Wine Club 69

Date: May 2nd, 2015
Host: Christine
Served: carrot and parsnip soup, fig and red onion pizza, rhubarb crisp
Bonus bottles!

Six Hats Shiraz 2013 (South Africa) 14.5% alcohol

Andrea says (18): Nearly opaque, dark purple with long legs. Smelled great! Earthy and fruity. Tobacco, brown sugar and floral with fig, cherry and grape. A sweet surprise! Nice tannins, very smooth. Juicy and jammy with slight acid streak. A winner for me.



















Juan Gil Red Wine 2011 (Jumilla, Spain) 15% alcohol

Andrea says (14): More transparent than the Six Hats but still thick. Dark brick red  with long legs. Had a strawberry, brown sugar smell with some herbal notes. Mint or eucalyptus. The taste was sweet. Light tannins and a little thin. Sort of tasted like cloves. Great with the soup! Probably deserved a better score than I gave it.

Andrea says: Thanks Christine for the adorable measuring cups!

 

           Dessert...                                                            and the aftermath...

     Andrea says: I literally hiked to the top of Mount Vesuvius for this bonus bottle!    
Bonus bottles... and lots of 'em!

Wine Club 62: A Story in Progress

Date: February 8th, 2014
Host: Christine
Served: butternut squash flatbread, Italian wedding soup, cheeses with kumquat & fig compote
Bonus bottles: Elk Cove Pinot Gris 2011, Lustau East India Solera Sherry

 This picture graced the front page of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel!

Estancia Pinot Grigio 2011 (CA, USA) 13% alcohol, $10 at Otto's Wine and Spirits

Christine says (15.5): Very pale; water-like edges. Fresh spring air and lemon aroma. A big low note in the taste and some grassiness. I liked it better with the meal than the Pinot Gris.

Andrea says (17): A pretty champagne colored wine with a bit of a funky aroma. Stinky feet and mineral but also floral, pear, citrus and honey notes. I liked the taste. Honey with a tart acid streak. A little bit of an iron/blood/mineral taste but I also got the herbal grassiness that Christine noted. Overall a very nice wine that went well with the meal.

Kim says (17): Slightly warmer in color than the Elk Cove Pinot Gris, with good aroma and appeal. I enjoyed this wine and feel this was a fair score and although this was a better match with the food, I think the Pinot Gris was better overall. 



Santa Cristina red wine 2011 (Toscana, Italy) 13.5% alcohol, $12 at Otto's Wine and Spirits

Christine says (19.5): Pretty! Intense and bright ruby. Violets, very slight wintergreen, peppercorns and black and red fruit (blackberries and cherries) on the nose. Medium body, earthy flavor, not as fruity as expected. Excellent with the soup.

Andrea says (14): A burgundy/brick red. Smelled like berries, pepper, earth, minerals, anise, chemicals and a little like tobacco.
Nice smoky and floral flavors. Lots of berry flavors, high tannins.

Kim says (11): I think I wasn't able to get over the initial smell of adhesive... like Elmer's glue. Then there was black licorice, wet leaves, cherries and damp wood chips. I penalized this wine for thin body, high sugar and the finish was lacking in complexity (all tannins). We have discussed this before... maybe the person that brings the wine is the most critical of it. This wine was to be paired with Christine's Italian wedding soup so I intended to get a light, northern Italian red (perhaps a Barbera) but got stuck on this instead. Very pleased that everyone else enjoyed it!

Elk Cove Pinot Gris 2012 (Willamette Valley, WA) 12% alcohol, $14 at Discount Liquor

Christine says (14.5): Light pale lemon. Smelled of pears, vanilla and sugar. Lemon-lime taste with earthy notes. Medium finish. Kind of a yawn.

Andrea says (17.5): Very clear, slightly green color. I loved the aroma. Pear, honey, floral, vanilla and cream soda, yum. Nice acid, tart. Honey and citrus flavors. I really liked this one.

Kim says (19): Pale in color and aroma of orange zest and something herbal... possibly rosemary. Good wine but I thought the Pinot Grigio was a better match with the flatbread. I wound up scoring this wine very high but even made a note that it might be undeserved, with its only missing point being in a subjective category.

Lustau East India Solera Sherry NV (Spain) 20% alcohol, $20 at Waterford Wine Company

Christine says: No need to rate this wine: We already knew we loved it! We first had the sherry in October at a Waterford wine tasting before dinner at Kim's. We liked it so much we all ordered some and brought it camping with us later that week!

Andrea says: Yummy... This sherry is always a hit with us!

Kim says: Yum. Enough said. And I am sad because I think I only have one bottle of this baby left...

Soup, kumquat & fig compote, and my favorite cookies from Sciortino's. Camera-shy: butternut squash flatbread. You can see it on the wooden tray below, where Journal Sentinel photographer Michael Sears is taking pictures of our event! After Mike left, we devoured the flatbread before Kim could take a picture.

Christine and Mike after the photo shoot!

Working hard to make the compote just so.

The reason Kim is still the best photographer.

She documents everything about our get-togethers, including these little kumquats. They were a sweet surprise and her first time having them!

Wine Club 43: Hahn GSM 2011 & Caesar Salad Toast

Date: April 26th, 2013
Host: Kim
Served: Shredded Caesar Salad on Toasts, Hungarian Goulash

Domaine Robert Chevillon 2008 (Bourgogne Passetoutgrain, France), Pinot Noir + Gamay + other grapes, 12.5% alcohol, $13 on sale at Waterford

Kim says (14): Festive color and fairly translucent. Smelled like grape juice... mmm! But swirl at your own risk! I don't mind the "wet leaves in autumn" rot but swirling this wine brought out horrible decay and death rot smells. Very thin body and very high acid but overall impression of fruit. Appeal? I liked it.

Andrea says (13.5): Brick red in color, transparent edges but opaque in the center. My first smells I could pick up raspberry, jam, brown sugar, it smelled rich and smooth and I didn't smell alcohol. After giving the glass a good swirl I could smell the earthy stink that Kim was talking about. To me it smelled like bad breath, gingivitis. Definitely better before I swirled it...  The taste was tart and fruity like cranberry and pomegranate with kind of a minty, or chemical note? I thought it was thin in body and high in tannins. It went ok with the goulash, clashed with the salad.
 
Christine says (13): Reddish, somewhat murky appearance (thick-looking, like the Marginal we recently had, but not as thick. The Marginal looked like blood). It smelled rich, with red fruit, vanilla, peppercorns and earthy, slightly sweet beets. It was surprisingly tart! Thin body. Bracing for a Burgundy. Andrea picked up on pomegranate, and I agreed. Going back after tasting the other wine and enjoying some dinner, I also picked up on green pepper. Note: I didn't realize until later that Passetoutgrains is actually a blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay and other grapes...so of course it wasn't the elegant, graceful Burgundy I was expecting!


Hahn Winery GSM 2011 (Central Coast, CA, USA) 59% Grenache + 37% Syrah + 4% Mouvèdre, 14.5% alcohol, $10 at Discount Liquor

Kim says (15): Even more festive color, deeper and less translucent. Smelled like strawberry flavoring... strawberry Runts? Nice silky body and tannins were pleasantly strong. This went amazingly well with the shredded Caesar salad and Andrea's right... this seems like a very versatile wine. So while it may have suffered a bit in the technical categories, it shined in the subjective categories. I would definitely buy and serve this Hahn again!

Andrea says (18): Another Hahn wine I really liked, mark it as a win! A berry, fushia color, dark and opaque. I had the crazy glass this night that always make the wine smell different than it does in any other glass. Before swirling I really smelled licorice, somehow both red and black licorice, and some berry smell. After swirling it smelled a little like chemicals and plastic, smokey, but still kind of fruity. Tasted very smokey and earthy, sweet and strawberry. Well balanced, good body, nice tannins. Really good with the salad! I preferred this one with the goulash too.

Christine says (16): Intense deep berry magenta color. Smelled like Windex and crayons! After swirling, I could also smell "strawberries" ... as in strawberry roll-ups or strawberry flavoring. The wine was pretty tannic, but the tannins were nice. Good body. Smoky taste. Would be versatile with a lot of foods. Incredible amount of sediment (see the photo, left). Sugary sediment that dissolves between the fingers. Is it due to the wine's high sugar content? Because even though it's super-high in alcohol, the wine was still very fruity. Definitely a buy-again at $10. It was amazing with the garlicky Caesar salad appetizers. I think this was my favorite pairing so far!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Shredded Caesar Salad on Toasts although I might go a little light on the lemon juice next time... a definite keeper! On the other hand, the recipe for the goulash was promptly tossed in the recycle bin. If I wanted to serve an anti-climactic beef stew tonight, that's what I would have made.

Wine Club 38: Battle Beaujolais

Date: March 14th, 2013
Host: Andrea
Served: Crudités, beef stew, cheddar biscuits, brownies

Georges Dubœuf Morgon 2010 (Beaujolais, France), 13% alcohol, $15.99 at Otto's Wine Cask

Andrea says (16.5): Ruby color with pink edges. I smelled raspberry, vanilla, jam, and strawberry, very sweet. Taste was a little tart, slight vinegar flavor that sits on the back of the tongue. But I also tasted strawberry and a little bit like pine.

Christine says (12): Blood red, with slightly brownish edges. Jam, violets and a slight vinegar smell I've been finding in all the Duboeuf Beaujolais we've tried. Not that the wine is bad, or going bad, it's just there. Taste had a nice balance of acid and tannins, but not much fruit. I docked it on body and sugar. Nice medium-long finish. Overall, just OK.

Kim says (16): Definitely not a flashy wine- standard color without a lot of dimension or depth. Good clarity and didn't have the "stickiness" of the other Georges Dubœf Beaujolais... I can't figure out if that means it's a bit calmer on the acid or tannins. Smooth but thin body and a flash of rot on the finish (but only once and just for a split second). A very straightforward wine.

Domaine Diochon Moulin-à-Vent 2009 (Beaujolais, France), 13% alcohol, $24.99 at Waterford Wine

Andrea says (18): Also a ruby color, but more purple, maybe a burgundy. I loved the smell and thought it was very complex. Raspberry, red licorice, floral, spicy, musty and a little jammy. I gave it a rare 3 points for  bouquet. Tasted like jam,cinnamon, blackberry and raspberry. Very good Beaujolais from the famed 2009 vintage.

 Christine says (17): Very pretty, bright intense ruby. First impressions were intense floral and blackberries. Needed to swirl it aggressively around in the glass to open it up. Also smelled jam, and the wine smelled good and sweet. With a rich mouthfeel (and more muscular than I tend to expect from Beaujolais), it tasted like fresh mint leaves and berries, especially strawberries. I docked it for short finish and bouquet, because I couldn't pick out much. Still, this wine was a treat.

Kim says (11): Huh... looking at Andrea and Christine's scores, I have no idea what happened here. Nice color- good depth and bright around the edges. Not as translucent as the Morgon and a rather vague bouquet... possibly grape Pez was about all I was able to detect. For me, I felt bouquet, body, tannins (high), sugar (low) and balance were all missed opportunities for this wine. And it wasn't due to hype or disappointment... I'd actually had this wine the week before so I knew what to expect.

I have used this Six Sisters website a few times for Crock Pot recipes. Great place to find simple and inexpensive meals.  The Hearty Beef Stew was a crowd pleaser.

Wine Club 37: Happy Birthday, Christine!

Date: February 28th, 2013
Host: Kim
Served: Mushroom & Swiss bread, Italian Wedding Soup
Bonus Bottles: Puech Auriol Coteaux d'Ensérune; ChocolatRouge

Ruffino Orvieto Classico 2010 (Italy), Grechetto 40%, Procanico 20%, other white grapes (Verdello, Canaiolo bianco) 40%. 12% alcohol, $10 at Discount Liquor

Kim says (14.5):  Very faint bouquet... I couldn't pick out anything except possibly peaches. High in acid and a long finish that I think was just the alcohol. I was feeling slightly better than "ambivalent" in the appeal category but felt it was average overall.

Christine says (13): Translucent lemon yellow color. Floral and very slight honey bouquet. Rich mouthfeel; short, slightly tart finish. I think it's better with fattier food...I liked it with the pork and Parmesan meatballs.

Andrea Says (14.5): A very pale and cool color. I smelled grape juice! Which is a first for me with a white wine. It also smelled sweet, like pear but no strong aroma. Honey and peach  flavors were noticeable but mostly I tasted the alcohol. I thought it went well with the soup.

Alexander Valley Vineyards Dry Rosé of Sangiovese 2011 (Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, CA, USA), 13.2% alcohol, $13 at Discount Liquor

Kim says (12.5): Beautiful color... like pomegranate! I couldn't discern any specific aromas but it certainly did smell pleasant! Interestingly enough, this wine smelled much better in the one mismatched, bell-shaped glass. Full points for color and aroma but took a hit for tannins (high) and sugar (low). So while it was very pretty, would I buy it? Probably not.

Christine says (13): Definite frizzante bubbles and a gorgeous deep salmon pink color! Smelled good, though I could really only pick out bananas. I also smelled very slight strawberries and watermelon, but only because I was looking for it after reading the label. Fizzy feel and refreshing, plus a long, dry finish that tasted like strawberries. We all preferred it with the soup. The wine looked so pretty and intriguing, I couldn't wait to try it. But it wound up being just okay.

Andrea says (17): I really enjoyed this wine! A beautiful dark coral color but very clear. Smelled of cherry, vanilla, banana and pear. After Christine mentioned watermelon and strawberry from the label I could smell those too. I thought it tasted like strawberry candy! Since it was frizzante, it actually reminded me of the strawberry soda that I always drink at my Grandma's house. I also liked this wine with the food. Maybe I would serve it again with dessert.

Puech Auriol Coteaux d'Ensérune 2011 (France), Chardonnay grape, 13.5% alcohol, $9.00 on sale at Waterford Wine

Kim says (14.5): Alright, I think something was definitely wrong with my smeller tonight! Again, just the vague aroma of autumn fruit and the general impression of it smelling clean. But I enjoyed the nice warm color of this, tannins were right on and had a good finish.

Christine says (17.5): Intense gold color; smelled of honey, floral, yeast, peaches and beer. Yes, beer! Andrea picked it out, and I could detect beer in both the bouquet and taste. The wine had medium body, good tannins, and tasted complex and expensive, even with the odd hint of barley-pop! I liked this one.

Andrea says (15): A pretty, clear goldenrod color. At first I thought that it was a little stinky. Eventually I smell beer, peaches and honey. Sounds like an odd combination but actually, I liked it. Tastes like it smells, beer, peach and honey. Sharp on the front of your tongue with a long finish.

Kim says: this was very tasty... decadent and rich! While I thoroughly enjoyed this, I actually preferred the Chocolate Port from Simon Creek.

Christine says: ChocolatRouge on the rocks made for an amazing dessert that tasted like a mudslide! Yum.

Andrea says: Delicious! No trouble polishing off this bottle.

This is only the second time I have ever made soup and the first time I have ever made meatballs! Thanks to Food & Wine magazine's Grace Parisi, this Italian Wedding Soup was an easy, one-pot meal! I doubled the orzo, added a bit of garlic to the broth, was very generous with the spinach and went scant on the salt (I needn't have and wound up adding it back in later).

Wine Club 36: Spa Day

Date: February 23rd, 2013
Host: Christine
Served: chips & salsa, slow cooker white chili, glazed roasted pineapple & butter pecan sundaes

Bonus: spa day!



Turning Leaf Riesling

Turning Leaf Sweet Riesling 2011 (CA, USA), 8% alcohol, $6.99 At Otto's

Christine says (8.5): Very pale; almost clear. It smelled like vomit. Yuck! Surprising zing of tartness to this wine, plus flavors of honey and Asian pear. It tasted better as it came up a bit in temperature, but I just couldn't get past the smell. Still, Riesling was a good pick for pairing with white chili. Kim took a gorgeous photo.

Kim says (11): Well, this smelled overwhelmingly of sour, musty vomit. Not sure what else I can say. As Andrea found out, if you swirled really, really hard, you might be lucky enough to get something else. For me, the relief came in the faint aroma of lilac and honey. I also picked up on something that seemed familiar for a Riesling... very far away, the delicious scent of pineapple! Surprisingly (despite the smell of vomit), I enjoyed the taste of this wine- good body, sweet and smooth. But the hard hits in color, aroma, sugar (way high!) and appeal was this wine's death sentence. Zero in all four categories but was a phenomenal match with Christine's hearty white chili!

Andrea Says (12.5): The color of champagne but very pale. At first I could only smell must, feet, and bad breath. However, like Kim said, when I really swirled it, I could smell green apple, floral, and honey. The taste was good if you like sweet wines. Fruit cocktail, pear and honey. Surprisingly it went well with the chili but clashed with the dessert.

Dry Creek Vineyards Fumé Blanc

Dry Creek Vineyards Fumé Blanc 2011 (Sonoma County, CA, USA), 13.5% alcohol, $10.99 at Otto's

Christine says (11.5): Very pale light lemon color. Looked frizzante, but it was not (sad face). Smelled really good, like fresh water/a river, grapefruit peel and slight honey. Very tart on the tip of the tongue; super tannic. Lacked finesse--a lot of edges--high and competing tannins and tartness. Opposite of the other wine: it smelled good and tasted bad. Though we did prefer it with the dessert.

Kim says (11): Extremely pale. A barely discernible cast of cool lemon that at first glance, just looked like water. Wonderful aroma of green apple, granulated sugar and (hard to describe but) your hands right after peeling a grapefruit. Mmm! Really enjoyed the bouquet but then... well, this wine was an outright offense. It tasted too bright, too sharp and was a jumbled, edgy mess of chaos in a glass. Horrible.

Andrea says (12): Almost clear in color. I enjoyed the smell! Floral, honey, citrus and pineapple, with some scents of alcohol and smoke. Did not enjoy the taste, hard to describe. Maybe some slight taste of grapefruit or honey, but almost hurt my tongue with the pile of flavors. It did go well with the dessert though...

I made a 2/3 batch of Slow Cooker White Chili. I soaked the cannellini beans overnight, decreased the cumin to 2 teaspoons and cooked it on high for 8 hours. This smaller batch worked well in my 5-qt. slow cooker. Serve with chips, sour cream and lime.

I made Glazed Roasted Pineapple, using only half of a pineapple, but leaving all the other ingredients at a full 100%. This ensured a good saucy mess! I served it with butter pecan ice cream, which is heaven with caramely pineapple.

Spa Bonus! We were blessed to participate in Spa Day at Church in the City. We were treated to amazing appetizers, cute treats and elegant flavored water served in champagne flutes. Best of all, we received complimentary facials, massages and manicures, as well as an inspiring gospel message to pamper our insides. What a wonderful gift this night was from the ladies at CITC. We felt like princesses!

Feeling beautiful inside and out!

Andrea is treated to a luxurious facial.

Andrea and Christine get manicures.

Next stop: facials for Kim and Christine, a massage for Andrea, then a fun night relaxing at Christine's.