San Martino Prosecco Frizzante (NV)

This was a...... complex wine. As much as I love almost all Prosecco I have, there was something a bit off about this one.

Straight off, the nose was a bit astringent, with a bit off mineral quality to it, and then some very pleasant plum. The body was wonderful, mineral tones again with a bit of anise and vanilla. The finish unfortunately was initially astringent again, followed by a pleasant plum and pear aftertaste.

I just don't think I'd buy this again. It had very nice qualities, but not enough to make up for the unpleasant ones.

Mumm Napa Cuvee M (NV)

This particular wine is a lovely, inexpensive, and please-all bottle.

The nose was floral and a bit fruity. The body had soft, dancing bubbles and was just off-dry. Flavors were mineral, citrus-fruit forward, with a hint of the flowers from the nose. The finish was pleasant, light, and mild.

Being a non-vintage wine, I'm sure this will be a perennial favorite.

website: http://mummnapa.com/winemaking/signaturewines/winesProduct.cfm?product_id=388

Bridgeview Blue Moon Chardonnay (2001)

This is a Chardonnay from Oregon. It sucks. Do not drink it. In fact, I wonder if the ten dollar price tag on something that has been sitting around so long was actually a warning.

If you need more information on how it tastes I will sum it up in simple terms: It tastes like making out with a drunken oak tree. Pour some vodka on a stump and lock lips. It has a nutty finish and a melon nose, but it really just tastes like wood.

SHAME!

Bolla Pinot Grigio (2005)

I have no idea why Pinot Gris is so popular right now. This bottle certainly didn't help answer that question. Good thing it was only USD 7.99 at Lakeridge Liquors in St. Paul, MN.

The nose made me quite optimistic as it had a lovely, strong honeydew note. Everything after that was just disappointing. The body was not particularly high in acid, but it was harsh for whatever reason. The body was also just plain thin and uninteresting. One could detect a bit of honeydew, but it was difficult to tell if it was coming from the body or still from the nose. The finish was not altogether horrible, it was medium with lime and citrus.

My companion thought he could smell and/or taste some free sulfites also. This is bad.

Website: http://www.bolla.com/home.aspx

Columbia Winery Gewurztraminer (2001)

This was a random find at one of the local liquor stores, USD 8.99 at Lakeridge Liquors in St. Paul, MN.

The nose smelled distinctly like lychees and wildflowers. The body once again exuded lychee with sweetness from honey. The sweetness was balanced out by just the slightest bit of acid. There was also a bit of pear and mingled spices in the body. The finish was short and unremarkable.

I probably wouldn't buy this again for the price, but I wasn't disappointed by it either.

Website: http://www.columbiawinery.com/home.asp

Black Mountain Pinot Noir (2006)

This is once again a lovely Pinot Noir and probably once again the best value in this grape.

The nose was generic, but the body was just off-dry and had wonderfully lush dark fruit flavors with soft tannins. The finish was long, mildly sweet, and reminiscent of the body.

This would be a fantastic wine for people who don't normally like reds and with a heavily spiced Asian meal that requires a red. USD 5.99 at Trader Joe's in Maple Grove, MN.

Black Mountain Malbec (2006)

I haven't been able to find the La Boca Malbec in years. If anyone finds it, let me know where it is or send me a case because this Black Mountain stuff was kind of disappointing.

As with most Malbecs, it needed to breath for a bit before it was remotely pleasant to drink. The nose gave off cedar. The body was off-dry and tasted like cedar and a mingling of dark fruits with low, soft tannins. The finish was short, off-dry, and once again had cedar.

Too much cedar for a Malbec. USD 5.99 at Trader Joe's in Maple Grove, MN. The La Boca Malbec was 3.99 and better. Help, please!

Martellozzo Veneto Prosecco (NV)

This wine was a nice surprise. The nose was refreshingly mineral with a whiff of apple. The body was just a bit off-dry but very fruit forward with nice, medium acidity and easy flavors of apple and pear. The finish was a bit short, but that is fine for a wine that would make a nice standalone before a meal or with light appetizers.

The bubbles in this one were very soft and pleasant. USD 6.99 at Trader Joe's in Maple Grove, MN.

Charles Shaw Chardonnay (2006)

If you recall, the 2005 Charles Shaw Chardonnay was an award winner. This vintage will not be.

The nose was just...... not there, except for a bit of oak. Same with the body, which surprisingly was just a hair off-dry. The finish was the worst part, somewhat bitter with a rather unpleasant oak.

All that said, there is quite a bit of bottle variation among Charles Shaw wines, and not every year can be a good year. It was only USD 2.99 at the Trader Joe's in Maple Grove, MN, so it would be a passable cheap cooking wine.

Monasteriolo Cava Brut Rose (NV)

I'm still not quite sure about this one, I might have a few more bottles to try and make a final verdict.

It has a pleasant pink grapefruit color. The nose is mineral, effervescent, and acidic. The body is nicely acidic, dry, and citrus fruit-forward. The finish is largely the same as the body but a bit sweeter.

The one problem with this bottle is that the bubbles were a bit harsh. It was enjoyable though and for the price (USD 6.99 at Trader Joe's in Maple Grove, MN) it is a good option.

Louis Tete Beaujolais-Villages (2005)

Beaujolais is a French AOC label made from Gamay grapes.

This particular wine had a slightly hot and slightly astringent nose with a hint of cedar. The body had zesty acid and some harsh tannins. The body was also tart and slightly astringent. After a bit of aeration the wine toned down overall and brought out some more fruit flavors and a bit of cedar. The finish was forgettable, just like the wine.

I don't recall how much it was, but it was cheap and I won't be buying it again.

Website: http://www.tete-beaujolais.com/

Villadoria Piemonte Brachetto (2005)

To start, I would not recommend chugging this wine from the bottle while spinning. Bubbles and all. I'm sure you understand.

This is my own personal stand-by, being easily procured at the local liquorist for well under $20. This bottle I am currently swigging from only ran an affordable $12.99, but I believe it was on sale. It is a mildly sweet red wine with just hint of bitterness. It is only 6.5% boozle by volume, so it is pretty easy to drink in a large quantity, assuming one is not overcome by its bubbly nature.

This wine comes from the Southern region of Piemonte, which is quite possibly a good thing. Perhaps there is a wine snob somewhere who knows. After they tell me I'll give them quite a pummeling.

I would go deeper into the tasting notes, but it doesn't really matter so much. In fact, the flavor is really easy to summarize- grape juice.

I know this shocks and surprises you that wine will taste like grape juice, but there it is. There are no amazing other flavors in it. That little bitch from the Welch's commercials couldn't tell the difference if it weren't for the bubbles.

Its a great substitute for juice, cola, or cool-aid. I expect it will be all the rage at children's parties next season.

DRINK!

Fabulous Fern's Bar & Grill

My companion and I had just left Mass at The Cathedral of St. Paul, a truly beautiful church if you haven't been, and were looking for somewhere to have brunch. We drove along Selby Ave. for about a half mile from the Cathedral to see a sign that said "Brunch now being served" We stopped in, and I am very glad we did. The establishment is reminiscent of early 1900's France, with a modern, Minnesota neighborhood feel. We were seated promptly, even at 11:45AM, after the 10:00 AM High Mass.

The food at Fern's is, simply put, wonderful. We both ordered their tomato basil omelette, and agreed that never before had we had a better egg dish. The eggs were cooked to perfection, with a perfect combination of tomato and basil, and topped with feta cheese. Along side the omelette were cheese hash browns, a generous piece of banana bread, and a cup of fresh fruit. All of this for a pleasant 8.95! I was blown away when they served us our meal, I was expecting something along the lines of Perkins, which for 8.95 serves a lonely omelette on a plate with toast. Not at Fern's, they delivered a true treat, lots of food, and all of it was delicious.

Despite the amazing food, the serving staff was largely inadequate. They took our order quickly, and our food arrived quickly, but they were slow with everything else. The server came by once after the beginning of our meal, and once after we had largely finished. We had both ordered coffee (which was quite good), and had no chance to ask for refills before we had finished, leaving us with cold coffee, and worse still, cold coffee that cost an insane $2.25.

Other than a slow waiting staff (which may not have been their fault) and a ridiculously high price for one and a half cups of coffee, I recommend Fern's wholeheartedly.

http://www.fabulousferns.com

R.L. Buller Victoria Fine Muscat (NV)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I bought this bottle. What I got was a very unique fortified wine.

This Australian wine looked and smelled like a good port. The nose was hot as expected with a bit of cherry. The body tasted of sugarplums, nutmeg, and raisins with sweetness from brown sugar. The finish was long, raisiny, and sweet.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for a nice, inexpensive alternative to a vintage port.

Website: http://www.buller.com.au/source/wines.html

Casa La Joya Reserve Sauvignon Blanc (2006)

This particular bottle of Chilean wine was consumed with sushi at Sushi Tango. If you do not wish to read any further, know that I would probably never buy it in a store, but it was fine given Sushi Tango's wine list.

The nose was quite smoky, immediately evoking a comparison to Pouilly-Fumé. Lime was also present, with a whiff of pine, and some generic floral and citrus undertones. The body was disappointingly generic with smoke, mixed citrus, and a bit of apple. The finish was long and tart.

Again, given Sushi Tango's wine list, this was probably the most appropriate choice for the meal, but not a wine I would seek out for sushi. It was too smoky to ordinarily pair with sushi and would have gone much better with a grilled meal.