We want one!

So, for the past few days we haven't been drinking any wine worth blogging about (mmmm . . . Three Buck Chuck paired with cereal -- the breakfast of champions!). However, I did stumble across this beauty on Neatorama (one of my favorite non-wine-related blogs) today. From bornrich.org:

The unit titled The “Vin au Verre” is a synonym of “wine with glass” in French. The unit features electronic temperature control (15°/19°C for red wines, 6°/10°C for white and rose wines), anti-oxidation system, LED lighting inside and can keep up to 8 opened bottles of wine ready to serve at the perfect temperature. The storage system can preserve the wine for up to three weeks and the dispenser uses inert nitrogen gas under low pressure to push the wine out of the bottle through the spigot and thereby controlling oxidation to keep your wine tasteful.

So, if we place this on our wedding registry, would someone be so kind as to buy it for us? Please? :)

Coopers Creek Riesling 2004

Price: $12.99 @ Wine shop near Charles/MGH
Recommended by: Wine shop employee
Comments: We typically drink (and love) the Sauvignon Blancs from the Marlborough region of New Zealand and, oddly enough, this Riesling bears noticable traits of that grape. This wine is crisp, steely, and grassy, exactly as we have grown to expect of the wonderful Sauvignon Blancs of this region. Indeed, I'm not sure I can identify a single aspect of this wine that suggests it is a Riesling! Perhaps one can attribute this to the unique attributes of the terroir from which this grape is taken or perhaps one would attribute this to the fact that I am blogging about it after having consumed most of the bottle by myself (Karie being away with the family). Either way, this is a wine to enjoy with sushi (as I just did) or with spicy foods that similarly highlight the wine's strengths. I personally look forward to getting Karie's more balanced opinion when we share a bottle after she returns. Cheers!
Rating: 7/10

Naia Verdejo 2005

Price: $13.99 @ Wine and Cheese Cask (Somerville, MA)
Recommended by: Sunset Magazine (we think!)
Comments: Yet another example of why we love Spanish wines! We are munching on chips and guacamole, enjoying the blizzard-like conditions, and watching some March Madness on the tube. This wine pairs well with all of it! It's a heavier wine than Las Brisas, but shares many of the characteristics we love in that wine. It has robust flavors of lemon, lime, honey, and kiwi (and maybe some apple). You notice the crisp steeliness one finds in a Sauvignon Blanc (this wine is 100% Verdejo). We will be getting this one again soon!
Rating: 7.75/10

Estremadura Cerejeiras 2005

Price: $4.49 @ the Wine and Cheese Cask (Somerville, MA)
Recommended by: the sale rack!
Comments: This Portuguese wine is pretty unimpressive. It reminded us of Three Buck Chuck and is quite acidic. (Well duh, it is under $5! What did we expect!?!) It got a bit better as we drank it, but we still would not recommend it. Perhaps it would be a bit tastier with some food (pizza?). Sadness.
Rating: 5/10

August Kesseler "R" Riesling 2004

Price: $10.99 @ Wine and Cheese Cask (Somerville, MA)
Recommended by: Our wine blogger friends at Wine-O-Rama recommended Rieslings from the Rheingau region.
Comments: In fairness to the folks at Wine-O-Rama, they recommended Rieslings from the Rheingau region that were over $13. However, this less expensive wine is surprisingly good, particularly for the money. Our first sips revealed flavors of apricot. As we drank it, however, flavors of green apple and lime dominated. It's not too sweet, but it is definitely a Riesling. This wine probably goes great with spicy food, but we're just pairing it with a bad movie on a relaxing Sunday evening!
Rating: 7/10

Chateau d'Oupia Minervois 2005

Price: $8.99
Recommended by: wine seller at the Wine and Cheese Cask (Somerville, MA)
Comments: Zut alors! This wine is tres mal! But what should we expect from a French wine under $10? It is fruit-forward with strawberry and plum tastes, and a bit of pepper spice, but there is no finish at all. (This wine is a blend of 60% Carignan, 30% Syrah and 10% Grenache.) We will definitely not be partaking of this wine again. If you want a decent red blend under $10, make a run for Espania!
Rating: 5/10