Home Is Where The Haggis Is

This post is a 3 for 1 because I was able to enjoy some great wines this past week as well as catch up on some much needed time with friends.

The first was Gravel Bar Alluvial Red Blend from Washington’s Columbia Valley.  I love wine from this region.  It’s completely underrated and with the great mix of soils and geological composition, you get a superb wine such as this one.  The blend is composed of mostly Cabernet with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot rounding it out nicely.  This is a wonderfully balanced and smooth wine.  It’s not too chewy, heavy or fruit heavy.  There’s great flavors of cherry, vanilla, chocolate and with a great finish.

If you’re local you can drink wine at Neo Pizzeria in St Charles.  We went on Wednesday when some of the wines on the menu were half price.  We went through 2 bottles of red, ordered 2 pizzas, a plate of Carpaccio and all under $25 a person.  I call that a very good night!

This wine can also be purchased for $16.99 at Binny’s.

Rating: 🍷🍷🍷out of 4

The next wine I will not spend too much time rehashing because it was revolting.  Sorry.  I won’t mince words.  I usually enjoy drinking under the Chateau Ste. Michelle label, but their Sauvingnon Blanc was rather cloying and fruity on the palate.  I was expecting crisp and light so no sense in drinking bad wine.  Dump it and move onto the next.

Rating: 🍷 out of 4

The next was my favorite!  I’ve sang the praises for Educated Guess Cabernet in the past, but now it’s their Chardonnay I’m loving.  As the label depicts, this Sonoma winery put lots of time and thought into making this wine.  They use both barrel and stainless steel fermentation to give this wine the perfect balance between minerality and creaminess.  I could easily drink this one for the rest of the summer.  There’s not a heavy, oak-filled aftertaste or tart finish, just great flavors of pear, apple (and I swore maybe a hint of rose petal!) with luscious notes of vanilla at the end.

You can find it at your local wine store for about $19.

Rating: 🍷🍷🍷🍷out of 4

Cheers my dears!