It’s time for some Chilean wine

Let me start by saying I really love Chilean wines and tonight’s wine choice, a 2008 120 Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon, is no exception. The region’s long history of viticulture dates back to the 16th century. In the 1980’s stainless steel fermentation tanks were introduced along with the use of oak barrels for aging. This resurgence truly primed the region for both inexpensive and expensive great tasting wines.

The colors are a ruby red with hues of purple, aromas are full leather, currants and black pepper. Flavors are boasting of berries and a touch of spiciness. Good mouthfeel with smooth tannins and a nice oak flavor on the finish. This is one I’ll be picking up again.

Technical Details :

pH: 3.72

acidity: 3.19 g/l (exp. sulfuric acid)

alcohol: 13,9 % vol

residual sugar: 2.6 g/l

Santa Rita was founded in 1880 by Domingo Fernández Concha in the area of Alto Jahuel where the main winery is still located. He introduced French varieties, winemakers and the most advanced winemaking techniques. In 1980, Grupo Claro acquired the Santa Rita property, introducing technological improvements and wine elaboration techniques unknown in Chile at that time.

In the late 1980’s, Chili experienced a winemaking resurgence due to the low cost of labor, mostly disease free conditions and the mild climate. All of these factors allowed the region to produce and ship inexpensive wines to the United States with the familiar Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay labels. The number of wineries has grown over time with just 12 in 1995 to over 70 in 2005. Chile is now the fourth largest exporter of wines to the United States.
Next time you’re at your local wine store or any store with a decent wine selection, step away from the California wines (just for a little while anyway) and look for some of the great Chilean wines. I have many more at home just waiting to be opened, consumed and hopefully enjoyed.

I found this wine at ABC Fine Wine & Liquor for less than $9.99.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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2007 Chateau Montet Bordeaux

It’s pizza night at my house, that’s the night we make pizza dough from scratch and clean out the fridge. Thinking a nice Bordeaux will pair perfectly with the pizza.

Classic Bordeaux aroma of oak and leather, already I can tell this wine is going to be dry, dry, dry. Soft fruit flavors and high tannins swirl around the palate providing for a nice but somewhat short finish.

My biggest problem with the European wines is the lack of online information. All I can tell you is on the back label. Seems the winery has been run by a family of women for seven generations. Their main goal is to produce quality wine using control yields, strict supervision over the winemaking process.

If you like the classic dryness of a Bordeaux, this wine won’t disappoint. I found this one at Total Wine for less than $9.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Marnier family wines, hit me with your best shot

Throughout my months of tastings, there were some wines that were awful, some that were drinkable and fine for that night and then there are those that are added to my rotating wine repertoire. Tonight’s wine a 2007 Lapostolle Casa Cabernet Sauvignon from Rapel Valley, Chili, is definitely one I will be purchasing again.

The color is a deep decadent ruby red with aromas chock full of ripe plums, figs, vanilla and oak. Flavors are smooth with just a hint of dryness along with luscious raspberries createing a great long lasting finish.

Lapostolle is a joint venture between the Marnier-Lapostolle family from France and the Rabat family from Chile. That is the same Marnier family famous for the liqueur Grand Marnier. The Marnier-Lapostolle family was looking for a new venture when they discovered the Clos Apalta vineyard located in Colchagua, Rapel Valley. In the previous century, original French cuttings were on the vineyard and are still healthy and growing to this day, making this a Chilean wine with a French lineage.

Lapostolle makes wine under three other labels and operates and owns three vineyards producing around 200,000 cases a year. The Casa Cabernet Sauvignon is made up of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah, 5% Carmenere and 2% Cabernet Franc. Grapes are hand harvested in April then aged for seven months in oak barrels.


If I can find the other labels and they fall into my price range, I’ll be sure to let everyone know. I found this wine at a local wine store for $9.99.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Kiwi Cuvee Pinot Noir is it Northwestern or New Zealand? Neither, it’s French

When I see Pinot Noir by default I think Oregon, Washington or California. When I see Kiwi, I think New Zealand or maybe Australian. So when I saw 2008 Kiwi Cuvee Pinot Noir was a French wine, I didn’t know what to think.

Colors in the glass are a deep Garnet; aromas are lightly filled with berries and a hint of cherry. The flavor is thin like so many inexpensive Pinot Noirs but it is well balanced with a hint of sweetness hitting mid-palate and light but lingering tannins on the finish.

Kiwi Cuvee is bottled by Lacheteau in France’s Loire Valley and derives its Kiwi Cuvee name as it's produced in a modern style based on New Zealand Pinot Noirs. Lacheteau owns and monitors over one hundred estates in the Loire Valley. The wine was produced under the 2007 classification Vin de pays Vignobles de France. In 2007 France’s national organization for fruit, vegetables wine and horticulture voted for a new wine category allowing the blending of varietals to be classified as more than table wine. This ruling met with some objection and was annulled in 2009.

One of my New Years resolutions was to find more inexpensive wines outside of the US. I found this wine for $8.99 and it’s not bad for an everyday wine.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir 2008

I can’t seem to get used to how dark it gets before 6:30 P.M. even rolls around. It really is putting a damper on my ability to sit by the Koi pond and drink some wine and just when the temps are getting tolerable. It’s time to grab the cat and head inside for tonight’s wine offering a bottle of Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir.

The aromas are very fruity and a little on the grapey side. Flavors feel thin, dry and I’m picking up a hint of metallic. May just be my taste buds are off tonight as Wine Hubby seems to really enjoy his glass.

Reserve St. Martin Pinot Noir is produced by Les Vignerons du Val d'Orbieu, one of the largest wine producers in the world. The winery located in France plants over 37,050 acres has 17 cooperative cellars and produces 3.5m cases. After the grapes are harvested they are crushed but not de-stalked. They are then fermented in temperature controlled vats for 12 days.

Grape Varieties : 100% Pinot Noir
Finished Alcohol: 13%
Residual Sugar: 4 g/L
Acidity: 3.25 g/L
pH: 3.66

Looks like the early darkness and this wine have something in common, both leave me wanting a little more sunshine and brightness. I will give this wine another try just to see if it was me that was off tonight versus the wine.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Facing and conquering my wine fears….Chardonnay

If it’s not an Ice Wine or Sparkling I just can’t seem to drink and enjoy white wines. The mere thought of drinking a white wine leaves my taste buds screaming in terror, my palms sweating and a knot in the pit of my stomach. This comes after years of wine tastings, where a tiny sip of wine does not truly reveal itself, buying said bottle, opening at home only to discover the wine is not to my liking.Tonight I face the bane of all my wine drinking experiences, the Chardonnay.

I chose Oak Grove Chardonnay, knowing how well balanced their line of reds taste. As I hesitantly bring the glass to my lips, I’m not sure if I can go through with my wine experiment but I’m determined to press on. The aromas are filled with tropical fruit flavors and sweet apples. The flavors are surprisingly smooth and not a hint of that buttery Chardonnay flavor that typically leaves me running for the nearest bottle of red. The balance between the sweetness and the taste of apple reminds me of an adult version of apple juice.

Appellation - 100% California
Alcohol - 13.8%
pH - 3.53
T.A. - 0.66
R.S. - 0.6%
Case production - 30,000 cases

Since most people prefer whites in the heat of the summer, I think I’m a little off since this is the first of November. While I only managed to drink two small glasses before switching to a red, I will continue to face my fears and hope to bring you a variety of white wine reviews in the future.

I picked up my bottle of Oak Grove Chardonnay at Total Wine for $7.99.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Tempted by the label of 2006 Temptation Zinfandel and hooked on the taste

This Halloween season has presented itself with a delightful and sometimes frightful challenge, finding the perfect Halloween wines. Let’s hope 2006 Temptation Zinfandel won’t be another fright night wine. In the store, the first thing that draws you to the wine is the label, with an Elizabethan area lady in a near embrace with a skeleton holding a bottle of wine.

The bright red crimson colors in the glass and the multitude of aromas with citrus and berry notes wafting out of the glass prepare my taste buds for whatever the wine can bring. Flavors of Bing cherries, plums and ginger hit the palate along with smooth tannins making this a very nice drinking wine.

Temptation Zinfandel is produced by Alexander Valley Vineyard in Sonoma County. Maggie and Henry Wetzel purchased the property in 1962 and in 1975 their eldest son, Hank, produced the first wine. The vineyard now grows fourteen varietals from the Russian River banks to the hillsides. Temptation is the third Zinfandel addition that also includes Sin Zin and Redemption Zin.

Wine info:
Appellation: Californian
Grape Varietal: 96% Zinfandel, 4% Sangiovese
Alcohol: 14.5%

Happy not to face another night of under developed, flabby wines; Temptation will definitely be on my list of wines to purchase and drink with joy again.

This wine can be found at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits for $9.99.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Looking for a wine that won’t fly off with your hard earned cash; Grab a bottle of 2008 Crow Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon.

Looking for a wine that won’t fly off with your hard earned cash; Grab a bottle of 2008 Crow Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon.

In following my Halloween themed wines, Crow Canyon sounds a little scary but I was pleasantly surprised to find it quite lovely. Strong black currants, ripe cherries and plums make for a great nose. These carry over to the flavors and combined smooth tannins, this medium bodied wine has a fine finish.

Who’s Crow Canyon? Well, that’s what I would like to know but as far as I can tell it’s just a label. I found some info stating there was no winery and no winemaker dinners but someone still had to make the wine. Many times wineries create labels to provide an inexpensive offer in the marketplace. I did find where the 2005 Cabernet one the Silver for the up to $14.99 category in the 2009 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Sadly I’m unable to find any additional info but for the price, the flavors of this wine will not leave you caw-cawing foul (couldn’t resist).

Interesting wine fact:
Bones are more dense in both men and women with moderate wine consumption. After menopause, osteoporosis becomes a very serious problem in women. Hip fractures are notorious. Dense bones are resistant to fractures. (I should have bones of steel - ks) - David Bruce, M.D.

I found this wine at Total Wine for $5.99.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

You can contact Kellie at winechicksguide@yahoo.com

Spooktacular Vampire wine

Ghosts, witches and scary tales abound this time of year but don’t let all the witches brew distract you from great inexpensive wines. Halloween screams for some scary and spooktacular wines, one of my all time favorites to drink on Halloween night is Vampire wine. Vampire like its counterpart, Dracula wine, was at one time made in Transylvania, but has now moved operations to Paso Robles, no pun intended but that just bites. Half the fun of drinking Vampire wine, a side from the great taste, was the name and location of where it was made. Let’s hope the change in venue does not bring ghastly tastes.

I’m first enticed by the aromas of not so forgotten blood red ripened fruits. The aromas call to me and one can not resist taking a small nibble; make that small sip of the garnet colored liquid swirling in the glass. First sip and you’re hit with a lip smacking, succulent taste with a finish leaving one wanting more. Just one thing to do, join the ranks of the other Vampires and finish the glass.

The winery’s head Vampire is entertainment attorney, Michael Machat, who began branding the Vampire label in 1985 as a Syrah varietal. In 1989 the first 500 bottles of Syrah were sold to Alice Cooper and MCA records in London. Sangiovese (Italian for blood of Jove) grapes were planted as well and more than 600 bottles were shipped to the Anne Rice Fan Club in New Orleans. Location of production moved several times from France to Italy then to Transylvania and finally its present home, Paso Robles, CA. The most recent move has made the wine available year round but I must confess, I save this wine for drinking around Halloween.

We paired this wine with steak and garlic knots and survived to see the sun another day.-

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

You can contact Kellie at winechicksguide@yahoo.com

http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

Camelot wines and wine season

The word Camelot brings to mind beauty and goodness and with the arrival of some much needed Fall air to Florida it makes me think of all goodness that comes from this time of year. The start of fire pit season, the midst of football season (go Bulls) and an all time favorite, wine season. Wine season falls between Labor Day and New Years Day; many winemakers use these months to determine a winery’s success for the year. During this crucial time for a winery’s success go out and support some of the smaller U.S. wineries.

Crafted from superior grapes in California, Camelot’s 2006 Merlot, seems like a good choice of wines to support. The nose is oaky and spicy with lots of plum and cherry flavors. The taste is slightly dry, medium bodied with a nice finish. The wine is blended using grapes from three regions with a combination of cool and warm climates. By doing so, the wine has ripe flavors and smooth tannins providing for a well balanced wine.

Appellation – California
Region – North Coast, Central Coast and Lodi
Fermentation – Stainless Steel
Barrel Aging – 3 months in French and American oak
Alcohol – 13.5%
TA. – 0.57g/100ml
pH – 3.63

Camelot winery was established in 1993 and since 1996 Camelot has been awarded over 425 medals in wine competitions. The winery believes in providing good tasting wines at an affordable price to enhance their customer’s lifestyles.
This wine season, be sure to do your part and enjoy those great tasting and inexpensive wines.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

Pack me up and send me to Hayes Ranch

I’m in a quandary and I don’t know what to do, seems like a perfect time to open a bottle of wine and mull over my options. I’m finally happy with the number of hours I’m working and am able to spend the extra time working on the Wine Chick gig, a co-worker wants me to take additional duties off their plate but I’m afraid it will just put the stress back on my plate. I’m not sure there’s a solution to this one that will make everyone happy.

I found this 2006 Hayes Ranch ‘In the Saddle’ Cabernet Sauvignon to be great tasting and affordable. The aromas are delicious, with notes of cherry, dark berry and oak. The wine is fruit forward with a lingering finish and very well balanced. I’m unable to find any info on the winery other than it’s a California wine with a western spirit. I’ll definitely buy this one again.

This wine can be found at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits for $7.99.

Interesting fact:
Did you know the discount chain Costco is the largest wine retailer in the U.S.? In 2008 alcohol sales topped $2.3 billion with 50% coming from wine. The average Costco store carries 180 alcohol SKUs, wine averages around 145 SKUs per store.

Copyright ©2009 by Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

2007 Levata Montepulciano d’Abruzzo more than a lot of words

Wine hubby is at a B.E.E.R.S. meeting so I ponder over my wine choices for the evening and hope I pick a winner. I chose a bottle of 2007 Levata Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The name isn’t all that intimidating once you break it down:
Levata – winemakers name
Montepulciano – type of grape
D’Abruzzo – region in east central Italy

The wine smells delicious with spicy notes, fruit and oak. The aromas carry over to the taste with dryness and light tannins. Typically the wine is consumed young after 2 years of aging the wine is labeled “Risvera” and must spend at least 6 of those months in oak barrels. Abruzzo is just east of Rome and the culture is centered more around hard workers and was designated as a DOC in 1968. The wines are at least 85% Montepulciano with some blending of Sangiovese. As I spend another evening relaxing at home, it feels great not dreading going to work tomorrow. Once again, life is good…..

Chickadees word of the day:
DOC – The abbreviation for the Appellation system of Italy (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and Portugal (Denominacao de Origem Contralada). I think we should cover these in depth at a later date. Be on the lookout.

Copyright ©2009 by Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

Stonehaven and my field trip to SoHo

It was the end to a great week, having worked only half a day on Friday, lunch in SoHo, an hour walking around Hyde Park (even if most shops have packed up and left) then finding an unknown value wine, 2006 Stonehaven Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon, at the Publix Greenwise Market.

Stonehaven Vineyard is located in Australia's Limestone Coast. The winery uses computer technology providing the winemaker with total control over the winemaking process. I’m not sure how I feel about using computers to make wine, it makes it impersonal. I mean why bother even having a winemaker if all you have to do is key some information into a computer. The website speaks a little to the vineyards and the barrel hall but I couldn’t find any information from the vineyard regarding their wines.

The aroma is soft but fruity. The soft fruit flavors carry over with spice and peppers from the Shiraz. The wine was well balanced and definitely not bad for $7.99.

Here’s to hoping this week is as wonderful as last week!

Chickadee word of the day:
Barrel Hall - After crushing and fermentation wines requiring barrel maturation are pumped to a hall and decanted into oak barrels. The maturation in oak allows the wine to develop structure and further.

2009© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.

Blackstone Cabernet – 2007, has Blackstone lost that loving feeling?

After my recent discovery of Mark West wines and former Blackstone owner, Derek Benham, I thought maybe it was time to revisit my old friend Blackstone. Blackstone really was the wine that started my love affair with wine. I think previous to Blackstone my only wine experience had been with Boone’s Farm and some Rose…don’t judge me, I was young. It all started when I was invited to a friend’s home for a wine tasting. The night before I was at a bar and somehow started talking to a local wine distributor. I asked him to recommend some wines to take to the tasting. He told me hands down, purchase Blackstone and I did.

The night of the tasting, Blackstone not only hooked me but also several other people became followers and would buy cases to stock their wine cellar. Blackstone became one of those great comforting friends who would never let you down and you knew the taste would always be fabulous. The wine had a way of wrapping its arms around you like a velvet blanket. Then something changed, Blackstone had lost that loving’ feeling’ and I couldn’t figure out what had changed between the two of us. I finally learned, it wasn’t me, it was Blackstone. It seems once the brand changed hands, the love was gone.

So I muster up my courage and agree to face my old friend once again. Before I even open the bottle I can tell Blackstone is different, the cork is no longer a natural cork but synthetic. There’s nothing wrong with a synthetic cork, but the wine will never soften due to natural bottle aging. I take in the aromas of plums, oak and a slight pepper. When I taste the wine, I’m immediately disappointed, the wine feels flat and thin as it hits my palate making the wine very one dimensional. What happened to the fruit forward, complex wine that had so many followers in the early part of the decade? I think I actually had tears, I was really hoping we could mend our differences and pick up right where we left off.

I can’t help notice Cabernet profiled on the Blackstone website is a 2004. Well if I remember correctly, the 2004 vintage was still delightful. Derek Benham sold Blackstone in 2001; did the winemaker leave shortly after? The current Blackstone winemaker has been making wine for 10 years, but there’s no mention whether he got his start at Blackstone of if he came on board later. Does anyone know??? I’m actually thinking of calling the winery and asking them this very question.

Before I completely break up with Blackstone, I think I need to give the Merlot another chance. This is after all the wine that put Blackstone on the map. In listening to a podcast with Gary Sitton, Blackstone winemaker, he has piqued my interest enough to give the Merlot a chance. He talks the Blackstone concept of providing quality and wine drinker friendly wines at affordable prices. Maybe there’s hope for reconciliation after all. Stay tuned for the Merlot report.

I found Blackstone on sale at Publix for $8.99. It normally retails for $10.99-$12.99

Chickadee word of the day:
Winemaker – An expert at making wine, who’s usually in charge of all steps of the wine production at the winery.

Cardiff Cellars Cabernet – 2008

Ah, Sunday evening and thoughts of Monday morning in my head….must get them out. Cardiff Cabernet should be able to help. This is only my third time drinking Cardiff and for an inexpensive wine, retailing at $5.99 at Total Wine, I think it is very drinkable. It is a full bodied Cab and not too dry. I smell berries, a touch of floral (violets perhaps), allspice and cherry. The color is a deep Crimson and highlights of purple in the glass. I can taste the berry flavors coat my tongue with a nice but not strong finish.

I have learned something over these past few weeks….the cheaper the wine, the less likely the winery has a website. The only thing I can tell you about this winery it it’s located in California. No info on the bottle, nothing online. I would like to tell you more but I simply can’t other than it is a nice wine at a great price.

If anyone can find any info on Cardiff Cellars, please forward it to me.

Chickadees word of the day:
Floral – an aroma reminiscent of flowers (duh!), such as violets, roses or citrus blossoms. This impression can also be sensed on the palate.