Wine Clubs

I was asked earlier today to describe my wine clubs and what makes them different than all of our competitors. I talked some about our differing price points ($20, $50 and $100 per bottle) and how we refuse to include shipping in the prices charged for our wine clubs. Unlike many of our competitors we [...]

Source: http://winewithmark.info/archives/662

Anne Marie Kortright April Scott Arielle Kebbel

Hitler yelling

Check out this “Hitler yelling” parody that several people tweeted to my attention. Even if it’s 18 months old, it’s still sufficient for your Saturday LOL needs.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/lyhDPwlctIY/

Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain Donna Feldman

Emilio Lustau, Sherry Dry Amontillado, ?Los Arcos? NV

Like a lot of American wine lovers, Sherry is a personal blind spot. It’s not that I haven’t had good or great Sherry ? in fact the only wine I have ever rated 100-points is a Sherry ? it’s just the style is hard to get your head around. �For starters, many Sherries are intentionally [...]

Emilio Lustau, Sherry Dry Amontillado, “Los Arcos” NV originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/nOPwDNjwl78/

Christina Milian Christina Ricci Chyler Leigh Ciara

Wine Word of the Week: Bung

This week?s Wine Word of the Week is bung. Official definition from Jancis Robinson?s The Oxford Companion to Wine: A bung, made of glass, plastic, rubber, earthenware, silicone, or wood, is a barrel?s stopper, analogous to the cork of a bottle. It is inserted in a bung-hole. ?. Since oxygen tends to enter a barrel [...]

Wine Word of the Week: Bung was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/uEIujWDbD6o/

Bali Rodriguez Bar Refaeli BeyoncÈ Bianca Kajlich

Veraison 2011: a Time to Assess Progress (Late) and Yield (Light)

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2011/08/veraison-2011-a-time-to-assess-progress-late-and-yield-light.html

Brittany Snow Brittny Gastineau Brody Dalle Brooke Burke

Crushing at CrossRoads in Frisco, Tx

The grapes are moving in and the crushing has began at CrossRoads in Frisco, Tx.  Grapes are looking good and promising for the 2011 year.  Hot Texas weather has made the grapes push for a early harvest and from the looks of it in North Texas looking promising. I had the opportunity to for just […]

Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2011/07/24/crushing-at-crossroads-in-frisco-tx/

Adriana Lima Adrianne Curry Adrianne Palicki Aisha Tyler

A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon

Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won?t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week?s selection, the 2009 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington State. Our selection criteria include: [...]

A Wine for Tonight: 2009 Boomtown Cabernet Sauvignon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/3AYWUw7ly_w/

Estella Warren

The Capital Grille Offers: A Generous Pour

With locations across the country, The Capital Grille is offering a unique wine tasting opportunity - The Generous Pour. From July 12th - September 4th, 2011 you can enjoy 9 different wines from around the world with your meal for $25. In the Boston area there are a couple of additional events this month that conspire to make this offer even more compelling. More on that in a moment...

To kick off the event, Capital Grille locations invited bloggers and members of the media for a preview. Master Sommelier George Miliotes hosted the event via live simulcast and then answered questions via Twitter (you can follow him @TheWineExpert). Click on the image below to get a feel for the event:

The evening started out with a taste of hors d'oeuvres accompanied by a white sparkling wine from the Loire Valley - the Marquis de la Tour Cremant de Loire Brut. I'm not much of a sparkling wine drinker so for me the wine set the tone for the event. The wines chosen provide an opportunity to taste delicious, high quality wines you'll enjoy from categories you don't normally explore alongside wines you're likely more familiar with. I thought this wine was outstanding - clean crisp apple, melon, and peach. It accompanied the food amazingly. Highly recommended.

I asked George about his selection philosophy. Here's what he had to say...

Wellesley Wine Press: You have a knack for finding wines that appeal to wine enthusiasts interested in discovering delicious new wines without stretching too far out of their comfort zone. In a nutshell, what?s your philosophy for choosing wines by the glass for The Capital Grille or for events like this one?

George Milotes: "For me, it is all about wines that are well-made and taste good.   As solid winemaking practices have spread around the globe, there is a greater pool of diverse and tasty wines to choose from.  We love to find areas or wines that are overlooked or underappreciated.  Hence, the Tarima Hill Monastrell is part of The Generous Pour Wine Event this year.  Monastrell is the greatest underappreciated red in the world today from a growing area (Alicante) that is barely known in Spain, let alone here in the US.   We feel privileged to introduce the wine to the U.S. while showing our guests something new and delicious."

From there we moved on to a dining room table for a sit-down appetizer course. Their Pan-Fried Calimari and Prosciutto Wrapped Mozzarella were served with a classic California Chardonnay (Chateau St. Jean) alongside a 2010 La Cana Albarino from Rias Baixas Spain.

Here too we see a characteristic of the event worth mentioning - comparison opportunities. While the California Chardonnay was rich and full-bodied, the Albarino revealed a clean palate-cleansing nature I appreciated. The Prosciutto was salty, and the Albarino accompanied it brilliantly. Green apples, mango, kiwi, and lemon-lime with soft edges yet apparent acid. quite nice:

From there we moved on to the main course for a choice of Filet Mignon, Salmon, or their Bone-In Kona Crusted Dry Aged Sirloin with Shallot Buttter. The first time I heard of a coffee-encrusted steak I was concerned it would be overly sweet. However, I've had this steak a half dozen times over the years and I can safely say it's the best treatment I've ever tasted. They offer the Kona rub on other cuts but I've found it plays best on the sirloin. Unconditionally recommended:

We had a taste of the red wines recommended for pairing with entree courses for the event. The 2009 Byron Santa Barbara Pinot Noir was deep red with a full mouthfeel. A little spice. Very good. Lots of people at the table really liked the wine.

The big dogs - two Cabernet Sauvignons - were the 2006 Chalk Hill Estate Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2003 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosche Rutherford (pronounced "bow-shea"). I thought the Chalk Hill was tasty but bright and a little young...especially compared to the 2003 Freemark Abbey which was a beautiful wine. At 8 years I thought the Freemark was drinking at its peak with rich, round fruit, a little leather and nice supporting structure. For pure enjoyment this was probably my wine of the night.

WWP: You?ve run a similar event the past couple years in the form of the Master Wine Tasting Event. What have you learned from putting together those lists that went into the wines selected for The Generous Pour Wine Event?

George Miliotes: "The main thing we learned is to have a fun mix of familiar and new wines that all taste really, really good.  For example, we aim to keep a Cabernet drinker interested with Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosche 2003, but also give that drinker a chance to break out and try a Vistorta Merlot 2006 (from the Friuli region of Italy).  This way, every guest has the chance to experience the best of both worlds.

The other exciting thing that we have learned is that guests will enjoy any wine that tastes good, especially if our team educates them about it.  Two years ago, we introduced Bonarda (a popular red varietal in Argentina) to our guests.  We were sure we would sell minimal amounts.  To our surprise, that was not the case, as guests were more than excited about tasting this tannic red with our dry aged steaks.  As a result, each year I try to find something completely new or different."

Right behind these big reds were a couple of wines a little more off the beaten path. Like the 2006 Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot Friuli-Venezia Giulia. I thought it was distinctly old world yet still approachable.

Perhaps the most highly anticipated wine of the evening, based on George's earlier description of Monastrell as being the most under-appreciated grape variety in the world, was the 2009 Tarima Hill Monastrell from Alicante, Spain. Refreshingly fruit-forward after the Cabernets. Kind of reminded me of the 2008 Betts & Scholl Grenache I tried at the Wine Spectator event a couple months ago. I definitely need to try more Monastrell and Grenache.

The entrees were accompanied by Sauteed Spinach and Lobster Mac 'n Cheese. Every time I've been at a table where the Lobster Mac 'n Cheese was served it's the side that people seek out for seconds. It's ridiculously good.

Rounding out the evening along with dessert was RL Buller "The Portly Gentleman" from Australia. I'm not much of a port guy but I liked the way this one avoided the medicinal flavors sometimes present in Port and offered an interesting does of blueberry flavors which I enjoyed. The table was divided on their opinion of this wine.

I attended the event at the Capital Grille's Newbury Street location in Boston but this offer is available at locations across the country.

WWP: The Capital Grille has locations all over the country. What differences do you see in red vs. white wine consumption across those locations seasonally?

George Miliotes: "We certainly see red wine consumption go up when cold weather settles in, and there is a smaller movement towards white during the summer.  Our guests tend to gravitate towards reds, due to our dry aged steaks.   As one would think, there is plenty of white enjoyed at our West Coast locations, due to the higher temperatures and light dishes such as our fresh seafood."

Bottom Line: This event provides an opportunity to try wines you otherwise might not be willing to take a risk on at an affordable price point with excellent food and service.

Further Reading:

• Inside the Brand: A Review of the 2010 Master Wine Tasting Event at The Capital Grille
• Auctioned Chef's Table Dinners: Deal or No Deal?
• A Review of The Generous Pour from eat drink RI

Next Steps

I mentioned that in Boston there are a couple of other events that coincide with this offer that make this year's Generous Pour even more compelling. The first is Boston Restaurant Week which runs August 14-19 and 21-26, 2011. According to http://www.restaurantweekboston.com the Chestnut Hill and Burlington locations are participating this year. Stack a three course meal for $33.11 along with this wine offer for $25 and you have one of the best bargains in steakhouse history.

A second compelling event is that the Newbury Street location is relocating to a new location nearby (900 Boylston Street in the Hynes Convention Center not far from Towne Stove & Spirits) on August 24th, 2011. Having celebrated so many special occasions at the current location I'm sad to see it go, but the new decked-out location is going to be twice as big with a bar area that opens onto the street for warm summer evenings. Stay tuned for more information on the new location but in the mean time take this opportunity to visit the classic Newbury Street restaurant one last time. It will be missed.

Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite Capital Grille memories? If you've never been, what are some of your favorite steakhouses in the country?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/ePZQACmstU0/capital-grille-offers-generous-pour.html

Gina Philips Gisele B¸ndchen Giuliana DePandi Giulianna Ramirez

The Gatekeepers : Picca's Stephane Bombet

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2011/09/08/piccas_stephane_bombet.php

Dido Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain

Photos of each Rhone grape variety as harvest nears

Source: http://tablascreek.typepad.com/tablas/2011/09/photos-of-each-rhone-grape-variety-as-harvest-nears.html

Diora Baird Dita Von Teese Dominique Swain Donna Feldman

Silver Oak Winery in the Napa Valley ? For Cabernet Sauvignon Fans

I loved listening to the offbeat and jovial winemaker, Daniel Barons, who tells it like it is with a no-holds-barred approach to winemaking. He has been making wine for 41 years so he says he has seen it all. Continue reading →

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/silver-oak-winery-in-the-napa-valley-%e2%80%93-for-cabernet-sauvignon-fans/

Jessica Biel Jessica Cauffiel Jessica ParÈ Jessica Simpson

Housekeeping : Go Ahead, "Like" Eater on Facebook, Everybody Is Doing It

Source: http://la.eater.com/archives/2011/09/08/go_ahead_like_eater_on_facebook_everybody_is_doing_it.php

Christina Ricci Chyler Leigh Ciara Cindy Crawford

Event Report: 2011 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Boston

The Wine Spectator 2011 Grand Tour made its third and final stop last Thursday at the Marriott Copley Hotel in Boston. The event offered a chance to try more than 200 wines in an expo-style tasting over the course of three hours. Between the high quality of the wines being poured, the chance to interact with winemakers and winery owners, and the lack of long lines, it was the best wine tasting I've ever been to.

Prior to the event I wrote down a cheat sheet of wines I wanted to taste. I didn't think I'd actually get a chance to try all the wines especially after reading Wine Spectator Tim Fish's blog post from the Las Vegas event. At tastings like these lines usually get long and I end up going wherever the crowds aren't. However I was pleasantly surprised the lines for even the marquee wines weren't too long at all. I was able to try everything on my list and then some.

The event provided an excellent opportunity to taste some of the great wines of the world. I bumped into Phil Minervo from Lower Falls Wine Co who coached me to taste through wines in their peer group rather than jumping around.

Bordeaux

What better place to start with a fresh palate than Bordeaux?

With my souvenir Riedel tasting glass in hand I made my first stop at the 2004 Chateau Margaux table (93WS/$220 release price). I thought the wine had incredible texture, was made in a serious style, and had a long finish. Next up: 2004 Cos d'Estournel (94WS/$80). I've always eyed that wine as attainable top-quality Bordeaux. I thought it was very elegant in style:

The winery owner was pouring his 2008 Pontet-Canet (92WS/$105). I thought it was delicious and enjoyable to drink even though it was so young:

The 2005 Mouton-Rothschild (95WS/$680) was powerful but a little too earthy and austere at this point. Maybe even skunky:

From Bordeaux I also tasted 2004 Chateau Palmer (elegantly balanced), 2006 Chateau Haut-Bailley (only 12.5% alcohol!) and 2005 Chateau Lynch Bages (nice fruit - enjoyed it).

Side note: The size of the pours, even for these expensive wines, provided an ample opportunity for assessment. In Massachusetts, a sample of wine poured at a tasting cannot legally exceed 1 ounce and most vendors were pouring right at that mark.

Italy

Next up was Italy to taste some Barolo and Tuscan reds. The 2006 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Torriglione (92WS/$265) was beautiful - and stunningly aromatic:

The 2005 Marchesi di Barolo (91WS/$88) was very well balanced with really nice floral aromas:

The Tuscan line-up was even more amazing - a crash course in the great wines of the region. Some were showing more generously at this point in their development but all were a joy to taste. One of the more friendly offerings was the 2005 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova (92WS/$75). I liked the style, and the 2006 vintage was rated 100 points by James Suckling. I bought some the next day.

The 2007 Modus (96WS/$35) was a wine I was interested in trying. There was a good amount of speculation it would be the 2010 Wine Spectator Wine of the Year (it wound up at number 25). I enjoyed the wine.

I blogged about the 2007 Felsina Fontalloro recently (92WS/$55). It was showing very well alongside very formidable competition. I really like this wine. I asked the gentleman pouring it to compare it to the 2005 and 2006 vintages. He slyly recommended the 2005 for breakfast, the 2007 for lunch and the 2006 for dinner implying the 2006 is bigger than the 2007. Both the 2006 and 2007 are fantastic - I'd highly recommend you track some down:

The guy pouring the 2008 Tenuta Sette Ponti Oreno (96WS/$110) wasn't much of a talker but the wine spoke for itself. Brilliant and approachable. Balanced:

 

In the not so approachable camp: The 2007 Testamatta (95WS/$125, some fruit but still quite tight), and 2008 Ornellaia (NYR, tannic beast).

The 2000 Fontodi Flaccienello (87WS/$69) was one of the few wines at the event not rated 90 points at the time of release. The vendor pouring it said Wine Spectator may have rated it higher as part of a retrospective tasting but I couldn't find a record of that. The wine was showing nicely and it was especially interesting to taste a wine of the caliber with some bottle age (many of the wines were insanely young).

I really appreciated that each table was only pouring a single wine. This focus kept the crowd moving and provided an opportunity to quickly see what a winery is all about. When I've only got 3 hours and more than 200 wines to taste that's what I'm looking for.

Pinot Noir

Even though I was spitting as much as I possibly could, I was parched after tasting so many Bordeaux and Italian wines.

I took a break then made a bee line for the Kosta Browne table where Managing Director of Marketing & Sales Sam Lando was pouring. Perhaps more than any domestic winery I was pleased to see them there. They seem to have little trouble selling through their wines and it was a pleasure to taste the 2009 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (NYR). Beautiful stuff - my wine of the night. At 14.5% alcohol they seem to have found ways to bring the alcohol levels down slightly while maintaining their rich mouth feel and delicious flavor profile.

Nearby, Adam Lee was pouring his 2009 Siduri Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir (92WS/$29). I liked this wine quite a bit more than his 2009 Russian River Valley bottling I tried earlier this year and will seek out the SLH for future purchase. It's a winner.
 
Oregon was also well represented. Sokol Blosser was pouring their 2008 Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills (90 WS/$38). I love how distinctly vibrant their wines are across every recent vintage and bottling - fabulous. The 2008 Bergstrom Pinot Noir (93WS/$78) showed how you're rewarded for spending more in Oregon Pinot Noir. 

Napa Cabernet

Looking back I can't believe some of the Napa Cabs I passed up. The 2007 Robert Mondavi Reserve was there and I didn't make it a priority to taste it. What was I thinking? I very much enjoyed the 2008 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon (94WS/$130). It was only outdone by the 2006 Joseph Phelps Insignia (94WS/$200). Love everything about that Insignia with its rich mouth feel and generous fruit-driven flavor profile. For my palate, it's absolutely delicious without going over the top. Cliff Lede was pouring their 2007 Poetry (91WS/$150). Beautiful bottle. Nice wine. 

Wandering Around

The wineries were generous with their selections.  Michael Twelftree from Two Hands was pouring their 2007 "Zippy's Block" Single Vineyard Shiraz (91WS/$110). Catena Zapata brought their 2007 Nicasia Vineyard Malbec (96WS/$120). For wineries like these (which I've heard of tasted their wines before) it was nice to be able to try some of their lower production bottlings.

One of the most delicious wines I tried all night came on a tip from Mike O'Connell Jr from Upper Falls Liquors. The 2008 Betts & Scholl Grenache Barossa Valley - "The O.G." they call it (90WS/$20). Original Grenche? It was luscious and so enjoyable after tasting through dozens of drier wines. I'd really like to track this one down:

Conclusions and Recommendations

What was advertised as a light buffet turned out to be quite substantial. Buffet stations and seating areas outside the ballroom provided a break from the action. Plenty of bottles of Acqua Panna and Pelligrino aided in hydration.

Several people I ran into at the event called it "the best wine tasting I've ever been to." I agree with them. The combination of high quality wines, manageable crowds, and the overall experience made it an event I'd look forward to attending again. It was the kind of thing I'd really enjoy going with some friends, attending the event, going to dinner afterwards, and spending the night at the hotel.

More than anything the tasting provided a way to taste some of the great wines of the world and get a feel for their flavor profiles. I can read tasting notes all day but until I get a chance to experience wines myself it's hard to know what I'll like. Because of this I find tastings like this really valuable. I learn a lot and can focus my wine exploration in new directions.

Disclosure: I attended on a free blogger pass.

Further Reading: A review of the event from The Passionate Foodie

Question of the Day: Have you been to a Wine Spectator tasting in the past? What are some of the best wine tastings you've ever been to? What made them so enjoyable?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/qnVNh6j2Yhs/event-report-2011-wine-spectator-grand.html

Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay Audrina Patridge

Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008

Davis Bynum is a�venerable name in California Pinot Noir having made their reputation back when Joseph Swan was still with us. Founded in 1973, Davis Bynum was the first to produce a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley; from the now legendary�Rochioli Vineyard. And this heritage lives on even after the sale to [...]

Davis Bynum, Pinot Noir 2008 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/6sxRm_z4EEU/

Gwen Stefani

Any minute now, meanwhile

Source: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2011/06/any_minute_now_meanwhile.html

Carol Grow Carrie Underwood Cat Power Catherine Bell

Glen Ellen, Petite Sirah 2007

Wines in the “fighting varietal” section of the wine store don’t get a lot of wine blog love. Nor do they get reviewed very much in the mainstream wine press leaving the inquiring consumer to consult Google for information. And I get a lot of incoming search traffic every time I review such a wine. [...]

Glen Ellen, Petite Sirah 2007 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/bmDbiM7S5nI/

Ashley Tappin Ashley Tisdale Asia Argento Aubrey ODay

Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s May 28 Release ? Tasting Notes

As another barrage of Californian wines prepares to hit the shelves, the good news is some of them are very good and a couple are exceptional. However, the bad news is they are not cheap. As always, there are several wines to be found that won?t make the wallet wince so please read on. WINES [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/a44L6rWp70U/vintages-may-28-release-%e2%80%93-tasting-notes

Ana Ivanovi Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello

?Which are the best Napa Valley Wineries to Visit?

We frequently get emails from visitors to our Website, WineCountryGetaways, asking for advice. The most common email goes something like this: ?We will be in San Francisco in September and want to spend two days in the Napa Valley. Can you please tell us which are the best wineries to visit??
Continue reading →

Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/%e2%80%9cwhich-are-the-best-napa-valley-wineries-to-visit%e2%80%9d/

Danica Patrick Daniella Alonso Danneel Harris Deanna Russo