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Kristi's Wine Notes (and sometimes beer)

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Kristi's Wine Notes (and sometimes beer)

Monthly Archives: June 2013

Almaden – Heritage Chardonnay

25 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by indelibleinc in Uncategorized

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almaden vineyards

I’m a little behind on my boxed wine reviews, I know.  They are currently notes written on scraps of paper and the backs of napkins.  I assure you there will be more!  And remember those of you who are anti-boxed wine, at least try it!  And to quote my previous boxed wine post:

“Hold on haters. Before you get all judgey about boxed wines sip on this: At least 50% of wine produced and/or sold in Australia comes in a box. I mean what is there to hate? Cheaper to box vs. bottle. Better for the environment. Cheaper to ship/transport. More comes in a box. It doesn’t break if you drop it. Better wines are getting boxed now! Did I mention cheap? 5L in a box…that’s 5 bottles of wine for $12.99 – $14.99. Just saying…”

Notes from Almaden:

Just like with people, the story of every vineyard is unique. From selecting the perfect location to cultivating heritage vines, each story is punctuated with the distinct markers of taste offered by the glass, bottle or case. At Almaden, we take pride in the singular heritage of our vines, as well as the cultivation and techniques we’ve used to create our memorable wines over the last 158 years.

Almaden’s rich history spans nearly 16 decades. In 1852, founder Etienne Theé planted California’s first vineyards with vines from his home in France, naming it Almaden Vineyards after a local mine in the Los Gatos area. We are proud to say that California’s winemaking began here, and since then, we’ve become one of the leading winemakers in the country.

Over the first century of our history, we perfected our winemaking style, surviving through the Prohibition years of the 1920s to create the first blush wine in 1958. Called White Grenache Rosé, this blush quickly became the first popular pink wine in the United States. That same year, Almaden successfully continued its endeavors to develop the largest varietal wine vineyard in the world in Paicines, California.

After merging with Madrone Vineyards in 1951, Theé’s son-in-law, Charles Lefranc, took control of the winery. Lefranc was a winemaker inspired by the traditional methods of the Old World, drawing lessons and inspiration from European winemakers. Only the finest cuttings from Europe were planted under his watch, resulting in a fine product that attracted many to the superb taste of Almaden wines.

Determined to keep the vineyards in the family, Lefranc bestowed the secrets of winemaking upon his children, eventually handing the winery over to his son-in-law, Paul Masson. After a time, Masson left Almaden and founded his own winery, which is still in existence today.

The company was then put into the hands of Louis Benoist of San Francisco. With the help of nationally recognized winemaker Frank Schoonmaker, Benoist began wide distribution of Almaden wines, quickly making them some of the most popular in the nation.

In order to further develop the potential of California’s wine region, Schoonmaker and winemaker Oliver Goulet developed a line of wines made from grapes grown in the San Joaquin Valley. Once again, Almaden set a trend, as these wines, called Almaden Mountain Wines, were packaged in signature teardrop-shaped bottles. They too gained popularity across North America.

In 2008, we replaced our large carbon-inefficient 3 and 4 liter glass bottles with our innovative vacuum sealed Bag-In-Box Wine system to ensure that our wine will stay fresh for at least six weeks after opening. In addition to offering fresh wine from the first to the last glass, this system is also better for the environment. Bag-In-Box packaging requires far less energy to produce, ship and display than the heavy glass bottles that they replace. This reduces our carbon footprint by 55%. And by not using glass bottles, we are able to offer outstanding wine at substantial savings.

Today, Almaden is part of The Wine Group and continues to produce quality wines in the traditional manner, bringing the historically rich taste of the Old World right to your table, one glass at a time.

My Notes:

I brought this box with me to a party this past weekend.  Another perk of boxed wine is that you can bring plenty of wine to the party for the price of a cheap bottle and it comes with its own carrying handle!

It was a little hard to tell the color when first pouring since we were keeping in classy and using red cups, but the light golden color I was able to get a glimpse of made me very pleased with my choice for the evening.

I will say that the red plastic cup as a wine drinking vessel actually helps to isolate the aromas and allows for an untainted sniffing experience.  I mean seriously, you can get half your damn face in there.  Don’t be shy about it, get in there!  There weren’t any overpowering scents to note, but there were some hints of pear in there.  That first gulp, because let’s face it, there’s no dainty sipping from a plastic cup, was a pleasant blend of pear and a hint of apple.  This wine was a more medium-bodied chardonnay.  Not too light, but not overpowering either.  I did like the semi-dryness of this as well as the crisp finish.

This paired quite nicely with chips and salsa, and wheat thins and hummus.  This would also work with pasta dishes using a white wine sauce, garlic chicken, or some seared sea scallops.

On a scale of “this tastes like piss” to “oops, I just drank the whole box” I would give this a “This is like the PBR of wine.  Always the same everywhere and always a crowd pleaser.” Would I buy it again? I could see this popping up in my boxed wine stash again.

Final Grade: B+

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Franzia – Crisp White

12 Wednesday Jun 2013

Posted by indelibleinc in Uncategorized

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Hold on haters. Before you get all judgey about boxed wines sip on this: At least 50% of wine produced and/or sold in Australia comes in a box. I mean what is there to hate? Cheaper to box vs. bottle. Better for the environment. Cheaper to ship/transport. More comes in a box. It doesn’t break if you drop it. Better wines are getting boxed now! Did I mention cheap? 5L in a box…that’s 5 bottles of wine for $12.99 – $14.99. Just saying…

Notes from the box:

A new beginning – Teresa Franzia, my grandmother, planted her first vineyard along the road to Yosemite in 1906. Her family survived Prohibition by selling these grapes to home winemakers back East.
When prohibition ended, my father and his six brothers and sisters rebuilt the winery brick by brick, barrel by barrel… everyone pitched in. After the war, my uncle’s new advertising slogan, “Make Friends with Franzia,” introduced a new generation to wine.
As we enter our second century of winemaking, we strive to uphold Teresa’s legacy of quality, freshness and value. Not just by winning competitions around the world but more importantly, by helping to bring the enjoyment of good wine to your home each night.
Franzia’s box goes on to boast that they are “the world’s most cost and carbon efficient wine.” They are 50% more carbon efficient than 750ml glass bottles. Lighter than heavy glass bottles, Franzia “WineTaps” require fewer trucks to deliver the same amount of wine resulting in less emissions, less pollution, less cost and less greenhouse gasses. (*Boxed wine allows for more room for packaging notes. So much more room for activities!)

My Notes:

There is nothing quite like opening up a brand new box of wine and tapping that first glass. It’s like embarking on the first steps of an epic journey. A nice light straw color greets you as you approach the lightly aromatic wine. Nothing overly powerful or immediately discernable, but a pleasant aroma, as you go in for the first sip. Perfectly chilled, you are greeted with a smooth, crisp blend of…well…crisp white. I think that’s the beauty of this wine. It’s simple, refreshing and requires zero thought to enjoy.

Modify it! Don’t be scared. It averages out to be about $3 for a 750ml bottle. That’s cheaper than a beer out at a bar. Throw some frozen grapes in there! Maybe a couple of strawberry slices. Hell, throw an ice cube in it. It’s great extra cold. No one is going to get offended if you “personalize” it. It’s not a $180 Cabernet Franc or anything.

My recommendation? Half a glass of Franzia Crisp White with a half a glass of San Pellegrino Limonata. Yes, the sparkling water with 18% lemon juice. Don’t be cheap and get the lemon flavored Perrier. That’s just disgusting. I mean come on now, splurge a little. You already paid next to nothing for the wine. They have other flavors too that are fantastic, but I’m drinking the limonata right now. Holy mother of (insert deity of choice here) that is tasty and refreshing! It’s like a white wine Radler! If you aren’t familiar with Radlers it’s beer mixed with sparkling lemonade and popular in Germany. I highly suggest reading this post for a more detailed explanation of my most recent beer fixation: http://thewinegetter.com/2013/05/16/radler-the-solution-to-my-beer-dilemma/

This wine pairs well with some good spicy Indian food, good company and funny movies. I had the pleasure of all three when I opened up this box. It would also compliment chicken and shellfish dishes as well as grilled veggies and a backyard gathering.

On a scale of “this tastes like piss” to “oops, I just drank the whole box” I would give this a “Katie and I put a serious hurt on this box the night we opened it. I’d maybe say we killed half of it. I like to think this wine went over well.” Would I buy it again? I’d keep this on standby/regular rotation especially during the summer months.

Final Grade: A (bonus points for customizability)

Great Grapes Wine & Food Festival 2013 – Oregon Ridge Park

06 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by indelibleinc in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Yes, I know I have personally dubbed June as Boxed Wine Month, but I figured what better way to kick off the summer wine season than with a little recap of the Great Grapes Wine Festival I had the joy of attending this past Saturday. I picked up VIP tickets as a Mother’s Day gift for none other than my mom. We had an absolute blast!

If you ever have the opportunity to spring the extra couple bucks for a VIP ticket to a wine festival, DO IT. Private, line-free flush toilets, VIP high-end wine tastings, complimentary watermelon and bottled water, complimentary grilled chicken, salmon and steak, and all you can eat cheese plates accompanied by fresh bread and an array of oils and vinegars for dipping? Worth. Every. Penny. Speaking of dipping oils, we discovered Ricchiuti Family Farms Organic Enzo Estate Grown California Extra Virgin Olive Oil infused with Garlic. If you love garlic as much as I do, then this oil is garlicky taste bud magic. Great with fresh french bread, hard cheeses and of course loads of wine.

We did our best to make note of wines that were good enough to go back and buy a bottle or three.  I know not all of our tasting sheets with notes made it back in one piece, but here are a handful of wineries/wines worth a notable mention from this past Saturday:

The St. Michaels White, a light refreshing Vidal style wine, from St. Michaels Winery made it to the “Yes” list.  I would pair this with spicy foods or Mediterranean food.

Slack Winery & Vineyards had three wines worth scrawling next to.  Those were the Slack Tide Blanc, which received an enthusiastic “Yes!!!”  The Slacker Rosé was also a notable selection.  It surprisingly had a very full palette of flavors compared to most rosés that can often have a more muted taste.  The third noted on this list was the Danny Boy Danny dessert wine.  It just has “<3” written next to it.  I don’t remember why this one was special, but I typically dislike dessert wines.  So this must not have been overpoweringly sweet.

Linganore Winecellars had a strong showing as usual.  I’ve always been fond of their White Raven, which is comparable to a nice fruity Pinot Grigio and their Terrapin White, which is good if you like a drier Riesling.  Pair these two with sharp cheeses and/or crab cakes or any type of seafood really.

Boordy Vineyards produces some of my favorite Maryland wines.  Boordy Blush, a member of the Icons of Maryland series of wines that I originally purchased because of the crab on the label, is refreshingly light and semi-sweet with hints of watermelon and strawberry aromas.  Their Riesling is spot on, especially for a Riesling snob that cringes when she sees a Riesling that isn’t produced in Germany or at least the Pacific Northwest.  The White Sangria and Viva Sangria are also excellent choices.

Elk Run Winery had a red wine that was out of this world.  This was a red that my mom, the hardcore white wine drinker who hadn’t found a drinkable red for herself all day, thought was amazing.  Sadly, this tasting sheet was one that didn’t quite make it back home with us.  After reviewing their online wine list I want to say it was the Liberty Tavern Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which we affectionately dubbed “holy shit balls.”  Amazing doesn’t even begin to describe this one.  It was velvety smooth and peacefully guided your tongue from black currant, to chocolate and blackberry with subtle hints of cedar and tobacco.  This wine deserves its own review so I’m going to stop here on that one.

Detour Winery’s Meadow Breeze Rosé Table wine made it back home with us.  This a great wine for people who are still wine drinkers with training wheels.  Great for picnics, romantic getaways and everything in between.

Harford Vineyard & Winery won the peach wine of the day award.  They’re Peach Kissed tasted so much like freshly picked peaches that you felt like you should have peach juice running down your chin after drinking this.

Terrapin Station Winery is known for their adorable little 1.5 liter boxed wines.  I’m going to save those for a more thorough boxed wine review.  Besides, all of this typing has made me thirsty.

Prost!

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