I love to shop for wine, and I was looking for a way to make choosing a wine more fun, and somewhat challenging. What did I come up with? It may sound rather silly, but I decided that I was going to go straight through the alphabet, starting with A and ending with Z. I am calling this challenge my Wine Odyssey.

A to Z Night to Day, 2004, Dundee, Oregon. $13.99. This was a red blend, and I thought the name of the wine was a perfect fit to begin my journey of buying wine in alphabetical order. The color was a dark garnet; nose was spicy; taste was very fresh and peppery; the finish was long. I had been wanting to try an A to Z wine for a long time, and I liked it a great deal. I served it with pizza and it paired well.

Ben Marco, 2006, producer is Dominio Del Plata, Mendoza, Argentina. $21.99. 90% Malbec, 10% Bonarda. The color was a dark ruby; nose was lavender; taste was spicy and lush; the finish was good. I really liked, I served it with hamburgers and chips, but I think it would have paired nicely with a steak.

Conn Creek Limited Release, 2004, Conn Creek Winery, Napa Valley, CA. $23.99. Cabernet Sauvignon. The color was a deep ruby red, no legs; nose was a light aroma, perhaps cherry; taste was very light; not a lot of tannins for a Cabernet; the finish was short but silky. My overall impression was that this was not a very robust Cabernet, it was very light, and I could have easily mistaken it for a Pinot Noir.

Dogajolo Dry Red Table Wine, 2006, Tuscany, Italy. I didn’t write down the price, but it’s most likely between the $15-20 range. Don’t be afraid of an Italian red table wine, they are some of the best wines you’ll find. This was a red blend of 80% sangiovese and 20% cabernet sauvignon. I am trying to stay away from wines that I’ve had before, but it wasn’t until I got it home that I realized that I’d had this wine. It was a dark ruby color; I could smell floral and fruity; the taste was dry, which is what you’ll get with a sangiovese and a cabernet. Overall, it was okay, I felt it was young and could have shelved it a year or two.

Ethos, 2005, from Chateau Ste. Michelle in Columbia Valley, Washington, $33.99. Cabernet Sauvignon. The color was a dark garnet with heavy legs; nose was jammy; taste was velvety and spicy; the finish was excellent with good tannins. This was probably my favorite so far, Chateau Ste. Michelle has never disappointed me with their wines.

Felsina Chianti Classico, 2001, Italy, $19.99. Sangiovese. The color was a deep burgandy; nose was light. Honestly, I was not impressed with this wine. My overall impression was that this vintage was past its prime.

I do have a bonus wine to share as well, each summer this pinot noir is released and for the past three years I’ve bought a bottle. It is Sea Smoke Southing, 2006, from Sea Smoke Cellars in Santa Barabara Co., California. $55. The color was garnet; nose was light with slight scents of spice; the taste was silky and cherry; the finish was smooth. Overall it was a great pinot noir, however, I think the 2004 vintage was much better. If you love pinot, be on the lookout for the next release of Sea Smoke around June and July. Don’t hesitate, if you think you’ll want it then buy it – it sells out every year.  

In the coming weeks and months I’ll continue to tell you about my wine odyssey through the alphabet. Feel free to share in the comments your favorite wines, or follow my ABC wine list and compare tasting notes. I will warn you though, most of them will be red wines. Cheers!