Wine Wednesday is where we discuss wines we’ve recently enjoyed, or not enjoyed, as the case may be. Because we are not wine experts, these “reviews” will be written in the typical B.S. style. We don’t take ourselves, or our wine, too seriously but hope you’ll enjoy our perspectives and maybe find a new bottle of wine to enjoy.
Time for some more wine! I’ve got some fun ones this week, so let’s get to it!
La Cueca Dancing Juice Red Blend 2016
I got this Chilean red blend several months ago from my Bright Cellars subscription, but somehow forgot about it. Since it’s called Dancing Juice, I intended to save it for a party or something equally festive. Instead, we opened it on a crappy Tuesday and made our own party. I have to admit I didn’t have the highest expectations for this wine, expecting something pretty generic and maybe on the sweeter side. I was pleasantly surprised to instead find a nice, medium-bodied wine with a lot of earthy flavors and a smooth finish.
B.S. Bottom Line: This isn’t my favorite wine of all time, but it made for a fun Tuesday night and inspired a little dance party at home. It would be a fun one to take to a party to get everyone in a festive mood.
Montaudon Champagne Brut NV
Our friends from the winery we used to work at came to DC for dinner a couple of weeks ago, and we bought this bottle of Montaudon Brut Champagne for a celebratory toast. I’ve been getting more and more interested in sparkling wines lately, and you can’t do better than a nice bottle of Champagne. This was on the pricier side for what we normally buy, but it was definitely worth it with a nice creamy texture and complex minerality. A nice cut of acidity on the finish nicely complemented our cheese plate.
B.S. Bottom Line: This is a wonderful bottle to pull out for a special occasion. We found this at Total Wine, so it’s fairly easy to come by.
Maggie Malick Wine Caves Dry Petit Manseng 2016
Mark and Maggie were kind enough to bring one of their newest wines with them during their visit, and we couldn’t wait to try it. They have been making incredible Petit Manseng since their first vintage in 2011. Petit Manseng is a French varietal commonly used for blending, but it grows very well in Virginia and makes a great stand-alone varietal. It can be made into both sweet and dry wine, and this dry version is outstanding. We paired it with a spicy Indian vegetarian curry, and it was a match made in heaven.
B.S. Bottom Line: Seek out Petit Manseng for pairing with spicy foods. I’d highly suggest making a trip out to Maggie Malick Wine Caves in Loudoun County to taste this beauty.
ViNO Rosé 2016
You know I had to include at least one rosé. This is a new favorite for affordable, everyday drinking. And yes, the cute bottle was the only reason I bought it. But sometimes judging a book by its cover pays off. ViNO is an Italian-inspired line of wines created by Charles Smith in Washington State. This rosé is a classic expression, herbaceous with a bright acidity.
B.S. Bottom Line: Very affordable and very easy to drink – you’ll want this wine in your fridge to close out the summer.
I love a good wine, especially on Wine Wednesdays. I would love to get my hands on a bottle of that dancing juice!