Hello Everyone! I hope you all have had an outstanding week and weekend. I was able to catch up with some friends I hadn’t seen in a while a few weeks ago. As is typical with the three of us, we closed the place down. No swinging from the chandeliers or anything, but more just talking and lots of laughing. Those are the best kinds of crazy nights, right? I decided to try a Bordeaux, which is not one of my standard orders. It was the 2014 Chateau Blouin Bordeaux. This is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot grapes from the Bordeaux Contrôlée in France. This area is made up of seven different appellations that are certified as protected designation of origin where a given product must be manufactured and must be done so within a defined set of standards. Enough of the official review, now let’s get to how this wine tastes We ordered a charcuterie board and this wine went well with it. The wine has a slight sour or earthy note to it at front, but really blends into a dark cherry and slight pepper taste on the back end. Those notes make it compliment the sharper cheeses and richer meats, but I’m not sure I’d drink it on its own. This wine might not be for everyone given the initial taste, but it paired well with the richer items. I conducted a search online and discovered you can find this wine through Vivino or Wine Searcher, but it isn’t widely distributed. That will just mean that I need to find another Bordeaux that folks can find in stores and review it. Darn the luck. On that tasting note, have a great week!
2016 Old Cannery Row Monterey County Chardonnay
We’re officially into the new year, so back to work, exercise, and budgeting. January is not my favorite month. It’s after the holidays, it’s cold and full of resolutions. Resolution has a few meanings per Merriam-Webster. It can mean “the act of determining” such as a when someone makes a New Year’s Resolution. It can also mean “the point in a literary work at which the chief dramatic complication is worked out”. The resolution to my resolution has been worked out – I’m not making a resolution and saving myself from a “chief dramatic complication”. I want to talk about something more exciting anyway. I want to talk about wine. Shocking huh. I tried the 2016 Old Cannery Row Monterey County Chardonnay over the holidays. This wine is from the Wagner Family who also make Conundrum wines. I caught a slight musty smell to it, but that smell didn’t reflect in the overall taste. I tasted notes of apricot and apple. It was a medium-bodied, oaky Chardonnay which is what I enjoy. I would recommend this wine if you like an oaky Chardonnay. It went well with a chicken dish as well as cheese. You could drink it on its own as well. You can find it at Total Wines for $19.99 per bottle.
