Where did all the wine coolers go?

A long time ago there was something called a wine cooler.  For those of us who grew up in the 80's-90's you most definitely should remember these guys.

Bartles & Jaymes

  

Whatever happened to them anyway?

Anyway, the allure of wine coolers (for me at least) was that they packed a higher ABV than most beers at the time, but were sweeter and more feminine than beer. Before long, your friends would ridicule and threaten to kick your ass if they ever saw a wine cooler touch your lips again.  This never happened to me, but I saw it happen to a "friend" once. ;) Then came Zima...that's a whole different story.

Jump ahead to 2012.  Drinking good wine is now a show of status.  Talking about wine is borderline pretentious. But knowing what kind of wine to drink and when is simply just helpful when trying to decide what to buy in a seemingly endless maze of choices isn't wrong at all.  Summer is upon us and it seems that Moscato wines are getting some additional attention lately.  Moscat grapes are sweet and therefore the wine is sweet as well.  Add to the fact that many labels are infusing with additional fruit flavor(s), you've got your modern version of a wine cooler.  The good news is that Muscato comes in big people bottles and not 4-packs.

At last week's Father's day cookout, my sister was kind enough to corner the market on Lunae's Sparkling Moscato & Peach.  Keep in mind that during BBQ time I am purely a beer guy. It's much easier and masculine looking for me to drink a beer that sip a glass of wine while holding a spatula.  But then comes the time where I can put the grill away and drink whatever I want & I turned to the Muscato.

Here's my breakdown.  It was light, sweet & pleasant. Maybe a little too sweet. In no way would I say this tasted like any other wine I typically like to drink, but it definitely does the trick on a hot (almost) summer day.  Cutting to the chase, this is a refreshing bottle for a BBQ.  For people who don't usually drink wine, this is might be considered a gateway. It may or may not open your mind to new & different things.   

As for the winemaker's notes, here's what I could find:

"Lunae is the first ever sparkling Moscato from Asti Italy infused with natural peach. This new wine is sweet and refreshing. It is perfect as a chilled cocktail or as the base for many exciting new drinks."

Until next time.

Cheers,

ES



At long last...

In short, it has been an absolutely hellish few months.  Thankfully and without jinxing myself, the craziness seems to have subsided...for now.  I'd like to dedicate this entry to my best buddy Romeo.  For those of you who know me personally, you understand how special he was not only to me but to any/everyone who knew him.

There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.  ~Ben Williams

To be perfectly honest I've been drinking a lot lately, but just haven't found the heart to sit down and take notes or write about anything.  Let's say that I have re-discovered the medicinal properties of a nice bottle of wine.

As for last night, I started reading a new book about wine called "Unquenchable" by Natalie MacLean.  Ms. MacLean wrote the book based on the premise that she could travel & discover some really great wines in the $15-20 range.  I think that for most of the people who are casual drinkers of wine, this is the price point that's comfortable for most of us.  And if it's not within your comfort zone, it most certainly is within mine.  Her first chapter referenced the best bargains from the most notable regions of the Australian and their famed Shiraz.  Why not start there?

I stopped off @ the pharmacy, local wine shop with my new guide in hand and picked up the only bottle I could find with a name that had been mentioned in the book.  Of course it was not entirely unreasonable for me to assume that most every wine shop carry the big labels that are most aggressively marketed as opposed to something actually worth drinking.  Ironically, this was the second most expensive ($19.99...I probably overpaid) bottle of Austrilian red they carried and the bottle hadn't even been dusted off in at least a few months.  This is what I found.

2008 Peter Lehmann Layers Red, Barossa

This bottle of Australian red from the Barossa Valley was fleshy and bold. Full of red fruit, tangy with a mildly spicy undertone.  Upon first taste I realized the book was in fact correct. This was not just another ordinary wine.  It was smooth, yet possessed a heartiness that was even keeled with a hint of smokiness that I'd have more likely expected to find with a dry aged cheese.  I also felt there was a woodsiness that lingered for a moment or two. 

I wouldn't sit here and lie about how much I liked this if I didn't like this wine.  It was something a little different for me and I truly enjoyed some of the subtle notes that I don't usually find in a regular bottle of wine.  As was mentioned in the book, the Barossa Valley wines have much to offer in terms of both value and quality.  If you're looking to mix it up, don't hesitate to read the label and find something similar.  It might be as much of a surprise to you as it was me.

  http://www.nataliemaclean.com/

Cheers,

ES

Last Night's Bottle - Ducourt 2010 Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc

A few random thoughts.

I'm having a hard time figuring out if Pinterest is going to be next social media giant?  As of right now, I don't really get it.  Next thought...

I was also contemplating if I should rename this portion of the blog "Today's Bottle" because I am strongly considering drinking while @ work.  Not really, but wouldn't that be fun for me?  Anyway...

As part of the bottle notes I needed to catch up on, I recently bought a bottle of Ducourt 2010 Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc.  I realize that I don't write about white wine, but it would seem that my tastes are seasonal as I am sure are most of yours.  Considering that winter ended 3 months early this year, now is as good a time as any to start with the spring/summer series of whites.

The Ducourt was something different for me.  I can't say I have ever had it before and because I don't often find myself drinking the "french stuff", today was a good opportunity for me to spread my wings.  The wine is soft and airy.  A subtle green hue with citrus & floral notes give way to a splash of melon & lingering grapefruit that is delicate & elegant at the same time.  Perfect.summer.wine.

This Ducourt slides right in as a new favorite of mine.  Perfect for either dinner or a sunset, it will not disappoint. As it stands, I have continued the streak of not paying more than $15 for a bottle in as long as I can remember so fear not, this will not drain your wallet.  Unless you go back the next time and decide to instead buy a case.  If so, save me a bottle.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES   

http://www.ducourt.com/uk/index.php

Last Night's Bottle - Dreaming Tree 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

I've been in my house for 2 years and live near about 37 different win/liquor stores...ok, maybe more like 4-5.  Anyway, at the bottom of my hill (yes, I live atop the only hill on LI) there is a small liquor store that I have avoided like the plague since day 1. I can't say that I have any reason for having avoided the place for so long other than that it is the most convenient and prefer to  make everything in life just a bit more difficult than necessary.  Having said that, dinner was almost ready and I was in need of a bottle of wine in a pinch.  Sadly, I do not keep much on standby because I tend to drink what I have. Some call it a problem, I call it a passion. ;)

I am happy to announce that the small mom & pop down the block was just fine for a quickie.  After maybe 5 minutes I happened upon a bottle of Dreaming Tree Cabernet that I secretly knew was produced by Dave Matthews, the moonlighting winemaker.  I snatched it up, brought it home & popped the bottle with super- hero like quickness.  Thankfully, my quick decision making paid off.

Knowing that Mr. Matthews is very involved with environmental causes led me to believe that I had bought this wine for all the right reasons.  Aside from my feeling like I was somehow doing something environmentally friendly, I found the wine to actually be pretty damn good. 

Notes of blackberry, cherry & a red earthiness with a black cherry hue were a fine start.  The mouth had a certain finesse to it.  Fruity to start with a dryer finish and a hint and I meant hint of tartness.  This was a welcome contrast to wines that explode in your mouth like a Starburst commercial.  I was pleased to say the least.

I would recommend this as simply a good drinking wine.  No need to pair it with anything if you choose not to.  It would be socially acceptable to just stand around drinking a bottle alone among friends.  It was certainly a nice surprise to find a bottle this satisfying on such short notice.  Especially if you bring it home and put the Dave Matthews station on Pandora prompting you to remember why you liked him in the first place.

A few interesting notes about Dreaming Tree:

Lightweight bottles manufactured with clean-burning natural gas

100% recycled paper labels

Black ink printing—no bleaching, reduced toxins and heavy metals

Natural corks from sustainable farms

http://www.dreamingtreewines.com/

Last Night's Bottle - Antigal 1 Malbec 2008

Before I go on, it's important for me to point out:

1.I didn't really drink this bottle last night

and

2.I'm not entirely sure if this is Antigal "One" or Antigal "Uno".  Choose at your own risk.

Anyway...this is a really pretty bottle of wine. I say "pretty" because I don't necessarily have any more descriptives worthy of mention.  If I have mentioned this before, please forgive me for saying it again, but so much of the wine I've been drinking lately has really been lacking in depth.  I suppose that maybe it has to do with the price point. On the other hand, I've had some really good wine for less than $20 some even less than $15 and even a very select few closer to $10.  Therefore, I refuse to use price point as an excuse for lousy wine.

Speaking of lousy...uh, I mean inexpensive pretty wine, Antigal comes in a dark and ominous bottle with a very fancy plastic #1 strapped to it.  It is most definitely an eye catcher if nothing else.  As for the wine inside, it would only be fair to say that it wasn't entirely bad.  It had a deep violet color which I have come to expect from most Malbec wines.  Aromas of blackberry & dark rich fruit were certainly enticing.  Yet the mouth was drier than expected, the oak was mild, yet the fruit was consistent with the dark red berry nose. 

But as I said before, there was a lack of depth.  The flavors that were there tended to drop off rather than than linger.  There was a somewhat synthetic feel to it.  Not in the sense that I was drinking chemicals, but when you taste something natural it should tend to stick around for awhile.  That was not the case here.

With that, I'd rate this wine a pass.  There is more to be had for less.  Of course I would never suggest not trying something if it interests you,  but if $15 means more to you than a mediocre wine in a pretty bottle I have said my part.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

http://bodegaantigal.com/

And now for something a little different.

With a new iPad comes a new interest in the world of apps.  More specifically, the world of FREE apps.  What I've learned so far that free doesn't necessarily mean free.  Free typically means "scaled down crappy version of something better that we'll allow you to sample in hopes that you pay full price for the real thing." Did you get all that? In addition, the list of apps differs between iPads & iPhones which I found odd.

In the world of wine apps, there tends to be a lot of stuff out there that really has nothing to do with wine.  If I were to type wine into the search field, a host of apps would pop up listing everything from wine fashion (I have no idea what that even means) to wine stores.  In addition, only a handful of said apps are "free".  Leave it to me to sort through that mess an report back on a few that I came across and whether or not they were actually useful?

1. wine.com - When this app actually wants to work it's basically an eWine Store.  Although, it is helpful in allowing the user to search by region and keep a wish list of wines they may want to try later.  Wines are listed with price and points rating so if that's what floats your boat then by all means start sailing.

2. wine - Aside from the originality of the name, this app is as simple as it gets.  Assuming you're either wi-fi or 3G enabled, this application allows you to search local wineries, vineyards & wine stores based on GPS location. It also lists some general contact info which is helpful if your making decisions on the fly.  I did notice that some of the info was a bit outdated, but I guess that's part of the fun of free. 

3. average joe wine - At first glance, this seemed a most promising application.  A simple yet effective concept that allows users to write their own wine reviews and share them with other users.  Wine can be searched by region which helps narrow things down.  But guess what?  Apparently I am the only person who knows about Average Joe.  In trying to search about 10 local wines, I was able to retrieve info on 0 of them.  This was obviously as effective as the blind choices I make just about every time I walk into a liquor store.

4. winestein - Now we're getting somewhere. Winestein takes the mystery out of choosing what wine to pair with what dish.  The user is prompted to either type in a specific ingredient or meal and BAM, Winestein knows exactly what you should be serving with that meal.  Or vice versa which allows one to type in a type of wine and thus spits out a food to match.

5. wine terms - Let me see...what is the easiest way for me to describe this app?  This is a glossary of wine terms arranged in alphabetical order...duh!  Want to sound cool among other wine geeks?  Here's your chance.

So that should get you started.  One of these days I'll most likely throw my blackberry onto the LIRR tracks, go out buy myself an iPhone and perhaps see if there are some better phone specific apps to be had.  In the mean time, have fun with what I've given you.

Until next time...

Cheers,
ES

as if they needed more publicity!

Last Night's Bottle - More Tales From Organica

It's become a bit of a treasure hunt at the wine store(s) lately.  The market for organic wine is obviously lacking in terms of selection and IMHO, quality.  So every time I stumble upon a new label I typically grab one for the road and move on.  My latest discovery in the organic category is the Releaf 2009 red blend which consists of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot & 20% Shiraz.

As far as blends go, I'm usually on the fence.  There really seems to be no middle ground for me.  I very rarely find myself either loving or hating specific blends.  I am happy to report that this time was no different.

Based on the varietals alone, this seemed like a promising endeavor.  Or perhaps it's just that I have an unnatural fetish for red wine?  Aromas of blackberry, vanilla with a hint of oak continued to peak my interest.  Flavors of plum, cranberry & black licorice provided some nice acidity & a little bit of a bite.  On a personal level, I do not like the taste of black licorice, but this wasn't enough to be a complete turnoff for me.

All that said, the wine was less complex than I'd have liked.  It was also thinner than I'd have preferred.  But at the same time, it was entirely drinkable.  Rated against some of the other organics I've recently sampled, this held up pretty well.  Although after only having two glasses, I woke up with a college sized hangover the next day.  It may simply be the fact that I've been working my tail off lately and completely exhausted, but something I felt worth mentioning.  Caveat emptor.

Until next time.

Cheers,
ES

http://www.prestigewinegroup.com