At least once a quarter, we try to get together with a handful of old & new friends and try new wines. Each quarter, one couple holds the event at their house, and each couple brings a bottle of wine, and a bite to eat. This quarter, the event was at Steven and Melissa's house, and they decided to do a merlot tasting - yummy!!
It snowed all day, so a fabulous merlot is just what the doctor ordered on a chilly winter night. As each couple arrives, their bottle is placed in the velvet bottle bags that came with my 'blind wine tasting' kit, and each person is given a wine tasting scorecard.
We started the evening with a sparkling Shiraz - I know, not a merlot - but it was delish! After the shiraz appetizer, the tasting began. Steven & Melissa cooked short ribs w/ mashed potatoes (and chocolate cookies for dessert), Ken & Carla prepared lamb lollypops w/ polenta, Jeff & Lindsay prepared a cheese/meet tray, and we brought cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.
Needless to say the food was all fabulous!! (it's quite an honor to have so many talented cooks in our life!)
After we tasted the four wines, and compared them with the various foods, we summed up our scores and compared notes. As usual, it was a close race - all of the wines were amazing, and none was head/shoulders above the others, which always makes it tough to declare a winner! (but I am sure none of us minds the job) :)
Drum roll please............... the winner was a Switchback Ridge Merlot (of course, this wine is within seven degrees of separation from Robert Foley - the god of wine!) courtesy of Steven & Melissa. The second winner of the night was a merlot from Washington state that Jeff & Lindsay brought, the third winner was a WHITE Merlot from Switzerland (the 'from the left field wine) that we brought, and the fourth winner was a french merlot (left bank) via Ken & Carla of course.
To close out the evening, Steven & Melissa were kind enough to open a Robert Foley Griffin, and a Croze port. What an amazing night with fabulous friends! We even began hinting at what we should do next quarter for the blind tasting - whatever is decided, the night will be amazing!
It snowed all day, so a fabulous merlot is just what the doctor ordered on a chilly winter night. As each couple arrives, their bottle is placed in the velvet bottle bags that came with my 'blind wine tasting' kit, and each person is given a wine tasting scorecard.
We started the evening with a sparkling Shiraz - I know, not a merlot - but it was delish! After the shiraz appetizer, the tasting began. Steven & Melissa cooked short ribs w/ mashed potatoes (and chocolate cookies for dessert), Ken & Carla prepared lamb lollypops w/ polenta, Jeff & Lindsay prepared a cheese/meet tray, and we brought cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon.
Needless to say the food was all fabulous!! (it's quite an honor to have so many talented cooks in our life!)
After we tasted the four wines, and compared them with the various foods, we summed up our scores and compared notes. As usual, it was a close race - all of the wines were amazing, and none was head/shoulders above the others, which always makes it tough to declare a winner! (but I am sure none of us minds the job) :)
Drum roll please............... the winner was a Switchback Ridge Merlot (of course, this wine is within seven degrees of separation from Robert Foley - the god of wine!) courtesy of Steven & Melissa. The second winner of the night was a merlot from Washington state that Jeff & Lindsay brought, the third winner was a WHITE Merlot from Switzerland (the 'from the left field wine) that we brought, and the fourth winner was a french merlot (left bank) via Ken & Carla of course.
To close out the evening, Steven & Melissa were kind enough to open a Robert Foley Griffin, and a Croze port. What an amazing night with fabulous friends! We even began hinting at what we should do next quarter for the blind tasting - whatever is decided, the night will be amazing!
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