Toasted Head Chardonnay 2009 (California)

Another bottle that spoke to me, as so many of them do. It was the beginning of summer and I wanted a nice Chardonnay and I have to admit I do like the fire breathing Bear. I wasn’t looking at price tags just wanted to try something different, and it was.


Beautiful straw color in the glass. On the nose you smell fresh pear and mango with a hint of pineapple and the slightest pinch of coconut. On the Palate this wine is succulent and fruit forward, round and smooth with a lingering toasty-vanilla finish.

Toasted Head is a California winery located in the beautiful farming county of Yolo. The name comes from toasting the heads of the barrels they age the wine in.
The mysterious fire-breathing bear who appears on Toasted Head labels was inspired by a drawing created by Robert Shetterly for a William Carpenter poem entitled "Speaking Fire at Stones." The poem reads: "Every one of these stones contains a bear, you just have to burn it free.

Bodegas Ramos Monte Toro Roble 2009 (Spain)

Tempranillo


The wine region of Toro traditionally produces big brooding wines, but this one is different. Big, yes, bulky, yes but I still like it, although not my favorite.
Ruby red color in the glass and on the nose earth, tobacco and mushroom. 
On the palate you will find hints of cocoa and a little spice round out this full bodied wine. Drink now.

The Toro wine region is 125 miles north from Madrid Spain, where you might be familiar with the running of the bulls. Toro means Bull in Spanish.
A decade ago, there were only 10 wineries in the Toro region. Today there are 55. With modern wine making techniques and farming, a new breed of winemakers is taming the wild horse. The horse in this case is the grape known as Tinto del Toro, a type of Tempranillo grape. The Toro region produces bold and robust wines rich with flavor and aroma.  

Garnacha de Fuego 2009 Grenache (Spain)

Wine on Fire,  if you know Spanish.....and is it ever! This wine is one of my favorites and at a price point around $10 to $12 a bottle I can afford to drink it every day.

This wine has a bit of smokiness on the nose balanced with blackberry and blueberry. The smoke was nice, not overpowering but enough to interest you. On the Palate this wine is amazing with spice, vanilla somewhat of a raspberry finish kissed with a touch of cigar. It's enjoyable alone or with a variety of foods like pizza or tacos.

2005 Edmeades Zinfandel Single Vineyard (California)

Today I was able to taste an amazing Wine. 2005 Edmeades s

Marques De Casa Concha 2009 Carmenere (Chile)

Carmenere 90%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10% 

This wine has so many layers, like a rich Swiss chocolate cake. Almost a garnet purple on the pour. Lush nose with intense aromas of black pepper, dark black fruit with a bit of cola and tobacco. On the Palate this wine is smooth and intoxicating, you almost cannot wait for a full pour, at least I could not. Flavors of licorice a hint of floral, velvety chocolate, nice grip and long wonderful spicy finish.

Carmenere is a dark-skinned red wine grape variety originally from the vineyards of Bordeaux, but which has now found a particularly happy home in Chile, where it is sometimes also known as Grand Vidure.
A late-ripening variety, Carmenere requires high levels of sunshine and a warm summer to show its true potential, but in the right environment it can produce fine, deeply-colored red wines. Carmenere is thought by some to be the 'grandfather' of Bordeaux varieties.

Pellegrini Family Vineyards Chardonnay 2009 (California)

Unoaked Chardonnay, beautiful straw color with green highlights. The nose is very floral, gardenia flowers. It is not similar to any Chardonnay I've ever had. This had no buttery taste/smell common with Chardonnay. It was citrusy almost like a Sauv Blanc, lemon zest, pear and apple. Easy to drink wine, would pair well with seafood dishes.

This wine is from The Russian River Valley of California. Russian River Valley is a region rich in history. Grape growing and winemaking are integral to the story of the land and its past. The Russian River Valley climate is sculpted by the regular intrusion of cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean a few miles to the west. Much like the tide, it ebbs and flows through the Petaluma Wind Gap and the channel cut by the Russian River. The fog usually arrives in the evening, often dropping the temperature 35 to 40 degrees from its daytime high. The fog retreats to the ocean the following morning. This natural air-conditioning allows the grapes to develop full flavor maturity over an extended growing season — often 15 to 20 percent longer than neighboring areas — while retaining their life-giving natural acidity.

Bodegas Volver La Mancha Tempranillo 2008 (Spain)

100% Tempranillo and from Spain...need I say more?

Tempranillo, one of my favorite wines and a favorite region!
We discovered this wine in Arizona and had two bottles shipped to us.
A few months later we find it on our favorite wine shop in Missouri..total kismet!

There is allot going on in this bottle. Super dark on the pour, and it kicks off some earthy dark fruit on the nose.  On the palate, it's big in body and in flavor, again nice ripe dark fruit flavor, a perfect touch of oak, vanilla, white pepper and leather tones with a long lush finish. This is simply a savory wine and I am glad we purchased two bottles, even more glad we can now purchase it at our favorite wine shop. I have no doubt you could evolve this wine for another 2-3 years and enjoy it just as much, maybe more. It is a great value, right around $15 per bottle. 

If I get you to try any wine, this would be it!