1 November 2009 2008 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

2008 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

November 1, 2009 By

This food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and deserves the honor.  It has a well-balanced level of acidity and is pleasantly dry.  There’s a brightness about the 2008 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc that’s vibrant with peach – tropical fruit – lemon flavors and hints of minerals.

Paired well with apple, grilled cheese and with shrimp.

Pairings: Fish, seafood, especially seared scallops

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Price: $17

Filed Under: Sauvignon Blanc, United States, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

2008 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

October 25, 2009 By
2008 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

2008 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

I’ve purchased this Kim Crawford wine several times for casual dinners where I didn’t want to spend a ton of money but still wanted to enjoy a decent glass of wine. I wasn’t disappointed again last night when I uncorked, um, unscrewed, another bottle.

We paired this bottle with Thai food and found that it cut through the heat of the dishes well.  I typically buy Rieslings to pair with spicy food, but this Sauvignon Blanc stood up to the heat and provided a refreshing pale green mouthful of grassy lime.  I agree with the following review:

“Fragrant and complex, with a refreshing burst of lime, guava, grapefruit and grass flavors,” wrote Wine Spectator, awarding it 91 points. “Wet stone, passion fruit and oyster shell accents add interest, with bright acidity highlighting the vivid finish. Another outstanding Sauvignon from a perennial success. Drink now.”

For about $14 a bottle, this is a solid buy.  Pairs well with spicy foods, would be great with a light fish or with chicken, and can be found at most wine stores across the country.

Pairings: Fish, seafood, especially seared scallops

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Price: $14

Filed Under: New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,

St Supery Wine TweetUp Fun at Gary’s Wine

October 15, 2009 By
St Supery Wines

St Supery Wines

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the second stop of the St Supery East Coast Tweet Up Tour at Gary’s Wine in Wayne, NJ.  The event provided wine enthusiasts the opportunity to sample St Supery’s line of popular wines and to meet Social Media Guru, Rick Bakas.

The venue for the event, the mega wine store, Gary’s Wine, is grand in every way.  Gary’s motto “We’re not just a wine store, we are a Wine Destination!” is understood immediately upon entering the spacious facility.  The layout is uber easy to navigate with wines arranged by region and varietal.  There’s a superb food market with specialty groceries, a fabulous selection of fine cheeses and some prepared food items ideal for an impromptu gourmet feast.  Gary’s features a wonderful tasting area for events just like the St Supery Tweet Up and also offers a climate-controlled wine room that houses very special wines and a gorgeous tasting table.

Gary's WIne

Gary's WIne

The well-attended event was warmly hosted by Gary himself, his team and Rick Bakas, the Director of Social Media for St Supery winery.  Rick was generous with his interesting information about Napa Valley, the winery and this year’s crush. Upon arriving, we were immediately made to feel welcomed.  Gary is a gracious host and takes pride in his beautiful store.  We first tasted the St Supery Oak-Free Chardonnay.  The wine was mouthwatering with vibrant yeasty qualities and green apple and pear flavor.  Although the name suggests no oak, there were still hints of it that were pleasant and not overpowering.  The second wine we tasted was the white Meritage – Virtu, which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This wine offered a juicy mouthful of peach with an enjoyable mineral finish.  I’m looking forward to tasting this wine with grilled scallops.  Last on the list for this tasting was the widely popular Cabernet Sauvignon with its dark cherry nose, well-balanced tannins and long finish.  This wine screams for a grilled steak.

For those of you in the New York area, Rick Bakas and the fine folks at St Supery are making two additional stops.  Tonight, 10/15, the Tweet Up stops at Harry’s Cafe & Steakhouse in the financial district and tomorrow night, 10/16, the event is at the Roger Smith Hotel.  Not in New York?  The tour continues and information on additional stops can be found here.

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Prosecco Valdobbiadene Drusian

October 11, 2009 By

This extra dry Prosecco offers a creamy and almost ‘thick’ consistency with tons of green apple bouquet and citrusy notes.  This affordable wine is bold enough to be the star of festivities with its fruity nuances and could also be used to make sparkling wine-based cocktails.  The finish is clean and crisp.

Filed Under: Sparkling Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,

2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve

October 11, 2009 By

Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon

Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon

I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.

After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.

We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s.  I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

October 11, 2009 By
2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne

This young wine shows a beautiful purple, ruby color in the glass and offers a nice mouthful of ripe cherry and fresh berries.  The tannins are soft on this medium-bodied wine, and there’s a nice level of acidity making the Vietti Barbera D’Asti perfect for pairing with food.  Could benefit from a few years in the bottle, but can be enjoyed right away.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,

2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva – Uber Food Friendliness

October 5, 2009 By

I went to a MeetUp wine tasting event on Friday night and was fortunate enough to sample over 31 wines.  The selection of wines was varied, ranging from an affordable Donny Boon Syrah to a mid-priced 2003 Chalk Hill to a couple extremely nice Super Tuscans.

I know it’s not ‘right’, but I skipped most whites in favor of the reds and found one of the affordable finds very pleasant and food-friendly.  I’m talking about the 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva.  This wine wasn’t overwhelming but had enough depth to satisfy me in a way only Italian wines can.

After so many wines, I didn’t fully trust my palate, so I bought a couple of bottles for an Italian dinner party I hosted last night.  The wine was a crowd pleaser and even features a tiny vine twig attached to the bottle (touch classier than a wicker covered bottle).  My friends who enjoy lighter reds didn’t find this wine too robust for them, and folks, like me, who like a mouthful of fruit appreciated it also.  The wine is a vibrantly purple in the glass and every sip brings about a big mouthful of peppery blackberries that ends in a dry finish.  Pairing this wine with my meat lasagna was a great move and finishing my last swallow with dark, decadent Valhrona chocolate brownies was also fitting.

The 2004 Cantina Zaccagnini Riserva is typically in the $14-$15 price range, but I was able to find it on sale for $11.99 at Wine Library.  Smart buy, solid and affordable wine.

Filed Under: Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Israeli wine anyone? Count me in

August 22, 2009 By

Last night, I had the pleasure of sharing a bottle of Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon with some guests at my home.  What was neat about the wine, is that:

  1. It was my first taste of Israeli wine – definitely not my last
  2. The bottle was recommended by Avi, a wine communications consultant from Ranaana who I ‘met’ on Twitter (@hakerem) – how great is social media?!
  3. I was able to find, order online and receive the wine within 2 business days from the savvy folks at Wine Library in Springfield, NJ, who I also exchange Tweets with (@winelibrary).

I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.

After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.

We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s.  I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.

For more information and for a buying guide on Israeli wines and kosher wines, visit:  www.israeli-wine.org

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
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