What we're drinking this evening

Wine Talk and Reviews. Contact me at virginiavino@gmail.com
2010 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling This is australian riesling, so you know it’s going to be dry, dry, dry. And that’s fine with me. I’ll take a little sweetness in my wine from time to time, but usually when I want white wine I want it crisp and minerally.  And this fits the bill perfectly. For about $13, you get get a mouthful of steely minerals and lemon-lime. This made the perfect apertif, but would go beautifully with chinese takeout. Price: $14 Rating B+

2010 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling

This is australian riesling, so you know it’s going to be dry, dry, dry. And that’s fine with me. I’ll take a little sweetness in my wine from time to time, but usually when I want white wine I want it crisp and minerally. 

And this fits the bill perfectly. For about $13, you get get a mouthful of steely minerals and lemon-lime. This made the perfect apertif, but would go beautifully with chinese takeout.

Price: $14

Rating B+

2007 Lazy River Pinot I know some consider 2007 an off year, but this gives no indication of that. Just full-throttle delicious cherry and earth oregon pinot. Awesome. Good buy at ~$30

2007 Lazy River Pinot

I know some consider 2007 an off year, but this gives no indication of that. Just full-throttle delicious cherry and earth oregon pinot. Awesome. Good buy at ~$30

2009 Longplay Chardonnay I have not posted in awhile, as life events (babies, etc.) have been eating away at the time for wine drinking and blog posting.  That said, sometimes you have a wine you want to tell the world about, and the 2009 Chardonnay from Oregon’s small-but-great Longplay is stellar.  I was a huge fan of the 2008, and had high hopes for this bottle—those hopes were more than fulfilled. Both rich AND lightweight, this simply crushes most domestic chards.  The neutral oak aging lets you taste nothing but oregon grapes, and that taste, in this case, features some pineapple-y and pear notes, and maybe a bit of what wine nerds often refer to as beeswax. Regardless, it’s awesome, and a smart buy at under $30.

2009 Longplay Chardonnay

I have not posted in awhile, as life events (babies, etc.) have been eating away at the time for wine drinking and blog posting. 

That said, sometimes you have a wine you want to tell the world about, and the 2009 Chardonnay from Oregon’s small-but-great Longplay is stellar. 

I was a huge fan of the 2008, and had high hopes for this bottle—those hopes were more than fulfilled. Both rich AND lightweight, this simply crushes most domestic chards. 

The neutral oak aging lets you taste nothing but oregon grapes, and that taste, in this case, features some pineapple-y and pear notes, and maybe a bit of what wine nerds often refer to as beeswax.

Regardless, it’s awesome, and a smart buy at under $30.

2009 Le Bout Du Monde ‘Avec Le Temps’ This is the most enjoyable bottle of wine I’ve had in long time. I wish I had a case of it. Carignane made in the style of beaujolais (carbonic maceration), this is a CRAZY delicious wine. It tastes very much of sour cherries, but with some dirt and funk in there as well. Very acidic and great with food. I could drink it, and drink it, and drink it. Seek this bottle out.  Plus, amazingly this little sweetheart was something like $18. Crazy. A

2009 Le Bout Du Monde ‘Avec Le Temps’


This is the most enjoyable bottle of wine I’ve had in long time. I wish I had a case of it.

Carignane made in the style of beaujolais (carbonic maceration), this is a CRAZY delicious wine. It tastes very much of sour cherries, but with some dirt and funk in there as well. Very acidic and great with food. I could drink it, and drink it, and drink it. Seek this bottle out. 

Plus, amazingly this little sweetheart was something like $18. Crazy. A

2009 J. Rickards Old Vine Zinfandel We first had a J. Rickards wine when someone at a small wine shop in California encouraged us to buy a bottle if we wanted to taste a real, super small-scale local winery. That was a bottle of Cab, and I remember it as delicious. I got this bottle as a set from wine.woot, which often has has interesting, winery-direct items. Not disappointed.  Although Zin dominant, this is a hodgepodge of ~8 grapes, all fermented together. It’s big but not huge, and would go great with anything grilled. A crowd pleaser. Great job, J. Rickards—I hope to visit you in person one day.

2009 J. Rickards Old Vine Zinfandel

We first had a J. Rickards wine when someone at a small wine shop in California encouraged us to buy a bottle if we wanted to taste a real, super small-scale local winery. That was a bottle of Cab, and I remember it as delicious.

I got this bottle as a set from wine.woot, which often has has interesting, winery-direct items. Not disappointed. 

Although Zin dominant, this is a hodgepodge of ~8 grapes, all fermented together. It’s big but not huge, and would go great with anything grilled. A crowd pleaser. Great job, J. Rickards—I hope to visit you in person one day.

2009 Col Des Vents I’m not sure you can find a better sub $8 bottle of wine. Maybe something Spanish. Definitely nothing coming from the U.S. with this much character for $6 to $8.  It’s not great, but it’s good and rustic and fruity. If I was hosting a wedding, I’d buy a few cases. 

2009 Col Des Vents

I’m not sure you can find a better sub $8 bottle of wine. Maybe something Spanish. Definitely nothing coming from the U.S. with this much character for $6 to $8. 

It’s not great, but it’s good and rustic and fruity. If I was hosting a wedding, I’d buy a few cases. 

(Source: whatweatetonight)

2011 Modern Wine Project Rose2010 Oveja Negra Rose2011 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc  Trio of good wines here, the winner being the MWP Rose, which I bought from Garagiste and hails from Sleight of Hand Cellars. Crazy garagiste guy had a spiel about how this was a taste of super minerally 2011 Washington State from one of the best syrah vineyards in the state. Maybe. Regardless, it’s DELICIOUS rose. Very grapefruity and refreshing. The other two are also tasty, but nothing to seek out if not on sale. 

2011 Modern Wine Project Rose
2010 Oveja Negra Rose
2011 Lake Chalice Sauvignon Blanc 


Trio of good wines here, the winner being the MWP Rose, which I bought from Garagiste and hails from Sleight of Hand Cellars. Crazy garagiste guy had a spiel about how this was a taste of super minerally 2011 Washington State from one of the best syrah vineyards in the state. Maybe. Regardless, it’s DELICIOUS rose. Very grapefruity and refreshing.

The other two are also tasty, but nothing to seek out if not on sale. 

(Source: whatweatetonight)

2009 Sassetto Sangiovese Unoaked Sangiovese. For about $12, this is very nice, simple and refreshing. Perfect with pizza. 

2009 Sassetto Sangiovese

Unoaked Sangiovese. For about $12, this is very nice, simple and refreshing. Perfect with pizza. 

2010 White Hall Cabernet Sauvignon White Hall is one of Virginia’s most dependable wineries, and this cab sav is completely respectable. Tastes fresh and simple. Good job, White Hall.

2010 White Hall Cabernet Sauvignon


White Hall is one of Virginia’s most dependable wineries, and this cab sav is completely respectable. Tastes fresh and simple. Good job, White Hall.