I started a grand adventure of wine tasting about a year ago. I would like to share one of my favorites! It is called Ghost Pines red blend 2010. It is a red wine that has a unique taste because it is a mix of different grapes used for other styles of wine from around the nor cal area. I am still a new wine-o but, from what I do know, this wine is great with a few dishes: brie cheese, olives, and berry desserts. Of course, you can buy this wine at Safeway. 😀  According to the winemakers website:

“Description:
         Our 2010 Ghost Pines Red Blend has a dark purple color that alludes to the intense blueberry, licorice and cracked pepper aromas that are framed by hints of toast and cocoa
         powder. Flavors of syrupy black cherry, blackberry and blueberry and brown spice meld with velvety tannins, creating a rich mouth feel and a long, plush finish.”  
        
My favorite part is that it is local! These grapes are not from some crazy overseas land that I can’t pronounce. LOL Again from their website: 

 “Viticulture Notes:
         The grapes for our 2010 Red Blend were selected from a variety of our renowned vineyards in Sonoma, Napa and San Joaquin counties. We looked to Lodi vineyards for our dark,
         intensely flavored Petite Sirah grapes. The red volcanic soils of the Monte Rosso Vineyard in Sonoma Valley provided portions of the Petite Sirah and Zinfandel and the sun-drenched
         vineyards of Napa County gave us our structured Cabernet Sauvignon and plush Merlot. Some small amounts of Petit Verdot and Syrah were selected from Sonoma County vineyards.
         The 2010 vintage was one of the coolest on record, allowing the grapes to mature at a slow pace, which translated nicely to intense flavor and tannin development while retaining
         excellent natural acidity.”  

I really like wine and coffee because both take such art to make and one year is different from the other because each growing season is slightly different. There is a real moment of unity with the different taste and the environmental elements that I believe few people take time to appreciate.

Stop and smell the roses or taste the wine!

-girl in pigtails

www.ghostpines.com/red_blend.a