Here we are with part two of the big wine tasting of two weeks ago - I'll reveal up front that there are only 5 more wines to go, as I got a bit tired at the end and maxed out at a total of 10; even when you're a wine enthusiast, sometimes you cannot fathom drinking any more. Fortunately (and surprisingly), I did not even get a hint of a buzz, despite not having any water to drink and only a few cubes of gouda. They had a nice spread of various cheeses, oysters, and bread, and boy did it get destroyed!
Let us begin with Number 6: Margan Family Winegrowers - Shiraz Saignee. I wrote, "not a lot of aroma. Gorgeous rose color. Ahhh - v. good. Dry with a touch of spice and pepper, the spiciest I've had tonight." Saignee is a term that actually was not covered in our mega wine class and I had to look it up. Here is a great general definition.
On to Number 7: Bodegas Julian Chevite - Gran Feudo Rosado. My notes say "Strawberry is really the only scent I get here. Thankfully I feel nothing so far. It is moderately unsafe to look around. Dry. Quite good. Simple. Tasty."
Number 8: Banfi - Rosa Regale, Brachetto d'Acqui. Oooh, I was excited for this one. I've only had a Brachetto a few times before, most notably at my favorite restaurant, Via Matta, paired with a chocolate hazelnut crostata. It's such fun - a sparkling red that's just a bit sweet. Well in this case, it was much too sweet. Yuck. I will generally ftink whatever is given to me, but I disliked this one so much that I asked a bartender pour out the remainder. That is sad. Patricularly when the bottle retails for $25.00. Don't let that dissuade you from trying a Brachetto, however. In fact I am inspired to get one and review it soon - it's one of those wines that you can't help but have fun while drinking.
Number 9: Korbel Brut Rose - everyone has heard of Korbel. But who knew they have famous people like Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Kenny G (Kenny G?!) design their bottles? What do those chaps have to do with wine? Nothing. Thus it is a superfluous gesture and does not impress me one bit. I like Frank as much as the next person, but he's not going to get me to buy a certain wine. Now, having famous artists designing lables, on the other hand, is a different story and one that Chateau Mouton Rothschild has done quite successfully over the years. I found this to be quite delicate actually, not a ton of flavor. It's about $16.00 so would do in a pinch when you need a cheap rose bubbly.
Last but not least, Number 10: Rotari - Rose ($16.99). I was pleased to end on a good note; it was crisp and light with notes of raspberry. I preferred it over the Taittinger but wished I had tried it earlier in the evening as my most emphatic note was "How does Robert Parker do it?", meaning how the heck can you taste wine after wine without getting tired? I was beat after just 10 of them and I definitely found it harder to identify elements towards the end than I had at the beginning.
Some tips for general deportment when at wine tastings: don't crowd around the table for five years after you've gotten your pour, effectively blocking out others who might like a taste. Don't elbow people out of the way in order to get to the cheese tray (I witnessed this). But lastly, don't be afraid! Try some new wines that you wouldn't normally choose. And go by yourself if your friends are busy; I am sure there will be plenty of older gentlemen there who will be happy to chat with you.