09.01.10 South of the Border

1. 2009 Crios de Susana Balbo Torrontes Argentina I.P. Salta ($14 K&L)

Nose: Alea smelled Lemon Startburst, Nikki smelled orange blossom and Colin got mineral. David got hints of elderflower, Kelly smelled Jasmin, Russ got grass juice, and Ellen smelled limeade.

Palate: Ellen tasted candy, Alea got young lemoncello, while Katie tasted Lemon head. Kelly got a little bit of sugar and Nikki got a little bit of sweet tart.

Rating 6.3/10

Beautiful View from Liberty House

2. 2009 Noble Aconcagua Torrontes Mendoza Argentina ($13 K&L)

Nose: Colin – grass, David – rosewater, Katie – wetstone, Nikki – cotton candy, Ellen – minerally, Kelly – lemon verbania and warm hangar one manderine. Nikki also added Pert Plus Green Apple Flavor.

Palate: Kelly tasted grey stone in lemon juice, Colin got caramel/butterscotch, and Alea tasted tart citrus. Ellen also got lemon juice but sweet and Taichi tasted Orangella.

Rating: 5.7/10

3. 2008  Meli Riesling Maule Valley ($13 K&L)

Nose: Colin smelled raw gasoline /sex panther. Katie smelled rubber inflatable mattress and water wings. Ellen just made a foul face. Russ got some honey.

Palate: Katie tasted key lime and Kelly got green apple/cream. Alea thought it got better with time and Ellen said it was super tart. David said the wine was forgettable.

Rating: 5.14/10

Yum

4. 2008 Ritual Pinot Noir Casablanca Valley Veramonte  Chile ($21 Swirl)

Nose: Nikki smelled buttered popcorn/dill/1000 island dressing. Alea also got cucumber dill and Ellen got salmon dill and lemo. Colin smelled black licorice, Kelly got smoke pum, and David smelled Grandma’s attic.

Palate: Ellen thought the palate was creamy and Katie thought it was hot deep in the throat. Nikki tasted cherry and Kelly got Stoli Raspberry. Alea just thought it was black and Colin tasted cats on a treadmill.

Rating: 4.05/10

5. NV Dona Lupe, Barbera Grenache ($220 pesos, wine was acquired in Ensenada, Mexico on a bachelorette cruise/wine tour)

Nose: Russ smelled choco-mint, Ellen got fennel, and Katie got menthol licorice. Colin suggested cherry halls, red chloraseptic and green xmas tree air freshner. Taichi also got xmas tree shopping and Nikki added mint fernet.

Palate: Tim tasted landscaping, such as freshly trimmed hedges while Katie got Eucalyptus. Nikki tasted raisins/grass/Jaegar and Alea picked up on some aftershave.  Ellen just said EW and made a face.

Rating: 3.025/10

omg

6. 2007 Carmenere Vina von Siebenthal (Chile)

Nose: Colin smelled soy sauce, spicy tuna roll, and vanilla. David got unagi sauce and Russ smelled jalapeno corn bread. Ellen smelled a leafy green veggie, Tim thought Chile, and Alea smelled cloves mixed with cayenne pepper. K-naughty smelled a smoky blackberry.  David smelled DP in the A (Dolores Park in the Afternoon)

Palate: Tim tasted blood and iron and Russ tasted jalapeno. Ellen got some fernet on the finish. Then there was something about periods and RU46. Alea said it tasted like the beauty of anti-parenthood.

7. 2004 Carinae Malbec Blend (Mendoza, Argentina) ($15)

Nose:  Russ smelled a burrito and Alea got mildly cured meat with allspice “oooh”Kelly smelled smoke and a black cherry cigar box. Ellen smelled black curant and Nikki got playground wood chips.

Palate:  Russ thought it tasted like fish and Ellen agreed adding fish sauce, and warm worcestershire sauce). Alea  thought it tasted meaty. Kelly tasted juicy black raspberry and Nikki tasted raw steak.

Rating 6/10

pun confused

8. 2008 Mas Malbec Mendoza Argentina ($11 K&L)

Nose: Kelly smelled Welch’s Grape juice, Alea thought it was unremarkable, and Colin tasted grape bubble gum .

Palate: Ellen thought it tasted like bad soy sauce, Kelly said it was grapey and Taichi said it was undeniably plum. Alea tasted meat sauce.

Rating: 4.9/10

9. 2008 Amalaya…

The notes fell apart here (obviously after 8 other wines). Here is the photographic evidence.

08.25.2010 East Bay East Wines

We got together at Nikki’s house in Oakland and in honor of the East Bay, we picked wines having something vaguely to do with east-ness. We won’t even try to explain why each of the following wines has something to do with east.

1. 2008 bibich debit, North Dalmatia

Nose: Katie identified croissant and pear, which Ellen amended to canned pear. Kelly smelled citrus honey and Nikki found an apple turnover. Colin was less friendly and described odors of skunk and gasoline.

Palate: Katie had apple juice with “whoa” acidity. Nikki expanded the apple juice theme to third grade snack time with graham crackers and old citrus. Colin thought it tasted like Dr. Kovach (this wine is from the Balkans somewhere) and Darren thought it was just watery.

Rating: 5/10 Rockridge Market Hall, $15

2. 2008 Edmunds St. John Bone-Jolly Gamay Noir, El Dorado County, Witters Vineyard

Nose: Colin noted funk and BO, “like the French resistance,” whatever that means. Nikki said it was like a playful mixed berry smoothie, Kelly got raspberry funk play-doh, and Katie also smelled play-doh with a hint of paprika. Ellen thought it smelled like half-baked Sculpy.

Palate: Kelly had cherry vanilla with nice acidity. Nikki tasted Juicy Juice while Katie had Capri Sun. Nikki also added happiness. Darren said childhood and watermelon, but Ellen must have been a sickly kid because her childhood tasted like cherry cough syrup.

Rating: 7.29/10 Rockridge Market Hall, $17

3. 2007 Yarden Galilee Mount Herman

Nose: Darren said it was peppery and black, while Colin smelled blackberry. Nikki had plum and Ellen smelled juiced fennel.

Palate: Colin thought it tasted like blueberry cobbler. Nikki added a raisin finish with chocolate covered blueberries.

Rating: 6.5/10, Swirl, $18

4. Bordeaux Domaine de Bouscat

Nose: Ellen really liked it, David said it was soft and enveloping. Nikki smelled toasted coconut and homemade whipped cream, while Katie added vanilla. Darren thought it smelled like France.

Palate: Ellen found it smooth with sediment, Katie complimented the “sexy tannins,” and Colin thought it tasted like brambles.

Rating: 7.68/10, K&L Wines, $15

5. Valpolicella Fumamelli

Nose: Ellen smelled a library, while Colin had prunes and Nikki found sugar cookie dough.

Palate: Ellen thought it tasted tart, Katie identified pink sweet tarts, and Kelly tasted black cherry.

Rating: 6/10, Swirl

6. Little Penguin Pinot Grigio

Nose: Nikki smelled pineapple and papaya, Katie petrol, and Colin rubber cement.

Palate: Nikki said less residual sugar (than she was expecting?) and Colin thought it was sweet but OK.

Rating: Lost to the sands of time

We also tasted the 2008 Sangiovese Collezione di Paola, but the details are lost to the sands of time.

Katie managed to take two shitty pictures:

08.18.10 Tour of Portugal

After the World Cup Alea discovered a new found interest in Portugal — or at least their hunky soccer team —  so she wanted to explore Portuguese wine as well. There just might be more to Portugal than hot guys…

1. Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Rose ($7 Wine Mine)

Nose: Ellen smelled rose water and nail polish remover while Alea smelled strawberries. Kelly got some whiffs of gas station, and Katie pick up on notes of unripeness which Alea agreed with saying green pear.

Palate: Kelly tasted watered down black cherry and Katie got a tart strawberry. Alea picked up on lemon pitch and Ellen tasted vinegary strawberry jam.

Rating: 6/10

2. 2005 Aveleda Follies, Bairrada DOCG — 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Touriga Nacional ($15 K&L)

Nose: Alea got tawny portish and moldy closet and Ellen smelled man grape. Katie thought it smelled very meaty and Kelly added cured salami.

Palate: Kelly tasted black current and black cherry, Ellen said it was meaty, and Alea said it was raw. I think she was talking about the wine but it might have been the Portugese futball team.  Katie tasted moderate tannins and wants to pair this wine with food.  The group suggested pepper steak and hard cheese.

Rating: 6/10

3. 2005 Primavera, Special Selection, DAO DOCG

Nose: Alea smelled blackberry and plum and Kelly smelled pepper, pepper, pepper like peter piper picked a peppered plum. Ellen smelled li-hing powder (some asian thing?) and tart sour plum thing. Alea got notes of bubble gum flouride  and Apple wood bacon. Katie got some Febreeze action.

Palate: Katie tasted soft baby powers, green apple, and plum while Ellen tasted caramel molasses. Alea thought it needed to be decanted and Kelly thought the wine should be colder. He said it tasted like sweet watered down plum.

Rating 6.5/10

4. 2006 Douro Lavradores de Feitoria Vinho Tinto DOC ($10.50 Swirl)

Nose: Alea smelled caramelized fruit and butter and Ellen got brown sugar. Kelly thought it was sweet and Katie tasted pomegranates and pecan. Kelly thought he tasted got some warm rhubarb pie.

Palate: Katie thought it was light, easy drinking and non-descript. Kelly thought it was quaffable – i.e. don’t think it, just drink it. Ellen though it was kinda tart on the finish.

Rating: 5.5/10

08.12.10 It’s My Birthday, Bitches!

For my birthday this year (or rather last year since it was over 6 months ago) we attended one of the weirdest wine tastings I’ve ever been to: Don’t Worry Bout-a-ting Wine Tasting at the Fort Mason’s Officers Club. Don’t ask.

For a summary of the wine offerings, check out this article by our very own Nicole M. Goddard: Vino Moda wine tasting event combines live music, wine and cocktails.

For a good laugh watch me get iced:

07.28.10 Double Trouble with Bubble (Part Deux)

For Kelly and Tim’s birthday this year we decided to relive the glory of last year’s Double Trouble with Bubbles. Only this time we picked out 1 bubbles and an assortment of other goodies suited to everyone’s individual tastes.

1. Bruno Paillard Champagne Premiere Cuvee Reims France For Kelly and Tim!

Nose: Ellen smelled Martinelli’s Apple Cider while Russ smelled sweet corn. Katie got canned pear syrup and Alea also smelled pear and white sweet corn.

Palate: Colin noted that the palate was actually not that bubbly but Katie thought it was sparkly. Ellen said the palate was muted, Nikki got lemony and Kelly thought it was doughy.

Rating: 6.3/10

2. 2008 Rocken Dry Riesling (for Nikki)

Nose: Katie smelled celery, Colin got lemony cleaning product and Twaggles and Russ got some essence of feet. Alea said she smelled flint that has just been struck while Kelly said really slight petrol with lime. Nikki smelled white peach.

Palate: Dave thought the palate was really silky while Nikki tasted nectarine and Ellen tasted honey. Russ picked up on some dried apricots and Fernanda and Nikki agreed. Katie though it might be her favorite Riesling.

Rating: 6.8/10

3. 2006 Surh Luchtel Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley) –$25 For Alea, Kelly, and Pinot Whores everywhere

Nose: Alea smelled cured meat and plum and Ellen got some light citrus but added that it might just be the smell of wine away. Colin thought it smelled like Evergreen and Nikki and Dave added xmas spice and cloves.

Palate: Katie thought the palate was piney and Tim Borjas said it was a pretty good wine. Ellen agreed it was a delicious pinot and Alea said it was delicate, approachable, and fantastic. Dave came through with some actual descriptives claiming to taste pepper with a hint of Latex.

Rating 6.9/10  (this wine got three ratings of a 9 which is very rare)

4. 1999 Barbaresco Cascina Morassino Nebiola $57 For everyone

Nose: Katie thought this smelled good like a campfire, Coli got prune, and Alea got potpurri, fig, plus, wood and black licorice. Nikki got black jelly bean (not jelly belly). Twaggles smelled windex and Tim B said sazerac. Kelly noted that smelling this mentholy wine will get you high.

When the varietal was revealed Nikki said “Holy tannin, now I get it!”

Palate: Colin thought this beast of a wine tasted like a kick in the mouth with a licorice show and Katie compared it to sucking on a peppercorn. Ellen got some fennel on the finish. Nikki just thought it was pure delicious and Ellen got his it the nasal (while tasting). Kelly likened it to a strawberry dipped in antiseptic.

Rating: 7.9/10

5. 2007 Gigondas Domaine de Font-Sane Tradition – For Ellen, Colin, and other lovers of French Reds

Nose: Ellen loved the smell, getting hints of balsamic reduction. Nikki smelled brown sugar, cured bacon, and chicken & waffles from Oakland. Kelly found hints of French oak barrel and cherry-cokey.

Palate: Dave thought it was nom nom but hurt the top of his mouth. Ellen tasted cherry syrup in a good way and Kelly picked up on black cherry, vanilla, and cinnamon. Colin thought the wine was well-balanced and Alea agreed saying “Yum!”

Rating: 7/10

6. 2007 Rockpile Ridge Zinfandel – For Katie, Russ, Alea and other Zinners

Nose: Fernanda smelled bananas, Kelly got blackberries, and Nikki said blue cheese. Alea noted some blueberry and Ellen got banana flavored anti-septic??

Palate: Russ loved the tasted and Kelly tasted some black pepper. Katie tasted all runt flavors crunched into 1 single flavor.

And then the notes stopped and Kelly poured smirnoff ice into a wine bong

Cheers!