An American Pinot with a Recession Price Tag: Darcie Kent Rava Blackjack Vineyard 2011 Pinot Noir

Inexpensive Pinot Noir is the unicorn of the wine world - it would be really awesome, but they just don't exist.

At least they typically aren't worth drinking. So I was quite excited when I recently sat in on a Pinot Noir class taught by a Master of Wine candidate at my favorite local wine shop (Tim's Wine Market for any local Central Floridians) and saw a $13 Single Vineyard Pinot Noir listed on the syllabus.

So why is Pinot Noir so consistently more expensive then other varietals. Only about 50-60% see oak and the Sideways movie wasn't that good was it? So why the price hike?

Well what else? It comes back to economics just like your teacher said it would. Pinot Noir is a fickle grape that naturally constrains supply. In addition to perpetual low yields, Pinot Noir's thin skins (which give it that lighter red color) are more susceptible to disease and mold in the vineyard.

On the demand side, Pinot Noir is delicious!

Those thin skins mean that Pinot Noir picks up more of the "flavor of the place" or terrior such as soil, climate, winds, culture, etc. This is why you find wine nerds typically specify their Pinot preferences - and when it comes to the queen of grapes, I'm a California girl myself.

So there you have it: Pinot Economics 101 - happy Prof. Carvell!?!

Darcie Kent's 2011 Rava Blackjack Vineyard Pinot Noir showcased a fairly condensed candied red fruit nose; however, on the palate this wine is completely dry. Special K's dried red strawberries make another appearance along with cherries, wet round stones, floral and cardamom. That last tasting note tells us this wine did see some oak aging, and is personally what I enjoy about California Pinots.

So get this wine while you can - because for all we know, this myth of the wine world is heading back into our dreams for a while....

Cue the Music... "Those Summer.... WHITES" - 2011 Sur Lie Muscadet

If I learned anything from watching Grease, its that a cute little blond girl should fall in love come summer, get hot and steamy under the dock at the beach, and then sing about it to the world with some nasal background vocals.

Well...I think I found my summer love in a 2011 Sue Lie Muscadet from Loire.

Sure, its not tall, dark and handsome....and no mother, it didn't grow up going to church... and yes, perhaps starting a romantic fling with something this young may be viewed by some as questionable behavior, but really... who can stop true love?

We met over dinner at a friends house on a hot early summer night and I was instantly captivated by its charming bouquet of nectarine, citrius, and white lillys countered with a dry sensability. Always the gracious companion, it showcased our meal of seafood splendidly while never loosing sight of its individuality.

As it opened up, I learned more about Muscadet's heritage hailing from the western ends of the Loire Valley near the city of Nantes in France. One of the few French pure breads, Muscadet is made from 100% Melon de Bourgogne, but freinds just call it "Melon". I could see why it loved seafood so much as growing up close to the Atlantic ocean, Muscadet gained a crisp quality of subtle salinity combined with a touch of limestone acidity acting as a backbone to its delicate fruit notes.

Oh if only I could find a boy so refined!!

In all seriousness, Muscadet is truely the perfect summer companion as it pairs equally well with seafood & screened-in porches. Spefically, Muscadet is known as the ideal paring for raw oysters and other shellfish due to that slight saline quality whose fruit notes act as a lighter liquified version of the popular tropical mango style "salsa" that is topping fish entrees in restaurants everywhere. 

What separates Muscadet from its "crisp dry white" companions, is an added layer of flavor stemming from the "Sur Lie" process. Sur Lie translates in wine terms to "on the lyees," which then translates in normal terms to "sits on dead yeast cells for an noted amount of time"  While this may sound unappealing, this process raises the level of yeast and bread notes (which is why it is commonly completed in Champagne) while of course, simultaneously raising the price tag as well.

So you can see now why I instantly fell head over heals when this delicate charmer rang in at only $13 dollars a bottle.

Hmm... maybe its good that I haven't found a boy this cheap :)

It's Not a Bottle! It's Not a Box! It's Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay!!!

Today was one of those days. The kind of day that the only thing that keeps you sane is the hope of a glass of wine come 5pm.

....And unless you have a crazy cool cellar - this kind of day also requires quick pit stop by your local grocery store or corner liquor shop...depending on your state of residence of course ;)

So there you are, perusing the wine aisle and among the bottles of frogs & kangaroos, little penguins & generic American chateaus, stands a strange looking bottle made of .. cement?

Yes, that would be Mer Soleil Silver, an unoaked Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA in Monterrey County California! The bottle tells the story of how this wine was made - in cement silos.

Well, I guess this would be a good a time as any to review the different types of fermentation and aging containers that can be used in wine making:

1. Oak - There are two main types of oak used for fermentation & aging of wines: American & French. American lends more pure fresh cut wood notes and French, those frequent flavors of vanilla. Wood is also porous, so it can draw out some impurities in the wine.
2. Stainless Steel - This glorified container doesn't give anything to the wine. Its a relatively non-porous surface that really just holds a wine to "do its thang". It also is very easy to control the temperature of the fermentation process etc. due to the thermoconductivity of this material
3. Glass - Yes! You use a glass to hold wine when you drink it? so why not use it when you make the stuff?! Glass is not used much any more as it results in the roughly the same as stainless steel, but is harder by which to control the fermentation temperature. Plus, whoever thought    glass + alcohol = good idea   clearly never when to a frat party.
4. Cement - This is a mix between wood and stainless steel. It gives small hints of additional minerality and because it is also a porous substance, it can take away some impurities; but not as many as wood. 

   

   Mer Soleil's cement tanks

Mer Soleil Silver is my go to grocery wine grab. Not only is it widely available, but also widely appealing, with a strong under currant of minerality, and citrus zest like lemon & grapefruit. You can definitely taste the AVA in this wine (unusual for an aisle 6 pick) in that the slow ripening provided by the fog of Monterray bay lends notes of green pineapple & young nectarine.

Another reason why this wine is particularly fitting to be found in a grocery store is it is the perfect addition ingrediant. Any recipe that calls for white wine can absolutely be filled with this bottle.

For me? I splashed in the pan for my shrimp linguine with asparagus & a poached egg on top.

Hey? Who said a bad day had to end in bad dinner???

The Story of Two Buck Chuck

Well, over the past couple weeks we have been desperately trying to find wines under $5 that are worthy of pouring down our throats instead of pouring down the sink, and inevidtably we have landed at... 2 Buck Chuck.

Now, I could continue here with a breakdown of my tasting notes on the whites & reds; but I would honestly rather just dive into the much more interesting story behind the fabled 2 Buck Chuck, so I will insert my mother's notes on the Sauvingnon Blanc I recieved via email instead:

" Light straw color, not a leg to stand on*.

Hint of apricot/pear on the nose but it is brief

but if you can taste it your good as it is very brief-over before you even swallow

short sharp finish and the whole time you are thinking this is wine because I am drinking it in a glass with a stem."

 

hahaha. I love my Mama...

 

....Now onto the Ledgend of Charles Shaw...

 

Charles and his lovely wife, who for the sake of this fable will be called Sue, owned a beautiful vinyard in California and enjoyed the wonderful winery lifestyle together for many years and in so doing made a rather large fortune. However, their beautiful happy rich days were numbered and eventually the pair filed for divorce. Both Sue & Charles wanted to maintain ownership of their beloved winery; however when the divorce dust settled Charles came out with the win, only with one annoying little caveat - he had to split the profits fo the winery with his now ex-wife.

 

Charles, an apparently spiteful man, decided he had made enough in his married tenor to live happily for the remainder of this life, and made the fateful choice in which we all now benefit - he decided to sell the wine at cost.

 

Yes, thats right - no profits for him, no profits for her, and cheap wine for the rest of us :) 

 

Unfortunately, this is no longer the case as when the winery was sold in 1990 to Bronco Wine Company when the Shaw Estate went belly up (wonder why that was...) and profits once again entered the picture.

 

But the reputation for great wine for a great price remains - just don't get the Sauvingnon Blanc. right Mama??

 

 

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*Note: Legs hardly ever signify quality, but we will dive deeper into that another day.

What a few dollars more will get you - Vin de Pays Loire Valley Chenin Blanc

In our last post, we explored what $4.50 will get you in California Chenin Blanc. The answer - a sweet yet palatable wine perfect for pleasing a large gathering of people with unknown wine preferences. But as I wandered the local Walmart of wine stores looking for 5 dollar finds, I kept asking myself, "I wonder how much farther a couple more dollars get will get me?"

In fact, I would put money that this is probably the most (internally) asked question of customers while in any wine shop!

Never to rebuke a personally proposed challenge, I decided to conduct a completely subjective, only semi-scientific experiment, as sitting right above my Beringer was a $8 dollar bottle of Chenin Blanc all the way from its hometown of Loire Valley France.

The largest difference between these two cousins was apparent right way - the sugar level. The Loire Chenin was almost completely dry where as our Beringer buddy was definitely leaning towards dessert.

On the nose, this wine showcased similarities of both tree and tropical fruit - unspecific, but that should be expected in an under $10 selection. Minerality was also present, another difference forming between our new & old world counterparts. On the palate, these wine makers both extracted notes of pineapple, yellow apples, nectarine, and Asian pear. What was most noticeable is that this wine had more ripe fruit flavors even though this wine didn't have that backbone of sugar. This ripe fruit aspect was definitely where those $3 extra dollars cashed in.

Now, as I am an analyst in my day job, so lets break this down in a table:

Overall, while this wine was solid, drinkable, I actually would put it at equals with the $3 Double Dog Chardonnay. So, I guess that's our answer - No, a little extra money doesn't equal a little extra flavor.

Guess the journey continues...

Good Wines Under $5 Part 2: Beringer Chenin Blanc

Well, there I guess there are 2 ways to save money as a young sommelier: 1) Drink $5 wines (seriously harder then one might think) 2) Just don't drink at all!

I wish I could be saying that my hiatus was due to the latter - but alas, it is due to the very small representation of quality wines in the former catagory. However, I did just find one recently that was worthy of my blogging love - Beringer Chenin Blanc.

Now, I will attest that I, as a young 20's professional, do squarely put myself in the camp of enoying those things "hipster" as in local, small batch what's-it - and would typically snuff large established labels for the sheer sake of snuffing large established labels, but alas - in this tiny lake of drinkable $5 wines, there is just not room for such snuffery.

I felt a "value" Chenin Blanc had promise as this grape tends to be a reliable light chrisp wine with fruit and floral notes - always stainless steel (which cuts down on costs) and in my opinion, kind of hard to mess up. The Beringer Chenin Blanc showed a platium pale clear color as expected along with tropical fruit skins ( in a kind of way like you just can't quite get to the fruit but you know its there) and crisp yellow apples on the nose. The palate displayed pineapple, ripe apple, peach & white apricot. While the floral notes that I so appreciate in French Chenin's was definately absent - overall, solid choice for $4.50.

The one reason why this wine cannot gain the terminal velocity required to escape the cheap wine segment was its decision to leave a small amount of residual sugar in the wine lending to an off-dry style. Done so to appeal to "entry" wine drinkers, it diminished what refreshing crispness I have come to love in Chenin Blanc.

Why recommend this wine then you say? Well, I do so with context. This wine is a great choice when throwing a large party, where as a host, one must appeal to a broad spectrum of tastes while not shelling out hundreds. It had enough sugar to satiate the sweet wine drinker, while not too much (as in an entry Riesling or worse Moscato would) to offend the established vino fan.

Does it deserve a raving review? Nah. But serve its purpose - you bet. Because do you really want to serve your crem-de-la-crem Vouvray to the random neighbor who stopped by your barbeque?

Yeah, I didn't think so either ;)

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* HELPFUL HINT: As mentioned in an earlier blog: "How would one buying this wine off the super market shelf know that it had residual sugar in it?" Again, I point you towards the alcohol content which is legally required to be posted on all wines sold in the USA. This Chenin has 11.5% & for the most part, any wine from any somewhat warm region (i.e. Alsace, Germany, & NY's Fingerlakes excluded) should gain a minimum of 12% from almost any varietal. Any less and you know some sugar remains.

$3.99 Chardonnary? Go Ahead...I Double Dog Dare You...

If anything is indicative of your twenties, its the use of your smart phone in practically everything you do. If there is anything else that is completely indicative of your twenties, its the fact that you live on a budget.

So guess what happens when you suddenly lose your $800 iPhone 4S at a bar & don't have insurance on it?

You drink $5 dollar wines for the next month... or more...

May I introduce to you my under $5 drink of the night: Double Dog Dare Chardonnay.

This wine actually surprised me with a candid drinkability. What poured from the simple yet fun bottle was not what I had (quite biasedly) expected, that in being a wood chip oaky California Chard, but rather a clear pale straw colored wine showcasing fruit & floral notes. (Note: oak influence in white wines will leave you with a golden or deep lemon color).

On a side note: People commonly ask me "What differentiates a cheap wine vs. an expensive wine?" Answer: if the wine maker is pricing their product correctly, it is the complexity of the wine - or how many different notes, aromas, and tastes you can pull out of your glass. So you can imagine my surprise when I looked down at my notes after tasting this $5 wine and saw a small paragraph forming!

This wine, although seemingly simple with up-front notes of yellow apple & unripe nectarine, actually had several nuanced auxiliary aromas like honey suckle, white marble, & unripe pineapple (aka the green outside parts). It also featured a little bit of honey, which makes me think the winemaker has left an undetectable bit of sugar in the wine to help balance the body (This happens in more wines then you think).

Oh... and those are just my notes on the bouquet.

On the palate this wine was dry (mostly) with appropriate acid. Lemon juice along with the white middle fruit of a Red Delicious apple featured heavily here with some white grapefruit sticking around in the finish.

Sounds too good to be true right?

Well.... I would be lying if I didn't tell you it kinda is. What puts this wine back in the under $10 dollar range was a slightly more pronounced bitter flavor on the finish (from that unripe pineapple & grapefruit) as well as what could be deemed a slightly out of balance amount of alcohol at 12.5%given the fruit flavors noted above - making this wine tricky to pair with food. Also, while this wine had a finish (rare in the $5 wine market), it was short, lasting about 3 seconds.

Tasting blind, I would have put this wine in the $7-9 dollar category, making it budgetary steal at....only $3.99.

Given my typical $15 budget, this wine put me a whopping 1.5% closer to my new iPhone goal.

....Looks like we will be enjoying this category for a while ;)

Wine Flaws - 3 Major Reasons Your Wine Stinks

It happens to the best of us - crikes, it happened to me last night (Hence why I am not writing to you about Macedonian Pinot Noir)...you open up a bottle of wine, after waiting all day at work for the  moment the delicious juice can pass your lips, only to be overwhelmed by the distinct desire to spit it out instantaneously upon contact.

Don't worry, its not you - its your wine.

Approximately 3% of all wines are flawed in some capacity & whether due to improper handling conditions, microbial (non-harmful except to flavor), or the infamous TCA or "corked" wine, they all result in a less then desirable drinking experience.

But how do you know your wine just sucks or if it stinks? Below, I outline the 3 main culprits of wine flaws & how you can spot them. Good news is bring any of these to the attention of your server or wine shop manager - and most good ones will quickly give you a new bottle on the house.

1. "Corked" Wine: Wines that are affected by TCA, or trichloroanisole account for the majority of flawed wines. The culprit stems from the process by which they clean the corks before selling them to wineries. While most of the molecule dissolves off the cork before being inserted into your bottle, some corks just don't let go - until your wine is sitting there vulnerable & within its grasp.

This agent causes wines to smell & taste like a moldy damp basement, filled with wet dogs lying on cardboard & eating a bowl of mushrooms. While the severity of TCA varies, even at low levels it can strip a wine of its fruitiness, leaving you to taste an unbalanced mess of grimy acidity & wet earth flavors.

2. Oxidation: No, your wine will never form rust on it, but it can become oxidized, and in many wines - much more quickly then you would think. While several types of oxidation actually create great complex wines, like in great aged Bordeaux's, or help a young tannic California Cabernet become more drinkable, overly oxidized wine is nothing to brag about.

As a drinker, you have 4 opportunities to decipher if your wine is oxidized: 1) The cork. The only reason why your server places the cork on your table after opening a wine is for you to inspect it. Is there a red dribble of wine from bottom to top? That's a sure sign your wine has been aerating for much longer then desired. 2) The Color. You can also spot an overly oxidized wine based upon its color in reference to the age of the wine. Is your 2 year Chardonnay looking a tad brassy? or is your newly purchased Pinot have distinctly brown edges? 3) The Nose. Smelling your wine leaves you with your third clue - oxidized wines simply just don't smell like much - a big difference from the corked aromas noted above. 4) The taste. Oxidized wines have greatly reduced fruit notes and if any fruit notes are present they are in the skin / dried fruit spectrum. Overall the acid and tannins will just taste way out of whack - even leaning towards vinegar in very dramatic cases.

As both white & red wines oxidize or age, they both turn a brick orange / brown

3. Brett: Short for Brettanomyces, Brett is a yeast found within wood wine barrels that creates the barnyard notes found in some wines. Typically only found in red's (as these are the wines that are most likely to use a barrel for ageing), Brett can actually enhance a wine at low levels & are preferred by some drinkers. However, at higher levels, these complex barnyard notes become distinctively "horsey" and overall unpleasant. Brett will not change the color of the wine, so the best place to detect is within the nose or bouquet of the wine.


As for my Pinot Noir from the Republic of Macedonia - well its browned edges and notes of leather, mushrooms, tea leaves, & zero fruit was quickly tossed down the kitchen sink. But have no fear - there is always another bottle just waiting for the chance to not dissapoint.

"SkinnyGirl"s Night - My Girl Friends Review "Real Housewife's" New Wine Blends

The first time I told a friend about this blog, she asked "Are you going to review the new SkinnyGirl wines?" Well, as I am never one to turn down any ideas, I recently purchased all three SkinnyGirl wine blends, White, Rose, & Red  and brought them to my esteemed wine critiques specifically chosen for the job: my girlfriends.

The Judges:

• Lauren, the white lover - bright & bubbly, she will happily walk out of beer tasting to a bar across the street to get herself a glass of white.
• Nancy, the sweet & pink gal - I have been trying to get Nancy to drink other wines over the past couple months, but alas to no avail.
• Michelle, red & ready. Michelle can always be found drinking red's with our wine loving guy friends.
• Plus myself to mitigate in case things got ugly -  although that's impossible with these ladies :)

The Defendant:
Bethenny Frankel, of The Real Housewifes of New York Fame, lauched a line of pre-mixed cocktails & wines that all claim to be under 100 calories a glass. The Margarita mix, which took off in sorority circles across the country (and what I found to be less preferable than the saline water they use at the dentist when you have braces in middle school) lead the way for this new catagory of skinny & health centric alcoholic beverages.

(They have to take the fun out everything don't they...)

Under review were her blended wines: a generic White Blend, Rose Blend, and Red Blend. The wines specifically are 100 calories for a 5 oz pour (Average Restaurant pours range from 4.5-6oz)

The Evidence:
While the idea of a WHOLE glass of wine for only the magical "100 calorie" mark may seem like a dream come true - the real truth is that most wines are only 110 calories for a 5oz pour. Below is a general breakdown:

• Dry Low-Regular Alcohol Whites & Reds: Wines like your Sauvignon Blancs, Pinots, Bordeaux, and Italian table wines are all going to only be 110 cal. / glass
• High Alcohol Reds: We all know alcohol levels are rising in hotter growing areas like California & Austrailia. Reds with alcohols above 14% like new world Syrahs & Zinfandels and some California Cabs will run you about 130 cal. / glass.
• Sweet Wines with Low Alcohol: In this catagory would be your Rieslings, some California Chards (oh you think they are dry, but many grocery story Chards have some residual sugar left), & Moscatos will have have about 130 - 150 cal./glass
• Dessert wines: Well these wines will stick you with a higher caloric bill having both sugar & alcohol and can stretch into the 200s for just a 4 oz pour.*

The Verdict:

White Blend: Overall, this was our top pick of the three, and to be honest, the only one really worth buying. An unknown white blend (I've look everywhere for what's in it  - nothing), it focused on floral notes of lime blossom, white lilly, baby's breath, & honey suckle along with fruit notes like nectarine, kiwi, pineapple. Aka., it hit all the girly white wine marks... but I will grant that it was refreshing. Per our white wine judge Lauren: "Yeah, I'd drink that." Overall, this wine was made for coktail parties where little food is being served & unless you are sticking to your diet and are only eating a light summer salad for dinner - has nothing much to bring to the table. We gave it a solid 7/10

Rose: While it got Nancy's approval - it was tentative at best, & at its $13 dollar price point, she definitely said she would still just rather buy the $5 Sutter Home White Zinfandel version and forgo the caloric benefit. She's right. The Rose, while made with Nancy in mind, had to take away most of what girls like her enjoy in their wines, a smooth, lightly sweet treat. With the sugar down, the tannins of the light touch of grape skins appeared rougher then myself or Nancy prefered. 5/10

Red Blend: I knew this wine wouldn't pass muster with Lauren or Nancy, but Michelle wasn't having any of it either - and rightfully so. This wine was the definition of a "disjointed wine" : a wine whose fruit notes (typically tasted on the front of the palate) did not ever connect with the tannins on the back of the palate. Whereas all winemakers aim to have these two elements, along with acidity, walk together hand in hand like happy-go-lucky school girls, this wine definately just suffered a girl-fight. Notes of red fruit like rasberrys, strawberries, & red plum skin shot evil glances across the playground at the moca & tobacco flavors. At the end of the day ladies, only serve this red blend to the fatty who stole your boyfriend. 2/10 with make-up on.

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Overall, if you want to save 10 calories while at the same time spending more money - go ahead and get the SkinnyGirl wines. Me & my girls - we are just going to stick with doing a couple more lunges :)

*Note: I have had several individuals show me their fancy calorie counter apps which say that a glass of red table wine is up to 260 calories. Politely - BS. I have consulted a couple Master Sommeliers & very educated wine shop owners who all agree with the above caloric descriptions.

Languedoc Garage Band of Flavor

One of my first posts described an excellent white wine from the Languedoc region or "Midi" of France - Moulin de Gassac's Guilhem white blend (Granche Blanc, Sasuvignon Blanc, & Clariette). Today I would love to also draw your attention to their red blend of 40% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 15% Carignan, & 20% Mourvedre.

As I have often touted, blends, especially for the red wines of the world, are absolutely the best place to land when looking for a high quality "value wine". For those newer readers, I give you my go-to similie:

Single varietial wines are like a one man band. That one guy has to play all the instraments - and more importantly play them well: drums, guitar, sing, play the cymbals with his knees. The likelihood of finding a pretty good one man band for the cheap? Good luck.  Now lets look at blends. Blends are like your everyday garage band. One guy is a solid guidarist, another plays the drums and another can actually sing pretty darn well; although each grape would just be another struggling musician alone, together they make a good, and at times, great sounding band. So, for a little cover charge, we actually get to listen to decently solid music. Bands don't need a solo star as long as everyone brings their particular talent to the stage - and so is the story with blended wines.

What notes do each grape play in this particular wine?

Syrah  - the Guitarist: Earthy round spice. It carries the melody.
Granche  -  the Lead Singer: It showcases those attributes to hear first of strawberry/cherry earthiness and notes of bay leaf
Carignan - The Back-up Singer & Guitarist: added primarily for volume & color being it grows easily (unlike the ficle Pinot Noir) is  softens the melodies of the band.
Mourvedre - The Dummer: brings the backbone of drying tannin & underlying black fruit

Together this blend plays a nose of a freshly opened bag of Crazins & bay leaf. The palate is similar to velvet: soft yet drying, with earthy components such as thyme stalks, along with dried cherries, and (for all the Special K Red Berries fans out there) the taste of dehydrated strawberries. Overall the blend is indicitive of the classic flavors achieved in the next door Southern Rhone region, but, as always, for a 1/3rd of the price at betwen only $9-12 per bottle.

A wine designed to drink with food, pair with "Provincal" foods such as sauages, dark meat chicken, and roasts such as lamb and pork sholder. The fat in these dishes will cut that inital drying tannin and allow the singer, Grenache, to really be heard.

Oh Holy (Humble) Argentina!!!

With Pope Fracis' inauguration today, Argentina is certainly going to be getting a lot of attention from both Catholic & non-Christian drinkers alike - like we needed another reason to drink its delicious wines...

While many may quickly pick up the great Malbec or the growing in popularity Torrontes (see post "Mendoza & The Queen of Argentina" ), in honor of Pope Fracis' humble ways, I recommend the workhorse grape of Mendoza: Bonarda.

Bonarda is the 2nd most planted red grape in Mendoza, obviously behind Malbec, and garners most of its popularity inside of Argentina's boarders as an everyday humble red dinner wine. While small amounts have been exported over the past few years, it is seeing the beginning of the take off growth that Malbec had a couple years back with its name being featured more commonly in "Limited Time Offer" (LTO) spaces on restaurant wine menus.

Also known as Charbono in California, and Bonarda is nicknamed "Sweet Black" in its native land of Italy (exact origins are contested, but both stories land us in Italy). While the wines it makes are not even close to being sweet, black is definitely a descriptor showcasing blueberry & blackberry fruits along with cassias in most cases. Like its brethren Malbec, Bonarda can be made in both light, med, & full bodied styles; but in my opinion shows its deft at the ends of the spectrum - offering a new flavor to lighter styles but its true potential when in full form.

Finding a widely available Bonarda was a little tricky, but luckily one of my favorite Mendoza producers, Zuccardi, has one in their Series A portfolio for only $12. Tasting it for the first time this past Saturday at the shop alongside a bunch of regular patrons, we all agreed it is definitely an example of the full bodied black Bonarda that is personally my favorite. The color was the first thing that caught everyone's eye - a rich deep royal red with slightly rose pink edges. Even the men called it "pretty." The nose had strong notes of leather, violets, & black cherry compote with more fruit skin & dried herbs on the palate. While this wine could easily sit on the bench for 5 years or so, it had a rounder tannin structure* resembling its friend Malbec, but slightly higher acid, given a nod to its Italian roots.

Pairing suggestions? I would stick with those rustic style dark meats such as Rib Eye, Roasted or Grilled Lamb, or even an Eggplant Lasagna if vegetarian is more your style.

All in all, everyone at the shop really quite liked it, although we all agreed we may wait about 3 years from the printed date to get a bit more ripe fruit flavors. If anything, it is a delicious reminder of what a humble grape can do if given the chance to shine.

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* In further research of this wine, the rounder tannins were aided by only having 30% of this wine see oak. If you prefer heavier tannins, I would look for a Bonarda where closer to 60-80% of the juice was oak fermented or aged.

St. Patricks Day & "Green Wine"

For many of my friends, St. Patricks Day makes their list of Top Favorite Holidays. Its a day with many benefits:

1. You know exactly what you are going to wear given the small number of green things in your closet
2. You have an excuse to pinch people you don't like (Oh, I'm sorry I didn't see that green sweater you're wearing...)
3. All holidays are standard exception days from your New Years Resolution Diet
4. All cute guys & gals are immediately Irish - and asking for kisses!
5. Green food is fun

While green colored beer is a common standby for St. Patty's day festivals, a lesser known "green wine" rarely makes the scene - until now.


Workers using traditional tall ladders
during harvest of Vino Verde grapes

Vino Verde or "Green Wine" is a typically white wine that is grown in the northern regions of Portugal. While many people assume that its name alludes to its color, similar to the slight greenish hues which can be found in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, it actually signals the fact that this wine is meant to be drunk young or within 1 year of production. In fact, Vino Verde actually comes in all 3 wine styles: White, Rose, & Red.

I know, it blew my mind too.

In the United States however, the term Vino Verde will always be used to single the white version of this group & is a great pick for those of you that lean towards Sauvignon Blanc, Torrontes, or Pinot Grigio. It is made primarily with two grapes: Alvarinho (Al-Vah-REE-Nyoh) (same grape as Albaino in Spain) which provides the body & alcohol, and Loureiro (Yeah-I-Don't-Know-Either), which supplies the aromatic notes of key lime blossom, kiwi, & pineapple which we all love.

I recently tasted an excellent example of Vino Verde at the South Beach Food & Wine Festival - Twin Vines Vino Verde. This wine, while not technically sparkling, does have a slight petulant  feel on the palate. On the nose you defiantly smell fresh pineapple & kiwi, with a tiny bit of zippy floral. This wine is high in acid, due to the soils it is grown in, and thus has notes of limestone on the palate as well. While this wine was free at the festival, a quick online search has prices between $6-10, standard for the Vino Verde category as a whole.

Be sure to serve this wine well chilled to maximize the refreshing acidity. Pairs well with shrimp & other white fish in addition to many summer style salads; however, with an average alcohol of only 9-11% you can even pair this with just a cool seat by the pool.

One more thing for you wine dorks out there....In researching this wine for the post, I stumbled across a cool aspect. Vino Verde, while once grown close to the ground like many agriculture products, now is almost exclusively grown on very tall trellises, telephone poles, high fences, and even trees! Why? Long story short, the Portuguese are practical. They use the prime area close to the ground to grow mainstream crops for food. And since the grapes used to produce Vino Verde wines like good air circulation (to reduce rot) why not stick them high up in the air?

I almost want to give them a high-five for that one :p

Don't Be A Wine Snob 101

[I will admit, my last post on Teinturier grapes (I'm sorry, say WHHHAAAATT?) was a tad tiny bit overtly nerdy. So, to compensate, I offer you a dorky-terminology free post]

When attending tastings, I always see people make a comment, and then look around wildly to gain the approval of the group. Either that, or you get that one musty smelling, suspender wearing jerk who describes the wine as "a breath of jasmine air."

While I could easily guide you to a wine aroma wheel to ensure you never become the aforementioned odorous fellow,(http://www.aromaster.com/winearomawheel) it is far more interesting to give you some real life examples. So I offer you the below industry & society accepted wine descriptions that will guarantee you appear like a knowledgeable wine enthusiast and not like that dude to the right wearing a beret.

"This wine.....

OK: is mysterious
NOPE!: has the essence of the second chapter of an Agatha Cristie novel

OK: has notes of worn in leather
NOPE!: Smells like a European saddle

OK: smells like the dried strawberries found in 'Special K Redberries'
NOPE!: Smells like the French Provence after a summer rain

OK: has notes of peach cobbler
NOPE!: has notes of a punch in the face (even if that is what may happen to him after the summer rain comment)

OK:smells like freshly cut grass
NOPE!: smells like freshly cut toe nails (Gross... PUNCH HIM!)

OK: tastes like prune
NOPE!: tastes like a grandma eating a prune

OK: smells like feet (really! its OK!)
NOPE!: smells like a European queen's feet during the Dark Ages

OK: is tight
NOPE!: is like a highschool.. OK OK OK! that is all folks... and for the record, I was referring to a wine that needs to breathe a.k.a. aerate to reduce the tannin structure!

Jeez! Get your head out of the gutter...

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Special Thank You to my college friend Phil for brainstorming with me the above inappropriate wine descriptors during a 20's something night of drunken revalry during a recent business trip to Florida.)

A Winter Thaw & an Italian Merlot

March 1st is the day when summer lovers know that their favorite time of year is only around the corner: longer sunnier days, barbecues, long vacations, and yes lighter wines. But while our palates may be longing for the tastes of summer, the winter weather is still drifting snow over most of the country, and as such we still need some good red wines to warm us up until we can finally turn off the radiator for the season.

This "winter thaw" provides the perfect time for some alternative red wines beyond the classic heavy American & French Cabernet (like we can afford most of those anyway :P), and that is exactly the second wine I found at the Tuscany tasting I attended 2 weeks ago.

Podere Ciona's Semifonte is a unique member of the class of Super Tuscans in that it is Merlot based and instead of Sangiovese (the grape of Chianti) it contains a little known grape called Alicante Bouschet (Al-Ee-CAN-Tay   Boo-SCHET).

Alicante Bouschet is part of a very small collection of grapes called Teinturier (Tin-Tur-Ee-AY) grapes. What sets these grapes apart is they have red juice in addition to their red skins.

Most wine grapes are similar to table grapes, while their skins may be one color, their juice is always clear. The color found in red wines, as we know, come from the skins which sit with the juice either before or during fermentation. However, Teinturier grapes have both red skins & red juice. So what does this mean for the wines they create?

These grapes give the wine a very unique tannin structure. Whereas tannins from wood are felt along the sides of the mouth & cheeks, and grape skin tannins cling to the teeth, grape juice tannins are much softer and are present in the middle of the palate creating a rich dense wine.

Whereas most wines with teinturier grapes contain only 5-10%, this wine has a whooping 25% providing a really unique juicy structure. This in combination with the 75% Merlot made for one tasty wine with notes of tart red and black fruits like black cherry. Common to most Italian wines, this wine also showcases notes of fresh basil and vanilla from the french oak.

This wine is a smaller producer, less then 5000 cases so online or a shop that specializes in Boutique producers is going to be your best bet to find this wine. At $20 this maxes our budget, but was just too cool of a wine to keep its small production all to myself :)

The Tuscan 'Blue Moon'

I will admit – I am a nerd. In elementary school I would literally lie to my mother (sorry Mom) and say I had homework when I really didn’t. Now – I attend wine classes in my free time.

Needless to say, I think I’m hitting my stride.

I attended just such a class this past Wednesday on the wines of Tuscany. Practically the “Napa of Italy,” Tuscany is home to Chianti, a well-known red wine made from Sangiovese grapes in the (shocker) Chianti region. It is also home to the famous “Super Tuscans” and of course the little black rooster labels that perch on the neck of the bottle.

What Tuscany is not known for is its white wines, but perhaps it should be.

Although few, the white wines of Tuscany are both bright in acidity (much like their red counterparts), but more mellow as far as balancing notes featuring more candied lemon peel over fresh lemon and notes of baking spices even though few see any time in oak. Growers here could make a lot more money growing more commonly known varietals like Chardonnay, but they stick to Italian native grapes. Why? Because when done right these wines are full in flavor & freshness. A combo just not found anywhere else.

Such is the case with Le Rote Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

(Insert Pause)

Yes, it is a mouthful, but it’s actually pretty easy to break this wine label down. In most cases, the grape name in the Italian wine comes before the word “di” which means “from”. So this wine is a Vernaccia from San Gimignano (the town) produced by the Le Rote wine estate. See, that was easy!

In the glass, this wine is pale brass in color and can have a slight green tinge, although that typically fades with air time. This wine has almost a “heady” quality (yes, I am referring to beer here!) with a hoppy nose supporting more delicate notes of rich floral & pollen. A powerful palate, it showcases those spice notes like nutmeg & white pepper, but also a clean crisp finish of lemon peel.  After you swallow this wine, the hops return and your palate may just be fooled into thinking you just had a sip of Lager. If I had to find a flavor cousin inside of the wine family, I would lean towards the (slightly) better known Albarino, full of body but bright & clean. Outside the wine family, this grape is defiantly taking notes from Blue Moon – sans orange.

This wine isn’t so much heavy as, per say, an oaked California Chardonnay, but just an intense concentration of flavors.

So what would I drink this with? Poultry items with their own backbone of spice, like Turkey Sausage or even a veggie burger, are a perfect fit. Creamy meat/carb dishes such as Stromboli and tuna casserole would also hold its own against this wine as would swordfish & herb roasted pork loin.

Salute!

My Sommelier Exam & The EXEM Answer

There is a portion of the sommelier exam where you are asked to pair specific wines with a random (and typically esoteric) dish. I had prepped with my 2 mentors for several culinary classics - escargot, clam soufflee, beef burguneon, etc. What did I get? Roasted lamb with rubarb reduction. Huh?

 Not only had I never considered putting what I assume is a sweet fruity style sauce on top of roasted anything, but I knew what it needed was an old world classic. Unfortunately, sitting in front of me is the Master Sommelier whose business card should read "Old World Super Expert". For a split second I paniced - but then I remembered a little wine I had while volunteering at the wine shop - Exem 2010 Bordeaux.

This wine is a breath of fresh air to a dirty, dusty, old and famous wine region - Bordeaux. At only $13 dollars, it is an excellent wine to jump in and explore a region whose pricetag typically deters everyday wine lovers from exploring.

Red Bordeaux wines are almost all blends featuring:
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Merlot
- Cabernet Franc
- Petit Verdot
- & Malbec (Yes! Malbec is from France!)

The Bordeaux region is divided into 3 main growing areas by the Gironde Estuary. Knowing what part of Bordeaux your wine comes from is key to knowing what mix of these grapes are in your wine:

Left Bank: Cabernet Sauvignon based & typically the most expensive & famous wines.
Entre-Deux-Mers: Translated to "Between Two Seas", this landlocked penninsula mostly makes dry white wines made with Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion.
Right Bank: Merlot based wines featuring earthy characteristics. For the most part, wines labed "Bordeaux" with no specific villiage name come from this part of the region.
 
 Our Exem, although labeled simply "Bordeaux" wine, actually comes from a single vinyard site within a the Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux AOC which is located in the southwestern corner of Entre-Deux-Mers. It is made in the style of the Right Bank featuring 70% Merlot & 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. As if you could pack more value into a $13 dollar wine, this vinyard is also sustainably farmed.

Like I mentioned at the beginning, this wine is a fresh new version of a classic region and is very much made in the "New World" style of featuring dense ripe fruit such as black cherry & plum. While it features some of the classic herb notes like thyme, they are more reminisant of fresh herbs and lacks the green "new wood" like flavors that can be offputting to American wine lovers.

Still, by far the best quality of this wine was the feeling of victory when my Bordeaux expert proctor had to ask how to spell it.

Boo ya! Value Wine WIN!

Tastings & A Date

First question, what is more romantic then a wine tasting?

Second question, what is one of the best wallet friendly ways to drink wines way above your budget?

Wine tastings are simply one of the best ways to really expand your pallet, meet new people, or hang out with current friends all for very little down payment. Many tastings are free and most under $20. Most recently, I went to Champagne tasting for Krug winery, a historic, and might I add expensive, winery (their cheapest bottle was $150 - sad face). But what did I pay to taste 3 of their vintage champagnes? Only $15.

Tapping into the local tasting market is not only a great way to taste amazing wines on a budget, but also meet new people who have great taste, literally. Who knows, perhaps you will be wining & dining with one of them come next Valentine's day!

My go to place to find local wine events, is localwineevents.com (super creative, I know) but it is the most comprehensive list of wine tastings & will also send you a weekly newsletter of events. About 50% are free & the rest are typically either a nominal fee or it is a wine tasting dinner - and I will say that those can be a budget buster.

Really looking for a date? They have beer tastings posted as well...

Ok - so its not a wine review, but perhaps, its even better. Let me know if you go to any great (inexpensive!) tastings :)

Valentine's Day Rose #2 - Tempranillo & Grenacha

Since Valentine's Day is all about couples, what is more fitting then exploring the better half of our rose exploration of amazing pink wines of Europe.

Continuing our romantic metaphor, our second Rose is from the Spanish wine region of Rioja (Ree-OH-ha) and as it turns out, Spain was Great Britain's rebound wine region whenever England and France were at war during various times of the Middle Ages. However, England wasn't the only one with a backup date. When phylloxera destroyed many of the vines in France during the early 1900's, many French winemakers from the Bordeaux region moved across the boarder to work the louse free vines of Spain.

OK, Valentine's Day metaphors are done now.

The Monte Clavijo 2011 Rosado is a blend of 40% Tempranillo & 60% Grenacha. Being both thin skinned grapes, this wine is a delicate color of salmon, hiding the core of fresh fruit, like bright cherry, strawberry, & raspberry you will get on the palate. On the nose, it is distinctly floral including baby's breath, jasmine, & fresh parsley.

Again, this wine is  100% dry clocking in at an even-keeled 12.5% alcohol.

This rose is slightly more fruit forward and would be great when paired with salmon or arugula salads (the pepper in the leaf will bring out even more fruit). As you can see, this is the more feminine of our Valentine's Day pair and the cheaper at only $7 / bottle.

So enjoy the holiday, or if you are on those those like that inherantly dislike Valentine's day, just enjoy the wines. Either way, Cheers!

Valentine's Day Rose #1 - Tavel, France

If Valentine's Day isn't the perfect day to really enjoy the amazing pink wines of the world - then I dare say the Rose industry is doomed.

Oh, what a shame it would be!!! The Old World Roses knock the ubiquitous White Zinfandel out of the park producing mostly 100% dry (a.k.a. no remaining sugar) wines intertwined with minerality that are primed for new exciting food pairings - such as our first from the Old World  region of Tavel, France in the Southern Rhone.

Tavel (Tah-VEL-la) is situated right across the Rhone river from the famed Chateauneauf du Pape region and consequently uses all of the grapes found in the "New House of the Pope" such as Grenache (Gren-AH-shh)*, Cinsault (SIN-So), Mourvedre (Moo-VED-Dra), Syrah (Sah-RAW), Clairette (CLAIR-Et), and Carignan (CARE-N-Yawn) among others in increasingly smaller quantities.

Just like its neighbor across the river, Tavel has famed historical roots. King Philip IV decreed upon being handed a glass of Tavel Rose, (which he reportedly "downed" quite quickly) that it was "the only good wine in the world" during one of his official tours of the kingdom in the 17th century.

Tavel only produces Rose when it comes to the export market (that's us America) and interestingly requires that all Roses have a minimum of 11% alcohol by volume, with most wines finishing at about 12-13.5%. Why do we care you ask? Because alcohol and sugar are on a vinified see-saw: Alcohol goes up? Sugar must go down. Sugar is high? Then alcohol is sitting in the sand box. Why? Its's SCIENCE! The alcohol in a wine is a by-product produced in the fermentation process where yeasts turn the naturally occurring sugar from the ripe grapes into alcohol. So what about our sweet "frienemy" White Zinfandel? It typically only has an APV (alcohol per volume) of 9.5-10.5%.

Now lets hear the real kicker - the price tag for a solid bottle of the "only good wine in the world" is a simple $10 including tax.
Domaine du Vieil's Aven is a classic "daily" example of the great rose wines that can come from producers who know what great pink wines can achieve. Overall, this wine drinks more like a white showcasing a mineral backbone of white stone, flagstone, & flint. Complementing notes of delicate rose petal & fresh uncut strawberries are also on the nose. The palate leans more into light raspberry notes with even a hint of fresh topsoil on a base of leveled acidity and a touch of tannin.

All in all, this wine is delicate & pretty, but do not get that confused with sweet & girlie. This wine comes in 100% dry with an APV of 13.5%.

Avoid food pairings with high acidity as it can erase the delicate fruit notes of this wine. Instead, pair with more earthy flavors featuring squashes, mushrooms, and other simply prepared roasted veggies and poultry and pork.

Do drink this wine (and most roses) the night you open them. While they don't completely turn over night, those delicate fruit notes and structure of light tannins fade quickly - BUT its as its Valentine's day...hopefully there are 2 of you to finish a bottle. If not, well, you need those extra 2 glasses.

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* BTW if I haven't mentioned so far, I create my own pronunciation guides (clearly) - these just seem so much more intuitive then learning another whole alphabet.

The Superbowl & Gameday White Wine Pairings

When I was in college, I took a HADM 4433: Food & Wine Pairing (needless to say it was one of my favorite classes) In it we learned the rationalization behind why one pairs sweet wine with spicy food, and how tannins interact with your palate when you eat a steak, etc., but I have to say even I was a little flabbergasted when the Chardonnay class came up and looking down on my pairing plate

I saw... hotdogs & popcorn?

 

I was skeptical, but it tasted fantastic! - but when in the world was a restaurant professional going to  use a wine & hotdog pairing???

 

Needless to say, I get it now - THE SUPERBOWL. 

 

 

I would venture that the Superbowl is the most equally watched event between men & women and don't get me wrong, I love a good porter, but there are several people in the football watching world that just don't enjoy beer - and they are in luck, because when it comes to tailgating mainstays, wine can definitely handle the heat. So drink those beers at kickoff, but when the food starts coming around, you are missing out if you don't throw wine the ball and run with some of these football friendly wine pairings:

 

The Burger: When pairing food & wine, think about ALL of the ingredients, not just the main protein - and the burger is the perfect example. While a Cabernet may spring to mind (I mean it is really just ground up steak right?) don't forget that the buttery bun makes up half the pair. Because of this, a simple burger actually pairs excellently with an oaky buttery Chardonnay. The extra tannins from the oak help you out when it comes to the fat in the meat, and the sweetness of the bun really comes out along side the buttery chardonnay texture. Also, that good old American processed cheese goes hand in hand with the Chardonnays melon flavors.

 

Try the Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Chardonnay ($15). The mixture of 50% barrel fermentation / 50% stainless fermentation ensures a wine that is creamy while still maintaining much of its fresh fruit flavors such as melon, apple, and guava. Also, pair with wine with the above mentioned hotdog.

 

*I will insert a small caveat here: wine & ketchup isn't a match made in heaven. The tangy sweet takes most of the fruit away from the wines and they can seem unbalanced - so if drinking & eating the above, reach for the mustard instead.

 

Chili / Jambalaya:  In honor of the city hosting this year's game, there is going to be a lot of jambalaya being eaten on Sunday. Plus its always a tailgating favorite given its ability to make large portions easily & keep you nice and warm on the cold day AND it goes SO much better with wine then beer if only for one simple reason, spice & carbonation don't mix.

 

Instead grab a nice fruity Albarino (Al-bah- NYEE-yo) from Rias Baixas (RE-ahs  BYE-shas) Spain. This grape has a nose similar to Viogner & Gerwurtztraminer showcasing ripe apricot & peach on the nose with high acidity and low alcohol levels, the key to the success of this pairing as spicy food brings out the heat of the base alcohol within the wine. What sets Albarino apart from other dry fruit forward whites is a distinctive slight salinity which is gained due to its being grown on the coast in Galacia, Spain. Also, when considering wine pairing, always consider the food typically eaten in that region - and while I highly doubt jambalaya specially is a common food in Galacia, what they do eat is a lot of seafood & spicier sausages.

 

Marques De Caceres, Albarino Rias Baixas 2011 ($16) is a great choice & bonus points, just got featured in Wine Spectator as one of the top 100 values for 2012.

 

Well that is all for today - enjoy the game & enjoy these pairings!

Mendoza & the Queen of Argentina

Wine Regions of Argentina

Mendoza, the main wine growing region in Argentina is ubiquitous with Malbec, the red hot-red wine grape that is spearheading the rise of South American imports into the United States. This region is responsible for nearly 70% of Argentina's total wine production, albeit being a rather dry, arid region fueled by irrigation (very similar to Washington State, but we will leave that for another day). Elevation is what allows this hot, dry region to produce award winning wines as the cooler higher conditions allow grapes to ripen slowly which produces intense and concentrated wines. However, there is a second grape hailing from this up and comming region that is about to challenge Malbec for the Argentinian wine throne: Torrontes.

Torrontes is a medium sized white grape variety

Torrontes is a white grape, perfectly primed to soon become the Queen of the Argentinian wine industry. Its flavor hits dead on as to what most people love in an everyday white: lively acidity & a touch of ripe tropical stone fruits such as fresh apricots, nectarines, & white peaches. Despite these ripe fruit flavors, this wine is almost always produced "dry" meaning with 0% residual sugar. What really sets this wine apart from is flavor cousins of Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc, is a distinct floral nose and an almost silky light/medium body that allows this wine to handle light appetizers better then most summer whites.

What's best is that this grape has the same awesome feature as Malbec: its drastic affordability.

During my side job at the wine shop, I recently tasted the the Laberinto Torrontes and found it to be excellent example of a classic Torrontes, exhibiting the classic nose of Gardenia on the nose & apricot and pear on the palate strengthened by a stainless steel fermentation & aging. Setting this particular wine apart is its organic roots, and still for only $15 a bottle.

Due to its silky body and dry yet fruity taste, this is the perfect wine to have before dinner or during happy hour. The acidity will open up your palate, and rev-up your appetite - white the fruit can handle a bit of spice. As such, calamari, shrimp, and topping heavy salads are excellent choices (although I would avoid the Caesar dressing).

So whether you are looking for another great ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) or just longing for those summer porch sipping days to return, pick up a Torrontes and expand what you expect from our beloved Argentina.

Primal Roots & The Art of Blending

A couple of months ago, a fellow wine friend nerd and I went down to a local wine bar in Orlando to bid him adieu as he had completed his summer internship was was returning to my Alma Mater in upstate NY. That night was more about enjoying some shared laughs then learning about weird off the wall wine (our typical past time), and thus we ordered what we thought was some simple, inexpensive, innocuous red wine.

Man, did our pompous sommelier preconceptions get a rightful slap in the face!

This wine lept out of the glass with an aroma of mocha, rich ripe red berry, jam, & spice. On the palate it WOWed as well, with a full body of dense black currant & raspberry fruit, luscious full palate mouth feel, & an excellent application of oak lending a nice vanilla note.

Awed, our geek sensibilities returned and we both reached for our iPhones to learn more about this mystical prodigy of value wines. When we reached its page on WineAccess.com (our go-to site when we are trying to price a particular wine), we turned to each other in gleeful disbelief. It only cost $6.95/bottle*.

I give you Primal Roots California Red Blend.

So what makes this wine sooo freaking delicious and sooo freaking cheap? It is the value of blending. Think of it like this:

Single varietal wines are like cooking pasta with garlic - just garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic, but the likelihood of a pasta dish coming out memorable and awe-inspiring by just using garlic... well, you are going to need some pretty special garlic; and while I'm sure Whole Foods would be readily waiting to sell you special garlic at $20/oz, we have much smarter ways of making plain pasta taste yummy. Blended wines are like pasta sauce, a simple yet complex mix of several ingredients, garlic, tomatoes, oregano, & salt - each bringing their own talent to the table. You put a little too much tomatoes in? Eh, your good. Your oregano looking a little old & lackluster? No problem. The other ingredients help to hide any tiny flaws you may have in your ingredients & you still have a pretty scrumptious bowl of pasta.

That is why you can get pretty awesome blended wines for an even more awesome price tag, because the individual ingredients don't need to be the crem-de-la-crem in their own right. They just have to be average, do their part & make delicious pasta sauce.

So lets break down this blend:

• 43% Merlot: The Tomatoes. Merlot is the bulk of this wine and provides the base for the other grapes to play off of. Merlot specifically brings those notes of mocha, cherry, and the soft velvety mouth feel.
• 37% Syrah: The Oregano. Syrah commonly has more earthy notes with black pepper, and adds that little something that at times can be hard to pin down, especially in blends. It's beefier then the other ingredients (like meatballs!!), and provides the backbone of this blend.
• 20% Zinfandel: The Garlic & Salt. Zinfandel is known for being jammy & spicy (In the way Indian foods use spice, not chili pepper spice). As such, a little can go a long way. It also has a soft very full mouth feel.

Speaking of pasta, what should you eat with this lovely value? Well, not pasta per say, but dark roasted meats & veggies, such as juicy pork chops, duck, or even a bourbon glazed salmon. Overall, this is an excellent starter red that can actually stand up to a heavier dinner. This wine is only 13.5% alc. so it can handle a little black pepper, but I would stay away from anything too spicy.

On that note, keep a look out for a post on pairing techniques, but as for now, I wish you well & good wine :)

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*Total Wine prices at $10/bottle

Hello! & A New Old World Favorite

Welcome! to "Wine for Your $20's" - a reference for everyone who desires to have a small bit of luxury, for a layman's price. However, the world of "value wines" can be daunting to navigate as many large wineries choose to funnel their money into their marketing campaigns & not into what ends up in the bottle. So what is a frugal "wineista" to do???

That is where I come in - a 23 year old Certified Sommelier and restaurant industry professional, with a growing desire to delve ever deeper into the world of wine. I also have a good chunk of student loans, which doesn't leave much from my first job paycheck to drop on a top line Bordeaux. Thus, I am on a mission to find the best wines out there for under $20.

So whether you are in your 20's, loved your 20's, or just got a couple $20's to "liquidate", Cheers! and lets get sipping.

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My first wine I am bringing to you is something unexpected for the daily drinker, but is an excellent example of the amazing wines you can find from some of the lesser marketed wine regions.

This white comes from a famed French estate, Moulin de Gassac whose property started the quality revolution in the 1970's within the Languedoc [Lang gwah doc] region, an area of Southern France. The "Midi" as this area is commonly known, produced the 1970's versions of Franzia (sans box).

 
Despite the odds the Guibert family forged on, enlisting the top French wine scientists of the time and in 1982 they produced a wine which was critically acclaimed as the first Languedoc "Grand Cru."
 
The Languedoc is now the home of many young and eager winemakers and is really pushing the boundary of quality wines from France, making it a "go-to" region to find some excellent wines for the dollar.
 
The Guilem is the entry level brand from this fabled producer, and at between $9-12 is an budget friendly buy. The white (pictured above) is 40% Grenache Blanc 30% Sauvignon Blanc, & 30% Clairette and has a nose somewhere between an unoaked California Chardonnay & an old world Sauvignon Blanc - yellow apple, nectarine, & some mineral and wax notes. Due to the blend, this wine covers a lot of bases, some body, some fruit, some mineral & acidity, making it an excellent wine to always have chilled in your refrigerator as it will go with a large variety of homecooked meals including chicken, white fish (sole to swordfish), and even a simply grilled porkchop.

I hope you enjoy! Feel free to share your thoughts and what meals you drank it with :)