December to Remember: Wine Round Up
The wines were stacking up along with my responsibilities as I tried to get through work obligations, attended holiday parties, checked the box on family duties and tried to handle everything else in between. I felt the same overflow of tension amongst my co-workers – it was time for another wine tasting blow-out. This time we sampled 23 wines, 16 of them made today’s roundup.
Sparking Wines
Segura Vidas Brut Rose NV – I have always been a huge fan of this wine. You get raspberry, spice, strawberry and currant. It’s refreshing and very drinkable with some of the coolest packaging out there.
Chandon Delice NV Sparking – The good folks at Chandon sent me a kit of this newly debuted sparkling wine along with fresh fruit and veggies and a drink recipe. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the sweetness of the sparkling combined with the contrast of the cucumber, the grapefruit and the mint, was fantastic over ice. My husband and I have decided this may become one of our new house cocktails over the summer.
December to Remember
Pascual Toso Brut NV – notes of apple, baked bread and tropical fruit made this a very drinkable and nice sparking option.
White Wines
2012 Trapiche Torrentes – notes of honeydew melon, tropical fruit and white jasmine made this a wonderful blend that was a favorite of the group.
2012 Rutini Encuentro Chardonnay – this was a rich wine with lots of depth. Notes of lemon curd, tropical fruits and a touch of herbs.
Red Wines
2011 Trapiche Broquel Malbec – notes of smoke, chocolate, herbs, meat and blackberry made this a nice blend that called for food.
2013 Dead Bolt, Winemakers Blend – notes of chocolate, blackberry, cranberry and a nice smoothness. Great value for the price.
2012 50 Harvests Meritage – big notes of rich berry, cola, fig, flowers, earth and chocolate. This was great today, but would age nicely.
2012 Murphy Goode Operation Homefront – this wine is so approachable with big juicy fruit. I love the story of this wine. For every bottle sold, Murphy-Goode will donate 50 cents to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides emergency and financial assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors.
2012 Old Zine Vines OZV – spice, herbal and juicy fruit make this a well-priced Tuesday night wine.
2011 Rutini Encuentro Malbec – deep black fruit, vanilla, granite and notes of deep chocolate.
2013 Siciliana Nero d’Avola – a lighter wine with notes of raspberries, black currant and spice.
2012 Faust Cabernet – a delicious wine with notes of chocolate and berry. It was smooth and elegant.
2012 Domaine Terlato and Chapoutier Shiraz-Viognier – a very nice blend of red and black fruit, smoke and notes of rose.
2011 Pascual Tosa Alta Cabernet – this gorgeous and well priced wine has notes of chocolate, mocha, licorice, herbs and leather and blew the group away. The fact that Paul Hobbs is a consultant is not lost upon me in the quality of this wine.
2011 32 Barrels Magdalena Toso – holy moley. This special occasion wine, also with Paul Hobbs’ touch, is full of cola, tobacco, berry, oak, wood and pepper. It is amazing today, but will make a grown woman cry with a little age. Delicious.
