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This past weekend my husband and I flitted off to San Diego to visit some friends and chill out. In addition to excellent company and excellent food, it was a fun wine weekend, too.

Wine #1: 2006 Beringer Napa Chardonnay

2005 Beringer Napa Valley Chardonnay

As a pre-dinner diversion, our friends Greg & Celine had us over for snacks and a glass of wine before heading out. They served us homemade dips (a delicious Greek yogurt dip with herbs in it and a yummy parmesan-artichoke dip) with pita chips and edamame. They served it to us with (and here’s an adjective I never thought I’d use to describe a Beringer wine) Napa Valley Chardonnay. It was crisp, a little oaky, and had hints of green fruit. A well-structured, enjoyable white wine for $10-13 per bottle.

Wine #2: 2007 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

2007 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Greg & Celine brought us to their friends’ new restaurant in Del Mar, California called Zel’s. The patio was lovely, the food (mine at least) was excellent, and the service was an adventure. Greg insisted that since I have a wine blog I needed to choose the wine for the table. Unusually, there was a choice to be made because Zel’s has a great wine list and really great bottle prices on the wine. I asked around and everyone liked Cabernet, so I chose the Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. You’ve heard me say before that you can’t go wrong with a Cab from Alexander Valley and this gem was no exception. A delicious Cab typical of Alexander Valley, it carried us gracefully through mussels & french fries, warm spinach salad, sea bass with mushroom risotto, steak, pork shoulder, and a serrano ham woodfired pizza. We happily ordered 2 bottles during dinner and not only would I go back to this restaurant (a rare compliment from me) I would buy this wine at twice it’s normal price of $14-17 per bottle.

Wine #3: 2005 Clos du Bois North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon

2005 Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast

In the afternoon, I took my friend Gary shopping at Walmart. There are so many parts of that sentence which sound strange to me, but the strangest of all is that I voluntarily went into a Walmart (stranger still I spent money while I was there… on wine!). While we were wandering the aisles, I discovered they sell wine. In fact, I picked up a couple bottles of the Bonterra Organic & Biodynamic Chardonnay for $6 which is a STEAL. While perusing the shelf I saw the 2005 Clos du Bois North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon and opted to pass. Boy was that dumb. Later that afternoon, while sitting around playing games and drinking (that’s what Sunday afternoons are for, right?) we opened a bottle that Gary already had at his place… and it was better than I’ve come to expect from Clos du Bois which can be SO hit-or-miss. (Example: I love their Pinot Grigio but hate their Pinot Noir.) This Cabernet was not of the same exceptional quality as the one from the night before, but nonetheless, when you’re looking for value in your limited wine budget, this wine will make you think you spent more than you did for your $12-15 per bottle.

Wine #4: 2006 Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir Carneros

2006 Domain Chandon Pinot Noir Carneros

When we made it to our final dinner of the weekend, we were ready to keep the good times rolling, so we ordered another bottle of wine. Well, I guess we technically ordered two bottles of wine. The first one was a Zolo Malbec… a wine I love! Or thought I did. I in fact love the Zolo Gaucho Select Malbec which I bought at BevMo! (which is, near as I can tell, a Reserve wine). They also bottle a lesser-version of it without the Gaucho Select, and I can tell you it’s not as good as the Gaucho Select. So, I sent it back. Instead we ordered the 2006 Domaine Chandon Pinot Noir Carneros because Mitch loves Pinot and we were all eating dinners that would go nicely with a Pinot. Lately I’ve felt like every Pinot Noir I taste is overwhelmingly cherry or tastes like water even though it looks like wine. Finally that streak has been broken but I don’t have a new Pinot to add to my shopping list when I want a wine in the $20-25 range because I don’t think it was worth that much. More like $15-18 per bottle.

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2007 Costco Napa Valley Chardonnay

I noticed recently that Costco has come out with more wines in their Kirkland Signature wines line and naturally, since I’m there once a month trolling the wine bins like the wine whore, er value seeker, that I am, I picked up a bunch more of ‘em.

This time I tried the 2007 Napa Valley Chardonnay from Costco’s Kirkland Signature brand line of house wines. In a different but happy way, I’m as impressed with this Chardonnay as I was with the Kirkland Signature Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

First, I’ve never had such a well-balanced Chardonnay under $20, much less under $10. California Chardonnays are often overly oaky, frequently too acidic, and sometimes taste like Sauvignon Blanc. Occasionally we come across Chards we love, but this one is a solid enjoyable player in a field of mediocre wines priced under $15.

What they say: 2007 Kirkland Signature Napa Valley Chardonnay is opulent and richly flavored. The succulent notes of apricot and fig are surrounded by intense bursts of apple and pear, finishing with bright, mouthwatering acidity; a distinctive, buttery edge; plus hints of cedar and oak. Chardonnay from Napa Valley is scarce, highly sought after, and the source for some of the finest California Chardonnay from the 2007 vintage. Drink now through 2010.

What Jess says: The bouquet is oaky, but don’t let it fool you, other wonderful flavors come out to play once you take a sip. At first I noticed a brightness at the front of my mouth, oakiness in the mid-palate, and a smoky finish. The wine lingered in my mouth to offer a mild green-fruit and buttery finish. This wine would be great with any of the traditional foods one pairs with a Chardonnay (cheese, salad, fish, chicken, etc.) but could also compliment a heartier meal.

It doesn’t seem to be on their website (I think because it’s only available in California), so if you live in California you’ll have to go to your local Costco to pick some up at the super bargain price of $7.99 a bottle. Here’s an article about Kirkland Signature wines at Costco.com.

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Looking for something fun to make (or mull) for Halloween? Here’s a recipe for the kid in us, and one for the kids near us, too! Creepy, easy and delicious, the great thing about these recipes is that if you’re making the wine, it’s easy to make the apple eyes at the same time – the most labor-intensive part is peeling and scooping the apples.

MORBID MULLED WINE

3 medium-large, sweet apples (such as Red Delicious)

One bottle of red wine (I recommend 2006 Trinchero Main Street Cabernet Sauvignon or Guenoc Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 but any fruity red will do)

1/2 cup brandy

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

Juice from half an orange

Zest from half an orange

Zest from half a lemon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 – 2 cinnamon sticks

3 whole cloves

Cheese cloth and kitchen string

Peel apples and use a melon baller to scoop out round-ish balls. Then use the tip of an old-fashioned potato peeler to carve a small divet out of each apple ball. Set aside. The apples will turn slightly brown as they oxidize, but because they will be going into the mulled wine, this isn’t a concern.

Pour the liquid ingredients and sugar into a large pot or a slow cooker and add the orange and lemon zest, the pumpkin pie spice and the cinnamon sticks (to taste). As these warm, cut 3 4×4″ sections of the cheesecloth and place an apple ball in the center. Insert one whole clove into the apple, twist the cheesecloth around the apple and tie with string. This should look a little like a “ghost” and can be used for creepy decoration in the wine, or can be discarded before serving (the cloves should not be eaten). Add the rest of the “apple eyes” to the pot.

Gently heat the ingredients over a low flame (do not boil), for 25-30 minutes or until hot. Stir occasionally to ensure that the sugar has completely dissolved and that the apples are coated in the wine mixture. As they cook, the apples will become darker and the divet will become particularly noticeable and eerily similar to an iris. When the wine begins steaming, serve and enjoy!

ICKY APPLE EYES

1 medium-large apple (sweet or tart, depending on personal taste)

1 small box of raisins

1/4 C. brown sugar, packed

Grated zest from half a lemon (add juice to taste)

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp water

Red food coloring or red sanding sugar, as desired

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop the apples, as directed above. To divet the apples for this recipe, insert the tip of the peeler about half-way through the apple ball. Remove the peeler and flip over, inserting into the apple again – above the first puncture – to form a small oval hole. After removing the divet, press a raisin into the apple, to look like an iris.

Place apples in a small baking dish and sprinkle with the brown sugar, lemon zest and pie spice. Dust with cinnamon. Break butter into small pieces and dot over the apples. Any remaining butter can go into the baking dish. Add water.

Cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Uncover and baste with the syrup at the bottom of the pan. Bake for approximately 5-10 minutes more, or until apples are brown but not mushy.

Add a drop of food coloring or a light dusting of the sanding sugar to give the brown syrup a slightly red tint. The syrup will be very viscous, so you don’t need much color to get a really creepy effect. Serve the apples alone with syrup or with vanilla ice cream.

Have a safe, delicious and devilishly decadent holiday!

My friend Anna just celebrated her [mumble mumble mumble] birthday. To honor her extra special day, I brought over three bottles of unoaked Chardonnay for celebration sampling.

As you may (or may not) remember from my last post about unwooded wines, there is a relatively new movement to age Chardonnay in steel. This trend is being seen mostly in New World wines (such as those from California and New Zealand), where the Chardonnay grapes produce a delicious wine without oak barrels and malo-lactic acid fermentation. This is in contrast to the Old World wines (like those from Burgundy), where the slightly less robust fruit needs some extra help to tone down unpalatable acidity.

After researching my article, I settled upon three wines to try: 2007 Toad Hollow Francine’s Selection Unoaked Chardonnay (Mendocino, California), 2007 Morgan Metallico Un-oaked Chardonnay (from Monterey, California) and 2008 Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay (from New Zealand, and one of the first mass-market unwooded Chardonnay producers). The Toad Hollow had received rave reviews in its price range on a number of wine sites. The Morgan was a recommendation from my favorite wine shop (The Wine House).

We started with Kim Crawford, since this was one of the first, most popular of the original unwooded Chardonnay producers. On the nose, this gleaming buttery yellow wine was bright with grapefruit and lemon. It had a full mouth feel, with hints of grapefruit, lemon and lees on the tongue. It was slightly more acidic than I prefer. Other party guests described it as “silvery” and “flat.”

Next I poured the the Toad Hollow. It had a lovely pale yellow color, with a nose of melon and an alcohol kick from several inches away. It was strongly grapefruit on the tongue – with a similar citrus-type acid, as well. I found it strong, a little sweet, with a short finish but full mouth feel. Other party guests described it as “bitter”, “metallic”, “very empty” and “watered down.”

This tasting was clearly not as inspiring as I had hoped it would be…

However, the Morgan changed everything. With its lovely yellow color in the glass; a nose of sweet fruits and honey and a smooth, creamy mouth feel – packed with apricots and grapefruit – this was the winner by a landslide. All the guests topped off their glasses with the Morgan, mumbling about how yummy it is. Unlike the other two we tried, this one had almost no bite; it was just pure, fruity deliciousness. This also proved that an unwooded Chard can be excellent.

From the Morgan website:

The Vineyards

The 2007 Metallico is composed primarily of fruit from the Arroyo Seco appellation, and also includes fruit from the winery’s Double L Vineyard, and its neighbor, the Lucia Highlands Vineyard, in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The backbone of the wine is the Chardonnay Musque clone, chosen for its aromatic complexity and clear expression of Chardonnay fruit.

The Vintage
Although 2007 saw the typically cool, windy growing period of the Santa Lucia Highlands, this vintage retains a more intense flavor due to unusually high stress on the vines from a dry winter preceding a cold, wet spring.

Vinification & Aging
Metallico is cold-tank fermented to retain the essential bright fruit that cool climate Chardonnay offers. Whole cluster pressing produces a clean, high-quality must.  The wine does not go through malo-lactic fermentation, so it retains all of its natural crispness.

Aromas & Flavors
Pale yellow in the glass, the wine showcases aromas of apple, nectarine, ripe pear, & honeydew melon on the nose. The aromas resound on the palate, and the wine is soft and round with a crispness that keeps the finish fresh and inviting for matching seafood and other light fare.

It was a great night for wine – and for birthdays. Many happy returns, Anna!

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A few weeks ago I went to a tasting event hosted by the Rhone Rangers which is an organization focused on wine produced from Rhone varietals grown in the United States. Being a Southern California event, most of the wineries (if not all) were from Paso Robles, Santa Barbara, and the Santa Ynez Valley appellations.

Prior to attending, I researched the wineries to see which 20 I should actually taste because I knew I’d never make all 40-something. During my research I found the 2005 Zaca Mesa Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley had been rated 92 by Wine Spectator (for my palette, that almost always means I’ll like it). I found that highly suspect because I’d had Zaca Mesa wines before and been, as I like to say, underwhelmed. The other thing I found surprising was a $22 bottle of Syrah from Santa Ynez was rated so highly. Now I LOVE Syrah, especially Santa Ynez Syrahs, so for me, it was a little jewel to behold.

2005 Zaca Mesa Syrah

I managed not to get to the Zaca Mesa table while I was at the tasting event, but that’s okay because it’s a fairly large-production wine and I knew I could find it elsewhere. On tonight’s trip to Costco I noticed the Zaca Mesa Syrah and grabbed a bottle. Being me, I naturally couldn’t wait more than 5 minutes to crack it and see if it passes my critical (ha!) muster, or at least lives up to its hype.

What Jess says: First impressions are great. A nice cherry/jammy bouquet with a little smoke at the back of the nose. Chewy, but enjoyable, mouthfeel. It does something funny toward the back of my tongue that I’m not loving (somehow reminds me of the other Zaca Mesa experiences I’ve had). Hardly noticeable jamminess in the mouth (some people love it, some hate it… I’m a lover) as opposed to the nose. Some kind of salty or some other mineral taste in the finish. Would almost certainly benefit from aeration, age, (I was too eager) and some red meat (or any food probably).

What Wine Spectator said: “Tight and beefy, with focused blueberry and wild berry flavors that are spicy and complex. Full-bodied, with a hint of stewed plum and wild berry peaking through on the finish. Drink now through 2015. 13,090 cases made.”

What Zaca Mesa said: “Our Syrah displays rich blackberry, cassis, espresso, mocha and our signature sage spice aromas and flavors. The silky finish lingers from the ripe tannins and smoky oak. This full-bodied wine should be enjoyed over the next ten years. A traditional pairing for this wine is a rack of lamb marinated in rosemary and garlic. However, a peppercorn steak or mushroom risotto would work incredibly well.”

[Editor's note: Even though I don't think all wines at Costco are priced as "deals," knowing what your favorites cost elsewhere helps you identify when Costco has listed something at a lower price than most other places. We paid $16.79 and which seems to be a middle-of-the-road price for this wine in today's market despite it's $22 release price.]