Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Argentina Edition

After coming off of a slightly disappointing 10K at Cooper River, I really had been looking forward to my next race which happened to be a 5 miler here in Columbia this past weekend.  While I did not set and personal records, I did manage to win overall Master's and take home some cash, and take home a top 10 finish.  For a race this large, I am happy to have met those goals.  There are days we have it and days we don't.

There are wines that have it, and some that don't.  I am fortunate that lately I have been getting very lucky with my selections.  I have been actually picking out some on my own without assistance from my wine guru and have been pleasantly surprised at the results I have had.  Let's talk about Salvatore Principe Malbec.  This wine hails from Argentina in the Mendoza region.  One of my favorite wine regions.

 
I love this Malbec.  I found this at World Market and actually went back and bought the last of the bottles that were in the store!  Very nice deep red Malbec with a medium body and that spice and smoky subtle taste that I enjoy.  Of course, this pairs perfectly with pizza, vegetables and cheese.  Three of my favorite things.  I have not been able to find any more of this since my last purchase, but will remain on the lookout.  I know I did not pay over $10 for this bottle; so it's quite the bargain.  I do have one more bottle at home that I am saving for a rainy day.

My next bottle is a red bland from Argentina.  Chakana Estate Selection Red Blend 2012.  This is a blend of 60% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Shiraz.  Yum.  What a perfect blend.  This wine is also deep red with violet undertones.  Dark fruits and exotic spices with tobacco and hints of mocha emerge right away.  There is a wonderful balance of these varietals and again, I will go back for more.  This one has more of that bold bang to it when you are in the mood for something to really hit you.





And the darn bottles are so pretty!  I just can't help myself when I go in to the stores and see these beautiful bottles with the perfect descriptions underneath.  I purchased the Chakana from Best Bottle.  Retail for this beauty is around $27/bottle.  Well worth it, as I continue to read that this wine will be going up, up, up in price!

Happy Sipping!



Thursday, April 24, 2014

Who wants to be Idaho?




Sawtooth Syrah 2011

Its been a little over a week.  I have been a little busy with...life in general, I guess.  I have two absolutely fantastic wines to tell you about this week.  I think in my last post, I mentioned my new favorite little wine shop:  Best Bottle, located in Woodhill Plaza.  I have a great fondness for this place because of the wonderful variety of wines that they carry.  It is really a great place to go in to.  Whether you are a wine novice or have a little more experience, the owner is a huge help in helping you find just what you are looking for.  It's my new go-to place when I am looking for something special to try.

This week I found just that.  The last thing you probably think about when you are thinking about wine hot spots is Idaho.  Idaho?  Wine?  Huh?  In doing a little research on Sawtooth, the winery was opened in the late 1980's.  At present time there are about 45 + wineries in Idaho.  Who knew?  Not me.  But now I am curious.  I purchased a bottle of Sawtooth 2011 Estate Grown Syrah.  Oh my God!  This is amazing.  A very dark and savory red with amazing spice notes right from the smell to the first taste and finish.  I absolutely loved this bottle.  It amazed me...not just because it was from Idaho, but because I am early on in my Syrah sipping phase and I was blown right away.  Call it beginners luck.  If I were you, I would find a bottle of this ASAP.  This retails for around $20/bottle.  I was sad that when I went back today, they were actually out of this.  See...it's that good!

Next on the list is Wild Oats Shiraz hailing from Australia.  http://www.wildoatswine.com/the-wild-oats-story/  The website gives you the history of the wine and region.  This is a velvety red wine with some spicy characteristics.  I am a slave to the spice.  Value wine at around $10 per bottle.


Just a little education.  I did not know this, but have learned that Shiraz and Syrah are one and the same.  I was quite confused at first, but my handy, dandy, wine teacher let me in on this little secret.  I felt really silly at first, but hey...you have to learn some time.

Now that the weather is finally starting to get warmer, I will branch out soon into some white varietals.  Until then...sip on!









Thursday, April 10, 2014

Discovery

Sorry for the delay in getting this post out to you.  I have been incapacitated by a bug thrust upon me by a devilish 3 year old.  While said bug did put a damper on some wine time...I did manage to ingest a few especially tasty treats in the days leading up to my downfall.  

LoNuevo Vilata 2012 Monastrell-Syrah, Old Vines, Jumilla.  Talk about some beautiful spicy aromas right from the first smell with a peppery finish.  This is a wonderful bottle to sit back and really enjoy.  I am also finding that I am intrigued with the Jumilla region, as this is the second bottle I have tried an absolutely adored.  This is a blend of 85% Monastrell/15% Syrah.  Again, I cannot ignore my passion for wines from Spain.  This does not disappoint.  And a great value coming in around $12-$15 per bottle. I discovered this at my new favorite little wine shop, Best Bottle Wine and Gifts located in the Shoppes at Woodhill on Garners Ferry.  Go in if you have not!  



My second treasure found this week was Unban Uco Malbec Tempranillo 2012.  Hailing from the Uco Valley in Argentina, this blend of 50% Malbec / 50% Tempranillo is another wonderful value red blend that you should jump up and grab.  I have already gone back and purchased a back up bottle of this one.  This is a medium-full bodied wine with a deep purple-red color.  I love it when a wine grabs you right from the start and this does not disappoint.  Another value coming in at $15.00 per bottle.  




Now that I am back on the road to recovery, I will be sure to have some additional great finds for you next week.  

Cheers!