Wow. I'm kind of a loser

I have three empty bottles in front of me.

Pierre Sparr Pinot Gris- Alsace, France

Altos De La Hoya Monastrell- Jumilla, Spain

Oreana Winery ?- Santa Barbara California

These are three bottles I had saved because I wanted to blog about them. When I had time.

Right.

I have time, and guess what?! I've lost my notes. Just three empty bottles on top of my refrigerator.

#1. I would not have kept the empties if they weren't worth writing about.

#2. I'm sure they were good.

#3 I'm a little depressed my best friend's nephew did not win American Idol. (Adam Lambert, I'm sorry. David Mitchel, go celebrate anyway)


#4 Tonight I'm drinking a Condesa De Sarabella Garnacha 2007


Is ok. $4.99 at Trader Joe's. After a few hours of decanting it's quite good paired with Iberico Cheese and Cibatta. No nose. Sorry, but I could not get any distinct..anything. "Dull Strawberry" is what I wrote down. I'm not sure what "Dull Strawberry" is. Tasting is something a bit more. Strawberry, Apple, Cranberry maybe? Very soft and supple, surprising for $4.99. Didn't WOW me but drinkble and much, much better than most wines I've found in this price range. The wines I've been too lazy to write about. Those. wines. The wines that didn't make the empty bottle on top of the fridge.

Must. Blog. More.

2006 Chariot Gypsy

$5.99 From Trader Joe's.

Shall I say $5.99 from Trader Joe's on Super Bowl Sunday. (Go Pittsburgh!). Yep, stood in line 20 mins for this wine. Stood behind some jack ass who decided that 30 mins before kick off on Super Bowl Sunday was the right time to return the box of granola bars he had purchased earlier.

It's times like this the East Coast ire tends to rise up.

I am practicing being a loving, giving, patient person. In Portland it's ususally easy, there are moments though, like today, being a Steelers fan stuck in line at Trader Joe's. desperate to get home to watch the kick off with a purchase of cheap red wine. Getting stuck behind "let's return granola bars" man. There was no swearing, no punching in the face. Though had I still been living in Hoboken in might have ended differently.

I digress.

Bright, fun nose. Cherries Cherries Cherries! The drinking companion argued. "Strawberry". I told him after I write this I would google it and see what the consensus was. Er. Cherries.

This is light and fruity. Cherries and smoke. It's a blend, but I am unsure of what it is. Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Syrah, Merlot maybe? Whatever it's worth the $5.99. Granola man or not.

Steelers !!!

Les Caves Joseph 2006

Bordeaux picked up at Trader Joe's for $5.99.



I had very low expectations for this wine, after our Burgundy experience. Honestly though, it was not that bad. I'm not sure that is a technical wine description, "not that bad". It's true though, my first thought was "Not that bad". I have had so so so much worse.

60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dry haystack nose, a little rust and band-aid. Currants and smoke, very balanced but not too exciting. For $5.99? This will definitely be a standard in the "cellar" (read, kitchen) for when guests drop by. Paired very well with the bread and beer cheese we had with it. I have to admit I was a little depressed after reviewing this wine. Oh how the mighty have fallen. But! Steak, Baked Potato, Les Caves Joseph..as Willie Wonka once said "eh".


Not too bad for a $6.00 Bordeaux. Not great, but not too bad.

Blason De Bourgogne, Cuvée 2007

In a word. No.

We've been snowed in for days here in Portland. The drinking companion and I managed to venture out yesterday not because we were stir crazy, or out of food.

I was out of wine.

Trader Joe's is the closest market to us. As he stocked up on "essentials" (bread, milk, eggs..whatever) I wandered over to the wine section. When what to my wandering eyes should appear? A Red Burgundy for (gasp) $7.99. Doesn't quite rhyme. Doesn't quite taste good either.

I love Burgundy.

The drinking companion has never had a Red Burgundy. I've often mentioned the absolute heaven and joy that is a French Pinot Nior to him, teasing him with a Gevrey-Chambertin or a Nuits-St-Georges every time we're in a wine shop. You know, the wines I'm not writing about, because well..we can't afford them now, can we?

If you are introducing someone to Red Burgundy for the first time, this would not be the wine to do it. It's like introducing someone to internet dating and bringing home the psycho woman who lives in her parent's basement.

This wine is thin, like skim milk. "Strawberry Kool-aid" the drinking companion stated. My first thought was an old Peanuts cartoon where Charlie Brown (or maybe it was Linus?) mentioned the hot chocolate he was drinking tasted like "water with a brown crayon added to it." This was water with a red crayon. Sour strawberry, tart, no finish. In a word, icky.

Luckily, Trader Joe's also had a Bordeaux...