Clos Du Bois Shiraz 2005

RATED: Great Cheap Wine to Serve to Guests

The weather here is starting to turn.  We have daffodils popping up.  The shrubs are starting to bud out.  The ants are invading my garage.  (I hate ants.  This will be an understandably short post.)  I still have time to grill out though which means that lighter yet flavorful reds are on the menu.  What a better way to dig into barbecue chicken or a juicy peppery burger than to pair it up with a nice Shiraz!  I had to stay out by the gas grill this time because the march winds are so strong that the flame can go out.  Then I’m gassing the neighborhood as opposed to cooking the chicken.  To keep me company I opened up a bottle of the Clos Du Bois 2005 Shiraz.  Good wine quest, good call.  Keep this one around.

What Others Say:Finewinehouse.com

Wine Tasting Notes
Made in the inky, jammy style typical of fine Australian Shiraz wines, this lovely Shiraz offers rich aromas and flavors of wild raspberries and blackberries, with hints of licorice and layers of black pepper and spice on the back palate.   Finewinehouse.com

What I Thought:

Good peppery taste that is a great sipper but would be great with anything spicy right off the grill. Has a great full flavor.  Surrounds the tongue and leaves a real pleasant tang on the tonsils.  (If you still have tonsils try it for yourself.)   Definitley would recommend this one to serve to guests sitting on the deck chowing down on whatever comes right off the grill.

Now excuse me while I go chemical on the ants in my toolbox. Did I tell you how I hate ants?

Cheers from the Wine Oaf

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Trinchero Family Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $10.99

  RANKING: Serve Proudly to Guests

Another great little California Red Wine for around ten bucks!  Sunday evening, I’m on the verge of going 0-5 on my fantasy team!  (Who knew Schaub would get the flu?  You just can’t win without a QB!)  Unbelievable.  To punish myself for my poor judgement I cleaned the garage.  All this leads to is of course, other projects you remember you need to get going on…or finish.

Oh well, barbecue chicken breasts are on the grill and I am enjoying a great Cali Cab for around ten bucks.  You got to take the bad with the good…the good being this wine.

What Others Say: winemaker’s notes

Composition: 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot

Once again, Trinchero’s Lake County and Central Coast vineyards yielded a powerful Cab that is deep, dense and ripe with black cherry, plum and a hint of earthiness. It delivers the warm fruit and broad mouth feel typical of Trinchero Cabernet Sauvignon.

The medium plus body combined with juicy ripe fruit and flavor-enhancing acidity make this versatile wine an excellent complement to grilled steaks, salmon or even a meaty pizza.

What I Thought:Full flavored Cabernet without a weighty finish – fruity, earthy and warm – good color and body.  Definitely a good value for $10.99.  Great wine for sitting out on the deck and getting the aroma off of the grill and the nose of the swirling wine glass in compliment.  Good wine quest, great evening outdoors…. you’ve got to love Fall grilling.   Winter, please be slow.

Cheers from the wine oaf!

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Berringer Chenin Blanc 2006 $4.99

RANKING: Good Enough for My Numb Tongue

 A group of us that work together had a little picnic a week or so ago.  Of course it rained which washed out the softball and tennis, but we still had a great time meeting each others spouses and family.  (I am sure many people left wondering how my wonderful wife puts up with the wine oaf.)  The grill was on and the food was great so we all sat around, ate too much and told stories.  Yes some stories started out like, ” Tell me how you made this potato salad!”, or “Once upon a time next to the color copier….”  but most of the time we just shared life experiences, talked about our families and listened to our ball club win a game that was meaningless in the standings.  Good kitchen table stuff.  The kind of afternoon you would expect John McCain to approve of.  He’d pull up in the Straight Talk Express, grill some ribs, Govenor Palin would pull up in a minivan totin’ some Jager….  God bless America.

The firm’s owners brought burgers, hot dogs, buns, sodas, water and standard picnic fare.  Every one else brought chips, sides, desserts and the  beverage of their choice.  Of course there was beer and a bottle of the Berringer 2006 Chenin Blanc.  The bottle sat chilling with the iced beer standing out like Heidi Klum at the neighborhood bowling alley.  This was a good cheap little wine for a picnic.  I almost went to the “Serve Proudly to Friends” level here but I couldn’t quite get there.  Still, I’d take the Berringer to another picnic. 

What Other Say: Tasting Notes

Gentle handling and careful attention is given to the Chenin Blanc grapes from the vine to the glass. To retain the delicate varietal flavors of crisp citrus, melon, and spicy ginger, Beringer’s winemakers chill the juices immediately following crush and continue to closely monitor the temperature throughout fermentation. Just before dryness, they cool the juices even further to halt fermentation and retain a smooth, lush mouthfeel and lingering finish.

What I Thought: Seems really wild that Berringer makes wines that sell for hundreds of dollars and wines that run me five bucks.  Kind of like buying a hot dog at a gourmet restaurant.  Anyway…onto the wine quest.  Definitely a smooth fruity palate (peachy-peary kind of thing), lush and pleasant finish. This is not a tart wine so soft and velvety on the tongue.  Great with picnic table foods like potato salad, baked beans and that stuff Bob’s wife always makes.  Unfortunately I can attest to the fact that this good cheap little wine also compliments cookie bars, chocolate friendship bread and 6 other dessert offerings. (”Diet tomorrow! ” which sounds more serious in Latin “Perdo Pondus Cras!”) Not a bad little wine for $4.99 right?

Cheers from the wine oaf! 

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Rosenblum Cellars California Zin Vinter’s Cuvee XXX

RANKING:  Serve Proudly to Guests

Triple XXX can mean a lot of things, usually not suitable for friendly conversation, depending upon your circle of friends of course.  In this case the XXX is certainly worth bringing up in group conversation.  Rosenblum Cellars has put together a surprisingly tasty Zinfandel available on their wine website for $12.oo.  This was a great little wine quest that discovered a guest-worthy good cheap wine.

What Others Say:  Winemaker Comments

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 Dynamic Red Table Wine California 2006 $8.99

sold exclusively at Trader Joes

 RANKING: Serve to Guests

Well I fell for a label again.  The Mediterranean tower-home gave this wine an “old country” look that I couldn’t resist.  How in the world Trader Joes keeps finding well priced little gems like this I dont know.  This one is from Ceago Vineyards.  According to their website: http://www.dynamicvineyards.com/“Ceago is derived from a Pomo Indian word (spoken “Shee-ye-ho”) that meant “grass-seed valley”.  Like the Native Americans who were here before us, we believe that people must interact with the land in an essential, nurturing fashion, to assure long-term quality and prosperity.”

The mission of Ceago, “…to craft small lots of wine from estate grown organic and biodynamic grapes using the best of Old and New World winemaking techniques.”  turned out a great product in their California Lake County Red Table Wine.  It’s a good cheap wine.  This was a great wine quest that may turn into a case purchase!  Come to find out the tower on the label is where homeopathic teas are prepared for the grapes to enrich the soil.  That’s California.  Here in the Midwest, I wonder… which tea works on crabgrass?

What Others Say:According to the label this wine is a blend of 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Syrah and 20% Malbec.  There is a lot of information about Ceago and biodynamic grapes but no tasting notes or other review information that I could easily find. 

What I Thought: Great wine.  I would have been even more swayed had I read about the winery first.  I do find the organic and biodynamic wine movements interesting. (like shade grown coffee?)  This wine is aptly named.  It’ s a great table wine with an earthy feel on the tongue.  By that I mean there is a fruitiness that doesn’t allow you to get too serious.  There seems to be also a hint of cinnamon.  The malbec brings over its peppery finish as well.  Oh yeah… $8.99 a bottle.   I really enjoyed it. 

Learn more about biodynamic grapes from Ceago’s website.

Cheers from the wine oaf!  Happy Labor Day.

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