Barnard Griffin Cabernet-Merlot NV – Washington

What a nice surprise. We’re not big Cab or Merlot fans, but this is a wonderful addition to our House wine list. The nose is smoky and meaty. Tastes of beef, prune, walnuts, and grape skins. This is rich, full, almost chocolaty. The more of Barnard Griffin wines we try, the more we like. 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc. House. $9.50/12

Mouton Cadet Bordeaux 2006 – France

We know we’re biased against most Bordeaux wines – both red and white. We love French Burgundies (again, both red and white), but can’t seem to warm up to Bordeaux. This Mouton Cadet has been around for decades (and we hadn’t had a bottle in many years), and is known as an inexpensive, reliable entry to red Bordeaux blends (most often primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc – in that order). Reliable? – maybe; Inexpensive? – yes; Good? – not in our opinion. This seems like just another Weak Red Wine. Nose is pleasant, with some plum and hints of seriousness. But the tastes go downhill from there – watery, little fruit, no depth or even hints of elegance. Maybe it will go better with pizza tomorrow night. [It didn’t.] No. $9 on sale, $11 usually.

Wines for Comfort in the (Financial) Storm

It’s coming up toward the season for holiday dinners, sharing wines, and watching your portfolio’s meltdown. To help you make it through the financial storm, especially at this time of year, we present our suggestions for the best Financial Comfort Wines. These are wines that are soft and soothing, yet are also affordable (especially affordable). They have some depth to them, much more so than light, fruity, summer sipping wines. All are readily available and under $10 (either regular retail or so frequently on sale that you shouldn’t have any problem finding them for less than $10). Even an inexpensive wine can make you feel rich, or at least happy. (We have previously reviewed many of these wines – see our archives for specific reviews.)

REDS
Columbia Crest Syrah – Washington
Fruity, smoky, goes down easy.

Ravenswood Zinfandel – California
Full, dark, spicy, and fruity.

Red Diamond Syrah – Washington
Plums, black cherries, depth.

Bernard Griffin Cabernet-Merlot – Washington
Filling to go with winter stews and chilis.

WHITES
B&G Vouvray – France
A white with weight, but lots of character.

Columbia Crest Pinot Grigio – Washington
Fresh, yet depth to match with food.

A-Z Pinot Gris – Oregon
Smooth, easy drinking, but firm structure.

SPARKLING
Cristalino Rose Cava – Spain
Not big, not serious, just fun.

Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – Washington

A curious wine. When we like a wine from a winery we don’t know much about, we usually try other wines from them also. We really like Red Diamond’s Syrah, so decided to try this Cabernet Sauvignon. This has a nice, smoky, fruity nose. But then the tastes come on very soft, with some plum notes, almost like a Merlot, and it finishes with a bit of dry tannins. To test our taste buds, right after this bottle we opened a Columbia Crest Merlot-Cabernet, and the two wines tasted darn near identical. Maybe. $8 on sale, usually 12.

Beringer Founders’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 – California

Smoky blackberry nose. Wonderful clear, deep red/purple color. This Cab has meaty tastes, firm tannins, and lots of oak. Not too well integrated, a little harsh. Maybe. $8 on sale (usually about $13).

Columbia Crest Merlot Cabernet 2002 – Washington

Black cherry, blackberries, plum. Smooth, nice, but not much character. To us, more Merlot-style than Cab (actually, it’s 52% Merlot, 28% Cab Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc). Maybe (and we’re not giant fans of Cabernet or Merlot). $6 on sale (usually about $8).

GraEagle Red & Enchiladas

WINE
GraEagle “Red Wing” 2004 – Washington
The first taste is a quick blast of green pepper (not unpleasant). This wine then mellows out to just another red. Some nice solid acidity. Not bad, but just nothing special. A red blend of 49% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 39% cabernet franc. This was a gift, and we haven’t researched the price (wouldn’t that be unseemly?), so without that guidance, we’ll stick with a Maybe. (As we've said before, our "ratings" are value dependent -- a wine might be a "Yes" at $10 but a "Maybe" at $20.)

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. The 2005 vintage of this wine received a 91 from Wine Spectator.]

DINNER
Green chili & cheese Enchiladas, with creamed spinach topping.

Rose, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel & New Year’s Eve Dinner

DINNER
East African Peanut Soup and South African Curried Parsnip Fritters
These are variations from recipes in an old Time-Life “Foods of the World” cookbook. Hearty, spicy, excellent for a cold New Year’s Eve.

WINES
Aperitif
Nathanson Creek (Sebastiani) White Zinfandel NV – California
This just can’t be a 4-dollar wine. It isn’t some syrupy sweet factory white Zin; it’s almost like a continental Vin de Pays rose. Nose of papaya and strawberry. Crisp tastes of kiwi and mild raspberry; even a little acid, and not at all sweet tasting. At this price, it’s a House wine for sure.

Dinner wines
Narrow Gauge Inn Cabernet Sauvignon 1992 – California
A friend had given us this bottle a few years ago, with the caveat that it might not be good anymore. He was right. This had turned completely. So...
Narrow Gauge Inn Cabernet Sauvignon 2000 – California
We had another more-recent bottle that we were holding, so thought it best not to hold any longer and try it now. It was already getting old, but still drinkable. Earthy, leather, woody, with obvious oak and integrated tannins. For us, it was still unfortunately a No wine, but then it takes a special Cabernet to get us excited. Price on these two unknown as they were gifts. Both were “special bottlings” for the Narrow Gauge Inn hotel outside Yosemite, from the Guglielmo winery. And then...
Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch 2005 – California
We had this as our ultimate backup wine. (Francesca just couldn’t get into the Cab at all.) This isn’t one of our top Ridge wines, but to us any Ridge is better than most other reds. A Yes/Maybe for this specific Zin. About $25.

Chateau Peyraud Bordeaux & Scallops

On July 22, 2007
WINE
Chateau Peyraud 2003 (Bordeaux, France)
We found this inexpensive Bordeaux blend in our local wine store. Pretty good for a cheap French Cabernet/Merlot blend (we imagine, the label doesn't specify). Tastes of spice, blackberries, some weight and tannins. Not too well integrated at first, but rounded out a bit after it had been in the glass for awhile. A Yes/Maybe wine. $13.

DINNER
Scallops pan braised in a sauce of sake, olive oil, sweet red pepper spread. With Saffron rice on the side. Big red wines aren’t “supposed” to go with delicate foods like scallops. So what? We enjoyed the combination.

Carlson Syrah/Cabernet & Beringer Chenin Blanc & Tuna

On July 20, 2007
WINES
Carlson Cougar Run Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 (Colorado)
Ken was into a red tonight, so had this chewy Cabernet/Syrah blend (much more on the Cabernet flavor side, to me). Firm tannins, almost a Bordeaux style, but not as smoothly integrated. A Yes/Maybe wine. We got it at the winery at a closeout price, but more recent vintages should retail for about $14.

Beringer Chenin Blanc 2006 California
Francesca finished the rest of a Chenin Blanc we’d opened a few nights before. We think Chenin is a hugely under-appreciated grape, in any of its forms (it’s also the Vouvray of France) and wherever it’s from (South Africa is getting known for Chenin). That generally makes it quite affordable. This Beringer has some definite softness, but is still good with food. It’s also an excellent “adult Kool-Aid” summer sipper. Feint notes of pear, with a floral overlay. A Yes wine (almost a House wine at its price), about $6-7.

Wine note: We generally find that opened but unfinished white wines seem to keep just fine in our refrigerator for several days.

DINNER
Tuna steaks pan braised in a sake-wasabi sauce. Asparagus with a gorgonzola-thyme cream sauce.

Food note: The “wasabi” found in delis and most Japanese restaurants (even some supposedly very good ones) usually isn’t the real stuff. It may have some horseradish powder and green coloring, but it’s not the real deal. Authentic wasabi can be found in some Japanese food stores and through sources online.