Man I love summer.  There’s nothing quite like a summer BBQ when you’re  just kickin’ back, relaxing, checking the meat on the grill, enjoying the company of great friends, and sipping some great wine.  Just did that over the weekend!  My buddy John cooked up some of his world famous ribs, complete with his homemade bbq/dipping sauce.  The sauce is so good, it should be bottled….hmmm.  John also threw some corn and chicken drumsticks on the grill.  To round out the plate, we had caprese and Caesar salad. 

Here’s the wine line up that we drank throughout the day.

 Weingut Allram Gruner Veltliner 2009

L’Ecole No 41 Perigee Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Walla Walla 2006

Chateau Paradis Terre de Provence-Tradition Coteaux d’Aix En Provence 2007

2 La Crema Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2007

Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004

Cheers!

I’m always on the lookout for cool wine stuff.  Whether it’s a wine gadget, wine bar, wine glasses, wine website, wine club…you get the idea.  Yesterday, a friend told me about “The Dirty Dozen”, which is offered though The Wine House in San Francisco.  The Wine House as been in business for over 30 years, so they know about wine.  Bascially, these guys put together a case of wine of all different varietals from different regions around the world.  Usually it’s six reds and six whites, but occasionally you will find a Sparkling Wine or Rose in the mix.  The July Dirty Dozen looks like an interesting mix and for $109 for the case, you can’t beat it, even with a stick!  Here’s the link:    http://www.wineaccess.com/store/winesf/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=10942113

Cheers!

Well, if you haven’t figured it out by now, I’ll just go ahead and tell you…the economy is in the toilet!  Does that mean we have to stop drinking wine?  NO!  Well, maybe Screaming Eagle or Cheval Blanc, because they are NOT in the wine budget.  So we have to get a little more creative with our wine money.  Here are some of my recent purchases and where I picked them up.  Enjoy

Montevina Amador County Barbera 2007  $6.99 at Cost Plus.

Pillar Box Red Padthaway Australia 2007 Shiraz 65% Cabernet Sauvignon 25% Merlot 10%  $7.99 at Costco.

Folie a Deux  Menage a Trois California Red Table Wine (Zinfandel, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon)  $6.99 at Costco.  This is Andrea Immer’s everyday red wine!

Monte Antico Toscana 2006 (Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon) $7.99.    90 points Wine Spectator.

Layer Cake Malbec Mendoza Argentina 2008  $9.99 at Cost Plus.

Chateua Ste Michelle Nellie’s Garden Dry Rose Columbia Valley 2007  $1.88 at Cost Plus.

Simi Sonoma County Zinfandel 2007  $7.99 at Cost Plus

Oxford Landing Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre (GSM) South Australia 2006  $2.99 at Cost Plus.  GSM is all the rage these days and this one is a great value!

Wente Vineyards Shorthorn Canyon Livermore Valley Syrah 2007  $4.99 at Cost Plus

Now go out and find a bargin!  Make sure you email me so I can get some myself!

Cheers!

One of my favorite wine shops is putting out their Top 5 Wines of 2009.  Most magazines or other wine folk are putting out their Top 100.  For some, a Top 100 can be intimidating.  A Top 5 on the other hand may focus things down a bit.  Anyway, here’s Monday’s pick:

2007 Château Paradis “Terre de Provence-Tradition” Coteaux d’Aix En Provence  

91 points Robert Parker: “The 2007 Tradition, a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Grenache, and 10% Syrah, is a serious wine. It exhibits a dense purple color as well as full-bodied creme de cassis, licorice, tobacco leaf, and spice box notes, sweet tannin, fresh acids, and a terrific texture as well as length. This beauty should drink nicely for 4-5 years.” Château Paradis produces two distinct red wines. The big brother is known as the “Terres des Anges”. The second wine or little brother is called the “Tradition”. However for the US market the “Tradition” is called “Terre de Provence”. Robert Parker’s review above references the “Tradition”, which in fact is the same wine as the “Terre de Provence”. In between Mount Sainte Victoire and the Luberon, you’ll find Château Paradis, a beautiful winemaking estate owned by Philippe and Juliette Deschamps. Château Paradis covers an area of approximately 30 hectares (45 acres) with vines approximately 40 years in age. All of the grapes are hand harvested and sorted out in small cases. This 2007 red is a taste of the South of France in a bottle. Enjoy it now and over the next several years with just about any hearty Provencal fare. It has a spicy, yet mineral aroma, with plenty of sweet fruit at the core.

Went to Incanto last night for a dear friends 40th birthday party.  If you don’t know, Incanto is owned by Food Network Chef Chris Cosentino.  It’s a really cool restaurant located in Noe Valley.  Mostly Italian wines on the wine list.  I brought one of the 1993 BV Tapestry I bought the other day.  We opened it upon arrival so it had some time to air out.  By the time we got around to drinking it, I was pleasantly surprised.  The wine had a decent backbone and finely balanced fruit.  Hints of spice and stewed plum were lingering on the palate.   As for the food, I ordered the Salsiccia & fagioli or in English, Boccalone sausage, corona beans with tomato and sage.  It was fantastic!  A great night was had by all!  Happy Birthday PC…

I think I was still in college, but it’s still a little fuzzy (I went to Chico State, you understand).  At this point I really don’t care because I just bought some Beaulieu Vineyard Tapestry Napa Cabernet Sauvignon for $19.99 a bottle.  WILL CALL TOMORROW BABY!  At least one bottle will be consumed tomorrow evening and yes, there will be some kind of review and photo essay.  I have some Tapestry in my cellar, some 1997 and 1999.  I have thoroughly enjoyed these wines.  Of course, there aren’t to many wines I don’t like…Watching Julie and Julia with my wife, gotta go…

BV Tapestry 1993

Anyone see the 2009 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year???  No, it is not from Bordeaux… Nope, not from Napa…Italy you say?  No, I say!  It is from Columbia Crest in Washington state!!!  Yes, that Columbia Crest.  Wine from the same maker that you would see toward the bottom of the racks at the grocery store.  I’ve actually been a fan of the Columbia Crest Two Vine series of wines.  They are always rated a best value and I am all about the value these days. 

This particular wine is the Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve 2005.  A blend of Cabernet, with 5 percent Merlot and 4 percent Cabernet Franc.  The Winemaker, Ray Einberger, has worked at Chateau Mouton-Rothchild and Opus One, not a bad pedigree!

Here’s the kicker!  The wine scored a 95 on the Wine Spectator 100 point scale…and the price?  $27 retail!  Yes, you read that right, $27.  It took down all of the heavy weights from around the world.  When you consider that the average price for a Napa Valley Cabernet is over $100 per bottle, I really like this pick.  As a matter of fact, I like the top ten that they chose.  Take a look!

1. Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Reserve 2005…95 points…$27

2. Numanthia-Termes Toro Termes 2005…96 points…$27

3. Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2007…95 points…$70

4. Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2007…95 points…$52

5. Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico Castello di Brolio 2006…96 points…$54

6. Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Signature 2006…94 points…$42

7. Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco 2005…96 points…$44

8. Fontodi Colli della Toscana Centrale Flaccianello 2006…99 points…$110

9. Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2007…96 points…$29

10. Brancaia Toscana Tre 2007…93 points…$20  (Costco had this for awhile and the price was well under $20)