Most of you are freezing. If this is the case, you don't want to know what the weather's like in Southern California.Chilly temperatures call for a warm wine, and for my money the best bets are often red blends. Versatile, tasty, and affordable, today's red blends can be made virtually anywhere, and include varieties such as Zinfandel as well as the traditional Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc.
Red blends--they're not just for Bordeaux anymore. If you want some particular recommendations, head over to Serious Grape, my weekly column on Serious Eats. You'll find a list of red blends I've tasted recently that cost between $7 and $26 in most markets.
Stay warm, have a great weekend, and see you next week. (photo by TheBusyBrain)
3 comments:
I love red blends, and my North Coast favorites under $25 are Saracina's Atrea Old Soul Red ($24), Six Sigma's Cuvée Pique-Nique ($21) and Brutocao Quadriga ($24).
yes, red blends are just the thing to go with hearty winter fare like casseroles, stews, etc. I like Rhone style blends to match this sort of food. Last night though it was not a blend but Nebbiolo to go with a pasta bolognese.
I'm a recent convert to red blends, especially California blends which offer much better price-quality value than their French counter-parts. They also are frequently priced better than the single grape wines produced by the same vineyard. One of my favorite's is Newton Claret which can generally be bought for under $20, while Newton's straight Cab is closer to $50, and isn't appreciably better . . .
Bill
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