Latitud 34 Cabernet Sauvignon (2008)

Here we are and June is nearly over. Where did it go? It’s a very warm Monday night; the grass is very green, the birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming. We’ve had a lot of rain this summer but the payoff is the vivid colors in the yard.

Tonight Tom volunteered to finish off the bottle of “Quail Creek” Cabernet Sauvignon, which was good but a little heavy on the caramel taste and a tad too sweet for me. Happily,  I opened this bottle of Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon. This has a nice complexity of flavors, including blackberries and pine needles. I really like the grippy tannins and the peppery finish.

For dinner I put some leftover (delicious) baked chicken in the oven to reheat. . .and I served it with a pasta side dish that was scrumptious. Basically, this is the recipe:  I sauteed minced garlic and onions in olive oil and added about a half pound of asparagus (cut into 1″ pieces).  I tossed everything in the hot oil and once the asparagus was crisp tender, I added everything to freshly cooked, drained,  thin-spaghetti pasta. I mixed everything with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and freshly ground salt & pepper. Delicious! It really extended the life of the baked chicken; I didn’t think we would have enough but it was more than enough for the three of us.

Venta Morales Tempranillo

It’s an early-May Sunday evening. It’s been raining on and off but it is very warm for a spring night in Michigan. We have our windows open and can hear the birds, the frogs and the trains.

I am finishing this bottle of Tempranillo that I purchased at the Plum Market in Ann Arbor. I really, really like this wine and may purchase a case, actually. Although I like to have a lot of variety for my blog, I also like to stock up on the wines that I really enjoy and this is definitely one of them.

I have chicken in the oven for our dinner tonight. I brined the chicken for about 2 hours (in salt water) and then rinsed and coated with bread crumbs and spices. I am also making sauteed carrots (I have a lot of carrots to use up from my food co-op), spinach (also from the food co-op) and potatoes. And, a salad. Meanwhile, we are reading the paper and working half-heartedly on Friday’s Wall Street Journal crossword puzzle.

This Spanish Tempranillo is luscious with a color of ink in the glass. It is bursting with black fruit.  The aroma is fresh cherries and a bit of smoke. You can sink your teeth into these tannins.

Two Vines Cabernet Sauvignon (2006)

Well, it had to happen; we go back to work tomorrow after an extended vacation. We feel like we have been to Hawaii (although we have not) because we had such fun! Nonetheless, I am thankful that we both have jobs to return to and we both feel refreshed and invigorated from our time off.

So, tonight I am making baked chicken, brown rice, steamed fresh spinach and a salad. We are having this Washington State Cabernet, which Tom purchased at our local grocery store for $6 a bottle. I like it. It’s not a wine in which I am swooning over, but it is really good and there isn’t anything unpleasant about it. I would describe it as very fruity. The nose is woody — pine, actually  — while the palate is lush, juicy fruit. As my brother-in-law so aptly sums up: It drinks good.

Domaine Lalande Pinot Noir (2008)

What a lovely day! I am off work this week and I had a fun day. . .getting my hair cut and doing a little shopping. My big purchase was two skeins of yard and two crochet needles and a beginner crochet book. I have wanted to learn to crochet; I used to knit and always enjoyed it. So, this afternoon I read through the first part of the book and practiced the stitches. Such fun! Very, very relaxing. . .

So, tonight I have chicken in the oven along with a yam and an apple crisp. I also have cauliflower ready to steam. I haven’t decided whether I should also make a salad. . .So, Tom chose this French Pinot Noir for me. I had already poured him a glass of a Cabernet from last night, which finished the bottle.  I like this Pinot very much. This is a light bodied and delicate wine, yet the flavor is complex with fruit and spices. The finish is peppery and dry.

This is a keeper.

Tomorrow morning I am going to drive to my friend’s (who lives an hour away) and we are going to go for a long run. . .after that, we will go out for coffee. . .and then I’ll come home, shower and practice my crochet. Ahhh, life is fun when I am on vacation!

Fife Petite Sirah (2007)

My first sip was disappointing. . .however, a little air does wonders for this California Petite Sirah. It is getting better as I swirl and wait. We bought this wine on a little outing to Trader Joe’s this past week. This wine, like many at Trader Joe’s, was very inexpensive and we thought we would give it a try. I didn’t care for the nose or the taste, at first, but as I said, decanting helps a lot.

This wine has a definite cherry taste. As of right now, I would choose not to get a second bottle, but that may change as it continues to open.

For dinner, I am making baked chicken and vermicelli. I also just took a cobbler out of the oven. I had some apples and pears that were not getting eaten, so I peeled and sliced into a casserole and topped with a sugar/flour/oatmeal combination.

I am going to make a salad, too. My salads this week have been so delicious; I just can’t get enough! I make a basic green salad with Romaine and leaf lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, green onions and my own, homemade salad dressing, which is olive oil, red wine vinegar, basil, oregano, rosemary, savory and thyme. . .all shaken in the remains of leftover spicy mustard. (When our spicy mustard get almost empty, I add all the salad dressing ingredients to it; perfect.)

My chicken is almost ready to come out of the oven so it is time to toss the salad. I will take my glass of wine with me and toss away. Cheers!

Tom: This Fife Petite Syrah 2007 is a pleasant, inexpensive ($5-6) Trader Joe’s wine. The first whiff felt a little rough, but air softened it a lot. The main nose and taste is cherries, medium body, medium tannins. This will turn out to be a fun table wine that will go great with Melody’s chicken.

Red Diamond Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

It is Sunday night and our clocks are moved back for Daylight Savings Time. It is 7:30 and very, very dark. But, we had that wonderful extra-long day; what a difference an hour makes. It’s really quite amazing. It was a special day with the sun shining, the air crisp, the leaves probably past their colorful peak. We worked in the yard, put our patio furniture away, pulled out the geraniums from their pots. Trigger got a lot of walks, too.

This Washington wine is just the ticket. Lush and fruity; am I imagining it or can I detect some Washington apple orchards (not orchards, actually, but fruit acid  in the finish?  Tom bought this at our local grocery store. . . on sale for $7.95. What a good value and delicious wine.

I have chicken in the oven (legs & skinless thighs that I soaked in a saltwater brine and then tossed with bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, olive oil).  I have brown rice simmering in broth. . .and I have Swiss Chard ready to saute. I also have a fresh cole slaw chilling  and I made oatmeal chocolate cookies for dessert.  Time to get up and saute the Swiss Chard. Cheers!

Il Papavero

We have had this Italian red table wine, Il Papavero, before and really enjoyed it. This is delightful; a juicy cherry-flavored  quaff; dark and spicy with ripe fruit and chocolate.

For dinner tonight, I am making baked, spicy chicken, steamed brown rice and vegetables. I also baked some brownies with chopped walnuts. Tom was craving my brownies. . .

We both had busy weeks. Tom was in Montreal on business and I was up north to see my folks and to watch our son, Tommy, play his bass guitar in The Ben Daniels Band at “The Loading Dock” in Traverse City. My 77-year-old mother came with me to the bar; the band started playing at 11:00 p.m. and my mom was as lively as can be. What fun!

I am missing our youngest son, Tony. Hurry home, Tones!

Le Grand Noir Cabernet-Shiraz (2006)

I discovered this French blend Le Grand Noir Cabernet-Shiraz at our local market in town. I stopped in today to pick up a fresh chicken for dinner and the owner recommended this wine to me. I am really enjoying this wine. The nose is both spicey and earthy. The taste is great — fruity with some black dirt — nice finish. Really lovely. I will definitely buy this again.

For dinner, I have baked chicken in the oven, along with baked potatoes. I picked lettuce and little green onions from the garden and will make a fresh salad. Tommy just arrived to join us for dinner so I need to go add the final touches. Cheers!