Wine for Easter!

  Easter is in two weeks.  Have you thought about what wine you will serve?  Here are some of my favorites that will be perfect for Easter and make your holiday that much easier.  Make sure to have wines that will work for all your guests.  I suggest whites, reds, sparkling and perhaps rose too!

  To start things off,  Barbolini--Biorosso will get your party off to a bubbly start.  With loads of currants and cherries on the nose, you can't go wrong.  Currants dominate the palate in addition to dense blackberries and a great, balanced mouthfeel.  The finish is clean and simple with more of those earthy currants and warm spices.
 
  Next, Locati Cellars--2009 Pinot Grigio is sure to knock your socks off!  Light vanilla and toasted oak are prevalent on the nose.  Lemon and honeysuckle notes pair perfectly on the palate with bright acidity and great mouthfeel.  Once you reach the finish, more of that floral vanilla continues for some time.

  For the Rose lover, Easton House--2010 Rose is on the menu.  The Beatles famous song, "Strawberry Fields" comes to mind when smelling this one.  You may want to continue smelling as it will continue to open up the longer it sits.  On the palate, more of those ripe strawberries co-mingle nicely with peaches and lemon--yum!  There is just a touch of sweetness in this rose which balances the acidity well.  On the finish, lemon and strawberry stay for awhile and make themselves at home!

  Last but certainly not least, Eno--2006 Cabernet Sauvignon will make all red drinkers smile.  Tobacco and leather notes on the nose will entice you.  Loads of blackberries, tobacco and creamy oak marry well on the palate and continue to open up the longer you let it sit.  Subtle pepper notes and more tobacco stay on the finish and they continue to linger, enticing you put your glass up for more!

  If any of these wines appeal to you, please come visit us here at Greenlake Wines and take some home for your Easter feast!


Ciao!
Erin
 

Chateua Montelena Winery

  It's not often that I get to try wines that are 20 years old so--it's also not so often that I get to try wines from the famous winery, Chateau Montelena.  Today is my lucky day.  I am trying Chateau Montelena--1990 Cabernet Sauvignon.  For a brief history, Chateau Montelena put Napa wine on the map during the well known 1976 tasting in Paris.  Four White Burgundies were tasted against six various Napa Chardonnays.  To the French judges' surprise (who were certain one of their wines would win), Chateau Montelena--1973 Chardonnay scored above all the other wines. 

  As for this lovely Cabernet, dried figs, currants, vanilla and creamy oak are just some of the various notes I get on the nose.  They play nicely and continue to open up the longer the wine sits.  Because this wine has so many subtle notes and flavors it is absolutely crucial to decant this wine for several hours before indulging.  The palate is dreamy and structured with soft tannins and enough acidity to hold up to the richest of foods.  Dark and dense cherries, velvety butterscotch and more of that floral vanilla make for a wine you will want to savor forever!  The long finish is exceptional with its' elegant balance and lingering cherry notes alongside smokey tobacco.  By the time you pick up a glass of this wine, you may find yourself in love.

  Food is the last thought in my mind, however, if we must think about pairing this wine with food, I have a couple suggestions.  Filet mignon, veal and an assortment of cured meats come to mind as well as triple cream cheeses and green olives.  We just poured through our last glass of Chateau Montelena--1990 Cabernet Sauvignon, but I have a feeling that we will be getting more of this lovely wine here at Greenlake Wines!  If this wine or any others that I have blogged about interest you, please come visit myself and the rest of our lovely staff here at Greenlake Wines or Seattle Wine Outlet!



Ciao!
Erin

More Tempranillo Please!

  Monday--exhaustion from weekend adventures sinks in, you're unmotivated, yet the normal work week is just beginning.  Give yourself something to look forward to--give yourself wine!  There are plenty of fabulous wines here at Wine Outlet and Greenlake Wines for under fifteen dollars that may get you looking forward to Mondays!

   Today I am trying one of these great wines under fifteen dollars which happens to be a Rioja.  Rioja is a D.O.C made up of three regions out of Spain.  This specific wine is 2005--Lorinon Rioja which is made up of 85% Tempranillo, 5% Garnacha, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo.  It is aged for fourteen months in American Oak which is known for its' rich coconut notes so it's no surprise that the nose is full of more of those coconut notes along with chili peppers and tobacco--yum!  Dense blackberries, spicy chili peppers and smoky tobacco are prevalent on the palate and will continue to open up the longer it sits.  The tannin structure is strong enough to keep experienced wine drinkers interested, yet soft enough to capture the hearts of beginning wine drinkers.  The finish is long and velvety with lingering blackberries and chili peppers.

  As for food, this Rioja would pair nicely with a variety of foods including pulled pork tacos, grilled lamb and mole.  Come on by Wine Outlet and Greenlake Wines and pick up a bottle of this wine and remember to keep Mondays exciting by treating yourself!


  Ciao!
  Erin

Wine for You and Your Valentine!

Image is courtesy of www.boissetfamilyestates.com


  Valentines Day for some is quite controversial--many love it and many hate it.  I personally adore it and hope even the loneliest of hearts can find peace on this funny day.  For those of us in love, we spend weeks leading up to this event planning and scheming different ways to show the ones we love just how much we love them.  However, for those of us who are single or heart broken, this day is dreaded and we find many ways to forget all about it.  My plan is simple--treat the ones you love and if you're alone, treat yourself.  Either way, you will find pleasure indulging in the finer things in life whether it's with or without someone.

  Today I am trying Louis Bouillot--Cremant de Bourgogne, Brut Rose.  This wine is sure to please even the saddest soul with its' lovely pale salmon color alone.  It's made with 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Gamay grapes which add depth of flavor and great structure.  Ripe raspberries and honeysuckle pair nicely on the nose--take as much time as you like smelling this one as it goes quickly once you take a sip!  Bright lemon and floral vanilla notes present themselves on the forefront of the palate.  Layers of those dense raspberries come into play on the mid-palate which are balanced by great mouthfeel and acidity.  The finish is clean and simple with increasing lemon notes that continue their lengthy stay--enjoy!

  Traditionally, flowers and chocolate are in order.  Some of my favorite flowers include calla lilies, peonies and tulips--stay away from classic, but boring roses as they're truly overrated.  As for chocolate, Fran's Chocolates is the ultimate one stop shop.  If you can get your hands on the coconut gold bars (featured on Food Networks, 'Best Thing I Ever Ate' by Bobby Flay) you will be golden.  Also, you can never go wrong with their famous salted caramel bars--my ultimate weakness and if you're totally lost, the chocolate heart caramels will surely not disappoint.  Remember the most important part of Valentines Day--indulge yourself and have fun!


Happy Valentines Day!
Erin

(I try to list all the photos I use and if possible, the photographers who take these lovely photos.  If I have an image of yours, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it from the blog.  Thank you.)

Bubbles for your Holiday Party!

                                         Image is courtesy of Zardetto

 

  With only eleven more days until Christmas, it's best to make sure you have all the wine you need for your holiday parties.  I've written about whites, reds and dessert wines, but perhaps even more importantly is the  need for sparkling wines during the holidays.  Whether or not you like bubbles is beside the point--your guests will!  Be it Champagne, Cava or my favorite, Prosecco, make sure you are stocked and your guests will truly be smitten.

  Today, I am trying NV Zardetto--Prosecco straight out of Italy.  This non-vintage is a blend of 30% Glera, 30% Chardonnay, 15% Moscato and 25% other local varietals.  The combination of Chardonnay and Moscato makes for a fruit driven and especially floral wine with light effervescence.  Ripe peaches, lemon zest and vanilla bean on the nose may entice you to continue smelling before moving onto the palate.  When you do decide to move on, the palate is full of sweet honeysuckle, tart grapefruit and more of those peaches from the nose along with great mouthfeel and bright acidity.  Lemon zest is prominent on the finish in addition to the lingering peaches reminiscent of summer.

  This wine is truly great on its' own, but for an exciting idea, try having four of your favorite kinds of nectars (raspberry, blackberry, strawberry and peach for example) and your guests can add a splash of nectar to their prosecco for one of a kind bellinis.  As for food, crostini, salumi and semi-hard cheeses would pair perfectly with this sparkling wine.  If this wine or any others that I have written about interests you, please feel free to come visit myself and the rest of our lovely staff here at Greenlake Wines and Seattle Wine Outlet (Elliott and Sodo)!



Ciao!
Erin

(I try to list all the photos I use and if possible, the photographers who take these lovely photos.  If I have a photo of yours, please let me know and I will remove it from the blog.  Thank you).

Magnum for any Party!

Image is courtesy of Feudo Arancio

  It's December!  Are you ready yet?  Have you started planning your holiday parties?  Do you know what kinds of wines you will serve?  Are they crowd pleasers?  If you are reading this and questioning your party planning skills, don't.  Just know that I have an amazing wine to introduce you to today and it's a magnum, meaning double the size of your average wine bottle.  What makes magnums so great is obvious and maybe not so obvious.  As for your party, having a magnum at a party ensures you plenty of glasses out of just one bottle and  it is always a conversation starter because of its' size.  Wine also likes to be stored in larger spaces and typically ages better when it has more room so some people prefer magnums over the standard bottles.

  Today, I have tasted the beautiful Feudo Arancio Nero D'Avola 2008 today and I am certain it will surely knock your socks off and add to any holiday party you have planned.  Not often do my own tasting notes match up so well with the winery tasting notes, but maybe for today we can attribute that to my educated palate!  On the nose, deep currants co-mingle nicely with notes of vanilla bean and anise.  Bright pomegranate is prominent on the palate alongside red cherries and fig.  The mouthfeel is creamy and balanced well by solid tannins and plenty of acidity to hold up to the richest of foods.  More of those bright pomegranate seeds linger on the finish enticing you to pick up your glass for another sip and another.  Remember to decant this one hours before your party so that it has time to open up and get comfortable.

  Feudo Arancio Nero D'Avola is a spectacular wine that will pair well with an assortment of dishes.  I personally like to stick to the Italian dishes for this one--crostini with fig and hazelnuts, cured meats, olives and soft cheeses.  If this wine or any others that I have mentioned appeal to you, please feel free to visit me at Greenlake Wines!



    Ciao!
    Erin

(I try to list all the images I source and if possible, the photographers that take these lovely photos.  If I have a photo of yours, please let me know and I will be happy to remove it from the blog.  Thank you).

Whites for Everyday!

  Like so many other faithful red wine lovers, I sometimes neglect the whites.  There are many occasions where whites are absolutely necessary however, and that is especially true of this time of year when there are countless holiday parties and family gatherings.  It's a good idea to stock up on some of your favorites to have on hand any at given time.  Today I will share with you a great white for all occasions and you may find yourself choosing the white over the red.

  2007--Road 22 Chardonnay is sure to please your guests and also importantly, yourself.  Lush ripe peaches play nicely with generous notes of honeysuckle and floral vanilla bean.  The palate is full of crisp pear notes alongside bright lemon and balanced with great mouthfeel and good acidity.  When you reach the finish, more of those peach notes from the nose pair beautifully with sweet honey and citrus.  I have not found additional information on this wine, but I would guess there is little to no oak used in this wine which makes it perfect for those who dislike oak in their whites.
 
  This Chardonnay is a fruit driven wine so it will be great on its' own and also quite perfect with food.  Crostini, assorted aged cheeses and cured meats would be great appetizers to pair with this wine as well as some of my favorite seafood including, crab cakes, grilled salmon and mussels.  For a quick tip I learned in Napa, make sure to pull this wine out of your ice bucket or fridge ten to fifteen minutes before you want to serve it as more of those notes will open up the warmer it gets--enjoy!  This wine is not yet available to purchase, but if you want to come taste it, please feel free to come visit myself and the rest of our lovely staff here at Greenlake Wines!


 Ciao!
  Erin