Troy has a membership at this really cool place around the corner, Wine Styles at Vintage Park. This membership gives him two bottles of wine a month. They are wines that we haven't necessary thought to buy and sometimes would never try again. But we do find a lot of little gems.
We thought we would share our wines with you and hope to leave a little blurb about each as we go (if Troy will help me write the review).
So here we go...
December 31, 2011
Happy New Year!
Troy pulled out a new wine (thank you Rick at Wine Styles!) for dinner. We are drinking 2009 Ramian Chardonnay. Troy is LOVING this butter bomb (me too!). On the front of the tongue we are getting lime and cream. We are also tasting hint of pear, cool clean citrus, long finish and a must have in ANY collection.
December 29, 2011
2007 Ripassa Zenato
Nice Valpolicella; nice price point, dark finish, bright cherries in the front, hint of raspberry and a nice alcohol level.
December 28, 2011
Dark cherries, hint of white pepper, blackberries, blueberries, nicely balanced, somewhat high in alcohol, French oak, and a light spice note.
We drank this without having a meal with it, sips well!
December 25, 2011
2005 MacRostie Syrah
BIG Bold, dark fruit, in your face alcohol, blueberries, blackberries, black currant, must have with food!
December 22, 2011
Evolution 9 Wine
Oh YEAH!!
I made Lemon Pepper Pork Chops tonight for dinner. I asked Troy if he would stop and pick me up a bottle of Evolution for dinner. He grinned like a crazy person, he already had the bottle chilling and waiting on me!
This bottle packs a lemon, grapefruit and lime on the front of the tongue. It finishes bold and creamy. Very crisp and clean. Affordable and works VERY well with a citrus based meal.
December 2011
We have had the following wines this month, we have been sooo off on our schedule to blog about so here is the link and a real short blurb...
2009 Pinot Nior- The Holdredge- Russian River Valley
Troy says this is priced nice for a Pinot, lighter body than we usually drink and fruity notes. Would go nice with a chicken or veal meal.
Troy says nice every day drinking Chardonnay. Not the butter bomb that I typically like but still medium to full body Chardonnay.
WOW! I would like to tell you how Yummy this is but I don't think what I would like to say exactly would go over well here... so insert thoughts :-O
Troy says this is affordable price, great on hot sweaty nights. Creamy, lemony, touch of French Oak, pear and peaches and a touch of spice. A MUST HAVE!
Troy says nice wine, not typical for our taste. Medium body, dark fruits, lots of earthy notes, liquorice and affordable
Troy has recommended this to a friend to make an immediate trip to Napa to visit and sample! He has asked for a case or more on his Christmas wish list.
He says it is very affordable Cab blend, full body, rich, lush, dark fruit, not hot and very much a great every day red wine.
2010 Twin Bells Pinot Noir
VERY light Pinot, bright fruit, clean bright rasberry, hint of cranberry, hint of vanilla and notes of sweet cherries. Troy says this was a bit too bright for us, we paired this wine with Tamales
2010 Twin Bells Pinot Noir
VERY light Pinot, bright fruit, clean bright rasberry, hint of cranberry, hint of vanilla and notes of sweet cherries. Troy says this was a bit too bright for us, we paired this wine with Tamales
(We wrote a blog about this before we were finished with the bottle, blogger didn't save, but this post will only get better like the wine!) This is freaking delicious!
We had this wine after a very SPICY dinner of King Ranch Turkey casserole. This was a perfect pairing!
The nose and tongue dances with bananas on the front, with a hint of pear, lime, tangerine, kiwi and subtle green apple. The finish is rich, warm fully enveloped, creamy and long lasting finish. There is also note of ruby red grapefruit in the side of the mouth at the finish.
However, this is not an overly fruity or sweet drink. I cant wait for the next bottle... bring it!
November 26, 2011
Last night was Friends Night Out. Our friend Steve C brought 2008 CRU 'Vineyard Montage' Central Coast Pinot Noir.
Troy's rating was this was an affordable, light, easy drinking wine (paired easily with our brisket dinner and trimmings). This wine had bright cherries, raspberries, floral notes.
November 25, 2011
Happy Thanksgiving!
Troy served the Robert Mondavi Reserve Pinot Nior with our Thanksgiving meal. Our parents were here and they like light red wines, but don't really know what taste good other than that. We were all left looking for refills and Troy was left looking for more wine at the end of dinner.
This wine was light and well paired with the traditional turkey dinner.
November 17, 2011
Now to the wine.... we sampled three wines presented by Republic Wines; Prosecco Ruffino, Robert Mondavi Reserve Pinot Nior and Paso Creek Merlot.
The Merlot was nice, not expensive, very light notes of vanilla, not a heavy Merlot and spicy.
November 17, 2011
Troy and I went to Wine Styles tonight for a wine sampling. More about the wine in a while, but I want to tell you about the gift ideas we checked out while at the store.
Know someone that is a golfer and a wine drinker? You have seen those wooden pieces that suspend a wine bottle, well now there is hand carved golf club that suspends a wine bottle. Totally cool. Now who do I know that golfs and sips? I am working on that, but check out this more expensive link of what they offer at Wine Styles...
Golf Club Balancing Wine Bottle Holder
Not at Wine Styles, but has been requested for them to look into... this is sooo Corkcicle. This is certainly on my Christmas wish list, how about you???
November 14, 2011
So many wines, so little time!
So now Troy is hoping that all Santa gets him for Christmas is Spec's and Wine Styles gift certificates so he can restock!
November 11, 2011
I made the famous Maggiano's Little Italy Chicken Piccata for dinner tonight. Troy was in charge of bringing the wine to the table. We are drinking Trefethen Chardonnay.
We recommend!!
November 5, 2011
Troy has been working crazy hours the last two weeks and looks like there is no end in sight... 'tis the season I guess. Although he did get to run down to the Valley to see his Grandparents this weekend.
Speaking of 'tis the season, it has finally started to cool here a bit; we got into the high of 60's and low of 40's last week. So with Troy gone and the temps cooler, I had to drag out my fav seasonal drink.
Michael's (or Baileys or Coole Swan) and a smidge of peppermint syrup (or peppermint schnapps if you want to get a little crazy)... Yummm goes down like cold chocolate milk with a bit of mint.
You should try it!
October 22, 2011
Our friends the Mowry's are in town tonight. We laughed as we sat around the dinner table.
Troy and Hal drank Carmen Petite Sirah. Troy says this wine is the wine of the month at Wine Styles. There is a hint of tobacco, un-filtered, lots of sediment, light raspberry notes and medium body.
Linda and I drank a Moscato by Rex Golitah. This wine is super light in alcohol, not as sweet or bubbly as other Moscato. We both agree that we like other brands over this one, but it was good in a pinch.
October 20, 2011
Sterling Vineyards Three Palms Vineyard Merlot, Napa Valley 2006
OUCH! I cant even enjoy this wine, I am too much of a wimp! Troy says there is ONLY 14.5 alcohol by volume.
We are tasting light dried tobacco, hint of vanilla, medium body cherries, full body, and very complex.
Hate to say it... I think I am going to have to pour a liquor tonight and let Troy enjoy this bottle.
October 14, 2011
Marcelina Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
Troy drank this when I was already in bed, snob ;-). And he firmly reminds me that I don't like full bodied Cabs.
He describes this wine as traditional Napa Cab, great price point, hard to find, should be paired with red meats. Notes of smoky bacon without the flab, dark cherry, black currant with a full mouth finish-- lays down great (wait is he describing me??).
October 9, 2011
Troy's parents gave us their wine cooler that holds 36+ bottles of wine. This is Troy's dream come true. Every year around Christmas, Troy goes to Specs and stands in front of their wine coolers and dreams about which one would be best for us and how he can wiggle the dollars around to bring on home. Well, Troy's parents had the cooler full of wine and gave all the bottles (mostly Texan wines and mostly OLD and ruined by age :-( ).
Its a known fact that I like big butter bomb Chardonnays, Troy does not. He opened a Frances Ford Coppola Vorte Sante Chardonnay this evening. Not a butter bomb, and I am still undecided if this is a repeat wine, but let me describe it for ya.
October 6, 2011
Troy figured out why I liked the 2009 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay. We had to open another bottle, may have to have ANOTHER bottle soon. You should try this one!
Sept 26, 2011
I had a great day today at work, quiet and very productive. But I came home with a sour mood, don't know why, I am girl and its my prerogative. Troy and I made pork chops tonight for dinner and he tried to talking me into a Pinot Noir. That is NOT what I wanted, and a chic in a sour mood gets the wine she wants. I didn't really know what I wanted, but I wanted a white wine and not red.
Troy poured me a 2007 Hideaway Creek Chardonnay. Right out of my mouth came, "Oh, Honey" and I wasn't talking about Troy. This wine has lots of honey, green apples, tart finish, French Oak (no stainless steel), creamy and golden color.
Troy got over the Chardonnay quickly (Yay for me!); he is finishing a 2009 Merriman Pinot Noir
Sept 15, 2011Troy and I headed to Winestyles last night. There were about 40-50 people all hanging out drinking wine, and I think I was the one lone ranger drinking a white wine. I did always like to walk on the different side of the line.
Troy drank an Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon 2007. It is a wine with a light body, full ripe fruit, bright cherry, hint of white pepper, easy drinking and unexpectedly from Washington State (Yakima Valley). Troy likes to pass his bottle and everyone that tasted this wine liked it and liked the unexpected flavors that this Washington Valley delivered. Thank you John at Republic Beverage for sharing!
I on other hand drank 2009 Ferrari-Carano Chardonnay. Very good, crisp, with notes of pineapple and fig, creamy and toasty.
We recommend both for your enjoyment!
Sept 11, 2011
Bryon 2008 Chardonnay Santa Maria Valley
WOW doesn't even say it! I have been looking for something that was affordable and as good or better than Hollywood & Vine 1999 Chard. This has hit it! *** Did I tell you how good this was?? I am on the second night of the bottle... YUMMMMMY***
Green apple on the front, crisp, light stainless steel, nice golden color.
John Alan Bonne Terre Rouge 2007
Troy is having this and says medium alcohol level, bright raspberry notes, followed by black currant, splash of red cherry, hint of black pepper and overall sexy.
Jon Alan is a standard for Troy.
Week of Labor Day 2011
Paul Hobbs Crossbarn 2009 Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast
WOW> This was delicious. Light on the stainless steel, light French oak, full mouth, lots of apple, price is very affordable, and very impressive.
Bell Syrah 2007
Charles & Charles Cabernet 2007
Wine of the month-- light body, easy drinking, not super impressive, would take this to a party or bingo night.
