Cupcake's Cab

This week I tried Cupcake Vineyard's 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon.  The Chardonnay was fantastic, so I thought I'd give this one a shot.  It was not as pleasing as the Chardonnay, but it was still tasty.  On the nose it was spicy with dark berries, cedar, and a hint of vanilla.  Besides being a little tart, it had an initial bit of spice and a woody flavor with cedar and oak.  There was also a note of blackberries.  This cab had light tannins and body.  The biggest problem I noted was that it did not last much more than a day past opening.  Usually I can drink a red two nights after I've opened it but this one was not very drinkable.

So, all in all, this was not a bad pick.  And their logo is just so cute!  You can see it better here:   I love it!  Go ahead and invest in a bottle.  And while you're there, pick up the Chardonnay if you haven't!

Sangiovese Di Romagna- Ummmmm, no thanks

I must admit, I grabbed this wine because it was listed at the Class 6 (a liquor store on an Air Force base) for $6.30.  I had already picked up another, promising wine but I had to have this super cheap wine.  I simply was curious as to what a wine for that cheap could offer.  Honestly, a lot of Barefoot's wines go for less than $7.  And, honestly, most of them are better.

Bolla's 2008 Sangiovese Di Romagna was, at best, not good.  I knew we were in trouble when I smelled the cork and I noticed a distinct note of funk.  Not easily discouraged, however, my husband and I pushed forward.  On the nose was some spice, raspberries, and, as I mentioned earlier, a bit of funk.  On the palate it was (to quote my husband) "Sour, sour, sour."  This is not an exaggeration.  Maybe you could taste some young red berries, but they were tart, unripened berries.  And perhaps there was some plumb- the sour plumb skin, however, not the sweet flesh.  Did I mention this wine was sour?

I've had a sangiovese before, and it was fabulous.  Spicy, with dark fruit hints, and great depth.  Bolla did not make a characteristic sangiovese.  This is the second sour wine I've had this month.  I think two a month is enough.  The last was a Merlot and I mused this might have been due to being a young wine.  Maybe this Sangiovese was not ready.  But I don't think funk dissipates with time.  I would pass if you see this one on the shelf!

Chardonnay with a Cool Label

Found this label on www.internetwines.com.  I just wanted to show you that it is, in fact, a very cool label.  The wine itself was not as fabulous as its label, but, if your sole purpose is to have a couple glasses and "relax," this wine (which I bought for $7.99 at Albertson's) will most certainly meet your needs.

Bohemian Highway's 2008 Chardonnay has a sharp, citrus smell.  The crisp, tart flavor is not a surprise.  This wine is very acidic.  It is, however, very light.  Though lacking in depth, the flavor is nice.  It has a bit of a bite, with a lemon start that becomes a bit sweeter through the finish.  Like I said, it's not fantastic but its most certainly enjoyable!  And since it is still hot (and unusually humid) here in West Central Texas, it certainly hit the spot!

Red Diamond Merlot not a Diamond in the Rough

Red Diamond's 2008 Merlot is probably the prettiest wine I've opened so far.   It has a beautiful garnet color that's just lovely.  Unfortunately, its flavor doesn't match its beauty.  It's not a bad wine, by any means.  It is light in body and on the tannins, but quite sour.  On the nose is spice and cherries, with some mild cedar and red grapes.  This wine offers flavors of sour cherries and a hint of cedar with some spice, but only a little.  The finish yields a touch of vanilla and maybe some oak as well.

For dinner I had stuffed eggplant (with mozzarella, Parmesan, and provolone cheeses and tomato sauce) and I wouldn't say the merlot complemented it.   I had also just baked some fabulous triple chocolate cookies with walnuts and they didn't benefit from the wine either.  It was just too sour to enrich my dinner or dessert.  And try as I might, I can't think of a dinner that would benefit from such as sour wine.  Maybe it was designed to compliment a less-sweet dessert.

For $11, this wine is drinkable but less than ideal.  I am wondering if the tartness is a result of a young wine.  Perhaps this one would benefit from some time in a wine cellar.  Which is great if you have one.  But I don't.  I'll leave it to age in the store.