I have seen the future of in-home wine tasting parties and events, it is TastingRoom.com. This is also the absolute perfect gift for a wine lover in your life or for a business associate or customer.
The premise is simple, select a “wine sampler” set from the mind boggling array they offer and they take care of the rest. You, or your gift recipient, will receive a nice presentation box with your wine sampler. Each bottle is a 50ml “tasting” size. This is a little less than a normal half glass of wine, more than enough to sample or share with a friend or spouse.
How TastingRoom.com manages to get old wines into sample sized bottles is technology and science at its best.
The sampler kit also contains a description of the wines in the suggested drinking sequence.
My sampler was called Bright Crisp Whites 2 Super Flight. More about the Super Flight part later, but the sampler contained a nice, varied selection of white wines perfect for the Summer season. The website lists all the different samplers that are available. You can choose a sampler based on a country, region, grape, even one winery.
Here are the wines that were in my tasting package:
2010 Easton Sauvignon Blanc Monarch Mine Vineyard, Sierra Foothills, California
A light, pale straw color. Fresh cut grass, lemon zest, apple, pear, and some minerals are on the fresh smelling nose. This is fairly light bodied with tart acidity and just a touch of sweetness. Nice refreshing citrus and herbal notes dominate the palate. The wine has a nice, lingering finish which shows just a touch of sweetness. A nice aperitif or on a hot Summer day.
2010 Colome Torrontes Valle Calchaqui, Argentina
A very light and pale straw color, almost clear. A very interesting nose with musky melons, straw, spice and a slight herbal note. The wine has medium body with decent acidity. On the palate the wine is a bit soft with melon, spice, and a touch of citrus. The finish is a touch short and a bit soft with just a bit of citrus popping through at the end.
2010 Trattore Roussanne Dry Creek Valley California (no photo)
A light straw-yellow color. Apples, pears, minerals dominate the palate with earthy notes in the background with an herbal note. The wine has medium body and nice acidity. Nice fruit and minerals on the palate with a nice finish highlighted with fruit and herbal notes.
2009 Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Gilia’s Vernaccia Carneros California
A light golden straw color. A nice nose with pear, lemon curd, minerals, and a slight herbal note. The wine has medium body and nice acidity. Rich and creamy on the palate with apple, pear, and citrus. The finish has a nice, lingering citrus/herbal quality.
2009 Clayhouse Estate Cuvee Blanc, Red Cedar Vineyard, Paso Robles California
The wine is almost clear with just a faint yellow tint. Apples, pears, white peach, stony minerals on the nose with notes of spice and a floral element. Medium body with good acidity. Tart, spicy, fruit on the palate with some minerals and a slight herbal quality. Very nice, lingering finish with the mouthwatering citrus slowly fading. This is a white Rhone styled blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Viognier.
2009 Twisted Oak Ruben’s Blend Calaveras County California (no photo)
A bright yellow to straw color. A big minty element dominates the nose with minerals, apples, spice, and an herbal note in the background. The wine has medium body and soft acidity. The palate, like the nose is dominated by the minty/herbal elements with some fruit and spice again in the background. A shortish, mint dominated finish. This is a blend of Marsanne, Roussanne, and Grenache Blanc.
What I liked most about these wines by the glass at TastingRoom.com was that this was a “Super Flight” sampler. With the purchase of a sampler, I can pick my favorite wine(s) and get two bottles delivered right to my door.
In this case, I opted for two bottles of the 2009 Clayhouse Estate Cuvee, a very nice white blend based on grapes native to the Rhone Valley.
If you’re new to wine tasting, or just don’t want to invest in multiple wines or vintages you’re not familiar with yet, check out TastingRoom.com. You’re sure to find a bottle or two that fits the bill.
Need a little incentive? Try this wine deal on for size: Get $20 Off Your Next Wine Order at Tasting Room With the Purchase of any $19.99 Sampler!
