Bookkeeping, really

Chile; Casablanca valley.

From the label:

More than 100 years ago Don Melchor de Concha y Toro reserved for himself an exclusive batch of the best wines he produced. And, to keep strangers away from his private reserve, he spread the rumor that the Devil lived in that place. Hence the name: Casillero del Diablo or Celler of the Devil.

Well then. That's not particularly useful, if entertaining. I guess that's their story about the series. Perhaps they'll actually describe the wine... ah yes, on the back:

A refreshing Sauvignon Blanc with intense aromas of citrus fruits and gooseberries, and a zesty, mouth-watering flavour.

I on the other hand found this little guy to whiff and taste strongly of fresh green peppers, which went perfectly with chicken-tarragon casserole, leftover chinese food, stelvio and peach jam sandwiches, and a variety of afternoons spent on the couch in front of hulu.

I have possibly found a new favorite white wine.

Label:

"Besides his bein' kinda crazy, they called him the Smoking Loon 'cause he was so dam' efficient," Jake began, stubbing out his cigar. "He'd take cre of business an' get in an' out before anybody'd see him comin'... leavin' no trace 'cept the lingerin' sound of his eerie, loon-like cackle. No one was really sure who he was or who he worked for, but when word got out someone needed his services, the Smoking Loon just appeared on their doorstep, like outta thin air or somethin'."

Well, that's helpful. But anything with a double vowel gets my attention, and Viognier is my favorite grape, so gave it a shot. Exceedingly clean and dry, but nonmetallic, and not grippy at all. A perfect foil to the mushroom/garlic/sausage/parm pasta we ate it with, bringing out the rich umami of the parmesan and some of the spices in the sausage that are usually on the delicate, floral, hard-to-detect side, which was very nice. A good solid, dependable table/beverage wine, I think -- not going to get on your nerves, enough alcohol that you know when to stop.

Today stars aligned and we decided to process our first batch of homemade wine. Details behind the cut.

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From the label:

The Domaine Garth René is located in Bennwihr, in the heart of Alsace. It has been in the same family for six generations. Michel Fonné assumed the management of the winery from his retired uncle René Barth. The Domaine is spread across 40 acres and is managed with the upmost care using entirely natural methods to grow and cultivate our grapes. We are proud to carry the Tyflo symbol of the Lady Bug on our label which attests to the strict standards of quality to which we adhere.

Fruity and sweet but refreshingly dry, this wine stood up well on its own and with the salads and pastas that have been our fare for the past weeks. Not for chugging: this one took us a while to get through. Happily, it was a pleasure all the while.

From the label:

Red Willow's Monsignor Chapel, hand built from the vineyard's own stones, sits atop a sunny hill, casting a warm and watchful eye over the vines. Columbia Winery Red Willow Cabernet Sauvignon features blueberry aromas accented by vanilla and cedar notes. Full and mouthfilling, ripe tannins balanced by sweet fruit provide a velvety texture and lengthy finish.

This was a ridiculously delightful summer red wine, great with fresh veggies. It was particularly good with a lemon and bell pepper pasta, and had a scandalous affair with the reggiano sprinkled atop. Its first use was not too shabby, either; half the bottle went into a beef and turnip stew, where it played a surprisingly mellow and supportive role, considering the witty foil it played to the lemon and cheese the next day. Definitely find this one again; it's a keeper.

From the label:

Grapes for marchesi di Barolo Gavi are grown in six communes in the southernmost part of northern Italy's Piedmont region, including the town of Gavi, which are dedicated to the production of Piedmont's best known white wine. Dry, elegant and crisp, our Gavi is an ideal accompaniment to salads, hors d'oeuvres, seafood, grilled fish and fresh, soft cheeses.

We chilled before drinking. Upon opening, the wine was quite warm and fruit-forward, and very sweet, almost Welches-y. Second and subsequent uses were drier. When used in a sauce, the wine was over-tart without sufficient cooking to mellow the angles in its flavor. When thoroughly cooked, the wine married flavors beautifully with the other sauce elements. Used in a mushroom sauce (didn't cook it enough) and in sugo de tono (tuna, raisins, capers, fennel) (gorgeous -- added at the beginning of cooking, it was perfect by the time the pasta was done). Accompanied cheese-on-bread (stelvio, fontina) to great success.

This I bought for maitake bruschetta night, to smashing success. From the label:

{gracious} "Riesling comes in many styles, and is popular enough that some call it the new chardonnay. We just call it good. Our personal style blends fruit from cooler areas of California to create a wine both rich and floral, pale yellow in color with aromas of pear and apricot. In the glass, you'll taste peaches and apricots, a gracious invitation to sit a spell and enjoy with friends."

The Mushroom Man recommended a sweet wine for the balsalmic-garlic-wine glaze on the roasted maitake, not marsala-sweet; he liked a reisling but thought that odd, and this leaped out. Dangerously tasty; strong honey notes with a gentle floral warp. No petrol at all, except possibly a hint on the nose. It was very fine in and with the mushrooms, and very fine just by itself, as an apertif or dessert wine.

This is a bad wine.

It gave me indigestion, and trashed a lentil soup I tossed it at.

The label isn't particularly enlightening -- it's basically a regional italian white wine. Colline Pescaresi, indicazione geografica tipica. Il vino "dal tralcetto."

Really, it just sucks. Don't repeat this one.

Post the label later.

This is one of the two other vino verde labels the SqHill PLCB shop picked up after the first glorious time I bought vino verde from them.

It's decent.

It *really* likes asparagus.

From the label:

Abundant aromas of raspberry and cherry abound, with a hint of lavender and spice, this Shiraz is rich on the palate with a full ripe tannin structure.

Quite forward, with spicy cinnamon/clove backnotes. Mellows over time. Beef stew & roasted veggies -- very drinkable during cooking, but wound up oversalted in the pot which made for disappointingly strange gravy. ( I keep forgetting stew meat has a higher surface area : volume ratio than steak. Use. Less. Salt. Although, if I had my own stock this problem would be greatly mitigated. )