Friday, April 13, 2012

#120 - The Skinny on Wine

I like wine. A lot. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy a good craft beer or a good porter from time to time. However, as I get older, I find I am more drawn to the fruit of the grape over beer or hard liquor.

When it comes to wine, I am certainly no expert, but I know what I like. Recently, I had a bottle of something I really liked. Men, you need to be somewhat secure in your manhood to admit you like this particular wine, but I am. And I do.

The wine was the Skinnygirl California Red. The skinny quality comes from the fact that the wine has "just" 100  calories in a five-ounce glass. It is has a bright edge to it, a quality that comes from being a young vintage. The bottle I had was a pre-production 2010 bottle (*), but the 2011 vintage is what is now available on the market.

As I drank it, the Skinnygirl reminded me of a Zinfandel. I have since learned that it is made primarily from Syrah. I like both. In fact, they are probably my favorite red varietals, so it should come as no surprise that I liked the Skinnygirl.

The wine could be described as fruity, I suppose, but it is not sweet, which seems to be the growing trend, even in red wines these days. Nor is it as full or heavy as a Cabernet or even a Merlot. I would definitely drink it again.

Skinnygirl California Red is a little on the pricey side from my vantage point. In our household, wine is a regular accompaniment to meals, as well as a nice beverage to enjoy on a sunny day. It is not something we pull out only on special occasions. That means we look for bargains. Fortunately, we are not wine snobs. I've even enjoyed a few glasses of Charles Shaw. otherwise known as Two-Buck Chuck.

While Skinnygirl makes a very good everyday wine or dinner wine, its price disqualifies it from that status for us. A quick search on the Internet found Skinnygirl California Red for between $13 and $15 a bottle. At that price, it may be a bit out of its league or at least a bit out of mine. If the price comes down to around $10 a bottle, Skinnygirl could be a winner. (There is also a white blend, made primarily from Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio.)

* In the interest of full disclosure, I received my bottle of Skinnygirl California Red as a gift.