Show Your True Character with Jacob’s Creek

By: Cresta

A couple of weeks ago the kind PR folks from Jacob’s creek sent me a selection of Jacob’s Creek Reserve wines to help promote the Australian wine’s True Character contest. The contest, which runs through March 31, gives wine enthusiasts a chance to win $5,000 to put toward their favorite charity or passion, which is pretty cool. To enter, you must visit www.facebook.com/jacobscreek, upload a photo of yourself and a brief description of how you stay true to yourself and show your true character. In addition to the $5,000, the winner will be featured in a Jacob’s Creek commercial,

I have tried two of the four wines that were sent to me. All wines are $12.99.

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Chardonnay 2010

You all know how I feel about oaked Chardonnay. I am not a big fan but I wanted to give it a try. Not my preference, but I think Chardonnay admirers will enjoy this wine. It’s a crisp Chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills region of South Australia. Full-bodied with peach and lemon flavors and a nutty finish.

The high rainfall and cool ripening conditions of the Adelaide Hills give this Chardonnay that crisp acidity.

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This wine includes select grapes grown in the Coonawarra region in South Australia. The Coonawarra is known for its rich red ‘Terra Rossa’ soil and is widely regarded as Australia’s best and most famous Cabernet Sauvignon region.

Very distinct clove smell. Fruity with a hint of mint. Full-bodied, rich and smooth to the finish. Delicious wine.

I look forward to tasting the other two: Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz and Reserve Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir.

Cincinnati Wine Festival: THE Place to Try Some Amazing Wines

By: Cresta

I am so glad I went to this year’s Cincinnati International Wine Festival. It was fun, well worth the price, and I was able to try some amazing wines. Plus $35 of my ticket went to local charities. This year’s event featured more than 100 wineries offering tastings of 600 or so different wines.

I went to the Friday Evening Grand Tasting. For about the first 45 minutes or so it wasn’t very busy. I was able to move around with no problem and I didn’t wait in line to taste most of the samples I wanted to try. Even after the crowd picked up, it didn’t feel overly crowded to me. A couple of the booths had small clusters of people but nothing unmanageable.

There were plenty of food stations with delicious appetizers spread throughout the area – cheese and crackers, mini quiches, gourmet olives. I was even able to grab some coffee on my way out.

I took Michelle’s advice and wore FLAT boots. Might not have been as stylish as the ladies wearing the skinny-minnie high heels but I was comfy. I also downloaded the event program Friday afternoon and highlighted the wines I wanted to try. I made it a point to mostly choose ones that I don’t normally drink, which worked out pretty well. I also roamed around a bit and randomly selected some others to try.

The majority of the pourers were very helpful and chatty about their wines. It was a little difficult to take notes, hold my glass and eat, but I’ll do my best in sharing some of my favorites.

Vintner Select Imports of France: 2010 Labbe Abymes, Vin de Savoie A clean, dry white wine made from the Jacquère grape. Light and tangy with floral fruit flavors.

World Wine Headquarters: 2010 Altivo “Vineyard Selection” Malbec, Argentina Very smooth. Dark berry flavor. Lively tannins and firm acidity.

Somerston Wine Co.: 2010 Highflyer Granache Blanc, Napa Creamy consistency with citrusy-lime flavor and a little bit of spice. Crisp acidity.

Dr. Loosen: 2010 Villa Wolf Gewurztraminer (Gold Medal Winner) Floral aroma with some spice. Clean, light and fruity.

Oyster Bay: 2011 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc Green pepper and grass notes with grapefruit and citrus flavors. Light and refreshing. Probably the best Sauvignon Blanc I’ve ever had. The pourer told me that its deliciousness comes from the fruit’s longer hang time on the vine due to the excellent climate in the Marlborough region.

Treasury Wine Estates: Colores Del Sol, Malbec, Reserva, Argentina Very smooth, full-bodied, bold and flavorful – full of raspberry and cherry.

Firelands: 2010 Firelands Ice Wine I don’t know that this was necessarily one of my favorites, but it was quite different. Very sweet and grapey. The grapes stay on the vine until December and then they are pressed while frozen, so there’s not much juice that comes from the fruit. Therefore it’s very concentrated.

What were some of your faves? Comment here and let me know.

A Few Good Reds

By: Cresta

Here are a few decent red wines. And they all just happen to be under $10.

2010 Finca Flichman Misterio Malbec

This Argentine Malbec is dark black/purple in color. Very aromatic with grape and raspberry smells. Medium-bodied and smooth with tastes of rich fruit and oak spices. A little earthy, fairly robust tannins. Started in 1873, Finca Flichman is one of the oldest wineries in Argentina.

Cline 2009 Zinfandel

This California Zinfandel is Ruby red in color. The smell reminded me of a fountain Cherry Coke from Frisch’s (I get a craving for one of these every once in a while). The taste is dark berry fruit, somewhat tart with a little bit of spice. Firm and nicely balanced with a long finish. I would not normally buy a Zinfandel but this one was a gift…and a pretty good wine that I would pick up again.

 Walker Red Wine Napa Valley (2007 Vinted)

A blend of Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Pinkish-red in color. Semi-dry with medium body, easy to drink. I tasted dark fruit with a little vanilla. This is a wine from the Aldi delivery I received back in December and a definite bargain. This one surprised me. Not my favorite but a fairly decent wine.

Traveling to Bourbon Country?

By: Cresta

If you’re planning a trip to Bourbon Country, there are some good tips and resources listed here - including a few bourbon trails and events -courtesy of Wine Spectator.

Do you have any great tips to share?

Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful…

By: Cresta

That’s the first line on the back of the Middle Sister Goodie Two-Shoes Pinot Noir. This extremely cute bottle of wine was a birthday gift from a friend and I just got around to drinking it this past weekend.

I am not a middle sister, nor am I a goodie two-shoes (hold all comments, please), but I guess you don’t have to be to appreciate this California Pinot Noir. It was yummy. I have to admit, I was skeptical at first. I’ve often found that these sweet, charming bottles are all about the label and not so much about the wine…but this one was different.

Upon opening the bottle, I smelled strawberries with a touch of vanilla. That ripe berry carried through to the taste, with a chocolate-like flavor on the finish. This is a medium-bodied wine, a mix of sweet and rich, but not too bold.

I drank this wine with pizza, but it also pairs well with typical grilling fare.

I had to check out the website, of course, and all of the Middle Sister wine names and labels are adorable, like Drama Queen Pinot Grigio, Sweet & Sassy Moscato and Forever Cool Merlot. And each “girl” has her own depiction. There are fun facts, quizzes and apps, and you can buy things like t-shirts, aprons and tote bags that resemble the wine labels. Love it!

Oh, and they give back to the community. A dime a bottle goes toward causes women care about, such as Dress For Success and Wine, Women & Shoes.

As I said, I got this as a gift but I believe the Pinot Noir is around $10. www.middlesisterwines.com.