Wine For Novices

Join Me For "A Toast To 2010" - The Most Unique (and FUN) Wine Tasting of Your Life - And Benefit A Great Cause

# of Persons

1 Person $50.00 2 Persons $100.00 3 Persons $150.00 4 Persons $200.00 5 Persons $250.00 6 Persons $300.00

Suzanne Phifer-Pavitt of Napa's Award-Winning Phifer-Pavitt "Date Night" Cabernet Will Personally Lead A Tasting Oct.1 In Franklin, TN To Benefit "Kalein Center For Creative Studies"

Suzanne's 2006 Date Night Cabernet garnered a lofty 93 from Wine Spectator. Here is what Wine Spectator magazine says.

PHIFER PAVITT Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Date Night 2006 Score: 93 | $75

Well-crafted, tight and structured, with a complex blend of currant, boysenberry, black cherry and plum fruit framed by chewy, integrated tannins. Ends with a loamy earth edge. Drink now through 2017. 275 cases made. Phifer Pavitt Date Night is the best Pope Valley Cabernet I've tried (although the label doesn't say Pope Valley) Phifer Pavitt's bottling comes from Pope Valley, which is legally part of Napa, but is separated from the valley by Howell Mountain. This is the second exciting vintage from this producer, and I'm sure that once people realize how good Pope Valley wines can be, you'll start to see and hear more references to the Pope Valley-Napa Valley appellation, as well as more producers seeking its grapes. (A petition for a Pope Valley AVA, or American Viticultural Area, is in the works.) The wines are rich and fleshy, with gobs of fruit and great depth, but not as heavy as some Cabernets from the valley floor. —J.L.

The tasting will be at the home of Dr. David & Rhonda Kemp and conducted poolside if weather permits. It will take place Thursday evening, Oct. 1 at 7pm. Suzanne will be flying in from her Napa Valley home and personally conducting the tasting. Phifer-Pavitt has graciously donated the wine and her expenses, so all monies go directly to our charity Kalein scholarship fund. We will do a comparative tasting of the 2006 (93 rating W.S.)and the rare and sold-out 2005 (94 rating W.S.) "Date Night" vintages. We will also taste the extraordinary Olabisi Chardonnay from Phifer-Pavitt award-winning winemaker Ted Osborne and possibly a Syrah as well. Plenty of wine complemented by cheeses selected for ideal pairings will be on hand.

Space is limited to first 35.

The tasting is $100. donation per person.

You may sign up HERE.

# of Persons

1 Person $100.00 2 Persons $200.00 3 Persons $300.00 4 Persons $400.00

To read more about our wonderful experience with Phifer-Pavitt Wines in Napa Valley, read HERE.

Party In a Bottle

By Dan Perkins

For those who desire more knowledge about wine but would rather experience it than read about it here is a cool way to learn. Host a Blind Tasting!

Some of the most formative knowledge I’ve gained was through blind tasting. What this does is force you to hone in on the taste and structure of the wine without being swayed by the name or the label of the wine. Many wineries spend a significant amount of money to convince you their mediocre wine is pretty good. Why? Because the costs associated with producing a bottle of wine vary little compared to the amount you'll spend for a bottle of wine. Of course there are exceptions. Cost of land, crop thinning, necessary personnel to name a few but bottles, barrels and bins are pretty much the same for everyone (don’t argue with me, I know the $ difference between Hungarian and French oak!).  But tasting rooms, marketing and grocery store shelf space do not make for a better bottle of wine.

So, how do you do this Blind Tasting thingy?

First, have a focus! Your tasting should be specific. Choose to taste wines by varietal or region. Not just whites or reds and please don’t do a tasting that invites people to “bring your favorite.”

Second, know your guest list. Let’s be frank. There are those who want to know more about wine and will be interested and engaged in the experience and then there will be those who are there just to drink. Avoid those who fit into the latter category. I have seen several really good tastings ruined by obnoxious guests who make fun of the process and belittle those who are trying to learn terms like “palate” or “bouquet” by blurting through a southern accent as though they’re Larry the Cable Guy, “I don’t care it just tastes and smells real good!”  Also, the size of the guest list can have a big impact on whether the tasting is a success or failure. We have found eight to twelve people are optimal. This generally means you’ll have one bottle per person allowing you to taste several wines thereby giving you a lot to compare but not too many to become confused.

Next, consider price for the wines being brought. Often people believe the best wines are the most expensive wines. Not always true! You can host a tasting of wines under $10 or have everyone bring a bottle as well as $10 or more for the host to purchase a very expensive wine like a first growth Bordeaux or a California Cult wine and compare it to the winning wine of the evening after you completed your blind tasting. Our wine tastings always consisted of a flight of whites and reds. And to keep it fair we broke down the cost like this. Each couple would bring two bottles a white and a red. On the invitation we recommended the two bottles to be in these price categories.

(a)  under $10

(b)  $10 - $20

(c)  over $20

You could chose to bring an (a) and (c) or two (b).

Fourth, consider a scoring method and give everyone a score sheet and pencil when you begin. When we first started doing this we followed the old standard 20 point scale but it was too confusing for most, especially since most of the scores you see today in trade reviews are on a 100 point scale; so we adopted it. Below is a sample of the score criteria we use.

#1. (    name of wine and winery     )   

Purchased (   location of purchase   )  

$ (  cost  )

Color (5-10) Body (5-10)  Nose (15-20)  Balance (5-10)  Finish (15-20)

Notes(This should be the long description of you’re impression of the wine. Note the flavors…. Cherry, chocolate, grass, butter, etc. Also, note the way it feels in the mouth, Mention the color, what it smells like and if it smells and tastes different. Anything that comes to mind that is memorable)

Taste (15-30)                                                                                    Score                       

Also, to make this more fun and what will help keep folks engaged, as well as thinking through the selection they would bring, we would give prizes away to the people who brought the overall favorite wines. These prizes were small, cool wine accessories we would find while traveling through various tasting rooms. Use your imagination.

Next, you need to make it a “blind” tasting. We would ask our guests to bring their wines in large paper bags. After my wife received them at the door she kept them in the kitchen until all had arrived and then placed each bottle in a small, paper bottle bag that would cover the whole bottle. Then removing the entire collar (not just the top) she would cork the bottle and inform me they were ready. She would keep the whites on one side of the table and the reds on another then, I not knowing the wines, would mark them with a Sharpie pen after my wife left the room; that way neither of us knew what was what and could play in the game too.

Some bullet point tips to consider.

Use similar stemware for everyone.

Have a dump bucket! A place where people can discard excess wine or wines they don’t like.

Have food and plenty of water available. Often we asked people to bring an appetizer and would also choose a food theme, like Italian, seafood, soups, etc.

Remember small pours. You’ll have plenty of time to, hopefully, enjoy a full glass when the tasting is over.

Keep it moving. Especially as the later wines are poured, for some reason people become much more social!

Finally, have fun during the reveal! After we had everyone score their favorites we would tally the score and reveal from least to most favorite. I was always surprised how much people got into this. We are a competitive species aren’t we?

The result is a better understanding of a wine which seems to please the crowd or one you particularly liked and now you know what it is, where to get it and how much it costs.

Cheers!

And The Winning Wine Is...

"A Toast To 2009" was a magnificent evening and great fundraiser for Kalein. Special thanks to O'More College of Design for the use of Abbey Leix mansion and to Mark McGill and his company ProForma for donating our beautiful Kalein wine glasses.

Rhonda & David Kemp took home a room full of wine after winning the evening's blind tasting of almost 40 wines by a landslide with a 2004 Aries Pinot Noir from Robert Sinskey Vineyards. Retail price around $23. This is a GREAT wine and a GREAT value.

Top 10 Wines from "A Toast To 2009"
1. 2004 Aries Pinot Noir-Robert Sinskey Vineyards $23.
Dr. David & Rhonda Kemp
Total Votes-106
Wine Spectator Score-87
2. 2002 Hentley Farm Shiraz $28.
Dr. Mark & Rosemary Hilliard
Total Votes-82
Wine Spectator Score-86
3.2005 Elements Red Wine Artesa Vineyards $17.99
Robert D. Smith
Total Votes-78
WS-N/A
4. 2005 Testarossa Pinot Noir- $40.
Hans Ott
Total Votes-77
Wine Spectator Score-89
5. 2005 Allterra Cabernet Sauvignon $20.
Jeff & Gina Kremkau
Total Votes-71
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
6.2005 Bohemian Cabernet Sauvignon $8. BEST BUY!
Kerrie Hardwick
Total Votes-70
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
7. 2007 Beringer White Zinfandel $5. BEST BUY!
Josh & Rebecca Trombley
Total Votes-68
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
8.2005 Hecula Monastrell $14.
Randy & Chris Elrod
Total Votes-64
Wine Spectator Score-N/A
9.2005 Esser Cabernet $12.
Toby Sturgill
Total Votes-59
Wine Spectator Score-82
10.2006 Rosenblum Zinfandel Rockpile Rockpile Road Vineyard $40.
Spence Smith
Total Votes-59
Wine Spectator Score-91

A Toast To 2009 - A New Years Eve Wine Tasting

Click HERE to obtain more info

Fine & Rare Wine Tasting-May 9-Franklin, TN...

A Fine & Rare Wine Tasting
Friday, May 9
7pm

We will be tasting:

1992 Opus One
1980 Whitehall Lane Cabernet (Alexander Valley)
1990 Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet Napa
1990 Silver Oak Alexander Valley
1986 Cain "Five" Napa Red Table Wine
1988 Anselmi Amarone Re Cioto Della Valpolicella
1989 Joseph Phelps Insignia Napa Red Wine
1987 McDowell Syrah Mendocino
1991 Girard Napa Cabernet
1987 Carmenet Sonoma Red Wine

Also featuring gourmet tapas appetizers and a complimentary wine glass.

All proceeds benefit Creative Community, Inc. A 501c3 non-profit Artist Development Center.

$100. per person (RSVP & payment in advance)
Only  25 5 spaces left.

The evening will also feature original watercolors and a wine auction sponsored by Frugal McDoogal
For more Info E-mail me HERE.

For more great posts today on culture and the arts check out Watercooler Wednesday.

Napa Valley Wine Tasting ...

Wines, Cuisine, Photography & Watercolors of Napa Valley

Friday Jan. 25 - Franklin, Tennessee, USA

$50. per person donation (tax-deductible)

(Benefiting the non-profit organizations Red Road and Creative Community) Only 25 11 places remaining.

Taste wines from stellar vineyards such as: Honig, Miner Family, Failla, ZD, Chateau Montelena, and Ehlers Estates.

Reserve Now.

A Hat Trick with Igor Larionov

Long a wine lover, former Detroit Red Wings great Igor Larionov has gone from make sweet passes to teammates to passing along great wines to fellow wine aficionados.

Larionov showcased some of the imports from his Triple Overtime Fine Wines this past week at Frugal McDoogal in Nashville.

The former Russian Olympic multi-gold medalist found a home and loyal fan base in Detroit, where he won three Stanley Cups and led the famed Russian Five.

After his retirement, the player known as "the Professor" turned his hobby of loving wine into a business, naming his import company after his game-winning goal in the third overtime of Game 3 of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals.

Of course, hockey is not far from Larionov's business, as names of his wines include, "Hat Trick," "Slapshot," or Triple Overtime Chardonnay, Cabernet and Enela -- which is the name of his wife spelled backwards, according to a release by his company.

The Sacred & the Succulent

by Angela Hart

Usually, when I have a swig of wine in church, I’m on my knees, acquiescing to the mystery of transubstantiation—the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. It is the rare and happy occasion to be at church sipping luscious Pinots and eating locally baked bread and fare, juxtaposing the sacred with the succulent!

The event was Edgefield Uncorked!, the fifth annual wine-tasting fund-raiser at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in East Nashville. With flickering expectations, my friend and I donned Saturday-night versions of our Sunday best and headed out. Being West Side girls, it’s always a treat to cross the Cumberland, and this perfectly mild September night, crowned with a full, dazzling moon, was no exception. We were met by the thud of African drums, beating in a tent outside the church; East Nashville’s version of a red carpet, we presumed. African dancing at a wine tasting? We were all in—after a few rounds of vino, of course! Inside the church there was live entertainment throughout the night, with performances by local musicians Brooke Waggoner, The Love Drums, and Ariana Terrell.

We did our once around, taking in the food, wine varietals, and music from each corridor and sanctuary of this neighborhood church. We felt like we were flirting with apples in Eden, all curious, smiley-faced and big-eyed, swooned by the aesthetic of good wines and wholesome foods in such a hallowed setting. I felt sympathetic to poor Eve’s plight; I too have such little discipline when it comes to objects of my affection. Thankfully, the troubles of the human condition were not weighing heavy on me this specific night. Au contraire, I was ready to throw my particular troubles to the sky, allowing God and wine to alternately work their miracles.

Napa Valley Day One

Day One featured Bistro Jeanty signature Tomato Soup and Beef Stew. The word is Wow!

HERE are pics. Lots more to come including tastings and private tours at six wineries so far.