In Wine Is Truth: May 2012

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Bottle Shock, Moscato d' Asti, Apothic Red, and Pizza. Win.

So last night the girlfriend and I decided to have a few (several) glasses of wine, some pizza and watch a couple movies. She had never seen Bottle Shock before and I consider this a complete travesty for a supposed wine lover, so I picked it up. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Its a great movie about the Judgement of Paris, the 1976 blind tasting held in Paris (Hence the name) that put some of the best French wines against some of the best new wines coming out of California. At the time, France was considered the Juggernaut of wine and nobody thought anything from the USA could come close to matching them. You might be surprised at the results.

Bottle Shock Movie

A friend of mine had given me a couple of bottles of wine for my birthday so I decided to try them while we ate and watched the movies. The first one was Apothic Red. I'd had it before, and enjoyed it, so it was nice to be able to give it another try. It is a blended wine so it won't be for everyone but I really enjoy it as a "table" wine. It isn't too bold or complex, just a simple, very slightly sweet red.

Apothic Red - Winemaker's Blend 2009

The girlfriend started off with her usual, Umberto Fiore Moscato d' Asti. I'd never had it until recently but it quickly became one of my favorites. It is a very light and crisp wine. I'm normally not a big fan of sparkling wines but this one is just really, really nice. Very fruity and not overly sweet, which is usually my main complaint with white and sparkling wines.

Umberto Fiore - Moscato d' Asti

When my bottle of Apothic Red was gone, not wanting to drink all of the Umberto Fiore, I decided to try the other bottle my friend had gotten me. Il Conte Moscato d' Asti. This one is much sweeter than the Umberto Fiore and doesn't have as much carbonation. It still isn't TOO sweet though. It is a really nice d' Asti as well. The girlfriend mentioned that she picked up a lot more of a pear note from this one compared to the Fiore. I didn't detect too much pear but I did get a bit of a smooth pineapple note. It is definitely worth another try. I'm going to try to pick up another bottle soon.

Il Conte - Moscato d' Asti

All in all it was a really nice night. We watched Bottle Shock and A Walk in the Clouds and knocked out almost 3 bottles of wine with our pizza. It was a pretty lazy evening. I'm really hoping to do it again sometime soon.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Wine B' Gone Ultra Stain Remover Set

Advanced formula, fast-acting! Even better than the original Wine B' Gone customers hail as "the best on the market." Advanced surface-active agents remove wine stains faster and safer than ever from clothing, upholstery, carpets, sinks, countertops... just about anything. Removes coffee and many other stains, too!

Removes Wine Stains and So Much More

In addition to red and white wine stains, Wine B' Gone Ultra removes many other tough stains, even old ones, such as: beer, brandy, whisky, rum, cola, apple juice, coffee, tea, berries, most fruits, vegetables, sauces, balsamic vinegar, mustard, ketchup, grass, hair dye, iodine, blood, medicinal stains, and perspiration stains.

Works on Fabrics, Hard Surfaces, Metals, Even Hands!

Wine B' Gone Ultra works on colorfast washable fabrics; upholstery; carpets; furniture; laundry; stainless steel; platinum, gold, silver, and diamond jewelry; sinks; plastic items; cabinets; countertops; glassware; and hands.

Wine B' Gone Ultra contains surfactants, safe solvents, and stain-reducing components, and has no phosphorous, peroxide, or chlorine bleach. It is pH neutral and will not adversely affect colorfast washable fabrics. And, it keeps colors vibrant and whites whiter without oxidizing agents.

Size: Includes 1 - 16 oz. & 1 - 3-3/4 oz. travel spray bottle.

Only $25 over at WineEnthusiast.com!

Penguin Corkscrew

Penguins can't fly...but they can help you open your next bottle of wine!

Made with white oak wood and stainless steel, this convenient and portable sommelier knife or "waiter's friend" features a corkscrew in a folding body similar to a pocket knife. A small foil cutter folds out from the other end to cut the wrapping off of the wine bottle.

Also features a bottle opener for opening soda and beer.

You can pick this up for only $11 over at UncommonGoods.com!

Wine Wars Trivia Game

From the creator of Foodie Fight, Wine Wars is a fun and fascinating trivia game that tests your knowledge of the fruit of the vine.

The battle begins as players answer questions in categories such as Vine to Vino (growing grapes, making wine, and world production), Wine Cellar (selecting, storing, and tasting wine), and Cork Culture (wine people, business, arts and science, and trivia).

Perfect for those new to the world of wine, but challenging enough for the devoted oenophile, Wine Wars will have you swirling, sniffing, and sipping your way to vinicultural victory.

Available for less than $15 over at UncommonGoods.com!

Wine Tote

Insulated Wine Tote

Don't need the entire picnic backpack we posted earlier? Don't care about the food, just want the booze? Then this is the product for you!

Perfect for picnics or a romantic outing, this compact, over-the-shoulder, insulated wine tote includes two glasses, blue and white checkered napkins, a waiter's tool with corkscrew, and a separate insulated compartment to keep your wine at its correct temperature.

You can pick this up for less than $35 over at UncommonGoods.com!

Wine Picnic Backpack

Spread the love---pour for four!

Lay out the blanket and share your passion for wine, food, and the great outdoors with a few friends! Designed for the picnic pleasure of 4 people, this durable polyester carrier comes fully equipped with...

Comfy fleece picnic blanket, waterproof, 53"L x 48"W
2 detachable insulated wine bottle holders with zippers
4 acrylic wine glasses, 5¼"H, 7 oz.
1 waiter's corkscrew
Front and back insulated food compartments with zippers
4 melamine plates, 8¾"
4 sets of stainless steel flatware (forks, knives, spoons)
1 stainless steel cheese knife
1 wooden cutting board
1 set of salt and pepper shakers
4 cotton napkins

Contents secured neatly inside with elastic straps, mesh netting, and zipper.

Material: 600 denier polyester shell with leatherette trim; food and wine compartments lined with thermal foil. Two carry handles, two buckle straps for blanket, and adjustable backpack straps.

Size with bottle holders: 15"H x 22"W x 12"D

You can pick this up for around $80 over at WineEnthusiast.com!

Tipsy Wine Glasses

You know that moment on a pleasant evening with friends, when the room starts to feel a little more relaxed, the conversation a little more entertaining, and your worries a bit farther away?

Well, these tipsy wine glasses are already there. Why not join the fun yourself, with this pair of 12oz. bent stem glass goblets. In spite of their inebriated appearance, their base is built wide enough to help keep them standing securely upright. Now if only the rest of us were built that way.

Only $25 for the pair over at UncommonGoods!

Winerd: The most awesome game, ever.

Winerd (Wine Nerd) Game

Always wanted to be sommelier? Always wanted to know what a sommelier is?

Instead of looking it up, play this wine-themed board game with your friends to find out! Culinary and Pastry school grad Tamara Murphy of Phoenix, Arizona developed Winerd, a game that brings wine tasting, wine trivia, and wine-loving wannabes together to learn, drink and be merry. Start the game by tasting three wines and noting their flavors, aromas and colors.

When your piece (a wine cork!) lands on a Blind Tasting Space, sip one of the wines and recall its name from your soon-to-be finely tuned sense memory. If you land on a Wine Label Space, answer a piece of trivia...maybe something like, "What's the French name for a wine steward?" Winderd comes with four game pieces, but playing in teams is encouraged.

Be a Winerd!