Summer Rose

The Chateau de Manissy 2007 Rose from the southern Rhone appellation of Tavel is great for summer sipping.

Grape varieties : Grenache 60% - Clairette 30%, Syrah 10%.
Average age of the vine 60 years.

It smells like liquefied cotton candy, but is dry, and tastes like strawberries and blackberries. Nice to have chilled on a warm day. Goes well with burgers.

muy bueno!

Top Chef, Shmop Chef

I'm just not getting into Top Chef this season. The contestants are very bratty and it's hard to feel for them. arrrgh! The first season rocked.

Tonight's wine was TRIO, made by Concha y Toro from Chile. Deep, rich and full of berries. Was very indulgent and fun. This was a gift from my boss who visited Chile .. nice gesture! Concha y Toro is a large producer in Chile, but they do a quality job.

A Dunn Vertical; 1997-2004

Was fortunate enough to try a vertical of the Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon... some most-delicious wines from Napa Valley. Randy Dunn is the winemaker. I tried the Napa and Howell Mountain cabs from 1997 to 2004. All of them super-delicious, with special cheers to the Howell Mountain 2002... simply outstanding.

Yummyness in a glass

This, is a Valpolicella Classico Superiore (made of the grapes Corvina Veronese, Rondinella, and Molinara) from Italy (near the upper part of the boot). Campagnola 2002 Catarina Zardini. Its a very agreeable red, NOT overbearing on the fruit, but not leathery either. The wine has a lot of finesse, and goes well with dinner or drinks fine on its own. If you drink it the next day... it's even better, like drinking an expensive Amarone. The price for this is $9 ($8.98 to be exact), which is an outstanding value. I am planning on buying as much of this as I can.

Coming soon...

a wine review. But first...

I love Riesling, and this is why...

Max Richter 2005 Wehlener Sonnenuhr

A wonderfully delightful Kabinett from the Mosel. It smells like rubber and pineapple. When you taste it, you get lychee fruit. A gorgeous wine. 8.5% alcohol. I paired it with spicy Chinese food. Excellent.

The Complete Jane Austen

... this season on PBS.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/?campaign=pbshomefeatures_1_masterpiecetheatrebrthecompletejaneausten_2008-01-27