Today on Serious Grape: Chardonnay 101
Date: Sat, Oct 25, 2008 Wine Tasting
If you are tired of drinking Chardonnays that don't taste the way you want them to, it's time to ask yourself if you have passed Chardonnay 101.
Today on Serious Grape, my weekly column on Serious Eats, I cover the basics of how to read a Chardonnay label. Included are discussions of how to figure out from the alcohol level, malolactic fermentation, and oak used in making the wine whether you are likely to enjoy it or not. Plus, there are mini reviews of five Chardonnays under $20.
Click on over and check it out, especially if you are looking for some nice white wine options for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays.
Of course, there's a lot more to Chardonnay than just alcohol, malolactic fermentation, and oak--but that's for a more advanced class!
WILL DRIVE FOR WINE!
Date: Thu, Oct 23, 2008 Wine Tasting
Today, Good Wine Under $20 is joining up with friend and partner in wine, Jill from domaine547, and we're hitting the road. (photo by Kevin Hutchinson)
It's been a while since either of us have been on a road trip, but today we're off to Paso Robles to visit Tablas Creek and other great wineries, and then to Sonoma to participate in the first ever US Wine Bloggers Conference. We'll be covering the state from LA to Santa Rosa, so wish us luck as we take the old Camry Hybrid out for a spin.
We expect to taste a lot of good wine, take some pictures, and be back on Sunday with lots of news to report.
Tomorrow's Serious Grape post will be up as usual, but please be patient if I don't respond to comments for a few days.
Spanish Wine: It's Synonymous with "Value"
Date: Wed, Oct 22, 2008 Wine Tasting
If you're looking for value wines these days, I have one question for you: are you looking in the Spanish section?
When I was in Spain, I was struck over and over by the way the wines of the region were simple and straightforward in the best sense. First, Spanish wines represent great, great value. Second, they're food friendly. They go with the kinds of meals that we eat these days because even the reds are fresh and flavorful. And finally, they celebrate local flavors by growing indigenous grapes.
My latest Spanish wine, the 2006 Vionta Albariño Rías Baixas, exemplifies what I love about wines from the Iberian peninsula. (sample; you should be able to find it near you for $10-$25). It's got great taste, great value, and it's made from the native Albariño grape. This excellent QPR wine had a beautiful gold color. I smelled autumnal aromas of super-ripe apples and juicy pears. The apples continued on through the flavors, and there was a slighlty honeyed note as if wedges of Golden Delicious apples had been dipped in warm Clover honey. The wine left a juicy aftertaste in your mouth, and because of the excellent acidity it never got cloying or heavy.
We had our Albariño with some delicious homemade fish tacos with a lime-cilantro sauce that really paired nicely with the fresh apple and honeyed flavors of the wine. And the wine's juicy acidity handled all the different spices just perfectly.
This wine has a huge price swing depending on where you pick it up, but it is widely available. My parents found it in their local PLCB store, and all I can say is if you can find it in Pennsylvania, you can probably find it anywhere. If you can get this for less than $15 (which seems to be the average price point), I think you'll be very pleased with your purchase.
So if you're looking for wine bargains, don't forget to look in the Spanish section. And feel free to leave your latest Spanish wine tips in the comments below.
An Affordable, Stylish Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Date: Mon, Oct 20, 2008 Wine Tasting
It will come as no surprise to anyone who reads this blog regularly that I love Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. I love its style, its class, and the way that the cool growing temperatures seem to give the wines a depth and complexity that make them wonderful dinner companions.
I don't drink as much Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir as I would like to, however, because wines from this region--especially wines made with the world's most finicky grape--can cost a pretty penny. So it's always a great discovery when I find a Pinot Noir that has all the good taste I crave and excellent QPR as well.
Just in time for the holidays, I've found such a wine: the 2006 MacMurray Ranch Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. I received this as a sample, but you should be able to find it in most places for between $12 and $20. MacMurray Ranch was purchased in 1941 by Hollywood actor Fred MacMurray, and today Australian-born Susan Doyle sees her role as winemaker as one that depends on a combination of science and art.
The results of this combination, if this bottle is any indication, are excellent. This was a superb Pinot Noir for the price. It had lovely aromas of spice, cherry and raspberry fruit, and flowers. These were enticing, and made you want to swirl and sniff for a good, long time before you even took your first sip. When you did, you were struck by flavors of high toned black cherry, allspice, and fresh-baked raspberry cobbler. The wine had a surprising depth as it went over your tongue, so if you like your Pinots to have nice body and good balance, you will like this wine. Even though the wine was full of fruit flavors, there was a nice silkiness of texture--which for me is one of the real delights in drinking a well-made Pinot Noir. The whole experience was rounded up with a spicy aftertaste that was mouthwatering and only made you want more.
If you see this wine for under $20 it's a steal, and I highly recommend that you buy it and keep it on hand for when you're serving soups, stews, anything with mushrooms, or pork dishes this autumn. Pinot Noir is one of the world's most versatile food grapes, so there is almost nothing this wine wouldn't go with--including turkey if you are looking for a red wine for Thanksgiving.
In a world full of overpriced Pinot Noir that often doesn't deliver in the taste department (even if it does cost a lot), it's a joy to drink such an affordable, well-made, and classy Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir.
Today on Serious Grape: Wines for Halloween
Date: Fri, Oct 17, 2008 Wine Tasting
It's that time of year--when the ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires come out to play. But why should the kids have all the fun?
This week on Serious Grape, my weekly column on the food site Serious Eats, I suggest six wines that will set the right mood for whatever grown-up fun you've got planned.
All six wines taste great, and represent great value. The most important thing, though, is that all six of the wines come complete with Halloween costumes, as the labels above indicate.
From the Beaujolais to Calaveras County, from the Rhone to Lodi, and from the hills of California to the mountains of Oregon, I've got a Halloween wine that you'll want to drink and serve. Click on over and check my recommendations, and if I've missed a Halloween-appropriate label be sure to leave your suggestions in the comments.
Support Your Favorite Independent Wine Retailers--TODAY
Date: Thu, Oct 16, 2008 Wine Tasting
Times are tough. We're all struggling to make it, and to save a few dollars here and there. You may be spending less on wine, or buying less wine altogether. You may be buying more wine in grocery stores and box stores. (photo by iwona_kellie)
Don't forget your local wine store during these tough times.
It can be easy to do. You decide to shop the sale at BevMo. Just this once.
But now more than ever we need to support the independent retailers--both locally and online--who have brought us so much great wine and given us so much good advice over the past months. These small business owners are hurting now, too, and your purchase today can help to make sure that they're still there to shop from when the markets rebound and you're looking for a great bottle of wine from the Loire. Just try finding that at the supermarket.
Jancis Robinson's recent article reminded me how much I depend on independent retailers--like Chronicle Wine Cellar, domaine547, Mission Wines, and the Walla Walla Wine Woman--to share their knowledge and expertise with me and to guide me towards the wine that I want to drink.
Times are tough. But living without independent wine retailers will be even tougher. This weekend, buy a bottle of wine from someone who has given you great service in the past, and help ensure that they're still there in the future. Otherwise, we're looking at a bleak picture filled with chain wines and chain stores.
Do what you can to fight for your wine independence. Support your local independent retailers--TODAY.
Have You Tried Chenin Blanc Lately?
Date: Wed, Oct 15, 2008 Wine Tasting
Chenin Blanc is one of those grapes.
You know the grapes I mean. They're the ones that you think you know because once upon a time someone poured you someting out of a giant jug that said it was Chenin Blanc. It was awful, and you've never touched the stuff since.
It's time to try it again.
There are some great value Chenin Blancs in the market right now.
Why should you try Chenin Blanc? Here are three reasons. First, they are versatile food w
ines because they have good acidity and a slightly off-dry personality that makes them go as well with roast chicken as they do with Kung Pao chicken. Second, they are great values because everybody's bad experiences with Chenin Blanc has made them head straight for the Chardonnay. The result? Chenin Blancs deliver excellent QPR. And third, Chenin Blanc is grown throughout the world. What this means is that you can find Chenin Blanc from almost any region, and at almost any pricepoint.
Today, I'm focusing on two new releases of Chenin Blanc--one from the US and one from South Africa. Both are excellent QPR choices, that deliver abundant varietal characteristics at a very attractive price. And both are widely available.
The first is the 2007 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg. I received this as a sample, but you should be able to find it near you for between $9 and $14. The wine had honeyed melon aromas that were rich and enticing without being heavy or cloying. These aromas gave the wine a sweet impression, but flavor-wise it as dry and crisp with Meyer lemons, melon, and herb notes. What most impressed me about this wine was that it continued to open up and develop in the glass over the course of our evening. Sometimes it seemed more melony, then the herbs would kick in and surprise you. We enjoyed this with spicy food, and I would particularly recommend it to those of you who are looking for something to go with Indian or Southeast Asian food.
The second wine I enjoyed was the 2008 Sebeka Chenin Blanc from South Africa. This was also a sample, but near you expect to pay between $5 and $9. This snappy Chenin Blanc had lots of pineapple and tropical fruit flavors and aromas. The intensity of the fruit was kept in balance by lots of acidity, and the wine left a slightly sweet impression in your mouth. This bottle we popped open to enjoy with fish tacos and mango salsa and it was excellent. But it would also be a terrific choice if you were just looking for a refreshing white wine to serve to friends before dinner.
These days most of us are looking for ways to stretch our money a little bit further without sacrificing great taste. Here are two wines that will enable you to do just that. Give Chenin Blanc a try, even if you swore off the stuff in 1982. It really is time to give it a second chance.
Wine Book Club and Wine Blogging Wednesday News
Date: Tue, Oct 14, 2008 Wine Tasting
Just a few news updates today, so get out your calendars and mark down these online wine blogging events.
First, on Tuesday, October 28, we'll have the Back to School/Politics 5th edition of the Wine Book Club. Join in as bloggers and readers throughout the blogosphere review and discuss Tyler Colman's new book, Wine Politics: How Governments, Environmentalists, Mobsters, and Critics Influence the Wine We Drink (University of California Press; $18.15 through Amazon) You may know Tyler Colman as Dr. Vino, who is hands down the best wine blogger out there. But the reason to read this book is not just that he's a wine blogger--he's an expert on this subject, and I can say (halfway through the book) that his writing is every bit as engaging and provocative here as it is on his blog.
It's easy to take part--get yourself a book, read it, and join in the conversation by posting a review on your own wine, food or book blog. You can also chime in the comments here at GWU$20 or any other site taking part. Or, you can post reviews on our sites at the Wine Book Club and Shelfari. For more details, check out my announcement post.
If you are a food, wine, or book blogger, I could use your help to post a reminder about this event. Participation has really dropped off since our bang-up start in January.
In other news, the theme for Wine Blogging Wednesday #51 has been announced by our host, Joe the #1 Wine Dude. The theme involves dessert wines, and Joe would like us to find something "baked"--as in Madeirized. In Madeirized wines have been intentionally oxidized to make them brown and nutty. Because they can be hard to find (except in Hungarian and Iberian bottlings) Joe has expanded "baked" wines to include wines that have been fortified (like sherries, ports, etc.) Reviews are due on November 12, and should give us all great ideas on what to serve for holiday dinners throughout the depths of winter. Here at GWU$20 you can look forward to some reviews of rare sherries that I tasted as a guest of Bodegas Osborne this summer, as well as a dessert idea using a "baked" wine.
Have a good week everybody, and see you back here tomorrow with a new white wine review--actually, two!
Umbrian Merlot--Even Miles Would Approve of This
Date: Mon, Oct 13, 2008 Wine Tasting
Merlot has really been kicked around the block since Sideways. In spite of the fact that Miles downs a considerable amount of Merlot in a fast food restaurant at the end of the film, large numbers of people now refuse to drink Merlot on general principle.
This is good news for you and me. Because Merlot can be fabulous. Not everybody makes their Merlot grapes into blackberry jam. Some actually make it into wine. And because of the dip in demand, there is some great Merlot out there in the market that is priced to sell.
I just had an Umbrian example of Merlot, and it was fantastic--and it in no way resembled a simple, over-oaked fruit bomb or a breakfast spread. Instead, the 2004 Falesco Pesano Merlot was an excellent QPR steal for just under $12. I purchased the bottle back before this blog was born in early July 2006 for $11.99 at Costco. A quick search on Vinquire revealed that if you want a bottle of the stuff now, you can expect to pay $25.99 at the one retailer who sells it online. More recent vintages can be had for between $11.99 and $16.99 in case you want to try your luck.
What did I experience when I pulled the cork? The first thing I smelled was fresh-ground coffee. Yes, not a breakfast spread, but a breakfast drink. This was followed by another breakfast smell: bacon fat. The combination was enticing and mouth-watering. In the flavors, I tasted cherry, blackberry, and more coffee bean. There was a smoky aftertaste that was quite distinctive. This was a lot of wine for $12 and I think that it probably benefited from the 2+ years that it received in my various storage spaces. We had it with meatloaf and potatoes, which was a perfect pairing for the meaty and smoky flavors in the wine, but you could just as easily pair this with a roast or stew. Yes, you could have it with an In 'n Out Burger if you must be like Miles.
One of the wine mags gave this an 89, which in my opinion is just plain silliness. This wine was distinctive, widely available when it was released, and worth every penny that it cost and then some. If the more recent versions of this wine are anywhere near this good (and CellarTracker reviews of the 2005 vintage suggest it is) then you should grab this if you see it. You're in for a real treat.
Today on Serious Grape: Wine and Business Travel
Date: Fri, Oct 10, 2008 Wine Tasting
Do you travel for business? I do, and I've been doing it a lot lately. (photo of the bar at McCormick & Schmick's at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel by Paul Keleher)
Eating on the road is a challenge, but managing to get a good glass of wine with your meal sometimes seems impossible.
This week on Serious Grape, my regular column on the food site Serious Eats, I talk about my strategies for achieving something resembling normalcy when I'm dining alone on the road. We're not talking client dinners here--we're talking the nights when you don't have a client to meet and you are in desperate need of something restorative. For me that means interesting, fresh food and a glass of wine with dinner.
Head over there and let me know what you think of how I deal with this challenge. Even better, let me and other readers know what your pet peeves are about wining and dining while traveling and how you cope with them.
October in Umbria
Date: Thu, Oct 9, 2008 Wine Tasting
In the eastern shadows of the better-known region of Tuscany there is a land of slanting sunlight, protected by hills and mountains, called Umbria. (photo of the Chiesa di Sant'Angelo by seier+seier+seier)
There you will find Assisi, where the troubadour-warrior-theologian St. Francis had his miraculous vision which led him to found the Franciscan order. Here too is Perugia, home to the Renaissance artist Perugino who somehow managed to capture the soft light of the region in every canvas he ever painted. And of course there's the fortress-city of Orvieto, where Pope Clement VII tried to escape the clutches of Charles V after Rome was sacked in 1527.
You will also find wonderful wine. (photo of a vineyard in Montone by rdesai) This month, I'll be exploring the wine of the region, and finding out more about how the magic of Umbria works its way into the soil and the grapes to produce great bottlings made with both native and international grapes. Umbria has some big producers (most notably Falesco, who has a base of operations here as well as in Lazio), but the tradition of small, family-owned wineries and vineyards has also been preserved. Today, many of these smaller wineries specialize in cultivating the region's traditional grapes like Grechetto, Sagrantino, and Canaiolo Bianco.
Just as the region is known for its love of traditional wines, Umbria is also known for its traditional approch to food. It's one of the few regions of Italy that is completely landlocked, which means that the food of the region runs heavily towards meat, cheeses, and fresh-water fish such as trout. A special breed of cattle, Chianina, is raised outside Perugia which makes beef from this area out of this world in terms of flavor and texture. Wild boar sausage is a specialtyof Umbria, too, and the area abounds in fresh game, truffles, and a distinctively-flavored prosciutto. All of this hearty, flavorful food goes beautifully with the region's simple, pure wines. (photo of an Umbrian salumeria by rdesai)
Can you tell I love Umbria? I do. It's one of the most beautiful places on earth in my opinion.
I'm looking forward to highlighting some of their excellent, affordable wines this month. I've got a bottle from Falesco, something from Assisi, and a traditional white, too. Do you have any recommendations for can't-miss wines from Umbria? If so, leave them in the comments below. And if you can find a wine from Umbria, why not join in and let us know how you liked it? (photo Perugia: arca tra le ombre by gaspa)
Wine Blogging Wednesday #50: Wine and the Great Outdoors
Date: Wed, Oct 8, 2008 Wine Tasting
Welcome to Wine Blogging Wednesday #50, hosted this month by Russ the Winehiker. He picked a great theme for us to think about this month: what wine would you take into the outdoors and share with your loved one on a walk, hike, or picnic? Russ promised to give us extra credit if we shared where we would walk, and even more extra credit if we actually walked the walk.
Unfortunately, we're too busy giving extra credit to our students to go outside right now and earn some from the Winehiker, but if we could take a walk I know just what we'd pack up in the picnic basket: a bottle of the 2007 Clif Bar Family Winery The Climber White Wine that I recently had a chance to sample. ($12.50 suggested retail; available online for between $10 and $15) The Clif Bar Family Winery was started by the same folks who brought us, among other treasures, the Mojo Bar which we find so necessary to survival that we buy them by the case at Whole Foods. The owners of the company, Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, believe in good food, good wine, family, and enjoying the outdoors. What wine could be better-suited to this WBW theme? It's even packaged using a Stelvin screw-cap closure, so you don't even have to worry about packing a corkscrew.
Of course, no matter what the wine-making philosophy or the portability of the wine, the bottom line is that it has to taste good. I'm here to tell you that this was a terrific, affordable white blend made with a core of juice from Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Pinot Blanc (12%), Chenin Blanc (4%) and Muscat (3%) were added, with the result that the wine has good acidity but an impression of softness--if not quite sweetness--that makes it very versatile and appealing. When I opened the wine, I immediately detected aromas of pink grapefruit and nectarine. These were followed up by flavors of Meyer lemon, nectarine, and white peach. The aftertaste was fresh and juicy, and you just wanted to keep on sipping it because of the bright fruit flavors.
This excellent QPR wine will go with anything you like to have with a chilled white wine, from Chinese takeout to roast chicken to a crsip salad. If you're looking for a recipe to take on your hike or picnic, I highly recommend making some of the Spaghetti with Thai Peanut Sauce that we had. I subbed whole wheat spaghetti for the regular that the recipe called for, and substituted shredded cabbage and sliced cucumbes for the chicken. This not only made the recipe more healthy and suitable for vegetarians, it also made it portable. It's good chilled, too. I'm taking the leftovers into work for lunch tomorrow. And I'm packing a Mojo Bar for dessert.
Thanks to Russ for a terrific theme. I'm looking forward to hearing what others would take with them when they head out into the great outdoors.
Good Wine Under $20: Now Entering Its Third Year
Date: Tue, Oct 7, 2008 Wine Tasting
Today is Good Wine Under $20's second anniversary. (photo by nimbu)
That means we're entering our third year of good value wine coverage and conversation.
I'm pleased at how much the blog has grown over the past two years, and the credit for that goes to the readers like you who continue to come by, leave your comments and questions, and let me know what you want to see change. With more than a thousand daily subscribers and thousands of visitors more each week, I can honestly say that you are the best part of blogging. I would not still be doing this without your support and your overwhelmingly positive response to my perspective on the often expensive, and sometimes intimidating, world of wine.
Thanks for stopping by and spending part of your day with me. Here's to a great third year--for all of us.
Great Wine, Great Price: the 2004 Venta La Ossa
Date: Mon, Oct 6, 2008 Wine Tasting
During these fiscally lean times, you may want to have a wine that's big, juicy, and rich enough to make you forget the austerity budget that you may be facing these days.
If you do, try the 2004 Venta La Ossa Tempranillo. I received this as a sample, but you can get yours from domaine547 for just $11 which is the best price I've seen on the 'net.
This is a big, bold, wine from Spain that is made in an opulent, New World style. If you are looking for a restrained Tempranillo, this is not your wine. But if you are looking for fruit, you've found it. When I first opened it, there was some sense of alcoholic heat, but this quickly blew off and to be fair to the wine I think it was too warm. Once I'd cooled it in the fridge a bit, the alcoholic sensations were completely gone.
This done, there was nothing standing between me and the aromas of black cherry and black raspberries. Both of these delicious, fruity aromas were also present in the flavors. Notes of cedar and vanilla emerged in the aftertaste, which were a nice counterpoint to the wine's smooth tannins. A newer vintage of this wine has been released, but this one is absolutely ready to drink now and I think you could even hold it for 2-3 more years. Excellent QPR.
This is a hedonistic wine that's affordable. Get yourself some take-out carne asada burritos or tacos, pop this in the fridge for 20 minutes while you pick up your food or wait for delivery, and then enjoy escaping from the news coverage for a little while as you sip your Spanish wine.
We all need an affordable escape. This wine can provide it.
