Category Archives: Chocolate

Enjoying sweet treats with Gonzalez Byass Sherries

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I used to love trick-or-treating as a kid – between costumes and candy, what more could any child want? Those days are somewhat over – you can still dress up, but folks might look askance if you showed up at their door begging for treats (or maybe not, perhaps your neighbors are more open minded).

In any case, it was with light-hearted fun that the folks from Gonzalez Byass Sherries reached out and offered up the opportunity to do a candy and Sherry pairing in honor of Halloween. They sent out three different Sherries and an assortment of decadent sweets. They say, “Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker,” but this “food” and wine pairing was the best of both worlds, with the chance to indulge our inner child while indulging in adult beverages.

In anticipation of the holiday, I eagerly opened up the wines and dived into the candy on the day before Halloween. Interestingly, while it has been proposed that all three Sherries would be a match for at least one of the candies, I was surprised at how dry the Gonzalez Byass Alfonso Oloroso was (I hadn’t paid close attention before tasting and presumed that it was a sweet Oloroso; it was not).

I later checked the technical sheet and noticed that the residual sugar* was less than 4 g/l, further confirming the dry character of the wine. Of course, while I didn’t
personally enjoy the Oloroso with any of the sugary snacks, everyone has their own, absolutely valid, palate preferences. Moreover, I loved this wine on its own and found it to be a wonderful addition to a tapas-themed dinner the next night.


The Harvey’s Bristol Cream – always one of my favorites – was delicious with the caramel- and nut-infused treats such as the Milky Way, Payday and 100 Grand bars. Meanwhile, the intense Gonzalez Byass Nectar PX paired beautifully with rich chocolates and, most especially, with Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups. I really enjoyed the balance that the candy provided to this super sweet wine.

Although Halloween has come and gone, this tasting exercise is equally applicable to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday where there will be treats aplenty on the table. I would serve the Oloroso with appetizers, especially dried fruits, nuts, charcuterie and cheeses. The Harvey’s Bristol Cream would be nice with lighter flavored desserts such as apple pie and cheesecake, with the PX being perfect with pecan or pumpkin pies. Or, if you are too full from the meal, you could simply pour a glass of the sweet nectar as you sit back and appreciate all that you are grateful for this year.

TASTING NOTES

Harvey’s Bristol Cream NV DO Jerez, Spain, $20.00 R/S 138 g/l*
An historic wine, Harvey’s was established in Bristol, England in 1796 and this wine in particular was first produced in 1882. Creamier in style than their other Bristol Milk product, the wine was given the name of Bristol Cream although it is not actually a cream liquor. It is a blend of 80% Palomino and 20% Pedro Ximenez, which have been solera aged for an average of 7 years. With aromas and flavors of orange peel, spice, caramel, this wine is off-dry to medium sweet, with medium+ body and long length.

Gonzalez Byass Alfonso Oloroso, DO Jerez, Spain, $25.00 R/S <4 g/l*
Produced from 100% Palomino grapes, this wine is aged for an average of 8 years in oak casks in a solera system. It is made in an oxidized style as a result of leaving air space in the casks, thereby adding color and depth to the finished wine. It is dry with baked apple, candied apple and baking spices, medium body and very long length.

Gonzalez Byass Nectar PX, DO Jerez, Spain, $25.00   R/S 138 g/l*
After being harvested, the 100% Pedro Ximenez grapes are dried in the sun on mats for up to two weeks, losing water content and concentrating flavors and aromas in the grapes. After fermentation and fortification, the wine is aged in solera for an average of 8 years. It is extremely rich and unctuous, with full body and notes of molasses, anise, raisins and other dried fruits, culminating in long length.


*Residual sugar (R/S) is a measure of how much sugar remains in the wine after fermentation has been completed and is expressed in grams per liter (g/l).

Rediscovering Harveys Bristol Cream

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I have been blessed to have a wide range of wonderful wines grace my glass lately, reflecting the diverse array of wines in the world. One wine that particularly stood out is Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry.

I first enjoyed a glass of this medium-sweet Sherry while having high tea at the Empress Hotel on Victoria Island off the coast of Vancouver. It was a lovely treat and added to the experience, but not something I think about often. But the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with the class was welcomed as I discovered its equal affinity for cheese and chocolate.

While the name might be confusing, the reference to “cream” is simply based on the wine’s full-bodied, creaminess; it is, rather, a Sherry, not a cream liquor. The wine was first developed in 1882, blending four different styles of Sherry, which were aged from 3 to 20 years in a solera (a fractional-aging system).

This classic wine has recently received a make-over, sporting a new label that is not only modern in design, but also turns blue when the wine is properly (50-55oF) chilled. At 17.5% alcohol by volume, which is typical for this style of fortified (i.e. Sherry, Port) wine, it is something that should be drunk in smaller quantities than non-fortified wines. However, an opened bottle will easily last for up to a month if kept in the refrigerator

This is a great wine to serve for holiday gatherings, pairing well with pumpkin pie and holiday cookies as well as with salty/savory foods such as unctuous cheeses and charcuterie platters.

TASTING NOTE
Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry, Jerez, Spain, $24.99
Deep amber in color, this wine offers up aromas of dried apricots, spice, candied orange, honey and a hint of nuttiness, all of which persist on the medium-sweet, yet balanced, full-bodied palate, culminating in long length.

Sex, Wine & Chocolate

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On December 10, I had the delight of presenting a fun and festive tasting event with Judith Steinhart and Traci Schiffer, featuring wines provided by Alexander Valley Vineyards and Banfi Vintners. Titled Sex, Wine & Chocolate, we explored the sensual aspects of these three pleasures in life.

As the wine educator, I lead the wine tasting, accompanied by my friend Traci who works for Godiva Chocolatier and is very knowledgeable about chocolate and its creation. Accordingly, we were able to provide both wine education and chocolate education during the tasting.

Each wine was paired with two different chocolates, graciously donated by Godiva. This gave each participant the opportunity to taste how the wine and chocolate changed depending upon the individual pairing. The featured wines included the aptly named Temptation Zin from AVV and Banfi’s Brachetto d’Acquis. The first is an easy-drinking Zinfandel, part of their Wicked Weekend trio of Zinfandels, which also includes the Sin Zin and Redemption Zin. The wine has berry and cocoa aromas and flavors that permit it to pair with chocolate despite its dry nature. Brachetto is a lovely grape from the Piedmont region in NW Italy that creates a beautifully ruby-hued, sweet sparkler with notes of raspberry and strawberry. The third wine tasted was Duck Walk’s Aphrodite.

Dr. Steinhart has long been a respected health and sexuality educator and brought a wonderful approach to the tasting, framing it within the context of the sensual world. She further provided education on enhacing one’s sex life with an emphasis on being in the moment.

Overall, the event was extremely informative and a whole lot of fun. We look forward to future presentations, which will only get better. Perhaps you can join us next time.