BEAUTIFUL BERINGER CABERNET

Friday night was a party at a neighbors house..A birthday party catered by Pasta and Provisions an actual Italian Store in Charlotte, NC. So I decided to break out my favorite wine. Beringer Knights Valley 2003 Cabernet Sauvignion. This is a rich wide legged dark eggplant colored wine. The flavor is full bodied, heavy chocolate on the palate. Ending with a rich beefy smooth aftertaste. It is my favorite wine right now. It is 27.99 at most stores, a little expensive for us but then again..I savor it! I gave all the women even the ones who drink pink wine a taste, they all fell in love. It paired so well with the rich tomato lasangna and the bright balsalmic salad. There was a couple ounces left in the bottle...A tear fell from my eye when I left it..but it was the proper thing to do...I am a good guest...

Beware Terraza's Malbec

Terraza's Reserva Malbec 2003 from Argentina...tastes like kissing George Bush. That is the worst Malbec I have ever had. It is described as a fruity licorice violet tasting dark purple wine. No Not Not ever...no licorice and no fruit that is edible to mankind. It was our third opening for the night and normally my palate has relaxed and everything taste pretty good but this...I spit it into the sink...Not very often do I ever let wine leave my lips....

Vino CON BRIO Petite Sirah 2005

Wow, I could of drank the whole bottle all by myself.

Syrupy thick silky perfect butter. My tongue is still tasting the tingle.

I give it four stars. Here is the website on this vineyard.

http://www.vinoconbrio.com/conbrio/catalog/view_product.jsp?product_id=1040

Steltzner 2005 Claret

Tonight I made Spaghetti and cheese; a great recipe out of a great book called The Tenth Muse by Judith Jones. I opened the Steltzner 2005 Claret, which was the best after almost an hour of breathing. Thick, thick purple syrup. The nose was like I just picked a bunch of service berries, purple grapes, bluish purple skinned plums and Black currants. Did I make jam?

It went fantastic with my cheese Spaghetti. It was a little dry at the finish, but clean. I almost think my teeth are purple.

Really nice, I'd have it if I made a cheese fondue. Maybe even warmed big fat Barese Olives..Feta ..Calamatas..

Tonight I opened a bottle of Beringer, Founders Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon 2005. This is a inexpensive 8.99 bottle of wine..described on the back as a rich full bodied Cab...NOT....It was thin and although had some of the berry taste like the other more expensive Beringers..it lacked any full body and had a tiny taste of vanilla spice. I served it with grilled Beet Flaten Ribs, Whole clove Garlic Mashed Potatoes, an Italian Arugula Salad with toasted pine nuts and Parmesan. I drank it...but it truly lacked. It just tasted like watered down wine..I kept taking bigger mouthfuls to try and fill my taste buds up but to no avail....Oh well the ribs and salad were good...

Of course I love wine...My name is Denise...which means "Goddess of Wine" I have always loved it...smelling my Mothers glass of Silver Satin as a child..a white sweet thick syrupy jug wine that she adored. to my first glass of Hearty Burgundy by Carlo Rossi, the kind that made your teeth purple and lips blue. My palate has changed but I still adore all kinds of wine from a bottle of Opus 1 to a bottle of Andre Cold Duck.

Here we are...the two Palandri Sisters!

This is us....

We really love wines. That's Dee on the left and me Gina on the right.

Wine is a magical thing. It adds Umami to your meals, it makes you laugh and makes you cry.

But we think we should talk about the wines we like.

Tonight me ( Gina) I opened a bottle of Smith Wooton 2006 Cabernet Franc. It was very very heady. I let it breath a little longer. It mellowed in that overwhelming barametric whisp on the first sip. Then it did turn into some deep lushy purple nectar. Definitely some deep blackberries. I would compare it to a Dark roasted Kenya coffee. I was sad when the bottle was empty.

I am saving my special Christmas gift from Dee...It's a Honig. I can hardly wait.

Smith Wooten

Cab Franc

*** three out of four stars