Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon

There's nothing like starting your first year of law school to really make you appreciate a good glass of red wine on a Saturday night. A new wine and liquor store had opened up not too far from my house and had mailed out a sizable pack of coupons. No way I could pass up 2 dollars off of a 15 dollar bottle. Usually I look for bottles in the 10 dollars and under range, but this coupon allowed me to expand my horizons a bit. I had heard of Toasted Head before, but that's about it so I was looking forward to seeing what an extra 5 dollars does to a bottle of wine. Toasted Head boasts that their wine has a distinct flavor resulting from "toasting" the heads of the barrels in which the wine is aged, perhaps contributing to its deeper flavor outlined below. It is produced in eastern in California, where conditions are similiar but land is cheaper then neighboring Napa Valley, perhaps accounting for its relatively cheaper price and relatively high reviews. It certainty did not disappoint. It has a slightly lighter color than other reds but still has an intense purplish maroon. It has aromas typical of a Cabernet, with cherry predominating, but there's somethin else definitely there, but I cant quite put my finger (nose) on it, something sweeter, maybe overly ripe strawberries. It also has the typical Cabernet tastes of plumb and berries but it is here where the extra 5 dollars really becomes noticeable. The taste lasts much longer than a wine like Yellow tail and finishes with darker, deeper flavors reminiscent of smoky, dark chocolate with astonishingly smooth tannins. Definitely a good wine. Perfect for pasta with tons of mozzarella cheese and sauce loaded with peppers, spices and chicken sausage!

Miller Chill, Don't judge me

Here's one of those beers I would never buy on my own, but, a 6 pack of unknown origin has been sitting in my fridge for about a week, so I figured I'd give it a shot. In a clear bottle, this beer is a very light, gold color... big surprise there. I had had Bud Light Lime in the past and, considering the nature of the corporate beer world and their aversion to risk-taking, expected they would taste quite similiar and equally uninteresting. My expectations proved correct. Its very drinkable, however, mostly due to its almost entire lack of taste and high carbonation giving it a crispiness. The little taste that is present is dominated by lime and slightly bitter. Behind the lime is the typically weak Miller Light taste which has never appealed to me. Although of no interest to me, there may be a market segment attracted by the beers claim of having only 100 calories per bottle, even still, there's tasteless beers with less. All in all, its not an awful beer, but considering what else exists in the category of good summer beers, a seasonal craft beer or a corona with lime gets my vote every time.

Yellowtail Shiraz-Cabernet revisited

This past weekend, while shopping for a short camping excursion, my girlfriend and I were looking for a bottle of wine to drink in the tent. We were expecting rain that night, so a solid wine to drink while taking shelter in a cramped tent would be a integral part of our night. Anticipating drinking whatever wine we got out of plastic cups while snacking on potato chips and pretzels, we weren't looking for anything special. We were looking around for a while but, as has happened so many times before, we found ourselves in front of Yellowtail's Shiraz Cabernet blend. We got a bottle and headed off into the woods.

It is with the remains of that bottle that I finally actually sat down to really taste this wine.

The wine presents a deep purple color and has a somewhat sweet, fruity aroma. Its taste reveals bold elements of cherry and other fruit in the background. The wine is quite peppery as one would expect it to be as an 80 percent Shiraz blend. Its spiciness and fruit flavors mellow out fairly quickly revealing a dry, somewhat sweet finish.

This wine is one of my mainstays as an affordable, delicious wine. Great for casual drinking and as a table wine for everyday dinners. Not the most complex flavor but hey, what do ya expect?

Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend, 2009 California

Apothic Red first came to my attention after it was left at my house by dinner guests. My girlfriend recognized the wine as one she had recently bought and enjoyed. Considering that we have a very similiar taste in wines, including an affinity for red blends, I was excited to uncork this bottle.

Apothic Red is a blend of Zinfandel, Shiraz and Merlot.

The wine has a dark, deep red color in the glass. Reflecting its dark color are equally dark aromas created by the fusion of the flavors of each layer. Nevertheless, each individual wine's notes can still be detected. The pepper of the Shiraz and the fruitiness and freshness of the Merlot and Zinfandel. The taste is similiar to the aroma in that the elements of each wine come together but still maintain their unique personality. There is a prominent cherry flavor that combines with the other fruit notes and interestingly, is reminiscent of cherry cola, one of my favorite soft drinks. Coincidentally, The wine is sweeter then what I am used to, although not overpoweringly so as the initial taste fades to a rich, smooth vanilla finish that hangs around longer then the wine's pricetag would dictate.

Overall, if you are looking for a delicious, yet different red wine, this one is a great buy!