I became a fan of  Green and Red's Zinfandel after my first sip.  The wine is a beautiful ruby red color.  It has a grapey (but not jammy) and spicy nose.  The tannins didn't coat my mouth, but rather stayed at the tip of my tongue.  The Zin has lingering spicy notes and a nice spicy finish.  It is definitely a big wine, but it mellows considerably once opened.  The wine is somewhat hard to find (the winery only produced 2200 cases), but you can order it at Green and Red's website.

Dogfish head punkin ale

http://www.dogfish.com/

Dogfish Head 2009 Punkin Ale (Delaware)

7% Alc. by Vol.

I drink Dogfish Head Punkin Ale every year, and the 2009 brew does not disappoint!  I'm actually somewhat of a pumpkin beer aficionado and I always find the Dogfish Head brews are better then the rest.  This year's brew is a reddish amber.   It is a sweet beer with heavy notes of clove and cinnamon.  The label notes that it is brewed with "real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg."  note, no mention of cloves, but really I can taste it!  Maybe my palate isn't sophisticated enough but I can't taste the pumpkin. Of course pumpkin pie tastes more like all of the spices you add to it then actual pumpkin.  The only downside to this beer is the price.  Whole foods is charging $11 for a four pack.  I bought two before they sell out.  I promise.  It's worth it!

http://www.whitehallvineyards.com/

I am a fan of Virginian viogniers, and Whitehall vineyards 2008 vintage does not disappoint.  This is not a complex wine, but it is an easy drinking, pleasant option when you are in the mood for something tasty.  It doesn't have much of a nose, but if you really try to smell it.  This viognier is slightly sweet, but not overpowerfully so.  It's a great wine to sip on a hot afternoon.

Throwing horseshoes while drinking a Three PhilosophersBrewery Ommegang

http://www.ommegang.com/

Delicious.  It’s a deep red amber ale that is 98% Belgian quad and 2% Iambic.  The cherry flavor is not pronounced.  In fact, I couldn’t taste it until the beer warmed up and almost reached room temperature.  If you like hoppy beer, you will not like Three Philosophers.  However if you are looking for a very flavorful, malty, slightly sweet, and very smooth beer, I highly recommend it.  Just be careful—Three Philosophers is a whopping 9.8% alcohol.  In fact I don’t think they can even call it beer in Virginia.  Thank goodness it is brewed in NY!

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Mendoza- Argentina

$9.95

This wine tastes ok, but it smells like fruity rubbing alcohol, so don't smell it! It's definitely young, but since we don't have a wine cellar yet, I'm drinking it now.  It has only slight tannins, so I am not sure how well it will age.  This Malbec starts with nice flavors of cherry and spice, but the finish is sour.  I think I'm going to make it into sangria!

I highly recommend this medium flavored cows milk cheese.  Parrano has the texture of gouda, but with a lot more flavor.  It is creamy, slightly salty, and nutty with a very pleasant aftertaste.  When sliced or shredded it melts well, but it is delicious plain or on a cracker.

$12

For the price, this Shiraz is a fairly smooth, nice wine.  If you are looking for a jammy Shiraz, this one is not for you.  However if you are looking for a flavorful, slightly sweet, pleasantly tangy wine, then give it a try.  This wine is a fairly easy wine to drink; its low in tanins and doesn't have much of an aftertaste.  Its like a chick flick--its pleasant while you are drinking it, its simple, yet enjoyable, but you don't really remember it once you finish the final sip.

King Estate Winery, Eugene Oregon

$15

I was pleasantly surprised by this wine.  This Riesling doesn't have much of a nose, but it makes up for it in flavor.  I tended to taste it in the front of my mouth.  It is slightly acidic, but not harsh, and rather dry for a Riesling.  I hate it when I feel as though I am drinking potpourri, but I don't taste strong fruity flavors in this wine.  This is an easy drinking, great summer wine.