Apothic Red – Great Full-Bodied Blend

By: Cresta

I normally don’t drink red blends, but I happened upon a bottle of Apothic Red a couple weeks ago and I will definitely be making this purchase again.

Apothic Red is a delicious blend of spicy Zinfandel, fruity Syrah, bold Cabernet Sauvignon and smooth Merlot. The winemaker’s blend includes grapes from a variety of California vineyards. It is fruity on the nose with flavors of cherry, chocolate, vanilla and a little bit of spice. Sounds like a dessert to me!

I think this is a very versatile wine as well. A nice everyday selection and a great value at around $10. It also would make a good hostess gift to take to holiday parties you may be attending over the next couple weeks.  And although a somewhat bold full-bodied wine, I believe it’s a good choice for white wine drinkers who might be hesitant to try a red.

Now I must try its companion, Apothic White – a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling and Moscato.

For the Love of Writing …

I started this blog almost 8 years ago because I loved wine, I loved writing, and I wanted to share with the world. Much to my surprise, the world actually gave a damn for a while.

Life has changed a lot for me in the last decade – particularly in the last 2 years. For those of you who don’t know, I’m now living in the San Francisco area. Turns out, I picked one of the most expensive areas in the country, so there’s been a lot adjustment to the new price tag of life. A lot of other things in my life are changing too and I haven’t paid as much attention to this blog as I should.

Thankfully, Cresta and Angela have really picked up the slack. Both based in the Cincinnati area, they make sure you’re getting reviews and event notifications of great things happening back in my hometown. For me, this is still a regional blog and Cresta and Angela are the heart of that.

In the midst of upheaval, I’ve still had some great experiences in the last couple of years. I tried some great wine. I went to Paris and Bordeaux. I passed the level 1 sommelier exam. These are all things I should write about.

Maybe because of the other changes in my life, I’ve been suffering the world’s largest case of writer’s block. I used to love writing. Now, I have an experience (such as Bordeaux) and I truly want to share it with you. But not in writing. The idea of sitting down at the computer (I almost said “typewriter”) and pounding out a blog post seems unappealing to me. It seems like work, and not something I love to do. I look at other wine bloggers, especially the ones who, like me, have been in this game since the beginning, and I’m amazed at their continued tenacity and passion. I’m jealous.

You’re my readers. You are exceptionally loyal. You’ve welcomed my reduced presence and my great new team with open arms. I can’t thank you enough for that. I ask you, the readers (and for that matter, you PR folks out there too), to have just a little more patience with me. I’m trying to find a way to either make writing fun again or find some alternative means of using this blog to share my wine experiences. I’m open to suggestions.

Wishing you all a happy, safe, and wine-filled holiday,

Michelle

Wine Gift Ideas from Wine Enthusiast

By: Cresta

In case you’re not sure what to get the wine lover on your holiday gift list…Wine Enthusiast has made it easy to choose the perfect gift.

I believe you cannot go wrong with gift certificates to a local wine shop. And although I’ve never drank wine from a straw, I like the idea of it, especially when you’re drinking red wine. Find Wine Enthusiast’s list here.

Found any other great gifts out there? Please share. Cheers!

Dep’s Fine Wine Moves, Expands Selections

By: Cresta

I’ve been a big fan of Dep’s Fine Wine & Spirits for a while. I think they have a fantastic wine selection at great prices. Plus, it’s family-owned, and I love frequenting the local guys.

Dep’s has two Northern Kentucky locations – one in Covington and the one I usually visit in Ft. Thomas. The Ft. Thomas store recently moved to its new digs – from Ft. Thomas Plaza to 424 Alexandria Pike (the old Moore’s Lumber Yard). Earlier this week I spoke with wine buyer, certified sommelier and family member Shannon Depenbrock about the move.

Shannon told me that they simply were outgrowing their old space. She said that the new store has allowed them to grow and add some new offerings for customers. They’ve expanded on wine, beer and tobacco selections and have added a fine foods area featuring local specialty cheeses, coffees, snacks and more. There’s a tasting bar and a new Cellar Room.

The new store is nice. Very open and bright. It’s super convenient as it’s right off the highway, and there is ample parking.

The tasting bar in the middle of the store is where they hold regular Friday night tastings. When I was there yesterday, the bar was set up for the Beaujolais Nouveau tasting. Today (November 16) from 4 until 8 p.m., you can taste a selection of Thanksgiving wines.

There’s also a separate Cellar Room to hold wine classes, as well as host wine makers. Shannon said that they are also looking to rent this space to groups who want to have a special event inside the store. It looks quite cozy and a little rustic.

Visit Dep’s online at www.depsfinewine.com. Call the Ft. Thomas store, 859.781.8105 or the Covington store, 859.291.2550. Check out some pictures of the new Dep’s in Ft. Thomas.

Notes of Vino in a Perfume

By: Cresta

For work, I subscribe to a service called HARO (Help a Reporter Out). Last week, HARO was promoting a company called Kelly & Jones. They create fine fragrances that capture the scents of various wines. Because of my love of wine AND perfume, I had to check out their website.

Kelly & Jones offers five different scents in their Notes of Wine Collection: Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling, Cabernet, Merlot and Chardonnay. The Sommelier Sprays are $50 for a 1.69 oz. bottle. They also have these scents in a smaller Wine Country Rollette for $25 each. Or you can purchase a Sample Flight of all five scents for $15.

As the story goes, the company founder, Kelly, was wearing perfume at a wine tasting, which is a big no-no because the scent of the perfume can interfere with the aroma of the wine. Because she loved wearing perfume, she decided to create scents that not only captured the notes of some of her favorite wines, but also enhanced the vino experience by complementing the aromas of these wines.

I think this is such a cool idea. While I have my favorite scents, I love perfume in general. I’m always looking to try new fragrances. I think I’d enjoy the Cabernet – “spicy notes of pink peppercorn, ripe black cherry, and tobacco flower on a gorgeous base of vintage leather.”

What do you think? Would you wear a wine-inspired perfume?