Pillar Box Red

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A blend of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, and merlot that is tasty and fruity with a hint of dry to let you know it’s serious, but an open an easy flavor to be accessible and friendly. This is one of the bottles I received in my latest Wine Awesomeness shipment and I couldn’t be more pleased. Spicy with berries, endlessly drinkable.

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Enough body so that you know you are drinking something with substance, but not so heavy that you wouldn’t want to drink it with food. Overall, a thoroughly yummy wine I would purchase again!

Winey Woman 🙂

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Winey Information Resources #1

The internet is full of information, but with so much to sift through, where should you start when looking for information about wine, beer, and other alcoholic goodness? Of course, I would suggest you start with this blog (self-promotion never hurts!), but we are by no means a never-ending vessel of information. I will be doing a series of posts highlighting great resources for information, good books to read, etc. on our favorite subjects.

Our first featured resource is Pinterest.com. I was really surprised to find the great practical information available on Pinterest. Sure, knowing all of the ins and outs of what makes a good wine is important, but sometimes you just want to know the type of wine that goes best with your salmon and risotto for your dinner party or holiday meal!

Pairing Wine, Beer, and Spirits with your Thanksgiving Meal from Pinterest.com

Pairing Wine, Beer, and Spirits with your Thanksgiving Meal from Pinterest.com

Or, how about how much of each type of alcohol should you buy for your party based on the number of people you’ve invited?

How to buy the correct amount of alcohol for your party.  From Pinterest

How to buy the correct amount of alcohol for your party.
From Pinterest

Sure, all of this stuff is merely guidance. Maybe you don’t care that Pinot Grigio is the best wine for your Thanksgiving stuffing–you’re going to drink your Malbec regardless of what the little chart says. These charts and infographics are used best when you’re not sure or you need a starting place. They can also be a great place to start experimenting with your alcohol and food pairings. Having the “right” wine can often take an already delicious meal to the next level.

Happy Pinning, dear readers! Just make sure to set a time limit for yourself, or you can spend several hours surfing Pinterest and not even realize it!

Have a great resource for information? Share in the comments!

Winey Woman 🙂

Dreaming Tree Cabernet Sauvignon

Standing here the old man said to me
“Long before these crowded streets
Here stood my dreaming tree” 

Lyrics from ‘The Dreaming Tree’ by Dave Matthews Band

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I have to start by admitting I love the Dave Matthews Band. When I use the word ‘love’ I really mean it. I have always felt that if you are really into music, at some point you find your ‘soul music.’ This is the music that just makes you feel in a way that most other music can’t. DMB is one of my two ‘soul music’ bands and because of this, I have always wanted to try this wine.

I was praying this wine was going to be good. My expectations were high. DMB holds such a special place in my heart that I’m willing to ignore when they put out an album that just isn’t up to their normal quality (I’m looking at you, Busted Stuff!). This wine was not a Busted Stuff in liquid. This was a Before These Crowded Streets or a Crash- in other words- it was delicious!

This wine is on the dry side, but I wouldn’t put it in the ‘very dry,’ more of a semi-dry once it really starts to breathe and all of the luscious fruit comes to the forefront. There’s a really nice deep cherry flavor that comes through, with a hint of vanilla for balance. Dreaming Tree is the type of wine I would bring to a dinner party. It tastes more expensive than it is, and it goes with food well. You could also just sip this wine in front of the fire on a cold day, music playing in the background, and have a nice conversation with your significant other. Overall, I would buy this again.

Winey Woman 🙂

Once Upon a Vine…There was a Big Bad Red Blend…

Big Bad Red by Once Upon a Vine. I bought the bottle based on the cool label and fact that it is a red blend and they tend to be fairly well-rounded and good with food. Unlike a merlot, or a pinot noir, which can be somewhat more particular and require a palate that truly appreciates them, a red blend is a red for the people. It usually combines at least two, if not three different types of red and the hope is that the best characteristics of all the flavors will come to the surface.

Oh, what big teeth you have…

When we first opened BBRB- I was not impressed. It felt sharp and somewhat astringent, and none of the promised chocolate and cherry flavors on the label came forward. It wasn’t the worst thing I have tasted, but it certainly was not a bottle I would go searching for, nor recommend.

I’m going to huff…and puff…

As the red breathed and as we had some delicious lamb and Italian food, the wine started to open up nicely and the cherry flavors and a nice oak finish came forward. It started to get smoother and the unpleasant sharpness disappeared. Definitely not a bottle to pour and start sipping immediately. We didn’t finish the bottle, re-corking it for the next day. As the saying goes, this wine was better with age or more accurately, with a little more exposure to air. It is actually much better the next day. Something that I would buy again. The astringent sharpness stays on the nose, but the chocolate flavors have now come to the front and the berriness in the middle is quite nice. The oakiness isn’t as prevalent on the second day, but the other flavors are a welcome addition. I do like this wine, but I’m still not sure I would go “on the hunt” for this Big Bad Red Blend!

Winey Woman 🙂

Big Bad Red Blend