EAST COAST PALATE

I decided last night to try two Malbecs side by side.  The prospect of this tasting had me excited, ready for a good matchup of two bottles of the hottest grape varietal around.  Then I opened these bottles and smelled each contender.  This is when things started to go downhill. 
The 2008 Elsa Bianchi, from Argentina ($12), had a faintly chemical aroma that masked the little grape and blueberry that was barely present.  The wine in my mouth started smooth and fruity, but quickly dissolved into a bitter aftertaste.  Overall it lacks any complexity and is a B- at best.
The 2005 Pigmentum Malbec from France wasn't much better...it's aroma was a nice, resiny mixture of dry fruits and dusty plums.  It had a little bit more of a tannic structure than the Elsa Bianchi, but lacked any finish and was for me equally disappointing.  For $12, this Malbec really didn't give me my money's worth, either.
I was hyped up about this flight, but it turned out to be like watching a soccer match that ends in a 0-0 tie.  I remember working at Syzygy in Walla Walla, WA, standing on the edges of binfuls of fermenting Malbec and the smells rising up to me as I punched down (just a mixing up of the grape skins and juice) the cap of grapes into the juice as it fermentened.  There is something about malbec that is lush and sensuous and sexy when it is made right, but neither of the wines tried last night really did much for me.

A well-made Southern Rhone style red wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle.  This is the best wine I have ever tasted from them.

This bottle, Chateau Ste. Michelle's Orphelin blend threw me for a loop.  I had my sister pick a bottle out of my growing collection and pour me a glass.  Immediately when I lifted the wine toward my nose, I thought Malbec, and that dark plummy color and the prune and chocolate-covered cherries aromas had me thinking maybe Merlot, maybe Malbec.  The flavors were fruit driven with some spicy undertones.  I really liked the way the wine was in my mouth until a strange, bitter and metallic aftertaste crept in.  I was intrigued with this wine, and into my third glass, the interest is only growing.  I rate it a B+, but it pairs very nicely with Eva Cassidy's Live from Blues Alley album, which almost bumps it up to an A- wine. 
The blend on this Rhone style blend consists of a bunch of different grape varietals: Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pedit Verdot, Touriga, and Viognier.  It doesn't drink like a Cotes de Rhone or Chateauneuf de Pape, but it is a wine worth trying priced around $15.

Technically speaking, last night I really was in New Zealand, attending a charity wine auction sponsored by the Washington D.C. Rotary Club.  There was plenty of good food and wine to choose from, but only two wines stood out to me as being noteworthy:  The Lil' Rippa Pinot Noir and the Lil' Rippa Sauvignon blanc. 
The latter, a crisp Sauv. blanc loaded with crisp zestiness, was the perfect glass to kick off my evening of meeting a few of the members of the club.  The pinot noir was a wine I returned to after some eating and bidding on silent auction items, but it startled me with how dank and deep the aromas were.  Bacon fat and musty basement smells mingled with some fresh red berry... a for-sure A wine in my book.  Now I just need to find out where I can find it aroud here...shouldn't be too hard

This bottle was brought to me to try out, becuase someone else liked it.  There is an aspect of open-ended vulnerability when you recommend something to a friend.  What if they don't like it?  Will your favorite wines or restaurants shed light on what type of person you are?  The answer, to an extent, is yes.  Fortunately, our palates and personalities are all unique.  Otherwise so many restaurants and wineries wouldn't be able to survive.  
Well, the person who gave me this bottle of 2006 Blackstone Merlot is not a person who spends a lot of time smelling and discerning the details or flaws of wine.  He just likes what he likes, and this wine fits that category.
For me, the aromas in this wine were better than the flavor and the body.  I caught whiffs of raisin and plums, and a resinous spiciness (due in part to the alcohol smell burning off).  In the mouth this merlot is fruity and fleshy with a moderate amount body, but it soon fades and has a bitter aftertaste.  I tried it with pizza later and the tomato sauce helped to soften the rawness of the finish, but overall I'd give this wine a B-.  Most stores sell it for about $10, so it isn't pricey by any means, but there are a lot of other wines that cost 10 bucks that I'd choose over this one.
I am a fan of all grape varietals, and love a well made merlot.  If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear your input.

I'm just getting home from a night of bliss for my tastebuds.  The March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction was a buffet of flavors that showcased the culinary talent here in Washington, D.C.  I was able to sample many wines, from European to Australian, from both coasts of the US.  For me tonight, the food stole the show.  Many chefs siezed the chance to put their best plate forward, and many grateful guests were the beneficiaries of the ingenuity and perfect preparation of dishes from D.C.'s finest dining establishments.  If I'm getting ahead of myself, I have to admit that my excitement is taking control of my words.  My gluttony has been sated and I've met a ton of wonderful people, for after all, the event is put on in order to raise funds for the heath of babies.

In all the event is best described as a toast to life.  It is a gathering of people thinking of future generations, but also a tribute to the simple, yet essential pleasures in life: food and wine.

On the food end, I tried some pulpo (octupus) that teleported my tastebuds back to Spain.  This was thanks to the folks at Taberna del Alabarder, which I had never heard of (unfortunately), but now is a must-visit for me.  I also tried a rustic yet simple stew from Et Voilá.  It was the definition of délicieux.  I loved the guacamole from Rosa Mexicano... some of the best ever, and this is from someone whose favorite food is avocado.  Other spots that are now at the top end of my must-taste list are Dino, in Cleveland Park; The Grille restaurant/piano bar and Jackson 20, both in Alexandria; and The National Press Club down on 14th street.

As for the vino, it was hit and miss.  The wines I liked best were the Pinot Noir from Truchard Vineyards (CA), the Cab. Sauv. from Honig Vineyard & Winery (also CA), and my favorite for the night: Stalking Horse, Mclaren Vale Shiraz from Australia...it isn't too pricey at $20. I really liked this wine.  Also worth a try are the Gotham wines, which share the same owner as Stalking Horse Wines, but sell for around $13-$14.

My senses are still reeling with memory of so many scents and flavors.  It was a great event, organized for a wonderful cause, and I feel lucky to have been a part of it.

Cheers, D.C.
C.L.

Before I began my journey into a bottle of Jameson last night, I did some drinking that involved a certain amount of reflection and sensory conciousness. 

As I began preparing dinner I uncorked a beautifully ornate bottle of Italian Pinot Noir made by Candoni Wines.  A 2007, this young wine exudes a berry freshness.  I normally prefer a little more meat and earth aroma from Pinot, but the crisp Goji berry, raisiny smells pulled me in all the same.  This wine has low alcohol and high acid.  It brings a tart berry flavor at the front end, then pulls a La Bruja move and, poof, it's gone.  After a pause the tart finish comes on strong and leaves a pleasant long-lasting semi-pucker that reminds me of Sour Skittles.  This get a B letter grade even though the structure and balance were a little off.  The wine won me over with its eternal finish.

Then I had to open a Chardonnay for the chicken I was making, so I got a $7 bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay.  It's a little buttery, but has a good amount of acid to keep it in balace.  For the money, it's a decent bottle; a B wine.

With dinner, my aunt and uncle blind tasted me on a Merlot that was so light and acidic that I was guessing it was Italian.  Not the case.  The 2006 (I was able to guess the vintage), Estancia Merlot from the Central Coast of CA is not the cocoa nib and prune kind of Merlot that I love.  But it is a solid 86 point, B wine for me.  Light berry aromas, some stoney minerality, and a solid overall balance... for $12 it's definitely a bottle I'd bring to a dinner party or wine tasting.

A couple curveballs in this round of tasting, which I love because it reflects the variability and versatility of vitis vinifera.  An then, the pitch came in tight and hit me(Why does Jameson have to be so smooth?!).  I'm walking it off today.  Tomorrow there will be wine to drink.

Although all were good (B wines), I can't say I loved any of them.  Bang for the buck, I'd have to go with the Merlot from Estancia

I am a fan of sparkling wine, regardless of the climate or what hors d'oeuvres are being served.  Sparkling wine doesn't need an occasion...it is  an occasion.  This bottle that I just bought at Adega Wine Cellars down in Silver Spring has got me pretty excited.  I'm a glass in, and the aromas and flavors are still evolving.
The wine:  Conde de Subirats, Cava Brut (NV) weighs in at a light 11.5%.  There are green apple and lemon zest scents mingled with a sweaty, baking bread aroma that all together transported me back to when I was 19 in Strasbourg, France during the marché de noel eating madeleines and drinking hot wine composed of white wine and orange juice mixed with mulling spices.
Anyway, minus the spices, this wine is very sugar cookie like, and that first sip starts out creamy.  Then pear and lemon flavors emerge.  Suddenly you pucker and the tartness of a Granny Smith apple takes over your tongue.  And then the smooth, sweet, yellow Skittle finish comes on and doesn't seem to go away.
I like this wine a lot; it gets an A from my palate without a doubt, especially at $15.

A good "halloween wine" would maybe  be a good way to describe this wine.  Or maybe just good Tuesday night wine with a bowl of stew or a grilled chicken salad. 
The lightness of the 2006 La Bruja malbec makes it very versitile for pairing with different dishes, but on its own this wine is lacking the body and balance to make it a great wine.  The color is a dark vibrant purple, and it delivers those delicious classic malbec aromas like prunes, plums, sweat-soaked strawberries, and Pixistix/Fun Dip sweetness.  I also picked up some sawdust and black olive.  The smell of this wine adds more to the whole than the taste and structure.  In your mouth this wine is a gushing fruit bomb that vanishes within a half-second.  The void stays there a few seconds before the tannins catch back up and dry out your gums.  Maybe the disappearing act is a part of the wine's witchcraft, hence the name.  Anyway, I love the way it smells, but don't like the way it behaves.  For me it's a B- kind of wine, but worth try at $15.

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 The Brigaldara Valpolicella, a corvina blend definitely worth the $13 price.

With a couple of friends and my sister, I opened one of the bottles that I keep in a brown bag so I never know what I'm picking out.  The four of us popped the cork out of a 2007 Valpolicella made by Brigaldara.  Seeing how lightly colored it was and getting some slate and strawberry smells on the nose, my guess was that it was maybe a Pinot noir.  I was way off, but happy as we unveiled the wine and saw what it was: a bottle that cost me $13 and drinks so smooth with a crisp, acidic finish.  It was a beautiful wine that set the tone for an evening of darts, bonfire singing, and a few drunk dials after a lot of Yuengling.  I plan on buying some more Valpolicellas in the near future, it really is a wine that I haven't taken the time to explore yet.