Tag: grenache

Leave The Memories Alone

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PortlandiaRoseDisplay

What’s the title mean? I’m sentimental but then again, I can sense what’s real, what to feel, and what just feels uninspired and unimaginative.   It’s an intuition and clairvoyance we’re all capable of having.  Some better than others.  I honestly have no idea where this will go, except I’ll just keep going.

I’m big on memories, but only the good ones.  The bad ones or the experiences, are just those too.  Yeah.

I had a visitor from my past, more so from my childhood show up this past weekend.  The way I write that sounds mysterious, sounds cryptic, and sounds estranged.   It would be all of the above.   If this person reads this I think he would appreciate what I’m saying.  As the feeling is mutual.  I’ll leave that to your own interpretation, and maybe some of you reading this might relate to what I’m saying?

 

We move from one holiday to another.  Wait, no not yet.  There’s necessary lulls where we don’t have to talk about anything in particular except the day at hand, or well, what may be coming.   There’s things coming alright.  But I want to talk about a bottle that while I was looking for something else, essentially found me.

So we have the 2016 Oregon Rosé from Portlandia Vintners.  For more information, here are their wines, their story, and contact information.

PortlandiaRose

There’s just something about Portland that’s been on my mind lately.   Maybe it’s because there’s lots of rain in the forecast this week here in Maryland, and aside from sun today, it’s been mostly grey skies going back to this past weekend.  I take this all as a sign.  I take a lot of things as signs.  The universe is always speaking to us, whether we realize it, or are paying attention to things or not.

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On the nose, tells a story of a beautiful bouquet of spring, flowers, and fresh fruits.  Those are the standards of any good Rosé, or maybe I’m just talking nonsense, and pretending to give you some expert analysis.  Maybe all of the above.

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Jammy and fruit forward, sure why not?  Well yes.  I definitely tasted strawberries, but watermelon?  Maybe if I don’t think so hard.  This is a good wine, that’s worth paying a few extra dollars for.  At around $15, this is isn’t going to hurt you and it’s good to splurge here and there.  This is what life is all about.

Easy to drink, goes down smooth, and loaded with structure, depth, and character. That’s what you want in a Rosé, that’s what you want in a wine, and that’s what you want in anything.

PortlandiaRoseDisplay2

I don’t recall having a Rosé made from Pinot Gris at all.  There’s a first time for everything, or maybe I’m just oblivious to everything.  That sounded kind of funny.  Mixed in Rosé from Pinot Noir and Grenache, it creates a brilliant blend that I feel would work as a Red Blend equivalent.  Just a thought.   Maybe the rain and all of this eeriness is getting to me.

PortlandiaRoseWithRose

If you’re looking for a fairy tale romance or heartwarming ending to a story, this one may do it for some.  Some just want a bottle of wine and not think so much.  Me, I think too much and I feel too much.  For feeling, this is absolutely a wine for that.  If you’re into emotions and being captivated, this might do it for some, and literally just be a wine to drink when the weather is nice, or it’s grey and murky like it is now.

PortlandiaRoseDisplay

I love it all, and as we ride high into the season of Rosé, I don’t want to get carried away and make this a weekly thing.  More might be coming, as will more whites.   As for the reds, I can’t bit adieu just yet.  I never will.  There’s room for reds and there’s room for everybody.

Estranged or not.

Peace Be With You.

Ideen

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Halloween Special

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FatBastardBloodRedBlendWide

I don’t expect to find many wines made exclusively for Halloween.  It’s just not a holiday I associate with lots of wine drinking and finding a nice meal to pair it with.

But a so much has changed.  Any excuse to incorporate alcohol and food into a holiday, celebration, event, festival, you name it, will involve those aforementioned entities.  And that usually is a good thing, as long as it’s done responsibility and with civility.   Well, Halloween is not often associated with civility, but with more people enjoying wine and all its nuances, it’s to be expected that winemakers are going to jump on board anything that makes them stand out and be noticed.  Be unique or be ignored.

FatBastard&HalloweenWines

Fat Bastard Wines did everything to stand out and not make people want to see what their Bloody Red Blend is all about.   And they made it look effortless.   While I did have something planned to write about for tonight, those plans changed when I walked into my local wine shoppe and saw a Halloween display in the front of the store, with several wines with Halloween themes and charming labels.

FatBastardBloodyRedBlenLabel

The Bloody Red Blend is not even featured on their website, unless you go into the tech sheets (and you can find that here), because for timing reasons, it’s limited edition, and I can see this disappearing rather quickly, as in November.

FatBastardBloodyRedBlendInfo

Until today (as of this writing) I had no idea this wine existed, and I’m so grateful to have found it.  One of the main reasons I love wine, is for those winemakers that don’t take themselves too seriously.  With a company named Fat Bastard, and their ever so charming labels, and affordable prices (I always see their wines at $10 or less at retailers), and accessible information, it’s what makes you want to come back more and stay away from the pretentious.  And their wines taste like they’re under $10, so they’re taking ownership in all areas.

The Bloody Red Blend is a mix Grenache, Syrah, and Merlot.  And when you think French wines, you think lots of Grenache.  And that’s what you taste here.  But if you’re looking for any serious information after that, you need to look elsewhere.  Their synopsis on the winemaking process is one of the most hilariously brilliant things I’ve read on the back of a wine label (and in these notes).  This is art and I’m in love with this wine before I even twist off the cap.

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I’ve had plenty of their wines for all different types of occasions. It’s a everyday wine for everyday things.  You want it with nothing, with food, with friends, with nobody,  then these are just the wines you want.

And the Bloody Red Blend continues that tradition.  If you’re going to be celebrating Halloween this weekend and next week, this is a welcome addition to any party.  Just for the randomness and uniqueness about it is going to draw eyes to this bottle.  It tastes like a blend, and it’s easy to sip.  And as we begin to talk about the holidays more and more, these are the wines you’re going to want.  These are not the best wines you will ever drink, nor do the claim to me, and I would sense they don’t need to be.

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This is a fun wine in the tradition of how Fat Bastard presents itself.  I get a kick out of typing that out by the way…

Some of the suggest food pairings are burgers, fried chicken, and pumpkin pie.  I wish I paired this with pumpkin pie, but something tells me we’re just being made fun of.  And I like it this way.

FatBastardBloodRedBlendFood

I paired with what turned out to be a much spookier looking meal than I intended.  Perhaps it’s fitting, but I had some chunks of sauteed pork with every vegetable known to man.   I purposely got this meal because after Halloween I suspect the meals will start to get heartier and much more unhealthy.  As much as I love the name, I don’t want to be a fat bastard myself.

But if you’re into something humorous and doesn’t take itself too seriously, the Bloody Red Blend just might be what you’re looking for…

My wine glass adds some more charm just when you couldn’t think get any more.

Fat Bastard is one of the more standard labels which are easy to find all over the place, so it shouldn’t be hard.   Here is the link to find their wines are a store near you.

Here is their lovely list of wines and story, and their contact info.

I wish you a safe and Happy Halloween.

Ideen

 

 

Exuberant Enjoyment

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LesDauphins2

I’ll begin this with a bit of amateurish commentary.  I used to think Côtes du Rhône was the actual name of a grape.  I don’t know how long I paraded around like a buffoon saying this to people.  It just sounded so perfectly.  I was calling it my favorite wine for a time. That part remains true but I corrected myself and found the light.  At least I think so.

Grenache is the actual grape, and it’s grown all over the world.  Well I can now confidently say that Grenache is one of my favorites.  It’s extremely popular but one I don’t hear discussed often among peers.  It’s one I don’t have as often as I liked.  That’s on me. There’s so much wine to choose from that some do tend to get lost in the shuffle.

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This leads me to one of the most beautiful and approachable labels I’ve ever come across, Les Dauphins.   Their 2015 Reserve Rose is a winner and a bargain.  Seriously, I’ve seen this and all their wines as low as $8 in many retailers.  This almost constitutes stealing.  The story that this continues to tell is you can get fantastic bottles for under $10.

I’ve had several of their reds (wine list can be found here) and found them to be palatable, approachable, and as I referenced before, affordable..  That’s what many of us want from a wine.  We want it simple, endearing, and a great conversation piece.  If part of the conversation is how great a wine is then they’ve done their job.   It’s icing on the cake so to speak.

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Now I’ve brought a red to a dinner or party or two and it’s gone over well.  But on a recent visit to see some my friends, to my pleasant surprise, they had a bottle of their Rose opened.   Actually, I literally made last call.  As you can tell by the photos, the bottle was nearly done.  I’m glad I caught the tail end of this party (actually more wine was had but I just had to be a bit dramatic), or this post doesn’t happen for a while.

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I couldn’t tell you what fruits, etc. were in it and at the time I didn’t care.  The color, the nose, and taste were simple and joyous enough that it doesn’t matter.  It was as easy to sip as any Rose I’ve ever had.  I’m not even a big Rose fan but I would have this again.  And I will be. The great company and being outdoors surely helped.   Thanks for saving a little for me!

Here’s a beautiful history of the winemakers, info on where you can find their wine, and their contact info.   Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve seen their bottles in many different stores across any different states.  So it should be easy to find.

I’m seriously so in love with their label.  In the next few months it only seems right to chat about them again.  I look forward to seeing you then.

Best,

Ideen

 

 

Mother’s Day Special

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MothersDay

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.

MothersDayRose

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.

MomsDayRose

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

Smokin’

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cote

I got to try a new Cotes Du Rhone, per a recommendation from a friend.  And I am so happy I did.   It’s a full bodied red at it’s finest.  I thought it was a bottle that I had before.  But I doubt it.  This flavor would have resonated with me.  Is it the peppery taste that makes me love Cabernet Franc so much or are there some exciting things going on here?

Now I have always like a good Rhone, Grenache has always been a favorite for me.

The La Grande Ribe Cuvee Centenairee Cotes Du Rhone 2009 is one for the books.   As soon as I took a whiff upon opening, I knew I was in for something different and something special.   Boy was that an understatement.

There was a smokiness, along with something else very distinct about the aroma.  So I took a pour and this blew my taste buds away.  I thought I was tasting a piney, earthy, or maybe out of this world selection.   Well I looked up what I could and discovered that barbecue smoke and roasted herbs are added to make this a dynamite bottle.  Literally.

Mystery is abound, however, as I cannot find anything about the winery itself.  But to my pleasure and lack of surprise, you can look this wine up and get a dozen or so different synopsis and evaluation of what is included.   It’s all about interpretation and the power of persuasion.  But I definitely can taste the smoke and the herbs.   Or is it something else too good for words?

Now this recap tells me there’s the black pepper I alluded to, coffee, cinamon, figs, and licorice flavors.  Now which one is it?   There’s also red fruit and black fruit?   So much to keep up with.   This could take years or maybe sooner, but one day, I will figure this puzzle out.   Maybe they’re all right?  Or maybe it’s not meant to be solved?   Just maybe, the flavor can be whatever you interpret it as.    Ah this adds to the mystery…

Bottom line, this is an awesome get.  And this is how I enjoyed it.

amazing

Pretty inspiring I know.

All the best,

Ideen