Well, I'd have to admit that the food part of the show exceeded my expectations, and the wine part was maybe a little disappointing. Not very disappointing mind you, but not thrilling. The wine and beer went to my head so I didn't write much down during the show, but did some writing when I got home. Here are the notes:
Mondavi Booth
Columbia Gewurztraminer, 2003, $10, Not as spicy as I'd like a 'traminer to be, but not appalling sweet either. Pretty good summer wine.
Columbia "Red Willow" Syrah, 2001, $25, Good, solid wine with a bit of tobacco aftertaste. I only saw the price after thinking that I would be willing to buy some. Maybe a bit too pricey for the taste.
Mondavi Napa Cab, 2001, $25, A big wine. Excellent wine but it doesn't really stand out as much as it should for the price.
Mondavi Napa Pinot Noir, 2001, $22, An excellent piece of work, long aftertaste, wonderful thick wine. More to my taste than the cab.
World Class Wines (Saturday they were doing Spain and Pacific NW)
Finca Antigua Tempranillo, La Mancha, 2002, $13, Vino of La Mancha I suppose. Tempranillo seems to be undergoing some hipness these days. This was an excellent, rustic wine. If tasted blind I would have said "typical Sicilian wine." Good stuff.
Conde de Valdemar Crianza, Rioja, 2000, $15, Good Rioja?!? Excellent wine and I'm not sure that I've had any well-aged Rioja before. A wine-type that I associate with sangria rather than with a good-drinking wine to go with, perhaps a tomato-based pasta dish? Reminds me of well-aged Sangiovese. I'd buy it.
Firesteed Pinot Noir, Oregon, 2002, $14
Benton Lane Pinot Noir, Oregon, 2001, $22
Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, $50, A nice parallel tasting of these Oregon Pinots. Pinot seems to be pretty hot these days (am told that it's partly to do with the Sideways movie) and Oregon Pinots have been doing very well over the last few years. Maybe too well in that prices have been allowed to run high without any controls. The Firesteed nicely showed the fruit, but not a lot of complexity. The Benton Lane was more complex but had a little bit of a cardboard aftertaste. Not thrilling to me. The Domaine...blah...blah...blah was quite complex, a little bit of fruit, a little oak, a little tobacco, a little fruit (maybe peach?). A great wine. Not sure exactly what I'd eat with it. Maybe a cheese course or similar. But $50?
More to come later...
Posted by duver001 at February 28, 2005 3:28 PM