WineTimers as Parrotheads

Yes it's true, some of the WineTimers are also Parrotheads and we made our annual pilgrimage to Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, WI to hear our favorite musical hero, Jimmy Buffett. As usual, a great time was had by all. The tailgating party did not disappoint as very hot weather brought out all sought after body parts! The boys had a good time searching for the ever present breast flashing games.
All that aside, a few of us WineTimer/Parrotheads spent a night in WI Dells. We enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of golf at an incredibly beautiful course, Wild Rock Golf Club. Since we all had quite a workout due to "cart path only" golf, we treated ourselves to a fabulous dinner at The House of Embers. WineTimers agreed that the food was fantastic, but we also had some fun with bottles of wine that were all on sale at $17 each. As any wine fan knows, a $17 bottle of wine is a rarity in restaurants, so we were determined to see if any were worthy of the WineTimers. We ordered 3 bottles off the bat and were graciously served by our fantastic waitress, Holly.
First, we started with Boogle red table wine. We definitely thought this was pretty good for the price if not particularily complex. None of us had tried the brand before, and we thought the name was fun. Next we tried Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon and were pleasantly surprised by this deep, red, rich wine. Once the second bottle was gone, we decided to compare with a second cabernet. Our next $17 bottle of cab was a 2007 Napa Creek brand. Again, this cabernet was enjoyed to the last drop with mixed comments about which cab was preferred. From past experience, we know that not all WineTimers agree on wine choices, but we do always have fun. It is a rare occasion that a bottle is not emptied, no matter what the opinion of the wine is. Many thanks to Holly who had extreme patience with the WineTimers. She must have had fun too, since she gave us her card and wanted to know about our group. I will be e-mailing our blog link to her and I hope she will check in to see what we're up to as we continue our wine adventures.

WineTimers Last Hurrah for the Season!

So the last event before our summer break for the WineTimers took place at Bobbie and Frank's on May 28th. All of the WineTimers were present for the "Summer Wine" theme of the night. We enjoyed a wonderful evening in the backyard that ended with a fabulous bon fire.
The Summer Wines started out with Risata Moscato d'Asti - Italy. Bobbie's research revealed that "Risata" means laughter, and as usual there was much laughter to go around. Risata Moscato d’Asti is fresh and fragrant with vibrant flavors and aromas of ripe stone fruit, tangerines, and honey. The wine is concentrated and flavorful, but not overly rich or heavy; sweet, yet balanced. The grapes are hand harvested and grown in a combination of limestone and sandstone soils from the cool, hilly Asti region in northwestern Italy. The grapes are crushed, chilled to almost freezing in stainless steel vats, then fermented and bottled to capture the resulting carbon dioxide. The result is a low alcohol, slightly effervescent wine, or what the Italians call vino frizzante.
Nothing is better than hanging out with friends on a warm summer evening with a glass of muscato and a bowl of fresh fruit. You won't be disappointed-- and we weren't!
Next we had Barefoot Pinot Noir - California. This light red wine is billed as "Great wine without attitude! Barefoot began as a "garage wine" back in the sixties. They are teamed up with the grass roots non-profit, the Surfrider Foundation, to create the Barefoot Beach Rescue Project, designed to clean up beaches and ensure they are "Barefoot friendly."
Pinot noir, a red wine made from black grapes, thrives in France's Burgundy region. Pinot noir grapes are an ancient variety that may be only one or two generations removed from wild vines. By volume most Pinot noir in America is grown in California. Barefoot Pinot Noir is a medium bodied wine with tantalizing flavors of ripe cherry and wild raspberry. Hints of vanilla and spice complement a smooth lingering finish.
Next we were treated to a taste of Trapiche Torrontes. Torrontés is the characteristic white wine grape of Argentina, producing fresh, aromatic white wines. A good Torrontes will have an intense nose of flowers and tropical fruits but don't get confused and think that means it will be sweet. Torrontes is usually bone dry with a light to medium weight, good acidity and a long finish. This was a very dry, light wine, perfect for any patio gathering.
Last but definitely not least, Clos du Bois Cabernet Sauvignon was served. The Alexander Valley in the heart of Sonoma Valley is best known for their outstanding cabernet savignon grapes. This reserve Cabernet Savignon exhibits rich aromas of blackberry and currants, and dried herbs and olives, with round and supple tannins typical of Alexander Valley cabernet. Rich and chewy, it is plush and smooth on the palate with perfectly integrated oak. New world cabernet savignons, such as this one, often have more pronounced ripe fruit flavors than Old World wines from regions like Bordeaux.
And of course we can't forget the healthy benefit of Reservatrol--naturally occurring substance in grapes is believed to reduce the chance of heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. I'm sure this is the number one reason that WineTimers drink wine!As usual we had a great time enjoying summer wine and food with our wine loving friends.
We all look forward to the first gathering of the Fall season of WineTimers in September and hosted by Debi and Rick. Stay tuned this summer for an occasional entry and a re-cap of all the great wines we have tried since the beginning of WineTimers!