flipflop Moscato California 2010

For those of you new to my blog, let me give you some background, I’m a wine drinker. I don’t mean, I occasionally enjoy a glass with dinner or with friends, I’m a nightly wine drinker. Even if I’m sick, I have been known to have a glass of wine, of course then it’s for medicinal purposes only. Being a serious wine drinker can put a dent in your budget, so I set out to find great tasting wines that wouldn’t break the bank. Over the past few years, I have found some great wines under $20, for the occasional splurge, and very tasty wines under $10 for my everyday wine drinking. I’ve also found some that I wouldn’t even use for cooking; luckily those are not the norm.

In July my husband and I took the leap and moved to the NE Georgia Mountains, settling in Murrayville. We have 3 acres of wooded land complete with the occasional bear, plenty of deer and one steep, long driveway that I know I will not venture down if there is any chance of ice. I’m a Florida girl, grew up in Southwest Florida and moved to Tampa during college where I put down roots until our recent move. Being a newcomer,  I have the opportunity to explore this wonderful area and see things in a way a native NE Georgian may not. I’ll bring to you great wine finds and those you may want to leave on the retail shelves.

Most of the country associates the south with sweet tea and sweet wines. I can happily contest the notion that all southern wines are sweet. However, this being my debut in the true south, I thought it appropriate to profile flipflop Moscato 2010. The wine took Double Gold at the 2010 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and has been listed as Best Buy in the June issue of Wine Enthusiast.

Floral aromas fill the glass; flavors are sweet and crisp with a lingering honeysuckle finish. Light bodied the wine is semi-sweet and pairs well with spicy barbecue chicken or ribs. Perfect wine to enjoy outdoor while the temps are still warm.

TA: 0.68 g/100mL

RS: 7.60 g/100mL
pH: 3.53
Alcohol: 10%
SRP: $7.00
Case Production: 15,000

Looking for another good reason to checkout flipflop wines? With every bottle of flipflop wine purchased, Soles4Souls distributes a pair of shoes to someone in need. Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity, collects shoes from the warehouses of footwear companies and the closets of people like you. The charity distributes these shoes to people in need, regardless of race, religion, class, or any other criteria. To find out how you can help more, click here. How often do you get the chance to enjoy a bottle of wine and help a community?

Tune in each week and read up on my new adventures, like my “bobcat” sighting that turned out to be just a large cat or local wine events like the Frogtown Cellars Harvest Dinner that took place this past Saturday evening and how you can participate in future harvests. 

Cheers!

2011© Kellie Stargaard.  All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Monticello Rioja Reserva Tempranillo 2003

Mother Nature seems to be teasing NE Georgia with days where you’re sure fall has arrived, only to find the next day humid and warm. My arms are getting tired with all this open the windows, close the windows stuff. A handful of leaves have just started to turn on the fall color show. Though I’m not sure if it’s due to drought or if fall is truly making an appearance. Regardless, when the temps at night dip into the 60’s it’s time to crack open a wine with a little oomph to it. That’s where Monticello Rioja Reserva 2003 comes into play.

First whiff and the classic bouquet of spice and oak come through. Flavors are full of spice, vanilla and very woodsy. Refined tannins give it a dry feel but not enough to make the cheeks pucker. Finish is long and oaky.

Varietal – Tempranillo

Region – Rioja Alta, Spain
Alcohol – 13.5%
SRP - $18

Founded in 1874 by Celestino Navajas in Rioja Alta, Spain, Bodegas Monticello is one of the oldest wineries in the region. The winery focuses on top-of-the-line wines and all receive the seal of the Rioja DOC control board. Once the grapes are harvested they are left to age in Bordeaux oak barrels for no less than 18 months. They are then bottled where they can be consumed immediately or aged for several years.

As the much needed rain gives way to bits of sunlight shining on the wet leaves, I’m anxious to experience my first true fall season. Stores have already begun setting out pumpkins and various gourds and I’m itching to begin hauling them home and setting up my own little pumpkin patch. Hoping the first week of October will bring a little cooler temps so my poor pumpkins don’t turn to mush before the season is over. I know I shouldn’t complain, in Florida you couldn’t carve a pumpkin until the day of Halloween since it would be rotten the next day.

Come January I’m sure I’ll be cursing the cold, stuck inside unable to navigate the snow and ice and desperately missing my flip flop and t-shirt attire. In the mean time, I’ll sit back and relax in one of our rocking chairs while watching the squirrels gather acorns and wait patiently for nature to turn on its spectacular color show.

If you would like to send samples for my review, please contact me at kstargaard@yahoo.com.

2011© Kellie Stargaard.  All Rights Reserved.
http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Follow me on:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/winechicksguide
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