The World of Alternative White Wines - Saturday March 16th, 2019

The World of Alternative White Wines - Saturday March 16th, 2019
Hosted by Crissy & Steve

We learned about white wines other than Sauvignon Blancs, Chardonnays, and Pinot Grigio.
The wines were curated for the occasion.  TWITs brough $20/pp to cover the cost of the wines.

Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine:  NV Borrasca Cava Brut ~ $9
12% alcohol, faint nose, dry, light, delicious.
appetizers: strawberries chips, cheese bites, salamis, crackers.

1) 2017 Boutari Santorini Assyrtiko, Greek ~ $20 @ Total Wine Brookhaven

13.5% alcohol, 100% Assyrtiko

very faint nose, not acidic, melon, thick viscosity, full bodied, very clean, great summer wine.

Food pairing:  Salmon and mango with cream cheese on a cracker.  DELICIOUS!

2) 2016 Sandgrube 13 Chremisa, Gruner Veltliner, Austria ~ $20 @ Total Wine

13.5% alcohol, Gruner Veltliner is the varietal

dry, high acid, very green, medium viscosity, 

Food Pairing:  Homemade Mac n Cheese, garnish with tomatoes or onions and bacon. YUM!

3) 2015 Le Salse Belisario, Verdicchio di Matelia, Italy ~ $20 @ Whole Foods

12.5% alcohol, Verdicchio is the varietal

viscous, green, fresh, almost like a French Chardonnay, moldy cheese like bleu, briny, some bitterness, minerality, woody notes, a nice harshness, a little more grippyness (?) more jagged on your tongue.

Food Pairing:  Pho with a dumpling - FanTASTIC!  I would never have thought to pair an Italian wine with Pho but it works, the basil in the pho really compliments the wine!

4) 2016 Marcel Servin Chablis, France ~$25 @ CostCo

12.5% alcohol, Chardonnay is the varietal (yeah yeah we know we said no Chardonnay but just taste it!)

white burgundy, dried fruit, honey, low acidity, creamy mouth feel.

Food Pairing:  Prosciutto wrapped asparagus

5) 2016 Susana Balbo Crios Torrontes, Argentina ~$15 @ Total Wine

13/5% alcohol, Torrontes is the varietal

smells like almost bad wet laundry but not bad yet, funky, muscadine, spicy, pithy, Hing spice ?

Food Pairing:  Jerk Shrimp. WOW!

6) 2016 Conundrum, California ~ $20

13.2% alcohol, white blend (winery secret)

citrus notes, dry then sweet finish,

Food Pairing:  Chick pea, Coconut, Basil salad.  delicious!!!

7) NV Skyriver Sweet Mead, Washington State ~ $18.99

10.5% alcohol

sweet honey wine, the sacred drink of the gods, descended from heaven then by bees, etc.

bubblegum nose, strawberry flavored lip gloss from Claire's.

Food Pairing:  Tortilla Espanol (potato tortilla with berbere spice - an Ethiopian spice)

Salmon and mango with cream cheese on a cracker

The Mac n Cheese with garnishes of Tomatoes or onions & bacon.  YUM!

Chick pea, Coconut, Basil salad 

and

Tortilla Espanol (potato tortilla with Berbere (an Ethiopian spice)

Prosciutto wrapped asparagus

Jerk Shrimp

All the yummy foods!

Holiday TWITs 2015 - Oregon "Pick Your Pinot" - hosted by Ms. Marilyn -Friday, December 4th

Holiday TWITs 2015 - Oregon "Pick Your Pinot" - hosted by Ms. Marilyn - Friday, December 4th

December - TWITs Event

WHEN: Friday, December 4th, 2014 - 7:00pm ET

THEME:  Oregon "Pick Your Pinot"

BRING:  Bring a bottle of Pinot (could be Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris), from Oregon, within the specified price range (Up to $20/bottle for Singles, between $20 - $40/bottle for Couples)

1)  2013 Illahe Vineyards Williamette Valley Gruner Veltliner ~ $17 @ Le Caveau

100% Gruner Veltliner

light, crisp, refreshing

2)  2014 Brainstorm Silver Linings Rose - $14.99 @ Minx

12.5% alcohol

light pale pink color, light on the palate, some acidity, dry

3)  2014 Winderlea Dundee Hills, Oregon Rose of Pinot Noir ~ $26-28 @ Brookhaven Wines

14.1% alcohol, 100% Pinot Noir

darker reddish pink, fabulous, viscous, light, nice acidity, delicious

4) 2014 Erath Pinot Noir - $15 @ CostCo

13.5% alcohol  100% pinot noir

lovely ruby color, almost no nose at all, velvet smooth, cran/orange palate, dusty road, chocolate powder, powdered chalk, charcoal, flat cherry cola, orange, citrus peel, satsuma, cheap chocolate orange.

5) 2013 Cristom "Jessie Vineyard" Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir - $46.99 @ Total Wine Brookhaven

13.5% alcohol, 100% Pinot Noir
Marilyn guesses 2011 or 2012, more brown in color, showing some age, asphalt, chocolate, crumbly cooked chocolate, it did a complete 180 in my glass, smells perfumey, "like my boyfriend who thought I'd like donuts in the parking lot", perfumey, floral, a little flabby on the palate, the palate is typical Pinot Noir, light, the nose is more promising than the palate

6) 2014 Williamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir - $29 @ Whole Foods Emory

13.7% alcohol, 100% pinot noir

milk chocolate nose, fruit forward, you smell bush? a privet bush, cola on the nose

7) 2012 Shea Estate Wine Cellars Pinot Noir - $36 @ CostCo Perimeter

14.3% alcohol, 100% pinot noir

stinky, funky, perm solution, Frenchy, funky, super bitter, tart, pucker, "assaulting me in a good way" or "a-salting me", smells like placenta, briny, salty and bitter, sea air, "you could commit a crime and I wouldn't remember it."

8) 2012 Rex Hill Pinot Noir - $28 @ Savi Market Buckhead

14% alcohol, 100% Pinot Noir

darkest color yet, toffee, French, funk, mint and eucalyptus, reminds us of Cotes du Rhone, bitterness on the finish, a little pepper, chalky

9) 2013 Kings Ridge Pinot Noir ~ $19 @ d'Vine Wine Dunwoody

13% alcohol, 100% Pinot Noir

lighter color, lighter alcohol, dry, bitter, perfumey, tart "Pinot more in the yard", blackberry, cherry, cola

10) 2013 Omero Williamette Valley - $24.99 @ Le Caveau

12.1% alcohol, 100% pinot noir

pepper, cherry, bell peppers, lilac and violet aromas, black plums, and spice

11) 2014 Elk Cove Pinot Gris Williamette Valley ~ $20 @ Savi Market Buckhead
13% Alcohol, 100% Pinot Gris
light, hint of sweetness, crisp, 

Marilyn's "Dishwasher Salmon"

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