Time for a fiesta ladies! Jody is hosting our next meeting at her home in the Dupont Circle neighborhood (see e-vite for specifics) on Monday, November 16th at 7:00 PM. She has selected Rioja as her theme.
Rioja wines are normally a blend of various grape varieties, and can be either red (tinto), white (blanco) or rosé (rosado). So pick your favorite and come on by with your tasting notes or other facts.
Located south of the Cantabrian Mountains, La Rioja benefits from a continental climate. The mountains help isolate the region and have a moderating effect on the climate. They also protect the vineyards from the fierce winds that are typical of northern Spain.
Rioja red wines are classified into four categories: 1) Rioja is the youngest, spending less than a year in an oak aging barrel; 2) Crianza is wine aged for at least two years, at least one of which was in oak; 3) Rioja Reserva is aged for at least three years, of which at least one year is in oak; 4) Rioja Gran Reserva have been aged at least two years in oak and three years in bottle. Reserva and Gran Reserva wines are not produced each year and the designation might appear on the front label but may be stamped on the neck or back label.
Our fabulous hostess, Angela, held the October VTB meeting at her home on Capitol Hill this Monday. She chose to structured it as a blind tasting, so prior to arrival, we all wrapped our bottles in paper or foil so that nobody would know what kind of wine we were bringing (except of course that it was Italian). Surprisingly, most of the wines came from Italy’s northern regions.
The first bottle we tasted was Maggie’s 2007 Inama Soave Classico from Italy’s northeastern Veneto region. This wine was made primarily from the garganega grape, and had a very light straw color. With honey and stone fruit aromas, and light nutty and citrus flavors, it’s dry, light finish made it a really vibrant and enjoyable wine to get things started.
The second bottle was Ali’s 2006 Andrea Oberto Dolcetto d'Alba from Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region. This wine was made primarily from the dolcetto grape, and although somewhat acidic, it was nicely balanced. It had an aromatic nose of berries and spice with a palate including plum and a fair amount of earthiness.
The next bottle was Jody’s Argiolas Costera Isola dei Nuraghi from the island of Sardinia. This wine was made primarily from the grenache grape which is called cannonau in Sardinia. With its deep purple color and opaque/ almost cloudy viscosity, I am curious what this tasted like a few hours after we left. The least agreed upon wine in the group, some detected a heavily perfumed and floral nose while others felt it reminded them of vinegar. This is the beauty of blind tastings- you know nothing about the wines so you really have to rely upon your senses. Ripe fruit flavors with notes of leather made this an interesting and enjoyable wine. Angela- did you try it the next day?
The fourth was Becca’s 2007 Bricco Dei Tati Dolcetto d'Alba from Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region. Grown on 80 year-old vines, it was very different from the dolcetto we had earlier in the tasting. With a nose of smoke and dark cherries, more than one taster noted a ‘chewy’ aspect to the wine. Big and round with dark cherries and red plums, it will go well with a hearty winter meal.
The last bottle of the evening was Jenn’s 2004 Giorgio Pelissero Barbera d'Alba Piani from Italy’s northwestern Piedmont region. This wine was made primarily from the barbera grape and had a sweet nose of ripe fruit. With notes of dark juicy fruits, it felt somewhat thin in the mouth. However, it had nice structure with low tannins and a pleasant level of acidity.
Not only was this a fun night with good food, but it was also the 6-month anniversary of Vines That Bind! Before beginning the tasting we toasted to its continued success. And on that note... next month we are headed to España for a night of Riojas. Additional details on our next meeting coming soon.
Angela is hosting our meeting this month, and her theme is Gli vini d'Italia (the wines of Italy). We will meet at 7:00 PM on Monday, October 19th. Please see the e-vite for Angela's address which is a walkable distance from the Eastern Market (Blue/Orange Lines) and Union Station (Red Line) Metro stops.
At this meeting, our hosts have decided to spice things up a little and do this as a blind tasting- nobody will know about the wines prior to tasting them. This sensory evaluation is a great way to develop your pallate and discover new characteristics about wines. It is also a good way to check perceptions about a particular region or producer. So bring your Italian wine (minimum of $15)covered in aluminum foil or in a paper bag so that no one can see it. Also, please bring some facts about your wine.
Allison is our hostess for our September VTB meeting, and she has chosen Boxed Wines as our theme. Our meeting will take place at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 22nd at her home in Arlington, Va.
"Boxed wine" you say? YES! And here's why...
The Problem: Bottled wines often face problems with their corks- authentic corks have the tendency to crumble when they get older. Also, if not properly treated, corks may contain some residual bacteria and ruin a great bottle.
The Solution: Some manufacturers started to replace traditional corks with plastic ones and others started producing wine in boxes. These wines are placed in a box with vacuum-sealed plastic bag lining or 'bladder' inside. While many people were skeptical to this approach and questioned the quality of the wines, today it is accepted in the industry.
Why Boxed Wine Is Great: They are safer to carry (they will not break when dropped), economical (the packaging is cheaper compared to bottled wines), and most advantageously, it extends the longevity of freshness of a wine (when a bottle is opened, it lasts only 1 or 2 days, but a boxed wine is not exposed to oxygen, and the freshness is extended for about a month).
Maggie hosted the Organic Wine tasting at her home this month. This was a smaller group, so with less wines to get to in the evening, there was more time for conversation about tasting notes, sulfites and what makes organic and biodynamic wines.
Angela brought a 2006 Colina Verde Tinto Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain. Made from Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, this wine was awarded a Gold Medal in February 2007, at the BioFach Organic Foods Trade Fair held in Nuremburg, Germany.
Martha Jane brought a 2008 Villafane & Guzman Legado De Don Manuel Villafane Torrontes from Menzoda, Argantina. After a lengthy discussion with the store owner about organic wines, she decided to try this non-organic wine which was the favorite of the tasting.
Jenn brought a 2007 Quivara Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Valley, Ca. This vineyard became certified 100% organic and Biodynamic in late 2005 and Jenn’s wine facilitated a great discussion about organic and biodynamic certifications. (More info can be found here)
Becca brought a 2008 Familia Zuccardi Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Julia from Mendoza, Argentina. Prodced by Argentina's largest family-owned winery, the Wine Enthusiast called this a ‘best Buy’ in May 2007.
When looking for an organic wine, it is helpful to keep in mind the types of organic wines: 100% Organic - Refers to wines that are produced with grapes that are certified 100% organically grown and do not have any added sulfites. Organic - Refers to wines that have at least 95% of their ingredients from certified organic sources. These wines may have an additional 100 ppm of sulfur dioxide added to them. Made with Organic Grapes - Refers to wines that have at least 70% of their grapes from organic sources. These wines may have sulfur dioxide.
More information about organic certification can be found here and information on how Organic Viticulture differs from Conventional Viticulture can be found here.
This post is late, apologies to all. I was unable to attend our “Wines in the Media" themed gathering hosted by Martha Jane and Devon last month. However, I had a fantastic on-location reporter (thanks Jenn!) and was happy hear that it was a fun and entertaining evening.
For this meeting, VTB participants were challenged to get a little creative with their bottles. They were to bring a wine somehow related to Media. The wine, winemaker, vineyard, variety, etc had to somehow connect to a play, movie, tv show, piece of art, musician, actor or song. People got very creative, here is what was brought:
Inspired by the film Under the Tuscan Sun, Donna brought: Donelli Lambrusco Dell'Emilia Bianco (Tuscany, Italy)
Inspired by the Alanis Morrisette song, Ironic, Jenn brought: 2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Indian Wells (Columbia Valley, Washington) Lyrics: "It's a black fly in your Chardonnay, it's a death row pardon two minutes too late"
Inspired by the film Vicky Christina Barcelona, Angela brought: 2006 Torres Coronas Tempranillo (Spain)
Inspired by the TV show The New Adventures of Old Christine, Rosie brought: 2008 Ben Marco Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina)
Inspired by the Don McLean song Vincent, Nikki brought: 2005 Terre Vermeille Vineyard Starry Night Zinfandel (Lake County, California) Lyrics: “Starry, starry night, paint your palette blue and grey”
Inspired by film director Frances Ford Coppola, Rebecca brought: 2007 Francis Coppola / Niebaum-Coppola Black Label Claret (California)
Inspired by film Silence of the Lambs, Allison brought: 2007 Falchini Chianti Colli Senesi Colombaia
Also inspired by film Silence of the Lambs, Becca brought: 2003 Tramonti Chianti Classico (Tuscany, Italy)
Movie quote: “A census taker once tried to test me. I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti."
This was a fun theme, and although I could not attend, I had a great time researching wines in the media. Here are some other wine- related songs:
Champagne Supernova by Oasis "Some day you will find me caught beneath the landslide In a champagne supernova - A champagne supernova in the sky"
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel A bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rosé instead?"
Hotel California by The Eagles "Mirrors on the ceiling, the pink champagne on ice And she said 'We are all just prisoners here, of our own device'"
Elderberry Wine by Elton John "Drunk all the time, Feeling fine on elderberry wine Those were the days, We'd lay in the haze”
Our next meeting will take place at 7:00 PM on Monday, August 17th. Our host, Maggie, has selected Organic Wines as her theme.
Now, the official definition of an organic wine is “wine made from organically grown grapes without any added sulfates” but for ease in locating a wine for the night, wines made from organically grown grapes is perfectly acceptable. (However, if you are a total rock star and can locate a true ‘organic’ wine, then bring it!) Also, please remember to bring a fact about your wine or the vineyard it came from.
Hey ladies, quick reminder that our next VTB meeting is coming up soon!
Our hosts, Martha Jane & Devon will host at their home on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:00PM. For this month's meeting, they have selected the theme: 'Wines in the Media.'
What are "wines in the media" you ask? Well, this month we challenge you to get creative. Bring a wine from a movie, tv show or song on the radio (example: the Red Red Wine song - you could bring your favorite red or a red you wanted to try from within the price point).
Their address is 909 M Street NW, Washington, DC. It is a red brick row house 1 block off the Mt. Vernon/Convention Center stop on the Green and Yellow lines. There is zone 2 parking as well as meters on 9th Street.
Please bring a fact about your wine, the vineyard or wine in general. See you on the 21st!
All champagnes are sparkling wines, however, not all sparkling wines are champagnes...
Our third meeting was held last night at Ali’s home in Rockville, Maryland. The theme was Sparkling Wines (or if you want to go by her typo, it was ‘sparking wines’ which would have been very interesting indeed!)
Allison brought a non vintage bottle of Marcel Martin Crémant de Loire Tête de Cuvée Brut (Loire Valley, France)
Rebecca brought a non vintage bottle of L. Mawby Talismøn, (Leelanau Peninsula, Michigan)
Cameron brought a bottle of 2007 Francis Coppola / Niebaum-Coppola Sofia Blanc de Blancs (California)
Martha Jane brought a non vintage bottle of Jacobs Creek Sparkling Rose, (Australia)
Jenn brought a non vintage bottle of The Black Chook Shiraz Sparkling (South Australia)
Elena brought a bottle of 2002 Cray Brut Montlouis
Maggie brought a non vintage bottle of Villa Jolanda Prosecco di Valdobbiadene (Veneto, Italy)
Michelle brought a non vintage bottle of Bebe Asti Frizante Prosecco (Italy)
Angela brought a non vintage bottle of Zardetto Prosecco di Conegliano Brut (Veneto, Italy).
It was an educational night. We tasted several styles of sparkling wine (however interestingly enough we did not have a true champagne) and were able to compare several from the same region.
Below are some interesting facts discussed during the course of the night:
Smaller bubbles mean more total bubbles, which help release the wine’s flavor in the mouth.
A sparkling wine that is labeled “Natural” is drier than “Brut”, which is drier than “Extra Dry.”
Most sparking wine is non-vintage, which allows the winemaker to blend older wine with the new, to achieve a consistent flavor style.
Michigan makes excellent sparkling wine.
The traditional way of making sparkling wine involved secondary fermentation in the bottle.
Italians call their sparkling wine Spumante, and Prosecco is made in both fully sparkling (spumante) and lightly sparkling (frizzante) styles.
Sekt is the German designation for sparkling wine.
The Spanish call their sparkling wines Cava.
While most sparkling wine is produced from Chardonnay and Pinot noir, an Australian speciality is Sparkling Shiraz.
Sparkling wine is a common aperitif, a beverage before a meal.
The foam produced by thousands of bubbles in a sparkling wine is called the mousse.
AOC stands for Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, the top rung of the French wine quality system.
DOC/DOCG stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata/e Garantita. This is the Italian wine quality system.
Our next meeting will be held by Martha Jane, and her theme is wine from films, tv and music. The date and location are coming soon so be on the lookout for the e-vite!
And as always, if I have made an error, please let me know and I will correct it as soon as possible. Thanks everyone for coming out to suburbia for an evening!
Last evening was our second VTB gathering. It was great to see everyone- there were several new faces as well as a number of ladies from our first meeting. Our hostess was Jenn, and her theme was 'local wines.'
Everyone did a fantastic job finding bottles from all over the area. Sadly, there was no DC representation(ha!), but we did taste several single varietals as well as blends from all over the region.
Here's what we tried:
Rosemary brought a 2006 Rockbridge Chardonnay from the Shenandaoh Valley in VA.
Angela brought a 2006 Kluge Estate Albemarle Viognier from Albemarle County, VA.
Martha Jane brought a 2007 Horton Vineyards Viognier from Orange County, VA.
Michelle brought a 2007 Black Ankle Vineyards Viognier from North Central Piedmont in MD.
Maggie brought a 2007 Veramar Vineyard Cabernet Franc from the Shenandaoh Valley in VA.
Rosie brought a 2004 Kluge Estate Albemarle Simply Red from Albemarle County, VA. This is a blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 31% Merlot.
Rebecca brought a 2004 White Hall Vineyards Petit Verdot from Central Region in Monticello, VA.
Ali brought a 2006 Chester Gap Cellars Merlot from Rappahannock County, VA.
Becca brought a 2006 La Grange Snort from the Northern Region of Va. This fortified red wine is comprised of 38% Touriga Nacional, 50% Tannat and 12% Tinta Cao
Celine brought a 2006 Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Comus from Montgomery County, MD. This is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
Devin brought a Non Vintage Veritas Red Star from Central, VA) This is a blend of 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Chambourcin.
I apologize for leaving before the end of the night but I had to start my trek back to the suburbs. So I did not have an opportunity to taste:
Allison brought a 2005 Lake Anna Winery Cabernet Franc from Northern Region of VA.
The evening ended with Rachel's 2004 Lake Anna ice wine. Could someone tell me if it was their Essensual? If so, it is made from 100% Vidal Blanc grapes.
As always, I've tried to keep track of what everyone brought- if I misspelled you name or if I've mixed up who brought what- or (gasp!) left yours out, just shoot me a quick e-mail and I will correct it tonight.
It was a fantastic night- one that made me really want to go out and visit some of these local vineyards. Perhaps a road trip some time this summer? Hmmmm?
Our next meeting will be hosted by... me! Since it will be well into summertime by then- I've settled on a refreshing theme, sparking wines. We are departing from our usual 3rd Monday of the month because of calendar conflicts, I hope this works out better for some of you. It will be on June 18th at 5903 Barbados Place, Unit 203 in Rockville (or if you want to be like my fancy neighbors, we can call it North Bethesda). So grab your bottle of Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Asti Spumanti, or any other type of bubbly and see you all soon!
