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Karen B.'s Archive |
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Here’s something different for a summer picnic- Australian Grenache! It’s made from 30-70 year old vines that produce low yields, but the lack in quantity is made up in the quality of the grapes. I find the wine to be extremely thirst-quenching while having a light & delicate feel in the mouth. The juicy raspberry & cherry flavors are polished off with just a hint of spice. (You might even want to put a slight chill on it beforehand.) |
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For years I have been known as the Girl Who Hates Chardonnay. I just cannot understand why a winemaker would want to cloak a wine with flavors of butterscotch, vanilla, and butter. Sounds more like dessert to me! All of the hard work it took those poor grapes to perfect themselves in the vineyard just goes to waste (which tends to make me think that those who overdose their wines with oak are working with nasty juice to begin with). I want a Chardonnay that expresses its pure fruit. Luckily, there are unoaked styles like this one from Tohu. The fresh, bright acidity makes it a friendly food partner, while the flavors of apple & pear add to its refreshing edge. |
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I bet a lot of you were introduced into the world of wine by drinking Pinot Grigio. Mind you, there are some great ones out there but unfortunately most are watery, light and boring! It’s time to kick it up a notch and try some Pinot Gris, the alter ego of Pinot Grigio. Although they are the same grape, the difference between the two has to do with style & region. Pinot Gris is found in Alsace (France) where the wine has a heavy body with lush, honeyed fruity flavors. Ones from Oregon are somewhat lighter and can tend to be crisp and spicy. This delicious one from A to Z Wineworks in Oregon is fresh, with a nice ripe acidity and juicy , succulent flavors of melon & tangerine. |
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So here we are in the midst of winter & you want a yummy glass of wine but your wallet is seriously hurting from the holidays! Now is the perfect time to check out Home Grown. It’s a field blend of Syrah, Barbera, and Petite Sirah that delivers lush flavors blueberries, cherries, & jam. Fruit-forward & soft in the mouth, this wine tends to pair well with a wide array of dishes as well as appeal to a wide variety of red wine consumers. (One of my “high-end” buyers uses this as his everyday table wine.) Trust me when I say this wine is affordable-and boy do I mean AFFORDABLE. A no-brainer for bargain hunters. |
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Here is yet another reason we should all be seeking out wines from Washington state. How rare it is to find such an outstanding Cabernet in the $35 price range (keep in mind there were only 576 6-packs produced). Check out the label- all of the wine’s information is right there, from the vineyards that the grapes were sourced to how it was aged & for how long. The deep, dark color clues you in to how stacked it is with layer after layer of rich cherry, vanilla, & cedar flavors. Perfect wine to sit back with on a cold winter night & let it reveal all that it has! |
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Before I became educated in wine, the only Italian wine I knew of was Chianti. I had no desire to subject myself to a wine that was dry, tannic, and impossible to consume without food. (Mind you the Chianti I was exposed to was not of the best quality, but it certainly came in large quantities!) How I wish someone had handed me a bottle of Rosso di Montepulciano. No hard edges here, just a ton of chocolate and ripe berry flavors and a soft, inviting mouthfeel. This Tuscan treasure is even approachable at a young age and can be paired with just about any meal that's on your table. |
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Benziger has become one of the “greenest” wineries in California. They are now Certified Sustainable, using organic & biodynamic methods of farming. Their passion for protecting the environment & producing wines of the highest quality are one in the same. The latest to cross my palate is their 2007 Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. Watching the wine pour from bottle to glass I knew it would take me on a beautiful journey. From the deep dark color & infusive nose, to the full body of flavors (layer after layer of dark berry fruit, cedar, and dark chocolate) that ends with a long, lingering finish. This is one trip you can’t afford to miss! |
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Rarely do I find myself beyond a ten mile radius of my house during the summer months here on Cape Cod- the traffic & crowds just aren’t worth it! However, this past week I made an exception to visit Truro Vineyards. For a small fee they offer a tasting of their wines & an informative tour around the vineyards & facilities. The wines have vastly improved since the Roberts family bought the business in 2007, but by far my favorite is the Triumph. It is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Balanced, structured and totally approachable, this is the wine to bring home & show what the Cape has to offer! |
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It seems as if Ferrari-Carano can never go wrong with their Fume Blanc. The juicy flavors of melon & tropical fruits are deliciously represented in this well-balanced, medium-bodied white. In my mind, it is without a doubt the quintessential summer wine. It pairs perfectly with all foods from the sea, as well as white meats and spicy cuisine. Stock up on it now while we are offering a limited supply at a ridiculously low price!! |
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Are you aware that Prosecco is the latest craze in sparkling wine? Well it is, and should be. I am a lover of all things bubbly, but unfortunately I can’t always pay the prices that Champagne demands. There are so many delicious Proseccos available, but I love the Mionetto Brut the most because it is dry and refreshing, with lots of tiny bubbles that create a long lasting fizz. The Wall Street Journal agrees- after tasting 50 Proseccos they voted it to be the “best of tasting & best value”. |
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I've said it before & I'll say it again; what a difference a year can make! In the case of the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Hess, it also has to do with where the grapes are sourced from. Recently, Hess has decided to use grapes from Mendocino (along with Lake & Napa County) rather than all over the North Coast. The result is a ripe, fleshy Cabernet that is delicious from start to finish (under $20!). |
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While there are a lot of stellar Cabs in the $30-$40 range, nobody seems to want to spend that kind of money on one bottle of wine. I don’t blame them, so I am happy to have a number of fantastic Cabernets to choose from at half the price in order to satisfy the masses. The B.R.Cohn Silver Label from the North Coast of California was introduced to the public in 1991, and to this day has never strayed from its original $20 price point. While not complex, the wine has structure and focus, along with flavors of black currants, black cherries, and cedar. This is a well-made Cabernet at a very fair price- so if you do want to spend $40 you might as well buy 2 of these!. |
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Ok, it may not be from the stellar vintage of Rhone (2007), but it certainly could pass for one! This 2006 Cotes du Rhone from the village of Cairanne is plump with ripe, forward, jammy fruit. It sees no oak at all, allowing the Grenache, Syrah, & Carignan to express their luscious flavors all by themselves. It certainly has its fair share of spice, but the juiciness will blow your taste buds away. By far, this is one of the best values I’ve seen from the Rhone Valley in quite a while. |
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Too many wines get lost on the shelf because they aren’t simply labeled as “chardonnay” or “merlot”. This thirst quencher from Marquis Philips happens to be one of them. Although it is called a “blend”, in the past the wine has been 100% Verdelho (a varietal most often used in Madeira and white port). However, in recent vintages Chardonnay and Semillon have been added to create greater complexity. With it’s minerality, citrus flavors, and notes of cut grass, Holly’s Blend is very similar (but a nice diversity) to Sauvignon Blanc. |
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I don’t know about you, but I often find myself getting bored with wines made with a single varietal. As I searched the wine room, I came upon a forgotten gem that was introduced to me last year at the Eric Solomon tasting in Boston. It was there that I had the pleasure of meeting Jean-Marc Lafage himself, as well as taste a collection of his wines. The Cote EST stuck out from the bunch. It is a blend of Grenache Gris & Blanc, Chardonnay, and Marsanne. Using these grapes together produces an interesting collaboration of textures & flavors. Grenache lends a certain zest or “spark” to the wine, while Chardonnay gives it its weight & body. A small percentage of Marsanne provides a hint of honey throughout its length. If I may quote the Wine Advocate, Cote Est is one of Eric Solomon’s “truly mindboggling values”. |
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Inama Soave Classico is made with 100% Garganega grapes from 30 year old vines that are grown in the volcanic soils of the Veneto. The grapes are hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel for up to 8 months, creating a fresh acidity that blends well with the wine’s minerality and medium weight. Those who are into un-oaked Chardonnay should really give this a taste! |
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Love the taste of Rhone but prefer to buy American-made? This is the wine for you! Owned partially by one of the owners of the famed Chateau Beaucastel in the Rhone Valley, Tablas Creek is located in Paso Robles, California. The 2007 Cotes de Tablas consists of Grenache (with its sweet flavors of blackberry & cassis), Syrah (to add pepper & richness), and –bet you haven’t heard of this one- Counoise (one of the 13 grape varietals allowed to be blended into Chateauneuf-du-Pape). It is a beautiful, full-bodied red that displays typical gamy characteristics of the Rhone but also an incredible depth of flavor. What a wonderful addition to the holiday table, especially when paired with poultry or game. |
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Garrida comes from the Dao region of Portugal, where nearly 50 grapes are authorized to be used in winemaking. This wine is a blend of just 3, on of them being Touriga National, a grape that is considered to be the finest of those used in the production of Port. With soft tannins, a full body, and a nice little kick of spice on the finish, Garrida is one of those affordable gems that will take you by surprise. |
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Paso a Paso is 100% Verdejo from the La Mancha region of Spain. Its abstract label will lure you from the get-go, but once you see its attractive price (around $10) and taste its enticing flavors you’ll realize how satisfying this wine really is. Soft and round, it just rolls down your throat with pleasing flavors of melon, peaches, and kiwi. Delicious. |
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90+ Cellars isn’t the only company that came up with the idea of buying finished wine off wineries, but they did take it a step further by choosing ones that have scored 90 points or more. To top it off their prices are significantly lower than what they sell for under their original name, and it’s the same wine! We sell other 90+ wines, but to me the Lot 3 Malbec is the most impressive. It’s juicy, ripe, and lush with mouthwatering flavors of mocha and spice. I can’t tell you who produced it, but I can tell you that its original price is around $30, and we sell it for nearly half the price! |
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First off, don’t let its name fool you. “Anger” is simply the name of the area in St Michael-Appiano (in Italy) from which the grapes of this deliciously fresh wine come from. It is delicate, with a balanced structure and light flavors of pear, but has so much more character & weight than a million other pinot grigios out there. I love to relax with a glass of this after a long hard day! |
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Unheard of to many consumers, Rufina (the highest & coolest growing area in Chianti) is producing some of the most elegant & age worthy wines coming out the region. This incredible Riserva from the Frescobaldi family is delicious & friendly, with more pronounced fruit than I would expect from a Chianti. |
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Seems to me that Malbec is the new “it” wine, and since it has become so popular the increase in production has caused a decrease in quality. Thankfully, Dona Paula has really outdone themselves with their 2007 Estate Malbec. Extremely dark in color with rich, ripe fruit, this wine is the perfect match for all of those tasty meats you plan on grilling this summer. And for all of you eco-friendly wine drinkers, you’ll be happy to know that the vineyards & wines from Dona Paula have always used sustainable agriculture practices. |
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What a difference a vintage can make. Last year my fellow wine managers & I were disgusted with this wine. Just recently, we were blind tasted on the current 2006 vintage, and we were blown away. In fact, we all agreed that it had to be a $25-$30 Chardonnay. I love the elegance of this wine, without all of the in-your-face California oak. It is soft and creamy with flavors of apple and pear. |
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Step aside California, hello Washington! A pleasant surprise from a state that we should all be paying more attention to… This wine is extremely approachable to the average consumer, but at the same time it has a seriously deep and complex flavor. I picked up some hints of olive and minty eucalyptus on the nose, but wow is it packed with layers of ripe blackberry fruit. Obviously there’s tannin in there that’s helping it age gracefully but it’s not really noticeable. Vanilla and cocoa flavors become more apparent as the wine opens up. At this price, this wine could easily stand up to MANY California Cabs in the $20 to $30 range. . |
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Here is a Spanish blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo with a long standing reputation as a fabulous bargain. Borsao is juicy and ripe with flavors of spice, black cherry, and just a hint of dark chocolate. Displays amazing depth for a wine at such a modest price. |