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CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON: CHOOSE YOUR STYLE

Every winemaker says they believe “wine is made in the vineyard.” They talk about terroir and vineyard expression. But that expression ultimately depends on decisions made by the winemaker in the cellar. Whether they admit it or not, winemakers generally try to achieve a certain style. California Cabernet Sauvignon is a good example.

 

I have tasted over 60 Cabernets in the last year and recommend the following (listed in order of preference within each category) as exemplars of their styles.

 

Especially from the Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon has become a phenomenon in recent decades with a general style that emphasizes richness and concentration. While there are variations on the theme (and whether the wine is blended from multiple sources or a single vineyard), the style is recognizable in pronounced fruit, lavish oak (much of it new), full body, and supple texture. Ideally, all this results in a wine enticing to drink now but that can be aged and enjoyed for years.

 

2013 Galerie “pleinair” Napa Valley ($50) pure, ripe fruit, charmingly soft mouthfeel and tannins

 

2014 Jamieson Ranch “Double Lariat” Limited Production ($55)sweet fruit, plush tannins buttressed with refreshing acidity

 

2014 Clos du Val Hirondelle Vineyard ($120) deep fruit and moderate tannin come together in a seamless whole

 

2013 Clif Family “Kit’s Killer Cab” ($75) rich, concentrated, focused

 

2013 Freemark Abbey Napa Valley ($50) full-bodied, intense, balanced with lively structure and firm tannins

 

2013 Martin Ray “Synthesis” Napa Valley ($50) firm and full, yet lavish, lithe and well-proportioned

 

2013 Freemark Abbey Rutherford ($70) large-scaled, full-bodied, dense, solid tannins, bright acidity

 

2014 Duckhorn Napa Valley ($75) complex, balanced, immediately appealing

 

2013 Dry Creek Vineyard “Endeavour” ($70) serious, bountiful, concentrated, solidly structured (from Dry Creek Valley but fits the Napa style)

 

2013 Fortress Knights Reserve ($40) bold fruit, elegant palate, noticeable oak (from Knights Valley in Sonoma but fits the Napa style)

 

But not everyone has jumped on the bandwagon. For a style contrast look to what generally is described as an Old World (meaning typical Bordeaux) style. There is less emphasis on opulent fruit, more on lively acidity and firm structure. This is still California, so there is a sense of fresh fruit but balanced with earthy and dried herb notes.

 

2013 Grgich Hills Napa Valley Estate Grown ($69) firm, fresh tannins, tight core of pure fruit, certified organic

 

2013 Jordan Alexander Valley ($55) refined, silky, savory throughout

 

2013 Chimney Rock Stags Leap District Estate Grown ($85) elegant, yet structured, full-bodied, strong tannins

 

2014 J. Lohr Hilltop Vineyard Paso Robles ($35) medium-bodied, dense flavors, balances vibrant acidity with soft texture

 

2014 Stonestreet ($45) herbal and forest notes, deep flavors, solid tannins

 

Many wineries try to strike a balance between the two styles. They combine the ripeness of California fruit with the nuances of Bordeaux. Neither the fruit nor the oak hit you over the head. Instead, they join together to caress your palate.

 

2014 Michael Mondavi Family “Animo” Atlas Peak($85) concentrated, full, muscular tannins but manages a graceful palate

 

2014 Chateau Montelena Napa Valley ($58) lots of fruit buttressed with a lively energy, powerful but with a sense of elegance

 

2014 Michael Mondavi Family “Emblem” Napa Valley ($35) deep, juicy fruit, lush texture (merlot, petit verdot, syrah, zinfandel and petite sirah comprise 20 percent of the wine)

 

2013 Rodney Strong Reserve ($40) full-bodied, fresh fruit, supple tannins

 

2014 Clos du Val Estate ($52) medium body, intense fruit but precise texture, delicate tannins

 

Don’t forget that many fine Cabernet Sauvignons are produced in the state of Washington. Here are two fine Washington Cabernet Sauvignons you really should take the time to track down.

 

2012 Cadaretta Columbia Valley ($50) a really fine, balancedblend of 89% cabernet sauvignon, 6% petit verdot and 5% merlot; ripe dark fruits, toasty oak, a full body and refined palate

 

2014 Canvasback Red Mountain ($40) another excellent wine ofdark fruits and complex earthy and light spice notes with alush, full palate and firm tannins

 

I know some of you will be asking, “what about wines under $10?” Well, every one I tasted in the past year just didn’t make the cut. It is disappointing that solid quality is getting harder to find for less than $20 a bottle. But I did find a few good ones just under $20 and a few more just over $20 (you might find them on sale for less than $20). Here are several solid values for everyday drinking.

 

2014 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Sonoma County ($24) silky, easy drinking, with firm black fruits and herbal touches

 

2014 Dry Creek Vineyard “Hillside & Benchland” ($26) well-balanced with blackberry, a touch of mint and fresh tannins

 

2014 J.Lohr Seven Oaks ($17) lush fruit, velvety tannins

 

2014 Castoro Cellars Paso Robles Estate Grown ($16) fresh berries and hints of spice are straightforwardly flavorful

 

 

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CHILLED ITALIAN REDS FOR HEATED SUMMER SIPPING

So, I have written before about white and rosé wines for summer sipping to beat the heat but it occurred to me we shouldn’t forget completely about red wines. I still crave the character of red wine but in this case it’s usually the types of reds that can be enjoyed chilled.

 

First, a few clarifications: by chilled, I mean 50-55°F, a little warmer than the typical white wine. Choose young, ready-to-drink wines with higher acidity, softer tannins, moderate alcohol,andlittle or no oak to bring the refreshing, primary fruit flavors to the forefront. And expect prices $20 and under.

 

Given these criteria, there are many options from just about every wine region. Some examples: garnacha/grenache (Spain/southern France), gamay (Beaujolais), cabernet franc (Loire Valley), lemberger (Austria), pinot noir (New Zealand), pinotage (South Africa), and malbec (Argentina).

 

As I searched through my sample notes, though, I realized that Italy is especially deft at this. So, in this column, that’s where I focus. Chianti, a wine with many affordable and elegant styles, is a good place to start, especially basic Chianti and Chianti Classico. Mostly sangiovese, these wines meet all the criteria listed above. They are fresh and tangy with cherry and forest-like notes, and sometimes white pepper and a hint of star anise.

 

  • 2015 Badia a Coltibuono “Cetamura” Chianti ($11) Cetamura is the name of an Etruscan settlement on the Coltibuono property. This entry level Chianti is typically fresh, accessible and ideal for daily drinking.
  • 2015 Castello del Trebbio Chianti Superiore ($15) Sporting a 12thcentury castle on a historic estate in the Chianti Rufina district, this wine is offers nicely balances earthy and fresh fruit nuances.
  • 2014 Selvapiana Chianti Rufina ($17) With a history dating to medieval times, this organic winery, which has been in the same family for nearly 200 years, has produced a juicy wine, with intriguing minty and woodsy notes.
  • 2013 Castello di Albola Chianti Classico ($19) This property located near Radda has passed has passed through noble hands for about a thousand years. Today it is owned by the Zonin family and is consistently one of Chianti’s best values.
  • 2014 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico ($20) From this 11th century “Abbey of the Good Harvest” estate vineyards near Gaiole, grapes are organically grown and vinified using natural yeast.

 

North of Tuscany in the Veneto region, corvina (usually combined with other local grapes) is used to make the ultra-light Bardolino and the more characterful Valplicella. The Alpine region of Alto Adige, best known for distinctive whites, also sources light, fresh reds.

 

  • 2014 Tommasi “Rafaèl” Valpolicella Classico Superiore ($19) This wine is a bit of an exception to my rule, as it is aged 12 months in large oak casks. However, use of these neutral containers results in a fresh but elegant wine with aromas of dried spices and leather.
  • 2015 Scaia Corvina ($12) A special Veneto project by Tenuta Sant’ Antonio, this 100 percent corvina wine is brisk and bold.
  • 2016 Castel Sallegg Bischofsleiten ($14) From the Alto Adige/Südtirol in view of the Italian Alps, this single vineyard wine is 100 percent schiava, an indigenous grape that is a signature of the region. It is typically light bodied, low in tannins and effusively fruity.
  • 2015 Peter Zemmer Pinot Noir ($18) Also from Alto Adige, this is soft, flavorful and elegant.

 

And from the south, three wines from Masseria Le Veli in Puglia (the heel of the boot) are ideal choices. Established in 1999 on a property in the province of Salento originally founded by a prestigious Italian economist at the beginning of the twentieth century, the wines are made from certified organic native varieties.

 

  • 2015 “Contrade” Negroamaro ($10). Li Veli’s second label, produced in collaboration with select local grape growers, shows surprisingelegance, structure.
  • 2015 “Orion” Salento ($13) From one of the primary grapes of the region, this 100 percent primitivo (a relative of zinfandel) is exuberant and lightly spicy.
  • 2014 “Passamante” Salice Salentino ($13) features the region’s other principal grape, negroamaro. Spicy and characterful, it’s a lot of wine for the money.

 

Finally, two wines from either end of the boot.

 

  • Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna – not the cheap, sweet sparkling wine but the refreshing, juicy and balanced one from a caring producer like Cleto Chiarli, whose nonvintage Vecchia Modena Premium ($15) will cool even the warmest summer days.
  • Etna Rosso from the slopes of Mount EtnainSicily – the 2014 Alta Mora ($24) from just beyond the toe of the boot and produced by the Cusamano family, is a fresh but velvetynerello mascalese.

 

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LOOKING FOR A WINE GIFT FOR CHRISTMAS? TRY DENVER’S BONACQUISTI

If you are like me, you have waited until the last minute to get most of your Christmas presents. And, if you are like me, you have friends and family members who enjoy wine. While wine will make the perfect gift, don’t just go to the liquor store and buy a bottle, stop by a local (in this case Denver) winery. There are many options in Denver but today I suggest you make your way to north Denver to Bonacquisti Winery.

Owner and winemaker Paul Bonacquisti has numerous gift ideas for you:

Getting Educated – Bonacquisti’s Wine 101 class offers a crash course on winemaking and wine tasting, nibbles, and the opportunity to bust some common wine myths. The first class of 2018 takes place at Bonacquisti January 20th from 1-3pm and is $49 per person. Each class is limited to no more than 8-10 people. Future dates to be announced at www.bonacquistiwine.com.

Wine On Tap – Refillable one liter “his and hers” wine growlers are a fun gift idea, and can be filled with the red and white Italian wines just-in at Bonacquisti. The white is a Piedmont blend of Chardonnay and Cortese. The red is a Barbera with soft earthy tannins and berry notes. The jug alone can be purchased for $21, a “Jug and Fill” option (one full jug and one card good for a refill) is available for $33, with additional refills at $15.99 and up. Many of the other wines on tap can be purchased as growlers too!

Keep it Going – Wine club memberships are the gift that keeps on giving. For $49 per quarter, each member receives three bottles of hand-selected wine every three months in March, June, September and December. Plus, members receive perks like 10% off all purchases, 15% off cases, premiere access to new releases and free wine tastings for members and their guests.

Also, in December, buy three bottles and get 10% off your order and complimentary gift-wrapping. Like the new fall releases:

But it is so cool that Paul’s winery offers visitors more than just wine. You also can view (and I recommend you buy) fantastic works of art from one of Colorado’s best artists: Daniel Luna. Check out more here: LUNA-CY. I own some of Mr. Luna’s paintings and I guarantee you will be fascinated with his work. Come to think of it, a Daniel Luna painting would make a special gift for the holidays or any time of the year.

And, finally, if you have family in town and are looking for a live music venue, consider this month’s “Fridays Uncorked” featuring Romero Unplugged, on December 22, (no cover with food and wine available for purchase). Happy Hour 4pm-6pm with $5 tap wine and $5 apps. The band performs from 6:30pm-9:30pm and you can enjoy offerings from the Food Truck: RenveD BBQ.

 

Winery & Tasting Room Hours

4640 Pecos St, Unit I, Denver 80211

Phone: 303-477-9463

https://www.bonacquistiwine.com

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11am – 7pm

Friday 11am – 10pm (Live Music starts at 6:30p)

Saturday: 11am – 5pm

$10 tasting fee to taste all wines. Complimentary for Wine Club members. Tours are always free.

 

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TRY THESE BUBBLES FOR A SPARKLING HOLIDAY SEASON (and to celebrate throughout the year)

Although sparkling wine is always an appropriate choice for any occasion any time of year, certainly the holidays and the New Year are the prime time for bubbly. Lucky for us effervescent wine is so popular there are versions made in virtually every wine region. Whether it’s called Champagne, Crémant, Spumante, Prosecco, Cava, or something else, sparkling wine is the first choice for celebrations of all types.

But I suggest you don’t use these wines only for toasts. Their versatility with food calls for you to consider drinking them throughout the year and with your meals. (NOTE: All wines in this column are nonvintage unless otherwise noted.)

 

Champagne still sets the standard and Nonvintage Brut is the most widely enjoyed style, partly because it represents the signature style of a Champagne house, as it is blended to achieve a yearly consistency. It is also the most affordable. Look for these fine examples.

Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee ($50). This blend of 55 percent chardonnay, 35 percent pinot noir and 10 percent meunier is delightful with a fresh yeasty, buttery bouquet and lively citrus flavors delivered on a refined palate.

Henriot Souverain ($45). This wine of nearly equal parts chardonnay and pinot noir with a touch of pinot meunier comes in a rich, elegant style. Fresh citrus and pear are balanced with touches of mineral and toast.

Charles Heidsieck Réserve ($65). Blended with a higher proportion of matured reserve wines (40 percent) than typical of Nonvintage Bruts and aged longer (10 years on average), this one reveals admirable complexity and richness. Its 75 percent pinot noir and pinot meunier and 25 percent chardonnay yield bright red fruits with toasty, yeasty and nutty accents.

 

There also are fine, distinctive choices among single variety wines, which showcase a purer expression of the chosen grape.

Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé ($100). This 100 percent pinot noir is expensive but amazing. It offers intense red berries and citrus but drinks with elegance. Pure fruit dominates but the polished texture and crisp structure elevates.

Henriot Blanc de Blancs ($60). A vibrant 100 percent chardonnay expression of pear and citrus with fine vanilla and toasty notes gracefully applied with some richness.

André Jacquart Mesnil Expérience ($60). This 100 percent Chardonnay from a small, artisan producer is labeled “Premier Cru Blanc De Blancs.” It opens very tight with brisk, pure citrus and green apple, then enticing elements of cream and caramel emerge.

 

And Vintage Champagne takes the quest for distinctive character a step further, as it seeks to highlight the qualities of a particular harvest.

2005 Charles Heidsieck Brut Millésime ($110). A really spectacular 60 percent pinot noir/40 percent chardonnay cuvée with pear and nectarine aromas, followed by fresh bread and intense flavors of apricot, honey and nut. It is pure and silky, firm and refined, with a lightly spicy finish.

 

Finally, if you prefer your bubbles with a hint of sweetness, the French have Demi-Sec for you.

Laurent-Perrier Harmony Demi-Sec ($50). Demi-Sec translates to half-dry and in the case of Champagne means a wine that is slightly sweet. This blend of 55 percent chardonnay, 35 percent pinot noir and 10 percent pinot meunier is delightfully fruity and balanced with brioche and a delicate palate.

 

While Champagne is the benchmark for sparkling wine, I delight in finding and recommending good sparklers from other French regions. Crémant generally is the term used to denote sparkling wines not made in Champagne. It typically is made using the “methode traditionnelle”, meaning the bubbles are created using the Champagne method where the second fermentation occurs in the bottle.

 

Crémant d’Alsace is one of the best and an affordable alternative to Champagne. Pierre Sparr makes some of the most reliable. The lively, flavorful Pierre Sparr Rosé is made from 100% pinot noir ($25), while the refreshing, citrusy Brut Reserve ($23) is 80 percent pinot blanc and 20 percent pinot auxerrois.

Crémant De Limoux from the Languedoc region in southern France typically is distinguished with the addition of chenin blanc and often is an even better value. Produced by Jean-Claude Mas, the refined green apple of the Côté Mas Brut ($16) is 60 percent chardonnay, 20 percent chenin blanc, 10 percent pinot noir, and 10 percent mauzac. The Côté Mas Rosé Brut ($16) shows citrus and peach from its 
70 percent chardonnay and 20 percent chenin blanc, accented with tart strawberry from 10 percent pinot noir.

I also tasted a few of pretty good bottles of bubbles that sourced fruit from multiple locations in France. Haute Couture “French Bubbles Blanc” ($30) says “Dry” on the back label but it actually drinks a little sweet with a nice creamy texture and fresh citrus. The Rosé entices with sweet red berries. The Le Grand Courtâge “Limited Edition” wines (both Blanc de Blancs Brut and Brut Rosé are $18) are nice values with the Blanc de Blancs offering pleasant apple and citrus and the Brut Rosé offering soft, sweet strawberry notes.

Italy also excels in sparkling wine with many options. From Franciacorta and Trentino in the north, there is outstanding “metodo classico” (also using the traditional pinot noir and chardonnay grapes). These arguably are the best Champagne method wines you never heard of. One of the finest producers is Ferrari in Trentino, which was established in 1902. The 2009 Ferrari Trento “Perlé” ($38) offers the elegance and structure of 100 percent chardonnay with fresh, fruity apple, fresh baked bread, and elements of almond.

Italy’s most popular bubbly in the U.S. is Prosecco, the fresh frizzante from the Veneto hills north of Venice. Prosecco – the name of the production zone, while the native glera is the dominant grape – is produced using the Charmat Method. With Charmat, bubbles are produced by inducing the second fermentation in pressurized stainless steel tanks, instead of the bottle (as in the Champagne Method). This preserves glera’s fresh aromas and clean, delicate pear and peach fruit. With typically light, frothy flavors, the following are affordable and eminently drinkable.

  • Valdo “Oro Puro” Brut Superiore ($21). From a 90 year old winery owned by the Bolla Family, this reveals greater complexity and fuller flavors than the typical Prosecco.
  • Tommasi “Tenuta Filodora” ($18). From a family with a 115 year history of winemaking in the Veneto, it is smooth and elegant.
  • Bervini 1955 Millesimato 2016 Extra Dry ($19). Sourced primarily from certified organic estate grapes, it’s delightfully dryer than most Proseccos.
  • La Marca ($19). This product of a 5000 member growers cooperative is tantalizingly fruity and a touch sweet.
  • Martini & Rossi Prosecco ($13) is pleasantly floral and clean.
  • Valdo Brut ($16) is a nice value for easy drinking.

 

Remember Lambrusco? Have you long since abandoned the overly sweet, mass-produced froth that became popular in the U.S. in the 1970s? Well, Lambrusco is enjoying a reintroduction to American consumers as an exuberantly fruity, yet dry, savory and artisan made sparkling wine.

One of the best is Cleto Chiarli, which has been making Lambrusco since 1860. These are delicious, versatile wines and they still are quite inexpensive. Chiarli makes only Lambrusco and uses only estate grapes.

 

  • 2016 Premium Vecchia Modena ($15). Labeled “Secco” meaning dry, expect abundant floral and red berry notes; it’s lively, deeply fruitful, and lightly spicy.
  • Vigneto Cialdini ($15). Also labeled Secco, this is effusive with fruit and finishes with firm, savory tannins.
  • Centenario ($11). Labeled “Amabile” meaning semi sweet, but its delightfully juicy palate is balanced with a mildly tannic finish.
  • Brut di Noir Rosé ($15). Labeled “Spumante” for sparkling, tart red fruits make this a nice, easy drink.

 

Of course, California also makes some truly fine sparkling wines. Two of the best come from Sonoma.

 

J Vineyards has been making highly regarded bubbly in the Russian River Valley for thirty years. With a pedigree tied to the Jordan family of Alexander Valley’s Jordan Vineyards, this is not a surprise. The Brut “Cuvée 20” ($38), with 54 percent chardonnay, 43 percent pinot noir, and 3 percent pinot meunier, delivers nicely zesty apple, citrus, and cranberry with a touch of almond cream. The Brut Rosé ($45), at 64 percent pinot noir, 35 percent chardonnay, and 4 percent pinot meunier, is full of raspberry and strawberry fruit, yet drinks fresh and delicate with hints of spice.

 

 

The Ferrer family, owner of Spain’s Freixenet Cava winery also has been producing highly regarded sparkling wines (under the Gloria Ferrer label) since 1986 but from estate vineyards in Carneros. These are some of the best and most reliably sparkling values coming out of California.

 

  • Sonoma Brut ($22). In a crucial stylistic choice, this Brut is 91 percent pinot noir and 9 percent chardonnay, which results in more red berries than expected but also nice, creamy pear, apple and citrus.
  • Blanc de Noirs ($22). Here, 92 percent pinot noir and 8 percent chardonnay produce vibrant cherry, hints of apple, and cola with a creamy palate.
  • Blanc de Blancs ($22). With 100 percent chardonnay, enjoy crisp lemon and apple with vanilla and hazelnut.
  • Brut Rosé ($27). This rich blend of 60 percent pinot noir and 40 percent chardonnay is enticingly aromatic and flavorful with tart red berries, crisp apple and caramel.

 

Speaking of Cava, I only had one in my tastings but I am happy to recommend the Paul Cheneau. It is an elegant Cava from 
hand-harvested 
most native grapes of 45 percent macabeo, 40 percent xarel·lo, 10 percent chardonnay, 
and 5 percent parellada. The palate is fresh with peach, 
subtle floral undertones and balanced creamy 
notes.

Finally, two nice bottles from unexpected sources:

From Argentina, the Ruca Malen Brut ($28) is 75 percent pinot noir and 25 percent chardonnay. It offers a nice mix of citrus and cherry with suggestions of fresh baked bread. The quality is not surprising as one of the founders worked many years for Moët & Chandon’s Argentina outpost.

And South Africa represents with the 2015 Simonsig “Kaapse Vonkel” Brut Rosé ($24). With 63 percent pinot noir, 35 percent pinotage, and 2 percent pinot meunier, it is refreshingly crisp with light berry tones.

 

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WINE IS INTEGRAL TO CHANUKAH/HANUKKAH CELEBRATIONS

This time of year, it seems customary for wine writers to publish their recommendations for the upcoming holidays. I’m usually not much for following the pack but, in this case, I think it’s a public service to continue the practice.

Usually this means the Christmas holidays but this column focuses on Chanukah (or Hanukkah). The eight-day holiday, also called the Festival of Lights, runs this year from December 12-20. It celebrates a victory of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire of the 2nd century BCE over their Greek/Syrian enemies and commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after a group of Jewish warriors defeated the occupying armies.

And my focus is even more specific to kosher wines from Israel. Many people choose to serve wines that are kosher-certified on Jewish holidays like Passover, Rosh Hashana (the Jewish New Year), and Chanukah. Though historically relegated to a kosher aisle in liquor stores, the country’s wines have improved significantly in recent years and increasingly can stand on their own as fine wines.

With a winemaking heritage for more than 5,000 years, Israel had only about 20 table-wine producers ten years ago. Today, there are more than 200 wineries and the largest 17 are all kosher. Mostly European grape varieties – such as cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay, merlot, syrah, and grenache – are used.

Kosher wine is made in the same way as other wine. The distinction is that there are strict purity guidelines requiring rabbinical oversight during the whole process from the moment the grapes enter the winery to when the wine is bottled and Sabbath-observant Jews must handle the wine. Any ingredients used, including yeasts and fining agents, must be kosher.

Technically, as I understand it, to retain its kosher status (usually labeled on bottles as Kosher for Passover), a wine must be opened, served and drunk by Sabbath-observant Jew. So, there is a second type of kosher wine labeled “meshuval” that allows non-observant Jews and non-Jews to handle the bottle and share with observant Jews. The one difference with this type of kosher wine is that it is “flash pasteurized.” When applied properly, this gentle form of heating the wine sterilizes it without harming quality.

In the past, the wines actually were boiled (mevushal translates as cooked) and that process did negatively affect the wine. Thanks to flash pasteurization producers can make mevushal wines without tasting as if they’ve been boiled.

So, what to drink with the classic Chanukah dishes? It took me some research but these are sample pairings I recommend. (For more suggestions, Golan Heights and Galil Mountain wineries offer a Middle Eastern food and wine-pairing guide at http://bit.ly/2mkmjVE.)

First, recognize the most traditional Chanukah foods are fried in oil. This commemorates the Biblical story in which a one day supply of olive oil lasted the Maccabees eight days and nights, long enough for more oil to be pressed, when they reclaimed the Holy Temple.

 

Potato Latkes, with their sour cream and applesauce are earthy, tangy, creamy, and sweet. Pair with crisp white wines like the off-dry 2015 Nik Weis Gefen Hashalom German Riesling ($19). An unoaked Chardonnay or Prosecco are good alternatives.

Potato Kugel is more savory and eggy; so a lighter red like the 2014 Teperberg Impression Merlot ($18) for its graceful palate, solid plum and foresty berry fruit, works nicley. Pinot Noir or a dry white wine also are good choices.

 

For the main course, brisket appears to be the most popular, while pot roast and short ribs also make appearances. A rich, full-bodied red like the 2014 Carmel Cabernet Sauvignon Appellation Series ($20), with its vibrant red fruits buttressed with firm tannins is sure to satisfy. Other good options are wines based on zinfandel, syrah, grenache, or malbec. If you prefer a softer, sweeter red, the 2016 Carmel Mediterranean Blend Selected Series should do it. Planning a roast chicken? Try Beaujolais or a Cabernet Franc.

Sufganiyot (jelly donut) is the most common dessert choice. For this and other desserts, I’d suggest sparkling wine, especially off-dry styles like Demi-Sec, Prosecco, or artisan Lambrusco. If you must have sweet wine even with sweet foods, the luscious and sweet apple of the($20) from Clarksburg in California is ideal, and only 8.5 percent alcohol.

Other reliable Israeli wineries you are likely to find represented on your local store shelves include Golan Heights, Yarden, Gamla, and Galil Mountain. This column has focused on Israeli wines but there are fine kosher wines made in many places around the world. Just a few prominent examples include Hagafen, Covenant and Baron Herzog in California; Kedem in New York: Château Malarctic LaGraviere, Cuvee Centenaire, Louis Blanc, and Pascal Bouchard in France; Clos Mesorah and Capçanes in Spain; Bartenura in Italy; and Goose Bay in New Zealand.

 

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SAMUEL ADAMS AUTUMN SEASONALS

We’re well into fall and quickly approaching the holiday season. And the brewers at Samuel Adams have brewed up a six-pack of seasonals I am confident you will enjoy. Herewith reviews and recommendations:

 

Samuel Adams Octoberfest (5.3% ABV 16 IBU)

Octoberfest celebrations may be in your rear window but this fine Märzen style beer should still be in your front seat (that’s a metaphor; I don’t mean of your actual car). It is a pleasant, easy drinking, deep red amber brew with malt and wheat tones. It’s Tettnang Tettnanger, Hallertau Mittelfrueh hops tread lightly, while and its malts – Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Munich-10, Samuel Adams Octoberfest malt, and Caramel 60 – dominate providing a smooth palate and finish.

 

Samuel Adams Harvest Hefe (5.4% ABV 14 IBU)

This deep golden beer uses Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend and White Wheat with Hallertau Mittelfrueh and Spalt Spalter Noble hops to achieve a malty profile with a touch of caramel followed by spicy citrusy and lightly earthy qualities that finish fairly dry with some bitterness. It puts a seasonal twist on a traditional hefeweizen with the addition of warming fall flavors. Aromatic notes of cinnamon and nutmeg complement the slightly sweet and clove flavors characteristic of the style, making for a bright, spiced beer.

 

Samuel Adams 20 Pounds Of Pumpkin (5.7% ABV 14 IBU)

Dark reddish amber in color, this one begins with Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, Special B, and smoked malt, which presumably is responsible for the malty flavors that compliment a mildly fruity beer. I don’t pick up the East Kent Goldings and Fuggles hops but they likely are what lift this nice drink to excellence, ending with a very spicy finish. Critically, it is brewed with real pumpkin – about 20 lbs. of it per barrel – and a blend of classic pumpkin pie spices – clove, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. It yields a rich pumpkin pie taste (not sweet, though) accented with those brown spices.

 

Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen (5.1% ABV 13 IBU)

This amber wheat beer (pretty dark amber brown color) combines the spicy, fruity flavors of a traditional Hefeweizen with the sweet, toffee-like notes of roasted malt. Chinook hops compliment Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Wheat, Dehusked Carafa malt varieties. Aromas of creamy caramel and cardamon anticipate similarly spicy flavors with a creamy texture and a crisp finish.

 

Samuel Adams Honey Rye Pale Ale (5.8% ABV 33 IBU)

With a base of Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Rye Malt, Honey Malt and Simcoe, Cascade, Ella hop varieties, this deep amber drink satisfies with peppery, creamy, malty aromas and a light, crisp, citrusy palate finishing with a slightly bitter herb (maybe from the rye?) finish.

 

Samuel Adams Maple Red Ale (6.3% ABV 18 IBU)

A smooth, rich maple character (Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Special B, Naked Oats malt varieties) rounds out this deep red beverage’s hints of malt, pine and vanilla. With a fresh impact, more mapley malt and pine, leading into a spicy, crisp ending. Chinook hop varieties add a note of complexity.

 

So, pick up a mixed six pack including each beer or maybe six six packs, one of each beer. They’re a fine way to ease into the colder weather of the season.

NOTE: Featured image is courtesy of Samuel Adams.

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SLOW FOOD NATIONS – DAY THREE

On the third and final day of Slow Food Nations, I attended a panel on “Food and Freedom” with Carlo Petrini, Corby Kummer and Barry Lynn of the New America Foundation Open Markets Program (see NOTE below). With Slow Food USA Executive Director Richard McCarthy and Alice Waters in attendance, Petrini and Lynn focused on the questions “how, in an age of globalization and transnational capital flows, people all over the world are taking ownership over their local food systems? How are we balancing food with freedom?”

Carlo Pertini opened the conversation stating that concentration of power, how it affects wealth, opportunity, and quality of life actually kills people, and it’s worse today and growing, with food choices in the hands of a few. He illustrated the point noting that companies realized they could affect the price of products by manipulating supply and availability. Treating food as a commodity, they withhold grain and stockpile it until the price rises, and actually the smaller the group doing the withholding, the larger their power. He pointed out this practice of investor speculation in food beginning in the 2007/2008 period was one of the causes of the Arab Spring, more so than political or philosophical causes – people were hungry and desparate.

But in a situation of concentration, keeping food prices low still favors this small group of large firms because it devalues food produced by small suppliers. When food stops being food and becomes a commodity, with speculation at each step on the way to market, we have lost track of where food comes from. Petrini said this is an international problem – production and distribution costs are no longer as important as the gross accumulation of the product. He gave examples of tomatoes and tuna (saying we will not have a sustainable supply of tuna in ten years).

Barry Lynn continued with a little history lesson about the original Tea Party. Despite the stories we have been told, it was not because of high taxes but a protest against an international monopoly called the East India Tea Company as a threat to the colonists’ liberty by interfering with the ability of farmers and consumers to interact freely. It was a foundational ethic in this country that fighting monopoly protects democracy from monopolists and allows communities to decide how to interact with each other, thus also protecting families by enabling them to have enough to live.

What happened to that ethic? According to Lynn, the Chicago School of “free market” capitalists and “command and control” socialists actually came together in the 1970’s to get rid of anti-monopoly law and reinterpreted it to apply to consumers instead of citizens. This change to the anti-monopoly law has led us to today – looming autocracy.

His example of a chicken farm: labor laws protect workers but not in farming because farming is supposed to be controlled by open and free markets. That  used to work when there were many small buyers; now there usually is only one large buyer and the “tournament system” allows the buyer to pit the farmers against each other (instead of relying on collective action) by paying each different prices – none of this is audited or tracked; the company has all the information and power. For an entertaining but ultimately depressing explanation, he referred us to this John Oliver Last Week Tonight Episode.

Mr. Petrini added that the European Union built a barrier against GMOs, even creating a DO (denomination of origin) for food products (in an effort to guarantee authenticity) but has been getting pushback from the U.S. and others to allow GMOs in. He repeated the problem began when we became consumers rather than citizens. Then we became complicit.

So what can we do? he asked. How do we construct an opposition to this? “What we need is fellowship among Italian and American farmers.” I think Mr. Petrini would agree with me asserting that he also means farmers from all over the world should find ways to collaborate to decrease reliance on central governments and multinational corporations. He added that the vision is simultaneously local (focused on the farmers and the community) and international (to share knowledge and resources).

An illustration: Mr. Petrini said we (the developed countries) consume too much, especially meat, while others don’t have enough. We must favor both “contraction” (for those who have too much) and “convergence” (for those who have too little). [I thought: sharing resources-what a concept?] He pointed out the World Health Organization in October 2015 said too much meat increases the risk of cancer (especially processed meat).


Then, he asserted, “we all make policy by eating” and revisited this famous wisdom from Wendell Berry in the essay “The Pleasures of Eating” where he says “eating is an agricultural act.” And, Petrini continued, therefore “eating is a political act,” an insight also offered by Michael Pollan in this interview in The Atlantic. I believe he even made the statement, at least that’s what my notes show: “eat local, the rest is slavery.” He urged further study of this policy but emphasized beginning at the grassroots, pointing out we are political subjects and must take action to cultivate our own food system.

Barry Lynn jumped in pointing out what Louis Brandeis wrote in 1913 that this is especially important as we have seen throughout our history: “Far-seeing organized capital secures by this means [price cutting] the co-operation of the short-sighted unorganized consumer to his own undoing. Thoughtless or weak, he yields to the temptation of trifling immediate gain, and, selling his birthright for a mess of pottage, becomes himself an instrument of monopoly.”

He argued again this nation’s first revolution was against monopoly and a second revolution also was against monopoly control – the Progressive era, when farmers and others rose up, and in the election of 1912 when Woodrow Wilson (who wanted to break up the monopolies) defeated Howard Taft (who wanted to let monopolies have control), and Theodore Roosevelt (who believed monopolies were inevitable but government should oversee them).

And Lynn then said we are now called upon to create a third revolution against monopolies – and he said it is beginning to happen – in the way people responded in the last election to Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders (and Elizabeth Warren) because both political parties have been offenders. Responding to Brandeis’ critique, he said we are going to have to save ourselves by spending our money more self consciously and socially consciously.

Mr. Petrini praised efforts to reduce food waste and also reiterated his earlier statement that we must be willing to pay more for food (he said his food costs in 1975 were about 30% and today are about 12%, so he actually could afford to spend more on food). He said we will need to change our thinking about food calling it an anthropological challenge to move away from the fear of hunger, which leads to hoarding food and then throwing much of it away. He concluded praising “marginalized communities” that have been subjected to power but are beginning to respond by strengthening community and working together to help each other in open markets [without a corporate middle man]. Ultimately, “liberty will come from our individual behavior and our relations.” No corporation (even Wal-Mart, Amazon or Whole Foods) will solve the food desert problem – it will be communities acting with mutual aid. Of course, he acknowledged, this is hard work and it takes strength to be a co-producer. But this is the work that must be done.

And, as Richard McCarthy put it in this post-festival snapshot: “Change is not easy. It can be clumsy, but there is no alternative. We do not have all the answers or all of the people. Not yet.”

 

NOTE: Mr. Lynn and his team at Open Markets “were let go [by New America Foundation effective September 1] because the leaders of my think tank chose not to stand up to Google’s threats.” This is a charge Google and the New America Foundation disputes. For his part, Lynn and the Open Markets team have established a new organization, Citizens Against Monopoly to continue the fight.

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COOL AND FRESH AND LIGHT: WILD STANDARD HAS WINE AND SEAFOOD PAIRING IDEAS FOR SUMMERTIME

Wine and food pairing is a regular topic among consumers and wine professionals alike. This stands to reason, as wine is best consumed with food.

 

Although some wine professionals get carried away with elaborate recommendations – and sometimes I drift in the opposite direction following the adage “drink what you like with what you like” – I have been doing this (drinking wine, eating food and writing about it) long enough to realize that most of the time at least some care in choosing food/wine combinations pays dividends.

 

In the warm weather of summertime, our focus tends to be on colder and lighter foods and wines, though there are some notable exceptions (barbecue and pizza to name two). One of the first foods that comes to my mind is seafood and fish. So, I was delighted recently when I had a chance to sample several pairings with Simon Vazquez General Manager of the Boulder seafood restaurant Wild Standard.

 

Wild Standard has become a sustainable seafood and farm-to-table dining destination and Simon was anxious to demonstrate “the variety of whites, rosés and even reds that can elevate and add more distinction to the selection of seafood [particularly chilled seafood] flavors on your plate.” I met with him one afternoon to sample several wine combinations he had arranged with the food prepared by Wild Standard’s expert kitchen.

We began with a Kumamoto oyster (from Washington) paired with a glass of Naveran Cava, a blend of macabeo, xarello, chardonnay and paralleda, this Spanish sparkler’s high-toned fruit and brisk acidity nicely cut through the creamy, mild flavor of the Kumamotos. Simon suggested a full flavored Rosé also would go well.

 

A Seaside Virginia oyster was briny and sweet, which proved a nice match for an off-dry Schmitt Sohne “Relax” Riesling. He added that Champagne also is excellent with these oysters (I added that Champagne is excellent with everything.)


On to a Tuna poke and a rare Vinho Verde Rose from Nordico. It’s delicate flavors and minerality nicely accented the flavorful tuna. This tuna also would be good with a chilled light red wine like a Beaujolais-Villages, a Grenache from southern France (same as Garnacha from Spain) or a Nero d’Avola from Sicily.

 

Next Simon pulled off a nifty comparison of ceviche and escabeche with blended wines from Colorado’s own Jack Rabbit Hill. The ceviche (basically citrus marinated fish) tasted especially clean with the “Wild White” but that Riesling or a Gruner Veltliner from Austria would be nice here, too. The escabeche (essentially pickled vegetables or fish) needed the assertive flavors of the “Wild Red.” But I sensed it also would be quite fine with a slightly sweet Riesling.

 

We finished with house cold-smoked wild Alaskan King Salmon and an A to Z Pinot Noir from Oregon. While the pairing is rather obvious, it’s also obviously delicious. A light smokiness and inviting cherry flavor in the wine played well with the salmon. Still, I’d like to try an Alsatian Gewurztraminer or a Sauvignon Blanc with it sometime.

Needless to say, this tasting was just an illustration of the infinite possibilities for fish/seafood and wine pairing. And you will delight in experimenting for yourself. If you can get to Boulder, Wild Standard boasts a raw bar with shrimp, lobster tails, snow crab legs and king crab legs, in addition to oysters and a variety of sampler platters, all sourced from purveyors who support sustainable practices.

 

And by the way, Chef Heap also operates SALT Bistro next door to Wild Standard on Pearl Street and Colterra in Niwot.

 

NOTE: Photos are courtesy of Wild Standard.

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SLOW FOOD NATIONS – DAY TWO

With the Delegate Summit completed on Friday, Saturday inaugurated the Slow Food Nations Festival. Larimer Street between 14th and 15th streets and 14th Street between Market and Lawrence were dotted with booths of the taste marketplace, a kids area with gardens & cooking, and international pavilions. And it all was free and open to the public, although, of course, there was plenty of small, artisan made products for sale.

The festival kicked off with a panel titled “Love the Earth, Defend the Future: Taking Action to Protect Our Food.” The panel included Carlo Petrini-founder and president of Slow Food International; Alice Waters-chef (and author) founder of Chez Panisse(what some have called (the original farm-to-table restaurant) and vice president of Slow Food International; Ron Finley-an advocate for urban transformation through urban gardening and fresh, healthy produce for kids; Michel Nischan-chef, author, and advocate, focused on sustainable food systems and social equity through food; and musician Jack Johnson who is a proponent for sustainable local food systems and plastic free initiatives.

Kim Severs, a journalist with The New York Times who moderated the panel, began by saying she likes that Slow Food has been political but not partisan and described it is “a delicious revolution.”

Some of the panel highlights I noted:

Alice Waters compared our current times to the Vietnam War era-It’s a lot worse than we know, so we have to do something dramatic together.

  • But isn’t food frivolous in these times? Quoting Ron Finley-not at all, we can’t survive without it. More people are killed in East LA by drive-ins than drive-bys.
  • It’s not a bad thing that the Administration is not doing much on food because that leaves it up to us. Farmers markets, food hubs, etc. are disruptive initiatives, with or without government involvement.
  • Still, we need to ask our politicians really tough questions about food and educate them

Ron Finley noted he is not working with the government because “they have enslaved us, it is a WMD.” He stressed the importance of starting early educating young people about real food.

Jack Johnson added you make them fall in love with good food “because you protect what you love.”

One of the panelists – I didn’t catch which – added this startling statistic: For the cost of one dialysis treatment, 250 people can eat three meals a day.

And Carlo Petrini spent a significant amount of time singing the praises of (writer and Kentucky farmer) Wendell Berry : It seems odd that you are looking for a political solution when you have the answer right here: Wendell Berry, he is insightful and knows the rot in the system. More:

  • Eating as an agricultural act is the most important thing. I don’t want to eat things I don’t know. Is it just a matter of how cheap it is?
  • Wendell also talks about how we need to pay more for our food. As long as we pay so little for our food, put such a low value on it, there won’t be change. There are negative externalities that destroy nature, community, the economy.
  • The revolution starts with each of us and the food we eat. Understand the difference between price and value.
  • Biodiversity, sustainability, soil fertility all are important.
  • If we want to bring about this change, politicians will follow us. We have to regenerate the economy buy paying value, paying more, then we can change politics. Be generous; we can’t change politics by being stingy.

 

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SLOW FOOD NATIONS – DAY ONE

The world came to Denver today, Friday July 14, 2017. Well, the world of Slow Food anyway. But it is an important world, one of small farmers, artisan food producers, chefs, conscientious consumers and food justice activists. For three days they come together to take stock of the progress of the about 30 year-old movement—and the challenges facing the growing international food movement. The event appropriately is called Slow Food Nations, reflecting the international nature of the movement.

The food festival, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, was preceded today with the Delegate Summit of leaders in the movement who gathered to meet, share stories, discuss a wide variety of food issues, and help shape the future of Slow Food. Richard McCarthy, Executive Director, Slow Food USA, kicked off Slow Food Nations with an address to an estimated 500 delegates. The slide below condenses the message while focusing the on the values being practiced.

Richard Salvador (Director, Food & Environment, Union of Concerned Scientists) followed bringing an international perspective. His talk emphasized the the rights of workers in food production and each persons role in creating a good food system for all. I was particularly struck by a slide he showed demonstrating the relative cost of a McDonalds hamburger in different locales around the world. It helps to put the importance of local food production into perspective.

A highlight of the day, of course, was the lunch under a big, open tent in Civic Center park. Alice Waters welcomed everyone by talking about connecting agriculture and food (farms and gardens) with education and learning (schools and curriculum). She said, “I don’t want to talk about it. I want you to taste it and smell it and connect with (others).” She also stressed the importance of food for learning, how many children don’t even have one meal a day with their family. Then she talked about haw it would be revolutionary to connect school with farming and how she has an idea of the school lunch as an academic subject. While students from the Each One, Teach One program of Denver Public Schools helped with the food preparation, I was struck by how participatory the service was as people at all the tables we asked to volunteer to help bring food to their table.

The afternoon included a variety of workshops and break out sessions. I was struck by the workshop on Breaking the Corporate Stranglehold, when attendees took a break to call their members of Congress to ask them to cosponsor the Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act and the Voluntary Check off Act, which would reform the commodity checkogf programs. At a workshop on Aligning the Good Food and Food Justice Movements presenters stressed the relationships between producers an consumers and discussed the pros and cons of exploring different business models, such as Community Supported Agriculture and cooperatives.

Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini appropriately gave the closing keynote address to the delegate summit (translated by The Atlantic Senior Editor Corby Kummer). His address touched on the Slow Food values of self-sufficiency, small and local, organic production. Mr. Petrini also emphatically criticized so-called free trade treaties saying these international treaties made in the name of Free trade demolish small scale production. They reduce food to the level of commodity. “Free trade is the freedom for the foxes to eat chickens. And we know who the foxes are and who the chickens are.”

The speech continued touching on the surveillance state and privacy but how the new methods of communication can enable faster change. This technology is the means. the question is how do we use use it for our own community?

He added the international community hasn’t acted the way it should on Climate Change, even with the Paris agreement. And declared it’s the poor countries that suffer the most – many Slow Food members in Africa already have lost much of their crops, according to him.

Quantity vs. Quality? Mr. Petrini expressed concern about the increase in meat consumption notably in China. Noting the next Slow Food International Congress will be held in China he said there isn’t enough land, so they increasingly buy meat from the USA or Brazil without knowing the impact on the environment, their culture. “We want food with an identity.” He gave an example of the Slow Food vision noting prosciutto: it’s important to know what kind of pig, where it is from, how it was raised, etc. He acknowledged this means we need to make changes in our lifestyle: eat less meat but better meat, pay attention to where it is from, use fewer chemicals, and reduce waste.

“Participatory democracy begins with participatory food production.”

Mr. Petrini, approaching the close of his address, stressed the urgency of the food movement’s work. And pointed to the central role of the farmer: Now is the time to share – the common knowledge, folk knowledge of farmers is scientific knowledge. Farmers are themselves a university, an extended university. Farmers deserve respect, for their work, experience, knowledge, their scientific knowledge. Local farmers and food producers are scholars, scientists, a university of agricultural knowledge diffused. Traditional knowledge needs to work on an equally respected footing with academic knowledge

And Mr. Petrini noted the food movement can build bridges to other movements: We all depend on each other. We must be inclusive, with less structure, more ideas. When a movement becomes too structured, it starts to die. Focus on ideas, not structure. Let young people pursue their ideas. Focus on human relations instead of spreadsheets. Finally: a different kind of democracy will emerge. The new metaphor for our new dimension is the vegetable. Vegetables don’t have a brain but they work without a leader. The biggest leader is the group. So, the more people there are to think, the fewer errors they make. We need less bureaucracy, more empathy.