Sweet new year transition (part 2)

For the main course of the New Year's eve dinner, we had this wonderful Rasteau 2001 du Chateau de la Gardine with Duck breasts with apples and honey. I knew the Chateauneuf-du-Pape from then same winery so I selected this one with confidence. For $18 at Blackwell's wines, it was a perfect match with the food and great pleasure for the palate. Not as popular as the Chateauneuf but from the same area, the Rasteau is an excellent Cote du Rhone for half the price. This appelation is known also for their fortified wines (Vin Doux Naturel).

Sweet new year transition (part 1)

I like the end of the years: it's always the time when you have opportunities to drink good wine or at least better than the everyday wine drunk the rest of the year. Well the down side is that after the holidays we are broke and more likely to try wines around $5 than $10; but let's start the year 2007 with the 2 wines which helped me finish 2006 in joy.
The first one is this Sauternes Hauts Charmes 2003 which was of course selected to pair with a foie gras. For Christmas we had a Montbazillac which we usually find better than cheap Sauternes but this one was perfect for $20 at the new wine store I have started shopping at: Blackwells wines on Geary Bd. They also have half bottles for $11; excellent price for this quality.

South Africa Sauvignon Blanc

"Fleur du Cap" a French name for a nice wine "inspired by Nature" as printed on the label. This wine has the right balance between fruit, alcohol and dryness; in other words it is really easy to drink and it pairs very well with everyhting from the sea.

Etrusco..also in California

First it sounds strange that they couldn't find another name for a Californian wine but after visting the Martin Weyrich Wines web site I found out that this winery is specialized in Italian grape varieties and they are making Cal-Italina wines! Anyway this is a Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon found at Trader Joe's around $7 which is in fact pretty good. It is definitely this mix of Californian taste with Italian tradition which helped my pleasure. Good one to try. Watch the alcohol level though!

La Renjardiere - Cotes du Rhone

I went to BevMo last Wednesday to buy a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau but they were out! so since I was there I felt that I should try something different instead. I decide to get this Cotes du Rhone, Chateau La Renjardiere for $7.99, made by the Dupond Family who also bottles some Beaujolais also available from BevMo above $10. Anyway this was a good pick, very young, light, fresh and green this wine has the very typical taste of Cotes du Rhone reds. With pates and salami it pairs perfectly.

The Worse Red in 2006

Before I get into the long list of sweet beverages I enjoyed the last few days, I would like to send a Red Flag Warning to all wine consumers shopping at Trader Joe's for cheap bottles: earlier I blogged the acceptable Zarafa Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa so I tried the Red labelled Pinotage 2005 from the same producer and it was a big mistake :-( This is the worse wine I've ever drunk! I cannot describe the chemical taste of it but I can say it was not a bad bottle but their whole production since I got exact same comment from a friend who like me dumped it in the sink. I don't like when I have to do this so I wanted to share this experience so you won't have to do the same. Usually when a wine is not so good I can either use it for cooking or make vinegar...but not this one, no way! Fortunately I have more positive comments coming...

Wildhurst Merlot 2002

It was a long time since I had risked my health tasting a Californian red wine, barely recovering from bad experiences in this area ;-) Well there are some good points here to notice: first I still not fanatic a these wines described as "Black cherry flavors, the intriguing cedar and earthy notes, the touch of spice..." (where the black berry probably sun dried on a leather saddle), second I have to say that I can measure improvement in the last 10 years but still use of American Oak and excess of sun will be difficult to avoid. The price finally is correct at Trader Joe's and a little overpriced at the winery. I noticed that it is common on various wine blogs to recommend beverages for Thanksgiving; well myself I will be eating sandwiches in the wood looking for some mushrooms and I will probably take a bottle a Beaujolais Nouveau with me since I didn't taste it enough yet. Regarding this Merlot, it is definitely not for the turkey and the occasion unless to want to get drunk before the party starts. Anyway whatever you drink, don't forget to share so we can talk about it later. Have a good one!

Ruffino Chianti 2005

Pretty good wine for its price ($5.99 at Trader Joe's) and from Ruffino Estates who produces delicous Reserva Ducale. I've seen this 2005 Chianti at Cala food for $10.99 whic reminds me how big margins some stores are taking on wines. As a humorist was saying:"As long as the re will be idiots to buy, it's not going to end!".