Castano

Origin: Yecla, Spain

Vintage: 2006
Grape: 100% Monastrell

Purchased at: Pearson's Wine
Purchase Price: $6.99

First of all, check out Bodegas Castano's website! It is well done and chock full of information. This wine is 100% Monastrell (also known as Mourvedre in France). I chose it because of the purchase price (although I was leery because $6.99 is awfully cheap), and because my experience with Monastrell has been very positive. In general, it is a grape that yields fruit-forward wines and packs a punch.

The color: a deep inky purple
The nose: boysenberry in the front of the nose gives way to delicate mocha undercurrents. A gentle but intense fragrance -- not acrid or pungent.
The taste: a soft medium-bodied wine that gives cherry flavors on initial sip. Hints of blackberry and creme-de-cassis can also be detected. A graceful leather base note develops, rounding out the wine and keeping it from being sharp. Tannins are noticeable, but only enough to keep the wine from being flabby and uninteresting. This is a tasty wine, and at $6.99, it is a true bargain! This would be one to purchase as a case and keep on hand!

Sippin' Scale:
Would sip again +

Castle Rock

Origin: Monterey County, California

Vintage: 2006

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir

Purchased at: Pearson's Wine
Purchase Price: $13.99

For those of you who do not know, I started a wine club that is still in its early inception. We get together the second Wednesday of the month and try wines of a specified category (tonight's is the 3rd Wednesday because it was too hard to get back in the groove after New Year's, etc.

Most of the group does not drink wine frequently, so we have started simple with single grape varietals. Tonight we got cancelled by light snowfall **HELLO, this is Atlanta**, so I'm digging into a pinot at home instead.

This is on the high end for my everyday sippin' wine, but I've heard good things and have wanted to try Castle Rock's pinot.

The color: purple to maroon
The nose: plummy and spicy.
The taste: lighter and delicate than I anticipated. Cherry and plum are dominate, but a hint of pencil lead lingers on the palate. There is also a subtle floral note. Not as much spice in the taste as in the bouquet. Since this is a new world wine from mid-California coastal region, I expected much more fruit and a fuller-bodied wine, even though it's a pinot.

Sippin' Scale:
Would sip again

Wine is for everyday consumption

I love wine. I read about wine incessantly, take notes liberally, and shop for wine leisurely. I readily admit to not having nearly the knowledge of the steward at my favorite local beer and wine store or my friend who owns a wine shop nearby. I know just enough to be curious and try new wines on a frequent basis -- almost every day.

Rarely do I spend more than $20, and only more occasionally do I spend less than $8. Most wines I purchase for everyday consumption are between $9 - $14. Within this range there are endless choices.

I hope you will find my notes straightforward and unpretentious. Use them as a shopping guide, particularly if you are in the Atlanta area. Or, simply read them to find your own inspiration.

Here's to simple enjoyment.