Sancerre and Pouilly Fume primer

Here is some info on 2 of my favorite white wine appellations: Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, in the Loire Valley, sent to me by the Loire Valley Wine Bureau. Although there are exceptions, wines from Pouilly Fume tend to be similar to Sauvignon Blanc's made in California, softer than those from Sancerre. Robert Mondavi was, after all, inspired to label his CA SBs "Fume Blanc" after he visited Pouilly Fume. Those from Sancerre are crisper, more acidic, "steely" and sometimes flinty/mineraly (depending on the soil), more like Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand:

"The most famous of these appellations is Sancerre. Spread over 12 communes, the vineyards are planted to steep slopes that are sheltered from winds and receive favorable exposure. There are three unique soil types in Sancerre: Terres Blanches is compact chalk on top of kimmeridgean marl and produces somewhat bigger wines that allow longer aging; Les Caillottes is gravel and limestone and produces fragrant wines that are ready to drink when young; and flinty silex-clay soil produces wines with a strong mineral component that can suggest smoke. The vineyards cover 2,716 hectares, and the annual production of Sancerre Blanc is 130,800 hectoliters.

Just across the river from Sancerre is Pouilly Fumé, where Sauvignon Blanc is grown exclusively. The terroir of Pouilly Fumé is composed of limestone, silex, and clay soils. The latter component gives the wines a slightly rounder, creamier note than those from its neighbor, Sancerre. The vineyards cover 1,212 hectares and the annual production is about 74,000 hectoliters. The wines can age a year to eighteen months in bottle, and will continue to mature well after that. Fish, shellfish, and white meats are all excellent complements to the smoke and flint notes of Pouilly Fumé, whose structure and balance make it a good match for richer foods. "

Eggs-straordinary wines (sorry...)

I read with interest Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg's article in the Post Food section yesterday ("The Precarious Balance of Oak and Yolk"), which gave some great wine suggestions for egg dishes. One of their recommendations for "savory" egg dishes like omelets and frittatas is blanc de blancs Champagne. I wholeheartedly agree, and also would add Cava to that list--much more wallet-friendly for your Sunday brunch...

Another favorite wine of mine with eggs is Vouvray. This under-appreciated white from the Loire Valley is made with the Chenin Blanc grape. Flavors range from apple to peach, and styles from dry to dessert. My favorite style for egg dishes is off-dry, with a bit of prickle/fizz on the tongue. Delicate enough to match the lightness of things like scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, yet with enough body and flavors to to stand up to frittatas with ham and vegetables.

Vouvray is a winner for spring's bounty of produce, too.

Wine in the Sack

When I'm in the mood for a red wine, I rarely turn to Cabernet. It's not that I have anything against the grape, it's just that my taste tends to turn to other big reds, like Shiraz, Malbec or Zinfandel.

But a few weeks ago, I bought a bottle of Wine in the Sack 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon for 3 reasons: the wine clerk highly recommended it; the price was cheap enough ($10) to make me want to give it a shot; and the packaging and name were just too clever to pass up.

You see, the wine does come in a sack, (but of course you also can't overlook the double entendre...) Wine in the Sack is made in Chile's Colchagua Valley (value wine lovers, take note--there are great Merlots, Cabs and Carmeneres coming from here), and after glass bottles became the preferred vessel for wine back in the 1700's, winemakers starting wrapping bottles in burlap to protect against breakage. Today, it's a great marketing gimmick and conversation piece.

So how was the wine? Not bad for a Cab in that price range. Chewy but approachable tannins, dark cherry and plum flavors, and a bit of bitter chocolate on the finish. Great with a flank steak on the grill, or with perhaps the last beef stew of the season.

Spain's bright whites

Spain's reds from the Rioja region have long been popular in the U.S., and those from Priorat have been gaining ground as well. In terms of white wine from Spain, Albarino from the Rias Baixas region is finally getting its due, and the U.S. is now the number 1 importer of Albarino .

A bright, light white wine, Albarino is a great match for seafood, and is a suitable alternative to Pinot Grigio or an unoaked Chardonnay. It's typically unoaked to retain its zing, but sometimes it goes through malolactic fermentation to tame it a bit. And, like many light whites, it's best enjoyed within a year or two after bottling, before the attractive fruit and acidity fade.

Incidentally, Albarino is used in Portugal to make the light, sometimes fizzy but always fun Vinho Verde wine--a nice choice for warmer weather when you are looking for a wine with low alcohol.

My latest article on Wine Enthusiast's website

Here is an article I wrote about taking a day trip to Woodinville, WA, home of Chateau St. Michelle and Columbia wineries, Red Hook brewery and several eclectic restaurants.

Fashion for the wine lover?

I just caught this "offbeat" article on CNN.com:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/03/15/australia.winedress.reut/index.html?eref=rss_offbeat

Gives new meaning to the term "organic fashion," doesn't it?

Pairing: Verdicchio and Fennel

I love cooking with fennel in the autumn and spring months. This fragrant ingredient is also called anise, and is full of the distinctive aroma and flavor of licorice. In autumn, I like to roast fennel and pair it with sauteed-yet-still-crisp haricots verts. In springtime, I saute fennel with pork loin chops, shallots, garlic and white wine. When you include it in recipes, remember to use only the white "bulb" part, not the stalks, as well as the fronds (good for garnishing.)

One wine that pairs really well with fennel-based dishes is Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi. Made in the Marche region of Italy from Verdicchio grapes, it's crisp and light, with lemon and fennel notes, a bit of "slatiness," and a slightly bitter finish. It goes especially well with the pork chop dish I like to make, and would pair equally well with a salad topped with thinly sliced raw fennel and a lemon vinaigrette, or with any light delicate white fish (I'm thinking cod or skate topped with capers and a lemon sauce...)

You'll recognize Verdicchio on the wine store shelf by its green amphora bottle. Look for producers Santa Barbara, Colonnara and Fazi Battaglia--all available at Total Wine stores.

Whole Foods Enoteca

Last week I checked out the new Whole Foods in Fair Lakes (a gorgeous store, by the way...complete with a gelato counter--so hard to find good gelato close to where I live.)

The store has a decent wine selection, but what's really cool is the upstairs wine loft's enoteca (reviewed in 3/7/07's Washington Post's food section). It's a small, intimate room surrounded by windows that has low lighting and dark wood tables. Purchase a debit card in any amount, insert it in a slot above the bottle of your choice, and then sample any of 80 wines--you can get a 1, 3 or 5 oz. pour. Many wine styles and price points are represented (including a $24 1 oz. sample of Chateau d'Yquem...). The wine stays fresh due to special tops that pump nitrogen into the bottles, preventing oxidation.

This is a great place to go with a small group of wine loving friends, or your wine club. You can sample wines that may be beyond your budget if you were to buy an entire bottle. You can also "try before you buy"--helpful if you are hosting a dinner party or special event and need to find that perfect wine. There are cards on the table that you can use to rate the wines you try, and you can also order some small nibbles to enjoy while you are tasting and evaluating.

A very cool idea.

Guinness or wine for St. Patrick's Day?

Being part Irish, I enjoy a pint or two of Guinness at any time of the year, not just around St. Patrick's Day. ("Guinness is a meal," after all.) But the demand for Guinness is slowing down in Ireland, while the demand for wine--at least with a meal--is increasing. People are starting to get specific, too, when requesting wine--asking for a varietal instead of just a "white wine," for example. Luckily for the makers of Guinness, sales aren't slowing down in other parts of the world, especially North America and parts of West Africa.

If you are making (or going out for...) corned beef and cabbage this weekend to celebrate St. Pat's day, what should you drink with this favored Irish dish? I like to boil mine with cabbage, carrots and lots of pickling spices, and then enjoy it with spicy mustard. If you are preparing it that way and want a red wine to drink with it, then I would recommend either a spicy red (Malbec or Shiraz), or a dry or off-dry Gewurztraminer. The bit of spiciness in those wines will pair with the pickling spices and mustard. You also can't go wrong with a fruity, young Rioja. Remember that corned beef is not as heavy or "beefy" as, say, a steak or pot roast, so a lighter red would be lovely.

Whatever you decide to drink, Happy St. Patrick's Day! Slainte!!!

A Reserve Syrah and a good luck dinner...

A few years ago when my brother (a flight surgeon in the Navy) was stationed in Bremerton, Washington, my husband and I took a trip out to see him. We spent lots of time in nearby Seattle, and took a day trip to Woodinville--site of Chateau St. Michelle and Columbia Crest wineries, as well as Red Hook brewery and brewpub and a host of trendy, eclectic restaurants.

We did the reserve tasting at Chateau St. Michelle, and brought back a few bottles. (Their grounds are gorgeous, by the way, and the winery is housed in an actual "chateau"--definitely worth a visit if you are in the area...or even if you aren't.) One of the wines we bought was the 2001 Columbia Valley Reserve Syrah.

My brother's stationed in Hawaii right now, but he's being deployed to Iraq next month to be the primary physician for the Marines he's been working with. He visited us this past week before leaving in April for 7 months, and I figured what better time to open the bottle of Reserve Syrah than the evening before he left. We enjoyed it with filet mignon with Demi-Glace, sauteed mushrooms and onions and grilled asparagus.

The wine was opulent and intense, with lots of dark berries, and a dark ruby color, and it finished with a bit of chocolate.

A votre sante, RJ. Here's to your health and safety. Be careful over there, and come home soon.

2006 Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

I know it may seem like I am always waxing poetic about my love for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, but what can I say? I haven't met one that I don't like. It's my favorite white varietal right now--so food-friendly and refreshing. I love the grassy, herby and citrusy notes.

This past weekend, I tried the 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand winery Spy Valley. Last year, when I attended the NZ trade tasting in DC, I had the pleasure of attending a sit down tasting of NZ Pinots facilitated by Spy Valley winemaker Ant Mackenzie, and then chatting with him a bit afterwards after Spy Valley wines, and NZ wines in general.

Ant wasn't at the DC festival this past weekend, but a woman representing NZ wineries said that Ant thinks the 2006 Sauvignon Blanc is one of their best recent vintages. I couldn't agree more.--the wine stopped me dead in my tracks. There is a lot of passionfruit on the nose, followed by lime and some "flintiness" on the palate. The acidity is balanced by fruit and weight (due to ageing on the lees...), and it's just an overall damn fantastic wine.

If you enjoy NZ Sauvignon Blanc, run, do not walk, to your nearest wine store and grab a case of this gem.

A Standout Riesling from Down Under

One of the best whites I tried this past weekend at the DC Int'l Food and Wine Festival was a 2004 Tamar Ridge Riesling from Tasmania. It had a very indicative floral nose, along with apples, pears and minerals on the palate. The wine finished bone dry, and would be a perfect accompaniment to Easter ham, Thai curries, pork loin. And it would also be perfect on its own on the patio this spring or summer. Tasmania's cool climate keeps the wine's acidity high, resulting in an amazingly refreshing white.

This wine is imported by Robert Whale, and you can find it at Church Street Cellars in Vienna for $20.

Weekend of wine...

I went to the Grand Cru tasting at the DC Food and Wine Festival on Friday evening, as well as the trade portion of the tasting on Sunday afternoon. This week I'll be posting some reviews and vendor info from the show.

Stay tuned...

South American Reds

I dida wine tasting last Thursday evening on South American reds. We tasted a bunch of them, including several Malbecs, a Torrontes and a Carmenere. Here are some standouts:

2003Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Cabernet Sauvignon
Colchagua Valley, Chile
$20
Gorgeous ruby color, with a rich, deep aroma of blackberries and chocolate. Good, rich fruit on the palate, with grippy tannins. This wine can be enjoyed now, or it could age a bit to mellow out the tannins.

2004 Trapiche Broquel Malbec
Mendoza, Argentina
$12
A smooth, jammy Malbec with lots of dark berries and just a touch of spice. Would pair wonderfully with lamb chops or rib eye steak on the grill.

2005 Crios de Susana Balbo Syrah/Bonarda
Mendoza, Argentina
$15
A blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Bonarda (the most widely planted grape in Argentina). Not as inky, dark or "over the top fruit bomb"-y like some CA Syrahs can be. The Bonarda grape tends to mellow things out a bit, making for a lovely, easy drinking red.

Chablis...the "other" Chardonnay

So many good wine-related stuff in the Food section of the Washington Post today...a review of the wine bar at the new Whole Foods in Fairfax...a cover story on how BYO is changing the face of dining out in Philadelphia...Dick Rosano's review of some bold whites for the season (including Vouvray, an under-appreciated Loire Valley white that is one of my favorites.)

I loved Ben Giliberti's piece on Chablis--which can be another misunderstood white to the uninitiated. Mention "Chablis" to a casual wine drinker, and thoughts will often turn to the jug wine from California that bears the name on the label. CA "Chablis" has as much to do with real French Chablis as Gallo "Hearty Burgundy" does with a Grand Cru Nuits St. George...absolutely nothing except the name.

Ben's description of the good stuff is spot on. Chablis has crisp apple and/or pear on the palate, with a steely, mineraly, even flinty quality (many believe that this is caused by the flinty soil in the town of Chablis.) By law, Chablis has to be made with 100% Chardonnay.

It's bracing acidity and (my favorite part...) lack of oak treatment make Chablis a perfect food wine. I tend to shy away from New World chardonnays unless 1. I have tried them before and know they aren't oaky; or 2. the label says "unoaked." I just don't like feeling like I am sucking on an oak chip...never mind that "oak bombs" can often kill the taste of food. Chablis, on the other hand, goes well with shellfish (raw or cooked...), chicken dishes, pasta with cream sauces, and on and on.

Chardonnay is not an aromatic variety like, say, Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling is. The flavor often depends one the winemaking choices (oak fermentation and aging vs. stainless steel; blending with other grapes like Semillon, etc.) Chablis is a perfect example of how one wine made from Chardonnay grapes can taste so very different from another.

Grab a few bottles (Ben gives lots of great choices), and compare them to New World Chardonnays. If you tend to say "ABC" when it comes to whites ("Anything But Chardonnay"), you may find a new favorite.

Women-only wine tasting event

If you are a woman wine lover in the Metro DC area, mark your calendars! The Washington Wine Academy will be offering a women-only wine tasting on April 26, from 7:30-9:30 at the P&C Art Gallery in Alexandria. I'll be on hand to pour and discuss wines for spring, as well as food and wine pairing tips for the cuisine of the season.

Check the Washington Wine Academy's site in the next few days to get more information and register for this event. And be sure to tell a friend!

A funky, South American White

I love aromatic white wines like Gewurztraminer and Viognier. Add to that list Torrontes (pronounced "tore-ahn-TEZ"), , the spicy and floral wine from Argentina. Made from the grape of the same name, it's heady aromas and flavors of honeysuckle and jasmine, as well as hints of spices like cardamon, make for a very interesting sip. Enjoy it by itself, with a cheese and fruit platter, or with Asia dishes (especially Thai and Indian curries).

One to try is the 2005 Santa Julia Torrontes. There is some rose and jasmine apparent on the nose and palate, as well as lychee nuts. It's rich and decadent, yet has balanced acidity. Torrontes is one of those distinctive, "love it or hate it" wines, and I definitely belong to the former camp.

You won't find many Torrontes on your local wine store shelf, but it can be worth seeking out if you enjoy this style of wine.

Donaghy Estates Sparkling Wine

Just watched this week's TiVoed episode of 3o Rock. Alec Baldwin's character, Jack Donaghy, tried the first vintage of "Donaghy Estates"--his family's sparkling wine. The wine was, in a word, unpalatable, and Jack wondered how he was going to get rid of the thousands of cases he had. He eventually used Kristal's falling out with the rap community to his advantage, getting rap star Ridiculous (LL Cool J) to hawk it. Turns out his entourage couldn't even drink it.

Using the phrase "Cat's pee on a gooseberry bush" to descibe Sancerre (which I love...) is one thing, but Jack read Robert Parker's description of Donaghy Estates as "satan's urine after a hefty dose of asparagus."

That was hands down the quote of the week.

A little "Fourplay" can be a good thing...

Opened up a bottle of 2003 Fourplay last night with dinner (polenta slices baked with vodka sauce and mozzarella cheese). The wine is a blend of four native Sicilian grapes: Frappato Nero 25%, Nerello Cappuccio 25%, Nebello Macalese 25%, Nero D'Avola 25%.

It definitely wasn't a very fruity wine--earthiness, cedar and oak were more apparent. It had decent acidity, but unfortunately also an alcohol-aftertaste/feel. A bit of chilling and decanting helped that, though.

The wine is available at WineStyles stores for around $15.