August 2016 -- Spanish Wines!

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

• 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).