The first thing I need to mention is: Ignore what I wrote previously. Perhaps they accidentally bottled the wrong wine in the bottle I had purchased before, perhaps it was corked and I was far too innebriated to notice, or perhaps I never in fact drank the Little Penguin Pinot. The holidays do weird things to you, folks. Just accept it.

Second, I want to focus for a moment on the fact that’s this is a 2010 red wine. That is wacky to me. It’s January of 2011 and we’re already drinking a 2010 Pinot Noir? I mean, this wine is from South Eastern Australia, but their seasons can’t be so different than ours in the U.S. that they’re releasing 2010 Pinots by January 2011 can they? What kind of oak are they using? Krypton oak?

I guess I’m not really here to complain, but it just seems odd for a 2010 Pinot to be released in 2010. Granted it’s a cheap wine, but still. I don’t know. I’ve done enough rambling now, so let me get to the damn review.

Color

I can’t see my hand through it so there’s something a little fishy here. Pinot, even cheap Pinot, is meant to be so light and filtered in color that you can practically read through it. This stuff is as dark as Zinfandel. Perhaps we’re looking at a new potential phenomenon here: Depending on the varietal, the cheaper it is, the more it’s color will reflect opposite of traditional varietal characteristics. Cheap Syrah is light in color, cheap Pinot is dark.

Nose

Delicious. Smoke and those strawberry candies that they wrap in plastic paper that looks like strawberries. You know the ones. Grandma always had them in a bowl. The best thing about them was that the wrapper was large enough for you to spit the candy back into it so you could toss it when she wasn’t looking. Anyway, fantastic nose.

Taste

Rich, thick, pronounced. This is not a Pinot Noir. I don’t care what the label says. I refuse to believe it. I know the Aussies make some real bruisers when it comes to wines, but this is getting out of hand. Not to say that it isn’t delicious. It is lip-smacking and tasty. Great fruit, rich cherry and strawberry fruit rollups. Some nice smokey bacon elements start aerating through your mouth. The finish is quick, but it’s quick in the sense that a jab is quick: Powerful and gone before you know it, leaving you with nothing but pain. I’m rambling again.

With Food

Well we can’t pair it based on the label. Think of Syrah or Zinfandel. Nothing light with this one. For instance, Pinot can sometimes go with fish depending on how it’s cooked. Not this one. Aim for BBQ sauces, rich ragús or slow roasted game. Ostrich or lamb would be quite good with this. I feel like I should take a Sharpie to every wine shop I can find, scribble out “Pinot Noir” on the bottle and write “Syrah.” So, if you see this, try not to accept what it says on the bottle. Obviously you can see how much this has traumatized me.

Where to Buy

Also found it for a better price than that damn BevMo.

$5.49 at WeSpeakWine.com!

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I’ll be honest, I was surprised at the results of the poll. I had not pegged these two wines as the winners, though I did enjoy them. Since this poll has been going on for nearly a month now, I’m not going to write a big hulaballoo post here. Too excited to just get to the winners. And here they are.

Best White Wine of 2010

Chateau Ballan-Larquette Bordeaux Rose 2009

I liked this wine from the start. The strawberry, the crispness, the slight thickness. This was a wine built for food. Altogether a delicious wine that rings in at just under $10. A great, great buy.

Best Red Wine of 2010

Montevina Barbera 2008

A sleeper of a wine that appeared on my radar in September. It won the gold medal at the Los Angeles International Wine Competition, and with good reason. Velvet cola, caramel, red fruit, and the most intoxicating finish I’ve experienced in a red wine in quite awhile. All this from a California Barbera. Amazing, amazing wine and only $9.99.

So there you have it, folks. The best wines as voted on by the readers and by our tasting back in early December. Overall it’s been a blast choosing the best out of all the brilliant wines under $20 I’ve had the good fortune of tasting throughout the year. I look forward to doing it again next year, and I hope even more of you will get involved!

Cheers!

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Beringer 2009 California Collection Pinot Grigio - $4.99 Everywhere

Hit up this cheap vino for only $4.99 a bottle practically anywhere. I think they even sell it at dry cleaners. Sharp acid, strong citrus fruit (white grapefruit topped with sugar), great lemongrass backend, and a low alcohol content (only about 11%) make this the perfect Christmas lunch wine. Just as the sun starts hanging high and the most depressing start of the year inches ever-closer, pop this puppy open and smile knowing you spent the same amount on weird Uncle Mort’s Christmas present.

Estancia Zinfandel 2007 – $8.99 to $10.99 in Grocery Stores

No American holiday would be complete without a solid, cheap Zinfandel. The not as commonly found in 7-Elevens, the Estancia Zinfandel can be found in most grocery stores. This baby brings a powerful blast of ripe cherries, chocolate sauce and some stiff herb action (heh-heh) on the palate, leading to a slightly acidic but long finish. Much longer than I’m used to for a Zin under $10. Definitely pair this with either the ham or prime rib. Might be a bit too robust for the turkey, but if you’re like me on the holidays, your tastebuds will be destroyed long before the sun goes down.

Have a safe and Merry Christmas!

Cheers!

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This is the first of a two-parter (duh) because I wanted to break up my Christmas wine suggestions according to the major parts of the big day: Afternoon and evening.

Now, this may seem a bit unorthodox (neé alcoholic), but it’s the Christmas. The family has gathered, everyone is worried about that weird uncle or the asshole sibling, your grandmother forgot to put on pants, and all the kids are puking and hate their presents. Nothing helps complement such blatant joy better than cheap wine, amiright?

Picture this: Your alarm rings in the morning (why are we still forced to set alarms on Christmas-effing-morning?), you roll out of bed, down the hall, stop at the bathroom, then head out to the family room where everyone has already conspired against you, leaving you with nowhere to sit but the floor. You can see a pathetically small pile of gifts sitting behind the pajama-ed feet of your nieces and nephews, all of whom have dried snot and boogers crusting their faces (What is it with kids under 10? Do they not know how to work a mirror? You stare at it, stupid.) Someone forgot to make coffee, all there is to eat is cold bread and mustard, and it’s raining out. In short, Christmas morning sucks.

That’s why you need to look forward to finally reaching the socially-acceptable drinking time: Afternoon.

So here are two wines perfect for Christmas afternoon while that bird or ham is in the oven bubbling away.

Chateau Ballan-Larquette Bordeaux Blanc 2009

A beautiful white effort by this awesome producer. Their Chateau Ballan-Larquette Rose is a contender for our Best Wine of 2010. The Bordeaux Blanc is 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon.

Color

Wonderful, bright color with a nice green shade to it. Looks quenching.

Nose

Fresh, crisp, with the scents of herb fields in France: Rosemary, lavender, thyme, and a shot of sweet grass.

Taste

A long, delicious wine. Firm citrus acidity balances out the delicious tart apple and lemon peel. Great backbone to this and it does not let up. Crisp and sharp like cut steel, but it’s not pummeling or puckering you. It’s just right for that cheese plate (or-God help you-cheeseball) or salty appetizer before the main Christmas meal. Delicious.

Where to Buy

$9.99 at BevMo.com!

Little Penguin Pinot Noir 2010

A 2010 already you might say? And red? Well, yes, in fact. While just born, this little baby is delicious and worth more than it’s asking price of $6.99. And it’s from Australia.

Color

Light red with some hints of garnet. Just as a Pinot should look.

Nose

Weak, tight, some sense of red fruit but nothing really present, though I did detect a bit of cocoa for some reason. All this was expected drinking a 2010 already released.

Taste

Ok, so the wine may have a weak nose, but I have to say that I found it delicious. Strawberry, a bit of mint, and some delicious acid. The wine, for some reason, has balance. It’s not too firm or too weak and by all respects, a 2010 should taste like bitter grape juice right now, forget about a 2010 under $10. Still the wine has promise and though it disappears quickly on the finish, it’s worth it’s price.

Where to Buy

$6.99 at BevMo.com!

That’s it gang. Look for Part 2 tomorrow for suggestions on what to have during one of the most depressing parts of the year: The end of Christmas Day.

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Get your floss ready folks because we’re going in.

Color

Well, I said it up there: Syrup. Thick black, rich syrup. Boysenberry and motor oil. A nice glass of 10W40.

Nose

We’ve got another violent wine here. A giant purple hand reaches out of the glass, but it doesn’t just lightly flutter in front of your nose to waft up some delicate aromas, no. This thing slaps you across your face and then grabs your nose, giving it a nice hard twist. Then it screams at you: “Smell this, you pansy!!”

Taste

If you enjoy these bombastic fruit nukes, than we’ve found a wine under $20 for you. Thick, chewy prunes, dates, blackberry fruit roll-ups and black pepper. The varietal characteristics that are meant to be there are all present, they’re just wearing size 15 black army boots and stomping all over your face. The fruit dominates and leaves little room for tannins or any real progression or structure. What I’m saying is, the mid-palate and finish are the same as the front. I mean, this stuff is so thick and heavy that—if you are a male—you should be careful not to spill any on your privates. You’ll be writhing on the floor in agony for a few minutes.

With Food

This wine would actually be good with food from a freshness standpoint because it’s probably violent enough to slaughter an animal and clean it for you. Just bring in a cow and pour some of this into it’s trough. Wait a few minutes and the cow will be a nice pile of steaks.

Seriously though, I hope you’ve got mouth insurance.

Where to Buy

$19.99 per bottle at Southern Hemisphere Wine Center, or $14.99 per bottle if you buy 6!

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This wine is a definite Best of 2010 contender, not just for the taste but for the ridiculous price they’re selling it at.

Okay, we’ve done the Liberty School Cabernet, the Liberty School Chardonnay and told you all about the Hope Family Wines story. These awesome people found the Cabernet review I did a couple of months ago and decided that in order to be revered as one of the most awesome wineries to ever exist, they had to get on WineWelfare.com. Rightly so. I even have a page for applicants!

That said, you all know the story, so I’m not going to go into it anymore. I just can’t keep explaining every little thing to you people. My time is far too valuable and there is just too much vino to drink out there.

The Liberty School Cuvee is a rock star blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Grenach, Mourvedre and Viognier. Just think about all of the possible combinations you can get out of those, then think about the resulting wine being under $15, and you can see what we’re dealing with here.

Color

Bright and not heavy. The nose and taste were rich but the color was not, despite the blend.

Nose

Very floral and bright. Every bright red fruit pops up here. Currants, cherries, raspberry, strawberry and smoke.

Taste

Far and away one of the best wines I’ve had in my life. I shared it out at dinner with my wife, step-dad and his wife, and let me tell you that I’m glad I did. For some reason, good wine just kicks more ass when you’re sharing it with people you care about. Bright red fruits and a real back-of-the-throat smoke come through, followed up by a stiff, velvety mid-palate with a shot of vanilla, finished off with firm but benevolent tannins, a little little leather, and a stewed prune notes. Out of this world structure, complexity and class. I still can’t believe the price.

With Food

As usual when I share wine with my family, we ate it with kabobs, gyros, hummus and the like. I’d recommend it with either nothing or a roast meat and game. Nothing else.

Where to Buy

$10.83 at GrapeDiscounts.com!

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Color

Not as dark as it should be. Petite Sirahs are known for their inky depths but I could see my fingers through this one.

Nose

Very floral with bubblegum. Some good dark blackberry and cassis.

Taste

Grape candy flavors and more bubblegum. It tastes a bit fake, as though it were dressed up. I get the sense that something is being masked. Some nice dark plum and blackberry again, but I can taste a bit too much oak, which I guess is what’s giving it the fake aspects. Weak tannins don’t help much either. The finish is pretty much non-existent. The wine just disappears.

With Food

While the dark fruit and candy flavors stand up at the beginning, the wine loses it pretty quickly, making it difficult to pair, so I would say stick with simple barbecued chicken. No red meat or red sauce. If anything, save this for the end of the evening when you’ve finished eating.

Where to Buy

$15.99 at TheWineCountry.com!

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This was given to us as a gift for some babysitting my wife did for a friend. I love friends who give wine as payment for helping out. They go right to the top of the People You Should Always Help Out list.

Need to be picked up from the airport? No problem! I’m in a Pinot Noir mood this time.

Oh you’re moving and need a hand? You got it! It’s warm out so let’s go with a Riesling.

Emergency room? I’ll be right there! Just grab a bottle of that Liberty School Cabernet before you lose consciousness and I’ll pick you up out front.

Love those kinds of people.

Here is a breakdown of the S|K|N Cabernet Sauvignon:

Color

Welch’s grape juice but looking a little young due to the clear rim upon tilting it in the glass.

Nose

Wow, BIG nose. Lot’s going on here and all mashed together. Cooked crimini mushrooms, slight smoke, bacon, some big ripe cherries. Very old world but a little heavy on the heat. Some isopropyl alcohol coming through.

Taste

Very meaty on the attack. Bold mouthfeel and flavor. Cherry, blackberry and some pie crust thrown in. You know what? This is like a cherry pie topped off with bacon. Whereas the nose held more smoke, the flavor concentrates on the bacon. Not the greatest concentration, but the wine is still delicious. The heavy alcohol is still there at the back of your palate. Tannins are weak but still somewhat present.

With Food

Definitely a meat wine. Although, some bacon-wrapped scallops or shrimp would work out very well. I wouldn’t go crazy with barbecue, though. Save that for the Syrahs. Broiled red meats or roast game.

Where to Buy

$7.99 at CrownWineandSpirits.com!

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Oh wait, now I remember why: Really awesome Italian wines tend to cost a tad more than US $20. Ah, the plight of the poor wino.

Anyhoo, each week they have four separate wine flights for tasting. They usually break down as follows: One all-white flight, one all red flight, one bubbly flight (or something else off the beaten path like rose, etc.), and one that I like to call the FASCINATING flight. Obviously the Fascinating Flight tends to be the most pricey, but on a weeknight back in early August I decided to splurge (my wife would usually get the white), and boy did I choose the right week to splurge.

The flight I had was called “Gaglioppo Through the Years,” and it was a vertical tasting of Ippolito “Ripe del Falco” Ciro Rosso Classico Superiore Riserva vintages 1996, 1995 and 1993. Now, for someone as “into” wine as myself, I would prefer to say that this was not the oldest wine I’ve had in my six years of interest.

But it was. And it was awesome.

Now, I know this is a site for under-$20 wines, but we have occasionally (ok, once) written about wines that did not meet our price threshold simply because they were worth sharing with our readers. I’m not expecting everyone to run out and spend over $50 on a bottle of Ippolito “Ripe del Falco” (which is around what these three cost), but at least you will know about what is out there and some might learn about a grape and a wine they have never heard of before. It’s something new. So let’s share that.

First, a little history on the wine itself:

The Ippolito “Ripe del Falco” is made from the Gaglioppo grape in Calabria, Italy. That’s the toe of the boot. Gaglioppo is one of the oldest grapes on the planet and was previously thought to be of Greek origin, but it was later discovered to be a native Italian varietal. A 2008 study showed that Gaglioppo DNA was closely related to Sangiovese, a grape I’m sure most of you have heard of since it is used to make Chianti as well as around ten other wines. The study concluded that Gaglioppo is a hybrid between Sangiovese and an as-yet-unidentified varietal. Gaglioppo is used to make 90% of the wine that comes from Calabria. Most Calabrian wines are made and then sent off to Northern Italy to be used in blending. The wine they keep tends to be of high alcohol content.

The Ippolito winery is actually the oldest cantina in the Zona Calabria. It was begun in 1845 and still makes the exact same kinds of wines as it did over 100 years ago. Some vintages soar, while others simply maintain. The one constant is the care and quality put into the wines, not to mention the superior cellaring strength (that means they age very well and for a very long time).

Now, onto the wines:

Ippolito “Ripe del Falco” Ciro Rosso Classico Superiore Riserva 1996

The potency of this vintage hits you right off. Since I had no other vintage to compare it to, at the time I felt it was by far the strongest in terms of nose and alcohol. In hindsight however, it just tasted younger than the others. A blast of oily cherry hits you right off, followed by a musty metallic note. The color of the wine is still solid, but closer to the edge you can see that it thins out slightly. Younger wines tend to have a rim of water when you tilt them in the light, but my experience with young means 5-6 years. Nothing like this. The wine was structured oddly, with different flavors of leathery fruit bouncing back and forth. Leathery cherry, dates and caramel. The alcohol provides the final kick to the face. This was not what you would call a “bright” wine, but rather studied, serious and very very terse.

$37.99 at LinerandElsen.com, though you have to order by phone.

Ippolito “Ripe del Falco” Ciro Rosso Classico Superiore Riserva 1995

While similar to the 06 vintage, this one did not have the attack of the first. The nose was much more subdued, with fruit taking a backseat and giving way to the less edible qualities on the nose. Leather, ash and a bit of resin. The flavor profile on this is as solid as a rock. No dancing around here. Prunes, rich black cherry and the full mouth feel of a fruit bomb Syrah, but with less juiciness. The style of the Gaglioppo is here with a vengeance as the tannins kick in to batter your tongue before letting the velvet softness of the fruit play on. Delicious soil flavors come along with a finish that can only be described as “mushroomy”.

$33.00 at Vinopolis Wine Shop.

Ippolito “Ripe del Falco” Ciro Rosso Classico Superiore Riserva 1993

This was the most unbelievable of the bunch. The discrepancy between this vintage and one from just two years later is remarkable. The color is rust with flecks of black, like a pan sauce after broiling a steak. Copper pennies and motor oil hit your nose, followed by old leather. Not the supple, cared for, oily kind. I’m talking left-out-in-the-desert-heat-to-blister-and-flake leather flavors. With good reason, too as Calabria is one of the hottest areas of Italy. When it comes to the fruit of the 93, think dried. Plums, prunes, dates, apricots (yes), cherries, and black olives. You know those super-cured black olives you can buy in bulk in some stores? The kind that are so wrinkled and concentrated that they look dreadful, but whose flavor you can never get out of your mind? That’s this wine. This thing even tastes wrinkled. The alcohol has aged off somewhat, making you able to taste a spectacular finish that leaves your tannic-dry tongue smacking for more. Too bad it’s like $50 a bottle.

Haven’t been able to find this one online.

Obviously you could enjoy any of these with food, except perhaps the 93, but I’m not going to presume to know what specific dishes might be best. I’ll just say rich red meats with sauces. If you decide to pick up any of these, save them for a special occasion, and make sure you drink them with something you cooked yourself for someone special. Don’t take them to a restaurant.

All of these wines are available (unless they’ve run out) at 55° Wine:

3111 Glendale Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90039

(323) 662-5556

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The answer is a resounding “YES”. In fact, it’s going on the “Best of 2010″ list here on Wine Welfare, which seems to be fast-becoming a list of 15 or 20 instead of my original idea for 10, but that’s a good thing. More on the Wine Welfare Best of 2010 list later, but I will say that I am going to need some readers to get involved and cast some votes.

On to the wine:

Color

Deep, dark, rich brilliance. Mash up some black cherries and add some ripe blackberry juice for a match. Gorgeous.

Nose

I don’t often agree with the winery notes for a wine, but I have to agree here: Cherry Coke. It comes through strong with nuances of tobacco.

Taste

Stunning mouthfeel. Velvet cherry with bright cola and caramel flavors. Spot-on structure with great fruit and tannins attacking in the front, the mid-palate is where you can literally taste the velvet, and the finish is a final spike of cherry with some dirt and a touch of tobacco. The wine isn’t quite a beast, but is rather understated. It doesn’t throw it all in too quickly; it takes it’s time and just FLOWS. An extremely pleasing wine for a varietal that is scarce in California, much less delicious.

With Food

Rich red meat or a slow-cooked red sauce. I wouldn’t mess with cheese or fruit with this one. Rare lamb, ostrich (check out the Hitching Post if you’re in California) or high high quality filet mignon is what you need with this baby.

Where to Buy

$7.99 at BevMo! if you’re a ClubBev member, $9.99 without ClubBev.

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Oh, except that it’s a bitch to find if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you.

Color

Sturdy, solid and rich. It’s red. Give me a break.

Nose

Extreme aromatics. Black licorice, violet, cherry and strong poached plums. Beautiful nose.

Taste

Fruit-forward, but not a bomb. Good mix of tobacco and fruit salad elements. Dark berries, saddle leather, chewy. Great structure, I mean seriously. This wine has a brilliant attack, mid-palate and finish. Great tannins back up a full, Ribena-like mouthfeel (look it up).

With Food

A fruit and cheese red. The flavors are so dang delicious, yet delicate, I wouldn’t want to ravage them with red meat or even red sauce. Try salad, though I know how odd that sounds. A bacon, blue cheese, tomato and pears poached in red wine salad. Perfection.

Where to Buy

It’s around $8 bucks at Trader Joe’s but I don’t know where else, dammit.

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Color

Deep, dark, inky, rich.

Nose

Plum, cherry, wooden chair and some cigar. A big, bombastic nose. Such is the case with Shiraz.

Taste

Full-bodied as hell. Hard to find a Shiraz review that doesn’t note how big and fruit-bomby these wines are. The plum and cherry really powers through, though I have to admit the mid-palate was, well, lacking. It’s as if the wine disappeared for a moment and then reappeared in the form of saddle leather and too much alcohol, leaving an unpleasant caramel taste on the tongue. Not quite the finish we want.

With Food

Good food wine, seeing as how it needs something to fill in those gaps. I’d stay away from fruits and cheese and go with entrees. Try some sort of breakfast-cut beef, something thin, maybe with some tomato sauce. Veal is too delicate, but a thin carne asada taco would work well, as strange as it sounds.

Where to Buy

$8.99 at Premium Wine Group!

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Color

Great violet color, vibrant and looks well-made from the start.

Nose

Wow, tropical fruits: Pineapple, papaya, what the hell is this? Some tobacco and red fruit is there, but I can’t make out what.

Taste

Holy crap, the tropical fruit is still there. The pineapple, the papaya. This tastes like one of those orange juice combo drinks they make. Almost Sunny Delight-ish, if you can believe that. I don’t know quite how to describe this. I want to say “fruit-forward” but I’m used to the usual red fruits. Those red fruits are there, but not in any force at all. And all along with these strange fruits comes structure. The tannins are weak, but they are there. No hollowness, and a great finish of cherry mixed with pineapple. Like a sorbet.

With Food

You know, I wouldn’t mess with this one. This is far too unique and complex to be a food wine. ‘Nuf said.

Where to Buy

Under $20 at the winery: http://www.oreanawinery.com/.

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This was a random Trader Joe’s find for me, and while I love the random cheap wines I can find at TJ’s, they make it really damn difficult to pass them on to people who don’t have one near them. This is because Trader Joe’s has some crazy, backdoor tactic when it comes to getting their hands on the wines they sell. They source them direct, I believe, and so the only way to get them is to head to one of their stores. Damn your smart business tactics Trader Joe’s!

I’ll say this for the wine: Kick-ass label. Nothing works better on a bottle of wine than a fat, floating pig.

Color

Light and filtered, just as a Tempranillo should look. Nothing too hefty.

Nose

Frozen cherries, black licorice, tree bark. Cold, empty room with a gurney. Don’t ask me what that means, but it’s what came to mind and what I wrote down immediately. It must be the writer in me. Something in the nose of this wine just evoked “empty” and “hospital”. Boy, I’m really giving the hard sell on this wine, aren’t I?

Taste

BOOM licorice! Really heavy anise flavors stand out completely. Tart cherry, the tree bark again, and a really nice third course of dirty cocoa. Not chocolate; cocoa. Decent structure, but not as good as other Tempranillos I’ve had (but please, this was $6) and even some California Tempranillos. The finish is quick and doesn’t really leave any money on the dresser.

With Food

Great as a standalone, but could work wonders with pizza or some cured meats. Won’t hold up to barbecue or red sauces. Also, strangely enough, this would work with some grilled, spicy fish. Add some red pepper and some lime and you’re set. Paella, too.

Where to Buy

$6 at Trader Joe’s, baby.

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Color

Great rich purple with some nice flecks of garnet. Looks lip-smackingly good.

Nose

Strong dark cherry, vanilla and some dirt. Nice, open smell to this wine. Could even be put away for a year or two.

Taste

Strong, fruit-forward cherry mixed with a bit of tobacco and wet soil. The wine is hot, but not overdone. Still, you fans of not-so-alcoholic reds might want to steer clear or let this breathe for a few hours. Remember, all reds should be decanted for at least an hour, but you all know that. The wine has solid structure and is very firm in it’s finish. The finish is slender but there is enough flavor complexity to make you forget it.

With Food

Great red sauce wine. Most would also pair this with red meat, but I think it is best-served with red sauce. In fact, a really great pairing would be a wood-fired pizza with rich red sauce, linguica and some mushrooms. Forest fruits with a nice hard white cheese would work perfectly as well.

Where to Buy

$9.95 at NapaCabs.com!

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• They didn’t call it a “Meritage”
• Syrah is not regarded as one of the “Noble Grapes”

Speaking of Meritage, the Meritage Association has a fun and informative site worth checking out: http://www.meritagewine.org/home

At any rate, if someone could leave a comment or contact me regarding information on the rules, it would be much-appreciated. Now let’s get into the wine.

Color

Stiff, thick purple. Nothing light in this baby, and seeing as it’s hot as hell out there right now, I should apologize for reviewing it at this time. That said, save this for after sundown.

Nose

Oak, creamy vanilla and very fruit-forward. Lot’s of blackcurrant and even some prune. The wine was aged in American Oak for 23 months, which was very smart on the winemaker’s part (I’m sure he’s looking for my novice approval) because if it had been French Oak, this baby would have been a BEAST.

Taste

The fruit explodes here and almost overdoes it, but the alcohol is present enough to back it up. 2007 was a late year, meaning much of the fruit in Northern California had to stay on the vine longer than usual in order to achieve maximum maturity. This tardiness on the part of the fruit makes this wine great, not only because it ripened a bit more, but because the vines didn’t have it easy, thereby making the fruit more concentrated. The wine is your standard office building: straight-up structure, nothing flashy, and it really serves it’s purpose well. The American Oak comes in to finish off the deep prune and blackberry flavors with a little creamy smoke.

With Food

I see this wine as not over-the-top when it comes to fruit, despite the explosion mentioned above, so I think it would do well with something Provencal or stewed. I wouldn’t pair this with barbecued foods or cheese. Lamb stews, Coq au Vin, or something similar.

Where to Buy

$10.96 at WinesThatWork.com!

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This is how I stumbled upon the Salmon Creek Pinot Noir. It costs $15 at the restaurant which, taking the markup into account, makes it about an extremely affordable Pinot. Now this is what I don’t understand: It’s good. Really good.

Color

Light, transparent purple with some garnet around the edges.

Nose

Strong strawberry juice and white gummi bears. Whatever flavor those were supposed to be. Pineapple? The nose is slightly worrisome, however, once you realize that that’s it. No other structural elements or backbone scents.

Taste

Ok, so now the structure appears. A fruit forward wine nonetheless, there is a brief shot of chocolate and some dirt flavors. I can’t say that the wine has a textbook construction, but everything is there when you need it. Nothing over the top. The strawberry makes way to a tart cranberry juice and we’ve moved away from white gummi bears to pink Sweet Tarts. The caramelly finish makes you realize that you’ve just sipped cheap wine, but it is far from a deterrent, especially at this price.

With Food

I’ve only had this at the kabob place, where I usually order lamb or a gyros plate, so i’d stick with that. Red meats that are spiced. It works well and doesn’t beat the food to death. It can hold up to the spices in their Greek salad as well. Let’s put it this way: it says something when a cheap red wine can fight a good battle against Kalamata olives.

Where to Buy

$6.94 at SaratogaWine.com!

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$14.99 at Cork & Bottle Fine Wines!

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The Foundry Viognier 2006

Yellow-green and very bright. Looks very refreshing. Lot’s of honeysuckle and citrus with a strong burst of apricot. Good rockiness on the back-end that leads to a crisp finish. A good hot summer white to enjoy with the TV outside.

WHERE TO BUY: $8.99 at WineLegacy.com!

Fair Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Apple freshness with very bright acidity. Good creamy lime flavors come through once it’s not so chilled, making this great for grilled chicken or fish with lime and some salsa.

WHERE TO BUY: $7.01 at FineWineShop.com!

Jam Jar Sweet Shiraz 2004

This is a weird one. There aren’t a lot of sweet red wines out there that aren’t fortified or taste like spiked Kool-Aid, but this one was actually pretty tasty. It fits into the summer heat thanks to the sweetness. But don’t let the name or my use of “sweetness” throw you. This isn’t sugary or syrupy, but only slightly sweet. Not a regular Shiraz, but not a straight-up dessert wine. Great juicy plums and maraschino cherries. Still a few tannins in there, but I would leave this for after the meal.

WHERE TO BUY: $11.89 at TheWineStoreRI.com!

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It’s also a holiday for drinking.

With both of those in mind, we’re reviewing Jarhead Red wine. Jarhead Red was created by Winegrower and former USMC Captain, Adam Firestone and Vineyard Foreman and former USMC Sergeant, Ruben Dominguez. All net proceeds go to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, a foundation that has honors the service of the Marine Corps by educating their children. Over 24,000 scholarships have been given to deserving students, including 1,405 for this past academic year.

So you can get a nice buzz going while knowing you’re helping some folks out.

Here are the notes from the winemakers: Jarhead Red is a robust, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. It was aged in French oak barrels for eight months. It offers flavors of plum, cassis and black currant with fine tannins on the finish. Jarhead Red is available in 750ml (the Rifleman) and 1.5L (the Sergeant). Occassional availability on larger formats including 3.0L (the Sergeant Major) and 5.0L (the Commandant).

COLOR: Like the man says above: “Robust.” The color kicks things off by being tough, rich, and dark.

NOSE: Great dark cherries on the nose with a hit of leather boot. There is also some vanilla coming through.

TASTE: Your mouth is Iwo Jima and this wine is the Marines. This thing is a delicious stomper. The initial onslaught is in the form of those leather bootstraps digging into mud. Then come the cherries (I tried to come up with a good analogy for Marines and cherries, but it just seems insulting no matter how you spin it). Ripe, juicy fruit combined with an insanely big mouthfeel. Reinforcements in the form of tannins come in to pummel your tongue one last time until you have no choice but to surrender. You’re finished and Iwo Jima has been taken.

WITH FOOD: I may be on a no-beef kick right now, but damned if this stuff wouldn’t be delicious with a rare steak. Not a cheese and fruit wine. Serve this with something tough enough to handle it.

WHERE TO BUY: $8.99 at FineWineHouse.com or at your local Henry’s Farmers Market!

WINE WEBSITE: http://jarheadred.com/

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