'Twas the Night Before Bloggers

While Boo needed to trundle home to Vancouver, I shuffled off (kinda close) to Buffalo. The 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference was about to get underway in the Finger Lakes region in upstate New York. Needing to be in Corning by mid-day Wednesday, I made my way from NYC - by bus none-the-less (no planes or trains and I didn't have an automobile) - and spent the balance of Tuesday getting acclimated to Corning with a night on the town.

No sooner had I settled into the Conference hotel then I ran into blogging buddies from past Conferences, Peter and Nancy Bourget - better known as the bons vivant behind the Pull That Cork blog. Feeling the need for some nourishment - and, of all things - a glass of wine, we toured Corning's main drag and happened upon the delightful restaurant/bar, Hand + Foot. Not only did the vibe call out to us but the cozy hideaway was made all the more enticing by the little poster in the window announcing that they were featuring wines especially for visiting wine bloggers. How could we pass them by?

After striking up a full-out wine nerd conversation with one of the owners and the bartender du jour, we took them up on one of the bar's current faves.

1972.  2014 Getariako Txakolina Ameztoi (Getariako Txakolina D.O. - Spain)

So the story goes, this wine is called Txakoli and the additional letters on Txakolina translate to "the Txakoli." Ameztoi is the producer and is one of the biggest fish in a small pond when it comes to Txakoli. The wine has been largely made for home consumption, in the Basque region of Spain, until the 1980's when a few districts and varieties achieved Denominación de Origen (or appellation) status. Txakoli wines are primarily produced as white wines but there are also red versions and, as we discovered here, a few Rosés as well.

Txakoli whites are made from the Hondarribi Zuri grape and they are known to exhibit a slightly chalky, minerally with citrus notes and a noticeable spritz or light fizz to them. They are made to be drunk while young and fresh. This Ameztoi Rosé is similar in profile but is a bit bolder with a 50/50 blend of Hondarribi Zuri and its red counterpart, Hondarribi Beltza.

I was particularly gung ho to try the wine, thinking that I was going to add two new grapes to my Wine Century Club tally. After all, Hondarribi anything was as foreign a sounding grape as I could remember running across. Hondarrabi Zuri is apparently also known as Crouchen and learning that surprised the hell out of me because we actually drank a bottle of Crouchen (blended with Riesling) a couple of years back when Boo and I were touring wine country in Australia. I'd have never guessed that I'd already added Hondarribi Zuri to my tally as Crouchen. Go figure.

Luckily, I still get to add the red grape, Hondarribi Beltza to my tally as grape #196. While the white grape seems to have travelled a bit - if only to Australia in small amounts - Jancis Robinson reports, in her tome Wine Grapes, that the red Beltza is extremely rare and isn't found in many vineyards outside of Basque country. She notes that it reminds some of Cabernet Franc when made into a full red.

Eric Asimov wrote in the New York Times that "the vast proportion of Txakolina is consumed in Basque country. You find it virtually nowhere else in Spain, except in Basque restaurants, and very little is exported around he world, with one major exception: the United States." Mr. Asimov also reported that the Ameztoi family only started making the Rosé in the last decade but they find that the local population has no affinity for this different take on the wine and almost all of the winery's Rosé is shipped to New York.

Txakoli traditionally accompanies Basque snacks like anchovies and preserved tuna. I'm not so sure it was the best of fits for my incredibly rich pulled pork, grilled cheese sandwich. But the sandwich was so good, I likely could have drunk the bar's dishwater and still been sated.

1973.  2012 Királyudvar Tokaji Furmint Sec (Hungary)

Being the experienced drinkers that we were, we decided - after a little bit of discussion - that we just might be able to handle a second bottle before calling it a night. We stayed on the wine trail less travelled and ordered a dry Tokaj. I'm not all that familiar with Tokaj wines - primarily because they aren't that common in our Vancouver market but also because they're often found only as high end dessert wines that come in at a pretty penny - but, unlike the Txakoli, at least I knew of them.

Királyudvar is an historic estate in Hungary. The name translates to "Kings Court" but the estate had lost much of its glory until an American businessman, Tony Kwang, purchased it in 1997. The tale goes that Mr. Kwang was visiting Budapest and tried a "6 puttonyos" Tokaji Aszú dessert wine that made such an impression that he travelled 200 kilometres the next day where he discovered Királyudvar, purchasing it a couple of months later. He has since embarked on a modernization of the winery that also included the introduction of biodynamic farming to the estate.

As mentioned, Tokaj wines are probably best known as dessert wines, in large part because the local Furmint and Hárslevelu grapes are susceptible to the botrytis rot, as are the world renowned Sauternes wines of Bordeaux. As such, the promise of a dry Furmint was an intriguing option.

Similarly to the recent introduction of the Ameztoi Rosé, this dry version of a Tokaj was only proposed as a new innovation for the winery in 2005. Indeed, it is still sees a relatively limited production in that only 2000 cases made in 2012.

A blend of 85% Furmint and 15% Hárslevelu, I found the Királyudvar to be more enjoyable to my palate that the Txakoli. And, more than that, these actually are two new grapes to add to my Wine Century Club tally - numbers 197 and 198. I'm getting so achingly close to 200 that I might even reach my Doppel membership before we knock back the 2001st wine on The List. Furmint and its offspring, Hárslevelu, are grown mostly in Hungary where they are believed to have originated from; however, they have travelled somewhat around Central Europe, to neighbouring countries like Austria, Slovakia, Croatia and Romania. The two even found their way, as a pair, to South Africa.

This little venture on the town in Corning certainly proved that there's a whole world of wine out there to be discovered.

I've since read that Txakoli is often "poured in an exuberant arc from a bottle held high above the shoulder into tumblers to create a bust of bubbles in the glass." Such an experience was not our's but I think my excitement at getting another three grape varieties to add to my Wine Century Club tally more than made up for the lost opportunity for a show. Besides I think there'll be plenty of show to come with Mr. and Ms. Pull That Cork - and all the other bloggers - over the next couple of days.

Retro Drinks and Faded Eccentrics

I suppose it goes without saying that all "naughty weekends" must come to an end. We'd reached our final night in NYC and, for the last dinner out, we decided to go old school and visit El Quijote at the historic Chelsea Hotel. Who wouldn't be intrigued when their guide book (in our case City Secrets - New York City) has two separate entries, the first exclaiming that "the Quijote is a survivor, and the better part of its patrons - writers, catalog models, hospital workers, legitimately eccentric denizens of the Chelsea Hotel - appear to be among those who have gone too far down their chosen road to contemplate coming back...[and is] the best spot to take in the underlit defunct elegance of the place."

The second entry extols that the restaurant and bar are "one of those places where 'old' New York isn't re-created - it simply never left...The spirits collection includes crème de menthe, Dubonnet, and sloe gin - things you'd think no-one has ordered in years until the night you come in here for a perfect Manhattan and you see a woman of tattered beauty - maybe a 1948 Miss Nassau County or a former showgirl nursing one of those retro drinks in the curve of her arm."

The lure of a renowned paella didn't hurt either.

1971.  2014 Bodegas Faustino VII Tempranillo Rosado (Rioja DOC - Spain)

I just know that, if there's some variation of squid or calamari on a menu, Boo will order it. With chorizo and paella completing our dinner table, I figured a Rosé would be a nice fit. There was something about the deep pink hue of the wine that just seemed to say that the wine belonged here. The acidity was noticeable and helped counterbalance the richness of our chosen dishes. While not as elegant as the Whispering Angel we drank yesterday in the park, we had no problem finishing the wine long before we had to call it an evening with our paella.

Like the vintage cocktails that were hailed in our guide book, Faustino wines could very well have been served here at El Quijote for decades. The Chelsea was built between 1883 and 1885. Faustino has been making wine for over 150 years and the restaurant opened its doors in 1930. Something tells me that Rosados have been on the wine list here regardless of the favour or disdain Rosé wines may be experiencing at any given time.

It was a unique glimpse at New York and the vibe certainly lent itself to the conclusion of a naughty weekend. It also left us with a craving to make our way back to NYC, hopefully sooner than later.

Getting Wild & Wacky on Mallorca

The third stop on my Wild & Wacky Wine Week is in Spain - to the Spanish island of Mallorca to be exact. I was rather surprised to find a bottle of Mallorcan wine in our Vancouver market. On top of that, it turns out that this baby gets me another two grape varieties for my Wine Century Club tally (#s 181 and 182); so, I'm happy it made its way here.

1912.  2010 Muac! (Mallorca IGP - Spain)

Like many parts of Spain (and the rest of the world for that matter), Mallorca is seeing a resurgence and modernization of its wine industry. Although Pliny the Elder wrote of Mallorcan wine back in the first century and the island's wines have been hailed as some of the best in days past, the industry was largely concentrated on producing solely for local consumption during the 20th century. Most of Mallorca's production is still sold locally - largely to the hordes of tourists that flock to the island each summer - however, some of the wineries are introducing new equipment and increased use of stainless steel fermentation tanks and oak barrels and the improved wines are starting to find a bit of an export market.

The modernization of the island's winemaking often sees a marriage of local, distinct grapes and popular international grapes. This bottle of Muac! is one such union. I opened a 2010 vintage but I see on the winery website that the 2011 vintage is made with roughly equal thirds of Callet, Manto Negro and Cab Sauv. Various search results state that the blend was much the same for 2010. Unfortunately, I didn't find a whole lot of other information about the winery or the wine.

Naturally, I headed to my copy of Jancis Robinson (et al)'s Wine Grapes to look up Callet and Manto Negro. Both grapes are unique to Mallorca and are half-siblings as the two grapes are crosses of other obscure indigenous varieties. Both are known for delivering lighter bodied, red-fruited wines but older vines and reduced production levels are seeing wines with finer tannins, more depth and darker fruit on the palate. Adding the Cab Sauv to the blend only serves to increase that intensity.

We found the wine to be a nice fit - in terms of body and fruit - to our grilled pork chop. It was an easy drinking sip and a welcome introduction to this Mediterranean island.

If you're jonesing for more information on the Mallorcan wine scene as a whole, take a look at this post by the folks at Catavino. They know Spanish and Portuguese wines way more than I could ever hope to.

In the mean time, I have another new grape variety to write about.

Domino de Tares

As mentioned in a recent post, I'm hoping to take advantage of the fact that I'm into my final hundred wines before I hit my goal of 2001 bottles. I figure this is as good an opportunity as any to open some bottles that I'd otherwise be inclined to leave in the cellar for a little more ageing - or for that appropriate, landmark moment where a nicer bottle is called for.

I can easily say that we have more bottles than we'll likely need for "landmark" moments. Accordingly, having Mr. D. visit us for a mid-week dinner has just qualified for a more premium bottle than we'd normally reach for. The fact that Mr. D. and Mexican Lou gave Boo and I this bottle some years back for our 10 year anniversary and "real" legal wedding makes it an even more legitimate as a pick.

1909.  2004 Domino de Tares Bembibre (Bierzo D.O. - Spain)

Bierzo isn't nearly as recognized as Rioja, Priorat or Ribera del Duero when it comes to Spain's premium wine producing regions. Located in the north-west part of Spain, Bierzo is seen as an up and coming region - one that is undergoing a modernization from moribund, local wine producers to fashionable wineries with sought after wines. Domino de Tares is one of the new wineries in the region - it was established in 2000 - and is seen as leading the charge of modernization.

Most of the important red wines of Bierzo are based on the Mencia grape. Not seen much outside of pockets of Spain and Portugal, Mencia is often identified as falling somewhere between Pinot Noir and Syrah in terms of character. Until recently, wines made from Mencia were often seen in rather thin, entry level wines that don't do much to impress. Winemaking in Bierzo traditionally saw the vines planted in a bush pruning method and the vineyards were worked entirely by hand. In the region's efforts to improve production standards, the wineries have looked to modernize in a way that allows them to employ tractors in the vineyards. That re-working of the vineyards generally leads to fewer vines per acre and the growers often try to compensate by growing more grapes per vine - thereby resulting in lower quality fruit.

Thus far, Dominio de Taras has had its growers maintain the traditional vineyard layout and field working methods and, accordingly, is seen as pushing the envelope in terms of raising the profile of Mencia. This Bembibre is a prime example of those efforts. Bigger than what I might have expected, the wine had more dark fruit than I usually associate with Spanish wine. If this is what premium varietal Mencia is meant to taste like, I'm only too happy to check it out on a more regular basis.

Bunny Shades and Bubbles

Time for another family Easter dinner at my sister, Vixen's. She said that this year's was to be lower key and not as stress filled. That could only be less stress on the cooking and hosting side because there's no avoiding the inevitable stress that permeates Easter dinner with our family. After all, Easter dinner means making the cherished paper plate Easter bonnet. Never meant to be a competition, but you just know that the trash talk will be flying and that there's going to be judgment and ridicule to spare if your bonnet is anything less than spectacular.

To encourage greater ingenuity and cachet with our bonnets, everyone is allowed to bring along one embellishment - a little something to give you some added "Je ne sais quoi." I figured I'd snagged a real winner this year when I found a pair a bunny sunglasses. And, then, I had to let out a big, old "You Bitch!" when Vixen pulled out virtually the same glasses. So much for my unique extravagance and spectacular one-upmanship.

Good thing there was some wine to soothe my rattled nerves.

1889.  N.V. Stoneboat Faux Pas Rosé Brut (Okanagan Valley VQA)

I thought that I'd bring along a bottle of bubbly to help with the celebrations. Plus, Stargirl, my oldest niece, is starting to take a liking to wine and I thought a Rosé Brut would be a good fit for her, especially since this bottle is fashioned to be a bit of a BC Prosecco. The Faux Pas Brut Rosé is a fairly new companion bubble to Stoneboat's popular Piano Brut. Made in the Charmat Méthode, the winery website states that this classic method "is an ideal process for natural carbonation while preserving more youthful freshness and aromatics of the finished wine."

If the Faux Pas proves to be as popular as Piano, I'm sure the winery will be hoping to produce more than the 250 cases they managed with this vintage. This bottle went quickly enough with our gang.

1890.  2012 River Stone Pinot Gris (Okanagan Valley VQA)

River Stone is a small family owned winery that I ran across (literally) during last year's Half Corked Half in the Oliver-Osoyoos region. I think it's the northern-most winery on the Black Sage Bench, a little south of McIntyre Bluff and just north of Oliver. They were one of the wineries that had a "water" (read "wine") station along the route.

The Pinot Gris is one of two whites produced by River Stone (the other being a Gewürztraminer). The winery name alludes to the primary nature of the vineyard's soil and it certainly seems to lead to a more prominent minerality to the wine than is often found with BC Pinot Gris.

Thankfully, all the wine helps the imagination flow for our Easter Bonnet designs. Everyone is then expected to parade their bonnet at the start of dinner and, as Vixen delivered the evening's carrots in her finished bonnet, she was as proud as a peacock. Although I don't exactly see a paper plate incorporated into that bonnet. Looks like a disqualifying factor to me.

1891.  2009 Bodega Castillo de Maluenda - Punto Y Coma Garnacha Viñas Viejas (D.O. Calatayud - Spain)

Our last wine of the night was a big, fruit laden Grenache. It was probably a bit much for our dinner of ham but, as is often the case with Spanish Garnacha - full bodied or not - the wine can be sipped along all on its own.

Punto y Coma is one of the brands that produced by the Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón, a large collaboration of three wineries that joined, in 1999, together to further "develop the grape growing, wine production and commercialization" of wines for 34 of the 67 municipalities forming the Calatayud region. It would seem to be working for them seeing as how their wines have made it all the way to our little Canadian Easter Bonnet Parade.

And, the way I see it, the more wine that makes it the better because not only do all the bonnets look better after wine but you can always drink more if you need to assuage your wounded pride if your bonnet isn't as well-received as it so rightly deserves to be.

Sweetie Loves His Tongue

Alright, it's a given that any relationship that is going to work is going to involve a healthy dose of give and take. I'm the first to admit that Boo gives a lot. So, I can't complain (too much) that one of my gives is the fact that he likes to serve tongue - and that's on the dinner plate as opposed to lashing out like a drag queen - at least once or twice a year.

Gotta admit that it's not exactly my favourite piece of beef, but you know...

Good thing is that tongue seems to go with an awful lot of reds - and that's something that I can easily deal with.

1883.  2010 Celler El Masroig - Solà Fred (Mont Sant D.O. - Spain)

I can't say that I knew that Mont Sant is a Denominacio d'Origen region in Spain. I grabbed this Carignan/Grenache blend because I needed a Spanish wine to compliment a present involving a Spanish guide book and a couple other Spanish items to provide a bit of a tempting view into a possible trip there. I've since learned that Mont Sant is in Catalunya and that, despite the label (presumably made for our Canadian market) talking about Carignan and Grenache, the grapes being grown there would likely be called Samsó and Garnacha. Garnacha, I would have known but Samsó?

I can't say that there's anything particular Spanish about Boo's preparation of the tongue but I figured the wine would be big enough to stand up to the textural meat. Indeed, the wine was more than enough to handle Boo's tongue lashing. Big with lots of fruit coming through as the wine doesn't see any oak.

I will admit though that the wine ran out before the tongue did. Good thing Boo is more than happy to worry about any leftovers. I'm only expected to savour the one meal.

It's no doubt a good thing that Boo brings out the tongue every so often. I rather suspect that, if we ever did make it to Spain, there'd likely be a few dishes served that are ultimately more exotic than tongue.

I can't wait.

Norma Jean's 90

There have been a number of landmark birthdays noted on this blog - mostly as my friends catch up to me at 50 - but this is the first 90th birthday that we've toasted.

My cousins organized a surprise party for my aunt, albeit it was a somewhat subdued affair. Even nowadays, with a generally improved longevity, most folks don't have a lot of peers when they hit 90. Plus, there's always that added risk of surprising folks - and their tickers - as we've aged. Luckily, the surprise was more of a "what the heck's going here" kind of surprise than a "jump out of the closet, yelling" surprise. Perhaps the bigger surprise was that the kids had managed to bring along one of my uncles who lives clear across the province and another aunt who isn't fairing nearly as well as her sister is.

I wasn't even sure that there was going to be wine at the party. After all, it could have been a genteel affair with rolled cucumber sandwiches and pinkies-in-the-air cups of tea. Luckily my aunt still likes a glass of wine to liven things up. So, The List is being bolstered by another two additions.

1857.  2013 Castillo de Monséran Garnacha (Cariñena D.O. - Spain)

Castillo de Monséran has a reputation locally as a "go to" bargain wine. Given BC's government monopoly and pricing structure, there aren't too many wines that sell for under $10 that are actually quite decent. The cousins did well to cotton on to the Garnacha (or Grenache). Indeed, Daenna Van Mulligen, Vancouver's resident Wine Diva, declares in her companion website, WineScores, that this a "buy-it-by-the-case gem, consistent and delicious." It's a big sip for a lot of people but the abundance of sweet fruit and spice also makes it an approachable drink - on its own or with heartier snacks.

1858.  2012 Scrap Book Red Blend (Okanagan Valley VQA)

I almost passed on the Scrap Book Red but I saw that it's an Okanagan Valley VQA wine; so, I figured I needed to give it at least a taste. I know that there's a seemingly endless array of new wineries in the Okanagan every year but this is a brand that I've neither seen before nor heard of - and I like to think that I have a pretty good handle on BC wines.

Guess I should have taken a shot of the back of the bottle because I can't find any further information on the wine even after the fact. There doesn't appear to be a winery called Scrap Book at all, nor could I find any link to the wine itself - except to see that it was offered for a sale price at Everything Wine. I couldn't find any reference to what the grapes were (although I'm assuming there was a good proportion of Merlot in the mix) except for the fact that the grapes and wine qualified it for VQA status.

Given that this appears to be a brand-driven bottling, I'm not surprised to find that it had a profile that resembled the new brand of accessible, sweeter wines like Apothic. In fact, I even mentioned that to my sister since my older niece is starting to discover wine and she asked her mom to pick up a bottle of Apothic at the liquor store. Definitely inoffensive, like [yellow tail] in its hey-day, there's a definite place for these wines - even if it's not necessarily my first pick for a sip at home.

Turned out that my cousin chose it because she noticed the label and thought it was appropriate since my aunt has enjoyed scrapbooking through the years.

Those couple bottles turned into a good number of hours and, once the birthday cake and the obligatory family shot with the uncles, aunts and cousins was taken, we bid the birthday girl "adieu" and hoped that we'd get together sooner than when the next landmark b-day comes around.

Happy Birthday girl!

Unusually Rare

For me, one of the most interesting parts of this Wine Odyssey has been the discovery of new varieties of grape. The world is not all Chardonnay or Cab - nor should it be. I think the fact I'm inching closer to my 200th variety on my Wine Century Club tally is a teensy indicator of my enthusiasm for discovering new grapes and wines.

Sometimes, that discovery just leads to more questions. Case in hand - or at least bottle in hand - I quickly grabbed for this bottle of Albillo varietal wine from Spain when I happened upon it. Little did I know that I still wouldn't be sure of which grape was actually used in making the wine.

1807.  2012 Bodegas Valduero - Garcia Viadero - Blanco de Albillo (Castilla y León VDT - Spain)

Although winemaking in this part of northern Spain dates back hundreds of years (if not centuries), in 1984, this family run winery was one of the first to be established in the heart of the newly created Ribera del Duero D.O. (or quality wine region). At the time, there were only about a half dozen wineries in the region; however, the region exploded on the wine scene and has played a big part of the renaissance of Spanish wine. There are now over 200 wineries in Ribero del Duero.

The regional D.O. is best known for its reds and does not, in general, permit white wines to be produced under its auspices. Most white wine produced is destined for local consumption - without D.O. designation. Ribera del Duero does have one exception and that is the indigenous Albillo grape. Even then, only Bodegas Valduero and (regional star winery) Vega Sicilia, have been given special permission to grow the grape and the wines still need to be labeled as Vino de la Terra (a lower, table wine designation) from the larger Castilla y León region.

Problem is the grape is quite rare and has never really been a highly-identified cultivar. Over the years, there have apparently been a collection of grapes with the word Albillo forming part of the name, but almost all of them have been referred to simply as Albillo. Many of those grapes no longer even appear to be in production. According to Jancis Robinson (et al)'s tome, Wine Grapes, both Albillo Mayor and Albillo Real still see limited production, are both grown in the Castilla y León region and are seemingly referred to, interchangeably, as Albillo.

Neither the label, nor the winery website, expand any further on the grape than to say that the wine is 100% Albillo. It would seem that this can be a common occurrence. In addition to Wine Grapes, I often refer to the Fringe Wine blog when it comes to unusual grape varieties and even Rob's entry on Albillo left him uncertain as to which grape he'd actually partaken in with the wine he'd sampled.

I'm counting it in my Wine Century Club tally regardless of the fact that the grape could be more accurately identified. The odds of my running into another Albillo wine are probably pretty slim. I see that only slightly more than 26,000 bottles were made of this vintage. I think I'm good to go with just calling the grape, Albillo.

As far as Spanish whites go, this was richer with bigger tree fruit and citrus coming through than I'm used to tasting. If this is what I might expect from Albillo, I suppose I should keep my eyes open for another.

Let The Games Begin!

The World Cup has kicked off in Brazil and I suspect my life is going to be rather soccer-centric for the next month - not that I really have that much invested in the event this time around. Once again, our Canadian team has been left on the sidelines, but I do have the office pool to get excited about. And, I suspect that living just off The Drive, in Vancouver's old Little Italy, will see its share of celebration in the street. The size of the celebrations will definitely depend on which teams stay in the race and for how long. Historically, street closures are only needed for the biggest of wins by countries like Italy and Portugal - countries with plenty of ex-pats and presence on The Dive - and superpowers like Brazil and Argentina.

I just realized that, for the last World Cup in 2010, I held a little World Cup of Wine for the blog. That approach of matching the event to the blog totally slipped my mind in the build up to this year's tournament; so, there ain't gonna be anything so adventurous this time around. (Guess I must have had more time on my hands back then.) I think the best I'll manage with this World Cup is to pull the corks on bottles from countries that are playing that day.

Today's opening game is Brazil vs. Croatia. There's only one Brazilian wine available in the Vancouver market and I've already popped the cork on that Moscato bubbly and added the wine to The List. Guess there won't be much celebrating with Brazilian wines this tournament. Alternatively, I'd hoped to find a Croatian wine - because I know they make lots - but I couldn't find a single bottle in the three shops that I dropped by, including the specialty government store.

So much for the grand plan. As an alternative option, I decided to open a Spanish bottle seeing as how Spain is the defending champion and is entering this World Cup as one of the favourites. I know that Spanish wines are certainly a favourite around this household.

1627.  2003 Bodegas Roda - Roda I Reserva (Rioja DOC - Spain)

I'm thinking that the Spanish Soccer Federation spares no expense when it comes to the national team. I get the impression that the same is true of Bodegas Roda. Founded only in 1987, the winery is part of the new wave in Spanish wine. Knowing that they were setting up shop in a region that was awash in traditional wineries, partners Mario Rotllant and Carmen Daurella set out with an objective to attain a premium expression that reflected the tradition of Rioja, yet in a modern style.

They started by obtaining - by either purchase or long-term contact - 28 vineyards throughout Rioja. In their quest to make only the finest wines, each year, the grapes from only 17 of those vineyards - deemed the best in that vintage - are used in making the winery's two Reserva wines: Roda and Roda I. The rest of the grapes are sold to other wineries.

The grapes from each of those 17 vineyards are all vinified and aged independently. At the time of blending, they, therefore, have 17 different wines available, each having spent a year in the barrel. Only varieties indigenous to the region - Tempranillo, Garnacha and Graciano - are grown in the vineyards; however, only Tempranillo is used in making the Roda I.

The new venture was noticed for bringing modern techniques into both the vineyard and the winery - such as introducing Rioja's first sorting table, vinifying the wines in temperature controlled oak vats and ageing them in 100% French oak barrels. With the two Reserva wines, Roda is noted for lots of red berry fruit that is meant for immediate enjoyment, whereas Roda I features blacker fruit and a deeper, more complex nose and mouthfeel.

I wouldn't say that our Roda I hits some of the in-your-face standards of fruit and mouthfeel that some New World wines do, but that can be a good thing. I'll liken it to strategy on the soccer pitch. If you put all your energy into your attacking game, you might find yourself suspect in the defensive half. I like that the winery has straddled both New and Old World sentiments - both offence and defence, if you will. Now, let's see if the Spanish team can match the result at the World Cup.

If they do so, we could be drinking a lot of Spanish wine over the next so many weeks.

A C&C Christmas

In what's become a bit of a tradition, the gang from work gathered for a holiday dinner party at Ciao Bello for some laughs and many a plea for everyone to "Mangia. Mangia."

It's always a bit of a surprise to find out what wines The Boss has picked for the night. I made the wine arrangements for a couple of years but Boss has taken a bit of a shine to wandering the aisles at the liquor store to come up with an array of wines - particularly when he thinks that he has some choices that will surprise me a bit. I totally appreciate the fact that he checks the blog before making a purchase so that I get the chance to add some new bottles to The List - as well as join in with the troops.

1485.  2012 Masi Masianco (Pinot Grigio e Verduzzo delle Venezie IGT - Italy)

I cottoned onto one of the whites The Boss picked - forgetting that I'd bought a bottle for home myself - because I saw that it was a blend featuring the Verduzzo grape. Since Verduzzo Friulano is definitely a new grape for my Wine Century Club tally, I'm not going to care that I could have zeroed in on a different white and saved this one for quaffing at home. When it comes to increasing my grape variety tally, sooner is always better.

Masi has been making the Masianco blend for a decade now and they refer to it as their white "Supervenetian" and a counterpart to Masi's well known red "Supervenetian" wine, Campofiorin. I gather it is the blending of these two grapes that takes this wine out of the more historically approved D.O.C. wines and into IGT territory. I understand that the wine does very well for Masi and I guess that this might just go to show that innovation can have its place even among regions caught up in centuries' worth of tradition.

Another different aspect in the production of Masianco is that the Verduzzo grapes (which make up about a quarter of the wine) undergo some additional drying out - the "appassimento" method - to enhance and concentrate the body, flavours and aromas. This approach doesn't appear to be unique to Masi as the grape is also used by regional producers to make a sweeter dessert wine. An alternative method that leads to a similar result is that the grape's growers will leave the bunches hanging on the vine to bring in for a late harvest wine. There are, apparently, some wineries making straight, dry varietal wines with Verduzzo but I don't think many of them travel much. Jancis Robinson's "Wine Grapes" states that the grape is grown primarily in North-East Italy (with a couple small pockets in Slovenia and one producer in Australia) but that overall plantings are gradually declining.

Good thing I'm adding it to my tally now.

Unfortunately, our dinner group was missing a few of our bigger personalities this year. As such, there was no Bollywood-style bhangra or dancing on the tables. In fact, there was no dancing at all. Just plenty of eating and drinking and moving from table to table in between courses.

Some of our colleagues were a little more adventurous than they might usually be with their drinks over the evening. So, I introduced a handful of them to dirty martinis, to the joy that is Prosecco and a couple braver souls to a Prosecco Spritzer when I saw a bottle of Aperol at the bar. It's getting to be common enough now to find Aperol in Vancouver bars and restaurants. Hard to believe that it was only five years ago that Boo and I came home from Venice and couldn't find a bottle anywhere in the city.

Despite making suggestions to other folks, I was good and stuck to wine though.

1486.  2010 Emilio Moro Bodegas - Finca Resalso (Ribera del Duero - Spain)

The second bottle being added to The List saw The Boss veer a bit away from his almost "all-Italian" selection for the evening - by adding in a Spanish wine that I hadn't run across before. He said that he wanted to grab it because it's supposedly a rare find in Vancouver. The wine is apparently the entry level wine for Emilio Moro Bodegas and it's made from 100% Tinto Fino (another name for Tempranillo) in the Ribera del Duero region. The wine is named for the Finca Resalso vineyard that has been in production since 1933; however, the grapes for this wine are from the vineyard's youngest vines - being between 5 and 15 years of age.

The Moro family itself has been involved in the winemaking business in Ribera del Duero for three generations now but they've only been releasing their wines under this brand since 1982.

I'm not sure that our Italian server was impressed much by a Spanish wine on the table but I think this was probably my fave for the night. Bigger and fruitier than many of the entry level Tempranillos I tend to run across, maybe the Italians should be a little worried.

1487.  2011 Barone Ricasoli - Campo Ceni (Toscana IGT - Italy) 

I was intrigued to see that The Boss brought along a Ricasoli wine as well since Boo and I had opened a bottle not too long ago. This was more of an entry level wine though. I'd grabbed a higher end bottle from (if memory serves) the Vancouver International Wine Festival and it was way bigger than this one.

Don't be fooled by the fact that I took a picture of the bottle with my tiramisu. I'd been drinking the wine earlier in the evening and I'd just forgotten to take a picture for the blog. I wouldn't exactly recommend the Campo Ceni with tiramisu though. It wasn't the worse combination ever but I think you could easily come up with a better pairing. Like the coffee I was now sipping on.

The Super Tuscan - Sangiovese, Merlot and Cab Sauv blend - didn't go over incredibly well at our table. People tended to gravitate to other options. I didn't mind it myself but entry level Sangiovese isn't generally my first wine of choice.

I think The Boss had a much bigger list of wines but I just didn't get around to checking out the others. Boo had experienced a tough day at work and he asked that we head out a little earlier than I might have usually. I likely would have been able to add another bottle to The List but sometimes a clear head in the morning is worth that lost bottle.

Besides I'd already received my early Christmas present by being able to add grape #166 to my Wine Century Club tally. The rest of the evening was all bonus.

Tasty Treats & Big Reds

I can pretty much be guaranteed that the holiday season is officially under way as soon as I've nibbled my way through Jeaux and Matinder's Christmas Cookie Extravaganza. The event's formal moniker might well be more generically seasonal but no one's kidding anyone - this shindig is all about the baking.

Months of planning go into the annual bake-fest and regular guests were treated to a new array of cookies this year as Matinder wanted to try out some new concoctions in addition to his regular faves. He and Jeaux even added my all-time favourite - their 2010 Olympic red mitten cookies. Knowing that their guests can't simply gorge themselves on nothing but sugar all night, they not only have an assortment of savoury munchies but the bake-happy couple are well prepped for the real fun of the night - choosing a full slate of take-out treats. No one's "allowed" to leave without a doggie bag - or more appropriately, a goodie bag - filled with one's faves from the neverending buffet.

Boo had to work nights and missed the live munching but Matinder made sure that Boo was the recipient of an extra large "to go" care package - loaded with Boo's fave espresso bean shortbread cookies.

With Boo not able to make it, I "coaxed" Mr. D. to join me. I didn't really want to play "fat boy" and nibble all on my own; so, I figured Mr. D. could handle the extra calories - and help add a couple of bottles to The List.

1481.  2009 Bodegas Ochoa - Garnacha & Tempranillo (Navarra D.O. - Spain)

Yet another Spanish producer that I don't recall having run across before. I'm not exactly sure why since Bodegas Ochoa was founded in 1370 and was the "personal winemaker for the King of Navarra and his royal court for nearly 500 years." Not having personally spent much time around Spanish royalty, maybe I don't know them because the winery's only been exporting their wines for 150 years. Okay, maybe not.

The winery is family owned and uses all estate-grown grapes from the family's Navarra vineyards. The Navarra region is in Northern Spain in the foothills of the Pyrenees and is home to a large range of grape varieties. This wine is more of an entry level blend of Tempranillo (70%) and Garnacha (Grenache)(30%). A bit big for the occasion at hand, I think it might have made a bigger impression if I'd been sipping it along with more traditional Spanish tapas.

The winery sounds interesting and worth a little more looking into though. Bodegas Ochoa is slowly seeing a transition into the next generation as patriarch, Javier Ochoa, is turning over winemaking and other operational responsibilities to his daughter, Adriana. She, in turn, (according to one of their importers) has been named "Best Young Female Winemaker in Spain" on more than one occasion.

1482.  2011 Bodegas Carchelo - C (Jumilla D.O. - Spain)

The second wine that Mr. D. and I tried was the third vintage (to be added to The List) of a rather unique 40/40/20 blend of Monastrell (a.k.a. Mourvèdre), Tempranillo and Cab Sauv. I'm guessing that Mr. D. brought this wine along because he was party to the 2009 vintage that was added way back at #630 as well.

Unlike Bodegas Ochoa, Carchelo is a fairly new winery - having been established in early 1980's. Once founded, it was one of the pioneers in working to modernize winemaking in Jumilla - a previously nondescript, if not backward, wine region in Southern Spain.

Jumilla is generally hot and arid - even by Spanish standards - and, understandably, the wine is bold and full flavoured with plenty of fruit and spice dominating. Like the Ochoa wine, this was a bit over the top for the occasion but its abundance of fruit helped out on the sipping, cocktail front.

There was enough chocolate among all the tasty treats that guests didn't need to worry about a bit of red wine though - intense or not. And, speaking of tasty treats, Matinder's addition of "nipple" cookies to the menu led to a bit of extra-curricular fun as well - especially after a few glasses of big wines had been enjoyed - that is, if this shot of Jeaux and Fifi is any indication.

I can only imagine what might happen if these treats were left next to the fireplace for Santa. I'll need a special order of Matinder's cookies if I'm ever going to find out though. I'm certain that the ones I took home in Boo's doggie bag will never last until Christmas Eve.

Poor Santa.

A Tipple for Grenache Day

For the last so many years, the only occasions we've had to visit Salt Spring Island have been when Tyrant was hosting our Dinner Club there. Our reason for this visit also related to an invite from Tyrant; however, this time around, there was a tad more excitement in the air. Tyrant and Panda Guy were getting married and I think a wedding trumps a dinner party, no brainer.

In true Tyrant style, there was to be a weekend's worth of events and the guest list included many a face that I hadn't seen for some time. Boo and I had been looking forward to the wedding for some time now - particularly since we snagged the last cabin at the lakeside resort down the road from Tyrant and Panda's property. Knowing that Tyrant enjoys his wine as much as I do, the stumbling distance between the party and our beds was a welcome treat.

We're officially out of peak season now; so, ferry service to the island has been reduced. Our choice was to catch the 10 a.m. boat - which we did - or not arrive until 11 p.m. which would have seen us effectively miss the BBQ being held this night before the ceremony. Not exactly a choice I would readily accede to.

Our early arrival allowed us to catch a quick lunch in the thriving metropolis of Ganges and check into the resort with a bit of time to catch a nap before hitting the BBQ.

That is, time to catch a nap and grab a relaxing sip. The day's showers were hardly conducive to lounging on the cabin deck or on the lake wharf, but the cool temps did lend themselves to a bigger red. Good thing since today was International Grenache Day.

1426.  2011 evohé Garnacha (VDLT Bajo Aragón - Spain)

We'd brought a favourite wine to take to the BBQ but hadn't really planned anything for the afternoon. So, we stopped in the local liquor store after lunch and picked up a Grenache that I don't recall having seen before. An entry level wine, evohé's producers took a bit of a chance when they established their winery in a part of the Aragón region that is not included in any of the regions forming the more respected D.O. (Denominación de Origen) system. As a Vino de la Tierra, the project could be seen as a lesser product and the three partners behind evohé were cautioned against such folly.

I guess they've managed to beat the odds seeing as how we picked up the bottle a continent away in a small town liquor store.

I don't think anyone will take this as one of those incredible Spanish bang for your buck wines. It seemed a bit over-blown to me but it was certainly big enough to beat the chill of the weather and there was an abundance of dark fruit - enough to challenge any New World bargain wine that you'd like to put it up against.

The little marketing blurb and the back label was interesting enough as well. It reads, "Evohé was the world with which Jupiter encouraged Bacchus when he defended his father's throne during the Giants' War. Today, Bacchus followers still use this word to evoke the spirit of joy when celebrating."

That sentiment seemed to match the occasion. So, we toasted Grenache Day and the weekend to come and then headed off to the BBQ and the real party.

Prepping for the New Curling Season

With Fall either having arrived or just around the corner, it also means that the curling season will be shortly upon us. More and more of the teams in our league are sporting team names and uniforms and the pressure was on for us to move a little past blasé. We weren't having much luck reaching any consensus with simple e-mails going back and forth. So, in an effort to get ourselves a little more organized than last year, the team decided to meet for dinner and drinks - hoping that abundant libations would prompt the free flow of our creative juices.

For the first time in many years, I was going to be starting out with the same team as I played with last year. For the last so many seasons, we've needed at least one or two new members to flesh out the team as folks have moved from Vancouver or simply moved away from the game. While there's no fear of us challenging for supremacy of the "A" or "B" Divisions in our league, the hope is that we'll be able to build on last year's learning experience - and avoid the dreaded "F."

That "improvement" is, of course, with the actual curling. Anyone who curls knows that the after-game drinks are as much a part of the game as throwing the rocks. We've never had a problem with the cocktails.

1414.  2012 Les Roches Bleues - Pays de Maures Rouge (Pays des Maures IGP - France)

Fisher was brand new to our team and to curling last year and I think it was simple kismet that he ended up playing with us - or at least with me. Fisher and his partner, Paddy, are members of the Opimian Society. So, I can pretty much rely on the fact that, when we get together, he's going to have a bottle or two that I've never seen before.

Such was the case with Les Roches Bleues. This bottle remains largely cloaked in mystery, however, as I couldn't find an easy reference to the wine or winery online. Pays de Maures is a département on the Mediterranean coast of Southern France that produces Vin de Pays wines. The red wines are made with traditional Provencal varieties and this is a Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre blend. The only reference I could find to a Domaine Les Roches Bleues was in the Beaujolais district of Brouilly and this wine clearly had a different pedigree. There wasn't much labelling on the bottle but I did see a reference to Bernard Perrin. So, we might assume that this is somehow related to the many wines under control of the Perrin family.

It was pleasant enough out in the garden to get us started. It didn't exactly whisk us off to the Mediterranean coastline but we needed a simple transition from our starting martinis.

1415.  2009 Garcia Carrión - Antaño Rioja Crianza (Rioja D.O.C. - Spain)

M'og brought along this Rioja that is an entry level blend Mazuelo (Carignan), Graciano, Garnacha (Grenache) and Tempranillo and it seems to pull in a fair bit of hardware. Our bottle featured a sticker touting a Best in Class Silver Medal at the 2012 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Antaño is the Garcia Carrión line for Rioja production (there are well over a dozen different brands in total) and they make a lot of wine. Enough to export to over 130 countries.

Burger wine. But it still didn't capture our collective vote.

With the BBQ behind us, it was back to the garden to get down to the business of choosing a team name. As luck would have it, our neighbour, Baby Mama, dropped in and the lady is known for her cultural proclivities and her writing talents. She might be of more assistance than the wine.

M'og wasn't overly thrilled with team names that incorporated a gay naughtiness with curling puns. "Tight Ends" just didn't work for him. Nor did he gravitate to the culturally cool "Legion of Broom." He was leaning towards a name that referenced the sheets of ice that we'd be playing on but his first choice of Ice Storm seemed a tad esoteric for the gang. No one wanted "Ice Queens" despite the fact that we play in a gay league.

Fisher and I thought that "Fifty Sheets of Gay" was witty and topical - as did Baby Mama - especially since they just announced that the movie version of Fifty Shades of Grey would be filmed in Vancouver, but M'og and Kaz were hesitant.

Kaz seemed particularly drawn to "Sheet Show" as the pun could reference both our poor play if we sucked or our stellar "show" if we managed to put it all together.

We mulled over it some more as I opened what turned out to be our favourite wine of the evening. Indeed, a possible fave for the memory banks.

1416.  2006 Pacific Breeze GSM (Cellared in Canada)

Like the Les Roches Bleues, this was a GSM; however, I know a bit more about this wine. Its provenance is rather modern. As noted previously in this blog, Pacific Breeze is a garage winery in the truest sense of the word. They operate out of a storage unit in urban Vancouver. They source their fruit - primarily from California and Washington - and ship it to New Westminster where their garage operation turns out some very tasty wines. This bottle featured fruit from the High Valley AVA in Lake County, California.

I'm generally not a fan of the Cellared in Canada wines as they are generally bulk wines, mass produced for the entry level market but Pacific Breeze works on producing a premium sip even though they have no option but to sell under the "Cellared in Canada" banner.

Predominantly Syrah (51%) and Grenache (43%) - with a 6% shot of Mourvédre - this was a definite New World take on Rhône blends. Much more reminiscent of Aussie blends than the South of France. Smooth, fruit forward with plenty of nose and flavour, there clearly wasn't enough of it to go around and we all bemoaned the sight of the last bit being poured. Baby Mama asked for a bit to take back to her man, K-Pop, but I later bumped into him on the street but it appears the glass never made it quite as far as to his lips. Best laid plans o' mice and baby mamas, I suppose.

Too bad there were only 400 cases made of this GSM and it's from 2006. I'd certainly like to get my hands on some more of it.

2006 La Frenz Merlot (Naramata Bench - Okanagan Valley)

Our last bottle of the night was the La Frenz and we were so engaged with our discussions of team names and uniforms (the latter of which we made very little headway) that I didn't even remember to take a photo of the bottle. Could be that I subconsciously knew that I'd already added this vintage of the Merlot to The List (at #425) and that, therefore, it wouldn't be featured to the same extent. The Pacific Breeze was a hard act to follow but the La Frenz did a good job of standing up for itself - earning itself some fine kudos from the assembled gang.

Unfortunately, our curling club's bar doesn't carry wines of this calibre. We're more of a beer league in the truest sense of the words. That just means that our little "Sheet Show" will have to plan a few more of these little get-togethers.

As for the mean time, "Good Curling."

Curling Dinner

Generally, I only get to add a whack of wines to The List in one night when it's our Dinner Club gang getting together or a Wine Boyz tasting. Tonight, however, Fisher threw a dinner for our curling team now that our regular season is over and the playoffs are about to begin.

And I can attest that the wine was flowing - particularly when you consider it was a school night. Guess we really worked up a thirst on the ice today. Ending the regular season with a win might have had something to do with it.

Despite the fact that we had two bottles of one wine and two of the wines have already made it to The List, I'm still adding four new wines to the total.

2011 Lang Vineyards - Farm Reserve Riesling (Okanagan Valley)

2006 Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz (Barossa Valley - Australia)

The Langmeil Shiraz is a favourite around our home; so, it's hardly surprising to already be on The List. The Lang Riesling isn't quite as common since Lang was in receivership and this is the first vintage of wine that's been produced in a number of years. Nice to see that the Riesling doesn't seem to have lost any of its tastiness.

1281.  2011 Domaine de Milhomme - Cuvée Le Mûrier (AOC Beaujolais - France)

Fish was new to our team this year and a rookie to the league. Turns out that he and his partner, Paddy, are wine aficionados as well. I'm all for chumming around, on and off the ice, with wine geeks - especially when Fish can dig into his cellar of wines for bottles like this Beaujolais that I wouldn't normally see otherwise. Fisher and Paddy are members of the Opimian Society and I understand their case deliveries can be full of surprises. This was pretty big for Beaujolais but I'm not complaining. I'm not sure that, in retrospect, I caught the "hint of blueberry, cognac and balsamic reduction" that the Opimian notes mentioned though.

1282. 2010 Pierre Henri Morel - Signargues Côtes-du-Rhône Villages (AOC Côtes-du-Rhône Villages - France)

The man behind the label is the Commercial Director at Chapoutier wines and Monsieur Morel established the winery in 2007 when he purchased the assets of a winery that had gone bankrupt. He makes two Châteauneuf-du-Pape with grapes grown on the home vineyard and three wines, including this Côtes-du-Rhône from purchased grapes. The wines are made by the staff at Chapoutier and this primarily Grenache sip is blended with Syrah and Mourvèdre to meet the specifications required by the AOC in order to be designated as Signargues - a small plateau region in the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages. It looks like he's aiming to match Chapoutier's reputation of delivering nice wines at reasonable prices. It's certainly nice to see at least this one of his wines hitting our market because he's apparently only making about 250 cases of each of his wines.

1283.  2008 Quinta da Barreira Reserva Touriga Nacional & Cabernet Sauvignon (Portugal)

I think this was another of Fisher's Opimian bottles because I can't find much reference to the producer or the wine in local searches. I can't say that I can recall a blend like this. We're starting to see a few more still, red wines from Portugal in our market but most of them are entry level commercial bottles and the mixing of Cab and Touriga Nacional sure seems like a bit of new school Portugal to me. It would appear that Portugal will no longer simply be known for Port in local markets.

1284.  2010 Layer Cake Garnacha (D.O. Calatayud - Spain)

Seeing as how, thus far, the evening's additions to The List hailed from France and Portugal, I suppose it might make sense that we sipped back on another bottle from that part of the world. The last wine of the dinner - although we were long past the ever-so-tasty crab cakes and lamb stew that we feasted on - was from Spain. This Garnacha (or Grenache) is one of the newest entries in the Layer Cake collection. As a side project, California cult wine proprietor, Jayson Woodbridge, produces wines from regions around the world, picking what he feels is the top grape grown in a particular region and making big, fruit forward wines.

The Spanish Garnacha joins a Californian Cab (and Chardonnay), an Oregon Pinot, an Argentine Malbec, an Aussie Shiraz and an Italian Primitivo. The wines are continually lauded as over-delivering with bang for your buck. Despite the number of bottles that had already been polished off, there was no problem finishing this one off as well.

That last bottle pretty much polished me off for the night though. Being the oldest member of the team, I know better than to try and match the younger bucks glass for glass. For all I know, Kaz and M'og probably hit a bar on the way home. All power to them - provided they've sobered up for our playoff game next weekend.

There was no doubt that Fisher and Paddy passed Fish's rookie initiation! He's definitely invited back for next season - regardless of whether he offers to cook up another dinner or hit the wine cellar for us. Hell, he even earns a few "free" hogged rocks next year as a thank you for the evening. We might normally end our games at the club with a pitcher of beer, as opposed to a bottle, but get togethers like this might just harbour the start of a new trend. Curlers getting their rocks off with a bottle of wine. I like it.

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler

Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler. Mercy me! How those words have a way of stirring up memories. It may be close to a couple of decades since I've partied away on the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but that doesn't mean I can't throw on some beads, deck the joint out in purple, gold and green and invite some friends over to "let the good times roll."

Now, true enough, a Mardi Gras party may not be the most traditional of occasions for gathering material for a wine blog - but there's no denying that, when there's that much booze present, there's bound to be some wine to be had.

And, have it we did. It's just that there was plenty of alternative libation around and it may have served to cloud my wine tasting abilities a tad.

I think it's fair to say that the Hurricane is the "official" drink of Mardi Gras. You can't truly say that you've been to Mardi Gras if you didn't throw back your fair share of the Rum punch that makes Pat O'Brien's, Bourbon Street and New Orleans as memorable as they all are. So, I naturally had to do my best to set the scene by making a couple gallons of the naughty, red elixir. Knowing just how much Rum went into filling those "go cups," I was sure to give a good, stern warning to and keep plenty of ice handy for all our revellers - many of whom have never had the pleasure of living through a Hurricane before.

The truly naughty part of our hosting, however, was that, a couple of days before the party, I happened to see a recipe online for Hurricane Jello Shots. Now, I've never tried making jello shots before but, if there was ever going to be an appropriate occasion, it was going to be this party.

Tasty little things I might add. Good thing you could taste the booze in the jello and you knew better than to keep popping them. Between the punch and the shots, however, I think you can understand why I'm not even going to try and talk much about the wine. Indeed, I'm rather pleased with myself that I even remembered to take pictures of the couple bottles that I tried during the course of the evening.

1261. 2008 Bodegas Piqueras - Castillo de Almansa Reserva (D.O. Almansa - Spain)

I rather wish I did recall more about this little Spanish number. I always try to keep my eye open for good value wines and Spain is as good a source as any nowadays. I'm not familiar with either the producer or the Almansa region but the back label says that the wine is a blend of Tempranillo, Monastrell (Mourvèdre) and Garnacha (Grenache). It didn't go down quite as easily as the Hurricanes did - but that's likely a good thing. I may have to give it another go, however, as I did enjoy it a bit more than the second bottle I helped finish off.

1262. 2009 Christian Moueix Merlot (Bourdeaux AOC - France)


It was the gaggle of BC Wine Appreciation Society ladies that brought along that second bottle. They highly recommended the Merlot but it too will have to be a bottle that I give another chance to and try when the taste might be better appreciated. I just remember it as being fairly big for a French Merlot.

It may just be that the Spanish wine went a little better with the cheeses and mini-muffulettas but I guess I'll never know. To be honest, I don't know that either bottle truly went with the gorgeous Mardi Gras cupcakes that Cupcake brought along or with either of the King Cakes that were served up. I'd "slaved" over one of the traditional Mardi Gras treats but I was floored when Isotopos and Dr. Dirt showed up with one of their own. They apparently Googled "Mardi Gras desserts" and discovered what a King Cake was for the first time. They did a great  job at whipping one up when neither of the gals had ever tried one before.

In fact, I think it was a great night all around. We may not have insisted that our guests "Show Us Your ______" in order to earn some beads, but there was still plenty of fun to be had. I was rather pleased when Nature Boy found the baby in the King Cake. Of all the folks that might have discovered that special bit of cake, I think Nature Boy might actually follow through with the tradition of throwing the next party.  But that's a ways off still. Thankfully, I knew better than to imbibe as freely as I would have twenty years ago on Bourbon Street. If I had tried taking a stab at reliving my youth, I have a feeling I wouldn't be all that eager to open any more bottles of wine before Nature Boy comes through with his shindig.

And I certainly wouldn't want that to come to pass.