Chateau O'Brien - Northpoint Red

This Virginia red wine was chosen for me by the guy at the wine shop. I said I didn't want anything too "oak" flavored and this is what he gave me. I would have to say that it is very much too oak-y for my tastes but it did seem that he just guessed and grabbed something when I asked his opinion. Oh well. It was basically free when I used that gift card so I'll definitely not complain. My hubby and I sampled this with a much cheaper cabernet sauvignon The Chateau O'Brien was $13.99 and I would have to say that I much preferred the cheaper wine in this case. I'm fairly new to red wine anyway so this might be just amazing to someone who is a true red wine fan but I would pass on this next time. To be fair, it really isn't comparing apples to apples here because this isn't the same type of wine. This one is called their "Northpoint Red" and is a mix of several different kinds.

Label notes:

Chateau O'Brien at Northpoint - Northpoint Red - 2006
Our Northpoint Red is blended with Tannat, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdo.

Now since I have only tried 2 of these above wines, I can't really be a fair judge I don't guess. I am definitely looking forward to doing some wine tastings here soon. The fall in this area is a good time to find festivals and wine tastings.

Woohoo, mama can't wait! Overall verdict on this one? Not my favorite. Probably would be good with a steak or some pasta but not just one to drink on its own in my opinion.

Gray Ghost

I bought this wine from Murphy Beverage Company in downtown Winchester. I had a gift certificate left over from Christmas and was happy to finally get to use it. I told the guy working there that I didn't really know what I wanted. I wanted to buy two or more bottles, a red and a white, and asked if he could point me in the direction of something good and local. He asked whether I preferred sweet or dry white wine and I said I liked something in between. He probably knew I really didn't know all that much about wine by that comment but whatever. The wine he handed to me was called Gray Ghost Vintage 2009 Virginia Vidal Blanc Table Wine. It cost $12.59 a bottle and seeing as how I normally pay about $5 to $9 a bottle at the local grocery store, I expected it to be a little better than it really was. We had it with rotisserie chicken, veggies and cornbread muffins. Not very spectacular fare for this wine but oh well. I found this wine to be a little too sweet for my liking. I wonder if my choice of dinner had an effect on the taste? Probably. Nevertheless, I don't think I'd buy this wine again. It was not my favorite. I'm on such a tight budget that I could have thought of several better ways to spend $12. A shirt from Wayne's Drive-inn in Lawton, two matinee movie tickets for me and my honey, a new book, etc. I might like to visit this Virginia winery for a tasting but probably wouldn't buy this particular table wine again. I would definitely be interested in hearing the story behind the vineyard's name though! This mama sure needed a glass of wine tonight! The kids were sweet but whining as usual. Why is dinner time so difficult sometimes?!

Label notes: This Gray Ghost vidal Blanc is crisp and fruity with
distinctive characteristics of citris and lemon. The exceptionally long
finish makes this an excellent selection with poultry and seafood as well as
light, delicate cheeses.

Gray Ghost Winery is located on Route 211,
eleven miles west of Warrenton,
Virginia.

Produced and bottled by Gray Ghost Vineyards, 14706 Lee Hwy, Amissville, VA
20106-4226 (540) 937-4869 http://www.grayghostvineyards.com/

P.S. If you're a reader of the CraftyLilDevil blog....I promise I'll update that sometime this weekend. Unpacking from the trip, spending some long overdue time with my honey and doing homework are among the other things on my "to do" list. Be patient with me! :)