Sparkling wine » A Glass After Work

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

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.

Bland Bubbly

$11-$20, 2 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Apr 052010

Wednesday was a particularly quiet day, as many people decided to get an early start to the long weekend. My inbox was slow, my phone was quiet, and I even had a chance to meet some former coworkers for lunch. I left work at a normal hour, feeling like I’d accomplished a decent amount during the day, all without the being rushed. The best part of the day was that I was home early enough to pop open some kosher bubbly and make matzah lasagna for dinner.

Bellenda Prosecco

The Bellenda Prosecco (winery, snooth) was a dark lemon color with good, big bubbles. On the nose, there were pears, apricots, peaches, and grilled pineapples that smelled as if they were soaking in apple juice. In the mouth, there were apples and pears on the attack, but the flavor fell off almost immediately, leaving a chalk dust and basil aftertaste behind. The sparkler had medium acidity and a medium body.

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 $20, this Prosecco tasted more like sparkling apple cider than it did like sparkling wine. While it’s hard to find a decent kosher sparkling wine, the kosher wine industry has made such drastic improvements in the quality of wine that is produced, it seems a shame to settle for a sparkler that just doesn’t live up the expectations.

Overall: 2 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.

Bubbly & BBQ Bash...The Results

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Dec 232009

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Little Birdie

$11-$20, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 1 Response »

Dec 222009

Last Monday was the beginning of a slower period at work, which, I admit, was a huge relief. I’m not entirely sure how I started a new job and immediately felt like I had fallen behind in my work, but that’s exactly what happened. Thankfully, with things slowing down a little, I finally had the time to start playing catch-up. By the time I left work on Monday night, I was feeling like I’d accomplished a lot and that I was ready to go home and put the finishing touches on my take-home final before lighting the Chanukkah candles, tasting the last bubbly to try before my condo association’s holiday Bubbly & BBQ Bash, and enjoying a nice dinner with Hubby.

The La Tordera Valdobbiadene Prosecco (winery, snooth) was almost clear, it was such a light, straw yellow. The bubbles in the glass were big, bountiful, and beautiful. On the nose, there were grapefruits, lemons, and yeast, followed by a touch of white peaches and white flowers. In the mouth, there were slightly under-ripe white peaches, lemons, white blossoms, and a hint of nectarines on the finish. The sparkler had a nice, crisp acidity and a light-to-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 $18, this Prosecco was surprisingly complex, fresh, and fruity. I enjoyed drinking it on its own, but when I paired it with flounder stuffed with spinach and feta, it was absolutely gorgeous. I admit that I didn’t end up using this sparkling wine for the Bubbly & BBQ Bash, but that was because it was a little harder to find than the Canella Prosecco di Conegliano, which I ended up using because I really wanted to provide sparklers that could be easily purchased. That said, if you see the La Tordera, don’t pass up the opportunity to taste it. It will be the perfect addition to any brunch, particularly mixed to make a Bellini/mimosa, or to a relaxing evening after a hard day of work. A special thanks to Schneider’s of Capitol Hill for recommending this great wine.

Overall: 4.5 Corks

Popping the Cork on a Wednesday Night

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

Dec 152009

For as smooth of a day as last Tuesday was, last Wednesday was exactly the opposite. Taking over a 271-page document that was originally drafted by someone else, but became my responsibility when I started my new job, was no small task. I not only was responsible for familiarizing myself with the original document and the background information that the document was based on, but also making changes to the draft document to improve it, as I thought necessary. Thankfully, one of my fabulous co-workers helped with the task, but at the end of the day, the project was all mine. So, after my co-worker and I finished discussing the last round of major changes and minor edits, I set about the task of actually documenting our conversation. At 9:00pm on Wednesday night, when I finally had a “final” document ready to go, I emailed it to the necessary higher-ups and headed home feeling exhausted, but satisfied with the work. When I walked in the door of my condo, I greeted Hubby and popped the cork on a bottle of Champagne that was a candidate for my condo association’s Bubbly & BBQ Bash. It seemed like tasting the Champagne would be a nice way to celebrate my sense of accomplishment.

The Taittinger Brut La Francaise (winery, snooth) is 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay grapes with a medium-to-deep gold color and a lot of small, persistent bubbles. On the nose, there was an entire fruit bowl— green apples, pears, peach, and apricots, with a touch of toast. In the mouth, there were granny smith apples, pears, and peaches, with a touch of something yeasty. The sparkler had a nice acidity, although there was something funny that I couldn’t identify on the finish.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll definitely have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $40, this sparkling wine offers everything you expect from a traditional Champagne, but nothing more. It was enjoyable on its own and would probably pair well with Red, Hot, and Blue’s southern BBQ, but for my condo association’s holiday party, I’m looking for something that is less “average” and “knock-my-socks.” In this price range, there are other traditional Champagnes that I’m going to turn to, but if you end up with a bottle of the Taittinger Brut Champagne, you won’t be going wrong.

Overall: 3 Corks

No Bubbles, No Bubbly & BBQ Bash

$11-$20, 2 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Dec 142009

This time of year is generally a period of craziness at work and at home. At work, there’s usually an end-of-the-year push to finish major projects before we enter a 4-week slow period. At the same time, there are also work-related holiday parties almost every night, so while work pulls in one direction, the social aspects of my job pull in another. None of that even begins to take into account the personal parties that Hubby and I are invited to, so with all of the work and festivities, life quickly gets complicated. Last week was a particularly busy one because my largest project since starting the new job was due Thursday. Fortunately, on Tuesday, I had a good, solid day of work and was able to make significant progress before heading home at a not-too-late hour. I used the evening to focus on planning my condo association’s holiday party—a Bubbly & BBQ Bash. Of course part of planning means tasting all of the sparkling wine before purchasing it in large quantities, and what better way to spend the later part of my evening than tasting Prosecco.

The Vignal Prosecco la Delizia (winery) was a medium lemon color with surprisingly few bubbles that streamed up to the top of my glass in a slowly rising, single column. One the nose, there were apricots and peaches mixed with an artificial lemon scent. In the mouth, the sparkler was fizzy instead of bubbly and tasted like licking a lemon-scented handi-wipe, with the slightest hint of nectarines and peaches on the finish.

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 $12, this Prosecco wasn’t expensive, but it also wasn’t very good. I was really glad that I tasted this sparkler before the Bubbly & BBQ Bash, since there are other Proseccos at the same price point that I think would be more enjoyable and a better match with Red, Hot, and Blue’s traditional smokehouse Southern BBQ. Don’t get me wrong, I finished the bottle, but I prefer less handi-wipe flavors and more intense bubbles and fruit characteristics in my Prosecco.

Overall: 2 Corks

Swapping Sparkling Shiraz

$11-$20, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 1 Response »

Oct 142009

After a long, crazy day at work, there is very little that helps me decompress like a glass of wine, except for a glass of wine paired with some knitting. While this can obviously be a dangerous pairing, particularly when drinking more than one glass of wine, it can also be a great way to unwind. In many ways, the type of I’m using yarn can enhance the tasting experience, as there is nothing quite like knitting with a luscious piece of yarn that glides through your fingers while drink a full-bodied, velvety red that fills your mouth in much the same way as the yarn fills your hands.

Not surprisingly, in the same way that wine lovers have social networks like Wine 2.0 or Boozemonkey, which bring together all aspects of the wine industry (wine lovers, winemakers, sommeliers, vineyards, wine marketers, wine bloggers, etc), knitters have the Ravelry, which brings together all aspects of the knitting industry (knitters, crocheters, designers, independent dyers, spinners, store owners, etc.). Being the joiner that I am, I love talking with other knitters on Ravlery. What’s even more exciting is that I found a wonderful forum of knitters that are also fellow wine lovers, so it was only natural that this group started arranging yarn and wine swaps.

Our most recent swap centered around sharing Australian wine. My swapper, DiverGrrl, bought most of the items she sent from local stores. With the help of sommelier Frederick Armstrong at Wine About It, she purchased a bottle of The Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz and paired it with beautiful Imperial Stock Ranch yarn from Abundant Yarn. She also sent a cute sheep pin and stitch markers that she made herself.

The Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz (winery, snooth) was Shiraz and Viognier grapes and had a very deep purplish ruby, with small persistent bubbles. On the nose, the Shiraz was very subtle, with mostly berry aromas. In the mouth, the wine was surprisingly fruity. There were blackberry, plum, cocoa powder, and licorice flavors, mixed with a hint of something medicinal—maybe eucalyptus. However, while I expected the wine to be very bubbly on the tongue, it was fizzier more than anything else, and the fizz faded rather quickly. The Shiraz had a full body with soft tannins, and the finish was short.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll definitely have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $16, this wine would be an ok choice if you’re dying to try a Sparkling Shiraz, but it’s not a wine that I would purposefully go looking for. I also think that I’ve decided that Sparkling Shiraz is just not my thing. It’s not that I would turn down a glass if it were offered, but I prefer the full body and the solid tannins of a good still Shiraz to the bubbles of a sparkling one. It just feels funny to have the heavier red wine mixed with bubbles, although it’s definitely something you should try if you haven’t already.

Thanks, DiverGrrl, for sending a great package of yarn and wine!

Overall: 3 Corks

Shining Sunlight on Lunetta

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

Oct 062009

I’m finally emerging from 5 days of the Fall bug that decimated my office. My nose is still stuffy, so tasting wine is still on hold, but this break from opening new wines is giving me a chance to catch up on a few reviews that I haven’t had a chance to share. So, here is a bubbly to celebrate my being back to work and back to posting.

The Lunetta Prosecco (winery, snooth), which is part of the Cavit Collection,was a nice medium lemon with bubbles dancing all over the glass. On the nose, there were apple, lemon, and yellow grapefruit aromas, followed by the slightest hint of yeast. In the mouth, the Prosecco had a beautiful, citrusy freshness. The wine had a light body with a crisp acidity that lingered.

Is this worth a glass after work? Sure…you won’t be drinking anything out of the ordinary, but you’ll definitely have a decent, reliable glass of wine. At $9, this is a good sparkling wine that is perfect if you’re trying to watch your wallet or looking for “everyday” bubbles. The wine wasn’t very complex, but I don’t expect a lot of complexity from a Prosecco. That said, the flavors in the finish were disappointingly short, so if you’re willing to spend a little more money, you can get a sparkling wine that offers a little more than this one. Overall, though, you could definitely do worse. The Lunetta Prosecco was nice on its own and paired well with a citrus-and-ginger roasted chicken.

Overall: 3 Corks

Older Entries

Bubbly & True Blood: A Perfect Sunday Evening

Work “World Tour of Wine” Tasting

Bland Bubbly

Books, Haikus, and Wine

Bubbly & BBQ Bash...The Results

A Little Birdie

Popping the Cork on a Wednesday Night

No Bubbles, No Bubbly & BBQ Bash

Swapping Sparkling Shiraz

Shining Sunlight on Lunetta

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