CK Mondavi 2011 White Zinfandel

Tonight I chose to drink a different type of vino, White Zinfandel. Personally I have never been a fan of White Zinfandel because I feel it's a very watered down version of the Zinfandel grape. To my surprise, this particular wine is made up of 83% Zinfandel, 15% Chenin Blanc and 2% "other" grapes. I'm not sure if I'm ok with this mixture. The palate of the wine is very light including a zest of strawberry. After  visiting the website, I received a bit more information about the vineyard and the different wines that are offered by CK Mondonvi. I would love to try a few of the other wines. All in all, I recommend this White Zin to Moscato drinkers who are looking for a new taste. If you have also tried the CK Mondonvi wines, tell me what you think. Cheers! 

La Cabriole 2012 Cabernet de Saumur- Rose Wine

While gathering ingredients for dinner at Whole Foods (downtown Baltimore) I decide to also check out the wine store next door, Bin 604. To my delight they had a wonderful selection of fresh summer wines. My palate felt like a light wine to drink with dinner tonight. I had white wine at home and decided to try a Rosé. Their selection of blush wines are great. The employee (wine lover) was so knowledgeable. I really appreciated the minimum cost of the wines. They were tasty and affordable. I narrowed it down to a fresh Rosé. I have tasted two glass of the vino so far and I am not disappointed. I recommend this blush wine to be served and enjoyed very chilled. Cheers! 

The House of Mondavi

I have been reading a spectacular wine book. It’s titled "The House of Mondavi". This book is about the rise and fall of the great Mondavi family and their ambitious wine empire. I recently visited Barnes and Noble with my two children and of course I always skim pass the wine and cooking section. The House of Mondavi caught my attention at first read. I will not give many details about the book because I suggest that you experience the read on your own. But I will tell you that the ambition of Cesare Mondavi reminds me of myself. He was an immigrant from Italy and work his way through life using strength, knowledge, kindness and respect to build a tremendous life for his wife, children, and community. Unfortunately, this legacy was destroyed by sibling rivalry, and betrayal. This book gets two pinky fingers up and cheers with a glass filled of Robert Mondovi 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve.

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Pictures thanks to www.robertmondaviwinery.com.

2000 Vintage NorthStar Merlot

I'm enjoying a 2000 vintage merlot. I love merlot. It's one of my favorite grapes. The jammy look and flavor of Merlot makes for a great wine. The NorthStar Merlot is a vintage of its own. This 13 year old wine did not disappoint my taste buds. After swirling a swig of vino in my glass I could see the legs crawling down my cup. At the first sip I could taste the deep red raspberry and plum flavors. I feel honored to have experienced such a vintage. I look forward to the next. Cheers to my fellow vino lovers!!

2003 Vintage Syrah

My awesome best girlfriend Denise found a vintage 2003 Marquis Philips Shiraz 9 wine at an auction. Lucky me.... she shared one of the bottles with her girl. This is an Australian red wine that boasts 16% alc. At first swirl, I could see the legs of the unique wine in my glass. At first sniff, I smelled accents of plum and blackberry. It's interesting that the vino had little tannin then expected. I really enjoyed the smooth texture. My pairing suggestion is to drink this wine for a special occasion with beef and potatoes. Cheers to my fellow vino lovers!

Detour Winery 4th of July

I'm at Detour Winery with my BFF and we are having a blast. The band is awesome. Wish I would have brought my bug spray. We are drinking a white wine called Mornin Deux. It's made from two different white grapes, delicious. Then we got a Blackberry wine. This wine is made from all Blackberries, no grapes. The band is still playing and then the fireworks. Fun times at Detour Winery! Cheers! 

The Williamsburg Winery

Tonite is girls nite and I have been dared to try a new wine that the girls have found. By the first look at the bottle I knew that the wine was a port. I like to blind taste when trying new wines. I never read the description on the bottle. I like to conjure my own thoughts about the flavors and textures of the vino. The name of the wine is Vin Liquoreux de Framboise. It's a blend of red wine and raspberry juice. After pouring the wine in my glass, I swirl, then sniff the juice. OMG.... I can smell the raspberries at first whiff. Now lets sip. This wine is very tarty because of the berries. I also taste a slight chocolate finish. All in all the wine is nice but I'm not crazy about it. It's a little too heavy and syrupy for my taste buds. Well ladies.... on to the next one. Cheers!!