Trick, California 2005

This one is a very cute one. Not a fancy wine, just a table red... but packaged very nicely for Halloween:

California Red Table Wine, 2005
Bottled by Chateau Diana Winery in Healdsburg, CA

I have not heard of the winery OR the city! But the wine itself isn't bad. Pretty much a table red and not anything fancy, but it's fruity and slightly sweet. Not like a dry merlot or cabernet at all- but more like a mix of a red and a fruity light white. Definitely not for the snooty!

I like it. It tastes sweet for a red, but if I eat it with a pomegranate (like I did last night)- the wine tastes rather sour! I always thought a pom was tart, but it's sweeter than wine.

I'm not sure of the cost, as this was a cute gift from my Hiker-man on Halloween. :-)

The bottle is neat. The front label looks black, but if you look really close (or take a photo using a flash- which is how I discovered it!)- you see words in the black background. Very cute... the words say "Trick or Treat, Kiss my Feet, Give me Something Good to Eat"!!!

And then on the back, the label says:
The Trick is to serve this wine during a full moon with eye of newt, BBQ boneyard ribs, or some other ghoulish delight.

Funny that it doesn't mention pomegranate... but I also know why.

Very fun wine! Too bad it's available only once a year (assuming they put this out each year). The winery has several varietals, but no "table red" available on their web site. But at least from there, you can see the other labels for their regular look.

Wine Bog

This will tell ya how much of a wine-drinker I can be sometimes. That last bottle I opened and did a review about??? It's still sitting in my fridge. Yeah, probably time to toss it out, huh??

I guess my wine-drinking times vary throughout the year... I seem to drink more of it in the latter parts of the year than the beginning, I think. Or I only drink it when I'm not super-busy and need to concentrate on anything in particular. Oh well... I still have more bottles in waiting... but for now, they will keep on waiting, as I haven't been in the mood for wine much lately.

Schmitt Sohne Riesling, 2004

This was given to me a long time ago, from a friend, so I'm not sure of the price. It comes in a really pretty deep blue bottle, and the wine itself is very light in color, very fresh-looking and clear. The one I have is the second bottle from the left, the smaller of the two with the completely blue labels.

From the label:

This medium-bodied Riesling is a well-balanced, off-dry, easy to drink wine. Perfect as an aperitif or to complement foods from pork and ham to fish and poultry.

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2004 Riesling, Product of Germany.

Also labeled with "Qualitatswein b.A." that is often shortened to 'QbA' for a type of wine, apprently made using not-quite-ripe grapes.

I've liked pretty much everything from Mosel-Saar Ruwer, so I had high hopes for this! The smell of it in the bottle wasn't very appealing, but the fragrance from the glass was much fresher. Fruity and clear. The taste was good, too. Fresh and sweet, but not too sweet. A really good wine for me right now, as I've had a raging sweet tooth through the holidays and any other regular wine might taste awfully bitter to me right now! So that was partly my train of thought as I decided which bottle to open this time around. Make it a riesling, as it's probably the sweetest varietal I have on hand.

Not quite sure of the aftertaste of the wine though- almost like an old sponge (which is ewww) but don't get me wrong... it's really not that bad. It's just that I'm not sure what else to compare it to, as I can't quite place it right now. But the taste of the wine itself is very good and clean. And thankfully, that "sponge" taste doesn't linger. It's only a quick passing rush, and then it's gone. Odd, really. Especially when I can't say I've ever actually tasted an old sponge before! It's just what I imagine it tasting like, from the smell. (Although the wine does NOT smell bad at all) In fact, it kind of grows on you.

Probably not selling this one very well... but it is a good one. Good enough, that is. Not what I'd call "the best I've ever had"... but good enough that I will finish the bottle eventually instead of dumping it out.

Web article on German Rieslings

Another review (mentions a "twang"- maybe that's the 'sponge' thing I'm getting)

Company web site: Schmitt-Sohne

Price on web sites: $10

Cupcake Chardonnay, 2005

Cupcake Chardonnay, 2005
Central Coast, California


From the back label:
Our vineyard works hard to bring you the biggest, richest Chardonnay from California's desirable Central Coast, where the sun-drenched grapes create full and elegantly-textured wines. Decadent layers of butter cream, bright citrus and vanilla melt into a balance of oak and subtle spice. In other words: Sinful. Serve chilled with crab cakes, seared Ahi tuna on waffle crackers or fresh-baked French bread and cheese.


Cupcake: Permission to enjoy dessert first.
~Adam Richardson, winemaker


Smell/Appearance: sweet & fruity; clear and slightly bubbly
Taste: actually very much like the bottle states! Surprise, surprise. But it was sweet, fruity, smooth, creamy. Not like eating a REAL cupcake though, of course- but a good fresh wine for a hot day.


Price: $9.99 at World Market- but too bad it isn't a brand that they carry on a regular basis. I've only seen them with it once- and it was an advertised special. If I want to buy it again one day -it might not be easy to find!


I couldn't locate any web site for them, either- so no online shopping.

Pacific Rim Dry Reisling

Warning! This one is nasty!!!! Don't waste your time, don't waste your money!

Pacific Rim Dry Reisling, 2005
Bonny Doon Vineyard, Santa Cruz, California





Company site: Bonny Doon Vineyards (the interactive interface there is quite cool!)

Anyway, I bought this one at World Market last week because the description sounded good. Made it sound like it would be fruity, light and good for eating with sushi/thai foods that might be light in flavor.

The bottle looked interesting, too- with images of sushi that you can see by looking through the bottle. And as a lover of sushi, I thought I'd try it.

From the back label (on each of the 'sushi' images):
"The idea of the Pacific Rim appeals (by circular logic) to our idea of and thirst for this connection or closure. We crave the strange and mysterious, knowing well our hearts' unshakable allegiance to the familiar, to the heimlich." [to the 'heimlich'?!?? Expecting someone to choke??]
and
"This eclectic blend is the missing link, the liaison dangereuse, that links New World and Old World, Occident and Orient and is the perfect foil for most foodstuffs pan-asian and pan-fried. To link up with us, you can ring (888) 819-6789 or drop us a line at PO Box 8376, Santa Cruz, CA 95061"
and
"Pacific Rim Dry Reisling, provenant of the 2005 harvest, is ablend of reislings from the climes of eastern Washington State and the Middle Mosel."
and finally,
"The heart has its Reislings... Our heart's deepest longing, whether in the realm of romance or restauration, is for union, completion or fusion."

Okay- so much of that doesn't even make sense to me. It's like someone was really into trying their hand at creative writing and had an assignment to use odd, obscure words in some sentences. I should have known.

But then when I went to open it today- OMG, it was a screw-top bottle!!! I didn't notice that when I bought it! You KNOW I will be more careful next time, and pass up anything with a screw top!!

Anyway, I had to give it a fair shot. Screw top or not, because this IS the Non-Snooty wine drinker's place, right? No turning up my nose at the corkless bottles, because you really just never know!

It looked very clear and crisp in the glass. Tiny bubbles, looked fine. But to smell it... it smelled like a mix of feet and vinegar. Not fruity at all, like I expected. Most reislings I've had in the past have been quite sweet... but this one didn't smell sweet at all.

Taste: If you can call it that... was vinegary, sour, and salty. I was expecting sweet! But it's a salty, non-fruity tasting liquid. NOT like any reisling or white wine I have EVER had! Ugh! Ick! Awful!! I can't even finish the glass, much less the entire bottle.

Price: $9.99 at World Market

Down the sink it goes.... *sigh*. I am willing to try out other varietals from the same vineyard, but just not anything with the screw-top bottle. I've just found all screw-top wines (I bought some for cooking one time) to be very untasty for straight drinking. Maybe they can cook up okay... but I'm not sure if I would even use this one for that. Since I won't drink it though- maybe I should give it a shot- in a sauce.

Beringer White Zinfandel

Beringer White Zinfandel, 2005
from Napa Valley, California



From the back label:
This carefully crafted wine offers refreshing aromas and flavors of strawberries, with floral notes and a bright crispness. It complements a variety of cuisine, including chicken, pasta salad, and spicy dishes. Serve chilled.

Company sites:
Beringer main
White Zinfandel page

Price: 8.37 for 2-bottle pack at Sam's Club. I've seen single bottles at the local grocery store for around $5 a bottle. Or at Zio's Italian restaurant, I've had it for $5 a glass. Cheap wine, but I love it!

Smell: sweet, fruity, light- like a wine cooler more than wine.
Taste: sweet, slightly strawberry flavor. Just like drinking a wine cooler. I could really get into this on a hot summer day. Today was just a cool spring day, but I was in the mood for it. But really... a hot summer day would've been better, although this is still very good today.

Ecco Domani Chianti, 2004

Another new red, and this time it is a varietal that I've never had before: Chianti. The only impression I've had of a Chianti is from Silence of the Lambs. Well, let's say I am NOT eating any body parts with my glass of wine tonight! lol
(image borrowed from the company site)

From the back label:
Fashioned in Italy, the heart of today's style and design, Ecco Domani Wines are the definitive expression of modern Italian lifestyle. I take inspiration for my wines from my family's traditional winemaking techniques and from contemporary Italian culture. I blend these influences to create Ecco Domani Chianti, a well-balanced wine with aromas of cherry and fresh red fruit. Ecco Domani Chianti is crafted from 100% Sangiovese grapes, sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the celebrated region of Tuscany.
Ciao! ~Fabrizio Gatto, Winemaker, Ecco Domani


Company Links:
Ecco Domani main
Chianti page

Price: not sure. It was one of the bottles I bought awhile back (last year) so I don't recall. No prices were listed on the company web site. But I don't think it was anything expensive, because I'm pretty sure I bought it at the local grocery store, and didn't pay more than $20 at the most. (I never spend more than that on a bottle of wine!)

Smell: fruity and slightly spicy. Not smoky. A little peppery. Dark color in the glass.
Taste: strong flavor, spicy and peppery just like it smells. Also slightly sweet for the fruity part. To me, it's alot like a Merlot. I can't drink it quickly... it's one that I will sip and one small glass will probably last all evening.

I had mine slightly chilled (because TX room temp is too warm) but not fully chilled. As far as the vineyard goes, I liked their Pinot Grigio once, too. It was a long time ago, but I remember I liked it.

************************
April 29th- nearly 2 weeks later- I find this bottle still in the fridge! Oops! But strangely enough- it almost tastes and feels smoother and better now than it did when it was still 'fresh'. It still smells spicy and peppery, with a slight fruity overtone... but the taste is smoother. I can drink it faster/easier now- because that bite is gone. I actually like it alot more now!