Cigarzin 2007 Zinfandel and 5 Vegas Gold Maduro The Brick Cigar

Wrapper: Pennsylvania Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan
Size: 5.5 x 55 box-pressed
My Strength Rating: 6

Dryness abounds in this smoking experience. The earthy quality comes across as dry soil and this dominates the profile. There is coffee bean and a dry powdery cocoa note present. The spicy notes are firm with a nice level of white peppercorn to tingle the palate. Besides the dryness the texture it also delivers a semi-smooth yet robust smoking experience. This cigar does need a quality beverage or it could get a little harsh on its own. While this stick is billed as a mild-medium bodied smoke – I give it a 6 on my strength scale because of the texture (the dryness).

I have enjoyed a few of these since I bought a box of them about a month ago. They seem to burn well with little or no correction needed. The ash holds on for an inch or so before you have to remove it. The ash is salt and pepper in color and a little rugged in appearance. I have smoked each one down to the nub with no bitterness to the finish.

I enjoyed this cigar yesterday on the way home from Grindstone City, Michigan. No wife or dogs in the car with me and a three hour drive, what is a man to do? I had it paired with my Bigby Best Coffee which is a medium roast. Tonight, I have it paired with a red wine named CIGARZIN.

The Wine
Cigarzin 2007 Zinfandel
Bottled by: Cosentino Winery, Woodbridge, California, USA.

This 15.4% abv zin has a wonderful bouquet of dark fruits, spice, and mild pepper. The taste follows the nose. Layers of dark fruit: blackberry, cherries, boysenberry, and more. The nice spice mingles with the mushroom-earthy style and the green peppercorn note is just right for me. My Strength Rating: 6. The mouthfeel is smooth and elegant. This Zin leaves a pleasing aftertaste of dark berries on the palate.

Since this wine does not have a big earthy, thick, jammy style it should have a good range to handle most cigars in the mild-medium to medium-full range. Going to the full range, on the cigar, may override the elegant style of this wine.

The Pairing
This cigar brings out the earthy quality in this wine, making the mouthfeel of the wine a little thicker. The dark berries seem a little fuller in the wine during this pairing as well. The wine does control the dryness of this cigar. This is a pretty good pairing. The A Fuente Anejo was the better pairing for this wine (see posting).

Uppercut 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Dark Berry Lamb Chops

Vinted and Bottled by: Uppercut
Sonoma, California, USA
14.2% abv
UppercutWine.com

The description on the bottle sounds wonderful, “…an elegant, dark-fruit character and velvety texture. The rich, expansive flavors abound with lush blackberry, black cherry and cocoa expressions, while hints of caramel and spice from barrel aging linger on the fruit-imbued finish.”

I sure hope this wine lives up to its description.

I am opening this bottle long before dinner to see how it tastes. On the nose there are dark berry fruits with some spice. The taste has a good blackberry and dark cherry taste but, the alcohol gives a bit of a burn. So, this wine needs to be decanted to help it to open up. I am going to let the bottle sit for 20 minutes before decanting and then it should be ready while I cook dinner.

Lamb chops are on the menu for dinner tonight. Here is how I am preparing them. I am using Fustini’s oils and vinegars (Fustinis.com). I coat the baking dish with Chipotle Extra Virgin Olive Oil and then add the chops. I then pour on some Pomegranate Balsamic and Black Currant Balsamic Vinegar. Then I add a ½ teaspoon of Cranberry Juice Concentrate on to each lamb chop with a dusting of white pepper. During the final five minute I will pour a Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce over the chops.

The side is Camargue French Red Rice which has a wonderful aroma and taste that is earthy and nutty. This should be a fine pairing with the lamb.  I will make a bed of this rice on the plate then place the chops on top of the rice.

It is time to start cooking. Let’s check in with the wine first. Oh yes, the alcohol burn is not as noticeable. The nose is now mainly dark berries and the spice has settled. The taste is even better now. The blackberry, currant, and dark cherry profile is yummy, the alcohol burn is gone, and I get that cocoa expression that they described. I am not finding the hint caramel but the spice note is like a green peppercorn and pink peppercorn blend. The texture is lush and rich. The aftertaste carries a lingering black currant, 65% dark chocolate, and a touch of oak. I am sure happy it takes 50 minutes to prepare the rice.

Now it is show time. I sure hope the food taste good now.

The flavor on the lamb chops is just wonderful and the Camargue French Red Rice is the perfect fit for this meal.  As for the wine, I don't think I could have planned any better than this Cabernet.  As this wine opened up there was this great mocha flavor that was just terrific.
This wine is a must buy.  I believe the bottle cost $29.00 at the Fine Wine Source.

Hannah Nicole 2006 Meritage: Wine Review

This wine has the five classic Bordeaux grapes.
35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 15% Petit Verdot, 13% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec.
Hnvwines.com - a good web site to visit

Here is what it says on the bottle, “…fills the mouth with distinct flavors of black cherry, plum and cola. Firm tannins, exhibiting a softness from the Cabernet Franc, hints of mocha and currants, followed by the classic Brentwood Terroir note of cocoa dust the linger on in the finish.”

I purchased this bottle from the Fine Wine Source in Livonia, Michigan for $11.00. This bottle needs some time to open up, so decant for a half an hour. It still seemed a bit thin on the taste.

There are nice notes of dark berries and black currant. While it has the five classic Bordeaux grapes it is still an average Meritage. I did not find the mocha-cocoa notes they describe. The best I could come up with was a light earthy quality. A simple wine overall and nothing that special.

Vision Cellars 2007 Red Wine: Review

The Wine

Vision Cellars 2007 Red Wine
Vinted & Bottled by: Vision Cellars
Rutherford, California, USA
Visioncellars.com

The nose of this wine has a dark berry aroma that is just yummy. And, that yummy nose follows to the taste. This is one delicious wine. A mixture of red and black berries leaning toward the red, just swarm the palate. There is a hint of sweet raspberry with a touch of oak that is oh so tasty. The mouthfeel is very smooth and elegant. If you are a Cabernet Sauvignon fan, pick this up. If you are not – still pick this bottle up because, you will fall in love with this tasty Cab.

In Michigan, the only store you will find it is the Fine Wine Source in Livonia. The store is located on Middlebelt near Six Mile Road. The bottle will run you $39.00 a bottle. Believe me – it is worth every penny and more. It has been a few years since I have had a bottle of Quintessa but, this reminds me of that and it costs around $110.00 a bottle.

Broke Ass Red Wine 2009: Wine Review

This red wine is from Argentina and is a blend of 50% Malbec and 50% of Syrah. The taste is not all that bad. There is a tart blackberry and black currant profile mixing in with a smoky earth quality. The mouthfeel is a little jammy. It is nothing special of course – as it says on the bottle, ‘no frills great value wine.’ While it is only ??? Damn I don’t remember how much I paid – it may have been $8.00, I don’t know if I would call it a great value. Great value has to have the right price and good taste. The taste here is ‘not bad,’ which is not good but not poor either.

Just a fun wine to pick up because of the name and since I just paid for a new roof, two new doors, $1,300 on the car, $400 on doggie vet visits, and bought some new clothes here in the past two weeks – I feel broke! So, the wine is fitting.

Double T 2006 Red Wine: Review

The Wine
Double T 2006
Trefethen Family Vineyards
Napa, California, USA
TREFETHEN.com

Here is what they have on the bottle: “…Cabernet Sauvignon gives depth and structure: Merlot adds a lively spiciness, Cabernet Franc floral fruit, Petit Verdot intense color, and Malbec a silky softness.”

This is my last bottle of this wine. I bought a six pack a couple of years ago and I have to say I have always enjoyed this wine. This wine should be paired with game, steak, filet mignon, lamb, and other hearty fare. This wine is also deserving of a bold cigar as an after dinner treat.

Appearance: Deep purple body with deep ruby edges.
Aroma: Big berry, light spice; it is just terrific with each sip.
Taste: Big bold dark berry profile; the blackberry and black currant notes are thick; good spice and earthy notes to fill the palate; the earthy notes to me seem to include a portabella mushroom and forest floor like quality. The dry soil just adds to the texture of this bold red wine. An undertone of floral comes into play; it is just a hint of violet. The dryness of the mouthfeel along with all these wonderful flavors mingle together and make me think of a rich 87% dark chocolate.
Mouthfeel: The feel is full bodied. The berry profile makes it a little jammy; the earthy qualities coats the tongue. There is a long aftertaste of these two on palate.

Tonight I am going to give this wine an 8 on My Strength Rating Scale. Big bold flavors, jammy mouthfeel, dry texture, earthy notes coat the palate for a long aftertaste.

A Wine Review: Schioppettino 2008 Villa Rubini

Colli Orientali del Friuli

The Fruili district is located on Italy’s Northeastern border. The Schioppettino grape is a thick skinned grape that can have some Syrah-like qualities. This grape is very hard to come by because it has been slowly replaced by Merlot and Tocai grapes.
This wine is aged for 12 months in chestnut casks.
Villarubini.net


Aroma: a mixture of red and black berries with a firm herbal-spice nose.
Appearance: with my glass full it has a deep purple body with some good ruby red edges.
Taste: A good dark berry presences blends well with a hint of floral and a touch of herb and a mixture of peppercorns. To me this is that peppermill that is filled with pink, white, and green peppercorns. I really like the pepper profile in this wine.
The mouthfeel is soft. Look at my description, a touch of this and a hint of that, and the pepper style is that of a soft pepper. It is this peppery style that lingers on the palate and the other tasting notes are on the back of the palate. There is a pleasing herbal dryness.
This is one tasty wine.

Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2006 - Wine Review

This 13% abv Italian Red Dry Wine has a deep ruby color. When I first opened the bottle the alcohol aroma was overpowering. Hoping that nothing was wrong here I set the glass of wine to the side to let it breathe a little. Came back to it in 15 minutes and the alcohol level was relaxing. Swirled the glass awhile and then came back to in a few minutes and the aroma was starting to open up. A light earthy note with some fresh dark berry notes. The tasting notes cover black licorice, red and black currant, and some nice dry herbal spice. The dryness of the mouthfeel makes me think of a strong woody-earthy quality and the tart bite of blackberries. The very thick earthiness just coats the palate for a long lasting jammy aftertaste.

Bogle Petite Sirah 2007



This little wine is bold

 This well price bottle of red wine comes from Graton, California. In Michigan it will cost you around $12.00 for a 750ml bottle. Bogle started their business back in 1978 and the Petite Sirah grape is their bread and butter.

The appearance is a very deep purple wine that just looks so delicious when it is poured into the glass. The aroma has a very good dark berry, plum, and spice profile. If you like blackberries well this is your wine. This wine covers all the tasting range of a blackberry. That sweet berry taste is underneath the bold dark and tart blackberry bit that sits on your palate with each sip.

While the nice spice and oak dance across the tongue the smoky-earthy quality just coats the palate with a thick lasting aftertaste. Between the heavy texture, jammy mouthfeel, big blackberry taste along with some nice spice and a solid oak note, I will have to give this wine a 9 on my strength rating.

This is the first bottle of this wine that I have ever had, but I will be buy more because this is right up my alley. This would be very good with a lamb dinner and/or a quality cigar.

Visit their web site to learn more about this wine and the winery
Boglewinery.com