Event - Ohio River Valley Ninth Annual Barrel Tasting Tour

Looking for something fun to do next weekend in the Greater Cincinnati area? Well, I've got the event for you, the Ohio River Valley Annual Barrel Tasting Tour! I've been to this before and it's fun and scenic.

Three Ohio Valley wineries and one Augusta KY winery have joined together for their annual barrel tasting. Sample wines straight from the barrel, each winery has a tasting fee which includes tastings and small palate cleansers or lite bites. This is a great chance to meet the winemakers and support the local wineries.

Here's the info:

When: Saturday, November 29th
Time: Kinkead Ridge Winery 10am - 6pm
           Harmony Hill Vineyards Noon - 6pm
           Meranda-Nixon Winery 10am - 6pm
           Baker Bird Winery (Augusta KY) 1pm - 5pm
Ferry's run in between Ohio and KY or take the bridge if you don't want to wait for ferry.
For more information please visit, http://www.kinkeadridge.com/barreltasting.htm.


Pictured: Winemaker of Kinkead Ridge Winery, Ron Barrett and myself at the 6th Annual Barrel tasting. I bought the last bottle of Viognier/Roussanne which he autographed for my collection. 

Boxed Wines Friend or Enemy???

Hello all,

Recently reading the November issue of Wine Enthusiast (WE) and they had an article on the top 100 wines under $15. After reading a few few of the reviews, I realized that I was already drinking most but there were a few I hadn't tried. One review that stood out on the list was BOX WINE review. WTH??? I decided to try it and a test a few other box wines. One great thing about box wines is that they keeps about 4 to 6 weeks compared to an average bottle of wine that might keep for 4 days max.

First, Bota Box 2012 Shiraz, WE gave it an 87 rating which I thought was fair. It's easy to drink with blasts of jam on the palate but not as dry as I would want it to be. It tends to be on the lighter side of reds and for $20 a 3L box (equivalent to 4 bottles) it's worth trying! Goes great with pasta and red sauce.

My next trial is Wineintube Tempranillo, WE didn't review it but I thought since this is a Spanish Tempranillo I should try it. I'm glad I trusted my instincts, it's a floral red with light tannins. Hefty body with over ripe fruits like strawberries, blackberries and plums. I've enjoyed this wine paired pizza, bbq chicken, and of course a juicy hamburger. This wine is meant to be drank every day with  normal foods or just to unwind at the end of the day. Average price: $17 a 3L box (equivalent to 4 bottles).

 
Saving my favorite box wine for last, Big House wines, their wines come in bottles or of course box. They have many varietals including white wine blend, red wine blend and the Cardinal Zin (Zinfandel), Pinot Grigio, etc. Versatile drinkable wines which can be enjoyed (all three of their reds) with steak, hearty pastas,  and other heavy dishes. The white wine blend can be paired with sushi and seafood. All great evenly balanced wines that are so easy to drink. Prices vary from $7 a bottle to $18 a 3L box.



So please enjoy these great wines that will keep longer than a few days and don't be afraid to try something new! I think these wines will be your new friend.

Cheers!

Graffigna Centenario Elevation Red Blend Reserve 2012

Today it's all about the high elevation Red wine from the Andes mountains. Graffigna vineyard is at the foot of Andes Mountains that sit 4600 ft above sea level in San Juan, Argentina. Oh and did I mention that this is one of their reserve unique blends.

It's a little different from what they usually produce, usually this vineyard is known for their Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Grigio but this is a 5 grape blended wine that stands tall with their Malbec and Cab. This is the only perfectly proportioned wine that I have tasted, it's 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah, 20% Malbec, 20% Bonarda*, and 20% Tannat*. (*Both of these grapes are used for blending with other red wine grapes.)

Velvety smooth with heavy tannins and a bit acidic to the taste. As soon as you swirl this to smell you catch the hints of berry: blackberry, raspberry, and strawberry and it's also in the finish of the taste. A little bit of spice to the taste but two spices that really stand out are Black Pepper and a hint of vanilla.

I had this with Tuna Steak (rare of course) and grilled veggies and last week I had it with veggie risotto. You can enjoy this with food or as a stand alone wine. I suggest to drink this now while it's still on the shelves to buy (average price around $9).

Cheers!

2012 Camins del Priorat Spanish wine review

Hello I'm back, sorry for staying away for so long. 

A few months ago I celebrated my birthday with a small group of friends and I was fortunate enough to see that they all know me so well...almost all of them brought me a bottle of wine for a present! In the selection of great bottles I came across the 2012 Camins del Priorat by Alvaro Palacios winery and today I decided to try it with my dinner. Thanks friends and here's my review!

The 2012 Camins del Priorat from Alvaro Palacios is a medium bodied wine with with slight tannins that have aftertastes of raspberries and black cherries. Yummy! Being barreled in french oak barrels for only 8 months, it' s youth and crisp just screams jam and an aftertaste of vanilla with a dry finish. With the wine only barreled for 8 months, the alcohol content is high, 14.5% so I would suggest opening this bottle and let breathe for about an hour. Once you pour your wine, swirl the wine in the glass to release the alcohol vapors before trying your first taste of this exquisite wine.

Grapes that are blended in this wine are Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Grenache, and Syrah. An excellent representation of Spanish wine that goes great with hearty vegetarian dishes, light red pasta sauces, or even a flank steak. This wine is perfect for the upcoming fall and winter season. 

I highly recommend this wine for gatherings or special occasions and since the average price is around $21 it's not going to kill your wallet. 

Happy tastings,
Angela