The Elizabeth Spencer Pinot Noir Rosé was a different story.

The scent was light, but only because the predominant fruit I picked up on was the watermelon. Take a sip and another strong whiff and you’ll catch a light trace of strawberry and peach, not far off from the winemaker’s notes.

About mid-palate you can pick up on the grapefruit, and it finished off short and dry, like a lot of Rosé do. It would make a fantastic warm-weather wine and would go great with an antipasto platter, cold cuts or a salad (recommended recipe below). I’d score it at 89 points easily.

The bottles run about $25 a piece and can be ordered from the Elizabeth Spencer website. Tell them Bob (a Wine Fugitive contributor and good friend of the winemakers) recommended them.

Winemaker’s Notes

“Deep salmon pink in color. Enticing, fruity aromatic notes of strawberry, peach, watermelon, and a delightful trace of lavender. Flavors of fresh, ripe, strawberry, Crenshaw melon, cranberry, and ruby grapefruit. The wine is light and crisp, with lively bright acidity with bold texture.”

Salad Pairing for Pinot Noir Rosé

1 peeled and diced cucumber
3-4 deseeded and diced roma tomatoes
2 cloves of crushed garlic
3 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley
3 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons of finely chopped of mint
1 ½ tsp cumin (toasted)
2 lemons (zest and juice)
1 red onion (diced)
2 tsp good red wine vinegar
3 pita breads (torn into mouth size pieces)
Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Preparation

1) Combine everything except the bread, cumin and olive oil in a bowl.
2) In a separate bowl, combine the bread pieces, cumin and olive oil. Be sure the bread is evenly coated.
3) Carefully place the bread pieces in a hot frying pan with a tsp of extra virgin olive oil and fry till the bread is nicely toasted.
4) Toss the bread pieces and all other ingredients.  Serve as soon as possible after preparing.

As for the wine itself, it’s okay. It’s not nearly as complex as I expected, but has a strong fruity scent and taste, all the way to the mid-palate. It had a long finish, but was more dusty road than the “dusting of cocoa” from the winemaker’s notes. I haven’t seen any official scores on this vintage, but if I were important enough to score wines and be taken seriously, I’d give it 86 points.

I wouldn’t abandon the wine at the score, though. I find that a lot of under 90 point wines are not stand-alone drinkers, but still pair well enough with certain foods that they taste a heck of a lot better.

Pair it with a meat lovers pizza or spaghetti and meatballs, and you’ve gotten your $10 worth of wine and then some.

Winemaker’s notes:

“Scents of blackberry, black cherry, and plum with a touch of black pepper and clove. Jammy fruit from entry through mid-palate, finishing with wild berries and a dusting of cocoa.”

$10-12, available at Target and Wine.com.

For that reason, we spend a significant amount of time each year attending weddings for family, friends, and other people whom I don’t know but am instructed to attend nonetheless.

Now, weddings can be exciting, dull, full of drama or sweet as pie. Anyone who’s been to more than one will tell you that there’s never really any way to say which direction things might head at a ceremony, and even fewer ways to tell what might happen at the reception afterwards.

One thing I have learned to count on, though, is an abundance of wine.

Not only is that a good thing because there’s usually plenty to drink (no one wants their wedding’s reception bar to go dry), but that also means that there is plenty of wine left over that not everyone is wed to the idea of holding on to.

For most people, the wine they stock for the reception usually ranges from $15  bottles of champagne to $35 bottles of Cabernet. Most smart couples end up overestimating how much booze they’ll need, just to make sure Aunt Eloise doesn’t get cranky. But most smart people are also left over with a number of bottles of wine that they either a) are not interested in storing or b) would much rather make some of their money back on. A smart wine investor (lush, wino) knows that this type of situation presents an interesting dilemma for the newlyweds, and a golden opportunity to score some extra vino.

If you can manage to stick around till then end of the reception (but before the bride and groom leave, if they were the primary financiers), casually mention that they did a great job selecting the wine for the reception. Then, while swirling a glass as though in a sort of distant contemplation, mention that it would be a shame to see the remaining stock go to waste.

If you were chummy enough with the bartender to find out ballpark what’s left as far as the bottle count goes, you could pretty easily figure up a rough value on how much wine is going to be left over. Mention that they might have as much as XX number of bottles left over after the reception, and how you wondered if they’d be interested in recouping some of the investment on the alcohol purchase.

Now, I’ll let you take the rest from there, but you should be able to negotiate a pretty good rate for the wine without more than a minute or two of conversation. No one knows how expensive the wedding was more than the family putting it on, and an offer of even 50-60% of the total value of the wine is likely to be acceptable to anyone who’s a lesser wino than you.

Now, this doesn’t always work, so don’t turn into a wedding crasher just for the sake of restocking the wine chiller, but it is definitely worth bringing up if you are at a wedding and know the bride and groom. You’d be surprised how easy it can be to add an extra 20 or so bottles of chardonnay, cabernet or champagne to your collection for as little as 7 or 8 bucks a bottle.

Ghost Block is 100% cabernet sauvignon.  And while the wine is relatively young in terms of drinking (it can probably be aged for another 10 years easily).  We opened and decanted the wine for about 30 minutes.  When first opened, it had beautiful aromas of tobacco, dark fruit and hint of flowers.  When I first tasted it, I got blackberry, cherries and a little chocolate.  It was well balanced, and tasted wonderful.

What made the wine so unique is how much it changed in the 30 minutes while it was opening up.  The second taste was still full of dark fruit, but it developed an amazing caramel/chocolate finish.  It was like drinking a wonderful piece of candy.  The finish was long and smooth, and you almost felt you combined the power of a young cabernet with an elegant, delicate dessert.  Our table enjoyed three bottles of this wine

($450 total at the Restaurant).  Every bottle was the same, and they were all spectacular.  It’s pricey for everyday drinking, but was worth the money for entertaining Clients.

According to a recent article on Japan Today, an audit into properties owned by the Foreign Ministry found that an official residence of an ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in a Parisian suburb contained a collection of nearly 8,000 bottles of wine.

The audit, in addition to finding the 7,896 bottle collection, also revealed that in the last [luxurious] year at the residence, only 268 bottles were served to guests in the prior year. That’s two more than I serve at my house a year.

Much of that wine will go to waste if they don’t drink it or call in an auctioneer, much like the consulate general in New York that had to discard 198 bottles due to deterioration of quality. Now I’m no government lingo expert, but I don’t think their use of the word “discard” meant to drink rapidly and hide the evidence. The cost of the discarded wine? 2 million yen, which is roughly $24,728 US dollars, or the equivalent of the purchase price (including tags, title and license) on two brand-new Hyundai Accent Blue, a product of the Japanese’ slightly more frugal South Korean neighbor.

In either case, it looks like the US isn’t alone in it’s wasteful corporate and governmental spending. At least the Japanese officials have good taste!

2007 Las Rocas Garnacha

Grenache wines are ripe and rich, with a great balance between fruity and acidic. While most people have enjoyed it in blends with Tempranillo, fewer layman spend significant face time with the grape in its stand-alone version.

When a grape makes as great of a wine as the Grenache, it’s almost always a win-win situation when picking up a bottle. But when you can bag a $10 version rated at 90 points by Wine Advocate, it’s hard to imagine passing up on a case full.

Las Rocas’ Garnacha (what they cal Grenache in Spain) is sourced from old Calatayud vineyards ranging in age from 70 to 100 years. It is a dark ruby wine with a scent of spices, cherries and black raspberries.

Even though the wine is rather young, it’s still one I would recommend decanting for at least a half hour before pouring. A fresh glass will taste okay, but after having some room to breath it really opens up with a deep, complex flavor combination with a surprisingly clean and long finish.

Overall, it’s a fun wine, it has just the right alcohol percentage (14.5%) and goes great with a number of dishes. Recommended pairings include Petit Provincal, Sweet Constantine, Banon and of course Sheperd’s Pie. If you want to give it a go, you can purchase it here.
- The Wine Fugitive

Martín Códax is a co-operative established in 1968. Now boasting over 550 members, the collective has over a thousand acres of vineyards, mostly located in the Salnés Valley in Rias Baixas.

The wine immediately stood out in color from the other wines at the local cellar because of it’s bright, straw-yellow color. After cooling it down to the right temperature, I was pretty impressed with the intense green apple, aromas. It’s not a dull smelling wine, nor is it overwhelming.

It was more smooth than crisp, which was perfect for pairing it with the asparagus and prosciutto risotto we had as an appetizer. Overall, it was a medium bodied wine that we carried through dinner and into the gathering room for conversation.

I could easily see myself keeping it around in the summer time for a lot of the light foods we eat when it’s hot outside. I don’t think we could pair it with many of the heavier winter time dishes we eat, and it really didn’t strike me as a seafood wine even though the winemaker suggests it on the label.

Oh, and did I mention it sell for under $15 a bottle? I couldn’t find a rating for the 2007 vintage, but I would easily give it an 89 points (if I were an important someone whose opinion was valued by magazines and Master Sommeliers the world over).

- The Wine Fugitive

Chardonnay "Unoaked"

I’m not really a Chardonnay fan, and for a good reason… It upsets my stomach.

It is the oaky taste that makes consuming more than a glass or two disagree with my senses. Overall, Chardonnays are a beautiful, delicate wine, but aging them in oak just doesn’t sit well with me.

While I don’t recall the specific wine, my first “unoaked” Chardonnay wine was in the British Virgin Islands after my wedding. I loved the wine for all the reasons people love Chards, and I didn’t feel like I was going to get sick after my 3rd glass.

I have looked around for a few others since then with varying degrees of success. Tonight, while looking for a pairing for my risotto, I stumbled across this in the Argentina section.

Bottled by Luigi Bosaca, the Finca La Linda is smooth, but still has a nice bite if served at the right temperature. My first glass was a little to cold, and the wine was a bit understated. After letting the bottle warm up, I was really impressed.

It was fruity and crisp, with scents of pear, white peach and green apple. It was a great wine to pair with the tangy risotto, but just as good as a stand alone wine on the final two glasses. I would recommend it for any vegetable appetizer, but I really want to try it again with an asparagus and prosciutto risotto or maybe some grilled fish.

Overall, for under ten bucks, I would keep a case around for casual drinking. Which is pretty much all I do anyways….

Many red wines, and some white wines, will begin to buildup a sediment after 10 years of aging. This visually displeasing material also produces a bad taste. While older wines typically require decanting there are younger bottles that can benefit from the process because it aerates the wine, softening the first notes and stirring up the complex aromas.

The majority of wines today do not need to be decanted. Most winemakers follow a process that thoroughly clarifies the wine before bottling. However, if you are decanting a wine here are some simple steps to follow.

The first step in decanting a bottle of wine is to set it upright the day before. This will allow the sediment to build at the bottom of the bottle.

When you are ready to decant remove the entire capsule from around the neck of the bottle. Doing this will allow you to have a better view into the neck of the bottle. Take the decanter, or the container you plan to use, and slowly pour the wine into it. The stream of wine should glide over the inside rim of the decanter and you should pay close attention to see if any loose sediment travels through the bottle’s neck. If you begin to see sediment stop the pour.

You will need to have a light source such as a lamp, or a candle as they used in the old days, that shines on the other side of the bottle’s neck. This will give you a better view of any sediment traveling out of the bottle.

If done properly you should have a container full of clear wine and a half a glass of wine left in the original bottle. Many people have found that this leftover wine with the sediment becomes a great cooking ingredient for dishes such as gravy or sauces.

Some dinner parties desire to bring their own bottle of wine because of its meaning or because its not offered at their favorite restaurant. When its allowed, many restaurants will charge a fee that accounts for the use of glassware and the work of the server. This practice is called corkage.

Corkage is a growing practice but before you head to a restaurant with a bottle of wine in hand, here are some simple corkage rules and tips.

First, call ahead to a restaurant and ask about their corkage policies. Most restaurants will already have a flat fee or a policy. If you call a restaurant that has not addressed the issue ask them what fee would be acceptable. If they do not allow you to bring your own wine they may be able to order your desired bottle in exchange for a kind request and enough notice.

If the restaurant allows corkage you will still want to verify that they are alright with you bringing your specific bottle of wine. Some places do not allow you to bring a wine that is already on their list.

If you do bring your own bottle to a restaurant be sure to talk to the local wait staff about your bottle. Be friendly and offer a taste. This can build goodwill, and who knows, it may result in a discount on the corkage fee. Plus, its always a good idea to develop a good relationship with those that work in the restaurant and wine business who may be able to offer tips on new wines and offer invites to special wine events.

Also, tip well to those that are serving your diner party because being able to bring your own wine to a restaurant is a great opportunity that restaurants are not required to offer.

It may not be required, but ordering a bottle from the restaurant is a good idea. It shows additional support to the establishment and builds more goodwill. Plus, its never a bad idea to have different offerings that can spur wine conversation and please more tastes.