Underwood Canned Pinot Gris

In theory, Underwood's new canned wine was made for me. It stands for everything I stand for. It's unpretentious and fun, turning what the wine world used to be on its head. In the months leading up to its arrival at my local beer shop, I imagined spending my whole summer with it in love like some old timey Jerry Keller jam.

But, expectations are the root of disappointment my friends.

I did not love this wine. In fact, I didn't even finish it.

The Pinot Gris is too full-bodied for the aluminum. Not only can you taste it on the wine, but it just feels weird drinking it out of the can because it glugs out all thick. I mean, this is coming from a person who has no problem chugging wine out of a bottle or drinking wine out of a Diet Coke can, so it has nothing to do with chugging wine out of a can. I just don't think the Pinot Gris was a good varietal for this.

I feel like it would have been fine if I had poured it in a glass, but that defeats the purpose! Why buy wine in a can if I'm just going to pour it in a glass!

If you're looking for cold wine on the go, sure, go right ahead. I'm sure your friends at the picnic will be very impressed with you.

But I'm telling you, I didn't even finish a can. On a hot Saturday afternoon. Do you know how unlikely that is? SO UNLIKELY. SO SAD.

I'm still looking forward to trying the Pinot Noir. I absolutely love Underwood's Pinot Noirs in bottles, so I'm hoping for that same quality in a can. Although, I'm keeping my expectations low. It's not healthy to have your heart broken twice before August.

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged white wine canned wine underwood pinot gris.

New Wine Time Coming Soon!

I'd been using FCP 6 on my boyfriend's old seven year old desktop forever and then it just was like, "Nope. We're done here." So, I finally upgraded my shit and got FCP X on my laptop. It's really fucking annoying, but hey, at least I'm back to editing! So hold tight. xoxo

Posted on July 1, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross.

Spicy Delta Cocktail Recipe

Spicy Delta
• One or two shots of tequila
• Muddle two slices of jalepeno into tequila
• Equal parts grapefruit juice & ginger beer
• Ice

We made this over the weekend to celebrate the first day of summer. But be careful with the jalepenos. If they're really potent, this drink will fuck your lips up for like an hour. If you want to play it safe, regular old Deltas without the jalepeno are also super delicious.

For the record, the Delta was originally created by my wonderful better half, Ben. Although, I brilliantly brought the heat. We're a great team like that.

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged spicy delta cocktails recipe tequila grapefruit ginger beer.

La Bulle Vin Mousseaux Gamay, Production Unique Rebelle (P-U-R)

La Bulle Vin Mousseaux Gamay, Production Unique Rebelle (P-U-R)
Price: $20
Year: 2012
Region: Beaujolais, France
Retailer: DomaineLA

Growing up, I wanted to be the girl who inspired The Beatles' "Girl". That was my whole thing. I would sing that song every day after school into the tiny locker mirror I installed in my armoire. It was all I ever wanted to be. A girl who you wanted so much it made you sorry. A girl that you would breath in deeply through clenched teeth over. I wanted to be so hot, I'd ruin someone's life. Particularly, John or Paul's life in 1963. That was my dream. To be a cool, manipulative, hot bitch who got whatever she wanted and crushed men in her wake.

Because in reality, I was the girl whose friends convinced her putting a note expressing her love to Joey Lara in his locker was a good idea and he read it at lunch and it ruined my life. Much to my dismay, I never ended up ruining Joey's life, or anyone's life for that matter, with my beauty.

It's fine. I'm over it. I'm fine with it. I mean, sure yes, I would love to still ruin someone's life with my beauty but I think that time has passed and I'm very happy and in love so I mean, yeah, it's fine. I'm fine.

The point is, I look at this bottle and I see that Girl I wanted to be. Look at her. Look at the woman on the fucking label! She is living the dream! SHE IS IN AN EFFERVESCENT BATH OF FRENCH ROSE! LOOK AT HER LEGS! SHE'S A BABE! SHE PROBABLY IS THE SAME BITCH THAT MADE LENNON SLEEP IN A TUB IN "NORWEGIAN WOOD"!

At any rate, the fact that she has time to take a bath or even a big-ass tub to take a bath in, makes her a hero.

It does help that this wine is one delightful, sparkling, little number. It reminds me of a glorious, less bubbly Lambic, all raspberry and beautiful. It's luscious, with a nice soft body. Ugh. It's too much. I'm like, about to become a lesbian for this inanimate object I've decided has slept with a Beatle or two.

Ahhhh, Girrrrr-rrlll [ssssshhhhhhhh]...

Tasting Notes: Just like a Martinelli's Sparkling Cider. Your inner child will rejoice. You can taste zero alcohol, which would be a problem but there's only 7% alcohol, so go wild! Very juicy and sweet, but very fun. Great to open a meal with, or for dessert. Or to just drink on your own on a summer afternoon while listening to old Beatles' vinyl, dreaming of all that could have been if you'd been born in the 40's.

Ross Test: Tastes like breakfast. For real. There is like no difference between throwing this back or throwing back some Cran-Raz before work.

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged red wine sparkling wine french beaujolais la bulle gamay.

Q&A: The Ross Test

It used to take me half a bottle, but now I’ve got it down to about half a glass. Practice makes perfect!

Send me questions, comments, or wine suggestions of your own here or you can always email me.

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged questions ross test.

Evviva!: Wines I Enjoyed In Italy

I spent nine glorious days in Italy. Here are my favorite wines I had, in no particular order. They are all refreshing, light whites and bright, airy reds-- the kind of versatile and approachable wines that are crowd pleasers even (when you're traveling) with non-wine-drinkers. I wish I'd taken more meticulous notes other than, "This is really fucking good", but hey, I think that is the most important note of all.

I can't wait to add them to my personal wine collection back here in the states!

• Elena Walch 2012 Pinot Nero Alto Adige

• Tramin Lagrein 2013

• Contadi Castaldi Rosé

• Giuseppe Quintarelli Bianco Secco & Pinot Grigio

• Antoniolo 2011 Juvenia Coste della Sesia Nebbiolo

• Angiolino Maule I Masieri Bianco Veneto

• This one that I can't freaking find anywhere, it looks like "M1oo0 Lazio" but my photo is too blurry and I didn't have service in the restaurant and then I forgot to look it up again. Sigh. I will add it as soon as I find out from the restaurant what it was because it was fantastic.

• One million Aperol Spritzes

• All the free champagne first class would give me

Posted on June 16, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged white wine red wine travel italy italian wine.

Un Saumon Dans la Loire 'La Boutanche' Sauvignon Blanc

'La Boutanche' Sauvignon Blanc
Price: $14.99
Year: 2013
Region: Loire, France
Retailer: DomaineLA

Ah, June! The beginning of my favorite season, summer. With all its bikinis and white wine, what is not to love? And there isn't a better way to kick off the estival months than with a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc. #sauvignonblancyaall

I'm blinded with love over this bottle of Sauv Blanc. First of all, the La Boutanche label features what looks like a trout in a varsity jacket pouring a bottle of wine on its head. I'm sorry but if you see a label with a fucking trout in a fucking varsity jacket and you don't buy it, well, I mean, I don't want to say you're an idiot, so I will say that we have very different esthetic predilections. And you're an idiot! IT'S A TROUT! IN A VARSITY JACKET! IT'S THE COOLEST LABEL I'VE EVER SEEN.

Secondly, holy shit, this may be my new favorite Sauvignon Blanc of ALL TIME. It could not be easier to drink. So bright all over and so smooth going down. The palate on this bad boy is so fresh and citrus-y, with a crisp clean finish. It tastes like white cotton crew-necks hang-dried in a lemon orchard's summer breeze-- right before really cool Trout-Guy throws it on and rolls a pack of cigarettes into the sleeve, and you fall in love with him next to the gazebo in the downtown square during the Thursday night Street Fair in your hometown.

So, what I'm saying is, this wine is your summer fling. After drinking it, you're going to want to dance and make-out and drink more. And then fantasize about it all night. And wonder if you should text it tomorrow.

Good thing you can guiltlessly take it to bed any damn night you damn well feel like.

Tasting Notes: Super citrus on the bouquet and palate, with a nutty hint on the back end. Lovely brisk finish. Just so, so easy to drink. It's a joy. Perfect for fish and salad, definitely perfect for hot afternoons/evenings/whatevers.

Ross Test: Delicious, but more acidic than you'd expect. Although I love it, I love it enough to tell you to keep it in the glass and savor those butterflies.

Special thanks to Whitney Adams, who works at DomaineLA and is the best wine blogger/my favorite somm, for picking this out for me. It's awesome not only because the wine is fucking awesome, but because it's imported by Selection Massale. I love both DomaineLA and Selection Massale for their great range of small scale vintners that you definitely can't pick up at the grocery store (which sucks when you're stuck at Ralph's in a pinch, but makes the wines all the more special).

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged white wine sauvignon blanc selection massale domaineLA whitney adams.

The Pinot Project Pinot Grigio

The Pinot Project Pinot Grigio
Price: $12
Year: 2012
Region: Italy

I was just in traffic for over an hour to go sixteen miles. Sixteen miles of pure, unadulterated, Friday afternoon bumper to bumper bullshit complete with cases of run of the mill Angeleno road rage and the kind of cramps that make you want to rip a gash into your torso and shove a gun in it a la Videodrome, except you actually fire the gun into your reproductive organs before your torso takes the gun for itself.

(If you've never seen Videodrome, I am both sorry for you and envious of you. It is a really fucking weird, kinda traumatizing 80's Cronenberg flick a dude took me to see on a date once and then, we did not have sex after. Or ever. )

Never have I been happier to come home to a bottle of wine than I was today when I came home to The Pinot Project Pinot Grigio (and medical grade painkillers). I'm such a fan of the Pinot Project Pinot Noir, and was beyond thrilled to hear they started producing a Pinot Grigio. I ran in, roughhoused my pets and then immediately put this in my mouth. No glass, just right down the hatch. Straight up OG 23-year-old-broke-ass-blogger-hatin'-life-Marissa style.

It had been awhile since I Ross Tested a bottle out of necessity. Life has been weighing heavily upon me this week, and I really needed to fucking chug wine. And it was amazing. Suddenly everything was Fleet Foxes' "White Winter Hymnal". That's what this wine tastes like to me. That melody. So light but so structured, specific but floating. Harmonious and zen-like.

Not the actual lyrics though. This wine is nothing like coats or scarves. It is heat wave wine, wine to be drank like water in a lawn chair. I mean, we could replace "strawberries in summertime" for "pears and limes in the summertime" and that would work.

I just wish I had nine more bottles of this. I can't believe I only have one, and I only have a few sips left. It is so, so delicious and versatile. It could go with anything you're cooking or anything someone else is cooking for you. This needs to be one of your staple summer whites. And as honorary Queen of Summer as voted by people on the internet, bow down bitches and drink this shit.

Tasting Notes: Lovely citrus-centric bouquet and palate. Fruit forward but perfectly dry without a hint of the fermentation process. Tastes like something you'd bite into straight off the tree in an orchard. So fresh.

Ross Test: JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED, I DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD BUT GOD DAMN, GOD BLESS THIS WINE

Posted on May 16, 2014 by Marissa A. Ross and tagged white wine the pinot project pinot grigio italy.