Through the Wine Glass - The My Wines Direct Blog

The noble grape of Spain

Tempranillo, a well-pedigreed varietal responsible for some of the best wines in Spain, has had a harder time gaining ground in the US.  Christina Kelly, writing for The Chronicle, brings us up to date on this most maligned varietal.

According to Kelly, about 535 acres of Tempranillo were grown in the San Joaquin Valley in the 1960's, all produced for the jug wine market, to be blended with other varietals.  In the 1990's more acreage in California was planted, with growers hoping to produce fruit with superior qualities, due to the similarity of Spain and California's climates.  Currently, it's estimated that there are about 1,500 to 2,000 acres of Tempranillo planted in the US. Spain produces more, of course, with over 100,000 acres.

Tempranillos can be highly tannic and winemakers sometimes add Grenache, Syrah or Merlot, among others varietals, to flesh out the fruit and provide balance to the tannins.  Producers in the United States have even started an advocacy organization, called TAPAS - Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society, to promote this less known varietal.

No matter if you prefer the old-world style Tempranillo, or the more renegade style produced in California, we've got something for everyone.  Lagar Alto Tempranillo 2007 from La Mancha, Spain ($9.99), a recently added wine to our portfolio, is a medium-bodied red, with blackberry and cherry flavors.  Light on the tannins, it's finished with soft touches of earth and smoke.

Christine Andrew Tempranillo 2005, Lodi, CA ($19.99) is a more full-bodied version, with raspberry and boysenberry in the mid palate.  The nose contains hints of spice and earth.  This wine would be great with duck confit or truffled french fries, yum.

Old World, New World, you can't go wrong with either of these wonderful Tempranillos.

Mother's Day Gift Idea - Wine

Assuming Mom enjoys a glass of wine (and don’t they all…?), there really isn’t a better Mother’s Day Gift than wine. Flowers are pretty and all, but how original is that? And they’ll be gone in a week – forgotten forever. On the other hand, a six bottle wine pack can be enjoyed by Mom on many occasions, and in the company of friends and family. She’ll remember the gift each time she opens a new bottle.  If she enjoys a treat or two along with her wine, consider a wine basket filled with chocolates, cheeses and sweets. 6 Bottle wine packs start at $79, and wine baskets at just $49  (all baskets are currently $10 off).

Gotta have me some More of Moro!

"When I'm looking for the perfect red to serve to all my favorite PEOPLE, the Santomé Moro '41 can't be beat.  It's from the area around Venice, Italy, which produces some amazing, fruit-forward wines and this one is no exception."

"Medium-bodied, with notes of stone fruit and chocolate, at $14.99, this wine is sure to be a crowd pleaser.  I'll be able to serve this all summer long with my barbecued pork loin and grilled salmon."

"And the modern, elegant label just so happens to match my beautiful scarf perfectly.  I'm good to go!!!"

"And next time you drop by MY barbecue, don't think you're going to grab some of my Moro, you'll have to buy some for yourself!"

Santomé Moro '41, 2005, Italy, $14.99, get it at My Wines Direct.

Cheers,
Maja

(your intrepid Canine Consultant Extraordinaire)

A rose by any other name

And I'm not talking about the flower, I'm talking about rosé, a wine.  According to an article by Tina Caputo for Wines & Vines, the sales of rosé $8 and up, in the US rose 53.2% in the last year.  That means rosé $8 and up grew about 17 times faster than table wine by volume.  Wow.

A rosé today isn't the rosé a lot of wine drinkers are familiar with, at least here in the US.  Rosé is being produced in a dry, crisp, elegant style, it's a welcome relief during balmy spring and summer days.  Our contender in this class, newly added to My Wines Direct, is Subio Dry Rosé, from Mendocino, CA.  A blend of Carignane, Grenache, Syrah and Viognier, this is a perfect wine for al fresco dining.

I think I might purchase a bottle for this weekend.  I'll throw together a bay shrimp salad with sliced almonds, and serve it in freshly baked croissants, with clover sprouts and avocado and a hint of mayo, the rosé will pair nicely with this springtime fare.

I'll serve it on the deck.  If it starts to sprinkle, I'll open up one of the deck umbrellas.  I'm ready for spring!

Another Winner in the World of Wine

We've tabulated our results from the "President's Day - Tell Us Your Pick" contest and the findings were quite interesting.

Congratulations to member Dr. Wynndel Buenger of Alton, Illinois, who's favorite wine description was chosen in the random drawing portion.  He will receive 6 bottles of Fenestra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 ($23.99) and was happy to hear of his victory!

The overall winning wine with the most votes is...drum roll please...Finca Retiro Malbec 2004 ($14.99), from Mendoza, Argentina.

If you haven't tried it yet, and you like medium-bodied reds that pair well with all different kinds of cuisines, you should check it out.

Some other contest statistics to consider:

...75% of all voters preferred red wines.

...40% of the red wines voted for were in the Big & Bold category.

...The largest percentage of votes per varietal was for Cabernets.

Keep your eyes open for our next contest, who knows, maybe you could be a lucky winner!

"And the Winner is..."

We hosted a wine label design contest a few months ago and are happy to announce the name of the contest winner.  Additionally, we're introducing the wine on www.mywinesdirect.com next week.

The wine is Red Bird Zinfandel and the lucky winner is Sabrina Kyhn.  Applause please.  I'm really pleased with her creativity and managed to catch up with her a few days ago.  I asked her a few questions I thought you, as inveterate wine lovers, would like to know the answers to.  If you think of anything else you'd like to know, I'm all ears.

Are you a graphic designer and do you work for an agency?

Sabrina: Yes, I am a designer and work full time for ValForms Inc, a print-design-promotional company based in Pleasanton CA (www.valforms.com).  I also enjoy working in a freelance capacity and on personal projects like this label design contest.  It was my first endeavor at creating a wine label and I hope it won't be my last...wine and design is a great combination!

In creating the Red Bird Zinfandel label, what was your inspiration?  What were the biggest surprises?

Sabrina: What really drew me to this contest was the opportunity to create an identity for a wine.  Designing the label was going to be motivation enough - I have always wanted to design labels - but to name the wine as well...THAT was a bonus.  The name Red Bird pretty much just popped into my head!  When you're motivated, inspiration can take you by surprise sometimes.  It's almost scary.  But in a totally wonderful way.

What do you think of the Red Bird Zinfandel as a wine, do you enjoy it?  What other varietals of wine do you like to drink?

Sabrina: My husband Steve and I enjoy Red Bird Zinfandel on its own and also with a couple of different dishes: a rich lasagna and a hearty beef stew.  Red Bird Zinfandel stood up well to both.  I may have to try it with something spicier, like my homemade Chicken Mole!

When it comes to reds, I usually prefer pinot noir or merlot; sauvignon blanc is my white wine of choice.  We're lucky enough to live 30 minutes from the Napa wine country and head there whenever we have a chance.  We've also made the trek down to Paso Robles, CA...there are some interesting wineries there and it makes for a really fun road trip.

Any other design accolades?

Sabrina: Another honor received (November 2006) was when KFOG Radio in San Francisco chose my cover art design from over 200 entries, for Live From The Archives Volume 13, a compilation CD whose proceeds benefit Bay Area Food Banks.

Well, thank you Sabrina for your time, this about wraps it up.

Join us in welcoming Sabrina to our wine family, we're really excited about her design AND Red Bird Zinfandel!

A jug of wine, a morsel of chocolate and Thou...

OK, so I'm taking liberties with famous quotes, but with Valentine's Day just around the corner, I couldn't resist.

Take care of that special someone this Valentine's Day with a wonderful wine gift basket from My Wines Direct.  This basket includes Stonehouse Vineyards 2001 Brut, made in the methode champenoise style, a perfect bubbly to enjoy with a loved one.

And let's not forget the real reason for living, the chocolate that's included in this basket: chocolate hearts, truffles, dark chocolate squares and a mint chocolate bar.  This gift will help create a Valentine's Day to remember.

Now with all this added assistance on our part, if you're trying to dazzle someone new, or make the love of your life feel extra special, this Valentine's Day should be a HUGE success!

Behind the Wine

A while back, I mentioned that we had spent a couple days in September going around the Napa and Sonoma Valleys, talking to different vintners and winemakers who help produce some of the wines we carry on MWD.  We've captured some really good video interviews and are currently starting to add them to our site.

The first one featured is an interview with Reynaldo Robledo Sr, the Patriarch of Robledo Family Winery. We are now carrying their Robledo Seven Brothers Sauvignon Blanc 2006.  This wine has beautiful floral elements in the nose and Reynaldo says it pairs well with Ceviche.  Yum.

Keep your eyes open for more interviews, we had a great time picking these wine producer's brains!

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Sullivan Vineyards Red Ink

Sullivan Vineyards Red Ink - 2004, Rutherford, California

Tasting Notes

The Sullivan Family came to Rutherford in the heart of Napa Valley over 30 years ago and aimed to make top-quality wine from the start.

Their Red Ink wine combines the two red grapes that Napa does best: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Blending the two is a tradition from Bordeaux and gives Red Ink tons of flavor: raspberry, plum, blackberry, and cherry all leap out of the glass.

It's a rich, full-bodied wine with firm tannins and good acidity, so it goes beautifully with a variety of dishes.

When we had the 2002 vintage of the Red Ink, it was a top seller, and perennial favorite. When we tested the 2004 sailed through our tasting panels as well.

Open this wine with beef, duck, or lamb. It also goes very well with rich cheeses like Roquefort or sharp Cheddar.

To order any of your favorite wines, to ask about corporate gift orders or if you have any other questions, please contact our Wine Consultants by:

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