Month: October 2018

Vieux Papes Rouge NV

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn Red BlendLeave a comment

2018-10-19 Vieux Papes Rouge NV.jpg

I’m drinking “nondescript” wines
from the Underdog 6/$60 deal.

I like the deal because I “get to”
drink wines that I would otherwise
NEVER TRY.

Some of the wines are actually
“notable” but I haven’t bothered
to take ATTENTIVE notes.

The “market” has forced me to
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT I’M DOING.

I don’t like not being able to
drift off into an imaginary world
where profits are accompanied
by fine wine and song.

But today is special, notwithstanding
the sparsity of profits.

Theresa thawed pork chops for lunch
and I decided to have mine with
“seasoned” grits.

For the grits, that’s chicken broth,
whole garlic cloves,
SmartBalance, freshly ground pepper,
and sharp Cheddar cheese.

I added a tiny bit of salt because I used
half broth/half water for my virgin voyage
into grits heaven.

I found the chicken broth/garlic idea on
“the internet”.

Pure genius.

I cooked the grits and set them aside
to cool.

Even quick grits benefit from lengthy
time on the heat.

Boil ’em.
Simmer ’em.
Keep ’em warm.
Let ’em cool a little.

Then…

Cut the pork chops into to thin strips,
cut the thin strips into little
“chips”, then SLOWLY saute them in SmartBalance
with a little salt and pepper
until the browning process yields an
irresistible THING.

Turn the heat off, make room for the cooled
grits, and add them to the center of the
skillet so that they warm up as the pork
cools off.

Finally… Seasoned Grits and Pork Chop Chips.

Unbelievable.

All of a sudden, that cheap Rhone blend is
heavenly and that garden-variety Lodi
Chard is an Earthly delight.

What do you expect in…

Dig that sax???

But, but, but,
what about the wine.

I scanned the bottle several times
and I CANNOT find a “year”.

So this is non-vintage AND nondescript
wine.

The most compelling thing about the
wine is the tennis shoe taste/odor.

I MAY BE sensitive to whatever chemical
is responsible.

Imagining sharing the wine
with Gina Carano after a sweaty workout
makes the wine more palatable.

I went through a spell where I picked
up the sensation in Oregon PN.

I’m not surprised when it’s in
a wine from southern France.

Maybe it’s one of the grape
varieties.

I don’t know.

Here’s a link to the producer’s web site…

http://www.vieuxpapes.com/vieux_papes/gamme_rouge.html

Although the text is in French, you will notice
that neither Gina’s name nor
her picture are on the web page.

So, in case you have the same affliction
that I do, here is a link to an article
which shows Gina getting ready to take her
shoes off.

https://www.eonline.com/news/468241/henry-cavill-and-ex-girlfriend-gina-carano-reunite-in-rome

I’m sorry, I’m lost in
the reeds today…

That does it. I need my pillow
and Blanquette de Limoux.

(Coming soon again.)

Hang in there.

Badger Mountain Columbia Valley Riesling 2017

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn RieslingLeave a comment

2018-10-19 Badger Mountain Columbia Valley Riesling 2017.jpg

I saved this one to have with quiche and
then both the wine and quiche disappeared
before I knew what was happening.

The only thing I THINK I remember is that
the wine was richer in flavor and less
acidic than I would expect.

“Earthier” too maybe.

Now that I’m thinking about it, I
seem to remember fruit that was “milder”
than straight citrus. The white peach and
nectarine mentioned in the link below
sounds like it.

I will probably buy another one of
these with the hope that I will take
proper notes next time.

Let’s look for some tasting notes…

https://shop.badgermtnvineyard.com/xe/xe.asp?page=viewitem&p=506&cat=badger%2Dmountain%2Dwhite%2Dwines

I paid $8.49 for this one, so it
won’t be too painful trying it
again.

Hang in there.

Basa Blanco Rueda 2016

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn VerdejoLeave a comment

2018-10-17 Basa Blanco Rueda 2016.jpg

This wine is from the Underdog
6/$60 deal.

As soon as I saw this one I started
drooling.

Maybe the region is SOMEWHAT obscure.

Maybe the grape varieties don’t
ring bells.

No matter, I knew that this would
be delicious and it was.

For the uninitiated (and forgetful)
it is worth catching up on
the details.

RUEDA
https://www.decanter.com/wine/wine-regions/rueda-wines/
https://winefolly.com/review/the-wines-of-rueda-spain/

VERDEJO
https://vinepair.com/wine-101/rueda-verdejo-wine-guide/

And if life wasn’t already complicated enough,
I have forgotten what my favorite Spanish white
wine is.

(I’ve never met one I don’t like.)

No matter. I’ll start over. No problem.

You don’t happen to have a white Rioja handy?

Hang in there.

Belle Ambiance California Pinot Noir 2015

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn Pinot NoirLeave a comment

2018-10-15 Belle Ambiance California PN 2015.jpg

Luckily I have a store receipt to remind me
where I bought this GEM.

Paola.

I paid $6.79.

I didn’t take notes, but I’m pretty
sure that this wine was OK.

My RIA that managed part of my
RAT PACK went belly up and dumped
the managed accounts back to us
“bag holders”.

Wine has not been anything more
than a “stress reducer” for the past
few days.

I guess it is a good thing to be
drinking cheap medicine.

I’m pretty sure that this
wine comes from an area that
normally grows grapes for raisins.

You never know what you are
going to find in Paola.

Hang in there.

Bonterra Mendocino Pinot Noir 2015

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn Pinot NoirLeave a comment

2018-10-13 Bonterra PN 2015.jpg

Ah yes…

I’ve had several non-noteworthy and
non-PN wines lately.

This is a welcome change.

I’m sure I picked this one out
of the Paola store offerings since
it was from MENDOCINO.

This AVA is generally good, and
generally affordable as far as PN
goes.

The wine is full of flavor
without being “pruney”.

Please note that the ALC is way
up there at 14.5%.

I had to be really careful to save
EXACTLY HALF of the bottle for day
two.

There is lots of “flowery language”
on the back label of the bottle
that tells you everything you need
to know about the wine except that…

IT CONTAINS ENOUGH ALCOHOL TO FUEL
A CAMP STOVE FOR A FORTNIGHT.

This would be a “go to” wine except
for that.

I suspect that high alcohol content
is a risk when picking a Mendocino
PN.

If I had a “buy option” I would take
one with “lower volatility”.

Hang in there.

Castle Rock (gut) California Pinot Noir 2013

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn Pinot NoirLeave a comment

2018-10-11 Castle Rock (gut) California PN 2013.jpg

I want to get credit
for drinking this one.

Just a “cheap and drinkable”
PN.

Hopefully I won’t be punished.

Saint Peter: Why did you
drink that disgusting, generic
Castle Rock stuff?
OTWN: I couldn’t afford anything
better.
SP: Why didn’t you work harder?
OTWN: I was always hung over.
SP: You didn’t HAVE TO drink
ALL the time. Did you?
OTWN: No, but I became an
option trader late in life.
SP: You’ve suffered enough brother,
follow me.

Wife: Wake up, wake up,
you were smiling in your sleep.
OWTN: HE let ME in!!!
W: It was just a dream.
After you take the trash out,
go stand in the corner.
You’ll need the practice.

Hang in there.

Kim Crawford Malborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn Sauvignon BlancLeave a comment

2018-10-09 Kim Crawford Malborough SB 2016.jpg

Where was the sun when YOU
woke up this morning?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSR6ZzjDZ94

You KNEW you were not going
to have a nice day.

You KNEW you would need help.

What do PEOPLE do???

I suppose bullfrogs are supposed
to cheer you up, but they don’t
help when you realize that you
FORGOT TO PUT THE FOOD IN THE OVEN.

Luckily, this wine is well suited
to comfort the troubled soul during
the wait.

Surprise #1: Color
Surprise #2: Flavor

I can’t take any more surprises.

Let me just enjoy this
delicious wine.

I had to have Matt help me find
the SB wine in the Paola store.

It was hidden in the aisle
labeled “Smallish Parcels of Land
Surrounded by Water”.

Do they make wine in ICELAND?

The SB was holding hands with
the dust bunnies.

Feeling sorry for the bottles,
I offered to buy the most expensive
one and this is what I got.

How methodical and intelligent
is that?

It’s not a BAD method if you
make it home with this wine.

I felt like I was buying pork
bullion cubes at a Chinese grocery.

You can read about it here…
(THE WINE, not the pork bullion
cubes or the Chinese grocery.)
https://www.vivino.com/kim-crawford-sauvignon-blanc/w/66534?year=2016
https://www.wine.com/product/kim-crawford-sauvignon-blanc-2016/165884#
https://www.klwines.com/p/i?i=1283685#moreinfo

The sun is trying to come out,
the food is almost ready, but
THE WINE IS GONE.

I’m starting to lean a bit.

Hang in there.

Kendall Jackson Pinot Noir 2016

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn Pinot NoirLeave a comment

2017-10-07 Kendall Jackson PN 2016.jpg

“Vintner’s Reserve” no less.

Whatever.

Finances dictate that SOME
of the stuff I drink be
“affordable”.

I can’t imagine what the
“Vintner’s Sewage” is like.

No matter.

The FIRST thing I encounter
in a respectable PN is the perfume.

This perfume is like that worn
by a high school coed at homecoming.

Best appreciated from the opposing stands.

That’s not to say that it
is NOT seductive, it just takes
more effort than I can muster
to appreciate.

But, but, but…

Let me warm up to it a bit.

Ah yes. After two hot dogs
with mustard, this wine is
coming into it’s own.

A match made in perdition.

Saint Peter: You weren’t going
to survive the torture for
buying cheap wine. You are
lucky to be here.
OTWN: What does LUCK have
to do with it?
SP: It’s just a figure of
speech.
OTWN: Yeah? Then you are
holier than thou.
SP: Go stand in the corner.
OTWN: But they’re wearing
cheerleader’s outfits.
SP: Have something against
cross-dressers?
OTWN: What kind of perfume
are they wearing?

OTWN: My headaches won’t
go away.
Doctor: What kind of diet
are you on?
OTWN: Pinot Noir.
Doctor: How much do you
drink?
OTWN: Not enough, apparently.
Doctor: Why don’t you
try something different?
OTWN: What could be better
than headaches?

But, but, but
what is the wine like?

It’s like something your boss
gives you for Christmas.

Happy Trails, Hans…

Or maybe it’s as beautiful
as this little nightingale…

I can’t decide.

Hang in there.

Badger Mountain Chardonnay 2017

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn ChardonnayLeave a comment

2018-10-05 Badger Mountain Chardonnay 2017.jpg

Give me a second while
I shift gears out of that
crisp clean Cava.

This one is FULL OF FLAVOR.

A “vegetation sensation”.

I’m heating some steak
fries to see if that
helps.

Not so much…

Day Two…

I am better prepared for this
today.

This reminds me of the cider mill.

(Is this a THEME?)

The apples are in between
green and sweet.

Precociously seductive.

I had braised pork seasoned
with garlic and thyme.

This is a situation of
not being able to decide
which was better.

The garlic gets a bye.

I think the pork tamed
the wine such that the
“vegetative” flavors are
“approachable” although I
DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE.

All I can taste is garlic
at this point.

Saint Peter: Sheesh, what
did you have for lunch.
OTWN: Chardonnay.
SP: I mean food. Don’t
tell me.
Take a couple steps back…

https://youtu.be/zXpIUiPKQcw?t=55

Ordinary (interestingly,
I could have used the word
“ordinarily,”, but since I don’t
ORDINARILY drink Chard, I
chose to use the adjective)
Chard gives me the
creeps because I fear it
will be too milky/flabby
for my preference.

And to be clear, I don’t
ordinarily drink ordinary
Chard.

I try to drink exceptional
Chards, exceptionally rarely.

SO I DON’T GO BROKE.

I could stand more acidity.

Maybe.

The “heaviness” is more like
oil than milk.

Reminds me of Sémillon.

It’s high noon, do you know
where YOUR empty bottles are?

Hang in there.

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava

On By optiontraderswinenotesIn CavaLeave a comment

2018-10-01 Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava.jpg

NV I presume.

How do we know this isn’t
forty years old?

I had the Cava
with potato chips
for brunch, then with
breaded fish fillets
a little later.

I don’t understand why
“the bubbly” and chips
aren’t required fare for all
“Earthlings of sufficient
longevity”.

At a recent visit
to the Paola store, I
picked up another bottle
of the French “bubbly” from the
the original bubbly and
underappreciated region of Limoux.

While staring at the
fizzy offerings, I scanned
for a Cava.

Bingo.

Thanks Matt.

Totally good.

Execellent value.

I NEED MORE.

Hang in there.