October 27, 2011 at 5:04 pm (Candy, Chocolate, cleaning, Cooking, Cote du Rhone, Earthiness, Fond, Food, Fruit, Pan Sauces, Soil, Spain, Spicy, Syrah, Tasting, Tempranillo, Zinfandel)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Candy, chocolate, Deglazing, Earthiness, Fond, Junior Mints, Spicy, Syrah, Tempranillo, Zinfandel
It is that time of year when the kids are out and gathering candy to satisfy their sweet tooths. But there is one candy that lends its self to a wine sauce. Junior Mints. What? Yes, it is the chocolate and mint that when combined with a red wine, say a Tempranillo, that makes for a fun sauce. Think of it this way, the sauce, with a hint of spice, the earthiness of the wine coupled with the earthiness of chocolate is going to pair perfectly with lamb. A seared piece of lamb, with this sauce would be most unexpected.
Now washing this down with a nice Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain or maybe a fruiter version from California or Oregon might be just the thing. But if you do not have a Tempranillo handy, then uncork a Zinfandel, Syrah or even a Cote du Rhone. The goal is to find a wine with high acid and a spicy finish.
If you are searing the meat in a sauce pan, then deglaze. To deglaze is to capture the cooked bits or fond at the bottom of the pan. That is where most of the flavor is contained. And an added bonus is thet the pan becomes much easier to clean.
So do not be afraid to experiment. Uncork Happiness.
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September 2, 2010 at 10:54 pm (Age, Argentina, Australia, Bell Pepper, Black Cherry, Black Fruit, Blackberry, Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Carmenere, Cellaring, Collecting, Comparisions, Cote du Rhone, Dornfelder, Earthiness, Food, France, Fruit, Germany, Grahma Beck, Grenache, GSM, Italy, Laguna Niguel, Languedoc, Mclaren Vale, Merlot, Mourvedre, Nero D'Avola, Organic, Organic Grapes, Pfalz, Pic St. Loup, Pinot Noir, Red Fruit, Ripeness, Sicily, Soil, Souith Africa, Sour Cherry, South Africa, Spain, Spatburgunder, Storage, Syrah, tar, Tasting, Tobacco, Uncategorized, Winemakers, wineries, Yangarra)
Tags: Acid, Argentina, Australia, Black Fruit, Blends, California Taste Fine Wine, Carmenre, Cherry, chocolate, Dornfelder, Earthiness, France, Granache, GSm, Italy, McLaren Vale, Monastrell, Mourvedre, PAtel Cabernet Sauvignon, PAtel Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Retail Wine Stores, South Africa, Spatburgunder, Syrah, Tasting
First, I have to start with the thought that there is a huge world of wine out there. There are so many variatals, it is impossible to name them all. Many wine enthusiats in California think only in terms of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Pinot Noir. It is funny when I ask people if they might like a Zinfandel. The typical response is,”I do not like sweet pink wines.”
But, as we all know, Zinfandel is a fantastic, deep rich red wine. Great with BBQ and strong cheeses.
When it came to the International Reds Tasting at California Taste Fine Wine in Laguna Niguel, there were a few surprises in the group. The first were the large number of countries that are producing GSM blends. A GSM blend is Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. These grapes all go so well together and have a spicy finish. The combination of plum, cherry, blackberry, tar, tobacco and earthiness and spice make this genre of wine a natural with so many food types.
Sometimes this blendd is found in Cotes du Rhone or other Rhone blends. The traditional home for these grapes are the Rhone Valley in Southern France. Mourvedre or Monastrall as it is known in Spainit’s original home before it migrated east to France. At the tasting was a a Falcata Casa Gran from Valencia, Spain, Yangarra Cadenzia from Mclaren Vale in Australia and a Pic St. Loup from the Languedoc in the south of France. The blends where similar, but each wine was as different from the next as an orange is as different than an apple. I would drink any one of these wines at anytime.
Another wine in the tasting was a German wine from the Pfalz region of Germany. Made by Alfred Bonnet, the Cuvee Bonus was a Trocken, or dry red comprised of a blend of Dornfelder and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir). The first bottle opened was shot and the second was okay. The wine had a very aged look to it, almost brown. But there was still fruit predominate and a lot of acid. Not a favorite at the tasting. And the little bit that was left in the bottle was totally done the next morning.
I have never been a fan of Carmenere or Chilean wines in general. They all seem to have a green taste, like a ripe bell pepper. This is from the grapes perhaps not reaching full ripeness or too much stem, leaves and other things making it into the fermentation vat. But the La Playa Carmenere changed my mind. No green. Just a rich, thick, dried prune, chocolate and cherry taste and nose backed with a hint of toasty oak. What a great wine. A steal at under $10.
Italy was represented with a wine from Sicily. Gulfi Nero D’avola. This is a grape that is getting more popular in United States. It is a high acid wine that plays so well with so many foods. My personal preference for Italian wines showed through with this wine. All I could think about was having this with a nice veal Cannaloni.
Then there was a Pinot Noir from Argentina that was made with Organic Grapes. The Santa Julia wine brand is very solid. The Bonarda is a real winner. The Pinot Noir is very packed with cherry, strawberry and cranberry. Maybe a dark horse for that tofurkey. Graham Beck is another brand to be aware of. This South African winery makes a number of wines including a nice sparkling wine. But this tasting featured the newest vinatge of the Cabernet Sauvignon. With red, sour and black cherry coupled with minerality, blackberry in the finish, this is a fun drinking wine. Glad it is back.
But what was really interesting again is how all of these wines tasted better after being open for a couple of days. I know I have said it before, but on any given night, open two bottles and then come back to each of them the next day or the day after. The reward will be tremendos and the wines smooth and very drinkable. I guess that is how you Uncork Happiness times two!
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August 3, 2010 at 12:32 am (Age, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Collecting, Earthiness, First Growth Bordeaux, Francec, Heat, Laguna Niguel, Merlot, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Red Fruit, Soil, Storage, Syrah, Tasting, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Earthiness, First Growth Bordeaux, France, Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Ramona Valley, Soil, Syrah, Tasting
I am a lucky person. Recently I was invited to a party in the lovely north San Diego County town of Julian. The party, in honor of friends mother’s birthday, was a blast. Too bad it was 98 degrees that day.
On the drive from Laguna Niguel to Julian, Kim and I discovered that there are 17 wineries in the Ramona Valley. Many of them are growing and producing good wine. The irony of the trip was that of the four tasting rooms visited, we did not like a single Cabernet Sauvignon. The star was Syrah and Merlot. More on this later.
Because of the unplanned tastings, we arrived at the party well after it had started. We barely had a chance to get a plate of food as the caterers were cleaning up.
We ate, visited and all of a sudden our hostess, Ida said, try this wine. “I know you are into wine, you might enjoy this.” Ida told us the story of how she and her husband had bought the wine celebrating their daughters birth year. They bought a case, which in 1981, when the wine was released, cost about $200. For a first growth Bordeaux from Pauillac, no less. The wine has been stored properly and Ida said that since her daughter is not going to get married, she might as well enjoy the wine. She has a few bottles left.
The wine was earthy. It had a nose of stewed fruit and figs. There were slight hints of cherry and definitely tar on the nose. The wine was just beginning to lose its red color as it slowly goes to a dark, brickish color. The tannins were very soft, but the experience was incredible. The acid, earth and lingering fruit stayed with you for quite a long time. It is interesting that lately, as we have opened older wines at California Taste Fine Wine, many customers say the older wines are flat. That they lack fruit. But that is what happens as a wine ages. The fruit does die down a bit and those secondary flavors and tastes come to the front. And we constantly get asked about how long this wine can be cellared.
When drinking a 31 year old wine,what you are left with is a very smooth, supple and delicate wine. Those french know how to make a long lasting wine. Something to remember and a big thanks to Ida.
Now that is Uncorking Happiness.
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March 2, 2010 at 9:24 pm (Age, Barbera, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Chardonnay, Comparisions, Earthiness, Fruit, Laguna Niguel, Lake County, Malbec, Napa, Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, Petit Sirah, Pinot Noir, Red Fruit, Soil, Sonoma, Syrah, Tasting, Tempranillo, wine critics, Winemakers, Zinfandel)
Tags: Acid, Adam Carruth, Barbera, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Carruth Cellars, Cellaring, Chardonnay, chocolate, Clear Lake, Dry Creek, Earthiness, Lake County, Malbec, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, Pepper, Petit Sirah, Port, Port of Syrah, Retail Wine Stores, Soil, St. Olaf vineyard, Syrah, Tannins, Taste, Tempranillo, Zinfandel
Adam Carruth is a nice, unassuming guy. He is that neighborhood friend you had growing up . But when you meet him and talk to him, he has one overriding passion: Wine. You would never guess that he owns a winery and makes 17 different wines.
Adam makes a large number of wines in his north San Diego facility at Solana Beach. He buys grapes from all over California and turns them into solid, good wines at very reasonable prices. At California Taste Fine Wine in Laguna Niguel, we just had a tasting with a few of his varietals. The place was packed and mood boisterous.
We started off with his 2007 Lake County red Hills Sauvignon Blanc. This is a lean, crisp wine packed with grapefruit, citrus and lots of acid. A food wine, this Sauvignon Blanc does not scream New Zealand. And that is a good thing. It reflects its California roots with the upfront fruit and the richness that many golden state-wide wines have. A smooth finish with this one.
Next up was the 2007 Barbera. This varietal, originally from Italy, grows well throughout California. This wine hails from Clear Lake and has a rich velvety mouthfeel with plenty of black and red fruit characteristics. Wen you are unsure what to serve with pasta and red sauce or the fully loaded pizza, this is a fun choice. And this wine is low in tannins.
Adam sometimes takes a bit of his wines and makes what he calls “Friends Blend.” The 2007 blend has Zinfandel, Cabernet , Malbec and Petit Sirah. This is a perfect red table wine and it is another very smooth finishing wine.
Next was the Yolo County Tempranillo. It seems that this spicy finishing wine has become the favorite in the store. One of our employees likes this the day after Thanksgiving with a perfectly made turkey sandwich. As for me, I think the fruit and earthiness are a perfect match to a Chile Relleno. Many would prefer beer, but the red does not amplify the heat of the chili.
Adam goes to Dry Creek in Sonoma for his 2007 Zinfandel. This is not a big, heavy fruit bomb loaded with alcohol. rather it is nice example of a medium bodied wine that has a long finish with those tastes of blackberry and spice that are the hallmarks of a Zinfandel. This is a wine I like to pour at BBQs and with a steak.
Malbec is one of my favorite grapes. I feel I was ahead of the curve on this one, enjoying Malbecs twenty years ago, before most people realized it is grape often used in top Bordeaux. the 2007 Carruth Malbec has an intense fruit flavor and log finish. It is another wine to pair with BBQ or even a slow simmered pot roast. The grapes for his wine come from the St. Olaf vineyard in Lake County. This is the same vineyard that the Barbera comes from.
The 2007 Syrah is another Sonoma wine. Syrah is often overlooked by wine buyers. This Syrah is big and plummy with a finish of black pepper. Syrah is one of those very food friendly wines, that once you have a good one, memories of Cabernet Sauvignon fade away. Syrah is the next big thing one the wine scene, or so I have been told. People need to get out and try a bottle of Syrah with their favorite meal. It will open the eyes to other possibilities.
The Red Hills of Lake County are covered in grape vines. Some of those are Cabernet Sauvignon, where Adam sources his grapes for his 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines struggle in the volcanic soil and produce wines with blackberries, bing and sour cherry and tobacco/mocha notes. This is a full-bodied red with minimal tannins and a long, smooth finish. The acid and fruit is very well balanced, making this a definite go to Cabernet Sauvignon.
We finished the tasting with Carruth’s 2007 Paso Robles Petit Sirah. This is a rich,dark wine that is good with roasts and osso bucco as well as say a chocolate dessert. Made for the red wine drinker who enjoys a wine that stains the glass, this a big red.
Adam makes a number of other wines including a two different Ports, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a Nebbiolo. He is also experimenting and vinifying the first ever Flor, a crossing grape from the University of Davis, California. Adam likes his wine., when people enjoy his wine, he says they are Uncorking happiness. Me, I just think they are opening a good bottle of wine.
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February 13, 2010 at 8:32 am (Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Campagne, Francec, Malbec, Merlot, Napa, Syrah, Tasting, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Malbec, Merlot, Retail Wine Stores, Roses, Syrah
I just wanted to take a few moments to discuss a very sexy type of wine. Rose. I do not mean white Zinfandel. But a real Rose, dry, crisp and tasting just like its full red wine parent.
There are as many Roses as there are red grape varietals. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenach, Pinot Noir Merlot and Malbec are just some of the many Roses commonly available. And these stunning wines are made all over the world.
Why are these stunning wines you may ask? The answer is close to the way the wines are made. Typically, the juice of the red grape has minimal contact with the skins. These wines are then unoaked, but not always. Then they are bottled soon after fermentation. They are light in alcohol and go with everything.
This also holds true for Rose Champagnes.
Roses from the south of France tend to be drier and more minerally. Those from California carry a bit more fruit and a bit less acid. The styles are all over the map. This where a knowledgeable wine retailer really comes into play.
Roses were consumed primarily in the summer, when a heavy red was just too much in the heat. Now they are being enjoyed year around. I like to tell people to try Rose when they think a white is to light and a red would be too much.
Roses are sexy. The colors, from soft pinks to dark salmons add a certain translucent to any glass. I could go on about regions, grape types and types of Roses, but for now, get a Rose for Valentines Day. You will be Uncorking Happiness. Believe me.
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February 8, 2010 at 6:49 pm (Burgundy, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Chablis, Chardonnay, Cooking, Earthiness, Food, Fruit, Merlot, Napa, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Romania, Sonoma, Syrah, Tasting, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Beaune, beurre blanc, Burgundies, buttonage, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Chablis, chalk, Chardonnay, chocolate, clay, France, Italy, kimmeridigian, New Zealand, Petit Verdot, Pinot Nero, Pommard, Retail Wine Stores, Romania, Russian River, saffron, Santa Rita Hills, Syrah, Tasting, vinification
Sunday is Valentines Day (and Chinese New Years) . Both events are followed by Mardi Gras on the 16th. So there are many wine drinking opportunities ahead. But the most important day might be Sunday, with your sweetie.
The first thing to consider is: What does she like. Chardonnay. Pinot Noir. Syrah. Cabernet Sauvignon. So take note of what she likes to drink and expand from there. Also, chocolate is big on Valentines. Pair it with Petit Verdot or perhaps a juicy Merlot. (For more on red wine and chocolate, see my earlier post).
But today I want to concentrate on two varietals that I think are great for Valentines. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. These two varietals deliver incredible tastes and many varied styles.
Chardonnay is the number one selling varietal in the United States. It can be dry and minerally or fat and creamy and everything in between. Many sommeliers and wine professionals have jumped on the unoaked Chardonnay band wagon. These are wines that are steely and crisp, with lemon/lime overtones. These wines have a light feel and tend to have a long finish as the acid is up front n the wine. They are great to pair with light food dishes such as fish and seafood dinners.
I think that Chardonnay from the heart of Chardonnay country, yes, Burgundy, France fit the bill. Especially Chablis. Because of the unique Kimmeridigian clay/chalk soil, those wines have a minerally feel and great fruit. Aged in neutral oak barrels, these crisp whites have a very unique taste and flavor. Do not mix this up with Gallo Chablis in a large jug. They are very different wines. The jug wine might give you headache, the French wine might give you romance. And if you want to impress your Valentine, go French.
I tend to like Chardonnays that are aged in oak and have aged on their lees. Lees are the yeast and other particulates left over from the vinification, and when stirred up (buttonage) they add that creamy texture to the wine. This is the wine that when paired with boiled or grilled lobster and drawn butter is a match made in well, it is just fantastic. And cooking a lobster is easy. Be sure to get them as fresh as possible. Write me for cooking methods and the incredible grilled lobster with crab stuffing recipe. Topped with saffron beurre blanc.
Same can be said for Pinot Noir. The great red of Burgundy, there are many different styles. This will also go well with fish and seafood a s well as just about anything else. A nice earthy red from Beaune or Pommard is always good. An Oregon Pinot, sure. A fruity one from the Russian River in Sonoma, yes. Santa Rita Hills, New Zealand, Pinot Nero from Italy. You will not go wrong. But there are amazing Pinot Noirs from all over the world. Romania is the third largest Pinot Noir producing country after France and the United States. Do not be afraid to ask your favorite retailer, such as California Taste Fine Wine, for advice on any wine and wine style. Think about a food pairing and what
Pinot Noir is the wine of great triumph and great heart-break, When this thin-skinned, finicky grape is made well, the world is in sync, when it is thin and runny, not so much. And be prepared to pay a bit for a good one. But it is worth it. I could go on for days about these two varietals, but I encourage you grab a bottle or two and see for yourself. If you have not Uncorked Happiness, we wine retailers have not done our job.
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