Bring Your Favorite Holiday Wine - November 17th - Hosted by Kathy & Jamie

Bring Your Favorite Holiday Wine - November 17th - Hosted by Kathy & Jamie

WHEN:  Saturday, November 17th - 7 pm

THEME:  Bring your favorite Holiday Wine - aka TWITsGiving!

Our hosts provided a smorgasboard of food including crudites, fromages, charcuterie, crackers, that amazing BLT dip, a turkey, cranberry sauce, baked brie, chex mix, brussel sprouts, roasted veggies, quiches, chocolates, tarts, and fruits.

This was a great way to discover some new wines that we could serve/drink during the holidays.  

BRING:  TWITs should bring 1 bottle of their favorite holiday wine (could be for any winter holiday, as we are approaching that time of year), within the suggested price range - $20/bottle for singles, up to $40/bottle for couples.

TASTING NOTES:  
1)  Welcome Cocktail:  Prosecco, cranberry juice, raspberries, w/a mint garnish.

2) NV Deutz Champagne Brut Classic  - $40 @ Greenes on Ponce
12% alcohol
sparkling, yummy, reminds me of Schramsberg, I love it!  Exactly what you want with a Champagne.  This was selected by Alexis, he says his family drinks it every year in France for the holidays.

3) 2009 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee Brut - $37 @ wine club direct
12.5% alcohol
67% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay 
slightly funkier nose, delightful, crisp, green apple, honey, stone fruit, citrus, black cherry, bright acid, long finish with meyer lemon zest.

4) NV Franciacorta Ronco Calino 'Radijan' Brut Rose - $34 @ Savi Provisions
13% alcohol
This is my JAM!

5) 2017 Clos de la Roilette Beaujolais - $25 @ Brookhaven Wines
13% alcohol
100% Gamay
French! "Nothing screams Fall like a Beaujolais!"  it's a turkey wine!

6) 2016 Stoller Oregon Pinot Noir - $27 @ Wahoo Wines
13.5% alcohol, Dundee Oregon
100% Pinot Noir
Guessing Pinot Noir, red fruits, strawberry, lingering finish, delicious

7) 2015 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Estates Pinot Noir - $50 @ winery direct
13.9% alcohol 100% Pinot Noir
jammy, peppery, olive brine, white pepper, cinnamon, a little bit o'cherry on the nose, very slight fireball on the end, Gravel Knob vineyard (RH had a funny joke about the meaning of Knob where he's from).

8) 2010 David Coffaro Zinfandel - $20 bought from a friend's cellar
15.9% alcohol, Russian River Valley
75% Zinfandel, 25% Petite Sirah
plum and spice (baking spices not pepper), cinnamon, winter spice, almost raisiny, "Imma chew on this one!" cola on the end.

9) 2014 Yoakim Bridge Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley - $20 bought from a friend's cellar.  14.8% alcohol
more alcohol, heat on it, earthy, chewy, pepper bomb, more fruit, love it!

10) 2016 Fortunati Napa Zinfandel - $38ish @ wine club direct
15.5% alcohol
light red, berries, that berries, gravel, dust, gravelly knobs (ha ha), brambly

TWITs Pool Party & Cookout - June 22nd - hosted by Ms. Crystal

TWITs Pool Party & Cookout - June 22nd - hosted by Ms. Crystal

WHEN:  Friday, June 22nd, 2018 - 7:00 PM
THEME:  Pool Party & Cookout  NOTE: we will be capping attendance again
BRING:  
1) A bottle of wine to pair with the food on the menu - within our usual suggested pricing.
2) Your swimsuit and a towel - if you are swimming

Menu:
Beef burgers with Gruyere Cheese & Arugula
3 Bean Salad
Shrimp & Tilapia Ceviche
Fruit Tart
Ice Cream Cones

Well we got rained out, but it was still a fun night.  Tasting notes and photos below.

Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wines:  We had White Sangria & Red Sangria (homemade)

1) NV Union Wine Co. Underwood Rose Bubbles - $6.99/can @ Brookhaven Wines
Varietal Unknown.  11% alcohol
Tasting Notes:  Wild strawberry, fruit cocktail, and tart cherry

2) 2016 Domaine Franck Besson Rose Granit - $11.99 @ Brookhaven Wines
100% Gamay, 12.5% alcohol
Tasting Notes:  lively, delicious, dry, bubbly,

3) 2017 Francis Ford Coppola Sofia Brut Rose ~ $18 @ Total Wine
50% Pinot Noir, 50% Chardonnay, 12% alcohol
Tasting Notes:

4)  NV Union Wine Co. Underwood Rose - $6.99/can @ Brookhaven Wines
Varietal Unknown.  12% alcohol
Tasting Notes:  Strawberry, Peach, Watermelon

5) 2017 Chateau Paradis Coteaux d'ain en Provence Rose ~ $13.99
90% Cabernet, 10% Shiraz/Syrah, 12% alcohol
Tasting Notes: crisp, dry, refreshing

6) 2014 Napa Cellars Zinfandel - $19.99 Toco Giant
100% Zinfandel, 14% alcohol
Tasting Notes: bright aromas of fresh blackberries, tart cherry and hints of black tea. The aromas lead to lush flavors of ripe jam with notes of mocha, spice and sweet notes of oak on the finish. This wine is medium-bodied with bright acidity and a smooth, juicy and lasting mouthfeel. Winemaker Joe Shirley recommends pairing this wine with barbequed ribs or a well-seasoned steak topped with fresh basil

7) 2014 Banshee Pinot Noir Sonoma ~ $23.99
100% Pinot Noir, 13.6% alchol
a beautiful balance between both red and blue fruits, notably Bing cherry and Asian plums. Interwoven with the fruit characteristics are coastal moss, fresh wild mushrooms, and spice. The wine has good carry-through from front to finish, with lively acidity to keep it light on its feet.

TWITs takeover Southbound - June 22nd, 2017 7pm ET

TWITs takeover Southbound - June  22nd, 2017 7pm ET

When:  Thursday, June 22nd, 2017 -  7:00pm ET

Theme:  Southbound's Big Mike and Olivier Savoye will be curating the wines for us.  Olivier chose the Beaujolais region of France, this is where he grew up.  Who better to curate the wines for us? Beaujolais is the land of Gamay, a red grape.  Gamay is a cross between Pinot Noir and the ancient white variety Gouais.  Most bottles can be purchased between $19 - $29.99 each.
It is an easy, joyful, unpretentious wine.  It is good to share with friends, for eating and drinking a lot.  It would pair well with blood sausage, boeuf bourguignon, mushrooms, charcuterie, etc.
In the early 1980s, Beaujolais began pumping out one-dimensional, over-commercialized bottlings made by large cooperative wineries using carbonic maceration. On top of that, Beaujolais Nouveau began its widespread marketing campaign across the globe. The result was a market that was flooded with these soulless, mass-produced wines.
      But then there was a resistance!  
Jules Chauvet, a man whom for many was the leader of the resistance in Beaujolais. Chauvet was a winemaker, a researcher, a chemist, and a viticultural prophet. It was he who, upon the advent of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the 1950s, first spoke out for “natural wine,” harkening back to the traditional methods of the Beaujolais.  Chauvet advocated traditional methods such as employing old vines, not using synthetic herbicides or pesticides, harvesting late, keeping only the healthiest grapes, adding minimal or no sulfur dioxide, and refusing to chaptalize and filter. This approach allows the wine to fully express the Morgon terroir and the result is fruit-driven wines with floral and mineral notes backed by solid structure.
  Joined by local vignerons Guy Breton, Jean-Paul Thévenet, and Jean Foillard, Marcel Lapierre spearheaded a group that soon took up the torch of this movement. Kermit Lynch dubbed this clan the Gang of Four, and the name has stuck ever since. These rebels called for a return to the old practices of viticulture and vinification: starting with old vines, never using synthetic herbicides or pesticides, harvesting late, rigorously sorting to remove all but the healthiest grapes, adding minimal doses of sulfur dioxide or none at all, and disdaining chaptalization.

Where:  
Southbound
(Upstairs in "The Peabody")
5394 Peachtree Rd.
Chamblee, GA 30341
678-580-5579
http://www.southboundatl.com/

BRING: $20/pp for the wine tasting

 

Tasting Notes:
1) 2015 Domaine Jean-Paul Dubost Tracot, White Beaujolais
95% Chardonnay, 5% Viognier
12.5% alcohol

2) 2014 Domaine Robert-Denogent, Cuvee Jules Chauvet
Beaujolais Villages
12.5% alcohol

3) 2014 Regnie - Guy Breton
12% alcohol
soil is pink granite soil of Cru Beaujolais, old vine, semi-carbonic maceration, no filtration, natural yeast, certified organic, some biodynamic practices.  dark chocolate, cherry, raspberry

4) 2015 Jean-Paul Dubost Cru Morgon "La Balls Fiere"
12.5% alcohol
cardamom, nutmeg, later with age the gamay is more meaty

5) 2015 Domaine de la Voute des Crozes, Cote de Brouilly
(Scea Chanrion viteculteurs, woman winemaker)
13.5% alcohol
violet, spice, earthy, darker hue, full carbonic maceration, not certified but organic practices, very little sulfur, natural, black cherry

6) 2016 Domaine Diochon Cuvee Vielles Vignes Moulin-a-Vent (Windmill)
13% alcohol
can age for decades, sustainable farming, 50-60 yr old vines, 1 yr in Burgundy barrels.

---- EXTRA wines we tasted

7) 2016 M & C Lapierre a Villie Morgan
13% alcohol
Sarl Mercel Lapierre

8) 2014 Domaine Diochon Cuvee Vielles Vignes Moulin-a-Vent (Windmill)

9) ???? Cremant de Bourgogne Rose Brut

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter Wasserman Tasting at Le Caveau - Oct 12th

Peter Wasserman (importer) Tasting at Le Caveau - Oct 12th

Nicole, Peter, and Abbie

Abbie, Nicole, Heidi

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

Rose' - June 19th - hosted by Mr Janssen

Rose' - June 19th - hosted by Mr Janssen

About: " 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.

Bring: TWITs should bring a bottle of Rose' within the specified price range (Up to $20/bottle for Singles, between $20 - $40/bottle for Couples).

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. "

Tasting Notes:
Welcome Wines (yes plural)
NV Louis Perdrier Brut Rose, Cote D'Or 11.5% alcohol ~ $10
NV Charles Bove Brut Touraine Cuvee Reserve, Montrichard Loir et Cher 12% alcohol ~ $20

1)  2012 Wolf Mountain Brut Rose ~$25 @ Wolf Mountain Winery
12.5% alcohol
light pink color, sauerkraut finish, sour nose, crisp, wow, sickly strawberries, minerally, strawberry fields, light, after I eat bell pepper it smells like chocolate, latex balloon, whoopee cushion, rubber

2)  2013 Bandol Rose $46 @ Le Caveau
11-14% alcohol (doesn't say)
melted cheap chocolate nose, tar, smoke, charcoal, minerally, less limestony, finish dies on the palate, sugar, caramelized onion, sour-y nose, tastes like fire, rhubarb pie, salami, bitter finish, odd finish, flat, paint thinner, guessing Cotes Du Rhone Grenache, Mina likes it, most do not, not sparkly, after tasting cheese it smelled like dried hay.

3) 2014 Domaine Andre Neveu Sancerre $22 @ Le Caveau
12.5% alcohol
mushrooms, lovely, perfumey, musty, tea roses, floral on palate, Marilyn  likes it, has some age on it, more substance, depth, balanced, light, Rh guesses Pinot Noir, no aftertaste, sophisticated, you can see yourself on a porch, on a beach, or a moon, drinking this one, Grandmas house, acidic, vibrant, similar to a Sauvignon Blanc, low country water, grandma's closet, but good, light/orange pink color, burnt sugar but not sweet

4)  2014 Domaine Dupeuble Pere et Fils Beaujolais $15 @ Le Caveau
12% alcohol
candy pink color, might be a white zin, strawberry, dissipates quickly, easy to drink, fuzzy peach smell, nice finish, nice viscosity, fuzzy peach smell, easy to drink, perfect for the pool, better cold, soho cup, horsiness, Mr. Ed, Rh guessed Gamay correctly!

5) 2014 Chateau Puech-Haut Saint Drezery "Tete de Belier" $40 @ PH Wine Merchant
13.5% alcohol
stanky, bubble gum, cheap after shave, teen spirit, perm solution, ammonia, honey palate, reminds me of lipstick on a pig, more like pig on lipstick, Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, too cloy, Languedoc ?

6) 2014 Chateau Puech-Haut Saint Drezery "Prestige" $20 @ PH Wine Merchant
13% alcohol
Val likes this one, no nose tastes amazing, light, more acidity, melon, musk melon, it was good, I want six more please, forgettable, generic, not the Natalie Cole, smooth and easy to drink

7) 2014 Round Pond Estate Proprietary Nebbiolo, Napa $24
14.6% alcohol
cloudy turbidity, bazon-gas joke, tart, peachy, fresh, apricot, apple juice, lime and lemon, sprite without bubbly, tastes good with almonds, Mina likes this one, I want my sweet and unsullied,

8) 2013 Clos Roche Blanche Touraine, Loire $24.99 @ Le Caveau
12% alcohol
grapefruit, orange peel that lasts, pepper, possibly volcanic soil, Matt guesses Syrah from Northern Rhone, Rh says Jura or Sicily, good with chocolate, smoky, like a cured sausage, hard salami, really complex, "this sh*t is amazeballs" bloody mary

9) 2013 Chateau Cantelaudette Bordeaux 
12.5% alcohol
butter, smells like f*cking butter, diacetyl, tossin' butter, wankin' butter, simple, doesn't last, for the pool or boat, pepper

10) 2014 Feudi Di San Gregario Ros'Aura , Campania $18 @ Savor in Kirkland
13% alcohol
no nose, Tyrion, amazing, yum, very light, melon, subtle, delicious

Adam Fox of Domaine Select Wines @ Le Caveau 11/6/2014

Adam Fox of Domaine Select Wines @ Le Caveau 11/6/2014

Quotes of the night: "I'll be right back, I'm going on a sensory odyssey."

"Wine is a moment in time."

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