I have no reason for why I picked Raeburn Russian River Chardonnay off the shelf other than I was looking for a Chard I’d never had before. And if I was looking for something new — in name and in flavor — I certainly found it. Bold, rich, unique, and — bonus point — food friendly.
This is my first experience with Grgich Hills Estate wine. It’s a winery I’ve always been, for lack of a better word, a bit intimidated to try. It has all this hype and rep around it — such an elevated heir. I really didn’t think I was cool enough to drink something from Grgich. But sometimes, just like on the playground, you have to rustle up some self-confidence and just jump into a game with the cool kids. So grab a glass and jump in with me, you’ll be so glad you did.
I’ve always been intimidated by Cannonball wines, which is so the opposite of their mission statement. But I think it’s because I actually don’t see it a lot at my local stores and when I do, it’s usually the half-bottle Cab attached to a price tag worth a full bottle. So I thought Cannonball wines were super serious. Luckily, while I was milling about the wine aisle, I came across Cannonball Merlot — not only affordable, but also on sale to boot. This was my chance to see what all the hub bub is really about.
After being blown away by Gun Bun’s Chardonnay, I was thrilled to find their Merlot at my local Safeway as well. One of the things I love about this vintner is that none of their wines get more general than “estate.” And they take such pride in their Rhinefarm estate vineyard that it’s hard not to fall in love with a wine just by reading about it. Ok ok…let’s jump in and taste already, shall we?
Each week I participate in a live Twitter discussion, basically just geeking out about wine. Specifically Sonoma (and Napa) wines. #SonomaChat is lead by the amazing Amy Lieberfarb (follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and IG to learn more), who oftentimes will share the roll of hostess/host with other bloggers, wineries, and wine pros. Last week I was lucky enough to be included as a #SonomaChat Ambassador while us wine tweeps celebrated Jordan Winery’s 40th Sonoma Birthday.
As a #SonomaChat Ambassador, I was sent two bottles of Jordan Winery wines to taste as we chatted. Here is my review, along with some notes from Rob about the Jordan 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon. Cheers!
