Pre-election come back edition

I do not care about the election.  This is an utterly false statement, of course, but I am truly tired of all of the posts and other nonsense that has bombarded my brain over the past several months, that I truly just cannot wait to receive the outcome and move forward.  If  you need some assistance in moving to the same mindset, let me recommend an amazing wine that I had the pleasure of devouring this past weekend.

I had an epic weekend.  I had a glorious run in perfect weather on Saturday morning.  13 miles of pep in my step!  When that happens, you know its going to be a good day.  Little did I know how good, until I opened a bottle of Killibinbin Seduction Cabernet Sauvignon.  I opened the bottle while I was getting ready to go on a date with Jeff.  It's always nice to a have a little pre-drink before your dinner and drinks...right?

This is an amazing Cabernet from Langhorne Creek, in South Australia.  And its really, really good.  Forget the fun and quirky label...while it is what drew me to the bottle, it definitely is what was inside that will bring me back.  From Brothers In Arms, the focus is on full-bodied wines true to the region.  I have to admit this is now one of my new favorites.  I think I purchased this one at Vino Garage off of North Main Street.  I hate to admit, I can't quite remember if that is the case.  But, I will go back and check, because I need a few more bottles of this in my life!  Enjoy!!

Traveling Pants

Having a 14 year old son is tough.  Cheering from the sidelines at his basketball games has taken on a whole new level.  I will be the first to admit I am not the perfect spectator.  I cannot be like Roger Federer's wife in the stands.  Believe me, I wish I could. But that's never going to be me.  I am like Nadal's ENTIRE family at one time during any given situation.

I've been told I can be loud.  I even bought a white noise machine for my office at work just to appease the folks that have to sit near me.  It has helped.  They tolerate me a little more now...

So this past weekend we traveled to Aiken, SC for a little AAU Basketball tournament.  Not a long trek, but we decided to make a weekend out of it.  Friday night I arrived at the AMAZING cottage I found on airbnb.com.  I made my way to the first game of the night at 8:30 and took in what was my first AAU event.

These are 14 year old boys.  Parents are SO not cool.  I got an ear-full once I got my son and his friend in the car after the game.  Mom...quit yelling during the game!  Don't call me "P".  (Patrick is a mouthful when you are excited!!) Don't take any pictures of me!  If you posted any pictures of me,  you better delete them.  Ugh.  Kids.

What's a mom to do???  Have a glass of wine.  The carriage house we stayed in had it all.  A cute little patio off of the front complete with a tiny bistro table for me to relax at and enjoy a glass of red.  Friday night was a late night so I opted for an oldie but goodie in the Trader Joe's Owl's Lair Mendocino County Red Wine.  If you have not picked up this little treasure, you really should!  At $8.99 a bottle you really get a very good wine.  The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.  Made for a very nice evening on the patio.

Saturday morning offered up more instruction from the kids about how/when to cheer and volume levels.  Unfortunately, there was not much to cheer about so I made it off the hook fairly easily.  We were back at the cottage before noon and I decided to do a bit of exploring.  Aiken is a very cute town known for its equestrian history.  I was able to walk from our cottage through the city proper and was able to determine where we would go for dinner later.  Dinner consisted of another new wine find for me.  The Arsonist Red Blend.  As I have mentioned before you put the work spice in the description and I am going to have a hard time passing it up.  A blend of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this blend does bring the spice.  From Matchbook Wine Company located in Zamora, CA, they celebrate varietals that thrive out in the warm Dunnigan Hills climate.  Hmmm.  Definitely worth taking another look!

Looking forward to our next excursion!  Sip on my friends!

Insurrection

Shame on me.  I was scolded following my last blog post from some of my work co-horts.  Not because of their lack of like for my selection; but for the mere fact that I had given praise to a label we personally do not distribute.  Hey, I am equal opportunity baby.  If I receive a bottle worthy of a post...you are going to know about it.  That being said, I was presented almost immediately with a bottle that was sure to wow me.  Let's see how it went...

Another cool bottle!  2013 Insurrection, Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon from SE Australia was quite a treat!  Very big, bold flavor of spice and berries with a long, smooth finish.  Oh my, I want another bottle ASAP!  This bottle runs about $17.00 and comes in with a rating of 91 points.  It is also a Gold Medal winner of the World Wine Championships.  This one will be on my go-to list going forward.  Thank you, Mr. Rutledge.

This wine was sourced from cool climate vineyards in two regions in SE Australia:  Padthaway and Langhorne Creek.  In these environments, the grapes need thick skins to withstand extreme temperature swings.  The warm days develop intense aromas and flavors and cool nights maintain the robust character of the grapes.  Insurrection fruit was left on the vine as long as possible to concentrate those flavors.  It was night harvested to maintain freshness and rotary fermented to enhance its power.  It is aged for 9 months in French and American oak to contribute to the spice.  Alcohol logs in at 15.5%...making a very serious statement!

For more information on Insurrection, visit:  www.insurrectionwines.com

19 Crimes

I'm a sucker for a cool bottle.  I'm an even bigger sucker for a cool story that goes along with a cool bottle.  19 Crimes is such a find.  And, even better, a great red blend.  The men featured on the wine labels are not those of fiction.  They were flesh and blood!  Criminals, artists and scholars.  In history they share the bond of receiving "punishment by transportation" for violation of one of 19 crimes and becoming the first settlers of a new nation. Thousands of people were exiled from England to Australia during the 18th and 19th Century for these crimes. The first ship of mainly petty theifs and political prisoners arrived to serve their time at this far away penal colony.  These criminals went on to found the first settlement, called Sydney, and then later Adelaide.  About the time that Brittain stopped this practice, vines were planted not far from Adelaide in the Barossa Valley.  Knowing the history, the label of the wine makes more sense, referring to the 19 offenses that got people a one way trip Down Under.   (Check it out...19crimes.com)

I purchased this 2014 Red Blend from my local World Market.  Love the aroma of strong vanilla and spice.  Smooth and deep.  We are looking at a beautiful blend of Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Yummy! Under $10 a bottle for this find.  I have to add this to my new favorites list.

Do yourself a favor and try this one out.  I do not think you will be disappointed if you are a lover of red blends.  Sip on!

Welcome Back (to me)!

I have a confession to make.  I am tired of being criticized for who I am.  I have been put down a lot over the past year and I have decided that I am just going to keep on doing what I do and not worry about the haters.  OK, so I do worry and it hurts my feelings, but I honestly don't think I can change my personality if I tried at this point...so, let's talk about wine instead!!

I just celebrated my 43rd birthday.  I don't know how that happened, but I am willing to embrace it.  What other choice do I have!!??  I was at the playground with Chase when an e-mail came through...World Market...additional 15% off coupon (INCLUDING WINE!!!).  This is on top of the 20% discount when you buy 4 or more bottles.  I'm in!  Happy happy birthday to me!!  I was in need of a stock up!

The one thing I love about World Market is the wine sales and discounts.  If you are not a World Market Explorer member and you like wine, do it now.  The variety and the prices are wonderful.  I have found some of my favorite wines at this place.  This was going to be a great day knowing that i was going to save 35% off of a case!  

After the stock up and the savings, I decided to enjoy my birthday evening with a little home-made pizza and what else...wine!  I opted for Locations E.  Locations is a group of 5 distinct wines from 5 separate locations:  E (Spain), F (France), I (Italy), CA (California), and AR (Argentina).  The concept behind Locations is to make the best possible wine from a given country or location.  I have had E in the past and I tend to return to this blend again and again due to its gorgeous taste.  

Priorat, Jumilla, Toro, Rioja, and Ribera del Duero are among the most noble growing regions on the Iberian Peninsula and purposely chosen for this amazing Spanish Red Wine.  This wine is a blend of Grenache, Tempranillo, Monastrell, and Carignan/Carinena at 14.5% alcohol volume.  Of course, as with all of my favorites, you will notice the exotic spice notes in this blend.  Crimson and deep red in color, with an intense dark cherry and spice aroma!  Beautiful! 

This retails for about $18-$20/bottle; but with the discounts and Explorer membership, I think it was under $14.  You cannot beat that for this bottle.  

Drink on my friends.  And be who you wanna be!

Celebration

I have been eagerly awaiting this week!  This is the week I was to find out if I would be released to return to running.  I had the PRP injection in my foot 4 weeks ago.  At that point I had not run for 5 weeks.  Closing in on this 9th week, I was anxious to hear some good news.  I want to run!!!

So, I tend to get a little antsy at times.  I actually decided to take matters in to my own hands and test out the foot maybe a little before the actual appointment.  The good news with that was that I was able to run SLOWLY, but without pain.  That to me is reason to celebrate.

I scored a beautiful bottle of Pinot Noir by luck.  By accident.  I was minding my own business at work when I went to fill up my water bottle and was beckoned to grab this particular bottle.  All I was told was "it's good".

Two Sisters Pinot Noir (2009) is named in honor of vintner, Bill Foley's daughters, Lindsay and Courtney.  Sweet!  This Pinot Noir hails from the prime vineyards in the cool Santa Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County in California.  Perfect spicy accents , layers of berry and vanilla.  I was in love.  This wine truly was the perfect way to celebrate my slow but happy short run around my neighborhood.

In reading about this wine, I have discovered, unfortunately, that this is a limited production line intended to showcase the best Pinot Noir blocks within Foley's Rancho Las Hermanas Estate in the Santa Rita Hills.  Darn.  But, at least I was lucky enough to snag this bottle!!

The appointment yesterday proved to be the good news I was waiting for.  I am able to start running again as long as I remain pain-free.  Yippee!  Sounds to me like another reason to celebrate!

 

Looking for a Treat?

Meiomi Pinot Noir is FANTASTIC.  If you have not yet tried this wine, you are truly missing out on a great experience.  I actually have had this several times, but stumbled upon it again when it appeared in the local Trader Joe's for $19.99.  I am telling you, this wine tastes like it should cost a lot more.  It is well worth the $20 you are going to toss down.  I would encourage you to stock up.  This is definitely a favorite of mine.  It is a spicy little number, but not too.  It is the perfect blend of smooth and bold.  Not too much of either.

Meiomi is a blending of vines from Sonoma, Monterey, and Santa Barbara Counties in California.  This is unusual for the traditional Pinot Noir.  This Pinot Noir is a blend of multiple vineyards stretching along the California coast.  Each unique area yields fruit that is distinct in character and style.  The name Meiomi means "coast" in the language of the native, coastal dwelling Wappo and Yuki tribes.

One of the best aspects of this Pinot is that is truly pairs with such a variety of foods!  Cheese, Lamb Chops, Salmon! Pork, Pizza, on its own!

Do your self a favor and go find yourself a bottle!

The Guilty

Let me start off by saying I have now officially found my new favorite wine.  I am serious.  I have not tasted something in a while that has literally blown my socks off...but last night I experienced just that.  The Guilty Shiraz by Shinas Estate Wines in Australia is my new love.  Those of you who have read this often, know that I am a spice loving, bold-red kind of lady.  This wine was all of that and more.  The Guilty retails for around $20/bottle.

A bit about the Shinas family:  The family heritage is Greek, with wine making stemming back over 8 generations.  The Shinas family migrated to Australia in the early 1950's.  Originally they never sold the wines they made; they would consume a great portion of it and the rest was gifted to friends and family!  The demand became so high for the wines from friend and local restaurants, that in 2002 Shinas Estate Australia was formed.  I think that is pretty darn cool!!  Another cool fact:  The names for the wines come from owner George Shina's career as a judge in his hometown!  

This wine hit me hard from the moment I lifted my glass.  The color was a beautiful deep dark purple/red.  The peppery spice aromas and full bodied flavor packed with vanilla, oak, pepper, chocolate...Oh my GOD.  I'm telling you what.  This wine will not disappoint.  I actually bought a bottle at the wine bar to take home with me.  I have already visited their website and purchased an entire case.  I want you to make a point to go to Cellar on Greene and either have a glass or buy a bottle.  I mean it!  Go.  Now!!!

Supply and Demand

It's kind of funny, but the thought that went through my head this weekend while on my long run Saturday morning was this:  If the world ended today and I had to survive in a post-apocalyptic situation, I would only last about a week.  I am down to 7 bottles of wine in the house.  This is INSANE.  How in the world did I let it get to this?  For those who have seen my wine collection,  you know I generally have about 50+ bottles at any given time.  Not quite collector status, but plenty to get me through a good chunk of days without power, and running from zombie's if I needed to.  Not today.

I was thinking that a possible stock up would take place this weekend, but I was busy running around and cleaning out closets, doing laundry, the mundane tasks of life.  I need to get on it and soon.

So last night I didn't even open a new bottle.  Nope, I had half a bottle left from Saturday night and decided to just finish that off.  Its one of my favorite go to's for a Petite Sirah.  "With touches of fig, cocoa and licorice...has a very interesting and lingering finish.  Maggio is made by Oak Ridge Winery, the oldest operating winery in Lodi, California."

Ahhhh, Lodi.  What can I say.  I truly feel like I am rarely disappointed by wines from this region.  It is definitely one of my favorite areas.  This is most likely the first place I will visit when i start my winery rounds some time in the future!

Now to go and replenish by supply...the demand is definitely there!

Don't Call it a Comeback

I have been busy.  I have been stressed.  I have been getting back on the roads after a little recovery time.  I have been happy.  There is a lot going on right now.  I just hired a replacement for my HR Coordinator role that has been vacant a little over a month.  I just ran a strong post-injury 5K boosting my confidence a little for my final 5k of the season and my pending half marathon in Pittsburgh.  I am gearing up for a fun-filled summer.  Lots of good.

I purchased a bottle of wine last week that I had been looking forward to trying.  I had been getting low on my wine supply and went for a little stock up run and one of the bottles was a 2011 Conn Creek Cabernet Savignon from Napa Valley. This wine usually retails for around $35, but I scored it on sale at $26.

Smooth, smooth, smooth.  Per the web site:

"Opening aromas of blackberries, plums and dark chocolate carry through to the palate.  Accents of spring wildflowers, spiced honey, and pie crust highlight complexity.  Ripe focused tannins follow the flavors to a lingering cocoa powder finish."

What I can tell you is it was very nice.  Very smooth.  Perfect for my evening of relaxing on the back patio watching the sun set over the yard while Chase ran around like a crazy man enjoying the weather.  Yep...that's my kind of evening!

Slacker!

I have been SLAMMED.  I have been exhausted!  I have been tortured by my family!  There has been so much going on over the past month that it has prevented me from blogging about my wine experiences.  Not to fear, though...it hasn't prevented me from having wine experiences...just from sharing them.  I've still had ample opportunity to enjoy and try new and exciting wines.  I hope that I can get myself back on track here and I will do my best not to take such a long respite in the future.

I have been doing a lot of training.  I have a marathon coming up in November and on top of that, my friends and I just completed the Blue Ridge Relay, a 2108 + mile relay race through the Blue Ridge Mountains.  It was intense.  It was one of the most fun experiences I have ever been a part of.  AND...we won the mixed team category!  How cool is that?  

What better way to celebrate than with a nice bottle of vino...or two?  That was the game plan.  We finished the race in Asheville, NC, and drove to Brevard to spend the night at the mountain house that my family frequents.  The weather was gorgeous, the spirits were high, and the company was great.

We arrived and I decided that the evening called for a hearty Zinfandel.  I opened a bottle of Castle Rock Zinfandel from Lodi, California.  I'm still oving the Lodi Zins!  This is a full-bodied wine with flavors of blackberry, raspberry and notes of pepper and spice.  Very easy to drink.  Very smooth with a soft lingering finish.  I was blissfully aware of the combination of happiness, tiredness, and wine.  It was a great combination.  We were finishing off some Thai food, and this actually paired quite well with that spice.  This wine can be found at your local Trader Joe's for $8.99.  Great bargain!

We also opened a bottle of Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel.  Yum Yum Yum!!!  Per the web site:  Our quest for outstanding Zinfandel led us down a country road into the heart of Lodi, California revealing a sea of gnarled, 35-80 year-old vines pruned in a special, mop-topped way called "head-trained".  True gnarly heads, these old vines yield fewer grape clusters with smaller berries than trellised vines.  These mighty little berries produce intense, bold wines that are deep in color with concentrated dark fruit flavors.  

Another rich, dark berry flavored wine with layers of spice, pepper, and vanilla balanced with dark berry tones.  Wonderful wine!  This wine retails for around $12.99 per bottle.  Another wonderful find.  

Well my week is already off to a great start!  I have class tonight, kids football tomorrow night, a much needed massage on Thursday and I only have a 19 mile run to do this weekend.  I'm such a slacker.

The good stuff

I had the rare opportunity to go out on a date with Mark last weekend.  We don't do it much so when we do its a treat.  We made our way to Liberty Tap Room in the Vista.  I like the bar there.  It's big and the service has always been very good.  I decided to branch out and try out some wines I had not before.  I will admit, I started out with an oldie, but goodie (the Trapiche Broquel Malbec); but then I went for variety.

If You See Kay - as described on the menu:  Full body, juicy dark fruit, ripe blackberries.  OK, I'm game.  Wow.  This was really a nice Cabernet Sauvignon.  I had to see the bottle.  Dang...very cool.

I really enjoyed the fullness of this wine. Nice and big and bold; the way a cabernet should be.  I will definitely be going back for more of this and also be looking to purchase one of the cool bottles.  From what I can find, it retails for around $20/bottle.  In my opinion worth it.

I also tried out The Alakai Grenache by Joel Gott - as described on the menu:  Full body, blackberry, white pepper.  You know with the word pepper in the description, I am going to have to give it a try.

Alakai, a California Rhone-style blend of Grenache, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Mourvedre, is dark and structured, but with finesse and elegance.  The Syrah adds the beautiful pepper spice  flavor that I am so drawn to.  Yum yum yum!!! This wine retails for about $18/bottle.  One of my new favorite blends by far.

Almost time to send the kids back to school...or in my case spend a few hours in the ER.  More on that event next time...

Stay safe.

Vacation!!!

I know its been WEEKS since I have posted anything at all about my wine adventures.  I have a semi-excuse...vacation!  One of my favorite places in the WORLD is Brevard, NC.  We spend a week there each summer in search of cooler weather, cooler running, and relaxation with the family.  This year did not disappoint.  Brevard is situated near Pisgah Forrest in Transylvania County in North Carolina.  Close to Asheville, Hendersonville, Black Moutain, and a bunch of other little mountain town gems.  I truly would pick up everything and move here if I could.  We hiked, we swam, we ran, we entertained friends, we shopped, we relaxed, we ate, we read...and I drank a LOT of wine!!!

I decided before we left town that it was probably in my best interest to go ahead and order a full case of wine for the week.  I decided on the Trapiche Broquel Malbec, and the Seghesio Zinfandel.  Wonderful selections for my mountain week.  

Lets start off with the Trapiche Broquel Malbec.  This wine hails from the Mendoza region of Argentina.  I have to admit, it is by farone of the best Malbec's I have tried as of late.  You are looking at blackberry and raspberry with layers of mocha, and my much needed SPICE.  This wine is a definite find, retailing from $11.50 - $15.00/bottle.  It really was wonderful in the evenings sitting on the patio looking out over the mountains with the cool air.  That being said, I will drink this throughout the warm summers of Columbia as well.  There is just something about this wine that I am drawn to.  Highly recommend.  

The next selection with the Seghesio Zinfandel.  I am still new to this varietal, and becoming more and more transfixed.  I like it, I am still searching for a favorite.  I really have to say that this wine was exactly what I was expecting in the Zin category.  Spicy, bold, smokey peppery flavor.  I liked it.  I think my issue was that I was enjoying the Malbec during this particular vacation a bit more.  I am not taking anything away from this wine, as it was enjoyed by our group the entire week!  We finished all 6 bottles.  This wine retails for about $20/bottle.  I need to try it again completely on its own!  

With either one of these bottles you cannot go wrong.  We had a fantastic vacation and I am ready to head back next July!  

More Lodi

It's been a while.  I really have no excuse.  I am as busy as I always am.  I have been enjoying wine like I always have.  I've just been especially tired.  I am sorry.  I do have a few bottles to tell you about.  I received a recommendation a few weeks back from a friend living in California.  My last post raved about my fascination with Lodi.  I was told to try Klinker Brick.  http://www.klinkerbrickwinery.com/

I truly cannot say enough positive things about these two bottles that I tried.  They were absolutely wonderful!  I had the Old Vine Zinfandel and the Farrah Syrah.  We were out of the Old Ghost...but I can promise you I will be trying that as soon as we get it back in stock.  Very deep flavor, very rich and spicy.  I fell in love at first sip.  Both retail at about $20/bottle.  I will have to say it is well worth it.  

Drink it up!

Lucky Me!

It's been a lot of fun experimenting and searching for new wines.  I have become more willing to try new items and spread my wings (so to speak).  I am more confident in my abilities to pick out something that I think I will like based on location, varietal, and price.  Lately my eye has been focused on Lodi.  I had been seeing this location on several of the wines I have been drawn to lately.  Lodi is located in the northern portion of California's Central Valley. Good to know.

I found a neat little website:  http://www.visitlodi.com/  which gives a lot of great information about this city, which I now have on my bucket list of travel destinations.  It is located 35 miles south of Sacramento and 90 miles east of San Francisco.  

All of this to tell you that I have found a wonderful, amazing, beautiful wine this week while stopping in to World Market.  Cameron Hughes 2012 Lodi Field Blend Lot 477.  A perfect blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Sirah.  Holy Mother of God, this is amazing.  I mean it.  Find it.  Drink it.  Get a few bottles.  I only got one and will be stopping on my way home tonight and clearing them out of whatever they have left.  I mean it.  

In my opinion, this is a very full bodied wine, but not overpowering.  The spiciness of the blend combines with a beautiful finish.  Retailing for around $13/bottle, you cannot go wrong.  I love it when I get lucky!!!

Homecoming

I made a very special trip home to Pennsylvania this past weekend.  While I do not get home often, it's even rarer that I get to go home with both of my boys.  This would be the first time in quite a while.  We drove.  Being in a car with a 12 year old and a 3 year old for close to 10 hours is not as fun as it sounds...but, we made it.  There are a few things that I must do when driving to Pittsburgh.
1.  Stop in West Virginia at the New River Gorge Bridge.
2.  Get excited when we go through the tunnels and tel my kids about Natalie and I being so hungry that one time we referred to Big Walker Mountain Tunnel as the Big Whopper Mountain tunnel.
3.  Get everyone ready to come out of the Fort Pitt Bridge tunnel...is there any view more amazing???

But this is supposed to be about WINE.  Did I mention my mom and Glenn do not drink?  Upon my arrival, I relaxed a bit and announced that I was going to head up to the State Store to purchase a bottle of wine.  No grocery store purchases in PA.  To my surprise (and dismay) my mom tells me that she has wine for me.  Deep inside I started to panic a little.  What the heck could she possibly have?  My wine snobbery was starting to rear its ugly head.  She actually said that I should write about the wine in my blog and tell everyone about how awful it was and that I HAD to drink it because nobody wants to offend a non-drinker.  At this point I had still yet to see what the heck she had!!!

She took me in to the cellar and pulls out two bottles of wine that are still in the Christmas wrapping she received them in.  Who gives a recovering alcoholic wine for Christmas???  I decided not to ask.  She pulls out a bottle of Woodbridge Pinot Grigio.  I ask if she possibly has red?  The next bottle, Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon.  The big bottle.  Wrapped up for Christmas.  Sweet!  I mean, come on...it could have been worse.  Right?  


Right?................

Change

I love finding and tasting new wines.  This has not always been the case.  It used to be that I was afraid to branch out and try something new.  I was always buying the same 2 or 3 wines over and over.  Now, its rare for me not to have something new in my house that I have found on any given wine expedition.  I got really lucky over the past week with some amazing finds.  Hold onto your socks because you are really going to like these new ones!

Again, props to Best Bottle for having a wonderful selection from which I have found some of my favorites.  Once again, they did not disappoint.  Hey Mambo 2011 Sultry Red.  With a tag line reading:  Laid-back guys, Stand-out wines, how could I go wrong.  Oh my was this nice.  Jammy fruit with with hints of spice!  Notes of dark cocoa and a smooth oak finish.  This was a beautiful find.  Dominated by Sirah, this is a true blend that really got it right.  http://www.togwines.com/wines/hey-mambo/2011-sultry-red/  Hey Mambo retails for about $10/bottle and I highly recommend you find yourself a bottle of this!

Another one I tried was one I had been eyeing for some time.  I threw caution to the wind and made the purchase this time.  And I am SO glad I did.  "The Other" 2011 Red Wine, Estate Grown, Lodi.  Wow.  A beautiful blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Syrah.  I have to admit I was really intrigued by this blend.  I am generally not a Merlot fan, but mixed in with the other varietals, I really enjoyed.  I was immediately hit by the aroma of blackberries and spice.  This wine has a wonderfully long, seductive finish.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes.  I had this with a plate of cheese and crackers; but will definitely look to pairing it with my pizza fetish next time around.  "The Other" retails for around $15/bottle.

Sometimes a little change will do  you good.  You have to step out of your little world and discover what else is out there.  In this case, I am so glad I did.  Enjoy!

Losing your cool

It's freaking ridiculously hot and it's just June 11th.  I am already annoyed with the sweat-fest, puddle inducing runs that have become the norm this early in to base training.  Plus I am feeling a bit dehydrated as of late which has impacted my ability to enjoy wine once this week.  For shame.

I drink a lot of water throughout the day.  I need to.  We do some brutal workouts and runs during the summer time.  I know the importance of staying hydrated; but sometimes, you just cannot get enough in.  I have literally had a headache since last night at 6:20pm and I am blaming it solely on being dehydrated.

Wine might help?  (I did refrain last night due to said headache, but the headache has not gone away...so back to wine...)

I had been avoiding a particular bottle of wine at Trader Joe's since I started going there for wine purchases.  You may have seen the bottle:

I am all about the bottle.  This one has just always struck me in a way that screams:  I am not going to be what you are looking for.  I will admit when I am wrong...but this was not one of those times.  I mean, don't get me wrong it didn't suck...I did finish the bottle...but it will be a one and done purchase.  Project Happiness 2010 Syrah from California. The label says it all:

Finally, somebody put it in a bottle.  Happiness.  Sure took a while, though.  Seeking happiness?  What makes happiness?  We winemakers pondered this one afternoon in the Cellar.  Marriage?  Kids?  Satellite TV?  Get your boss fired.  Remember the 1950s, try to forget the 1980s.  Wear searsucker at least once.  Adopt a dog?  Maybe a cat.  Perhaps you're more the box turtle type>
As bold supporters of the mischief that ensues upon opening a bottle, we pose the question to you and hope that in the end, you at least believe in the satisfaction of an empty bottle...What makes you happy?

Hmmm.  Good question.  I will ponder it while drinking a bottle of...something else.

Night Swimming

When I was younger we belonged to a community pool.  We spent most summer days and weekends at Bel-View with friends.  Some of the best memories I have of that pool were the Night Swims that they had every so often.  I don't know what made the pool more magical at night...but it was.

I have a big blow up pool in my back yard for Chase.  I just bought it last weekend.  I have this little habit of not being very observant...so I didn't realize that this pool was not technically a "blow-up"pool.  I would need a compressor.  So, once that hurdle was overcome, we were able to add water and enjoy.  It made for a very fun weekend.

I also made a quick trip to Trader Joe's where I found something new.  Little did I know that I would later be enjoying the find in the pool the very next evening.  Monday was a long day.  I didn't get home from all of my activities until close to 8:00pm.  After scrubbing the kid and pouring a glass of wine, I decided to sit outside.  In the empty pool.  With the bottle.  I truly hope that the neighbor's were not peeking out their windows.  It was comfortable.  It was fun.  It was silly...but I was enjoying my own version of night swimming.

Trader Joe's 2012 Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, GSM Reserve.  A blend of 52% Syrah, 38% Grenache, and 10% Mourvedre.  Man did I get lucky with this one.  It was an oddly cool evening in my pool.  The subtle spiciness of this wine went perfectly with the breeze.  I have to admit, I was glad I brought the entire bottle outside with me so that I would not have to move again.  This was a $9.99 bottle at TJ's.  If you are able to, I recommend you stock up.  I have to admit that I had another bottle the very next night.  Although the second bottle was not enjoyed in the pool, I still enjoyed it just the same.

Next time I am filling the pool up before I get in.  I want the true night swimming experience!  Maybe this weekend...

Enjoy!

Recovery

It's no secret that I like to drink wine.  A lot.  What you may not know is that in addition to wine, I do occasionally partake in the drinking of beer and even sometime liquor.  Its not often.  But it does happen.  And usually when you combine the three, you have an epic evening with great friends.

Last weekend our girls racing team took a trip to the U.S. National Whitewater Center for a Canopy Tour.  We left Saturday afternoon to make the drive to Charlotte, NC.  We all decided it would be nice to open a bottle of wine for the drive up.  (Not our driver!!!)  We ended up polishing off 3 bottles of wine on the hour drive.  It was a variety drive.  Sawtooth Syrah was the one I was enjoying.  I have mentioned this before, as it hails from Idaho.  We arrived and took a taxi to our dinner destination.  The String Bean.  I perused the wine list and settled on a bottle of 2010 Temptation Zinfandel.  Not disappointed at all!!!  The 2010 includes a small anount of Petite Sirah to heighten the flavor and add a little more dark fruit to the palate.  There are aromas of raspberry, plum, and citrus.  Of course, I am keen on the spicy black pepper taste that makes this wine wonderful.   We polished off a few bottles with our pizza.  A great combination.

Doing some research I discovered that the wine is a pretty good bargain at about $15/bottle.  The nice thing was I was able to share this with my friends.  We all liked this selection.  That was where the wine fun ended.

We hit our next stop and we switched over to beer.  And shots.  And to be quite honest, my mind gets a little fuzzy in trying to recreate the scene.  So I won't.  I'll just share some lovely pictures that capture the evening.  We shut down the town of Belmont, NC.  The town may never be the same.

The good news is we made it the following morning and really enjoyed the Canopy Tour.  If you have not tried something like this, it is a wonderful adventure!  Although it took me a full two days to recover, I would do it all over again!