KT and I were fortunate to attend this small, intimate class (10 folks, not counting Lee & Kim). We had nine offerings from these regions, with quite a bit of variety and more than one surprise. The following are my tasting notes and only reflect my opinion... madam KT will have to provide her own take, should she choose.
1. 2006 Garofoli Vino Frizzante (Verdicchio/Trebbiano blend). Very pleasant and cava like. Nice acidity and minerality and an easy to drink sparkler. Everyone liked it.
2. 2006 Luzano, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. Nice goldren robe. Floral nose with hints of hay. Excellent with assorted cheeses; had faint carnation-like spiciness.
3. 2004 Centorame Trebbiano d'Abruzzo. Not much nose. Very thin bodied. Slight hints of anise, mint, menthol, but over all not much there. As one taster said, "I really want to like this wine, but I can't quite get to it". I agree; it was either very aloof or simply inconsequential.
4. 2005 La Valentina Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Very pleasant. Tart cherries; slight alcoholic bit; and manageable tannins. Xlnt food wine and reasonably priced.
5. 2006 Marotti Campi Rubico (La Crima varietal). Truly an amazing wine (if for no other reason than its uniqueness). Rich flowery/fruitful nose....a white nose and a red wine! Two tasters felt that it smelled like Fruit Loops. It tasted wonderfully, with noticable but not intrusive tannins. The floral/fruit characteristics were less forceful on the palate. Swells white, tastes red...we bought one to share with a SWIRL.
6. 2005 Silvano Strologo Rosso Conero (montepulciano/sangiovese blend). Very regal velvety purple robe. Darker than previous wines; elegant, yet funky/skunky nose. Delicious and very good with salumi/cheeses.
7. 2005 Centorame Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. A higher end offering from the #3 producer. Very new world style: dominant fruit forward, tannic; a bigger wine than I care for. Less rustic and more designed for the masses. As Lee said, "These next wines show the prevalence of winemaker manipulation". He said it as a good thing; I think that it's a bad thing.
8. 2003 La Valentina Montepulicano d'Abruzzo. Again, a higher end offering from #4 producer. Tasty and more true to its varietal than #7, but at four times the cost of #4 and more "new world style" in approach, we passed.
9. 2000 Umani Ronchi, Marche Rosso IGT (montepulciano/cabernet blend). Very herbal nose (cab). Tasty but too fruity for my palate...almost a fruit bomb. Several tasters thought that it resembled a bordeaux in taste and structure. Too new world style for me.
Overall an excellent class. Nice to try some wines from "elsewhere".
Friday, March 28, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Avaricious but NOT delicious!
When I parted my last position, a group of loving peers presented me with a gift card to a local wine shop. (My love for wine is legend) It was not a wine shop that I would have chosen, but, hey, $200 to spend in any wine shop is nothing to sniff at.
So, off I go to said wineshop, facing the obvious dilemma: do I go for quantity or quality? do I spend it on what I know or explore wines that I haven't tried before? Ultimately, I decided on the latter.
I chose five wines: an older Chianti Classico Riserva (about $50), a Cote Rotie (about $70), a wine from the Languedoc, produced by a legendary winemaker (about $50), a burgundy from the excellent 2005 vintage (Chorey le Beaune - about $30) and a pouilly fuse from a reputable producer (okay, I exceeded my gift card slightly).
So far the results have been VERY disappointing. I've opened the Chianti and it was ho-hum. Two nights ago, for Feaster, I opened the Cote Rotie and it was even more disappointing. It was a Kermit Lynch and from the 2003 vintage, so it should have been a blockbuster, but seemed, insteaad, wimpy and inconsequential. I can't believe all the ballyhooed largess of Cote Rotie ultimately comes down to this offering, so I'm convinced that this wineshop, one that KT refers to as "the dark side", really is a terrible place to buy wine. It is rumored that the owner buys his wines from distributors "close out" bins, but I never believed that his "high end" wines would come from such stock. Now I'm not so sure.
So, SWIRLers, my advice is to avoid the PWM wine shop or shop at your own peril. I have had some decent wines from there, but now I'm completely boycotting the place. There are simply too many good stores in Stumptown to put up with this nonsense. I guess I can at least say that it wasn't an expensive lesson on my dime and I still have the lingering glow of friendship that accompanied this gift in wine adventures.
Ciao,
gene
So, off I go to said wineshop, facing the obvious dilemma: do I go for quantity or quality? do I spend it on what I know or explore wines that I haven't tried before? Ultimately, I decided on the latter.
I chose five wines: an older Chianti Classico Riserva (about $50), a Cote Rotie (about $70), a wine from the Languedoc, produced by a legendary winemaker (about $50), a burgundy from the excellent 2005 vintage (Chorey le Beaune - about $30) and a pouilly fuse from a reputable producer (okay, I exceeded my gift card slightly).
So far the results have been VERY disappointing. I've opened the Chianti and it was ho-hum. Two nights ago, for Feaster, I opened the Cote Rotie and it was even more disappointing. It was a Kermit Lynch and from the 2003 vintage, so it should have been a blockbuster, but seemed, insteaad, wimpy and inconsequential. I can't believe all the ballyhooed largess of Cote Rotie ultimately comes down to this offering, so I'm convinced that this wineshop, one that KT refers to as "the dark side", really is a terrible place to buy wine. It is rumored that the owner buys his wines from distributors "close out" bins, but I never believed that his "high end" wines would come from such stock. Now I'm not so sure.
So, SWIRLers, my advice is to avoid the PWM wine shop or shop at your own peril. I have had some decent wines from there, but now I'm completely boycotting the place. There are simply too many good stores in Stumptown to put up with this nonsense. I guess I can at least say that it wasn't an expensive lesson on my dime and I still have the lingering glow of friendship that accompanied this gift in wine adventures.
Ciao,
gene
Monday, March 17, 2008
SBIRL??
At the second official SWIRL of 2008, we engaged in a marked departure from our previous meetings. To honor St. Patrick's Day, we departed from our usual culinary format of exquisite cuisine and wines to match, and, instead, indulged in traditional Irish holiday faire married with dark Irish beer.
The beers of choice were Beamish Stout (which received near unanimous praise for its smoothness), Murphy's Stout (delicious and chocolately) and the eponymous Guinness Stout (less creamy, more acidic). (The Lehman's also brought some double chocolate stouts but prudence and moderation pre-empted their dance across our collective palates).
Ruth started the evening off with a stunningly presented baked ricotta dish, infused with hints of pepper and pepper flakes. A yummy beginning to say the least. An additional appetizer surfaced in irish cheeses and rainforest crackers....I believe contributed by Kay and Steve respectively (forgot to check the facts on this one, sorry to say). All went down well with the assorted brews.
The main meal followed: corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and soda bread. It was all excellent and would have stood proud on the country table of any true Irish family. Suzie thoughtfully adorned things with two wonderful mustards: a dijon and a stout. The beer was the perfect swill to wash it all down.
Jewel and Tim followed the entrees with a delightful simple salad that did a fabulous job of cleaning our beer soaked palates.
The evening closed with Ruth's immaculalte Guinness chocolate cake. Barry and Suzie offered up the perfect dark beverage, coffee, to offset the richness of the dense dessert. Barry demonstrated his culinary prowess by whipping up some "My T Fine" whipped cream, so that those inclined could add a judicious dollop to their Irish Whiskey laced dark brew.
More than a wee bit of fun was had by all. We were delighted that the Queen was able to join us. Her second term at the reign is getting off to an adventurous start!
No firm plans for our next event, although rumblings of a parisian themed meal could be heard, to honor the return of Barry an Suzie from their euro/dollar challenged time in Paris. Let it be said: better to be "poor" in Paris than not in Paris at all.
Your humble scribe.
gene
The beers of choice were Beamish Stout (which received near unanimous praise for its smoothness), Murphy's Stout (delicious and chocolately) and the eponymous Guinness Stout (less creamy, more acidic). (The Lehman's also brought some double chocolate stouts but prudence and moderation pre-empted their dance across our collective palates).
Ruth started the evening off with a stunningly presented baked ricotta dish, infused with hints of pepper and pepper flakes. A yummy beginning to say the least. An additional appetizer surfaced in irish cheeses and rainforest crackers....I believe contributed by Kay and Steve respectively (forgot to check the facts on this one, sorry to say). All went down well with the assorted brews.
The main meal followed: corned beef, cabbage, potatoes and soda bread. It was all excellent and would have stood proud on the country table of any true Irish family. Suzie thoughtfully adorned things with two wonderful mustards: a dijon and a stout. The beer was the perfect swill to wash it all down.
Jewel and Tim followed the entrees with a delightful simple salad that did a fabulous job of cleaning our beer soaked palates.
The evening closed with Ruth's immaculalte Guinness chocolate cake. Barry and Suzie offered up the perfect dark beverage, coffee, to offset the richness of the dense dessert. Barry demonstrated his culinary prowess by whipping up some "My T Fine" whipped cream, so that those inclined could add a judicious dollop to their Irish Whiskey laced dark brew.
More than a wee bit of fun was had by all. We were delighted that the Queen was able to join us. Her second term at the reign is getting off to an adventurous start!
No firm plans for our next event, although rumblings of a parisian themed meal could be heard, to honor the return of Barry an Suzie from their euro/dollar challenged time in Paris. Let it be said: better to be "poor" in Paris than not in Paris at all.
Your humble scribe.
gene
Monday, March 3, 2008
The First Official SWIRL of 2008
To the musical backdrop of the Ebony Hillbillies, all 36 pieces of stemware have been washed and dried and tucked away for a future SWIRL event.
Post mortem: Of six bottles of liquid refreshment, there are four "dead soldiers" awaiting glass recycling day.
Post mortem: Of six bottles of liquid refreshment, there are four "dead soldiers" awaiting glass recycling day.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
The First Official SWIRL of 2008
Fellow Amateurs du Vin,
The SWIRL calender begins a little later this year, with the delay in coronation until February. Nonetheless, we are off to a great start to the new year.
March 2nd, 2008 (honoring Steve and KT's birthdays): Tim and Jewel graciously hosted tonight's festivities, taking their new stove for a full test drive. The night began at 6ish, with Steve and Ruth providing the appetizers, Jewel and Tim offering the main entree, KT and Gene brought a side dish, Kay was responsible for the salad course and Barry and Suzie closing the show with desserts. The offiicial menu is as follows:
Appetizer: Beef Empanadas (two versions: one baked and one fried...both were delicious but the fried version was overwhelmingly the favorite). Steve shared a delightful salsa that was directly from Costa Rica. For an accompanying beverage: Segura Viudas Brut Rose.
Wines of the evening:
1. 2000 Chateau St. Martin de la Garrigue: Bronzinelle Coteaux du Languedoc (France)
2. 2000 Caratan, Marco Felluga: Rosso de Venezia Guila (Italy)
3. 2000 Domaine La Beguda des Papes: Chateauneuf de Pape (France)
4. 2000 Conti Sertali Salio "Canua Sforzato" Valtellina (Italy)
5. 2003 La Consulta: Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina)
Entree: Jewel made an exquisite rabbit stew, accompanied by mashed potatoes. Gene made a green bean/roasted pepper vegetable side dish. Tim provided a near endless supply of Fleur de Lis bread to sop up the sumptious sauce that Jewel made for the rabbit. (Tim notes that this the first SWIRL in which an entire loaf of bread was consumed)
Salad: Kay made a deliciously delicate salad of living butter lettuce, sprinkled with a blue cheese from Denmark. (All remaining shards of bread were used to swipe our plates clean).
Dessert: Suzie made a delightful polenta shortbread cake, with figs, raisins and assorted spices. Barry provided a whipped cream topping for the piece de resistance. Suzie and Barry also provided a spot of limoncello to accompany this delicacy.
Verdict: yet another amazing meal, in which our cumulative culinary offerings were outstanding and the array of accompanying wines were of equal quality and married perfectly with the cuisine.
It was agreed that the next SWIRL would be at Barry and Suzie's on March 16th. We will use an Irish theme, with the entree being corned beef and we will switch our beverage choices to beers.
A promising beginning to yet another year of exceptional food and beverage.
The SWIRL calender begins a little later this year, with the delay in coronation until February. Nonetheless, we are off to a great start to the new year.
March 2nd, 2008 (honoring Steve and KT's birthdays): Tim and Jewel graciously hosted tonight's festivities, taking their new stove for a full test drive. The night began at 6ish, with Steve and Ruth providing the appetizers, Jewel and Tim offering the main entree, KT and Gene brought a side dish, Kay was responsible for the salad course and Barry and Suzie closing the show with desserts. The offiicial menu is as follows:
Appetizer: Beef Empanadas (two versions: one baked and one fried...both were delicious but the fried version was overwhelmingly the favorite). Steve shared a delightful salsa that was directly from Costa Rica. For an accompanying beverage: Segura Viudas Brut Rose.
Wines of the evening:
1. 2000 Chateau St. Martin de la Garrigue: Bronzinelle Coteaux du Languedoc (France)
2. 2000 Caratan, Marco Felluga: Rosso de Venezia Guila (Italy)
3. 2000 Domaine La Beguda des Papes: Chateauneuf de Pape (France)
4. 2000 Conti Sertali Salio "Canua Sforzato" Valtellina (Italy)
5. 2003 La Consulta: Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina)
Entree: Jewel made an exquisite rabbit stew, accompanied by mashed potatoes. Gene made a green bean/roasted pepper vegetable side dish. Tim provided a near endless supply of Fleur de Lis bread to sop up the sumptious sauce that Jewel made for the rabbit. (Tim notes that this the first SWIRL in which an entire loaf of bread was consumed)
Salad: Kay made a deliciously delicate salad of living butter lettuce, sprinkled with a blue cheese from Denmark. (All remaining shards of bread were used to swipe our plates clean).
Dessert: Suzie made a delightful polenta shortbread cake, with figs, raisins and assorted spices. Barry provided a whipped cream topping for the piece de resistance. Suzie and Barry also provided a spot of limoncello to accompany this delicacy.
Verdict: yet another amazing meal, in which our cumulative culinary offerings were outstanding and the array of accompanying wines were of equal quality and married perfectly with the cuisine.
It was agreed that the next SWIRL would be at Barry and Suzie's on March 16th. We will use an Irish theme, with the entree being corned beef and we will switch our beverage choices to beers.
A promising beginning to yet another year of exceptional food and beverage.
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