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Monthly Archives: March 2015

Arsenic & Poor Taste

Hello Friends,

I come to you on a rather serious matter. Last Thursday it was reported that many of the beloved cheap wine brands have high levels of inorganic arsenic. I have featured several of these brands on this website. In addition, if you live in a state where alcohol is sold in Trader Joes (I do not..I might be bitter), many of the TJ brands were affected. There is currently a lawsuit regarding this matter but, to be safe, I would avoid the brands I have listed below.

Since I care about all of you, the wines reported to have high inorganic arsenic are listed below (source). For every wine that I love, there is gif portraying my honest reaction to this knew. I was literally yelling “Oh why god!” in my apartment. I am not joking, I was yelling.

1. Acronym’s GR8RW Red Blend 2011
2. Almaden’s Heritage White Zinfandel
3. Almaden’s Heritage Moscato
4. Almaden’s Heritage White Zinfandel
5. Almaden’s Heritage Chardonnay
6. Almaden’s Mountain Burgundy
7. Almaden’s Mountain Rhine
8. Almaden’s Mountain Chablis
9. Arrow Creek’s Coastal Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
10. Bandit’s Pinot Grigio
11. Bandit’s Chardonnay
12. Bandit’s Cabernet Sauvignon
13. Bay Bridge’s Chardonnay
14. Beringer’s White Merlot 2011
15. Beringer’s White Zinfandel 2011
16. Beringer’s Red Moscato
17. Beringer’s Refreshingly Sweet Moscato
18. Charles Shaw White Zinfandel 2012
19. Colores del Sol’s Malbec 2010
20. Glen Ellen by Concannon’s Glen Ellen Reserve Pinot Grigio 2012
21. Concannon’s Selected Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011
22. Glen Ellen by Concannon’s Glen Ellen Reserve Merlot 2010
23. Cook’s Spumante
24. Corbett Canyon’s Pinot Grigio
25. Corbett Canyon’s Cabernet Sauvignon
26. Cupcake’s Malbec 2011

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27. Fetzer’s Moscato 2010
28. Fetzer’s Pinot Grigio 2011
29. Fish Eye Pinot Grigio 2012

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30. Flipflop’s Pinot Grigio 2012
31. Flipflop’s Moscato
32. Flipflop’s Cabernet Sauvignon
33. Foxhorn’s White Zinfandel
34. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Grenache
35. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Zinfandel
36. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Merlot
37. Franzia’s Vintner Select Burgundy
38. Hawkstone’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
39. HRM Rex Goliath’s Moscato
40. Korbel’s Sweet Rose Sparkling Wine
41. Korbel’s Extra Dry Sparkling Wine
42. Menage a Trois’ Pinot Grigio 2011
43. Menage a Trois’ Moscato 2010
44. Menage a Trois’ White Blend 2011
45. Menage a Trois’ Chardonnay 2011
46. Menage a Trois’ Rose 2011
47. Menage a Trois’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
48. Menage a Trois’ California Red Wine 2011
49. Mogen David’s Concord
50. Mogen David’s Blackberry Wine
51. Oak Leaf’s White Zinfandel
52. Pomelo’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011
53. R Collection by Raymond’s Chardonnay 2012
54. Richards Wild Irish Rose’s Red Wine
55. Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc 2012
56. Simply Naked’s Moscato 2011

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57. Smoking Loon’s Viognier 2011

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58. Sutter Home’s Sauvignon Blanc 2010
59. Sutter Home’s Gewurztraminer 2011
60. Sutter Home’s Pink Moscato
61. Sutter Home’s Pinot Grigio 2011
62. Sutter Home’s Moscato
63. Sutter Home’s Chenin Blanc 2011
64. Sutter Home’s Sweet Red 2010
65. Sutter Home’s Riesling 2011
66. Sutter Home’s White Merlot 2011
67. Sutter Home’s Merlot 2011
68. Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel 2011
69. Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel 2012
70. Sutter Home’s Zinfandel 2010
71. Trapiche’s Malbec 2012
72. Tribuno’s Sweet Vermouth
73. Vendange’s Merlot
74. Vendange’s White Zinfandel
75. Wine Cube’s Moscato
76. Wine Cube’s Pink Moscato 2011
77. Wine Cube’s Pinot Grigio 2011
78. Wine Cube’s Pinot Grigio
79. Wine Cube’s Chardonnay 2011

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80. Wine Cube’s Chardonnay
81. Wine Cube’s Red Sangria
82. Wine Cube’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011
83. Wine Cube’s Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2011

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Goodbye all my sweet, sweet friends. PLEASE fix this issue because I would rather not die from wine.

Pinot Noir, Shooting Star, Let’s All Go to the Candy bar

Pinot Noir, Shooting Star, Let’s All Go to the Candy bar

Hey friends. How are you? It has been awhile, but I am writing this post because I am putting off going to gym.

Before we get started let me set the mood:

This pairing isn’t even for Pinot Noir, but I couldn’t resist posting this great video from the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. If you haven’t seen this show, you should know it includes a scene that defines my entire life:

Today we have a special Texas themed post. I went to Austin to visit my friend Lauren and we went to a Texas candy shop called Lammes and had some Texas wine.

The cutest candy store ever, no?

The cutest candy store ever, no?

The Candy: Lammes Taffy Kisses (Cinnamon, Peppermint, Molasses, Spearmint, Peanut Butter)

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The Wine: Fall Creek Vineyard 2015, Merlot

Some Cat with your Wine?

Some Cat with your Wine?

The Dream:

I chose the taffy because I knew I wanted a red wine. Taffy and white wine could be a bit too tricky since taffy is so sticky. You may recall I have featured taffy before on this blog: here, here, here, and very recently here. I have learned you often want something to be able to wash that taffy out. I chose Merlot because the Fall Creek brand was recommended and we don’t include enough Merlot on this website.

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The Reality:

The wine is nice and simple with a mild flavor. There is a slight tanginess which is followed by a burst of sweetness on the tongue. Yum.

Let’s break this down by flavor:

  • Cinnamon: The cinnamon goes fairly well with this wine but the spiciness of the cinnamon numbs the tongue a tad. The wine is never thrown. This was the best pair of the selection.
  • Molasses: This pairing is not good at all. I didn’t even write that many notes besides “not great” which usually means it is very bad.
  • Spearmint: These flavors clashed and created an overall odd experience. The wine was thrown by the mint which is pretty typical.
  • Peanut butter: The nuttiness battles with the wine’s sweetness. The taffy is too nutty to be enjoyable with the wine.
  • Peppermint: Oh, this was very bad. It was way more minty than spearmint and the wine hardly came through.

I want to note that I actually didn’t note carefully the taffy flavors Lammes was serving. I bought a mix and just interpreted the flavors while I was eating them. This isn’t science ok? I am not taking that many notes.

Overall, cinnamon was the clear winner here! A fun time for all nonetheless. Thank you to Texas, Lauren, Lammes, and Specs!

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