20what? 20something? See it to believe it.

Dec 2 2009

People have often told me, “You have the best jobs ever!” and I’d have to say that I absolutely, positively agree.  All of them include wine, great people and more wine. My most recent adventure was to the Fremont Studios in Seattle, Washington where I attended 20something.  This event focuses on the younger wine community, which luckily, I’m a part of.  It’s nice to see people my age enjoying wine, instead of downing gallons of Carlo Rossi or playing ‘slap the bladder’ with bags of Franzia.

The idea of 20something is perfect – lots of wine, phenomenal food, awesome DJ, and wine education all in the cool downtown Fremont community in Seattle, WA.  This was my first big wine event outside of Tri Cities. I was bringing Palatebomb to something other than my local tasting rooms, bars and restaurants.  The flashing lights and line for will-call made me realize I wasn’t in Kansas anymore.  Big city – big event – and I had work to do.  I had done a bit of research beforehand and knew that both my favorite wine (Jones of Washington 2006 Cabernet) and Pikes Brewery would be there, and that I would be more than satisfied with the food selection (Picazo 717, Muckleshoot Casino, Rays Café).

As we walked in and got our glasses and notepad necklaces – a great idea from Seattle magazine – I was ready for action.  First mission – wine! But where? Soon a man appeared from Balboa Winery, with bottle in hand and asked if I would like some wine.  It took a second for me to realize the set up – the winery reps were walking around and pouring, making it a great social event.  I chatted with him a bit, tried the red blend and unfortunately didn’t care for it.  I poured it into Bens glass (he’s so helpful) and went on my way to find the next wine to try.

I decided to try the whites first, while eating, moving on to red wine later.  The next person to come up to me was from Cave B Winery right outside of George, WA. They were pouring a Riesling that met my white criteria.  It had great bright fruit without being extremely sweet, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a nice holiday wine, as a gift or to drink.  With wine in glass, I made my way to the main room to find some grub.

The first thing that caught my eye was Executive Chef Frank Magana of Picazo 717 and his chorizo stuffed prawns, a favorite.  We snagged some prawns, chatted with Frank and his wife, Trish, then continued on the food journey.

I would have never thought to eat at a casino, but after reading the menu online the night before, I was ready to try Muckleshoot Casino’s food. Their burrata mozzarella cheese wrap with hamachi or big eye tuna on a shoyu pipette were phenomenal! I was a little intimidated at first but remembered that I was in a big city and had to eat like a city girl.  So in it went and the sauce in the pipette was quite the experience.  I can’t write about it without it sounding dirty, so you’ve been warned.  The first sensation I had was the slimy, tender feel of the fish, and then the creamy taste of the mozzarella and right as it was about down, you squeeze the pipette and this burst of flavor is shot into your mouth.  It was a bit tangy but so so good! I tried both of the flavors, the big eye tuna and the hamachi, and although I preferred the hamachi, I would have either any day.  Feeling proud of myself for eating so grown up, I went back to what I know and love – wine.

I found a winery/wine I know and love with Jenna from Mercer Estates and got back on track with my white wine adventure.  The 2007 Pinot Gris ($15 a bottle) is full of peach and pear nose and palate – a wine I recommend to anyone.  It went well with the seafood I was having and would also pair nicely with chicken.  This wine would be good to take to the sensory booth in the Geek Lounge.  There was a husband and wife team there; he was a sensory scientist and wine maker and she was pouring the wine.  He had about 20 dixie cups out on the table, each full of a certain object (grapefruit, oak, black pepper, currant, tobacco, etc) and you brought your wine over and smelled the cup, and then smelled the wine.  It really helped me pull out certain flavors, and for people who are new to wine, it would be a great experience.

The only frustrating thing about this event is that half the time I didn’t know what I was drinking.  I could tell red or white, and sometimes the varietal, but people would came up and continually kept my glass full then dash off to fill the next glass.  My notebook necklace was used in the beginning, but then it got darker and louder and it faded out, as did my soberness.

One very smart winery, Northwest Cellars in Kirkland WA, made business cards with the wine description, awards won/points scored, price point and a coupon for a complimentary tasting. The wine was fantastic and the man pouring it talked about the wine like he knew what he was doing – what a relief!

Lucky me, one of the sponsors of 20something was Fiji water, and I snagged bottles throughout the night.  One of the themes of this event was ‘hip2spit’, suggesting people spit some of the wine as to not get too toasted throughout the night.  You generally need spit buckets to be able to spit, and I counted five. At the entire event. And placed in the middle of tables, where people were sitting or standing.  “Excuse me as I spit over your shoulder and try to not spill all over you.”  Although I didn’t spit as much as I probably should have, I had water, food and a sober ride all lined up.  If I hadn’t made prior arrangements, the taxis were lined up for blocks, so I would have had another way to get home safely.

Taxi or no taxi, wine or beer, seafood or elk, I had a blast! For the avid wine lover or for someone just starting out, I would recommend this event.

Hogue Cellars Cabernet/Merlot Blend (Red Wine – 2006)

Jul 24 2009

When it comes to reds, I’ve had my share. I’ve had oaky, spicy, sweet and everything in between – and much like pictures of Ryan Reynolds without his shirt on, I have yet to find one that I don’t get some sense of pleasure out of (my particular favorites have usually been reds from Red Mountain AVA winery Hedges Family Estates).

But I decided to take a challenge for this particular review: find a cheap red that was suitable for a variety of meals. A coworker and friend of mine mentioned the Hogue Cabernet/Merlot blend as something she, who is not typically a red wine drinker, enjoyed. I was familiar with the Hogue winery (I’ve read enough about it throughout the years) and they are clearly a dominating presence, but I tend to shy away from large-production wineries. Perhaps this is the most snobby thing I do as a wine drinker, but I tend to shy away from the bigger wineries. There’s just something about that small ma-and-pa winery that I love that somehow, most likely irrationally, makes me think I’m getting something better.

Of course I was wrong (will accept it…this time). Upon swirling this wine in my glass for the first time, I smelled a rich and fruity bouquet. When tasting, the wine was actually moderately sweet. Not a “this is a sweet wine” type of sweetness, but it definitely a nice and balanced blend. The black cherry or another dark berry-like fruit provide the perfect balance that is nice and easy to go down. The fruit lingers long after you’ve swallowed, but in a pleasant manner that makes you eager to take another sip. I can see why someone who is “not a red drinker” would enjoy this.

This blend is slightly spicy, slightly oaky – more so if you’ve allowed to it to sit a little longer – but it’s not significant enough to play a huge role in the taste.

Because this is a very moderate red blend, it is easier to pair with more flavorful dishes without competing for the palate. I could definitely see myself pouring this with some grilled chicken or perhaps a warm dish of pasta.

Aside from the < $10 price, one of the best things about this wine is the screw cap. Screw wine “purists” (pun totally intended here) with their corks. I absolutely adore the screw cap. Not only does it keep the wine better without fear of oxidation (not that wine lasts that long in our house), but it makes weak chicas like me more apt to purchase it if I don’t have to worry that I’m going to have an unfortunate cork-fail incident where it breaks/ falls in/ doesn’t move or other various circumstances that keep me from my glass of wine.

From Lebanon, Via D.C: Get Out Your Summer Whites

Jul 17 2009

Have you ever wanted to just get away? I know I have, and I did just that last night in Washington, D.C, when I ordered a delightful Lebanese sauvignon blanc. I asked the waitress to bring out two tastes, one each of an ‘06 Domaine Wardy and a Clairette ‘06 Massaya Classic White.

While both were lovely (and within $0.50 of each other on the menu!), I chose the Massayax, a drier white than the Domaine Wardy.

The Domaine Wardy started out quite promisingly – it had a full bodied sweetness that, at first taste, was surprising and delightful in a muggy D.C. evening. However, the next sip several minutes later seemed overly sweet, almost cloying. If I were to order a full glass, I’d have to drink it quickly, before the glass warmed up.  I didn’t think that was the experience I desired.

Thus I ordered a glass of the Massaya – what this drier white lacked in depth of body, it made up for in sheer drinkability for the surroundings. The pale, golden liquid possessed a ethereal quality and the crisp finish ensured that I could sip it at my leisure throughout the meal. The refreshing quality decrescendoed over time, as the wine lost its chill, but the difference in experience seemed subtle, relative to the change I experienced with the Domaine Wardy. I found pleasure in the simple fact that the Massaya did not degrade during my meal. Instead, it seemed to develop a more complex quality as the meal progressed.

Try the Massaya for a bit of escapism. For what it’s worth, the sauvignon blanc was more realistic than a round trip ticket to Lebanon.

An drank the Clairette ‘06 Massaya Classic White ($7.50/glass) at Lebanese Taverna in Washington, D.C. She paired the wine with chickpea and fava bean fritters served with tahini;  hommos with spiced ground meat, pine nuts, almonds, & olive oil; sliced rotisserie lamb and beef served with tahini sauce; a mixed vegetables medley sauteed with garlic sauce and a Lebanese salad. It was DELICIOUS!

For taste, color, scent, experience and complexity, An gives the Clairette ‘06 Massaya Classic White a 4.