Clombia Crest Winery...A Winery thats Kicking A** and Taking Names

It use to be that Columbia Crest made everyday wines that you would find in your chain grocery stores and in my opinion they weren't that great. I just viewed them as a mass-produced wine that didn't really get into the complexity of the grapes and what they can achieve.

Recently, I've noticed a change in this winery. I went to a wine tasting that had H3 Columbia Crest Wines and I was shocked. I had the Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Les Chevaux Red, and the Cabernet Sauvignon, all extraordinary wines. Here were my thoughts:

1. Chardonnay- I'm really picky about Chardonnay because I prefer the French not so much oak traditional flavor. Usually I shy away from California Chards (too buttery and sugary) but I tried this one. The first taste was apples and pear then came a hint of oak with a little bit of vanilla. Now this is not an overdone typical Chard, the natural surrounding flavors come out and it blossoms in your mouth. It got 89 points by the Wine Spectator and it's only about $15 a bottle. It's worth every penny, a great wine for the summer. http://www.columbiacrest.com/HorseHeavenHills/release/179
2. Pinot Gris - I love Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio so I knew I would like it. It was very citrus and usually you'd get that from a Sauvignon Blanc, but it was mixed with a flowery taste. It was very smooth to the taste no twinging in the jaws. The words that come to mind crisp, light, and clean. Another 89 from the Wine Spectator and only $15 a bottle, I recommend you pick up a few bottles. http://www.columbiacrest.com/HorseHeavenHills/release/180
3. Les Chevaux Red - Holy Moley this wine ROCKED! What a wine, right up my alley a big red. This red wine blend consists of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 10% Malbec, and 3% Cabernet Franc. There were so many different flavors, a little oak, a little licorice, some black cherry, some berry, and a small amount of tannins. The legs on this wine took forever to seep back into the bottom of the glass; I knew that this was a great wine. 91 points from the wine spectator and only $15, I would suggest getting some nice juicy stakes and share a bottle with close friends for dinner. http://www.columbiacrest.com/HorseHeavenHills/release/178
4. 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon - Okay so not as big as the red wine above but still a great cab. 88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 3% Syrah, and 2% Malbec. I suggest that you let this bad boy breathe for an hour or so before drinking, it opens up the wine more. Right off the bat I tasted a little jammy taste of berries. Some hints of earth but once it breathed I tasted oak and licorice. Good Cab for the price, $15, I would suggest picking up a few bottles and opening them in a couple of years and got an 88 rating from the Wine Spectator. http://www.columbiacrest.com/HorseHeavenHills/release/176

The last wine I will rave about from these guys is the 2008 Grand Estates Amitage Red Wine. This is by far my favorite from this winery. It received an 89 from the Wine Spectator and it's only $10 a bottle. Find the nearest wine store and clear them out of this wine! One of the best red wines I've ever tried. A great dry wine with hints of plum, spice, and berries that have a smooth finish. Columbia Crest really know how to blend their grapes, 64% Merlot, 19% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4.5% Malbec. I had this with a petite filet with blue cheese crumbled over it and I tell you it was the best. Even trying the cheese with the wine was great. This can be enjoyed with blue cheese, meats, and alone.  http://www.columbiacrest.com/grandEstates/release/435

Let me know what your favorite Columbia Crest wines are and share some stories below in the comments section.

Cheers,
Angela

A Florida Winery that I love for the summer

Recently I went to Florida for a vacation and my boyfriend and I were shopping in an outside strip mall area called Johns Pass in Madeira Florida. We came across a little wine shop called Vino Florida, and of course I had to walk in. They had a wine bar, beer bar, wine slushies, a whole selection of wines and wine wine trinkets, and the room where the wines were made.  Of course I couldn't say no to the FREE wine tastings. The first wine I tasted is my favorite, it was a blend called Cisa. The wine was a Sauvignon Blanc with Key Lime blended. The tastes of Key Lime, Grapefruit, and a crisp clean finish a Sauvignon Blanc should have. It was a little sweet from the Key Limes and a dry smooth finish. I liked this wine so much I bought 3 bottles to bring home to drink. http://www.thefloridawinery.com/viflci.html

Another great wine was their Sangria, I tried their red Sangria and it was so refreshing. The tastes of oranges, cherries, and apples stood out the most for me. It was chilled and it comes in a 1.5 liter bottle, which is the perfect size for parties. Buy one of these bottles and have some friends over and enjoy! http://www.thefloridawinery.com/viflse.html

Now not only do they have wines made from grapes but they also have wines made from other fruit. I tried a wine called Vino Florida ORWI, it was a wine made from 100% oranges. It was awesome it was like drinking Sunday brunch, this tasted like a Mimosa but not as tart. It was sweet and clean and fruity. http://www.thefloridawinery.com/viflor.html

They even had wine slushies, that's right wine slushies! These were heavenly drinks that are perfect for the summer. I had the Raspberry Wine freeze; it was sweet and had the hint of raspberry and wine. You can buy the mix and blend it with whatever wine, and ice and you have the perfect summer drink. They come in 5 different flavors: Strawberry, Raspberry, Pina Colada, Mango, and Key Lime Margarita. http://www.thefloridawinery.com/wine-freeze.html

Now you might be wondering why I'm writing about a local Florida winery? Well the greatest answer is they ship anywhere in the country so go shop! This great winery has a bottle of wine for everyone. Check out their website at http://www.thefloridawinery.com/index.html.  If you're ever in St.
Pete's or Madeira Florida, I suggest you stop in and have a glass of wine at the wine bar.

Cheers,
Angela Laible