February, 2010 has come to a close. March brings spring which leads to BBQ’s, running outdoors and most importantly, trips to God’s country – Walla Walla, Lake Chelan and Woodinville. The short month of February saw nearly 1000 tweets, 27 posts and 21 wine reviews.

DrinkNectar is proud of the following in February:

• Participating in a local Social Media forum
• Top Ten listings at Post Rank for Wine Blogs
• Mention in Wine Enthusiast Online as most engaging wine blog

Below are some of my favorite tweets from February. With the closing of the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver – these are the gold medal winners of tweeters!

Wines of the Month

Best Value Under $15

2006 Kiona Lemberger

While I didn’t formally review this wine, I did have an impromptu visit with JJ Williams (aka 1EyeWineGuy) during a recent trip to Costco. A bottle of Lemberger was in my future.

• The Stuff: 100% Estate Lemberger from Red Mountain AVA Kiona Vineyards
• The Swirl: A dark strawberry color that was about 50% translucent. Muted jewel tones
• The Sniff: Bright strawberry and cherry with moderate earthiness and minerality
• The Sip: A sweet wash of cherry, vanilla and some cola flavors. The wine is sweet and soft with more substance on the back end with some spice and tannin
• The Score: At just $11 this is easily a 4 (out of 5). An incredible value for a wine that provides a variety of flavor

*Runner-up 2008 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling $6 – Reviewed Here

BEST WINE

2004 Croze Cabernet Sauvignon – Reviewed Here

• The Stuff:100% Napa Valley Cabernet, 42 months in oak, 13%ABV, 637 cases made 
• The Swirl: Nice dark rust colored plum with a little translucence (almost see to the bottom of the glass)
• The Sniff: I never wanted to stop smelling this wine. Floral perfume kissed me first, then gentle bright blueberry and strawberry aromas held hands and skipped through my nose. They were followed up by some mellow vanilla notes. This is the kind of wine scent you wish for in every bottle of Cabernet!
• The Sip: Definitely does not disappoint – The fruit is soft and supple like a long slow French kiss. The passion builds as some spicy pepper jumps in. The finish is super balanced and longs with enough tannin to keep the wine strong with food.
• The Score: At $35 this is a 5 (out of 5) wine for me. I love the complete package and would definitely buy this bottle again.

*Runner-up 2007 Arbor Crest Cabernet Franc

Random Favorite Highlights from February

The Post that Made Me Spit Wine Out of My Nose – Wine Bloggers Bite the Big One: This post from @DirtySouthWine (aka Hardy Wallace, aka NPAHardy) was in response to recent allegations that wine blobbers are a bunch of uninfluential, wine whores railing against traditional media and seeking free wine. This amazing post will have you laughing from poop to chainsaws.

Best Wine Event: #CaliCabs on February 11 brought over 50 California Wineries and hundreds of tweeters together with one common purpose. Promoting California Cabernet! The event was spearheaded by @RickBakas in the traditional grass roots method. If you liked #CaliCabs you’ll love #SauvBlanc on March 4.

Best Wine Picture (tie) – This cute Valentine’s Day tweet came from @SeattleWineGal depicting love in the form of two wine bottle openers.

@SuppleWine makes the list for the second month in a row, this time for his Wine in the Wild series featuring Super Model Julie Ordon and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Best wine quote: “A wine so delicious my tongue wanted to make love to my tonsils.” – From @goodgrape from a February 11 post.

Best Social Media Post: This is such a difficult category because so much good stuff comes out each month. I went with a presentation by @lunabeanmedia to a group of Walla Walla wine makers! Social Media for Wineries

Best Blog Feature: Sean Sullivan from @WaWineReport contributes a weekly labor of love for Washington wine enthusiasts. Only one stop is needed to stay “in the know” for everything pertaining to Washington Wine. Washington Wine Round-Up

DrinkNectar Most Viewed Post: Wine Ripped off and Ticked Off (60+ comments) – A look at the horrible wine practices of restaurants and their 400% mark-up, uninspired wine lists and crappy wine glasses.