Super Tuscan

"Wile E. Coyote, super genius! I like the way that rolls out...'Wile E. Coyote...soooper geeenyus'!"

I've never been able to hear someone talking about a "Super Tuscan" wine without thinking about the Road Runner's nemesis pulling down that windowshade before the train arrives. This has as much to do with being a member of the last generation properly exposed to the brilliance of Bugs Bunny cartoons on Saturday mornings. I'm sure there's a longitudinal study somewhere correlating the effects of a lack of childhood exposure to cartoon violence with the likelihood that said child will grow up to drive a minivan, own the Dora the Explorer box set for their 3.2 kids, and overprogram the hell out of their childrens' lives, so I'll embrace my old school Warner Brothers tightly, thank you very much.

OK...back to the matter at hand.

Super Tuscan. Yet another WineSpeak term that can make a novice wine drinker feel over his or her head -- like "full malo" or "highly extracted." This term for certain Italian reds was all the rage for a few years, and I think has died down just a tad, but I still hear it. Since I love me some Italian wine, I wanted to make sure that I actually knew what this meant, so as not to sound even more ridiculous that I usually do. So...to the research we go:

Let's take a little trip back to Italy, shall we? (Oh, twist my arm!) Not surprisingly, the Italians are pretty picky about their winemaking. They've been doing it arguably longer than anyone else in the world, and with time comes specificity. The Italians aren't quite as stringent about their classifications as their Gallic winemaking brethren -- but they've still got a few quirks.

All Italian wines are given a government designation. The ones we see most often in the US are "DOC" (Denominazione di Origine Controllata or "controlled origin denomination") and "DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita -- "guaranteed")." "DOC" wines are produced under the specifications that are regionally dependent. "DOCG" is a higher level of classification -- these wines are tested and tasted by the regulatory agencies before being bottled. DOCG wines have a numbered seal around the neck of the bottle. Since 1996, any wine you see that's labeled "Chianti" with "DOC" or "DOCG" is going to be made up of 70% up to 10% of a local grape called Canaiolo and up to 20% of any other approved red grape variety such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah. (Before that, white grapes Malvasia and Trebbiano were included in the mix.) Wines that didn't follow these specifications were known as VdT (Vin di Tavolo -- table wine) classified.

That changed in the 1940's when the Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta settled in Tuscany. He wanted to raise grapes to make wine for himself and his wife, and he imported some Cabernet Sauvignon vines from Bordeaux to do just that. He blended the Cabernet with some native Sangiovese and, lo, Sassicaia, the die was cast. These wines began being distributed in the late 1960's, and in 1978 it won a competition of the world's best Cabernets. Through the 1970's and 80's, more and more wineries started seeing the possibilities and the "Super Tuscan" term was born. Winemakers experimented with different grapes, blends, and aging techniques. Many winemakers started producing prized vintages -- which were officially labeled "VdT" because of their refusal to follow tradition. Some wore their non-DOCG status as a badge of honor. The Italian authorities adopted an "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" stance -- and created a fourth classification: IGT, which stands for Indicazione geografica tipica, meaning that the label may indicate where the wine is from -- but it's not a "traditional" blend. An IGT wine can be 100% Sangiovese or contain no Sangiovese at all -- once considered heresy. IGT wines are not limited to Tuscany, either. You can find these nontraditional blends sourced from all over Italy.

So, what does all this mean for us? Not to put too fine a point on it -- these are Italian-based wines that are produced for the "New World" palate. There's an emphasis on fruit-forwardness and a stronger level of tannin than many traditional Italian wines. There's usually a little less minerality. Like most Italian wines, they're really best with food -- especially rich foods. Many winemakers with a little flair (or some nontraditional terroir) try to make IGT wines as their top-ends. As for the price, well -- they can range from under $10 up into the hundreds. We looked at wines at a couple of different price points. For instance:

Fanti Sant'Antimo 2006 Rosso -- Super Tuscan blend. Fascinating nose. My first sniff got me something in the neighborhood of spice cake. There's some cherry that comes through, but the smells of baking are right there. Medium weight initially on the palate, but it almost feels like it "thickens" into a lasting flavor. Dark fruits and some of that Sangiovese "chalk." The finish lingers....and I do mean lingers with caramel and really nicely balanced tannins. Really looked forward to trying this with a shrimp & calamari fra diavola, since I figured the weight would handle all the flavors. It didn't let me down. It made a scrumptious pairing, since the extra fruit balanced out the spice in the sauce. ($15)

I had a bottle of the Tenuta Dell Ornellaia "Le Volte" 2006 at around $28 and the Ruffino 2007 Fonte al Sole Toscana at around $10. The former is 50% Sangiovese, 40% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the latter is a 60/40 Cab/Sangiovese blend. The SPinC got inspired and decided to put together a parmesan-crusted rack of lamb next to a side of zucchini sautéed w/mint, parsley & basil. We opened them side by side to get a contrast between price points and blends.

The Le Volte had a lighter but more complex nose than the Ruffino. The Ruffino smelled much more like a cabernet, while the Le Volte had more of that baking-spicy nose that I experienced with the Fanti. The Le Volte was medium bodied and subtly flavored. A really nice balance between the minerality and the depth of fruit. The finish was almost coffee-ish, which isn't something I've run into with many Italian wines. The Ruffino drank like a decent cabernet. In fact, if not for that little bit of sangiovese minerality, it could have passed as a cab.

As we figured, it was an interesting contrast. The Ruffino was a pleasant surprise with the lamb. The flavors stood up to the lamb and to everything else on the table. This type of flavor experience different greatly with the Le Volte. Rather than standing up to the lamb and asserting itself, the flavors here worked alongside the richness of lamb to produce a delicious, layered experience. If nuance is what you're after, the LeVolte was the obvious choice for a pairing like this -- when we could just let the lamb melt and ponder every sip. However, in a noisier setting -- such as if this were a big dinner party, I'd have no reservations of buying several bottles of the Ruffino (and maybe putting it in pitchers around the table).

We had another real surprise with our usual end-of-evening chocolate -- we had two bite brownies this evening. The Ruffino was not only the the superior wine, but it was downright delicious. The sweetness of the brownies didn’t get dented at all by the wine -- instead, the cabernet hopped right up and complemented the flavors. I really enjoyed this as a dessert offering.

Like Wile E., I am a big fan of experimentation, so I've come to really enjoy Super Tuscans. One of the hardest sells I have for people who are new to Italian wines is that they can be a little difficult to approach when poured on their own. With food, they're easy. The inexpensive Super Tuscans make excellent bridge wines. As for the more expensive ones -- these Italian cuvees give winemakers in Italy a chance to show off a bit with their blending skills. They're usually going to be really textured, interesting wines -- so add them to your list to splurge on from time to time.

Wines for Staying In

As Vine readers in the DC metro area dig themselves out after getting walloped by the Storm of the Century (30 inches of snow? Great skiing in Adams-Morgan this time of year!), I wish I'd put this installment together a little earlier. You know, as a public service.

I got this germ of an idea in the ol' inbox not long ago from Andrea S.:

"Sometimes when everyone's being social, I just don't feel like it. I'd just rather sit at home, pet the dog, turn on some music and pour a glass of wine. I deal with people all the time, and I just want to shut off my brain for awhile. What's something decent that I can pick up, open, pour, and not think about too much?"

As I said, I wish that I'd been able to get this out early enough for the mid-Atlantic folks to get to their local wine stores and stock up for the latest thrust of this winter of our discontent -- since right now, it sounds like snowshoes and dogsleds are about the only way to get around.

Andrea raises an excellent point -- especially after an exhausting week at work, the siren song of the couch cushions every now and again sounds way too tempting to head out to happy hour, dinner, concerts, or what have you. Even making dinner can become too much of an effort. Heck, even contemplating wine can be a strain.

So, for the sake of "Uncork, unplug, unwind," here are a couple of wines that I've run across that fall squarely into the "at least decent enough to be surprisingly good at a time like that" category:

Round Hill 2007 Merlot -- Not the biggest, not the strongest, not the most flavorful -- but it's got a good fruit backbone. While the nose is a little grapey, it's not overwhelmingly so and it calms down into plumminess after it gets a little air. This is the sort of wine that an aerator could work wonders on. The finish is adequately full for an evening's low-key needs -- which probably include random leftovers scavenged from the fridge to accompany that Netflix movie you've been paying for over the last two months since you haven't found time to watch. It'll go reasonably well with chocolate, pizza rolls, or a cut up chicken breast, some shredded parmesan, and salsa. Not that I'd know. $7.

Cupcake 2008 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling -- I found myself in a situation after a long day at work that I simply didn't have the energy to do a full-on wine shop. The domicile was running low on white, and I needed something to go with a spicy chicken soup I planned to cobble together one an evening setting up to be bitterly cold. What can I say? I'm a sucker for cupcakes. I didn't have any expectations, and at $8, I thought I'd just use a little palate background noise for the occasion. What I cracked was a decent kabinett-style American Riesling. The nose was floral enough that it bordered on viognier territory, with a soft peachy, appley body and a surprising mineral thread winding through it. ("It's fruity, but it doesn't hit you over the head with sugar like a lot of other cheap Rieslings," commented the SPinC) The finish, as promised on the label, is generally dry with a little sour apple. With the soup, the spices balanced well. Solid value.

Louis Latour Domaine de Valmoissine 2007 Pinot Noir -- One of my favorite "slothing at home" activities is a good, long soak and a big ol' glass of wine. Red wine relaxes me more than white -- but when I'm up to my neck in hot water and bubbles, huge tannic reds can be a bit much. Lighter red, like pinot noir, works nicely, but I generally don't want to crack a 1er cru Burgundy while I'm getting all pruney, and many inexpensive pinots can be watery and uninteresting. I was pleased to find this very serviceable pinot noir for $12. Rarely does a pinot at this price point have much in the way of the smoky complexity that makes pinot...well, pinot, but this one had a pleasant cherry-laden, smoky twist on the nose. Medium bodied with dark cherry flavors, some smoke and surprisingly good balance. The finish is lightly tart and little dry. Again, nothing that knocked my socks off, but for tub time -- perfectly workable. It's also a very tasty food wine. Before the cold really kicked in this winter, I had this with grilled skewers of shrimp, sausage, fennel, mushroom, and tomatoes. Very tasty.

Bogle 2006 "The Phantom" Red Wine -- So, what if you're lucky enough to get snowed in with some good company? Perhaps a fire if that's an option, some dark chocolate sundries, a little 'Trane, and this bottle, again picked up on a whim on the way out of the wine store. The SPinC found ourselves in just such a situation, and we decided to break this open just because we we had it lying around. We didn't expect such a complex, sultry little number for $16. It's a big blend of mostly zinfandel and petit sirah, so it's not as "subtle" as you might expect a phantom to be. ("Bogle" means "Phantom" in old Scottish) The nose is a confectionary in winter -- heavy with melted chocolate and pine needles. Not especially fruity on the palate, but full of smooth layers of coffee and vanilla. It finishes lush and thick with coffee and a little dark fruit, and for sipping deep into the night, a winner.

So eschew the social temptations of the outside world and break open a bottle or two. It's good for the soul. As for the DC folks, stay warm, stay indoors, and if your cable still works, don't watch any TNT reruns of "Alive."

The Alphabet Soup Project -- "B" is for Blush

When in doubt...pink.

Words to live by when you're considering food pairings. Few things go better with...well...everything than rosé. As I've pointed out in the past -- I'm not talking about white zinfandel here. White zin is perfect for making sangria or if your hummingbird feeder has run dry. (And we'll get back to this in a moment.) Otherwise, just stroll on by and get to the real stuff.

A quick refresher -- almost all rosé starts as red wine. Red wine gets its color through a process called maceration. Maceration occurs during the fermentation process. With most red wines, the grapes are crushed and the resulting empty skins are left in contact with the juice as fermentation begins. The resulting heat and production of alcohol causes the coloring agents in wine, called anthocyanins to leach from the skins. The tannins in wine also come from this process. The longer the contact, the darker and more tannic the wine. For many big, dark red wines, this process may take as long as a month.

For rosé, however, the skins are left in contact with the juice for only a matter of hours or a couple of days at the outside. At this point, a winemaker wishing to make rosé has a couple of options. The most common process is simply to move the wine into another container at this point, discarding the skins and allowing fermentation to continue normally.

Another process is called saignée, where a winemaker trying to create an intense red wine will bleed off some of the juice at an early stage of maceration. The remaining juice has more concentrated contact with the skin, creating a stronger red. The bled-off pink juice is then made into rosé. A winemaker can also blend red and white wine to make something pink -- but this is rarely done other than in the process of making true rosé Champagne.

For the record, White Zinfandel came about in the mid-70's. Sutter Home winery was making rosé from Zinfandel grapes by the saignée method. One batch had a "stuck fermentation" -- which means that the yeast died before fermentation was complete. They put this half-fermented, sweet juice aside. The wine was sampled not long afterwards, people liked the sweetness, and White Zinfandel was released large-scale on an unknowing populace. High schoolers everywhere rejoiced.

As I noted in the Vine's early tendrils, pink is not a flavor -- but the ubiquitousness of White Zin scared a lot of people away from ordering one of the best wine values out there. As you'd figure, the flavor of rosé tends to be on the light side, but even the small amount of tannin in rosé can contribute to an interesting structure. When I say that you can drink rosé with almost anything, I'm quite serious. Salads kill wine, generally -- but rosé can hold its own. Almost any kind of fish, chicken, pork, or veggie preparation (as long as it's not in a big cream sauce) will work. Some of the bigger rosés can even handle red meat.

While it's traditionally a summer wine (especially some of the light, delicate ones from Provence), I'll have at a bottle of the stuff any time of year. We generally keep a couple of bottles around for when we want a pairing but can't exactly come up with something perfect. You can file rosé under "good enough" for any occasion. Here are a few I've tangled with recently:

Argiolas 2008 Serra Lori Rosado -- This was the rosé that we had with Thanksgiving dinner, and it was the first Italian rose I think I've tried. It hails from Sicily and largely made from a varietal called Cannonau. The nose is friendly, full of candied apples and flowers. It's got solid acidity and good weight on the palate. The finish is acidic with a whip of orange zest and a little lingering stringency. This isn't delicate wine by any stretch, instead providing a very firm structure and nice acidic balance. It's a hearty glass that reminded me of many Spanish roses, if that's your cup of tea. With the leftover turkey and beans from our Thanksgiving meal, it was an absolute champ. ($14)

Louis Jadot 2008 Gamay Rosé -- While we're still running with "firsts," as I mentioned, I'm quite used to seeing rosés from France. I was picking up a Beaujolais, and this pink bottle caught my eye. A rosé...from gamay? Gamay is same grape that comprises Beaujolais. Since Beaujolais is such a light red anyway...I was very curious what the rosé would yield. Well...it was pretty much exactly what I expected -- an extremely light rosé. I thought it had about the weight of a pinot gris. Like a pinot gris, it had plenty of acidity. There's a little of that familiar gamay/Beaujolais flavor in the middle and especially on the finish. It's a very drinkable wine that would go with any kind of light food, but I'd probably think of it more of an aperitif, especially once the weather warms up. At $10, it's a decent enough value if you're looking for a change of pace with your pinkness.

E. Guigal 2008 Cotes-du-Rhone Rosé -- The Rhone region is the home to one of my favorite rosés, a big fruity pink wine called Tavel. Tavel is one of the few wine areas that strictly produces rosé from blends of traditional Rhone grapes -- largely Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault. With the increased interest in pink wine, some Rhone producers using similar grapes to make reds are using saignée to make less expensive rosés with Tavel-like characteristics (and to make their reds more intense). Guigal makes plenty of very decent Cotes-du-Rhone, so I thought their rosé from there might be interesting. The nose was of a general melon persuasion, which moves to a full, wall-of-flavor feel. It's not subtle -- you get a blast of tart/alcohol/fruity all at once. Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. It makes for a very solid food wine, especially with things like roasted fish & vegetables. We roasted red snapper filets, purple cauliflower, garlic, and carrots in lemon juice and olive oil (not all in the same pan, mind you). The straightforward pink wine handled all the flavors wonderfully. However, it did make me curious how the actual Tavel would stack up.

The Guigal 2006 Tavel was available, so a bit later, we tried that. This Tavel could almost pass for a light red. It's really a pretty looking wine. The fragrance is very delicate. I first smelled roses when I got a whiff of it, but as it opens (definitely let it breathe a bit), melon and cranberries emerge. The body is solid and aromatic -- and has a complex balance of fruit and acidity. The finish is dry and a bit tangy. Where the CdR rosé wasn't subtle, the Tavel most certainly was. The weather got unexpectedly warmer, and we had the Tavel with a trout, orange, and fennel salad. Subtle flavors melded with subtle flavors for a meal we could linger over. The CdR is around $10-12. The Tavel is around $20.

Savanna Wines

"I was lucky enough to be introduced to Barolo by Bartolo Mascarello -- a really well known producer who unfortunately isn't with us anymore. He poured a glass, I reached for it and he said, 'No, no...you need to wait.' We sat there for a long time, trying other wines, before he finally said that it was ready to drink. [pause, deep breath] He was right..."

I'm used to tones other than those of wistful remembrance coming from the mouth of an adult film actress.

A few months ago, a friend of mine sent me a link to a 2006 article in the New York Times entitled "Naked Came the Vintner." The article was about the winemaking venture undertaken by Savanna Samson, who saw winemaking as her "career parachute" for the day she decides to step away from Vivid Video and the rest of the adult film world.

[However, she's still going strong on that front with several upcoming movies -- including two with Holly Sampson, one of Tiger Woods' alleged paramours. In case you're interested, her very NSFW home on the web is here.]

Celebrity winemaking is nothing new. Most of the time, it's a fundraising opportunity or a quick way to make a few bucks on the side. A few (Greg Norman, Francis Coppola, etc.) made a legitimate name for themselves and others (Maynard James Keenan) seem to be on that track. Savanna's self-described "porn wine" would likely have been shunted into the first category...that is, if Robert Parker hadn't given Savanna's first wine -- an Italian red blend called "Sogno Uno" (Dream One) -- 90 points in Wine Advocate. 90 points from Parker lent her instant street cred in the wine world, and a flurry of publicity followed.

I was intrigued. I sent a note to Savanna Wines, asking if I could review a couple of the wines for The Vine. Her business manager, Brian Corbin, sent me a couple of samples. Savanna was generous enough to spare a few minutes from the Pornutopia convention in Houston in December for a phone interview.

Savanna said she views the winemaking as "her own personal journey." She says that she has a vision of the flavors she wants to share and she "searches for that reflection." In searching for this vision, she enlisted the aid of an Italian vintner named Roberto Cipresso. Cipresso, who worked with the Vatican at one point, helped her put together the blend of Cesanese and Sangiovese that won her Parker's approval. Cipresso also helped her create her second and third wines, called "Sogno Due" and "Sogno Tre."

She says that she's focused, for now, on Italian varietals because she's "completely in love with Tuscany, and she can't get enough Sangiovese." However, she says that she's under at least some pressure to expand her portfolio -- pressure that she says she accepts readily:

"My distributor [Southern Wine & Spirits] would love for me to build a consistent portfolio of wines, but I would rather do it my way and keep experimenting for awhile to find things that I think are truly unique. I really enjoy using grapes like Falanghina [the primary grape in Sogno Due] that aren't as well known in the States. I've started up a relationship with Eos Estate Winery in Paso Robles and Roberto is going to come over from Italy to try working with American grapes, so we're really excited about that. I also plan to invade France. I'm going there in the end of February to work with Moutard, one of the Champagne houses, on a personal blend for a sparkling wine."

[The Vine attempted to contact both Moutard Pere et Fils and Eos Estate for comment. Moutard did not return the inquiry. Nathan Carlson, winemaker at Eos, has worked on celebrity wines with Vince Neil of Motley Crue and for the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500. However, he said that he has not been approached by Samson.]

I asked her to compare the Parker rating with winning her first AVN award (the adult film Oscar, more or less, which she won for a film called "Looking In"): "I was honestly thrilled that he wanted to try it, since he was in the midst of tasting Chateauneuf-de-Pape at the time...When I saw that I'd gotten the 90, I was floored -- and it was really a similar feeling, because I really felt like I was appreciated for something I really put my heart into." Although, as she playfully told both the NYT reporter and myself, "He should have given it a 93."

She said that this experience really hasn't changed her palate -- rather, it's helped her understand it more fully: "I remember when I started drinking Bordeaux, and I just didn't know what to call some of those flavors -- ice cream cones? Manure? Old boots? But the more I learn, the more I'm able to say that this is what I'm looking for."

So, what about the wines themselves? Needless to say, I was rather curious, so without further adieu:

Savanna Wines 2005 Sogno Due -- As I noted above, this wine is made of 100% Falanghina grown in Campania. Savanna said that although this was her second wine, it was the first "really made for her taste." I thought that the nose was very light and gently fruity. The Sweet Partner in Crime said that it smelled like "peach flavored mineral water." After it opens a bit, there's a little woody scent that emerges, which is interesting since there's no oak used in production. It's a very light-bodied wine, as are most made with this varietal, but this one's light even comparatively. It's very smooth and easy to drink -- almost too easy, to be honest. There's tartness there -- but it's closer to a "pineappley" tartness rather than a citrus. The finish is very gentle and peachy, drifting softly away. After a little bit of time, the finish becomes slightly astringent rather than acidic. With a medium bodied soup, it fared reasonably well, although I'd say that it's probably best as an aperitif or for drinking on a rocky beach in summertime. I've seen this listed on average at around $17. The new vintage of Sogno Due is scheduled for release in June 2010, so I'll revisit it if it's available.

Savanna Wines 2005 Sogno Tre -- A 100% Barbera that "improves with some aeration," according to the tasting notes. I would concur. After an hour open, it's still very tart and tight, and it definitely improves after being decanted or run through an aerator. There's an interesting floral note to the nose, as well as some cherry. It's got a bit of an alcoholic fume, so it requires a good swirl. The flavor, like many Barbera, is dominated by tart cherry with some fairly strong acidity. The finish is relatively long and tart, finishing with gradually increasing tannin and some more acidity. There's a quality local pizza place nearby, and one of my favorite pairings with Barbera is a good pepperoni pizza. The acidity in Barbera generally gets smoothed out by the fat in the meat. With the wine's tannic structure, I thought it would be a good match. It wasn't bad. The flavor turned slightly grapey initially, but after a slice, it was pleasant enough pairing. It didn't blow me away, but it was relatively solid. The price point on this wine is $45-50, which honestly gave me a bit of sticker shock.

I asked Savanna about the "freshness" of both wines, since most Falanghina are made to be drunk relatively young and many Barbera can near the end of their peak after five years. She assured me that both wines are still in their prime. These particular samples may have gone through something to accelerate their aging, however, as they seemed like they might be a bit past peak. I'd be curious to hear what others think about them.

La soirée française paresseuse

[Rough translation: The slothful French evening]

Like just about every other foodie we know, the Sweet Partner in Crime and I went to see the now-ubiquitous "Julie & Julia." We enjoyed the movie quite a bit, especially the parts about Julia Child's background. Afterwards, we promptly rented some old The French Chef DVD's from Netflix and snagged a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

[Side note: I read the book on our honeymoon and discovered that most of the "Julia parts" were additions when the screenplay was adapted...and that Julie was hardly the cute little junebug Amy Adams portrayed. Still, both the book and movie portray the ultimate fantasy for bloggers...getting "discovered," garnering a huge following, and getting our words read widely.]

So, with this experience in our heads, we decided to do a French-themed New Year's Eve. (If you're not familiar with our little tradition, see here, here, and here.) Unfortunately, some family health issues called the SPinC out of town for the couple of days where we ordinarily did our prep. I figured she'd be exhausted when she got home and wouldn't be in any semblance of mental space to want to cook -- but I sure as shootin' wanted to keep our ritual rolling. So, the SPinC's worst nightmare came to pass -- Mike alone in the kitchen for an extended period of time. This usually leads to a good percentage of the household's pots and pans being used at least once, a few sauce and oil splatters in hard-to-reach places, and a somewhat stickier floor than when she left.

I did my best to keep things tidy. Really I did.

Here was the menu for the afternoon & evening:

• Course #1 -- Potato & Leek Soup; Chateau Riviere-Lacoste 2006 Bordeaux Blanc
• Course #2 -- Steamed King Crab Legs; Domaine Chanson 2007 Chablis
• Course #3 -- Boeuf Bourguignon; Moray St. Denis 2004 Bourgogne
• Course #4 -- Cherry Clafoutis; Piper-Heidsieck Brut Rose Sauvage

Courses #1 and 3 were from Julia Child's book. Steamed crab is pretty straightforward, and the clafoutis was a recipe I poked around the Internets to discover. Now, so you don't think that we're even more shamelessly gluttonous than we clearly are -- our little "meal" took place over the course of an afternoon and evening. We got the party rolling around 2, once the SPinC had a chance to get home, go for a run to clear her head, and get into appropriate loungewear for the day.

I never knew much about leeks for most of my life. I'm addicted to the bloomin' things now. I put them in as many recipes as I can find for them. This soup, classically French, has such a remarkable flavor -- which is amazing because it's really just leeks, potatoes, water, salt, pepper, some butter, and parsley. But it's SO good. I feared the white Bordeaux might be too light for a soup like this one, but the acidity and minerality made a lovely balance.

A couple of hours later, we moved on to the crab legs. I'd initially thought about doing a lobster for this course, but neither of us really felt like committing arthropodicide on New Year's. We let someone else do the dirty work for us and stuck to king crab, which was plenty rich and tasty enough for us. A little drawn butter alongside, we cracked the Chablis which we snagged at the dinner at the Phoenix a few months ago. Chablis & shellfish is a heaven-sent pairing, and we certainly were not disappointed.

A job well done...

We gave ourselves some digestion time as we listened to some jazz and then watched Duke's utter detonation of the Penn Quakers as an interlude. During the second half, I put the Bourguignon on to simmer itself to proper warmth. By game's end, we were ready to go. I'd opened the Moray a few hours before to let it breathe. We dished it up and headed to the table. Now, I'll admit -- I was a little bit skeptical of the recipe. I wondered why you just wouldn't throw everything in a slow cooker and turn it loose. After all, it's just beef stew, right?

Wrong. There's something about the way that the flavors from the various steps of cooking marry that you end up with waves of flavors coming at you from any number of directions. Throw in the smoky loveliness of a very very good pinot noir, and it's a pretty magical dining experience.

Admittedly, I did tweak the recipe a bit -- basically amping up the various levels of spice. For instance, the original recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of salt for the entire dish. Only a dash? Balderdash. I also had some new potatoes, which I quartered and added, rather than doing boiled potatoes on the side.]

In a nod to our advancing ages, we ended up admittedly taking a nap at this point to get ourselves up until midnight. We made it in time to crack open the Champagne and dig into the clafoutis.

Now, I'd not even attempted a dessert like that (pies and pastries are the SPinC's bailiwick) -- and if I were to do it again, I'd probably have used a slightly larger baking dish -- just so it would have cooked a little more quickly, but I was pretty pleased with the result. We used cherries from our year's harvest from the tree in the backyard, and they overwhelmed the subtlety in the Champagne (a rosé Champagne at that) -- so we finished the two up separately before clinking glasses at midnight and smiling at another New Year's well done.

Southern Africa: A Wine Safari

Words by Jeff Salisbury. Images by Rev. Christine Plepys.

This past November myself and (to blatantly steal a turn of phrase from Mike) my Sweet Partner in Travel (SPIT), Christine, took a trip to Southern Africa that included a safari in Botswana, a day at Victoria Falls in Zambia, and about a week in South Africa near Cape Town and in the wine country of the Robertson Valley. [MJR note: some amazing photos can be found here.] While we were able to have wine with our meals throughout the trip, this report will focus on the wines we had in the Robertson Valley, with two notable exceptions.

First, when we initially got to Botswana we stayed one night in Audi Camp, a base camp before starting our safari. The camp had an outdoor restaurant and the SPIT had a glass of the house wine, which was listed on the menu as–I am not making this up–Chateau de Cardboard. Upon further inquiry we were informed that it was whatever box wine they had on hand. We didn’t find out what it really was, but the SPIT said she liked it. I took a sip and thought I tasted the hint of vinegar making me think maybe it was time to change the box. But at R15 (South African Rand) per glass (a little over $2) the price was right.

Second, in Cape Town we had dinner one night at a restaurant called Arnold’s. Arnold’s is a nice, somewhat upscale restaurant with a menu typical of such places, except for a number of wild game items like Okapi sirloin and crocodile ribs. I thought about getting the Okapi, but the SPIT said I should get something that we had actually seen on safari (SPIT is a little warped in that way) so I had the Smoked Wild Warthog Ribs.

See Warthog...Eat Warthog!

The ribs were basted in a tomato sauce, and they tasted very much like regular pork ribs but leaner and not quite as tender, with a flavor that was less gamey than I expected. Having never had warthog before, I asked the server for a wine recommendation. He suggested the 2003 Altydgedacht Dry Red, a blend from Durbanville, South Africa. It retails at around R140 or about $18 per bottle at current exchange rates. As the name indicates the wine was dry with good fruit and very well balanced. The SPIT and I both liked it enough to order a second glass. It was very good by itself, but I thought it was much better paired with food and was a really good complement to the warthog.

On to the Wine Country

I would not call the SPIT and I overly sophisticated wine drinkers (more like students of TNV), but we know what we like and we actually liked all of the wines we tried in South Africa, some more than others. Our first winery stop was at the Viljoensdrift Winery where we sampled five different wines.

Life for The Naked Vine foreign correspondent is arduous and fraught with peril – or not.

2009 Colombar Chenin Blanc (R24 or $4 per bottle). You are not reading that wrong. It was $4 a bottle. This is a 60% Colombar 40% Chenin Blanc blend. It had nice fruit up front with a little citrus flavor and some sweetness to it. We both liked it enough to buy a bottle to have with a picnic on the winery grounds by the Breede River with some cheese, bread and ostrich carpaccio.


2008 Cape Blend (R39.50 or $5.50 per bottle). This wine is a blend of 34% Pinotage 66% Shiraz. According to the winery it has a good tannin structure allowing for excellent ageing potential and is good with venison. We thought it was very tasty, particularly the SPIT, who prefers her wines on the dry side.

2008 Chardonnay (R50 or $6.60 per bottle). This wine had good fruit with a hint of vanilla and oak. It was a very refreshing dry wine.

2007 Pinotage (R58 or $7.70 per bottle). Pinotage is what South Africa is known for, so we had to try this wine. It had a vibrant red color with a lot of berry flavors and a nice soft finish.

Finally, we tried the Villion MCC Brut (R65 or $8.60 per bottle). This wine had tiny, delicate bubbles with a bready aroma. It had very good body and nice balance.

Our next stop was at Springfield Estate Winery which had been recommended by the manager of the nature reserve where we had stayed the previous night. Once again all the wines were excellent, but a few stood out.

2009 Life from Stone Sauvignon Blanc (R67 or $9 per bottle). The vines for this wine are planted in very rocky soil. It is a somewhat austere wine with an almost flinty, grassy flavor. SPIT and I both loved this wine. It had a very clean flavor which we found out later pairs well with spicy and creamy foods.

2009 Special Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc (R66 or $9 per bottle). Unlike with the previous wine, these vines are grown in sandy, alluvial soil and the difference in the two wines clearly evident. It has a lighter and softer flavor than the Life from Stone. It was very different and very good.

2003 The Work of Time (R100 or $13 per bottle). This is a blend of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon. The grapes were fermented whole with native yeast and left for 5 weeks on the skins. A slow 18 months of barrel maturation followed and 2 years of bottles ageing it had a spicy, peppery flavor that would go well with spicy foods and cheeses.

Finally we tried the Methode Ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon (R205 or $27 per bottle). This wine is a little out of the Vine price range, but well worth it. It is aged two years in new French barrels and a further three years in bottles in the winery cellar. It was dry with a lush, full flavor and a long finish. It was great when we tasted it at the winery, and with 5-6 more years in the cellar it will only get mellower and round out nicely.

The next and final stop on our wine safari was at the Fraai Uitzicht Historic Wine & Guest Farm where we stayed for one night. Fraai Uitzicht is Dutch for beautiful view and it lived up to its name. For dinner at their restaurant we both indulged in the Degustation Menu – seven courses paired with wines from the Robertson Valley. We really enjoy paired dinners because someone who knows wine has done the work for us and made sure the selections complement the food. They are a great way to increase your wine knowledge.

The first course appetizer was a selection of finger foods that presented a variety of flavors. It was paired with Methode Cap Classique Sparkling Wine from Graham Beck Wines (R125 or $17 per bottle). The wine was a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir with fine bubbles and went well with all of the foods in the course.

The second course was a salmon trout fillet on a bed of wasabi leek. The pairing was Life from Stone Sauvignon Blanc from Springfield Estate Winery (see above). The wine was very crisp which helped offset some of the heat from the wasabi. The leeks were prepared in a creamy style and the wine actually helped cut through that, so that each bite was as tasty as the first. We thought this was the best pairing of the night.

Next we were served a spicy butternut soup paired with gewürztraminer from Weltevrede Winery (R75 or $10 per bottle). The soup was delicious with only a slight spiciness (The SPIT, with Texas upbringing, said she couldn’t even taste any heat). The wine was a little sweet with a slight honey flavor which paired nicely with the soup.

Then came the springbok carpaccio, thinly sliced and lightly smoked. This course was paired with the 2005 Fraai Uitzicht Merlot (R148 or $20 per bottle). Fraai Uitzicht only makes a small amount of wine (about 5,000-6,000 bottles per year)--all merlot. It’s very well crafted, easy drinking with a nice long finish with some plum flavors coming through. It held up well to the smokiness of the carpaccio. We liked it so much we bought a bottle to bring home.

The next course was medallions of beef fillet in a port wine jus with tipsy onions (onions marinated in red wine) with spaetzle. The pairing was Red Gold Cabernet Sauvignon from Bushmanspad (R78 or $10.30 per bottle). The cab was lighter and fruitier than the merlot with some vanilla flavors peeking through, though food wise this was probably our least favorite course.

Finally, we had dessert–Dream of Africa. This was a freshly baked fondant of Belgian chocolate served with vanilla yogurt cream and berry coullis. The word decadent does not do justice to this dish. It was paired with a Cape Muscat from Weltevrede (R105 or $14 per bottle). The wine was very sweet with a slight strawberry taste, which went well with the dessert.

All in all we really enjoyed the wines we had in South Africa and highly recommend giving them a try. For the time being, though, the limiting factor with regards to the wines described in this article may be availability. The Graham Beck wines are widely available in the U.S. and the Springfield wines are available in a number of states along the Eastern seaboard. However, the only other wine we found for sale in the United States was the Weltevrede Cape Muscat while the rest are available only in South Africa or in European markets. So while they are certainly within The Naked Vine price range if you buy them in South Africa, factoring in the $1,000+ flight to get there might make them a little pricey.

Wine Accessories -- Just in time for the holidays!

We've spent a lot of time here looking at different bottles of wine, learning about them, enjoying them -- but we haven't talked much about opening them or what to do once that's done. Vine reader and neighbor Steve G. recently asked me for recommendations for wine accessories -- all of those little things that make drinking wine easier and better.

Since I'm never one to turn down a potential column topic, I jumped on the idea like a hyperactive frog. Especially around this time of year, for last minute Christmas or Chanukah shopping -- wine related gifts can really help in a pinch.

Now, I've looked at wine catalogs that have a lot of outlandish gizmos and gadgets for oenological use. Most of that stuff may be cool looking or fun to play with, but it tends to clutter the counter and make the Sweet Partner in Crime clear her throat insistently. You've also got cutesy things like wine charms (people forget which charms are theirs as easily as their glasses), silly wall signs, funny looking wine holders, and other kitschy things. However, I've got a few things that I've got that I use regularly and that greatly aid in my enjoyment of this little hobby of mine. I've also included some Amazon links to some of these products if you want to see what I'm referring to.

First off -- think about the first thing you have to do when you're drinking wine: opening the bottle. Unless your entire cellar is full of Stelvin closures, you're going to need to find a way to get the cork out. Now, while there are techniques to do with no tools...it's usually best to use an opener of some kind.

For absolute ease of use, I've yet to find anything that works better than the Screwpull Pocket Model Corkscrew. Until I became comfortable using the "waiter style" corkscrews, the Screwpull was an absolute godsend. It's still the best opener for delicate corks that I've found. It's almost impossible to break corks with it. It doesn't work quite as well on a few kinds of "squishier" synthetic corks, but for the most part, it'll serve you well.



I actually prefer the "pocket model" to the "table model." It's also worth dropping a few dollars extra on the Screwpull Foil Cutter. If you prefer a waiter style one (which is what I normally use), make sure you get one with good, solid metal construction and perhaps a built-in foil cutter.

If you're like me, you've bought a bottle of white wine, had it sitting on a rack (because leaving it for long periods of time in a regular fridge kills the flavor), and found an occasion to open it -- but it's still at room temperature. There are all sorts of more expensive ways to cool wine, but I always come back to the sleeve you keep in your freezer. Vacu Vin makes a very good, inexpensive wine chiller -- it's held me in good stead for years.



Of course, if you want to splurge, you could get yourself a small, attractive wine fridge to keep in the corner to rotate your whites through. I can personally attest to the quality of the Cuisinart CWC-600 Private Reserve 6-Bottle Stainless-Steel Countertop Wine Cellar. Just remember -- this is a wine fridge...not a refrigerator. Set it for 50-55 degrees.



Going all the way back to the start of the Vine, I've talked about the necessity of swirling wine to release the flavors and scents, as well as letting the process start by opening a wine a little while before you get to drinking to allow it to "breathe" and reach its fullest balance of flavor. Unfortunately, letting a wine breathe can take some time -- hours in the case of some reds, and I often want to drink right now! While nothing can really take the place of decanting and some time, you can shortcut the process a bit with an aerator. An aerator is a device that you pour wine through. It's basically a funnel with a small hole in the side that draws in air as the wine swirls down. This serves two purposes -- it's a "fast swirl" to get the alcohol evaporating and the air injected into the wine opens the wine more quickly. Traditionalists will say that this can "bruise" the wine -- and it might not be a good idea for really expensive vintages. To get your ordinary table wine up to speed, it works pretty well. I've had good luck with the Respirer Next Generation model.



I won't delve too deeply into the arcana of home décor, since wine glasses and decanters come in all shapes and sizes to serve your every need, but I can mention one particularly interesting addition to the wine world -- the breathable wine glass. These glasses, produced by Eisch, allow oxygen to penetrate the glass itself, thus bringing the entire surface of the wine in contact with air rather than just the top. As a result, the wine opens much more quickly. It really does work, and they're dishwasher safe. My only caution about these glasses -- you can't keep a glass of wine in one of these for too long. After a couple of hours, the wine can go flavorless. I don't think that will be a problem for any of our readers, though.


If you don't finish a bottle for some reason and you want to keep it for an extra day or so, I think a vacuum stopper, coupled with putting the bottle in the fridge overnight (and letting it warm back up) is better than the old "jam the cork back in and hope" method. Again, Vacu Vin's Wine Saver Pump is my go-to. Their basic vacuum and stopper set has served me well.



As a final recommendation, here's an indispensible invention for anyone who drinks a lot of red wine. Red wine picks its spots to spill -- usually on the lightest colored upholstery, carpet, or clothing that you've got in your place. The pigments in red wine, called anthocyanins, attach themselves to any kind of fabric and cling like a nymphomaniacal gymnast. There are plenty of home remedies, the best of which is to dump a bunch of salt on the stain and hope for the best. However, I heartily endorse a more commercial solution to the problem: Wine Away Red Wine Stain Remover. The inventor of this stuff has earned my eternal gratitude. I was doing a wine tasting about a year ago, and I spilled red wine on the hostesses' cream-colored carpet. A few squirts of this stuff -- the stain comes up like magic. Get some. You'll thank me later.


Happy holidays to everyone! See you in 2010...

The Naked Vine Twines

After eight years together, the Sweet Partner in Crime and I tied the knot last night. Under the watchful eye of the Reverend Christine the Pie Queen (who just returned from safari), we declared our intent, exchanged our vows, popped open a good bottle of bubbly (Domaine Belluard Mont Blanc “Brut Zero” Savoie, for the record) and headed off for a wonderful dinner at Nectar.

Thanks to all of you out there in Vine land who have been a party to our adventures in oenological pursuit. We hope that you'll join us for years to come...

Water Tower Fine Wines

Last Friday, we made our first (long-overdue) visit to Water Tower Fine Wines, a new store in Mt. Washington owned and operated by David and Jan Lazarus. David and Jan have been friends of the Vine since our successful Sunday Salon in February 2008. David's one of the most knowledgeable folks I've ever met about all things oenological, and he told me on multiple occasions over the last couple of years that he's always wanted to run his own wine store.

The store is a converted, rambling house initially built in the 1890's and built onto over the years. It still has a "homey" layout (several adjoining rooms and seating areas instead of aisles and queues, which gives the place a laid-back feel. Water Tower's selection is quite broad, although not as wide as many of the more "traditional" stores that you'll see around the area. This is by design. David is the person from whom I shamelessly cribbed "pop tart wines" as a descriptor of inexpensive, interchangeable, mass produced selection where one producer is very much like the other. (For instance, Funky Llama vs. Little Boomey vs. Yellow Tail.) Small differences, yes -- but pop tarts are pop tarts. You won't find those wines in this store.

Most of the varieties in the store, both red and white start around $12-15 and run up into the hundreds. His zinfandel, pinot noir, and rosé ranges are especially impressive. A few varietals (such as some of the South Americans) have somewhat limited selections, but what's there is quality stuff. Water Tower has just about the broadest variety of sparkling wine -- considering price point, origin, and style -- as any store I've seen in the area. David also takes a great deal of pride and pleasure out of both helping people find wines that they're looking for and to take the opportunity to educate a bit. I'll readily admit that I've learned quite a bit from David. He's led me into temptation several times, but he's never led me astray.

Every Friday, Water Tower hosts a wine tasting. They charge $15 for at least 6 tastes, with a couple of "premium pours" available for a few extra bucks. Plus, according to David, "We'll usually have a couple of other things open" for people to try. The charge also includes light hors d’oeuvres, put together by Jan -- who is an accomplished cook. She changes the menu each time to pair best with the week's selections. This week, to pair with their Marsanne, Roussane, and Zinfandel tasting, Jan offered up gourmet versions of chili mac and mac and cheese, as well as some toasted pate-spread flatbreads -- and some other usual wine noshables like cheese, Italian meats, and crackers.

Yes, the SPinC and I ended up taking home a couple of wines from their tasting menu on Friday. We picked up the Early Bird "Syn" Cuvee Blanc ($19) -- a sparkling blend from Australia that's light, floral, and just plain ol' pleasant. This is, to my knowledge, the first white sparkling wine from Australia that we'd ever tried. (We'd had sparkling shiraz, however.) Instead of chardonnay, the traditional grape for Australian sparklers, this was a blend of Marsanne, Roussane, and Semillon. This paired well with almost everything, but I thought it was best with the flatbreads.

We also got the Verget du Sud 2007 Vaucluse Marsanne, which is a wonderful value at $14. A creamy-yet-light white to enjoy just about any time of the day. Lots of soft citrus and minerally goodness there. This one, I thought, went incredibly well with the "mac & four-cheeses." The creaminess of each were nice complements.

We also very much enjoyed the Haywood 2005 Morning Sun and Haywood 2006 Rocky Terrace Zinfandels (both $37) which made an interesting contrast in terroir from the same winery. With the meats, both of these went incredibly well. (However, instead of picking one of those up, David pointed me to an on-sale 1er cru Nuits-St-Georges Burgundy at about the same price that I picked up and stashed down in the cellar.)

The chili mac went well with most of the reds -- the other wines were a couple of single-vineyard zinfandel selections from Ravenswood -- the Teldeschi ($35) & Belloni (on sale for $18) from 2006, and the premium, which was a Napa syrah from Kuleto ($46).

Water Tower Fine Wines is located at 6316 Campus Lane in Mount Washington. Campus Lane is just off Beechmont. It's on the opposite side of Beechmont Avenue from the Mt. Washington Kroger. Basically, just look for the water tower. It's right across the street. Mike says check them out.

Cincinnati International Wine Festival tix available

It's that time of year again. This release from the folks at the festival:

Just in time for the holidays, tickets are now available for the 2010 Cincinnati International Wine Festival that will take place March 11 – 13, 2010 at the Duke Energy Convention Center (Grand Ballroom) in downtown Cincinnati. Grand Tasting tickets purchased in advance will range in price from $60 to $70, with a $5 increase if purchased at the door. Winery Dinner tickets will range from $125-$175 per ticket and Charity Auction & Luncheon tickets will remain $125 per ticket. Purchases can be made by logging onto our website, www.winefestival.com, or calling (513) 723-WINE.

You may remember my tooth-stained coverage from last year.

The Twisted V

First off, Happy Birthday to my sister Annie...

A few months ago, I took a look at Viognier, which I find to be one of the more interesting white wine varietals.

Viognier is a notoriously tough grape to grow. One theory about the name of the grape is that because of low yields and susceptibility to mildew, "Viognier" is actually a modification of the Latin "via Gehennae" -- which means "road to hell." Modern winemaking techniques have improved the production of the varietal, but it's still relatively low on the global production totem pole. Viognier is beginning to be grown more widely -- the U.S., Argentina, and Australia being the largest producers outside of France. Since the grape's yield is low, high quality Viognier (and thus blends containing it) tend to be a little more expensive.

Viognier is most well knows as a component in many of France's Rhone wines. In the northern Rhone, Viognier is largely grown as a single varietal or is used as a stabilizing agent for the color in Northern Rhone reds, which are almost always Syrah dominant. In the southern Rhone, Viognier is almost exclusively used as a blending grape in whites from there, usually as a complement to grapes such as Roussane, Marsanne, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc. For instance, the Domaine Mirelle & Vincent 2007 Cotes-du-Rhone ($13-15) is made all of the above except the Grenache -- and contains about 10% Viognier. It's a very well-balanced, minerally white with an interesting earthy flavor that makes it a nice pairing with any kind of roasted veggies or just to enjoy.

In the previous Viognier column, I focused on tasting single varietal Viognier. Honestly, I'm not as much of a fan of "pure" Viognier as I am other varietals (although if I started regularly drinking Condrieu, a high end northern Rhone Viognier, I might change my mind...). I think it's a great companion grape. When properly blended, Viognier can contribute to the creation of some really interesting wines.

At least for right now, the preponderance of these Viognier heavy blends seem to come out of Australia. The Ozzies love their blends, and they're also best known worldwide for Shiraz. It would logically follow that they'd try to experiment with the synergy that the French discovered. The blend is usually only with one other grape -- rather than the multi-grape mishmashes in the Rhone.

When blended, Viognier tends to both tone down the juiciness of the traditional fruit bomb that can be Australian Shiraz. The intensely aromatic nature of Viognier also adds a forward floral nose of its own and deepens many of the existing flavors and scents of the red. It also adds a little acidity to the finish to balance the tannins. A couple of examples I've had lately are the Woop Woop "The Black Chook" 2006 Shiraz/Viognier  ($15-18) and the d'Arenberg 2006 "The Laughing Magpie" Shiraz/Viognier ($20-25).

The Black Chook ("Chook" is Australian for "chicken") is a big, full flavored wine that's excellent for drinking on its own some evening when you want a hearty red. It's fruit-forward and powerful without being cloyingly pop-tartish. There's a really interesting smoky flavor to it that makes it line up almost perfectly with dark chocolate. The Laughing Magpie is a little more nuanced, although it's certainly bold like the shiraz-dominant blend that it is. It's got a perfumey nose from the Viognier with a strong scent of blooming lilacs (which I personally love).  There are flavors of plums and nectarines heading off in every drirection with a little bit of a chalky note. Finish is only a little fruity, but very long with soft tannin and a slight acidity that continues for well over a minute. I had this with marinated, grilled lamb chops and wilted spinach. With the lamb, the flavors brought out the herbs in the marinade I was using -- especially the rosemary and thyme. The minerally tone also let it work with the spinach, which can ordinarily be a real wine killer.

On the white side of the fence, staying with our friends at d'Arenberg, I had their 2008 "The Hermit Crab" Adelaide Viognier/Marsanne. (Don't you love the names of Australian wines?) The Hermit Crab, so named because this is similar to the dominant blend in white Hermitage, wasn't as fragrant as I initially expected. Viognier and Marsanne are aromatic varietals, but their combination here is light, floral, and a little citrusy. It's fruitier than I expected as well with lots of apricot and ginger. It's not as dry as a lot of straight Viogniers, finishing up with a refreshing hint of sweet and some solid acidity. In general, flavorful, tasty, and great to drink on its own. It would also be a winner with some good spicy foods. $15.

In the US, you'll typically see Viognier as a single varietal, although the "Rhone Rangers," a group of winemakers largely from the Central Coast region of California who focus on Rhone varietals, have also done some experiments with red blends that include Viognier. They tend to be fairly pricey, but when done well, they're absolutely dynamite. For instance, the Ridge 2005 Lytton Ridge Syrah fits the bill. It's around 80% syrah, but the 20% of makes this a fascinating blend. The nose is wonderful. The big, plummy scents are there as you'd expect, but so is an appley note along with the traditional Viognier floweriness. The body is medium on its face, but I think the viognier gives the wine length without it simply coating the inside of your mouth. The finish is full, tannic, and extremely tasty. It's around $28, but it's a really nice, showy wine if you need to impress.
 

Ringraziamento Italiano

As T-Day draws nigh, emails run about 50/50 between requests for recommendations with various holiday food and inquiries into what's going to be on the table on Thursday at Vine HQ when the extended family gathers. Yep. The SPinC and I are hosting again this year.

As in years past, we tried to find something a little unique to regale the 'rents with, and after some brainstorming, we came up with the idea of Italian-themed Thanksgiving. And after consulting with some of my nearest and dearest in the wine biz, we've got some pairings to nuzzle up next to the vittles. So...here's how it's (hopefully) going to play out. I hope folks are hungry:

• Antipasta: Various meats, cheeses, roasted peppers. Vigna Dogarina Prosecco di Valdobiadene.
• Primo: Creamy broccoli soup with lemon. (Trust me. It's tasty.) Tavignano 2007 Verdicchio dei Castelli de Jesi Classico.
• Insalata: Roasted tomato Caprese salad. Argiolas 2008 Serra Lori rose. (Yes, slightly out of order, but run with it.)
• Secondi: Choice of roast turkey tenderloin in lemon & caper sauce or beef brasciole. Cantine de Falco 2008 Salice Salentino/Cantine de Falco 2008 Primitivo Salento.
• Contorni: Green bean & baby carrot medley; butternut squash risotto; potato & artichoke casserole.
• Dolce: Tiramisu infused with Strega; Batasiolo 2008 Moscato d'Asti.

And if anyone's still standing at this point, coffee and grappa.

I'll post an update some time this weekend after I pry myself off the couch to let y'all know how it went. Hope you've all got good Thanksgiving plans yourselves. Enjoy your families, count your blessings, and raise your glass to absent friends. Buon appetito!

Seven Hills Winery

The state of Washington's been pretty good to me lately. Not long after putting together my reviews for Maryhill Winery, I got a request from Emily Gordon at J.A.M. Public Relations, who was good enough to offer me the opportunity to sample the new vintages from Seven Hills Winery, one of the older wineries in the Walla Walla vinicultural area in Washington State. Now, by "older," I mean 1988 -- but still...

Seven Hills native operation focuses largely on the major Bordeaux varietals -- Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot especially -- but they've also included some other interesting blends and varietals. Winemakers Casey and Vicky McClellan also source grapes from select areas all over the region, including the Columbia Valley in Washington and some areas of Oregon. They've also experimented with some other single varietals such as Malbec and Tempranillo. (The former of which I had the opportunity to sample, the latter, sadly, I did not...)

Emily and her co-conspirator Michelle Armour sent me seven bottles to sample. So, without further adieu:

Seven Hills 2007 Ciel du Cheval Vineyard Red Wine -- The Sweet Partner in Crime and I had had a long, tiring week. We wanted to kick back and relax on a Friday evening, so that morning we put a beef stew in the slow cooker and cracked this bad boy when it was time for dinner. This is Seven Hills' true "Bordeaux blend" -- a little over 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, with the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc. Big French-style red and beef stew is a reliable pairing, so we figured this was right in the wheelhouse and we were right. The wine itself is a wonderfully balanced concoction. Once it opens and the alcohol burns off a bit, you're met with a forward nose of plums and vanilla. It's certainly a big wine, but wonderfully balanced. The tannins are firm, but even holding it in our mouths, it wasn't a "puckerer." Plenty of good, balanced fruit that slides straight into a finish that easily lasts over a minute of vanilla and dark chocolate. With the stew, it was an excellent pairing, although the finish started a bit sharp. ($32)

Seven Hills 2006 Malbec -- One of the wine terms that I've had the hardest time deciphering is "masculine" vs. "feminine" styled wines. I've seen this term pop up more and more in the literature, and I've not really understood the context. I've assumed that masculine wines are more fruit-forward, more powerful; while feminine wines would be delicate. I get that, but within a varietal? Malbec that I've tried has certainly been masculine -- big, tannic, strong. This Malbec, at least to me, shows a wonderful contrast, and I'll officially call this a "feminine Malbec." The nose, after a couple of hours to open, is very delicate and almost candylike. Plenty of full fruit on the tongue, but balanced well so that it never becomes overwhelming. The finish is a wash of fruit and a bit of sour cherry. I opened this one night when I had the grill to myself. With a steak...what can I say? This lady likes her steak medium-rare. And I concur. ($32)


Seven Hills 2008 Pinot Gris -- So, perhaps they can produce good pinot gris in the Pacific Northwest after all. The trick is to look in Oregon, where these particular grapes are sourced. Many domestic pinot gris end up light and watery or simply acidic, which works well if you've got food or if you're slugging on a hot day. I guess it just takes some care in the production phase to bring more out of this grape. The winemaking process is interesting -- 90% of the wine is fermented in stainless steel, with 10% in oak, giving this wine a little more body. It's a lovely smelling wine with a pronounced flowery nose. There's good balance in the flavor here -- it's citrusy, of course, but there's a nice creaminess to it. The finish is crisp and acidic, but not overly so. It's an elegant aperitif and would be nice with light dishes as well. ($16)

Seven Hills 2008 Riesling -- Washington's long been known for Riesling production, and Seven Hills is no exception. Made from grapes grown across the Columbia Valley, this is a Riesling of solid structure and taste. When first opened, the finish on this wine had a bit of a peppery bite, almost like a gewürztraminer. However, after a little air, the wine smoothed out nicely. The nose is very light and green apple-y. The taste starts like a classic Pacific Northwest Riesling, with honey covered apples, but there's a minerality to this wine that's lacking in many other slightly less expensive, Washington wines. The finish is the big difference. The finish is almost delicate, with a nice balance between sweetness and acidity. An extremely pleasant wine. We had this with scallops & salmon in a light cream sauce over roasted sweet potatoes. The wine performed well, and the fruit stood out, counterpointing the other flavors well. A little more expensive than many of the Rieslings I've seen from there -- but worth the extra couple of bucks. ($14)


Seven Hills 2007 Walla Walla Valley Merlot -- I was really looking forward to trying this wine, since some of my favorite Merlots are from the Pacific Northwest. If you try this wine, you'll understand why. The nose is, as the SPinC described it, "white and milk chocolate swirl-covered bacon...with a hint of blueberries." (Come on...just work with me, here.) The taste is extremely smooth, medium bodied, with some complex tarry fruit. The finish is smoky (more bacon!) with nicely smoothed out tannins, especially for a three year old wine. The pairing we had this with was absolutely exceptional. Braised pork loin chops and wild rice topped with an onion, mushroom & rosemary sauce. Interestingly, this was the "grown up" version of the SPinC's favorite meal when she was a kid. The combination of the earth, herb, wine & spice was heaven. And what doesn't go better with bacon? ($28)


Seven Hills 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon -- One of the last adjectives I'd expect to use on an American cabernet sauvignon is "delicate," and yet -- here we are. I tried this wine and imagined a winemaker in Bordeaux visiting his cousin in Burgundy and thinking, "Hmm...let me try to make something like that..." It's about 80% cabernet with the rest a blend of merlot and petit verdot. What we found here was a lovely vanilla and violet scented wine that's about as light-bodied a Cab as you'll find Stateside. Again, a very "feminine" wine. The body's light but firm, with fruit that leans more towards cherry than the darker fruits. I clocked the finish on this wine as well over two lingering minutes of fruit and very mild tannin. Really, really nice to put it simply. Dinner with this was a braised beef chuck with porcini mashed potatoes. (We ended up calling an audible on the sauce after I accidentally scorched the onions I was trying to caramelize...) While feminine, there was enough backbone to stand up to such an earthy pairing. Just an excellent all-around wine. ($25)

Seven Hills 2006 Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon -- After the Columbia Valley, I was interested to try their single-vineyard Cabernet, which is a 100% cabernet. The nose is vanilla and an interesting fruit about halfway between raspberry & blackberry. It had full fruit without being fruit forward, if that makes any sense -- firm plummy flavors and leather with an undertone of smoke and tannin. I thought the finish was fascinating. Like a wave of balanced tannin that starts with a little burst of tartness, then gradually builds a bit of dry. I could taste the tannin all the way across my tongue and down my throat, seemed like. The finish was long and luxurious. It's a wonderful wine for sitting, enjoying, and contemplating the complexities. If you like to explore the depths of cabernet on its own, especially if you want to compare it to a California cab to see the marked contrast, it's an interesting experiment. (With food, however, it didn't hold up quite as well. Both a grilled filet with mushrooms and a side of green beans and carrots made it taste a little thin, and our usual dark chocolate test ended up just OK.) According to the tasting notes, this wine could cellar for 10-15 years "beautifully." I'd like to have the patience to wait that long. ($32)

Seven Hills wines are also available across the country, so they're at least obtainable wherever you might be. I thought these wines were excellent values if you're looking for "good bottles" for just about any occasion -- especially the reds.

Ohio River Valley Barrel Tasting Tour

A little something for you to do after you recover from your tryptophan haze on Thanksgiving weekend. This release from our friends at Kinkead Ridge. The event is on Saturday, November 28th:

Five Southern Ohio wineries have teamed up for the "Annual Ohio River Valley Barrel Tasting Tour." The winemakers at Harmony Hill Vineyards & Estate Winery (Bethel), Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery (Ripley), Burnet Ridge Winery (Cincinnati), Henke Winery (Cincinnati) and Woodstone Creek Winery (Cincinnati) will open their cellars to feature barrel sampling of unreleased vintages. Currently released award winning wines will also be available at the tasting counters for those interested in purchasing that special holiday gift. This is a very traditional event common in California and Oregon, for families and friends to tour their local wineries, taste current and upcoming releases and meet the winemakers. More information is available at www.KinkeadRidge.com/barreltasting.htm . Last year Cincinnati Magazine featured this event as a Top Pick for November.

Kinkead Ridge and Harmony Hill recently garnered medals in the prestigious American Wine Society International Competition for the 2007 Kinkead Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Cabernet Franc, and Harmony Hills 2008 Aria. Kinkead Ridge was given a Double Gold Medal for their 2008 Riesling in the Best of Appellation event held in Napa, and a Gold for their 2008 White Revelation. Harmony Hill won a Double Gold for their Rubato, and a Gold for their Rhapsody. See www.KinkeadRidge.com and www.hhwines.com

In the second annual Ohio-Michigan Wine Clash, a blind tasting event held in Ann Arbor and Michigan, Kinkead Ridge 2007 Cabernet Franc was the only Ohio wine in the top five. For the second consecutive year, Harmony Hill was selected for the 2009 Best of Bethel Award in the Wineries category by the U.S. Local Business Association.

The Alphabet Soup Project -- "A"

When you write a column like this one, it's easy to fall into a rut. Therefore, interspersed among my normal columns, I've decided to initiate the Alphabet Soup Project -- where I wander letter by letter...and see what we come up with.

So, to begin: A is for...alternatives.

I like to break out of the usual mold of around-the-house varietals from time to time just to see what else is out there, especially when it comes to Italian wines, since they grow so many varietals that aren't really seen commonly on this side of the Pond -- or really anywhere else, for that matter. Those crazy Italians grow something in the neighborhood of 500 varietals of grapes that can be pressed and fermented.

I broke out of my normal Sangiovese/Montepulciano/Barbera-heavy rotation of Italian reds with the Di Majo Norante 2005 Contado Molise Aglianico. In case you didn't notice, the actual grape in that lengthy title is "Aglianico." Aglianico is a varietal largely cultivated in southern Italy. It's a high-tannin, high-acid wine that usually needs a few years in bottle before it's really drinkable. I'd read that this was an exceptional pairing for pasta puttanesca, so I made a version that included some broccoli and caramelized onions. Thought I don't think of broccoli as particularly wine-friendly, this was really nice. The high acidity made it perfect for an meal like this full of spices and cheese. The acidity worked well as a palate cleanser and to bring out the bright cherry fruit that this wine has to offer. It was a little lighter than many of these wines, being similar weight to many straight Chiantis, but with considerably more structure and without the bite many of them carry. It was right around $15.

Along the same line, I wanted a drinkable Italian white for an afternoon and was looking for something pinot-grigio-ish. I landed on the Valdinera 2006 Roero Arneis. Arneis is a varietal grown in the Piedmont region, known most famously for Nebbiolo-based wines Barolo & Barbaresco and for Asti spumante. This fragrant medium-bodied white actually reminds me a great deal of Viognier. The nose is quite perfumey with plenty of melon and cider. It's medium bodied with a bit of an oily consistency that gives way to a nice amount of minerality. The finish is dry and slightly alkaline. By itself, nice enough to sip on -- but we opened on a Saturday afternoon where we'd put together a little "antipasti" for ourselves -- hard cheese, salami, and crackers -- it performed really nicely, with more fruit coming out as we worked through the food. Again, around $15.

I can have this sort of fun in France, as well. I was under the impression that all white Burgundy is made from Chardonnay. I was wrong. Danny Gold threw me the Domaine Chêne 2007 Macôn-Villages -- which is made 100% from a varietal called Aligote. Aligote is planted largely in Eastern Europe, but also makes an appearance in a few white Burgundies. It's typically lighter and more acidic, and is the traditional base for the cocktail called kir. Unlike many Macon-Villages, which are some of the oakier whites in Burgundy, this one is a crisp quaffer. The nose is lemons and minerals. It's a bit slow to start, flavorwise, but a little time and warmth reveal pleasant melon and lemon waiting for you. The finish is slightly tart and quite flinty. The minerality made it a nice pairing with spinach salad. Spinach has that chalky texture which makes it a notorious wine-killer. This wine mellowed the chalkiness, but had enough character not to get swallowed by the mushrooms and bacon. Interesting, and solid value from $12-15.