Wine Wednesday: 2011 Hedgeline Pinot Gris

This Wine Wednesday features a Washington Pinot Gris called Hedgeline.  I've never heard of this vineyard before, but then I am not as familiar with Washington wines as I am with Oregon wines.  This is quite a fragrant and fruity Pinot Gris, with a tart apple flavor as well as a some sweetness.   It was a pretty enjoyable wine.

Wine:  Hedgeline Pinot Gris
Year: 2011
Region: Washington
Purchased From: Fry's
 Price: $10
Verdict: 4/5

Wine Wednesday: Root: 1 Cabernet Sauvignon

What!?!  Two red wines in a row???  I know, right?  It just happened that way, don't get excited.  Who knows how long it will be before I feature a red wine again.  I picked this up because I was making this Jacques Pepin Beef Stew, and because the stew contains an entire bottle of red wine, I thought the only appropriate drink to go with it was another bottle of red wine.   Also, I thought the bottle was pretty cool.

This is a Chilean wine called Root:1.  -  apparently Chile is one of the only places that has grapes growing on original root stocks.  A disease of the grape called phylloxera (do NOT google that, so gross) wiped out most of the grape vines in the world and so to fight the disease, most growers started grafting cuttings onto disease resistant stocks.  I'm not sure if this makes the grapes better or worse, but I just thought you might enjoy a mini history lesson with your Wine Wednesday.

This is a nice, smooth Cabernet Sauvignon.  I would go so far as to call it velvety.  K recommends that you let it breathe, and advises that it opens up nicely.  Also, did I mention the bottle is pretty cool?

Aren't my pumpkins cute?  I picked them up at Pier 1 Imports.

Wine:  Root:1 Cabernet Sauvingnon
Year: 2011
Region: Chile

Purchased From: World Market
 Price: $10
Verdict: 4/5
  

Wine Wednesday: Red Diamond Pinot Noir

That's right, I have a red for you this week!  I know it doesn't happen very often.  But watch out, because I'm on a roll - I have another one for you next week.  K and I picked up this one while we were taking advantage of Fry's wine sale - buy six bottles, get 30% off, in addition to sale prices!  This means that I got this bottle of wine that is regularly sold at $10.99 for only $5.59. That is crazy talk!  In case you didn't know, Fry's is owned by Kroger, so it is a sister store, sort of, to our beloved Fred Meyer.  Well, more like step-sister store.  But we take what we can get.  If you have a Kroger affiliate where you live, you can probably take advantage of a similar sale.

We bought this wine because we knew we had some grilled steaks in our future.  And we pretty much only drink red wine when we are eating steak.  It turns out that this wine might not have been the top choice to go with steak, although it was pretty great.  It was a very smooth wine, soft and mellow.  Not at all what I am used to with Pinot Noirs.  I actually said this when I first tasted it - "It's like drinking a fuzzy blanket!"  and it was.  In a good way.  I would recommend this wine if you want a nice, drinkable Pinot Noir.

Wine:  Red Diamond Pinot Noir
Year: 2011
Region: California
Purchased From: Fry's
 Price: $5.59 (Reg 10.99)
Verdict: 4/5

Wine Wednesday: King Estate Luminous Pinot Gris

When K and I were on our trip to the Northwest a few weeks ago, we did a little bit of wine tasting.  Of course I couldn't miss my favorite winery in the world, King Estate.  We decided to pick up a bottle of this limited edition Luminous Pinot Gris.  Don't be fooled by the pink color, this is not a rosé!  I am not a fan of the rosé, so I was surprised that I actually liked this wine.  That's because unlike a rosé , which is traditionally made from red grapes that are separated from their skins,  this is made from Pinot Gris grapes and is allowed to soak with the skins for 72 hours.  Traditionally Pinot Gris is separated from its skins before fermentation, because the Pinot Gris grape is actually purplish grey.

Anyway, this is a really nice crisp, dry wine.  It isn't at all sweet, but it isn't too tart.  It's nicely balanced.  The skins added tannins, which give it a tiny bit of astringency.  I realize that doesn't sound like something you would want to find in your wine, but it worked here and was not at all unpleasant.  This wine was great with spicy foods, but also it cuts sweetness nicely.  I served it with some easy happy hour foods, a  few kinds of bruschetta and also some figs stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto.

Because this is such a great summer wine, and figs are such a great summer fruit, I decided these two had to be on the same table.  I made my favorite fig and goat cheese bruschetta, along with pesto and sopressata bruschetta, and a new one with brie, figs and prosciutto.  

I had some figs left over, so I quartered them lengthwise, almost but not quite to the bottom.  Then I stuffed them with goat cheese, wrapped them in prosciutto and topped them with freshly cracked pepper and a little drizzle of honey.  Then I baked them for about 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  

Wine:  King Estate Luminous Pinot Gris
Year: 2011
Region: Oregon
Purchased From: King Estate Winery
 Price: $18
Verdict: 5/5

Wine Wednesday: Flip Flop Pinot Grigio

Hey there, Wine Wednesday!  This week, we are featuring a wine that I have long avoided.  Flip Flop Pinot Grigio.  To be honest, the only reason I avoided this wine was because it was called Flip Flop.  I don't know why, it just rubbed me the wrong way.  But K suggested we try it, and I decided to put aside my name snobbery so that I could bring you all a new review.  Do you see the sacrifices I make for you readers?  And by "readers", I mean my mom and my cousin.  Oh hey, Mom!

Anyway, after purchasing this bottle, I realized that part of the reason this wine is called Flip Flop is because the proceeds benefit Soles 4 Souls, which is a shoe and clothing charity.  So, sort of like when you buy a pair of Toms, your purchase helps provide shoes to someone in need.  Ok, Flip Flop.  Bonus points for charity.  Now I feel bad about judging you for your name before.

Anyway, back to the task at hand, which is the wine.  To be honest, this wine was exactly what I expected.  It wasn't a bad bottle of wine, but it was pretty much exactly what you would expect to get for seven dollars.  It was light and refreshing, with balanced flavors.  Nothing really stood out to me about this wine.  Although it was fine, I don't think it will be replacing my fallback cheap wines anytime soon.

Wine:  Flip Flop Pinot Grigio
Year: 2012
Region: California
Purchased From: Sprouts
 Price: $7
Verdict: 3/5

Wine Wednesday: Gruner Veltliner Laurenz und Sophie 2011

Wine Wednesday, where have you been?  I've been on a blogging hiatus recently.  I'll blame the fact that I finally got a job and have less free time.  But it is really just because I've been lazy.  Don't worry, though, I didn't forget to celebrate Wine Wednesday all this time, I just neglected to blog about it.

I'll launch this Wine Wednesday with a clearance find from Target.  The great thing about buying marked down wine is that it feels like you are taking less of a risk.  So the random wine you bought was horrible?  At least you didn't pay full price for it.  This was the logic behind grabbing a few random bottles we found on a clearance endcap on a recent jaunt to Target.  Until recently, I had never heard of Gruner Veltliner.  But I was looking for a new wine to order at our favorite (also the only nearby) wine bar.  I spotted the Gruner Veltliner, and had to google it to A.) learn how to pronounce it and B.) decide if I wanted to try it.  After teaching myself how to pronounce it at least somewhat correctly (Grooner Velt-Lean-Er), and learning that this is a white wine grown in Austria, I decided to go ahead and order it.  And although nothing can replace my beloved Pinot Gris, I did enjoy it.  And so, all of this lead to me throwing a few bottles of Gruner into my shopping basket.

This particular wine was veeerrrryyyy dry.  And it oddly reminded me of champagne without the bubbles.  Which makes sense because I later learned that this type of a grape is often turned into a sparkling wine.  This wine was not sweet AT ALL, and not really fruity.  If you love chardonnay, you may like this wine - although this doesn't have any oaky taste to it as many chardonnays do.  I normally prefer a frutier, slightly sweeter wine, but I did enjoy this wine.  I think we also got a fabulous deal on it, because my online research seems to indicate that it runs around $15, and we only paid $5.74 for it. Clearance win!

Wine:  Laurenz und Sophie Gruner Veltliner
Year: 2011
Region: Austria
Purchased From: Target
 Price: $5.74
Verdict: 3.5/5

Wine Wednesday: Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

Happy Wine Wednesday!  Today I decided to change things up a bit with a Sauvignon Blanc.  This is a New Zealand wine, specifically from the famous Marlborough region.

I recently read a funny article about the weird words that people use to describe wine.  In fact, a study was done surveying people who regularly drink wine about how helpful those descriptive words actually are.  Ridiculous descriptions such as "old bones", "nervy" and "tongue spanking" (!!!) were found, unsurprisingly,  to not be very helpful in describing how the wine actually tastes.  More common words, such as "zesty", "fresh" and "peachy" were found to be the most helpful. Now, I have been known to use the term "fresh", and I might have even used "zesty" once or twice.  But I did think that the word peachy sounded pretty generic. Who would use that word?"  Well, me.  Now.  This wine was totally peachy.  And not like the 1950's slang word for totally cool.  All I could think about when I was drinking it was how it tasted like peaches.  It is quite aromatic and somewhat floral as well.  The label describes this as a zesty and zingy wine.  I guess that it is, but I didn't notice that until I read it on the bottle.

Apparently the Marlbourough region is known for producing Sauvignon Blancs with unique flavors.  Although it is different than what I am used to, it was really an enjoyable wine, and the price is great.

Wine:  Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Year: 2012
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Purchased From: Costco
 Price: $8
Verdict: 3/5

Wine Wednesday: Manos Negras Malbec Stone Soil Select

A Malbec isn't normally something that I buy, but this is another one that K and I picked up at the BevMo! 5 cent wine sale.  We were saving it for a nice steak, since pretty much the only time I want a red wine is when I am eating steak.  Well, the time finally came, and we were grilling some beautiful New York Steaks, so I pulled out this bottle.

It turns out that this is a really interesting Argentinian wine.  It is made from 100% sustainably farmed Malbec grapes and grown in a very stony soil with a high mineral content.  This imparts a strong mineral flavor to the wine.  It is a dark red wine, but not heavy.  Dry and not very fruity.  This was a great wine, and I think even people who are not big fans of red wine would like it.

Wine:  Manos Negras Malbec Stone Soil Select
Year: 2009
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Purchased From: BevMo!
 Price: $30
Verdict: 4/5

Wine Wednesday: 99 Vines Pinot Grigio

Happy Wine Wednesday, everyone!  Here is another wine that we picked up at the BevMo! Five Cent wine sale.  This is a California Pinot Grigio, it doesn't taste oaky at all, so I'm going to guess that it is aged in stainless steel barrels. I don't taste much fruit in there, but it has a little bit of light fruitiness when you look for it.  I would almost call this wine tangy - but it really is in a pleasant way.  This has a nice, refreshing acidity to it, with a pretty light flavor, which I think makes it a great warm weather wine.

At $9.49, this is a nicely priced wine, and with the Buy One Get One for Five Cents price, it really is a great deal.  This is a good everyday wine that I would recommend.

Wine:  99 Vines Pinot Grigio
Year: No year listed :/
Region: California
Purchased From: BevMo!
 Price: $9.49
Verdict: 3.5/5

Wine Wednesday: Redtree Pinot Grigio

Happy Wine Wednesday, everyone!  Remember last week when I wrote about Total Wine, the awesome giant wine, beer and liquor store?  Well, there is ANOTHER store here in Arizona (and California) similar to that called BevMo! (That wasn't an unnecessary exclamation point, it is actually part of the name of the store).  We went here for the first time last weekend when we wanted to pick up a bottle of wine to bring to a party.  We happened to be there during their famous 5 cent wine sale.  The deal is that on certain wines when you buy one, you get another one for 5 cents.  Can't beat that!  I thought that their prices were generally higher than Total Wine, but when you factor in the 5 cent wine sale, you can get some pretty great deals.  One of the wines we picked up was this Redtree Pinot Grigio.

This is a great crisp wine that could be paired with lighter foods.  It has some fruity tones to it, but nothing overt.  There is also a teeny bit of oak in there somewhere, but it is subtle.  I am not a fan of oak at all, and it doesn't bother me.

This is a pretty good, mild wine that I would recommend, particularly because it is in the under $10 category.  The regular price on this is $8-10, but since we got it on sale we got 2 for $10 - really, you can't get a good wine for less than that.

Wine:  Redtree Pinot Grigio
Year: 2011
Region: California
Purchased From: BevMo!
 Price: $9.99
Verdict: 3.5/5

Wine Wednesday: Kudos Pinot Gris

As you can probably tell by now, I am a Pinot Gris girl.  It is by far my favorite type of wine, so it is the one I drink most often.  I know that wine snobs agree that white wines don't really count, and the really good wine is red - but I think that is a matter of opinion.  The good wine is the wine that you like.

K and I made a stop at one of the stores that gives Arizona a big old check mark in the
"pro" category - Total Wine and More.  One of the things that confirms Arizona as a party state is that they really, really love alcohol here.  There is booze everywhere you look!  Wine and beer before lunch?  Sure!  Arizona beer week overlapping with Arizona cocktail week?  Why not?  Giant, warehouse sized stores selling noting but beer, wine and liquor?  Absolutely.

This store is pretty cool, and there is nothing like it in Oregon as far as I know.  They obviously have a huge selection, and their prices are great.  We don't really like going there too often because the parking lot and store itself is usually a crowded nightmare, but we popped in last week to pick up a bottle of wine and ended up with...four bottles of wine.  Also a bottle of vodka.  But hey, we're talking about wine here!

I bee-lined to the Pinot Gris section and was intrigued when I saw a bottle of Oregon Pinot Gris that was unfamiliar.  The Wine is called Kudos, and is from the Willamette Valley in Oregon.  Apparently it is bottled in Dundee, Oregon, which is the wine country outside of Portland.  I am familiar with many Oregon wineries, so I really wanted to try this one that I had never heard of.

What a great wine!  This is light and refreshing, a little fruity but not overly so.  This would be a great spring and summer wine for sipping out on the patio.  I would definitely buy this again, and recommend it.

Wine:  Kudos Pinot Gris 
Year: 2011
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Purchased From: Total Wine
 Price: $12.99
Verdict: 4/5

Oh, and Wine Wednesday

Well, as most of you know, it is No Spend Month, so I don't have as much wine laying around the house as usual.  My wine cellar is empty.  And by wine cellar, I mean the Cool Select Pantry Drawer in my fridge where I normally keep between 0 and 1 bottles of wine.  But I was reminded that it is Wine Wednesday, and I can not neglect my duties.  However, I totally slacked and forgot to take a photo of my most recent selection, so you guys are going to have to deal with an empty bottle.  It's fine, just pretend its artsy.  Plus, it gave me a chance to play with my new camera.  Please forgive me for not instantly being an amazing photographer, but the last time I took a photography class I was 17, and these newfangled digital cameras are complicated!  I'm working on it.

Look, I even went outside for this one!  Yeah, I know it's overexposed.

So, this is a really great and very inexpensive wine.  Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio.  It's everything you love about Pinot Grigio and nothing you don't.  It's well balanced, crisp, not too sweet.   It's also usually between $5.49-$7.99, and probably one of the best wines in that price range.  It's a great everyday wine.

Wine:  Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio 
Year: ?
Region: South Eastern Australia
Purchased From: Target
 Price: $5.49
Verdict: 4/5

Wine Wednesday: King Estate 2011 Domaine Pinot Gris

 I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday season.  K and I have had a lovely and quiet staycation where we did very little of anything, but we make some pretty fabulous dinners.  This Wine Wednesday is the perfect time to feature our Christmas wine, the 2011 Domaine Pinot Gris from King Estate.  Awhile ago I featured the King Estate Signature Pinot Gris on the blog.  The Signature is my go to bottle, but the Domaine is really something special.  It is harder to find and slightly more expensive, for good reason.  The Domaine is made entirely from grapes grown on the Estate, and is 100% organic.

  I feel lucky to have found this here in Arizona.  K and I found a store called "Total Wine" which is basically a grocery store of wine (and other booze).  They have a huge selection and very good prices.  Wine heaven!
So when I saw this bottle on the shelf, I was pretty excited.

This is a lovely wine, smooth and fruity - I actually almost feel like I can taste peaches or pears.  It doesn't have that sharp acidity that you sometimes get with white wines.  It is crisp and really just a perfect white wine, in my opinion.  In the past I have preferred the Signature to the Domaine, but I guess 2011 was a good year, because I actually think it is better than the signature right now.

Wine:  King Estate 2011 Domaine Pinot Gris 
Year: 2011
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Purchased From: Total Wine
 Price: $20
Verdict: 5/5

Wine Wednesday: Sycamore Canyon Sparkle

Well, would you look at that, it's Wednesday.  And you know what that means.  Wine Wednesday!  I apologize for the absence in WW posts lately, but that just means I have a few special bottles saved up for you guys.

Beautiful Sedona

While my mom was visiting, K and I took her up to Sedona.  It really is such a beautiful place and shouldn't be missed.  While we were there, we checked out a wine shop I have had on my list for awhile, The Art of Wine.  The place has rave reviews for its "art" and its wine.  I didn't have a chance to really look at the art, but it looked like the same kind of stuff you find in most upscale tourist towns.  Brightly colored paintings, many of them wine themed, plaques with cutsie little sayings on them.   The shop was cute enough, although on the expensive side.  Their wines are overpriced in my opinion, but I guess that is what you get in the super touristy area of a super touristy town.  It carries only wines made in Arizona.  However, I realized that some of their wines are made in Arizona, but the grapes are actually grown in California.  I think it's a little bit of a stretch to call it an Arizona wine when the grapes aren't even grown here, but I guess that is done sometimes. Honestly, I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this shop again, but if you are nearby and want some wine it might be worth checking out ( if you are prepared to spend some money).

Sycamore Canyon Sparkle - goes well next to my coffee maker, no?

One of the bottles that we ended up picking up was this sparkling wine by Sycamore Canyon.  Apparently it is sold exclusively at this wine shop.  The bottle is pretty, though, isn't it?  And it is delicious.  The sommelier described it as "pecan pie in a glass".  I wouldn't go that far, but it is sweet with strong vanilla flavors.  Even though it is sweet, it isn't overly so.  I like moderately sweet wines, and my mom doesn't like sweet wines at all, but we both enjoyed this wine.

A toast to the new house!

Apparently this can only be purchased at The Art of Wine, so if you want to try it you will have to go to Sedona.  Although I did find a website where they have an online store "coming soon", so you may eventually be able to buy it online.  I would call this a good special occasion wine, both because it is a higher price than I would normally pay, and because, well, it's a sparkling wine.  So if you find yourself in Sedona and you want to toast with a special bottle, this might be the one for you.

Wine:  Sycamore Canyon Sparkle 
Year: 2011
Region: California, Arizona
Purchased From: The Art of Wine, Sedona
 Price: $35
Verdict: 4/5

Just caught the sunset walking out of Art of Wine - this is from their parking lot

Wine Wednesday: Election Edition!

Actually, this post won't say much about the election, other than this is the wine that I drank while watching the election results roll in.  It occurred to me that I should have pulled out a special bottle for the occasion, but instead I just chose what was already cold in my fridge.

Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio

Despite the notoriety of Robert Mondavi, I have never had a Mondavi Pinot Grigio.  I find that California Pinot Gris/Grigios are very plentiful, but I generally don't like them as much as Oregon Pinot Gris.  Call me biased.  This wine was fine, but I found it to be bland.  I've never found myself thinking that about a wine before, but it just didn't have much flavor or body.  It was light and pretty crisp, just lacking.  At only $8.89 for a bottle, it wasn't a huge loss, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again.

Wine: Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Grigio
Year: 2011
Region: California
Purchased From: Costco
Price: $8.89
Verdict: 2/5 

Wine Wednesday: Barrymore Pinot Grigio

Welcome to Wine Wednesday:  Celebrity Edition!  Yes, this week we feature a wine from America's favorite bad girl gone good, Drew Barrymore.

Ms. Barrymore

 Since I tend to judge a wine by its label, I was instantly intrigued when I saw the sleek bottle on the top shelf at Target.  Yep.  Drew made a smart move when she priced her wine, at $13.99 - it's not too expensive for most people, but it isn't so cheap that you think "Wow, $6 bucks?  It must taste like crap".  As an added bonus, the label states that proceeds from purchase of the wine will benefit charity. 

In true Hollywood form, the bottle appears taller and thinner than normal wine bottles.  When I compared it to other bottles, it really is taller, although not thinner.  So, this bottle photographs well.  But as we all know, it's what's on the inside that counts, right?

Ready for her closeup

I was surprised when I realized this is actually an Italian wine.  For some reason I expected a California wine.  This is a very dry Pinot Grigio,  pretty acidic and without any sweetness.  Honestly, it wasn't a terrible wine, but it wasn't my favorite.  I think it is priced a little too high for the quality of wine.  If you can find this wine under $10, give it a shot, but for $13.99 I can get my favorite King Estate, so I doubt I will be springing for this one again.

If you want Drew's autograph, buy this bottle

Wine:  Barrymore Pinot Grigio
Year: 2011
Region: Delle Venezie, Italy
Purchased From: Target
 Price: $13.99
Verdict: 3/5

Wine Wednesday: Arizona Stronghold Nachise

Well, I hope you didn't think that I was always going to be writing about cheap wines here on Wine Wednesday.  Although my standbys might be the cheapo inexpensive grocery store fare, I still enjoy the good stuff now and then.  I firmly believe that you can enjoy a wine without spending a fortune, but it is also nice to treat yourself to a really good bottle now and then.

As I wrote about here, K and I had a beautiful dinner at a swanky restaurant for our anniversary.  We decided to order a bottle of wine to go with our dinner, and since we had recently visited the Arizona Stronghold tasting room, I selected the Nachise.  Arizona Stronghold names their wines after prominent Apache leaders, and Nachise was the son of Apache Chief Cochise.

So, Nachise is a blend of four different kind of Rhone grapes - Syrah,  Grenache, Petite Sirah, Mourverdre.  Apparently grapes from the Rhone region of France grow very well in the Northern Arizona climate. This wine was very smooth,  juicy, and full bodied without being heavy.  I really didn't notice any taste of tannins.  It was a lovely bottle of wine.

Also, take note:  This wine is 14.5% alc, so it might knock your socks off.  Jut keep that in mind so you don't accidentally get wasted while trying to enjoy a nice glass of wine (unless you want to, in which case, go for it).  I noticed this because I started to get a little buzz on my first glass, and as a good Irish girl, I can hold my liquor.

Overall, if you want to try some Arizona wine, this is a good one.  I see it in most of the grocery stores here in Arizona, but I'm not sure how easy it is to get in other places.  At the very least, you should be able to order it online.

Wine:  Arizona Stronghold Nachise
Year: 2010
Region: Arizona, Cochise County
Purchased From: A Different Pointe of View Restaurant
Price: $48 (however, I have seen it retail for $23 at grocery stores.  Restaurant upcharge)
Verdict: 4.5/5 

Wine Wednesday: King Estate Pinot Gris

King Estate Winery, 2009 (photo by my mom)

Welcome to a very Special Wine Wednesday.  This week I'm featuring my favorite wine of all time:  King Estate Pinot Gris.

 King Estate is a fantastic winery outside of Eugene, OR.  It has been my go to special occasion wine for many years, and the winery is absolutely beautiful.   Back in my days working for the evil insurance company, when I had a little disposable income of my own, I belonged to their wine club.  Every wine that they turn out is great, but my all time favorite wine, and the one they are famous for, is the Signature Pinot Gris.  It has the perfect balance of crisp and sweet (but not too sweet).  It's aged in stainless steel barrels, which I love because I am not a fan of oaky wines.  It's awesome served very cold with pretty much any food, but pairing it with herbed goat cheese, white cheddar and cured meats is never a bad idea.  Or Thai food.  Or salmon.  Whatever, serve it with mac and cheese, it will still be amazing.

Steel Barrels at King Estate, 2009 (Photo by my mom)

If you every have a chance to visit King Estate you should do it.  Try to make sure it is during the day so you can really see how beautiful it is.  The one time I was able to take K there was a dark and foggy night in December, and it was more terrifying than it was beautiful due to the drive out there in the fog.

Grape Vines at king Estate, 2009 (photo by my mom)

Vineyard Pavilion at King Estate, 2009 (photo by my mom)

 I have been very happy that I can find my favorite wine here in Arizona.  I have found it at a few grocery stores, and even Costco!  Which is awesome, because they of course sell it at the low end of the price range.  No matter where you live, you can probably find it, or at the very least, order it on their website.  The price varies from about $13 per bottle up to $17, depending where you get it.  If you live in the NW, you will have more options as to where you buy it.  We used to pick up a bottle at Fred Meyer for $12.99 - it seems to be getting easier to find it at that price range.  A few years ago you couldn't get it under $15.  The vineyard itself still sells it for $17, though.  So you actually pay more there, which is kind of weird, I think.  This is one of their least expensive wines, and for once in my life I actually prefer the less expensive thing (it is usually the opposite).  Although, their other wines are also amazing.  The Domaine Pinot Noir is phenomenal, but at $60/bottle I don't keep that one on hand.  The best way to try a variety of their wines is to do a tasting.  So get to it!

Wine:  King Estate Signature Pinot Gris
Year: 2011
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Purchased From: Costco
Price: $13.99
Verdict: 6/5  (Yes, 6 out of 5).

Wine Wednesday: Barefoot Refresh

Usually, trying something new is a good idea.  It keeps you from getting stuck in a rut, and introduces you to new things that you might have been missing out on.  But sometimes there are red flags warning you that maybe you shouldn't try some things.  In nature, certain fruits and berries are marked with colors or spots to warn that they are not for consumption.  And in the grocery store , we have labels to help us figure things out.  The thing is, you still have to use your common senses.  And unfortunately, I did not use that when I picked out our featured wine.

When I saw the Barefoot Refresh bottle, I was intrigued.  Barefoot is one of my go-to cheap wines.  And I'm a sucker for a new product.  But what is a "refresh"?  Is it like a wine cooler?  I read the bottle and it gave me little clue as to what this meant.  The giant red flag that I ignored was the line on the bottom of the label that said "Refreshing light wine style".  What the hell is a wine style?  I don't know, but I decided to find out.  I kind of wish I hadn't.

It turns out, that this is sort of a sparkling wine.  I guess sparkling might not be the right word.  Fizzy fits better.  It is also pretty sweet.  Kind of like if you mix cheap wine with sprite.  Honestly, gross.  I would not recommend this for anything, but if you find yourself in possession of it for some reason, I guess it could be used to make sangria.

Excuse the mess, there was a culinary adventure going on.

Wine: Barefoot Refresh
 Year: ?
 Region: ?
 Purchased From: Fry's
 Price: $5.99
Verdict: 1/5 

Wine Wednesday: The Wingman Shiraz and Viognier blend

Welcome to a new series here on PDX to PHX.  It's called Wine Wednesday.  I decided to start doing little wine reviews for people who like wine, but don't spend a ton of money on it.  And honesty, buying a cheap wine can be really risky.  You might luck out and get one that is awesome, but you have an equal chance of buying one that is on par with the vinegar in your pantry.  And how do you know?  If you are like me, you stick to the few labels that you know to be tried and true, and don't take a risk on one you are not sure about.  But then you risk missing out on some new and awesome wines!  I had a favorite Pinot Gris at Trader Joe's that was AMAZING and only $3.99.  Of course they no longer carry it, so now I am on the search again for decent and cheap wines. 

Let it be known - I love wine, but I am NOT a wine snob.  I'm not going to talk very much about the nose, or how you can taste hints of plum, cherries and vanilla - although I might mention it if I can actually taste those things.  I'm probably not going to say that a wine is "chewy".  I don't think it is necessary to drink my wine out of an expensive wine glasses in order to enjoy it.  To be honest, although I like wine, and even the culture of wine, I think that for the most part wine snobs are phoney and full of it.  So there, I said it.

This week, we will take a look at a wine that lured me in with it's pretty label (that happens often.  I am guilty of judging wine bottles by their labels) and the fact that it is a Shiraz/Viognier blend.  I have never heard of such a blend, but it turns out it really isn't that uncommon.  Apparently, many wine makers can and do blend up to 20% Viognier grapes into Shiraz, and they don't even have to label it.  The reason that it is common to blend these two particular grapes is because they both grow in the same region of France.  I learned all of this while trying to figure out if I should chill this or not.  The answer is:  Serve slightly chilled.  I'm not sure how cold slightly chilled is, but since it is still around 100 degrees here, I went with "serve as cold as possible".

Verdict:  This was very fruity and juicy.  Serving it cold actually made it very refreshing, which is something I normally don't associate with red wine.  And this was a dark red wine,  it definitely has more Shiraz than it does Viognier.  But the Viognier did seem to give it a lighter body, and took away some of the  heaviness that sometimes comes with a red.  I would definitely recommend this to serve with red meat, or anytime you feel like drinking a red wine on a hot day.  As a side note, K did not care for this wine at all, so to each her own. 

Wine: The Wingman By The Country Fair
Year: 2010
Region: California
Purchased From: Trader Joe's
Price: $6.99
Verdict: 3.5/5