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A Wine Club in Atlanta, GA, founded in 2008. We meet to taste wine, gab, snack, and learn. TWITs is all about having fun, trying wines, and growing your palate.
Monday, July 30, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Rose' with Mr. Janssen - Tuesday, July 17th 2012
Rose' with Mr. Janssen - Tuesday, July 17th 2012
We will do our typical blind tasting format for this event.
About this theme: " Rose, is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques." NOTE: Rose is not the same thing as White Zinfandel.
Food Pairings: Vino For Dinner site says"Roses are nick-named a summertime "patio" wine, as they are refreshing on warm summer days and are lower in alcohol, which makes them easy to drink. They are a great party wine, as they can have broad appeal (not too sweet and not too heavy)... Rose is a versatile wine that pairs well with shellfish and can stand up to a bit of spice. "
Food served:
- Cacio e pepe (simply pasta with cheese and pepper)
- Garlic and ginger rubbed pork tenderloin
- Scallops ceviche over pasta cakes
- Berry and peach fruit salad
Quote of the night from Kathy: "I'm guessing this is French?"
Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine: Tarantas Sparkling Rose - under $10 @ Whole Foods, 100% Spanish Bobal, 12.5% alcohol, made with organic grapes
1) 2011 Ameztoi Cosecha Rubentis - $12.99 or 14.99 (I forget) @ Le Caveau Fine Wines, 10.5% alcohol
"This Basque wine, made in the town of Getaria along the coast near San Sebastian is lean and mineral with just a whiff of unripe strawberry aroma. This tart, spritzy rosado is much in demand and hard to find in retail shops." - Spanish Table
TWITS notes: "I taste ceviche", coral pink color, grapefruit/sour apple aromas. Foamy, light, powdery, very light maple/honey aroma, tastes of fresh mowed grass, fast growing green grass
Kathy: "I'm guessing French" green grapes, candy apple aromas.
Val: graphite nose, anise, licorice, fine bubbles
Deb: Smooth, sweetarts, pixie sticks, sugar candy,
2) 2010 D'autrefois Pinot Noir Rose' Pays d'Oc - $11.00 @ Total Wine, 12% alcohol
pale pink, salmon color, almost clear, flesh colored, aroma like Pinot Noir (good guess!), wildflower, orchid, buttery, more honey, light smoky aroma, sublte.
Les - sour apple, Melissa - subtle minerality, Abbie-subtle grapefruit, Kathy - bitter,
not as harsh as first wine.
3) 2011 Chateau La Tour Beraud Costieres De Nimes - $14.99 @ Sherlocks Wine Merchant in Decatur, 13.5% alcohol, 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah
Rosy pale pink, Rhone-French
Les - this one's got NOSE, Val - burnt toast or asphalt, candy then savory, charred BBQ, Abbie - too burnt, tar nose, like Italian Nebbiolo, crisp but viscous, lime green gummy bears, popcorn jelly belly bean, burnt sugar, creme brulee, Rheinallt - southern Rhone, strawberries, Marilyn - mineral, would pair well with spicy food, Deb - More legs than the others, Jaffet - Dueling Cobras, Janssen - lilacs, peach, tastes of crisp pear, Kathy - likes this, Leslie - weird aftertaste, Karstin - almost bitter, sour aftertaste, wants cheese,
4) 2009 Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rose - $15 @ Kroger, 14% alcohol
100% Cabernet Sauvignon (Chilean)
magenta, rosier color, ruby-er, Kathy - like cherries, a new float (for the pool), synthetic rubber smell, "I'm on a Float! with my flippy floppies" Rheinallt - like jam, distinct fruit, sweet, muscadine, not fresh cherries, lollypop, juice, Karstin - smells like lipstick, really dark chocolate (low sugar), Deb - bacon, smoky, Leslie - like a Riesling, petroleum nose, Abbie- like a Trojan, latex, juicy soup grapefruit, not in love with it. Jaffet - Chevron, too much licorice, cheap licorice like Red Vines, Jamie - Jamie, rubbery, like licking a float, Melissa - Poptarts
5) 2006 Chateau de Lancyre Pic St. Loup Coteaux de Languedoc Rose - $15 or less @ WinesTillSoldOut, 13.5% alcohol, 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Cinsault (Karstin brought this wine for Susan, who couldn't make it to this event)
Bets were placed on guessing the alcohol percentage: Leslie said 13.5%, Marilyn said 14.5%, and Deb said 14%. Leslie wins this round.
brown pink, cognac, tawny color, sherry, aged, Melissa - smells like a tawny port, Leslie - chocolate covered cranberries, Asian food, Marilyn - tastes like a sherry, bronze, aged, Deb - lovely, Abbie - Dessert wine, sweeter, alcohol smell, choclate like dessert wine, old lady perfume, coconut, buttery, thick, Karstin - foie gras pairing, Rheinallt - fig, pair with "hot pot" at Gu's Bistro, Janssen - syrupy
6) 2009 Landmark Rose Sonoma - $16 from the winemaker's wine club, 13.8% alcohol,
Val - Aromas of sulfur, most complex, keeps changing, Abbie - rose of CabFranc, rosy, garnet, earthy, mushroom, Rheinallt - farts, dutch-oven, jammy, Leslie - dirty French Oak, Jaffet - oak, sweet oak, old cheese, Janssen - creamed corn (sweet), Deb - tastes of buttery caramel popcorn, Les - toffee apple, nutmeg, effervescent, loves it! Marilyn - savory, pair with fish or balsalmic, Karstin - pair with grilled fish, Melissa - barnyard, peppery
7) 2011 Zestos Garnacha Rose, Madrid Spain - $9.99 @ Whole Foods, 13.5% alcohol, 100% Garnacha, rosy peach color, funky stinky cheese, Rheinallt - bad brie or gouda, very light blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, guessing Provence, Val - bready, bitter aftertaste, pair with seafood, kool-aid, Melissa - Jarlsberg cheese, swiss variety cheese, Kathy - "I think it's French", Leslie/Deb - barnyard, like a spring day, grows on you, Karstin - lighter mold cheese, grass or hay in the mouth, Jaffet - smells pretty good, honeycomb, wiff of woman's perfume, Janssen - manchego with hint of parmesan cheese, pair with good cheese
8) 2011 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes (Beaujolais Rose) - $14.99 @ Le Caveau, 12% alcohol, 100% Gamay
Melissa - more rancid, burnt toast, raspberry, beautiful perfume to wear and to eat. A Mademoiselle, not Courtesan, Jamie - "Not a French Whore" , Abbie - pale peach, stinky, butter on finish, tar, burnt, "Spotted Trotter's Sorghum cured pork belly" (Deb thought I said circumcised pork belly, and we laughed a lot at that one), Jaffet - watermelon, Les - grapefruit, Deb - burnt marshmallow, butterscotch, Rheinallt - not acidic, Janssen - best finish so far, Leslie - bacon.
9) 2011 Parallele 45 Cotes Du Rhone "Ici Commence Le Sud" - $15 @ Whole Foods, 13% alcohol, 50% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, "Ici Commence Le Sud" means "The South begins here"
Abbie - coral peach, like conch shells, light nose, Janssen - Bahama pink, lychee fruit, Kathy - Spanish, Madrid (nope), Leslie - pink roses, party in your glass, Deb - it's after 9pm, oh dear god please stop, this is FUN! Fun in a glass, Kathy - Surin's has the best lychee martini's. Jaffet - not bad, not sure if great, Rheinallt - classic rose, watermelon, 1st bite of watermelon, turned into salted dark chocolate, Melissa - watermelon close to the rind.
10) 2011 Cantele Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT, Puglia Italy - $12.99 @ Total Wine, 100% Negroamaro, 13% alcohol
Jamie - Penultimate, cheap scented candle, lip smackers, Karsten/Jaffet - like walking into a perfume store - ug!, kool-aid, jolly rancher kool-aid, smells like Fanta, Abbie - cheap pink, Melissa - like a pantomime, Les/Jamie - "cheap French whore", Val - non-descript, something in a can, forgettable, Melissa - Arbor Mist, Deb - liked it though
11) 2010 Sutter Home White Zinfandel - $6.99 @ QT Gas Station
Abbie - "smells like bad breath", "like boyfriend who ate bad Asian food and tried to hide it with toothpaste", "I think it was orange chicken and a cigar, a bad cigar.", Val - honeysuckle, jolly rancher, Melissa - diet Welch's grape juice, Kathy - "This is messed up!"
Read Ms. Leslie's notes here also: Starving Wino: Beat the Heat with Rose
Until next time...
We will do our typical blind tasting format for this event.
About this theme: " Rose, is a type of wine that has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques." NOTE: Rose is not the same thing as White Zinfandel.
Food Pairings: Vino For Dinner site says"Roses are nick-named a summertime "patio" wine, as they are refreshing on warm summer days and are lower in alcohol, which makes them easy to drink. They are a great party wine, as they can have broad appeal (not too sweet and not too heavy)... Rose is a versatile wine that pairs well with shellfish and can stand up to a bit of spice. "
- Cacio e pepe (simply pasta with cheese and pepper)
- Garlic and ginger rubbed pork tenderloin
- Scallops ceviche over pasta cakes
- Berry and peach fruit salad
Quote of the night from Kathy: "I'm guessing this is French?"
Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine: Tarantas Sparkling Rose - under $10 @ Whole Foods, 100% Spanish Bobal, 12.5% alcohol, made with organic grapes
1) 2011 Ameztoi Cosecha Rubentis - $12.99 or 14.99 (I forget) @ Le Caveau Fine Wines, 10.5% alcohol
"This Basque wine, made in the town of Getaria along the coast near San Sebastian is lean and mineral with just a whiff of unripe strawberry aroma. This tart, spritzy rosado is much in demand and hard to find in retail shops." - Spanish Table
TWITS notes: "I taste ceviche", coral pink color, grapefruit/sour apple aromas. Foamy, light, powdery, very light maple/honey aroma, tastes of fresh mowed grass, fast growing green grass
Kathy: "I'm guessing French" green grapes, candy apple aromas.
Val: graphite nose, anise, licorice, fine bubbles
Deb: Smooth, sweetarts, pixie sticks, sugar candy,
2) 2010 D'autrefois Pinot Noir Rose' Pays d'Oc - $11.00 @ Total Wine, 12% alcohol
pale pink, salmon color, almost clear, flesh colored, aroma like Pinot Noir (good guess!), wildflower, orchid, buttery, more honey, light smoky aroma, sublte.
Les - sour apple, Melissa - subtle minerality, Abbie-subtle grapefruit, Kathy - bitter,
not as harsh as first wine.
3) 2011 Chateau La Tour Beraud Costieres De Nimes - $14.99 @ Sherlocks Wine Merchant in Decatur, 13.5% alcohol, 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 20% Syrah
Rosy pale pink, Rhone-French
Les - this one's got NOSE, Val - burnt toast or asphalt, candy then savory, charred BBQ, Abbie - too burnt, tar nose, like Italian Nebbiolo, crisp but viscous, lime green gummy bears, popcorn jelly belly bean, burnt sugar, creme brulee, Rheinallt - southern Rhone, strawberries, Marilyn - mineral, would pair well with spicy food, Deb - More legs than the others, Jaffet - Dueling Cobras, Janssen - lilacs, peach, tastes of crisp pear, Kathy - likes this, Leslie - weird aftertaste, Karstin - almost bitter, sour aftertaste, wants cheese,
4) 2009 Santa Digna Cabernet Sauvignon Rose - $15 @ Kroger, 14% alcohol
100% Cabernet Sauvignon (Chilean)
magenta, rosier color, ruby-er, Kathy - like cherries, a new float (for the pool), synthetic rubber smell, "I'm on a Float! with my flippy floppies" Rheinallt - like jam, distinct fruit, sweet, muscadine, not fresh cherries, lollypop, juice, Karstin - smells like lipstick, really dark chocolate (low sugar), Deb - bacon, smoky, Leslie - like a Riesling, petroleum nose, Abbie- like a Trojan, latex, juicy soup grapefruit, not in love with it. Jaffet - Chevron, too much licorice, cheap licorice like Red Vines, Jamie - Jamie, rubbery, like licking a float, Melissa - Poptarts
5) 2006 Chateau de Lancyre Pic St. Loup Coteaux de Languedoc Rose - $15 or less @ WinesTillSoldOut, 13.5% alcohol, 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Cinsault (Karstin brought this wine for Susan, who couldn't make it to this event)
Bets were placed on guessing the alcohol percentage: Leslie said 13.5%, Marilyn said 14.5%, and Deb said 14%. Leslie wins this round.
brown pink, cognac, tawny color, sherry, aged, Melissa - smells like a tawny port, Leslie - chocolate covered cranberries, Asian food, Marilyn - tastes like a sherry, bronze, aged, Deb - lovely, Abbie - Dessert wine, sweeter, alcohol smell, choclate like dessert wine, old lady perfume, coconut, buttery, thick, Karstin - foie gras pairing, Rheinallt - fig, pair with "hot pot" at Gu's Bistro, Janssen - syrupy
6) 2009 Landmark Rose Sonoma - $16 from the winemaker's wine club, 13.8% alcohol,
Val - Aromas of sulfur, most complex, keeps changing, Abbie - rose of CabFranc, rosy, garnet, earthy, mushroom, Rheinallt - farts, dutch-oven, jammy, Leslie - dirty French Oak, Jaffet - oak, sweet oak, old cheese, Janssen - creamed corn (sweet), Deb - tastes of buttery caramel popcorn, Les - toffee apple, nutmeg, effervescent, loves it! Marilyn - savory, pair with fish or balsalmic, Karstin - pair with grilled fish, Melissa - barnyard, peppery
7) 2011 Zestos Garnacha Rose, Madrid Spain - $9.99 @ Whole Foods, 13.5% alcohol, 100% Garnacha, rosy peach color, funky stinky cheese, Rheinallt - bad brie or gouda, very light blue cheese, blue cheese dressing, guessing Provence, Val - bready, bitter aftertaste, pair with seafood, kool-aid, Melissa - Jarlsberg cheese, swiss variety cheese, Kathy - "I think it's French", Leslie/Deb - barnyard, like a spring day, grows on you, Karstin - lighter mold cheese, grass or hay in the mouth, Jaffet - smells pretty good, honeycomb, wiff of woman's perfume, Janssen - manchego with hint of parmesan cheese, pair with good cheese
8) 2011 Pierre-Marie Chermette Domaine du Vissoux Les Griottes (Beaujolais Rose) - $14.99 @ Le Caveau, 12% alcohol, 100% Gamay
Melissa - more rancid, burnt toast, raspberry, beautiful perfume to wear and to eat. A Mademoiselle, not Courtesan, Jamie - "Not a French Whore" , Abbie - pale peach, stinky, butter on finish, tar, burnt, "Spotted Trotter's Sorghum cured pork belly" (Deb thought I said circumcised pork belly, and we laughed a lot at that one), Jaffet - watermelon, Les - grapefruit, Deb - burnt marshmallow, butterscotch, Rheinallt - not acidic, Janssen - best finish so far, Leslie - bacon.
9) 2011 Parallele 45 Cotes Du Rhone "Ici Commence Le Sud" - $15 @ Whole Foods, 13% alcohol, 50% Grenache, 40% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, "Ici Commence Le Sud" means "The South begins here"
Abbie - coral peach, like conch shells, light nose, Janssen - Bahama pink, lychee fruit, Kathy - Spanish, Madrid (nope), Leslie - pink roses, party in your glass, Deb - it's after 9pm, oh dear god please stop, this is FUN! Fun in a glass, Kathy - Surin's has the best lychee martini's. Jaffet - not bad, not sure if great, Rheinallt - classic rose, watermelon, 1st bite of watermelon, turned into salted dark chocolate, Melissa - watermelon close to the rind.
10) 2011 Cantele Negroamaro Rosato Salento IGT, Puglia Italy - $12.99 @ Total Wine, 100% Negroamaro, 13% alcohol
Jamie - Penultimate, cheap scented candle, lip smackers, Karsten/Jaffet - like walking into a perfume store - ug!, kool-aid, jolly rancher kool-aid, smells like Fanta, Abbie - cheap pink, Melissa - like a pantomime, Les/Jamie - "cheap French whore", Val - non-descript, something in a can, forgettable, Melissa - Arbor Mist, Deb - liked it though
11) 2010 Sutter Home White Zinfandel - $6.99 @ QT Gas Station
Val threw this wine in, last, to see if the TWITs could tell it was not a Rose. I think we passed!
pale rose pink, Leslie & Deb - strawberry lemonade kool-aid, carmelized, fruit taste, meringueAbbie - "smells like bad breath", "like boyfriend who ate bad Asian food and tried to hide it with toothpaste", "I think it was orange chicken and a cigar, a bad cigar.", Val - honeysuckle, jolly rancher, Melissa - diet Welch's grape juice, Kathy - "This is messed up!"
Read Ms. Leslie's notes here also: Starving Wino: Beat the Heat with Rose
Until next time...
Monday, July 16, 2012
Le Caveau - Bastille Day Tasting - 7/14/2012
Welcome back Susan Maschal of Ultimate Distributors on Bastille Day as we celebrate French Independence and taste through some vins des terroirs from the Bourgeois Family Selections portfolio.
1) 2010 Elicio Ventoux Blanc - $11.99
100% Vermentino
Raphael Trouiller uses his experience as a vigneron to produce Elicio in the south of the Rhone Valley. "Elicio" is Latin "to reveal." This wine is made from a careful selection of young vines growing on chalky and clay soils in the Southeast of the Rhone Valley. 100% Vermentino varietal that is aged in stainless steel tanks, which shows pure fulfilling flavors that evoke warm and fruity flavors of its sunny region.
2) 2011 Chateau de Saurs "La Jouvencelle" Gaillac Blanc - $18.99
Varietals: Le Mauzac, Le Loin de L'oeil, Le Sauvignon
The Saurs Castle is located in the heart of the Gaillac AOC, one of the oldest ones in France which can be traced back to 6th Century, about 30 miles northeast of Toulouse, in the village of Lisle-sur-Tarn. The soil is a well-balanced mix of clay, chalk, and gravel at the foot of the slopes.
Le Mauzac: Characterized by apple and pear
Le Loin de L'oeil: This ancient varietal is only found in Gaillac. It brings freshness, with a flowery aromatic.
Le Sauvignon: With a smoky note and citrus aromas.
3) 2011 Clos Teddi Patrimonio Rosé Corsica - $25.99
75% Niellucciu, 25% Sciaccerellu
(Nee-oh-LEE-chee-oh - Shock-oh-REH-loo)
Niellucciu is a clone of Sangiovese.
The Patrimonio area owes its quality to the climate of a region sheltered from the winds by the surrounding mountains, to soils of masses of fallen chalky rocks mingled with clay. Clos Teddi spreads over 50 acres located in the AOC Patrimonio, which is the oldest recognized appellation in Corsica. It is located in the desert of the Agriates, in an ancient archeological site. Its exceptional soils, next to the sea are surrounded by mountains and enable organic farming.
4) 2009 Domaine de Cascavel "Le Cascavel" Ventoux Rouge - $17.99
40% Grenache, 40% Carignan, 20% Syrah
"Le Cascavel" means "the little bell" - and there is a little bell drawing on the label. This is made by the same winemaker as the Elicio above.
Domaine de Cascavel is a small wine producing estate located in the Cotes du Ventoux AOC and has been operating in a biodynamic manner since 200. The 30 acre vineyard grows on clay soils (argilo- carcaires) and allows for a perfect environment to produce Cotes-du-Ventoux wines. The rising star of the Ventoux, this biodynamic estate (in conversion) produces small quantity, small yields, hand-crafted wines. The wine is aged in cement tanks.
5) 2009 Domaine de Chateaumar "Cuvée Vincent" Côtes du Rhône Rouge - $17.99
100% Syrah
Named after their son "Vincent."
For many generations the vines at Domaine du Chateaumar have been cultivated by father and son. Today it is Jean-Felix and Frederic Souret who manage the vineyard, always maintaining the greatest respect for nature. A Custom Cuvee for the Bourgeois Family made from a single vineyard of Syrah vines. Only 550 cases were made of this custom cuvee, 100% Syrah, from hillside vineyards, aged for 8 months in concrete tanks.
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1) 2010 Elicio Ventoux Blanc - $11.99
100% Vermentino
Raphael Trouiller uses his experience as a vigneron to produce Elicio in the south of the Rhone Valley. "Elicio" is Latin "to reveal." This wine is made from a careful selection of young vines growing on chalky and clay soils in the Southeast of the Rhone Valley. 100% Vermentino varietal that is aged in stainless steel tanks, which shows pure fulfilling flavors that evoke warm and fruity flavors of its sunny region.
2) 2011 Chateau de Saurs "La Jouvencelle" Gaillac Blanc - $18.99
Varietals: Le Mauzac, Le Loin de L'oeil, Le Sauvignon
The Saurs Castle is located in the heart of the Gaillac AOC, one of the oldest ones in France which can be traced back to 6th Century, about 30 miles northeast of Toulouse, in the village of Lisle-sur-Tarn. The soil is a well-balanced mix of clay, chalk, and gravel at the foot of the slopes.
Le Mauzac: Characterized by apple and pear
Le Loin de L'oeil: This ancient varietal is only found in Gaillac. It brings freshness, with a flowery aromatic.
Le Sauvignon: With a smoky note and citrus aromas.
3) 2011 Clos Teddi Patrimonio Rosé Corsica - $25.99
75% Niellucciu, 25% Sciaccerellu
(Nee-oh-LEE-chee-oh - Shock-oh-REH-loo)
Niellucciu is a clone of Sangiovese.
The Patrimonio area owes its quality to the climate of a region sheltered from the winds by the surrounding mountains, to soils of masses of fallen chalky rocks mingled with clay. Clos Teddi spreads over 50 acres located in the AOC Patrimonio, which is the oldest recognized appellation in Corsica. It is located in the desert of the Agriates, in an ancient archeological site. Its exceptional soils, next to the sea are surrounded by mountains and enable organic farming.
4) 2009 Domaine de Cascavel "Le Cascavel" Ventoux Rouge - $17.99
40% Grenache, 40% Carignan, 20% Syrah
"Le Cascavel" means "the little bell" - and there is a little bell drawing on the label. This is made by the same winemaker as the Elicio above.
Domaine de Cascavel is a small wine producing estate located in the Cotes du Ventoux AOC and has been operating in a biodynamic manner since 200. The 30 acre vineyard grows on clay soils (argilo- carcaires) and allows for a perfect environment to produce Cotes-du-Ventoux wines. The rising star of the Ventoux, this biodynamic estate (in conversion) produces small quantity, small yields, hand-crafted wines. The wine is aged in cement tanks.
5) 2009 Domaine de Chateaumar "Cuvée Vincent" Côtes du Rhône Rouge - $17.99
100% Syrah
Named after their son "Vincent."
For many generations the vines at Domaine du Chateaumar have been cultivated by father and son. Today it is Jean-Felix and Frederic Souret who manage the vineyard, always maintaining the greatest respect for nature. A Custom Cuvee for the Bourgeois Family made from a single vineyard of Syrah vines. Only 550 cases were made of this custom cuvee, 100% Syrah, from hillside vineyards, aged for 8 months in concrete tanks.
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Saturday, June 30, 2012
June Wine Tastings at Le Caveau
June Wine Tastings at Le Caveau
Quintarelli Rosso a del Merlo 8 Vintage Vertical Tasting, Saturday June 30th, 2012 5p-8p
On Saturday June 30th from 5- 8pm we welcomed Matt Rosenberg of Avant Partir for a vertical tasting of Quintarelli Rosso Cà del Merlo with charcuterie from The Spotted Trotter.
Cà del Merlo is a single vineyard Valpolicella named after a plot of land where a large Merlo (bird) sat perched on a tree overlooking the hillside. It differs from the Valpolicella in that the grapes come from one specific site and thus the terroir and its influence on the wine are unique. It also tends to display more Ripasso chateristics on the nose and palate than the regular Valpolicella.
Varietals in this wine: Corvina, Rondinella, Malinara, Croatina, Negrar, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Perla, and Nebbiolo.
We will taste through the following vintages.
1986 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1987 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1992 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1994 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1998 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
2000 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
2002 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
Quintarelli Rosso a del Merlo 8 Vintage Vertical Tasting, Saturday June 30th, 2012 5p-8p
On Saturday June 30th from 5- 8pm we welcomed Matt Rosenberg of Avant Partir for a vertical tasting of Quintarelli Rosso Cà del Merlo with charcuterie from The Spotted Trotter.
Cà del Merlo is a single vineyard Valpolicella named after a plot of land where a large Merlo (bird) sat perched on a tree overlooking the hillside. It differs from the Valpolicella in that the grapes come from one specific site and thus the terroir and its influence on the wine are unique. It also tends to display more Ripasso chateristics on the nose and palate than the regular Valpolicella.
Varietals in this wine: Corvina, Rondinella, Malinara, Croatina, Negrar, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Perla, and Nebbiolo.
We will taste through the following vintages.
1986 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1987 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1992 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1994 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1998 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
1999 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
2000 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
2002 Giuseppe Quintarelli Cà del Merlo
Friday, June 22, 2012
Crazy wine rack
Check out this 1000 lbs wine rack:
http://www.clearbrafilms.com/wine-rack-transformer/
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
http://www.clearbrafilms.com/wine-rack-transformer/
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Friday, June 15, 2012
Route de Vins Tasting Friday June 15th, 2012
Route de Vins Tasting Friday June 15th, 2012 6p-8p at Le Caveau Fine Wines
"Friday, June 15th from 6- 8 pm we welcomed Frederick Corriher of Route Des Vins Imports and two of his producers from the Southern Rhone Valley of France, Gérald Lafont and Bertrand Gonnet. Route des Vins Imports are brandnew to the state and their focus is small production, family run estates from France." Bertrand's family domaine is Domaine Font de Michelle.
1) 2010 Trois Amis Sauvignon Blanc - 13% alcohol - $14.99
“I think this Sauvignon Blanc might be the wine that best embodies our philosophy. It’s not as austere or serious as Sancerre and not as zingy as some of the better-made New Zealand Sauvignons, but, man, is it good and fun to drink. I love the combination of its citrus-like acidity and broad palate of exotic fruit flavors. This combo makes it what I call an ‘all-purpose wine’. It’s terrific as an aperitif, but yet it pairs marvelously with raw oysters or ceviche.One thing is for sure: folks usually need to open a second bottle after quickly downing the first.” - Frederick Corriher of RDV Trois Amis means Three Friends. On the label you see 3 silhouettes, the first is Guilliame (Bertrand's cousin), the second is Frederick Corriher, and the third is Bertrand Gonnet. 100% Sauvignon Blanc
2) 2009 Trois Amis Gigondas - 14.5% alcohol - $34.99
“This Gigondas is made from vines situated on two types of soil (one with mostly limestone, one with more rolled riverbed stones) just underneath the village. It's aged in concrete tanks to capture the purity of the Grenache and to protect its freshness. The Grenache in this wine is super-ripe, rich, kirsh-like. It's a big wine, for sure, but the tannins are fine and elegant. It's a wine that will stand up to the fattier cuts of meat, but it's elegant enough to pair well with a midweek meal like a simple roast chicken from the supermarket." - Frederick Corriher of RDV Gigondas (Zjee-gohn-dez) is a little town west of the Rhone. 95% Grenache, 5% Syrah (for freshness). Bertrand helped make this wine with his cousin.
3) 2009 D’Arbousset Lirac Rouge - 14.5% alcohol - $28.99
“This old-vine Grenache cuvee is a real sleeper of the vintage, but it is very limited in availability. The wine is bursting with fruit, has a dark ruby/purple color and loads of complexity with its notes of incense,Christmas fruitcake, lavender, licorice and black cherry marmalade notes. It is a beauty to drink over the next 3-4 years.” 91 Points: The Wine Advocate #191 98% Grenache, 2% Syrah, Lirac is a town on the other side of the Rhone, west of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Gerald is the vigneron (or winemaker) for this wine.
4) 2009 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe - 15% alcohol - $49.99
A very traditional, yet pretty style, the 2009 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a completely cemented aged blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault. Showing fresh, perfumed, and straight-up Provencal aromas of spice-laced red fruits, green peppercorn, wild herbs, and a touch funky leather and earth, this medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a seamless, elegant texture, sweet fruit, and a focused, classy finish that’s loaded with sweet, fine-grained tannin. A good mix of traditional style style aromatically, and polish and texture on the palate, this beauty should drink well for 8-10 years. 91 points: The Rhone Report, September 2011 Gerald consults at Domaine Durieu.
5) 2009 Domaine Durieu Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe ‘Lucile Avril’ - 15% alcohol - $59.99
The estate’s luxury cuvee, the deep ruby/plum-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Lucile Avril is composed of 85% Grenache and the rest mostly Mourvedre (6%) with a touch of Syrah (4%), all aged in cement. Impressively rich and much in character with not only the vintage but its less expensive sibling, the traditional cuvee, it is a concentrated, powerful, opulent, sexy wine boasting a
huge perfume of black currants, caramelized herbs, sweet kirsch, saddle leather and spice box. This voluptuously textured, multidimensional offering displays fabulous fruit extract and a rich, long, pure finish that goes on and on. Drink this beauty now and over the next 10-12 years.Lovers of these wines need to pay more attention as prices have remained reasonable. 93 Points: The Wine Advocate
#197 " Gerald consults at Domaine Durieu.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
TWITs try Arizona Wines @ Le Caveau 06/07/2012
TWITs tried Arizona Wines @ Le Caveau 06/07/2012 - 6pm
Our gracious host Eric Brown, owner of Le Caveau Fine Wines, hosted a TWITs event on Thursday June 7th at 6pm.
The documentary Blood Into Wine was shown during the tasting.
We sampled Arizona wines from Arizona Stronghold, tasting notes are photographed below.
Special thanks to Demetrius from Prime Wine and Spirits for providing the amazing wines we sampled. Several bottles were purchased, and we are secretly hoping Eric decides to carry the wines in his shop.
Our gracious host Eric Brown, owner of Le Caveau Fine Wines, hosted a TWITs event on Thursday June 7th at 6pm.
The documentary Blood Into Wine was shown during the tasting.
We sampled Arizona wines from Arizona Stronghold, tasting notes are photographed below.
Special thanks to Demetrius from Prime Wine and Spirits for providing the amazing wines we sampled. Several bottles were purchased, and we are secretly hoping Eric decides to carry the wines in his shop.
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