Winking Owl Merlot 2010, Modesto, CA

So the story behind this wine find is kind of interesting; to start, it was served to me by none other than an eighty year old Baptist preacher.  Go figure.  So this preacher, who goes by Papa, is one of the greatest most respected Baptist pastors in Texas history.  Pretty neat.  And he partakes of the bottle, even neater!  So after an hour or so of talking deeply about God, Papa offered me a glass of his wife's favorite wine, Winking Owl Merlot.  The couple was turned on to it by a liquor store attendant in their hometown of Little Tiny Town, TX.  $3 a shot.  They buy cases.  Not bad.  A little apprehensive.  Don't want to just shoot down his favorite vino.

So I took a modest little sniff.  Little sharp on the nose, though the wine was warmer than it should've been so that may have something to do with that.  Very fruity.  Very, very.  Prunes maybe?  The taste is surprisingly not that bad for $3.  It has a soft berry/date/prune taste that is smooth and light, but with little complexity.  Very easy drinking, but not all that interesting.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100%  Merlot (I thinnnnk.  Can't find anything on the bottle)

Alcohol: 12% 

Origin: Modesto, CA

Price: ~$3 at Aldi and other discount grocers

Rachel's Grade: B  For $3, you could get a Bud Light at a local bar in Dallas.  A bottle of Winking Owl blows that option out of the water, no question.  I'm not going to be loading up my wine rack with it, but if I were doing a big party, it would be a great idea to grab some of this Merlot.  I hear the Chardonnay isn't bad either, but I'm not running out to find it.  For the vino fiend without the means though, I say go for it!

Héritage du Château Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine, Loire Valley, France

If you don't read any more of my posts, read this one.  No, seriously, read it.  This Sauvignon Blanc is not messing around.  It's serious.  And it's really, really good.  My mom decided to join a Wall Street Journal wine club, under the pretense that I sample each wine and write a review on it.  Well, I've been less than perfect about that, but this Sauv was just begging me to write a review of it.  Especially after the sub-par Chardonnay from last night.

So, I popped this guy out of the bottle and helllllllo.  Beautiful aroma, coming right from the bottle.  The nose is gorgeous.  Fruity, floral, tangy- it dances on your nose.  It almost smelled too good to taste.  But, the taste did me one better.  The wine was drier than I expected, but it is French so, shouldn't be a surprise. (If you're looking for a crazy fruity, juicy Sauvignon Blanc, try New Zealand.)  The Loire Valley is known for the delicate body of its Sauvs, and this guy was no exception.  It's zingy with a bright acidity that really pleases the palate.  Top it off with a soft, smooth finish and you've got a great bottle.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Sauvignon Blanc

Alcohol: 12% 

Origin: Touraine, Loire Valley, France

Price: ~$16 at wine shops, $8 with the WSJ club membership!

Rachel's Grade: A   For under $10 I've NEVER had a better white. No joke, no exaggeration.  Do it, buy it, I dare you.  Whenever I see this bottle again, you better believe I'm buying at least 3.  (And this is from the girl who likes her variety.)  I don't even like Sauv Blanc that much, but this guy may just have made me a fan.  $15 could buy you a movie ticket.... or a bottle of badass vino.  Choice should be obvious.

Domaine Calvet Thunevin Cuvee Constance Vin de Pays Des Cotes Catalanes, 2005, Languedoc-Roussillon, France

So let's talk about a wine I really like.  Oh yeah, you know it's the Rhone Valley going on here. After the icky sticky Chardonnay I just posted about, I needed to up the ante.  I first had this bottle a few weeks ago, when my mom first met "my guy."  Yes, that just happened.  I guess it's serious.  Anyway, they met over a really delightful bottle of wine.

This guy has an interesting nose.  It's all at once bitter and smooth.  It's got that strong tobacco scent, though you can really sense its balance.  When it goes down your throat, it's very warming and smooth.  It's got soft tannins that really just suck you in.  Yum.  Yay Mom.  Way to pick an inviting wine for the occasion.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Carignan (super French, no?)

Alcohol: 12% 

Origin: Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Price: ~$15 at Whole Foods Market and other grocery stores.

Rachel's Grade: B+   Now this is a good wine, don't get me wrong.  I should probably be more generous with this rating, but I really just can't take it up that notch.  This guy got really great ratings from Robert Parker and the press when it came out, but I can't quite back them up.  It's solidly good, but not good enough.  I've had better $15 bottles, especially from Spain and Italy.

California Cellars Chardonnay, 2006, Isleton, CA

So it's been a while, no?  Yeah.  My bad.  Being a college student is rough sometimes.  Especially this past month.  No excuse, by anyway.  I got a facebook message from a fan asking for some new posts today.  How can you ignore that?  Can't.  So, today I resolved to really have some vino.  And I have.  My mom and I picked up some of this Chardonnay at Sunflower Market this week.  Super cheap.  We like that.

Supercheap can backfire though.  Basically, the nose on this guy was full, sweet, and soft.  I was suspicious of how utterly pleasant it was.  $3.33 cent wine isn't supposed to be great.  Anyway, the nose did mislead me a bit.  This wine is slightly bitter when you open it up, but it does mellow out nicely.  Though, the dense, alcoholic quality of it never goes away.  This Chard is super one-note.  It has a taste (not a terrible one) and that's about it.  No finish to speak of.  Nada.

Technical Info:

Varietal: 100% Chardonnay

Alcohol: 14.35% 

Origin: Isleton, CA

Price: ~$3.33 at Sunflower Market.

Rachel's Grade: C  Though this is a super great value wine, it's just not that awesome.  If you're just looking to get a killer buzz, this is for you.  But if you're looking for a flavor, go look somewhere else.  I'm not a huge fan, though I am pretty nicely relaxed right now....  still, not worth it.