Alison Road

July 1, 2015July 1, 2015Leave a comment

This is the third and final installment of my recap at this years Great Grapes event. For my previous two write ups on the goings on at Oregon Ridge, you can click here or even here.

This weeks wine is the 2014 Alison’s Watermelon Wine from Layton’s Chance.

It was suggested by friends to mention a less than lavish or popular grape, and show a lighter side. In this case, it’s also a sweeter side. Wine festivals are not always designed for the wine aficionado or connoisseur.

I’ve been to so many of these things, that it’s whatever you want these events to be. I’ve had great wines, some disgusting ones, and everything in between. If you want high-end bottles, you will find them. If you want the lighter and sweeter types, you will find those too. If you’re just looking to have a good time and get drunk while doing so, well you’re in luck.

At this point of the event, we were all getting into a pretty sedated state. So any and all expert analysis – what the nose was, what fruits, herbs, and spices could be tasted, or any other terms are out the window at this point.

I said there would be no evaluation of this wine, but one thing should be mentioned. The nose or smell was horrific. It reeked of barley and some other vileness. I’ve smelled worse, but this was painful.

However, on a warm Sunday afternoon, it tasted so refreshingly good. The scentl was so deceiving. This was an enjoyable drink that we passed around with friends that we were with and ones we ran into.

That’s what this event is all about. We were having fun and enjoying one another’s company. It was a beautiful day. We had good wine, good food, and good music.

And when it came to food, we had anything and everything with this wine.

This is a wine I will definitely try again in any setting. And I would love to try some of their others when I get the good fortune to do so. And I find great joy in visiting wineries, and I would love to make the drive to the Eastern Shore to visit this one.

For more on this winery you can click on any of the links in this sentence. Where to buy or how to get in touch can be found here.

I’ll leave with you a couple more photos from the experience.

See you at the next festival!

Best,

Ideen

Maryland Has Some Great Ones

June 24, 2015June 24, 20151 Comment

This is part two of my recap of the events at the Great Grapes Wine & Food Festival. For all the fun of part one you can click on this link.

Whenever I come to a Maryland Wine event, Bordelau, is one of the first wineries I immediately look for. They have always been the most approachable, prolific, and endearing wineries at these events.

I was first introduced to them three years ago, at this exact event. When I was inquiring about something very smokey, very be full, and very dry. And I was introduced to their Chambourcin. This was the Lot 5 from 2006, which is exactly what I was looking for. Even on a hot day, it went down easy. Because of the climate, it felt fuller than it probably was. But that doesn’t diminish how amazing this bottle was.

From that point forward, I’ve been hooked. I’m disappointed that I had not heard of them or this grape before. But this is the lifelong journey of a wine lover.

I’ve had different variations. And that’s what so great about it. It can be used to make all kinds of great tasting gems. Many have been dry, but also the sweet and rose variations of it. It’s a relatively new grape at barely over 50 years. What I love the most about it, is that it’s prolific in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast parts of the United States. And I’ve had some great ones from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

My favorite and in my opinion, the standard-bearer still this one. So how did this years tasting turn out?

The Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 6 tasted like any good Cab should. It was medium to full and it was the bottle I almost bought. But since I had the 2007 still at home, I was looking to purchase something else this time.

The Malbec was perfect for this event. It tasted lighter than what I was expecting. But for this weather, it was perfect. The finish was so clean and if not too tannic. For an outdoor event, it wasn’t necessary. I got a whole bottle to share with friends but now wish I took one home for a future celebratory occasion.

The Petit Verdot was not as memorable. It was good but it didn’t linger with me. Now its a wine that seems that could get better with time. But that could be said for all of their selections.

Getting better with time is exactly right for the final two that we sampled.

The much-anticipated Chambourcin Lot 6 and Meritage, tasted very clean and went down as easy as anything I’ve had. But that means they both need time to marinate, flourish, and become the amazing tasting wines they’ve been known for.

I’m a massive fan of the Meritage blends as well. A future post on that grape is forthcoming. The Merlot was sold out at the time. And I really wanted to try that too. My love for them has grown exponentially.

We never got a chance to taste the whites. This just means that a visit is long overdue. And I’ve been saying this to myself for a couple of years now. A visit needs to happen. I love their wines and the folks behind it have been nothing but friendly.

For more on all their wines, and for purchasing click here and here.

We enjoyed our Malbec rather quickly with some salty snacks. We enjoyed ourselves. The pictures above are a tribute to an alma mater.

Lastly, I’ve included some more photos from the sites of the festival. The third and final post from this event comes next week!

Have a great one.

Best,

Ideen

Bodegas Is Brilliant

June 17, 2015June 17, 2015Leave a comment

I’ve been to a decent amount of wine festivals in Maryland and I always enjoy myself. I mean how can you not? There’s great wines to sample, great food, great company, and the weather is usually cooperative. The Great Grapes Wine & Food Festival was no exception.

When we go to our local county or winery event, we do get a lot of repeat visitors, which leads to tasting many of the same wines year after year or month after month. But that doesn’t mean it’s boring or repetitive. Many local wineries have new vintages, new years, and even new grapes altogether. But for my first of three posts at this years event, I am excited to a write about a debut of a new winery! And it was in my opinion the best experience of this years festival.

The great people at Bodegas Gonzalez Ruggiero or BGR short were some of the friendliest I’ve seen at these sorts of functions.

They were energetic, passionate, accommodating, and willing to answer any question posed to them. They took their time with each person at their booth. When there’s a new winery in the area, there will be plenty of curiosity seekers. This is a young, family winery run by youth and exuberance.

From talking to the winemakers, they mentioned this was their first major event and seemed appreciative and honored to be there. Their energy rubbed off on the crowd. With all the other wineries, food, and vendor booths in the vicinity, they come off unassuming, approachable, and endearing all at the same time. In middle of all the heavy hitters in Maryland, they really were a breath of fresh air.

They proclaim a fusion of American, Italian, and Spanish ways to create wine and the results were masterful. They have three bottles and all three were a joy to taste and sample.

Tempranillo, Rose, and Albariño is what was being sampled. These are the three they currently make and they were all phenomenal. Since they’re so new, I don’t have much to research and interpret of what other elements may be included in these offerings. So I will just say they were all a pleasure to sip and they went down smooth. They tasted approachable and down to earth like the folks that made the wine. You can tell there is a genuine soul behind what was made.

I’ve really grown to like Rose’s recently and this was something to be savored. Albariño is not a wine I’ve had much experience with, but this was fun too. As the days get hotter and brighter, these are more of the types of bottles I will be seeking out.

The Tempranillo was my favorite. We loved it so much, we bought our own bottle. It didn’t taste as full as many I’ve had before, but on a hot day like today, this was perfect. And at under $20.00, this was a bargain. It was worth that and more.

I am happy to support local wineries that feel passionate about what they’re doing and make awesome wines at the same time.

We enjoyed our wine with some yummy crackers, chips, dips, hummus, roasted pecans, nuts, and other fun foodies.

They are not yet open to the public, but when they are, I’ll be sure to take a drive to their winery in Rising Sun and report on hopefully another wonderful experience there.

In the meantime, for information on where you can buy their wines, click here. And I look forward to attending future events in the coming months, and this is where you can find them.

If you’d like to know more about Maryland Wines, this is the site to go to.

People like this is why I love wine and love talking about wine. They make this thing so easy, so fun, and so enjoyable. I appreciate all of it.

For now, I am craving another bottle of theirs and wish I had gotten more. This was some of the friendliest bunch of people I’ve ever encountered at an event such as this. They were genuine, unpretentious, and willing to go to extra mile to answer any questions. That to me is just as important to wine tasting experience, as the wine itself. This is one of those experiences that was so positive, that it will resonate with me for a lifetime.

Cheers!

Best,

Ideen

For The Pups

June 10, 2015June 17, 20153 Comments

This will end up being one of my favorite posts and favorite wines to talk about. As some of you may know, I am a huge animal lover. I’ll support anything that benefits our four-legged friends. If it helps, supports, and facilitates a dog, cat, or any other animal friends happiness, I am all for it.

It was inevitable that I was going to write about Chateau Law Paws and the timing could not be more perfect. Over the course of last week, I celebrated my birthday with two wonderful dinners, with two wonderful sets of friends, and with two of their wonderful wines!

I needed to grab a wine for the first celebration, earlier in the week, and I randomly found their Red Wine Blend at a very obscure shop. And what a gem and joy it was to drink. And at only $9.00, it was a colossal bargain!

The synopsis mentions various fruits on the nose and when tasting, with a hint of sage. I might have caught some of that, but more importantly, I found a wine that was easy and enjoyable to drink. And to know I was championing a wonderful cause like the North Shore Animal League, makes it taste even a million times better.

It’s a placebo that makes me feel good and hopefully does the same for our pups and purring pals!

We enjoyed our glass with a succulent and decadent meat sauce pizza!

For dinner number two, we had more of a barbecue style feast with burgers, sausage, corn, and other fun foods. I was told not to bring anything, but coming to a dinner party, even if you are the recipient of the dinner, is bad etiquette. And once again, I find a quite beer & and wine shop, and their Pinot Noir!

As we know, Pinot’s are one of the easiest and lightest wines to drink. It can go well with just about anything or nothing at all. But I’m glad I brought it for this dinner with friends. Once again, a lot of aromas and flavors are mentioned. This time, along with some fruits, coconut and creme caramel are included. I wish I could have found those. Next time I won’t try as hard.

And even the winemaker, Marty Spate, says just to enjoy it. I can’t argue with that. It went down so easy and so effortlessly. What a treat this was!

What a wonderful week this was, supporting this great wine and amazing cause. I could go on and on about this. And their community section is so charming.

This is what life is all about, enjoying a glass of wine and helping some of the greatest creatures ever to set foot on this Earth. I haven’t had a chance to complete the trifecta and have a glass of their Chardonnay. But that gives me another reason (not that helping animals isn’t enough) to write about them again this Summer!

If you’re interested in knowing where to find their heartwarming bottles in your area, click here.

And the link to donate is here. Their story makes me feel good and I am happy to have written about it.

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen

Catching The Butterfly

June 3, 2015June 5, 20151 Comment

We had a nice a celebration earlier this week. I was enjoying my birthday and a dear friend was celebrating a raise at their job! And it’s good to honor and commemorate feeling good and being happy! So I wanted to get a wine that had an appealing label and hopefully one that tasted good. And we were in the mood for Cab! I’m happy to have succeeded on both counts.

I was having lunch with some family nearby and I found myself at a World Market in Chevy Chase, MD. If you’ve been, you know how the place can draw you in and has a wonderful aura about it. If you haven’t, I would strongly recommend checking them out.

But, I honestly had no idea they had an exciting wine section!

I’m a massive fan of labels with animals or nature on them. So after some relaxed canvassing of their wonderful bottles, one of my purchases was The Archivist Cabernet Sauvignon.

This was so smooth and easy to drink! And it had the right amount of oak in it. And I am a big proponent of oak in my red wine. It tasted more like a medium bodied red as opposed to the fuller ones I’ve had. But I’m not complaining.

The synopsis reads that blackberry, cassis, and raspberry are found, along with vanilla and dried herbs. I honestly didn’t detect much fruit. I may have tasted some herbs, but that also could be the fact that the wine went great with our pizzas.

I’ve seen the wine listed anywhere from $11 to $17 online. I signed up to be an Explorer, so I got mine on the lower end. And I’d be happy spending any amount within those parameters for this great wine.

I forgot to mention we also celebrated by making our own homemade pies! You can see some of the ingredients we used below! No, wine was not used in the pie! But that might have been something.

And here are some of the pies we created.

This was a successful wine and pizza party! And I’m happy to have used a great bottle from an awesome store. I can’t wait to go back and get enthralled in all the beauty of World Market.

I’ll have much to say on this awesome store in the future.

Thanks so much!

Best,

Ideen

May Wine Wednesdays

May 27, 2015May 27, 20151 Comment

I had wanted to talk about a Riesling since I started this blog. And the timing couldn’t be better.

Recently, I was introduced to the German tradition of drinking May Wine. And I’m so happy I was.

I like the concept of steeping herbs, plants, and flowers to enhance a beverages taste. It’s akin to how we prepare our teas.

I had heard of sweet woodruff before, since its a part of my Iranian culture in various festivities. But little did I know that it’s significant in spring time celebrations, when infused in sweet white wines! And it’s great to hear about it’s health benefits.

With all that being said, what bottle did we used for the first of many celebrations?

You’ve probably seen Schmitt Sohne in your local beer and wine shop. As the look and label really leave a lasting impression.

How was our Riesling? It was tremendous. But I had to do a quadruple take. I didn’t realize they had four varietals! I’m intrigued.

The Crisp and Fruity label helped me decipher what may be contained inside. The synopsis mentions apples and peach aromas. I detected what may have been those fruits, or others. But the woodruff really intensified the flavor and that’s what resonated. I was blown away by how good this tasted. This wine went down very easy. And how beautiful is that color?

I enjoyed my glass with a nice meal of ground turkey tacos with Mexican rice. This is a bottle that can be enjoyed with virtually any meal or by itself. And as the weather brightens, those meal selections will rapidly expand.

I included my attempt at an aerial view of the herb inside the bottle. How cool is this?

May Day can be celebrated throughout the Spring and into the Summer. And I cannot wait to try more white wines with this amazing flower permeating on the inside. And you can bet more this awesome vineyard will be included.

Enjoy the rest of May and the warm months ahead!

Best,

Ideen

A Lovely Feast

May 20, 2015May 20, 2015Leave a comment

A dear friend of mine went to Jamaica recently. And has been on their food kick, since coming back. We’re fortunate enough to have many International restaurants near us in the area. And that includes delicious foods from the land of ‘Out of Many, One People’.

And what a perfect opportunity to try some new foods and of course, a bottle, to pair with these dishes!

In doing my in-depth research, I found that the spicier foods (such as what we were about to eat), should be counterbalanced or complemented with some sweeter whites. We don’t want a full-bodied red or lots of oak, to detract from the food we’re enjoying. We want the our meal to be enjoyable, and we want the wine to enhance that. With a lighter selection, more flavors can come out from our dish. We also want a wine that’s low on tannins. This is nowhere near as complicated as it sounds.

I am a huge fan of medium to full reds. But having one of those would completely undermine our meal and our wine. In some instances, it’s brought out the cheapness of the food and the wine. I found this site very useful in my quest.

With the knowledge presented to me, I wanted to get a Gewürztraminer. It’s a wine I wish I had more of. We’ve enjoyed this grape a few times over a Thanksgiving meal. And I’m happy to the opportunity has been presented itself to enjoy once again!

I want to thank Friendship Wine & Liquor of Abingdon, MD, for helping me pick out a bottle.

I chose the 2013 from Chateau Ste. Michelle. And this is a winner!

It was very easy to drink and didn’t feel as if it were too sugary or acidity for my liking. I didn’t detect any clove spice as the synopsis says. But I could sense some fruit. Which fruits there were, I don’t know! But I was loving this choice. And and under $10, I feel this was a steal and a half!

We enjoyed our bottle with a wonderful Brown Stew Chicken, Goat Curry, Plantains, and a Meat Pie. Everything about our meal, from the food to the wine, was wonderful. This can pair with many spicy foods, not just Jamaican. It’s all about personal preference. Most important of all is to try what you like. And that you are enjoying the wine and food together.

And I am grateful to have been introduced to another great winery, whose wines will be seeking out on a regular basis now. That’s one of the fun parts of this! Now I have so many new ones I want to try.

The winery itself looks beautiful from pictures. And it makes me want to visit them in Washington State. I suppose I will!

Thanks so much.

Best,

Ideen

Happy Hummus Day!

May 13, 2015May 13, 20151 Comment

Today we’re celebrating International Hummus Day! It seems that only recently hummus has blown up in popularity all around the world. It used to be we found it only in restaurants as an appetizer, in International markets, and maybe a few flavors here and there at select grocery stores.

Now it’s everywhere. There are flavors that were once only imagined, and have now come to fruition.

Finding a wine to pair with our meal was a bit daunting. But once again, thanks to the awesome staff at Wine World of Abingdon, MD for their assistance.

The flavors chosen for this review were a Roasted Garlic and an Edamame. The latter I’ve only discovered recently. And it’s so yummy.

So with the spicier offerings in mind and without further adieu, the wine selected was the Retsina from Greece.

It’s not a wine I’ve sipped too often. I recall trying these at Greek Festivals in the Maryland and Washington, DC area.

This is an acquired taste. Honestly, I couldn’t finish my glass. It’s not something I’m used to. Maybe in time, it will be a glass I will learn to appreciate with Greek appetizers and the right vibe or environment. But, in this case, it wasn’t for me.

When I uncorked the bottle, the nose was really strange. I’m not sure what I was smelling. It wasn’t the most pleasing.

However, the golden color does have a charm to it.

In many instances, I like to try wines, without knowing ahead of time what fruits, flavors, or spices are included. This was no exception. What I tasted was very earth like. But not in that earthy tones term that people like to throw out there It tasted like nature. It had a familiar taste of Spring. It was like something I recall in my backyard when I was a kid. Then I did my research and saw that taste was the pine-tree resin.

This was the wine of the gods. And I think that’s awesome. But it’s not awesome for me. Not yet at least. That doesn’t mean you or yours wouldn’t like it. We all have different tastes and that’s what makes us all unique and all the same. In doing some research, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Noir have been common suggestions. Hopefully you’ll be able to find a wine that goes well with this special day

In the meanwhile, I celebrated hummus yesterday and will continue today. Here we have some whole wheat pita triangles and pita chips thrown in, to dip and delight.

Enjoy today.

Best,

Ideen

Mother’s Day Special

May 6, 2015May 7, 20151 Comment

I wanted to find a wine that would fit the mold of the Mother’s Day holiday. Sunday will be fun. And we will also celebrate the warm weather, happiness, joy, love, peace, and anything else that makes you feel good. I believe my choice fits both the holiday and the season.

A Rose was suggested and a Rose is what I got! I didn’t have to look too far. I found a stunning bottle. Now the look shape is unique and wonderful. But the salmon color inside is a beauty. Thanks to the great folks at Wine World in Abingdon, MD for their help.

They had a holiday section set up with various Roses’, at the front of the store. Per a team members suggestion, not just for the shape, but for the taste, the Aime Roquesante Cotes De Provence 2014 was the immediate choice. I am not a huge fan nor a detractor of the the sweeter wines. But this blog is going to help me appreciate white, lighter, and fruitier wines as the weather breaks.

And this bottle is fun. It tasted fuller than I thought it would be.

How pretty is that?

I’m assuming the fullness comes from the Syrah. If I hadn’t looked it up, I wouldn’t have known it was made of the aforementioned Syrah, Grenache, and Cinsault. The latter one is new to me. I tasted a lot of citrus flavors and maybe some hints of flowers.

I thought for sure they wouldn’t have a website. How silly and presumptuous of me. It’s in French and I find that fun. I don’t see anywhere to translate, but I prefer it that way. Maybe it’s so beautiful, I don’t need to know what they’re saying. The birds chirping is all I needed.

However, the amount of reviews for the bottle were plentiful. And once again, there’s different interpretations of what smells and flavors are detected, along with the suggested food pairings.

I don’t think you can go wrong in the food department. Whatever your holiday meal is, this wine will go with it. Whether’s it’s meat, vegetables, cheese, or appetizers. I believe this bottle is a great complement to any of those and many other dishes.

I’ve seen prices ranging from $9.99 to $14.99 in various stores. As always, the cheaper the better. But this is a bottle worthy of the higher price point.

I wish you all a great week! And a Happy Mother’s Day to you and yours!

Best,

Ideen

Only The Horses

April 29, 2015April 29, 20154 Comments

I have been waiting for over a month to write about this wine. And the time has arrived. The time is now. I shouldn’t be so melodramatic. But I’m having fun here.

Over the course of this blog I’ve really tried to hit home my love for blends. The triumvirate of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah for both wines I’m going to review are pieced together so well.

The 141st running of the Kentucky Derby takes place this Saturday, May 2nd, 2015. And on one fateful day in the end of March, I found one of the most beautiful bottles I have ever seen. I’m sometimes dazzled by the things I attract into my life.

The 2012 Kentucky Derby Red Blend from 14 Hands is brilliant. After I saw the label and built such anticipation for it, I wanted to like this wine badly. And thank goodness I do. There is so much good about it, aside from the pretty horses. And they sure are pretty.

There’s a lot to love about this. When I opened the bottled and poured my first glass, I detected some chocolate aromas from the nose. It smelled like a full-bodied wine and the oak was permeating. I was really looking forward to drinking it. But I let it breathe for a few minutes.

It tasted more like a medium, which was just fine by me. It was a pleasant surprise. I could taste a little chocolate or cocoa, as the synopsis described. There is mention of loganberries. I have no idea what those are. I attached a link for your edification and mine. I like a winemaker that gets creative with the flavor hints and aromas.

But I still have no idea what loganberries are! That’s me being humorous. But really… I didn’t detect any plums or white pepper. But once again, it’s all perspective and interpretation. I’m always sensing berries and cherries in most of the reds I drink. So that’s always been a starting point for me. This is a fantastic wine. I agree that it goes with more easygoing foods like pizza and burgers.

An hour before, I had a glass of the 2012 Hot To Trot Red Blend. This is a bottle I have had several times before, and is a seminal favorite of mine. This is the first bottle of theirs I purchased, and I’ve been a fan ever since. For that alone, this will always be my favorite of theirs. And because there’s hints of cinnamon and spices, it really complements this blend very well. This is a well put together wine. It’s not that it’s any better than the Kentucky Derby Blend. It just has another aura of sentimentality, that the Derby one will also give me, if it hasn’t already.

I enjoyed both with some grapes and walnuts. But as the fact sheet suggests, pork, mushrooms, or other heartier dishes can work as well. I’d say it’s a little more than a party bottle as opposed to the Derby. So I understand their foodie recommendations.

I’ll tell you something. These PDF’s I have linked in this post, are so user friendly and approachable. I’ve learned so much just by reading these details. This is so well done.

One final note on the Kentucky Derby Blend. You may have noticed that they are Out Of Stock though their website. I bought this back in late March at Cranbrook Liquors of Cockeysville, MD, at their Dollar Days. They had cases of them at the time. I’d seen them in many shops all over the Baltimore area as of a week ago. So you may be able to find them at your local wine store, wherever you may live.

I definitely recommend both bottles for this Saturday’s celebrations. They may both be Red Blends, there are noticeable differences and are definitely pleasing to many palates. The Hot To Trot can be drank all year round. And just because the race ends Saturday, I see no reason why the Derby wine would be rendered obsolete. It’s a great bottle as well.

I’ve had several more of their Varietals as well. I look forward to writing about those in a future message.

Enjoy the week, enjoy the weekend, and of course, enjoy the Derby.

Take good care.

Best,

Ideen

One With Vino

It's a spiritual thing.

Category: wine

Alison Road

Maryland Has Some Great Ones

Bodegas Is Brilliant

For The Pups

Catching The Butterfly

May Wine Wednesdays

A Lovely Feast

Happy Hummus Day!

Mother’s Day Special

Only The Horses

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