My trip to Chile

 Around the World in 48 Sips

 

 I'm so excited that I got my passport stamped this month for WineStyles latest promotional event!

 

 

 

 

First stop..... Chile!

 

I must admit I don't know much about Chile or its wines but I'm always up for a wine adventure!

 

 

Chile is a long and narrow strip of land but its territory presents a great diversity of landscapes. Mountain ranges run north to south and mountain chains cross Chile from east to west. The crossing ranges hold riverbeds that run in the same direction, which over millions of years, have formed alluvial terraces (a level tract of land resulting from repeated deposits of sediment over a long period of time by running water) that are valuable for growing grapevines!

 

From north to south, Chile has a large diversity of climates but in the central and traditional wine regions, it's mainly temperate Mediterranean.  The winter and spring have concentrated rain with a long dry season continuing through autumn. The cold from the Humboldt Current and the breezes from the mountains create a huge temperature differential between day and night which is good for producing healthy grapes.

 

 

 

Chile's geography is very unique in that its northern limit is one of the driest deserts in the world and its southern limit ends with glaciers!

 

First up on the tasting adventure is:

 

2013

Santa Ema

Savuvignon Blanc

Maipo Valley

 

 

pale yellow, acidic, citrus, crisp

GRAPEFRUIT

Of course, Sav Blancs all taste like biting into a grapefruit to me and I hate grapefruit.

I tolerated it and moved on.....

 

2012

Montes

Chardonnay



 

I love Chardonnay.

Wait, I love California and French Chardonnay.

I just learned that I evidently do not like Chilean Chardonnay. 

Stainless steel

crisp, tart, petroleum aroma

probably one of the worst Chards I have ever tasted.

 

Next please.....

 

Montes

Cherub

Rose of Syrah

 

This bright pink wine didn't just look like cherry cough syrup it smelled and tasted like it too!

A friend of mine who also went on this trip saw the disgusting face I made from across the room and cracked up. She only laughed because she felt the same way but didn't have the guts to be as obvious!

 

 

What will this wine pair well with?

being poured down the sink drain

 

Ok Chile... I'm learning and this is adventure is fun but I'm not really diggin' your wines.....

 

 

We had six wines to try on our adventure but Arthur, being his amazing self, decided to add in three others to taste.

 

The first of the "others" was a Chilean Malbec/Cab Sauvignon blend with a beautifully stinky smell and a delightful flavor. I'm not a huge Malbec fan but it was a nice blend with Cab.

 

 

Montes Alpha

Syrah

Colchagua Valley

 

Suddenly, everything changed... for the better.

 

I've never been excited about a Syrah.

I don't despise them by any means but I would never seek one out to drink.

 

Then I had this Chilean Syrah and that changed everything.

 

 

Burning stinky smell with a silky, fruity, bold taste

Finally a Syrah with some oompfh!

 

Yes, I bought one to take home.

 

 

Montes Alpha

Cabernet Sauvignon

Colchagua Valley

 

Colchagua - I love that word.

pronounced  "Coal-chaw-gwuh"

 

While in Chile, I decided that if God ever cursed me with a child, especially a boy, I would name him Colchagua and his nickname would be "Cole".

See, what monumental revelations occur at my happy place?

 

lovely stinky cigarbox fruit smell but not as smooth in taste as the Syrah

 long finish but too tart of a finish for me

 

 

 

 

Montes

Purple Angel Carmenere

Colchagua Valley

While I loved the Syrah, this baby stole my heart!

 





The Purple Angel is considered the Super Carmenere of Montes and I'd say it became the superstar of the night! I was surprised to hear that less than 10% of the wines that Chile makes are Carmenere. Until this trip, Carmenere was the only wine that I liked from Chile. Tonight did confirm thought that it is still my favorite Chilean wine.

 

 

Its tremendous aroma literally made me purr out loud at first whiff.

(Yeah, I can be quite entertaining at my happy place without even trying.)

I recall saying, "This is a bad girl wine" with a delightful smile on my face.

 

Ripe, red and black fruits with nutmeg, cinnamon and jam

Bold, rich, fruity and absolutely divine!

 

This was a special order wine and believe me I signed up right on the spot!

My only regret is whether I should have ordered two bottles.

 

 

The last two are "others" that Arthur selected for us to try.

 

 

Montes Alpha M

 

 

While this was delicious and primarily a Cab, it came nowhere near the intensity and sheer delight of the Purple Angel.

 

Montes

Folly





This 2010 Syrah was beautiful.

Landed in second place to my Purple Angel, though.





Who knew I'd have so much fun in Chile! While Chilean whites do absolutely nothing for me and I don't care if I ever have another one again, its Syrah and Carmenere have definitely stolen my heart!

 

Can't wait to get my passport stamped for the next wine adventure!

"One not only drinks wine, one smells it, observes it, tastes it, sips it and - one talks about it."
- King Edward VII



Wine in, wit out

One day in early January, I had a splendid food and wine kind of day smothered in friendship and family....

 

 

I started out as a scrumptious lunch with my soul sister in Old Town Alexandria at the Wharf Restaurant and.....

 

crab soup

 

 

shellfish angel hair pasta 

 

 

..... ended the day at my happy place with my second favorite special, an incredibly smooth Washington State Merlot, the Evil Red Genius and the most amazing parents on the face of the earth!

 

 

 

lamb youvetsi

 

It should be noted that the Merryvale Merlot was critiqued in an earlier blog post of mine in 2014.  However, I would be remiss if I didn't state how Dad referred to this wine on this super fun night.....

 

"Pebbles and Bam Bam in a Jar"

 

 

 

 

"For when the wine goes in, the wit comes out."

- Thomas Becon 

 

 

 

Why it's worth it

 

I am feeling so much sheer happiness and pure love right now that I feel the need to keep it simple. There is so much I could say yet so much that I don't even need to say. That is the best part.

I often have wanted to give up but my faith would never truly let me. 

I could never truly give up hope; it's just not who I am.

 

In the past, I've often had moments that were so phenomenal that I would often say I wish I could bottle that feeling so I wouldn't lose it. The best part now is that I don't need to bottle it because the feeling doesn't go away. It stays with me and each time we're together, no matter what we're doing, that feeling remains and even intensifies.

 

It's nice to have met one of those rare and amazing people.

 It's nice to know that genuine, raw, natural connections can happen and endure.

 Every time we're together, without a word even being said, I'm constantly reminded

of why it's worth it.

 

It's so worth it.

 

 

 

"Oh thank God that we don't have to be alone.

Closer I get, the more that my heart knows....
You're like that last turn home."

-Tim McGraw
 

Dirty elegance

It's no secret that I am a lover of Oregon Pinot Noir.

It gets no better than the Willamette Valley.

 

 Last year, while at my favorite wine bar in the Outer Banks, I took a chance on purchasing a Pinot Noir that I had never tried.  I explained to Kenny, the owner, that the only Pinots I like are from Oregon and he recommended one that was under $30. 

Hey Kenny, thanks for not steering me wrong! Spot on, dude!

  

2012

Ponzi Tavola Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, Oregon

 

 

Aged in French oak for 11 months and then bottle aged for seven months before release, the Tavola Pinot Noir is Ponzi's "wine for the everyday table".

It is a blend of 10 vineyards and has a rich burnt-brick color.

 

As soon as I smelled the dirty fruit aroma, it reminded me why I love Oregon Pinot Noirs. 

A mud puddle after a spring rain with lilac flowers on top instantly appeared.

A deep sigh and a big smile came over my face.

The first sip brought a hint of cocoa and a long finish with soft tannins.

Best part of all? Cherry didn't smack me in the face like non-Oregon Pinots!

 

Dirty elegance 

 

 

After some research, I found that 2012 is supposed to be an epic vintage in Oregon wine history. (Note to self: remember this little factoid when perusing in wine shops)

 

In 2012, crops were low due to a wet Oregon spring which increased the intensity of flavor.
Summer brought dry and hot conditions.
From July to mid October, there was only a trace of precipitation.
Warm days and cool nights brought beautiful ripeness and sugar while maintaining bright acidity.

 

 

 

Oh, Ponzi, thank you for confirming that Oregon does, indeed, make the most exquisite Pinot Noir!!

 

This wine truly represents all that is good in - and why I love - an Oregon Pinot Noir!

 

 

 

"Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup.

All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.”
― Paulo Coelho, Brida

 

 

 

 

 

White in Winter

I don't usually drink white wine in the winter.

I know the "rule" of not wearing white after Labor Day and usually drinking white follows suit; however, sometimes I just have that urge for a white wine. Often, when the weather changes and there's a chill in the air, I lean more toward reds but sometimes it depends on what food I'm enjoying.

Some people don't mind having a Cabernet with scallops and some don't mind drinking a Chardonnay with steak. I am not one of those people though. I want the absolute best possible pairing.  

Food and wine collaborations can definitely make or break each other.

 

I love a California Chardonnay and I am fond of wines from Paso Robles, but I don't recall ever trying a Paso white.  I just so happened to have received one for Christmas and what better time to try it than on a frigid, blustery winter day!

 

 

This 2013 Crossridge Peak Chardonnay from Paso Robles, California is a pale yellow color and has a beautiful aroma of butterscotch and vanilla. On the palette are similar flavors with an addition of flower and banana. It's perfectly balanced and has a lovely lingering finish with a hint of almond.



 

It serves as a good wine with which to cook. I didn't add it to my food.  I drank it as I was preparing my food. Yeah, there are different connotations to cooking with wine, aren't there?

 

I tried it with my favorite Irish whiskey cheddar cheese and the cheese instantly took the acidity out of the wine.  I also found that this Chardonnay needs to be extremely cold or it has a distinctly

less-than-desirable aftertaste.

 



 

On the back label of this bottle of wine, I found the following inspirational words:

 

"When we founded Crossridge Peak we were not looking for scenic, but a quiet soulful place to hike and enjoy the outdoors.  What we found was a way of life that leads us to a bottle of wine.  We strive to bring you the best wine we can; to give you our peak performance. We hope that this bottle will help you find your perfect peak."

 

As I was enjoying this easily-drinkable white in winter, I started to ponder why I was longing for a white when I haven't in quite a while.  Was I longing to find my perfect peak? Was it because I was longing for happier days?  Was I longing for spring and summer to get here quicker? Was I longing to be taken to a place of calm and contentment, even if just for an evening, after being lost in a frustrating and contemplative day? Was I longing to stop analyzing every aspect of my life and just embrace the good? Was I longing to be able to accept things as they are and just "be"?



 

Then, as if I needed the universe to send me a sign of understanding, the perfect sounds of
Keith Urban suddenly filled up my living room. Even though it is one of my favorite songs, the lyrics resonated with me like they never have before:

 

Alone in this house again tonight

I got the TV on, the sound turned down and a bottle of wine.......

 

I've never been the kind to ever let my feelings show

And I thought that being strong meant never losing your self-control.

But I'm just drunk enough to let go of my pain

To hell with my pride, let it fall like rain

From my eyes, tonight I wanna cry.

 

Thanks to my favorite guy, I not only found a lovely new Chard to enjoy but I also am hopeful that this year I could be led toward my "perfect peak".

 

 

Should have said "no"

The Evil Red Genius and I decided to make our first wine adventure of 2015 to a place where we've been before - the Wine House in Old Town Fairfax.

Are we gluttons for punishment?

One might think so but dig a little deeper and you'll see there's a method to our madness.

Every time I have gone to this wine bar it has been as a result of a Groupon.

Our Groupon for $40 worth of food at the Wine House was about to expire so we hopped in the car and took a Sunday afternoon joy ride through Clifton to this quaint little bistro.

The last time we went to the Wine House it was nice enough to relax outside for lunch.  Although this January day was unseasonably warm at 60 degrees, it was sporadically rainy so we sat inside at the bar. While the staff at the Wine House isn't rude, they aren't anything to rave about either. Thankfully, we know enough about wine, at least what we like, and don't require much assistance. However, it would still be nice to simply be asked if we needed any help. I should be used to it by now, but being a stickler for good customer service, I guess I never will be accepting of this behavior, or lack of appropriate behavior.

The Wine House has a unique selection of wine and there are hardly ever any bottles that we recognize. Of course the ones we do recognize are quite overpriced and with a $10 cork fee piled on top, price is a factor. While we searched for a bottle of wine to share, we put our order in for the artisan cheese plate.

The cheese plate included the exact same four cheeses that we had back in the summer which I found a tad bit disappointing but knowing how much we enjoyed those cheeses, we were positive we'd be pleased.  For someone who does not like cranberry, the cranberry and walnut chutney that comes with the cheese plate is exquisite, especially on a slice of green apple! Who knew?

After considering five reds (including researching them quickly online because God forbid, this place take the time to prepare even a simple write-up for each wine), we finally decided on the

2012

Montinore Estate

"Red Cap"

Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, Oregon

This vintage is known as a winemaker's dream because it yielded perfectly-balanced fruit due to a long dry season followed by an Indian summer. However, it's a shame that we couldn't truly appreciate that thought all because we weren't forceful enough with our waitress. Alas, I blame myself.

I handed her the bottle to open and she headed toward the chiller. I immediately proclaimed with a tilt of the head and strange look on my face, similar to that of my dog's expression, "It's a red. Why are you chilling it?" She replied, " We always chill our reds... to bring it up to room temperature."

WARNING!

Right there, I should have gone with my gut and told her to please not do that with this wine, but we went along with her prompting anyway. She confirmed that every time we have been here in the past they have always chilled the reds. I suppose we didn't know that because we've always sat outside and didn't see it for ourselves. 

We were extremely anxious as we watched our red wine sitting in the chiller and once we received it and the bottle was cold to the touch and it tasted cold, we were not very happy... and that's an understatement.

I'm always one to speak up. Why didn't I do so today? (smack palm to forehead and roll eyes)

We both decided we needed a sweater for our glass but wrapped the napkin, or our hands, around it instead to hopefully warm it up.  Perhaps, a wooly wine scarf made out of alpaca fur would suffice. Yeah, we'd have to get right on that one....

Well, let's buckle down and do this, Evil Red. 

We'll make it work. We always do.

Eating a red grape followed by a sip of wine brought out a tangy note on the tongue. Eating a piece of goat cheese and then a sip of wine really "empowered" the goat.  We love goat cheese so this was a fantastic surprise! The bleu cheese was creamy but quite harsh, yet a salty cracker toned it down. The cloth bound cow's milk cheese from Vermont was delightful with and without the wine - imagine a grassy, farmy cheese frolicking along the hillside....Yes, cheese frolicks...

So our wine was warming up, and we were starting to gather aromas of red fruit, flowers and a hint of dark chocolate. Coffee and plums were starting to open up on the palette with this heavier-than- normal Pinot Noir. Still, I hesitate to critique this wine too much because it should never have been served chilled which really muted the aromas and taste.

Having a $40 food Groupon and only ordering the cheese plate so far, we knew there was much more food to share. If this place does anything right, it's make delicious food!  It wasn't crowded, there were a few couples sitting at tables and we were the only people at the bar the entire time we were there.  Yet, I still had to ask the waitress (the only waitress) who chilled our red wine, "Can we order now?" Would it hurt for her to show some enthusiasm or maybe even just a tad bit of acknowledgment of her customers? Oh that's right, I forgot where we were for a moment.

Customer service slackers at their finest.

Next up was the goat cheese, spinach, artichoke and pesto quiche with a side salad. This quiche was absolutely delightful and the wine was a nice pairing. Again, I think it was the goat cheese being empowered by the Pinot that made me want to lick the plate when we were finished. I regret I didn't lick the plate, to be honest.



When we finished the quiche and after the Evil Red Genius dropped a piece of cheese on the floor, the inattentive waitress decided to assume we were finished ordering and asked if we wanted dessert.  I proceeded to tell her that we did not require dessert but we would like to order the steak frites to share.  Don't rush me out, girl!

My fork then promptly decided it was lonely and joined the Evil Red Genius' piece of cheese on the floor below us.  I would have photographic proof of this comingling on the pretty wood flooring but no, the waitress chose that exact moment to be helpful and picked up the fork.

Geez..... I just can't win with her, can I?

The steak frites are always a favorite of ours and while we didn't have it at our last outing, we went back to basics and shared it this time. Who needs dessert when you have red wine and savory, juicy hangar steak, pomme frites in a rich, black peppercorn cream gravy?

As the wine warmed up it became quite lovely. I can't help to think though how much better it would have been had it been served to us properly. I'd definitely be willing to try it again and give it another chance. 

After all it wasn't the wine's fault.. I simply should have said "no"!
 Lesson learned!



Amateur night and my 2014 simple pleasures list

New Year's Eve is upon us. There was a time when New Year's Eve would excite me and there was also a time when it equally depressed me. Now I don't see it really as any different than any other day of the year except for the fact that, unless it's something extremely important, I'm staying off the roads. Why?

Because it's amateur night. All the crazies are out and about and I sure don't need to be part of that. I'm a good driver. I'm an alert driver and I wouldn't be stupid. But what I can't control is the person in the other car who is driving erratically and perhaps drunk. It's not the people who go to a bar or have a glass of wine with dinner but it's the people who hardly ever drink and then wait until this night to go "all out".

I never quite understood the excitement of watching a "ball" drop in Times Square either. Honestly, I still don't and I'm a huge NYC fan.  I don't care for crowds and perhaps that's part of the problem.

When I was a child, I remember always spending New Year's Eve with my family - my parents, my grandparents, my cousin, Steve and his mom, Sally, my cousin, Bobbie, and my great aunt Lil. The party would take place at Bobbie and Lil's apartment in Alexandria. Sometimes the two Ednas would be there and sometimes Kathryn and Earl would also be there.

The adults would play card games and I would lay on the sofa with my headphones on listening to the countdown of the year's top songs on the radio while watching Dick Clark on tv. (As John Travolta said a few years ago, "It's not New Year's Eve without dick.") There would be tons of food, especially my granddad's dip and Lil's chicken salad. While the adults were having fun laughing, drinking and enjoying themselves, I was secretly sad because even though I was in a small apartment full of people who loved me, I felt so alone. I longed for the time when I was older and I'd be able to go to, or throw, my own New Year's Eve party and be kissed by someone other than my family at midnight.  I was such a sappy girl!

At the age of 41, as I think back on those times, that "time" I longed for never happened.  I remember going with college friends to an all-inclusive NYE party at a fancy shmancy hotel in downtown Richmond one year because friends of ours were in the local band that was performing. I remember having a fantastic time but I remember waking up the next day and feeling like complete hell. To this day, I know I had fun and I don't regret it but it's not going down as one of the best nights of my life. When I was married, my ex-asshat was a huge fan of NYE but he also was a huge fan of partying and drinking and acting like a 10 year old with all of his friends that night. That never appealed to me and while I had that special someone to kiss at midnight, having a 240lb, loud, drunk guy slobbering and hanging all over me who I had to mother was not exactly what I envisioned. Then there was my boyfriend of four years who didn't like New Year's Eve and wouldn't even stay up until midnight at home with me to celebrate. So while he was in the house with me, he was in the other room asleep while I was with the dogs on the sofa alone.  Last year was probably the best New Year's Eve celebration I've ever had and I only did that at my mom's request. My happy place always has a big shindig and she was recovering from a stroke. Her only request was to go there for New Year's Eve. How could I say "no" to that request? We had a fantastic time and yet I was still a bit melancholy because my boyfriend was in California and we had to settle for "cheers" on the phone.  I also wish now more than ever that I could have the New Year's Eves of my childhood back and be with all of my loved ones who made those parties happen for now is when I'd truly appreciate it.

So, tonight, as the sun has set and everyone has been wishing me "Happy New Year" throughout the day, I'm content being home with my best boy, Prowler, relaxing on my sofa with leftovers, using my whiskey wedge glass and enjoying one of my grandfather's bourbons, snuggling up in comfy warm clothes and perhaps watching a movie. I most likely won't be awake when midnight strikes and I'm ok with that idea.

Don't feel sorry for me though. I've never really been excited about New Year's Eve.  Once again, I think that society puts such emphasis on this one night of the year and I've never really fallen into that trap. I'd much rather spend the time safe in my warm home, away from crowds, letting my inner introvert shine and reflect on all that is important in my life - the simple things - the things that really matter.

I came up with a quick list of my simple pleasures that have occurred during 2014. I know there are many more but these are the ones that quickly come to mind:

• renewing old friendships and strengthening new ones, including my bond with the Evil Red Genius
• being a part of my parents' adventure in building their second home in Colonial Beach

• finding a tiny little cheese shop in Shirlington called Cheesetique (with over 300 cheeses to try!)
• joining an online dating service for six months and confirming that I should have listened to my gut and never done such a ridiculous thing
• enjoying a week in an oceanfront home in Nags Head, NC

• being a part of my mom's recovery from a stroke the year before and standing by her side as she retired after almost 30 years with the County's school system
• being fortunate enough to build an incredible relationship/friendship with a vet for my german shepherd
• connecting with my grandmother and grandfather through my spirit medium for my birthday

• knowing what I want and not settling for anything less and never doing something simply out of obligation
• being able to go to three Redskins games this season and tailgating with the RG3 Bus (even if we did have a miserable season #httr)

joining the IYI membership at my happy place and not only becoming more educated on all aspects of wine, but being introduced to wines that I otherwise never would have encountered

aside from having bronchitis that kicked my butt in December, being healthy for the majority of the year

having an absolutely organic and genuine connection with a stranger at a friend's wedding which has continued to naturally grow without any expectations and providing a happiness I have never experienced and rivals none

finally feeling, for the first time in my life, as if I have a college football team in the Ohio State Buckeyes

finding a beer that I like which happens to be a local brew and it's made in whiskey barrels!!!

laughing and smiling more than crying and screaming

being in the presence of unbelievably-talented live artists in concert - Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw,

Keith Urban, Maroon 5, Lionel Richie, Bruno Mars, Miranda Lambert, Chris Tomlin, Kip Moore, Thomas Rhett, Lee Brice, Little Big Town, Pentatonix

• Most of all, realizing that while life may try its best to get me down and keep me there, I'll never lose faith in my God and hope for my future, making sure to embrace all of life's daily simple pleasures along the way

"That's the difference between me and the rest of the world! Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!”
― Bill Watterson

Thanks for being part of my 2014!

Be safe and I'll see you with more simple pleasures of food, wine and all that is mine in 2015!

xoxo