Outlander Wines - Dec 10th, 2017

Outlander Wines - Dec 10th, 2017

As any good Obsession-nach Wino would do, I had to try the Outlander Wines.

There are six wines total in the set, with three devoted to Claire's monikers (Sassenach, Mo Nighean Donn, and La Dame Blach) and three to Jamie's (Red Jamie, Mac Dubh, and A. Malcolm).

I'm picky when it comes to my wine, and I have thus far avoided trying "themed" wines for TV shows.  However, these wines were mostly French (with the exception of the California Pinot Noir), which gave me better confidence that they would be tasty.

We opted to share the La Dame Blanch Pays d'Oc Viognier and the Sassenach Languedoc-la-clape Rose with my husband's family for Thanksgiving.  These were both delicious and showed well.  Later one night, we opened up the Mo Nighean Donn California Pinot Noir, and this was also quite tasty. 

We saved the Jamie-named wines for the Outlander Season 3 Finale episode viewing.  I would say of these three wines, only 1 was decent, and I was verra disappointed in the quality.  I buy Red French wines regularly, and these could have been SO delicious, given the regions the grapes were grown in.  However, they tasted more like a Trader Joes Charles Shaw wine.  We still drank them, but I wasn't moved.  I feel they "done Jamie wrong" with these wines.

La Dame Blanche Pays d’Oc Viognier
Description: “She is given the name La Dame Blanche by her husband as a clever ruse, but in truth Claire does possess some of the cunning powers of this mythological figure, using them to turn fortunes her way. This French Viognier is similarly persuasive in its nature, with a heady floral aroma that leads to peach and apricot flavors on the palate, all lifted by a vein of acidity. Upon first sip, you’ll find yourself hopelessly enchanted.”

Sassenach Languedoc-la-clape Rosé
Description: “As a visitor of a time and place that’s not her own, Claire is a true outsider until Jamie Fraser draws her into his world and bestows upon her the playful nickname Sassenach. This rosé is Provençal in style, but, like Claire, it comes from an unexpected place — Languedoc-la-clape, where the limestone-rich soil lends the wine its flavors of strawberry, white peach, and grapefruit, racy minerality, and clean finish. Sometimes a fresh new perspective is exactly what’s needed.”

Mo Nighean Donn California Pinot Noir
Description: “‘My brown-haired lass’ is what Jamie affectionately calls his charming new bride in Gaelic, and there’s no better wine to embody that side of Claire than this earthy, seductive Pinot Noir. Exhibiting flavors of black raspberry, forest floor, and tea, this complex and balanced wine will make anyone fall in love with its alluring qualities immediately. Don’t bother attempting to resist its delightful and immensely appealing ways.”

Mac Dubh Pays d’Oc Syrah
Description: “Even as a prisoner at Ardsmuir, Jamie retains a commanding presence, rallying the other prisoners and earning their respect as a leader. They give him the nickname Mac Dubh, or ‘son of the black’ — and it’s this earthy, brooding French Syrah that embodies this dark version of Jamie. With plenty of concentration and blueberry flavor, this is an intense wine that grabs your attention and doesn’t let go.”

A. Malcolm Languedoc-la-clape Rouge
Description: “A fugitive after the Jacobite rising, Jamie Fraser must become Alex Malcolm and begin anew as a printer in Edinburgh… yet under this simple facade lies the same complex and passionate man who captured Claire’s heart. Equally unassuming, at first, is this red wine from a small appellation in southern France. It becomes clear after experiencing the pure, black-red fruit nuances, however, that this is a charming, formidable wine — one you won’t easily forget.”

Red Jamie Côtes du Rhône Rouge
Description: “Whether he’s fiercely defending the love of his life or charging off to war alongside his clansmen, the notorious Jacobite Red Jamie is a force to be reckoned with — as is this dynamic Côtes du Rhône named in his honor. With a vibrant acidity and tannic structure keeping the flavors of red plum and blueberry in check, this red blend of 70% Syrah, 15% Carignan, and 15% Grenache will have you surrendering after just a taste.”

Another review, if you are interested:
https://media.bookbub.com/blog/2017/11/09/outlander-wine-collection-review/

Spooky-good-to-be-true Bargain Bin Wines - Saturday October 8th, 2016

Spooky-good-to-be-true Bargain Bin Wines - Saturday October 8th, 2016

Happy HalloWine!  

When:  Saturday October 8th, 2016 - 2 pm - 5pm ET   

Theme:  Spooky-good-to-be-true Bargain Bin Wines

Where:  

Le Caveau Fine Wines

5256 Peachtree Rd. 
Suite 102

Atlanta, GA 30341
770-837-0710

Recipe:   Chilled Creamy Cucumber Soup - Deb said she didn't need to add water to it.
All cheese purchased at CostCo, Whole Foods, Kroger (on Hammond in Sandy Springs)

Cheese to Wine Scale:
(Affinage is French term describing the aging and maturity level of cheeses)
Soft Cheeses  <------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> Hard Cheeses
Fresh, High water, milky                                                  Affinage                                     Moisture evaporates - leaves
delicate,                                                                                                                                        behind the fat and protein (flavors) 
                                                                                                                                                       older more rich and savory

Delicate Wines  <-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> Bold Wines
Young wines have primary                                                                                                      Time spent in cask or bottle knit
notes: fresh, spirited, lively aromas                                                                                       together and acquire nuance.
bright flavors of fruits, flowers, citrus,                                                                                  Secondary notes of oak, toast, 
herbs and spice                                                                                                                           earth, oxidation, minerals, umami
                                                                                                                                                        more complex and savory


Tasting Notes:
1) 2014 La Grange Tiphaine 'Noveau-Nez' Petillant Montlouis-sur-Loire - $28
13% alcohol,
100% Chenin Blanc farmed organically (certified ECOCERT in 2008) practicing biodynamic.  Damien and Coralie Delecheneau are based in Touraine-Amboise but work many vineyards in Montlouis.  This petillant naturel is made in the typical, minimal-intervention manner. The grapes were picked at a potential alcohol of 13.8%, Still in fermentation, the wine is bottled with 14 g/l of residual sugar after which secondary fermentation happens naturally in the bottle.  In the glass it has a vibrant gold with a fine yet plentiful bead.  There is a nose of grilled peaches and rose petals, peppered with nuances of marzipan and a touch of baked apple, yet despite this, it feels fresh with bright and powdery edges.
Cheese Pairing:  Blue Castello St. Agur

2) 2015 Chateau Ducasse Blanc Bordeaux  - $17
12% alcohol,
60% Semillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle.
Made from 45+ year-old sustainably farmed vines planted within the Graves appellation of Bordeaux in limestone and clay soils, the wine is a blend of 60% Semillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle.  Aged entirely in stainless for 6 months before bottling, the wine displays fresh fruited, lively mineral character.  Fresh citrus, honeysuckle, and a bevy of tropical fruits, green mango, papaya, passion fruit, plantains.  The finish is long and oily lingering for some time.
Cheese Pairings:  Dubliner Aged Cheddar, Lancashire, Mahon, Derby, Brie

3) 2015 Domaine du Couron Rose Ardeche - $ 11
14% alcohol
100% Grenache
Jean_Luc and Marie-Lise Dorthe produce this dry rose exclusively from their 39-year old, sustainably farmed vines of Grenache.  The juice is rested on skins for precisely 8 1/2 hours to get this exact color and fresh-fruited aromas of strawberry, watermelon, and citrus.  With a rich, fresh-fruited palate and a slightly honeyed texture, it is easy to understand why this was handily our best-selling rose last summer, selling out in 3 weeks.
Cheese Pairings:  Oussau-Iraty, Azeitao, Tete des Moines, Gruyere, Cheshire

4) 2013 Bodega de Pinoso 'Flos de Pinoso' Alicante - $13
14% alcohol
100% Monastrell
Vinified from 100% organically farmed Monastrell entirely in stainless tanks, the 'Flos de Pinoso' boasts a remarkably perfumed, fresh-fruited nose.  Wild red and black berries along with dark spice, combine with integrated tannins and acidity on the palate.  Decidedly fresher and more toned than a lot of the chewy, dense Monastrell coming from this eastern Spanish region, the wine is an easy match with BBQ
Cheese Pairings:  Manchego

5) 2015 Domaine Duseigneur 'La Chapelle' Cotes du Rhone  - $14
14% alcohol
50/50% Grenache/Syrah Blend
composed of equal parts biodynamically farmed old-vine Grenache and Syrah, this delightful fruit-driven Rhone is easy to love.  The grapes are sourced from clay hills above the Rhone river, just across from Chateauneuf du Pape.  Fermented entirely in stainless, the wine has wonderful freshness. Founded in 1967, the domaine's principles of respecting soil and environment lead it to be among the first to embrace organic farming in the Rhone.
Cheese Pairings:  Dubliner Aged Cheddar, Cheshire, St. Nectaire, aged Gruyere, Manchego, Gouda

6) 2010 Quinta do Mondego 'Mondeco' Tinto Dao  - $11
13.5% alcohol
Blend of Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen & Baga
Made from hand-harvested Tinta Roriz (aka: Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional, Alfrocheiro, Jaen & Baga.  Fermentation in small stainless steel tanks, with 10% of the blend aged in French Oak casks for 12 months.  Intense, dark garnet color and elegant aromas of fresh dark fruits with a touch of mint and cigar box.  A full bodied palate of rich, ripe dark fruits is balanced with good acidity and firm tannins.  91 pts from wine enthusiast.
Cheese Pairings:  sharp cheddar, Azeitao, Mahon, Manchego

(not planned, but Marnie brought a bottle to share)
7) 2014 Cooper & Thief Cellarmasters Select Red Wine Blend  ~ $30
17% alcohol
Cooper & Thief is a dark and jammy red blend comprised of 38% Merlot, 37% Syrah, 11% Zinfandel, 7% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% other red varieties, and loaded with bourbon-inspired flavors and aromas. Aging for three months in ex-bourbon barrels gives way to soft velvety tannins, with a subtle heat. The combined result is a rich flavor with a long, lingering finish.
Reminded me of Orin Swift's The Prisoner but with more Port-like notes.
Cheese Pairings:  Blue cheese

Photos:

Farewell to Marnie at Kaleidoscope Bistro

January TWITs:

When:  Saturday, January 16th, 2016 6:30pm ET

Theme:  Farewell to Marnie at Kaleidoscope Bistro

Where:  

Kaleidoscope Bistro and Pub

Village Place Brookhaven

1410 Dresden Drive Suite 100

Atlanta, GA 30319

          404-474-9600 
Wines:
 We tasted 
"Parallele 45" Cotes du Rhone
Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, La Marca

Champagne, Laurent Perrier 

Friday, November 20th, 2015 - Au Rendezvous

Friday, November 20th, 2015 7pm ET at "Au Rendezvous Bistro"

Theme:  Wines from France and some lovely affordable French Cuisine!


Bring:  TWITs should bring a bottle of wine from France.  The wine could be a red, white, or sparkling wine.  It is up to you.
Au Rendezvous does charge a $4/person/visit corking fee.

Where:  Au Rendezvous Bistro
4102 Clairmont Rd
Chamblee, GA 30341
Tel. 404-303-1968 or 404-343-4983

RSVP:  Please email the TWITS mailbox to RSVP so we can give a headcount to the restaurant.
appetizers will be provided, but there is a full menu if you would like to have dinner there.  I hope you will find, as we did, that this is a rare, affordable French restaurant, a hidden gem in Atlanta.

Tasting Notes:
1) 2013 Domaine Romaneaux-Destezel Herve Souhaut L'Ardeche ~ $ unknown.
70% Viognier, 30% Rousanne, 12% alcohol
peaches, orange blossom, dune blosson, burnt candy

2) 2012 Domaine de la Pinte Arbois Pupillin Jura Chardonnay Fonteneille ~ $30 @ Le Caveau
Chardonnay
orange cream, unfiltered, smells like a church with flowers, hyacinth, a dead church, gladiolis (which is apparently a funeral flower in Germany)

3) 2014 Domaine Jean-Paul Dubost "Recolte" Beaujolais Villages Tracot ~ $20 @ Le Caveau
100% Gamay
tart, oranges, cranberries, buttery, brick color, tastes like turkey

4) 2012 Domaine Vinci Vin de Pays des Cotes Catalanes ROC ~$23 @ Le Caveau
70% Carignan, 30% Mourvèdre, 12.5% alcohol
funky, saddle just been wiped down, barnyard, licorice, sourdough bread a foot away

5) 2010 Domaine du Pesquier Cotes du Rhone ~ $20
56% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 14% Carignan. 14.5% alcohol
delicious, dark fruits and berries

6) 2014 M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes du Rhone - $12.99 @ Whole Foods Briarcliff
60% Grenache, 40% Syrah
13.5% alcohol
smooth and balanced, fruity, dark berry, garrigue, spicy, lavender

Ampeleia Tasting with Simona Spinelli - Le Caveau Fine Wines -10/02/2015

Ampeleia Tasting with Simona Spinelli @ Le Caveau on 10/02/2015.  

Doug Strickland from Integrity Wines (Importer of the wine) was there.  Simona was visiting from Italy.  She manages the administrative and commercial aspects of Ampeleia.

Ampeleia is a winery in Maremma, within Tuscany, Italy.  The wines are made biodynamically and the grapes grown in 3 different altitudes.  

Simona Spinelli, Abbie, and Doug Strickland

Rhone Wines - Friday November 21st, 2014 - Hosted by Ms. Val and Mr.Rheinallt

Rhone Wines - Friday November 21st, 2014 - Hosted by Ms. Val and Mr. Rheinallt

Theme: Rhone Wines
Bring:  TWITs should bring $20 / person to cover the cost of the wines.  Our host and hostess will be hand-selecting the wines for us.
Information: The Rhône wine region in Southern France is situated in the Rhône river valley and produces numerous wines under various Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) designations. The region's major appellation in production volume is Côtes du Rhône AOC.  All things being equal, Rhone Valley offers far better value, but equal quality to Burgundy and Bordeaux wines.

The Rhone Valley terroir and varietals can be split by Northern Rhone vs. Southern Rhone.

The Northern Rhone Valley terroir is described as a Continental climate, gorge, steep limestone and shale terraced vineyards, all grapes harvested by hand.  Red varietal is Syrah (90-95%), White varietals are Rousanne, Viognier, Marsanne, (5-10%).  A lot of the winemakers use 95% Syrah and perhaps 5% Viognier in their wines.  The winemakers in the appellation Condrieu use Viognier.

The winemakers from the appellation Cornas have to use 100% Syrah.  We think this is because Cornas wasn't making very good wine until about 10 yrs ago, so they are sort of on "Syrah probation".  Cornas is a hanging valley.

Hermitage is considered the "spiritual home" of the Syrah grape, which is why wines from that appellation may cost more than wines from Crozes Hermitage (nearby appellation).  Cote-Rotie, Rotie means Roasted.  The welcome wine and the first 3 wines we tasted, were from Northern Rhone.

The Southern Rhone Valley terroir is more of a Mediterranean climate, similar to Languedoc and Provence.  Red varietals (13 allowed) Grenache (main grape 50-70%), and then the supplementary red grapes, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Carignan, and 8 others (30-50%).  White varietals are Rousanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Viognier, Clairette Blanche, Grenache Blanche, etc.  The appellation of Lirac is known for it's briny tasting wines (like sucking on an olive).  Tavel is known for it's Rose' wines.  Wines 4 through 8 were from Southern Rhone.  Cotes = slope, Coteaux = slopes (plural).

(CDP) Chateauneuf-du-Pape = The Pope's New Castle.  Not many people may know but in 1308 Pope Clement V moved the papacy to Avignon.  A total of 7 popes reigned at Avignon, all French.  They increasingly fell under the influence of the French Crown.  In 1377 Gregory XI moved his court to Rome.  This conflict gave rise to the Western Schism in catholic church, and France had a few "anti popes".  The popes in Rome wore white, and the anti-popes in France wore black. There are two different types of terroir in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.  One is flat soil, the other is rocky, stony, galetes, which warms and cools quicker, and provides better irrigation also.

Cotes du Rhone AOC has 3 designations.
1) Cotes du Rhone - generic level, 100 miles, highly variable quality
2) Cotes du Rhone Villages (no name) 95 communes, better quality, rules about % of Grenache and Syrah planted.
3) Cotes du Rhone Villages (with a named village), 18 of the appellations are authorized to include their village name on the label, one of which is Sablet  (we tried one), and they have even more strict rules about % of Grenache and Syrah planted.

Garrigue - low, soft-leaved scrubland on limestone, kermes oak, lavender, thyme, white cistus, blows on the grapes.

Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine:  2011 Crozes Hermitage les Champs Libres Blanc (13% alcohol) - $31
Marsanne varietal

1) 2012 Collines Rhodaniennes, GAEC Jamet (12.5% alcohol) - $22
butter, I can't believe it's not butter, rich, shortbread, nice nose, ground white pepper, lighter red fruits, dried fruit, silky, lighter, easy-drinking wine, subtle milk chocolate, creamy, clove spiced, pepper bomb.
good to pair with a meat that has no pepper.

2) 2009 Cote-Rotie Cuvee Classique 'Ampodium', Domaine Rene Rostaing (13% alcohol) $80
(he had this opened to breathe from 4:30p-8:30p)
fennel, tar, asphalt nose, cassis, well balanced, lingering finish, floral, chewy, delicate edges, but big! more rounded, you can roll off it.  big full flavor with delicate edges like frosting, is it worth the extra $?  TWITs say yes!

3) 2008 Franck Balthazar Cornas Chaillot, Rhone (13% alcohol) $50
herbs, pickles, dill, briny, peppery, tickles the nose, it's more bold of a wine, dry wine, like you can taste the skin of the grapes, this one you can kind of escond yourself into the cracks, it stays with you longer, torrid.

4) 2010 Domaine Saint Gayan Cotes du Rhone (14% alcohol) $15
GSM blend, traditional classic Cotes du Rhone style blend,
apples, caramel, easy drinking wine, medium fruit, bit of stinkiness

5) 2012 Domaine Les Genestas Cotes du Rhone (14.5% alcohol) $19.99
fresh soap nose, cloudy colon turbidity, viscous, thicker, toasty, olive oil, tart, bitter, marshmallow toasted, most interesting palate, heterogeneity (lots of variation), citrusy, lemony bouquet, garni, crazy different, black licorice

6) 2010 Chateau Du Trignon, Sablet, Cotes du Rhone Villages (14% alcohol) $19.99
*Rh thought this one was corked, but we tried it anyway.  you can see the photo of the cork compared to a non-breached cork below.
cake nose, nursing home hallway, wet, medicinal funk, tart, oxidized
Replacement: # 6) 2010 Domaine de L'Espigouette Bernard Latour, Plan de Dieu (14.5% alcohol) $18
Plan de Dieu means God's Plan.
garrigue, herbal, changing gear oil, black licorice, gasoline, tar, petrol, savoriness, earthy, raking dried leaves, crunchy, bitter after-palate, berry, herbaceous nose, good acidity

7) 2012 Domaine Bertrand Stehelin Gigondas (14% alcohol) $36.99
dry, musty, cloisters, leather bouquet, saddle sway, barnyard, chickens, she was a good cow, jammy mouth,

8) 2011 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Mas de Boislauzon (13% alcohol) $49.99
(castle of new pope)
rich nose, thicker, this you can latch on to, chewy, elegant, bold leathery

Integrity Wine Tasting at Le Caveau - Thursday May 22, 2014

Integrity Wine Tasting at Le Caveau - Thursday May 22, 2014
All of these wines should be decanted - yes even the white ones.

1) 2013 Dominio de Punctum 'Viento Aliseo' Viognier La Mancha  - $12.99
100% Viognier grown biodynamically
At sight, it shows a bright golden color with lime reflections.  There are Tahitian flower-like notes with soft lime and tropical fruit.  Well balanced with fresh acidity, the palate echoes the tropical flowers and citrus notes.  Great with spicy Asian dishes, richer white fish. 
This is the FIRST tasting of this wine in the state of Georgia.  It's THAT new. only 3 cases in the store.

Located in the small town of Las Pedroneras, Dominio de Punctum's estate is located at 750 meters above sea level, which together with its sandy loam soil, rich in limestone, makes it an optimum place to grow the best grapes.

2) 2012 Sepp Moser Grüner Veltliner 'Gebling' Erste Lage Kremstal - $26.99
100% Gruner Veltliner grown biodynamically
Bright yellow green.  It shows fine herbs and spices highlighted yellow apple fruit, elegant hint of tobacco, and touch of honey.  Powerful, juicy, dark spice, creamy texture, well-integrated acidity, sweet extract, and great aging potential.  Great with lobster or fish with fine spicy sauces, as well as asparagus, 
*melon and lime

The Gebling vineyard is mainly planted on terraces: it is on a steep slope located north of Rohrendorf reaching towards Krems.  The soil is one of the highest loess sediments in Europe.  The origin of the name "Gebling" is thought to mean "yellowish" referring to the soil color.

3) 2007 Mathieu Coste 'Biau!' Coteaux du Giennois - $26.99 (tonight only)
80% Gamay, 20% Pinot Noir grown organically
This wine has a complex nose of dark red fruit, forest, and pepper notes.  The palate is medium-bodied and after air turns to macerated fruit notes, spices, and a saline note.  This wine is refined and complex, with firm tannins and fresh acidity.  Pair with simple meat dishes, roasted quail, or other white meats, monkfish, and strong cheeses.
*light, could drink now or cellar up to 10 years

The soil on the property is very similar to that of Sancerre.  It is a mixture of clay, limestone, siliceaous soil from the tertiary and kimmeridgian eras.  The grapes are hand-harvested and then placed into open cement vats for whole cluster fermentation.  They only use native yeasts during the fermentation process.  After three weeks in the cement vats, they are transferred to stainless steel vats for malolactic fermentation.  Biau! (beautiful or handsome in old French)  is aged for 5 years in tank and neutral demi-muids (400 liter barrels) before release.

4) 2010 Mathieu Coste 'Têtes des Chats' (head of cats) Coteaux du Giennois - $29.99

80% Pinot Noir, 20% Gamay grown organically
The nose is intense on red berries with iodine and mineral notes.  On the palate, this wine is fine, fruity with soft tannins and a long finish with notes of strawberries and black currants.

*stainless/concrete/no oak, The cat reference refers to the Cathead stones in the soil.  Loire region, funky notes, darker than the pinot.  The Gamay in this region is DARK.

5) 2011 Château Sainte-Anne Cotes de Provence Rouge - $32.99
25% Mourvedre, 25% Grenache, 25% Cinsault, 25% Carignan grown organically
This has a nose of red fruits with herbs, spice, and a little tar that comes out with air.  The palate is savory with a little meatiness, along with concentrated red and black fruits balanced by fresh acidity and fine, but sturdy tannins.  Open or decant this wine about 30 minutes before enjoying it.

Their vineyards have been worked without chemicals since the 1960s (organically certified by Ecocert since 1976).  They are in a northeastern part of the appellation that is made up of hillsides with clay, limestone, and silica, which allows for excellent drainage.  The mourvedre slowly matures, after the early autumn rains which are quickly dried by the mistral. 
*natural yeast, no sulphites/sulfur

Thursday March 6th, 2014 - A Red Wine You Love - hosted by Ms. Abbie &Mr. Matt

Thursday March 6th, 2014 - A Red Wine You Love - hosted by Ms. Abbie & Mr. Matt

Theme:  We did it for white wines previously.  Now we want to know what your favorite RED wine is and why you LOVE it  Bring your favorite red wine (within the price range), and come prepared to tell us WHY it's your favorite. (suggested pricing:  singles $20 or less/bottle, couples $20-40/bottle).  Anecdotes and funny stories encouraged.

Originally this TWITs was scheduled on February 27th, but we postponed due to another amazing event occurring the same night.  Since the theme was rather "Valentine's Day" related, yet we were having the tasting in March (the month which has the St Patrick's Day Holiday), our Hosts opted to serve Corned Beef and Cabbage with the other appetizers.

To make it more fun, we blind tasted the wine first, took some notes and made some guesses, then unveiled it so we could hear the story of the wine from the person who brought it.

TWITs Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine)  2009 Domaine Olivier Pithon Cuvee Lais, Cotes du Roussillon $28.99 @ Le Caveau Fine Wines
13.6% alcohol, blend of Carignan, Grenache, Syrah varietals
The Story:  Abbie and Matt first tasted this wine at Le Caveau (it was in the $60/Terroir Club Wine selections for July 2013). We fell in love with this wine.
"This wine is dense and very clean with a delicate nose of dark berries, minerals, and bright herbs.  The palate shows rich, concentrated black fruits and licorice with an impression of iron and stone.  the fresh acidity keeps everything in balance with a cinnamon note on the finish." 
We went back to buy more.  We shared it with our friends, and they bought more too.  We bought so much that eventually Le Caveau ran out of it.  We tried to find ways to buy more of it, but the one internet deal we found- ended up not panning out.  Eric Brown of Le Caveau gave an amazing presentation on Natural Wines for the TWITs in July 2013, and we learned that this wine was a Natural Wine also.  Since our supply was limited, we saved the wine for special occasions and birthdays, etc. Many night, as we were deep into our cups, someone would say "Let's open up a Cuvee Lais" and someone saner would say "no no not now, we need to appreciate it more, wait a bit". When we were prepping for the Languedoc TWITs  tasting, we learned Eric could get 2 other wines from the same winemaker (The Le Pilou and the Mon P'tit Pithon), so we obtained those for ourselves and the TWITs.  Finally, Eric's distributor found a few more bottles of our beloved Cuvee Lais. He emailed us immediately and we reserved a few bottles, thus we were able to share some with the TWITs tonight.

1) 2011 Lynmar Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley $40-45 from the winery
13.9% alcohol, Pinot Noir
TWITs tasting notes:  notes of strawberry, "smells like California", fern, green fern, bitter, Rheinallt guessed Pinot Noir, another person guesses Santa Barbara?
The Story: Kathy & Jamie brought this wine.  They visited the winery and Kathy says this is one of her very favorite wineries.  It tastes like outside, and smells just like being there.

2) 2012 Domaine du Vieux Chene - Beatrice et Jean Claude - Cuvee de la Haie aux Grives - $12 @ Le Caveau - Cotes du Rhone 14.5% alcohol, 80% Grenache 20% Syrah
TWITs tasting notes:  fresh cut grass, tobacco, cherries and chocolate, peppery, very peppery, green bell pepper, mild tannins, southern France, the garrigue, Rh and Janssen both guessed Cotes du Rhone,
The Story: Rheinallt brought this wine, because it's his "budget friendly mid-week wine".  He loves the nose, it's richer than a $12 wine, and the palate is rustic, he can imagine a farmer sweating over this wine.

3) 2010 Rombauer Vineyards Zinfandel Napa - $26-27 from a shop in Connecticut
15.9% alcohol 100% Zinfandel
TWITs tasting notes:  funky nose, rich, dark chocolate, cacao, after-dinner-mint, that's a funky mint, "I just got punched in the tongue" - Jackie, "Cassis on the tongue" - Rheinallt, creme de menthe,  Andes mint, mouthwash, it tastes denser than it looks.  would pair well with chocolate
The Story: Alexandra brought this wine.  She worked at a wine shop about 10 years ago in Connecticut, and she remembers having this wine and loving it, it was the best wine in the shop at that time, but it was a bit pricey for her then. she did buy a bottle recently to share, she doesn't drink alone, so she brought it tonight.

4) 2007 Scherrer Syrah Russian River Valley - $31.99 @ Le Caveau
14.1% alcohol 10% Syrah
TWITs tasting notes: guessing Shiraz or Syrah, Rh guesses California, bell pepper, good bitterness, oak and tobacco, delicious!
The Story: Jackie brought this wine because she LOVES Scherrer, he's a cool wine maker, very passionate about his wines and his Syrah.  It's a luscious wine, reminds her of biting into a ruby.  It's earthy, fulfilling, pairs with food and can stand on its own.  Jackie recently hosted a Syrah TWITs, and served the 2008 vintage that evening, and she says she likes the 2008 better than this vintage.

5) 2001 Valduero Gran Reserva Ribera del Duero Spain - $40-45 @ Wines Till Sold Out (WTSO)
14% alcohol, 100% Tempranillo
TWITs tasting notes:  malolactic, ritz crackers, buttery, Jackie is in love with this wine, dry, a "rub and tug" wine, "one and done", "2 pump chump", subtle spice, soft, somewhere between a Syrah and the adopted stepchild of a Syrah, same round juiciness, not edgy, like a Cab Sauvignon, Kathy said maybe a Cab Franc?, jamminess on the end with it.
The Story:  Abbie and Matt first drank this wine with Janssen.  We cannot remember where we had it first, it may have been a restaurant?  anyhoo, we loved it SO much, and shortly AFTER we had tasted it, we found it at Le Caveau for a bit, so we bought it and it was sort of our "fancy wine" for a while.  this wine has been served at many a party or dinner with friends. Then Le Caveau ran out of this wine, and we saw the 2001 Gran Reserva on Wines Till Sold Out, so we jumped and bought some to cellar for a bit.  We brought it out tonight, as this was a smaller TWITs and we still have 1 more bottle left.

6) 2009 Signaterra Cabernet Sauvignon Three Blocks Sonoma Valley - $40-45 from Benziger Estates
14.5% alcohol, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
TWITs tasting notes: oak, perfumey nose, earthy, mushroom, milk chocolate,
The Story:  Val brought this wine, because this was one of the first wineries where she and Rheinallt did the cellar tour and they had such a nice experience, plus the wine is amazing.  They had this wonderful wine-geek-nerd tour guide, who took them into the cave, etc. They tried all the high end wines, and heard 15 minutes stories on each of the wines.  Then out of the blue Rheinallt said he wanted to join the wine club.  He "never" wanted to join a club before.  This is the only club they joined.

Matt talking, but it looks like he's dancing!

Sometimes things get blurry for a moment...

The Lady TWITs in attendance