wine tastings/classes

I have been kicking around several ideas for the past several months.

Today I actually started to type them up.

I would be offering these through La Fromagerie, on King Street in Old Town Alexandria.

I will keep you all posted with any developments :)

Death in the Afternoon

1 1/2 ounces absinthe
4 ounces Brut champagne


Pour absinthe into a champagne flute and add iced brut champagne until it clouds up -- at least 4 ounces.

Enjoy!

Smithsonian Resident Associates Program - A Victorian Garden Party

Smithsonian Resident Associates Program - A Victorian Garden Party

Who wants to go with me???

not wine related, but still fun!

http://www.thespir.it/articles/manhattan-cocktail-classic/


Summer time just cries out for cocktails, I think. And this event sounds like so much fun!

tasting room

http://www.tastingroom.com/ This site was a wonderful find several months ago. And for St. Valentine's Day I bought several samplers for my boyfriend and I to try.

Nemesio Pinot Noir

This was a dark herbal Pinot Noir.

The berry flavors were hidden within this earthy rustic wine.

It was quite good, and I am sure this will be a staple around the house this winter.

The Supernatural Sauv Blanc

I picked it up on a whim from la fromagerie. And I am liking it a lot. It is sealed with a beer cap/crown cap so no possible cork taint - though I have never had a corked Sauvignon Blanc yet.

It is fairly pale in colored.
Very tropical on the nose and grassy.

Hints of oranges and a dark citrus note that I cannot place as of yet.

I believe it ran about $20.

new year

Happy New Year!

I hope you all toasted with something delicious,
I hope you were with good company,

and I wish you all the best in 2011.

yum

help picking your next brew

http://beerchooser.com/

I am not much of a beer drinker - wheat intolerance does me in. But I did find this site interesting and I wanted to toss it out there to the beer drinkers looking to expand their horizons/share tasting notes with others.

Happy 500 years BÉNÉDICTINE

" BÉNÉDICTINE Liqueur was created in an era shrouded by mystery and uncertainty. The Hundred Years' War had ended, while the Renaissance had just begun. France was at a turning point and there was little to celebrate with! To help alleviate that problem, the monks at the Benedictine Order at Fécamp Abbey set to work creating a famed elixir that became known as BÉNÉDICTINE.

The recipe for BÉNÉDICTINE, perfected in 1510 by Dom Bernardo Vincelli, was thought to have been lost during the French Revolution, as the Order at Fécamp Abbey fled France. Fortunately for all, it was rediscovered in 1863 by Alexandre Le Grand. His recreation of this superb liqueur lives on to this day. And what a glorious day it is. To be celebrating the 500th anniversary of anything is impressive, but when it's BÉNÉDICTINE Liqueur with its secret blend of 27 herbs and spices, you know you are celebrating with one of the most storied liqueurs in history ."

Pomula Cocktail, by Nettie

I am embarrassed to say that some how I deleted my own cocktail recipe post here and failed to notice until now.

Pomula is a South African Wine Spritz World Market brought in not too long ago. By itself I am not all that fond of it, but I did discover it makes a good mixer!

1/2 oz Creme de Cassis (or Chambord)
1/2 oz St. Germain Elderflower Syrup
Pomula
Lemon twists (optional)

Add Creme de Cassis and St Germain to glass of your choice. Then top off with Pomula and garnish with a lemon twist if you like.

quick recap of a sparkling tasting

I was invited to do an introduction to Sparkling wine tasting. Cristalino Extra Dry ($8), Salvatore Prosecco ($12), Roederer Estate Brut ($22), Veuve Clicquot ($46) and Brachetto d'Acqui Rosa Regale ($21) were my selections.

After tasting each wine with a food pairing prepared by each guest I asked which they preferred. The Cristalino and Rosa Regale tied for 1st place, 2nd the Veuve, and then Salvatore.

Coming in dead last - the Roederer Estate. It really was a disappointment. I choose it to represent California sparklings, and I think I should have gone with Piper Sonoma instead. Lesson learned.

Traveller's Tales #5: Los Angeles (!!)

Not that it's important, but I usually keep all of my tasting notes in a single notebook. During my recent move, I managed to put that particular item in an unmarked box and, shall we say, misplaced it.

Due to these unfortunate circumstances, the numerous entries I had planned for today will have to wait. In there place will be some notes that turned up on my writing pad.

And seriously, L.A. again?

Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale

In their words:
ar-ro-gance (ar' o gans) n.

The act or quality of being arrogant; haughty; undue assumption; overbearing conceit

Arrogant Bastard Ale: This is an aggression ale. You probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful that you will have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory- maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beer will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make a beer taste better. Perhaps you're mouthing your words as you read this.

The Arrogance Grows: Too many strive towards complacency as a goal. They stop their urge and desire for discovery somewhere between youth and adulthood. And when they find their complacency threatened, they do everything to recover the warm fuzzy feeling of that lost complacency as quickly as possible. Throughout every culture, every country, and every way of thought you will find it. We grew up thinking that the ability to become complacent is the equivalence of success in life. True Arrogant Bastards know that this could not be further from the truth. The real beauty, richness and depth in life can only be found if the journey through life itself is looked upon as a constant chance to learn, live and find life's passion. Passion threatens the complacent, and fills them with fear. Fear of the new, the deep and the different. We, on the other hand, seek it out. Endlessly, joyously... and aggressively. To this end we bring you the "Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale." Another reward for those seeking new sources of passion, and another point of dissension for those who are not.

Ingredients: Nothing but the finest Barley, most aggressive Hops, clearest Water, our proprietary Yeast strain and abundant Arrogance... all with oak chips.

In my words:
Despite the assertions of the novelette placed on the back of the bottle, I didn't find this ale to be all that spectacular. I have to admit that the "oak chips" admission prejudices me a bit; in wine using oak chips is seen as the cheap vintner's tool, a way to fake the funk when you don't want/can't afford proper barrels. And I've had delicious beers that have been properly barrel aged, so it's not like there isn't a bit of competition out there.

That said, Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale isn't a bad beer. The nose is rich with roasted malt, soft oak aromas, and a mild, faint yeastiness. A hint of bacon fat rounds the whole thing off. On the palate you have the same roasted malt, now somewhat overwhelmed by prominent burnt coffee flavors. There's also a tart yeastiness that lingers on the back of the palate after every pull. The body is medium-full and texture is mouth-coating; the finish is medium-long with lingering hops flavors.

As far as oaked beers go, I tend to see Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale as a good starting point. The price isn't bad, and you can tell that a great deal of care went into the craftsmanship. If you find that the flavors offered here are exactly what you're looking for, you can feel comfortable progressing further. If you find that Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale has simply whet your appetite, you should definitely look into other, more complex (and pricier) variations on the theme.

Belgian Floris Apple

In their words:
Beer brewed with spices and juice of apple.

In my words:
Quite possibly the simplest dessert beer I've ever tasted. In a good way. The nose is soft and round. Autumn apple scents combined with cinnamon and clove aromas rise up at you. On the palate it's all apple pie filling with a hint of vanilla. There's a bit of crispness, but the mouthfeel stays pretty soft. The finish is short and reminiscent of a standard dry cider. It's not too sweet, either.

If you've ever had a cold slice of apple pie, you'll know exactly what you're getting into.

Pyrat XO Reserve Rum

"Sipping rums", round two.

In their words:
Pyrat XO Reserve Rum (Pronounced: Pirate)

From the creators of Patron, the world's #1 ultra premium tequila, we bring you the finest ultra premium rum for those who accept only the finest things in life.

Pyrat XO Reserve is a blend of unique Caribbean rums aged up to 15 years in Limousin oak and American sweet oak barrels. It has a "toasted apricot" amber color and offers flavors of vanilla, caramel, honey and cinnamon. An extremely smooth but gentle "palette texture" keeps it soft to the taste.

Gold Medal Winner American Tasting Awards

Once aged and blended to perfection, Pyrat XO Reserve is poured into individually numbered, hand-crafted decanters and decorated with a Hoti (pronounced Ho-Tie). The Hoti represents the Zen patron of fortunetellers and bartenders.

How to enjoy the rich taste of Pyrat XO Reserve:
Neat in a snifter with a lemon twist
On the rocks with a wedge of lime
With your favorite cola or juice on the rocks

In my words:
Butterscotch. So much butterscotch it's like someone broke a Werther's Original apart in your brain. Rather than being one note, however, this comes across as savory and inviting. The remainder of the nose contains a hint of molasses and faint citrus aromas.

There's a lot of burnt sugar sweetness up front, followed by a splash of coconut across the palate. The alcohol stings up into the sinuses before settling into a soft, smooth, and surprisingly short finish.

While Pyrat XO Reserve Rum wasn't exactly what I'm looking on my quest for "sipping rums" (for one thing, it's very much a light rum), I was suitably impressed by it's sophistication. The butterscotch nose wasn't overpowering, but instead rather delicate. I drank it neat and did find some of the piquancy you find in certain scotches, but over all I couldn't help but think of this as more of a top shelf mixer (though this is just my personal opinion). I definitely think Pyrat Rum XO Reserve could make a killer mojito. I would not smother it in juice or, God help us, soda.

Pyrat Rum XO Reserve is hand bottled (for the record: #1443087).

Domaine Barons de Rothschild (Lafite)-Chateau Paradis Casseuil Bordeax Blanc 2004

I should probably open the post with a warning; this particular bottle may not be produced anymore. The 2005 vintage is the last that I see any reviews for, and my bottle was from the vintage before that. The Lafite homepage lists only the Chateau Paradis Casseuil Bordeaux Rouge.

If the Bordeaux Blanc is no longer being produced this would be a shame; I found it to be one of the better, more approachable demonstrations of the Sauvignon/Semillon style.

In their words: ...

In my words:
This one's a little shy on the nose, but once it opens up you're going to get lovely fragrances of cantaloupe rind, lemon pith, and a light muskiness. There are lights scents of honey bracketing these aromas as well. The mouthfeel is soft and round. Pronounced flavors of fresh melon and honey coat the palate. The finish falls somewhere between medium and long.

This is a simple, gratifying wine, something ideal for summer salads.

Traveller's Tales #4: Frankfurt

Not so much a review, but instead a recommendation. Whilst in Germany I came across two beer drinks not normally found in the U.S.: the Radler and the Diesel.

The Radler was ubiquitous; not a pub in town didn't serve it. The taste tended to vary from pub to pub (I'm assuming this is due to slightly different proportions and different types of beer being used), but the basic recipe is a fifty/fifty mix of beer and Sprite (or 7up).

I don't drink a lot of soda anymore, in fact I find most carbonated drinks to be over-sweetened and cloying. On a gorgeous, clear-skied, seventy degree day in Frankfurt, however, the Radler was light and refreshing. It was easy enough to duck into a pub, have a Radler pint and then move on without feeling bloated and sluggish (which is not something you can say about all German beer experiences).

The Diesel is simply a fifty/fifty mix of beer and cola. This is more of an acquired taste, one it took a couple of tries to appreciate.

I've included a link to the Wikipedia article in the title of this post for those who may want to know more about these drinks and others of their type.

Also of interest was the German twist on the Snakebite (beer over cider). Once made, the bartender drizzled grenadine over the foam, which gradually worked it's way through the pint as you drank it. I found the kiss of sweetness that it added quite welcome and the bizarre pinkish color that developed was pretty neat.

Nettie hosts a white wine tasting party

Once all the guests arrived we discussed common flavors of white wines; I had a selection of spices/herbs out for everyone to smell and try. I wanted everyone to become familiar with terms I would be using throughout the evening, so when I said things like "lemon peel" or "nutmeg" they could recall the smell/taste. I also provided a hand out with the wines we would be trying so they could take notes.

We started off the evening with dried apricots and Schmitt-Sohne Blue Bottle Riesling. Very simple pairing and a mellow wine to start breaking in the palates.

Followed by Foodies Chardonnay with baked Brie and Pears. This is an unoaked Chardonnay, which I prefer, and paired with this savory dish - oh my! Everyone wanted the recipe.

For the "main course" Shrimp Scampi with Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc. Knowing that most of the ladies present were beginners in wine I wanted to ease them into the idea of an acidic drier white wine. On its own it was a little much for them, but paired with the Shrimp they saw how the wine and food truly work together to create a great dining experience.

And for dessert Pecan Tassies with Beviamo Moscato d' Asti. I love my Pecan Tassies, and served with a nice effervecent Moscato d' Asti it is just a fabulous way to end the meal. The cream cheese tart shell melts in your mouth as the pecans and brown sugar mingle with the light sweet fruitiness of the wine.

It was a fantastic three hour event! I cannot wait to prepare the next flight of wines for them and create the pairing menu.

Old Dominion Spring Buck

I wish I had more/better things to say about this particular brew; I bought it on a whim, however, and found myself a bit underwhelmed.

In their words:
This Belgian inspired Blonde Ale is flavored with honey, chamomile, and dried orange peels. The addition of wheat malt give this unique ale the crispness of an early spring day, and we think that you'll find it every bit as enjoyable.

In my words:
Honey, chamomile, and maltiness come right out on the nose, with the chamomile flattening out the malt and the honey aromas promising a sweetness that isn't really there. The mouthfeel is full, rich, and mouthcoating; again the malt and chamomile seem to be in competition. The honey and orange peel influence is minimal. While not wholly unpleasant, the beer simply seemed out of balance.

Traveller's Tales #3: Philadelphia

This one's real down and dirty; it happened to be on tap in a hotel bar, so I didn't even get to look at a bottle. I've included a link to the brewer's website in the title for all you curious folk out there.

Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale

In their words: (...)

In my words:
This beer seems to have a serious identity crisis; on the nose we have orange zest, fresh wheat, and faint hops. These hefeweizen characteristics extend into the mouthfeel, which is initially crisp, then softens into a hoppy, dry finish; the only thing missing was a lingering sweetness.

This is in no way meant to demean the beer itself, indeed, it was well made and went over smoothly. Calling this a pale ale, however, is misleading; the profile was all wrong for the two fingers of Dewar's it was accompanying (for example).