Frosted and Jolly, Back On the Bottle Again

Some late 70s murder mystery was on TV.  It had been a long day and Wifey nor I could be arsed into changing the channel.  Watching the little old lady murder the young man was intriguing, almost as much as guessing the name of the show or movie.  It was like Let's Make a Deal where you'd hear all about the potential behind the curtain but never knew until the it was lifted.  We were a good 10 to 15 minutes into it without seeing the star or knowing what we were watching.  Then Door #3 opened and Columbo waltzed in, wreaking of cigar smoke motor oil.  But that was ok.  I knew we were not going anywhere.  Time for a drink and a movie.

It had been quite a while since I enjoyed wine at home.  Beer and hard liquor seemed to be behind Curtain #1 during the past few months.  Two previous attempts resulted in half drank bottles sitting around long past their shelf life.  Just was not into it.  Life gets busy.

But now it is the evening of Christmas.  The kids are gone and our responsibilities are over.  Spent 3 hours in a car driving to and fro the farm in one of the strongest rainstorms of recent memory.  Time to relax.  When Columbo end I turned on NetFlix and found a Marilyn Monroe/Jane Russel movie. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.  Why not?  We never watched it before.  First open some wine.  Would this gentleman prefer the Red or the White?

On Thursday I purchased the bottles.  Craig and I were supposed to ride to the High Trestle Bridge but we got as far as Valley Junction.  The bike ride turned into my Christmas shopping adventure. And at the furthest point of the ride found me at Hy Vee Wine & Spirits looking for a bottle of Summerset's Caba Moch to give to my sister and Cedar Ridge's apple/cranberry wine for my father in-law.  He would like it as he used to make his own.  That hooch was available but the bottle for Patty would have to wait.  They were out.  But two other bottles caught my eye.

Frosted was a white table wine in a decorative bottle from Summerset Winery.  Jolly was its sibling, a red in a similar seasonal bottle.  Why not?  Our home would be hosting 12 or so people for Christmas Eve dinner and wine should be available.  "Monty, Curtain #2, please."  When I got home, in the fridge they went.

Well, beer, Bailey's and eggnog were the order of Christmas Eve and my wine supply stayed safe. But now it was a day later and it was time.  Grab the cork screw and pop that bastard!

Mary said white.  Frosted is a sweet white table wine.  It contains sulfites.  That's all the label really said.  Served chilled!  "Contains holiday cheer.  Enjoy with friends or enjoy alone.  Enjoy with food or without food.  Just enjoy."  No octane rating on the label.   Just a alcohol warning and a snowflake with a smiling face that says "get frosted."

I pulled out and rinsed out the two new wine glasses Wifey gave me for Christmas.  She listened when I said I needed a wine glass that could hold more than our current ones.  Both glasses can contain an entire 750 ml bottle.  Perfect!  Move to the couch and watch our movie.

Frosted is not as sweet as one fears.  This is good.  Made from Cawtaba grapes it is semi-sweet.  Not dry but won't rot your teeth.  Hint of a boozey taste.  Not as sweet as a Moscato nor the basic Iowa sweet wine.  No strong local aftertaste.  I liked it.  Mary did not.  Mine went down relatively fast.

Time to get Jolly.  I lapped Mary and opened the second bottle.  Once again, not much to read from the label.  I had to go to the website and read about it.  Made from their Marechal Foch and Cawtaba grapes.  A bit sweeter than the Frosted.  Would be great for making Sangria.  Summerset calls it a sweet Rose.

Mary did not want any so I drank the entire bottle myself on the couch watching Marilyn and Jane. And like those two starlets it was hard to determine which I enjoyed more.  I may have to make another purchase.  I'll bumble through the store like Columbo and picked the right bottles.

Cedar Ridge Apple Cranberry

It was an impulse buy.  At the store on a freezer filling spree when we walked past it.  I looked at Wifey and then the stack of bottles at the end of the organic produce section.  Apple cranberry.  I like this in Ocean Spray so why not vino?  Wifey affirmed.  An Iowa wine.  Help the local industry.  In the cart one bottle went.

Once home it immediately went into the fridge next to the moscato and a bottle of home brew mead.  Two days later it was time.

First impression it was sweet followed by that half second "Iowa sweet" weird taste, sorta like homemade, and then the tartness of the cranberry.  Perhaps I did not allow it to air out sufficiently.  I poured Wifey a glass and brought it to her.  regretfully, I did not have the camera ready for the expression on her face.  Nevertheless, she did not make a face but did report that it was indeed sweet.

Quality faux cork.  I like it when wineries take the $$ to have printed corks.  This one was a bit difficult to remove but did not break.

Time to read the label.  90% apple, 10% cranberry.  12% alcohol.  Government warning.  Swisher, Iowa.

Time to look at the webpage.  Cedar Ridge Wine They also distill spirits such as a single malt whiskey.  The apple cranberry wine is listed under "house wine."  As they say "A semi-sweet blend of apple and cranberry. Tart cranberry combined with sweet apple to create a delightfully balanced wine. A fabulous addition to your holiday table."

Ok, no grapes so I should not expect a traditional wine taste. Read the label first.  In the end it is ok.  Not my style.   If you are into sweet wines this may be for you.  Personally, I should have purchased vodka and an Ocean Spray as that apparently was my mood.

...About Last Night...

Ice ice Riesling!  After an hour or two fridge thaw.

The plan was to stay home.  We are usually devoid of energy on Friday nights.  Fix a nice dinner, split chicken breasts oven roasted with wild and brown rice and fresh beets.  Mary worried that the beets would stain everything including the plates.  The only beet stain was on Dora's whit fleece.  Afterwards sink into the couch and watch NetFlix with a glass of wine in hand.  A documentary on Blondie recording Parallel Lines was our pick.

Not long after Blondie's New York end my son and his friend came over.  Things got serious.  maybe 4 or 5 bottles were consumed by the four of us.  At one point I place 2 in the freezer for a quick chill.  One came out.

I don't know what prompted me to open the freezer this morning.  But there it was.  Ice cold frozen bottle of Barefoot's Riesling.  Perhaps it was there 7 hours.  Top to bottom ice.  I still am amazed that the bottle did not crack.  What is it, 7.5%?  Now thawing in the fridge.  I'll report back about the flavor.

Big Bold Red: Yellow Tail Redeems Itself

Took a chance when I bought this one.  Fortunately, it was purchased it when I made the terrible decision to get their Riesling.  Suffice to say it put a smile on my face and a stay of execution has been granted.  Yes Virginia, there is a decent Yellow Tail.

Big Bold Red.  Dark as the night in this photo. Smooth and evaporates in the mouth.  No after taste.  Perhaps a bit strong at 13.5% but acceptable despite tipping the balance but still a nice full body wine.  The alcohol does not dominate the flavor.

I started the bottle after work.  It was a cold bicycle ride home and I needed something to warm up with.  For the first time this day I felt good as it seemed to settle my heart and blood pressure.  It went well with our dinner of pork chops.

Alright you 'Rooheads, Big Bold Red has redeemed your country and your wine.

Yellow Tail Riesling

Starting a white wine dive.  Mary was asking about them.  Other than moscatos I have not brought home very many whites.  Of course on Thanksgiving I will pour a bottle of chardonay into the water bowl of the smoker for the turkey but I will not drink it.  So I set out for whites.  Rieslings are among my favorites.  Just the right amount of sweetness and booziness for a nice drink.

Hoping that the Great Barefoot Sale was still on at my store of choice I was greatly broken hearted to see that the $3.99 special was on South Eastern Australia's Yellow Tail wines of the Casella family.  I've been burned by this brand before but forgot what varietal burnt me.  Cheap enough for another go.  I also hedged my bets with Barefoots Riesling and Malbec for a full body red.

That was Friday.  I do not recall if my first glass was on Friday or Saturday but I remember regretting the purchase immediately.  I did not have any the next day but tonight I decided to finish the bottle.  I let Mary have the first sip tonight.  Immediate frown.

Sweet yet dry.  But a lingering dryness and flat taste.  For people who hate sweet wines they may like this.  I think it may be do to the alcohol content.  The 2013 vintage clocks in at 12%  Barefoot was only 7%.  Tasting the booze not the fruit.  Not enough body to fully support 12%.

Will I purchase this one again?  Unlikely.  Then again it may be good in the smoker for Thanksgiving.

Barefoot Alert!!!

$3.99 per bottle at Windsor Heights Hy Vee.  Lowest price I have ever seen for that vino.  Wide assortment--Malbec to Chards, Moscato to Pinot.

get ya some!!

Barefoot Red Blend Trilogy

Was started as a review of Barefoot's Rich Red Blend but I drained two bottles with only a photo and nothing to write about.  My next visit to the store for bottle #3 had me come home with the missing siblings, Rosa Red Blend and Sweet Red.  So I will review them together.

The back label is called "Footnotes."  here they leave a description and a sweetness chart.  Rosa is the sweetest followed by Sweet Red and Rich Red is closer to the dry end of their chart.

In terms of alcohol content Rosa clocks in the lowest at 7.5%, Sweet is 10.5% and Rich beats them all at 13% by volume.

Descriptions.  According to Footnotes, the Rich Blend "is a velvety red blend with bold aromas and flavors of blackberries, blueberries and vanilla.  hints of caramel and oak compliment the smooth  finish."  I found it to be full bodied and smooth.   No boozy taste despite being 13%.  It is a dark purple color.

Rosa Red "is a bright, lively and sweet red blend wine with notes of raspberries and strawberry jam.  Floral notes compliment the sweet lingering finish."  This one put a smile on my face immediately.  A rich pink color and a taste reminiscent of sangria with bubbles on the top that made me wonder if it was still fermenting.  I did not find it overly sweet.  Very well balanced for a "sweet" red.  Screw top for convenience.

Sweet Red "is a smooth and sweet red wine blend with luscious aromas and flavors of black cherry and plum."  Honestly, despite drinking wine on the sweet side and enjoying such I do not care for sweet reds.  Bedhead Red from Jasper Winery is one of the few exceptions.  Unfortunately this was not.  Too sweet.  Mary thought it had a bitter element to it but I did not.  Most likely the plum flavor.

The important thing, taste.  Rosa Red hands down or bottoms up!  It's ace.