a night of wine-tasting

i got to host the first of the occassional 'traditional' wine-tasting nights this year at my apartment on friday evening after work... what that entails really is that people will come to taste some bottles of wine that the established group of side-ways wannabes had acquired before i appeared here and whatever that the new crowd of people might fancy and since it's at my humble abode, i decided to invite people i like too instead of just mingling with only the 'elite' crowd of side-ways wannabes...

and of course... i couldn't resist making mulled wine too for it is the perfect season for the lovely drink! ... and chipping in 2 very lovely bottles of wine: a 2003 Riesling i found at the wine-store near my place and a 2002 bottle of red Zinfandel from the Napa Valley, California, a gift i received for xmas... why people think i know my wines or appreciate them is complete mystery to me... i hardly drink and only with a meal or something to nibble with... unlike what my brother seems to think (a closet alcoholic, which i vehemently protest!)... i like to think i am better acquainted with wine than he is (hee!)... and i think it's a good thing to be able to appreciate good wine and to find one you enjoy... yup... indeed... i would like to be learned in every way! in any case, i do find it a little odd i should be receiving so many gifts of wine... is this a very american thing?!

and to think hosting wine night is a good way to make use of the wine.... oh no no no... i still have about 8 bottles of potentially very good or mediocre wines hibernating on the shelf...

in any case, of the 5 types of reds we tried here are the ones i would recommend:

- Black Chicken from Robert Biale Vineyards, a 2002 Napa Valley Zinfandel (California, USA): this is by far the best among those we tried... only people who've lived in europe will appreciate the richness of its smooth and deep fruity tones and the strength of its fullness which the locals described as 'peppery' given their usual 'diluted' alcoholic beverages here cf. the continental european standard. the seemingly frivolous name is a code that derives from the occasional party lines requesting for a bottle of the family's wine from the barrels in the farm barn!

- Calico Red from the Bergevin Lane Vineyards, a 2003 Columbian Valley Red Wine (Walla Walla, Washington State, USA): of all the other reds from Washington state we tried this is my favourite although not quite as good as the Black Chicken. nonetheless, it has a smooth taste with a fruity flavouring but is a lighter red.

i also tried my Franz Reh 2003 Riesling (Rheinhessen, Germany) which was lovely... flavourful tones of walnut and fruits and it has a sweet crispiness to it. i tend to prefer Rieslings over any other types of wine... for it is delicately sweet and would go well with most food and even spicey dishes if you must... i usually choose a Kabinett for it is not as dry and if you are like me, you would also appreciate a light and fruity white French wine, a 2003 Sancerre from the Le Manoir Vineyards!

but of course, you must must must have mulled wine in winter... it's just all you need to keep warm at parties! =C)

i should have known that hosting wine-night wasn't the way to reduce the number of wines i've been receiving as gifts... for i have been given more wine! so there, if you think you need more bottles of wine in your cellar or in your collection... throw a wine-tasting party or offer your place for the occasion (as i did) and have someone else organise it! don't forget to have lots of different types of cheese (cheddar, guyere, halvarti, gouda, goat's cheese, brie, etc..) and crackers for they go very well with alcohol and could even help you enjoy the wine better!

posted by ~overacuppa~ on Saturday, 14 January, 2006 at 17:19 hrs