A nice lineup of reds at their weekend tasting
T his was a nice little tasting for $8. Roger said that he hasn’t seen red wines treading off for the summer in favor for whites. So this weekend tasting he had some really nice reds. (I dropped by on Friday).
He did have one white, Nollen Erben Riesling, which was a sweet way to start. This is not dry at all. This might be very enjoyable on a very hot day.
The reds were all Cabernet Sauvignon (I suspect the red blend was primarily a Cab). The favorite red appeared to the Rock Hollow Cab among the tasters I talked.
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The B-Side reds were from Don Sebastiani & Sons. This new generation of Sebastiani’s used to refer to use the company name of ‘The Other Guys”. You still see that on the labels of many of their wines but they don’t seem to use on their website anymore. B-Side is just of many labels they produce (The Crusher, Project Paso, Smoking Loon for a few).
The B-Side Red Blend is described as a Bordeaux-style blend with 5 different varietals using new and old oak for aging. It was like drinking 2 wines at one. I sensed lots of fruit, especially along the top of my mouth. The sides of my mouth were feeling the tannins and was a distinctly dry wine. A wine of many flavors.
The Cab tastes to me like it has a toasty oak flavor. With so many California cabs pushing the edge with fruit and boldness I thought the best way to describe this Cab is to say it was a “grown-up’s” Cab. Nice Cab, made for someone who isn’t in a hurry to drink it. Bold enough but not so complex that you spend more time thinking about what your tasting rather than just enjoying it.
The driest red was the Oberton Cab. I would like to try this with a nice steak.
And for the brews. All where from Humboldt Brewing out of Humboldt County California. Or at least that’s where they started and their headquarters are located. I think they are actually brewed down in the Central Coast wine country. I wish I had looked at the bottle more closley.
These brews are light in body. Their Brown Ale is brewed with Hemp. The bottle label calls it “Brown” and “brewed with hemp.” But the 6-pack holder calls it “The Original Hemp Brew” in prominent letters. Hemp is in the middle of making a comeback as an all purpose plant (hemp doesn’t have the “illegal drug components” of marijuana but has been banned nonetheless for many years. It is still illegal to grow and sell in some states. Maybe by downplaying it on the label the states with stricter ABC laws will leave it alone).
One taster, Ka-Cee, said she really liked the Brown Ale. “Creamy taste to it and I really like dark beers.” To me it has a creamier mouthfeel that most but still is light-bodied and makes a nice summer brew because it isn’t a dark, bold heavy brew. It isn’t in your face. I wonder if more flavors pop out when it warms up.
Their flagship brew Red Necar is also has a light mouthfell and is slightly hoppy on the end but not bitter. The Nectar IPA is one of the sweetest IPA’s I’ve ever had. Not to say it is a sweet beer but in the wide range of tastes that IPAs fall into nowadays this is on the opposite end of heavy bitter IPAs. I would not describe this a falling into the typical West Coast style of brewing IPAs.
Where: Vineyard Wine Market (map), 4414 Evans to Lock Road, Evans, GA. (706) 922-9463
When: Friday, June 13, 2014, 4:30-6:30PM. Saturday, June 14, 2014, 2 to 6 pm.
Cost: $8 depending on the lineup.
Here are the wines to be presented (click to see more):
- Nollen Erben Riesling 2012
- Rock Hollow Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
- Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
- B-Side Red Blend 2012
- B-Side Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
The Beer Line Up:
The beer and wine lineup
Here are the detailed wine notes:
Nollen Erben Riesling 2012 | Mosel, Germany
A sweet, fresh riesling. Not dry at all.
Rock Hollow Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
This Cabernet Sauvignon begins with aromas of dark cherry, cassis and cinnamon spice with accents of sandalwood. Supple flavors of cherry and raspberry reveal notes of tobacco, cedar and black olive. The texture is rich and even, unfolding into a long, soft finish.–From their Website
|Paso Robles California
Winery: Rock Hallow (Curtis Winery)
Year: 2010
Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa Valley, California
Classic Napa Valley with deep, rich color and concentrated black fruit character. Lush, dark berry and cassis flavors complemented by 12 months of French oak barrel aging and a supple tannin structure.–From their Website
Their website: Oberon
B-Side Red Blend 2012 | Napa, California
In crafting the 2010 B Side Napa Valley Red Wine Blend, winemaker Greg Kitchens used 5 different varietals from more than 7 sub-appellations. This Bordeaux-style blend sees extended aging in both new and aged barrels, with a slightly higher proportion of new American oak. This full-bodied wine is lush and rich with finely integrated tannins, yet it also shows impeccable balance. If Cabernet Sauvignon represents the “A” side of Napa Valley, then this artfully blended wine demonstrates just how great the “B” side can be.–From their Website
B-Side Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 | Napa Valley, California
Our flagship B Side Cabernet Sauvignon is classic Napa Valley, with its deep, inky garnet appearance providing a striking preview of its opulent full-bodied flavor. A portion of the blend comes from Rutherford, with its famed “Rutherford dust” contributing a distinct earthiness. A touch of Malbec and Petit Verdot adds further depth and complexity to the finished wine.–From their Website
Humboldt Brown “Hemp” Ale | Humboldt County, California
This one is called “Hemp Ale” on their site but in the store it’s called “Brown Ale” and it smaller letters “brewed with hemp.” Maybe they dumb down the label for some states with funky ABC laws. “Our fine Brown Ale is brewed with toasted hemp seeds that add a unique, herb-accented flavor. But we didn’t stop there- the American hops create a perfect balance to the darker malts in this brew.”–From their Website
Humboldt Red Nectar
This is their flagship brew. “This incredibly smooth American Amber Ale has a floral aroma, distinctive accents of toasted malt, caramel, spice and a sweetness to appease those demanding taste buds. What color is it? We don’t know but it looks red to us. Whatever color you decide we’re sure you’ll agree this robust brew is one of a kind! Hungry? Backyard BBQs are a great place to enjoy this refreshing American Amber Ale.”–From their Website
|Humboldt County, California
Brewery: Humboldt Brewing Company
Humboldt Nectar IPA | Humboldt County, California
“Our rad IPA is created from a base of Pale and Crystal malts and aggressively hopped throughout the brewing process. Its caramel malt presence is a nice balance to the high hop bitterness and hop flavor end to end. Hungry? Steak kabobs or mozzarella sticks would make a nice snack to pair with this hoppy IPA.”–From their Website
