Returning soon!

Hey all, sorry for neglecting you. I have been on vacation in Yellowstone, and will return to my wine drinking duties shortly.

I can say that Yellowstone is damn pretty, and I highly recommend you visit. I would pick not the week leading up to Labor Day, however, or really around any major holiday.

Though given how cosmopolitan the attendees are, you may be S.O.L. anytime of year, well, except between October and May. Maybe a little snowy and starving-and-desperate-to-eat-wolfy.

But it is super pretty and amazing, and like a good wine, it may just change your life.

Curtis Viognier 2012

I am not a fan of Viognier. There some weird flavor in them that is dry and crappy. But I can no longer say they are all awful. This Curtis was definitely better than any others I have had. It was light,  a gently fruity sweetness, but also nice round and buttery Chardy-like flavor.

If you like whites, you'll like this one. It's-a goooood. It's not light like a Sauv Blanc, it's beefier like a Chardy, and maybe a little more so. I'm not sure what it is about this varietal, but I personally find it a little confounding. Like it is hard for me to get my mind around the flavor.

But rather than being repulsed, like my experiences with Pinot Grigio, (or Pinot Gris), which all taste like zombie feet, I find myself intrigued.

Bottom line: Drink it!

Simi Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

I was all excited about SIMI. Mostly because of those big capital letters. It's one of the more expensive cheap wines at Costco, at $15 per bottle.

This wine is super generic. It is the most wine-flavored wine I have ever wined in my wine-hole.

There is no complexity. It is flatter than a [flattest thing ever]. There was no identifiable flavors. Once I thought I was getting vanilla, but then... I wasn't.

Bottom line: Meh. If your experiencing too good of day, this, the prozac of wine, will even you out.

F. J. Serra Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

This was a fun cheap wine. Not spectacular, but not awful. I think it was about $12 or so. I know I post a lot about cheap wines, but it's because my housemate keeps buying them for us to drink. He's good about picking out new and different ones.

So as long has he keeps providing them I'm going to keep blogging about them.

Bottom line: fine in a pinch, but it won't change your life.

Tobin James Chardonnay James Gang Reserve 2012

Tobin James! The party tasting room! This is a fun winery. Their sun logo is on everything, and not just on some garbage merchandise. Some are cleverly thought out and a little unique and different from other wineries. If you have been to wineries you start to see the same kinds of things over and over again.

So I definitely recommend this Chardy in the warm late afternoon. Or even a small glass at lunch can be quite refreshing. It is lightly fruity, but not sweet. A very elegant balance between sweet and dry. This wine is just a fun time in a bottle. If you don't like fun, I think there's a pinot gris waiting for you in your '85 Pontiac. SNAP!

Bottom line: You like fun don't you? Drink it!

Grizzly Republic Grenache 2008

This wine is from our recent trip to Paso Robles, where we explored a whole new, and as it turns out, magical!, area of California. Paso = Go There!

Grenache is typically a pinot-like wine. Though personally I find it sweeter and just better, in about every possible way. (Incidentally there also exists in the world a Grenache-Blanc, just as there is a Pinot-Gris, however Pinot-Gris is undrinkable swill).

This Grenache is unique in that the year these grapes were growing, there was a forest fire nearby and the smoke settled over the vines. You can TASTE the SMOKE in the wine!!! It is the craziest thing! It is like a natural event that occurred in history has been saved in this bottle.

Now, Grenache is a lighter wine than, say a Cab Sauv, but what I feel it has in common with Pinot is it has a lot of subtle complexity. You definitely get fruit, though lighter fruits, like raspberries or cranberries, and a bit of spice, some vanilla. And a forest fire in your mouth!

Don't be put off by my talk of the smoke. It is not at all overwhelming. It is there, but it in no way overpowers the enjoyment of the wine. I just can't shut the hell up about it because it is so unusual!

Bottom line: Drink it!

Napa Cellars Zinfandel 2012

This Zin is a friggin' delight. Though not without tannins, it isn't too sharp and pointy. It has a spiciness you would expect from a good zin, and beautiful dark cherry and berry fruits carry through the nose and into the finish. And it just has a big and bold flavor. I swear my friend Beth can hear me opening this from Hollywood.

I'm sure you can pair this with just about anything until the cows come home, but it is perfectly good to just drink. Which we did. We drank the entire thing in one sitting,

Napa Cellars has both their Classic collection, which is where this Zin is categorized, and a Platinum Reserve, which features a Chardy, Cab Sauv, and a Syrah.

I'm currently cellaring my Platinum Reserve bottles, but believe me, I can foresee a time when I have to bust into the good stuff. But luckily I had enough foresight to grab Classic Collection Cabs, Syrahs, Zins and Merlots. They are all above average wines, but the Cab and Zin in particular are quite good. And affordable. You can find them in the grocery stores for between 18 and 25 per bottle, and many stores offer 6-pack discounts, so you can actually save more money on some very good wine.

Not "good" wine. REALLY good wine. I hesitate to call these "great," because when you have great wine, the rest of the world just becomes a little desaturated, and you really start to understand the difference. And your taste starts to discriminate a bit.

But if you are having a party and need (or just 'want,' I'm not judgin') some REALLY good wine, this is like the slightly nerdy professor, who is also a little sexy, who starts off a little serious and turns out to be a lot of fun, mostly for his extensive knowledge of dirty jokes.

Bottom line: Loosen up and drink it!

Matua Road Vintage Red 2010

This is another one of those I meant to post about before things with mom's health took a turn for the worse, but never got around to it. While I think it was good, this early draft had the following cryptic note:

"Wines from the North Island, Otago Pinot Noir, 2 Paddocks, Mt. Difficulty"

My housemate's sister was visiting from NZ, and offered those suggestions as worthy of investigating.

Bottom line: Well, what are you waiting for? You have homework to do!

Coppola Claret Black Label 2010

Okay what the fuck is a Claret? According to a quick search, it is a style of winemaking from back when. It used to refer to light colored reds from the Bordeaux region, back when red wine used to be clearer or lighter, like a Rose, however eventually Bordeaux wines became darker. And now the term is a catch-all for dark red wines made in the Bordeaux style. So this a Claret-style Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is quite a smooth wine, very nice mouth feel, but perhaps more European than a California wine. I kept trying to "taste" it, and I just wasn't getting much. Like a lover that is clearly distracted. Do I have to do all the work?!?

I got fruit at the beginning but then I just got a flatness, a malaise.

To be honest, I haven't yet encountered a Coppola wine that I felt was rave worthy, or even revisit-worthy. I'd rather drink my "comfy-shoe-wine" Menage a Trois, because that shit is just FUN! My past Coppola experience is thus: I had whatevery Cab Sauv, a nasty Petite Sirah that no amount of decanting could make better, and a bland--I mean blend (a typo that became apropos). Now I'm sure this is "better" than a $7 blend but there is no heart in the wine. There is no emotion in it. I feel like I'm drinking a corpse, and not in a good Halloweeny way.

If you are a fan of Coppola, this is definitely one of the better wines, and I have seen it at Costco too. This bottle was a gift, though so I'm not sure of the price and I'm too lazy to google it, which would take about five seconds, but that is precisely how much I really don't give a shit about Coppola wines.

Bottom line: If you are a fan, this just might be your jammy jam. Otherwise, just imagine it being distilled through Francis Ford Coppola's neck hair (you're welcome for the visual).

Matua Sauvignon Blanc 2013

I have a guilty pleasure: a glass of good Sauv Blanc around 3PM. I don't do it that often, because I don't need my "alky alarm" to sound, but it's summer. It's 95 in my backyard. I don't have anything to do or anywhere to go. It's hot outside and inside this bottle, it's crisp and cold and refreshing and ready to make all my cares melt away.

And! I found it at Costco.

New Zealand is known for Sauv Blanc, and this is quite delightful. It has a sweet fruity bouquet, but don't be fooled! There are some that shall remain unnamed that turn their nose up at fruity whites, but the hints of melon and citrus evenly balance the dry center, and linger into the refreshing finish.

I'm not a huge fan of white but am coming around on Sauv Blanc. And while I wasn't necessarily bowled over by this wine, I was refreshed and happy.

Bottom line: This could be your key to happiness!

Artesa Artisan Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This is the shiz-nit.

Artesa just makes good wine. End of story. This Cabernet is tasty all over the place! Swimming in complexities, flavors from all sides, it has the magic flavor ribbon that I like so much.

At this moment, all I know is this is good. I don't know why exactly, but this wine is the kind of experience that makes you start to "get" wine.

Bottom line: Drink it!

Folie a Deux Pinot Noir 2012

I don't like Pinot Noir. But I did enjoy drinking this. Not sure if the company had anything to do with it. It usually does though. Friends do make wine taste better.

I realize that last statement could be taken two ways. I intended the less sinister meaning.

This is a meatier Pinot than most. There were giant chunks of beef floating in it. Really handy as I didn't have cook any dinner. I believe they sell it in that every case contains a half-cow, or something.

Folie is a winery of nice quality wines. They aren't the most life-changing in the spectrum of wineries, but they offer happiness in a bottle and that is good enough for me. The world is rife with variety and we are lucky enough to benefit from it!

Bottom line: Drink it with a friend!

Napa Cellars Merlot 2011

Napa Cellars has no limit to their tasty offerings. Their Cab Sauvs and Syrahs are their best--particularly their reserves, but their Merlots are no slouch.

Even though these aren't as complex as the others, they still provide a nice drinking experience. While year to year the fruit-to-other balance shifts a bit, that is part of what keeps these interesting. Like a view where you keep finding new and interesting angles.

We are all standing around painting a still-life, will every painting look the same? I hope not! Celebrate variation!

Bottom line: Drink it!

Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Napa Cellars cabs are just nice wines. The '09 was decanted for its full effect and it has a nice swirly ribbon of flavor yum yum. The mouth feel is quite nice and the fruit to spice balance is quite superb. I definitely recommend a Napa Cellars Cab. I have an "08 I was thinking about opening here in a bit... Why look at that! It's 5PM!

Bottom line: Drink it!

Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

This is an excellent wine for the price. As far as drinking wine goes, I have made no secret that Menage a Trois by Folie a Deux is a must have for drinking, but this very comparable if not even better. It is more expensive than Menage though, maybe closer to $12 or $15, versus Menage at $7.

It is a commercially available wine that is well worth investigating. It is surprisingly big and flavorful. I enjoy opening this wine because I know that yumminess that follows! Now a glass of this isn't life-changing, but it doesn't have to be. Sometimes happy is just happy. Who cares where the cupcake came from, the frosting ingredients, the gluten quotient? It's a cupcake!

So if you are on a budget, and want something better than average that brings happiness, a CSM Cab Sauv is your ticket!

Bottom line: Drink it!

Clayhouse Vineyards Malbec 2011

Oh god, I don't even remember drinking this. Dammit.

Honestly it was so long ago. I'm going to bonus-post this. Two posts today to make up for this lame-ass excuse for a review.

Bottom line: Someone tell me if I liked this.

V. Sattui Grenache 2011

I have written about V. Sattui before. Big noisy vineyard.

The more I have drank my way through my small collection of V. Sattui, the less I like it. My tastes may be changing a bit or maybe some of the wine I have tasted recently is just plain old better than this.

The wine is not bad, believe me. It is small insignificant quibbles I have. Maybe I don't like Grenache as much as I thought I did, or maybe I just don't really like this Grenache. You can't do everything well. There is bound to be one thing you excel at more than the others. I don't know.

Anyway, it is complex, but also tannic. Frankly it feels a little snooty. Maybe it's that little crown they put on the label. Maybe if I wore a crown while drinking it I would feel on the same level as the wine, instead of looked down upon for subjecting its flavor-mastery to my subordinate palate. I think they have better offerings.

Bottom line: Drink it if you must.

Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

A friend gave me this. It was good. Red Diamond is one of those Washington state wines that is creeping up into California's bidness.

It isn't too expensive, and not the most complex ever, but this Cab and also a Merlot, are quite nice for the price. If you need a good cheap wine, I'd say it's the 2nd or 3rd bottle of the night.

Better look out Cali, Washy's got game.

Bottom line:  Drink it!

McManis Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

This is a cheap wine from Costco. It is a solidly good wine, on the verge of "Meh." It is fruity, and not very complex. I would say bottle number 4 of the evening.

I have tasted way worse wine, and if you feel like drinking something and don't want to feel bad about having to dump half of it, it is a cheap investment.

Goes great with video games.

Bottom line: In case of emergency only.

Paso Tasting Day 2

Day 2 was the day when we had all the exciting stuff planned, or at least the things we had discussed in advance of going to Paso.

We started the day out at Justin. We drove and drove and drove and were surprised how far it was. We had Justin wines before and they were just big and delicious. So we were excited to see what the whole experience would be like.

A perfectly ripe strawberry, a perfectly crisp apple, a perfectly stirred glass of Tang. These are elegant amazing wines. And that is why you can have your winery out in BFE, because if your wine is incredible, people will come from miles around.

The most popular of their lineup consists of blends, including their Isoceles, which is their most famous (and expensive) wine. They had very unique dessert wines also, less syrupy than others we had tried. And beautiful unique flavors happening throughout. And a delightful Malbec that started with violet floral notes.

We kind of knew in advance that we were going to end up joining their wine club, and we did. Also we knew the day was shot, in that, all future wines were going to have to be amazing to hold up to our Justin experience.

Our adorable wine wench at Justin recommended we try the European style French wines from Tablas Creek, just down the road.

So a short drive took us to a beautiful estate winery and tasting room. Our host through the tastes of Tablas Creek was a beautiful French woman, who explained Tablas Creek is the sister winery of Chateau de Beaucastel in France, and their winery is the result of a friendship between French, British and American growers and winemakers.

They have a wonderful tasting guide with pictures, maps to the French wine region, and descriptions of the grapes and their role in the blend, and did I mention the beautiful French woman?

She had the most generous pour of any tasting room. I felt bad pouring it out, but I didn't want to be hammered with so much more of the day to go. Their wines were in the $45 - $55 but were elegant and very European. It was a nice change from the hammer-like effect California wines can have on the senses.

Next up was lunch. We learned from our mistake and went to Artisan near the park. This was a great experience. Excellent food, and I knew we were short on time, and probably wouldn't make too many more wineries, so I ordered a wine flight, and decided to conduct my own tasting.

I received three big bold reds: Bodegas Tempranillo "viva yo!" '09, Enfold Zin/Syrah "Joseph's Blend" '11, and Shale Oak Zin '10.

All three were incredible. But the Enfold!

I saw Jesus.

These were all three superior in every way, but I stalked the crap out of Enfold. Unfortunately there was no way to get there on our current schedule, but it is now at the TIPPITY TOPPITY TOP of my list when I return, as is Shale Oak, which was just a dark earthy blanket of yum.

Now that lunch was over, we were on our way to what I was honestly most excited about: Graveyard Vineyard. I was excited about the wine, the labels, the merch and all the potential that someone with a wine label of Graveyard would have.

What a fucking let-down.

Their merch was generic. Nothing graveyardy about any of it. There were some Dia de los Muertos themed things, that were just ordered and plunked in the shop. Where were the commemorative coffin shaped wine boxes? macabre headstone labels? vague zombie references? It doesn't have to be dour, even a tongue-in-cheek approach could be fun and elegant, but I got nothing.

There was a life sized coffin in the corner with a sign that said, "For Sale. Used only once." Slow clap.

Their wines were just as disappointing. Each had been in the bottle less than a year. They were young, feral, tannic to the point of being undrinkable.

Then the girl poured a Viognier from the winemaker's private label, Bushong, which was also sold in the tasting room. This was by far the best Viognier I have ever had. Thus far, I have hated every Viognier I have encountered, so I was super skeptical, but this was very good. Smooth, not at all bitter. And it's a screwcap of all things. I bought one bottle. And despite feeling a little better about the experience, I just felt sad at such a huge missed opportunity.

Sigh. The world, and the way it would be if I were in charge.

Well that was supposed to be it for the wine tasting portion of our trip, but I didn't want to be let down by a lousy last tasting.

So we ventured into town to Bodegas, to find out more about the Viva Yo! from lunch.

They have a small tasting room in downtown, and the pourer, Max was polite, young, a little manic, and young. We were there with another couple and he seemed to have trouble managing two conversations at once. The easiest way is to combine them all together, forcing everyone to be friends. After the other couple left we made it clear we were ready to buy wine, but a father and daughter came in who worked in the industry.

We immediately became invisible despite the fact we were ordering up several bottles of wine. I don't know if he just became more at ease with industry folks with whom he immediately has stuff in common, or what. I'm willing to bet they didn't buy anything though.

Anyway, enough bitching about him, let's talk about their fucking good wine. Most of their wines are Spanish and Portuguese varietals. They had a beautiful Albarino, but it was only available by the case and even though it was on sale for $100 (for the whole case!), I just couldn't bring myself to buy that much wine. Though a small part of me regrets it now.

They have a couple of blends of Mourvedre and Tempranillo that were quite good, and their Viva Yo!  (90% Tempranillo, 10% Cab Sauv) and Viva Tu! (100% Tempranillo) were amazing. They had a couple of wines made from Trousseau which is a peppery grape, nicknamed Bastardo. Super peppery! They also had a very interesting wine called Iberia which includes 31% Touriga, a grape used to make port. So it had a sweet port nose but wasn't sweet in flavor. It was very unusual and unique.

So even though Max didn't treat us as well as we'd hoped, he was still overall nice, and we still had a nice last tasting. And now even more so than the day before, my tasters were shot and I was definitely done. I mean it this time.

I even skipped having wine at dinner.

The next day we went to Hearst Castle and walked around. I tried to imagine having a mansion like that, and I just couldn't get further than a fantasy of reading a book in one of the corners. I am unable to even fathom the idea of being that rich (or really any level of rich).

We had dinner in Cambria and it was suggested I pair my halibut with a white wine called Butter. And it was! A nice lightly oaked Chardonnay from Sonoma. Apparently they also have a red called Jam, and a sparkling wine called Toast! I want to travel there based on this information alone. Plus our waitress was adorable. I bundled her up in a ribbon and stuffed her in the trunk so she can pair all my wine.

I can see it now: "Tonight's macaroni and cheese should pair with a nicely with a box of Chardy."

So that is the end of our trip, and now we get to play wine at home (it's one of my favorite games). And as I mentioned at the beginning, the one thing I have learned about this excursion to central-south-quasi-coastal-California, is that Paso is awesome, and you should go there. We went to 11 wineries and only have about 339 left to go. And aside from the wine, we had a lot of fun just being together, enjoying each other's company and just being in love. It was a great weekend and exactly what I needed.

Bottom line: Go create an adventure for yourself!

Paso Tasting Day 1

Preface: This is a two day post about a 2014 summer trip to Paso Robles. And I am going to spoil it by telling you up front and right now the biggest and most important thing I learned: Paso Robles is fucking awesome. Go there. There are 350 wineries spread across the area, there are nauseating winding roads, and endless rolling hills, and a quaint little town filled with yummy restaurants. This is a slice of heaven!

In an attempt to jus re-orient my mind, my husband and I went up to Paso Robles to drink wine. Having been absent for most of the year and then very busy working, we finally decided to go away for the weekend and drink some wine.

Now the locals pronounce Paso Robles as in Robe-uls, but the correct spanish pronunciation is Robe-lace. I don't want to say I know better than the natives, because I get a little pissy when people pronounce it Ne-vahh-da instead of Nevada (the middle 'a' as in "dad"). So whatever to that. I'll just be the annoying foreigner.

The first day we tasted a shit load of wine, so we'll start there. As we were coming into Paso, the first place we saw on the little offshoot street was Tobin James. I liked the sound of it. Whomever is in charge of their marketing has their shit together. Every piece of merch has their logo on it. Everything. Great branding. They have a beautiful little outdoor area, but inside the tasting room it was boisterous and just a big party of happiness, warmth, and excitement. It was a great first place to visit.

I'm writing this three days out and I can't remember what their wine was like, but they had a Chardonnay (2012) that was quite delicious. I only know this because I bought two bottles and I never would have done that if their Chardies were piss. They are known for their Zins, though and they have a few expensive and fancy reserve Zins, and these are quite spectacular. Big and jammy, lots of flavor, good balance, and just enjoyable to drink.

If you are a Zin fan, they have six different selections available, including a Primitivo that was also worth noting.

Next was on to Rockin' R, where a lass with a silver mullet, poured wine down my gullet. This was a fun small winery, and the woman in charge of the tasting room knew her stuff! She had a very interesting smell technique whereby she smelled the wine one nostril at a time, first "left brain," then smell something neutral, like the back of your hand, then your "right brain," then something neutral, then both nostrils together. It is interesting how one side picks up more of certain flavors than the other side.

Overall their wines were interesting, but nothing rave-worthy. Definitely above average and really good, just not great.

We went to Steinbeck next. They also have a dessert wine company housed in the same tasting room called Paso Port, and they have a wide selection of yummy tasty magic. Steinbeck was one of the pricier wineries we visited, averaging $40 per bottle, but their wines were really good. Overall, really good wines.

We had a quick lunch at the golf course. I'd find another place to lunch in the future. While the views were nice, downtown Paso has a lot of excellent restaurants that are more worth your time and money. Yelp is your friend, not for just the food, but the wineries as well.

Robert Hall is a big fancy winery, right on Highway 46 and one of the first big ones you see coming into town. I hate to disparage wine, but a lot of the wine experience is completely subjective. I am hardly an expert, and you may think my opinions are full of crap and that is fine. You should question me, and go out and form your own opinions. Everyone's tastes vary and everyone's biology is different.

I didn't really care for this wine that much. So I only bought a few bottles. I have to qualify that just a little. A lot changes when you are tasting wine. You get all these flavors back to back. I think when you are at home, you open a bottle and suddenly you are committed to that bottle. Whether you can polish it off with friends in an hour, or if you have to bravely go it alone over a couple of days, it is kind of a thing where you either try harder to like it, or chalk it up to experience and just power through your jug of swill. Take away the obligation to invest and suddenly you become pickier. Maybe that was just me, or maybe I had tasted better wines already so my frame of reference was altered. Hard to say.

I have had Robert Hall before, purchased from the local grocery store. It was a Syrah, that I recall as being quite good, but perhaps the vintage was better than what I tasted. Either way, I wasn't necessarily bowled over by anything I tasted. The prices were lower than most other wineries though, about $20 per bottle average, versus $30. So if you are on a wine budget, it might be a good place to explore. Don't get me wrong the wine is good. But just good.

Eberle has a beautiful winery and tasting room and a nice deck overlooking rows of vines. It is nice and relaxing. Their wines are quite tasty and their mascot is a boar. Overall really good wines.

Hey it was the end of the day after drinking a gallon of wine. What kind of review did you expect? I was lucky to walk out of there. But my tasters were shot! I could drink or taste no more!

So we went to one last winery: 

Grizzly Republic. The tasting room is in downtown Paso, and they have a list of interesting and unique wines. The woman pouring for us was adorable, and she explained that a lot what we were tasting from one year to the next was weather. The standout wine was a Grenache that had an overtly smoky flavor to it because that year, there was a fire nearby and the smoke hung over the vineyard, and the grapes absorbed the smoke. They had a Petite Syrah that was big and jammy, just the way I likey, but Gregory wasn't really into it.

They also had a very nice port, that screamed yumminess at me.

Their tasting room was simple but elegant. They had the best palate cleansers, crackers, cheese and little brownie bites. They also had live music, a guitarist singer who was quite good. It was a very enjoyable way to end the first day of wine tasting.

Personal favorite winery of the day: It was a toss up between Tobin and Grizz

Personal favorite wine tasted: Tobin Fatboy (Zin)

Whaler Vineyard Flagship Zinfandel 2008

So my brother brought this over one night. Our intent was to get drunk on wine. We ended up savoring this bottle quite a bit and spent way more time tasting it than drinking it.

I'm not sure how much it was in the store, though I found it online for $26. It was quite a good wine, and didn't need much opening time to be enjoyed. I mean, admittedly we opened it and poured it, and just started horking it down, but after the first hork, I backed off and enjoyed the summer night and stars.

Bottom line: Drink it!

Curtis Mourvèdre 2010

Curtis winery in Santa Inez is a small family winery that has a variety of tasty wines. This Mourvèdre has a lightness to its color and isn't thick like a Cab. It is lighter like a Pinot, but has a lot of complexity going on.

It was a little tannic, which means that it could be cellared for a couple of years, but it can also be appreciated now. A bit if decanting and allowing it to open up will certainly bring it around.

I haven't had a lot of Mourvèdre, so I don't have a lot of reference for it. We got this wine as part of the wine club so it was chosen for us.

I tend to think of these more exotic varietals as European varietals, but really they are all European, so that is silly. But uncommon flavors will only give your common favorites more gravity. So try something new.

Bottom line: Expand your horizon and drink it!

Returning after a hiatus

Contrary to my lack of posting, I haven't abandoned this blog. But frankly I haven't felt much like writing or blogging or doing anything.

My mom died in May and I haven't really been dealing with it well or effectively (two different things). I spent from February until May with her and my dad, while she slowly succumbed to the cancer infiltrating her body. We did everything we could, including an experimental treatment, but we knew from the beginning we would lose the war, because the cancer was so advanced when it was diagnosed, and therefore it was only a matter of time.

I have also had a couple of big music jobs that have taken a great deal of time, and required more of me than I had available to give. They show promise though that they were a worthy endeavor and I hope they pay off as such.

As far as wine goes, I have been drinking a lot more than I have been tasting. Partially for a lack of direction.

But I have a lot of wine that I intend to drink and I don't want to do so without some kind of direction. I am going to start posting again, but please bear with me. It may take a few posts to get my snarky mojo back.

Pedroncelli Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

So we got this wine through woot, and it is damned delicious. It seems a little generic in a way I can't quite put my finger on. Something about the presentation, maybe the bottle or the label, however none of that shit matters.

This is good wine.

Bottom line: Put on a hat and drink it!!!

Delectus Argentum 2011

So just to follow up yesterday's post, this picture shows the Argentum in front and the magnum in back. A magnum is two bottles worth of wine. But there are bigger ones. Check THIS out. 20 bottles?!?

Me wanty.

Man is there something Delectus can't do? This Argentum was purchased at Total Wine, and was a "cheap" one of their wines. It was $20 (versus $50). I realize $20 can be a lot for some people, and that is why I am mentioning this.

This wine was also spectacular. Granted I liked the Merlot better, but that is just a personal preference. The Argentum blend still carries the things Delectus does best: big boot-to-the-head flavor, and a big ol' pile of complexity.

Want Delectus on a budget? Now you can!

Bottom line: Drink it!!!

Delectus Merlot 2008

So one thing this picture can't show you is that this is a Mmmmmmmagnum!!! Have you had one? Have you ever opened one? and poured from it? This is one of the most exciting things ever. Pouring wine from a magnum? Move over hamburger helper. This shit makes an average night exciting!

This was a special occasion wine. I believe you humans call it, "Tuesday."

We stumbled into Delectus' tasting room to pick up a wine order which belonged to our friend Busy Beth. We were in the neighborhood, so we figured, what the heck; we're here; let's do a tasting. We figured if she liked it well enough to join the club, it has to be good enough to taste.

The location of their tasting room is in an industrial part of Napa, but walk through the doors and you are confronted with simple sophistication and a professional office atmosphere that balances elegance and sophistication. Their wines were a cannonball to the face. This day they only had reds they were tasting and they were HUGE! Like Godzilla tiptoeing on your balls. Just gigantic flavors, layers of complexity, and enjoyable!

These wines are big and tasty, but they aren't complex in an aloof and tortured way. They are the funnest guy at the party who surprisingly volunteers for a charity, has a great job, and a responsible moral fibre. Approachable, affable, delicious, and balanced with beauty, charm, and absolute delight!

We tried Syrah, Petite Sirah, Merlot, and a Cabernet Sauvignon. They were all amazing.

Bottom line: There is a reason they call it Delectus.

P.S. We joined the club right after the tasting.

Heitz Cellars Ink Grade Port

I could have just put a picture of an ice cream cone! Dessert wine break! I don't know a lot about port. Okay fine, I know nothing about it.

And to date I have only had two, but the reason is this: they are big bottles and I am a small hobbit. And yes, I know I can put it away, but they have a higher alcohol content than wine, and you don't want to drink that much. It's like eating a too-big piece of cake, where after a while it doesn't feel or taste like cake any more it just tastes like putting spoonfuls of fatty butter in your gob.

A port night is a special occasion. Because this shit is also esssspensive.

A smaller bottle (350ml), can be $40-plus. Well, for the good stuff anyway. Maybe that is why I haven't ventured far into this world. But I do intend to remedy it soon and I hope you stay with me on the journey from port to port.

See what I did there?

Now Heitz has a lot of tasty wines, which early in my experience, seemed very hit and miss. Their wines are also very expensive, like $50 plus for the cab, and it was just out of my range. It didn't rope me in at the tasting and I couldn't afford to take a chance on that horse. But they are merely an acquaintance at the moment, mysterious and intriguing. And I'd like to know them better.

But the port had me at =Pop!=

This is sweet and approachable, but has an air of sophistication about it. You don't need a coat and a pipe while sipping this. 'cause it's baked right in to the crust!

Bottom line: Special occasion! Like whatever today is! Is it Thursday? Or Saturday? Anyway! Another day of living, of new experiences, an opportunity to be grateful for the little things.

Napa Cellars Pinot Noir 2012

Will wonders never cease?!? Now I know I tend to coddle Napa Cellars a bit. I do really like their wines, but I don't want to seem like I'm playing favorites unfairly.

But this is one of the first Pinots I have had in a looong time that completely challenged my aforementioned disdain for the varietal.

This has a smoothness to it that many pinots lack. I often feel like I'm swallowing a cactus, but this was not like that. It also seemed darker than a normal Pinot. They tend to be at the lighter end of the red spectrum, but perhaps Napa just went all rebellious and made something darker and delicious-er.

All I know is I like it.

So Surprise yourself and a friend! Surprise wine and cheese party for two! Surprise! Pour the wine over them like it's Gatorade and they just won the big game!

Bottom line: Surprise!

Mt. Monster Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

[Insert sound of Angels here] We found wine heaven in LA, and it isn't BevMo, it is Total Wine and Liquor. The selection is staggering. They have rows of wine, grouped by region, and probably cross referenced, roving hoards of sommeliers-adjacent brigands, an entire wall of vodka.

If only it weren't an hour drive away from my house. I may have to move just to be closer to this commercial monstrosity. Because I wants all the things it haveses.

This wine came as a recommendation from one of the aforementioned rovers. It had allegedly won some award the previous year.

I also bought this because of the label: it has purple, a mountain, monsters, and it is from Australia. I thought it would be fun. But this wine is serious.

Too serious.

I don't mean to be pejorative, but this is a screw cap wine, and they need to be breezier--not Bacardi breezier, just less intense. It has high levels of concentration, followed by too much thought, perplexity, and ultimately inconsistency. The person at the party who is bringing the energy down, and probably should have left a little sooner than, say, closing the place down.

Bottom line: Drink this when you aren't having fun, maybe while doing your taxes, or watching an intense dramatic film that borders on (gulp) educational. But pop the screwcap soon, or it may go Voldem--I mean... you know.

V. Sattui Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Preston Vineyard

Yadda, yadda, yadda, wine=good.

I confess I tasted this a while ago, so my memory of it is a little faded. However we do have another bottle of it, specifically the Preston Vineyard, as well as the standard version. So I will have to do an update. I don't recall being as impressed with this as the Merlot, something about it being drier and much more tannic. Perhaps it just needs to be cellared for a bit. Yes! That's the ticket! Just the thing to sort it out!

Bottom line: A good chap to have around, and the longer you keep it, the more you'll like it.

V. Sattui Winery Merlot 2010

V. Sattui is one-a them fancy wineries, whose wines are only available from their winery. That's right folks, this offer is not available in stores! The day we went was a busy day to begin with, but on a normal day this would be a busy place. The grounds are huge, and beautiful, and elaborate with areas for special events, like weddins n' anythin else y'all can conjer up. They have two tasting rooms, both huge, and we apparently went to the fancy one.

They are one of the few wineries that have a food license. There is a cheese shop with enough cheese to plug you for life, and a place to buy luncheon items, in addition to the obligatory swag, monogrammed wine glasses, cork key chains, and coasters, which you can buy pretty much anywhere you hear a cork pop.

So we picked up a little cross section of their wines--and a couple of their dessert wines too, a port and Madeira. This merlot is quite lovely, not too dry, and not too sweet, but better when allowed to fully develop.

Have you ever had a wine at dinner the following night which you opened the day prior, only to find it is almost a completely different wine? Let this baby explore the world for a while before you indulge.

Bottom line: Patience is a virtue, a tasty, tasty virtue.

Ménage a trois California Red Wine 2011

This! Okay move over Two Buck Chuck! This is the best cheap wine you will have today! Granted, it is more like $7 or $8, and the more savvy could probably seek it out for $6, nonetheless it is worth twice what you paid. I would be surprised to find a wine that is cheaper and better.

If you haven't found this yet, come out from under your rock, Hilda, and embrace the dark purple sunshine!

This is not the most amazing wine you will ever taste, or drink. But it is a solid addition to any cellar, great for cooking and getting blasted with a friend (actually I don't recommend getting blasted on wine--that is for ugly girls. If you insist on getting wasted on alcohol, do it the proper way: with liquor).

You should always have a couple bottles of cheap drinking wine after the tasting is over and you feel like keeping a buzz going to fuel a great conversation. (I know I have mentioned this before, but I'm mentioning it again--cause this shit is, like, important).

I don't want to misrepresent myself: I have no problem drinking alone. It's just not as fun. I much prefer company. Because if I am drinking alone, my wine is probably being seasoned by bitter tears of salty defeat, or salty regret, or salty self-pity. Not always: sometimes I will have a wine and cheese party for one while watching an old black and white movie--cause ya gotta.

But most often, wine is a social thing. Have it with a friend, it tastes better.

So yes, Folie a Deux. One moment I'm lambasting you, comparing you to your prettier older sister, Napa Cellars, but this is one thing Napa Cellars can't do: be this good for this cheap. It's a blend of Trois wines. You can find it at Costco. It has a sweetness to it, a smoothness, and bizarrely, a sophisticated structure that something this cheap should not have. It should fall apart on your tongue, dissolving into goo like old gum, but like your best suspenders, it holds up.

Bottom line: Two steps: 1. Buy a case. 2. Drink said case.

Folie a Deux Merlot 2011

Folie a Deux has merged companies together with Napa Cellars. So when you go to Napa (yes, when!) you'll find them in the same little building. they have a lovely tasting room and a beautiful garden in which you can ruminate on the various delicacies they have just poured in your wine hole.

For some reason a lot of Merlots are cheaper nowadays (thanks Sideways for fucking the wine market), but despite a questionably earned reputation, I like them. Cheap flirty fun, but sometimes they can surprise you. Remember that "bimbo" you made out with? She's a PhD in genetics from Ivy League U, and is creating new heads for people. To break with the Merlot-haters out there, I like them waaaay better than Pinots. Because Pinots taste like zombie feet.

This Merlot is smooth and you can really taste the fairy. Dark, rich and magical. But I have to be honest: while I do like this wine, there are other wines I like more. Like Napa Cellars. I'm sorry, but if you are both going to live in the same house, I want you to know which child I prefer. It's not personal Folie. You do many things I love, but Napa is just better looking and more talented.

Bottom line: This Merlot is good. Solid good. Just good, but also all-the-way good. Honest, like a cowboy that scares you, but at the same time you would trust him with your life. So drink it.

Titus Zinfandel 2010

Titus has beautiful wines. Period. They also started selling olive oil, which I have been too cheap to buy (because it is expensive and at the moment, I'm a little on the broke side), but it was part of the tasting I did, and it was quite amazing.

Titus is small winery, and they happen to be right around the corner from David Fulton, convenient. We had to make an appointment (as is often required at smaller wineries), and were just blown away by their cab, petite sirah, and this zin. Oh, my stars and garters! Zinnnnn!

It's a big, jammy, complex experience with magical flavor ribbons.

Bottom line: Olympics for your face.  Drink it!

Maddalena Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This! The best year of Maddalena Cab I have had, is '08, but '09 will not disappoint. As I discover more and more Paso wines, I am more intrigued to make a pilgrimage there.

This is beautifully complex, but still approachable. All wines are best when they have fully opened, but a little sippy-sip right after opening won't disappoint; a preview of the magic to come.

This is one of those wines that tastes like the label: regal and sophisticated.

Bottom line: Drink it!

Sonoma Landing Pinot Noir 2008

This is a cheap and fairly tasty pinot. I usually don't like pinots, because they taste like zombie feet, but this one isn't too bad--particularly for the price--I think it was about $12ish. We first discovered it at BevMo during the 5-cent wine sale, which can make new and questionable wine-ventures more appealing. You mean I can get two crappy bottles of wine for the price of one? Yes please!

I recall it being better when fully open--I mean, you can drink it right from the bottle, and I won't judge you--but you'll get the most bang for your buck if you really let it breathe for a few hours, or decant it or perform an exorcism on it, take it shopping, play twister with it.

Sonoma Landing, which is fun to say in the Pavilions Announcer Lady voice, may be more of a drinking wine than a tasting wine, but it is by no means awful. And I feel bad (I don't feel bad), if the best thing I can say about a wine is that it "isn't awful," but as I mentioned in my parenthetical statement, I don't feel bad.

It is never a bad idea to have a few bottles of cheap drinking wine on hand when you have your tasting out of the way and want to keep your buzz going. Especially if the conversation is great.

Bottom line: Good for the wallet, questionably good for the liver, unless you are in need of a new doorstop.

A Lack of Posting: An Brief Explanation

I know I talked a big game at the beginning about posting regularly. I mean to. I really do. Well, meant to, but still mean to--anyway, I fully admit to being a punk-ass slacker.

Here 2014 is off to such a promising start, and I'm, well, what am I doing?

It's not that I haven't been tasting and drinking wine--perish the thought!--it's that I have been very busy helping my parents. My mom has cancer (lung - stage 4) and while she is doing well, there are a lot of day to day things that need to happen. Meals prepared, medical appointments with out-of-state doctors shuttled to, and a variety of other minutae that before you know it, it's time for bed.

We have been through two rounds of chemo and are pursuing a clinical trial now. So, sorry-not-sorry for my absence here, but I felt like I should at least tell you, I haven't abandoned you. Lots more wines rife for abuse or praise on the way soon, more snarky bottom lines, and more "fancy" instagram photos (I mean "fancy" as in "Lee press-on-nails fancy").

So as I work though my backlog of posts, keep drinking!

(I sure as hell am!)

Ravenswood Old Vine Zinfandel 2011

So this was about 9.99. And it even tastes like it. Not the top shelf Ravenswood, by any means (I have had good Ravenswood before), but maybe those old vines could use a dusting.

Bottom line: you get what you pay for...(don't get me wrong, I still drank it)

Robert Hall Syrah 2011

Que Syrah? THIS Syrah, that's who! This was a shot from the hip on the part of my housemate's sister, visiting us from New Zealand. They went shopping at the grocery store, and she grabbed it on a whim. And yay, such a whim!

I was a little skeptical seeing such a current year on something as typically big as a Syrah. This was delightful! Big and complex, and a smooth mouth feel, like a velvet marble of deliciousness rolling around your tongue. But not snooty. This is an accessible, and perfectly drinkable wine.

We were eating a bacon avocado pasta dish, and ... yeah, bacon. I lost my train of thought too.

What was I..? Oh! Wine!

Bottom line: Drink it! If you are disappointed, well, shit...I don't know what to do about that. Sounds like your problem for listening to the internets to begin with.

Redwood Creek Pinot Noir

No year was given on this wine. And an equal number of fucks were given too.

I'm not a Pinot fan, but I have had some really good ones, Napa Cellars 2009 for example: nice, complex, perhaps a little bigger than most Pinots, but not too big. A fine balance of beauty and structure. In short, everything this wine isn't.

This wine is crap.

Bottom line: Find a good bottle of wine and drink it instead of this deplorable waste of time.