I am going to serve this with the leftover stuffing and cranberry sauce and maybe we’ll even finally finish the pumpkin pie!

Bridgman Cabernet (2005)

We are having a glass of this Cabernet from Washington State and I already know we’re going to finish this bottle for two reasons : 1) Because it is delicious and I can’t get enough and 2) it’s Friday!!

Yummy, this is good. Plenty of spices on the nose and palate along with complex layers of fruit and a touch of cedar.

For dinner, we are having spaghetti with my homemade sauce, sauteed asparagus, baked squash and a salad. We still have pumpkin pie leftover from Thanksgiving but we never seem to have room for any dessert so I’m hoping Tommy will stop by one of these nights and finish it!

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