Pour Me Some White

Posted on October 28, 2016 by melsmosaic

Love my part time wine tasting gigs. Last weekend during one of them I had all whites. Ironic because it was freezing cold outside because of the 15-20mph winds and mid-50 temps. But, I guess you can sip your pain away, right?

I was sharing the delights of:

La Marca Prosecco — one of my favorites. You cannot go wrong with this stuff. You can find it for $10-$15/bottle. Just crisp and and perfect bubbles with tiny hints of citrus. Need I say more?

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc — I love the SB from New Zealand. Gimme some grapefruit! This one was a bit milder than my favorite. Awesome notes of citrus all around with a nice finish. Low teens on the cost.

William Hill Chardonnay — if you like (traditional) oaked Chard, this one’s for you. It’s from the North Coast of CA and has some definite tropical fruit notes in it while giving you that oaked, buttery taste. This one runs in the mid-teens per bottle.

Sip on, my friends.

Take me to the wine section

Posted on August 23, 2016 by melsmosaic

Have been meaning to write about many wines over many months. Finally getting to it. So, here is a compilation. Hopefully you’ll head to the wine section to grab some.

A friend had this one open last week, Rosa de Arrocal, a nice Spanish wine. Such a deep red rose. It’s made with tempranillo. Some nice fruit notes, a tiny bit of rose (the flower) and then I could taste the tiniest, tiniest amount of bubble gum? That’s all I could place it as. It was a phenomenal wine. About $12. I just love the color!

Next, Peach Canyon (Increbible Red) Zinfandel, from Paso Robles, CA. Side note on that. I was working a wine tasting the other day and was pouring a Zin. A guy had to ask if it was Red Zin. All Zin that is wine is red. White Zin is not a wine. If you put the word red in front of the word Zinfandel we have a problem/I do not want to associate with you.

On this label they are just noting that this is an incredible red wine. So, very nice Zin that pairs well with many foods. Not too heavy, some nice berry notes and a tiny bit of smoke (one of my favorites in wine). You can usually find it for between $12-$15.

Also in this shot is one of my favorite inexpensive whites, New Harbor Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Has those nice citrusy notes that NZ SBs are known for. Also the great easy-access (as I like to call it) screw tops that NZ uses. Fairly dry and a bit acidic in a good way. Prices range from $7-$10 normally.

Next…Shoofly Shiraz from South Australia. A nice versatile Shiraz that can be enjoyed solo or with any food, really. Lots or berries and spices on there. Cost is around $12-$15.

Then the Silver Palm Chardonnay. This picture is from a couple months back and they have changed the look of their bottle recently. I noticed that last weekend in the wine shop. I’m not a big Chard fan, but did enjoy this one because it’s done in steel not oak. It’s crisp with some lemon and a bit of peach. Price is around $15, give or take a few dollars.

Next is Gavi Masera. This nice Italian vino was enjoyed at my friend’s place pre-dinner, or shall I better say while her husband was preparing (an amazing-to-be dinner). A very light, fruity wine, perfect for a hot summer day. All tastes in the wine were very light and the color of the wine, almost water-like. Price is mid-teens.

Another new one was Rawson’s Retreat (yes that link does go to an Australian store, it’s like the US Total Wine). This was a Shiraz Cabernet, oddly enjoyed while eating Ethiopian food. This one is from Australia. Based on what varietals it is from, it had some nice berry notes to it and subtle spice. It has been hard to find around DC. I found it at a random grocery store I had been meaning to go into – Snider’s Super Foods – didn’t expect a grocery store in MD to sell wine! Regardless, price is around $8-$10.

Now, Smith & Hook. Enjoyed this after a friend told me to pick the wine for dinner from the wine rack. This one is a Cabernet Sauvignon. I got some nice fruit and a chocolaty ending. Bring it on! The cost…looks like it can be $15-$18.

Such a kind answer from this wine. A friend brought this to a party, the Denada Cellars Red Blend. She bought it at Trader Joe’s. That means I need to cross the line into DC or VA. Darn MD laws! She said is was under $10. I give it fruit and leather. Bring it on!

Had some friends over and one brought a Vina Eguia Rioja. Normally I don’t reach out to riojas but this one is now definitely on my list. There are so many notes and flavors bouncing around your mouth when you sip it that you just need to get some to try it out. Price range is $14-$18 (it’s so funny seeing the differences online).

Attended at Wine Wednesday at Whole Foods in Georgetown/Glover Park. If you live in DC and you don’t know about this, tune in, as they don’t advertise it. Every Wednesday from around 5-7pm, for $5 you get 5 wines and 5 food stations. It is awesome!

So the great one there was Lolea Sparkling Red/Sangria. They have it in ‘normal’ bottles but also in pocket size. It was about $7 for the pocket size and was perfect to enjoy with food (after nibbling). Tons of great fruit flavors and would have been even better on ice.

Now onto ‘real’ sparkling red. This one is Italian and very dry — Piria Paltrinieri. Minerally and acidic. Unique, worth trying, but not your traditional sparkling red. Around $20.

And another…Bench Cab Sauv. Overall great taste. Some cocoa, long finish. So smooth. Price is $25, per the bottle.

Hope some of these caught your attention and you head to your wine store/wine section to pick them up.

New Zealand Winery #1, Stonyridge Vineyard

Posted on May 20, 2016 by melsmosaic

When in New Zealand, one must visit wineries! Right outside out Auckland is a little island, Waiheke, that has plenty of wineries to visit. We found a wine tour, Taste of Waiheke, to take part in that took you to wineries, an olive oil tasting and a brewery. Great!

After leaving the ferry we got on a nice bus and sauntered our way to winery #1, Stonyridge Vineyard. Very nice castle-like look. This winery is “dedicated to producing the finest Cabernet blends in the world (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot) using traditional winemaking.”

Upon arrival we stood just outside the vineyard, right near some olive trees, and learned about the history while enjoying some of their delectable Airfield, a mid-price Bordeaux-style red.

After that were served an amazing lunch! They whipped up this great nicoise-like salad for me vs. a quiche because of my lactose intolerance. This was awesome. Enjoyed that with some very nice Sauvignon Blanc.

Cheers to the Weekend

Posted on March 11, 2016 by melsmosaic

Have been sipping a range of drinks recently so thought I would pass them along as we enter the weekend. They hit all the choices out there — beer, wines, liquor. The rundown as the 5 o’clock whistle approaches.

Beer: It’s Flying Dog’s 25th Anniversary and I heard about their anniversary brew, Tropical Bitch. It’s a Belgian-Style IPA, 8.0% ABV. Per the description, “pineapple and mango dominate with subtle passion fruit and sticky sweet, yet crisply bitter, hop notes.” Was finally able to snag a 6-pack. Yeah, it’s ok. Fairly bronze in color and just off in taste, for me. Not that impressed (personally, keep that in mind). I keep opening more to see if I like it and not so much, but the color is very cool. It’s about $8-$10/6 pack.

White Wine: Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. Nice and light, with subtle citrus notes. Has just a perfect body to it. Also has the convenient screw top. Perfect to enjoy with some cheese or seafood, or totally on its own. This is around $10-$15/bottle.

Red Wine: Napa Cellars Pinot Noir. I’ll let you guess where it’s from. It has just a nice balance of subtle chocolate and berries. Perfect. What I loved is that I was able to pick some up for $10/bottle vs. the normal $20!

Margaritas: Jose Cuervo Light Margaritas (pre-mixed). Addiction in a bottle. Only 95 calories a serving. Just don’t read how small the serving is, ok? It’s just perfect to throw some ice in a glass and pour this on top. Then grab the chips, salsa and guac. Can usually find this for $12-$15/bottle.

Drink on, my friends.

Napa Cellars

Posted on May 3, 2015 by melsmosaic

Was working another wine tasting recently and was introduced to a new wine(ry) in CA — Napa Cellars. That’s the great thing about doing the tastings — finding all sorts of new wines (and getting paid to do it)! The name sort of explains it all, location-wise. The varietals were their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Both were great wines.

The Sauv had a crisp fruit taste – lemon, grapefruit. The vintner describes it as “aromas of vibrant gooseberry, pineapple and fresh pink grapefruit followed by flavors of pear, guava, passion fruit, lime, sweet clover and melon.” The price was $18 (on sale from low $20s)

The Pinot was amazing (I love Pinot!) and had some subtle leather and cherries, and unique spices. It had a good, medium body to it. When you read their comments you get “aromas of ripe cherry, sweet tobacco, raspberry, cedar and subtle spice followed by deep red cherry flavors and fantastic acidity.” The price was $16 (also on sale from low $20). These prices are in DC, so love to find out how much they vary from state-to-state, sale-to-sale.

Check them out if you’re looking for something new.

2 bottles of red, a bottle of white…

Posted on April 21, 2015 by melsmosaic

Other than the fact that my count doesn’t match the Billy Joel song, it doesn’t only have to depend upon your appetite; come on. There are so many factors to take into consideration. Likes, dislikes, meal, mood, interest in new stuff, desperation?!

Anyway, I work wine tastings on the side and the past couple I’ve done have introduced me to some new vintners, which is something I quite enjoy. I definitely have my favorites and normally stick to those — must expand!

The two reds were both Pinot Noirs from California, but very different. The first was Frei Brothers in Russian River Valley. Very light with the traditional fruit notes. Would pair nicely with a salad or light/white meat or seafood. Fruit would be great too, or why have food with it? Come on.

The second Pinot was MacMurray Central Coast. Very ‘thick’ for a Pinot. Almost a light jam texture with some fig notes, maybe some cherries and light chocolate. This could totally be paired with steak/heavier meat. Loved it! I picked one of these up before I left the store. Both of these were around $20.

Now the bottle of white I have recently added to my list (and wine rack) is the William Hill Sauvignon Blanc. To me it screams grapefruit, which I love. It’s definitely a citrus-laden wine. Nice and crisp and runs $12-$14.

Do you have any new wine finds?

Multiple Continents of Tastings

Posted on August 26, 2014 by melsmosaic

I figure since you can’t easily travel the world (time, money, etc), why not just grab a bottle of wine to check it out. So, the past few weeks I’ve explored most of the world. Between the Georgian wine I posted about recently (have some new bottles to be opened soon…) I have also checked out the following great vinos…

1) Chateau St. Jean, Pinot Noir, CA — (though this is Sonoma, think of Napa and support the locals by buying a bottle of Napa wine. They’ve had aftershocks after the big quake on Sunday.) Amazing, amazing CA Pinot — cherry and some leather. Was enjoyed with salmon.

2) Phebus, Malbec (Reserve), Mendoza, Argentina. Very nice. Berries, some chocolate. Can find it for about $10.

3) Klein Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa. Light, pineapple, peach and grass notes. Great for enjoying on a sunny afternoon or with fish or salad. And, screwtop for easy access. About $12.

4) Pfeffingen Weilberg Riesling, Germany. (Note: that site doesn’t stay in English the whole time) Nice and dry! Some stone fruit, various other amazing mineral flavors. Paired it with a pea and garlic gazpacho with grilled chicken. Perfect! It’s been in my wine rack for awhile so not sure the cost, but online I’m finding about $30.

What (wine) do you have on tap?

Posted on August 10, 2014 by melsmosaic

There is a great pizza place in DC that has expanded and now has several locations — Matchbox. I’ve been to the one in Merrifield/Mosaic District recently.

Before enjoying their delicious pizza, I had to try their wine on tap. It’s not available at a lot of restaurant so I couldn’t turn it down. I scanned the menu and it was a tough decision. Hot as heck outside, freezing cold AC inside.

I opted for the Gotham Project Zin. Nice nose all around. Fruity, very fun for a wine on tap.

My friend arrived later and we were ordering some nice pizza and we opted for a white to accompany a prosciutto and fig pizza. We opted for a white on tap. We went with the Tangent Sauvignon Blanc. Very fruity and fresh, perfect for the meal.

Such a fun new way to enjoy wine. Can’t say that it was than much different than a normal glass, but simple changes and simple pleasures!

SA Winery Visit #2 — Franschhoek Cellar

Posted on April 23, 2014 by melsmosaic

To get to our 2nd winery, we only had to ride about 5K from the first. Not too shabby. Still very scenic!

This next winery we visited was Franschhoek Cellar.

For the tasting, we got to pick six to sample from the entire menu (versus being given specific wines). That was great because between the entire three of us on the tour, we were able to taste almost everything! And off we went.

Statue de Femme Sauvignon Blanc — In the top 10 last year. Light and crisp. Another typical SA bargain at R50.

La Cotte Mill Chenin Blanc — Tropical, pineapple taste. R40! Really, $4 for a bottle. Love this place. Note on the dates on the back labels, they write day/month, versus how we do month/day.

Club Hose Rose – a blend of Pinotage, Shiraz and Cab. The best way I can describe it would be powdery rose petals. GREAT!!!! R40.

The Old Museum Merlot — Very berry-y. NICE, for a Merlot. There seemed to be quite a difference in SA Merlots. I don’t normally like them but down there they are quite unique! R50.

Stone Bridge Pinotage — Nice, light and smoky, oh yes. R50.

The Churchyard Cabernet Sauvignon – Thick, chocolate, tobacco are the best notes to describe this one. R50.

Last but not least was a limited release. The Franschhoek Vineyards Shiraz, cellar door exclusive, no info about it anywhere except on the tasting sheet. “The Shiraz grapes for this wine are from one of the highest most rugged vineyard sites in Franschhoek with singular personality and expression that compelled our winemaker Richard Duckitt to go to great lengths to preserve the tremendous concentration and purity of fruit in this exemplary Franschhoek wine.” — ‘sweet’, thick and smooth. R100.

Mid-way through this tasting after everything was poured, lunch was served and we were able to take our glasses outside to enjoy some great food and drink in the amazing weather.

The Tasting Room

Posted on April 1, 2014 by melsmosaic

DC, March, temps in the 30s, rain and snow. Ugh. Call for wine. I introduced a friend to a local wine shop — The Tasting Room Wine Bar & Shop, owned by Boxwood Estate Winery.

It’s one of those great wine bars where you buy a card, put money on it and then you can sample 1, 3 or 5 oz. pours of wine. So many ways to explore the vino! Let the sipping begin.

I always try to go with something new so my first taste was the Monga Zin Old Vine Zinfandel by Carol Shelton from California Very nice! A bit fruity, very aromatic with spices and smooth. Would recommend it.

Next I opted for a taste of Vinaceous’ 2011 Snake Charmer Shiraz. Nice. Definitely a traditional Shiraz from Australia, can’t go wrong.

Oddly, I wrapped up the day with a quick sip of white (vs. starting with that). Went with 2011 Malma Sauvignon Blanc from Argentina. Light body, not much taste/flavor to it. Not worth writing home about it. But, I’ll blog about it, right?