Crystal City 1K Wine and Beer Walk

Get Ready, Get Set, GO!

It’s been two years since I last participated in the Crystal City 1K Wine Walk. I’m filled with excitement; especially since the 2013 New Jersey Harvest Wine Festival resulted in no wine purchases. My taste buds are ready to be enticed, spending some quality time with my new-found wine lover and “My Jewel” is serving as the designated driver.

Door Prizes

The race began with goodies. We grab our walker number, t-shirt, wine glass and stood in line to play “Spins the Wheel”. Every space is a winner; from $25 gift certificates to silver-plated snowflake wine stopper.  We both won a wine stopper. Someone will be getting this for Christmas. 🙂

Food

They fed us well.  Food from Hill Street Blues pull pork barbecue and cornbread, Legal Seafood clam chowder (pronounced in a Bostonian accent 🙂 ), Cabot Creamery and California Tortilla guacamole and tortilla chips – YUMMY!

Wines

Two hours of walking the halls of Crystal City Underground, we consumed 13 out of 18 wines. There would have been more consumption, but the lines were horrendously long. It was clear that there was a shortage of volunteers. There is one person pouring beer and wine. If a volunteer was pouring two-three wines, at a time, you had to get back in the line to taste a second wine, “THAT’S A NEGATIVE!”

Station 6 volunteer took pity on us, realizing the Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc she pulled out of the cooler was too cold.  Doing the unthinkable, I down the Chenin Blanc, so she could immediately pour the Riesling. I should have passed on the Chenin Blanc, the flavors were absent.

Following are tasting notes on wines that were impressive and captured my interest:

•  Amalaya Torrentes – Riesling blend – Argentina – Big grapefruit flavor, which makes me believe the blend consist of Sauvignon Blanc, long mineral finish. Definitely not a typical Riesling – OK 
• Coriole Shiraz Estate – Australia – Best red thus far – EXCELLENT!
• Cono Sur Viognier – Chile – crisp, melon and pear flavors – GOOD!
• Segla Red Bordeaux – France – Sniffing deeply there’s bold aromas of cinnamon. I look around to see if someone has a sweet cinnamon bun close by. No one else smells cinnamon.  The aromas can’t be from the wine. In the middle of a crowded room, with my  eyes closed, I sniff again slowing taking in the aromas of cinnamon and wonderful fall spices. OH MY!  Eagerly, I sip and soft earthy flavors linger on my palate. Segla is a delicious full-bodied complex red wine. AMAZING! 
• Santa Julia Sustainable Malbec – Argentina – After tasting Santa Julia Viognier at Vapianos, I had to taste the Malbec and it was DELICIOUS!

Following are wines that I could not appreciate:

• Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc – South Africa – too cold to appreciate
• Selbach Oster Kabinett Riesling – Germany
• Ponga Sauvignon Blanc – New Zealand
• Big Fire Pinot Noir – Oregon
• Degiorgis Moscato – Italy
• Ferraton Samorens – France
• Adelsheim Pinot Gris – Oregon
• Chamisal Chardonnay – California

The only Virginia vineyard at the event was Jefferson Vineyards.  I wonder if this was due to invitation or lack of response from other Virginia wineries.

Besides the long lines, Vintage Crystal 1K Wine and Beer Walk was a great way to spend a Saturday with friends.  Thank you Washington Wine Academy!

Salute!

All wines are available at Crystal City Wine Shop; www.crystalcitywineshop.com