Wine-o: Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Beaulieu Vineyard "BV" Coastal Estates 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, CA
Alcohol 13.5%

Price ~$11-

As I have had the pleasure to travel and visit with friends and family this summer, I thought that I would include various comments from our collective wine tastings.  I am often told that wine tastes differently to everyone, and that any review or observation is right!

"Fruity- good standard wine, great for chit chatting"

"Drinkable"

"soft, mmmm"

"smooth, no bite, not a lot of tannins"

Freya's Score: 77
Mona's Value: 7

Wine-o: Vendange Cabernet Sauvignon

Vendange Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma, CA
13.0% Alcohol

As a part of our road trip, we decided to be economical and camp in some of our favorite parts of the country. While The BF loves beer, I am partial to wine and so we had to make a precamping stop.  The Vendange Cabernet Sauvignon was perfect for camping because it cost $3.79 for about 3 glasses of wine neatly packaged in a milk-like carton.  Easy to drink and close, easy to throw out with other camping trash.

While not the best Cabernet by far, the wine was passable with simple fruity notes and a short finish.  I felt that this wine stayed true to the varietal despite the low cost.  It paired wonderfully with my hunk of Semolina bread and cheddar cheese, as well as grilled sausage and fresh cutthroat trout.


Vendange
Cost $3.79
Freya Score  35
Mona Value 9.2

Wine-o: The Show Cabernet Sauvignon

The Show 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa County, CA
Alcohol: 13.9%

I confess I was very surprised to read the vineyard's notes on this wine.  I did not think this wine was "big and bold".  I enjoyed this wine with my grandmother (who has had several more wine tasting years than me and I assume therefore a more sophisticated palate).  We both agreed that the wine was simple, not overly flavorful and with a short finish.  The wine was fruity and a tad sweet, reminding me of the Masked Rider Petite Syrah.


We used a portion of this bottle in our slow cooked elk roast and it was delicious!  We mixed it with turkey broth, dry onion soup mix, several garlic cloves, and spices.  After 9 hours, dinner was ready and it was amazing!

Vintage Notes:

Like a Hatch print for an Elvis gig, The Show grabs your attention. Big and bold, it is dominated by full flavors of dried black cherries, jammy preserves and complex toasty, vanilla, and spicy oak. Learn more at www.threethieves.com

Other Notes:

86% Cabernet Sauvignon 12% Petite Sirah 2% Zinfandel

Price: ~$15
Freya Score: 58
Mona Value: 3.9

Wine-o: 2010 Apothic Red

Apothic Red 2010 Modesto, CA

13% Alcohol

This wine was given to me as a dinner party present.  I was excited to try it as I had seen just recently that it will be featured at the Peel Compton Foundation's 2012 Gardens Uncorked event this month.  The wine is a blend of several reds, including Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and more.  It has a very fruity flavor and I found it a sweeter, more full bodied red.  It bursts in your mouth with a hint of vanilla.

Pairings:  Would pair well with red meats, but I think it would also go amazingly well with a Margherita or wild mushroom pizza.

Freya's Score: 77 This is a wonderful wine, although I wonder if those who prefer drier or less sweet wines would like it as much... 

Mona's Value: 7.7 Technically, since I did not pay for this wine as it was a gift, the Mona should be 77, however I thought I'd play fair.

Cost:  ~$10.00 from the Pineville, MO Macadoodle's Liquor Store.  Buy a case of mixed wines and enjoy a 10% discount!  Or, check out their new e-commerce store for more great deals.

*Note: My Father recommended that I change the metrics by which the wines are ranked.  A Freya Score of 80 means that I think this wine is better than 79% of the other wines I've tasted.  A Mona Value of 70 is calculated as: VALUE = FREYA.SCORE/ PRICE.PER.BOTTLE

Wine-o: James Mitchell Cabernet Sauvignon

James Mitchell Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Lodi, CA

13.9% Alcohol

I loved this wine from Day 1 to Day 4.  Day 1 upon opening it had a stronger smoky flavor, this mellowed out on Day 2 and really made me want to pair the wine with a good Barbecue venison.  As the smoky or oaked flavor mellowed the bright cherry and fruity flavors grew, making it pair well with homemade pizza made by the BF on Day 3.  (It should be noted that this pizza was amazing, only second to the Hoboken pizza I grew up on).

Described by fellow wine blog "Under the Grape Tree":

Grade=Above Average.  A solid red, with lots of black cherry preserves, brown spices, mocha and tobacco leaf.  Medium-bodied, approachable, a good value.

Freya's Score: 9 I loved this wine!  This is a bold and big California Cabernet.  Just what I've been craving!

Cost:  $11.88 from the Pineville, MO Macadoodle's Liquor Store.  Buy a case of mixed wines and enjoy a 10% discount!  Or, check out their new e-commerce store for more great deals.

Wine-o: The Usual Suspect Cabernet Sauvignon

The Usual Suspect (Big House Wine) Cabernet Sauvignon, 2010 Ripon, CA
Alcohol: 13.0%

If you're going to need a lot of wine, this is what you want!  This Three Liter boxed-wine was served at the Downtown Bentonville, Inc. First Friday Greenroom in March and it was great!  Not only was it packaged in a playful manner, the price was right, AND the flavor was right.  It's a great Cabernet Sauvignon, not overly juicy but bright with fruit flavors and a quick finish.

What is this Greenroom you ask?  As a thank you for supporting the Downtown Bentonville mission, DBI members (at $150 and above) receive a membership card that gets them into the First Fridays Greenroom.  Themed, food, wine, beer, Hostess snack cakes, and other specialties (such as clean real bathrooms!) are available!  April's event will be themed International Festival, so look for some fun stuff!

The box:

Psst wise guy! Don't let the name fool you, this ain't your typical yappin-his-mouth Cab.  It's saucy with a beezer of black currants and mocha that lead to dark berries and fresh plums, a true bomba de fruta.  It would be a crime to mistake this wine for its Bordelaise kin; he is much more volatile, which is shy he's so good with food.  Eh, he's especially fond of burgers or ribs.

Better yet, the wine was still decent tasting 10 days after the event when refrigerated!

Freya's Score: 7 A fun tasty wine, fun artistry, and fun size!

Cost: ~ $17 in Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  Try out the Macadoodle's new e-commerce store to have wine and other goodies delivered to you.  

Wine-o: Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon

Sterling Vintner's Collection Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Central coast Sonoma, CA

13.5% Alcohol

This wine has made me question what a "typical" California Cabernet Sauvignon tastes like.  I enjoyed the bold and full flavors.  It has a lingering finish of spicy flavors.  I would say that this wine is a bit more spicy than I anticipated, and also drier than I prefer.  In many ways it reminds me of a Zinfandel, more spicy than the round full flavor I was expecting.  I found that the more it aerated, the less I enjoyed it.  It was very good just after opening to a day after.

I would very much like to visit Sterling Vineyards at some point.  When I asked my grandmother which vineyards in the area she enjoyed the most on her tours of Napa, Sterling was one of the first.  To reach the winery, one can take a gondola and enjoy a one of a kind view of the valley.  I find the Napa landscape breathtaking and think this would be a very fun outing.

Freya's Score: 6 This wine paired well with venison chili.  I wonder how it would go with a barbecue pulled pork...

Cost: ~ $10 in Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  Try out the Macadoodle's new e-commerce store to have wine and other goodies delivered to you.  

Wine-o: Wisteria Cabernet Sauvignon, Party Sized

Wisteria Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Morgan Hill, CA
13%

This wine was purchased with a party in mind because of the jumbo size of the bottle and lovely pricing.   It is a simple wine, ruby in color and quite clear.  The aromas to me hint of berry and vanilla and the taste has a short finish.  This wine is a great wine for a party, with a different label than the usual (Yellowtail or Little Penguin) but still with a satisfying taste.  It also did very well as a Red Wine Spritzer, mixed with Pellegrino and Orange Juice.

Freya's Score: 7

Cost: ~ $10 in Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  Try out the Macadoodle's new e-commerce store to have wine and other goodies delivered to you.  

Wine-o: Cycles Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon

Cycles Gladiator  Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Soledad, CA

Alcohol: 14.5%

This is a wonderful wine.  I would describe it as darker and very round and full.  I tasted mocha and dark fruits.  I have greatly enjoyed this wine.  The best flavor was about an hour after opening to a day later, the taste seems to have gone slightly downhill around day 3 of the wine being opened.

Described on Snooth.com:

Our Cycles-Gladiator Cabernet Sauvignon has lovely aromas of raspberry, mint, and mocha. Flavors of dark fruits layered on more dark fruits wrapped in a cloak of dusty tannins. Lush and mouthfilling from start to finish, there is enough acid to support the whole structure but doesnt finish sharp. The wine drops off at just the right place. I am declaring this the Official Wine of Filet Mignon. It will also go great with BBQ short ribs, and with bigger, spicy, tomato-based pasta and meat dishes. 

Freya's Score: 8 This wine was delicious with venison roast as well as turkey and egg noodle soup!

Cost: ~ $7.23 on Macadoodle's E-Commerce site, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  They have a discount section that provides cases of wine perfect for any party, event, or just a personal favorite that must always be handy.

Wine-o: Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon

Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, 2009 Sonoma County, California

Alcohol: 13.8%

This is a delicious wine.  It was recommended to me by Dan, one of the wine specialists at Macadoodle's Wine Tasting Bar as one of his top 5 red wines to have on hand at all times.

It is a full and round taste.  With definite flavors of dark fruits.  Powerful in aroma and dark in color.  This wine pairs very well with my usual diet of venison based dinners.  It was described by the BF as a nice "sipping wine."  I take that to mean he very much enjoyed it and wanted to savor it.  The flavor also lingers on the tongue, letting one savor it for a time.

Described on Snooth.com by Westchester Wine Warehouse: 

The grapes were harvested at optimal ripeness during September and October, then de-stemmed but not crushed upon arrival at the winery, leaving 20% - 30% whole berries in the fermenter. This process retains the grape's varietal character and minimizes bitter tannin extraction in the wine. Extended skin contact occurred for an average of 6 to 8 days for maximum extraction of color and flavor. The must was fermented in a mix of rotary, punch down, and static fermentors at an average of 85 to 88 degrees for about 5 to 7 days. A variety of yeast strains were used to ensure the development of desired flavor and aroma characteristics and 100% of the wine completed malolactic fermentation. (90 Points - Wine Director) 

Freya's Score: 8 A great California Cabernet Sauvignon, I admit I am partial to these since my trip to Napa this past June.

Cost: ~ $13- bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  They have a discount section that provides cases of wine perfect for any party, event, or just a personal favorite that must always be handy.

Wine-o: Lesson from Dan; 5 Red Wines

While visiting with Dan, a local wine expert at the Macadoodle's wine tasting bar, I learned a lot.  I asked Dan what 5 wines he would keep on hand in the house to serve at a dinner party or to a houseguest.  Here's the results:

Santa Cristina Sangiovese, ITALIAN

Cline Cool Climate Syrah, California

Plungerhead Zinfandel, Lodi, CA

Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma, CA

Crios Malbec, Mendoza, ARGENTINA


Look for the Plungerhead Zinfandel and Louis Martinit Cabernet Sauvignon review coming soon!

Wine-o: Round Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

Round Hill Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 Napa, California


In case you couldn't tell, this wine went very well in our house.  With the bf's parents in town we had a lovely dinner of venison tacos and the wine was gone before dessert was a thought.  


The Cabernet paired very well with the game meat and spicy salsa.   It was on the dry side and very smooth.  Dark red, cloudy in color.


I have also gotten a Chardonnay from the Round Hill vineyard that I greatly enjoy.  Very dry with a powerful aroma and a beautiful golden color.


From Snooth.com Gregory Dal Piaz:
"Light aromatics are smoky and slightly caramelly with a hard, chemical edge to them and a bit of struck match. Very light and fluid in the mouth with some rustic tannins and a modest amount of red fruit. Not much to this but it’s well made and perfectly acceptable wine, if a bit tough and not particularly varietal. 82 pts"


Freya's Score: 6 -This score could increase if I were to have a proper tasting with concentration.  That being said I greatly enjoyed it and many requested a second glass, I would purchase again at this price.

Cost: ~$10 Southern Missouri, bought from the Macadoodle's location in Pineville, MO.  This is a great deal if you purchase it with the fantastic Macadoodle's case of wine deal.  10% off all bottles of wine not already on sale!