West Bend Vineyards Cabernet Franc

I smelled blueberries and raspberries in the bouquet of this wine. The palate was blueberries with a bit of mouthwatering acidity. This is a soft wine, much softer and much less tannic than the Hanover Park Cab Franc. I bought a bottle ($16.95), and it's pretty good stuff. It doesn't stand up to food like the HP, but it's awfully easy to drink.

West Bend Vineyards Pinot Noir

The nose had a bit of spice and cocoa and perhaps prunes. The palate had these flavors as well as some bitter coffee notes and a bit of acidity. Frankly, this is a weird wine. I didn't care for it, although that could conceivably change with a lot of breathing. It bore no resemblance to any Pinot Noir I've had. I'm not so sure this grape is happy in North Carolina.

RayLen Shiraz 2006 Update

On the way to Lake Norman, we stopped in at Snook's Barbeque. Naturally, we had to grab some wine to go with our 'cue, so I got a bottle of Shiraz and one of Cab Franc.

This wine, somewhat spicy and smoky, is indeed a great partner to a pulled pork sandwich. That elusive menthol note helps the wine go with food. It also helps that the sun is shining, and I'm sitting next to a lake.

Grilled Pork and Mourvedre

The Hanover Park Mourvedre 2003 went so delightfully with grilled pork chops and zucchini. I can't wait to taste HP's subsequent vintages; their vines are still young and will produce better and better fruit. A hallmark of a good wine (in my humble opinion) is a quality of changing on the palate with different bites of food and with time over the course of an evening. This wine really stays interesting through a meal. Fruit, oak, velvety tannins, and the fact that it's a unique, regional product all make me very happy that I sought it out.

Hanover Park Michael's Blend 2003

This is described as a Bordeaux-style blend. I smelled cherries, nuts and a bit of black licorice. The alcohol and acidity were nicely in balance. This was the smoothest of the reds I tasted at this winery. It's a pity that a pork tenderloin wasn't nearby.

Hanover Park Cabernet Franc 2004

I spent a number of years working for Starbucks in Southern California. When I worked the opening shift, putting the pastries in the display case was a major task. The reason I mention this is the fact that this Cabernet Franc greeted my nose like the cherry almond scones. The palate is smooth, velvety and tart. I liked this wine a lot, and we bought a bottle ($15.99). Foodwise, I might wait until it gets cold and have this with pot roast.

Hanover Park Chambourcin 2004

This bottle was opened mere moments before being poured for us, so the bouquet hadn't had time to open up yet. I got whiffs of blackberry and maybe tobacco (it was subtle). The palate is spicy and a bit tart, with a dark background- kind of meaty, in a way. I think this is a good food wine, but I didn't have any ribs handy.

Hanover Park Mourvedre 2003

I was told that the owners of the winery really enjoyed this grape as a result of their travels in France. They decided to plant it here, and I'm glad they did. The aroma is peppery, and I smelled something that really reminded me of Christmas baking spices. It has a lean, dry palate and a lengthy, tart finish. We bought a bottle (my wife particularly liked this one, too), and I look forward to drinking it at home. It seems to me to be a good food wine. Kebabs of lamb or goat, marinated with cumin, cinnamon and oregano will probably be the dish. $15.99

This tasty grape also goes by the names Mataro and Monastrell (I've had a good Spanish wine made from it).

RayLen Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

This wine has an inviting, plummy, meaty aroma. The palate is rich with bright berry fruit, but there is a nice underlayment of wood. I enjoyed this one. A ribeye would probably go nicely here.

RayLen Eagle's Select 2005

This Bordeaux-style blend (primarily Cabernet Sauvignon) spends 18 months in new French oak. It has a clean cherry bouquet with some wood. The palate is nicely balanced with the tannins and alcohol forming a nice structure for the cherry/blackcurrant fruit. This tastes like it would stand up well with food (perhaps lamb).

Raylen Category 5 2006

Dark purple color. It has a classic Cabernet Sauvignon nose (dried blackcurrants). It's smooth on the palate, with a richness that reminded me of butter or even bacon. The finish is lengthy. The word "noble" came to mind. I bought a bottle of this one ($18.00).

Raylen Cabernet Franc 2005

To the nose, this wine has cherries, vanilla and flowers. It's a dry, bracing wine with a dimension of oak to it. There is a tartness to it that reminds me of chianti, and it has a dry, clean finish. We bought a bottle and drank it later that day with grilled teriyaki chicken breasts, baked beans, garlic bread and corn on the cob. It worked quite well, and it definitely improved with some time to breathe. $15.00

RayLen Merlot 2005

The bouquet of this one reminded me of plums with a hint of cedar. It's a rather dry, smooth wine. Most red wine drinkers would find nothing to dislike about this one. I liked it, but I tend to gravitate toward bigger, funkier wines.

RayLen Carolinius 2004

This wine (a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah) had a bold bouquet- notes of cherries, meat and cigar box. The palate, however, was not as big as the bouquet. Not a bad wine, but I wonder how it will stand up to food.

Childress Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon North Carolina Reserve 2005

81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19%Syrah
13.4% Alcohol
$23.99 at Taylor's Fine Wine and Grocery

Color: Crimson, almost ruby
Nose: Alcohol (I probably could have let it breathe longer), a bit of tobacco behind the cherries and plums. I sniffed a background of oak and cedar, and an aromatic eucalyptus note.
Palate: This wine is not as big as it smells. It's clean, with an added dose of that cedar and eucalyptus. Tart cherries and tobacco, like the bouquet, but with a mouthwatering acidity in the finish.

It went pretty well with our dinner of pan-seared pork chops, black eyed peas with tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, and spinach salad with dried blueberries. Sometimes the wine displayed a cocoa powder sort of a thing when in combination with the food.

Not a bad wine, but the balance isn't quite where I'd want it. A little less of the cedar, a little less (but not too much less) acidity, and more body would make it great. Anyway, it's interesting and it stands up well.

Childress Vineyards Website