Wine Life - Houston

My husband and I shared this bottle of 2008 Lapostolle Clos Apalta at home the other evening over a grilled steak dinner; if this bottle is indicative of the typical quality, it is easy to see why it is consistently so highly rated. In the glass, the wine was a deep, almost black, ruby color with fresh aromas and flavors of ripe mixed red and black fruit with sage-herbal undertones and spicy notes. Perfectly balanced, well-structured with a silky mouthfeel and long finish, an exceptional wine. Highly recommended! We purchased a few bottles of this and I am looking forward to seeing how it evolves. The blend for this bottling is 73% Carmenere, 17% Cab Sauv and 10% Merlot.  It was purchased at The Tasting Room-Uptown for approximately $100. Related post: 2008 Lapostolle Cabernet

I opened this bottle of Rodney Strong Chalk Hill Chardonnay 2009 to serve with the grilled shrimp and creamy pasta that we were having for dinner.  In the glass, it was a medium lemon yellow color with aromas of grapefruit, under ripe pineapple and light oak. Nicely balanced with medium to medium+ body, acidity, alcohol and flavor intensity. Flavors mirrored the aromas in the medium length finish. Recommended, another nice wine at a nice price! Purchased at HEB for about $12.

     I was not very familiar with Peju Province Winery until the Taste Napa Valley Wine Tasting last year where I had the opportunity to talk with owner, Herta Behensky Peju. In between tasting her five fantastic offerings, we talked about family, gardening, organics and going green-all of which is an important part of how this winery is run.      Since the majority of their wines are sold directly through their Rutherford tasting room, I was surprised to find the 2005 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon at my local HEB grocery store which I purchased for about $45. It was a deep garnet color in the glass with pronounced aromas of dark berries, cocoa powder and a touch of cigar. Rich flavors of mixed ripe berries, chocolate and baking spices were balanced by soft ripe tannins, medium+ acidity and a comfortable 14.1% abv. The finish was deliciously long. Highly recommended!