It's difficult for me to make a decision about somethings. I'm a Gemini (at least I think I am still in spite of the Egyptian Snake Toter; Ophiuchus) In college I had 2 majors and 2 minors. I love buffets. I have countless pairs of black pants and black skirts, and I usually get Harvest Mix (with the pumpkins AND Indian corn) because I want more variety than just candy corn. When it comes to drinking wine, sometimes I can't commit to just one bottle. Maybe I just feel like a glass or a half a glass. Half bottles are fantastic, but the selection isn't always great and they're not always a good price. When I bought an e-coupon for $50 towards wine samplers... my dilemma was answered. I didn't have to make a choice!!
Tastingroom.com is a site that features wineries offering the public their samples in 50ml bottles. 50ml is just shy of two ounces. An average restaurant pour is five ounces. You can also by big-girl bottles of the wine too. The focus is mainly California, Washington and Oregon driven, but they're starting to get some international selections too.
The 50ml taste allows the casual (and professional) drinker an opportunity to sample a wine before committing to an entire bottle. Each kit comes with a little tasting sheet and allows space for you to make comments so you might remember what you've sipped. 50 ml is the same format as "nips" of vodka, rum, and gin come if you've ever gotten a drink on an airplane.
The 50ml taste allows the casual (and professional) drinker an opportunity to sample a wine before committing to an entire bottle. Each kit comes with a little tasting sheet and allows space for you to make comments so you might remember what you've sipped. 50 ml is the same format as "nips" of vodka, rum, and gin come if you've ever gotten a drink on an airplane.
Of course when it came to ordering, I couldn't just choose one flight. I ordered three! One was a sampling of Pinot Noirs from California, one was a taste of Sonoma (red and white wines) and the other was a more focused view showcasing a Napa winery that I was not familiar with called Ladera. The regular sized bottles of the wines I tried ranged in price from $18-$70. The samplers ranged from $24.99-$29.99.
When my samplers arrived it was so much fun!! I lined up my little bottles, twisted the little caps, and made my assessments. Two ounces really is enough to decide if you like the wine or not. There were some wines that I thought were really great, and there were some that weren't really my style. All in all it was a great experience to be able to try so many different wines in the comfort of my apartamento without having to waste any wine or pay a lot for such a selection.
The only bad part is that the wine will age faster in that tiny bottle, so be mindful of the drink-by date stamped on them. Also, I felt like a bit of a wine-o with all of my empty nip-sized bottles. I will just have to endure the judgement from my neighbors when then see me (more likely David) taking down the trash.
When my samplers arrived it was so much fun!! I lined up my little bottles, twisted the little caps, and made my assessments. Two ounces really is enough to decide if you like the wine or not. There were some wines that I thought were really great, and there were some that weren't really my style. All in all it was a great experience to be able to try so many different wines in the comfort of my apartamento without having to waste any wine or pay a lot for such a selection.
The only bad part is that the wine will age faster in that tiny bottle, so be mindful of the drink-by date stamped on them. Also, I felt like a bit of a wine-o with all of my empty nip-sized bottles. I will just have to endure the judgement from my neighbors when then see me (more likely David) taking down the trash.
Check them out - they're always offering some good deal or free shipping. Samplers start at $14.99.
www.tastingroom.com
