Boozy McGuzzles

BOOZE TYPE: Wine
PRICE: $19.99 at Astor (on sale for $16.99)
RATING: A+

First off, let me say hello to all the folks who are coming in via the PC Magazine Top 100 Blogs story. I am glad that you either got all the way to the end of the list of blogs to find my contribution, or that you actually had an interest in the blogs of PC Magazine staffers. Hi! I’m a lush.

Anyway, it’s red wine time! Red red wiiiiine. I’ve been vaguely plotting going out to California again sometime soon, so I picked up a Sonoma wine tonight. The Seghesio Zinfandel has such a powerful aroma that I can smell it strongly while the glass is sitting three feet behind me on my dresser. Up directly under the nose, it’s a serious powerhouse of heavy, spicy red scents.

And the taste? This is one of the few wines that has made me immediately say “Wow!” after the first sip. This really knocks my socks off. It gives an immediate strong hit of flavor, sweet and fruity on the tip of the tongue, spicy throughout, and with a bit of smokiness on the finish. Goddamn, this is making me really wish I had a bigass steak to go with this wine right now. This just begs to go with meat.

Okay, that’s it, it’s time to book a flight out to California. And keep drinking this wine, which–no exaggeration here–gives me shivers down my back. And will probably lay me out on my back, due to the 15.2% alcohol content. For a $20 wine? Just outstanding. Words won’t really do it justice… this one, you need to try.

BUY IT AGAIN?: Oh, mama, yes.

BOOZE TYPE: Wine
PRICE: $14.99 at Astor Center
RATING: A+

I first had Cline wine when I went on my whirlwind (okay, less whirlwind and more drunken tumbleweed) tour of Sonoma with my dearest friends Martha and Stephen. It was the last stop on our visit, and most of the reason was specifically to buy this wine, which is Stephen’s father’s favorite wine in the whole wide world, or so I’m told.

I’m pretty sure I had some of this that day, but it was the end of a day of many sips and pours, so I can hardly remember. The ‘ancient vines’ in the name means that the wine is made from what you would call in the food whore circles, heirloom grapes. I’ve had another of the Cline ancient vines wines, in that case a carignane (mmm, I loves me some carignane), and I tell ya, those old grapes make for some tasty stuff.

This zinfandel (and let me tell you, before my last trip to California, I did not know zinfandel outside of that godawful pink stuff my stepmother drinks) is delightful; I can see why Stephen’s dad, who is a gentleman of refined taste, would love it. The aroma is very rich… my first thought was leather when I was swirling it around, and then cinnamon, and eventually some berry and chocolate. The taste doesn’t have much of the tannic problem that often turns me off of red wine—instead it’s just rich on the tongue and all the way down.

If this wine were a man, it would be one of them dudes in pornographic Japanese manga. Like, a good one, with the broad shoulders and strong jawline and well-cut suits, not the kind that rapes you and makes you like it. I have definitely had wines that have raped me and made me like it, though. Those are mostly whites, though, I think.

BUY IT AGAIN: Yes, though the price makes me want to save it for special occasions.