New Years Greetings...to all of you.
I hope that you had a wonderful Holiday Season.
Ellen and I spent the holidays on Thetis Island under a blanket of snow. Kelsey and Monica came over for about 5 days around Christmas. We had a fabulous time together, cooking, baking, exercising, tasting wine, polar bear swimming and...get this, watching the first season of 24. Kels had started watching the series when she was in Montreal earlier in December...Ellen and I haven't watched the series...and now we are all hopelessly hooked...
On another note I have started a wine course at the Art Institute in Vancouver. I have been to two evening classes and am finding it so interesting. In learning all the nuances of wine making, tasting, wine regions, and wine varieties one gets an appreciation of how little one knows of this huge world wide industry...It has been a truly fascinating experience...More to come as I learn more...
For those of you who missed it...I have posted my recommendations on a blogsite at www.winerush.blogspot.com go take a look...
Now on to the wines...All these wines are readily available in BC and the US and are all under $11 Canadian.
I have departed slightly from some of my requirements for the first two wines from BAREFOOT. There is no score or vintage...Having said that, I believe that currently there is good flavour and value, for those of you looking for an inexpensive sipper...
BAREFOOT PINOT GRIGIO, California
Price: $9.99
Score: N/A
Year: N/A
Remarks: Recommended by the Wine Guys (James & Kenji) in their recent book 'had a glass, top 100 wines for 2009, under $20', (please see photo below of the cover). '...a vibrant pear skin and apple swigger with an easygoing finish. This is fun, accessible wine at a very accessible price, a winning combo every time', and is perfect with poultry, seafood, fresh veggies, mild cheeses and Asian cuisine
BAREFOOT CHARDONNAY, California
Price: $9.99
Score: N/A
Year: N/A
Remarks: Ellen loves this inexpensive mid-week Chardonnay, and I tend to agree with her. 'Medium weight, creamy texture, tropical (pineapple) fruit complemented by fresh Fuji apple with sweet vanilla aromatics and is perfect with seafood, poultry, fresh fruits, white sauce pastas and mild cheeses.'
FINCA LOS PRIMOS. Malbec 2007, Argentina
Price: $10
UPC: 07790703167195
Score: 87/100; 89/100 Wine Access
Remarks: The tannins are soft, the textures supple. This is a category champion at Wine Access Magazine's International Value Wine Awards. 'Another good value from Los Primos. This is simple straight up Malbec with primary black cherry, savoury aromas and a warm soft slippery palate. More smoky black fruit with bits of liquorice and tobacco. An inexpensive party red that delivers vintage after vintage.'
CASTILLO de MONSERAN 2006 Garnacha, Spain
Price: $10.99
UPC: 3378630306227
Score: 87/100 for the '04 and '05 vintage. 89/100 for the '06 vintage from Wine Access.
Remarks: 'Much like the previous version this grapey garnacha with the aromatic nose makes the most of its 50 to 100 year-old fruit, from Cariñena, Spain. Soft fruity meaty spicy black fruit flavours come with a dash of acidity at the end. This is an easy sipping red made for hamburgers, beef ribs, and or chicken'. This wine also is a category champion (red single varieties) at the Wine Access Magazine's IVW Awards. 'The garnacha (grenache) grape here is ripe and sun drenched, but still stays remarkably fresh. A spring-like bouquet that blends black cherry and raspberry, dark flowers, all macerated in eau-de-vie, with a refreshing mineral quality. A river of kirsch flowing over a rocky bed. It's light and delicate texture contrast nicely with a long and persistent mix of wild berries and a hint of black liquorice, with just enough tannin to allow it to work with a number of possible plates. Serve it slightly chilled'. Great value...
This is a delightfully helpful wine guidebook...for $19.95. It has great sections on tasting, buying and enjoying wine as well as a recipe section and recommendations for over 100 wines.
Enjoy...
Keith
