Wine To Me

I've moved!

2010-02-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

You can now find me at Winetome.net. I'm still doing a little unpacking but all new posts are there and this will not be updated. Please change your bookmarks, feeds and follow me over there.

Yes, this means I will be posting more than once a quarter.

Trader Joe's and Charles Shaw Wine

2009-10-04T17:19:00.000-07:00

This summer our neighborhood got a Trader Joe's. I'd never been to one before the opening of this store but I had heard about them. The building of the new Trader Joe's caused all sorts of grumbling from the local grocery stores and liquor stores.

In Minnesota you can not buy alcohol in the grocery store, nor can you buy it on Sunday. We have neighborhood liquor stores which are nice but it would be convenient to be able to buy our booze when picking up dinner at the last minute.

Trader Joe's has a wine shop in their stores. In Minnesota stores they are separate from the grocery part of the store and you have to make two separate purchases but you don't have to move your car which makes it a little more convenient.

I'd hear about Trader Joe's Three Buck Chuck from friends and family who had a store near them. But I had never tried it. I'm not a wine snob, though I do like a nice wine, I'll drink anything if it doesn't make my mouth bleed. So I was looking forward to the Trader Joe's wine.

The Three Buck Chuck is the Charles Shaw label which produces many varieties of wine but the store, at least the one here, carries Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. I spent $9 plus some tax and tried one of each. I now have three bottles of cooking wine.

Actually the Chardonnay was not too bad but the cab and Merlot were gut churningly bad. Even for $3 they were overpriced. I can't think of when I might be tempted to drink this wine.

Have you tried the Three Buck Chuck? What did you think about it?

House Cleaning Blog Style

2009-09-06T10:05:00.001-07:00

Less than 48 hours to go! Is anyone else as excited as I am to have the new school year start?

I will soon be able to blog on a much more regular basis. In anticipation of that I wanted to post a few reminders.

If you aren't already following me on Twitter please do. I follow back everyone who follows me. You can also follow me on Facebook too. I think it's the right link. I was just going to type that I don't understand how people can spend so much time on Facebook but when I went to get the URL I lost 20 minutes. Hmmm....

This here blog is now available on Kindle. Of course if you found me here I don't know why you would want me on the Kindle too but then I don't have one so I have no idea how the whole thing works. If you have a Kindle and you subscribe to blogs please leave a note in the comment section and let me know how you like it. I'd love to get one but I don't commute on a bus or train, I don't actually commute at all, I can open a book easier than a Kindle as well. The price tag alone keeps me from purchasing one but they do look cool. I'd love to be able to download a book in the middle of the night.

That's about it for now. Starting Tuesday you can look for more regular posts on this blog as well as the others.

Summit Beer

2009-04-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not a beer drinker. Occasionally, at the lake on a warm afternoon I like a cold beer but usually it just makes me pee too much so I stay away from it.

When I do have a beer I drink Summit Beer. Summit Beer is a micro brew from here in St. Paul. I know you can get it in Wisconsin but I'm not sure about anywhere else. Aside from the great taste of the beer which is hoppy and crisp and certainly not watery like Miller or a Bud, this beer has a higher alcohol content so one of them gets me buzzed and in a happy place in less than half a beer.

I have been drinking Summit Beer since the early 90's when I sold my house to the owner of the Summit Brewery. No, I am not getting paid for this endorsement. In fact even when I sold him the house, which was located on Summit Ave (the reason he wanted the house) I didn't get free beer. I should have since he got the house for a steal due to the fact that my first ex and I were getting a divorce and needed to sell the house quickly.

If you can get Summit in your area give it a try. There are several different varieties as well as seasonal beers. You'll love it.

What are your favorites?

2009-03-25T15:28:00.000-07:00

I'd love to know what your favorite wines are. I often get stuck in a bit of a rut with the wines I like. I tend to stay with the same ones time after time so I'd love to hear what you think are wonderful wines so I can try them. I will try them all and post about each one. Leave your URL with your suggestion in the comment section so I can link back to you.

It's Time for White Wine Again!

2009-03-17T14:42:00.001-07:00

We have had a string of warm days and it looks as if it is going to continue for a few more days. Of course this means that white wine is palatable again.

I have a hard time drinking white wine when it is really cold out. Just as I have no desire to drink a red wine when it is warm out.

While we have been having this lovely stretch of days above 50 degrees I have been enjoying Big House White. Like Big House Red it is a varietal which is a blend of Viognier, Chenin Blanc, French Columbard, and Sauvignon Blanc. The French Columbard is clean and fresh, the Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc contribute crisp acicity and the Viognier adds to the mouthfeel and lists up the floral aroma.. It goes with anything especially, potato-crusted sea bass, grilled veggies, pasta with cream sauce, crustaceans, garlic-roasted poultry, anything that swims.

Wine Enthusiast gives the 2007 Big House White an 89 and Wine Spectator gives it an 83.

For a good time stop by the Big House.

Creative Use for those Empties

2009-03-11T19:50:00.000-07:00

Instead of recycling your wine bottles and letting your neighbors all see how much you drink try this nifty trick.

My daughter made this out of modeling clay. She did it all on her own and it looks pretty good. In case you wonder it's a fox.

Pinot Grigio

2009-03-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry for not posting in a while it's been a busy week.

A couple of weeks ago my daughter celebrated her birthday. In addition to her friends coming over for a Friday evening their moms came over too. One of the moms brought a bottle of Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio.

This is not only a very nice white, since it is not too fruity or sweet but it is a safe wine to bring as a gift as it goes with just about everything. This particular friend brought a magnum which costs about $14.00 and is plenty of wine for a small group of people. It's better chilled, at least I prefer it chilled but it isn't half bad at room temperature if you must drink it right away. And sometimes you must.

We had the wine with a very rich fudge cake and it went very nicely with it taking away some of the sweetness of the cake which was just a bit much. This wine does not pair well with citrusy foods like tomato or citrus fruits, this is due to its high acid content. Don't let the word acidity scare you however this wine has an almost silk like texture on the palette.

No wine tonight

2009-02-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

Just got six inches of snow. I'm tired of winter. No wine tonight, I'm having Scotch.

Big House Red and Meatloaf

2009-02-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

I love Big House Red and Big House White. Both are great table wines that go with just about anything. One of the things I love about this wine aside that it goes with everything and it has a fantastic label is that it has a screw off top. No corkscrew needed. I love the ease of opening this bottle but the plugs for the wine vacuum do not fit snugly in this bottle so you have to drink it in a couple of days. Usually that isn't a problem but just so you know the wine vacuum will not work with this wine.

Since this wine goes with just about anything I am posting a recipe from my other blog, Redhead Ranting. I don't usually post recipes on that blog but this meatloaf was so good I wanted to share it with everyone. Enjoy!

Between recuperating, standing up to bigots, defending human rights and being a semi-super mom I managed to outdo myself in the kitchen today. I made this fantastic to-die-for meatloaf as well as some yummy cookies. My house smells wonderful. Smellovision should be brought back just for the wonderful smells coming from my kitchen today.

Cornbread Stuffing
1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix prepared as a loaf or muffins
1/4 onion
2 stalks celery
1 red pepper
2 or 3 tbsp beef broth
1/4 cup honey
2 tbsp butter
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion, celery, garlic and red pepper. Add broth, honey and salt and pepper. Remove from stove and place in bowl. Crumble up cornbread, cut in butter and mix with sauteed ingredients.

To-Die-For Meatloaf

2 lbs lean ground beef
3/4 of an onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cubed bread crumbs toasted
1 cup beef bouillon
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
1/2 tsp Penzy's Prime Rib Rub
salt and pepper to taste
Sharp Cheddar Cheese

In a bowl place the bread crumbs. Prepare bouillon and pour piping hot over bread crumbs. Add onion, red pepper, garlic, salt and pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Let cool (this is a good time to make the stuffing mixture) before adding eggs and ground beef. Mix well. Place half of the mixture on a cookie sheet or lasagna pan and make a sort of boat out of it. Place the cornbread stuffing in the boat and cover with the remaining meat mixture.

Bake at 350 for about an hour. Remove from oven and place slices of cheddar cheese on top and put back in oven for about 4 minutes or until bubbling but not where it has melted away. Remove from oven and try to keep the kids and dogs from tasting it until you can serve it.

Heath Bits Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe is on the back of the package but I added lots of extra love to them.

Liberty School Wine

2009-02-17T17:47:00.000-08:00

Tonight I am having a Liberty School 2006 Paso Robles Cabernet. I started drinking this wine years ago when I learned that it was a second label of Caymus. In 1997 the brand was sold off and is now a second label to the Treana brand, a pricy wine as well. It is not a Caymus wine anymore but it is still very good for a $14.00 bottle of wine.

This is a juicy wine. It has a deep color and you can taste the hints of oak in it along with blackberry, cherry and chocolate aromas. It ends firm, meaning it has a bit of an edge to it at the end.

This is a great wine to pair with beef or lamb smothered in garlic.

Great websites about wine

2009-02-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

Great sites about wines

Wine Express

Wildhurst Vineyards

Wines dot com

Healthcastles

Malbec

2009-02-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

If you have not tried these lovely wines from Chile then get your coat and head on out to the liquor store.

I have fallen in love with Chilean wines lately. Malbecs especially.

Known as Côt throughout much of France, Malbec is the dark-skinned variety that put Argentinian wine on the map - and likewise, Argentinian Malbec saved the grape from near obscurity. The Cahors appellation in France still relies on Malbec to distinguish many of its wines, but the area is exceptional in this regard. As the grape can be quite difficult to cultivate, it has become far less popular over the years, even in its Bordeaux home. Its South American renaissance has ensured, however, that Malbec will be sticking around for a while. -Astor Wines & Spirits

Right now I am having Punto Final vintage 2005. This is what Wine Spectator had to say about it:

"A juicy, modern style, with tasty fig, boysenberry, mocha and spice notes, followed by a ripe, vivid finish."

Depending on the source of the review it gets an 89 to 91 rating. Not bad for a bottle of wine that costs under $20.00.

And even better Malbec, for about the same cost, is Alta Vista Premium. This is an exceptionally wonderful wine. Deep ruby in color with aromas of very ripe red fruit and spices, this wine is round and full-bodied on the palate with excellent balance. I first tried it when a rep was putting out samples at the liquor store I worked at part time several years ago. I had one sip and I was hooked. I have bought it by the case ever since. It goes with so many things and is great to always have on hand.

Wine Vacuums

2009-02-09T20:56:00.001-08:00

If you love wine but can't drink the whole bottle you must have a wine vacuum. I got mine at Target last year and have purchased many more to give as gifts since then. I bought a Houdini wine vacuum but there are many on the market that work just as well. I chose the Houdini because it was inexpensive and looked rather slick. There are much more expensive brands out there that come in a variety of styles and colors. As long as they suck the air out they are all good.

Wine vacuums are a wonderful invention. They not only seal the wine so it can be stored on it's side without dripping but they also prevent the wine from further oxidation. Once a bottle of wine is opened the air immediately changes the wine. This is good to a point and why people let good bottles breath but too much air can ruin the wine.

Usually a bottle of wine is good for about two days after removing the cork. After two days it's usually cooking wine. It has lost it's aroma and might even begin to taste vinegary. Using a wine vacuum and airtight stopper extends the life of the bottle from a couple of days to two weeks. I don't usually have a bottle of opened wine that lasts for anywhere near two weeks but it's nice to know I don't have to down an opened bottle if I'm not able to finish it.

If you are serious about your wine this is a must addition to your bar ware.

*This is not a paid advertisement. I don't do them. I talk about the products I use and like. I also talk about the products I don't like but I am not paid to talk about any of them.

Caymus

2009-02-08T09:59:00.000-08:00

Caymus is my all time favorite wine. Caymus Winery specializes in Cabernet. And they do it so well they put others to shame. Caymus is a Napa Valley winery established in 1972 by Charles, Lorna Belle and their son Chuck Wagner. The winery is on their 60 acre farm in Rutherford, California. Back in the '90s it was more reasonably priced than it is today so I drank a lot more of it than I do now.

I first tried Caymus at the St. Paul Grill located in the St. Paul Hotel. A lovely restaurant which I haven't been able to afford to go to in years. I was there with my parents, my first ex husband, my brother and his first wife. We were probably celebrating a birthday, though I am not sure whose it was.

It was my ex sister in law who suggested we try Caymus. She had read about it in Wine Spectator and was interested in trying it. Caymus has consistently been rated in the mid to upper 90s of the wine rating system. We ordered a bottle and were not disappointed.

From that moment I have been in love with Caymus. Caymus is Cabernet. That is all they do really. Though the family bottles other wines under different labels, their motto has been "one wine, one label".

Quoting from Wine Review Online by Gerald Boyd:

The color of this Cabernet is one of the attractions of good wine; deep sparkling ruby at the center with an intense purple rim. The aromatics are layered dark fruits, especially black currant and plums that follow through to the richly textured flavors. Subtle toasted oak blends nicely with the bright ripe berry and spice, supported by firm tannins and excellent acidity. The wine has a long finish and the promise of even more complexity with additional bottle age.

This is one way to describe it but really the wine is just wonderful. The wine is not bitter, it is not dry, it is not too sweet and it is not buttery. It is smooth and the taste lasts on your tongue giving way to more complex flavors. According to Caymus, the shelf life of their wine is about 15 years. I bought cases of Caymus after that night at the St. Paul Grill but have not been able to let them sit for 15 years. I wish I had but they were too good to let be. I do have two bottles of their 2004 vintage that I have had to try desperately to forget I have. I am saving them for a special occasion but it has been difficult.

Which might be why Caymus is my favorite wine. Whenever there was a special event there was a bottle of Caymus to celebrate it with. My second ex and I tossed a couple bottles in the side bags of the Harley and rode up to the north shore of Lake Superior and opened them. Savoring the taste as we watched the sun set on the great lake. We travelled a lot by hog back then and were never without our Caymus.

Welcome to Wine To Me

2009-02-07T18:10:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Wine To Me. This blog was born from a post I wrote on one of my other blogs. I wrote about my love of wine but it wasn't really the kind of topic that my other blog lent itself to. I have spent a good deal of time learning about wines in the last several decades and it seemed like the next step to start a blog devoted to wine. So here it is.

I will be writing about wines of course, but also about wine accessories, what wines to drink with specific foods, where to find great wine deals and a little philosophy about wine. I am not a wine snob, the wines I drink are usually reasonably priced and easy to find.

I look forward to your recommendations of wine you love as well so please feel free to drop me note either in the comments or at my email listed on the sidebar.

Cheers!

Privacy Policy

2009-01-08T18:42:00.000-08:00

I have to have a privacy policy to run adsense. They don't really go into great detail about what it should say but this is what I have gathered it needs to include.

I use Google and

Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on your site.
Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and other sites on the Internet.
Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy.

We use third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you.

I think they kinda say the same thing but I want to cover all bases as I do not want to piss off the Google Gods.