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Welcome to the new Wines.com

Welcome! Our new look is finally here! For the last few months, we’ve been very busy remodeling and changing the vision, direction and look of this portal. It’s been awhile coming and I extend my apologies for the inconvenience, staleness and dust you may have seen lately. We hope you enjoy the NEW Wines.com.

A new expanded wine store is coming soon, so you’ll be able to find your favorite wines and discover exciting new wines as well.

In the coming weeks and months, we’re planning to add many interesting new features. Wines.com’s mission is once again what it was when this site was originally conceived, namely to bring inspiration, new ideas and enjoyment to everyone interested in wine.

While wine has become more popular over the last ten years, it can still be an intimidating and confusing subject. At wines.com we working to change that! And we’re not just talking about making wine more accessible and fun, we’re just doing it.

Please join us and add your voice to the conversation. Whether you are a wine expert, experienced collector, a casual wine drinker, or a total newcomer to the huge world of wine, Wines.com hopes to offer you fresh inspiration to enhance your enjoyment of the endless variations of the fruit of the vine.

I’m very interested in what you think of the new look and organization. Please add your comments below, if you have a minute. Thank you for joining us.

Cheers!
Jackie Wilferd
Founder & President
Wines.com

Tags: wine accessibility, wines.com

Posted in: Blog

Robert Craig Affinity 2006 Garners Top Accolades

Above: Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 paired well with the excellent New York Strip last month at top Dallas steakhouse III Forks.

III Forks Steakhouse

17776 Dallas Pkwy

Dallas TX 75287

972-267-1776

In San Francisco they KNOW their Napa Valley Cabernet! Jon Bonné of the San Francisco Chronicle recently called Robert Craig Affinity one of the “Top 10 Napa Valley Cabernets.”

With fruit from the Mount George area east of the city of Napa, the winery’s Left Bank-style blend, with a bit of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot in the mix, outperforms for the price. A clean, pure Cabernet nose: graphite, cassis, hints of dried citrus peel to brighten things. Polished and sleek, with a lingering sweetness to the finish.

- Jon Bonné, Wine Editor, April 12, 2009

Ask any Texas and they’ll tell you that the best town for steak and steakhouses is DALLAS. Does anything go better with steak than Napa Valley Cabernet? The Dallas Morning News recently gave Robert Craig Affinity a GOLD MEDAL.

Opaque black ruby color, cassis, vanilla and cedar aromas with dense and intense black currant flavors and grainy tannins. Bold, balanced elegance.

- 2009 Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, April 2009

If it’s good enough for top wine writer, world-class wine competition judge, and founder of Wine Reviews Online Michael Franz, then it’s good enough for us!

91/100 Points. This producer consistently turns out delicious renditions of Cabernet that are at once impressive and user-friendly. The impressive side of this equation is expressed in the form of concentrated fruit and flavors that show admirable depth and persistence. The user-friendly side stems from restrained oak and ripe, fine-grained tannin. The fruit is sweet and ripe but not chunky or obvious, and accent notes of cocoa powder and spices accent the core of black cherry and blackberry fruit.

—Michael Franz

Tags: Dallas Morning News, discount wine, III Forks, III Forks Steakhouse, Jon Bonné, Michael Franza, Robert Craig Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, wine recommendation, wine sale, wines.com

Posted in: Blog

For Sauvignon Blanc Lovers

Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most popular white wines made from green-skinned grapes, which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. It is now widely cultivated in France, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, California, and South America, producing a crisp, dry, and refreshing white varietal wine. Depending on the climate, the flavor ranges from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical. It is usually consumed young since it doesn’t particularly benefit from aging. Sauvignon Blanc should be served slightly chilled and pairs with fish or cheese, particularly Chevre. Also, it is one of the few wines that go well with sushi.

For those Sauvignon Blanc Lovers, here are my wine recommendations:

1) Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - This lush and inviting Sauvignon Blanc combines a rich, creamy mouthfeel with bright acidity and a long, refreshing finish. The aroma brings together appealing elements of Meyer lemon, grapefruit, orange blossom and peach nectar, with hints of honeysuckle and graham crackers. On the palate, tropical flavors of pineapple and mango are complemented by layers of citrus, peach and ginger spice. (On sale at Wines.com for $28.41 a bottle and $321.46 per case with free shipping).

2) Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - Fragrant and complex, with a refreshing burst of lime, guava, grapefruit and grass flavors. Wet stone, passion fruit and oyster shell accents add interest, with bright acidity highlighting the vivid finish. An outstanding Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. (On sale at Wines.com for $15.89 and $187.78 with free shipping).

3) Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2007 - Winemaker Mike Dobrovic, is known as South Africa’s‘ Mr Sauvignon Blanc’, and for good reason. The flavour of this internationally renowned wine is a beautiful balance between cool and ripe, pale straw with a green tinge. The 2001 Sauvignon Blanc has massive fruit content, being packed with guava, lemon and passion fruit – yet maintaining its complex character of grassiness and nettle. (On sale at Wines.com for $19.99 a bottle and $227.46 per case with free shipping).

Tags: discount wine, Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Sauvignon Blanc, tasting notes, white wine recommendation, wine sale, wines.com

Posted in: Blog

Frank Family Zinfandel Napa Valley 2006

Frank Family Zinfandel Napa Valley 2006 - Brilliant crimson color. Aromas of black pie, dried cherries, pink peppercorns and a hint of lily of the valley. Richness emerges as layers of juicy raspberry, spiced pluot compote, and sweet smoky BBQ sauce are exposed. Lavish and round; loaded with ripe briar berries and stone fruit, finishes deep and rich. 91% Zinfandel, 6% Petite Sirah, 3% Syrah, 15 months maturation in 35% new french oak and 65% once and twice filled french oak barrels. A big wine with 15% alcohol which is beautifully integrated into the wine of berries and spice. Try with roasted pork loin stuffed with your favorite fruit–blackberries? Or a huge all-meat pizza. (review by Denman Moody)

- On sale at Wines.com for $34.69 a bottle and $349 per case with free shipping.

Tags: Frank Family Zinfandel Napa Valley 2006, red wine recommendation, wine sale, wines.com

Posted in: Blog

Patz & Hall Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007

Patz & Hall Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007 – The 2007 vintage of Patz & Hall’s Napa Valley Chardonnay is certainly the most favorable to me than the higher end Zio Tony or Hyde Vineyard (which are still awesome), simply because of access and price point. The combination of fruit sourced from Carneros and Atlas Peak, which leads me on by taunting my taste buds with citrus fruit and spice with a hint of grandma’s applie pie finishing out with a clean texture and finesse. A luscious Chardonnay with great persistence and harmony of flavors. Doesn’t get much better. Pairs with grilled red snapper topped with fresh crabmeat.

- On sale at Wines.com for $32.99 a bottle and $388.00 per case with free shipping.

Tags: Patz and Hall Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007, white wine recommendation, wines.com

Posted in: Blog

Recommendations For Shiraz and Syrah Lovers

What comes to mind when you think about Shiraz? A dark powerful wine filled with a tannic burst of fruit, vanilla, and pepper. Recent DNA testing determined that it’s likely a genetic ancestor of the Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche grapes, thick dark skinned grapes rarely used in wines today. Eventually Syrah developed in the Northern Rhone Valley nurturing on the granite based soils, resistant to the climate of the Burgundy region in France and used as the key ingredient in delicious blends such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Hermitage.

Also, there is a theory out there that syrah originated in Shiraz, Iran where they produced Shirazi wine. By the mid 1840′s Syrah made its way to Australia and quickly dominated with its thick skin thriving in the sun. Today, the prominent Shiraz regions remain the Rhone Valley, Southern Australia and some smaller production areas globally.

For those Syrah lovers, here are some recommendations:

1) 2005 Septima Syrah from Argentina, Mendoza – Dark chocolate mocha, a hair of mint, and notes of earth and leather lining the mouth with velvet tannins and a full body finish. At $12.99, it’s a big wine that will certainly make you wish you bought a case.

2) Peter Lehmann’s Clancy’s from Australia, Barossa Valley – A variety of dark fruits is proffered with black cherry and plum predominating. The spice palate is shot through with everything from allspice to white pepper. For $15.99, it really over-delivers at it’s modest price point.

3) 2006 Groom Barossa Valley Shiraz by Daryl Groom, the former winemaker for Pensfold Grange – Nice fruit forward wine with hints of anise, peppers, blackberries and a touch of vanilla. For $34.99 this is one of the best Australian Shiraz we have tasted in years.

Tags: 2005 Septima Syrah, 2006 Groom Barossa Valley Shiraz, Argentina, Australia, Mendoza, Peter Lehmann's Clancy's, Rhone Valley, Shirazi wine, syrah, wines.com

Posted in: Blog