Wines for the football Season

I've got two really nice wines for you tonight. A refreshing white and a luscious red. Great for watching football in your home. Of course, being a Bears fan, the wine helps take the edge off continual disappointment.


Matua Valey Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007. $12.00: I am really impressed by the wines that come out of New Zealand. I haven't had a bad one yet and they offer tremendous value. Virtually every one is under $25.00. This sauvignon blanc was excellent. According to their website, Matua Valley Wines began as a small, family-run winery in West Auckland, New Zealand, in 1973. The winemakers are two brothers, Ross and Bill Spence. If you've ever had gooseberry jam (my grandmother used to make it), you'll like this wine. The bouquet is distinctly citrus and I tasted notes of gooseberry, intense grapefruit, pear and a touch of passion fruit in the mouth. Dry with a crisp, refreshing finish.


2006 Novy Sonoma County Syrah, $19.00: The Wine spectator gave this wine 90 points and I've never had a wine rated that highly by them that I didn't like. Syrah is the great red grape of the Northern Rhone, responsible for such fine wines as Hermitage and Cote Rotie. Big, dark and spicy, wines made from this varietal can age as well as Bordeaux. The varietal is gaining popularity in the United States as well as other countries. Since the 1970's, Syrah has spread throughout the Southern Rhone, and Provence regions of France, where it is being bottled as a single varietal wine or in blends. This wine had an explosive nose with cherry and berries enveloping my senses. It had incredible layers of raspberry, cherry, blackberry, a touch of blueberry, and chocolate in the mouth. It's soft, velvety and dry and has only a mild taste of alcohol. Very nice. I will definitely lay in a few bottles of this one.

Oh my gosh! the Bears beat Philadelphia. the world will probably end tomorrow so I've gotta finish this syrah.

Ciao!