If you came here hoping for architectural information on Wood Bridges, I’m sorry, there won’t be any information here on that. BUT — you will find some fun with this Robert Mondavi wine! I personally think my Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi blog post is better than real wood bridges, but I’m not an architect!

Enter
Robert Mondavi
Woodbridge By Robert Mondavi Sweet White

I normally don’t review white wines here, mostly because I’m selfish and I figure if I’m going to buy my own wine – it’s going to be a red I enjoy. This white wine came to me from the wonderful PR people that work with Robert Mondavi Wines, so it was basically like the universe telling me “Try White Wine”. So listening to the universe whispers as Oprah Winfrey suggests … I dug my cork screw in and popped the cork on this one!

I’m certainty glad I did! This wine has a suggested retail price of $7.99/bottle which allows you to pick this up for your everyday white wine fix! While this wine boasts on it’s label that it’s a sweet wine, don’t worry, it’s not overly sweet; it’s just the right amount of sweet for a summer white wine!

Bringing us a blend of Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Verdelho, this wine exudes bright citrus flavors of orange blossom, and grapefruit. I taste a little green apple in this one and find that it’s not tart on the tongue and softly mellows out for a smooth finish. Pairing this wine with some salty cheeses and fruits are recommended. Also recommended is pairing this with some spicy food.

But exactly what kind of food? … guess what?? I have got a suggestion! How about Spicy Crab and Corn Croquettes with a Curry Dipping Sauce? Yeeessss….!

Spicy Crab & Corn Croquettes Recipe

1 Cup just add water cornbread mix
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 (6 oz.) cans crabmeat, diced
1-2 teaspoons canned chipotles in adobo, chopped
1 egg
3/4 cup onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup panko
1 teaspoon sea salt
Vegetable oil (for frying)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine cornbread mix, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, crabmeat, chipotles, egg and 3/4 cup oinons, panko, and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together all dipping sauce indgredients. In medium saucepan, heat oil to 320 – 330 degrees. Oil should be 1.5 inches deep. Working in batches, carefully drop bite-size spoonfuls of batter into oil. Fry until golden and cooked through, 1-1.5 minutes. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon; transfer to paper towels. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Curry Dipping Sauce Recipe

1 egg yolk
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon agave
1/4 cup onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
Salt to taste

So now that I’ve given you this great recipe … who is ready to invite me over for wine, dinner and great conversation!?!? Tell you what! I’ll bring the wine!

What do you think of this wine? Have you tried it? Used it for a wine spritzer or white wine sangria? Would love to hear your thoughts!

I’m not basing my next comment on any facts or scientific information, but I think humans are the only beings that stalk each other. Except maybe lions, tigers and cats … and maybe dogs, but they call that hunting. Until now — thanks to this next wine, apparently horses do it too!

Stalking Horse
2008 Shiraz
McLaren Vale
Australian Wine

It was the label that attracted me to this wine, because I have to admit, I don’t typically go for Australian wines. Okay, scratch that … extremely rarely to I pick up an Australian wine. Until now – how could you pass this up with a wine label photo of a shadowy horse “stalking” a man walking on the road.

To start this one off, I will say it comes with a screw cap. I know, no cork. But think of it this way if you truly are a stalker, you might want to keep your load light by not needing a corkscrew anyway. There is nothing wrong with screw capped wines – it’s just that it’s “missing” that old world charm that comes with a cork.

The taste was surprising to me; aged in new American Oak for 10 months, you’ll get a nice pepper, blackberry treat. The warmth of the sip and the hints of chocolate make this a wine to really savor each sip. Each time I take a sip I taste even more of the flavors and need to keep identifying each one. It’s almost like that one flavor you can’t quite put your finger on …

For the price of this wine, I picked this up at my local gourmet grocery store for about $16 / bottle, I think I need to go back for more. This is a wine that I want to share with my wine(o) friends the next time they come for a visit.

Here is video from Bruce Clugston, the winery’s executive winemaker, talking a bit about the Stalking Horse Wine:

You can also view the video on YouTube here: Stalking Horse Wine Shiraz

Have you thought to pick up this wine? What did you think, was it worth the price to you?

It’s spring and you may be tempted to do your primal howl at the moon. Be warned when doing that – your neighbors may not have the same sense of humor you do and you may need to make some public apologies. OR … you could just send over a bottle of this next wine instead of your apologies!

Primal Roots Wine

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I love the blend wines. It’s so interesting to me that you can take all the notes and tastes of each wine (Merlot, Zinfandel, etc.) and with each unique taste, winemakers blend more into it to take on a whole new experience. That’s what this wine does and rather well for the price!

Primal Roots wine is trying to promote itself as a sensual, smooth and luxurious experience. The site (Primal Wines) encourages us to treat ourselves by treating all the senses, especially the uninhibited ones! Then of course they recommend that we “tease our senses”. How could you not want to try this wine after that!

The blend is made up of Merlot, Syrah and Zinfandel. These three pair and play very nicely with each other. The Merlot provides aromas of raspberry, red currants, and mocha along with fine-grained tannins that create a soft, luxurious texture. The Syrah has aromas of violets, black currants and a gentle earthiness are accentuated by flavors of dried cherry, dark chocolate, and vanilla spice. (mmmm…..) Zinfandel in this is rich yet soft on the palate and loaded with black cherry, clove, and wild blackberry. Known for its spicy characters, the Zinfandel rounds out the wine by adding a touch of warm spice. It gives it that “pepper” finishing taste to it.

For the price of Primal Roots wine, which comes in around $10/bottle, this is a wine that will be easy to pick up for that every day occasion. You could also bring this to the next dinner party and be right at home!

Have you tried this wine yet? You can probably pick this one up at your local store or you can purchase one off Amazon.com: 2010 Primal Roots Red Blend 750ml 750 ml

Do you like the wine? Prefer another? … let me know what you think in the comments below! Cheers!

Although I publicly declared my ride on the wagon a while back–I went for like 70 + days without the vino—it doesn’t mean I was going to abstain from the pleasures for all eternity. All things in moderation…

So, since this is Jennifer’s Review, Let’s Wine About It! I am going to share a review of one of my favorite wines…Carménère. Chile produces the vast majority of Carménère wines available. It is wonderful as it is, and is also used as a blending grape–commonly with Cabernet Sauvignon.

The way I remember to go to the Chile section at the wine store is that I remember this wine tastes like it has chili peppers in it. It’s that peppery-ness that makes it unique.

There are several Carménère wines I love, but the one I am drinking right now is Arenal Carménère (2010), from Bodego Vina, Peralillo, Peralillo Chile. (The label has a cute line drawing of a woman carrying a basket of grapes on her head.) Cost: $10.

This deep crimson red, is smoky & spicy with earthy notes; the tannins are soft and it’s not too sweet. (And it doesn’t give me a headache or keep me up in the middle of the night.) I love this wine. It goes great with spicy Indian dishes, red meat, or even tacos. Or even anything, actually.

I have found several bottles of Carménère under $10 that are all great!

Do you like Carménère? What is one of your faves?

Arenal Carménère is imported by Southern Wine Group.

When the Food Network turns out a wine, you have to stop and listen. For me though, I have to wish that if the Food Network is doing this, they COULD have thrown in a chef to go with the wine, but that’s just really in my “Jennifer world” so I’ll have to settle with run on sentences and the reality of this wine I tried!

Entwine
Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
The Food Network and Wente Vineyards

Entwine is a creative partnership between Wente Vineyards and The Food Network. Which makes perfect sense. If you are promoting food … what a great thing to promote a wine that is fantastic with the foods you showcase! Entwine has Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot, and of course Cabernet Sauvignon.

The prices on these wines are around $13/bottle. I bought my wine on special for $10/bottle – so deals can be had out there. However, I would have no problem paying full price for this wine. Wente Vineyards did a fantastic job on the Cabernet Sauvignon and debating over a few dollars on this just makes it that much longer before you try this.

Taste on the Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich smooth wine. When they say it’s herbaceous, that’s the perfect word for this. It has a nice herb taste that smoothly incorporates a fruity jam. It’s important to note that this is a thinner Cab and not a full bodied robust wine.

One of the things I like about the Entwine Wine is how interactive their site is. If you are wondering what foods pair well with this wine, the site has it all figured out for you. Selecting the wine you have and clicking the “pairing” button brings you to all the foods that pair well with your wine choice. Then they not only give you the food suggestion – but they give you the recipe. To. Print. Out.

I love that.

… then I remembered …. it’s a website of wines in a partnership with Wente Vineyards and THE FOOD NETWORK … of course they have food recipes!

Have you tried this wine or did you shy away from it? Would love to hear what you think below in the comments!

There it was by the Whole Foods Market check out lines … a sign telling me that I could get wine in a bottle for $3. Not only could I get wine for $3, but I could get a whole case of wine for $35! That wine was by Three Wishes Vineyards!

My next thought: how good could $3 wine be? Just like curiousity killed the cat, curiousity got my wallet out and I bought a case. After all … even with the worst wine, it’s still good for cooking and tasty with some white soda added. How could I go wrong?

I lugged my case of wine home and couldn’t wait to try it out. I bought the mix n’ match case. You have your choice of buying just Chardonnay, Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Or you can buy what I did … mix ‘n match 12 bottles in any combonation. I preferred more bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon in my case and I’m happy I did.

First of all, let’s talk about the Chardonnay which is actually pretty good! Keep in mind that you do get what you pay for, so if you’re comparing this wine with a $20 Chardonnay – you may be disappointed. However, this Chardonnay has a nice citrus, refreshing taste. I’m reminded of pineapple mixed with a bit of pear. Not a sharp taste, but certainly a nice tropical refreshing taste. Chilled, this wine would pair well with most mild dinners, I wouldn’t go too spicy with this one. There seems to be some bad reviews on this wine out there online. Considering the price, can we really be that harse? If you just want a nice every day wine — you can’t really go wrong with Three Wishes Chardonnay for the price.

Next up was the Merlot from Three Wishes Wine. I’m not a big fan of Merlot in general. No, I’m not taking my direction from the movie Sideways, I just prefer a bit more boldness in my wines. With that said, I found this Merlot to be fairly thin. Not much flavor on this one and I hate to say it, but it reminded me of a cup of Franzia wine. Not far off with just “natural flavors”. However, it does have 13% alcohol in it which puts it at a “win” compared with Franzia. This is a wine I’ll use mixed with white soda to make a nice spritzer. I’ll still have a glass with a spicy dinner – but won’t be picking up any more of this even for $3. Please keep in mind that this is all personal taste. I encourage you to try the Merlot and leave me your thoughts on this in the comments below!

Lastly, there is the Three Wishes Cabernet Sauvignon; one of my favorite types of wine. How did this one fair? I actually was surprised. Not big and bold on flavor, but it has more substance then the Merlot. I wasn’t expecting much for $3 and was pleased that I wasn’t going to have to drink a whole lot more wine/white soda drinks! This Cabernet Sauvignon is a great every day wine. Has a nice mineral taste to it, cranberries detected and just a touch of bitterness. Not much to make you say “wow”, but again, given the price I wasn’t expecting too much.

Would I buy this again? You bet! I’d skip the Merlot and grab the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon again to have as an every day wine! Would love to hear your thoughts on these wines!

Did you just realize that Valentine’s Day is quickly upon us? Planning that special night … with … perhaps, WINE? Of course you are or you wouldn’t be here!

I went thru some of my blog posts and here are my suggestions! Also — these wines are very easy to find and are probably in most of your local stores (unless noted). So not much wine hunting is needed for these wines on my list!

1. Apothic Red – Not only does this have a deep velvet smooth taste, but check out the colors on this label. Does this wine not set up the mood for you? I think so. Not only does it have label appeal, but it’s followed by a great taste with hints of mocha, chocolate, brown spice and vanilla. It’s a great wine for the day! (or night)

2. Concannon Conservancy Crimson & Clover – This one rings in with a great named label for Valentine’s Day. Not only is the label appealing for initial presentation – but the taste in this $18/bottle wine will knock your partner’s socks off. The value for the taste on this wine is a winner. It has a nice fruit, jam taste with a little mocha and a some nutmeg notes thrown in to the mix. Very nice blend – let the fun begin!

3. Semillon Reserve - This one may be tougher to get locally unless you live in the Illinois area. This wine comes to us from Lynred Winery in Illinois. Right now you are probably thinking … “why do you tempt us Jennifer …?” I tempt you because it’s a wine you’ll want to make a special effort to try. For the white wine drinkers out there – this wine is a bit more pricey – coming in at $30/bottle. This is also a white wine you don’t chill, which makes it even more of an intriguing find. Hints of bourbon and honey make this unique white wine something special for Valentine’s Day. Order direct from the winery here: Semillon Reserve Lynfred Winery

4. Cupcake Vineyards Red Velvet 2010- This wine comes to us with all the thoughts of that lucious red velvet cake. The creaminess of this wine along with the fruit tartness will leave you loving this wine! With it’s fresh cute label – this sends a nice casual message. Tastes of mocha, hints of coconut and a bit of tart berriness will wine you over. (spelling intended)

5. Moet & Chandon Nectar Imperial – This is a sparkling wine that is not easy on the wallet. Coming in around $40-$50/bottle – you’ll want this one for a special occasion. Truly one of the better sparkling wines I’ve had, it holds a sweet butter taste you won’t soon forget. This wine has unusually small bubbles. No one believes me when I tell them this … until they see it for themselves. You’ll love the tiny bubbles people! Spluge and get this sparkling wine … especially for Valentine’s Day if you can swing it!

Have you tried any of these wines? Do you like them? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! Love reviews/information from everyone!

When I saw this wine I immediately began thinking of the Joan Jett Song “Crimson and Clover“. Except she didn’t originally write/sing that song (Tommy James and the Shondells did) — but her version is the one I remember …. ba na na na na naaaaa ….

Enter
Concannon Vineyards
2010 Crimson & Clover
Livermore Valley
Red Table Wine

This was my first tasting from Cocannon Vineyards, so I was very excited to receive this bottle form the winery to try and review. There is always something to be said with how a product is packaged. This wine comes to you in a unique bottle. From the photo to the left, you’ll see a little bit of how this winery has their bottles branded and molded to showcase the winery’s front gates. It’s not printed on the label, but actually molded into the glass.

It’s that special attention to detail for a moderately priced wine that I appreciate. While this wine was NOT named from the song Joan Jett sang, it does reflect the pride in Concannon Vineyards Irish heritage; the clover is the Irish symbol for prosperity and the crimson pays homage to the strong deep red color of the blend.

The wine blend of this wine is 50% Petite Sirah, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah and 10% Zinfandel. The price on this wine comes in around $15/bottle which for a handcrafted wine, it’s not a bad price. The taste on Crimson & Clover is very smooth with fruit flavors of blackberry, cherry and plum. There is some hints of mocha and nutmeg added into the fun of this wine! It’s a nice soft wine that (per the winery) pairs well with Gorgonzola stuffed chicken wrapped in applewood smoked bacon or a nice black pepper-crusted filet mignon. Are you hungry now?

Have you picked up this wine? Like it? What are your thoughts on the pairing with this? Would love to hear about it in the comments below!

Concannon Winery Front Gates:

Sugar plum fairies, candy canes, ginger bread houses and cupcakes could be dancing in your head this holiday season. Also dancing in your head is the fact that the last 2 weeks of the year, every year, come calorie free. It’s like the no-tax day, except with calories. Happy no calorie weeks!

Enter
Cupcake Vineyards
2011 Marlborough
Sauvignon Blanc

Alright, so there is no such a thing as free calorie weeks … but in my world there is because I think we need to enjoy life a little bit more and should do it instead of counting our calories … at least for 2 weeks out of the year! With that said – I was given cupcake vineyards Sauvignon Blanc from an elf working at the winery.

Normally I don’t review white wines – mostly because I just prefer reds. I’m not judgmental … just preferential. This wine had an interesting taste to it! I think this is the first time I’ve had a wine that reminded me of lemons! It’s very much a citrus wine, which when chilled, gives you that wonderful refreshing tart taste! The taste ends on a creamy note. It’s a little like getting a jolt of tartness .. but then a smooth end to the taste! Very interesting.

Pairing? The site indicates that oysters on a half shell or a rich creamy lobster risotto go well with this Sauvignon Blanc. I personally will be picking this up again in the summer. Chilling it and having it with my favorite salad and some great crusty french bread. Also .. I really am looking forward to summer. Already.

I do think that for the price of $13-$14/bottle this would make a good hostess gift to the Christmas party! It’s a great price range and it’s going to be something unique in flavor that hopefully your hostess will appreciate! You can always place this gift of wine in a cute wine bag (see my 5 wine gift ideas post) but the label on this wine is so cute and … cupcake-y … a bow would work just as well!

I hope you all have a great Christmas … enjoy the wine … forget about the calories until after January 3rd … it’s free calorie weeks!

Cheers!

Are you in the last minute “oh no … what do I get for the wine lover” stage? Never fear … I’m here to help … I searched a few sites and came up with a list of 5 gifts you can get for that wine lover on your list! All these places allow for express shipping and priced between $10 and $30 …. so have at it!

Number 1: Godiva Chocolate & Dessert Bubbly Wine Gift Set It’s the gift that you don’t have to wrap! I love buying things off Amazon.com – it’s easy and if you have to ship your gifts to out of state people anyway, you might as well pay to have someone help you wrap and send it! This wine gift set is a great blend of bubbly and chocolate .. how can you go wrong?

Number 2: Wine Monkey Wine Caddy – I know … you have that song running through your head now .. “How you like me now …” right?!? Well, this monkey wine bag will bring a smile to anyone you bring the gift of wine to. It’s great for a hostess wine gift bag too! It’s just that added fun statement. The best thing … you don’t just have to buy this for Christmas … good to use anytime of the year! How you like THAT now …..

Number 3: Wine Bottle Sconces – Remember that great Lifehacker DIY article that showed you how to turn your wine bottles into outdoor torches / sconces? Remember how you were TOTALLY going to do that this summer — but you didn’t. Well … now you can BUY them right off a great store on Etsy! Not only the torches but you can also buy the wine bottle vases! I still have doing this project on my list … but knowing me .. I’ll be buying these for my backyard this summer. Help a friend out – just get these already completed for your friend!

Number 4: Wine cork ornament – this comes in at the “why didn’t I think of that” category. Send the wine lover on your Christmas list some wine cork ornaments! It’s eco-friendly and a lot of fun on the Christmas tree. It could be a whole theme for you for next year. Either way, I love these wine cork ornaments!

Number 5: Wine Glass Shaped Cork Display This is a great way to display all those used corks. The ones that have memories? Throw them in the house cage. Amazon has other designs, a Christmas wreath, wine barrel and even a wine bottle shape. Pick a design that suits the person you are giving the gift to and it’ll be an item they’ll keep using!

Hope these few fun ideas help you out! Cheers to Wine Christmas presents!