The Wine Bar @ Simply Fondue

Testing mobile blogging.

2008-07-17T20:33:00.001-05:00

Testing mobile blogging.

Testing mobile blog.

2008-07-17T20:28:00.001-05:00

Testing mobile blog.

Catching up....

2008-06-17T17:30:00.005-05:00

Ok, it's been a while, but I have been kicking around a couple of things that I wanted to share...

First of all, some good wines that I recommend. No time to do reviews right now, so I'll just get the info out there:

Can Blau; 2006; Montsant, Spain. Made with Mazuelo, Syrah and Garnacha. Highly recommended. You should be able to pick this up in a store for $10-$12. Imported by Tempranillo, Inc., New Rochelle, NY. Great looking label, too.

Augusta Norton Reserva del Patron, 2003, Augusta, MO. An excellent dry Missouri red wine. This one is only available from the winery. They have a Norton Cynthiana that is available out and about. The website is augustawinery.com.

Sebastiani Casa de Sonoma Unoaked Chardonnay, 2006, Sonoma, CA. Nice, easy drinking chard without all the splinters!

St. Supery Virtu, 2006, Napa Valley White Wine Meritage, Napa, CA. Meritage (think 'heritage') is a Bordeaux blend from the US. They really can't call it Bordeaux, so they decided to call it meritage. Seek this one out.

Tir Na N'og, Old Vines Grenache, McLaren Vale, Australia, 2006. Gaelic for "Land of the Youth" this wine reflects the Irish heritage of winemaker John Larchet. Not your typical Australian fruit bomb, this wine has nice complexity. It is allocated, so it may become hard to find.

Lockwood Merlot, 2005, Monterey County, CA. Tasted this merlot at a wine shop tasting the other day. It's about $18. Nice, easy merlot worth checking out.

The other thing I am looking at is a wine tasting idea. I'm sure it's been done before and it's nothing new, however, there are some details I'm going to throw out to get feedback on. Post a comment or email me at simplyfondue@gmail.com any thoughts or ideas you may have.

The idea for tasting is a byob blind tasting. The invitation should be a brown bag suitable for 'bagging' a bottle of wine. Somehow, with the invitation comes an 'assignment' for the type/varietal/price of wine that person should bring in the bag to the tasting. It should specify all of the rules of blind tasting (have the cap removed and the bottle should be wrapped securely in the bag up to the top of the neck of the bottle to avoid any possiblity of identifying the wine prior to tasting). Then, everyone gets a tasting sheet with the type of wines assigned on one side the right side of the sheet and tasting notes 'boxes' on the left side. After everyone tastes, they draw a line from the notes they took on the left to the wine they think it is on the opposite side. It's like the matching quiz we used to take in elementary school (See! We do use that in the real world!). Then the wines are revealed. The person with the highest matching score would get reimbursed by the other guests for the wine they brought.

So that is the gist of my wine tasting party. My questions are:

1. Would you rather have a description of a wine to bring or have a specific wine that you are assigned?

and...

2. Any ideas for themes? What about descriptions of wines to bring? Any other thoughts?

Let me know!

Cheers!

Dave

For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red.

--Psalms 75:8

American Idol + $6 Martinis? Now that's a great combination!

2008-05-20T17:46:00.003-05:00

Come on down to SF tonight and Wednesday for our American Idol watch party!

$6 martinis and $1 off all other drinks in the bar ALL NIGHT LONG!!!

We will have tonight's performance show and Wednesday's final crowning of the next American Idol on the big screens at Simply Fondue!

Will it be David? Or will it be David? Come find out with us!

Simply Fondue
On 17th between Washington and Locust!
www.simplyfonduestlouis.com
myspace.com/simplyfonduestl
314.335.7377

Pope-a-licious...

2008-04-18T23:00:00.002-05:00

With the Pope in the country this week, it's a good time to look at the French wine known as Chateauneuf du Pape. The Culpeper Times in Virginia had this story and I thought it was worth sharing...

Wines of the Pope

It’s Pope MANIA here in DC these days. As a Roman Catholic, I’m loving it –and loving that my Pope is here. So, I’m adding to the mania today and chatting about …

The Wines of the Pope - Chateauneuf du Pape

Chateauneuf du Pape – “The New Castle of the Pope” is a little town in Southern France in the Provence region. It gets it’s name from the castle built by the Popes when they ruled from Avignon, before they settled at the Vatican. In 1308, Pope Clement V, former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the city of Avignon. Clement V and subsequent "Avignon Popes" were said to be great lovers of Burgundy wines and did much to promote it during the seventy-year duration of the Avignon Papacy. At the time, winegrowing around the town of Avignon was anything but illustrious. While the Avignon Papacy did much to advance the notoriety of Burgundy wines, they were also promoting viticulture of the surrounding area, more specifically the area 5-10 km north of Avignon close to the banks of the Rhône River. Prior to the Avignon Papacy, viticulture of the area had been initiated and maintained by the Bishops of Avignon, largely for local consumption.

Clement V was succeeded by John XXII who, as well as Burgundy wine, regularly drank the wines from the vineyards to the north and did much to improve viticultural practices there. Under John XXII, the wines of this area came to be known as "Vin du Pape", this term later to become Châteauneuf-du-Pape. John XXII is also responsible for erecting the famous castle, which stands as a symbol for the appellation. (from Wikipedia).

The White House Serves Sonoma Chardonnay for Pope’s Birthday

Although the Pope didn’t partake in the White House celebration of his birthday, they feted the Pope in his absence anyway. The wine of cholce to toast the Pope? In the tradition of the White House – American wines all the way. Among the wines served was Sebastiani Vineyards, Dutton Ranch Chardonnay. From the nice Italian-American Catholics- the Sebastiani family. Good choice.

At about $22 - grab a bottle tonight, say one Hail Mary and toast the Pope.

Cheers,

Shaking it up!

2008-04-18T12:59:00.003-05:00

It's shaking in St. Louis and we're making the most of it! We'll be shaking up 2 for 1 martinis all night long Friday, April 18th only! Also, in honor of another earthquake-prone region, all California bottles of wine up to $49 are $5 off and California bottles $50 and up are $10 off!

Come shake with us tonight from 4:30 until close!

Dave

Sicily comes through...

2008-04-09T14:52:00.008-05:00

Today, I am tasting a wine from Italian producer Donnafugata. The wine is the 2005 Sedara, and is made from 100% Nero d'Avola grapes. I don't believe that I have ever had a Nero d'Avola, so I am looking forward to a new experience.

On the pour, it is a deep brick red. Not overly dense, as I can see my fingers through a medium-sized pour.

On the nose, I pick up a lot of smoke and at touch of mustiness, which I like. There are also some red fruits coming through (cherry or strawberry) but the smokiness is predominant. The smokiness is actually a fine cigar as opposed to a barbecue smoke.

Cherries and tannins on the front end. Has a definite cigar smoke finish. If you are a cigar smoker, think of a robusto with a maduro wrapper.

Rating: Love it...

Ok, so I know I have "Loved It" on like 5 of the last 6 wines I have reviewed. I can attribute that to two things: First, I usually choose to write about wines that I like. Often, I choose the most interesting wine from a tasting, or one of my old favorites. Second, I find myself in a place where I find good things about nearly every wine I taste. Not to sound too 'wine-snobbish' the worst wine I can taste right now is a boring one. That being said, for the purpose of the blog, I want to taste wines that you are curiuos about or you like. Let me know if you have a special request and I'll see what I can do. I always appreciate your input.

"I remember three constant frequenters of the docks...who used to express themselves in their peculiar oracular way, so authoritatively, that I resolved to put their judgment to the test.....I used to tell the cooper to draw two glasses from the same pipe, and to hand them as if they were from different numbers. I may say that the trick upon them was invariably successful, for they were sure after tasting, and retasting, and much profound thought, to pronounce the verdict that, although similar, one possessed rather more of this, or that, than the other. I kept my own counsel, but was convinced...that in wine-tasting and wine-talk there is an enormous amount of humbug."

T.G. Shaw, Wine, the Vine and the Cellar, 1864

'nuff said....
Dave

Does Santa think it's electric?

2008-04-01T23:03:00.004-05:00

I was watching my recorded CSI:Miami from Monday and decided to see what surprises the wine cooler held. I pulled out a bottle of Electric Reindeer Cabernet Sauvignon from California. It is a non-vintage blend in a bottle with a red reindeer with sparkles and lights in it's antlers. Apparently it is released in the holiday season. Not expecting too much, but it could be interesting.

Very light in color for a cab. You can actually see through to the bottom of the glass. Before I even get close to smelling it, the fruit smell overwhelms the senses.

On the nose, it smells like candy. Strawberry candy with a sugar coating. Strawberry candy with a sugar coating dipped in molasses and a raw sugar packet chaser.

Not as big a fruit bomb as I expected. Not much complexity and the middle is a little light. The finish is actually interesting. A few tannins, actually hangs on longer than I expected. I pick up a little green (sour apple) Jolly Rancher.

Not a bad little wine.

Rating: It'll do (much to my surprise!)

"We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine."
Eduardo Galeana

Enjoy a glass tonight!

Dave

Teach your kids about wine???

2008-04-01T13:20:00.002-05:00

No wine tasting notes today, but I ran across an article about whether or not it is beneficial to introduce wine to kids (teenagers) in a responsible manner. One of the typical schools of thought are that if you teach them about wine in a manner that portrays wine as a compliment to the meal or a celebration of the meal by pairing it with a wine, you teach them to enjoy wine responsibly. There is another approach that says that introducing children to any alcohol before they are old enough teaches them that alcohol is ok and encourages binge drinking. Take a look at the article by Eric Asimov in the New York Times that discusses this here. Chime in and post a comment. Maybe later in the week, I'll give you my opinion.

"Who loves not wine, women and song, remains a fool his whole life long."
Martin Luther

Cheers!

Dave

Lessons learned...

2008-03-24T23:56:00.004-05:00

Drink your wine in it's prime. I was reminded of a lesson tonight that I learned long ago. A few years back, my wife and I were fortunate to stay at the Jordan winery, just outside Healdsburg, California. It was one of the highlights of an amazing trip. If you ever look at a bottle of Jordan Chard or Cab, there is a picture of a building. The window on the far right is where we stayed. I think it may be the only place I have ever stayed that had a bidet. Anyway, as a gift, we received a 1996 Jordan Chardonnay. It's one of those things that kept getting shuffled around. I knew it was past it's prime, but I thought I'd crack it open while my wife and I celebrated the return of the new episodes of CSI: Miami. Anyway, I was right. Flat on the nose and the alcohol really came through. Didn't taste like much of anything actually. So, if you have a bottle of old chardonnay laying around, I would advise using it to cook with or something. Drinking it will only make you kick yourself for the missed opportunity.

So instead, I opened and decanted a bottle of 2003 ICON Syrah by Ravenswood. This wine is 81% Syrah, 13% Grenache, and 6% Mourvedre. It is 14.5% alcohol.

The color can only be described as ruby red. On the nose, I got a little black fruit and spice. A touch of alcohol fought through as well.

This is a bigger wine than I expected it to be. Not nearly the fruit that I thought I would pick up. A touch of maybe cranberry and raspberry and a little tart cherry. Peppery on the finish, but not too much. Nice long finish with a tannic backbone. A lot going on in this wine. Tasting it on all parts of my toungue.

Rating: Love It

So I had this with my mother-in-laws chocolate cake with cherries and nuts in it. This really accented the fruit and brought out a touch of nuttiness. I like it. Good pairing.

For my wife, who loves me in spite of myself...
How much better is thy love than wine!
The Song of Solomon, 4:10

Drink up! (And leave a comment about it if your still able!)

Dave

Quick Post

2008-03-20T15:04:00.002-05:00

Got in the 2007 vintage of the Torbreck 'Cuvee Juveniles' which is a blend of Grenache, Mataro, and Shiraz. (Mataro is also known as Mouvedre) Torbreck is a very impressive Australian producer. This cuvee was developed at the suggestion of Tim Johnston, owner of the Juveniles wine bar in Paris. One thing I noticed is that the blend has changed on this wine if memory serves me correctly. Last year it was 60% Grenache/30% Mataro/10% Shiraz. This year the Mataro and Shiraz are split evenly at 20% each.

Nice and fruity on the nose. A little funky. Red fruits seem to drift out a bit.

I can really tell the increase in Shiraz over last year. A lot of fruit (not fruit-bomb-ish, though) on the front side. Nice and long on the finish with a distinct spice.

Rating: Love it!

I'm only a beer teetotaler, not a champagne teetotaler. I don't like beer.
George Bernard Shaw 1856 - 1950
Candida [1898], act III

Try something new this week!

Dave

A taste of Bordeaux

2008-03-19T23:15:00.002-05:00

Full disclosure...I'm not overly knowledgeable about French wines. I have tasted many good ones in the past, but I really don't remember their names (probably because I couldn't pronounce them). I was perusing my collection looking for something different to try tonight (good for the heart, you know...). I found a bottle that I had forgotten that I had. It is a 2000 Chateau Plaisance Cuvee Sortilege Bordeaux. As I'm typing, the wine is on the desk in front of me and it smells absolutely amazing. I haven't even swirled yet, let alone put my nose in the glass!

Very dark in color. Almost purple-ish/black ink. I swirl a little and notice that there seems to be a lot of sediment. I'm going to grab the decanter and let it settle out a bit.

Wow! I was standing over the decanter while pouring the wine in, and the aromatics are very nice. Not fruity like a lot of 'new world' wines. I'm not picking up much of the 'barnyard' scent that can be found in many wines from Bordeaux.

While waiting I did a little research on the wine. It is an approximate 50/50 Merlot/CabSauv blend. The grapes come from old vines that apparently are from either a higher elevation or are trained high on the vines. It's hard to tell from the Google Translation of the French Website. It says that they did not use chemical fertilizers and it sounds like they were very gentle in pressing and macerating the skins, to avoid tannins running wild. Robert Parker gave this wine a 90 point rating.

Ok, so I decanted for a bit and poured some in my glass. Less fruit and a touch of the barnyard has shown up. A little floral but dusty at the same time. Maybe a little raspberry or cherry on the nose as well.

Not much fruit. Tannins a little strong, but probably just needs to settle a bit more. Very interesting. Not really what my palette is used to. Nice and even throughout with a long finish. Nice red fruit flavors sneaking out, with a bit of smoke on the end. Very pleasant from start to finish. This wine is really going to open up in a couple of hours. I wish I hadn't stirred it up so much before decanting and I wish I had let it set longer. I'm going to try this again tomorrow-not because it needs it, but because I want to! I wonder if I have any steak to try with it?

Rating: Love It!

A couple of notes when drinking serious wine like this:

Decant it. Get a decanter. Target sells them. Bed Bath & Beyond has 4 glasses and a decanter for $20 on clearance now. This is an important tool for wine drinkers. It helps to aerate the wine and makes it easier to keep the sediment out.
Lay it down for a while and when you go to open it, shake it up as little as possible. Keep the sediment under control.
Open your palette to new experiences. These wines are not fruit bombs, taste them for what they are. The are an experience. I'm sitting here writing this, it's been a good 3-4 minutes since my last taste and it is still evolving! I'm tasting a pleasant musty (not mildewy) nuance that is very nice.

I think this wine sells for around $50/bottle. I hope someone gives me another one to sample someday!

"Penicillin cures, but wine makes people happy." --- Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), the Scottish bacteriologist credited with discovering Penicillin in 1928.

Cheers!

Dave

The results...

2008-03-15T16:23:00.002-05:00

Last night, I opened a 1/2 bottle of Franciscan Oakville Estates 'Magnificat' 2002. I decided to let it sit in the bottle and try it again today. You can see the last entry for more details if you are interested.

Still has a beautiful nose today. I also just poured part of it into my decanter, so we'll see how that holds up.

This wine has really opened up and evened out. Still has a dusty tannic character, but the fruit and other flavors are able to show through. It is a much easier wine to drink now. It really still needs a medium rare ribeye, though. Lots of spice on the finish, which is still very long.

Rating: I'll probably Love It in about 5 years.

Is it magnificent???

2008-03-15T01:32:00.003-05:00

Tonight, I opened a 375ml bottle of 2002 Franciscan Oakville Estate 'Magnificat' from Napa Valley. Named after Bach's vocal composition, which takes it's text from the Gospel of Luke, the canticle of Mary. This wine is a Meritage blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Malbec.

Nice red with a brick-colored tint. Very earthy on the nose. Starting to pick up a little vegetable on the nose. BIG tannins! I mean Shaquille O'Neil big. Definitely should have decanted this one. I really wish I had a nice ribeye to tone this one down. I also have a 2003 bottle of this wine. I'm not even going to try it for at least 3-4 more years +. I am picking up nice fruit and a huge finish. 1-2 minutes and then some. Way at the end, it starts get almost pine-y tasting to me. The tanins up front on this one are so overpowering, I really can't deduce much more. I'm going to let this one sit and try it again tomorrow.

Rating:????? Stay tuned!

As I sat here tonight typing this, the glass is probably 18" away from my face and this wine smells incredible! I think it should mellow out well. I can't wait for tomorrow!

OK, now this is different...

2008-03-13T19:32:00.004-05:00

I love finding new wines that are unique, almost esoteric. That would be today's case. One of my vendors brought me a wine today that I had neither seen nor heard of. The wine is made by Zonte's Footstep, a winery in Australia, located just southeast of Adelaide in Southern Australia. This is Australia's oldest wine growing region, and was long an area known for currants. Anyway, this Langhorne Creek concoction is a blend of Shiraz/Viognier. I honestly don't remember if it was a 2006 or 2007. I don't have the botle any longer. So...Shiraz=Red Wine, Viognier=White Wine. How do you think this is going to work out? They ferment the varietals separately, so the Viognier finishes first. Then they take the skins of the Viognier and toss them onto the Shiraz that is still working. The result really comes out in the nose and the taste of the wine.

Ruby Red in color. If you were blindfolded and smelled the wine, you would swear that it was a white wine. The nose is so powerful that direction. Very fruity on the front end-big fruit. Then, as if someone flipped a switch and the Shiraz says, "Don't mess around with this white wine! I'm coming through!" Then you get the peppery shiraz finish. It really rips fruit on the front then backs off, but not all the way, and actually comes through with a long, pleasant finish.

Rating: Love It (probably because it is so unique...and I'm into that.)

"Sparkling Muscatel. One of the finest wines of Idaho."
Waiter in The Muppet Movie(1979)

Cheers!

Dave

Power Players from Down Under

2008-03-11T22:01:00.005-05:00

We had some regulars in for dinner tonight, so I cracked open a couple of nice bottles for them to try. Of course, I had to taste them myself as well, and I thought, "I should post these on the wine blog!" So here we are. My 'Assistant Wine Tasters' tonight are Sarah (bartender/server-aka "The Better Sarah"...), Crystal (server/bartender-look for her coming to a baseball stadium near you this summer!), and Adam (King of the Kitchen). So here we go:

2005 TIR NA N'OG OLD VINES GRENACHE
Tir Na N'og is Gaelic for "Land of the Youth". You could describe this wine as the United Nations of Wine--It is an Australian wine made by an Irish wine maker, in a traditional European style.

Inky, plum-ish red. Fruity nose. Nice balance. Peppery on the end of a long finish. This was the favorite of Crystal and Sarah. Adam felt it was good but a little generic. This was after Crystal finally stopped whining and got a glass to taste with... How long has she worked here?

Rating: Love it!!!

2004 Rosemount Show Reserve GSM (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre)
Rosemount is a large Australian producer that typically does a nice job across the board on their wines. One of my top wine values of all time is their Diamond Label Shiraz. It's hard to beat for the money and has appeal across the board. Anyway, back to the GSM...

Nice deep red color (dark red brick). Picking up a little cinnamon on the nose. Very nice...maybe a bit more complex than the Tir Na N'og. A little more 'green' or tart, but very well balanced. Again has some spice on the end that builds as the rest of the flavors fade away fairly quickly. Sarah says that it pairs well with the Six-Pepper Beef we serve and Adam enjoyed it with the Roasted Garlic Chicken (both were cooked on our new Scandinavian grills-check out the myspace page for more details) Adam commented on the clean finish. Crystal liked it (after she stopped whining about not having a glass...).

Rating: Love It!!!

If you get a chance to come in to Simply Fondue, ask about our new Scandinavian Grill cooking style. It's a little heathier and very flavorful!

Programing note: I have found what I believe may be one of the coolest video blogs on the web. It's called Wine Library TV. Hosted by a guy named Gary Vaynerchuk, it is a straightforward approach to wine tasting. He does 5 shows per week and there is a link on the right side of this blog. He has been on Conan O'Brien, Ellen, and Nightline. This dude has a palette like you wouldn't believe. Check him out if you get the chance!

"Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it."

Cheers!

Dave

Another Cab

2008-03-05T14:26:00.004-06:00

The next wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon from Solaire by Robert Mondavi (note: Robert Mondavi sold the Robert Mondavi Winery to Constellation Brands. He is involved in a new venture with Tim and Marcia Mondavi called 'Continuum'.) From the 2005 Vintage, this is the first new brand added by Mondavi in 15 years. I have tasted the Cab and the Chardonnay, and I like what I see (taste). The Cab is from Paso Robles, California.

Rich, deep red color. Not overpowering on the nose. Very well balanced for a young cab. I don't normally tell you what I taste in the wine unless it is really prevalent or unusual. Deep down in the flavors of this wine I am actually picking up almost a tar nuance. As bad as that sounds, I mean it in a good way. I would call it pleasantly unusual! Lot's of fruit on the finish.

Rating: Love it!
If you get a chance, check this one out!

As I always say, "Wine...it's not just for breakfast anymore!"

Dave

Zinful Zunday!!!

2008-03-02T22:07:00.006-06:00

We had a zinfandel tasting at The Wine Bar tonight. I love zins.

First we tasted Rosenblum Cellars 'Vintner's Cuvee XXIX' Zinfandel. This is basically a non-vintage blend of zinfandel from many different vineyards around California. This is the 29th bottling of the Vintner's Cuvee blend. I think by just numbering the bottling, they can use grapes of differing vintages in the blend. Rosenblum calls this their "introduction to the Rosenblum style of zinfandel". It's actually blended with 12% Petite Syrah. It is 14.6% alcohol, so it shouldn't be too hot (compared to other zins). Anyway, let's see how it tastes:

Not a deep, jammy color. The nose is kind of fruity, but not overwhelming, kind of fleeting actually. Lot's of fruit on the front end. Pretty easy to drink, just not overly satisfying.

Rating: Not a fan
I've had much better zins from Rosenblum. Disappointing.

Next, came the Ravenswood Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel, 2005. This wine is from the Lodi area of California. It is 84% zin, 14% Petite Syrah and 2% 'various blacks' as they call them. This one is 14.5% alcohol. Let's check it out:

Ruby Red. Some dark fruits on the nose. Very good fruit on the front with that 'zinfandel heat' on the finish. Well balanced.

Rating: It'll do+
There I go, screwing up the rating system in my 2nd wine post!

The 3rd zin we sampled is the Sebastiani Sonoma County Zinfandel, 2005. This wine features grapes from throughout Sonoma county. Sebastiani is still a family-owned winery (since 1904). This 13.5% alcohol red is blended as 76.5% zin, 10% malbec, 8.5% Syrah, and 5% Petite Syrah.

Dark ruby red. Luciously floral on the nose (Like that one? I just made it up!) Very well balanced. Smooth with a touch of heat on the end. Probably great with steak.

Rating: Love it

Finally, the big boy. Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel, 2004. In the name of full disclosure, this has long been one of my 'go to' wines. I have been a fan for many years. Seghesio is another one of those Italian, family-owned vineyards in Sonoma. They are well known for Zin. There lowest-tier zin (Seghesio Sonoma County Zin) was just rated a 91 by Wine Spectator. I visited this winery on my last visit to Sonoma. One of the cool things about visiting the winery is that, more than likely, you'll find someone who's last name is Seghesio working in the tasting room. Also, check out their other varietals and styles. They do a good job with Barbera as well.

Educational Detour: Let's talk about Old Vines. You often see this on Zins or Grenaches. What does it mean? How old is old? As grape vines age, they produce smaller grapes in less quantity, but are much more intense and concentrated in flavor. Old vines is a very loosely defined term in the wine world. I know that Seghesio designates anything older than 50 years old as old vines. The average age of the vines in this wine is around 90 years old, with some being planted as early as 1895! These grapes are hand harvested and treated very delicately throughout the winemaking and aging process.

Deep inky reddish-black. Earthy aroma, but smells like heaven (but I may be a little biased!). Wow! This is another level of zin! There's a lot going on. Maybe a bit of smoke, nice bold tannins, fills your mouth with flavor. Pleasant extended finish.

Rating: LOVE IT!!!!!!
As if you hadn't figured that one out already....

All-in-all, a nice little gathering of zins. The last 3 you can find on the list at Simply Fondue. Zinfandel is America's Grape. Go explore and try some more. Just stay away from that pink stuff! It doesn't count!

Happy Zinfullness!

Dave

First wine--Of course it's a cab!

2008-02-27T21:45:00.003-06:00

d'Arenberg McLaren Vale 'The High Trellis' Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004
Australia

Deep red color (as a cab should be). Not overpowering on the nose. Either that or my cold is getting worse and I can't smell anything. Sara (the bartender) said she picks up a little dark berry aroma. Elaine (server) says black cherry, and a hint of earth and a touch of bacon. (She took a class!) Not overly tannic for a cab. Maybe a little out of balance, or maybe my taster is out of balance due to the cold. Sara and Elaine like the finish. Nice little cab. Probably not my first choice, but a respectable cab, none the less. Definitely worth trying again.

Rating: It'll do (until I taste it without a cold).

Drink up!

Dave

How I taste wines for the blog...

2008-02-27T21:21:00.003-06:00

Well, it will be a work in progress. I do not do blind tastings. I know exactly what I am tasting when I taste it, just like you will when you drink it (should you choose one of these wines). I will try to take a picture of the bottle or the label when I do the tasting. If you have ever been to Simply Fondue and I have poured some wines for you to taste, you know that I am probably the least pretentious wine guy you've ever met. I try to 'keep it real' for the real people who drink wine. My descriptions are my impressions. If I know anything special about the wine, I'll share that with you. I may force you to listen to a personal story about my visit to a certain winery or someone I have met along the way in my 'wine experience'. I don't typically tell you what flavors you should taste in any given wine. A lot of non-oenophiles find these descriptions intimidating. If you desire further flavor descriptions, they are available in any number of magazines or on even more websites. Feel free to conduct further research.

That's about it! Pretty simple. I suppose I need to come up with some sort of rating system for my overall impression. Since it is the blog is from "The Wine Bar at Simply Fondue" it should be simple:

-Love It
-It'll do
-Not a fan

Only 3 options. Like I said-simple.

Thanks for reading!

Dave

What? There's a wine bar at Simply Fondue?

2008-02-21T22:40:00.004-06:00

That's right! This is Dave at Simply Fondue St. Louis. I am in charge of our ever-growing, ever-evolving wine program. I may have stopped by your table and brought some samples for you to enjoy. Wine is one of my passions. We are very serious about our wine and want to give people a place to hang out and drink good wine, maybe learn a little something about wine or share your expertise with other wine nuts.

I have started this blog to let you keep up with general wine news, wine events at Simply Fondue, updates to our winelist, and just about anything else I deem important, fun, or so trivial, you just have to know about it.

So go ahead and subscribe, I'll post as frequently as I can. You can also visit us at our website.or our myspace page.

Let me know if there is anything you would like to see discussed or tried or profiled.

Thanks for reading!
Dave