Big Ol' Bottles of Wine

BBQs at Purple Mom and Purple Dad's house always give a good reason to blog.  The one we had most recently to celebrate the final push of summer provided another great wine topic - wine bottle size.

But first, I must give a shout out to the Sauvignon Blanc of the evening.  As I've said before, not much is better than an ice cold Sauvignon Blanc on a hot summer day. And the same holds true for the Sauvignon Blanc from Cupcake Vineyards. This bottle retails for $9 - $10. The grassy nose leads to a clean, crisp and citrus taste.  A great buy for the money!

I have so much to say about DeLille Cellars as it is one of my favorite Washington wineries.  Trying to stick with the theme of bottle size so I'll keep the D2 tasting notes short and save the topic of DeLille for a future blog.  D2 is a blend of 41% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Petit Verdot.  The 2004 vintage has a nose of oak and berry and cherries and blackberries dominate the lengthy finish.  The velvety Merlot like mouth feel and fruit forward taste put D2 high up in the ranks of Purple Girl's favorites.

Now more about bottles... so, why buy a large-format bottle anyway?  First of all, it certainly makes an impression on those who are lucky enough to share the bottle.  There is something special about seeing a bottle that you can't find in your local grocery store.  But, for Purple Girl and most wine connoisseurs out there, having a large-format bottle is not all about image.  Since the ratio of air to liquid is lower in large-format bottles, these large vessels are superior to their "standard" counterparts in maturing wine as it allows the wine to age more slowly.  This particular bottle (shown above) is a Magnum, which is 1.5 liters of wine and is the equivalent of two standard bottles.

Now for the big kahuna of the evening... the Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico.  This Reserve from 2003 made its home in a Double Magnum bottle, which is 3 liters of liquid and the equivalent to four standard bottles of wine.  (As an aside, 3 liters of sparkling wine is called a Jeroboam).  This Chianti is medium bodied and tastes of cherries, vanilla and has hints of smoke flavor.  And the structure of the wine held up nicely in the large format bottle.

In case you are interested, the largest wine bottle is called the Sovereign and is the equivalent of a whopping 34 standard bottles.  Probably would take a fork lift to get it on the table.  Following behind is the Melchior (24 bottles), Nebuchadnezzar (20 bottles and don't ask me how to pronounce it), Balthazar (16 bottles), Salmanazar (12 bottles), Imperial (8 bottles), Jeroboam (6 bottles of still wine), and then the Double Magnum and Magnum discussed above.  No one is really sure why larger format bottles were given biblical names.  The earliest recorded use of a biblical name for these bottles was in 1725 when the Jeroboam was named after the biblical founder of Israel because he was referred to as a "a man of great worth", as were large sized bottles.  The largest bottle I've ever had the privilege to drink out of was an Imperial.  Quite impressive to say the least.

So there you have it, your lesson in wine bottles.  Go for the Magnum next time - you'll be glad you did!

So Many Reasons to Love Purple

Besides being an avid wine connoisseur, I'm also a die hard University of Washington Husky fan.  For those of you not from the Seattle area, UW colors are Purple and Gold... or "Go Purple, Be Gold" as the saying goes.  There's really no better time of year to be a Husky alumni than the fall when Husky football season swings back into full gear.  Especially when you are friends with THE Purple Tailgater... well known for his ability to organize a great tailgate party.  I never imagined having so much fun in a parking lot until I tailgated with the Purple Tailgater.  Needless to say, this Purple Girl is happy when drinking or wearing purple... the two together is darn near perfect.

Seeing as this is a wine blog, I attempted to stay true to form for the tailgate and chose wine as my beverage of choice.  Seattle is experiencing record breaking warm temperatures this September so I opted for some ice cold Sauvignon Blanc - one of my favorites on a hot summer day!

First up, Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010.  This is one of my staples in the summertime.  A bottles retails for around $13 and can be found at most major grocery stores and is often at Costco.

Like many great sauvignon blancs, Kim Crawford is located in New Zealand.  Their early roots trace back to a small cottage in Auckland where they got their start in 1996.  Sauvignon Blanc comes from the French word sauvage (meaning "wild") and blanc (meaning "white").  Most sauvignon blancs are known for their distinct and intense aromas and can range in taste from grassy to fruity.  What I love about Kim Crawford's sauvignon blanc is the ever-present citrus flavors and the fresh and lingering finish.  Taking a sip is almost like taking a little Hawaiian vacation, which is a nice treat while hanging out in a steaming hot parking lot.

Before I review the next wine, I feel compelled to say that we tailgated for SIX hours... hence the reason for the second bottle.  I was with Purple Tailgater and all.  And, I had some help on the second bottle.  No need to send me to rehab.

Okay... next up... Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc 2010.  Also from the Marlborough region of New Zealand (sense a theme here?), this wine pairs well with hot temperatures.  Its strong citrus flavors are similar to Kim Crawford but the Nobilo is drier and crisper in comparison.  Wine Spectator magazine describes it as having a "laser beam of lemon, lime, grapefruit and apricot flavors".  If you aren't sure what a laser beam of flavor tastes like, Nobilo is a must add to your list.  Another great bonus, it retails for around $10 and, if you are lucky, you can find it on sale for even less. 

All in all, it was great to be back at Husky Stadium cheering on my Huskies.  They even eeked out a 30-27 win for the first game of the year.  Hopefully a trend that continues on this season.

Until the next tailgate... Go Dawgs!

The Heart of Rock and Roll

Huey Lewis and the News + wine from Chateau Ste Michelle + a perfect 80 degree day in Seattle = one very happy Purple Girl. 

Purple Dad and Purple Mom gave me tickets to Huey Lewis for my 29th (plus some change) birthday last May.  And while late August days are generally pretty fantastic around here, it was hard to be sure of the weather this record breaking cold summer.  Needless to say, the crowd packed into the amphitheater at Chateau Ste Michelle was very appreciative of one of those "perfect Seattle weather days" - 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.  If you've never been to a concert at Chateau Ste Michelle, it is a must add to your "bucket list".  There is something about the fresh air and beautiful scenery that, on its own, would make for a great evening.  Add some tunes, good wine and a picnic and it becomes unforgettable.

Mr. Purple and I pre-funked by belting out Huey hits in the car on the way to the concert. (Did that just give away that there's becoming a lot of change after my 29?)  Once we were happily in our seats with Purple Dad and Purple Mom, we really got the party started with some cheese, crackers and a 2010 Chateau Ste Michelle Sauvignon Blanc from Horse Heaven Hills.  And therein lies another one of the beauties of a concert at a winery... the ability to enjoy wine while in the venue (as long as it is from that winery of course).

This sauvignon blanc from Chateau Ste Michelle is perfect for a hot summer afternoon - cool, crisp and full of grapefruit.  The only drawback is that it is so darn drinkable, it goes down a little too easily and a couple of bottles were empty before we knew it.

As the sun went down, we moved on to a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Canoe Ridge Estates. This cab from the Canoe Ridge Estates is a subtle Washington cabernet, rich with dark cherry flavors with a hint of spice.  Its smooth, warm texture was a perfect compliment to the dark chocolate I brought as an after dinner treat. 

All in all, it was a great night.  And, after all these years, Huey still has his groove.  Not bad for 61 years old.  Proof positive that the Heart of Rock and Roll is still beating... (in Cleveland).

Bachelorette Wine Tasting in Yakima Valley

The "big day" is just around the corner for Purple Girl's friends, Nicole and Joel (henceforth known as Purple Bride and Purple Groom). And with pre-wedding festivities in full swing, it was time to head over to the Yakima Valley to do some wine tasting for Purple Bride's bachelorette party.  The theme of the weekend was "start classy, end trashy" and we did just that in our visits to Zillah area wineries... well, at least the "start classy" part.  So, without further ado, here are my reviews of the five wineries we visited.

First up... Portteus Winery.  If you didn't know it already, Washington has over 600 bonded wineries to date and is the second largest producer of wine in the United States, second only to California.  So, it is no small thing that Portteus Winery, founded in 1981 was the 13th bonded winery in the state and continues to thrive today.  They were also pioneers in the Yakima Valley, which was home to only a handful of other vineyards at the time of their first vintage.

It is safe to stay that the staff at Portteus was among the nicest of the groups we visited.  Not sure bachelorette parties have the best reputation with wineries in any area and yet they were accommodating and gracious from the moment we walked in the door.  Portteus has a wide selection of wines in a variety of price ranges yet even their most expensive wine only retails in the mid $30 range.  They state on their website that "when the economy is good, they make lovely chic wines and when the economy is bad, they make lovely cheap wines."  My personal favorite was the Purple Haze - a red blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Petite Syrah - and retails for about $30.  

Silver Lake. Silver Lake is a well known label in Washington State with tasting rooms in both Woodinville and Zillah.  They have been making wine since 1989 and have grown to over 50,000 cases annually.  While there are many pros to tasting and buying wine from a big name establishment like Silver Lake, it is not my personal preference.  The staff in the tasting room in Zillah operate like a big name winery and I didn't feel the personal connection I feel in small boutique establishments.  They are also the only winery we visited that had a tasting fee for even the non-reserve product.  That being said, I am a big fan of the new Girlie Girl label available for purchase in this tasting room.  The design of the bottle is fun, the wine is drinkable and reasonably priced, and some of the proceeds benefit breast cancer research - a winner all around.  I'm now the proud owner of the Girlie Girl Merlot (also named "Kayla"), meant for girls who love adventure and travel.  Sounds like a good match for this Purple Girl.

Cultura.  Hands down, Cultura was my favorite winery on this trip!  It wasn't originally on our planned tour, but a nice couple at Silver Lake insisted that it was worth the change in plans and boy were they right.  Unlike the first two wineries we visited, Cultura is a relatively new winery and has only been in business since 2005.  The owners, Tad and Sarah Fewel, do all of the work themselves and made roughly 600 cases of wine in 2010.

Cultura's wine is smooth, full of fruit and has long and lingering finishes.  They only make reds and, after tasting every varietal they make, I can't say there is one in the bunch I wouldn't want to own.  I settled on three - Merlot and two different Cabs.  It is easy to pass the time in their classic and charming tasting room.  Pair that with Tad and Sarah's friendly nature while tasting their fabulous wines and you have the perfect recipe for a happy afternoon.

Two Mountain. Another great winery - rates second on Purple Girl's list for the afternoon.  Founded in 2002 by brothers Matthew and Patrick Rawn, Two Mountain has a wide variety of wines, including Reisling and Chardonnay, and harvest most of their grapes from their own Copeland Vineyard.

In addition to Two Mountain's delicious selection of wines, they also have an interesting crew of characters (aka dogs) lounging around the tasting room.  These funny companions enjoy spending the hot Yakima afternoons on the cool concrete floors.  My favorite canine was a yellow lab named Gus who took a special liking to Purple Bride.  Apparently Gus enjoys being the center of attention and will happily roll over for a belly rub.  He adored the rubs from Purple Bride so much that he would bark when she stopped giving her affection.  Purple Groom may have some competition.

Bonair Winery. Bonair was established in 1985 and is a well known presence in the Yakima Valley.  Owned and operated by husband and wife team, Shirley and Gail Puryear, Bonair is a breathtaking location to visit.  Even better, Shirley is engaging, entertaining and full of marital wisdom that she eagerly shared with Purple Bride.  In fairness to Bonair, they were the last stop after a great deal of consumption.  I skipped several of the tastes offered to save myself from a purple hangover.  They did, however, offer a unique and memorable experience for Purple Bride, complete with a serenade from Slava, the Serbian farmhand armed with a guitar and a charming smile.

And that wraps up a fun filled adventure in wine tasting.  There were many more great memories as the evening wore on but those moments probably not fitting for a "classy" blog such as this one. Congratulations to Purple Bride and Purple Groom!!  And remember, "whatever you have, own it!"

Viva Las Vegas!

I know they say that "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" but that wouldn't make this blog any fun, now would it?  An unseasonably cool summer in Seattle sent Purple Girl and Mr. Purple packing for the desert.  While the rest of the world avoids Vegas in August, we jumped at the chance to bask in the blazing heat for a belated anniversary celebration.  Besides relaxing by the pool, playing some not so lucky hands at blackjack and seeing Le Reve (the Wynn's amazing acrobatic water show), we also had the chance to enjoy some wine.  Would you expect any less from Purple Girl?

Night one: Tapas and wine at La Cave - Wynn Las Vegas.  La Cave could be a blog post in and of itself.  La Cave is located in the Wynn and its trendy yet cozy atmosphere lends itself to the perfectly indulgent date night (or girls/guys night out if that's what brings you to Vegas).  The sun was setting while we there and the view overlooking the pool was amazing.  They are well known for their extensive wine list and small, but savory, plates. We enjoyed the salmon sashimi won tons (yes, we were brave with the raw fish) and the steak and blue cheese flatbread.  Safe to say that not a single morsel stayed on the plate. 

Wine was a bit tougher since eating establishments on the The Strip can get away with significant mark ups.  For those lucky people who were able to "win big", there were bottles of wine in the $4,000 range!! Sadly, the Purple's weren't that lucky so we opted for one of the "budget" wines - Tobin James, James Gang Reserve, 2007 Zinfandel from Paso Robles.  This great bottle of wine retails for $28... any takers on guessing what we paid for it?

Zinfandel is not always the most popular choice on the wine list but we had faith in a good Zin from Paso Robles. Paso Robles is one of the largest AVA's in San Luis Obispo County (I sure do love saying San Luis Obispo).  The Santa Lucia mountain range to its east shelters much of Paso Robles from coastal influences.  The first grapes were planted here in the late 18th century by Spanish missionaries.  Its warmer climate lends itself to rich and full-bodied wines like Zinfandels.

If I could give a one word adjective to the James Gang Reserve from Tobin James, I'd call it sassy.  As with most Zinfandels, this wine is not for the amateur wine connoisseur.  I've never particularly understood what it means when wine reviewers call a wine "jammy" until I tried the James Gang Reserve. The spicy and fruity aromas coupled with the strong, velvety raspberry taste make this wine a winner.  The spicy and peppery finish lasts a long time and reminds you that are drinking a Zin.  Highly recommended and I only hope I'm lucky enough to cross paths with this wine again.

Night Two: Dinner at Botero - Encore Las Vegas. I was not looking forward to the day I had to give a not so stellar review, but here we are in only post #7 of this blog.  Sure, I could sugar coat my experiences but that wouldn't really help out my fellow foodies and wine snobs out there.  Honesty wins out over being polite this time, so here goes my review.

Botero at the Encore Las Vegas has a lot of potential but doesn't necessarily deliver.  I'll admit I had a little sticker shock when I first saw the menu out front but the advertisement for their "Taste of Wynn" special convinced Mr. Purple and I to make a reservation for our belated anniversary dinner.  They were advertising a pre-fix, 3-course menu for $55/person.... not a bad deal when every option sounded fantastic.  Sadly, when we were seated shortly after 7:00 p.m., we were told the "Taste of Wynn" ended at 7:00 p.m. so were forced to order off the regular menu.  (That little caveat was not well displayed on their well marketed advertisement).   Well, you only live once right?  So, we sucked it up, dusted off our disappointment and ordered off the regular menu (I'm still gasping). The wedge salad was terrible (who can mess up a wedge salad?) and the main course of halibut was very average, at best.  If I would have paid $15/plate, I might not be so critical.  But triple that (at least) and you don't get by this Purple Girl easily. Now to the wine....

Given our <mildly surprised> reaction to the menu options, we opted to go for the safe bet and ordered a pinot from Patricia Green Cellars.  Patricia Green Cellars, located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, is also a wonderful place to visit.  We were first introduced to her wines when we enjoyed her signature pinot specially made for the Herb Farm in Woodinville, Le Herb Savage.  Patricia Green Cellars specializes in pinots for all different tastes... hard to be disappointed after a visit to her winery.

We ordered her Pinot Noir from the Balcombe Vineyards, which according to her blog, is one of the best vineyards they work with.  The location on the top of the Dundee Hills lends itself to intense and rich pinot noirs and the 2009 vintage was no exception.  This bottle retails for around $36/bottle... sadly not the bargain you can get on the strip.  Believe it or not, we found this bottle located in the "Value" section of the wine list (I mean book).  Patricia chose to ferment this wine in whole clusters which is the reason for this wine's bold, tannin flavors.  I'll tackle fermenting in a future blog but, long story short, the skins, seeds and stems hold the majority of the tannins.  The longer those items hang with the fermenting fruit, the more tannins you'll find in the finished wine.  That's good if you want a wine to age well and stand the test of time... but if you are drinking that same wine two years after it was harvested off the vine, consider yourself warned.  You'll understand quickly what it means for a wine to be "young".  After some lengthy time in the glass and this wine opened up nicely to a classic cherry rich Pinot with hints of vanilla.  Easy to tell this will be a winner 5 - 7 years from now.

In fairness to Botero, they did have quite possibly the best dessert I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy - Smore's Brioche Doughnuts. If I could give my honest opinion, enjoy wine and food at La Cave and make the short trek to a new venue for dessert at Botero.  The two combined would ensure a perfectly wonderful evening.

And there you have it, the Purple's experience with the wine side of Vegas.  Adventures in downtown Las Vegas and the "scenery" at the European pool are best shared in person over another fine wine in the future.

Cheers!

Pre-Vacay Pinot

There's really no better way to get ready for vacation than to enjoy some good wine.  And that's precisely what we did the night before our big trip to Vegas.  Purple Mom and Purple Dad graciously offered to watch Purple Daughter and Purple Son for the weekend.  As we settled the kids in for their stay, we took a moment to enjoy another great Oregon pinot - Winter's Hill Reserve Pinot Noir 2005.

If you visit the Oregon Wine Country in the future, you would be missing out if you skipped Winter's Hill Vineyards. Located in the heart of Dundee Hills, Winter's Hill is neighbors with other prestigious vineyards such as Domaine Serene.  Dundee Hills, located about 30 miles southwest of Portland, OR, was the first region in the state to be planted with Pinot Noir grapes.  It is further inland than other growing regions which provide the grapes some respite from the Pacific Ocean's rain and wind.  The result? - warmer nights with less frost and Pinot Noir grapes love it!!

On past trips to Oregon Wine country, we've been lucky enough to meet Delphine, the winemaker, and her husband Russell.  Besides making great wines, they are also likeable and genuine people, which makes for a truly enjoyable visit.  Their location is beautiful and the rolling hills of the vineyard make for a pretty spectacular photo backdrop.  Now to the Reserve...

Winter's Hill Reserve delivers on Oregon's promise for the perfect Pinot.  The nose smells of spice and cherries and the color rich and ruby. I was overly anxious and took a sip too quick after opening the bottle.  Don't make that mistake as this wine this early in its life needs a bit to open up. After it does though, it is all cherries and raspberries with a long and smooth finish.  Pairing notes online suggest partnering it with chili con carne.... I personally think this wine stands best on its own.

Thanks Purple Mom and Dad for sharing this fabulous find from the Willamette Valley.  A perfect kickoff to a great vacation.  Up next... adventures in Vegas.

A Must Have Basic

I can't drink wine all the time so I'll also use this blog to discuss other aspects of the wine industry, including accessories, literature, and places to buy and enjoy wine.

So, here is the first of my favorites and a basic that every wine connoisseur needs....

The folding stemware rack from IWA (International Wine Accessories). As an aside, if you love wine and don't have http://www.iwawine.com/ on your Internet favorites list, you should. It is THE place for buying hard to find, yet useful accessories.

This little gem is well used in my household as we absolutely do not put our wine glasses in the dishwasher under any circumstances. Riedel glasses are superb but very fragile, very expensive and don't find the inside of a dishwasher to be a hospitable place. 

This rack holds eight stem wine glasses at once and will even fit larger glasses such as burgundy or pinot glasses.  Rubber feet on the bottom prevent it from slipping on wet countertops which could result in (gasp!) disastrous consequences.  After the party is over, it easily folds up to be hidden away for another day.  It retails for $34.95 plus tax and shipping.  Might feel like a bit much for just a drying rack but you'll thank yourself in the long run... can't even count the number of glasses I've broken while attempting to hand dry them.

The countdown to Purple Girl's big trip to Vegas is on... T minus two days and counting.  Doing some research now to find the best wine bars on the strip, recommendations are welcome.