Notes from our holiday party

At our work holiday party, I was in charge of buying wine from a variety of countries. A fun task to say the least. Trying to be a good corporate citizen, I tried to spend less than $10 per bottle and try some new wines at the same time. Only 1 stood out that I would want again:

Twin Wells Shiraz Reserve (Australia)

One that I bought that was gone pretty quick was a local wine I have had before.

Williamsburg (VA) Winery - Governor's White

This is an expensive, Virginia white. Sweet, fruity, easy to drink. Not to complex, but excellent wine for parties or just to sit around and drink.

VA Wine Festival

This Saturday is the Virginia Wine Festival. I will be heading out there to see what VA has to offer. It should be a good time. To get in the mood, I cracked open a bottle tonight. This past week has involved a lot of beer drinking at bars, so it is nice to sit down and relax with something a bit lighter.

Wine #17 - 2004 Chateau Montet Bordeaux Sauvignon, France.

This is a white Bordeaux. Not something I am familiar with. The color is very pale. Even more so than a Pinot Grigio. Initially a nice strong bouquet, with a little bit of everything, mostly citrus - grapefruit and lemon. The taste is quite similar. I would describe it as a bit sour, leaving your mouth dry at the end. This really is different than a lot of whites I have tried. I can see this going well with a lemon fish dinner. Not really a party wine or something you would drink a whole bottle of yourself. I say skip it.

Very Mediocre Riesling

I know it has been a while. I am not ignoring my duty, I have just been busy. The wife and I were in Ireland for 2 weeks. I looked for wine, but beer is really their thing. I recommend Kilkenny, but it is not imported to the states.

Wine #16 - 2003 Avia Riesling - Slovenia.

Until I just looked, I didn't realize that this was from Slovenia. But oh well, here goes. The wine had more of a Grigio look and aroma. Upon first taste, you do get a little mix between Riesling and Pinot Grigio. There is more of a citrus and grassy aroma and flavor than most Rieslings I have tried. If you are looking for a sweet wine, there are plenty more I would recommend. To be honest, I am not enjoying this one that much. If you have the chance, choose something else.

Long Layoff

Ok, so it has been over a month. I have changed jobs, bought a house. Closing is actually tomorrow. Also, outdoor soccer has started, which has me playing 3 days per week, plus my one night of indoor. With all that, I haven't had much time to try anything new. I won't lie, I have had a few new bottles, but just didn't get a chance to write something up until I realized I didn't take any notes.

Tonight was a wine night.

Wine #12 - 2003 Washington Hills Riesling - Columbia Valley, WA.

As Rieslings go, this one wasn't as sweet as I am used to. Definitely better the colder it is. It is similar to a Pinot Grigio in initial flavor, with a hint of the sweet aftertaste. You get the grassy, citrus flavors with the hint of apple finish. If Rieslings are too sweet for you usually, this may be a nice option. However, the Columbia Winery and J Lohr versions are still my favorite.

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.

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