WineLovers Discussion Group

Just west of Yakima, in the little town of Zillah, is a small offbeat winery called Paradisos del Sol. Last September, we drove past it on our way to Portteus (a very big disappointment), and on the way back we decided at the very last moment to pull into the Paradisos driveway. Don't look for anything too fancy at this place, but you might just have some fun there chatting with the staff.

We ended up buying some of their NV Paradisos Red Lot 2, which we got on a great sale. Right off the bat, my wife (not a big red wine drinker) tells me she likes this wine, an easy drinking quaffer with a decent backbone. This is a blend of 70% Lemberger (aka Blaufrankisch) from the 2001 vintage and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2000 vintage. The result is a smooth, dark wine with medium body, easy tannin, nice acid and an interesting fruit blend (which came across like blueberry and cherry) with some earth on the finish.

I have had this wine with pizza, and really enjoyed it. I recently had it with grilled Italian-style sausage, stuffed into long sandwich rolls with sauteed onion and (yellow & red) bell peppers. Another wonderful match.

The back label states they want to make the World's Best Pizza Wine, which shows they have a good sense of humor. There's one drawback with this wine ... the price. They list it for $18, which I thought was a stretch. We happened to get it that weekend at a very attractive sale price.

-- Clark

ClarkDGigHbr wrote:J There's one drawback with this wine ... the price. They list it for $18, which I thought was a stretch. We happened to get it that weekend at a very attractive sale price.

-- Clark

That comment led me to come up with a knee-jerk rule of thumb: The wine should never cost more than the pizza!!!

Clark, I'm in agreement. $18 is not pizza wine territory! Here's another WA winery I haven't heard of, btw. Need to get over the hill one of these days.

MikeH wrote:That comment led me to come up with a knee-jerk rule of thumb: The wine should never cost more than the pizza!!!

Absolutely! Biblical researchers found it to be the 11th Commandment, which didn't quite make the cut. I think it's mentioned in the "Davinci Code".

MikeH wrote:

ClarkDGigHbr wrote:J There's one drawback with this wine ... the price. They list it for $18, which I thought was a stretch. We happened to get it that weekend at a very attractive sale price.

-- Clark

That comment led me to come up with a knee-jerk rule of thumb: The wine should never cost more than the pizza!!!

My knee-jerk comment is: why the hell shouldn't it???? Though I say it myself, I make a pretty decent pizza which, depending on what I put in it, can be very wine friendly. I'm sure there are restaurants that can do the same. With some of my pizzas I've had no qualms serving expensive Rhônes, for example. The pheasant calzone was divine with an aged Hermitage, BTW....

Pheasant calzone?!! That is over the top at least for the type of calzones you get here in the northeast U.S. I think I am going to Finland!

Don't discount Pizza as wine-worthy!


Think of how much money we spend on wines to pair with bread and cheese... Pizza's just an advanced form.


I wont even tell you what I've drunk with Honey Nut Cheerios

Joe,
Tell us please. While you're at it, could you let me know what goes with Captain Crunch? Or is that more of a beer food?
Cheers!
James

James Roscoe wrote:Tell us please. While you're at it, could you let me know what goes with Captain Crunch?

Boone's Farm "Strawberry Hill" should match well with Cap'n Crunch, but for Fruity Pebbles you really need to think about Mogan David 20/20, or a non-vintage Night Train.

James Roscoe wrote:Joe,
Tell us please. While you're at it, could you let me know what goes with Captain Crunch? Or is that more of a beer food?
Cheers!
James

Cpt. Crunch? Gross. That stuff tears the roof of my mouth to shreds.


Honey Nut Cheerios® is packed with an irresistible honey sweet taste, plus nuts!


It's a great match for '88 La Tour Blanche.

You guys are amateurs.

Yucky Charms (just the clovers) with Lancers rose is to die for!

Yucky Charms (just the clovers) with Lancers rose is to die for!

What do you do with all the yellow moons, pink hearts, and orange stars?

I disolve them into my Arbor Mist slurpie!

I have a cousin who puts sugar on his frosted flakes. I assume that white merlot would be the choice there.