Bitchity bitch bitch

Not only is it the WLTV Annibirthary, but its a full eclipse tonight as well! To celebrate, I am drinking the "Bitch" 2006 Barossa Grenache by R Wines. In fact, this is basically a LIVE post because I am still in the tasting process. This wine isn't really very complex, but it is pleasant, and sort of reminds me of, for some reason, spanish tempranillo. There's definately some strawberry action, vanilla, some kind of butteryness, and some slight oak. I'm picking up some other kind of wood on the back end...cedar maybe? Forests aren't a normal part of my diet so I'm a little unsure of what it is. But it does make me think of the smell of our cedar closet at home. A bit of a jammy component on the nose. Its also a bit hot on the palate, a little too much alcohol there, which unfortunately also lingers on the back end along with that myserious cedar. However, it is still pretty smooth, and for some reason also reminds me Overall, not a terrible effort for $10.99 but I think I prefer Garnacha de Fuego from Spain, which is only about $7.99. That one intensely complex in the first 30 minutes, however, it unfortunately dies rather quick, but is great to open and drink right away...anyway, so thats bitch! Enjoy the eclipse!

A Rutherford Tasting

Saturday at work I tasted four Rutherford wines, and did it blindly for fun. Luckily, I was right on this time, although I knew what I was choosing from so it was easier. Anyway, the Rutherfords turned out to have a nice little vineyard with some interesting wines. I was a particular fan of the Sauvignon blanc, which had some nice lemon zest, peach, and white plum flavors. It was fruit forward but still a sauvignon blanc, so it was nicely crisp. The chardonnay was very interesting as well, a pretty typical chard. I don't really remember what it tasted like now, just that it was really smooth and I liked it. I guess this is why I should write my blog sooner to when I actually taste the wines :(. The Cabernet was uneventful, I wasn't a huge fan. Bland. Thats what I remember. I'm really starting to avoid California Cabs, they just dissapoint time and time again....annnnd the Rhiannon, a sort-of-bordeaux blend of Cab, Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Syrah. It was much more complex than the Cab, and had an "almost-old-vine-zin" kind of smell. It was a little smokier, and it had like all most grainy flavor or texture to it. It was hard to describe. It was overall alright, but for 20 bucks I'd rather buy something else. Like I Bastioni...

More South Africa

Fleur du Cap Pinotage 2005: (73) Completely too alcoholic on the entire experience. At 15%, its hard to avoid but it was just painful on this one. It had some nice leather and smoke components, as well as some fruit, but I was not a fan of the biting alcohol.
Newton Johnson Sauvignon blanc: (88) A pretty standard effort. A little milder on the acidity than sauvignon blancs from, say, new zealand (I pinned it as a pinot grigio on blind tasting). Some light grass and green apple flavors. Overall not that intense or complex but nice and easy drinking, and well balanced.