Pacific Rim 2010 Sweet Riesling

So I was at Costco looking for a white to go with coconut crusted chicken and I happened upon this sweet riesling for $6.99, and thought that it might be a good pairing with the sweetness of the coconut.  I'm normally not a sweet wine type and like more mid range rieslings, but for this particular dish, I went with it.

With an alcohol content of only 8.5% this is definitely a sweet wine and it did pair perfectly with the chicken.  The nose is very fruity and the taste is simply delightful, much more to this than I would expect from a sweet wine.  I think Sunny was on her second glass by the time we sat down, which is something because she is normally a slower drinker.  This wine is very good for what it is, don't expect your typical riesling, but know that you are getting into something like a moscato...only I've never had moscato this good.  For taste I'll give it a 4 and for value a 5.  This is a recommend, but plan on pairing it with a sweeter meal, fruit, or even a fruity dessert.  If you think you don't like wine, try this and discover you do!

rieslingrules.com

2007 Le Clos Millesime

So we are at Binny's Liquor Depot on Sunday picking up some beer for our Labour Day excursion to my parents' lake home, when I saw a bottle of Le Clos Millesime marked down from $7.99 to $5.99 so I though, huh, French wine for 6 bucks, can't go wrong with that. Wrong. 

This liquid (it hardly qualifies as a beverage) is a blend of fermented grape juices of the following varieties: Merlot 45%, Cab Sauv 15%, Carignan 20%, and Grenache 20%.  And fermented grape juice it was, although very pleasing to the nose, it was disturbing to the palate.  Barely drinkable I found it to be void of any complexity or flavour.  Sour and Sharp are the only two suitable adjectives that come to mind to describe this swill.  Taste 1 (only because I'm not using 0), Value 1 (again no 0).  Do not buy this wine, take your six buck and get yourself a bottle of Columbia Crest Two Vines.

2006 Inheritance Petite Sirah

I first had this wine in April or May this year, I had my dad pick it up on the Cellars odd bin sale.  I believe it was marked down from 13.99 to 7.77 or so.  Sunny and I tried it and we were blown away, it was one of the best petite syrahs we had ever tasted, so I called my dad to see if they had more and told him to pick me up 6 more bottles, which he did.  The second bottle was a bust and I was hoping it was just a bad bottle.  From what I can tell now, it was.

We opened up our 3rd bottle last night and paired it with a simple romaine salad and pasta with meat sauce.  It could not have been better.  Everything I enjoyed from the first bottle was back.  This is a very complex wine, fruity and sweet yet finishes a touch dry.  Flavor 5, value 5.  If you can find it buy it.

inheritancevineyards.com

2010 Joseph Händler Riesling

The 2010 Joseph Händler Riesling German wine from the Pfalz region in typical German style is only a mere 9.5% alcohol.  With the low alcohol come a sweetness rather uncommon to most whites, but not rieslings.  Last night this bottle paired with grilled cajun shrimp, which made a nice combination.  It also worked well as a pre-meal wine and after dinner finisher. 

This wine is cheap, $4.99/bottle at Trader Joes, it is my go to white right now.  A good mixture of fruity sweetness and light acidity, this wine hits the mark on any summer day.  For taste, I give it a 3, obviously much better, more complex rieslings can be had, but at this price point the value is absolutely phenomenal. I give it a 5 for value.  This is an everyday wine at an everyday price that you actually want to drink.  Recommend.

My first post 2009 Hacienda Claire de Lune Merlot

I'm writing this blog just as much for anyone who reads it as I am for myself to keep a journal of cheap wines that I like so that I can remember to buy them later.  I hope maybe someone will find this interesting and helpful in their selection of wines.  I will only rate wines that are less than $10/bottle and hopefully much less than that.  I will use a simple 1-5 rating scale rating both taste and value. and a recommend/no recommend 

I don't get alot of what goes into say a wine spectator review, I don't know what creme de casis tastes like or how anyone picks up on hints of earth and tobacco, so I'm going to keep it simple.  If I like it I'll say I like it, if not, you'll know.  If I actually taste something other than alcoholic grape juice, then I'll mention it.

Last night, we picked up a bottle of Hacienda 2009 Claire de Lune Merlot for $7 at Peterson's Wines in Naperville.  We got this for a 'special', Saturday night bottle and were looking for something to go with left over pork roast and mashers.  All I can say is wow, what a surprise.  A very bold fruity wine that paired wonderfully with the pork and found itself empty early in the evening.  I will look for this wine again especially as a tag along to a party as I think it would please many pallets.

For taste I will have to give this wine a 4, I've had better, but it was very good, for value, an easy 5.  This good of a Merlot for $7 does not come along everyday. Recommend.