I put on a wine tasting for a local service group. Two whites and two reds were served that I picked for easy to taste differences and some great values.
The tasting started with the Indaba Chenin Blanc 2009. I have blogged about it before and it still the best tasting wine for summer for all foods for under $10.
Second in the tasting was the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Sole Beech of New Zealand. Also under $10 a bottle, the classic smell and flavor of grapefruit zest leapt out of the glass so easily that ever taster in the group recognized it. Great summer seafood wine.
The Cono Sur Carmenere was spectacular again. Previously blogged here, the taste of the chocolate, the smoothness and the sweet oak flavors combined in the wine to make just a juicy drink. I would like this with spicy hot jalapeno seasoned foods.
Back to South Africa for the final wine and Indaba again, but this time the red Shiraz was stunning for under $10 a bottle. Easy to find smells of smoke, bacon and spice should encourage you to serve this with your next barbque.
Monday, June 28, 2010
From the cellar
I have a sweet tooth. I love well made sweet wines. I buy too many for the store and myself.
Tonight I met up with some friends for some quahogs done Portugese style, and pork tenderloin with mango salsa, ricotta polenta and garlic broccoli. I don't do dessert.
My friends, who were enjoying a delicious homemade cheesecake without any topping, went crazy over a half bottle of 1998 Kracher #4 Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese. It displayed the typical honey-apricot flavors but but but, it had amazing brown spice flavors, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, as well as drying acidity that made the wine taste not too sweet. It was a head slapper and a thigh banger. For those of you that don't know me and since this is on the internet so for the billions of you that don't know me, I have this habit of either slapping my head or banging on my thighs when I get excited about a great wine and/or a great wine and food pairing. This was a double.
Tonight I met up with some friends for some quahogs done Portugese style, and pork tenderloin with mango salsa, ricotta polenta and garlic broccoli. I don't do dessert.
My friends, who were enjoying a delicious homemade cheesecake without any topping, went crazy over a half bottle of 1998 Kracher #4 Welschriesling Trockenbeerenauslese. It displayed the typical honey-apricot flavors but but but, it had amazing brown spice flavors, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, as well as drying acidity that made the wine taste not too sweet. It was a head slapper and a thigh banger. For those of you that don't know me and since this is on the internet so for the billions of you that don't know me, I have this habit of either slapping my head or banging on my thighs when I get excited about a great wine and/or a great wine and food pairing. This was a double.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
New Vintage
A little over a month ago, I raved about a red wine from Navarra, Spain made with the Garnacha grape, the 2007 Artazuri. Once the staff and I tried it, we bought all we could find in Massachusetts, and it sold out of the store in weeks. This week the rep brought us in the 2008 to taste. It's good but different. It shows more fruit and less spice and weight. Still a good wine and probably even better with burgers and dogs than the 2007. The price is still $12.99 a bottle and you will get more than your moneys worth each time. Perhaps with another six months of time in the bottle, it will develop some more weight and spice. In the meantime, it's a fun wine to bring to someone's barbque.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
The Other Argentine Wine
Just about everyone knows that Argentina produces great Malbec. Malbec is a variety of grape that originated in France but something in the climate and soil make the Malbec excel in Argentina. Hottest red grape out there. We just found a fabulous Malbec from Ben Marco for $19.99 a bottle. Sizzle up a steak and serve it, great match. But...
There is a grape from north-central Italy named Bonarda. Makes an ok but not great red dinner wine. The same grape grown in Argentina makes a rich complex tasting red wine. Much better than what you can get from Italy at the same price. Spend $11.99 for a bottle of Santa Hermida and serve it with the same steak. Delicious. Not as rich as the Malbec, but the Bonarda has much more complex aromas and flavors. Makes the steak taste better.
There is a grape from north-central Italy named Bonarda. Makes an ok but not great red dinner wine. The same grape grown in Argentina makes a rich complex tasting red wine. Much better than what you can get from Italy at the same price. Spend $11.99 for a bottle of Santa Hermida and serve it with the same steak. Delicious. Not as rich as the Malbec, but the Bonarda has much more complex aromas and flavors. Makes the steak taste better.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Yay, Newton
What goes up must come down.
The Euro has lost a lot of its value against the dollar in the past few months. Bad news for exports, but good news for imported wine. One of my most favorite wines in the world, I refused to buy at the holiday's based on price, not on quality. I just couldn't justify $100 a bottle for it. But today, I contracted to buy a bunch of Michele Castellani Amarone Stelle. This wine is only made in the best years. It is a red wine that is very strong with flavors of ripe dark fruit, earthy foresty, and well, just think of a mouthful of all the different flavors of jelly beans in your mouth at once. The price dropped 20 % to $ 80 a bottle. I am happy at this price. The wine is too strongly flavored to go with normal food. A Gorgonzola cream sauce on red meat or pasta works perfectly. Only thing is, this wine won't be in for a month, and you shouldn't drink it till the frost is on the pumpkin or the end of hurricane season,whichever comes later. In other words, wait til it is cold outside, the wine will warm you up.
The Euro has lost a lot of its value against the dollar in the past few months. Bad news for exports, but good news for imported wine. One of my most favorite wines in the world, I refused to buy at the holiday's based on price, not on quality. I just couldn't justify $100 a bottle for it. But today, I contracted to buy a bunch of Michele Castellani Amarone Stelle. This wine is only made in the best years. It is a red wine that is very strong with flavors of ripe dark fruit, earthy foresty, and well, just think of a mouthful of all the different flavors of jelly beans in your mouth at once. The price dropped 20 % to $ 80 a bottle. I am happy at this price. The wine is too strongly flavored to go with normal food. A Gorgonzola cream sauce on red meat or pasta works perfectly. Only thing is, this wine won't be in for a month, and you shouldn't drink it till the frost is on the pumpkin or the end of hurricane season,whichever comes later. In other words, wait til it is cold outside, the wine will warm you up.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Victory
South Africa beat France today in the World Cup.
South Africa has been beating France in wine for years.
Tonight I tasted the 2008 vintage of Glen Carlou Chardonnay from South Africa. It sells in the states for $14.99 a bottle. It is delicious. Balanced fruit, oak and acidity that would cost twice the amount if it was from France. Richer than a Macon/Pouilly Fuisse, it not quite as rich as a Meursault. Just a good drink. As well as a cocktail wine, there is enough stuffing and acid for this wine to be a worker with food. I am thinking more chicken and pork rather than fish. Unless it is a highly seasoned fish. Cream, butter sauce is optional.
Glen Carlou is in the Paarl region of South Africa. The estate has a reported good place to eat, I did not eat there when I last visited, but the view is wonderful. I tasted on the deck that overlooked a ridge of mountains that gave credence to "purple mountains majesty above the fruited plane." In addition Glen Carlou is owned by Hess of Switzerland. Hess is one of the great modern art collectors in the world. The gallery there is everchanging and is even enjoyed by me, a modern art boor.
South Africa has been beating France in wine for years.
Tonight I tasted the 2008 vintage of Glen Carlou Chardonnay from South Africa. It sells in the states for $14.99 a bottle. It is delicious. Balanced fruit, oak and acidity that would cost twice the amount if it was from France. Richer than a Macon/Pouilly Fuisse, it not quite as rich as a Meursault. Just a good drink. As well as a cocktail wine, there is enough stuffing and acid for this wine to be a worker with food. I am thinking more chicken and pork rather than fish. Unless it is a highly seasoned fish. Cream, butter sauce is optional.
Glen Carlou is in the Paarl region of South Africa. The estate has a reported good place to eat, I did not eat there when I last visited, but the view is wonderful. I tasted on the deck that overlooked a ridge of mountains that gave credence to "purple mountains majesty above the fruited plane." In addition Glen Carlou is owned by Hess of Switzerland. Hess is one of the great modern art collectors in the world. The gallery there is everchanging and is even enjoyed by me, a modern art boor.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Fathers Day Wine
Here's a dilemna most people don't have. It's Fathers Day, I picked king crab legs with butter and Old Bay, cole slaw and stuffed quahogs. And the wine was? I couldn't make up my mind. I wanted something fresh but with bottle age. Minerally and fruity. Light and rich. Arghhh.
Rummage, pick, poke, lift and separate the wine cellar until VOILA
2002 Tiefenbrunner Feldmarschal Muller-Thurgau from Italy. It was perfect. So if you need a wine for showing off, goes great with steamed lobster or crab and costs about $40 a bottle, I have about a half dozen bottles left. And the race is on. Will you buy them before I drink them? They cannot get any better than they are this summer!
Muller-Thurgau is a grape developed over 100 years ago by Professor Muller of Thurgau Switzerland. It is planted extensively in Germany and used to make good but not great quality table wine. In the cooler climate of the Alps the grape makes wonderful dry white dinner wine, that needs at least 5 years of age to be drinkable. This wine is from one of the highest vineyard sites in the Italian Alps. I need to order more now for a lobster in 2015.
Rummage, pick, poke, lift and separate the wine cellar until VOILA
2002 Tiefenbrunner Feldmarschal Muller-Thurgau from Italy. It was perfect. So if you need a wine for showing off, goes great with steamed lobster or crab and costs about $40 a bottle, I have about a half dozen bottles left. And the race is on. Will you buy them before I drink them? They cannot get any better than they are this summer!
Muller-Thurgau is a grape developed over 100 years ago by Professor Muller of Thurgau Switzerland. It is planted extensively in Germany and used to make good but not great quality table wine. In the cooler climate of the Alps the grape makes wonderful dry white dinner wine, that needs at least 5 years of age to be drinkable. This wine is from one of the highest vineyard sites in the Italian Alps. I need to order more now for a lobster in 2015.
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