Blasphemy!

I realized that I never wrote about the wines we had Sunday night for the Wine and Pumpkin Carving Extravaganza! 

I brought a bottle of Rosemount Pinot Noir (on sale from $12.99 to $9.99).  I was originally going to buy Lindemans Bin 99 Pinot Noir (the wine I drank at the Porter House last Thursday) but the Rosemount, being on sale, it was only a dollar more.  So, in my mind, I was getting a better value!  I haven't drank a lot of pinot noir, but it's becoming a quick favorite of mine.  For a red, it's very smooth and easy to drink and even complimented the general tso's and fried dumplings that Wes got for dinner.

Matt and Sam, the hosts, got two bottles of red.

Last time we were there, I took a bottle of Fetzer Gewurtzraminer (a varietal that I discovered while researching wine and sushi pairings).  It's a nice, light, slightly sweet, bubbley wine that doesn't overpower the subtle and delicate flavors typical of sushi.  Plus, since sushi issupposed to be served around room temperature, this chilly wine really cleans the pallet.

But I digress!  They had enjoyed that winery quite a bit so choose a bottle of their Cabernet Sauvignon!  It wasn't the best Cab Sauv I've had, but it was a good, cozy, cold-weather treat.  I unfortunately did not try the pinot and the cab side-by-side to compare the subtleties, so I'm undecided as to whether I like Fetzer's wines as a whole yet.

The second bottle they choose was for less technical reasons.  Matt liked the label.  So he bought it!  Sometimes though, it really is as simple as good advertising and attractive bottle design (my Rosemount bottle is a pretty unique shape, too!).  They got Gnarly Head Old Vine Zin.  Talk about a wine with balls!  As soon as I took a sip of this beast, my mouth longed for a hearty, spicy chili... or a big, fat, bleeding steak... or some oozy, drippy, messy ribs!!  This wine was tannic and spicy and robust.  Perfect for the chill we experienced Sunday night.  Good, good stuff!!!

Wine is my favorite food group!  

And, while the mixing of booze and sharp objects (we were carving pumpkins, recall) is not usually a great idea, everyone that participated still has all their digits and our pumpkins turned out lovely.  No pics yet... we need to get little candles.  Wes did skull and crossbones, I did a swallow.  Our tattoo-inspired pumpkins!!!!