Chilean Embassy Wine Tasting with Vina Ventisquero

Wine on a Wednesday at an Embassy? Delightful.

Happy that I attended and experienced this intimate tasting tonight where I learned so much about Chile and a little about Argentina and specifically Mendoza, along with meeting some pointedly imperative people made this structured day the best.

The winery, Vina Ventisquero, had all wonderful wines for us to sample along with some delightful figs and cheeses, with assorted bread and crackers.

The Sauvignon Blanc Reserve to begin the evening was a perfect starter. The perfect, well-balance sipper with the light fare could not have been better chosen for such a warm day. There was a Chardonnay but I did not taste it, however, I simply moved into the main tasting event.

Carmenere Queulat from Southern Chile with its dark cranberry color had a strong, earthy, barnyard nose with a lasting finish. The spice was on the nose and in the mouthfeel carrying the dark berries, tobacco, and velvety tannins. This full-bodied wine would go great with Chinese, Thai, and South American. The longer it opens up the more blueberries you will taste.

We moved onto Vertice is from the Colchagua Valley west of the Santiago can hold up to 10 years. The deep ruby color, deep and and bright berries on the berries, and the wonderful taste with a long finish served at 60-65 degrees. This Carmenere and Syrah blend is best with spicy foods. This wine can be held for 20 years.

This informative evening ended with Pangea was created from Syrah is also from the Calchagua Valley had a spicy, alcohol, graphite aroma but was an easy, balanced taste with lightly floral flavors. While it was lighter than others, the smoothness has a little spicy kick and was less filtered through production. Talk about better with time. Let this sit and blossom. You will be surprised. This wine can also be held for 20 years.

The hanging glacier in Chile was as intriguing as the wines the group tasted.

Enjoy your next glass.

Salut!

Saturday Sip - June 7, 2008

Well, I am getting back into my normal Saturday Sip routine and I started a little late but it was all well with me. We are going to travel from Italy to Spain to South Africa and returning to the familiar West coast of California and Washington State.

My normal first sipping stop, I went only to continue cultivating my taste buds back to normalcy and I tasted some delights for the summer. I began with a wonderfully light and affordable 2006 Italian summer white, Firriato Altavilla Della Corete Bianco at $14.98! It has a brilliant golden color to start with complex aromas of pear, lemon peel, wildflowers, and a slightly saline minerality. The bouquet experience I enjoyed the most was the tropical-like flowers. In the mouth the wine was wonderfully fresh and sunny with flavors of ground ginger and sage that I initially noted on the nose. This is not totally uncommon but it was an interesting treat. The body was solid and balanced, with a structure approaching that of a red wine. You definitely want to serve this nicely chilled. Rate: 9+ layered nose/9 taste/9 finish.

Food Wines:

2006 Adegas Gran Vinum Albarino Nessa, Spain - A definite beach wine, this leaves the mouth tingling with a stony, salty acidity. The texture is lovely with a contrasting white peach fruitiness and round flavors of lime. Pour it with a plate of mariscos and other summer shellfish. This Spanish Albarino had a strong pineapple nose and mouth-feel, which was a little pungent on its lasting finish. It was a little too much for me. This did not quite make my "buy" list but with the right foods and a citrus loving palate, this is a nice summer wine. My wine friend Lisa would love this! Rate: 8 nose/8+ palate/8 finish.

2006 Brochelle Zinfandel, Paso Robles, California - My favorite of all wines time and time again. The first thought of this favorite was the smoky nose and spicy taste that was not in past vintages. Though a true favorite for many a grilled meat and chicken, it is not for the meek. It is full and delicious in taste and color. Layers upon layers upon layers of elegantly perfumed and richly structured fruit that dances excitedly on the palate. An essence of warm, fresh baked gingerbread cookies can be found within. You will uncover notes of deep caramel, black currants and blackberry jam. There is a densely textured mouth-feel and grand finale comprising of a kiss of pumpkin pie spice. A treat for Shiraz lovers! Rate: 9+ color/9+nose/9 with food or cheese/8 without food or cheese/9 finish.

2007 Stafford Hill Cuvee Cameo, Willamette Valley - This wine will be great with a raw bar or shellfish, chicken with a spicy sauce, mixed greens with apples and a vinaigrette dressing and a main course of sausage soup or flavored seafood. This steel tank fermented white is okay and did not make my favorites list. Rate: 9 nose/8 palate/8 finish.

Not my favorites:
2007 Stafford Hill Oregon Riesling - Rate: 6

Welcome all Sippers!

Hello Sippers!

This is my first post and I am delighted to share with you my normal Saturday Sips, traveling sips, and wine experiences with new wine lovers. I have been doing this for several years now and I had a brief break as I battled some medical issues but I am back on the sipping trail!

I am also excited to share my adventures with you as well as keep you informed of events that I may attend, speak at, or just chill as I sip. Who knows? Maybe you can catch me one day and we can talk about wine.

Now, I am in the Washington Metro area but I do travel and in my travels I will share the wonderful (and not so wonderful wines) that I come across. Now, we know that what works for me may not work for you but I look out for those easy drinking wines and recognize those that need food, or simply cheese to be the best wines they can be in our mouths.

My taste buds. Well, I like light and heavy but normally your food and wine tastes are pretty comparable. We will get into this at a further date. I enjoy oak, smoky, deep, multilayered bouquets and tastes. I also delight in light, sweetly floral, well-balanced wines that can be just for sipping or with light fare. Heavier wines for gamey meats work well with me as well. I am a cognac drinker and an occasional cigar smoker...so a little weight does not scare me away. Either way, smooth, flavorful finishes work tickle my palate the best. The longer the better.

Consider me your personal wine consultant. Have a question about what wine to serve with a meal? Which wines should you keep around for entertaining or just for you to sip after work? Want to give a gift to someone and don't know what to chose? Send me your questions and I will answer you as quickly as I can.

So, by all means, keep this in mind and let's get sipping!

Salut!

The Sipping Sommelier.