Tag Archives: wine reviews

Fight Inflation: A Tempranillo for Under $10 + Free Wine Tastings

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Talma Tempranillo Scores Big For a Few Bucks

I think it’s safe to say that everyone has now felt/is still very much feeling the effects of inflation and has modified their spending and consumption to reflect what they can realistically do with their limited dollars. We are definitely opting for more vegetarian dinners such as beans and rice, or eggs and toast (and no, we haven’t had a problem finding eggs, thank goodness). Eating one less meal out or using a cheaper source of protein (did someone say tofu?) all adds up and helps our poor wallets not be quite so emaciated.

Inflation doesn’t just affect our food choices, it affects our entertainment funds and even what type and how much alcohol we can buy.

And, I don’t know if any of you wine tasters have noticed lately, but some wineries and tasting rooms are charging exorbitant amounts to taste these days (I paid $30 for a tasting at one place in Oregon last year), and it doesn’t always even go towards a bottle purchase. 😦 I understand they are trying to make a profit, but, yikes and ouch!

Oddly enough, for a wine aficionada, I don’t actually drink a HUGE amount of wine, so when it comes to spending money on wine, I would often prefer to spend more on a few higher quality bottles than on a glut of vino cheapo. But that’s not at all to say I am resistant to a really good price for a good bottle of wine!

So if you’re wondering if there are any places left offering FREE tastings, let me give you some great news: yes, yes, there are! (*Hallelujah Chorus*). Your local Total Wine & More store offers FREE tastings on certain days of the week! OK, perhaps not everyone’s store does, but for those of you who live near one and are hankering to try some good wines (as well as spirits!), head on down.

For other ideas on where to taste for free in the PNW, see my page Places to Taste.

I tried this Talma Tempranillo at a Total Wine free tasting one Friday afternoon, and even

I love this label! Talma Tempranillo from Spain.

in the tiny plastic sample cup, it was aromatic and awesome and begged me to take it home. 🙂

Here is the scoop on this fun find that overdelivers for the price:

  • $8.99 at Total Wine
  • 100% Tempranillo from Spain
  • Medium ruby color, semi-opaque
  • 13% ABV, medium body
  • Moderate acidity, mostly dry
  • Medium tannins
  • Aromas/Flavors: upon first opening, I got cranberry, currant, bay leaf, pepper. Upon further swirling/decanting: black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, herbs, Bandaid (this aroma is attributable to Brettanomyces yeast), orange, earth, leather, almost a floral aroma, cedar
  • A fresher, juicier style of Tempranillo, this is a fairly young wine that hasn’t seen a long time aging or excessive amounts of oak.
  • Finish/Conclusion: intriguing cola flavors on the finish. The finish is rather short-lived but that doesn’t detract from the otherwise positive traits of the wine, like the nose, good balance of acid/alcohol/sweetness, and overall great flavor and smoothness.

I hope you enjoy this Tempranillo as much as I did, and that you’re able to find a free wine tasting near you soon!

Has inflation changed how much alcohol you consume or the price point of the alcohol you buy? Comment if you like.

Charcuterie with my Cuties and Wine for Valentine’s Night

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Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope however you are celebrating today that you are feeling the love. ❤

If you are thinking “I’d like to make this day a little extra Valentine-y” but don’t want to go down the usual routes; if you need inspiration for a dinner that is delicious, interesting, fun, and relatively inexpensive (it’s utterly flexible), and is also something slightly fancy for the love holiday, look no further. It also does not require a reservation, parking, dressing up, and the like. It’s great for one person, for a couple, or for as large or small a group as you desire. So if that’s you this Valentine’s Day, I’ve got you covered.

One of the great things about wine is the special company it keeps with food. And the illustrious charcuterie board (a.k.a. Lunchables for Grown-Ups) has become the golden standard for enjoying with wine. In case you need enlightening, a charcuterie board is simply several types of prepared meats served with various cheeses, crackers, breads, nuts, olives, fruit, assorted condiments like mustard, jam, etc. all presented together on a large serving platter.

During the pandemic, when we were not eating out because restaurants were only offering to-go, I decided to throw together an epic smorgasbord with anything and everything charcuterie-related: several types of cheese and crackers, a couple salamis or other meats, sliced pears, berries, grapes, nuts, etc. I also bought several bottles of wine to pair specifically with the cheeses I had selected. We dined al fresco.

The kids LOVED it, because they got to eat cheese, crackers, and salami for dinner, and put what they wanted on their plates. I loved it for obvious reasons and also for the rare praises instead of moans and complaints from the picky eater cohort.

We did this a couple times and since it’s been a while, I decided it would be fun to do it again for Valentine’s night.

I slaved so hard in the kitchen… opening up packaged stuff and putting it on a platter, I’m exhausted… 😉

I’ve got a cheese collection from Costco (the Kirkland Signature Cheese Flight they sell around the winter holidays) which features the following cheeses: cow’s milk cheese from Belgium, aged cow’s milk cheddar from England, goat’s milk cheese with honey from Spain, sheep’s milk pecorino cheese with truffles from Italy, and cow’s milk cheese with tomatoes, onions, and spices from the USA.

When you make a charcuterie board, you can use whatever cheeses you like, but to keep it interesting, aim for:

– three to four (or more!) different cheeses
– a mix of soft, semi-soft, and hard cheeses
– a mix of different types of milk (e.g. sheep, cow, goat)

For wine, I went with a black pinot and a white pinot (literally Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc) from different AVAs (American Viticultural Areas – unique designated wine grape growing areas) in Washington and Oregon. According to Erin Doman, all Pinots (Noir, Gris, Blanc, Meunier, etc.) are mutations of the same variety.

We’re drinking Skagit Crest Vineyard & Winery Pinot Blanc from Washington (specifically the Puget Sound AVA) and River’s Edge Winery Barrel Select Pinot Noir from Oregon (specifically the Elkton AVA, one of Oregon’s newer AVAs). You can pair almost any wine with various cheeses (more on that later), but for this article’s sake I am just focusing on these two elegant beauties.

Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc grapes both make lighter bodied wines with moderately strong acidity (makes your mouth pucker) so they work especially well when paired with creamy cheeses. Some wines are great on their own and some are meant to be drunk with food. These wines are delightful each on their own and they shine bright with the cheeses.

The River’s Edge Pinot is bursting with juicy, plush aromas of dark cherry, blueberry, spices, and something woody. My favorite cheese match with the Pinot Noir is the Italian pecorino with truffles. The truffle notes in the cheese really complement the mushroom notes in the Pinot Noir. So earthy and complex, I love it! This is a great Pinot Noir for wine drinkers who like full flavors and good substance (like me, ha ha). 🙂

Skagit Crest’s Pinot Blanc is an exceptional companion to cheese! It is like smelling a springtime wedding: flowers hugged by some robust honeycomb, lime, grapefruit, and a little gravel. On the palate there is excellent acidity with no astringency or harshness, moderate alcohol and flavors of stone and citrus fruits. It’s very similar to Pinot Gris/Grigio (same grape, just French and Italian names), but I love this subtly different and refreshing change from typical Pinot Gris. For cheese partners, the Belgian cheese and the Spanish honey goat cheese were both great with this wine.

I am hoping to do more food and wine pairing recommendations in the future, but for now would highly encourage you to seek out these particular wines and enjoy them with some cheese. Bon appétit!

Daze of Wine and Roses: An Indulgent Pairing of Chocolate Truffles and Sparkling Wine for Valentine’s Day

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Strike It Rich with Dynamite Red

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A dynamite wine for an explosively delicious Fourth 

Whiz! Bang! Boom! This Dynamite Red lives up to its name.

Whiz! Bang! Boom! This Dynamite Red lives up to its name.

Happy Independence Day, readers! It feels good to get my lazy self back on the blog — not that I haven’t been busy; I most definitely have been, what with wrangling my 9-month old monkey, taming the beasts Dishes and Laundry, and now starting a job hunt. I think I do better with writing when I have more on my plate, but not too much that it’s overwhelming. When there isn’t as much pressing business to do, it’s easier to just do other things instead. A habit I would love to ditch someday!

So, today is the one day of the entire season that epitomizes summer. Hopefully your day is full of warm sunshine, a pool/river/lake, ice cream, great fireworks, fun friends and family, delicious BBQ, and, to go with that BBQ… some red wine, perhaps? But it is summer, after all, and it’s nice to go with beverages that are lighter, sweeter, and even served chilled.

If that is at all up your alley, I’ve got the perfect wine for you! (And even if it’s not, you still need to try this wine).

Have any of you ever had wine from Arizona? I used to winter in Tucson the last couple years for management training for my old job. My husband would accompany me and while I was in class during the day he would drive around and explore. He found Silver Strike Winery in Tombstone, and picked up their Dynamite Red one year. The next year we bought some again, and now we miss it and are thinking we need to order some soon.

This wine is produced and bottled in Elgin, AZ. It’s a fairly sweet red, very tasty and refreshing, especially for Arizona heat or any summer clime. We found we liked drinking it slightly chilled. There is something really nice about finding a great, delicious, straightforward, easy-drinking red that practically anyone will enjoy. Trophies in your wine arsenal.

Another benefit to drinking this (or any) wine from Silver Strike Winery is the winemakers’ philosophy of minimal chemical tampering with the grapes, and using organic and biodynamic growing methods to coax out their best flavors… a practice I will always stand behind!

While I’m aware I’ve given you pretty short notice on securing this red, as today is the Fourth, you can always order through their website. We still have plenty of summer left, and the Internet is always open for business, so no excuses! I believe the cost was somewhere in the ballpark of $15-$30. Ask about some of their other wines, too, while you’re at it. (And let them know you heard about them on The Rambling Vine). They have another one called “Village of Elgin”, I believe, that I also really enjoyed.

Until next time, I wish you all a wonderful Fourth, and hope you strike it rich with some Dynamite Red this summer!

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter: La Crema Chardonnay

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Hey vino lovers! I hope I didn’t lose too many of you with my two-part pregnancy series, “What to Drink When You’re Expecting.” That’s my life right now so I like to go off on tangents every once and a while, but rest assured, we’re back to wine talk! I might not be able to drink right now, but there are MANY wines I have tried and that I’m ready to blog about and share with you! So, back to wine… what haven’t we done in a while? How about a chardonnay? Sure, let’s do it!

Most of us fall into either the red or the white camps. I would have to say I prefer reds over whites, but I know well enough not to refuse a really good white if it’s offered to me. There are some whites out there that are as rich, complex, flavorful and fascinating as any really good red.

Chardonnay is the heavyweight white, standing opposite equally hefty heavyweight Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnays are made from the Chardonnay grape (wouldn’t you feel dumb if you lost that one at trivia!) and range in style from crisp, clean, and minerally, to buttery, toasty, and tropical fruity. That last one makes it sound like a Trix cereal jingle, but trust me, I didn’t intend for it to be. 🙂

When sugary grapes ferment and are combined with yeast, you get wine. The fact that some of these grapes can produce a literally buttery flavor in the mouth is mind-boggling! (This buttery character, I have since learned in my wine education, is a result of malolactic fermentation). I can’t believe it’s not butter! (said in Kim Cattrall’s sultry voice). And who doesn’t love butter? Especially wine that tastes like butter… still unconvinced? Read on!

La Crema’s Sonoma Coast Chardonnay is usually in the $20 range (depending on where you buy it) and is one of the better Chardonnays I’ve tried that is readily available and easy to locate. It’s dry, but it’s a perfect balance between buttery and acidic on the palate. This California Chardonnay is “beautifully aromatic, citrus-laced, and layered.”

According to the winemaker’s notes, “This vintage opens with bright aromas of Meyer lemon and yellow apple, punctuated by hints of butterscotch and subtle floral notes. The palate adds flavors of juicy yellow plum, lemon curd and vanilla custard. Rich tropical tones and a lingering spice add richness and texture to the long, fresh finish.”

Hello!

When I first had this wine, I enjoyed it purely on its own. However, if you’d like to try pairing it with some different foods, the La Crema website has some delicious sounding recipes to go with this tasty Chardonnay, including crab risotto with fine herbs and chicken curry and sultana raisin sandwich. Yes, you are more than welcome to make these for me. 😉

If you’d like to explore a richer, heftier white wine this summer, or else you’ve never tried Chardonnay and would like a good one to start off with as well as one to stick with, the La Crema Chardonnay is your best bet.

¡Viva Rioja!

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A Reserve Tempranillo to Accompany Your Memorial Day BBQ

Happy Memorial Day weekend! Hard to believe it’s already that time of year, isn’t it? It’s only Sunday as I write this, but celebrations are in full swing in my hood. The sliding door to our deck is open and our neighborhood is awash with the beautiful, tempting aromas of smoke and hot, seasoned, dripping meat. It’s enough to make even the staunchest vegan renounce their (silly) ways once and for all. This holiday truly marks the beginning of summer and the launch of regular grilling season. It’s been a LONG winter so I am more than ready!

Tonight for dinner we enjoyed grilled hot dogs, BBQ kettle chips, and a tomato/avocado salad I threw together. It was simple and hit the spot perfectly. My husband is now smoking some beef ribs rubbed down with Cajun’s Choice Blackened Seasoning
over hickory wood chips (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases). Heaven!

A Memorial Day weekend BBQ calls for nothing less than an outstanding red wine to go with your outstanding grilled meats. But with so many great choices for pairing grilled foods with wines, where do you even start? Since I’ve been rather enamored as of late with Spanish reds (see my last post), the choice was easy: Marques De Caceres Rioja Reserva 2005. 

This Spanish red is made from Tempranillo grapes and scored an impressive 91 points from Wine Spectator. While the bottle makes it look like the wine itself is called Rioja, Rioja simply refers to the region of Spain where the wine is from, not the grapes themselves (kind of like Bordeaux in France).

This elegant, sophisticated red has great structure, appropriate tannins, great nose, and deep, rich flavor on the palate. It was something I picked up for fun one day at Wine World in Seattle. I can’t say I had any BBQ with it when I first tried it, but I can’t deny I didn’t fantasize about all the juicy, succulent BBQ meat dishes it could pair with.

From the tasting notes: “Attractive, vivid ruby red color. Intense, fragrant bouquet with a depth of blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and vanilla. Deliciously full and complex in the mouth with silky smooth tannins. This reserva highlights the character of a unique vintage that is rich and structured, whilst combining the elegance of a splendid wine that promises to develop superbly over the next few years. Uncork one hour before serving at 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit, with hearty dishes, roasts and grilled meats.”

Pour Favor: Red Guitar Ignites Un Gran Pasión

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!Vámanos! How about some soundtrack and visual scenery to set the mood….

You know the relief you get when you find your car keys after frantically upturning every part of your house? Or the sweet surprise when you find an unused iTunes gift card in a pile of old birthday cards? Such feelings are a close proximation to what I felt when I found my long lost love; this fantastic, affordable Spanish red that I thought had left me forever, short of a plane ticket to España. None other than Red Guitar Old Vine Tempranillo Garnacha (As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases). Ah, sweet mystery of life, at last I’ve found you! I first bought this wine at my local grocery store, drank it, fell for it, went back for more, and they didn’t have it in stock. Mi corazón roto. I had almost given up until I was in the “Spain” section at Total Wine and found it there.

The wine is 52% Tempranillo, 48% Garnacha. The Tempranillo and Garnacha are like two flamenco dancers swirling sordidly on your palate. Fabulous, fruity, great taste and structure. At $10, the price is ridiculously awesome. This wine, to me, is the whole shebang, todo el asunto. It scores 10/10 on every account.

According to Red Guitar Wines:

“Centuries ago, the Spanish added a sixth string to a little recognized instrument of the time, bringing to life what we now know as the guitar. For countless generations since that day, music, food, and wine have been the fabric of the Spaniard’s joyful and vivacious existence. Put simply, la buena vida (the good life). Our prized old vines of Tempranillo and Garnacha dig deep into the gravel soils of Navarra to produce wines of incredible character and quality, year after year. Red Guitar; a rich and smooth celebration of the Spanish lifestyle.

“Garnacha is the most widely planted grape variety in the world and thrives in warm, dry regions. It produces wines of great concentration and flavor, with explosive raspberry fruit characters and soft tannins. Together, these varieties combine to produce a rich, smooth, and luscious wine full of ripe raspberry and blackberry flavors on a long, soft finish.”

With that, revel in your power and sass as you sip this intensely provocative wine! 🙂

Oh! Baby: A Sexy Valentine Vino

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Happy Valentine’s Day, lovely readers! Today, it’s all about pretty flowers, teddy bears, cute cards, candy hearts, and sticky sugar-coated sentimentality all around. La la la!

But it’s also a day (and night) for naughty lingerie, sensuous chocolates, alluring red roses, and one of the greatest aphrodisiacs of all, red wine! (Sorry, white wine, you’re far too tame for a night like tonight).

Oh! Orgasmic Barbera is exotic and erotic, and just what the Love Doctor ordered.

Oh! my, what a big red you are. Photo courtesy Naked Winery.

Oh! my, what a big red you are. Photo courtesy Naked Winery.

This is a deep, dark, hefty, serious, muscular wine you pull out Valentine’s night to drink alongside a perfectly seasoned and cooked steak. It might not all get consumed in one sitting, if you know what I mean (wink wink).

This is another wine my husband and I tried in Hood River, OR at Naked Winery. It’s a pricey bottle, but it’s worth it. See my other post on Virgin Chardonnay for one of their whites. Sorry, the wine is only figuratively orgasmic.

The folks at Naked Winery have fun. “This dry Italian wine greets you with aromas of toasted brown sugar and finishes dry with hints of cherry sweet tarts. Aged for 15 months in new American Oak barrels, this wine will lie down for you and wait until you are ready to uncork its full potential. Aromatic mixed berry fruit with underlying toast and roasted fennel on the nose.”

This wine also exhibits “full ripeness, concentrated flavors and balance.”

It’s a strong wine that’s remarkably tart and sour, so if you like a wine with that flavor profile this is definitely for you. Because it’s still quite tart while drinking, it’s one that will benefit from a few more years of cellaring (the 2010 can be aged now through 2019).

Still, it’s a sumptuous red wine that is up to the task of making your Valentine’s Day most memorable and fun.

How about you? Are you enjoying a nice wine tonight?

La Dolce Vino: Valentine’s is for Lovers (Or Anyone, Really)

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Valentine’s Day is most commonly attributed to romantic lovers, but really? What about all the other forms of love out there? Love of family, best friend, neighbor, children, pets, etc.

How sweet it is! Rosa Regale... your perfect Valentine's Day accompaniment.

How sweet it is! Rosa Regale… your perfect Valentine’s Day accompaniment.

Aren’t we just as entitled to celebrate these forms of love as highly as romantic love? If love is blind, then those responsible for commercializing this holiday need to start embracing a little more affirmative action in the love department. Love doesn’t fit under just one label!

Here is a wine that is not only bubbly, fruity, flirty and sexy enough to drink with your lover on Valentine’s Day; it’s perfect to enjoy with a friend or relative (though I would advise against a child or pet… don’t take me too literally, folks), even to bring to an Anti-Valentine’s Day party (aka getting wasted, binging on bonbons, and performing voodoo on stuffed teddy bears). Hey, equal opportunity!

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto D’Acqui is a sparkling dolce red wine that is usually under $20. As the Italians say, “Questo rocce!” This rocks! It’s like Martinelli’s for adults, but way better… molto meglio.

From the tasting notes:

“This rare Brachetto, a semi-dry, red sparkling wine cherished by the courts of Europe over two centuries ago, owes its reincarnation to Banfi. Rosa Regale is created in one of Italy’s smallest production zones, the Brachetto d’Acqui Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, commonly referred to as DOCG. It is crafted from 100% Brachetto grapes grown exclusively at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme located in the Piedmont region of Italy. The label features a single red rose, representing the wines origin from this single vineyard La Rosa estate.

Rosa Regale has a delicate bouquet of rose petals and offers sensuous flavors of fresh raspberries and strawberries. Its effervescence is softer than that of champagne, yet it yields a persistent and delicate pink froth. Its lively garnet color makes other sparklers pale in comparison. Served chilled and with a low alcohol content, it serves as the perfect partner throughout the entire meal, beginning as an elegant aperitif, moving to a savory appetizer and ending with a sweet dessert. No wine pairs better with chocolate than Rosa Regale. The bright fresh berry flavors complement the sweet velvet of the chocolate. Rosa Regale is a seductive red sparkler that turns any occasion into a celebration.

Legend also has it that both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony presented Cleopatra with several gourds of Brachetto. The empress then had her lovers drink the wine in order to unleash their passion.

Rosa Regale is produced using the Charmat process or Metodo Italiano (Italian Method). This method forces the second fermentation to happen in large stainless steel tanks prior to bottling, rather than in the bottle like the traditional méthod champenoise. This process is best used on sparkling wines that are meant to be enjoyed young and relatively fresh.”

I had this wine one February when I organized a Business After Hours event at two next door businesses: a flower shop and wine bar. We wandered happily back and forth between each adorable shop. Once I had a sip, I was smitten and could not stop drinking this. Oddly enough, the flower shop was pouring this, not the wine bar.

Since it’s a sweet wine, I think it’s plenty good on its own. Of course, pairing it with dark chocolate truffles or a lava cake would be a decadent Valentine’s Day gorge fest or an extra special treat on your anniversary or birthday. It also makes an elegant gift… perfect for a holiday like, oh, I dunno, let’s think here, maybe, Valentine’s Day?

However you choose to enjoy this sparkling wine, and however you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day, do it wholeheartedly and with love!

Revelry Cab: The Perfect Choice for Your Holiday Revels

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Revelry Vintners Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Walla Walla

Happy, merry, gay, gleeful, blissful, carefree, joie de vie, ah, words

This wine is "revelicious!" Photo by Brenna Arnesen.

This wine is “revelicious!” Photo by Brenna Arnesen.

that should be apropos adjectives of all holidays. I hope that between December 1st and January 1st, your days are filled with festivities, loved ones, good food, and great wine!

Here is one word you might want to add to your favorite word (and wine) stock pile: Revelry.

Revelry Vintners makes terrific wine. When my husband and friend and I were in Walla Walla this fall, this was one of the wineries we stumbled into that we hadn’t researched and reviewed ahead of time. More often than not, when I venture into a tasting room I haven’t heard of before, if it’s recommended by another tasting room, it’s generally outstanding. I fell in love with a couple of their reds and especially their Riesling, which I plan to review later.

For now, I’m sticking with their grand master red, their 2009 Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is a perfect description of Revelry’s style, from the winery (I couldn’t have said it better myself): “Revelry Vintners offers award winning, premium wines with incredible complexity and depth of character. With a tradition of excellence deeply rooted in respect for the dynamic viticulture movement of Washington State, Revelry’s innovative craftsmen embrace a bold, visionary approach to winemaking.”

These were my first impressions I jotted down:

“YES PLEASE! Good structure, a cab with backbone, but still great fruit and a fine overall mouthfeel. Highly recommend, wish I had bought two bottles. 85% Cab, 15% Merlot.”

For those of you who, like me, enjoy a bit more detailed description to enhance the tasting experience, here is an excellent review by Rand Sealey (Review of Washington Wine, August 2012) taken from the winery’s website:

“Combined with 15% Merlot, this is an impressive rendition of Red Mountain Cabernet. Deep ruby colored, it emits seductive aromas of blackberry, huckleberry, cassis, crushed roses, mulberry, sandalwood, cigar box and smoldering incense. The dark fruit flavors are thick and true to variety, underlain with dark chocolate, black licorice, Sumatra roast and Red Mountain scorched earth and minerals. The saturation continues on the back with sensations of macerated berries, kirsch liqueur, and touches of graphite, toasted nuts and toffee, followed by a judiciously (60% new French) oaked moderate tannin finish. Fruit and terroir driven, this is approachable now, but age-worthy for 2-5 years.”

I know this long list of flavors might seem overwhelming and verbose, but really, it’s a spring board for YOU the consumer to appreciate the many nuances and subtleties of this spectacular wine. Some flavors you will pick up on, some you won’t, and that’s OK. It’s meant to give you an idea of what to look for. Kind of like a ballet barre; it gives you the support you need to execute your own personal assessment of the wine once you’re dancing center stage by yourself.

When reading a wine review or tasting notes, keep in mind the writer is following the sequence of how we experience wine in stages; it’s a description of how it’s hitting you. First, when you inhale, then when you sip, where in your mouth it hits and what flavors/textures/characteristics you will notice first, second, third, fourth, and then the finish. It’s almost like a 30 second musical composition, or a poem.

Because of the price, this wine is best suited for special occasions.

As it is Christmas Eve, I urge you to take note of this wine and perhaps use some of your soon-to-be spending money on this special wine. Then revel in what a great selection you made as you enjoy it with friends!

Merry Christmas!

Cheers,
The Rambling Vine 🙂