Okay, so our wine choice tonight wasn't completely random . . . Nick discovered El Coto Rioja, a rosado, in Wine Spectator magazine. After drinking this unquestionably pink wine, we firmly believe that people should end the prejudice against blush wines--this wine was neither simple nor fru-fru. This rosado was a blend of granache and tempranillo, has been reviewed in many wine-centered publications, and definitely did not disappoint.
Our CD choice for the night was Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, rated one of the best new bands of 2010 by Rolling Stone magazine. We had never heard of the group, but Maggie wanted to hear some more female-driven music, so we thought we'd give it a try.
We sipped the wine at room temperature in order to have a clearer grasp on the wine's structure and aromas. At first, the wine smelled a bit gamy, "kind of like leaving food in a warm car after it's been boxed at a restaurant." The color of the wine was absolutely breathtaking, like a clear sky in the summer sunset. We sniffed, sniffed, sipped . . . the wine immediately impressed. It was a bit salty, but had hints of watermelon as well. To Maggie, the wine displayed flavors of pure musk. The combination was delightful and surprising for us, as we had never actively tasted a wine like this. Nick said "my thirst is quenched," referring to the refreshing yet wholesome texture of the wine. There was little to no heat on the wine; it was the kind of wine that you could sip indefinitely and never tire of.
As for the music, the album begain with the track "Paris (Ooh La La)," which Nick particularly enjoyed. It sounded similar to Heart in the bright tones of the female voice and the cool guitar-driven beat. At first, Maggie found it a little kitchy, but on hearing the second track, Oasis, she changed her mind. At once, the tone changed from fast female rock to a fusion of bluesy vocals and reggae-esque riffs. The diversity of the album showed in quite a few tracks, such as "Tiny Light," which had a more mellow feel, and "Money," the B.B.King-inspired tune. There were definite influences of blues, rock, and even 80's pop. The song "Hot Summer Night" could have been a Cyndi Lauper track with a modern vocalist.
As the tasting went on, the wine evolved slightly. It smelled even gamier by the second pour, and began tasting a bit brighter. This wine was quite delicate--not watery at all, but truly delicate. It was soft and tasteful, but still had unmistakable integrity.
All in all, it was a fabulous combination. The wine would have been better matched with a softer, darker, richer vocalist (Louis Armstrong would have been appropriate), but Grace Potter's fabulous vocals, intricate rock instrumentation, and musical diversity made for a fantastic listen.
Nick's Final Reviews
Audio
The first track Paris (Ooh La La) reminded me of South Park's parody on the movie "Heavy Metal". Eighties classic rock driven with fresh vocals. I would recommend this to fans of Lenny Kravitz, Heart and Sammy Hagar. The second track started off with some different instrumental affects that kept the music fresh. This album was a nice change from our last couple of albums because it never tried to be overly epic.
"Grace Potter and the Nocturnals" would fit nicely in a mix of music featuring the recent wave of classic rock revivals like"Wolfmother" and "The Darkness". As nice as Grace Potter's vocals were, I would have appreciated some other vocalists to add some complexity to this album. Fun CD, definitely going to add it to my iTunes, it's just going to take some time to pick out the right tracks for me.
7/10
Vino
I hardly know were to start with this week's Vino selection. I have been on a search for new wine styles to try and in particular something new to drink on casual occasions. I think I may have found this with El Coto's Rosado.
As girly as drinking a pink wine can seem, don't let the stigmas of Berringer's White Zinfandel turn you off from this wine. This blend of Grenache and Temperanillo from the Rioja region of spain had a great nose with gamy hints of jerky and the floral musk you might get in your grandmother's perfume. The first sip was full of watermelon that has been lightly salted, something my grandfather used to do to bring out the sweetness of the watermelon.
This wine would be perfect at a late evening barbecue in the middle of summer pairing well with corn on the cob, fruit salad and a fat pork chop. Please do yourself a favor and give the pink stuff a try (not Pepto) and don't forget to introduce it to your friends!
89 pts.
Maggie's Reviews
Audio
Today's Audio wasn't my favorite of all time, but it was definitely interesting and well-done. I'm not one for girly-rock on a general basis, but Grace Potter mixed it up and included a lot of different textures into her album. There was a lot of impressive guitar, as well. I didn't like the premier track, Paris, as much as I thought I would, but I loved the weirdness of the 80's pop-like track, "Hot Summer Night" and the bluesy influences throughout the album.
7/10
Vino
Loved, loved, loved this wine! When we approached the checkout to buy this wine, the salesman (who shall remain nameless) grimaced at us a little. People seem to have prejudices against blush wines, but this was one of the best wines we've reviewed so far. It was musky, salty, and a bit fruity, which made for a wonderful combination. It's personality was soft and light, but it had that darkness underneath that only the most interesting wines have. Definitely one of my favorites.
90 pts.
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