Wine Tasting of the Year!

There has never been a wine tasting of this magnitude in the city of Orlando.  Period! Over 60 very high quality wines, all rated 90 points and higher, will be available for tasting and purchase at special reduced prices. 

In addition, yummy appetizers will also be served and complimentary valet parking will be provided.

Save the Date! Savor the Wine!

Please join us at The VUE at Lake Eola located at 150 East Robinson St. in Downtown Orlando on  Saturday, October 24th  between 5:00-7:30pm

 Reserve your Spot at the Wine Event!

Call 407-733-9463 for wine tasting reservations!  The nominal admission price of $20 per person is non-refundable, but with a minimum purchase of $100, you receive a $20 credit towards your purchase! 

Space is extremely limited so please call now, reserve your spot with your with credit card: 407-733-9463.

Drink Wine; Help Children!!

Also, as part of the festivities, a silent auction will take place to benefit “Bridges of Light Foundation”, a local charity helping children in need.  There will be plenty of exciting stuff being auctioned off!

Sneak Peek at our Wine Tastings?

Just look at this list, and explain how could you resist??

• 2006 Chappellet “Pritchard Hill”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [96 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [95 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2005 Blankiet Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [95+ pts Wine Advocate].
• 2004 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [95 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Lewis “Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [95 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Pahlmeyer “Proprietary Red”, Napa Valley   [96 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Snowden “Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [95 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [93 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [91 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Blackbird “Illustration” Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley   [90 pts Wine Spectator]. 
• 2007 DuMol Syrah, Sonoma   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Flowers “Andreen-Gale” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast   [92 pts Wine & Spirits].
• 2005 Arrietta “Claret” Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley   [94 pts Wine Enthusiast].
• 2005 Turnbull “Proprietary Blend”, Napa Valley   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Andrew Will “Sorella” Proprietary Blend, Washington   [95 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico, Italy   [90 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Casanova di Neri Pietradonice IGT, Italy   [93 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2005 Viticcio “Lucius” Chianti Classico, Italy   [91 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2004 E Pira-Chiara Boschis Cannubi Barolo, Italy  [95 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2004 Ciacci “Pianrosso” Brunello di Montalcino, Italy   [94 pts Wine Advocate]. 
• 2005 La Valentina “Binomio” Montepulciano, Italy   [92 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2005 I Greppi “Greppicaia”, Italy   [93 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2004 Petra “Petra”, Italy   [91 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2003 G D Vajra Barolo Bricco Delle Viole, Italy   [94 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2005 La Spinetta “Gallina” Barbaresco, Italy   [94 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Goose Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Adobe Road Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [93 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 St. Clement “Oroppas” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• N.V. Roederer Estate Brut Sparkling, California   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2008 Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir, Australia   [90 pts Int'l Wine Cellar].
• 2008 Leyda Pinot Noir, Chile   [90 pts Wine Advocate].
• N.V. Gosset “Brut Excellence” Champagne, France   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Spring Valley “Frederick” Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington   [92 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2007 Dutton Goldfield “Dutton Ranch” Chardonnay, Sonoma   [91 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Ch. Ste. Michelle “Canoe Ridge” Cabernet Sauvignon, Washington   [92 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Spring Valley “Uriah” Proprietary Blend, Washington   [93 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Rodney Strong “Reserve” Chardonnay, Sonoma   [94 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2007 Chateau St. Jean Pinot Noir, Sonoma   [90 pts Wine Enthusiast].
• 2006 Vineyard 29 “CRU” Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley   [92 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2005 Signorello Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [92 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Bennett Lane “Maximus” Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Boedecker “Stewart” Pinot Noir, Oregon   [90 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2007 Foxen “Tinaquaic” Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley   [94 pts Wine Enthusiast].
• 2006 Palazzo Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley   [94 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Odfjell “Orzada” Malbec, Chile   [90 pts Int'l Wine Cellar].
• 2007 Paraiso Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands   [92 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Brewer-Clifton “Lindsay” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills   [90+ pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Brewer-Clifton “Cargasaci” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills   [91+ pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Brewer-Clifton “Mount Carmel” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills   [92 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Patz & Hall “Pisoni” Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands   [94 pts Wine Enthusiast].
• 2006 Patz & Hall “Hudson” Chardonnay, Carneros   [92 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Von Strasser “Rainin” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [90 pts Int'l Wine Cellar].
• 2005 Ramey “Jericho Canyon” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [95 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2006 Ramey “Claret” Proprietary Blend, Napa Valley   [91 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2006 Cote Bonneville Chardonnay, Washington   [91 pts Wine Advocate].
• 2005 Hewitt Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley   [94 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2005 Beaulieu Vineyards “Tapestry Reserve” Napa Valley   [92 pts Wine Enthusiast]. 
• 2007 Chalone “Estate” Chardonnay, Central Coast   [92 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2007 Sterling “Organic” Sauvignon Blanc, Mendocino   [91 pts Wine Enthusiast].
• 2008 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand   [91 pts Wine Spectator].
• 2007 Casa Lapostolle “Cuvee Alexandre” Carmenere, Chile   [90 pts Wine Spectator].

Again: Space is extremely limited so please call now, reserve your spot with your with credit card: 407-733-9463.

How Mount Eden Brings Us Back

Chardonnay Wine Tastings; then and now

Perhaps 15 years ago a number of us who drink wine on a regular basis decided to do a blind tasting of the California Chardonnays. I am pretty sure we focused on Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley Chardonnays. We did this tasting over several weeks since we wanted to get a broad representation of wines, all from the same vintage.

California producing some rather mid range Chardonnay

There were some very highly rated California wines included in this Chardonnay wine tasting and some rather expensive entries as well. After the tasting, many of us reached the same conclusion: the wines were all good and on a simple 5 point scale, scored 3ish. What was striking was how similar they were. They had that big, oaky, malelactic style. And as wine people tend to do, we discussed this for some length over more bottles of Chardonnay over the ensuing months.

The California Chardonnay Conclusion

At that time, Napa and Sonoma Valley wineries, on balance, were making their wines to hit a perceived, and perhaps actual, American palate. This was an American palate that grew up on sweeter wines and loved the oak to match this taste preference.

Leaving Chardonnay

So, we went the opposite extreme. We had “ABC Tastings” as in Anything But Chardonnay.

We yearned for winemakers that would let the fruit do the talking and provide less influence on the outcome. We reminded ourselves why we liked French White Burgundy so much. We also found refuge in other California wine growing areas. Central Coast, Edna Valley, St. Luis Obispo (SLO) struck that balance of tropical fruit and traditional chardonnay flavors. The wines were lively, friendly and great wines by themselves or with food.

Fast Forward, Back to California’s Mount Eden:

Tiring a bit on Sauvignon Blanc, I decided to revisit Chardonnays. I began with a bottle of Edna Valley’s 2007 Mount Eden Chardonnay from Wolff Vineyard in California.  The color was slightly lime green (but then I was wearing a lime green shirt), exceptionally clear and bright. The first thing I noticed was that Edna Valley fruit. This wine had the fruit talking with some lemony citrus and lots of forward fruit; pear, spice, hint of apple. The Mount Eden Chardonnay was ripe and intense with a pleasant, long finish. 

Priced at only $19.00 a bottle, this is a great price for a wine this complex and accessible. I bought a few more.

Chardonnay Wine Tasting part deux

Pleasantly surprised by my delight with the Mount Eden Chard, I went to another California Chardonnay tasting.

This time it was a brown bag night at my favorite wine retailer. Folks bagged up their chardonnays and we tried perhaps 10-12 Chardonnays blind. Only a couple had that big, buttery, oaky taste that I ran away from years ago. Most of them were truly lovely and worth drinking much like the Mount Eden.

This made me wonder if the vineyards were changing or the wine producers had changed their style — or perhaps the American consumer had finally matured their pallet away from that sweeter preference.

Either way, I’ll be tasting more California Chardonnays in the weeks and months to come, rediscovering a wine that I left many years ago.