Today we are going to do a wine review for a wine that you cannot buy at the market or the store. It is not under nine dollars like some the wines we have talked about in the past. My In-laws live in Temecula, CA which has a number of wineries, which means we spend a lot of time out here visiting.
Being a lover of wine, we have visited a number of the local wineries to see what they had to offer. In general I would say that the wines of this region are hit or miss. There are a lot of big commercial wineries here and their grounds rival anything I have ever seen in terms of beauty. But those big wineries just don’t have the consistent quality, especially within a reasonable price range, that we are looking for.
But there are small wineries in this region that seem to put all of their effort and emphasis on the wine instead of the Marketing.
Baily’s winery one of those wineries. And I can honestly say that I put my money where my mouth is in this case because we have been members of this winery for some time now.
2011 Malbec Review
I have always likes the Malbec Grape, it’s a varietal that can be drank by itself but is definitely more at home with a nice piece of meat. My introduction to this varietal was during my trips to Argentina and Chile. The former being the epicenter of the varietal in the modern era.
When I first saw this bottle I was a bit skeptical / snobby. I had never had California Malbec that I had really liked and didn’t think this would be any different. Boy was I wrong!
The Nose
- The Nose has an interesting mix of strong earth tones with a deep rich berry note
- You get full experience right out of the bottle, the nose is just as consistent on the first pour as it is 30 minutes later on the decanter
Tasting Notes
- The overall taste of the wine is dry with but very smooth
- The berry flavor you get in the nose translates to smooth subtle blackberry jam flavor. It is not in your face however and the traditional Malbec Tannic dryness subdues the berry flavor.
- You get a slight hint of the berries but it is by no means a fruit bomb.
Pairs well with
This wine begs to be paired with a nice big steak or other piece of meat. It also pairs fabulously with smoked foods.
I highly recommend trying this bottle out. It’s not too expensive, about $25 for the bottle and it is well worth the price of admission.
You also couldn’t be buying from a greater group of people. The winery is full of friendly knowledgeable people. Here is the link where you can check them out.
If you buy it, let me know what you think!
Wines under Nine – Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc
Today we are going to talk about our second entry in our Wines under Nine series, the Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc hailing from Marlborough New Zealand.
The Sauvignon Blanc’s are a light crispy and refreshing varietal that are easy to drink and perfect for a hot summer day.
The Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc is one of my favorite examples of this varietal regardless of the price. When you consider its price tag of only $8.99 it’s an absolute steal.
Here are some the characteristics to look for you drink it:
- The nose is clean with strong citrus characteristics
- Your first taste will definitely present those citrusy flavors that you smelled but there will an almost “grassy” flavor as well.
- The finish is crisp and clean without the tannic aftertaste of something like a big red wine.
- This wine doesn’t need a ton of time to breathe to get the best possible flavors. It’s going to be pretty much good to go as soon as you open the bottle.
- As with any white wine, I prefer to drink them chilled.
- This wine pairs best with fish but we have also paired with poultry to good effect.
- Like the Peachy Canyon before it, this wine is remarkably consistent. We have also been drinking this one for years and have always enjoyed it.
I typically purchase this bottle from Trader Joes but it is also available in local super markets here in southern California. If you can’t find this particular bottle, I highly recommend experimenting with other Sauvignon Blanc’s from the Marlborough New Zealand area. They all have a similar citrusy flavor which I think that you will enjoy.
We have tried several bottles from the region and even though we think the Nobilo is the best bang for your buck, they have all been pretty good.
If you do pick up a bottle, let us know what you think!
Thanks for reading.
Wines Under Nine – Peachy Canyon Incredible Red Zin
Today we are going to be talking about wine.
I want to start by saying that I love wine, probably as much as I love food. The problem with drinking wine is that it can become a very pricey proposition. Don’t get me wrong, I indulge from time to time and when you taste a really high end wine you understand exactly why the bottle costs what it costs. Frankly, it’s no different than going to to a high end steak house and getting a perfectly aged steak and really enjoying it.
But most people cannot go to a high end steak house every day or even every week. The same goes with high end wines. Most of us aren’t consistently drinking $50-$100 dollar bottles of wine. Heck, most of us aren’t even spending $20-$30 dollars on wines we would consider “Daily Drinkers”.
So my friends and I came up with the wines under nine challenge. The premise is simple, find a good drinkable wine for under nine dollars. At this price point, many of the wines are just not going to be good at all. These are the diamonds in the rough, the wines that give the most bang for the buck.
Don’t expect these wines to be on par with with good high end wines (Notice I didn’t say expensive wines because expensive is not always good). What you can expect are very tasty wines that won’t break bank. They are great as daily drinkers or as bottles that you can get for a party or event.
Peachy Canyon Incredible Red Zinfandel
For those of you that have not had a Zinfandel but have had other red wine varietals think of this Grape as happy medium. It’s not light and delicate like a Pinot Noir but it’s also not as bold or tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon or Petite Sirah. This makes it a very versatile wine because it’s bold enough to be eaten with almost any meal yet it’s mellow enough to have without food.
The Peachy Canyon Incredible Red is a fine example of a good Zin. Here are some of the taste characteristics you can expect when you drink it:
- The nose is very jammy with a strong berry characteristic
- When you you have your first taste, the berry and jammy characteristics are very much present. Think a mix between raspberry and blackberry.
- It is full bodied with medium amount of tannins
- I recommend you let the wine breath for a while, it will be much smoother drinking about 15-20 minutes.
- Lastly, the biggest selling point for me about this particular bottle of wine is that it has remarkable consistency. My friends and I have been drinking the Incredible Red for years and it’s always been good. That is why I didn’t include the vintage year in my review.
If you are looking to purchase a bottle, we typically get it from Trader Joes for 8.99. Our local markets in Southern California typically sell it for the same price.
I strongly recommend you pick up a bottle, try it for yourself and let us know what you think!
Thanks for reading