Wonder Wines

Leaves, pumpkins and Sauvignon Blanc

2010-10-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

2009 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc
I generally think of Sauvignon Blanc as a summer wine. Now that I've tried this wine, I'm seriously rethinking that notion. This wine has some serious floral notes going on, but it's got a strong caramel element that grounds it. We had it with mushroom chicken stroganoff and it was impeccable.

Seattle-ites: It's on sale right now at UVillage QFC for $7.99/bottle.

Not all Beaujolais are Nouveaux

2010-10-13T20:53:00.000-07:00

2009 Paul Etienne Beaujolais-Villages

Beaujolais has a bad rap. We think of it only as the usually mediocre wines that we slug back at American Thanksgiving, ususally after we've drunk the good Pinot Noirs. This wine is a reminder that not all Beaujolais are created equal and we should be happy that's the case! Round, full, warm and delicious--that's what this wine is. At $10 a bottle, it's worth buying not just one but two cases.

Definitely Domaine de Pajot

2010-08-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

2009 Domaine de Pajot Les Quatre Cepages
It's taken almost 3 months to find a wine worthy of the Wonder Wine stamp o' approval and I'm happy to report that France has come through for us. Their futbol team might have been a disappointment (or embarassment, depending on your opinion) but this wine is fantastique. Crisp, bright and yet a little nutty. Goes well with just about any summer-esque fare. Best when served very cold.

A White Wine Fit for a Meadow

2010-05-10T03:20:00.000-07:00

2008 Ross Andrew Meadow Oregon White Wine
For Mother's Day, we went wine tasting in Woodinville. We were on the prowl for the perfect white wine to go with the grilled prawn Caesar salad we planned to have for dinner. We found our winner at Ross Andrew's tasting room. At $16 a bottle, Meadow is more than most Wonder Wines. And worth every penny! A zippy blend of Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer, it's just about the most perfect sunny weather sipping wine you could hope to find. Since it's just the beginning of summer sipping here in the NW, you might as well just get a case. You won't be sorry.

Note: For those interested, other contenders for the "Mother's Day Perfect Pairing Prize" were Mark Ryan's Viognier (always delish and, as many of you know, the marketer in me loves this brand so much I blogged about it!), J Bookwalter's 2009 Couplet (they won big points for letting mums do their tasting for free on Sunday), and Novelty Hill/Januik's Rose.

Le Campuget est formidable!

2010-05-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

2008 Le Campuget Syrah Viognier
Chateau de Campuget has been turning out price performers for the past decade. This one is no exception. It follows the current "red/white blend trend" and is stellar. Sometimes adding a white wine just makes for watery, ambivalent wine, but not so with this bottle. The Viognier softens the Syrah (which, let's be honest, can overwhelm a lot of lighter fare), yet adds complexity. It wouldn't be as good with salmon, but it'd otherwise be a great--and much lower cost--alternative to Pinot Noir.

Vortex of Yumminess

2010-04-23T06:20:00.000-07:00

Townshend Vortex Red is a non-vintage (meaning grapes from a variety of years were used) Bordeaux blend (meaning it has Cabarnet Sauvignon, Merlot and the all-important Cabarnet Franc) swirled together until they collectively embody sipping goodness. This one comes from Washington's Columbia Valley where it can be hot but isn't quite as hot as, say, the Walla Walla area. This leads to grapes--and therefore wines--that are full, but wouldn't fall into most people's "great, big red" category. It'd do well with anything from grilled hamburgers and veggies to pasta salad.

King of a Sauvignon Blanc

2010-04-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

2008 King Shag Sauvignon Blanc is the newest in my ever-growing list of recommendations that come from the soil of New Zealand's Marlborough region. This one is a little more grassy than some Sauvignon Blancs, but not annoyingly so. As the weather heats up and we dive into lighter fare such as fish and salads, this is definitely one to try. It's better than the Chalk Creek, almost as good as Monkey Bay or Oyster Bay. Do a taste test and see which one you like best! (You can get them all at Trader Joe's--how handy!)

Riesling Rules!

2010-04-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

2007 Pacific Rim Dry Riesling hails from Washington's Columbia Valley. They are self-proclaimed "Riesling zealots". It shows. Similar to Chateau St. Michelle's Dry Riesling, this one is dry and fruity, without being flowery. It's a super sipping wine (especially as it gets warmer) and is also a mighty fine match if you're grilling fish or having Asian.

A Gem of a German Pinot Noir

2010-03-04T08:11:00.000-08:00

2004 Anthony's Garage Winery Pinot Noir Trocken
Germany isn't really known for their Pinot Noir, but if this wine is an indication of what's possible, well, maybe they should be. For those of you who can read German--or anyone who likes to gaze at pictures of people looking to have a whole lot of fun plucking grapes from the vine and jauntily carrying them around in old-world back carriers--check out Anthony's blog...while sipping his lovely Pinot Noir, which, by the way, you can get at the Seattle Wine Outlet.

Your #1 Red Wine for the Holidays

2009-12-23T14:37:00.000-08:00

2005 Duncan Peak Petite Syrah
This might be my favorite Wonder Red of the year. Yep, that's right. Saving the best for close to last. The good folks at McCarthy & Schiering always have great tips and this one was a doozy. I challenge anyone to find a red that has as much depth, body, and structure as this one for a mere $10. And it smells divine. Sip it while cooking and also enjoy with dinner. It's scrumptuous.

White Wine for the Holidays

2009-12-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

2008 Chateau des Cleons Muscadet Seure et Maine
Holiday food runs the gamut: ham, cookies, cheese, tofurky. You name it...you might be eating it! This white is crisp and light, yet has enough depth to go with many of the vittles you might find on your table this holiday season.

Slurping Chariot

2009-11-11T20:30:00.000-08:00

2007 Chariot Gypsy
Well, folks, it has taken almost two months of tastin' to come up with a worthy recommendation. So, I am VERY happy to have finally come across a wine worthy of a blog post. All we really know is that this wine hails from Californie and, I've got to say, it does it proud. Bold and smooth, full and tasty, it's just plain easy and rewarding to drink.

Trader Joe's Holy Grail

2009-09-21T20:38:00.000-07:00

2007 San Greal Red Supper Wine
'San Greal' means Holy Grail in French. I must concur that this is the Holy Grail of inexpensive red table wines. Hailing from Mendocino grapes, it's just plain lovely. Nice acidity (meaning it'd cut through a garlicky pesto or a delicious red sauce), and yet no bite. A long, rainy Seattle fall/winter could be much more tolerable with enough of this wine on hand.

Chile Delivers Delightful Pinot Noir

2009-08-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

2008 Leyda Classic Pinto Noir, Central Valley, Chile
We think of Chile for Carmenere or red blends, but not Pinot. But maybe we should should! This Pinot Noir is fantastic. Round, ruby notes make it extremely versatile. It'd be lovely with salmon, and would also be great with pork or chicken dishes. Any Pinot fan will be a fan of this bottle.

Thanks to Leigh Arredondo for finding this find!

Delicious Rosso Dolce

2009-08-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

Reggiano Lambrusco Rosso Dolce Le Grotte
Ever had a sparkling Shiraz? Lucky you! They tend to be delicious, but spendy. This is a great alternative. At a mere 8.5% alcohol per volume, you can sip this while making the burgers and nibbling on the appies and still be okay if you decide to have a glass of wine with the grilled burgers. Termed a 'soft' red wine, this has much less alcohol per volume than most red wines, while still being totally satisfying and tasty. In addition to being nice with bbq and pizza, it'd also be oh-so-good with a strawberry tart.

Un Tres Bon Viognier...from California

2009-07-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

2007 Mont Pellier Viognier
Who says sushi can only be paired with sake and beer?! Viognier is kind of, sort of similar to a Muscat or Riesling, but nowhere as sweet. It's much more dry (although not too dry), with distinct floral notes and low acidity. It goes well with Thai or Vietnamese food, but goes even better with sushi. (Honestly, you'd do better with a Riesling for anything spicier, but this would be okay.) Montpellier is far from being a boutique Napa winery (wine snobs, steer clear!), but it's good value for what you get.

A Perky Pinot

2009-07-17T13:54:00.000-07:00

2008 Picton Bay Pinto Noir
As with most price-performing Pinot Noirs, this one is better than expected, but you'll still know you're drinking a "bargain". Working in its favor is the fact that it actually tastes like a Pinot. A lot of cheap Pinots don't even taste like Pinots, so this is no small thing. Hailing from New Zealand's Marlborough region, it shares the grassy notes you get from Sauvignon Blancs from there as well. Sounds weird, but it's quite nice!

Ridiculously Good Riojo

2009-07-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

2008 Riojo...downtown Vancouver
Alright, here's the deal. You can only get it if you email Mark Hendrickson (aka Shark) at overcome@shaw.ca, but it's so good! It's what a Rioja should be. Ruby colour, sniffy nose and then a deep, yet bright taste. Got red meat? Get Mark's Rioja.

Note: We tasted this while in Vancouver, B.C. for the weekend and Mark is still brewing his own wine...but if people "in the know" learn of this, they may scoop him up to be their Lead Winemaker!

Chalk Two Up for Chalk

2009-07-10T09:22:00.000-07:00

2007 Chalk Creek Sauvignon Blanc
Intrigued by how good the Chalk Creek Cab was, I decided to try the Sauvignon Blanc. Yep, it's good, too. Although not as interesting as, say, the Monkey Bay or Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand, it's quite good and it's also half the price, so who's complaining? Not me!

Chalk + Cab = Yummy

2009-06-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

2005 Chalk Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
Go ahead. Take a sip. How much do you think it costs? Okay, not to ruin the ending but...$4.99!! It turns out that Trader Joe's is able to score such good deals on their wine because they 1) wait until a winery is desperate to get rid of inventory and 2) come with cash in hand. This one-two punch lands some mighty good wines in our homes. This one is big and bold -- there's nothing subtle about it. But it's a cabernet sauvignon, so we'd expect nothing less. If you're grilling a steak or portabella mushroom, this is your wine.

Perfect Pinot Grigio with Pasta

2009-06-19T19:38:00.000-07:00

2007 Caposaldo Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio excels at cutting through anything acidic. So if, for instance, you're making a linguine with zucchini, tomatoes and toasted almonds in a lemony-shalot sauce, it's a perfect pairing. (See June 2009 issue of Cooking Light page 124 for the recipe.) At $9 a bottle, this bottle is a stand-out. A little earthier and full-bodied than a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio can stand up to bolder flavors and more acidity, while still holding its own.

2007 is Truly Terrific!

2009-06-19T19:32:00.000-07:00

2007 Sicilia Nero d'Avola Red Wine
Yep, it's another wonder wine from 2007. The lesson is: when in doubt, lunge for the 2007. This one is made exclusively from Nero d'Avola grapes and is smooth and velvety with a bright bouquet. Grilled anything is great with it, as is a grilled veggie salad of eggplant, onion and zucchini. Thank you, Trader Joe's!

Punchy Panilonco

2009-06-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

2007 Panilonco Carmenere
Subtle, it is not. Refined? Um, no. But it's tasty and stands up to everything from ribs to spicy food, so there's not much to complain about. A Trader Joe's special find, this is some serious swilling wine for the summer season. (It might also be the least expensive wine ever posted to the Wonder Wine blog!)

Gold Medal Winner

2009-04-03T08:46:00.001-07:00

2003 Domaine Fond Croze Cotes du Rhone
When I see a little award sticker on a bottle of wine, it ups the ante. If it won an award worthy of the sticker, it ought to be super wonderful, right? Well, this one is! It won the 2004 Concours des Vins Cotes du Rhone and you'll see why after your first sip.

2007 Shines Again

2009-04-03T07:51:00.000-07:00

2007 Domaine de Couron Merlot
This wine is as lovely as the little town from which it hails. It is further proof of what a great year 2007 was for Rhone wines. This producer also makes a Cotes du Rhone red and it'd be interesting to compare it to both this Merlot and some other 2007 Cotes du Rhone.