Green Acres Zinfandel (2008)

July 1, 2009 — Tom & Melody

Green Acres Ranch Lodi Zinfandel 2008It is a summer Wednesday night in Michigan, the first day of July. We have a cool front with some rain so it is quite cozy tonight. So, I decided to take advantage of the cool weather and use my oven. I baked a batch of double-chocolate, walnut brownies (Tom loves these) and I made a stew out of leftover pot roast and some vegetables, which I put in a cast-iron skillet in the oven. We’ll have a comfy night and a comfy meal tonight.

I chose this California Zinfandel for our post-martini cocktail! (The martini was wonderful — served in an icy cocktail glass with just the right combination of gin & vermouth.) I am happy with this wine. I generally do not gravitate to Zinfandels — only because I am such an avid, die-hard Cabernet Sauvignon fan. But, I thought this would be a good selection for our dinner and I am pleasantly surprised at how good this is. A pleasant burst of raspberries and spice and a mellow mouthfeel. The finish is true oak.

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Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

June 24, 2009 — Tom & Melody

It is a steaming hot Wednesday evening in Michigan. The temperature outside is in the high 80’s (although in the sun, our temperature says 114-degrees). It is beautiful, though. Green & lush. . .

Tom chose this California Cabernet for our dinner tonight — I think because it is midweek and so we are having an everyday type of wine. He purchased two of these bottles for $10 at our local grocery store and we both are enjoying it (I believe this is our second bottle and I had blogged about it previously). The taste is overwhelmingly blackberries along with some earthy flavors (I’m thinking  rich, black dirt). This is definitely a fruit-bomb kind of wine.

Tonight we will grill some burgers, which I have stuffed with bleu cheese and cracked pepper. I have also harvested some fresh lettuce and green onions from the garden and I will make a salad.  (As I write this, I am wondering if Tammy will read this and take my recommendation for her celebratory trip to Niagara Falls. . . you go, girl!)

This wine is perfect for a mid-week meal of grilled burgers and salad. Cheers!

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Forbes Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

June 22, 2009 — Tom & Melody

This is our second bottle of California Forbes Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (from our 4Seasons wine club). It is a Monday evening and we are grilling marinated pork loin chops on the grill. It is so gorgeous outside tonight! I love Michigan summers! I have to say, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite wines. I love this one. It has everything I love in a wine: Big flavor, fruity but not sweet, dry with plenty of black pepper (and a little oak) on the finish. Absolute yummyness.

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Stone Cellars by Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

June 21, 2009 — Tom & Melody

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers reading this today. Here we are, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year. It was a hot and sunny beautiful day.

We chose this California Stone Cellars tonight (following an icy gin & tonic) to go with our dinner. This wine was on sale  at our local grocery store (2 bottles for $10) and what a value. The wine is a  concentration of summery ripe berries and a bit of dark earth. This is a good summer wine to enjoy while reclining in a hammock, watching the sky and  feeling the breeze!

For dinner, I brined chicken in saltwater and then made a barbecue marinade. I put everything (minus the brine) in a ziplock bag for the afternoon. Now, we are grilling the chicken and I am making a salad from lettuce and onions from my garden along with cucumbers and avocado from the store. I will also make potatoes and a vegetable. I want to be sure Tom has a great Father’s Day meal!

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Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

June 18, 2009 — Tom & Melody

Home from a conference in Orlando. My flight was delayed due to serious thunderstorms so I am just getting home here at 10:00 p.m. and having a glass of this Cabernet. It’s good! How’s that for a blog entry? It’s also very good to be home to good old Michigan where the nights are cool and the air is fresh. . .

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Forbes Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

June 14, 2009 — Tom & Melody

We received four bottles of this California Forbes Creek Cabernet Sauvignon in our 4Seasons wine club shipment. I opened a bottle tonight; a beautiful summer June evening. It is just delicious. I am very glad to know there are three bottles remaining! This is very easy-to-drink with  flavors of ripe fruit, black pepper and a hint of tobacco. There is a subtle touch of oak on the finish. This is delightful! Tom & I had no problem finishing the bottle.

For dinner, I had planned on making stir fry. Tom volunteered to grill the steak, so instead of stir-frying the steak, we grilled it. I first marinated the steak in a marinade of olive oil, red-wine vinegar, salt & pepper and spicy mustard. While the steak was grilling, I made a salad (with lettuce from our garden, red & yellow peppers, avacados and cucumbers); I also cooked a pot of penne pasta. Then, I sauteed asparagus in hot oil along with chopped garlic tops (the green stem that grows up from the garlic bulb). I tossed the asparagus and garlic tops with the penne pasta along with olive oil and fresh ground salt & pepper to accompany the grilled steak and the salad. It was just delicious. And, the California Cab was perfect with this meal.

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Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

June 12, 2009 — Tom & Melody

It is Friday night and I just got home from a trip “up north” to see my folks and also to see our son, Tommy, perform in his band (The Ben Daniels’ Band) in the same town up north (Traverse City). What a great three days! But, I am happy to be home.

We are going to grill hamburgers tonight and I have picked lettuce and little green onions from my garden for a salad.

Tom poured me a glass of this California Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, here is a bottle that I, more than likely, would not have purchased on my own. No good reason. . .just a groundless bias for some reason. I think of “Fetzer” as being a common and less- than-attractive name for wine (perhaps because it is available at most grocery stores). Totally groundless (and maybe snobby), I admit.  So, when Tom brought me this glass of wine I was prepared to not like it. But, I am pleased to say it is very good. This wine was on sale for $6.99 (regularly priced at $9.99) and it is an excellent value. This is a fruity, juicy Cabernet with lots of black cherries in the aroma; this same burst of fruit mixes with vanilla  on the palate. The finish is chocolatey. This will go great with our burgers and salad.

It is great to be home. Back to work on Monday!

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Sea Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

June 7, 2009 — Tom & Melody

I brought this bottle of the California Sea Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon up from our stash down in the basement wine cellar. I purchased this wine at an amazing price of $5 a bottle. I had no idea how it would measure up so tonight is the night to find out.

Well, the nose if vanilla and cedar.  On the palate is a hint of vanilla and a subtle hint of cherry.  After a bit of decanting there is a hint of strawberries and chocolate. The finish, if you could call it that, is fleeting at best.  Yet, at this price, it is not the least bit objectionable. Rather, it is simple.There is a place for a simple red wine and tonight is the night.

We had a very active weekend and are happy to kick back and enjoy our Sunday night.  Cheers!

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Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

June 1, 2009 — Tom & Melody

I purchased this California Paso Creek Cabernet Sauvignon at our local Meijer’s grocery store. It was priced at $15.99 but I believe it was on sale for $12.99. We are having this wine with country-style ribs, pototoes and a salad.

I like this wine very much. The nose is minty and the palate is both minty and peppery along with a big dose of ripe fruit and oak.

I have to admit that as I am blogging about this wine, I am also trying out my new massage pillow that I purchased at Brookstone today. It is called the “i-need” and it was on sale as a Father’s Day promotion. This is quite heavenly. It gets very warm and the rotating thingee gets very deep in my muscles. After running the half-marathon yesterday, my shoulders were a little sore and this is just the ticket. I am really liking this! I would recommend both the Paso Creek Cab and the Brookstone “i-need” massaging pillow.

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Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

May 29, 2009 — Tom & Melody

Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon 2006It is Friday night and I have had a lovely week — on vacation, but hanging around home while Tom works. Tom always says that he has never met another person that enjoys time off as much as I do! I just enjoy myself, every minute. So, we are celebrating the end of a relaxing week with this Liberty School Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from California. This wine is lush and full with generous bursts of blackberries on both the nose and the palate. A touch of pepper and firm tannins create this succulent, medium-bodied quaff. In reading about this wine, I noted that the wine was aged for only 12 months, which may explain the silky feel. The finish, on the other hand, is lovely and long lasting.

I purchased this wine today, actually, on a jaunt into Ann Arbor where I was just bumming around on a beautiful sunny day. On my way home, I stopped at the local Meijer’s and perused the wine section (natch). I bought 4 bottles, including two of these, which were on sale for $12.99 (marked down from $14.99). A funny story — while I was shopping and studying the wine isles, I noticed a small sign hanging from the shelf advertising “Pepperwood Grove” Cabernet Sauvignon. I wanted to try that wine, but couldn’t find any bottles by the sign so I asked an employee. She headed off to find an answer for me and while I was waiting, two different people approached me and asked me for advice on which wine they should purchase. I had so much fun asking them questions and then recommending a good wine for them. I have no idea why I looked like the resident wine expert, but it was a lot of fun! (Unfortunately, I did not get my Pepperwood Grove Cabernet but I did find a Pinot Noir.) I had heard about this particular wine from one of our readers who commented — thanks, Marty & Jeannie!

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