Thursday, December 9, 2010

Of wine and winners…

winemaker's notes:

"Bright red.  Smoky cherry and dark berry aromas are complemented by candied licorice, dark chocolate and zesty minerality.  At once silky and lively, with impressively complex cherry and dark berry flavors joined by an exotic floral pastille quality on the finish.  This boasts remarkable focus and persistence for the price."wine
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
89 Points

So this is the bottle of wine that got rated Best at the wine tasting last Saturday (note the rubber band holding the voting slip). 

There must have been a dozen different reds for our sipping and tasting pleasure—and NO duplicates!  I’m sure there were an equal number of whites upstairs, but I never ventured up there, being quite satisfied with the variety on the lower level—and the food.  This little number cost under $7 at Costo, according to Maureen.  Quite the bargain!  Garnacha de Fuego.  Let me know if you try some.

Runner up was a bottle of red that had a big orange question mark on it.  That’s right—no name—just a big orange question mark!  Easy to remember.

We are currently enjoying a California merlot from Bogle Vineyards that sells for just under $10.  And an old fave: Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (even cheaper than the Bogle).

We always enjoy trying something new and different, so tell me:

What’s your favorite ‘cheap’ wine? 

9 comments:

Joy said...

It has hints of licorice and you liked it? Amazing! :-)
I'm no wine expert but I'm happy with an inexpensive white zinfandel.

Sarge Charlie said...

since i have a history, i suppose i will pass

Barb said...

Easy choice for me...Santa Cristina Sangiovese Toscana. It's about $10 a bottle, but very good! Sometimes it's on sale and when it is I buy a case, because I get another 10% off cases! I was delighted to actually see a label I recognized and enjoyed here in Hicksbilly... I was truly spoiled with my wine store in Florida.

A nice, big, red wine goes a long way in warming the cockles of your heart and body... especially when it's so danged cold outside, too!

Up at SisterDear's I'm sure we'll be sitting in front of the fire and sipping some of their usual... Woodbridge Cabernet or Merlot. Not my favorite, but it's OK, and certainly better than no wine!

Stay warm! It was 27 here this morning. brrrr... Big hugs :]

Sandee said...

Hubby and I sip our champagne and that's what we prefer to drink. If there isn't any champagne then we will go for Bogle Merlot. Bogle is a very good cheap wine. It's all over the place here being it's a California wine.

Glad you had a great Saturday. I would have stayed downstairs with you too. I've always liked the reds far better than the whites.

Have a terrific day honey. Big hugs. :)

ivana said...

Oh!!!
Wine...my favorite is Lambrusco...it grows here. our families drink it, or Sangiovese di Romagna, red wines.
We drink Trebbiano, the grapes for the Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, Albana, Pinot....etc
The wine helps...

Hugs!!!!

Anonymous said...

Aldi grocery store's Winking Owl

Anonymous said...

Oh, thier cabernet sauvingnon

Anonymous said...

you'll probably laugh when I say this, but white zinfandel. Licorice hits sound delicious!

Anonymous said...

I meant licorice HINTS, sorry.