Someone’s In the Kitchen with Daddy

…and back to booze. Specifically the wine century challenge. I just updated the list, we’ve broken the 50% barrier! Had some Prosecco and Chenin Blanc this weekend, before and with sunday dinner. Both were good, liked the latter better.

Double checking the tally, I see I never bothered to count Chardonnay – we’ve certainly had plenty of that, should have been the first tick mark on the list, or the free space in the middle of the bingo card.

Finally opened a couple bottles that have been sitting around since Christmastime. We had the Petit Verdot, which was good (and good with the Bavarian Beer cheese from Trader Joes). The Rueda (verdejo) was much better with salmon (as advertised) than on its own.

I anticipate the next 25 will take longer than the first 50, and the rest, longer still. – Hopefully not a J curve ;(

Even though I’m getting pretty lax with this blog, I wonder if I should change the name or intent of it. While my little one still loves spending time in the kitchen with me, as well as in her play kitchen. I find I’m spending plenty of time at the grown-ups table.

Current Tally of wine grape varieties drunk (as of Novemeber 1, 2009)
54/100 – Related blog entries Start your own Century!

Aragones 2005 Red Leg Vinho Regional Alentejano, Falua.net, Portugal
Baco Noir Hazlitt 1852, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY (Red Cat!)
Bonarda 2004 Atipax, Tupungato Reserva, Malbec blend, Mendoza, Argentina (91 Points)
Brachetto Meda Margherita, Dilana, Piedmont, Italy (90 Points)
Cabernet Franc Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Cabernet Sauvignon used to dislike oaky ones, now finding several I like (TTV)
Carmenère Yelcho reserva 2006, ventisquero.com Chile
Catawba Atwater / Hazlitt 1852, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY (Red Cat!)
Cayuga Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Chancellor Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Chardonnay
Chelois Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Chenin Blanc Chainier Vouvray Loire Valley
Cinsaut Le Vielle Ferme red blend
Corvina Valpolicella
Gamay Beaujolias, Nouveau et al — great nouveau in 98 or 99?
Gewürztraminer Castel Grisch, Fingerlakes NY, et al.
Grenache/Garnacha 2005 Rojo Granrojo
Malbec 2004 Atipax, Tupungato Reserva, Malbec blend, Mendoza, Argentina (91 Points)
Maréchal Foch Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Malvoise Meda Margherita, Dilana, Piedmont, Italy (90 Points)
Merlot 2003 Lomas de Los Andes, Colchagua Valley Merlot, Chile (90 Points), et al.
Molinara Valpolicella
Monastrell Luzon Monastrell, Jumilla, Spain (Jorge Ordonez) at NH wine expo
Montepulciano 2008 Citra, Italy
Moscato Bianco 2005 Meda Margherita, Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy (90 Points
Mourvèdre Le Vielle Ferme red blend
Nero D’Avola Vignali Roccamora 2005 Lasios 100% Nero D’avola Sicilia
Niagara Finger Lakes, NY; Flag Hill, NH
Petit Verdot
Petite Sirah
Pinot Blanc 2003 Louis Reffelingen, Pinot Blanc (90 Points)
Pinot Gris Gris at Sterling (Napa) Grigio elsewhere
Pinot Noir Calif, French, etc – 2005 Landmark, Grand Detour Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California (92 Points; 2005 Kindred Wines, Amber Ridge Vinyard, Russian River Valley
Pinotage Golden Kann Pinotage, Western Cape South Africa – NH Wine Expo
Prosecco Zardetto Prosecco Brut (sparkling Italian white)
Riesling Finger Lakes, SchmidtSonne et al.
Rondinella Valpolicella
Rose of Isabelle Goose Watch, Fingerlakes (Cayuga), NY
Sangiovese DaVinci Chianti Classico (100% sangiovese, not blend)
Sauvignon Blanc TTV
Semillon 2002 Vina Alamosa, Premium Late Harvest Semillion
Seyval Blanc Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Syrah/Shiraz
Tempranillo 2004 Bodegas Altizia, Tierra de Vientos, Barrel Aged Tempranillo, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, La Mancha, Spain (90 Points)
Torrontés 2004 Moon Sun, Cafayate Valley Torrontés, Argentina (90 Points)
Trebbiano/Ugni Blanc Bigi Orvieto Amabile, Umbria
Verdejo 2004 Señorio de Garci Grande, Rueda, Spain (90 Points)
Vidal Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY – also as ice wine
Vignoles Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Villard Blanc Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
Viognier 2004 Stone Home Ranch, Viognier, California (90 Points)
Viura 2004 Señorio de Garci Grande, Rueda, Spain (90 Points)
Zinfandel/Primitivo Zin, and white zin

Our count up to 100 (into the Wine Century club) just took a bit bump this past weekend. Thanks to a Spanish themed wine tasting and dinner party.

I’m so happy I’ve taken on the challenge. We’ve discovered so many interesting varieties not typically found at the local market, some that we like so much more than the standard supermarket fare. (Granted there is great variety in Cabernets of the world, as well as the Pinots….) But you can’t just run out for a Baco Noir, Malbec or Semillion now can you? (Well… not at any of my local supermarkets you can’t.)

The current tally (of grape varieties enjoyed in wine):

1. Baco Noir – Red Cat, Hazlitt 1852, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
2. Bonarda 2004 Atipax, Tupungato Reserva, Malbec blend, Mendoza, Argentina (91 Points)
3. Cabernet Franc – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
4. Cabernet Sauvignon – used to dislike oaky ones, now finding several I like (TTV)
5. Catawba – Red Cat, Hazlitt 1852, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
6. Cayuga – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
7. Chancellor – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
8. Chelois – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
9. Cinsaut
10. Corvina
11. Gamay – Beaujolias, Nouveau et al — great nouveau in late 90’s
12. Gewürztraminer – Castel Grisch, Fingerlakes NY, et al.
13. Grenache/Garnacha – Le Vielle Ferme red blend, & 2005 Rojo Granrojo (Grenache Noir)
14. Malbec – 2004 Atipax, Tupungato Reserva, Malbec blend, Mendoza, Argentina (91 Points)
15. Maréchal Foch – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
16. Merlot – 2003 Lomas de Los Andes, Colchagua Valley Merlot, Chile (90 Points)
17. Molinara
18. Moscato Bianco – 2005 Meda Margherita, Moscato d’Asti, Piedmont, Italy (90 Points)
19. Mourvèdre
20. Niagara – Finger Lakes NY, Flag Hill NH
21. Petite Sirah
22. Pinot Blanc – 2003 Louis Reffelingen, Pinot Blanc (90 Points)
23. Pinot Gris – Gris at Sterling (Napa) Grigio elsewhere
24. Pinot Noir – Calif, French, etc – 2005 Landmark, Grand Detour Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California (92 Points) & Kindred Wines 2005 Amber Ridge
25. Riesling
26. Rondinella
27. Rose of Isabelle – Goose Watch, Fingerlakes (Cayuga), NY
28. Sauvignon Blanc
29. Semillon – 2002 Vina Alamosa, Premium Late Harvest Semill
30. Seyval Blanc – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
31. Syrah/Shiraz
32. Tempranillo – 2004 Bodegas Altizia, Tierra de Vientos, Barrel Aged Tempranillo, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, La Mancha, Spain (90 Points)
33. Torrontés – 2004 Moon Sun, Cafayate Valley Torrontés, Argentina (90 Points)
34. Verdejo – 2004 Señorio de Garci Grande, Rueda, Spain (90 Points)
35. Vidal – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY – also as ice wine
36. Vignoles – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
37. Villard Blanc – Atwater, Fingerlakes (Seneca), NY
38. Viognier – 2004 Stone Home Ranch, Viognier, California (90 Points)
39. Viura – 2004 Señorio de Garci Grande, Rueda, Spain (90 Points)
40. Zinfandel/Primitivo

Some varieties I have tried several different wines, others just the one. Surprisingly there are good and bad (and fantastic) wines to be had that would otherwise seem to be the same. There are more I’ve tried when in France and California (Napa and Sonoma), but this was before I was keeping track, and the memory is a little spotty (I am a parent afterall). So, while I think I’ve had a Sangiovese, Muscat, Concord, and Trebbiano, I can neither confirm nor deny… so off the list they’ll stay until the time comes I can enjoy them (again?)

Cabernet Sauvignon that is.

I don’t like it. Or so I have thought these past several years. Not the grapes, but rather because of the oak barrels it is aged in. For the same reason I don’t really care for chardonnay or whiskey.

My wife and I spent a couple days touring the Seneca Wine Trail, Fingerlakes region, New York, and we got to talking with one of the winemakers at Atwater Vinyards. He let me sample some chardonnay that was aging in stainless steel tanks, and had never seen oak. This was where I learned to avoid “oaky” and any synonyms when reading wine labels to pick out something I’d like. Of course I reasoned that I liked non-oaky chardonnay’s and didn’t think about how that might pertain to other wines.

Several years have gone by, and my views of wine haven’t changed. Though, I’ve added Pinot Noir to my list of faves, along with Beaujolais Nouveau, Riesling, Chianti, Tempranillo (soooo good with chocolate) and the uber cheap (but quite good) Cafe Chardonnay from Gallo.

A food/wine pairing event last October, really opened up my eyes to how different foods really effect how wine tastes – for better, or more often in my case, for worse. We tried 4 wines – 2 white, 2 red -pesto chicken, tomatoes, cheese, olives chocolate and fruit. Surprisingly, each wine was my favorite, or least favorite depending on it’s food partner.

Eyes opened.

I also know that our tastes change every 7 years (or is that just how long it takes for all our taste buds to replace themselves).

Whatever the case, now that my wife is doing these in home wine parties, I’ve sampled about a dozen new wines the past few weeks. I’ve tried 4 cabernets and each of them was dramatically different than the last…  I’m enjoying a good one right now from Monterey California (beware of worsening grammar and punctuation skills)… and lo it’s described as oaky, with licorice (I hate licorice… don’t I)

If I didn’t know, I wouldn’t now!

Well, throw time, experience and prejudice out the window people, I have a whole new world of wine to get to know all over again…  28/100 of my way into the wine century club!

My wife has started a new (side) work venture, as a marketing consultant for The Traveling Vinyard. Bringing wine tastings into peoples homes. Think Pampered Chef or Tupperware home parties. She already has two parties under her belt, and several more in the upcoming weeks. Great fun.

We’ve received enough cases of wine that the good folks over at UPS know who I am (and I don’t need to flash an ID to prove I’m over 21. (Like there’s any question about that!)

One upshot of sampling all these wines, I’ve learned that the same grape can yield a dramatically different wine in the hands of another winemaker, or in another part of the world – even if right next door – so everything I thought I knew about what I like and what I definately don’t like, has been a real eye, nose and mind opening experience!

Plus, in the past couple weeks I’ve moved a couple steps closer to joining the Wine Century Club. Happily, I still have quite a ways to go to complete my “membership.”

Starting in 2000, I’m 28% of the way there – average supermarket offerings, plus some regional varieties from NH, NY and CA… Cannot confirm what I’ve previously had in France ‘93 or ‘98 or Napa/Sonoma ‘99, so I’ll just have to have some of those again!

I recently stumbled across the Wine Century Club, (thanks to the wine blog Basic Juice). Essentially a club for anyone who’s tried 100 different varieties of wine. (Many have tried, few have succeeded.)

The verdict? – looks like a fun challenge. My wife and I figure we’ll have our applications (and livers) filled out by the end of the weekend.

Kidding.

Without stopping to count, I’d guess we’re somewhere in the high teens/low twenties. A few months living in France and wine trails in Napa Valley and the Finger Lakes in NY result in the number exceeding the standard supermaket fare. (Chardonnay, Cab, Pinot, Reisling, and so on…)

I’ll do a little digging around and try to come up with an honest list, and if I’m not sure, I’ll have to drink it again!

Stay tuned for the journey, bound to be a long, but fun one!