Dancing Bull Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

We are back from our summer vacation/family reunion and ready to get back in the blogging groove. We had the most fabulous, wonderful time in Texas with the Werner family: Host & hostess Bob & Suzanne and sons Matt, Dan & Ben (and dogs Callie and Jake); Bill & Linda and middle son, Michael; Pat and Bob and dogs Molly & Bella; Steve and Janet and daughters Emily and Katie; Tom & I and our sons Tommy & Tony, and the king and queen of the Werner family, Joe & Mary. All 20 of us stayed with Bob & Suzanne and we all loved every minute. Speaking for myself, this family reunion was one of the best times of my life!

We arrived home last night and unpacked. Today we were both back to work. On my way home, I stopped at Kroger’s and did grocery shopping and, natch, I looked at the wine. This Dancing Bull was on sale for $6 if purchasing 4 or more bottles (normally $13.99). So, I bought 3 of the Cabernet and 1 Zinfandel. I opened this Cabernet tonight to go with our dinner of hamburgers on the grill and salad. (By the way, we are under a heat advisory up here in Michigan; it was in the mid-90′s today.)

I like this wine. The nose has some leather along with strawberries and dark chocolate. The taste is very fruity — more so than most Cabernet’s for which I am familiar, but I think this would be a real draw for wine drinkers who generally drink and enjoy Australian fruity reds. The fruit is plummy with strawberries. The slightly smoky finish is enjoyable. This is a great wine to accompany your cookout with grilled meats.

Cheers to the Werner family. We miss you . . .

Pöckl Zweigelt (2004)

Pockl Zweigelt 2004

This Pöckl Zweigelt 2004 is an interesting Austrian red wine that Tom purchased. Unfortunately, we don’t remember where we purchased this wine, but we think it may have been at Trader Joe’s. This is a vanilla-laced dry red with notes of cherry. It is quite juicy on the palate with a tannic finish.

Tom and I just returned from a six-day trip to Asheville, North Carolina where we attended Tom’s family reunion at the home of his sister, Pat and her husband Bob. What a fantastic week we had at their beautiful home in the mountains. We, along with Tom’s parents, Joe andMary, and his brothers Bill and (wife) Linda, Bob and (wife) Suzanne, and Steve and (wife) Janet (and daughters Emily and Katie), had tons of fun every day. We hiked in the mountains, toured the Biltmore, and had long cocktail hours on the deck, followed by delicious dinners with plenty of wine. We also played games together late into the night — resulting in much laughter and boisterous conversation.

Werner family in Arden

We took Trigger to the reunion and she quickly made friends with her cousin Molly, a Goldendoodle, who is three times her size and 1/9 her age! Trigger kept looking up at us with her big brown eyes as if to say, “Can you please make Molly calm down?” Although they tussled when they had an audience, when left to themselves, Trigger and Molly slept nose to nose on the kitchen floor together. I know Trigger will miss Molly.

I love Tom’s family and did not want to say goodbye. I can’t wait until we get together again.