Wine Budget

As the New Year is almost upon us, corporate America is doing their budgets and forecasting for the next fiscal year. The same can be said for many individuals in this tough economic time. No salary increase again this year? We can only wait and see.

This brings me to the question of wine budgeting for the year. How many people actually budget for wine? Do you have an amount set aside for purchases in 2010? Is it just going to be "shooting from the hip" and buy it when the spirit moves you, or when you find a deal?

I have some personal goals for the year as far as wine purchases fit into my budget. I want to buy the 2000 vintage of Penfolds Grange to share with my son when he is older, and 2000 is his birth year. It will set me back around $200 or so, but to me it is worth it.

I understand that the concept of budgeting for wine may be an odd one, but I ask the questions:

1. Do you budget for wine?
2. What percentage of your income to you set aside?
3. What is the high-end amount you will spend on one bottle?

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

2007 Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Villages

A glass of red wine.  This is what I needed on Sunday night to wind down from a long weekend.  I am sure you have been there before, just a simple glass to relax.  Yes, a glass of red wine is what I needed.. 

I went to the cellar, looked around for something not too big, afterall it was Sunday night.  I found a bottle of  2007 Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Villages.  This would be perfect.

The bottle was opened and set off to the side to unwind as I completed a task or two.  After about a half an hour a glass was poured and I sat down to relax.

It had a great cherry nose and flavor, not too strong, balanced with hints of pepper spice.

The body was medium, the attack was suttle and the finish was crisp.

This wine is about $12.00 a bottle, perfect for an everyday wine when you just want a glass to relax with.

Enjoy.

The Coppola Wine Tasting & Movie Event

The Francis Ford Coppola Winery held a wine tasting event on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 at the Rosebud Cinema and Drafthouse. It was sponsored by Rays Wine and Spirits in Wauwatosa, WI.

The event featured 25 wines for sample, appetizers from Juniper 61 & The Godfather playing on the big screen. The movie played with just the soundtrack playing, no dialogue to consume your attention or distract from the tasting.

I focused my tasting effort on red wine, targeting a few specific wines of interest. There was really no need to waste time on a Rose', I was not going to purchase one in this lifetime.

The wine of the tasting in my opinion was the Zinfandel "Edizione Pennino" Napa Valley. I had sampled a few other wines prior to this and a few after, but this was the wine I will remember from the tasting.

The Edizione Pennino Zinfandel pays tribute to Francis Ford Coppola's maternal grandfather, Francesco Pennino. Born in Italy, Francesco emigrated to the United States as a young man and started a music publishing and import company known as "Edizione Pennino." The company's logo depicted two images: the last view of Francesco's homeland, the Bay of Naples, and his first view of America, the Statue of Liberty. Francis Ford Coppola took the design in its original form and used it to identify the estate Zinfandel which, like Francesco Pennino's journey, is the grape most identified with the Italian influence on the California wine industry. To add to the nostalgia, each vintage bottling has one of Pennino's song titles imprinted on the cork.

Color: Deep purple, Ink.

Nose: Completely in your face, rich blackberry-cranberry-pepper spice.

Structure: A complete full body, chunky mouth feel, not syrup.

Attack: Again, completely in your face with a bit of heat, strong attack of the mouth.

Finish: This wine lingered for about 15 to 20 seconds without an after burn, just a pleasant reminder.

Overall: I really enjoyed this wine and imagined it with many different food parings. At around $50 a bottle, it is out of the range I personally like to spend on wine. As a special occasion wine I can see this being a wine to consider, but then again there are many others also.

Cellar Addition: Torzi Matthews

Red Wine and Olive Oil......they go to together when dining like no other combination in the world.


Imagine extra virgin olive oil with minced garlic, a small amount of balsamic vinegar, chopped basil, freshly ground pepper and a little rosemary. Pair that combination with your favorite bread, open a healthy bottle of Shiraz and indulge. If you are feeling a bit hedonistic, add some Boursin cheese to the mix.





When I received an email from the Wine Cellar of Wisconsin about an Ozzy wine steal, my interest was raised immediately. I did not know I was in for a boutique vintner from the Eden Valley, east of the Borossa Valley.



Torzi Matthews , a food and wine making partnership between Domenic Torzi and Tracy Matthews have passion and the firm conviction of appreciating the value of heritage tradition in the crafting of their wines and extra virgin olive oils.

I purchased two bottles of the 2007 Schist Rock Shiraz, and I was lucky to get it. There were only 1200 cases produced for the entire world. The inventory at the Wine Cellar sold out in 40 minutes.

A review I found describes this wine as:

Saturated red. Brisk, finely etched red berry and cherry skin aromas are underscored by dusty minerals and cracked pepper. Clean, mid weight red fruit flavors betray no rough edges or excess fat, picking up silky tannins with air. There's something pinot-like about this elegant wine, and the finish is distinctly racy and energetic, leaving sweet strawberry and smoky minerals behind.

The Wine Spectator gave it 92 points.

I will post my review when I get the courage to open a bottle with some extra virgin Olive Oil.

For additional reviews visit Cellar Tracker.