Category Archives: Wine

The Sheer Perfection of Sherry

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Although Sherry Week was celebrated earlier this month, Sherry deserves to be celebrated all year round. If you associate Sherry with old-fashioned, sweet, cloying wines suitable only for grandma, you need to update your thinking. This fortified wine (meaning that alcoholic spirit has been added to it) offers up a diversity of styles, is at home with a wide range of foods and is usually well priced. In other words, it is sheer perfection in a glass!

Yes, Sherry can be an unusual wine if you are unfamiliar with it. But if you know what to expect and go in with an open mind, you just might be pleasantly surprised. Such was the case when we hosted our friends for dinner during which they tentatively tasted two Fino Sherries and were immediately hooked.

Overall, Sherry is quite complex due to its lengthy and complicated production process. Without going into too elaborate of an explanation, it is enough to know that 1) Sherry is produced solely in the Jerez region of Spain and 2) that its various styles can be categorized as being either aged biologically (under the influence of an indigenous yeast called flor, which protects the wine from oxidation) and those that are aged oxidatively (without flor).

Biologically aged Sherries include Finos and Manzanillas (a subset of Finos, which come from the seaside town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda). As fortified wines, these types of Sherries are on the lower side of the alcoholic range, generally coming in at 15-16% ABV (alcohol by volume), so they are not much higher than that California Cab you drank last night. More importantly, thanks to their exposure to flor, these delicate Sherries display a unique yeasty and lightly nutty aroma and flavor profile.

On their own, their unique characteristics can be a bit overwhelming, but when paired with food, they really sing. Taking inspiration from the wines themselves as well as our recent return from Spain, I put together an assortment of small dishes – tapas – to enjoy with our friends:

  • An unctuous, fuet sausage
  • Firm and nutty Manchego cheese (aged for 12 months)
  • Patatas Bravas – crispy potatoes with a spicy tomato-based sauce
  • Roasted red peppers in olive oil
  • Shrimp in garlic and oil
  • Pan con tomate (seen in photo)
  • Anchovies marinated in vinegar

Once it was obvious that our friends were on board with the Sherries, we dug into our meal with gusto, savoring the interaction of the two wines with the various plates and having fun choosing which wine we preferred with which dish.

And, while our meal was limited to Finos, the breadth of Sherry styles provides even greater opportunity for experimentation with options such as Amontillado and Oloroso, both of which are deeper in color, increasingly fuller in body and nuttier in taste. Again, this is an over-simplification; for more details on Sherry and its various styles, check out this website from the Consejo Regulador de las Denominaciones de Origen “Jerez-Xérès-Sherry”.

Finally, as we switched from a savory to a sweet focus, we enjoyed a PX (Pedro Ximenez) dessert-style Sherry thanks to the generosity of our dinner guests. These full-bodied stickies offer up notes such as molasses, toffee and burnt sugar, and served as the perfect accompaniment to the Catalan cheesecake I baked. If you’ve never had Catalan cheesecake, I like to think of it as the love child of flan and traditional cheesecake, which results in a much creamier, silkier texture.

NB: I was determined to find an authentic recipe, so I watched this video, did some conversion calculations and hoped for the best. We were not disappointed! You can check out my version of the recipe.

TASTING NOTES
Tio Pepe Palomino Fino NV, Jerez, Spain, $20.00
Pale in color. Fresh, with slight yeasty and light nutty notes on both the nose and palate, culminating in long length.

Tres Palmas 2016, Fino, Jerez, Spain, $80.00
This wine starts its life as Tio Pepe, but the best barrel(s) are selected for Tres Palmas designation – those that are considered to be of a higher quality. IT has spent an average of ten years aging in American oak casks after having spent time in the initial solera. It was deeper in color, fuller-bodied, richer and nuttier than the Tio Pepe. It was truly lovely!

 

 

Let’s Hear It for the Bees: Sokol Blosser supports sustainability

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I’ve always been a fan of Sokol Blosser Winery and now there is even more to love about this iconic Oregon wine producer: they are doubling-down on their commitment to the earth!

The winery has been a leader in the sustainability movement since the 1970s, but more recently, they have turned their attention to closures. This is not specifically a rehash of the cork vs. screwcap debate, but rather a recognition that cork is not biodegradeable. Yes, it is a renewable resource, but it is precisely because it doesn’t degrade that makes it such a useful option with which to seal wine and other products.

Consequently, in an effort to reduce its environmental impact, Sokol Blosser was the first winery in the world to place an order for DIAM’s newest product Origine by DIAM. The winery is trialing this new closure on a portion (15%) of its 2015 Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir, which was released in May (2018). Like DIAM’s other products, Origine is a technical cork, but utilizes a beeswax emulsion and 100% vegetable polyols. This makes it recyclable and, equally important, able to permit the wine to age, without fear of cork taint.

Given the product’s use of beeswax, DIAM has joined in the effort to bolster the honey bee population by investing in beehives in various French wine regions. Sokol Blosser is also showing its support for bees by donating $1 for every bottle sold under the new Origine cork to the Eugene, OR-based Save the Bee organization through April 2019. This funding will help the Oregon State University and Washington State University honeybee labs, which conduct vital research into the declining honey bee population and also teach beekeeping skills to the community.

But, of course, what’s in the bottle is still important. And, make no mistake, Sokol Blosser continues to live up to its reputation as a producer of high quality Pinot Noir!

Sokol Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2015, Dundee Hills (OR), USA, $40.00
A beautiful, complex nose with aromas of earth, barnyard and dried cherries gives way to a dry palate with rich, ripe cherry fruit flavors, along with bright acidity, low tannins, medium body and very long length.

 

NB: If you are looking to be more sustainable yourself, here are some ideas of what to do with your own collections of corks: DIY Projects and Cork Recycling Options.

CVNE: The Wine Company from the North of Spain

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CVNE is not just any winery from northern Spain. No, really, it is the winery from northern Spain. The name CVNE, pronounced Q-nay, is actually an acronym: Compania Vinicola del Norte de Espana, which literally translates as “Wine Company from the North of Spain.”

Admittedly it might not have been the most original moniker when the company was founded in 1879, but the nondescript name actually suits the winery just fine. As Victor Urrutia Ybarra, its current CEO, asserts, a great winery is much more than a family name or dynasty or as the work of a specific winemaker. Rather, its products continually deliver on quality unrelated to the particular people behind the bottle. That being said, CVNE’s winemakers hang around a long time; there have only been five in its 100-plus year history.

And, while Victor is a part of CVNE’s heritage (he is a member of the fifth generation of the founding family), he took the job practically kicking and screaming all the way. Well, not really, but he was certainly a reluctant bride to the CVNE bridegroom, agreeing first to a single-year contract to see if it would work out. This was followed by a second, and then a third, single-year contract, by which time, he realized that he enjoyed the role after all. And, he has stepped into the position as if born to it (which perhaps he was).

Despite his initial reluctance, his arrival on the CVNE scene was well-timed and well-played. Bringing his expertise and training as a management consultant (he worked in Brazil for a U.S. consulting firm prior to joining CVNE), he has dramatically transformed the brand, raising its prominence both in Spain and globally over the past 15 years.

His marketing and business acumen led him to focus first on building out the export side when he took over. These efforts have been buoyed by the buying up of distribution channels and, more recently, with an expansion of the brand. This latter endeavor has been primarily centered on the purchase of abandoned vineyards and undervalued properties, especially in emerging regions. Consequently, CVNE now produces wine in Galicia, Ribera del Duero and in Catalonia, thanks to the acquisition of a Cava producer.

But, business know-how can only take you so far. It is through these changes, coupled with the company’s continued commitment to quality, that CVNE has garnered significant success. Among its many awards, was the recognition of its Imperial Gran Reserva 2004 as the #1 Wine of the Year (in 2013) by Wine Spectator magazine, the first time that a wine from Spain received this honor, further elevating the brand’s reputation and reach. The winery has also been ranked among the top 100 wineries in the world by Wine & Spirits Magazine.

Such kudos echo the company’s earliest praise, having received Gold Medals at the 1889 International Exhibition in Paris, and at the 1890 International Exhibition in Antwerp as well as taking the Grand Prix at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900. The company’s current connection to its historical roots underscore Victor’s admonition that, “What defines our future is in our past.”

A prime example of this mantra is CVNE’s Monopole Clasico. First produced in 1915, it lays claim to being the oldest white wine brand in Spain. This unusual white was made with a small addition of Sherry to the blend, with the intent to counteract the low potential alcohol levels of the grapes at harvest and give it more backbone, which it did, along with a unique signature thanks to the Sherry’s yeastiness. Unfortunately, the wine fell out of fashion during the 1980s and CVNE stopped making altogether. However, thanks to interest from a visitor to the winery, they were inspired to reintroduce the wine, employing the original winemaker, Ezekiel, to teach them how to make it.

Another element of CVNE that marries its present with its past is its cellar, which has the rare distinction of having been designed by Gustav Eiffel. While previously, the winery wasn’t open to tourists, CVNE has gone all-in regarding wine tourism, welcoming 30,000 visitors annually, with time in the cellar featuring prominently in the visit. And, more recently, Victor purchased a derelict castle nearby, at which he plans to develop a more intimate tourist experience, along with a small winery, further adding to the company’s emphasis on welcoming the world at its door.

With its dedication to high quality wine production, sound and savvy business practices and a desire to grow strategically, CVNE is poised to not only sustain its current level of success, but, perhaps, to surpass it. Yet, as it extends its expansion outside of Rioja (aka the North of Spain), it might have to rethink its name ;-).

TASTING NOTES
Monopole Clasico Blanco Seco 2014, Rioja, Spain, $27.00
Given its inclusion of Sherry wine, this is not a true white Rioja, but that doesn’t make it any less delicious and, in fact, I was extremely impressed with its freshness and complexity. Dry, with bright acidity, apple and a hint of floral, culminating in long length.  It also has the ability to age with time.

Viña Real Crianza 2015, Rioja, Spain, $17.00
Hailing from a more delicate area within the Rioja region, this wine provides a juicy, fresher and younger expression of Rioja. Bright strawberry aromas and flavors with good acidity, slight oak and vanilla, long length.

Imperial Reserva 2012, Rioja, Spain, $45.00
This wine takes its name from its first bottling back in the 1920s when it was made for the English market and placed into Imperial Pint-sized vessels. Since then, Imperial has only been made in excellent vintages, with the intention of making the very best wine they can. Consequently, it is produced from a careful selection of top grapes from the company’s Rioja Alta vineyards. Notes of Spice, wood, strawberry, oak and clove, with medium acidity, medium body and very long length.

Imperial Gran Reserva 2011, Rioja, Spain, $80.00
As per law, the Gran Reserva spends a longer period of time aging in barrel than the Reserva wine, giving it more time to age and develop before being bottled and, ultimately, released. It also reflects the best selection of grapes. Silky smooth on the palate, this wine is still young, with red fruits, slight woodiness, elegance, finesse and a long finish. And, if that’s not enough to win you over, the 1994 vintage of this wine was served at Crown Prince (now King) Felipe’s royal wedding.

NB: If you are looking for a great place in New York City to try these (and many other Spanish wines), along with delicious tapas (such as those pictured), be sure to check out Casa Mono and its hospitable manager, Jahdea Gildin.

 

At Bodegas Beronia, It’s All About that Barrel

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Back in 1973, a group of friends (in Spain) realized that they loved good food and wine and decided to embark on a joint venture in making wine for themselves. Once they got started, they had way too much wine, so they began gifting the wine to business colleagues and selling to local restaurants.

But, their production levels were still too high for personal consumption, prompting them to look for a commercial partner. In 1982, the group crossed paths with Sherry producer (and wine company) Gonzalez Byass and soon entered into a partnership with them, enabling Bodegas Beronia to grow into a successful, international brand.

Concurrent with the partnership, Matias Calleja joined the team as winemaker and has been with Bodegas Beronia ever since. This year, Calleja will celebrate his 37th vintage with the company, having completed only one harvest elsewhere (in Tarragona, his first). Yet, despite his lengthy tenure, he is still enjoying his post and having fun.

Moreover, Calleja has had a lasting influence on Bodegas Beronia in establishing the winery’s distinctive style. In this regard, he has been at the forefront of how best to impart oak into the wine.

As a wine that requires lengthy aging, Rioja has always been about wood and, in particular, about American oak; there was no use of French oak until the 1970s.  Once both types of wood were in play, for many winemakers, it was a matter of determining the best blend of American and French barrels.

American oak imparts cocoa, mocha and a sweeter note to the wine, while French oak gives more spice, clove, vanilla and pepper notes. Calleja initially tried aging some of the wine in American oak and some in French oak and then, ultimately, blending the wine together. But, the results were less than satisfactory. Instead, he had the brainchild to blend the cask itself; all of the barrel staves are made from American oak (representing about 65% of the barrel), while the top and bottom are made from French oak.

Yet, in spite of all this emphasis on oak, he is adamant that the fruit comes first and the oak must be secondary.  So, while it may seem that it is all about that bass (aka the wood influence); it’s actually all about the fruit!

Calleja’s hybrid barrels are primarily used for the Crianza and Reserva levels of his Rioja, while the Gran Reserva spends 26-28 months in French barrels, since French oak is better for longer-aged wines. As Calleja explained, “It respects the fruit better.” Having the opportunity at a recent press lunch to taste through barrel samples of the same wine aged in three different barrel types was extremely instructive in understanding how the oak shows up in the wine.

In addition to its traditional Riojan reds, Bodegas Beronia also produces a Rueda ($13 SRP) and a Rosé (~$13). For the Rueda, the harvest is intentionally staggered and lees contact is undertaken, both of which add fullness to the wine. Plus, the fermentation temperature is carefully controlled. The result is a wine with good aromatics in addition to a rich and round palate, with medium+ body and freshness. The winery’s rosé has recently undergone a makeover due to demand from the market (the U.S. in particular), evolving from a dark-colored Tempranillo to one with a more Provençal style. The new wine brings together Tempranillo and Garnacha, with only three hours of skin contact, producing a more savory, delicate and drier wine than their previous version, with melon, peach and herbal notes.

RIOJA TASTING NOTES

Bodegas Beronia Reserva 2013, Rioja Spain, $20.00
As a Reserva-level Rioja, this wine  was aged for 20 months in hybrid barrels, before spending an additional two years in bottle. The wine offers up strawberry, black cherry, oak, vanilla and spice aromas with juicy fruit, bright acidity and ripe tannins on the medium+-bodied palate.

Bodegas Beronia Gran Reserva 2009, Rioja Spain, $30.00
Aged for  28 months in French oak, this wine displays beautiful fresh and dried floral aromas along with strawberry, clove and oak, which persist on the palate. It has lovely acidity, a full body and long length.

 

 

Gaetano Marangelli: A Man on a Mission

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Gaetano Marangelli is a man on a mission. The owner of Cantine Menhir Salento in Italy’s Puglia region, he has been seeking to re-establish indigenous grape varieties since he was a teenager. Today, his mentor has moved on, but Marangelli is still committed to growing grapes such as Minutolo and Susumaniello.

A member of the Muscat family, Minutolo is also known as Fiano bianco, but it is not related to Campania’s Fiano; instead this association is due to the fact that the word fiano means honey/sweet. Like other Muscat varieties, Minutolo offers up pronounced floral and honey aromas. And, thanks to Marangelli’s efforts, this variety is finding new favor; he presently has about 5 hectares planted.

And, his passion for diversity doesn’t stop at grapes. He is currently in the process of comparing and contrasting different chicken varieties to see if there are differences in the resulting eggs. He also grows numerous varieties of basil, believing that different types of the herb go better in some dishes than others. All of the results of these experiments are incorporated into his restaurant menu.

Marangelli’s Puglian property is situated in Minervino di Lecce, just inland from Otrano in the southeastern portion of Puglia. It boasts 10 hectares of vineyards and is home to a 40-hectare organic farm from which he sources much for his aforementioned, on-site restaurant, Origano – Osteria & Store.

As a company, Mehhir Salento dates to 2005, but the estate is much older, with some Primitivo vineyards planted 80+ years ago. The vineyards are currently undergoing conversion to organic viticulture and Marangelli is on track to receive formal certification in 2019.

In the meantime, he continues to pursue his preservation mission and pouring his passion into his winemaking (and his omelettes).

TASTING NOTES

Pietra Rosato 2017 IGP Salento, Puglia, Italy
This blend of Negroamaro and Susumaniello offers up bright aromas of red apple, cranberries and spice. It is dry with good acidity, nice depth and long length, on the palate.

Passo-O 2017 IGP Puglia, Puglia, Italy
During the Crusades, Otranto, situated on the Apian Way, was a door to the Middle East and a church here was the last spot before one left Italy. This wine honors that legacy with its name. Produced from 100% Minutolo, this wine displays aromas and flavors of pear, floral and a hint of dried herbs, along with medium acidity, medium body and long length.

Pietra Salice Salento DOC 2015 Puglia, Italy
Bringing together 80% Negroamaro, 20% Malvasia Nera, this wine features herbal notes, along with red and black bramble fruits and a hint of oak, with silky tannins and long length.

Anna Pietra Primitivo Susumaniello 2015, Puglia, Italy
Paying tribute to his mother and daughter, both named Anna, this blend of 60% Primitivo 40% Susumaniello sees no oak and, consequently, is a fresher style of red, with ripe black fruit, vibrant acidity and long length.

Celebrating Argentine Wines on World Malbec Day

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It’s time to break out the barbecue as we anticipate the arrival of fairer weather and grilling season this weekend. Plus, it’s time to celebrate Argentina’s signature grape variety on World Malbec Day, which takes place on April 17, 2018.

Admittedly, Malbec got its start in southwest France (think Cahors and – to a lesser extent – Bordeaux), having been cultivated in the area since Roman times. But the grape has been quite successful in making a home for itself in the Mendoza region of Argentina.

In fact, Argentina’s long relationship with Malbec dates to 1853 when agronomist Michel Aimé Pouget brought the grape to the New World country, having been hired to run an agricultural school there. On April 17th of that year, a bill was submitted to the legislature to establish the new school and was passed into law by early September. In addition to the school’s influence, Argentina’s early viticulture was also shaped by Italian and French immigrants, who brought their grape growing experience and expertise with them. Moreover, Malbec quickly adapted to its new home, rising in popularity and prominence. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that World Malbec Day took place for the first time.

On its own, this variety offers up fresh fruit aromas of black and bramble fruit and violet, usually joined by oak, vanilla due to barrel aging regimens. It generally produces wines with medium-to-full body, moderate-to-firm tannins and medium-to-high alcohol levels. Malbec grapes grown at the higher elevations found in the Andes Mountains benefit from the good diurnal variation and long hang time, developing thick skins and concentrated flavors.

But, while World Malbec Day is a great excuse to open up a Malbec wine, it is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Argentina’s wines in all their splendor and diversity. At the 11th edition of the Argentina Wine Awards, well titled as “Breaking New Ground,” 47 wines earned a score of 95 points and 17 wines received trophies: 6 red blends, 5 Malbecs, 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, 1 Cabernet Franc, 1 Chardonnay, 1 sparkling wine, 1 white blend and 1 sweet wine, proving that Argentina can produce more than just Malbec.

Of course, like wines from elsewhere, Argentine wines can be enjoyed with nearly any cuisine. However, with its adopted home being among the steak capitals of the world, it can be the perfect pairing partner for these wines.

In gearing up for the “holiday,” Hess Family Wine Estates sent out recipes for meals featuring Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Squash And Zesty Watercress Salad (Amalaya recipe) and another for Seared Lamb with Fresh Corn & Quinoa Soup (Colomé recipe), to be enjoyed with its Colomé Malbec 2015, Salta, Argentina, $25.00 (100% Malbec)* and Amalaya Malbec 2016, Salta, Argentina, $16.00 (85% Malbec, 10% Tannat, 5% Petit Verdot) wines. I happily indulged in the recipes, tweaking them a bit to fit our tastes and our pantry.

Specifically, we decided to cook our steaks in our cast iron skillet using a spice rub (we live in a NYC apartment and don’t have access to a grill), substituted a very large sweet potato in place of butternut squash and chose to forgo the other vegetables in the “squash with vegetable chips.” For the watercress salad, we skipped the habanero peppers and used lemon juice instead of lemon zest, with salt, pepper and good quality EVOO.

We also added the corn and quinoa soup to our meal from the Colome menu since it sounded so good. If you can grill your corn, it will definitely add a layer of depth and complexity, but you can just as easily “cheat” like I did and use a bag of frozen corn (much easier than wrestling the kernels off an ear of corn). The recipe calls for white quinoa, but we only had red quinoa and you can use the general quinoa ratio (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups water) rather than try to figure out 5.3 oz of quinoa. If you are dairy-free, substitute ghee or olive oil. I also added in some Cayenne pepper to give the soup a bit of a welcome (to us) kick.

All in all, it was a delicious dinner and went quite well with the two Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

TASTING NOTES
Viña Cobos Bramare Marchiori Vineyard Chardonnay 2016, Perdriel/Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina, $42.00
This wine was barrel fermented with native yeasts and underwent malolactic fermentation while in barrel. It then spent 12 months in French oak barrels, 50% of which were new. Despite the oak treatment, the oak character was relatively integrated and balanced, along with rich apple and tropical fruit flavors.

Amalaya Malbec 2016, Salta, Argentina, $16.00
This wine brings together 85% Malbec with 10% Tannat and 5% Petit Verdot. On the nose, the wine shows an intensity of berries, bramble fruit and a hint of smoke, which persist on the dry, full-bodied palate, balanced out with medium+ acidity and  medium+ ripe tannins.

Andeluna Altitud Malbec 2014, Tupungato, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.00
Deep inky purple in color, this wine displays berries, oak, vanilla and a hint of earth on the nose. On the palate, it is dry with ripe black cherry and blackberry fruit, joined by some oak and herbal notes, with medium+ acidity, firm tannins, full body and medium+ length.

Colomé Malbec 2015, Salta, Argentina, $25.00
This wine spent 15 months aging in French oak barrels, which comes across as smoke and oak on both the nose and palate, joined by a slight floral note. It offers up good acidity with lots of blackberry and plum flavors, along with an herbal undercurrent and a long finish.

Vincentin Colosso 2014, Luyan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $45.00
A blend of 94% Malbec, with 3% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this wine was aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels. It has an intense woody, red fruit, berries, spice and vanilla nose, which all persist on the dry, medium+-bodied palate, culminating in long length.

Bodega Sottano Reserva de Familia Malbec 2015, Luyan de Coyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $30.00
This wine spent 15 months in new oak (70% French and 30% American) barrels. The wine’s intense nose provides notes of plum, bramble fruit, oak and a hint of perfume, all of which persist on the luscious palate. An intensity of fruit character dominates, but the wine is also very fresh, with balance and long length.

Bodegas Norton Gernot Langes 2012, Luyan de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina, $100.00
This 80% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc blend has an intense nose of violets, oak, cedar, berries and vanilla. Its palate is dry with a sweet attack of ripe fruit of blackberries, black cherry, firm tannins, full body and long length. It is a powerful and concentrated wine that will improve with bottle age.

Viña Cobos Cocodrilo Corte 2015, Luyan de Cuyo and Valley de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina, $28.00*
Bringing together 77% Cabernet Sauvignon with 15% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Franc, this Bordeaux-style blend is lush with ripe fruit on the nose and palate, redolent of blackberry, black cherry and a woody undercurrent. It shows good acidity, with firm tannins and medium+ body on the powerful and rich palate.

Bodega Luigi Bosca Finca Los Nobles Field Blend Cabernet Bouchet, 2012, Mendoza, Argentina, $70.00*
Produced from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Alicante Bouchet grapes that have been grown together for more than 90 years, at an altitude of 1,050 meters above sea level, this wine is then aged for 24 months in new French oak barrels. This is an elegant, yet powerful wine, with classic Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics. It displays aromas and flavors of blackberry, oak, smoke, herbs and dried flowers with bright acidity, firm tannins, and full body.

Proemio Reserve Syrah Garnacha 2015, Mendoza, Argentina, $20.00
The 50-50 blend was co-fermented before being aged for 12 months in French oak. With aromas of cloves, leather and black cherry, the dry wine then offers up bright acidity, black cherry, oak, spice, firm tannins and long length on its palate. A really lovely wine, especially for the price.

*Argentina Wine Awards Trophy Winner

Food and Wine Fit For Royalty

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Tuscan wine producer Ruffino, which celebrates its 140th anniversary this year, marked the occasion with a pizza party at Emily’s. The event featured a selection of seasonally-inspired cocktails, produced with Ruffino’s Prosecco, as well as a chance to pick one’s favorite pairing among the pizzas and wines.

Emily’s pizzas are categorized by color: reds (tomato sauce), pinks (vodka sauce), greens (tomatillo sauce) and whites (no sauce) and are self-described as Detroit-Grandma style pies. In this regard, they are square-shaped with thick, crispy crusts. And, more to the point, they are delicious.

Although I am generally gluten-free, I give myself a break on vacations and, having just returned from Cancun, chose to extend my GF reprieve to indulge; it was worth every bite!

Among my preferred pies were the Emily, a sauce-free pizza with pistachio, honey, and truffle Sottocenere cheese and the Madre, topped with tomatillo sauce, mozzarella and chorizo. These two pizzas were specifically paired with the Pinot Grigio and Sparling Rose, but we happily enjoyed them with the Chianti Classico.

Beppe D’ Andrea, global brand ambassador of Ruffino Wines, shared the history of the brand as well as that of another traditional Italian product — Margherita pizza. According to D’Andrea, this (now) classic Neopolitan pizza style was created almost 130 years ago in honor of Queen Margherita, who was dining in Naples at the time. Wanting to serve something special for the Queen, the restaurateur crafted an edible Italian flag — red (tomatoes), white (mozzarella cheese) and green (basil) —  on the spot and thankfully, the Queen enjoyed it very much. Emily’s kitchen sent out a sample of this style for us to try as well.

Similarly, Ruffino got its start by being favored by royalty. When the Duke of Aosta visited the winery in 1890 and tasted its wines, he was immediately impressed and placed an order right away. The barrel-aged wine was marked as having been reserved for the Duke (Riserva Ducale) and Ruffino became the official supplier to the Italian royal family. This Chianti Classico Riserva wine was first released commercially in 1927, permitting the masses and not just the monarchy, to buy it. Today, the wine still bears the Riserva Ducale designation and is in the unique situation of having Riserva on the label twice.

I have no tasting notes to share because frankly, I was too busy having a good time, eating pizza fit for a Queen and drinking red wines made for a Duke. But, I have had the Ruffino wines previously and they never disappoint. There is a reason that the winery has been in business for 140 years!

 

A Devil of a Merlot for International Merlot Day

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As Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly notes, national and international wine holidays are actually quite unofficial, but they are certainly a great excuse to drink wine and focus on a specific grape variety or wine category.

Consequently, International Merlot Day, which Puckette traces back to 2011, has a designated date of November 7 and is as good a reason as any to drink more Merlot, particularly if this grape isn’t in your usual repertoire!

No longer widely maligned, Merlot has found renewed favor, which it richly deserves and is among the most popular red varieties in the U.S. This great grape originally hails from France and is wonderful on its own or as part of a blend (especially the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank). Generally, these wines offer up red fruits, coffee and herbal notes, along with good acidity and soft tannins, but the wines will vary depending upon where the grapes are grown.

Merlot adapts well to many climates and has been transported from its ancestral home to almost every wine region across the globe. Within the U.S., the variety does well on Long Island and in Washington State and in California. Worldwide, there are an estimated 660,000 acres of Merlot planted, so there is definitely no shortage of Merlots to try.

To help you get started, here’s one option worth checking out:
Charles Smith The Velvet Devil Merlot 2015, Washington State, U.S., $12.99 (SRP)
With an intense nose showing plum, coffee and meatiness, this wine is dry with very ripe fruit character, medium+ body, medium acidity and present tannins. Flavors of plum, fresh herbs and dried herbs dominate the palate, along with a hint of earth and spice. These latter notes add to the wine’s complexity and give it a fall-weather feel, which may be why it paired so well with roasted butternut squash.

If you still have friends in the anti-Merlot camp, it might be time to find some new friends or you could simply tell them, the devil made me do it.

 

Summer Sippers 2017

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Summertime and the living (and drinking) is easy…

We’ve certainly had an assortment of summer weather this year, from the typical hot and humid heat waves to the cool, wet weather better suited to April and perhaps everything in between.

Consequently, meals have ranged from glorious picnics in the park to the more mundane take-out burgers and fries. But, regardless of what Mother Nature brings, this time of year still has me thinking of lighter wines in the full complement of hues — red, white and rosé.

Drouhin La Foret Chardonnay 2015, Bourgogne, France, $15.00
Joseph Drouhin is a world-renowned Burgundian winemaker, with properties throughout the Burgundy region (and, more recently, in Oregon’s Willamette Valley) Produced in stainless-steel vats, with some of the wine seeing older oak barrels for a short period of time, this wine offers up aromas of smoke, oak, nuts, and apple. It is dry on the full-bodied palate with ripe apple and a hint of nuts, with medium+ acidity and good length.

Valdivieso Valley Selection Sauvignon Blanc 2015, Leyda Valley, Chile, SRP $17.00
This Sauvignon Blanc hails from the maritime climate of Leyda, which results in good acidity. It sports a very herbal nose with bright acidity and medium+ body. It displays distinct citrus and herbal flavors on the palate, culminating with long length.

Ventisquero Reserva Sauvignon Blanc 2016, Casablanca Valley, Chile, SRP $15.00
Another Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, this wine one from the similarly cool climes of the Casablanca Valley, but with less herbal characteristics and more ripe citrus and tropical fruit aromas and flavors.

Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Gelblack Qualitätswein Feinherb 2015, Rheingau, Germany, SRP $30.00
Opened and shared during an indoor picnic (during our spell of fall weather), this was a crowd favorite thanks to its beautiful acidity, bright citrus fruit and minerality. There is just a touch of sweetness on the palate, with floral, citrus/candied lemon notes, lime zest and zingy freshness, culminating in long length.

Gratien & Meyer Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé, Loire Valley, France, SRP $15.00
This Cabernet Franc sparkler is beautifully pale salmon in color with a nose redolent of melon and cherries. On the palate, it is dry, with rich, ripe cherry, berry and vanilla notes, a creamy mousse and long length.

 

Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano D.O.C. 2014, Tuscany, Italy, SRP $15.00
An estate-grown blend of 70% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Canaiolo and 5% Cabernet Franc, this wine offers notes of plum, cherry, spice and oak on both the nose and palate. It is medium-bodied with good acidity and was a nice red option for cooler summer weather.