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coldhitz · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:02 pm Post subject:

Damn ! I am freakin gonna get this . I need Babette .
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spryte · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:05 pm Post subject:

Ok... March we had LOTS of wine.... more wine than we could actually taste. We drank 6 out of 9 bottles of wine.

I ended up having 9 wine tasters, which although it was a good party, was not very conducive to actual thoughtful tasting or good tasting notes.

I think I need to max out at 6 or at the very most 7 tasters.

Also... I think I need to invest in some VERY small glasses, so that tastes are more taste sized. My wine glasses are pretty big, and even though we try to pour taste quantities, it's very easy to over pour.

Maybe starting with small glasses and more structured tasting, we can get good notes and move on to just enjoying the wine, food and company.

Ok... here are March's tasters.

First of course Me (Marguerite) & Jon

Ericka & Drew

Whitney & Jeff

Daniel

And our newest tasters John & Win

Ok... first wine up was selected by Ericka

#1
Name: Estancia
Price: $14.99
Year: 2007
PHOTO of bottle:

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: Estancia Pinot Noir displays luscious berry flavors, spice and a rich supple finish.

Review:
Deep purpley red

~Marguerite - tastes like berries

~ Jon - doesn't bother him.. inoffensive... not tongue curdling

~ Drew - nice mild table wine

~ Ericka - not bad... doesn't fight with the fresh blackberries

~ Daniel - inoffensive... neutral

~ Whitney - very mild.. warming

~ Jeff - tastes like red wine

~ Win - fruity

~ John - it's good

Would you buy again?: personally... no... while not bad, it's not a wine that will convert this non-wine drinker.

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: Drew said it's a good table wine. I'm really bad at pairing.

Next up... selected by Whitney

#2
Name: Five Rivers
Price: $12.99
Year: 2006
PHOTO of bottle:

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: The nose of this classic Pinot Noir is brimming with rhubarb, violets and cardamom, with hibiscus flowers and a note of vanilla from the easy oak treatment. The palate with rejoice with the taste of wild strawberries followed by tangy bright cherries, hibiscus nectar and a strong acid backbone. It's spicy, structured and complex.

Review:
red color... lighter than the Estancia

~ Marguerite - I liked number one better... but I did LOVE that there is a Goddess on the label!

~ Jon - smells like candy... sweeter

~ Drew - sweeter... more depth... better than #1

~ Ericka - more tangy than #1... not good after a slice of kiwi

~ Daniel - like this less than #1

~ Whitney - not as rich as #1... not as warming

~ Jeff - tastes like alcohol

~ Win - very tart... likes #1 better

Would you buy again?: Again... this isn't converting me to a wine drinker.

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: No ideas

Third up, selected by Daniel

#3
Name: MacRostie Carneros
Price: Chairman's Selection - On Sale
Year: 2006
PHOTO of bottle

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: This wine is very dark garnet in color, and the nose shows bright black cherry with a bit of allspice. Full-bodied, velvety and luscious, the palate delivers all the ripe fruit promised by the nose, with just enough toasty vanilla oak to provide a soft supporting framework. It concludes with a long, lush finish.

Review:

~ Marguerite - more tannins... least favorite so far

~ Jon - berry... I like this!

~ Ericka - ooooo.... I like how it smells

~ Drew - likes it better than #1

~ Daniel - raspberry... I like this! Favorite so far!

~ Whitney - most lingering taste

~ Jeff - good initial taste

~ Win - best taste so far

Would you buy again?: Nah

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: I've got nothing.

Next wine picked by John & Win.

#4
Name: Chaddsford 25th Vintage (a Pennsylvania wine!)
Price: $15.99
Year: 2006
PHOTO of bottle

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: Light, delicate red with a mouth-filling combination of fruit and earthiness.

Review:
Lighter red color

~ Marguerite - less tannin than #3... berry (order of preference so far for me.. 1, 2, 4, 3)

~ Jon - sweetest so far... berry... juicy... best so far

~ Ericka - musty grape smell... slighty effervescent

~ Drew - thin... that's good... smokey flavor

~ Daniel - better than #2, less than #3

~ Whitney - very nutty

Would you buy again?: Nope

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: I don't know

And the next wine chosen by me!

#5
Name: Brutocao
Price: $22.99
Year: 2006
PHOTO of bottle

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: Black cherry fruit punctuates the intial impression of our Anderson Valley Estate Pinot Noir. Fairly full and rich with varietal velvet, fresh earth and brooding integrated smoky oak, it remains lively and charged with a youthful buoyancy that portends extended palate pleasing performance.

Review:
Deeper red color

~ Marguerite - more tannins... berries

~ Jon - really sweet

~ Jeff - very dry... makes my mouth taste like a shoe

~ Whitney - richer... like it... favorite so far... enjoyable lingering

~ Ericka - fruitier... best so far

~ Drew - liked #4 and #3 better than this

~ Daniel - berry... tasted like #4

Would you buy again?: No

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: None

The last bottle we opened was chosen by Whitney.

#6
Name: Just Good Wine - Jargon
Price: $10.00
Year: 2006
PHOTO of bottle

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: Bright and seductive flavors of black cherry with a hint of strawberries, cola and dark tobacco. On the palate, this wine has a smooth silky texture, followed by mild tannins that deliver structure and complexity. This is a generously fruit-driven wine with a great balance of harmony and astringency. You'll be craving a second glass.

Review:

~ Marguerite - berry - not as much tannins

~ Jon - less berry more like #1

~ Whitney - fruity... juicy

~ John - lightest so far

~ Win - drier

*Whitney mixed this with Fresca and it really brought out the grapefruit flavor of the Fresca.

Would you buy again?: No
Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: None

Pinot Noirs that we just didn't get to...

I served fruits & cheeses this time.

Morbier - I LOVE morbier!!

Havarti

Goat

I'd really love to take a cheese class to learn more about cheeses. I wander aimlessly through the cheeses trying to pick some!

Jarlsberg Dip

Peter's Baked Feta Baked Feta is AMAZING!!!! You really really really need to try it!!! REALLY!!

Michael Chiarello's Mushroom Blue Cheese Tart

A few miscellaneous pics...

Me & Tawny - she wasn't wine tasting!

Ericka trying to explain when she switched from being a Patriots fan to being a Steelers fan (she's obviously possessed... see... her eyes are red! We know she's really still a Patriots fan!)

The candle is lit... this was taken during Earth Hour! With the flash you can't tell that the lights are out. (and... ummm... the Pitt Game was on too)

Me with my notebook!

Jon & Drew

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Keepin' it green!

Spryte's Place Blog

BobtheDude · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:14 pm Post subject:

DDpie: Oooo, that sounds good. Love buttery reds.

Danielle: Heh, never would have known it was plastic if you hadn't told me. I'm not too fond of wicked acidic wines either.

Spryte: If I had been there I could have helped you polish off a couple more of those bottles. I'm a helpful guy. Wink

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ImStuffed · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:23 pm Post subject:

Name: Beringer Third Century
Price: I think it was on sale for about $13
Year: 2006

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine: Now in our third century of crafting wines, we honor the passion of our winemaking pioneers with wines that embrace the future and speak eloquently of Beringer's rich heritage...blah blah blah blah....., yadda yadda yadda....this bold Pinot Noir delivers ripe fruit flavors, a touch of spice and a lingering velvety texture

Review: I did enjoy this more than the previous bottle. I found it more mild, maybe thats the velvety texture they speak of? The bouquet isn't as fruity. Must be the touch of spice that tones that down. The flavor...starts off refreshing...then you get that bold burst of ..i dunno (i'm not good at defining flavors.)...wine? LOL and then a spiciness lingers in the back of the tongue and throat

Would you buy again?: I probably would. Its a bit pricey for the norm...so it would be more for special occasions

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: I didn't end up eating with this one at all. To be honest, if I ate with every glass i had, id be on the label for jerseymaid
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joybowes · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:27 pm Post subject:

LMAO!!!! jerseymaid.... Laughing

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ImStuffed · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:29 pm Post subject:

Spryte!! Love the parties you have..and the food you serve! and how cool that you did this during earth hour!! You all look like you're having such a good time!
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ImStuffed · Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:36 pm Post subject:

ddpie · Elite BakeSpacer Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 8618

Sprtye- cool party! Sorry I couldn't fly out and be there, but ya know, ya get all caught up in life and stuff....and being poor HA!

Danielle- I'm thinking the plastic wine vessel is a good idea. I think I need those for the hot tub hehehehhehe If you'll notice, my "red" glasses are actually thick stemmed water goblets.....there's a reason Shocked

HA!

Gigi421 · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 4:46 am Post subject:

Spryte what a great set of pictures of your wine tasting party. I love wine, I love drinking it especially, but I have no clue how to taste wine. I bought Wine Tasting for Dummies, but I'm even too dumb for that.

Hey use what glass feels compfortable, my grandfather drank out of a small jelly jar for 90 years.
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