Wine of the day!

Alright! New wine today... :D

Todays wine is Old Vine Red. Lot Number 55, California Red Wine, Bottled by Marietta Cellars.

Smell: Oaky with a light fruit note. Very light and fragrant. Beautiful and simple. Fruity and jammy.

Taste: Wow jamborie goodness! Lovely balance of jammy goodness and light oak finish. I dare say that I could drink the entire bottle in one sitting if I wasn't careful.

Think I've found my new favorite wine, actually... This one is probably better than the Gnarly Head Red Blends or Klinker Brick Old Vine Zins...

Very tasty goodness!

The label on the back says:
"Old Vine REd is a proprietary red wine made to replicate the field blends of many of the old vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Predominantly comprised of Zinfandel, Old Vine Red is characterized by intense spicy aromas, bright fruit, and a solid structure. Since 1978, this wine has been the 'red house pour' in many fine restaurants across the nation."

Woo! That is some good stuff! Okay... I'm doing feeling pretty good now, so I think I'll have some more wine and eat some dinner. Yep yep!

Wine of the day!

In wedding planning, I've decided that to make it special, I'm going to add a few little special touches instead of going over the top and making it some sort of fete or gala or something else equally ridiculous.

So, I'm going to get some really good wines. Today I went to the local liquor store (Liquor Mart) and picked the brains of the assistant wine manager. I picked up four bottles to start. Tonight, I'm trying the first one.

Oraison, a Cotes-du-Rhone wine from Vin De La Vallee Du Rhone. Made in 2009.

Smells very soft and clean, especially for a red. There is an underlying jam scent with a lilt of spiciness. Its very inviting in its soft scent, which makes the taste an even bigger surprise.

The first sip is very peppery mid-tongue. The scent carries up through the taste a hint of fruit. There is a lingering body throughout my whole mouth. A nice meaty red that has enough complexity to give up a little more flavor with every sip. This is the kind of wine that could hold its own against a serious steak or a heavy Italian dish.

The label says:
"This rich and round Cotes-du-Rhone wine is made from Grenach (80%), Shiraz (10%), and Mourvedre (10%). It is produced on one of the best pebble terroirs of the Rhone valley, where poor soils and strong Mistral wind naturally concentrate the grapes. With flavors of black cherry, thyme and cinnamon, this wine pairs perfectly with cheeses and red and white grilled meat. *In French, Oration means prayer"

I feel like the pepper outweighs the fruit, but after 1/2 of the glass, its a lot easier to taste the black cherry and cinnamon. The thyme is harder to pick up, but it could be what I'm tasting as the pepper note.

Good all around. Would be better with a steak or heavier meal, I think...
Still like Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin better. :D