Since Summer technically doesn’t end until late September, you need to keep stocking up on what I refer to as “patio white wines”. Well, “need” is a strong word. That said, I shan’t be corrected: you need to keep buying more white wines.
. As you can see/read, I enjoy it, too. BUT, if you cannot get it on sale or over at Costco (where it’s currently $12.99), I have the next best thing and it’s right in your local Trader Joe’s.
Let me introduce you to Sauvignon Republic, a Marlborough County Sauvignon Blanc. It’s fruity, it’s citrusy it’s crisp and delicious without being too light or too heavy. A nice, versatile wine that pairs as easily as it sips. I was stunned at how great it tasted. I was even more stunned that it only set me back $7.99!
Since this Republic gem makes me feel as if I’m getting away with something, I deem this the “Savvy Lush Skank”. Go ‘head- drink a bottle and pinch yourself. Enough said.
Where buy now: Trader Joe’s for $3.99. ***2015 UPDATE now $4.99
Grapes: Primitivo
Region: Italy
Vintage: 2010
Grifone Primitivo
I truly was skeptical when I saw this Grifone Italian Primitivo at such a price point (insert infomercial joke here). I [stupidly] asked the sales clerk what he thought of it. (Ugh, remember when I did that with the Rosé and it turned out to be useless swill?) Well, in true TJ’s form, he said it was “really good for the price”. Great, thanks. Dare I plunk down $4 knowing I’ve had such stinkers from TJ’s as of late? Throw good booze money after bad? Well, “they cannot _all_ be stinkers” I thought, so I took the $4 gamble.
Primitivo is a grape that most similarly resembles the Zinfandel grape. Some even say that Zinfandel grapes are the same or born out of Primitivo grapes. Hell, check out the label, which says “Old Vine Zinfandel” right on the front. So, let the great debate continue! Either way, I say if you like one, you’re more than likely going to enjoy the other.
Also, like Zin, Primitivo is a great BBQ wine. This wine will fit in nicely with your weeknight hamburger and hot dog grilling plans or could pair with anything slathered in BBQ sauce.
“Anything, Savvy Lush?”
Well, anything you would slather BBQ sauce on in front of your grandmother, at least.
The taste of this Primitivo is fairly mild with notes of cherry and jammy spice. The nose isn’t anything special, and finish is rather fleeting but really, who cares?!? Easy drinking, smooth and pleasing, this is classic “Skank”. But, if you’re truly worried, make sure you have some dark chocolate on hand-never a bad idea.
IMPORTANT NOTE: It’s advertised as a limited selection so I’m telling y’all, get off yer arse and get yours ASAP.
Where buy now: Several liquor stores and Wisconsin gas stations
Grapes: ?
Region: ?
Vintage: ?
Copa
At last! The record-breaking heat and humidity broke late last week, and it couldn’t have been better timing, as Saturday, I rode the “Midnight to Dawn” bike ride hosted by Southwest Community Education. This year marked my second ride and my riding group swelled from 4 to 13 this year.
Bicycling group sans a couple members
I was excited, and as all folks who eagerly anticipate a 50-mile bike ride do, I didn’t get on my bike once. I’m embarrassed admitting this to you- I truly love riding my bike! And yet, this is the first Summer where I hadn’t been on it prior to July. So ,why not kick off a much-delayed biking season with a 50-miler?
Brilliant.
The one thing I did prepare for, however, were libations. (Note that I do not call myself “The Savvy Bicyclist”.) I had picked up a Copa, a single serve wine in a plastic chalice, at Byerly’s Ridgedale some months ago. The time never seemed quite right to crack it, though. Eureka! I shall bring this novel little chalice along for a starry, two-wheeled sojourn.
What is the Midnight to Dawn Ride? Well, here’s a quick synopsis: after mailing in your $15 entry fee a few weeks prior (yes, by THE mail), all 150 riders meet at Southwest High School. There, you are given a route map, and some basic guidelines. This has been an annual ride for the past 33 years, and the entry fee includes the support vans (for the weak/injured) and “gourmet” (their word) breakfast at the end. We picked up our route maps and rode off into the night.
There is something so peaceful and enjoyable about riding in the dead of the night. Our first rest stop was at Mel-o-Glaze donuts. They keep the shop open late special for this event, and prepare freshly made pastries, donuts, fritters and cookies for the riders. Here, we all sat and shared delectable gluten-filled goodies. Wait! Is that a chocolate-filled turnover? What a perfect time to crack the Copa!
This one was a Cabernet Sauvignon, although Copa comes in many flavors [whoops, I meant varietals]. There are Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and others.
We all took turns sipping from what I deemed “the adult juice box”. Some folks thought it was okay, some disliked it, some liked it. Bottom line: it was $2, not in a glass bottle, and, well, it’ll get you drunk.
JW will try anything once
I’m not going to discuss the aromas and tastes as that isn’t what this wine is all about. This wine isn’t about discovering complexities and/or nuances. It smells like wine, looks like wine, and tastes like wine. This is a single serve, on-the-go hooch. It knows it’s place.
After we all took swigs, it was back to riding. We continued on until the next stop, Grand Ole Creamery [do you detect a pattern?] where we enjoyed homemade ice cream around 3:45 am. Later, and I’d have to say my favorite part, we rode over the Stone Arch Bridge around 4:30 am.
Stone Arch Bridge
The quiet, persistent mist from the river lightly grazed my face, as I noticed the skyscrapers look like a fake movie back drop. Oh, and this is where we finished off the whiskey flask. Did I mention we brought that, too?
Near the end of the route, as we wound around the chain of lakes, a spellbinding sunrise stopped us dead in our tracks. Several folks from our group hopped off their bikes to snap photos with their latest and greatest iPhone apps.
Sunrise over Lake Calhoun
Again, I’m reminded why I live here.
As for the Copa, it was novel and fun. It neither sucked nor excited us, but did provide the means to enjoy fresh vino. What irks me is that “Copa” doesn’t mean anything. If it were “Coppa” that means cup in Italian and that would make sense. Perhaps this isn’t worthy of pure Italian.(SLAM) If you need/want a travel wine, especially if you are on foot or two wheels, pick up a couple. For it’s portability, drinkability and thriftablility [whu?], I deem the Copa my “Skank” pick of the month.
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