2007 Muir Hanna Estate Muirs Legacy Bully Red

Another day another bottle of wine to try!  Not sure why I start months so strong and then lose energy near the end, maybe it's a natural cycle, or maybe it's a function of wine availability!  Last week was the WTSO Cheapskate Wednesday event, and I bought 6 different wines in the event (for those who haven't experienced it, think of a full day of all different wines on sale for a maximum of 15 minutes or until they're gone!). 

This wine is a really interesting blend for a number of reasons.  First, from a historical perspective, you can't underestimate the contributions of John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt on natural conservation in this country, plus Teddy Roosevelt is one of my favorite presidents, and both are featured on this label!  The wine for 2007 was produced with 100% grapes from the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, oohh! and it's a fine blend primarily of merlot (80%), with a lot of other grapes - 6.5% petite verdot, 5.5% cab franc, 3.5% pinot noir and the rest cabernet sauvignon.  This was a relatively small production of 640 cases, so I am happy to have a few bottles.

As for the taste, this one is a sure winner!  The nose embodies hints of leather, earth, cedar and tobacco, but interestingly the nose seems quite sedate.  Certainly it's not like some of those punch you in the face aromas of some Napa cabs.  The taste is well balanced and quite dry, I'll credit the heavy merlot influence there.  There are some hints of blackberry and spice that make this wine a really pleasant drinking experience, reminiscent of those times in Paris sipping a nice glass of medoc at a sidewalk cafe.   And since this was a Cheapskate Wednesday selection you know it was a bargain!  I would rate this wine a solid 8.0, but with a price of $11, I would add an extra bit to make it a great 8.5 value!

2007 Painted Wolf Red Cape Blend

So let's start August off with some spice to heat things up!  Tonight's wine is a wine club selection for August, so what better wine to start off the month, the 2007 Painted Wolf Red Cape Blend from South Africa.  This is my first ever experience with South African wine, and I must admit, Painted Wolves are really ugly creatures:

Fortunately the wine is nowhere near ugly like it's namesake!  The 2007 red blend is an interesting blend of Shiraz and Pinotage along with some Merlot and Mourvedre to make this a compelling red blend to battle the summer doldrums.  For those unfamiliar, the Pinotage is South Africa’s signature grape variety that is a cross between two of the most famous grapes of the Burgundy region in France, Pinot Noir and Cinsaut, that typically has a very smoky, earthy flavor.  Combining a grape that is a cross of two historic burgundy grapes with Mourvedre, a grape that produces very high tannin, high alcohol wines in the Rhone Valley of France and Merlot, a primary grape used in many Bordeaux could make this a very interesting wine. 

The wine exhibits a strong nose of cedar, leather, earth and spice.  The wine is velvety on the tongue, with an interesting taste that at first seems quite dry and then bursts with blackberry and smoky pepper flavors, with solid tannins that lead to a long, smooth finish.  This wine would pair well with a variety of meat dishes, or for me tonight, a complete vegetarian selection!  In my patio herb garden I've been blessed with an abundance of fresh basil, so tonight I am making some fresh pesto to toss with some al dente farfalle and topped with some freshly grated pecorino romano and served aside some wonderful grilled peppers, red onions, green beans and zucchini.  My mouth is watering so I must cut this short!  Oh right, almost forgot, this was a wineshopper.com selection that I would rate a solid 7, particularly given the price of just $8!  So get a taste of South Africa and enjoy the experience!  Salut!

2008 Veramonte Riserva Cabernet Sauvignon

So yesterday I got an e-mail from one of my favorite local wine merchants about a sale, and you know how I love sales!  One of the sale wines was the 2008 Veramonte Riserva Cabernet Sauvignon from Chile, so the price was good and I figured why not buy a case, so I did! 

Well it's a hot day, and I've been doing chores all day, so I figured I needed to enjoy a bottle of this cab, but what could I do to really integrate the wine into my dinner?  Hmmm...did someone say Italian?  Did someone say mussels fra diavalo tossed with linguine???  Ahh yes, one of my favorite home made, yet quick and easy Italian dishes that leave me feeling sated, and sophisticated all at once!

First the dinner, since it includes the wine.  I sautee a little diced pancetta in some olive oil, add some fresh galic, and then come the fresh mussels. Once they open up, toss in a couple cans of diced tomatoes and a little of the Veramonte cab and some spicy red peppers...then let it simmer.  Just before I toss with some al dente lingine, I add a few sprigs of fresh basil I pick from the plants on the patio, and then top with some fresh grated parmesan and asiago and dinner is served!

Oh yeah, I almost forgot this blog is about wine isn't it?  The wine is actually quite nice, as Chile has been producing some very nice cabs over the last few years.  This wine has a great nose of leather, cedar and very subtle berries, the taste is smooth and quite dry with nice tannins for a long, pleasant finish.  This is the type of wine I can use in my dinner, with my dinner and after my dinner as I enjoy a glass while watching the late summer sunset from the patio.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid, 7.5 by itself, but given that I bought this wine for the bargain price of $7 I can't help but boost this to a solid 8!  So if you can find it, grab a bottle, cook some spicy tomato based pasta and enjoy!