Winking Owl Wine; getting your drink on for $2.89

Our local Aldi store added a small section of wine, beer and liquor.  Their Wine of The Month for March was Winking Owl, and far be it from me to pass up on $2.89 bottles.

I brought home five of the six varietals, skipping only the (pink) White Zinfandel.  That isn't a favorite of mine from source and I felt I'd be predisposed to dislike it.  The other Winking Owl options are Pinot Grigio, Chardonny, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvingon, and Shiraz.   In general I favor reds.

Each bottle has a back label that ranks Style (light to full-bodied) and Taste (dry to sweet). It also has notes, food pairing suggestions, serving temperature and origin. It amuses me that most of the descriptions start with the word "subtle".

Merlot - "Subtle flavors of black cherry, mixed berries, and a hint of vanilla." Medium, dry
Pretty pomegranate red, fruity jam scent but slight alcohol fumes when opened.  Let it breathe for awhile and that dissipates.  The taste is lightly tart, dry.  Not bad at all, but not wonderful.

Pinot Grigio - "Subtle flavors of citrus, stone fruits, pear and a hint of honeysuckle." Light, semi-dry
Very pale yellow, sweet pear scent straight upon opening.  Smooth, light, but significant. Delicious!  I would serve this to guests.

Cabernet Sauvignon - "Subtle flavors of blackberry, plum, toasted oak and a hint of vanilla." Medium, semi-dry
Deep ruby red, somewhat stale smell, very flat tasting.  I let the bottle sit for another day and tried again.  Slightly rusty and the barest hint of vinegar.  Fine for cooking wine but not a sipping wine. It is possible that I got a bad bottle.

Chardonnay - "Subtle flavors of ripe apple, pear, toasted oak and a hint of spice." Light, semi-sweet.
Light yellow, fruity aroma.  Sweet and smooth.  A lot of chardonnays tend to be buttery, but not this one.  It is light and clean with no residuals.  I don't really pick up on any oak or spice in this one. I prefer the richer type, but this one will please fans of pinot and zin.

Shiraz - "Subtle flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and a hint of spice." Full, dry
Such a deep burgundy that it looks black unless you hold it directly to the light. Deep, earthy aroma. When first opened, the flavor is nice but weak. It was disappointing, but I discovered that it improved the next day, so I recommend uncorking 24 hours before serving.

White Zinfandel - "Cranberry and watermelon flavors with notes of fresh strawberry and cherry."
Didn't try this one, but thought I should at least include the default description. Given the properties of the other whites, I have no doubt that fans of white zin will love it.


Results - for best enjoyment stick with the Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay for drinking, although the Merlot is not objectionable; allow the Shiraz to breathe before consuming; use the Cabernet cooking or making sangria.

The Sliding Sideways series by Emily Senecal

There are nine books in the Sliding Sideways series, all partially intertwined but focusing on different people. They are mysteries spanning several countries.  The timeline is sequential.

Each book is written in first person, which carries the risk of the main characters sounding like the same person with a different face.  This is not the case with Ms. Senecal's writing.  The personalities of her characters come through loud and clear; Lainey's hurt and determination, Molly's spontaneity and emotional growth, Megan's hesitant and introspective nature, Becca's list-making and healing.

They never get too dark, and they don't involve a lot of mental work to keep up, so they are really good to read to relax or fill time.

Book 1: Strangers On This Road (Avalon, Catalina Island, CA)
Book 2: Danger in Academia (New York City, NY)
Book 3: Enemy at the Wedding (England)
Book 4: The Heartbroken Brides (San Francisco, CA)

The first four books feature Elaine (Lainey) Parker.  In Strangers On This Road, Elaine is 18.  Four years pass before Danger In Academia.  In The Heartbroken Brides, she is 24. She meets her love interest, Aiden, in the first book but they do not reconnect again until the second.  These first four are my favorites.  Good flow, great chemistry between the characters, lots of mystery and carefully placed frustration. Each book furthers the relationships between characters and fills in back story.

Book 5: Death on the Menu (Los Angeles, CA) features Molly Faraday, the friend and college roommate of  Elaine.  We first meet Molly in Danger in Academia. Molly is an actress/waitress who literally stumbles upon a mystery, which she would really rather not have anything do do with.  She's emotionally immature, impulsive, and very likable.  Her coworker Dan becomes a stabilizing influence.

Book 6: The Night Ferry (Sweden, Denmark)
Book 7: The Missing Tourist (Europe)

Books 6 and 7 are about Megan Hofflin, who we have not met before.  Her parents, Nancy and Hugo, have a role, either directly or by reputation, in every book.  Megan's adventures begin when she goes through a breakup and decides to vacation alone to mark her 30th birthday.  When she helps a woman in trouble in The Night Ferry she is pulled into a cloak-and-dagger mission.  She meets Cai and it isn't long before they are attached at the hip.

The Missing Tourist takes place only three months after the previous book, so there is both continuation of character development on top of a new mystery.  Lainey and Aiden end up playing a significant supporting role in this one.

Book 8: Beneath These Streets (San Francisco, CA)
Book 9: Murder on Santorini (Greece)

Rebecca Rossiter is a new character for books 8 and 9.  She is a friend with Lisa, Lainey's childhood friend. Becca is in her early 30s, recently divorced.  Beneath These Streets involves Cal, but it isn't really much of a romantic interest.  The characters are not compatible that way, despite giving it a half-hearted try. The mystery topic should have been interesting, but despite a few interesting moments the storytelling fell flat.  Beneath These Streets is the weakest book in the series. It took the longest to read because it didn't keep my attention for long.

When I read Murder on Santornini, I got the feeling the point of the previous book was a long lead-up to make the story in this one possible.  It is much more intriguing of a story, start to finish.  This book introduces Miles, someone Becca went on a few dates with before he stopped calling. Cal is also in this book, with a new love interest. Although the behavior of the characters can be exasperating or confusing, it all gets explained in time. Aiden makes an appearance near the end.

I made a flowchart of how the main people are connected in the series.  It is not super detailed or complete, but it helps to keep track of the overlap. (One correction: Hugo & Nancy Hofflin make a personal appearance in Book 8.)