Primarius Pinot Noir

Its summertime, and that means lighter easy to drink wines that won't make our Valley temperatures feel hotter than normal.  If you're looking for a red that means going for Syrah, Beaujolais, or Pinot Noir.  According to Mike Jones, the Pinot is one of the hottest wines going right now, and its easy to see why.  Last time I was in Jones Liquor he recommended a couple of Pinots, and now we're getting around to the second bottle from that trip. 

On Saturday we opened up a bottle of Primarius' 2009 Pinot Noir.  This is a really light little Pinot from Oregon.  As a quick side note, the Northwest is quickly becoming the place to find some really good Pinot Noirs at really reasonable prices, so look at where the wine is coming from when you pick up a bottle.  We tried it with Saturday's dinner and Sunday's brunch, but it was a little light for both meals.  Still, that doesn't mean this isn't a good wine on its own.

The first thing you'll notice about the Primarius is its light color.  Its a very pale purple, almost lavender, and so clear you can see through the glass.  On the nose its all light berries, particularly raspberry, and cherry.  The lightness continues on the palate.  The Primarius is light, fruity, and slightly earthy.  There are strong elements of strawberry and other light berries here as well.  Soft tannins round out this wine and allow for a soft and mellow finish.  This is a really refreshing wine that you can drink all on its own. 

We'll keep looking for the perfect accompaniment as long as there's wine in the bottle.  If we find something that works really well you'll hear about it.

I picked up the Primarius at Jone's Liqour here in Brownsville.  It runs $21.99 a bottle.  You can find out more about the wine at:  http://www.preceptwinebrands.com/our_wines/brands/000000030/primarius

Brunching it up with Barton & Guestier Vouvray

Pris has been on a bit of a quest to try new foods from our magazines that we subscribe to and pair them with wines from our collection.  This normally involves me doing a lot of work in the kitchen on the weekend and dirtying a lot of dishes.  However, I like cooking and I like drinking wine or beer while I cook.  So it all works out in the end. 

We decided last night to do a Sunday brunch today.  The menu was a spinach salad with grapes, bacon, pecans, havarti dill cheese, and a raspberry/bacon vinaigrette. The salad was really easy to make and exceptionally good.  Of course anything made with that much bacon has to be good.  For the main course I made a Spanish tortilla.  It was a surprisingly simple mix of onions, potatoes, bacon and eggs.  Now that I've got the basics down I'll probably try some different variations later on.  Pris also poured us a little orange juice mixed with some leftover Gewürztraminer for her own take on the mimosa. Really good, great combination.

To go with this fine little brunch Pris selected a fine French white wine from Barton & Guestier that we picked up back before the move.  Barton & Guestier's Vouvray is a nicely chilled white wine that went really well with the meal.  The Vouvray had a fresh citrusy nose.  On the palate it was light with more citrus.  There was a crisp acidity that asserted itself with plenty of bite and a bit of tanginess in the mid-palate.  The B&G had a slightly sweet almost cloying finish to it.

The wine paired well with the tortilla thanks to the citrus.  Just think how well bacon, eggs, and orange juice go together.  But where this wine really shined was in the pairing with the salad.  The crisp citrus acidity complemented the tangy sweetness of the vinaigrette, and contrasted nicely with the earthy pecans, savory bacon, and creamy havarti.  Overall, it was an amazing set of flavor combinations.

The Barton & Guestier Vouvray is a great summer wine.  The lightness and crispness will allow it to pair with any number of light summer meals.  It will also do great all on its own as a refreshing drink during the hot summer afternoons here in the Valley.

Neither Pris nor I remember where or how we got the Barton & Guestier Vouvray, so I can't really provide that info.  But look for it at your local stores.  If we bought it, most likely it was purchased at H.E.B.  Online it lists the price between $10 and $11 a bottle.  So this is a very good buy at a really good price.  You can find out more about this wine at:  http://www.barton-guestier.com/

A Zinful Dinner

Back when Pris and I lived in McAllen I always tried to pick up Zinfandels for Pris and I to try and Pris never wanted to get them.  I kept reading about some very good wines, but there wasn't any interest on her part.  This was mainly due to some confusion about the wine itself.  Apparently she was confusing the deep red Zinfandel I wanted to buy with the sweet pink White Zinfandel that people usually drink when they are first starting out drinking wine.  Same grape, but two very different wines. 

The last Zinfandel we tried turned out to be a fairly sweet red from Cameron Hughes Flying Winemaker series, and we've pretty much stayed away since then.  However, our friend Kate Moore gave us a bottle of Seven Deadly Zins 2007 Zinfandel before she left to San Francisco, and we've been cellaring it ever since.  Pris had a really tough time deciding on a wine for dinner last night, but after doing a lot of research decided on the Zinfandel.

While the label says Zinfandel, this is actually a blend of Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, and Petit Verdot.  The wine is sourced from seven different vineyards in the Lodi Valley in California. Of course the dominant grape is the Zinfandel, but the mixing is superb.  This is a deep plum colored wine with excellent structure.  It has a fruity and spicy nose with a touch of leather.  The Seven Deadly Zins is full bodied with lush fruit and a nice spicy kick in the mid-palate.  Solid tannins provide a full finish to this wine.

Part of Pris' problem in deciding on a wine was the ever evolving nature of our dinner menu.  We'd pulled a couple of strips out of the freezer yesterday, but didn't want to go with just another steak and Cab review.  So last night was an all grilled menu.  There was the steak seasoned with my own rub which is a mix of garlic powder, house seasoning, creole seasoning, and fresh ground pepper.  We added a little surf to the turf with a couple skewers of shrimp seasoned with Fredericksburg Farm's spicy chocolate java seasoning.  I also grilled up some calabazas topped with queso fresco. Of course you need some type of starch so I brushed some olive oil on a few pieces of garlic, onion, parmesan bread from Breadsmith.  Desert was grilled peaches topped with vanilla ice cream and Fredericksburg Farm's Peach Amaretto Pecan Sauce.

The wine paired spectacularly with the grilled steak and shrimp.  The spicy and smoky quality of the wine was a perfect compliment to the spicy seasoning and smoke in the meats.  The wine also picked complimented the flavor of the chocolate java seasoning in the shrimp. It even went well as a contrast with the calabaza which was lighter and tended to cool the spice in the steak and shrimp. Pris' research really paid off, this is a great wine to pair with grilled food.  Even better, its versatile enough to pair up with the surf & turf which is no easy feat.  We didn't pair the wine with desert, but it was awesome.  Just putting that out there.

Like I said, we got this wine as a gift (thanks again Kate), but I've also seen it at both H.E.B. and Target.  It is a very accessible wine, and one I would consider a good value wine.  I think this particular vintage is off the shelves by now, but I'm sure they've got more to replace it. You can probably find this wine at some of your local liquor stores as well.  For more information on this wine you can go to: http://www.michaeldavidwinery.com/wines/7-deadly-zins/

Much Ado about Norton

Its always a tough choice deciding what wine to drink with dinner.  While I stayed in McAllen this Thursday Pris initially decided to open a Merlot that we'd had since before the move to Brownsville.  Unfortunately oxygen got into the bottle and the wine had turned.  So she moved on to her second choice and opened up a bottle of Norton Barrel Select 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon to go with her meal.  I got to dig into it when I got home Friday evening while the "tropical storm" came through. 

The Norton Barrel Select Cab is a good little wine.  It has a great nose full of cherry and blackberry.  Its a full bodied, but mellow Cab.  This wine is soft on the palate with loads of dark fruit and some spice towards the end.  Supple tannins provide an nice mellow finish that lasts for some time.

This is an Argentinean Cab from the Medoza region, and its considerably softer than your typical Cab from California.  It still has the full flavor and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon, just not as much bite or tannic activity.

One of the best features of this mellow wine is that it can pair readily with a wide variety of meals without it overpowering them.  We initially paired the wine with some brisket and potato salad from Rudy's and it went really well.  The wine held up with the deep smoky flavor of the meat and the sweet spice of the sauce without any problems.  Later on in the evening we had another glass with some olives, manchego cheese, serrano jamon, and lomo.  Again, the wine paired flawlessly with the salty savory meats and cheese.

Besides its versatility, the Norton Barrel Select is a great value at about $10 a bottle.  At that price, this is a great everyday wine, or as Pris put it "economy wine."  If you're looking for a decent, well priced Cab then this wine has you're name on it.  If you're more into the big bold dry California Cabs and Argentinean Malbecs, then this wine may not be your first choice for dinner or drinks. You can find the Norton just about everywhere.  Its at H.E.B., Feldmans, and Target.  Again, it runs about $10 and is a great value.  You can find out more about the Norton wines at:  http://www.norton.com.ar/

Grillin & Chillin with Carchelo

Back around the 4th of July I had picked up some wines to go with the meat I was firing up on the grill.  Mike Jones had some recommendations and we've already reviewed one of them.  This weekend we moved on to the second wine recommended for grilled and barbequed meat, a Spanish blend by Carchelo.

The 2009 Carchelo C is a blend of 40% Monastrell, 40% Tempranillo, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  On the nose the Carchelo C is very ripe with notes of cherries and raisins.  This is a light and fruity wine that has a brisk concise finish.  The three grapes all offer their own strengths to this wine.  Dark fruit from the Monastrell, lightness from the Tempranillo, and spicy boldness from the Cabernet.

This was a good wine with grilled chicken and bbq sauce.  I thought it went well with some Rudy's brisket I picked up this evening, but Pris felt the chicken was a better pairing.  The sweet in the wine with the smoky from the chicken worked really well together.  Like I said, this was a good wine with barbeque, but its not really a wine we were too fond of on its own.  The lightness and sweetness that worked so well with the grilled meats was a bit much for us on its own.  Now if you're into slightly sweeter and fruitier wines, then the 2009 Carchelo C is for you.

We purchased the 2009 Carchelo C at Jones Liquor in Brownsville and it was $10.99.  Its rated 91 points from Wine & Spirits and 88 points from Wine Advocate. You can find out more about Carchelo at:  http://www.carchelo.com/

J. Opi: A Steak-Loving Wine for People who Love Steak

Despite the title, this wine works for anyone who loves a great bold red wine.  Every once in a while my mom gets an order of wines from Wall Street Journal Wine Club.  Luckily, she always orders a little extra to give to Pris and I since she knows we love wine.  We decided to open one of the bottles she gave us to go with a marinated sirloin I grilled up for dinner.  And to go with a big rich steak? A Malbec from the folks who know and love beef and wine.

We opened up a bottle of J. Opi's 2009 Malbec.  While we both wanted a Malbec for dinner, Pris had her heart set on this one after reading about the awards and accolades.  The J. Opi has won the Malbec Trophy, and the Argentinean Best Red Trophy at the 2009 Decanter World Wine Awards.  Strong work in a field crowded with great steak loving wines.

The J. Opi is a dark purple wine with a heavy complex aroma of dark berries.  The wine is almost smooth on the palate, but stout tannins keep this wine full and dry.  Full fruit flavors of plum and cherry dominate the wine, but there's still a undertone of wood and smoke.  The wine finishes as strong as it starts, and lingers nicely in the mouth.

Everything Pris read said to pair this wine with steak, and everything she read was right on.  This wine went amazingly well with a marinated sirloin from Bob Stark's Beef Shop, some toasted brioche, and manchego cheese.  Tonight we actually finished off the bottle with some skillet heated grilled ribs and manchego cheese.  Again, it was a fantastic pairing.  It seems that this wine will pretty much go with any beef dish.  If you're looking for something for steaks, beef ribs, or other beefy meals then look no further.

Since this is a WSJ Wine, you have to go to their website to order it.  You can find the wine, and more information at: www.wsjwine.com

A Midsummer's Night Italian Wine Dinner

Let me just start this post by saying that if you like wine and good food, and you haven't been to a wine dinner at Santa Fe Steakhouse, you need to go.  This is our second wine dinner, and we enjoyed it every bit as much as the Bryan Page Wine Dinner.  The wine and course list was a little lighter, but that was reflected in the price.  Still, a night with five fantastic wines expertly paired with five amazing dishes is something we looked forward too.

  

We started the evening with Prosecco Treviso Brut Cantine Maschio paired with roast asparagus and goat cheese ravioli with fresh basil pesto.  The prosecco, like most proseccos, had a light citrus nose.  On the palate it was light and fizzy with a crisp citrus aftertaste.  On its own, this effervescent wine is refreshing and easy to drink.  Paired with the food its rocketed up into a whole new level.  The dish was amazing, and the wine offered a fantastic contrast.  The lightness of the wine was a great counterpoint to the heavy pesto cream.  The mix of sweet citrus with the tart cheese and bitter asparagus was fantastic, and we were only getting started.

The second course paired a 2007 Fontanelle Chardonnay with sautéed mussels in a cilantro buerre blanc. The Chardonnay had a bold fruity nose followed by mellow spring fruits on the palate.  This wine was dry and full in the mouth, but not tart, with a smooth mellow finish.  The smooth finish was a surprise considering the slightly bitter finish found in some Chardonnays.  This wine paired perfectly with the mussels.  Smoky and briny met smooth and fruity.  The buerre blanc was amazing, and I noticed I wasn't the only one at the table soaking it up with the bread once the mussels were gone. 

On a quick side note, this is second time that Pris has eaten something well outside her comfort zone.  She'd never thought she'd want to eat mussels, but she went through them as quickly as everyone else.  So that's now duck and mussels thanks to wine dinners.

Our third course paired  a 2007 Castello D'Albola Chianti Classico with a dish of heirloom tomatoes, burrata cheese and basil oil.  This was the first of two very different Chiantis, and an excellent compliment to the food.  The Castello D'Albola had a light coloration with a full fruit nose.  This is a Sangiovese through and through.  It was light, fruity, and contained just a hint of spice at the end.  Despite the lightness of the wine it still provided a nice full finish.  The Castello was mellow and way too easy to drink.  With the enhanced caprese salad it was lighter still.  The salt in the dish provided savory flavors to pair with the light sweetness of the fruit.  The one problem I had with this dish was that there just seemed to be too little of it. As a final note, this particular Chianti is also listed as #47 of last years top 100 wines to buy.

The main course followed with a 2007 Peppoli Chianti Classico paired with short ribs with soft polenta and sweet onion confit.  The differences in the two Chiantis was immediately apparent.  Where the Castello was light and clear, the Peppoli was a study in dark garnet.  A big bold nose started this wine off nicely.  It was followed by a smooth full dark ripe fruit on the palate.  This 90 point Chianti was earthy and spicy with plenty of black currant.  In a word this wine was perfect with the braised short ribs.  Dark rich wine cooked beef with a dark rich wine is a hard combination to beat.  Of course the creamy polenta with its smoky cheese and sweet caramelized onions was phenomenal.  As a total taste combination, this course was unbeatable.

Finally along came desert which was Passione Brachetto d'Acqui DOCG 2006 paired with a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry and orange sauces.  Normally I'm not the biggest fan of desert wines, but the Passione was different.  This wine was bubbly, sweet, and cloying but neither overpowering or syrupy.  It was also carbonated, which probably went a long way to keep the wine light and almost refreshing.  Loads of ripe berries can be found in the aroma and went perfectly with the berries in the dish.  The chocolate cake was a study in rich decadence.  The wine, while sweet, actually worked to cut through the richness of the cake.  It was a perfect final pairing.

We've now been to two of these wine dinners and we're looking to go to more.  They've both been amazing experiences that have provided both exceptional food and wine.  The price can be a bit high, but its well worth it.  These tastings are very different from the tastings at stores where the store is forced to regulate the amount you can be served.  Here, if your glass is empty, there's a waiter swinging by shortly to refill it.  The wine dinners are a great way to sample several wines across several different varietals and types.  What's more, you can find some really great pairings that you can incorporate into your own dinners at home.  I understand that in August the drink of choice will be champagne.  Pris and I aren't sure if we'll go since we're not that into champagne, but we might just to try the pairings.  Dinners are announced month to month and we'll be looking forward to getting to McAllen for more of them as we can.

I'm not sure where to find these wines, but its my understanding that Feldman's works with Santa Fe on these dinners so that would be a good place to start.  I've included the websites for the wines in order below if you'd like more information.  You can also do searches on them as there seems to be an abundance of information on the web about them.  Enjoy.

http://www.maschio-usa.com/home.html

http://www.castellobanfi.com/wines/index.php?wine=12

http://www.zoninusa.com/castello-d-albola/wineries/castello-d-albola

http://www.antinori.it/

Prime Time with Primus

Normally I like to write these reviews after a couple days when we're almost done with the bottle.  However, we've got an Italian wine dinner at Santa Fe Steakhouse this weekend, so in order to not get behind, this review is going out a little early.  Tonight we opened up a bottle of Veramonte's 2007 Primus which is a fine Chilean wine that's one of our "always in stock" wines.  Of course this was our last bottle which means we'll be stocking up again shortly. 

After the Altamura it was going to be tough to go to a regular wine, but we figured Primus was up to the challenge.  Normally this is a fantastic wine, and we'd pulled out a bottle earlier to review, but it had turned on us for some reason.  That's always a risk you take with wine.  This bottle from Chile's Colchagua Valley though was Primus perfection.

This is a bold and full bodied wine with an expressive nose and a complex palate.  Dark notes of spice hit you immediately with the first swirl of the glass.  After that dark rich fruits burst on the palate followed by subtle spices.  Powerful tannins make for a long full dry finish to this exceptional wine.  As big and bold as this wine is, it's not overwhelming.

The authoritative flavor of Primus is unsurprising if you look at its pedigree.  its made of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 8% Merlot and 7% Carmenere (a Bordeaux grape from France that is rarely seen in France, but thriving in Chile).  This is a powerful blend of some of the biggest boldest grapes out there and you can tell.  Pair this wine with big food that work well with bold wines.  Think a porterhouse and a wedge salad, or a large hunk of aged cheddar with crackers and stoneground mustard.  We had it with some skillet heated leftover sirloin; asparagus sautéed with garlic and capers; and loaded mashed potatoes with garlic, paprika, cheddar cheese and sour cream.  It was an outstanding accompaniment.

One of the great things about Veramonte Primus is that you can find it just about anywhere.  Here in Brownsville you can get it at Jones Liquor, Feldman's, or H.E.B.  I don't remember where we got our, most likely H.E.B.  It runs between $20 and $23 depending on where you get it.  For more information on Primus you can go to:  http://www.veramonte.com/home.html

For the Big Five-0: 2007 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon

Not long after we started this blog a friend of ours who also has a blog told us to talk to him about blogging when we hit our 100th post.  Its not 100, but we're now officially halfway there.  So for this post we wanted a special wine, and we were willing to splurge a bit on it.  So I ran out to Jones Liquor and picked up a bottle of Altamura's 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.

We had a cork from an Altamura Cab in the corks we keep around for decorative purposes for a while.  Neither Pris nor I could remember the wine or where exactly we had it, but we kept the cork and that meant we enjoyed it.  Most likely it was from a birthday party for my dad, something my brother bought or brought.  Pris did some research and decided we needed another crack at this wine since we're taking notes now.

In a word: incredible.  Magnificent or superb may also work.  This is an amazing wine.  It starts with a delicious fruit nose that is a wonder of subtle nuance.  Its not as bold as most Napa Cabs, but it has all the notes of dark fruit you'd expect in a Cab with a touch of espresso mixed in.  On the palate this wine is all smooth elegance. Full ripe flavors of cherry, cassis, and dark berry meld for a mellow study in near perfection.  The tannins are so soft and well rounded that you won't even realized you've finished your sip until is long gone.

This is not a big bold California Cab.  But it is a fantastic and delicious wine.  Like with almost all the best wines Pris and I kept pouring glass after glass until most of the bottle was gone.  We probably could have finished it, but I had work and I would have been a denied an excellent refresher before writing this post.

We're not the only ones that think the 2007 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon is and incredible wine.  Its rated 96 points by Wine Spectator, and listed as #5 in the top 100 wines of 2010.  Similarly, The Wine Advocate ranks this Cab at 95 points.

You can pair the Altamura with pretty much anything its so mellow and versatile.  We went with the usual Sunday Steak.  Or, you may just want to drink this wine on its own and savor its incredible flavors all on their own.

The 2007 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon isn't cheap as it runs about $86 a bottle (I did say it was a splurge).  I got ours at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville, and you can find it online for a comparable price.  For more information on the Altamura Winery you can visit:  http://www.altamura.com/

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is Always On

Usually we do the post in the order we open the bottles.  However, due to scheduling issues I got the Bastille Day post out before this one.  We actually opened up the bottle of Alexander Valley 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon on Monday, but are just now getting to the posting of it.

The Alexander Valley Cab is a lot like the Franciscan Cab, always good and easy to find.  You can't go wrong with this particular wine.  We first tried the Alexander Valley Cabs when my dad had a couple left over bottles after delivering them to his customers one Christmas many years ago.  At the time this was one of the best wines we'd tried, and a bit out of our comfort zone for purchasing.  Time's gone by and the Alexander Valley is still good, and thankfully more accessible.

The 2008 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a great and approachable California Cab.  It has a subtle fruity nose with overtones of cherry, cassis, and plum.  The same flavors mingle on the palate with hints of chocolate.  Easy tannins round out this well balanced wine, and a mellow aftertaste lingers without any hint of dryness or bitterness.  This is definitely a mellow Cab, and one that should be enjoyed slowly with good company.

We opened this bottle to go with a mix of sirloin and pork chops.  It handled both meats superbly due to its lighter and mellower character.  It also paired nicely with cheddar, manchego, a hard chèvre cheese, and olives.  Of course you can drink this one all on its own as well.

If you're in doubt about what to get for a dinner or a house warming gift, you can't go wrong with this wine.  You can find it just about anywhere from H.E.B. to your local liquor store.  In my opinion it is not quite as good as the Franciscan, but its really close.  It's also a lot lighter.  So if you're looking for a good Cab that's slightly lighter but packs in all the Cab flavor, look no further.  The Alexander Valley Cab runs about $20 at your local stores here in the Valley. You can find more information on Alexander Valley Vineyard's wines at: http://avvwine.com/

Celebrating Bastille Day with La Domeliére Rasteau!

It was Bastille Day yesterday, the start of the French Revolution.  A movement that mirrored our own, but moved along somewhat differently than our own revolt.  But I digress, sorry it the history geek in me.  Bastille Day is a good day to pull out a fine French wine and indulge in some provincial French dishes.

For tonight's dinner Pris had picked out the La Domeliére Rasteau 2009 Cotes Du Rhone Villages to go with our meal.  We tried this wine a while back on a trip to Feldman's Market Center.  They were offering samples of some of their wines, and we really liked this particular bottle.  At $10 it was a really easy bottle to like.

The La Domeliére Rasteau 2009 Cotes Du Rhone Villages is an exceptionally smooth wine.  It has a very complex nose that's almost pungent its so strong.  Its full and fruity on the palate.  Dark fruits and currant dominate the flavors, but despite the potency of the flavor, the wine is well balanced.  Nice round tannins finish off the La Domeliére and help create a long dry finish.

We paired this wine with a Dijon and herb crusted pork roast, roasted potatoes, grilled vegetables, and assorted cheeses all from Feldman's Market Center.  The pairings went wonderfully.  The wine, while full flavored, actually worked extremely well with the lighter meat and cheese.  I made a cheese toast with some brioche slathered in dijon mustard, then covered in a hard chèvre cheese and toasted.  Fantastic stuff, especially with the wine.

The La Domeliére Rasteau 2009 Cotes Du Rhone Villages is a great wine, especially at $10 a bottle.  We got it at Feldman's here in Brownsville.  For more information on the wine you'll have to Google the wine and check out the other blogs since I couldn't find a central website.

F*@k that's Good! Meeker Winemaker's Handprint Merlot

Mike Jones of Jones Liquor is definitely our "go-to guy" for wine recommendations when Pris and I are looking for something for a special occasion.  He's never let us down, and has given us two of the best bottles we've had.  The first was the Tolosa Pinot from the very first post on this blog.  The second was Meeker's Winemaker's Handprint Merlot, which as the title suggests is an incredible wine.  Pris gravitated to this bottle immediately because it looks like an abstract painting, which she prefers, but had to work on me a bit before we ended up purchasing one.  We opened up our first bottle to celebrate the end of our move to Brownsville, and now on our one year anniversary of the start of our move we're on our second bottle.  Thankfully, its every bit as good as I remember.

The Meeker Winemaker's Handprint Merlot is a work of art, literally.  As the name suggests, each bottle contains the handprint of the winemaker in a myriad of colors with a depth of texture.  Its a thing of beauty, and what initially drew Pris' attention.  Even though some wineries use flashy bottles to move inferior wine, Mike Jones highly recommended it for its contents.

The 2005 Handprint Merlot that we opened is bold and bursting with flavor, but incredibly smooth on the palate.  This was another wine we finished in one sitting without realizing it.  There is a rich and complex nose with loads of fruit.  Rich dark fruits flow on the palate and are mixed with toasty oak.  Bold tannins enable a fantastic full aftertaste that seems to linger just long enough to the next sip.

One of the beauties of this wine is that you can pair it with pretty much anything.  Ours was paired with steak seasoned with a java-steak rub from Fredericksburg Farms.  It paired perfectly.  We're actually finishing off the bottle now with a plate of manchego cheese, cheddar cheese, and olives mixed with feta.  Its amazing.

The Meeker Handprint Merlot is only made in select years in small batches.  We got our at Jones Liquor, and it was about $40.  For us, that's a special occasion wine, and it worth every penny.  According to Pris, Feldman's is now carrying Meeker as well.  For more information on Meeker Vineyards you can visit: http://meekerwine.com/

A Lazy Summer Afternoon with Casal Garcia Vinho Verde

Ah hot lazy summer afternoons, they're hard to beat for having some good food and wine.  This is especially true with a Vinho Verde, which is arguably the perfect summer afternoon wine.  The combination of refreshing taste and lower price (usually under $10) are a hard combination to beat.  Pris read about these Portuguese wines a while back and we've been on the lookout for them ever since.  We tried one with my brother and his girlfriend on an excursion to Houston, and decided to pop open another bottle this afternoon.

This time we went for a Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Branco that I found at Feldman's here in Brownsville.  Its light, fruity, sparkly, and exceedingly refreshing.  This delicate white is full of citrus on the nose and the palate.  There's a light acidity that lends just a touch of tartness in the finish.  The low alcohol content aids in making the wine refreshing, and you can enjoy more of it without the intoxication issues (depending on how much more you drink).

We had a couple glasses with a chicken salad made with olives and feta on toasted pita.  The lightness of the wine went very well with light meal.  All summery and refreshing, and neither left the heavy feeling you get when you eat or drink too much.

The Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Branco is a good little wine to keep in stock for these hot summer afternoons.  It'll probably be a great pre-dinner go to wine as well due to the low alcohol content.  We picked up this bottle at Feldman's here in Brownsville for about $8.  You can find out more about this wine at:  http://www.casalgarcia.com/microsite/

Sacré Bleu, Chateau D'Arcins Cru Bourgeois is Good!

The French may be rude and have a dim view of Americans, but man do they make some great wine.  They're a people that are haughty about food and wine, but with good reason.  In fact, Pris and I have been going through a few more Bordeaux, Beaujolais, and wines with the Haut-Medoc appellation. We've reviewed a few of these wines here, but none yet as good as 2006 Chateau D'Arcins Cru Bourgeois Haut-Medoc. 

We'd tried this wine a while back, and the bottle stayed in our collection after it was gone.  We finally found it again at Central Market on our trip to Austin a few months back, and we decided to crack into it since we were supposed to go to Austin this weekend.  In theory we were going to replace it, but the trip had to be put off unfortunately.

This is an excellent Bordeaux with a deep dark color and deep redolent fruits.  This is a rich wine with loads of fruit, especially plum.  It has a bold nose full of ripe fruit.  What's really nice is how smooth the Chateau D'Arcins Cru Bourgeois is, considering how bold and complex its flavors are.  Refined tannins add to this red wonder and provide a smooth mellow finish.

We paired this wine with grilled steak and it was flawless.  Definitely put the Chateau D'Arcins Cru Bourgeois to work with grilled or roasted red meat or something heavy and rich.  This is an excellent wine we'll definitely be replacing in our cellar.

We picked up this bottle at H.E.B. Central Market for about $21, which makes it a great value considering the quality of the wine.  If you read French then you can find out more about Chateau D'Arcins Cru Bourgeois at: http://www.cavedarcins.fr/, otherwise you'll just need to do a Google search on it and scope out the various wine blog's write-ups.

Celebrating Independence Day with the Hahn Family

Yesterday we had a nice little family BBQ here at our place to celebrate Independence Day.  It wasn't quite the 4th, but doing it on Sunday would give me time to relax and recuperate before getting back to work.  In order to prepare for the festivities, I went to Jones Liquor to grab some wine.  Pris asked me to look into some Pinots and get some wine that was good with barbeque. 

Luckily, Mike Jones was there and greeted me when I stepped into the store.  We chatted a bit and then I asked him about any recommendations.  He pointed out a number of bottles, and I grabbed his four top picks (the other three will be reviewed in due time).  Even though I know wine goes well with grilled meat, I pretty much have to be drinking beer while I work the grill.  Its just a thing. New Belgium Brewery Sunshine Wheat, Brooklyn Summer Ale, and Twilight Summer Ale for any who are interested.

Like with any good barbecue, we had a pretty decent amount of leftovers.  So for lunch Pris and I uncorked one of our BBQ recommendations to go with lunch.  We selected the Hahn Winery's 2009 Pinot Noir, and once again Mike Jones did not steer us wrong.

The Hahn 2009 Pinot Noir is light and fruity, slightly sweet at first.  It mellows some as it breathes, and the sweetness melts away.  The Pinot has a good fruity nose that leads into ripe berry flavors.  Smooth tannins allow for a smooth finish with just a spicy bit of bite.

On its own, the Pinot is a good wine, but paired with barbecue it fantastic.  The fruit and spice paired great with a BBQ bacon cheddar burger, a bit of beer brined grilled chicken, and pasta salad.  The wine really added to the overall flavor of the food and I can't wait to try it out with some other barbecue dishes in the future.

You can find this wine at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville, and it runs about $13.  If you're into lighter wines, this Pinot's for you.  I'd also recommend going to Jones.  We were discussing how the number of Pinots he's carrying has doubled recently.  Its not a large collection, but its very well curated.  For more info on the Hahn Winery you can check out: http://www.hahnestates.com/

Chatting up Château Ste. Michelle

A few months ago I happened to pick up a bottle of Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon at the H.E.B. on 802 and Paredes Line.  I grabbed it because it was on sale, had a good rating on the tag, and was almost sold out.  I figured that had to be a good sign.  It was an excellent wine, and Pris and I really enjoyed that bottle.  However, by the time I went back to get another they were sold out.  And H.E.B. stayed sold out for quite some time.

Finally, on a trip to Austin we happened to find a 2009 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells at a Central Market in Austin or San Antonio.  We grabbed a couple bottles this time since we knew it was good.  Of course a week or so later I found it again at the Ruben Torres H.E.B.

Pris had planned to open a bottle earlier last week right after the Malbec, but our joint illness threw a bit of a monkey wrench in those plans.  We finally got around to it Saturday night.  I grilled up a couple of steaks using a new seasoning rub and opened to the bottle to let it breathe.

The 2009 Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon is a really smooth easy drinking Cab.  Its got loads of lush fruit on the nose.  The wine opens up nicely, so you definitely want to let it breathe for a while or even use a decanter.  This Washinton State Cab is smooth in the mouth, and lighter and fruitier than your California Cabs.  Even though its fruitier, its still got some bite, and the loads of dark fruit keep it from being sweet.  While this is a good bottle the 2008 was better, a little fuller and more robust.  So some cellaring and waiting would likely make the 2009 even better.

The wine paired excellently with the steak and mashed potatoes.  And the last of it is going down really well as I write up this review.  Due to the soft lush flavoring of this Cab, you can drink it pretty much any time, and it works great in the balmy summer evenings.  Of course it doesn't really beat a cold beer in the heat, but nestled inside in the air-conditioning its great.

 A quick note, Chateau Ste Michelle also makes a Cab that's not of the Indian Wells variety.  It is listed as an "Old World Style" while the Indian Wells is listed as "New World Style."  We had some of the old world when our friend Cecilia Balli brought over a bottle one evening.  It was a solid wine, but you could tell the difference between the two.  Either way, you can't go wrong, but if you're looking for something lighter, definitely look for the Indian Wells on the label.

For more information on the winery you can go to: http://www.ste-michelle.com/ or for more info on this wine in particular: http://www.ste-michelle.com/wines/indianWells

An Argentine Treasure in Achaval Ferrer

Its been way too long since the last post, but both Pris and I have been under the weather this week.  Needless to say, being on cold meds is not conducive to enjoying wine.  However, before we were struck down we opened a bottle of Achaval Ferrer 2009 Mendoza Malbec to go with Sunday dinner.

The Achaval Ferrer was everything a Malbec is supposed to be.  It had a ripe fruit nose with dark cherries and raspberries.  On the palate it was smooth, complex, and full of dark fruit.  Most notable among the flavors were blackberry and cassis, but there was a nice mineral undertone.  Bold tannins provided a nice long finish.

Initially we paired the Malbec with grilled sirloin and mashed potatoes, and of course it went perfectly.  I've said it before, you pretty much can't go wrong pairing an Argentine red with beef.  Last night we paired the remainder with our usual round of food from Gazpachos which we hadn't ordered in a while.  The Malbec was perfect with the bacon wrapped tenderloin and beef empanadas.  It also kept surprisingly well after being opened, but sealed, all week.  However, I guess we could expect this from a wine that was rated 92 points by Robert Parker and 91 points by Wine Spectator.

We picked up the Achaval at Feldman's and it runs about $26.  This is a great wine for anytime drinking, but definitely keep it in mind if beef is what's for dinner.  For more information on Achaval Ferrer and its wines you can visit: http://www.achaval-ferrer.com/eng/principal.html