Booze, Booze, Booze

by scottharveywines.com

So almost every adult event offers wine.  Why?  Because nothing can give a party a grown up feel like wine does.  Hard liquor, even when mixed into martinis?  College stuff.  Wine?  Pinky out status.

Wine tasting parties are getting more and more popular these days, possibly because of our economy going bust and everyone's subsequent need to drown their financial sorrows.  This post is meant to help you out should you need to provide a bottle of wine at some event and have no idea what to get.  The party throwing bug has hit me once again recently, and I believe I shall organize a wine tasting party soon...

Because of BevMo's latest 5 cent wine sale, I am officially in wine mode.  I just spent almost 2 hours trying to find my "great find" from the last 5 cent wine sale.  Never going to happen again!  As a result of this incident, I have decided to chronicle my wine faves from the past 3 years of enthusiastic wine tasting.  My favorite red varietals are Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon, so you will see that my red recommendations have been skewed.  All the pictures below have been stolen from BevMo's website.

These recommendations are all equally great in my eyes...and mouth.  Yum!

BEST BUBBLY - Martini & Rossi  Asti ($9-$13)

Wine expert's take:  88 PTS WINE ENTHUSIAST. Martini & Rossi is one of the largest and best producers of Asti; sweet, delicate flavors of melon, peach, apple and grapefruit; perfect with apple tarts and cream.

My take:  DELICIOUS!  Tart, with a sweet, crisp aftertaste, this light bubbly is better than $40/bottle French champagnes, which were more dry and not as pleasing to me.  It's a standard, low-priced wine ($9-$13/bottle), but you can't go wrong.



BEST OVERALL WINERY - Bella Winery ($30+)

Seriously, any winery that has several different of Zinfandels is an awesome winery in my book.  This winery goes above and beyond, however, because every single wine I tried there was delicious and velvety smooth.  Each succeeding one was better than the last!  How do they do it!?!  Their late harvest Zinfandel is also do die for:  sweet and smooth.  The only downside to this winery is that I haven't been able to find a bottle anywhere except straight from their winery.

BEST RIESLING (so far) - Query Reisling '09 ($16)

Wine expert's take:  90 PTS WILFRED WONG. Wow, this one is surprisingly delicious, the ripe apple '09 Query Riesling explodes a potpourri of exotic flowers and core fruit flavors; slightly sweet.

My take:  It's a melt-in-your mouth, mellow type of wine.  Very aromatic, and with none of that tart bite that comes with fruity whites. There's a hint of sweetness in the aftertaste that makes you wanna take another sip just to chase it.  It has officially bumped Riesling as my top white wine varietal.  Sorry, pinot grigio!  I would totally recommend this with some equally mellow Sonoma Jack cheese...  Oooh...  Paired with grapes...  On a breezy spring afternoon...  And now I sound like a wine country magazine...

COOLEST BOTTLE - Moselland Zeller Black Cat '08 ($12)

Wine expert's take:  (from BevMo site) The Moselland Zeller Schwartz Katz is a light, semi-sweet white; very easy on the palate; give it a good chill.

My take:  As I've described in my other post, Yum Under The Sun, this wine is "light, fruity, and crisp."  Can one quote oneself???  I just did!  Weird...  I apparently got the name wrong in my other post, but it's not my fault!  There were so many different things written on the bottle...and in German, nonetheless! Anyway, it is also slightly bubbly, which is cool.  This wine has proven that there is more to it than a fantastic bottle concept.


BIGGEST REGRET - J Lohr Red Wine ($30?)

I can't remember which red wine I bought from J Lohr, but I'm guessing that it was the Gesture Syrah '08 based on bottle shape and label.  It taught me what a good wine is supposed to be like.  A good wine is supposed to smack you with flavor yet stay smooth with a lingering aftertaste...YUM.  I labeled this wine as "biggest regret," because I cannot, for the life of me, remember what it was!

LATE HARVEST BEAUTY - J Lohr Riesling Late Harvest  '08 ($25)

Wine expert's take:  The J Lohr Late Harvest Riesling is sweet and full of seductive fruit flavors; ripe peach and apple with an accent of apricots and flowers; long sweet aftertaste.

My take:  Ditto, minus the peach/apple/apricots/flowers, because I honestly can't taste it.  This wine is indeed seductive.  Makes you want to horde the whole bottle to yourself!  A favorite amongst my friends.



CABERNET SAUVIGNON (OR LE CAB, IF YOU WANNA BE FANCY)

 Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon '09 ($16)

Wine expert's take:  Layer Cake Cabernet Sauvignon is made by blending selected lots of the best fruit from California, combining richness and big fruit flavors with classic structure and tannic power.

My take:  Not the smoothest wine I've tasted, but when it was let to breathe a little, I indulged in two glasses and enjoyed it.  It did indeed smack me with taste, but it didn't leave as big an impression as my favorite Zinfandels.  Again, not the best, but one I can imagine enjoying a lot of.

Hess Cabernet '08

Wine expert's take:  88 PTS WILFRED WONG. Put-together very well, the active '08 Hess Select Cabernet is a solid example of this varietal; ripe and lasting on the palate with soft tannins.

My take:  This wine really impressed me with its affordability and it's ultra smoothness.  I mean, really.  It is smooth.  Also, it also has a very nice wine flavor.  It doesn't smell as good as the Renwood Jack Rabbit, which was GODLY, but it's my favorite cabernet.  Also, it has a pleasant amount of tannins, or dryness, at the end.  For those of you who don't know what this means, it's the little sensation that makes you wanna smack your tongue when drinking dry wines or eating unripened persimmons.

ZINFANDEL SHINERS

Klinker Brick Zinfandel Old Vine '08 ($17)

Wine expert's take:  89 PTS WILFRED WONG. Packs some good heat, the 15.8% alcohol '08 Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel is made for real red wine lovers; rich and dense with a load of jammy berries; yes to BBQ ribs!

My take:  This wine is not for the faint of heart.  It attacks your tongue, grabs hold, and hangs on for dear life.  A bold, bold wine with a spicy kick.  I am so in love with this wine.  I will never forget it.  It was actually a recommendation from a BevMo employee.  She was such a sweetheart and an obvious wine enthusiast.  I paired this with smoked gouda for a wine and cheese party, and I must say, it was a match made in heaven.  

Renwood Jack Rabbit Flat '08 ($33)

Wine expert's take:  (from the BevMo website)  The Renwood Jack Rabbit Flat Zinfandel is a ripe, rounding red with pleasing berry flavors; textured and layered with soft tannins.

My take:  Smooooooooth.  And most amazingly?  It is still chock full of flavor.  There are no sacrifices here.  I brought it to a Thanksgiving dinner, and it was a huge hit.  I don't know why the wine expert didn't give a more enthusiastic description, but who knows?  I LOVE this wine.  It is my favorite red wine in the WORLD!  Also, if you haven't guessed, it was the one I searched TWO hours for!

BEST (FIRST AND ONLY) MOSCATO - Cantina di Casteggio Moscato '09 ($15)

Wine expert's take:  88 PTS WILFRED WONG. This wine will melt into your mouth, the aromatic and pretty '09 Cantina di Casteggio Moscato is light and fancy; fun with flowers and ripe peaches; sweet in the finish.

My take:  This wine is indeed light and fruity.  It is very, very drinkable, and honestly, a lot like the Asti mentioned above.  For some reason though, it's not quite as good to me.  It might have to do with its being more tart and less sweet in the finish.  Still a highly recommended wine.


MY LIST FOR THIS SESSION OF THE BEVMO 5 CENT WINE SALE

Cantina di Casteggio Moscato '09 ($7.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Why I want to try it:  Yups.  I'm going back for more.

Cantina di Casteggio Sangue di Guida '09 ($7.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Wine expert's take:  90 PTS WILFRED WONG. Think of flowers and sunshine and a medium sweet red wine, the '08 Cantina de Casteggio Sangue di Guida is simply beautiful and; ripe plummy flavors; great with fresh fruit.

Why I want to try it:  I thought about getting this last time, but didn't.  Now's my chance!  I'm totally into flowers and sunshine!

Clos LaChance Hummingbird Zinfandel '07 ($8.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Wine expert's take:  DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, 2010 SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE WINE COMP. Full and illuminated on the palate, the berry-rich '07 Clos LaChance Zinfandel drinks exceedingly well into the finish.

Why I want to try it:  Dude....DOUBLE GOLD...ALL THE WAYYY

Zynthesis Zinfandel '09 ($8.52/bottle w/ 5 cent sale)

Wine expert's take:  91 PTS WILFRED WONG. Hypnotizingly delicious, the black-fruited '09 Zynthesis Old Vine Zinfandel packs the palate with enticing and lasting richness; long finish.

Why I want to try it:  I want to be hypnotized and I love the name and the Zorro-like symbol.  I admit, I had a crush on Zorro as a kid.  He was quite dashing!

So there you have it!  The best wines I've tried so far in the past three years, plus a few I want to try.

You'll notice that I didn't mention any pinot grigios, chardonnays, or merlots. This is because I haven't tasted any pinot grigios that wowed me (although I do tend to like the steel fermented ones more than the barrel fermented).  I haven't tasted a chardonnay that I've liked because they were all too "oak-y" or as my friend, sanjoselove put it, "moldy tasting."  And merlots?  Shudder.

If you have any wine favorites, especially if they are either a merlot or chardonnay, holla!  I haven't given up on those varietals yet!