In this episode, Jeff reviews this epic Pinot Noir that was just lying around in his local liquor store for the last 3 years…
Wine Tasted:
Hirsch Vineyards 2009 SF Food Bank Cuvee Pinot Noir
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Jeff
Have you ever tried bargaining for a better price when wine shopping? Would you? Leave a comment, and tell us about it.
In this episode, Jeff tries two Brunello di Montalcino samples from Piccini.
Wines Tasted:
Piccini 2009 Villa al Cortile Brunello di Montalcino
Piccini 2008 Villa al Cortile Brunello di Montalcino Riserva
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Jeff
What’s your favorite Brunello di Montalcino? Leave a comment, and let us know what you think.
In this episode, Jeff tries a three vintage vertical of Sauvignon Blanc samples from Cornerstone Cellars…
Wine Tasted:
Cornerstone Cellars 2011, 2010, and 2009 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
Food Pairing:
King Crab Mac and Cheese. The acidity of the Sauvignon Blanc cut through the fattiness of the crab and the cheese. The salinity of the wine also highlighted the seafood. This food pairing does a great job of showcasing the richness of the Cornerstone Sauvignon Blanc.
Next Day Bonus Food Pairings:
Shrimp Ceviche. This spicy and rich ceviche brought out some of the ripe fruit flavors in the wine.
Super Burrito Al Pastor. The savory burrito highlighted the herbaceous notes in the Sauvignon Blanc. I would show you a picture of the burrito unwrapped, but that would make for a messy meal.
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Jeff
What’s the oldest Sauvignon Blanc you’ve had? What are your thoughts on aging your white wines? Leave us a comment, and let us know what you think.
In this episode, Jeff recommends this Cotes du Rhone for your Thanksgiving feast…
Wine Tasted:
Le Clos du Caillou 2009 Cotes du Rhone
After the Fact: Jeff hasn’t done any videos in a while, so he’s a bit rusty. Please forgive him for referring to this wine as a Cotes du Rhone Villages, when it is obviously a Cotes du Rhone.
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Jeff
What do you want to see on Stay Rad Wine Blog. Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff tries a gets a little creative with some food and a killer Syrah…
Wine Tasted:
Valley of the Moon 2009 Syrah
Food Pairing:
Lamb Curry and Hash Browns
After the Fact:
To learn more about Syrah, check out Cyrus Limon’s blog, Solo Syrah.
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Jeff
What’s your favorite value Syrah? Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff and Dave TheVegetarian taste a few wines before dinner…
Wine Tasted:
XYZin 2011 Old Vine Zinfandel
Big Basin Vineyards 2009 Coastview Vineyard Pinot Noir
Food Tasted:
Homemade Bread with a Trio of Compound Butter
Linguine of Asparagus and Garlic
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Jeff
What’s your favorite 15 dollar Zin? What’s your favorite wine region for Pinot Noir? Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff pairs KFC and Homemade Waffles with Wine!
Food Pairing:
Chicken, Waffles, and Sparkling Wine!
Wine Tasted:
Korbel 2009 Natural
After the Fact:
You can follow JeffIsRad on Instagram here.
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Jeff
What’s your Chicken n’ Waffles wine pairing? What do you think of JeffIsRad on Istagram? Leave a comment, and let us know.
Last night, I was heading over to a friend’s house for a little get-together.
He asked everybody to brink an appetizer and a bottle of wine.
Now…
Some folks stress out about what to bring, but not me.
This is how I roll.
Earlier in the day, I stopped by Trader Joe’s to get some apps and wine.
I got two types of frozen samosas, and tossed ’em in the freezer.
I also got me a bottle of Trader Joe’s Reserve 2009 Lot #72 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, and put it in the fridge.
Now…
Some folks may question why I would put a red wine in the fridge, but it totally makes sense. First, it had been sitting at room temperature for a couple of weeks in a grocery store. That, coupled with the fact that it was pretty hot yesterday, meant that I had to bring the temp of the wine down.
Let’s keep going…
About an hour before the party, I pre-heated the oven…
While the oven was getting to temp, I took my dog for a walk.
After I got back, I was ready to throw the samosas in the oven.
While the samosas were cooking, I took the wine out of the fridge.
By the time I got to the party, the wine was at perfect cellar temperature.
So…
Now let’s talk about the wine…
You know that I’m a fan of the Trader Joe’s Reserve wines. It’s tough to go wrong with quality juice at $10. This Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was produced by Mazzocco Winery (a great Zinfandel-heavy winery in Healdsburg).
Color: Dark ruby.
Nose: Chalky raspberry, blueberry, and plum with hints of leather.
Taste: There are some aggressive (yet chalky) tannins on this wine. Great fruit notes of raspberries and blueberries.
Score: This is a solid, solid wine. I love the fruit to this wine, but there is not a whole lot more to it. Still… at $10, this wine totally over-delivers. 88+
The next time you have to bring apps and wine to a party. Don’t stress… roll like me.
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Jeff
What’s your wine-of-choice to bring to a dinner party? Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff uncovers what could be the best wine pairing for a hot dog…
Wine Tasted:
Damilano 2009 Barbera d’Asti
Food Tasted:
All Beef Hot Dog with Lagunitas Maximus IPA Braised Onions and Peppers
After the Fact:
I was so exited about the wine and food, I forgot to score the wine on video. Give it a 90+.
Stay Rad,
Jeff
What is your go-to wine and hot dog pairing? What is your favorite food to pair with Barbera d’Asti? Leave a comment, and let us know.
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In this episode, Jeff does another blind tasting…
Wine Tasted:
C’mon foo! You know this is a blind tasting. If you really want to see what it is, watch the video, or scroll down.
Domaine La Milliere 2009 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse
After the Facts:
1. This wine was a GV Special.
2. This wine is available for $15 on various online retailers.
3. Vaucluse is in the Southern Rhone of France.
4. This Vin de Pays is not made of a typical Rhone grape. It’s Merlot!
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Jeff
What is your go-to value region for old world wines? Leave a comment and let us know.
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