Wine-o: Panther Creek Pinot Noir

Panther Creek 2009 Pinot Noir, Winemaker's Cuvee Willamette Valley, Oregon
Alcohol 14.3%
Price $25+

When I opened this wine I immediately noticed a lovely bouquet from the bottle.  Smoky and earthy, I was very curious from the beginning.  The surprises continued when I poured the wine and it pooled in the glass in a beautiful, clear ruby color.  The wine is complex, so you may already know that I like it better than the simple Pinot Noir and Syrah I have tried.  It's off dry with a tang of spice and smokiness.  When I read the tasting notes on the website it was clear why I love it, chocolate, cherries, and vanilla?  Yay!

A ruby-red hue embodies notes of chocolate-covered black cherries, vanilla bean, cola, and earth. Medium bodied, with subtle hints of cranberry chutney, black raspberry, Bing cherry, and orange zest. Bright, long lasting fruit, balanced acidity and firm tannins. A wine to enjoy presently, but surely worthy of aging 5-10 years.

This wine was a gift from The BFs sister.  She is lucky in life and has chosen to live in Willamette Valley, a gorgeous area of Oregon near Portland.  I hope to be able to visit the area.  It is largely known for its Pinot Gris wines, and if the quality is anything like this and the lovely Chardonnay from Idaho, then I am sure I will enjoy the area!

Food Pairing: Went great with roasted eggplant, mushrooms, and greek style meatballs!

Freya's Score: 88
Mona's Value:  3.5

Wine-o: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages

Georges DuBoeuf 2010 Beaujolais Villages, FRANCE

Alcohol 12.5%

Price $12

This is a red wine that definitely ought to be aired.  When I first tasted it, it had almost no flavor.  However the nose was very interesting, delicate.  The wine is smooth, very smooth.  To me I thought this mean no tannins, and the website describes it as "a smooth wine with fine tannins".

This wine is from the Beaujolais region of France, hence the description on the website.  The wines tend to be simple; low in tannins and higher in acidity.  I reviewed last Thanksgiving the 2011 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau.  Unlike that vintage which is drunken immediately, this type of wine can be stored for a couple of years.

Freya's Score: 71

Mona's Value:  5.9

The MV is calculated by dividing the FS by the price, giving a better analytic that takes into consideration price as well as overall taste

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Wine-o: Fat Bastard Merlot

Fat Bastard 2010 Merlot, FRANCE
Alcohol 13.5%
Price $12

This is a great wine that I have enjoyed many a time.  It is an affordable wine and therefore a great hostess gift.  It is a soft and smooth merlot, with some tannins that give a sharp metallic kick of an aftertaste.

This wine pairs well with a variety of meats.  It goes wonderfully with venison steak as well as barbecue pork.  I've even enjoyed a Fat Bastard wine at Thanksgiving with stuffing and domestic turkey.

"I love a fat bastard!"

Freya's Score: 80
Mona's Value: 6.67


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Wine-o: Cellier du Rhone

Cellier du Rhone Cotes du Rhone 2009, FRANCE
Alcohol: 14%

When first opened, this wine was very acidic tasting.  However when one waits the recommended hour of airing, it was a beautiful flavor of berries.  Full bodied, I started describing it to the BF as "jammy" a flavor I am loving.

The bottle itself is beautiful green glass with a squared base (perhaps for easier storage?).  It would make a lovely candleholder, especially if you have a candelabra wine topper or lamp wick.

Vintage Notes

Price: ~$18 (estimated as this is hard to find)
Freya Score: 78
Mona Value: 4.4

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

Superbowl XLVI Menu

The Superbowl is here!  While I continue to have difficulty understand the rules and strategies of American football, I perfectly understand that this game = party.  As any host knows, planning a menu is important.  Some girlfriends and I concocted this one up.

Menu



Ranch Dip
Hummus
Salsa
with...  Carrots, Cucumbers, Tortilla Chips

Taquitos & Burritos a la El Monterrey

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fudgey Brownies

Red Wine Spritzer
BEER - The BF requested Bud Light as apparently the superbowl commercials are hilarious and include a dog.

My theory is, that by blending frozen snacks and preparing some healthy alternatives any host can survive the party without an anxiety attack or too much prep work.  Couple that with paper plates and beer cans; simple cleanup!  Happy gametime!