Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Bubbles are a girl's best friend...

says the tasting notes for Stone Hill Winery's Brut Rose. While I'm not totally sure that I prefer sparkling wine to diamonds (only one of these will help a damsel escape, James Bond-style, from a glass box in a villain's secluded island lair), it's a very good wine.

While Missouri is gaining a reputation for wine made from native grapes and French hybrid varietals, I certainly wasn't expecting such a balanced and flavorful wine. Not sweet, but not very dry either, Stone Hill's owner and winemaker Thomas Held has a deft hand, with the regional wine festival medals to prove it. Considering the necessarily high prices for small production wines, $18.99 for this bottle is a good value. And both the packaging and the wine itself is an attractive shade of pink. Yes sir, this is a girly wine...but an intellectual girly wine--like a physics student in a pink sweater.

Stone Hill Winery Brut Rose (NV), $18.99, stonehillwinery.com

Interested in learning more about Missouri wine and native American wine grapes? The Missouri Wine Program's new Norton Says website is a fun, interactive place to learn about Norton and other Missouri varietals.

Sunday, May 25, 2008

Virginia is for lovers...

of great wine!

I do have a west coast/European bias. I'll admit it. I do try to keep an open mind, however, so I've been enjoying New York Riesling and Cab Franc, and am even warming to Missouri and North Carolina, amongst other states. But one in particular has me in its spell: Virginia!

I went with a coworker and friends to a Virginia wine festival recently, and it was a very impressive showing. Although I was impressed with the range of both European vinifera and native grapes, reds and whites, one winery in particular stood out for me: Horton Cellars. The sparkling Viognier was the star of the show, and is now certainly one of my favorite sparklers. Citrus overtones with a great touch of sweetness, the wine is smooth, lively but subtle--it would be great for any kind of celebration, as well as a great accompaniment to food. I'm thinking smoky barbeque, spinach pie or a hamburger with caramelized onions and gorgonzola cheese--the acid can hold up to strong flavors. Their Cabernet Franc was also delicious--well structured and not overpowering green tannin, and the late harvest Viognier was lovely. Nice hints of petrol, and not cloying. Their fruit wines are remarkably well balanced, which is certainly rare. The peach wine was wonderful, ripe but focused, and the blackberry and cranberry wines were zingy. All three would be an excellent compliment to dessert--a rich vanilla bean ice cream, or a matching fruit tart.

Virginia makes great wine. I'm a believer.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Beer vs. Wine--The Smackdown

Wine lovers know that wine is about more than...well, wine. The appreciation of anything in a profound way is a lifestyle choice. A connoisseur should be aware of what surrounds his or her passion. Love Shakespeare? You probably want to read some Jonson. Adore beef? You probably want to try buffalo steaks. The same goes for beverage pairings.

The crackerjack staff at Food + Wine magazine on their website today published an article about beer versus wine pairings for several dishes. And they include the recipes, which is always fun. This just goes to show that with an open mind is the best way to live a lifestyle of aesthetic appreciation. And, frankly, sometimes beer is the better choice.


Tuesday, May 13, 2008

2006 Parker Station Pinot Noir, California, $12.00 retail

I was out with the World’s Perfect Man a couple of weeks ago, and we ordered this bottle with dinner. We were out at one of the city’s old-school institutions (i.e. lots of taxidermy, highly polished dark oak paneling and tourists), where I ordered a steak salad (don’t judge me—it’s a good time of the year for vegetables) and he ordered a steak. Since I’m not a huge fan of typical steak house wines (read: over-oaked Cabs), we decided to go a little lighter. So, since there was no Merlot to speak of on the menu, Pinot is was! Even with the typical 150% restaurant markup, this bottle was still a good value. Nice earthy notes, though less than the typical—especially Oregonian—American Pinot Noir, with flavors of black cherry and plum. Nicely balanced acidity and alcohol, this is an excellent wine for food—it compliments and isn’t overbearing. The label notes didn’t lie— this is a good everyday Pinot Noir.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

We're having a heat wave...

...A tropical heat wave,
The temperature's rising,
It isn't surprising,
She certainly can, can-can.

It's nearly 80 degrees here in my new mid-Atlantic home--by far too warm for April, says this transplant from the frozen North. But, the good news is, more time to enjoy Rosé!

Sparkling or still, Rosé is the beverage of choice to pair with spring vegetables and summer fruits. Try a dry sparkler with BBQ or a juicy, but high acid, Rosé with potato salad. I've said this before, and I'll say it again, a heirloom tomato salad with fresh basil and cheese (I'm enjoying chevre right now) is an excellent compliment to dry whites and Rosés.

Rosé can be made with any red grape. My favorites, because of the natural herbaceousness tend to be Rosé of Cabernet Franc and Syrah.

Recommendations:

If you're lucky enough to live where Chinook Wines (Washington) are distributed, buy the Rosé of Cabernet Franc before it's too late. It usually sells out within a couple of months (if not weeks). Perfectly balanced acidity, dry with a mineral and floral nose (depending on the vintage), this wine is one of my favorites.

Washington does dry Rosé very well. As usual, Chateau Ste. Michelle's Nellie's Garden Dry Rosé is a solid and affordable choice.

French Rosés are usually a value, and they led the charge for bringing back the dry style. Thank goodness--the 1980s and White Zin almost ruined Rosé for everyone!

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Reader Question--Syrah or Merlot? How does one begin?

Dear YoungVintage:

At a spring release tasting, I spoke with two people about Syrah. The conversation happened because a wine writer and I were tasting some amazing Syrah and I asked her and the winemaker what their favorite varietals were, if they could choose. I said mine was Syrah, and the winemaker at Va Piano Vineyard said that his favorite was Syrah, but he also added that he thinks Syrah is really on its way in, even though it’s a young varietal type, because it is so approachable for young people. It’s big, bad, bold peppery—all the things that I love about it, this guy was saying were the reasons he thought it was a great entry wine for young twenty-somethings.

I asked the Longshadows guy what he thought about that and he disagreed. He just thinks Syrah is a really great wine, and he thinks that Merlot is a better entry wine.

What say you, YoungVintage, about entry wines and about Syrahs?


Gentle Reader,

“Entry wines” are certainly an issue of concern for not only people starting out on their wine (or just plain drinking) path, but for winemakers and wine marketers across the board. How can you prove to someone that they like wine, unless you can magically, psychically determine what will appeal to him or her?

I love Syrah, but New World Syrahs especially tend to be big, bold, smack-you-in-the face wines, and old World Syrah tends to be kind of…stinky. If you have some experience with wine, these can be very appealing, especially if the wine is paired well with food. If your only drinking experience has been with wine coolers at frat parties then Syrah undoubtedly will come as something of a shock. Conversely, hardcore beer drinkers, especially of stouts, are used to earthy flavors and will probably enjoy a Syrah, and find Riesling and other sweeter wines repulsive. It all really depends on previously determined preferences.

I think there are ways to establish what will be a good first wine experience. The best way to figure out what will appeal to a new wine drinker is to go to a big tasting event like Taste Washington Seattle or a new release tasting like the one you attended and just taste through what is available. That way, it won’t feel wasteful if you buy an entire bottle, decide you don’t like it, leave it languishing in the fridge thinking you’ll use it for cooking, until you finally move and have to pour it down the drain. You get to try (and spit and dump) dozens of wines, and get an idea of what you find tasty.

Other than attending a big tasting, here is my rough guide on how to determine a good “entry wine”:

If you like: Guinness
Try: Syrah
A Guinness is a meal. So is New World Syrah. If you like Guinness, you can handle bold flavors, and can appreciate earthly elements.

If you like: Vodka Martinis
Try: Cabernet Sauvignon
You can take the high alcohol and big flavors. Provided you haven’t yet burned your taste buds off with Grey Goose.

If you like: Cosmopolitans
Try: Riesling
Sweet, but not overbearing, Riesling is a good gateway into dry and full white wines.

If you like: Microbrew IPAs
Try: Merlot
If you like complexity in your beer, but don’t like the fullness of a stout, Merlot is a good place to start with wine. With a complex flavor profile, Merlot doesn’t have quite the tannic punch of Syrah.

If you like: 25 year old Scotch
Try: Pinot Noir
Subtle and mellow, Pinot is one of the finer things in life. Though if you’re a devoted fan of expensive Scotch, you probably already drink Pinot Noir…in a gentleman’s club….wearing an ascot.

NB: But seriously, I think Pinot Noir is one of the most versatile wines available. I would suggest anyone try it regardless of wine experience.

If you like: Wine Coolers
Try: Lambrusco
If you like very sweet beverages, this is a good place to start getting your palate used to wine flavors, without a lot of tannin or complexity.

If you like: Bud Light
Try: Chardonnay
Chardonnay is a good place to start for light beer drinkers—both are light and refreshing. Also, note that wine has 120 calories or less per serving.

If you like: Hard Cider
Try: Sauvignon Blanc
There is a crispness to hard cider that’s reflected in the herbaceousness and citrus and apple flavors in Sauvignon Blanc. If you like Strongbow or microbrewed ciders (apple or pear), Sauvignon Blanc is a good place to start appreciating wine.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Day is, in my opinion, the best "holiday" we celebrate in the US. Perhaps it's not the most meaningful, we can leave that to holidays like Yom Kippur, Easter, etc., but it speaks to dynamic social shifts. Less than 100 years ago the Irish in America were a marginalized people (you've all seen the signs from the 1920s: Help Wanted--Irish Need Not Apply). Today, almost every major US city has a parade on St. Patrick's Day, it's hip to be Irish, and the country itself, with the exception of generally waning political and religious strife in Northern Ireland, is a model of cultural tolerance and economic prosperity. Plus, as a people they can drink the rest of the world under the table. As a holiday it's grand--there's no need for a gift exchange and you don't have to dress up. All you have to do is wear green and enjoy beer or whiskey.

I really want to post today, since it's my favorite holiday. I racked my brain--how does wine relate to St. Patrick's Day? Should I post about green tannins? Irish-born winemakers? Then it hit me--this is a holiday about beer (and I do love Guinness). And as every winemaker knows, at the end of the day, what you want is a brewski. So, I'd like to direct you to an excellent article about beer from Budget Travel today, and a blessing to toast your friends with:

May the roads rise to meet you.
May the wind be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
The rain fall soft upon your fields
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Coppola Director's Cut 2005 Chardonnay

I attended an event last week at which I tried some interesting American wines, so I plan to post some "reviews" over the next month. The first of these will be for Francis Ford Coppola's Director's Cut 2005 Russian River Chardonnay. This bottle retails for between $17-20.

Celebrity wines don't sit very well with me on principle. I prefer to see hard working farmer-types build reputation, and (dare I say) fame, through their knowledge of terroir, a deft hand with yeasts, excellent vine and water management and, let's face it, a little bit of luck. Such is the American dream. Much to my chagrin, Francis Ford Coppola's wines are generally well reviewed, and when I had the chance to try the Director's Cut 2005 Russian River Valley Chardonnay, I was pleasantly surprised.

As wine is all about the sensory experience, I'll start with the package. I love the label--a long strip of paper wound 'round the bottle with images vaguely reminiscent of Renaissance France by way of 1930s cinema. The color of the wine is medium straw, the initial nose sweet with a touch of green apple. I'm admittedly not much of a Chardonnay enthusiast--especially of the oaked variety--but this was well integrated. Contrary to other reviews I read of the wine, I didn't find a lot of fruit on the palate--mostly green herbaceousness, some floral on the nose (perhaps honeysuckle) with a fairly strong note of bread. The finish was long enough, with nicely balanced acidity. I think this is a good wine for food--seafood in a light cream sauce, baked herb chicken with wild rice or mushroom pastry.

Friday, February 29, 2008

Wine Word of the Week: Chaptalization

Inspired by this article in the San Francisco Chronicle this week, I've decided the word for the week will be chaptalization.

A relatively rare process, it is one by which the winemaker adds sugar (or honey, in the case of the ancient Romans) to fermenting wine in order to raise the alcohol level--not the sweetness. This is typically done in cool climates, where the grapes might not reach their full maturity, and thus ideal sugar levels. Without ripeness and sugars, there won't be enough material for the yeasts to convert to alcohol at the proper levels. Some winemakers say for certain vintages chaptalization is necessary to stabilize the wine--others say it can cause an imbalance. It depends on the harvest year and the climate. It's a fairly common practice in Champagne, Austria and Germany, less so in the New World, though it is used in New Zealand and Oregon.

How to use this term: to look ridiculously pompous at wine tastings. "Oh my gawd, Buffy--this Beaujolais Nouveau is 16.5 percent alcohol. They must have used chaptalization."

NB: The process is named after Jean-Antoine Chaptal, "Napoleon's minister of the interior, who gave it the French government's official endorsement and promoted it in his 1801 book 'Traite Theotique et Pratique Sur la Culture de la Vigne.'"

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

The Horror!

Spilling red wine on your (or God forbid, a dear friend’s) beige carpet, white couch, tan trousers or ecru silk blouse creates a special kind of freak out. I have this on my mind because I’m attending an event in April and wearing a beloved ivory satin dress, and I’m worried someone will dump a glass of red wine down my back. This may seem paranoid, but I had someone spill half a glass of wine (thankfully white) down my décolletage at a winery opening not three months ago.

For today’s posting, I would like to discuss how to get red wine stains out of fabric and carpet. I hope that anyone who has their own formula for red wine removal will post it here for general benefit.

Fail safe: Wine Away is perhaps the most necessary tool in a wine enthusiast’s toolbox, other than a good corkscrew and decent glassware. I once dropped a bottle of wine, which smashed next to my foot, and entirely soaked the leg of my tan trousers with Syrah. I sprayed Wine Away on it, and the wine and any stain disappeared. It’s really quite a remarkable product. I plan to keep a small bottle in my clutch during the said ivory dress event.

An old wives tale, which actually seems to work, is to combat red wine with white. It does seem to be true that white wine stops red wine stains from setting. So, if you spill red wine, the trick is to blot (don’t rub) as much red wine as possible off the fabric, then soak the area with white wine—if you happen to have an open bottle available. Club soda seems to work the same way as white wine. Once you have removed as much of the red wine as possible, in many cases pouring club soda on the stain will keep it from setting into the fibers. Then you can saturate the area with Woolite or another gentle cleaner to get the rest of the stain out.

I haven’t tested this myself, but I hear that pouring table salt on red wine soaks up the wine and stops the stain from forming. Apparently if you soak up the excess red wine, dump salt on the stain and leave it overnight, then vacuum off in the morning (this must work best for carpet), the stain will be gone.

I’ve had some success with hydrogen peroxide as well—which also works well on blood stains, incidentally. If the stain hasn’t set, saturating the area with hydrogen peroxide is a good bet.

I suggest stocking up on Wine Away, Woolite, club soda and cheap white wine if one is planning to throw a party. And if you have a propensity to trip, stumble or gesticulate with wine glasses (much like myself)—keep a small bottle of Wine Away in your purse (or man bag).

Friday, February 15, 2008

Wine Word(s) of the Week: Residual Sugar (RS)

Once again, my wonderful friend Scriptoress asked an excellent question about how to talk about sugar levels in wine. While brix refers to the sugar levels in grapes before, during and after harvest, the way to discuss the sweetness in a finished wine is to talk about residual sugar (RS).
Sugar remains in wine, usually, in one of two ways. One is by choice--a winemaker can change the temperature of a wine--either cooling or heating the wine--during fermentation to kill or stall the yeast from converting the sugars into alcohol. Another is naturally, resulting in stuck fermentation. Due to natural temperature changes, or just chance factors, the yeast may stop converting. At that point, the sugar you have is what you get in the finished product.
Thus, the sugars that remain in the wine after the fermentation process finishes are the residual sugars, which cause the sweetness in wine. Dry wines will have no or close to no residual sugars, dessert wine will have a high level of RS.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Love is in the Air, and Wine is in the News

When I checked my email this morning, I was figuratively clobbered over the head by the vast amount of articles about Valentine's Day wines. That's what I get for having so many Google Alerts set up. For your enjoyment, I've created a list of the best articles pertaining to V-Day wines:

Ray Isle of Food + Wine magazine, one of my favorite wine writers, published an article today about wine and chocolate pairing, which is a notoriously difficult process. Contrary to popular belief, wine and chocolate isn’t the perfect pair--Ray gives some great tips on how to make it work.

Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg of the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post provide this great article about food pairings and Valentine's Day wines. They also provide a link to Eat Something Sexy, a website maintained by a Cordon Bleu trained chef who specializes in food aphrodisiacs.

I may not be a fan of Charles Olken, but his love of brut Rosé sparklers endears him to me somewhat. His article about his wine picks for Valentine's Day gives some reviews of both domestic and imported sparkling wine.

Laurie Daniel of the San Jose Mercury News gives a great primer on Port, and her shopping suggestions for Valentine's Day.

The Napa Valley Register published a humorous article today about doing Valentine's Day on a budget in Napa (perhaps an oxymoron?), but the tips are universal.

Bill Daley of the Chicago Tribune and OC Register writes about dessert wines, which are truly underappreciated by American drinkers.

Happy Singles Awareness Day everyone. Go drink some wine.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Wine Word of the Week: Brix

One of the more fabulous wine-related terms (pronounced like “bricks”) brix quantifies the sugar levels in wine grapes. Grapes must be harvested at the ideal sugar levels in order for proper fermentation during the winemaking process.

Wine Tasting

Semi-fictional reader question:
“Ok, you’re starting to convince me that wine really isn’t as scary as it’s portrayed in popular culture. Now what? What do I do to learn about and taste wine?”

I know I’m not keen to shell out a huge amount of money to learn about wine...or really for anything. I’ve purchased a few books and have been lucky enough to work in the wine industry where instruction is inevitable—but the most helpful aspect of my wine education has been to just taste wine. That’s something everyone can do easily and without a lot of expense.

Winemakers want you to taste their wine. Wine is a product that tends to build great consumer loyalty, so the more people who sample it, the greater the potential fan base. Free tastings, or those with a nominal fee, are readily available all over the country.

http://www.localwineevents.com/ is a great resource. You can sign up for daily or weekly updates to alert you to what wine events are happening in your city. Many of the events listed are on the pricey side, but the website often includes free tastings.

Grocery store tastings
Illegal in many U.S. states, but quite popular in others, grocery store tastings are a great way to sample affordable wines. Try checking your local Whole Foods, Wild Oats, PCC, Metropolitan Market, and other higher-end or natural foods stores for their wine programs.

Wine shop tastings
This is probably your best bet for tastings. Your local small wine retailer, or even larger wine merchant, almost certainly puts on weekly or monthly tastings—and they’re probably free. Staff at these stores are usually knowledgeable, and the probability that the person pouring is a representative from a winery, or the winemaker, is fairly high. Just be sure to go with an open mind, and not just to drink.

Regional events
Wine regions like Burgundy, Bordeaux, Paso Robles, Washington State, and sundry Australian groups travel all over to grow their consumer base. Typically they produce events for wine trade like restaurateurs, sommeliers and wine buyers, but often there is a component for wine enthusiasts. Local wine retailers will know about these tastings, and often they’ll be included on wine websites.

Winery tours
Chances are there’s a winery near where you live. Even if you’re convinced your palate is built only for Australian Shiraz, trying a Muscadine wine from Georgia, a Riesling from New York or a Lodi Chardonnay will give you a more well-rounded appreciation of all wines. Find out what wineries are near you, and take a few hours of a weekend to check a couple out. You may be surprised by what you find.

Need help finding a winery near you? It may be worth joining WineAmerica Trailblazers. For a yearly fee, you have access to the website which has lists of wineries by state, as well as other resources.

Another fun way to learn: http://tv.winelibrary.com/. Some people find this guy, Gary Vaynerchuk, rather annoying. I find him pretty hilarious and passionate about wine. This is definitely worth a look.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Valentine's Day Approaches

One week until Valentine’s Day, and many people still haven’t picked out a gift for their significant other. Or, if you’re super single like me, what to send your other single friends to console them during this travesty of a holiday.

Anyway, forget the jewelry, boys, and toss that cologne, ladies, because wine is the best Valentine’s Day gift!

For your husband or wife
Save: A bottle of wine from the year you were married. A nice French bottle is a classic touch, though a bottle from your own area is always fun—wine is made in all 50 U.S. states, and in most regions of the world.
Splurge: A trip to wine country. Like I mentioned above, there are wineries in all the states of the Union. Some are harder to come by (in, say, Alaska), but most states have wine trails, and most countries have wine regions (even India and China, by the way). A day trip is a fun way to spend time together, and a weekend is an excellent way to relax.
Hotels located in or very near wineries are fun. Some suggestions:
Washington—Cave B Inn; Inn at Abeja
California (Santa Rosa)—Vintner’s Inn
Georgia—Chateau Elan
Remember—it still costs less than a tennis bracelet.

For your lover
Save: Reasonably priced sparkling wine. Inexpensive and sexy. I recommend Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe (about $20).
Splurge: Expensive Champagne. Expensive and sexy. I recommend Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne (about $90). Not only does it have an amazing flavor profile and minerality, it’s also pink.

For your new girlfriend or boyfriend
Save: There’s nothing cozier than a glass of port or sherry in front of a roaring fire. Encourage some snuggling with a bottle of Barnard Griffin 2005 Reserve Syrah Port ($16.99).
Splurge: Make your own wine together at a local crushpad or microwinery. Cleaner and easier than getting a puppy, and an excellent way to bond, crushpads are located in most parts of the U.S. Plus, if you break up, it’s easier to split cases of wine than share doggie custody.
Live in or near San Francisco? Try Crushpad.

For your single friends
Save: A bottle of Mad Housewife, Il Bastardo, or possibly R Winery's Bitch Grenache or Evil Cabernet Sauvignon. Remind them why it’s good to be single sometimes.
Splurge: Personalized bottles from Northwest Cellars in Seattle, WA. Don bottles with a particularly attractive picture of your group of friends, a photo of Matt Damon, or a reminder like “It’s better to go alone than badly accompanied.” The possibilities are endless.

Friday, February 1, 2008

Wine Word of the Week: Fermentation

Spoiler alert: for those of you who are particularly squeamish, learning about the winemaking process may ruin wine for you. If you know you’re one of those people, you may want to stop reading.

Wine is awesome--and I mean that in the truest sense of the word. That grapes may be turned from fruit into a beverage with flavor and aroma complexity that can include leather, tobacco, petrol, black pepper, lavender, peach, apple, pear, pineapple, and horse butt (seriously) is truly awe-inspiring. The process by which wine is made is one of the many small miracles of our world. The process is a complex one, with many variables—below I’ve tried to give a brief overview of fermentation. I welcome any additions, comments and questions. Fermentation processes will vary by region and varietal.

So, the grapes are harvested and delivered to the winery (a separate post is needed this part of the winemaking process). The grapes are then fed or dumped into a crusher/destemmer, which removes the stems (obviously) and crushes the grapes for the first time. Depending on the winemaker’s choices, all the grapes will be crushed, or just some, or none (as for carbonic maceration). What comes out of the crusher/destemmer is now called must. The must is either left with the skins and seeds in large vats or plastic bins to produce red wine, left for a short time to produce rosé, or, in the case of white wines, pressed off immediately.

In the case of red wine, the must is left for a period of between several days and several weeks to fully realize the tannins from the skins and seeds. At this point the fermentation process usually begins for red wines. For white, the must is put through a presser, and the juice is transferred to stainless steel or concrete vats or storage bins. When the wine is pressed out will depend on the winemaker’s decision.

Fermentation is, simply put, the process by which sugars become alcohol. This process is done through yeast and bacteria. Basically, the yeast eats the naturally-occurring sugars, and the by-product is alcohol. There are typically two kinds of yeasts used for this process: native yeast and cultured yeast.

Native yeasts are naturally occurring—they can be found on the grapes, in the air, or even in the winery. Many winemakers, especially old-school European winemakers, consider the native yeast to be part of the terrior, and will not use cultured yeasts. Cultured yeasts are, just like they sound, yeasts specially selected and prepared for the winemaking process.

Temperatures are carefully controlled during the fermentation process. White wine is usually fermented between 64-68 °F (18-20 °C), and reds at 85 °F (29 °C). If the temperatures go up, some of the flavors and alcohol are lost, if the juice gets too cold, the yeasts will die or go into shock, resulting in “stuck fermentation”—meaning the fermentation process will stop, and the sugars in the wine will remain. This, incidentally, is how White Zin was “discovered.”
For most red wines, and infrequently for whites, another process will begin: malolactic fermentation. This is the process by which malic acids (think tart green apples) will turn into “softer” lactic acids (think dairy). Although this process can happen naturally (as with native yeasts) more often than not a winemaker will add malolactic bacteria to the wine. The bacteria will eat the malic acid and leave the lactic acid. Mmm…bacteria. Don’t worry--by the final process the yeasts and bacteria will no longer be present.

At this point, essentially, the winemaker carefully watches and tests the alcohol levels, amongst other factors, until he decides the wine is ready to be finished—or the yeast stops working on his own. At this point the aging process begins. But that’s another story.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Wine in the News--January 30th

There have been a few wine articles of interest published recently:

Eric Asimov of the New York Times writes about America's confounding wine shipping laws in his article, published today, January 30th. This is a must-read for anyone who buys wine on the internet.

Decanter Magazine online published an article about wine consumption in the US yesterday, and how we're quickly overtaking France and Italy in overall wine consumption. We're still way below most European countries in per capita consumption, but it seems Americans are enjoying their vintages more and more as time goes on.

Finally, the Dallas Morning News published picks for their favorite dessert wines yesterday. Dessert wines are always tricky, and the folks at the Dallas Morning News are usually to be trusted.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Wine Word of the Week: Decanter


My good buddy Scriptoress asked a question earlier this week about the volatilization of esters—which makes me think this is a good time to discuss decanting.

Many wines, especially young, “tight”, New World reds, and big Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style wines can benefit much from decanting. In fact, those wines are sometimes even better a day or two after opening. Older wines can benefit from pouring them out, opening up the "nose" by exposing the wine to oxygen, and pouring the wine off the sediment before serving.

When I organized tastings for wine writers, the rule we followed was to open all bottles (even whites) a minimum of one hour before tasting. This will help any weird smells to come off the wine and, in some cases, mellow the taste (especially green tannins). While opening the wine before serving is a good idea, decanting reds is even better.

I’m not a scientist, but this is how I understand the physics of decanting: the more surface are a wine has, the greater the volatilization of esters will be, ergo the better the bouquet (smell). Hence, once a red wine is ready to be served, the more oxygen exposed to the wine, the better.

Sometimes pretty, sometimes pretty weird looking, decanters come in all shapes in sizes—many are designed for specific wines. The picture above is of a pretty standard red wine decanter. Once a bottle of wine is poured in, the wine will only be up to about two to three inches off the bottom of the container--therefore creating much more surface area as opposed to in a bottle. When you pour the wine in, you will also be exposing the wine to oxygen.

Double decanting is another alternative for red wines. One pours out the bottle (exposing the wine to oxygen once) into a decanter or any container, then pours it back into the bottle (exposing it to oxygen for the second time). You can then pop the cork back into the bottle and wait for your friends to arrive with the giant cuts of meat for the barbeque.

NB: Decanter is also a great wine magazine published in the UK—http://www.decanter.com/

A Rosé By Any Other Name…

Call it Blanc de Noir, blush, Vin Gris or Rosé, pink wines are gaining popularity in the U.S. for good reason. Wine neophytes often find blush style wines, like White Zin (the wine craze of the late 1970s) with their uncomplicated structure and high sugar content approachable. Wine enthusiasts find dry Rosé to be refreshing--with depth, character and tannin structure fuller than white wine. From the pinkish orange of a tropical sunset to an intense, near purple, the color of a Rosé will depend on a winemaker’s choices.

Skin Contact
The hue of a Rosé will depend, in most cases, on the length of contact a wine has with the grape skins. For a winemaker who sets out to make a Rosé, the grapes will be crushed, and the juice allowed to sit with the skins for anywhere from an hour to two days. As the tannin of a wine will depend on how long the wine is exposed to grape skins, stems and seeds, the longer a Rosé stays with these materials, the greater the tannins.


Saignée
French for “bleeding”, the saignée method of Rosé creates a wine from the by-product of red wine. Many winemakers choose to create intense red wines—one way to concentrate flavors is to reduce the wine by removing some of the juice during the maceration or fermentation process. The wine removed has tannin, but is still a Rosé wine.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Bubbles!

"Come quickly—I am drinking the stars!"—attributed to Dom Perignon

Usually served at weddings, New Year's Eve and in the occasional mimosa, sparkling wine is unfortunately relegated to "special occasions" in the US. Not so in other countries—Prosecco, Lambrusco and Asti make frequent visits to informal gatherings and the dinner table in Italy, as do Sekt in Germany and Cava in Spain. Refreshing and versatile, sparkling wines from around the world make not only great party wines, but also good everyday wines.

Bubbles
Fermentation is the process by which sugars are converted to alcohol. The sparkle is due to the addition of extra sugar into the bottle (méthode traditionnelle) or in a vat (charmat process) after the first fermentation process. The second fermentation process creates the carbonation.

Sweetness
There are varying degrees of sweetness for sparkling wines, but the four sugar levels terms one should know are Brut, Dry, Sec and Demi-Sec. You'll find "extra" tagged onto these words, but the meanings are as follows:
Brut: bone dry
Dry: the smallest amount of discernable sweetness
Sec: slightly sweet
Demi-Sec: sweet enough to be served as a dessert wine

Color
An oversimplified, but hopefully useful guide to color:
Blanc de Blanc is a sparkling wine made with white grapes (usually Chardonnay).
Blanc de Noirs is a light pink sparkling wine made with red grapes (usually Pinot Noir).
Rosé refers to any “pink” wine. In this case, Rosé can be made with the saignée method, when, after pressing, some wine is bled off after only a short contact with the skins. A sparkling Rosé is a wine that has been through a second fermentation process to create the bubbles.

Opening The Bottle
I've been hit several times by flying sparkling wine corks, so the threat of a wine-related injury is a very real one. The best way to open a sparkling wine bottle is to saber it off, by which a person takes a sharp sword and cuts off the neck of the bottle. This is not an option for most folks, unfortunately—would that we all had swords lying around. The second best method, I've found, is to remove the cage (the wire implement securing the cork), put a dishtowel over the cork, hold the bottle at about ten o’clock, grip the sides of the cork in one hand, with the towel over it, and twist the bottle with the other. The cork should release with a slight pop into the towel, and very little, if any, wine should froth over.

Names
Although many people call all sparkling wines Champagne—this is fallacious and irritating to both Champagne makers and wine enthusiasts. Only wines produced with grapes grown in the particular chalk soil of the Champagne region of France may be called Champagne. "Sparkling wine" is the generic term for all wines with some form of carbonation. Regionally, sparkling wines have different names. Below are some of my favorite sparkling wines, and from whence they come:

Cava, Spain: Cristaline NV Brut Rose, $9. Hailed by eight out of the nine ladies in my book club as "very nice," this is a crisp, refreshing sparkler with notes of strawberry and raspberry and a tiny bit of citrus, with nice clean minerality. A very good bargain and perfect for summer.


Champagne, France: Veuve Clicquot, Yellow Label, Brut, approximately $50. Introduced to me by one of my favorite English professors after thesis presentations, this is an incredibly dry wine, with hard but pleasant minerality--incredibly refreshing. A classic wine and great for celebrations.

Sparkling Wine, Washington, USA—Domaine Ste. Michelle Frizzante, $11. In the future I will probably use the word "girly" often. This is a very girly wine, but also very good. Probably considered Demi-Sec, this wine pairs well with dessert, or if you like sweet wine, on its own. Good for weddings and for your friends who think White Zin is a dry white wine.


Lambrusco, Italy—Riunite, approximately $7. Anyone who has spent some time in Italy or is familiar with Lambrusco is probably horrified that I am listing this wine, but it is easy drinking and sweet. One of the few sparkling reds (aside from sparkling Shiraz, which I have not yet tried), this Lambrusco is inexpensive, girly and rather like soda. There are drier, fuller-bodied Lambruscos, certainly, which I encourage everyone to try when they happen to run across one, but this is a good wine for hanging out with friends and eating pizza.


Prosecco, Italy--Zardetto, NV, approximately $18. A wonderful, crisp sparkler—ever so slightly sweet. I'm told it pairs well with oysters and calamari. I like it with a fresh heirloom tomato, mozzarella and basil salad, lightly dusted with grey sea salt and sprinkled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. It is best enjoyed on a patio, preferably overlooking the sea.


Sekt, Germany-- Schloss Biebrich, approximately $4. Wine from Trader Joe's had to come up eventually. This is a very inexpensive bottle, but it does not actually taste like the sparkling equivalent of two-buck-Chuck. It is probably best classified as sec, but not cloying. If you can convince yourself to open a bottle of bubbles on a Tuesday, for no reason, this is the way to go.

Domaine Ste. Michelle has a great website with simple information about sparkling wine.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Wine Word of the Week: Carbonic Maceration

Ok, actually it's two words, but they're really fun.

Weekly Wine Word(s): Carbonic Maceration

Just say it a few times...let the words roll around in your mouth, much like a Beaujolais Nouveau on a crisp, late November day. But why are these words like a Beaujolais Nouveau, you ask? Why, because carbonic maceration is the way Beaujolais Nouveau is produced!

Beaujolais Nouveau is a red wine, which hails from the (you guessed it) Beaujolais region of France, and is made with the Gamay grape. Purple, sometimes pinkish in color, the wine is fermented for a few weeks (quite a bit less than the standard minimum of a few months with other wines--and that's even before the ageing process begins). In fact, the period between harvesting and the finished product can be less than six weeks! The wine is then officially released on the third Thursday of November--which is probably one of the reasons it is a popular Thanksgiving wine. Also, it pairs nicely with turkey and cranberry sauce.

But carbonic maceration is the secret behind Beaujolais Nouveau. While typical wine making methods call for wine grapes to be pressed after the grapes are harvested--and at this point either then juice will be removed for white wine, or left on the skins and seeds (where one finds the color and tannins) to begin the first fermentation process for red wine--carbonic maceration is unique. The grapes are left intact, where yeasts already present in the grapes begin tiny little fermentation processes inside the grape skins. Some grapes on the bottom of the fermentation tank are inevitably crushed, where they will begin the typical fermentation process, but most of the grapes will remain intact, before they are quickly pressed. The result is a light, very low tannin red wine with bubble gum notes. Seriously. I didn't believe my wine tutor when he told me this, but it actually does taste a bit like bubble gum.

Because Beaujolais Nouveau lacks the tannic structure of most red wines, it doesn't really age, or even keep very well, so you should drink it the year it is produced. It pairs well with Thanksgiving foods, as well as some stews, creamy soups and gamey meats. I like it with cranberry bread, or the classic turkey, cranberry sauce and cream cheese sandwich.

Thank you Wikipedia, for confirming some of my facts: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonic_maceration

Sunday, January 13, 2008

The birds and the bees...and the Merlot

If there's anything more complicated than dating, it's trying to order wine on a date. Oy.

"Does he like me? Will he call?" is nothing compared to "Will this wine go with what she orders? Is this bottle too inexpensive? Should we order by the glass, or an entire bottle?"

Ordering wine at a restaurant can be an impenetrable fog of seemingly archaic ceremonies, so here's a few tips on how to impress your date with your wine knowledge:

Food Pairing
Before you decide on the wine, it will be best to get a sense of what you both will be ordering. If you're dead set on a steak, and your date wants a salad (really ladies, eat something real), then it will probably be best to order wines by the glass. If you're out for a special occasion, or really want to order a bottle to impress your date, it will be best to stick to a light red, like a Pinot Noir or Merlot, which will pair well with red meat, but not utterly overwhelm a salad. If you're planning on a several course meal, you may want to order two bottles: a crisp white (like a Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon--which really does go well with salad) and a red. If you both want fish and/or chicken or red meat, this will be easier--a well-balanced white (again, a Sauvignon Blanc or perhaps a Chardonnay) for white meats, or a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah (Shiraz) with red.

To Sommelier, or not to Sommelier
Sommeliers are good resources, and are there to help. Undoubtedly in your dining career you will run across the stereotype of the tux-wearing, be-monocled nightmare of wine snobbery, but my experience has been with down-to-earth sommeliers who are genuinely interested in helping you pick a good bottle, not making you feel like dirt. If you're in an establishment of fine dining, keep an eye out for an oval pin on the lapel of the sommelier. This will usually mean he or she is certified by the Court of Master Sommeliers (though it's rare to run across an actual Master Sommelier--there are only about 20-25 in the US), and will usually be well-trained and personable. Most good restaurants will have a wine steward--it's up to you if you want advice, but in most cases you'll win the admiration of your date by asking for an expert opinion. After all, you want him or her to enjoy the wine, right?

The Price
Expect a minimum of a 150% markup on a bottle of wine. One of my favorite wines, ever, is an $11 bottle of Riesling, which I find in restaurants for between $30-35. This makes me kind of sick, but I have to remember that I'm paying for the experience, not so I can drink a bottle of wine at home, alone, in front of Grey's Anatomy. My friend Stephanie, who works in PR for wine companies, told me her guideline is to order the second least expensive bottle on the menu. This is great advice, in my opinion, because you won't look like a complete cheapskate, but you also won't pay out the nose. And usually it's the best value on the list. So, if you're not looking for a particular bottle, try and choose between two or three least expensive.

When the Wine Arrives at the Table
So, you've ordered the bottle...now what? The sommelier or waiter will bring the bottle you ordered to the table. Be warned, if you order wine from your waiter, and the sommelier brings it over, he or she will naturally gravitate to the oldest male in your party--whether you're on a date with a 21 year-old boy, or if you're in a party of ten with your grandfather. Even if you order it, ladies, they will assume the man will want to make the decision. A small bit of sexism--or chivalry, depending on the way you look at it. If you're a lady, and you ordered the wine, hopefully your gracious date will indicate that you are the one who should taste. If he doesn't...well, maybe you'll want to look elsewhere for a boyfriend.

The waiter or sommelier will bring the bottle over to the wine decision-maker for the evening, and present the bottle. Be sure to check that they've brought the right vintage and bottle. If it's fine, say so, and they'll commence opening the bottle. The waiter or sommelier will pour about an inch of wine into the glass of the decision-maker--it is now your job to swirl, smell and sip. If the wine smells and tastes right, tell the wine steward that it's good. They will then pour your companion a glass, then fill yours.

If the wine smells like wet cardboard, let the waiter or sommelier know, nicely, that you think the bottle may be corked. They should take a whiff, and if they agree, they'll get another bottle.

On extremely infrequent occasions the wine steward will disagree with you about the bottle being bad. If you smell wet cardboard, be gentle but firm, and ask for another bottle. Hopefully no one will argue. Remember: not liking a wine is not a good reason to send it back. Chalk it up to experience. Only if a bottle is flawed is it OK to ask for a different bottle.

Wines you can't go wrong with, and what they say about you:

Washington Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon: you're easy going and up-and-coming

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir: fresh and fun

Oregon Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris: down-to-earth

New York (Finger Lakes) Riesling: open to new things

Burgundy: appreciates the finer things in life

Australian Shiraz: enjoys red meat

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (e.g. Opus One) or Rhone wine (e.g. Chateauneuf-du-Pape): looking for a trophy wife or boy toy

Unless your know your date is fairly well versed in wine and loves "big" red wines, you'll probably be best off ordering a Pinot Noir or Merlot if you're eating red meat. To the untrained palate, a Napa Cabernet Sauvignon will taste like tannic, offensive dirt. Some people love oaked Chardonnay, others (like myself) loathe it with an unparalleled passion. Until you get to know your date's wine tastes, you're best off sticking to another white varietal, like Riesling or Sauvignon Blanc.

Just remember, don't be afraid.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

The Little Black Dress of Wines

Riesling--the little black dress of wines. Balanced acidity, versatile flavors. Pairs well with foods from Asian cuisine to Russian Baklava.

Of course, like any woman knows, there are many types of little black dresses for many different occasions. Here are their Riesling equivalents:

Modern jersey--clean and structured: Chateau Ste. Michelle 2006 Eroica Riesling, Washington. Crisp green apple and apricot flavors with a hint of petrol. Food friendly, but excellent on its own. At a slightly higher price point than most domestic Rieslings, this is an excellent option as a hostess gift for a cocktail party.

Vintage chiffon--frothy: King Frosh Sparkling Riesling, Germany. In both brut and sec styles (dry and sweet), this is a fun wine, perfect for celebrations.

Mod, sequined shift--clean lines with a sparkle: Poet's Leap 2006 Riesling, Washington. Lively acidity, this wine has the fruit forwardness of a classic New World wine, but with an Old World touch of minerality.

Lace overlay--girly and fun: Columbia Winery 2006 Ice Wine, Washington. A very sweet wine, a perfect pair for fruit based desserts (peach cobbler, pear tart, etc.)--a great way to end an evening.

Cotton shirt dress--clean and classic: Pacific Rim 2006 Riesling, Washington. A great wine for a summer picnic: an easy drinking wine with stone fruit (peach, apricot) and citrus notes.

Friday, January 11, 2008

First things first...

As a young woman working in the wine industry, I find that people, especially young adults, often clandestinely ask for wine suggestions. Although I am in no way actually qualified to offer in-depth advice (for that, see your local internationally board-certified sommelier), I'm offering this blog for practical hints and tips on finding "your" wines--for anyone who cares to read on.

To begin, three things everyone should know:
1. If you like it, it's a good wine.
2. At wine tastings it's really OK to spit when you're tasting more than two wines. Really.
3. White wine should be served with chicken and fish, red with red meats (beef, lamb, etc.). The latest trend is to throw those rules out the window, but they're really quite good guidelines. Of course there are exceptions (Pinot Noir goes with almost everything), but that's a good place to start if you're having a dinner party or going out to dinner and planning to order wine.

Thank you Lindzilla (http://scriptoress.blogspot.com) for showing me how this is done. You rock.