Wine dinners and/or wine pairings: Just do it!

Just a reminder--don't be afraid to try something different. Recently we took a road trip (see my posting on my other blog) At Highlands Grill in Birmingham, we didn't look at a menu, we never saw a wine list. We did, however, have an enthusiastic server guiding us every step of the way and our meal was wonderful! Likewise, we had a similar experience at Carolina's in Charleston, SC (off the beaten path-more of a local kind of place rather than touristy). The wine guy was absolutely geeked to share some off the wall (and off the wine list!) pairings with our food. Enthusiasm again and a 'what the heck' attitude made for a great meal. Contrast that with our multi-course meal in Memphis... Sadly our 'marquee meal' of the weekend was lackluster to say the least. It was supposedly Memphis' best restaurant but it was not as great as in B-ham. Part of it was the food (good, but not great) but it was definitely the service. Their adaptation of fine French 'style' was to have servers scurrying about with little to no personality. With that situation, how could the food shine? For that matter, we've been to some 'big name' places in New York, Chicago and other large cities and have returned unimpressed. Atlanta has some great restaurants; you've just got to be willing to be open to something new (and unfortunately burn some expensive fossil fuels in some cases). I know, the economy stinks. No one is eating out as much these days, but save up (Just say NO to Starbucks) and splurge at least once a month-you'll be glad you did!

THINK PINK/THINK CHEAP!

I recently made my way into that lovely yuppie 'grocery' known as Trader Joe's after hearing from a friend that a favorite sparkling wine was on sale. Lo and behold I was pleased to purchase 6 bottles of Segura Viudas Brut Rosé CAVA for only $3.99 a bottle! This wine is actually well rated by the wine gurus and is a STEAL for that price. I was told it's a one-shot buy so you better get there quickly! I might go back for 6 more : ) Cheers, Bo

For more info click HERE (Note: the rosé is not currently listed; that's probably the reason for the 'deal' at Trader Joes) There was also an inexpensive Paso Robles red for $4.99 (Tres Pinos) that was a bit of a fruit bomb but was a good buy. It was okay with meatloaf, but wonderful with chocolate chip cookies : )

VALUE wines...

Why is value capitalized? For emphasis, obviously, but today I wanted to put the focus on the value, not the cost. Yes, I get geeked to find inexpensive wines, but it's also great to find a wine that's easy on the wallet but is really yummy! I continue to be blown away by Costco. Yes, I'm channeling Clark Howard again, but their line of "Kirkland" wines are very nice. Their Champagne scored around 90pts last year and they have several other varietals. I recently tried their Meritage (remember, it rhymes with heritage :) and loved it. It was primarily Merlot and had Cabernet and Malbec to finish the blend. I liked the Syrah, but I'm not completely sure about it but I LOVED their Chàteauneuf du Pape (a Grenache/Syrah/Mourvedre blend). The key to all of these wines? The quality is great, but the pricing is perfect! French Champagnes usually sell in the $30 range; Kirkland's is $20. A Napa Meritage? Try around $30-50 depending on the vineyard. Kirkland's? It was around $12! Finally, the CdP was around $19 versus $35+ for a 'brand name'. I have yet to try their Italian wines, but that may be on the list for our next spaghetti night! I know that you may not have a Costco near you or feel that it's worth being a member but I promise that the $35 annual membership fee is worth it! As you hear repeatedly, I buy a LOT of wine there (they are actually the #1 retailer of wine in the country!). If you are a foodie you can also find a lot of great values and varieties! Dinner anyone? (Costco info HERE)

Ramblings about cheap wine and consumption

As noted on my other blog BoKnowsClosings, I was not really open to spending almost $10 for a plastic cup of "Barefoot" wines at Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. I remember trying one a long time ago and was not moved. The amphitheater did flash up a logo for "Tin Roof Cellars", which I've purchased at Costco but I didn't find it at the concession stands. Again, I paid $7.99 for their Merlot (a bottle!) and it would cost the same for a plastic cup at a concert. So yes, I'm griping! Over the weekend we did do some grilling and we drank some lovely Ridge Zinfandels. I can't wait to have my ATP wines shipped here. ATP stands for Advanced Tasting Program-some nifty small-batch wines (only several hundred cases produced). Once July 1st rolls around, I can start receiving those wines (and other clubs) here in Georgia (vs. shipping to another more 'friendly' state and waiting for friends/family to bring to ATL). It also helps GA vintners so they can ship (both intrastate and interstate sales).

The US is #2! We have overtaken the Italians for overall wine consumption but remain behind France. However, for per capita consumption, we lag behind (well, some of us do : ) French wine drinkers who consumed 52 Liters per adult in 2007, while Italians consumed 46L--Americans only consumed 9L per adult (that's ONE case of wine-heck we drink that over 2 weeks!). So do your part to increase our average! Current faves? Montevina "Terra d'Oro" zinfandel ($14, Sam's), Firesteed Pinot Noir (from $11 to 13). Cool info: Click on "Food & Wine Pairings" on this page from Sam's Club website!

GA Wine Shipping can start 7/1/8!

Here's a great article noting why this is such a great thing for Georgians, both wine consumers, producers and distributors. Enjoy!

Memorial Day = Summer = Time to Grill!

Last week was all about the whites. This week? Time to grill, so time to roll out some food-friendly REDS. Those of you who know me well can expect to hear about ZINFANDEL, one of my favorite grill-friendly wines. If you like to turn up the heat on your meats, Zin's fruity edge makes a perfect balance to the zing of your spices. Anything Ravenswood makes (from $6 Vintner's Blend to $40+ single vineyard wines) as well as from producers like Ridge, Rosenblum and Cline (from $9) will be hits. I love to grill chicken leg quarters-try spicing with Montreal Chicken seasoning, grill, then baste with a blend of Cattleman's BBQ sauce (1 Cup) Maker's Mark Bourbon (1/4 C) and Pace Picante Sauce (1/4 C). Yummy! What else goes well with Grilling? Aussies don't say "throw another shrimp on the barbie" for nothing-reach for a food-friendly Shiraz! While some Shiraz (also known as Syrah in other parts of the world-same grape though) can be highly complex, many excellent values come from Australia. Try Rosemount, Penfolds or spend a little more and grab Peter Lehmann's Barossa Shiraz ($14-16). Paso Robles in California makes great Syrah, one cheapie is Parker Station ($6 at "Sip Wine" in Crabapple). South of the border? Try Argentina for Malbec. Mainly known as a blending grape in the rest of the world, Malbec has come on strong of late. In fact, Chile's Carmenere (another lesser known 'blending' grape) is great too. Finally, try Monastrell (like Juan Gil for $15) or a Rioja from Spain. YUM!

Shopping thoughts; new shipping law (Hooray!)

I was pleased to hear that the new wine shipping law turned out to be less restrictive than expected--these two links make it clear that we are finally out of the Dark Ages! That's great for ordering small-production wines that aren't found on local shelves, but what about 'daily drinkers'? As you know I love shopping at the Warehouse stores (BJ's, Sam's, Costco) and superstores like Total Wines & More in Kennesaw (you MUST go there at least once!). I ordinarily don't see great bargains/selection in groceries (except for Harry's/Whole Foods' 10% off on SIX bottles) but I do love wandering into Cost Plus World Market from time to time. They have great deals on Riedel-style wineglasses and cool 'stuff' & also have an eclectic wine selection with decent pricing (try Vino 100 too!) For that matter, don't be afraid to walk in ANY wine shop and ask for help! Most of the time wine people are happy to share their knowledge. In fact, I think 'winos' fall into one of 2 categories (both equally passionate)-Wine Geeks or Wine Snobs. I think WG's really want people to drink wine-any wine, be it cheapies, white zin, or whatever floats your boat. Wine Snobs, on the other hand, continue to keep wine unapproachable by the 'masses'. Yes, WG/WS's use similar lofty terminology to describe wines (approachable, mouthfeel, etc.) but overall, WG's don't make you feel stupid! They want to share their knowledge & passion; WS's tend to show-off how much they know. I say drink what YOU like!!!

So where do you shop?