Tonight, we decided to do Saturday Sippin' a few days early since we actually have plans for Saturday (woo hoo!). We selected a 2003 bottle from D.O. Bierzo and had high hopes for this Spanish red. Alas, the wine was extremely acidic, and we ended up pouring it down the drain. Double-checked the cork: it looked fine. We had been storing it properly, and it came from our local wine store, so we assumed that it was taken care of there. Somewhere, something had happened to this particular bottle. We've always enjoyed Spanish reds from Jumilla and Rioja, and we were curious to taste one from Bierzo. It wasn't meant to be tonight.
As consolation, we opened Two Buck Chuck Shiraz. It's cheap and basic but drinkable.
Here is a neat website all about Spanish wine.
We might try to sneak in another review this weekend, but otherwise, look for an update later in August. We're on the road again starting next week. Maybe we'll try to hit some Southern wineries, as long as the kids are willing.
Salud!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Back to Reality
We first spent nearly two weeks in New Hampshire, and then Kath attended a writing conference at Antioch College. Hence, we haven't been very consistent with our blog recently, but now it's back to business...at least until our next trip, which will take us South. Anyway, on to the drinking!
We did some sipping on Saturday, but it was of the gin variety and not our usual wine. Following our sojourn in Spain, Kath had been obsessed with finding lemon soda so she could make a ginlemon. Her search took her 45 minutes south to Jungle Jim's, a Cincinnati-area grocery store known for having pretty much any international product imaginable (we also went there to pick up some Asian produce). After scouring the massive market, we found Italian limonata and happily went home to make our beverages. Later that evening, we stumbled across the exact same Italian soda - for fifty cents less! - at our nearby Trader Joe's. The moral of the story: stay local, especially with spiking gas prices.
Today it was back to wine, and we opened a bottle of Masi Campofiorin Ripasso 2002. This wine was paired with a Maple Smoked Cheddar made by Grafton Village Cheese Company, Vermont. We should quickly point out that we did not do the pairing; rather, our lovely, local wine store has a wine and cheese of the month club, of which we are members.
The wine was a warm, cherry-red color, which contrasted nicely with the golden pale cheese. Daryl's mom also joined us in our tasting, and she was first to note that the wine was semi-dry, although Daryl thought it leaned a little more towards dry. He described it best: It hit the entire palate smoothly with an enjoyable finish. Tannins and acidity were low to medium. It balanced very well with the sharp, smoky cheese. Kath, in a poetic mood (she did, after all, just finish an intense writing workshop), rambled on for a few moments about the yin and yang of the wine and the cheese, of the contradictory pairing of the subtle wine and the strong cheese. Daryl was quick to remind her that she was no longer surrounded by other like-minded folks and that he had no idea what the hell she was talking about.
To sum things up, we liked the wine and really enjoyed nibbling the cheese in between sips. We'll be back next weekend!
We did some sipping on Saturday, but it was of the gin variety and not our usual wine. Following our sojourn in Spain, Kath had been obsessed with finding lemon soda so she could make a ginlemon. Her search took her 45 minutes south to Jungle Jim's, a Cincinnati-area grocery store known for having pretty much any international product imaginable (we also went there to pick up some Asian produce). After scouring the massive market, we found Italian limonata and happily went home to make our beverages. Later that evening, we stumbled across the exact same Italian soda - for fifty cents less! - at our nearby Trader Joe's. The moral of the story: stay local, especially with spiking gas prices.
Today it was back to wine, and we opened a bottle of Masi Campofiorin Ripasso 2002. This wine was paired with a Maple Smoked Cheddar made by Grafton Village Cheese Company, Vermont. We should quickly point out that we did not do the pairing; rather, our lovely, local wine store has a wine and cheese of the month club, of which we are members.
The wine was a warm, cherry-red color, which contrasted nicely with the golden pale cheese. Daryl's mom also joined us in our tasting, and she was first to note that the wine was semi-dry, although Daryl thought it leaned a little more towards dry. He described it best: It hit the entire palate smoothly with an enjoyable finish. Tannins and acidity were low to medium. It balanced very well with the sharp, smoky cheese. Kath, in a poetic mood (she did, after all, just finish an intense writing workshop), rambled on for a few moments about the yin and yang of the wine and the cheese, of the contradictory pairing of the subtle wine and the strong cheese. Daryl was quick to remind her that she was no longer surrounded by other like-minded folks and that he had no idea what the hell she was talking about.
To sum things up, we liked the wine and really enjoyed nibbling the cheese in between sips. We'll be back next weekend!
Monday, July 03, 2006
Some Summer Samples
We're on vacation but couldn't resist posting a few wines that we've been drinking, in addition to the various beers (love the Sam Adams Summer Brew).
Tonight, Daryl grilled up some delicious Angus Ribeyes, and with these we drank our favorite Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon (2003). We also opened a Smoking Loon 2004 Syrah, recommended by Liz, and Frontier Red 2004 from Fess Parker Winery. This we picked up in a very nice little wine shop in Wallingford, CT.
At dinner last night, we ordered a Chateau Ste. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA...not sure of the year, most likely 2003 or '04). Liked it, but a little sweeter than what we normally prefer. It went very well with Kath's salmon and Daryl's seafood assortment.
Kath's mom loves Talus 2005 Pinot Noir (California), and we picked up a bottle to bring home. Not a bad wine for under $10, and we're always looking for a good buy!
Happy 4th!
Tonight, Daryl grilled up some delicious Angus Ribeyes, and with these we drank our favorite Franciscan Cabernet Sauvignon (2003). We also opened a Smoking Loon 2004 Syrah, recommended by Liz, and Frontier Red 2004 from Fess Parker Winery. This we picked up in a very nice little wine shop in Wallingford, CT.
At dinner last night, we ordered a Chateau Ste. Michelle Johannesburg Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA...not sure of the year, most likely 2003 or '04). Liked it, but a little sweeter than what we normally prefer. It went very well with Kath's salmon and Daryl's seafood assortment.
Kath's mom loves Talus 2005 Pinot Noir (California), and we picked up a bottle to bring home. Not a bad wine for under $10, and we're always looking for a good buy!
Happy 4th!
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