Octavin Wine Night at Lima

$21-$30, 2 Corks, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »

Aug 032010

***I attended this event for free ***

Last Monday night, I attended a wine event at Lima Restaurant & Lounge in DC, where I not only tasted a number of Underdog Wine Merchants’ wines, all of which were in the Octavin Home Wine Bar box, but also met and talked with a number of fellow wine bloggers and tweeps.

2009 Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc

For most attendees, the evening started out with the 2008 Monthaven Winery Chardonnay, which I received as a sample earlier in the month. Therefore, I skipped tasting that wine and went straight for the 2009 Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc (website, snooth). The Silver Birch was 100% New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapes and had a pale lemon-yellow color. As I mentioned on Twitter, there was a great, citrusy nose—pink grapefruits and lemons. In the mouth, though, the wine could have offered a little more. It had a wetnap-like lemon taste and was missing the vegetal characteristics that make a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so unique. The wine had a light body and medium-to-high acidity. At a suggested retail price of $24 for 3 Liters, the Silver Birch Octavin Home Wine Bar is definitely a cost effective way to have wine at a party, BBQ, or picnic. However, to be honest, buying this wine should more about cost and quantity than quality. It’s not a bad wine, but it’s not a great wine, either. Overall: 3 Corks

As I was finishing up my tasting notes on the Silver Birch, I started talking with Virginia Writing Wino, Ellen. Ellen only recently started wine blogging, so we had a wonderful time talking about how she started, Virginia wines (since that is her blog’s focus), and the Octavin wines, while eating Lima’s tasty beef and potato empanadas and to-die-for chicken and butter shrimp skewers.

2009 Big House White

The next wine of the night was the 2009 Big House White (website, snooth). The Big House White is a blend of 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Grüner Veltliner, 5% Pinto Gris, and 4% Riesling grapes. The wine was a very light straw yellow color. On the nose, there were white flower and honeysuckle blossoms, followed by a hint of stone fruit. In the mouth, there were flowers, stones fruits, and a touch of salinity and something metallic. Considering the sweetness of the nose, the wine was surprisingly dry. It had a light-to-medium body and low acidity. At a suggested retail price of $22 for 3 Liters, this wine just didn’t cut it for me. I wanted to like this wine, particularly after talking with artisan winemaker Georgetta Dane, who was at the event. Unfortunately, though, the wine felt a little flabby and lacked a strong personality. Overall: 2 Corks

Almost as soon as I finished my tasting notes for the Big House White, a couple walked up to me and asked if I was Alleigh. To my delight, I was face-to-face with Mark, from WineLife365, and his wife. Mark and I started blogging within months of each other, so a natural friendship has developed as our blogs have grown. While we have exchanged numerous emails and blog comments, this was the first time we met in real life, and I’m so glad that we had the opportunity.

After meeting Mark and his wife, I chatted briefly with LoganDC. Logan was another person at the event that I hadn’t met before, even though we’ve tweeted with each other on numerous occasions and have several wine friends in common. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do a live Twitter tasting in the near future.

Bodegas Osborne’s Seven

After talking with Logan, I skipped tasting the Big House Red, since I reviewed it a couple of weeks ago, and, instead, went for a glass of Bodegas Osborne’s Seven (winery, snooth). Seven is made with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Tempranillo, 8% Grenache, and 8% Graciano grapes and had a medium-to-dark purple color. On the nose and in the mouth, there was smoked meat, smoked meat, and more smoked meat, followed by a hint of violets and berries. The wine had a medium body, medium tannins, and medium acidity. At a suggested retail price of $22 for 3 Liters, this wine was ok. I preferred the Big House Red, although several people I talked with throughout the night liked Seven better, so, clearly, the preference was up for grabs. Overall: 2.5 Corks

2008 Boho Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel

By this point in the night, I met back up with Mark and his wife, who were talking with DC Budget Wine Examiner, Rob, and we tasted the last of the wines—the 2008 Boho Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (winery, snooth). The wine was a nice, dark purplish ruby. On the nose, there were dark berries and plums with a hint of cooking spice. In the mouth, there was berry jam and spice. At a suggested retail price of $24 for 3 Liters, this was my favorite wine of the night. It wasn’t unpleasantly jammy or overbearing in alcohol, which can sometimes be a problem with Zins, and while the wine didn’t offer anything different, it was decent. Overall: 3 Corks.

After the event, Mark, his wife, and I were fortunate enough to eat dinner at Lima with Cork’d gurus, Lindsay and Jon, and Patricia Schneider Associates marketing wizards, Patricia and Shelia. The food mirrored the excellent appetizers that were served during the event and the service was impeccable. The group’s conversation flowed over the delicious ceviches, guava-glazed BBQ ribs, lobster baked with mango-lime butter, and mussels in an Albariño, lime, cilantro and chili sauce. Before any of us realized, it was midnight and time to head our separate ways.

2008 Big House Red being poured at Lima Restaurant & Lounge

Overall, the event was wonderful. I had a chance to see the Octavin Home Wine Bar in action, taste some new reds and whites, eat fabulous food, and meet wine bloggers and tweeps that I’ve been corresponding with for over a year. Thanks to Stephen from Patricia Schneider Associates for inviting me to attend as a guest. I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to meet, but I had a great time and really appreciated the opportunity.

A Storybook Day & A Storybook Wine

$31-$40, 2.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Nov 192009

My second week had a phenomenal start. On Tuesday morning, I was sitting in my office, listening to my favorite NY radio station on the Internet, drinking my coffee, reading the morning work news, and loving my job. Sure, things were crazy (the rapidly approaching holidays, a special condo board meeting that night, my project deadline looming at the end of the week, deliverables for my school group project due Thursday night, and the final term paper for my class due Monday), but I felt good. I only belong to one wine club—Storybook Mountain Vineyards—and I was able to pick-up the latest shipment before heading home. When I walked into the condo, still glowing from the fact that my commute is 10-15 minutes shorter every day, I couldn’t help but gush about everything to Hubby before collapsing on the couch with a glass of wine. Could life be any better?

The 2006 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Estate Reserve Zinfandel (vineyard) was a deep ruby with a garnet rim. The wine smelled like a warm, baking spice cabinet, mixed with big, juicy blackberries and blueberries. There was also a hint of mulch and earth. In the mouth, there were nice spices and berries, but they were mixed with prunes. The wine had high acidity and medium tannins.

Is this worth a glass after work? Eh…if you have a bottle on hand, drink it, but I wouldn’t go searching it out either. At $35, I was expecting lusciousness like I found in the 2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Mayacamas Range. Instead, the 2006 Estate Reserved tasted more like prune juice and less like jammy goodness. I hate to say this, but this wine was a bit of a disappointment. If you’re looking for a great Zin from Storybook Mountain, a I do mean a GREAT Zin, skip over this one and grab their 2007 Mayacamas Range; it will be everything you want from a California Zinfandel…and more.

Overall: 2.5 Corks

A Halloween Zin

$11-$20, 2.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Oct 292009

Originally, I was hoping for a quiet final two weeks at my current job. There are a couple of projects that I want to finish out, but otherwise, my plan was to spend the time getting things in order for my replacement. My predecessor put together an incredibly helpful document before she left. It outlined all of the projects that she was working on before she left and one what projects were likely to come up over my first year, along with commentary on how my boss felt about each project. It was invaluable, and I was hoping to create a similar one before I go. So far, though, I haven’t even had a chance to think about it. Tuesday, for example, was packed with back-to-back meetings, emergency emails, and phone calls that needed to be returned. I ended up staying late again, and by the time I finally left, I was exhausted. That said, I wasn’t too tired to enjoy the couple of little kids wearing Halloween costumes on the Metro. Their ghoulishness reminded me that I had two bottles of wine that I specifically bought for Halloween waiting for me when I got home. While I try to pretend that I’m not a sucker for a good wine label, over the weekend, I couldn’t resist buying wine that I thought fit with the spirit of holiday, and Tuesday was the perfect night to start getting into the mood.

The 2006 Cardinal Zin (wine group, snooth) was a medium ruby color with flecks of garnet, particularly on the rim. On the nose, there were aromas of black cherry, blackberry, and dried tea leaves. In the mouth, there were blackberry, sour cherry, smoke, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger flavors, with a hint of burnt match on the finish. The wine had low tannins and very high acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Eh…if you have a bottle on hand, drink it, but I wouldn’t go searching it out either. At $17, the Cardinal Zin offered a fun, spooky label and a somewhat soulless wine. It had the berry flavors that I expect in a Zinfandel, but without the jamminess that I love. I tried drinking the wine on it’s own, and it lacked the special something that makes me want to go back for a second glass. I paired the wine with some grilled chicken, as that often is a pairing that brings out the true character of a Zin, but the match just didn’t do it for me. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a wine that I would dump down the sink, but it’s not a wine that I would search out either. That said, several bloggers that I highly respect and normally agree with, such as Wine Harlots, had a different experience, so not everyone shares my lack of enthusiasm. That difference in wine preference is part of what makes the wine world go round.

Overall: 2.5 Corks

A Chianti and Comfort Food

$11-$20, 2.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Oct 082009

As my cold is lingering, I’m still not drinking wine, but being sick has left me thinking about my favorite comfort foods and the wines that go well with them.

While obviously not a “sick” food, Hubby and I are suckers for a good Italian pasta dish. There is just something about how the warm pasta covered with rich sauce, spiced meat, and creamy cheese blends together; it makes me feel like I’m eating pure hearty, goodness. And, what goes better with a dish like that than a good Chianti? Several weeks ago, a opened a bottle of 2005 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva to accompany Hubby’s favorite Italian dish–lasagna.

The 2005 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva (winery, snooth) was made with Sangiovese, Canaiolo Nero, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and was a medium-to-dark ruby. On the nose there were cherry, vanilla, smoke, and tobacco aromas. In the mouth, there were cherry, tobacco, vanilla, powdered chocolate, and spice flavors. The wine had a high acidity and medium tannins, with a surprisingly thin body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Eh…if you have a bottle on hand, drink it, but I wouldn’t go searching it out either. At $15, the Chianti had a good acidity that paired well with tomato sauce, but the body of the wine was too thin for it to be something spectacular. I definitely enjoyed the wine more when I paired it with the lasagna and with pizza, as the wine felt a little thin and harsh on its own. In general, though, while I wouldn’t pour this wine down the sink, I think there are other Chiantis out there that have more to offer a piece of homemade lasagna.

Overall: 2.5 Corks

The Long Awaited For Riojas

$11-$20, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, 3.5 Corks, 4 Corks, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Sep 222009

After lunch on the second day of the The Wine Academy of Spain Spanish wine course, we covered Levante, the Islands, and Extremadura & Madrid, although there were no wine tastings for these regions. It was almost 2 hours of videos and lecture, which was interesting, but, admittedly, after eating lunch and trying to avoid coffee so as not to taint the tasting experience, it was also a little hard to stay focused. That combined with knowing that Rioja was at the other end of the 2 hours made everyone in the room a little antsy.

So, once we finished learning about Levante, the Islands, and Extremadura & Madrid, we took a short break before diving into Rioja. Rijoa is really divided into 3 regions, with wine from each area tasting slightly different. Rioja Alta is an Atlantic climate, so the wines tend to be full bodied, high in alcohol and acidity, and often aged in casks. Rioja Alavesa has a mixed Atlantic and Mediterranean climate. Wines from this region tend to have lower alcohol and acidity, might go through carbonic maceration, and usually are ready for drinking earlier than the Rioja Alta wines. Finally, Rioja Baja has a Mediterranean climate. This area is known for both reds and rosés, both of which often have higher alcohol content.

Tasting #7 on Day 2
Rioja

2.5 Corks

2008 El Círculo Pagos del Rey Cosecha (winery)
Purple with flecks of Ruby
Cherry, violet, strawberry candy, and a touch of spices
Medium tannins and high acid

3 Corks

2006 Vaza Cosecha (winery, snooth)
$12
Medium Ruby
Cherry, vanilla, cedar, and leather
Medium body

3.5 Corks

2006 El Círculo Crianza (winery, snooth)
$12
Medium ruby
Fruity, vanilla, smoke, and meat on the nose
Berries, cedar, and smoke in the mouth
Medium tannins and acidity

4 Corks

2006 Vina Zaco Bodegas Bilbainas (winery, snooth)
$12
Deep ruby with purple flecks
Black plum, blackberry, cedar, and a touch of nutmeg on the nose
Medium-to-high tannins, acidity, and body
Very strong cedar and smoke flavors, mixed with black plums, blackberry, black pepper, and nutmeg

4.5 Corks

2006 Beronia Crianza Cosecha (winery, snooth)
85% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha
$12
Medium ruby
Red berries, black pepper, and vanilla on the nose
Fruity with a nice blend of spices in the mouth
Medium tannins and high acidity

2004 Remírez de Ganuza (winery, snooth)
$80
90% Tempranillo, 5% Viura
Deep ruby with purple tinge
Nice aromas—Cherries, blackberries, ripe plums, hints of violets, earth, and leather
Smoke, Cherry, violet, earth, and black pepper in the mouth
High tannins, high acidity, and full body

The Not So Impossible Dream—Wine from La Mancha

$10 and lower, $11-$20, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, 3.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Sep 222009

Once we finished the Catalonia wine tasting marathon, The Wine Academy of Spain’s instructor turned to Castilla-La Mancha before giving us an hour and a half lunch break.

Castilla-La Mancha is located towards the middle of the Iberian peninsula and is home to the Great Plain of La Mancha. Even more famous than its wines are the windmills, which were brought to the world’s attention in Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. However, La Mancha is incredibly important to the winemaking world. It’s Spain’s largest wine region, and up until July 2009, it was the largest wine appellation in the world (The Upper Mississippi Valley AVA just claimed that title from La Mancha).

On the whole, the Castilla-La Mancha wines that we tasted in class were very inexpensive, with 3 out of the 5 wines averaging a retail price of under $10 and with the most expensive of the 5 wines averaging a retail price of $15. That said, the La Mancha wines were also the weakest of the group, so it was a slightly disappointing finish to the morning session.

Tasting #6 on Day 2
Castilla-La Mancha

2.5 Corks

2006 Altozano (winery, snooth)
$9
65% Tempranillo, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon
Ruby
Ripe, jammy fruits on the nose
Cherries with a touch of spice and smoke in the mouth
Medium tannins and high acidity

2007 Tapeña Garnacha (winery, snooth)
$8
Purple with blue flecks
Red currant, white pepper, and violets on the nose
Red fruits and violets in the mouth
Low acidity, which may have contributed to the wine tasting flat

3 Corks

2008 Viña Albali Tempranillo from Valdepeñas
$8
Medium purple
Herbaceous, fruity, and fatty
Medium tannins and acidity
May benefit from being chilled slightly

3.5 Corks

2002 Viña Albali Gran Reserva (snooth) from Valdepeñas
$12
Ruby with a touch of garnet on the rim
Licorice, leather, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla on the nose
Berries, vanilla, cedar, and smoke in the mouth
Medium tannins and acidity

2007 Volver (snooth)
$15
100% Tempranillo
Dark, inky purple
Red fruits, smoke, cedar, and ground coffee
A little high in alcohol
Medium-to-high tannins and acidity with a full body

…and after the tasting we took a 1 ½ hour lunch.

Wines from Around Catalonia

$10 and lower, $11-$20, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, 3.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Sep 182009

After learning about and tasting Cavas during the second day of The Wine Academy of Spain’s Spanish wine course, Jesus Bernard powered through the various areas within Catalonia. Considering that Catalonia includes well-known Spanish regions like Penedès, Priorat, and Monstant, there was not only a significant amount of viticulture and vinification information, but also a lot of history that significantly impacted this wine growing region. It was very interesting, but admittedly slightly overwhelming.

Because these regions within Catalonia have their own microclimate, soil and vinification techniques, after discussing each regions unique qualities, we did three back-to-back tastings of wines from Catalonia. The first was a more general region overview.

Tasting #3 on Day 2
Catalonia

2.5 Corks

2006 Raimat Viña 32 Cabernet Sauvignon (winery, snooth)
Medium-to-dark ruby
Cocoa powder, blackberries, nutmeg, black pepper, and a touch of green pepper on the nose
Blackberries, black pepper, and blackcurrant leaf in the mouth
Medium acidity and medium-to-high tannins

3 Corks

René Barbier Mediterranean White (winery, snooth)
$6
40% Xarel-lo, 30% Macabeo, 30% Parellada
Pale lemon with a green tinge
Green apples and herbaceous on the nose
Lime, green apples, and a touch of thyme and basil in the mouth
Simple

3.5 Corks

2005 Crev de Lauit Segura Viudas
Xarel-lo
Pale gold with big legs
Peach, pear, and green apple on the nose
Wet stone, pear, and green apple in the mouth
Silky with medium acidity and a medium body

2006 Raimat Viña 43 Tempranillo (winery, snooth)
$17
Medium ruby with flecks of purple
Very berry, licorice, and a touch of nutmeg, violet and smoke
Good tannins and medium acidity
Nice finish

Rías Baixas After Lunch

$11-$20, 2.5 Corks, 4 Corks, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Sep 142009

After lunch on Day 1 of The Wine Academy of Spain’s course at Jaleo in the Crystal City, our instructor, Jesus Bernard dove head first into the Rías Baixas region of Spain. The area is known for its seafood-friendly white wines, particularly those made from the Albariño grape. The wines are often very fragrant and fruity, particularly on the nose, with a touch of salinity in the mouth. Jesus mentioned that the 2008 was a particularly good year for Rías Baixas but if you can’t find a 2008, you should still do well with a bottle from 2007.

Tasting #2 on Day 1
Rías Baixas

2.5 Corks

2007 Vionta Albariño (winery, snooth)
$17
100% Albariño
Light-to-medium gold with a touch of bubbles
Caramel, baked pineapple, mango, and white blossoms on the nose
More mineral, less fruit with strong salty flavors in the mouth
Soft, medium body
Missing the refreshing aspects of a great Albariño

4 Corks

2008 Burgans Albariño from Bodegas Martin Codax (winery, snooth)
$15
100% Albariño
Medium lemon color with a watery rim
Peach, nectarine, mandarin orange, pineapple, mango, eucalyptus, basil, and white blossoms on the nose
Lime, lemon, white blossoms, and minerals with a hint of salt in the mouth
Lime-like acidity, light body

2007 Santiago Ruiz (winery, snooth)
$19
70% Albariño, 20% Loueiro, 10% Treixadura
Pale gold
Pineapple, nectarine, white flowers, something herbaceous, and a touch of almond on the nose
Very briny and minerally in the mouth, like licking a wet stone
Also flavors of flowers, nectarines, apricots, and lime
Nice body and complexity, plus a long finish

4.5 Corks

2007 Fillaboa (snooth)
$19
Medium gold color with a lot of little bubbles
Apricots, nectarines, peaches, granny smith apples, and a touch of honey on the nose
Stone fruits with a lot of salinity and minerality in the mouth
Lime-like acid, with a long finish that has a touch of pleasant bitterness on the end

Steamer Pots and Lighthouses

$11-$20, 2.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 4 Responses »

Sep 032009

While we didn’t know it at the time, Day 5 in OBX was actually our last day on the beach. With a couple of hurricanes approaching the Eastern coast of the US, the waves were high and the current was strong. It was beautiful to watch, but by Day 6 it would be too dangerous to go in the water. Unfortunately, even on Day 5, my sun allergy was acting up a little, so I spent most of my time watching everyone in the water instead of going in myself. Hubby was having a blast body surfing the 8 ft waves, which are big ones for the East Coast, and a number of people tried surfing and water kayaking. Needless to say, the people-watcher inside of me was entertained for much of the day.

After a great day on the beach, instead of going out for dinner, I convinced Hubby that it would be fun to get a steamer pot from Coastal Provisions Market. What could be better than steamed shrimp, oysters, clams, and crabs with corn on the cob, sausage, and potatoes? Let’s just say that while the idea was great, the reality was a disaster. Even though the directions said to steam the corn, sausage, and potatoes with the shellfish, we should have gone with our gut instinct and cooked them separately, and we should have steamed everything longer than we did. Basically, we had undercooked shrimp and crab to go with potatoes that were mushy from cooking in the questionable seafood liquid and corn that tasted like shellfish instead of corn. I can’t blame anyone but myself for the disgusting mess that was dinner, which also means that Hubby won’t let me forget about it any time soon.

To accompany what I thought was going to be a delicious collection of seafood, I opened the 2007 Moselland Lighthouse Series Riesling (winery, snooth). The wine was a medium lemon color with some small bubbles in the glass. On the nose, there were lemon zest, apricot, and peach aromas, with a hint of lime. In the mouth, there were lime, lemon, apricot, and peach flavors, with a hint of granny smith apples. There was also bit of fizz on the tongue. The wine had a medium body and good acid, but I expected more crispness to balance out some of the sweetness.

Is this worth a glass after work? Eh…if you have a bottle on hand, drink it, but I wouldn’t go searching it out either. At $13, this wine could be an ok addition to a summer outing where you didn’t want to spend too much money, but, in general, it’s a little too flabby to really offer the freshness of a great Riesling. Had the steamer pot worked out the way I envisioned, the wine may have made for a decent, beachy pairing. As it was, I drank the Riesling on its own, which was a fine way to spend the evening.

Overall: 2.5 Corks

Day 2 of WBC09: First Mystery Vineyard Was Sterling Vineyards

$11-$20, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »

Aug 132009

For the Wine Bloggers’ Conference day around Napa Valley, conference participants split into small groups and visited a number of different Napa wineries. My bus’ first stop was the historic Sterling Vineyards. Having studied the vineyard for my WSET course, I was particularly excited when I heard that this was one of our winery tours.

As our bus turned into the vineyard, we picked up winemaker Alison Crary. She talked to us about the vineyard as we drove from the entrance, which is at the bottom of the valley, to the winery, which is perched up high on a hill. Once at the top, when we walked from the bus to the private tasting room, there was sneak peak at the gorgeous view of the valley from the vineyard’s overlook.

In the private room, Sterling Vineyards had a great set up of three wines for us to taste. The 22 of us also received boxed Dean & Deluca lunches and listened to Alison talk about the wines as we hurriedly ate and tasted. Unfortunately, we were running a little behind schedule, so there wasn’t any time to dawdle.

The three wines we tasted—a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chardonnay, and a Cabernet Sauvignon—were from Sterling’s new organic wine collection. However, the grapes were actually grown in Mendocino County, not from the Napa Valley, which was something that bothered me. Don’t misunderstand; it was exciting to taste their new collection, particularly as the Cabernet Sauvignon is not being released until September. However, as the Napa Valley Vintners were a premier sponsor of the WBC and as conference attendees were spending the day visiting Napa Valley wineries, it seemed slightly disingenuous to have our group taste Mendocino wines while we were visiting the Napa vineyards.

As for the wines themselves, they are all made from organic grapes and are all under $20. The wines have screw top closures and are meant for immediate drinking, rather than for cellaring.

The Sauvignon Blanc was not only my favorite of the three wines, but also the least expensive. The wine had nice, bright grapefruit and pineapple flavors with a hint of fresh cut grass. It was a beautiful, refreshing wine with a light body and good acidity. It seemed perfect for a hot summer day. At $14, it is definitely worth grabbing a bottle if you see it. Overall: 4 Corks

The Chardonnay had a little more body and a slightly deeper color than the Sauvignon Blanc did. The wine definitely spent some time in oak, although not too much time. It tasted of apples, pears, peaches, and vanilla with a hint of nutmeg and lime on the finish. At $15, this was a nice, medium-bodied chardonnay. You won’t find anything unusual in the taste, but it was a solid, good wine. Overall: 3 Corks

The Cabernet Sauvignon was the newest wine in the organic grape collection, and it was by far my least favorite. It had plum, olive, and blackberry flavors, with a hint of sour cherry on the finish. The wine had strong tannins and medium acidity. At $18, it seemed a little young and just ok. Overall: 2.5 Corks

Once the tasting was over, Alison walked us to the vineyard’s overlook terrace. In order to get to the overlook, we walked past steel fermentation tanks and oak barrels all filled with wine.

We spent some time at the vineyard’s overlook discussing the winery, specifically, and details about Napa terroir, in general. It was a perfect weather and the overlook was beautiful, so it’s no surprise that we spent as much time talking outside as we did.

Finally, we finished our tour of Sterling Vineyards with a ride in gondolas to the bottom of the mountain. From there, we immediately boarded the bus without a chance to purchase any of the wines we just tasted.

Surprisingly, this was the first of many vineyards that never offered us a chance actually to buy anything we tasted. If we had been offered, I definitely would have purchased several bottles of the Sauvignon Blanc, as they would be perfect to bring to a bbq, both because it tasted great and it would have made a great conversation starter to say that I bought them while at WBC09. Oh, well.

Older Entries

Octavin Wine Night at Lima

A Storybook Day & A Storybook Wine

A Halloween Zin

A Chianti and Comfort Food

The Long Awaited For Riojas

The Not So Impossible Dream—Wine from La Mancha

Once we finished the Catalonia wine tasting marathon, The Wine Academy of Spain’s instructor turned to Castilla-La Mancha before giving us an hour and a half lunch break.

Wines from Around Catalonia

Rías Baixas After Lunch

Steamer Pots and Lighthouses

Day 2 of WBC09: First Mystery Vineyard Was Sterling Vineyards

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Once we finished the Catalonia wine tasting marathon, The Wine Academy of Spain’s instructor turned to Castilla-La Mancha before giving us an hour and a half lunch break.

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