Angie's Corner: Ladera Winery

Angie's Corner

Ladera Winery

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens,

Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens,

Brown paper packages tied up with strings,

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon,

These are a few of my favorite things...

It's my birthday and I told Stewart that I wanted to sample a favorite of mine to write about for this week's "Angie's Corner". I told Stewart that I wanted, no, I demanded, that I wanted a deep, rich, wine with plenty of mocha and deep plum. Yes, I demanded that Stewart give me an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon; it is my birthday and I can act like a prima donna if I want!

Stewart thought about it for a bit and decided that I would enjoy the Karen Culler made 2007 Ladera Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. With high birthday expectations, I brought it home for dinner, and happily opened the bottle to enjoy the fruits inside.

Stewart made a perfect choice; the Ladera fulfilled my high expectations. It is rich. It is deep. It is smooth like velvet. It behaved exactly as a high quality Napa Valley Cab should behave. The beauty is that the Ladera has all the fine qualities I expect from a high end cabernet, but it is reasonably priced at $27.99. That is a shockingly low price for such a superb wine.

The Ladera is deep purple in the glass, with a classic menthol/eucalyptus nose. It is creamy on the palate and has delightful hints of mocha. My only complaint about the Ladera is that the bottle came to an end.

At least I know what to ask for my birthday next year!

May your champagne be filled with bubbles,

Angie Ann

Angie's Corner: Aloha!

Angie's Corner

Aloha!

My trip to the islands of Hawaii is coming to an end; it has been a wonderful experience for my whole family. (Yes, we brought all six kids!) We have had the opportunity to spend time with my brother, his wife and their two children. My brother, who is an Army Blackhawk pilot, is stationed in beautiful Hawaii and deploys to Afghanistan in January. We are proud of him and his service to our country; he has already served a tour in Iraq. We pray for a smooth deployment and fast return to his family in sunny Hawaii!
In this tropical, yet breezy environment, a light, fruit forward moscato would have been delightful on the balcony of our hotel, such as the Batasiolo Moscato d'Asti. The refreshingly crisp Pic Poul would have been an excellent choice as we enjoyed the sunset. Frankly, SkinnyGirl margarita would have been a perfect alternative to the calorie laden island margaritas and mai tais I have been enjoying here on the beach. So, obviously, it is time for me to come home and get back to work!

Mahalo,
Angie Ann

Angie's Corner: Ridge Winery

Angie's Corner

Ridge Winery

2007 Ridge Lytton Springs $24.99

ALOHA!! Palm trees are swaying in front of me, the breeze is perfect. Wish you were here!

Summer is hot and so is this red that I sampled from Sonoma Valley, California. Ridge Winery is one of the longest consecutive producing wineries in California. There are ratings on the Wine Advocate website going back to 1984 on their Zinfandels and 1964 on their flagship Monte Bello Cabernet. The award winning Ridge Winery is also one of the oldest Zin producers in Sonoma Valley. Their pedigree is amongst the top in all of California and they have been trend setters for decades.

I anticipated a deep, thick, steak worthy red. I was happily surprised by how wrong I was.

Typically, you can expect a heavy, dense and super concentrated Zinfandel with deep, extracted fruit. This is not your typical Zinfandel. This Zin is spicy and lighter on the palate with great balance and flavor. Look for hints pepper, leather and red cherry. I paired this spectacular wine with sausages off the grill with onions and peppers. It held its own against the spices in our food.

Choose Ridge Lytton Springs to accompany a candlelight dinner of filet mignon or your backyard cookout. This wine is a fantastic option for your summer meals, whether they be casual or formal. It is a completely versatile choice for your summer wine list.

When May your champagne be filled with bubbles,

Angie Ann Makuch