I Seem to be on an Italian Wine Kick

Which is not my fault this time.  Do you remember that Chateauneuf du Pape I found at Trader Joe's for $9.99?  And it was delicious?  Well, last week I came around the corner at Trader Joe's, and on that same end cap... was this!

Ruffino Il Ducale
Toscana
80% Sangiovese, with a littler Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon
$9.99 at Trader Joe's

This is another score in the under $10 ballpark.  It is luscious.  Lots of fruit up front, but it has depth too.  I looked it up online and I swear that it is because of the oak aging.  There is a complexity of flavors that you don't usually get at this price point.

The wines on that end cap don't last long though, so if you are interested... GET ON IT!

Bubbles Make Everything Better

I want to write a post about Prosecco.  Why I love it.  Why I prefer it to Champagne and Sparkling Wine for holiday parties.  I want to tell you how I love that it is fruity and dry and has a full mouth feel with just the right amount of bubbles.

But I'm stuck.  Someone threw up a big old road block in my brain.  I blame this wretched head cold.

So I will leave you with these two tips.

1.  Buy the Riondo Prosecco.  Gamble on it.  It is worth it.  Most times I can pick up a bottle for around $13.  You can do better than that if you live near a World Market.  They are offering a 1.5 of the Riondo Prosecco for $19.  This is an especially good deal if you are having a party.

2.  Put a pretty little dish of pomegranate seeds next to your champagne glasses.  A teaspoon of pomegranate seeds will make your presentation festive and interesting.  The seeds will rise and fall in the glass with the bubbles. 

I am sure that you appreciate that I take most of my pictures on the bathroom floor.
That room has the best lighting... and a pretty floor!

Oh and tip #3.  (I know that I said two tips, but I just thought of this.)  Why not pick up sparkling cider for your younger guests?  It is cute and fun, and will make them feel included in your party!  Actually, sparkling cider is in the picture above.  I wasn't going to waste a bottle of Prosecco when I have this head cold!

Salute!

The Best Under 10 I have found in a long, long time!

My mom was not much of a drinker.  She never had alcohol in the house unless my grandfather was coming to town, and then there was usually a bottle of wine, chablis to be exact.  Now Ray enjoyed a good bottle of wine, I believe there was a bottle of Opus One on his 70th birthday, but he was also unafraid to say he liked something if it was cheap.  Maybe I get my love of good cheap wine from him.  But this post is about my mom.  Or maybe it is really about both of them, and me.

Every year Ray would fly out to see us on December 26th.  The anticipation for his arrival, put Christmas to shame.  Mom's Daddy was the light of her life, and of ours.  He always brought mom a box of Godiva Chocolates (the big one), we always went by the water (the beach), and sometimes we would stop at the liquor store and he would buy Mom a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape.  Ray said it was her favorite.

I never had the opportunity to share a glass of wine with my mom.  She was taken far to young by a beast called Melanoma.  But when I completed my college degree I found myself working in a field that required knowledge of wine.  That knowledge led to a life long love affair, and funny enough my favorite is Chateauneuf du Pape.

Most Chateauneuf du Papes average well above my $15 everyday wine cap ($30+).  They are collectors.  Savey-Saveys as we call them in our house.  Usually, Santa is generous and I find one in my stocking.  It is placed with it's brothers to sleep and wait until such time as we have gathered a group of good, wine loving friends, and it is ready.

So imagine my surprise a couple of weeks ago, as I was doing my Thanksgiving shopping at Trader Joe's and I came around a corner to see, "Chateauneuf du Pape, The wine of Thanksgiving, $9.99" 

$9.99?!  Are you kidding?  Shocked as I was, $9.99 was worth the gamble.  We opened it a few days after Thanksgiving, and to my surprise it is quite good.  Don't get me wrong, it will not be resting with it's brothers, waiting for just the right time to be opened. 

No.

So far I have enjoyed it while cooking dinner and wrapping presents.  I have given it as a hostess gift and a Christmas gift. 

It is light, yet still has that bigness I expect when I drink Chateauneuf du Pape, and I swear there is a slight pepper on the finish, but that just might be me.

Regardless, I highly recommend it.  It is hands down, the best under $10 I have found in a very, very long time!


I swear these aren't all for me!

Val de la Pierre
Chateneuf du Pape
2009
Found at Trader Joe's
$9.99

Maybe tonight I will raise a glass to Mom and Ray. 

Maybe I better go buy another bottle first!

Friday Night Wine

I love Pinot Noir as a Friday night wine.  By the time Friday night is here, I want an easy dinner, a glass of wine, and maybe a movie on the couch with my favorite people.  For me, Friday night is all about ease.  That is also how I think of Pinot Noir.

However, tonight I'm not drinking Pinot Noir. (pulled a fast one on you right there.)  Tonight I am drinking Cline Cashmere.  The Cashmere is a blend of Mourvedre, Grenache, and Syrah.  To describe this wine as smooth would be doing it an injustice.  It is supple, easy, lustrous, and effortless.  Just like Friday night.

The Cline website describes it thusly, "As rare as the goats in the Gobi Desert, this silky rich blend is a special treat."   Who wouldn't want a wine compared to goats?  Seriously. 

And finally, if you are still thinking of going in another direction for your Friday night wine, I offer you this jewel of delicious information.  Cline sponsors The Breast Cancer Network of Strength - Ride to Empower.  That is why the Cashmere has a Pink Ribbon on the label.  I love companies that are vested in the world around them!

The Breast Cancer Network of Strength provides support for Breast Cancer patients.  They have many, many services that they offer, but what makes them different is that all of their services are provided by Breast Cancer Survivors! 

So there you have it.  A tremendous Friday Night Wine, provided by an exceptional winery, who supports an incredible organization.  Just a little feel good for your Friday night!

Cashmere
Cline Cellars
A blend of Mourvedre, Grenache, and Syrah
Listed on their website at $21.99
I purchased mine at World Market for $12.99.
(Gotta love a bargain!)

No One Understands Me...

Like Trader Joe's understands me! 

It is hands down, my favorite place to food shop.  There is something unique and delicious around every corner. 

Look what Tim brought home last week!



(Please note the container is empty.)

These are perfect little packages of graham cracker and marshmallow wrapped in chocolatey goodness.  Oh, and there are directions for serving them warm... 

Thank Goodness tomorrow is shopping day!