Last week I wrote a blog called ‘Bye Bye Summer!’ This week I wanted to share some of the great times I had this Summer, and some of the new wines I had tried along the way.
I have been blessed with many great friends, and one of them is my friend Dan, who I have been Sea-doing with this Summer. Talk about fun, and as you can tell from the pictures, the Halifax Waterfront makes for a beautiful views and fun times.
There’s nothing like a great day on the water, and there’s nothing like finishing that great day with a great glass of wine!
Here’s a beautiful wine at a great price…
The Mallee Rock Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon blend hails from the Limestone Coast in Australia and priced under $15, you will want to put this one on your wish list. Dark rich blackberry fruits, with spicy notes from the Shiraz and great tannic structure from the Cabernet. It also has hints of mint that will have it pair lovely with a pork roast or a pork tenderloin.
Dan has also started running with me, and the best way to cool off after a run is in his beautiful pool. So we’ve done a fair bit of running, and I like to reward a great run with a great glass of wine.
Regular readers of this blog will know I just love Zinfandel. Up to now, the Zinfandel wines I have tried have always been from California. Well here’s a new one from Australia! I know, right! Australia? It’s high in alcohol, and you can taste it! 15% can really pack a punch. Has those cherry and plum flavors with vanilla, but honestly, I think California still does it better. Sorry Kangarilla! You were good, but California has been making Zinfandel wine since about 1850 and 165 years makes for great practice. It came to California as part of the California Gold Rush, when these miners looking for gold bought Zinfandel with them to enjoy. By the end of the 19th Century, it was the most widespread variety in California. I never knock a wine in this wine blog, but if I were to be completely honest with readers, I would suggest a California Zinfandel. Plus, this one comes in at about $38.99 and you can get a premium Zinfandel out of California for about $25!
I also went to an outdoor concert of Journey with my sister, who you remember just started drinking wine. And her favorite is
Jacob’s Creek Moscato, which happens to be Dan’s favorite wine too. Crisp, refreshing and a hint of sweetness, this is a great Summer wine.
And my new favorite find of the past week is…….
My fabulous find of the week is also one of the most confusing wines I have had lately, but also one of the more delicious wines. I thought it said “Pata Neera”, well apparently that second ‘e’ is a ‘g’, and it’s Pata Negra. This Tempranillo from Spain is a 2006 Gran Reserva and super smooth on the palate and coming in at just $16.99 a bottle, makes it a wonderful value. Don’t you love finding great deals on great wine? I do, it’s one of my all time favorite things! It’s won more medals than us Canadians at the last Pan Am Games, and that’s a lot of medals. This wine has rested in the barrel for 5 years and that makes for a great structured wine, with hints of oak and vanilla, and a smoothness that comes with barrel aging.
Well that’s it for me this week. We are entering my favorite season… Autumn. I love the pretty colors and the cooler temperatures. And of course wine.
Till next week, Cheers
Darlene
Wine-It’s Just My Opinion 