Holiday TWITs and Annual Blanc Elephant Gift Exchange - 2019

Holiday TWITs and Annual Blanc Elephant Gift Exchange - 2019
hosted by Mr Matt & Ms Abbie
Thursday, December 5th, 2019

TWITs should bring $20/pp to cover the cost of the wines.
AND 
1 wrapped gift per person for the Blanc Elephant Gift Exchange.  Recommend gift is $15 or less, doesn't even have to be wine-related.

Theme:  Wines from Wineries affected or near the California Wildfires.  These wines were not easy to get.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/10/29/kincade-fires-destructive-toll-on-sonoma-wineries-vintners/ 

Menu:
Pot Roast w carrots, onions, and mushrooms
Foie Gras

Foie Gras Mousse

Pork & Duck Pate
GF crackers
Sourdough bread bites
Goat Cheese

Cranberry Chutney
Dubliner Aged Cheddar
Crudites
Olives
Nuts

Berry Tart

Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wine: NV Gruet Blanc de Blancs Bubbly - $12.99/bottle at Tower Liquor Store

1) 2018 Alexander Valley Vineyards Gewurztraminer ~$15/bottle @ Brookhaven Wines
Organically grown 13.2% alcohol
Gewurtz =  Spice, Traminer is the varietal, notes of tobacco, fruit, apricots, dry, orange rind

2) 2018 Alexander Valley Vineyards Chardonnay ~ $20/bottle @ Brookhaven Wines
99% Chardonnay 1% Viognier
14% alcohol
tastes French, stone fruits, long finish, stronger than French, not butter more margarine, "I can't believe it's not butter", not getting the apples described on the label

3) 2018 Alexander Valley Vineyards Dry Rose of Sangiovese ~ $16/bottle @ Brookhaven Wines
100% Sangiovese
13% alcohol
smells of candy, honeydew melon, watermelon jolly rancher, viscous, pithy, fresh orange slice w bitter rind, this is actually what you want in a rose! the best rose I've had in a while

4) 2017 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon ~ $25/bottle @ Brookhaven Wines
Cabernet Sauvignon 83%, Merlot 12%, Malbec 1%, Cabernet Franc 3%, Petit Verdot 1%
14% alcohol
spicy, yummy, heavier, cherries, tannins, bitterness on finish, wormwood, malort like (Jepson's Malort from Cook County Illinois, wood notes, off a sea ship

5) 2016 Michel-Schlumberger Cabernet Sauvignon Benchland Wine Estate ~ $40/bottle from the winery
87% Cab Sauv, 12% Merlot, 1% Malbec
14.2% alcohol
red berries, dark fruit, leather, velvety on the tongue, damsons

6) 2016 Chateau d’Oupia Minervois Languedoc-Roussillon ~$12/bottle

13.5% alcohol

ok ok it's not from California, but someone brought it to share, so we tasted it.  Yum!

Wines of Portugal and Blanc Elephant Gift Exchange - December 1st - hosted by Abbie & Matt

Wines of Portugal and Blanc Elephant Gift Exchange - December 1st - hosted by Abbie & MattWHEN:  Saturday, December 1st - 7 pm

THEME:  Wines of Portugal

BRING:  1) TWITs should bring $20/pp cash (or Venmo, Paypal, etc) to cover the cost of the wine.  AND 2) Each person attending should bring 1 wrapped gift under $15 for the Blanc Elephant Gift Exchange.  The gift does not need to be wine related.  We had some hilarious ones last year.

Portugal is a European country and part of the Iberian Peninsula.  Portuguese wine is the result of traditions introduced to the region by ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, and mostly the Romans. Portugal started to export its wines to Rome during the Roman Empire. Modern exports developed with trade to England after the Methuen Treaty in 1703. From this commerce a wide variety of wines started to be grown in Portugal. 

While there are 250 varietals in Portugal and many wine regions, we will focus on a sampling of these.  Tonight we will taste wines from Vinho Verde, Alentejo, and Porto e Douro.

The appellation system of the Douro region was created nearly two hundred years before that of France, in order to protect its superior wines from inferior ones. The quality and great variety of wines in Portugal are due to noble castas, microclimates, soils and proper technology.

• QWPSR or VQPRD  - Quality Wine Produced in a Specific Region (QWPSR) or VQPRD - Vinho de Qualidade Produzido em Região Demarcada

• These are the most protected wine and indicates a specific vineyard, such as Port Wine, Vinhos Verdes, and Alentejo Wines. These wines are labeled D.O.C. (Denominação de Origem Controlada) which secures a superior quality.

• IPR - Wines that have more regulations placed upon them but are not in a DOC region fall under the category of Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada (IPR, Indication of Regulated Provenance)

• Regional Wine - Vinho Regional Carries with it a specific region within Portugal.

• Table Wines - Vinho de Mesa carries with it only the producer and the designation that it's from Portugal.

Tasting Notes
Welcome wine:  NV Broadbent Vinho Verde $10.99 @ Brookhaven Wines
WINEMAKERS: Bartholomew Broadbent in collaboration with partners in Portugal.  The way to make a proper Vinho Verde is to suppress the malolactic fermentation and inject carbon dioxide at bottling to give the wine its characteristic spritz. We use pneumatic presses for gentle pressing to extract the free run juice and fermentation is around 16°C, which gives a slow fermentation that protects the character of the Loureiro grape. We use a special yeast QA21 which was developed in our vineyards and is now used all over the world. It gives a special character to our wines, which are produced at Quinta de Azevedo.  Bursting with tongue-tingling, spritzy, lemon zest & white peaches
GRAPES: 50% Loureiro, 40% Trajadura, & 10% Pedernã
ALCOHOL: 9%
REGION:  Vinho Verde - This region is mainly in the Minho province and is in the extreme north-west of Portugal. Vinho Verde derived its name from the fact that the grapes used are 'green' meaning slightly under-ripe. Vinho Verde wines are now largely exported, and the most exported Portuguese wines after the Port Wine. The most popular variety in Portugal and abroad are the white wines, but there are also red and more rarely rosé wines.
PAIRINGS: Creamy rice with hunks of cod or monkfish, or shrimp. White Vinho Verde is high in acidity, which makes it ideal for pairing with all forms of seafood, particularly when complimented by a rich sauce or a coating of fried breadcrumbs; pork and potato dishes would also work, etc.

2) 2014 Terra d'Alter Alfrocheiro (Alentejano) $17.99 @ Brookhaven Wines
WINEMAKER:  Peter Bright
GRAPES:  Alfrocheiro is sometimes called the Pinot Noir of Portugal for its smooth, red cherry flavors and sometimes earthy character. Those attributes are found in this cherry-flavored wine with its bright acidity and fruitiness. The whole effect is spoiled by a green edge that shows tight tannins at the end.
ALCOHOL:  14%
REGION:  Alentejo – This region’s wine is produced from grapes planted in vast vineyards extending over rolling plains under the sun which shines on the grapes and ripens them for the production. Some producers of this region still do wine in great potteries as in Roman times
PAIRINGS:  accompanies red meats, roast beef and grilled meats

3) 2013 Terra d’Alter Reserva Tinto $21.99 @ Brookhaven Wines
WINEMAKER:  Peter Bright
GRAPES:  30% Trincadeira, 30% Tinta Caiada, 20% Aragonez, 15% Alicante Bouschet and 5% Petit Verdot.
ALCOHOL:  15%
REGION:  Produced from grapes from the highest region of Alto Alentejo
PAIRINGS:  Beef, Venison, etc.

4) 2013 Quinta Das Carvalhas Douro Tinto $14.99 @ Total Wine
WINEMAKER:  Real Companhia Velha (the oldest wine company of Portugal)
GRAPES:  60% Touriga Nacional, 20% Touriga Franca, 20% Tinta Roriz (Single Estate Varietals, vines are post-phylloxera and a century old).  Decant before drinking
ALCOHOL:  14%
REGION:  Douro (left bank of the Douro River, in Pinhao)
PAIRINGS:  Cold cuts, cheeses

5) NV Porto Kopke Fine Tawny Port $19.99 @ Brookhaven Wines

WINEMAKER:  Pedro Sa, Kopke existed even before there was a Demarcated Region of the Douro. Established in 1638, the oldest Port wine house built an impeccable reputation based on the highest quality. A leader in the production of Port Tawny Colheita wines, including white port, Kopke has a remarkable range of special category Ports, also producing excellent DOC Douro wines.

GRAPES:  Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Tinto Cão, Touriga Franca

ALCOHOL:  19.5% 

REGION:  Douro.  Port wine vines need to grow in schist rich soil and require a specific micro-climate. It is produced through a unique vinification method. The red varietals are the most common. The wine is produced in the beautiful landscape of the Douro Valley in Alto Douro region, a region that is classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. The wine is exported from the city of Porto, thus acquiring the name Porto (or "Port" in English-speaking countries). There are several varieties of Port wine: some of the most popular are the Tawny, White, Ruby, and Late Bottled Vintage (L.B.V.).

PAIRINGS:  blue cheeses, desserts with caramel, coffee, apricots and dried fruits. caramelized nuts, tiramisu, hazelnut meringue pie and brie cheese.

To pair with the Port (dried fruits, buttermilk blue cheese)

TWITs 10 Year Anniversary Party - March 10th, 2018 - hosted by Abbie & Matt

TWITs 10 Year Anniversary Party - March 10th, 2018 - hosted by Abbie & Matt

TWITs is turning 10 years old!  Can you believe we've been doing tastings as a group for an entire DECADE?!?  It boggles the mind.  So to celebrate the New Year and an entire DECADE of TWITs, we are hosting an Anniversary Party.

Theme:  TWITs 10 year Anniversary - Bring a bottle of your favorite wine from 2017 to share

Bring:  TWITs should bring a bottle of your favorite wine that you tasted in 2017


How has TWITs changed your life?
"We are more knowledgeable about wine."
-Rachel & Chris

"I moved to Atlanta a few years back I did not know anyone, having been introduced to Abbie via Rheinallt, she invited me to TWITs and this has given me social events every month to look forward to, a lot of good laughs, fine food, and amazing wine. But most of all, I have made new friends!! I am now encouraging my parents to start a wine club modeled on TWITs back home, because after their last move they have not yet managed to make new friends."
-Crystal

"We have really enjoyed finding a community of folks who enjoy and take wine seriously, but don't seem to take themselves to seriously. Everyone we've met in TWITs has been warm and generous, interesting and insightful, and we've truly enjoyed the camaraderie we've experienced so far, along with learning more about and tasting some great wines!"
-Chase & David

"TWITS has expanded my vocabulary for describing wine, and I've tasted varietals I wouldn't have even have considered before."
-Karin

"TWITS helped me see wine in a more vino-culturally sensitive and socially savvy way."
-Joshua

"We’re so new, TWITs hasn’t had much change on our existence ... and I don’t know if we have fully realized how much TWITs will change our lives in the 10 years to come, but we look forward to finding out!!"
-Crissy & Steve

"TWITs changed my life by opening me up to wine regions around the world I would not have considered before.  It was a TWITS gathering that encouraged us to plan a trip to Burgundy which was one of the best trips we've had.  Our passion for wine has grown so much, we are now having a wine cellar put in our house to hold all our wine - must keep our Burgundian wine at the correct temps!"
-Christy & Chad

"We have learned so much in the years we have been members of Twits! We have learned about different varietals of wine we would have never have normally tried and about different regions and how the terroir impacts the wine. We have also made some wonderful friends and had a lot of fun. Here’s to 10 more years! Cheers!"
- Kathy, Jamie, and Jackson

"I think the most important thing about TWITs for me is the lovely people I've met.  I have a feeling that's going to be a lot of people's answer.  But regardless, the monthly gatherings seem to attract high quality people & the wines themselves make for the perfect conversation starter.  It helps me get out of my introverted shell. Thanks for all you guys do." 
- Val

**FOOD**
1 lb of Foie Gras Torchon (from the Feeding Hannibal cookbook, this time I marinated the Foie in Fonseca Porto Bin No 27)
Toasted Baguette Slices 
Sage Plum Berry Sauce
Caviar w Cremé Fraiche
Prosciutto wrapped melon
Stuffed mushrooms (soy chorizo & Italian cheese)
Mini quiche
Fromages (Dubliner, goat cheese, Brie)
Olives
Charcuterie
Strawberries
Crudités
Chocolate bites

**WINES**
Welcome Wine: NV Gruet Blanc de Noirs, New Mexico ~ $15 @ most wine shops
sometimes can get a good price on a case via Woot.com
75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay
12% Alcohol

1) NV Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, California ~ $50 @ the winery itself
85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay
12.7% alcohol
Sparkling, bubbly, fruity, bubblegum aroma, strawberry, smoked bamboo (just kidding),
Guesses:
Abbie guessed Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc but definitely not La Marca Prosecco
RH says it's too sweet to be that one

2) 2017 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, NZ  ~ $13 @ CostCo or $20 elsewhere
100% Sauvignon Blanc
13% alcohol
still white wine, green apple, pith, sweet note, muscat, white flowers, quince, apple, honeysuckle, would be good in the hot tub, or on the porch
Guesses:
Karin - Albarino
Kathy - Sauvignon Blanc in USA
Chad, Janssen, Lauren, Val, Rachel - Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand

3) 2014 Yonah Mountain Chardonnay ~ $40 from winery
100% Chardonnay
13.3% Alcohol
floral, not quite as strong as a Jura, a lil funk, oaked, soft palate,
Guesses:
Abbie - French? no wait Semillon from Australia
Kathy - Chardonnay from California
Val - Chardonnay from Napa
Crissy - not 100% chardonnay, a blend?
Joshua - North GA wine
Karin - Semillon

4) 2016 Chateau d'Esclans Whispering Angel Rose, Provence - $23 @ Whole Foods
Rose Blend - varietal info not found online - assume GSM ?
13% alcohol
faint nose, light, refreshing, berries on finish, lot of citrus, pine tree, floral, minerally, mild, doesn't standout, pairs well with chocolate, light pepper on finish, the Vanishing Rose, it kissed the grape skins, made out, but no tongue, the palest pink.
Guesses:
Kathy - French

5) 2015 Domaine Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape - $80 @ PH Wine Merchant
Southern Rhone Blend
14.5% alcohol
cassis, grape nose, back in North GA?, Welch's grape jelly, menthol, licorice
Guesses:
Abbie - Gigondas
Lauren - French Bordeaux/young
Crissy - a sweet red
Kathy - Gamay from France
Matt - North GA
Joshua - Carmenere
RH - Oregon Pinot Noir

6) 2012 E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape - $40 @ CostCo
Southern Rhone Blend
14.5% alcohol
smells like foie gras, licorice
Guesses:
Abbie - Italian Barbera
Joshua - Bonarda
Rachel - West Coast CA
Crissy - Willamette, Oregon

7) 2014 Stinson Vineyards Cabernet Franc, Virginia - $23 @ Ansley Wine Merchant
100% Cabernet Franc
13.5% alcohol
Jammy, new oak, IDFK (I Don't F---ing Know)  LOL
Guesses:
Kathy - Pinot Noir
Abbie - Sonoma Pinot Noir
Chad - Santa Barbara Pinot Noir

8) 2000 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano, Barolo DOCG, Italy - $60 from RH's personal cellar
100% Nebbiolo
14.5% alcohol
robusto, black licorice, currants, sherry, raisins, brandy, worcestershire sauce, tar on the nose
Guesses:
Abbie - Nebbiolo from Italy
Joshua - Tempranillo (but then changed his mind to Syrah from USA)
David - Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

9) 2013 Michel Schlumberger Deux Terres Cabernet Sauvignon - $35 on WTSO or $75 from Winery
100% Cabernet Sauvignon (50% each from each Terres, thus the name)
14.9% alchol
caramel, sweet nose, mmmmmm, honey and caramel, rainbows in the forest, dark and inky, we smell unicorns!,
Guesses:
Crystal - older wine, Australian Shiraz
David - 8 yrs old
Kathy - Chianti
Joshua - Tannat
Karin - Lebanon - no a French Cahors?
RH - Syrah from Sonoma
? - 2011 Brunello di Montalcino ?

10) 2012 St. Clair Winery D.H. Lescombes Petit Verdot New Mexico - $45-50 @ winery
100% Petit Verdot
15% alcohol
tar, asphalt, bell pepper, Cab Franc ? leather, desert, scrub brush, funky, earthy, smells like taint (we had to explain what taint meant, it was hilarious), New World Palate, Spices, pepper, fruit,
Guesses:
Karin - France
Abbie - Cabernet Franc

11) 2015 La Crema Pinot Noir, Sonoma - $21-22 @ most stores
100% Pinot Noir
13.5% alcohol
funky in a different way, bald eagles and freedom, rescuers down under, pine, mineral, earth, chewy, cassis note but not overpowering, soft nose
Guesses:
Chad - Pinot Noir Sonoma
RH - Pinot Noir Burgundy
Joshua - Pinot Noir Argentina
Abbie - Pinot Noir Willamette

12) 2016 Rue de Perle Grand Vin Bordeaux - $15 @ Kroger
Bordeaux blend
13% alcohol
grandma's perfume, flabby, don't like, plums, cinnamon
Guesses:
Karin - Italian

WINNERS:
We had 4 prizes for those who did well with guessing the wines.  Our winners were:
RH, Chad, Kathy, & Joshua

October 19th, 2013 - TWITs Georgia Mountain Winery Bus Tour

October 19th, 2013 - TWITs Georgia Mountain Winery Bus Tour

The TWITs had an absolute blast tasting wines in the North Georgia Mountains.  Even though it was chilly and bit overcast, we embraced the Autumn weather and wined on!

Photo Gallery

Our first stop was Monteluce.  If you've never been to Monteluce, you are in for a treat.  The entire countryside reminds me of Tuscany. The views and buildings are just beautiful!  Our bartender was John Hammond, a very humorous, sassy, guy.  He had served us last year as well, and it was a pleasure to see him again. I did the Red Wine tasting for $16 and split it with a friend.
Overall, I think Monteluce's wines are an improvement this year over last year.  I also recommend they stop using the tiny tasting glasses, the wines taste TOTALLY different and BETTER in a larger wine glass.  Request one if you go there for a tasting.  All the Monteluce wines were between 12-13% alcohol.

1) 2011 Montaluce Risata  $5 glass/$19 bottle
(Blend of Monteluce grapes:  Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, Merlot, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec)
Monteluce's tasting notes:  "This off-dry Rose is made from all 9 varietals we grow.  It is the perfect example of a Georgia Rose with its raspberry and cherry flavors along with a zesty, spicy undertone of citrus, melon, and white pepper.  Pair with Idiazabal Cheese or our Garden Beets."
TWITs tasting notes:  Risata means "Laughter" in Italian. could not gather a nose for this one, no aromas to me, light simple rose.

2) 2012 Monteluce Super Georgian $7 glass/$27 bottle
26% Merlot, 20% Sangiovese, 18% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Malbec, and 8% Petit Verdot
Monteluce's tasting notes:  "Monteluce Estate grown red grapes co-fermented create this luscious wine with fresh red cherry and dark chocolate flavors.  Pair with Drunken Goat cheese or the Rabbit Duo."
TWITs tasting notes:  was able to gather some nose, but it was not very fragrant.  The palate is very very very fruit forward.  Almost too much for me.

3) 2009 Monteluce Baleno $5 glass/$12 bottle
100% Merlot,
Monteluce's tasting notes:  "Candied cherry on the nose, Medium bodied with a rustic finish.  This is a wine made for food.  Pair with Pimento Cheese "
TWITs tasting notes:  Baleno means "Lightning, glitter, sparkle, or glow" in Italian.  This wine had a funky nose, I felt it might benefit from aerating or decanting.  The palate was much more pleasant, but ended abruptly in a thin finish.  I would try this one again at a later date perhaps?

4) 2009 Monteluce Tramonto $6 glass/$17 bottle
Monteluce's tasting notes:  "A Bordeaux style blend named for the beautiful North Georgia Sunset.  Medium on the palate with flavors of red berries and faint smell of cigar box. Pair with Crater Lake Blue Cheese"
TWITs tasting notes:  Tramonto means "sunset" in Italian.  faint mushroom, cedar on the nose, more promising palate, very light red wine (to me), but MUCH better than the previous ones.

5) NV Monteluce La Stella $9 glass/$35 bottle
60% French grown & 40% Georgia grown (varietal specifics weren't listed)
Monteluce's tasting notes:  "The Georgia grown Merlot, was aged in oak barrels for 6 months before blending with French grown Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  This very balanced wine has earthy tones of dried mushrooms, black currant, cherry, and whiffs of old leather on the nose.  Pair with Painted hills Short Rib."
TWITs tasting notes:  Beautiful nose on this one, lots of leather and mushroom.  This was my favorite Red of the entire flight.  I considered buying a bottle but thought it was a bit overpriced for the quality.

The next stop was Wolf Mountain Vineyards.  Wolf Mountain seems to be higher up and has another spectacular view of the countryside.  Their tasting room and restaurant are built into the mountain, so you have amazing panoramic views on 3 different levels of decks/balconies.
Our bartender at Wolf Mountain was Blake Stevens.  He was super sweet and even poured a little "heavier" for us, since we split our tastings again. We got the Reserve Tasting Flight for $20 (shared with a friend).
Blake informed us the red grapes are grown at Wolf Mountain, but the white grapes are from Frogtown.

1) Blanc de Blancs Brut - $10 glass/ $25.95 bottle / 200 cases produced
Chardonnay
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "A light bread flavor was imparted by aging en tirage (on the yeast) for almost a year.  This combined with hints of citrus, spice notes, and crisp acidity makes this our signature style sparkling wine."
TWITs notes:  I liked this wine, it was light, crisp, dry, I would say a good "breakfast" wine.

2) Vintner's Reserve Brut Rose - $10 glass/ $27.95 bottle / 100 cases produced
Blend of Chardonnay & Claret grapes (Malbec, Tannat)
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "Made by adding a small amount of our Reserve Claret to the dosage in order to produce a beautiful light salmon color. This adds more complexity and red berry flavors, without overwhelming the delicate citrus flavors and crisp acidity."
TWITs notes:  Lovely Rose, nice and crisp, dry, just how I like it.

3) Blanc de Syrah Brut - $10 glass/ $29.95 bottle / 200 cases produced
Syrah
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "A one of a kind in North America, our Blanc de Syrah Brut is made from Estate grown and whole cluster pressed Syrah.  It offers complex raspberry and strawberry flavors building to a dry crisp finish. "
TWITs notes:  I felt this one tasted a bit sweeter than the others, and seemed "off" somehow.  not thrilled.

4) Sparkling Demi-Sec- $10 glass/ $25.95 bottle / 100 cases produced
Chardonnay
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "A medium-dry sparkling wine designed to bring out the delicate fruit flavors of the Chardonnay grapes.  The addition of sweetness softens the acidity and smooths out the finish. "
TWITs notes:  Much better than the last wine, a good compromise if you like a slightly sweeter sparkling wine.

5) Plentitude- $8 glass/ $21.95 bottle / 650 cases produced
Chardonnay & Viognier
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "French for "All the best" Plentitude is a blend of Chardonnay and Viognier.  Aged in stainless steel to preserve its acidity, it expresses beautiful citrus and grapefruit notes with a crisp refreshing finish. "
TWITs notes:  It smells like fresh picked green grapes, and while it's not unpleasant, I feel it needs a food pairing to be fully appreciated.

6) Chanteloup- $8 glass/ $25.95 bottle / 375 cases produced
Chardonnay & Viognier
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "French for "Song of the Wolf", Chanteloup is a full-bodied Oak aged blend of Chardonnay and Viognier.  Chanteloup offers notes of melon and apricots with a softer finish "
TWITs notes:  Better than Plentitude, definitely get the melon and apricots on the nose, the oak is Kentucky oak, I think the TWITs quote of the day was "Their heart is in the right place" - Jackie

7) Private Reserve Chardonnay- $10 glass/ $32.95 bottle / 100 cases produced
Chardonnay
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  "We broke tradition blending varietals to bottle this small lot of Chardonnay. Barrel fermented and aged 11 months in New American Oak, this wine exhibits rich melon and banana notes with a buttery oak finish"
TWITs notes:  Reminds me of a California Chardonnay, it is good, but I'm not a Chardonnay fan in general.

8) Howling Wolf Red - $10 glass/ $27.95 bottle / 470 cases produced
70% Syrah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wolf Mountain tasting notes:  " A non-vintage blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, these varieties are aged for 18-20 months in New American Oak barrels, offering notes of raspberry and strawberry jam with richer oak tannins on the finish."
TWITs notes:  There we go, finally a good decent red!  Nice nose, nice palate, love the finish.  Good, I love it, I really really wish they had more than ONE Red wine on their tasting sheet, but they said they ran out of the other red wines, unless you were in their wine club.  

9) there was an option to try the Delicieux (Delightful) - their port-style dessert wine, but I don't care for Port so I re-tasted the Howling Wolf Red.

Then we went to Frogtown Cellars.  Frogtown has a bit more casual atmosphere than the first two wineries we visited, but their wines are definitely a force to be reckoned with.  Hands DOWN Frogtown has the best red wines we tasted!  Frogtown was packed, as it was still harvest for them.  I had visited before, but this was by far the busiest I have ever seen them.  I didn't even have a chance to get the name of our bartender, it was too hectic.  They have bowls of Goldfish crackers that you can nibble while tasting. Yum!  Also, for some odd reason the entire lobby was humming with fruit flies.  We were constantly waving the flies away.  I believe we made a joke that "where's the frogs? they should be eating these flies like crazy" This is not the norm for Frogtown.  They told me it was just this way due to the harvest.  It was better if we got our tasting glass and some wine, then we went out on their back deck to admire the view.  Much fewer flies outside. Then we had to go inside to get a pour of the next wine, and so on.  However, it was a very nice day and we had fun looking out on the vineyards.  I did the All Red Wine Tasting for $15.

1) 2010 Frogtown Sangiovese - $8.50/glass, $20.99/bottle
12.5% alcohol.  90% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet
TWITs notes:  earthy, tart, lovely nose, rich palate, big and bold, spicy as it opens up.

2) 2009 Frogtown Reserve Sangiovese - $12/glass, $28.99/bottle
TWITs notes: funky, dirty, I LOVE it!

3) Frogtown Applause FSO (First Standing Ovation, means their first time making it) - $8.50/glass, $21.99/bottle
TWITs notes: this one was okay, but not as wonderful as the first 2 wines.

4) 2008 Frogtown Cabernet Franc - $10.00/glass, $29.99/bottle

TWITs notes: absolutely delicious

5) 2009 Frogtown Propaganda - $12.00/glass, $33.99/bottle

TWITs notes: even better

6) 2009 Frogtown Personality - $8.00/glass, $19.99/bottle

TWITs notes: yummy!

7) 2008 Frogtown Norton - $12.00/glass, $28.00/bottle

TWITs notes: WOW AMAZING, we bought 2 bottles of this.

Last we had very brief stop at Cavender Creek.

Our driver was the lovely Nevolia from Georgia Wine Tours.

We had 7 attendees and we rode in a large comfy van for this trip.  After the tour, we had dinner at Season's 52.  Yummy!