Bubbly & True Blood: A Perfect Sunday Evening

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »
Aug 262010

**I received this wine as a sample**

Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut

Thankfully, work is quiet enough that I didn’t have to work on Sunday.  However, Sunday nights in the “A Glass After Work” household have evolved into quick runs before an early dinner so that Hubby and I are ready for a night of True Blood. Neither of us are big TV watchers and the little TV that we each watch is not the same, but there is something about True Blood that keep both of us entertained.  Since Sunday nights have turned into planned TV nights, I’ve started opening fun bottles that might pair well with the show, and last Sunday was all about bubbly.

The Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut (winery, snooth) was a blend of 85% Pinot Noir and 15% Trepat grapes and had a medium-to-dark salmon color with a slight orange tinge.  The Cava had a lot of small, active bubbles.  On the nose, there were raspberries and toast.  In the mouth, there was a berry patch—ripe raspberries and strawberries.  The wine had a light body, low tannins, and smooth 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 $18, this wine is light, refreshing, and enjoyable.  The wine has a nice balance and is perfect for a perfect option for an every day sparkling wine.

Price: $18 (suggested retail)
Received as a sample
Overall: 3 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:30 pm Tagged with: , , , ,

Travels & Tapeña

$10 and lower, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »
Aug 182010

***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

Posted by Alleigh at 10:42 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

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.

Posted by Alleigh at 8:15 pm Tagged with: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Up To The Roof With Big House

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Jul 132010

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

2008 Big House Red

Normally, I write posts about my workday and the wine I enjoy in the evening, but this July 4th was a big wine holiday for me.  Hubby and I stayed in DC for the long weekend, and, in an effort to avoid the crowds that are drawn to DC for Independence Day, we tried not to stray too far from the condo.  Plus, this year, the high temperatures would have squelched any thoughts of heading to the National Mall for the Capitol 4th Concert and fireworks.  Instead, the holiday weekend was the perfect opportunity for me to open the box of 2008 Big House Red I had on my counter, as I could easily grab a glass on my way to the pool or before heading up to our roof deck, where we can watch not only the fireworks display over the Washington Monument, but also the fireworks in Maryland, which are visible along the horizon.

The 2008 Big House Red 3-liter Octavin Home Wine Bar (winery, snooth) was made with 23% Syrah, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Grenache, 9% Montepuliciano, 6% Mourvedre, 6% Sangiovese, 6% Algianico, 6% Tannat, 5% Nero d’Avola, 4% Sargentino, 3% Touriga, 3% Barbera, and 3% Petit Verdot grapes.  The wine was a medium-to-dark purple with flecks of ruby.  On the nose, there was a blend of red and black berries, mainly blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, and cranberries.  There was also black pepper and something oily.  In the mouth, there were tart blackberries and strawberries, cranberries, smoke, cedar, and a touch of vanilla, dark plums, pepper, and something metallic.  The wine had low-to-medium tannins, medium-to-high acidity, and a medium 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 $20 for 3-liters, or the equivalent of $5 a bottle, this wine has the quality/price ratio working in its favor.  It isn’t a wine that stands out as something special, but it’s a surprisingly decent option.  Admittedly, the 3-liter container is probably more than you need for after work, and it’s not a wine I would open and drink over a couple of weeks, as after several days, the wine developed a strong metallic taste; however, if you’re having a BBQ and are looking for a cost effective way to provide your guests with a good red wine, the 2008 Big House Red 3-Liter Octavin Home Wine Bar is worth considering.

I paired the wine with Hubby’s homemade Philly cheese steaks, which he makes with provolone cheese, and the wine definitely held its own with the big flavors of the sandwich.  The key role for the wine, though, was played when I brought it with me to watch the fireworks, and there is no question that was a perfect pairing—beautiful fireworks, friends from our building, my Hubby, and a good California red.

Hope everyone had good Fourth!!

Overall: 3 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , , ,

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

Posted by Alleigh at 10:30 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,

Putting On My Zinfandel Dancing Shoes

$10 and lower, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
May 202010
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

Posted by Alleigh at 10:30 am Tagged with: , , , ,

Monday Night With A Spanish White

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Apr 262010

Looking back at the calendar, it’s hard to believe that it’s been 2 weeks since my last post.  Work has been so ridiculously busy, with two major project deadlines over the last two weeks, that I’ve been spent most of my time at work or sleeping.  While there are often one or two late nights in my week, almost every night for the last two weeks has been a late night.  In the midst of all the chaos and with my 2nd deadline looming ahead of me, I walked in the door a little late last Monday night, made some grilled chicken, and caught up with Hubby over dinner and a glass of wine.  As I had a bottle of Viña Leiriña left from a Spanish wine tasting that I put together several weeks ago, it seemed like the perfect bottle to open for the evening.

2008 Viña Leiriña

The 2008 Viña Leiriña (winery, snooth) is a blend of Treixadura, Albariño, and Godello grapes and had a medium lemon color.  On the nose, there were strong honeysuckle, white flower, and peach aromas, which were followed by hints of salt, lime, and wet stone.  In the mouth, there were peaches, limes, and wet stone, along with some white flowers, a touch of herbaceousness, and the flavor of contact lens solution.  The wine had low-to-medium acidity 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 have a decent, reliable glass of wine. The bottle I opened was a little flabby and disappointing, particularly after such a long day at work.  That said, the tasting in the store was full of a good, bright acidity, which left me wondering if the problem was my bottle rather than the wine.  So, while I wasn’t over the moon about the bottle I opened, I think this might be a wine that deserves a second chance from another bottle.

Overall: 3 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , ,

Cooling It Down With A Spanish Rosé

$10 and lower, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »
Apr 122010

*** 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

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , ,

A Passover Shiraz

$31-$40, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Apr 092010

2003 Carmel Kayoumi Shiraz

My office is open on both the Friday before and the Monday after Easter; however, each of us can choose to take one day off as an office holiday.  Good Friday was clearly the day that most of my coworkers picked, as there were only 4 of us in the office all day, but I think that those of us who came in on Friday had the better end of the deal by taking today off.  Last Friday was one of the quietest days I’ve ever had at work.  It was perfect for being productive, as well as for bonding with my coworkers, since we were able to eat lunch together around the lunchroom table.  By the time we all left the office on Friday, everyone was in a wonderful mood, enjoying the weather, and looking forward to a long, holiday weekend.  I celebrated by coming home and opening a bottle of the Shiraz.

The 2003 Carmel Kayoumi Shiraz (winery, snooth) was made with 100% Shiraz grapes and was a dark ruby color with flecks of garnet.  On the nose, there were blackberries, cedar, smoke, leather, and a touch of coffee.  In the mouth, there were blackberries, plums, cooking meat, smoke, and ground coffee.  The wine had high acidity, high tannins, and a medium 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 $33, this kosher Shiraz was enjoyable both on its own and with grilled chicken I made for dinner.  It was also the wine that I used to make my charoset, which is chopped apples, ground walnuts, cinnamon, and wine.  The Kayoumi Shiraz mixed nicely with the other ingredients and resulted in a delicious addition to this year’s Passover celebration.

Overall: 3 corks

Posted by Alleigh at 9:00 pm Tagged with: , , , ,

6th Sense On St. Patrick's Day

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 2 Responses »
Mar 172010

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

In 2004, I went to a local Irish pub with several of my friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  While a group of us were standing around talking, a guy not with our group came over and introduced himself as Mike before starting to talk to one of my girlfriends.  Mike had a few beers (as had most people in the bar) and was insisting that he was from Fargo, ND; however, as one of our own friends was from Fargo, we recognized that this guy’s accent was different.  I started to say something to him about it, but another guy stepped in to save Mike.  While the conversation between Mike and my girlfriend died shortly thereafter, the wingman and I spent the rest of the night chatting and having a good time.  We exchanged numbers at the end of the night.  A week after that St. Patrick’s Day meeting, the wingman and I went out on our first date, after which my closest girlfriends said they had premonition that he was going to be different…and 6 years later, we’re happily married.  Hubby and I both agree that neither of us knew as quickly as my girlfriends, but sometimes your friends see things that you don’t.  To celebrate our meeting and St. Patrick’s Day, I made a nice dinner and opened a bottle of 6th Sense Syrah.

2007 6th Sense Syrah

The 2007 6th Sense Syrah (winery, snooth) was blend of Syrah and Petite Sirah grapes and was very deep purple with slow forming, but drippy legs.  On the nose, there were juicy fruits—mostly blackberry, blackcurrant, and dark plums—followed by a touch of blackcurrant leaf and tobacco.  In the mouth, there were blackberries galore, followed by some black plums and a touch of tobacco and pepper.  The wine was very high alcohol, and had high acidity, strong tannins, and a medium-to-full 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 $16, this wine was good, but a little unbalanced and boozy.  That said, I paired it with chicken Parmesan and garlic bread, which helped tone down some of the acidity and alcohol, and made the wine quite enjoyable.  All in all, the 6th Sense Syrah is a decent wine at a decent price, and it was great addition to the dinner celebrating Hubby and I meeting 6 years ago today.

Overall: 3 Corks

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Posted by Alleigh at 8:00 pm Tagged with: , , , , ,
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