Beringer 2006

2006 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Beringer,who is known for great juice, is proud of this 90 point, fruit forward, classic cab sauv. Knights Valley is one of the five original  American Viticultural Areas and one of the warmest areas in the region which helps produce a sweet succulent grape. 

This cab is a gorgeous red/burgundy color. It has great legs and looks great in a glass. First breath in and your nose is filled with deep strawberries, a soft oakiness and dark earth. The nose promises great things.

This wine has a wonderful weight in your mouth. Silky, smooth and round, but deceiving. I expected it to have more punch, but it was surprisingly mild. A little too mild of a red for my taste. The profile starts with sweet cherry and rolls into a soft chocolate and a mild hint of eucalyptus on the finish.

My mistake was to pair this wine with a well seasoned New York strip steak. The flavor was just too mild, so I popped the cork back in ans saved it for another time. Then I just drank it solo and it was delicious. The softness of this wine might make it a great option for a nice chocolate dessert, pairing off the chocolate notes.

MIA...sorry it's been so long

To all my readers, I missed you and I missed my adventures in wine. Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to put hobby on hold and put that little bit of extra cash into other priorities.
As my ship begins to get back on course, I am excited to announce my return to the bottle. I have a couple blogs on deck and a couple more bottles in the cooler awaiting their special day in the sun.

Thank you to my loyal readers and a warm welcome to any new ones. I have a real love for food and wine and  hope to use this blog as a vessel to share my journeys and hear about yours.

Thank you and happy sipping.
Linds

Le Grand Noir

I found this French blend in Seattle, when I worked at Cost Plus World Market. I was initially interested because it combined my two favorite grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, and then because it was an affordable $10.00. Not to mention, it has such a cute sheep on the label.

On initial sniff, the nose is a little spicy and earthy. There is a slight astringency, but mellowed by the fruitfulness. The aroma is delightfully inviting and the deep red tones are visually appealing.

On first sip you get a big, deep, robust berry flavor. As the wine moves around over your tongue, so do the flavors. Second sip brings up notes of currant and a subtle finish of licorice lingers.

The alcohol levels are well balanced and leaves a nice flavor on the palate. This wine struggles because it wants to be really bold, but it has too short of a finish to really pull that off.

For a $10 wine, this is a great option. It has a somewhat complex flavor profile, enough going on to hold your attention, and is great to drink solo or with food. Delicious with a well spiced pork dish, beef stew or a great homemade chili.

On a personal note, I first tried this wine a few years back, in 2008 or 2009 and thought it was the cats meow. I liked that there were multiple flavors going on and admittedly, I wasn't as well versed in the world of wine back then. So trying Le Grand Noir again a few years and many bottles of wine later, I was interested to see if it still held the same spark. I have to admit, it didn't dance for me the way it did the first time around, but it was good enough that I'll be back to World Market to pick up another one! It's great to learn and to grow, but maybe sometimes ignorance is bliss. Or at least ignorance keeps your wine budget low.