Chill Out With The Little Penguin Summer White

Ahhh, Memorial Day weekend. The sun, the summer house, the cookouts......the road rage. Here at Drink The Good Stuff we are fairly certain you will need a revitalizing drink whenever you get where you are going this weekend. Put away the Sangria mix and the blenders because we have an easy summer refresher for you.

The Australian wine label, Little Penguin, has produced a limited edition "summer blend" of Chardonnay and Riesling that is perfect for those lazy, hazy days by the pool. And it's under $10 so drink up. We are not saying that this is any white wine for pontificating over but, please people, every wine has a time and a place. The summer white is light, refreshing and very fruity with lots of apple and pear. Just chill it and chill out. Whether you are in the Hamptons, on the Cape, or simply out on your fire escape, this Aussie white will cool you down, and taste pretty good in the process.


Cheers to the long weekend!

The Big Cheese

Just a quick post to let you in on a little (not quite secret) tip. Vinogirl met up with a good friend at Artisanal Restaurant in NYC last night, a glorified French bistro known for their massive cheese selection. It was an annual get together for our husband's November birthdays and, although certainly aware of the occasion, I didn’t mention any such thing when I made the reservation. In fact, I went the no hassle route and used Open Table.

As the hostess showed us to our table, we passed by families with young children and a bachelorette bash (the veil clued us in), all of us holding our breath in hopes that we would not be seated near either party. When we were led in to the cheese cave, a small private room where you are literally surrounded by wheels of cheese, everyone looked at me as if I had planned it. I hadn’t, as you know, but was certainly ready to take credit after they kept insisting that I must have done something. While someday I hope that the mere mention of my name will send people running to accommodate ('the best of the best, vino girl is here!') that is certainly not the case today.

The cheese cave was a great surprise and an even better place to dine with friends on a special occasion. The bistro is loud and you can actually have a conversation in there. If you have a small party (the cave seats up to 5 people) it is worth requesting. You normally have to call in advance to request the room but it just so happens that the party that had it "reserved" decided to sit near the windows. Too pungent perhaps?!

While you are not required to order cheese when seated in the cheese cave, it's hard to resist. We ordered a 6-cheese plate and paired it with the 2004 Domaine Terlato & Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier from Austalia. The winery is a joint venture between Anthony Terlato of Napa winemaking fame and Michael Chapoutier of Rhone renown. Although we overpaid for it (Artisanal's wine list is notoriously overpriced) it was a beautifully silky wine with lots of fresh ripe fruit and spice. My first remark was "I hope you like bacon in your wine" and we all agreed that it was in there, along with a dash of smoke. You can find it for around $20 at retail ( I hesitate to tell you that we paid about $56) and I would recommend it for something different with plenty of personality. A "best buy" for sure!

Ok, so it wasn't a short post. I think all that wine and cheese went to my head!

Make this the Fall & Winter of Content

I have a predilection for expensive wine. There, I said it. Of course, as you all know by now, ‘expensive’ does not always lead to greatness so my statement is a bit flawed. Let’s not get caught up in semantics. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have tasted enough wine to know that there are in fact some 1st growth Bordeaux’s, Montrachets, Napa cult wines and Barolos that really do justify their high prices. I also know that I cannot afford to drink these iconic wines on a daily basis (or weekly, or monthly...) nor would I allow myself to crack open a 1986 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Montrachet on your average Tuesday night.

Given this predicament, I, along with the wine monkey, have been on the lookout for some good, easy drinking “Tuesday night wines” to have around our humble homes. One of the great finds of late has been the Hill of Content Grenache/Shiraz from South Australia. The wine is part of the Australian Premium Wine Collection, a selection of wines compiled by Aussie wine lover John Larchet.

In addition to assembling a list of his favorite Australian wines, Larchet now produces wine under a few of his own labels, one of which is Hill of Content. I have tried a few of the wines under the Hill of Content label (he produces a Chardonnay, a Cab and a Pinot Noir among others) but the Grenache/Shiraz (75% / 25% give or take) is definitely the way to go. This unassuming little screw cap wine is a crowd pleaser to be sure -- and that includes anyone in the crowd with a fondness for the finer things in life.

For an under $15 wine the Hill of Content Grenache/Shiraz has a lot of red fruit and spice character as well as a silky consistency and nice balance. The fruit in the current release 2003 is sweet and clean and the milk chocolate and vanilla notes give it considerable depth. Although this is an easy drinker, it is not one of those wines that people just throw back without noticing. I will bet you a bottle of 1986 Domaine de la Romaine Conti Montrachet that people will ask you what it is and where you got it.

Okay, kidding, but you get my point.