UNCORKED: KC – KANSAS CITY’S WINE FESTIVAL REVIEW
If you love Wine Tasting like we do and you’ve never been to Uncorked: KC in Kansas City, then you absolutely must go next year! You can visit the Uncorked: KC website for March tickets, dates and times. It’s a guaranteed good time, casual but dressy, and a major Kansas City wine tasting event. And YES, it’s worth it to spend the extra money to become an Uncorked: KC V.I.P.!
This isn’t just Wine Tasting…it’s Life Tasting!
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UNCORKED: KC @ UNION STATION in KANSAS CITY
Featuring over 60 different wines, there’s no way to taste it all – so you’re going to want to have a plan. As we waited in anticipation for the event ropes to be removed and the crowd filled in, we scoped out the Chandon table near the back corner as an optimal place to begin our wine tasting journey. The “bubbly bar” section – that’s a great place to jump start our palettes! How do you not love Chandon?
The scrumptious bubbles of that signature champagne tickled our tongues as we drank our second flute (making me wish this was a caviar tasting)! We then made our way further along the back wall of Union Station – to pay a very welcome visit to Vino Pair.
PAIRING FOOD WITH WINE TASTING @ UNCORKED: KC
Vino Pair features food and wine pairings – which we love! First, they gave us a “Savory Bite” of Busseto Rosette De Lyon, Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese, Salted Walnuts, and Tarragon, served on Carr’s Table Crackers with a taste of Mullan Road Red Blend wine. The dry of the salami and the creamy of the goat paired wonderfully with the red blend! Then, they offered a “Luscious Bite” of Fresh Strawberries, Fig Butter, Candied Walnuts, French Brie Cheese, on Cervasi Bruschette with a pour of Marie De Beauregard Vouvray. Luscious is right! With the perfect food and wine pairing, you’re always in good company. Be sure to look for Vino Pair.
FIND YOUR FAVORITE NEW WINE AT UNCORKED: KC
The next table was like finding buried treasure when we discovered Oyster Bay Pinot Noir from New Zealand – sitting next to our old friend 1000 Stories Bourbon Barrel-Aged Zinfandel from Mendocino County (for 1001 stories, read our “Dubuque Wine Tasting 2016, Day Two”). They say a young Pinot is known for its berries and with the fresh flavor of cherries, we both immediately knew we would seek out Oyster Bay again in the near future. As he poured another round, our wine host talked of New Zealand’s beautiful countryside and deep heritage of wine making. And as he painted that picture, we followed up with 1000 Stories rich delicious bourbon California finish. Through the fruit scents and pepper spices splashed with a hint of bourbon, we simply had to have another healthy dose.
MARIETTA CELLARS: GOOD, INEXPENSIVE RED WINE!
The next table was another favorite winery of ours: Marietta Cellars. I’m already a huge fan of Christo Lot 3 and Old Vine Red Lot 65, but we made a new friend: Arme Lot 3. Feel the cascade of blackberry – then the peppery richness – followed by a dark and winding tartness. If you’re looking for a bottle of wine that will go great with a perfectly grilled steak, buy Marietta Cellars wine – and that’s exactly what we talked with our server (Raymond) about. He was awesome to visit with – and he told us his wife was in the International section pouring Aletalya from Argentina just a few tables away. Sold! We love making new friends and meeting new wines. And vice versa…
TASTE INTERNATIONAL AT A LOCAL WINE FESTIVAL
After several one-ounce pours, the sheer amount of wine and people wine tasting took on a life of its own – much like the organized chaos of a busy ant colony (drinking wine). So I took the lead, blazing a trail for us, passing several other tables (and, yes, many random sips). Like a mountain hiker in search of the summit peak, we soon found Raymond’s wife Meghan pouring La Atalaya Del Camino 2013 from Spain. Imagining that I was filling my canteen at a great waterfall, I saw myself stepping through the cherry colors as she poured for us this blend of Grenache. I now had the wine tasting frenzy – and that’s something I love! See, swirl, sniff, and sip. Wow, that Atalaya is a fresh and smooth bouquet…
FRENCH WINE to LOVe: RHONE Valley to BORDEAUX
Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially staying in the International section for the rest of this event! That’s my thought after one sip of E. Guigal Cotes Du Rhone. Standing in Kansas City at Union Station, tasting a Rhone Valley French wine separated by 5,000 miles and 2,000 years, I’m thinking this is where wine tasting began. Maybe it’s where the world began. This isn’t just wine tasting – it’s life tasting!
Bordeaux is a historically rich, port city along the Garonne River in the southwest region of France. It’s summers are warm and winters are mild making the soil and climate a fantastic location to grow and harvest premium wine grapes. Bordeaux is the world’s major industry wine capital and to taste a Bordeaux is to step into a time machine. Feel the black fruit of the Chateau Tour D’Auron glide along your palette. Treasure the deep garnet of the Chateau Guerry. Savor the blackberry and raspberry truffle of Breca Grenacha and ride the intensity and complexity of Berloa Borsao. Mucho Bella!
TAKE HOME A WINE GIFT FOR A CLOSE FRIEND
Just like the stroke of midnight on a lonely glass slipper, our wonderful time wine tasting at Uncorked: KC had come to an end. Four hours gone in a flash – but not before we danced by the DJ to a Bee Gees mix featuring, “Staying Alive.” Other than chowing down on a grilled chicken rice bowl we scored at the food trucks outside, we had dedicated our focus and passion to the wine and the event.
On our way to the exit, we were lucky enough to visit with three of the most popular local Kansas City wineries: Stone Pillar Vineyard & Winery, KC Wine Company, and KC Wineworks. It just so happens all three feature Wine Slushies – which is the subject of our next post. Stay tuned – and enjoy that wine. Until next time…Ciao!
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