This week's wine of the week is a simple red we picked up at the Holt Avenue Pick 'N Save for $8.99. RED is a 2004 blend from St. Francis Winery in Sonoma County.
The label calls it "a succulent blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and zinfandel ... packed with luscious ripe flavors and spicy aromas."
I didn't get much of the "spicy aroma" in this one since the bouquet was pretty nondescript, but found it decidedly light, and ever so slightly dry -- this is a good bottle to crack when you're eating seafood or fish and don't feel like drinking a textbook white.
It worked well with basic shrimp scampi, salad and rice on a Sunday night, and I'd pull it out again for a halibut or something similar, especially with a berry compote over the top that would work well with the slight berry tones in this bottle. Think spring with this one, and hopefully the warm weather will follow.
Amy L. Schubert is a 15-year veteran of the hospitality industry and has worked in every aspect of bar and restaurant operations. A graduate of Marquette University (B.A.-Writing Intensive English, 1997) and UW-Milwaukee (M.A.-Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Writing, 2001), Amy still occasionally moonlights as a guest bartender and she mixes a mean martini.
The restaurant business seems to be in Amy’s blood, and she prides herself in researching and experimenting with culinary combinations and cooking techniques in her own kitchen as well as in friends’ restaurants. Both she and her husband, Scott, are avid cooks and “wine heads,” and love to entertain friends, family and neighbors as frequently as possible.
Amy and Scott live with their boys, Alex and Nick, in Bay View, where they are all very active in the community. Amy finds great pleasure in sharing her knowledge and passions for food and writing in her contributions to OnMilwaukee.com.
