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BobtheDude · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 5:10 am Post subject:

Heh. I actually have a vacuum dealie that works great, it's a lot like this one. It can keep wine "fresh" for weeks, or so I'm told. Wink

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foodiegirl · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:46 am Post subject:

i use those vacuum savers...the kits usually come with a couple of corks you use the the vacuum thingy (i know such technical terms lol), works great for me. you can also get vacuum sealers for bubbly wines too - they sell both kinds at the liquor stores in Pa, but you probably can get them at Bed, Bath, & Beyond type places too. Hope that helps Very Happy

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ImStuffed · Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 8:29 am Post subject:

ROFLMAO!!! @ Heather!! (lush!!) but ya....what DD said. It's usually gone within a day or 2 anyways Laughing

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sjbreeze · Chef Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 169

Hi Everyone~~I bought a bottle of zinfandel to participate in this tasting, but I'm having trouble uploading the photo of the label. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Thanks! Very Happy

Just Kidding! I figured it out. Ok, so I chose Orleans Hill Organic Zinfandel because the label was pretty. Laughing

I couldn't find a quote from the winemaker about the wine, but I did find the same description in a few different places.
Name: Orleans Hill
Price: 9.99
Year: 2008
Short description: "One will find a wine that intersperses white pepper on the tongue with a medium weighted body--a very adaptable wine that can be can be enjoyed with all types of food or on its own. This is not a high alcohol, prune and jam job most often associated with this region."

Review: Um, I thought it was pretty jammy and alcoholic, unlike the description above. 13.5% alcohol!! It did have a spicy nose, but not as strong as some other zinfandels I've tasted. I definitely picked up some black cherry flavors, but beyond that I couldn't say more. Also, it was a bit more rough than I was expecting--so I wouldn't pair this with a super-nice dinner.

Would you buy again? I think there are zinfandels out there for just a few dollars more that are better (read: smoother), so I probably wouldn't. But gosh, that label is neat!

Food Pairings: I'm thinking a cheeseburger, a hearty lamb stew or something similar.
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ImStuffed · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 7:17 am Post subject:

Nice job!! I have an empty bottle sitting here next to my computer....haven't written it up yet though.
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ddpie · Elite BakeSpacer Joined: 18 Jul 2007 Posts: 8618

Nice Sarah, I like the label too. Especially, "no sulfates....detected" that kind of stuff cracks me up.

Ok, I did this one last week (luckily I took my notes then). Jamie was here so we tasted it together (she's 21 now, can u believe it?), although, she doesn't really count because she hasn't had hardly any wine at all, so she doesn't have anything to compare it to. We were too busy chatting and catching up for me to ask her questions and tell her what to look for, although I was excited because she said she did want to learn more.

I just wanted to share some personal thoughts about this wine producer:

Oliver Winery is one of the most well known wineries in Indiana. They have a gorgeous winery, vineyard and tasting site and offer tours on the weekends. Jim and I go there just about every year for our anniversary (which is coming up) We usually do some tasting, shopping, and then buy a bottle and have a picnic on their grounds. (weather permitting hehe) I'm sure we'll go this year and if we do, I want to do the tour... I will take the camera and try to get some good shots. Here is a pic of the front of the tasting facility, which really, doesn't do justice:

Name: Bean Blossom Blush, White Zinfandel, Oliver Winery
Price: 6.00
Year: 2008
PHOTO of bottle:

Short intro from the wine maker about the wine:

Review:
The nose seemed fresh, clean and fruity. At first sip, berries followed with slight notes of cherry and a clean finish. Very refreshing, not overly sweet but by no means dry. I’d call this one semi-sweet. I shared this with my daughter, Jamie and both of us liked it. A lot. In fact, it didn’t take long to polish off the bottle Wink

Would you buy again?: yes, most definitely

Wine Pairing Ideas/Recipes: Although I didn’t eat anything at the time (we polished off the bottle before dinner), I think this would go very well with poultry, seafood, or a light salad. I’m guessing it would be great with a fruit and cheese tray too.

sjbreeze · Chef Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 169

@ ddpie, I thought that was funny too. I'm not affected by sulfites, though I have a friend who gets headaches from red wine and seeks out organic brands because they supposedly have a lower sulfite content. Can't be sure, though.

Your write-up makes me think of Ste. Chapelle Winery in Idaho; they mostly produce sweeter, fruity wines at a great price. They are excellent picnic wines because of the generally low alcohol content, or like you said for cheese/fruit/crackers. Beautiful shot of the winery, too!
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jmgallo · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:02 am Post subject:

BobtheDude · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:12 am Post subject:

jmgallo: I can see buying it for a crowd, it's pretty inoffensive. You should post a review of it! It's fun to see what different people thought of the same wine. I drank a white zin over the weekend, but I probably won't be able to write it up till tomorrow.
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CulinaryAlchemist · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2009 8:24 am Post subject:

This is Positively Zinful! How on earth did I miss this thread???? I LOVE Zin. Although I was at Quennett Winery this last weekend and was a little disappointed in theirs, but still... OK, my Zin Hat is on for the rest of the month. Laughing

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