Top Ten Wine & Spirits Sale Woodbury,MN

I just came back from the red wine tasting tonight...it was very good to find something special for this summer.

Here are some pics from tonight...

Red Varieties from Argentina

Argentina has been making wine since the 1500s, tracing its wine heritage back to Spain, France and, perhaps surprisingly, Italy.

Cavernet Sauvignon

Due to its great capacity of adaptation to all kinds of weather, Cabernet Sauvignon is considered the king of red varieties. Its grape, native from Burdeaux, France, produces a wine with remarkable acidity, rough and with a strong presence of tannins. Once matured, it turns out to be a tasty wine with full body. It has intense colors and a complex aroma of fruit, truffles, coffee, green peppers and cassis.
It often benefits from being aged for several years.
In our country, it is grown along the entire wine route. It is ideal to accompany meat, stews, pasta and desserts.

Cluster: loose though compact, bluish black and conical in shape.
Grapes: small, with thick skin, round, black and juicy.
Ripeness: late, ideal for temperate areas with a soft autumn season.

Malbec

Originally grown in the Southeast of France, this grape has turned into the premier wine from Argentina, where it has found the most propitious ecological features for its development. Argentinian malbec has become worldwide known and has been awarded well-deserved medals in enological contests. It acquires different features according to the weather and soil conditions where it is grown. In the area of Maipú, Mendoza, it reaches its highest development, surpassing other regions in the country. It produces wines of pleasant taste, medium body with certain earthy notes and an intense purple color. Of vigorous texture and taste, it has a touch of rusticity in the palate. Cluster: mid-sized and quite loose. Grapes: Spherical, small or medium-sized, bluish black in color, thin skin and soft pulp. Ripeness: first late season.

Tempranillo

This grape was originally grown in Spain, in the area of Rioja. Tempranillo is one of the most widespread varieties in Argentina; however, it had not been used in the making of fine wines until recently. International demand forced winemakers to rediscover the potential of this grape.
It produces wines of medium alcoholic content, well-balanced, aromatic and suitable for aging in wooden casks. With a frank palate, this wine has a velvety taste when aged. It has notes of wild fruit, black plums, cherries and raspberries.

Cluster: medium-sized, compact and elongated.
Grapes: they present moderate size, round shape and normal to hard skin. They are intensely black.

Syrah

Its origin is quite controversial and has not been defined yet. The most widespread version asserts this grape was originally grown in Shiraz, Persia and that it is 3,000 years old. It is said that it was introduced in Europe through the Sicilian port of Siracusa. Another version about its origin assures it comes from Southern France.
The truth is that Syrah is strongly tannic and suitable for long aging in wood. This vine of intense aroma, solid and austere, is reminiscent of spices such as cloves, cinnamon and pepper, fruit like raspberries, wildberries and figs and a touch of dark chocolate. Light and fresh, it has a silky texture and has a long aftertaste.
In our country, this variety is gaining remarkable acceptance in the Province of San Juan. It combines perfectly with matured cheese, pasta with red sauce, meat, stew and pizza.
Cluster: mid-sized to small, compact, with cylindrical shape.
Grapes: Elliptical bluish black grains. Thin but resistant skin. Juicy and pleasant pulp.
Ripeness: medium maturity.

Merlot

Genetically related to Cabernet Sauvignon, although they do not feature the same capacity of adaptation, this grape was also originally grown in the Southwest of France.
As a varietal, Merlot develops well in Alto Valle, in the Province of Río Negro, Luján de Cuyo, Maipú, and Cruz de Piedra in Mendoza and in the Pedernal Valley in San Juan and it has given very good results in Patagonia.
It is generally used as a blend in the making of Cabernet Sauvignon, to which it provides a soft touch of roundness to harmonize its harshness.
This grape produces sophisticated, elegant and round wines of full body. Notes of fruit -plums and morello cherries-, roses, spices, black pepper and cinnamon are present in its taste. The wine presents violet and red tinges whereas its brightness is not too intense.
Cluster: compact, bluish black, with conical shape.
Grapes: thin skin, round and black
Ripeness: early

Pinot Noir

This is one of the grapes that make up the blend of most French champagne. Originally grown in the area of Bourgogne, France, Pinot Noir produces extremely soft, fresh and fruity wines, with a very good bouquet, an acidity that makes it quite vivid and persistent in the palate without being aggressive. Besides, its color is pale though attractive, varying from a soft red when it is young to an orange shade after having been aged from 8 to 10 years. As this grape requires cold weather to manage good results, in our country, very good products are being obtained in the Valley of Uco in Mendoza and in the Valley of the Neuquén River in Patagonia. This wine is exported or used to make sparkling wines. Cluster: medium, compact and elongated Grapes: small, slightly ovoid. They have soft thin skin and much coloring matter. Ripeness: requires long maturation in fresh weather

Ercavio from Spain

This is a winner.

Ercavio. Located just outside Toledo in the region of Castilla LaMancha,

The 2005 Ercavio Roble is a remarkable value. Produced from 100% Cencibel (Tempranillo), this is a custom cuvee selected by importer Eric Solomon, and was aged for 5 months in French and American oak. Purple colored, with fragrant spice box, tobacco, blueberry, and blackberry aromas, this full-bodied effort has gobs of ripe fruit, a firm structure, and a 40-second finish, not bad value for a sawbuck. Although this well-made wine will surely evolve for 2-3 years, who will have the patience? This is one to purchase by the case."

Enjoying the summer 2008

I HAVE SOME MORE WINE FOR YOU TO TRY ,WE WERE JUST BBQ ING HERE AT OUR HOUSE TONIGHT AND TRIED THIS ...Footbolt Shiraz maintains a wonderfully textured palate with significant bottle age. Gentle, grainy black olive flavors balance the sweeter coffee, chocolate and occasional mint characters. The hallmarks of McLaren Vale, d'Arenberg, and The Footbolt Shiraz; a soft, rich middle palate, terrific texture and a long rolling finish, can reside with this wine for a number of years. Here I have a little quize for you :what is what in those 2 glasses,would you know?
I got this bottle I think 2 y ago.THE WINE IS CLOSER TO PENFOLDS BIN 389 Cab/Shiraz this was outstanding.Absolutely worth every $ I spent on it.It is very vibrant, lively aromas are immediately apparent without any need to swirl the glass.I am not going to write about it ,you should simply try it....I was BBQ this and my plate looked like that:
I think you should try it ASAP,both vintages are outstanding by my standards.

...02.29.2008...

Welcome everybody,witajcie w ten niecodzienny dzien jakim jest luty 29.

Tym razem mialem okazje probowac cala game Rieslingow z Niemiec.Oto pare fotek.

Today we taste more wine

I am going to Wine Styles today to taste some Chilien wine ,here there are:

I just came back so here are some my notes from the tasting:
Terra Andina http://www.terrandina.cl/
Sauvignon Blanc Central Valley, Chile
Unoaked Chardonnay Central Valley , Chile
Reserva Carmenère uwielbiam ten szczep winogron Central Valley , Chile
Merlot Central Valley , Chile
Cabernet Sauvignon Central Valley , Chile
Ten cab jest wielki i wyrazisty,jak tylko go powachasz juz wiesz ,ze masz 'cab" przed soba.
Te wino zadowli wielu przy dobrym kawalku wolowiny z BBQ polaczonym z dobry serem zoltym ,niezbyt skomplikowanym .
Altos de Terra Andina
Carmenère/Carignan Central Valley , Chile :
miale okazje probowac Reserva Carmenere/Carignan: pochodzi ze starego regionu Cauquenas zmiszanego z winogronami Carmenere z Maipo Doliny.Smak wina jest bardzo zlozony ,ze smakiem czarnej pozeczki i palonej papryki.Smak jest bardzo unikalny i latwy do zapamietania.Smak z podniebienia jest gladki,bogaty,elegancki .mieszanka ta jest wysmienita z ostrymi potrawami z BBQ.

Uwazam ,ze wiekszosc win z Chile jest wysmienite,zobaczcie na polozenie,z jeden strony ocean a z drugiej Andy.Przemysl maja malo rozwiniety wiec nie ma zanieczyszczenia...raj,po prostu raj.
Napisze w weekend jakie mi smakowaly i byly dobre wg mojego gustu.

...witam Was wszystkich a wiec wrocilem z testowania i jak to zawsze bywa ze mna wyszedlem z paroma butelkami w reku.Oczywiscie " pare " butelek bylo zupelnie z innej polki. Jestem zafascynowany winami z poludniwej Ameryki i tak wiec mialem zupelna "uczte" winna,nie tylko moglem probowc wina z Terra Andina ale rowniez pare z Argentyny(ktore zreszta najbardziej mi smakowaly,San Rafael Cabernet 05,zupelna rewelacja,piekny cab z lekka domieszka owocu,bylem zupelnie zaskoczony). Otworzono u nas nowy sklep z winami,tam bylem,zupelnie kameralnie ,spokojnie,mozna porozmawiac z roznych regionach i preferencjach. Dzis wieczorem byl rowniez reprezentat z Chile na US,wiec moglem wiele dowiedziec sie.

Winter 2008

Hello everyone,
this year winter is much colder but we do not giving up and still drinking wine and BBQing all what we can.
Please scroll down to review my movies from last summer, we had a lot of fun creating them.
Enjoy your wine !

Swieta

I wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2008

Thanksgiving 2007

This is what I found 6 m ago and what we are going to enjoy during our Thanksgiving dinner tonight.
The color of the Petite Sirah is intensely purple like a well ripened plum.The aromas of dense jamy blackberry and blueberry are complimented by a smoky, spicy oak bouquet with hints of tar, chocolate and mocha. One might expect a wine with this color and density to be astringent and tannic, but the flavors are of bright zesty sweet red fruits. The wines body is rich and full of well-rounded and softened oak tannins. The finish is surprisingly succulent and lingers minutes after swallowing the wine.

Wine tasting at Haskell's 2007

As every year b4 the big sale we were invited to Wine tasting at Haskell's last Saturday.
Here is what we tried:

BBQ 4th ... BBQ numer 4

Witam na BBQ 4 ,tym razem jest z nami Grazynka z rodzinka...nie widzielismy sie szmat czasu .
Oto co szykujemy na jej przywitanie:

wlasnie dzisiaj probujemy nowe winko Bodegas Antonio Candela Carro Tinto z Hiszpanii,mieszanka 50% Monastrell,20% Syrah,20% tempranillo i 10% merlot.
It reveals terrific fruit intensity, copious black cherries and wild mountain berries, and notions of licorice, flowers, roasted meats, and chocolate. With supple tannin, low acidity, and abundant fruit, it is a joy to drink as well as a spectacular value.
Jest po prostu wysmienite,polecam.

Dania z winami

Mielismy wspanialy weekend.Sobota byla "zabujcza" na tarasie +45C .Wyobrazacie sobie...
Oto pare win i pare dan , wszystko bylo cudowne.
Pozdrawiam

I found a winner at Byerly's, ...David Frost Cabernet Reserve 1998 - Tribute to the Legends Gene Sarazen (Label by LeRoy Neiman)...25% off the prize.
I also had a chance to try it with a Merlot 1999...wow. It was just poor pleasure.I am sure You would love it.The 1998 Cabernet is the best wine produced by David Frost wines yet. The wine growing region, Paarl, in South Africa is known for being a relatively warm area, large and spread out with wide valley floors and high mountains. Residing at the same latitude south as Spains’ Sherry region is north, Paarl itself is about 30 miles northwest of Cape Town.

Professional golfer David Frost and his brother Michel are producing wines of world quality and in this instance a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged in 100% French oak, 60% new. The result is a wine capable of 7-10 years cellaring with notes of .
Enormous nose of black currant and plum notes signal what is to follow ...,anise, leather and sweet oak notes. The palate shows great roundness and integration of tannins. Mineral and black fruit aromas mix with the smoke and toasty oak notes given by the extended time. This wine is coming to be it age 10 year old.

My friends try it, you will not be disappointed.

Hidden place to eat at La Jolla,California

I just came back from the dinner at La Jolla....I was just walking ,walking,could not find any place to eat where I did not have to wait for an hour before they let me in and suddenly ...here we go :The Brockton Villa restaurant.
That was great choice a treat ,food was great ,view ...to die for .They took me right away ,no waiting.Before I ate I ask for

Soljans Hawkes Bay Merlot/Cabernet/Malbec 2004 New Zeland

It has a full bodied roundness with good tannin structure,Merlot – 1/3rd 18 Months in mainly French oak barriques. Cabernet Franc – 18 months in French and American oak barriques. Malbec – 18 months in seasoned French oak barriques.I could taste a cedar and vanilla edge to the plum and blackberry flavours from the grapes

Then I had special dinner presented by the Chef Steven Brown

at "The Brockton Villa" 1235 Coast Blvd. La Jolla, Ca 92037 ,phone: 858 454 7393 located right on the ocean. I complemented him about his creation: Lemon & Oregano Rubbed Free-range Chicken Grilled Spring Vegetables/Natural , be cause it was just outstanding. I also tasted
Pierre Boniface Vin de Savoie Apremont 2004 to complement his composition.

I could not just leave with out saying anything,as you can see his presentation was also just right. Later I ordered cappuccino with a cinnamon .
Before I left Steve found a little time to came out and talk to me ,it was very nice of him to do it.
We had a little chat about food and wine.
The atmosphere was very European, nobody rushed me to leave, I was left for myself to enjoy a great view of the sun on the horizon.

I would recommend this place to everyone,it is off the main street( I am really glad) ,right on the ocean.
Steve and entire staff are so dedicated to quality you can see it as soon as you enter their property,by the way Mellisa did excellent job helping me choosing my wine for the dinner.
Steve you can be proud of you and your staff -GREAT JOB GUYS..
I am giving you 4 stars ****.

BBQ part III arrived .

Today is Father's Day... BBQ part 3 is in motion,it has arrived..

Hello to our BBQ part 2,witamy oto:BBQ czesc II

Witam serdecznie do BBQ part 2 z Woodbury,Minnesota.
Dzis bedziemy probowac wlasciwie tylko jedno wino z Poludniowej Afryki...dodajmy ,ze bardzo dobre

Witam serdecznie,I am back :):)

Welcome everybody,
witam wszystkich oto mam dla Was maly film z mojego tarasu gdzie robilem super BBQ,poledwiczka z warzywami.
Here you can watch me grilling(BBQ) a nice piece of pork lion with veggies and garlic bread.
This great dish was presented with a glass of La Joya Shiraz from Chile.
Just watch it and enjoy it please.

Czekolada

Nie moge sam uwierzyc...nigdy nie zrobilem zdjec czekolady....juz to nadrabiam,popatrzcie

My newest ...moje najnowsze nabytki

Witam serdecznie,
ostatnio zakochalem sie w winach z poludniowej Ameryki :Chile ,Argentyna i Nowej Zelandii.Poludniowa Afryka zaczyna rowniez byc wysmienitym wyborem na wieczorne kolacje.
Oto moje najnowsze nabytki...jestem ciekaw jak bede smakowac.

Hello again

Here you can see me and my teacher Fritz Derstroff Wine Master from Oestrich -Winkel Weingut in Germany where I had a pleasure to work under his watchful eye.
During his visit in America in 2004

Enjoy

April 1st 2007 Enjoy the flavor

W kwietniu 2007

Drugi dzien testowania/2nd day of wine tasting in Top Ten Wine & Spirits

Dzisiaj udalo mi sie probowac wspaniale biale wina z calego swiata w sklepie Top Ten Wine &Spirits oto macie przyklad co wybralem/
Today again I had a chance to go to the Wine Tasting at the Top Ten Wine & Spirits store .
It was a rainy evening but full of people inside.
I tried to stay with the white wine only ,this is what I choose to buy:

Testowanie wina/Wine tasting 2007

Dzisiaj udalo mi sie probowac wspaniale wina z calego swiata w sklepie Top Ten Wine &Spirits oto macie przyklad co wybralem:

Wina z Chile, wines from Chile

VARIETAL:	100% Carmenère.
HARVESTING:	By hand in the third week of April.
AGING:	It stays four to six months in American oak barrels.
COLOUR:	It has an intense plummy red colour.
AROMA:	It is elegant, fine, fruity, remembering berries and plums, with notes of chocolate, caramel and pepper.
FLAVOUR:	It is a well balanced wine with a heavy fruity presence of mature red fruits with wood overtones, a toasty, spicy flavour (tobacco and bacon).
GOOD WITH:	Elegant dinners with fine red meats or wild fowl. Pate de fois gras, ethnic cuisine and seasoned dishes. Serving temperature between 18- 20°C. You have to check the link to Dona Loena from Chile,click on the label. There you can see a new way to store the wine...under water.It is deep,bright-red wine with shades of violet.Complex and elegant as a whole,characterized on the nose by ripe fruit,with hints of spices and mocha.It is round on the palate with a medium-body

USA

Castle Rock Pinot Noir was produced from grapes grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Sheltered by the Cascade Mountains, this area is on the same latitude as France’s Burgundy region, and in the past thirty years it has gained international recognition as one of the most prestigious appellation for this cool-climate varietal. This elegant medium-bodied wine offers aromas of cherry and spice. On the palate the wine gives flavors of berries, cinnamon, black cherry, sweet vanilla, oak, and floral notes, with a long velvety finish. This versatile wine pairs well with lamb, chicken, veal, salmon and light pasta dishes.





Australia

A terrific buy from Australia , the 2004 Juveniles is a tank-fermented and aged blend of Grenache (60%), Shiraz (20%), and Mataro (20%) made from 40-150-year old vines. Provencal-like notes of garrigue, pepper, spice, sweet cherries, and black currants jump from the glass of this elegant, medium-bodied effort. With superb fruit as well as purity, and no hard edges, it can be enjoyed over the next 2-4 years.

South African Wines

These wine selections are the result of extensive research and numerous visits to the producers in South Africa and we believe these are some of the best wines South Africa has to offer. We source these wines directly from the wineries and can offer all our wines at outstanding prices. Their catalog has wines from several different price points. The Maankloof line is entry level wines. They are "entry level" in pricing, but not in quality. Mountain River wines are midpriced and our selections showcase the diversity of varietals available to South African winemakers. Zevenwacht and La Cave are our premium wines and have won many awards one of them in Minneapolis 2007 at the Wine and Food Show. Maankloof - 2004 Cabernet SauvignonVineyards It is round on the palate with a medium-body.Area: Western Cape Wine Colour: Rich; ruby red colour Taste: Delicate taste of chocolate and berries. Is read to drink now.

And the last one from Washington State

later on I will present more pictures of the white wines I purchased yesterday...keep checking.
Enjoy

I just came back from Haskell's wine tasting

Cudenka na grillu

Takie to cudenka robilismy na grillu,
are you hungry yet

hamburgery z mieska indyczego grillowane oczywiscie.
Chlebek czosnkowy z grilla i wolowinka,szparagi i ryz...palce lizac.
Obejrzyjcie video z grillowania ponizej.
I hope you can understand what I am talking about...enjoy the view.

Wreszcie na tarasie

Wreszcie jestesmy na tarasie,snigu juz nie ma,wiec mozemy zaczynac ब्ब्क़

Winter in Minnesota

This is what we eat when is snowing in Minnesota...and we celebrate the special day at home check it out:

Jambalaya in Minnesota

Valentine's day in Woodbury

Happy Valentine's Day

Wlasnie dzis moglismy ocenic wspaniale hiszpanskie wina z daniem skladajaczym sie z ogona morskiego kraba i warzywami.

Rioja i Capuccino

Dzis postanowilem zaciekle szukac moje ulubione wino Miquel Navarro 1999 z polnocnej Hiszpanii.A oto pare fotek z moich poszukiwan,po drodze zawsze mozna znalesc cos dla ciala i duszy.

Najnowsze kreacje

Art of wine and the food

Nasza wigilia 2006

Pozdrowienia z Minnesoty

Zyczenia Swiateczne

Staropolskim zwyczajem kiedy w Wgilie gwiazdka wstaje , Nowy Rok zas cyfre zmienia wszyscy wszystkim sla zyczenia. Przy tej pieknej sposobnosci serdeczne zyczenia szczescia i radosci aby wszystkim sie dazylo
z roku na rok lepiej bylo
zycza Wam Krzysztof z rodzinka.

Hi ,this is me .
We were celebrating this year Thanksgiving with our friends again.

Enjoy those pics

Jeszcze pare fotek z Meksyku,gdzie moglem delektowac sie kawa z cynamonem i odrobina francuskiego koniaku...mowie Wam cos niesamowitego...odkrylem na nowo jak smakowac dobra kawe.
















A tu juz u nas w domu,szykujemy pizze na stol z wlskim Pinot Noir

Ostatni dzien wrzesnia

Welcome everybody,

here you can watch the pics from the Mirek and Bozena party the last day of September 2006.
Enjoy
Krzysztof

just today ....

We had our friends over for some BBQ

Darka i moje urodzinowe party 2006

More great wine to enjoy

I will write more soon,now you have just the pictures to enjoy

Breakfast on the deck

Hello my friends,
today is HOT in Twin Cities .We had a chance to have a great breakfast b4 the sun would be too high.Enjoy this picture.

A tak bylo dzisiaj

Nie ma to jak nasze hamburgerki i dobre niemieckie piwko Bit Burger

Sobota 06.04.2006

Witam wszystkich,
tym razem po polsku a co niech sie ucza moi kochani Amerykanie.Sobota minela nam pod znakiem plywackim,syn staral sie bic rekordy a ja go krecilem(na tasme).
Wieczorkiem za to moglismy usiasc do stolu i taki byl efect mojego BBQ,po prostu niesamowite dania.
Wino Starling Riesling z nad Moseli byl superb,swierzutki,z delikatna domieszka cytryny i brzoskwinii,lekko slodki z bardzo pieknym,eleganckim wykonczeniem.Polecam wszystkim na piekne wieczory przy kominku na zewnatrz a szczegolnie latem.
Nazwa Starling pochodzi od Szpaka,ktore lataja nad winnicami,majac nadzieje ,ze wylapia piekne dojrzale Riesling winogrona na swoja kolacje.
Riesling pochodzi z nad rzeki Moseli w poludniowo zachodniej czesci Niemiec.
Tam wlasnie sa produkowane najlepsze Rieslingi swiata(no i oczywiscie nie zapominajmy o okregu Rudesheim).

Memorial Day 2006

We just celebrated Memorial Day ,such a great day to remember all people who helped us to enjoy our days here in the US today. We started this day with this special dish :grilled vegetables ,with BBQed shrimps ,mushed couliflower and boiled lobster ,we decided to enhanced that magnificent plate with a great Pinot Grigio Meridian from California,excellent for the picnic in the back of your house.
This weekend was just outstanding for BBQ ,I could not resist ,I just kept going and going .On Saturday we just had a lot of fun with turkey medallion wrapped in backen and a plain chicken breast in the Mesquite Grille sauce and the another Pinot Grigio


wow.What a view.



They are both just magnificent .

I wish you were there.


...just me...

This time just the moment

Aurelio Montes was named “Chilean Winemaker of the Year” in 1995. Born in Santiago in 1948, Aurelio studied oenology at the Catholic University in Santiago and graduated in 1971 with a degree in Agronomy and Oenology. He then travelled extensively acquiring Old World winemaking knowledge and exploring New World technology. From 1972 to 1984 he worked at the Undurraga Winery as chief oenologist before moving to Vina San Pedro where he worked as technical manager and chief oenologist for four years.

He co-founded the Montes Winery in 1988 along with three partners who each had experience in winemaking and the wine trade. Together they set out to produce top quality premium wines for the export market. At the time there were only 10 wineries in Chile who exported their wines - now there are over a hundred. “In the last two decades,” says Aurelio Montes, “the main objective for winemakers has been to focus on improving quality rather than volume and building our export markets.” Aurelio Montes’ knowledge of Chile’s varied wine regions has made him a very sought after consultant in the country and he advises other wineries such as Echeverria Wines, Santa Ines and Viu Manent as well as Casa Lapostelle.

Montes own five estates, three in Curico and two in Colchagua which add up to a total of 600 hectares of vineyards planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Syrah and Pinot Noir were introduced in 1999. Montes export 95% of their production to over sixty countries in five continents.

Aurelio Montes’ great strength lies in his understanding of the terroir that he works with. He is convinced that great wine is really made in the vineyard: “I’ve been converted more into a vine grower than a winemaker; out of good grapes I can make either good or bad wine, but from bad grapes I can only make bad wine.” He believes that different grape varieties thrive at different altitudes and firmly believes that the Apalta Valley is the best area in Chile to plant red vine varieties.

The success of this belief was proved after he planted Syrah on the higher slopes of the valley, an act that was considered folly by many local winemakers because Syrah was untried in the region and planted at such high altitude. In fact the resulting wine is rich and deep in colour and comes in at 14% alcohol. This is a wine that has attracted many accolades and Aurelio calls it “Montes Folly” as a result! It is planted on such steep slopes that it is said to be harvested by acrobats! It stands alongside the Alpha “M”, a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot also grown on the slopes of Apalta in Colchagua as Montes’ top two wines.

The Montes Alpha range is the premium range that first made Monte’s name as a leading producer in Chile. These wines are all aged in French oak and the range consists of a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, a Merlot and a Syrah.

The standard Montes range is aged in American oak and the emphasis here is on ripe fruit character. The Reserve Merlot for example, is deep and rich with powerful yet soft ripe fruit. These wines offer excellent value for money as well as deep concentrated fruit. “I’m a ripe-wine winemaker” says Aurelio. “I believe that human beings hate bitterness and astringency. We love voluptuousness.”

Since Montes S.A. was created, the winery has been an undisputed leader in the Chilean wine world’s push towards quality. Aurelio Montes has shown what Chile can do with premium grape varieties. “We’re having fun” he says, “finding the right places for vineyards, planting on hillside slopes for vigor, in cool areas for whites and warmer areas for reds.

One of the Spanish favorites

Manyana
Medium-bodied reds whose hallmark is versatility for their easy drinking, food friendly style. The “Merlot of Spain” in both fruit-full taste and popularity.

Varieties
Tempranillo
Tempranillo Crianza (aged)

Size
750ml

Grape Source
Carinena, Spain

Awards
Manyana 2003
Recommended Sante 3/06
Bronze Medal, Riverside Intl Wine Competition (CA) 2005
Bronze Medal, Grand Harvest Awards 2005
Bronze Medal, Florida State Fair Competition 2005
Manyana Crianza 2001
94 pts "Outstanding" Midwest Wine Connection 12/05

Manyana
The people of Spain are easy-going, friendly, and subscribe to a philosophy of enjoying the moment. And that’s the inspiration for Manyana wines. Manyana is a versatile, food-friendly wine to share with a meal, or with friends, yesterday, today, or manyana. Salud!

Characteristics
Bright red, easy drinking, fruit driven wine with herbal aromas and flavors bursting with ripe strawberries and plums. The aged Crianza offers hints of vanilla spice and tobacco from 6 months of oak aging, while "young" regular Manyana exudes youthful vibrance.

Food Pairings
Offering ripe tannins combined with an acidity to go with spicy paella, meats, antipasto platters, tomato dishes, and savory tapas.

Wine Growing Conditions
Manyana is crafted from the robust Tempranillo grape, Spain’s most venerable red varietal—as typical on any Spanish table as Merlot is in the U.S. The Carinena region of Northern Spain is an area situated to take advantage of both the cooling influence of the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the sunny Mediterranean to the east. Some aged wines of Carinena, like Manyana Crianza, can be taken for classic Riojas, only 150km away. Like Rioja, Carinena is known for Tempranillo, although here Carinena finds distinction as vines are rooted in a melee of soils from stone to clay rather than the ubiquitous chalky soil of Rioja. Carinena produces wines of the quality recognition, Denominacion de Origen.
What is also very good about this wine it is very affordable.Enjoy it this summer.
...just me...

Mother's Day

It is a special day today:Mother's Day .We celebrated that day with a special dish: a Turkey medallion wrapped in bacon and BBQed by me .Presented on the plate with the cauliflower,Asian rice and a scoop of sauerkraut plus green beans all that was just ...wow.Too bad you could not be there.We choose to try a new Chardonnay 2004 from Kumala Winery Western Cape Region South Africa and


















Chilean LaJoya Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Casa La Joya Varietals are true to form, with limited winemaker influence and unlimited power to express the terroir of the Tinguiririca River valley linking the Andes to the Pacific.
89 "Best Buy" Wine Enthusiast 5/06.



I prefered the Chardonnay, this plump, easy to drink Chardonnay boast oodles of tropical and citrus fruit flavors that finish clean and fresh.I was very suprized to get this result,usually I do not drink Chardonnay's but I am as always open for possibilities it was just the hit that night.By the way The Wine Enthusiast gave 85 points for this bottle,so was worth the effort to try.

Rainy day in Minnesota

Here you see another Chilean wine which help us to understand the sense of living.The name Viu Manent is a part of the history and tradition of Chilean wines.
The Company has been fully owned by the family since its beginning. In 1935, Don Miguel Viu García and his two sons established "Bodegas Viu" in Santiago, Chile.

They devoted their efforts to bottling and marketing wines for the local market, using their own brand "Vinos Viu".

In 1966, under the direction of the second generation, Don Miguel Viu Manent acquired the company's first vineyard, "Hacienda San Carlos de Cunaco", an old and traditional winery and vineyard planted in the 19th century. This marked the beginning of wine production at "Bodegas Viu".

It represented the successful merging of the centennial tradition of wine production of "Hacienda San Carlos de Cunaco" and two generations of wine and marketing experience of the Viu family.

By the end of the 80's, and always under the expert hand of Don Miguel Viu Manent, the family decided to test the export markets. This new challenge was undertaken by the third generation of the family lead by Jose Miguel Viu.

Crucial decisions and changes were made during the 90's. There were heavy investments in winemaking technology and vineyard management, the acquisition of two new vineyards in selected "terroirs", followed by a concentrated effort to introduce their wines internationally. With a strong vision and their commitment and devotion to wine quality, their efforts were rewarded by the successful sales of their award winning wines in world markets.

Well ,well I will not stop my BBQ even for the tropical rain.
Here you see one of the dishes prepared by me.

Hello again,
here is my newest discovery from California Concannon 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon, Central Coast.
It is full bodied, rich and fruitful. A complex Cabernet with black cherry and vanilla-oak flavors and a rich, smooth finish. Enjoy with a filet mignon or your favorite red meat dish. This plate was our favorite

B day party

Hello again,
I just had my B day party ...wow it was great to get together with our friends for a great food,made by my wife with a splendid Spanish wine. for a complement.
Everybody had a lot of fun last weekend.

Free the grapes

Free the grapes

Slow,slow

Hi ,please be patience,I am still working on that site...

a little history

History of Viticulture- Egyptian records date from 2500 BC refer to the use of grapes for wine making, and numerous Old Testament reference to wine indicate that there was many cultures using wine in the Middle East. The Greeks carried on an active wine trade and planted grapes in their colonies from the Black Sea to Spain. The Romans carried grape growing into several of it's valleys, which became Geramny and other countries that are in present dayEurope. The role of wine in the Christian mass helped maintain the industry after the fall of the Roman Empire, and monastic orders preserved and developed many of the highly regarded wine-producing areas in Europe.

Wine Crossing the Seas-Grape culture and wine making were transported from the Old World to the New via the voyages of Christopher Columbus and spainish missionaries.

Worlds Oldest Bottle of Wine- Discovered in Speyer, Germany during th excavation process for building a house in 1867. The bottle, which dates back to325 A.D., was found inside a Roman sone sarcophagus that had been dug up. Several other bottles were discovered but this one is the only one with the contents still preserved.

Welocome to the best part of my blogger

Enjoying wine with the food is the way of living your life with your friends and the family.