It's Spain vs. Netherlands, but there is no wine from the Dutch, well I have never tasted one, but the Dutch did establish winemaking in South Africa, the home country for the World Cup so with all due respect to an ice-cold Heineken, I pick some wines.
If Spain wins, it's time to crack open a bottle of Artadi's top Rioja made from Tempranillo grape. It tastes like LaTache from France and it's only, gulp, $300 a bottle. No, not the most expensive wine from Spain, but I think it is the best. I will serve it with pan seared steak with sauteed wild mushrooms and a herb infused risotto. I only get one 6-pack of this wine and only in great years.
For a Netherlands victory, I will cross sports and serve Ernie Els top wine. Also not the most expensive wine from its country at $90 a bottle, this wine tastes like a cross-breed between top of the line Bordeaux and a California Meritage. The vegetables remain the same but I would serve grilled lamb chops, the meatier kidney ones not the rib chops. I have two six-packs of this wine.
Don't tell my brother about my plans, he would not be happy with me drinking all the profits.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Wicked Happy
The new batch of 2007 Juan Gil Monastrell from Jumilla Spain is in and it is spectacular again!
It has been over 2 months since we last had a bottle to sell of the best wine to have with a steak we have tasted in years. This powerful, yet elegant wine is flawless and only $19.99 a bottle. If you have not tried this wine and you like red wine run into the store and grab some.
How good is this wine? In March another Spanish winemaker was in the store. His wines were wicked good, but wicked expensive. As he was walking out of the store, he stopped pointed at the display of Juan Gil and begrudingly commented, "Great Wine"
This will sell fast, the wholesaler believes he has enough for the summer. Let's hope so.
It has been over 2 months since we last had a bottle to sell of the best wine to have with a steak we have tasted in years. This powerful, yet elegant wine is flawless and only $19.99 a bottle. If you have not tried this wine and you like red wine run into the store and grab some.
How good is this wine? In March another Spanish winemaker was in the store. His wines were wicked good, but wicked expensive. As he was walking out of the store, he stopped pointed at the display of Juan Gil and begrudingly commented, "Great Wine"
This will sell fast, the wholesaler believes he has enough for the summer. Let's hope so.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wine Value
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.
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.
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.
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