I hope everyone had a great Easter. I got to spend time with my extended family, so that was very nice. Tonight, we had a pork tenderloin marinated in a peppercorn dressing. It was great. So the wine choice became clear: A nice spicy red.
Wine #10 - 2002 Thierry and Guy Fat Bastard Shiraz- Fat Bastard Wine Company, France.
Yes, I bought it because of its name. And the fact that it was $8.99.
At the wine class, we learned the 20 minute rule: Pull a white out of the fridge 20 minutes before you want to serve it, put a red in for 20, then open and serve. So, I put in the wine for 20 minutes to get it the right temperature. This wine had a fairly light aroma, a little spicy and a little fruity. The taste matches up fairly well. I got more fruit in the taste when I had it with the pork. The finish is short with not a whole lot of action. This wine is fairly easy drinking. Not a bad wine to pair up with food, but I am not sure I would want to drink several glasses without a meal.
I had a glass of Blackwing from last week to compare. My initial review holds true. To be honest, the aroma kills it before you even take a sip. I would choose Fat Bastard over Blackwing without hesitation.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Friday, March 25, 2005
Back in the Saddle
Good Friday indeed. It has been a rough week as well as a busy one. A perfect night to sit down with a glass of wine and some CSI on TV. I am waiting for the wife to get home, so I don't know what is for dinner. However, I think it may be best paired with a red.
Wine #9 - 2002 Oak Grove Pinot Noir Reserve - Oak Grove Vineyards, San Martin, CA.
This is a very simple wine. A fruity, but not overwhelming aroma. The taste is the same. A little fruity, not overwhelming. Not a long finish. The wine just drinks super easy. It doesn't have all that much flavor, but the flavor it does have is nice. You could easily drink a whole bottle without even thinking about it. I ended up having some pasta and sausage for dinner, and this was a fine wine for that. But, you don't need food to drink it.
It isn't complex and there isn't much to it. So, all in all, it just depends what you are looking for.
Wine #9 - 2002 Oak Grove Pinot Noir Reserve - Oak Grove Vineyards, San Martin, CA.
This is a very simple wine. A fruity, but not overwhelming aroma. The taste is the same. A little fruity, not overwhelming. Not a long finish. The wine just drinks super easy. It doesn't have all that much flavor, but the flavor it does have is nice. You could easily drink a whole bottle without even thinking about it. I ended up having some pasta and sausage for dinner, and this was a fine wine for that. But, you don't need food to drink it.
It isn't complex and there isn't much to it. So, all in all, it just depends what you are looking for.
Busy, busy, busy
Sorry I have had such a long gap between posts. This week has been nuts. The wife had a birthday. I went to the U. of Maryland NIT game. We had soccer. Goodness, tonight is the first night I will get to bed before midnight.
Monday night was great. We attended a wine class in DC. The Wine Tasting Association (WTA) sponsors classes all the time. This was a "How to Taste Wine" class. Overall, it was great. I learned what a true "corked" bottle smells like. I learned some proper terminology and some hints when selecting wines. And of course, the proper steps in tasting a wine. We tried 12 wines overall. Some were under $10, and some were over. To be honest, I didn't have anything that really wowed me. But then again, it was somewhat tough to know the exact wine you were drinking. It was set up as a blind tasting to help train us with the info we were given.
There is another class Monday at the same restaurant, Rosemary's Thyme. As a restaurant, the food was marginal. However, their backroom is a nice setting for such an event.
Now that I have a little time, I will get back to trying the wines. More to come soon.
Monday night was great. We attended a wine class in DC. The Wine Tasting Association (WTA) sponsors classes all the time. This was a "How to Taste Wine" class. Overall, it was great. I learned what a true "corked" bottle smells like. I learned some proper terminology and some hints when selecting wines. And of course, the proper steps in tasting a wine. We tried 12 wines overall. Some were under $10, and some were over. To be honest, I didn't have anything that really wowed me. But then again, it was somewhat tough to know the exact wine you were drinking. It was set up as a blind tasting to help train us with the info we were given.
There is another class Monday at the same restaurant, Rosemary's Thyme. As a restaurant, the food was marginal. However, their backroom is a nice setting for such an event.
Now that I have a little time, I will get back to trying the wines. More to come soon.
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Today's Tasting
Just an aside from the last posting - I did finish that bottle with no problem, and damn was it good.
There is place near me called finewine.com. You would think that this is just a website, but they have two brick and mortar locations in the DC area. They were having a tasting today where you paid $5 to get in, but you got it back with any wine purchase. Overall, the tasting was ok. I definitely tried more wines that I didn't like. I was also disappointed that most of the wines were over $10. Yes, most wines are, but that isn't what this site is about.
I did buy two wines (neither of which I tried while there.)
Wine #8 - 2002 Blackwing Shiraz - Step Rd Winery, Australia.
I discovered Shiraz at the Washington Wine Festival. I tried 3 and liked them all. This one I am not a fan of. There is no real fruit in the aroma. It is more spicy. You get that spice in the finish too, and in my opinion, too much. The spice sticks around.
I will continue to look at different Shiraz. Anyone know how to say the plural?
There is place near me called finewine.com. You would think that this is just a website, but they have two brick and mortar locations in the DC area. They were having a tasting today where you paid $5 to get in, but you got it back with any wine purchase. Overall, the tasting was ok. I definitely tried more wines that I didn't like. I was also disappointed that most of the wines were over $10. Yes, most wines are, but that isn't what this site is about.
I did buy two wines (neither of which I tried while there.)
Wine #8 - 2002 Blackwing Shiraz - Step Rd Winery, Australia.
I discovered Shiraz at the Washington Wine Festival. I tried 3 and liked them all. This one I am not a fan of. There is no real fruit in the aroma. It is more spicy. You get that spice in the finish too, and in my opinion, too much. The spice sticks around.
I will continue to look at different Shiraz. Anyone know how to say the plural?
Thursday, March 17, 2005
A New One for Me
St. Patrick's Day - a time to celebrate being Irish. And considering my wife and I could technically be Irish citizens, it is time to celebrate. Normally I would be kicking back some black and tans, or maybe a Smithwicks...and I still might...but with my famous Shepherd's Pie, I needed a wine. While I was searching for wines on my birthday money trip, I found variety I had never heard of - Malbec. I got to try one at the Wine Festival, and was impressed. So tonight, I am cracking open the bottle so I can celebrate...Argentina style.
Wine #7 - 2003 Elsa Malbec - Valentin Bianchi, Argentina.
The aroma of this wine is fantastic. It kind of has a plum and cherry fragrance that is not too heavy. In fact, it is not what I would consider an overpowering wine aroma. The taste fits the smell, which I enjoy. Sometimes you get a big surprise when comparing the two, but these fit. The taste is a little fruity with just a hint of spice. The finish is just right - light and not too dry.
If you are looking for a new type of wine (at least new to me) try a Malbec. And let me recommend this one. I may be sticking with wine over beer tonight...maybe.
PS - $7.89
Wine #7 - 2003 Elsa Malbec - Valentin Bianchi, Argentina.
The aroma of this wine is fantastic. It kind of has a plum and cherry fragrance that is not too heavy. In fact, it is not what I would consider an overpowering wine aroma. The taste fits the smell, which I enjoy. Sometimes you get a big surprise when comparing the two, but these fit. The taste is a little fruity with just a hint of spice. The finish is just right - light and not too dry.
If you are looking for a new type of wine (at least new to me) try a Malbec. And let me recommend this one. I may be sticking with wine over beer tonight...maybe.
PS - $7.89
Sunday, March 13, 2005
A Big Disappointment
Yesterday, the wife and I attended the Washington International Wine and Food Festival at the new Washington Convention Center. We discovered this event back in 2001, the last year we lived in DC before moving back a few months ago. Back in '01, the event was at the Reagan Trade Center. It was fabulous. They had 3 different rooms of wine exhibitors, all organized by country or region. We went both Saturday and Sunday, and felt it was worth every penny.
This year was quite the opposite. Let's start at the beginning. First, the line to get in was massive. Truly a logistical nightmare. In 01, we got a nice cloth bag to hold all our swag. This year, only a paper bag big enough to hold a 6-pack. The whole thing was in one big room. It was setup like a low class trade show. Aisles were narrow. It was very hard to get to any of the tables. And my goodness, they oversold this thing. It seemed to me as though they didn't care how many people came. It was awful.
In terms of wine, there didn't seem to be many vendors. I am pretty sure I only saw three (3) tables from Italy. There couldn't have been more than 15 from California. It was a let down.
I did find some decent wines, when I could get to a table to try some. I have no idea how much they cost as that information wasn't readily available. However, I would guess they were all over my threshold of $10.
I am seriously considering trying to put together my own wine show. I think I could put it together much better than what I saw yesterday. Keep an eye out, you may see something on the horizon.
This year was quite the opposite. Let's start at the beginning. First, the line to get in was massive. Truly a logistical nightmare. In 01, we got a nice cloth bag to hold all our swag. This year, only a paper bag big enough to hold a 6-pack. The whole thing was in one big room. It was setup like a low class trade show. Aisles were narrow. It was very hard to get to any of the tables. And my goodness, they oversold this thing. It seemed to me as though they didn't care how many people came. It was awful.
In terms of wine, there didn't seem to be many vendors. I am pretty sure I only saw three (3) tables from Italy. There couldn't have been more than 15 from California. It was a let down.
I did find some decent wines, when I could get to a table to try some. I have no idea how much they cost as that information wasn't readily available. However, I would guess they were all over my threshold of $10.
I am seriously considering trying to put together my own wine show. I think I could put it together much better than what I saw yesterday. Keep an eye out, you may see something on the horizon.
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Frankie Says Relax
The wife and I are going to the DC Wine Expo this weekend, which I may or may not have mentioned. I am hoping to taste some new, great wines that I can share with you here. My wife's favorite wine is a Riesling. So, I like to get new ones to see if she can find an absolute favorite. She has one now, but that can always change. This one I nabbed because of the clever name.
Wine #6 - 2003 Relax Riesling - Schmitt Sohne, Germany.
This Riesling is a little different than what I am used to. The first sip I took had relatively no aroma. The usual fruity, sweet flavor of a Riesling was quite short. I am used to a longer finish and a much sweeter taste. After a while, the aroma got a little stronger, and the finish a little longer. It does have a typical apple flavor that many Rieslings have. But I must say, it is a bit drier than most. The initial flavor is not dry, but it dissipates quickly.
In terms of recommendations, it is a tough call. If you like really sweet wines, I would pick a different one. If you want something just a touch sweeter than a Chardonnay, I would go for it.
Cost - $7.65.
Bottom line: Frankie says relax. So have a glass or two and enjoy.
Wine #6 - 2003 Relax Riesling - Schmitt Sohne, Germany.
This Riesling is a little different than what I am used to. The first sip I took had relatively no aroma. The usual fruity, sweet flavor of a Riesling was quite short. I am used to a longer finish and a much sweeter taste. After a while, the aroma got a little stronger, and the finish a little longer. It does have a typical apple flavor that many Rieslings have. But I must say, it is a bit drier than most. The initial flavor is not dry, but it dissipates quickly.
In terms of recommendations, it is a tough call. If you like really sweet wines, I would pick a different one. If you want something just a touch sweeter than a Chardonnay, I would go for it.
Cost - $7.65.
Bottom line: Frankie says relax. So have a glass or two and enjoy.
Monday, March 07, 2005
A Nice Surprise
Monday's are never good for much, but trying a new wine is a perfect Monday activity. So, tonight I cracked open a bottle from my birthday stash.
Wine #5 - 2000 Piccini Chianti Riserva - Piccini S.N.L. - Italy.
The first thing you notice is the very fruity aroma. It is a little cherry or plum-like. As far as wine goes, this one smells great. Your first taste gives you a hint of that fruit, but the finish is quick. Although the finish is quick, I wouldn't necessarily call it dry. You get a little flavor to stick around.
My favorite Chianti is a Ruffino Classico Riserva. However, this wine is like $30 a bottle, so I don't drink it often. I have a bottle that I got for Christmas, and I am sincerely thinking of opening it just to compare it to this one. This wine is top notch for a low priced wine. I don't want to call it cheap, because that could imply something negative. Remember when I talked about the Italian wine region rankings? This one is DOCG - a.k.a. the best.
Nothing negative to say here.
PS - only $8.55
Wine #5 - 2000 Piccini Chianti Riserva - Piccini S.N.L. - Italy.
The first thing you notice is the very fruity aroma. It is a little cherry or plum-like. As far as wine goes, this one smells great. Your first taste gives you a hint of that fruit, but the finish is quick. Although the finish is quick, I wouldn't necessarily call it dry. You get a little flavor to stick around.
My favorite Chianti is a Ruffino Classico Riserva. However, this wine is like $30 a bottle, so I don't drink it often. I have a bottle that I got for Christmas, and I am sincerely thinking of opening it just to compare it to this one. This wine is top notch for a low priced wine. I don't want to call it cheap, because that could imply something negative. Remember when I talked about the Italian wine region rankings? This one is DOCG - a.k.a. the best.
Nothing negative to say here.
PS - only $8.55
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Going With a White
Time to mix things up. The first three wines I picked were reds. Mostly because the wife is fond of reds. She is very picky about whites. However, I like a Pinot Grigio, so my birthday cash went towards one.
I cooked some marinated chicken tonight, so a white was in order.
Wine #4 - 2003 Forest Glen Pinot Grigio - Forest Glen Winery - Sonoma, CA.
This wine has a very light bouquet. In terms of flavor, most of it comes with the finish. You taste the fruit (apple/pear) at first, then you get an ending that is a little spicy.
I enjoyed this wine a lot. The wife only had one glass, but I had no trouble finishing the bottle.
PS - only $7.99
I cooked some marinated chicken tonight, so a white was in order.
Wine #4 - 2003 Forest Glen Pinot Grigio - Forest Glen Winery - Sonoma, CA.
This wine has a very light bouquet. In terms of flavor, most of it comes with the finish. You taste the fruit (apple/pear) at first, then you get an ending that is a little spicy.
I enjoyed this wine a lot. The wife only had one glass, but I had no trouble finishing the bottle.
PS - only $7.99
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