You know you’ve experimented. It’s a way to discover what you like. And what you don’t. What makes you happy. What satisfies your soul. It’s how you know when you’ve found the one. The one that makes you say, “Sorry, I’m with Cabernet.” When you’ve met the love of your lie, is there really any reason to keep looking? (Back label of Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon)

Monogamy or promiscuity…at some point we are all faced with the question of which way we should go. Now with wine the question comes up again.  Recently while shopping at my local market I came across an interesting bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Many of you know that I haven’t really been a big fan of Cabs but my heart is starting to soften for them as of late because I have been introduced to some really delicious ones Monogamy Cabernet Sauvignon, I must admit, has found it’s way into my heart and onto my wine rack.

The name was the first thing that caught my eye but I must admit it was the back label (seen above) that made me purchase this delightful vino. This wine is an arranged marriage of 88% Mendocino County Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot. Although the marriage is arranged the couple honeymoons last longer than most Hollywood marriages. You see French and American oak barrels are the honeymoon destination for this couple and it last for 14 months.

After honeymooning for over a year this couple produces a wonderfully smooth texture of plums and herbs. A warm toasty finish also awaits you. Truly, madly, deeply…whether you are a Cabernet lover or not you will fall in love with this wine and perhaps the idea of monogamy as well.

However, if you are content of not settling dow  maybe promisQous is more your speed. Although I have not yet tried any of these wines yet I am told that they are also extremely good. PromisQuous are red and white blends and at this time they offer  a Pinot Grigio, a white table wine (blend of Chardonnay, Chenin blanc, Gewurztraminer and other white varietals) and a red table wine (blend of Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah and a mixture of other red varietals).

If any of you have tried the promisQuous brand please comment here on the blog and let me know what you think. Also click on the Monogamy link in the first paragraph and take the quiz to see which wine will be suit your personality. Are you into monogamy or promiscuity?

Finally, below is a video from fellow wine blogger, The Wine Whore, with some comments on Monogamy. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on these wines as well.

Gainey Limited Selection Chardonnay Label

This past Saturday, after running numerous errands in the summer heat of the San Fernando Valley, I decided a nice refreshing glass of chilled white wine would be the way to relax and coast into my evening. As most of you know, I prefer red wine to white, but I love being introduced to a delicious chardonnay, sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio. In May we took a little trip to the Gainey Winery and while there we bought a few bottles of Gainey’s 2006 Limited Selection Chardonnay. As members of their wine club, we also just recently received 2 bottles of their 2007 Limited Selection Chardonnay. Nonetheless, I decided to chill the 2006 bottle and was extremely I happy I did.

In February 2009 “The Wine Enthusiast” gave Gainey’s 2006 Limited Selection Chardonnay 90 points and I can really see why. This has got to be one of the best tasting chardonnays I’ve ever had. From the Gainey Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley, the chardonnay grapes for this wine were grown on the Evan’s Ranch, which is located on the western end of Santa Ynez, the cooler side of the valley.  The 2006 grapes took their time ripening because the weather was cooler than usual. Because of this the grapes had a much more intense or concentrated flavor.

Chilled Glass Chardonnay

The first pour of this wine is fragrant with smells of peach, pineapple, mango and Golden Delicious apples. Although this is a full-bodied chardonnay with crisp acidity, the texture is buttery and creamy smooth. The taste…awww the taste, reminds me of tropical paradise with strong hints of pineapple and peach. Finally the wine lingers with a soft, smooth finish. Chilled, this wine is definitely one to be poured on a hot summer day. It will make you forget about the heat in no time.

Gainey Winery should definitely be on your list of to dos if you are traveling to Santa Ynez Valley’s wine country. If you don’t have plans to travel there soon  you can  certainly order wine via their website or check your local wine shop. The 2006 Limited Selection Chardonnay retails for about $38.00 a bottle and is worth every penny. Please check it out.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly.

As stated in the video sulfites have been added to wine for many, many years. Sulfur dioxide or as it is commonly known, sulfites, is a preservative that prevents bacterial growth as fermentation occurs as well as prevents oxidation or the browning of wine. However, sulfites are not just found in wines. They are found in a variety of other foods including dried fruit, dehydrated potatoes, pizza dough, onions and even seafood (shrimp and lobster). Sulfites are even added to some medications to maintain stability and potency. 

The Food and Drug Administration requires that packaged food labels disclose information when sulfites are presence.  The law also, requires that a sulfite warning label be added to any wine containing more that 10mg/L of sulfite made or sold in the U.S. All wines have some degree of sulfite in them and winemakers often add more during the wine making process. Sweet dessert wines have the highest level of sulfites in them. Dry red wines typically have the least amount. If a wine has less than 1mg/L of sulfites it can actually state “No Sulfites” on it’s label. This is usually an organic wine that you can find in a natural food store. One thing to keep in mind is that if the wine has a very low amount of sulfites, as in organic wine, then it’s shelf life will be much less than wines with higher level of sulfites. On average U.S. wines have about 80mg/L of sulfites , which is about 10 mg per typical glass.

Adding Sulfite to Wine

So What is the Big Deal About Sulfites?

It is estimated that one out of a hundred people are sulfite sensitive or have a sulfite allergy. The FDA requires doctors and pharmaceutical companies to report adverse reactions that occur as a result of taking a particular drug, however, the reporting of events from sulfite or food ingredients is voluntary, so it is really hard to say how many people may be at risk. For people with sensitivity or allergies, exposure to sulfites in their food or drink can cause a severe reaction which left untreated could prove to be fatal. According to Ron Simon, head of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California, “most rapid reactions occur when sulfites are sprayed onto foods or are present in beverages, but the most severe reactions occur when sulfites are constituents of the the food itself.” 

What Are the Signs & Symptoms?

Diagnosing sulfite allergies is very tricky. It can be triggered at any point in one’s lifetime and the mechanism by which the reactions occur is unknown. People with asthma and weakened immune systems seem to be especially at risk. Some of the symptoms include:

Nasal congestions

Skin flush

Nausea

Abdominal Pain

Broncho-constriction

Dizziness

There is much debate of over whether headaches associated wine drinking is really due to sulfites. Most say that it is not. To test this out it is often recommended that a person who thinks they are getting headaches due to the sulfites in wine eat dried apricots. Dried apricots have about five to 10 times more sulfite than a glass of wine. There are a few reasons why people may get headaches after drinking wine including, high alcohol content, cheap wine or dehydration. You should drink a glass of water for each glass of wine you have. 

Without sulfites we could be left with brown, spoiled, disgusting wines, so give ‘em a break. However, if you really think you are having a reaction to sulfites please make an appointment with an allergy specialist. If you develop breathing problems or airway constriction, please go to your local emergency room immediately.

As always remember to drink responsibly.

Dolomites Alps - Italy

The Italian Dolomites, a section of the Alps, is well-known for skiing in the winter and hand gliding in the summer. It is also recognized for great wine that is produced there. Although the Dolomites spans three Italian provinces  (Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen and Trento), it is the Trentino region that is home to Mezzacorona, makers of a fabulous Pinot Grigio. If you truly want a refreshing glass of wine on a hot day this is one to try. 

Trentino Region

The Trentino region is known for it’s Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio and Mezzacorona is the largest Italian producer of these varietals. Using only the grapes they grow, Mezzacorona produces a very high quality, straw-colored Pinot Grigio. Its light, crisp, fruity taste makes it great choice with white meats or fish. However for optimal flavor this wine needs to be served extremely chilled. When that is done you will have a refreshing experience.

Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio

My first experience with this wine was a few years ago at a restaurant in the Valley called Toast. The restaurant has since gone out of business but this delicious wine has remained a constant with me. As you may remember, I am more of a red wine lover than a white wine lover. However, this  wine meets my definition of a jackpot, not just for the elegant taste and aroma but because of it’s availability and price. Imported by the Prestige Wine Imports (PWI), you can actually find this delight in your local supermarkets (in California) and it retails for around $10.00 a bottle. A true steal. Pick up a bottle tonight and feel that touch of mountain freshness in every sip.

We took a trip up to the Santa Ynez Valley on Saturday to visit some vineyards and do a small amount of gambling. Our stops included the Kalyra, Rideau and Gainey wineries as well as Chumash casino. Today’s blog will give you a little insight into our experience at Kalyra. I will blog about the other vineyards and Chumash over the next few days.

I was concerned about going on Saturday because the sky was cloudy and there was mention of rain (something rare in Southern California). I was also a bit fearful that the weather around Santa Barbara would quite cold. However, the day turned out to be absolutely lovely. The sky was blue and the temperature was in the 70′s. A great day to go wine tasting.

The Ambience

 Our first stop on our adventure was the Kalyra Winery tasting room. Immediately we find it small and a bit crowded. The decor was a sort of tiki style which I assume is to pay homage to the owner who is from Australia. The tasting bar takes up a large part of the room but upon entering we find it a bit confusing on how to get started. We eventually noticed the cash register at one end of the bar and went over to pay the $10.00 per person tasting fee. The tasting fee included six traditional wines and two dessert wines. After paying we obtained our glasses (which were ours to keep) and the cashier began to pour our first taste right there at the register. This was also quite disturbing because as other people came in they were trying to inch their way in to pay as well. We eventually moved to the opposite end of the bar to gain more room and access a spit/dump bucket because there wasn’t one on our end.

The Whites

Our first taste was of the 2007 Kalyra Sauvignon Blanc. It was agreed that this wine was bland and weak. There really wasn’t anything exciting about it. Next on the list was a 2007 Chardonnay (Unwooded) which is fermented in stainless steel. Again, there really wasn’t anything great about this wine either.

The final white of the traditional wines was the 2007 Riesling. I actually found this wine okay (not great, but okay). As I have mentioned before I am not a big fan of sweet wines and this one was only mildly sweet. It was still a bit weak though. It is almost as if their white wines are watered down.

The Reds

I was beginning to think that this winery just didn’t produce good wines until we got a taste of our first red, a 2006 Sangiovese. It had a very deep and dark fruity taste. This wine definitely grabbed my attention and made me rethink the winery. Next was special wine they called the 2005 Kalyra MC² Blend. This wine is 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a very deep berry taste with a bitter chocolate finish. Although the guy pouring it said this is one of their better wines I really wasn’t that impressed with this blend.  The final red at Kalyra was the 2002 Barossa Valley Shiraz. Although bold this wine had a full berry and spice flavor with a very smooth finish. It definitely made me appreciate a red in their portfolio.

And for Dessert

The two dessert wines poured included the 2007 Viognier Sticky Wicket and the Kalyra NV Black Muscat. We found both of the dessert wines to be quite tasty. The Viognier had a surprising honey flavor with hints of citrus and pear. This seemed to be a favorite of most the tasting participants. The Black Muscat is  fortified with brandy early in the fermentation process giving it a very strong and sweet flavor.

Overall the Kalyra was a bit of a disappointment. The tasting bar was crowded and a bit disorganized and the wine just wasn’t that appealing. Although there were a couple of decent wines at Kalyra there were no jackpots. As always this is only my opinion. I encourage you to try it for yourself. I would appreciate hearing any of your comments.

Next blog…I will share with you our experience at Rideau.

The Vinturi wine aerator allows you and your wine to breathe a bit easier. Gone are the days of having to put wine into a decanter to open up the aromas and flavor. Today most red wines  can typically aerate in 15-20 minutes. Young wines with high tannins, however, will take longer. They may need to breathe for up to an hour.Now you can cut the breathing time of most wines down to seconds by using the Vinturi aerator. The great device makes the wine experience even more special by allowing the bouquet to blossom. It also makes the flavor more pronounced and softens the tannins providing a smoother finish. When I first head about the Vinturi I must admit  I was skeptical. After trying it, I am sold. 

This little device is magical.  Because of it’s design air is mixed in with the wine while pouring it into the glass so it aerates in just a matter of seconds.To use the device simply hold it over your glass and pour the wine through it. Once you taste your wine you will never want to drink without the Vinturi again.

Not a red wine fan? That is okay because now there is a Vinturi for white wine also. It’s been a longstanding myth that you don’t have to air white wine. White wine, when aired, also produces a rich aroma and enhanced flavor. The Vinturi for white wine looks similar to the red wine aerator. It is, however, designed a little different in that the air to liquid ratio has been altered because white wine doesn’t need as much air as red. The results of the white aerator are the same as the red from what I am told. Those individuals I spoke with said they could really see a difference in their white wines as well.

Both aerators can be purchased for around $39.99 at Crate & Barrel.  A must have for all wine lovers, this little device is definitely a jackpot.

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Most people who know me know that I favor red wines over white. I love great zinfandels, syrahs, and even merlots. That is not to say that I don’t enjoy white wines. I do like them but there has to be something extra special about them.

A couple of years ago a co-worker of mine gave me a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc for my birthday. I thanked her graciously as any co-worker would and took the bottle home. Because it was a white wine I put it in the fridge when I get home so that it would get a nice chill. However, I didn’t drink it for several weeks because it was, of course, a white wine. More than that it was a sauvignon blanc and I really hadn’t found one of those that I was crazy about.

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At the end of August, we decided to go to Vegas. as we do most years. When we returned I realized that we were running low on red wines and remember that I had this bottle of sauvignon blanc in the fridge. I decided to open it and serve it with the dinner I was making that evening. I was quite surprised with this wine. Its intense, vibrant flavor was quite refreshing. For those of you who don’t know it is usually quite hot in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles in September. This crisp, chilled wine actually hit the spot and  made you forget about the heat, as well as any other stresses of the day. The taste is of citrus (i.e. grapefruit & lime) as well as a bit of herb makes it extremely refreshing.

  The aroma is very bright and cheerful. For some reason when I drink it reminds me of Hawaii, even though it is a New Zealand wine. I have definitely found this wine to be a jackpot and have bought it for numerous friends. The flavor is unbelievable and it retails for a mere $12.99 to about $19.99. This wine is delicious all year long but in the heat of Southern California summers it is absolutely a must have. Go out and pick up this gem…summer is on the way!

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As a young adult I remember being told by a slightly older lady that a woman should always keep a little black dress in her closet for that “special” occasion. To this day I still follow that advice and have that special little black dress that has come in handy for many types of events 

About a month ago, the term “little black dress” took on a different meaning for me. You see, it was then that I discovered Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio. Although light, this wine makes a lasting impression on you with its clean citrus flavor. Chilled, this wine goes well with a variety of foods or stands alone as a refreshing drink on a hot summer day.  Like that little black dress in your closet, this wine with its floral aroma and hints of tangerine and orange goes well with any special (or not so special) occasion.

Little Black Dress Pinot Grigio is fermented in 100% stainless steel which brings out it fruity flavor.  This wine is primarily made up of the pinot grigio grape. However, two other grapes give it special character…the muscat and the viognier.

The muscat grape is one that even when fermented still gives off the smell of fresh grape. It can also smell of roses. Muscat in the LBD gives it a spicy kick.

Muscat Grape

 The viognier grape gives this wine its floral component. This is a difficult grape to get right as it doesn’t age well. The original home for this grape is in northern Rhone.

Viognier Grape

The combination of these grapes with the pinot grigio grape make a fabulous wine that you can enjoy for a relatively cheap price.

Pinot Grigio

 This wine retails from about $8.00 to $10.00 in your local supermarket. Pick some up today. And for the guys out there, remember women aren’t the only ones who should have this Little Black Dress in their closets (wine closet that is). You’ll enjoy it too!

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This evening my husband and I attended the Louis/Dressner Portfolio Wine Tasting held at the Woodland Hills Wine Company in Woodland Hills, California. This was a unique event for the WHWC. It was a casual walk-around tasting where you met some of the finest winemakers from Europe. Included below are the producers who attended:

Francois Pinon – Vouvray

Luneau-Papin – Muscadet

Franck Peillot – Bugey

Terres Dorees – Beaujolais

Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes – Beaujolais

Domaine Marechal – Burgundy

Azienda Agricola Montesecondo – Toscana

Campi di Fonterenza – Montalcino

Occhipinti – Sicilia

Eric Texier – Rhone

Vittorio Bera & Figli – Piedmonte

Chinati Vergano – Piedmonte

Each winemaker poured two or three of their wines for tasting. There were several good wines among these and a few not so great wines. Three wines that stood out for my husband and me this evening. The winner for me was the Campi di Fonterenza – Montalcino 2006 Sangiovese IGT. For those of you unfamiliar with the Sangiovese, it is a red grape grown primarily in Tuscany, Italy. It is Italy’s most planted variety and creates the framework for many Italian wines including Chianti and Carmignano. Of all the wines I tasted this had the most elegant flavor. It is age for six months in a stainless steel tank and then for six months in Slovenian oak barrels. The fruits of this wine come alive as you inhale its aromatic bouquet. This wine is medium-bodied but has a rich flavor unlike many European wines. It retails for about $30.00.

My husband’s pick of the evening was the Chianti Classico by Azienda Agricola Montesecondo – Toscana. This was somewhat shocking to me because this is a quite a robust wine and my husband tends to like a sweeter flavor. I thoroughly enjoyed this wine and we both agreed that it would serve well with a nice pasta dinner. It had a very rich flavor but was smooth at the end. This is definitely one for the wine cellar. Retailing for about $28.00, it is definitely a good buy.

Our final pick was quite surprising for me because I am not a lover of sweet tasting wines. However, we both found the Moscato d’Asti by Vittorio Bera & Figli – Piedmonte quite refreshing. Today was an unusually hot day in the area we live in so this chilled and moderately sweet wine really hit the spot. The hint of orange and melon provided you with a sense of relief from the 100-degree temperature. Its crispness almost made you feel as if you were not drinking wine but instead a sparkling ade.

Overall this was quite an interesting tasting. I have tried French wines on several occasions but never really find one that excites my palate. French wines tend to be a bit to smooth and mellow for me. When drinking wine I like a little excitement on my taste buds. However, I will continue to try them. The Italian wines really were the jackpots for my husband and me this evening. So much so that we definitely made a few purchases before leaving. If you get an opportunity please tastes the wines I’ve mentioned here and let me know what you think. Also, check out the Jackpots & Craps sections on this blog and see which wines made the list.

Until the next time…Ciao!