Echelon Wine Review

The Winos were recently given an opportunity to review wines from Echelon. One of the things that makes it difficult for people to enjoy wine is the selection process. Too many choices can make it difficult to decide, but Echelon make the selection process simple with a short list of great wines to choose from. 

Their new California Series, which consists of "a compilation of the finest that California has to offer."  There are five varieties in the series:

1. * Pinot Noir
2. * Cabernet Sauvignon
3. * Red Blend
4. * Pinot  
5. * Chardonnay

The grapes are selected from various regions throughout California, a state which is known to produce some of the best wines in the world (and home to the Winos).

While the Winos love all types of wines, we tend to fancy white wines a tad bit more. So we decided to give the Pinot Grigio a try. 

Photo credit: Echelon

Pinot Grigio

Region: Monterey County, CA

Year: 2010

Color: Pale straw

Aroma: Lemony

Alcohol: 12.5%

This is a wine that must be served chilled, otherwise you'll never be able to appreciate the flavor. It's mild fruity notes pair well with a little spice and a lot of savory. Pairing with anything sweet will completely destroy the flavor of the wine (at least that was Middle Sister's experience after trying it with a sugar cookie... big mistake). 

We give the California Series Pinot Grigio:

Echelon Collection Series is bottled in limited quanties:

1. * Pinot Noir
2. * Cabernet Sauvignon
3. * Chardonnay

The grapes in this series are grown in the California appelations, which "consistently receive acclaim for their stellar portrayal of specific varieties." 

In keeping with our white theme here, we decided to taste the Chardonnay, and we couldn't have made a better choice!

Photo credit: Echelon

Chardonnay

Region: Napa Valley, CA

Year: 2010

Color: Straw

Aroma: Honey 

Alcohol: 13.5%

This wine is fabulous! If you close your eyes you can smell every single note. The notes of vanilla and oak really stand out.  Little Sister thought this would be excellent paired with a strawberry fields salad (or any fresh fruit). This wine cleans the palate and delights the senses. 

We give the Collection Series Chardonnay:

This was our first encounter with Echelon and we were very impressed. Definitely a brand for the cellar!

This is not a paid post. We received two bottles of Echelon wine through Clever Girls Collective to fascilitate this review. All views expressed are the opinion of the Winos.

Wino Sangria - Labor Day or Whenever!

Sangria is beloved by winos near and far.  The mix of wine and fruit makes for a delightful, refreshing, taste experience.  Not long ago the Winos got together to make sangria for our Grandma, needless to say SHE LOVED IT!  So much so that we had to bottle her up some for later!

 

Here is a quick sangria recipe that you can make anytime, guaranteed to please all:

    

Wino Sangria

 

1 1/2 cups of Shiraz

1 cup of Sweet Red

1 cup of Concord Grape wine

1/2 cup of Triple Sec

Juice one large orange

Apples

Oranges

Apricots

Strawberries

Limes

 

Slice all fruits in small sections, to add into the sangria and also to garnish the glass as well. Mix all wines and alcohol together in a pitcher.  Squeeze the juice of the orange.  Stir well. 

 

There you have it...wino sangria.  It's that simple!

 

$15 wine: the new normal???

So I came across this article in the Los Angeles Times: $15 wine: the new normal.  It seems that the economy is improving, but there has been an evolution in the wine industry.  While the elite may still afford expensive vino, the rest of us have found that $15 bucks is on the high end of the wine spectrum.  Let's face it -- you don't have to break the bank to be a Wino!  Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with splurging every now and then.  You deserve it from time to time.  But you don't have to go bankrupt to enjoy a good glass of wine.

$15 bucks is a decent price for a bottle, wouldn't you say?  Honestly, we have thoroughly enjoyed bottles for even less than that!  Trader Joe's (our favorite wine buying spot) has a nice selection of wines for under $10...and you know what that means?  You can buy TWO!!!  Believe it or not you can actually save on the price without skimping on the quality.

So before you go out and spend a small fortune on wine, go to your local market and peruse the wine aisle.  Ask other the other winos (you will never be alone on the wine aisle) to recommend a bottle.


FYI: Other winos are always happy to give wine advice -- it's a rule of the club! So go ahead and make some new wino friends!

Wine Fridges - keep it cool

Our dad gave us a wine fridge a little while ago and it's pretty handy.  It keeps the wine at an optimal temperature.  But do you need a wine fridge and if so what should you look for?

If you're a serious wino you might want to invest in a fridge.  Of course if you are really a serious wino, you might have a cellar! LOL  But seriously, if you are a regular wine drinker, a wine fridge might be a smart investment. You can always be sure that you've got a bottle chilled, in case of unexpected guests.

There are many varieties to choose from, but these are the most important things to look for:

• Price - your budget matters most.
• Storage capacity - how many bottles do you plan to store?  Be realistic, you don't want to find yourself buying another one in a few months.
• Energy - make sure you pay attention to the energy consumption.  You don't want to find yourself with a hefty electric bill.
• Features - You might find that many wine fridges are pretty snazzy...digital, thermal, quiet...

Ours is pretty modest, holds 12 bottles, digital temp display, and a handle on the door.  That's it, but it works for us.

I suggest you check out The Wine Enthusiast or Amazon to browse what they have to offer.  Of course you can always go to Target as well, you know the Red store always delivers.

Swill Automatic

We stumbled upon this great deal at travelzoo.com for a wine bar called Swill Automatic. For just $29 you received two $20 wine cards, a cheese platter, and one $10 appetizer ($64 value).

Saturday night, The Winos' and a couple of friends redeemed their vouchers. Located in Los Angeles Downtown Art's District, Swill Automatic, is a great find!  Over 70 wines to choose from and tasting ranging from from $3 to $5 for 2oz (which is half a glass served at a restaurant). The design was really impressive.  The wines are set up so that you insert your wine card, place your glass under the spout, and make your selection and Presto!  It pours right into the glass...pure genius!  With this set up you don't have to feel rushed to taste, you can try as many as you like, and revisit the wines that tickle your fancy.

The cheese platter included a delicious sage cheddar, which was to die for (Big Sis even liked it and that's saying a lot).  Although, the menu was not extensive, it had some tantalizing selections,  including tasty Butternut Squash Ravioli, Garlic Jumbo Shrimp, Bahn Mi Sliders, Salads, and Tamales.  As you can see it's a broad spread!  They even have dessert (which is a must have for Little Sis), three cheesecake varieties: traditional, raspberry, and chocolate.  Did I mention the delicious chocolate chip cookies?  That were given to us gratis!  A wino type of joint, for sure!


Adan - Waiter Extraordinaire!

The staff was really accommodating, we even got a visit from the owner, Josh, who just wanted to make sure we were having a good time. Once it got dark the DJ was spinning oldies on the ones and twos, while cartoons played on the movie screen. The atmosphere was awesome!



Winos' Night Out

Marie & Misaki

Would we go back???  Hell Yes!  How can you not love good wine and great prices? Marie and Misaki (fellow Winos', well actually, just Misaki) had a great time too! Seeing as Misaki is an international Wino who sips vino from abroad, she has exceptional wine taste, that being said, Swill Automatic is legit.

Favorite wines of the night:  

• Blend - Crnko Jarenincan
• Torrontes Aguijon de Abeja 2009

Sutter Home - Good Ol' Faithful!

Unless you have been living under a rock, it's a sure bet that you've heard of Sutter Home.  Situated in the heart of California’s Napa Valley, Sutter Home has been a staple in the wine community since the 1800’s. You can find Sutter Home wines on the shelves of grocery stores around the country (they’re even in Target!).  

Now if you’re a real wino, you have to have wine on hand at all times.  Here at the wino house, we always keep a bottle of Sutter Home Moscato around.  As our granny would say it’s “good ol' faithful.”  You can find it anywhere, it’s reasonably priced, and it tastes great too!  I mean a bottle for $3.99...you can’t beat that with a stick!  Pairs well with light desserts, cheese, or all by it’s lonesome.

If you’re new to the wine game, a little wet behind the ears, or just haven’t found a wine that you can appreciate yet, we recommend you start with a Sutter Home selection.  This way you can try a few different types, without spending a ton of moola. 

Take your pick:

• White Zinfandel
• Chardonnay
• Pinot Grigio
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Merlot
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Chenin Blanc
• White Merlot
• Riesling
• Zinfandel
• Gewurztraminer
• Sweet Red
• Moscato

We encourage you to check out the Sutter Home site. They’ve got a wine club for winos like us and they even have a book club!  That’s right they’ve partnered with Harper Collins to pair books by great authors with wine delights, how cool is that?   This month’s selection is 31 Bond Street by Ellen Horan (in case you’re interested in joining).