I found the 2006 Oxford Landing, South Australia, Viognier, a pleasant summer surprise.

Aromas of musk, white flowers, and hints of apricot and peaches on the nose give way to a refreshing palate of crisp ripe pear and peaches with just enough acidity to balance the fruit.

I don’t know what the classic pairing would be but I suggest that you give this a try with Kelly’s peach-prosciutto salad for a great summer evenig meal.

Given the screwtop, this wine would work well for camping and picnics and as I write this I envision myself and Gloria in an Alpine meadow with good bread, a creamy cambozola cheese and no cares.

Enjoy.

for camping and picnicing.

I was perusing my local liqour store a few weeks ago in anticipation of a boat camping trip and found the Big House wine display. I promptly bought several bottles, all with screw tops, and once camping I realized just how convenient the screw top was, not just for opening, but for saving the unfinished bottle. I have cork screws everywhere, including in our camp utensils, in the boat, in the truck, and several at home, but fumbling around with a corkscrew while reclining in a lounger isn’t always easy at the end of a long hot day at Lake Powell. Afterall, who needs any delays in getting the wine bottle open?

The “Prodigal Son” is a petite syrah from the Paso Robles area full of blackberry and smooth on the finish. Admittedly, Gloria and I like our wine while sitting back watching sunsets and before dinner but the wine would pair nicely with grilled meats, BBQ, and frankly with any red meat or well seasoned poultry.

And the labels are great, both the artwork and the descriptions.

In addition to the “Prodigal Son,” try “The Slammer” and/or the “Big House Red” (a blend of a dizzying array of reds - too many to list here).

I’ll do some short reviews of these other Big House wines in the near future - they’re all good.

When I’m in a hurry at the liqour store or in doubt as to what to get or conscious of my wine budget I most always seem to pick up one or more bottles of the Yellow tail Shiraz.

Gloria and I both drink this wine regularly. I like to have a bottle on hand and we regularly serve it to our friends when they drop by. Everyone always seems to enjoy it. We often take this wine camping. At $5.99/bottle it is a budget pleaser.

This wine has a nice balance of tannins, plenty of fruit, and hints of licorice and berry aromas on the nose. While inexpensive, it is nonetheless “big enough” to stand up to hearty meat dishes, although I regularly drink this wine pre-dinner with bread and cheese. When camping, it is an end of the day wine to be enjoyed while watching the sunset.

This wine is definitely one of my personal best buys and I would encourage you to try this as well as Yellow tail’s other red wines.

A recent “Sips and Tips” on-line article led me to try a Carmanere with its selected pairing of BBQ country style pork chops. The featured Carmanere was good as was the BBQ recipe. I had actually bought three different Carmaneres to try and as it turned out my preference was the Casa Silva.

Then, having noted the hint of chocolate and cinnamon on the palate in this wine, I took the pairing a “big” step forward, at least in my opinion, and paired the Casa Silva with my own mole.

Over time I have been tweaking my years old mole recipe until I’m almost there. I need to find a local store that carries black chilis or chilis negro and then, coupled with a couple of “secret” ingredients, I will share the recipe - but first, I want to try it on Kelly.

The Casa Silva is very smooth. It is a very balanced Carmanere. It is dark in color, plenty of fruit on the nose - a little coffee?, a rounded palate of dark berries with hints of cinnamon and chocolate, a little oak and a soft finish. About $12-$13/bottle.

This wine should pair well with spicy Mexican food, roasted meats and BBQ.

The 2004 Mercury Head cabernet sauvignon from Napa Valley is a delicious full bodied cab evidencing lots of ripe fruit (cherry, berries), subtle oak and outstanding structure.

I served this last night, Valentine’s Day, for Gloria and I to enjoy alongside a grilled lean ribeye and grilled asparagus. The wine was definitely the hit of the meal. It just got better and better as the evening progressed.

I checked the winery’s web site and the 2004 is sold out, so get to your favorite liquor store/wine merchant and pick some up before it too late. I know we will. About $75 - $80.