Tag: friend

Earth Hour 2.0

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Helping this universe in any way, shape, or form shouldn’t be a one or two time thing. This is a two-post thing but I wish it could be longer.  But it wasn’t supposed to be.  Earth Hour is a beautiful event.

After last weeks intro, it’s only fitting that I finish with a wine that is not necessarily the most sentimental to me, but one is definitely one that has always tasted the same, tasted great and tasted like any good wine should.

The 2015 Charles Thomas Cotes du Rhone Rouge is a wine I’ve had for several vintages and seen it at many a wine shop, seen in on many a wine list at the bar, and found it to be all around accessible and approachable.  That’s what you want from a wine like this, especially the latter.   Oh and of course the price. $10, give or take is the norm but I would pay a little bit more for this.  The 2015 especially.

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This is even better than I remember ever it ever tasting.   This not meant to be an insult, but only a compliment, but for some reason it actually sipped better than it had any reason to.   I hope that makes sense.  It’s not supposed to be this good.   $10 wines are good but not always this good.   I also hope you sense the facetiousness.

It’s heavy on the fruits.  Yes it’s that fruit forward term you may have heard about.  The berry fruits take over and for the occasion this was perfect.  And with the hearty meal of meats, veggies, and pastas, this was even more the perfect wine to pair with this meal.

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It’s a lot lighter than many Rhone Rouge’s I’ve had, and even with this breakdown (50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre), it’s a wine even exclusively sweet wine drinkers can appreciate.

Yet this is a wine you can have with anything.  I also thing that after the first bottle, this was even better and more refreshing than I remember.

What also helps is I wasn’t alone in my sentiments.   This wine never had a chance.  I think I was lucky to half one full glass.   It was being drawn to like a magnet.  Or maybe it was the ratatouille you see pictured.   A perfect French dish served with an equally awesome French wine makes me happy.  Whenever you can pair a wine with a meal this in syncopation it feels validating, it feels good, and it feels victorious.

The other victory was getting a few last second photos before it was Earth Hour.

I’ll admit and admit it some more, I’m so terrible with my cell phone obsession.  It would be safe to say I’m not alone in this feeling.  For a fleeting moment I started to feel weird that I would have my cell phone turned off for an hour and be without any communication.  But that feeling was gone immediately.   The hosts went above-and-beyond in putting together a stellar feast that my words will never be able to give its proper due.

And being able to remember fondly before and during Earth Hour is better than any staring aimlessly at my mobile phone every few seconds for no good reason.   I shouldn’t have even get to this point.  I and we should embrace life without having to take a break to habitually push a few buttons and tap on the screen, and then go back to embracing life.  That’s not a healthy way to be.

I wished I hung around longer.  About 90 minutes in I didn’t see anyone need or want to use any technology.

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There was enough food, drink, excellent company, and natural light that nothing else was necessary.  This should be the rule and not the exception.  It’s unfortunate that I’ve got to this point.  It’s not even something I should claim ownership on, but it’s something that can be remedied immediately.  Wow.  This is a wine blog I know, not cell phone addicts anonymous.  I rather be addicted to one over than the other.

The moral to all of this is life is good.  Wine is good.  Food is good.  People are good.  And life is good.   Hey, I just said that but it is.

For more on this wine and the distributor, click here.   But like I said, it’s easy to find. I’ve seen it at many nearby wine shops and I’m willing to bet you will find this at a wine shop near you.

And even more importantly, here is more on Earth Hour.

Stay healthy,

Ideen

Earth Hour One

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Earth Hour is a concept that was unbeknownst to me until about a year ago.  It’s still a concept, event, and now tradition that’s novel enough that I like to think I’m not too far behind the times.

For a couple of years now dear friends of mine have put together a dinner in honor of celebrating this growing occasion.

Now I’ve been to many a stellar meal at this house and have written about many of those affairs.  The food has always been incredible.  And the heart, soul, and dedication into these meals is always appreciated and never forgotten.  The least I and fellow guests can do is bring a side plate, a dessert, and a wine to share.  Can you guess which of those I’ve brought?

The wines I’ve brought have led to mixed results. And in a way I’m happy about that.  Not every wine is going to please the entire crowd.  Ones I’ve loved have been met with surprise and confusion by others.  Some I didn’t care for were met with jubilation by my peers.  Isn’t that how it works sometimes?  And then there’s the wines that are met with mutual agreement on the quality, taste, structure, and all that other stuff.

I was told to bring an Italian and French wine for the food themes.  The drier the better.  For the Italian this is where I may have goofed.  But per the menu and the price I was getting this first bottle ($10), I thought it was worth the risk.

The Italian wine didn’t do anything for me.   I was with a larger crowd than usual and there were a plethora of wines to be had, so I’m not exactly sure who got to try the 2015 Sangiovese from Tavernello.

Like the Sangiovese, many of their wines are meant to be drank everyday.  So I thought this was a safe best.  Many Sangiovese’s and Pinot Noir’s for that matter, are made safely in a way that they usually can’t disappoint.  With food or with friends they’re easy to drink and can be at for any time of year and any temperature.  At least that’s what I believe.

I’m glad I opened this one up first.  It was going to be for the first part of the meal, but after a few sips I realized this is not going to work.   I might as well let it air out and see if the flavors and scents have opened themselves up.   Other attendees were drinking it so at least I wasn’t alone in trying this one.  I couldn’t gauge other peoples reactions.

It’s one of those instances where everyone is engaged in conversation that they forget about what they’re drinking and probably don’t care.  I wish I could say the same.  And at other times I would.

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For me, it was too easy to drink.  And not in a good way.  I wanted to savor it.  I got some cherries and blackberries because they’re the easier fruits to detect, but it didn’t work for me.

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The soup and salad were fantastic.  They’re better served with a better wine, or another beverage.

I want to focus on the positive and the concept of Earth Hour is absolutely beautiful. In honor of that there weren’t as many pictures taken for this two-parter.  Yes part two is next week.  We had an hour to eat before the lights and cell phones were turned off so not all the food was photographed and I love that.   I adore the concept of saving energy and the idea that not everything was documented.   Those are the memories for us to share with and reminisce without being made public.  Not everything was intended for sharing.

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What I will share is a teaser (pictured above) for next week.  The incredible food just kept on coming, The French wine is one that I’ve had before and it tasted as good, if not better than ever.  I look forward to round two next week, as we also approach Earth Day.

For more about Tavernello click here.  And the serendipitous part of this is their ways of helping the environment.   Here is their contact information.

I’ve had their wines before and will be having them again. It’s a label that’s easy to find.

And speaking of wine’s I’ve had before and again, I look forward to doing my best to honoring this amazing part with a second post.

Ideen

 

Dragonfly In

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I’d like to think I’m in tune with much of the universe, my surroundings, nature, animals, people, and everything in between.  Not even close. But if that were truly the case than I think the point and purpose of my life, your life, or anyone’s would be lost.

We’re not supposed to know everything.  Why would we want to either?

This is not so much a post about wine, but more about the symbolism and meaning in the things we do, how we live our lives, and how everything affects us.

I wasn’t aware of the dragonfly’s significance and meaning until events starting happening to close people in my life.   These events usually tend to lean towards sadness and hardship.  It’s our proclivity to seek meaning and information in times of difficulty, confusion, and heartache.  I do it too and know this far too well.

Something has happened again where events and energies are affecting me deeply.   But I can’t be egocentric or self-serving.  The world does not revolve around me, or you, or anyone in particular.  Actually in a positive sense it does revolve around me, you, and everyone else.  We are all one.  And events in our life, our dear friends and family’s life, and maybe with people we have yet to meet all affect us.   Whether we realize it or not.

The fact that I know this might mean I’m a bit ahead of the curve, but again what do I really know?

What does this have to do with wine?  I’ll get to that I promise.

As advanced as we are humans, we continue to feel things that on the surface may feel uncomfortable forever, but it’s all temporary.  Even if that temporary negative feeling lasts much longer than a temporary joyous one, it’s all short-term.   We want to feel good, in harmony, in touch with everyone ad everything.  We want to feel that everything will go right for us.  And it most instances it does.  But when it hurts.  It truly hurts.  And those feelings of sadness can feel like an abyss, like an eternity, with little to no end in sight. But it’s still temporary.

Animals, whether they’re dragonfly’s, dogs, cats, and all our other amazing friends have feelings to.  But they’re either mostly all loving, all knowing, and know what’s important in life to survive.  They know they don’t need much.  But a feeling of zen and/or love is the common theme.  Actually a feeling of peace, acceptance, appreciation of life, and knowing there’s something bigger than us is the main message.

The dragonfly is now something I like to research about whenever I can.   As the weather is improving they may across our paths a lot more frequently than we will acknowledge.

I noticed that when I was more aware and self-aware of my surroundings they were showing up in the most unlikely of all places (or was there something more).  They were telling me something.   They tell us all something whether we see them or not.  Whether we realize they’re there or just ignore them, they are sending us messages.

In my own way, I wish I wasn’t always aware of all this.  It can drive a person (i.e. me) crazy to know that in a way we’re being watched, warned, or being served messages on a regular basis from these highly advanced creatures.  Yes they’re smarter than us.

They might be sending us signals of love, hope, peace or maybe a warning of something that is to come.  Maybe it’s just a message to relax and appreciate what we have.  Because so many things we love will not be around forever.  And as we get older, grow up, and experience happiness and tragedies, we will ultimately know what’s important.  I would like to think I’m getting there.  I would like to think we’re all getting there.

I would like to think that many of us put things into perspective and to appreciate life when things are going great, not just when times are difficult and the patches are rough.

We’re all so vulnerable aren’t we?

Some of us might be stronger than teflon and carry ourselves like nothing can stop us. More power to you if that’s working out for you.

But for the rest of the world (at least in mine), something has been going on that I can’t describe.  It’s like a domino effect of events affecting so many people close to me, close to us, and I would like it to calm down.

Again, it’s temporary, it will resolve itself.  But I root for my friends, my family, and most of all our individual selves to become stronger because of this.  We will. It may take longer for some things to resolve over others.  But they will.  We have to believe that.

Our dragonfly friends are giving us signals of that.

After all that, again what does this have to do with wine?

I take it all the back back to last September and the Maryland Wine Festival.

There was a stranger energy in the air than previous festivals.  Again, we all see it differently, but this is how I saw it.

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From one booth to another, it just felt like something was more off than usual.  Than my initial visit to the Far Eastern Shore Winery tent felt a bit eerie.  For my first of what I would assume would be repeat visits to this and other booths, this one had an aura about it.   And I’ve sampled their wines before, at many an event or tasting.

Maybe it was the plants and flowers on display, maybe it was their famous swans on the labels, or maybe it was something bigger.  But this initial visit was all about a minute.  The lines were long all over the venue.

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After several hours of wandering, I didn’t realize it until after the fact, that my last visit of the day was back at their tent.  How about them dragonflies?

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And I only tried one  of their wines.  I only needed to try one.  It was this one pictured above.  I know right?

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It may not mean much but everything is a sign, everything is energy, everything is everything.  To say I’m freaking out in remembrance of this and writing about it now would be an understatement.  I’m slightly shaking.  That’s an energy bigger than me saying this.

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To complete this I will say that this wine does not fit my palate.  But it doesn’t matter.  In this or all instances it doesn’t really matter does it?  It’s a blush wine with a white Shiraz base that many will adore.  It contains raspberries and yummy dragonfruit (yes!), that works perfectly in the warm weather months.  And actually it can work whenever you want it too.

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It’s not a wine I would truly seek out but it now has huge meaning to me that I feel I need to have it stored at home in a safe (the fridge of course ha) place to remind me of things, to remind me of energies, messages, and all that is here and all that might be coming.

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I’m not a clairvoyant but I sense something bigger is going on in our universes that has always existed but is finally scratching the surface, and we will be up to the challenge.  Yes this is about all of us.

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But for those interested in contacting the winery (and I am one of them) to learn more, click here.   Info on their tasting room is here.

And here is where you can find their wine locally in Maryland and where you purchase it across the country.

I hope to chat with the winemakers about this remarkable experience I’ve had, because if it wasn’t for them I wasn’t sure how I would be able to share this with you.  There’s a huge meaning right there.

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There’s a deeper meaning in everything.  I believe that.  Many people close to me believe that.  There’s something bigger than us but our energies are also so big, full of life, full of potential, and full of amazing life experiences to come.

Thank you dragonflies.

Ideen

 

 

My Original Rhone

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This is another one of those posts I didn’t necessarily plan or time to coincide with National Drink Wine Day, that occurred on February 18th, here in the states, because to me and many of us, that’s a daily ritual.

But nevertheless, this is the kind of wine that would only feel write to discuss.  It’s one that has thrown in sentimentality to me the past few years, for a multitude of reasons.

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I’ll first say that the Famille Perrin Reserve Côtes du Rhône Rouge from Château de Beaucastel Winery in the southern part of the Rhone Valley of France.  (Like I know where that is.)

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is likely the first Red Blend or Rhone from France that I ever had the opportunity of trying.  I say this with the understanding and possibility that I’ve had others before, but I was oblivious to the region, to the type of grapes, and to the significance of how wine is created.  So I would like to say this was my first and I truly hope it is.

It’s also the first that really made me appreciate why I love wine, and why I love sharing my wine with others.  And that feeling is reciprocal.  This was also a bottle that dear friends, and I may even consider them family, introduced to me.

The location does not matter.  It’s that old cliche of not where you are but who you’re with that truly matters.  In this instance that is exactly right.

I was introduced to this by a couple of close friends that have ties to the region, whether it’s their native land and can speak the language, have a sentiment for the wine itself, or something bigger than any of that.  There’s always layers to this thing which you may not see on the surface.

Speaking of layers, this is a wine when I first tried was a breath of fresh air.  It was just different than I was accustomed too.  It seemed ripe full of tannins, loaded with strawberries and other fine fruits, and had a rouge (as the name suggests) color that did have a different tint than what I’m accustomed too.  Now this might all be more than I’m making it out to be.  But there was just something about it.

And the place where I first shared it at was ironic.  It was more of a pub atmosphere than a wine bar.  I’ll tell you at the time and looking back on it, this couldn’t be more perfect.  In a sea of cold beer and mixed drinks, this was the savior to all that.  None of that was the intent.  But for me this has significant value I will always look back on fondly.

Yes the people I shared this bottle with also made this experience all the more grande.  Not just anyone would be a part of this.  So there were those few folks who shared the same affinity and joy for this wine, like I did, and likely much more.

What’s important to know is I still keep in touch with these pals.  Sometimes I still get to see them.  That makes this part of my past even more meaningful.  It’s more than just bar friends, these are dear friends, and you might even call them family.  If I had lost touch or think I’d never see them again, than I would still feel some sense of nostalgia, but it would be different.  Make sense?

The fun part of all this is we didn’t just share a glass. We usually got a bottle or two.  And I would say the vintages ran from 2009-2011.  Yes we did this for a while and on numerous occasions, for a stretch run of at least a year, maybe two, and maybe more?   There’s joy in that.  It wasn’t a one and done.  Nurtured and growing bonds come from this.  It could be wine, or it could be anything that does the trick.   But wine can really form deep and spiritual connections if you scratch the surface, even just a little.   Or for some it’s just give me a class and let’s move on.  I would prefer the former. 🙂

People move on, they get busy, some get busier, and some just grow a part.  Even though I had mentioned I still consider these people great friends, I don’t see them as much.  I don’t see them enough.  And whenever I come across a Perrin Wine, I still get a bit emotional and look back on this time fondly.   It was nothing out of the ordinary.  It was just good friends drinking good wine.

There’s old memories and then there’s new memories.  Not all memories are  created equal but relatively they can all be awesome.

I was at a local wine shoppe recently, on my way to a fun event that a dear friend told me about.   And for me, bringing a bottle is just a part of this thing.  It’s me on auto-pilot and knowing to never come empty-handed to an event.  Little did I know the significance of this one.

I purchased the 2014 version, simply because I saw it was one of the more affordable options on the shelf.  And when I mean affordable, I mean under $10.  And I’ve seen it was low as $7, and not just on sale days.   I didn’t realize what I had bought until I showed up at what I hope becomes a new tradition, Club 603.

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If it wasn’t for someone who I now consider family, I would have likely never been here. Maybe the universe would lead me here in a different direction.  But I don’t think so.

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This event represents what it’s like to be around good people, good friends, and what feels like a family atmosphere.

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It’s a monthly (or sometimes more or less) concert event held in someone’s living room, in a gorgeous house, in a gorgeous part of Baltimore.   And what’s all the more gorgeous is everyone is bringing something to the party.

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As you can see there’s nothing but food, food, and more food.

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There will be no pictures of music or musicians.  That’s up to your imagination, or if you’re in the area, a reason for you to visit.

Oh there’s plenty of alcohol too.  I brought my wine and only got to have a glass.  That’s the sign that what I brought to the table was liked by one person.  Even though I didn’t ake the wine, it still feels good.  The same thing happened the month prior.  I literally had half a glass. That makes me feel good.  It’s the little things that are the big things.

And I say month prior because I’m so fortunate to have been at a few of these events, and feel all the more welcome each time.   And now new memories are being created, and yes that good old Perrin is now attached to a new experience.

If there’s one negative, it’s either the vintage has changed, my palate has changed, or it’s just my tastes have evolved.  I would say it’s possibly all and much more than that.   The wine till had that Red Blend (Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah) I’ve come to love, but the sweetness was not there like before. It could be a number of reasons, time and place, temperature, the vintage has evolved, or maybe I’ve evolved.

I’ve had many blend since that have wowed and me disappointed me.  This is one that will have a historic and profound significance to me for a long to come.

If you go to your local wine shoppe there’s a chance that you will find this bottle.  It’s one of the most standard and massed produced wine you’re going to find.  And that’s meant as a positive. It’s accessible, affordable, drinkable, and an everyday wine for every occasion.

The whole point of the wine experience, is to learn something about wine, but most importantly learn more about yourself, and to feel good.  There’s a lot of generalities but the intent is positive.  Wine has created some amazing memories.  Life is about creating good memories to look back on when times are great, or sometimes not-so-stellar.

For my one previous post on the the Famille Perrin Wines, go here.

For more on Club 603, click here.

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I don’t know the next time I’ll be at this said event.  But when I do I will bring another bottle (or two), and maybe do another post to pay tribute to the wines I love and more importantly, the great people I’ll share it with.

Thankful and grateful,

Ideen

 

 

 

Smells Like Chocolate

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Not every wine that I or you are going to bring to a party is going to be a hit.  As I’ve stated before, we buy a wine based on how it looks, the varietal, a wine rep or staff members’ recommendation, a snazzy label, and most of all the price.

The wine I brought to the dinner soiree I wrote about last week didn’t go over to well.  And this was based on that aforementioned recommendation. That’s also just an opinion based on the time, place, a certain mood or feeling, and what that wine was paired with if anything at all.  Those are the only factors but that’s the gist.

I can over analyze why my selection was good or bad, but that would drive me, my friends, and my readers crazy.  It’s meant to be fun, enjoyable, and a journey that lasts hopefully forever.

When one wine doesn’t go over well, another and then another does.

I would like to thank the hostess for providing the perfect dichotomy to the wine I brought.  She provided several bottles of the 2015 Finca el Origen Reserva Estate Malbec.

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How I didn’t notice this earlier on in the evening is beyond me.  I was so fixated with everything else going on.  And how could you not?  There was nothing but yummy food all over the table.  And there was so much wine consumed between everyone that it’s easy for something to get lost in the shuffle.  I feel a tad embarrassed to not notice this bottle towards the latter half of the evening.

I never got to have any with dinner.  But while I was still craving a little more than dessert, it was certainly enjoyed by yours truly, with what was left of the cheese and crackers display.  Yeah we went through everything.

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The sweetness and fruit forwardness of this wine makes this as one of the more approachable wines, even to someone who isn’t a fan of vino, to anyone.  This is one that can be enjoyed as daily table wine, and with a whole variety of finger foods and full on dinner plates.

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When you hear the term ‘silky or velvety tannins’, this wine is just as good as notice them as any others.  I felt them strong on my tongue and on my cheek than comparable wines that promote the same thing.  There was something about the entire structure of this wine that made this truly special.

It was one of those bottles that carried the same aura from the nose onto the palate.  It literally smelled and tasted the same.  The simplicity of this wine is truly what makes this magnificent.

And that purple  color was another beautiful visual in a sea of beautiful visuals of great good and great people to share this with.

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What I almost forgot to mention, is I can’t recall a much more perfect and fitting pairing than with chocolate.  Yes, chocolate!  Beautiful.

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This writing may be after Valentine’s Day but this whole party had nothing to do with this holiday.  Well maybe a little.  But chocolate and wine can be enjoyed together any time. But when you find a bottle and certain specialty chocolates that pair as well at this, it’s just magic.

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The fruits that came to life with each bite of a sweet treat is something we all should be honored to experience, and experience as much as possible.

This is a wine I’m going to want to add to my collection as soon as possible.  And ranging anywhere from $8-$12 online, this is a bargain and then some.

I haven’t noticed it in stores, but for my fellow wine lovers in the Baltimore area, my friend said it was available at The Perfect Pour in Columbia.  If I find other local shoppes and outlets (stores and online) that carry this wine, it will be updated here.

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This was a great wine and I’m grateful my first time trying it was in this setting and with an awesome set of friends.

Hope your Wine Wednesday is a wondrous one.

Kindest,

Ideen

Enjoy The Festivo

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You would think with winter that it would be all about hibernating, keeping it low-key, trying to recoup money spent and lost during the holidays, and working on those all-too-repetitive resolutions.   I would think that all my friends would disappear and hide under their blankets, not to be heard from until sometime in March.

Well up until about a few years ago I would think that would be the case.  But now as much as we grow up, get older, get wiser (in theory), and just plain old want to rest; we still love the company of our friends.   And I have always preferred a casual dinner with friends, good wine, good conversation, and more good wine, which may lead to an even better conversation.  I’m all for it.

I’m grateful to have such quality people in my life.  It’s the kind of people that if you saw them enough, you still wish you saw them more.  Sadly, these are some the folks you don’t see enough of and wish you did.  That tends to go with the best people in your life doesn’t it?

Recently, a few of us did get together.  And the occasion was no occasion at all.  Which tends to be one of my favorite reasons.  Those are the hang out sessions where I’ve found the conversations to be the most organic, because it’s not based on one person’s birthday. holiday, or specific celebratory reason.  Not that any of those reasons aren’t great.  It’s just I’m all for getting together whenever possible, time of the year or otherwise.

The flip side is when there’s no reason at all, conversations may start of slow or awkward. I for one know I can be a bit of a slow starter and may come off well, umm, awkward (ha) initially.  Whether it’s the libations or getting in the swing of things, I do tend to find my groove sooner rather then later.  Speaking of those libations…

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I didn’t realize this is how the post would turn so festive themed.  Now I realize why I purchased the 2014 Festivo Malbec.  Actually I had a bit of a premonition or a clairvoyance, that it would turn out so well and in such a way, that I can articulate this to you so organically.  So simple.  And this wine was so simple.

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The synopsis is presented in to you here so I don’t need to get into specifics or pretend to know that I knew all that this wine carries.  Dark fruits on the notes and on the palate is an easily educated guess.  I didn’t get any walnuts in hindsight but would love to try this again to see if my mind either detects it or tricks itself into thinking so.

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It’s a straight-up, no nonsense, medium-bodied wine that’s reasonable for the $12 I purchased it for.  I’ve seen it listed anywhere from $8-$11.  And even though the dollar amount differential is miniscule it should be noted I paid a little more than where you could find it online.  Or maybe this will help.  Ah I’m in a giving mood, here’s one more.

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The moral of this story is I’m used to tasting wines $10 and under and this is what it tasted like, for me.  Nothing more than that and there’s nothing wrong with that.  It’s in lines with majority of wines I drink and look for in wine shoppes.

And that label sold me more than anything.

What was in that envelope?  Was it a letter of good news, an announcement that we won an award, or something from beyond?  Oooo cue mysterious music…

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Well the award went to me and to my friends, as our host cooked up an amazing meal of venison steak and organically healthy vegetables.   It made the wine that much better, and that’s the point of all this.  Wine, food, friends, and all the little things in between is what makes me want to keep writing about this journey.  And it keeps drawing me to the same friends, time and time again.  And we meet some new ones along the way who keep the positive vibes going.

Let’s keep this going shall well?

For my friends in Baltimore, this bottle can be found at Canton Crossing Wine & Spirits, among other retailers.    I’ve posted throughout this article some online links to purchase and here’s one more.

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There will be plenty of one mores to come!

Ideen

An Organic Experience

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Leave it to near where I live to have a wining and dining excursion that wasn’t just authentic but felt as spontaneous as any night out I’ve had in some time.  Based on that picture above, I would say that’s quite the understatement.

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One Eleven Main Street, in well, Main Street, Bel Air, MD has been open for several months.  I’m slightly embarrassed to have not this restaurant even existed.  I live minutes away from historic Main Street and had passed through recently.  I guess I just never noticed it.  Shame on me but this is why you have good friends to steer you in the right direction.

In terms of unplanned, I had a peaceful night of doing nothing at home.  Sometimes we need that.  I had zero intention of going out.  I was at peace with watching a cinema, eating some processed food, and calling it a night.

But you know, when you’re at peace with yourself and your plans for the evening, that’s when your friends want to hang out.  And this is from one the more unlikely folks.  It made my night.

I have a few friends who live near me, and when I do get a chance to hang out with them, I take full advantage.  I initially met them at a one locale and thought this was perfect.  It was a beautiful and brief encounter of dear friends I don’t see enough.  I thought a good hour was just right.  They had started earlier and looked like they were ready go to home.

This was organic in its own right.   So many of our plans are constructed via invites and messaging feeds that this was a rarity that I missed.  I was at peace.  Fortunately, they wanted more and I was along for the ride.  One Eleven Main was an inspired choice.

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I just figured a glass of wine and small plate would do the job.  So much for that.  We got a little carried away.  But it was a celebration of sorts.  My dear friends’ were celebrating a wedding anniversary all week and I’m grateful to have been able to be a part of that.

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After trying one or two wines, there was some hesitation on where to go.  We all were in the mood for something medium bodied, and I noticed the Don David Reserve Malbec 2015.

Over a year ago, I reviewed the 2013 version and loved it.

After a bit of deliberation and sampling that’s what we went with.  But as you can see, that’s not all that we went with.

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The cheese and charcuterie board looked like it was good for six people.  It took three of us to finish it.  But we took our time.  We savored this thing.  Aside from taking few pictures, we enjoyed this moment for what it was, an organic experience.

In this instance, like many others, it doesn’t matter what was in the mind.  You may get your darker fruits and earthy undertones, but none of this mattered.  To me it tasted like a full on Malbec, and a full on great wine.   For under $30 this was fantastic, but you can’t put a dollar amount on a great adventure.

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I was blown away.  This is a restaurant I may have not encountered for a long time, if it wasn’t for my friends.  It’s good to have good friends. But it’s not about me.  It was about all of us.  It was an experience that will resonate with me for a long time.

And the staff was incredible.  The cozy atmosphere lends itself to a sense of community, a sense of love, and a sense of friendship.

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We were the only three people at the front bar.  For a few moments it felt like we were the only people on Earth.  I’m not exaggerating at all, but that’s the feeling I got at times. That’s when you know everything is going right and nothing can bring down this natural high.

For more on Don David, click here.    I wish I could find a list of stores that carry the wine, but perhaps online ordering may work as well.  Here’s one link where the price is listed at $17, which is a solid value, or maybe this link at $15, even better.

If you’re in the area or planning on travelling to the Harford County and Bel Air, MD area, here is One Eleven Main Street’s location and menus.

I will be back  but this evening will be hard to top.  You know when you have a great meal and vino that you’ll be talking about for a long time?  Yeah this is that.  I’ve had a few of those and I’m thrilled to have this join the list.  I could talk about this forever but you know, some parts of an amazing memory should be kept internal.

How do I top this?   No need to top it.   More awesome experiences to come.

 

Ideen

 

Wonderful, Incredible

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I adore Vin 909.  I was in love with it before I even set foot into the building.  For the past couple of years I would take the drive past Downtown Annapolis into Eastport, and would always stare in awe of the building the wine cafe is housed in.  It was one of those things that I romanticized without ever getting out of the car and having a glass of wine myself.

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Well one time last Summer I actually got out and was all set to walk in.  You know what happened though?  It was in between the hours of lunch and dinner.  Of course it was closed.  Of course it wasn’t supposed to happen then.   Was it ever going to happen?  You know I could just plan ahead, make reservations, and make all the proper arrangements to walk in.  But isn’t it more exciting for the spontaneous?

So I kept on making a few more drive sand remained enamored with the restaurant.  And I’ll be honest many of those times was when business was opened.  I just wanted to amuse myself, but also build anticipation for there would be day I walk in and hopefully it lived up to the immense sense of hype I’ve given this place.

Over two years later and the goofy build-up later all finally ended last Thursday.

And it was done in style.

This was a momentous occasion to be shared so thankfully I did have company.  I was forewarned that it’s best to make reservations or otherwise the wait will be 30 minutes or more.

That’s about the amount of time we waited but no big deal.  It gave time to peruse the menu. admire the bar, the two dining rooms, and the waiting area.  It’s a sight to behold for sure.  I didn’t picture the place be as big as it was either.  Absolutely beautiful.

This is a wine blog first and foremost.  There was wine had, as well as a nuts, olives, an incredible salad, and a world class pizza.  More on the pizza later.

How was the vino?    We went with a bottle based on name.  We didn’t see a label but the name Incredible Red by Peachy Canyon was enough to win us over.   This was without even reading over the grape.  It’s a Zinfandel by the way.  I haven’t written about many so this was a great opportunity to discover.

Traditionally this has not been one of my favorite grapes.  The Zin’s I’ve had have been met with mixed reviews.   Not this one…

The 2014 Incredible Red from Peachy Canyon is a break from that mold.  Oh it tastes like a Zin alright.  But the scents of blackberry and black cherry were immediate upon uncorking.  I’m not that much of an expert to detect nutmeg and vanilla.  Actually vanilla makes sense based on the theme of the day.  (For more on that click here) The synopsis mentions a smoky aroma taking over.  I did taste smoke.  It was earthy to me as well.  But that also could be the taste of pepper on the palate.  There’s so much to this wine that if I have it again it’ll taste differently.

But the olives and nuts that were paired with this wine brought about new flavors, and also showed me that this wine was anything but a disappointing Zin.  This was a grower.

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The salad that paired with the wine isn’t listed on the online menu but it was incredible. Are you detecting a theme?  The title of this one says it all.  The wine, the nuts, the olives, the salad, and that pizza were all shall you say, wonderful and incredible.

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I will get to more on that pizza later.

I neglected to mention there was tea and dessert.  To read more about that part of the journey, click here.

When the food is this extraordinary, when the company is great, and the whole vibe of the evening is off-the-charts, this wine goes to a whole new level of awesome.

I haven’t seen this wine on my radar anywhere.  If it’s been at sitting at a local wine shoppe it completely went overlooked.

That’s a topic for another day.  There’s a plethora of wine that many of us walk right past not knowing,  We don’t even think about it.  We have our favorites, are willing to try new ones, but so many go unnoticed,  or this is all part of the journey.  Not every wine is going to be had but many wines are meant to be tried.

And at only $15 retail, this is as a good a deal as any.  At Vin 909 it was only $28.  To be less than twice the bottle price at any restaurant is a heck of a deal.  Leave in it to Vin 909 to do it right.

For their seasonally changing food menu click here, for their beer and wine list click here, contact info, and more about them.

This is hopefully the first of many visits.  Since this is wintertime and our dinner was at night, the outdoor dining area was unavailable.  I intend for my next review and recap to take place during the warmer weather months.  The romance continues.

And any place that supports a close friends’ organization, which is Anne Arundel County CASA, is deserving of all the praise and all the business.

For more on Peachy Canyon, click here, here is their wine list with options to purchase online,   and a map and tracker on where to buy.

More to come on Friday.

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Thanks so much,

Ideen

Best of Both…

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penyaviognier

Happy New Year everyone.  There’s so many posts that I let linger too long that they no longer become relevant. It could be because seasons have changed, too much time has passed, or the time of year would become compromised.

If I let the wines I tried from Red Red Wine Bar of Annapolis, MD remain uncorked and without the proper review, then I would ruin Christmas and the holidays forever.  That was a joke by the way.

I was of course going to write about my experience a few weeks back, in conjunction with the fabulous pizzas we had, but all of the holiday everything took over.  That might be me making excuses but it also gave me time to reflect a little more on this experience, and see if these wines I tasted resonated with me into the new year.  And has it aged well with me.

A great wine ages well but so does an organically awesome experience.

And I always attempt to write about wine in a way that is approachable, relatable, and accessible to everyone.

Little did I know that I would get such a valuable lesson in New World Vs. Old World.

It’s one of those things we often taken for granted.  When we sip wine we usually just want it to taste a certain way, and for us to feel good about what we’re drinking.  How often do we think about where the wine is coming from?

For me I’d like to know the source.  Knowledge is power.  But knowledge when it comes to wine is even more invaluable.  It opens so many doors and steers conversations in regards to food and beverage into magical places.  I’ve found myself in riveting discussions because of what I’ve learned about wine and even more what my peers have taught me, whether directly or by happenstance.

So without getting any more long-winded I’m happy to write about a new world and an old world varietal.

The 2015 Penya Viognier is a treasure.  And as much as it paired great with the pizza we had, I can only imagine how great this would be in the summer.   With its inclusion of summer fruits like mango, pineapple, and peach this is perfect all year round.  But when it’s warmer in climate I can only imagine how joyous this is with a less hearty meal.

And the novice in me also thinks of New World (which is what this wine is) is the addition of fruits, more oak, and more creativity than it’s Old World counterparts.  I also think many New World wines want to please many people at once.  And there’s nothing wrong with that.  Wine is intended to make as many people happy as possible.

For more on this wine, which is distributed by Regal Wine, click here.

Now for the Old World.

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The 2012 Villa Puccini Toscana is what old world is all about.   It’s a medium bodied wine that is easy to drink and easy to drink now.  I found it just as light if not lighter than the Viognier.  But that could be because of the heavy holiday eating going on at the time.  And what else screams Old World more than Italy.

90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot seems simple enough.

However, I’ve had the Villa Puccini countless times in the past.  It’s just one of those wines that I tend to see everywhere. I’ve had it at restaurants, seen it at parties, and swear I’ve seen it sold in many a wine shoppe.  And it has always been reasonably priced and easy to drink, and to pair with everything.   If that isn’t old world then I don’t know what is.

But what’s old world and new world to me may be different for you, and different or everyone else.  And that’s the joy in wine drinking.

And more for on this wine which is distributed by HeyDay Corporation, click here.

I want to once again thank Bethany at Red Red Wine Bar for a world class experience that will forever stick with me as a great memory for this past holiday season.

I’ve seen both wines priced in stores anywhere from $9-$12.  Both are bargains for what you’re getting.

This is only the beginning. Their wine list is loaded with goodness and an inspired collection of wines that I won’t be able to ever do in its entirety.  But I can try a few.  And I hope to revisit this within the next month or so.

One wine I forgot to mention was their Chardonnay on tap.  I may have actually enjoyed it more than the others.  Not for the fact that it was on tap (well maybe).  But for the simple flavor.  It’s my fault I didn’t investigate further.  But it was wonderful.  Just another in the many reasons I will be back.

To be continued.  And this is likely the last holiday post for a while.

But for old times sake, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

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Ideen