Winery: Domaine de l’Oratoire St. Martin
Wine: 2007 Cairanne Rouge Reserve des Seigneurs
Location: Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne, Southern Rhône
Purchased: The Corkscrew
Price: $24.00

Jonathan and I first sampled this wine at the Rhône wine dinner hosted by The Corkscrew back in October. At that time, we noticed earthiness, slight barnyard, crushed cherries and raspberries on the nose. The palate featured cherries, barnyard and a medium finish. We thought this was a nice wine for the price. For this event, all the wines had been decanted at least two hours in advance so we were curious to see how the wine showed when it was first opened.

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And so it begins – the moving process. We packed most of our wine and transported it to Texas yesterday. It’s one item the movers will not pack and ship so we packed up our supply and headed south to Austin.

Our wine cooler looks a little shocking right now. We left a few bottles for the days we’ll be back before bidding adieu to Illinois. So for the next month, things may be a little crazy with relocating, traveling back and forth a few times and a trip out of the country. I’ll try my best, but forgive the sporadic postings. 

It’s no simple task, understanding the classification of wines from Burgundy. However, knowing a little about the classification system helps consumers make the right purchase. No one wants to overspend for a bottle of wine, only to be disappointed when it is opened. And think about how good you feel when you find a great deal on an amazing bottle. You feel like you won the lottery! So knowing a few of the basics can prevent those ill-advised purchases and lead to more lottery winning purchases.

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Winery: Willamette Valley Vineyards
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon

A few weeks ago, I received several bottles of wine from Willamette Valley Vineyards. I decided to sample two of the bottles of Pinot Noir at similar price point and compare them. I used the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir (selling for $25.00 from the winery) and the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2008 Whole Cluster Fermented Pinot Noir (selling for $19.00 from the winery).

 

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Winery: Olsen Family Vineyards
Wine: Viridian Pinot Gris 2007
Location: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Purchased: The Corkscrew
Price: $14.99

Sometime, I get too caught up with sampling my favorite varietals in hopes of finding a new favorite or everyday drinker. In general, I’m more of a red drinker and in particular a Cabernet Sauvignon LOVER! However, there are times when I prefer a white….certain food pairings and most summer days. Every now and then, I’ve got to remind myself that I need to keep trying some of my less favorite varietals. Such is the case with the Olsen Family Vineyards Viridian Pinot Gris. I haven’t tried or enjoyed many Pinot Gris in the past, but if I keep trying them I might just find one I like.

 

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