Budget Vino

The Budget Wino gets a facelift!

The Budget Wino is not the site it was on Friday. Instead, the site has had a facelift of sorts. I got a little tired of the Typepad templates, and decided to take matters into my own hands.

If you're reading this post in an email, go to http://www.budgetwino.com and check out the new site design.

I'm very curious to hear your thoughts. Please leave some comments with your feedback.

Thanks for reading.
The Budget Wino

Fun with a monkey- Blue Monkey '03 Zinfandel

I was in BevMo the other day and was in the mood for an inexpensive Zin. I've never been a big Zin fan, but lately i've found myself a little more interested. In my quest to find a good one, I came across the Blue Monkey '03 offering. My penchance for cool labels took over, and I bought the bottle. I'm glad I did.

The Blue Monkey experience starts with the unique cork. The cork is a blue plastic inscribed with the words- "Let the monkey out EEE EEE EEE." It's a nice little twist on a typically boring part of the wine bottle, and it definitely got me more excited to try the wine. The wine itself was pretty good. It wasn't as great as the Rosenblum I reviewed last week, but it was good nonetheless. The Monkey had a nice balance to it- never overwhelming, and with a pleasant aftertaste. I drank the Monkey on it's own, but I imagine it would go really well with some fried food or barbeque. Given it's unique bottle traits, it would also be a fun wine to bring to a dinner or party.

Recommendation: Definitely buy it

Find reviews with ease

The Budget Wino has added new functionality that makes finding wine reviews quick and easy. On the right side navigation there is a category cloud (depicted below) that contains the names of each type of wine reviewed on this site. Click on the type of wine you're interested in, and you'll quickly have access to all of the reviews done to date. It's a much easier way to read and compare the best and the worst of budget wines.

A fine Zin- Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel

A couple weeks ago I began a new business endeavor with a great team (more info on that to follow in future posts). Last week, we decided to celebrate our first week in our new office with a few Friday afternoon beverages. Our founder brought in a couple bottles of wine for us to share. One of those was Rosenblum Cellars Vintners Cuvee Zinfandel. This wine comes to us by way of Alameda, California. Alameda? Where the hell is Alameda you might ask? Alameda is a little island across the bay from San Francisco. If not for a co-worker being from Alameda, or for the toxic fire I saw burning from its shores on Monday, I would never have been able to find it on a map.

Sufficed to say, expectations were seriously low. I reluctantly poured a glass of this Zinfandel. Shockingly, this wine was really good. For a young red wine, it delivered. I would almost venture to say that it was great. It wasn't too fruity, and it went down smooth. I would definitely encourage you to try this surprisingly good red wine.

Recommendation: Definitely buy it.

Is red wine healthy? Pt. 2

As promised, here is the conclusion to last tuesday's post entitled "Is red wine healthy? Pt. 1". Enjoy and let me know your thoughts. Again, thank you to the Yale- New Haven hospital for giving me the medical justification to keep drinking red wine.

"Which wines should you consume to reap the most benefits?
Researchers at the University of California, at Davis tested a variety of wines to determine which types have the highest concentrations of flavonoids. Their results concluded that the flavonoid favorite is Cabernet Sauvignon, followed closely by Petit Syrah and Pinot Noir. Both Merlots and red zinfandels have fewer flavonoids than their more potent predecessors. White wine had significantly smaller amounts than the red wine varieties. The bottom line is the sweeter the wine, the fewer the flavonoids. Dryer red wines are your best bet for a flavonoid boost.

How much red wine should I drink?
A four-ounce glass of wine is equivalent to one serving. Men will benefit from consuming one to two servings per day. Women should consume only one serving per day to reap the maximum benefits. This is not to say that you should start drinking alcohol if you presently do not. Occasional or binge drinkers have higher mortality rates than those who drink moderately on a regular basis. In those who consume three or more drinks per day, there is an increased risk for elevated serum triglycerides (fat in the bloodstream). Long-term, excessive alcohol consumption can damage nerve cells, the liver and the pancreas. Heavy drinkers are also at risk for malnutrition, as alcohol may substitute for more nutritious foods.

What if I have other health problems?
Recommendations to consume moderate amounts of wine are limited to individuals with a clean bill of health. It is clear that people with medical and social conditions worsened by alcohol should not consume any alcohol at all. Hypertryglyceridemia, pancreatitis, liver disease, uncontrolled hypertension, depression and congestive heart failure are diseases that may be worsened by alcohol. Those individuals at risk for these conditions should consult with their physician before consuming any alcohol at all."

Information in this post is copyright- 2006 by the Yale- New Haven hospital.

This weekend, try this Bogle classic- Bogle 2004 Merlot

A couple months ago I recommended a Bogle white wine. Today, I'm recommending another wine from the Bogle collection. This time, I'd encourage you to grab a bottle of Bogle 2004 Merlot. Its a tasty wine that is worth picking up.

I usually drink this wine with a nice pork chop or chicken breast. I imagine it would also go really well with a steak. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Is red wine healthy? Pt. 1

My father is a doctor. For years now, he's been drinking a glass of red wine nearly everyday. He's encouraged me to do the same. I have probably taken this encouragement a step too far. He tells me to drink a glass, I go ahead and drink a bottle. All that aside, I've always been curious what the actual health benefit is related to red wine. Part of this curiousity is health related, but to be honest, a large part of it is me trying to justify my budget wine habit.

I did a little web search and found a lot of information about red wine healthy benefits. Unfortunately, most of it was provided by unreliable sources. I was feeling a little frustrated, and then I stumbled upon the Yale-New Haven Hospital website. What source could be more credible than a hospital? I can't think of any.

To help you avoid having to jump around the web, I've filtered and pasted some of their knowledge below. It's a lot to take in, so I've decided to break the research into two separate posts. I'll be posting Pt 2. next Tuesday. Keep your eyes peeled for the conclusion, which will include items such as- what wines provide the most benefit? and how much red wine should you drink?

The health justification for drinking red wine- part 1

"Is red wine the fountain of youth or a potent poison? Is enjoying a glass of red wine with dinner each evening beneficial to your health? Current research suggests that a glass of red wine each day may be providing you with more than just a little relaxation.

What are the health benefits of drinking red wine?
For over 10 years, research has indicated that moderate intake of alcohol improves cardiovascular health. In fact, in 1992 Harvard researchers included moderate alcohol consumption as one of the "eight proven ways to reduce coronary heart disease risk." However, research has suggested that specifically red wine is the most beneficial to your heart health. The cardioprotective effect has been attributed to antioxidants present in the skin and seeds of red grapes.

Scientists believe the antioxidants, called flavonoids, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease in three ways:
-by reducing production of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (also know as the "bad" cholesterol)
-by boosting high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
-by reducing blood clotting. Furthermore, consuming a glass of wine along with a meal may favorably influence your lipid profiles following that meal

Recently, researchers have found that moderate red wine consumption may be beneficial to more than just your heart. One study found that the antioxidant resveratrol, which is prevalent in the skin of red grapes, may inhibit tumor development in some cancers. Another study indicated that resveratrol aided in the formation of nerve cells, which experts believe may be helpful in the treatment of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s."

Special thanks to the Yale-New Haven Hospital.

A recommendation?- 3 Blind Moose 2004 Merlot

For this weeks recommendation, I've decided to switch things up a little.

This past weekend, while waiting to head out for my new years celebration, I cracked open a bottle of 3 Blind Moose 2004 Merlot. I had a glass or so as I waited for my friends to arrive. With each sip, I was less and less sure of my opinion. It tasted a little too fruity for a merlot, but I wasn't sure if I liked that about it or not. So this week, instead of recommending this wine, I'm hoping that some of you will go out, buy 3 Blind Moose, and provide me with your opinions. I'm curious to see if you like it, and if together we can come to a final opinion on this one.

Good luck.I'm curious to see what you think.

A sparkling wine too sweet for its own good?- Ballatore Gran Spumante

I hope you had a great new years, and that you had a chance to try one of the two great sparkling wines recommended before the holiday. To kick off the new year, I figured we should start where we left off- with a review of another sparkling wine. Like the previous recommendation, this review is contributed by Jen Benz- sparkling wine lover.

Ballatore Gran Spumante

I stocked up on under-$10 sparklings on a recent trip to BevMo. Seeing a whole wall of less-than-$10-sparking wine does make one a little suspicous of the quality, but I was wooed by the Ballatore Gran Spumante because of its claim to a "Double Gold Medal" at the 2005 California State Faire Wine Competition. Double Gold?!? It must be good! (And, only $7!)

I opened this bottle at a friend's fundraiser brunch, after a bottle of Cava (one of my all-time favorite sparkling wines--look for a future review) was used for my first mimosa of the morning. I only mention the Cava because it may have put the Spumante at a slight disadvantage from the start.

I opened the bottle and it looked nicely bubbly and at first had a pleasant aroma. After pouring a couple glasses and giving it a nice sniff, the wine seemed overly sweet and perfumy -- with quite a flowery aroma. And, it tasted the same. Very very sweet. One fellow taster called it "exceptionally sweet" and I don't think she meant in a good way. The wine does have a nice flavor, but is sweet enough to almost pass as a dessert wine.

What's a girl to do with less-than-perfect sparking wine? Turn it into a mimosa, of course. The Spumante was better with the orange juice but I much prefer a mixture of OJ and dry sparkling wine. This one is just too sweet for my tastes.

Recommendation: Unless you like super sweet, skip it.