The weather on first day and night of Spring was fabulous in the Boston area. After the long winter of red wine drinking, the weather enticed me to drink white. So I did.
Four fabulous German whites from deep in the cellar were dug out for this momentous occasion. 70 degrees in Boston in March is truly momentous.
Four great wines from four great regions in Germany, all of Spatlese quality, all of them old, and all of them delicious.
Egon Muller Scharzhofberger 1996 Spatlese had an extruded cork that broke through the top of the capsule. I had little hope for the wine. I was proven wrong. Just a glint of gold in the color and classic petrol aromas enhanced by a hint of apple, this wine although tasty at the beginning of the evening was the eventual best bottle by far after an hour in. Loved it with roasted root veggies.
The Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg 1999 Spatlese was the winner right from the start. Oodles of green apple fruit with perfectly clashing acidity, even the waitress when she opened the bottle went OOOH. Sadly it faded after an hour, still delicious but the others started to beat up on it. Worked very nicely early with the stuffed sole.
The 2001 J. J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatlese was a marvel! The cork was reluctant to come out, but after reaming the corkscrew through, I was rewarded with wonderful spritz in the ultimate Mosel wine. Watching the fine fine bubbles come up through the bottle but dissappear in the glass was amazing. Classic apple-fusel aromas and flavors permeated through the wine's evening. This is the one I just wanted to sip and savor. Food optional.
Finally the 2002 Langwerth von Simmern Erbacher Marcobrunn Spatlesewas slowest to come out of the glass. Never felt it was flawed, but it needed more than coaxing to come out of the glass. About an hour it, it showed the power and finesse of classic Rheingau Rieslling. It was fun to go back and forth after the first hour with the Scharzhofberger.
The perfect start to the Spring tasting season.
4 more down, 595 to go.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Julie, Julia and Me
I'm back. After computer issues and other assorted useless and lame excuses, I'm back. And not only back but back with a purpose.
The bride rented Julie and Julia, we watched the movie and I am still ticked Streep didn't win the Oscar. The idea of 534 recipes in 365 days and posting them in a blog excited me. The bride and I talked about it and so, starting today 600 wines in 365 days.
The wines to be counted will be recently tasted, any mention of wines tasted years ago will not count. Picking out the first one was a tough decision. Saturday night I tasted 4 great German Rieslings, my first love in wine, and that took the lead. Thursday, I spent the day on Cape Cod tasting 200 wines at a trade show held to inform the soon-to-open seasonal restaurants down there what was new to the market, and there were lots of wines worth mention. However, rarely do I drink a wine that goes on the top ten of all time personal taste list and it's a Champagne. Julia would want it this way. What she wouldn't want is the price. Wicked expensive.
1999 vintage Cristal Champagne from Louis Roederer is just about perfect wine. Full of rich flavors and full of tiny bubbles, I tasted it a friend's restaurant to celebrate something that I already forget. That's it, the first wine. Perfect and pricey. The only other Champagnes I have tried that rivaled it were the 1947 Krug I drank in either 1986 or 1988 to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday and both 1946 and 1948 were bad years for wine, and the 1985 Rene Lalou from Mumm's. Which we bought on closeout when the firm discontinued the brand. The Rene Lalou had the best looking bottle of all-time too. Fluted glass in a gorgeous shape.
Oh, and Champagne chocolate covered strawberries are not a good match. Looks good in the other Julia's movie, but the taste doesn't work for me. When visiting Champagne, the locals put out a dish of classic salted mixed nuts or crackers to enjoy and evaluate Champagne.
One down 599 to go. Those 4 German wines are coming tomorrow.
The bride rented Julie and Julia, we watched the movie and I am still ticked Streep didn't win the Oscar. The idea of 534 recipes in 365 days and posting them in a blog excited me. The bride and I talked about it and so, starting today 600 wines in 365 days.
The wines to be counted will be recently tasted, any mention of wines tasted years ago will not count. Picking out the first one was a tough decision. Saturday night I tasted 4 great German Rieslings, my first love in wine, and that took the lead. Thursday, I spent the day on Cape Cod tasting 200 wines at a trade show held to inform the soon-to-open seasonal restaurants down there what was new to the market, and there were lots of wines worth mention. However, rarely do I drink a wine that goes on the top ten of all time personal taste list and it's a Champagne. Julia would want it this way. What she wouldn't want is the price. Wicked expensive.
1999 vintage Cristal Champagne from Louis Roederer is just about perfect wine. Full of rich flavors and full of tiny bubbles, I tasted it a friend's restaurant to celebrate something that I already forget. That's it, the first wine. Perfect and pricey. The only other Champagnes I have tried that rivaled it were the 1947 Krug I drank in either 1986 or 1988 to celebrate a friend's 40th birthday and both 1946 and 1948 were bad years for wine, and the 1985 Rene Lalou from Mumm's. Which we bought on closeout when the firm discontinued the brand. The Rene Lalou had the best looking bottle of all-time too. Fluted glass in a gorgeous shape.
Oh, and Champagne chocolate covered strawberries are not a good match. Looks good in the other Julia's movie, but the taste doesn't work for me. When visiting Champagne, the locals put out a dish of classic salted mixed nuts or crackers to enjoy and evaluate Champagne.
One down 599 to go. Those 4 German wines are coming tomorrow.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Spanish Monster
The grape is Monastrell, in France the same grape is Mourvedre. In the hands of Juan Gil of Jumilla in Spain it is a monster red wine. Spend $19.99 on a bottle of a big juicy rich red wine that is equally at home with a steak on the grill, roast of lamb or a big hunk of sharp cheese like a Manchego from Spain. You will get more than your money's worth. The wine is so big of flavor you might not finish it the first night, don't worry, the wine holds up well for finishing with leftovers on the second night. Fruity, rich and a nice smokiness to the wine is probably at its best with the hunk of meat off the grill, but it is complex and enjoyable to sip on its own. Just dont forget to share.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Pacifist and Delicious
For those of you old enough to remember DMZs in Vietnam and Korea, the De Morgenzon farm in South Africa has come out with two wines that are huge values. The labels, attractively made and with the letters DMZ in big BIG print are hard to miss. Both types retail for $14.99 a bottle.
The red is made from Syrah, labelled Shiraz, legal name, but the style of the wine is more French than Aussie. Linger over the glass as aromas of coriander, cinnamon, blueberry, vanilla, and back to more brown spices waft out of the glass in no particular order. The wine is not a heavyweight, but rather an elegant middleweight that will compliment the fall dinner palate perfectly. I had it with a braised lamb shank.
As fantastic as the red is the Chardonnay is even better. The use of ageing the wine in a blend of Alliers and Nevers oak barrels, the classic Burgundy style, the wine is a dead ringer for high quality Meursault but at only a third of the price. Fruit flavors and aromas in concert with balancing oak flavors can only remind you of classic French White Burgundy. Live on the East Coast? This is the wine for that special lobster dinner. I had it with an herbed pork dish.
The red is made from Syrah, labelled Shiraz, legal name, but the style of the wine is more French than Aussie. Linger over the glass as aromas of coriander, cinnamon, blueberry, vanilla, and back to more brown spices waft out of the glass in no particular order. The wine is not a heavyweight, but rather an elegant middleweight that will compliment the fall dinner palate perfectly. I had it with a braised lamb shank.
As fantastic as the red is the Chardonnay is even better. The use of ageing the wine in a blend of Alliers and Nevers oak barrels, the classic Burgundy style, the wine is a dead ringer for high quality Meursault but at only a third of the price. Fruit flavors and aromas in concert with balancing oak flavors can only remind you of classic French White Burgundy. Live on the East Coast? This is the wine for that special lobster dinner. I had it with an herbed pork dish.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Peaches and Cream, Herb or Anise?
If you picked Peaches and Anise, you win! There is a white grape from the Valdeorras region of northwest Spain called Godello. Wines from this grape have a remarkable peaches and anise aroma and flavor. As the wine sits in your glass, or you have patience and let it breath a half hour or more, the peachy sensation fades as the anisey herby (half credit if you picked Peaches and Herb) comes out more. It has a richer mouthfeel than a Pinot Grigio, but not as heavy as California Chardonnay. Most of the ones we have bought are un-oaked. Unfortunately, many of our suppliers have not brought in many cases and we have already cleaned out a couple of them.
In stock as this goes to web is one called Castille de Papas. It has an unforgettable bright orange label and retails for $14.99 a bottle. Very peachy when first opened, it almost seems to be a bit sweet, but it isn't. And it has great lasting flavor as an opened but resealed bottle tasted even better the second and third nights. Now this does not go to full flavored licorice, but it is noticeable. As such, it is fantastic with fish dishes. Now where is my Peaches and Herb 8 track?
In stock as this goes to web is one called Castille de Papas. It has an unforgettable bright orange label and retails for $14.99 a bottle. Very peachy when first opened, it almost seems to be a bit sweet, but it isn't. And it has great lasting flavor as an opened but resealed bottle tasted even better the second and third nights. Now this does not go to full flavored licorice, but it is noticeable. As such, it is fantastic with fish dishes. Now where is my Peaches and Herb 8 track?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Wrong Again
I am frequently asked, "Bob, I want a Chardonnay that is oaky but not buttery and not expensive, what have you got?" I fumblishly reply that it doesn't exist, oak aging lends to butteryness. Well, guess who proved me wrong?
If you said a South African winery, you are correct. Jardin 2008 Chardonnay at $14.99 a bottle surprised the bleep out of me with its rich complex oak flavor in harmony with great acidity, minerality and all-around yummy flavors. I can see this wine being the lobster clambake wine for the summer of 2009, if the sun would ever come out this year in New England.
For you international folks, the Jardin label exists for the United States. In South Africa, the Jordan family owns the property, makes the wines and has no relation to the Jordan family of California, hence the name difference. The rest of the world sees the wine as Jordan Chardonnay of South Africa.
And a real clambake has chowdah, made with milk. State law in Massachusetts.
If you said a South African winery, you are correct. Jardin 2008 Chardonnay at $14.99 a bottle surprised the bleep out of me with its rich complex oak flavor in harmony with great acidity, minerality and all-around yummy flavors. I can see this wine being the lobster clambake wine for the summer of 2009, if the sun would ever come out this year in New England.
For you international folks, the Jardin label exists for the United States. In South Africa, the Jordan family owns the property, makes the wines and has no relation to the Jordan family of California, hence the name difference. The rest of the world sees the wine as Jordan Chardonnay of South Africa.
And a real clambake has chowdah, made with milk. State law in Massachusetts.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Name Dropping
I had dinner the other night with Brewer Raats. One of the larger than life itself wine characters in the trade, he prides himself in Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Heck, he owns an Irish pub in South African college town, how cool is that?
He told a story about a night of wine tasting with fellow South African winemakers where each winemaker had to bring "the wine that changed you" or something to that effect. He brought Chateau Cheval Blanc, one of the seven great Bordeauxs, along with Mouton, Lafite et al. Cheval Blanc has lots of Cabernet Franc in its blend and his desire was to create a wine in the style of Cheval Blanc.
Zip forward to last weeks dinner in Boston and he brought his Raats Family 2001 Cabernet Franc and a 1998 Chat. Cheval Blanc. His is $30 a bottle, the Cheval Blanc is conservatively worth about $300. The only difference I could detect was that the Cheval Blanc had a little sweeter fruit flavor. Presently at the store we offer the yummy 2006 Raats Cabernet Franc at $29.99 a bottle and will add the 2007 at the same price. Drinkable and cellarable for less than $30 is ridiculous. That night we had them with Wild Boar and Mushroom over Pasta. Great match.
And if you want to really splurge, he is in partnership in a wine called MR de Compostella. Around $100 a bottle, and you can only imagine what a wonderful age-worthy wine this is.
He told a story about a night of wine tasting with fellow South African winemakers where each winemaker had to bring "the wine that changed you" or something to that effect. He brought Chateau Cheval Blanc, one of the seven great Bordeauxs, along with Mouton, Lafite et al. Cheval Blanc has lots of Cabernet Franc in its blend and his desire was to create a wine in the style of Cheval Blanc.
Zip forward to last weeks dinner in Boston and he brought his Raats Family 2001 Cabernet Franc and a 1998 Chat. Cheval Blanc. His is $30 a bottle, the Cheval Blanc is conservatively worth about $300. The only difference I could detect was that the Cheval Blanc had a little sweeter fruit flavor. Presently at the store we offer the yummy 2006 Raats Cabernet Franc at $29.99 a bottle and will add the 2007 at the same price. Drinkable and cellarable for less than $30 is ridiculous. That night we had them with Wild Boar and Mushroom over Pasta. Great match.
And if you want to really splurge, he is in partnership in a wine called MR de Compostella. Around $100 a bottle, and you can only imagine what a wonderful age-worthy wine this is.
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