+/-2005 Red Truck California Red Wine

I bought this wine on a wimb because the price was right. We tried it first with a hearty red sauce and Italian sausage ravioli. It was good, dry but complimented well with the food.
Then we had it with grilled cheeseburgers and again, that was good. It was the best with the green salad with Parmesan and fresh tomatoes.
We thought it was good, not the best we've had, but certainly drinkable. It is a composition of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc and Mourvedre. Ultimately a bit more dry than we prefer. Costco- $6.99. CHEERS!

+2004 Rutherford Hill Merlot

An over all conclusion we are coming to is that wine can not just be sipped at a meal or by itself randomly. One must first learn what pairs nicely with the wine. I found a little wine and food pairing guide that I am loving! It's like having a pairing genius right here in the kitchen with me!
Neither of us have ever really liked Merlot and always just thought it was a dry red wine for the most sophisticated wine drinkers. Last night I decided to make a meal focused around complimenting this bottle of Merlot (in bold are the items listed to compliment Merlot). I made a green salad with plenty of Parmesan and pinenuts. We had grilled tri-tip marinaded with rosemary, lime, ginger and garlic; green beans also cooked on the grill. I caramelized onions and sauteed mushrooms to go with the steak. And of course after the kids were in bed we had another glass of Merlot with chocolate.
When I was sipping the wine with the steak and caramelized onions I tasted a distinct honey flavor. Later as I was enjoying the wine with the chocolate I thought the wine took on a berry flavor.
Andy's critique: The chocolate took away some of the bitter after-taste of the Merlot. I felt it was a much smoother finish when drank with the chocolate.
We will keep this winery in mind when looking for a Merlot in the future. Costco $14.99. CHEERS!

+2005 Mondavi Chardonnay

We were at Costco over the weekend and discovered they have a large wine selection (I suppose it's no wonder). So... of course we decided to begin our education. It's easy for me to go with what I know but I am trying to branch out and take some chances. I haven't always enjoyed the chardonnays I have had in the past but decided to try one - am I glad I did!
Lately we've been having sushi and really liking it. This wine has a bit of spice to it and was good with the sushi and wasabi. However the best was having this wine with grilled chicken brushed with barbecue sauce. Sweet Baby Ray's is the sauce we like and it also had a bit of a kick. The two together was amazing! We will definitely buy this wine again to have with barbecued chicken. Costco's price is $12.99. CHEERS!

+Peju Provence

This is my all around favorite! I love Peju Winery, they are small and beautiful. Provence is a table wine and so far, my favorite red. Actually Provence is a red-white mix; I believe it's three reds and two whites. Peju is the first winery we ever visited. Two summers ago we came down here on vacation to visit Kevin and Casey (Andy's bros) and we toured Napa Valley. Upon tasting Provence we both loved it instantly. We took three bottles home!
We have discovered it is very good with home-made grilled hamburgers! Oh-my-gosh it is SO good! It is a bit spendy (for our budget) at $22 a bottle so we've decided to keep it for a special occasion rather then make it our 'house red'. CHEERS!

Just Moved In!

Well we just moved to Solano County, California - right next door to Napa and Sonoma Counties. Wine Country! Andy & I have alway shown an interest in wine but known very little. We think this is a great opportunity to try and learn. We can't wait. Since our minds are so full of many day to day things we decided to start a wine journal to keep track of all the various wines we have tried, liked and disliked! So here we are and here we go!