The Slammer Syrah

The windy and rainy weather San Diego had this weekend put me in the mood for a big pot of chili, and a glass of red wine.  Fulfilling both cravings posed a bit of a challenge, as my chili tends to be a little more on the hotter side than normal and this can be bad news for good red wine. 

Knowing that less expensive reds you find in the grocery store tend to be younger, and fruiter, (exactly what my chili needs) I decided to head to the store and make a fairly random pick.  I set two criteria for this adventure:  pick a red under $10, and find one to test Jeff’s theory ~ the cheesier the wine name and more novelty the label, the less likely something good will come out of the bottle.

After cruising the aisles, checking out basic red table wine, zinfandels, and syrah, I walked out with a bottle of Big House – The Slammer Syrah for $5.50.  Under $10 – check, cheesy name and novelty label – check!  As soon as I unscrewed the top, I knew it would be a match.  Nice elements of blackberry and black currant instantly hit the nose.  Those same fruits were found at first sip, followed by ripe and smooth tannins.  Is this a wine I’d put at the top of my list of all Syrahs, no (but tasty for the price point).  But, I would definitely buy it again to enjoy with a Roundtable King Arthur Supreme pizza, or have in the house as a “third bottle”.

Big House produces other catchy wines you may be familiar with ~ Cardinal Zin, The Usual Suspect (Cab Sav), Unchained (Chardonnay), The Birdman (Pinot Grigio), and their table wines Big House Red and White.  The Big House winery is located in Soledad, Monterey County very near the Soledad State Correctional Facility, which explains the theme of their wines.  Check out their website, which carries on the theme, to locate these wines near you.

The Slammer definitely opened my mind to trying other wines with cheesy names and novelty labels.  Do you have a favorite that fits the bill?  Share the name, and I will give it a try!

Cheers!

Not in to green beer? Celebrate with Wine from an Irish American Winery

I just can’t get in to green beer, especially when paired with foods unnaturally converted green to “celebrate” St. Patrick’s Day. Fortunately, there are other options to choose ~ Irish whiskey, and even wine!  Toast our Irish friends by raising a glass with one of these favorite wines from Irish American vineyards/wine producers.  Slainte!

Mayacamas Vineyards – Travers Family

Mayacamas is currently owned by the Travers family, which they purchased in 1968.  Their ’71 Vintage Cabernet Sauvignon was selected for the “Judgement of Paris” tasting.  They also produce an excellent  Chardonnay.  It is crisp, light & fruity, and balances really well with food.  My personal favorite is their ripe and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. 

Chateau Montelena Winery – Barrett Family

Jim Barrett restored most of the original vineyards and completely refurbished the winery after he purchased in 1972.  This winery also competed in the famous ’76 Paris Tasting, and took home the win for their ’73 Chardonnay.  When we visited the winery, we unfortunately were not able to taste the Chardonnay due to limited supply.  We really enjoy the Riesling, which is an off dry, refreshing wine that has great balance with a long clean finish ~ very refreshing. 

Naked Grape Pinot Grigio ~ Ready for Spring!

Jeff and Mom enjoying Naked GrapeWith temperatures increasing, and spring just around the corner, the taste buds are starting to crave white wines a little more.  Personally, I like whites that are crisp, light, and refreshing ~ smooth, not too much oak,  with a touch of citrus but not overly acidic.  I look for ones that can be enjoyed on own, sitting on the patio enjoying the late afternoon sun, or with a light meal.  There are several fun white wines to beat the heat, but sometimes you just want an inexpensive treat to keep in the fridge and enjoy any day of the week. 

In a raid of my mother’s fridge, I discovered Naked Grape Pinot Grigio.  This is a very light, crisp wine with hints of citrus, pear, and lemon, with a bit of honey on the finish.  It’s an easy drinking wine that is enjoyable on own.  It would also pair well with a cheese plate (goat, fontina, feta), grilled chicken or fish with vegetables, or a simple salad.  With the touch of honey, it would also pair well with Asian food. 

The best part about this wine is the mass availability and price point.  You can pick up a bottle at your local grocery store at a price under $10.  Check out their website to find where it is sold near you. 

What is your favorite every day white?

Cheers to spring in the air!

2006 Cade Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon

A fine steakhouse like Fleming's is a great place to celebrate a special occasion. Perhaps it's a big promotion, a deal with an important client, or an anniversary. Or, in our case, we had a bottle of 2006 Cade Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon that needed to be paired with a big, juicy, delicious steak.

Cade Winery is the sister winery of PlumpJack, and like PlumpJack they make some very nice Cabernet Sauvignon. The winery itself is perched on top of Howell Mountain, overlooking Napa Valley. Click on the link to view pictures of their winery -- you can just imagine yourself living the good life while sipping amazing wine.

Their 2006 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon is made from grapes sourced from around Howell Mountain. It's 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot and aged primarily in new French oak. It has a very herbaceous nose with a silky smooth front palate with tastes of plum and black cherry that gives way to nice acidity and big tannins. This is a big, bold Cab.

Our pairing? Steak. Sally had Filet Mignon and I enjoyed a bone-in ribeye. We split a side of Fleming's take on potatoes au gratin which has cream, jalapeños and cheddar cheese. Fleming's does steak to perfection and these two got along beautifully.

2008 Filus Reserve Malbec

Wine discoveries can happen at any time.  While dining at Scala’s Bistro in San Francisco last September, our waitress (after seeing our bottle of Malbec) recommended a few of her favorites from Argentina.  We’ve had an eye out for her suggestions, and finally came across one of them ~ Filus Reserve Malbec. 

We are always looking for good “mid-week wine” ~ those bottles you can open any time, any day, with a good home-cooked meal, or simply relaxing after a long day. With a price point under $20, the 2008 Filus Reserve Malbec fits that bill perfectly. 

Unlike other Malbec we have tasted, this one was not a fruit bomb. The taste was woody and somewhat sweet, like dark currants and figs.  It finished firm, with building tannins.  It was a very easy going wine ~ enjoyable on own, as well as with food.  We enjoyed our bottle with a Spanish cheese plate and chipotle chicken.  

They produced about 45,000 cases of the Filus Reserve Malbec, and you can find it at wine discount stores, like BevMo and Specs. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate rated the wine 90 points.  If you find a bottle, it’s well worth the taste! 

We are keeping an eye out for her other favorites ~ Tierra, Nieto, El Arbol, and San Telmo.  We can’t wait to try another one!