Summer looms

Despite the wet spring we've had in the Willamette there have been a handful of absolutely gorgeous, warm, sunny days. We erected a fantastic backyard canopy on our deck that provides a beautiful space for us to enjoy dinner on those warm evenings. We've even fired up the grill and enjoyed some delicious smoky fare. Lynnette has a knack for making perfect grill marks on both her chicken and the tofu Amy and I enjoy. Vegetables have made a large appearance as well: spring potatoes, red and yellow bell pepper, asparagus, and an assortment of summer squashes.

Summer is looming, and it's just a matter of weeks before this becomes our daily routine. With this all in mind I start thinking about quintessential summer beverages. For my purposes one thing comes to mind: gin and tonics.

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Fast and Dirty... I mean, Dark & Delicious!

Okay - so this is sort-of, kind-of last minute... but I've got two tickets to give away for Dark & Delicious, a super fantastic event featuring Petite Sirah (with an I!) put on by PS I Love You.

The event is taking place on February 19, 2010 from 6-9p PST at The Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda, CA (just outside Oakland). If you're a) a local or b) are going to be in the area then I would highly recommend going! 41 different producers are being featured alongside 26 SF/Bay Area restauranteurs and caterers. Tickets are $60, so this prize is worth $120 total.

So here's the deal - to qualify you must head over to Twitter and send a message (140 or less!) about why you (LOVE) Petite Sirah. Make sure to send it to @oenoblog so I see it. Given the crunch on time though, I'm going to limit this to entries through Sunday February 14th 2010 (Valentine's Day). This way I'll have time to mail the tickets to the winner.

I'll assign each entry a number as it comes in and use a random number generator to get the winner.

Good luck!

Other stuff:
1) You must be 21 to attend
2) No ticket refunds or exchanges
3) Please drink responsibly! (because abusing good Petite Sirah is a crime!)

Patz & Hall Twitter Taste Live: Pinot, Chard and Tofu!

Patz & Hall
Chardonnay & Pinot Noir
Sonoma Coast, California

Last night was the launch of the Patz & Hall Winery page on Twitter Taste Live. They divided the country in two and had bloggers on both coasts do a tasting of two of their soon to be released wines. I was really pleased to see how seamlessly the upgraded TTL is working, and we had an enjoyable time tasting the wines.

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Spanish Wine Dinner at West Cafe

Tuesday night I headed out with some friends to Portland's West Cafe. There we enjoyed a six course dinner paired with different Spanish wines. Our group had two vegetarians (me included) and one vegan. So we really got the full gamut of offerings at our table. Overall the pairings were very well done, and so I'd like to share the menu with you and some of my comments.

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gee... saké?

g saké - joy (NV)
SakéOne
Milled rice
American

Taking part in my very first Wine Blogging Wednesday, our theme this week is saké! (Original announcement) While I've had a couple different sakés here and there, and been told a multitude of different things regarding their serving temperatures, I'm by no means at all knowledgeable. So if you're a saké virgin, then this will hopefully be somewhat enlightening ... if you're a saké master, then you'll be sure to let me know if I've spoken incorrectly.

My choice for the evening was a bottle of American saké, made by SakéOne in Oregon which claims to be the only "American-owned" saké brewery. A brewery might make you think, "Wait ... that's not the place you make wine!" and you'd be right - saké is not technically wine. It is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made via the fermentation of rice. It is however commonly referred to as "rice wine" here in the States.

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Chilean Pinot Noir spices things up without being hot

Reserva Pinot Noir (2008)
Agustinos
Pinot Noir
Bío Bío, Chilé

Typically I turn to France or Oregon for Pinot Noir. Both are well known for distinctly different products, old and new world styles respectively. When I'm in the mood for "dirt and mushrooms" I lean towards Burgundy. When I'm looking for an uncomplicated burst of fruity cherry and strawberry I look to the Pacific Northwest. Both places offering so many different options in regards to producer, vintage, et cetera, I rarely find myself checking out Pinot from other places.

The wines produced in California - Carneros and Monterey come to mind - have always struck as being a little to "hot" or out of balance in regards to high alcohol. This presumably is an effect of all that glorious sunshine which produces riper grapes with higher sugar that yeast gobble up and convert to alcohol. So of course when presented with a Chilean Pinot Noir at my local Whole Foods I immediately presumed the same would be true - it's hot and sunny there, so it probably comes through in the wine as overpowering alcohol.

Well, as it were I fall prey to misconceived conclusions too sometimes - and I love being proven wrong. In hopes that this Pinot would do just that I took the bottle to the store's counter-centric Osteria eatery, ordered some dinner, and started tasting.

Appearance: Clear and incredibly pale, with a ruby red hue. Imagine coloring something with a crayon or colored pencil very lightly.

Nose: Clean and youthful with subtle aromas including cherry, spice, strawberry, and earth. Spiced aromas include cinnamon, cayenne, and paprika. Neither aroma grouping was overwhelming or pronounced, but the light fragrance is very pleasing.

Palate: Dry, medium body wine with slightly less than moderate tannin, acidity, and intensity. Nothing, including the alcohol, was out of balance with the other parts. Flavors include soft oak, strawberry and cherry, tart fruit, and a touch of mushroom.

This wine presented both earthiness and fruit on the nose and palate - more interestingly though it also boasted a new level of spice that I've not experienced in other Pinot Noir. Aside from not pouncing on you with high alcohol this wine offers a unique complexity, adding to the stand-by characteristics of the grape.

The wine was also great with everything I had for dinner. Oven roasted seasonal vegetables, pan-seared salmon, and some hard cured Piave cheese from Italy were all very well paired. The roasted carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini complimented the wines earthy notes while the touch of fat from the salmon was great with the soft acidity. The cheese was particularly good, balancing tart flavor and aromas with a perfect level of fruit and acidity from the glass.

If you enjoy Pinot Noir, but find yourself stuck between France and Oregon, try and get your next bottle from California or Chile. Even New Zealand has made quite a reputation for their complex, savory Pinots! Ask your wine sales person about what characterizes different brands and vintages, and you should easily find one you enjoy.

Cheers!

Napa: No Chard, No Cab, No Problem

Napa Valley, California is world renown for their full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and massively oaked Chardonnay. Varying from every part of the region, both make excellent wines to pair with food. In an attempt to bust out of the expected repertoire of sunny Napa, the team at Whole Foods Cedar Center's Osteria put together a fantastic dinner pairing nouveau American cuisine with unusual Napa wines.

Schramsburg, Mariabelle Brut NV ($25.99)
Proscuitto, arugula, pistachio, green apple & Laura Chenel chèvre

Pale golden yellow sparkling wine. Moderate aromas of apple, citrus, pear, and minerality. Dry, medium body with lively acidity and flavors of apple and lemon with full mousse. Great to pair with creamy cheeses, salty meats, and savory olive oil.

Stag's Leap Viognier 2006 ($26.99)
Braised radicchio, morels & sea scallops with apple-bacon vinaigrette

Pale, golden, clear wine. Light, youthful aromas of citrus, apple, and floral. Dry with smooth acidity and soft flavors of oak and lime, slightly balmy. Bland light wine accentuated very well by bitter greens and vinaigrette.

St. Supéry Virtu, White Meritage ($29.99)
Thyme crusted cod, cranberry, bean & squash ragoût, rapini, preserved lemon aiolo

Pale yellow wine. Moderately aromatic aromas of oak, yellow apple, and orange blossom. Dry, medium body, smooth acidity and flavor of oak, butter, and citrus. Characteristics bursting through when paired with lemon, herbs, and high acid fruits.

Domaine Chandon Pinot Meunier 2006 ($32.49)
Poulet ballentine, sourdough, sage, currant & apple with caramelized brussel sprouts & pan jus

Pale garnet red wine - similar to Pinot Noir. Moderate, youthful aromas of cherry earth, strawberry, orange, and licorice. Dry with crisp, lively acidity, soft tannins, and flavors of cherry and currant. Balanced well with roasted foods and vegetables.

Kuleto Sangiovese 2004 ($32.49)
Slow braised oxtail, root vegetable & pork belly hash, mushroom bordelaise

Deep, ruby red wine. Developing, moderate aromas of mushroom, earth, herbs, oak, and dried fruit. Dry, full bodied wine with high acidity and medium tannin. Flavors of oak, black fruit, and game. Braised meats and root vegetables softened tannin and bolstered fruit.

Robert Pecota Muscat Canelli 2005 ($19.99)
Fromage trio: Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog and reduced grapes, walnut, honey; Pt. Reyes Blue and cardamom poached pear, moscato sauce; Vella Dry Jack and fig & marsala preserves

Medium green-gold wine with noticeable viscosity. Fully aromatic with some age, peach, pear, straw, floral, honey, and olive characteristics. Sweet, medium bodied, with powerful flavors of apple, peach, pear, honey, and floral. Fantastic contrast to salty and tangy flavors of bleu cheese, and compliment to fruit.

Overall another awesome Counter Culture wine dinner! Since I'm a vegetarian I wasn't able to have all of the meat-laden dishes listed above, but the Osteria's Chef Eric did an incredible job of making substitutions to my courses. Next month they'll be featuring Cajun food paired with different beers in celebration of Mardis Gras, so if you're local you should certainly check it out.

Cheers!

perfect pairings: wine + food demystified

Wine is by far one of my favorite things ever. Food is definitely a close second! This means that I'm head over heels about trying wines and foods together to see what tastes good and what doesn't. Some pairings can be way off, but when you do find that perfect match it's sheer bliss. To try and alleviate some of the guess-work involved in wine and food pairing I did a bit of digging and asking around to get some ideas. Here's the best of the best.

Sauvignon Blanc and Chèvre
Starting your meal with a creamy goat cheese? A match made in heaven (read: France) is pouring a crisp, and citrusy Sauvignon Blanc with it. The saltiness and creaminess of the cheese is sliced with ease by the sharp acidity found in these wines that display characteristics of lemon and grapefruit. This refreshes the palate and leaves you yearning for that next bite.

Viognier and Citrus
Toss your salad with a zingy ginger and orange based dressing and it’ll be lend itself superbly to a glass of Viognier, with its pronounced floral aromas. The acidity in both the dressing and the wine will compliment one another and make eating your greens something you’ll look forward to.

Red Bordeaux and Pepper Rubbed Fillet

Everyone relies on “red with red, white with white” when pairing wines and meat. While I advocate concentrating more on body and flavors, a tried and true pairing is steak with red wine. In particular Bordeaux wines offering Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot driven blends are full bodied, tannic, and bold enough to compliment a juicy, well seasoned cut of beef.

Gewürztraminer and Spicy Food
Whether your take-out is Thai, Mexican, or Szechuan any dish that boasts spicy heat can be successfully paired with a fruity and floral Gewürz. With just a hint of residual sugar, this wine will soften and soothe any tongue-searing you get after accidentally chomping down on that fiery Serrano.

Zinfandel and Dark Chocolate
For dessert don’t automatically turn to sweet wines–especially if dark chocolate is involved. A full bodied, dry Zinfandel offers a fruity contrast to the richness of chocolate. Flourless chocolate cake–one of those ones with “Death by…” in the name–seems even more luscious when savored with the jammy, brambly fruit found in many of these California reds.

Brachetto d’Aqui and Cheesecake
Leaning towards a sweeter wine for your after-dinner treat? Try a New York style cheesecake with this fruity Italian sparkler. The wine will compliment the rich creamy component of this dessert, and will help to cleanse your palate between bites. Top with some fresh berries for an even better match.

Port and Bleu Cheese
Port is commonly served after dinner, and can have a range from nutty to lusciously sweet characteristics. Not commonly do people think to serve cheese with a little Port after a meal, not to mention a pungent one like bleu cheese. Surprisingly though the dried fruit flavors, higher concentration of alcohol, and varying sweetness of Port pairs well with the saltiness and tangy flavors of many smelly cheeses. Port is great with chocolate, but try something new with a Danish bleu.

Sparkling Wine and Potato Chips
My friend Maggie is on a mission to get everyone drinking sparkling wine every day for any occasion. This may be the perfect excuse. Salty foods, like potato chips, are well fit with sparkling wines, especially those with more fruity characteristics or even a slight sweetness. Try Spanish Cava, German Sekt, or Italian Moscato d’Asti with these crispy snacks.

With all these you could put together an entire meal of successful pairings, or try one or two out at your next party. Either way these are definitely enjoyable. Remember, regardless as to any rules it’s always important to drink what you prefer. If you love white wine and steak then have it, don’t limit yourself. With that said, here are some general tips to keep in mind when experimenting with your own pairings:

• Pair high acid wines with high acid foods
• Make sure the sweetness of your wine is higher than the sweetness of desserts
• Pair sweet wines with spicy foods
• High tannin is best matched with higher fat or high protein dishes or bitter foods
• Wines with high acid are refreshing with saltier foods
• Don’t pair spiciness with higher alcohol wines
• Consider the “weight” of the food and match a similar wine

Cheers!

Alsace: Blanc, Blanc, Rouge!

Blanc d'Alsace (2006)
Maison Kuentz Bas
60% Sylvaner | 15% Muscat | 15% Auxerrois | 10% Chasselas
Husseren-les-Chateaux, France

Crustacés (2007)
Dopff & Irion
Riesling
Riquewihr, France

Alsace Pinot Noir (2006)
Robert Klingenfus
Pinot Noir
Molsheim, France

Today's wines takes us to the heavily Germanic influenced region of Alsace in northeastern France. This area has changed hands between France and Germany a number of times throughout history, surely due to both wanting to claim the great wines produced there as their own! The only region in France that is permitted to use German grape varieties under the AOC system, Alsace is primarily known for white wine (90% of production) from aromatic varietals including Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

Alsace is considered to have a cooler climate and wine styles are influenced by two important geographical features: the Vosges mountain range and the Rhine River. With most of the vineyards planted on slopes between the two, the Vosges protect the vines from wind and also minimize rain fall while the Rhine encourages air flow and prevents rot from occurring. These factors result in dry sunny days which contribute to the concentrated characteristics displayed in many Alsatian wines, giving pronounced aromas and flavors and crisp, full acidity.

Blanc d'Alsace
Appearance: Clear white wine with medium color, somewhere between gold and straw. I wouldn't go so far as to call it "deep" in color, but it's almost there. Very distinct from lighter whites like Pinot Grigio.

Nose: Clean, developing in age, light oak, pronounced minerality, and unmistakable lemon or other citrus aromas. There is a slight smoky, almost greasy level to the nose - which isn't bad - and very soft pear at the top of the glass.

Palate: Holy cow! Huge acidity, mouth watering and it continues well into the finish. Dry wine with medium alcohol (12.5%), full body, and a long finish. Bursting citrus including lime or lemon but above all else grapefruit. Almost like grapefruit rind. A little oak and herbaceous characteristic, as well as the same minerality from the nose.

This was an interesting blend focused around some of the lesser known grapes found in Alsace. Sylvaner, Muscat, and Chasselas make up less than 15% of grapes grown and have declined in popularity over the years. Auxerrois is often grouped with Pinot Blanc because of their similarities and is considered to be a relative of the Chardonnay grape. Just on a whim I sampled this with some French goat cheese and it was killer. This is a definite food wine.

Crustacés
Appearance: Clear with a pale golden color. The wine shimmers brightly at the edge of the glass.

Nose: Clean and youthful with moderately intense aromas including lime, pear, apple, and tropical fruit. The nose for this wine is screaming Riesling - fresh green apple is the predominate aroma blending with some pineapple. The other aromas of pear, peach, and floral are all mostly at the top of the glass and much softer.

Palate: Zing again! Dry with moderate to high acidity - my eyes are watering a little here - full bodied wine with medium alcohol (12%) and a long finish. That granny smith continues to fight for the spotlight with an added level of lime. Acidity that has my mouth watering and cheeks twinging.

Producing mostly dry wines, Riesling in Alsace is held in the same high regard as those from Germany. Anyone who avoids Rieslings because of the undue presumption that they are all sweet definitely needs to get a bottle of this. Shrimp and steamed mussels with some lemon and lavender were wonderful paired with this.

Klingenfus Pinot Noir
Appearance: A clear, pale red wine. Color is bright and fresh looking - almost a cranberry red.

Nose: Clean with some development, moderate aromas. Lots of red fruits, including strawberry and crab apple, but mostly cherry. Very soft wafts of earthiness and a little dried fruit suggests the old-world origins and development that comes with aging.

Palate: Dry medium bodied wine with bright cranberry-esque acidity. Medium tannins noticeable on gums, medium alcohol (12.5%), with a lengthy finish. Surprisingly the first noticeable flavor was mushroom right at the front of my mouth - some of my favorite wines taste like fruit and dirt! Past this there was a lot of cranberry and cherry as with the nose. Also some hints of strawberry lingered on the finish.

The cherry flavors in this wine were more reminiscent of those tart yellow ones you can find. The combination of tart fruit and earthiness that this wine has really makes it a great example of an old-world style Pinot Noir. I enjoyed carrots and mushrooms seared in wine and butter and seasoned with French herbs with this.

Alsatian cuisine also has a strong German flair and is filled with things like pâtés and sauerkraut. Any of these wines would be an awesome accompaniment to any hearty meal as they all have enough body and acidity to stand up to bold flavors and textures. Think "concentrated" and you can't go wrong. Choosing a wine from Alsace is not as complicated as picking out a good Bordeaux given there are only a few classifications in the region. Look for any of the wines above, which are all reasonably priced (all less than $16), or ask for a recommendation and go from there.

Cheers!