2008 Sainstburry Rose of Pinot Noir

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! It seems we've gotten some momentum going, and are now posting every week. Maybe it's the nice weather prompting us to drink more whites and roses (as we are devoted red wine junkies), and we need more non-reds in our repertoire to recommend for those wanting to enjoy a bottle of wine outside. We are on a crusade to save roses from their bad rap and association with the not-so-reputable White Zinfandel, one bottle at a time.

TONIGHT'S WINE: SAINTSBURY 2008 CARNEROS VIN GRIS OF PINOT NOIR

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K: Just to clarify things, "Vin Gris" is a term used in the Bordeaux region of France to refer to a rose made from Pinot Noir.

J: Even though this is made west of Napa Valley. It does have a pretty label.

K: Yup. I think they took a picture of their winery, ran it through Photoshop and hit the Van Gogh button.

J: Scents...I get bread dough.

K: Like the bready scents of champagne? I get that now that you've mentioned it! It still has the slight scent of cherry Jolly Ranchers--maybe a tiny bit more floral. Our new South African Mulderbosch Rose of Cab has lots of that cherry Jolly Rancher flavor--but more tart than sweet. It would be a stellar wine for the rose novice.

J: Nothing too unique about the color, I think it's the average rose color. Kind of a washed out red.

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FIRST SIP

K: I don't get a lot of flavors at first. But once I add a little air to it, it's vegetative. Like crispy, crunchy lettuce--which doesn't sound appetizing for a wine. But it's refreshing.

J: I get that plus minerality. These are initial flavors, but die off rather quickly. Short finish.

K: It hangs on long enough to really bloom on the palate once you swallow. That's where all the flavors are. Cherries. Maraschino cherries.

J: This is a hard one. It's rather good, it's just hard to pinpoint all the things going on in it. You definately don't want to serve it too cold.

K: I agree, there. Rose that is too cold tastes like watered-down soda.

J: Now i'm getting hints of vanilla. I think as the wine warms, it brings the vanilla forward.

K: So this is more of an advanced placment rose. Complex and tasty.

J: It would be delicious with white cake. A big, dense , layerd slice of white cake.

K: Ooooh, like the white cake with the whipped frosting from SuperTarget! Roses actually fill the niche that white wine doesn't cover--foods that are deeply spiced or meatier kinds of fish.

J: I think you can pair them with just about everything. Since we're always hungry, this one will work out well for us.

Dominio de Tares Baltos 2005

Welcome back to the K & J Sessions. For tonight's wine, we had to do a little research. Okay, a lot of research--but mostly because we're geeks for trivia. Our wine is comprised entirely of a little known grape called Mencia, from an even lesser-known region of Bierzo.
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TONIGHT'S WINE: 2005 DOMINIO DE TARES BALTOS

J: I picked this wine tonight...mostly based on the label. I mean, it's something i've wanted to try--but the label sealed the deal.

K: It's a completely bizarre label! I can't even discern what the hell is on it. Dogs?

J: I'm thinking it's bunnies or people.

K: And then there's some raised, textural thing on the surface...

J: Oh yeah, it's embossed!

K: It's just weird. Odd enough to pique our interest.

J: The grape is interesting too, after all our nosing around on the internet.

K: This should be a good evaluation, considering I'm a bit hungry and apparently you are a better taster when your mouth is salavating.

J: This wine is a ruby pink.

K: A bit fuschia.

K: I get salon scents right when I stick my nose in the glass. Remember when you were a kid, and your mom would take you along to the salon, and everything smelled like a perm? Like fruit overcome by chemical.

J: No berry scents at all on my end. Wood scents, like sticks. Kindling.

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FIRST SIP

J: No scents of berries...but berry flavors.

K: The berry is faint and completely unsweetened and raw. I get cigar box, too.

J: Yes.

K: There is something botanical going on in it--juniper. Gin drinkers, this is the red wine for you.

J: Dry and woodsy on the palate. It's aged very briefly in American and French oak. Not tongue-shriveling dry, tongue-tingling dry. I like it. I'm shocked at how cheap it is. About $15, right?

K: Yep.

J: I was thinking how Bierzo is this small (9,000 acre), isolated area of northwestern Spain, and I would think that as relatively tiny it is, the wines would be rather expensive.

K: I'm surprised about that too--but if you think about it, everything in this region is worked by hand. Fields and vineyards are still plowed by horse-drawn plows, and most people in this region live communally. There's probably low overhead. I mean, they still divide up land by Napoleonic code (meaning land is divided equally amongst heirs of deceased landowners).

J: I'm amazed at how this grape is intense and delicate at the same time. There's so much complexity to it, but apparently contains less alcohol content than the average Spanish grape--

K: Like a Tempranillo or Granacha.

J: Right. But it's just high-maintenance enough that it can't be blended with any other grape or else it loses all its flavor and nuance. It's just really unique.

K: Though I think most of the time red wine overwhelms pork, I think this could be good with some grilled Iowa chops.

J: Nothing too spicy with this. Burgers would be good. Or, ummm...chocolate pudding. Like a creamy chocolate dessert.

K: French silk pie.

J: Oh, my God.