TheWino.net

Revelation Meal

Tonight, hosting a small, small as in two couple dinner, I realized my wino voice has been stifled by this faux desire to be PC and poetic. The reality is I'm not such a good writer anyway, especially when I'm forcing it. No, if I want to be true to myself I need to be me.

Late Night with James Franco & Red Wine

Last night was a weird one.  It started harmlessly as a dinner with another couple and one after dinner drink.  Following a strange sequence of events, a group of about a dozen folks ended up back at our house drinking red wine until nearly five am.  Even odder (or more random) was that a fellow high school grad, albeit three years younger than I but friends with my sister, and now moviestar, James Franco, ended up at our house late night as well. 

Bachelor Party Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting

A close friend of mine asked me to organize (in the loose sense) a tasting for his bachelor party this past weekend.  He's getting married later next month wanted heavy reds, ideally Cabernet, wines that will leave a mark so to speak. I went to K&L & Beltramos wine stores (both local to the Bay Area Peninsula – Menlo Park/Redwood City area) and picked up seven bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. The wines came from Chile, France and the United States (primarily California), all representing different styles & regions to give everybody as much variety as a wine tasting at a Bachelor party can handle.                     

Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexander Apalta Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexander Apalta Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

is a Chilean wine from the Colchagua Valley.  This was the 4th bottle in the 7 Cabernet Sauvignon tasting.  Ironically this was one of the most well rated by professionals but one of the least liked among our amateur tasters.  Wine Spectator gave this a 90, we gave it a

Details: 14.5% alcohol

 

Santa Rita 2003 120 Cabernet Sauvignon

Santa Rita is arguably's Chile's most known, widely regarded and largest producers.   Their '120' brand is a high yield production vintage they export to merchants like Trader Joe's.  It's a solid value for the price (sub $10). I prefer this fruity cab for family bbq gatherings when a consistent, inexpensive bottle of wine is needed.  Santa Rita is popular with other wine critic's, such as Andrea Immer, who praise the winery for high quality reasonably priced vintages. 

BottomLine: An everyday drinking Cabernet best to be drunk within in the next two or three years (no later than 2008).

TheWino Rating: 78

Varietal Notes
Price: $10
Cases: N/A                                                                                                                                  Winery: Santa Rita