My Valentwine

On By sandysoloIn Albarino, Spanish Wine, Storytasting, WineLeave a comment
Bodegas Zarate, 2019, Albarino, Rias Baixas

This Spinster was feeling fancy today and I decided I was going to go a little extra on my Valentine’s Dinner. I went to whole foods to get some fish, and ended up deciding on oysters and a lobster tail.

I should definitely do this more often.

I wised I had some Muscadet to pair with the Oysters but I did not so I had to rely on something else in my fridge. I opened the door, peered inside and this Zarate Albarino called to me. I had found my Valentwine.

This has a lovely nose of Ruby Red grapefruit and wet stone minerality and something green and mildly vegetal. There is a teeny hint of smoke.

On the palate this is a citrus explosion. A delicious blend of all the citrus fruits: grapefruit, orange, lemon and lime with a delightful salinity. There is something slightly vegetal, slightly, on the finish. I just can’t place it. Its not bell pepper or asparagus. Maybe chives? It’s light-medium body – not quite totally medium but not a super light Albarino either, which I think makes it better suited to pairing with food. Put a light crisp Albarino in front of me on a hot day and it will be gone in 15 minutes. I have a better chance at savoring this with some seafood over a slightly longer period of time.

I picked a winner Valentwine. It went very well with the oysters. It will go even better with ceviche on a hot day in the summer so I’ll be needing to pick up another bottle or 7 before June rolls around.

Available at Astor Wines.

Superbowl Wine Recap and Bachelor Monday Libations

On By sandysoloIn Storytasting, WineLeave a comment

Last night I opted for white wine. I wasn’t in the mood for anything heavy and the only beer I have in my fridge are stouts and porters. So I opted to watch the game with a white Rhone-style blend from Paso Robles while rooting for the Chiefs. That did not go as well as the wine:

 2017 Tablas Creek, Patelin de Tablas Blanc:  Nose was tropical pineapple, lemon and wet stones with a dash of fresh flowers. The pineapple carried over to the palate and mixed with lemon, ginger and minerality. I would call this medium minus body. It wasn’t super light but not quite fully medium. It had a slightly prickly texture that reminded me of  a Gruner Veltliner which was surprising and delightful. Available at the PA State store and other retailers.

Tonight for Bachelor Monday, I’m going Greek. I used my Coravin to pour a glass of this Xinomavro over the weekend. I developed a crush on Xinomavro when I was in the Greek Islands in ’19. This one is a perfect pairing for watching young, singles throw themselves at a man without knowing his middle name or annoying private habits.

2016 Domaine Katsaros Valos Xinomavro: Signature Xinomavro nose of olives and dark fruit. That might sound gross but trust me its amazing. Salty olives carry over to the palate and blend nicely with the fruit. There is a good amount of tannin in this wine. It fades quickly after being a bit austere at first but I like it. It’s like a quick jolt that wakes you up, which will come in handy during the rose ceremony.

Grunwhat What Whater?

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Yummer yummyummer

I chose to imbibe in this Solminer 2019 Gruner Veltliner Spear Vineyard this evening.

Grunwhat what whater you say? Gruner Veltliner.

It’s a varietal that grows primarily in Austria. This one is from Santa Rita Hills, CA.I like to describe Gruner as a wine that is like if Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling had a baby. It has something a little vegetal and green like a Sauvy B, often that kiss of honey like a Riesling, and tart fruits like both varietals. This Gruner has a gorgeous nose of apples and mango, and a vivid floral scent. Not delicate, but more like if you jammed your nose in a fresh bouquet. There are some fresh herbs, and asparagus with white pepper.

On the palate, it tastes like tart apples and mangos with lemons, a kiss of honey, and asparagus on the finish. It body is light but definitely close to being medium. I wouldn’t argue if you though it was medium. Could go either way.

I read a description once where someone called the texture of Gruner “prickly” and I thought that was ridiculous. Except it really is prickly! You’ll have to try some to believe me.

The word that comes to mind for this particular wine is luscious. It is absolutely luscious. It paired really well with the zucchini tacos I had for dinner. Again like Riesling, it goes nicely with spicy foods.

Purchased from Winestyr. I hope it doesn’t sell out before I have a chance to get more.

On The Third Day of Wine Events…

On By sandysoloIn Spanish Wine, Storytasting, Wine, wine reviewLeave a comment

On the third day of wine events the vintners gave to me, La Rioja and Jumilla, Yummy!

Today I had some of my favorite clients on a virtual event that lasted much longer than normal because they were so engaged and interactive. I had a bunch of fun talking about one of my favorite topics, Spanish wine, and tasting these wines:

La Rioja Alta, Viña Ardanza Reserva – 2008: This wine pretty much affirms my earlier opinion that I like Ribera del Duero Tempranillo more than La Rioja. Sorry. This was a good wine, but not my jam. It had this truffles-buried -under-forest-floor note that is similar to why I don’t love Bordeaux – which makes so much sense based on the influence of Bordeaux on La Rioja.  Also nutmeg  which is not my favorite aroma either, and a little bittersweet chocolate.  On the palate there were some tart cherries but I could not get past the truffle nutmeg earth. So again, it was a good wine just not in my aroma wheel sweet spot.

Clio,  Jumilla 2018 – So most Monastrells I’ve have had from Jumilla have topped off at about $17 and have been delicious. So I was expecting this $45 Jumilla to literally knock my socks off. The 16% abv was enough to knock them right off if the richness didn’t. That signature smokey nose was full-on tobacco, followed by dark berries, toasted caramel and a wee bit of steak tar tar. Also, a noticeable amount of green bell pepper from the Cab (it’s 30% Cab) but there was enough of the other goodness to drown out my least favorite red aroma.  Very full body, berry rich, smooth caramel, and I didn’t hate the slight bell pepper.

On The 2nd Day of Wine Events…

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On the second day of wine events my true love gave to me, worldly wine including Burgundy.

I had two events today, one normal “class” style with two wines, and a more social corporate holiday gathering with three wines. Both groups were inquisitive and fun and I generally had a good time tasting the following:

Jean Marc Millot Bourgogne Rouge 2018: On the nose, earthy but not as funky as most Burgundies, with some delicate florals, cherries, a hit of menthol, and a vanilla aroma that came out after about 20 minutes in the glass. On the palate, it was tart cherries, roses, and little bitterness. It wasn’t a favorite, but nicely made if you like a lighter wine with tart fruit.

Amuse Bouche Richard G Peterson Pinot Noir 2017: Out of the bottle it was barnyardy. I was surprised at how the earth hit my nostrils with such force. It also smelled of burnt something, which developed into burnt vanilla after some air. On the palate was a rush of concentrated and ripe berries and cherries with none of the earth. This lovely caramel note developed after a short time. Medium bodied. Little tannin. I prefer this new world style of Pinot.

Quinta do Popa “Contos de Terra,” Douro Red 2017, Portugal:  This wine has me stumped. It defies science, or it’s mislabeled. I can’t figure it out. The label says 12% abv. This has to be wrong.  On the nose its earthy, with plums and sweat or iodine. The I taste it, and get both tart and ripe fruit, concentrated with some orange peel. I swear I get some vanilla. Its fruity, but rich in a way that suggests some oak but there was no oak in the winemaking process according to the tech sheet. The body feels much heavier than a 12% abv should be unless it had residual sugar. There is only 1.1 g/l of residual sugar so that aint it. ????? What’s going on?  It’s delightful and mysterious.

Il Rosso di Casa IGT, Romagnoli, 2018, Italy (Montelpuciano/Sangiovese blend):  On the nose, there were berries, dried herbs, and something along the lines of burnt oranges. On the palate, ripe blackberries and raspberries with a hit of balsamic syrup. Full body.  It’s not complex but certainly easy drinking. Made me wish I had a pizza.

Fairvalley, Chenin Blanc 2019, South Africa: Aromas of grilled pineapple, tropical fruit, minerality, melon, and a slight hint of gooseberry, just a hint. On the palate, tangerines and citrus, tropical notes, with a dollup of honey, and a touch of salinity. I’m really not into gooseberry so if I forget about that, this is a nice, tropical Chenin. Not as crisp as I like typically. It has a bit of weight to it. Just a bit.

The 12 Days of Wine Events

On By sandysoloIn Spanish Wine, Storytasting, Wine, wine reviewLeave a comment
Wines for week 1 of the 12 Days of Wine Events

I am doing 12 virtual wine tasting classes and events between today and December 20th. Coincidence or did the stars align to 12 even so I could make up catchy parody songs and blogs? Definitely the later.

So….on the first day of wine events we tasted happily, a cava and a GSM Blend.

Bohigas Brut Reserva Cava: I believe that sparkling is too fun to drink to spend too much time analyzing. Yes I could sit here and list 17 aromas and talk about the texture. But honestly I have too much fun drinking it to pay attention to every detail separately. So let’s just simply say this smelled like apples, pears, lemons, dry herbs and some flowers. It tasted more like oranges, and toasty almonds. It was delightful.

2014 Kaleidos Morpheus: This is more of a SGM blend, than a GSM since it had more Syrah. It smelled like meat berry pie and the participants in the event agreed with me. There were berries, and then vanilla and chocolate, and this interesting hit of pine needles. The more it sat in the glass the more the vanilla smelled like caramel. On the palate it was rich ripe blackberries and raisins, with vanilla and some meatiness. So it tasted more like deconstructed meat berry pie 🙂 Would definitely drink again.

Turkey Time = Wine Time

On By sandysoloIn French Wine, Portugal, Storytasting, Wine, wine reviewLeave a comment

This is going to be one very different Thanksgiving. If you’re adhering to CDC advice to stick to your immediate family due to the mad increase in Covid around the country, your gatherings are bound to be much smaller, spent with the same people you see each and every day. This could be a good or bad thing depending on your family. My “bubble” consists of me and my dog and my wine stash. After picking up take out Turkey, I’ll be eating it at home alone, thankful my family across the country is healthy (at least from Covid…) and I have plenty of wine to get me through the season.

 Most people tend to pair Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a holiday meal of such great variety. I mean, in my family at least, it usually involves several different types of potatoes, regular stuffing in the bird, sausage stuffing in a pan, a few types of vegetables coated in butter, crusty rolls, and some surprise dish someone decided they wanted to cook that year.

This is the perfect Thanksgiving to ditch your usual wine pairings and try a new one. It might be the biggest risk you take this Thanksgiving. Feel the rush of living on the edge.

If opting for a white wine, ditch the Chard and try another full-boded varietal instead: Viognier. I “Coravin’d” glass of a Viognier I brought back from Portugal last year: Dona Maria Amantis Reserve 2016.  My initial gut reaction was “I can’t wait to drink this with my turkey.” The nose was delightfully rich, of tangerines and mango with some minerality buried under the fruit. This was also this wonderful buttery pie crust note, and finally some delicate honey-dusted flowers. On the palette it was full bodied with an oily texture, and sang of dried mango, tangerine rind, and this hit of white pepper that was a spectacular bite.  You can find this exact wine in the states at limited places like this: Binny’s  But if you can’t, look to the Rhone in France.

If opting for a red, ditch the lighter bodied Pinot Noir and try something with a little more oomph and some dried herb notes that will marry with the sage and thyme in  your meal. Go with Grenache  – or a blend like this one that I wrote about last month: Zaca Mesa Z Cuvee.  On the tongue, this was fresh, fruity and savory.  Raspberries and fresh blueberries coated in a dusting of sage. Medium bodied with some flashy tannins and an herby savory finish. If you can’t find this, again, head to the Rhone for their famous GSM blends – although I would make sure it is in fact heavier on the Grenache so you definitely get those herby notes.

Cheers!

19 Syllables, 2 Italian Wines

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Bru-nell-o di Mon-tal-cin-o. Am-a-ron-e del-la Val-Pol–i-cell-a.

19 syllables. That’s a mouthful for two wines. These in particular were worth every syllable and every sip.

If you were not aware, and most non-wine people are not, Brunello is a Sangiovese clone. Brunello = Sangiovese. Brunello di Montalcino DOCG require the wine be made of 100% Brunello, unlike say a Chianti DOCG that requires it be only 70% Sangiovese. Sangiovese is not one of my favorites, however I don’t know that I drink enough of it to make that blanket statement. The jury is still out I guess. I have more drinking to do.

La Columbina, Brunello di Montalcino, 2015: On the nose, the fruit is dark, blanketed in a mineral-y earthy note, and even iron – like iron from raw meat. There is some black licorice and leather. And a tiny bit of vanilla.

On the palate, the licorice note hits me first and while I loathe black licorice, this doesn’t bother me. The black cherries are tart but the blanket of oak notes almost makes you not notice the acidity at first. But after a second it comes bursting through along with some thyme-infused balsamic. I’m normally not that specific. I’m really liking this.

Zenato, Amarone della Valpolicella, 2015: The nose is full of exactly what you’d expect – raisins. But also plums and this lovely toffee note mixed with toasted earth.

The palate is almost all of what I smell – raisins and ripe plums and toffee. But then there is this black tea note that I find very appealing. Like the of taste iced black tea stuck out so much that I would swear I’m also picking up some citrus, but I’ve convinced myself its my brain playing tricks on me since I literally drank iced lemon black tea earlier today. This is whopping 16.5% ABV so be careful with this beauty.

Tobin James French Camp Vineyard Zinfandel 2016

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I could have just written the word “YUM” and called it a day. But since this is a blog, I’ll keep going.

Tobin James makes my favorite Zin of all time, Fat Boy. You can also read a previous blog of all the other Tobin James wines I tried in my Quarantine stash. Quick plug: their customer service is amazing. I got a hand written note with every order, and a phone call thanking me this last time for a measly two-bottle order. Even if their wine wasn’t delicious, I would probably be a frequent customer to get a phone a call every once in a while.

The French Camp vineyard Zinfandel was a joy to drink. It changed and opened in the most delightful way in the 30 minutes it took me to drink one glass. There was something new or different in every sniff and sip.

First a whiff of blackberry jam, then some leather. A dash of vanilla. A little menthol next. The chocolate covered caramel. There was this slightly vegetal note I could not place for like 10 minutes and then it hit me: celery. There is this odd celery note that is sort of fresh and herby and I dig it because I so was not expecting it.

The rich blackberry figgy jam on the palette is almost a little too much, but not quite. Burnt vanilla caramel on the long finish is what I call a happy ending. There is enough acidity to hold it up – its not flat.

A few minutes later I smell it and get this dried rose note. Another delightful surprise. Its like a candied dry rose petal – there is something deep and dark and concentrated that fits right in. It’s not light and fragrant. And then some nutmeg.

So yeah, YUM.

Aranleon, “Solo”, 2017

On By sandysoloIn Spanish Wine, Storytasting, Wine, wine reviewLeave a comment

I received my official Certification in Advanced Spain today!

I’m celebrating with an ancient Spanish varietal, Bobal, from Utiel-Requena in the Valencia Region. U-R is known for resurrecting Bobal and it thrives there.

The name describes my Pandemic state perfectly: Solo. I’m currently drinking Solo solo.

The nose is fruitful of ripe cherries and raspberries, an earthy minerality, and a tiny hint of mocha.

On the pallette, it’s surprisingly fresh for a 14.5% abv, fresh red fruit, a little hit of bitter orange peel, and it finishes with the minerals. But the fruit stands out nicely above everything else.

Available at the PA State Store for $19.99.