Pinot Noir Tasting

We did another blind tasting with some friends over cheese and crackers.

This time: Pinot Noir

#1-- La Crema 2008 -- Lots of berry flavors. Young. Will be nice in a couple more years. We've never met a La Crema we didn't like. Never. Ever. This one is promising and looks to be up to their usual excellent standards.

#2 -- Coppola 2008 -- Young. No nose. But lots of full berry flavors. This was the favorite and the first emptied.

#3 --Isley Valley 2008 -- Blah. No one thought much of it.

Random Notes

I have not been faithful about posting as often as I should to get these thoughts down while they're still fresh.
So I'm left with some random notes I made.
Here are a few:
Redwood Canyon Chardonnay - I am a Chardonnay lover, so you have to keep that in mind. This had a strong citrus finish and I prefer citrus in my Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. I like my Chardonnays buttery and oaky.
I looked for a link and it appears Redwood Canyon is the unacknowledged half-sibling from Frei Brothers. I'd skip this one and the only other mention I found online agreed with me. Strongly.

Page Hill Cabernet Sauvignon - This must also be some big winery's illegitamate offspring because I can't find any information. I do tend to buy cheap wines and that's probably why. I felt this one was a bit thin on the palate, but it had rich berry flavors. It really came alive when it was paired with red meat. Wine Snob Hubby loved it and he wants to buy more, but since we don't remember where we got it and can't find any info online, I guess we're out of luck.

Villa Sonia Pinot Grigio - I found it crisp and refreshing but again, I can't find where to buy it or where it came from. I buy most of my cheap wine at Trader Joes, so that's a likely place to look for it again.

Sauvignon Blanc Tasting

While having appetizers with friends recently, Wine Snob Friend Tom pulled out three Sauvignon Blancs and we did a tasting. All three were New Zealand wines. The tasting was blind.

The comments are from all of us.

#1 -- Pidgin Bay, 2009. I liked this one a lot. It had a sparkly beginning on the tongue, almost like a sparkling wine or Champagne. Strong citrus notes on the finish. (This is what I wrote down but I can't find a link or any winery in NZ named Pidgin Bay, so either I wrote it down wrong or I'm keeping the buying info to myself).

#2 --King Shag. No one cared much for this one. It had little flavor, little interest, and was met with shrugs.

#3 -- Kim Crawford, Marlborough New Zealand. Very nice. Almost the opposite of the Pidgin Bay. With the Crawford, the citrus flavors were up front and the sparkling texture was saved for the finish.

WSFT (Wine Snob Friend Tom) commented about a really nice New Zealand wine he'd been told about. Cloudy Bay. He did not offer us any. He did not offer to find it for us. He merely teased with it. I'll keep a look out for it and try to get a bottle to taste.

Salmon and Pinot Noir

Okay, I can't talk about the salmon because it's part of a supersecret throwdown.

But.

I was in Total Wine a few weeks ago, browsing the Pinot Noirs for something to go with salmon. I was really hoping a bottle would jump off the shelf into my basket and announce, "Ta Da! I'm the one you're looking for!"

Alas.

Finally, an employee happened narby and asked if he could help. I told him what I wanted and he grabbed a bottle.

"Here. I was coming to get one to take home. We're having salmon tonight and the price just dropped $4 on this."

He handed me Maple Ridge Pinot Noir.

That was good enough for me.

We had it a few days ago.

I tasted berries.

I thought it went wonderfully with the salmon. I tried a swallow after salad and side dishes and it was a bit dry and harsh on the sides of my tongue. But with the salmon, it simply melted.

Very nice.

Edging Out the Favorite?

I ventured in Total Wine by myself last week. I knew I wanted a couple bottles of my current fave, the Pacific Rim Dry Riesling. But I got sidetracked and decided to try a new one.

I chose Chateau Ste. Michelle's Dry Riesling.

I brought it home and Wine Snob Hubby said he'd just read an article about how well dry Riesling goes with blue cheese. We had a tub of crumbles, so we popped the cork and cracked the tub and sat at the table.

At the first sip, I thought, This is going to be good. I tasted citrus with a bare hint of honey on the finish.

The cheese softened the citrus and made the wine spread across my tongue more softly.

As we sipped and chatted and tasted, WSH commented that we've had a few wines from Ste. Michelle before and they haven't disappointed. I took that to mean he approved also and we should look for the appellation a little more often in our shopping excursions.

I concur on that conclusion.

Summer Wines, Part 2

In my quest to find a good summer red to recommend, I've talked with many wine snob friends and there is no consensus, so I think the answer is there isn't one.

Most everyone ended up recommending either a light blend or a blush.

Birdstone Winery had an outstanding Grenache a few years ago, but even though I regularly ask for it and they keep saying it's coming back, sadly, it has yet to make an appearance.

The Menage a Trois wines are exellent blends and the blush is light but fruity, perfect for a summer salad.

The first wine I ever really enjoyed was Beringer's White Zinfandel. The strawberry and other fruit flavors combined with the light crispness on the tongue made it the perfect "gateway" wine into learning how to discern flavors. While I've since expanded my palate somewhat, there are days, particularly in July and August when the only that really appeals to me is a Beringer's White Zin. It's reliable and consistent. I know what I'm getting when we uncork the bottle.

I hope you enjoy!

Summer Reds

Since I'm not a big red wine drinker, I've been taking a survey of friends and dining companions for suggestions for a light "summer" red wine.

We had some salmon a few nights ago and friends brought the wine. One was a Waltzing Bear Wines, Gary's Vineyard Pinot Noir. It had some yummy berry flavors with a light and dry finish.

The wine went nicely with the salmon and it was generally agreed that the wine met the requirements for a summer quaff.

Enjoy!

A Surprise Pairing

Last night we made a friend's chicken ciabatta sandwich with super secret sauce. I played with some ingredients and I think I've replicated the sauce pretty well.

TB's Super Secret Chicken Ciabattas (I don't know whether to give our friend public recognition for the recipe or keep the recipe creator secret since they may not want their super secret and yummy concoction on the world wide web.)

Ciabatta rolls, split, brushed with olive oil and lightly sprinkled with sea salt and grilled until toasted.
Chicken breast, grilled then topped with smoked gouda slices. Let the cheese droop and melt a little.
Red bell peppers, roasted til the skin is black, then peeled, seeded, and halved.
Super secret sauce - mix a chipotle marinade or dressing with either ranch dressing or sour cream until you have a pink and creamy sauce.

Spread the sauce on the ciabatta. Layer the chicken, peppers, and bread.

We hadn't thought about a pairing and just poured a red that was already open.

Guenoc 2007 Victorian Claret went amazingly well with the sandwich. The wine had incredible legs in the glass and a rich ruby color. The flavors of berries complemented the smokiness of the chicken and cheese.

This pairing is a complete serendipity and one of the best.

Summer Wines

I'm pretty much a white wine drinker. I think I've established that already. And I prefer Chardonnays.

I've heard people talk about a "summer wine," and frankly, dismissed it. I figured I like what I like and I know what I like and what I like is Chardonnays.

The weather warmed up (finally - I think this was the longest winter on record in the Central Valley), and one day Wine Snob Hubby and I finished the day with a glass of wine on the back patio. I think the mercury had reached into the 90s for the first time.

I sipped my Chardonnay, eager for its refreshment. And ... nothing. It sat on my palate and refused to do anything for me.

The next night, just for a change, WSH pulled out a Pinot Grigio. "Let's try this, it's a little lighter."

Ahhh. It was light and crisp and a perfect complement to the warm day.

Unfortunately, I forgot to check the label so I don't know what it was.

I won't make that mistake twice.

And now I have a summer wine to enjoy.

Zin or Cab?

We had some amazing BBQ over the weekend.

It came from Robin's Wood Fire BBQ & Grill in Pasadena, California. We used to eat there when it was a nice casual place for lunch or dinner. We didn't know they changed the menu to all BBQ.

We ordered the garbage can lid dinner with chicken, hot links (careful, the heat sneaks up when your back is turned), beef ribs, tri tip, and short ribs. We added a rack of baby backs too, since there were five us eating out of the trough. Er, I mean from the lid.

Anyway, Wine Snob Hubby and his friend considered carefully what to offer us neophytes.

The choices: Brazin, an old vine Zinfandel from Brazin Cellars out of Manteca, CA.
Beaucanon Cabernet

The Brazin was known and loved and chosen because of that. The Cab was chosen because WSH and friend took a field trip to the Tustin outpost of the mother ship, also known as Total Wine. WSH asked for suggestions and an employee suggested the Beaucanon.

I just looked at the Beaucanon website and I'm sorry I can't tell if it was a Cab Franc or what vintage. I'll have to check with WSH and get back to you on that.

Anyway, I tasted both with the baked beans and meat. The Brazin was good, but fell a bit flat. The Beaucanon definitely stood up to the BBQ sauce and meats. I tasted blackberries and it finished well along the sides of my tongue.

Which goes to show that sometimes a tried and true favorite should be given a night off so a new friend can have the opportunity to shine.

Whining about Wine

Time has flown and I can't believe I didn't write any more about the weekend.

The next day, we started at 10:00 am at Adelaida Cellars. Their grounds are lovely, as is the tasting room. Since we were a large group of 10 (and a loud group), we were taken into the back, into the racking room (I think that's the word for it... or cellar, or where the barrels were stacked).

Anyway, most of the Paso Robles wineries we visited only offered one, or at the most two, white wines, so I tried to pay particular attention to those.

I failed miserably. I didn't want to take obvious notes but I should have.

At Adelaida, I know I tasted the Vigonier. I tasted pineapple and maybe some citrus.

I didn't care for the reds and after the second one, I went to stretch out my back by leaning against a door jamb.

Next: Justin.

Tasting with a small t

We spent last weekend in Paso Robles touring their "Far Out Wineries" and tasting. There were 17 wineries on the Passport weekend. We hit 13 of them over three days. All proceeds of Passport sales and 5% of the weekend's wine sales are donated to the local Wellness Community.

I think I'll take a week or so and talk about a few of them each day.

We started at Villacana Winery. They offered cheese samples with the wines to Passport holders. Our friends had been tasting all day but a family commitment kept us from joining until around 4 pm. So Villacana was our first winery and their ... 8th, maybe? Or 9th. Needless to say, the levels of fun and levity were a bit different.

Anyway, on the way over Wine Snob Hubby had me read out loud the pages from Karen MacNeil's Wine Bible about tasting. I listened while I read and felt ready to tackle tasting and comparisions. MacNeil talked about how to gauge mouth feel, texture, and taste.

I sipped the first wine, a Vigonier, and everything went out of my head. I remembered to take short, quick sniffs, instead of one long inhale. I ran through a mental list of comparisions and came up blank. I couldn't tell you if it tasted like pineapple, wet cat, or citrus.

We moved on to the reds. They all ran together in my mind after one sip.

The grounds are lovely and the proprietors, Alex and Monica Villacana are gracious and generous hosts.

We Interrupt This Blog...

For a movie review.

We watched Bottle Shock last night. It's a 2008 movie about a blind wine tasting competition in France in 1976 when two California wineries blew everyone away and won the thing in both the red and white categories.

The movie focuses on Chateau Montelena and it's quest to produce excellent wine, Chardonnay in particular. I'm always interested in how movies based on real events can build tension and uncertainty in the audience when the outcome is already known. (Apollo 13 did this brilliantly, by the way.)

In Bottle Shock, the writers did it by making Jim Barrett, the owner and wine maker, on the verge of bankruptcy and giving him and his son an uneasy relationship.

I have no idea how much of that is based on fact and how much is added for tension. There's a female intern who is attracted to both Bo Barrett and his friend, a winery employee.

The Napa Valley of 1976 is shown to be very rural and nearly poverty stricken. The trucks and cars are 1960s vintages and on their last legs. I got my driver's license in 1975 and I remember the trucks and cars I and my friends drove. We weren't from wealthy families and our cars were in much better shape than those in the movie.

Bottle Shock is a great story dressed up to impress. It did make me want to taste some Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. The current release is their 2007 vintage at $50 a bottle. They charge $20 for a tasting.

Maybe it's time for another Total Wine field trip...

Pasta and Peju

On our first visit to Napa, which incredibly was only three months ago, we were steered by friends to Peju Winery. They are now very good friends.

Peju turned out to be a highlight. It didn't start well, but the Peju staff jumped in and made it a wonderfully memorable visit. And the wines were pretty good, too. Actually, the wines are excellent. Every one was flavorful and brought different elements of the grape to the glass. Our favorites were the Provence and the Fifty/Fifty. The 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon H.B. Vineyard was delicious, even to this non-red wine lover.

For Christmas, our very good friends gave us a bottle of Peju's Rose' of Syrah. They are now very, very good friends.

Yesterday was the day to uncork and pair it. We looked online and consulted both The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil and her Wine, Food, and Friends. Because rose' wines are so varied, we couldn't find a universal recommendation. But all the experts seemed to agree on a few common elements: garlic, Mediterranean, and seafood.

Well, that's a no-brainer. We had shrimp and feta and pasta so Greek Shrimp Pasta* was the obvious winner.

We sipped the wine as the pasta cooked and it was very good, but it really exploded with the garlic and shrimp and feta flavors.

I tasted cherries and a hint of licorice. Wine snob hubby smelled cranberries, cherries and a hint of pomegranate. We agree that the Greek Shrimp Pasta really showcased the wine to its fullest.

Our friends are now very, very, very good friends.

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*Greek Shrimp Pasta
1 pound raw shelled and deveined shrimp, fresh or frozen thawed
4 cloves garlic, pressed
2tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces crumbled feta cheese
6 green onions, finely chopped
4 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves, minced
5 fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded, and coarsely chopped (I try to use plum tomatoes, but I've used larger varieties and smaller. Even halved grape tomatoes)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pound linguine, freshly cooked and drained

In a large bowl, combine feta, green onions, oregano, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for an hour. (I've cheated when pressed for time and I still think it's marvelous. You do need at least 15 minutes though.

In a skillet, add the butter and olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the garlic and stir until it starts to brown, then add the shrimp. Stir until the shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat.

Add the cooked pasta to the shrimp and garlic. Toss. Top with the feta and tomatoes and enjoy!

Ice Wine

In Karen MacNeil's Wine, Food, and Friends I read about ice wine or Eiswein. It's a dessert wine made from grapes that are frozen on the vine and then pressed. The water stays behind as ice and only juice is extracted.

This description fascinated me and I imagined ... I don't know, icy wine crystals I guess and I wanted to see how this translated into wine.

So, on our field trip to Total Wine , we found the ice wines. They are from Germany or Canada. They ranged in price from $15 - $75. I was prepared to go up to around $30, but in this case I went with the cheaper edition for the shallow reason that I liked it's packaging and label better than the higher priced wine. Oh, and it's a half bottle size and it's poured in 2 ounce servings.

Jackson-Triggs Vidal Icewine was the lowest priced and since we had no idea what to expect (and it had nice 'rich' looking packaging) we decided to start at the bottom of the price tier and will work our way up.

We opened the Vidal and had our 2 oz. pour a couple of nights ago, then again last night.

It's a rich amber color, it pours thick, almost like cough syrup. I sniffed and got a deep floral scent. Wine Snob Hubby wasn't sure what he smelled until I said flowers. He sniffed again and said, "Yes, roses."

It is a very gentle flavor, not harsh at all. We had it alone, without food, and I'd like to try it with something to see how it holds up. I tasted apples and a hint of the florals. It's a very concentrated taste.

We'll try it again with a food, then move our way up the price scale to compare.

On the Cheap

Fresh and Easy recently came to town. I stopped by to check out their prepared foods and left with a basket of groceries. I wandered the wine aisle, looking for their version of a Two-buck Chuck. Sure enough, they had several wines for $1.99.

I chose the Big Kahuna Chardonnay.

I fixed crab cakes with the leftover crab from the Geurwertz tasting and oven roasted some veggies (zucchini, carrots, Brussels sprouts, peppers, broccoli).

The wine wasn't bad on first sip. But by the end of dinner it had lost all power to stand up to the food and take its place as part of the meal. A bite of vegetables would bring it back to half-mast, but it never fully recovered.

But it was two bucks. For the price, it wasn't horrible.

It felt very dry on the tongue and sharp to acidic on the finish.

Gewurztraminer and Crab

Saturday Wine Snob Hubby wanted to compare the two Gerwuertz... Guerwert... you know what I mean. Anyway, he bought two different bottles at our recent field trip to Total Wine and
he wanted to taste them side by side.

RNDaughter was home for the weekend and she wanted crab. Usually we have one night a year with newspapers on the table, crackers (the metal kind, not the edible ones), wine, and a salad.

WSH checked his Wine Bible and MacNeil's Wine, Food, and Friends and decided it could work with the right accompanying sauces.

So we called some friends, threw the papers on the table, and chilled the wines.

The menu:

Crab (one non-shellfish eater had a chicken breast)
Assorted dipping sauces (Thai peanut, cocktail, spicy ginger, garlic and chile) and drawn butter
Ceasar salad
sourdough bread
And dark chocolate truffles for dessert.

First up:

Adler Fels Gewurtz from the Russian River Valley.

Heard around the table:

• "With the spicy sauces, it really opens up the flavor of the wine."
• "It's not sugary sweet, it's flowery sweet."
• "The spicy ginger sauce brought out the dry elements."
• "It pours pretty."

My uneducated thought: I liked it a lot. It stood up to both the crab and the vinegary salad dressing. A bite of bread refreshed the palate.

Next was the French edition, Vin d'Alsace Gewurtz (as the name implies, from Alsace):

Heard around the table:

• "Makes the cocktail sauce super hot."
• "Has a chardonnay finish."
• "Would be great with a spicy sushi."

I liked the Adler Fels wine better. Not that there was anything wrong with the Alsace, at least nothing I can articulate. The Adler Fels just seemed a better fit. It's very possible the Alsace would have been wonderful with Thai food or a jerk chicken with fruit salsa. We made it work with what we wanted and it's probably our fault that it didn't shine.

Beouf Bourguignon

December 30 Wine Snob Hubby decided to try a new Beouf Bourguignon recipe. He made one a couple of months ago and it was too hearty, if that's possible. He used a 'quick' recipe and the wine flavor simply overpowered everything else.

So this time he went for a more 'traditional' preparation, including flaming brandy before the simmer. He added some left over Fresno State red and a Cabernet.

We ate it on egg noodles and he paired it with a Tejon Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon. I'm not a red drinker. I just don't care for the sharp flavors but this red worked so well with the beef that it was totally good.

I tasted berries.