First, let me say that I am not a professional wino, more of a wino-in-training. I feel confident enough to offer assistance to those I find standing in the midst of a wine section, looking around with a slightly panicked expression. I have even been called a wine snob after being told that a restaurant's wine selection consisted of "red" and "white." Uh, ok, I'll have a beer.
During a recent trip, I found myself at the Columbus, Ohio airport. It was about 6:50pm, and I was looking for somewhere to grab a drink and maybe some sustenance before my flight. If they had plugs to charge my iPhone and iPad, even better. I like to do a lap before committing to a location, just in case there are better offerings than Chili's To Go or a bag of chips at the newsstand. As I was dragging my luggage down the concourse, I saw a sign with the familiar shape of a wine bottle. As I got closer, I was wine barrels topped with bottles of what appeared to be decent wines. It was a beacon to this weary traveler, beckoning me to sample the wares. But was this just a mirage in the airport desert? Were they playing a cruel game, pulling me in with a siren song of delicious offerings, only to dash my hopes on the rocky cliffs of cheap house wine? 
A glance at the menu gave me hope that this was indeed a place that knew what it was doing. I found a spot at the bar, plugged in my electronics, and gave the menu a more thorough perusal. They offered wines by the glass, bottle, or flight - a sample of three wines. I decided to give the "Shades of White" flight a try, but only after asking the server about the Chardonnay. I'm not a fan of an oaked Chardonnay, and I've had some in the past that tasted like I was chewing a piece of lumber. My server said she liked oaked wines, but the other server did not, so we got her opinion - slightly oaked but with a more nutty taste. Intrigued, I decided to go for it.
I also ordered a charcuterie plate that probably could have fed a family of four. Salami, prosciutto and capicola paired with sharp cheddar, manchego and Humboldt Fog Grande chevre cheese (http://www.cypressgrovechevre.com/our-cheese/soft-ripened-cheeses/humboldt-fog-grande.html#.VCiyzxZPPsM). I also got dried cranberries, apricots, nuts, gherkins, ground mustard, and crackers. Woman cannot like on wine alone - she must have cheese as well.
I started with the Chardonnay just in case I didn't like it so I could get it out of the way. I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! This definitely had more nutty flavor than oak, maybe a cashew? Just a slight hit of oak on the palate, more so on the nose but not so much to turn me off. I also got hints of pineapple under the lumberyard smell. The sharp cheddar turned it more oakey as did manchego. The humboldt cheese smoothed over the oak and let the fruit shine through. I was so impressed with it I drank it before I had a chance to try it with the meats.
Next up was the Gruner. I've never had one of these boys but wow! It was smooth from nose to palate to finish, but not in a boring way. It tasted like it smelled- slight pear with a hint of caramel and maybe nutmeg or cloves? Pairing it with the dried cranberries made them sweeter and almost candied. A bite of dried apricot turned it sharper but still very clean on the finish. It brought out the smoke in the manchego cheese, but I didn't like it so much with the humboldt. The cheddar didn't seem to affect it one way or the other. Again, I drank it before I tried it with the meats.
I saved the Makara for last. I'm a diehard sauvignon blanc fan and this was amazing. There wasn't a distinct grassy note on the nose like some of the New Zealand SBs tend to have, but a great grapefruit/honey palate with a slight mineral hit. I liked it with the prosciutto, the mineral tang definitely highlighting the salt. It went well with the capicola, again highlighting the salt of the meat. It didn't pair well with the humboldt cheese - very chalky. It went very well with the manchego, bringing forward the smoke in the cheese. A gherkin with ground mustard changed the palate to a sharper grassy tang.
Vino Volo (www.vinovolo.com) has locations in airports across the United States. They also have a loyalty program that rewards you one point for every dollar spent. I downloaded their free app for my iPhone and once I scanned my receipt, I had my points. I'll be heading back to Columbus in November, and plan to try another flight, hopefully allowing enough time to really try the wines with the food. But if I don't, I can take them home with me!
Next up was the Gruner. I've never had one of these boys but wow! It was smooth from nose to palate to finish, but not in a boring way. It tasted like it smelled- slight pear with a hint of caramel and maybe nutmeg or cloves? Pairing it with the dried cranberries made them sweeter and almost candied. A bite of dried apricot turned it sharper but still very clean on the finish. It brought out the smoke in the manchego cheese, but I didn't like it so much with the humboldt. The cheddar didn't seem to affect it one way or the other. Again, I drank it before I tried it with the meats.
I saved the Makara for last. I'm a diehard sauvignon blanc fan and this was amazing. There wasn't a distinct grassy note on the nose like some of the New Zealand SBs tend to have, but a great grapefruit/honey palate with a slight mineral hit. I liked it with the prosciutto, the mineral tang definitely highlighting the salt. It went well with the capicola, again highlighting the salt of the meat. It didn't pair well with the humboldt cheese - very chalky. It went very well with the manchego, bringing forward the smoke in the cheese. A gherkin with ground mustard changed the palate to a sharper grassy tang.
By now I was running short of time, so I asked for a to-go box for my food, and jokingly asked for a to-go glass of the Makara. The server told me that if I bought bottles of all three wines, they were 20% off. For someone like me who loves a bargain as much as I like to drink wine, it was a winner! Luckily I was already through security and had enough room in my carry-on tote for the wine. I'm looking forward to drinking them at home at a more leisurely pace to really discover them. However, in just under 30 minutes, I found three new wines I'm hoping to add to my collection on a regular basis.
Vino Volo (www.vinovolo.com) has locations in airports across the United States. They also have a loyalty program that rewards you one point for every dollar spent. I downloaded their free app for my iPhone and once I scanned my receipt, I had my points. I'll be heading back to Columbus in November, and plan to try another flight, hopefully allowing enough time to really try the wines with the food. But if I don't, I can take them home with me!
This is definitely a place for winos of all skill levels! If you see one on your next trip, give it a try!
Kim
Wino-In-Training
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