Simi Merlot: A Reminder of Why California Knows Its Stuff

As Pris and I continued to work through our wine stash I came across a 2009 Merlot from Simi. Like many of the older items in our wine storage, its acquisition is now lost to antiquity. But I know where it ended up. 

This seven-year-old wine seems to have just hit its sweet spot: old enough to mellow and venture into an unparalleled smoothness that only older wines possess, but not old enough that it's turned. Though it was probably not too far off from the latter.  Rich dark red coloration hinted at the mix of berry to come. Once the bottle was allowed to breath properly, which is very important, aromatic spice is the first thing that hits the nose.  The usual flavors of Merlot are all present: plum, cherry, and blackberry, all followed by a mild tannin finish.

I paired the wine with a simple meal of sautéed shrimp and spinach in a garlic butter sauce over pasta and a salad with homemade vinaigrette. Simi’s Merlot was mild enough to not overpower this mild dinner. The mild tannins cut right through the richness of the garlic butter. This wine could have paired well with anything from fish to steak, though to be fair, I pretty much finished it off sans food and was perfectly content. 

Hahn Keeps Rolling out the Hits

Thanks to the higher carbohydrates in beer I’ve been turning back to wine to get through the holidays without putting on too much weight. That, and I really enjoying having a glass of wine while getting dinner ready. And of course there's nothing quite like a glass with the meal. I’d recently purchased Hahn’s 2014 GSM which is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre.  Pris and I really enjoyed Hahn’s Pinot offerings so I decided to see how their other varieties fared.

Like most red blends the result is determined by the winery finding just the right mix and percentage of grapes. Ripe red fruit takes the lead on the nose, followed by redolent berry notes on the palate. Raspberry and cherry stand out, and are bolstered by a solid backbone of mineral from the Granache.

I paired Hahn’s GSM with homemade chicken tenders and an herbaceous mac & cheese. It worked flawlessly with the simple, yet very rich meal. The fruit was a great counterpoint to the rich cheese and breading. The tenders were loaded with fresh herbs in the breading, and this red blend  complimented them very well.

Hahn’s GSM can be found at HEB on Trenton, and it runs about $12 a bottle. This wine is another great everyday drinking wine that won’t break the bank. You can pair it with steak, BBQ, or fried chicken. It will go with about everything, especially a charcuterie and cheese plate shared among friends mixed with great conversation and music.

Hall Revisited: Good Times are Here Again

As Pris and I work to get back into the habit of enjoying a good glass of wine a few times a week, we noticed that there are a number of great wines that we’ve reviewed and still have in stock. One of these is Hall’s Cabernet Sauvignon. Several years ago I reviewed a 2007 vintage, and recently had the pleasure of working through its 2011 cousin.

Despite the age difference the tasting notes remain relatively the same as in the original post (http://rgvinophiles.blogspot.com/2011/08/hall-simple-name-for-damn-good-wine.html).  However, one major difference was the overall smoothness of the wine. The initial Hall was about four years old while this vintage was five pushing on six. And that year seemed to make a delicious difference. Dark, full bodied, and smooth as liquid silk this was everything a fine wine should be.

We paired the 2011 with a bit of surf & turf, and it was amazing. But this wine was versatile enough to pair with anything from burgers to tenderloin and everything in between. What really seems to work is the aging. Most of our wines were purchased several years ago and seem to really be opening up nicely. If you decide to spend the $30 or so dollars on a bottle of Hall, wait on it. If you can store it in a relatively cool temperature let it age in peace, then enjoy it four or five years down the road. If you can’t wait that long I understand, but it will be worth it.

A Return with Raymond Vineyard's R. Collection Merlot

Well, its been almost four years since the last post on this blog. Its not that there hasn’t been any wine drinking, or really good eating over the last few years far from it. Just haven’t been sharing it. A few weeks back, Pris and I decided to start working through our wine reserves which were getting somewhat advanced in age without the benefit of a wine fridge or cellar to properly store them.  As a result, we are getting back in the swing of things with the drinking, and hopefully the writing.

The first wine back up on the block is a 2011 Merlot from the R. Collection by Raymond Vineyards in northern California. Like most merlots, the R. Collection was loaded with tangy rich fruit in the nose. However, due to its age this was highly restrained and it took some time for the wine to open up. Once it did, the merlot ended up being one of the most mellow and drinkable wines we’ve had in a while. Rich plum and cherry played across the palate up front. This was followed by a hint of earthy spice at the end that as the wine slid down the back of the palate.

We paired the merlot with a fine Easter Sunday meal of grass-fed porterhouse, sautéed scallops, roasted asparagus, and roasted Yukon gold potatoes. The asparagus and potatoes were topped with grated manchego cheese. The steak came from Eagle Catcher farms and the scallops from The Shrimp Outlet. Both ventures have booths at the Grow & Growers market Saturday morning at Fireman’s Park in McAllen.

The merlot was a great choice to pair with this surf & turf. The age ripened smoothness allowed it to be light enough to play well with the scallops and still compliment the porterhouse. The rich fruit was a great counterpoint to the sharpness of the manchego.

As this wine was a gift I don’t have the usual information on where to purchase it locally or price. The website lists the R. Collection as an affordable everyday wine. If you happen to find it or get one as a gift, let it age. You won’t be disappointed in this incredibly versatile and drinkable Merlot.

For more information you can visit:  http://www.raymondvineyards.com/

Silverstrike Merlot: Smooth and Satisfying

Last Saturday Pris and I decided to grill up a couple of steaks and crack open a bottle of wine.  We used to do this pretty regularly, but with the current economic issues our country is having we find that we're cutting back on a lot of what used to be "regular" habits.  That said, Saturday we decided to splurge a bit and I picked up two NY strips and some potatoes for baking at H.E.B.  While cooking everything up, Pris pulled out the 2010 Silverstrike Merlot.  To be fair, Pris was looking for a Cab for the steaks, but the bottle was in the wrong area in our wine rack so we ended up with a Merlot.  Despite the mix up, this turned out to be a good little wine that worked well with several nights worth of meals.

The Silverstrike was  a good, albeit fairly standard, Merlot.  The bouquet was full of dark fruit, blackberries, cherries, and currant.  These fruits also reigned supreme on the palate making this a juicy red.  The blackberry and cherry were the dominant flavors, but touches of oak and mineral provided a nice backbone to the wine.  A little touch of spice prefaced subtle tannins that provided a smooth and easy finish.

On the subject of smoothness, the Silverstrike is an extremely smooth and easy to drink Merlot that works well on its own.  Of course it worked nicely with the food as well.  Even though it was juicy, the steaks did not overpower the wine.  The two worked well together, but where the Silverstrike really shone was with the following nights meal.  The Merlot paired exceptionally well with a roasted pork tenderloin, steamed asparagus, and sweet potato wedges.  The milder meat was a better fit with the wine's smoother and fruitier flavors.

This is a very versatile wine since it drinks well with or without food, and it pairs nicely with a variety of foods.  We received the wine as a gift, but you can buy it at the Wall Street Journal Wines for $12 a bottle.  For more information on the 2010 Silverstrike Merlot you can visit:  http://www.wsjwine.com/jsp/product/productDetails.jsp?productId=prod590088

Savoring a Tolosa Syrah

Our first post on this blog was all about Tolosa's incredible 1776 Pinot Noir.  Because it was so good, Pris and I have been reticent to try the winery's standard Pinot.  However, sometime back we found a bottle of 2007 Edna Creek Syrah at Feldman's and decided to give it a tasting last Sunday.

The first thing you notice is how dark this Syrah is: deep purple and opaque.  On the nose it was all berry and plum with just a hint of pepper.  Despite its dark look, this was a relatively light wine.  Light berry and plum notes continued on the palate mixed with a touch of mineral and pepper towards the back of the mouth.  Soft tannins provide a light and smooth finish to this readily drinkable Syrah.

I paired the wine with a roasted leg of lamb seasoned with garlic and rosemary, couscous with feta, and some olives.  The well balanced wine was a perfect compliment to the mild and savory lamb.  Since Pris isn't the biggest fan of lamb, I also prepared a flank steak for her.  The Tolosa Syrah also paired surprisingly well with the steak.  It is a flavorful, but not overly beefy cut; and the lighter wine served as a nice compliment.

We purchased the Tolosa 2007 Edna Creek Syrah at Feldman's Market Center in Brownsville for $22.99.  This is a great well balanced and versatile wine.  You can pair it with a broad range of foods thanks to its lighter, but full flavored character. For more information on this good little wine you can visit:  www.tolosawinery.com

Heron: A Pinot for all Occasions

Back around Thanksgiving I picked up a few Pinot Noirs to have some variety in what we selected to go with the turkey.  One of the wines I picked up from Jones Liquor was a 2010 Heron Pinot Noir from Sonoma County.  A few days ago Pris and I decided to crack it open since we were looking for a mellow wine to sip while working on some crackers and cheeses.

The Pinot was everything we've come to expect from Mike Jones' recommendations.  Mellow, fruitful, and easy to drink.  Smooth aromas of cherries and dark berries are the first thing you notice with this Pinot.  On the palate the Heron is all smooth rich berries with a touch of vanilla and oak.  This Pinot had great structure and a nice mild acidity.  The Heron finished much like it started, with a good fruitful flavor that finishes smoothly and doesn't linger too long.

This was a mellow and easy to drink wine that would pair pretty well with just about anything due to its mild flavors and drinkability.  Once more Mike Jones did not steer us wrong on a wine recommendation.

We bought the Heron Pinot Noir at Jones Liquor here in Brownsville.  It costs $19 a bottle, but is worth the slightly higher price tag.  You can find out more about Heron wines at:  http://www.heronwines.com/

O Me O My Meiomi

Saturday night was another shut in night for Pris and I.  We had a wedding downstairs, albeit one that ended at 10, so we had to settle in early.  In order to properly provision us I picked up a Spanish platter, some pork loin, baba ganoush, and hummus from Feldman's Market Center.  I also grabbed a bottle of Belle Glos Meiomi 2010 Pinot Noir.  I wanted a lighter wine to go with the food, and while a Rioja of some sort would've been great, we just reviewed a Spanish red. 

The Meiomi Pinot was everything I expected, fruity but not jammy, and all ripe red berry.  The nose was ripe raspberry and blueberry with just a touch of earthy mineral tang to keep the fruit in check.  This Pinot was mild on the palate with the same raspberries and blueberries making a good showing.  Undercurrents of vanilla and oak balance out this fine Pinot.  Towards the back of the palate a nice bit of spice and heat make its presence known.  Like a number of lighter wines, the finish is shorter, but refreshing.  Strong tannins provide a good bite to go with the heat making for a strong finish.

Meiomi's Pinot is a nice medium bodied wine that will go with any number of dishes.  It went well with the various chesses, cured meats, and dips that we grazed on Saturday night.  But it really shined when we paired it with a tomato bisque.  The fruit and spice of the wine was the perfect compliment to the acidic and herbal tomatoes.  I finished off the last of the Meiomi with tonight's dinner of chicken parmesan with a lemon, dijon, caper sauce.  Again, the acid and savory in the sauce went incredibly well with the fruit and spice in the wine.  This really is a versatile Pinot.

Full disclosure, the price was what really drew me in on this particular wine.  Listed for $33, the Meiomi was priced at $14 for Feldman's card holders.  At over half off I could not pass it up, and I'm glad I didn't.  At the price its a great everyday wine, but get them quick before the sale ends or the wine runs out.  For more information on Meiomi wines you can visit: http://www.meiomiwines.com//

A Spectacular Sterling Merlot

Pris and I have been on a bit of a comfort food kick since Thanksgiving.  Maybe it was all the turkey, gravy, and stuffing. Sunday was pot roast, and last night was meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Both great cool weather comfort foods, and both were recommended with juicy Merlot.  We did not have a Merlot with the pot roast, so we decided to try to rectify the pairing this time around.  To go with the meatloaf Pris selected a 2007 Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Merlot.

This particular Sterling Merlot was big and juicy.  Ripe fruits greet you on the nose.  Cherry and ripe berries mingle are balance with a subtle oak foundation.  When this Merlot hits the palate it all smooth big fruit.  I don't like the term "jammy" because it makes me think of something really sweet, but if there's such a thing as semi-sweet "jamminess" this qualifies.  Loads of cherry and red berry dominate the palate and continue throughout.  Soft tannins create a mellow finish with just a touch of bite towards the very end. 

This was an exceptional wine for the price.  It paired exceedingly well with the savory and somewhat sweet flavors of the meatloaf.  I added some spice to the meatloaf by putting in some jalapenos and adding sriracha sauce to the ketchup topping.  These spicy accents were perfect with the sweeter fruit in the wine.  This Merlot is exceptionally smooth and goes down very easily.  While we paired it with comfort classics, it great to drink all on its own.

We bought the 2007 Sterling Vineyards Vintner's Collection Merlot at H.E.B. for $16.99.  We bought it a while back and cellared it for a bit, so I don't know if you can still find the same vintage there, but based on this wine and some of the reviews of prior vintages I'd say its worth keeping on hand.  For more information on Sterling Vineyard and its wines you can visit:  http://www.sterlingvineyards.com/

Celebrating Post 100 with Hughes Wellman

When Pris and I started this blog a friend of ours told us to talk to him when we hit post 100.  Well here we are at 100 and going strong, in fact there are still 2 wines on deck to write up after this one.  Its been a lot of moderate wine drinking, and a few instances of wine drinking that resulted in some very unpleasant mornings after.

For this post Pris and I felt we needed an exceptional wine.  From there it was a matter of deciding if we go out and buy one or crack into one of the few specials we have saved up.  We opted to go for the latter and open up our last bottle of Cameron Hughes' superstar Hughes Wellman 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena.  This vintage is sold out now, but Pris and I ordered a couple bottles when we moved to Brownsville last year.  We tried our first one to celebrate our anniversary last year and decided to hold off on the second.

The Hughes Wellman Cab is subtle, complex, smooth, and full bodied.  Essentially the perfect Cab.  This opaque purple wine contained ripe red berries and cherry that assailed the nose right away.  While the aroma is great, wait for the first sip.  Full bodied, smooth, and incredibly balanced this wine is amazing.  Black cherries abound at the forefront, followed by just a tough of mineral and spice towards the end.  Silky smooth tannins complete the wine and create a lingering smooth finish.  This wine goes down effortlessly, and is one the easiest drinking wines Pris and I have had the pleasure of enjoying.

We actually paired the 2006 Cab with a pot roast and mashed potatoes.  Its not the grandest of dinners, but it was solid comfort food made with wine and many of the ingredients found in beef bourguignon.  The recipe actually recommended a merlot for the meal, but the Hughes Wellman paired perfectly with the tender beef and savory sauce.  This wine is so good and smooth that I'm fairly sure it will pair well with about anything.  That said, it really shines with rich beef dishes so look for a roast, braised beef, brisket, and of course a perfectly cooked medium-rare steak.

At $50 this wine was a steal, but its gone now.  The 2007 vintage is available at Cameron Hughes' website: http://www.chwine.com/.  I haven't tried it yet, or even ordered some, but Christmas is right around the corner so maybe a nice gift of wine from us to us is in order.

A Big Bogle Cab

I've been seeing a lot of wines from Bogle Vineyards out and about.  They're in World Market, H.E.B., Feldman's, and Jones Liquor (where they have a blend called Phantom that is apparently quite good, and will be bought and imbibed sometime in the near future).  There are also a number of adds for Bogle popping up on the Google add spots, so they're pushing the product pretty strongly.  We've actually already reviewed the Bogle Pinot Noir back in September (LINK), so Pris thought we'd go ahead and try their Cab.

Last night we opened up Bogle's 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon to go with a couple of steaks I whipped up.  I'm not sick of the turkey yet, but the beef was a good change up.  The Bogle Cab was a great wine for the meal.

Bogle's Cab had a full nose loaded with cherry and blackberry with a hint of vanilla to soften it all up.  The bold fruit continued on the palate.  Cherry and dark berries dominated the taste buds up front, but oak and a touch of smokiness work their way through around the mid-palate.  This Cab had big bold tannins that really came out in the finish which was long and dry like a South Texas summer.

At this juncture it pretty much goes without saying that the Bogle Cab went very well with the steak.  I added an extra pepper seasoning to the steak making it a bit more robust and spicy.  We also heated up a little of the maple/bourbon gravy to go with the steak as a sauce.  The bold wine paired well with the steak, and the bold fruit mingling nicely with the added pepper.  Mixing the steak with the gravy combined sweet, spicy, savory, and fruitful with the wine.  This was about as close to a perfect flavor combination as I've ever gotten.

The Bogle wines are all over.  I picked up this bottle at World Market in Corpus Christi for $10.  Closer to home I've recently seen them at Jones and H.E.B.  For the price, this is a great everyday wine that you just can't easily beat if you're in the mood for a big Cab.  It won't hold up for too long once its open, so finish it off quickly.  For more information on Bogle Vineyards and their wines you can visit:  http://www.boglewinery.com/home.php

Going to Geyser Peak

Last weekend we opened up a bottle of Geyser Peak 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from California's Alexander Valley to go with a simple steak dinner.  Nothing fancy other than the curry pumpkin soup with some sirloin and roasted potatoes.  The Geyser Peak Cab was a great choice to go with the meal. 

The Geyser Peak Cab had a solid fruity nose with  the usual notes of cherry and dark berry.  It was lighter than most of the Cabs we've had, but still full flavored with great structure.  Solid cherry and blackberry dominate the palate while mixed in with just a touch of spice.  The finish was softer and ended more quickly than most Cabs, but it was still satisfying.

We picked up the Geyser Peak 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon at H.E.B. for $16.99.  This is a solid easy drinking Cab that is a good everyday wine.  The price is a bit on the high side for an everyday wine, but well worth it.  You can find out more about Geyser Peak wines at:  http://www.geyserpeakwinery.com//index.cfm

Bogle Vineyard's Pinot Noir

Monday night I offered Pris a couple different dishes for dinner.  Unfortunately for her the one she wanted took about an hour and a half to cook.  On the plus side we had a lot of time to pick a wine and let it decant. Dinner was a whole roasted chicken that was rubbed with goat cheese and cilantro under the skin and stuffed with garlic and lemon.  Towards the end of the roasting the chicken was glazed with honey and crushed red peppers.  To go with this great rich meal Pris and I selected a 2009 Bogle Vineyards Pinot Noir.

The Bogle Pinot had a great complex nose that was loaded with berry goodness.  As the wine crossed the palate it was full of ripe fruit.  Towards the end there was a nice bit of mineral bite and a touch of spice.  The Pinot ends with a nice lingering finish.  This is a well balanced wine with nice herbal undertones that is mellow enough to go with almost any type of food.

The Bogle Pinot went really well with the roasted chicken and salad.  The chicken was a mix of creamy rich cheese, sweet and spicy glaze, and the sharp tang of the cilantro and lemon.  The meal was accompanied by a salad with a champagne vinaigrette with the remainder of the goat cheese and cilantro.  The mellow fruit of the Bogle Pinot went great with the rich flavors of the chicken and salad.

I picked up the Bogle at World Market while I was in Corpus Christi for a conference last week.  It runs about $11 a bottle, and its a great mellow everyday wine to keep on hand.  I kind of wished I'd picked up a couple more bottles since our Pinot selection is somewhat limited.  For more information on Bogle and its wines you can visit:  http://www.boglewinery.com/home.php

Enjoying a Bountiful B.R. Cohn

For whatever reason I was a little tired Sunday.  I initially had grand plans for our evening meal, but by the time I went to H.E.B. to pick up supplies I was already feeling a bit rundown.  So I decided to do a tried and true dinner of steak, baked potato, and salad.  To go with this easy meal Pris selected a bottle of 2007 B.R. Cohn Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Cohn has is one of our go to wines when we can find it.  We've bought it at H.E.B., Jones Liquor, and wherever we run across it.  This is a nice little Cab.  Its not as full bodied as most, but it still offers great flavor and a nice strong finish.

The 2007 B.R. Cohn Cab had a deep fruit nose that was loaded up with ripe dark fruits.  This is a softer and mellower Cab, but it still had loads of rich raspberries, cherries, and cassis.  All the hallmarks of a good Cab.  The Cohn opens up across the mid-palate and ended with a mellow, but nicely tannic and dry finish. 

Despite it being lighter, the Cohn went really well with steak, potato, and salad.  Of course the deep fruit and tannic nature of the wine complimented the rich beef flavors in the medium rare sirloin.  It was surprising how well the wine went with the salad that had just a simple home-made red wine vinaigrette.  The soft fruit and mellow nature of the wine went very well with the tangy herbal salad.  As a side note, I love making my own vinaigrettes.  They're easy and hard to mess up since all you have to do is keep adding more oil or vinegar (and sundry herbs) till you get the flavor you want.

The B.R. Cohn is great little Cab, especially if you're looking for full flavor minus the big boldness of most Cabs.  We picked up this bottle at either H.E.B. or Jones Liquor (we grabbed the last two there on our first trip in).  The Cohn Cab runs about $17 a bottle.  For more information on B.R. Cohn and their wines you can visit:  http://www.brcohn.com//

The Way of Cenay



Sunday I should have been hunting with my family, but was sidelined after a small kitchen accident.  However, all was not lost.  Since I wasn't out in Bluetown, I was able to make a nice little dinner for Pris and I.  The same injury that kept me out of the field meant that it needed to be an easy dinner, so flank steak with caper sauce and grilled asparagus seemed to fit the bill. 

To go with this rich fare Pris selected a 2006 Cenay Blue Tooth Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California.  Apparently September is California Wine Month, and Pris remembered that this is a great California Cab.  Despite all that though, you can't really go wrong with beef and California Cab.



The Cenay hits with loads of ripe red fruit on the nose.  The typical raspberry and blueberry aromas were in full effect.  This Cab was full and flavorful on the palate.  The same ripe raspberries and some cassis worked together with a bit of oak worked together nicely.  The Cab starts of smooth at first, and continues smoothly through the mid-palate.  But then bold tannins come out and lead you into a big biting finish.





Essentially, the 2006 Cenay Cab is everything you'd expect from a California Cab.  It went great with the flank steak with caper sauce, grilled asparagus with manchego cheese, and toasted Italian cheese bread.  The savory bite of the caper sauce was a great counter-point to the fruit in the wine.  At the same time, the beef itself complimented the lush Cab very well.  We're actually finishing off the wine as I write this.  It went well with tonight's dinner which was a bone in strip steak with mushroom/goat cheese polenta.  Again, the bold Cenay Cab was a great compliment to the beef and the savory polenta.



If you're looking for something exceptional, this isn't quite it.  If you're looking for a really good Califonia Cab and are willing to spend a bit more, then this is a wine for you.  We picked up this wine originally at Central Market in Austin.  This particular bottle that is now empty was purchased at Jones Liquor for $37, but they also sell it at Feldmans as well here in the Valley.  For more information on the Cenay line of wines you can visit:

http://www.rowlandcellars.com/about_cenay.html