Legado Muñoz - Garnacha (2009)

Legado Muñoz
Garnacha
Vino de Tierra de Castilla - Bodegas Muñoz - Noblejas, Toledo, España (2009)

Smooth and silky. First breath is of sweet hillside jasmine. On the tongue, there is a sharp fruit forward meeting, followed by a mellow velvety violet edge. Lovely.

Señorío de los Llanos - Crianza (2006)

Señorío de los Llanos
Valdepeñas - Crianza
Denomin. de Origen, Bodega los Llanos (2006)

A good basic table wine that did not disapoint. Built on a Tempranillo, it shares its slightly acidic character.

Monasterio de las Viñas - Garnacha, Tempranillo (2009)

Monasterio de las Viñas
Garnacha, Tempranillo
Campo de Cariñena, Aragón, Spain (2009)

Robust, nascent character with slightly higher acidity. This wine has a lovely purple to red colour, reminiscent of a fine velvet. Its bold fruit captured the sentiments of the evening well.

Raimat - Abadia (2006)

Raimat
Abadia - Crianza
Codorníu Winery, Penedès, Spain (2006)

Loads of blackberry, cherry, and licorice. This wine is simply devine (even better is the 2005 vintage!).

Its medium to full heavy weight paired very nicely with our ragu. This wine has a lovely rich red colour and a smooth finish. It is more concentrated compared to other Riojas I have tasted.

Conde de Caralt - Vendemia Seleccionada (2008)

Conde de Caralt
Vendemia Seleccionada - Tempranillo, Garnacha & Monastrel
Catalunya, Spain (2008)

Nice blend! Lightweight, fruity, and aromatic. Not too acidic after decanting.

Don Simon - Tempranillo (2009?)

Don Simon
Tempranillo (Seleccion)
Tierra de Castilla, Spain (2009?)

Fruity and aromatic, this tempranillo was a nice little wine. Easy, smooth, and tasty.

Solepeñas - Tinto (2009?)

Feliz Solis - Solepeñas
Tinto - Vino de Mesa
Andalucia, Spain (2009?)

A little table wine picked up at the grocery store. I was not expecting mucho, but how I underestimated table wines in gereneral in Spain. Even the inexpensive ones are worth mentioning! This one is a traditionally made table wine and has the typical dark red colour and medium bodies red-fruit. In particular a little grenadine. It went well with fish, cheese, and salad.

Campo Viejo - Tempranillo (2009?)

Campo Viejo
Tempranillo, Rioja (Denominacion de Origen Controlado)
Logrono, Spain (2009?)

Undated bottle of wine I picked up at the grocery store in Jerez de la Frontera. Worth every Euro I spent on it, and more! Rich, ruby red wine with great legs. Dry and fruity it paired very well with a local goat cheese.

Domaine Drouhin - Pinot Noir (2006)

Domaine Drouhin
Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA (2006)

Sharp nose after pouring that soon mellowed out into a lovely combination of cherry and sassafras. It continued to be bright, lush, and round, exactly as was anticipated. Very lovely and very easy to love.

Concha y Toro - Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc (2005)

Concha y Toro
Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, Private Reserve
Do. Maule Valley, Chile (2004)

Rich golden colour and very bold sweetness to the nose after pouring. The first sip is like smooth liquid amber, like a succulent, sweet and juicy fruit dipped in honey. It burned the insides of my stomach and my mouth begged for more. Full-bodied, sugary, and complex - good late harvest consequence.

Domaine de Villeneuve - Chateauneuf-du-Pape (2004)

Domaine de Villeneuve "Les Vieilles Vignes"
Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Appellation Chateauneuf-du-Pape contrôlée)
Domaine de Villeneuve, Route de Courthezon, Orange, France (2004)

Full strawberry nose on opening this bottle - divine! Full, robust, great legs, and great longevity. Complex layering of fruit, earth notes, and slight spice, this wine is definitely reflective of the price tag ($$).

We enjoyed it this evening with boeuf bourgignon, artichoke risotto, cheese, and salad.

I was saving this wine for a special occasion, and I am very glad I did. It was worth the wait, and the investment.

Coron- Beaujolais nouveau (2009)

Coron Père et Fils
Beaujolais nouveau
Nuits St-Georges (Côte d'Or), France (2009)

This year's Beaujolais nouveau was released yesterday, an event many have been anticipating for weeks... or in some cases, since the Beaujolais nouveau (2008) ran out last November.

This year's vintage is rich and red in colour. The signature Beaujolais nouveau trait of banana can be detected immediately, at first whiff. The wine is light and sparkly to the tongue, and as it rests light apple and ruby red fruits are detectable. In comparison, the 2009 has less banana, but more fruit than the 2008.

Quite enjoyable!

McWilliams - Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

McWilliams
Cabernet Sauvignon
Hanwood Estate, South Eastern Australia, 2006

I found this wine to be lightweight throughout. I chose it to accompany a homemade chili, and it did not overwhelm nor did it get overwhelmed. Lots of blackcurrant, with a hint of vanilla and an easy oak finish.

Las Moras - Tannat (2006)

Las Moras Reserve
Tannat
San Juan, Argentina, 2006

It starts lightly, with lots of fruit, and eases into a sweet, silky, and woody, but slightly spicy finish.
A subtle but deep wine. Tannat is a new grape on the scene and I am enjoying discovering it more. In this wine, I loved the balance between woody and fruity.

Joie Rosé (2008)

Joie Farm
Rosé
Naramata, BC, 2008

A lovely, crisp, and refreshing rosé from the Naramata bench in British Columbia. This wine is well-balanced, not too acidic, with a clean fruit finish. Old-world stylings in the blending make it an easy and not too complex wine to pair.
One of my favorite wines this summer.

Château Aydie - Tannat (2005)

Château Aydie
Tannat
Vignobles Laplace, Madiran, France (2005)

Dry start that quickly evolves into a dark sensuous fruit. This Tannat has all the character and elegance of the grape, with the slight French zing. Best decanted and let to breathe for the best body.

Gabarda - Rosado Seco (2006)

Gabarda
Rosado Seco
Spain (2006)

Dry, crisp, and fruity rosado seco. Ruby red in colour, this rosado mixes the body of a red wine with the lightness and sparkle of a green wine. Pairs very well with salad, fruit, and cheese. Delightful chilled, less-so warm. Perfect for summer.

Brumont - Tannat-Merlot (2005)

Brumont
Tannat-Merlot
Vin de pays des côtes de Gascogne, France (2005)

Light, full-berried wine. Simple at first encounter, but mellow, warm, and smooth with each additional. The merlot adds much to the body and berry (cherry), but the Tannat, a grape local to the Gascogne region of France, keeps the wine feeling like smooth silk on a warm summer's eve.

Barefoot Cab-Sauv (2007)

Barefoot
Cabernet-Sauvignon
California (2007)

Lovely mellow and curvy wine. Gold-medal winner at the World Wine Competition (2007), this laid-back west-coast wine is presumptuous enough to challenge the European Cab-Sauv combinations, and come out neck-and-neck.

Rich and full bodied Cabernet combines with luscious berry to produce a very easy and pleasant wine to drink with many dishes.

Caracter - Argentina (2008)

Caracter
Chardonnay-Chenin
Argentina (2008)

A surprisingly delectable wine made of equal portions of Chardonnay and Chenin grapes. First impressions were of pear and crisp apple, followed by a hint of herb and tropical fruit.

Made in Mendoza region of Argentina, a region more well-known for its full bodied reds, this was a lovely summer delight.