Bodegas El Nido

I had to blog about the wine that I would have to call the best I ever tasted. I had the opportunity to try this in an upscale tasting and both my wife and I just melted as we sipped this jewel. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and old vine Mourvedre from Spain. It has a tremendous nose and a finish that lasts long after you swallow. The price point is high enough, $140+, we will not be financially able to enjoy it as much as we would like (all the time).

If you get the chance, try it. If your taste for wine is similar to my wife's and I you will be asking for that cigarette after you finish. It has been several months since we tried it. Maybe it is time to revisit it just to make sure it is still our favorite! :-)

Missouri Wineries

My wife and I had the opportunity to visit 3 different wineries on our trip to Branson, MO to attend a family reunion. Missouri is not known for big bold reds, however they due have a native grape called Norton that tends to be dry. Norton is not a wine you should run buy until you have had a chance to try it. It will only be liked by folks that like a certain style, like me. They tend to have more middle of the road table wines, sweet wines, and fruit wines. They also do a good job with the Vignoles grape, a hybrid of the Viognier.

The first winery was St James Winery. St James, named after the town it is in, has a long lineup of wines from dry to sweet. Nothing they make is expensive or classified as high-end wine. Their niche is every day table wine. I have been enjoying their wine for years. They have multiple wines in the $6-$10 range that are really quite good. A couple of examples are; Friendship School Red, Country White, and Cynthiana.

The second winery we stopped at was in Branson itself, Stone Hill Winery. In order to taste their wines you are encouraged to do a winery tour. The tour was their try to make it entertaining, after all we were in Branson. They tended to take to everyone as if they were in Kindergarten. At first I didn't care for it, but after a while it did get amusing. The tasting was not so enjoyable because we with a group that did not enjoy wine as much as we did. They tend to have similar wine as St James but the prices were a little more. Nice place to visit.

Our third stop, Mount Pleasant Winery, was definitely a step up in quality and price. Their wines were good but we didn't think they were worth the price. Many of their wines were in the $30+. I would never turn them down but I will probably not be buying them for myself.

We ended up buying wine from St James but not the other two.

Argentina Wines

Attended a wine tasting of 90+ pts Argentine wines on 8-2-2008. I was impressed with the quality and complexity of the reds. Argentine wines are a nice step up from the fruitier sweeter wines new wines drinkers tend to prefer. They are still reasonably priced and offer some complexity for those wanting to progress their pallet. A tremendous value. The wines we tried are:

Susana Balbo Rose 2007 - 100% Malbec rose. This was a good rose.
Susana Balbo Torrontes 2007 - 100% torrontes. Tremendous nose on this one. Great wine with spicy foods, like Thai. Finish has a little acidity.
La Posta Cocina Red Wine 2006 - 60% Malbec with some Syrah and Bonarda. Buttery nose. One of my favorites in this tasting. Good complexity and finish. Only $14.99.
Susana Balbo Syrah-Bonarda 2005 - A good wine but it followed a better wine.
Susana Balbo Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - Violets on the nose, very floral. Tasting good but it will smooth out with some age. Me, I would drink it now. My wife would let it age some first.
La Posta Malbec Palucci Vinyard 2006 - A typical Malbec from Argentine. 35-40 year old vines.
Tikai Patriota 2006 - 92 pts. 60% Bonarda 40% Malbec. What can I say but WOW! Price point is higher than all the previous wines, $25.99. It also tastes like it is a step up in class. This one will age for several years and still be wonderful.

What a great wine tasting. If you get a chance to try these wines and you like reds, don't hesitate. Yummy!!

Shaker Run

Shaker Run is one of the highest rated public courses in OHIO. It is built through nature, not a housing development like so many other courses. It is beautiful scenery and nature at its best. There is a large lake behind the clubhouse that comes into play on several holes. The last hole on the two original nines requires a drive over the lake. Both holes then follow the lake to the green. One goes left, the other right. The course will test all your skills. It is very popular in this area. It also is part of the eagle pass, see my previous post Crooked
Tree.

I've heard stories of golfers seeing a diver in the water, gathering up all the many balls that fall short. Imagine that, a golf ball that finds water. Shaker has three nine hole courses. The original two are Lakeside and Woodlands. The newer nine is called Meadows and is not near as popular as the original 18. The intent is for them to build homes in the Meadows. They recently built three swimming pools close to the large clubhouse. The clubhouse is great for parties, weddings, receptions, and the like. I played the original 18 on July 27, 2008. There was a wedding reception going in the clubhouse as we made the turn.

Shaker Run

Deer Run Country Club

Had the pleasure to play Deer Run on July 20, 2008. This course is another one of the 4 eagle pass courses, see previous blog. Deer Run used to be a private Country Club but has now become semi-private. It is open to the public after 11:00 on the weekends. Deer Run is a fun course to play and in great shape. It is a par 70 with tight fairways and lot's of elevation changes. There are drivable par 4s and par 5s that are three shot holes. Hitting the ball straight is a must. Length is not so important. Local knowledge goes a long way. The second and third time you play this course will be much easier. Knowing how far to hit and where to aim is a plus.

If you get hungry at the turn, they have awesome cheeseburgers.

Deer Run Country Club

Crooked Tree

Played Crooked Tree in Mason OH on July 13, 2008. Course has a lot of trees and tight lined fairways. Lots of opportunities to lose some golf balls. If you can hit it straight, you can score. It is part of a program called the eagle pass. For $90 you can get 4 rounds of golf. One round at Waldon Ponds, Crooked Tree, Shaker Run, and Deer Run (private course). Hole 18 is a very interesting par 5. Not long, but crooked, and crosses two creeks.

Crooked Tree

Aberdeen Barn

If you find yourself hungry for a good Prime Rib in Charlottesville, VA, I would recommend Aberdeen Barn. They have been around for a long time and serve it up in style. Go hungry cause the portions are large. I had perhaps the best prime rib I ever had when I was there on July 5, 2008. It is located on the north side of bypass 250 at the 29 exit.

Aberdeen Barn

Jean Farris Winery & Bistro

Stopped at Jean Farris Winery & Bistro on the way home from our weekend trip, July 6, 2008. They have a wonderful lineup of wines. The reds have some character to them that you would not expect from this part of the country. The last time I visited I really liked the Syrah. They were out of it this time, I wonder why :-). The Cabernet Sauvignon was tasting especially good this time. They also had several whites and a rose that were tasting good.

We also stayed for dinner in the Bistro. We liked the food. Menu is not large but everything we tried was excellent. A true diamond, in what seems like, in the middle of nowhere. Hope they can stay in business. We will be back.

Jean Farris Winery & Bistro

Virginia Wineries

My wife and I visited several wineries over the 4th of July weekend in Charlottesville area of Virginia. I did not realize how many wineries there are in Virginia. Two grapes that seem to grow well in the region are Viognier and Cabernet Franc. I was surprised to hear Viognier grew well there since it is typically labeled as a hard grape to grow. I think all the wineries we stopped at had both varietals.

The growing season in Virginia is shorter than Napa and other more popular regions. The short growing season means that there were no big bold reds. They need time to develop. The Cab Franc was different than expected. It was not the dusty earthy type, like some other areas. It was more fruity and not as dry.

One of our favorite wineries we stopped at was Sugarleaf. Sugarleaf is a fairly new winery, but their wines were all good. All 6 of them. The Viognier was exceptional, which made my wife happy. It is her favorite white.

Rockbridge Vineyard
Afton Mountains Vineyard
Jefferson Vineyards
First Colony Winery
Sugarleaf Vineyards

Shenandoah Golf Club

I played Shenandoah on July 5th, 2008. http://www.shenandoah-crossing.com/accommodations_amenities.html. This course was located inside the resort we stayed at, so it was very convenient. It seemed like my wife and I had the course to ourselves, they were not busy. I played it from the tips, only 6,454 yards. A straight tee shot is a must. I got lucky multiple times because I found my ball in the trees. Most holes were tree lined and crooked. The course is a little on the costly side, $50 with cart on weekend.

A pleasure to play. I look forward to playing it again. The grass and character reminded me of Myrtle Beach style courses. Can't wait to visit there in October.

Grandview Country Club

Grandview is a golf course just off of interstate 64 in Beaver, WV. http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=1219756. Great value considering there is not a lot of competition close by, $31 with cart on weekend. I played it from the tips, 6,834 yards, on July 4th, 2008 with my wife. Course is fairly wide open, but it does have water on several holes. I thought the slope rating of 132 was a little high. You must hit decent lengths off the tee to score.

Hole 8 has a overlook area where you can see for miles. Hole 15 is perhaps the most beautiful hole I've seen. A par three with a 75 foot drop from the middle tees. Landscape will take your breath away. The view from the rest of the course is typical for an average course from anywhere.