Menage a Trois

Last night we spent the evening with two lovely low cost bottles, one a 2005 Carneros Chardonnay from Laurier, a wine we picked up at P-town Market for a steal of a deal at $7.99. It's fruity, crisp and clean, but it's got the roundness, and balance of Chards from Carneros with a slight touch of oakiness and none of that strnge thin ickiness that a lot of low price Chardonnay seems to have in spades.

I'm convinced that some of the specialness of this incredibly inexpensive white is due to the 2005 vintage which I just keep discovering over and over again as a spectacular year.

The next wine is an every day favorite from Folie a Deux Winery in St.. Helena. It's their wonderful little blend of Zin, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon (an 07 this time) Menage a Trois. The bottle retails most places for $12.99 (seems to be the hot low end price point right now) but if you keep your eye open you can find it in abundance at an even lower price.

The folks at Folie a Deux have fermented each varietal separately and brought them together in the blend; the zin bringing the big spicey frutiness, the merlot smoothing it over and rounding it out, and the cab gives it backbone and a little spark. The wine is aged in French and American Oak.

This wine has truly become one of my favorite "every day" wines. It's got big bold fruit (not as big or bold as last night's selection, but close) and bone dry finish. It's terrific as a solo sipper in the afternoon, or with anything a little bit perky or spicy. I've had it with cube steak and potatoes, hamburgers, pork chops, tacos, planked salmon and pasta and I have yet to find it disappointing even once.

Last night we drank the Laurier with our entree of spicy crab cakes with a buttery bay shrimp sauce and followed it with the Menage and a bit of cheesecake. Total cost of everything (for two) was less than $30.