Excitement

I am finding it really hard to be calm this week.  I have a HUGE race coming up this weekend and I am very excited about it.  It is a mix of excitement and nervousness and elation.  Quite the combination of emotions.  I am excited because I have a seeded entry.  I am nervous because I have a seeded entry.  I am elated...because I have a seeded entry.  It's quite a bit of responsibility being laid on me.  Regardless (or irregardless for my 'special' friends) I am looking forward to heading to Charleston to partake in the Cooper River Bridge Run.

I am also excited to share with you some amazing finds that I have happened upon in the past week.  First let me tell you about  Marques de Casa Concha 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Puente Alto, Chile.  Amazing.  This wine has a very flavorful and spicy taste.  100% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is deep ruby in color.  I would describe is as medium bodied with a nice lingering finish.  I found this bottle at Whole Foods and it was right over $20.  It paired wonderfully with my cheese and crackers I had been snacking on.

My next wonderful find was Juan Gil 2011 Jumilla Red Wine, another from Spain.  Holy.  I cannot express my love for this wine!!!  This is a 100% Monastell wine highlighting smooth plum and red berry flavors.  This wine is wonderfully aromatic.  It is a mix of dark fruit, sweet spice, black pepper, and smoky oak.  I have to say that this is one of my new favorites.  This retails for about $15 per bottle.

I also received a wine gift this week that I want to tell you about.  The Rabbit.  Many of you may have heard of this tool or may already have one.  I hadn't.  I was told it would change my life.  I think I am a smarter person after just two corks of use.  I really like this nifty contraption.  I am very adept at using your regular wine tool opener...although I will admit I cut myself more often than not on the little retractable knife used for removing the foil seal.  And when I cut myself, I do it well.  So, I have fairly consistent stab marks on my hands from my wine habit.  This being said, the rabbit leaves no room for error.  It's Shannon-proof.  One flick of the wrist and your cork is out and you can start sipping away!  If you do not have one, I would highly recommend the purchase of one...or tell someone you love to buy it for you for  your next gift exchanging occasion.  You will not be disappointed.


Happy uncorking!

Spicy

I have found a new wine fixation.  Spice.  I have fallen in love with having a bit of spice in my life, so to speak.  I have found this in the form of some new varietals that I have been testing and truly enjoying.  Let's talk about Atteca Garnacha Old Vines 2011.  Another of my Spain super finds!

Read this expert review I found on line:
90 Points - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Sep/Oct 13
"(100% garnacha; fermented in stainless steel and aged for 10 months in French Oak): Glass staining ruby.  Ripe red berries and fresh rose on the oak-spiced nose.  Silky and sweet, offering vibrant raspberry and cherry-vanilla flavors and a touch of bitter chocolate.  Zesty mineral and cracked pepper notes add energy to the long, spicy, red fruit-dominated finish."

All I can add is WOW.  I mean, first of all the bottle is beautiful.  Second, the price is right on at under $15 per bottle.  I cannot tell you enough positive things about this wine.  I am sold on Garnacha as a new favorite.  This is the second bottle I have tried and I am eager to open up the next one I find.

My next find was a 2012 Trapiche Malbec.  This is from Mendoza- Argentina.  Another beautifully spicy, full bodies wine that I pleasantly tripped over on a breakage spree in our warehouse.  Lucky for me, I actually scored a few bottles so I will be able to have a repeat performance with this one sooner rather than later.  Very deep red color, this wine paired nicely with my Friday night pizza habit.

Another sub $15.00 bottle.  You need to try this one out.

They say that variety is the spice of life.  I will have to agree.  I am looking forward to continuing to test out these different wines.  I hope you enjoy as well!

Weird Weather

I am over this weather.  It's nuts.  One day I am running in tights, a hat, gloves, jacket, etc...the very next day I am in shorts and a t-shirt and sweating to death.  I am just waiting to get sick.  Of course, I refuse.  So one of the things I do in order to keep healthy is drink wine.  Yep...sure fire way to keep away germs.  Try it...you will see.

I have had a fling going on with some Paso Robles wines as of late.  Let me tell you about Stonehedge 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.  Stonehedge is a small family wine producer specializing in the production of high quality handcrafted wines.  This is a Trader Joe's find for about $7.99 a bottle.  I am partial to Paso Robles wines.  Kind of like what you see is what you get.  Luckily, what you get is a very tasty and smooth Cabernet with a delicious lingering finish.  I will be going back for more of this tasty bottle.

Another wine I had the opportunity to try was Ravenswood Besieged.  This is a blend of Old Vine California heritage varietals.  It is a limited release, small production specialty wine.  This one is a funky bold blend that I really enjoyed.  Very deep red with that spicy finish I love in my wines.  It's a decent bargain as well at only $14 per bottle.  Plus...what a pretty bottle!

I am hopeful that the mass majority of the cold weather is behind us and we can sneak back in to spring and start delving in to our warmer weather whites!  Stay tuned because I think it won't be too long...

Something new...

I am always hesitant to try a completely foreign wine.  What if I hate it?  I am very lucky to have a wine source that has come to know exactly the flavors I am looking for in my wine.  Because of him, I scored two of the best bottles of wine as a gift from my Strictly Running relay team as a thank you for coordinating some of our weekend events while at the race.  As I mentioned in my last excerpt, we WON the women's open relay event!  As a matter of fact, we were 2nd finishers overall out of all of the teams that entered.  Pretty decent.

First we have Tres Picos Borsao Garnacha.  This was my first Garnacha experience and I will go back for more.  Another wonder from Spain, this is a right up my alley with the spicy taste and deep red color.  I am honestly in love with this particular wine. I went out to find another bottle immediately after I finished.  OK, so not immediately...but the same week.  Just a little tid bit of information for you about the Borsao winery:

Founded in 1958 in the town of Borja, called Borsao in the 4th century B.C., this winery represents what can be done with Garnacha, a grape that is not well appreciated by the Spanish press.  Through meticulous selection, work in the fields and at reception time in the winery, modern winemaking produces this highly fruity wine.  One of the best examples of the region known as "The Garnacha land of Spain", the lower part of the Ebro River.

I must admit, I am confused as to why this is not more appreciated.  It truly is a great wine.  Purchased at Whole Foods for $17, it is a great buy.

My second bottle was Rio Madre Rioja.  What a freaking bargain for such a great taste!  I mean it.  You can score this tasty little number for under $10/bottle.  Stock up! If you can find this in bulk, do yourself a favor and go for it.

From the bottle:

"This rare wine is a culmination of many years of hard work and determination.  We are finally able to release a wine that is made from Graciano grapes grown in Rioja.  Join us in celebrating this unique release and enjoy a glass of this most unusual Rioja.

The Graciano grape has long been fundamental to the wine industry in Rioja.  Winemakers depend on it to add a wonderful floral bouquet and complexity to their blends.  Rarely has it been used on its own.  Several years ago we notices that our estate grown Graciano vineyards, which surround the town of Alfaro, were capable of producing a wine which exemplifies the best that the grape has to offer.  The deep, almost opaque color, the exuberant aromas and luscious flavors of blackberries and cherries tells you this is not a wine to be taken lightly but rather it should be enjoyed to its fullest."

Um, yep.  That about sums it up.  This was another first for me with a Graciano.  Again, I will admit, I was blown away.  

Sometimes something different is exactly what you need.  I am glad I stretched out of my comfort zone to try these phenomenal wines.

Happy sipping!!