Red Diamond Merlot Wine Tasting!!

Welcome back my wine lovers! I so apologize for the delay in tastings, but as promised, here is wine tasting #1 of 2 this week!! Now, let's get down to the bottle! In honor of the awesome video that my friend, Jillian posted on my page, today's selection is the Red Diamond 2010 Merlot!  Now just in case you have no idea what video I'm talking about, please enjoy it below.

A Brief History of Merlot - watch more funny videos

Now, after watching this, who would say no to Merlot?! Actually, at first, I did debate it, because honestly, and hopefully you'll still think so awesomely of me, I am not a big fan of Merlot. I never really have. They're usually either too much or too little for me. But, being the wine lover and always wanting to share and expand my knowledge with you guys, I decided to suck it up and do it! Now, I must say, that my boyfriend did have a hand in this selection. I asked him to pick one at the store, (I was there looking at bottles of Merlot as well) and this is what he picked, and I am happy to say that my boyfriend can pick some awesome wine!!! 

Red Diamond 
2010 Merlot
Washington State

"Our Merlot is of Washington's best varietal - a polished wine with softly-spiced black cherry, berry and plum flavors. Reveal your Red Side with Red Diamond Merlot."

Rated as one of America's Top 10 Restaurant Merlots by Wine and Spirits Magazine (it's an American magazine that rates wines and spirits on the 100 point scale. A little bit easier and more fun to read in my opinion than some others), you can definitely see why after the first sip. 

Now I must say that when you do first pour this raspberry red wine in your glass and breathe in the aromas, you will more than likely be overwhelmed with alcohol. Granted, it's not higher in alcohol than the other wines previously reviewed (it's only 13.5%), but it does knock you off your rocker there at first. However, you will also get a nice whiff of cherry as well, that intrigues you to take a sip. This is where I was blown away. Intense and succulent red and black fruit take over your lips and slide down your tongue, as you can taste the black cherry, raspberry, plum, and some slight toast and vanilla. From here, my mouth exploded with even more delight as this:
incredibly smooth (it's definitely not rough or unbalanced), 
dry (wine is either dry, off-dry or sweet. It's not sweet sweet, not quite sweet enough to be off-dry, so it's classified as dry, BUT not horribly dry), 
medium bodied (wines are classified as either light, medium or heavy body. It's not light as a feather, or heavy like a thick smoothie, but just right in the middle like a juice thickness), 
medium alcohol (can be classified as light, medium or high alcohol. The alcohol is not barely there, or always there in your face intense, it's medium to where it's balanced and enjoyable)
and long lingering finish (put as either short, medium or long finish, it's not short in that the tastes go away very quickly, or medium to where the tastes linger for a little bit at the back of your throat, but as long, as the wonderful berries and oak and any other tastes you pick up definitely last to the end and linger at the back of your tongue before completely going away) wine just really changed my mind about Merlot. :) 

Enjoy this Merlot with beef, pork or even portobello tacos (yes, it really does go great with any of these kinds of tacos, just as long as they're "meaty"), chocolate cake or brownies (it's good with dark chocolate but in honesty, probably a little better with milk chocolate), or almond toffee (oh yeah, it's good)! I personally had it with some small brownie bites and almond toffee, and then the next day, with meat trio pizza where it was absolutely divine!! 

So sit back, relax, and enjoy the full moon with a glass or two (yes, the bottle was 2/3rds gone for me and my man, as well as my co-worker when he enjoyed his own bottle)!

Average Price: $11.99 - Though you can find this on sale majority of the time for $9.99 at grocery stores like Kroger and Tom Thumb.

Happy Tuesday Wine Lovers!! Stay Tuned for Tasting #2 This Week!! 

"If your heart is warm with happiness, you'll need a glass - if sorrow chills your heart, have two!" 

Sweet Red Wine Tasting!

Hello my wine lovers! Glad to see you again! Now let's get down to the good juice!  This week's wine selection is Llano Sweet Red, from none other than, TEXAS! The newest state to join the wine industry, and becoming increasingly popular, Texas is making a huge impact, as more and more wine drinkers are discovering the wonderful wines to come from yes, my home state. :)

Non Vintage 
Llano Estacado
Sweet Red


"Llano Sweet Red is medium sweet with a smooth finish and aromas of blackberries and cherries. We recommend this unique wine be served slightly chilled or at room temperature with spicy Texas foods, Southwest cuisine and oriental dishes."

(Just a little fun information for you guys!) Classified in probably the first wine category to put Texas on the Wine Country map, Texas Sweet Reds, have kind of become the staple, at least, of the lone star state. I mean, you couldn't go wrong with a sweet delicate red that was easy, very affordable, and showing your local support! Of course, since these wines became popular, other awesome wines have surfaced and become vineyard favorites.

One of the first vineyards to gain this popularity, Llano, has always been one of my favorites. Never a disappointing wine, this vineyard is wonderful, supportive and affordable as can be!

A nice light cherry colored wine, the aromas fill your nose within the first swirl of your glass. Raspberries, blackberries, cherry, and a light effervescence take over and create an intoxicating atmosphere as you breathe it in, bringing your mouth joy as you take a lovely sip of an off dry (meaning, it's sweet, but not intense dessert sweet), light bodied red wine, that awakens your palate (tastes) of blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and for me, some sprite/spritzer (let me know if you taste this too!). Ending with a smooth (it's not rough) medium finish (the tastes linger for a little while after taking a sip), this wine is sure to please your taste buds and cleanse your mind of the day.

Enjoy with spicy foods, asian dishes, as your dessert, or, as me and my family did, with portabella mushroom tacos and salad! The slight jalapeno in the tacos really complemented the sweetness in the wine. :)

So sit back, relax, and enjoy your weekend with a great bottle of Texas Sweet Red! :) 

Average Price: $ 7.95 - I got mine for $6.99 at Kroger. Widely available at grocery stores, and liquor stores! 

Happy Friday Wine Lovers!

"Love is like wine. To sip is fine. To empty a bottle is a headache."

Pizza and Wine Friday!

Welcome back my wine lovers! :) It's Friday, and taking a different spin here and doing a pairing wine tasting! This session is a pairing of pizza and wine. This week's wine selection, a well known, and fairly inexpensive wine, Rex Goliath Giant 47 Pound Rooster Cabernet Sauvignon

HRM Rex-Goliath Free Range
Giant 47 Pound Rooster
Cabernet Sauvignon

"Our hearty Cabernet is dark and intense - it's long on fruit and short on attitude."

This wine I have seen literally everywhere! Located at just about every grocery store, and liquor store, Rex-Goliath is easily available, and after tasting it, easy to drink.

Winner of like 30 gold medals, this light bodied (not very heavy) Cabernet is lovely cherry red (color of the wine), with aromas (smells) of cherry and strawberry, and unfortunately, a pretty moderate alcohol taste and tannin (drying sensation at the back of your throat) with dark cherry, plum, and a slight smokiness, that lingers a little bit as the light goodness slides down the back of your tongue. 

It's pretty light for a cabernet, especially if you've been drinking the ones I have tasted or suggest on my Red Wines Page, but it is very drinkable. It does have 13.5% alcohol, and at first sip it is pretty evident, but it grows on you. :) 

Perfect with Pizza (any kind really. Preferably more heavy pizzas, like supreme or meat lovers, or if you are a vegetarian, mushroom and spinach), the light fruit flavors accent the pizza and do not over power. 

So pop open a bottle, pour a glass, and enjoy with your favorite pizza while watching a cheesy movie. :) 

Happy Friday Everyone!!

Average Price: $6.99 - Though you can find it at Kroger and other grocery stores as low as $4.99!!

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”