YARD DOG, BLEND - $10.99

YARD DOG, 2009 - Red Heads Studio - South Australia.

I bought this bottle for $10.00 and was completely surprised by the blend.

The nose on this wine is purple. That's the best way I can explain it. It's violet and purple smelling - the way that lavender or grape soda smells - with a deep dark color that veers towards almost being brownish. I know, odd.

The first sip is soft and delicate with nice fruit that's strong in the currant and blackberry world; ripe black plum and dark chocolate tastes are in there too, but the real surprise is the mouth feel. It's silky and creamy, and then out of nowhere there's this amazing spice that lingers all over your tongue and inside your cheeks.

This elegant, spicy mouth feel is almost like eating Red Hots when you were a kid; and the hot of the distant cinnamon blends so well with the berries, and violet, and notes of dark-dark chocolate that you'll want to keep recreating this experience. Hold the wine in your mouth for a moment and really taste it and let your senses feel the spice; swallow, then take a deep breath and taste the way the chocolate clings to your exhale. It's a wine that's easy to understand and appreciate.

You don't often see a blending of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot that isn't a bordeaux (those being three of the five main blending grapes used to make a red bordeaux). What's interesting about this bottle is that it's 60% Petit Verdot, and that's where this delicate purple sensation is coming from, along with part of the delicacy of that amazing spice. The rest of the spice is coming from the generous 25% portion of Cabernet Sauvignon, which is also adding a bit of backbone. And the remaining 15% being Merlot, well, that's the softness - that silky, velvety feel holding it all together.

This is one amazing bottle of wine - especially for $10 bucks.  Since finishing my bottle I've been thinking about it more and more and considering my next meal.

PAIRING:

For this one: BBQ! Ribs, chicken or duck, something rich and flavorful with a sweetness.  Or pizza even. It has enough acid to stand up to tomato sauce without a problem, and any toppings, too. And if you're planning a night of cheese and a baguette, then try out some stronger cheeses, like an aged cheddar, or a washed rind brie.

CHARLES & CHARLES, Cab. / Syrah blend - $10.99

CHARLES & CHARLES, 2009 - Charles Smith Wines - Walla Walla, Washington.

Let's face it, not many people go out to buy a bottle of wine so they can store it away in a cellar and let it age. If you're anything like me, you buy a bottle of wine with the intention of drinking it inside of a few days. Actually, a bottle usually doesn't last that long with me. I'll have the cork wrestled out, or the cap wrenched off, within a few hours of leaving the store - but that's me.

Personally, I believe that  a good wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good.  In my opinion, a good wine is the wine you like; and while there's usually a huge difference between a $4 bottle and a $10 bottle, there often isn't as much difference as you might think between a $10 bottle and a $20 bottle - if you choose the right one, that is. And Charles & Charles ($9.99) is one of the right ones. This is a big red - deep and bold - one that lets you sit back and think about it.

Color: Rich and dark, deep, deep purple with a thick and dense quality that, when considering the legs, could be called syrupy.

On the nose: You'll quickly be able to pick out dark cherry, current and black pepper. Really get in there and let that jammy vapor linger inside your senses. Depending on the person, somewhere between 75 and 90 percent of what we taste is actually coming from our sense of smell. Don't try to smell it the way you would smell milk to see if it's sour, imagine the bouquet is its own thing and you're trying to see something completely invisible, until you close your eyes. Get your nose in there and draw the bouquet gently and slowly - don't be greedy - it's as if you're trying to coax something otherwise shy into revealing its true self. Then, and only then, will you be able to pick up these amazing subtle notes of brown sugar, and dark chocolate, mild tobacco and baking spices.

The first sip: Take a big one and don't be delicate here, because the moment the wine enters your mouth you'll be overwhelmed with blackberry preserves, ripe black plum, and you'll have to fight the urge to chew and really sink your teeth in. Hold the wine for a moment and feel it surrounding your tongue and layering the inside of your mouth.

This wine is 51% Cabernet Sauvignon and 49% Syrah. All that jammy, ripe fruit is coming from the Syrah, but those darker flavors are coming from the Cabernet. Right in the middle of your tongue you're going to start tasting the Cabernet pushing its way through. It'll show its self in the form of a dusty, earthy faint mushroom quality that will quickly be enhanced by a hint of coffee. You'll start to feel the tannic acid coming in as it coats the inside of your cheeks with a wonderful, bitter tackiness that will wash itself away when you swallow.

The Finish: On the back of your tongue as you swallow the wine you'll pick up the flavor of dark chocolate, along with that soft sting that's always anticipated after eating a dark piece of chocolate, but it doesn't really go away. The sensation lingers with the delicate simmer of a mild chili pepper as the wine goes down. Instantly, you exhale a plume of ripe cherry and chocolate that will drive you towards a moment of silence, and then another obsessive sip.

PAIRING:

Barbecued anything for this wine. Also, think about a rich burger. This is a wine that's made for ground beef and a fun, casual setting. Roasted chicken, grilled pork tenderloin, or even ... pizza. (Any wine that goes with pizza is okay by me.)  While this is an easy-going wine, I wouldn't try to pair it to anything mild, so fish would be out, unless you're talking something like blackened salmon. As for CHEESE: Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor goat cheese would be a natural match. Also, a mild blue cheese topped with a fruit preserve.