Cameron Hughes Chardonnay

I love Cameron Hughes wines and am disappointed that I'm unable to find more in my neck of the woods. [and yes, I have made suggestions at the wine stores I frequent]. It won't be long and I'll be able to have wine shipped directly to me and you can bet I'll be signing up for their wine club once those SD laws go into effect (January 1, 2016)

I saw this bottle at the Brookings Liquor Store and I was happy to see something different -- typically they have the Lodi Red Blend, which I enjoy, but I've been on a white kick lately, looking for the bright fruity flavors but leaning more towards the creamy, buttery finishes in the Chardonnays.

This is a great Chardonnay. Light, fruity, honey suckle, vanilla, hints of grapefruit or other tart fruit. Loving the creamy finish. 

This was around $16 for the bottle, which is a great value for this complex chardonnay. Definitely keeping my eye out for this one again as it seems like one that would be good to always have on hand.

Carnivor Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a new favorite, one of the last from the wine club in Sioux Falls. I found it at the Brookings Liquor Store for right at $11. This is a deep dark red, almost black with thick legs. Dark fruits, dark coffee, dark chocolate flavored roll around and end in a smooth finish that practically stains your teeth and glass.

This was a perfect match for our t-bones, the grill and a cool evening. This might be one to keep on hand at all times.

Wine Walk at Epcot, Disney World

One of the things I was looking forward to on our recent trip to Disney World was Epcot and trying out some of the wines. In my research, I found one old post about the World Showcase Wine Walk. I was unable to find anything that would confirm it still existed. So you can imagine my delight when I saw it advertised in Les Vins De France, a wine shop in France. For $20, you get 2-2 oz tastings of pre-selected wines in France, Italy and Germany Pavilions.

Starting in France with a Chardonnay and red blend:
Georges Deboeuf Pouilly Fuisse: Bright flavors of pear, red apples and citrus are balanced in this classic French expression of Chardonnay from Burgundy. This was my favorite of the 2.
Chateau Tour de Segur: From the right bank of the Gironde river originates the vineyards of this structure red Bordeaux. Predominately blended with Merlot, this full bodied wine displays flavors of black currants, black cherries and generous oak spices.

In Germany, 2 wines, both on the sweet side and both white, from the same vineyard/label Valckenberg Madonna. These were available at Weinkeller.
Spatlese, or Reisling. Due to riper grapes than those from the main harvest, this Spatlese, or late harvest, has expressive fruitiness, very outgoing intensive floral bouquet, delicate sweetness and rather soft acidity.
Liefraumilch: A harmonious ensemble of rich fruitiness, a delicate sweetness, backed by a mild acidity and a lush seductive bouquet.

I can't remember which of these was my favorite, though I was leaning towards the sweeter wines this hot afternoon. With 2 white wines, I wasn't sure which was which once I got back to the table with Rocky & the girls. I would definitely try both again.

Italy had my favorite, the rose pictured below. It was a perfect match for the hot afternoon! Italy's wine sale was an Enoteca Castello:
Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio An elegant wine of pale-straw color with an intense fruity aroma followed by a clean rich, refreshing taste.
Rosa Regale, Piedmont DOCG A unique red sparkling wine. Aromatics with a hint of rose petals and raspberries, this is delightfully vivacious and festive.

All tasting notes are from the Wine Walk receipt and most likely the wine maker's notes. I tried to find links to the wines/ wineries and some were a bit difficult!

I would definitely do this walk again, even if it was the same wines! The only thing I would do differently is to be sure to have had enough to eat before taking on 6 glasses of wine (even if they were only 2 oz each, that's still a LOT of wine)!

The Crusher: Viognier

A lovely combination of fruits: Green apple, pear, apricot, a touch of honey and pineapple. Crisp, almost sharp taste with a short finish.

This was a lovely rainy Saturday afternoon pick and one from the wine club. The winery is near Sacramento and one that might be worth a visit, if we ever make a trip to the Napa area.

On a sad note, my wine club is no more. I received an email stating they have decided to stop offering. The good news is South Dakota has decided to offer the ability to have wine shipped to the consumer starting in January 2016. By that time, I should be able to start locating a variety of wineries who are willing to ship to SD. 

Côtes du Rhône

I've been following @NormalWine on Twitter for some time and have recently started listening to their podcasts when I'm on the treadmill or track. It passes the time better than TV and I usually feel like I've learned something.

Earlier this year, they had a podcast on Côtes du Rhône, which I had heard of but never paid attention to. The podcast was funny and informative -- I learned that this is a blended wine [which I love] so I put the wine in the back of my head, just in case I spotted it ... somewhere ... I really didn't expect to find what I think of as a specialty wine here in SD. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find it at Little Wine Cellar. I couldn't remember labels that were mentioned as part of the podcast, so I bought it and hoped!

Yellow, mellow, fresh & fruity with a hint of sweet. I really enjoyed this more the 2nd day. It's amazing what a little O2 can do for wine. I enjoyed this with chicken and on its own! 

I will definitely pick this up again.

You can learn more about this winery, E. Guigal, just remember to select the English language version. I wasn't able to do that on my phone and was a little frustrated with my lack of French language skills (though to be fair, it has been over 20 years since my last French class!)

Summerland Sauvignon Blanc

It's bitter cold these past 2 weeks. Yet each time I've gone to the wine fridge, I've selected a white: best served chilled and one that makes me long to sit on the deck and watch the sky turn from light blue to deep purple. Perhaps it's my subconscious wishing for warmer weather. Or maybe I'm just grabbing the first bottle within reach.

This is a great Sauvignon Blanc from my wine club. Citrus and apple flavors lead the palate and I can really detect the steel -- especially after the bottle spent the night in the fridge. It's a little harsh with the wine so cold though I suspect the harshness will subside as the wine warms up.

Summerland is a Central California coast winery. They do have a wine club as well, and if South Dakota ever joins the 21st century, this is one I'd love to join!

Protea Chenin Blanc

Butter-yellow color, citrus-y, fresh. I'm enjoying this wine as much as I love the bottle! This Protea Chenin Blanc is a South African wine; the bottles are designed to be reused. I think it is time for me to purchase the bottle pourers I've been looking at for so many years. I think this would be nice for hand soap and would look good in my kitchen window sill.

This wine is easy [like Sunday morning], boasting pear, citrus & honeysuckle; an enjoyable drink. The entire bottle could disappear before you even realize!

I don't drink a lot of this grape, but it's nice. I think it would be better enjoyed on a summer's evening sitting by a fire or enjoying the sunset, but I will settle for drinking it this snowy, dark night listening to Maggie explain the characters in her book.

Brown Cow

Not sure if this is a South Dakota invention -- produced & bottled by Stawbale Winery. Brown Cow is 18% alcohol and therefore best for sipping over the evening. Sold only in 375 ml, it reminds me of an orange Tootsie Roll. It is fortified with brandy (hence the 18% alcohol level) and blended with chocolate, coffee and oranges. A unique drinking experience, one to be savored, not rushed through. This is a very sweet wine and probably not for everyone.

I first tried this when my mother in law & I visited the winery. We both purchased a bottle -- little did I know she was actually purchasing it as a Christmas gift for me! Well played, Bonnie!