Last night Fiona and I opened a bottle of Torrontes by Conquista wines out of Argentina. I’ve been wanting to try it for some time now after MasAgua introduced me to it on his blog. Overall, I’d have to say it is a refreshing diversion from our standby, Pinot Grigio. Fiona dubbed it floral and I’d have to agree. This one carries a strong, pleasant aroma that hits you with every sip. Fiona loved it, and I’m sure we will continue to experiment with it.

Overall, I was very happy with this bottle. It was on sale for $9, which is a plus, and very drinker friendly. It has enough character to appeal to seasoned wine connoisseurs, without overwhelming wine drinkers simply looking for a buzz. We had a homemade pizza with ours last night and they worked together well. Of course, the best part about finding a new variety is the ensuing research. I’ll get back with you after I try a couple different Torrontes.

I bought this bottle a while back and got drunk and forgot to open it. So it sat around for about a week. I opened it the other night after Fiona and I shared a bottle of Gavi. I wasn’t overwhelmed initially. It was good, but I’d had better. But, there was something about it. It took a couple of glasses to figure out what was going on, and it kinda freaked me out.

A quick disclaimer. I’m not a wine and food pairing person. Being a beer drinker for so many years conditioned me for drinking first, then eating. After all, beer is quite filling on it’s own. Add a meal on top of a six pack, and there’s no room left to continue drinking. At a typical Weezer barbecue, food would not be served until I was done drinking. People were so hungry that they loved whatever I served them.

Things have changed a little now. It’s relaxing to have a nice bottle of wine with a tasty meal. We have several BYOB restaurants around town that we enjoy. I’ll save a bottle to open up with a nice steak or fish that I’ve grilled. But give me three or four glasses before the food is ready and my dinner is coming home in a doggy bag. I’ll drink my dessert, please.

That’s what amazed me about the Rioja. As I dove further into the bottle, I craved something to eat with it. Namely, a steak and some pasta. There was this spicy taste to the wine that cried out for food. It was like dancing the tango by yourself. This Rioja needed a partner, and unfortunately, I had nothing but frozen pizza and chicken chunks to offer as companions.

I made pasta last night and thought about that bottle of wine. I wasn’t really in a drinking mood, but it would have been nice to have a glass of the Glorioso around to test my theory. I’m sure it would have been good. Maybe next time.

The general consensus seems to be that Zinfandel is the all-American, grill-friendly wine choice for the Independence Day weekend. Being the proud American that I am, I will forgo the tempting French wines calling my name and stick with the Red, White and Blue? I’ve tried a couple Zins, most with punderfully clever  names, but I’m not too terribly familiar with them. This is why I love my readers. They know more than I do about these things. Help! Any suggestions?

Kirsten (Is she my big sister? She’s older than Fiona, but younger than me), is visiting this weekend. To celebrate, we shared a few grapes, Sauvignons, from Cali. Once The Chieftain pulled out the Groth, Fiona decided to have a glass (or 4), even though she said she hadn’t planned on it. It was very nice. You could taste the fruit, but it wasn’t overpowering. I’ve found the Sauvs can be a little too much if you don’t keep them in check. Dancing Bull followed. After the Groth, it wasn’t as outstanding as before; but still a decent wine, no complaints. However, El Jefe had a wild card. Geyser Peak really hit the spot. It wasn’t quite Groth, but it was close, and less than half the price. Better than the Bull, I would say. And, I got presents, a very nice start to my birthweek!

Here I am a full 48 hours after the big event, and I’m still undecided as to what I should write. I’ll start off by saying that I enjoyed sitting down with several wines and spending some 1 on 1 time with each. I feel like I achieved what I set out to do-create a basis to further explore Sauvignon Blanc wine. We tried five very different wines from four continents. Some were better than others, yet I connected with each one on a personal level. This is somewhat strange, I’m referring to wine as if were a person, and in many ways it is. True, all of the wines were composed primarily of the same grape and underwent the same processes, but they were all very unique in their own way.

Sauvion Sancerre-Loire Valley, France $18. This was the top of the list for me. I’m partial to French wines, and this bottle really came through. I was apprehensive after examining the sight and smell, because there was nothing to suggest that it would be any different from the others. In fact, I really got little from the aroma. But once I took that first sip, I knew it was the one. Fiona didn’t care for it, which was great for me because I got to finish the bottle.

Dancing Bull-California $8. The lowest priced bottle we tasted was surprisingly good. This was Fiona’s favorite of the bunch. It’s just a simple bottle of wine that has a really good balance and taste. Unpretentious. I feel that this was the closest to really conveying what the grape is all about. It tasted like grapes, and I like that.

Bogle-California $9. This bottle goes in the middle because both of us were really indifferent about it. Nothing really stood out. I can’t say anything bad about it, but there’s nothing really good to say about it either. I would drink it again, but probably not buy it. A couple of years ago I would have probably loved it. It has that light beer quality that makes it easy to drink. I’m just looking for a little more than that from a wine.

Casa Lapostolle-Chile $10. This was the wine I went to after I finished Frenchie. There was something about it that drew me back to it. It was the least fruity of all the selections and had a truly unique scent. It really lingered around for a while; I kept going back for more because it was so different. I think this wine would work better standing alone rather than going head-to-head with other Sauvs. As I’m writing this, I’m still trying to figure it out.

Porcupine Ridge-South Africa $11. The bottle’s still in the fridge with an inch or two of wine left. That’s not saying that it’s bad, but it wasn’t our favorite. It did help to bridge the fruity to the more earthy, grassy flavor that can show up. To be honest, the only reason there’s any left is because I started eating. Once I hit food mode, I’m done with wine.

I reaffirmed two things that I was pretty sure of on Saturday. 1) The French really know how to make wine. 2) I prefer for wine to let the fruit show through and speak for itself. There’s one problem, these two statements really seem to contradict each other. I’m aware of that. But I’m a truly complex person so it’s ok.

As I dive deeper into the wine culture, I’m finding out just how little I know. Let’s face it, I’m never going to be Robert Parker, but I would like to tread water when it comes to wine. Last weekend was a sort of sensory overload for me. I drank four very different wines, and in the end was unable to really focus and grow from it. (That’s not entirely true, I grew quite buzzed by end of the adventure.) I’ve decided to try a different strategy and hope it carries me through the remainder of the summer.

I plan on dedicating this weekend to expanding my reference point on Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve studied up on what to look for, it’s aromas, the best places to grow it, and so on. I love French wine, so one will have to be French. But, should I go with a Sauternes or a Loire Valley selection? Drinking with the Chieftain, I’ve become quite comfy with the white Bordeaux and it’s character. I understand that the French like to blend Sauvignon and Semillon, and I’m cool with that, as long as Sauvignon is the primary varietal.

I’m thinking I should also go with one from Napa. I’ve been a little weary of California winemakers, because much of what I’ve tasted seems more appealing to a termite than a human. Should a wine taste like someone threw a couple of boards in a blender? I don’t think so. But my research shows that there are some good Savs from CA. Any suggestions? I’d prefer a grassy or grapefruit flavor over asparagus or cat litter. I’m serious, these were terms used to describe the wine by people who know what they’re talking about.

New Zealand would be the obvious choice to round out the lineup, but once again, I’m comfortable with what I already know. Chile intrigues me, but my ignorance of their wines inspires more reservation than anticipation. The only lead I have here is Valparaiso, and that’s not much to go on. Wikipedia also mentions Australia, but I’ve always understood that their specialty is mass producing passable wines at affordable prices. So, I’m sending this out to you. Any suggestions, insights? Am I close with my selections, or way off? It’s really a win-win situation for me, because I will drink whatever I decide on, as long as I manage to avoid the cat box character.

Update!!! We were inside Specs for almost an hour, but are now well stocked. Drum roll please!

1. Casa Lapostolle-Chile
2. Porcupine Ridge-South Africa
3. Bogle-California
4. Dancing Bull-California
5. Sauvion Sancerre-Loire Valley, France

About halfway through the Beaujolais last weekend, Fiona had a wonderful idea. An official family wine event. So what if, in Florida, we set up some sort of tasting? I’m proposing a three night affair. One night will be reserved for white wine, one for reds, and one for sparkling. Participants are to submit a wine each night for the house. Initially, it was going to be a competition, and the winner was to receive some token of superiority. But I feel that everyone is a winner at a wine tasting.

A maximum price limit should be set; say $25? We can even have some tasting cards printed to record our findings. Would t-shirts be a little overboard? Of course, the results will appear right here on this website. This gives us about three weeks for “research,” which will consist of drinking excessively from all three categories in hopes of finding “the one.” The rules and guidelines still need a little tweaking, but I think this could possibly be the highlight of this year’s trip. Unless I catch a shark. That would be really cool. This year, I’ve promised myself that I’ll do more than just take fishing poles with me.

So, we got a $100 gift card for looking at some property. Can you guess what we bought with it? Correct! I’m going to post tonights’ offerings. Let me know how you feel about my choices, and I’ll be back later with updates.

Starting off with A to Z Pinot Gris form Oregon. It’s interesting and it was on sale.

Moving on to Martin Codax Albarino. Really smooth Spanish stuff. It makes me giddy.

As a Transition, I’m going with Georges Duboeuf’s Beaujolais. Kinda like Thanksgiving.

The ending of my book was set in Spain, so I’m trying a Chianti by a name I trust Ruffino.

OK, I know that’s plenty of wine for us, but it’s discounted if you buy six, so we picked up two bottles of Oyster Bay Savignon Blanc from New Zealand. It’s really good stuff. My favorite non-French white at the moment. I just heard Josh moan all the way from Ohio.

This serves as a warning that there will probably be incoherent ramblings posted in the morning, followed by a day of silence from me. I should be good on Monday. Have a great weekend. I plan to!

I was scrolling through the site and noticed that I really haven’t written much on specific wines. For this one I need reader participation. I’m dividing this into three categories using price as a measure.

1. Under $10 Whites-Cavit Pinot Grigio, Chateau Bonnet Reds-Chateau Cadillac, something Australian
2. $10-20 Whites-Martin Codax Albarrino, San Angelo Pinot Grigio Reds-Anything Coppola,
3. over $20 I’m drawing a big blank, mostly because I rarely go here. Help me!

What I need from you are some suggestions for people like Darel who buy whatever has the coolest label or lowest price tag. I’ve led off with a couple house pours. I have to apologize to Chieftain, since many of my favorites were discovered in the Owl’s Nest. I’ll update and make it look nicer once I get a couple responses.