Falcon Ridge Syrah (2006)

January 7, 2010 — -

We are in the midst of a winter storm advisory. We have several inches of new snow and it is still snowing. The advisory is in effect until early tomorrow morning.

But, it is Thursday night, which means that tomorrow is Friday which is a happy day because the next day is Saturday!!

I can’t remember where we purchased this Falcon Ridge Syrah 2006 but Tom chose it tonight because I am making a steak dinner (I am trying a recipe in which you sear the steak in hot oil [stovetop] and then put it in the oven on a low temperature. Hey, I am NOT sending Tom out to grill in this weather!) I am also baking potatoes and making a fresh salad. I have a recipe for a sauce to drizzle over the baked potatoes, which includes freshly squeezed lemon juice, sour cream, chives and vinegar. . .sounds interesting, doesn’t it?

This wine is okay but it isn’t one I would recommend, particularly. Even if it was a good deal (which it probably was) this won’t be on my “buy again” list. It is very drinkable and absolutely adequate, but it just isn’t great. First of all, the texture is rather thin. The taste is plummy but the aftertaste is predominantly mineral-ly. Tom used the word “leather” to describe the finish, which I thought was very descriptive, too. It’s a little of both — metal and leather. This is not my cup of tea, particularly. However, I will have no qualms about finishing my glass because it is not bad; it is just not my favorite.

Tom: This Falcon Ridge Syrah 2006 is pleasant and interesting: it’s light-bodied but tannic, dry, a nice dark-fruit taste with a bit of a leathery finish. I like it. It’s different than our usual cabs (the light-body-ness may be typical of syrahs; I just don’t know that much about syrahs). (The neighborhood kids are outside playing street football in the snow, I think they’re hoping for a snow day tomorrow…)

Posted in California wines, Syrah, Under $10. Tags: , , , , . 5 Comments »

J. Lohr Paso Robles Syrah (2006)

November 24, 2009 — -

Happy Tuesday before Thanksgiving! I have the rest of the week off so we are celebrating (natch). We started our evening with an icy-cold martini (up) while reading the newspaper. Now, we are having a glass of this lovely California Syrah as we get ready for our dinner of braised pork chops, fresh beets, mashed potatoes and green beans.

I really like this wine. . .which is why I am blogging tonight. I find that I tend not to post a blog when we have a wine that I am not crazy about. I should change that because blogging about less tasty wines is important, too. Nonetheless, I was motivated to blog about this wine because it is very, very good. The color is opaque and dark. The nose is fruity with some licorice and spice. And, oh, the taste, the taste. . . some pepper, some strawberries and cranberries, and a bit of citrus makes for an explosively tasty treat. The finish is long and licorice-y.  This is a wonderfully juicy quaff.

I purchased this wine for $12.99 at the A & L Wine Castle in Ann Arbor.

Happy Tuesday-before-Thanksgiving.  .  .cheers!

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

Hess Syrah (2007)

October 28, 2009 — -

It is Wednesday evening. Tom is at an association meeting for our neighborhood. I should have gone, too, but I had forgotten about the meeting and had started dinner preparations so I had to stay home and tend to the stove (oh darn!). So, I am sitting here alone with some music on the Bose, Trigger by my side, and a crossword puzzle nearly completed. I purchased this wine at our local wine shop in Ann Arbor (A & L Wine Castle) on sale for $14.99. This is more than we like to pay for an everyday bottle of wine; however, my experience with Hess wines has been consistently positive. Plus, I try to average out the per-bottle price of wine by buying some inexpensive wines (say, 2 for $9.99) along with a couple $15-20 bottles. Then, a case of wine will maybe average $10 a bottle, for example.

This wine is worth the price. I love it. A quality Syrah with ripe fruit and pepper flavors, the tannins are firm and the finish is long. Yummy.

For dinner, I made a baked ziti with italian sausage, steamed fresh carrots and a salad. So, while I wait for Tom to come home I have no choice but to have another glass of this Syrah. . .cheers!

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

Amado Sur (2007)

October 27, 2009 — -

We chose this Argentinian blend of 72% Malbec, 16% Bonarda and 12% Syrah for our dinner. I purchased this wine for $16 at the A & L Wine Castle in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is so delicious. Everything I enjoy about a wine is in this one.  The taste has a touch of raisins — not too fruity; definitely more old world style. A lovely finish.

We were delighted to have both our sons and our oldest son’s girlfriend for dinner. I had made a pot of spaghetti and meatballs, which I served with a tossed salad and steamed broccoli and a loaf of crusty garlic bread. For dessert, I made peanut-butter/oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies. Everyone had seconds and a good time was had by all!

Posted in Argentine wines, Blends, Bonarda, Malbec, Over $10, Syrah. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »

McManis Syrah (2007)

October 11, 2009 — -

It is Sunday evening and we are home from a three-day vacation with our sons, Tommy and Tony.  We had such a wonderful time hiking a 10-mile route on Lake Superior (National Shoreline) and seeing the magificent pictured rocks from the shoreline. So beautiful! I have some pictures and I’ll see if I am able to post any of them.

Now we are home. We have picked up Trigger who stayed (happily) with our friends, Jeanie & Vinny (and their dog, Snoopy, and cat, Pumpkin). Life is getting back to normal.

I purchased this wine from one of our favorite wine shops,  A & L Wine Castle in Ann Arbor.  This wine has a powerful finish. . .the finish is the point in which you will really experience this wine even though the nose and the initial sips are luscious and lovely. The wine is rich with boysenberry and soft in the mouth. The finish is very dominant with pine needles and licorice.

I am making soup for dinner because it is a cold night in Michigan. Plus, it snowed in Northern Michigan while we were there on our hike! Snowed!! October 10 and 11! So, I have a pot of vegetable soup on the stove. I am also making some whole wheat/flax seed rolls.

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

Searidge Syrah (2006)

September 1, 2009 — -

I bought two bottles of this wine  for $10 (2 for $10) at a wine shop in Ann Arbor. Now I have found that this wine sells for about $3 a bottle at some other stores. So, I didn’t get the greatest deal in the world, but nonetheless, we think this wine is worth even the $5 a bottle price. We find this wine to have a young nose, despite it’s 2006 vintage. There is nothing unpleasant about this wine; it is just simple.  There is plenty of fruit flavors (but without the layers of complex flavors to explore and savor). However, it is a  perfectly acceptable bottle of wine for a Tuesday night!

I am looking forward to our meal tonight because I was too busy to eat lunch today at my job. For dinner, I took two boneless pork loin chops and browned well in a skillet. I then put those in a baking dish;  to the hot skillet I added chopped onions and green peppers and sauteed. To that I added a can of vegetarian baked beans, 1/2 cup of chili sauce, spicy mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper. . .I think that was all. . .then added that mixture to the pork chops. I covered and put in the oven at 325 and it has been baking for 1.5 hours and will continue to do so until I am good and ready! I will serve this with mashed potatoes and a salad from my garden. Smells yummy.

Posted in California wines, Shiraz, Syrah, Under $10. Leave a Comment »

RJR North Coast Syrah (2007)

August 16, 2009 — -

It is another very hot Sunday summer night in Michigan. I spent much of my day doing preparations for a new class I will be teaching this fall. It’s a lot of work but I was able to get much done.

We started our cocktail hour with an icy-cold martini and a little golf (Tom wanted to watch the golf tournament and I worked on a crossword puzzle). Now, Tom is heating the grill. I am steaming brown rice and we will grill marinated pork loin chops.

This wine is wonderful. Lots of berries. Substantial body. The finish is velvety smooth yet also has a jolt of pepper.We both like this wine very much.

Posted in California wines, Over $10, Syrah. Tags: , , , , . 2 Comments »

Kalder Syrah (2005)

February 25, 2009 — -

kalder-syrah-2005It is a Wednesday night in Michigan. The weather is mild and we had some rain today. Spring is going to come to Michigan; I just know it.

We chose this Kalder Syrah 2008 from California for tonight to accompany our dinner of pot roast. (I got home early today, so took advantage of the extra time by preparing a pot roast with potatoes, onions and carrots. I am also baking acorn squash and I mixed up a batch of biscuits, which I just put in the oven with the squash.)

This is a great wine for slow-cooked beef. This Syrah is gushing with ripe fruit — on the nose and the palate. The finish is different; definitely peppery, but also somewhat thin for a Syrah. I asked Tom for his opinion and he said it was an “odd finish — peppery, a tiny bit bitter with not a lot of fruit.”

Well, my oven timer is beeping; the biscuits are done baking. Cheers!

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

Luzon Jumilla Spain (2007)

January 22, 2009 — -

luzon-jumilla-2007I stopped at the Plum Market in Ann Arbor on my way home from work tonight. I bought one large bag of groceries, mostly produce. But, of course, I slithered by the wine aisles to see what looked interesting. I bought two bottles, one of which we are tasting tonight.

This Spanish beauty Luzon Jumilla 2007 is 65% Monastrell and 35% Syrah. The color is inky with a violet rim. The aroma is spice and cherries with a bit of freshly ground peppercorns. The taste is refreshing and crisp, bursting with cranberries, plums, and mild spice. The tannins are subtle  but balanced. The finish is a curious combination of spice, tobacco, and thyme.This is quite a find! It was on sale at the Plum Market for $6.97. (I also purchased a $40 bottle on sale for $19; can’t wait to try it!)

For dinner tonight, I made a dinner from the groceries I picked up at the market: a steak stir fry with steak, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes (marinated in olive oil, cracked salt, and pepper), served over penne pasta and fresh beets, which I steamed for one hour (during cocktail hour, natch). It was delicious! Now, I am waiting for our son Tommy to come and eat the leftovers! He usually does a pretty thorough job! :)

Posted in Blends, Blogs, Monastrell, Spanish wines, Syrah, Under $10. Tags: , , , , . 2 Comments »

Prestige Cotes du Rhone (2007)

December 14, 2008 — -

prestige-pont-du-rhone-dotes-du-rhone-2007It is Sunday night and we are relaxing with a glass of wine. Trigger is next to me, the Christmas tree is lit and the Boze is playing a lovely relaxing CD. I have a roast simmering on the stove with potatoes and carrots peeled, washed and ready to put in the pot.

Tom chose this Prestige Cotes du Rhone 2007, a French blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, for our evening. This has a pretty high alcohol content — 14% — but the taste is not at all hot or alcoholic.  The nose is lushly floral. The palate is chocolate and spice, while the finish is gentle with notes of bitter chocolate and vanilla. This is going to be a great accompaniment to our pot roast dinner. I think this wine is wonderful. . .I hope that we have more, and I think we do!

Posted in Blends, French wines, Grenache, Mourvedre, Over $10, Syrah. Tags: , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
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