On Deck: Rioja

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.

On Deck: Wines of Italy

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.

On Deck: Boxed Wines

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).

To get you thinking about these wines, here is a link to an article about The best box wines of 2008

Also- Please remember to bring a fact about your wine or the vineyard it came from.

I don't want to list directions to Allison's house here online- so please see the e-vite for more information. See you on September 22nd!