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!
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
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!
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!
Thursday, October 4, 2012
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!
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!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
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!
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!
Friday, August 31, 2012
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!
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!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Long Island Wines!
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
Monday, July 30, 2012
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!
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!
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