NHL Blackhawk Greats

While doing one of my weekly walkthroughs at Binny's South Loop I discovered the NHL Alumni Signature Wine Series on sale.  Two Chicago Blackhawk greats, Tony Esposito and Bobby Hull, are being featured on these charity label wines created by Ironstone Vineyards.  Ironstone is known for making decent well priced wines in the Sierra Foothills.  The NHL wines are normally going for about $15/bottle and Binny's has a price drop to $5.99/bottle!  These wines, the Esposito Cabernet and Hull Chardonnay, are great bottles for an everyday wine- any meal, simple sipping, or for company.  Stock up and enjoy!

(Images courtesy of Ironstone Vineyards)

Tasting notes for Tony Esposito Cab: This bright red is a bit lighter than most Cabs.  It has toasty aromas and the darker fruits and oak come through on the taste.  The tannins have a light grip and the finish is short, but it is a decent wine- especially for the price- WG 81.  Just had some with a pasta bake my wife made.  Yum.

Tasting notes for Bobby Hull Chard: A light golden hue along with oak and apple scents are appealing.  It is a bit creamy on the palate and gives tastes of pears, citrus, and mineral- WG 82.  The crisp acidity made this a great pairing with the avocado salad I made with lunch.

Feature on UrbanVivant.com

A friend of mine, Carolyn Tang, recently interviewed the WCWG for her site- UrbanVivant.com.  The article under Culinary Spotlight features yours truly in regard to wine interests, opinions, hot items, and some deals.  Check it out!

Wine on Vacation

My wife and I recently returned from a fabulous vacation in Cancun.  We stayed at Dreams All-Inclusive Resort & Spa which was a gorgeous place to relax and enjoy the sun, sea and local beverage specialties: cerveza, tequila, and margaritas (I may be the WindyCityWineGuy but don't forget I love the other bevs too!). 

There are alot of bars- beach, poolside, lounge, etc. but there will come the time to dine and you should do it right.  The wine inclusive to the resort was OK but only for chugging and not for taste and enjoyment.  When it came time to celebrate with friends, they decided to hand the wine list over to the WCWG.  Now it is time to get into how to select some quality wines while outside of your comfort zone- Home.  Let's remember this- the WCWG always likes to scour the list to find the wines which will not just save you from breaking the piggy, but which give the most bang for the buck.

1. Go Local!  Normally you can find great wines at a great price while traveling.  We were in Mexico and it is quite hard to find some local quality.  Most grapes are used to make brandy to go along with Coca-Cola.  When confronted with this problem think of neighboring countries/continents.


2. Be Global.  Your knowledge of what happens outside of your country can be key in many areas including selecting wine.  Since I know that the American dollar has sunk in value especially compared to a strong Euro, I realize that the European wines will be quite pricey.  And demand for champagne across the globe, especially from China and Russia, has driven the price out of control.  Also, California wine can be very pricey outside of the US- import prices and the quality level assumed.


3. Remember your "Go-To Wines".  I am sure that when you buy wine, you buy specific favorites.  Remember when you do this to scan the shelves around your favorites and recognize the surrounding bottles.  This can help you to find comparable taste profiles when your favorites are unavailable.  You can then compare/contrast.  You just may find something you like even more for +/-!

These simple rules led me to the South American wines.  This neighboring mainly Spanish speaking continent (#1) would surely render some good value since it also does in the US (#2).  I immediately recognized Casillero del Diablo made by Concha Y Toro in Chile (#3).  They produce good high production wines for under $10!  A red and white were asked for so this called for some Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon priced at $25 on the list.  Everyone enjoyed the wine with apps and dinner- mission accomplished.

Introducing: WindyCityWineGuy

Wine.  The fermented juice of grapes has been a great sensual pleasure for thousands of years.  The soldiers of ancient armies have drunk it in victory.  Royalty has fawned over and collected it.  Now it is easily available to all of us.  The WCWineGuy does admit: too many producers, varietals, styles, vintages, and viticultural areas have complicated it.  How is the normal Joe and Jane expected to keep up?  And with all of the competition and ease associated with other beverages, such as beer and liquor, why should we try?  Because not only is wine most apt at tantalizing but nothing enhances the taste of  food more.  It seems we only need someone to walk through the air of pomposity and reintroduce this tasty drink to us!

I know the wine critics come up with outrageous smells and tastes but let's face it: We are all different.  Genetically we are not the same.  We do not all like the same smells, tastes, sights, or other sensations.  Along with that, our sensors are going to pick up different responses and there are going to be others with more apt or trained senses.  Where does that leave those of us who find it difficult to pick up sensations?  Believe me, I am here to help you: If you have not given in to the pleasure of food and beverage it is never too late.  I want to give the know-how, the tools, and the information to see, smell, and taste.  We are about to delve into the fun side.

 But let's just remember this: it is all about trying different things, having fun, and finding what you like!  Stay tuned and keep up with the posts- I promise you'll like it!

(Image courtesy of Flickr)