Well things have cooled off quite a bit here in New England lately, both figuratively and literally. Yes literally, it's quite chilly here all of a sudden! Also, the hysteria surrounding shark sightings off Cape Cod has subsided due to the lack of any new sightings. Do you know the reason for that? Because we have donned our disguises and gotten a swank room in Boston's trendy Back Bay for the week! And no, I will not disclose what hotel we are staying at! Boston is a huge fishing town and swarming with many a grizzled, old sea-dog who would just love to harpoon us and sell our flesh to the Japanese!
I am here with my family and a couple of wine buddies for a pair of MAJOR tastings taking place in town this week. Last night was Carolina Wine and Spirits' annual Grand Tasting at the Wang Theater, and tomorrow we have Ruby Wines annual shindig at the Harvard Club. I am happy to report that our hotel room has ample Wi-Fi, so that I am able to adequately report my findings to you, my loyal audience.
So last night we had Carolina's big tasting at the beautiful, opulent, though unfortunately named Wang Theater. Where I come from, the Wang Theater isn't a place you would bring your parents, if you know what i mean! Now for those of you who don't know, Carolina Wine and Spirits is the largest wine distributor in Massachusetts, and lately, they've been swallowing up their competition like I swallow whole schools of sardines. Their portfolio contains many of the most recognizable brands in the world- Veuve Cliquot, Clos du Bois, Kendall Jackson, Moet Chandon, and Penfolds to name just a few. In addition to these mega-brands, their roster also includes a vast number of smaller, artisanal producers making excellent terrroir-driven wines and this is what I was there to see. Outlined below are a few of my highlights in no particular order:
-Tablas Creek
I have tasted the wines of Tablas Creek in passing and always enjoyed them, but this was my first chance to taste straight through a side by side lineup of their wines and I was quite impressed! Tablas Creek of course, is a winery located in Paso Robles and partially owned by the venerable Perrin family of Chateau de Beaucastel fame. They work exclusively with Rhone varietals, most of which are spawned from cuttings taken directly from the family's French estate. These wines have the lip-smacking, upfront fruit one would expect of any Paso Robles wine along with the layers of complexity, and balance you would expect from their Rhone counterparts. Most impressive to me was a 2005 Mouvedre. This was a beast of a wine! A concrete backbone with torrents of meaty, lush plum flavors. I could see this wine pairing well with Elephant Seal or even a Polar Bear cub. Expect to pay around $35 for this one.
-Diamond Creek Vineyards
I'll be honest- I was totally unfamiliar with this Napa Valley estate. And if I learned anything last night, it's that I have expensive tastes! Wow, these were perhaps the best wines I tried all night and I nearly fainted when I saw the price tag. They showcased three single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignons which retail around the $200 mark. The three cabs were not extremely different from each other, but interesting in their subtle variations. All three posessed ballerina-like grace, balancing weighty tannins, with rich licorice, red currant, herbal and mineral notes. Despite having so much going on, the wines remained extremely friendly and approachable. Start saving your money and check these out!
-Pegasus Bay 2007 Riesling
Outstanding New Zealand estate located in the Waipara Valley. This Riesling is just over the top! Absolutely bursting with lychee, gooseberry, and peach flavors. One of the most full-bodied and satisfying whites I've had in a long time. Unless you count that fat, white porpoise I had the other night...
Outstanding New Zealand estate located in the Waipara Valley. This Riesling is just over the top! Absolutely bursting with lychee, gooseberry, and peach flavors. One of the most full-bodied and satisfying whites I've had in a long time. Unless you count that fat, white porpoise I had the other night...
-Argyle Winery
Another excellent Oregon producer. Their 2005 sparkling brut is in my opinion, among the 3 or 4 best values in American sparkling wine. Retailing in the high $20's, it easily holds its own with many entry-level Champagnes at half the cost. Also worth seeking out is their 2006 Nuthouse Chardonnay, made in a wonderfully Burgundian style.
Another excellent Oregon producer. Their 2005 sparkling brut is in my opinion, among the 3 or 4 best values in American sparkling wine. Retailing in the high $20's, it easily holds its own with many entry-level Champagnes at half the cost. Also worth seeking out is their 2006 Nuthouse Chardonnay, made in a wonderfully Burgundian style.
-St. George Absinthe Verte
This was a complete palate-buster but probably the best Absinthe I've ever had. It was actually drinkable, which is not a word often associated with Absinthe. Sure, it still felt like a mouthfull of fire afterwards, but all of the anise and licorice flavors actually came through very nicely on the palate. So strong and aromatic was this Absinthe, that I had to ditch my glass and get a new one. No amount of rinsing could remove the aroma! This stuff is NOT cheap either, my friends. A bottle of this stuff will set you back around $80. How is it that such an expensive beverage was made famous by a bunch of starving artists?
So all in all, not a bad tasting except for one thing- there was virtually NO food at this event! I was completely appalled by this. Sure there was a lady bringing around little pieces of toast with bacon on them, but come on! We hadn't eaten all day and since Carolina is such a HUGE company with deep pockets, we expected a first-class spread.
And I suppose it's my fault that the VP of Marketing got his legs and arms bitten off in a blood-soaked melee in the men's room. What's a shark supposed to do? I was starving.
Next up is Ruby's big tasting. I'll have lots more to report!
Until then,
-Robert Sharker.
This was a complete palate-buster but probably the best Absinthe I've ever had. It was actually drinkable, which is not a word often associated with Absinthe. Sure, it still felt like a mouthfull of fire afterwards, but all of the anise and licorice flavors actually came through very nicely on the palate. So strong and aromatic was this Absinthe, that I had to ditch my glass and get a new one. No amount of rinsing could remove the aroma! This stuff is NOT cheap either, my friends. A bottle of this stuff will set you back around $80. How is it that such an expensive beverage was made famous by a bunch of starving artists?
So all in all, not a bad tasting except for one thing- there was virtually NO food at this event! I was completely appalled by this. Sure there was a lady bringing around little pieces of toast with bacon on them, but come on! We hadn't eaten all day and since Carolina is such a HUGE company with deep pockets, we expected a first-class spread.
And I suppose it's my fault that the VP of Marketing got his legs and arms bitten off in a blood-soaked melee in the men's room. What's a shark supposed to do? I was starving.
Next up is Ruby's big tasting. I'll have lots more to report!
Until then,
-Robert Sharker.
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