- Dec 31, 2018
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During my forced captivity, I am branching out and trying some new wines. Total Wine has a sale (thru the 14th) on “Winery Direct” wines (i.e. they buy direct from the producer and avoid importers and distributors) and giving 15% off on solid (12 of the same bottles) and mixed (assorted bottles) cases. At a discount like that, why not try some new stuff? (Prices listed are all before the discount.) The first I tried was a red blend from Cali called Cobble Creek. It’s from Paso Robles and while the label doesn’t list the varietals, my best guess is a mix of Rhône grapes (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, etc.) and maybe some Zin? (And for those not familiar with Cali geography, Paso Robles is in San Luis Obispo about halfway between LA and SF.) It was around $15 and a very good bargain. Very fruity with low tannins. Was great with some burgers from the Egg, and just sipping after the food was gone. For folks looking for a good summer red to go with your meats from the grill, this would be a great choice. I can assure you I will be going back and picking up a half a case at least. Here’s the label;
Last night we had a SE France Syrah from the Costières de Nîmes. (A region due west of Avignon, home of Chateaunuf du Pape). This wine, called “Les Piliers” was a nice wine, but a bit more reserved than the Cobble Creek. (It was also a couple of bucks more.) It was great with some leftover chicken thighs and enjoyable to me, but definitely a little more tannic. It might need another year or two depending on your taste. Here’s the label (though it’s not listed on the front of the label , this was the 2017):
Last night we had a SE France Syrah from the Costières de Nîmes. (A region due west of Avignon, home of Chateaunuf du Pape). This wine, called “Les Piliers” was a nice wine, but a bit more reserved than the Cobble Creek. (It was also a couple of bucks more.) It was great with some leftover chicken thighs and enjoyable to me, but definitely a little more tannic. It might need another year or two depending on your taste. Here’s the label (though it’s not listed on the front of the label , this was the 2017):