Another winner from Mumm Napa Valley

I did a wine tasting a few weeks ago, where the hosts served flutes of Mumm Napa Valley Brut Prestige as guests were arriving. I've always been a big fun of this domestic sparkling wine house, and one of my favorites is their Cuvee M--reviewed on this blog awhile back.

The Brut Prestige is another gorgeous offering. Guests were raving about it at the event, commenting that it was one of the best sparklers they had ever tasted--domestic or not--and that they couldn't believe it was under $20 a bottle (it's about $18 in wine stores in No. VA).

It's medium-bodied, with hints of melon and vanilla, rather than crisp fruits, but there is still great acidity and structure. My husband and I drank a bottle of it last evening with my Mother's Day dinner--sushi--and it paired perfectly. My husband is not a big fan of the "yeasty," "bready" notes that are often found in Champagne and other traditional method sparkling wines (I am, but I also enjoy other styles as well...), so he was happy that the Brut Prestige didn't have these flavors.

It was a great ending to a great day.

Mother's Day gift ideas for the wine lover

Stumped about what to get your mom for Mother's Day? Well, if she's a wine lover, here are some wine books geared towards women:

"The Wine Club: A Month-by-Month Guide to Learning About Wine with Friends," by Maureen Christian Petrosky: This handy guide gives instructions, wine information and recipes for hosting a monthly wine club. It's a fun, easy read and the author is very approachable.

"Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing, and Sharing Wine" by Leslie Sbrocco: This is a great introduction to wine for any woman. Leslie is very knowledgeable and witty.

"Great Tastes Made Simple," by Andrea Immer; Not geared just towards women, per se, but this book by a Master Sommelier appeals to anyone who likes to pair food and wine.

Raise a toast to your mom on Sunday! Cheers!

A Royal Menu

Here is the menu served at the White House State Dinner last evening in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I am glad to see that a rose sparkling wine from Napa Valley's Schramsberg Vineyards was featured. They are one of my all time favorite producers of sparkling wine, and their wines have been featured at state dinners since the Nixon administration.


* Spring pea soup with fernleaf lavender
* Chive Pizzelle with American cavier

* Newton Chardonnay "unfiltered" 2004

* Dover Sole Almondine
* Roasted artichokes, pequillo peppers and olives
* Saddle of spring lamb
* Chanterelle sauce
* Fricasse of baby vegetables

* Peter Michael "les pavots" 2003

* Arugula, savannah mustard and mint romaine
* Champagne dressing and trio of farmhouse cheeses

* "Rose Blossoms" Schramsberg Brut Rose 2004

KFC with some "C"

Friday night, we got take out from Kentucky Fried Chicken (there is nothing like some good friend chicken every once in awhile...)

In my opinion, there is one "perfect" style of wine to drink with this meal. A bottle that cuts the fat and refreshes your palate: Champagne or sparkling wine.

It certainly elevated our meal, that's for sure! We had a bottle of Segura Viudas Aria Brut Cava from Spain--and at $8 a bottle it didn't break the budget for the meal. With some of the complexity and body of a true Champagne, as well as a decent amount of bubbles, it was a delicious choice for our (somewhat greasy) dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy and biscuits. Grab a bucket of chicken, a sparkler like this one, and a blanket, and I can't imagine a more perfect picnic this spring.

Try 9 wines for $20--not bad

I finally made an outing to Whole Foods Enoteca in Fair Lakes the other night with my wine club. This wine tasting bar was reviewed in the Post a few months ago, and I also reviewed it on my blog. The concept is simple--buy a debit card in any amount, and purchase 1, 3 or 5 oz. pours of over 80 wines, from crisp whites, to dessert wines, to reserve reds, and everything in between.

It was a really fun evening--and pretty busy for a Wednesday evening. My friends and I tried about 9 wines each (1 oz. pours start at $1 and go all the way up to $24 for Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes, but there are a good amount in the $1-$4 range.) There are blank tasting sheets on the table to take wine notes, though we brought our own. Copies of "The Wine Bible" by Karen McNeil allow tasters to look up certain wines or wine regions. A basket of free cracker sticks sits on each table, or you can purchase a cheese platter for $9, which on Wednesday evening featured Spanish cheeses, baguette slices, and nuts tossed witih lavender honey. (It was a decent platter, but a bit light on the cheese, in my opinion. And while I love lavender honey, the only way to eat those nuts soaked in it was to spread it on the baguette slices...it didn't exactly go well together.)

Another group sitting behind us opted to order dinner from one of the several in-store restaurants, and bring it up to the wine loft to enjoy with a glass of wine.

The Enoteca is a great way to taste expensive wines for little money--I tried several that run $80 or so per bottle. All bottles are for sale in the store's wine department, and wines change frequently.

New Zealand Wine Expo: the "official" recap

A few weeks ago I posted a recap of the New Zealand Winegrowers Expo in Washington, D.C. Here is a link to the article I wrote for Wine Enthusiast that gives some highlights.

A Visit to Macon for an Easy Drinking White

I'm always on the lookout for food friendly white wines. And for me, this usually means those that are unoaked (NZ Sauvignon Blancs, French Sancerres, Australian Unoaked Chardonnays). However, I'm willing to drink oaked whites as long as that flavor is well-integrated and pretty subtle--I personally prefer the crisp citrus or apple flavors to overshadow any toastiness, coconut or vanilla notes.

One place in the world to find such wines is the Macon region of Burgundy. There, lots of easy drinking whites are made with the Chardonnay grape--some oaked, some not, but most if not all of the ones that I have tried that fall into the former camp are well-balanced.

The other evening, we enjoyed a bottle of Domaine Lenoir Macon Villages from Georges Duboeuf. It exhibited some good crisp apple and a hint of minerals, both of which were balanced by soft vanilla flavors (but the wine was not too "soft" or "flabby" by any means). The wine paired well with the grilled scallops and steamed mussels we had for dinner, and we also enjoyed another glass all by itself when we were finished.

A really *nice* Dolcetto

Admittedly, I don't drink enough Italian wines. I understand why I prefer other whites of the world (the Italian offerings just don't have enough "oomph" for me in the way of aromatics or flavors), but so many of the reds are phenomenal. And many of them have the crispness that make them pair so well with foods (including the ubiquitous tomato, so prevalent in Italian cuisine).

So, to remedy this, I took a trip to my local Total Wine store the other evening, and stocked up on a bunch of wines that I don't normally drink--including some Italian reds. (If there is a better way to use some of my tax refund, I can't think of it...)

Last evening, we were very surprised at how much we enjoyed a bottle of S Orsola Dolcetto d'Alba 2005. The wine was, in a word, nice (and I do mean that in a good way.) It had some cherry and plum flavors, but it wasn't over the top fruity, and it had little to no tannin. It paired very easily with the cheesy chicken chowder we had for dinner (which was made with cheddar cheese and included some jarred salsa), and the wine's bit of acidity (again, nice, and not over the top), cut the richness of the cheese.

Dolcetto d'Alba is made in Italy's Piedmont region with the grape of the same name. It can be compared to a Beaujolais, and slight chilling won't mask the flavors. Thus, it's is a great choice for the warmer months.

This bottle is a terric house red, and it's only $8.99. I'll be going back for several more bottles, I'm sure.

New Zealand Pinot Noirs: A Primer

Recently, I interviewed Jay Youmans, wine educator and writer, about New Zealand's rising star--Pinot Noir. Jay is a Master of Wine, and he regularly publishes the International Wine Review with his colleague Mike Potashnik, PhD. Their reports focus on specific varietals and/or wine regions of the world, offering tasting notes and ratings, as well as information on grapes, vineyards, wine styles and winemakers. The current report focuses on NZ Pinot Noir. For more information, visit www.i-winereview.com.

Jay's answers are in italics below:


1. Wine critics have said that NZ Pinots may rival those in Burgundy within 10 years. What do you think about that? What wine regions in NZ produce the most Burgundian Pinots?

The wines are very different from Burgundy, much riper and sweeter and spicy due to the types of oak regimes being used.

2. Tell me a bit about the differences in the last several vintages of NZ Pinot Noir.

The most important issue with the recent vintages has not affected quality, but rather quantity. Areas such as Martinborough have been hit hard with spring frosts. This reduces yields, which, theoritically can leade to better fruit. Unlike Burgundy, rain at harvest is less of a problem.

3. What are some of your favorite producers of NZ Pinot?

Amisfield
Quartz Reef
Felton Road
Nga Waka ( I have to disclose that I am involved in a vineyard with them)
Ata Rangi
Sherwood

4. What affect does the state of the art technology in NZ wineries have on the production and quality of Pinot Noir there?

Very little in the winery, other than the use of oak chips and staves (common). It is in the vineyard, using advanced trellis systems to account for the high vigor of the soils.

5. What can you tell me about age-worthiness of NZ Pinots considering many are screw-capped?

I would not age most of these wines more than 5-6 years. Its all about the fruit anyway, and with age that begins to diminish. Screws caps help retain the fruit of these wines.

d'Arenberg Grenache Syrah Mourvedre

Had this wine the other evening, when it was gorgeous outside, and we grilled London broil, asparagus, mushrooms and onions.

It was a huge wine, full of just enough grippy tannins and spicy red fruit, along with some cedar, and it went perfectly with the grilled steak. We chilled it just a bit to tame the alcohol burn of the Grenache (the primary grape in the blend.) This Rhone-style blend was just the thing for a grilled red meat meal.

We had some leftover, and tried it the following evening. We were surprised to see lots of sediment in our glasses this time around, so much so that it made the wine cloudy. Next time I'll decant it.

"Spring Forward With Wines for Warmer Weather"--May 3

Just wanted to post an update on the "women-only" wine tasting I'll be facilitating for the Washington Wine Academy. The date has been changed to May 3. It'll be the first in a series of women-only wine events, so grab a friend and come on out to taste wines for warmer weather.

Here are the details:

Date: Thursday, May 3, 2007
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Admission: $ 24.
Location: P&C Art, 212 King Street, Alexandria, VA.
Parking: Parking can be found on the streets around the gallery and Alexandria City Parking lots.
Metro: King Street (Blue & Yellow Line) - Metro Map Note: Take the Fun Side Bus - 15 minute walk from Metro to Gallery.
WWA - Women Only Wine Reception, $24

To register, go to:

http://www.washingtonwineacademy.org/public-events.htm#may3

Hope to see you there!

NZ Wine Expo in DC

I attended the NZ Wine Expo in DC on Thursday evening. This event was sponsored by the New Zealand Winegrowers Association, and the Washington Wine Academy, and it was a great chance to taste over 100 NZ wines.

I attended the NZade tasting the previous year, which was organized, as many wine tastings are, by producer. This year things were a bit different. The wines were organized by varietal, which allowed tasters to really compare and contrast within the same varietal. Of course there were a lot of Sauvignon Blancs there, as well as a great deal of Pinots (wine critics say that NZ Pinots may rival those in Burgundy within 10 years or so, and I tend to agree.) There were also some great Rieslings. Here are some highlights:

* As I mentioned a few weeks ago after the DC Int'l Food and Wine Festival, the 2006 Spy Valley Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a winner. Not just a one trick pony, it's very complex, with citrus, passion fruit and grass all wrapped up into one.

* The 2006 Matua Paretal Sauvignon Blanc tasted very Sancerre-esque to me. By that, I mean "cat's pee on a gooseberry bush," in a good way. But at $20.00, it's more expensive than a lot of other choices, like Kim Crawford, Nobilo and Monkey Bay.

* The 2006 Brancott Classic Unoaked Chardonnay from Gisborne was a bit soft and buttery (must have had some malo), but still had good acidity. It was easy drinking and would be a great choice with food.

* Another Spy Valley option, the 2006 Marlborough Riesling, was very nice. It had aromas and flavors of crisp peaches, yet with all its fruit it still finished very dry.

* The Kim Crawford 2006 Marlborough Pinot Gris had some tropical fruit overtones, yet finished dry and refreshing.

* The 2006 Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Marlborough Pinot Noir is a great value Pinot at $16.00. Had some Burgundian character.

* The 2005 Seresin Pinot Noir from Marlborough had a funky aroma, along with great earthiness and acidity.

* Pourers told me the 2005 Mt. Difficulty Pinot Noir from Central Otago was one of the favorites at the event. It was very Bungundian, with smoke and a meaty quality.

* The 2003 Blind Trail Pinot Noir from Central Otago also had an earthiness and smokiness to it, yet was easy drinking.

* The 2006 Oyster Bay Merlot from Hawkes Bay was jammy, with supple tannins. An easy drinking choice for Merlot lovers.

For more information, go to www.nzwine.com.

"Semi-Sparklers for Spring"

Here is the link to my latest article on Wine Enthusiast's website. It's all about semi-sparkling white wines--perfect for warmer weather.

.......

On an unrelated note, my thoughts and prayers go out to everyone at VA Tech. It's all such a terrible, terrible tragedy that there aren't even words to explain it.

An Australian producer heads to Africa...

While grocery shopping last week (and checking out the wine aisle--the only enjoyable part of food shopping...) a South African Shiraz from Australian producer Lindemans caught my eye. Lindemans is one of those wineries I know I can always depend on for a decent, moderately priced everyday wine from Australia (along with Rosemount), and so I thought I would give it a shot--the $6 sale price was also another reason.

We found it a bit more subtle and earthier than its Australian counterpart from Lindemans, with berry flavor that was present but not over the top. The oak was well-integrated into the wine, and for the price, it's a great weeknight wine.

The Netflix of wine

"Wine of the Month" clubs have never really appealed to me. Although the Forrest Gump "you never know what you are gonna get" factor may be exciting to some people, I prefer to know what bottles I'll be drinking. Add to that the fact that shipping often costs almost as much as the monthly fee, and it's no wonder that I would rather head to local wine shops.

Enter WineQ. This wine by mail club can pretty much be described as Netflix for wine lovers. You sign up (membership is $4.95) per month, and set up a queue of wines that you would like to order. If you spend $35 or more per order, shipping is free. The wines are mostly CA boutique wines, but there is a decent selection and price range. The site offers a free three month trial subscription, and soon there will be a "Friends" section, so (like Netflix) you can see what your friends are drinking, and what they think of each wine. This whole process is a very cool concept.

Of course, because of the silly interstate shipping laws when it comes to alcohol, not all wineries will ship to all states, and only certain states will allow shipments at all. You can find out all the info and more on the website's FAQ.

A new rose from one of my favorite producers...

I received a press release the other day from one of my favorite wineries, Washington's Chateau St. Michelle, that they are now have a new offering--a dry rose. The spring and summer months are the perfect time to enjoy this style of wine, which has the best of both worlds--the acidity of a crisp white, and the red berries and some of the weight of a red. It's just great to enjoy on the deck with a simple grilled dinner, or to take on a picnic.

The wine has started to ship to MD, but is not yet available in DC or VA. However, a rep for CSM told me that it should start popping up in stores where other CSM Columbia Valley wines are sold. I can't wait... In the meantime, here is some info from the press release to tempt your taste buds:

Pink is hot!
“Our Nellie’s Garden Dry Rose was a big hit when we offered it exclusively to our Vintage Reserve Club members last year and the Dry Rose category is experiencing tremendous growth right now,” says Jan Barnes, marketing director for Chateau Ste. Michelle.

The name, Nellie’s Garden, honors Nellie Stimson whose passion for gardening created the beautiful estate gardens at the Chateau in Woodinville. The wine is a unique collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle’s red winemaking team at Canoe Ridge Estate in eastern Washington and the white winemaking team at its Woodinville Chateau, located outside of Seattle.

“The winemaking staff is proud of this wine because it is a total team effort,” says Chateau Ste. Michelle head winemaker Bob Bertheau. “We receive the Syrah fruit at our Canoe Ridge Estate red wine facility where Joshua Maloney, our red winemaker, gives it just enough skin contact for the perfect color. Then we drain the juice off the skins and turn it over to our Woodinville white wine cellar, where we cold ferment most of the juice like a white to keep all those fresh fruit and floral aromas. The wine shows beautiful fruit aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, raspberry with subtle spice notes. It’s ideal for spring and summer barbecues. I like to call it the perfect “deck wine.”

Chateau Ste. Michelle executive chef Janet Hedstrom enjoys the food-friendly nature of new Dry Rose. “Some of our favorite dishes to pair with the Dry Rose include an apple fennel slaw with a Dijon dressing, pork tenderloin with cherry relish, and butternut squash and bacon pizza,” says Hedstrom. “Picnic foods are great with this wine as well, such as Dijon and thyme roasted chicken, and pasta salad and potato salad, as long as they have some acidity to them.” (Chef Hedstrom’s recipes available upon request)

Cold snap damages VA grape buds. Bad, or good?

The Daily Progress in Charlottesville has reported that the recent cold snap has damaged some crops in Central Virginia, including vineyards. Bad news? Depends on the crop...

Keep in mind what the article goes on to point out--the loss of some grapes is not often a bad thing. On the contrary, less yields can mean more concentrated fruit, which can lead to better tasting wine. Winemakers will often thin out their crops on purpose to attain the same goal--the remaining grapes have more concentrated and intense aromas and flavors.

It can affect the price per bottle, however. Winemakers have to make up for the loss somehow.

Let's hope that spring returns...for good...soon.

A mid-priced, versatile Bordeaux

I went out for dinner on Saturday night with my husband's family to celebrate his parents' 40th wedding anniversary (congratulations Pam and Jim!). We headed to The Manor House, a country French restaurant in Center Valley, Pennsylvania--one of their favorites.

Most of us ended up getting steak, everyone wanted to drink red, and, since the kids were footing the bill, we wanted to select wine that didn't break the bank... Although the wine list had lots of American selections, I wanted to stick with a French red to match the cuisine. We tried a 2001 Chateau Larose Trintaudon, and it proved to be an easy-drinking crowd pleaser.

Made with 60%/40% Cab/Merlot, it had approachable tannins that paired with our filet mignon as well as scallops and lobster. The fruit profile was very "Bordeaux-like": not all that fruit forward, but some subtle cherry aromas and flavors, as well as some licorice and vanilla notes. The Manor House sells it for $35 a bottle, but I checked it out online, and it goes for $15-$20. Not a bad price for an everyday Bordeaux.

A post-Easter recipe for all of those colored eggs (and what to drink with it...)

If you end up with a lot of extra colored eggs after Easter and are looking for a way to use them up, here's a recipe for a delicious alternative to the standard egg salad. My husband and I have made this for years and love it. I don't have amounts for anything because it's all pretty much "to taste":

Curried Egg Salad

Hard boiled eggs
Mayonnaise
Finely chopped red onion (or chopped green onion)
Chopped cilantro
Curry powder
Salt
Pepper

Shell the eggs. Cut them in half lengthwise, scoop out the yolks, and chop the whites. Put all into a medium-sized bowl. Add enough mayonnaise to hold the eggs together and keep the yolks from tasting too dry. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir gently to mix.

This tastes delicious on toasted wheat bread, or on freshly baked Naan or pita bread. It's even good on crackers like Wheat Thins. You can garnish the sandwiches with thinly sliced cucumber, or with alfalfa sprouts.

Wash it all down with an off-dry Riesling from Chateau St. Michelle, Hogue or Dr. Konstantin Frank. Or enjoy it with Zardetto Prosecco.

Happy Easter!

Great Grapes

Those of you in the mid-Atlantic states looking for something to do outdoors may want to check out the upcoming Great Grapes festivals. Touted as "wine, arts and food" festivals, they give you the chance get a taste of some local wine, food and entertainment. Here are the dates for those in the DC area:

Reston, VA: Saturday, April 14
Cockeysville, MD: Saturday and Sunday, June 9 and 10
Annapolis, MD: Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29

**If you go to Cockeysville, check out the Crawdaddies and the Junkyard Saints for some great New Orleans/Zydeco music. I've seen both of these bands at other festivals and they are fun!

**And if you go to the Reston event, be sure to stop by Horton Vineyard's table--their current Viognier is fantastic. They also bottled a Pinotage this year--typically a grape that's only used in South Africa.