$21-$30 » A Glass After Work

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.

Another Birthday, Another Carmenère

$21-$30, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 4 Responses »

Jun 282010

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

My birthday was the Thursday before the Memorial Day holiday, which is the perfect time for a birthday, as everyone is in a festive mood and ready to celebrate with BBQs, drinks, and good times. However, before the holiday weekend could begin, it was a crazy week at work, as many people were preparing to go away to kick off the start of summer in style. Between having a busy few days and Hubby being unemployed, we decided to stay in to celebrate my turning another year older. Hubby made chili-spiced cheeseburgers and a raspberry red velvet birthday cake, and I opened a bottle of Carménère that had my name written all over it.

2007 Montes Alpha Carménère

The 2007 Montes Alpha Carmenère (winery, snooth) was made with 90% Carmenère and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and had a deep ruby color with a garnet rim. On the nose, there was smoke, tobacco, and a hint of berries, vanilla, and dark chocolate. In the mouth, there were blackberries, dark plums, and a hint of tobacco, vanilla, nutmeg, and dark chocolate. The wine had medium tannins and body with high acidity.

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 $25, this wine was enjoyable, but didn’t have the extra something special I was looking for in a my birthday wine. It was food friendly, but definitely was better on its own. All in all, if you’re looking for a wine, there is no reason to shy away from this one; however, there are some less expensive options out there that are just as tasty and enjoyable.

Overall: 3 Corks

Work “World Tour of Wine” Tasting

$11-$20, $21-$30, $31-$40, 4 Corks, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »

Jun 162010

For those of you who are Facebook fans, you already know that, at the end of May, I was working on a wine tasting for work. After having put together a Spanish wine tasting for coworkers during our April slow period, one of my colleagues talked to The Big Boss about my wine experience and about our staff bonding event. He was thrilled, and, as a wine lover himself, thought it would be fun to have a wine tasting for the staff in both of his DC offices. The tasting was held the Tuesday before Memorial Day.

Half of the people attending the wine tasting were at my Spanish wine event, so I decided that instead of doing a second Spanish-focused tasting, this one would be a “World Tour of Wine.” As the fun part of a tasting is being able to try new wines and broaden wine horizons, I wanted to focus on wines that moved away from the typical Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, and Chardonnays by presenting varietals that are easy to find in wine stores, but that many inexperienced wine drinkers might shy away from buying. Additionally, since I was expecting 30+ people at the event, I wanted to make sure that I covered a range of wine styles.

With all of that in mind, I decided to begin the tasting with a traditional French Champagne—Montaudon Extra-Dry (snooth). The palate cleansing & revitalizing sparkler was followed by two white wines—a 2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner (winery, snooth) from Austria and a 2009 Spy Valley (winery, snooth) from New Zealand. Following the lighter white wines were a South African Pinotage—2008 Painted Wolf (winery, snooth)—and a California Zinfandel blend—2008 Orin Swift’s “The Prisoner” (winery, snooth). The tasting finished with a Spanish Sherry—Nectar by González Byass (winery, snooth).

Everyone enjoyed the Champagne, which was no surprise to me or to them. However, the other wine that received the most questions and the most refill requests was Orin Swift Cellers’ The Prisoner, followed closely by Paul D’s Grüner Veltliner. The wine that received the most mixed reviews was González Byass’ Nectar, although everyone was happy to have tried it as almost everyone mentioned that it was not a wine they would have tasted on their own.

The Big Boss was very happy with event, particularly as he found a new wine that to enjoy. My coworkers tasted some wines that they loved, as well as some wines that they didn’t like, but there was a lot of conversation about those wines, as the likes and dislikes varied greatly. All in all, it seemed like everyone had a good time and that the tasting was a huge success.

***As a note, while the wines above are the ones I planned to offer and prepared tasting notes for, the wine store was actually sold out of the Spy Valley on the day of the tasting. Therefore, I used a 2009 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth) as a fallback. I will do a separate review for the Oyster Bay, but wanted to keep the Spy Valley as part of this tasting, as I thought it was a slightly better wine.

Breaking Out The Burgundy

$21-$30, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »

May 182010

While it’s hard to believe, I passed the 6-month mark at my “new” job. It’s been an eventful 6 months— record breaking snow shutting down the office for a week, 6 major projects (and 2 more waiting in the wings), the creation of “Allison’s Law” about all the things that will wrong during a one of my major projects, a Spanish wine tasting with my new coworkers, numerous fun happy hours, and just a general feeling of constantly being busy. I feel like I’ve been in my position just long enough to be comfortable, but not quite long enough to avoid the occasional newbie hiccups. In celebration of my transformation from being a true newbie to a more seasoned member of the staff, last Wednesday I brought out the Burgundy glasses that my former coworkers gave me at my going away party and popped the cork on a Burgundy that I bought 6 months ago to break in the new glasses.

2006 Domaine Besson Les Grands Pretans Givry 1er Cru

The 2006 Domaine Besson Les Grands Pretans Givry 1er Cru (snooth) was a dark ruby with a garnet rim. On the nose, there were cherries, cranberries, and raspberries with the slightest hint of cooking spice. In the mouth, there were tart raspberries, sour cherries, and a hint of nutmeg and roasted meat. The wine had low tannins and high acidity with a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $28, this wine had very reserved aromas that, once decanted, came through as a brilliant mix of red fruits. The wine was quite enjoyable on its own, particularly as I drank it while watching Hubby make dinner, but it also paired nicely with the chicken that he made. All in all, if you’re looking for a solid Burgundy, this is one that you definitely don’t have to be afraid of opening.

Overall: 4 Corks

Packing with Patriota

$21-$30, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 6 Responses »

May 062010

2007 Tikal Patriota

Somewhere along the way, instead of looking forward to Thursday night because it was the start of the weekend party, I started looking forward to Friday night because it was the recuperation night after a long work week. This past Friday was no exception. Hubby went out to Happy Hour with his former coworkers, an adventure that always turns into a late night out, while I stayed home to watch some girly movies and pack for my girls’ weekend in Cincinnati. My friend Christine ran the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon (congrats Christine!), and as it was her first marathon, 5 of us from different parts of the country met up with her husband to cheer her on. Since the weather was not going to cooperate and as I was heading straight from the airport to work on Monday morning, my night of packing also required doing a little laundry and, of course, opening a bottle of wine, because what is laundry and packing without good wine?

The 2007 Tikal Patriota (winery, snooth) was made with 60% Bonarda and 40% Malbec grapes and was a deep purplish ruby. On the nose, the wine was very complex, with blackberry jam, blueberry, nutmeg, dark chocolate, and cinnamon aromas followed by the slightest touch of fresh mint leaves. In the mouth, it was fully of berries and sweet spices. The wine had big tannins, strong acidity, and a nice body.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for? At $23, this Argentinian wine is surprisingly complex, yet easy to drink. The wine should definitely be decanted or go through an aerator, as it was a little tight; however, when it finally opened up, the Patriota was absolutely delicious. This wine is perfect for an evening where you want to just relax, talk, and drink wine, but also pairs beautiful with food, particularly foods with a higher acidity.

Overall: 4.5 Corks

A Zinfandel That Rocked My World

$21-$30, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »

Apr 282010

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

2007 Earthquake Zinfandel

I finished my 2nd big project in two weeks this past Wednesday, and while I’m always anxious right before a deadline, everything turned out really well. There were definitely a few hiccups along the way, but in the end, both my supervisor and “the big boss” were happy. After spending the rest of the afternoon catching up on the emails and paperwork that piled up, for the first time in a couple of weeks, I was able to leave work on time. I admit that I jumped at the chance, and waiting for me when I walked in the door was a nice dinner and a good bottle of Zinfandel.

The 2007 Earthquake Zinfandel (winery, snooth) was a medium-to-dark purplish ruby. On the nose, there were blueberries, blackberries, nutmeg, cloves, and alcohol followed by a touch of cinnamon, vanilla, and earth. In the mouth, there were blueberries, boysenberries, blackberries, and baking spices, mixed with vanilla, earth, and alcohol. The wine had medium tannins and a medium-to-full, velvety body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $28, drinking this wine is like having a delicious piece of suede slide caress your throat. I’ve reviewed a couple of other wines from Michael David Winery, one that I purchased and one that was sent as a sample, and while I enjoyed them both, it’s definitely worth spending the extra money to buy the Earthquake. The wine is smooth and delicious on its own, but when paired with cheese ravioli in tomato sauce and garlic bread, it practically sings.

Overall: 4 Corks

Books, Haikus, and Wine

$10 and lower, $11-$20, $21-$30, $41-$50, $51 and higher, 2 Corks, 3.5 Corks, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Mar 222010

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.

Falling For The Alluring Ondine

$21-$30, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »

Mar 162010

2004 Oriel Ondine Sauternes

Friday was a fairly quiet day at work. I had a few meetings, but, for the most part, I was able to spend the day reading emails, returning phone calls, and just generally catching up on the work that I put aside over the last two crazy weeks. For as unusually quiet as my workday was, my night at home was even quieter, as Hubby went on an overnight trip to Atlantic City with some of his guy friends. Therefore, on my way home, I stopped by Harris Teeter to grab dinner for myself and the local wine store to buy a bottle that I thought would be perfect for a quiet night with a good book and a girlie movie.

The 2004 Oriel Ondine Sauternes (company, snooth) was 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc grapes and had a beautiful, dark gold color. On the nose, there were lemon, smoke, caramel, and honey aromas, followed by a touch of pink grapefruit, apricots, and hand-wipes. In the mouth, there were canned mandarin oranges, apricots, lemons, and a touch of burnt caramel. The wine had a voluptuously full body with nice acidity to keep it tasting fresh.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for? At $30 for 375 ml, the Oriel Ondine was a luscious dessert wine that lives up to the stories of the mythological water nymph that it’s named after. While I drank most of the wine on its own, it paired nicely with the fried chicken breast I had for dinner, as the sweetness balanced out the grease and salt in the chicken. As someone who generally drinks regular wines instead of dessert wines, the Oriel Ondine was a nice break in routine and definitely a wine that I would buy again.

Overall: 4.5 Corks

Mission Accomplished: Wine Guerrilla Stikes Again

$21-$30, 3.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 1 Response »

Mar 122010

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

As part of my new job, I often have the opportunity to join several of my colleagues from other offices on conference panels to talk about the work we’re currently doing and to provide some insight into what future projects may look like. Monday morning, I started off the week on one of these panels, talking to a group of about 1500 people. Admittedly, I was not thrilled about starting off the week with a presentation, but I love talking on the topic. Each panelist gave a short, 3-minute overview before the moderator started a question and answer session. During the 45 minutes of discussion, there were 3 applause interruptions, 2 of which were in response to something I said. While that was flattering and I left the conference with a good feeling, I didn’t think more of it. My boss was speaking to the same group on Tuesday morning, so my focus was in preparing him for his speech. I was taken aback when I learned that not only did people come up to him after his speech, but also were emailing and calling his office to tell him that they thought I gave a great presentation. Receiving that type of praise, particularly at a new job, is invaluable, so, to celebrate a great start to the week, I went home and opened a fun bottle of wine to help end the day on as good of a note as the week started.

2007 Wine Guerrilla Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

The 2007 Wine Guerrilla Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel (website, snooth) was made with 85% Zinfandel, 6% Malbec, 4% Petite Sirah, 4% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Alacante Bouchet grapes. The wine had a deep ruby color, with a purple hue. On the nose, there were baked blueberries and blackberries mixed with a spice cabinet full of cinnamon, cloves, and a hint of ginger. In the mouth there were berries and spices, plus a little bit of cocoa dust and something herbaceous. The wine had good tannins, medium acidity, and a medium body.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $22, the wine offers what you expect from a California Zin. It was initially a little hot in the mouth, which was a little distracting, but, in general, it’s a food-friendly wine that pairs perfectly with BBQ short ribs, while also being enjoyable on its own.

This is the second bottle of wine that I’ve had from Wine Guerrilla (click here for my review of the 2007 Goat Trek Vineyard ‘Block 6′ Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel), and I continue to be happy with the wines. Wine Guerrilla’s mission is to take the best Zinfandel grapes in California and create a wine that epitomizes the true character of a “California Zinfandel,” and the spiced, baked berries in the 2007 Dry Creek Valley definitely accomplish that mission. Added to the fine artistry of the wine is the distinctive creativity of the labels, which are designed by Los Angeles artist Sean Colgin’s labels. With the wine and labels put together, Wine Guerrilla has created an enjoyable Zinfandel-drinking experience.

Overall: 3.5 Corks

Hunkering Down With Mulled Wine

$11-$20, $21-$30, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Feb 102010

Friday was a one of those crazy days where I hit the ground running and didn’t stop all day. Part of the rush was work-related and part was because there was so much uncertainty about when Snowmaggedon 2010 was going to hit the DC region. I started off the morning realizing that I didn’t submit mandatory paperwork for a recent work-related trip to Philadelphia. It had to be submitted on Friday, and with federal offices closing at noon, it was a mad dash to the office so that I could complete the forms, get them signed by my boss, and get them submitted. In truth, I had to do all of that by 9:30am because I needed to be at the Newseum for conference where I was speaking on a panel. I arrived in time to listen to the panel before mine, which was nice, as I learned a lot from the speakers. All of that finished around noon, and since my office was closing at noon because of the impending snow, I went home, grabbed the car, and braved the grocery store. Hubby and I tried to go on Thursday night, but the line of cars to get into the grocery store was 1/2 a mile long and no parking spots were to be found, so that left me going after work. I made it home from the store with time to spare, as the snow didn’t begin until 3:30ish. By 8:30pm, we had a solid 6 inches and this is what it looked like outside our condo building.

View from the front door of our building on at 8:30pm on night #1 of Snowmaggedon 2010.

Swedenburg Estate Vineyard Autumn Red Table Wine

Cold, wintry weather like Snowmaggedon 2010 is exactly the type of weather that makes me think of mulled wine, although I admit that until Friday, I’ve never actually had any. Thanks to a loyal reader and wine friend, I actually had a bottle of Virginia-made mulled wine in my possession and being snowed in our condo for several days seemed like the perfect opportunity to open it. So, after spending the morning working and preparing for the storm, I braved the cold to take a few pictures of what it looked like after about 5 hours of snow and then heated up some wine to warm myself up and relax for the duration of Snowmaggedon.

The Swedenburg Estate Vineyard Autumn Red Table Wine (winery) was a deep, dark purple with ruby flecks. The wine smelled like a cup of Christmas potpourri. There were nutmeg, cinnamon, fennel, black pepper, gingerbread, blackberry, pinecone, pine needle, tobacco, and menthol aromas. In the mouth, there was cinnamon, ginger, and fennel, followed by blackberries and ripe black plums. On the finish, there was the slightest hint of pine needles and menthol. The wine felt velvety smooth in my mouth, with low acid and tannins.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for? Since this was a present, I don’t know how much the bottle of wine cost, but as most of Swedenburg’s wines sell for between $15-$25, I assume that it is somewhere in that price range. At $20, the hard work of mixing in the right combination of mulling spices is done and all that is left is to warm it up in a microwave of crock-pot. So, if you’re looking for a good mulled wine to serve at a holiday party or to warm up with after the Dupont Circle Snowball fight, Swedenburg’s Autumn Red is definitely a wine worth considering. As for me and Snowmaggedon 2010, the only thing that kept my evening from being one of those perfect, snowed-in nights is that my condo doesn’t have a fireplace. Otherwise, Hubby and I hunkered down for a cozy night, each with a good book and me with some delicious, warm mulled wine. Thanks for making my first mulled wine experience such a great one, Doug!

Overall: 4.5 Corks

Pretty view at the end of our road after the snow stopped at 7pm on night #2 of Snowmaggedon 2010.

Hope all of you in the mid-Atlantic were warm, safe, and had a chance to drink some fun wines during Snowmaggedon 2010.

Older Entries

Octavin Wine Night at Lima

Another Birthday, Another Carmenère

Work “World Tour of Wine” Tasting

Breaking Out The Burgundy

Packing with Patriota

A Zinfandel That Rocked My World

Books, Haikus, and Wine

Falling For The Alluring Ondine

Mission Accomplished: Wine Guerrilla Stikes Again

Hunkering Down With Mulled Wine

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