The Contestants

Let me explain.  This was another Trader Joe’s wine adventure, but it was a lot more fun than I had anticipated. It began with a bargain bottle of Newton Chardonnay (that is not a typo), and culminated in a competition between the Central Coast and  Sonoma/Napa.  The wines were 2008 Trader Joe’s Petit Reserve Chardonnay – Central Coast and 2008 Newton Chardonnay – Sonoma/Napa.

You all know that I’m a Central Coast gal, and this tasting was particularly challenging.

I had great fun!

First, a little about Chardonnay and me.  Many eons ago I had the opportunity to taste a really good Chardonnay.  It was rich, luscious, loaded with fruit, buttery and wonderful.  Because I was a relative wine newbie at the time, I thought that was normal for Chard and couldn’t contain my disappointment the next time I tasted one and found it to be, well, kind of like lemonade laced with apple juice.  It was hardly the rich and wonderful wine I remembered. Unfortunately, that became my experience through the years as I would try it from time to time, still seeking that ethereal Chardonnay experience.  But it was lemonade. Every single time.  So I became an ABC (Anything But Chard) gal. It was quite a few years before I found the Chard character my palate desired and, as I discovered, you had a spend a little money to get it.  Nowadays – whether it’s because you really don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy a good Chard or because my palate has matured – I enjoy it on a fairly regular basis.

Yup. Me. Liking white wines. Who’da thunk?

Rather than read lots of stuff about how wonderful (or not) these wines were, enjoy the videos!  I liked this wine tasting review so much that I may do more.  If you’d like that, just let me know.

I hosted the monthly home tasting at my place last week for the Vegas Wineaux Wine Club.  The theme was Wines of Trader Joe’s.  I have to admit that there was a decided reluctance on the part of many of the members to even attend the tasting. However. The Trader Joe’s tasting was quite an eye-opener for many of us who tend to have more, um, *polished* palates than the average person. Okay, I’ll just say it. We’re wine snobs.

Tony McAlexander of the Trader Joe’s store located at Washington and Buffalo here in the NW area of Las Vegas brought six wines to share with us. They included the following:

• 2007 Trader Joe’s Grand Reserve Pinot Noir
• 2006 Trader Joe’s Reserve Rutherford Meritage
• 2008 Trentatre Rosso  (which also has Braille on the label)
• 2007 Novella Petite Sirah
• 2008 Trader Joe’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2006 Conte de Bregonzo Amarone

What?!? Trader Joe’s has its own label?!? Yes indeed! And the wines were far better than the prices would indicate. The most expensive wine was the Amarone at  $18.99 (if I remember correctly) and the least expensive was the 2008 Trentatre Rosso, which, amazingly, turned out to be the wine of the night simply because its price of $5.99 completely belied the character and quality of this simple Italian red.

I brought out my 2006 Trader Joe’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon to share as well. Yeah it was yummy, and at $9.99 when I purchased it, was another quality stunner.

Enjoy the slideshow! I am trying to put another one together which focuses on our friend Tony’s “problem” of keeping his eyes open when he’s getting his picture taken. I have about 25 shots of Tony and his eyes are open(ish) on maybe four of them! Stay tuned for that one – I’ve been chuckling while working on it.

Meanwhile, Trader Joe’s, always our friend in the budget healthy food department, has done the same with its wines. There are free tastings Fridays through Mondays at the TJ’s on Washington. The times are approximately 2:30 pm through 5:30.

Enjoy!

PS:  Or you can go straight to the slideshow here.

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I found this in my database archives.  I wrote it about three years ago and decided to dust it off for a new audience.  Since I’m involved in two home wine-tasting clubs – woo hoo Vegas Wineaux Wine Club! – I found this to be more relevant than ever. Enjoy this (Wineaux) blast from the past!

Whether you’re a guest or a host, there are some ideas that I’d like to share from my experiences in the fun world of home wine tastings. I have talked to a few people, overheard comments, observed, and listened to what people like (and don’t) at tastings. I hope these few pointers will be helpful.

Use what works for you and discard the rest! Let me know what you think, and don’t be afraid to add some of your own.

1. Please don’t wear cologne! Even if you smell wonderful, those who are trying to find the true nose of a great wine won’t appreciate your fragrance. Plain ol’ soap and water are fine.

From personal experience: Don’t brush your teeth immediately before drinking wine. It’s the whole “I-just-brushed-my-teeth-and-then-drank-orange-juice” thing. Crest will crush your palate.

3. Whenever possible, try to remember to bring your own glass(es). While there are a few exceptions (compulsive wine-glass hoarders like me), most people don’t have a large inventory of wine glasses. Bringing your own will make things easier for your hosts (less washing later), and give you your preferred choice of glasses if there are multiple wine types. I found a great tallish padded lunch case that I use – along with a cardboard insert – to carry either four regular glasses or a couple of big Reidels. About twelve bucks at Target.

4. If you’re hosting, consider a “pre-wine” for those who arrive early and pitch in to help. That is kind of a tradition with one club I belong to, and it not only encourages people to arrive on time, it also allows the host to share a couple of those treasures he may have stashed away.  A pre-wine is usually a wine that is light, low in alcohol, but tasty and refreshing.  And, generally, cheap.

5. While gourmet meals are always appreciated, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t forget that Costco, Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods (especially Henderson or Town Square), and a host of others offer a variety of pre-cooked or high-quality convenience foods to serve during tastings. Veggie and fruit trays are available at every market, and breads and cheeses are always welcome. As the host, your company is as important as, well, your *company*!

6. If you have a small place, host anyway! If you have to limit the number of guests, then so be it. I have an its place, but am fortunate enough to have a big back yard. I know others who have homes so large that you could move in with a third-world country and never be noticed. And still others who have tiny places perfect for their needs. Host, and host what you can. No one will feel put out just because you can’t accommodate the crowd that wants to hang out with you at your place! Believe me, they’ll find another tasting … !

7. As a guest, don’t be shy about throwing in a couple of extra bucks to help cover some of the cost of food as well as the wines. I’ve been to some pretty awesome tastings where the food was to die for, and wanted to help cover some of the costs. I’ve also appreciated when people decided on their own to throw in a couple of extra dollars when I’ve hosted. Not only does that encourage more people to host (or the people who love to host, to host more often), but it makes it easier for folks to make the decision. Of course, when everyone brings food, that makes it a lot easier all around.

8. Whether a host or a guest, try to have flyers or other information about the wines that you’re serving. I have placed info about wines online from time to time and have had flyers on some of the nicer ones. I still have flyers (very handy if the PC craps out) from tastings I have been to in the past; and in at least one case, that resulted in more Zinfandels than I ever thought I’d own! (long story) And you might want to have recipes for your food creations available, too!

9. If you want to serve a wine that may be a little pricey, don’t be afraid to get measured pourers! I was introduced to this wonderful concept by Fritz Reese at the wine class he teaches at Community and finally bought some of my own. These pourers ensure that everyone gets some wine (a *real* taste, LOL), and they can be removed after everyone is served when people can pour as much as they want. I found them on Amazon dot com for about $14.00 for four 1-1/2 oz pourers. They are easily hand washable, but don’t do well in garbage disposals. Don’t ask.

With that being said, if you have a truly old, fine wine, the process of pouring with one these pourers will stir up any sediment unless you’ve already decanted the wine.

10. After all of these suggestions, don’t be afraid to host! Not feeling sure? ASK SOMEBODY! There are several people in my life who have had to tolerate the panic attacks I have before each tasting, and I couldn’t have gotten through it without them. Not because it’s difficult, but because panic is what I do and I do it well. Their help was invaluable and made the hosting experience easy, fun, and educational for all my guests. There are those of us who’d be more than willing to help out and give a hand wherever necessary. Just ask! If you’re still not too sure if you want to host at your place, don’t be afraid to “co-host” a tasting. I’ve done it and it’s been a success every time.