“It used to be that when winemakers blended two or more grapes into a wine, it was so the strengths of one could make up for the weaknesses of the others. France’s Bordeaux red had cabernet sauvignon for flavor and structure, malbec for its inky color, merlot for sweet and fleshy fruit.

In Italy, the original 1850s recipe for Chianti had red sangiovese and canaiolo grapes softened with a bit of malvasia bianca, a white grape. Cynics said it was because wine was kept poorly in those days, and as the white malvasia darkened with oxidation, it made up for the increasing paleness of the equally oxidizing red grapes. No longer. With modern clonal vine selection, pruning, computerized fermentation and such, cabernet sauvignon, sangiovese and other grapes can make perfectly superb wines all by themselves. So when winemakers blend — and blend they still do, in spades — it’s to see what wondrous new flavors they can create.

In other words, they’re stroking their egos. It must be fun to be a winemaker. Still, we’re the beneficiaries, so who’s complaining? Here are some tasty red blends to illustrate the point:

Highly recommended:
– 2010 Big House Red, Big House Winery, California: Created by mad wine genius Randall Grahm, it now is overseen by winemaker Georgetta Dane. She calls herself the warden, since the winery gets its name from its proximity to the Soledad State Correctional Facility. Given this eccentricity, it’s no surprise that the wine is an out-of-control blend of petite sirah, tempranillo, syrah, grenache, malbec, mourvedre, nebbiolo, tannat, souzao, aglianico, barbera, zinfandel, petite verdot, cabernet franc, charbono, nero d’Avola, sangiovese, sagrantino and “other esoteric reds.” It’s soft, dark and full of powerful dark berry flavors and spice. At $10 a bottle, it’s not even a dollar per grape.”

“I was on a red wine kick, until recently. Zin to be exact, but I have been re-branching out, and thanks to a shipment from Big House Wine Company, I am having a lovely glass of blended white right now. Whites need some acid, but often they have too much for my taste. Both of the white wines I tried from Big House, had a nice balance of acid.

The glass of Big House White I am currently sipping. It would be a wonderful accompaniment to seafood. Able to cut through butter reasonably well, but not overpower delicate seafood flavors. At first impression, this non-traditional blended white had a fresh clean nose, which held throughout drinking. Sipping brought a buttery start on the tongue, but overall a fresh citrus/apricot flavor, enough acid to gently cut buttery seafood or cream sauces, but still fruity and fun.

Yesterday, I tried the Birdman Pinot Grigio, from Big House Wines. I never put much thought into Pinot Grigio until the last two I’ve tried. Most were disappointing. This one welcomed me with a burst of fresh ripe pear … oh yeah (my daughter is addicted to Red Anjou pears, so I know the scent & flavor well). I also picked up a bit of vanilla & faint flora. With time, banana appeared in the nose, and citrus was prominent on the tongue… sort of grapefruit, but not quite as tart. I enjoyed it with vegetable lo mein, last night and a few bites of my daughter’s ramen noodles tonight… so it certainly has the Asian noodle category covered.

At $10 a bottle, and $22 for a 3 liter box, these are great buy and will both be going on my short (but growing) “buy list”.

“I always said I wanted to avoid the big house, but that was before I met Big House Wines. There is something very captivating about this wine! The blend of different fruits is amazing. I can taste grapes, apricots, and peaches. Maybe even some tropical fruit. The aroma of the wine is kind of flowery, and I thought that was just okay, but the taste of it is fabulous.

It’s light and semi-sweet, not dry at all. It’s a perfect luncheon wine on the patio with friends (or should I say “in the yard with all your peeps”). This one is a 2010 California wine and I rocked it with my fettuccine Alfredo for dinner this weekend. I usually prefer red over white wines, but this Big House White is delicious!

If this bottle of white wine lasts past the weekend, I’m going to try it with a fish and rice dinner. I bet it would be awesome with a grilled chicken and almond salad too. You can get this smooth taste online and follow Big House Wines on Facebook and Twitter.”

“‘Tis winter, true, but that does not necessarily relegate us to only red wines. White wines are perfectly fine with braised meats, stews, soups, pasta dishes and wintertime comfort foods (hello, mashed potatoes!). Look for white wines with lots of oak, viscosity and layers of complexity – and reserve those with tropical-fruit notes and bright acidity for the long, sun-filled days after Memorial Day weekend.

Some of my suggestions:
2010 Big House White Wine (Central Coast, Calif. $10)
Blends non-traditional grapes (such as Malvasia Blanca and Verdelho) to devise a floral bouquet that eases into notes of honeysuckle and lychee fruit, and a finale of citrus and toasty vanilla. Its heavy body and complex layers make it more suitable for a snowy rather than a sunny day.”

“Wine may sound like sissy stuff for Super Bowl Sunday, but I’m betting the corks will be popping about the time the chicken wings and onion dip come out.

Local retailers are pushing box wines — perfect, since they’re great buys for the equivalent of four regular bottles — along with reds with weight and big fruit that can tackle pizzas, barbecued pork, stick-to-the-ribs chili and spicy chicken wings.

Here’s what I like:
–Big House Red Box Wine: This is a stewpot of grape varieties, touting a ton of blackberry, raspberry and dark plum flavors. Box wines have an expiration date, so compare dates on the merchandise for the freshest box.”

“Let’s face it – there’s nothing “soft” about the Super Bowl. It’s a down-and-dirty, sweatpants-and-jerseys, adrenaline-driven, plop-yourself-in-front-of-a-big-screen-TV-with-a-mountain-of-food kind of day. The rules are simple: Watch, yell, eat, drink, fall asleep sitting up. While beer will most likely dominate, there’s always room for wine. But what kind of wine fits the bill? Here’s my advice: First, keep it inexpensive. There probably won’t be any conversations around first-growth Bordeaux or cult California cabs on Sunday. Second, there’s a solid chance that fare for the day will include Buffalo wings, pizza, an Italian sub, burgers and chips. A mid– to full-bodied red wine that isn’t overly tannic should do perfectly. And third, forget wines people can’t pronounce. Keep it cool, fun and approachable. Serve up something that’s as unpretentious as your brother-in-law, who’ll be sitting with his feet on the coffee table.

2010 Big House, “Cardinal Zin,” Beastly Old Vines Zinfandel, California
Like all of Big House’s wines, the Cardinal Zin is lighthearted, fun and priced right for the quality. Blackberries and chocolate, with hints of bell pepper, black pepper, tobacco and oak. This isn’t one of those big, jammy zins full of cooked fruits. In fact, there’s even a touch of bing cherry on the palate. It’s good on its own or, as directed by the label, “served with a gluttonous feast.”

“I like wine. I like to drink it but I don’t know anything about it. I am not a snobby sommelier type of girl. I just know if it tastes good to me or not. Do you know what I love about wine? I LOVE to cook with it!”

I had the opportunity to taste Big House Cardinal Zin. Big House Wine is ‘a mere ankle iron’s toss from the Soledad State Correctional Facility a.k.a “The Big House“‘. They offer a selection of wines including the Cardinal Zin. The Warden says, “We are zealous believers in the decadent and forbidden flavors of this sinfully delicious Zinfandel”. Well, I am a believer too. I enjoyed the wine by itself. I enjoyed it with chocolate and I definitely enjoyed it in the two dishes that I prepared with it.

First up is a marinated steak. This steak is so full of flavor you will want to make more!

In a zipper bag pour 1 Cup of Cardinal Zin, 2 TBSP gluten free soy sauce (I use San-J), 1 TBSP granulated garlic, 1 TBSP dried onions, 1 tsp pepper and a dash of salt. Add meat to bag (I used a western cut steak but any cut will do.) Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or even over night. The longer you marinate the stronger the flavor. Remove steak from marinade and cook. I seared it in a frying pan but you can also grill it. Whatever you prefer. You will LOVE this!

Next up was a marinara sauce for baked ziti. I used this recipe from AllRecipes.com. The recipes call for bottled sauce but I prefer to make my own. I used gluten free penne as well.

In a large sauce pan pour 1/2 C Cardinal Zin, 1 large can whole tomatoes, drained and broken up, 1 small can tomato paste, 1 large can crushed tomatoes, 2 cloves garlic, crushed, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 C grated Parmesan. simmer for 10 minutes.

I hope you will give Big House Wine’s Cardinal Zin and these recipes a try!

“After spending a week “in the Big House”, I’m really excited to highlight my designs inspired by the brand. The Big House brand surprised me throughout the week in many ways….from causing me to select a screw cap wine at the store, to actually LIKING a wine with a screw cap, to captivating the marketer in me through their consistent branding in all of the marketing channels…”

“This edition of Five on Friday is brought to you by the color RED!

4. Big House Wines Big House Red ($14.98). You didn’t think I’d forget to include red wine, did you? And since New Year’s resolutions are in full force and we’re only drinking on the weekends around here, I need a way to keep my wine fresh for longer. This Big House Red box wine fits the bill perfectly, keeping my libations fresh for up to 6 weeks in the vacuum-sealed packaging. It’s a nice blend of flavors from dark berries to cherries to vanilla and it pairs nicely with just about anything. Yes, even muffins.”

“Decrease waste with better packaging.
Wine: Big House Wine Company sells their three liter whites and reds in a cute and kitschy hexagon box. Boxed wine decreases landfill waste by 85% and is more than 50% more carbon efficient than its bottled counterpart.”