Dallas Wine Chick

Beyond Safe Labels: Dallasites Take the Challenge

A few weeks ago, I was shocked to read a blog comment from The Wall Street Journal’s Lettie Teague about what Dallasites are drinking. Teague visited a Sigel’s Fine Wine shop in Frisco and was told by manager Tim Farina that we only drink big cabernets and big brands.

Whaaaaatttt? While I don’t personally follow the steak to cabernet sauvignon rule, I can understand a local steakhouse having a larger selection of those wines. So, I decided to go for a sanity check. I reached out to Terri Burney, owner of  WineTastic, who told me that while she has some customers that would fit the bill, even more are trying Malbec, Rioja, Albarino and Champagne.

Brooks Anderson, owner of  Veritas, had some great insights. “To say that Dallasites drink only overpriced, big labels of Cab and Chard is absolutely ridiculous and wholly inaccurate. If that were true, Veritas would have gone out of business long ago. We do not carry Cakebread; we do not currently carry Silver Oak; we do not currently carry Caymus; we do not currently carry Far Niente; we do not carry Nickel & Nickel; etc. Instead we carry lots of fun, boutique Cabs and Chards (and other wines from around the globe) that aren’t necessarily cheap and we sell them all day long. There are plenty of Dallasites who love to explore new labels, who would rather offer a delicious wine that their dinner guest has never heard of rather than an overpriced ‘label’.”

He went on to say that “in addition to ‘not cheap’ Cabs and Chards, we sell loads of Chateauneuf du Pape, Brunello, Barolo, Barbaresco, Burgundy, Amarone, Sancerre, etc. Dallasites are trying inexpensive wines like White Rioja; White Bordeaux; Gavi; Albarino/Alvarhino; Cotes du Rhone; Spanish Garnacha; Carmanere; Malbec; Baby Super Tuscans; Nero d’Avola; etc.”

So, where do we go from here? We need to take a stand. While there is a place for Cabernets, Chardonnays and other mainstays in our lives, let’s try some new varietals.

I had the recent opportunity to meet Anne-Laure Helfrich of Helfrich wines to try wines produced in her family’s Alsatian vineyard. The price points were fantastic — $14.99 for the Noble Tier wines that were really good (Riesling, Pinot Gris and Gerwürztraminer). The Grand Cru wines with the same varietals were fantastic and priced at $24.99. The Grand Cru Riesling was elegant with orange blossom, apricot and minerality. The Grand Cru Gewurztraminer had a floral nose with honeysuckle, citrus and a floral nose. I personally am adding these to my wine “off the beaten path” selection list.

In Dallas, you can find these wines at Whole Foods, Costco, Majestic Liquors (Fort Worth), Winestyles (Arlington and Fort Worth), Vino 100 and Veritas.

Let’s prove to Tim that we’ve moved from a “safe label zone” and into wine drinkers that have the courage to put an unfamiliar bottle on the table.

Can’t Drive 55!

This was the photo that I got from my lead footed husband as he made the solo drive from the Portland Airport to join me on a tour through Prosser, Red Mountain and Yakima.  I was lucky enough to have one of the top experts, Margot, and her husband, Dave,  show us Washington “wine o’clock” style.

You see, John didn’t join me until after #wbc10 was over. He’s a bourbon boy from the South and while he has a strong appreciation of wine and a collection that reinforces that point, seven days of wine tasting would render him to a state where he would want to poke his eyes out with a fork.  For the sake of our marriage and my enjoyment of the experience, he arrived late on Sunday. 

Unfortunately he missed out on some wonderful experiences.  Our first stop was family-owned L’Ecole. The name, L’Ecole Nº 41 is French for “the school”.  The winery is located in district 41 in historic Frenchtown, a small community outside of Walla Walla that was named for the many French Canadians that settled there in the early 1800s. 

We arrived at the converted schoolhouse that serves as the tasting room and were greeted by Jamie, a fun new friend who hosted us for a fantastic vertical tasting of library wines.  We began with a refreshing glass of the 08 Estate Luminesce ($19) that I loved, but alas, it was completely sold out.  We then tasted the 99, 03 and 07 Apogee from Pepper Bridge Vineyard and the 03 and 07 Estate Perigee from Seven Hills Vineyard.  I personally loved the Apogee – especially the earlier vintages that tasted of earthiness, black cherry, cassis and notes of chocolate.  The evolution in the glass was noteworthy and I left with a case of my own to taste test in the future.

Our next stop was to Va Piano Vineyards to meet Winemaker Justin Wylie.  Its motto: “Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.” The translation is “He who goes slowly, goes safely and goes far” – an old Italian saying and the winery’s approach to living. This recommendation came from Greg Kassanoff, who owns Pioneer Wine here in Dallas.  We started with two Brunos Blend I and VI wines, one Sauvignon Blanc and one red blend as well as the Semillon.  Father Bruno Segatta, who Justin met during his time at Gonzaga University, is an artist and selfless priest.  Father Segatta inspired Justin to give back to the community. When the Bruno blends are sold out, Va Piano donates a portion of the proceeds to a charity of Father Bruno’s choice.  We tried two Syrah’s – the 07 Syrah and 08 Estate Syrah, which were inky black, spicy and fabulous.  But it was the 07 Cabernet that made me a card carrying member of Va Piano’s wine club.  At $38 a bottle, it rivaled some of Napa’s heavy hitters currently in my cellar.  Let’s just say that I cancelled my Far Niente membership because I liked it that much (the rule in my house is that if I add a wine club, I must cancel a wine club – actually my husband made up this rule after one particular Visa bill).

The next day, we made a brief stop at Airfield Wines where my favorite wine was the Aviator ( $30). It was a big Bordeaux style blend and since my cousin is in process of finalizing his clearance to be a fighter pilot, I loved the history of the winery.

The next day we headed to visit Alexandria Nicole Cellars.  Because Margot and Dave were wine club members, we were given VIP treatment and access to the back room, where we tried more than 16 wines on their tasting list – we even showed restraint as they have 21 varietals.  My favorites included the 07 Jet Black Syrah, 09 Rousanne, 08 Quarry Butte (ah Quarry Butte…), 07 Cabernet and 08 Crawford Viognier.  We also had the chance to sample some older vintages – the 03 and 05 cabernets and merlots from Alexandria Nicole’s enomatics system.  Again, the evolution in the glass and the changes over a two-year period were notable.

Then it was time for lunch.  I was excited to finally meet Scott who has been a long-time friend on Twitter, but I wasn’t prepared for the red carpet that was rolled out by my new Washington friends.  We went to eat at Tuscany and were met by Coop, Sara and Kevin.  Coop brought a bottle of his not yet released 08 Pinot Gris and it paired perfectly with the delicious food.

Mark your calendars for the debut of Cooper Wine Company’s Red Mountain grand opening on Sept. 11.  If his Bordeaux-style reds rival the Pinot Gris, you won’t be sorry. 

We left Tuscany and I had the chance to experience Fidelitas Wines in Red Mountain.  We originally planned to visit several wineries on Red Mountain, but were drawn in by Charlie Hoppes’ big red wines at Fidelitas Wines along with the hospitality of Marilyn and Cindy.  Let’s just say that another case of wine now has a home in Dallas that includes the 07 Red Mountain Cabernet Franc ($40), the 07 Jaguar red ($20), 2007 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet  ($60) and 07 Red Mountain Red ($50).   

P.S. Here is a photo of the not debuted yet packaging…

Our last and final stop was Sean Gilbert at Gilbert Cellars in Yakima where we tasted an array of reds, whites and a Rose’ of Mourvedre paired with cheeses, olives and Marcona almonds.  While I enjoyed every one of his wines, it was the 07 Cabernet Sauvignon ($28) and 07 Cabernet Franc ($32) that will be joining us in Dallas once the Texas heat has diminished.

Sean also talked us out of our dinner selection and sent us to an unmarked sports bar with a hunter complete with a scoped rifle as the signage.  Thankfully we trusted him and enjoyed a great dinner with a bottle of Gilbert Cellars’ Malbec.  We ended the evening hanging out with Margot and Dave in their room where we told stories and toasted a wonderful trip with a few special favorite wines.

Desert Wind Winery – A Five Star Experience

After #WBC10, my husband, John, and I were invited to stay at Desert Wind Winery in Prosser, WA, with Margot, her husband, Dave, Barbara and her boyfriend, Jason.  Margot told me what a beautiful place the winery was and that we were in for a treat.  We usually take family vacations to an amazing resort in Punta Mita, Mexico, so I just expected a pleasant winery stay.  Let’s just say that sans beach this was a comparable five-star experience. 

Courtesy of Desert Wind Winery

Desert Wind Owners Greg and Amber Fries served as exemplary hosts from the moment we arrived and greeted us with a refreshing glass of Sauvignon Blanc on the spacious patio.  We had some time to relax in a fabulous, fully-stocked suite that had everything one could need from bottles of wine to munchies to luxurious bath products (and I love luxurious bath products). 

Just when I didn’t think it could get any better, we started our food/wine experience. We began with a tour of the winery and had the opportunity to barrel taste the 08 Petite Verdot, 08 Barbera and 08 Tempranillo. I was impressed that Greg was so willing to go off the beaten path of the varietals to  see what wines would blossom with his talent.

Chef Frank Magana and Darren Dewalt from Picazo 7 Seventeen treated us to a multi-course dinner paired with Desert Wind and Duck Pond wines (Greg is also the wine maker).  The food parade started with Dungeness Crab Cakes with Chipotle Aioli Firecracker Prawns, Patatas Bravas, various wonderful cheeses, Marcona Almonds and Olives, paired with Desert Wind’s 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and  2009 Viognier.  My foodie and chef hobbyist husband was absolutely in heaven.  I innocently asked Chef Magana exactly how many course were coming and realized some restraint from the appetizers would be necessary in order to stay the course.

The good news is that you too can enjoy Mojave by Picazo at Desert Wind, which is open noon – 3 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays.  But back to this meal, this glorious meal….

Our first course was Prosciutto-wrapped Mixed Field Greens with Ancho Chile Vinaigrette, paired with 2009 Dry Rose’ and 2008 Semillon. If you read this column regularly, you know I’m not the biggest fan of Rose and I’m allergic to pork, so I choose the Semillon and had a special menu adaptation.

We moved on to the Basil-Stuffed Salmon with Tempranillo Pan Sauce, Blue Prawns & Trumpet Mushrooms with Cream paired with a 2008 Tempranillo and 2006 Duck Pond Cellars ‘St. Jory’ Pinot Noir, one of the many library wines we tried. Loved, loved, loved this course.

And then came the beef – the filet of Beef Tenderloin Ruah Sauce, Black Truffle Risotto followed by Grilled Lamb Chops with Ruah-Garlic Marinade was delightful. The meats and sauce paired perfectly with a vertical of Desert Wind Ruah wines from 04, 05, 06 and 08.  Sublime.

I was glad to have run that morning (even though I got lost like an idiot) because the dessert plate … well, it rocked.  It was a trio of Espresso Crème Brulee, a Chocolate Crème Brulee and then a Gorgonzola Truffle.  It’s been a few weeks now and I still fantasize about that darn truffle matched with a 04 Duck Pond Port.

When I returned from my run the next morning, there was a food basket waiting for us with yogurt, fresh fruit, baked goods, coffee and other assorted goodies that we enjoyed on our balcony.

If you are looking for a great winery and gourmet food married with a five-star resort experience that is centrally located near several great wineries in Prosser, I highly recommend checking out the hospitality of Amber and Greg.  It will certainly be an experience that you will always remember and I’m certainly looking forward to my return.

Sojourn, Mounts Family Vineyard and Michel Schlumberger

It was my last day in Napa and it was going to be a great day to spend time with friends.  I started the morning with a five-and-a-half mile run where I chased the hot air balloons gliding through the vineyards of Calistoga.  After finishing a fantastic gourmet breakfast at our charming new bed and breakfast find, the Cornerstone Inn, my husband and I waited for our driver from St. Helena Wine Tours to pick us up.  Tom pulled up at the bottom of the hill – in a shiny black Jaguar.  (Insert theme song from the Jefferson’s here as this is not usually the way we roll).

The sun was shining and the Valley was radiant as we began our drive to Sojourn, one of my favorite Sonoma Pinot producers.  I was excited about the wine as we have been loyal consumers over the years, but as excited to meet a long-time Twitter friend, @winebratsf, live.  Both met my high expectations.  I knew from experience that I would enjoy the 08 Sonoma Cost (earth and oak, needed some time in bottle); Sangiacomo Vineyards (cherry and earth) and Gap’s Crown Vineyards (blueberry, cherry and spice) – all priced at $48.  But, I was excited about trying the new 08 Rodgers Creek Pinot Noir.  I loved the ripe berry taste of Burgundian cherry, floral aroma and spiciness.  We then tried three cabernets that I feel are amongst the better cabernets from the trip.

We started with the 06 Sonoma Cabernet, which was a steal at $39.  It was a big blend of currant and black cherry flavors with lots of spice.  The 06 Mountain Terraces Vineyard Reserve Cabernet ($75) was full of dark fruit with earthiness and cedar.  We ended with the 07 Home Ranch Vineyard Cabernet ($39), which tasted of blueberries and had a more subtle finish.

Our next stop was Mount Family Winery where we went to meet some other online friends – @sonomawilliam, @sharayray @winedog – for a BBQ thrown for wine club members.  (Side question:  why does tri-tip seem to be the official beef product of Napa wineries for BBQs?)  I had the opportunity to sample their Grenache (still not released) and I am looking forward to adding a few to my collection.

The final stop was at Michel Schlumberger where we secured a picturesque table on the porch overlooking their lovely grounds.  If you haven’t experienced a tasting there, I would highly recommend you stop by.  The wines are organically farmed and as Evan, our host, said, “the wines have good poundability.”  Yes, they do – they are quite good.  We took home several bottles including the 08 Pinot Blanc ($21) that passed the Texas Summer porch test; the 06 Le Fou Pinot Noir ($32) that had lots of cherries and was perfectly described by a tablemate as having “red hots on the back end” and the 04 Deux Terres Cabernet ($75) which was framed by big cherries, spice and hints of chocolate.

The next morning we met @winebratsf and @wineevangelist for some Iron Horse Tut Cuvee bubbly and brunch for a great time.  You know it’s funny,  I started Twitter because I felt like I had to “understand” social media for my career.  I look back at what I’ve gained from my experience, the encouragement that I got from my friends to start this blog, the incredible wine lovers that I’ve met and I realize that was the venue that brought out my inner wino.

A Day on Spring Mountain with Barnett Vineyards

Our last stop in Napa was to see one of my favorite people and a wonderful  wine hostess, Jacquelyn St. Martin at Barnett Vineyards.  I had the opportunity to meet Jackie, recovering Texan, last year at a wine dinner in Dallas and we immediately clicked.  For years, I have always joked about my “Fred Flintstone thumbs” and hers are identical (hence the photo and trust me – this is a freak of nature thing).  Barnett is always at the top of my wine country list.  I love their wine, but it’s even more fun when they are in wood burning pizza making mode as the pairing is sublime.   Looking down Spring Mountain with a glass of wine in hand is just a majestic experience.

Fiona and Hal Barnett launched the winery in 1983 with a focus on producing Cabernet Sauvignon wines, but have expanded to include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot with grapes taken from other single vineyards.  Because of the nature of the Spring Mountain terroir, the grapes are harvested by hand. 

We started with one of my favorites Barnett whites – the 09 Sauvignon Blanc, which had just been released that week and harkens from Dry Creek Valley.  At $25, I loved the crispness and tasted citrus, herbal and tropical fruit flavors.  I adore this wine.  Our next glass was the 07 Savoy Chardonnay priced at $35.  It was made in the Bordeaux style.  I tasted citrus, floral notes and a little vanilla.  They were totally sold out of the Tina Marie Pinot, so we tried the 08 Viento Valle Pinot Noir instead.   Our group almost collectively brought home two cases of this wine, which is priced at $45.  Big cherry, a touch of sweetness and some earthiness. 

We then tried the 07 Merlot, which was described by one of my travel companions as “the soup that drinks like a meal.”  It’s a deep purple color with lots of stone fruit, earthiness and licorice.  Priced at $48, it is a great wine and one that should be tried with food.  We then tried three different Cabernet Sauvignon wines.  First up was the 07 Spring Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon, which was a good Cab, priced at $65.  We also tried the Cyrus Ryan Cabernet, which was very nice, but the 07 Rattlesnake Hill Cabernet brought the group to our knees (in a good way).  It’s a special occasion wine at $125, but its dark color, deep fruit and complexity, made it the favorite wine with the group.  There is some urgency to getting this wine.  When we were there, only ten cases remained and we probably cleared out two of them.

Lora waiting on the plan

After a wonderful time at Barnett and a great dinner at Redd, we ventured back to the hotel to get ready for our return.  The drive to Sacramento was uneventful and then we jinxed it with the comment that this had been such an easy trip.  Wrong!  Due to some weather in Dallas, we ended up diverted to Oklahoma City for a few hours.  Only one of our team had upgraded to First Class and when she came sashaying back with her Bailey’s as we were pooling the snacks at the bottom of our purses, we were kind enough to not do her harm.  We finally arrived back home about four hours later than we originally planned and I was realizing the return to reality might not be as easy as I had hoped.

Senseless Women with Wine: The Goosecross Experience

Goosecross Cellars

Our day began with the magic words, “would you like grapefruit juice for breakfast?”  Why yes, we certainly would!  And a wonderful glass of 08 Goosecross Sauvignon Blanc was served by the lovely Nancy (known as @vinifera in the world of Twitter) as we gathered around an outdoor table with a spectacular view of the vineyard.  The wine had nice notes of honey, grapefruit, pear and citrus – it was delightful and $23. I’ll take that for breakfast any day.   

Goosecross Cellars began in 1985 and is truly a family affair.  Our group of ten was greeted by Geoff Gorsuch, Winemaker & Vice President with a pretty on target comment, “What group are you with? Women tasting wine without sense?”  We shortened it to Senseless Women With Wine.  Geoff, I can tell you my husband would more than agree with that statement and usually after he sees the credit card damage from a Napa/Sonoma excursion.

Our group quickly came to a consensus about the 08 Viognier that made red wine lovers buy white.  Full of nectarine, floral, honeydew and apricot notes, it was a fantastic Texas summer porch wine that made me wish for Summer.  Naturally, my wish came to fruition as it hit 80 and now I can’t get my wines shipped.  But, for $32 it was definitely one of the universal group favorites and chances are it will be served if you drink wine at our houses this summer.

Next up was the 07 chardonnay that had notes of green apple, vanilla, citrus and a creamy finish.  It was priced at $34 and I actually saw it on the order form of one of my exclusively red drinking friends.

We jumped over to red wines and started with the 07 Napa Valley Syrah, which retails for $36. This was a great syrah representation with lots of cherry, smoke and spiciness.  Our next wine was the merlot which tasted of cocoa, black cherry and vanilla at $42.  The 04 Howell Mountain Cabernet had plum, cherry, cedar and something I couldn’t place that turned out to be anise.  At $69, I’d put this up against the many $100 plus cabs that we tasted over the weekend.

The grand finale came as we were checking out and were poured a taste of the ÆROS 2006 Napa Valley Estate Meritage, only the second release in 24 years.  Let’s just say that this was well worth the wait.  Excellence doesn’t come cheap and this wine is priced at $142.  But, wow!  It was rich and seductive.  Big fruit, smoke, stone fruit and ripe raspberry made this well balanced wine the winner in the bunch.  But honestly, with the hospitality, great wine and Colleen’s adorable puppy that we couldn’t get enough of, you can’t go wrong with Goosecross as a must see winery.

Marietta Cellars: A Conversation with the Prodigal Son

It all started with the need to catch up with my dear friend, Julie, who I had not seen in ages and who had some big life decisions to make.  We sat outside Veritas on a glorious Spring day in Dallas.  We actually only get about twenty days a year like this before the temperature makes the jump from low 70’s to high 80’s and above, so we were savoring the sunshine and the tasty wine in front of us. 

Brooks, the owner of Veritas, came out to greet us and told us that we needed to leave the sunshine in order to attend a tasting of his latest find – Marietta Cellars.  Of course I can’t pass up the chance to taste a new winery and meet the winery family.  Also…it was free.  We started talking to Sam Bilbro, one of the brothers involved in the business whose business card reads “Prodigal Son.”  Sam had a clear passion for the wine business and his family’s wines.  He’s considered prodigal because he just returned to the vineyard after working for several other wineries.  After answering about 101 questions from me about Napa, his wines and what it is like to work in a family business, he began to pour.

We tasted five wines that day and I had a very definite favorite.   Our first wine was Marietta Old Vine Lot 51 NV (retails around $13).  Let me just name this an official pizza wine.  It was very fruit forward and bursting with spice and jam.

The next wine was the 06 Marietta Petite Syrah, which retails for $19.99.  Big blueberry fruit with spice, it was a full-bodied wine.  We then moved on to the 07 Marietta Zinfandel, which retails for $19.99.  It was a well balanced zin with hints of earthiness and a big berry taste.  The 06 Marietta Cabernet Sauvignon followed.  This  is an everyday drinking wine with lots of blackberry flavor,  priced at $19.99.

My favorite was the more expensive Marietta Angeli Cuvee.  Worth every penny of its $29.99 price tag (it drank like a more expensive wine), the Old Vines brought out the complexity of this wine.  I love the blend of berries, the spice and the balance.  It’s what a big red wine should be and one that will soon be joining my collection.

This week, Sam reached out to me to offer any assistance or answer any questions – even about other wineries.  Even though this little blog is less than two months old, I have been amazed at the responsiveness and willingness to help offered by the winemakers and families involved in the wine business.   Having worked in another industry for about 20 years, it is a nice discovery and I believe a testament to why wine consumption has continued to grow in the US.

A Small Town Boy from Iowa Turns a Hobby into Wine Magic

I had the opportunity to attend yet another wonderful wine dinner that Lakewood Country Club hosted for its wine locker members.  Co-owner Gary Luchtel from Surh Luchtel joined us for a wonderful four course dinner prepared by Executive Chef William Koval.  Poor Gary drew the short straw and ended up seated next to me.  For the next three hours, I proceeded to pepper the poor guy with questions that he handled with incredible patience and good humor.

A small town Iowa boy who followed an attractive exchange student to California, Gary told me his story about the wine hobby he and Don Suhr shared that began in 1990 and became a career in 1999.  I always am intrigued when I see people who have made their passion a success.  However, Don gave me a new perspective when he stated, “you know you lose your hobby when it becomes your job.”  Hmmm.

Suhr Luctel has grown and now  produces 4,000 cases of ten wines – Pinots, Bordeaux varietals, Cabernet, Zinfandel and Viognier.  He and Don serve as the only two employees of the winery and their focus is on making good wines at even better prices. While they source grapes from high-end growers all over California, they also own Fortanati Vineyard, which produced the Viognier that has become a new favorite of mine.  More on that to come later.

During the cocktail hour, we sampled the 07 Surh Luchtel Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast.  Cherries, spice and earthiness in a glass that retails for $32.  The other wine served was the 06 Surh Luchtel Mosiaque.  This wine priced at $31 was a Bordeaux blend with lots of blackberry and stone fruit.   I’d like to try this wine in a few years as I feel age would make it very different than it is today.  These two wines were paired with passed appetizers of mini crab cakes with tomato jam and lobster sauce; black peppered beef, arugula and parmesan and pork shumi with karashi mustard.  The appetizers and wine matched well.

Our first course was a soup of spring green garlic cream with fresh peas, morels and seared rabbit loin.  This was served with the 08 Surh Luchtel Viognier from Oak Knoll in Napa.  An unlikely pairing in my mind, but I can’t find my way around a kitchen.  It was a fantastic match.  The wine is my new favorite Viognier.  It is produced in stainless steel barrels, but after the primary fermentation, they add a partial malolactic fermentation to bring out the creaminess of the wine.  The combination of the minerality, crispness, apricot, white peaches and pepper make it one of my top new summer wines and it is a great find for $28.   

The next course was a seared long island duck breast with a Japanese sweet potato, cardamom, mango, shitake served with star anise duck sauce.  This was served with the 06 Surh Luchtel’s Gary’s Vineyard Pinot Noir from Santa Lucia Highlands.   This was a very expressive and big Pinot with a taste of berries and cherries.  It was a wonderful match with the course.  It is priced at $50.

Our dessert course was served with the 05 Surh Luchtel Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa.  The fresh fruit almond cream pastry and pistachio almond ice cream – especially the ice cream – worked well with the Cabernet.  This was also a big wine with blackberry, cherry, currant and hints of chocolate.  Priced at $40, this wine would evolve for another 5-7 years with cellar age.  The bonus of the night was the glass of 63 Taylors Port that Clubhouse Manager Tony Zaranti poured at the end.  It topped off a great evening of fun, friends, food and wine.

Wines Rated Over 90 and Under $30 Wine Club: The Intersection of Class and Sass

On Saturday night, my husband and I gathered with some of my favorite people for our bi-monthly wine club. The theme was wines that were rated over 90 points and cost under $30. We started out with an impressive display of gourmet cheese, hummus, breads, pates and prosciutto as well as two starter (or as we call them, swill) wines. The first was an 07 Olivares Altos de la Hoya. This Spanish wine was rated 91 points and well priced at $11.99. The second, was the Signargues La Font due Vent Cotes du Rhone 06, which was rated 91 points and priced at $14.99. I personally enjoyed both of them, but the Rhone seemed to be the clear winner among the group, especially after it had a chance to open up.

Then the games began. Flight one was comprised of six wines beginning with the Pazo Senorans Albarino 06 from Spain. I found it fruity, but with some minerality that kept it from being cloying. It was rated a 92 and priced at $27 (29 cents per point). The second wine was the Tablas Creek “Cotes de Tablas Blanc.” I tasted guava, peach and apricot and likened it to the drink “Sex on the Beach.” It was rated 92 points and priced at $23 (25 cents per point). The third wine, a Melville Estate Viognier, had an essence of peach, apricot, orange blossom and floral tones. It was rated 90 points and priced at $22 (24 cents a point). Around this time, smoked salmon and trout on polenta was served to the table with a lovely crème fraiche. It paired nicely with the whites served. But, this group generally prefers reds, so we made the switch on wine number four – the 08 Borsao Tres Picos Grenache with big flavors of blackberry and liquorce had a nice balance. Priced at $18 (20 cents per point) and rated 91, it was one of my favorites from the first flight. Wine number five was the 07 Descendientes de Jose Palcios Petalos from Spain. Full of raspberry, blackberry and smoke, the wine was rated 91 points and is priced at $22 (24 cents a point). The final wine of this flight was the 05 Capcanes Mas Donis rhone blend from Spain. The cherry, blackberry, liquorice and herbs made this the most interesting of the flight. Priced at $16 (18 cents per point), this wine is rated 91 points making it the best value of the flight and another favorite.

At the intersection between the first and second flight of wines, I find that the conversation usually splinters off from class into sass. Because I’d like to not be tossed out of the group, I won’t go into details here, but the conversation is always fast, furious, fun and many times, inappropriate.

At this point, a savory beef stew was served to begin the second flight of wines. The first, a Luigi Bosca Reserve Malbec tasted earthy with blackberry and espresso essences. At $20 and 90 points (22 cents per point), it fulfilled what a Malbec should be. The second wine was the 07 Clos de los Siete Super Red Blend. I tasted black currant, hints of oak and black cherry. Priced at $20 and rated a 91 (22 cents per point), it was a nice wine. The third wine was one of the hidden zingers that didn’t fit the criteria for wine club because that’s the way we roll. The 05 L’Aventure Estate Cuvee tasted of currant, liquorce, chocolate and spice. And, at $75 (and 77 cents per point), it was rated a 97. I liked this much more until I found out the price. The fourth wine was a 07 First Class Shiraz from South Australia. I tasted chocolate, berry and smelled a hint of bacon. Priced at $28 (31 cents per point) and rated a 90, it was one of my favorites. The fifth wine was aptly named the 07 Suxx Shiraz. In my opinion, it is an appropriate name. It was priced at $24 and rated 91 points (26 cents per point). The final wine was also a favorite – even after finding out it too was a zinger. The 04 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Cuvee Prestige. Full of black cherry, liquorce, pepper and currant.. It was priced at $57 and rated 94 points (61 cents per point).

Usually, at the end of a tasting, we choose one wine that the group will purchase to drink at the end of year party. However, due to a few pregnancies of core group members (not those attending this evening) and the inability to agree upon one favorite, we changed the plan. While this group knows a great deal about wine, we all have different palates and taste preferences. It’s a good reminder to me that the best wine out there is one that you enjoy – no matter what the critics say.