Wine Witch – Fantastic, Affordable Wine Suggestions

Archive for September, 2007

Got to admit, except for the very high end restaurant, the formal title of sommelier seems to be disappearing. I do recall a very odd experience at a Chinese restaurant, barely a step above takeout, that had a dude running around with a cup on a chain around his neck, but that is probably a whole other story for another day. Read the rest of this entry »

Rosemont Diamond Label is a widely available brand from Australia.  I tend to favor their reds over the whites.  With Shiraz associated with Australia, it is natural that they do this one well.  A good, everday pizza kind of wine.

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Shiraz is a big wine, but this Columbia Crest is a really big wine.  The color is very deep and inky as you would expect.  The first impression in the nose is balck cherry followed by a bit of pepper.  This is a very jammy flavored wine and feels very plush in you mouth.  The black cherry predominates, but there is also a background of raspberry. 

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Ok, I know – a really bad pun, but I couldn’t resist.  I have already shared some thoughts on my favorite while varietal, Sauvignon Blanc, so I thought it time to move on to some musings on reds.

Syrah or Shiraz is the same grape.  In France it Syrah and makes some of the big red Rhones that they are famous for.  The Australians, just being cheeky by nature, call it Shiraz.  Lately the U.S. producers seem to use the names interchangeably. 

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The happy, playful monkey on the label is a good indication of what is inside.  This is one in your face Sauvignon Blanc.  I think it will be hard to be indifferent to it.  You will love it or hate it.  I am in the love it camp.  It just makes me smile.  If your idea of heaven is big oaky Chardonnay, this may not be the wine for you. 

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This wine is the favorite of my daugther in law.  We turned her on to New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and this one quickly rose to the top of her list.  I like this wine a lot, but when it comes to N. Z. S. B. I am not always looking for subtle.  I want it to come out swinging from the first sip.  See some of my other reviews for wines that fall into this camp.

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I am approaching this post from a particular bias.  Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite white varietal.  There is such a range of flavors you can get from this grape – from grassy to lush tropical fruit to lively critus.  What most of them have in common is that they are very fresh and approachable.  However, if you are new to this grape, picking out a bottle from the hundreds of choices out there can be a little overwhelming.

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I am approaching this post from a particular bias.  Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite white varietal.  There is such a range of flavors you can get from this grape – from grassy to lush tropical fruit to lively critus.  What most of them have in common is that they are very fresh and approachable.  However, if you are new to this grape, picking out a bottle from the hundreds of choices out there can be a little overwhelming.

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The Red Bicyclette label is from France. Of all their offerings, I like the Rosé the best. In the glass the color is a pretty vibrant pink. You definitely get a whiff of the strawberries and raspberries that you want from a Rosé in the nose. This wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault so there is some complexity to the taste. On the dry side but the berry flavors are definitely there. I would call the mouth feel medium – it is not whimpy.

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First of all, you gotta love a wine with a name like that – Goats do Roam – Cotes du Rhone – get it?  This is a label from South Africa that bottles most of the major grape varietals.  My favorite is the Rosé.  The wine is very consistent from year to year, so the only thing that counts is that it is young.  Remember wines from the Southern Hemisphere are 6 months older than those from California or France.  The seasons are opposite so they harvest in the Spring.  I would look for the 2005 or 2006.

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OK, as I have stated Wine Witch is a very democratic community and there are no rules about what is right or wrong in the wine you choose.  If you like it – drink it!  However, I am the head witch and pretty opinionated about what I like.

I have to confess that I am not a big fan of White Zin.  To me it tastes a lot like wine cooler.  It is pretty and very easy to drink, and for many it is their first introduction to the world of wine.  A wine palate is developed over time.  My husband and I thought we were pretty sophisticated  when we used to drink Lancer’s Rose back in the day before White Zin was developed.  We bought a bottle several months back for old times.  It went down the drain.  Our taste buds had moved on.

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