Garnacha (Grenache) - March 12th - Ms. Leslie

Garnacha (Grenache or Garnatxa) - March 12th - Ms. Leslie

Bring: 1 bottle of Garnacha. We ask that if you bring a blend, please ensure it is at least 85% Grenache.

Wikipedia: Garnacha (also known as Grenache or Garnatxa) is a red grape, wine varietal. It originated in Spain. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively high alcohol content, but it needs careful control of yields for best results.

Suggested Food Pairings: Wild Mushroom risotto, grilled entre's, barbeque, asian foods
Although we dined on: Tortilla Espanola (Potato/Egg Omelet), Chorizo stuffed mushrooms with shredded manchego, green olives, manchego cheese wedge, Comte cheese wedge, rosemary goat cheese wedge, soft goat cheese spread, seeded crackers, fresh wheat bread, marinated bbq pork tenderloin, bacon wrapped dates with almond and cream cheese, a spicy eggplant dip, marcona almonds with rosemary and sea salt, dark chocolate squares, and truffle chocolate squares

Tasting Notes:
Reception Wine: 2010 Fabla Catalyud - $7.99 @ Total Wine
100% Garnacha, 14% alcohol
black pepper, soft smooth w/strawberry fruit and long finish.

1) 2010 Evodia Alto Vinum Old Vine Garnacha - $7.97 @ Tower Liquor
100% Garnacha, 15% alcohol
white pepper, notes of strong green pepper, plum with acidity, light-medium bodied, pairs well with chorizo mushrooms

2) 2007 J.V. Fleury Chateauneuf du Pape - $37.00 @ Total Wine Kennesaw
85% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre
Nose: floral and spicy, smells of crunchy crisp lettuce, white flower
Palate: nice finish, earthy sweetness, dark berry, plum, cinnamon, more tannic
"Graphitey" - Valerie
"Most peppery wine I've tasted in my life" - Susan

3) 2007 Boots Trever Jones Barossa Grenache - $17 @ Total Wine
100% Grenache, 14.5% alcohol
Guessing Italian - Valerie, Guessing Rhone - Leslie,
"Dirty Underwear, and Nose of Lucky Charms" - Deb,
"Older, aged, has been oaked, vanilla & Cedar" - Rheinallt,
tobacco, mocha, coffee, very different than the others, sweeter but with a bite, seductively sweet but hot at the end, cocoa and hazelnut. toasted marshmallow, fruity marshmallow, legs are quite thick ("that's what she said" someone quipped), chocolate raspberry truffle.

4) 2008 Las Rocas Garnacha - $10 @ Kroger
14.1% alcohol
We nicknamed this wine the "Chameleon Wine" as it constantly changed aromas each time we sniffed the glass.
"I smell Cab Franc! also fresh dog turd" - Abbie, "Marijuana" - Val,
thin legs, pepper citrus/chocolate covered orange, lingers a bit, has viscosity,
keeps changing on each inhalation of the nose,
"salsa" - Val, "cigar box at end, pipe tobacco" - Rheinallt
"It can't make it's mind what it wants to be when it grows up" - Abbie

5) 2006 Arrels Clos Oblidat Sangre de Garnatxa - $26.99 @ Le Caveau
13.5% alcohol
"smells like port" - Abbie, "ice cream" - Jaffet
"white chocolate" - Rheinallt, milk chocolate, vanilla, amaretto, caramel, tart, raspberry, acai,
"Anise" - Val, "Vibrant herb" - Rheinallt, "Rosebush" - Deb & Janssen, "Rosemary" - Abbie & Rheinallt, "grapey kool-aid" - Deb

6) 2006 Boots Trever Jones Barossa Garnacha - $17.99 @ Total Wine
14.5% alcohol
baked/burnt, sweet vanilla, smores, syrupy, some oak, cigar box at end, aged, "nose of caramel" - Val, "Candy Apple" - Janssen

7) 2009 Andre Brunel Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Sabrine - $19.99 @ Sherlock's in Decatur
80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre
"Old world Cotes Du Rhone" - Rheinallt
Southern Franch, deep purple, younger,
"coconut" - Janssen, "cherry" - Leslie, "reminds me of Malbec" - Abbie
"mint" - Rheinallt, "Sugared African Violets" - Ardella

8) 2004 Clarendon Hills Kangarilla Grenache - $47.00 @ Total Wine
14.5% alcohol
deep purple,
"boiled sweet or Jolly Rancher, pectin" - Rheinallt, "tootsie roll" - Abbie, "Tide Detergent" ?
sweet earth, morning grass (fresh), spring grass, dew, herbacious, grapefruit, citrus, has a bit of Shiraz on the flavor, citrus/berry chocolate finish, tart finish,
"citrus cut with a pear, a chilled asian pear" - Janssen
"Light Eucalyptus, minty finish" - Rheinallt
"Australian" - Leslie

9) 2010 Rojo Garnacha Vino de la Tierra de Castillo - $12.00 @ Hop City
13% alcohol
"nose of Port" - Abbie, "Caramel" - Deb, "Tulip" - Janssen, "happy good ending" - Ardella, "jammy" -Leslie, "Light" - Janssen & Rheinnalt,
hot caramel peaches, cobbler, elderberry, soft palate, no grip, syrah blended in smidgen? pepper, mourvedre? Pepper-Jack palate, peachy
"like a good Chateauneuf du Pape" - Ardella

Spanish Wines - August 31st - Ms Abbie

Spanish Wines - August 31st, 2011 - Ms Abbie
"Salud!" Lets toast to the end of summer with Spanish Wines. If attending, please bring 1 bottle of Spanish wine, it can be white, red, sparkling, etc, but try to ensure the bottle is of a single varietal (or grape) and not a blend.
Wikipedia: Spanish Wines - the country has an abundance of native grape varieties, with over 400 varieties planted throughout Spain (though 80% of the country's wine production is from 20 grapes, including: Tempranillo, Albarino, Garnacha, Palomino, Airen, Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo, Carinena, and Monastrell.)
Pairings: tba

Tasting Notes:
Welcome wine (prior to the tasting): 2001 Anciano Tempranillo Gran Reserva Valdepenas DOC - $7.99 at CostCo 13% alcohol
Tasting Notes were compiled from ALL members, we also used a "fun" tasting sheet this time, that had humorous options on it, so read and enjoy!

1) 2009 Unis Old Vine Macabeo Viura Calatayud DOC - $10.99 at Hop City 13.5% alcohol
White Wine - some subtle legs, goldish straw color, translucent, lightly oaky, some pear on the nose,
comment: "smells like an office cubical" and "alcohol" not as crisp as some white wines, pineapple, granny smith apple on palate
Color: Looks like wine
Clarity: can shine light through it
Nose: Simple but inoffensive
Body: both skinny and flabby
Flavor: Oenophilic Ick
Finish: Premature gustation
Impression: Very light up front, no distinct flavors, bitter shallow, unbalanced, thin
--
Color: Looks like wine
Clarity: satisfyingly translucent
Nose: simple but inoffensive
Body: Lean and sinewy
Flavor: excessively sweet
Finish: Premature gustation
Impression: Meh - would pay nine bucks
Tasting Companions: Freaks!
Food Pairing: Orts!

2) 2009 Martin Codax Albarino, Rias Biaxas DOC - $10.99 CostCo - 12.5% alcohol
White Wine - lemongrass color, clearer, more clear than the first wine. "smells like a perm", "funky fresh", peach , "fermented veggies" or "cigar box" on the nose. "oaky cabbage or sauerkraut", light, refreshing, off dry, apples and young strawberry (not ripe) on the palate
Color: faded and jaded
Clarity: can shine light through it
Nose: Medley of vinegar
Body: Both skinny and flabby
Flavor: excessively sweet
Finish: Premature gustation
smells like perm, funky, ends suddenly
--
Color: faded and jaded
clarity: murky as a polluted lake
Nose: medley of vinegar
Body: Both skinny and flabby
Flavor: amply acidic
finish: Premature gustation
Impression: not my thing, maybe too old.

3) 2009 Montebuena Rioja (blend) Cosecha Burgo Viejo - $10.99 at Total Wine - 13.5% alcohol - 90 pts, purpley-red color, berries, chocolate, raisin on the nose, chocolate, cherries, hint of peat on the palate,
tart, lingering finish. deep raisins
Label: true piece of art
color: brilliantly hued
Clarity: murky as a polluted lake
Nose: simple but inoffensive
Body: height-weight proportionate
Flavor: Amply acidic
Impression: Tasty, would drink again.

4) 2004 Anzil Toro DOC Finca - $15.00 from www.winestillsoldout.com
dark garnet color, scents of toasted coconut, figs, would pair well with a cigar, pairs with chocolate, complex, interesting, love the finish FAVE so far, dry, dark, complex, yummy, long finish,
Color: looks like wine
clarity: can shine light through it
nose: impressively powerful
body: lean and sinewy
flavor: precariously balanced
finish: stamina to spare
impressions: delicious

5) 2009 El Pensador (The Thinker) Tempranillo Campo de Borja DOC - $11 or $12.99 at Kroger (regularly $14.99 without Kroger Plus card) - 13.5% alcohol
grapey scent, purply dark color (reminds me of a MollyDooker), lingering legs, dark fruit, raspberry, tastes of higher alcohol content, spice, plum, notes of strawberry and red cherry. more bitter.
color: looks like wine
clarity: satisfyingly translucent
nose: impressively powerful
flavor: amply acidic
body: both skinny and flabby
finish: premature gustation
impression: pretty good, maybe a little young

Food we enjoyed:

• 3 varieties of olives
• Manchego
• Goat Cheese & Crackers
• Soy Chorizo
• Chips and homemade Salsa
• Hummus
• Variety of Chocolate bites (some with toffee some without)
• Almonds
• Fresh Cherries