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Wine Tasting Discussion. Who's In? What would you like to see?


lperry

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How about the first wine on the list from the rosé article: three stars, only $15, and a "traditional Provence rosé." This one might be a good place to start for comparison purposes, and it looks like it's pretty easy to find.

Domaine du Dragon, Grande Cuvee 2012

★★★

Cotes de Provence, France, $15

Pale and translucent, this is a traditional Provence rosé. We are conditioned to think that depth of color equals depth of flavor, and vice versa. But this wine will disprove that theory. Subtle and complex, it will command your attention and will reward it, as well.

Dionysus: Available in the District at Cork & Fork, De Vinos, Whole Foods Market (Foggy Bottom, Tenleytown), Wagshal’s Market. Available in Maryland at Balducci’s, Bradley Food & Beverage, Cork & Fork, Georgetown Square Beer & Wine in Bethesda; the Bottle Shop in North Potomac; Finewine.com in Gaithersburg. Available in Virginia at Balducci’s (Alexandria, McLean), Cellar to Table in Richmond, Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean, Foods of All Nations and Wine Guild in Charlottesville, Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview), Whole Foods Market (Alexandria, Arlington, Charlottesville, Vienna); on the list at Hamiltons’ at First & Main in Charlottesville.

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Whole Foods in Arlington is out of this wine, and when I mentioned I was trying to get it for a tasting discussion, the guy in the wine department laughed, said, "good luck." and told me that the distributor had to go back to France for more. Well, "ha" back atcha Whole Foods Wine Dood. I got mine for $14.99 at the Bradlee Unwined, and there are three more bottles on the shelf.

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Another Wednesday, another wine column, and another rosé from Dave McIntyre. American for the Fourth. Thoughts?

Alexander Valley Vineyards Dry Rosé of Sangiovese 2012

★★

Sonoma County, Calif., $15

After I wrote about rosés a few weeks ago, a reader e-mailed to recommend this wine, reminding me that it is perennially one of my favorite U.S. rosés. The 2012 might be the best yet: racy, invigorating and joyful. Defy the humidity and celebrate summer with this lovely wine. It’s a smile in a glass.

Bacchus: Widely available in the District and Maryland, including at Bell Wine & Spirits, Burka’s Wine & Liquor, Cairo Wine & Liquor, Calvert Woodley, Capitol Hill Wine and Spirits, Circle Wine & Liquor, Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Cork & Fork, Harry’s Reserve Fine Wine & Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Martin’s Wine & Spirits, Morris Miller Wine & Liquor, Pearson’s, Safeway (Georgetown), S&R Liquors, Wagshal’s Deli, Whole Foods Market (Foggy Bottom, Tenleytown). Widely available in Maryland, including at Bay Ridge Wine & Spirits in Annapolis; Beer, Wine & Co., Bethesda Market and Bradley Food and Beverage in Bethesda; Dawson’s Liquors in Severna Park; Dawson’s Market in Rockville; Finewine.com in Gaithersburg; Frederick Wine House; Hair o’ the Dog in Easton; Loading Dock Discount Liquors and Wells Discount Liquors in Baltimore; Montgomery County Liquor Stores (Gaithersburg, Germntown, Rockville); North Ridge Wine & Spirits and Pine Orchard Wine in Ellicott City; Rodman’s in White Flint; Roots Market in Olney; Town & Country Wine Liquor Etc. in Easton.

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No listings on Wine Searcher, but I did a bit of looking around on the site, and it appears that retailers have to enter their own information to get listed. They are also up front about the fact that 97% of searches are by non-paying members, and the only listings that show up in free searches are from retailers who pay them for this privileged status. Interesting.

Both Whole Foods and Cork and Fork have VA outlets. I'll try to check WF today.

Edited to say, I called Alexandria Whole Foods, and they don't have it. I don't know distribution laws - it may be Bacchus doesn't work in VA. I'll be in the District a couple of days this week, but that may not be the case for everyone. Does anyone have the premium membership in Wine Searcher?

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Sparkling wines this week in the Post with a widely available cava and a locally produced pear sparkler as well. I'm interested in both. Is anyone else in?

Ferret Celler del Mingo Brut Cava

★★

Spain, $14

The fruitiest cava I’ve ever tasted, this gushes with mango and other tropical flavors and made from organic grapes. Don’t look for a champagne knock-off here; it’s just pure fun, an ideal patio wine for summer.

Dionysus: Available in the District at De Vinos, D’Vines, Rodman’s, Wagshal’s Deli; on the list at Komi. Available in Maryland at Balducci’s and Bradley Food & Beverage in Bethesda, Iron Bridge Wine Co. in Columbia, MOM’s Organic Market (Rockville), Roots in Olney. Available in Virginia at Balducci’s (Alexandria, McLean), MOM’s Organic Market (Alexandria, Herndon, Merrifield), Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview).

Great Shoals Winery Bosc & Bartlett Hard Pear

*1/ 2

Maryland, $16

Great Shoals Winery recently opened a tasting room at the Heyser Farms market in the Colesville area of Silver Spring to feature its sparkling wines and ciders. Several of them — including this delightful pear cider — are made from Montgomery County fruit grown by Heyser. How local can you get? (I also love Great Shoals’ sparkling peach wine, made from South Carolina fruit; it reminded me of a fine Manzanilla sherry, with bubbles.)

Siema in the District and Virginia, distributed by the winery in Maryland: Available in the District at Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Glen’s Garden Market, Wagshal’s Deli. Available in Maryland at Adega Wine Cellars, Fenwick Beer & Wine and Heyser’s Farm in Silver Spring, Mills Fine Wine and Spirits in Annapolis, MOM’s Organic Market (Rockville), Nick’s of Calvert in Prince Frederick, Olney Beer & Fine Wine. Available in Virginia at Foods of All Nations in Charlottesville, Home Farm Store in Middleburg, Little Washington Winery in Washington, MOM’s Organic Market (Alexandria), Whole Foods Market (Alexandria).

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Not a cava, but I'm enjoying a modestly priced ($5.99) Floriana Gruner Veltliner (Hungary, 2011) from Trader Joe's, w/ my dinner of leftover soup & salad. My friend got several bottles of prosecco & other sparkling wines, but I couldn't decide on anything, so I picked up this & a vinho verde.

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Wednesday again, and Dave McIntyre recommends some summery wines to beat the heat. Apropos, he also wrote a column on why we can't always find the wines he recommends. It's good to know we have not been alone in trying to locate various bottles, and he also mentions the difficulty of organizing listings for DC, MD, and VA. I do, however, wish they would stop recommending Winesearcher.com as It is such a limited resource.

When it gets really hot, I lose my thirst for alcohol, so I've been slacking the past few weeks. Apologies for that. I know others are not similarly affected, so I would ask that everyone feel welcome to suggest a wine and start a thread. There are five in the paper this week (link above), two under $20 and two $10 or less, all recommended for summer. I still want to try the Cava from last week, and anyone else now finding the Dragon rosé, please chime in on that thread.

Cheers!

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Ferret Celler del Mingo Brut Cava

★★

Spain, $14

The fruitiest cava I’ve ever tasted, this gushes with mango and other tropical flavors and made from organic grapes. Don’t look for a champagne knock-off here; it’s just pure fun, an ideal patio wine for summer.

Dionysus: Available in the District at De Vinos, D’Vines, Rodman’s, Wagshal’s Deli; on the list at Komi. Available in Maryland at Balducci’s and Bradley Food & Beverage in Bethesda, Iron Bridge Wine Co. in Columbia, MOM’s Organic Market (Rockville), Roots in Olney. Available in Virginia at Balducci’s (Alexandria, McLean), MOM’s Organic Market (Alexandria, Herndon, Merrifield), Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview).

Just got a bottle at Balducci's for $14. I don't see the word "Ferret" on the bottle. It's labeled Celler del Mingo. At the McLean store, it's located on the shelf where they stock most of their bubblies.

At first it was quite fruity but fruitiness dissipates over time. I really liked it.

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In this Wednesday's column, Dave McIntyre suggested several wines, including this one:

Burchino Genius Loci 2005

★★1/ 2

Tuscany, Italy, $19

This is very Old World in style: earthy, with sour cherry and cocoa notes typical of a sangiovese that picks up balsamic notes from aging in large casks. It reminds me of a Brunello, at a fraction of the price, and shows how well a "simple" Tuscan sangiovese can age. We don't have to worry about cellaring it; that's already been done for us. Alcohol content: 13 percent.

M Touton Selection: Available in the District at Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, Washington Wine & Liquor. Available in Maryland at Cork 'n Bottle Liquor in Laurel, Old Farm Liquors in Frederick, Pine Orchard Wine in Ellicott City, the Old Vine in Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean, Crystal City Wine Shop and the Italian Store in Arlington, the Town Duck in Warrenton, Vienna Vintner; on the list at Bean Good in Arlington.

I've heard lots of people talk about an "Old World" vs. a "New World" style, but having enjoyed wines from several regions both old and new, I don't really know what that means.  At risk of hearing the chirping crickets and watching tumbleweeds roll by again, I'll ask if someone can suggest a good comparative pair of wines, one old, one new, that will help in understanding this issue.

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I think you've been drinking the wrong German wines. generally, in addition to sweetness they have refreshing acidity which goes well with food. The fruit bombs from Australia and California and Spain typify the New World style. Burgundy, which is Old World pinot noir, is noticeably drier than California pinot. Same for Bordeaux and California cabernet.

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I don't doubt they weren't great wines, however, when one is a grad student and the profs bring the wine, one drinks what is there.  I may have been scarred for life.

Getting back to the Old/New jargon discussion, if I'm understanding correctly, the distinction is most frequently made based upon the styles of reds in general, and mainly on French grape strains?  A distinction between traditional French winemaking styles and what happened to syrah, cabernet, and pinot noir when those colonist upstarts smuggled the vines out of the motherland and started doing unspeakable things to them?

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I don't doubt they weren't great wines, however, when one is a grad student and the profs bring the wine, one drinks what is there.  I may have been scarred for life.

Getting back to the Old/New jargon discussion, if I'm understanding correctly, the distinction is most frequently made based upon the styles of reds in general, and mainly on French grape strains?  A distinction between traditional French winemaking styles and what happened to syrah, cabernet, and pinot noir when those colonist upstarts smuggled the vines out of the motherland and started doing unspeakable things to them?

Germany produces some of the greatest wines in the world; some are sweet, but not all of them are. The tern "New World", while indicating a geographic origin, also can usually give an idication of style. It is possible to make Old World style wines in California. The influence of the wine critic Robert Parker gave rise to the Modern or New World style that is typified by gigantic, high alcohol, fruit bombs. Places with the climate conditions to support super ripe grapes happen to include California and Australia. Europe, in general, has a much harsher climate for grape production which gives lighter, drier wines from mature but not overripe grapes.

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Dave McIntyre had a very nice column this morning on finding what you like in a wine based on your own preferences for flavor and aroma profiles instead of reviews.  Connected to the column is a list of recommended wines, including a Côes du Rhí´ne.  Based on what Mark Slater said above, I'm guessing this is a New World style wine, and because classic Côes du Rhí´ne is one of my favorites, I'm going to give this one a try for comparative purposes.  Please join me!

Clos du Mont-Olivet ­
Montueil-la Levade 2011

★★GREAT VALUE

Côes du Rhí´ne, France, $15

For the past few vintages, this has been one of my favorites from Côes du Rhí´ne. It's still a bit brash and in-your-face, with its juicy cherry and plum fruits, but it will only get better with a bit more bottle age. Buy several; enjoy some now with your late-summer cookouts and keep a few for your winter stews. Alcohol content: 14.5 percent.

Dionysus: Available in the District at Cleveland Park Wine and Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Rodman's, Wagshal's Market, Whole Foods Market (Foggy Bottom, P Street, Tenleytown). Available in Maryland at Balducci's, Bradley Food & Beverage and Cork & Fork in Bethesda; Finewine.com in Gaithersburg; Grand Cru and Wine Source in Baltimore. Available in Virginia at Arrowine in Arlington, Balducci's (Alexandria, McLean), D'Vine Wines in Winchester, Tastings of Charlottesville, Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview), Vienna Vintner, Foods Market (Alexandria, Arlington, Vienna); on the list at Bizou and Commonwealth in Charlottesville.

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I read about this wine yesterday, thought of this thread, and thought also I would just throw it out there to see if anyone else want to have a discussion about it?

Is there a good source to learn the vocabulary when it comes to talk about the flavors tasted within the wine?

***

Clos du Mont-Olivet Vieilles Vignes 2012

★ ★ ★

Côes-du-Rhí´ne, France, $16

This beautiful red, which used to be called Montueil-la Levade, is consistently the best local buy in Côes-du-Rhí´ne. Chill it for 20 minutes or so to release the copious aromas of violets and lavender that accent its rich flavors of blackberry jam. This winery also makes a terrific Cháteauneuf-du-Pape that clocks in as a great value at $39. Alcohol by volume: 14 percent

Dionysus: Available in the District at Arrowine and Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Rodman's, Wagshal's Deli, Whole Foods Market (Foggy Bottom, P Street, Tenleytown); on the list at Restaurant Nora. Available in Maryland at Balducci's and Bradley Food & Wine in Bethesda, Finewine.com in Gaithersburg, Wine Cellars of Annapolis. Available in Virginia at Arrowine and Cheese in Arlington, Balducci's (Alexandria, McLean), Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean, Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview), Whole Foods Market (Alexandria, Arlington, Vienna, Tysons), Wine Guild of Charlottesville.

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Is there a good source to learn the vocabulary when it comes to talk about the flavors tasted within the wine?

...copious aromas of violets and lavender that accent its rich flavors of blackberry jam.

This description actually uses common things in its description, which is nice. My $0.02, taste is very subjective and different folks associate the flavors they perceive based on their specific flavor memory. In my opinion reading flavor definitions from someone is not that helpful. A good thing you can do is taste the wine and think about what you feel it tastes like and compare it to the description and see how it lines up. Unless your concerned with blind tastings don't worry about being too specific, general terms like red fruit, earthiness, and floral work well too. Then when you read a description like the above you can translate back into more general terms and see if it fits a profile that you enjoy.

Some of the best advice I got was to taste various individual items that are typically used in wine descriptions often so that you can learn to identify them when you taste them in the wine. This will help you best identify the type of wines you enjoy and correlate them to the various descriptions.

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Some of the best advice I got was to taste various individual items that are typically used in wine descriptions often so that you can learn to identify them when you taste them in the wine. This will help you best identify the type of wines you enjoy and correlate them to the various descriptions.

Did you get this from John Wabeck?

It's a good way to do well quickly in blind tastings. Cote Rotie = pepper; Hermitage = iodine, etc.

goodeats, there are some common themes in well-made wines from most regions; it's just that there's *so* much BS out there that it's hard to know which palate to trust. There's an old Russian saying: "Repetition is the mother of learning," and that holds true here.

Imagine, for example, being able to identify a fish you were served within seconds. It's really no different. Okay, it's trout. Now, where is it from? How was it prepared? Etc.

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I read about this wine yesterday, thought of this thread, and thought also I would just throw it out there to see if anyone else want to have a discussion about it?

Is there a good source to learn the vocabulary when it comes to talk about the flavors tasted within the wine?

***

Clos du Mont-Olivet Vieilles Vignes 2012

★ ★ ★

Côes-du-Rhí´ne, France, $16

This beautiful red, which used to be called Montueil-la Levade, is consistently the best local buy in Côes-du-Rhí´ne. Chill it for 20 minutes or so to release the copious aromas of violets and lavender that accent its rich flavors of blackberry jam. This winery also makes a terrific Cháteauneuf-du-Pape that clocks in as a great value at $39. Alcohol by volume: 14 percent

Dionysus: Available in the District at Arrowine and Spirits, MacArthur Beverages, Rodman's, Wagshal's Deli, Whole Foods Market (Foggy Bottom, P Street, Tenleytown); on the list at Restaurant Nora. Available in Maryland at Balducci's and Bradley Food & Wine in Bethesda, Finewine.com in Gaithersburg, Wine Cellars of Annapolis. Available in Virginia at Arrowine and Cheese in Arlington, Balducci's (Alexandria, McLean), Chain Bridge Cellars in McLean, Unwined (Alexandria, Belleview), Whole Foods Market (Alexandria, Arlington, Vienna, Tysons), Wine Guild of Charlottesville.

Dave is right-back up the truck. Today, at least an hour in the decanter. I bought a case and then another one which I won't touch for a couple of years.  Wines from this producer are generally excellent and very fairly priced.

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Dave is right-back up the truck. Today, at least an hour in the decanter. I bought a case and then another one which I won't touch for a couple of years.  Wines from this producer are generally excellent and very fairly priced.

Where did you buy it, mr food? Also, I am curious what the room temperature was when decanted for an hour. What if I don't have a decanter? Thanks.
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Where did you buy it, mr food? Also, I am curious what the room temperature was when decanted for an hour. What if I don't have a decanter? Thanks.

Arrowine in Arlington but Bassins has it for the same price-$12.99. Room temp was 66 degrees so right for red. Decant it in the glass and buy a decanter-they're not expensive.

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Clos du Mont-Olivet Vieilles Vignes 2012

★ ★ ★

Côes-du-Rhí´ne, France, $16

This beautiful red, which used to be called Montueil-la Levade, is consistently the best local buy in Côes-du-Rhí´ne. Chill it for 20 minutes or so to release the copious aromas of violets and lavender that accent its rich flavors of blackberry jam. This winery also makes a terrific Cháteauneuf-du-Pape that clocks in as a great value at $39. Alcohol by volume: 14 percent

In the spirit of not liking to start new threads, I am piggybacking here.

I purchased this wine at Whole Foods for $15 (more laziness), and indeed, it is a very $15-worthy wine (mr food--will have to try where you shopped for $12 next time).

Many thanks for my decanter-friend \(^^)/, who was VERY forgiving that this wine was probably served at a tad-too chilly of a temperature (bad move on my part--it was cold and left in the car-type of situation). We couldn't find any type of temperature gage, but this was a pretty versatile wine that was fine served at somewhere south of 66 degrees.

I liked the smoothness, not-so-tannin-heaviness, that there doesn't need many adjectives for this wine. Personally, I would say something like: it had a nice mouth-feel with subtle fruity hints.

It is also multi-functional: I can see it served at dinner functions and I can see it as one to open for casual dinner night (as it was the case Saturday night with homemade Italian-rustic vegetables and pasta).

I like this type of testing and hope we can continue it here.

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Decanters are generally there just for looks. A basic ceramic pitcher does the job just as well. That said, I have two decanters, haha!

disagree. A decanter with a wide bottom allows more aeration of the wine faster, IMO. If you have several hours, maybe it doesn't make a difference. I decant all my reds unless I think they are too fragile. Open a bottle, pour a glass and decant the rest for at least an hour then a pour a glass from the decanted portion and compare. Of course, good stemware (I won't get started on brands) aerates the wine on its own.

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