Its been a while, gas prices are up and wine prices too.

Its been forever since I posted last.  Work has been busy and I have had some occasional travel to the beautiful pacific northwest.  Thankfully things are starting to hit a happy medium again.   The boys and Cameron are all well and since it is lent I gave up Scotch again, so back to wine and beer I guess.

I was surprised to read a last month that Trader Joe's has done the inevitable and raised the price on their flagship Charles Shaw wine from $1.99 to $2.49.  Though I guess it could still be called two buck Chuck, I had abandoned it several years ago when wine quality had plummeted and a bottle gave me more of a headache than any enjoyment.

 
Never fear budget minded wine drinkers, thankfully Big Kahuna is still plugging along at $1.99.  If you hit the right sale you can get it for even less.

Even though the brand has a decidedly American surfer motif, it is actually produced in Spain.  Consequently the Tempranillo, a grape varietal native to Spain is the best of the lineup.  Cameron likes the Cabernet a bit better than some of the mid priced Cabs that we had been drinking so for a weeknight this has become our go to bottle.

If there was one theme in this blog it is the appreciation of wine without pretense.  The Big Kahuna line is the epitome of this.  An introductory price-point wine of good quality where you find out what varietals you generally enjoy, no special tools needed.  The screw cap though lacking in romance is practical and eliminates the need for a corkscrew to open the wine or vacuum pump to preserve the leftovers. Leave the pretense behind and grab a bottle and a couple glasses, for the price you will not be disappointed. 

New Craft Beers Gargoyle IPA

I know that technically this is a wine blog, but man cannot live by wine alone.  There are times that pizza and burgers must be eaten and you have to seek out a good beer.  To be honest F&E has not had a good track record of  putting out a decent house brand beer, which is why they may be putting them by the bathroom.  Pairing with an Indian Wells brewery. this selection is completely different.   I think F&E is finally serious about putting some good beers on the table.

Gargoyle IPA $8

Gargoyle F&E's take on a straight ahead India Pale Ale.  Gargoyle has strong hop notes and a traditional bitter note on the taste almost like a British beer.  Medium gold in color with a crisp slightly citrus finish it is everything I look for in an IPA.   At $8 for a 4 pack its a little pricier than other options but its a fun choice for a poker night provision.

A preview of the 4 new craft beers.  $8 only at F&E.

This is one of 4 new craft style beers that have recently rolled out.  I like the direction that F&E is going with these.  I can't wait to try the others.  Cheers and best wishes for a Happy New Year to you all.

End of Summer Block Party, a Band, the Kiddos and Doon Buggy Wine.

The second week of August marks the end of summer in our area of Long Beach,CA and the Annual Belmont Heights Block Party.  Our friends the Kinneys who live on that street invited us over to join in on the fun.   Courtney is also an occasional F&E blogger but she specializes in cooking and baking featuring F&E products, and makes a mean chili!

Fun in the sun with a good band @ the Block Party.

One of the wines she provided was a wine I was meaning to get to.  Doon Buggy is a 2009 Red Wine Blend priced at $10.  Doon Buggy has a taste profile along the lines of "Menage a Trois Red."  I barely poured my first glass before I had to chase my kiddo who made a break for the bounce house.

Doon Buggy, 2009 Red Blend $10

Considering the venue, this was a good choice, this is a simple wine for a relaxed venue.  Bright ruby in color its a bit on the lush side for my tastes.  The finish was nice and clean considering it was a blend.  All in all this was not my cup of tea but priced two dollars less than the comparable, though more memorably and cheekily named Menage a Trois, I would bring this to a picnic or block party without hesitation.

Promotion Alert for PCH and WineWrights Week of August 8, 2011

I love getting what I want for less than retail so when I see something on promo I will pass along the info.  This week our friends at the F&E have put some of their California Wines on promotion.

The PCH line that typically retails for $8 has been discounted to $6.

PCH Pino Grigio

 The WineWrights line that typically retails for $10 is selling right now for $8.

WineWrights Pino Noir

Stock up before the prices change back, considering the prices I would go for the, WineWrights a better wine for what you would normally pay for its PCH cousin.

Concert in the park enjoying PCH, a few blocks from PCH.

This Thursday evening like all Thursday evenings during the summer was spent in a local park listening to the Long Beach Municipal Band play while we enjoyed a picnic dinner with friends.  The wine of choice this evening was Pacific Coast Highway ("PCH") Pinot Grigio,which is fitting since I live only a block away from the real PCH which inspires this line of wines.  

PCH 2009 Pinot Grigio 

PCH is the big brother if you will to the I Heart California ("IHC") that I reviewed over the weekend and the mid price point wine in the new California wine collection F&E debuted this year.  At $8 this wine is more expensive than its little brother IHC but a much better wine overall.   Like IHC, PCH as you can tell from the name, is a California wine.  The clarity and nose are similar to the IHC though I really get a more subtle smell of the wine during the swirl of the PCH.  The real difference comes into play during the taste, its almost like biting into a summer peach; crisp but sweet. The PCH Pinot is a more complex, and complete wine, I enjoyed the extra layer of flavors that present but not overwhelming, kind of like the dixieland jazz that was wafting through the park this evening...    

The view from our picnic.

Its summer right now I encourage you all to go to local events like a concert in the park and get as many friends and neighbors to attend as well; nothings ever promised to us tomorrow today.   We all tell ourselves to seize the day which I did today.  Listening to music with several hundred neighbors, a picnic with friends, and enjoying a good affordable wine means that today was not a wasted summer afternoon. 

I hope you all enjoy every day of summer.  Cheers!