A Beginning

A so-so day that ended with some good, not great, wine. If there was a theme to this night it was value. Not one bottle cost more than $13. We have sought diversity in the bottles we choose and tonight was put together well.

Round 1: Peter Lehmann Barossa Shiraz 2006

Nichole: Prior to being fully opened it was quick to tannin and leathery. After it opened it was medium-bodied and fruity, but not fruit-forward, with pepper.

Zeke: Brick red in color and a spicy smell made me think this wouldn't be a fruity Shiraz. Tasting confirmed that suspicion--lots of pepper, leather, and spiciness. Not a fruit bomb and in my opinion, not alot of fruit period. I think I would like it more with food. Not my favorite Shiraz.

Will: The mouth feel on this wine was fantastic, slightly warm, very fresh with just enough acidity. The mid to full body and low tannin just blew me away. I tasted fresh ground white pepper and maybe some coriander up front with a nice red plum note all the way through. Drinkable, but I have to agree with Zeke, possibly better with food. (Note: when drank after eating a garlic stuffed olive... magic.)

Round 2: McManis California Cabernet Sauvignon 2008

Nichole: Not memorable--I've had more exciting Cabs.

Zeke: The nose reminded me of Slingshot (my favorite Cab--from Napa Valley): dark fruit, mocha and slight earthiness with a hint of herb...I'd probably call it sage. Nice flavor, but a lighter style. Not that silky for Cab and the tannins started showing up after it opened. Hmmmm... The finish was short which was slightly disappointing. A decent value Cab.

Will: Enjoyable, nice comparison drinking right after a good peppery shiraz. I couldn't help but be reminded of the slingshot we had last week as far as taste and bouquet goes. (Well done for a low cost cab) But, nothing really stood out; on a side note if I say anything is mid-bodied I'm comparing it to a Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which is the equivalent of drinking Promise Land whole milk.

Round 3: Cantina di Casteggio Oltrepo Pavese Moscato Dolce NV

Nichole: Sweet, heavy sugar with delightful bubbles. Makes me want to eat dessert.

Zeke: Tasty! My favorite style of sweet wine. For $9, this is killer! Not as elegant as it's more expensive siblings, but totally satisfying. Like sipping tuberose!

Will: Wow, that was sweet. I respect what I'm drinking but I have to admit I'm not the biggest sweet fan when it comes to wine apparently. I did taste a nice note of golden apples as well as a very, very sweet lime. Maybe a little too much of a good value.

Non-sequitir of the night comes from the Discovery Channel, during an ad for a show on logging: "The hooker hand-selects the wood..." We were in the kitchen, heard that and laughed our heads off!

More to come...