Beringer White Merlot 2007 – California

Continuing our Summer Lightweights Series....

We didn’t really know what to think about this. We actually like Beringer’s White Zinfandel, and had suggested that wine to Francesca’s mother. But being 80-something, she couldn’t remember exactly what wine we told her about, so she bought this instead. In the spirit of research we, too, had to try it.

Bright color, nose of red fruits. Tastes of rhubarb, raspberries, and strawberries. A little drier than the White Zin. We don’t think this will be on our go-to list, but it ain’t bad, either. Your parents or grandparents may love it. Maybe. $6 on sale, regularly about $7.50.

Beringer Sparkling White Zinfandel NV – California

This tastes just like... sparkling white Zinfandel. Nose of strawberries and a bit of melon. Tastes of apricot and strawberries. Definitely some sweetness, with coarse (rather than fine) bubbles. Nothing to write home about, but if you like California white Zin, you’ll probably enjoy this. Yes for Francesca, Maybe for Ken. $8.50 on sale, usually $13.

Sea Ridge White Zinfandel 2006 – California

We never know what to expect from a $5 wine (which is probably why we seldom buy them). We just bought this blind, because we actually like white Zins (if they’re not syrupy sweet); and because we just sometimes try something for no particular reason. Poured into the glass, this has a peach/pink color – sort of like the old, original “flesh”-colored Crayons. The nose is quite light, with hints of peach, apricot, and strawberry. The tastes are quite nice with peach, papaya, and a touch of strawberry. This is pleasant, light, with a slight acidity that keeps it from being KoolAid. Yes/Maybe (at the price). Still, we doubt we’ll go out of our way to buy this again. $5 retail ($4.50 on sale).


BACKGROUND NOTE: From everything we can find, Sea Ridge was an independent winery on the California coast in the 1980s and early ’90s. It seems it’s now a label of Bronco, and sold in Safeway stores. Bronco also makes the (in)famous “Two Buck Chuck” (aka Two Buck Junk).

A 2004 Wine Business magazine article says: “[Fred Franzia, owner of Bronco and creator of Two-Buck] also seems mystified that more groceries don’t emulate Trader Joe’s. ‘How can any major grocery chain not have a wine that competes with Two Buck Chuck?,’ he asked. He said that Bronco’s Sea Ridge brand, which is sold in Safeway for $4.50, sells for about the same at wholesale as [Two Buck Chuck], so Safeway could sell the wine for $2 and still make a profit.”

The implication being that Two Buck Junk sells for about $1 wholesale. As does, apparently, this Sea Ridge White Zin. Draw your own conclusions.

Wines of the Year

We thought we’d jump on the end-of-year bandwagon, and offer our top new wines we enjoyed this year.

Grgich Hills Fume Blanc 2006

Cathedral Ridge Riesling 2007

d.A. (Domaines Astruc) Shiraz/Viogner 2006

Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 Rose 2007

Columbia Crest Vineyard 10 Rose 2007 – Washington

A nice new addition to our Rose list. This wine, “mostly Syrah,” shows what a good American Rose can be. Wonderful fruity nose of strawberries and raspberries. Deep color – almost so dark pink it looks artificial. The tastes are strawberries, raspberries, and watermelon. Dry yet full. House. $6 on sale, usually about $11.

Cambria Vin Gris of Pinot Noir 2007 – California

Beautiful rose red color. Bone dry. This is a food wine, not an aperitif sipper. It has a feint nose of strawberries, and tastes of pansies, pomegranate, maybe a little apple and dried flowers. As much as we generally enjoy most Cambria wines, this is only a Maybe. $11

V. Sattui White Zinfandel 2006 – California

V. Sattui is the ultimate height of Industrial Wine Tourism in Napa. A huge tasting room, tour busses in the parking lot, a giant cheese and gift shop, picnic tables on the lawn. Although we had enjoyed Sattui wines in the past, we needed to get out of this DisneyWine experience as soon as possible. We quickly bought a known-reliable White Zin to take with us to lunch (at Jack London State Park, not at SattuiLand). Nose is (surprisingly for a white Zin) distinctly of melon. The tastes are peaches, strawberries, a tiny bit of sweetness, and a tiny bit of acid. This is totally a picnic sipper, and well done. Yes. About $11-12

Loxton Rose 2007 – California

We really wanted to like these wines a bit more than we actually did. We did like the Loxton wines, but we were hoping for just a little “more” from this winemaker who grew up in an Australian wine-growing family. The wine opens with a mild floral and berry nose. The tastes are quite dry, almost like a French vin de pays. This is nice, but just not a “lot” of anything. It’s to us a bit better slightly above refrigerator temperature. Yes/Maybe. $17

White Zinfandel/Chardonnay & Garbanzo Chimichangas

WINE
Beringer White Zinfandel & Chardonnay 2006 – California
This is Beringer’s “new” white zin – an 80/20 blend of zinfandel and chardonnay. It retains the wonderful strawberry nose. It’s darker pink than the regular white zin (odd, as it’s blended with a white). Deeper tastes, strawberries, and not quite as soft as the regular white zin. The Chardonnay gives it some weight and depth. House/Yes. $7.50

DINNER
We made Garbanzo Chimichangas, adapted from Horn of the Moon cookbook. The light Rose wine went well with them.

“Go With Anything” Wines

Are there wines that can truly go with anything? Within reason, we think it’s possible. The wine would be white or rose (pink, blush, whatever you want to call them), have some acidity, and just the barest touch of sweetness. These wines won’t necessarily be the “best” with certain foods, but we think they can go with anything – steaks, burgers, asparagus, artichokes, salads, fish, shellfish, even some cheeses. (To us, that may actually be the toughest “go-with-anything” challenge. We think most cheese needs a completely dry wine, but try some of our following ideas and see what you think.) So, our choices for wines that you could take to a dinner where you don’t know what’s being served, or wines to have on hand just in case you can’t think of what to open with a particular meal.

• Beringer White Zinfandel
• Cristalino Rose Brut Cava
• Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

If you can’t find (or don’t like) these particular wines, look for something similar – any Spanish Cava, a dry-ish Rose, a not-too-sweet Riesling. You might also experiment with Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, or maybe even a light-weight Pinot Grigio.

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 Ste. Michelle Rose 2006 - Washington

Chateau Ste. Michelle Dry Rose 2006 Nellie’s Garden Columbia Valley (Washington)
Floral, rose notes on the nose. A fizzy strawberry taste, but not sweet. A Maybe for Francesca; a No for Ken. $7-10 (we don’t remember).

Pahlmeyer Chardonnay, Ridge Chardonnay, Kenwood Pinot Noir Rose & Scallop Salad

On July 27, 2007
WINE
“Jason” (Pahlmeyer) Chardonnay 2004 Napa Valley (California)
Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay Home Ranch 2002 (California)
Kenwood Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Rose 2005 (California)

We had dinner at friends, who are also wine lovers. Leah (with Perry’s help, of course) made seared scallop salad. Perry supplied a Pahlmeyer Chardonnay, from one of the “cult” Napa wineries. This was a big (although not as big as the “regular” Pahlmeyer Chard – Jason is the second label from the winery) California Chard, full of oak, buttery tastes, baked apple. Very well integrated. A Yes as a Special Occasion wine. Pahlmeyer wines are generally only available to the mailing list and at some restaurants. Jason has a wider distribution and is available at some retailers. $30-40.

We brought a Ridge Chardonnay – one of the few whites that Ridge makes. (Interesting that both we and our friends felt that a Chard would work well with scallops.) The Ridge had a nose of mushrooms and earth, and tastes of mushrooms, some dark pear/apple fruit, and a nice layer of minerals. As with all Ridge wines, this seems very well integrated. Yes as a Special Occasion wine. About $30 when we purchased it.

The Kenwood was a nice sipper with appetizers. Just plain pleasant. A Yes wine. Price unknown.

DINNER
Bruschetta appetizer, with seared scallop salad. Dessert of Haagen Dazs ice cream (lazy we were).

Buehler White Zinfandel & Crab

On July 11, 2007
WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNER
WINE
Buehler White Zinfandel 2005 (California)
This white Zin is drier and less fruity than the Beringer we reviewed on July 5. It is well integrated, with mild notes of Zinfandel’s signature tastes – blackberries, spice – but very smooth and light. No oak or tannins, obviously, yet a little acidity. A Yes wine. $8 retail in our area.

DINNER
Puerto Rican Crab, with fried Plantains on the side.
(For an overview of our “Wednesday Night Dinners,” scroll to the bottom of these posts.)

Columbia Crest Shiraz & Beringer White Zinfandel & Chili Casserole

On July 4, 2007
WINES
Columbia Crest Shiraz Two Vines 2003 Columbia Valley (Washington)
Ken went with a red. This is already one of our House Wines – affordable, quality wines we turn to on a regular basis. Plum, dark cherry, a bit of spice, and nice fruit. Even a nice mildly tannic finish. About $10.

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This wine in the 2004 vintage received an 86 from Wine Spectator.]

Beringer 2006 White Zinfandel (California)
Still another House Wine. Francesca turned to this to accompany our dinner. White Zin gets a bad rap, but this is a fun, fruity, soft wine. Strawberries on the nose and palate, a bare hint of acidity, but mostly pleasant softness that goes well with spicy food. About $7.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNER
(For an overview of our “Wednesday Night Dinners,” scroll to the bottom of these posts.)
Francesca lost (won?), so she cooked a Green Chili Quinoa Casserole. Excellent layers of taste, with tortillas, quinoa, tomatoes, green chili, cilantro, and cheeses. Both wines went well with the dinner.