White wine » A Glass After Work

Octavin Wine Night at Lima

$21-$30, 2 Corks, 2.5 Corks, 3 Corks, Prices, Ratings 3 Responses »

Aug 032010

***I attended this event for free ***

Last Monday night, I attended a wine event at Lima Restaurant & Lounge in DC, where I not only tasted a number of Underdog Wine Merchants’ wines, all of which were in the Octavin Home Wine Bar box, but also met and talked with a number of fellow wine bloggers and tweeps.

2009 Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc

For most attendees, the evening started out with the 2008 Monthaven Winery Chardonnay, which I received as a sample earlier in the month. Therefore, I skipped tasting that wine and went straight for the 2009 Silver Birch Sauvignon Blanc (website, snooth). The Silver Birch was 100% New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc grapes and had a pale lemon-yellow color. As I mentioned on Twitter, there was a great, citrusy nose—pink grapefruits and lemons. In the mouth, though, the wine could have offered a little more. It had a wetnap-like lemon taste and was missing the vegetal characteristics that make a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc so unique. The wine had a light body and medium-to-high acidity. At a suggested retail price of $24 for 3 Liters, the Silver Birch Octavin Home Wine Bar is definitely a cost effective way to have wine at a party, BBQ, or picnic. However, to be honest, buying this wine should more about cost and quantity than quality. It’s not a bad wine, but it’s not a great wine, either. Overall: 3 Corks

As I was finishing up my tasting notes on the Silver Birch, I started talking with Virginia Writing Wino, Ellen. Ellen only recently started wine blogging, so we had a wonderful time talking about how she started, Virginia wines (since that is her blog’s focus), and the Octavin wines, while eating Lima’s tasty beef and potato empanadas and to-die-for chicken and butter shrimp skewers.

2009 Big House White

The next wine of the night was the 2009 Big House White (website, snooth). The Big House White is a blend of 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Grüner Veltliner, 5% Pinto Gris, and 4% Riesling grapes. The wine was a very light straw yellow color. On the nose, there were white flower and honeysuckle blossoms, followed by a hint of stone fruit. In the mouth, there were flowers, stones fruits, and a touch of salinity and something metallic. Considering the sweetness of the nose, the wine was surprisingly dry. It had a light-to-medium body and low acidity. At a suggested retail price of $22 for 3 Liters, this wine just didn’t cut it for me. I wanted to like this wine, particularly after talking with artisan winemaker Georgetta Dane, who was at the event. Unfortunately, though, the wine felt a little flabby and lacked a strong personality. Overall: 2 Corks

Almost as soon as I finished my tasting notes for the Big House White, a couple walked up to me and asked if I was Alleigh. To my delight, I was face-to-face with Mark, from WineLife365, and his wife. Mark and I started blogging within months of each other, so a natural friendship has developed as our blogs have grown. While we have exchanged numerous emails and blog comments, this was the first time we met in real life, and I’m so glad that we had the opportunity.

After meeting Mark and his wife, I chatted briefly with LoganDC. Logan was another person at the event that I hadn’t met before, even though we’ve tweeted with each other on numerous occasions and have several wine friends in common. Hopefully, we’ll have a chance to do a live Twitter tasting in the near future.

Bodegas Osborne’s Seven

After talking with Logan, I skipped tasting the Big House Red, since I reviewed it a couple of weeks ago, and, instead, went for a glass of Bodegas Osborne’s Seven (winery, snooth). Seven is made with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Tempranillo, 8% Grenache, and 8% Graciano grapes and had a medium-to-dark purple color. On the nose and in the mouth, there was smoked meat, smoked meat, and more smoked meat, followed by a hint of violets and berries. The wine had a medium body, medium tannins, and medium acidity. At a suggested retail price of $22 for 3 Liters, this wine was ok. I preferred the Big House Red, although several people I talked with throughout the night liked Seven better, so, clearly, the preference was up for grabs. Overall: 2.5 Corks

2008 Boho Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel

By this point in the night, I met back up with Mark and his wife, who were talking with DC Budget Wine Examiner, Rob, and we tasted the last of the wines—the 2008 Boho Vineyards Old Vine Zinfandel (winery, snooth). The wine was a nice, dark purplish ruby. On the nose, there were dark berries and plums with a hint of cooking spice. In the mouth, there was berry jam and spice. At a suggested retail price of $24 for 3 Liters, this was my favorite wine of the night. It wasn’t unpleasantly jammy or overbearing in alcohol, which can sometimes be a problem with Zins, and while the wine didn’t offer anything different, it was decent. Overall: 3 Corks.

After the event, Mark, his wife, and I were fortunate enough to eat dinner at Lima with Cork’d gurus, Lindsay and Jon, and Patricia Schneider Associates marketing wizards, Patricia and Shelia. The food mirrored the excellent appetizers that were served during the event and the service was impeccable. The group’s conversation flowed over the delicious ceviches, guava-glazed BBQ ribs, lobster baked with mango-lime butter, and mussels in an Albariño, lime, cilantro and chili sauce. Before any of us realized, it was midnight and time to head our separate ways.

2008 Big House Red being poured at Lima Restaurant & Lounge

Overall, the event was wonderful. I had a chance to see the Octavin Home Wine Bar in action, taste some new reds and whites, eat fabulous food, and meet wine bloggers and tweeps that I’ve been corresponding with for over a year. Thanks to Stephen from Patricia Schneider Associates for inviting me to attend as a guest. I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to meet, but I had a great time and really appreciated the opportunity.

A Paragon: Sauvignon Blanc

$11-$20, 3.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Jul 282010

2008 Edna Valley Vineyard Paragon Sauvignon Blanc

Last Monday was one of those days that reminded me of how different my job can be. Looking at the Capitol building every day, sometimes I start to take for granted that I live in an amazing city that is full of intelligent and interesting people, and the thrill of being on the floor of the House of Representatives while Members of Congress debate the merits of various pieces of legislation was the perfect reminder of what makes DC such a special city and what makes my job very exciting. By the time I arrived home on Monday night, I was ready to open a nice bottle of cool white wine to celebrate the perfect start to the final stretch of the latest busy season at work.

The 2008 Edna Valley Vineyard Paragon Sauvignon Blanc (winery, snooth) was a pale, lemon yellow. On the nose, there were yellow grapefruits, mangos, pineapples, and a hint of limes and grass. In the mouth, there were yellow grapefruits, limes, pineapples, and a hint of oranges, wet stone, and grass. The wine had a light body with bright acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $16, this wine was refreshing and food-friendly. Hubby made seared scallops for dinner, which turned out to be a nice pairing, as the wine did not overpower the light flavor of the scallops. After spending the day wearing a suit in the ridiculously hot weather that has been plaguing the DC area, this Sauvignon Blanc had the crispness I needed to cool off and relax throughout the evening.

Overall: 3.5 Corks

In Love With Paul D

$10 and lower, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Jul 202010

Last week was a big week for me—full of late nights at the office, soup and heated leftovers for dinner, and alarm clocks that buzzed too early in the morning. There was added stress to the week because the project I was working on was one of the biggest that my immediate supervisor will work on this year, and it was the first time that I was running a project like this one. If things didn’t work properly, I would be responsible for making both my immediate supervisor and myself look bad. So, I spent the last few weeks preparing, making sure that I worked out all of the nitty gritty details, could answer obscure questions about the project, and was prepared for the unexpected. My coworkers assured me that the controlled chaos before a big project like this was normal, and they all were amazing in how they helped me when I needed it. All in all, I think The Big Boss was happy with the results, and by Thursday night, the last day of this stage of the project, I was exhausted. All I wanted to do was to come home, get in my day’s run, eat dinner, and relax with Hubby and a glass of wine that I was sure would hit the spot—a 2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner.

2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner

The 2008 Paul D Grüner Veltliner (winery, snooth) was 100% Grüner Veltliner. The wine was a medium gold color with some visible bubbles. On the nose, there were peaches, Lifesaver candies, limes, oranges, and a hint of pineapple. In the mouth, there were limes, mandarin oranges (not the syrup, just the oranges), and Lifesaver candies. The wine had a light body, bright acidity, and a touch of spritziness that adds to the freshness.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for? At $10, this wine was a steal. It not only was perfect to pair with a light meal, but also deliciously enjoyable on its own. I first tasted this wine when preparing for the “World Tour of Wine” tasting I put together for work, and I fell in love with it immediately. Since then, I brought it a party, where my friend and her husband couldn’t get enough of the wine, saying several times how easy it was to drink because it was fresh, fruity, and didn’t taste like drinking an alcoholic drink. I have also opened a few bottles at home for my own enjoyment, and the bottle I opened on Thursday night was a nice compliment to the lemon pepper chicken with steamed carrots and green beans that Hubby made for dinner. If you see this wine, you should definitely grab it. You won’t be disappointed.

Overall: 4.5 Corks

A Riesling Rave

$11-$20, 4.5 Corks, Prices, Ratings 4 Responses »

Jul 152010

The short week following July 4^th was very quiet for most of my colleagues, but, because the next big phase in my project is going public in mid-July, there was very little break for me. That said, this will be the first time since I started my new job that I’m bringing a project into this next phase, and it has been an amazing experience. Obviously, every project has its obstacles, but I’m learning a lot and excited to see how things will unfold throughout the rest of the month. My project’s progress means that I’ve been working a lot, so I cherish my glass of wine when I finally walk in the door at the end of the day.

Combining my crazy work schedule with the scorching temperatures of last week, left Hubby and me eating lighter meals and opening up some cool, refreshing white wine. On my first day back to work after the holiday, I came home to a chilled Riesling, which was a nice accompaniment to the seared scallops and steamed fresh green beans that Hubby made for dinner.

2008 Loosen Bros. Dr. L Riesling

The 2008 Loosen Bros. Dr. L Riesling (winery, snooth) was a very pale lemon color with a few bubbles. On the nose, there was a lot of citrus—lime, lemon, and grapefruit—with a touch of honeydew and apple. In the mouth, there were mandarin oranges, canned peaches, and honeydew, followed by limes and pink grapefruit. There was a hint of sweetness behind the acidity, and the spritziness added freshness to the wine.

Is this worth a glass after work? It’s worth more than one! What are you waiting for? At $13, this wine smells like a springtime morning and is refreshing in the heat of summer. The wine was delicious on its own, but also paired well with the scallops. It was particularly nice after dinner, as the sweetness kept dessert cravings at bay without being overbearing and syrupy. All the way around, this was a great wine, particularly for the price.

Overall: 4.5 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.

Affection For An Austrian White

$10 and lower, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 1 Response »

Jun 082010

Clearly, the last three weeks have been very busy ones, as I haven’t had a chance to write-up the wines I’ve been tasting. The week of May 17th was a particularly busy one, as I had two major projects due (one on Tuesday and one on Thursday), although until the Tuesday afternoon deadline actually arrived, it was unclear as to whether or not Project #1 was going to be delayed. As you can imagine, the situation required several days of lengthy meetings and numerous emails, all while creating an increased level of stress and tension. Once the deadline arrived and the project was finished, though, everyone was happy with the results. Ultimately, there is still work that needs to be done, but, by the time Tuesday night arrived, I was excited to have completed Phase 1 of what has turned into a larger project. With several bottles of wine waiting in my wine rack to be tasted in preparation for a wine tasting, it was difficult to choose which to open in celebration. Ultimately, a Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling blend won.

2008 Carnuntina White

The 2008 Carnuntina White (winery) is made with 50% Grüner Veltliner and 50% Welschriesling grapes and had a very pale, greenish-yellow color. On the nose, there were bright fruits—green apples, peaches, and apricots—followed by a hint of white flower blossoms, lemons, and lime. In the mouth, there were green apples, peaches, lemons, limes, herb sprigs, and a touch of white pepper. The wine had a lime-like acid, a light body, and a touch of oxidation bubbles.

Is this worth a glass after work? Definitely! If you see this wine in the store, grab it; you won’t be disappointed. At $10, this wine doesn’t have a lot of complexity, but it’s refreshing and easy-to-drink. Hubby made seared scallops and steamed green beans for dinner, which were the perfect accompaniment for this light, summery wine. What is particularly nice about the Carnuntina White is that it offers something a little different than the traditional, light summer white wines without breaking the piggy bank.

Overall: 4 Corks

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

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

White Wine & Thoughts of Spring

$11-$20, 4 Corks, Prices, Ratings 4 Responses »

Mar 082010

Anyone who has been a regular reader knows my love of Michel-Schlumberger wines, although, generally, I tend to stick with their reds. However, as last week’s weather was warm enough for me to put away my scarf and the workload was high enough to make me long for summer vacation, I couldn’t resist the urge to come home on Thursday and open a bottle of white wine that I hoped would hint of spring, flowers, and warmer things to come. Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc expertly fulfilled my wish.

2008 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc

The 2008 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc (winery, snooth) was an organic wine with a light, straw-like yellow color. On the nose, there were pineapples, mangos, white blossoms, and orange skittles. In the mouth, there was grass, parsley, herbs, and a hint of tropical fruits, white pepper, and something bitter. The wine had high acidity and a light 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 $21, the wine paired nicely with cheese and was also quite enjoyable on its own. The gorgeous aromas were like a combination of fruit salad and summer flowers, and they were highlighted perfectly with flavors that were grassy and herbaceous, while reminiscent of the fruits on the nose. When these aromas and flavors were matched with the high acidity, the wine was a refreshing mouthful that radiated of spring time. What was particularly nice about this wine was that it offered something a little different from the everyday Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc without being overly expensive.

Overall: 4 Corks

White Wine & Thoughts of Spring

4 Corks, Prices, Ratings No Responses »

Mar 082010

2008 Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc

Overall: 4 Corks

Older Entries

Octavin Wine Night at Lima

A Paragon: Sauvignon Blanc

In Love With Paul D

A Riesling Rave

Work “World Tour of Wine” Tasting

Affection For An Austrian White

Monday Night With A Spanish White

Springtime Sauvignon Blanc

White Wine & Thoughts of Spring

White Wine & Thoughts of Spring

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