Eve Sieminski (aka the Polish Contessa) is our guiding light for fine wine–especially for those premium wines that fit within most budgets.

And that may be one of the finest luxuries of all.

Eve’s latest oenophilic enthusiasm comes unedited (and I am headed to Costco tomorrow!):

Hi Roberta!

The nose is really nice. Swirl, swirl, swirl…. Sip, WOW!

The matter of wine glasses is important but way overstated at the present moment. A glass designed for a certain red can make those aromas more obvious, and prettier. But the same glass won’t ruin another wine.

In fact, just about any glass that has a tapered bowl can express the aromas in a wine. And while the high-end glasses can enhance an aroma, once you pour the wine in your mouth, one glass is pretty much the same as another.But most of the enjoyment of a wine comes from the aroma, so choose a glass that enhances the aroma.

Finally, make sure the wine glasses you use are clean. Glasses stored in cardboard probably smell like a cardboard. Glasses need to be rinsed and dried with a clean, cotton cloth.

Pour and enjoy!

The post Kirkland’s Merlot: From the Polish Contessa appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.

I am convinced California wines are a no-brainer.

Recently, another wine blogger recommended we try a fantastic $8 French wine. This was in response to an earlier article where I recommended TBD Zinfandel, available at

Trader Joe’s.

My thoughts about this recommended French red?
Pee pee water! I wouldn’t cook with it, let alone serve it to guests. In fact, the experience only reaffirms my belief in California wines.

A recent discovery of mine is Gnarly Head Zinfandel. This is an old-vine California Zinfandel lives up to the dark and lush description on the bottle–is absolutely fantastic! It delivers all the punch
you want from a Zinfandel, without the punch of a price over $20.

This luscious Zin can be found for as little as $7.99. After giving it a try, I rushed back to Major Market and bought several more bottles for our wine cellar. Gnarly Head Zinfandel is also available at other market for around $10 to $12 per bottle–and is well worth the price.

Truthfully, I was a little put off when I first saw the name. Gnarly doesn’t exactly describe my favorite wines,
but this old vine Zin has become one of my hands down and glass-up favorites–at least for the price.

Remember, my search focuses on outstanding wines under $20 per bottle–and Gnarly Head comes in well under that mark.

An important note about Zinfandels: Make sure your Zin is an Old Vine–and remember that any Zin under 14%
alcohol is not worth the price. Most outstanding Zins start at 14% and go up from there.

You may also wish to read:

Luxury on a Gold Plated Shoestring

The post The Luxury of Gnarly Head Zinfandel appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.

I call Eve Sieminski the Polish Contessa. She loves fine jewelry, expensive hairstylists and fine wine. I don’t know where Eve shops for jewelry or what deal (if any) she strikes with her hairstylist, but we follow her wine recommendations religiously.

Eve truly knows how to serve luxury on a gold-plated shoestring.

You see, the Polish Contessa, has no problem pouring a classless wine down the drain, nor does she hesitate to share her latest finds. One recent jewel was the TBD Zinfandel that is available at Trader Joe’s for (shhhh!) $4.99 a bottle. We tried one bottle and immediately bought a case. It really is that good. But the recommendation comes from Eve, who says:

“This tastes like a $30 bottle of fine Zinfandel that I wouldn’t hesitate to serve at a State Dinner–or to my snootiest clients. It might be good, however, to decant the wine first. The TBD label and name just don’t do justice to what is inside the bottle.”

If you are looking for commentary about hints of raspberry, chocolate finishes or oakey notes, Eve suggests you visit a symphony or read reviews for $80 bottles of wine in Wine Spectator or the like. And while Eve can afford Opus One or perhaps a Chateau Clement Pichon, she takes great pleasure in finding great wines at fabulous prices–and enjoys sharing her conquests.

If you want reviews and inside bargain scoops on fine wines from a true wine lover (instead of a critic), I advise you to stay tuned. Eve has promised to gift our luxey readers with more of her outstanding finds in wine and food. And if you, dear reader, have a recommendation for great wines under $20, Eve promises she (and we?) will try them out and share the results.

Eve’s Bonus Wine Tip: If you don’t have time to property chill your red wine to European room temperature (yes, red wine blossoms with slight chilling), put it in your freezer for 15 minutes (set timer), remove and enjoy.

This will be an irregular column, but we promise to share great wine finds, food discoveries and bonus wine and food tips with our luxury readers as soon as they become available.

What better way to truly enjoy your luxury home with appreciative friends and other oenophiles.

In the meantime, please feel free to share your own!

You may also wish to read:

The Luxury of Gnarly Head Zinfandel

Wine Storage for Oenophiles

The post Luxury on a Gold-Plated Shoestring appeared first on Luxury Home Digest.