Week of Sept 23 - 30

Another week has passed and we have had a bunch of new tastes.  We'll start off with some beer tastes we've had over the week.  A few of these we had at home and Vintage Cellar had a tasting of Oktoberfest beers as well.  Unfortunately, Ommegang didn't make it down to Virginia last week, but they are supposed to be coming down later in October to make up for it.

737. Evolution Craft Brewery - Lot No 3 IPA - This was very good and much better than their ESB in our opinion.
738. Yards Brewing - Pynk - We did a blind taste test of this and Harpoon UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen which we've had earlier.  Megan prefers the UFO and Brett prefers the Pynk - it's tarter with its additional sour cherry over the Harpoon offering.  
739. Paulaner - Original Münchner Märzen
740. Weihenstephaner - Festbier
741. Erdinger - Festweiße
742. Paulaner - Oktoberfest Bier (Wiesn Bier)

We also did our regular wine tasting on Saturday.

743. 2012 - Domaine Labbé - Vin de Savoie Abymes
744. 2010 - RJ Vinedos - Bonarda Reunion
745. 2012 - RJ Vinedos - Torrontés Reunion
746. 2012 - RJ Vinedos - Malbec Reunion
747. 2009 - Tenuta De Angelis - Rosso Piceno Superiore
748. 2011 - Cantina del Pino - Langhe Nebbiolo
749. NV Montana - Perucchi S.A. - Vermouth - wow, neither of us really likes vermouth!

We also had a couple new dinner recipes.  

750. Grilled Stuffed Beef & Potato Burritos
751. BBQ Chicken Quesadillas

Both of these were delicious. If you try the quesadillas, have some mac and cheese for a side dish!

We were also pleased to be invited to the Villa Appalaccia case club dinner.  For anyone who has purchased at least one case of wine, you get an invite to a special dinner and extra discounts on any wine purchases.  The dinner was on Sunday evening and it was a beautiful fall evening on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  When we arrived we were served a glass of their Allegra (sparkling malvasia) and chatted with the others who had come for the dinner on the patio.  Once everyone had arrived, we went inside and had a small appetizer plate along with a sampling of their Corvina.  We then were brought our main course which was served with a sample of their Sangiovese.  Between main course and dessert, they brought out a special bottle of wine from their cellar, a 2002 Primitivo.  Finally, we had dessert with a small glass of their Raspberry Beret.

752. NV - Villa Appalaccia Winery - Allegra Malvasia Bianca
753. 2009 - Villa Appalaccia Winery - Corvina
754. Salami - from Chicago, but they couldn't remember the name
755. Local cheese - tasted closest to colby, but the rind had an interesting mild taste but was crunchy like almost like lettuce - weird and very fun.
756. Polenta with mushrooms and parmesan cheese.
757. Pickled tomato bruschetta - this was unusual and Megan didn't like it very much.
758. 2009 - Villa Appalaccia Winery - Sangiovese
759. Italian pole bean - tender, buttery, and very delicious.
760. Chicken cacciatore - the sauce was made with ground up anchovy and capers.  
761. 2002 - Villa Appalaccia Winery - Primitivo
762. Flourless chocolate cake with mint and raspberry.
763. NV - Villa Appalaccia Winery - Raspberry Beret