Affordable & Tasty French Wines

When I first started working at Garnet Wines, I was told that Southern French wines outside Bordeaux are not bought much, because American shoppers have trouble grasping what these wines are.  The grape is rarely put on the label, so you pretty much need to know what the region grows.  I'm here to let you know about some of these wines.  They are all affordable.

Vin de Savoie, St Jean de la Porte France, 2011 - Ever heard of the Mondeuse Noir grape?  It grows in Savoy France, and is often blended with other grapes to make wine.  The joy of this wine is that it is 100% Mondeuse Noir.  Light-bodied with lots of delicate flavor, this wine is a treat.  Easy drinking for red wine lovers who want it by itself, with finger food, or with a veal dish.  Only $13 a bottle!

Millegrand, Minervois France, 2009 -  Like many southern French wines, wines from this area are often blends.  This wine is a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, and Mourvedre.  With grapes that deliver so much flavor, you might expect a big wine.  This wine, however, does not sucker-punch you.  Instead you get the Syrah spice up front, and then have a softer finish.  As many "wine geeks" like to point out, wines like this go with more foods because of the blend.  Different foods will bring out flavors from different grapes in the wine.  Best of all, it is also affordable.

Georges 2010, Cotes du Roussillon, France -  Another blended wine, this one has consistently powerful flavor of dark red fruits, fig, from and spice.  A stronger wine than Millegrand, it is also sturdier.  This wine sells quickly, because it is less than $15, but doesn't taste cheap.  It is definitely a good buy.  The wine maker says that he uses grapes from vines that are 60-80 years old that are hand-picked at the Pyrenees foot hills near the Spanish border. 

Mas de Bayle, Gres de Montpellier, France 2007 - If you hear people refer to "big grapes", they're not referring to the size of the fruit, but the size of the flavor.  This wine is made of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre.  There is not a timid-flavored grape in this wine.  From start to finish the flavor is a blend of cooked fruits (not sugary fresh fruit).  This wine could sustain lamb or steak, and has more complexity than many wines made from one grape.  My favorite of the bunch, this is a wine to enjoy as the weather gets colder.

Next: Affordable Bordeaux wines!

Pinot Noir: Side by Side Comparison

Coming out of light, easy summer white and rose wines, Pinot Noir is a good way to ease into red wines as Summer melts into Fall.

Parker Station, Central Coast California, 2010 - This wine lasted me several days, and was good each time.  The color of Pinot Noir is typically a translucent medium-red wine.  This one has more purple than I expected, however it is still translucent.  The aroma contains plenty of red fruits with a pungent edge; and the flavor is a soft blend of red fruits without being sweet.  This wine is recommended with turkey and cranberry sauce, and guess what -- Thanksgiving is coming!  Give it a try.

Bodegas Carrau Pinot Noir de Reserva, Uruguay, 2010 -  A traditionally light red color, this Pinot Noir surprises you by its origins.  "Uruguay?" you ask.  I reply "yes!"  Light bodied with red fruit flavors but acidic with a seductive spicy finish, this wine is Pinot Noir plus!  Be aware, though, that like other light Pinot Noir wines, it is better with chicken than red meat.  Enjoy this wine, it will not disappoint you if you like the Old World Pinot Noir style.

Jelu Estate, Patagonioa Argentina, 2009 -  Although traditionally known for its Malbec, Argentina produces other good red wines, including this one.  A very drinkable wine, it is medium bodied with light fruit flavor and not too much alcohol.  My favorite of the first three Pinot Noirs I tasted for this blog, I would drink this Pinot Noir with pork and other medium-flavored meats.

Joseph Faiveley, Burgundy France, 2010 -  That's right, Burgundy red wines are Pinot Noir wines.  This particular Pinot Noir has a pale ruby red color that hints at its lighter body.  Unlike some light bodied red wines, however, this wine has a lot of flavor and is very balanced.  This wine would be good with poultry and pork.

Next up: unusual regions of France!

Italian Wines, Cheeses, and Meats

As we go into Fall and look toward nice red wines again, I decided to write this review of red wines and their cheese and/or meat pairings.  Once you have an idea of the cheese/meat flavor that pairs with the red, you can imagine what wine you might pair with a dinner using the below tasting notes.

Lagrein, Lindenburg, Alois Lageder from Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy 2006 with Rabiola Musciada and Teleggio cheeses - the wine is a deep red to purple color and smells smoky, woody, and of deep rich red fruits and plums.  The tannins are mild and the wine is a smooth dark cherry with rich dark and smoky flavor.  The Rabiola Musciada is a cow and sheep milk cheese mix, and the Taleggio flavor is strong, made with a wash rind.  Along with those cheeses, the wine would be good with stew.  I really enjoy this wine!

Chianti Classico, 'Reserva di Famiglia' Cecchi, Tuscany, Italy 2005 with Provolone Auricchio - the wine is made from Sangiovese  grapes and the cheese is a quality provolone.  The Chianti is old and oaked, with the age showing in the brick-like color.  The wine smelled savory, woody, and rich, with elegance.  The wine has moderate amounts of both tannin and acid; with sour cherry, plum and wood flavors and a long finish.  The wine pairs well with the cheese, but if you're lactose intolerant, try it with roast beef!

Valpolicella Superiore (Ripasso), 'Campo San Vito', Villa Monteleone from Veneto, Italy and Bresaola salumi - The wine is made from the Corvina, Rondinella, Croatina, and Molinara grapes.  It is purple-red and smells of prune, petroleum, and smoke or oak.  It odor was rich and soft.  The wine had enough tannin and rich dark cherry flavor to pair well with Bresaola salumi meat.  Another pairing option for this wine is more stew.

Brachetto d'Aqui 'Rosa Regale', Banfi from Piemonte Italy and Gorgonzola Dolce - The wine is made from Brachetto grapes, and was both rosy and sparkling.  The aroma was floral and peach, but the wine tasted of sweet red fruits.  When consuming a sweet wine, the pairing choice is to go with salty, spicy, or savory; or a dessert that echoes the wine flavor.  In my case, I prefer not to pair sweet with sweet, so I really liked the cheese with this wine.

American vineyards grow French varietals, but as we know, Italy has some great wines too.  This is review number one for your red wine pleasure!

Rose Wine Review!

What is a summer without trying some new Rose wines?  To close out the summer season, I tried several Rose wines from different European countries, and recorded my notes below.

Vinaluz Rosado 2011 - Vino de la Tierra de Castilla, made 100% of syrah grapes in Spain.  The color was a dark pink to light red wine, and tasted strongly of red fruits.  It had a bit more sweetness than I am comfortable with in a wine.  The winemaker describes the wine as good with pasta, fish, rice, and light meals.  I would go further, and pair it will salty or spicey foods.  The vintner also describes the wine as well-balanced, but it was not dry enough for my preferences.

Domaine Fazi Ile de Beaute, 2011 Corsica, France - A beautiful salmon-colored wine that smelled of strawberry, red cherry, and honey.  While fruity, the wine was dry and lightly acidic, and so smooth.  I liked this wine a lot.  Nice light summer foods such as salmon and other fishes would go really well with this wine.  Call me crazy, but part of why I bought the wine was because of the Corsican flag's symbol that I saw on the bottle. (See left above image)



Vinya D'Irto 2011, Spain - I drank this wine on three separate days, trying to find the food, temperature, and circumstance to make it appetizing.  It mostly tasted like sugar-free cough syrup served cold, and was very tart when it warmed up a little.  The color was a light cough syrup color, and very clear.  I was disappointed in this wine. 

Alto Adige Lagrein Rosato 2011, Italy - This wine returned me to the Rose I have come to love.  It smelled of light red fruits like strawberry, and tasted the same, but was dry.  It is a wine I had to put away before drinking too much, I liked it so much!  It had a light ruby type of pink color to it.  I had this wine with spicy food, fish, and dessert.  I liked it with any summer food!

The last of my Roses, which I decided to save for next year because I can, is a Rose from Sancerre.  With the humidity gone and cool breezes accompanying our 70-something weather, my eye is on lighter reds, to explore them more than I did last winter.  Stay tuned!

Local Wine, Local Cheese

If you have ever been in Western Europe like Chianti country, then you know that a popular cuisine concept is to pair local food with local wine.  With the Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, and Long Island wineries in New York state, Astor wines presented the first attempt at pairing local / regional wines with local /regional cheeses.  Below is what was paired, and my palate's reaction.

Eve's Cider, Van Etten, NY & Old Chatham Sheephearding Co. Camembert from Old Chatham, NY - The cider was bittersweet, made from apples that came from England, France, and the USA.  The cider was nicely dry, and the bubbles were not too big because the cider was made by the "champagne method" (curious what that is?  leave a comment).  On the nose, there was apple, pear, and tropical fruits.  I did taste apple in the cider, and noticed a fair level of acidity.  The cheese was very creamy, very good, and very rich.  In my opinion, the cider's flavor was much too subtle for the cheese.  It wasn't a bad pairing, but not spectacular either.

Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes 2011 & Nettle Meadow Kunik from Warrensburg, NY - The wine had a very light straw color with a tinge of green.  The flavor was crisp with a citrus and green apple flavor.  The Finger Lakes are a cooler climate, which  produces more acidity in the wine, and I also tasted a smooth tangy flavor.  The cheese was made from goat milk and cow cheese, and was tangy and creamy.  The joint tanginess of the pair, and the possibility of the wine's acidity cutting the creaminess of the cheese is probably what brought about this pairing.  I was not crazy about this pairing either, though.  They were okay together, but the flavors of the wine and cheese didn't pop as a result of the pairing. 

Channing Daughters "Scuttlehole" Chardonay 2010, South Fork Long Island, NY & Consider Bardwell Manchester from West Pawlet, VT - The vineyard does things the old fashioned way, hand-picking the grapes and pressing them by stomping with their feet.  The wine was a golden yellow and had a big water line, and tasted very crisp.  I tasted Pineapple, bitterness, and smelled nuttiness.  It was fruity without being sweet.  The cheese was a hard, aged goat cheese and tasted nutty.  The smell of the wine and taste of the cheese both being nutty is probably what caused the pairing, but I thought the cheese was too strong for the wine. 

Millbrook, Tocai Friuliano 2011 from Hudson River Valley, NY & Twin Maple Farms Hudson Valley Red from Ghent, NY - The wine was golden yellow with a big water line.  The grape and region gave the wine a color that is dark for how young the wine is.  On the nose it was earthy with a hint of bitterness, and a little fruity.  The wine tasted savory with a bit of peach and floral flavors.  The cheese is nutty and "beefy", and had a washed rind.  Once again I thought that the cheese was stronger than the wine, but I liked the wine, and would drink it happily with something else.

McCall Pinot Noir 2009 from North Fork, Long Island, NY & Spring Brook Tarentaise from Reading, VT - The wine was oaked in French oak, and was dark red.  It smelled of black cherry, smoky spice, and musty.  I tasted fruit, smoothness, and a hint of tannin.  The cheese was hard, using the alpine style of making cheese.  This was my favorite pairing, and 40 % of the tasters there agreed with me.  The wine alone was very popular, but what made the pairing was that the tannin in the wine was softened by the fat in the cheese.  Similarly, the cheese was easier to like because of the tannins in the wine.

Atwater Estate Vineyards Meritage 2009 from the Finger Lakes, NY & Cabot Clothbound Cheddar from Greensboro, VT - A Bordeaux style wine that is a blend and not permitted to use "Bordeaux" to describe the varietal.  When American wines decided to find a name for this varietal, there was a competition for the new name.  Someone came up with "Meritage" by combining "merit" and "heritage".  The wine is dark red but not inky or purple.  On the nose was smoke, dried fruits, spice, green pepper, and tannin.  I could also taste the tannins and dark red fruits.  If you know Cabot cheddar, then imagine how much better it is if clothbound.  It was another nice pairing.  The wine would also go with grilled and braised meats.  40 % of the tasters also liked this pairing -- again, the tannin from the wine and fat from the cheese cancelled each other out.

Next, I am preparing a Rose wine review!

Long Island Wines!

Everyone knows about the Finger Lake wines, but not so many people know that the North Fork part of Long Island has a number of wineries.  One Saturday I took a wine bus tour that took me to three wineries.  Below are some tasting notes from the wineries.

Pugilese Vineyards

2007 Sparkling Merlot - I thought this wine was okay.  It wasn't juicy and had a lot of tannin, which isn't what I normally expect from a sparkling red wine.  When I want a sparkling red, I'd be much more inclined to buy an Australian sparkling Shiraz!

2011 Pinot Grigio - I haven't tasted much Pinot Grigio this summer, and this wine reminded me of that.  The vintner describes the wine as flavored with honey, apricot, and vanilla.  If this sounds sweet and fruity, it is.  It was not cloying, though, and I bought a bottle to take home.

2007 Cabernet Franc - The vintner describes this wine as softer than Cabernet Sauvignon, with flavors of black cherry.  I tasted deep, dark juices and tannin.  Because of the tannin, this wine would taste best with a a meat or stew dish -- the fats of the meat and tannins of the wine would cancel each other out.  A good pairing!

2009 Late Harvest Gewurtzraminer - Listed as a dessert wine, it was very sweet.  As a person who doesn't like too much of one flavor, I would not drink a wine this sweet while eating dessert.  I would much rather drink this wine with something spicy, but I wouldn't buy this wine anyway.  I really don't like sweet wines.

Duck Walk Vineyards

2011 Sauvignon Blanc - This wine got a gold medal, and with so many to choose from, I wanted to taste a winner!  This wine had an earthy smell and light grapefruits notes.  Of all the whites I've tasted, Sauvignon Blanc seems to be a chameleon ... tasting different every time.  This wine was okay, but I didn't buy it.

Windmill Blush NV - Obviously a Rose wine, this wine didn't have much of a scent, except perhaps a hint of honey.  It is an incredibly fruity wine, not cloying, but still not dry enough for me.

2009 Pinot Meunier - I really enjoyed this wine, and bought a bottle to take home.  The grape is originally from the Champagne region and no one else on the east coast makes this varietal.  I smelled strawberry from this wine, and tasted light spice and tannin. 

2009 Pinot Noir - I am not normally a Pinot Noir fan, but this wine was in their reserve collection, so I was hoping to be pleased.  I smelled spice and earth with red fruits and tasted tannin and pepper in the wine.  The tannin in the wine would pair well with the fats of duck breast or aged hard cheese.  I did not like this Pinot Noir enough to buy it, but I didn't blame the vintner.  I only like one in ten Pinot Noir wines that I taste!

Baiting Hollow Farm

We didn't receive sheets that describe the wines.  Instead, we were told to try the White Satin and Red Velvet blends.  White Satin was made primarily from Merlot but the grapes were pressed without the skins so the wine is white.  Red Velvet is a red wine varietal.  Because these were the "house specialties", and unique to the vineyard, I tasted both.  I liked them and took them home, but was unable to take tasting notes.

Iberian Wines - Spain Beyond Rioja!

Plenty of people know the Tempranillo-based red wines from Rioja, but how many people gave other Spanish wines a chance?  I'm here to tell you about 4 wines from Iberia.

Trabanco "Poma Aura" Sidra 2007 from Asturias - this is not really a wine, but a cider.  Made in northern Spain, the bubbles were created using the traditional (Champagne) style.  [Wondering what that style is? Leave me a comment!]  This cider is low in alcohol, and a blend of apples is used, including crab apple.  The cider was cloudy and had a straw color, and the bubbles were small.  It smelled of honey suckle and apple.  It is a dry cider, with only a touch of honey sweetness and a lilac-tasting finish, with yeasty and mineral tastes in the background.  As you might guess, this cider pairs well with pork loin and apple sauce or pork with sauteed onions.

 Xarmant Arabako Txakolina 2011 from Basque Country - I know, it looks hard to pronounce, doesn't it?  The first word is like the French "charmant" and the last word is pronounced like "tchokolina."  It is a white wine made of different grapes, fermented in steel  and bottled with a tiny bit of carbonation.  The color of this white was a cloudy very light straw, and it had a funky, earthy smell followed by stone fruit and citrus.  Stone fruit means light summer fruits with a big pit like peach and apricot.  The taste was tart, mineral, and salty.  It is another low-alcohol beverage and does not have strong notes (flavors).  It would pair best with oysters or clams, something fresh and light-flavored enough to match the wine.


Vinya D'irto Terra Alta Rosado 2011 from Catalunya - Catalunya is in the Northeast part of Spain, near the French border.  It is made of Grenache grapes that are known as "hairy Grenache" because the grapes' leaves grow with fuzz on them.  The wine smells of strawberry, cherry, and yeast, and tastes like it smells, but is dry.  It has medium body and is acidic.  Some people tasted a bitter finish, but I really liked this rose.  It pairs well with brie, BBQ, and other rich and fatty foods.


Bodegas Ponce "Buena Pinta" Sidra 2009 from Castile-La Manca - from mid-Eastern Spain, this wine comes from one of the only vintners in the region using local grapes.  It is a very dark red to purple wine, and smells of petroleum, acid, and currant.  The wine has a lot of tannin, and is spicy with deep juices, smoke, and anise.  Definitely a wine to drink with food, it would pair well with steak au poivre.  It probably is also better consumed on the second to fourth days after opening, to allow air time to calm down the wine.  Note: this vintner also still uses his feet to press the wine!  A real traditionalist, and only in his 20s. ;-)

Next up: Long Island wines!

White Wine Surprise: A Rare Italian

You might have figured out by now that I experiment with wines.  It is the only way for me to find new wines so that I really know what's out there.  In one of those ways that I surprise myself, I am pleased to inform you about is Bruno Pasquero Roero Arneis 2009 from Alba, Italy.  Alba is in Italy's northern region, and the wine is made from an usual grape known as the Arneis.  So the secret of this wine is that if you know the village name (Roero), the language (Italian), and all the grapes from obscure parts of Europe (Arneis) then you know what to expect.
But maybe you don't right?  That's why I'm here!
This wine is a real treat.  On the nose, you smell how it tastes.  For me, it balances pink grapefruit with peach and is rounded out with a light floral background.  It is wonderful!
Alas, there is none of the 2009 vintage left anywhere except for maybe 5th Avenue of Park Slope.  You can look around for any year after that though.

More articles to come soon!

Unusual White Wines from Around the World

Roncho di Cialli Colli Orientali Del Friuli  2010, Italy - Made from an unusual grape, Ribolla Gialla, the wine is dry, but not as citrusy as the Chardonnays that we get most of the time these days.  Did you know?  When Americans first liked white wines, we imported Chardonnays, sparkling whites, some Sauvignon Blanc wines, and then sweet white wines like Riesling ... and never explored beyond that.  Well I am quickly getting tired of the same old citrus Chardonnay, and I don't like sweet wines.  So this Italian white is a nice, different break from all those wines.  It has the same citrus smell, but the flavor is more floral with a hint of fruit and some citrus.  It has the right complex combination of flavors to suit my palate.  Unlike some simpler white wines, this white wine could be eaten with some heaver fish like salmon, but also with turkey.

Famega Vinho Verde NV, Portugal - Seeking an escape from the citrus of Chardonnay (the oaking trend is over, if you hadn't noticed), I tried this blend of white varietals that the Portugese call simply "white".  On the nose, there are hints of pear and citrus.  On the tongue, it is a very light wine, I tasted citrus but also a floral flavor to balance the citrus.  It was missing the complexity I get from other floral white wines, but I didn't mind so much.  For those thinking about pairing, I'd recommend simple pasta or white fish dishes, but nothing extremely flavorful.  It might be a nice wine to have also with a lemon popsicle or sorbet.  Note: if you think the word "verde" in the name means green, you are correct -- it is referring to picking the grapes when they're not very ripe ... not the wine color!

Les Gras Moutons 2010 -  a  Muscadet made of Melon de Bourgogne grapes from the Loire Valley, I was continuing my exploration of white wines that are not Chardonnay.  Intrigued by the notation that the wine was bottled by the wine maker, the new varietal, and that the wine fermented on the lees (yeast from the wine making process), I tried this wine hoping for flavor.  There was nothing wrong with this wine, but it didn't compare with a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre that I really love.  Note: Interested in my favorite Sauvignon Blanc?  Leave a comment to this blog to ask for its name!

Le Poisson 2009, Tunisia -  Tasting this wine started as a little bit of a joke for me, because wines don't normally put the food pairing on the label like this.  It is a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and the label has a big fish head on it.  In small print, it says "eat fish".  Once I tasted this wine, however, I thought it less of a joke.  In the summer, I probably wouldn't eat it with most fish, because this wine was both tart and fruity, I tasted melon and mild citrus flavor in it.  A lot of fish prepared in the summer have a milder flavor than this wine.  Salmon might survive this wine.  For those of you who have tasted whites and feel somewhat particular, I would say that this wine is not heavy on the oak flavor, nor is it heavy on citrus.  It has more flavor than many Sauvignon Blanc, but does not taste like any Chardonnay I've had either.  If you're not too particular, you might like it.

Special Edition: Pennsylvania Wines!

This month, I was in Pennsylvania for a while, and visited some Lake Erie area wineries.  If you thought that the Finger Lakes and California were the only national wine regions, you have another thing coming!
In New York City, we have Long Island wines, and Virginia produces its own wines.  Lakes provide a great terroire for growing grapes, so it should not surprise you that the Lake Erie region of Pennsylvania produces wine as well.  In that region, I tasted varietals that were new, or something familiar with a new style, which was a great change.
Some of the highlights are below!

Lakeview Wine Cellars Seyval Blanc 2012 - this white had a grassy smell and an earthy taste.  I was not crazy about it, but my friends liked it and we drank it with cheese and fruit, and it paired well with those foods.  The vintners recommended making white sangria with this wine.

Lakeview Wine Cellars Dry Riesling 2012 - not sweet, this white wine is crisp, clean and dry with light citrus on the nose and notes.  I bought this wine to take home.

Presque Isle Viognier NV - this white wine had a light fruit scent and the flavor was balanced between floral and sweet with a touch of tart, which was nice.

Presque Isle Falling Waters 2010 - this white wine was a sparkling white that smelled of apples and was sweet and tart to taste.  I generally preferdrier sparkling wines, but one of my friends liked this wine.


Arrowhead Reflections of Lake Erie 2012 - a blend of Vidal and Chardonnay, this white wine was fruity and floral on the nose, and tasted spicy and citrusy at the same time.  Assuming the Chardonnay provided the citrus, the Vidal intrigues me ... I'd like to taste more of that grape.

Arrowhead Buffalo Blush 2012 - I was a little put-off by the words "white Zinfandel style", but found this wine intriguing.  I smelled flowers and funk in the wine, but tasted rosewater!  Perhaps explaining the novelty, this wine was made of grapes I never tasted before - Buffalo and Steuben.

The wines were perhaps not as complex as a California wine, but there are times when we don't want that -- particularly in the summer!  We all had a good time sampling the wines of Lake Erie, Pennsylvania, and we all bought some wines from these wineries; and for less money than a California wine, too!

Rose: More Varied than You Think!

Rose wines are known for their summer time consumption.  Some people think that its a compromise from red wine, or are afraid of the rosy pink color that is associated with Rose.  The truth is, rose is easy to pair with foods, and comes in many colors and flavors!  Below is a sampling of 12 that I tasted this week.

New York, Pinot Noir, "Anomaly", Anthony Nappa 2011 - A nice brunch wine, this wine is very clear and is the color of light straw with a hint of blush.  The wine has a light bouquet, with bringt, fresh tones of melon, citrus, and apple.  I tasted honey, and a balance between citrus and melon.  The light clean flavor of this wine would pair well with cottage cheese and fresh goat cheese.

Portugal, Vinho Verde, Vera 2011 - Made from young grapes with low alcohol content, this is another good brunch wine.  In this case, the color is red but not as dense or purpley as a red wine.  It is also fizzy.  From this brunch wine, the bouquet is a bright cherry and it has a medium weight in the mouth.  You could also feel the tanin but it was balanced by the juicy red fruit flavor.  A fuller Rose than the last brunch wine, you could enjoy this with a ham omelet!  Yum.

Hamptons Rose, Wolffer Estate 2011 - Another local wine, this Rose had an interesting flavor.  The color is gold-salmon, and it is a very clear wine.  It had an earthy, stone, and yeasty smell but the flavor surprised me with a smoky cherry savory flavor.  It would taste good with fresh fish lightly sauteed with scallops or a salad with fish in it.

Les Baux de Provence, Rose, Mas de la Dame 2011 - a variety of flavorful red grapes were used to make this wine.  It has a peach color and the bouquet was herbal with red fruits.  It had a heavier feel in the mouth, with a strong sour cherry flavor and a bit of tannin.  I really liked this Rose, because it had a lot of flavor without being too heavy for summer consumption.  Like the last wine, it would taste good (on its own or) with fresh fish lightly sauteed with scallops or a salad with fish in it.

Bordeaux, Rose, Chateau la Gatte 2010 -  Made from Merlot and Malbec, this wine is very clear and the color is deep pink and orange.  The bouquet was smoky cherries and a hint of chocolate.  It has very low tannin content and medium weight.  The flavor is rich dark fruits with a hint of wood, and would pair very well with your barbeque meals!  Another yum.


Coastal Region South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Mulderbosch 2011 - Another very clear wine, the color is salmon-pink.  I smelled earthy, over-ripe odors and green pepper.  I learned from this wine that many wines with an off-putting odor may taste just fine.  This wine had medium body, and tasted of ripe, juicy fruit!  FYI, "new world" wines are known for providing fruitier flavors.  This wine had NO finish, so your food's flavor might last longer in your mouth.  Nevertheless, the wine would pair well with simple pizzas, especially those made with freshly made tomato sauce.


Rioja, Rosado Gran Reserva, Vina Tondonia,  Lopez de Heredia, 2000 - Are you ready for this wine?  It will surprise you.  A clear wine made from a mix of grapes from the Rioja region, this wine's color is amber and it is very clear and bright.  When you smell it, though, the surprise begins.  This wine smells like sherry or brandy, with spicy and woody overtones and a hint of vanilla.  You feel tannin when you taste this wine, and the flavor is complex.  It is so complex that there is not one flavor that stands out and defines the wine.  This Rose would pair well with veal, roasted chicken, or smoked pork.  In other words, it doesn't suggest summer like most Roses ... which only proves how varied the varietal really is!

You might have noticed how some of these wines do not specify that they are a Rose.  There are other ways of identifying a Rose, and some names are below.  If the names don't work, eyeball the wine.  If it isn't white or red, and it is summer time, the odds are that it is a Rose.

Name

• Pink white
• Rose
• Rosato
• Rosado
• Blush
• Vin gris
• Clairet / claret
• Oeil de Perdrix

Styles

Dry, off-dry, semi-sweet, sweet

Crisp, light, fruity, robust, savory, lean (not much fruit)

Aussie Wines: Not Just Shiraz!

I hosted this tasting, so I got to choose the wines and the region.  I am on a mission to broaden people beyond Old World wines and Yellow Tail, so I took advantage of a sale of Aussie wines and went with the below wines.  Although Australia is known for Shiraz, and their climate problems have limited production aside that varietal, we found a variety of wines to try.  One woman said these wines restored her faith in Australian wines, which felt good.  A key to finding tasty wines is keeping an open mind to wines of all regions!

Gemtree Vineyards "Monnstone", McLaren Vale 2010 - Made from the Savagnin grape, this is a light white that is not citrus-heavy.  Melon and green apple mix with citrus to offer a nice balanced flavor.  It was a group favorite!


Cape Mentelle Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc 2011- this wine was a combination of limey acid and a bit of honey.  It would go well with anything you'd eat with lime, but was not a favorite.  There was too much lime and not enough honey for most drinkers.

Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2009 - this was a drier-style Riesling, that had a slightly smoky smell and tart finish.  It was not sweet, but was not a favorite.

The Chook Sparkling Shiraz NV -  A surprise for the group, this wine had a chocolate-berry smell but had a tannic fruit flavor.  The wine makers combined different vintages for the best flavor.  For those who have never had red sparkling before, it was a good introduction.  The group finished the whole bottle!


Tatty Road Cabernet Blend 2008 - this wine was predominantly a Cabernet Sauvignon but was blended with other red wines.  It had a great smell, and great velvety feel with balanced flavors.  It had a very strong flavor, so it would probably go well with strongly flavored meat, such as a stew.

Paxton AAA Shiraz Grenache 2010 -  75% Shiraz and 25% Grenache and biodynamically grown, this wine had a fruity smell and nice, spicey flavor without being overpowering.  One woman thought it would taste good with pork chops!  It was a very good appetizing red wine, another group favorite.

Grant Burge Benchmark Shiraz 2010 - a wine with a chocolatey tannin fruit smell, the wine was smooth with a strong tinge of tannin.  It would go well with lamb dishes that have Greek flavoring.

Yalumba Bushvine  Grenache 2007 - another group favorite, this wine had a strong fruit jam bouquet and a tannin, vanilla, and fruit taste. 

Five Sparklings: More Variety Than You Expected

The first thing to know about sparkling wine is that the varietal range is as broad for sparkling as it is for red or white wines.  So if you think that sparkling wine is Prosecco and Champagne, you're really missing the range.  There are white, rose, and red sparkling wines from around the world!  One fact about sparkling wines is that very often vintners will blend vintages to retain a consistent flavor over the years.  Contrary to other wines, sparklings only have a vintage year when a the vineyard had a particularly good year, and the vintner put some of the juice aside for a vintage wine.  Most vintages are blended for the favored consistent flavor.  Sparkling wines with vintage years that are not from Portugal are going to be more expensive, because they are limited-release wines.

Below I am introducing you to five different sparkling wines.

Broadbent Vino Verde 2001, Portugal - a blend of Loureiro, Trajadura, and Arinto grapes, this is one of the best vino verde wines available from Portugal.  It is a very clear pale wine, and "verde" refers to how early the grapes were picked, not the wine color.  I smelled melon and funk (think sweaty sock) from this wine, but tasted a tangy citrus.  Some unusual notes about this wine: the flavor is very light, the alcohol content is very low, the price is very low, because Portugal subsidizes the wine industry, and the wine is made to drink quickly (not age).  These facts add up to a big recommendation: buy it for your hot summer day picnic with salads or sipping while mowing the lawn. But don't buy it for a hearty meal or formal event.

Domaine de Montbourgeau Cremant du Jura, France - Jura likes to produce sparkling wines, and in this case the vintner used Chardonnay grapes.  The color of this wine is a very light gold and I smelled pink grapefruit in the wine.  The flavor was interesting, not at all like a sparkling I am accustomed to from France.  It was not sweet or citrusy, but balanced between the two.  Its a simple wine, and for some reason, I really wanted a young and simple goat cheese with it.  It didn't have much flavor, but it could probably stand up to some baked white fish dishes -- with a light creamy sauce, but not lemon or any grilling flavor.


Lini Lambrusco Rosato 2009, Emilia Romgana, Italy - Once upon a time, America imported sickly sweet and cheap Lambrusco sparkling wines (such as Riunite).  These days, we can find a variety of Lambruscos.  This wine had a fresh smell, like newly cut grass, and light red / pink color with a visible water line.  The flavor was tart and the wine had a lot of tannin in it.  The tannin left a very dry feeling in my mouth, and overall I thought the wine would taste better with food.  Italians would tend to agree with me, as this wine is often paired with a Bolognese sauce, which would balance against the wine well.

Bruno Verdi Sangue di Guida 2011, Lombardia, Italy - produced from less common grapes, Croatina and Rara Uva, the wine had a strong strawberry and cherry smell.  The color was purpley red, and the flavor was like jam -- SWEET cherry with some tannin.  Fun facts about this wine are that it was so popular in the 13th century, that the Catholic church worried about over-consumption.  Therefore, the church named it "sangue di guida", which literally means "the blood of Judas", in order to deter heavy consumption!  If you're not scared off by the name, I'd recommend a pepper steak or spicy food with this wine, so that something with a strong flavor balances the wines jammy taste.

Blanc de blanc Brut Comelli NV, Italy - informally added at the end, information about this wine was scarce.  It was produced from Chardonnay and had a cut grass scent with a hint of yeast.  It is a tart wine that is neither citrusy nor sweet.  It tasted more like Prosecco and Champagne than any other wine this night.  It was my favorite, but I probably still wouldn't buy it; it wasn't as smooth as some cremant sparkling wines I've had, nor did it have enough of the Prosecco flavor that I like. 

More Summer Wines!

Although the tastings are now including hard alcohol, which I am not expanding into, I did find a few more whites to write about for you.  Including an usual French wine, and more notes for the novice!

Bistol Creme NV Valdobbladene Superiore Prosecco DOCG Spumante Brut - this wine name gives you a lot of information before tasting it.  It has no vintage date (NV), which means its a blend of different vintages, it is a prosecco -- sparkling,  DOCG means that it meets high Italian standards for wine quality, and brut tells you that the wine is dry.  I smelled pear in this wine, and it had a medium intensity.  It had a light body, and creamy, small bubbles. It had medium acidity.  I liked this wine, and thought it would go well with chips, cheese, or caviar.

Forsteriter Gruner Veltliner 2010 - from lower Austria, this wine was very pale, a straw color.  It had a powerful citrus aroma, and a full body.  It had high acidity and a long finish.  It is a very refreshing wine with crisp and clean flavor.  It would go well with grilled shrimp, fish, and summer salads.  Anything you'd eat with lemon juice or squeeze lemon onto would go well with the citrus in this wine.  The wine and its food pairings are perfect for your light summer meals on a hot day.

Hugel Gewurtztraminer 2010 - from Alsace, France, this wine had a very young green-yellow color.  It had a faint floral smell, but a full body.  This wine was low in acidity, with a flavor balancing floral and sweet tastes.  It would go well with lightly spicy foods, and stinky muenster cheese.

Notes for the Novice
The following French terms indicate that no sugar was added to the French wine: naturel, extra brut, sauvage.
Extra Sec and Sec mean that the wine is a little sweeter than those with no sugar added.
Demi sec means that the wine is very sweet, and Doux means it is the sweetest wine you're going to get from the vintner!


How to Open a Sparkling Wine Bottle
A sommelier has advised that to open any sparkling wine, you use a towel and aim the cork away from people, pets, and breakable items.  Angle the bottle so that the base rests against your hip, because gases will escape from the bottle well this way.  Then put your thumb over the top of the bottle.  Untwist the cage and remove it.  Finally, grab the cork, and turn the bottle.  Ease the cork out slowly.

Coming up!  A full sparkling tasting, and a rose tasting!  Lots of summer tasting .... MMmmmm!

Summer and White Wines

Just recently, a friend of mine was looking for advice on finding white wines.  It occurred to me that with all the wine I’ve tasted, I have accrued enough notes on whites to provide some guidance on what’s out there, and what key words to use when seeking the white that suits your tastes.  I will begin with a review of some whites, and then provide the key words.

Lageder Pinot Gris from Italy Pinot Grigio - It is a light, young wine that smells of white grapefruit, lemon and lime.  It is a very light wine with a citrus taste and is very acidic.  It’s a great summer wine because its not too sweet or heavy, and it would also go well with summer foods like goat cheese, clams, and oysters.

Babich Chardonnay from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand – this wine is not oaked.  It has a lot of apple flavor, so you know it’s a bit sweet for a Chardonnay.  It would be good with brie or spicy food.

Trimbach Pino Gris, Reserve Personnelle, from Alsace France – this wine also has an apple flavor, but it is much less sweet than the Babich Chardonnay.  It has an earthy finish and is a bit heavier than the above Chardonnay.  It would also go well with brie, but is made to age, which means that the flavor will improve if you buy it but don’t drink it right away.  More complex than the prior wines, it would also taste good with wild mushrooms and veal.

Key words:

Cloying – this means the wine is sweet.  If you hear or see a white being described this way, it means it is very sweet.

Bright, acidic – not sweet at all, there will probably be a citrus flavor.

Oaked – the wine maker decided to complement the flavor using wood.  This often gives the wine a heavier flavor, and it’s probably not a sweet wine.

Mineral – a flavor descriptor often used for certain whites, it’s often easy to miss for stronger flavors.  Often in the finish on the tip of your tongue, you will have a chalk-like flavor.  That’s what they mean.

Notes:

·         The lighter the color, the younger the wine.  Most young wines are not complex and have a strong flavor with little finish.

·         Greener colored wines are youngest, browner colored wines are oldest.

·         Fruit flavored wines are sweeter, citrus flavored wines are drier. 

Special Edition: Putting Syndicate Wine Writers to the Test Part 2

When syndicate wine writers are not being too specific with recommendations, it seems they are being too vague.  Recently I read an article by an author who started-out recommending champagne for pizza (not saying whether extra dry or brut would work better), and then he started to take-back what he wrote, indicating that some red wines would also work.  I was so confused by that writer’s fence-sitting that I never even critiqued his article.

Now this week I read “What to Sip with Your Salad” (http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/05/07/what-to-sip-with-your-salad/?iref=allsearch) and I am struck by the confusion and lack of direction the writer provides.  For green salad with vinaigrette, he recommends two varietals, without mentioning a regional producer.  As any wine drinker knows, a Sauvignon Blanc from France will not taste the same as a Sauvignon Blanc from Australia.  In fact, Australia prides itself on providing an alternative to Old World wine flavors.  You can scoff all you want at France’s emphasis on terroire, but it is true that varietals do not all taste the same.

Then the writer goes on to recommend an Oregon or California Chardonnay or Oregon Pinot Gris for salads with ranch dressing, although the heading of the article section is “creamy dressing”.  So those of us who like creamy blue cheese or parmesan dressings are out of luck for wine recommendations.

Next the writer mentions a salad I never saw on a menu before: frisse-bacon lardons-egg.  He addresses the strongest flavors and elements of this salad – obviously bacon and egg.  For so much flavorful protein, he recommends a light red or crisp rose that have tannins or acidity – or champagne.  Again, the recommendations are too vague to help most people I know.  What’s a light red?  Which varietal would have the tannin or acidity that he recommends?  How can one know what is a crisp rose?  And again I object to the general reference to champagne, when some are extremely dry (brut) and some not.

Finally, for steak salad, he gets specific, recommending a variety of Tuscan Italian red wines without feeling compelled to provide a specific label.  Was that so hard?  I guess so, because this one was only easy for him because apparently he ate this in Italy and was served some Tuscan red wines with it.

As I learn about wine, and what people need to know about pairing it with food, I also learn that wine writers don’t know how to strike a balance between being too specific (naming a label that we can’t find), and being so vague that we are left not knowing what to buy or order in a restaurant.  My mission, as I develop wine knowledge, is to be able to recommend varietals to you without naming the label.  I will, however, recommend regions, because terroire really does affect the flavor of the wine.  Stay tuned!

Testing the Nose

Inevitably, a wine drinker knows more or less the flavors of wine he or she likes, and can identify those flavors in some favorite wines.  For some reason, though, the inexperienced nose has a hard time pin-pointing what it smells in the wine.  In this tasting of only four wines from different regions, I tested my nose by smelling and then describing it to the distributor.  The flavors were interesting too, but a little bit more predictable.  Interestingly, the wine store did not want to provide the label information for these four wines.

Muscadet from Rias Baixas, Spain – this white wine had a very clean and crisp smell, letting me know that it would not be fruity.  Not smelling citrus from the wine, I was not surprised that it was not particularly acidic either.  It was a very clean, balanced white that has enough acid to help digest seafood.  I rarely smell such a mild white wine, and I liked it for its balanced smell and flavor.

Gamay Rose from the California Sierra Foothills – this rose smelled like cheese to me, which is really a rare experience for me and wine.  The distributor was puzzled, but another taster also smelled the cheese from the wine.  The taste was good for a rose, not too sweet, and some spicy reds like Syrah were used to enhance the flavor.  It tasted nothing like cheese, of course.  The inconsistency between the scent and the flavor of wine is of the many things about wine that fascinates me.

Red wine from Rias Baixas, Spain – this wine smelled like wet leaves and compost.  Old world wines tend to smell more earthy than fruity, so I was not surprised to not smell fruit.  But it was the first time I smelled wet leaves.  Nevertheless, the distributor said it was one of the smells that are commonly associated with this wine, so I knew I had a nose like the pros!  It was a medium-bodied red with no particular flavor standing out, and is probably a good table wine in Spain – where wine always accompanies food, and never tastes too strong.

California blend from the Sierra Foothills – this red wine is a blend of Nebbiolo, Syrah, Nourvedre, Viognier and Roussanne grapes.  I smelled floral and fruit scents at the same time, which I have smelled a few times before and find fascinating.  Again the distributor said I smelled what the pros smell, so I was pleased to know that my mind was identifying the scent correctly.  It was another medium-bodied wine to drink with food, not having much flavor despite the Syrah being added. 

Wine tasting is just about flavor for many, but professionals will often look at and smell the wine before tasting; because sometimes looking and smelling can tell you what to expect.  The smelling is often the hardest part, not only because it is moderately subjective, but also because sometimes we can’t put our finger on the smell.  There are many scents that wines have which we don’t normally associate with grapes or wine, and this throws off the taster.  It is always key to take your time, and to let your brain identify the smell.  Then discuss it with others … you may be surprised by what you smell! 

Cabernet Sauvignon: Finally I Like One!

The first thing to know about Cabernet Sauvignon (hereafter fondly referred to as “Cab”), is that it is a Bordeaux grape.  The grape was actually invented by a vintner who crossed Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.  It is a hearty red grape that is fairly flexible about where it will grow and thrive.  It takes on the flavor of the region it was grown in (terroire) and is very tannic because of the large grape seeds.  It is typically grown in Australia, Chile, South Africa, Spain, California, and France.  Cabs do not all taste the same, as evidenced below.

Fiancetto Gravello Loam 2009, Napa Valley, California – this wine was grown in gravelly soil, and the heat retention and distribution that came from the gravel affected the sugar content and alcohol level of this wine.  It is a fairly heavy-bodied wine with red fruit and vanilla smells.  It had a moderate level of alcohol, and had tastes of vanilla, vegetable, plum, and blackberry. 

Los Nevados 2010, Mendoza Argentina – this wine is a blend of cab grapes, and 30% of it was aged for four months in American oak.  Usually cabs are oaked with French oak because the flavor is different, however sometimes New World vintners mix things up a little, to appease different tastes.  This wine had an earthy, vanilla smell with dark fruit overtones, especially cherry.  The taste, however, was tangy, earthy, and tannic – and not very fruity at all.  It has a moderate level of alcohol.

Chono 2009 Maipo Valley, Chile – Chile has a long coastal area, and produces many full-bodied wines.  This cab had a cassis, earthy, and green pepper smells but a smoky flavor.  The tannins were softer in this wine but it didn’t have much fruit flavor that we usually expect from New World wineries.

Marion 2006 Veneto, Italy – a key point about this wine is that it was made in the Amarone style.  In that style, the grapes are partially dried to concentrate the sugars and then are fermented.  It was also oaked for two years, softening its edge.  This wine had a slightly funky smell that turns to vanilla and red fruit on the second sniff.  This wine was smooth on the palate and the tannins are much softer.  The wine had a red fruit taste, including cherries, with raisin at the end.  A delicious wine, it is worth the expense for a treat.

This was the second article on varietals and comparing the same varietal from different wineries, side-by-side.  Varietal tastings will teach you that you probably have a style preference and not so much a varietal preference.  Give it a try!

Special Edition: Putting Syndicate Wine Writers to the Test Part 1

Let’s face it.  There is a lot of wine out there, and without being a sommelier, it is hard to know what you like in your price range, or where to find it.  Many people optimistically turn to syndicated wine writers in hopes of getting a reliable recommendation.  Well guess what … they won’t help you either.  Here’s why: they recommend specific wines and vintages that are not necessarily available to your work or home neighborhood.

To prove it, I took a CNN article, “Tax Day Wines That Won’t Break the Bank” (http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/04/13/tax-day-wines-that-wont-break-the-bank/?iref=allsearch ), and looked for each wine where I work (Wall Street, Manhattan) and where I live (Prospect Heights Brooklyn).  I found none of these wines in either neighborhood.  I bet you’re not surprised, right?  The problem is that wine writing is not what we need it to be.  Wine writing needs to start with you knowing what you like, and being informed about wine regions that produce similar-tasting wines.  Falling short of that, wine writing should not be syndicated at all.  It should be regional writers reporting on wines that neighborhood wine stores actually sell. 

This wine student is here to:

1)      prove that wine writing is not speaking to its readers, and

2)       become a wine writer that guides you to something you can afford, you like, and you can find. 

In the meantime, I am writing about what I taste in the process of learning.  I am here to revolutionize wine writing for the everyday American wine drinker. By the way, next time you read about a wine and you want to know if and where you can find it, try: http://www.wine-searcher.com/!

Stay tuned for more news.

A Malbec by Any Other Name is Not the Same

Malbec is one of my two favorite varietals, so I was excited to go to a tasting of four Malbecs.  If nothing else, a tasting like this will teach you, once and for all, that the taste of a varietal changes from region to region.  I liked only two of the Malbecs that I tasted, and would only buy one.

Stella Rose Malbec 2010 VDP-Comte Tolosan, France – It is appropriate to start with a French Malbec, because contrary to popular belief, Malbec is originally a French wine.  Argentina did not create Malbec.  The grapes for this wine are grown in Cahors and produce a very tannic or bitter wine.  The color was a dark purple and it smelled of “red fruits” such as currant and cassis.  The flavor was very blended, light, and earthy.  It did not have the juicy fruity flavor that people associate with Malbec.  This wine would taste good with pork chops.

Altolandon L’ame Malbec 2008 Manchuela, Spain – Spain does not produce much Malbec, so this was considered a rare wine.  The climate of this part of Spain resembles Argentinian climate, which explains the grape choice for the region.  The wine has an earthy, vanilla, and dark fruit smell but has a bright acid red fruit flavor.  This wine tasted neither like the French Malbec nor like the Argentinian Malbec that most of us know. 

Ilaria Malbec 2007, Napa Valley California – By far my favorite Malbec of the four, this wine had been oaked with French wood.  It had a blackberry smell and a spicy, chocolaty, and dark fruit flavor.  The flavor was so blended that I didn’t spend much time identifying the fruit as much as calling out the spiciness and chocolaty flavor of the wine.  On the down side, this bottle was $42, far more than a decent Argentinian Malbec, and I wouldn’t spend that much on a regular basis.  By the same token, the winery does not produce much Malbec, so the price matches the availability of the wine – thereby preventing a drinker like me from buying too much at once! 

Deumayen Malbec Rserva 2007 Mendoza, Argentina – This wine had a chocolaty, plummy, and alcoholic smell and had a silky, velvety smooth feel in the mouth with a spicy finish.  This was my second favorite wine. The advantage that Argentina has over every other region is that the vines for this grape are quite old – they did not get killed by a pest that other regions experienced.  Argentina therefore produces 50,000 acres of Malbec, five times as many as the French.  They also don’t have the same regulation for growing, making, or labeling their wine as Old World countries, so the vintners have freedom to produce the wine in the way that suits them best.  Consequently, the prices range widely and can suit any budget.

8 Unusual Wines From Around the World

There are seventy wine-producing nations in the world, so none of us can be surprised if we haven’t tasted every wine that the planet has to offer.  I recently tasted some of the more unusual wine varietals, and they came from Italy, France, Croatia, Georgia, Austria, and Greece.

Blanquette de Limoux Brut, Esprit du Sud NV – if you’re paying attention to the name, it gives you some information right away.  It is French, “Brut” indicates that it’s a sparkling wine, and there is no particular vintage year for the wine.  Remember, the only sparkling wine that is called “champagne” comes from the champagne region of France.  This wine came from Languedoc-Roussillon, outside of champagne.  85% of the grapes are Mauzac, and the reason you may not know this grape is that many of the French replaced it with Chardonnay, a more popular grape for today’s wine drinkers.  The wine was not too dry and a little bit fruity, with a heavy syrupy smell.  It’s a very acidic wine, which made it tart, and it tasted like Processo but is drier.  It would pair well with salad, pasta, cheese, and shellfish.  If you’re an adventuresome drinker of sparkling wines, I recommend trying this one.

Timorasso “Sassobraglia”, Fontanassa, Val Borner NV – this is a white wine made from the Timorasso grape.  It had a citrus and floral odor, and the taste was sweet and herbal.  I’m not much of a white wine fan, so it was hard for me to like this one – even though it’s different from any white I’ve ever had.  It would go well with “charcuterie” (ie: sliced sausage and other meats you’d have as a snack), turkey, and salty aged cheese.  The idea is to have something savory to balance the flavor of this wine. 

Ribolla Gialla, Dorigo 2010 – another white wine, this is made from the Ribolla grape in Croatia near the Slovenian border.  It had a cheese and licorice odor, and a good balance between the fruit and dry flavors you get in white wines.  It was highly acidic and tart; which means that lighter flavored fatty foods would pair well with it for an even balance.  Suggested foods are shellfish, cream sauces, and duck.

Cote du Jura, Chateau d’Arlay 2005 – the last white of this event, it had a chocolate-cherry odor and yeasty flavor.  It has high acid, low alcohol content.  It is made from the Savagnin grape in Jura, France and would pair well with rich soup and nuts. 

Lirica, Plavac Mali 2008 – this is a red wine who’s Plavac Mali grapes grew on steep hillsides of Croatia, on the Dalmatian coast.  It had a blueberry and alcohol odor.  It’s a lighter bodied red with high tannin and a dark fruit flavor.  Dark fruit refers to darker red fruits such as cassis, blackberry, plum, and other dark red/purple fruits.  This wine fell flat on my tongue, and didn’t have much of a finish.  It would pair well with oysters and mushrooms. 

St Laurent, Wimmer-Czerny 2009 – this is an Austrian red made from the St Laurent grape.  It had a cherry odor and a plummy, medium bodied flavor.  It was also quite tart, and would pair well with duck, rabbit, or cheese.

Estate Red, Domaine Mercouri 2007 – made from the Greek Refosco grape, I finally tasted a red that I liked.  Although it had a leathery odor, I could also smell dark fruits.  It had a lot of tannin, but was also fruity and acidic.  I think of this wine as one that pairs well with sources of iron: red meat, beets, kale, and liver.  Of all the wines so far, this one would age well because its strong flavor would mellow a little over the years.

Mukuzani, Eniseli 2007 – A Georgian wine!  A real first taste for me; and made from the Saperavi grape, one used in wine ever since the ancient times.  This was another wine with an earthy, leathery, and plummy smell.  It had high tannin and tasted of dark fruits.  The grape’s flavor is so strong that it is usually blended to give other grapes’ wines flavor and color.  This was my favorite wine, and I bought a bottle to take home.  It was also compared to Sangiovese, so I bought a bottle of that for comparison.

Tasting Rioja: Wines from a Region

To begin with, Rioja is a region in Spain, not a grape.  To say that you like Rioja wine is like saying that you like Champagne or Burgundy wines.  Rioja generally runs south of the mountains along a river with moderate climate that is less windy.  It has three regions: alta, baja, and alavesa.  Each region has slightly different climates in which different grapes thrive.  I tried six wines from Rioja.

Muga Rose, Rioja 2010 – This wine was made from the same grapes as a red wine by the same maker, using Tempranillo grapes.  It had a fruit smell and was not overly fruity or dry, it tasted balanced.  It struck me as a good summer “porch” wine, and for those who pair their food and wine, it is recommended for chicken and tapas.

Cerro Anon Reserva Rioja, Bodegas Olarra 2004 – In case you didn’t know, “reserva” means that the wine was aged for three or more years, and kept in oak barrels for at least one year to add flavor.  Tempranillo was the predominant grape in this wine, which had a subtle, blended scent and a dark and dusty flavor.  It is highly acidic, so it would go well with rich or fatty foods.  It was my third favorite wine.

Rio Madre Graciano 2010 – This wine had a fantastic smell that was somewhat floral with vanilla.  It was made with Tempranillo grapes, was aged for 12 months in a tank, and it was oaked for four months in French oak with the yeast it was made from ("lees").  The wine was also unfiltered.  As a wine, it’s a great conversation piece because the vintner obviously was trying very hard to work with the grapes' strong flavor by refining it: aging, oaking, exposing it to the yeast from the fermeting process, and not filtering it all speak to the desire for layering the flavor.  It was not a favorite for me to taste, but it had a great scent!

La Rioja Alta, Vina Alberdi, Seleccion Especial 2005 – This wine was made 100% from Tempranillo grapes.  The wine was made in the traditional style, meaning that the wine maker used older methods in making the wine, to retain the flavor that Spaniards are accustomed to in their wine.  I liked this wine a lot, it was spicy and I just thought “yum” after one taste.  One reason this wine may have been so good is that it aged in the bottle for seven years before it was tasted.  Some wines taste better after aging, even if they just age in the bottle.

Conde de Vademar, Crianza 2006 - In case you didn’t know, “crianza” means the wine was aged for at least two years.  This wine had a fruity smell and a very light flavor, and can best be used as a general table wine for chicken or turkey.  I wasn’t crazy about this wine, and although the below wine had a lot more flavor, the store said that this wine’s style is typical of the vintner’s wines.

Conde de Vademar, Reserva 2005 – This was my favorite wine, and was also the most expensive!  It had a leather and berry smell, and a very balanced and blended flavor.  It is a complex wine that is very acidic – so it too would go well with richer foods. 

A Day of Wine! Learning & Tasting

Today I took a Tasting 101 class, went to a Wine Expo, and then a wine store's tasting.  It was a day of endless exploration and enjoyment, and below I am going to share some highlights.

Wine Tasting 101 Highlights
In addition to learning vocabulary, and the source of the tart and sweet flavors of wine, we were able to ask questions as the class went along.  Below are some pointers any wine drinker could use.

• Which sparkling wine is dry, which is sweet?

Forget your wine vocabulary in this case, it will lead you astray.  Brut sparkling wine is dry, and "very dry" sparkling wine is sweet.  I know its confusing, but a professional from Wine Enthusiast herself shared this information.

• Whats the difference between prosecco and champagne?

 Prosecco is from another region, and is sweeter.  Only sparkling wine grown and made in the Champagne region of France can be called champagne.  Other sparkling wines must go by a different name.  There's no real quality difference, its a matter of taste.

•  What is the deal with oaked wine?

Sometimes vintners taste their wine as-is, and they think it needs a little more flavor.  When this happens, they might store the wine in an oak barrel for a short period of time.  Sometimes French oak is used, sometimes American oak is used -- the decision is based on which oak would accent the wine best.

• Is wine in bottles with cork better than screw cap wines?

"Better than" is completely subjective, and as people in the wine industry will tell you, there really isn't a hard and fast standard to judge by.  That being said, "Old World" (Western European) vintners are traditional and old-fashioned, and prefer corks.  There are problems with corks though -- they can affect the wine's flavor, they can "cork" the wine, making it go bad, and they can break when you're trying to remove them. Finally, cork trees are extinct so its not sustainable practice to use them.  In the alternative, many "New World" vintners are using screw caps or plastic corks.  The wine industry continues to search for a good bottle sealant that is easy to use.

•  Some foods are better than others at cleansing the palette

To really cleanse your palette between wines, use bread or crackers and water.  Cheese is tempting for many wine lovers, but it can leave too much flavor in your mouth and coat your taste buds so that you don't really know what you are tasting. 

Stay tuned for more information from class!

Tips on Wine Expos
My wine tasting class was attached to a wine expo that I went to.  I hadn't been to a wine expo in a while, so I forgot what they are like.  In case you haven't been to one, or can't remember going to one, I am sharing tips for those.

• Have a plan for your tasting

There are many wineries and wines at these things, and they get swamped as time goes by.  It is best to know one of the following:

1. what type you like to taste (ie: Merlot or Zinfandel), or
2. a region you like to taste from (ie: France, Finger Lakes, California), or
3. find a winery that has a lot of wine so you get bang for your buck (not literally)

 The wine expos are swamped and there is going to be a lot of wine that you won't like.  It's true.  If you like sweet wine, and you're not planning your approach, you will taste a lot of dry wines.  Also, you will be waiting behind people who consider it their God-given right to hog the attention of the person serving the wine, so if you're going to fight for your taste, it had better be what you like.  If you don't know what you like, or you are exploring, find a winery that is tasting multiple reds and whites.  That way, your fight through the line will reward you will more tastes.

• Be prepared to ask for what you like

At some wine expos, you can buy a bottle of what you like then and there.  In some cases, though, you need to tell the winery that you want to buy their product, and you need to ask how you can do that.  The scary truth is, very often your local store won't carry the wine yet.  Don't walk out of the event with a list of wines you love without asking how to get them.  You may never see the wines again!

Lessons from a Store's Wine Tasting
I ended my day of wine passion by going to a local wine store's tasting of four wines.  I knew they were giving Syrah tastings, and I like Syrah, so I went.  For the first time, I enjoyed all four wines I tasted in a wine store, including a white wine!  Tonight they tasted three reds and one white, two from France and two from Italy.  Therefore, I knew they weren't from one winery.  My next guess was that they are from the same distributor.  I was told that they are -- Pollaner -- as in, Pollaner jelly!  My take-away from this was that I probably will like other wines that Pollaner distributes, and if so, I may one day be knocking on their door for a job!

Final Tips
This may be obvious to some, but eat and drink water if you have a wine tasting day that's this long.  Otherwise you'll be so drunk you won't remember anything!  You're there to enjoy wine, not abuse it. ;-)

By the time this day of wine ended, I was ready for dinner and a glass of my familiar Argentinian Malbec at home.  Its good stuff!

Wine From Dionysus: 8 Greek Wines

Recently I went to a Greek wine tasting.  Although we normally think of France and Italy when we think of European wine, if we remember the Greek God of wine Dionysus, we realize that Greece probably made and enjoyed wine first.  In this spirit, I decided to try some Greek wines, and share my experience with you.  We went from light whites to strong reds.

1) Mountain Sun White from Semeli
The wine has Moschofiler and Roditis white grapes, and some people tasted lemon and melon flavors.  When I tasted it, my impression was that it had very light flavor, and was neither sweet nor dry.  Other tasters described it as a good "summery porch wine".  This wine might go well with fish, vegetables, white meat, sushi, or pasta with seafood.  My impression was that I wouldn't spend the money on this wine.  It didn't have enough flavor to survive a slice of cheese!

2) Kallisto White Blend from Dom. Mercouri
This white was pleasant and moderately sweet, reminiscent of a good Riesling.  On a summer day, this is the wine I'd have on a summer porch, roof, or front stoop.  Just enough flavor to manage summer foods.

3) Argyros Atlantic White
The most interesting of the whites, this wine is floral, sweet, and dry -- balancing the three in a way that invites you to drink more.  It is a wine from Santorini, and is supposed to go well with white meats or seafood.

4) Agioritiko "Red Stag" from Spiropoulos
My first reaction to this wine is that its a red for white drinkers.  Usually white wine drinkers don't like the strong flavors of red wines ... this red has no strong flavor at all.  It is very light and it should be paired with lighter flavored foods, such as chicken prepared simply.


5) Paranga Red, Kir Yianni
This red wine is grown in the Macedonia region of Greece, and is a blend of Greek Merlot and Syrah.  Some people tasted notes of cinnamon, red fruit, and pepper on the finish.  Other tasters were put off by a very powerful "ick", "barn", or "rotten vegetable" smell of the wine.  The wine itself had a medium body but did not strike me as anything special.  As a Syrah fan, my guess was that there was mostly Merlot in the wine!

6) Xinomavro, Dio Fili Estate
This red wine struck me as soft and subtle, and it was dry with potent tannins.  It was listed as a wine that could age for several years.  Some other tasters thought they'd prefer to let this wine age before opening another bottle.  I liked it as-is.

7) Thema, Ktima Pavlidis
I really liked this red wine.  This red is a blend of reds and has a dark color and strong flavor.  My only comment on this wine was "yum".  Its also among the most expensive of the wines I tried!

8) Thimiopoulos Young Vines Xinomavro
An interesting red wine grown on older vines, I enjoyed this wine too.  Strong and subtle, it has Kirsch-like cherry aromas and delicate tannins.

A lot of local wine stores don't carry Greek wines, but when they do, I'll go looking for a few of these wines.  In the meantime, I'll try some new wines and continue buying Malbec and Syrah!

The Taster vs. The Drinker, and Sulfates

Another thing that I have noticed about wine is that consumers are split into two different groups: tasters and drinkers.
Tasters are people like me, wine lovers who not only like what they know, but enjoy tasting what they don't know.  Tasters enjoy going to vineyards, trying different wines made by different vintners, and hearing what the vintners have to say about the wine.  It is a great way to taste wines that aren't in the stores, that you may never taste again!  Many of the winery's wines are not widely distributed, especially if the winery is small.
Drinkers are the folks who are happy to buy the same bottle for dinner every week, enjoy the flavor, but don't have much interest beyond that.  Drinkers are like the Europeans who drink wine with dinner, although they may not have the experience or expertise that Europeans have with wine.  They just like the flavor of wine, and possibly enjoy the flavor of food more.  Tasters may turn into drinkers, or be both, but I have yet to see a sure and steady drinker turn into a taster.

In my own role as taster and drinker, I went to the Brooklyn winery for dinner one night.  I had a glass of the red "of the day", and a glass of Malbec.  They were both "old world" wines, meaning the grapes were grown in regions that have been producing wine for centuries.  Many people think that the old world wines are better quality, or more complex wines.  Well, this was the first time in years that two glasses of wine gave me a splitting headache.  The first time it happened, I asked around about why some wines would do that.  I was told that sulfates, commonly known as preservatives, were the cause.  Some wines put more sulfates in their wine than others.  Typically vintners assume that the wine will be consumed pretty quickly, so they won't put much sulfate in the wine.  In some cases, however, they won't take that chance.  This is when the wine can cause allergic reactions that vary from mild (headache) to bad (in my case, puffy eyes, red face, and a headache).  The latter has happened twice in my life, and I am grateful to say that few vintners put enough sulfate in their wine to give me such a bad reaction.
So, to all the wine tasters out there -- you have a chance to ask, before buying the wine, about the sulfate content.  To the wine drinkers who are not tasters, if a wine ever gives you a splitting headache, check the label.  Compare the sulfate content in that wine to another wine you've had.  Chances are, there's a big enough difference.  In either case, remember that Tylenol can cure a sulfate headache! 

This blog is for all tasters and drinkers out there who are curious about or interested in wine.  In my next article, I may write about a tasting!

What Your Favorite Wine Has in Common with a Snowflake

We've all heard about the proverbial uniqueness of a snowflake.  And on a good day when we're proud of human diversity, we smile about how each person is also like a snowflake.  But did you know that your favorite wine is also like a snowflake?  Most people know their favorite wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon), and might even have a favorite winery -- and buy that wine all the time.  This provides the comforting illusion that the wine you enjoyed last night with last night's bottle is a wine you can enjoy again.  Well, I'm here to tell you that after talking to some gentlemen in the wine business, my suspicions about this illusion were confirmed.  You can not repeat the experience of a bottle of wine from one night to the next.  You may come very close, so close that you can't tell the difference, but it is not the same wine!

Let me back-up for you though.  Let us begin with just your favorite wine type: a Riesling, Merlot, or whatever you favor most.  You may have noticed that different regions produce wine made of the same grape.  You have probably figured out that, for example, a French Cabernet Sauvignon does not taste like a California Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wine is produced in territories, and just like any other fruit, the grapes from one territory doesn't taste like grape from another territory.  The soil, climate, and altitude of where the grapes grow are among many of the factors that affect a wine's flavor very early in the life of that wine.

Okay, you may be thinking, that makes sense.  Perhaps you're thinking about some exotic fruits, and how they can only be grown abroad, and shipped here.  After the grape of your favorite wine is grown, it is picked and turned to wine.  So, so many factors enter the equation for this long process.  How long is the wine stored before it is bottled?  In how many barrels?  What kind of wood is the barrel made from?  Where are the barrels stored?  How many preservatives are used?  The list of affecting circumstances go on and on for the average unblended wine.

If you find you are in love with a wine blend, such as a Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon blend, or even a blend of three or four wines, then the life of each type that is blended brings with it a complexity that most consumers don't really contemplate.  The flavor of each individual type depends on its own history, and then the flavor of the blended wine relies upon how well each type of wine gets along with the others.

All of this exciting and unpredictable flavoring occurs only in the barrel.  But even after a wine is bottled, its flavor can vary from one bottle to the next!  Never mind that it came from the same barrel, each bottle has its own experience.  Each bottle has its own history with the winery, its transportation to the distributor, how it is stored there, its transportation to your store, and how the store keeps the bottle.  After all, altitude and temperature affect how well each bottle of wine lasts until you open it.  As if those were not enough variables, if a cork is used, it, too, can affect the wine's flavor.  Twist-caps may be easier to handle, but still remove some favorable variables that corks have provided to wine for centuries. 

Wine flavor is complex, subtle, and variable.  A wine's history, just like a person's, is key to how it turns out at different stages of its life cycle.  The flavor can even vary from one glass to the next, coming from the same bottle.  Until the wine is consumed, it is a living, changing entity that is sensitive to every experience it goes through. 

Wine is just life a snowflake.  If you use that simile with someone in the wine industry, they might laugh at you.  But if you ask them, does each bottle taste the same, and they are being honest, they will say no.

This blog is an introduction to my new blog on wine, wine tasting, and learning about wine.  Stay tuned for future articles!