Month: March 2017

Hi All! I hope you have had a great week. This week has included both raging storms and beautiful weather. I’m a native Texan, so I just expect the unexpected for Spring in Texas. I try to take the guesswork out of wine, so that’s my contribution to even out the roller coaster of life. I am going to review a wine not as easily found as some of the other wines I’ve presented. This is the 2011 iL Roverone Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico. This Amarone is a blend of three grapes from Italy’s northeast region, also known as the Veneto region. Valpolicella is an area within the Veneto region. The blend consists, primarily, of the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. These grapes are partially dried which is part of the method for making an Amarone. My friend, Tammy, received this bottle as a gift and wanted to share it and review it. I suggested we consume it on her birthday. Yes..this is the gift she received that we would consume on her birthday. Hey, I don’t claim to be a great friend, but a friend with whom you can drink wine. We tasted the dark cherry that they described in the label, but she and I noted hints of smoke and tobacco and then a relatively bold finish. It didn’t linger too long though. Five of us ladies enjoyed the bottle with a good Italian meal and that kind of great company always leads to a good review. I would recommend this wine, but note that it isn’t found in most grocery stores within the US. You can find it by going to wine-searcher.com where it will show places you can purchase it. The average price is just over $60 per bottle. Enjoy the rest of your week!

Hi All! I hope you have had a few great weeks. It’s been a while, but I’m glad I’m back. It is starting to get warmer here in D/FW, so we need to talk about cooler wines. I had a Sauvignon Blanc which is not a staple for me. This is a lighter white wine and is typically less sweet than a Pinot Grigio. Sauvignon Blanc is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape originating from the Bordeaux region of France. They do also grow these grapes in the United States, New Zealand or Australia. I kept close to my U.S. homeland, so chose the 2014 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley. Napa Valley is my true motherland. The Emmolo had a light start, but did have a longer finish than I would imagine and was tart toward the end. It had hints of grass, melon and peach even as a drier wine. The Emmolo marketers say it “calls to mind a first summer rain..”..uh…sure. Nonetheless, I did enjoy this wine for a Sauvignon Blanc. You can find it at most grocery stores for around $19 – $20 per bottle. I hope you have a great rest of the week and can “call to mind your first summer rain”..whatever that means.