Follow Me On Facebook

I've created a Facebook for Seattle Wine Girl...finally! I started my blog out to see how many people would actually read my blog, as I know there are so many others out there to read. To my pleasant surprise, I have been blessed with so many that follow and I've been asked by several if I'm on Facebook, so I finally decided to create one.
Please check out my page at: https://www.facebook.com/SeattleWineGirl?ref=hl
and 'Like" it. 
I will still be posting my updates my blog but Facebook will be more current.  Hope to see you there!

Cheers!!

This Week's Events at Seattle Wine World

Here's a few things going on this week at Seattle Wine World.  I'll be attending the tastings on Thursday, Friday and Saturday - if anyone is interested in going with me, let me know! I'd love some company.  :)
CHEERS!

Arnie's Pick of the Week!
Bila Haut Occultum Lapidem - Was $31.99 Today Only $24.99
 This bold blend from Michel Chapoutier is Grenache from 70 year old vines and slowly ripened Syrah giving powerful, silky-smooth tannins and an elegant bouquet and a sophisticated flavour in the mouth.
92 Points Robert Parker

Free Tastings Every Day At Our Tasting Bar
 
WEDNESDAY - MEET THE BREWER
 Tonight Featuring Widmer Brewing
 
Tonight We Are Launching Our Growler Bar!
Thanks for your support in bringing this new feature to life!
 
 Now featuring these 5 brews not available in bottle and only on tap:
Fremont Seasonal
 Mac n Jacks Amber
 Georgetown Manny's Pale Ale
 Diamond Knot Porter
 Emerald City Pale
 Bring In Your Growler or Squeeler Bottle or Buy One Here!
 
THURSDAY - OVER 90 Pts Under $20
 Try selections from our 90 Under $20 Wall!
 Free - 6-8 pm
 
FRIDAY - ROBERT HALL TASTING & SIGNING
 Meet the legendary Robert Hall himself and try his current releases from this premier Paso Robles winemaker!
 Free - 6-8 pm
 
SATURDAY
 Heirloom Tomato Tasting, Pinot Noir & Garnacha
 Free - 2-5 pm
 
 Also Featuring
Waving Tree Winery
 
SUNDAY WEDDING TASTING
 Free - 2-5 pm
 If you have a big event or are getting married, this free tasting features over 50 wines under $10 that are perfect for your party or reception! Our experts can help you plan what you'll need and keep your costs down!

 Private Wedding Tastings Available For $100 By Appointment
 email davidl@wineworldspirits.com
 
 Sounders Fans - Come By Next Monday!
 Try a selection of Columbia Crest Wines & Meet Marc Burch
 Get Your Picture Taken With Him & Autographs/Memorabilia Signed
 Tasting 6-8 pm
 
 
 

Wine Quiz and a Couple of Local Seattle Wine Events

Here's a couple little fun things for ya that I found from The Juice.  Enjoy!

Wine Quiz Question

Methyl octalactones imparted to wine by the wood from aging in oak barrels can be an important source of aroma development in wines meant for aging. What aroma characteristic do they give to a wine?

A. Leather
B. Vanilla
C. Toasted bread
D. Coconut




Did anyone guess D - Coconut? 
The coconut smell that often marks older wines that have been aged in oak is the result of methyl octalactones, isomers that originate from lipids. These are often seen in older Gran Reserva wines from Rioja, which undergo significant periods of aging in American oak.


Seattle Local Featured Events

Aug 25
Fundraiser for Seattle Humane Society
http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/433420
Kirkland | $20

Sep 09
Barbera Release Party
http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/438585
Bothell | Free

Sep 15
Jazz and Juice
http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/434369
Kirkland | $20

Sep 16
Chocolate and Wine: The 2 Basic Food Groups
http://www.localwineevents.com/events/detail/434370
Kirkland | $25



Cheers!!

A New View on Riesling's

I’m not sure how many of you out there enjoy Rieslings, or if many of you are like me and usually steer clear of them, because I’ve always thought they were too sweet.

Well, I decided to not be close minded any longer and venture out and try some different Rieslings (with the suggestions from some of my ‘wine-o’ friends) and have found that there ARE some very good Rieslings out there, that aren’t as sweet as I thought they all would be – in fact, I discovered that a Riesling is almost a wild-card wine, if you will.  There are several taste combinations such as: tart and dry, soft and slightly sweet, super sweet with more sweet and of course, tart and sweet.

I tasted 2 from Washington State:

Charles Smith Kung Fu Girl 2011 – This Riesling was quite tasty…it had tastes of green apple with other citrus fruits on the front of the palate, but the finish was a nice and soft melon flavor that was not dry at all. When I first tasted it, I almost thought “Oh no! This is exactly why I don’t drink Rieslings!” But as I finished the taste, it was really nice. I love a wine that pleasantly surprises me. Once again, Charles Smith Wineries knocked it out of the park. J  This wine will retail anywhere from $12.00 to $16.00.

Milbrandt Traditional 2010 – Now this one surprised me…It was the first one I tasted when I started my “research”.  A friend of mine poured me a taste and asked me to blindly guess the varietal – I guessed a Sauvignon Blanc – Wrong! See what I mean…Rieslings are the wild card wine, I swear!  J This has flavors of peaches, apricots and grapefruit all rolled in one, on the front of the palate. As it finishes it softens with a subtle hint of spice – it was delicious.  Another good “go-to’ wine….I’m really starting to have too many of those.  J This wine will retail anywhere from $10.00 - $15.00.

Then….I tasted 2 from Germany along the Mosel River

Selbach Oster Kabinett 2010 – Two words…Dee Lish! I think I liked it this one so well because it was right up my alley as far as taste and tannin’s go. The flavors in this Riesling were similar to the Milbrandt, peaches, soft melon flavor and just really, really light. The tannins were active on the front of the palate but settled down really quick.  This wine would go good with or without food and is served best (I think) with a light chill – not super cold, just lightly. It’s too light to be served to too chilly.  This wine will retail anywhere from $13.00 - $20.00.

Monchhof Estate 2010 – Completely different from the Selbach - but just up on the Mosel Rover, not far away.  This wine had its own character – a little sweet for me but still very good.  The flavors on this wine were apples and nectarines on the front palate, with a light sweet finish. The taste kind of hangs with you a little after wards.  So, to balance the sweet, I enjoyed this wine with a couple slices of damgoode pies pizza,(yes, its the name of a pizza place) which went together quite well.  Some of you “sweet” wine drinkers, I think, will really like this one if drinking without food.  Funny how 2 wines from the same grape and same region can taste almost like 2 different varietals.   This wine will retail anywhere from $16.00 - $25.00.

Well, I hope I’ve shed some light for some of you who may have been steering clear of Rieslings, there really are a lot of different flavors in a Riesling and like I said above, I like being pleasantly surprised. Hope y’all try some of the ones I’ve tasted and send me your tasting notes…what did you think of the wine?

Cheers!

Kelli's Wine Event July 14th, 2012

Well, my wine event has come and gone and as usual.... a great time was had by all.  We did a blind tasting of 8 wines in a progression manor and started with soft, sweet whites and progressed into a Rose' and then moved on in to some reds.  The wines we tasted (in order) were....

1) Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley - 2010 Walnut City Wineworks
2) Chablis from Burgandy - 2008 Meuliere
3) Sauvignon Blanc from Casablanca Valley - 2010 Chono
4) White Blend from Willamette Valley - 2010 Borealis
5) Cabernet Syrah Rose' from France - 2011 Domaine des Lauriers
6) Pinot Noir from Willmatte Valley - 2010 Boedecker
7) Grenache & Merlot Blend from France - 2007 Vin de Pays
8) Cabernet from Claifornia - 2010 Freakshow Michael and David Vineyards

The Chablis we tasted was one of the wines that was one that had hoped would throw everyone for a loop...and it did.  No one guessed it was a Chablis.  It tasted much like a Chardonnay with a crisp, clean finish. Not too sweet.  Was a great white wine.
The Grenache and Merlot Blend was a fan favorite and was also one that no one could guess the vareitals that made the wine. It's got alot of cooked fruit flavors and has a nice dry finish on the back of the palate. It compared quite nicely to the Freakshow Cab.

My next event will be a tasting and include some wine education, as I noticed my audience at this event wanted to know a little more about the grapes and a little less on the chugging.  :)
 I'll keep you posted on the date for the next event. 
Thanks Everyone for coming and I look forward to the next one. 

Cheers!

2009 Freakshow Cabernet - Michael David Winery

I tried Freakshow for the 1^st from an Enomatic machine, at The Wine Cellar in Fayetteville Arkansas…and was completely in awe.  I thought to myself “every time I’m looking for a ‘jammy’ wine – this is exactly what I want!” I liked it so much, as soon as I got home to Seattle, I bought a ½ case – for my personal inventory.  Of course, it’s been a week so it’s almost gone by now.  Woopsie Daisy! J

 The Freakshow is a full bodied Cabernet with a bit of Petit Verdot. The rim variation has a brown rim, with deep dark red in the middle – the aromas are of spice, berries and tobacco. 
At 1^st taste on the palate, the full body comes out immediately with its black cherries, plum, smoke and very light spice, as you swallow and hit the back of the palate that’s when the tobacco comes out along with the black cherries and plum. It’s a very different wine, full of all kinds of flavors and oh, so good!  The tasting notes on their website say there’s a flavor of bubblegum, but I didn’t get that…but as we all know, everyone’s palates are different. Taste it and see what you get.  

 Freakshow is made my Michael David Winery in Lodi, CA….according to their website, several of their wines are made “not of the norm”.  I had never heard of  these winemakers before my Enomatic experience, but bot I’m glad I did….I will definitely be trying more of their wines as this one touched my soft spot – the heart. J It’s my new “go-to” wine and I would definitely recommend anyone who likes full-bodied wines to give it a try.  I’m also planning on making a trip to the vineyard and doing some REAL tasting. J

Cheers and Enjoy!

http://www.michaeldavidwinery.com/

A few things about wine...and the blog.

Well, it's been quite some time since I've posted a wine blog, and I want to apologize...the only thing I can blame - is my job. That pesky, pesky job that seems to continue to get in the way of my social life...however! If I didn't have the pesky job, I wouldn't be fortunate enough to afford my wonderful wine habit, meet the wonderful people I do at the wonderful wine tastings, and write these wonderful blogs. 
But please note! I have done quite a bit of "wine research" since my last blog and will be posting several wine reviews over the next few days, so please watch for them as there are some exciting new ones I've tried and cant wait to share them with you.
I hope to inundate anyone with blogs....but they're about wine!!! How can you not love them?!?  hahahaha. 

Also, on another note - I am working on another date/time for a "Kelli's no longer just girls wine tasting party." It's looking like it will for sure be on July 14th - but the time hasn't been nailed down yet. So stay tuned for that as this one is going to be, yet again - a little different format but just as much fun - if not more! Soooo looking forward to it. 

Thanks Everyone - Stay tuned for "Wine Reviews from a non-Semmolier but someone who REALLY likes wine". 

Cheers!

Warre’s Otima 10 – 10 Year Tawny Port

2 Words….Dee. Lish!  This wine/port was brought to me as a birthday gift, from my daughter Chelsea’s friend, Anthony….I know – a friend that’s a boy bringing wine to her Mom (and good wine!)…trust me, I’m all over it. Nice guy though.

The Tawny Port, I’ll admit – not a wine I would normally even think about trying as I’m not a big sweet wine drinker. ..BUT!  I’m glad I tried it – it added a new wine to my list and I’ll drink it again, given the chance – of course next time, I’ll have some cheesecake with it. J

The Tawny Port’s rim variation was fairly red, but brown around the edges, so it was definitely an older wine, that’s been stored in an oak cask.  The aromas were of sweet smoke, with hints of cinnamon and the flavors…oh the flavors….very pungent on the front of the palate with flavors of a spicy caramel, honey and sweet, sweet coffee.  It has a nice long finish, with honey (again and still), and almost a little plum.  There are a lot of flavors in this port and if you like activity in your wine/port…this is the one to try.

I truly enjoyed the wine/port, as well as the company I had while drinking it.  Like I said, next time I’ll have it with some cheesecake, as it’s definitely a dessert wine, but awfully delicious.

The Warre’s founded Otima in 1670 and are from Portugal.  They have been making wines/ports that have exceeded in medals, awards and all kinds of good reviews for over 300 years.  Give this port a try when given the opportunity, as it is definitely one that won’t disappoint.

http://warre.com/

Cheers!!

Del Dotto 2008 Cabernet Side-by-Side Tasting

As some of you may know, I have been quite partial to California Wines – however, I am especially partial to the Del Dotto family and their wines…also out of California. Why?? The only way I can answer that is with 2 words…Silk. Juice.

The Del Dotto tasting rooms, located in Napa Valley and also has a location in St. Helena  have proven with no doubt, that they know what they know how to make good wine.  There wine is not distributed, so you won’t find it on a shelf at QFC, Safeway or even at Wine World – BUT! If you’d like to find truth in my words – go to the tasting rooms yourself, do some barrel tasting and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.

We did a side-by-side tasting the other night of two, 2008 100% Cabernet’s.  They were both grown in the St. Helena  Appellations of the Napa Valley, one grown on the western side of the St. Helena Appellations and the other grown in south side of the St. Helena  Appellations.  The difference??  You wouldn’t think it’d be much, but – Wow!  Very distinctive in their own flavors.

The blue label, from the south side in Appellation 887, had much bigger flavors and was quite bold. There were deep flavors of plum and subtle blueberry on the front of the palate, but finished with somewhat of a smoky wood and tannins that settles so very nicely. To me, this was a simpler wine with amazing flavor, and was very good with a nice Filet Mignon - perfect balance.

The gold label, from the west side of the Appellation, was also a big wine but had several flavors going on and settled as a light wine.  The flavors I got from this wine were cherries, BIG vanilla and oak on the front of the palate.  Through-out the taste, the vanilla and cherries softened just perfectly with a little spice on the back of the palate with a long finish.  I tried this wine with some halibut cheeks from the grill and yes, again - perfect balance.

One of the things that I find really interesting about Del Dotto wine-making, is how each barrel is chosen and toasted. Most of their wines are stored in their barrels only once and toasted to perfection – it makes their wines so different from many that I have tried,  and out of all the ones I’ve tried, I haven’t come across one I haven’t liked.

If you get to Napa, I would strongly suggest visiting their tasting rooms…and bring a driver. J 

Cheers!

Milcampos Tempranillo - 2009

Tonight I decided to finish up some work while having a glass of wine at The Winbe Cellar, in Fayatteville, AR.  My good friend, Aleks (who I've said great things about in a previous post) suggested I try the Milcampos Tempranillo...and WOW! I am so thankful for Aleks.

I'm a true believer in a wine will taste as good as you want it to, depending on the mood you're in. I had somewhat of a long work day and just wanted a nice, soft glass of wine that I didn't have to think about or wonder what flavors does it remind me of...I just wanted to drink it and think "That's delicious".
Mission accomplished.

The Milcampos (without thinking about it) has flavors of soft grapes and black cherries. The rim variation was little to be seen and the aroma had very light spice but nothing overwhelming. 
This wine is perfect for a day like I had today, and/or an evening of simple suttleness. I dont know much about the vineyard, the region and/or the wine maker - not a real big review on this one, I know, but it would take away from the goal that I was trying to acheive - no thinking, I just wanted to share this good wine with y'all.  Give it a try.


Thanks Aleks! 

Cheers Everyone!

Kelli’s (no longer just girls) Wine Tasting Party – May 10th, 2012 In The Red Wine Bar and Café

About a year and a half ago, I started hosting personal wine parties with some of my girlfriends at my house so that we could all get together, drink some wine, nibble on some snacks and have some girl talk.  I had only invited some of my close girlfriends and would ask that each person brought a bottle of wine (white or red, it didn’t matter) and a small dish that paired well with the wine they brought. We would taste each wine, but it would usually end up more of a glass than a tasting and then some girls would taste just a few and then stick to what they liked, without tasting the others.  The event was pretty  much un-organized and mostly an excuse to drink wine and have my girlfriends over(not that there's anything wrong with that).  It was fun, don’t get me wrong…but it wasn’t what I was really trying to achieve.

So…I held off on throwing another one for quite a few months, as I wanted to put together one that was both fun and an actual wine tasting.  I finally put together an event that I think went really well and was a great time. J

I invited several people, men and women and asked that everyone tell their friends.  We had about 6 people show up that were friends of a friend, so we had some new faces,faces I haven’t seen in awhile, and of course, the usual crowd - a total of 16 people.

I held it the event at In The Red Wine Bar and Café in Seattle, WA and I ordered the food from there so nobody had to bring a dish.  I asked that everyone (or couple) bring a bottle of wine in a brown bag so that no one knew what it was.  As they arrived, I took their wine and put it in a common brown bag, wrote down the varietal and who brought the wine (this was private, only for me to see) and then we began tasting each wine…1 through 15…yep that’s right – 15!

Each person was asked 3 things:

1)      What varietal were you drinking…1 -15?

2)      What wine do you think retails over $40? (this was one that I had brought, so I knew there was one over $40)

3)      Which wine is the one you brought?

We had some good “wine-o’s” that knew their stuff pretty well, I was impressed. Some prizes were given and like I said before…it was just a lot of fun.  I may change it a little for the next one (which will be much sooner, but over-all I liked the format and I’m pretty sure my guests did too. 

So keep your eye out for my next one and if you weren’t able to make to this last one, you gotta try harder on the next. J

Thanks everyone who made it so much fun and looking forward to seeing you next time – Cheers!

The Wine Cellar Wine Bar - Fayetteville, AR

Yes…I know, I’ve written about another Wine Bar in Fayetteville that I really liked – but as it turns out…there’s 2!! In Fayetteville.  There may be more, but my attention seems to lie within this friendly little neighborhood by the college and where there is a lot of character in this friendly little town.

The Wine Cellar is much different than Bordino’s, but equally good, if not a little better (Hope I didn’t just shoot myself in the foot – don’t want to bite the hand that feeds ya! Haha).

The Wine Cellar is a quaint brick building inside and out, which gives the feel of Tuscany….no, I’ve never been but it’s how I imagine it would be.  In the early evening, its quiet and you can sit outside on the patio or inside – there’s some great music being played by Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Al Green and other greats on the music system.   The Wine Cellar has something a little different than I’ve seen at most Wine Bars worth going to – they have a wine tap system…that holds 24 wines (16 reds and 8 whites) tapped on a wine preservation system, so the wine stays fresh for a long period of time.  You can purchase a pre-paid card so that you can try as many wines as you like without having to wait for the bartender or server.  Just go get it yourself whenever you want! It’s awesome – it's almost like being at home.  There are also wines by the glass and bottle for purchase, as well as a full bar and not to mention great food! Later in the night, it gets a little more active, as most places do.

The staff at The Wine Cellar, though is truly what makes it a place to go back again and again – Evan the GM, always remembers everyone’s name and is warm and welcoming.  Mia the bartender/server is a little more quiet but just as warm and welcoming -  and Aleks the Wine Manager, who is also a Level 3 Sommelier – which does not make him pretentious or snooty as some can be, but he en joys sharing his knowledge and giving suggestions that some of us wine drinkers may not consider – but most important, he has a great sense of humor and isjust real nice to talk to.

  My 1^st time at The Wine Cellar, I came in just for, well….wine. But it happened to be on the same night that they were holding a wine class (they have one every 6 weeks) – my 1^st thought was “Is it my Birthday?!”  The class was held by Aleks (obviously), it cost $25 for 5 red tastings BUT! This was a blind tasting with somewhat of a competition. We had to:

1)      Figure out which wine would sell at less than $10 retail (4 were over $20, 1 under $10)

2)    Figure out which wine was from France 

3)      What did all 5 have in common

There were prizes given for each, if answered correctly…let’s just say that I didn’t get a prize (doh!) but I don’t think there’s any wrong or right answer in wine tasting – we all have different palates! I know…whatever makes me sleep at night.

So, if you’re ever in Fayetteville, you got to give this place a try. It’s one of my home’s away from home away from home.

Cheers!

http://www.fayettevillewinecellar.com/

The Velvet Devil - 2010 Merlot

Well, I’m FINALLY writing a blog on a Washington Wine, considering that I live in Washington State, you’d think I’d write more about Washington wines.  Maybe I was inspired because the maker of this wine (Charles Smith) looks identical to Sammy Hagar! Yeah…that’s it.

Charles Smith was voted the Food & Wine Winemaker of the year in 2009, so that definitely says something about his wine-making skills.  The vineyard is located in Walla Walla, WA also known as the Columbia Valley,  and they make several varietals of wine such as Cabernets, Chardonnays, Pinot Nois, Reisling, Syrah, etc…of which, I’m going to have to try more of. J

The 2010 Velvet Devil Merlot is a spectacular wine…I’m not much of a merlot fan, as I like big flavors in my wine. However! This merlot does not compare to some of the smaller Merlot’s I’ve tasted. It has big flavor at the beginning and at the end of the tasting, with flavors such as Blackberry, Plum and some light spice. The tannins are a bit heavy on the palate to start with but settle immediately after, leaving some light spice on the back of the palate.  This wine has little rim variation which indicates a younger wine, but full of great flavors.

I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted this wine and even more surprised when I saw the price – it retails for $12.00 a bottle – I guess it’s true what they say…good things come in small packages.

Give this wine a try and maybe then move on to some other Charles Smith wines…I know I’m going to – while cranking up Sammy Hagar on the iPod. 

Enjoy!

http://charlessmithwines.com/

Over 500 Views

Just hit over 500 views on my wine blogs today, and it's only been 2 weeks! Thanks everyone - hope you're enjoying my write-ups...I'm having a lot of fun writing them. :)
Stay tuned for more, fun blogging~~

Bordino's Restaurant and Wine Bar - Fayetteville, AR

So, since I’ll be working in Fayetteville Arkansas for the next few months, I thought it was important to take care of my priorities…find the best wine bar that I enjoy going to, or find out if f Fayetteville even HAS a wine bar. Turns out they do – and a good one.

The 1^st night I came in was the night the Razorbacks coach was fired from the college football team. This coach has brought them to 3^rd place in the championships,  a better place they’ve been in, in a long time.   I can say one thing….when people talk about the South taking their football seriously…they were right. Especially for a team that has been brought to the place they are today – Fayetteville is very proud of their football  team, as well they should be.  Bordino’s was real busy, tables full, bar was full, as people were here to pre-funk before the Foreigner concert a couple blocks away. When the press conference came on and the owner announced that he had to dismiss Bob Petrino, the whole place was silent and you could just feel the hearts fall as it was announced.  This is a college town and this decision was very near and dear to their hearts.

At first, I was thinking to myself “I’ve never seen anything like this!”  Then I realized the passion these people have for their sports team, just like we do at home. It reminded me of when Seattle lost our Super Sonics – our only Championship team…which we still haven’t gotten over.  It gave me a sense of what this town was about and it was good.

 As the evening went on, the concert goers finally left (45 minutes late) and I proceeded to enjoy my evening with the staff at Bordino’s.  Erin, the Beverage Manager was more than generous in her wine education and was a lot of fun to be around. Her staff Brandon and Rachel, were just as much fun. Everyone seemed to enjoy working together which made it nice to be a customer. Nobody likes an angry bartender or waiter. 

Bordinos offers a great selection of wines, in fact, more than I imagined – I was pleasantly surprised. They obviously take pride in their wine selections, as they serve wines from Washington,  Oregon, California, France, Argentina, Spain, etc…  We tried a few different whites, one was the Elk Cove Pinot Blanc and I have to say…’Oh Hell Yeah!”  I’ve never had a Pinot Blanc before but Erin turned me on to it and I am so thankful for her!  J  It’s a very crisp and clean white wine with active tannins and flavors of pear that settle immediately after hitting the front of the palate. Deeee-Lish! This one wasn’t on the menu but she let me have some any way. My 2^nd visit…my new buddy, Brandon, also served it to me. I think they like me!  Mmmwwaaahhhh.

The food menu is also quite significant. I had a 2 cheese selection and some Lemon/Orange cured salmon which went perfectly with my Pinot Blanc. 

A few things I look for while traveling that make a big difference to me are good wine, good people and amazing customer service.  I found all 3 here at Bordino’s.  I hope they don’t get sick of me. J

Cheers!

2010 Lunatic White Blend

I sat down tonight to catch up on a few wine reviews, as I’m a little behind.  I’ve been tasting plenty of wine lately, but just haven’t been writing them up….that darn day job of mine is cutting into my wine blogging.

As I sat down I realized that I didn’t have a glass of wine – I can’t write a wine blog without a glass of wine. Good lord, what was I thinking?!

So, since I’m in a hotel room (traveling for that darn day job) the only selection I had, was a bottle I picked up yesterday at the local ‘spirits” store, a 2010 Lunatic White Blend.   The Lunatic wine is made by Luna Vineyards in Napa Valley, CA.  As you know by now (if reading my blogs I’m somewhat partial to California wines).

The varietal of the Lunatic is 38% Albarino, 34% Malvasia Bianca and 28% Chardonnay – each grape has a distinct flavor of its own and balances real nicely with the others.  I think this varietal is pretty interesting as most blends contain a Riesling, Chardonnay and possibly a Pinot Gris – so this one grabbed my attention.

The aromas are floral and real delicate, but on tasting there are citrus flavors on the front of the palate and apricot on the back. The tannin’s are very mild and delicately active – a nice crisp wine, perfect for summer….or for a hot hotel room.  Whichever works…the hotel room, in this scenario.  Hurry up summer!

The Lunatic was so delicious I ended up ordering a case through one of my friends who owns a wine bar in Seattle…thanks goodness for friends in high places. J

CHEERS!

2008 Trinitas Old Vine Zinfandel

Trinitas 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel - 1 word ..…Heaven. 

This wine has been one of my favorites ever since I realized that Zinfandel shouldn’t be pink, or come out of a box.  Back in my younger days, I’d sit on my front porch with my girlfriend Vicki and we’d polish off a box of Zinfandel and chat it up like there was no tomorrow.  Oh, those were the days.

But now that I’ve matured in my wine drinking, I’ve moved on to better labels and will only drink wine that is bottled. J 

One of my recent choices, was the 2008 Trinitas Old Vine Zinfandel. It is a dark red/brown in color and the rim variation, I thought, was insignificant. The aromas on the nose we medium fruit with a hint of oak and dill.  The alcohol content is 14.8% - Yikes!  Or should I say…WooHoo!

On the palate, the tannin’s were lightly active at the front of the palate and also at the back, very consistent through-out the taste.  The body is moderate – not too light and not too full, just medium bodied.  The flavors of plum, blackberry and vanilla appear immediately, and then I also tasted honey and a little white pepper.  This wine was very active with flavors, but none that I found offensive, all complimented the others.

Because of all the flavors that are in this wine, they make it versatile with just about any food pairing. You could have it with poultry or red meat, I would assume red meat would be best due to the white pepper, but that’s just me.  Chocolate would be another great treat to have with this Zin.

Trinitas Cellars is located in Napa Valley and was found by Tim and Steph Bush in 2002, and is still run by them and their children. One of the great things about Napa Valley is that most wineries are family-owned and it’s because of a passion that one has for wine.

2008 Cambria Pinot Noir

Well, I have to admit...you know you work for a good company when the President of the company comes by and hands you a glass of wine, while working head down, in the office.

As you may know from my previous post, I traveled to Little Rock, Arkansas this week to visit my corporate office.  I had a wonderful time getting to know some of the people that I talk to on the phone on a weekly basis and also getting to know the details of my new project.

However!! One of my highlights (and certainly not to discount anything else) was when my friend and boss brought me a glass of 2008 Cambria Pinot Noir and gave me a little 'Cheers'.

The tanins were real busy right at the front of the palate and calmed down but them picked up again at the back of the palate. It was very interesting, but also delicious.  There were alot of berry and plum flavors through-out. The body was medium and was really nice for either drinking alone or possibly with some poultry with light seasoning.  Of course, since I was in the office I didn't have any poultry to try it with...but you should give it a try!  :)

Cambria vineyards is located in Santa Maria, CA - I've never been there, but will most likely make a point to. 

Wine Pairing With Tornado Warning

So...this week, I have been fortunate to travel to the Great State of Arkansas and visit the wonderful little town Little Rock.  Great People!! Love, love, love the people, the town is greener than I imagined and the traffic...not so bad.  The Tornado warnings however, threw me off a little bit.

So - what does a Seattle Wine Girl do?? She drinks wine...and lots of it! 

I was delayed in Dallas yesterday on my connection to Little Rock, due to weather, but I had no idea that it was due to tornadoes coming our way. As we sat on the tarmack for almost 2 hours waiting for the runway to open back up, my thoughts were "good lord lets get this thing up in the air and get to Little Rock...it's not Rocket Science!" 
Turns out...it actually IS Rocket Science.  They wouldn't depart due to the weather, the compass device and our safety .Thank You Dallas Fort Worth Airport!

The next day, after safely landing in Little Rock (less than 24 hours) I'm reading the news and see that there were 13 tornadoes in Dallas and 2 of them touched down...a few injuries, cars thrown in a few houses (no one was hurt), and couple semi's blew off the highway into the trees (again, no one was hurt). So as grateful as I was to hear the news that people were safe...I got wind (pun intended)that the torandoes were heading to Little Rock Arkansas....awesome.  NOT!

MY reaction...?? Order wine from the lounge before it closes down or blows away.  I dont care what label they have, how much it is costs, or if it's white or red.  Please just serve me some wine, as I am a Seattle girl and have no idea how to survive in a tornado , nor do I want to. 
Throw me a volcano, small earthquake or just a disgruntled panhandler...I'm fine. But a tornado..?? No thanks!!

Anyway...In my findings of this type of situation - ANY WINE WORKS FINE! ( I chose a chardonnay...dont know the label, nor did I care)  Just make sure that they have enough for you. 

God Speed!

Eisch Wine Glasses That Aerate

These glasses are Great!!  We have a few sets and they definately make a difference in helping the wine open up much faster  - 4 minutes is the suggested time. ...and we all want our wine faster! Right? :) 
Maybe some of you wine-o's can take advantage of this deal. It came across on my email so I thought I'd pass it on.


ONE LAST DEAL!!!

LOWEST PRICE EVER!!!
$11.99 FOR EISCH BREATHABLE 
RED WINE GLASS!

I am closing out my inventory and sold through a record number of glasses in 5 weeks.

There is one last deal to offer as I have a couple hundred of the VINO NOBILE 14OZ red/white
glass remaining.
The regular retail on this Eisch breathable crystal glass is $25.00. I have slashed the price even further to $11.99 each after you enter the SIPSAVINGS discount code and I will still ship free!!!
Don't miss out on this amazing deal, it is a one time offer not to be seen again. Thanks to all who purchased Eisch from me in the last few weeks. ENJOY!
CHEERS!
Cathy Mercer
425.421.7673
www.tdmstemware.com

Merryvale 2008 Syrah - Stanley Ranch

While making dinner last night, I decided to try a 2008 Merryvale Syrah to keep me company. J  

Like most Merryvale wines, this Syrah is very versatile and can be enjoyed with or without food, as it pretty much goes with anything.  I drank some before dinner and during dinner (on the menu:  tacos - a favorite of many), and it was a great pairing.  Unfortunately, by the time dinner was served, there wasn’t much wine left.  Oopsie! 

At first, the tannins slowly open and deliver the active flavors of red berries and vanilla, with a touch of spice.  The tannins then settle softly on the palate, leaving a light flavor with a small hint of oak.  The grapes are high in quality and are grown on a farmed, estate vineyard on the Stanley Ranch, a well-known small-production-wine favorite of the family who owns and makes the Merryvale wines.

During our visit to the Napa Valley last October, Merryvale vineyards was one of our stops - and will continue to be -each time we visit the area.  Not only does the Merryvale family know what they’re doing in winemaking, but they also share that education with the patrons visiting the vineyard’s tasting room.  

The Merryvale staff are very fun and friendly  –  a “must visit” on your next trip to the Napa Valley!

Follow Widget Added

After working on my page for most of the day, I finally figured out how to add the option for people to follow me, via email so that you can see my updates.  This feature will send you an email everytime I post a new blog so that you can go in and view those at your leisure.

All you have to do is type in your email address and hit submit.

That took WAY too long for me to figure out....I need a glass of wine now.

 Please follow me!
Thank You!

A few of my fave pic's

Introduction

Hello!  My name is Kelli, I'm from Seattle, WA, and I am a HUGE wine lover and taster!

I am fortunate enough to have a day job that allows me to travel around the U.S., so I try and make it out to as many of the vineyards/wineries/tasting rooms and wine bars that my schedule allows, sampling the decadent art of the many winemakers around the U.S.  Over time, my palate has matured towards the tastes of the finer wines, and some that are not so fine. :)  I will be attending a winemakers class in the next couple of months to become more educated on the art of making wine, the growth of the grapes, and the regions in which they grow.

I thought it'd be fun to share my notes and also follow other bloggers who are doing the same thing and read their notes, as well.  I'm very new at this blogging thing, so please bear with me as I stumble through this - I'm sure I'll get better as I go.  Please follow me, post suggestions, and give me your feedback, I'd love to hear it!

Stay tuned for my 1st blog after my next tasting...