In case you couldn't tell, ZinfanGirl has quite a love for Robert Biale & his wines. Yesterday was the members BBQ/pick-up party, and I walked away with quite a take! I will tell my ZinfanReaders all about the party very soon (hopefully tomorrow); alas, for now, I will simply stick with a review to keep you going.
This wine is brand spankin' new. This Petite Sirah joins the Party Line Zinfandel & other amazing Biale wines. While known mainly for their Zins (fear not, ZinfanGirl will post a review of the new Black Chicken release soon!), Biale sure knows their Petite Sirahs & Syrahs. And the new Party Line is no exception.
Inky goodness is dripping down the sides of my glass. Just when I thought you couldn't get a wine with more POW than a Biale Zin, they have to one-up themselves with this pow-a-licious little number. The tannins are mellowed out by luscious black fruit-- any Biale fan will immediately taste and feel similarities (think: blackberry jam) between PLPS and PLZ. Heavier in the mouth than the PLZ, the PLPS is just begging to be invited to your next BBQ. But save the lighter fare for another time, as this wine is best served with real meat: we're talking lamb chops, thick steaks, and any red meat that is best served slightly charred. This wine would easily overpower something delicate like fish or chicken... unless we're talking Black Chicken, of course.
Read more about Biale's Party Line Petite Sirah here.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Open Letter to Hollywood
Dear Hollywood,
You blow my mind. You really do. You can create bomb explosions, alien invasions, and miniature to-scale model cities. So I must ask you this:
Why on earth can't you use/create a realistic fake wine???
I imagine that, after myriad takes, you simply cannot expect your actors to guzzle glass after glass of the delicious grape juice (unless your goal is to have them slurring their words, in which case: may I suggest tequila?). I understand that the only logical thing to do is use some food coloring & water. But you can spend millions of dollars on technical production, computer animation, etc., yet you cannot (or will not) invest enough time, money and/or talent to come up with a believable fake wine?
Case in point: In the last week alone, I have seen episodes of Desperate Housewives (season 3) and Californication (season 1), watched the movie Wall Street, and noticed this totally amateur discrepancy: a green wine bottle pouring out a liquid that could only be described as a rosé. Zinfangirl has had a lot of wine in her life, and has yet to ever see a rosé in dark glass bottles. Why would it be? Is darker glass not reserved specifically for wines that are meant to be stored at room temperature? And is rosé not supposed to be chilled, as in NOT stored at room temp? Surely if you can make audiences believe you just blew up downtown Manhattan, you can make them believe that the characters are drinking the real juice. The stuff you're pouring looks like Kool-Aid, and your target audience is well past that point in their lives (unless there's vodka added in).
Jeez, Hollywood, don't you PAY people to catch these things? And if you do, by all means... I'm available for the position. Clearly, I notice the little things better than your current staff. I'll even work for wine, provided it isn't a rosé from a green bottle.
Sincerely,
Zinfangirl
You blow my mind. You really do. You can create bomb explosions, alien invasions, and miniature to-scale model cities. So I must ask you this:
Why on earth can't you use/create a realistic fake wine???
I imagine that, after myriad takes, you simply cannot expect your actors to guzzle glass after glass of the delicious grape juice (unless your goal is to have them slurring their words, in which case: may I suggest tequila?). I understand that the only logical thing to do is use some food coloring & water. But you can spend millions of dollars on technical production, computer animation, etc., yet you cannot (or will not) invest enough time, money and/or talent to come up with a believable fake wine?
Case in point: In the last week alone, I have seen episodes of Desperate Housewives (season 3) and Californication (season 1), watched the movie Wall Street, and noticed this totally amateur discrepancy: a green wine bottle pouring out a liquid that could only be described as a rosé. Zinfangirl has had a lot of wine in her life, and has yet to ever see a rosé in dark glass bottles. Why would it be? Is darker glass not reserved specifically for wines that are meant to be stored at room temperature? And is rosé not supposed to be chilled, as in NOT stored at room temp? Surely if you can make audiences believe you just blew up downtown Manhattan, you can make them believe that the characters are drinking the real juice. The stuff you're pouring looks like Kool-Aid, and your target audience is well past that point in their lives (unless there's vodka added in).
Jeez, Hollywood, don't you PAY people to catch these things? And if you do, by all means... I'm available for the position. Clearly, I notice the little things better than your current staff. I'll even work for wine, provided it isn't a rosé from a green bottle.
Sincerely,
Zinfangirl
Friday, September 11, 2009
Review: 2006 Wente Vineyards Counoise
First and foremost, ZinfanGirl asks herself this: has Livermore Valley always been so close by? And why haven't I been there sooner? ZinfanFact: the Girl actually grew up in the same county as Livermore. Granted she was outta there long before her 21st birthday, and as we all know, ZinfanGirl never touched booze before that day... except in Mexico, where the drinking age is 18... and that spring break to Europe when she was 20... OK, there is clearly a reason she isn't called ZinfanAngel. Moving on...
The last time I wrote about Livermore Valley, I expressed my joy at tasting previously unknown varietals (please see Review: Murrieta's Well). This time around, I am sipping another new discovery: Counoise. The gentleman at Wente's tasting room was impressed that I got the pronounciation down pat on the first try and, despite never having heard of it, immediately pegged it as a French grape (ZinfanGirl is happy that her French degree still proves useful from time to time).
Ah, mon petit Counoise! This lovely little grape is used in Rhône valley wines, although its pepper immediately reminded ZinfanGirl of a delightful wine she tasted & bought at a Salon du Vins (wine fair) in Le Mans (Loire Valley, which is known for its sweet Chenin Blancs & is about as far from Rhône as you can get while staying in France). The wine was purchased and given to ZinfanBro without first recording the name, vintner, and other pertinent information. ZinfanBro was given a ZinfanWhooping when he confessed he and a friend drank said wine after the beer had run out one night & they were too drunk to drive to get more. ZinfanFURY!!! But again, I disgress, and the morale of this story is that I was delighted to finally find once again what I thought I had lost forever: that unknown, peppery red wine.
So, back to Wente: the label claims, "aromas of cherry, red licorice and graham. Flavors of candied cherry, red berry, and hints of vanilla and toasted oak..." No pepper? Srsly? That's the first thing I taste (followed closely by the cherry). And how on earth can a French varietal have notes of graham? If you ever have the chance, ask a French person what a graham cracker is-- you will get the same puzzled expression, I imagine, that I am still wearing (seriously, no pepper!?).
Tannins and acidity are mild, and this wine tastes & feels much lighter than it looks. It isn't very "earthy" or, as ZinfanHubby says, "dirty," as I suspect the French Counoises are. This is a good alternative to white or rosé on a warm afternoon (or maybe I am just telling myself this to justify drinking at 1:30PM). I'm recalling a lovely duck confit & candied cherry salad I had not too long ago and think this wine would pair perfectly with such a dish-- something light and berry-centric without being too sweet.
Oh Livermore, thank you so very much for introducing me to these new treasures. I'm so happy we're neighbors :)
The last time I wrote about Livermore Valley, I expressed my joy at tasting previously unknown varietals (please see Review: Murrieta's Well). This time around, I am sipping another new discovery: Counoise. The gentleman at Wente's tasting room was impressed that I got the pronounciation down pat on the first try and, despite never having heard of it, immediately pegged it as a French grape (ZinfanGirl is happy that her French degree still proves useful from time to time).
Ah, mon petit Counoise! This lovely little grape is used in Rhône valley wines, although its pepper immediately reminded ZinfanGirl of a delightful wine she tasted & bought at a Salon du Vins (wine fair) in Le Mans (Loire Valley, which is known for its sweet Chenin Blancs & is about as far from Rhône as you can get while staying in France). The wine was purchased and given to ZinfanBro without first recording the name, vintner, and other pertinent information. ZinfanBro was given a ZinfanWhooping when he confessed he and a friend drank said wine after the beer had run out one night & they were too drunk to drive to get more. ZinfanFURY!!! But again, I disgress, and the morale of this story is that I was delighted to finally find once again what I thought I had lost forever: that unknown, peppery red wine.
So, back to Wente: the label claims, "aromas of cherry, red licorice and graham. Flavors of candied cherry, red berry, and hints of vanilla and toasted oak..." No pepper? Srsly? That's the first thing I taste (followed closely by the cherry). And how on earth can a French varietal have notes of graham? If you ever have the chance, ask a French person what a graham cracker is-- you will get the same puzzled expression, I imagine, that I am still wearing (seriously, no pepper!?).
Tannins and acidity are mild, and this wine tastes & feels much lighter than it looks. It isn't very "earthy" or, as ZinfanHubby says, "dirty," as I suspect the French Counoises are. This is a good alternative to white or rosé on a warm afternoon (or maybe I am just telling myself this to justify drinking at 1:30PM). I'm recalling a lovely duck confit & candied cherry salad I had not too long ago and think this wine would pair perfectly with such a dish-- something light and berry-centric without being too sweet.
Oh Livermore, thank you so very much for introducing me to these new treasures. I'm so happy we're neighbors :)
Review: Morro Bay Vineyards 2007 Chardonnay
Yet another bottle of BBQ leftover wine. We have the best guests ever, they know me & ZinfanHubby all too well!
This Chard has been sitting in our fridge getting nice & chilly while ZinfanHubby & I battled some kind of infection all week. Wines, unlike friends & family, don't suddenly disappear when we get contagious-- my own ZinfanMama won't even hug me when I'm sick! Rather, the bottles sit, waiting patiently, and are all too willing to embrace us the second we feel (or think we feel) better.
I've been to Morro Bay (the city, not the winery) once. Cute, kinda sleepy little beach town not too unlike Half Moon Bay. I wouldn't have guessed there are wineries there, but considering its position between Monterey (which has wineries cropping up like wildflowers) and Santa Barbara (hello, Sideways!) it isn't surprising. I guess grape vines, like ZinfanGirl herself, are partial to the lovely California coast. Alas, I digress!
Let's see how badly the bug affected my nose & palate... it has the nice, crisp smell of well, a Chardonnay. Slightly sweet, slightly acidic, just enough oak, slight hint of creamy... butter? sweet? I dunno, it's just... creamy (maybe my nose has been affected-- that, or my wine description vocab). It is very light for a Chard, just enough of that signature Chardonnay golden hue coming through, but on sight one could almost mistake it for a Sauvignon Blanc.
This wine is crisp all throughout, but a bit acidic for my taste. The creamy smell was indeed butter; its taste hits about halfway down the mouth and gives the wine a nice mouthfeel. I'm getting two distinct flavors here: the acidity of fruit-- light fruits, maybe apples & pears?-- and the creaminess. Both are balanced, neither one dominates the other, yet they just don't... mesh. It's like sipping 2 different wines altogether.
Verdict: I'd prefer if the butter were more forward and the finish more crisp, but meh. Like I said, I didn't buy this wine, and I probably wouldn't again having tasted it. It has its upsides, and if you're a Chard fan it might be worth giving it a go (although I couldn't find a website for Morro Bay vineyards, I'd bet my money-- no pun intended-- that this wine was purchased at a grocery store for under $15). ZinfanGirl is not the biggest Chard fan, and this certainly isn't the wine to change her mind.
This Chard has been sitting in our fridge getting nice & chilly while ZinfanHubby & I battled some kind of infection all week. Wines, unlike friends & family, don't suddenly disappear when we get contagious-- my own ZinfanMama won't even hug me when I'm sick! Rather, the bottles sit, waiting patiently, and are all too willing to embrace us the second we feel (or think we feel) better.
I've been to Morro Bay (the city, not the winery) once. Cute, kinda sleepy little beach town not too unlike Half Moon Bay. I wouldn't have guessed there are wineries there, but considering its position between Monterey (which has wineries cropping up like wildflowers) and Santa Barbara (hello, Sideways!) it isn't surprising. I guess grape vines, like ZinfanGirl herself, are partial to the lovely California coast. Alas, I digress!
Let's see how badly the bug affected my nose & palate... it has the nice, crisp smell of well, a Chardonnay. Slightly sweet, slightly acidic, just enough oak, slight hint of creamy... butter? sweet? I dunno, it's just... creamy (maybe my nose has been affected-- that, or my wine description vocab). It is very light for a Chard, just enough of that signature Chardonnay golden hue coming through, but on sight one could almost mistake it for a Sauvignon Blanc.
This wine is crisp all throughout, but a bit acidic for my taste. The creamy smell was indeed butter; its taste hits about halfway down the mouth and gives the wine a nice mouthfeel. I'm getting two distinct flavors here: the acidity of fruit-- light fruits, maybe apples & pears?-- and the creaminess. Both are balanced, neither one dominates the other, yet they just don't... mesh. It's like sipping 2 different wines altogether.
Verdict: I'd prefer if the butter were more forward and the finish more crisp, but meh. Like I said, I didn't buy this wine, and I probably wouldn't again having tasted it. It has its upsides, and if you're a Chard fan it might be worth giving it a go (although I couldn't find a website for Morro Bay vineyards, I'd bet my money-- no pun intended-- that this wine was purchased at a grocery store for under $15). ZinfanGirl is not the biggest Chard fan, and this certainly isn't the wine to change her mind.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Biale Pick-Up Party: Saturday, Sept. 12th
Hello wine lovers! Anyone heading to any pick-up parties this weekend? ZinfanGirl is off to Napa this Saturday to celebrate the new releases with Robert Biale Vineyards. ZinfanHubby is unable to attend so I will be attending with another partner in crime. However, he has asked me to bring back two cases of Black Chicken booty.
So, being the (semi)fashion-conscious girl that I am, I'm wondering: Would it be tacky for ZinfanGirl to sport her Biale "Zinfandel" shirt to the pick-up party? It's a cute shirt, and black too, which is a sure-fire way to avoid red wine stains! Obviously I wouldn't wear the shirt to another winery's event!
What do you think: fashion faux-pas, or fashionably fabulous? I only have 3 days left to decide!
So, being the (semi)fashion-conscious girl that I am, I'm wondering: Would it be tacky for ZinfanGirl to sport her Biale "Zinfandel" shirt to the pick-up party? It's a cute shirt, and black too, which is a sure-fire way to avoid red wine stains! Obviously I wouldn't wear the shirt to another winery's event!
What do you think: fashion faux-pas, or fashionably fabulous? I only have 3 days left to decide!
Attention Twine-o's!
A friend posted some funny new Twitter vocab the other day. I am proud to say I have created a Tword too. Yes, all you Twine-o's, you heard it from ZinfanGirl first! Are you following @zinfangirl on Twitter yet?
Monday, September 7, 2009
Review: 2007 Murrieta's Well Zarzuela
A couple of weeks back, ZinfanHubby & I ventured to the Livermore wineries for the first time. Having grown up not far from the region, it still seemed odd to me that this neck of the Bay could behold anything more than farmland and windmills (Wiki entry: Altamont Pass). Alas, ZinfanGirl now stands corrected, and happily so.
We were besides ourselves with this whole new viti-world that was not any further away than the more popular Napa & Sonoma regions. And when I say besides ourselves, I mean that we walked away with a lot of booty. And I am happy to add yet another region to my ever-expanding list of "Where I've Tasted" wineries.
We hit up the trifecta of Wente, Murrieta's Well and Tamas Estate. According to some friends, we need to check out the "off the beaten path" wineries (which ZinfanHubby & ZinfanGirl much prefer) next time we go, and offered to show us their favorite hidden gems. Huzzah for ZinfanFriends!
Commercial or not, all three wineries scored some points in my book. While Livermore valley Zins are not as-- attention-grabbing, for lack of a better term-- as our beloved Napa juice, they offered plenty of interesting blends and varietals. I am already looking forward to going back!
ZinfanGirl's first Livermore Valley victim-- er, review-- comes from Murrieta's Well. Zarzuela, wha?? Meaning "operetta" in Spanish, this wine is a blend of Spanish & Portugeuse varietals: Touriga Nacional, Tempranillo, Souzao and Touriga Francesca. I'd only ever heard of Tempranillo-- ZinfanGirl clearly needs to get with the global wine program! But the instant I tasted it, I was reminded of my time in Porto, Portugal. Obviously this wine is not port (you will soon learn the ZinfanGirl is not a port fan, and you will rarely see it mentioned here), but the texture immediately revealed its heritage. Unlike many reds, this is a perfect wine for a sunny afternoon and would pair perfectly with light tapas and a siesta. Purple hues and a light mouth are the first noticeable qualities of this wine; a lovely mix of a delicate fruit forward and strong spice finish make it a wine worth remembering. It is, to say the least, a complex wine, one that is sure to delight even veteran wine drinkers who perhaps have given up on finding anything new. And at $30 a bottle, it is a hell of a lot cheaper than a trip to Europe!
We were besides ourselves with this whole new viti-world that was not any further away than the more popular Napa & Sonoma regions. And when I say besides ourselves, I mean that we walked away with a lot of booty. And I am happy to add yet another region to my ever-expanding list of "Where I've Tasted" wineries.
We hit up the trifecta of Wente, Murrieta's Well and Tamas Estate. According to some friends, we need to check out the "off the beaten path" wineries (which ZinfanHubby & ZinfanGirl much prefer) next time we go, and offered to show us their favorite hidden gems. Huzzah for ZinfanFriends!
Commercial or not, all three wineries scored some points in my book. While Livermore valley Zins are not as-- attention-grabbing, for lack of a better term-- as our beloved Napa juice, they offered plenty of interesting blends and varietals. I am already looking forward to going back!
ZinfanGirl's first Livermore Valley victim-- er, review-- comes from Murrieta's Well. Zarzuela, wha?? Meaning "operetta" in Spanish, this wine is a blend of Spanish & Portugeuse varietals: Touriga Nacional, Tempranillo, Souzao and Touriga Francesca. I'd only ever heard of Tempranillo-- ZinfanGirl clearly needs to get with the global wine program! But the instant I tasted it, I was reminded of my time in Porto, Portugal. Obviously this wine is not port (you will soon learn the ZinfanGirl is not a port fan, and you will rarely see it mentioned here), but the texture immediately revealed its heritage. Unlike many reds, this is a perfect wine for a sunny afternoon and would pair perfectly with light tapas and a siesta. Purple hues and a light mouth are the first noticeable qualities of this wine; a lovely mix of a delicate fruit forward and strong spice finish make it a wine worth remembering. It is, to say the least, a complex wine, one that is sure to delight even veteran wine drinkers who perhaps have given up on finding anything new. And at $30 a bottle, it is a hell of a lot cheaper than a trip to Europe!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)