The Tea that reminds me of Wine

Recently I had the pleasure of having a nice cup of Castleton Estate tea from Trenton Teas.com. This is an autumn harvested Darjeeling tea that is smooth and flavorful. In fact, it has a pleasing muscatel flavor that most wine drinkers would really enjoy.

Try some Castleton Estate Darjeeling tea from TrentonTeas.com

Home Made Wine

A good friend of ours is making his own wine, should be ready in a couple of months. Have you tried making your own wine? Tell me about your experiences.

New Zealand Wines

I have to admit I've never had a New Zealand wine. Anyone care to tell me which ones are best? I'd love to know.

Wine consumption may be linked to lower risk of esophageal cancer, studies find

From our friends at International Herald Tribune, the study published in Gastroenterology on wine consumption and throat cancer--

http://tinyurl.com/cs3xeh

Rosa Regale

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! We're having Rosa Regale tonight as a special treat. It's a slightly sweet red bubbly from Banfi that you can have as a dessert by itself, or even more fabulous, with your favorite chocolate. Rosa Regale really brings out the flavors in chocolate. Try it sometime for a special occasion with that special someone.

Savvy Shopper - Wine Spectator

All right, the latest edition of Wine Spectator talks about choosing good value wines for $20 or less. My personal picks from their list:

Four Vines Zinfandel Paso Robles Biker 2006--I'm anxious to try this one. My husband and I positively love Four Vines Zinfandel. This is a different Zin from Four Vines. It's supposed to have a lot of character and zip. All for $25.

Concha y Toro Chardonnay Pirque Marques de Casa Concha 2007--I have rhapsodized about the $90 Don Melchior red that I had for Xmas 2007. This is a white from one of my favorite Chilean winemakers. And a reasonable price of $21, it doesn't break the bank, so I am looking forward to trying it.

Ok, Ok, I realize they're not under $20, but they were both listed in the Smart Buys section of the recommendations this month. Close enough!

Wine Glass Holding Plates

Check out one of the latest trends:

Wine Glass Holding Dishes - The 'James' Plate (GALLERY)

(TREND HUNTER) Andrea Grossfuss, the founder of Olaf Kiessling German studio Sternform, has designed a plate prototype named “James” that features a hole to hold wine glasses from its handle.

Due to its broad and unglazed… [More]

Christmas Wish Answered!

Santa came through for me this year! I received a Wine Spectator's Top 100 wine for Christmas, one of the ones I wrote about in the beginning of December on my wish list.

Here it is:

#10 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County 2007. 93 points, $24 "Aged 11 months in 75 % American Oak, it's a complex, seductive, pepper and berry laced Zinfandel with a supple texture and a spicy finish."

Believe me, it is just as good, if not better, than the description. A thousand thanks to our dear friend who blessed my husband and I with this lovely present.

In addition, we received a second Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne, this time a 2004 (see my previous post). It, too, is a great wine, but not as good as the 2002. Wine Spectator rated it at 94, one point below the venerable 2002.

Thanks again, Santa! Now, where's my Mollydooker?


Karen, the Wine Goddess

Louis Latour

Yesterday, I was generously given a bottle of Louis Latour Corton Charlemagne 2002 by a relative. Although a white wine, it went wonderfully with a dinner of sirloin steak, baked sweet potato and green beans. It has a beautiful golden color and smooth finish. I knew from experience that this was not inexpensive wine. I decided to look it up on Wine Spectator this morning. Here is the lowdown:

"Refined, with a dense core of apple surrounded by pear and apple pie spice aromas and flavors. Bright and impeccably balanced, this is harmonious and well-defined, yet dense, and has not revealed all its charms. Fine length with a creamy texture. Best from 2008 through 2020. –BS"

Score: 95
Release Price: $115
Current Auction Price: $169
Country: France Region: Burgundy
Issue: Jun 30, 2005


Rarely have I been able to enjoy a 95 point wine with a weeknight dinner :) Not to worry. I was actually given two bottles. The second one I'm saving for Christmas.

My personal Xmas Wish List from Wine Spectator's Top 100

In spite of the economy, I have some very lovely wines on my wish list from Wine Spectator's top 100 wines. Santa, please take note!

#6 Pio Cesare Barolo 2004. 94 points, $62 A "big juicy chewy wine" from a reliable Piedmont producer of Barolos.

#9 Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2007. 95 points, $90 "One of the few great Australian Shirazes priced less than $100. "

#10 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County 2007. 93 points, $24 "Aged 11 months in 75 % American Oak, it's a complex, seductive, pepper and berry laced Zinfandel with a supple texture and a spicy finish."

#12 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Don Melchior 2005. 96 points, $69 I had a Don Melchior at Christmas last year and it was excellent. "Aged 15 months in French Oak to create a red with a big core of roasted chestnut, warm fig and tar flavors."

#37 Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2006 93 points, $27 "Emphasizes the intensity juicy acidity and sleekness this grape is capable of.

As you can see, this is diverse list. Italian, Australian, California, and Chilean wines are all here. One white, and four reds.

Back Again! Wine and Your Health

Hi everyone!

Wine Goddess Karen is back, after a lengthy sabbatical.

A study published recently in The Journal of Neuroscience explored the possibility of developing 'wine mimetic pills' that would replace the beneficial glass of red wine a day for Alzheimer's disease prevention. In studies with mice, neuropathology and cognitive deterioration was studied.

Grape seed extracts significantly reduced Alzheimer's disease in the mice.

Here's a link to an article on esciencenews.com. about the study.

http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/06/17/potential.new.role.red.grape.seeds.treatment.alzheimers.disease


Wine Goddess Karen

The Answer to the Trivia Question

Here is the question again--

In the movie "Badder Santa" the little boy picks out a wine bottle from the wine rack for dinner. The wine label reads:1998 Chateau Mauvais Merlot. Does anyone know anything about this wine?

The answer is--

There is no such wine. "Mauvais" in French means bad.

Therefore the wine is "Chateau Bad Merlot".

Obviously, the perfect wine for Badder Santa.

Karen, The Wine Goddess

Mystery Wine

Here's a question for the trivia lovers out there--

In the movie "Badder Santa" the little boy picks out a wine bottle from the wine rack for dinner.

The wine label reads:

1998 Chateau Mauvais Merlot

Can anyone tell me anything about this wine? :)



Karen, The Wine Goddess

Viognier, a rare varietal

Ever heard of Viognier?

I first heard of this grape when I was taking a quiz on a wine website. Since I didn't take French in high school, I didn't know how to pronounce it. But since it isn't a common type of grape, I was immediately interested.

To quote my good friends at Wine Spectator, who explain it better than anyone:

"The rare white grape of France's Rhône Valley, is one of the most difficult grapes to grow. But fans of the floral, spicy white wine are thrilled by its prospects in the south of France and the new world. So far most of the Viogners produced in the United States are rather one-dimensional, with an abundance of spiciness but less complexity than they should have. Still, there are a few bright spots.

It is used in Condrieu's rare whites and sometimes blended with reds in the Northern Rhône. There are also a variety of bottlings available from southern France, most of them somewhat light."

I'm intrigued, and would like to try this wine sometime. If you have had a wine with Viognier as the principle grape, let me know how it was!!

Karen, the Wine Goddess

Syrah, Petite Syrah--Aren't They The Same?

OK, True or False--

Syrah (Shiraz)and Petite Syrah are the same.

Answer? False. They not the same. To a certain extent.

Confused? The first time I ordered a Petite Syrah the sommelier explained to me that Petite Syrah was in no way related to Syrah, it was just a name that was given to the wine.

However, some DNA research has been done on the grapes used in each wine, and indeed, they are related. Just not the same thing.

In any case, a good Petite Syrah is an excellent wine, having depth and structure. A good deal of Petite Syrah comes out of California. Syrah is a wildly popular red that is one of the principle wines coming out of Australia.

Karen, the Wine Goddess

Christmas Wish Wine

Most people that love wine have one they would love to try, but it's on the upper end of their price range. If Santa is a wine connoisseur, then I have a request of him this year:

Dear Santa,

Please please please send me a bottle of Gaja. You know, the gorgeous Italian wine that's so hard for me to find, but I've heard so much about. Please make it a 1997 vintage. Any one from that year would be perfect. One of the 1997's is in Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year for 2007. I promise if you give me Gaja for Christmas I won't pair it with Buffalo wings or macaroni and cheese. (J/K Santa!) Say hi to Mrs. Claus for me.

Sincerely,

Karen, the Wine Goddess

Everyday Table Wines Part 2

Now, for a white wine that's affordable that I like:

Fontana Candida Pinot Grigio--I am a little biased toward Italian wines, I admit it. This is a nicely fruity Pinot Grigio that is under $10. Try it!

There are several California wineries that make a wonderful Chardonnay, but to be honest, I haven't had a Chardonnay recently, so I can't in all honesty recommend one in particular. I guess I better buy one and get back to you!

Everyday table wines

It's always a wonderful thing to open a bottle of $60 Brunello. However, most of us can't spend that amount of money for an everyday table wine they relax with in the evening, or enjoy with dinner. Here are my recommendations for good value wines to drink every day--

Gabbiano Chianti. Great with Italian food, of course, but it is wonderful on its own. Price about $6.00.

Cellar No. 8 Zinfandel. Here is a good example of a California wine that won't break the budget but exemplifies depth of character that the only native American grape has. Price about $7.00

Of course, the two above wines are reds. Watch my next post for everyday whites.

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello and welcome to my blog on wine.

I am a self educated wine lover who has a passionate appreciation for the grape. In this space I will cover different wines and regions, the wonderful relationship wine can have with food, prices, ratings, wine auctions and other wine subjects I think are interesting.

I hope you enjoy it!