When we arrived at the quaint little town of Solvang (which I promptly fell in love with), we stopped at the visitor's center. The gentleman behind the desk was extremely helpful in giving us some suggestions on which tasting rooms to try. One that he suggested (if we liked fun wines) was Sort This Out Cellars. We do like fun wines and a good time, so we headed there first. Oh my gosh. I knew immediately that I loved the place, with it's funky vintage decor. According to their card they produce limited production wines, inspired by Vintage Vegas. They have live oldies and rockabilly music every Friday and Saturday night. Best of all they have a wine called Oh My Gosh Grenache. I think I may have said, "I've found my people."
Yes, it's all fun and games, but what about the wine. It was good. Very good. According to my notes, I especially love the Scratchpad Chardonnay. The tasting was $10 and included six wines. According to my notes, I liked it all, so here is the information from the tasting sheet:
We opened with Scratchpad Chardonnay 2011, retail $19. Your chance to be creative is in front of you. Grab a glass, a pencil, and go for it. This scratchpad label is your own canvas to express yourself and inspire the world. Sketch it, snap it, post it. Fruit forward, stainless steel aged, bright and crisp. Perfect with your favorite summer salad or fresh fish right off the grill.
Next was Holiday White Wine Blend, 2011, retail $19. Q nice white wine blend that will satisfy all your Holiday guests at your family gatherings this season. Great as a starter with appetizers or with salads and light fare. Our cute and sexy Christmasy/pin-upy label also makes a great gift.
Then a "Suited" Merlot, 2011, retail $21. A great daily drinker, we'll take the odds that you'll enjoy sipping this exciting wine with good friends. Rip fruit flavors and smooth tannins make this an excellent choice for casual foods and parties and is just at home on the poker table as the dinner table. Contemporary pinup model Candace Campbell graces the label.
Next, "Dead Zed's Chopper" Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012, retail $30. This wine and bottle is dedicated to our favorite local rockabilly band - Dead Zed's Chopper. Smooth, earthy, plum and dried cherry all come to mind while this wine takes a roll around the pallet. Each bottle comes with a QR code right on the back that directs you to a page where you can download their new album "A Good Day to Die."
Then, "Suited" Mourvedre, 2011, retail $38. Deep black and red fruits show nicely against the smooth oak tones that produce a vanilla finish that amazes. Sexy, sleek and sensual and that goes for the wine AND label!
Last, "Solvang" Moscato, 2012, retail $19. Not your typical dessert wine by any means. reat for hot summer days, refreshing and light - not syrupy, this Moscato shows beautiful lemon, orange, and honey flavors. The label is dedicated to the home of our tasting room - the Danish town of Solvang. Now you can bring a gift back for that special someone instead of a shirt that says "so and so went to Solvang and all I got was this crappy t-shirt."
We completely enjoyed the wines and the vibe of the place. So much so, that we joined their wine club! They were very nice and packed up our order and even held it for shipping until we finished our vacation.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
I loved the review. I'm not a wine girl at all so I love learning more!
Sippitysup says
I get to Solvang often. I'm glad you told me about this wine because I'll admit that name would have put me off had it not come high recommended. GREG
Julie Mogler says
Isn't Solvang the cutest town? We were there last year at Thanksgiving. I'm sorry we missed this winery. I love their slogan. We did visit several unique and fun wineries. Merry Christmas!
Pam Greer says
I loved Solvang!