Sycamore Valley Paso Robles Zinfandel (2006)

It is Wednesday night and we are having a glass of this California Zinfandel to round out our evening meal. We have had this wine before but it has been a quite awhile. I retrieved this from our stock in the basement.

The wine is pleasantly spicy with pepper and rich with the taste of juicy, ripe berries. This is a lovely red wine and it is perfect for grilled meats of any kind.

For dinner tonight, I marinated a thick, boneless pork chop. My marinade was simple but delicious: Olive oil, rice wine vinegar, spicy brown mustard, salt & pepper. After it was marinated, we cooked it on the grill at a high heat so that it was cooked through and  crispy on the outside. We split one chop and also had brown rice and a really yummy salad (we are having salad almost every night because I keep harvesting my fresh lettuce and onions and don’t want it to go to waste — and, it tastes fresh, sweet, crunchy & delicious)!

All in all, a satisfying cocktail hour and mid-week meal. Cheers!

Stone Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

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!

Stone Cellars by Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

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!

Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

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. . .

Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

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!

Sea Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

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!

Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir (2008)

It is Wednesday night and we are enjoying a pretty, sunny Michigan evening while we read the newspaper and listen to some music.

Tom is finishing a bottle of wine from last night and I opened this Chilean Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir. I have heard both rave reviews and very negative reviews of this wine, so I was eager to try it.

The first thing I noted was the pale ruby color. The aroma is tree bark and cherries. The taste is somewhat earthy with a touch of espresso and raspberries with structured tannins and a dry finish. Although with a bit of internet searching I see that this wine is generally sold for under $6 a bottle, I (unfortunately) did not buy this at a particularly attractive price. Now I’ll know better! But, all in all, I think this wine is a delicate-bodied and fruity pinot that is well worth the price in the under $10 range.

Bella Sera Chianti (2006)

I bought this Italian Bella Sera Chianti at our local grocery store for about $9. I chose this wine tonight to go with our spaghetti dinner. I started the sauce in the afternoon and it has been simmering in my big old cast iron skillet for hours. (There is something about spaghetti sauce in a cast-iron skillet; I am convinced it tastes better that way.) This was my third vacation day and I am loving my time off. I suppose many people would wish for some entertainment for their vacation, however, I just like being home and doing simple things. I really enjoy it.

This wine starts with a spicy nose. The taste is fruity (raspberries) and dry; to me, this is a very typical Italian table wine.  It is light bodied with medium tannins. I would definitely purchase this again and I would save it for our spaghetti nights!

Hayes Ranch (In the Saddle) Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

Hayes Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2006Tom purchased this California Hayes Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 at our local grocery store for way under $10. In a word, it’s yummy. Lots of dark berries and oak. A balanced blend of tannins and fruit makes for a silky finish. This is a great value for a California Cabernet.

It is a stormy May night in Michigan. Everything is green and fresh. The air just smells clean! We have our windows open and there is a light breeze with thunder rumbling in the distance. I have a whole stuffed chicken roasting in the oven tonight. Althought it is midweek, I am on vacation so I have time to cook more extravagant mid-week meals than usual. It smells fragrant and delicious. But, back to the wine; I recommend it!

P.K.N.T. Silver Collection Carmenere 2007

P.K.N.T. Silver Collection Carmentere 2007This P.K.N.T. Silver Collection Carmenere 2007 (on sale for way under $10 at our local grocery store) is an interesting find.

Somewhat alcoholic, mild in flavor, some dark fruit, and some sweet, caramel-ish notes.

It doesn’t taste particularly like a carmenere, but it’s interesting and different, and has served as our table wine the last night or two.

We’ve done a ton of yard and house work over the holiday weekend and are feeling virtuous and enjoying this cocktail hour…