First things first, apologies for the backlog! This blogger took a ridiculously long hiatus from the vinosphere thanks to efforts to start a family. Anywhoooo, we hope to be posting some back dated entries in the coming weeks. For now, though, on to our August Wine Club notes!
This evening, we enjoyed a few Spanish wines with some unique grapes. It was about a thousand degrees out, so the few of us who could attend chose chilled or light bodied wines:
1. Senda Verde - 11.5%, $16.99, Cork & Fork
Notes:
- Less "crisp" than promised by the sellers
- Somewhat citrus-y
- The label said there were notes of honeydew but we didnt really buy it. (Plus, when's te last time you had a good, perfectly ripe honeydew? We submit never.)
- We found the wine to be crisper when colder
- The judges--admittedly tough customers on white wines--gave this wine a 4, 3.2, and 3.75
*This wine featured the treixadura grape from Spain/Portugal. Delicious!
2. Gañeta (Rose) - 11%, $16.99, Whole Foods at P Street (ew)
Notes:
- Crisp!
- All Tara ever got was smoke--kind of scotchy, and not in a good way
- Everyone else thought it was delicious (and not smokey at all)
- Regardless, it paired well (and lost all alleged smoke) when paired with food
- Stone fruit notes?
- First impressions included strawberries and rose petals, Have we mentioned smoke?
- The ratings: 4.5, 3.9, 3.0
3. Her Essential - 14%, $16.99
Notes:
- The label sparked a conversation about crime shows (FBI Crime Files, Unsolved Mysteries, and Homicide, Life on the Streets, to name a few):
- Although billed by the vendor as being a "lighter red," fuller mouth feel + fuller body and opaque
- Low tones (blackberry, plum, etc,, maybe a hint of cherry)
- Not as spicy as would expect for a Grenache
- A good summer red
- Fave ratings: 4.5, 4.75, 4.0
- Much as we were creeped out by the fingerprinted label and judgy about the name, it was our favorite by far.
The spread
:
Peach bruschetta:
--crostini
--goat cheese
--peaches
--balsamic vinegar
--fresh basil
Veggie pizza:
--naan
--cream cheese/mayo combo
--improvised ranch seasoning (parsley, garlic salt, green onion, dried mustard, etc.)
--fresh veggies, e.g., broccoli, tomato, red onion, pepper
--shredded cheese
Feta & Watermelon salad (thank you, Jacques Pepin!):
--watermelon
--feta cheese
--fresh mint
--olive oil
--fresh lemon (lime) juice
--Tabasco
--salt and pepper
Added Twists
Added Twists
- WHO WANTS A TATTOO? Some of us do. Thanks, Ink Master, for educating us. Just watch out for tipsy times--no one wants to end up with surprise snakes on their bod.
- Query, how does one get to be a tchotchke hoarder? The answer: it's a slippery slope.
- "Festiculous": super festive, to the tune of decorating one's entire house with seasonal stuff. A versatile term that combines "festive" with either "meticulous" (charitable) or "ridiculous" (mocking).
