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Category: Wine

• W.O.W. Sonoma Chardonnay

  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari

  Mar 25th

   

  

  Finding an inexpensive Chardonnay has proven to be a challenge in the past.  The cheaper Chardonnays have a harsh, bitter taste and lack a smooth, buttery finish.  I tried to rationalize why this would be the case when there are so many wonderful reds on the market.  Maybe it’s because with a red, the murky layers and melding of different grapes can mask any imperfections whereas with whites, clarity and purity are key components to create a beautiful wine.  (Just a guess, I am no expert!)

  I have heard good things about Kirkland (Costco’s Store Brand) wine so I decided to try their Sonoma Chardonnay and-ding, ding, ding- we have a winner!  For $6.99 you get the fruity flavors of apple and pear with a toasty vanilla and oak finish.  Yum!  This will be a great go-to wine for the summer.

  Don’t mind the picture of the snow in the background above.  Just picture yourself sipping this wine when the sun is still high in the late afternoon sky and the landscape around you is enveloped entirely in green.

  Cheers my dears!

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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Kirkland Wine, Kirland Sonoma Chardonnay 2013

• W.O.W. Canyon Road Cabernet

  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari

  Mar 4th

  

  Happy Wine On Wednesday!  I am excited to share this wine with you, not only because it’s so affordable, but because it tastes phenomenal.  My husband and I attended a 40th surprise party over the weekend at Pinstripes.  As we waited for the birthday boy to make his appearance and chatted with many good people from my husband’s high school days, I tried a glass of their Canyon Road Cabernet.  I think I could have easily drank most of the bottle, but I exercised restraint and stuck to two glasses because we had to pick up the little ones from Grandma and Grandpa’s by 9:30.  Next time maybe…

  This is a smooth, fruity wine that can be consumed on its own or enjoyed with steak or even burgers.  We feasted on a few tenderloin sliders with it.  So good!

  The tricky part is finding where to purchase this wine.  Pinstripes didn’t have it listed on their online wine list.  Our local wine retailer, Binny’s didn’t have it listed either.  I found that online prices were around $8 a bottle for places that ship all over the U.S.  I will make it a priority to find this wine locally and when I do, you will be the first to know.  It’s a tough job, but, somebody’s got to find affordable, delicious wine for their friends and I am happy to do it.  🙂

  Cheers my dears!

   

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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Canyon Road Cabernet

• W.O.W. Adored, Plus Cheese Club

  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari

  Feb 25th

  

  Last week I decided to forgo the post on wine because of Ash Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t imbibe a little that night!  Dinner consisted of wine, fruit and a few cheeses we received as a monthly subscription from my brother-in-law as a Christmas gift.  We love it!  This month we received a wonderful, salty feta, a smooth, spicy pepper cheese from Italy and a nutty Cheshire.  The cheeses come with a monthly newsletter describing each cheese, how it is made and what kind of food and wine to pair with each.  Of course, we didn’t have any of the wines they suggested so I opened a bottle of red called, Adored.  Can’t say that I adored it.  In fact, I can safely say that this wine should be stricken from our wine list.  I had such high hopes from the description at Cost Plus World Market and the $9 price tag seemed about right.  The red blend came from California and consisted of Cabernet, Syrah, Merlot and Zinfandel.  The taste fell flat and there was nothing that made me want to keep drinking it so I poured it out.  My husband felt the same, but he still finished his glass.  🙂

  On another wine-related note, I received a fun link from a fellow Girl Scout mom offering suggestions for what wines to pair with each cookie:

  http://juice.clubw.com/story/girl-scout-cookies-wine

  Thanks Michelle and cheers my dears!

   

   

   

   

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  Posted in Wine | Tagged Adored Wine, Gourmet Cheese Of The Month Club

• W.O.W. Far Niente Chardonnay

  Posted at 7:00 am by Lisa Cavallari

  Feb 11th

  

  If coffee is like a hug in a cup (which it very much is), then wine is love in a bottle.  In terms of alcoholic beverages there is nothing more romantic than the story behind each wine, the different labels all carefully chosen, the cork which is so much more beautiful than a twist-top and the attention and devotion to the lovely little grapes that create these fantastic wines.  Yes, I have more than just a crush (bad pun) on wine.  I have truly fallen head over heels.  (Not literally.  Although maybe stumbled from its effects.)

  Thank you Allison for this recommendation.  When we were planning our trip to Napa a year ago, she suggested this winery, and although we never made it there, it is definitely a place we will visit the next time we make it out there.  Far Niente means, “sweet to do nothing” in Italian.  This winery focuses solely on Chardonnay and Cabernet.  Their 2013 Chardonnay tastes buttery and oakey with a hint of lemon.  My husband and I shared a bottle down in Arizona with some sushi.  You could also try it with roasted chicken.  Check out my Valentine menu on Red Typewriter’s latest post for a romantic dinner for two.

  This wine is a tad more expensive than usual Wine On Wednesday selections, but with Valentine’s Day I thought I would toss out a special wine this time-and I was overdue for a white, don’t you think?  You can find it at your local wine store for about $70, which is crazy because on the menu at Hillstone it sold for $60.  Apparently Arizona has a connection to California that the Midwest is lacking.

  Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day this weekend.  Cheers my dears!

   

  Photo above provided by thewineandcheeseplace.

   

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  Posted in Wine

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