Lipgloss & Wine

Posts tagged beauty

Tonight’s foray began with an intense craving for manchego cheese - it’s our favorite! After discovering that it is best paired with cab sauv, shiraz, or chianti, we chose shiraz. Lindeman’s 2010 Padthaway Shiraz was our quick pick, and its price was around $14 per bottle. It had a screwcap rather than a cork. Alcohol content: 13.5%

After letting this wine breathe for about an hour, we resorted to the swirl.

The nose was delightful! Beneath the berries, it reminded us of the smell of a warm latte, which we are no stranger to. The palate was medium-bodied and quite tannic with some acidity. The taste of tart berries and flat Black Cherry Vanilla Coke settled into a lingering finish of prunes and smoky oak.

We paired this wine with manchego cheese but for dinner we’d opt for beef stew (perfect for chilly weather).

• Aroma - Blackberry, cranberry, black pepper, butterscotch, mocha
• Taste - Medium-bodied; blackberry, prunes, vanilla
• Aftertaste - Prunes, oak

Which is your favorite Shiraz?

At $4 per bottle, Bay Bridge Merlot is an extremely affordable wine and a drop in the bucket as far as experimentation is concerned. ABV 13%, cork closure. This could turn out really poorly - a watery merlot comprised of haste and reject grapes. Or, it could turn out to be a drinkable, not-so-bad value red. Let’s find out!

At first sniff this reeked of acidity, but after aerating for an hour, the wine became drinkable for our taste. It was quite pleasant, at that!

The nose hinted at strawberry and a nutty warmth. This merlot had a simple, sweet flavor profile. We would choose Bay Bridge Merlot as an everyday “wine o’clock” wine or even a dinner wine, but something different for weekends or special occasions.

• Aroma - Strawberry, walnut, oak
• Taste - Medium bodied; apple peel, pear, green grapes; very mild tannins
• Aftertaste - This lingered with fruit for a short while; very mild but pleasant

Would you try Bay Bridge Merlot?