MYO Vino and An Homage to Bronx Wine

So I've neglected my blog for some time. There's really no excuse besides going on a beer and hard alcohol binge, as well as sheer laziness and an occasional crappy bottle of wine - I don't care what the Eli's Wine man told me, that Slovenian white was not good! I digress...

Today one of my childhood friend's came over for dinner and a movie. My fridge was pretty empty, so she brought the meat and the Annie's Mac N Cheese. The only thing I could offer was a bottle of red that had been sitting in my fridge for a few months. I had been hesitant to open it for a while because my friend Massiel said I should wait until at least May. I thought I should give it a little more time, but I had no other alternative in my shoebox apt and I didn't feel like stepping outside in 90+ degree weather to buy anything.

Chateau J&B Meritage Reserve 2007, from California Grapes, was made by Massiel's father Juan Pedreira and his sidekick who's last name is Azuaje - no first name on the bottle. They made the wine at MYO (Make Your Own) Wine in Westchester, NY. I'd never heard of a place where you could borrow a winery's machinery to MYO. I have to say it tastes very much like a Cabernet Sauvignon. It's medium, bordering on full-bodied. There's a hint of spice and I can definitely taste the black cherry. I hope Mr. Pedreira and Mr. Azuaje continue to make this delicious wine.

I was expecting Chateau J&B to taste more like the moonshine my dad and his buddies try to pass off for legit wine. They make it in a basement in the Bronx every year, mixing red and green grapes. It's a big to do in late September/early October for my dad and his buddies Al and Frank. Every year since I can remember we go to Nonna's house. I think my dad got involved in the winemaking when I was about 9 years old. I remember I'd go with him, but basically Al's daughters and Frank's daughter and I would help push crates of grapes to our dads and sometimes we'd help trying to pry the boxes open with hammers. However, soon enough we'd go upstairs, watch TV, gossip and take a nap.

Now that I'm older (and can drink) and appreciate this time with my dad and my childhood friends it's goes a little differently. We all sit at the kitchen table and the men figure out how many grapes they need to get, but most importantly we all discuss at great length what food stops need to be made on Arthur Avenue so we can have the Last Supper before we get to work making wine. We're about 15+ people now in this wine making circus - fiances, bfs and friends have been added on over the years. It's like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but in truth it's my Italian/Guatemalan/Honduran/Colombian mash up.

Every time I drink the moonshine wine, I think of time with my dad driving to Nonna's, catching up with my childhood friends/family I don't see as often as I used to, the laughs we share, the great food that leaves me in a comatose/indigestive state and the stinging on my arms from mixing the grapes in the barrels. It's not the best tasting wine, but I'll have it any day because it brings me back to these memories that hold a special place in my heart.

Buonanotte

This is one of the first nights in a while that I'm not working late or somewhere else. It was also a rough day at the office, so when I got off the subway I went to the nearest liquor store and bought wine.

Now I don't normally go for Italian wine, but I had a feeling I was going to eat pasta for dinner. I decided to get a 2008 bottle of Villadoro's Montepulciano D'Abruzzo. For about $10, this soft, medium-bodied wine hits the spot. The black cherry flavor isn't overpowering, so it went well with a vegetarian dish. I would definitely buy this bottle again. I also recommend Trader Giotto's artichoke ravioli - they were delicious. However I ate the entire package, which apparently is 3 servings. Oh well!

Pajarito

It's been a while since I blogged about wine. I like to think it was winter blues and a combination of drinking vodka dirty martinis and Prosecco/St. Germaine cocktails. However, now I'm getting back in touch with the beverage I can have every day of the week.

So I got back into the swing of things with a Chilean wine called Batitu Merlot 2008. Apparently Batitu is named after a charming bird, however is that even a legitimate bird? Anyways, it is a medium bodied wine with aromas and flavors of ripe berries. It paired nicely with the meal I made that evening, consisting of chicken cutlets with lemon and pepper marinade, couscous with Parmesan cheese and a mesclun salad. It was also $6, so perfect frugal prices for this recession that still lingers.

Happy 2010!

It's a new year, however this post is dedicated to a wine I got as a Christmas gift gift from my boss. I don't really know why I saved it for so long - actually I do. From about Thanksgiving to the New Year, there were quite a few parties to attend. I barely had alone time in my apartment to type on my laptop at night, like I'm currently doing. Also, I was trying to not gain too many pounds from the excess of food and drinks I imbibed over the 6 week span. I'm digressing...back to the topic at hand - WINE!

So my lovely boss Mr. E got his staff a bottle of white and a bottle of red. I wasn't a fan of the white, so I'm moving on to the red wine which is very pleasing. Crozes-Hermitage Domaine Combier 2007, a Syrah blend from Northern Rhone, sells for about $30. This deep ruby, medium-bodied wine is quite enjoyable. There are hints of raspberry and pepper. It has an interesting mineral finish to it, which I believe is due to the stainless steel barrels that are used during the wine making process.

I'm not a huge French wine fan, but I give this my seal of approval. It would probably balance out a hearty meal, however I'm a full-bodied wine fan. Before I stop writing - a shout out to David E who I hope will get inspired this year and try more wine (when he's actually at the legal age to purchase it all by himself) ;)

Yalumba!

I might have discovered a new favorite Aussie winery. I'm still loyal to Banrock Station, even though the wine shops I go to now no longer keep their Shiraz in stock. Perhaps this was necessary for me to discover the Yalumba, Australia's oldest family owned winery dating back to 1849. I chose their 2007 Shiraz Viognier blend. This medium bodied wine has aromas of violets and blueberries, with hints of ground spices, lots of red berry fruits and supple tannins - a nice balance. My issue with most Shiraz is that it borderlines on full bodied and it's just an overpowering of sweetness. The addition of the Viognier -a white wine grape - makes this wine go down smoothly. I give it my seal of approval!

En Mi Casa

So you'd think after a gluttonous T-day, I'd reel it in and not eat out or drink. HA - that did not occur.

After keeping myself occupied with house repairs all Saturday, I decided to treat myself to a nice dinner from Eli's and Eli's Wine Shop. I selected a potluck of cuisine from the cold food bar including cous cous salad with feta cheese, chicken salad with mayo, red onion and dill, tomato salad and some random pasta (I said it was a potluck). So I wanted to pair this plethora of cuisine with a glass or two of wine. I decided to try Bib Graetz's Casamatta Toscana 2008. It cost $13 more or less, and it went with my delicious meal. Casamatta means crazy house, and clearly my cuisine could be described as the selections of a kook (I like to think I had no clue what I wanted for dinner and just picked things that looked tasty.)

The red wine is a Sangiovese blend that's smooth and rich. You can taste the red currant and strawberries. However it's a little too weak for my liking, aka now that I'm currently drinking it not paired with food I don't enjoy it as much as I did with my crazy Saturday dinner.

Snap Decision

I've been slacking lately, and am still having issues trying to write up this review. I went my usual wine shop near the 77th ST 6 train. There were red bottles on display with an orange label and a red dragon. Diageo is the distiller of 2007 Snap Dragon Cabernet Sauvignon, which has oak, blackberry and chocolate flavors. I think when I first opened the bottle I didn't let it air sufficiently. It was too sweet for my taste and it didn't really hit the spot with my whole wheat pasta. However when I had it tonight (3 days later), it tasted a less sweet and it kinda worked with my Japanese dinner of crunchy spicy tuna roll and steamed shrimp dumplings (forget the Japanese name). The bottle costs about $8. While I'm not sure if I'd buy it again, it wasn't the end of the world. It does question my selection abilities - I may need to stop looking at the pretty labels.