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"What's all the CHATr about?"
370 Connections
91 Reviews
148 Wine Ratings
1 Question
22 General Postings
Member's Location
Seattle, WA
CHATr Member Since:
February 2007
Favorite Wine
Trespass Vineyard Cab Franc
Favorite Winery
Whoever's pouring!
Favorite Varietal
Cabernet Franc
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chatrbox's Postings
Last Entry Posted 4/23/2009
GENERAL POST
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
4/23/2009 at 3:11 PM PST
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New winemaker's game geared toward females.
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Interesting new game concept for the female wine enthusiast... FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2009 Chapel Hill, North Carolina – Winemaker Extraordinaire, Merscom’s latest downloadable casual game for the PC and Mac, is the ultimate fantasy for wine geeks. You play Maria, a city girl so fed up with the corporate rat race that she leaves her buzzing cell phone behind and hops a plane to Italy. Her vinous mission? To honor her late grandfather’s dying wish and run his winery in the rolling hills of Tuscany. But there’s a deeper task at hand. Maria must reunite the estranged Guild of Extraordinary Winemakers. The Guild fell apart years ago, and her grandfather’s last act as guild leader was to tear up the group’s secret to vino ultimae, the world’s most coveted wine, and give each member a piece. Now, as Maria, it is your responsibility to seek out the Guild members, prove your worth as a winemaker, reunite them and... ... View Full Post >>
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REVIEW
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
4/13/2009 at 8:52 AM PST
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Taste Washington - A beautiful day to drink 400 wines!
 
Avg. Member Rating of 4.0 Stars based on 1 Review
Review Category: Event or Service
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Taste Washington - Grand Tasting
Seattle, WA
http://www.tastewashington.org
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The Grand Tasting portion of Taste Washington is the premier Washington wine event of the year. If you are a fan of not just WA wine but wine in general this is a can’t miss event. Here are the stats: 200+ wineries, 60+ restaurants, and an incredible amount of wine (approx 400 different bottles)! The ticket prices at $85 and $125, for early entry, may seem a little steep but it’s really worth it considering everything you get. I recommend the “VIP” ticket, which really doesn’t provide any other amenities except getting you through the door early. But with an extra 2 hours to drink and eat before things get really crowded can provide the best opportunity to hit the key wineries you’ve always wanted to try…many of whom pour out of wine during the event. My focus is always on the wine, with everything else including the food around as an extra bonus. I usually nerd up a couple days before and go over the list of participating wineries... ... View Full Post >>
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REVIEW
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
4/13/2009 at 8:50 AM PST
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Taste Washington - A day of wine education.
Avg. Member Rating of 4.0 Stars based on 1 Review
Review Category: Event or Service
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Taste Washington - Education Seminars
Seattle, WA
http://www.tastewashington.org
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As part of Taste Washington, the educational seminars provide an informative look into Washington’s wine industry prior to the Grand Tasting on Sunday. Now you might not think that sitting through a wine class on a Saturday afternoon sounds like that much fun, but the seminar experience is more often about tasting/drinking wine than getting too nerdy over a bunch of facts and figures.
This year the three sessions included seminars on Klipsun Vineyard, Best New Washington Chef’s, value wines, a 1999 to present day comparison tasting, Champoux Vineyard, Cabernet Franc, Washington’s Garagiste winemakers, and a “Which One’s Washington” game show-like tasting.
At $45 per class the seminar might seem a little steep, especially if you plan on attending more than one, but after you consider everything included it’s actually a pretty good deal. A light breakfast is provided before the early session and lunch is included with any seminar...
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WINE RATING
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
3/25/2009 at 1:00 PM PST
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Robert Craig 2002 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
  [89/100] Score Info
Avg. Member Score of 89.0 based on 1 Tasting
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View Wine Details Click the link to view full details.Winery: Robert Craig Country: United States Region: California: Napa Valley Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon Click on this box to hide me
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Rich dark fruit flavors and aromas including blackberry, currants, and black cherry, with additional notes of tobacco, leather and plenty of pencil lead. When I first opened this wine I thought the fruit was starting to taste a little faded. But after letting it sit for a couple days I tried another glass and it still tasted good, maybe even a little better. The secondary flavors tend to overrun the fruit but I would give it an "excellent" for the ability of this wine to last after opening. Definitely decant to let it open up.
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WINE RATING
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
3/19/2009 at 7:47 AM PST
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Stevens 2002 Merlot
[92/100] Score Info
Avg. Member Score of 92.0 based on 1 Tasting
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View Wine Details Click the link to view full details.Winery: Stevens Winery Country: United States Region: Washington: Yakima Valley Varietal: Merlot Click on this box to hide me
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Stevens' first Merlot offers a statement about the great winemaking from this small Washington producer. Now several years old, this wine still offers a lively collection of dark fruit, floral and spice flavors. Bold black fruit and tart red berries combine with the zing of wood spices, tobacco and pepper. I was very impressed with the longevity of this wine. Still great and bound to last for a number of years.
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REVIEW
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
3/13/2009 at 10:39 AM PST
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Switch - Weird, Another Swanky Vegas Steak Restaurant
Avg. Member Rating of 3.0 Stars based on 1 Review
Review Category: Restaurant or Bar
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Switch
3131 Las Vegas Boulevard S.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 770-7171
www.encorelasvegas.com
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Switch, the swanky steak & seafood restaurant at the new Encore hotel (Wynn’s equivalent to Mandalay’s “The Hotel”), got it’s name due to the interior of the restaurant changing. Four times an hour the walls and ceiling of the restaurant change their theme (not “theme” as in theme park or theme party, just a different look) while the lighting dims and ominous music plays all around. Ok, that does sound pretty theme parkesque, but that’s Vegas for you!
As with any high-end restaurant in one of Vegas’ poshest hotels (one of only two 5-star hotels) the menu isn’t cheep, but it is pretty damn good! For starters I enjoyed a lobster salad with some sparkling pink bubbly. The second course included a bottle of Cristom Mt. Jefferson Pinot Noir. Looking over the extensive wine list this was one of the least expensive offerings at $69 (normally retailing for $30), and in my opinion one of the best Quality-Price Ratio...
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REVIEW
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
3/12/2009 at 4:15 AM PST
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Il Terrazzo - A Lucky Find in Pioneer Square
Avg. Member Rating of 4.0 Stars based on 1 Review
Review Category: Restaurant or Bar
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Il Terrazzo Carmine
411 1st Ave S
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 467-7797
www.ilterrazzocarmine.com
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Il Terrazzo Carmine was a surprise on several levels. For starters, my friends and I didn’t plan to eat there but when our initial dinner choice fell through I jumped on my iPhone and did a combined search for nearby Italian restaurants (combined because I first used the Urban Spoon app to find some possibilities and then I used the maps application to locate the restaurant). Yeah, I know, I’m a nerd.
“Il T”, as I’ve chosen to call it for this review, is located in Seattle’s Pioneer District just off 1st Ave. It was difficult to find given its residence inside another building, and the fact that the sign doesn’t really jump out at you. But after a couple sets of double doors you’ll finally find yourself inside the restaurant, which actually offers quite a nice atmosphere as opposed to the exterior. It reminded me of dining out in New York where hidden restaurants dawning drab exteriors can reveal a surprise once your...
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REVIEW
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
3/11/2009 at 9:20 AM PST
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La Rustica - West Seattle's Answer to North Italian Cuisine
Avg. Member Rating of 4.0 Stars based on 2 Reviews
Review Category: Restaurant or Bar
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La Rustica
4100 Beach Dr SW
Seattle, WA 98116
206 932-3020
www.larusticarestaurant.com
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Making it out to La Rustica from Seattle can be quite the trek, depending on where you’re coming from, but if you have the time then the experience can be quite worthwhile. Located in the farthest reaches of West Seattle on Beach Drive, La Rustica offers a cozy place to enjoy some creative North Italian cuisine while looking out over the Puget Sound.
There really is something for everyone on the menu, but don’t feel rushed to decide. Instead, have a drink, enjoy some of the delicious handmade breadsticks, and take pleasure in your company. Don’t fill up on too many breadsticks though because the best part is still to come. I ordered the Gnocchi con Salsiccia Nostra (homemade sausage tossed with homemade ricotta gnocchi and tomato sauce), which was exceptional. However, I didn’t heed my own advice about the breadsticks and had to take most of it home.
From what I recall the wine list is almost exclusively Italian… I know, I know,...
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WINE RATING
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
3/9/2009 at 10:24 PM PST
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Siduri 2005 Sta. Rita Hills Cargasacchi Vineyard Pinot Noir
[88/100] Score Info
Avg. Member Score of 88.0 based on 1 Tasting
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View Wine Details Click the link to view full details.Winery: Siduri Country: United States Region: California: Santa Barbara County Varietal: Pinot Noir Click on this box to hide me
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A good lively wine made to drink and enjoy. Vibrant aromas of cherry pie, strawberry shortcake, and spicy oak jump out of the glass. The flavors include bing and black cherry, a touch of cranberry, white pepper, and herbs. The finish zings with firm tannins and bright acidity. Give it another year or two, or decant if you have that kind of patience.
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REVIEW
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
2/27/2009 at 12:29 PM PST
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Carmelita - A Winning Vegetarian Spot in Seattle
Avg. Member Rating of 4.0 Stars based on 1 Review
Review Category: Restaurant or Bar
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Carmelita
7314 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 706-7703
www.carmelita.net
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A great little place in Seattle's Greenwood/Phinney Ridge neighborhood. The interior is cozy and eclectic, and the full vegetarian menu is creative and appetizing...even for us meat eaters!
For an appetizer the Arancini di Riso is excellent (goat cheese and baby beet, frisee salad, dijon aioli) and the cheese plate is good for small groups. As a main course you can't go wrong with the Carrot-mascarpone gnocchi (with sauteed baby spinach, lemon-herb beurre blanc, fried shallots). It's a real crowd pleaser.
The wine list is small but very reasonably priced with offerings from all over the world. Take advantage of half price bottles on wednesday and try several different wines, varietals, and/or locations.
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WINE RATING
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
2/14/2009 at 7:17 PM PST
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Mark Ryan 2002 Long Haul
[92/100] Score Info
Avg. Member Score of 92.0 based on 1 Tasting
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View Wine Details Click the link to view full details.Winery: Mark Ryan Country: United States Region: Washington: Red Mountain Varietal: Blend Click on this box to hide me
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A very good red wine from one of Washington's top boutique winemakers. Ripe red fruit flavors and great balance, with solid tannins and nice acidity. Not a lot of complexity but an elegant drink.
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WINE RATING
(0 Member Votes)
Posted
12/24/2008 at 11:29 AM PST
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Col Solare 2004 Red Wine
[88/100] Score Info
Avg. Member Score of 88.0 based on 1 Tasting
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View Wine Details Click the link to view full details.Winery: Col Solare Country: United States Region: Washington: Columbia Valley Varietal: Blend Click on this box to hide me
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Tight with bright red and black cherry flavors with hints of vanilla and clove. This vintage is a little more green than I'm used to from these wines but still a nice drink.
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