Friday, May 22, 2020

Boordy Chesapeake Icons No. 6/Baltimore Oriole - Riesling


Chris and I have been drinking more white and rose wines of late. We are really hoping that summer weather arrives soon and are trying to encourage its arrival by serving and drinking summertime wines. 


One of our local favorites comes from Boordy Vineyards in Hydes, Maryland. We have grown fond of the Boordy Chesapeake Icons No. 6/Baltimore Oriole -  Riesling

If you are looking for a New York style Riesling--do not look here. We have found that this Riesling has a surprising and enjoyable character of its own and is to be appreciated. 

The website describes the wine as: "Classic Riesling aroma of honeysuckle, citrus, and apricots are followed by mouth-watering acidity that perfectly balances the wine’s sweetness. Slow fermentation in stainless steel tanks using select yeast strains emphasizes Boordy Riesling's exotic natural aromas. An appealing residual sweetness is retained by chilling the wine before completion, and early spring bottling captures the wine's freshness and delicate allure."

The wine has a great price point. On the winery's website it is advertised for $13.76. I checked Total Wines in Laurel, MD, and found it advertised as a Winery Direct wine at $13.99, but as most know Total Wines routinely offers sales and discounts which can make the actual price of this wine lower. 

Chris and I really enjoy this wine and it is one of our "house" whites which we serve to friends and family. Don't buy just one bottle--but at least six so that you can enjoy the wine over and over again!

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD


Monday, May 11, 2020

What We Are Drinking - Carol's Vineyard J. Lohr Cabernet Sauvignon 2014


J. Lohr Carol's Vineyard
St Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
2014
One of the advantages of being a vineyard or winery wine club member is that we receive wines that we otherwise either would not or could not buy on the retail market. The club allows us to enjoy some higher end wines while also diversifying our tastes and wine experience.

The J. Lohr Wine Club is no exception. Chris and I have been members since we were fortunate to have visited their Paso Robles, California, tasting room a couple years ago and enjoyed a beautiful day learning about the J. Lohr process and experiencing their wines first hand. 

The other evening, Chris and I decided to enjoy a special wine and it was one of those higher end wines that I chose. It was the J. Lohr Carol's Vineyard St. Helena Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 that I pulled. It is more expensive, as wines go, that the wines we usually drink. I paid $54 for it through the wine club and I noted that through the website the 2016 vintage retails for $60. The drinkability period for the wine is from 2020-2025, so it was right in the drinkability zone according to Cellar Tracker. The 2014 vintage received ratings of 91-92 from most of the rating agencies and a 88.5 average from the two people who tasted the wine--both during 2020. My personal rating, made before reading the reviews, was 91.

The winemakers notes are as follows: The 2014 vintage of J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon expresses this classic valley floor site in an approachable way. Savory fruit elements wrapped in a barrel signature of hazelnut and cocoa powder. Firm and angular in structure with red and blue fruits on the finish. Excellent with grilled entrecĂ´te and shallots, or a roasted pork loin with porcini mushrooms and fennel.

I highly recommend the Carol's Vineyard series of J. Lohr wines for a special occasion or just because you want something really nice to enjoy.

One of the problems that we have, well it is not really a problem, is deciding when to drink some of the higher priced wines that we accumulate from the wine clubs that we have joined. We enjoy having them in the cellar, but sometimes we have to just decide that tonight is the night! And that is exactly how we decided to enjoy the Carol's Vineyard 2014. And we were not disappointed. 

Sometimes it is just fun to pull out a special bottle of wine and enjoy it--just between the two of us. On the up side that means we get a second glass because we are not sharing it with friends!

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD