It's not a word, but it's a fine wine

I find it very distressing while working my part time job at the LCBO to stock shelves with items I've not tasted.  I really dislike when my customers ask for my opinion on a wine, and I am only able to relay information I've read or learned from others.  For this reason (and being honest, a few other reasons as well) I try to taste as many of the offerings on the shelves as I can.  I am privy to many samples which helps build my portfolio, but I also venture to try new wines by bringing them home whenever I can.  This is exactly what I did recently when heading over to our friends' house for a mid-week business meeting/wine drinking party.

There are a few wines that have really piqued my interest lately based on what I've read and what customers and colleagues have said.  The two big ones are Apothic Red and Cupcake Red Velvet.  The darn Cupcake keeps selling out before I can get my hands on it, so you'll have to wait for a review on that one.  But here are my thoughts on the other.

Apothic Red, California, $16.00

This is a lovely blend of primarily Syrah, Zinfandel and Merlot, 3 grapes where I feel California wines shine.  If was big and full, with robust spicy notes and it's just slightly off-dry, making it a great match (in my opinion) for spicy sausage or steak with chimichurri sauce.  This wine had a distinct plum jammy flavour with a nice heavy mouth feel.  I really enjoyed it and especially liked that it was a departure from the traditional California Cabernet.  I am looking forward to enjoying this wine again soon when it warms up enough to BBQ a little more regularly.





Until we drink again,

Cheers!

Off the beaten path...

Sometimes I just don't have time to make a separate trip for wine.  I know, I know, there should always be time, but every now and then I'm in a grocery store with one of those little wine corners, and it just seems so convenient to grab a bottle or two without having to hit the LCBO.  In the interest of keeping my job, let's suffice it to say that I buy about 95% of my wine at the LCBO, not just because I work there, but because of the selection.  There's really nothing like wandering all those aisles, looking at all the glorious bottles that are just screaming out for me to drink them.  But I digress.

There is one of these little wine shops in my local Metro, and they have a VERY limited selection.  I pretty much always end up spending $13 on a bottle of Jackson-Triggs Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon/Cabernet Franc because I think that's about the best option available.  I have recently, however, been impressed with two other offerings from this location.

The first I received as a gift, and look forward to tasting again:

Inniskillin East West Series Merlot-Cabernet 2009 (Wine Rack, $17.95)

Inniskillin has estates both in Niagara and in the Okanagan (B.C.).  In an interesting twist, they have blended wines from the two properties to create this new series.  This particular blend is aromatic and complex, and would do well to sit for a year or two more.  I found it a little tart (think cranberries), something that can be assisted with age or thorough aeration (when I serve this again, I will decant it for some time before serving).  Overall a nice product, although there are many others I would choose ahead of this one at this price point.

Jackson-Triggs Proprietors' Selection Malbec-Merlot (Wine Rack, $17.95/1500ML)

I talk a lot about Trapiche's Astica Merlot-Malbec from Argentina as one of the great value wines that I pretty much always have on hand.  I was excited when I saw this blend from Jackson-Triggs.  This is an elegant value wine, with good structure and full body.  It lacks the overall luxurious mouth feel that I get from the Astica blend, and since it's the white label, one doesn't know exactly where these grapes are grown, but it will definitely be something I can grab at the grocery store and know that I'll be serving a wine that can hold it's own.

Have you found any great wines at the little wine shops in your local grocery store?  I'm always willing to try something new... let me know in the comments if there is something you think I should try.

Until we drink again,
Cheers!

Long time, no drink

Well the title might be a big lie... I have been doing lots of drinking, but haven't been blogging.  My apologies.  Apparently this whole stay-at-home-mom gig is more time consuming than I had planned haha.

This week in London, Ontario temperatures have been in the 12-17 degree range.  This means that it's basically spring, and that gets me in the mood for refreshing, easy drinking beverages.  I have recently stepped rather far out of my usual wine profile and have discovered a rather healthy (or perhaps not so healthy) appreciation for a
grape called Muscat.  The Italian version is referred to as Moscato, and that has been the popular choice of name for this grape even when it doesn't hail from the boot.  These are usually white wines, quite sweet, with varying levels of effervescence.

Talking about sweeter wines, we should talk about the sugar scale.  I may have touched on it previously when covering coolers, but since all coolers are some level of sweet, I think it's important to understand what it means in wine.  Your typical robust red wines (Cabs, Merlots, etc) are 2 or under, which means dry.  Wines in the 3-6 range would be considered medium, while anything 7 or over would be deemed sweet.  My palette disagrees somewhat in that I think anything over 4 is very sweet, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Here are the 4 Moscatos I have tried and what I think of them.

Emeri Pink Moscato, Australia, $14.95
Sugar Content 6

This was our special New Year's Eve bubbly.  It is a sparkling Moscato with delicate, fizzy bubbles and tastes of sweet berries.  With the 6 sugar code, I actually expected this to taste sweeter, but perhaps the bubbles helped to reduce the sugar's potency.  I'm not sure this is one I'll go back to, but if I were to serve it with food, it would be with a fruit and custard tart.



Barefoot Moscato, California, $9.95
Sugar Content 6

This wine was served to me at one of the meetings of my amateur winemakers club as our welcome cocktail.  I haven't tried many of Barefoot's offerings because I have the impression that they are very commercial based on their very large production of young, fruity, inexpensive wines.  I would say that this Moscato was true to my assumption.  While the sugar code is the same as the sparkling wine above, it had a far sweeter taste in my mouth and was a little too heavy in my opinion.  I need a sweet drink to feel light, and this just felt like I was going to get a headache due to it's syrupy quality.



Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Moscato, California, $11.95
Sugar Content 5

My husband and I took a little getaway to Muskoka and this was one of the wines we brought.  We opened the bottle next to the campfire one evening, and while I wouldn't say that that was the ideal condition for drinking this wine, it was very enjoyable.  Not as thickly sweet as the Barefoot, it was lighter and quite easy drinking.  My husband said it was like drinking juice, in a very good way.  An LCBO customer recently told me that it's great with pie, a recommendation that I'm absolutely going to have to decide on for myself.  Bring on peach pie season.



Botter Puglia Moscato, Italy, $9.95 (8 Bonus Airmiles until March 31, 2012)
Sugar Content 5

This wine is just quite lovely.  It's not sparkling per sé, but it does offer a slight fizz that is very enjoyable and makes the sweet, melony flavours dance around your mouth.  I have a feeling that this is going to be my hot summer day drink of choice this summer.  You want to chill it very thoroughly, and the screw cap is a nice feature.  Although you may lose some of the the bubbly features of the wine, it means that it's a little easier to throw back in the fridge and enjoy again the next day, if there's any left, of course.

So there is my Moscato review... I hope that you give one or more of them a try, even if you think you don't like this type of wine.  You may surprise yourself.  And if you really don't like it, I know someone with an empty glass.

Until we drink again,

Cheers!

Red wine slump

With the fall weather rapidly rearing it's chilly head, I have been feeling like settling in with a delicious glass of red wine.  To this end, I have been tasting a variety of new wines in the hopes of finding a treasure.  I guess they say you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince, and I have been doing a whole lot of frog kissing.  None of the wines have been "bad" per sé, just generally underwhelming.

We recently had a friend over for dinner, and I was very excited to bring out what I thought were going to be big guns:  2  well-reputed and popular reds.

Irony Cabernet Sauvignon

I found it a little ironic that this wine is so popular, and so talked about, and so very, very underwhelming in my glass.  It's a nice wine, well balanced and bearing the traditional Napa Valley dark fruit flavours, but for all the talk, and the $20 price point, I was just expecting a little more complexity.

Perrin Les Cornuds Vinsobres 2009

This is Rhone blend of Syrah and Grenache also lacked the complexity that I have so adored in other $15-ish  blends from this region in France.  This particular offering just fell a little flat when I was expecting it to impress.

Masi Campofiorin

This is the wine my guest brought, and it was far and away the most interesting and enjoyable wine of the evening.  It has a complex structure featuring strong yet smooth tannins and a spicy, full fruit flavour.  It made me think of spicy fruit crumble... quite delightful.

Until we drink again... cheers!

Here's the skinny

Do you like margaritas?  I'm not talking about the syrupy, sickly sweet, slurpee-consistency concoctions typically offered, but good, old fashioned tequlia, Cointreau (Triple Sec) and lime juice?  Don't always have time to do the lime juice squeezing?  A totally reasonable pre-mixed margarita awaits.... Introducing Skinny Girl.

Brought to us by Bethenny Frankel of Real Housewives and Apprentice fame, Skinny Girl brings a delicious, authentic, and calorie conscious version of this favourite cocktail.  At 100 calories for a 4oz serving, this is probably the smartest pre-mix out there, and not sweet at all.  I recommend drinking this ice, ice cold, and since I like my margaritas quite strong, next time I will add a splash of tequila to my glass.

Until we drink again,
Cheers!

I'm back in the mood for red

I have found with the unbelievably scorching temperatures lately that I have been in the mood only for cold drinks, so I have really been exploring coolers and white wines, not to mention more than a few Cubatas (although I have been substituting the lime juice for lime vodka since I'm crazy like that).  The other day, however, I was really in the mood for that luxurious, soft feeling that only a nice red wine gives me.  I've been wanting to taste a Carmenère for a while now, and since I am apparently incapable of leaving work empty handed, I had a bottle just waiting for me to taste.

While originally a French varietal, your bottle of Carmenère is much more likely to come from Chile.  Often mistaken for Merlot, this grape thrives in the Chilean climate where the hot season allows for a full ripening.  It seems that for a long while what was thought to be Merlot in Chile was actually Carmenère... most likely since it wasn't a popular varietal that would sell.

I look forward to trying more examples of this fascinating fruit, but here is the one I tried:

PKNT Carmenère provided a great first impression.  Almost black in the glass, it boasted spicy notes of black pepper and a nice coffee essence with round, smooth cherry character.  We drank this with steak, however next time I would serve this with something spicy as the relative full body would really compliment some jalapeno heat.  I'm thinking a mixed grill with jalapeno chimi churri or spicy avacado salsa.  http://www.tasteofcuba.com/cubata.html

Peaceful Pelee

We were invited by some very kind friends to spend an overnight on Pelee Island.  It was an experience I will never forget, and I strongly suggest that everyone make a visit to both the winery on the mainland, and to the pavilion on the island itself.  The island is magical and I can't wait to go back.

 

I tasted a very large number of their wines.  For now, I'm only going to comment on the wines that are available for purchase at the LCBO since that's what most of us have access to, and to be honest, if you have the opportunity to visit the winery, I highly suggest you taste the wines that are only available there for yourself.

Pelee Island wines are simple, affordable and unpretentious.  I go back to them time and time again for their reliability and uncomplicated characteristics.  Having said that, I go back to the same ones time after time, so this opportunity allowed me to taste many wines I may not have otherwise tasted.

 

I commented in one of my first posts that Pelee Island's Gamay Noir Zweigelt (VQA) is one of my first recommendations to someone just entering the wonderful world of wine, someone who says they don't like red wine, or someone who gets headaches from tannic reds.  This is a very versatile wine that never disappoints.

 

We were greeted at the winery with a glass of Secco sparkling wine, Pelee Island Winery's answer to the increasingly popular Italian Prosecco.  I loved that it was just slightly off dry with nice, full bubbles, and brimming with the lemony-apple notes one would expect from Pinot Blanc.  A definite winner, and with a $16-ish price point, my current bubbly of choice. 

 

Following a tour of the facility, we were treated to the winery's premium Alvar label's Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (VQA).  This was a very enjoyable beverage with supple citrus and tropical fruit flavours and a refreshing, light finish.  I sometimes don't enjoy the high acidity and minerality of Sauvignon Blanc, and the blend, in this case 80% Semillon and 20% Sauv. Blanc, really helped to round out the sharp edges making this very appealing to me.  This wine has officially made the list of a white summer sipper, something I have been struggling to find!

 

We sampled the award winning Lighthouse Riesling (VQA), which is just off-dry with a sugar code of 2.  In the land of off-dry Rieslings, this was a skilled competitor, unfortunately just not my speed.  I would absolutely recommend this to someone who prefers a rounder profile than is typically offered by a dry Riesling.  This would also be a good match, in my opinion, for lightly spiced seafood.

I will point out that there was a LOT of tasting going on, so my thoughts on the following wines are a little less eloquent and more of a general thumbs up or down.

Pelee Pink (VQA): The first rosé I can remember actually enjoying.  A very deep pink in colour, with luscious notes of strawberries and raspberries with just a hint of sweetness.  Another one I will enjoy by itself by the pool, or with salads of light greens, berries and soft cheese.

Pinot Noir (VQA): While inherently drinkable, this wine lacked most of the characteristics I expect from a typical Pinot Noir.  While bright and fruit-forward as one would expect, I was disappointed with the lack of herbaceous, peaty undertones that I associate with this grape. 

Blanc de Blanc (VQA): It was HOT the day we were on Pelee Island.  Crazy hot.  Even after the sun went down.  This was one of the most refreshing wines to grace my glass that evening.  It is super affordable ($9.95) and with a sugar code of 1, just a very slightly off-dry blend of Vidal (65%), Riesling (25%) and Geishenheim (10%).  I will keep this on hand to drink on its own, as well as to serve with light chicken and fish.

Eco Trail Red (VQA): If you think you don't like Baco Noir, I highly recommend you try this blend of Baco (40%), Chambourcin (40%) and Cabernet Franc (20%).  This wine introduces itself with light, jammy essences of cherries and plums, and finishes with smooth cranberry and smoky leather notes.  It paired spectacularly with the pork schnitzel we were served alfresco.  

Pinot Grigio (VQA):  This was not my fav.  I'm not sure exactly what it was that didn't strike my fancy about this particular offering, but in researching the wine I have learned that it is blended with 15% Chardonnay, which I think lent somewhat to my confusion.  

I am very excited to have found not only a couple whites that I really enjoy, but also a rosé!  I plan to continue my love affair with Pelee Island wines, and am confident that every wine drinker can be dazzled by at least one of their creations.

Until we drink again, cheers!

It's beginning to feel a lot like... SUMMER!

I can't seem to stop drinking coolers.  I'm concerned that my job at the LCBO is causing me to "sample" more than I normally would.  I see all the interesting products come across the counter and I just can't seem to resist.  I will say that I seem to strike out more often than I get on base when it comes to these sweet temptations, but it is fun to learn, and I feel it my duty to take one for the team now and then, just to be able to report my findings to you fine people.

Palm Bay

Pineapple-Mandarin-Orange Spritz

These coolers come 6 pack of pop-sized cans.  If you're concerned (like I was) that the sugar is going to blow your head off, you can typically find some singles in one of the baskets of loose coolers at your nearest LCBO.  These tend to be quite popular with the UWO set, and this particular flavour tastes quite a lot like Fresca, but with much more sugar.  Not my bag, I don't think I managed to finish the can.

Palm Bay

Strawberry Pineapple

I could smell the sugar as soon as I popped open the can.  While the flavour is one of natural strawberry, the sugar made my teeth instantly feel fuzzy, and I'm scared about what my dentist is going to say on my next visit.  This is another better left for those with much more of a sweet tooth than mine.

Palm Bay

Key Lime Cherry 

Uh oh, we have a winner.  While it contains just as much sugar as the others, I found the predominant lime flavour in this beverage to be very refreshing.  This is a great poolside sipper, I just have to remember that it's not a can of pop when I have little ones to keep an eye on.  While I know we are having a hard time keeping this flavour on the shelves in my store, I definitely recommend this one!

Black Fly

Vodka Blueberry

Black Fly is becoming an old faithful of mine.  Another great, not unnecessarily sweet treat, that tastes a lot like real blueberries with a hint of pure vodka essence.  The only issue we've found is that because they are not too sweet and only just faintly carbonated, they go down like juice and could be dangerous.  Dangerously delicious, that is.

Mike's

Hard Blueberry Lemonade

I think I mentioned in my last blog post that I'm not really a fan of Mike's, and this particular offering is no exception.  The blueberry flavour was anything but natural, and while the acidity of the lemonade was far less abrasive that the other lemonade, I still would not choose to drink any more than the one ounce sample I tasted.

Mike's 

Hard Pink Lemonade

This is probably my favourite (call it the best of the worst) Mike's variety.  The lemon flavour seems to be a little on the mild side which I found refreshing.  Considering the other lemon coolers on the market I am unlikely to purchase this variety, but it didn't offend.  I enjoyed the somewhat creamy sensation the combination of the light pink lemonade flavour and the carbonation provided.

Bassano

Lemon Sanguinelli

These guys really know what they're doing.  The carbonation is perfectly crémant, with a very light and refreshing lemon/citrus flavour profile.  There is no other lemon flavoured beverage I can compare this to... it's in a class all it's own.  I have a new house cooler... now how to decide if my next drink should be the lemon or the raspberry!

Woody's

Refresher

I decided to buy a 4 pack of assorted Woody's coolers since there are a lot of flavours and they are pretty popular.  While I will describe each one, I can give a resounding thumbs down to all the Woody's beverages. With all the other choices available, I found these ones to be very abrasive in sugar and rather inaccurate in their flavour profiles.
The refresher is bright pink, and I was expecting a cream soda flavour, but it was more like Red Bull, which I don't care for in the slightest.  Granted, I have only tasted Red Bull once and it was quite a few years ago, but I can't think of anything else that tasted like this cooler.

Woody's

99 Raspberry

Not bad, but again the fruit flavour was unnatural... I would take a Bassano Raspberry over this any day.

Woody's

Sasparilla

Tastes like root beer with a bitter finish.  I actually really enjoyed the first few sips, but then it seemed to just taste more and more bitter.

Woody's

Mexican Lime

The best of the bunch, but once again, the Black Fly Tequila Margarita is so much more enjoyable with less sugar and a more authentic flavour that I wouldn't choose this again.

We have been tasting a lot of beer around here lately, so stay tuned for those reviews, along with some warm weather whites!

A change will do you good...

I have been having a hard time posting of late because I was keeping a secret.  It was hard to blog about one of my favourite subjects and keep my secret, so I stopped for a bit.  But due to some pretty big changes in my life, I don't have to keep my secret anymore.

I have recently started at job at the LCBO!!!

When I had my second baby I really wanted to be a stay at home mom, but it just wasn't in the cards for us.  I tried really hard to find a part time job that would lend to my household's finances and allow me to leave my full time job, but again, it wasn't meant to be.  Then, just as I'd essentially stopped the job search (and had returned to work full time at the end of my maternity leave), I stumbled upon an opening for a French speaking LCBO employee!  I have been hired at the largest store in town, with the largest, most beautiful Vintages section (I'll pause here to wipe the drool off my chin).

I'm actually getting paid to touch all those beautiful bottles, to learn about producers, and to recommend products to curious customers.  This is basically my Graceland.  I'm a happy camper.

I have been juggling my full time job with this new part time one, and my family... but no more.  My full time job is being moved to another city at the end of the summer, so as stressful as it is on our financial security, I am going to be able to be home with my kids and work in what is pretty much my dream job.

So... I have a lot of tasting notes to share and will do so right away.

I have been on a cooler kick lately.  I think it has to do with the warmer weather and the fact that I'm just not all that into cold wine as a stand alone beverage.  With all the uncertainty swirling around my head lately, and my general proximity to the booze, I have been consuming a fair bit more than normal lately.  I consider it job training, though, so no worries.  Here are my thoughts:

Bassano Hard Soda

Raspberry Pomelo

This was a delight to drink and I can't wait to go back for more.  4 330ml bottles retail for $9.95 and until the 18th you can earn 5 bonus airmiles, which I am using as my reason to stock up.  The clear beverage has a light and refreshing natural raspberry flavour, and it is not too sweet, at least on the scale of cooler sweetness.

Black Fly 

Tequila Margarita

Another winner.  This is the most authentic I think a bottled Margarita could be, far more tart than sweet.  I did find the liquid a little viscous and thus preferred it over ice.  4 400ml bottles usually retails for $10.95 and is currently on sale for $1 off.  Geesh, better add more of these to my shopping list.  I have enjoyed the cranberry-blueberry coolers but did find them a little too sweet, but I have a 4-pack of the new vodka blueberry coolers in my fridge tonight just waiting to be consumed during game seven.

Vex

Bananatini

I couldn't resist the electric yellow in the bottle and it tasted pretty much as I thought it would... like a sugar coated, carbonated banana popsicle.  I enjoyed it well enough, but don't think I can stand another sugar headache like that and will likely not be partaking again.  

Vex on the beach.

Not. Good.  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but all I can really convey is the blinding sugar content.  It claims to taste of orange, cranberry, peach and coconut.  I can not corroborate these allegations.  I suppose if you really enjoy brutally sweet, synthetic fruit-like flavours, this could be enjoyable.  I think there are still 4 of the original 6 in the back of my fridge if you'd like to find out.

Smirnoff 

Blueberry & Lemonade

I tend to avoid lemon-based coolers because I have found them to be way too sweet and to provide me with instant heartburn.  Smirnoff's Blueberry & Lemonade was a pleasant surprise, with no acid-related ill effects.  The light and relatively natural fruit flavours are quite refreshing and made me wish they came in quantities of more than 4.  I also sampled the cranberry lime flavour, and while it was only one ounce, was equally enjoyable.  

Bacardi

Classic Mojito

This isn't so much a cooler as a pre-mixed cocktail.  It tasted good, but not really like a mojito.  I would buy it again in the interest of not having to do all the muddling labour to make a real mojito, but would want to bump up the flavour a little with some fresh mint or a little real lime juice squeezed in.

Smirnoff

Lime Daiquiri

Not my speed.  It was quite sweet and I think it might have been more palatable served over crushed ice.  I found the combination of the sugar and the lime to almost irritate my throat.  

Jack Daniels & Lemonade / Jack Daniels & Cola / Bacardi Superior & Cola

Love these.  Pre-mixed and sold in 4 packs or individually.  Sometimes I just want a mixed drink, but I just don't have time to stop for booze AND mix, so this takes care of them both.  They taste exactly like I had mixed the drinks myself and are just SO convenient.

So there you have it.  It's not officially summer yet, and I have made some pretty good progress on the available coolers/pre-mixes.  I'm going to do my best to get through a few white wines over the coming week and do a little comparison.

Until we drink again, Cheers!

The moment of truth

You’ve been invited to a dinner party, or are having some friends over for some fun and you need the right wine (ok, let’s be honest, wineS) to make the event complete.  If this situation causes you to break out in a cold, overwhelmed sweat, have no fear, Amie and her purple teeth are here!

I spend a fair bit of time perusing wine shelves and in my travels I have witnessed many a furrowed brow as a poor unsuspecting person attempts to navigate the many countries, grapes, vintages and regions available.  Trying to decide which bottle to choose seems like an impossible task as all the descriptors swirl together into a complicated vortex of information that, without hours upon hours of study, makes little or no sense to the average beverage consumer. 

How does one select one, two or even a dozen bottles from the hundreds of choices on the shelves?  I have a few tricks up my sleeve to help you along your path to savoury enlightenment.

Let me start by saying that I put zero stock in the cute labels that some marketing masterminds use to lure consumers into a false sense of security.  While it may be nice to look at a brightly coloured label with some catchy pun, I often find these highly commercialized wines to blend into the crowd and offer very little to wow my palate.  I should say though, that I have found a few very entertaining wines in these amusing packages, so I don’t allow a cute label to completely turn me away.  I guess I’m trying to say that just like in books, we shouldn’t judge a wine by its label.  Aside from cute graphics, bright colours or trendy names, labels can offer quite a wealth of information that might help you determine if a particular wine meets your needs.  Many countries list the type of grape, so if you are looking for a dry white wine to serve with delicate fish, you might look for a dry Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc, whereas if you’re serving roast beef, you might be more inclined to reach for a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.  Labels often cite vintage, region, alcohol content, sweetness, and more often than not the back label notes flavour characteristics and potential food matches. 

I highly suggest you make use of the expertise of the staff at your local store.  I don’t know what kind of training the staff at smaller retailers undergo, but the LCBO staff are at minimum educated about general wine information and have the opportunity to taste many of the products sold, making them a great resource.  Even as someone who spends more time reading about wine than about anything else, I still enjoy trying a bottle recommended by an LCBO employee as a way of trying to branch out of my comfort zone and I have yet to be disappointed.

There are many resources if you want to read up on wines to decide ahead of walking into a store.  I’d like to think that this blog could serve such a purpose, as does the LCBO website, Vintages magazine, Vines Magazine, Food & Drink Magazine, and any number of wine books and guides available for sale or at your local library.  Always ask around as well... see what your friends are drinking and give it a try!

Onto my review...

This past weekend I needed to grab a bottle of wine to take over to my Mom & Dad’s place to go with my Mom’s homemade pizza, and I happened to be in Metro so I stopped at the wine rack there.  I tend to get a little frustrated with the limited offerings in the little kiosks, but I was short on time, so I went with a bottle of Naked Grape Shiraz Malbec.  This is a highly commercial wine that I would compare more to Welches grape juice than to the wines I usually choose... it was very light and fruity, lacking any real varietal character but was a very easy drinker with a smooth finish.  I guess mediocre wine is better than no wine at all, but next time I’ll pass on the Naked Grape.  For less than the $10 I spent on that bottle, I would prefer a more satisfying beverage, such as my reliable Astica Malbec/Merlot.