Sometimes all you need is some hooch. You don’t need nor want the complexities of a fine wine. You just want something that tastes like wine and is palatable.
This month’s Skank of the month is a Malbec you can find on sale for $5, now through Oct. 15, at Sorella Wines & Spirits.
I opened the bottle last night and took a sip. Wow, this is simple grape juice. The label states it’s oak-aged for 3 months, a friend expressed it seemed more like 16 minutes. <> Let it breathe for about 15 minutes and then drink the bottle down. Well, that’s what I did in this case. If you’re looking to get your drunk on, need a cellar filler or just want a glass of red wine to satisfy the craving, for $5 – you can’t go wrong.
Where buy now: Byerly’s Ridgedale, Solo Vino, Sorella Wines & Spirits, South Lyndale Liquors, Swirl Wine Bar, Thomas Liquors & Zipp’s Liquors
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Vintage: 2008
Famiglia Meschini Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva
Sometimes all you need is a cheeseburger, fries and a Coke. What if I told you you could swap that Coca-Cola for a Cabernet?
This week’s pic is an homage to steak and cab, but in a good, down home kinda way. I was recently up in the Cloquet area, about two hours north on Hwy 35, and home to the “World’s only Frank Lloyd Wright designed gas station!” (Yawn) My in-laws live up there and many years ago, they introduced me to a hamburger joint that’s been around since 1960: Gordy’s Hi-Hat.
Gordy’s food is a real treat, and since it is only open Spring through Fall, it has become a righteous annual rite. The place doesn’t look like it’s been touched for decades, just the way I like it. Phenomenal hand-pattied burgers, crispy fries, amazing Wild Alaskan Cod fish sandwiches (don’t get me started about the malts and shakes!). When I go, I usually throw all caution to the wind and get a double cheeseburger w/ fried onions.
This trip, I only got a single. To go. Boy, that was stupid.
Since we ate a late brunch, it was time already to head back to “Da Cities”. But we HAD to make a stop at Gordy’s, so I got a cheeseburger to go. That puppy made it all the way back to town. As we were driving, I could smell nothing but the greasy goodness that was an all-beef patty, fried onions, cheese and melty condiments. You know what I smelled? I smelled America, folks, and it couldn’t have smelled any sweeter.
Once home, I raced to unpack the car. For the entire ride, I had one wine in mind to have with my delicious spoils. Famiglia Meschini Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva.
Why pair a smooth Cab with a greasy burger? Because it’s brilliant.
Years ago while on a business trip, I ate dinner at a hoity-toity Chicago steakhouse called Gibson’s. I dined with the president & CEO and a writer from the Boston Globe. I was really young and wanting to do the “right” thing. But on that night, I just didn’t crave steak tartare or a filet. I needed a cheeseburger and fries. So, that’s what I ordered. The Boston Globe writer said, “You know what, that sounds good,” and she had the same. Sometimes, right is just right. Nowadays, I typically choose to drink a Cab alongside a good burger. It’s nostalgic for me.
I just love that they are doing this as organic as possible. Making wines they like, importing and selling it all themselves. Again, this equals savings to you and me! The Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva is a triumph. Upon opening the bottle, scents of black cherry, oak and history come pouring out. This Cab isn’t super dense or thick, it’s just lovely. It has the usual characteristics of a Cab: bold, dark cherry fruit, slight oak presence and full bodied. And, at a price of around $13.99, it’s even more wonderful. If you’re a fan of Cab’s and enjoy the likes of J.Lohr or Liberty School, I implore you to give this one a try.
Red wine, red meat-damn son, let’s eat!
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