2006 Medalla Real Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! We're back--as promised--to review the wine we wished we had last week. It would be nice to say that all wine is good wine because it's still wine, but that reasoning doesn't work in this case. Not every bottle can be the Mas Belles eau Les Coteaux:

http://kandjsessions.blogspot.com/2009/08/2005-mas-belles-eau-les-coteaux.html.

Which we're out of. For obvious reasons.

THIS WEEK'S WINE: 2006 MEDALLA REAL SANTA RITA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

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K: I'm in a much better mood tonight. Just the scent of that cork is enough.

J: I am SO SORRY...I started without you. I couldn't help it.

K: Blasphemy! Fine, go ahead--at least give me your impression of the scents before I get to taste it.

J: This is going to sound weird, but it smells like smoky oak campfire in a pine forest.

K: Not weird at all. I think it smells like the inside of a cedar chest. And fresh spices; like the woody part of a sprig of rosemary. Actually, an Asian food sweetness jumps out too--like a sweet soy.

J: I'm not getting any berries at all.

K: Nope.

FIRST SIP (or, at least K's first sip)

K: It actively tastes like the inside of the cedar chest, too. Don't get me wrong--this is a good thing. It makes my mouth water so much, I can't nail anything else down at the moment.

J: It's just every kind of wood. Still no berries. It is velvety in a completely different way--it's the texture AND the scent of it. Like dusty, luxurious fabric. Think of finding a velveteen Christmas dress from when you were little--

K: In a cedar chest!

J: That's it exactly!

K: Lots of exclamation points tonight. I also get a little graphite on the finish--and now, two glasses in--a tiny bit of blueberry added to that. Despite our little girl party dress reference, I think this wine is very masculine.

J: There's lots of juicy acidity in it, but I think it works so well with the smoky oak and cedar. It's like a handsome man in an overcoat and cashmere scarf.

K: It's a Don Draper of a wine. It's suave and seductive upfront, but as the wine opens up, there are untold nuances and layers and flavors coming out. Even now, it's still changing--the oak has become a little sweet, the tannin is softer.

J: I would drink this wine with some sort of nutty cheese. Actually Spanish cheese--and more specifically, Manchego. And a hot baguette.

K: Or the Murcia al Vino--the "drunken goat" cheese. It's goat cheese that has been soaked in red wine. It's so unbelievably good.

J: You mentioned "Asian" scents, would you pair this with Asian food?

K: Yup. Noodles. Teriyaki steak. Damn near anything off the menu at Sushi House. Which seems contradictory, because I like white with Japanese food--Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, off-dry Riesling.

J: So this is an all-around recommendation from us. I understand why this was #57 on the Wine Spectator top wines of 2009.

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Our Wine Spectator AND K&J recommended Chilean Cabernet is under $20...come pick up a bottle before everyone else figures out how good it is.

2007 Cellier Val Durance Cotes du Luberon

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE K&J SESSIONS! Our new year's resolution is to drink more wine. Okay, we drink a ton of wine, we just haven't kept up with writing about it. But we're here, ready to drink, and hope the red we've chosen will warm us against the sub-zero temps outside. The Benz building is all cinder block and concrete--we do not have the luxury of carpeting as an insulator. This is a fantastic place to be during the heat of the summer, but right about now we have our red wines to keep us warm. Onward!

TONIGHT'S WINE: 2007 CELLIER VAL DURANCE CUVEE PRESTIGE COTES DU LUBERON

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K: Happy New Year, J!

J: Ditto, Miz K.

K: I hate to start off the new blog of the new year bitching about something--but I'm kind of bummed that one of the wines in the running for tonight was a ranked Wine Spectator top 100 wine of 2009.

J: Yeah, it was ranked #57 with a score of 91.

K: Eh, what does Robert Parker know, anyway?

J:...we'll save it for next week.

K: Of course. There's so much wine we need to get to.

J: And it keeps coming in daily. It's really not a terrible problem to have, you know.

K: So let's talk about the scents. J?

J: I may be a little rusty. I have been drinking wine recently, but not really evaluating. I'm thinking a little toast? Raspberries?

K: I get the jammy raspberry. I also get a little graphite. There's a scent here that seems like an undertone to a perfume.

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FIRST SIP

J: This is going to be a problem child.

K: It has potential upfront--very berry--

J: But then it changes right away. Lots of tannin suddenly, lots of black pepper.

K: And then it's gone. This wine is a tease.

J: It's complicated for sure. I thought the heat of the pepper would burn off the longer it's open.

K: I don't know if i like it. I mean, I'm certainly not going to dump it out--i am here for the rest of the bottle--but it's working me over. I think the Grenache is what jumps out in front, it's what's juicy and fruity. It would be a great wine if that could hold on and develop into something else. But the sharp turn into black pepper and a blast--albeit temporary--of dryness just isn't winning me over.

J: The body of the wine reminds me of a Pinot Noir. It's like Grenache meets Petite Sirah.

K: I don't think there's any Petite Sirah in it, is there?

J: No, but if you clashed the two together, this is what i would expect it to be. It's just an average table wine. So, the big question is: would you recommend this to someone?

K: That's the million dollar question. It seems like we're not giving out enough information on this wine, but that's all there is to it, kids. It's simple and frustrating. I know you're supposed to drink a Cotes du Luberon young, so it's not like time and patience will make it better. It has softened a *tiny* bit, but it's been open for an hour and a half--who wants to wait that long for wine to be ready? Ugh.

J: I would recommend it to someone, but i would enforce that it needs all that time to become more round and soft. So it's a wine for people with patience.

K: I am exasperated.

J: (laughing) So no from you, huh?

K: It's not a terrible wine. Like you said, it's just table wine. I also don't have a point of refrence, as I've never had a Cotes du Luberon before. I guess I just don't have the patience for it. The last glass and a half I enjoyed. And if I had a medium-well steak, I'd be more okay with it.

J: With a pan sauce. Oooh.

K: Add some good earthy mushrooms to that pan sauce.

J: Why do we even have a wine blog if we just end up talking about food?

2006 Bogle Phantom

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! We are now heading into the holiday season, and we thought we'd return to help with your wine selections for this time of year. So if it's big, bold, ornate, and lush (and probably red), then we are your go-to girls. Though, we did have an excellent Sancerre last week. We probably should have blogged about that. Hindsight is 20-20, and right now we only have eyes for:

TONIGHT'S WINE: THE 2006 BOGLE PHANTOM

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J: Right off the bat: peppered plum on the nose.

K: Smells like Christmas. Gingerbread and sugarplums. That is, when the alcohol blows off in the glass.

FIRST SIP

J: Wow, after the smell, I was expecting something a bit more strong, but WOW, and let me say WOW again...velvety smooth! The blend of the Sirah must be what is taming it down. At 14.5% alc., this is definitely a bit of a conflicted wine.

K: This wine is a blend of Petite Sirah, old vine Zin and old vine Mourvedre--and I agree, the Petite Sirah is shutting down the finish on it. I love it, it's another one of those textural wines of which we're huge fans. But it's not as thick and intense as the nose purports. What are the flavors you are picking up on?

J: I can pick up the jam flavor, but having a hard time getting the berry. I almost want to say it's like strawberry jam. I know Petite Sirahs mimic blueberry (and I can taste the blueberry), but for some reason, strawberry highlights the finish. Which, by the way, has a short finish. But that's okay. This is still a winner in my book. In fact, it might make it on my staff picks shelf! No, nevermind that...I don't want us to sell out of it. K, will you tell our readers a bit more about the petite sirah and why there is a petite sYrah and a petite sIrah? What's the difference?

K: Petite Sirah is an interesting grape to add to our list of intriguing grapes. I'm sure you've heard of Syrah. To state it in the most basic way--when you make "petite" a prefix to said grape--you can deduce that it's a smaller version of a Syrah grape. Which is the easy answer, but not the whole answer. "Petite Syrah" is technically the minature relative of the Petite Sirah that is grown in the Rhone region of France. Domestically speaking, anything labeled "Petite Syrah" is a misspelling.

J: A little bit confusing, but when you think about it, it will make sense. The petite sirah is a small grape that packs a good punch of grapes...in other words...it makes a lot of juice.

K: There is a savory quality to it; a bit herbal. Jammy too, I agree--but the short finish keeps tormenting me. I want it to stick around.

J: I suppose that gives you an excuse to just drink more of it. It's a flirt, a tease.

K: The label does say "mysterious and hauntingly seductive". It is a good bottle to split. It's a pretty sexy wine.

J: If you're a Zin drinker, this is a good alternate. It could be great with quite a variety of foods. Pizza. Spaghetti.

K: Yes. Rich, warm, winter foods. Chili. Beef stew. Fudge brownies. Football party foods! Meatballs, beefy, cheesy, nachos.

2006 Clos La Coutale Cahors

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! We've had quite the respite from our blogging--we were really only gearing up for fall--great cool weather clothes, harvest food, the 2009-10 NFL season, and of course--deep, dark, red wines. We are cozy warm in the office on this windy night, with a little spread of ciabatta, dill havarti, and olive oil to accompany our fall wine kickoff.

TONIGHT'S WINE: 2006 CLOS LA COUTALE CAHORS

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K: On a completely unrelated note, I would just like to say congratulations to the Detroit Lions on their first victory since 2007.

J: I know! Every week you kind of root for them. They're like the kid that gets picked last for kickball, and you feel sorry for them.

K: So onto wine. How does this smell to you?

J: Tobacco?

K: Yeah, tobacco that's kind of sweet. I also get faint violet scents. My grandmother used to date a man who smoked cigars that came in these perfectly square paper boxes, and he would give the empty boxes to me to keep crayons in. I loved the way they smelled. This is damn close to that scent.

J: But i'm not getting anything other than the tobacco and violet.

K: It's pretty straightforward. That's it.

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FIRST SIP

J: It's very smooth--but I think a few more sips are going to build the flavors before I can really say what it tastes like.

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A FEW MORE SIPS LATER...

J: The tobacco comes through. I'll say it again--it's so smooth. But it's not as intense and spicy as 100% Malbec is, I think the 20% Merlot mellows it.

K: You know what? I think it tastes very fall-like. Leaves and earth and refreshing air. It doesn't leave that hotness in your mouth the way more tannic wines do, though there is some tannin to it.

J: This is a great wine to give to people who are Malbec fans, or a foot-in-the-door wine for those who are afraid to venture into French wines. It's not as intimidating.

K: As you metioned before, Cahors is mostly Malbec--it is a wine AND a small city in southwest France. Cahors wine by law must be made of at least 70% Malbec, the remainder being Merlot and Tannat. Malbec is primarily an Argentinian grape, but almost all of Cahor's vines were destroyed in 1956 due to an extreme frost. Malbec was more widely planted after this and became the dominant grape of the region.

J: They had double bad luck because they were hit pretty bad by the phylloxera epidemic too, right?

K: Yeah. There's all sorts of cool lore around this city and wine. The city is most notable for its Valentre bridge--considered a "Devil's Bridge"--which are bridges that are said to be built by the devil, built with the help of the devil, or built against the devil's wishes. Mostly, they are bridges over some insurmountable pass that took a feat of construction in order to build it.

J: This lovely bridge is on the label of our wine. The bridge even has a small statue of the devil on it. Such a great wine for Halloween. Cahors wine has also been nickamed "The Black Wine of Lot" (Cahors being a city belonging to the region of Lot), and also "The Liquor of Fire".

K: The city is also mentioned in Dante's Inferno as another cursed, evil city akin to Sodom. It was because the bankers charged interest on loans during the Middle Ages, and this was against the beliefs of the Catholic church. MORE HALLOWEEN REFRENCES: When the wine first came into the English court in the 1700's, it overtook the popularity of Bordeaux wines--much to the dismay of Bordeaux vintners. Because Cahors had to make a trip through Bordeaux to make it to the rest of the world, the jealous vintners of Bordeaux tried to stop the transport of the wines before All Saints Day. All Saints Day was a day of feasting and drink, and Cahors threatened to make Bordeaux a passing fad.

J: All Saints Day being November 1st, so this coup happened around Halloween (All Hallows Eve). Insert devil laughter here.

K: Nice.

J: I think this is getting a tad drier the longer it's open.

K: Not offensively dry. Still smooth and tasty. I'm picking up on some black licorice now. It actually goes really well with this bread and cheese.

J: It's a very European meal; bread and wine and cheese.

K: Or it would be good with roasted seasonal veggies. I love Massaman curry with beef and sweet potatoes--I think you could drink Cahors with that. Thumbs up on this one!

2007 Elk Cove Willamette Valley Pinot Gris

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! It is Monday, and we have once again made the office a cozy nook for us to taste some wine. Tonight, we have stepped WAY out of our comfort zone, and chosen a smaller varietal white wine from the US. If you've read our blog before, you know we tend to lean toward the international wine room and favor even more the rich, dark reds of Australia and South America. So join us on our safari to Willamette Valley--we may return, if this bottle does us right.

TONIGHT'S WINE: 2007 ELK COVE WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT GRIS

K: I don't know why, to me, this smells like fresh cut watermelon.

J: I get fresh cut pineapple.

K: And a little lemon peel.

J: So basically, fresh cut fruits.

K: Yes.

J: Easy. That was so easy. Watermelon, pineapple--fruity freshness. Done. Next?

FIRST SIP

K: I couldn't help it--i took a secret sip while you were getting the last customer a baguette. The scents from the glass were curling around my nose, and I just couldn't tell it no any longer.

J: I really wanted a honey flavor from it--I just anticipated something like that would come through--but it didn't. It's kind of viscous and rich...like lemon pudding.

K: Yeah! Tangy and zingy! I get that fleshy thickness in it, too. Like almost ripe cantaloupe. I'm also picking up on white roses. They have a more delicate, softer scent.

J: I was just thinking a white flower of some sort. So if I ate white roses, this is what it would taste like? Don't white roses mean purity and innocence?

K: There's not much innocence to 13% a.b.v. Or, at least, you're innocent when you START drinking this wine. Where it goes after that is all on the drinker.

J: Let's talk about how this wine is a bit of an anomaly. The Willamette Valley was created when an ice dam ruptured several times and caused massive flooding shortly after the last ice age. Therefore, the floods brought volcanic and glacial soil full of minerals--on that knowledge alone, i would assume there would be some sort of minerality to the wine--but no.

K: Also, the wine resembles more the style of Italian Pinot Grigio (which is a pale, acidic, zingy wine), versus a traditional Oregon Pinot Gris (which is golden in comparison, and has flavors and scents of apples, pears, and melon). This wine does have melon flavors, but the color is so pale it's almost clear. But so lush and tingly.

J: I like that the Willamette Valley has only become a notable wine region in the past 30 years. For such a highly regarded region for Pinot Noir, it seems like it should have been established for longer. I mean, they are notable for producing Willamette Hops for craft beer--and just for further geek knowledge--the valley produces most of the grass seed and Christmas trees that the rest of the country uses.

K: I love geek knowledge. I also love that the Pinot Gris grape is the evil twin of Pinot Noir. Apparently they have similar DNA, but the color difference is due to a genetic mutation. Though technically a white grape, Pinot Gris is actually grey (gris = grey in French).

J: Have we passed off enough random trivia for now?

K: Okay, but since we're about to talk about food I have one more bit of info. A notable gent by the name of David Lett was the first person to plant Pinot Gris in Oregon. Thinking he could make a delicate grape more likable, he grafted Riesling rootstock to Pinot Gris, and then sold the resulting wine to salmon fishermen marketing it as a good pairing for seafood. Brilliant.

J: Not just seafood, but it's gone pretty well with this tomato-herb bread that you made. Sometimes the snack we have with the wine doesn't go so well. But it's nice with the bread and olive oil. Deeelish.

K: Thanks. Though we get all these fruity flavors, I don't think it would go well with dessert, it's too acidic. Considering there is melon to it, it would be nice with prosciutto wrapped melon. The saltiness would be a great contrast.

J: And salty cheese. Parmesan. Manchego. Zamarano. Just salty foods in general. Kettle cooked potato chips.

K: I like that. Wine and potato chips actually go well together--but it's mostly white wine, and really good potato chips. We used to have these red skinned potato chips here, and they would be killer with this wine. It would also go with normal white wine pairings, like if you roasted a brined chicken or turkey.

J: This is a decently priced wine, about $15. Another good pick for tonight's blog. If you're indecisive about what you're going to eat, but you want a tasty, amiable wine--go with this one.

2006 Cousino-Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! And I welcome back the "J" of the K & J, as she is back from her vacation of outdoor adventures. K2 of last week was a lovely stand-in, and we had a riot in the office sucking down wine and hooting and ohhhing our way through a near x-rated posting. We will try and contain ourselves this week--but no promises.

THIS WEEK'S WINE: 2006 COUSINO-MACUL ANTIGUAS RESERVAS

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

K: Well, hey! Welcome home! I saw the picture of that monster of a walleye you caught--I'm sure the fish at Lake Rathbun are glad that you're away from their body of water.

J: Good to be back--ready to start drinking. I don't drink wine when I camp.

K: You really can't drink wine out of a koozy, can you?

J: Strictly a beer event. So let's talk about the nose on this wine. Some kind of overripe fruit. Maybe plums or black cherries.

K: Possibly blackberries. I'm also picking up some sort of bouquet. But not a really notable flower scent, like lily of the valley or lilacs. Something that's just a neutral scent; just a flowering plant scent.

J: And a bit of bitter chocolate. I get that vegetative scent, too.

FIRST SIP

K: Full-on currant. It reminds me of that Looza pure fruit juice you can get at the grocery store with all the other specialty juices.

J: I agree on the currant. None of the overripe fruit scents carry on to the flavor. On mid-palate, I'm getting a garlic flavor. But then toward the end, that turns to unsweetened cocoa powder. These are three opposing tastes--it's so bizarre.

K: I think the mid-palate garlic is that vegetative thing that happens with some Sauvignon Blanc. It's like garlic, chives, green onion--just for a moment. I get the vegetal for a moment, then it finishes on a black olive note, that has a titch of black licorice.

J: I think it's odd that we have such a random taste palate tonight. What is this telling us? At any rate, this is an average wine in my opinion. What I like best about it has nothing to do with the taste, but the history behind the vineyard. Care to elaborate on that K?

K: The Cousino-Macul vineyard is the only vineyard in Chile to be entirely family owned since its inception in 1856. Because I am Spanish inept (as I didn't take Spanish in high school) I assumed until now that this winery was named after someone's notable cousin Macul.

J: (laughing)

K: In any event, this it is the very rich and very lucky Cousino family in the Macul region of the Maipo Valley that produces this wine. Their founder bought the land, started a vineyard--and in the meantime started the first and most profitable silver mine in Chile, then produced a copper smelting plant, THEN built a railroad to connect everything. This was all shortly after Chile's indepencence from Spain, and Matias Cousino wanted Chile to establish itself as an strong nation full of pioneers.

J: Overachiever!

K: The second generation of the Macul family went to France and bought French root stock three years before the phylloxera plague that almost completely wiped out wine in Europe.

J: But they're kind of not-so-lucky, as in the founder and his son also died early in life.

K: They were ambitious in their short lives, though. I mean, what have I done in the past ten years? Certainly not built an empire. I did some drinking and travelling--and drinking while travelling--of which i'm particularly proud, but nothing that put a mark in history.

J: What would you pair this with?

K: Well, I think the 12-month barrel ageing directs it toward rich food.

J: I say creamy, chocolatey, cheesecake. Something with mocha.

K: Insert gratuitious product placement here! One of my Amai cheesecakes! Buy them! We sell them by the slice in the store. Although, there isn't anything mocha and chocolate right now--but there should be. What else?

J: I was thinking brats--but you don't really drink wine with brats. Usually beer and brats.

K: But I think we should change the game on that. If this wine would be great with brats, then so be it. I say lasagna with spicy Italian sausage. Or meat ravioli with vodka sauce.

J: I think I have an odd palate tonight. It's because i've been away from wine and reality.

K: We don't always have to agree on flavors--I think that makes for good discussion.

2005 Mas Belles Eau Les Coteaux

WELCOME BACK TO THE K & J SESSIONS! This week we have a surprise for you; a curveball if you will--a guest drinker/reviewer. *gasp* I know, so exciting. Really, it's actually another valued employee wanting to edge in on the tasting action. But the technical "curveball" of the situation is that she is another "K". So, heretofore, there will be K and K2, so...
WELCOME TO THE K & K2 SESSION!
We're so lame sometimes.

THIS WEEK'S WINE: 2005 MAS BELLES EAU LES COTEAUX

K: Welcome, K2!

K2: Elated to be here.

K: I'm going to resist the urge to use "K1", because I think that's a given.

K2: My natural response here would be: dork.

K: So noted--but we're in this dorky boat together, so let's get to the drinking. Nose, scents?

K2: Spearmint. Very clean and fresh.

K: The spearmint is present in that last gasp you take before a sip. It also smells like...a man.

Like fresh out of the shower, cleanly shaven, in a towel brushing his teeth man.

K2: I do get a bit of the crushed violet as stated in the Wine Spectator review (in which, incidentally, was rated a 91), but if a man smelled like this coming out of the shower i'd definately be pleased.

FIRST SIP

K: I feel that this will potentially be an R-rated posting. This wine is so velvety and textural, I want to wear it.

K2: This is definately a sexy wine. Lots of kirsch, dark raspberry...even a little jam. Mouthwatering.

K: I think the tannin is so well integrated, a less experienced wine drinker wouldn't notice it.

K2: I agree. Even the alcohol content (14.5%) is indescernable, considering there are zinfandels that will hit you before you even get your nose to the glass. I'm going to say it: this is a panty-dropper wine.

K: I get dusty herbs, rare steak, all those dark fruits. I'll agree with the fact that this is a sensual wine in addition to the high alcohol that you could slide under the door with an unassuming date you're trying to bed. I am absolutely romanced by this wine; I may ask it out halfway through the bottle.

K2: So this wine is 70% Syrah, then 20% Grenache, and the final 10% Mourvedre. I'm not sure how we pronouce the last grape--

K:--I really probably prounounce it differently every time.

K2: Mmhm. I'm really waiting for someone to correct me. Just the same, the wine is basically a Chateauneuf-du-Pape. But you know the French and their wines--you could take the same grape makeup to a different region and they'd give it an entirely different designation, label and title. The only reason we knew what grapes were in this wine was because of the internet.

K: I really understand how French wines can be so overwhelming to people. I generally avoided the French wine section in Benz for years, because the prospect of having to know all the regions and grapes associated with them and every other tiny tidbit of information was just too much.

K2: New World wine is much less complicated. Even Italy is easier to understand. The Abbaye de Tholomolier Minervois (which is also a Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre) was the first French wine that really made me say, "Hey--what is this?" As in, where was this made, what are the grapes, what are the other wines this vineyard makes.

K: The Brully Chablis was what really got me. I was so surprised that Chardonnay grapes could taste like that. Domestic Chardonnay, to me, was always divided into two camps--either oaky buttery, or citrus mineral. I was so blown away that it could have such complexity and actually posess all these other flavors and attributes. It was creamy without being viscous, it was flinty and fresh without being too dry.

K2: You're never an expert about French wine. You could be very, very, knowledgeable about it--but not an expert. Like yesterday, when we were reading about the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. This was decided by Napoleon--of all short people--about 154 years ago, he classified wines by quality of vineyard in order to show off the winemaking abilities of France to the rest of the world.

K: Yes. That was all new to me. And this designation has been left largely unchanged until THIS YEAR, despite all sorts of proposed revisions over the years. The classification will be opened to 247 Chateaus which will recieve a "Cru Bourgeois" rating. Which is still a star, but not a gold one.

K2: So I know now's the time to speak of many food related pairings.

K: Yup.

K2: Juicy meat. Medium rare steaks. I definately see it with a meat and potatoes dinner, with a very sexy chocolate mousse or chocolate ganache cake as dessert. Even better if you can top either of those chocolately things with berries--raspberries.

K: I think meat and potatoes is a man-getting meal. You could even do hearty meals like a beef stew or a non-spicy chili.

K2: I feel that strong spice needs to be avoided as far as food pairings for this wine.

K: Agreed. How about potato soup? OOOOOHHH, smoked bacon and potato soup. Yes.

K2: Yes, yes, bacon. Once again, more man-getting foods. Also brie and pate--very rich, luxurious foods.

K: Luxurious foods are girl-getting foods. Brie and baguettes, meat and cheese trays, olives--little Mediterranean finger foods. Baked brie would be good too.

K2: "This wine will get you lucky", should be the tagline, I feel.

K: I think that women really understand textural wines--wines that coat the mouth, tickle/ruffle the tastebuds. Sometimes that's the first thing I notice, and I can't get past it because it makes me...well...a little emotional. Textures can associate with memories...I think women can give really specific details on a wine because texture is something they comprehend well. So yes, if you're looking to get laid, I feel this is a good wine to buy, guys.