It’s almost Friday and you are already thinking about your weekend plans and perhaps which wines to purchase. Weekly, I post two recommendations, one white and one red, for your weekend wine choices which are usually under $20 or pair a particular wine with a scrumptious recipe. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to welcome some balmy weather to the snowy, freezing Chicago area where I live. In the meantime, this weekend I’ll light the logs in the fireplace, wrap myself in a thick blanket, pour one (or both) of these well priced wines sent to me as a sample, and dream of going somewhere hot and sunny!
**Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay 2011 – Enjoyed during the holidays, this 100% Chardonnay from the Limari Valley in Chile is so well priced at $12 you’ll want to have several bottles at the ready! The color in the glass was a light lemon yellow. The intense aromas of fresh citrus including apples, pineapples, mangoes, and a hint of sweet vanilla led to tastes of more of the same with a long, savory finish. Serve this a bit chilled and enjoy fireside with pasta, fish, seafood…whatever you like! And, by the way, it’s summer in Chile so dream of watching the sun set on the Pacific!
**Vinarija Dingac Plavac 2010 – I haven’t written about wines from Croatia in months and thought I’d add this fresh, elegant, food friendly red wine as a suggestion for your weekend enjoyment. This may be the perfect choice if you aren’t familiar with Croatian selections. The grape used is Plavac Mali which is considered the “cousin to California Zinfandel”. In the glass, the Plavac was medium purple and the aromas of exotic spices, earth, blueberries, cherries, hay, and even straw were spine tingling (yes!). On the palate, the medium tannins and low acidity blended with flavors of red, dark fruits (think blackberries and plums) with some earth notes. This wine may encourage you to look into traveling to Croatia and basking in the sun on the Adriatic coast with a glass of wine in hand…The cost is around $13.
Cheers to a warm weekend with wonderful wine! ~ Cindy
