***I received this wine as a sample***

2008 Tapeña Tempranillo

It’s unusual for me to travel for work, so when I was offered the opportunity to go on an overnight trip with colleagues from other offices, I jumped at the chance.  Last Monday was a travel day, but Tuesday was an action packed workday.  There were 15 of us being driven around Madison, WI, on a white shuttle bus.  After each site visit, we piled back onto the shuttle, eager to discuss what we just witnessed.  Surprisingly, or maybe unsurprisingly, the discussions revealed that there were a number of different interpretations of what we saw, and in some cases, the visits lead to more questions than answers.  After 7 hours of touring, our group climbed onto the shuttle for the last time and headed to the airport to return to DC.  By the time I walked in the door of our condo, it was after 10:30pm.  I opened a bottle of Tempranillo and eagerly sat on the couch to tell Hubby about everything I learned during my 36-hour trip.

The 2008 Tapeña Tempranillo (winery, snooth) was 100% Tempranillo and a deep, purplish ruby color.  On the nose, there were plums, earth, and a hint of tobacco.  In the mouth, there were dark fruits and earth with a hint of tobacco and violets.  The wine had medium tannins, acidity, and body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At a suggested retail price of $10, this wine is an inexpensive and very solid, food-friendly choice.  It doesn’t have the strong savory characteristics that I generally love in a great Tempranillo, so if that is what you’re looking for, this wine isn’t for you.  However, if you’re new to the grape or looking for a Tempranillo with a good quality-price ratio, the 2008 Tapeña is worth considering.

Price: $10 (suggested retail)
Received as a sample
Overall: 3 Corks

Last week was a big week for me—full of late nights at the office, soup and heated leftovers for dinner, and alarm clocks that buzzed too early in the morning.  There was added stress to the week because the project I was working on was one of the biggest that my immediate supervisor will work on this year, and it was the first time that I was running a project like this one.  If things didn’t work properly, I would be responsible for making both my immediate supervisor and myself look bad.  So, I spent the last few weeks preparing, making sure that I worked out all of the nitty gritty details, could answer obscure questions about the project, and was prepared for the unexpected.  My coworkers assured me that the controlled chaos before a big project like this was normal, and they all were amazing in how they helped me when I needed it.  All in all, I think The Big Boss was happy with the results, and by Thursday night, the last day of this stage of the project, I was exhausted.  All I wanted to do was to come home, get in my day’s run, eat dinner, and relax with Hubby and a glass of wine that I was sure would hit the spot—a 2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner.

2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner

The 2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner (winery, snooth) was 100% Grüner Veltliner.  The wine was a medium gold color with some visible bubbles.  On the nose, there were peaches, Lifesaver candies, limes, oranges, and a hint of pineapple.  In the mouth, there were limes, mandarin oranges (not the syrup, just the oranges), and Lifesaver candies.  The wine had a light body, bright acidity, and a touch of spritziness that adds to the freshness.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one!  What are you waiting for? At $10, this wine was a steal.  It not only was perfect to pair with a light meal, but also deliciously enjoyable on its own.  I first tasted this wine when preparing for the “World Tour of Wine” tasting I put together for work, and I fell in love with it immediately.  Since then, I brought it a party, where my friend and her husband couldn’t get enough of the wine, saying several times how easy it was to drink because it was fresh, fruity, and didn’t taste like drinking an alcoholic drink.  I have also opened a few bottles at home for my own enjoyment, and the bottle I opened on Thursday night was a nice compliment to the lemon pepper chicken with steamed carrots and green beans that Hubby made for dinner.  If you see this wine, you should definitely grab it.  You won’t be disappointed.

Overall: 4.5 Corks

Clearly, the last three weeks have been very busy ones, as I haven’t had a chance to write-up the wines I’ve been tasting.  The week of May 17th was a particularly busy one, as I had two major projects due (one on Tuesday and one on Thursday), although until the Tuesday afternoon deadline actually arrived, it was unclear as to whether or not Project #1 was going to be delayed.  As you can imagine, the situation required several days of lengthy meetings and numerous emails, all while creating an increased level of stress and tension.  Once the deadline arrived and the project was finished, though, everyone was happy with the results.  Ultimately, there is still work that needs to be done, but, by the time Tuesday night arrived, I was excited to have completed Phase 1 of what has turned into a larger project.  With several bottles of wine waiting in my wine rack to be tasted in preparation for a wine tasting, it was difficult to choose which to open in celebration.  Ultimately, a Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling blend won.

2008 Carnuntina White

The 2008 Carnuntina White (winery) is made with 50% Grüner Veltliner and 50% Welschriesling grapes and had a very pale, greenish-yellow color.  On the nose, there were bright fruits—green apples, peaches, and apricots—followed by a hint of white flower blossoms, lemons, and lime.  In the mouth, there were green apples, peaches, lemons, limes, herb sprigs, and a touch of white pepper.  The wine had a lime-like acid, a light body, and a touch of oxidation bubbles.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely!  If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $10, this wine doesn’t have a lot of complexity, but it’s refreshing and easy-to-drink.  Hubby made seared scallops and steamed green beans for dinner, which were the perfect accompaniment for this light, summery wine.  What is particularly nice about the Carnuntina White is that it offers something a little different than the traditional, light summer white wines without breaking the piggy bank.

Overall: 4 Corks

Last Friday was a rough workday for me.  I’d missed a Thursday night “reunion” happy hour with former coworkers because I had to work late, and from what  my current coworkers told me on Friday morning, it was a bad happy hour to miss.  There were some good stories and fun times had by everyone who attended.  After catching up on all the gossip, I tackled my most recent project with a determination to make a significant dent in the rapidly growing pile on my desk.  When Hubby text messaged me halfway through the day to say that he was going out with some of his friends and that it would probably be a late night for him, I quickly paused to respond that he should have a good time and then went back to my task at hand.  By the time the day was over on Friday, I was exhausted, although I’d accomplished a lot.  I left the office a little later than usual, particularly for a Friday, but since I was on my own, that was ok.  With the severe thunderstorms that were happening in the DC area that night, I decided to keep things simple by going to the local 7-11 on my walk home from the Metro, where I meant to purchase dinner, but walked out with an inexpensive bottle of wine.

2008 Dancing Bull Zinfandel

The 2008 Dancing Bull Zinfandel (winery, snooth) was a medium-to-dark ruby color.  On the nose, there was blueberry jam, blackberry, and black cherry aromas, followed by a lot of cedar, smoke, earth, and vanilla.  In the mouth, there was IHOP syrup (although without the viscosity), blueberries, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla.  The wine had low tannins, and high acidity and alcohol.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $10, this wine surprised me.  As it was a wine that I purchased at the 7-11, I didn’t expect much complexity and figured it would be simply passable.  Was it the best Zin I’ve ever had…no.  But considering that I was “slumming it” when I purchased the bottle, it was a very drinkable, had a number of things happening both on the nose and on the palate, was very food-friendly.  The wine not only went well with my Thai takeout, but also was a nice pairing with my night of knitting and cheesy chick flick.

Overall: 3 Corks

*** I received this wine as a sample***

2008 Tapeña Rose

Passover ended last Monday night, just as the hot weather in DC began.  As the weather gets hotter, there are two things that happen—all dinners in the “A Glass After Work” household rely on the George Foreman grill and Hubby & I disagree about whether it is hot enough to turn on the air conditioning.  While the George Foreman is a poor replacement to actual grilling, living in 757 sq ft of condo provides few other options, particularly as the fire marshal just told the building that having grills on the roof deck is a fire code violation.  So, grilled chicken on the GF is the dinner of choice, and it was definitely the easy dinner option after work on Monday.  As for the AC, Monday was just the start of the heat wave, so neither Hubby nor I were quite ready to cave and turn on the air conditioning; however, it was the start of the weeklong discussion.  Instead, we agreed to open the windows, turn on our ceiling fan, and rely on cold beverages to help keep us cool.  My choice was a Spanish Rosé.

The 2008 Tapeña Rosé (winery, snooth) was made with 55% Monastrall, 40% Garnacha, and 5% Shiraz grapes.  On the nose, there were grapefruits, raspberries, strawberries, and a hint of white pepper and fresh herbs.  In the mouth, there were sour cherries, pink grapefruits, tart raspberries, strawberries, thyme, and a touch of something funky on the finish that I couldn’t quite place.  The wine had a lime-like acid and a light body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At a suggested retail price of $10, this wine isn’t very complex, but offers a food-friendly summer option.  The herb flavors in the wine mixed nicely with the spices I used for the chicken, providing a refreshing backdrop to the dinner.  After dinner, it was a good wine to settle into watching the latest episode of Castle and trying to stay cool.

Overall: 3 Corks

This time of year is a sightseeing bonanza in DC, as the National Cherry Blossom Festival usually kicks off tourist season.  From now through Labor Day, I will have to add 10-15 minutes on my commute so that I can let 2 or 3 Metro trains go before there is enough room for me to board the train and head into work.  Thankfully, on my commute home, I have a chance to board before all the tourists, but two stops after I board, the train fills up and the rest of the ride is spent like a sardine and a sardine can.  During this season, I regularly remind myself that the train is far better than the traffic I would endure if I were driving, but the constant influx of people definitely tests my patience.  Thursday was a particularly bad commute, as the Metro was crawling with tourists who didn’t seem to understand that it was necessary for people to get off the train before they could board.  It was aggravating, and by the time I walked in the door, I was thankfully for the chilled Sauvignon Blanc in my refrigerator.

2007 Yarden Sauvignon Blanc

The 2007 Yarden Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth) was a clear, medium lemon color.  On the nose, there were peaches, apricots, and kiwis, followed by a hint of grass.  In the mouth, there was grass, parsley, and saline with a touch of kiwi and peach.  The wine, surprisingly, was medium-bodied.

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 $9.99, it’s taking a risk to have high expectations of a wine, particularly a kosher wine, but having had the Galil Mountain wine early in the week, I expected the sister winery to make an equally good product.  Instead, this Sauvignon Blanc was flabby and lacked the crisp, fresh characteristics that make a Sauvignon Blanc so refreshing to drink.

Overall: 2 corks

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Anne mentioned that she had an extra ticket to Michael J. Gelb’s book launch, and she asked if I would like to attend with her.   The event included a wine tasting, some food, and a copy of Gelb’s book.  Combine all of that with Anne’s good company and there was no way I was going to miss the event.  So, Monday night after work, I headed to Zola Wine & Kitchen, where the DC launch for Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices was held.

Overall, the event was fun and well attended.  There were 5 wines to taste—2 French rosé sparkling wines, 2 Sicilian red wines, and 1 French dessert wine.  There were also some delicious hors d’œuvres, which were made while we were watching, and wonderful cheeses and chocolates.

Gelb’s approach to tasting wine is differs from the traditional taste-and-take-notes approach in that it focuses on the idea of using wine as a muse.  Therefore, after we all had a chance to get comfortable and taste a few sparkling wines, he read a little from his book and then asked all of us to write wine-inspired poetry instead of traditional tasting notes (I did a little of both).  He then collected what everyone wrote and read several winners aloud.  While mine wasn’t chosen as a winner, I think that was because there wasn’t enough grape juice flowing to get my creative juices going.  That said, here is my Haiku:

Juiciness takes over,
Luscious and warm in my mouth.
Wine is perfection.

Michael Gelb reading from "Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices"

As for the wines themselves, the night started with bubbly—a Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rosé and a François Billion Brut Rosé Champagne Spécial.

The Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rosé (vineyard, snooth) was made with 100% Pinot Noir grapes.  The sparkler was a light, salmon color with persistent bubbles.  On the nose and the mouth, there were red fruits and flowers, with a hint of toastiness.  The wine had nice acidity, was refreshing, and made for a pleasant start to the tasting.  At $20, this is definitely a sparkling wine worth looking into.
Overall: 3.5 corks

The François Billion Brut Rosé Champagne Spécial (vineyard, snooth) was a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes.  The wine was a medium pink, with a lot of small, persistent bubbles.  The sparkler had a beautiful nose, full of toast and a hint of strawberries and cherries.  In the mouth, there was toast, cream, cherries, and strawberries.  The wine had a crisp acidity, which was very refreshing.  At $55, this wine was by far the best of the night.
Overall: 4.5 corks

The two red wines were both made in Sicily from the Nero d’Avola grape—the Cossentino and the 2006 Feudo Maccari Saia.

The Cossentino Nero D’Avola (snooth) was a deep purple.  On the nose, there were big fruits, lots of wood, and some herbaceousness.  In the mouth, the wine had something “funky” mixed in with blackberries.  It was very acidic, and even at $12, it’s not a wine I would recommend.
Overall: 2 corks

The 2006 Feudo Maccari Saia Nero d’Avola (vineyard, snooth) was also a deep purple.  On the nose and in the mouth, there were blackberries, cooking spices, and lavender.  The wine had a full, luscious body, with smooth, soft tannins.  At $42, this wine offers something a little different from the better-known Italian wines.  If you’re looking for a new grape, this Sicilian red is worth considering, even at the higher price-point.
Overall: 3.5 corks

The last wine of the night was an intense dessert wine that paired beautifully with Zola Wine & Kitchen’s handmade chocolates.  My favorite was pairing the salted caramel squares with the 2007 Domaine du Mas Blanc Rimage Banyuls (vineyard, snooth).  The Rimage was a dark, inky purple.  On the nose and in the mouth, there were ripe dark cherries, raspberries, and cocoa dust.  The fuller body mixed nicely with the creaminess of the caramel in the chocolate.  At $30, this wine is a nice dessert wine that isn’t overly sweet.
Overall: 3.5 corks

I was surprised to be the only blogger at the event, but that worked out well, as it gave me a chance to talk with Gelb not only about his books, but also about wine blogging and twittering. I was also thankful that Anne was able to give me the ticket for $30 instead of the full-priced $60, as that was probably a little over priced for this event.  That said, I had a good time tasting wine, listing to other attendees’ wine-inspired writing, and meeting Michael Gelb.

I look forward to sharing my thoughts on Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices, once I’ve had a chance to read it.  In the meantime, Kudos to Heather Freeman PR, Hooks Books, and  Zola Wine & Kitchen for putting together a good event and to Michael Gelb for publishing his latest book.

Last Wednesday was my condo associations’ big holiday party—the Bubbly & BBQ Bash. For the last couple of weeks, I’ve written up several wines (here, here, and here) that I decided against having at the party for a variety of reasons. It should be no surprise that several readers have contacted me to ask if I planned on sharing what sparkling wines I finally decided to offer, and of course I plan to share! I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to share sparkling wines, particularly since they are my admitted weakness.

As the association’s social committee chairperson, it was my job to plan all aspects of the party, not just the wine. Last year, we had Red, Hot, & Blue BBQ, which was a huge success. Up until that time, it was our largest community party and there were hardly any leftovers. I decided that there was no reason to mess with a good thing, so Red, Hot, & Blue was on the menu again this year. The challenge came with finding the sparkling wine because, to be honest, bubbly isn’t exactly what comes to mine when you think about eating BBQ. However, it’s a surprisingly good pairing and all the residents were thrilled. We had more people at this year’s holiday party than ever before!

As I researched sparklers for the evening, I was looking for two types of wines—ones that would act as good palette cleansers and ones that would pair well with the food itself. I also wanted wines that were a variety of price ranges and were fairly easy to find. I wrote up festive tasting notes, with a picture of each bottle’s label in order to make it easier for anyone who wished to purchase the wines at any of our local wine stores. In the end, we offered 6 sparkling wines—2 Champagnes, 2 Cavas, 1 Prosecco, and 1 California sparkling wine. I rated all of the wines with 4 corks or above, and they are all bottles that I drink in my own house.

The 2 Champagnes were fairly traditional—Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut NV (5 corks) and Montaudon Extra-Dry (4.5 corks). The Veuve Clicquot was one of the favorites of the night, although the Montaudon was not far behind. The fresh, brightness of both helped awaken taste buds between the pulled pork and pulled chicken.

The 2 Cavas were Segura Viudas Brut Reserve (4 corks) and Mont-Ferrant Brut Rosé (4 corks). The Segura Viudas, which I’ve reviewed before, served as a palette cleanser and the Mont-Ferrant was a nice accompaniment with the BBQ. As a heavier sparkling wine, the Mont-Ferrant has enough body and complexity that it didn’t get lost in the strong flavors of the BBQ, but rather added a nice, almost fruity compliment. It was definitely the sparkling wine that caused the most discussion, as people either absolutely loved it or hated it. The people who loved it seemed to come back for more at the expense of drinking the other wines and the people who hated it dumped it out after a few sips.

The Prosecco—Canella Prosecco di Conegliano (4.5 corks)—is another wine that I’ve reviewed in the past. This sparkler has a beautiful fruitiness that, when combined with its crisp acidity, worked well as an apéritif.

Finally, the California sparkling wine—Korbel Brut Rosé—was a nice, light rosé that both complimented the BBQ or was enjoyable once finished eating.

It’s a slight departure from my usual presentation, but in the spirit of the holidays, here are images of the tasting notes we used.







***I received this wine as a sample***

Last Friday brought an end to the first week at my new job, and what a wonderful and crazy week it was. Admittedly, I arrived bright and early on Monday morning to an empty office, as there was some rearranging of space and furniture being completed. By mid-morning, though, everything was moved from the hallways into my private space, which is as different from the bullpen as could be. Soon after, things started to fall into place, as my computer was set up, I unpacked, I was thrown into several meetings, and I was given my first several projects, one of which had with a tight 1-week deadline. Tuesday was more of the same, as I tried to get my footing under me, meet my new coworkers, and figure out where the cafeteria was located. Thankfully, Wednesday was a federal holiday, so I had a chance to recuperate. By the time Thursday and Friday rolled around, I was making significant progress on the project, settling into my new space, and running full-steam ahead. By the end of the day on Friday, I was happy, but exhausted, so I made the predictable end-of-week stop at our local pizza place before heading home and opening one of the bottles of Chianti that I received earlier in the week from Ruffino Vineyards.

Now, I must admit that the Ruffino sample package is one of the best that I’ve received. Not only did it include 4 wines (3 Chiantis and 1 Pinot Grigio), but also it included, Pasta Sfoglia, an Italian cookbook by Ron and Colleen Suhanosky, and a box of pasta. The cookbook, which sells for $18 on Amazon, but is listed at $30 inside the book flap, doesn’t assume that you have any knowledge on how to cook Italian food, which is helpful; however, it does assume that you have some cooking talent, which may present some difficulties for me. I’m going to try, though, because as Hubby and I sat on the couch reading the recipes, we were practically drooling on the book. Pasta Sfoglia starts out with a description of pantry essentials and directions on how to make your own pasta—everything from the traditional egg pasta to the less traditional sweet potato gnocchi. From there, the book builds on the Italian cooking experience with recipes like the less complicated Fettuccini, Lemon Cream, and Toasted Almonds on page 34 and the more complicated Goat’s Milk Cheese, Pumpkin, Cannelloni, Béchamel, Pumpkin Seeds, Breadcrumbs on page 121, both of which can be made with the fresh egg pasta, obviously. The pictures themselves are inspiring, as all of the food looks absolutely scrumptious. I will have to try one of the dishes with one of the other bottles of Chianti, though, as there was definitely no way that I was cooking last Friday.

The 2008 Ruffino Chianti (vineyard, snooth) was a bright, but deep ruby. On the nose, there were cedar, ripe cherry, and black pepper aromas, followed by the slightest hint of violets. In the mouth, there were big, Bing cherry flavors, followed by black pepper, rose petals, and tobacco. The Chianti had a high acidity, low tannins, and a light-to-medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll definitely have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $9, which is the suggested retail price, this wine was perfect for a relaxing evening of talking with Hubby over mozzarella sticks and a pepperoni & sausage pizza. The high acidity in the wine actually helped cut down some of the grease from the sticks and pizza, while matching nicely with the acidity in the tomato sauce. After dinner, I continued to enjoy the rest of the bottle over a trashy vampire novel, which also made for a great pairing.

Overall: 3 Corks

Last Thursday was the second to last day in my office, and it was ridiculously busy. Between meetings, organizing files, putting together explanations of my current projects, and trying to say good-bye to everyone, I felt like I was running non-stop. I actually cancelled plans to get together with a friend after work because I was completely worn out. However, by the time I left work on Thursday, my office was packed and my to-do list for my last day at that job was significantly shorter and definitely manageable. When I finally walked in the front door of my condo, albeit a little late in the evening, I put together some good comfort food for dinner and opened up a bottle of the 2008 Goats do Roam Red Wine.

The 2008 Goats do Roam (winery) is a Rhône-style blend—16% Syrah, 14% Cinsault, 13% Mourvèdre, 8% Grenache, and 4% Carignan grapes. The wine was a very clear, bright ruby color. On the nose, there were roasted meat, smoke, clove, nutmeg, black pepper, and blackberry aromas, followed by the slightest hint of pomegranates. In the mouth, the dark spices really dominated, while the blackberry and blackcurrant flavors were more subtle. The wine had low tannins and high acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll definitely have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $9, It was a little thin on the body, considering the level of spiciness, but was a decent wine for the price point. I drank most of the wine on its own, but it did pair nicely with the meatloaf and mashed potatoes that Hubby and I had for dinner. In general, it isn’t a wine that you need to run out and find, but if you see it, you can give it a second look.

Overall: 3 Corks

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