Tastings

Summer BBQ and Wine. Think about Whites, Roses and Reds – it’s the perfect accompaniment!

By in BBQ and Wine, Tastings, Wine and Food Pairings

It’s time to think of wine when you fire up the grill. These days there’s something about the outdoors and all the exciting foods being grilled it’s the perfect accompaniment to a barbecue—besides it’s not as filling as beer or various cosmos and daiquiris!

There’s one snag with red wines, when you BBQ in the summer is that it can get really hot! In hot weather, red wines lose their aromas, seem flabby and less refreshing and spicy foods cry out for a nice-cool beverage, which is why beer and frozen drinks are popular.

Not to fear!

Crisp, intensely aromatic high-acid white wines, like Sauvignon Blanc, is great with grilled with grilled vegetables and shrimp, and is the best wine with tomatoes. Off-dry and slightly sweet Rieslings and Gewurztraminers pair really well with nicely with spicier and sweeter barbecue flavors. A cool Chenin Blanc is tasty as well with its flair for pears and apples.

Also dry rosé, the comeback wine of late is a summertime delight. Good rosés combine the juiciness and pick-me-up of chilled white wine but with uncommon and exciting flavors—that come from some of the red fruits typical of red wine, but also notes, orange rind, strawberries and fittingly watermelon

Please…don’t let anyone stop you!  Some say dry rosé is the definitive wine for hot dogs!

And for the red wine drinkers…  

Anything coated in barbecue sauce, with its smoky, spicy, and typically sweet flavors, is a challenge for  wine pairings unless of course you pick the right wines.

A young, bold, spicy red such as Zinfandel, Shiraz, or French Côtes du Rhone will stand up to the barbecue flavors without a problem. Also a Chianti and a Barbera, with their higher acidity, are great too and guess what??? They will also handle tomato-based sauces.

Grilled meats, like steak, can work with a wider range of reds, including young Cabernets… Just don’t pick any older Cabernets. It’s better with the young ones. Veggies one the grill are outstanding too!

 

Ripeness in Wine has a very big impact!

By in Tastings, Wine Chatter and Blather

It’s summer time and all the fruit trees are starting to ripe. For me ripeness and the degree of ripeness is where the fruits real achievement is prepared and it is a big key to how great a fruit can be.

Over here in Florida we have a lot of Mango, Avocado and Citrus trees.  We love our ripe fruits. Because of the tropical climate and grapevine diseases, particularly Pierce’s disease, vitis vinifera (grape vine we know today as the wine grape) does not grow well in Florida. In fact as early as 1990 the Florida Orange Groves Winery began to cultivate wines made from 100% tropical fruit. And because of that the term Florida Wine now comprises varieties like mango, key lime, orange, grapefruit, blueberry and strawberry and several other wineries located in Florida now experimenting with tropical fruits with success. Even though there are no designated American Viticultural Areas in Florida; the state is one of the most important wine states in the country.  It is home to several major wine wholesalers and distributors. Naples, Sarasota and Tampa are among the most influential in the wine business due to it’s proclivities to cuisine, great wine lists at restaurants and news worthy and improbable wine events for charities including festivals for foodies.

Anyways, ripening is when the small grapes begin to grow larger and all the flavor compounds, sugars, and water start to form inside the grape.  When the fruit begins to set the grapes go through a change called veraison which is when the color of the grape changes and it begins to soften as the water and sugar is flowing from the leaves.  As we learned in grade school as sunlight hits a plant photosynthesis creates sugar in the plant and it starts to send the sugar to the grape which makes the high acidity in the grapes fall off.

Hence, ripening is crucial to viticulture. It’s very important.  The reason is because it directly impacts 3 major characteristics of the finished wine.

The acidity in grapes transmogrifies into acidity in a finished wine which can be sensed on the palate and tasted. The less ripe a grape the higher the acidity, the ensuing wine will have; simultaneously, sugars in a grape will eventually be converted into alcohol during fermentation. The more sugar found in the grape the more potential alcohol can be produced in a finished wine.  Also, sugar and other compounds dissolved in the juice of a grape also give to the concentration, viscosity and thickness of the juice. Riper grapes have heavier juice and will produce a thicker or heavier wine.  You know how sometimes you hear the  expression ‘that wine has legs’ after a good swirl coats the glass and tears stream down; higher alcohol and the thickness of the juice creates that effect.

The more a fruit hangs on the vine the riper it gets but remember the length of ripening is mostly governed by climate conditions. Cooler climates intensely shorten ripening periods. A grape vine ripening in a cooler climate will have a lot more acidity and lower alcohol content and a lot less body than the same vine planted in a warmer climate.  So understanding ripeness is pretty vital across the board.

 

Buying wines, storing wines and finding wines to store

By in Tastings, Wine Chatter and Blather, Wine Scores and Reviews

Today, the majority of wines are best drunk immediately.  But if you are looking for a wine to nurture for the future it is often smart to look for a wine from a good vintage.

Few of us are fortunate to live in a house with a readymade wine cellar or even a house with a cool dark basement. Nevertheless for wine lovers a “cellar” or wine fridge is not just a small nice to have-it’s essential.

With an attentively stocked cellar you can be confident of having the right wine for the right occasion, even if most of them are for ordinary quaffing.

What I like about wine buying is the mystery behind it.  It’s no science. It’s important to have a few different places to buy your wine. Not only just to keep it interesting, but also it allows you to try to build some relationships.  Not all your wine should be bought at the grocery store or the large outlet.  There’s always several nice wine shops in town and yes, you may pay a little bit more but you might get some valuable information in return…

Is there a guarantee that you will be a successful wine buyer and how do you know if you are good at it? The answer is not plain and simple but if you are thoughtful about it…

The joys of drinking those budding wines that you have stored for its peak of maturity for a certain occasion (recognizing your thorough judgment/luck) can be rewarding and a lot of fun!

So what’s a good place to start? A good place to start is with wine producers.

You might ask… Is it okay to purchase blindly from certain producer’s …Sure!

For example , these days for Spanish wines, I can reach for an Eric Solomon and Jorge Ordonez wine.  If it is under $25 per bottle and it is in my budget; I will try it. Another is Kermitt Lynch; I will certainly consider his stuff because it’s always well-made. Try one of his burgundy wines (red or white). He has great French product that I trust and a lot of good restaurants do as well. Jeffrey M. Davis is excellent too especially for Bordeaux wines!

Mainly these producers are purchasing grapes or finished wine from countless minor estates, then blending, bottling and selling the wine under the their name. A lot of the times it’s excess grapes from expensive vineyards.

In Burgundy, France some of the best, and well-known, burgundy producers are primarily négociants (merchants)—including Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, and Bouchard Père & Fils and they make great wines at all price levels.

Recently folks like distributor Cameron Hughes and Australian Cult winemaker Chris Ringland with the same inspiration are buying lots or creating ambitious even nontraditional wines that I like as well. There are a lot of good ones out there.

So what about storing the wine.  Here are a few general tips on storing wines…

Basic Red Wines:

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are often created to be drunk young but in overall will improve with aging. Bordeaux, France produces Cabernet based wines that have varying degrees of aging potential. A Classed Growth from a good vintage may sometimes need 10 years to mature. Some Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California and Washington State have aging potential as well.

The Bordeaux’s best Merlot -based wines also need about 10 years to mature.  Lesser Merlot’s tend to peak in 3-5 years.

Pinot Noir  is the ‘noble’ grape. It can age well if grown correctly. Hailing from Burgundy France; it grows best in Oregon, California and New Zealand.  A good red Burgundy needs about  2-5 years to develop its peak complexity.

Syrah/Shiraz based wines especially from the Rhone, France are outstanding wines for aging; some can be cellared for 20 years. In general terms 4- 10 years and let’s not forget that artificial aging achieved through 30 minutes to an hour of decanting will help you consume these wines while they are young.

…and now the

Basic White Wines:  (which very few whites are truly suited for aging too long in the cellar or wine fridge).

A Grand Cru Chardonnay can arguably last up to 15 years but all Chardonnay is really at its best between 2-5 years.

Riesling is usually immediately drinkable but can age well….especially the German Rieslings have great storage potential, the Grand Cru’s can store for 10 years or more. Look for the Rieslings from Washington state, upstate New York Canada for excellent drinking.
 
Sparkling and Fortified Wines  are a story as well and both can be kept for years but that is best  another story for another day.

Well obviously there is an inherent risk with aging but as you can see… buying, storing and finding wines to store can be very rewarding… and remember it’s not a science.

A small conversation on the Taste, Texture and Weight of food while matching wines

By in Tastings, Wine and Food Pairings, Wine Chatter and Blather

What is it about wine and food that sometimes can be so earth shattering! It’s probably because the parallels between food and wine are endless. In the same way the method of cooking used, as with winemaking techniques can influence flavors and textures. The way food is cooked has a huge effect on the way it will taste. It doesn’t have to be a puzzle. Basically…fast, hot and dry conserves taste and slow, moderate and moist cooking exaggerates flavors.

Here’s a secret…

When it comes to pairing wines the general rule is that foods prepared in a light method of cooking like poaching or steaming usually requires a fruity lightly acidic wine rather than a tannic one.

As we think this through; the essential methods of cooking are steaming, poaching, and boiling, stir-frying, deep-frying, braising casseroling, stewing, grilling and roasting.

Cooking methods exude the food’s weight and texture which is what creates the variables of taste. Weight is the heaviness of the dish.  For example Osso Bucco is more substantial than salad. You may have put the same seasonings in both but they will each require different wine to compliment it.

Now texture is totally different than weight.  You need to think about the mouthfeel of the wine. Is it smooth? Is it supple? Does it feel like glycerin? Does it grip your teeth or make your mouth pucker (the tannins)? Is it light and crisp? Is there acidity?

Here is a short list on taste, weight and texture to contemplate:

Acidic and Fishy foods– Acidic wines, aromatic, fruity and off dry whites, full bodied reds

Oily and fatty foods – Acidic wines or non-tannin reds

Salty foods – Low tannin reds ; sweet whites

Smoked foods – Spicy reds or oaked, rich and fruity whites

Spicy foods –  Whites with sugar and light acidity, fruity young reds

Regardless of this short list; there is always the technique of comparing textures to see what the food will taste like. Just to see how the tastes blend. Sometimes it turns out just as effective.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is the barrel about flavor? Some thoughts on the role that oak plays in wine

By in Tastings, Wine Chatter and Blather

The integrating of of oak into wines has always been part of wine making and in the past 30-40 years it’s been the French oak and the American oak that is most used. The vine and the oak tree have been used together for centuries. The relationship is multifaceted and involved.

It can be used to intensify flavors. It can be very impressive. It can add depth and structure. But the overuse can make it excessive and disproportionate. Racking and oak age are important to consider; so is maturation and the toast levels using steam or fire and of course the grapes themselves that each acts differently in the barrel and reading the terroir’s effect.

Is the barrel about flavor? Many serious winemakers say no. it’s about a balance between the fruit range, oxygen and durability of the wine. But you can imagine how it all comes into play.

American oak is white oak or Quercus alba. It has a noted vanilla or coconut nuance which can provide cutting tannins. It is also capable of unleashing sweet, gentle broad character.

French oak is from either the pedunculate oak, robur or sessile oak. It is understated, nuttier and smokier with softer tannins. Some say French oak gives a more traditional or classic feel which allow the terroir to come out more strongly.

Some of  high-end oaks are Taransaud, Darnajou and Dominique Laurent. Tarnasaud really takes a while for the elegant complexity to kick in and then Wow! Darnajou tends infuses itself in the wine throughout which is a characteritic that is enjoyable and Dominique Laurent and his nicknamed “magic casks” that are very exclusive.

Either way…a few thoughts on oak barrels and how it’s the partnership that counts. It’s a relationship of wine aesthetics that help make up the magic of wines pleasure.

A quick example, a friend brought over one of these high altitude Malbec’s…3400 feet in elevation. It’s one the latest crazes. Why? Becuause the water has to struggle to get up to the grapes; and the coolness of the climate makes for slower riping, which is interesting for this grape.

Now the kicker…It has 50% New French Oak and 50% New American Oak.

It makes you think about the fuit hiding behind the powerful oak and its aging potential and the tannins that it delivers. Toasty vanilla and caramel, big and bordeaux-like in its grip. Overall it was a really great wine.

The 2009 Bordeaux is on the way and it should be a great one – critic Robert Parker likes ’em

By in French Wine, Tastings

If you read anything about wine; it comes as no surprise to learn that the critics are going gaga about the quality of the 2009 Bordeaux; possibly, even better than the 2000? “One of the best vintages I’ve ever tasted in my career,” renowned wine critic Robert Parker claims. “It is as good as 2005, and certainly a historic vintage”. But hedges himself, “there are always some exceptions to the general rule”.

I myself have had a few early arrivals including La Flor de Melange Mathilde and the Chateau Feret-Lambert which were delicious, both were big, sweet raisin fruit and jammy.

Robert Parker, who lives on the East Coast of the United States, has been travelling all over the Bordeaux vineyard for the past thirty-two years. He sampled the 2009 vintage over a period of twelve days in mid-March 2010 before the futures campaign week at the beginning of April 2010. He publishes his official ratings with commentaries in his Wine Advocate publications.

Usually when Robert Parker makes his assertions it kicks off the buying frenzy of the ‘futures’ market.

I was reading in French Wine News magazine a while back that generally the sales market for premier Bordeaux concerns itself with about 120 estates on the less successful vintage years and 250 châteaux in the excellent vintage years. That’s interesting because in the best years more Chateaux get exposure and that usually means you see a lot of great values in the states. Let’s see how that goes due to the fact that all the best Bordeaux is purportedly being bought up by Asia and they are overpaying for the stuff too.

Just think…all the hoopla is about 120 -250 vineyards.

Back in 2010 these ‘futures’ bottles were on sale at theoretically attractive prices, while the wines were still undergoing their ageing process in the châteaux cellars. The cases will not be ready for delivery until the end of 2011 and early 2012. So it’s about time now.

This type of early purchasing assists enthusiasts to obtain rare wines in advance, that will be essentially in demand now depending on the reputation of the vintages and the individual châteaux.

According to Robert Parker there are a large number of really good ratings and several all-out extreme scores. Saint-Emilion is a good example with Angélus (95-100), Bellevue-Mondotte (95-100).

Furthermore, Cheval Blanc (98-100) or Pavie (96-100). But equally in Pomerol : Clinet (97-100), Clos l’Église (96-100, l’Église Clinet (98-100), l’Évangile (96-100), Hosanna (98-100) or Petrus (96-100). The same goes for the Médoc wines : Cos d’Estourmel (98-100), Lafite Rothschild (98-100), Latour (98-100), Léoville Las Cases (96-100), Léoville Poyferré (97-100), Margaux (98-100), Montrose (96-100) or Pontet Canet (97-100) are also in the uppermost.

Come late January the major wine tastings begin running through early May. So we’ll see what we run into. Personally, I look forward to the full swing arrival of the vintage because I am certain there will be some great sleeper wines.

My day with Australian Barrossa and some fine tasty sausages

By in Australian Wine, Tastings, Wine and Food Pairings

I was having something called a Metty sausage that I bought with some kangaroo burgers(which I bought in a specialty market) that I haven’t tried yet. The Metty sausage is full of meat – not fatty. almost none it seems!… and lots of flavor, smokey bacon, tangy brandy…

I paired it with The Barossa Peter Lehman 2007, Penfolds Bin 28 2007. Both wines which I like a lot; year in and year out.

All this made me reflect…

I think Syrah from the Barrossa are exceptional and diverse and often provide great value. In the early 2000’s Australian Barrossa was a revelation. Big black fruit jammy opulent wines, rich with pepper and smoke, which I like. But later in the decade became a little homogeneous from folks cashing in on the craze of this wine hitting its stride. But now appears to be back on track.

To dig a little deeper…Syrah style changes depending on the climate, region and of course the winemaker. The aromas and flavors from most Syrah include pepper, blackberry and leather or smoke. Australian Shiraz and Central or Southern California Syrah are usually more thick in fruit flavors, some quite jammy even chewy and in the warm environments leads to riper fruit. On the other hand, in France the Northern Rhone style of Syrah classically shows more pepper and leather notes, with a lot less upfront fruit. The other place that makes a knockout Syrah is Washington state .

Getting back to the Barrossa, I think one of the prominent reasons for it being one of the world’s best wine regions is it’s home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world and with this history, and the soil that is low in fertility, which makes for intense wine, and the age of these vines bring a lot to the table.

The region is renowned for its Shiraz, but the Barossa is much more than Shiraz. Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Mataro (also known as Mourvedre), Merlot and also Semillon are in ample supply and the wine styles include the well-known GSM Rhone style blends. They are marketed as such!

A lot to ponder, especially while having a snack of sausages…and now for that kangaroo!

Bordeaux Wines, Tasting Notes and Scores

By in Tastings

Now that the summer of 2010 is in full gear; it’s a good time to look back at the Spring and some of those Bordeaux wines and how they fared at the tastings over the past few months. Whether it was the Ringling Museum tasting in Sarasota in January, the Tampa’s Einstein on Wine in February, Tarpon Springs B-21 Bordeaux tasting in April or May’s Bern’s Steakhouse Annual Tampa tasting to name some of the many good ones. Bordeaux was on everybody’s lips.


Many 2004’s and 2005’s Right Bank Bordeaux wines were being served and some oldies as well to talk about. It seems the 2004’s are being served not only because there are still many out in the marketplace but they are drinking very well now along with an ability to cellar them for another eight or ten years.
Also, the 2005 vintage was so great that there were just tons of values that were plain outstanding, that over performed and come within reach of the Grand Cru’s in quality, flavors and aging.


Here are some relevant tasting notes and commenting from some of those tastings:

2004 Pontet Canet – St Emillon: rich big dense sweet tobacco currants and oak, impressive.-‘5L’

2004 Cannon La Gaffelierre – St. Emillon: Easy on attack but deep with Caramel notes, good nose.’3L’


2004 La Gaffeliere – St. Emillon: Elegant Style not overpowering, attractive texture.-‘3SV’


2004 Clos Fouret – St Emillon: Dark ripe and succulent, good oak, round and coated in vanilla. ‘4’


2004 Lynch Bages – Pauillac: rich eucalyptus and black fruit flavors, pencil lead, good depth overlays god tannins.-‘3V’


2004 Belle Vue- Haut Medoc: Excellent silky tannins with really good fruit, lush tobacco and cedar box, spice.- ‘4SV’


2004 Chateau Pavie Macquin- St.Emillon: firm rich deep black currants, nice touch of class.-‘4L’


2005 Angelus – St. Emillon: fleshy and rich, black fruits, roasted flavors, luscious in scent and texture.- ‘5L’


2005 Domaine de Chavelier Rouge – Pessac Leognan: deep spicy tobacco, cedar, good nose and black fruits.-‘5LV’


2004 Martinat Epicurea – Cotes de Bourg: Lush and velvet concentrated and complex, cherries, good body and admirable.- ‘4SV’


2005 La Rouselle – Fronsac: Smooth with nice textured tannins nicely refined solid wine. – ‘4SV’


2005 Chateau Plince – Pomerol: attractive and easy going, truffles, not sensuous but enjoyable.’2′


2005 Pauillac de Latour – Pauillac: Latour’s 3rd wine a great value for and expensive broad plummy style.-‘4LSV’


2005 Chateau Batailley – Pauillac: Plums galore and black fruits, layered and supple.-‘5LV’


2006 Chateau Montviel – Pomerol: rich with a lot of minerality, vaguely interesting.-‘2’


2000 Chasse Spleen – Moulis: very dark fruits super flavors, leathery seductive lingering opulence found in 2nd or 3rd growths.-‘5SLV’


1999 Chateau Ferriere – Margaux: Beautiful fragrance and charming and silky wine that is ready to enjoy.-‘4LV’


A lot of these wines are delicious, available and make a great way to buy wines that one can enjoy today and for years to come. Seek out the ones that fit the budget and serve them with your favorite Steak, BBQ Ribs, Lamb or Pork dinner and please don’t forget those cheeses such as Camembert de Normandie, Maytag Blue and a good hard Cheddar!

WINE CORRESPONDENT 5 POINT SCALE: 5 – GREAT, 4– GOOD, 3– AVERAGE, 2-QUESTIONABLE
1-STAY AWAY, S-SLEEPER WINE, V- EXCELLENT VALUE FOR THE PRICE, L- LAVISH, E- EVERYDAY WINE

Wine Scores and Reviews – It’s Good to Keep Notes

By in Tampa Examiner Wine Pairing, Tastings, Wine Scores and Reviews

Reviewing wines always come with a little trepidation. But generally to keep things straight it is good to jot a few reminders down. Many think it is not viable to talk about a wines worth without some kind of scoring system. Wine tasting is totally subjective.

For Example, wine scoring systems such as Robert parker’s 100 point scale or the 20 point scale that Clive Coates uses can be very detailed and influential to a wines price and success; Yet the ratings are meaningless unless readers actually try some of the wines recommended and see whether their appreciation or enjoyment is similar or not. It only really carries any great weight if there is agreement on certain wines.

Some people are totally against scoring; It is a respected point of view due to the fact that wine shouldn’t just boil down to single number because so much goes into it. The goal is to inform the readers of thoughts on certain wines for the plain reason that tasting experience brings strong insight, information and preferences which can be pretty useful to pass along.


WINE CORRESPONDENT 5 POINT SCALE
5 – GREAT
4– ABOVE AVERAGE TO VERY GOOD
3– AVERAGE WELL MADE WINE
2- EVERYDAY WINE NO MAJOR DISTINCTION
1- UNDESIRABLE
S-SLEEPER WINE
V- EXCELLENT VALUE FOR THE PRICE
L- LAVISH
E- EVERYDAY WINE

To help illustrate, the 2004 Martinat Epicurea – Cotes de Bourg: lush and velvet concentrated, complex, cherries, good body and admirable; scores a “5-VS” as a great wine where there is an excellent value for the price along with being a sleeper wine( which is all around surprise and should be seeked out).
On the other hand, the 2006 Chateau Montviel – Pomerol: which is rich with a lot of minerality, and is vaguely interesting scores a” 2 “because it is questionable and does not really provide a great value.
A good scoring system and some notes to remember what you like is helpful in enjoyment of wine. Eventhough there are arguments that wine critics have preferences for flavors and that wine makers are striving to please the critics for high scores. The joy of wine is to find the one that pleases.

Should you always trust wine rating and scores? How do you know a wine is worth buying? How much should I buy? Is the wine good for a gift? All great questions that can be answered by taking some notes and using wine reviews and scores as a shorthand study of the critics thoughts while tasting.

2009 Holiday Tasting brings out the classics, A special Report by Ralph Del Rio, Wine Correspondent

By in 2009 Top Wines, Tastings, Wine and Food Pairings, Wine Chatter and Blather

 By Ralph Del Rio, Wine Correspondent

Some quick tasting notes on a classic night of tasting wines in December 2009 over my good friend and fellow wine buff’s home. Wil put together quite a spread a brought out some excellent wines that were ready for some serious drinking.
These are in the order we tasted. Among many things; we had ribs, Iberico ham and eel from Spain and great cheeses, sausages and cakes.

**These can essentially viewed as re-tasting of great wines on a great night!

1995 Silver Oak – sweet deep blackberries, crisp, fragrant, good fruit

1996 Hertz Cellars Martha’s Vinyard – Firm and fleshy, fullish body Licorice with a citrusy twist, good tannins surprising

1997 Justin Isoceles – Vert balanced, very supple, black fruits, currants soft entry with rounded mid palate and nice landing on finish

1996 Schafer Hillside Select – Nice nose, solid backberry core, rich and balanced wine chewy and beautiful

1996 Mouton Rothchild – Barnyard, black fruits, peppery mocha, pretty intense seems like it can go a while longer

1996 Opus One – lots of blackberries and earthy aromas, still plenty of oak, full body and clean

1997 Insignia Joseph Phelps – lean, black plums, black fruits and bit of smoke and sweetness

1996 Penfolds 707 – Eucalyptus, bright, dusty, blackfruits and intense

2005 Torre Muga – rich flavors great acidity, firm and rich

1 2 3 4