Carpe Vinum

Vino temps anyone?

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:05:13 GMT

Just curious if anyone here has a vino temp? If so what brand and what do you think of it? Looking to invest in one about 50 bottle size that is free standing to put in our dining room. I want something quiet and it's to put reds in predominantly since that's what I drink mostly so it doesn't necessarily need to be a dual temp.

I did it!

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:10:08 GMT

I joined my first wine club and my first shipment should come the first part of November! I became a member of the Black Chicken Society for Robert Biale wines! I did finally get to try the Black Chicken Zinfandel that I have been trying to track down on our recent trip to the Sonoma Valley. It was every bit as good as I imagined if not better! I also managed to finally track it down in Seattle. For the curious I found it at Esquin. I swear they really do have just about everything there unless the wineries just don't retail other than through the winery itself like a couple of them I went to in Sonoma. It was a little pricier than buying directly from Biale, but I figured after tax and shipping then I probably came out ahead with what I paid at Esquin for it.

Will post the low down on the trip tomorrow.

Has anyone tried?

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 03:58:23 GMT

Okay so I am trying to hunt down a Robert Biale Zinfandel and just curious if anyone here has tried it.

I had a cooking class earlier this week and one of the guest chefs was from the Napa/Sonoma area and he said if I love Zinfandels that this is the one to try. Well he didn't tell me at the time, but after calling around a few places trying to get a bottle, come to find out it's a "cult" wine. Uuuuug so that means this sucker is gonna be that much more difficult to get my hands on to try a bottle. My fave restaurant has it by the bottle, but it's pretty pricey at the restaurant and unless we go with another couple sometime I will not have the chance to have it there. So the hunt is on to find a bottle to purchase retail.

So let me know if you've tried it and what you thought of it.

Tried a fabulous new red tonight

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 05:43:33 GMT

Robert Karl's 2005 Claret

The 2005 Columbia Valley Claret (red wine) is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Petit Verdot, and 10% Malbec. The fruit was sourced from our estate vines at Gunselman Bench, Andrews Horse Heaven Ranch, McKinley Springs and Phinny Hill vineyards. It was aged in 70% French oak and 30% American oak for 23 months, 50% of the oak was new. The ideal consumption is 2 to 5 years from release date, but this wine will develop for another 5-7 years. The alcohol by volume is 14.0%. This wine was bottled August 7, 2007.

It had a wonderful bouquet, great legs, light on tannin, long on finish. Looks to retail about $20 for a bottle.

I had this paired with a lamb t-bone in a harissa marinade served with a sour cherry syrah veal jus, fingerling potatoes, and asparagus with goat cheese. It was pure heaven! Our waitress at Sip in Issaquah suggested it after I gave her a few of the various reds I had had there that I really enjoyed. We've pretty much become regulars there. We were able to name off two of the four cheeses on the cheese plate (they rotate out the cheeses regularly so we did really well considering!) The head chef came out to chat with us for a bit, which is always nice. He comes by on occasion when we are there to see how the food is and how we are doing. Sip is also going to be opening in Gig Harbor as well in probably October. Look forward to that since hubby has family down there that we go to dinner with and now maybe we can take them there!

Ah another wine and food pairing where I didn't want the meal to end!

Can anyone help a girl out?

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:08:06 GMT

Okay so hubby and I are wanting to plan a trip in September to San Francisco and Sonoma to do some wine touring. I'd love to try and locate a hotel and tour package if we could. I have absolutely no idea where the heck to start. Never been so no idea what's good or what to expect. Kinda wanted to be in the Healdsburg area since Seghesio is right there and I am truly in love with their Zinfandels. I am not totally committed to just there, but really would like to go to Seghesio if we can so am open to other places. Suggestions? Anyone gone to Sonoma that knows good places to stay or tours to take, anything?

RIP Robert Mondavi

Sat, 17 May 2008 01:28:00 GMT

The man who put California wineries on the map passed away this morning at the age of 94.

Associated Press

Washington Wines

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:29:39 GMT

The latest edition of Wine Spectator gave some impressive reviews of Washington wines at decent prices: Mercer Estates Cabernet Sauvignon from Horse Heaven Hills 2005 (90 pts, $24); Three Rivers Merlot from Columbia Valley 2005 (90 pts, $19); Desert Wind Merlot (89 pts, $15); Three Rivers River's Red from Columbia Valley (89 pts, $13); Columbia Crest Two Vines Vinyard 10 Red 2005 (88 pts, $8); and Snoqualmie Whistle Stop Red from Columbia Valley 2006 (87 pts, $10).

I haven't tried any of these, but if I do, I'll let you know what I think.

~J

2001 Stella Maris

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:12:48 GMT

Last weekend Jen and I enjoyed a bottle of 2001 Stella Maris. This is a Cab/Merlot blend (44% Cabernet Sauvignon, 56% Merlot) grown in both Walla Walla and Columbia Valleys. This wine as aged for 19 months in both French & American oak barrels (79% and 21% respectively for those interested in that sort of thing).

This is a great wine with lots of dark red fruit notes (cherry, plum, etc) and a little spice. Having kept it for so long before drinking, it was really smooth and rounded. We drank this while dining on a roast prime rib (with an herb yorkshire pudding and broccoli). It all went together nicely, but would've been just as enjoyable with other foods.

Winegasm!

Sun, 17 Feb 2008 03:21:25 GMT

Oh My Word! Amazing glass of wine tonight at Sip in Issaquah. Had a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Woodward Canyon out of Walla Walla and it was fanfreakingtastic! Those nose was fabulous (could have smelled it all night!), great legs, light on tannin, nice long finish, gorgeous deep red color. Can't say enough about this! This wine has a generous nose of spicy oak and cedar integrated with ripe black fruits and cherry. A sweet, rich mouth feel begins with cassis and ripe black berry leading towards chocolate and mocha. Retails for about $44/bottle, but I would definitely say this is totally worth the price!

This was paired with a fabulous steak that had a green peppercorn sauce, broccolini, and pamesan truffle fritters. I was feeling pretty darn wonderful after this meal!

A fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon

Sun, 04 Nov 2007 08:14:18 GMT

We grabbed a bite at Duke's off Lake Union tonight. I had a wonderful glass of wine that was organic. It was a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Bonterra. Fabulous! Wonderful nose, nice deep color, good legs, fruit forward, very light on the tannins, little bit of spice as the secondary flavor, nice rich full body with a lovely finish. The nose smelled of black cherry, cassis and black raspberry, and touches of vanilla, clove, and cocoa. The palate tastes of cherry, dried cherry, raspberry, cranberry, redcurrant, and a warm touch of strawberry. Bought three bottles of the wine at a store not far from the restaurant and was pleasantly suprised to see it was on sale for just over $12 a bottle, normally about $15. I am seriously gonna price this stuff out and see about buying a case of it it was that good! I haven't had a glass of wine this good in awhile!

Cab Sauv

Sat, 22 Sep 2007 23:02:29 GMT

The other night I picked up a quick dinner at Central Market. Wednesday nights their deli features prime rib. They really do a wonderful job. I usually get the prime rib sandwich (featured Saturday afternoons), but this time I opted for the dinner. They provided a nice 1" thick slab of wonderful beef. Anyway, I figured this calls for a good cab.

We opened up a bottle of Columbia-Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley (2002). Prior to bottling, this wine was aged for two years in a combination of American and French Oak barrels. This was a wonderful wine, well balanced with everything you'd expect from a cab--big bold flavors, mellowed tannins and a lasting finish. This went very well with the rich intense flavors of the prime rib.

Unfortunately I do not recall what I paid for this bottle.

2000 Col Solare

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 17:24:35 GMT

Last weekend, I prepared a great Father's Day for my dad (which we all enjoyed). I fixed grilled rib steaks, so I wanted a good red wine to compliment the meal. I selected a 2000 Col Solare. This is one of my "special occasion" bottles that we've been hanging on to. It's a "red table wine" which has become one of my favorite styles. This wine is a blend (86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and 4% Syrah). From the website:
winemakers’ notes Highly concentrated raspberry, vanilla bean and Belgian dark chocolate aromatics are threaded with anise, clove and cinnamon. Equally intense flavors of raspberry, black cherry and smoky-toast are complemented by hints of spice. Muscular yet richly supple, this is a wine that rewards with a long, elegantly proportioned finish.

This wine aged so nicely. It was very rich (almost velvety) in both flavor and body. This is one of those bottles you want to just keep drinking all night long. It had a long finish and went so well with dinner. If you want to drop some coin on a "special occasion" bottle, this is one I'd certainly recommend.

Help a girl out

Wed, 20 Jun 2007 03:22:10 GMT

Okay so my sister sent me a gift certificate from wine.com

I had a few wines I was looking for and they didn't have any of them. So I figured I'll order something I haven't tried before. Any particular reds any of you have tried that you love that they happen to have there? Only preference I have is no anise flavor profile and preferably light on tannin.

Novelty Wine

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 17:29:38 GMT

The most recent wine I've consumed was Vampire Pinot Noir. I didn't buy this expecting greatness. My gothy nature got the best of me and I picked it up simply for the novelty of it.

First of all, I enjoy an occasional pinot noir, but it's by no means my favorite varietal. Second, well...Transylvania isn't exactly known for fine wine production. That said, it was "okay". It was a very thin wine (even for a pinot). But it wasn't bad either. By looking at their website, it's obvious that it's all a novelty operation. Especially when they even offer energy drinks!

It's a fun bottle to have on a shelf and maybe drink during Halloween, but don't serve it when you're trying to impress.

Another great wine!

Sat, 05 May 2007 15:14:48 GMT

Had a local wine last night with dinner that was really a lovely wine, 2003 Powers Winery Syrah. Looks like the wine runs about $13 a bottle. The wine was actually better than my meal. The wine stood very well on it's own to just sip away and enjoy. Surprisingly this was recommended to go with my dinner and quite honestly there was no way this could have complimented it. The dish itself had quite the smokey flavor to it, which did not work well with the wine at all and actually detracted from it. Ravioli with Prosciutto and Asparagus: ravioli stuffed with goat cheese and carmelized onions in a rosemary marsala sauce. They also suggested a Merlot to go with it, which really makes me wonder about their pairing suggestions. I think a Cabernet would have been far better suited with this. The dish needs a really full bodied wine to work with the smokiness of the dish.

Some notes here from Powers site regarding the wine:

Tasting Notes: Intense, darkly extracted color with complex aromas of black currant, plum, boysenberry, vanilla, and a whiff of black pepper. Very full-bodied style with flavors of dark plum, cassis, blackberry, and intriguing spices like cloves and pepper. Long, intense finish of sweet ripe blackberry, currants and spice.

Winemaker's Notes: Syrah gets more interesting each year as we discover the nuances of fruit from different vineyards. We love the ripe qualities from the warmer regions, and this wine really reflects that sweet fruit and concentration from a warm Syrah site balanced by the dark fruit and black pepper character of cooler climate Yakima Valley Syrah. The wine is a blend of Wahluke Slope Syrah from Milbrant's Sundance Vineyard(84%), and Pleasant Vineyard Syrah from the lower Yakima Valley (16%). The Milbrant fruit was fermented using D254 yeast to emphasize structure, while the Pleasant portion fermented with D80 yeast to emphasize fruit extraction. The balance of this wine is impressive, reflecting both optimum ripeness and structure. The wines were in French oak barrels for 20 months (40% new) before bottling in December of 2005. 1500 cases made.

A number of various wine things!

Sun, 29 Apr 2007 05:57:15 GMT

So today picked up some much needed wine accessories from Esquin. Finally got a sommelier kit for cleaning glasses and my decanter. Also picked up a kit for pulling labels off my wine bottles so I can start keeping a wine journal. Now I just need to find me a journal that I actually like. Found a Tuscan wine I had been on the hunt for, but was just a bit out of the budget for now, but will be a splurge some day. Esquin actually had a pretty impressive selection I must say though I didn't look too closely at the prices other than the Tuscan wine I wanted that is Ornallaia, which was $127.

Went to dinner tonight at a relatively new wine bar in Issaquah that I have been dying to try called Sip. Worth every penny we paid for dinner. With tip and such we walked out of there for just under $100 for the two of us. I had the Kobe top sirloin with a glass of R.H. Philips 2003 Toasted Head Giguiere Ranch Red. A scrumptious blend of Cab, Merlot, Malbec and Petite Verdot. A medium-bodied, elegant red with spicy aromas of ginger and vanilla. On the palate are dried cherry and cranberry flavors with hints of sarsaparilla and shrill oak tannin. That's the description I found online for the wine. Though to be honest it didn't have very strong tannin, which is just fine with me as I prefer to not have too much tannin. It's definitely fruit forward. The bits of sarsaparilla and oak are what you taste secondary and is what tends to linger in the finish, which is a nice long finish btw. It went so well with the steak, my word! Hubby had the prosciutto wrapped jumbo prawns with mango crab stuffing. I had a small bite and that was tasty too! We did an appetizer of crab cakes that was served with roasted pepper fireweed honey coulis and those were phenomenal! The place had nice decor and great service. Food took a little long coming out, but it was so worth the wait!

Just to let the Seattlites know that Sip is one of the restaurants in the 3 for $30 promos going on in the month of May so would be a good time to check this place out! Talking to the gentleman that waited on us tonight he said their wine flights will be changing next Friday to bring in the new Spring releases and he said that their wine flights then will surpass what they currently have. He also mentioned that most of the wine flights they were sold out of the wines, which given it's the time for Spring releases can't say I was suprised. We'l definitely be going back there for dinner for sure!

Upcoming events you may want to attend in Seattle/WA

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 02:30:20 GMT

I know for sure we are going to this , but no idea what day. I know it's cheese, but they are doing wine tastings there too. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm cow cheese, goat cheese, sheep cheese!

The Seattle Cheese Festival will return for the third year, May 18-20th.
As artisanal cheese production grows, so does the festival! Come taste more than 200 cheeses from local and international producers along the cobblestone street of Pike Place Market. The Seattle Cheese Festival is the first of its kind on the West Coast with artisanal cheese at center stage.

They will have a wine garden as well as tastings :D

Hoping we will at least do one day of this !

The 2nd Annual Washington Wine Highway is a weekend long wine, food and travel extravaganza. A perfect respite from your day to day, join us in Woodinville to walk the Washington Wine Highway on the lovely grounds of the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery. Stroll throughout four regional pavilions highlighting the nationally recognized terroirs of Walla Walla, Puget Sound, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain and Columbia Valley. This long weekend provides the perfect atmosphere for tasting, learning and buying both local wines and foods. Each pavilion will feature restaurant chefs, local food purveyors and travel specialists from a particular region of our state. It's a wonderful way to learn more about our burgeoning wine industry and the people that make it happen! Held over the course of Memorial Day weekend, you will have the ability to lull about, take your time, walk from 'region to region' and have a taste (or two...or three...).

One more event also happening Memorial Day weekend is this . Though pretty certain this isn't something I'll be attending, but figured it was worth passing along in case anyone else may be interested.

By the way found out about all these events whilst perusing Seattle Magazine waiting for my allergy shot.

Joseph Phelps

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 18:23:31 GMT

The other day, my boss called me into his office. I was surprised to discover that it was to meet the Vice President (Sales) for Joseph Phelps Winery in St. Helena, CA. He was visiting us with a local wine rep. We all sat down to taste three wines (2005 Sauvignon Blanc, 2004 Le Mistral and 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon). Sadly, we weren't offered any of their famous Insignia.

Anyway, I enjoyed all the wines. They are were very good and had a finish that would last. I must say that my favorite was the cab. After I mentioned that, the VP said that it's close to the Insignia and cheaper. At $54, I'd still call it a "special occasion" bottle; but it's much better than the $165 bottle of Insignia.

As an aside, when it comes to ultra premium, high-dollar wines, I've found Rob Williams (a morning radio show host out of Sacramento, CA) opinion to be quite useful. For one, he has no incentive to plug one winery over another (read advertising dollars) and two, has no problem spending several hundred dollars on a bottle if he feels it's worth it. He actually will review bottles from all price ranges and does a good job from what I've seen thus far.

Anyone tried this or heard anything about it

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 01:56:42 GMT

So the wine steward we are getting to know gave us a free bottle of wine to try that he is absolutley certain we will love. The wine is from Layer Cake in the Barossa Valley in Southern Australia and it's 100% Shiraz. Anyone tried this or know anything about it?

I tried a 2004 Pinot Noir this weekend that was fabulous from Eola Hills, which is looking like you can't get anymore dammit, but bought some 2005 so we'll see how it compares. It had a long lovely finish, with light tannins, and was pretty fruit forward especially to the black cherry side. Mmmmmmmm quite delightful!

FYI Costco has some great deals on wines right now. Saw they had some Louis Jadot 2005 Beaujolais for $6.99/bottle, Silverado Cabernet Sauvingnon 2003 that was $32.99/bottle (this is a 94 pointer from Wine Enthusiast), Hedges CMS for $8.99/bottle, and Rosemount Estates Diamond Label Shiraz for $7.95/bottle. There were a few others I saw too on the Food and Wine list of 50 wines under $20 list. So if you have a membership it's time to stock your cellar/wine rack! Oh how I love thee Costco!

Starting another book

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 02:28:20 GMT

I guess when "Sideways" came out on DVD it just happened to come with "Wine Lovers Companion" by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst. Guess we'll see how good it is. I'll report back.

Speaking of movies regarding wine. Hubby and I watched a cute movie this weekend called, "A Good Year," with Russel Crowe and Albert Phinney. The premise of the movie: A British investment broker inherits his uncle's chateau and vineyard in Provence, where he spent much of his childhood. He discovers a new laid-back lifestyle as he tries to renovate the estate to be sold.

Plenty of funny little moments and a rather enjoyable movie.

While watching the movie enjoyed a nice 2004 Pinot Noir from Big Fire out of Oregon. Nice light wine bodied wine with a nice long finish.

Tried another wine later that night that I didn't quite care for as much. It was a 2003 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel. I didn't care for it so much because of the bouquet. While the smell was quite strong, the flavors I was picking up are just ones I don't care for like mocha, anise, and some oak. I could detect some berry, but not much. If you like mocha and anise you will probably like this as I could imagine this being quite rich and velvety to someone who enjoys those flavor profiles. It was pretty full bodied, which I typically like. Again I think it was more the flavor profile I just didn't care for. The wine steward gave it to me for half price at the store I bought it at so I could try it and let him know what I thought so who am I to complain. If nothing else it will help him to get to know my palate a bit better. Of course I didn't mention to him that I don't care for mocha and anise flavor profiles. My bad, lesson learned.

What a fabulous book!

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 03:22:46 GMT

First off huge thanks to sharkman_75 for recommending the book to me! Loved it!! I just finished up reading "Windows on the World: Complete Wine Course, 2007 Edition" by Kevin Zraly. This is by far my best investment! All kinds of wonderful information on history of winemaking, the various wine regions, how to read wine labels (particularly foreign ones), explanations about the different varietals, how we taste wine, best vintages, best wineries, food and wine pairing, how to serve wine, and the list goes on. Lots of really great trivia tid bits. It's an easy read too that makes it hard to put down. It's great for everyone regardless of if you are new to wine or consider yourself an expert. There's a little something in there for everyone. Highly recommend this book!

Tonight's selection

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 02:37:29 GMT

2002 Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah, Columbia Valley.

I enjoyed this wine last night and (thanks to Vacu Vin) tonight. Safeway had it on sale ($10 compared to $15). It was a good wine with notes of ripe plum and some leather. It also provided some nice spice aromas, which went well with my meal (see below).

I did notice some sediment as I finished the glass, but it was still quite enjoyable; and for $10, I can't complain!

This is a re-post from my regular journal, yesterday's entry (I made enough for tonight's meal as well):

Right now I have short ribs in my refrigerator chillin' in a marinade* I made last night. I also have some rice soaking. Tonight I'll grill up the ribs, steam the rice and some kind of vegetable and enjoy it with bottle of Chateau Ste. Michelle Syrah. After that...maybe some Xbox.

Yes, I can't wait.

*Soy sauce, minced garlic, minced ginger root, sliced scallion, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, sherry wine, red pepper flakes and sesame seeds.

April issue of Food and Wine!

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 03:53:51 GMT

If you don't subscribe to Food and Wine magazine, I highly recommend you pick up the April issue when it comes out! I just got mine yesterday *drool*!One of the feature articles is 50 wines you can always trust(includes reds and whites!) under $20 from various parts of the world! I know there were at least a few of my faves listed on there!

The first page intro on the article sold me!

"It's easy to find great wines made in tiny quantities that cost a fortune. What's hard is locating amazing wines that are sold in stores across the country, that are delicious regardless of vintage, and that ring up at $20 or less per bottle. Here are our picks for the most reliable, most readily available wines in the world-50 wines that won't let you down. Plus there are bonus selections: five top notch Bordeaux for less than $25, 12 foolproof pairing suggestions and 10-world class wines from France and the United States that cost a little more but still offer disproportionate quality for the price."

Wine glasses

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 03:34:04 GMT

Okay so still doing a bit of research on wine glasses and hoping some of you may be able to help in this realm a little. Has anyone tried the Wine Enthusiast glasses at all? They seem extremely reasonably priced(plus Wine Enthusiast is having a huge sale on them) and like Riedel they are based around the varietal theory. With them being so reasonably priced it does make me wonder though if they are any good. I've also been looking at Spiegelau, which is a bit less expensive than Riedel and apparently now are manufactured by Riedel. They also go by the varietal theory. So guess I am wanting to know if anyone has tried these other brands or has been able to do any kind of comparison. My boss swears by the Riedel Vinum glasses, but trying to get a feel for what else is out there and whether Riedel Vinum really is the way to go. I am just really trying to figure out that even in the varietal glasses if it's a matter of you get what you pay for.

Hedges 2005 CMS White

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 04:36:32 GMT

Hedges, a Washington winery that I love, has recently expanded upon their popular CMS. Originally a red (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) Bordeaux-style blend; now they are producing a white (Chardonnay, Marsanne, Sauvignon Blanc).

I enjoyed this wine tonight with dinner. I made barbecued salmon and grilled asparagus (the asparagus is rather difficult to match with a wine, btw). I had pretty high hopes for the wine, but it fell a little short. It was good, but I found it to be thin and lacking the both the body and the finish. The biggest notes I get are apple (likely from the Chard) and mild grass (likely from the Sauv Blanc). This may be better served on a warm summer afternoon with, perhaps a great Caesar salad.

I forget what I paid for it, but it wasn't bad. I would've expected better from Hedges.

The amounts are 54% Sauvignon Blanc, 44% Chardonnay and 2% Marsanne.

This is X-Posted to carpe_vinum (wine lovers, feel free to join up and share your experiences).