My first experience with white wine was waaaaaay back in the 1990’s when I had just finished high school and had somehow managed to finagle a glass of Chardonnay from a disgruntled flight attendant.  I unpeeled my foil-wrapped chicken Marsala, opened up the individually-sized cheddar cheese (you know, the baby round ones in that red wax coating) and thrilled at the prospect of finally discovering what all the fuss was about.  Plastic glass in hand, I took a deep sip of my ill-gotten hooch.  Well, I was disappointed.  Not just that, but I truly hated it.  I couldn’t imagine why anyone would actually choose to drink this stuff!  (Of course, this was at a time when I drank copious amounts of kool aid and very, very, very sweet ice coffee.)  

At any rate, since then, I don’t know if I’ve ever met a Chardonnay that I have had strong positive feelings for.  But I think I’ve discovered the reason: I’m a sucker for sweet white wine.  It’s delicious and refreshing and (unless fortified or harvested late) often a little lower on the alcohol content.

Beringer’s Moscato is no different; it is crisp, brightly aromatic and just acidic enough to balance out the sweetness so you don’t feel like your drinking kool aid (no offense to the stuff — I’ve already confessed to having been an avid fan). Maybe it was the name “Moscato” which comes from the Muscat family within the Vitis vinifera species (the species that most of our well known wines come from such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, etc.), but the flavor did remind me some of apple mixed with muscadine — which is a totally different species of grape (Vitis rotundifolia) grown largely in the southeastern United States.  

Oh, and the Beringer Moscato is pretty, too.  It looks like pale, liquid gold in a glass.

Bottom line:  I like it!  It is perfect for a dessert wine or just alone, and I actually tried it both at room temperate and chilled; I enjoyed both versions, but the chilled went better with my dinner of chicken and veggie fried rice.  I’d would definitely be amenable to getting this again.

 One last tip: if you’re interested in trying this or other versions of Moscato, note that “Muscat, Moscatel or Moscato” are all the same thing, just different ways of identifying this variety.

 wine’s website: www.beringer.com

Tittarelli Malbec
2005, Mendoza, Argentina, $14.00 for 750 ml, 13.5% Alc.
Red Wine

I was lured into breaking my less-than-ten-bucks-a-bottle rule upon spotting this wine at the store.  Malbec?  I’d never tried that one before.  I eschewed my budget-minded ideals and handed over the cash for a taste of this elusive varietal.

The first thing (and probably the only thing) that impressed me about this particular bottle was the color.  Upon pouring it, I was struck by its unusual darkness.  It was truly a black-red tint and darker than any other wine I’ve seen.  This might have raised my expectations some for an equally unique flavor, but alas, my expectations were unrequited.  Instead, I was assailed by the sickly-sweet taste of what was probably ascetic acid.  It was so overwhelming, I really just could not enjoy it.  It tasted like nail polish remover and vinegar with a nice dose of tannins mixed in.

I visited the website and noticed that Tittarelli has won lots of high reviews on its Malbec.  However, none of the reviews posted were for the 2005 vintage that I tried.

Moral of the story is, sometimes a few extra bucks do not buy a better product.

Bottom Line:  While I’m not ready to give up on Malbec — and I might even grant Tittarelli another chance at some point in the future – I don’t think I’ll be trying this 2005 bottling again.

Wine’s Website:  http://www.vinostittarelli.com

This is my new favorite wine under $10.00.  It has a depth to it that really sets it apart from other wines reviewed so far.  In fact, I liked the Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon so much that I also tried the Fetzer Merlot and Fetzer Pinot Noir.  While both were tasty, neither held the combination of deep, earthy taste combined with a nice bite of acidity and the pucker of tannins that the Cabernet Sauvignon offers.  (But, both the Merlot and the Pinot are still definitely worth a try!)

The Fetzer Cabernet Sauvignon has an unusual, rolling flavor to it that really distinguishes itself from comparably priced beverages (and I’m sure more expensive ones, too).  I tried to put a finger on it, but I’m not sure how to describe it.  It’s medium to high on both tannin and acidity levels (which I actually prefer) but there is also a deep, earthy, rich, vanilla-oakiness that creates dimension and adds contrast and balance to the sharp bite of acid and the drying effect of the tannins.    In short, it’s really, really good!

Bottom line?  Snatch this one up.  It’s delicious.

wine’s website:  http://www.fetzer.com

Big Ass Shiraz

I like Shiraz.  I really do.  But when my husband brought me this bottle to review, I wasn’t sure how to take it.  I mean, it isn’t a very subtle hint at one’s physical endowments, is it?  Well, upon seeing my arched eyebrow after viewing the label, he assured me there were no untoward messages involved with picking this particular bottle.  I told him he was a sucker for marketing.

Enough of domestic issues.  You want to know if this is just another whimsical label masquerading a less than stellar bottle of grape juice, or if there is really something to that Big … kangaroo.  The answer?  There is.

Big Ass Shiraz pours with a deep, rich-red color and the flavor is very raisin-plummy with medium tannin (that pleasant, drying undertone that seems to grip one’s tongue).  However, what makes this Shiraz interesting to me is that it has a much higher acid level than other Shiraz I’ve had.  The acid really zings the tip of one’s tongue and makes the unsuspecting sipper take notice. Most Australian Shiraz bottlings are very “juicy” (for lack of a better word) and don’t have the backbone of strong acidity that makes other reds like Pinot Noir or even Cabernet Sauvignon so interesting.  This vino had all the pleasant full flavor of most Shiraz, but it also had a firm slap of acidity that gave it some oomph and added a layer of texture missing in other bottlings of this varietal. 

Bottom Line?  The Big Ass Shiraz is quite good and is a unique version of the Aussie varietal.  Definitely worth a try.

 Wine’s Website:  (Couldn’t find.  The bottle indicates it as www.bigasswines.com, but it does not appear to be the correct address.)

Matties Perch White Shiraz

No Vintage, SE Austraila, $5.50 for 750ml

Blush Wine

Lately,  I’ve noticed that a lot of companies are putting out new varietal versions of the White Zinfandel that has been so loved since the 1970’s.  Wine stores now offer all kinds of interesting permutations like White Merlot or White Shiraz.   Makes sense I suppose since Merlot and Shiraz are both abundantly-grown grapes that may have more product than the red wine market knows what to do with.  (In case you are new to drinking blush wines, varietals such as White Zin, White Merlot or White Shiraz are all made with the red grape of its namesake.  The juice of the red grape is bled off with the skins still on.  This allows the juice to absorb some of the red pigmentation and a bit of the flavor from the skin before being vatted separately.)

I decided to give Matties Perch White Shiraz a whirl.  I like the rich, thick flavor of Shiraz and was interested in finding out how much of that richness might carry over to its blush counterpart. 

Well, I have to say that the flavor left me feeling a little flat.  It was rather bland and uninteresting.  Almost like water.  It didn’t have the sweet zingyness that most White Zinfandels contain and lacked a tartness found in many white wines.   

I’ll say it is refreshing to sip on a hot day, but otherwise, I found the flavor to be too mild.  Not unpleasant, just not very interesting.

But, if you are throwing a pool party or a beach party or something equally active and outdoorsy, this might not be a bad wine to have in your ice chest.  It won’t cost you an arm and a leg and  the mildness of this quaff might be just what your guests are after.

Bottom line?  Pass it up if you are after an interesting blush to sip on.  But, if you are looking for a refreshing, cold light wine to bring to a summer party, it’s worth a try.

wine’s website:  http://www.mattiesperch.com/

2006 SE Australia, $5.50 for 750 ml

(Red Wine)

The Little Penguin Shiraz was such a pleasant surprise that I thought I would give their Cabernet Sauvignon a run for the money. Plus, I like thinking of cute little penguins wobbling around in hand-knit sweaters somewhere in New Zealand (see Little Penguin Shiraz post). It makes me happy.

True to Cabernet form, I detected that pleasantly sour, blackcurrant flavor and a nice acidic bite. The tannins were a bit lower that I would have expected from a Cabernet and I discovered this with some level of disappointment. I’ve grown to enjoy a nice dose of puckering tannins in my Cabernet Sauvignon.

While the flavor was pleasant, I preferred the denser-almost chewy-Little Penguin Shiraz to their Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cabernet was less complex and the flavor was of a sharper, less rolling-deep sensation.

Bottom line? I’m still KO’d by the Little Penguin. While the Shiraz is my favorite so far, the Cabernet also offers good value for the price.

wine’s website: www.thelittlepenguin.com

(no vintage) California $4.24 for 750 ml

(Red Wine)

What’s in a name?  Well, if the name is “earthy,” there are certain expectations that accompany it.  Earthy should mean rich and layered. Maybe a little thick and with round, dusty flavors.  And when you name a red wine “earthy”, but in French, well, then, you’ve really upped the ante.  It just seems that much more poetic, right?  At least, that’s probably what the goal was.

Despite my hopes for this inexpensive Merlot hailing from Woodbridge, California, I was quickly let down by the first whiff of La Terre Merlot’s ascetic acid and nail polish remover fumes. Sharp, sickly sweet-sour and without any depth of flavor, this wine has no redeeming qualities that I can think of.

I’d say that maybe it was just a bad year, but since it doesn’t have a vintage, I can’t really blame it on that, either.

Now, to be fair, I tasted La Terre Merlot with a fellow wine drinker who admittedly does not share my acute dislike for any hint of ascetic acid flavor. To him, the wine tasted “okay” but that was about as positive as the tasting notes got. For me, I downright disliked it and truly, I can’t even offer a description of fruit or woody or any other common flavors as I was simply overwhelmed by the sharp, ascetic acid domination.

wine’s website:  couldn’t find

2006, SE Australia, $8.00 for 1.5L

(Red Wine)

Amazing! For the price, I was so very happy with the Black Swan Shiraz.

I had read a review in the past that eschewed inexpensive wines as nothing but plonk and used inexpensive Australian versions-particularly naming Black Swan wines-as an example of cheap cost=cheap quality wine. So, maybe I entered into this tasting with lowered expectations. Or, maybe, my Black Swan was just trying to prove a point….

According to my research, the term “Black Swan” is a saying used back more commonly in the day when folks in Western Europe sipped their afternoon tea with curled pinkies. Apparently, it was (and still is) an expression employed when one meant to state that something was impossible or did not exist. As in, “a unicorn is nothing but a black swan.”

Well, leave it to the Australians to actually discover a species of black swan in the 17^th century! In fact, black swans in Australia are a pretty common form of fowl. Kind of turns around the meaning behind the metaphor a bit, doesn’t it?

It makes me wonder about unicorns, too….

With such an independent spirit behind the name, it should come as no surprise that my Black Swan Shiraz defied expectations.

Was it inexpensive? Yes, very.

Was it poor quality? Not at all.

The Black Swan Shiraz isn’t necessarily a layered and complex wine, but it is definitely a berry filled, slurpy drink that is friendly and very easy to enjoy. Less caustic on the tannins and acidity, it still has a nice, easy going balance filled with juicy, almost strawberry-like flavors. It’s a pleasant sipper for an evening book reading, or as an accompaniment to dinner.

Bottom line? Good bargain and recommended if you want an easygoing red wine filled with lots of berry flavor. At least for this inexpensive and delicious Shiraz, harmony of economy and quality is not an impossibility.  It’s just a Black Swan.

wine’s website: www.blackswanwines.com

(no vintage) California $5.50 for 750 ml

(Red Wine)

I have been a singer of praises for the Barefoot Cellars line of varietal wines. They’re inexpensive and reliably good. And when I discovered that they also have a Zinfandel, I was even more pleased. It’s pretty hard to find a good, inexpensive (as in, under $10.00) Zinfandel.

I pranced home with my newly acquired Zin and prepared for an inexpensive and tasty wine review. Worried that my Barefoot reviews were beginning to sound redundant, I paused before pouring a sample to consider how else I could review this varietal without readers suspecting I was being paid off or something…

One sniff put my worries to rest. The aroma had a bit of a sickeningly sweet smell that was not pleasing. A sip confirmed this aroma and while the Barefoot Zinfandel also had a pleasant spicy cherry and black tea flavor, the sickeningly sweet taste really ruined the wine’s potential.

I tried this wine again the next day and found that the unpleasant sensation had wafted off a bit. In it’s place, the deeper, spicier flavors that make Zinfandel so yummy were displayed. Still, it’s a bit rude to make a gal wait for so long, don’t you think?

Bottom line? The Zinfandel isn’t one of Barefoot Cellar’s finest varietals, but worth a try. I recommend letting the bottle breathe for a while before sipping.

wine’s website:  www.barefoot.com

I’ve tried to think of something great to say about Liberty Creek’s Cabernet Sauvignon. But, I just can’t.

It’s not horrible; it’s just not that good. For a Cabernet, this wine is missing some umph.

It’s higher in acidity than a lot of Cabernet and rather thin-bodied. It tastes like the wine has been watered down a bit, and the tannins left a lot to be desired as well. In fact, I had trouble locating them.

The overall flavor of this Cabernet was a bit one-dimensional and I was left feeling like someone forgot to put half of the wine’s flavor into the bottle. Does that make sense?

Bottom line, Liberty Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is not a repulsive wine and for the price, some might want to at least give it a try. But, if you are desiring a layered and full-flavored experience, don’t take a dip in Liberty Creek.

wine’s website: couldn’t find