We very much enjoyed this Grevin Cabernet Franc 2006 from our wine club.
It had a fresh-smelling nose of pine and celery and tastes of vanilla and caramel.
We’ve sometimes thought that Cab Franc by itself is a bit much — not enough fruit and not an easy quaff — but we found this Grevin quite nice and quite easily drinkable.
It is hot today so I made a macaroni-tuna salad for dinner. I added carrots, celery, onions, peppers and peas to the spiral pasta and made a mayo/sour cream/ranch dressing mix to blend it all together. For this meal, we chose a merlot from California.
I am pleasantly surprised at this George Phillips Cellars Merlot 2005. It is not soft. Instead, it is sharp and astringent with plenty of blackberries and hints of violet on the finish. 
Perfect for a hot summer night!
By the way, here’s a photo of Trigger, who is always a part of our wine tastings.
This Rancho Eleora Vineyards Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 came to us via a wine club. I chose it tonight (a Monday) to serve with a delicious dinner that is on the stove. This is our kind of wine in every way. From the moment the black and inky liquid was poured into the glass, we could tell we would love it. The aroma is heavenly with a fresh, spicy fruit on the nose. The taste is absolutely luscious; it is very fruity, but also dry and tannic with a very long and velvety finish. I have a hunch we will finish this bottle and let dinner simmer a bit longer.
For dinner, I brined some chicken before drying and seasoning. Then I browned the chicken in hot olive oil until crispy on all sides. After it was browned, I added cubed, freshly-chopped potatoes and parsley and covered the skillet. It’s been simmering for over an hour and I know the chicken will be off-the-bone tender and the potatoes will be infused with the broth of the chicken. I also harvested some lettuce and green onions from my garden. I will make a salad with that — along with some avocado and yellow peppers. For the salad, I make an oil-and-vinegar dressing consisting of olive oil, red wine vinegar, poupon mustard, horseradish, basil, oregano, savory, thyme, and rosemary. Yummy. Cheers!
This Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is quite nice.
It’s quite fruity but still tannic, with hints of berries and maybe a touch of vanilla.
Very pleasant and drinkable.
It was on sale and thus a good value at under $10.
We’ve opened this Rancho Eleora Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 to go with shish kabobs on the grill.
It is a very nice, big cabernet, tannic, but also with something of a New-World, big-fruit taste of blackberries and plums. We’re really enjoying this before dinner, and it’s bound to go well with the shish kabobs.
Tom chose this Pico Syrah 2005 for our Friday night cocktail hour. I just came home from watching the EMU baseball team play in the first round of the NCAA championship game. We played Arizona. We were ahead in the 6th inning but we did eventually lose. It is double elimination so we play again tomorrow at 2:00 — we’ll play the loser of the U/Michigan vs. U/Kentucky game, which is being played right now.
This Syrah has a lovely nose — black licorice and mint. The taste is full of fruit — cherries and blueberries — as well as some good old black dirt. The finish is buttered toast and pepper. Yum, yum.
We’re having leftover pizza tonight — it’s Friday night and it was a good night to take a break from cooking.
It is a Wednesday evening; the sun is shining and it is a beautiful evening. Tom chose this wine for us tonight. We’ve had this before and like it very much. This California red is a blend of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (predominantly Merlot). It is delicious! I will have to see what I wrote the last time I blogged about this wine. Tonight, I taste a luscious blend of vanilla and cherries with velvety tannins.
I am marinating chicken which I will soon grill (along with marinated peppers). I also have some fresh spinach and green beans (thank you Michelle Bowersox [my neighbor who brings me vegetables from her food co-op]) which I will steam, along with brown rice. Tom chose a good wine for this dinner.
This Della Flora Zinfandel 2006 from California is complex. It has equal measures of ripe fruit and spice. The finish is long and delicious.
Although it is mid-May in Michigan, we are having a very cool day. I decided to take advantage of the weather and make a pot of bean soup. I purchased a meaty ham shank from the local meat market, sauteed garlic and carrots, added Navy beans and chicken broth to simmer all afternoon. I have a loaf of whole wheat bread rising and will soon put it in the oven. It will be a cozy and delicious dinner. Tom made a good choice with this wine.
It is a Monday night and Tom chose this 180 Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from California for us tonight. I have fresh mushrooms simmering in wine (red, natch), steaming brown rice, and thick pork chops marinating in Sze Schuan and white-wine vinegar. I also have fresh spinach washed and ready to saute. Dinner will be delicious!
This wine is one of my favorites. The color is magnificent — deep violet. The nose is raspberries, blueberries and subtle black licorice. The taste is very satisfying. I can taste mint, fruit and tobacco. The finish is velvety smooth with plenty of coffee and chocolate. You can’t go wrong with this wine if you are a red wine lover. Ooh-la-la!
Tom has started the grill so I need to bring him the marinated pork chops. Cheers!
This Sycamore Valley Paso Robles Zinfandel 2006 from California is a different and delicious wine. In the glass it is cherry red and the nose is pleasantly minty and spicy. The taste is eye-opening with raspberries, black pepper and well-water metal (like you would taste if you had a glass of well water out of an old, tin glass).
It is Friday evening and we are relaxing after a work week. Last night, I was in Windsor, Ontario with my sister. I won a free night at the Casino last summer at a golf outing, so I invited my sister to enjoy it with me. The free night was only good during a week night so she drove over (from Grand Rapids, Michigan) to see me after work last night. We spent one night enjoying each other’s company and even played a couple slot machines. It was great to see my sister. I am glad to be home. Dinner is on the stove and life is good!
