Wine Wednesday - 2012 Stonehedge Merlot

Quick Details

Wine Name: Stonehedge Reserve Merlot
From: Napa Valley, California
Blend: 100% Merlot
Year: 2012
Price Paid: $12.99
Bought At: Trader Joe's
Down and Dirty Summary: Impressed
Paired with: Mushroom Ravioli w/Truffle Oil

I'll start by saying that I cracked this baby as dinner was simmering, I haven't had much pasta recently but tonight my husband was in a hurry and grabbed some pasta from Trader Joe's to serve my Wine Wednesday wine with. It ended up feeling rather gourmet but the portions were small and it worked out to be just right. 

Also I'm sorry for missing last week - I was working hard and packing for my trip to Vegas on Wednesday night and I just couldn't get to the review - I'm sure nobody missed it, well maybe a VERY few of you and you know who you are and I have already apologized *wink*. 

Anyways on to the important stuff. This wine from first open was pleasant to the nose (at least to mine) it smelled of vanilla and spice and I could tell by the color it was going to be a medium-heavy wine. The first taste was exactly that, a bold and full bodied wine that was enjoyable and easy to drink  

The back of the label explains that Stonehedge is a small family producer that prides itself on limited production wines that receive consistent praise from consumers - I like this a lot because there is many times where I will like a specific BLEND one year and not another so I guess time will tell on this one.

Check out more about them online or their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/StonehedgeWine or on Twitter @StonehedgeWine

Cheers *clink clink*

Wine Wednesday - Jack Red Blend

Quick Details

Wine Name: Saviah Cellars "The Jack" Red
From: Walla, Walla/ Columbia Valley
Blend: 89% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec
Year: 2013
Price Paid: $11
Bought At: Costco
Down and Dirty Summary: An excellent easy drinker.
Paired with: Ham/Cheese/Crackers & Berries

So many years ago on cozy fall day, I happened to visit Saviah Cellars with a limo full of wine lovin' tipsy girlfriends, I believe if I recall correctly it was either our second to last stop or our LAST stop of the day. I remember this because after visiting several wineries that year and hardly buying a thing due to my EXTREMELY tight budget and a lot of wine being $25+ per bottles, we stopped here. They served us many tastings and when they gave us "The JACK" we were ALL impressed for the price. They were selling it for $10 in the winery which is almost unheard of for a red when you are wine tasting. I bought 3-4 bottles of it and finalized my trip with 5 WHOLE bottles to return home with. Also I haven't visited in 4-5 years, but when I visited their tasting room in Walla, Walla - they were SUCH a good vibe to visit!

If I recall correctly, every new vintage of "The Jack" is slightly different. It is almost always heavily Merlot and and then the rest gets switched up, sometimes it's Cab Sauv and other times Malbec, etc. This particular current vintage features Petit Verdot, but every time I have had it I love it - it's one of the FEW wines I like with a screw cap - Notebook is another which I reviewed before but Jack is my favorite. It's so simple, it's an easy drinking, good quality wine. I don't know what they do but it always turns out GOOD! They sell this at Costco for 10-11 bucks and every time I visit I grab a couple. I wondered if my OWN consumption of this wine is making the price rise because the last time I visited I believe it was 11.99 instead of 10 something, BOO but still worth it! 

Tasting Notes: The Jack has aromas of berries, black cherries, plum and spices. It's aged for 10 months in 30% New American oak and it will deliver a long smooth finish every time. I promise you won't regret trying a bottle of this - unless you just don't care for red wine. Cheers and a Happy #WineWednesday ALL! 

Wine Wednesday - Indian Wells Mutt

Quick Details
Wine Name: Indian Wells Red Wine

From: Columbia ValleyBlend: 39% Merlot, 39% Syrah, 9% Malbec, 4% Grenache, 3 Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Sauv,Mourvedre, 1% Cabernet Franc
Year: 2011
Price Paid: $15
From: Chateau Ste. Michelle
Down and Dirty Summary: Yum!
Paired with: Nothing

 

SO! Today was filled with lots of excitement. My husband forgot to tell me he had booked dinner with his parents at Rainforest Café as a "FUN" time for the kids, Soooo I had just poured my glass of wine when I got the call from my mother in law that we were supposed to be 1 town away 10 minutes ago. I downed the glass of wine and threw my kids in the car WITHOUT my husband and we headed for some family time. Luckily Rainforest Café is SO kid friendly and we had a great time!

 

On for the important things... I have had many different vintages of Indian Wells and honestly it's almost ALWAYS good. Tonight was the first time I realized that this delightful "red blend" has so many types included in it. Normally I would say that blending that many different types of wine together - doesn't USUALLY turn out well but..... this blend is just NICE.  It's easy to drink without food - it's easy to drink WITH food, it's predictable and delightful! 

 

First taste: For a blend that has 8 different varietals combined it is delightfully easy to drink. It's fruit forward, soft, smooth, and always leave me with a very nice finish. No icky aftertaste or bitter taste in your mouth - it's just pleasant.

P.S - Chateau Ste. Michelle is an excellent place to watch a beautiful sunset on a warm blanket filled with wine, cheese an WONDERFUL music. Their concert schedule is almost full already for the entire summer. If you haven't experienced a lawn concert with wine - DO IT!

 

Wine Wednesday - NoteBook 4NV Red Blend

Quick Details

Wine Name: Notebook 4NV Red Blend
From: Benton City, WA
Blend: Columbia Valley Red Blend
Year: Multiple vintages blended together 
Price Paid: $10
From: Bookwalter Cellars
Down and Dirty Summary: Love Price Point, Love The Blend!
Paired with: Pepperoni Pizza and Airborne

Helllloooo, I want to start today's blog with a very honest, straight forward fact.... I either have allergies or I'm fighting a cold but I could not let myself down (even though I don't really have any readers yet) and this is why it was very important for me to do a #WineWednesday review regardless of how I was feeling. So, because of this I paired a wine I know well and have never reviewed and also happen to LIKE as an every day drinker with a VERY easy dinner solution after another long day of work. The result? Awesomeness? Pizza & red wine go oddly well together. Plus you can get all of the things in my picture at CVS. HA!

I have always liked this wine, it's an every day, easy drinker. I call this wine goldilocks and this is why. It's not to dry, not too sweet, not too ANYTHING it's juuuuuuuuust right. Drink it alone? Sure! Drink it with food? Sure! Whatever you decide to do it's a low maintenance, well received.... and LIKEABLE. Not only THAT but it's one of the very few wines that has a screw cap - that I don't judge. In addition to ALL of the above great comments this wine is made by Bookwalter Winery - they have a couple tasting rooms in Washington. I have been to their Woodinville, WA tasting room twice and they are always nice and laid back there, a great place to have a glass of wine and have a bottle for $10 bucks that tastes great and a bottle that is $20 that even tastes better - check them out!

One of these nights I will pair the Notebook with the movie Notebook and I will just have a crazy Notebook night full of romance and warm fuzzy wine feelings. Ohhh yah!

Thanks for reading tonight. I'm sorry I didn't give more info on the tasting notes and first taste and such but we can't always be awesome wine connoisseurs, sometimes we are just regular folk ;)  

Wine Wednesday - Villa Sonia Merlot Delle Venezie

Quick Details

Wine Name: Villa Sonia Merlot Delle Venezie 
From: Italy
Blend: Red Wine Merlot
Year: 2013
Price Paid: $6
From: Grocery Outlet
Down and Dirty Summary: IMPRESSED! 
Paired with: Slow Cooked Chicken Breast, Organic Carrots, Sweet Potatoes & Whole Grain Muffins

Sooooo I decided to stop by my local Grocery Outlet today on the way home from work, but instead of just grabbing whatever....this time I decided to pick out 2 wines that looked relatively good and then check Google.Com to see if they even showed UP. You see, I've had a LOT of bad experience with Grocery Outlet and people tell me all the time about how GREAT of experiences they have had so I decided to give it a stab. I'm so happy I did - I must have struck it lucky this WineWednesday because I bought 2 bottles and 1 was VERY Decent and the first one which I am actually reviewing here was more than decent....so without rambling on and on....

1st smell: nice, mellow, a bit jammy for an italian wine
1st taste: easy, smooth, mellow, - while some would say that it lacked punch I Loved the smooth, dry, easy wine this was.
Aftertaste: a little jammy but still smooth and SO easy to drink. 

I'm going to keep this one SUPER short this week. I completely recommend trying the Italian "Merlot" - it did NOT disappoint. If you like a dry table wine that doesn't leave you parched or what not - go for this wine and you know what I opened it before I had dinner and it was EXCELLENT alone without food. 

Bonus Tip: I might have had some Peanut Butter M&M's with this and I can't confirm or deny this but it might have tasted really good with it - Don't judge.

Wine Wednesday - In The Mood For A Litte Chianti

Quick Details

Wine Name: Incanto Chianti Classico
From: Italy
Blend: Chianti
Year: 2011
Price Paid: $11
From: Grocery Store
Down and Dirty Summary: Doesn't let you down. Good Chianti for Newbie Chianti lovers.
Paired with: Chicken Curry & Rice (didn't specifically choose this pairing ha) & Dark Chocolate Chips.

So I am a huge fan of Chianti and the funny thing is.. unlike a lot of people (or so I've heard) I started off drinking dry wines like Chianti when I was first introduced to wine. I specifically liked how dry and plain it was and it was easy for me to drink, plus I LOVED spaghetti and it was an absolutely great matchup. As I matured in my tastes I learned to try lots of different varieties and have since become a fan of MANY different kinds of wine, but I still just get in the mood for a nice Chianti every once in awhile ESPECIALLY when I'm in the mood for spaghetti with mushrooms, rich pastas, or a seasoned steak.

This Chianti opened up rather quickly... I believe this is because it's a pretty evenly balanced Chianti, it doesn't leave a harsh taste in the mouth or leave you reaching for a glass of water because your mouth feels like cotton mouth. It's a fairly balanced, light colored, fragrant free wine, not to fruity either. If you swish it around and give it several chances you can catch just a hint of earthy, herby notes along with maybe cherry and a bit of smokiness. I swear I have tasted some that are COMPLETELY different wines on the 2nd day of being opened, and if I was to take that statement further I would say better the 2nd day!

I didn't plan out my meal today so unfortunately I ended up having some Rice with Chicken Curry and cashews which was good but definitely not something I would choose to pair with a Chianti. I prefer to drink Chianti plain with nothing else or with red sauces, pastas and red meats... very similar to what I like to pair Cabernet blends with, but we can't always plan things out like we hope to!

I switched jobs this week and I'm just proud of me for getting something out there consistently to you guys. I ended up grabbing a small bowl of dark chocolate chips to switch up the "pairing" and it blended much better with the chocolate. I would pair this wine with something gamey or a rich pasta - it will go nicely but it won't knock your socks off either.

Until next week! Happy #WineWednesday All.

Wine Wednesday - Polka Dot Bestie

Don't worry. I know the wine isn't bestie but when I saw the wine at first glance - I thought that it said "bestie" and for that reason I bought it. You see...tonight one of my besties came over to review wine with me...because she is a white wine lover I bought her a Polka Dot Riesling and I bought myself the Besito California Red Blend. So without further adieu here are the quick details of both of the wines we reviewed tonight! Happy WINE WEDNESDAY peeps! :)

Quick Details

White Wine Name: Polka Dot Riesling
From: Tri Cities - WA
Blend: Riesling
Year: 2012
Price Paid: $6.99
From: Fred Meyers
Down and Dirty Summary: Delightful
Paired with: White Sharp Cheddar Cheese  & Crackers

So my friends first smell of this wine was "it smells like rubber - kinda like when you are blowing up a rubber raft for the river" no joke - this is what she said. I proceeded to take a nice smell and swish it around and to me it smelled like fruit and finger nail polish remover. I know that sounds horrible, but this wine turned out to be VERY drinkable, refreshing, and easy to drink. I personally am not a huge white wine lover and I enjoyed it. It was a nice day here in Seattle and it was just perfect with some light appetizers. Pick a bottle up - you will enjoy if you want an easy drinker in some nice weather that you don't have to think about....which leads me to the red I tasted....

 Quick Details

Red Wine Name: Besitos Red Blend "little kisses"
From: California
Blend: Red Blend
Year: Doesn't Say (which is ODD)
Price Paid: $8.99 on "sale"
From: Fred Meyers
Down and Dirty Summary: Easy Drinking!
Paired with: White Sharp Cheddar Cheese  & Crackers

For some reason I have a slight problem with rubber corks. I don't know if it's because of how I was introduced to wine or because someone once told me that "cheap wine" has rubber corks and screw caps - I don't know...but for some reason even NOW after tasting great wine with rubber corks I STILL get a little disappointed when I open up a new bottle to test and it has a rubber cork. I go through this short period of "mourning" where I tell myself not to judge this wine by it's cap or it's cork but to judge this wine by it's taste. Beware that I ate no food today and had 3 cavities filled so I'm a little bit of a light weight tonight. Sooooooo here we go....

First taste - smooth, vanilla - easy, easy drink. There is a touch of spice but as you've probably read in my reviews before - I do not care for heavy spice so you will know that this was an easy "spice" ...there is a hint of plum/jam that comes from this wine. I paired it with white sharp cheddar cheese and crackers. I recommend this wine - that's my fast summary!

Thanks for reading guys! Stay tuned for next weeks #WineWednesday! Cheers.

Wine Wednesday - Goats In Villages

Quick Details

Wine Name: Goats In Villages Shiraz Pinotage
From: South Africa (yes you read that right)
Blend: Shiraz Pinotage
Year: 2009
Price Paid: $7
From: Trader Joes
Down and Dirty Summary: Interesting...

Paired with: Nothing (drank after dinner)

Okay I'm going to get straight to the point about this one. I had a horrible day and one of my besties came over with a bottle of wine at 5ish to keep me company and talk it out. We had a few glasses, I made spaghetti for dinner - all was well in my family.  But fast forward an hour....

My husband knew it was #WineWednesday and so he took the liberty to bring me home a bottle of this wine "Goats in Villages Shiraz Pinotage" It also said "the goats do roam" mmmmmk..... So my first thought was....reallllly? South Africa? It's not that I'm racist on my wine - I like wine from ALL countries and I'm always willing to try ANY wine (obviously) Well.. my first thought was oh I'm drinking a Shiraz...but then as I thought about it I realized Oh ... this is a bend of Shiraz and Pinot.... Well I went on with my night - got the kids ready for bed, cleaned up dinner, etc. I came downstairs to my family room - my husband had a glass and he admitted to me that he thinks the wine is "harsh" but "decent" - So if I'm being 100% honest I was a little nervous to try. I love my husband but I don't know that he has the best "choices in wine" he usually chooses wines based on label or price (not that.... that is a BAD thing but)

Anyways... I'll get to the point - this wine is INTERESTING in a good way. My first drink was like "this tastes like goat milk" but I think it was in my head.... It is actually kind of harsh but only in the way that a shiraz typically can be. It's interesting to my mouth. No I'm not being perverted it's very.. interesting.  I want to give you a review that talks about what I taste in it, or if it's dry or sweet. Well it's not sweet I know that much, I don't taste a very strong SPECIFIC flavor, but what I do taste is.... oak, robust flavor, a HINT of spice, and a SUPRISINGLY decent wine! I'm going to sum up this review by saying.... The goats DO roam! Thank you Africa (and my husband I guess) - I'm pleasantly surprised! :)

Wine Wednesday - Storyteller Merlot

Quick Details

Wine Name: Storyteller
From: Sonoma, California
Blend: 100% Merlot
Year: 2012
Price Paid: $11.99 "on sale"
Down and Dirty Summary: OK.

Paired with: Skinny Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake.

Okay everyone, I chose an every day Merlot that is drink ready now, as my first wine to actually review on this lovely and sunny #winewednesday here in Seattle.  I picked this wine for it's label. I guess I was feeling lighthearted "once upon a dream..." pulled me in and because it has been a long time since I've had a plain Merlot in awhile.

First pour: smelled very nice to the nose. First taste was harsh for me. It tasted woodsy and not necessarily smoky but oaky, bold but I couldn't tell if I liked it or not. It carried nice cherry notes but for me they were overpowered by the "spice". Now I'll be fair and say I'm not a huge fan of spicy or "peppery" wines - especially when not served with a nice dinner or some sharp cheddar cheese.

Well fast forward a few hours...I gave it round 2. I finished the first glass but honestly did not enjoy it. Sorry Storyteller but.... it just wasn't smooth to me. I decided to let the wine open up a bit, and I finished baking my Skinny Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake. Later after I dealt with cleaning up dinner, 3 rounds of baths and 2 games of Plants vs Zombies 2 with my boys ha. I decided to have a glass with my Bundt Cake. WOW! Let me tell you guys - this wine TOTALLY changed! Something about the time allowing it to breathe and the mixture with my chocolate cake.. Okay Storyteller you have slightly redeemed yourself ;)

Summary is: I don't know if I'll buy it again soon. If you want to try it - pair with a nice BBQ chicken or Pork chop or possibly a piece of my skinny dark chocolate bundt cake! :) Let me know if you want the recipe.

Stay tuned for next week, any wine you want me to try to review, send me an email at happywinechick@gmail.com or comment here. Thanks.

Introduction

So for years I have dabbled in blogging only to get lost in "life" and not pick it back up again. I'm often made fun of by the fact that I have very few "hobbies" and one of the biggest one I have is WINE and cooking. I'm really in to finding recipes I love and then recreating them in a healthier/cleaner way for my family. I started a Twitter account before my 3rd child was born and was reviewing wine every Wednesday on Wine Wednesday of course right? Cliché I know but, here I am... 3 children and WAY too many bottles of wine than I care to admit later.....

So today is a brief background for you. As I mentioned before I am a mother of 3 beautiful chaotic children, 2 boys and 1 daughter. Ages 8, 6 and almost 3. I am married to a great husband who just got done with law school, passed the bar, and is now a practicing attorney. We have been married for almost 8 years. We also have a VERY annoying but loveable English bulldog, a crazy mice hunting cat, and a tortured leopard gecko all living under our roof. I have worked full time in the marketing field for over 15 years, it is my other passion and "hobby". Right now I'm in between leaving 1 job and starting a new job and I thought it would be a perfect time to get this started again.

So as you can see my life is not very "exciting" or probably that out of the norm, but who cares? You care about the wine right? I hear you. Check back every week to see my new wine pairings, reviews. My wine will probably almost always be under $25 mark - because let's be honest, I drink WAY too much wine around here to buy bottles over $25 dollars, plus I want people to know that you can find great value under that price point.

Stay tuned and I hope you enjoy!