Monday, July 7, 2014

Bonny Doon Claret ????

Indeed-I never thought I would see a Cabernet based wine from Bonny Doon vinyards but here it is and it is called "A proper Claret ". This 2012 blend of Cabernet, Petit Verdot ,Petit Sirah, Syrah, and Tannat might sound a little odd but the wine lives up to the name-it really smells and tastes like a red wine from Bordeaux . I bought this wine at the new tasting room on Davenport for about $ 20.00 just to see what kind of wine this would be. Eleven years ago I worked at the old tasting room in Bonny Doon for a summer and noticed that the selection of wines did not include much of the mainstream varietals such as Chardonnay , Cabernet or Merlot-that is why this wine is an unexpected item in the Bonny Doon inventory. I'll give it 8 swiggs and declare it a proper Claret , if you don't mind me saying so.

Friday, July 4, 2014

Drug store cowboy

Believe it or not, CVS stores can have a pretty decent selection of wines , as long as you don't have the hankering for something off the beaten track. Talk about beaten track, Kenwood Sonoma has been around for a really long time. I used to drink some of these wines about 20 years ago and had forgotten how good they could be. This 2011 Sonoma Merlot was only $ 8.99 a price range that does not feature many wines with an actual Sonoma designation. I bought this one and had it with dinner . This older style of winemaking, lower alcohol and earthier flavors is something that I still appreciate and miss in the current world of super fruity and high octane wines. I'll give it a solid 7 swiggs and declare it the value of the month.