Thought I was going with German Riesling all the way but decided to pull an audible and go with Austrian Riesling with something with a little bit of age on it. I decided on a 2001 Emmerich Knoll Riesling Ried Loibenberg Smaragd that I had been holding onto for a while. Still got another bottle and I am very happy I do. A vintage I have always loved since I have tasted it many eons ago at the Vin de Vino tasting somewhere in New York. Maybe Django? Upon being poured this had a hearty yellow/urine-like color. The nose was a screaming mimi of tropical and citrus fruits and mint jelly. Also a hint of minerality but much more on the apricot/guava/mango/tangelo side of things. That mint was unmistakeable though. The minerality was dusty also on the nose. Lovely complex nose but not showing much
Whether it be a bottle of champagne served in celebration or a simple glass of table wine poured to help end a miserably long day, InterWined.com believes in the power of wine to mark each and every occasion as unique. It’s just one of ways that we find life and wine intertwine.
So, when Joel of [...]
Here I am, already breaking my own rules after only a couple days. But Wine Blogging Wednesday #36 is upon us— the three-year anniversary—no less…and the other blog isn’t live yet. So my notes must live here for now, despite the fact this has nothing to do with Rosenblum.
Lenn, the eminent founder, picked a fantastic theme: naked Chardonnay. Why is it perfect? Other than the fact that my southern drawl really shows when I say the word ‘nekkid,’ I am a big fan of Chardonnay minus any oak. For years I avoided the grape completely, fearing that buttery richness which so many wineries (especially in California) take over the top. Now, granted, give me some crab legs with a ramekin of heated butter, and that match is made in heaven. But that particular style overpowers most other food. Therefore, I say, “Undress the Chardonnay!”
Frantic that I would miss this WBW as I did the last two, I looked around Trader Joe’s as I was picking u
Wine Blogging Wednesday got away from me this time. When picking up a bottle of wine after a long day of work, I knew there was more to it than just grabbing something from Languedoc-Roussillon but could not remember the specifics. Hopefully, Doktor Weingolb won’t be too hard on me because Trader Joe’s didn’t have any choices over $5. (That, and I usually adhere to the WBW rules very well….) Apparently, this southern region of France is known for producing wines of great value, with the $15-30 category representing the ideal range. It seems that many vineyards are passed down through families, and the wine-making techniques are simple and inexpensive. For example: using concrete containers instead of new oak barrels and bottling off-site.
The bottle that followed me home this time was 2005 Chapelle du Bois Syrah. Syrah comes in as the third most-planted grape, after Carignan and Grenache. Though the Languedoc produces the most Vin de Table, this particul
This month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday theme is a little off the beaten path: Roger over at Box Wines chose non-traditional packaging. Initially skeptical, I became excited about the possibility. If the wine were actually good, I would suddenly have wine with an extended shelf life and could therefore avoid pouring so much out.
The first wine I tried is already dear to me. The Coppola ‘Sofia’ Blanc de Blancs is one of my favorite sparkling wines. (See previous post.) It’s happy and easy to drink with its citrus, apple, and pear flavors. But what could be more fun than putting it in a pink can and attaching a straw? Perfect to take on a picnic or on a romantic walk down a beach. I highly recommend buying yourself a Sofia Mini 4 pack for around $12 at Bevmo.
At $14.99 from Bevmo, the 2004 Hardy’s Shiraz wine box could have been a great value, seeing how it equals 4 bottles. However, that was not to be the case. On the nose I found pepper and heavy alc
I must say, I’ve never had so much fun with a Wine Blogging Wednesday before. (Many thanks to the guys at The Wine Cask for the theme.)
Having already decided I would use wines from the Thomas Fogarty tasting menu– due to budget constraints– it seemed obvious (suddenly, as a light bulb went off on a foggy Saturday afternoon) to enlist the help of customers who came in. Therefore, I made the comparison between the 2003 Thomas Fogarty Chardonnay and the 2003 Thomas Fogarty Reserve Chardonnay a blind one for myself and my guinea pigs.
I chose those particular Santa Cruz Mountains wines–even though it was the last random bottle of the regular and the reserve’s almost gone–because they were the best controlled comparison. The two wines were both blended from the same four vineyards on our mountaintop estate. Both went through malolactic fermentation and were stirred on the lees regularly.The regular version ($26) was aged for 12 months in American and
