Saturday, November 17, 2008
Today was our monthly gathering of the "winos". The theme today was "Wines from Amador, Alameda, Calaveras, Contra Costa and San Joaquin Counties". These counties are in a contiguous line from the Sierra Foothills to the bay. There were 24 wines conforming to the theme and 3 wines that did not. Along with 4 dessert wines
The strange thing is that the 3 non-conforming wines were all the same wine (year, producer and varietal) . They were from "El Dorado" county which is next to Amador County but it was not on the list. I don't know if these 3 people don't know their states geography or if they couldn't be bothered to find a wine from the correct area. Everyone else seemed to be able to find wines that fit the theme, so I have not figured out what their problem was.
I also find it very strange that the 2 Turley Zinfandels were emptied way before the other bottles were half gone. We use 1 oz pourer's so everyone gets a chance to taste all the wines. It seems whenever there is a really good bottle brought it disappears fast. Makes me become very suspicious that one or more persons are taking more that their one pour. (this is a known fact and a few of us know who you are).
As always the food was abundant and good. The hosts made a spanish sausage stuffed beef roast which was excellent.
I had a friend visiting from Australia with me and he was quite taken with our whole concept. I had taken him to a couple of wine tastings at the local wine stores. They apparently do not have that in Australia, which is their loss. He had a great time and really enjoyed Lisa & Oliver's spicy fried chicken.
We had gone to BevMo for a bubbly tasting and he was looking at the wines in the Australian section. Most of them he had never heard of of and speculated that they were made specifically for export and he considered most of them "swill". I wonder if the "swill" wines we export are as popular as the Aussies "swill" here.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Stone Brewery Co. Tasting
Wednesday, November 14, 2008
Wine Country in Long Beach, http://www.thewinecountry.com/, hosted at tasting tonight of beers from Stone Brewery. There were 17 beers available , 7 of Stone Brewery and 10 from other brew houses that they rep. Along with the required, sausages w/mustard, etc. we also received a glass or tankard. They did not have enough of one kind so there were 5 styles to choose from. It was a frenzy with everyone grabbing at the same time.
Several of the brews I was not in to. I am not an IPA fan. A couple that I really liked was the "Mad River Brewing Co. Extra Stout" , The "Ale Smith Anvil E.S.B.", the "Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale", the "Stone Smoked Porter" and the "Stone Double Arrogant Bastard Ale".
These beer tastings are always a lot of fun and the price at $35 was a bargain.
Wine Country in Long Beach, http://www.thewinecountry.com/, hosted at tasting tonight of beers from Stone Brewery. There were 17 beers available , 7 of Stone Brewery and 10 from other brew houses that they rep. Along with the required, sausages w/mustard, etc. we also received a glass or tankard. They did not have enough of one kind so there were 5 styles to choose from. It was a frenzy with everyone grabbing at the same time.
Several of the brews I was not in to. I am not an IPA fan. A couple that I really liked was the "Mad River Brewing Co. Extra Stout" , The "Ale Smith Anvil E.S.B.", the "Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale", the "Stone Smoked Porter" and the "Stone Double Arrogant Bastard Ale".
These beer tastings are always a lot of fun and the price at $35 was a bargain.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Lobster Fest
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Sitting at my desk this Tuesday working away when the phone rings, as I answer I hear my friend Stan's voice. As soon as I heard the voice I knew. Stan went diving and got his limit. Doing anything tonight ? he says. Of course I'm not doing anything when their a lobster calling my name. Left work early (Torrance area) to drive home (Huntington Beach) to get a "good" bottle of wine and then went to Santa Monica for dinner. At least I could carpool with a couple of others that were invited. Stan used one whole lobster to make a "lobster bisque" which was excellent. There were six for dinner and we each had our own tail. They were served half at a time in a butter sauce with chantrelle mushrooms sauteed in it. I had my 2 halves and a hunk of another tail. It was sublime.
The wines that night were all very good. I brought a 2005 Kosta-Browne Russian River Pinot Noir and a 2004 Stolpman Sauvignon Blanc (the only year this wine was made, which is to bad because I really like it).
The rest of the wines consumed that night are:
2002 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir (at its prime now, if you have some drink it)
1999 Martinelli Charles Ranch, Sonoma,Chardonnay
2005 Blackjack TwentyOne, Chardonnay
1998 Kistler McCrea Chardonnay
2004 Nachtgold, Rheinhessin Eisweinn
Sure hope this proves to be a good season for "diving". There is nothing like extremely fresh lobster. It really makes a difference in the taste.
Also worth mentioning is a "truffle gouda cheese" and a "truffle infused salt" that was on the table.
Sitting at my desk this Tuesday working away when the phone rings, as I answer I hear my friend Stan's voice. As soon as I heard the voice I knew. Stan went diving and got his limit. Doing anything tonight ? he says. Of course I'm not doing anything when their a lobster calling my name. Left work early (Torrance area) to drive home (Huntington Beach) to get a "good" bottle of wine and then went to Santa Monica for dinner. At least I could carpool with a couple of others that were invited. Stan used one whole lobster to make a "lobster bisque" which was excellent. There were six for dinner and we each had our own tail. They were served half at a time in a butter sauce with chantrelle mushrooms sauteed in it. I had my 2 halves and a hunk of another tail. It was sublime.
The wines that night were all very good. I brought a 2005 Kosta-Browne Russian River Pinot Noir and a 2004 Stolpman Sauvignon Blanc (the only year this wine was made, which is to bad because I really like it).
The rest of the wines consumed that night are:
2002 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir (at its prime now, if you have some drink it)
1999 Martinelli Charles Ranch, Sonoma,Chardonnay
2005 Blackjack TwentyOne, Chardonnay
1998 Kistler McCrea Chardonnay
2004 Nachtgold, Rheinhessin Eisweinn
Sure hope this proves to be a good season for "diving". There is nothing like extremely fresh lobster. It really makes a difference in the taste.
Also worth mentioning is a "truffle gouda cheese" and a "truffle infused salt" that was on the table.
German Wine Tasting
November 9, 2007
The Wine Country hosted "Dry German Wine Tasting" tonight. This is to be the only public tasting for these winemakers and importer Rudi Wiest. All the other tastings across the country will be for the trade only. This really made for a very special evening. And a very surprising one.
All the winemakers from Germany were young, most in their early 30's. A really nice bunch of "krauts". (I can say this because I'm half German so don't get on your political bandwagon). Actually one of the winemakers was a dead ringer for my cousin. Different ages of course, but this guy looked just like my cousin did 30 years ago. Uncanny.
We tasted Rieslings, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. There were 30 wines altogether and there was not a "dog" in the bunch. These wines were clean, finished well and had nice balance and acidity. Fruit forward without being sweet.
I was very surprised at the Pinot Noir "Spatburgunder". One that Rudi Wiest said would age 20 years was a 2005 Becker Dry Grosses Gewachs, "St. Paul @ $110 a bottle. For that price it should. I really liked this wine.
A few of the others I was taken with were the Becker 2006 Riesling Medium Dry, "Laissez Faire" at $30, the Furst 2006 Riesling Dry Grosses Gewachs, Burgstadter Centgrafenberg at $70, the Von Buhl 2006 Rielsing Medium Dry, Maria Schneider "Jazz" at $15, the Von Buhl 2006 Riesling Dry Grosses Gewachs, Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad at $42, the Wirsching 2006 Silvaner Dry Estate at $15 and the Wirsching 2006 Riesling Dry Grosses Gewachs, Iphofer Julius Echter Berg at $42.
This indeed was a memorable evening and for a price tag of $40 it was a true bargain
The Wine Country hosted "Dry German Wine Tasting" tonight. This is to be the only public tasting for these winemakers and importer Rudi Wiest. All the other tastings across the country will be for the trade only. This really made for a very special evening. And a very surprising one.
All the winemakers from Germany were young, most in their early 30's. A really nice bunch of "krauts". (I can say this because I'm half German so don't get on your political bandwagon). Actually one of the winemakers was a dead ringer for my cousin. Different ages of course, but this guy looked just like my cousin did 30 years ago. Uncanny.
We tasted Rieslings, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. There were 30 wines altogether and there was not a "dog" in the bunch. These wines were clean, finished well and had nice balance and acidity. Fruit forward without being sweet.
I was very surprised at the Pinot Noir "Spatburgunder". One that Rudi Wiest said would age 20 years was a 2005 Becker Dry Grosses Gewachs, "St. Paul @ $110 a bottle. For that price it should. I really liked this wine.
A few of the others I was taken with were the Becker 2006 Riesling Medium Dry, "Laissez Faire" at $30, the Furst 2006 Riesling Dry Grosses Gewachs, Burgstadter Centgrafenberg at $70, the Von Buhl 2006 Rielsing Medium Dry, Maria Schneider "Jazz" at $15, the Von Buhl 2006 Riesling Dry Grosses Gewachs, Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad at $42, the Wirsching 2006 Silvaner Dry Estate at $15 and the Wirsching 2006 Riesling Dry Grosses Gewachs, Iphofer Julius Echter Berg at $42.
This indeed was a memorable evening and for a price tag of $40 it was a true bargain
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Chinese Dinner
Saturday, October 27, 2007
After a long hiatus, due to Henry's wife Evan having back surgery, we returned to our favorite Chinese restaurant "Duong Son" in the Little Saigon area of Westminister. There were 8 of us tonight and two were newcomers to the scene. This dinner was bittersweet. Cora who finally started to get her taste buds back after her neck surgery and enjoy what life has to offer will have to go through another round of chemo & treatment. They found another mass in the area where she had her mastectomy a few years ago. But on top of that, treatment cannot begin until after she has surgery on her shoulder which has a large tear that needs to be repaired. It makes you wonder about the luck of the draw. Time to get out the offerings to the gods.
Henry always does the ordering. I kept a list of the wines but did not write down all the dishes that we had. We had salt & pepper calamari, lettuce wraps, garlic green beans with white sea bass, shrimp with chinese broccoli, crab with soft noodles, barbecued pork ribs, and for the life of me I cannot remember the other dishes. Senility is starting to rear its ugly head I think.
The wines tonight were all outstanding except for some mango wine which we all agreed needed ice cubes and vodka to enhance it.
The wines we had were as follows and there was very little left at the end of the evening.
2001 Poggio Le Coste Barbaresco
2006 Oyster Bay Chardonnay
2002 McKeon-Phillips Nebiollo Reserve
2002 Sanford, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, Pinot Noir
2000 BV, Rutherford Cabernet
2006 Pine Ridge, Clarksburg, Chenin Blanc/Viognier
2004 Nickel & Nickel, Branding Iron, Cabernet
2005 Alma Rosa, Chardonnay
2004 Chateauneuf de Pape
NV Pierrer Joulet , Champagne
Procesco Inloudo
I think there was another wine but I was writing the list on a napkin and I cannot read what I wrote. (senility again) And the napkin is falling apart.
Hope we can get another dinner together before the end of the year. We try to do these every two months. With the holidays it gets very busy and I will be away for 10 days in December. Taking a trip to the wine country around Sonoma. That I will take copious notes on.
After a long hiatus, due to Henry's wife Evan having back surgery, we returned to our favorite Chinese restaurant "Duong Son" in the Little Saigon area of Westminister. There were 8 of us tonight and two were newcomers to the scene. This dinner was bittersweet. Cora who finally started to get her taste buds back after her neck surgery and enjoy what life has to offer will have to go through another round of chemo & treatment. They found another mass in the area where she had her mastectomy a few years ago. But on top of that, treatment cannot begin until after she has surgery on her shoulder which has a large tear that needs to be repaired. It makes you wonder about the luck of the draw. Time to get out the offerings to the gods.
Henry always does the ordering. I kept a list of the wines but did not write down all the dishes that we had. We had salt & pepper calamari, lettuce wraps, garlic green beans with white sea bass, shrimp with chinese broccoli, crab with soft noodles, barbecued pork ribs, and for the life of me I cannot remember the other dishes. Senility is starting to rear its ugly head I think.
The wines tonight were all outstanding except for some mango wine which we all agreed needed ice cubes and vodka to enhance it.
The wines we had were as follows and there was very little left at the end of the evening.
2001 Poggio Le Coste Barbaresco
2006 Oyster Bay Chardonnay
2002 McKeon-Phillips Nebiollo Reserve
2002 Sanford, Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, Pinot Noir
2000 BV, Rutherford Cabernet
2006 Pine Ridge, Clarksburg, Chenin Blanc/Viognier
2004 Nickel & Nickel, Branding Iron, Cabernet
2005 Alma Rosa, Chardonnay
2004 Chateauneuf de Pape
NV Pierrer Joulet , Champagne
Procesco Inloudo
I think there was another wine but I was writing the list on a napkin and I cannot read what I wrote. (senility again) And the napkin is falling apart.
Hope we can get another dinner together before the end of the year. We try to do these every two months. With the holidays it gets very busy and I will be away for 10 days in December. Taking a trip to the wine country around Sonoma. That I will take copious notes on.
Burgundy Tasting
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Tonight Wine Country, www.thewinecountry.com, had a Burgundy tasting with Michael Sullivan of Beaune Imports. There were 10 wines being poured tonight along with some very good cheeses to accompany the wine. These wines are all made to go with food, unlike our big California Pinots that we consume as a cocktail wine.
A couple of the standouts for me were the 2003 Domanine de Montille. Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles at $80, the 2005 Cahtrau de Puligny-Montrachet Meursault @ $52 and the 2005 Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet @ $61
Tonight Wine Country, www.thewinecountry.com, had a Burgundy tasting with Michael Sullivan of Beaune Imports. There were 10 wines being poured tonight along with some very good cheeses to accompany the wine. These wines are all made to go with food, unlike our big California Pinots that we consume as a cocktail wine.
A couple of the standouts for me were the 2003 Domanine de Montille. Pommard 1er Cru Les Pezerolles at $80, the 2005 Cahtrau de Puligny-Montrachet Meursault @ $52 and the 2005 Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet @ $61
Monthly SAWG Gathering
Sunday, October 21, 2007
This was the monthly gathering of the "winos". Today's theme was " California sparkling wines from French houses and a red wine that you would drink with a meat lasagna. Naturally meat lasagna was the main dish. The red wines turned out to be quite a selection, mostly Italian but others from California, Argentina and Germany. A few of the stand outs were 2000 Cersi Chianti Classico, 2001 Querceto Chianti Classico, 2001, Poggio Barbaresco-Foggio Le Coste and a 2003 Marchesi di Barolo.
There were 5 bottles of sparking brought and 1 bottle of Tattinger Brut Champage which did not conform to the theme as it was from France not California. But it was the first bottle bubbly to be finished. All together there were 24 bottles of wine opened that day.
This was the monthly gathering of the "winos". Today's theme was " California sparkling wines from French houses and a red wine that you would drink with a meat lasagna. Naturally meat lasagna was the main dish. The red wines turned out to be quite a selection, mostly Italian but others from California, Argentina and Germany. A few of the stand outs were 2000 Cersi Chianti Classico, 2001 Querceto Chianti Classico, 2001, Poggio Barbaresco-Foggio Le Coste and a 2003 Marchesi di Barolo.
There were 5 bottles of sparking brought and 1 bottle of Tattinger Brut Champage which did not conform to the theme as it was from France not California. But it was the first bottle bubbly to be finished. All together there were 24 bottles of wine opened that day.
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