Angie's Corner: Rum Chata

 

Rum Chata

Horchata Con Ron $21.99

         Typically in Angie's corner, I bring to your attention, unique and interesting products that we sell in Palate that I am enthusiastic about and want to share with you. This week, it is the reverse. We carry a product that our customers are so enthusiastic about, that last week, we sold 5 cases of it in one DAY. We honestly cannot keep Rum Chata, or "Yum" Chata, on the shelves. As soon as our shipments arrive, the supply in Palate has almost entirely dwindled.

         Taking a cue from our happy customers, I took the time this week to investigate what the fuss is all about. I am pleased to report that Rum Chata is a delight! The label states: "Caribbean Rum with Real Dairy Cream." This beverage is creamy with strong flavors of nutmeg, cinnamon and clove. It is surprisingly versatile; as it is appropriate for a beach vacation and perfect for the upcoming holidays. Thick and creamy, you can serve it before dinner, during a cocktail party or after dessert. Or, it can BE dessert. Honestly, this is a crowd pleaser.

       Rum Chata is not designed to take the place of your fine wine at dinner, but it is the perfect pre-dinner or post-dinner drink. Serve it over ice or pour it into your coffee for a holiday inspired hot beverage. Thank you, Palate customers, for giving Angie's Corner a new favorite!

May your champagne be filled with bubbles, 

 Angie Ann     

Angie's Corner: 2005 Keenan Merlot

Angie's Corner

2005 Keenan Merlot

Spring Mountain

With this wine, I am thrilled to be back in the Mayacamas Range of Spring Mountain, high above St. Helena, California. Tucked in the dense fog, you will find another favorite vineyard of mine: Robert Keenan Winery and Vineyard. The rocky soil found on Spring Mountain produces luscious fruit, which translates into rich bodied wines.

Robert Keenan purchased his land in 1974, and inherited a shell of a winery that closed during prohibition. Broken wine casks and crumbling walls was all that was left of the Peter Conradi Winery. In 1977 he was operational and produced his first harvest. He focuses on 3 varietals: Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Look for his label to reflect his eco-friendly move to solar power as, the whole winery will soon draw all its power needs from the sun. "Solar powered and sustainably farmed" indicates his move to alternative power.

The 2005 Keenan Merlot is made from 65% Keenan Estate Merlot, and aged in French and American barrels for 18 months. The result is a graceful, smooth wine with quiet fruit. Look for cherry and blackberry on the nose; coffee, cocoa and some cassis on the finish. Robert Parker stated, "The elegant 2005 Merlot reveals a sweet berry-scented nose with notions of roasted herbs...This medium-bodied, well- balanced, and silky merlot should be consumed over the next 5-8 years."

Having personally enjoyed visiting Keenan Estate, these wines are like old friends. I do recommend purchasing a few bottles of this lovely merlot, because Keenan has changed distributers and we actually don't know when we will be able to get any more of these wines. There are only 2 cases or so left in Palate; you really do not want to miss out! I may have hidden a bottle or two in the back for myself...I did warn you that it is one of my favorite vineyards.... At $29.99 this wine is a great buy.

May your champagne be filled with bubbles,

Angie Ann

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

Angie's Corner: Paul Hobbs CrossBarn

When Stewart handed me my homework for this week's writing assignment, all I could think was, "I always knew I liked that man!" He handed me the Crossbarn by Paul Hobbs, 2008 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and I knew it was going to be a delight.

My prediction was correct. Paul Hobbs has done it again; he has created perfection in a bottle. Rich and I had the pleasure of traveling to Napa Valley and touring Paul Hobb's vineyard. Paul was not present that day, but we spent a few hours with his brother, Matt. We saw the enormous casks where the wines are aged. We toured the property and plucked a few grapes off the vines. We became immersed in the Hobbs history of wine making that took us to Argentina and back. And, finally, we got to enjoy a private wine tasting .I fell in love with Paul Hobbs that day. The wine, that is.

The Crossbarn is fabulous; it is deep purple in the glass and smooth on the palate. It is rich, succulent and perfect right out of the bottle. I absolutely love this wine. It has a deeply creamy texture and has hints of vanilla, leather, plum and cassis. It is perfectly balanced. This is an elegant wine, worthy of your filet mignon anniversary dinner, your birthday celebration and the meal you prepare when the boss comes to dinner. This is a knock out, fantastic, superlative wine.

Crossbarn is named after the the barn that was "nestled in the middle" of the century old family farm in upstate New York. This barn helped create a lifetime of memories for the Hobbs family children, as they spent time investigating and playing in it. Introduce the Crossbarn Cabernet Sauvignon to your dinning celebration. It is certain to become treasured memory.

May your champagne be filled with bubbles,

Angie Ann Makuch

2008 Paul Hobbs CrossBarn Cabernet Napa Valley $37.99

Napa Valley Appellations!

Within the Napa Valley and other well known wine regions, numerous micro-climates and topographies exist that possess distinct and identifiable characteristics in the wines from the grapes grown within them. These delineated boundaries are labeled as Appellations and sub-appellations, or AVAs. The Napa Valley has 15 AVAs... what is your favorite?