Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel

This wine was recommended by Harris Teeter's wine news letter. Didn't know much about zinfandel so I looked on the Wikipedia. Lots of fruit green grapes, peaches, cherries. No oak nice finish lingers sweetly but not cloying on the tongue.
The web site calls this a BIG wine and that's not far off. It delivers a lot of flavor up front, not overwhelming but not particlularly subtle either.
About $12.

• Will buy again but not too often.
  

Might try it for a cookout with burgers. Might also make a good wine cooler or sangria.

Smoking Loon Pinot Noir

This is a wonderful wine. Smoking Loon is a part of the Sebastiani wine family. This branch makes very affordable and accessible wines. I like the Pinot Noir. Its very soft and goes with almost anything, poultry, pork, most fish even lamb. Great buy at about $11. Try it for a nice introduction to the wonderful world of Pinots.
If your red wine world revolves around big cabernets with lots of oak and presence you will find this wine very refreshing. Its not overpowering but provides a nice accent and balance to light easy foods.

• Will buy again and
• Will give as gift and
• Will recommend

Ciao

Wine and our experience

We drink a fair amount of wine. Carole's base wine is Yellowtail Cabernet. We also usually have a bottle of Woodbridge Cabernet open. We drink table wine but we also splurge on occasion. I guess we are not sophisticated wine drinkers but we do know what we like. This blog is an attempt to increase our knowledge of specific wines and wine in general by talking and writing about our experiences. I am sure it will develop over time. Right now no set rating system. No stars or grapes or diamonds etc. Probably the ratings are:

• Not our type
• Will buy again
• Will buy for a gift
• Loved it but will let someone else buy it for me
• WOW

Ciao

Kenwood 2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Kenwood 2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

Ok the photo is the cabernet but the Pinot was sweet. Harris Teeter $15. Mellow with loads of fruit. Mild finish great with leftover turkey and dresing. Kenwood makes a several series of wines. This is from the Reserve series.

• Will buy again for a special dinner or gift.

Yeah its a Pinot so its probably not a value but I like it and so did Carole.

Mirassou Pinot Noir

Bought this inexpensive Pinot Noir at Harris Teeter for about $8. Mellow not too soft. bit of acid in the finish. Some soft fruit in wine, they say cherries and plums and I guess that works for me.
Grows in the glass. If you let it breathe for 15 minutes the fruit really comes out. Saw this on the Today show.
Like it but probably like the Smoking Loon a bit more.

• Would buy again.

Why

Why not!
I will use this space to keep notes about wines we try. The goal is to help us learn about wine and take note of things we like (and don't)
Comments allowed but be nice.