Wine Reviews

Well I had an idea for a blog yesterday. I even went so far as to download pictures to go along with it. And then blogger was down. And I couldn't write. So now I'll try and see how well I fair. I know I'm going to forget something.

Usually twice a week, local liquor stores have free wine tastings. Yes I said free. One of the only good things about the stupid liquor laws in this state is that the distributor can host a tasting in a separate entrance to a store. So two stores in town have these little rooms that have tastings. One of my friends keeps detailed notes about all the wines. I just read along the sheets and only make note of something I really like. And then I have a notebook where I write down wines I really really like so I can buy them more than just the one time. This system seems to work except that by just writing down the names, I forget what they taste like and then when I'm looking for something specific I'm not sure what to buy. But I digress. This blog is supposed to spotlight three wines I've had lately that I've really enjoyed.

The first wine is from Bodega Elena Mendoza. It is a red blend from Argentina. I used to not like reds but over the years I've gotten accustomed to some of them. I don't like tannins so a traditionally heavy red is certianly not going to be bought. But this blend is really well flavored and very reasonable. It is new to our state so I've only found it at one store so whenever I'm there I buy it. That to me is a true sign that I really like it. It is $9.39 right now so definitely affordable.

Oxford Landing Estate is another red blend and it is from Australia. One of the things I'm really getting into is screwtops. It seems so much easier to twist off the top and not have to fiddle around with the corkscrew. And the problems that come about when a bottle of wine was not taken care of properly and the cork dries out just stinks. Plus a screw cap makes it easy to buy when travelling (thank you states that sell wine in the grocery store but I always forget the corkscrew at home).

And finally we have Apothic Red. You can see a thread running through these wines. They are all blends. I think that helps when you get the best of a grape and not the parts that aren't so good. This is definitely a pretty bottle and very tasty. It is a little more expensive (around $13) and I like my every day wine to be less than $10. But if I'm in the mood to treat myself, this is a good choice. It is from California.








So there is my Friday wine review. Maybe next week I'll do whites for summer.