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!

Le Caveau - South American Wine Tasting - Feb 11, 2012

Le Caveau - South American Wine Tasting - Feb 11, 2012

Special Guest: Joe Herrig of Global Wines featuring a tasting of South American wines. Global Wines is brand new to the state and we will be showing the following hand picked selections from their book:

Also, don't forget to check out Joe's blog Suburban Wino (see links to the left of this entry).

1) 2010 Alma de los Andes Torrontés - $14.99
100% Torrontés
This wine shows aromas of white peach, orange rind and flowers (think Viognier or Muscat aromas). Juicy, pure fruit on the palate where the lovely floral notes are echoed. This white finishes juicy and long, and not a bit heavy thanks to ample acidity.

Torrontés is highly productive and is just under ten percent of all white grape plantings in Argentina, however as a varietal, it made up almost 20 percent of all white wine sold in Argentina in 2008.
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2) 2009 Fingerprints Bonarda - $13.99
100% Bonarda
This wine has deep red color with violet hints. The wine shows ripe cherry and plum on the palate that is light to medium bodied. It has a lovely, lingering finish with rounded and sweet tannins. Equally enjoyable with food or by itself.

As the story goes, Bonarda is an Italian grape that was transplanted to Argentina in the 1800’s. As popular as Malbec has become, it only recently surpassed Bonarda in acreage cultivated.
***ABBIE's FAVE!***
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3) 2010 Yllum Pinot Noir Reserve $22.99
100% Pinot Noir from Tupungato
With a medium garnet color, this wine shows aromas of ripe red fruits with notes of coffee and mushrooms. The palate is fresh and focused with red berry fruits and spice balanced by nice acidity.

The fruit for this wine comes from Tupungato inthe Valle de Uco and is grown at 3900 feet above sea level. Yllum means meeting place in the local Huarpe indian tongue and Tupungato means star viewpoint (Tupungato, a stratovaolcano is the higheast peak in Argentina).

4) 2008 Alma de los Andes Malbec Classic - $14.99
100% Malbec from Agrelo and Medrano
Deep ruby black color with a purple rim, it shows blackberries, ripe plum, and spice on the nose. The medium to full bodied palate is rich with dark fruit but comes off balanced with a silky elegance.

Winemaker Pablo Durigutti gained wide experience while working with the Rutini winery and with his older brother Hector Durigutti at Altos Las Hormigas

5) 2009 Casa Rivas Carménère Gran Reserva - $23.99
85% Carménère, 10% Syrah, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon
14.3% alcohol
This wine has a deep, ruby red color, with a [BIG] nose of plum and black pepper, coffee, and spice. On the palate it's concentrated with red fruits, round tannins and and nice structure, finishing long and silky.

Cuttings of Carménère were imported by Chilean growers from Bordeaux during the 19th century, where they were frequently confused with Merlot vines. They modeled their wineries after those in France and in the 1850s cuttings from Bordeaux, which included Carménère grape, were planted in the valleys around Santiago

Total Wine - Get Outside Your Comfort Zone - Wine Tasting 01/21/12

Total Wine - Get Outside Your Comfort Zone - Wine Tasting 01/21/12
The lovely Leslie McCain was pouring today for us.
Total Wine has several free tastings, and if you buy one of the featured wines, you can get 10% off of your bottle.
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Tasting Notes:
1) 2010 Phebus Torrontes - $9.99
White Wine, 100% Torrontes
Salta, Argentina - From Argentina's northern region of Salta comes this crisp and refreshing, oak-free wine made from 100% Torrontes. A nose of fresh cut lemons with a hint of lime is followed by layers of citrus on the dry and refreshing palate. Pair with seafood and spicy dishes.
Crisp, Lemon, Citrus, Light-bodied.

2) 2010 Sobon Estate Viognier - $14.99
White Wine - Viognier
Amador, CA - this wine has a very alluring aroma, reminiscent of fresh Sierra meadow flowers, with a hint of peach and honeysuckle. The flavors are rich and spicy, full-bodied and richly textured with a lingering finish. Match with seafood or chicken. Organically farmed.
Elegant, Peach, Floral, Full-bodied

3) 2010 Dom Rabiotte Aix Provence Rose - $11.99
Aix-en-Provence, Rhone Valley, France - Fresh and Fruity, with a zesty acidity that tingles the palate, this refreshing rose marries notes of strawberry and mineral. It will pair beautifully with appetizers and fresh seafood dishes.
Crisp, Berry, Mineral, Medium-bodied.

4) 2008 Quinta De Ventozelo QV Tinto - $9.99
Douro, Portugal - This wine leads with schist [minerals] and ends with the same black schist intensity. In between there's a cool arc of blueberry flavor, dark and smooth, the fruit-skin tannin lasting along with the earthiness. Enjoyable now with a steak.
Fresh, Raspberry, Vanilla, Medium-Bodied.

5) 2010 Ankena Carmenere Single Vineyard - $12.99
Red wine - 100% Carmenere
Rapel Valley, Chile - bursting with ripe blackberry and spice aromas this varietal has become the flagship wine for Chile. Black fruit flavors are nuanced with notes of Cedar on the smooth, velvety finish. 100% Carmenere, sourced from a high altitude single vineyard.
Elegant, Blackberry, Spice, Medium-bodied.