Conn Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

I had a glass of Conn Creek Cab while at the Oakland airport on my way to Reno. It was fruity, a little dry middle, but nicely flavorful, and was sophisticated and delicious. I was eating one of the most sophisticated foods one can pair with a Cab. It is called a quesadilla. I think it is Hungarian.

If you don't know that I'm joking, well... I don't know what to tell you, other than I'm joking. There. Now we all have the information we need. Well, almost all:

Bottom line: drink it.

(No picture. I'm sorry, sometimes there's only words in this book.)

Consilience Syrah

Year? Who cares. Stay away from this bitter grumpy treat. I wonder if the bottle was actually bad.

Bottom line: get off my lawn!

375ml Worth of Update

Here's a mini-update; a small juice-box sized update. I'm in the process of moving to a new house, which is why I haven't posted. I have many wines about which to post, and am planning some fun tasting events with friends in the coming months. So any of you who need a party to attend to open a few bottles and join us vicariously. I don't know how that would work, and actually... it's a little sad, like cutting up your high school year book and pasting the pictures on the wall with a few streamers and call it a reunion. On second thought, don't do that. It's creepy. Just hang tight, and I'll post again as soon as I can sort out my wine stuff (glasses, goggles, welder's mitt--you know, the essentials). Probably not surprising is it's the only thing in the treacherous mountain of boxes whose whereabouts I know.

Synthetic Cork and Primal Roots Red

I am not a cork-snob, but I am a little suspicious of wine that comes with an entirely synthetic cork. From what I understand, real cork has a slightly porous quality, so some air getting in to the bottle is both acceptable and encouraged. There are synthetic corks that can calibrate a certain amount of air. Wholly synthetic plastic chunks can do not allow any air at all, so you need to properly calibrate your patience. The wine may have to open longer.

Or the company that owns the winery could be cheapskates trying to sell you shit wine and cramming their awful swill into bottles slapped with a pretty label (it really is a lovely label--that is why I bought it), and chunk it closed with the hot-glue like answer to a low quality seal.

Since this is a cheap wine, I got two bottles. The first time I had this wine, I did not like it with a fox or in a box or in my mouth. I think the bottle may have been lousy. Trying it for the second time seems much better.

It is a light, fruity table wine. Not too heavy, not overwhelmingly complex. Not necessarily amazing, but perfectly drinkable.

Bottom line: Skip it. There's better wine for a similar value, or go for it and gift it to some you hate.

Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

This is a bold and spicy wine. It has an underlying sweetness, like chocolate, and goes really well with savory flavors, like meat and cheese. I drank this with Raclette and it was lovely. After, I took a bite of milk chocolate and somehow the body of it just disappeared.

It opens very nicely and is a good affordable wine.

They also make a merlot which I had recently that is quite delightful, and therefore recommended.

Bottom line: Sophistication for the whole family. Little Susie, even the family dog loves Sebastiani.

BV Cab 2009

Okay. This is BV. What are you going to do? First of all, I got this as a free gift, and it came in a 375 (one of those half-sized wine bottles), and they are so cute! It is like a little wine snack!

Bottom line: it's wine. What else are you going to drink? Water? Fish fuck in that!

Roth Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

I admit I have fallen behind on posting, in that, I drink--I mean--taste, yes, taste. But then I get lazy and neglect my posting duties. So this next week I will be sorting through the pile of bottles and catching up on one of the most important reasons for the creation of the universe: tasting yummy wine.

So here goes:

This is a regal wine, as the label suggests. It is very ... shieldy.

I'm rusty.

Bottom line: Oh for chrissakes, just drink it!*

*Opinion based on science

Arrogant Frog Lily Pad Red Cab-Merlot 2010

This is a screw-cap wine. And I don't mean to be so us and them about cork or screw cap, but my bottom line is favorable, so I want to start off on the right foot.

This is a lovely blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot brought lovingly to you by the folks in France. That is right. It is a European wine bottled at Domaine Paul Mas in the south of France.

European wines have normally been a little tricky for me. But this was quite lovely.

Bottom line: men, grow a mustache, ladies, stop shaving your armpits, and drink it.

Cameron Hughes Lot 224 Syrah 2009

I am not familiar with Cameron Hughes, but I drank this entire bottle in one night. I love Syrahs. And apparently I really loved this...from what I recall.

I have not loved every Cameron Hughes I have tried, though I will admit it was also years ago prior to my more intellectual interest in wine. Nonetheless I recall having an excellent Chardonnay from them. And being so long ago, I do not recall the year or lot number.

I have more of this so I will likely revisit it again.

Bottom line: let's go with the old standby: drink it!

Rosenblum Zinfandel Alexander Valley 2007

What can I say about this? It is amazing. Very strong notes of chocolate and berries in this lovely bottle of magic. Rosenblum has beautiful velvety flavors, and it is hard to choose a Rosenblum Zin that isn't amazing.

Bottom line: Bliss in a bottle

Vino V Syrah 2006

Vino V (V as in the letter, not as in 5) comes from a small winery near Ventura, California. This Syrah has a bold, spicy flavor, almost peppery. It screams for meat.

This is from a smaller winery just north of LA. They share land with Old Creek Winery, whom I shall review later. We bought a few bottles from them as well. I should have bought another bottle of this.

Bottom line: Put on earphones before you open it because it screams Steak! Steak! Steak!

Guenoc Petite Sirah 2010

This is an interesting wine. It is hard to say if it is good or not, but it is drinkable. It doesn't have a complex character, maybe a little confounding. It is okay, just okay. It won't knock your socks off. It is a 3rd bottle of the night, after your tasting is over and you want to keep the buzz going.

Bottom line: Oh, drink it if you must, you'll get no argument from me. And stop pouting.

Nights in White Wine: Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay

I'm getting behind on my blog here, in that I have been drinking a lot of wine and I haven't had time to post about it. I haven't even taken pictures of the bottles yet, so there are all these bottles on my counter. Gregory wanted to throw them out, and I immediately intervened, "No! I'm saving those!" And he said, "For what?" "I need to take pictures of them and post them on the internet." His response was, "That is not creepy at all. You're like a combination hoarder and serial killer." "Well, excuse me while I kill of this other bottle to add to my collection."

So on with today's post:

What better way to spend an evening with a blonde, than with a couple bottles of white wine? One for you and one for her.

My dear friend Catherine is visiting, and she was in the mood for white, so we started light with the Vampire Pinot Grigio 2009. This is a nicely rounded white, light citrus, refreshing. We were drinking more with the idea of drinking in mind. So we didn't really taste as much as we...drank it.

Next we stepped it up with the Orogeny Chardonnay. This is nicely oakey, like drinking roasted cashews. It isn't a big flavor, but nicely balanced and just wonderful. I had a handful of trail mix and it was quite lovely, salty and sweet flavors. I think the oakiness of the Chardonnay was made more distinct by the lightly citrus quality of the Vampire white we had before.

I'm not necessarily saying you will better enjoy these wines in the company of a blonde, but it can't hurt.

Bottom line: put on a wig and drink it.

Domaine Chandon Cabernet Savignon 2009

This cab is majestic and regal. It is very smooth and drinkable alone, or great with savory flavors. It opens very nicely. The bouquet seemed very tannin-y at first impression, but the flavors told a different story. Subtle cherry flavors make it an elegant pairing with almost anything.

It will be a wonderful way to dress up an evening where you don't feel like cooking. Recommended with pork rinds, trail mix, etc.

Bottom line: Put on a tube-top and drink it.

Because nothing says majesty like a tube top, pork rinds, and a Chandon cab. Am I the only one who can see that commercial?

Dear Chandon, Send me a million dollars for my marketing genius.

You're welcome,
Joe

Michael David Cabernet Sauvignon "Earthquake" 2010

Trust me, in this pic, there is a glass of dark deliciousness.

I am not as familiar with Michael David wines as I now want to be. After this delicious pairing with a giant rare steak at Mastro's in Beverly Hills, I am very eager to learn more.

The conventional rhetoric is to describe a pairing wine as "hungry," and it is hard to say this is one of those because it seemed lovely as is, but it did also go well with the steak I ordered.

What I remember of this was that it was complex, jammy, and generally wonderful. I was surprised that this tasted so mature for being a 2010. I don't quite know what that means.

Bottom line: Amazing when paired with steak. I'm willing to bet it is also amazing when bedrinkled alone.

Uppercut Cabernet Sauvignon 2010

This! Is good wine. Unique and savory. Very smooth and drinkable.

It is surprising how light it tastes versus how dark and rich it appears. It is pleasantly mature for being so young.

I didn't have an opportunity tonight to pair it with food, so I'll add an update soon.

Update: best with savory flavors. I was eating a crepe with sausage, Irish cheddar, mushrooms, and heirloom tomatoes. The wine tasted much better with the crepe than it did after a scoop of my caramel coconut flan ice cream. The sweetness kind of took the body out of the wine. Like having a phone call with a bad connection.

Bottom line: Wine: take off your pants and drink it.

Rose'N'Blum Pink Moscato 2011

While I was away this last week, Gregory surprised me with a bottle of this delicious gem. Rosenblum creates amazing Zinfandels. It is like they break out the Harry Potter wand to stir their blends, or have an enchanted blending vat. All I know is there is magic somehow involved. And if it turns out to be dark magic, I'm willing to overlook a little red candle wax or pentagram chalk that may have been mixed in.

This pink muskrat is wonderful, sweet and crisp. It almost has a lightly fizziness, which gives it a texture like a milk chocolate bar with panko flakes. And there are some elegant floral notes. I don't know if that light fizzy quality will disappear as this ages over time. My guess is definitely maybe possibly, bit who knows? I don't know.

I didn't have the opportunity to pair it with an appropriate dessert, since I was in the middle of the desert. I think I had a chocolate chip Clif bar.

Bottom line: Drink it and feel wonderful. I know I sure did.

David Fulton Petite Sirah 2006 (Personal Favorite)

Yesterday was my 4th Wedding anniversary. I do have to specify which kind of anniversary, because my husband and I have been together for 12 and a half years now. And we have three anniversaries: dating, domestic partner, and marriage. I love him more than ever. I sometimes feel like my heart will burst. We are just absolutely right for each other.

And there is no better way to commemorate an occasion than with our favorite wine, the wine that started it all for us both: David Fulton.

One of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley, they make only one kind of wine: petite sirah, and the make it better than anyone. It is rare when I find a petite that can put in the company of this wine, and so far I have found only two: Rosenblum Pickett Road and Titus Vineyards.

This wine is dark, dark, dark, and thick and jammy, with just layers of delicious complexity.

My very first encounter with this wine was at a tasting several years ago, and they served the 2004. It was PHENOMENAL. It changed my life. Seriously. Sadly I haven't found any since, but the 2006 is amazing. 2007 less so, despite it being a "good growing season." I can't articulate why, but it just isn't my favorite. 2008 is lighter in body, but still full of wonderful deliciousness, like a naughty brunette that goes blonde for a weekend. Meow.

In conclusion: Wine is sexy. Drink it.

(The 2009 should be shipped to us in the next couple of months.)

Back From Vacation (aka What is the deal with this blog?)

I have been back from vacation for two days now, and my apartment is still a disaster. Completely for lack of trying. I'm exhausted. The only thing I was able to do is clean the cat box. Because damn. Other than that one accomplishment, I am still walking around in a fog, trying to figure out what the real world is about. I spent the last week at Burning Man. First time. More on that later.

I did just launch right in without introducing myself, or really explaining what I am going to be posting about, and arguably most importantly, what your expectations should be of me.

I'm not going to post regularly. Just whenever I feel like it. But I will try to at least be weekly. However due to intermittent vacations, there may or may not be periods of nothing. And I may or may not let you know in advance. I'm sure there's some joke about vacation or serial killer that I could make here, but I'm tired, and are serial killer jokes really that funny? Oh, I'm sure you'll be religiously browsing by daily, eager for new content only to be greeted by the same stale, rotting, moldy post, and your hard drive will start to stink like day-over broccoli every time you swing by, due to someone having forgotten to refresh the blog, and write out a fresh bouquet of whatever-the-crap this is.

I will try to keep to wine-related topics, however I am a gold-medal digressor. I try to be conservative when it comes to my personal life, but I wear my heart on my sleeve. And with all that is going on in my life right now, I'm bound to turn to you, oh blogosphere, to rant, or cry, or just bitch. Cause sometimes, you gotta.

So here's a bit about me: I am a gay man, and I'm married, bitches. It is a civil marriage, not sacramental--we are both atheist. We married in 2008 when it was legal for all couples in the US to marry equally. I'm not going to launch in to politics--indeed will try to keep the subject away entirely because wine and politics don't mix--but I will just say, I feel you either believe in equality or you don't. But we can disagree. If you look past the parts of my life you disagree with with, I'll agree to look past that ugly-ass sweater you insist on wearing. You know the one. Tragic.

My husband is a wonderful, understanding, saint of a man, who puts up with my insanity. He is amazingly patient, and just a wonderful, caring person. I also compose music. I also have a day job at Universal (corporate--not the theme park, so don't hit me up for tickets). I am trying to make music my full time job, as I have a degree in oboe performance, and I love everything about music. I also like working out and I do my best to live a healthy life. But I also like drinking alcohol, and in particular, wine. And I love cheese, carbs and fat. In fact if there is some kind of melted fat into which carbs can be dipped, I'm there.

So I'm not a crazy health nut, just reasonable. And I try to not preach. Everyone has to do what they think is best for the reasons they feel are most important. I like to be healthy, to sweat, and to eat a lot of high-calorie foods in large quantities. If I didn't work out, I'd be like those people who have to have walls taken out of their house so they can go shopping for a mu mu.

So what did we learn? Me: post when I want, gay, musician, workout, like real food and wine drinky drinky. You: still here for some reason, ugly sweater, reader I like, also wine drinky?

Good. I think we understand each other.

Quickie Post - Parducci Merlot at Brio Tuscan Grille

Having a Parducci Merlot with dinner. It is nice and fruity, a bit of a dry finish, but good and drinkable.

Don't even know the year.

Dinner with Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim at Brio Tuscan Grille--food: two thumbs up, jazz combo stylishly pummeling Lady Gaga and Sneaker Pimps: two thumbs down--in Murray (Salt Lake City). The company is more important than the year.

Impromptu Mini-Tasting

While traveling, I have an opportunity to have lunch in the Salt Lake airport so I am eating at Vino Volo Alehouse.

They have a wine menu that allows you to try three wines and have a little mini tasting. Pretty ingenious.

I'm having the following:
Bearboat Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, 2008

Castillo de Monjardin Garnacha La Cantera 2009

Vina Leyda Carmenere Rapel Valley 2010

I have had Bearboat before, so got that for contrast, although I think I had 2010 Pinot. If only I had started this blog sooner!

The 2008 is nice and light. I hesitate to say it is dry because I haven't had much food other than a clif bar for breakfast on the plane about two hours ago.

Josh suggested the tasting. Rachel here is taking care of me.

The Bearboat is much lighter and gentler than these two others. Perfect for drinking. The Garnacha has a richer, drier quality, but there is an unusual sweetness to it that is really appealing. It is hard to describe, but this wine feels nice and proper without being snotty. I think we can all agree there is nothing worse than snot-wine.

I have had only one Grenache prior to this, so I'm not as familiar with this varietal as I'd like to be. More about Grenache in the future.

The biggest surprise for me is the Carmenere. It a big bold flavor, but being a European varietal, it has a subtle quality to it. It's not like an American Cab where it beats you over the head, like the Garnacha, it feels proper (though it does have a little attitude). Very savory, a little jam, but this wine wants a steak. Unfortunately my roast beef sandwich will have to do for now.

So now that I have been eating sandwich and drinking the wines, the Bearboat tastes downright sweet by comparison. Especially against the Carmenere.

Wrapping up this experience, I would recommend that you drink wine with lunch.

How long does wine keep after it is opened?

It keeps forever, if you are crazy, or if you enjoy drinking salad dressing right from the bottle. I shouldn't judge. Have you had Ken's Steakhouse-brand?

After a certain point, it turns to vinegar.

In terms of unopened wines, from what I have learned, different varietals have a different shelf life. A cab will keep for a loooong time, years, decades even; a white, not so much. Syrah, Merlot, and Petite Syrah can sit longer than a Pinot. I think. I could be completely full of shit. Screw cap wine--some of it is quite yummy--is meant be be opened and enjoyed in fairly short order. The best thing is to contact the winery and see what they recommend.

Despite a recommendation to hold onto such and such for 10 years (whatever, I need this shit today!), many wines can still be enjoyed right away, as long as you allow them to open properly.

To open, simply open the wine two to five hours prior to drinking. Just pop the cork and let it sit there. You can also get a decanter, which can speed along the "opening" process. Santa brought us a fancy-shmancy one because they were on clearance at Williams-Sonoma. Opening is basically where oxygen interacts with the wine and allows the flavors to develop and come alive.

We typically pour a little pre-decanted wine in a glass and then compare. It's fun, and a good way to start educating one's palette.

The time when I feel my wine knowledge leaps ahead the most is at wine tastings where you try several wines back to back. It's tough to judge a wine on its own, because the flavor can change depending on what you are eating. We had an opportunity to attend a wine tasting where the chef had a plate of different things: steak, salmon, fruit, and chocolate. And gave us some specific wines (they were all European varietals - that's a topic for a different day), and specific combinations. But the valuable thing was not just selling us wine, but educating us. He gave us combinations that worked and many that didn't. We took a bit of apple and tried a pinot gris that was horrible. The apple eliminated the sweetness in the wine and all you could taste was the acidity, but take a bite of the salmon instead, and the wine just came to life and was wonderful.

I'm sorry I got off topic. How long does a wine keep? Two to three days. Three is really pushing it for some wines. Some get downright hairy by day 3. I'd recommend a wine-saver, the kind that pumps the air out of the bottle. They are $10, I think. Worth it if you are the only one in your household that is interested in wine and don't want to feel that pressure to drink a whole bottle on a Tuesday night.

Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvée Syrah 2009

Rosenblum is a master of Zin, but this Syrah is deep and gentle and bold. I can't fully explain why this is the shit, but we love it and bought a case. Though, that was a while ago and the case is half drunk...drunkened...be-drinkled.

Crooked Path, Zinfandel, 2010

I have been promised a trip to Paso for some full-contact tasting, but the travel agents have yet to come through for me.

We had a Crooked Path Zin a few months before, but damned if I made a note of the year. I remember it was good. This wine, being a 2010, could probably benefit sitting on a shelf for a while. But it did open nicely. It is a big, rich and spicy wine. Hard to say if it is a hungry wine, but it's hard to imagine this ruining your steak.

I let the wine open a day longer than I normally would, meaning it took me an extra day to drink it. It was wild on that last day. Like frizzy hair at the equator, it was like drinking a bramble.

Vampire, North Coast Merlot, 2010

Gregory ordered a case from Woot of a variety of Vampire's offerings. Thus far we have only opened up the Merlot. It wasn't blood at all! Here I was looking forward to describing the bouquet as "wilted," the legs as "broken," or the body as "hastily buried," rather, it was good, very general wine-flavored wine. I look forward to opening more varietals and having a little tasting, followed by a sipping, and then guzzling. So more to come on the Vampire experience. Do they make wine bongs?

Welcome

Welcome to our wine blog.

A caution, there may sometimes be swearing in these posts. I always try to be funny about it. If you're easily offended, well you may be fucked.

So, why "Notes of Wine" for a title? Have you ever heard someone saying, while swirling and sniffing, I'm getting notes of blackberries and cherries, or tobacco and leather, or citrus, or werewolf?

I get notes of ... wine. It tastes like wine to me. This one tastes more purple than the other one. My palette has a ways to go on the road to sophistication.

I don't know much about wine other than I like it. But I want to learn more about it, the subtleties between different varietals, and at the same time, I want to keep a record of the good and bad bottles I encounter. I've had enough now where I can't remember if I've had something when I see it in the store, and it would be great if I could just look it up to know if I have had it before, and is it fancy enough for a birthday, or terrible swill so bad you'll never be invited back.

Sometimes it feels like hit and miss. I'm prone to picking a label if it has a dragon on it (who wouldn't. Dragon wine? Are you kidding me? I'mma drink that shit at the checkout!). It seems that some wineries have a specialty, and even though, their syrahs may be awful, their pinots are amazing. Things like that.

"Notes" can easily refer to my jotting down of little things here and there, ala notes "on" wine. And I am also a musician, so the "notes" part relates to all the wrong ones I sing after drinking too much.