Winey Tasting Notes: Fog Head Wine and My Foggy Headed Child

What to do when a bottle of wine is a total bargain and has a name that makes you giggle? Buy it in red and white!

Such was the case a few weeks ago when I spied a  new wine offering at a local store. It was being featured in the store’s “best under $10” section, which is quite a coup, since they are really particular about their wines. It also had the added attraction of being named “Fog Head”. And that’s what made me giggle. Because of the three humans currently residing in The Winey House, I am the only one who is NOT a Fog Head when it comes to mornings. Truth be told, if you add in the two Winey Doggies to this list, they would come in second and third, after me. Fourth place belongs to the Winey Hubby. But the winner of the foggy head award is The Winey Daughter. She totally takes after her dad, but being a teenager, adds her own little style to the distinction.

Pretty much sums up The Winey Daughter’s early morning philosophy.

There was a time when I would have to summon  my courage to go in and wake her up, especially on cold school days. My last words to The Hubby upon heading down the hallway to her room usually were: “Cover me, I’m going in.” And I was only half kidding. As a younger child, she would actually growl at me. The kind of growl that’s low in the throat and if it were coming from an outdoor wooded area would have me running for my Winey life. As she got a bit older, the conversation moved on to a tone of “Don’t Shoot The Messenger”. There were times that I actually resorted to tossing one of the doggies onto her. The face licking would commence and although she was predictably royally annoyed, I knew she wouldn’t actually hurt those little pups. I am sad to say that I was not so sure about the bodily harm she’d inflict on me, hence the puppy buffer.

Like I said though, she has inherited this trait directly from her dad. The man who willingly stays up past midnight and loves to sleep in and then read in bed in the mornings. I, on the other hand, am in bed early, usually falling asleep while reading, and up on the earlier side of the day. And yet, we stay married. Go figure.

But back to the wine. If a bottle is a bargain and makes me smile, it’s safe to say it’s going home with me. In this case, there were two choices: Fog Head Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon (2012, 13%, California). Fog Head tells us that their wines are “crafted by the elements” of “cooling fog and warm sunshine”. Doesn’t that sound just wonderful? Foggy mornings giving way to sunlit days on the California coast. I’m in. At least where the wine is concerned.

The Chardonnay gives off a nose of mellow oak, pear and yellow apples. The taste is bright and round and full of pear with hints of vanilla and nutmeg. There’s a bit of butter and oak, but not overly much. And it all ends in a juicy smack that reminded me of a sour apple lollipop. Yum.

The Cabernet Sauvignon starts out with a nose of sour cherry and sourdough bread. It tastes of coffee and dark stone fruits and some mocha. It finished with the flavors of dark spices – like bay leaf and parsley. It was smooth as silk and full of rich flavors.

The Chardonnay will be the perfect white when you are trying to please Chardonnay fans who cannot agree on the amount of oakiness they want in their glass. The oak here gives the wine just enough moxie to stand up to the oak lovers, but not so much that you are overpowered by it all. A wonderful wine at an amazing price. (I paid $7.99 on special – you will normally find them for around $9.99.)

The Cabernet is for you if you want a big flavored red that still knows how to behave itself. The tannins are rich but not drying. Again, amazing wine at an amazing price.

Nothing foggy here, Winey Friends! In fact, the choice is rather clear headed, if you ask me!

Cheers!