tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74434675394715260052024-03-14T03:20:31.869-04:00The Winey MomOne Mom's winey journey through life. Winey tasting notes, reviews and thoughts.The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.comBlogger233125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-37842655629624640392016-06-09T13:03:00.000-04:002020-06-29T12:07:25.647-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: The Naughty Wine Name Series: Ménage à Trois Rosé<br />
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I like a wine with a name that can make you do a double take - or a giggle. And I do have fun with wines that have somewhat naughty names. </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74hLVxLHDxA/V1meDvf2UBI/AAAAAAAACaE/r9aJcYCVuDQSaZjQjyu781oD5bje6iVqgCLcB/s1600/menage%2Ba%2Btrois%2Bbottle_rose.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Ménage à Trois Rosé" border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74hLVxLHDxA/V1meDvf2UBI/AAAAAAAACaE/r9aJcYCVuDQSaZjQjyu781oD5bje6iVqgCLcB/s400/menage%2Ba%2Btrois%2Bbottle_rose.png" title="Ménage à Trois Rosé" width="112" /></a>Ménage à Trois is one of them. In fact, the first time I tried it (You can read about it by <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2011/11/naughty-wine-names-series-menage-trois.html" target="_blank">clicking here</a>) I couldn't believe that's what it was really called. But it was, and the red blend quickly became, and still remains, one of my favorite red wines (blends or not) ever. The whole "à Trois" thing refers to the fact that the winemakers like to blend their wines with three different varietals. </div>
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They've come out with some different blends over the years, and I have liked them all - see below for my other MaT reviews.) </div>
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And given the fact that I've been somewhat obsessed with all the rosé wines that are making it big this year, I was so happy to find out that there is a Ménage à Trois Rosé (2014, 13.5%, California). </div>
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This particular blend of three is made up of 38% Merlot Blush, 36% Syrah Blush and 26% Gewürztraminer. It's a very pretty deep hot pink color, which is what first caught my eye. Since I'm such a big fan of this wine line, I grabbed it right away (no other wine patrons were injured or even pushed aside in the buying of this wine) in happy anticipation.<br />
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The first aromas you'll get when you sniff this rosé is raspberry. Definitely raspberry! It's followed by a touch of strawberry and a whiff of that old Gewürztraminer stand-by, the lychee (or as I thought when I first sniffed it something I identified as "really ripe roses"). </div>
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I tasted a wonderful array of summertime fruits and berries in this wine: strawberry, some tart gooseberry and raspberry. For good measure, there was a touch of honeysuckle flowers just lingering above all the other flavors. </div>
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Given that just over a quarter of this wine is Gewürztraminer, it is on the sweeter side of the rosés I've been tasting recently. But please do NOT automatically think this means it's too sweet. The Merlot and the Syrah especially keep this from being classically sweet without sacrificing the lushness of the Gewürztraminer. The flavors are all crisp and bright and if you let it sit out a few minutes after taking it out of the fridge (or bring it to your sunny patio to warm up immediately), they really open up. </div>
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If you like a crisp, refreshing wine that is full of fruit flavor but not fruity sweet, you will love this one. It runs around $10 a bottle and will be showing up in my wine fridge often over the next few months (I'm a sucker for rosé in the warmer weather). </div>
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If you want to read my other Ménage à Trois reviews, here they are:</div>
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<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2011/11/naughty-wine-names-series-menage-trois.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: The Naughty Wine Names Series: Menage a Trois Red</a><br />
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<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/09/winey-tasting-notes-naughty-wine-name.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: The Naughty Wine Name Series: Ménage à Trois Midnight</a><br />
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<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2015/12/winey-tasting-notes-menage-trois-silk.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: Ménage à Trois Silk and the Advent Calendar</a><br />
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<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2012/10/winey-fun-thoughts-from-2012-island.html" target="_blank">Winey Fun: Thoughts from 2012 Island Wine Fest, Put-in-Bay, Ohio</a><br />
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Cheers! </div>
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-17461515674861119202016-05-12T12:36:00.002-04:002016-05-12T13:02:46.252-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: My favorite store's wine! Target's Wine CubesGo ahead and shake your head and say - wine in a box? Really?<br />
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Yes really. I have nothing against the container that my vino comes in, as long as the wine itself is good. And really, haven't we all been told not to judge a book by its cover? Same thing with wine.<br />
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One fine day, as I was indulging in one of my frequent trips around Target, I got to the wine aisle. Yes, my Target sells wine. And beer. Yay me. (This was not always the case due to local liquor zoning laws, and I still celebrate the fact that they changed them.) I really did need to pick up some coffee, and happily, the coffee and the wine are in the same aisle. I have yet to figure out the deep meaning behind this, but I'm sure there is one.<br />
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It dawned on me that the Wine Cube boxes were always right there as I entered the aisle and that it was high time that I tried them out. Summer was coming and I love the idea of a box for outdoor imbibing. The smaller cubes are just perfect for my sipping, since I am the only one at home right now who drinks wine on a regular basis. And they're the perfect size for trying too. At $5, the price is also perfectly right.<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IIC4mc8NQIU/VzSu3h60BsI/AAAAAAAACZk/cls7r7dy4dczAq0ULKjsD5XIDLCuS9o6gCLcB/s1600/wine%2Bcube%2Bchardonnay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Wine Cube Chardonnay box, Target" border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IIC4mc8NQIU/VzSu3h60BsI/AAAAAAAACZk/cls7r7dy4dczAq0ULKjsD5XIDLCuS9o6gCLcB/s200/wine%2Bcube%2Bchardonnay.jpg" title="Wine Cube Chardonnay" width="200" /></a><br />
Some background here: Wine Cube is made especially for Target by <a href="http://tfewines.com/our-wines/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trinchero Family Estates,</a> which is parent to a ton of wines out on the market today. Target sells a whole range of different varietals, and so far I've tried three of them to review. The large boxes hold the equivalent of four bottles of wine, the one litres hold about 6 glasses and the small boxes (500 ml) hold three glasses. The box keeps them fresh longer and you will never ever have a cork taint problem!<br />
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I started with the Chardonnay, (NV, 13%, California). The nose was cinnamon cream and pear. It tasted like mellow golden apples and finished with the taste of a pear tart and some light oak. A wonderfully flavorful, solid Chardonnay. I will buy this one again. You'll like it if you like your Chardonnay to taste like autumn with a creamy mouthfeel.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_YtVUBY2IJg/VzSu3tS76MI/AAAAAAAACZs/WZn-xt6rk1c2anuHXD8QUlOW4-hlUWYowCLcB/s1600/wine%2Bcube%2Bred%2Bblend%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wine Cube Vintner's Red, box, Target" border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_YtVUBY2IJg/VzSu3tS76MI/AAAAAAAACZs/WZn-xt6rk1c2anuHXD8QUlOW4-hlUWYowCLcB/s200/wine%2Bcube%2Bred%2Bblend%2Bsmall.jpg" title="Wine Cube Vintner's Red" width="200" /></a>Next up was the Vintner's Red (NV, 13.5%, California). This is a blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - three of my favorites and all in a red blend, which I love. This wine had a nose of cherries. The flavors were all chocolate and cherry. It felt smooth and silky and supple. Another winner here. You'll like this one if, like me, you are always in need of that chocolatey/mocha flavor in your reds. If you like a smooth red, without big tannins, buy yourself a box.<br />
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQZctER7dEw/VzSu3r3lNWI/AAAAAAAACZo/n6oQp7920SMrqHEW5wHPsyouK4jzdzJiwCLcB/s1600/wine%2Bcube%2Bpinot%2Bgrigio%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Wine Cube Pinot Grigio, box, Target" border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yQZctER7dEw/VzSu3r3lNWI/AAAAAAAACZo/n6oQp7920SMrqHEW5wHPsyouK4jzdzJiwCLcB/s200/wine%2Bcube%2Bpinot%2Bgrigio%2Bsmall.jpg" title="Wine Cube Pinot Grigio" width="200" /></a><br />
And them I moved on to the Pinot Grigio (NV, 13.5%, California). Aromas of lime hit me first followed by flavors of peach and citrus rind. It finished off with the taste of apricots. This is not a "bitey" Pinot Grigio - no sharp tartness and puckery citrus. You'll like this wine if you like your Pinot Grigio cold and crisp and fruity - but not sweet.<br />
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After thoroughly enjoying my first foray into the Wine Cubes, I will plan on trying out some of the other varietals. There's a Pinot Noir and a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon that I have my boxy little eyes on. And since I seem to be physically unable to go through a week without visiting Target, I figure I'll be trying them pretty soon.<br />
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Let me know if you try them....and.......Cheers!<br />
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<a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-61903174851195932842016-04-08T13:13:00.000-04:002016-04-08T13:13:49.621-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: New Favorite Alert....Bogle ChardonnayYou know those wines that you can always count on? The ones that are so good no matter how many times you taste them? The ones that you can safely order when someone at the table says, "You're the wine expert, what should we get?" (I don't care how long or often I write about wine, that is still an incredibly intimidating sentence to hear directed at you.)<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iZ6Weq7XsfE/VwfkgVFabaI/AAAAAAAACZA/JmERPEC2vjM13pQRoyAAlGIpfojM1sYww/s1600/BogleChard-NV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Bogle Chardonnay " border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iZ6Weq7XsfE/VwfkgVFabaI/AAAAAAAACZA/JmERPEC2vjM13pQRoyAAlGIpfojM1sYww/s400/BogleChard-NV.jpg" title="Bogle Chardonnay " width="117" /></a>Well I found another one recently. It's been on my winey radar for a while, but I have just never tried it. But I reached for it one day and I am so very happy that I did.<br />
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The wine in question is Bogle Chardonnay (2013, 13.5%, CA). I've had some of their other wines, their <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2013/06/no-conundrums-about-it-2013-cleveland.html" target="_blank">Essential Red</a> is quite yummy. So I should not have been surprised that the Chardonnay was equally as good. But still, I didn't know it would make it onto my Favorite List!<br />
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But make the list it did. Why? The nose is full of pears and yellow apples. Those were also the first flavors that showed up when I sipped it. Added into these were cinnamon and nutmeg. At the end was a kick of tangy oak. This was was so mellow in the mouth. Round and full and flavorful.<br />
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The second time I tried it, I found that nothing had changed. I liked it more and more. And it slowly dawned on me that I'd found another go-to wine. Not just because it was very, very good (direct quote from my wine journal, by the way), but also because I could see it going nicely with a whole lot of different foods. Pork, lamb, chicken, seafood - it would work with them all.<br />
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I also used it to make my rosemary-herbed pork chops with wine shallot sauce (OK, so it's my recipe because it's on my <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/thewineymom/" target="_blank">Pinterest board</a>...but I did make it) and oh my, was it ever tasty. I love to use a wine in a recipe and then sip it as well. It's such a full circle type of feeling, you know?<br />
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If you like your Chardonnay full of mellow fruit and pie seasoning flavors, oaky, but not overly oaky, you will love this wine. And if we are ever out to dinner together and I get asked to pick a white wine, it's a pretty good shot that it'll be this one!<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-11405470943027836542016-03-31T12:21:00.002-04:002016-03-31T12:21:43.982-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: You Had Me At The Label: SomeWines If you even think about sipping on wine, I am sure you have seen these new offerings from <a href="http://somewine./">SomeWine.</a> You can't miss them, because their labels are designed by the the very funny folks at Someecards - the ones we all pin and share on Pinterest. And send to our other Winey Friends on Facebook.<br />
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At first sighting, I grabbed a bottle. Because I do that. I am not above buying a wine for the label and this was a no-brainer for me. The only thing that made me hesitate for a nanosecond was the fact that I saw the Chardonnay first, and the label didn't TRULY apply to me, The Winey Hubby and I being empty-nesters and all. But then I remembered that we have two dogs under the age of 3 and I gave up on the thought of hesitating.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or your dogs.</td></tr>
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So let's talk about the SomeWine Chardonnay (2013, 13.2%, CA) first, shall we? It has a nose that's full of yellow apples and honeysuckle. The taste is creamy and smooth and starts off with a flavor of light-colored oak, a thin line of honey in the middle and ends up with some mellow caramel. It finishes off with vanilla cream and caramel. Can you just feel all that smoothness and rich flavor in your mouth right now? Good. Because this was such a yummy, classic Chardonnay. It retailed for $12 in my area of Ohio. If you like your Chardonnay oaky and creamy, this is one for you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LYmxNmUIv8w/Vv1MSAKhkXI/AAAAAAAACYg/WFSlUFiwC3IBCT0D2mXwvHybzbtFDoFjA/s1600/93cbefba-03ad-4dd5-8304-0599926309ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="SomeWine Red Blend label" border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LYmxNmUIv8w/Vv1MSAKhkXI/AAAAAAAACYg/WFSlUFiwC3IBCT0D2mXwvHybzbtFDoFjA/s200/93cbefba-03ad-4dd5-8304-0599926309ab.jpg" title="SomeWine Red Blend" width="143" /></a></td></tr>
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Moving on (to a different store actually - I kind of feel like these wines were following me around just begging to be purchased) to the Red Blend (2012, 13.1%, CA). Once again, I chose it for the label. Because who doesn't want to pair wine with more wine? (If you answer, "Me" to that question I would seriously rethink your pairing priorities.) The cost was the same (this IS Ohio after all and there are no bargains to be had on wine...) The nose starts with mocha java - chocolate and coffee - one of my favorite aromas. You'll taste flavors of coffee, thyme, cassis and a hint of cherry syrup. I must warn you to let this breathe first - if you don't you'll get an annoying tinge of spearmint to the flavors, and although I have nothing against spearmint in and of itself, it does not fit in with the other flavors. So, a little air, and you have a pretty darn good red blend, especially given the cool label. If you like your reds herby and full, grab this label, er, bottle.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qWeYxd6_WA/Vv1OHSlFIsI/AAAAAAAACYw/LTqKkGGU3vUvsKlKKisxyRZiXrwnkLyLw/s1600/3e71bffb-64ad-439e-b0b2-f5716ec89dd8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="SomeWine Pinot Noir label" border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3qWeYxd6_WA/Vv1OHSlFIsI/AAAAAAAACYw/LTqKkGGU3vUvsKlKKisxyRZiXrwnkLyLw/s200/3e71bffb-64ad-439e-b0b2-f5716ec89dd8.jpg" title="SomeWine Pinot Noir" width="185" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know, right?</td></tr>
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The other varietal in this series is the Pinot Noir, and I can promise you I'll be trying that one. The wines are actually produced by the 1026 Beverage Company, two buddies with a long history in the wine-making industry, so they know what they're doing. Especially when it comes to those labels. <br />
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Cheers!<br />
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-85527477023614979272016-02-25T09:35:00.001-05:002016-02-25T09:35:31.353-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: All in the Barrel with Mondavi's Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet SauvignonBarrels are a big deal when it comes to wine. New oak, old oak, French oak, American oak: they all bring something different to the vino.<br />
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But I recently got to taste some wine that had been barrel aged, not in wine barrels, but in Bourbon Whiskey barrels. Huh?</div>
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But one thing I do know now: if you age Cabernet Sauvignon in Bourbon barrels, it's pretty much a match made in heaven. (Are you listening up there, Poppy?)</div>
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Leave it to Robert Mondavi wines to come up with this. They start with their California grapes, which make some amazing wine on their own. In this case, the grapes are 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot. Then some of the wine is aged in Bourbon Whiskey barrels for three months. A Bourbon Whiskey barrel, by whiskey law, must be oak and charred inside. </div>
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The result is Robert Mondavi's <a href="http://www.robertmondaviprivateselection.com/bourbon-barrel-aged-cabernet-sauvignon.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bourbon Barrel-Aged Cabernet Sauvignon</a> (2014, 14.5%, CA). I got my first taste of this wine at a little tasting bar and was pretty much wowed by it. Cabernet Sauvignon was my first red wine love, and it's always to fun to find one that's so good.</div>
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This wine is deep, dark garnet color. It starts with a nose of cherry - some red but mostly dark, black cherry, mocha and oak. The flavors are big: blackberry and lots and lots of caramel (yum). The flavors are all wrapped up in some toasty oak. The finish is lush and smooth and very well balanced. </div>
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I immediately bought two bottle of this and plan on buying more. But I (and you) will have to buy it quickly, as it's a limited release. The guy who was serving at the tasting warned us about this, which I think was very nice of him. It runs around $13 a bottle and would pair so nicely with steak or pork or Bourbon chicken (I had to throw that one in). </div>
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Buy a few - if you like your wines big and bold and toasty and silky you won't regret it!</div>
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Cheers!</div>
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7443467539471526005" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=7443467539471526005" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-15229983798389073942016-02-11T13:17:00.001-05:002016-02-11T13:31:31.191-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Italian Memories with Piccini's Memoro Italia Vino RosatoDuring the summer of 2014, The Winey Family took a trip to Italy. We were celebrating the graduations of both Winey Children - one from college, one from high school. We'd always wanted to go to Italy, so we took off for an amazing 11 days in Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre and Venice. It ranks as one of our all time favorite trips and we love to reminisce about it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QjY9f1ZABL4/VrzOo4w_aLI/AAAAAAAACXk/M8pGie8tgW8/s1600/IMG_2785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rome, Coliseum" border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QjY9f1ZABL4/VrzOo4w_aLI/AAAAAAAACXk/M8pGie8tgW8/s320/IMG_2785.JPG" title="The Winey Family tours Rome's Coliseum" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: right;">The Winey Family at the </span><span style="text-align: right;">Coliseum</span></td></tr>
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It was a glorious time - from the culture to the history to the sunny, hot weather. And of course, I found some wines to write about: <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/08/winey-tasting-notes-wines-of-cinque.html" target="_blank">The Wines of Cinque Terre</a>, <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/07/winey-tasting-notes-when-in-romedrink.html" target="_blank">When in Rome....Drink Frascati</a>, <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/08/winey-tasting-notes-pinot-grigio-in.html" target="_blank">Pinot Grigio in Rome..at Target</a>, <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/07/winey-tasting-notes-spritzing-like-they.html" target="_blank">Spritzing like they do in Italy</a>.<br />
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One variety of wines I didn't write about then were the Italian Rosé wines, which I absolutely loved. I had tried different Rosés before, some French, some US, and some Italian and I liked some, others, not so much. But the Rosés I found there were wonderful! And for the most part, they were anonymous house wines or local wines that could not be found back here in the US of A. And believe me, I tried. But I just couldn't find one that brought me back to our time there, most notably to a very special canal-side dinner in Venice. It was there that I had one of my favorite Rosés of the whole trip. But I never got the name (it was a house wine and there wasn't a whole lot of English-Italian communicating going on - on both sides!).<br />
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I never really gave up looking, it was always in the back of my mind that I could find a Rosé like the ones I sipped on our trip.<br />
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One day, in the grocery store, I decided to buy a bottle of an Italian Rosé that I had seen many times. It was only $8 and had been hanging around the store for quite a while. I had passed it by because, well, I don't really know why. I just did. Time and time again. It just didn't seem to be one I'd like.<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CsmTOp2x8PM/VrzNeeVq2sI/AAAAAAAACXc/mqHDlTRfsII/s1600/piccini05.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Piccini's Memoro Italia Vino Rosato" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CsmTOp2x8PM/VrzNeeVq2sI/AAAAAAAACXc/mqHDlTRfsII/s1600/piccini05.png" title="Piccini's Memoro Italia Vino Rosato" /></a>The wine is question is <a href="http://www.tenutepiccini.it/eng/vini_piccini_bianchi_folder/05.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Piccini's Memoro Italia Vino Rosato</a> (NV, 13.5%, Chianti, Italy). It's a blend of 40% Negroamaro, 30% Montepulciano, 20% Nero d’Avola and 10% Merlot del Veneto. I will never know why I decided to buy it that fateful day.....but oh my, I am so glad I did. Because this was the one that brought me right back to Italy! The Rosé I had been searching for, and I found it about a mile away in my grocery store, no less.<br />
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First of all this wine is so pretty: a lovely medium-deep pink translucent color. The nose was faint raspberry. The first taste was sharp strawberries followed by raspberry and then a line of cranberry. The flavors were crisp and clean without any citrus, so I would call this a juicy, full flavored dry wine. No citrus here, like you'd find in a Sauvignon Blanc...this was pure Rosé - from those red grapes!<br />
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This wine was just wonderful: crisp and refreshing and light all at the same time. I know it would be a great wine to pair with food when summer arrives, but I absolutely loved it all on its own in the middle of an Ohio winter.<br />
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"Memoro Italia," according to the back label of the wine, is Latin for "remember Italy." And let me tell you, this wine lives up to its Latin. It made me remember our time in Italy in the best of ways! And it's a time that I'll always cherish: full of family, fun, travel and love.<br />
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Cheers!The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-27668880431237513752016-01-29T12:41:00.001-05:002016-01-29T12:41:45.872-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Revisiting Israel with Mediterranean Soul Red BlendA few weeks ago I reviewed an Israeli wine in honor of our recent trip to Israel. That was a white wine. (<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2015/12/winey-tasting-notes-revisiting-amazing.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: Revisiting an amazing trip with Israel's Mediterranean Soul wine.)</a> Today, we're going to go red as I reminisce about that wonderful, wonderful trip.<br />
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The red in question, Mediterranean Soul's Red Blend, comes from the Golan Heights sub-region in the Galilee region of Israel. (You can read more about the regions in the first post.) I thought that Galilee was such a pretty part of Israel and thoroughly loved our time there. But we were on the move, and after a few days in Galilee, we headed out to Jerusalem.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Winey Travelers in Jerusalem</td></tr>
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Talk about an amazing city. If you stand on one of the scenic overlooks to gaze at Jerusalem, it's like looking back in time...and yet not. You look at old Jerusalem and the walls and the domes and its all-white stone. And then you see the newer buildings, which are required to be built in the same stone as the old ones, which makes the city so seamless and sort of anciently ageless. The city embraces its past and the huge cultural and religious significance of the city, but it doesn't block any forward progress.<br />
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We saw the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, The Garden Tomb, Mt. Zion and The Upper Room, The Western (Wailing) Wall, The Holocaust Museum, The Davidson Archaeological Center (which digs at the Temple wall), The Church of All Nations, The Shrine of the Book, The Knesset....and we could have seen oh so much more.......<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IZQO3E6tyY4/Vmnl6cN_9VI/AAAAAAAACUI/AQRgF-5zgBI/s1600/IMG_5150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IZQO3E6tyY4/Vmnl6cN_9VI/AAAAAAAACUI/AQRgF-5zgBI/s200/IMG_5150.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaffa Gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yOLRhZeTIWE/Vmnl4FxYN8I/AAAAAAAACUA/KFxwRpBZowc/s1600/IMG_4928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yOLRhZeTIWE/Vmnl4FxYN8I/AAAAAAAACUA/KFxwRpBZowc/s200/IMG_4928.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaffa Gate and the <br />walls of Old Jerusalem</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8FjlhmCxLyc/VmnmFG_4syI/AAAAAAAACUQ/c0T0_i47-Vc/s1600/IMG_5156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>My favorite part of Jerusalem? Old Jerusalem. You actually have to walk through stone gates to enter into the old city. On our first foray, we went through the Jaffa Gate, which borders on the Armenian and Jewish sectors of old Jerusalem. You walk through and boom! Narrow cobblestone streets that wind in and out and around. Merchants teeming on each side of each street. The smells of different cuisines, herbs, coffee and leather. The chatter of shoppers as they go their way. Sure, the goods being offered now are a lot different from the things they sold hundreds and thousands of years ago, but you totally feel as if you have stepped back in time.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Jerusalem</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8FjlhmCxLyc/VmnmFG_4syI/AAAAAAAACUQ/c0T0_i47-Vc/s1600/IMG_5156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8FjlhmCxLyc/VmnmFG_4syI/AAAAAAAACUQ/c0T0_i47-Vc/s200/IMG_5156.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Jerusalem</td></tr>
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We walked and shopped and eventually wound up at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where hundreds of pilgrims head daily to visit one of the spots claimed to be Golgotha, where Jesus was crucified and buried nearby.<br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pwFpTaHrY9o/VmnpcsfTb4I/AAAAAAAACU8/7dOhAu-JoKM/s1600/IMG_4748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pwFpTaHrY9o/VmnpcsfTb4I/AAAAAAAACU8/7dOhAu-JoKM/s200/IMG_4748.jpg" width="200" /></a>Outside the church, you're walking the Via Dolorosa, the route that Jesus took to his crucifixion. You can't help but walk it, because two thousand years later, it's still part of the city, just as it was back then. The sheer history of Jerusalem astounded us time and time again.<br />
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After our wonderful time there, I was very excited to find the Mediterranean Soul line of Israeli wines when we returned to the USA. Every time I sip them, I'm reminded of that amazing trip.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b3ANVcWL7MQ/Vmns8_i-gqI/AAAAAAAACVA/DIgj5PIq2W0/s1600/MediterraneanSoul_RedBlend_Life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b3ANVcWL7MQ/Vmns8_i-gqI/AAAAAAAACVA/DIgj5PIq2W0/s320/MediterraneanSoul_RedBlend_Life.jpg" width="96" /></a><a href="http://www.mediterraneansoulwines.com/home/">Mediterranean Soul </a>is a boutique winery in the Golan Heights. As I said, I had tried a white blend first, but this was a red blend: <a href="http://mediterraneansoulwines.com/red-blend-wine-life/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Life Red Blend</a> (2013, 13.9%, Golan Hts, Israel). It's a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. You'll get raspberry and fresh herbs on the nose. You'll taste fresh, green herbs and end with a tiny hint of coffee. The tannins on this wine are very present and they end up with a hint of cherry in your mouth.<br />
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This is a smooth wine, but not velvety smooth. It's smoothness doesn't come from the fruit flavors that you usually find a velvet feel with...this time it's more of an herbal smooth. You'll love this wine if you like a full on red wine without any hints of fruit to speak of and more of a green, garden-y taste. <br />
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These wines are very affordable (about $10 a bottle) and I found them locally here in Ohio, so I hope that you can find them as well, wherever you are. I am really enjoying them...almost as much as I am enjoying reminiscing about our trip.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7443467539471526005%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2766888043123751375%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D2%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-afHHw7V2PCc%2FVmnlasRwpxI%2FAAAAAAAACTo%2F22b5FXNInO8%2Fs320%2FIMG_4877.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=fo2u_HhgeQy4&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 32px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 186px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a><a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.blogger.com%2Fblogger.g%3FblogID%3D7443467539471526005%23editor%2Ftarget%3Dpost%3BpostID%3D2766888043123751375%3BonPublishedMenu%3Dposts%3BonClosedMenu%3Dposts%3BpostNum%3D2%3Bsrc%3Dlink&media=https%3A%2F%2F2.bp.blogspot.com%2F-afHHw7V2PCc%2FVmnlasRwpxI%2FAAAAAAAACTo%2F22b5FXNInO8%2Fs320%2FIMG_4877.JPG&xm=h&xv=sa1.37.01&xuid=fo2u_HhgeQy4&description=" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(data:image/png; border: none; cursor: pointer; display: none; height: 20px; left: 32px; opacity: 0.85; position: absolute; top: 186px; width: 40px; z-index: 8675309;"></a>The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-51381609499060495522016-01-21T13:50:00.000-05:002016-01-21T13:52:53.446-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Brancott Estate's Flight Song and The Winey Daughter Down UnderI am continuing to live for text messages and Facebook posts as The Winey Daughter studies film in Australia and New Zealand for the month. (<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2016/01/winey-tasting-notes-winey-daughter-down.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: The Winey Daughter Down Under and Layer Cake Shiraz</a>, <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2016/01/winey-tasting-notes-down-under-with.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: Down Under with Lobster Reef Sauvignon Blanc</a>)<br />
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At least, she says she's studying film. As far as I can tell three weeks into the trip, she is scuba diving, shopping and sky diving. Because of course, that's what you do when you take a film class abroad.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OIc5e_FLV1Q/VqEkZeA9CeI/AAAAAAAACXI/UeAOztlnAmU/s1600/lizzie%2Bscuba.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Winey Daughter scubas the Great Barrier Reef" border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OIc5e_FLV1Q/VqEkZeA9CeI/AAAAAAAACXI/UeAOztlnAmU/s320/lizzie%2Bscuba.jpg" title="The Winey Daughter scubas the Great Barrier Reef" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making friends on the Great Barrier Reef</td></tr>
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Actually, it is. Because if you're going to go halfway around the world, you should absolutely take advantage of the fact that it's summer in Australia. And that the Great Barrier Reef lies off the northeastern coast of that country. Hence the scuba diving and sky diving. The shopping is a given and to be honest, it only came up when she announced that she and her classmates ran into and talked with a very famous, very cool American actor while they were shopping in Sydney. (Not sure I am allowed to say who, but his initials are Samuel L. Jackson.)<br />
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In an attempt to live vicariously through her adventures down under, and due to the lack of barrier reefs and sky diving planes here in Ohio, I have taken to sipping some Aussie wines. Actually, today's wine is from New Zealand, but since she spent the first part of her trip there, it totally counts.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RU8VEILTenI/VqEkTljmRII/AAAAAAAACXA/b3JMldeuOno/s1600/Flight_Song_Sauv_Blanc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Brancott Estate Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RU8VEILTenI/VqEkTljmRII/AAAAAAAACXA/b3JMldeuOno/s320/Flight_Song_Sauv_Blanc.jpg" title="Brancott Estate Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc" width="94" /></a>And besides, I was intrigued when I saw the label on the bottle. <a href="http://www.brancottestate.com/our-wines/our-wine/flight-song/marlborough-sauvignon-blanc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brancott Estate's Flight Song Sauvignon Blanc</a> (2014, 9%, Marlborough, NZ) promises that it is 20% lighter in calories than their normal Sauvignon Blanc. They harvest the grapes earlier in the season, when the sugar levels in the fruit are lower.<br />
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Really? I have had some "reduced-calorie" or "light" wines...to mixed reviews at best. (<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2013/05/winey-tasting-notes-just-in-time-for.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: Just In Time For Bathing Suit Weather: The Light Grape Collection</a>, <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2012/05/winey-tasting-notes-skinny-girl.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: Skinny Girl California Red (or: I'll Take The Extra Calories, Please)</a> So I did ponder this one for a few moments. And then I figured I'd try it. In my experience, "light" whites do so much better than reds and this was from the holy ground of Sauvignon Blancs: Marlborough.<br />
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The first aroma I got when I opened the bottle was lime - lots and lots of it. And that was followed by green pepper. Very promising for a Sauvignon Blanc. The flavors didn't disappoint: green pepper and green grass mixed in with lime and lemongrass. Juicy and crisp with lots of clean acidity. This wine is dry and light.<br />
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I didn't expect that tart crispness. When I see a wine has a 9% ABV, I think sweet. Or watery. This was absolutely neither. It was full of flavor and zest. I'd buy it again, lower calories or not. <br />
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If you like your wine tart and puckery and aromatic, this is the white for you. It runs in the $10 a bottle range and would be a great wine to stock up on for summer. Or to stock up on if you are wishing it was summer and you need to find your warm weather in a bottle. It works fine for that too. I know this firsthand.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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For the record: 88 calories a glass.<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-2613208665701711972016-01-15T14:07:00.001-05:002016-01-15T14:07:26.177-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: The Winey Daughter Down Under and Layer Cake ShirazAs I said last week, The Winey Daughter is studying for the month of January in New Zealand and Australia. Her first week of the trip was spent in New Zealand, where she lived as a Hobbit for a number of days. At least that's what it looks like from her pictures. I didn't even know she knew Gollum. (For those of you who are confused at the moment, it may help if I tell you that the <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> movies were filmed in Wellington, New Zealand. And since she is taking a film class, it all makes sense now, doesn't it?)<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_PwW0O8vVg/Vpk5WYm40TI/AAAAAAAACWg/reXUd7hVH4E/s1600/bondi%2Bbeach%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bondi Beach, Australia" border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L_PwW0O8vVg/Vpk5WYm40TI/AAAAAAAACWg/reXUd7hVH4E/s320/bondi%2Bbeach%2B2.jpg" title="Bondi Beach, Australia" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bondi Beach<br />(Photo by The Winey Daughter)</td></tr>
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Right now she's in Australia. We've been getting updates from her and I'm pretty sure she's fallen in love with that land down under. It doesn't hurt that it's muddy and rainy and snowy (all at the same time pretty much) here and that it's high summer there. In fact, the other night her text announced that it was 107 degrees that day in Sydney. Now THAT'S summer, huh?<br />
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She will be traveling all over the country, but they started out in Sydney, cruising the harbor, visiting the Opera House and of course, hitting Bondi Beach. (Why travel to a different hemisphere with an entirely different season schedule and not go to the beach, right?) I must say, the pictures I've seen are absolutely stunning. New Zealand was gorgeous, and Australia is turning out to be equally as picturesque.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIMf_2yMp9g/Vpk5WCyT4cI/AAAAAAAACWc/wLKnnxaQXOs/s1600/bondi%2Bbeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Bondi Beach, Australia" border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oIMf_2yMp9g/Vpk5WCyT4cI/AAAAAAAACWc/wLKnnxaQXOs/s320/bondi%2Bbeach.jpg" title="Bondi Beach, Australia" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bondi Beach, take two<br />(Photo by The Winey Daughter)</td></tr>
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Have I mentioned that I'm also coveting her wine time in the land down under? Because Australia, like New Zealand, is knows for its wines. It currently ranks as the fourth largest exporter of wine in the world. Grapes are grown everywhere in the country, but especially in the southern states, which is where today's Aussie wine comes from.<br />
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<a href="http://layercakewines.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Layer Cake Shiraz</a> (2012, 14.9%, South Australia) is sourced from McLaren Vale and the Barossa Valley, two of the more famous wine area in South Australia.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkv9Zt5c2-Q/Vpk9eRFxuNI/AAAAAAAACWw/7xrjF3Qbw80/s1600/layer%2Bcake%2Bshiraz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Layer Cake Shiraz " border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mkv9Zt5c2-Q/Vpk9eRFxuNI/AAAAAAAACWw/7xrjF3Qbw80/s320/layer%2Bcake%2Bshiraz.jpg" title="Layer Cake Shiraz" width="86" /></a>The nose on this is a German chocolate cake: some faint mocha and some bright berry. When you taste it, the first layer is all oak and woodsy spices. Then you get to the middle layer and
you taste the fruit, in this case, sour cherries. And to top it all off there's a layer of mocha and coffee flavors. They all come together
in a wine that feels velvety in your mouth. The finish is elegant
tannins. It’s very well balanced, too – no burning feel in
your mouth, just a nice smooth sip. <br />
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You should buy this wine. And then buy some more. If you like red wine, but don’t want one as fruity as a Merlot, this is for you. The fruit and oak blend together so beautifully. You get the best of both of those tastes. It would please a whole range of red wine lovers.<div>
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Since the drinking age in Australia is 18, I am hoping that The Winey Daughter partakes of some of the country's amazing wines. She loves hard cider ever since her summer studies in England, so I hope that this little trip down under opens up a love of Aussie wine for her. And dang, I wish I was there to guide her along the way. ~clink~</div>
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Cheers!</div>
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<i>If you want to read about another Layer Cake offering, you can <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/10/winey-tasting-notes-wines-of-island.html" target="_blank">click here</a> to find out about Layer Cake's Sea of Stones Argentinian red blend. </i></div>
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-23352598856261447142016-01-07T10:40:00.000-05:002016-01-07T11:25:26.677-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Down Under with Lobster Reef Sauvignon BlancIt was pretty easy to decide on a wine to review this first week of 2016. I simply followed the Winey Daughter (metaphorically, unfortunately) to New Zealand.<br />
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Yes, the child is off on another educational adventure: this time taking a 3 week film class that will have her start out in New Zealand (where they shot the "Lord of the Rings" movies) and finish in Australia. I know there is also a film tie in with Australia, but I am a little hazy on it. I was mostly listening to her talk about snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef and getting a picture in front of the Sydney Opera House. And thinking that I was very happy this is a class that counts toward her major and also that the Winey Hubby and I need major job security.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-khm0VxiknxM/Vo6RbZpyJ3I/AAAAAAAACWM/BZKGuRdM_7g/s1600/lobster%2Breef%2Bodd.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-khm0VxiknxM/Vo6RbZpyJ3I/AAAAAAAACWM/BZKGuRdM_7g/s320/lobster%2Breef%2Bodd.png" width="108" /></a>I am kidding. A little. I want my children to travel and see this big wonderful world that they live in. If those travels happen to take them to some amazing wine producing regions, all the better. So expect some New Zealand and Australian reviews for the next few weeks and bear with me as I try not to be jealous of her trip. And as I try to figure out where skydiving fits into the film class. Come to think of it, I'm gonna need a lot of wine for this one. Thankfully, there are hundreds and hundreds of great wines from these two countries.<br />
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The wine I chose for today is <a href="http://www.lobsterreef.co.nz/index.asp" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lobster Reef </a>(2014, 12.5%, New Zealand). It's grown in the Sauvignon Blanc - lots of folks think that they make the best Sauvignon Blanc anywhere. I cannot disagree, because some of my favorites come from New Zealand.<br />
Marlborough region of New Zealand, which is that country's largest wine-growing area. New Zealand is actually two islands, and Marlborough is at the very top of the southern island, bordering on the coast. Lobster Reef comes from just outside Blenheim, the biggest town in Marlborough. The area is sunny and dry in summer but their nights can get downright cool. Their rock star wine is <br />
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I am including Lobster Reef in this one. This was one yummy wine. The nose was big and fragrant with apricot. In fact, I was almost worried that the wine itself wouldn't live up to the amazing bouquet. But it did!! It tasted of sweet fruits: mango, apricot and then some peach. But it was not sweet...it just had the lively flavors of those fruits. It had a zesty feel in the mouth – not a bit of creaminess to it. It finished on a lip smacking tart, peachy note.<br />
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If you like a white wine that is fruity tart - not sweet, not oaky - and full of giant fruit flavors, you'll love this wine. I have gone back and bought it again, I liked it so much. I found it for $10, but it generally won't run you much more than $12. It's a great wine if you want to bring back memories of summer, or if you happen to be in New Zealand, for summer sipping. Because remember, they're in a different hemisphere and it's summer there now. So yes, the Winey Daughter has escaped January in the US for summer down under. Her momma didn't raise no dummy!<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<!--EndFragment-->The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-15403974569213751082015-12-17T14:43:00.000-05:002015-12-17T14:47:33.169-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: A Curated Box of Wines? Yes, PleaseThere are times when you just want someone else to make decisions for you, aren't there? For instance, when I hear "Where do you want to eat?" or "What kind of pizza are we ordering?" or "What's for dinner?" I would absolutely love it if some decision genie would pop up and give me the answers. Because I have come to the point in my life where if I say "It doesn't really matter to me," I mean it. If it mattered, I'd say so. If I have no real strong thoughts, and I say so, I MEAN IT.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wTy0yu2TeD8/VnGtsI0uh0I/AAAAAAAACVY/OUwDqfg5iSQ/s1600/spagnol%2Bprosecco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Spagnol Prosecco Extra Dry" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wTy0yu2TeD8/VnGtsI0uh0I/AAAAAAAACVY/OUwDqfg5iSQ/s1600/spagnol%2Bprosecco.jpg" title="Spagnol Prosecco Extra Dry" /></a>Unfortunately, The Winey Hubby is also at this point in his life, so when you are trying to answer a question and both parties really don't have any strong opinions, you get a little stuck. Or you just order Chinese take-out, which has become the option for argument free dining around these parts recently.<br />
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So let's just say you're trying to decide what wines to buy for a party. Wouldn't it just be heaven on earth to have someone else decide what wines to serve? And then to send them to you? Wouldn't it also be heaven on earth to have someone clean the house for you before hand? OK, I'm getting off track here a bit. But choosing a bunch of wines for a party can be a bit intimidating. Not to mention a pain in the butt. Because you've got so much else to decide on. Like food, and what you're going to wear and how to convince the family not to use the powder room until after the party because you cleaned it cleaner that it's been in months. So there.<br />
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The folks at <a href="http://www.globalwinecellars.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Global Wine Cellars</a> feel this pain. And they decided to take some of the pressure off by offering an Entertainer's Collection of wines. Six bottles that range from a bubbly Prosecco to a big old Cab that should be able to please the palates of guests gathered at your home.<br />
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Global Wine Cellars thought it might be a good idea to let me try one of their wines, and they sent me a bottle of Spagnol Prosecco (2013, 11%, Treviso, Italy). I love sparklers for a party - they pair with such a wide variety of food and they just add that little extra bit of fun because of the bubbles. Most people like bubbles. They really do. Me included.<br />
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And this Prosecco did not disappoint. It's a very pretty golden yellow color and like most bubblers, the nose was a bit faint, but had a golden apple bouquet to it. The first taste was so yummy: there was the apple, a bit of ripe, sweet pear and some honey. It wasn't sweet though, because the bubbles gave it a zesty little kick that kept it from being cloying. It was lively and fresh and made me want to find some prosciutto STAT. A wonderful party bubbler that would stay as wonderful no matter when you decided to sip it. Party or not.<br />
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The other 5 wines in the Entertainer's Collection look amazing too. I am especially intrigued by the 2014 Ranga Ranga Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and the 2013 Saint Gregory Pinotrois, a blend of three Pinot wines from California. The 6 bottles cost $100 which is pretty reasonable, especially when you add the sanity saving bonus in there.<br />
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Global Wine Cellars also has an online wine shop so you can explore wines from all over the world, including Austria, which is an area I'd like to explore more when it comes to my Winey sipping.</div>
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Happy entertaining! Cheers!</div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I received this wine for review purposes. The opinions are all my own.</span></i><br />
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-42000290607445868502015-12-10T14:36:00.000-05:002015-12-10T14:36:20.702-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Ménage à Trois Silk and the Advent CalendarI am going to pause in the reminiscing about my wonderful trip to Israel (and the great wines from that country) to talk about something that has been on my mind lately. Every single morning, actually.<br />
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The Advent Calendar.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT this Advent Calendar <br />(but I do like it)</td></tr>
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And to clarify, I'm not talking about the Advent Calendar that may show up on The Winey Mom's Facebook page every year. The one with bottles in a wine rack, numbered from 1-24. Also known as Mommy's Advent Calendar.<br />
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No, this calendar is the cloth hanging that holds court in the kitchen, on the french doors, and has <br />
done so starting every December 1 for as long as I can remember. I don't even recall where we got this Winey Family Advent Calendar. (I'm guessing Grammy...but that's just guessing.) But ever since the Winey Kids have been old enough, it's been there. It has, at times, been accompanied by other calendars given to us by well-meaning friends or family (a Playmobil calendar that fell apart every time you breathed on it comes to mind) but this is the one that we have always used to mark the time until Santa comes. Ever year.<br />
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And every year it's the same <strike>argument </strike> discussion. Which Winey Kid gets to do which day. Do we split it up odds and evens? Oldest first? Youngest first: A reward for whichever one gets downstairs first? And what about December14th? Because that's the Winey Daughter's birthday so of course she MUST take the little cloth marker out of it's pocket and add it to the tree that day, right?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cP7mcbXNFLk/Vmb_mHeS_dI/AAAAAAAACS0/E_Y5NCyxkus/s1600/advent%2Bcalendar%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="advent calendar" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cP7mcbXNFLk/Vmb_mHeS_dI/AAAAAAAACS0/E_Y5NCyxkus/s320/advent%2Bcalendar%2B2.jpg" title="" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Winey Family<br />
Advent Calendar</td></tr>
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No matter how we did it....it got done. Little hands reaching for a marker to get us all one day closer to the big day.<br />
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After the Winey Son left for college, the Winey Daughter became the sole keeper of the calendar. Bittersweet you ask? Because she was the only child left? Nope. She was diligent about it in a way I have seen her be diligent in little else throughout her life. Every morning, before school and again on weekends, another day was marked.<br />
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But, as time moved on...well, you guessed it. I have become the sole keeper of the calendar for the past two years. I dutifully put it up in the same place. And every morning, I add another marker to the tree. (The dogs can't reach the calendar and The Winey Hubby would forget, so I win the honor.)<br />
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But I'm not marking the days until Santa gets here, am I? (OK well maybe a teeny bit.) I am mentally marking the days until I am no longer allowed to add to the Advent Calendar tree. So I'm counting down until Winey Daughter's finals are over and she can take over. And then I am counting the days until the Winey Son gets home on leave so that the two of them can debate who gets to put the markers out (that whole first downstairs thing? Doesn't really work any more since now they compete to see who can sleep the latest on their breaks.) For the record, the 14th still belongs to the Winey Daughter (woe to the person who puts THAT marker up).<br />
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I long for the days that I don't have to be in charge of the calendar. Because it means that our Winey family is together again, for however brief a time.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Ku18AcGJhA/VmnQ2yCFUeI/AAAAAAAACTI/QVBxdLUlkJc/s1600/bottle_silk.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Menage a Trois Silk" border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Ku18AcGJhA/VmnQ2yCFUeI/AAAAAAAACTI/QVBxdLUlkJc/s320/bottle_silk.png" title="Menage a Trois Silk" width="108" /></a>And I will celebrate that day, when it comes, with a glass (or two..) of wine. This year I'm really enjoying a new offering from one of my old favorites: Ménage à Trois. My first meeting with this winery was a few years ago at a party (<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2011/11/naughty-wine-names-series-menage-trois.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: The Naughty Wine Names Series: Menage a Trois Red</a>) Then, a bit later, they introduced a different take on their blend with Ménage à Trois Midnight (<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/09/winey-tasting-notes-naughty-wine-name.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: The Naughty Wine Name Series: Ménage à Trois Midnight</a>). And just recently I spied and tried Ménage à Trois Silk (2014, 13.5%, Calif).<br />
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The winery calls this a "soft red blend". It's 70% Pinot Noir, 20% Malbec and10% Petite Sirah. The nose is smoke and cherry. The taste? Wow! Mocha surrounded by cranberry with a tinge of dark herbs wrapped up in some chocolate covered cherry syrup. Silk is right! As I sipped, I imagined a big, wide bolt of wine-colored silk.<br />
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This is another great example of why I love red blends. All the best of each varietal coming together to make this a dangerously drinkable wine. If you like your reds fruity-forward but not totally without some herb and mocha influence, you will love this wine. I have found readily available at a number of places - big box and local grocery store, all in the $10-12 range.<br />
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Cheers to me not touching that Advent calendar again this year.....starting very soon.<br />
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And cheers to you all!<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-35179870179045665632015-12-03T14:47:00.002-05:002015-12-03T14:47:38.995-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Revisiting an amazing trip with Israel's Mediterranean Soul wine<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gppDFi8hXvY/VmCXPFH75rI/AAAAAAAACRw/bvD_IDPliCo/s1600/MediterraneanSoul_WhiteBlend_Dream.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Mediterranean Soul Dream White Blend" border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gppDFi8hXvY/VmCXPFH75rI/AAAAAAAACRw/bvD_IDPliCo/s400/MediterraneanSoul_WhiteBlend_Dream.png" title="Mediterranean Soul Dream White Blend" width="120" /></a>The Winey Hubby and I celebrated a major wedding anniversary this year - one that ended with 0. OK, it was 30 years (yes, as a matter of fact, I <i>was </i>9 when we got married, thank you for asking). What to do to celebrate such a happy milestone?<br />
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We went to Israel.<br />
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Yup, this fall we joined a group of wonderful folks who made the journey to the Holy Land. And to answer everyone's first question to us: No, we didn't feel unsafe at all. Awed, overwhelmed and emotional, but never unsafe. Israel is a beautiful country - from the rolling hills and mountains and fields of Galilee to the narrow streets of old Jerusalem to the beaches of Tel Aviv to the desert of Masada and the lowest place on earth, The Dead Sea, Israel astounded us. And the scenery was almost the least of it all! The sheer history of the land is mind boggling. Really. I had to laugh once when our guide told us that one particular wall wasn't that old....it had only been there for 500 years. Ha! Here in the US, 200 is pretty darn good. But in Israel, 500 is nothing. We walked on stone streets that had been in use for thousands of years. We walked on stones that Jesus had walked on. All in all, it was a very moving experience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0TistvL1Xrc/VmCYxe_jHpI/AAAAAAAACSE/UISXzjrH_iI/s1600/IMG_4627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Galilee, Israel, Israeli wine" border="0" height="133" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0TistvL1Xrc/VmCYxe_jHpI/AAAAAAAACSE/UISXzjrH_iI/s200/IMG_4627.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Galilee, <br />Sea of Galilee in background</td></tr>
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And yes, Winey Friends, there was wine. Actually, Israel has a number of different wine regions. I loved the Galilee region, which is in the north and is pretty much a Mediterranean climate. Think cold and wet winter and warm and dry in the summer. In fact, if you drew a line of latitude across to Europe, you'd hit some of that continent's best vineyards.) The wine I'm going to review today comes from a sub-region of the Galilee, Golan Heights.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dm7v28YNO4M/VmCY7xAECXI/AAAAAAAACSM/lsfVz4BoYDw/s1600/IMG_4645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Galilee, Israel, Israeli wine" border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dm7v28YNO4M/VmCY7xAECXI/AAAAAAAACSM/lsfVz4BoYDw/s200/IMG_4645.JPG" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Olive trees</td></tr>
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Actually, I didn't sip on this particular wine in Israel. We had some yummy wines over there - especially some great Cabernet Sauvignon blends. But buying wine and toting it around for 10 days and then packing it for the 20-ish hour journey home sounded a bit too daunting. So we drank as we went, enjoying wine with some very tasty Mediterranean foods. And when I got home, I found Mediterranean Soul Wines.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of north shore of the <br />Sea of Galilee</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.mediterraneansoulwines.com/home/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mediterranean Soul </a>is a boutique winery in the Golan Heights. The first of their wines that I sipped was a white blend called Dream (2013, 13.5%, Israel). It's a blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Semillon. It's a translucent, pineapple yellow color with a nose of peach and kiwi. The flavors are tart green apple, lemon-lime and a hint of melon. It finishes tart and juicy, like a Sauvignon Blanc, but with the blend of the other wines, Dream doesn't feel as thin in the mouth. It's got a bit more heft to it. Overall, it's a refreshing, tart, sharp juicy wine.<br />
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I wouldn't call it a light wine - but it's not big and oakey either. I'd say that this wine was very reminiscent of our amazing time in the Galilee. It brings to mind fresh air, water, olive trees everywhere and herbs that grow like weeds in the Mediterranean climate.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OK, so yeah, I milked a goat<br />while dressed like...OK, a tourist,<br />I was a tourist!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winey Couple, Galilee</td></tr>
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Buy this wine (I found it locally here in Ohio for $10) if you want a citrusy-tart, flavorful white wine that stops just short of being buttery and big. Perfect for seafood, chicken and looking at a bazillion pictures from the trip of a lifetime.<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-43058200551142403082015-11-18T14:21:00.001-05:002015-11-18T14:22:57.703-05:00Winey Tasting Notes: Moving Forward with Forward by Herzog Chenin BlancThere I was on a Friday morning. Driving to work, singing (rather brilliantly, if I do say so myself) along to my tunes when…..BAM. A lethal piece of construction equipment (I live in Ohio, aka The Land of Orange Barrels) comes sailing toward my little car. It had been lying on the road, halfway in the lane, halfway on the berm, when the vehicle in front of me hit it in just the right way to send it flying towards me.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NmD62WnLhzE/Vg2nNQpPBwI/AAAAAAAACQU/AQwXzovA4sE/s1600/SCAN0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Forward Chenin Blanc label" border="0" height="277" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NmD62WnLhzE/Vg2nNQpPBwI/AAAAAAAACQU/AQwXzovA4sE/s320/SCAN0008.JPG" title="Forward Chenin Blanc" width="320" /></a>Thankfully, at the last minute, this thing took a dive under my car and instead of smashing my windshield, proceeded to rip apart an entire tire and wheel well. (I didn’t even know a wheel well was a thing.) I was able to make it to the side of the construction nightmare road safely. I was also able to cross “hear the sound of a tire exploding while you are riding in the car” off my bucket list.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But then I got a little righteously indignant. Who the heck was in charge of cleaning up after themselves on that road? I wouldn't call myself a stellar housekeeper or anything, but this was NOT your run-of-the-mill household clutter. It’s one thing to step on a wayward Lego when you are barefoot. Or to set off the dog’s squeaky toy on your way to a midnight potty run. Or to leave the laundry basket on the stairs and just cherry pick your way through the clothes until the basket’s empty. (ahem) But c’mon. This was a huge thing-y with very large, nasty, metal hooks on its ends. Not your everyday piece of debris. A tarp or a garbage bag I can understand. But this was an epic failure to clean up that cost me an entire day at work, many, many dollars and my faith in my husband’s ability to realize that he should answer the phone at work when I call 6 times in a row (conference call, smonference call….I needed a ride).<br />
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How very ironic then, that I am reviewing a wine called “Forward”. Because I definitely wasn't going "forward" without a big old tow truck that day. <span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://www.cawineclub.com/Herzog-Wine-Cellars,-Forward-by-Herzog-2014-Clarksburg-Chenin-Blanc_PD2419.html">Forward by Herzog Chenin Blanc </a>(2014, 13.5%) can be summed up in one word: lovely. The wine is translucent pale gold with a nose of apricot, nectarine and peach. The flavors are full and crisp: flowers, white peach and a touch of minerals. The way it felt in the mouth was wonderful – as if you’re drinking a silky ribbon. If you want a white wine that is slightly sweet, but not at the expense of some lively flavor, you’ll love this Chenin Blanc. I got it as a sample from the California Wine Club. <br />
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So with the help of some vino, I have moved forward (get it?) and put the whole exploding tire thing behind me. I must move on, because construction season in Ohio is almost over.<br />
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Just in time “for lake effect snow” season. <br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> The wine was sent to me for sample purposes. The work and the opinions are all my own, as was the repair bill for my car. </span></i><br />
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-76651357280843560262015-10-21T13:10:00.000-04:002015-10-21T13:10:48.373-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: I Am The 20%: Pareto Estate's Eighty 20 Red Blend and Chardonnay<br />
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<i>"The Pareto Principle, also called the 80/20 rule, states that 80% of the results come from 20% of the effort. This is true in the world of wine, where 80% of wine is consumed by 20% of the people. With <a href="http://www.paretosestatewines.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Pareto’s Estate</a>, we raise our glasses to those of us that take up the slack of others. </i></div>
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<i>Cheers to the 20%!"</i></div>
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OK let's just think about the above statement for a second or two. I didn't even know that The Pareto Principle was a thing. I thought it was just...you know....the way the cleaning and laundry chores are divided in my house. I seriously was unaware that it was also known as the law of the vital few and/or the principle of factor sparsity (look it up, I did). So now my household management actually has a scientific-type principle to describe it. "Sucky" was doing just fine for me, but this just sounds so much more official.<br />
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And then there is the Pareto Principle as it applies to wine. <i><b>80% of wine is consumed by 20% of the people</b>.</i> This is when I started to really get on board with this whole idea of an 80/20 split. I guess it just depends on what you are applying it to. Housework: nope. Dog baths: nope. Wine drinking: YUP.</div>
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So I am going to proudly and unabashedly now count myself in the minority of the 20% when it comes to wine. I AM THE 20%. This makes me happy.</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yxEP8Nmvjbs/ViADjTIzsEI/AAAAAAAACQ8/t_ozTTuThlg/s1600/80%2B20%2Bchardonnay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Eighty 20 Chardonnay, Pareto's Estate" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yxEP8Nmvjbs/ViADjTIzsEI/AAAAAAAACQ8/t_ozTTuThlg/s320/80%2B20%2Bchardonnay.jpg" title="Eighty 20 Chardonnay, Pareto's Estate" width="93" /></a>Pareto's Estate, the website of which the above quote comes from, gets me. They cheer on the 20% and they even made a line of wines to celebrate us Pareto Principle drinkers. I have recently been introduced to this line, so let's talk about my first two tastings from it. </div>
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Pareto's <a href="http://www.paretosestatewines.com/product/Chardonnay1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eighty 20 Chardonnay</a> (2013, 13.5%, Monterey, CA) comes from the Monterey Appellation of California. It's on the coast in the middle of the state and is an estate grown wine. Which means that they grow (and crush) the grapes and make the wine all by themselves. It's a pretty golden yellow color that has aromas of pear, nutmeg and cinnamon. It tastes of vanilla, pear and yellow apple and finishes off with some wet oak and citrus rind. It's got a round, full mouth feel to it, which just completes the whole 100% Chardonnay pedigree. This is a really, really good Chardonnay at a really, really good price (I got it on special for under $10!!) If you like your white wine oakey and mellow and full and rich, you'll love this one. </div>
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<div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AlFh3k4pTys/ViADjt5DbeI/AAAAAAAACRA/InwbypG91y4/s1600/80%2B20%2Bred%2Bblend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Eighty 20 Red Blend, Pareto's Estate" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AlFh3k4pTys/ViADjt5DbeI/AAAAAAAACRA/InwbypG91y4/s320/80%2B20%2Bred%2Bblend.jpg" title="Eighty 20 Red Blend, Pareto's Estate" width="93" /></a>Pareto's Red Blend (2013, 14.5%, Monterey, CA) is a blend of 30% Petite Sirah, 25% Syrah, 19% Petit Verdot, 13% Cinsault, 11% Merlot, 2% Riesling. (Yes, that says Riesling. I was as surprised as you are.) Same thing for the whole estate grown thing as the Chardonnay. This blend is dark purple in color and has a nose of pepper and black plum. It tastes of plum and mocha with a touch of black pepper. A little airing makes the tannins smooth and zesty - just a hint of a bite of them at the end of it all. Again, another wonderful bargain: under $10 for a solid, tasty red blend. Buy this if you like your reds a little less fruit forward and a bit more toward the spice (not spicy) side of things. </div>
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Pareto's also makes a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Riesling and a Pinot Noir. I will be trying them soon, but I had to pace myself. Because Pareto Principle or not, if I had tried 100% of their wines at once, I'd never finish the review.<br />
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Now that I know I am a member of the Winey 20%, I'd like you all to join me there. We have a high standard to keep up here, Winey Friends, but we cannot let the other 80% of the world down. Sip on!<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-38976089390967917922015-10-15T11:40:00.000-04:002015-10-15T11:40:15.328-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Cheers to autumn with Cocobon Red BlendIt's here...you can feel it in the air. The leaves are turning colors, there's a coolness in the air, the colder nights, the dewy mornings. Yup, fall has arrived.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oa_vdzK1nus/VfrvdEvyRiI/AAAAAAAACO8/D7GvQ8Ubr-A/s1600/cocobon1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Cocobon red blend wine bottle" border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oa_vdzK1nus/VfrvdEvyRiI/AAAAAAAACO8/D7GvQ8Ubr-A/s400/cocobon1.jpg" title="Cocobon red blend" width="97" /></a>I've never made any bones about the fact that I'm a weather driven wine sipper. And the thought of fall turns my taste buds to all things red (because orange and brown are not really colors I want to see in my wine glass). It just feels right to be sipping a warm, hearty red when I have a cozy sweatshirt on and my feet are once again ensconced in my warm fuzzy socks. (Yeah, I don't go for the glamor when I get chilly. Said socks are warn and cozy but <u>very</u> fuzzy and rather....old and ratty.)<br />
<br />
Ratty socks or not, I found a great welcome to fall wine recently. It's a California red blend from <a href="http://www.cocobonwines.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Cocoon Vineyards</a> (2013, 13.5%, CA). It was being sampled in the wine department of a local grocery store and I liked it so much I put a bottle right into my basket, then and there. <b>(Did I mention how much more fun it is to grocery shop if you hit the wine samples first?)</b><br />
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Cocobon's website says that this is "an inspired blend of mélange of Bordeaux-style varietals." Said melange includes Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. The Zinfandel really comes through here, as the wine starts off with a nose of chocolate and cherry.<br />
<br />
I tasted flavors of violet, cherry and mocha. The tannins were nicely behaved in a very smooth finish - they gave me just a slight little pucker flavor to end on a fun little bite.<br />
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The words I'd use to describe it: luscious and velvety. And with all that fruit forward flavor and little kick at the end, I've got to call this another red blend winner. I found it for under $10 and have seen it sold online for as low as $7. Dare I tell you to stock up on this one? I dare. Stock away.<br />
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I would so totally pair this wine with a fire pit, the comfy sweatshirt and those ratty socks. Throw in a doggie on my lap and some friends and family in the surrounding chairs and you've got what I'd call a perfect autumn evening!<br />
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Cheers!The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-11797731919876518972015-10-01T15:57:00.000-04:002015-10-01T15:57:06.899-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Teeing off with Weir Chardonnay<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8glHtCvcm5I/Vfr8rOVesOI/AAAAAAAACPU/4hI-O-85OVQ/s1600/sawmill%2Bcreek%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sawmill Creek, Ontario, Canadian wine, Mike Weir" border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8glHtCvcm5I/Vfr8rOVesOI/AAAAAAAACPU/4hI-O-85OVQ/s200/sawmill%2Bcreek%2B3.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winey Family pic from one of our<br />
favorite Ontario golf courses,<br />
Sawmill Creek, 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I've written before about the wonderful vacations that The Winey Family has taken over the years up to the beach in Canada. <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2015/09/winey-tasting-notes-two-canadian.html" target="_blank">Winey Tasting Notes: Two Canadian Unoaked Chardonnays, Eh?</a> And in addition to the water sports we get to partake of up there, there is another sport that goes hand in hand with our Canada trips: golf.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73cQ9WpxWtc/Vfr8rNQcsFI/AAAAAAAACPg/_J4_jHkw-cs/s1600/sawmill%2Bcreek%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sawmill Creek, Ontario, Canadian wine, Mike Weir" border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-73cQ9WpxWtc/Vfr8rNQcsFI/AAAAAAAACPg/_J4_jHkw-cs/s200/sawmill%2Bcreek%2B2.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winey Family pic from one of our<br />
favorite Ontario golf courses, <br />
Sawmill Creek, 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We're lucky that very close to our beach cottage are a number of really nice golf courses. And although I have been on a bit of a break from the sport (spinal surgery will do that to you), and The Winey Daughter would rather play soccer, The Winey Hubby and Son hit the links every chance they get. (This doesn't just apply to our Canada vacation. Those two never, ever, ever pass up the chance to golf. As I write this, it's a lovely sunny autumn Thursday and I'll give you one guess where The Winey Hubby is. Hint: it's <i><u>not </u></i>at his desk at work.)<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EsOfBDzGhHA/Vfr8rFRtRKI/AAAAAAAACPY/ZWdcQ8d4CyI/s1600/sawmill%2Bcreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sawmill Creek, Ontario, Canadian wine, Mike Weir" border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EsOfBDzGhHA/Vfr8rFRtRKI/AAAAAAAACPY/ZWdcQ8d4CyI/s200/sawmill%2Bcreek.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winey Family pic from one of our<br />
favorite Ontario golf courses,<br />
Sawmill Creek, 2009</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
There is a reason I'm talking about golf and Canada here. It's Mike Weir. He is Canadian golfer, Masters champion and more to the point: he has a winery in Ontario. So of course on our most recent visit to the beach, I decided it was time to hit the ball off of the tee, so to speak, and try some of <a href="https://www.mikeweirwine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mike Weir Winery's Unoaked Chardonnay</a> (2014, 12.5%, Niagara Peninsula). This cost $14.95 Canadian, making it a wonderful bargain (about $10 American at the time I bought it).<br />
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The first thing I noticed about this Chardonnay was that it was a really pretty, bright clear gold color. It looked so nice with the beach setting. Anyway, the nose on this wine is pure pear. As for the taste, that pear was the first flavor that came through. It was followed by some golden apple, some toasty vanilla, nutmeg and a tinge of cinnamon. It finished very juicy and tasty. Pure Chardonnay grapes, no wood barrels to interfere.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q1OLdhUcwoU/Vfr8CWDZteI/AAAAAAAACPM/oTS8NMb-1LE/s1600/weir%2Bwine%2Blabel.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mike Weir Winery Unoaked Chardonnay" border="0" height="232" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q1OLdhUcwoU/Vfr8CWDZteI/AAAAAAAACPM/oTS8NMb-1LE/s320/weir%2Bwine%2Blabel.JPG" title="Mike Weir Winery Unoaked Chardonnay" width="320" /></a>I can best describe this wine as round and full. It falls somewhere between summer and fall - fruity and juicy but with those warm brown spices that give you a hint of the autumn weather to come. It's a great transition wine, if you feel the need to ease yourself away from light whites to more hearty whites as the weather grows cooler.<br />
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OK, I'll say it: this wine is hole-in-one! A birdie! Or if you're me, and holes-in-one and birdies are not normally used in conjunction with your golf game (ahem), it's a really good wine. (I may not have been the world's best golfer, but I always had a keen appreciation for the cute outfits and the drink cart.)<br />
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Fore! (For some reason, I say that a lot when I golf.)<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-22782139154971841772015-09-17T11:42:00.000-04:002015-09-17T12:55:51.892-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: New Favorite Alert - Eos Estate Zinfandel<br />
So after a busy summer, The Winey Nest is empty once again. The Winey Daughter is safely ensconced in her second year at college. The Winey Son has some new digs in Texas. It's just me, The Winey Hubby and The Winey Dog (more on the dog in the future :)<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-THuqe-7ECuM/VfrdjQwnAMI/AAAAAAAACOs/9KK1XTcnRu0/s1600/Eos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Eos Estate Zinfandel wine label" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-THuqe-7ECuM/VfrdjQwnAMI/AAAAAAAACOs/9KK1XTcnRu0/s1600/Eos.jpg" title="Eos Estate Zinfandel" /></a>I was talking with a friend the other day. She is one year away from her own Empty Nest. And she mentioned that she was pretty unsure about the whole thing. I told her, "It's much worse dreading and anticipating the empty nest than the actual reality of the empty nest." And it's true. The Empty Nest does not stink. Sure, we miss the kids and their friends. And I especially miss our family time. But we have our four-way texting sessions and phone calls and the odd Face Time session. And I just MAY be stalking a few Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Hey, every new picture is proof of life, right?<br />
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There are a few advantages even. I can finish all the laundry in two loads: Darks. Whites. OK, I'm not including towels and bed linens here, but they're so easy I don't count them. Nor do I need to do them as often, because it takes so much longer to get a full load with only two people in the house. We can park our cars in the garage again. Both cars, one garage. Not that I have ever backed out of the garage and into The Winey Hubby's car parked in the driveway, twice, but this is nice, especially when it rains. We can eat in front of the television if we want to. (Breaking a cardinal rule of family dinnertime.) This means we've been able to see more of the Cleveland Indians' games. Although at times, this is definitely not an advantage. But that is nothing new. The DVR is ours again. All ours.<br />
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And so in honor of looking for the sunny side of the nest, I have found a new favorite wine, courtesy of The California Wine Club. (Full disclosure: I get two bottles of their wine every month to review for my work with Moms Who Need Wine. And I normally don't mix my reviews between there and here, but then I realized that when I find an amazing wine from the CWC, I should share it on The Winey Mom, too.) So this post is a bit of a re-write of one of my reviews from there, but I loved the wine so much I just had to.<br />
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This wine I speak of is<a href="http://www.eosvintage.com/?method=products.productDrilldown&productID=91B2A6F1-E272-9D19-4F1E-E7D9EC60B609&originalMarketingURL=product/2012-Eos-Zinfandel-Paso-Robles" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Eos Estate Zinfandel </a>(2012, 14.5%, CA) from Eos Estate Winery in
Paso Robles, CA. Eos is very dark red with a nose of chocolate
covered cherries. One of my favorite scents of all time. Every time I sip a Zinfandel like this, the whole varietal moves up higher and higher in my winey esteem. You'll taste cherry, dark mocha and a line of
sweet chocolate when you sip it. There’s also that Zinfandel spice thing going on – dark green
spices and herbs that give it a little extra zing.</div>
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Eos Zinfandel is full of everything you
want in a Zin – fruit forwards and toasty and ending up with zingy tannins. It's pretty balanced too, for a 14.5% ABV. There's just a hint of warmth at the end of a sip. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
Cheers!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">I received this wine for review purposes. The opinions are all my own. The idea for this post was originally written by me and published under my name on <a href="http://www.momswhoneedwine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Moms Who Need Wine.</a> So I'm kind of just copying myself here because I really liked this wine so much and wanted my Winey Friends to hear about it.</span></i></div>
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-85034155340353361762015-09-10T15:30:00.000-04:002015-09-10T15:41:45.532-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Two Canadian Unoaked Chardonnays, Eh? <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dxl8k9kMfzE/VfHIt5VAv3I/AAAAAAAACNw/pAZxJRIXLs8/s1600/IMG_4110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Dxl8k9kMfzE/VfHIt5VAv3I/AAAAAAAACNw/pAZxJRIXLs8/s200/IMG_4110.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view looking south.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
OK I couldn't resist the "eh" in the title of this review. And it's meant with absolutely no disrespect at all to our neighbors up north. The Winey Family loves Canada. We have spent many, many happy times up there and this year was no exception.<br />
<br />
The Winey Hubby and his family have been going to a small beach in Ontario for a LONG time. Before the Winey Hubby was born, actually. It's that kind of a family institution for them, and this year, we did the math and figured out that the family has owned this little patch of heaven for 95 years. We're gearing up for a big bash for the centennial in 2020, by the way.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H_12K2cQr4U/VfHXtpyrsfI/AAAAAAAACOU/37O2DjnCQOE/s1600/IMG_4113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-H_12K2cQr4U/VfHXtpyrsfI/AAAAAAAACOU/37O2DjnCQOE/s200/IMG_4113.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winey Daughter and Dog with our <br />
houses in the background. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The beach town is called Ipperwash. I don't know why. It just is. And when anyone around here says "the beach" we know just what they are talking about. (This is sort of like when I say "the shore"and everyone knows I am referring to my beloved Jersey shore.) It's located on sands of Lake Huron. Our little compound consists of three buildings that between them, can house 6 families. Or as we like to say, "the cousins," because over the years, as children marry and families grow, we have just started calling each other cousins. One of said cousins can actually figure out all the first, seconds, thirds and removeds.....but my mind can't handle that.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wt6QYRuKxuY/VfHIsk3PhWI/AAAAAAAACNo/Bu2Ygv8KMs0/s1600/IMG_4112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Wt6QYRuKxuY/VfHIsk3PhWI/AAAAAAAACNo/Bu2Ygv8KMs0/s200/IMG_4112.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our view looking north. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The fact that the beach is in Canada has opened up a whole new world of wines for me over the years, and I decided that it was high time I started to write about some of them. So here we go.<br />
<br />
It was so nice and hot up at the beach this year that I decided to sip on some lovely white wines. I love unoaked Chardonnays, and I picked two of them to try first. Boy, were they different.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Kp6XS1nBOQ/VfHXYQViKLI/AAAAAAAACN8/Y1jyxWGWlc0/s1600/20%2Bbees%2Bbottle.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Kp6XS1nBOQ/VfHXYQViKLI/AAAAAAAACN8/Y1jyxWGWlc0/s200/20%2Bbees%2Bbottle.png" width="60" /></a><b><a href="http://www.diamondestates.ca/site/20-bees-niagara-wine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">20 Bees Unoaked Chardonnay</a> </b>(2014, Ontario, 12%) had a cute label. No judging, it was the beach after all. And a very good price, which was $9.95 Canadian, which at the time, translated to about $6.95 American. <i><u><b>I would like to add here that such conversion only works on currency. I had a birthday while we were at the beach, and trying to convert my age to Canadian only got me laughed at</b>.</u> </i>Back to the wine: 20 Bees comes from the <b><a href="http://www.diamondestates.ca/site/niagara-winery" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Diamond Estate Winery</a> </b>over in Niagara-on-the-Lake, one of our all time favorite places to visit, by the way. This wine is best served very, very cold, because 1) It was hot and 2) the flavors really came out the more it chilled. The nose is of faint pear and yellow apples. The flavors were pear, and some very mellow, gold apple. It ended slightly tart green apples and nutmeg. These bees felt round and full in the mouth, too. This was a great unoaked Chardonnay! The grapes really shone on this one, no wood barrels needed here. And yes, you still got that little bite of warm nutmeg spice at the end of it. Well done, bees, well done.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i09vziEMIo0/VfHXcdnWOOI/AAAAAAAACOE/8yGn99I_eag/s1600/east%2Bdell%2Bunoaked%2Bchard.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i09vziEMIo0/VfHXcdnWOOI/AAAAAAAACOE/8yGn99I_eag/s200/east%2Bdell%2Bunoaked%2Bchard.png" width="60" /></a>Moving on, also from the Diamond Estates Winery, I tried the $13.95 (Canadian) <a href="http://www.diamondestates.ca/site/eastdell-estates-niagara-wine" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>EastDell Unoaked Chardonnay </b></a>(2013, Niagara Peninsula, 12.5%). The nose on this wine was ripe pears and some vanilla pudding. The flavors were pear, red apple, nutmeg and it finished off with some sour apple. Would I compare it to 20 Bees? Nope. Because while 20 Bees felt round and full in mouth, EastDell just felt thick and flabby. No sharpness to the taste all....and it was too "cloying" for my taste buds to enjoy.<br />
<br />
So while these were two unoaked Chards, they were very very different in taste. The grapes for 20 Bees were from all over Ontario, while the EastDell grapes were from Niagara. The tasting notes for the wines said that the 20 Bees were fermented in stainless steel for 12 days...but the EastDell spent 8 months fermenting. So I can assume that the vineyard location and the length of fermentation both made a big difference to my taste buds here. While one was lively and tasty, the other was just thick and flabby.<br />
<br />
I really don't mind when I get a wine I don't like...at least once I get past the whole bummed out thing...because with each wine I don't like, I learn so much more about the ones I do.<br />
<br />
If you get the chance, and you are in Ontario, go with the 20 Bees. If you can't visit, learn from my experience that not all unoaked Chardonnays will be to your taste. If you're in a restaurant, ask for a little taste first. If you are in a wine store, check with The Winey Mom first to see if I've tried it (shameless little plug) and if not, talk to the folks who work there. It'll help you choose a zesty unoaked Chard instead of a dud.<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-24933019378225978002015-08-27T11:22:00.000-04:002015-08-27T11:22:47.167-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Line 39 Sauvignon BlancI seem to be on a Sauvignon Blanc kick these days. It may be the direct result of summer finally arriving here in Cleveland. And the temperature is finally in the 80's instead of the humidity level and/or chance of rain being in the 80's. It seems that these conditions have me reaching for a bottle of cool and crisp white wine time and again. I'm okay with that, by the way.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AG6_nA6G03I/VczgeF3CCqI/AAAAAAAACMo/YpmRvP-Dmhw/s1600/CE01_0077R1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc" border="0" height="149" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AG6_nA6G03I/VczgeF3CCqI/AAAAAAAACMo/YpmRvP-Dmhw/s320/CE01_0077R1.jpg" title="Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the bottle label, to give you an idea of where that<br />
39th parallel hits.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In my previous review, I talked about <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2015/08/winey-tasting-notes-sketching-with.html" target="_blank">Scratchpad Cellars Sauvignon Blanc,</a> which was a very tart, dry Sauvignon Blanc. This review is also about a Sauvignon Blanc, but this one is from California.<br />
<br />
It's called Line 39. The "line" refers to the 39th parallel line that runs through California wine country. So now you've had your geography lesson for the day. Carry on.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.line39wines.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc</a> (2013, 13.9%, Lake County, California) is very pale gold in color. It starts out with a nose of melon and starfruit. It's not the strongest bouquet out there, so don't spend too much time trying to figure it out.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-evB5o5wxdxE/VczfwTFayaI/AAAAAAAACMc/5oYmFUDvmQk/s1600/line39sauvblanc_ca_nv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-evB5o5wxdxE/VczfwTFayaI/AAAAAAAACMc/5oYmFUDvmQk/s320/line39sauvblanc_ca_nv.jpg" title="Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc" width="100" /></a><br />
The taste of the wine is full of key limes, cantaloupe, tangerine and just a tiny hint of honey. It finished with a slightly sour, citrusy flavor. The wine is perfectly layered: the tart, citrus and fruit flavors below with that honeysuckle floating lightly above them.<br />
<br />
Very fruit forward, but it has that little hint of sweetness that Scratchpad didn't. That's not to say this is a bad thing...it just goes to show you how different two wines of the same varietal can be. While the Scratchpad stayed citrusy and sour, Line 39 hits on the citrus but adds in that little extra layer of flowers. It's not so sweet that it isn't refreshing though, which is a good thing when your taste buds are screaming at you to give them a bit of summer while it's still around.<br />
<br />
If you like a white wine that's full of crisp tartness but tinged with some sweet, you'll like Line 39.<br />
<br />
Cheers!<br />
<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-90703704514985746122015-08-13T13:37:00.000-04:002015-08-13T13:39:02.386-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Sketching with Scratchpad Cellars' Sauvignon BlancI know that I've talked about fun wine labels before, but as I wandered the wine aisles recently, I spied a really different type of wine bottle label. It was blank. And it had a little tag around the neck of the bottle, with a little pencil attached to it. The instructions on the tag read: Sketch. Post. Sip.<br />
How cool was that?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HIGQs_YN7Qw/VczS5UgV3AI/AAAAAAAACL0/sNQNA7GnVYQ/s1600/IMG_3937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Scratchpad Sauvignon Blanc" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HIGQs_YN7Qw/VczS5UgV3AI/AAAAAAAACL0/sNQNA7GnVYQ/s320/IMG_3937.jpg" title="Scratchpad Sauvignon Blanc" width="240" /></a>Upon closer inspection, the wine was called <a href="http://scratchpadcellars.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Scratchpad</a> and it was a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (2013, 13.8%, Central Coast California). And the idea was to grab that little black pencil and personalize that wine label to really make the vino your own. How fun! A customized wine label on the spot.<br />
<br />
The only real problem with this is that I cannot draw. Seriously. I am no artist. In any way shape or form. I can write, I can play piano, I can scrapbook and make cards.....but I cannot draw. Well, I cannot draw past a stick figure, first grade level. And I mean no disrespect to any first graders out there, who are probably better than me anyway. And if you are a first grader reading this, cut it out. You're underage. Show it to your parents and go back to your crayons.<br />
<br />
My lack of artistic ability did not manifest itself in my offspring. In fact, I can tell you for sure that The Winey Daughter has quite the artistic bent. She draws and paints and has amazing fashion and decor sense. She is great at photography (she just won a photo contest during her summer studying abroad). She gets it from her dad, The Winey Hubby, who has a wonderful eye for color and form and seriously can decorate better than I can. He gets it from his mother, who is actually an artist - and we have the paintings to prove it. So there was nothing to do but to drink the wine and hand the bottle over to The Winey Artistic Daughter.<br />
<br />
As it happened, we opened this wine on the evening that The Winey Daughter arrived home from her 6 weeks of study abroad. She had taken classes in England and then did a little touring around the continent with a buddy. And she was finally home (along with the brand new camera she won in that contest). At her request, we dined on the patio, since it was a lovely summer night.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pZk3vnlTyZY/VczThJAi02I/AAAAAAAACL8/bD8GpGSLpjs/s1600/IMG_3980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pZk3vnlTyZY/VczThJAi02I/AAAAAAAACL8/bD8GpGSLpjs/s200/IMG_3980.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My pretty flower.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Scratchpad Sauvignon Blanc fit right in with the grilled chicken and salad and strawberries. It started out with aromas of kiwi, starfruit and melon. The flavors were full of lemon, white grapefruit, kiwi and it finished off with some sour citrus rind. The tart lingered, but the fruit flavors did not. This was a very crisp, dry wine and it was wonderful on that patio.<br />
<br />
If you like a white wine that's full of tart fruit flavors without a hint of any sweetness anywhere you'll love this.<br />
<br />
I duly handed the bottle over to The Winey Daughter. She drew a pretty little dogwood flower for me on the label. The bottle now has a place of honor on the bookshelf next to my computer. So I got to sip some great wine, got The Winey Daughter back from Europe AND I got a cool little memory of the night she came home. And I didn't have to draw any stick figures and prove to everyone that I am not now and never will be an artist. Phew!<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-51133260159420841842015-07-30T15:31:00.000-04:002015-07-30T15:31:08.211-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: A Winey Day in OhioWhat to do on a perfect July day in Ohio, when it is NOT raining (this year, that's kind of rare) and you and two of your Winey friends want a girls' day out? You hit the wineries, of course. For those of you who don't know northeast Ohio, take that surprised look off of your winey little faces. We have quite the wine region up here, known as the Grand River Valley region, which stretches through Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties.<br />
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Lake Erie is the reason this region pretty much exists, since the waters to and from it carved out the Grand River valley. The lake also keeps the temperatures nice and moderate (just don't ask how much snow they get up there....YIKES!) and provides a very happy climate for Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc grapes. It's also very well known for its ice wines, thanks to the winters we <strike>struggle through</strike> have here.<br />
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And it's less than an hour drive from our homes. Easy decision.<br />
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We started our day out at the largest of these wineries, which none of us had (gasp) never been to: <a href="https://debonne.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Debonne Vineyards</a>. This winery began life in the early 1900's as a fruit farm, and <a href="https://debonne.com/debonne/winery-history" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">became an official winery in 1972.</a> They also have a great menu there, and since we all wanted lunch, Debonne was the perfect choice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ON_TAvOtv6g/VbAUmaMW0jI/AAAAAAAACJE/jAD6sQwfDHY/s1600/IMG_3880.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ON_TAvOtv6g/VbAUmaMW0jI/AAAAAAAACJE/jAD6sQwfDHY/s320/IMG_3880.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dry varietal white wine tray <br />
(yes, you get to keep the glass).</td></tr>
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Debonne also has these awesome tasting trays, where you get anywhere between 6-8 samples of wine and can choose from a number of wine combinations. We went with the dry varietal wine tray (reds and whites), the dry white wine tray, and the off dry to sweet varietal tray. Yes, we all made sure we had a different tray because we are a sharing little group..and this way we really got to sample a very full range of Debonne's wines.<br />
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Since, between the three of us, we had about 18 different wines, I'm going to give a quick little overview of some of our favorites, in the hopes that it will help anyone else pick a Debonne wine to try. Here we go:<br />
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<b><u>Chardonnay Reserve</u></b>: aroma of pear and light oak, full of flavors of pear and nutmeg and a little toasty vanilla.<br />
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<b><u>Semillon, Muddy Paw</u>:</b> (from Trebets Estate Wines, see my review of the <a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2015/07/winey-tasting-notes-empty-nest-series.html" target="_blank">Muddy Paw Cabernet Sauvignon for more info on Muddy Paw</a>) Light and juicy, just shy of being fully tart. Peach and light citrus scented, flavors of peach and some citrus, hence the "almost" tart!<br />
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<b><u>Pinot Grigio</u>, 2013, 11%:</b> All three of us loved this one, and I went home with a bottle of it. A nose of pear and pie spices followed by tastes of flowers, honey, citrus rind with a refreshingly tart finish. Sip it cold, but pay attention as it warms up, because that's where the finish comes with a sweet note above it all. Great wine!!!<br />
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<b><u>Jazz White</u>:</b> A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Riesling. A bottle of this one went home with one of my friends. Apple and pear aromas, followed by zesty lemon-lime flavors.<br />
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<b><u>40th Anniversary White</u>:</b> A blend of Chardonnay with a little Riesling. A lovely, light wine. I tasted granny smith apples and light oak flavors.<br />
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<b><u>Merlot</u>: </b>Berries on the nose. Raspberry and strawberry flavors with a medium tannic finish (not too drying, but it does have that Merlot pucker to it!).<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEmmbVR9eao/VbAcwUbaMrI/AAAAAAAACJU/U21ZTR4GBKw/s1600/IMG_3882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="South River Vineyard, church building" border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kEmmbVR9eao/VbAcwUbaMrI/AAAAAAAACJU/U21ZTR4GBKw/s200/IMG_3882.JPG" title="South River Vineyard" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South River Vineyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Il91d_WaQFU/VbAcx1lgELI/AAAAAAAACJc/AK3qKwMuPNQ/s1600/IMG_3883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="South River Vineyard, back patio view" border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Il91d_WaQFU/VbAcx1lgELI/AAAAAAAACJc/AK3qKwMuPNQ/s200/IMG_3883.JPG" title="South River Vineyard" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South River Vineyard<br />
view of the back patio</td></tr>
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After our lunch and mega catching up with each other session (kudos to the folks at Debonne who didn't roll their eyes at us at all), we took a drive by some of the other nearby wineries. The staff at Debonne told us that we had to see <a href="http://www.southrivervineyard.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">South River Vineyard</a>, which was pretty much just down the road from Debonne.<br />
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And we were so glad we did! A picturesque winery housed in an old church with gorgeous views off its back porch and patio. Being the responsible people that we are, we didn't try any wines, because we know our limits...but we walked around the grounds and vowed to come back.<br />
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We had also been told that the newer <a href="http://www.hundleycellars.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hundley Cellars </a>was lovely, so this was another winery we stopped at. Our first thoughts upon walking into the tasting room was "our hubbies would love this place". Lots of wood beams, antlers, rustic wooden tables and one of the friendliest tasting staffs I can remember. They were all so excited for us to try the wines there that even though we hadn't planned on it, we wound up on their gorgeous back patio with a glass of wine.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwzK4zQQd74/VbAc0EppEAI/AAAAAAAACJk/r-qX2H3mcOo/s1600/IMG_3884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="view of lake and grounds, Hundley Cellars, Geneva, Ohio" border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LwzK4zQQd74/VbAc0EppEAI/AAAAAAAACJk/r-qX2H3mcOo/s200/IMG_3884.JPG" title="Hundley Cellars, Geneva, Ohio" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hundley Cellars<br />
view from the back porch</td></tr>
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I had their <b><u>Riesling</u> </b>(12%) because it was just so good! The nose was faint, but the flavors were not. There was a line of juicy peach running through the middle of it, surrounded by sour citrus flavors. A great combination! The finish was key lime, and as far as I'm concerned, you can never go wrong with key lime. (Side note: they also have a wine called Blonde Ambition, which I liked a lot when I tasted it and which would be a VERY fun gift for ladies of a certain hair color. Like me.)<br />
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We could not have asked for a more glorious day: lots of talking and laughing and eating and sipping and the chance to explore a stunningly beautiful area of our state. If you ever get the chance, give the Grand River Valley wineries a try. The wines will please everyone from the sweet wine sippers to the big red lovers. I suggest pairing the wines with your special date or a bunch of your best girlfriends. <a href="http://wggrv.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">For more information on the Grand River Valley wine growers, head to their website.</a><br />
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O-H.....(the correct response here is for you to say "I....O".)<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-53567371027288619492015-07-23T13:07:00.001-04:002015-07-23T13:25:46.645-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Frisk Prickly RieslingWell, I learned something new when I started drinking my latest wine choice. There are Alps in Australia. Who knew I'd get a geography lesson that day?<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oUP3J62ji28/VagMmFBuD4I/AAAAAAAACIs/7LIEzcjJA3U/s1600/Frisk_750_HERO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oUP3J62ji28/VagMmFBuD4I/AAAAAAAACIs/7LIEzcjJA3U/s400/Frisk_750_HERO.jpg" width="131" /></a>I thought I was just buying a nice refreshing-looking wine for the weekend. It had a cute name: Frisk. And it was Riesling, but it was "prickly" Riesling. That intrigued me.<br />
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As I researched the wine, I learned that Frisk makes its home in the Alpine Valleys of the Australian Victorian Alps. And by Victorian, I mean the city of Victoria, not the era of Queen Victoria. Well, well, alps in Australia. But what did that matter or mean for the vino? First off, you've got a bit of an Italian influence here, since the vineyards were founded by Italian immigrants in the 1850's. They saw the mountains, started climbing and then sent back to the homeland for their grapevines. The valleys are formed by 4 rivers, so you get that wonderful mineral element in the soil. It snows on them in the winter, too. These grapes have a lot of character, it would seem.<br />
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The first thing I noticed about <a href="http://www.friskwines.com/#home" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Frisk Prickly Riesling</b></a> (2014, 9.5%, Victoria, Australia) is that it fizzed when I poured it. It smelled of tarragon, which kind of scared me, since that's not a favorite aroma of mine. But then I tasted it. Flavors of juicy starfruit and lime and flowers hit me first...and the bubble were tiny and active, so it felt lively and, to quote the bottle label, it had a "racy verve" (I love that description. I wish I'd come up with it first.) The winemakers say that the "prickly" element comes from the "canny" yeast added during fermentation. Again, another description I wish I'd thought of first: canny yeast. It finished nice and tart<br />
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This wine was so yummy. Absolutely not too sweet...it's like they took all the best flavors of a Riesling, added a little sass, and came up with a refreshing, flavorful, bouncy wine.<br />
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If you like a wine that is on the sweeter side, but not thick and sweet, you will love this one. If you like your wine with a bit of a tart taste in it, ditto. And ditto again if you like a little movement in your vino. The bubbles really play a big role in the taste and feel of Frisk, tiny as they are after you pour it. I found this wine for under $8, by the way. Frisk also makes a <a href="http://www.friskwines.com/#wines" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>Prickly Rosso</b></a>, and I intend to climb the nearest Alp, or head to the nearest store, to get some.<br />
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This wine paired very nicely with a seat on the patio, doggie in my lap and a new magazine to read. (Yes, since you asked, it is a bit difficult to read a magazine with a dog on your lap. I gladly accept the hardship however.)<br />
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Cheers!<br />
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<br />The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-81316219404597912252015-07-09T17:26:00.000-04:002015-07-09T18:13:52.558-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: "The Empty Nest Series" Muddy Paw Cabernet Sauvignon<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afEvMMpgnkQ/VZ1cVHGesVI/AAAAAAAACIE/chMNspurH5g/s1600/IMG_3825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="rory, malshi" border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-afEvMMpgnkQ/VZ1cVHGesVI/AAAAAAAACIE/chMNspurH5g/s320/IMG_3825.jpg" title="Rory" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rory, just before her 3rd birthday</td></tr>
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My "Empty Nest Series" is dedicated to the Winey children who did NOT leave The Winey nest for college and jobs and - the nerve - their own lives. Each Empty Nest Wine has something to do with those children who stayed: namely, the doggies. Woof. So from time to time, as I come across a doggie themed wine, another entry into this series gets posted.<br />
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When The Winey Nest emptied, we had two precious doggies to keep us company. However, one of those little ones, our Maltese named Chloe, has since left us for Doggie Heaven. We miss her horribly and there isn't a day that goes by that we don't think about her. Especially her little sister, Rory, who is an about to be 3 year old Malshi (she's a Maltese with a little Shitzu). The Empty Nest Series is still dedicated to both of our woofers, though. Because even after a pup crosses the Rainbow Bridge, they are always, always in your heart and memories.<br />
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I have a soft spot for people who do nice things for their canine pals...like rescue them and find them homes. And one day at work (yes, I decided that as fun as the empty nest can be, it can also be a bit..well....slow at times..so when the opportunity to re-join my friends at Fox 8 news in Cleveland came up....back I went to produce their website) we had some of these special people on. They were holding a benefit for the Lake Humane Society (Ohio) and it was called: <a href="http://www.lakehumane.org/woofwagandwine.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wag, Woof and Wine</a>. That's right....wagging and woofing and wining!!!!! I ran to the studio to say hello to these highly enlightened folks, and got to meet up with Cindy from <a href="http://grandrivercellars.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Grand River Cellars</a>, the winery that puts on the event. I also go to meet Harry, an amazingly mellow pooch who let me hug and pet him lots. Seriously, major TV news perk: meeting the guests, human or otherwise.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhGI3xRsggo/VZ1cAzAkXLI/AAAAAAAACH8/GaUPnzxgQB8/s1600/IMG_3832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Muddy Paws Cabernet Sauvignon" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lhGI3xRsggo/VZ1cAzAkXLI/AAAAAAAACH8/GaUPnzxgQB8/s320/IMG_3832.jpg" title="Muddy Paws Cabernet Sauvignon" width="197" /></a>Cindy left me a bottle of <a href="http://muddypawwines.com/contact.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Muddy Paw Cabernet Sauvignon</a> (NV, 12%, Madison, Ohio), which is produced by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/muddypawwines/timeline" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trebets Estate</a> Wine folks. When it isn't being featured at Wag, Woof and Wine, it raises money for another local humane society in <a href="http://www.geaugahumane.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Geauga County.</a> And it comes with the highest of approvals: Owner tested, dog approved. What more could you ask for????<br />
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Not much really, because I'll tell you flat out that this is one of the best Ohio Cabernet Sauvignons I've ever had. We have a great wine growing region called The Grand River Valley Wine Region and if you ever find yourself up around Madison or Geneva, Ohio....stop and sips the wine.<br />
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Back to Muddy Paw. Let it breathe: not an option and you'll be happy you did. It's a dark pinkish maroon color that gives off aromas of coffee, mocha and raspberry. The flavors that hit your mouth are cherry jam, mocha coffee and vanilla cream. There's a long line of oak running through the finish and the tannins hang around for a bit. It feels smooth in the mouth and is just everything you want in a Cabernet Sauvignon: fruit and oak and that hint of vanilla cream that smooths it all out.<br />
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A flavorful, rich Cabernet Sauvignon that is dog approved and helps doggies in need. Need I say more?<br />
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You can find Muddy Paws at Grand River Cellars, along with Grand River's own line of wines. Safe to say that you'll be hearing more about them in the near future.<br />
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Here's the interview from the day I met Harry and his human pals:<br />
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<script height="433px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=h0dXdtdTpOudQ3W0ijBORyZD9i2YO260&pbid=b248f00b9d6e4d7ba21cbc796a85f61c" width="500px"></script><br />
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Cheers and woof!!The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7443467539471526005.post-51928618031891846872015-06-25T15:16:00.001-04:002015-06-25T15:30:06.818-04:00Winey Tasting Notes: Downton Abbey's Countess of Grantham Collection As I write this review, and was sipping on the wines, The Winey Daughter is and was spending the summer studying in England. Yes, England, the land of The Royals, tea and scones, British rock and (reverent pause here) Downton Abbey.<br />
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I am a serious Downton addict. In fact, when The Winey Daughter was accepted into the program in merry olde England, my first thought was, "How close will she be to Highclere Castle?" Which, for those of you who are woefully ignorant, is the Hampshire estate where Downton is filmed. (Trivia tidbit for you all: the very funny series Jeeves and Wooster, staring High Laurie and Stephen Fry, was also filmed there. Yes, I own that entire series on blue ray. Thanks for asking.) Back on track here....I suppose a really responsible Winey Mom would have thought, "Is this a solid study abroad program?" Or, "Do the credits transfer?" Or, "How much?" But no, my thoughts flew straight to Downton and how I could come up with enough money for her to buy it for me. The Abbey, I mean, Castle. Whatever. To answer some of those questions: close enough, great program, credits count toward her major and enough.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--8wOdPeVOc0/VYxR0iD7kZI/AAAAAAAACHU/jA11UngY1is/s1600/downton%2Bchardonnay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--8wOdPeVOc0/VYxR0iD7kZI/AAAAAAAACHU/jA11UngY1is/s320/downton%2Bchardonnay.jpg" width="107" /></a>Not that I begrudge my child any sort of travel..in fact, The Winey Hubby and I love to travel and have instilled that love in both of our kiddies. I just can't help but be a little bit jealous.<br />
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There is a cure for my envy though, and as you might have guessed, it comes in a wine bottle. Right before the start of season five of Downton Abbey this past January, Downton Abbey wines released two new offerings. Instead of the classic Bordeaux wines (which of course I reviewed..<a href="http://thewineymom.blogspot.com/2014/01/winey-tasting-notes-i-can-handle.html" target="_blank">.click here </a>to head there), these two new wines pay homage to the Countess of Grantham, who, in the show, is an American heiress. The wines hail from one of my favorite wine regions, Lodi, California. And there's a picture of Downton Abbey on the label. Oh joy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.downtonabbeywine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Lady of Grantham Chardonnay</a> (2013, 13.8%, Lodi, CA) starts off with a nose of nutmeg, cinnamon and pear. The flavors in it are sweet pear, vanilla cream and cinnamon and they're all wrapped up in a touch of toasty oak. The wine is light but full of flavor and it has a creamy silk mouthfeel that reminds me of one of the Countess' gorgeous gowns. Sleek and silky and classic and just gorgeous. Kind of like Cora herself. The more I sipped on this wine, the more I really liked it. Don't let the marketing via Downton on this one keep you from trying it. It's simply that good. I am going to get more. (The Winey Daughter has six weeks in England, after all.)<br />
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The <a href="http://www.downtonabbeywine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lady of Grantham Cabernet Sauvignon</a> (2012, 13.8%, Lodi, CA) starts out with a nose of pepper, cherry syrup and some fresh cut wood. You'll taste flavors of pepper, mocha and green herbs. There's definitely an oak tinge on the finish. This is a wine that you will want to let breathe first - I solved that problem with my trusty aerator. I'd call this a very stately, layered wine with extremely good taste. Kind of like the Abbey itself....big and bold and stately and dignified. I can just see Carson pouring this as we sit down to dinner in the formal dining room.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bdvBxvky6-Y/VYxR0qUmxiI/AAAAAAAACHQ/NQJHAOKokwE/s1600/downton%2Babbey%2Bcab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bdvBxvky6-Y/VYxR0qUmxiI/AAAAAAAACHQ/NQJHAOKokwE/s320/downton%2Babbey%2Bcab.jpg" width="114" /></a><br />
If the Chardonnay is cultured and elegant like Lady Cora, the Cabernet Sauvignon totally represents the house that she lives in: majestic and dignified.<br />
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You can find both of these wines at<a href="http://www.downtonabbeywine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Downton Abbey Wines' website</a>, but if you live in Ohio, like I do, you will have to order them through <a href="http://wine.com/">Wine.com</a>. I have given up trying to comprehend the shipping laws of my state, so I'll stop right there. I'm just glad I could get my Winey little hands on these two offerings. They were very, very good...especially the Chardonnay.<br />
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I suppose I would be remiss if I did not address the other big issue with Downton Abbey these days, and that's the (very, very sad) fact that cast and crew have started shooting Season 6. THE LAST SEASON.Seriously, Mr. Fellowes, what were you thinking when you decided that? Or were you? I mean, how am I supposed to get through a Cleveland January without a new Downton Abbey to look forward to?<br />
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I intend to weather the storm with dignity, though. And a few bottles of Downton Abbey wine. And a blue ray of the series. I have recently convinced The Winey Hubby that Downton is worth watching...all of it...from Season 1 to the just finished Season 5. So I am getting my fix this summer and will be primed and poured when Season 6 starts..and ends. Sob.<br />
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But hey, stiff upper lip and all that...and cheers!<br />
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The Winey Momhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14459600816464055233noreply@blogger.com0