Best and Worst Wines of the Week

Boy, did I drink some wine this week. Between Christmas and the funeral activities we pulled some corks and tossed back quite a few glasses among friends and family and I've had more than my share of Excedrin mornings as a result. Well, my hangover pain works to your benefit with the return after a one week hiatus of my best and worst wine of the week. Hopefully, you'll find some benefit as you head out for New Year's purchases.

The Best Wine I had this week: 2005 Archetype Old Vine Reserve Shiraz. Barossa Valley, Australia.

Where I drank it: At home with friends.

How much: While it was a gift, I looked it up on Wine.com and they show it at $25.99

Thoughts: This ain't no critter wine. This bottle was shared with me by a friend for the holidays and it was really rich and delicious. It was very concentrated with flavors of blackberry, dark plums, even blueberry and mocha. There is a hint of spice and whiff of oak but there is plenty of structure and fruit to hold it and I would say it is as fine example of subtly layering oak that I've seen in some time. This is a really awesome bottle of wine. Drank great this week but I have imagine is would evolve nicely for another 5 years.

The Olbermann Wine (The Worst Wine of the Week): 2006 The Show Cabernet Sauvignon, California.

Where I drank it: 810 Zone, Leawood, Kansas with fine very nice hamburger and fries.

How much: $7 a glass

Thoughts: While I've been generally familiar with the 3 Thieves I had never tasted this particular wine. The packaging was pretty cool. This wine however was disappointing. I had some Joel Gott wines a little while back that were really awesome so I was actually looking forward to trying it. It is California appellation so and the fruit comes from all over which counter to what the marketing people will tell you it is a good way to keep costs down because the Napa and Sonoma fruit is very pricey. It is pretty bold wine but it sorta angular and it sports dried fruit flavors like dried black cherries. It is jammy in the nose I guess but it is uninspiring and doesn't have the richness I like to see from Cab. The sweet vanilla makes me think they decided to hit it with a big dose of American Oak staves. You can find much better Cabernet for even less money. So even while the wine isn't offensive at all I couldn't help but find my mind thinking of all the other, better Cabs I'd rather be drinking for the same or less money. That's kinda like being on a date and thinking about all the other girls you'd rather be having dinner with right then. Probably not too promising of a future as a couple.....eh? This would be a good wine for Keith Olbermann to drink.

You know half the fun each week is drinking the wine, the other half is looking for the picture to put up top. Vaya Con Dios.

Anyway, raise a glass to someone you think is kinda neat and have a Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading the blog.