100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 33 Robertson Winery Tasting: Pinotage vs. Cabernet Sauvignon Part 1

33. Robertson Winery Tasting: Pinotage vs. Cabernet Sauvignon Part 1

The Three Wine Girls are ready to taste some more wine. You can view the video Part 1to go with Blog 33 and video Part 2 to go with Blog 34. Pinotage is not pronounced “pinot-tauge,” it is pronounced “pin-oh-tauge,” according to a good friend of mine. Here in America, we don’t say anything right. Spain should really be Espana and Italy should really be Italia. Being American, it is hard to pronounce other country names. So, we have officially decided to pronounce it correctly, hopefully we have it right this time.



Our tasting consisted of the Pinotage and the Cabernet Sauvignon. Both wines are vintage 2008, from Robertson Winery in South Africa. Both bottles were about $9.99 each and are drink now wines. The Pinotage is made using Pinot Noir and Cinsaut. Cinsaut is pronounced “sin-sew” in South African and in France, the spelling is Cinsault and the pronunciation is “san-sew”. Cinsaut and Pinot Noir used to be called Hermitage in South Africa but it is now known in South Africa as Pinotage.

We did not do a blind tasting this time. We compared the B wine, which was the Pinotage, to the C wine, which was the Cabernet Sauvignon to see which one we like better. The night before the tasting, I had a Cabernet Sauvignon from Robertson Winery that was a 2007. I don’t know if wine critics want to hit me over the head for loving it so much, or if it’s a brilliant choice. I think that the wine is affordable and one of my favorites. The 2007 Robertson did not have a twist cap like the 2008. The Three Wine Girls feel that it is nostalgic to have a cork. It’s a ceremony! What is the world thinking with the twist cap? It is fun to try to find a bottle opener in the middle of the night.

Lindsay started the tasting with wine B first, the lighter wine, the Pinotage. We got some air in our glasses by swirling glass B around, looking for color and clarity. We then held it up to the light with our white background. We felt the color of wine B looked like a plum. Alma felt it was not that thin. She liked the smell and felt it was not that strong. She really liked the nose on it and felt it was smoky. Veronica noted that it had toasty oak and a great smell. She also smelled banana, chocolate and coffee and it tasted that way too. Alma felt it had the perfect amount of sweaty man. It tasted pretty light, medium bodied with soft tannins. It was not bitey, it tasted plumy and was pretty good with a nice mild finish. It also lingers a little bit.

I like to look at my fingers through the wines by putting my fingers behind the glass to see the weight of the wine. If you can see your fingers through the wine, it may not be very heavy. The Cabernet Sauvignon and the Pinotage were not heavy because we could see our fingers through the wine in the glass. We have those darker colors in many of our California Cabs including dark, rich, deep reds and heavy oak with spice.

We felt the pin-o-tauge was…mmmm…very good! Part 2 is the next blog where we will taste the Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tell me your thoughts, make them funny, keep them nice and educate me.
Bon Vin!
Veronica

100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 32 How can you drink a Cabernet Sauvignon for breakfast?

32. How can you drink a Cabernet Sauvignon for breakfast?

It was Valentine’s Day and I posted a blog online asking others to blog about what they would be drinking on Valentine’s Day and what would be their beverage of choice. It made me think of what I was going to have. The typical Pink Champagne, which would be perfect for the celebration, or was I going to drink something else? Remember, this was for breakfast. Ryan was taking me and the children to a club in Tampa, Florida called “The Tampa Club”. It sits 42 stories high in our city’s largest building with a breathtaking view of the city and two of our island communities.



They go out of their way to make an experience that you will never forget. They called their breakfast, St. Valentine’s Day “Breakfast @ Brennan’s” which takes place from 10am – 2pm. My meal consisted of:

Starter
Warm Bourbon Baked Apple with Cinnamon Double Cream

Salad
French Quarter Salad with Cinnamon Toasted Pecans, Fresh Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges, Blueberries & Cracked Black Peppercorn Vinaigrette

Entrée
Steak Au Poivre (Classically prepared with Cracked Black Peppercorns, Brandy and Crème)



Desserts & Diablos



Chocolate Fondue (with a Chocolate Fountain)
Crème Brulee
Bananas Foster
Café Diablo (Coffee with Gran Marnier and an Orange Wedge)



What did we drink?

Ryan had a nice big bountiful California Cabernet Sauvignon from Kunde. I had a medium-bodied, toasty, berrytastic South African 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Robertson Winery. It went perfect with our meals. Check out our pictures of our very special day. So when you ask me, how can you drink a Cabernet Sauvignon for breakfast? I say, very easily!



Tell me your thoughts, make them funny, keep them nice and educate me.
Bon Vin!
Veronica

100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 28 Wine Tasting Challenge Korbel vs. Schramsberg Part 2

28. It is Taste Time! Wine Tasting Challenge Korbel vs. Schramsberg Part 2

We reviewed the labels, the price and what each Web site had to say about their wine in Blog 26. The two wines we reviewed were Korbel Brut, California Champagne and Schramsberg, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Sparkling Wine, Vintage 2006. You can view the video Part 1 and Part 2 and read along or try your own tasting and tell me what you think. Blog 27 goes along with video Part 1 and Blog 28 goes along with video Part 2.

Video Part 2:

Korbel vs. Schramsberg. Let’s go!

1. Visual Inspection: Color and Bubbles (Look)were reviewed in Part 1 for both wines. On to Aroma.

2. Aroma (Smell) B & C

They felt that B smelled like a wine, while C smelled more like a fruit. Lindsay smelled another type of fruit in C. Some Florida wines may have oranges and peaches and are fruity. They felt that B did not have that fruity smell.

3. Flavor and Texture (Taste, Mouthfeel)B & C

Alma felt that B was not as light as C because she felt B had more flavor to it. Patti thought that B was very bubbly, tasted bubbly, and felt bubbly. Lindsay said that it tasted like a sparkling wine. Patti felt B was not fruity at all. They all felt that B had a much more smooth finish. Lindsay said that it tasted complete. Alma felt it did come together more. In comparison, B was much better. It was complete. It had a fresh mouthfeel and it matched its color. It had bubbles that had staying power. Even if you grabbed your glass and shook it, not that you are supposed to, you could see the tiny, tiny, tiny bubbles that are in there. Patti then started singing Tiny Bubbles and Alma said the wine swirls. When looking into the top of glass C, you can see big bubbles. Lindsay said C was losing it the longer you sat there. And then, the stand-off: Which did they like better, B or C? Alma said B, Patti said B, and Lindsay said B. It was B across the board.

Discussion:

If you like something light and sweet and fruity you may like C, the Korbel. It should be dry because it is a Brut but we found it to be sweet and fruity. For the price, you may want to pick Korbel. The nose goes away, but at a party and when making a toast, the mood is already there. You are drinking your California Champagne. You are popping it in your mouth and it is doing the trick.

Lindsay does not like Champagne because she does not like this type of Champagne (Korbel). She says that she would like it if it were Schramsberg instead of Korbel at the party but she always gets to taste the Korbel. Alma, thinks a Champagne or a Cava is much better than the Korbel and that the Schramsberg is definitely much better. None of them have had the Schramsberg before.

Korbel and Schramsberg were both founded in the 1800’s. They can agrue about which one came first. Schramsberg family came from Europe and settled in Calistoga in the Napa Valley, while Korbel settled on the Sonoma side .If you go to either sparkling wine house you’ll see that they all have a history there.

Again, I say, I will pick a Schramsberg any day, anytime anywhere over a Korbel. I will know the difference between the two by look, bubbles, taste, and by mouthfeel. I challenge anyone out there. Although, you can trick me on a good day. I just love that Schramsberg!

Patti stated that the Korbel left a bitter taste in her mouth. She liked the Schramsberg better. Here in the US, people will drink a “Champagne” and they won’t like it because it was one of “those”. The Schramsberg does not have that. The Schramsberg has the Chardonnay taste. It is a pure Chardonnay. It tastes light, dry, mild, and clean. What do you taste in it? Smooth, delicate, dry? The dosage is lighter being a Brut. Korbel had a fruitier taste and less of a dry taste even though it was a Brut. It tasted as if it had more sugar in it.

Lindsay then stated that she got a chocolate effect. A dark chocolate kind of scent. That is what comes with age. They felt that it was nice and that they really liked it. Whether it is Sparkling Wine, Cava, Spumanti, or anything like that, Champagne, is what I feel with the Schramsberg. I feel that it’s got a traditional Champagne taste. If I want to have Champagne, I will have Perrier Jouet, (the picture behind the girls in the video) from Champagne, France or any Champagne from France.

Our conclusion, if you want an American affordable Sparkling Wine that costs about $25.99 you can pick up a Schramsberg. If you need something even more budget-minded, the $9.99 California Champagne, Korbel, may be a good choice for you. We are at 100% here. The girls have spoken and that is it. Korbel vs. Schramsberg, who wins…Schramsberg! Cheers!

Tell me your thoughts, make them funny, keep them nice and educate me.
Bon Vin!
Veronica

100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 27 It is Taste Time! Wine Tasting Challenge Korbel vs. Schramsberg

27. It is Taste Time! Wine Tasting Challenge Korbel vs. Schramsberg

We reviewed the labels, the price and what each Web site had to say about their wine. The two wines we reviewed were Korbel Brut, California Champagne and Schramsberg, Blanc de Blancs, Brut Sparkling Wine, Vintage 2006. You can view the video Part 1 and read along or try your own tasting and tell me what you think.

Korbel vs. Schramsberg. Let’s get started!

Video Part 1:


In one corner we have the famous Korbel, Brut style, which is mass produced and used in America at weddings, New Year’s parties and momentous events. It is a California Champagne using the traditional method, aged 12 months on the lees.

Schramsberg, with small batch nurturing, is a Blanc de Blancs aged 2-3 years on the lees. Not found readily available throughout the United States. Their most affordable budget-minded Brut Sparkling Wine, using the traditional method.

In Spain it is called Cava, in Italy it is Spumante, and of course, Champagne, France is the only place to get Champagne.

The Challenge Begins:
Pop the cork and pour your sparkling wine right before the tasting for the freshest taste. Do not open the bottles and “let them breathe”. They should be served at the right temperature to get the best taste results.

1. Visual Inspection: Color and Bubbles (Look) B & C

When tasting reds or whites, you traditionally swirl your glass to bring up the aroma and to visualize the texture against the glass. With sparklers, you do not swirl your glass. First, look at the color and the bubbles.

For this blind wine tasting we labeled one wine B and one wine C. We started with C for the tasting. (Don’t ask…) We saw more bubbles in glass B from visual inspection. They were both poured at the same time into the glasses. B was a clear green-yellow color. C had a darker slight yellow-amber color.

2. Aroma (Smell) C

C smelled fruity, peachy-type smell, apple-pear, and someone even smelled banana.

3. Flavor and Texture (Taste, Mouthfeel) C

It so happened that once someone mentioned banana, I then tasted banana. Not possible, but hey, I guess it influenced me. The girls felt that it tasted like sparkling apple cider. When I tasted seriously, I tasted a pear-apple taste. In Florida, we have about 30 different types of apples and only one type of pear. We may think of apple a little more than we may think of pear. Although, pears are good for asthma, according to Alma in the video. They did not think that it was bad as far as taste goes. Does that mean that it was not good either? They also felt the aftertaste was not smooth.

What are the results so far?

Both Web sites are informative. There is a tie.

Price goes to Korbel.

Visual inspection including bubbles and color goes to Schramsberg.

Who will take the title?

Tell me your thoughts, make them funny, keep them nice and educate me.
Bon Vin!
Veronica

100 Wine Blogs, 100 Days Blog 7 Laird Family Estate

7. Laird Family Estate, it’s all in the name. Planting grapes since 1970. This single family owned vineyard is one of the largest vineyards in the Napa Valley area with over 2000 acres of grapes grown.

Early clients were grand, pioneer wineries such as Mondavi, Inglenook and Beringer. As the years and reputation of Napa Valley vintners grew, smaller, ultra premium wineries such as Cakebread, Merryvale, Chappellet, Far Niente, Joseph Phelps and Duckhorn asked for Laird grapes. Sonoma wineries such as Kendall Jackson purchased Laird grapes as well as Ravenswood, and Chateau St. Jean who also became clients.

Laird uses about 1% of their grapes to produce about 12,000 cases of Laird Family Estate wine with Paul Hobbs as consulting winemaker. A quick stop out of your journey leads you to a breathtaking view and spectacular wine you will remember.

In the past 7 years that I have been going to Napa, I have never missed a visit to Laird. Robert has been in the tasting room for 10 years and I wonder if he ever goes home. Their whites include Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc. They have a vast array of reds including Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

You may want to become a club member to get some of their special wines. The 2005 Napa Valley Laird Red Wine called Jillian’s Blend made with 55% Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Syrah. Deep garnet color followed by aromas of tobacco, violets and blackberry. Bright fruit flavors of Satsuma plums and black cherry. Medium bodied, with a nice integration of oak and berry fruit. The fruit finishes with little black pepper, cocoa and chewy tannins. I had to buy extras of this choice. Although they have since sold out of the 2005 Jillian’s Blend, they are soon to release the 2007. You can’t go wrong if you are looking for true Californian whites or reds with grapes grown from all across the valley. After tasting Laird wine, it is no wonder why premium wineries purchase their grapes.

Bon Vin!
Veronica