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Mer Soleil Un-Oaked Chardonnay ($21.99)
Santa Lucia Highlands From the producer: "A pale yellow hue, the wine is well balanced with Fair in color and fresh from start to finish. The 2014 vintage opens up with aromas of flower blossoms, crisp pears and a hint of honeysuckle. Bright citrus evokes the clean taste of Meyer lemons, which grow amidst our estate vineyards, where a portion of this wine is sourced. On the palate, the wine is round and layered, with an acidity and depth that belie its unoaked character. The finish brings a lingering freshness that creates a perfect complement to salads, grilled seafood, tomato-based dishes and fresh oysters - and leaves a brightness in the mouth that leaves you wanting another sip." From me: This Chardonnay is unusually round and smooth on the palate, considering that it sees no oak, and undergoes no malolactic fermentation. It is fermented and aged in large concrete tanks, which allow a small exposure to oxygen. This creates an enhanced, fresh flavor and a distinctly creamy finish. This is an elegant wine. Clayhouse Adobe Red Blend ($12.99) Paso Robles From the producer: "Each varietal was fermented separately. Some lots were aged in oak (to add vanilla richness). Others lots were kept in stainless steel (to preserve fresh fruit flavors). A final blend was determined, and its elements were married a month or two prior to bottling. Flavor: Ripe, brambly blackberry and cherry flavors with hints of plum, black pepper, and vanilla. Balancing tannin is fine and supply. Food pairing: Pair with grilled meats, poultry, and vegetables. Also great with red-sauced pasta and pizza, and with savory sausages, soups, and stews." From me: This is a really compelling red blend. Its interesting variety of grapes and its depth of flavor make it stand out from its peers. It's a good go-to red that's excellent value for money. Writer's Block Cabernet Franc ($15.99) Lake County From the producer: "This Cabernet Franc has aromas of red cherry, raspberry, plum, and licorice. Flavors are of red fruit, raspberry, and plum with smooth acidity, followed by soft tannins. We age the wine for 15 months in mainly hybrid barrels. This wine pairs well with many different dishes; try it with braised short ribs, lasagna, or a portabella burger." From me: Cab Franc is one of my favorite wines, and I like this one very much. The label and name drew me in, but the flavor and body kept me interested. It has a richer body than a New York or French Cab Franc, and it goes down smoothly. I liked it on day one, but I loved it on day two. Even after 4 days on the counter it was still drinkable. That almost never happens. Enjoy with food or without.
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Pratello Lieti Conversari ($14.99)
An organic, medium-bodied white wine from the Lake Garda area in northern Italy Collesole Montefalco Rosso ($19.99) An Umbrian red blended from Sangiovese, Merlot, and Sagrantino Collosorbo Le Due Gemme Sant-Antimo Rosso ($15.99) A Tuscan red blended from Sangiovese, Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon Legado Finca El Refugio Tempranillo ($13.99) An organic, earthy Tempranillo with medium tannin Can Maurisset Priorat ($20.99) A Priorat blended from Grenache, Carignan, and Cabernet Sauvignon Archer Roose Carmenere 3L Box ($33.99)
Chile From the producer: "Saved from extinction, Chile’s revival of the Carmenere is something to celebrate. This wine comes to your glass from a 19th century family-run vineyard in Colchagua Valley. Its violet hue and blow-your-mind nose of plum and spice is nothing compared to its deliciously afternoonifed taste. Wine Enthusiast has declared this wine to be a "Top 100 Best Buy" of 2016!" From me: Carmenere is a full-bodied wine with a nice nip of pepper. This is a great value. Get it for a party, or keep it on your counter for several weeks to get your recommended glass of red wine each day! Archer Roose Cabernet Sauvignon 3L Box($33.99)
Chile From the producer: "We’ve always had an appreciation for the boundary pushers, the feather rufflers and the unconventional explorers. In fact, Archer Roose is named after two such characters: Edith Wharton’s distinguished Newland Archer and the boisterous Theodore Roosevelt. This contrast of sophistication and exploration makes our wine just as well-suited for fine dining as it is for unrefined adventuring. We hope it brings the characters in your life together as you delight in uncorkable conversations. So as you embark on your journey, keep your eyes on the stars and your wine in a box. Our versatile Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the gravelly soil of the Chilean Maipo Valley. This dark ruby elixir is a medium bodied, approachable crowd-pleaser. It has a fruitful nose and tastes of chocolate and bravery. It’s dry, dangerously drinkable and the perfect companion for your favorite dish. Rated a "Best Buy" by Wine Enthusiast, this wine has a rating of 86 points." From me: Archer Roose is a great new company that uses sustainably produced wine, stands behind fair and ethical labor practices, and supports rural entrepreneurs through Root Capital. Their wines are pretty tasty, too! The Cab is full-bodied and smooth with just a hint of spice. The packaging keeps the wine fresh for about three weeks, but I challenge you to make it last that long! Chase Orange Marmalade Flavored Vodka 750ml ($31.50) England From the producer: "Chase Vodka with a twist: our smooth and creamy spirit is marinated with marmalade and ribbons of peel from Seville oranges, then distilled again with orange peel from Valencia. A blend with rough-cut marmalade and a final delicate filter leaves a beautifully bittersweet finish. ABV – 40%. Nose: Orange and lemon marmalade on rye toast. Palate: Subtle, fruity and tangy. Medium to full bodied. Finish: Orange zest, naturally bittersweet." From me: I don't usually like flavored spirits, but this one blew me away. First, it reminds me of my grandma, who loved orange marmalade. Second, it's made from potatoes, so it's gluten-free. Finally, the taste! It's just sweet enough to be interesting, and not so orangey that it overwhelms the palate. You could drink this neat, chilled, on ice, in a cocktail, in sangria, or in mulled wine. Collesole Montefalco Sagrantino Passito 375 ml ($19.99) Italy From the producer: This wine is obtained from a 100% Montefalco Sagrantino vineyard of almost fifteen years. Every grape is chosen and selected to achieve an excellent product called “il Poetico.” The profit of the vineyard for each hectare does not exceed 45weights. The grape harvest is accurately accomplished by employing manual grape gathering. Only the first and second bunch that result intact and ripe are chosen. The bunches are lying on leaves inside a well ventilated cases, being careful not to overlap the bunches. Later they are lying down on mats for the natural drying in a ventilated rooms. Every day they are checked about their drying – level for almost 40 days and then there is another manual selection of the bunches and of every grape during the manual destemming. After destemmed and a soft pressed we obtain 12lt of must for each weight of grapes. The Wine-making is made on stainless steel tanks with 10 days of maceration. The maturation goes on for 24 months in stainless steel tanks and then on oak barriques for 12 months. The refinement needs 6 month. Taste: perfumes of maraschinos, blackberry and citrus with a vigorous, balanced and sweet taste; it should be served with sweets and strong cheeses. From me: The passage above is the English version from the Italian producer's page, so there are some curious translation choices, but you get the gist. This is a a dessert wine from Umbria, made with a grape called Sagrantino, in a style called "passito." The grapes lay on straw mats to dry in order to concentrate the sugar, and then they are pressed. The result is a wine that's sweet, but with a dry and slightly savory finish. It is full-bodied, but not syrupy, and it makes a wonderful digestif. Mulled wine The winters in Scotland are mostly gloomy, damp, and gray, but for several weeks in December Edinburgh hosts a European Christmas market. The booths offer crafts, food, and my favorite, mulled wine. You rent a mug and drink the steamy, spicy goodness as you wander through the market, the lights of which burn brightly in the dark, December nights. In remembrance of my time there, I will be serving up some mulled wine to warm you from the inside as you take a break from strolling through the chilly night. |
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