The (un)Usual Suspects
I have a tasting group that has been getting together for over 20 years. Not only have we learned all of each other's jokes and stories, but it is getting pretty hard to come up with fresh ideas for the tasting.
So I recently gave my group a challenge. Bring an "unusual" wine. I didn't define it except to say that it did not have to be unusual to me. I expected cute labels, cute names, hard to find wines, and even a gag bottle or two. And that is exactly what I got.
The first surprise was three bottles of sparkling wine. In all the years we have done a handful of sparkling wine tastings, but it is indeed, unusual. Even more unusual, and delightful, were the three bottles we ended up with.
Roderer Brut Premier, a true Champagne from France.
Avinyo Reserva, a Cava from Spain
Jakob Gerhardt Demi-Sec Rose Sekt, from Germany
This last wine was unusual on many levels. It was not only sparkling, it was pink, and from Germany to boot. It was also quite good.
Two of the wines were chosen specifically for their labels.
Two more wines made the great name category.
Two wines were chosen for being good, and white (it being unusual that we drink, much less taste, whites).
A big surprise, considering my friends, is that there ended up being a single gag wine.
Riunite Lambrusco - perhaps not a gag in the larger scope of things, but not the quality of wine usually found at one of my wine tastings.
So, the question begs... Had any unusual wine lately?
So I recently gave my group a challenge. Bring an "unusual" wine. I didn't define it except to say that it did not have to be unusual to me. I expected cute labels, cute names, hard to find wines, and even a gag bottle or two. And that is exactly what I got.
The first surprise was three bottles of sparkling wine. In all the years we have done a handful of sparkling wine tastings, but it is indeed, unusual. Even more unusual, and delightful, were the three bottles we ended up with.
Roderer Brut Premier, a true Champagne from France.
Avinyo Reserva, a Cava from Spain
Jakob Gerhardt Demi-Sec Rose Sekt, from Germany
This last wine was unusual on many levels. It was not only sparkling, it was pink, and from Germany to boot. It was also quite good.
Two of the wines were chosen specifically for their labels.
- Rex-Goliath California Merlot, with a 40 lb. rooster on the label
- 2003 Woody Creek Merlot, with a nice graphic label, but it also gets kudos for being a Colorado wine, and from next door to Aspen as well. The label and location were, alas, better than the wine.
Two more wines made the great name category.
- 2004 Fat Bastard Shiraz, which to most people's surprise is from France, not Australia.
- 2004 Goats do Roam from South Africa. The wine pun (Cotes du Rhone being a French wine) was better than the wine itself, which was light, in a beaujolais style.
Two wines were chosen for being good, and white (it being unusual that we drink, much less taste, whites).
- 2000 Steele Chardonnay, Du Pratt Vineyard
- 1990 Dom. Orfeuilles Vouvray Moelleux - A slightly sweet Loire wine, with a lot of time on it, and it was still showing well.
A big surprise, considering my friends, is that there ended up being a single gag wine.
Riunite Lambrusco - perhaps not a gag in the larger scope of things, but not the quality of wine usually found at one of my wine tastings.
So, the question begs... Had any unusual wine lately?
posted by Wineguy at 6:56 PM
1 Comments:
I love the Gerhardt Rose. It is absolutely wonderful! They only sell their wines by the half case and cases. Do you know if the person who brought the wine to your tasing would be willing to sell me a bottle or two? If so, please have them email me fiteprogram@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
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