Good Cheap Wine Guide

Santa Cristina 2006 Toscana 90% Sangiovese 10% Merlot

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Here I go writing about Italian wines again but if you are at all familiar with my Wine Quests, you know I get to Italy quite a bit! At least through my wine glass. This is another wine I just really enjoy personally and enjoy having around the house for others. It’s a good cheap bottle of Italian red around $10. Online I found it at Wine.com for $10.25 (even with the weak dollar). Cheers!

What Others Say: winemaker’s notes:
Santa Cristina was originally introduced in 1946 as a Chianti Classico by Piero Antinori’s father, Niccolò. However, with the passage of the 1984 DOCG laws - spearheaded by Piero Antinori - requiring lower vineyard yields, Chianti Classico grapes became so complex and rich that they required more aging than this fruity fresh wine should have to maintain its style and character.

Therefore, with the 1987 vintage, Santa Cristina moved away from the Chianti Classico designation, and with the 1994 vintage Antinori began including 10% Merlot to the blend to add soft, open fruit nuances to the wine.

Santa Cristina is ruby red in color with purple hues. Intense fresh fruit aromas with pleasant floral hints. Well-structured, soft and harmonious. Sweet tannin and lingering fruit in the finish.

What I Thought: This is not an intense or robust wine. As a matter of fact, it has a kind of fruity light bodied taste that would be feel at home served from a colorful clay pitcher decorated with a Mediterranean sun motif and poured into tumblers. Just the same, this is a good sit back and relax red that I would never be embarrassed to have on my table. In the bottle or in a really cool pitcher.

The blood on my shirt and on my hands was not my own. I didn’t even notice it until after I’d left the accident scene,  climbed back into my truck , eased back onto the road, flashers still on and glanced down at the wheel. It was a 95 degrees and sunny July afternoon, the kind of humid-hot that makes everything under the sun difficult to touch. I had taken this heavily traveled, normal exit, a 45 MPH downhill ramp off of an interstate onto a side street. But it wasn’t a normal exit today. In front of me, at the side of the road, lay a scooter sideways and twisted. Broken pieces lay scattered around as if it were a Lego toy stepped on by an adult shoe. Next to the wreck lay a good sized guy wearing a white Bell helmet, face down and convulsing. No-one was there! He was alone on the pavement. I swerved my truck over and parked it quickly, set the flasher and ran to the scene. On the way I dialed 911, the operator informed me that police were already on the way. “Good!” I thought, “Someone else has at least seen this.” He looked bad.

As I got to the accident I saw another guy was running to the scene from across the street. We both looked at each other a little uncertain what to do first. The victim was a young man in his late teens or early twenties. Along with the scattered wreck debris I could pick out a broken Ipod, some smashed-up eyeglasses and other small personal affects that been on the driver until the spill. The scooter was piled up about thirty feet further up the road which meant he had fallen off earlier and gone for a ride on his own. It was easy to see that by the abrasions on his legs and his tattered shorts, he had scraped and slid across the pavement a good ways. I knelt down close to his face and let him know that there was help on the way and that we wouldn’t leave him. He was breathing, but rasping heavily. I don’t think he was really conscious at that time or at least unable to comprehend and reply. There was dark blood coming from his mouth and from a ragged gash on his eyebrow.

I felt the heat of the pavement on my own bare knees and thought about his head on the street. I ran back to my truck to get a towel I had in there for my planned workout. As I arrived back he was stirring a little trying to lift his head. I put the towel under him as he lifted up a bit and asked him to stay still. A police car was approaching now. I felt better. Amazing how flashing lights can sometimes upset your stomach and other times calm your fears. The officer let us know that EMTs were on their way. He took charge immediately and started assessing the condition of the accident victim. The other guy who ran to the scene had brought a rain poncho with him. He said, “Let’s give this guy some shade.” Good idea. As the officer tried to talk to the kid we shaded them both best we could with the poncho.

The kid started turning over trying to rise.  He sat up and fell back down with the helmet making a sickeningly loud “crack” on the pavement. We kept telling him to “Stay down.” but he wouldn’t. As he kept sitting up and then “cracking” back to the pavement, I couldn’t stand it. I handed my end of the poncho to another guy who had arrived and wanted to help and  the next time he attempted to sit up, I tried to support him. This I think just encouraged him and as we told him, “Keep the helmet on!”, he started taking it off. As we said, “Stay still!” he rolled to his bloody knees. As we pleaded, “Dude, don’t try to stand.” he struggled to his feet. Again, this was a big boy. He could pretty much do whatever his instincts told him and we could not have stopped him. Admittedly though I was happy to see him moving around even with the concern that he could hurt himself even more in the process.

As the EMTs arrived, he struggled to his feet and took slow, helmetless, staggering steps to the guard-rail dragging all four of us with him for supprt. He almost went head first over the guard-rail but then stopped, turned and sat down. I saw two EMTs putting on their gloves. I don’t know why that registered. The EMTs all wearing their nylon gloves, approached him and took over. I asked the officer if I could go and climbed back in my truck.

As I got back on my way… that’s when I noticed the blood, his not mine.  Our emergency people live daily in contact with other people’s blood. Do they get used to this?  Along with all of the other things going through my head I had just one little gnawing thought in the back of my subconscious. I selfishly hoped the kid led a healthy lifestyle.

By now the workout seemed of secondary significance, besides I had left my towel to be cleaned up I guess with the other debris. I changed directions and headed home.

Inglenook California Classic Burgundy

Rating: OK TO COOK WITH

During my “Dennis the Menace”-like childhood I served a stint as an altar boy.  I don’t remember being asked or actually volunteering, but just the same…I wound up serving.  I have very strong memories of putting on the hassock and preparing everything for the mass.  I recall the smoky issue of the candles, the strong intensity of the incense and…the very distinctive smell that came from the altar wine. 

This is all in the days of Latin mass and priests only drinking the wine during the service.  (I did enjoy serving at mass, especially funeral masses that were mid-day and got me out of class.  I know…that’s a strange way to look at the world.)  As a server, it was our job to prepare the water and wine vessels and carry them in procession out to the altar at the start of the mass.  (One priest always would start our procession with, “Tally Ho!” )  As a half-asleep 9 year old serving 6 AM mass, I always found the vinegary smell of the altar wine a little rough to take.  (Remember, kids already throw up a lot in church. )   During the service we would mix the wine and water into the Chalice for the priest to drink as part of the mass ritual.  Some priests would only want a drip of the wine into the Chalice and have almost all water.  (They were usually the strict ones.)  Some priests could have used a portion control device.  Like amateur bartenders, we had no idea how much to pour until directed by Father’s fingertips tipping the vessels with us.  Pouring that wine into the large bowled Chalice of course released all of it’s screwtop elegant aroma.  Yuck.

Why do I remember all of this?  (And maybe why do I bore you with it as well?)  A while back we bought the Inglenook Classic Burgundy at WalMart for a recipe.  My wife made a great Beef Burgundy that has become like comfort food in our house.  I’ll post it later.  Seeing the bottle in the cabinet I thought, “Hey WineOaf!  Here is a cheap wine that you would be good to add to your Quests and review!”  So I did.

What Others Say: Inglenook California Classic Burgundy
Winemaker’s comments: A blend of cherry, black currant and green olive flavors make this red a real crowd-pleaser.

What I Thought:I poured a glass of the Inglenook.  My nose took me back to being 9 years old and swinging incense on a chain.  I was that altar boy all over again.  Suffice to say that the Inglenook California Classic Burgundy is intended to be a good cheap wine and was probably never intended for medal competition.  A tart taste, unbalanced and no finish meant that this wine needs the strong support of a great recipe, other ingredients for homemade sangria or a spiritual ritual to be useful to society.  But hey, those are all important right.  So my vote, cook with it, make sangria, or serve it to your local priest.   It probably is a crowd pleaser, as long as that crowd kneels together with bowed heads.

Cheers from the Wine Oaf     

2006 Panarroz, Jumilla Spanish Red $8

 

 Rating: Good Enough To Share With Brother Dave

Summer afternoons are the best aren’t they?  You can be outside enjoying a bright blue “happy little fluffy cloud” day when all of a sudden, the temperature will drop, the sun will disappear and the sky will open up for 15 minutes of absolute deluge.  Whether you are in the middle of an outdoor project or in the middle of the third fairway (I spend very little time in the fairway when I golf) … you are going to get soaked.   I know being trapped in the rain like this upsets a lot of people but you know what, it can actually be fun.  Maybe I look at things differently but this is a perfect excuse to be a kid again.  When kids are having fun it is never too wet, too cold or too dark!  It’s only when we “grow up” and quit doing childish things like running down a hill for no good reason, giggling in the middle of something serious, breaking into a song because we think of it or play for hours outside in the snow, rain or mud…it’s only when we grow up that we worry about our clothes, our hair and our shoes getting wet in the rain.  So, adults don’t really stress out over the rain sneaking up on us then, we stress out over how it affects our appearance and possessions.   

I remember as a good, white-shirt-uniformed, parochial school boy, we played tackle football on the field behind the grade school at recess.  (Hint: Ties are a great way to bring somebody down so always tuck them in your shirt just above the second button.) I have no idea what we looked like (or smelled like)but maybe that’s why they always took school pictures in the morning.  Being caught in the rain may just give you that kid-like excuse again to say “Oh well, I might as well have fun.  I’m already wet.” 

Of course, as an adult, you can come in after the big rain, get some dry clothes on and warm up with a glass of good cheap red wine.  I would suggest you try the Panorroz by Jumilla-Espania.  Just sit there and giggle if your wife tells you that you have ruined your shoes.

What Others Say:90 points from Robert Parker: “An amazing bargain from Spain, this blend of mourvèdre, grenache, and syrah bursts with plum, blackberry, and licorice-infused fruit. There is a bit of pepper as well, and the wine is silky, soft, and opulent. Serve it at a barbecue… Years ago I wrote in The Wine Advocate that Dan Kravitz was perhaps the top U.S. importer of wines priced under $10 a bottle. Even though the dollar bought a lot more then, Kravitz still has a knack for finding good wines at great prices.” (in Business Week Magazine)” K&L Wine Merchants writes: Mr. Parker is exactly right. To find a wine of this quality at this price is truly a wonderful thing. The vineyards that lend their fruit to this lushly textured wine yield less than two tons per acre. We also found a hint of chocolate on the voluptuously long finish.
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1035887

What I Thought:I enjoyed the Panarroz.  I don’t know much about Spanish wines, though I am willing to learn, but found the flavor more like I an Italian or Sicilian wine than a French wine.  Now, Spain is closer to France so….Hmmm, I’ll need a second glass to figure that one out. The blend of grapes selected delivered a medium level of intensity, as you would expect, but still had a full lush “all over the tongue” finish that leaves a pleasant taste.  Still though, it would not be my first choice for a gathering of friends but Panarroz still delivers a great late Saturday afternoon, post getting soaked taste experience.  I’d share it at least with my brother Dave.  We used to play football in the rain together. 

Five Unique Gift Ideas for Father’s Day.  Because We Deserve It!

It’s June.  Yardwork, home repair, baseball, grilling out and Father’s Day; what’s not to like.  Think of all the reasons to appreciate dad…and then remember how hard he usually is to buy for!   It has been years since the kids have selected ties or belts for dear old dad as a perfect gift. (There is a God!) They’ve learned over the years that dad has hobbies.  A couple of dad’s hobbies are really perfect for gift ideas.  So here are five unique, creative, unusual and totally cool gifts for Father’s Day that dads (like the wine oaf) would richly appreciate.  (Besides, who wears ties anymore?)

Father’ Day Gift Idea One: Dad’s own Branding Iron for grilling out

Perfect for: Dad’s who grill out.  Which is almost every dad I know! 

So here is the idea…dad has the family gathering out on the deck and he is at his usual post…he’s manning the grill.  And what’s on the grill? …dad’s famous steaks, chops, burgers, salmon fillets… just fill in the blanks.  It’s all about tradition.  This is comfort food from the masculine side of the family.  What would be cooler than dad bringing in a platter of burgers or chops and there…right on top…”Dad’s own brand” seared right into the meat.  Alma mater, favorite driver, something clever like “Roadkill” or just a branding iron induced monogram, kind of like a guarantee or trademark cooked into the grill fare. 

Where do you find such a creation? SteakBrands.com Inc.

Father’s Day Gift Idea Two: Cool glassware for enjoying wine

Perfect for: Dad’s who enjoy wine and/or entertain those who do
Crystal is not dad’s “thing”. It looks funny in the hearty hands of the guy who used to put your bicycle back together after you tried to jump the creek with it…for the third time. What does a dad like that deserve to drink wine from.. a much cooler glass. Part tumbler, part wineglass and perfectly built for the enjoyment of wine. Especially red and all dad’s drink reds, right?  Also, decanters improve the wine experience but most of them look a little less than exciting, doesn’t a really cool decanter make a good conversation!  Don’t good cheap wines look even better in a styling decanter?  The one pictured above looks like it came out of a modernistic sci-fi flick..and dad introduced you to sci-fi flicks, remember?  Where do you find pop-pleasing glassware? I found these on wine.com:  Glassware

Father’s Day Gift Idea Three: Great coffee

Perfect for: Duh, dad’s who like coffee maybe?

I wrote about this coffee in an earlier article.  I promised to let you know if I liked the coffee made by Mystic Monks.  I didn’t like it…I loved it!  You don’t have to be Catholic to enjoy coffee made by the monks of  Mystic Monk Coffee. I had a dark roast, my own preference, but there is a great selection of fair trade, organic and lighter fare.  This is kind of a payback for dad staying awake those nights before Christmas’ putting together that bike (you kept wrecking) the first time!

Father’s Day Gift Idea Four: High quality wine tools

Perfect for: Any dad who likes gadgets and enjoys wine

Remember when dad used to have heart-warming talks with you like, “Don’t use my tools if you’re not going to put them away right!” and, “Are you nuts? You can’t use my ratchet as a hammer!”  Ah yes… dad likes his tools.  He has a garage full.  But I bet you he is still opening his wine bottles with a corkscrew similar in quality to a cheap 99 cent plastic handled imported mass-produced screw-driver you would never catch him using to fix a broken mower.  Help dad use the “right tool” for his wine enjoyment.  Rabbit 6-Piece Wine Corkscrew Tool Kit - Corkscrews Accessories

Father’s Day Gift Idea Five: Healthy beef for the grill
Perfect for: The same dad as in every gift idea above!

Dad likes his meat on the grill (and so do you, admit it) but everyone should eat healthier and red meat, sometimes…well, you feel like you need to “sneak a steak“ onto the grill.  (it’s a conspiracy by big-chicken, like big-tobacco only..you know with chicken)  So how can you enjoy your red meats and still eat healthy?  I found La Cense.  They say on their site, Montana raised, no hormones, no antibiotics, no pesticides, no feedlots, no grain..these are grass fed cattle that produce leaner healthier meat.  So, you got to use that new branding iron from Steakbrands on something right?  Here’s a deal from La Cense listed on their website:  
Lacense® Grass-Fed Beef
Buy Delicious Grass Fed Beef. Free Shipping on Orders Over $45!
And  if you succumb to the idea that one should be grilling tuna or salmon instead of steak (not really a compromise, just change the wine!) check out this offer:

Of course there is always the obvious gift of WINE or something more unique like the Wine Club membership programs we reviewed in our article Wine Gifts for Mother’s Day.  Either way, give dad’s gift some thought! (hint, hint) Here is a special from Wine.com:
Get 20% off any 12 month wine club membership at Wine.com! Enter code DAD20 at checkout. Offer expires 6.15.08

Personally speaking, as a father, as a brother and as a son…thanks for everything guys…thanks dad!  Thanks for being last and making those you love first!  Happy Father’s Day from the wine oaf.  And to my kids this message, “Thanks for making me a very proud father!”

Cheers