In this episode, Jeff tastes through four Cremant d’Alsace for the #AlsaceRocks Twitter Tasting.
Wines Tasted:
Lucien Albrecht Blanc de Blancs Cremant d’Alsace, Gustave Lorentz Cremant d’Alsace, Dopff et Irion Brut Rose Cremant d’Alsace, and Domaine Charles Baur Rose Cremant d’Alsace
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Jeff
Which of these four Cremant d’Alsace are up your ally. Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff tries to figure out what’s in that brown bag.
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Jeff
If you were playing along at home, what wine did you think this was? Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff pairs a blind wine with his lunch and dinner.
Food and Wine Pairing:
The wine had some really nice acidity, accompanied by red and dark fruit notes. I paired it with a Grass-Fed Beef Sirloin topped with Onions, Mushrooms, and Garlic Sauteed in Stagecoach Vineyard Olive Oil and a bit of Danish Blue Cheese. The Salad is Romaine Hearts with a Simple Vinaigrette and Parmesan Cheese. The food and wine together provided an overall richness that would be lacking if they were consumed separately.
Wine Tasted:
What I originally picked to be an 8 – 10 dollar Chilean Carmenere, turned out to be the 2012 Chateau Ste Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia Valley of Washington State.
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Jeff
What flavor profiles do you look for when pairing food and wine? Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff tries a wine from a paper bottle. What’s the worst that could happen?
Wine Tasted:
Paperboy Winery 2012 Paso Robles Red Blend
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Jeff
What’s your take on wines in alternative packaging? Leave a comment, and let us know.
In this episode, Jeff breaks open a Napa Valley Cab sample from 50 Harvests.
Wine Tasted:
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Jeff
When was the last time a wine made you sad. Leave a comment, and let us know what you think.
In this episode, Jeff takes this Ferrari for a spin…
Wine Tasted:
Ferrari NV Rose
Links:
Ferrari NV Rose sample provided by Gregory White PR.
Don’t forget to visit Jeff Eckle’s blog, The Lonely Vine.
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Jeff
Leave a comment, and let us know about the last, legit, pink, sparkling, Italian wine you had.
In this episode, Jeff recommends this Cotes du Rhone for your Thanksgiving feast…
Wine Tasted:
Le Clos du Caillou 2009 Cotes du Rhone
After the Fact: Jeff hasn’t done any videos in a while, so he’s a bit rusty. Please forgive him for referring to this wine as a Cotes du Rhone Villages, when it is obviously a Cotes du Rhone.
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Jeff
What do you want to see on Stay Rad Wine Blog. Leave a comment, and let us know.
Sometimes…
I drink White Zinfandel.
Yeah…
I said it.
Considering that 10% of all wine sold in the United States is White Zinfandel, it’s hard for me to imagine that anybody reading this post right now has never had a taste of that sweet, pink, fermented grape juice.
Considering that you are the type of wine drinker that reads blogs, it would be hard for me to imagine that your personal wine cellar has anywhere close to a 10% composition of White Zinfandel. In fact, I doubt that your collection has any White Zin at all.
Why would you?
It’s pink. It’s sweet. It’s one-dimensional.
Dare I say…
In my neck of the woods, you’d get your ass kicked for drinking that stuff.
So…
What the hell was I thinking when I brought home this?
Sutter Home 2012 California White Zinfandel: The Original
Now…
I know that most of us say that we would not be caught dead with this sweet stuff in our houses, but you’ve gotta know that there is a time and a place for White Zin.
A while back, I went to a wedding in Phoenix, Arizona (and wrote about it here). It was 95 degrees out, and I was wearing a warm-ass suit.
They were serving some White Zin at the bar, and I decided to go for it.
And…
It was exactly what I needed.
Cool.
Slightly sweet.
Versatile.
It was exactly what I needed at the time.
From that moment forward, I swore that I would never overlook any type of wine just because it’s not en vogue.
There is a time and a place for everything.
Now…
It’s been quite some time since my last White Zin experience, so I thought I’d try my hand at a food pairing with the original pink stuff… Sutter Home 2012 California White Zinfandel.
First, let’s give it a taste, and see what we’re working with…
Color: Pink. I mean… seriously. This is what you would expect White Zin to be.
Nose: The fruit is definitely present on the nose. Big, juicy strawberries, with a bit of lemon/lime soda poured over the top. There’s a surprisingly nice minerality here.
Taste: More of the same. Sweet strawberry juice with lime citrus and some nice mineral notes.
Score: There’s nothing that exciting about a wine like this. It’s neither an in-your-face mind-blower, nor is it a nuanced thought-provoker. It just is what it is… A delicious, and refreshing, adult beverage. Crack one open right after finishing some yard work, and you’ll be stoked. It’s an easy 82 for me. That’s right. I said it.
Now…
On to the food!
Cabbage and Carrot Slaw with a Spicy Peanut Dressing. The acid of the wine, elevates the peppery notes from the slaw.
Hot and Sour Soba Noodle Soup with Peas and Gyoza. The wine provides a refreshingly fruity note to the sour and earthy edges of the soup.
Seriously, guys…
If it’s been a long time since your last White Zinfandel, you may want to give it another shot.
What’s the worst that could happen?
Stay Rad,
Jeff
Okay, guys… Here’s your homework assignment. Head on down to the grocery store with five bucks, pick up a White Zinfandel, and leave your tasting notes below. We want to know your take on the pink stuff.
In this episode, Jeff dives in to a nice Rosé.
Wine Tasted:
Sables d’Azur 2012 Cotes de Provence
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Jeff
What’s your favorite Rosé wine? Leave a comment, and tell us about it.
Hey all!
Just chiming in to give away $50 of free wine from Underground Cellar.
Keeping It Underground. Keeping it Real.
Over the last few weeks I’ve been keeping track of all the readers who entered the contest. This past Saturday morning I ran all of the names through an online randomizer, and I now have a winner.
So…
Ladies and Gentlemen…
Let’s give a rip-roaring round of applause to…
(Drumroll)
Frances Deleon!
Congratulations, Frances. I’ll be sending you an email shortly with your coupon code, so you can start filling up your virtual cellar… or your literal stomach. It’s up to you.
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Jeff
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