Quick hits - recommendation for three wines for a friend

Just got asked by a great friend of mine for my recommendations for wines under/around $10.  She didn't care if they were red or white, but just wanted them to be "yummy". What did I recommend?

Well, you would guess the first two, if you had read previous posts reviewing these wines.  The first was the Pedro do Monte from Portugal ($8.95). The second was La Casona from Spain ($9.95), but I thought I would mix it up for the third and throw in a white wine that hubby and I really like, the Birchwood Estates Niagara Gewurtz/Riesling blend at only $10.95.  We love this blend, especially for casual sipping, appetizers and spicy foods.  Yumminess.

Was flattered to be asked for my input, but kinda wish I was going whereever she going to be able to enjoy what she'll have on offer!

Tapas time out - La Casona, Friday night, and a less than $10 price tag

ROCK ON - it's Friday night.

I arrived home and was met with plans for a night of Tapas - Serrano ham, chirozo sausage, a smoked roasted red pepper sausage on the Big Green Egg, with a selection of cheeses, fresh baguette and salad as a side. If I haven't mentioned it lately, I have a great husband. I had to do nothing.

So. Perfect, unplanned evening fare to go perfectly with our final wine in the Top 10 under $10 series from the LCBO; La Casona Monsatrell 2007 from Yecla, Spain.


So, admittedly, after a VERY long week at work, I opened this wine with breakneck speed and, giving it a perfunctory sniff, dove right in. Yes, I got some cassis on the nose, and deep cherry and all that stuff, but for all that, it was just good, rounded, plump and juicy wine. WINE. oh, yeah....wiiiiiine.

This one has some nice tannins, and nice finish. This is a GREAT value for $8.95. If it was a blind tasting, I probably would have been able to peg it as Spanish...it just has that slightly gritty, earthy, round and yet fruity characteristics. Would I have been able to pick out that it was the monastrell grape on not a tempranillo? No...

Hey. Sorry. A little break. Just saw that Toronto is eating what Washington is dishing and it tastes like 1-6... ha!

So yes. Great value wine. of the 5 wines I have tried, it's number 3 on the list, I think.

So here's my ranking folks, after all that:

#1 is the Portugese Pedras do Monte Castelao 2007
#2 is the The Castillo de Monseran Garnacha Spainish treat (so unique)
#3 is tonight's La Casona 2007 from Yecla Spain - it's as good as any $15 I have tried
#4 has to be the Mezzomondo staple from Italy that I have been drinking for a while when looking for a bargain deal.
And last on the list was the Italian Casal Thaulero - not bad at all, but it was the only one on the list that had that slightly sulphery 'cheapy' kind of layer to the tongue. I have no idea how else to describe that 'element', but it is something I can both smell and taste. Maybe something that happens with the sulphites in cheaper wines? Not sure.

Okay folks. Now you have the scoop, or at least my interpretation of the wines I most wanted to try from that list. It was fun to do, and I hope you all don't go out and buy up all the damn Pedras bottles, 'cause I want them, dammnit!

And...the Caps "steamrolled" the Leafs tonight. Happy Friday everyone!

What's behind door number three? Part 3 of the 10 Under $10 reviews

Okay. Before I go any further than this, and in the interest of transparency (and just in case you haven't guessed, laughing at my musings on what I am tasting and fully disagreeing with me), I am NOT a wine expert. I am a wine 'souse' to use I term my Mamma would use. I LOVE it. I have a 'bit' of a nose for it, but no formal training. And...I simply know what I like, people!

Without further ado...The Castillo de Monseran Garnacha from Spain! Only $8.95 folks! And Spanish - some of my favourite wines are coming from Spain these days.

Big. Long. Pour. Tonight. Work was a drag today and it won't be better tomorrow.

Okay. When I first stuck my cute little delicate nose into this glass tonight (it's kinda crooked, actually, and not really all that cute, but...you don't know that, so...) the first thing I got was, I thought, raspberry, but then I swirled it and wow strawberry! I purposefully didn't look at the notes on the article again, and guess what? I was right! Yay me!

Then, the taste. BOY is this fruity! Almost sweet. A very different, unique tasting Garnacha, which I am more accustomed to being more gritty, with more aggressive tannins. This is a cooooool tasting wine, man! I can see this thing actually going with a myriad of dishes - I bet you could even have this with a wilted spinach, goat cheese, strawberry and toasted walnut salad or something. Very interesting. Certainly a nice, light, sipper, but don't expect and long, lingering finish. It dies out quick on the tongue. But then...I want more almost right away, so...(maybe my work day is affecting my appetite for it?)

Very different for me, but yummy. I'll buy this again for sure!

So....I have other stuff to do tonight, but wanted to the the next 'instalment' out there. Last one, the La Casona, remains. I've been told by my closest wino pal that it's a great wine value, and so that is high praise indeed!

Wow..what a nose...bottle one of my under $10 traipse through the LCBO

Yesterday, I received a newsletter in my inbox from TorontoLife magazine. Now, I don't live in TO, but I often visit, and I like to know what's goin' on, where to eat, where to drink and what to do...okay...where to shop, really. This particular edition had a juicy title that simply jumped off the page.

Now, I will preface by saying that the Mezzomondo is one I already buy copiously. Great value wine. The others I am going to try, I need to find, first, since the Rideau Centre LCBO didn't have (or was sold out) of the cheap wines. Coincidence?...

I did find bottle one, though. Just opened it, actually. Highly appropriate, since it is hump day, and what I love buying these wines for is my Dr. Pam recommended "take one glass in long, slow sips each night" prescription throughout the work week.

But I digress. I just opened it. It is item number five on the list, the Pedras do Monte.
Wow. Boom Boom Pow on the nose, man! It has been a long time since I had a bouquet like this! So what am I getting? Well, for certain, I am getting the licorice mentioned - and realizing that THIS is truly licorice as opposed to anise, which has less sugar/sweet on the nose and is a bit more subtle. Ain't nuthin subtle here. Lots of rips wild blackberry on the nose - no pansy strawberry here (I disagree with the reference to vague blackberry...I think there is lots here). And on the nose, I am not getting all that much smoke, but a bit of fresh tobacco...sure.

Okay. I've let it breathe plenty. Yay...I get to sip now (and now, I never spit, sorry - that stuff is gold and meant to be swallowed, imbibed, enjoyed).

Okaaaaay! I would NEVER guess at the price of this wine! It's full bodied, a bit aggressive on the tannins, but then, I like those. I'm getting the vanilla from the oak, especially lingering on the palate - great finish. This is great. Hmm....I think I have a new fave cheapie.

Gosh...can't wait to taste the next 5 or 6 I have earmarked! Until then...cheers!