Wine Wednesday; Lobetia

I went to Spain for Wine Wednesday and didn't even have to buy a plane ticket. Although that would've been kind of nice.

I actually went to the grand opening of the new Butterfly Gardens at the Shell Factory Nature Park and was introduced to a "butterfly wine"; well kinda. It has a butterfly on the label.



Lobetia is a Spanish wine made from organic and biodynamic farming practices. We sampled two as we participated in the release of dozens of beautiful butterflies.


Tempranillo is Spain's signature red grape. This one was nice and light on a warm afternoon; with flavors of plums, cherry and mocha

The Chardonnay was unoaked, bright and fresh with flavors of tropical fruits and pineapples.  Both wines are in the $10 range and perfectly suited for the festivities of the day.

Cheers!

Wine Wednesday: Delectus, its Delicious

The Delectus Bear Crossing Cabernet is so fantastic, it knocked me off my feet, literally.

I was fortunate enough to take a vineyard tour of Delectus while in Napa Valley over the weekend and thought it was the coolest thing ever to be drinking the Bear Crossing Cab, in the Bear Crossing Vineyard, while looking at the actual tracks from the crossing bears.

The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, harvested from two vineyard blocks at the highest elevation on the ranch.

I found out just how high that elevation was when I took one too many steps backward. My feet slid down the dusty, gravely soil and I ended up flat, face first.

"MAN DOWN" but the wine was saved. At $130 a bottle you bet your ass I held on to that glass, for dear life. The only bit wasted was a splash on the side of my face, that gathered more dust as the day went on. It gave the appearance that the accident had been much worse. It was a great tale to relive and laugh about on the long flight home. But back to the wine....

The Bear Crossing started with lovely dark chocolate, oak and then a little dust, but that was just in my glass. It's drinking like a champ. Don't just buy one bottle, buy two. These wines have great aging potential.


Thanks to Unfiltered Unfined Wines for a fantastic time.

Happy Wine Wednesday. Cheers!

Thanks for joining me on the ground Tom!

Rockin' Wine

Lot's of "famous" people own vineyards, or more often than not, wine labels. I don't buy a wine because I like the owner's music, movies or sports teams, however, many fans do. But I admit to having a certain curiosity about the quality of wine in the celebrity bottle.

Former Bad Company bassist, Paul Cullen makes wine from grapes grown in California's Sierra Foothills called Sonata. He developed an appreciation of wine while touring and drinking it with guitarist Mick Ralphs. At one point in his post-band career, he even sold wine for an Italian distributor. Wine and music are a natural fit to me; Cullen as well. He married the two by forming Unplugged and Uncorked, making "wine friendly" music and selling it at wine events, rather than through big record labels.

I love the concept, but what about the wine? The Sonata Bianco is a refreshing, clean blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Its an acidic wine with citrus and apricot flavors. I'm not sure I would've guessed there was any Chardonnay in there had I not known. It was just enough for some extra body but thankfuly no oak Very enjoyable!

The Sonata Rosso is a blend of Syrah, Zinfandel and Cab Franc. I tasted allspice, clove and some creamy vanilla and caramel. I shared some with another wine lover who picked up the bottle, peered in with one eye, then put it back down with a pout declaring, "I'm so sad it's all gone." I felt the same.

I interviewed Cullen for an upcoming story in Times Of The Islands Magazine (more to come on that). He told me he was most excited about his Rose', the only one of the three I haven't tried yet. It's an interesting blend of Petit Syrah and Fiano, a rare Italian grape. Cullen says it is refreshing but still dry with watermelon undertones. Sounds perfect for summer. Sonata wines aren't widely distributed but you can get them. Retailing around $15 each, they are more than worth the hunt. Sip a glass while listening to his new music for double the pleasure. It's a fabulous combination!

Cullen will be pouring wine and performing live in Fort Myers in May, Labor Day week. Look for him at Yabo and Twisted Vine. I'll keep you posted on other appearances and remind you Southwest Floridians when the time nears. Cheers.