Cheap and Cheerful....Our third evening together

Our third evening.....15^th March 

The theme – Cheap and Cheerful.  Adelaide is a very busy month in Adelaide, we have so many events to enjoy that sometimes a cheap and cheerful wine is a requirement to make sure we don’t miss out!

The wines we enjoyed tonight were all $10 or under.  We discovered that the wines shared one thing in common, they were easy to drink, no distinctive characteristics, however very pleasant drinking and could be adapted to suit any occasion.  The other common theme was the food.  Being cheap and cheerful seemed to encourage lots of meat, meatballs, meat pies, hotdogs, luckily it was balanced with some toasted sandwiches and beautiful brushchetta – go team!!!

Back to business...the wines we enjoyed...

Willow Point Sparkling Red:  Easy drinking red bubbles, great with brunch on a Sunday morning.  Food match was spinach & ricotta triangles, these were a crowd pleaser.

Martini Prosecco Cuvee: sweet but soft, this wine brought back memories of when we first began drinking sparkling wine.  Food match was tomato & basil brushetta with Bononcini, very Italian combination, well suited.

2011 Bullock Track Sauvignon Blanc (Adelaide Hills): This is a very nice, dry style wine, easy to drink.  Food match was home made meatballs, great cheap and cheerful combination.

2007 The Barossa (Shiraz, Mataro, Grenache): This wine had a distinctive nose, easy to drink same as the other wines we have tried tonight.  Food match was gourmet beef party pies, go the meat!!!

2011 Banrock Station Cabernet Merlot: Light style wine, very soft and easy to quaff down at a Sunday afternoon BBQ.  Food match was mini hotdogs, with caramelised onion & tomato sauce, not much more to say, very enjoyable.

2010 Yalumba, The Y Series Shiraz Viognier: Once again a very light style wine, very soft, well balanced.  Food match was toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches, easy dinner in the colder weather, enjoy with a nice red wine on the couch!

Special Mention....

Bullock Track Sauvignon Blanc is from a single vineyard in the Adelaide Hills.  This is a very nice wine, very affordable.  Get into it!

Also, the Banrock Station, the conservation project they are leading caught our attention and prompted a special mention in the write up.  Support the wetlands!

Our next Grapenight’s is scheduled for Thursday 19^th April

Theme.... Alternative varieties.

Wines.....stay tuned.

Our wines we fell in love with...........

Our second night.....9^th February

The wines we enjoyed...

Clover Hill 2005 Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir (Tasmania): Dry style, velvet bubbles which sparkle in your mouth.  Served with French goat brie on fresh sour dough bread, the combination of silky bubbles on the mid palate with the distinctive flavour of the cheese created a mouth sensation.  Take your best friend & watch the sunset while enjoying this combination.

The love story: This wine was chosen as an iconic wine from Tasmania. This bottle was originally purchased to share with a special friend, tonight it was shared with 6 special people.  Love to everyone xx

Mesh Riesling 2011 (Eden Valley, SA): Distinctive lemon/lime characters on the nose, well balanced wine with a crisp finish.  Easy to identify as a Clare Valley wine.  This was served with a delicious Rocket, crab, avocado salad.  The Japanese flavour in the salad was offset by the citrus flavours.  Miri is very sweet; this brought the sweetness of the fruit to the front of the palate.   Try the combination for yourself 

http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/crab-and-avocado-salad-with-japanese-dressing-37

The love story: This wine was the first Australian wine that this person fell in love with when living abroad.  It remained in her heart from the first time it was drunk.

Rockford’s Alicante Rose 2011 (Barossa Valley, SA): A classic Rose, its delicate nose was easy to identify.  Strawberry, candy, cherry starburst lollies were detected on the nose.  This was combined with Meredith Dairy Goat cheese from Geelong, creating a distinct creamy mouth feel, softened by the Rose.  A strawberries and cream mouth sensation, before the main course!

The love story: This wine was chosen as it symbolises a significant first date.  Rockford’s cellar door is an old favourite, the basket press shiraz and sparkling can also be confidently recommended.

Kangarilla Road Rose 2010 (McLaren Vale, SA): Initial impression was it had reduced fruit but upon secondary sip, it was purely a dry style of wine, food match was haloumi cheese, fried with a squeeze of fresh lemon.  This was very salt, but offset by the dry style Rose.

The love story: This bottle was carefully selected from North Adelaide for tonight's theme.  The thinking behind the choice was, the colour red, this represented love, heart etc. 

Eldridge Blue Chip Shiraz 2008 (Clare Valley, SA): A big wine...definite potential to cellar for a few more years/  A strong pepper & berry combination, dry style, short palate, good oak use.  The food match for this occasion was spinach & ricotta triangles – some would say these were easy to cook, but you would be amazed at how they can be challenging when wax paper is mistaken for baking paper.

The love story: This wine represents a fall in and out of love, a couple of dates and this bottle remained, great wine.

Hugh Hamilton Tempranillo 2010 (McLaren Vale, SA): Great wine, showing long legs, smooth on the palate, well balanced.  The food match was red velvet cupcakes, these were cooked to connect red, heart to the love theme of the night.  Very tasty cupcakes.  Better food match with this wine was goat cheese & beetroot dip on sour dough – love the combination.

The love story:  Everyone loves a black sheep.  This wine was chosen as it was the first winery she fell in love with.

Our top three..........

Clover Hill Sparkling 2005

Mesh Riesling 2011

Hugh Hamilton Tempranillo 2010

Our next Grapenight’s is scheduled for Thursday 15^th March

Theme....Cheap & Cheerful.  Wines under $10 per bottle & food to match

Wines.....stay tuned

Round Two Tonight.....A Wine to Fall in Love with

Ladies, I hope you have your wines picked out and ready for tonight.

My wine is an Australian Sparkling wine, a wine anyone can fall in love with but has a special place in my heart.

See you tonight
xx

Summer Nights....the beginning of the journey

Last week a group of ladies came together with a common interest in mind...wine tasting.
This was the first gathering and we themed the evening summer nights.

We tasted 7 wines from across South Australia and even one from New Zealand.

The wines we enjoyed...

Bird In hand Sparkling Pinot 2010: Dry style, representative of cool climate fruit flavours

Bird in Hand Sparkling Pinot 2011: Dominant strawberry flavour, popular with any crowd

Coriole Chenin Blanc 2011: Good fruit, peach, apricot, hint of floral, easy drinking wine

Tim Adams Pinot Gris 2011: Great nose, fruit, floral, well balanced, wine of the day in my opinion

Domain Day one Serious Rose: Dry, crisp wine with a crimson dark hue.

Stoneleigh Chardonnay 2010: demonstrated classic oak chardonnay characters, Marlborough region, strong cool climate fruit characters

Chandon Sparkling, Yarra Valley: French style, traditional method, peach and stone fruit characters, well balanced sparkling, great to celebrate any specials occasion

Our top three..........

Tim Adam Pinot Gris 2011

Domain Day One Serious Rose

Chandon Sparkling, Yarra Valley

Surprise of the day (best value wine).......................

Domain Day One Serious Rose

Our next Grapenights is Thursday 9^th February

Theme....A wine to fall in love with

Wines to be tasted???????.................stay tuned