Tasting- Potluck Sweet Malbec

This 2010 Potluck Sweet Malbec is 100% Malbec, made in Mendoza, Argentina, priced at $7.95 a bottle. The Vintage Cellar said, "Deep red brilliant with violet hints. Complex, fruity, and predominant red fruits. Easy to drink, round with persistent sweetness, very balanced with sweet tannins". This wine a very deep purple-ish red color. It was smooth and sweet with soft tannins. It had flavors of black raspberries and cherries.

Tasting- Domaine de Grange de Payan

This 2011 Domaine de Grange de Payan is mainly Grenache from Cotes du Rhone, France, priced at $8.95 a bottle. The Vintage Cellar said, "Intensely spicy and precise, with lively red berry flavors and a hint of back pepper. The Grenache, which makes up the majority of the wine is deeper an dmore powerful, offering cherry and black raspberry qualities lifted by zesty minerality". I liked this wine a lot, it had a fresh dark berry taste, hint of spicy pepper and rush of raspberries.

Tasting- Maipe Malbec Rose

This 2011 Maipe Malbec Rose is 100% Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina priced at $7.95 a bottle. The Vintage Cellar said, "Intense pink color with violet hints. Fresh red fruit bouquet, strawberry and cherry flavors, balanced acidity, dry and lingering finish. Excellent with tuna or green salad, pasta, spicy Asian dishes". The nose on this wine was like a fresh spring day in a bed of flowers. It tasted fresh, yet sour and also had some grassy/earthy tones to it.

Tasting- Cortenova Pinot Grigio

This 2012 Cortenova Pinot Grigio is made from 100% pinot grigio in the Cortenova Estate in Veneto, Italy priced at $7.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "Brilliant straw color with emerald reflections. Fresh and floral bouquet with a hint of pears, apricots and bananas. Fresh and inviting with bright fruit and an easy drinking style with a pleasing hint of almonds in the aftertaste. Pairs well with seafood dishes, risottos with scampi, spaghetti with clams, sole in white wine. Perfect also as an aperitif". I thought this was a very fresh wine, the color was extremely white, almost clear. This wine smelt of ripe, sweet fruit and tasted refreshing and sweet, yet not as sweet as a wine such as Moscato.

Tasting- Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir

This 2011  Robert Mondavi Private Selection Pinot Noir is from Acampo, California, Pinot Noir varietal, priced at $11.00.  Cheap Wine Ratings said, "The nose on this wine is pleasant, with aromas like nutmeg, vanilla, cherry and a subtle frankincense.  At least that’s what comes to mind.  I honestly haven’t smelled actual frankincense in some time, but the wine has a perfume / incense fragrance that made me think of frankincense. In the mouth it offers tart cherry flavors up front, with some strawberry flavors and spice coming into play on the mid-palate.  The finish is a touch bitter, but not offensively so.  The acidity is good and the tannins are subtle, but sufficient.  All told, this is a decent, although somewhat predictible, pinot noir". I thought that this was a good pinot noir for the price. It was extremely light in color and smelt of vanilla, cherries, strawberries, and smoky oak. And it had a fresh fruit taste with hints of sour cherries and strawberries. 

Dinner- Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro

On March 8, 2013 I went to the Grand Cru Wine Bar and Bistro in Arlington, VA with my friend Julie, my mom and dad, and their friends Patti and Tom. Every dinner we have together when I go home has to include great wine and better food, so this dinner was a real treat. Grand Cru's mission is to blend fine wine and excellent cuisine at a reasonable price. This restaurant brings the best of the two together, excellent food and a world class selection of wines all in a quaint European style of dining, as they describe on their website.

*** The three wines in the middle (in the smaller glasses) are in order the wines I tried in the flight. The other two wines on the ends are described in my tasting blog posts.***

To begin the dinner I ordered the wine flight called "Wine Tour France". The first wine it included was a 2011 Chateau Les Tuileries Entre-Deux-Mers White Bordeaux priced at $14.99 a bottle. It is from Bordeaux, France and of the Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon varietal. It smelt of a wonderful concoction of pear, kiwi, citrus, grapefruit, apricot, melon, honey, pineapple and cream. The tasted stayed somewhat consistent of grapefruit, citrus and melon but with a twist of gooseberry, mint and a little pepper.

The second wine that the flight included was a 2010 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Pinot Noir priced at $24.99 a bottle. It is from Bourgogne, Burgundy, France and made from the Pinot Nior grape, as seen in the picture below. This was a big wine that tasted of cherries, strawberries with light to medium tannins. 

The last wine included in the flight was a 2009 Domaine de la Perriere Cabernet Franc Chinon priced at $21.99 a bottle. It is from Chinon, Loire Valley, France, 100% Cabernet Franc grape. This was my least favorite wine of the night, it was light to medium bodied, very closed nose smell because I do not think it had opened up yet. But it tasted of light berries, vegetal, and an almost fishy taste (possibly just from the restaurant itself). 

Now for pairing the wine with food....

As an appetizer Julie and I ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes; "Jumbo lumps of domestic crabmeat with arugula, mango salsa, and lemon-garlic aioli", as described by Grand Cru. I enjoyed the crab cakes with the 2011 Chateau Les Tuileries Entre-Deux-Mers White Bordeaux.  The crab meat was tender and delicate and in my opinion paired very well with this fresh, tangy White Bordeaux, especially when accompanied by the mango salsa. The wine really accentuated the flavor and aromas of the crab meat and the acidity cut through the breaded flaky outer shell of the crab cakes. 

***This is a picture of Julie and I at the Grand Cru restaurant (with the crab cakes on the table). In our hands is the Pinot Noir flight I previously described, I tried it with the crab cakes and decided it would go better with my main dish and then I finished the crab cakes with the White Bordeaux. ***

For my main dish I chose the Baby Rack of Lamb; serrano-cilantro yogurt, minced Moroccan spiced lamb and green lentils, as described by Grand Cru. I chose to enjoy my baby rack of lamb with the 2010 Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Pinot Noir. The silky texture of the wine complemented the tenderness of the lamb. The slight fattiness of the lamb just melted away by the wine's acidity and mineral tone. The lamb softened the tone of the wine, and brought out the delicious characteristics of the lamb

*** This is a picture of the rack of lamb I ate at Grand Cru. The Pinot Nior I drank with it is the wine in the middle behind the plate.***
The last wine I described in the flight, the 2009 Domaine de la Perriere Cabernet Franc I drank before dinner and did not pair with any food.

After dinner, my parents, Julie and I went to Patti and Tom's house to enjoy some more wine and sweets. We enjoyed home made chocolate oatmeal cookies, dried figs and almonds with Don Manuel Villafane Estate Malbec 2012. This wine was a 2012 from Mendoza, Argentina, 100% Malbec priced at $14.99 a bottle. It was light to medium bodied with notes of blackberry, blueberry, cocoa, spices, milk chocolate, light vanilla and very fine tannins. The hint of cocoa, milk chocolate and vanilla made this wine delicious with the home made cookies. The wine was not incredibly sweet so it did not overpower the taste of the cookies, dried figs and almonds.

This was an amazing dinner and I cannot wait to do a wine and food pairing dinner again!

Tasting- Our Dog Blue White Table Wine

This Our Dog Blue White Table Wine is a semi-sweet Riesline-Traminette blend and Vidal Blanc. There is no vintage on the bottle and is from Chateau Morrisette in Floyd, Virginia. Snooth Drink Great Wine said, "This is a beautiful white wine that is exceptional year round. It is a semi-sweet Riesling-Traminette blend, using Vidal Blanc for added depth. Aromas of melons, citrus fruits, apricots, and delicate flowers highlight the soft finish of this soothing wine. Serve chilled with fruits and cheeses, fish, or spicy foods. It's extremely clear and crisp. I have visited this winery many times and am a Kennel Club Member. Our Dog Blue happens to be their #1 seller. I highly recommend this bottle to anyone that enjoys Rieslings or white wines! Be sure to check out Chateau Morrisette other white and red wines".  I really enjoyed this wine, it has a very fresh taste of citrus, melons and apricots. It was a nice lemony yellow color and smooth taste. 

Tasting- Jean Royer Le Petit Roy

This 2010 Jean Royer Le Petit Roy is a Grenache and Syrah variety from France, priced at $19.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "Deep dark crimson red colour. The nose displays youthful freshly crushed raspberry aromas followed by some cherry, plum and spice. the palate is a youthful essence of Grenache possessing excellent concentration with mouth-filling flavours of raspberry, plum, dark cherry, confectionary and spice. Very fine grained well integrated tannins. Good length with long raspberry, plum and spice aftertaste. cellar 3-4 years". I thought that this wine tasted of dark berries, especially raspberry, and black pepper among other spices. It had a strong taste and was also very bitter.

Tasting- Dom la Blaque Pierrevert Provence

This 2010 Dom la Blaque Pierrevert Provence is from Pierrevert Provence Rouge, Provence, France, made from Grenache and Syrah priced at $7.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "Explosive balckberry and blueberry on the nose. Very ripe with blueberry, mulberry, raspberry, some mineral character, upon layers of fruit, good texture, and with some backbone that should help it age very well. This is definitely more serious than its price tag." I liked this wine a lot, it smelt of dark berries and had a spicy zing to its complex taste. 

Tasting- Isiri Dolcetto d'Alba

This Isiri Dolcetto d'Alba is a 2009, Isiri variety from the Dolcetto d'Alba region of Piedmont Country, Italy priced at $18 down to $7.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "Cherry and plum aromas fill the nose with jammy overtones. It is firm with almond flavors on the finish. Dolcetto is the everyday wine of the Piemontese, it pairs well with a wide variety of dishes from tomato-based pasta dishes and white meats, to minestrone and antipasto platters". I thought this wine had a strange after taste, with a pretty dark purple color, and it tasted of dark berries and cherries.

Tasting- Fortediga Vermentino

This 2010 Fortediga Vermentino is from Maremma Toscana, Italy, Vermentino variety priced at $20 down to $9.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "Clear yellow in color. The aromas are lifted with pleasant hints of pear and green apple. The fresh, smooth flavors on the entry persist, the structure is fine amd balances well with fruit." I thought this wine was a little too bitter and acidic for my taste, but it was a pretty yellow color and tasted of green apples, lime and pears.

Tasting- Green Fin California White Table Wine

This Green Fin California White Table Wine is a 2011 from Madera, California varietal of Sultana, Columbard, and Muscat priced at $3.99 a bottle from Trader Joe's. A professional blogger review: "Clear in color and clean with citrus and floral notes on the nose. The early palate shows lemon rocks (mineral) which are eventually washed out by a (residual) sugar component that is close to, but not quite, overpowering. The palate finishes slightly flabby and syrupy before a tart finish that shows promises of crispness. Not to be had on its own, perhaps as a Gewurzt/Riesling substitute with spicy foods."
I thought this was an alright wine since it is so cheap. It was sweet with a hint of vanilla and citris with a flabby finish.

Tasting- Domaine de la Perriere Cabernet Franc

 This Domaine de la Perriere Cabernet Franc was part of a "France" flight I tried at a restuarant called Grand Cru in Arlington, Virginia. It is a 2009, from Chinon, Loire Valley, France, 100% Cabernet Franc priced at $21.99. Review from wine searcher: "As a varietal wine, this Cabernet Franc is light to medium-bodied and often shows vegetal characteristics, in particular green bell peppers."
This was my least favorite wine of the night. Although it is a 2009 it had not fully opened up yet and had a very closed nose smell. But it smelt of light oak and berry with a distasteful fishy smell (possibly just from the restaurant), and was vegetal with a splash of blackberry.

Tasting- Dog Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

This Dog Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc is from South Island, New Zealand, 100% Sauvignon Blanc, 2011, priced at $21.99 a bottle. review by wine.com: "The 2011 Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc is a straw green color, with a fresh, intensely concentrated aromas of tropical fruits infused with ripe citrus notes, complemented by lifted hints of lemongrass and passionfruit. It has a fine texture and acidity, with a degree of minerality and a lasting, refreshingly crisp finish on the palate. This wine is a perfect match with white meats, pale cheeses and seafood (especially oysters and scallops)."
I thought it had medium acidity, with a pineapple bite and hints of lemongrass and green apple.

Tasting- Blue Fin California Viognier

This Blue Fin California Viognier is a 2011 from Napa Valley, California of the Viognier variety, priced at $4.00 a bottle. Review by the Corvallis Tid Bits Community Newspaper:
"It has been more than a month since having had this wine, I am just now getting around to writing this review. We purchased this wine at Trader Joe's for under $5. The price was reasonable and we were not certain what to expect in so far as quality vs price.
A pleasant surprise this wine is actually quite good, perhaps even a bargain, given the cheap price. If you are looking for a wine that would go well with a light meal or maybe a piece of fish or pork then give this one a try.
I thought there was a hint of citrus with some pear subtly in the aroma of the bouquet. It has a remarkably smooth finish and is not harsh. Other less expensive wines in this category have been so harsh that it was not worth finishing the bottle, not so with this Blue Fin Viognier.
I would purchase a second bottle of this wine. A "B+" is my rating."

I thought it tasted of crisp green apples with a refreshing adequate acid balance, with hints of pineapple and grapefruit. For the price, this is for sure a white wine I will enjoy again.

Tasting- Chateau Poyanne

This Chateau Poyanne is a 2011 from Cotes de Bourg, Bordeaux France, varietal of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot priced at $5.99. Review by Soursmashed, "the worldwide leader in wine + spirits reviews":
"hateau Poyanne Cotes de Bourg is a blended red wine from the Bordeaux region in France. I like to think of Bordeaux as that happy land full of nothing but delicious wines. Usually, that is the case. When I picked up this bottle of Chateau Poyanne Cotes de Bourg from Trader Joe’s, I hoped that I would not be disappointed. The low price tag was somewhat a worry, but if anyone could have delicious wine from Bordeaux for only $7, it would be Trader Joe’s. With some reservations, I got to drinking.
The Chateau Poyanne Cotes de Bourg is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This creates a rich, full bodied wine that stands up to almost any wine pairing. My favorite, of course, is a nice, juicy rib eye. The wine ends with such a nice finish that you can’t help but want more.
I am definitely a fan of Chateau Poyanne Cotes de Bourg. In the sub $10 price range, it is hard (though not impossible) to find something from Bordeaux that tastes this good. I am definitely going back for a few more bottles!"

I thought it smelt of moderate oak, fine tannins with the look of a medium light garnite color. It tasted of cassis with a very strong acid backbone, and slightly vegital on the after taste.

Tasting- Dom Vincent Paris Saint-Joseph

The Dom Vincent Paris Saint-Joseph was the last wine we tried yesterday at the Vintage Cellar. This wine is 100% Syrah from Cornas, France 2012, priced at $24.95. The Vintage Cellar used a review from Josh Raynolds Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jan/Feb 2011); "Bright ruby. Spicy black raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a delicate floral touch. Juicy and a touch jammy, with livly red berry and floral flavors and good tangy cut. Bright and focused on the finish, which repeats the spice and floral notes. This drinks well now". This was my favorite red wine of the day, with a sweeter, less tangy, robust blackberry taste.

Tasting- Paride Iaretti Uvenere Gattinara

The Paride Iaretti Uvenere Gattinara was the fourth wine we tried at the Vintage Cellar. The variety is Nebbido, Croatina, Vespolina, Bonarda from Piedmont, Italy priced at $12.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "50-70 year old vines. Maggiorina, ancient trellising system- typical of the northern part of Piedmont. Uvenere is Italian for "black grapes". Purpleish red, intense perfume, redolent of flowers, red fruits and spices". I thought this was a pretty awful tasting wine, the wine was a pretty deep red color, but it was acidic with an immense bite of spices.

Tasting- Dom de Sol Picpoul de Pinet

The Dom de Sol Picpoul de Pinet is the third wine we tried at the Vintage Cellar yesterday. It is from Languedoc, France 2011, Picpoul Blanc variety, priced at $9.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "From one of the oldest indigenous varietals to the Languedoc, Picpoul Blanc is the ideal partner to a number of fish and shellfish dishes. The wine is a golden colour with green tints. The nose is fruity with hints of rose petal and lime. The palate is quite light and dry with lively acidity". I really enjoyed this wine, it had a sweet smell that gave the impression it was going to have a very sweet taste, but to my surprise it had a dry, freshness to it that I was not expecting.

Tasting- Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol

The Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol was the second wine that we tried yesterday at the Vintage Cellar. It is from Sancerre in the Loire valley of France, Sauvignon Blanc variety, 2011, priced at $27.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "Much more than a aimple quaffer with its aromas of candied grapefruit, Mandarin orange, lime and wildflowers. But what really sets it apart is it mineral-infused personality. These are wines of the soil, wines that echo the land with percision and delineation found in only the greatest of white wines. Comprised from the Boulay's many small parcels around the hamlet of Chavignol- considered to be the finest spot in all of Sancerre". I thought that this wine was very good, yet pretty acidic, with a splash of citrus infused lemon.

Tasting- Dom Labbe Abymes Vin de Savoie

The Dom Labbe Abymes Vin de Savoie was the first wine we tried at the Vintage Cellar yesterday. It is a 2012, 100% Jacquere from Savoie, France priced at $13.95. The Vintage Cellar said, "This delicious crisp white is 100% Jacquere, a grape varietal that grows especially well in the Savoie regions of France nestled in the foothills of the alps. The meticulous and traditional vineyard work of low yields coupled with vinification in non-reactive tanks and foudres produces a wine with excellent typicity and freshness. The color is a clear pale lemon green and the aromas are pure eith a medium intensity of flowers and citrus. A clean, dry white wine with bright acidity, stony minerals and floral fruit flavors. It is a natural match for shellfish or it can be enjoyed alone as an apertif on a warm sunny day." This particular wine and the Gerard Boulay Sancerre Chavignol were by far my favorites of the seven wines we tried today. It was very smooth and refreshing with a bite of citrus; not too dry yet not too sweet.