Looking for an excuse to visit Nantucket? Today marks the first day of the Nantucket Wine Festival, which runs through Sunday, May 17th. This year’s festival has more than 50 events including tastings, seminars, lunches, and dinners, along with appearances by professional wine-o’s like Eric Asimov, The New York Times’ chief wine critic. For more information visit: nantucketwinefestival.com.
DAOU Vineyards is a 212-acre vineyard in the hills of the Adelaida district of western Paso Robles, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. The wine is a beautiful rich dark almost purple color with a surprisingly light nose for such a full bodied wine.
According to what I found online the wine is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc and the balance Malbec and Petit Verdot. I don’t understand what they mean by “and the balance” but I love Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec so it doesn’t surprise me how much I enjoy this red wine.
I would suggest decanting this if you are serving without food. First impressions are that it packs quite a punch but has an ever so delightfully long finish that made it delicious to have with hard Italian cheeses. The salty, strong cheese offers a great counter punch to the flavors of the wine as they linger on the tongue; the pairing is so good it is likely you will eat all the cheese.
If you’d like to try this wine and live in the Boston area, Brix Wine Shop sells DAOU Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 for $32.00.
Sancerre Blanc 2013 Domaine Vachon
Last month my friend and fellow blogger, Tracey, posted a wine review of William Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2013, Napa Valley North Coast. She mentioned she decided to review the wine because it made her think of summer. I thought it was a brilliant idea so I picked up one of my favorite wines to drink in the summer, a Sancerre.
Sancerre Blanc 2013 Domaine Vacheron is made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes ans has a beautiful pale golden hue as you pour it into your glass. Its nose makes me think of summer because it makes me think of fresh cut grass for some reason. And in the height of what has turned out to be a royal bitch of a winter – that is a smell to sweet for words to express. The wine will appeal to those who like dry wines. Like all Sancerre wines this also has that lovely mineral-like taste. I purchased this at my local wine shop, Brix South End for $40.00. Online I’ve seen prices for this bottle for as little as $32.00 elsewhere.
On our last night visiting our friends in Grand Cayman, our hosts Steve & Steven prepared us a dinner to remember on Steve’s rooftop deck. Steve cooked a delicious meal which included both steak and lobster. Earlier in the evening we popped a bottle of Moët & Chandon, but Steven had also brought along this Bordeaux to enjoy with our dinner.
As a general rule, I’m a big fan of wines from Bordeaux. After a little digging online I learned this is a Cabernet-heavy blend that also includes Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes, which explains the full body taste that paired better with the grilled steak than the Caribbean crustacean. I’ve noticed that reviews from other sites concur with my estimations that this is a solid wine that you can readily enjoy and rely upon each year. A quick search online suggested that this retails in the US for approximately $25 – $30 per bottle.
Rioja: Marques de Murrieta Reserva 2008
Last month a friend and I tried the Spanish Rioja, Marques de Murrieta 2008. I had asked our waiter for a red wine that would pair nicely with our steak dinner and this Tempranillo blend was suggested. I don’t know much about Spanish wines but I do enjoy Tempranillo, which tend to be full-bodied red wines.
At our waiter’s suggestion we had the bottle decanted and it certainly helped the wine open nicely. Because we were in a dim lit restaurant it is hard to say what the color of the wine is but it appeared to be quite a deep red and while it lived up to the hype with a bold taste it finished a bit quickly to my liking. Since trying the wine I’ve read a handful of reviews (some of which are not that flattering) and I have to wonder if it is coloring my impressions. I did enjoy the bottle and thought it priced fairly; retail pricing appears to range between $15 – $25 a bottle. If you like Spanish Riojas I would certainly suggest trying the wine and think this bottle would make for a great option if you are going to a wine tasting with friends.
Seghesio Family Vineyards is located in Healdsburg in Sonoma Valley, CA and it was this fact that tipped the scales when I was contemplating purchasing their 2013 Zinfandel.
Several years back Sergio and I attended a fun wedding in Healdsburg so as illogical as it may be to associate a happy occasion with good wine, I can’t help but try wines from wineries based in Healdsburg. Thus far, I’ve not been disappointed.
As it turns out Seghesio Winery is best known for their Zinfandel, and for those (like me) who enjoy this wine, Seghesio is a solid choice that seems to produce a consistent product. Wine Spectator has given the 2013 vintage 92-points and described it as “a lively, zesty red…” I agree with their sentiments but would encourage you to decant the wine before serving. I shared this wine alongside a traditional Italian American meal that included eggplant parmesan, meatballs, linguine and a rich, meaty red sauce. It seemed to me this wine was ideally suited for the dinner and enhanced the flavors of the meal significantly.
The wine also would make for an excellent host / dinner party gift, retailing outside of California for approximately $20.
This past week I purchased a bottle of The Prisoner at the Whole Foods in my neighborhood. The wine is named after the winery “The Prisoner Wine Co.” and was ranked #89 on the Wine.com 100 of 2014, but it was the brooding rendering on the label that intrigued me enough to make the purchase.
The wine is a blend that mostly comprises Zinfandel but also includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Charbono, and Grenache. Upon pouring a glass of the wine the aroma made my mouth water. Hints of cherry and licorice are followed by others that are hard to place but not hard to enjoy.
Although this would be an easy wine for me to have on its own, I paired it with a d’affinois cheese with truffles (similar to a very creamy brie). If you enjoy reds and creamy brie cheese you may want to consider opening this when nobody else is around so you needn’t share. The Whole Foods South End has The Prisoner on sale for $39.99. Online prices for the 2013 bottle ranging from $39.99 – $50.00.
The Prisoner wine and d’affinois cheese with truffles and crackers
This week I picked up a bottle of 2010 Clos des Fées Les Sorcieres at my local wine shop, Brix South End, and I’ll admit I initially picked it up because I loved the label; it seemed appropriate considering Halloween is just a couple weeks away.
The wine is a blend comprised of Syrah 50% and Grenache 30 % and Carignan 20 %. Du clos De Fees les Sorcieres has a heady nose when you first pour it and a deep red hue that calls to mind some of the fruity characteristics you’ll taste when you first try the wine, but it is lighter than it looks and has a relatively soft finish.
The wine is going to appeal to most people and would pair well both with a dinner or on its own (as I enjoyed it on my couch). While I will enjoy this wine year round, it would be great to bring to a Halloween party. If you live in the South End you can pick it up at Brix wine shop for $18.99.
BosGuy 