Tag: rose

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BUBBLES AND ROSES FOR VALENTINE’S DAY

I have to admit my wife and I aren’t big on most holidays or special occasions. Frankly, we’re put off by the commercialism. That’s especially true this time of year. Having just made it through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, we’ve been facing the Valentine’s Day onslaught for a month now.

It’s not that we have anything intrinsically against these holidays. It’s just that it is hard to find the meaning behind all the commercialism and we prefer to take the road less traveled.

For example, if we go out at all on New Year’s Eve, we go early and come home early. We’re more likely to stay home; make dinner for ourselves; and, of course, open a bottle or two of wine. The same goes for Valentine’s Day, our anniversary, and our birthdays.

Of course, one thing about holidays and special occasions is that they do provide prime opportunities to open a special bottle of wine. For many people, and I count myself among them, Champagne (or other good sparkling wine) is a classic choice for making any special occasion even more special.

Certainly, it is a prime choice for toasting the occasion but Valentine’s Day also is the perfect time for drinking bubbly throughout the meal. The combination of good acidity, intense fruit, and, of course, effervescence make for a most versatile combination. And don’t forget that some of the best sparkling wines are rosés (which in Champagne typically are a blend of red wine from pinot noir/pinot meunier and white wine from chardonnay).

A fine choice for Champagne would be the Nicolas Feuillatte NV Brut Rosé ($36). It reveals an intensity of red fruits to the senses that signify the passion of the evening. But the NV Brut ($36), which relies more on pinot noir and pinot meunier than many NV Brut, also is a fine choice. It offers cherry notes but also pear and citrus, accented with floral and hazelnut elements that all merge to suggest the fresh flavors and elegance that tickle the palate. A fun option for those going casual or who just want one glass each is the inexplicably named One Fo(u)r, a 2-pack of mini bottles (one Brut & one Rosé, $30).

Sparkling Wine from California can be a god alternative. The Domaine Carneros NV Brut Rosé Cuvée de la Pompadour ($35) opens up with a delightful strawberry cream bouquet that creates a sense of anticipation more than realized in the racy, playful palate.

Gloria Ferrer’s NV Blanc de Noirs ($20) tantalizes with sweet sensations of red fruits. Then presents a voluptuous palate that finishes with a delightful zest. The NV Brut ($20) goes more for the smooth, sleek approach. It balances perky fruit with a stylish texture that invites you to indulge.

Of course, Champagne and California sparklers are the obvious choices. If you like to shake things up and experiment, you could try an Alsatian bubbly, known as Crémant d’Alsace. But these bubbles are no consolation prize. Crémant typically is light and fruity but offers a nice measure of complexity.

The best place to start is Lucien Albrecht, the largest Crémant producer. The Brut Rosé ($20) is all pinot noir and has the finesse and flexibility to assume any position throughout a meal. The all pinot blanc Brut Blanc de Blancs ($20) is lithe and supple and would do nicely as a prelude to the main course.

Another adventurous selection would be Prosecco (also the name of the grape) from the Veneto. Prosecco makes a great aperitif but can perform well all evening. The attraction is in its light, fresh aromas and clean, delicate fruit, and low alcohol. I’ve recently been enamored of Valdo’s Nerello Mascalese Rosé ($14) in which the nerello grape adds color and spice to the blend and Valdo’s Brut ($15) for its tart green apple flavors.

Actually, now that I think of it, with all this great wine to drink, maybe having all these holidays and special occasions isn’t such a bad idea after all.

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A Red, White and Rose Summer


A Red, White and Rose Summer

Hotter weather means lighter reds means its time to rediscover Beaujolais.

Beaujolais

If it’s been a while since you had a glass of Beaujolais, now is the time to rediscover this refreshing red.

Beaujolais comes from the so-named French region just north of the city of Lyon. Technically part of the Burgundy region, it actually is made from a different grape and using different vinification techniques. Beaujolias typically is made using a distinctive whole bunch fermentation process solely with the gamay grape. Gamay is known for a distinctive flavor profile of mostly bright red fruits, floral, herbal and mineral notes, and lively acidity. As a bonus, most are low alcohol (12.5% to 13%) by today’s standards and are best served slightly chilled.

At the top of the quality range are the ten “crus” associated with ten designated villages.  My recent tasting included wines from seven of the crus  (no Chenas, Moulin-a-Vent or Regnie). The three clear favorites have a fairly full body, good depth and complexity):

Fleurie: 2007 Pierre-Marie Chermette “Domaine du Vissoux” Les Garants ($24)

Morgon: 2007 Georges Dubeouf “Jean Descombes” ($15)

Cote-de-Brouilly: Nicole Chanrion “Domaine de la Voute des Crozes” ($19)

Just below these in preference, showing lots of fruit and good structure, were four 2007 Dubeouf “Flower Label” wines  – Chiroubles ($13), Julienas ($13), Fleurie ($16), Saint-Amour  ($16). The 2006 Chateau de La Chaize Brouilly ($12) was identified as a solid value.

At the entry level, are the lighter, fruiter wines labeled simply “Beaujolais.”  These are the wines that emulate the simple,  exuberant style most often associated with Beaujolais. In between in quality and character is “Beaujolais- Villages.”  Whichever level you choose, Beaujolais represents one of the best values around.

Pinot Gris

In the heat of the summer, a light, refreshing aromatic white hits the spot much better than a big, buttery Chardonnay. There are many good candidates—Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc. Right now I’m drinking a lot of Pinot Gris (and Pinot Grigio).

Pinot Grigio (the Italian style) tends to fresh citrus and melon carried in a brisk, yet easygoing frame. Pinot Gris (the French style) offers a similar flavor profile but tends to be fuller bodied. Same grape. Two styles. Both good.

Pinot Gris, the so-called “grey pinot,” reaches its epitome in Alsace but the Pinot Grigio of northeastern Italy may be the version best known to Americans. Pinot Gris also is considered to be Oregon’s best white wine and is gaining a growing list of converts in California and such far flung places as New Zealand and Australia.

Most of these wines never see a minute of wood. The resulting wines generally are crisp, fairly high acid, and aromatic, with bright fruit flavors (melon, lemon-lime, pear, peach and apricot). Occasionally, one can discern nut or mineral.

Here is a reliable shopping list from my recent tastings:

Pinot Gris

2007 Milbrandt Traditions Columbia Valley ($13)
2007 Helfrich Alsace ($15)
2007 Oak Knoll Willamette Valley ($16)
2008 J Vineyards Russian River Valley ($16)
2007 Sven Hills Oregon ($16)
2007 King Estate “Signature Collection” Oregon ($17)
2008 Etude Carneros ($24)
2007 King Estate “Domaine” Oregon ($25)

Pinot Grigio

2008 Fish Eye delle Venezie ($7)
2007 Twisted Wines California ($8)
2007 Stellina di Notte delle Venezie ($10)
2008 Castello di Gabbiano delle Venezie ($10)
2008 Gnarly Head California ($11)
2008 Robert Oatley South Australia ($18)

Pinot Gris

In the heat of the summer, a light, refreshing aromatic white hits the spot much better than a big, buttery Chardonnay. There are many good candidates—Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc. Right now I’m drinking a lot of Pinot Gris (and Pinot Grigio).

Ironically pink wines are under appreciated in this country while the popularity of blush wines has reinforced the perception that these aren’t real wines.  Europeans, on the other hand, have known for a long time the joy of drinking a good pink wine.

I’m talking about wines that are dry or occasionally only slightly sweet. Expect bright, fresh fruit aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and cranberry. Some even exhibit a red-like level of intensity, body and complexity. Expect fresh fruit flavors that approximate the flavor profile of its red siblings but drinks more like a white wine. Because of their freshness and lively fruit, pinks are always best drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available.

There are essentially three ways to make a pink wine. The most common method is to crush red grapes and leave the juice in contact with the grape skins (the source of a wine’s color) only briefly. The second technique is a process called “saignée” in which a certain amount of juice is “bled off” shortly after red grapes are crushed. The third approach involves blending white and red wines to the desired effect.

France is the prime source. There is a dizzying array of French Rosés from all over the country but most notably the south – places like Provence, Languedoc-Roussillon, Bandol, Cotes-du-Rhone, and Tavel (which sources the grenache-dominated 2008 Chateau d’Aqueria, $19). Also look for Rosé d’Anjou from the Loire Valley and Beaujolais Rosé (try the 2008 Louis Jadot, $11).

In the U.S., West Coast producers finally have gotten on the quality bandwagon. Here are four favorites I’ve tasted recently.

2007 Red Côte Rosé Suisun Valley (cabernet sauvignon/petite sirah, $13)

2008 Pali Sunset Rose (pinot noir/grenache, $15)

2008 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Rosé Willamette Valley ($16)

2008 Etude Rosé of Pinot Noir Carneros ($20)

Finally, let’s head down below to New Zealand and Australia. Try the 2008 Wild Rock Vin Gris Rosé Hawkes Bay ($17). The term Vin Gris” or “grey wine” is a tribute to the French, which often used the term to denote a rosé. From Australia, a surprisingly good choice is the 2008 Robert Oatley Rosé of Sangiovese ($18).

I look forward to tasting more throughout the summer and urge you to investigate this underappreciated category. For further research, check out Rosé Avengers and Producers at www.rapwine.org.

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Pink Wines Strike Refreshing Middle Ground

This is the time of year most of us wine critics write columns touting various white wines as the cool, refreshing antidote to summer’s hot weather. These days most of us also are singing the praises of pink wines. Of course, we are not talking about White Zinfandel. We are talking about dry serious wine and there are many quite tasty ones worth your attention.

Europeans, on the other hand, have known for a long time the joy of drinking a good pink wine. The most common label for these wines outside of Europe is the French word “Rosé” in reference to the color, of course. There are essentially two types of pink wine. The most common style is a made by crushing red grapes and leaving the juice in contact with the grape skins (the source of a wine’s color) only briefly. The other style is the result of a process called “saignee.” This is a technique in which a certain amount of juice is “bled off” after the grapes are crushed. Either way, the result is a wine with a shade of pink that is an ideal “bridge” wine: it approximates the flavor interest of its red siblings but drinks more like a white wine. The best are dry or occasionally only slightly sweet but deliver bright, fresh fruit flavors.

As such, pink wines arguably are the most versatile of wines. They make excellent aperitifs and can accompany a wide variety of foods. They are a fine choice at barbecues, picnics and a restaurant when you want a bottle of red and your companion wants a bottle of white. Because of their light body and lively fruit, pink wines are best when chilled and should be drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available. Arguably the best rosés in the world are produced in France, where they take pink wines every bit as seriously as they do red and white wines. This is especially true in the south, where a wide variety of rosés are produced. Tavel, referencing an appellation in the southern Rhone Valley northeast of Avignon and southwest of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, probably is the best know pink wine in the world. Certainly, the wines are very good but this popularity probably also is because rosé is all that is produced here and the region does an effective job of marketing their product.

In fact, the 2005 Guigal ($16) was the best of my tasting. This sixty-year-old wine company is one of France’s greatest producers. Guigal makes a wide range of wines, including highly prized Hermitage and Cote Rotie. Clearly, this flavorful rosé (equal parts grenache and cinsault) benefits from that expertise. The 2006 Chateau d’Aqueria ($17), from an estate that was founded in 1595 and now is the largest in the appellation, is a more traditional Tavel in that it is a blend of red wines (grenache, cinsault, mourvedre) and white wines (clairette and bourboulenc).

Head southeast of Tavel and you come to the idyllic region of Provence and the French Riviera. Here, famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer Chateau Mont Redon makes L’Aire du Rossignol Cotes du Provence (2005, $15) from biodynamically grown grenache, cinsault and syrah vines averaging 35 years old. Over near the southwest corner of France, is the Languedoc. Although the area has about a 2500-year history of wine making there wasn’t much to recommend it tot consumers until about thirty years ago. Today, it is one of France’s most exciting wine regions. Domaine de Nizas is a good example of this new commitment to quality. Established in 1998 by Bernard Portet, the winemaker for Napa Valley’s Clos du Val and John Goelet, a direct descendant of the Guestier wine merchant family on Bordeaux, it is now producing several impressive wine. The 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc ($16), a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, is a good introduction to the winery and the region. Before leaving France, how about a quick stop in Beaujolais? Here, Louis Jadot, for 150 years one of the most respected names in Burgundy and Beaujolais, also makes a fine Rosé. The 2006 Beaujolais ($13, screw cap) is made with gamay, the only grape allowed in Beaujolais.

The Spanish are as serious about their “Rosado” as the French are about Rosé. While there is a lot of good Rosado from Rioja (tempranillo grape), the region of Navarra to the north, although still more famous for the bulls of Pamplona, is a great source of Rosado from garnacha grapes. The 2006 Red Guitar ($12) is produced by Bodegas Ada, a 53 member cooperative established in 1941. The winery amazingly claims this wine is made from the same 60-100 year old vines as their red wine, which says to me it is made by the saignee method. Regardless, it is a flavorful, well-priced wine. The 2006 Julian Chivite Gran Fuedo ($12) comes from the oldest (1647) and still one of the finest producers in Spain. Chivite is best known for red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero but has relied on vineyards from their home base in Navarra to create this fine Rosado.

Now is also a good time to try California rosé. More and more wineries are producing quality rosés, perhaps sensing a growing interest among consumers. Here are a few good choices: 2005 Big House Pink ($10, screw cap). The whimsical “Big House” brand was created by the inimitable Randall Graham of Bonny Doon and includes a Red, White and Pink. This pink is produced by the saignee method an includes an eclectic blend of five grapes: sangiovese, barbera, zinfandel, carignan, and Mourvedre. 2006 I’M Rosé Napa Valley ($13). This wine is one of the new projects from the Michael Mondavi family. In fact, the brand is named after Michael’s wife, Isabel Mondavi and his son, Rob, makes it using the saignee method. It is quite full flavored, maybe at least partly because it is 100% cabernet sauvignon.2006 St. Francis Sonoma County ($17). This Sonoma Valley winery is one of my favorite Zinfandel producers. Although this blend includes only two grapes, I find the combination of 75% merlot and 25% syrah as unique as the Big House.

Finally, let’s head down to New Zealand for a 2006 Wild Rock Vin Gris ($16, screw cap). Wild Rock makes distinctive and affordable Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago vineyards located on the South Island. The label uses the term Vin Gris” or “grey wine” as a tribute to the French, which often used the term to denote a Rosé. Because of their light body and lively fruit, rosés are best when chilled and should be drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available. Finally, one last point in their favor: they are eminently affordable. Most can be had for less than $20 retail.

As evidence of their growing popularity, pink wines now even have their own advocacy group: Rosé Avengers and Producers. Check them out at . There is also a new book dedicated solely to Rosé: “Rosé: A Guide to the World’s Most Versatile Wine,” (Chronicle Books) by Jeff Morgan, who is also a founder of RAP.

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Summer Pairings for Picnics

rich mauroThis summer when you prepare for a picnic, don’t forget the wine. While most people still turn to beer or margaritas to beat the heat, to my palate, there is no better environment for wine than a leisurely picnic or a backyard barbecue. One general guideline I follow is to match modest wine with modest foods. And I extend that to include modest circumstances, like picnics. Most picnics feature an eclectic variety of appetizers and snacks. Consequently the wine choices are myriad. Given the warmer weather and lighter foods, my thoughts turn to crisp, fruity, aromatic whites, such as these:

– 2006 Newhaven Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($12)

– 2006 Hogue Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley ($11)

– 2006 Chateau St. Jean Riesling Sonoma County ($15)

– 2006 Chateau St. Jean Gewürztraminer Sonoma County ($15)

A full-flavored rosé, such as the cabernet sauvignon-based 2006 Rosé Napa Valley ($13) from the Michael Mondavi family, also will do the trick.

Spicy appetizers like salsas and buffalo wings are a pairing challenge, to say the least, but wines with higher acid or some sweetness, including those just listed, can hold up to the heat. Other good choices include:

– 2006 Hogue Late Harvest Riesling (screw cap, $12)

– 2006 Kenwood Gewurztraminer Sonoma County ($14)

– 2006 The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey Sauvignon Blanc Reserv ($19)

If you insist on red wine, try the vibrant fruit of an Australian shiraz, like the 2005 Rosemount Diamond label ($10).

If cheese is being served, especially fresh and tangy cheese like goat’s milk, a brisk white, such as the 2006 Hogue Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley ($10), is my first choice. The Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc ($12), 2005 Covey Run Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley ($9) or a Rhone varietal like the 2004 Marc Kreydenweiss “Perrieres” (biodynamic, $14) also would do nicely, especially with moderately aged cheeses.

Salads may present the toughest challenge for pairing, mainly because of the presence of vinegar. But it’s not impossible. Again, the acidity of a sauvignon blanc — say the 2006 Rosemount Diamond Label ($10) — or pinot grigio, such as a 2005 Tamas Monterey County (screw cap, $12), are most likely to stand up. The 2006 Martin Codax Albarino Rias Baixas ($15) from Spain world be an intriguing alternative.

The options for sandwiches are similar to those for appetizers. Just about any snappy, fruit-forward wine (red, white or pink) should do nicely. But this is where dry rosés really shine. I suggest looking to southern France, where rosé never went out of style. I recently tasted four excellent ones from Provence.

– Domaine Houchart 2006 ($10)

– Château de Pourcieux 2006 ($11)

– Commanderie de la Bargemone 2006 ($13)

– Domaine de la Sauveuse 2006 (organic, $18)

Of course, grilled and barbecued meats and fish often are the centerpieces of a picnic. Here is where the red wines take center stage. For beef or lamb, cabernet sauvignon is a classic choice but I suggest a Bordeaux-style blend: 2003 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve “Meritage” ($12) and 2005 Robert Mondavi Private Selection “Vinetta” ($11). More interesting would be a Sangiovese-based wine like Gabbiano’s 2005 Chianti ($10) and 2004 Chianti Classico ($13) or the 2005 Col d’Orcia “Spezieri” ($13).

Actually, my favorite wines for grilled foods (especially chicken and sausages) and barbecue are zinfandel and syrah. Their jammy fruit, good structure and spice form a beautiful chorus with the smoky, juicy flavors of the grill. These will get you started:

– 2005 Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel Sonoma County ($16)

– 2005 Rosenblum Zinfandel North Coast ($18)

– 2005 Covey Run “winemaker’s Collection” Syrah ($9)

– 2005 Kendall-Jackson Syrah “Vintner’s Reserve” ($12)

– 2005 Archetype Shiraz Barossa Valley ($15)

– 2004 Marr Syrah Tehama Hills ($19)

Finally, grilled seafood always seems to be less delicate than when cooked in the oven. White wines still work fine, Rosés even better. Best would be Pinot Noir like the 2005 B & G “Bistro Wine” ($9), 2005 Kali Hart Monterey County ($18) or 2005 Tolosa Central Coast ($18) for their earthy, low-tannin character. What are your favorite pairings and suggestions for summer fare? I would welcome your comments and thoughts!