De Loach Merlot (2006)

April 17, 2009 — Tom & Melody

Tom chose this California DeLoach Merlot for our Friday night quaff. . .it is a beautiful April evening  in Michigan. Everyone is outside, joyously skipping, running, walking dogs, or whatever they can think of to do outside.

I jokingly “poo-poo’d” this wine when Tom suggested it; I generally find Merlots a bit too soft and mellow for my taste, but this is a big Merlot.  The nose is sweet vanilla while the taste is cherries and oak.  Grippy tannins complement the long finish.

We are having the rest of the bean soup that I made this weekend, along with whole wheat bread and cheese. I need to eat well tonight to prepare for my long run tomorrow. Cheers!

Posted in California wines, Merlot, Under $10. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Ravenswood Merlot (2006)

March 30, 2009 — Tom & Melody

I am finishing this California Ravenswood Merlot that we opened last night. I was pleasantly surprised both last night and tonight at this wine because generally Merlots are a bit too soft  for my tastes. However, this merlot is quite exceptional. It has a fresh, intense plum and cherry vanilla aroma. On the palate is a  full, round, ripe berry flavor with mouth-watering acidity (crisp and clean), followed by  a soft, chocolaty spicy finish with chewy tannins, which adds to the enjoyment of this wine.

It is a Monday evening, start of a new work week. I am reheating a pot of soup that I made last week for our dinner. Simple, but delicious. We’ll eat our dinner and check out “House”  –  one of my favorite TV shows.

Posted in California wines, Merlot, Under $10. Tags: , , . 2 Comments »

Bogle Merlot (2006)

March 4, 2009 — Tom & Melody

Tom’s parents gave us this Bogle Merlot when we saw them a couple of months ago. I am not a huge fan of Merlot, but I am a huge fan of Bogle so I was curious to find out how this wine would taste. (I happen to really love Bogle Petite Syrah so, let’s see about the Merlot.) The nose is plummy. Definitely cherries on the palate with grippy tannins. The finish is soft and gentle with hints of smoke and oak.

I am cooking pork chops and potatoes tonight. (I browned the chops, then added sliced potatoes (skins on), and a chicken-broth sauce, covered and simmered.) I am also going to make a salad. This Merlot will go well with dinner.

And, finally, the good news. The temperature (which was zero this morning when I got up) is supposed to go up starting tomorrow. yippee!

Posted in California wines, Merlot, Under $10. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

De Loach Private Collection Merlot (2006)

February 13, 2009 — Tom & Melody

de-loach-merlot-2006It is another Friday night at our household and we are celebrating with an extended “happiness” hour. I have the dinner table set and dinner on the stove. Meanwhile, we are listening to music on the Bose, reading the paper, and enjoying this De Loach Merlot 2006 from California.

I have a habit of shying away from Merlots only because they usually taste too “soft” for my particular tastes.  I like the bigger tastes of Cabernets, Malbecs, Carmenere, etc.  But I am pleased to say that this Merlot represents itself well. While it is a bit creamy in texture, it has a fabulous nose. The taste is heavily cherries and vanilla. On the finish I can taste the oak.

I am thinking about a friend of ours, Tom, who is a very intelligent wine taster. He has good instincts about the aromas and tastes of wine (and he also has a very science-oriented approach and mind). He mentioned to us that our wine reviews are generally positive, which is true. I thought it worth mentioning that the reason we are generally positive with our reviews is that we only purchase wine that we think we will enjoy–as opposed to some wine connoisseurs who will purchase many wines to do blind tastings — that is not what we do. We purposefully try to purchase the wines that we think we will love. And we’re pretty good at it!

Cheers!

Posted in California wines, Merlot, Over $10. Tags: , , , , . 4 Comments »

Tubul Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (2007)

January 5, 2009 — Tom & Melody

tubul-cabernet-sauvignon-merlot-2007We already blogged about this wine last night but we are finishing the  bottle tonight. It is Monday night after our break and it is a back-to-work week. It was a hectic but productive day at the office.

This wine is delicious and because I blogged about it last night I won’t go into great detail except to say that it is a full-bodied and fruity with a long finish.

For dinner, I browned boneless pork loin chops in my cast-iron skillet and then added a thickened sauce of chicken broth and mushrooms. It will simmer for about 90 minutes until very tender. I am going to serve this with mashed potatoes and green beans. Should be a pretty yummy meal to start our busy week.  Cheers and welcome to 2009.

Posted in Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chilean wines, Merlot, Over $10. Tags: , , , . 4 Comments »

Tubul Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot (2007)

January 4, 2009 — Tom & Melody

tubul-cabernet-sauvignon-merlot-2007We are having a bottle of this Tubul Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2007, a Chilean blend, for our Sunday night cocktail hour.  It has been an icy day in Michigan, with gray skies and slippery footing.  Tom & I did some major grocery shopping today — really stocking up on meats for the freezer and other groceries.

So, I spent several hours in the kitchen repackaging foods. Then, I got a little carried away and cleaned out cupboards and drawers in the kitchen. I also got rid of old, tupperware cannisters that I have had for years, putting my flour, sugar, etc., into clear, Rubbermaid containers. Now, they take up less room and I can see what I have. Oh, the joy of having clean cupboards and drawers in my kitchen! I can’t wait to get out there and make dinner!

I am going to make what I call a chicken stir fry for dinner tonight with cut-up chicken breasts, vegetables and pasta. As such, Tom suggested a Merlot for our wine but I must have made a discouraging sound because he put that back and got this one instead. :) This is delicious. Everything is right about this wine. . .the color is violet in the glass;  the nose is grassy; the taste is burnt toast, chocolate and dried apricots. And, finally, the tannins are firm, making this a big and beautiful end-of-the-weekend quaff.  Back to work tomorrow after a lovely, lengthy holiday break. . .

Posted in Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chilean wines, Merlot, Over $10. Tags: , , , . Leave a Comment »

Bogle Merlot (2006)

December 28, 2008 — Tom & Melody

bogle-merlot-2006Tom and I returned tonight from Arden, North Carolina, where we visited his sister Pat and her husband Bob in their home in the mountains. Tom’s parents Joe and Mary from Florida and younger brother Steve and his wife Janet and their daughters Emily and Katie from Virginia were also there. Trigger accompanied us and happily cavorted with her much-larger canine cousins Molly and Bella, a Goldendoodle and a Labradoodle.

We ate lavish meals and drank wonderful red wines from Argentina, California, Chile, North Carolina, and Virginia. We toured nearby Ashville, North Carolina, and loved it.

This Bogle Merlot 2006 is part of a collection of wine that was a gift from Tom’s parents. It’s a lovely, soft merlot, with hints of vanilla and caramel.

As we relax after our 11-hour drive home today, we are thinking about our family and loving the memories.

Posted in California wines, General, Merlot, Over $10. Tags: , , , . Leave a Comment »

Kíona Washington State Proprietary Blend (2002)

December 3, 2008 — Tom & Melody

kiona-washington-state-proprietary-blend-2002It is a Wednesday evening and I had to work late and drive to a school downriver in Detroit to give a presentation. Driving home was dark with rain mixed with snow. I am so happy to be home. Tom poured me this glass of Kiona Proprietary Blend red wine, which we opened last night. It’s made from 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc.

I have had to get accustomed to the Washington State wines and this one is no different. This wine does not make me swoon, but that is probably because of me, not the wine. I have grown accustomed to a certain kind of wine and I have discovered that Washington State wines are different from what i am used to. I find Washington wines sharp and woody. This is not a fruit forward wine but the finish is bursting with cherries. For me, this wine requires a bit of concentration to appreciate. The work is worth it. As it breathes, and as I savor the complexities, I find I like it very much.

Weekend — hurry and get here!!  Cheers. . .

Posted in Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Washington wines. Tags: , , , . 4 Comments »

Kíona Washington State Proprietary Blend (2002)

November 1, 2008 — Tom & Melody

I ordered this Kíona Washington State Proprietary Blend 2002 as part of a case of reds. This one was on sale for R9.99. It’s made from 59% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 11% Cabernet Franc.

It’s an interesting tasting wine and it is growing more complex as it breathes. The nose is reminiscent of tree sap with spice.  The taste is very fruity with cherries and raspberries. The tannins are firm and the finish is very long. We are very much enjoying this Washington State wine.

It is a Saturday evening and we have had an active day. I started my day with an 8-mile run and I also worked in the yard, did laundry, and took Trigger for a couple of long walks. (It was a gorgeous autumn day in Michigan.) I am roasting a fresh chicken that I purchased from a local farmer. I also made a fresh apple cobbler from an old recipe that I have had for years (the crunchy part is made with oatmeal). So dinner is smelling pretty yummy and I think this wine was a good choice for roasted chicken.

Our son Tommy is working tonight so it is just the three of us (if you include Trigger). I’m looking forward to Tuesday. I want to watch TV all night!!

Posted in Blends, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Under $10, Washington wines. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

Ménage à Trois California Red Wine (2007)

October 10, 2008 — Tom & Melody

This Ménage à Trois California Red Wine 2007 is a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. I bought it tonight. I stopped at Kroger’s for groceries on my way home from work and couldn’t resist, of course, wheeling my already full cart through the wine isles to see what was on sale. This one was marked down from $13.29 to $9.99.

The reason it caught my eye is because my good friend, Vicki Voisin, loves this wine. Vicki is a remarkable woman and I love her to pieces! I know, however, that we don’t have the same tastes in liquid refreshments because she has tried my martini and doesn’t swoon. :) But I give her credit for this one.

Although at first breath it was bit hot and overpowering, after it had decanted awhile it became quite delicious.  This red blend has a fragrant nose of green peppers and strawberries. On the palate is a blackberry – like peppery spiciness as well as a mature fruity bell pepper quality. The finish is surprisingly sweet, which I didn’t care for at first, but now that it has had some air the finish is milder and less cloying.

It is Friday night and we are celebrating as we always do on the eve of our weekend! For dinner, I picked a bowlful of tomatoes and started a cast-iron skillet of delicious homemade tomato sauce. That is simmering and I just baked a loaf of whole wheat bread. I will serve the spaghetti with vegetables and our “Vicki” wine and it will be delicious – can’t wait!

(I miss you, Tony!)

Posted in Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California wines, Merlot, Zinfandel. Tags: , , , , , , . 9 Comments »
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