Saturday, May 31, 2008
Become A Wine Tourist This Summer
The dollar is down and the idea of spending an idyllic springtime in the rolling hills of Tuscany is questionable. Even if you get a reasonable airfare rate, you still have to consider that the dollar is losing against the Euro. Those stories about the great bottles of wine for only $2 or $3 have faded into the past much like the stop at the currency exchange window each time you arrive into a new European country. But there is still a place you can go where the mountains loom in the background and the ground undulates with the contour of the hills; where the land is rich with history and the people boast of conquerors and liberators; best of all, where a dollar can still get you an unforgettable vacation. The place is Chile. Located along the Pacific Ocean, Chile stretches 4,265 km (2,650 miles) from north to south but averages only 177 km (110 miles) from east to west and boasts myriad of climates and topography. Within the boundaries of this long, thin country lies the world’s sixth largest wine producer. Chile’s location is an ideal one; its deserts, mountain ranges and ice packs have made it impossible for most of the world’s grape eating predators to penetrate the land. Therefore, Chile uses little if any pesticides in the farming of the vines. Land is still inexpensive and labor relatively cheap (yet, literate). Chiles’s wine industry is based on the “Big Four” Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon but in recent years, has also cultivated Pinot Noir, Syrah and even Zinfandel. All of this and the fact that it resurrected the Carmenere grape make Chile a fascinating place to become a wine tourist. Fly into Santiago and from there wine country is only an hour away. Rent a car and do it your way or book a wine tour through the Curacavi and Casablanca Valleys – these would be the equivalent of Napa & Sonoma. Many of the easiest tours to take will have you tasting wines at the Cousiño Macul Winery, Chile’s oldest established in 1856, within a few hours of departing your hotel’s front door. Before setting sail around Cape Horn (metaphorically speaking), try some of these fascinating Chilean wines to get acclimated to the hemisphere change. The Casa Diego Carmenere 2005 (6.50) is a true testament of Chiles’s ownership of the Carmenere grape with blackberries, raspberries and green peppers on the nose and palate. Terra Mater “Mighty” Zinfandel (29.99) has notes of dark chocolate and dried dark fruits: the palate is full and lively with zesty tannins. This Zinfandel gives a run for its money. If you would like more facts about Chile and its wine industry, visit chile-travel.com or e-mail me at cecelia@uncorkedwines.com.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
A Memorable Wine for Memorial Day
It’s coming up on Memorial Day weekend. It is America’s unofficial start to the summer: depending on where you live, you’re ready to dust off the grill and get the outdoor season started. What better way to celebrate than with American wines. Thomas Jefferson would be proud of the progress we’ve made with our viticulture – not only with European grape varietals (vitis vinifera) but with native varietals (vitis labrusca and vitis rotundifolia). This is the perfect weekend to become a wine patriot.
If you’re one of those who knows all there is to know about Napa and Sonoma, then this is the time to expand those horizons and get into a different state of mind altogether with Oregon, Washington, New York, and others. At the very least, move down the coast a bit to the Central Valley and experience new grape varietals and wine making techniques.
Let’s start with this lovely red that I happen to be enjoying as I am writing this – Viña Robles Red4 2005 from the Huerhuero Vineyard in Paso Robles. When first brought to my attention, it was poured as part of a blind tasting. It was a proud day for my nose and palate as they as they immediately picked out the Syrah and the Petite Sirah; although these two grapes make up 66% and 25%, respectively, so it wasn’t that difficult to discern them but the next two grapes were a bit trickier. The Viña Robles Red4 also has Touriga Nacional (7%) and Tannat (2%) blended in – this is where the Sommelier pride takes over. Yes, I was able to pick them out. But why add these two grapes in such low quantities to a wine that no doubt already has big flavor from the two main grapes? Let’s start with the Tannat; although it is a mere 2% of the wine, the grape varietal offers lots of depth and tannin, hence the name. For a wine made from Syrah and Petite Sirah, this addition makes the difference between the typical fruit-bomb where all the flavor is up front and nothing is offered in mid-palate to a well-rounded wine with substance on the mid-palate and a memorable finish. Tannat originates in southwestern France but is fast becoming THE grape varietal of Uruguay where, in its 100% form, it pairs perfectly with the local beef.
Touriga Nacional is one of the grapes used to make Port wine. No, the grape is not sweet; Port goes through a process that makes it sweet. The Touriga grape lends the Red4 floral aromas, specifically violets, a racy acidity that gives the wine structure and a silkier finish. Originating on the Iberian Peninsula, Touriga is becoming an international grape due to its deep color and violet aromas. You will also find notes of vanilla in the wine, a result of the 14 months spent in French and American oak.
Viña Robles is located in Paso Robles in California’s Central Valley and limits the production of their wine to ensure quality and value; there were fewer than 2,200 cases of the Red4 2005 produced. It is a family-owned winery working with a wide range of grape varietals from the well-know like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to the getting known like Viognier and Petit Verdot to the unknown like Touriga and Tannat.
Grab a bottle of the Red4 this Memorial Day weekend and pair with whatever you are grilling. From burgers and BBQ ribs to grilled veggies, this wine will enhance those charcoal or wood flavors that grilling brings to food. Also good with pizza, pasta with rich red sauces or just enjoy a glass like I did. You should find the Viña Robles in your locally owned, independent wine store for about $14.50. If you have a hard time locating a bottle of this interesting and tasty wine, give us a call at Uncorked (727.892.9463).
If you’re one of those who knows all there is to know about Napa and Sonoma, then this is the time to expand those horizons and get into a different state of mind altogether with Oregon, Washington, New York, and others. At the very least, move down the coast a bit to the Central Valley and experience new grape varietals and wine making techniques.
Let’s start with this lovely red that I happen to be enjoying as I am writing this – Viña Robles Red4 2005 from the Huerhuero Vineyard in Paso Robles. When first brought to my attention, it was poured as part of a blind tasting. It was a proud day for my nose and palate as they as they immediately picked out the Syrah and the Petite Sirah; although these two grapes make up 66% and 25%, respectively, so it wasn’t that difficult to discern them but the next two grapes were a bit trickier. The Viña Robles Red4 also has Touriga Nacional (7%) and Tannat (2%) blended in – this is where the Sommelier pride takes over. Yes, I was able to pick them out. But why add these two grapes in such low quantities to a wine that no doubt already has big flavor from the two main grapes? Let’s start with the Tannat; although it is a mere 2% of the wine, the grape varietal offers lots of depth and tannin, hence the name. For a wine made from Syrah and Petite Sirah, this addition makes the difference between the typical fruit-bomb where all the flavor is up front and nothing is offered in mid-palate to a well-rounded wine with substance on the mid-palate and a memorable finish. Tannat originates in southwestern France but is fast becoming THE grape varietal of Uruguay where, in its 100% form, it pairs perfectly with the local beef.
Touriga Nacional is one of the grapes used to make Port wine. No, the grape is not sweet; Port goes through a process that makes it sweet. The Touriga grape lends the Red4 floral aromas, specifically violets, a racy acidity that gives the wine structure and a silkier finish. Originating on the Iberian Peninsula, Touriga is becoming an international grape due to its deep color and violet aromas. You will also find notes of vanilla in the wine, a result of the 14 months spent in French and American oak.
Viña Robles is located in Paso Robles in California’s Central Valley and limits the production of their wine to ensure quality and value; there were fewer than 2,200 cases of the Red4 2005 produced. It is a family-owned winery working with a wide range of grape varietals from the well-know like Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to the getting known like Viognier and Petit Verdot to the unknown like Touriga and Tannat.
Grab a bottle of the Red4 this Memorial Day weekend and pair with whatever you are grilling. From burgers and BBQ ribs to grilled veggies, this wine will enhance those charcoal or wood flavors that grilling brings to food. Also good with pizza, pasta with rich red sauces or just enjoy a glass like I did. You should find the Viña Robles in your locally owned, independent wine store for about $14.50. If you have a hard time locating a bottle of this interesting and tasty wine, give us a call at Uncorked (727.892.9463).
Friday, May 9, 2008
A New Day in New Orleans
It’s been a while since I’ve posted on the blog – almost a month. I’ve been traveling; went to New Orleans for an extended stay to visit family, to enjoy Jazz Fest (had backstage passes, yes!) and to eat phenomenal food renowned the world over. From the beignets in the Café du Monde and the Muffulettas at Central Grocery to Oyster Po-Boys, Gumbo and Shrimp Creole, the gastronomy of New Orleans is known the world over. As part of the visit, there was the obligatory family crawfish boil – you know “pinch the tail, suck the head”. New Orleans offers an array of dishes that make the mouth water and, by the way, can make your eyes water too. This cuisine isn’t for those who are faint “palated”. You have to have some tolerance to spice otherwise you’ll find yourself missing out on many of the city’s delicacies.
Spice is good if you pair it with the right type of liquid. There’s always water or milk but, hey, this is New Orleans. So I reached for several different types of drinks. There was the famous Hurricane that I tried with the Crawfish Pasta at Pierre Masperos; an OK combination. The Hurricane being a little too fruity and a lot too strong to actually enhance the food flavors. But again it’s New Orleans; if you don’t have at least one Hurricane, you’ve really not done it right.
At the family crawfish boil, however, I really had a great pairing. I lugged all the way from Florida a few bottles of the Deseado Sparkling Wine from Argentina. This sparkling wine is made from the Torrontes grape, which originates in Spain, and has some residual sugar to it making it a perfect match for spicier foods. The combination was decadent. The more crawfish tails you pinch, the more spice you introduce to your palate, so the more you crave the cool sweetness of the sparkling wine. The wine is made in the Charmat method. This method of making sparkling wine allows for secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks; the sparkling wine is bottled under pressure. The Charmat method is also known as Metodo Italiano as it was invented in Italy and is most widely used in that country especially for production of Asti in the northwest and Prosecco in the northeast.
The bubbles in the Deseado Sparkling wine are small and long lasting and help carry through the fine fruit flavors of peaches and apples. The little bursts of bubbles on the tongue help to regulate the spiciness of Cajun and Creole foods. If you'd like to sample this for yourself, I'll be conducting a food & wine pairing event at Uncorked on Friday, May 16 with, what else, Cajun and Creole foods. I'll be sharing family recipes and I'll have to think of a way to get a crawfish boil going in the back courtyard.
Spice is good if you pair it with the right type of liquid. There’s always water or milk but, hey, this is New Orleans. So I reached for several different types of drinks. There was the famous Hurricane that I tried with the Crawfish Pasta at Pierre Masperos; an OK combination. The Hurricane being a little too fruity and a lot too strong to actually enhance the food flavors. But again it’s New Orleans; if you don’t have at least one Hurricane, you’ve really not done it right.
At the family crawfish boil, however, I really had a great pairing. I lugged all the way from Florida a few bottles of the Deseado Sparkling Wine from Argentina. This sparkling wine is made from the Torrontes grape, which originates in Spain, and has some residual sugar to it making it a perfect match for spicier foods. The combination was decadent. The more crawfish tails you pinch, the more spice you introduce to your palate, so the more you crave the cool sweetness of the sparkling wine. The wine is made in the Charmat method. This method of making sparkling wine allows for secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks; the sparkling wine is bottled under pressure. The Charmat method is also known as Metodo Italiano as it was invented in Italy and is most widely used in that country especially for production of Asti in the northwest and Prosecco in the northeast.
The bubbles in the Deseado Sparkling wine are small and long lasting and help carry through the fine fruit flavors of peaches and apples. The little bursts of bubbles on the tongue help to regulate the spiciness of Cajun and Creole foods. If you'd like to sample this for yourself, I'll be conducting a food & wine pairing event at Uncorked on Friday, May 16 with, what else, Cajun and Creole foods. I'll be sharing family recipes and I'll have to think of a way to get a crawfish boil going in the back courtyard.
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