Arlene Wright-Correll (1935_____) is mother of 5 and the grandmother of 8. For almost 40 years she was an International real estate consultant and during the last 20 years of her career traveled to many parts of the world. She has been a cancer and stroke survivor since 1992. While working and raising her children she had many hobbies including being a very serious home-vintner for approximately 14 years while residing in upstate New York in St. Lawrence County producing 2,000 to 3,000 bottles of wine a year. She was the president of the St. Lawrence County chapter of the American Wine Society in Potsdam, NY. During that time she wrote a Home Vintner column for the Courier Freeman and the Canton Plain Dealer. In 1975 her hearty burgundy won first place at the annual American Wine Society meeting in Toledo, Ohio. This home vintner created many formulas or recipes for not only still wine, but sparkling wine and beer. She enjoyed the friendship and fellowship that was created by working with other home vintners during those years. She is an avid gardener, an award winning artist, and a free lance writer of many topics including, but not limited to "The ABC’s of Making Wine and Beer©" by Arlene Wright-Correll this jam packed information CD includes 15 chapters on how to make your own wine and beer. This CD has loads of tried and true recipes, easy instructions, equipment identifying photos and it includes three bonus articles "How to Host a Wine Tasting Party", "How to Build an Underground Wine Cellar" and " Everything You Wanted to Know about Wine, but Were Afraid to Ask". This $19.95 value is on sale today for only $14.95 at http://www.cafepress.com/arlene_correll/1063470

I have been thinking of doing a little column like this for a long time. We often try a bottle of wine that we never had before and many times we have pleasant experiences. Occasionally we do not. So here is a forum where we can talk about wines. If you have any good, great or bad experiences with wines and want to share them, just send an email to me at askarlene@scrtc.com and put the words wine talk in the subject line.

We are not connoisseurs, but basically wine consumers who enjoy a good glass of wine now and then.  We think there are many of us out there with the same sort of mentality.  So this is the forum for us. We live in a dry county and it is an easy 104 mile round trip for anything alcoholic.  We don't know how we have managed it, but for the past two moves we made, (7 years in TN and now almost 7 years here in KY) we have managed to find beautiful, delightful places to live, with great people, but dry, dry, dry!

Please note that we do not receive anything from anyone when we discuss a wine.  All opinions are strictly our own and we have developed our own rating system with 1 grape being our lowest opinion of the wine and 5 grapes being our highest opinion.

We recommend the following French Wines

Feb. 3, 2006. We enjoyed a good bottle of sparkling wine labeled

, Graham Beck Brut, 

This is a wine from the Western Cape of South Africa. The wine was a lovely, smooth, and dry with lots of tiny bubbles. (Alway remember, the tinier the bubbles, the finer the wine.) 58%Chardonnay & 42%Pinot Noir.

Graham Beck Brut, a well-known local cap classique made from pinot noir and chardonnay, was awarded the Gold Star in the Irish Wine Show’s category for Best Sparkling Wine and Champagne in the Under 25 Euro (R195) price class. The Irish Wine Show, Ireland’s premier wine event, is run by the National Off Licence Association and each wine company is only allowed to submit one wine in each of the Show’s 14 categories. Graham Beck Brut, one of South Africa’s most famous cap classiques, is made at Graham Beck’s Robertson winery. Méthode Cap Classique is a South African sparkling wine made to the same method as champagne in France. This means that the wine undergoes a natural, secondary fermentation in the bottle and follows the traditional process of disgorgement where the collected yeast is frozen and extracted from the bottle.

The first wine produced under the Graham Beck label was a Brut Cap Classique which was made at the winery’s Robertson cellar and introduced to the market in 1993.

The makers have managed to create bubblies with clean, austere fruit flavours, offset by a biscuity, yeasty flavor that is classical, yet not overpowering. We think this would be great with seafood and light meats.

The price was $13.99 at the Liquor Barn in Louisville, KY

Feb.4,2006

Seaview Brut  A light, dry sparkling wine. The bottle did not list the grapes or how it was made. Seaview had a nice bright tawny color but was otherwise undistinguished. I think this would be a good, modest price desert champagne.

Seaview is sold in Australia, UK, Canada, NZ and Ireland. Small quantities are also sold in select European countries and now is being imported into the USA by PWG Vintners USA Inc. Napa, CA.

A household name in Australia respected for its champagne-like style of sparkling wines.

Seaview's origins date back to the 1850s when George Manning established 'Hope Farm' in McLaren Vale. The winery was renamed Seaview in 1951 by its new owners, Edwards and Chaffey. Seaview Winery is located on Chaffey's Road, north of McLaren Vale and specialises in red and white table wines and sparkling wines derived from cabernet sauvignon, riesling, semillon, Grenache, chardonnay, verdelho, sauvignon blanc and shiraz grapes. The fruit for the wines comes from many regions in South Eastern Australia. One of the first Australian winemakers to use the authentic French technique of methode champenoise, Seaview today exclusively makes sparkling wines. The range includes vintage and non-vintage wines and covers the entire spectrum of celebratory occasions.

The price was $8.99 at the Liquor Barn in Louisville, KY

Ruffino's Orvieto

Pale straw in color, lightly flowery and lemony with a touch of minerality. For light-hearted pleasure sure to quench your thirst, grab the 2004 Ruffino Orvieto Classico ($8-11). Orvieto is located in Tuscany's neighboring region, Umbria. Home to famous hillside cities like Assisi and Perugia, Umbria is a gem for finding high-quality, well-priced wines. One of those is crisp Orvieto, made from grapes that include Trebbiano, Verdicchio, Canaiolo and Grechetto.

Ruffino Orvieto Classico is something of a stepchild in the Ruffino family of wines, because it is the only one of Ruffino's wines that does not come from Tuscany. But make no mistake - the wine has pedigree! Ruffino Orvieto is a DOC wine from the neighboring region of Umbria, and one of the most classic and famous white wines in Italy.

The main grape of Orvieto is the Procanico, a white grape quite familiar to Tuscan growers under the name Trebbiano. Three Umbrian specialties - the Verdello, Grechetto and Drupeggio grapes - also contribute to the Orvieto blend, as does Malvasia, one of the white grapes of the Chianti area. Ruffino Orvieto Classico is vinified in stainless steel at cool temperatures to preserve the grapes' delicate fruit flavors. Although there is no such thing as a "white Chianti," Orvieto has traditionally filled the niche for Chianti producers and Chianti lovers who seek an Italian white wine of tradition and pedigree. Stock up on these by the case for warm-weather parties, or just to drink while relaxing with a good book. We drink this with anything, but especially good with fish and light meats. Price runs from $8-$12.00 but George found six 1.5 litre bottles out on Long Island for $12.98 each and bought them all. This one of our favorite wines, not only for its taste, but because we have fond memories of spending a lovely day in this town.

Price $8-12.00

Feb. 8, 2006

Folonari Chianti

Folonari Chianti is a solid red wine that you could share with guests or take to a party and not be embarassed. Indeed, with its sharp label, positive qualities, and nothing bad about it whatsoever, this Italian wine is a solid choice. It is a nice dry table wine and it went well with our pasta dinner. It is a good companion with hearty cheeses. Easy on the palette, easy on the pocketbook!

Price $6.99 to $8.00

March 11, 3006

Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Brut-Cuvee Sparkling wine

We enjoyed a Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Brut-Cuvee Sparkling wine from South Australia.

The Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes were selected from premium districts, including Buckland Valley (VIC), Cowra (NSW) and Adelaide Hills (SA). Harvested in the cool of night, minimal juice contact with the skins and gentle pressing produced juices of elegance, finesse and delicate fruit flavor. These juices were fermented separately using a yeast strain isolated in Champagne, to produce delicate base wines, which then underwent secondary fermentation in bottle.

The color is a mid straw green with a fine and persistent mousse and the bouquet has citrus and toasted cashew nut flavors of Chardonnay that are married to the fresh attractive breadcrust characters of Pinot Noir. One's palette enjoys the elegant fruit flavors enhanced with creamy yeast autolysis providing depth and flavour. The wine finishes soft, crisp and clean.

Priced at $12.95 a bottle and we bought it at the Liquor Barn in Louisville, KY.

Mouton Cadet Bordeaux

It stands to reason that the world's most popular Bordeaux wine, is Mouton Cadet. About 13 million bottles of this wine ships worldwide on an annual basis. What You Should Know About Mouton Rothschild, to provide a very brief background on one of the world's most popular and recognized wine brands.

The Château Mouton Rothschild, once headed by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, is a producer of premium Bordeaux wine.

Rothschild's winery, located at Pauillac in the Médoc, produces wine under the Château Mouton Rothschild label, a First Growth, and produces other wines under the Château Clerc Milon and Château d'Armailhac labels. It also produces "branded wines," an example being Mouton Cadet.

After a few difficult growing years, and faced by economic pressures brought on by the world-wide depression in the 1930's, Baron Philippe de Rothschild made a decision to release a less expensive, lower quality ("declassified") wine that was not quite fit for the esteemed Château label. This wine was named Mouton Cadet. The word Cadet is the French term meaning "junior." Since World War II, this wine has been developed as a "branded wine" and is released every year. It is made using a blend of fruit: 55% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Cabernet Franc.

Needless to say it is a good, inexpensive table wine with a nice dry taste and red color and it runs between $6.99 to 10.99 depending on where you buy it. We enjoyed a 2003 Bordeaux with a nice lasanga the other evening outside by the fire. It was grand.

Price $8.99

Martini & Rossi Presecco

Martini & Rossi Prosecco is a refreshingly dry, slightly sparkling wine made from the prosecco grape, grown exclusively in Italy's fruitful Veneto region. The Italians call it "frizzante" or "light bubbles" because of its softer effervescence and acidity. Delicate and well-balanced fruity taste with hints of apple, peach, and vanilla.

Prosecco enhances dining experiences, with little of the bite of champagne and lower alcohol content than most still white wines. Produced in the Veneto region of Italy, Martini & Rossi Prosecco comes in a deep green bottle with a glossy finish and a hand-tied string over the cork, 10.5% ABV in 750 ml bottles.

We were delighted with the pale gold color, streams of small bubbles and crisp fresh taste. We found this a zesty alternative to Chardonnay and recommend it. We enjoy this with about everything except red meat and heavy main courses.

Priced from $11.98 to $15.99

Paul Cheneau Cava

Produced by Paul Cheneau in Penedes, Spain, this dry white sparkling wine made from a blend of grapes and is a good hors d’oeuvre wine, cheese & crackers, cream-based soups.

Spain knows how to crank out the value bubbly. Paul Cheneau Art Series Brut Cava comes in a very festive deco bottle. This light gold sparkler has eager bubbles of varying sizes in the glass. Crisp scents of green apples and citrus dominate, accompanied by subtle mineral aromas. This Cava is very straight forward in the mouth, bright and crisp. Bubbly lovers will notice the absence of complexity found in many sparkling wines. Though, at $9, it’s a very good value.

Priced at $9.00

Schmitt Sohne Riesling 2004

This delicate, moderately light bodied Riesling has a tasteful, granny smith apple characteristic that is crisp and lively on the palate. Perfect by itself or to complement mild cheeses, salads, shellfish and poultry. Made in the region of Mosel-Saar-Ruwer

Priced $7.99

March 19, 2006

Tomasello Black Berry Wine

At this year's Saint Patrick's Day Party many wines made their way to our table.

One of them was Tomasello Black Berry Wine. It wasn't until 3 days after the party ended that I found a half full bottle of this in the refrigerator. It was corked and nicely chilled so I tried it. I personally prefer dry wines, but this is a splendid full bodied fruit wine. It would be great with deserts, thought I. However, it was just before dinner and I just wanted a glass of cool wine. I did what I always do to sweet wines I add two thirds the amount of seltzer and it made a wonderful refreshing spritzer. This encouraged me to go to their website www.tomasellowinery.com  Lots of great information there and this one taste encouraged to look for some of their other wines.

Made from 100% Marion Blackberries, Tomasello Blackberry Wine is a full-bodied blackberry wine with dominant cassis and brambleberry character. It is moderately sweet and can be served both as a dessert wine, or in a dessert like English Truffle with Tomasello Blackberry Wine. In classical French cooking, Tomasello Blackberry Wine can be made into a sauce reduction. Try Filet Mignon with Blackberry Wine Reduction. Check out their site, a nice recipe goes with this one particular wine and I may try it soon.

As to the price, I do not know. However, I am sure it is easy to find out.

March 26, 2006

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava

A good Spanish Wine which has been made in the Penedés (pen-eh-DEZ) since pre-Roman times. This beautiful country lies on the shores of the Mediterranean 20 miles south of Barcelona. The jagged peaks of Montserrat can be seen from here on a clear day. In the Cava Region of Spain last year we enjoyed many bottles of this grand wine for as little as 3 Euros a bottle. (sigh!)

Segura Viudas Brut Reserva NV Superb rich style Cava, long a favorite of mine, Segura Viudas is made by Frexinet, one of the biggest names in Spanish sparkling wine. The wine has a lovely, full, rich, nutty style balanced by fresh, clean crispness. The fizz is soft and smooth. Lots of tiny bubbles!

Price $8.99 -$11.99

Segura Viudas Cava: Brut Reserva Heredad With solid pewter accents on the bottle As good as any top French vintage Champagne. Rich in texture, creamy and supple, with toast, pears and vanilla on the nose and a refreshingly lingering finish. And what a beautiful bottle! A pale golden color rich with tiny bubbles.

Price $24.99

Beringer White Zinfandel 2005

For many years, Beringer's viticulture team has worked with premier California vineyards renowned for high quality Zinfandel fruit. Their rocky, well-drained soils and warm, even climates foster flavorful grapes ideal for Beringer Vineyard's White Zinfandel. The grapes were picked early in the morning, before the heat of the day set in, to preserve the Zinfandel varietal's bright, fresh fruit flavors. After crushing, the juice was left in contact with the skins for approximately three hours to extract a light ruby hue, reminiscent of plum blossoms. After gently pressing the grapes, Beringer winemakers used a slow, cool fermentation to highlight the wine's fresh aromas and flavors of summer berries, citrus and honeydew melon.

This bottle was the essence of all Beringer's efforts. Pale rose in color.

Price $6.00-$8.99

April 26, 2006

King Estates Orgegon Pinot Gris (2004 vintage) sets the gold standard for American Pinot Gris. Aromas of tropical fruit, tangerine, floral perfume, and magnolia blossom are accented by hints of vanilla and anise in this wine. In the mouth, the wine is rich and round with flavors of citrus, tangerine, peach, anise, and pear. This Pinot Gris maintains a perfect balance of fruit and acidity throughout its soft, lingering finish. This wine was as light as a feather!

Price $14.95-$16.95 

Casillero del Diablo Carménère 2004

This bottle was a house gift from a friend and we know Concha y Torofrom Chile is getting Carménère right. This affordable red is full bodied, with a fair amount of oak and bacon smothering plum and berry aromas. On the whole it’s round, juicy and fresh, with lively flavors and good feel.

Price $8.99 

April 28, 2006

Lakeridge Southern Red

This wine was brought to us by our house guests returning back to IL after spending the winter in FL. The Southern Red offers a ruby hue, berry flavors, light-bodied; sweet rich berry nose reminiscent of the grape. Made from the Noble, a variety of red Muscadine. 5.0% residual sugar; a unique wine rich in Southern tradition. Served ice cold it was acceptable to me. At room temperature it was a bit too sweet for my personal taste with the food matches the winery suggests to serve it with. It made a fine spritzer though.Food matches: Pasta & red sauce, Barbecue, Pizza, Game

Price $8.95 at the winery

Lakeridge Sunblush

Also another house gift by our traveling guests. Lakeridge Sunblush offers a rich aroma and fruit flavor, this light, crisp and refreshing wine embodies the radiant hue of a Florida sunset; a blend of different muscadine grapes done in a blush style. 2.5% residual sugar. Food matches: Ham, Finger foods
Similar wines: White Zinfandel, Rosé

Price $7.95 at the winery.

About Lakeridge

Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards opened its doors in February 1989 in Clermont, Florida. This area was once the center of the State's grape industry. After ten years of phenomenal growth, Lakeridge ranks as Florida's largest premium winery, and remains a pioneer in the development of table and sparkling wines from hybrid grapes. In 2005, more than 110,000 people are expected to visit the winery, its extensive tasting room, and gift shop. With an overall production of over 50,000 cases, Lakeridge wines are sold at the winery and selected wine shops. Vintage-dated varietals from hybrids such as Stover, Suwannee and Blanc Du Bois are produced and marketed along with blended and sparkling wines from native Muscadine grapes. Wines are sold under the Lakeridge and Lakeridge Reserve brands. Together, these labels have won more than 300 awards for excellence in winemaking.

Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards sits on a 127-acre estate in gently rolling countryside some 25 miles west of downtown Orlando. The seventy seven acre estate vineyard consist of Florida hybrid bunch grapes as well as varieties of Muscadines including Noble, Carlos, and Welder. Extensive research continues to be done in the vineyard, and Lakeridge is now regarded by Florida's Department of Agriculture as the premier viticultural development site within the state.

Gloria Ferber Sonoma Brut

This is the best bottle of sparkling wine I have tasted in a long time. Given to me as part of a mother's day gift by Glynis, we thoroughly enjoyed this wine produced by Freixenet Sonoma Caves in Sonoma, CA. This wine has a delicate pear and floral notes backed by toasty almond. On the palate, one finds lively citrus, toast and apple flavors overlaid with persistent effervescence, a creamy mid-palate and toasty finish.

For nearly 20 years, Vineyard Manager Mike Crumly and Winemaker Bob Iantosca have worked as a team. They have adhered to the three winemaking tenets the Ferrers brought with them from Europe: hand-harvest the grapes, deliver them to the winery in small lots and press them gently. These old-world practices remain the foundation for the creation of Gloria Ferrer's méthode champenoise produced at the winery today.

The Sonoma Brut has been carefully crafted entirely from hand-harvested Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. Over forty different selections of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are planted on our 340-acre estate in the Sonoma Carneros district. It is this viticultural diversity that allows us to consistently produce cuvées with complexity and clear fruit expression. The Brut is dominated by Pinot Noir, a stylistic decision enabling the complex aromatic and palate profile that this red-skinned grape contributes to Brut cuvées.

Price, (Glynis thinks it was $11.98)

May 5, 2006

Domaine Ste. Michelle Extra Dry (USA, Washington, Columbia Valley)

A gift bottle of sparkling wine. Nothing spectacular but nothing embarassing either. A slighly above average sparkling wine with some flavor. Needed to be a little more "extra dry" than brut. Not bad from Washington. Course bubbles. I would not go out of my way to buy it for myself.

Price $8.99-$11.99

June 19, 2006Naked Mountain 2002 Chardonnay

Black Label Barrel Fermented

Glynis shared a bottle of this with us over 2 years ago and this year she brought back a bottle for Carl for Father's Day. This wine is the signature wine of Naked Mountain and accounts for over 75% of their winery production. This is a smooth, rich, dry white wine, vinted in the style of a classic French Mearsault.

Over the years this wine has displayed exemplary performance in competition, having won best in show at the Virginia State Fair and the Governor’s Cup. The 2002 has continued this tradition of success in regional, national, and international competitions. The most recent award is a Silver Medal from the prestigious Indy International Wine Competition held in July 2005.

This Chardonnay is composed entirely of Virginia grapes. It reflects the landscape and flavor from some of Virginia’s finest vineyard sites. It is fermented and aged in 225 liter French oak Barrels. The barrels varied from new to five years old. The oak originated in the Allier, Nevers, and Vosges forests.

The wine has pronounced chardonnay fruit in the nose. The primary palate flavors are those of toasty vanilla and butterscotch. Balancing out the wine are subtle tones of pineapple, citrus, pear, papaya, and ripe figs - with a kiss of oak. The acids are softened by a full malolactic fermentation, which adds a rich buttery character. The finish is long and in concert with the initial palate impressions.  This 100% varietal chardonnay is a full-bodied, savory wine. It sings with overall balance and elegance.

Great paired with poultry, seafood with sauces, pasta with white sauce, and fish. It went great with our fish fry, salad and macaroni and cheese dinner we shared with George, Barbara, Jeff & Carl.

Price per bottle '02 $17.00

June 23, 2006

Schloss Biebrich Sekt, Trocken (Dry)

This inexpensive (Non-vintage) sparkling riesling from Germany is the second label of Henkell Trocken, the leader in the sekt business in Germany, probably Europe, too. Sekt is just another name for champagne. Schloss Biebrich may say dry on the label, but the style is more off-dry -- in other words, it has a touch of sweetness, but really full of very fine, tiny bubbles. Overall impression? A great buy at $8, a good crowd-pleaser, charming riesling character. We were surprise to find it has a plastic cork, so open with care, slanting the bottle away from you and twisting the cork out with a cloth or rag.

We liked it. Who drinks the most sparkling wine in the world? The German people do, that's who (about five liters per capita per annum). Germany is the world's largest market for sparkling wines ("Schaumwein").

One can always always find some redeeming quality about German product. Even if I can only say that they are made with price and are inexpensive. The quality of German sparkling wines -- of course -- is nothing like the sparkling wine from some of California's finer wineries (i.e., Schramsberg) and certainly below any of the Methode Champenoise wines from Champagne, France. That said, I still like these wines. They are inexpensive and great performers in their price range.

Price is usually $8. However, we found it in Trade Joe's in Indianopolis the other day for $4.99 a bottle and we bought 4 bottle of it and we will be keeping our eye out for it.

June 24, 2006

These were the wines tasted at a wine tasting held at Avalon Stained Glass Studio and attended by 17 friends of the grape!

Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico

Made from 100% Verdicchio produced in the more suitable classical vineyards. This wine is fresh and fruity when young and has great aging potential; bottles from the first vintage, 1985, remain in the Colonnara cellars and they are still excellent. Straw yellow in color with greenish reflections tending towards gold when mature. The bouquet exhibits an intense and lingering fruity character with hints of golden apple, pineapple, golden plum, almond and elegant floral notes of acacia and gorse. Dry, supple, fresh, flavorful, full-bodied, balanced and refined on the palate with lingering flavors of delicately bitter and exotic dried fruits. The consensus was a nice wine for the money.

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi is the most famous and historically noted DOC wine of the Marches.

The vines of the extremely ancient Verdicchio variety, which originated in the region but is now grown as well in Friuli, the Veneto, Tuscany and Campania, cover the hills that flank the river Esino. And it is believed that the cultivation of vines in the Marches began in that same area. At the center of that historic grape-growing district, known as the Castelli di Jesi, stands the community that has given its name to the wine, the ancient Aesis, a Roman colony although probably of Umbrian origin. The history of that town, Jesi, is intertwined with that of its Castelli, of which there remain only the ruins: Castelbellino, Castelplanio, Maiolati, Monte Roberto and Cupramontana. The latter was a town that grew up around a temple built in honor of the goddess Cupra and restored in 217 by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. At the temple, propitiatory rites were performed in which wine, the probable ancestor of Verdicchio, was drunk in honor of Cupra, goddess of wealth and opulence.

The reputation of Verdicchio spread from the Roman lands to the barbarians beyond the Alps, who invaded and brought down the empire in the West. When in 410, Alaric, king of the Visigoths, was passing through the Marches on his way to besiege and sack Rome, he reportedly ordered that 40 mules be loaded with barrels of Verdicchio to take along with him because he held that the wine was excellent for maintaining and stimulating the strength of his soldiers. However, the wine could have come from the neighboring Verdicchio di Metalica zone.

Verdicchio has been cited in poetry innumerable times over the centuries. Among those who have mentioned the wine was the noted Tuscan poet of the 16th century Pietro Aretino. Despite his reputation as a denigrator of everything and everyone, he had nothing but warm words of praise for the wine's dietetic and gustatory virtues.

Today, the worldwide reputation of Verdicchio, the leading DOC wine of the Marches in terms of quantity, has been further enhanced in respect to prestige and sales by the introduction in Italy and abroad of a new sparkling wine that some estates are now producing both by the Charmat and the Champenois methods.

The Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi can be labeled with the geographical qualification Classico when it is produced in the oldest sector of the zone indicated in the DOC discipline.

Price $8-9.00

Cave Springs ‘04 RIESLING ICEWINE (S) VQA Niagara Peninsula

This wine originates from Riesling grapes grown along the slopes of the Niagara Escarpment and south shore of Lake Ontario. These clusters were left to partially raisin on the vine during late autumn, with a further concentration of sugars and acids occurring when the berries were frozen solid by the onset of winter. Selectively hand-harvested and pressed at temperatures below -10˚C (14˚F), these grapes produced a sweet nectar with impeccable acid balance. This wine was considered too sweet by most of the tasters for their personal taste. However, if you like this type of wine you will like this one.

Price $24.95

Tomasello Winery, Blackberry Wine

This wine made it's way back into this tasting.  Made from 100% Marion Blackberries, Tomasello Blackberry Wine is a full-bodied blackberry wine with dominant cassis and brambleberry character. It is moderately sweet and can be served both as a dessert wine, or in a dessert like English Truffle with Tomasello Blackberry Wine. In classical French cooking, Tomasello Blackberry Wine can be made into a sauce reduction. Try Filet Mignon with Blackberry Wine Reduction.This wine was also considered too sweet by most of the tasters for their personal taste. However, if you like this type of wine you will like this one.

Again, I do not know the price.

Funky Llama Chardonnay

Produced in the high Andes, these grapes are grown at 4,000 ft. Meant to be fun and not complicated, Funky Llama is rich in fruit, low in price but not lacking in complexity. These wines are amazingly well-made, and they will hold their own as your new house wines no matter which flavor you end up liking the most. So just have fun! Get a little funky! And don’t make wine such a big deal. Remember, wine isn’t worth any hype at all, if someone isn’t enjoying it!

Price $7.50

Voga Italia Pinot Grigio

It looks like water or a big bottle of perfume, but there is a cork under the cap. It was a good dry wine.  Italian Pinot Grigio is normally very light and crisp, but Voga Italia combines the soft alluring flavors of Veneto with the structure and breed of Trentino grapes.

Price $10.00

Evolution Luck Wine

A random number of varietals that have become a lush, off-dry, somewhat tropical wine with a crisp finish. 9 grapes tie together perfectly, creating a smooth, layered white wine that can hold its own or stand up to just about any food pairing you dare to serve it with. It is extraordinarily food-friendly, from light salads to the hottest fusion-style cuisine. Bottled by Sokol Blosser Winery in Dundee, OR. We all liked it.

Price $16.00

Satinela (Medium Sweet 2004) Marques de Caceres

This is a very light- bodied and doesn't taste as sweet as its 3 percent residual sugar would indicate. The flavor is mostly of lemon marmalade and honey, with some butter and vanilla in the aroma. This would work with spicy dishes, but is not quite sweet enough to be a dessert wine.

Price $7.00

Blackstone Winery Zinfandel California 2002

Price $11.99

Yalumba Clocktower Port Wine

There is a lightness and elegance and achieves a spicy complexity, hinting at licorice, cinnamon and tar. I loved this in the evening when I finished my day during the 6 months I lived in Australia. Hints of licorice, cinnamon and tar emerge on the smooth finish. 10,000 cases made.  This is one of my favorite ports.

Price $10-16.00

Simmons Winery Indiana Ruby Port

A sweet, smooth, red wine fortified with wine spirits. Slightly unique, having a lighter body than most Port wines, by using our French-American hybrid grapes. Excellent as a dessert or after dinner wine.

Price $19.95

Three Thieves California 2003 Zinfandel

"3thieves"

This wine reminds me of what the old italians used to make in their cellars in Brooklyn, NY. It is dark red with purple tones. romas are classic raspberry, blackberry, and spice, strongly echoed on the palate. Soft tannins add complexity and structure. Mixed reviews at the tasting. I kind of liked it. It would be good with Pizza or Pasta. Its got a screw cap and I feel like it was a big bang for the buck.

Price $7.50 a small jug.

Pastis (liqueur) Henri Bardouin a product of France

Of the 17 tasters who tried it, only Carl and I liked it. However, I think it is an acquired taste. Here is a little history about it.

PASTIS - the French national, versatile and much-loved drink and one can imagine sitting in any of thousands of Provence’s outdoor cafes in southern France. The sun is shining, and you are tired. What to order? Most North Americans think of cold beer, make that an ice-cold beer, a Provencale will order pastis – that unmistakable of all alcoholic beverages of the Mediterranean.

Although Provencale prefer pastis over any other aperitif and between meal drinks; many different versions exists throughout the Mediterranean basin in Greece, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. In Greece it is called ouzo, In Turkey raki, in Lebanon and Syria arrak. While recipes vary slightly from country to country the basics never do.

Pastis consists of alcohol, star anise, both black and white pepper corns, cardamom, sage, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, licorice and a little sugar. Each distillery has its own secret recipe and variation. When you order pastis the waiter (always a waiter in Provence) will, pending on his mood, will serve you a generous portion (at least two ounces generally more) along with a beaded carafe of water.

Pastis becomes milky white and cloudy as you mix it with water (1:5 ratio). There is a sharp, sweet smell of aniseed and it is called, rightly I think, the milk of Provence, that felicituous corner of France where vegetables taste great, herbs are potent, garlic abundant, and olive oil indispensable in cooking.

Pastis must never be enjoyed in a hurry. It demands the correct ambience.
There is a distinct difference between anis and pastis – the latter resembles the former but happens to be less distinct in anis and more potent (by law pastis may be distilled out up to 45 ABV*). Both happen to have an unmistakable resemblance to absinthe that has been banned in France, and many other European countries, but not in Spain or the Czech Republic or England. Absinthe contains wormwood, a hallucinogenic that is said to have driven many to insanity. For beginners, absinthe contained 68 ABV and tujone, the hallucinogen said to have driven van Gogh to insanity and caused Verlaine to shoot Rimbaud. It gave its name to a particular disease – absinthism - of which the victim dies. In France absinthe was declared illegal in 1915.

July 8, 2006

Menage a trois 2004 CA red wine

A blend of Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabenet Franc which gives off fresh ripe, jam like flavor. Each variety is fermented seperately and then blended. Ménage à Trois. It is so named because it blends three varietals: Zinfandel from Amador, and Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Napa. The Zin (69%) provides a backbone of peppery flavors and dense textures, while the Cabernet Sauvignon (26%) adds depth to the wine, making it a joy to drink. A touch of Merlot (5%) adds a third dimension, an enticing fruitiness that complements the other varietals. It is a deep and juicy wine that starts out with scents of blackberry and plum. Once in the mouth, the fuller flavors explode with berry, cherry and lush raspberry and end on a creamy vanilla note. I liked its soft and spicy flavor. From Folie à Deux Winery in St. Helena, CA .

Price $12.00

July 23, 2006

Tosti Pinot Grigio Sparkling versions of the popular Italian varietal Pinot Grigio are few and far between, so I am delighted with this delicious, good-time sparkler would be pretty hard to beat for under $12.00. This is a tank method wine, so the secondary fermentation takes place in bulk, not in individual bottles. Lots of tiny bubbles plus a fresh, fruity, very direct nature to the wine with little in the way of complexity, but plenty of delightfully crisp and generously full fruit. The nose of this has sweet, ripe grapy aromas, peach and a tropical hint pineapple. On the palate it is full-bodied and powerful, with loads of peachy, punchy fruit and decent acidity, with no sign of tartness or tightness even though it was dry the way we like it.. We enjoyed this with some lovely lobster tails for Carl's birthday celebration.

Price $10.99

September 19, 2006

Lorikeet Brut (Australian)

The rich fruit sweetness of the sparkling Shiraz is balanced with natural tannins and acid. The influence of light, fresh oak further enhances this sparkling wine’s complexity. Lorikeet Brut, a blend of the classic grape varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, has been carefully matured to produce a sparkling wine with abundant fruit flavors. Lorikeet Extra Dry, blended from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, displays a bouquet of cherry, strawberry, and citrus notes, and has a creamy texture and crisp finish. Glynis purchased this in New York.

Price $9.99

Blackstone Shiraz (Austrailan)

A lovely still wine with spicy and peppery notes from this cool climate region give the wine its structure and depth of flavor. Ken's mom, Neta, bought this wine for $9.99 and it was a nice wine with steaks that Ken cooked.

Shiraz, also known interchangeably as Syrah, is considered Australia’s favorite red variety and is the most widely planted grape variety in Australia. Shiraz gained popularity in the mid to late 90s, and is produced in a range of styles. It is typically used on its own to create dry red table wines, but is frequently blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvedgre, and Viognier. Shiraz wines are typically best after ten to fifteen years of aging and possess a full body with a typical flavor. They contain floral and berry notes, typically characterized by blackberry, pepper, leather, and mokey tastes. The most popular regions for Shiraz include Rhone, Australia, California, Washington State, and South Africa.

Price $9.99

September 29, 2006

Ruggero di Tasso Nero D'Avola (Italian) -

I bought this at Trader Joes for $4.99 and like all cheap wines that seem to be a little or a lot better after opening it for an hour of breathing, this turned out to be an excellent wine. Soft tannin with good berry flavor, but still balanced and smooth. I only bought 1 bottle and wished I bought more. We served it with cube steak with mushroom gravy, potatoes augratin and baked beans which we enjoyed with Barbara and George. George liked the wine also.

Price $4.99

November 23, 2006

Penfolds Thomas Hyland Shiraz 2004

Judy Austin, owner of Kentucky Down Under in Horse Cave, KY, brought in this wine and it is a full flavored, medium bodied wine with rich flavors of juicy red plum, dark berry and generous chocolate across the palate. A vanilla bean character combines with underlying savoury oak flavors. A vibrant and fruit driven style with soft well rounded tannins, excellent depth and length.

Price $14.00- $16.95 Cline's White Truck California Chardonnay 2005

A solid example of the varietal, the '05 White Truck delivers ripe fruit flavors with a slight creaminess; long and lacy on the palate; a fine everyday white for the house.

Camauro CAGNINA DI ROMAGNA

If you like a good sweet wine then this is the one. Nobody knows where the name (cahn-yee-nah) comes from but it is known that the wine has been made only in the Romagna region, just south of Venice since the 13th century, and that it was even called Cagnina in those days. Grapey, jammy smooth as silk and unctuously sweet, most of our tasters found its lively red-berry fruit flavors impossible not to love. a soft, sweet red wine that's low in alcohol, low in acidity and easy to sip. Although there's nothing new about this wine - it has been made in the region for more than 700 years - it has only recently shown up in the U.S. and much of Europe.

Cagnina di Romagna is a D.O.C., a controlled appellation wine whose production is limited to a small stretch of Emilia-Romagna on the Adriatic coast south of Ravenna. It's made from Refosco, an indigenous red grape that's usually associated with Friuli-Venezia Giulia in Northeastern Italy and adjacent Slovenia.

Cagnina may be made either dry or sweet; the sweet version is made by stopping fermentation before all the grape sugar has been converted to alcohol, leaving behind some natural sweetness (70 grams per liter, for the technically inclined) and only 9 percent alcohol. Fresh and light, it's meant for immediate enjoyment and, in its native land, is usually drunk up by Christmas time as a festive holiday wine.

"Camauro," is made in the village of Rimini by Fratelli Bernardi and imported to the U.S. by John Given Wines. Only about 5,000 twelve-bottle cases are produced annually.

Price $10.-$12.00

Meage 'a Trois was again presented as one of the California table wines and you can find the info elsewhere on this page. It was a 2005 and palatable.

Price was $10.00

Erath Oregon 2005 Pinot Noir

Bright, fresh fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry, and blueberry fill the glass. Youthfully exuberant with lots of sweet fruit on the palate with hints of spice and vanilla. The vintner suggests this wine be served with fish, fowl, beef, pasta, Thai or Chinese pepper sauce, grilled scallops, thin crust pizza margherita, pasta with red sauce, and zesty BBQ....the perfect house red! Please note that this wine is sealed with a twist cap closure and it did not bother the gang at all. It just sort of surprised us that this pleasant little wine had a screw cap and in today's times, why not? Except when one pays $19.00 for a wine one expects a cork!

Price $19.00

Jonesy Rare Aged Port

from Australia

A ten bucks a bottle it is a heck of a bargain and a delightful surprise. Everyone raved about it, even those who normally don't like port! Made by Trevor Jones in partnership with importer Dan Philips, this is a blend averaging 46 years in age. Its light to medium ruby hue is accompanied by an extraordinary bouquet of sweet candied fruit intermixed with notions of maple syrup, earth, and hazelnuts. This gorgeous tawny delivers plenty of pleasure to the palette.

Price $10.00

Chateau Coufran Haut-Medoc 2000

George brought this and had a hard time finding it out in Bowling Green, KY. Made at Chateau Coufran in the Bordeaux regeion, by Jean Mialhe and his children, as a family tradition for over 170 years, this is a great wine. George had left the wine in the car and it was really cold out there, so the wine did not get to room temperature and once uncorked it had nearly no time to breathe but that was ok until we realized if we left it in our mouths and "chewed" it to warm up it displayed ripe cherries, red berries and mint on the nose. The palate was rich and creamy with a robust but quick finsish. There was lots of fruit that emerged as the wine sat exposed to the air. This wine usually runs about $25.00 so at the price George paid it was a bargain. It's fruity but complex but not fruit-punchy.

Price $19.99

Kendall-Jackson 2004 Chardonnay

One of our all time favorites, we were not disappointed with it again. Tropical flavors such as mango and pineapple dance with aromas of peach, apple and pear. Richly layered and balanced throughout. Lightly buttered toast headlines the indulgent, lingering finish.

Price $11.00

Turning Leaf 2004 Reserve White Zinfandel

A good standby wine! Never a disappointment for those who like a wine that is crisp and refreshing when chilled correctly. This wine was rich with dar-berry flavors and a generous hint of black cherry.

Price $8.00

Chateau Morrisette Sweet Mountain Laurel

Chateau Morrisette is located in rural Floyd County in Virginia's southwest region. The second largest winery in the state, it is a family business managed by David Morrisette and brought in special by Dave Foster so we could all have a sweet taste of his lovable old state of VA. It is a refreshing sweet dessert style wine made from Native American grape varieties. A firm acidity balances the natural sugars, producing a crisp finish with aromas of freshly picked grapes. It would be great to pour over fresh berries and sponge cake or blend with vanilla ice cream and fruit for a creamy dessert smoothie but by the time the gang got to this one we had tried about 15 others and it was too sweet for about 80% of us.

Price $10.00

Chateau Morrisette Our Blue Dog

Also brought in by Dave Foster, this popular white wine is a semi-sweet blend of Riesling with a small amount of Vidal. Aromas of mint, honeydew and apricot highlight the soft finish of this soothing wine. Serve chilled with fruits and cheeses or with spicy Chinese food. We all liked it.

Price $12.00

Beringer 2005 Chenin Blanc

Beringer Brothers is the oldest winery in Napa Valley and this Chenin Blanc is proof that they are still doing a good job. In Napa this wine would cost $6.00 but in KY it costs $10.99 and is still a nice cool sipping wine! Made from their Chenin Blanc grapes they chill the juices immediately and produce a lovely delicate varietal flavor of crisp citrus, melon and spicey ginger.

Price $10.99

Glen Ellen Reserve 2005 White Zinfandel

From the heart of California wine country this is a good medium bodied white zinfandel with a hine of strawberry and watermelon. A big bang for only Six bucks!

Price $6.00

Moselland Avantgarde Pinot Noir 2005

From Germany, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region I bought this at Sam's Club for about 10 bucks or perhaps 12 simply because I liked the look, shape and color of the bottle. I tend to do that some times. This was a decent Pinot Noir and had good legs, a good dark red color with a full body finish on the palette.

Price $10-12(?)

2004 Mosel-Saar-Ruer, Riesling Qualitatswein

I cannot remember who brought this cat shaped bottle of Riesling, but it turned out to be one of Carl's favorites. Round and succulent, with apricot, black currant and orange notes. There's a lively structure, tailing off on the finish. Apparently only 2,000 cases made.

Price $12.00

Twisted River (Bin169) Riesling 2005

Also from Germany MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER region This Twisted River Riesling is dry, yet full of theRiesling grapes' wonderful natural fruitiness. Crisp and well-balanced with rich pear, fresh grapefruit and apple flavors. Another one Carl gave a big Thumbs up as did the rest of the tasters!

Price $10.00

Castillo de Monseran Grenache Garnacha

This wine comes out of the Cariena Appellation in Aragon. A 100 % Grenache makes this an easy drinking fruit driven wine. It is bottled within a year of production and is designed to be drunk now and not cellared. A ripe, fruit-filled, pleasing and versatile red wine that you can pull out any old time and enjoy.

Price $9.00

Echelon 2004 Pinot Noir

This red wine offered flavors of big cherry and clove and it comes out of San Luis Obispo, CA. It delivered deep color, concentrated fruit aromas and rich texture on the palate. A good bottle of wine.

Price $12.00

Feb 21, 2007

Abrazo Del Toro

I think someone brought this to our last wine tasting and we never got around to opening it. A nice dry red table wine.

Winery: Abrazo Del Toro Vintage: 2000 Varietal: Garganega, Tempranillo Country: Spain Region: Cariñena

Price: $4.99

Feb. 28, 2007

Brickstone Pinot Noir 2003

Does not deserve a picture or a rating

Their winery says the following "Probably one of the most challenging wines to grow and make, this Pinot Noir is made from some of the best hand selected grapes in the Finger Lakes . Special cold skin maceration prior to a warm fermentation on the skins with a variety of selected yeast strains allow us to make a wine that displays ripe blueberry, cherry and raspberry fruit flavors. Malo-lactic fermentation and long aging in only the best French oak barrels from the Burgundy region in France combine to give this wine a rich mouth feel and smooth supple tannins. Production is limited at only 200 cases"

I say good because I have only one word for this wine..."Bleck!"

March 12, 2007

Codorniu Reserva Raventos

We were delighted with this wine. Tiny bubbles, great color, wonderful taste, a high quality Cava from Codorníu, with a classically elegant, restrained style. Historically this cuvée was reserved for the Raventos family, with its commercial release honouring 125 years of Cava making. A bargain at only $13.99! It was a wonderfully warm day in the 70's, we had worked all day in the gardens and greenhouse and at 4 p.m. it was a perfect time to open something special and celebrate life.  This wine was the perfect wine for it!

Price $13.99

March 20, 2007

Again we tried Bogle Old Vine Zinfadel 2004  and again it is a delightful surprise. This was one we never got to open at the last wine tasting. Let it breath for several minutes and the tanins disappear. Smooth. Hint of berries. Very drinkable. We liked its smoky, thick, rich and buzzy with a bit of an afterbite. I believe the price was $8.00 and it is a good wine for that price.