A Storybook With Vampires

$41-$50, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »
Jul 222010

2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Eastern Exposure Zinfandel

Sunday was one of those unfortunate days where I spent much of my day off working.  I thought last week would be the end of my crazy work schedule, but Friday before I left work, an unexpected issue came up, and suddenly Sunday turned into almost a full 8-hour workday.  By the time the evening came around, I was exhausted and looking forward to an evening of cuddling on the couch with Hubby while watching the one TV show that we watch together, our embarrassing guilty pleasure—True Blood.

The 2007 Storybook Mountain Vineyards Eastern Exposure (winery, snooth) was a dark, vibrant purple.  On the nose, there was a spiced berry jam, reminiscent of Hostess fruit pie filling. In the mouth, there were blueberries, blackberries, cooking spices, and a hint of strawberries and flower petals.  The wine had high acidity, high alcohol, medium tannins, 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 $45, this wine is on the pricey end, but worth the cost.  It paired perfectly with Hubby’s steamed shrimp spiced with Old Bay seasoning, while also holding its own through a steamy night with Vampire Bill, Eric Northman, and Sookie Stackhouse.  The bad things on True Blood are right out of a novel, but only good things were coming from the bottle of Storybook.  And both were incredibly enjoyable and exactly what I need at the end of a long Sunday before the start of a busy week.

Overall: 4 Corks

Posted by Alleigh at 9:27 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: , , , , ,

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

Posted by Alleigh at 10:31 pm Tagged with: , , ,

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

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

Springtime Sauvignon Blanc

$10 and lower, 2 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »
Apr 072010

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

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

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.

Posted by Alleigh at 10:00 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: , , , , ,

6th Sense On St. Patrick's Day

3 Corks, Prices, Ratings No 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: , , , ,

A Pinot Noir That Hits The Spot

$41-$50, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »
Mar 152010

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

For as wonderful of a day as last Tuesday was, last Wednesday was equally as difficult—not bad, just difficult.  My latest major project was due Thursday, and everything that could possibly go wrong at the last minute did.  Unfortunately, some of the things that went wrong were repeat problems from my previous project, but there was nothing I could have done to avoid them.  The problems were piling up in such a way that one of my colleagues sent around an “Allison’s Law” email and #3 on the list was that something out of the ordinary would happen to complicate my projects.  It would have been very funny if it hadn’t been about me. By the time I left the office late Wednesday night, I was frustrated and a little concerned about how the final product.  Regardless, I was definitely ready for dinner and a nice glass of wine.

The 2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Elton Vineyard Pinot Noir (vineyard, snooth) was a very clear, pale ruby with the slightest hint of garnet on the rim.  On the nose, there were berries—cherry, raspberry, strawberry—cocoa dust, rose petals, thyme, and a touch of earth.  In the mouth, there were red and black cherries, tea leaves, violets, and roses, along with a touch of smoke, ginger, and the red coating of a candy apple.  The wine had nice tannins 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 $45, this wine is a little on the pricey side for opening after work, but I promise that it’s well worth it.  Plus, the 2007 Pinot Noir has some nice aging potential, so if you prefer to cellar the wine for a couple of years, it should age nicely.  I drank the Pinot Noir with pistachios, which was a beautiful combination, as well as with dinner—a chicken tortilla casserole from Cooking for Two: 2009,The Year’s Best Recipes Cut Down to Size.  The pairing with the casserole was very nice.  After dinner, I sank into a second glass of wine as I checked my work Blackberry and watched a little trashy tv before calling it a night.  The 2007 Willamette Valley Vineyards Elton Vineyard Pinot Noir was exactly what I needed after a frustrating day at work.

Overall: 3.5 Corks

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

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

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