It's good for your heart...

Mike and I love wine. We really really love wine.
It's a bit of a weakness really... trying a big, rich jammy wine that is good quality can get us both pretty excited! After putting our time in working in the restaurant industry, we would like to think that we've developed a bit of taste for the good stuff. The good stuff doesn't always have to be the bottles that break the bank... I think that the best wines are the ones that taste like a quality $100 wine but sells for under $30. Those are the wines that we look for.

Two of my favorites this year would have to be the Ceago Winemaker's blend, and the Four Vines Zinfandel.



Because it's only 10:30 in the morning, and I do *not* love wine enough to be having a glass this early... I'm just going to use the description that the winemaker's themselves have chosen for these beauties.

"2006 "The Maverick" Zinfandel, Amador County
Devious mischief abounds from these dry-farmed, head pruned, old vine vineyards in the Shenendoah Valley. This Sierra Foothill Valley is renowned for its old vine Zin vineyards which produce a wine that is chewy and spicy, rich with blackberry fruit and a hint of velvet vanilla oak. Blended with a touch of Syrah from the Bailey Vineyard. Maverick...The Jam Bomb...mischievous fun!"

This is one of the wines that Mike and I can always agree on. It is juicy, a "jam bomb" is very accurate. Not too sweet though... don't let the Zinfandel part fool you. For new years, we brought a week supply for everyone to enjoy up in Panorama Mountain resort! There about 12 of us, and we went through about 9 bottles in just the first night. I think everyone agreed that it was awesome. Our friends that "don't drink wine." drink wine because of this one! It's THAT good. You should try it. (the biker zinfandel is also lovely.)




"Our 2005 Winemakers Blend has intense color with aromas of black cherry, blackberry, black pepper, cocoa, and violet. On the palate, the aromas are accompanied by layered flavors of plum, black olive, mocha and hints of tobacco and licorice. This wine pair’s great with a rib roast, spaghetti bolognaise and aged Gouda."

Ceago Vinegarden's are something I've been privilaged enough to learn quite a bit about in the last two years. The Raw Bar was one of the only restaurant's in the city carrying their product, and I was totally convinced that it is possibly one of the best (affordable wines) on the market. Jim Fetzer (also the winemaker for the better known Fetzer vineyards...) took things to a new level when he created his new "vinegarden." All of his products are organic and biodynamic. Everything that grows on his property are very natural. No pesticides/chemicals... and he even uses the moon's cycles to decide when he will harvest and plant his crops. Jim came to speak with us a few times, and he is just such a fun loving, laid back guy. Spending a day with the Fetzer's at their gorgeous vineyard on the lake in Clear Lake, California is something I really REALLY want to do one day in the future. They are even building a mini resort on location for people that want to stay for awhile. Sigh... sounds like heaven to me.

These wines might be a bit hard to find... but check out the websites to find their suppliers. For those of you in Calgary that haven't checked out "100 wines by David Walker." You should! Both of these wines are usually in stock, and you will probably find many other great wines on the under $20 wall. Always such good finds.