Wine Club 24: Aires Andinos Chardonnay, Santa Helena Pinot Noir

Date: September 27th, 2012
Host: Christine
Served: smoked gouda & pine nut crescents, Beemster cheese and crackers, Buffalo chicken salad, key lime pie
Bonus bottle: Nachtgold Eiswein

Aires Andinos Chardonnay 2011 (Mendoza, Argentina) 13% alcohol, $7

Christine says (14.5): Pale straw with cool slate edges. Warm fruit aroma, like pears. Perfumed scent. Tart up front. Tannic, oaky taste, especially in the finish. Felt very slightly frizzante. I liked it.

Andrea says (16.5): A light golden color. The smell was musty, with tart green apple, cherry, pear and a little bit like feet. The taste was sweet at first, then tart and oaky. A good everyday wine, especially for the price.

Kim says (16): Well, these wines were scored using one of our previous rating systems, meaning it was a bit more technical and allowed less points in the subjective categories so take this for what you will! Nonetheless, I felt this Chardonnay suffered in aroma and bouquet (big surprise!) because it made me think of... well, musty cucumbers. Even the after taste was a bit sour (maybe the tartness that Andrea mentioned). But Christine's cheesy crescent rolls and buffalo chicken salad made it all okay... I had to ask her for the recipe for both. Yum!


Santa Helena Gran Reserva Pinot Noir 2009 (Central Valley, Chile) 14.5% alcohol, $10

Christine says (11): Blood color/claret; thin and clear. Smelled like strawberry jam, earthy rot, mold?, and green herbs like tarragon and mint. Alcohol taste, burning tires, weeds, wintergreen.

Andrea says (14.5): The color was blood red, but light and clear. My first smell all I could come up with was alcohol. After swirling I could smell a lot more: cranberry, jam, strawberry, mint, licorice, mold and earth. It tasted of jam and rhubarb. Tart and smokey, but the alcohol flavor was a bit overwhelming. 

Kim says (10): I'd like to say I tried to give this wine the benefit of the doubt because in the past, all three of us have been able to forgive the smell of cat pee, sweat, barnyard funk and feet. But when you come across a wine that brings to mind pungent black fuzzy mold, it's a bit of a challenge. Appearance? Thin and watery, and tasted a bit like lemon juice.

Nachtgold Eiswein NV (Rheinhessen, Germany) 10.5% alcohol, $19/500mL

Christine says (17.5): Very dark honey, almost amber, color. Smelled like honey, pears, herbs, grass and strawberry shortcake. Tasted very much like honey, as well as vanilla and apricots. Short-to-medium finish.

Andrea says (17): Dark amber-orange color. The first smell I wrote down was strawberry, which seems surprising for an Eiswein. But I also smelled honey, cake and vanilla. The strongest flavor was the honey, it tasted just how it smelled, vanilla, strawberry, and cake. A delicious dessert wine. Great with the key lime pie. 

Kim says (16): Beautiful and understated elegance... warm, amber, sparkled (but not frizzante), tasted of honey and apricots. For a person that doesn't care for ice wine, I very much enjoyed this!

Wine Club 59: Blau vs. Blau

Date: November 22nd, 2013
Host: Andrea
Served: steak chili, grilled 3-cheese sandwiches
Bonus bottle (from the host's personal inventory): J.W. Morris Gewurtzraminer 
Bonus bottle (provided by Kim because this year's Beaujolais Nouveau just hit the shelves yesterday): Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau 2013

Blau #1

We had previously tried the Blau Red Blend 2010 and enjoyed it so much (scored a ♥ love love love!) that we decided to try the oaked version from the same vintage, side by side. While possibly not a true comparison as the proportion of grapes is markedly different (the unoaked Blau was 50% Syrah, 25% Mazuelo, 25% Garnacha blend), it was an interesting battle nonetheless.

Andrea says: Nice body, tart and fruity, good acid level. I loved both Blau Blends and even though I scored the new one slightly lower that the first one, I think I liked the new "oaked" one better.

Eye-catching labels

Christine says: Very berry. More acid than I remembered. Part of me wonders if this bottle suffered some temperature abuse? Because I adored this the first time around, giving it a perfect score. This time, I only gave Blau #2 a 14.5, but I wound up preferring it over Blau #1. Though Blau #2 did go best with the meal.

Kim says: I have to agree with Christine. I keep the cooler for my reds at 65° so I know it didn't suffer in my care... it must have been beforehand. This particular bottle of wine had higher acidity than I like. We thought maybe it just needed time to breath but several hours later, there was no improvement.

Blau #2

Can Blau Red Blend 2010 (Spain), 40% Mazuelo + 40% Syrah + 20% Garnacha,  14.5% alcohol, $17 at Otto's

Andrea says (19): Ruby red color. Smelled like cocoa, red berries, perfume, as well as dirt and alcohol smells (that sounds bad, but I liked the smell). Nice taste, rich and smooth. Tasted like blackberry and raspberry. Nice tannins. This Blau was lighter in acid when compared back-to-back, which I thought improved it. I think the oaked Blau had a richer, darker flavor.

Christine says (14.5): More intense, deep ruby color and less translucent than the first Blau. Plush smell! Violets, orange peel and very slight cherries. Blackberry taste, nice green stemminess, some acid in a finish that wasn't great. It smelled good, though it was hard to ID many flavors. A little thin and light up front, and too much acid in the mid-palate and end. But it was SO GOOD with the chili. Win!

Kim says (16): Much preferred this one over the unoaked version but that opinion is specific to this bottle. And mark the history books... for once, I gave this wine full points for bouquet! Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, black licorice. Smelled so good- deep and calming. Fantastic finish, nice and long with strong tannins. My suspicion that this would be a good match for the chili proved right on, especially since Andrea used such flavorful meat in her version!

Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau 2013 (France), 12.5% alcohol, $12 at Otto's

Andrea says (16): I think I maybe wanted to like this Beaujolais more than I actually did, and I probably inflated the score more than it deserved. It was a pretty ruby/garnet/fushia color. I really liked the aroma - floral, vanilla, almond and cake! Tasted like berries, chocolate, licorice, floral, banana. Medium tannins

Christine says (12.5): Very pretty, light clear raspberry color. Aroma of red berry and floral. Light, slight banana flavor, short finish. Although I liked it better than the Duboeuf we had in February, I rated this one lower (Duboeuf got a 13.5). I guess my scoring is getting tougher. I also think my curiosity for Beaujolais Nouveau has fully run its course.

Kim says (9): Not impressed.Very festive color (of course), and the initial smell brought something familiar and yummy to mind but I couldn't put my finger on it. However it made me pucker as if I had just sucked on a lemon, and I only allowed it 1 point in Appeal simply because it was so pretty.

Christine says: The most amazing grilled cheese I've ever had. On Texas toast to hold all the cheese!

Mom's Chili:

4 T. Oil                                        2 - 15oz Cans Pinto Beans
2 Large Onions                            2 - 16oz Cans Baked Beans
4 Cloves Garlic (minced)              6T. Chili Powder
4 lbs Lean Stew Beef (cubed)       3t.  Cumin
3 lbs Pork Sausage                     1T. Oregano
2 - 16oz Cans Diced Tomatoes     2t.  Salt
2 - 6oz Cans Tomato Paste          2t.  Sugar
2 - 150z Cans Kidney Beans        2T. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

In your largest soup pot heat the oil, saute onions and garlic until soft. Add beef and sausage, cook until brown - drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, dry ingredients and baked beans. Simmer partially covered for 2 hours (add water if too dry). Add pinto beans and kidney beans (I don't drain any of the cans). Cook 30 minutes longer. I only made half of the recipe and still had leftovers for weeks. Freezes well. 

Giant Grilled Cheese:

Texas Toast
Butter
Sharp Cheddar
Havarti
Muenster

I cook these with the lid on the pan, trap in the heat to melt the cheese.

The last of J.W. Morris.
Sad face!

Andrea says: The end of J.W. Morris Gewurtztraminer! No longer in production and this was my last bottle. We loved it the first time around, still good the last time around.

Wine Club 58: Argentina & A Happy Accident

Date: November 14th, 2013
Host: Kim
Served: Cheesy rye toasts appetizer, grilled flank steak with chimichurri, chickpea salad with parmesan and herbs, grilled scallions

Terra Rosa Malbec 2010 (Mendoza, Argentina) 14.5% alcohol, $12 at Waterford

Kim says (19): Skip the bleu cheese crust or bearnaise sauce... do it the Argentinian way and top your steak with chimichurri, a sauce basically consisting of olive oil, vinegar and parsley. Add in whatever herbs might strike your fancy (garlic, red pepper flakes, oregano, a spritz of lime juice) and you have a light and healthy alternative! And Christine really set the stage with this wine, which went great with the meal- a very deep color with vibrant edges. Aroma of jam but not sweet... maybe cranberries and cinnamon? Slightly thin body but perfect tannins! Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!

Christine says (16.5): Very deep purple color. Smelled like peppercorns, jammy fruit, blueberry poptart. Taste of acid, tannins, sous bois and black fruit. Medium-long finish. Still, tasted a bit thin and you definitely get the alcohol. I liked it better than the 2011 TintoNegro I brought last time.

Andrea says (17): A dark burgandy color, almost opaque but more clear on the edges. Smelled of blackberry, cherry, chocolate, brown sugar and alcohol when it was swirled. The first thing I noticed about the wine was the tannins. It really coated my tongue and stuck to my palette. It had nice acid and was more tart than I had expected from the smell.  Very rich flavor, with blackberry and cranberry flavors. Good, I would drink it again. I liked it with the steak.


Domaine Jean Royer Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2011 (France) 15.5% alcohol, $27 on sale at Waterford

Kim says (17): Christine calls her reaction, "initial shock." If I were her, I think I would have cried. Upon finding out that she had accidentally uncorked a $40+ bottle of wine that she was very much looking forward to trying several years from now, she quickly recovered and we were all able to benefit from the mix up. This wine was a very elegant color, smelled of cocoa and had a complex finish... but that might have just been alcohol. Both of these wines went great with the steak!

Christine says (18.5): After I got over the initial shock that when I stopped at home to pick up wine for Kim's, I had grabbed this wine instead of the less-expensive Côtes du Rhône I'd planned to bring, it was time to just relax and enjoy it. The wine was ruby, with garnet edges. Smelled like fruit: cherry, raspberry, plus cocoa and cedary spice. A warm smell. Big taste! Well balanced, evergreeny (like wintergreen) and a long finish with fruit in the finish. It was really good. I probably would've shared the bottle with my same BFFs anyhow...I just planned to do it in about 3 years. Luckily, Waterford still had the wine on sale, so I was able to buy a replacement. It was very good with the meal: will definitely serve the second bottle with steak.

Andrea says (18): Poor Christine, I was sick when she realized she'd grabbed the wrong wine. But the wine was delicious and went great with the steak. I was glad to hear she was able to procure another bottle. This wine had more of a brick red or blood color, and more transparent than the first wine. The smell was very rich and subtle - Chocolate, dusty, minerals and anise. After swirled I could smell alcohol, licorice, raspberry and jam. The first thing I noticed when I tasted it was the nice body. Smooth, rich, sweeter than expected, tasted like strawberry! Again, great with the steak.

Wine Club 31 (say goodbye to 2012): Mission Point Pinot Noir, Araldica Albera Barbera d'Asti

Date: December 31st, 2012
Host: Kim
Served: veggies, dips, cheese and crackers, sloppy joes
Bonus bottles: a French sparkler (thanks, Christine!) and tequila margaritas

Mission Point Pinot Noir 2011 (CA, USA), 13.8% alcohol, $9ish? at Trader Joe's

Kim says (12): Well, my notes say that I thought this wine was "thin in color." I think I probably meant that it was fairly translucent, which I usually don't comment on unless it's extreme (very translucent like the Domaine de la Terrière Beaujolais, as pictured here; or so dark that it seems to suck in the light around it, like the Terre des Chardons Marginal, mentioned here). Also noteworthy was the distinct aroma of pepper, mint and blackberries which is so interesting that I would like to try this wine again. 

Andrea says (15.5): A nice ruby color with pale edges. Smelled like raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, strawberry, plus black pepper and brown sugar. Tasted nice with good body. Jammy with grass and mint flavors. I would drink it again. 

Christine says (14): Looked thin; pale ruby. Jammy, raspberry, blueberry, brown sugar, and slightly peppery vanilla. Tasted like jam, and then minty in the mid-palate and finish. I got it for free at my company holiday party. So the price was right, but the wine was just barely OK.

Araldica Albera Barbera d'Asti 2009 (Italy), 14.5% alcohol, $14 at Whole Foods

Kim says (14): Athough I apparently thought this wine smelled like asphalt & honey and tasted like dead leaves, I found it to be appealing and overall felt it was good. It seemed to suffer in the categories of bouquet and color but was well-balanced and had a nice finish.

Andrea says (15.5): Pretty raspberry, fushia color. Smelled a little bit like rubber, but then blackberry, mint, jam and vanilla. Tasted smokey with a tart jammy taste. Good body and tannins. I liked it a lot.

Christine says (13): Dark, intense purple. Smelled like tires, burning rubber, some mint, vanilla, very slight honey. Full-bodied taste, with tobacco, mint and jam flavors. Not a complex taste. Earth and alcohol finish.

   

Christine says: Kim made an awesome spread filled with the party foods I absolutely love! Lots of good munching here.

Happy New Year! Cheers to 2013!

Wine Club 57: November Means Turkey

Date: November 1st, 2013
Host: Christine
Served: Sweet Potato Tartlets, Pecan Turkey Cutlets with Dilled Carrots, Herb Biscuit Loaf
Bonus bottles (from the host's personal inventory): Dupeuble Beaujolais Blanc 2011, Jason Stephens Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2010, Edmond Cornu Bourgogne Les Barrigards 2012

Don Rodolfo Moscato 2011 (Mendoza, Argentina) 11% alcohol, $9 at Woodman's-Oak Creek

Christine says (15.5):  Pale light straw color, frizzante. Smelled like peaches and white flowers. Yummy. Sweet taste, not complex, bubbly, fruity and fun. Nice finish that included a citrusy pineapple tang.

Andrea says (14): Pale lemon color, plus frizzante. Nice aroma, but not too strong. smelled like honey, lemon, apricot and a little mineral. Taste was sweet but thin body for my liking. Honey, fruity, and vanilla flavors. Reminded me of cream soda. Went very well with the appetizers. 

Kim says (17.5): Looked frizzante on the pour, smelled like pear, honey and vanilla. Had a buttery texture and happily was frizzante (smiley face + unicorn)! Had a nice spark of acid which was very appealing. On the sweet side but after all, it is a Moscato (which I had to keep reminding myself so that I didn't penalize it for being too high in sugar, too low on tannins, etc). On the rare occasion that I am in the mood for a Moscato, this Don Rodolfo is everything I hope for!


Apothic White 2010 (CA, USA) Chardonnay + Riesling + Moscato, 12% alcohol, $9 at Woodman's-Oak Creek

Christine says (14.5): Medium to intense gold color. Num num smell! Prunes (in a good way), peaches, mango. Ripe, sweet smell. Expansive mid-palate, not as sweet as expected; some deep low note (of oak?) that I wasn't crazy about. I wished it tasted as fruity as it smelled.

Andrea says (18.5): I was a huge fan of the Apothic Red Blend so I just had to try the White Blend. It was a golden yellow color, it had a few little bubbles but was visibly viscous. It had a buttery, apricot scent. There was an aroma that was hard for me to place. Something over-ripe, sweet and fruity? Maybe mango? Taste was smooth, sweet, nice body, small tart bite to it. This wine had all of the things that I thought the other wine was lacking which maybe made my score a little unevenly weighted. It went well with the turkey. 

Kim says (11): Well, for those of you that follow our ventures regularly, this will not surprise you: something is wrong with my smeller! I almost never give a wine all 3 points in the category of bouquet. In fact, if I rate a wine the nearly perfect score of 19, chances are that missing point is in bouquet (sad but true... and it's not the wine's fault). Funny thing is, I actually have a very strong sense of smell... more than one person has remarked on it (usually accompanied by some sort of reference to a bloodhound). Apparently, my sense of smell is strong but not discerning! Anyway, back on topic...
Apothic White. You know those air fresheners labeled something like Rain Forest or Tropical Breeze? That's what this smelled like to me. And I think I just noticed... interestingly enough, the things I smell, Andrea tastes. It's happened more than once but this time, I thought I got a hint of grapefruit and Andrea mentioned a tart bite upon tasting. I think there was also something vaguely... musty? And I originally docked this wine on body, making a note that I thought it was thinner than water. But I later amended that score because I think it only suffered by comparison to the Moscato. I wound up giving it full points in the category of body.

I nuked the sweet potato to save time over boiling it, then mashed it up coarse and stirred in pecans and mini marshmallows. These were good little tarts and not too sweet. I was running behind with the meal and put Kim and Andrea to work right away. Andrea made the yummy biscuit bread, and Kim quickly peeled and chopped a million carrots.

Bonus bottle bonanza! Courtesy of Waterford Wine Company.

Wine Club 55½: Three Happy Campers

Date: October 5th, 2013
Location: Kettle Moraine

We took advantage of the brief, 10-minute break in the rain to set up our tent. Of course, we realized afterwards that there was 4" of water flooding our fire pit. We checked with the ranger station and they said we could scope the grounds... we found the perfect site and moved.

First order of business: setting up the kitchen. Second, fire. Third: sleeping arrangements.

Lustau East India Solera Sherry (Spain) Palomino + Pedro Ximenez, 20% alcohol, $19.99 at Waterford.

What does Wine Club do for dinner in the rain when camping? Why, brie with currants, roquefort, crackers and a bottle of sherry, of course!

Personality quiz: What does your breakfast veggie pack say about you?


Andrea chose an even distribution of all available options.
Answer: strives for balance and harmony.









Christine preferred the perfectly ripe tomatoes and went easy on the sausage.
Answer: light-hearted and sweet.









Kim avoided the green peppers and went heavy on the onions.
Answer: complex and knows what she wants.

Fire master Christine
keeps an eye on breakfast

The local bar fly

The on-site dance club

Wine Club 56: Fall Brunch

Date: October 20th, 2013
Host: Andrea
Served: Pumpkin latte pancakes, fried eggs, sausage, caramel apple cider

The Seeker Riesling 2012 (Mosel, Germany) 10.5% alcohol, $11 at Otto's Wine Cask

Andrea says (16.5): Very pale wine, almost a mint green color. Smelled like honey, apples, and a dusty mineral smell. Smooth mouth feel, tart, nice body. taste of honey and lemon.

Kim says (16): Yep, I decided to let my geek flag fly on this one. In a nod to Terry Goodkind's Legend of the Seeker series and of course, dual recognition to Once Upon a Time and our own The Vine Diary, these two wines made my inner sci-fi/fantasy fan and wine geek smile! Anyway, this wine smelled perfectly of a crisp, autumn day... like granny smith apples and slightly dusty. The taste was a study in contrast- smooth, tart, acidic, sweet. Like Christine said- honey and lemons. Very well-balanced, even with the bit of pucker on the finish... yum! Unfortunately, clashed with breakfast.

Christine says (13): Very pale appearance, like water. Smelled like flowers, lemon, apples and maybe lime peel. Bright and green smell. A bit puckery, but had a rich, viscous mouthfeel. Tart finish.



Once Upon a Vine The Fairest Chardonnay 2011 (CA, USA) 13.5% alcohol, $8 at Otto's Wine Cask

Andrea says (14.5): I loved the title of this wine! Cute name. This wine was also very pale, but more of a lemon/lime color. Smelled like pear, floral and a little smokey. Also a little yeasty which sometimes I describe as a "baby food" smell. This wine was smooth and sweet, smokey, nice body, tasted like tart apple.

Kim says (10): Not the warm, rich, gold color I think of with a chardonnay- a pale, almost greenish cast. Something funky on the nose... sweet potato skin? Lacking in bouquet and body, I also found this chardonnay to be high acid and low sugar. How do I really feel about this one? Ambivalent.

Christine says (15.5): Light pale greenish gold, with very small bubbles. Smelled of yeast, pears, slight vanilla and a little sweat. Alcohol taste, viscous, green apples and a sharp taste (of oak?). Pretty long finish. It didn't taste frizzante, despite the bubbles. Good for the price!




I could eat breakfast food all day...

Always some wildlife at Andrea's!
Christine identified this guy as a cormorant.







Wine Club 55: Spain and Peru in one night

Date: October 2nd, 2013
Host: Kim
Served: Lomo Saltado

TintoNegro Malbec 2011 (Mendoza, Argentina) 14% alcohol, $10 at Waterford

Kim says (14.5): After the fantastic tasting at Waterford, we came back to my place and it was a mad dash to throw dinner together. How appropriate... a night of Spanish wines and we start dinner at 8pm! Fortunately this meal (a spin on the traditional Peruvian lomo saltado) lent itself to exactly that... quick and easy throw-together! This Malbec was enjoyable... I liked the aroma and felt it was appealing but found it to be slightly off-balance with a thin body and overly strong tannins.

Christine says (15.5): Intense burgundy color, living up to Malbec's "black wine" reputation. Tobacco, red fruit, some mint and maybe dried strawberries in the bouquet. Subtle smell. It also had a hint of tires, which went away. Big body, round, good tannic grip, medium-long finish with herbal notes. Could taste the alcohol. Going back, I also smelled tomato stems. Sadly, it clashed with the meal. The cumin and other spices in the beef made this wine feel a little bit dirty. I had a glass the following night, and it definitely benefited from being open a longer time.

Andrea says (12): Dark and nearly opaque burgandy color, bright pink around the edges. Very light aroma. Mild fruity aroma. Jammy, with raspberry and yeasty notes. After sitting for a while, the wine developed a plastic, dirt, asphalt, rubber smell that really put me off. The taste was mostly of alcohol and some berry flavors. I think that my low score was mostly the result of asphalt stink. The food was terrific, but this wine didn't compliment it very well.


Cline Zinfandel 2012 (Lodi, CA, USA) 14% alcohol, $10 at Waterford

Kim says (16): Mmm! Although this wine was also a little thin, I felt it was well balanced... and it happened to be a better match with the meal. I very much enjoyed this (thank you, Christine- for leaving the bottle)!

Christine says (15.5): Pretty ruby color. Strawberries and some stemminess, with a hint of orange. Nice round, fruity flavor, herbally cedar taste, definite blueberries and some red fruit. Yum! Shorter finish. Very good with the meal; would also be good with chili.

Andrea says (17): Burgandy, fushia color. Smelled great! Vanilla, cake, sweet jam, and citrus. Smooth and sweet on the tongue. Spicy taste, a little pepper flavor. Blueberry and still a little bit of cake flavor. Very good with the steak.

Christine says: What an awesome meal. And we were hungry, getting a late start due to a wine tasting we got to attend at Waterford Wine Company. We were treated to a tour of Spain. Highlights to me were (the runaway favorite) a 1970 Rioja that's older than all of us, and the much more affordable and totally awesome Lusteau sherry. Damn good stuff. No one escaped without ordering at least one bottle! The tasting was educational, funny and fun. The only bad part was having to drink $10 wine with our dinner after being spoiled on these:

Heredia Vina Cubillo Riserva Rioja $21.99
Hacienda Monasterio Ribera del Duero $49.99
Condes de Albarei Albarino $12.99
1970 Valdemar Gran Reserva Rioja $189.99
Nit de Nin Priorat $89.99
Recaredo Brut Nature Cava $34.99
Juan Gil Monastrell Jumilla $16.99
Navaherreros Granacha de Bernabeleva La Mancha $22.99
1998 Heredia Vina Tondonia Reserva Blanco Rioja $38.99
Lustau East India Solera Sherry $19.99

Wine Club 54: Pretty Cocktails

Date: September 22nd, 2013
Host: Christine
Served: carrot soup, apple cider chicken & potatoes, pineapple upside-down cake
Bonus bottle (from the host's personal inventory): plum wine cocktails

Ménage à Trois Pinot Grigio 2011 (CA, USA) 13.5% alcohol, $7.50 at Woodman's-Appleton

Christine says (14.5): Very, very pale with a hint of lemon color. A strong and good aroma! Lemons, pears and green apple. Big body, strong streak of acidity. Tart green apple finish that was on the short side. We all liked this one better than the White Blend we tried last spring.

Andrea says (17.5): Clear golden color. Wonderful aroma! Floral, peach, honey, pear, and a little lemon. The taste was sweet, like pear and honey. Nice level of acid. Crisp and tangy. Very good, almost a love for me. Great with the meal.

Kim says (17.5): I think the name of this wine is meant to shock and seems a bit gimmick-y but I've had their Folie à Deux; and we've also scored their White Blend (Chardonnay + Moscato + Chenin Blanc) and I enjoyed them both. But it's this Pinot Grigio that impressed me the most... Andrea and I both scored this 17.5... a very serious score! The aroma was outstanding... strong and pleasant but I couldn't quite put a finger on anything except honey, and possibly very faint... green apple. Very pleased that this wine tasted just like it smelled!

Pine Ridge 2012 (CA, USA) 80% Chenin Blanc + 20% Viognier, 12% alcohol, $10 at Woodman's-Appleton

Christine says (18.5): Pale gold. First whiff was of cat urine and pine trunks, but not in a horrible way. Also apricots, flowers and minerals. Yum taste! Tart mid-palate, nice body, taste of apricot, honey, minerals. Sweetness, but with a delightful zing. And after tasting, I didn't smell anything unpleasant in the bouquet. Tart finish. Good with the soup. I liked it!

Andrea says (18.5): Almost exactly the same color as the first wine, clear and golden. A delicious fruity and floral scent... at first. After letting it breathe, it had an earthy, dried-leaf smell. not great, but brought out the mineral smells. When swirled the fruity floral smell came back. Christine mentioned apricot, definitely could smell and taste that. The wine was smooth and sweet, nice thick body, tasted like peach and apricot. Fantastic pairing with the carrot soup!

Kim says (17): Andrea knows us so well... she picked this wine because it's a blend of Chenin Blanc (one of Christine's favorites) and Viognier (one of my favorites)! Both of these wines had such a strong aroma that we could actually smell them immediately upon pouring... from five feet away! I think it was the Pine Ridge that smelled the strongest and the best... of peaches and fruit cocktail. But interestingly enough, in the (less than ten) minutes it took to score the first wine, something happened to this one. The smell turned somehow. Gone was the light, fruity aroma, replaced with the smell of pine sap and wet bark. And while I like those smells, this was not pleasant. Extremely vigorous swirling brought a little bit of the peaches back, but barely. And this wine was full of surprises... it looked frizzante but wasn't; it smelled fruity but was nice and tart; and amazingly enough... was an extremely good match with Christine's delicious carrot soup (which contained leeks, onions and hot sauce)!

Christine says: My goal with this meal was to use up as many vegetables on hand as I could. Check!--though I'm still eating the soup leftovers, which used a staggering 3 pounds of carrots. I doctored this soup to where it would be impossible to provide a recipe. I did document the chicken and spuds, though: It was a winner and one I'd make again. Here goes:

Apple Cider Chicken & Potatoes
1 c. apple cider
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. wine peppercorn mustard with seeds (I used Mrs. McGarrigle's)
1-1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning

Combine all; save 1/4 cup for the potatoes. Pour the rest into a large resealable plastic bag and add:

4 bone-in chicken breasts

Marinate overnight, turning occasionally. Drain and roast (on a foil-lined pan! for the love goodness, an absolute MUST for next time! makes one hell of a mess!) at 375 degrees until done. Meanwhile, cut up:

1-1/2 pounds red potatoes

Toss on a baking sheet with salt, pepper and a little olive oil. Add the reserved cider mixture; toss to coat. Bake until done, stirring occasionally. Note: I added the potatoes after 25-30 minutes of roasting the chicken. These were enormous chicken breasts, nearly a pound each, and roasted for 50-55 minutes total.

For each plum wine cocktail, I mixed 1-2/3 shots of plum wine with 1-1/3 shots of Pellegrino and 1 shot apple cider. Yummy with the cheater's dessert I bought at Whole Foods.