the wine room

If you ever find yourself around Winterpark, Florida you have to plan a trip to The Wine Room. Not only is it the best wine bar in the Orlando area but it is the only one of it's kinda in the entire Nation (hard to believe I know, but I asked!). At The Wine Room you purchase a card containing whatever dollar amount you'd like to spend tasting wines. You then peruse around their cozy shop sampling wines simply by inserting your card and pressing a button for a 1-3 oz taste. Wines are arranged by type and the price per ounce varies from $1 to $25. In addition to the large selection of wines, they also offer specialty beers, cheeses, and other things to nibble on while you taste at your own pace.

I've had the opportunity to visit The Wine Room twice now and have tasted a lot of wonderful wines. We even have money left over on cards from our last visit that we can use for another time. Tasting wine before you buy it is always a good idea and this seems like the absolute best way to do it.

Mosella 2004 Riesling Spatlese Graacher Himmelreich
The wine maker himself was there to tell us a little bit more about his wines. He saw me jotting down notes and made sure to introduce himself as the only American wine maker in Germany. We tasted 2 of his Rieslings and they were just as he described them -- excellent. The above was light and crisp with notes of starfruit and grass -- perfect for the incredibly hot day outside.

Freemark Abbey 2006 Viognier
I almost always love a viognier. This one was a bit different that the very floral and fragrant ones I'm used to. Lemony and full of zest.

Martinelli "Giuseppe & Luisa" 2006 Zinfandel Russian River Valley
Very nice but very expensive. Spicy finish. Hints of coffee, kirsch, and strawberry.

La Crema 2005 Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
A solid pinot for the buck. Perfume-y and full of sour fruit on the nose. Thick and luscious with red fruits and plum.

La Crema 2006 Chardonnay
I'm not much for Chardonnay but La Crema makes some really nice wines. This one was thick and oaky with a bright finish that was fitting for the heat.

The Black Chook 2006 Shiraz Viognier Australia
This is the most memorable wine I've ever tasted. What a combination! It smells like the sea and tastes like the sea in a way that perfectly fresh seafood might taste. There's a hint of salt and maybe a bit of briny seaweed. This is just one you have to taste to believe. I'm not sure I'd want to drink a bottle but it might pair really nicely with oysters or other bivalves.

Rosenblum Desiree Chocolate Dessert Wine California
The Wine Room even has dessert wines and ports! This one tastes just like what you might think it tastes like. It has a smooth buttery taste that reminded me of chocolate cake batter.

Meeker FRO-Zin Russian River Valley
An icewine made from zinfandel grapes. It resembles grape juice or raspberry juice and tastes like sweet candy. Mark from Mosella called it "Kool-Aide" and it is, but in the very best, tastiest way.