See below for what happened.........

A “CRITTER” WINE TASTING

  The Carsons and Reeds have found you a selection of wine, with “Critters” on their labels.   Are Critter wines a marketing gimmick or good value?   Taste & form your own opinions.   This will be a fun evening with a variety of very good wines from around the world.

Aperitif:

             (Monkey)     2004 Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, NZ.         Dry, Crisp, Delicious

The Wines

(Lounging Toad)        2003 Toad Hollow Chardonnay, Mendocino County, California.                Great fruit, Herbal

(Big Rooster)              2002 Forty-Seven Pounder Rooster, Pinot Noir.                   Interesting and unexpected quality

(Running Horse)        2001 Wild Horse Pinot Noir, Central Coast.                    California interpretation of this classic.

(Leaping Wolf)         2003 Posta del Lupo, Esino Rosso, Montecarotto, Italy                    Surprising Sangiovese blend.

(Shore Bird)             2001 Domaine Le Couroulu Vacqueyras, France.       What Rhone is about. Wonderful, complex

(Dancing Bull)         2001 Rancho Zabaco Reserve Zinfandel, Sonoma County, Cal.                 Full-bodied, Crackling.

Cheese and bread will accompany the wines.   Coffee and Dessert will follow the tasting.

Please bring your own glasses.

Attendees recognize they will be consuming alcohol and assume all responsibility for having done so.

 Attendance will be limited to the first thirty-six responding.

Members  $18.00            Guests   $22.00

What Happened.........

This very interesting and much enjoyed tasting was organized by Frank and Jackie Carson and Jon and Joan Reed. Their tasting panel sampled seventeen wines and narrowed the “Critters” down to seven.

We learned that the presence of animals on wine labels has become widely used and many vintners believe it has attracted attention to their products and increased sales.  But, of course, we were interested in the taste.

The outstanding critter of the evening was the Rancho Zebaco Reserve Zinfandel Dancing Bull.  Next by a couple of lengths was the Wild Horse Pinot Noir.  After it came the Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Just a nose back of it were the Domaine Le Couroulu (Shore Bird) and the 47 Pound Rooster. The Lounging Toad and Leaping Wolf finished well behind.

We found that most of the wines, despite the lack of sophistication in naming, were quite good, and that one should not be afraid of the animals. The wines were served with breads and good cheeses, Comte, Grafton Vermont Cheddar, and Manchego. There were cookies and coffee at the end.