Saturday, December 20, 2008

GLORY DAYS VIOGNIER 2007 - Good Cheap Wine of the Week

Viognier (pronounced vee-on-yay) originates from the Rhone Valley in France, and is said to have ties back 2,000 years to Dalmatia, in which the Romans may have brought it over. Ok, enough with the History lesson, let's talk about Glory Days Viognier ( priced at 9.99). Now imagine, if you can, you have just turned 16 and just acquired your drivers license, now it's time to pick out your first car. Of course being 16  you're already imagining  how fast you will go in a sports car. As you walk on the car lot, the first sports car you see beckons you to come closer, and your parent being who they are, quickly burst that bubble and turns your attention to a 1989 Ford Taurus. Of course there is nothing exceptional about this car, I mean it must have a 0 to 60 time of like 25 seconds. Now imagine putting nitrous under the hood of this Ford Taurus. The external aspects of the Taurus may not impress you but one press of the gas could cause whiplash, this Glory Days Viognier is that wine. When opening the bottle and pouring it, if you are someone who wants to enjoy the whole experience of this living nectar, you'll want to smell it. The nose of this wine produces a smoky, nutty smell. The wine also carries a hint of grass and melon. What makes this wine special is that with very little fruit found in the nose, upon tasting, your mouth is engulfed in floral and bright notes of fruits such as melon and apple. These fruits find the peak of their power in the mid palette and extends for a long finish, so for those who like their dry white wines, allow yourself to step out of your comfort zone, you'll thank me later. As with the Ford Taurus, what you see is not always what you get, and what you smell is not always what you taste. So for those of you who have never been introduced to the luscious grape, Viognier, I wish you the best in your future engagements with this beautiful wine. 

Saturday, December 13, 2008

IRONSTONE VINEYARDS CABERNET FRANC 2004 - My Good Cheap Wine Of The Week

For the men, do you remember that first real girlfriend? That girl that may or may not have been your first love, but was complex enough to spark your attention, during, let's say those good old college years. Who cares how long the relationship lasted, you learned that there are some things, or let's say, complexities, that separates some from the rest. Well let me introduce you to Ironstone's Cabernet Franc 2004 (8 to 10 dollars a bottle). 
My first bit of instructions is to let the bottle breathe, open this bottle for at least 20 to 30 minutes before drinking it. After the bottle has absorbed some oxygen, the nose of the wine will show characteristics of ripe fruit, pomegranate, sour cherry, hints of earth. As for the taste, there's dark fruit throughout the beginning, middle, and ending palate. Also, it includes, at the end, a hint of sour cherry and chocolate resonates for at least a minute to a minute and twenty seconds after the wine has gone down. This Cabernet Franc is not one sided like a number of wines under 10 dollars and just like that first girlfriend, it's just complex enough to spark your attention and separate itself from a number of its peers. 

Thursday, December 11, 2008

My Longest Relationship, Her Name: Vino

I start this session by saying, thank you for visiting my blog, or should I say thank you for being the third party witness to my relationship with the queen of my castle Wine. A good companion can always say they have seen you at your highest and your lowest points, and she has. Money has never been deciding factor in our relationship, although at times, it seemed, I couldn't afford the best of you, but you assured me that more money doesn't always mean the best quality and I took that to heart. The relationship between Vino and I has grown closer and closer over these six almost seven years, and her previous words to me have rang true......

Okay, okay, I'm done with the story about being a Wino, I am here to let all who are reading this know that if they love wine but have problems paying for bottles because of cost, I want to help all of you jump that hurdle. I'm not a Sommelier but I have a distinct love for wine, which I express everyday with a bottle (or two) to myself. I figure, since I drink wine the way I do, why not share with all who don't have the money but want good wine. Feel free to comment on any wines I single out through our journey of low cost wine together.