365Corks.com

2006 NO SAUVIGNON BLANC

2009-03-14T22:14:00.005-06:00

If you've read any of my posts in the past you know that I've written positively about wines that pass on the over use of oak and other California techniques. The 2006 NO Sauvignon Blanc, that I picked up for $6.99, is one of those Healdsburg, California wines that passed on the Oak aging and malolactic fermentation. Lots of crisp notes of vanilla, melon, lemon-lime and grass. Just a very nice, fresh, tasty wine. And a great price. I gave this one 3 Corkscrews based on a decent price and overall enjoyable bottle of wine. Almost 4 Corkscrews but didn't have that little extra umph that I need to see in a wine to give it the higher rating. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

2007 CARTA VIEJA SAUVIGNON BLANC from Chile

2009-03-14T21:53:00.002-06:00

Another great value find from Wegmans which has become my favorite store for life! I picked this one up for $6.99 and was blown away by the flavors. A beautiful light, yellow-green color in the bottle I poured this once and let it settle for 10 minutes or so. On the nose a little floral notes but mostly tropical fruit. On the nose I noted flavors of peach and tropical fruits like kiwi and melon. Nice light finish made me want more of this one and I had a chance to enjoy this one for a couple of days. I noted that it is imported by Dionysos Imports out of Lorton, Virginia so don't know how readily available it is in the rest of the country. I picked this one up in Gainesville, Virginia but I still recommend trying to find a bottle of this. I gave it 4 Corkscrews based on the great price and easy drinkability. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Carta Vieja!

2006 TAFT STREET PINOT NOIR

2009-03-14T21:36:00.003-06:00

Well, I splurged on this one and it didn't pay off. Have you ever noticed how wine that tastes so good when being sampled at the store can end up tasting so bland when you get it home? What's that about? The Total Wine & More Store in Fredericksburg, Virginia was sampling this 2006 Taft Street Pinot Noir a few weekends ago and the sampling I had tasted decent. And they were offering a $1.00 off coupon so it had to be good. Right? Wrong! I shelled out $15.99 for this bottle and was met with one bland glass after another. Nothing much on the nose and no fruit that I could really identify on the tongue. I gave this one several days to change my mind but it just couldn't. It didn't get worse but it definitely didn't get any better and I tried it at different temperatures and different breathing times. I gave this one 2 Corkscrews because I didn't pour it down the sink, couldn't bare to at that price, but might have been tempted to had I paid a little less. Avoid this one. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Good Wine, Not This One!

WEGMANS

2009-02-16T18:58:00.005-06:00

Just wanted to give a quick shout out to the store whose logo appears above. If you live within one hour, no make that within one and a half hours, you've got to pay a visit to Wegmans! This is by far the best grocery store known to man. It is like going to Vegas every time you go in there. Their prepared food section is unparalleled and they actually have a raw bar in the location I've been frequenting in Gainesville, Virginia. In fact, one of the requirements for our ongoing home search is that a Wegmans be within driving distance. As wine and cheese go together like a hand and glove, I wanted to mention a couple of cheeses I bought this weekend that were probably some of the best cheeses I've had anywhere! And I like cheese. Just ask #1 who got me started on this whole wine and cheese thing when we met some 18+ years ago. Both of these cheeses were also incredibly cheap compared to what I've been paying for cheese in Arkansas. The first was a Manchego from El Trigal of Spain. A sheep's milk cheese, this one is a harder cheese meant to be sliced and eaten by itself or on a cracker. The second, a Wegmans brand, Rich & Buttery Triple Creme Brie from France that was probably the best, spreadable brie I've ever had! I washed both down with a 2007 Gato Negro Chardonnay from, once again, Chile. A review of that wine is in the offing as it was an exceptional wine and I picked it up, at Wegmans, for $4.99. Yes, $4.99. Another great find! I will be purchasing these many times in the future. This Brie is great with Wheat Thins and spreads almost like a butter. I've gotta go have some. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine! Oh, did I mention that Wegman's also has a wine section that is as varied as any wine store I've ever been in? They do. Get there, now!

DOUBLE DOG DARE CHARDONNAY

2009-02-16T18:33:00.005-06:00

This was the find of my week! I picked this one up on a lark due to its label and its outlandishly low price. $3.99!!!! I knew this was going on a limb but at $3.99 it was a gamble I was willing to take. All I can say is rush out and buy this one before they realize it's under priced. Lots of citrus and hazelnut on the palate and very light for a chardonnay. Almost more similar to a Pinto Gris. Very nice finish as well. I didn't notice any oak in this one and suspect that it is aged in stainless. Not that that's a bad thing but if you're looking for a big, oaky chardonnay, this is not what you're looking for. Easily gave 4 Corkscrews to this one based on its unbelievable low price and taste. Great, great value. I'm on my way out to go pick up at least a half case or more. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Cheap Double Dog Dare Chardonnay!

2006 HAPPY CAMPER CABERNET SAUVIGNON

2009-02-16T18:22:00.004-06:00

Okay. I admit it. I'm a sucker for a gimmicky label hence the reason I purchased the 2006 Happy Camper Cabernet Sauvignon. That, and a good price at $7.99. What did I expect from an inexpensive Cabernet you ask? Well, I'm always on the look out for an undiscovered jewel and I was hoping this might be it. Alas, it wasn't. Now don't get me wrong, this was not a bad wine just not as refined as I might have wanted. Lot of fruit in this one but definitely a little on the sweeter side. I would recommend this to those just starting out as it is drinkable and had no tannin that I could pick up. Very little noted on the nose as well. I gave this one 3 Corkscrews as the price was right and it was a good, middle of the week, hanging out in my hotel room, type of wine. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

2008 ANAKENA SAUVIGNON BLANC

2009-02-16T18:09:00.003-06:00

Direct from Chile, via the local Total Wine store, comes today's reviewed wine. Being new to an area where there actually is a huge selection of wines, I was psyched to be able to visit the Total Wine store. I got a variety of well-priced wines and the 2008 Anakena was one. Not a lot on the nose to report but this wine displayed lots of peach on the palate with a little bit of those clean, grassy tones that I seem to like more and more. Nice, lasting finish. I had Thai food with this and it was a perfect accompaniment. I picked this one up for $7.99/bottle and easily gave it 4 Corkscrews based on its excellent price and due to the fact that it is very, very drinkable, with or without food. Can't recommend this one enough. Not 5 Corkscrew territory but darn near close! Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Anakena!

2005 SAWBUCK CHARDONNAY

2009-02-07T10:43:00.003-06:00

Today's reviewed wine is the product of a trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas for a gymnastics meet my favorite 10 year old was competing in. We made it a family trip and overall had a good time. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Fayetteville which I can't highly recommend. Really small rooms and evidently no insulation or soundproofing was used in our room as we easily heard our neighbors every conversation late into the night. We picked up the 2005 Sawbuck Chardonnay for $6.99 at Liquor World a few miles from the University of Arkansas. I've been on their email newsletter list for some time and I guess I was expecting a little more. They've got a huge selection of wine but it is located in a strip mall and the store felt somewhat cavernous. I guess I like my wine stores a little more upscale and their pricing wasn't a whole lot better than what I've been able to find in Little Rock. On to the review. My first experience with this wine was less than memorable. Nothing on the nose and my first glass of this reminded me more of a Sauvignon Blanc. Very light, no oak or body to speak of and just uneventful. I admit this is a little old for a Chardonnay and may have been better in it's day. That being said my initial reaction was to give this a low 2 Corkscrews but after drinking this for a couple of days my mind has been changed. The second day this one was much better and earned another Corkscrew much to my surprise. Final tally, 3 Corkscrews based on price and taste. Don't kill yourself trying to find this but if you can find it for $5 or less, by all means give it a try. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

2005 FOREST VILLE CABERNET SAUVIGNON AND MARRIOTT COURTYARD

2009-02-03T21:14:00.006-06:00

Well 365Corks is relocating to the Northern Virginia area after 2 1/2 years in a wine wasteland known as Little Rock, Arkansas. Love the area, people are great, but the wine availability is some of the worst of anywhere I've lived and the state legislature is hard at work trying to raise the tax rate on wine even more! I guess being ranked #5 of states with the highest tax on wine isn't good enough and they're striving to be #1. Still can't have wine shipped to you in the state. According to the good Governor, teenagers might order wine and have it shipped to them. You can't make this stuff up! On my relocation trip I stayed at the Alcoa (Knoxville, Tenn area) Courtyard by Marriott hotel. Great rate, nicely updated room, and a few munchies, cheese, crackers, chips and cookies at happy hour. Wine and Beer aren't free, $1 for Beer, $2 for Wine and Liquor, (probably a state law or something that they can't give it to you), but they are still affordable. That being said I ordered a glass of the 2005 Forest Ville Cabernet Sauvignon and $2.19 later I had my first taste. Not tons of fruit but drinkable and very little tanin. It was worth every penny of the $2.19! Not a great wine but worked out fine after a good eight hours on the road. I probably wouldn't pay a whole lot for this wine, I see it listed for $5.99/bottle on the Internet, which is probably the most I would pay. Not a lot of deep flavors but nothing off-putting either. I gave this one 3 Corkscrews based on its very affordable price and drink ability. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine and Look out Northern Virginia!

JUST PHOTOGRAPHY TALK: WINTER SHOTS OF ARKANSAS

2009-01-08T11:03:00.004-06:00

With the new year here I've got a backlog of postings on wine and travel to publish so please check back in the coming days. I did want to share a few photos I took in the last few days as a wintry rain made for some great shots. Alas it has all melted but I've got these captured in time. All were taken with my trusty Nikon and all rights are reserved on each photograph. Hope you enjoy. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, and grab a Camera and a bottle of wine!

2006 LEESE - FITCH CHARDONNAY & KYBECCA ON THE TABLE

2008-08-12T19:45:00.004-06:00

My second visit to a local wine store ended up with my car stopping in front of Kybecca on the Table , also in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia. This is the kind of wine store I'd like to open some day! Lots of affordable wines, a good sized artisan cheese selection and a lot of other items that you might want to pick up. They've also got a great web site and two locations in the Fredericksburg area. Very friendly and helpful staff made this shopping trip very enjoyable. I picked up a bottle of the 2006 Leese-Fitch Chardonnay based strictly on the unique corking system. You unfurl the plastic which leaves you with a nice plastic cork that easily fits back in the bottle. Since it was only $10/bottle I took a chance and purchased this one. Somewhat dry this Chardonnay, although from California, is made more in the "french style" which is, how does she say it, a good thing! Nice balanced fruit on the palate with an excellent soft finish. Did I mention it's a little dry? This one comes from the Don Sebastiani & Sons megaconglomerate, but I highly recommend it if you like the french styling of chardonnay. I gave it 4 Corkscrews and will purchase more in the future. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine & Check out Kybecca!

STEPHEN VINCENT 2005 CRIMSON

2008-08-12T18:51:00.007-06:00

Back on the road again but not quite as fancy as my trip to D.C. This time I'm in Northern Virginia for two weeks but instead of the Grand Hyatt I'm at the not-so-grand Comfort Inn. Not terrible just not the Grand Hyatt. I was able to venture out and visit the local wine purveyors and came across a nice bottle of a red blend table wine. I visited a little shop in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia, the Virginia Wine Experience. Lots of wine to choose from with the Domestics on the main floor and all of the imports on the top floor. After much browsing I settled on the 2005 Stephen Vincent Crimson which the check out lady said was a good one. Dark ruby red in the glass, I mean plastic hotel cup, with lots of blackberry on the nose. On the palate I picked up lots of plum and dark cherry with a nice balance of tanin. A nice smooth finish added up to an excellent bottle of wine. Not quite 5 Corkscrew level but easily a 4 Corkscrew rating especially based on the $13.00/bottle price I paid. If in the Fredericksburg, Virginia area definitely make a point to check out the Virginia Wine Experience and give the Stephen Vincent Crimson a try if you come across it. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine.

DAY TWO: D.C. COAST AND DYNAMITE VINEYARDS

2008-07-28T11:18:00.005-06:00

Day Two in Washington, D.C. and the weather is great. You never know how it is going to be in mid-Summer as the heat and humidity can be stifling. A morning filled with a meeting led to a rendezvous with #1 back at our hotel and then a short walk to a french bistro for lunch. We chose Bistro D'Oc across from the infamous Ford's Theater and had an acceptable lunch but nothing to write home about, or post about on a blog. Selections were mediocre and their wine was uninspired and overpriced. Our dinner choice, however, was much different. We made reservations at D.C. Coast and were promptly seated when we arrived. A great vibe at this restaurant and good food/wine to match. We had the Caesar Salad w/anchovies, the Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras, the Double Cut Pork Chop and finished it off with a delightful souffle'. All of our selections were delicious+. Of course we had to drink something with this and both ordered the 2006 Dynamite Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. A very light, buttery wine with nice acidity and apple and grass noted on the palate. Very refreshing finish and so tasty we each had a couple of glasses. Check out this restaurant when you're in D.C., and try the Dynamite Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, as I don't think you'll be disappointed in either. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

D.C. TRIP, OLD EBBITT GRILL & INDEBLEU

2008-07-11T16:13:00.009-06:00

Business called me back to D.C. and another stay at the Grand Hyatt. If you missed my last trip where I stayed there you can read about it here. This time I got the room I reserved and all was well. Fortunately #1 was able to come with me on this trip which made it much more enjoyable. We landed at Reagan National around 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday and promptly arrived at the Grand Hyatt by 2:00 p.m. A great thing about this hotel is that I've always been able to check-in early, even though the "official" check-in time is 3:00 p.m. I've even seen people checking in at 9:00 a.m.! After we got settled we headed off to the Old Ebbitt Grill , a Washington institution that brims with history and ambiance. We went on the light side when ordering, I had a single crab cake special, which was almost 100% crab meat, and #1 ordered a Caesar salad, a cheese sampler plate that we shared, and a dozen sumptuous oysters that we also shared. All Oysters and Shrimp Cocktails are half-priced after 3:00 p.m., f.y.i.

After this great lunch we headed back to our king-sized bed for a luxury that comes round once every 4 to 5 years or so. An afternoon nap! Nothing like turning on the air conditioner full blast, getting the room nice and dark, and snoozing for a few hours. Nirvana! After our siesta we did a quick search of available, area restaurants and made a reservation at Indebleu . We made our reservation through OpenTable.com which I highly recommend for major city reservations. It is fast, easy and costs nothing. They've also got a lot of good information about the different restaurants and reviews from users and others. Indebleu ended up being an excellent choice! #1 ordered the Seared Foie Gras while I had a special called Crispy Sea Bass. Both were delicious and the Foie Gras was so good that we ordered a second serving. We accompanied all of this Asian-fusion styled food with a delicious bottle of a red, French Pinot Noir, whose name, unfortunately, I didn't save. It was offered by the glass but we talked the waiter into letting us buy a whole bottle at a 4-glass price. We still came out ahead and it was really good wine. Day 2 in my next post. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine in D.C.!

2006 ERRATIC CHARDONNAY

2008-07-06T17:42:00.004-06:00

Never has a wine been more appropriately named. The 2006 Erratic Chardonnay from Washington state definitely has an "erratic" taste. On the nose maybe a little hint of lemon but couldn't pick up anything else. When I first tasted this it was well-chilled and the flavors on the palate were pretty much non-existent. It got a little better after it warmed a few degrees but I still couldn't find anything to recommend about this wine. Finish was, how can I say this with a straight face, erratic! Not smooth but also not harsh. Just finished. I paid $8.99 for this bottle which was about $6.99 too much. Avoid this one. Not sinkable but darn close! Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine other than Erratic Chardonnay!

NORTH AMERICAN WINE BLOGGERS CONFERENCE

2008-07-04T12:05:00.003-06:00

Just a quick note to all my fellow wine bloggers/writers that there is going to be a Wine Bloggers Conference in Sonoma County October 24-26. Further information can be found at http://www.winebloggersconference.org/ . Should be a good time and I'm sure a lot of good wine will be tasted by all. Wish I could attend but I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass unless some deep pocketed wine consortium wants to send me? Yeah, right! Drop me a line if you plan on attending. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

2006 LA VIEILLE FERME COTES DU LUBERON

2008-06-28T14:07:00.006-06:00

Today's reviewed wine is a lovely Cotes du Luberon Blanc White from Rhone Valley Vineyards. I found this one recently and was shocked to find, first, a French anything in Arkansas, and second, a really good French white! This one comes with a screw off cap, even the French are giving into that trend, but after pouring my first tasting I quickly forgot about the lack of cork. Lots of fruit, particularly green apple, with just a hint of dryness, peach and oak. A very nice floral bouquet and spice led to a beautiful, smooth finish. I paid around $11.99 for this one which means if you're just about anywhere else in the world you can probably find it for $8.99 or less. I easily gave this find 4 Corkscrews and highly recommend it. I know I'll be picking up several more bottles in the coming days. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

2007 FERRARI-CARANO PINOT GRIGIO

2008-05-27T18:06:00.005-06:00

I stopped at one of our bigger wine stores in town to stock up on several bottles as we were having friends over for a cookout on Memorial Day. I quickly found several chardonnays that were decently priced and then turned my attention to the Pinot Gris. Seeing that the Kings Estate was on sale with a savings of $6.00/bottle I reached for one. The lady who was helping me locate the Pinot Gris stopped me and pointed out today's reviewed wine, the 2007 Ferrari-Carano Pinot Grigio. Telling me it was new to the Arkansas market, was every bit as good as the Kings Estate, and was also priced at $14.99/bottle, I let her talk me into this one. I wish I hadn't! Not that this is a bad wine, by any stretch, it's just no Kings Estate and it is definitely over-priced at $14.99/bottle. Some melon and peach were noted on the nose with kiwi, honeydew melon and lemon picked up on the palate. Not the kind of finish I like, rather biting and harsh, made this wine mediocre in my book. I can't recommend this wine at any price point above $7-8/bottle. I gave it 2 Corkscrews and only arrived at that rating after my second day of tasting. I thought it might get up to the 3 Corkscrew rating the second day but, alas, it wasn't meant to be. I suggest laying off this one unless you get a great, closeout price on it. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

2004 MOON MOUNTAIN CHARDONNAY

2008-05-26T15:21:00.003-06:00

Well it has been some time since I've posted a new wine review, it's amazing how much time coaching a 7-8 year old's baseball team can take, no complaints though just very little time to write. I liked today's reviewed wine so much that I knew it would be the first review I'd post when I got a chance to write a line or two. A 2004 Moon Mountain Vineyards Chardonnay, #1 and I found this in a grocery store in Sedona, Arizona. We asked our waiter at the Hilton resort where a good wine store was and we were greeted with bemused wonderment. After thinking for a minute or so he told us that the local grocery store down the street carried wine and gave us directions. He was correct! In fact, they had quite the selection. We came across this one on an end cap at a ridiculously low price of $3.99/bottle. We took it back to our room, chilled it and popped the cork later in the evening. Needless to say we hightailed it back to the store the next day to stock up as this was a really good chardonnay. Medium body with lots of apple, toasty vanilla, nutmeg and a silky smooth finish. We couldn't believe our good fortune to find such a good wine at such a good price. Don't know the possibility of finding any more of this, we found this back in March, but if you do don't let the low price scare you off! This is a good chardonnay. Easily gave it 4 Corkscrews based on taste and excellent value. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

JUST PHOTOGRAPHY: ARIZONA

2008-04-12T10:32:00.010-06:00

Late March and I had the good fortune to travel to Arizona with the family for Spring Break and a three-day conference. I'll be posting a couple of wine reviews from that trip but wanted to go ahead and share some of the photos I had the opportunity to take. Today's photos are from Sedona, Arizona and the Chapel of the Holy Cross. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

Camera Nikon D80, f/4.8. 1/400s, VR 18-55 lens at 30mm
ISO 140

Camera Nikon D80, f/5.3, 1/500s, VR 18-55 lens at 38mm
ISO 140

Camera Nikon D80, f/5.6, 1/500s, VR 18-55 lens at 52mm, ISO 200

Camera Nikon D80, f/5.3, 1/125s, VR 18-55 lens at 38mm, ISO 100

Nikon D80, f/5.6, 1/80s, VR 18-55 lens at 55mm, ISO 100

JUST PHOTOGRAPHY TALK: FUN WITH THE NIKON D80 PHOTOS

2008-03-14T17:18:00.007-06:00

f/5.6, 1/60s w/18-55mm f/3.5 - 5.6G VR lens at 45mm

f/5.3, 1/60s, 18-55 f/3.5 - 5.6G VR lens at 46mm

f/8, 1/60s, 18-55 f/3.5 - 5.6G VR lens at 48mm

f/8, 1/60s, 18-55 f/3.5 - 5.6G VR lens at 46mm

A few moments to kill this afternoon and I thought I'd see how creative I could get with the new Nikon D80. All of these were taken in natural light with the first three cropped and enhanced with Capture NX and the last one of the whole flower only cropped with no enhancements. Comments and suggestions very, very welcomed. New wine reviews coming this weekend. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!

JUST PHOTOGRAPHY TALK: D80 WINS IT!

2008-03-11T20:12:00.002-06:00

After much research, hand wringing, price comparison, and way too much back and forth, I decided to buy the Nikon D80. I've had it for a week now and am very pleased. It came with the 18-55 VR lens which I've been testing on a variety of portrait shots as well as macro, and I've been impressed with the quality of photos. I've also been trying out an 80-200mm non-VR lens and taking some sports shots and have been equally impressed with those results. I shot a lot of them at f2.8 at a speed of 1600. I was able to stop footballs in mid-rotation and the depth-of-field was exactly what I was trying to accomplish with the blurred background. I've got tons and tons to learn and am open to any suggestions. After I have a storehouse of photographs I'll post a daily for critique and feedback. I also plan to upload photographs to a pbase gallery or other online location but that's in the future. Of course I plan to personally photographs all of my reviewed bottles in the future and would like feedback on those as well. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine, Get Out There and Take Photographs!

JUST WINE TALK: NOBLE PIG

2008-03-02T14:07:00.003-06:00

Just a short post to share a site that I've been visiting and can highly recommend. Noble Pig is a site written by Cathy who is located in a peculiar little California town. She writes about wine but also about other topics which makes her site interesting. She also likes to photograph yummy recipes that she shares and gives step-by-step instructions along with her how-to photographs. Somewhat new to the blogosphere, she's got an interesting style of writing. Check it out when you get a chance as I think you'll find it very interesting. I've added her site to my Wine Joints I Like as I liked it that much. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine and check out Noble Pig!

JUST TALK: WINE LOVERS SHOP

2008-02-27T18:13:00.002-06:00

As someone who loves wine and all the paraphernalia that goes along with it, I've decided to partner with Amazon.com to highlight items that I would like to have and think my readers might be interested in. Easily accessed by clicking on the 365Corks Shop photograph above, or by clicking on the Shop link underneath the photo, I've found highly rated items that I would personally love to have, and in some instances, do. There's Spiegelau and Riedel glassware and exquisite Laguiole Corkscrews. In the Wine Gadgets Section there's the Vinturi Wine Aerator, the Waring Pro Double Bottle Wine Chiller, the PEK Supremo Wine Preserver as well as several other top-notch items. I've highlighted lots of great books and DVD's about wine and wine travel. I've taken the time to identify and highlight great wine coolers by Haier, Vinotemp and Danby. For a special treat visit the Money No Object? section. And last I've added a section for My Camera Loving Friends that highlights all of the equipment I would love to have and that is highly rated. All purchases are backed 100% by the Amazon reputation for being a great online retailer. Take a look and let me know if you think I should add anything. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine and Check out the Wine Lovers Shop!

2006 PARDUCCI CHARDONNAY

2008-02-27T17:39:00.005-06:00

A good, affordable wine that goes well with anything, or all by itself. That is my quest and the 2006 Parducci Chardonnay from Mendocino Wine Company perfectly fits the bill. Lots of fruit aromas on the nose with lots of apple and vanilla flavors on the palate and an absolute perfect balance of oak. A hint of dryness with a very smooth finish made this a very enjoyable wine to partake of. In my quest to find out more about this wine, I had never even seen it before my purchase, I found the Mendocino Wine Company website and learned that they were the first carbon neutral winery in the United States. Now I'm not a so-called "tree hugger" by any stretch but do think we can do more to preserve the earth's bounty for future generations. It is nice to know that a company is doing their part and making great wine. I bought this one for $10.99 and gave it 4 Corkscrews as it was an overall enjoyable and tasty wine. Sit Long, Talk Much, Laugh Often, Drink Wine!