Rosé & White Wine Live Blogging at the Wine Bloggers Conference

Name: Whipped Shortbread Cookies
Yield: 30 cookies
Ingredients: 2 cups butter (, room temperature); 1 cup powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla; 1/2 tsp salt; 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 cup mini chocolate chips (, optional)

October 23, 2016 by Alleigh 1 Comment

One of the signature events at the Wine Bloggers’ Conference is the Live Wine Blogging. For those who haven’t read my previous recaps or haven’t been to the conference, it’s an hour-long speed tasting where winery representatives have 5 minutes at a table of wine bloggers. The winery representatives talk about the wine while bloggers taste, ask questions, act like the paparazzi taking photos of both the bottles and the reps, and Tweet thoughts or tasting notes. After that, the winery representative moves onto the next table.

The live blogging is like speed dating with wine, and just like speed dating, it’s one of those things that people either love or hate. Admittedly, I used to find the chaos of it stressful, but over the last couple of years, I’ve learned to really love it. The only thing I would change about the Live Wine Blogging sessions would be to have all of the wines come from the region where the conference is being held. Otherwise, I use the experience as a chance to weed out wines I have no interest in tasting again from wines I think have a lot of potential, are a good quality/price ratio, or that just deserve a little more attention. I then try to taste (and sometimes review), those wines at another time.

Here are the wines I tasted during the Rosé and White Wine Live Blogging:

2015 LangeTwins Family Winery Sangiovese Rosé

2015 LangeTwins Family Winery Sangiovese Rosé (winery, snooth)
Price: $13
Light-to-medium pink color.
Strawberries and grapefruit rinds on the nose.
Light, but creamy strawberry tart and sour cherries in the mouth.
Bright acidity.
3.5 Corks

2015 d’Art Wines White Barbera

2015 d’Art Wines White Barbera (winery)
Price: $20
Pale straw yellow.
Tart green apples and grapefruit on the nose and in the mouth.
Bright acid with a light-to-medium body.
3 Corks

2015 Michael David Winery Sauvignon Blanc

2015 Michael David Winery Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth)
Price: $16
Grapes: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
Light straw yellow.
Full of grapefruits, tropical fruit, and minerality.
Good acid, although a tough high on the alcohol in the mouth.
This wine is sustainably grown.
3.5 Corks

2015 Trione Vineyards and Winery Sauvignon Blanc

2015 Trione Vineyards and Winery Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth)
Price: $23
White peaches, grass, hints of green pepper and rose petals.
Nice minerality. Every sip had me thinking…wow and wishing for a raw bar!
4.5 Corks

2015 Klinker Brick Winery Rosé

2015 Klinker Brick Winery Rosé (winery, snooth)
Price: $15
Grapes: Carignane, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Grenache grapes
Bright salmon pink color.
Lots of grapefruit mixed with hints of tart raspberry and flowers.
Nice acidity and light body.
This wine is a perfect summer porch sipper with a nice quality/price ratio.
4 Corks

2015 Oak Ridge Winery Old Soul Chardonnay

2015 Oak Ridge Winery Old Soul Chardonnay (winery, snooth)
Price: $13
Pineapple and toasted oak mixed with a hint of baked apple.
Lots of heat.
Lots of other bloggers enjoyed this wine at WBC16, but it was not my thing.
3 Corks

J Vineyards & Winery Brut Rosé

J Vineyards & Winery Brut Rosé (winery, snooth)
Price: $38
Grapes: 69% Pinot Noir, 29% Chardonnay, & 2% Pinot Meunier
Salmon pink color.
Strawberries and cream with hints of rose petals and apples.
Bright acidity with lingering finish.
An elegant sparkling wine.
4.5 Corks

2014 Concannon Vineyard Chardonnay

2014 Concannon Vineyard Chardonnay (winery, snooth)
Price: $18
Apples, pears, & some chewed on Popsicle stick.
This wine is very smooth. Would be a great food wine.
3.5 Corks

2014 Peirano Estate Winery “The Other” White Blend

2014 Peirano Estate Winery “The Other” White Blend (winery, snooth)
Price: $14
Grapes: 65% Chardonnay, 25% Sauvignon Blanc, and 10% Viognier
White flowers & apples.
Soft mouth feel & perfumery with hints of bubble gum.
Love the label, but sadly I don’t the wine.
2.5 Corks

2015 Left Coast Cellars White Pinot Noir

2015 Left Coast Cellars White Pinot Noir (winery, snooth)
Price: $24
Full of stone fruit, pineapple, and grapefruit on the nose.
In the mouth, there were stone fruits, Granny Smith Apples, grapefruits, and pineapple with hints of raspberries.
Light body. Nice acid. Lingering finish. Delicious wine!!
4 Corks

Question of the Day: Have you ever gone wine tasting? What are you thoughts on trying multiple wines in one sitting?

Bonus Question: If you’ve been to a Wine Bloggers’ Conference, what are you thoughts on the Live Blogging?

WBC16 Pre-Conference (Part 1): Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard

August 22, 2016 by Alleigh 11 Comments

5 Livermore Valley Wines from the Ghielmetti Estate Vineyards – Ranging from $24-$165, these 5 dry wines from California are a nice introduction to the variety of styles in the region. There was one rosé wine, two white wines, and two red wines, and they were all small production wines that are worth checking out. Cheers! | AGlassAfterWork.com

Ghielmetti Vineyards in the Livermore Valley Wine Country.

My first day at the 2016 Wine Bloggers’ Conference (WBC16) was on a pre-conference excursion through the Livermore Valley Wine Country. This trip was the first time that I could remember tasting wines from the Livermore Valley, and I learned a few important things that have made me a permanent fan of Livermore Valley wines:

While I’m always a Petite Sirah fan, I’m absolutely in love with the Petite Sirah coming from Livermore;
Grapes in Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard

Semillon never really made a strong impression on me before, but the Semillon from Livermore, whether in a blend or on its own, are worth searching out;
There are some really small producers in the area making limited quantities of the wines…and I loved most of them, which means I’m need to diligently get on their websites and place some online orders directly from the wineries; and
For some unknown reason, I never paid much attention to the two largest producers in the area—Concannon Vineyards and Wente Vineyards—and that was a huge mistake on my part because they are making incredibly good wine at all price ranges.

Looking out at Grapes in Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard

And, with that overview in mind, let’s start at the beginning…

Our first stop was the Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard, which is a 64-acre site that provides grapes to wineries in the area, and we tasted wine from a number of them.

2015 Vasco Urbano Wine Company – At $24, this California rose from the Livermore Valley is light bodied and nicely balanced. It’s perfect for a cheese board or some porch sipping, and it will carry over nicely into the fall. You might even want to consider it for your Thanksgiving table. Rating 4.5 out of 5 | AGlassAfterWork.com

2015 Vasco Urbano Wine Company Grenache Rose

Vasco Urbano Wine Company (winery)
2015 Grenache Rosé
SRP: $24
Grapes: 100% Grenache from the Ghielmetti Vineyards
Cases produced: 84
Light Salmon Pink
Strawberries and lime
Bright acid, light body, and very nicely balanced
4.5 corks

2015 “Lola” White Wine by The Steven Kent Winery

The Steven Kent Winery (winery)
2015 “Lola” White Wine
SRP $24
Grapes: 60% Sauvignon Blanc and 40% Semillon, both from the Ghielmetti Vineyards
Cases produced: 396
Clear, light straw yellow
Peaches, limes, and oranges with a hint of lemon curd and pear
Bright acidity with a light body
Great summer wine. I wished I had some seafood or cheese to pair with this.
4 corks

2015 3 Steves Winery Sauvignon Blanc

3 Steves Winery (winery)
2015 Sauvignon Blanc
SRP $25
Medium yellow with a touch of effervescence in the glass
Something funky on the nose…maybe oysters and melon rinds? Mixed with citrus and pineapple.
The mouth was all peaches and tropical fruits
Very interesting, and probably goes really well with seafood. That said, the funkiness is not my style.
3 corks

2014 Woods Family Vineyards Grenache – At $30, this California red wine from the Livermore Valley is offers something a little different, but is very enjoyable. The aromas are powerful and the taste of strawberries, cherries, a touch of cinnamon and a hint of eucalyptus are delicious. Rating 4 out of 5 | AGlassAfterWork.com

2014 Wood Family Vineyards Grenache

Wood Family Vineyards (winery)
2014 Grenache
SRP $30
Grapes: Grapes: 100% Grenache from the Ghielmetti Vineyards
Cases produced: 122
Medium ruby color
Wow…that nose! Strawberries and cherries with a touch of cinnamon
On the nose, there is also a hint of eucalyptus at the end
Slight creaminess in though
Medium tannins and body. Different, but enjoyable.
4 corks

2012 “Lineage” by The Steven Kent Winery

The Steven Kent Winery (winery)
2012 Lineage (Bordeaux blend)
SRP $165
Grapes: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot from the Ghielmetti Estate and Home Ranch Vineyards
Cases produced: 300
Medium-to-Dark Ruby
Blackberries, cherries, baking spices, and a hint of prune
Medium-to-Full body, tannins, and acid.
A bit high in price, but very yummy
4.5 corks

Selfie in Ghielmetti Estate Vineyard

Question of the Day: Have you ever been to Livermore Valley, California? Have you ever had any wines from there? What were your thoughts? Do you have any favorites to share?

Bonus Question of the Day: If you went to WBC16, what were your thoughts on the Livermore Valley wines?

5 American White Wines for July 4

June 30, 2016 by Alleigh Leave a Comment

Earlier this week, I posted some suggestions for American sparkling and rosé wines to open over this upcoming holiday weekend. Today is all about the white wine options, as white wine and warm summer weather were practically made for each other. I will apologize upfront to the Chardonnay lovers for not having one on the list. I normally would have at least one, but these other wines were really the ones that were striking my fancy for the Fourth of July. And with that, 5 white wine suggestions of your cookout:

2014 Lilly’s Viognier from The Winery at Bull Run

The 2014 Lilly’s Viognier (winery) is a beautiful white wine from Virginia. It’s a light lemon color with a bright floral nose. In the mouth, thee are apricots and white pepper mixed with hints of grapefruit and honeysuckle. Considering my iffy feelings about Viognier, I was surprised how much I loved this wine. At first I thought it might have been because I tasted it during a visit to the winery, but I bought a bottle that I opened at home and enjoyed it as much, if not more, than I did during my winery visit. I gave this wine 3.5 corks and purchased it for $29.

Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc

The Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc (website) is a white wine from California. This wine is like drinking summer in a glass. It’s light and full of honeydew melons, nectarines, and limes. It’s not a complex wine, but it’s easy to drink and has a great quality-price ratio. If you’re having a lot of people over, this is a white that people will be happy to drink…especially outside on a hot summer day. I gave this wine 3.5 corks and received it as a sample, but the SRP is $8.

2014 Chateau St. Michelle Cold Creek Riesling

The 2014 Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek Riesling (winery)is a white wine from Washington state that has a touch of sweetness, nice acidity, and is incredibly drinkable. The wine has aromas and flavors of ripe peaches and apricots mixed with honey and a hint of ginger. It’s refreshing and will pair nicely with the summer salads and cold fried chicken, or can be enjoyed all on it’s own. I gave this wine 4 Corks and purchased it for $20.

This $13 bottle of white wine from Idaho is full of tropical and stone fruits mixed with Lemonheads candy, honey, and flowers. The touch of sweetness mixed with the acidity should make it a nice pairing with the ham, lamb, or turkey. Rating 4 out of 5. Cheers! | AGlassAfterWork.com

Sawtooth Riesling

The Sawtooth Reisling (winery, amazon) is one of my summer house white wines. It’s full of tropical and stone fruits mixed with Lemonheads candy, honey, and flowers. There’s also a hint of ginger. The touch of sweetness mixed with the acidity should make it a nice pairing with hot dogs and steamed crabs. A sign that I’m live fairly close to the Chesapeake is I find there are few things as enjoyable as pairing this wine with something that has been seasoned with Old Bay. I gave it 4 corks and usually purchase it for about $13.

Bouchaine Vineyards Estate Pinot Gris - This $30 white wine from Napa California is a little pricey for an everyday wine or a large gathering, but is a perfect palate-pleaser for a more intimate gathering. It’s an enjoyable sipper that is worth the extra cost. Rating: 4 out of 5 | AGlassAfterWork.com

2012 Bouchaine Vineyards Estate Pinot Gris

The Bouchaine Vineyards Pinot Gris (winery) is a light-to-medium bodied white wine from Napa, California. The wine has a nice lime, grapefruit, and tart Granny Smith apple characteristics that mix with hints of nectarines and thyme. It’s a little pricey for a large gathering, but if you’re doing something a little more intimate, this Pinot Gris is sure to be a guest-pleaser. I gave this wine 4 corks and purchased it for $30.

Question of the Day: What’s your favorite white wine for a cookout or picnic?

Sunday Baking: Rutini Sauvignon Blanc & Shortbread

June 26, 2016 by Alleigh 2 Comments

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

Gluten Free Shortbread Cookie Stack

The week of the Lambrusco tasting was a busy one. Plus, while those tastings are always fun, they take a lot of time and energy to plan. So, combining it with work being busy in its own right, I was exhausted by the time that weekend rolled around. Except for our normal weekend errands, I spent my time on the couch reading a trashy novel. That also meant that when it came to cookie baking on Sunday, I was not feeling very adventurous. Instead of trying an entirely new recipe, I was inspired by Cookies and Cups to make whipped shortbread cookies. The gluten free ones I made for myself were plain, but the ones I made for everyone else also had chocolate chips. To go with the cookies, I opened up a Sauvignon Blanc.

2014 Rutini Sauvignon Blanc

The 2014 Rutini Sauvignon Blanc (wines, snooth) is made in Mendoza, Argentina with 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The wine was a medium yellow color. On the nose, there were stone fruits with hints of pineapple and pink grapefruit. In the mouth, there were pineapples and grapefruits with hints of vanilla. The wine had a medium body and acidity.

Is this wine worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $25, this wine is a little pricey for what it is, especially as it doesn’t give me thing hints of freshness or grass that I expect from a Sauvignon Blanc. However, I really still really enjoyed it. The wine was particularly delicious with the homemade gluten-free white basil pizza Hubby and I made for dinner.

2014 Rutini Sauvignon Blanc and shortbread cookies

As for the cookies, they were ok, but not a favorite. While loved the idea of a fluffy shortbread cookie, I think the whipped consistency just didn’t work for me. It lost the flavor and feel of what I love about shortbread, which may have been why the gluten-free version actually tasted better. That said, my coworkers really enjoyed the chocolate chip version, and the cookies vanished before lunch on Monday.

Overall, the wine and cookie pairing was tasty, and combining the two made both the wine and the cookies better. That said, the cookie recipe isn’t one that will become a regular in my rotation. The wine, though, is one I would open again…especially with a white basil pizza.

Question of the Day: How do you feel about shortbread cookies? Are you a fan? And should they be “traditional” or are they the type of cookie that can be modified and played with?

Whipped Shortbread Cookies

This variation on the traditional cookie makes a fluffier, yet still buttery treat. Chocolate chips can be added for even more variety.

Servings

30 cookies

Servings

30 cookies

Whipped Shortbread Cookies

This variation on the traditional cookie makes a fluffier, yet still buttery treat. Chocolate chips can be added for even more variety.

Servings

30 cookies

Servings

30 cookies

Ingredients

2 cups butter , room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips , optional

Servings: cookies

Instructions

In medium bowl, mix together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Set aside.
In mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter for 3 minutes. It should be fluffy. Then add vanilla and beat until combined.
Once the butter is fully whipped, add dry ingredients. Mix until combined. If you're added chocolate chips, add them now and mix until combined.
Preheat oven to 325F.
Line cookie sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
Take a rounded tablespoon of dough and roll between the palms of your hands to create 1-inch balls. Place on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
Remove cookies from oven, but let them set on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack to completely cool.

Recipe Notes

*adapted from Cookies & Cups' Whipped Shortbread recipe

Suggested Retail Price: $25
Received as a sample.
Overall: 3.5 Corks

A Bon Affair Virtual Wine Tasting

September 21, 2015 by Alleigh 4 Comments

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

Friday, September 11 was a busy day. Truthfully, that was a good thing, as it didn’t let me dwell on the events of 14 years ago. I started with several early morning conference calls, followed by a meeting with a Congressman. From there, I spent the day in meetings or walking back and forth between the House of Representatives side and the Senate side of the U. S. Capitol on my way to meetings. Usually, I plan things so I’m on one side of the Capitol, but after being on vacation for 9 days, there was too much to squeeze in.

Becca from The Gourmez during our Bon Affair virtual tasting

With all the craziness, though, I still left in time to make my virtual wine tasting date with Becca, The Gourmez. After working out a few technical difficulties, we spent an hour drinking, talking, and laughing…which is exactly what the Bon Affair Sauvignon Blanc Wine Spritzer is perfect for.

Bon Affair was created by Jayla Siciliano because she was looking for an everyday wine option that fit a healthier lifestyle. When she couldn’t find one with a good taste, she created her own. If this sounds familiar to you, it may be because you watched her secure financing from venture capitalist Mark Cuban on the TV show Shark Tank.

Bon Affair wine spritzers are California wine (the white is Sauvignon Blanc and the red is Syrah) and natural mineral water mixed with electrolytes, grape seed extract, and natural flavors. This blend has half the calories of regular wine (100 calories for 8oz), 3 grams of carbohydrates, and zero sugar.

Bon Affair Sauvignon Blanc Wine Spritzer

The Bon Affair Sauvignon Blanc (website, amazon) was pale yellow with some small, persistent bubbles. On the nose, there were strawberries, Bubblicious Bubble Gum, and a hint of limes. In the mouth, there was diluted lemon-lime Gatorade and hints of grass. The wine was light-bodied with medium-to-high acidity. (UPDATE: Here is the link to Becca’s review of the Bon Affair)

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, and it will be half the calories of your other wine options. Admittedly, at $16 a bottle (without shipping), Bon Affair needs a little more pizzazz…maybe more carbonation, maybe a little more wine flavor. However, if you join the wine club, the price drops to $12 (including shipping), and that feels like a more fitting price. To be clear, I’m not saying you should join the wine club straight out of the gate, just saying that for me the quality-price ratio works better at $12 a bottle.

Bon Affair Sauvignon Blanc Wine Spritzer with raspberries, my favorite way to drink this wine

Bon Affair Sauvignon Blanc Wine Spritzer with raspberries, my favorite way to drink it

Overall, Bon Affair is not the most complicated of wine options and won’t be the wine you’re opening for a special dinner, but it could be a good everday after work relaxing glass. I would also consider it as a refreshing post-workout indulgence for folks that crave beer after a big workout or longer run; a “session” or “lite” beer alternative because it has a similar number of calories and alcohol content; or as a nice mixer in a wine-based drink like a French 75, Sangria, or punch.

(One note: I drank this wine in a champagne glass because that is what was how it was shown on the website, but I actually preferred it when I put it in a regular wine glass. Funny how a glass change can make a difference).

Question of the day: Do you get concerned about calories when you are drinking ? What about the alcohol content? Does either impact whether you have another glass or not?

Suggested Retail Price: $16
Received as a sample.
Overall: 3 Corks

A Glass After Work