There are certain areas of the wine world that just don’t get the attention they deserve. It’s not a complaint. On the contrary, it’s a good thing. These are areas that offer up incredible wines for amazing prices. Areas like Abruzzo in Central Italy, pretty much all of Portugal and many areas of Spain are overlooked for more well-known counterparts. Abruzzo stands in the back of the line to Tuscany’s Chianti, most people only think of Portugal when they think of Port and when asked about a Spanish wine, the reply is usually Rioja. Just like Italy has more to offer than Chianti (or Barolo and Amarone) and Portugal abounds with delectable table wines, Spain’s wines are more than Rioja and its famous Tempranillo grape.
We’re headed to the northeast section of Spain in the Calatayud region where Garnacha (aka Grenache, Cannonau) is king. The Stylo Old Vines Garnacha from the Calatayud region is an exceptional wine for only 11.50. It has an intense ruby color with violet hues. The aromas are of fresh fruit and dark berries. The wine is well-balanced and offers the palate an array of flavors from start to finish. The finish is full and lingering almost giving you pause for thought. The Stylo Old Vine Garnacha is made by Bodegas Agustin Cubero, which was founded in 1953 and has maintained strong family traditions since then. The wine producers live with and pamper the vines and wines giving you an amazing product to pour in your goblet.
Mainly known as a Rhone varietal and famous for what it does to Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines, Garnacha has a long migration story. It starts in Sardinia where the Cannonau grape definitely originates and continues to Spain when Sardinia was under Aragon rule then continues northward into and over the Pyrenees and eventually westward towards the Rhone Valley – at one time or another these regions of France where also under Aragon rule. Here we are today able to enjoy a grape that has such a long history.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
This Time of Year Splurge On Your Friends
I put together a small holiday gathering inviting some close friends who also enjoy good wine. It's that time of year when splurging on your friends is the thing to do; especially those who you know will appreciate the splurge. On the table, I had pasta with homemade tomato sauce sprinkled with Julienne zucchini and yellow squash; homemade bread baked with fresh rosemary and sweet marjoram; homemade cheese straws; homemade cookies – the only thing not homemade were the French cheeses on the cheese platter and the chocolate covered potato chips from Neiman Marcus (these are fantastic!). I wanted to showcase the care I had taken with the fresh ingredients and the time I had put into making most of the food myself. How to do that? With wines that are remarkable on their own as well as with the given menu. I offered my guests two wines: the white was the Haan Viognier from Australia (about $25) and the Bokisch Graciano from Lodi in California (about $32). Besides the price points – something we always look at – these wines are special because of the care the wine makers took with them and the limited quantities available.
Viognier is a rarity in Australia with Haan as one of the first to plant Viognier on the Barossa floor. The wine has a concentrated straw color with rich tropical fruits. On first taste, you get a mouth full of apricots and pears and a medium-bodied weightiness that makes it a perfect pair for cheese straws and a platter brimming with a variety of creamy and aged cheeses. Although I am not 100% sure of the production quantity, suffice it to that Haan has only nine acres planted to Viognier.
The weather in our part of Florida had finally turned cool and everyone was looking forward to a warming, bitey red. Bokisch Vineyards produces organically grown wines and specializes in Spanish grape varietals working with Graciano, Tempranillo, Garnacha and Albariño. The Bokisch Graciano was a hit! This wine was inky dark and robust. We did have to decant and let it aerate for about an hour. The aromas of dark fruit and spice were intense even after decanting. As the night wore on and the wine continued to aerate, it only got better. The earthy richness was followed by smooth tannins and a lingering finish. It was evident in the glass and on the palate that the wine had some wood aging – 16 months in French oak barrels, 40% new, to be precise. There’s a small percentage of Tempranillo but the wine is definitely a fine example of what Graciano has to offer in the New World. With only 248 cases produced, I thought it was definitely a splurge to share this particular wine with my friends for the holiday season.
Viognier is a rarity in Australia with Haan as one of the first to plant Viognier on the Barossa floor. The wine has a concentrated straw color with rich tropical fruits. On first taste, you get a mouth full of apricots and pears and a medium-bodied weightiness that makes it a perfect pair for cheese straws and a platter brimming with a variety of creamy and aged cheeses. Although I am not 100% sure of the production quantity, suffice it to that Haan has only nine acres planted to Viognier.
The weather in our part of Florida had finally turned cool and everyone was looking forward to a warming, bitey red. Bokisch Vineyards produces organically grown wines and specializes in Spanish grape varietals working with Graciano, Tempranillo, Garnacha and Albariño. The Bokisch Graciano was a hit! This wine was inky dark and robust. We did have to decant and let it aerate for about an hour. The aromas of dark fruit and spice were intense even after decanting. As the night wore on and the wine continued to aerate, it only got better. The earthy richness was followed by smooth tannins and a lingering finish. It was evident in the glass and on the palate that the wine had some wood aging – 16 months in French oak barrels, 40% new, to be precise. There’s a small percentage of Tempranillo but the wine is definitely a fine example of what Graciano has to offer in the New World. With only 248 cases produced, I thought it was definitely a splurge to share this particular wine with my friends for the holiday season.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
From the Garden of France
The holiday season is upon us and it’s the most popular time of year for sparkling wine. Notice I didn’t say champagne. Champagne is a sparkling wine but not all sparkling wine is champagne. Only wine that comes from the Champagne region of France can be called champagne, otherwise, even if it’s made in the Méthode Traditionnelle, it is sparkling wine. That said, it’s the best time of year for all manner of sparkling wine. Parties, dinners, celebrations, ringing in the New Year all these occasions call for the festive flavors (and look) that sparkling wines impart; none more so than the Domaine Thomas Touraine AOC Sparkling Rosé.
The Touraine region encompasses two of the best known Loire Valley appellations - Chinon and Vouvray - and is dotted with great châteaux from bygone regimes. The area produces red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. For white wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are the preferred grapes while red wines are made from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. (Note: There is some Malbec and Chardonnay also grown in the region as well as Pineau d'Aunis, which is heavily scented and lends spice to red wines.) Rosé may be made with Gamay or either of the Cabernets.
Thomas Yves & Eric Touraine AOC Sparkling Rosé (20.50)
The Domaine Thomas Touraine Sparkling Rosé is made with Gamay in the traditional champagne method and features a vibrant pink color that seems joyous just being in the glass. The nose is gentle yet complex with very light raspberry flavor. There’s a fresh acidity in the flavor that comes through when each little bubble bursts on the tongue. Serve chilled as an aperitif or with dessert. Can also be paired with appetizers, such as sushi rolls or mini-quiche, to bezazz your holiday soiree.
The bottle makes a beautiful presentation as a gift, the glass makes a beautiful presentation for a toast and the wine makes a beautiful presentation on the palate: what more could you want from a sparkling wine?
The Touraine region encompasses two of the best known Loire Valley appellations - Chinon and Vouvray - and is dotted with great châteaux from bygone regimes. The area produces red, white, rosé and sparkling wines. For white wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc are the preferred grapes while red wines are made from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. (Note: There is some Malbec and Chardonnay also grown in the region as well as Pineau d'Aunis, which is heavily scented and lends spice to red wines.) Rosé may be made with Gamay or either of the Cabernets.
Thomas Yves & Eric Touraine AOC Sparkling Rosé (20.50)
The Domaine Thomas Touraine Sparkling Rosé is made with Gamay in the traditional champagne method and features a vibrant pink color that seems joyous just being in the glass. The nose is gentle yet complex with very light raspberry flavor. There’s a fresh acidity in the flavor that comes through when each little bubble bursts on the tongue. Serve chilled as an aperitif or with dessert. Can also be paired with appetizers, such as sushi rolls or mini-quiche, to bezazz your holiday soiree.
The bottle makes a beautiful presentation as a gift, the glass makes a beautiful presentation for a toast and the wine makes a beautiful presentation on the palate: what more could you want from a sparkling wine?
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