I had read about Max's Wine Dive but this was my first time to visit. Arriving by 5:45, I found the place pretty empty. It was, however, a Tuesday. I took a seat at the bar to review the menu and get the feel for the place. Loved this flag on the wall:
I immediately noticed that one of my favorite wines, Cedar Knoll, was on the wine list. I NEVER find this wine in Dallas. Yes, I was now impressed. You can read my review of Cedar Knoll and its winery, Palmaz, here.
As the event began, the place started to fill up with diners. There was a large party of some sort that began to gather in the back. By the time I left, the place was rockin'. (Did I mention it was a Tuesday?) Andrew Chalk from CraveDFW was there with his lovely wife to participate in Wine Wars. His review is here.
The crowd was a mix - 20 somethings up to couples in their 50's. The menu looked terrific - chicken, some macaroni and cheese dish that likely caused me to gain 5 lbs simply by reading the description, a fried egg sandwich, shrimp and grits. I made a mental note to come back for dinner ASAP. (NOTE: They serve brunch on the weekends and the menu looks phenomenal.)
Wine Wars is held every other Tuesday beginning at 6 pm. 8 wines are up for a blind tasting - 4 white and 4 red. Each participant chooses their favorite red and favorite white. Winning wines advance to the next level the following week.
Not being the great lover of white wine, I still took my job as "judge" seriously. We started with a fruity white that I mistook for a Sauvignon Blanc. It was dry, crisp and perfect for a hot Texas day by the pool. I was ready to buy a case. This wine was actually a French Marsanne/Viognier blend made exclusively for Max's. You can buy it to drink there or take some home. It's called Chez Jerome and my recommendation is to BUY.
White wine #2 was a tart Sauvignon Blanc (got it right this time). I think it was called New Harbor. Not my favorite but pretty good.
White wine #3 was a Russian River Valley Chardonnay out of Sonoma that was not too buttery. Not being a Chardonnay fan, I could drink it if it was the only option I had. This was the Newton Chardonnay.
White wine #4 was a super buttery California Chard that I couldn't drink. My least favorite wine in the world so it's not even fair for me to review it. One sniff and I new exactly what it was and that it wasn't for me.
I voted for white wine #1.
Next up - RED WINE!
Red wine #1 was a tricky one. It turned out to be a Cabernet/Merlot blend called Retrospect but I did not recognize it as a Cab. Unusual wine but dry and I liked it.
Red wine #2 was a jammy wine much sweeter than wine #1. Several of the judges really liked it. It was revealed to be Rare Vineyards Syrah.
Red wine #3 was immediately identifiable as a Syrah. It turned out to be Cotes du Rhone Syrah/Granache blend.
Red wine #4 fooled me. I wrote "Cab?" but it was actually a Zin. I was surprised because I love Zin and this just didn't grab me. It's called Guard Shack Zin.
I would highly recommend that the Dallas folks consider attending Wine Wars one Tuesday evening. Check the website for dates and ticket information. At $15/person, it's a great deal.
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