The Wines of My Life: November-December 2010

Late last year, I started reviewing wines on Facebook. Every time David and I would open a bottle of something, I’d take a picture of it and write a mini-review in the photo caption. I called the album “The Wines of My Life.” Recently, I thought these reviews were interesting (and occasionally clever) enough to be shared with the whole Internet. I’ll even try to include links to the vineyards’ websites when possible; just click on the photos for those links.

Also, please remember the following caveats:

• I’m not a wine expert.
• I like really fruit-flavored wines.
• I like pricey wines, but I drink more cheap wines. (Sorry. I’m broke.)
• I hate Chardonnay.
• David and I haven’t bought Merlot since seeing “Sideways.”

That being said, I hope you enjoy this journey through “The Wines of My Life.” I’ll be posting the old photos and Facebook reviews every few days until we’re caught up. Then I’ll post them as I write them. Since I apparently drank a lot in December, this post will be the longest, by far. (That’s what going to Vegas a week before Christmas will do to you.)

Now, let’s get in the Pinot!

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November 29, 2010

Welcome to “The Wines of My Life,” a grainy photographic journey of my path to wine snobbery. Tonight’s inaugural entry: the 2009 Simi Sauvignon blanc. Acidic with luscious grapefruit scent and flavors. I’m always looking for a good Sauvignon blanc (my former affordable favorite was Estancia), and I’ll definitely be buying this again.

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December 3, 2010

Sterling: It’s not just the hottest male “Mad Men” character. Tonight’s Sterling Pinot grigio has a soft fruity bouquet, and a sharp initial flavor followed by melon and some mineral. Pretty good. Now, if only I could remember general Pinot grigio traits, and how the flavor differs from Sauvignon blanc.

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December 7, 2010

Tonight’s wine is the Estancia Pinot noir. David and I got into Pinot noir after seeing “Sideways” (which, incidentally, also made us stop drinking Merlot). My nose is too stuffed to smell it, but the flavor is warm and not too grape-y. Highly recommended, especially for a $10-15 wine.

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December 10, 2010

Celebrating the next-to-last Friday before Christmas Eve with my (former) favorite wine, Sofia rose. It’s usually full of ripe fruit in both its taste and scent, but tonight’s bottle is a bit acidic. Guess rose doesn’t age like reds; it’s more like whites. And this ’07 bottle is on its last legs, as it were. Hope the more recent batches are as great as I remember, or at least better than this.

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December 14, 2010 (Las Vegas)

Meet the Duckhorn Paraduxx Zinfandel blend, the first in-restaurant “Wines of My Life” feature. It boasts a mildly earthy scent, and a flavor that starts mellow and ends a bit spicy. It’s as if a Pinot noir and a Cabernet mated. I’m really enjoying it. Should be the perfect complement to the Delmonico Chateaubriand. (For all who are wondering, the ducks on the label are hooded mergansers. Apparently they change the label ducks every year; these are from 2007.)

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December 20, 2010

Meet the Simpson Vineyard Miner Viognier 2008, an unexpected treasure I discovered on the Napa Valley Wine Train. Dry with a crisp aroma that calls to mind freshly baked bread, this wine vaguely reminds me of a hefeweizen. Truly superb with salmon!

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December 24, 2010

Inspired by Jason Segel’s “Conan” interview, I opened a bottle (well, 2/3 bottle) of rose tonight: Domain Castillon. Unfortunately, this wine only has 2/3 the flavor, too. There’s a slight fruit flavor, but it seems watered down. Oh well. At least it was only $6.

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December 27, 2010

David reviews a special bottle from our honeymoon, the Grgich Hills 2006 Chardonnay (autographed by famed vintner Mike Grgich): It has a good mouth feel without the usual astringent crispness that white wines have that I don’t like. There’s melon, honey and pear. No discernible aftertaste. It’s a white wine I’d put on par with some of my favorite reds. It’s not just good; it’s fantastic.

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That’s it for 2010′s “The Wines of My Life.” Look for  January’s wines next time. Thanks for reading, and may you always have a choice other than Chardonnay — and if you don’t, may it have as little oakiness as possible.

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