Vino Voyager
Because wine is a journey … one bottle, one winery, and one region at a time
Feeling In”SPIRE”d
Last night was St. Patrick’s Day so what other way does a wine enthusiast spend the evening other than at a wine tasting? Luckily, we planned ahead and had our traditional Irish fare the night before, feeling lucky to get two of 14 spots available to experience the Spire Collection.
Over the Moon for Repris
Tonight we found ourselves opening a 2012 Moon Mountain Zinfandel from Repris, a unique winery nestled high up on the western slope of the Mayacamas Mountain range in Sonoma. The bottle was in our Fall 2014 club shipment so we thought it was ready to drink and we felt deserving of a splurge-worthy wine.
It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Bunny Foo Foo
On one of our last nights in Bend, we had dinner at Jackalope Grill. Our group had received an inside tip from a Bend local, suggesting that we call the restaurant in advance to order its famed elk tenderloin. We heeded this advice, and with our menu selection confirmed, we got to the restaurant early and decided to sit at the bar. Our goal was to order a bottle of wine we could enjoy a glass of while we waited for our table, and one that we could finish with the elk.
The Light and Dark Side of Pinot
We recently took a group ski trip to Mount Bachelor, which is outside of Bend, Oregon. Sadly, we just didn’t have time to add on a side trip to the Willamette Valley, but we did manage a pit stop at Safeway to grab a couple bottles. Although it seems embarrassing to admit we settled for the grocery store in such a wine-rich region, we appreciate Safeway for its localized selections. Since Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir are two noteworthy varietals in this region, we opted for these. We grabbed a bottle of the King Estate Pinot Gris, one of my personal favorites, and Willamette Valley Whole Cluster Pinot, both 2014.
Move Over Dear
Yes, today is National Drink Wine Day. But as the cartoon so eloquently indicates, isn’t every day? So rather than talk about the “holiday,” let’s pour a glass and toast. I think tonight is going to be a Rhone sort of night. I love Rhone-style varietals. Give me a luscious GSM (Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah), and I am in my happy place. They often feature a combination of berry fruit and spice, which I think makes them great for drinking alone or with food. Each of these varietals individually has loads to offer, too.
White is the New Red
Yeah, we know. White wines just taste better in the summer. It’s not even spring yet, so what gives? We have a basic rule around here. Whites before sunset, reds after dark. That means we’re always looking for a good white, especially an unoaked one. So, this brings us to Spain, specifically the Rίas Baixas region.
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Want to Tango?
This vino voyage takes us to Argentina, well, not physically, but at least in mind, spirit, and taste. Five of us who live in the same neighborhood decided we wanted to break out of our comfort zones. It came about because one of us—ahem—seems to bring to dinner the same two wines over and over again. You know who you are. It’s not that we’re being judgy, we just thought it was time to add some new dance moves to our line-up.
Vino Voyager 