I’ve been drinking some good wine this month, or “good juice” as a friend of mine likes to say. Of course I’m doing this purely so I have a nice variety of wine notes to share with you, my readers. <smile>
One nice discovery happened during a prospect dinner at Capital Grille Tysons Corner. The service as usual was polished and professional, and I asked our server for a recommendation between two Tempranillos. He recommended the Roda Rioja Reserva 2003, which was excellent. There were many flavors going on with this wine, but in a very harmonious way. It was smooth, with a medium body and a hint of spiciness on the finish. I also tasted some smokiness and a slight mineral quality. Purists might say that the wine isn’t big enough for a steak, but I enjoyed it greatly as did a member of our party having fish.
If you’ve ever had Condado de Haza, this wine is similar but to me is a nice step up. I have not found it being sold locally but based on online review should retail in the high $30s. If you find it, give it a try.
Gabriele and I had dinner recently with another couple at Evo Bistro, which I reviewed back in 2008. You can’t go to Evo without trying some different wines, and we did just that, assisted by our old friend Wendy and Manik Rath. In addition to being one of the area’s leading attorneys in the government contracting space, Manik is a big oenophile. Having recently had the Roda, I ordered a bottle of Bordegas Lan Rioja 2004 Reserva.
It was no Roda, but it was good. The color was deep purple, with black cherry dominating with some chocolate as well. We also tasted some dust, and a touch of leather. Manik detected a good “mouth feel,” a viscosity that coated the palate nicely. Manik also felt the wine could have benefited from more years in the bottle. Retails for a little under $20.
Of course, one bottle doesn’t last long for a table of four. Next up Manik ordered the 2008 Graham Beck Gamekeeper’s Reserve Cabernet. From South Africa, the wine had a big bouquet and assertive fruit, very Californian tasting to me. It was a smooth wine with a slight creaminess to the finish, almost Merlot-ish in that way. It’s very straight-forward and enjoyable, and retails for around $15.
Then it was time to explore by the glass. Gabriele went for a glass of the Stag’s Leap 2006 Petite Syrah.First off, I need to say that we found the wine very different than what you’ll read via the link in the previous sentence. We found the wine soft and mild, with a lot of strawberry fruit. It had a very light body and Gabriele really enjoyed it. Nice wine, but IMO the retail cost of low $30s reflects the strength of the Stags Leap brand.
For my glass I went to Provence, in the form of a Domaine Paul Autard 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape. It began with a deep, full bouquet full of fruit, herbs and floral elements. The inky black wine fruit was dominated by blackberry, with a taste of black tea. Its finish was tart and alcoholic, with a sharp pucker of tannins. It’s a big, bold C-du-P. This wine was good but could definitely improve with being put down for a few more years. Looks to retail for around $40.
Finally, I attended an event for a very worthwhile charity last week. St. Luke’s House provides services to mentally disabled individuals in Montgomery County, looking to help them integrate into society as opposed to being marginalized. My partner Marc Hausman and his wife Hilary joined Gabriele and me at a fundraiser held inside the showroom of Chevy Chase Cars in Bethesda. Hopefully a lot of money was raised for an important cause.
Me, Gabriele and Hilary at St. Lukes event
As part of the draw for the event St. Luke’s had wine expert Mark Phillips give a talk on wine. Mark is a nationally known wine guy who hosts a popular show on PBS, “Enjoying Wine with Mark Phillips.” None of the wines being poured were very interesting, but that’s OK this was for charity. But I had a chance to introduce myself to Mark and ask him about the one thing he’d like people to know about wine.
His reply was “listen to the address I’m about to give,” so clearly the guy knows how to market himself. The message was drink what you like, and don’t let others tell you what’s good. Simple and crowd pleasing yes, but also right on the money. His comparisons were effective — most of us are confident about what we like to eat, what clothes we like to wear, what music we like to hear. Why should wine be any different?
Why indeed? So in that spirit if you don’t like any of the reviews above, as always please let me know.
