Trader Joes White

I'm sure everyone know of Columbia Crest two vines white blend. You can pretty much get it any where for about $6.99 a bottle. It's a delicious white blend that has a perfect balance of acidity and sweet and it smells like summer. This wine I will likely use as my white choice at my wedding. Now where does Traders joes come in? Well they are selling it for $3.99 a bottle! I've gotten to try many white wines from around the world and many different price ranges and it would be a hard search to match it for the price...even something 3 times as much. Pick up a bottle and try it out!

Prosecco

Prosecco anyone? I love prosecco! It is delicious Italian sparkling wine! I love Prosecco because it’s a little softer and less yeasty than traditional champagne and cheaper! Lot of people think it’s a sweet sparkling, and in the past it was, however, most common style is Brut (dry) and Extra Dry (a little less dry and a hint of sweetness). You can expect notes of white peach, pear and apple. My favorite band right now is Lamarca. It’s a gorgeous label and delicious juice. It’s extra dry, you get a hint of sweet white peach and you can find it between $12-15. Make sure to put this on your list of wines to drink on your porch this summer. Enjoy!

Choosing wines for a wedding

Weddings seem to the popular subject these days and a major part of it, is choosing the right wines. Buying wine can really cost a lot and can make or break a budget. So how do you choose the right wine? My first suggestion is to set a budget on how much you are willing to spend. Then calculate how much wine you will need per guest. A great thing to keep in mind is each 750 Ml bottle holds four (4) glasses and you should allow two(2) glasses per guest.

So lets break the myth that you have to buy expensive wines to have good wine. There are a ton of fabulous wines in any price range. There are so many out there, how do you narrow it down? Go to a speciality grocery store or wine shop and talk to their wine buyer. Tell them exactly what you are looking for, and don't be afraid to tell them you only want to spend $8 a bottle. These specialist get to sample a wide variety of wines, from all around the world and they are able to weed out the good and the bad. Buy a few of the bottles you seem excited about and try them out. A few of the wines I've written about in older posts are great ideas to choose from. I am happy to suggest wine also.

One thing to look out for is size verses price. Just because you are buying a bigger bottle, doesn't mean you are saving any money. With saying that, don't be afraid to buy box wines. A lot of nicer wineries are starting to make nice quality box wines, just make sure you really are saving by going that route.

*Remember, as the Bride and Groom, you are allowed to buy a nicer bottle of wine or sparkling just for you to drink, or your wedding party. Just let the bartender know.

Terranoble Sauvignon Blanc

The other day Maggie and I opened up four bottles of white wine and tasted through them: one Chilean sauvignon blanc and three Italian pinot grigios. The one that really stood out to us was the Terranoble sauvignon blanc, which was refreshing and crisp, while featuring citrus notes and a hint of peach. I imagine sipping a glass of this wine while gazing at Lake Chelan during the summer (Doesn’t that sound good?). Like most Seattleites, I can’t wait for warm weather because of all of the rain and gloom we’ve seen recently. This wine would be great with seafood, as are most dry, acidic whites. You can pick up this tasty wine for around $10 at your local grocery store. Keep this one in mind for when the weather starts heating up. There’s nothing better than great wine at a great price!

-Harte

10 Fantastic Wines Under $10

I'm going to give you a break down of 10 fantastic wines for under $10 dollars. There are so many out there it will be hard to narrow it down. Let me know if you want more information on any of the wines.

- Columbia Crest two vines, all varietals, WA - $6.99

- Red Diamond Cab and Merlot, WA -$6.99

- Alandra Red, Portugal - $6.99

- Distant Bay Cab 2004, WA (Merlot is not as good) - $7.99

- Manon Tempranillo, Spain -$8.99

- Menage a Trois Red Blend, CA - $8.99-9.99

- Renegade Red, WA - $9.99

- La Fiera Montapulciano, Italy $9.99

- Renissance Brut Sparkling, France $8.99

- Cono Sur Sauvignon Blanc, Chili -$8.99-9.99

Cheers!

-Maggie

Shed Preconceptions: Drink What You Like

Many people like wine and have a casual interest in it but have a certain preconception about wine experts. When they imagine a wine expert the image that comes to mind is an old elitist swirling wine in his glass and claiming he taste hints of obscure flavors within a particular vintage. I must admit, that was my initial thought of people who were into wine. While some people do fit this image, most knowledgeable “wine people” I’ve encountered are nothing like this. They come from every walk of life and every societal group; the thing that binds them together is their desire to explore the complexities of fermented grapes.

The fact of the matter is whether you’re an expert or casual wine drinker, you can enjoy wine however you please. With this in mind, you should follow your unique palate. Reject the notion that price is necessarily linked to quality. It’s easy to enter the mindset of more expensive equals better but there are so many fantastic wines that cost as little as a laundry detergent. When I first started drinking wine consistently a few years ago I was in college and could rarely afford to buy a bottle over $10. This didn’t stop me from enjoying great, complex, full-bodied wine. Embrace whatever kind of wine you like, whether it’s cheap or expensive. Also, look at magazines like Wine Enthusiast to see how they rate wines in your price range. Sometimes you’ll see bottles for less than $10 that are given ratings of 90 or better (anything over 87 is considered fantastic). One thing to keep in mind though, when tasting wine, is that just because an “expert” likes a wine, it doesn’t mean you have to. Everyone’s palate is different (which makes things more exciting!).

- Harte

White Nebbiolo

A white Nebbiolo is very hard to find, but not unheard of. We had the pleasure of drinking one last week. The wine is Nera 'la Novella' Chiavennasca Bianco 2010. Chiavennasca is the clone name for Nebbiolo. It was majority Nebbiolo with only three to five percent Chardonnay, incredible! This wine is unique and may not be for everyone. It's light in body, aromatic with good acidity. This wine is made by leaving the skins out while vinifying the grapes. If you are looking for an off the beaten path wine and are tired of the norm, definitely track this down. I don't carry this wine in my store - Yet. However, if you want to try it, I can easily special order it.

Sorry there's no link or picture for this wine. It so unique I couldn't find it online.