Chicago Blues & Pinot Evil Pinot Grigio

I’m going to do something a little different this week. Since I’m from Chicago and was raised on the blues, I’m doing a multipart series on Chicago blues starting with a video that includes the work of George Baze, Pistol Pete, Ron Hytower, Lonnie Brooks, Hubert Sumlin, Junior Wells, James Harman, and Magic Slim. I won’t give names, but I sat at the feet and played with a couple of the guys you’ll hear this week. There’s a full hour of music each night, so kick back, put on the video, and taste and see that Chicago blues is good!

Vol.1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUKDcI5cvTE

You’re going to need a lot of wine this week so I suggest getting a 3 liter box of Octavin’s Pinot Evil Pinot Grigo. The wine is sourced from Hungary's Matra region, which lies northwest of Budapest and just southeast of Hungary's famed Tokaj wine region. The wine is pale yellow with a floral nose of tropical fruit and citrus. Crisp and refreshing with typical peachy, citrus flavors and a slightly sweet finish, it’s an easy drinking wine. It paired great with the butternut squash-black bean enchiladas that I made for dinner and it’s light fruitiness is a perfect match for a long session of Chicago blues.

Cheers!

Two summer whites and a red

Three new wines tonight. I'll start with kind of a experiment. I'd never heard of Cashmere before but read below. One of the whites is found in every liquor store I've been in, even grocery stores. It was a surprise because I didn't expect it to be a good as it turned out, especially for the price. Cheers!

Cline 2006 Cashmere; $14.00: A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. Dark ruby color, almost purple. Very forward fruity nose. Black raspberry jam bouquet with peppery blackberry fruit in the mouth. Finishes with mild tannins. Had to check the label because it tasted like it was higher in alcohol content. It wasn't. Very nice.

Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio; $10.00: Pale, clear straw yellow color. Bouquet has lots of lime and grapefruit. Reminds me of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Tastes like one too. Crisp and clean, not sharp at all. Pleasantly surprising for such a common wine. Good wine for quaffing on a hot summer evening (it's 101F here as I write!).

2006 King Estate Oregon Domaine Pinot Gris; $14.00: Pale straw color. Bouquet has pear, apple, tropical fruit, lemon, white peach and spice blend. In the mouth, lemon, pineapple, pear, and lime. Crisp acidity, nice mouthfeel with a full bodied texture.