Beringer California Collection Cabernet Sauvignon (2007)

We have had the 2006 vintage of this wine many times but I believe this is our first 2007. We just finished a gin martini (up, shaken, with olives) and now are sipping this wine while we finish the newspaper crossword puzzle. Dinner will be soon – just a fresh salad from my garden and a leftover pizza. Nothing to brag about but an  easy meal, for sure.

I am too hyper to cook because my son (my baby) is coming home tomorrow. He has been teaching for one year in Paju, South Korea. I cannot describe how excited I am to see him!

This wine is adequate but not particularly my cup of tea. I generally like California Cabernets but this one has a strong vanilla taste. . .a subtle whiff of vanilla is much more my style. So, although I think Tom would say positive things about this wine, I have to conclude that it is a bit too cloying for my taste. So, definitely adequate. But it doesn’t make me swoon.

Lindemans Shiraz Cabernet (2008)

It has been a long time since Tom & I opened a Lindemans bottle of wine. We became fans of red wine together while drinking Lindemans’ various red wines. Recently, in our eagerness to try as many new wines as possible, we have ignored Lindemans; but Tom purchased a  bottle of the Shiraz Cabernet blend last weekend. What a delightful reminder of why we started out our love of red wine by enjoying  the Australian wine! Certainly, it all starts with the fruit flavors. This is typical, Australian fruit-forward wine, bursting with plums and berries on the palate. The finish is very smooth.

For dinner tonight, I have cut up three boneless, skinless chicken breasts into chunks  for sauteing.  I will be adding onions, artichokes, chicken broth, fresh mushrooms and spices and tossing with linguine. I am also making a fresh salad with lettuce, tomatoes and green onions from my garden.

We are counting down the days until our son, Tony, returns from his year-long job in Paju, South Korea. He comes home this Saturday; I am beyond excited to see him.

Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon

I am trying a new baked chicken recipe tonight. I started with a fresh chicken (cut up) which I washed, dried and seasoned with salt & pepper. Then, I dipped each piece into a mixture of butter, mayonnaise and spicy mustard and then rolled it in a mixture of crushed seasoned stuffing mix. This is baking now. It smells very good. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

We are finishing a bottle of this Beringer California Cabernet. Tom bought several bottles the other day because it was on sale at our local grocery store and we both like it. It is a satisfying, everyday mid-week quaff.  I like it because the flavor is fruity yet complex and the finish is long.

We are incredibly thankful that our son, Tony, is back at his home in Paju, South Korea, after his 4-week trip to Nepal. During Tony’s hike in the Himalayas, he became very ill with High Altitude Pulminary Edema (HAPE). Tony hiked for 10 hours to get to a hospital and received aggressive treatment. Tony is fully recovered and is back at his teaching position. I can’t wait for Tony to come home (which we expect him to do in September). I miss him.

Amala Springs Cabernet Sauvignon (2005)

It’s a beautiful, autumn Michigan Saturday-night evening. I have a pot of bean soup simmering on the stove and a loaf of whole-wheat bread rising on the counter. I am excited to have soup and bread season here again! I am making my bean soup with a meaty ham bone from the butcher shop and chicken broth. Those two additions make for a very tasty, savory soup.

California knows Cabernet. This was obvious as soon as I poured this Amala Springs Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 in the glass and took a deep whiff. The nose is delectable with hints of grass and vegetables. The taste is understated, yet full of layers. It starts with a strong taste of blackberries, changes to cherries and then ends with oak and vanilla. My expectations were low when I opened this wine — for no particular reason. However, as soon as I poured the wine, I knew I was in for a treat. This is wonderful. I am going to order a case of California Cabernet!

As a side note, I was able to talk to Tony this morning on Skype. It was so incredible! He was sitting in his apartment in South Korea. It was Saturday night for him and Saturday morning for us. Tony loves his job and did a phenomenal job of describing the South Korean culture to me. He was able to educate me in ways I would never have been able to understand in any other way. Tony is doing great!