December 13

What a meeting! I think we had our largest attendance yet, almost 20 ladies showed up! Plus Dennis outdid himself with our appetizers this time. He made individual Rosemary Bread Puddings and an Artichoke Spinach Crab Dip served with Tortilla Chips. WOW! We were all impressed. After we were finished with our appetizers he served us Chocolate Creme Brulee. Appetizers & Dessert truly fit for a Diva.


Now for the wines we tried. I brought two and several of the ladies brought one to share as well. First up was the Astrale e Terra Arcturus from Napa. It's a Bordeaux-style blend that was a dense ink-purple in color with a mouth-watering aroma of blackberries, blueberries, black currant, chocolate & spice. It is full-bodied, thick & chewy, with mouth-filling viscosity & fruit-forward flavors of berries, currant, cedar & mocha. With good structure & grip, the wine has a finish that balances power & elegance. It received 87 points from Wine Spectator and 91points from Wine Enthusiast.

Next up was a true Bordeaux - Chateau Laroque Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. It showed concentrated scents of black cherries and cassis, followed by admirably pure flavors of black cherries and vanilla. It was supple enough to drink now, but appears to have the stuffing to go another 5–10 years. A long, berry-filled finish caps off this find. This wine received 90points from Wine Enthusiast.

Then Crystal shared her Lockwood Meritage VSR with us. This was another Bordeaux-style blend made up of all of the Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petite Verdot. This luscious had depth, complexity and elegance.

It was Terri's turn next with Hardy's Oomoo Shiraz. The nose on this Aussie offering was brimming with prunes and mulberries with hints of licorice and sweet spice. The rich mid palate is supported by ripe blackberry fruit flavors, chocolate and soft, fine tannins. I'm a sucker for an Aussie Shiraz and this was no let-down!

She also let us sample Hardy's Oomoo Chardonnay. Now Chardonnay is not my white wine of choice, but Australia has some terrific ones! The nose was brimming with lifted peach and melon aromas with hints of zesty citrus fruit. The ripe full-flavored palate exhibited delicate, fresh stone fruit characters with a well-balanced finish.

We tried Renee's Westside Red Claret and we were all pleased with that blend. It had sweet cherry, pepper, Provencal herb and spice box scents. It was a tasty medium bodied, elegant effort that was enjoyed by all.

I haven't figured out what we'll do next month...so many wines, so little time. Any ideas, Divas?

November 15

Last night's meeting was more subdued and intimate than last month's. There were only 5 of us in attendance, but as Renee pointed out, there was more wine for those of us who did show up!

We tried two wines from a California vineyard: Topel Winery. First up was the Syrah Cuvee Donnis, named for Donnis Topel, one of the proprietors. The syrah was a deep, dark, inky color. Wonderful aromas of spice and berries filled the nose. Jammy fruits of plums and dark berries presented themselves after the wine was opened for a bit. There were also subtle hints of leather. The finish was lengthy and urged another sip or two...or several ;-)

Next up was the Cabernet Sauvignon Hidden Vineyard. It was a deep, dark purple color. The nose was fruit-driven with hints of tobacco and cassis. The palate was as fruity as the nose, with a medium to full body and ripe tannins. Delicious! There was not a clear favorite of the two, they were both equally well-liked.

Next month we'll be trying a Bordeaux-style blend from Napa and a real Bordeaux. Same grapes, totally different wines? We'll see. Until next month, ladies...

October 25

Last night's meeting was a blast. We had several new members sign up. We had a total of 17 ladies show up!

Lisa presented the wines, both from Australia. The first was Dalwhinnie Cabernet Sauvignon which received 87 points from Wine Spectator. Personally, I thought it should have gotten higher ratings, but that's my opinion. The review noted "Deep purple with tawny hues, the wine's cedar spaice & blueberry aromas harmonize with freshly cut herbs, vanilla & forest floor characters. Dark plums, cassis & blueberries combine with spicy cigar box vanillin & French oak tannins, producing a wonderfully full & rich palate. The wine is medium weight, tight & dry with a tremendous finish". Not everyone agreed with that assessment, and not everyone enjoyed it, but that's okay. That's why we try these wines :-)

Next up was Marquis Philips Shiraz S9 which boasts an impressive 93 points from Robert Parker! This was the clear favorite of the evening. In the review, Parker stated that the S9 is a "Flamboyant, opaque purple colored, full-bodied effort revealing notes of espresso roast, chocolate, smoked meats & toasty American oak. Fleshy, full-throttle, pure & intensely concentrated, it's a classic South Australian Shiraz". We all agreed it was fabulous! One of the things I like most about Aussie wines is their characteristic intensity. These were both prime examples.

Next month I have a Syrah and a Cabernet Sauvignon from California. I can't wait! Hopefully we'll be as big of a group as last night, if not bigger. Until then...

September 20

It looks like Blue Bamboo will be our permanent meeting place until Dennis kicks us out for being too rowdy. His wine lounge is a perfect venue for our meetings. We're a small enough group for now, and it's very comfortable and intimate enough to serve our needs.

The wines we tried were wonderful! It was suggested last month that we try an Italian wine. So first up was Geografico Ferraiolo, rated an impressive 91 points by Robert Parker. He stated that it's a "blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet, penetrating, smoky, and with much black currant fruit on the nose, large framed and concentrated on the palate, and with a long, persistent flavor." Everyone agreed this was delicious. Smooth tannins, a luscious earthy palate. A real winner!

Next up was Lancaster Red from Alexander valley in California. Also rated by Robert parker, this proprietary red blend received 89 points, stating "The sexy, delicious, up-front 1999 Proprietary Red Estate exhibits abundant quantities of smoky black currants and cherries in a medium-bodied, elegant, Bordeaux-like format. It possesses fine purity as well as nicely integrated wood, acidity, and tannin." One of the Divas declared that the first wine was one that needed food, but the second was one that could be sipped and savored. Good assessment!

Two pleasant surprises of the evening: while we were waiting for our appetizers, Dennis presented us all with a pre-appetizer. We tried a fantastic spicy diced veggie combo served on tortilla chips with a mango sauce. WOW! I don't know what it was called, but it was delicious! Dennis never fails to satisfy. The second surprise was a birthday cake (lime cake with coconut frosting) made by Renee for Sandie and I. Both our birthdays are September 22. Happy Birthday, Sandie and THANK YOU, Renee!

All in all, it was a successful evening. Two new Divas joined. A good time was had by all. Until next time...

Flickr Auction for Katrina Victims

Our hearts all go out to the victims of Katrina. Now there's a way to help. Flickr, a photo sharing website, has an auction going on currently until September 15. You can bid on any number of beautiful, quality photographs that have been donated by the photographers. Payment will go directly to The American Red Cross. Check out this link to view the photographs and bid. You don't have to be a Flickr member to join the bidding, you can email your bid! Everything you need to know is in the directions. Let's all do what we can to help!

Reader's Poll

You may have noticed that I've started putting a reader's poll in the right sidebar. I put these polls up to gather information about our customers/readers to assist us in making our store better and more efficient. This week's poll asks where you buy your wines. Please take a moment to respond to this poll, you can select as many answers that apply. If you'd like to comment on this post, please feel free to do so. If you've never used Blogger comments before, it's easy. Click on the comments link at the end of this post. A small window will pop up with an area to leave your comment. Type in what you'd like (keep it clean, please), then click whichever button applies under "Choose an Identity". Click Login and Publish and that's it!

Thanks, everyone!

August 16, 2005

Everyone seemed to have a great time last night. There were 9 of us total in attendance. We ordered several appetizers (Rice Flour Calamari, Beef Carpaccio, Fried Oysters, Coconut Shrimp, Ahi Tuna Salad) and enjoyed them with the wines. Both wines were from Hollywood & Vine: 2480 Chardonnay and 2480 Cabernet Sauvignon. The chardonnay was rich and opulent. Oak was apparent, but not overwhelming. It was crisp and tart, the tropical fruits were abundant. Nice and smooth, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. It regularly sells for $48, but it was specially priced at $38 for Divas.

Next up was the cab. I had opened it up an hour before the meeting, knowing that it probably needed some breathing time. When I popped the cork, I was inundated with aromas of sweet berries. What a treat! I couldn't wait to try it! I knew I had to wait to sample it with the others, though. My patience was rewarded with a graceful, fruit-laden, silky-smooth wine. I was not alone in my appreciation of it, we all thoroughly enjoyed it. The cab regularly sells for $90, but it was specially priced at $80 for Divas.

One thing everyone commented on was the ambience at Blue Bamboo. We had the wine room all to ourselves and it was such a treat. When we had all finished our appetizers and the dishes were cleared, Dennis graciously treated us all to a Pulled Duck Spring Roll. WOW! He made us all feel very special :-)

Next meeting is September 20 at Blue Bamboo. It looks like that will be our regular meeting place!

Fettuccine Alfredo + Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea's Selection

Anyone who has tasted any of Tom's handiwork in the kitchen knows what a terrific cook he is, and his Fettuccine Alfredo is no exception. It is so good and very easy to make, but we don't have it too frequently because of the richness of it. The Lemelson Pinot Noir Thea's Selection is a perfect accompaniment to this dish, and it's one of my favorite wines (see my Top 100 Wines post).

For the Fettuccine Alfredo you will need:
1 lb fettuccine pasta
1 cup cream
salt
1 stick butter
1-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
pepper
nutmeg

Boil pasta in salted water in a large pot. Melt butter over lowest possible heat in a large frying pan until just melted. When pasta is al dente drain quickly (don't shake out all of the water) and put in pan with melted butter. Toss the pasta with tongs until coated with butter, then add the cream. Toss the pasta, adding the grated cheese in two or three parts. Add a few scrapings of nutmeg and some fresh-ground pepper and toss again. The sauce should thicken (but not too much) as you toss. Serve immediately.

If the sauce is too thick, or if there will be any delay serving it, use extra cream. The pasta will absorb liquid from the sauce and thicken it as it sits and cools, so you really want to make it immediately before serving.

Alternatives. This recipe works well with shrimp and/or scallops. Saute the peeled shrimp or fresh scallops in butter with a bit of salt and fresh-ground pepper, and add them to the fettuccine just before serving.

Enjoy with a glass of the pinot noir.

Australian Sticky Date Pudding + Seppelt Port

When we first started doing the Wine & Food Events here in the store, Tom did all the cooking. He soon found out that it was too time consuming, so we contracted out a friend who is an excellent chef. But for the one Aussie event that he did cook for, he made an amazing Sticky Date Pudding that had everyone begging for the recipe. This is not for the faint of heart. It's worth going off your diet for, if only for one slice. And the port I'm pairing it with could not have a better match. Seppelt Tawny Port is an Australian offering that seems too good to be true! Deliciously decadent, it's caramel and hazelnut notes cry out for a pudding as perfect as the one Tom made.

For the cake base you will need:
1/2 cup butter, room temp, cut into 8 pieces. Reserve some butter for pan
1-1/4 cup chopped pitted dates
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1-1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1-3/4 tsp baking powder

For the caramel sauce you will need:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup + 1 TBSP firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

To prepare cake: preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 inch round baking pan with sides at least 2 inches high, such as a springform pan.

Place the dates in a saucepan and cover with 1-1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 3 minutes. Add the baking soda (the mixture will foam) and set aside.

In a bowl, cream the cut up butter, sugar and eggs, adding eggs one at a time. Gently mix in the flour, salt and vanilla. Slowly stir in the baking powder and 1/4 cup of the liquid from cooking the dates, until the mixture resembles thick pancake batter. Drain off the remainder of the date liquid and stir in dates.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until cooked in center.

To prepare caramel sauce: In a saucepan, combine butter, whipping cream, brown sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer, cook for 3 minutes.

To serve: Drizzle some of the sauce over cake as it is cooling, serve the remainder of the sauce separately. Enjoy with a small glass of Seppelt Port. You can thank me later ;-)

Black Bean Salsa + Mia's Playground Zinfandel

We've served this salsa at a few of our wine tastings and it's been a huge hit (thanks to Jennifer & Terri)! And Mia's Playground Zinfandel has the perfect amount of spice and fruit on the palate to make this a winning combination.

For the salsa, mix together the following:
2 cans black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can original Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 medium chopped red onion
2 Tablespoons lime juice
Chopped cilantro
*Olive oil
*Red wine vinegar
*Pinch of basil
*Pinch of oregano
*Pinch of cumin

*Add to your taste. Serve with Scoops tortilla chips and enjoy! Please feel free to leave comments :-)

Orecchiette with Ricotta and Spinach + Anime Pinot Grigio

Since wine and food are two of my favorite things, I decided to do a new weekly feature posting a recipe and a wine to pair with it. We'll see how long I can keep this up :-) This week it's Orecchiette with Ricotta and Spinach, a perfect summer dish since it's quick to prepare (about 30 minutes) and not too heavy, and what better wine to serve with an Italian meal than a nice, light Pinot Grigio.

You will need:
1 pound orecchiette pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups spinach leaves
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the pasta in and cook for 12 to 14 minutes, until al dente.

Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the spinach, salt, pepper and nutmeg and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the spinach begins to wilt. Remove from heat and place the spinach mixture in a large bowl with the ricotta cheese.

Drain the pasta and immediately add to spinach/ricotta mixture. Enjoy with a nice chilled glass of Anime Pinot Grigio :-)

July 19, 2005

Last night we focused on Shiraz and Syrah, and both wines were winners! Lisa presented the wines again and we started out with Ca'na Syrah from Costa Contra County in California. Notes of licorice, kirsch & sweet berries prevailed on the nose, while the palate offered chocolate covered cherries and spice. It was juicy, smooth & delicious! Regularly priced at $40, the Diva price was $36.

Next up was E&E Shiraz Black Pepper from the Barossa Valley in Australia. Barossa Shiraz are known for their big fruits and this one was no slouch in that department. Wine Spectator rated this gem a whopping 93 points stating "Firm; dark & peppery in flavor, with dense plum, currant & floral aromas & flavors playing themselves out through a long, generous finish". Lisa had brought a dish of chicken andouille in a Hoppin' John sauce to serve as an accompaniment to this shiraz and it was awesome how well it paired! The spiciness of the sausage was smoothed out by the shiraz and both were delicious. This wine regularly retails for $87 and the Divas were able to purchase it last night for $80.

We had an unexpected bonus wine, thanks to a distributor dropping by just before the Divas' meeting and left us Treana Red Blend to try. (Thanks, Macey & Eric!) This lovely wine is from the Central Coast of California and is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Syrah. Wine Spectator & Wine Enthusiast rated the previous vintage 89 & 88 respectively. It was even one of our previous Premium Wine of the Quarter! It retails for $38, but the current vintage will be making a slight increase in price.

Next month's meeting is August 16th at Blue Bamboo across the street. I can't wait for that meeting. Dennis creates some excellent dishes! See you all then!

New Meeting Place Starting in August!

Ladies, I am excited to announce that starting with next month's meeting, we'll be holding all meetings at Blue Bamboo, a terrific Asian Inspired Cuisine restaurant located conveniently across the street from our store! If you haven't already dined there, you owe it to yourself to go. Tom and I went after work one evening and were instantly hooked and have been back several times. Read Tom's review for our newsletter here. Blue Bamboo review.

We'll hold our meetings in their comfy lounge area in back (until our group grows too big to do so) and enjoy their wonderful appetizers as we taste our wines. His prices are unbeatable and the staff is great! We'll discuss all the particulars at this month's meeting here at the store. See you next week!

Just What Makes a Premium Wine "Premium"?

(Reprinted from a previous newsletter. Thanks, Tom! xoxox)

While you're here you may want to ask, as several people already have, "just what is a premium wine, anyhow?" It's a fair question, and one that I won't promise to answer fully. But I will give it a shot, so here goes.

The most obvious answer it that "premium" means the same as "expensive", as in "I paid a premium price for this bottle of wine." In most, if not all, cases that would be correct. Premium wines are expensive. Whether or not you can establish a price point at which a wine can fairly be called "premium" may depend on your reference point.

If your normal bottle is under $10 (and there's nothing wrong with that!) then a $20 bottle is a premium bottle. If your normal bottle is $30, you might not consider it a "premium" wine until the price gets over $100.

Part of the appeal of high-end wines is the mystique. Buy a bottle of a 500-case production wine from Napa, especially if you had to get on a waiting list and "bend" Florida's shipping laws to obtain it, and you might think yourself a member of a pretty exclusive club. If you are buying Bordeaux futures for wine that you won't even see for another year or two, you probably are in a pretty exclusive club (and we need to talk!)

Many times I've heard a wine afficionado say with much glee something along the lines of "I have the only three bottles of this in the state!" Clearly, the lack of availability of a wine adds to its image, and to its "premium" status. By the way, I never mind hearing a customer say this. If I helped them obtain those three bottles, I've made a friend. If not, maybe they will share!

But exclusivity, too, is only part of the story. There are a number of wines that are hard to come by, and that are also very expensive, that are really not rare at all. Let's look at Opus One, that fabled wine that's the result of a collaberation between Robert Mondavi and the late Baron Phillipe de Rothschild.

First, at over $160 a bottle, you'd expect that not only would the wine be fantastic, but that it would be hard to find. The 2000 vintage got 89 points from Wine Spectator, respectable, but not world-class. And as for availability, how many bottles would you like?

Total production was over 20,000 cases, which is why it can be found in supermarkets and even warehouse clubs. Yet we still have people come in the store and ask if we have it. The distribution channel limits the number of bottles that any one outlet can obtain, using obscure logic that only their accountants and the winery's marketing people can fully understand.

Is it a premium wine? Of course. It has something that it would take a major PR campaign to create: reputation. It has something else, too: history. Previous vintages scored higher (in some cases much higher) and 2000 was a weak vintage for many California reds (2001 is coming in much better if you are collecting.)

It may be reputation more than anything that turns an ordinary (or extraordinary) wine into a "premium" wine. Sometimes that's the result of history, sometimes it's the result of marketing. I'd tend to value the former more than the latter, but just because a wine is heavily marketed doesn't mean it's not a great wine.

If a winery (or winemaker) creates superb wines, year after year, the reputation of a new wine is easier to establish. It doesn't hurt if Robert Parker or James Laube give it a great review, too.

For many, if not most, wines that are considered "premium" the final measure is ageworthiness: how will this wine age, and hopefully improve, when carefully cellared. This is important for serious collectors who have temperature- and humidity-controlled cellars and buy hundreds or thousands of bottles. Some of these collectors view their wine as an investment that will increase in value over time. For that to happen, the quality (and reputation) of the wine must go up over time, that is, the wine must age well.

For most of us, if we purchase premium wines at all, we do it for a special occasion. That may be for gift giving, for a special meal, or to commemorate a birthday or anniversary.

What we expect is a wine that is memorable, one that is worthy of the occasion. Price was less of a consideration than for our everyday wine, because the occasion was special. The wine should lend it's mystique to the occasion, and the joy of sharing the special bottle should be enhanced by the quality of the wine and the knowledge that you are experiencing the excellence of a "premium" wine.

June 21, 2005

Last night was fun. There weren't as many of us in attendance as last month, but we still managed to have a good time! We tasted a wonderful Merlot that was clearly the hit of the evening, a Spanish Montsant and a truly amazing Australian Tawny Port. The Merlot was by Larkmead and, as I noted before, was everyone's favorite. It had great depth and body and beautiful rich purple color. Aromas of black cherry and chocolate and a lengthy finish made it stand out. This wine normally retails for $37 but the Divas got to buy it for $33.

Next up was Castell de Falset Montsant, a wonderful Spanish gem. It's a blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane and Tempranillo. The most notable aromas were coffee and black currants. It was a little more tannic than the Merlot, but it was good! It normally retails for $35, but the special Diva price was $29.

We finished off the set with Seppelt Trafford Tawny Port DP30, an awesome Aussie offering. Everyone was bowled over by it. The caramel aroma and palate were irresistible. Even more irresistible was the price...a mere $12.50! Thankfully we have plenty in stock thanks to a distributor SNAFU (long story, maybe I'll share it another time).

Next meeting is July 19. Last time I closed with a toast, this time I'll close with this quote..."Wine maketh glad the heart of man, and it maketh women giggle." There was a LOT of giggling last night!

100 Wines

I read several blogs regularly and notice that a lot of them feature something called "100 Things About Me" to get you better acquainted with the author. I'd like to do the same thing, but with the wines I like. Now, you'll probably think "100 wines??? She must be a lush!" I can see where you'd think that. But consider the fact that our store currently has over 1,000 different wines in stock, and I haven't tried all 100 in my list in one sitting. So without further ado, here are my 100 Wines in no particular order. You will notice the list is heavy in reds and vary to the extremes in price. :-)

1. Archipel
2. Trevor Jones Shiraz Dry Grown
3. Rosenblum Petite Sirah Pickett Road
4. Gaierhof Moscato Gaillo
5. Cline Red Truck White
6. Cline Red Truck Red
7. Napa Cellars Merlot
8. Hastae Quorum
9. Santa Duc Cotes du Rhone Cairanne
10. Austin Hope Syrah Paso Robles
11. Treana Red
12. Treana White
13. Banfi Pinot Grigio San Angelo
14. Beni di Batasiolo Moscato d'Asti Bosc Dla Rei
15. Seppelt Port
16. Toro Albala Don PX (vintage 1971...oh my GAWD!)
17. Glaymond Shiraz The Distance
18. Rosemount Cabernet Sauvignon Show Reserve
19. Wirra Wirra Church Block
20. Il Cuore Rosso
21. Starry Night Adara
22. Gozzi Rosso Saline
23. Ca'na Cabernet Sauvignon *sigh*
    
24. M. Cosentino Med Red
25. Seven Deadly Zins
26. Fife Redhead Red
27. Lemelson Pinot Noir Thea's Selection
28. Domaine Houchart Cote du Provence Rose
29. Catena Malbec
30. BenMarco Malbec
31. Crios Syrah Bonarda
32. Crios Torrontes
33. Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc
34. Honig Sauvignon Blanc
    
35. Borgo Pretale Chiani Classico
36. Brothers in Arms Shiraz
37. Cambria Syrah Tepusquet Vineyard
38. Vinum Cellars Elephantus Blanc
    
39. Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red
40. Peter Lehmann Shiraz
41. Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection
42. Cecchi Sangiovese di Toscana
43. Chateau Ste Michelle Johannisberg Riesling (Sentimental reasons)
44. Mark Davidson Chardonnay/Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc
45. Mia's Playground Zinfandel
46. Fusee Merlot
47. Feudo Arancio Grillo Sicilia
    
48. Tommasi Crearo
49. Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore
50. Tenuta di Arceno Prima Voce
51. Fontanafredda Eremo
52. Luiano Rosso Luianico
53. Geografico Sangiovese di Toscana Le Mire (whew...halfway there!)
    
54. Falesco Vitiano Rosso
    
55. Falesco Vitiano Bianco Umbria
    
56. Mondo Del Vino Tre Uve
57. Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Tres Picos
58. Pascual Toso Malbec
59. Familia Rutini Trumpeter Malbec
60. Vinicola del Priorat Onix Classic
61. Austin Hope Westside Red
62. Tikal Bonarda Malbec Patriota
63. Marques de Vargas Tinto Rioja
64. Marques de Vargas Reserva Privada
65. Marques de Vargas Hacienda Pradolagar
    
66. Dolium Malbec Reserva
67. Lava Cap Syrah
68. Lava Cap Merlot
69. Miranda Old Vine Shiraz Family Reserve
70. Pirramimma Shiraz
71. Zaca Mesa Syrah
72. Zaca Mesa Z Cuvee
73. Don Diego Shiraz
74. Tintara Cabernet Sauvignon
75. Anime Pinot Grigio
    
76. Tintara Shiraz
77. Goundrey Shiraz Offspring
78. Goundrey Chardonnay Offspring
79. Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Reserve
80. McManis Viognier
    
81. Tres Valles Cabernet Sauvignon Premium
82. Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon
83. Hogue Genesis Merlot
84. Lyeth Meritage
85. Ponzi Arneis
    
86. Thomas Fogarty Skyline
87. Cinnabar Mercury Rising
88. Lomas Del Valle Cabernet Sauvignon Kaiken
89. Archery Summit Pinot Noir Premier Cuvee
90. Fox Creek Vixen Sparkling Red Blend
91. Bird in Hand Shiraz
92. Bird in Hand Merlot Cabernet Two in the Bush
93. Red Flyer Red
94. Wirra Wirra Cabernet Sauvignon The Angelus
95. Two Hands Shiraz Angel's Share
96. L'Aventure Optimus
97. EOS Tears of Dew
98. Yalumba Museum Muscat Reserve
99. Yalumba Antique Tawny Port Museum Reserve
100. Hardy's Tawny Port Whiskers Blake

Okay, that was WAY too easy. (Repeating..."I am NOT a lush, I am NOT a lush".)
Note: This list is subject to change as I taste wines on a daily basis. *sigh* I LOVE my job!

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

May 23

Last night went well. There were 10 of us in attendance. Lisa presented the wines and she did a great job. Again there were two planned wines and one bonus wine. The first one we tried was Sarah's Merlot Besson Vineyard, a smooth & silky merlot that everyone seemed to enjoy. It was voted a Best Value in the Wall Street Journal in March of this year. This wine normally retails for $31, we had it specially priced for the Divas at $27.

Next up was my favorite of the evening...Ca'na Cabernet Sauvignon. What a beauty! This wine (to me) had cocoa powder and raspberries on the nose, and it followed through on the palate. Just gorgeous. It regularly retails for $40, special Diva price was $36.

Next was Gunderloch Riesling Spatlese Diva...see why I chose that one? :-) It was a sweet, but not overly sweet white wine. Lots of tropical fruits on the nose and the palate. Quite nice!

I had opened the reds about an hour before everyone arrived to allow them to breathe. Good thing I did, because I discovered the merlot was corked (tainted with TCA). It was helpful, though, because it enabled me to show the ladies what a "corked" wine smells like...a damp, musty basement.

Lisa brought along some educational materials that were very helpful. The first was an article on the ins and outs of wine tasting and can be accessed here Tasting 101. There was also a sheet on White Wine Characteristics and Red Wine Characteristics. I think, thanks to Lisa, we all learned something new!

I leave you with a toast I found. "When wine enlivens the heart, may friendship surround the table." Next meeting is June 21 at 6:30. Until then...

First Meeting

Our first meeting went very well. There were 10 of us in attendance and I think we all had a fun time. I outlined for the ladies what the club entails:

• Meet once per month, dues $10 per month
• Taste two premium wines at each meeting & discuss each
• Wines tasted that evening are marked down for that evening only
• 5% discounts are given for all purchases so long as membership is active
• No more than 2 discounts per transaction (we have several wine clubs now, each having discounts)
  

We tried two planned wines plus a bonus wine that I just couldn't pass up. First up was Domaine de Trevallon Red Table wine, a Rhone wine of uncertain varietals. Most likely a syrah- grenache blend. This wine normally retails for $73 and we have it for $20! This was a deal from the distributor.

Next was my personal favorite of the evening...Archipel. It's a Bordeaux blend from California with the grapes coming from both Sonoma & Napa. I thought it was just lovely! It regularly retails for $41, Diva special $37.

Last was Jarvis Estate Lake William Blend, another Bordeaux blend, also from California. This got rave reviews from the ladies. It regularly retails for $52, Diva special $48. This wine was our first Premium Wine of the Quarter Club wine!

Next meeting is Monday, May 23 at 6:30. It would be great to get some new members! Until next time, ladies...

Update

First meeting of the Divas is two weeks away. There are nine of us as of today, but I'm sure there will be more on the evening of the 20th. Should be fun, everyone signed up is looking forward to it. I haven't chosen what two wines we'll try, I'll choose them as the meeting gets closer. Till then...

Divas d'Vine!

Welcome to Divas d'Vine! I've just started a new wine club at the store for women only (sorry guys!) where we'll try two premium wines each month and discuss each one. Our first meeting will be at 6:30 on April 20. I'm not sure which wines we'll try since the club is still forming, but rest assured, the wines will be great!

At last night's weekly Thursday wine tasting, I signed up three new Divas (that makes 5 of us) but I'm sure more will be eager to join.

So...stay tuned and I'll update as I get more info.