Tag Archives: Two Birds One Stone

Wine of the week: Two Birds One Stone 2019

Two Birds One Stone bottle
Two Birds One Stone 2019/$10-$12

Cheap French red wine that’s worth drinking – who knew it still existed?

I tasted the 2018 version of this wine last summer, and was impressed. It wasn’t quite wine of the week material, but it reminded me of the kind of everyday red wine that was common not all that long ago.

And, of course, no longer is.

So get out the debit cards, Bitcoin, and even cash — because the Two Birds One Stone 2019 ($10, purchased, 12.5%) is wine of the week material. It’s a fruitier and more polished effort than the 2018, and a noticeable step up in quality.

The wine is made with carignan, usually used for blending. That’s because the grape can be difficult to work with as a varietal since it has lots of tannins and acidity. These were noticeable in the 2018 (the wine geek term for the result is “rustic”), but are well under control in the 2019. In fact, it’s dark and deep in flavor, with lots of almost syrah-style black fruit and a finish that reminds me of the legendary Mont Gravet Carignan.

Drink this – and you can even chill it – with almost any summer roast, beef or chicken. There is apparently a 2020, but I haven’t seen it or tasted it.

Imported by Wine Circle Imports

 

Labor Day wine 2021

labor day wine
Yes, you can pair wine with grilled vegetables. It’s one reason that rose exists.

Labor Day wine 2021 — four wines to mark the end of summer

Labor Day marks the traditional end of summer, so why not pour a glass of wine, grill something worth enjoying, and know we’ve made it this far after a not easy past 16 months? Churro, the blog’s associate editor, and the Wine Curmudgeon will be doing just that, though if Dallas’ 100-degree temperatures hold up, it will be indoor grilling. A little chicken marinated in lemon juices, garlic, and olive oil, perhaps?

These four bottles will get you started for Labor Day wine 2021; don’t overlook the blog’s updated porch wine guidelines:

• Cave de Lugny Les Charmes 2018 ($12, purchased, 13%): This was once a fine, affordable French white wine from Macon in Burgundy, and then the past three years happened. So when I saw it at this price, I snapped it up — should have bought a case. Crisp apple fruit, a little more body than I was expecting, and very clean. Imported by Deutsch Family Wines & Spirits

• Zardetto Prosecco Brut NV  ($13, sample, 11%): I’ve never been able to figure out Zardetto’s Italian sparkling wines. Sometimes, they taste like no one cares; at other times, like this, they’re a step up from supermarket Prosecco. This one is hardly sweet at all, has much tighter bubbles, and more citrus fruit (some orange, in fact?). There’s even a little structure. Imported by Winebow

• Mont Gravet Rose 2020 ($10, purchased, 12%): This French pink is one of the blog’s favorite roses. It’s  much more Rhone in style this vintage, with more fruit (strawberry?) and a bit less tart. So it’s a fine cheap wine — just in a different way. Imported by Winesellers, Ltd.

• Two Birds One Stone Rouge 2018 ($10, purchased, 12%):  I didn’t think this kind of simple, enjoyable French table wine existed any more. It has more more fruit than I would have thought (lots of red berries), but also soft tannins, and balance in the back. This is the kind of wine to buy a case of, pull out when you want wine with dinner, and not worry about. Imported by Wine-Circle

Photo: Askar Abayev from Pexels

For more about Labor Day wine:
• Labor Day wine 2020
• Labor Day wine 2019
• Labor Day wine 2018
• Wine of the week: La Vieille Ferme Blanc 2020