2006 Chiusa Grande Tommolo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Ahhhh...housesitting again in the Gorge. No commute, no working on the house, no weeding. Time to sit back and update my neglected blog. I have five wines to post about, a Spanish Mourvedre, a Pinot Gris from Alsace, a...wait a minute. My notes. My notes are in Portland. I finally have a second to write and left all my notes on the coffee table in the living room. Welcome to my life.

No worries! I went grocery shopping before my stay out here and picked up a few bottles. First up the 2006 Chiusa Grande Tommolo Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from, yes, Trader Joe's. $4.99.

Montepulciano is a grape native of the Abruzzo region of Italy. Not known as one of the top wine producing regions in Italy, Abruzzo produces very food friendly, accessible wines. Just what I need to pair with my Italian Sausage sandwich and unobstructed view of Mt. Hood.

My nose in the glass I got kind of a dough smell, and sausage. Like..pizza. Maybe I'm just hungry. Nope. Maybe it's the glass...nope. An interesting nose. After a little air I can pick up some cherry and..violets? Maybe not violets. What is that flower. I have to be honest, after weeding every flipping thing that grows out of the ground smells the same. By product of Spring in Oregon. Grass, tulips, Iris, dandelions. Everything. Very light and clean, tart cherry, nutmeg and cinnamon, soft tannins. The label proclaims it's "Made with Organic Grapes", after a little research I discovered this winery also practices bio dynamic farming. Easy to drink, non-offensive table wine. Hmm. One for the cellar? No. Not really. Worth the five bucks? Definitely.

Le Ferme Julien Rouge 2007

Has it been a month? Really?

I'm sorry. Really, truly five followers of this blog. I am sorry I have neglected you. I work at a winery. Some months are painfully slow. Others, like wine club shipment month, can be a bit hectic. Add on a 144 mile commute each day and it's all I can do to keep my eyes open, let alone blog. The next two weeks will be spent house sitting for a lovely couple who happen to live a 1/2 mile from where I work as they vacation in Mexico. I hope to update this more frequently than once a month. I also vow with the new found three hours a day I have, to purchase more wine out side of "Trader Joe's"

You don't want my excuses, I know. You just want to know what, or what not to purchase.

"La Ferme Julien Rouge 2007"

I know I said Rhone and I were on a break. My name is Sara and I am an addict, ok? My cart filled with fresh fruits and veggies, brown rice, salmon..oh what the Hell? A Rhone blend for $5.99? Fine, whatever. I bought it, ok?

Classic Rhone table wine. 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Carignan and 15% Cinsault.

This is not offensive. This wine is a second label from from French winemaker Francois Perrin. It has bright fruit and cracked pepper on the nose. It's young and tight, but opened up a bit after an hour of leaving the screw cap off (yes friends, the screw cap). It reminds me a lot of the Rhone Wine with the chicken on the label, who's name escapes me at the moment. The wine I would drink in Jersey when I was feeling less than flush with cash. (I googled it, La Vieille Ferme). It tastes almost identical except there is a goat on the label, not a chicken. Barnyard animals aside, it's an easy drinking, every day table wine with bright raspberry and spice notes and soft tannins. Would I serve this at a dinner party? No. I'd pour Syncline Wine Cellars Mourvedre (one case left- jump on it). However, with a tomato and basil sandwich after a long day of wine club shipments? Yes yes yes.