When I am working on the floor at a restaurant, and I approach a table to talk about the wine list and their preferences, I have a very brief amount of time to determine a vast amount of information. However, perhaps of equal importance to what they are eating and what style of wine they prefer, is … do they want to “play it safe” or “take a risk on something new and different.”

At home, when I am entertaining and purchasing wine for a dinner or event, I have to make the same determination. If I play it safe, I can get something that I have had many times before that I know has the ability to pair with many foods and ‘plays well with others’ as well as having a general affinity for pleasing people.

As I stood at my local retailer and thought about my plans for the weekend, I decided to try a bit of both.

MY “SAFE” PICKS

Chateau Ste Michelle Indian Wells 2007 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley – Although I have had this wine before, it has been quite a while. Chateau Ste Michelle is a great winery and usually a very safe pick. I found this wine to be quite pleasant but it did not really excite me. I would definitely order it by the glass or drink it at a party if offered (as opposed to dumping in a house plant or empty sink), but I did not find it interesting enough to rush out for a case. I will say that they have done a nice job balancing the components in this Chardonnay, and it did have a pleasant finish.

Cline ‘Cashmere’ 2008, California – This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre (which you may know as GSM (Australia) or Cotes du Rhone (France). I am a pushover for Rhone varietals. This was a safe pick for two reasons – the first is that Syrah/Shiraz always comes across well with red wine drinkers. The second, is that Cline is an extremely reputable producer of Zinfandel in California. It is retailing for $21 from the vineyard. I picked this one up at $13.99 (if you are in the Tampa Bay area email me and I will tell you where). Although I purchased it at a great discount, I happily would have paid the $21. This wine offered the big ripe fruit and jamminess that made Cline a household name in Zinfandel. It had a beautiful, elegant finish. This all helped the wine to come off as very luxurious and the winery described the wine perfectly when they decided to name it ‘Cashmere’. The biggest problem with this wine, much too easy to drink and the one bottle that I purchased seemed to evaporate in record time. I definitely recommend this wine. I have just made a note in my new IPod Touch to grab some more today. Visit Cline’s website at http://www.clinecellars.com for more information.

MY “TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT” PICKS

Peter Lehmann ‘Layers’ 2009, Adelaide -In a word this wine left me “irritated.” We have all been to those movies where the trailer has promised us 90 minutes of action packed edge of your seat movie experience, only to realize that the best part of the movie was seen at home in your living room during the commercial trailer. This wine from Peter Lehmann (a solid producer of Shiraz from the Barossa), is a blend of Pinot Gris, Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Semillon. Sounds like a nice mix for a tasty wine. It promised “Layers” of complex tastes and aromas. Simply stated this wine did not deliver. We even aerated, which I don’t usually do for white wines. Nothing. It is possible that it may be going through some sort of ‘dumb’ period. So, to be fair, I guess I should give it one more try at another time. But, I will be doing so reluctantly. At around $14 a bottle, I have had better white blends.

Casa de la Ermita Viognier 2007, Jumilla – Several of my wine “geek” friends have mentioned to me lately that thy have had an opportunity to taste Viognier from Spain. However, it seems to be absent from most retail locations in my area. I had just about given up hope when I came across this one. I may be slightly prejudiced because I LOVE Viognier. I love Viognier from France, California, Virginia, and Australia … and now I love Viognier from Spain as well. This was aromatically brilliant, had a great texture and overall was very tasty. If you love ripe luscious stone fruit (think peaches, nectarines, and apricots, with a slight scent of warm hay, and beautiful minerality (think clear stream water running over wet stones) then grab this wine. Don’t be intimidating by its deeper gold color. This wine was like taking a field trip out to a country farm. Under $15 a bottle. As a side note, Viognier can be a challenge to pair with food, but when you find that pairing that makes both food and wine “sing” it is worth the effort.

With 2010 literally around the corner, remember to get outside of your comfort zone and try something new whenever you can.

Cheers!

tampawinewoman

No body and I mean nobody can Hobnob like my current guest, Wine Pro and Foodie Tanya Melillo. The Wine Time TV series continues with Part 2 (of 3 or 4 clips) of my then live Skype interview with one if the new stars of PBS’ The Winemakers Season 2, where I learned of Tanya’s exciting encounters with French Laundry’s Thomas Keller, top chefs Gary Danko and Traci des Jardins, retired Playboy and current Mayor of San Francisco Gavin Newsom and more!

Thanks for reading!
Kamary

Wine Time TV continues with my ongoing video series. In this show we wrap up the interview featuring Sommelier James King from www.KingGroupEvents.com from San Diego California. In this episode we learn about James King’s most memorable wine experiences at home and abroad (Italy) and I share a glance hinting at my own tragic experiences while in Florence.

At the time of preparing this post I can honestly say that I would not be able comfortably afford even the #10 bottle of wine, which is well over $250. I think before I’d WANT to spend so much on a bottle someone out there should treat me to a taste or three so that I even have a frame of reference as to why these bottles surpass the $40-$60 wines I so rarely treat myself to.

Original research by askmen.com

NUMBER 10

Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1996 – app. $287

Talk about being at the right place at the right time. In the mid-18th century, a French politician was about to be shipped off overseas, but not before visiting a physician. The doctor prescribed him some Lafite wine as a tonic. This politician enjoyed it so much that he offered some bottles to King Louis XV, and before long this wine became the star of Versailles and was dubbed “the King’s wine.” Remarkably dark, it sports mineral aromas of mint and black currant. Flavorful, its texture is silky and lingers in the mouth.

NUMBER 9

Chateau Margaux 1995 – app. $402

Its color is almost black, yet it couldn’t taste farther from ink. Containing passionate fragrances of blackberry and cassis, this smooth and racy vintage is powerful but still manages to be compact in its fruit structure. This vineyard goes back a thousand years and it has definitely mastered the art. The 1995 vintage recalls the 1986 for its complexity but it’s also a good reminder of the 1990 for its elegance. The 1994 version is also quite expensive.

NUMBER 8

Chateau Haut Brion Pessac-Lognan 1982 – app. $528

What distinguishes Haut Brion is the fact that it produced the oldest Bordeaux in the world. Founded in 1550, Jean de Pontac built everything from the ground up for the sole purpose of winemaking. Soon after, he opened a tavern in London to serve his wine exclusively. It was an undeniable success. This red 1982 vintage is still youthful and quite spectacular, holding its own against the best wines in the world. It has matured well with time but isn’t expected to improve in years to come. So drink it soon!

NUMBER 7

Chateau Mouton Rothschild Pauillac 1986 – app. $592

Remember the Lafite Rothschild? The Chateau Mouton originated from the English branch of the same family in the mid-19th century. They were the first to launch special labels designed by famous artists such as Chagall, Picasso and Warhol after World War II. Selected as one of the top ten wines of 1986 by Wine Spectator magazine, this Chateau Mouton will recall memories of chocolate, raspberries and spices. This palatable vintage leaves an incredibly elongated aftertaste.

NUMBER 6

Chateau La Mondotte Saint-Emilion 1996 – app. $608

La Mondotte was purchased by the Neipperg family at the same time that they bought Chateau Canon-La-Gaffelire and Clos de l’Oratoire. Therefore, this tiny vineyard of little more than 11 acres was condemned to play second fiddle for a number of years. But in 1996, La Mondotte reached maturity and exploded on the wine scene. Fairly fruity and exotic, this vintage is lavish and has a lengthy finish. It is often compared to Le Pin.

NUMBER 5

Chateau Valandraud Saint-Emilion 1995 – app. $668

This vineyard is one of the most important of the garage wines. Basically, it is to wine what microbreweries are to beer. Like La Mondotte, it occupies a small patch of land and its owners pour their artistic hearts into it. Valandraud comprises approximately 10 small parcels of land totaling 35 acres. This wine has been made with care and is quite rare, hence the price. Firm tannins define its rich and spicy structure; it is bolder than later vintages.

NUMBER 4

Chateau Latour Pauillac 1990 – app. $774

Chateau Latour is one of the most reliable vineyards in France and produces one of the best three Pauillac on the market. This reliable wine draws its power from the rich soil on which the grapes grow. Among the raciest wines of the Mdoc region, Wine Spectator selected it as the single best wine of 1993, bestowing on it a perfect score. An everlasting finale is the masterstroke of this vintage, which favors caramel, chocolate, licorice, dark cherry, and roasted fruits. The mouth is opulent and wholly composed. The 1994 vintage is also highly sought after.

NUMBER 3

Chateau Le Pin Pomerol 1999 – app. $908

The Thienpont family’s Chateau Le Pin venture is another garage wine. In an average year, they produce about 6,000 bottles of this fine Pomerol on five acres of land. It is truly one of the most illustrious wines to come out of Bordeaux. Its fullness comes from the downy levels of mocha, black cherry and currant flavors. It’s a favorite of serious wine collectors.

NUMBER 2

Petrus Pomerol 1998 – app. $1,459

This Merlot was one of the favorite wines at the White House during the Kennedy years. The official name is Chateau Petrus but even its label refers to it as simply “Petrus.” The grapes are usually harvested early and left to mature slowly. Extremely fruity, suggestions of berries, vanilla, mocha, and oak emanate from its rich purple robe. The finish is something to wait for as it caresses the palate. A truly exquisite vintage, it should reach maturity after the year 2012.

NUMBER 1

Dom. Romane Conti 1997 – app. $1,540

This French red Burgundy smells of berries, spices and leather. Dark in color, it hints at flavors of soy sauce, flowers and licorice. The aroma is rich and penetrating without being too profound. The Romane Conti is a rare wine that has carved a niche for itself along the years. At over fifteen hundred dollars a bottle, it no longer has anything to prove. Consistently, the Romane Conti fetches prices around the thousand dollar mark no matter the vintage.

Please comment on your own expensive wine exploits. We would love to hear about it!
Thanks for reading!
Cheers,
Kamary

Though this piece doesn’t focus on Wine particularly, I felt the need to support it since the host of the clip is Tanya Melillo. You might remember her from the early days of Murphy-Goode Winery’s now infamous A REALLY GOODE JOB campaign, where she was in the Top 50 and for damn good reasons. Hell, I even pegged her in part 2 of my own three-part Top 10 Show as a big winner.

How wrong was I. Then again, the guy who actually won the dream job, Hardy Wallace, I’d only given an honorable mention. Doh! I guess I just didn’t ‘get’ his video.

So, have a look a Tanya Melillo’s interview with TOP CHEF’S Jamie Lauren. Thanks Tanya for the submission and keep up the great work!