Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir

Our first tasting focused on varietals started with pinot grigio and pinot noir. It was also a celebration of Haley's birthday (yay!) and we tried a mixed ginger beer drink that Ingrid supplied (delicious, as long as you like both beer and ginger). We were pretty critical this time around. Maybe we're getting too wine-snobbish?

Thing I learned-- pinot grigio and pinot gris are from the same grape, but processed differently. Pinot grigio is the lighter and fruitier of the two, originating in Italy.

A. The Naked Grape Pinot Grigio NV - more info
Appearance: Very light, damn clear
Nose: 2.3
Aroma: 3.3
Balance: 3
Complexity: 2
Finish: 2 - metallic
Comments: Would make a good white sangria, unimpressed, not good on its own.

B. Ménage à Trois Pinot Grigio 2011 - more info
Appearance: Light straw
Nose: 2.6
Aroma: A crispy 3 (apple, not french fry)
Balance: 4 -> 2
Complexity: 2.2
Finish: 1.9 - sooooo acidic
Comments: "If you spit it out, it would be lovely." "Just the tip!"

C. Barrymore Pinot Grigio 2011 - more info
Appearance: Same as above
Nose: π/2
Aroma: 2 - unripe strawberries
Balance: 3.5
Complexity: 1.999999
Finish: 2 - short and innocuous
Comments: Better than expected, more front of the mouth, a "washing things down with dinner" wine, can hold its own against creamy dishes.

D. Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris 2009 - more info
Appearance: Same as always, a little bit more clear
Nose: 1.5
Aroma: 3.5
Balance: 2.1
Complexity: 2
Finish: 3 - but not much going on
Comments: Neutral, watery.

E. Cloud Break Pinot Noir 2011 - more info
Appearance: Pretty, red
Nose: 3.5
Aroma: 3.9
Balance: 2.5
Complexity: 2
Finish: 3 - there, but you want it to go
Comments: It seems like it's going to be good, and then you drink it. Jammy. "This hurts my belly."

F. Chateau Bianca Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2010 - more info
Appearance: Marginally lighter, bloody straw
Nose: 2.5
Aroma: 3
Balance: 2
Complexity: 2.3
Finish: 2 - long but bitter
Comments: Makes you take a breath, very dry. Rasperries, tart cherry. Too much acid, too bitter.

G. Cellar No. 8 Pinot Noir 2010 - more info
Appearance: Much darker, murky, 150 NTU
Nose: 3
Aroma: 3.5
Balance: 4
Complexity: 3.2
Finish: 4 - short but pleasant
Comments: Tastes better than it smells, smooth and easy. Strawberry footie pajama jam, footies, but no butt flap.
The all-around favorite.

H. Bearboat Pinot Noir 2008 - more info
Appearance: Really dark, pomegranate molasses
Nose: 2.7
Aroma: 3.6
Balance: 3 - drier
Complexity: 2.3
Finish: 2.6 - solid, but short
Comments: "If my wine is going to be fruity, I want it to be limp-wristed and flamboyant."
The first ever duplicate bottle!

Pacific Northwest

Yes, yes, I know this is ridiculously late. I don't even remember what month it was from. Pretty sure it was July. Solid wines from the Pacific Northwest, two of which I have labeled as the "overall fave." Not sure which one actually won out, if there was a definitive best!

On a random note, a couple of us recently visited Blue Mountain Vineyards in PA and learned some things. I need to write it down before I lose this knowledge completely:
- Tannin comes from the seeds and oak barrel.
- The legs are caused by the alcohol; more/stronger legs = longer fermentation time, higher alcohol content, and less sugar (drier wine).
- If a wine bottle doesn't say "estate wine," they may have gotten grapes from another region and just turned it into wine in whatever area the label says it's from.
- If a wine says "aged in oak" and it's labeled with the same year that you are buying it, it was probably mixed with chips of oak leftovers during fermentation, not actually aged in oak barrels like you would like to think. This means that the oak flavor will be good right away, but it may not be present if the bottle is aged.
- A good quality wine should taste like it smells.
- The pop you hear when you uncork wine is from nitrogen in the bottle, used to prevent the wine from coming into contact with oxygen and deteriorating the flavor when it's stored.

A. Columbia Crest Grand Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - more info

Appearance: "It's dark."

Nose: 4

Intensity: 2.5

Balance: 5

Complexity: 3.7

Finish: 4.2

Comments: "It's like a boyscout." Bill's (from Laurel) preferred. Spicy, "really good," fruit flavor. *Overall Fave*

Dan and Haley's favorite

B. 14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 - more info

Appearance: Black, dark, "really dark."

Nose: 2.5

Intensity: 1.3

Balance: 3.14

Complexity: 2.5

Finish: 2.7

Comments: "It's gone." Sweeter than the last one.

C. 14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend 2010 - more info

Appearance: Dark again, ok legs.

Nose: 3.5

Intensity: 1.5

Balance: 3.5

Complexity: 2

Finish: 2

Comments: "Kinda dank." (This comment was the result of us smelling pot wafting in from one of my neighbors.) Spice, burns a bit, would be good mulled. "It wants to be sexy, but it's just trying too hard."

D. Airlie Pinot Gris 2009 - more info

Appearance: Light yellow, a bit cloudy.

Nose: 3.5

Intensity: 2.5

Balance: 3

Complexity: 3

Finish: 4

Comments: Good with creamy things, a day-drinking bottle, odd flavor, no mint.

E. Sawtooth Riesling 2009 - more info

Appearance: Light.

Nose: 2.5

Intensity: 1.8

Balance: 3.8

Complexity: 3.2

Finish: 4

Comments: "That's a riesling." "I generally don't like rieslings, but this is good." Good with peach, good summer wine.

Jen's favorite white

F. Kung Fu Girl Riesling 2011 - more info

Appearance: Really clear.

Nose: 4 - Pretty, like us!

Intensity: 2 - Trying to be subtle

Balance: 4.8

Complexity: 3 - One beautiful note

Finish: 3 - Sour lingers

Comments: "Has an identity crisis," tastes like pinot grigio, sour, pucker, *Overall Fave*