Wine Terminology: Finish

Definition: A wine's "finish" refers to the taste that is left in your mouth after you swallow. Better bottles will have a finish that lasts longer and shows multiple (complex) flavors. Some finishes can go on for minutes so concentrate when you try a wine. The finish is also called the aftertaste.
Use it in a sentence: "What a great wine! It has a long, smooth finish with layered fruit."

Review: Yellow Tail Shiraz

Southeast Australia, 2007 $5.50-7

For the price, all of the yellow tail wines are reasonably good. The Shiraz is probably my favorite as it is one of their dryer wines; some of the other reds get a little more sweet than I find ideal. Strong dark fruit when it first hits your palate, almost too "jammy" tasting, but then it has quite a kick mid-mouth. Finishes again fruity and sweet, but well balanced with smooth tannins. Definate bbq wine.

Bottom line: For the price, this wine is fantastic. Even Wine Spectator rated the '05 with 90 points!

Wine Gifting: Signature Chocolates' Wine Pairing Collection

Signature Chocolates by RENA

With the Holiday season fast approaching, 3 things come to our minds when we think about the next two months: food, gift shopping, and holiday parties. The go-to-gift when invited to your friend's or neighbor's or co-worker's party(or really to a dinner at any point during the year) is a bottle of wine, because we all know you can't show up empty handed. But this year, instead of bringing along the typical Pinot Noir or Chardonnay to sit on the table with all the others, make yourself stand out. Signature Chocolate offers two different wine pairing collections so at the end of the night, your host can have something to pair with all those nice wine s/he just received! The boxes even have suggestions as to what kind of wine should be paired with each type of chocolate. I came across these while at Cost Plus last week, and at $9.99 per box, snagged a few myself.

IF, however, you're just looking for a great gift and there is no party involved, throw a box of these into a basket with two different bottles of wine, tie some ribbon around the basket, and voila!

Ridge Vineyards

Zinfandel Blend, Three Valleys, Sonoma County 2006 $18
I have always wanted to try a Ridge Vineyard wine, so at $18 I decided to splurge for this one. I am really happy I did. It's a great bottle; a wonderful smell, heavy earthy flavors but still friendly to people who may find zins a little strong. The wine has a bit of a kick to it; deep flavors of black cherry and spice that really stand out. Yet it is very smooth going down and finishes with a soft fruit taste. It paired well with basic spagetti and meat sauce but it would also nicely accompany a heavy meat dish or even a hamburger. Allow the bottle to sit open for at least 30 min for the flavors to really open up.

Bottom Line: Very good zin. Worth the splurge especially if you are bringing it to a dinner and trying to impress your host!

Wine Terminology: Fruit Forward

Definition: A description people can give to a wine when they are describing its flavor. It refers to a wine that has an immediate strong fruit flavor upon taking a sip, often followed by a different aftertaste. All reds can be described as being "fruit forward" although wines from the US, Australia, and New Zealand tend to be more so than European wines.
Use it in a sentence: After taking your first sip, "Wow, this wine is very fruit forward."

Root: 1

Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, Chile. $8
Chilean white wines are normally some of my favorites, so I was excited to try this one. The aromas are fantastic; a classic sauvignon blanc smell of grapefruit, passion fruit, oak, cream and lemon grass. The taste, however, leaves a lot to be desired. In a good sauvignon blanc, the dominant flavors are similar to the smell: fruit, grass, oak, and cream. This wine has no real fruit or floral taste, instead it is very creamy, with a dominate lime and asparagus taste. Interesting. It is also a little dryer than I like. It reminds me of a restaurant's typical "house white."
On a good note, it is crisp with a clean finish, and would still pair well with apricots, cheese, and honey. (Have you ever tried those 3 together? Excellent.)

Bottom Line: Not the best from Chile, would not buy for a special occasion.

Food Pairing - Pasta

If you're planning on cooking a pasta dish for a romantic evening at home or just a causal dinner, the key to pairing it well with wine is to match the wine to the type of sauce you are using. Chianti is the classic for any tangy red tomato or vodka sauce, as the dry red wine plays nicely with the bold sauce.
If you are serving a cream sauce with butter or cheese flavors, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay are both great options. The creamy flavors in both of these wines will complement the cream in the sauce, bringing out the richness in the dish. One of these whites is also a great choice if you are tossing your pasta with fresh veggies in a simple garlic and olive oil combination.
Then, if you really want to impress, pick a dessert to match! Chocolate or ice cream to go with the red wine, sorbet or fresh fruit topped with honey with your white.