Learn How To Easily Find Wines Of $50 Quality For $10 Or Less. Impress Friends With Your Expanded Wine Knowledge. Eliminate Your Dependence On Wine Salespeople. And Take The Hassle Out Of Buying Wine.
Earn $6.17 / Sale! %75 Commission! The Ultimate Resource For Anyone Who Wants To Learn How To Make Outstanding Wines & Spirits From Their Very Own Home!
This is another amazing wine from Rosenblum. This single vineyard Syrah from Lodi is just plain wonderful!
Deep black cherry hue with a bouquet of pure black cherry, cola, mint, and baker's chocolate with sweet banana chip notes--I kid you not. Wow.
Palate--Elegant tannins with a rich velvety texture bursting with berries, berries and more berries all integrated splendidly. This was GREAT with my venison roast and even at $25, it was a real treat and a value! Raise a glass!
The best kinds of cheap wines are the kinds that have a rich story behind them. Well, The Tillerman White wine brought to you by the Hook & Ladder Winery certainly fits the bill. At first glance this wine label made no sense to me… Hook & Ladder? The Tillerman? After doing some research, I feel enlightened knowing the origins of this fine cheap wine, so I’ll share:
The owner of the family-run Hook & Ladder, Cecil De Loach used to be a firefighter! “Hook and Ladder” is just another name for a firetruck. And The Tillerman is guy who drives the back end of a firetruck. A firefighter and a wine-maker! What a life!
I sampled several bottles of The Tillerman White, and I am glad I did. Not being a fan of white blends with a lot of oak, I enjoyed everything about this wine. The peach/apricot aroma was the most prominent feature of this wine as it approached my nose. The wine was very dry, tasty, had an awesome finish. Just a perfect all-around table wine. For about 16 bucks or less, this Sonoma County wine is a steal. If you see it in your supermarket, snatch it up! I look forward to trying some of their many other varietals. This same vineyard, the Russian River Valley produces Chardonay, Gewurztraminer, White Zin, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the “Third Alarm” Reserve Chardonnay. Oh, how I would love to visit the vineyard one day. Rating: 9/10 - Excellent! The only reason I’m not giving it 10 is because I promised my readers “cheap wines less than 15 dollars” and this wine retails for 16. Look around though, I’m sure you can find a good deal! Even if you can’t, it is worth the extra dollar.
Extra Info:Hook & Ladder - Founded in 2004 2027 Olivet Road Santa Rosa, CA 95401 phone: 707-546-5712
Nose: creamy sweet lemon custard aroma Palate: very dry, sprightly citrus with robust acid for strength and structure. Finish: lively finish of green grass that is over too quickly.
Overall: I am blown away by the quality of this Australian Riesling. I paid 6 dollars for this on sale but it usually doesn't go for more than 12. This is an excellent value white. Absolutely brilliant in its simplicity which adds elegance. Perfect for parties and entertaining.
Mr. Ramsay is not actually in residence at his latest London venture, the York & Albany, but the place has all his hallmarks: professionalism, attention to detail and tweaks of idiosyncrasy.
Rutherford Ranch 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon $20-ish Wine label said: At Rutherford Ranch we work hard and we work smart to bring you the best values in Napa Valley wine. We strive to create wines with fresh aromas, rich flavors and a smooth balanced finish. Each wine expresses the honest flavor of grapes grown in the Napa Valley. WebWino & [...]
I tried writing this post with a catchy title, woven with news and personal observations. But it just wasn?t quite right. Too many ingredients on my plate. So let?s try again.
The Italian wine trail has taken me to the Hill Country of Texas this week, from Temple to San Antonio, to New Braunfels to Driftwood to Austin. I?m ready to be back home in my own kitchen, in my own town.
After some days in California, where the best food I had was sushi, I found myself in Italian restaurants this week. One was for a dinner meeting with Andrew and Maureen Weissmann, who are opening an Italian place next year in San Antonio. They get it.
Unfortunately the restaurant we were at, the folks in the kitchen were trying to impress him. So they sent out plates that were jammed with too much information. Gnocchi with tomato sauce and fava beans and cheese and, and, and. Like the chef at the table said, ?Just keep it fresh, simple and sourced from a quality place.?
And it is that simple. If only folks in the kitchen would get out once in a while and see what the rest of the world is doing.
Italy is constantly being caricaturized, whether it be our food, our wine, our song, our legends. And the Italians who came to America starting 100 years ago, wanting to please their new parent country, bowed and bent and danced their little jig until now what they are presenting as Italian is barely noticeable. We had quite the conversation over a bowl of ragu this week, in the home of a recent-return from living in Italy, one of the best meals I?ve had this month. But our discourse took us over the laundry list of excuses restaurateurs use to explain why they can?t cook like mama did at home.
?Our customers want more food on the plate.? ?They ask for more garlic, we don?t want to use that much.? ?We have to give them a side of spaghetti; they?ve come to expect it over the years.?
And on and on.
Odd, when I talked to chef Weissman ( at the place with the swollen plates), he simply said ? I will do it as I feel it needs to be done. I know I can?t go wrong if I stick to the truth.?
This week we had lunch at a pizzeria napolitana, the owner sat down with us. But before he did we ate. I ordered a pizza with prosciutto and arugula, one of my favorites. As the pie was being set before me I picked up a scent of truffle. From an early experience with white truffles in the 1980?s ( I basically OD?d on the smell of truffles from driving them around in my car for two days, selling them) I have an aversion to them. Or rather, I have a loathing for truffle oil that doesn?t use good quality truffles or oil. And then some kitchen cheerleader bathes a dish in the stuff, making it stink like a Virginia City whore.
My dining partner saw this look on my face. I know he was just a little bit worried. Here we are in an important account, and I'm showing phenolic pain on my face. But then a waft, the angels tail, floats up and whispers in my ear, ?give it a try, make sure.? Two wonderful things happened. It was real oil, real truffles, and it was applied with a deft touch. Perfetto.
After, we?re sitting around the table tasting and talking with the owner, Doug Horn. His place, Dough, came out as need for him to deliver a product that in Italy is basic, wonderful and a necessity. And yes, I?m sure from time to time he gets folks coming in looking for a double cheese pizza with extra pepperoni. But then he gets the wandering pilgrims who just want to dip their hand in the holy water, genuflect and get a moment away from the endless missionary work.
His list is 100% Italian wines. He gets it too.
So San Antonio has hope. Austin, in this moment, under the uber-microscope of authentic Italian-ness, let?s say we need a dose of Speranza's to rouse them from their deep freeze. But that was then and times have changed.
Exactly! Times have changed. So why the big plates and the 5 times mark-up on wine and too much garlic and overcooked pasta with too much going on in the bowl? Why are we still settling for salmon and short ribs as something quintessentially Italian?
Let me say this, to anyone who have scanned down this far on the post: If you are in the wine and food business, tear out a page from Andrew Weissman?s play book, ?just keep it fresh, simple and sourced from a quality place.? You can?t go wrong if you stick to the truth.
"Ohh, there must be some easier way for me to get my wings."
How could I omit the two intelligent value Godello picks? I chose these two because they convey distinct interpretations of the variety, in spite of the two D.O.?s not being terribly far apart. Taste them together to see the immense differences evident in each Godello within what would amount to a short bus ride from Bierzo to Valdeorras. It?s quite hard to argue that neighboring wine regions cultivating the same variety aren?t little miracles, with this sentiment growing even more potent for the wine lover within single vineyards with many producers, though that?s another topic altogether.
Enjoy this, one of many examples of all new things Spanish that will slowly become more prevalent in the U.S. market over the coming six months or so?Godello.
Before I forget, speaking of the next wave of imports from Spain, if you haven?t been paying attention to Telmo Rodríguez in the past few years, I would try his Godello and watch this video. Aside from being a fascinating Spanish entrepreneur, he exudes passion for well-crafted, regional wines. The video is eight minutes in length, though for some reason, it winds up being 3 and change. Nevertheless, listen to Mr. Rodríguez introducing his wines on a recent visit to Toronto?s Lifford Wine Agency. In essence, he is responsible for affordable little masterpieces from various Spanish D.O.?s. His progressive outlook in terms of production methods is matched by an ability to reinvigorate production of traditional varieties in the regions where he owns vineyards. This in turn, yields intelligent value wines from various Spanish D.O.?s that much like Susana Balbo?s wines in Argentina, seem to be produced in a manner which never sacrifices regional character for novelty or the wrong type of market's tastes. What with how things are going nowadays in the wine business, what a refreshing point of view!
Los vinos: 2007 Pilgrim Godello Bierzo D.O.
This wine is clean, pale straw and unassuming at first sight. The nose is vibrant, driven by wild flowers, citrus, treefruit and stone minerality. Complex mouthfeel, with a crisp, racy shot of acidity (pink grapefruit), alongside rich treefruit and distinctive mineral notes.
This wine is produced by Viñedos Agribergidum in Bierzo, located at the westernmost outpost of León bordering Galicia. The Godello vines are an average of 40 years old, with the variety purposely farmed to very low yields.
Imported by Beacon Wine Company. 2005 Gaba do Xil Godello Valdeorras D.O.
A really nice pale gold in the glass. The nose is clean and pronounced, with perfumey floral element, lush green pear, peaches, honeydew melon and touch of sweet spice. Complex but never overwhelming medium-bodied white with great balance of ripe fruit flavors and medium citrus acidity. Love the soft spice undertones that follow the lovely fruit into the aftertaste.
California study theorizes that antioxidants and resveratrol in red wine may cut down on cancer risk...
A daily glass (or two) of red wine may reduce the risk of lung cancer in men, particularly in smokers, according to research published in the October issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
Smokers suffer from an especially high risk of lung cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, 213,380 new cases of lung cancer were reported in the United States in 2007, with 160,390 deaths, making it a leading cause of cancer death in the country.
With the huge popularity gain for wine in the past five years, one could wonder if a recession in the wine industry is looming.
Much depends on factors in the grand scheme of things. The once-booming housing industry created much wealth for a lot of Americans, but a recent downturn in home sales has created a large-scale semi-panic in the mortgage and banking industry. The stock markets have been shaken by the idea that mortgage companies are virtually disappearing overnight. This has put into question the stability of the biggest banks, and what their exposure to these smaller (defunct) companies has been.
The wine industry is based much on excess wealth. Wine is seen by many, not as an essential, but as a luxury item that would be cut out of a budget if tough times arose. A recent look at distribution and retail inventory levels showed a large glut, sometimes in excess of 200 days worth of stock.
The ever-popular Pinot Noir seems to be immune to this kind of chatter, however. Spurned to new heights of acceptance by the movie Sideways, the "heartbreak grape" seems to be an indespensible red... a must for any cellar or pantry. The next couple of years will be crucial to the industry at the retail and restaurant level.
Another summer is quickly coming to an end, and I hope everyone got a chance to visit their favorite local vineyard for a tour or a wine tasting. The highlight of my summer is always being able to visit the northern Michigan wineries. This summer, I got a chance to go up to the Leelanau Peninsula several times, and each time was memorable.
Leelanau Cellars is, by far, my favorite place to visit up north, especially because of the tasting experience. You don’t feel limited of how many wines you can taste, and the staff working the tasting room are VERY knowledgeable and friendly. I left with about 16 bottles of wine the last time I visited! If you are looking for some odd fruit wines, this is the place to go.
The wine: I shared a bottle with my new roommates in Grand Rapids. All three of us loved it.
Matt: “Delicious with chips and dip” Casey: “It would be a good winter wine. Surprisingly smooth!”
I enjoyed this 5 dollar bottle of wine with a thin-crust pizza and it was great. The wine was rich, and had a lot of flavor. I could taste the typical hints of cherry that most Michigan wines boast.
Summary: Great job, Leelanau Cellars! I look forward to coming back next year! Rating: 9/10 - Excellent! Price: 5 bucks Winery Information: Leelanau Cellars Leelanau Wine Cellars 12683 E. Tatch Rd (County Rd. 626) Omena, MI 49674 (231) 386-5201
…Ok, well my mom anyway. I for one, am not a fan of half the pompous, skinny tie types littering up the well these days. I prefer someone who doesn’t judge and knows when to push another cocktail on me. …WITHOUT regaling me (nay, really just them) with tales of their molecular gastronomic experiments with [...]
A big, full-bodied, expansively-flavored, traditionally made Gigondas is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, and 10% Mourvedre. Abundant herbes of Provence, heady, peppery notes are accompanied by sweet kirsch liqueur, plum, and fig characteristics. Dense, medium-bodied, and ripe. Nice, pure, plum-cherry finish.
Based at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail , its vines rising up the south west facing slopes, the Domaine des Bosquets encompasses 26 hectares at the heart of the appellation of Gigondas. This is one of the wines produced by the Brechet family
Score: 9/10 Price: ?18 Retailer: Somewhere in Marseille
ALL right, class, summer vacation is long gone and school is well under way, but I?m forced to interrupt our curriculum for a quick review session.
Why is this? Because it?s come to my attention that a crucial word in the lexicon of Italian wines has fallen by the wayside.
That word is aglianico, which, just to be clear, is pronounced ah-lee-YAHN-ee-koh, and which is the name of the leading red grape of southern Italy.
Yet the entire category of aglianico wines seems to pass unnoticed by most people, which is a shame because they have so much pleasure to offer.
...
For years, the aglianico torch was largely carried by two producers, Mastroberardino in Campania, best known for its Radici from the Taurasi zone, and Paternoster in Basilicata, which has long made exemplary aglianicos from the volcanic soils of Mount Vulture (pronounced VOOL-too-reh). Now, dozens of producers export their wines to the United States. Sadly, we couldn?t find wines from some of the top producers, like Paternoster, Antonio Caggiano and Galardi, which makes Terra di Lavoro, as close as an aglianico wine comes to cult status.
Itching to try the latest flavor rage in wine coolers? It came to my attention recently that many people don?t know that wine coolers are simply flavored malt liquor. It surprises me even more that that info itself doesn?t seem to mean much to many people. What?s wrong with pina colada flavored malt liquor wine coolers? Well, nothing, unless you want to drink more than one or two. If you?re anything like me, more than one or two wine coolers will leave you with hangover symptoms later on that day or the next.
If you really want a strawberry daiquiri or pina colada, why not just buy the fixings to make those mixed drinks? Of course if you?re on a budget it?s probably better to just buy the wine coolers. But if you?re planning a big party or otherwise have a bigger drink budget, I strongly suggest making your own mixed drinks rather than buy a huge lot of wine coolers. Malt liquor is notorious for producing headaches and all the other hangover symptoms.
Mixed drinks don?t have to be all that expensive to make either. If you plan ahead a little you can decide on a few different mixed drinks to have on hand at your next party and save some money by using the same base liquor. For example, rum is a great liquor for fruity drinks. Pina coladas, daiquiris and many other drinks call for rum, so that?s a great standby as far as liquors for mixing go. And of course vodka is a good all round liquor that can make many types of less fruity drinks. So, a trip to the liquor store to purchase a bottle of vodka and a bottle of rum will yield all kinds of mixed drink options.
There are some excellent bartender and drink mixing websites out there that can help you make the most of your next mixed drinks occasion. There are even websites where you can input all the ingredients you have on hand and it will spit out a list of drinks that you can make. Webtender.com is just such a site. Go to http://www.webtender.com/cgi-bin/imbselect to input your available ingredients. Chances are you?ll be surprised to discover all the possible drink combinations using only the ingredients you have on hand.
I’m sure there has been plenty said about the impending Obama presidency but I’m going to say my $.02.
Its really hard to describe what this means to me, to many many people for that matter. Its not the end all be all, but its a milestone that seemed impossible two years ago. Barack Obama, a black American, taking the head of the most powerful office in the free world. Its not coincidence that the world looked at this as an instantaneous moral and morale boost - we just, as a collective nation - looked past everything and did what the majority of citizens (majority by popular vote) thought would be best for this country and that happen to mean putting a minority into the oval office.
A country that can do that should be able to speak rationally with other cultures and religious states, shouldn’t it? Should be able to be open to listening to all sides of a debate and making a good decision shouldn’t it? Clearly should be able to give the minority voice of other nations the ear they want when all they want is an ear to listen to them to restore their dignity, shouldn’t it?
Thats called hope. Instantaneous, street credentialed hope. For that I’m incredibly pumped for this country. I don’t feel like cringing when I think about my president going and speaking to other nations. I don’t have that feeling that I have a loud, obnoxious friend with me in a fancy restaurant who I love dearly but I just know he/she’s doesn’t belong in an environment that people want to be civilized and not sloppy drunk. That is all gone today.
For me personally, I guess even expecting him to win I wasn’t expecting alot of feelings I had to bubble to the surface. My father is my hero and he taught me basically if you’re at a disadvantage, well then too bad, you just have to work harder than the others. Energy you waste complaining could be energy that could be putting you ahead. Something I took to heart never complaining about the disadvantages of being black in America because I’m pretty confident in my abilities. But even so, there is a bit of an unspoken limit to what could be accomplished. Or at least there was one. That hit me yesterday. How can there be a limit? Even with people trying to hold you back or not giving you the same chance, Obama is the president, anything can happen. Truly.
Thinking about the people who died just on the faith that this day would come if they marched, took beatings in non-violent protest, and even lost their lives so that I could see this day and my kids would be in a different world. Lost their LIVES on faith in this country’s ability to adjust and the hope that their efforts would make this time possible…that hit me yesterday.
My kids…I hugged my daughter (she’s been sick). And I did cry a little. She doesn’t have to know that limit. She’ll never know that limit. I’ve always thought racism was so ignorant that it was comical; something just ripe for satire. I truly appreciated things like The Chappelle Show and Wayans Brothers productions (like Hollywood Shuffle) because they used comedy to highlight the absurdity of racism. I love that. But the racism takes on a whole new level of rediculousness when the leader of the most powerful nation in the world is a black man. My daughter is 3 years old. I have a sincere hope that could come true now - that she really won’t understand how people could be seriously racist. That hit me yesterday too.
I think thats how I look at it. The people that I struggle with now will be long dead and buried by the time my girls are my age. And while it feels good for me now to see all this worldwide credibility restored and faith in our own democracy’s ability to adjust restored, its really when I think about the things my daughters will never know is when I can find the energy and enthusiasm for life. I often think about how technology will change things, in fact I think about it constantly. Think about how my daughters will never wake up at 6am on a Saturday to watch their favorite Saturday Morning cartoon because they can just pull it up. In fact, my 3 year old has a hard time understanding why if “Dora” can play in her room, why can’t she continue watching it downstairs on the TV (yeah, DirecTV DVR, why the f*** not?).
Today I can think about more significant things that I didn’t really think about because I didn’t see this happening and I didn’t know when it would. Not knowing that limit or perception of limit. Dealing with racism (as its clearly not gone) but having a very different perspective as the racism shouldn’t be a limit on what she can do anymore than any other corporate political situation. No more excuses - yes, “the man” might be holding you back but YOU are the only one limiting yourself because being black isn’t even an excuse for not being the f***ing President of the United States anymore!!
No more excuses for not achieving.
To me personally, it inspires me further to understand the wine industry because the lack of minorities (not women obviously) still puzzles me. I mean, I get the demographic thing and the “snooty” thing but thats changing with social media, folks like Gary V, new generations coming in, etc…yet for some reason this industry is simply monochromatic.
Tecnorati
Unfortunately the restaurant we were at, the folks in the kitchen were trying to impress him. So they sent out plates that were jammed with too much information. Gnocchi with tomato sauce and fava beans and cheese and, and, and. Like the chef at the table said, ?Just keep it fresh, simple and sourced from a quality place.?
Italy is constantly being caricaturized, whether it be our food, our wine, our song, our legends. And the Italians who came to America starting 100 years ago, wanting to please their new parent country, bowed and bent and danced their little jig until now what they are presenting as Italian is barely noticeable. We had quite the conversation over a bowl of ragu this week, in the home of a recent-return from living in Italy, one of the best meals I?ve had this month. But our discourse took us over the laundry list of excuses restaurateurs use to explain why they can?t cook like mama did at home.
Odd, when I talked to chef Weissman ( at the place with the swollen plates), he simply said ? I will do it as I feel it needs to be done. I know I can?t go wrong if I stick to the truth.?
My dining partner saw this look on my face. I know he was just a little bit worried. Here we are in an important account, and I'm showing phenolic pain on my face. But then a waft, the angels tail, floats up and whispers in my ear, ?give it a try, make sure.? Two wonderful things happened. It was real oil, real truffles, and it was applied with a deft touch. Perfetto.
So San Antonio has hope. Austin, in this moment, under the uber-microscope of authentic Italian-ness, let?s say we need a dose of 
reduce the risk of lung cancer in men, particularly in smokers, according to research published in the October issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
A big, full-bodied, expansively-flavored, traditionally made Gigondas is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, and 10% Mourvedre. Abundant herbes of Provence, heady, peppery notes are accompanied by sweet kirsch liqueur, plum, and fig characteristics. Dense, medium-bodied, and ripe. Nice, pure, plum-cherry finish.
