The Wine Tribune Blog

 

By Carolyn Evans Hammond Sept 3, 2010

 

“Tokaji Atzu does for you at the end of a meal what Champagne does for you at the beginning,” said British wine critic Hugh Johnson.

Of course, he’s right.  A finishing nip of Tokaji Atzu or other decent sweet wine absolutely improves a meal, especially if it ends with a selection of cheeses.  And a chilled glass of something crisp, sweet and golden beats Port or Amarone in the summer heat hands down. 

Don’t believe me?  Try a creamy bite of fresh chevre or a butter-nutty sliver of Ossau Iraty—the handmade cheese from the Basque region of France—with a sip of Tokaji Atzu 3 Puttonyos.

Here’s a list of the good, better, best sweet wines for a summer cheese board. 

Good

Concha Y Toro Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Maule Valley, Maipo, Chile ($20US, $15CAN/375 ml)  This straw-colored wine tastes of lime marmalade, honey, mango, and pear. It’s a lively and aromatic dessert wine that’s lusciously sweet with balancing acidity. Mouthcoatingly full-bodied due to its high sugar content with 12% alc.

Béres Hárslevelu Late Harvest Tokaji 2008, Hungary (Not widely avail in US, $13CAN/500ml) Great value for money, this Hungarian dessert wine brims with lush flavours of honey, apricot, and sweet peach flavours lead, followed by a hint of spice.  Not terribly complex but certainly concentrated, balanced, and a happy match for cheese.  Delish. 12% alc.

Better

Pellegrino Passito di Pantelleria DOC 2007, Sicily, Italy ($20US, $23CAN/375 ml)  Subtle orange oil aromas lead to pronounced flavors of orange peel, dried apricots, and peach conserve before finishing with a lingering apricot aftertaste and a final note of bitter orange zest. Succulent and balanced. Full-bodied with 15% alc.

Puklus Tokaji Aszú 3 Puttonyos 2003, Hungary (Not avail in US, $24CAN /500ml)  Compelling aromas and flavors of honey and bright citrus layered with classic notes of quince and raisins.  Seductive stuff.  Not too sweet with quenching acidity.  12.5% alc.

Best

Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay 2006, Jackson Estates Grown, Monterey, California ($20US/375 ml-not widely available in Canada)
This deep golden wine starts with aromas of honey and orange marmalade then leads to fresh yet luscious flavors of the same, layered with apple, kiwi, and stewed peach with a bright fresh orange tang on the finish. Incredibly delicious and hugely undervalued. It tastes very sweet but finishes clean and dry due to a tight seam of acidity. Full-bodied because of the high sugar yet only 11% alc.

Lenz Moser Prestige Trockenbeerenauslese 2007, Austria ($19CAN /375ml, not widely available in the US) When I tasted this wine, which is released on Saturday in Ontario, I made a mental note to buy a case.  It’s gorgeous–and perfect to tuck under the Christmas tree when the time comes.  Buttercream, super-ripe cantaloupe, sweet oranges, honey and marmalade.  Concentrated, complex, long and better than any dessert wine I can think of for the money.  11% alc.

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, is the first book to rank best-selling wines by price and grape variety, with tasting notes and bottle images (April, 2010, $12.95, Alpha Books). Within weeks of release, it soared to #1 at Amazon.ca and the #2 one at Amazon.com in the wine book category.  Available at bookstores everywhere. Watch the trailer at www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 27/08/10

 

Eating my way though Niagara wine country last week at some of the “best” establishments—About Thyme, Stone Road Grille and August Restaurant—was memorable alright.  The tap water at About Thyme was vile.  The steak at Stone Road Grille was tough and tasteless.  And the Reuben at August didn’t work at all for a number of reasons, including being served between two inches of whole wheat bread because they had run out of rye.

 

Then, happily, there was chef Mark Picone’s Culinary Studio.

 

Let’s just say his smoked salmon appetizer was to Stone Road Grill’s version as licking top-flight Burgundy from George Clooney’s suprasternal notch would be to drinking a flat cola, anywhere.  Let’s just say Mr. Picone really knows how to amuse the bouche.

 

Though the food scene in Niagara leaves deliciousness to be desired, certain wineries are some making killer juice.  Here’s a list of my favourite bottles from the region.

 

WHITE

 

Megalomaniac Homegrown Riesling 2006 ($13CAN at winery and LCBO)

What’s the secret to the charm of this off-dry thriller?  A dandy dose of 3.5% icewine—but you won’t find it on the label.   The result is an aromatic, off-dry wine teeming with lush chin-drip peaches, lemon-lime, and a hint of Clementine. 10.5% alc. 

 

Angels Gate 2007 Chardonnay, Mountainview Series ($19CAN at winery and LCBO)

From the extraordinary 2007 vintage, this wine offers silky viscosity, good weight and balance, and a warm hazelnut-butterscotch topcoat over a tight citrus core. 13.5% alc.

 

Thirty Bench Small Lot Pinot Gris 2009 ($30CAN at winery)

Matchstick aromas lead to rich stone fruit underpinned by charcoal, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Smooth, fleshy, balanced and complex. 

 

13^th Street Chardonnay 2009, Sandstone Vineyard ($30CAN at winery)

Meaursault-like richness.  Refined and complex.  Toffee layered with orange and crème brulee, finishing with bitter orange zest.  Gorgeous.

 

Hidden Bench Nuit Blanche 2008 ($40CAN at winery)

This Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend from 22 year old vines sells out every year.  Quite seductive, it’s all about bitter lime zest, dry flint and subtle smoke on the nose and palate with a waxy, appealing texture.  Quite serious and long.  12.8% alc.

 

RED

 

Inniskillin Winemaker’s Series Shiraz Cabernet Franc 2008 ($25CAN at winery)

Starting with a whiff of white pepper on the nose, this blend of 75% Shiraz, 25% Cab Franc brims with vibrant and full flavours of red meat, red and black berries, melting chocolate and white pepper.  Good value. 13% alc.

 

Megalomaniac 2007 Bravado Cabernet Sauvignon ($25CAN at winery and LCBO)

Bravado indeed!  Gorgeous blueberry and cassis-packed wine that’s long and stylish.  The tasting note on the website reads: “Defiant, gutsy, and self-assured to the max. This is a very proud Cab Sauvignon indeed.”  Can’t argue there; it drinks like a $50 bottle. 14% alc.

 

Pillitteri “Exclamation” Merlot 2007 ($30CAN at winery, yet to be released)

Cherry and chocolate, spice and violet flavours swirl around in this captivating thriller.   Sure to be a success once it’s released later this month.

 

Jackson Triggs Delaine Vineyard Syrah 2007 ($33CAN at winery and LCBO)

White pepper and berry aromas lead to oodles of plum and berry fruit on the palate seasoned with black and white pepper.  Bonfire finish. 13.5% alc.

 

Le Clos Jordanne Talon Ridge Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 ($37 at winery and LCBO)

Rich and creamy Chardonnay with roasted hazelnuts and restrained notes of pineapple.  Elegant, sleek and seamless.  I wasn’t fond of the 2006 but this vintage is stellar. 13.5%  alc. 

 

13^th Street “Essence” Pinot Noir 2009 ($45CAN at winery)

Tasting a tank sample, this wine showed nicely with elegant, refined fruit, good typicity, and a power and finesse fairly atypical of Ontario reds.  A bit pricey but still good value; it is, after all, Pinot.  14% alc.

 

Hidden Bench 2007 La Brunante ($85CAN at winery)

Brunante is a French Canadian word that means that moment when day becomes night.  Take that symbolism any way you like but this Bordeaux blend is a rich, mouthcoating wine with cassis, berries, plum, tobacco and spice.  If you want a bottle, call the winery and get your name on the list.  It tends to sell out within a day or two of hitting shelves and this bottle is released September 18^th. 

 

DESSERT

 

Angels Gate Snow Angels Cabernet Franc Icewine 2008 ($50CAN at winery)

This barrel fermented wine shows vibrant red berries layered with lots of interesting complexity from the oak—smoke, chocolate, coffee. 

 

Jackson Triggs 2007 Proprietor’s Reserve Vidal Icewine ($40CAN at winery)

Rich and complex with firm acidity. Peaches, bees wax, marmalade, and sea salt.

 

Carolyn Evans Hammond’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, the first book to rank the best-selling wines in North America, was released this month and has already soared to 4^th best-selling wine book on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.   It’s available at fine bookstores everywhere.

 

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

 

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

 

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 20/08/10

 

 

Smaller winemakers complain they’re undersung, underappreciated, and underloved.  I totally disagree.

Tonnes of ink is spilled on wines available to 2% of the population at prices higher than most want to spend most of the time.  Just read Decanter, Wine Spectator, The World of Fine Wine, or any newspaper in an area that makes fermented juice, no matter how piddly the amount.  That said, I don’t happen to write about small wineries much.

But I’m changing it up a bit this week.  It’s good to know hidden gems exist in case you’re planning a vacation around wine country sometime soon, want to appear savvy, or care to tell your local wine buyer how to do his or her job.

Or maybe, like me, you’re just really into wine. 

As a nod to the smaller makers making very good wine, I’m listing three of the best bottles I’ve tasted lately that probably aren’t stocked at your friendly neighbourhood wine store.  But you can always call each winery to find out how to get some.

Barrel Oak Winery, Reserve Chardonnay 2008, Virginia, USA (US$27, not widely available in Canada)
Tasting this wine almost makes me want to book a trip to Virginia.  Fabulous Chardonnay.  Silky, mouthcoating flavours of mixed citrus fruit and warm granite.  Impeccably made, perfectly balanced wine that’s hard to find beyond Burgundy.  Medium- to full-bodied with 13.1% alc. 

Barrel Oak Winery, Reserve Cabernet Franc 2008, Virginia, USA (US$30, to be released in the fall in the US; not widely available in Canada)
Shining pale purple in the glass, this berry-scented wonder is light years ahead of most Cab Francs.  Supremely drinkable with a refreshing raspberry-strawberry-cherry character.  So fresh and clean.  Lighter tasting than the 13.2%  alc. on the label would suggest. 

Hidden Bench 2007 La Brunante, Niagara, Canada ($85CAN available only at the winery)
Brunante is a French Canadian word that means that moment when day becomes night. Only made in great years and with a three bottle limit per person, this red Bordeaux blend is rich, mouthcoating, and complex with cassis, berries, plum, tobacco and spice.  But if you want a bottle, call the winery and get your name on the list.  It tends to sell out within hours of release, which happens September 18th for this vintage.

Disclaimer: Damned by vintage variation, smaller production wines may not taste the same vintage to vintage for reasons that are too dull to mention here.  So always look at the years on the bottles when scouting out these and other hidden gems.

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, is the first book to rank best-selling wines by price and grape variety, with tasting notes and bottle images (April, 2010, $12.95, Alpha Books). Within weeks of release, it soared to #1 at Amazon.ca and the #2 one at Amazon.com in the wine book category.  Available at bookstores everywhere. Watch the trailer at www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, published in Outreach Connection, at besteveryou.com, wine-tribune.com, and distributed privately on 13/08/10

 

Let’s talk wine, shall we? 

 

Do you like sangria? 

 

The other night, my friend made a jug of sangria to go with the fish tacos we were having in the garden.  Unlike many restaurants that make a sweeter version of the drink with wine, 7up and juice spiked with a bit of liqueur or brandy, we shot for more traditional style. We stirred a bottle of Spanish Tempranilla, a bottle of sparkling water, and about five shots of brandy in a pitcher with ice, chopped limes, sliced oranges and blueberries.  Delicious.

 

You could add a few shots of Cointreau, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier to that recipe for a bit of fruity sweetness but we preferred the drier version.  Thing is, in the absense of flavour-masking soda pop and juice, the wine choice is critical.  And great sangria wines are crowd-pleasing and fruit-driven with an appealing savoury twist.  They should obviously be affordable too because of the casual nature of the drink.  Below are the good, better, and best choices–all of which offer great value and are widely available.

 

Wines for Sangria

 

Good

Torres Coronas Tempranillo 2006, Catalunya, Spain ($13US/$13CAN)

This wine’s stewed strawberry and blackberry fruit pierced with zippy acidity makes great sangria—it’s the bottle we used the other night for our jug.  Affable.

 

Better

Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Shiraz 2007, Rapel Valley, Chile ($11US/$13CAN)

Slightly more affordable than the Torres, this wine also makes delicious sangria with its bright red and black forest fruit flavours and savoury complexity hinting at smoked meat, minerals,  sage, cocoa, and cream.  Almost serious sangria.

Best

Trapiche Varietals Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina ($6US/$8CAN)

This would probably be my first choice for sangria.   It’s slippery and juicy, fresh and lush, with plum berry flavours edged nicely with vanilla and peppercorn.  All at a comfortably low price.  Beautiful.  I’ll lift a glass to that.

 

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, soared to #2 best-selling wine book at Amazon.com and the #1 best-seller at Amazon.ca within weeks of release.   It’s available at bookstores everywhere.  Watch the trailer at http://www.goodbetterbestwines.com

 

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

 

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, published in Outreach Connection, at besteveryou.com, at wine-tribune.com, and distributed privately on 06/08/10

 

Ever had a fish taco?  It’s the kind of thing that sounds disgusting but can actually be divine—delicately battered and deep-fried fish rolled in a warm corn tortilla and dressed with a creamy-spicy sauce and crunchy greens.  It’s sexy surfer food.  

Put another way, fish tacos are to cool Californians as hot dogs are to the rest of the fat, fast food nation.  And, if we’re lucky, fish tacos may well be the next big thing.  Rubio’s, a little place in San Diego with a big reputation, makes what many west coasters agree are the best ones on earth.  And the little Mexican grill is expected to expand coast to coast in the wake of being acquired by private-equity firm Mill Road Capital LP for about US$91m in May.  Exciting stuff.

The other day, a craving for Rubio’s drove me to search out fish tacos in Toronto, where I live.  A google search only turned up one place—Chimichanga on posh Yorkville Avenue. 

The black thing I fished out of the salsa had wings.  Doesn’t that just say it all?  The meal that followed was falsely named “Baja fish tacos”.  It arrived as what I’m quite sure were large pickings from an alligator’s nose breaded in faux KFC coating and left unfried before being tucked into bland tortillas and dressed in an unknown whitish fluid, with the odd cube of mealy tomato flesh and a couple of white cabbage core shards on top.  Utterly vile.  I was speechless.  As was my disillusioned dining companion.  The place couldn’t even get its margaritas right—served all sweet and nasty in a highball glasses with ice. 

Clearly, you cannot get good fish tacos in Toronto. 

While I await my next trip to southern California—or the Rubio’s expansion, whichever comes first—I’ll be making my own fish tacos.  And probably eating them with Villa Maria Private Bin Unoaked Chardonnay 2008, Hawkes Bay, North Island, New Zealand ($17CAN, $14US). 

Villa Maria is perhaps best known for its stellar Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, but it clearly makes other excellent wines including this Chardonnay.  Beautifully fresh aromas that call to mind wet stones and hints of citrus.  Lingering, gorgeous, and elegant—and affordable.  Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Here’s a list of other worthwhile new releases widely available throughout North America.

Whites

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession Symphony 2009, California, USA ($15CAN, $10US)
Aromatic and off-dry, this wine would make a great aperitif chilled down and served on the deck with some spicy fingerfood.  Heady homemade peach jam aromas lead to fresh peach and wildflower flavours.

Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2008, California, USA ($18CAN, $11US)
Outstanding value.  Lime, herbs, and lilac aromas lead to crisp, ripe flavours of lime and pink grapefruit.  Medium-bodied with 13% alc. 

Beringer Napa Valley Vineyards Chardonnay 2008, California, USA ($25CAN, $14US)
Classic buttered toast aromas lead to a rich, buttery Chardonnay with an almost oily texture.  Mouthcoating and full-on with orange zest, peach cobbler, hazelnut, lemon curd and toast.  Resonant length and full-bodied with 14.1% alc.  Great autumnal selection. 

Tandem Sangiacomo Vineyards Chardonnay 2007, California, USA ($25CAN. $25US)
Flavours and aromas of key lime and toasty wood, edged with orange and nutmeg make.  Intriguing little number.  Bright, lively and food-friendly.

Reds

Chateau Caillou Les Martins 2006, Lussac Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France ($17CAN, $20US)
Great value!  If you like Bordeaux from Saint-Emilion, you’ll love this wine.  With 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the wine tastes soft and fruity, lush and complex.  Black cherry and violet flavours are underpinned with minerals and dark chocolate.  Yumm. 

Ravenswood Vintners Blend Petite Sirah 2007, California, USA ($18CAN, $11US)
Tightly-wound flavours of black forest fruits, dark chocolate, leather, nutmeg, and peppercorn.  Velvety texture with a firm structure.  Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Kenwood Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Sonoma, California, USA ($23CAN, $14US)
Excellent value from a reliable producer.  Classic cassis, peppercorn, and cigar aromas create a masculine feel.  Tastes like Napa at a Sonoma price.  Nice. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Iconic Reds

Shafer One Point Five Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley, California, USA ($85CAN, $68US)
The price may be a bit high for this one but it’s still a killer wine with opulent red and black fruit, café latte, chocolate, and serious depth.  Good now but will improve considerably with a decade of proper cellaring. 

Cakebread Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Napa Valley, California, USA ($100CAN, $76US)
This cult favourite immediately struck me as tasting like a classed growth Bordeaux in a good year.  Depth, power, finesse—its all here in this Cabernet Sauvignon seasoned with Merlot (12%) and Cabernet Franc (1%).  If you want to splash out—or pick up and early Christmas gift—here you go.  Full-bodied with 14.2% alc.

Dessert Wines

Ricossa Moscato d’Asti 2009, Piedmont, Italy ($15CAN. $12US)
Medium-sweet canteloupe and clementine flavours balanced with cleansing acidity make this an easy, summer dessert wine served with fruit ad cheese.

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, soared to #2 best-selling wine book at Amazon.com and the #1 best-seller at Amazon.ca within weeks of release.   It’s available at bookstores everywhere.  Watch the trailer at http://www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

 

---

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, Jul 27/10

Surely no one compassionate or sane would think to offer a berry-chocolate drink called Australian Shiraz with a menu centered on raw fish.  But it’s always there.  On sushi restaurant menus. 

And through some coy and cunning twist of irony, the most appropriate bottles are usually conspicuously absent at these places that serve fish 83 ways.  A fine array of delicate sparklers at different price points?  Good luck.  Some dry German and Austrian gems?  Not often.  Fino sherry?  Right. See the pattern? 

There’s a case to be made for a BYOB law centered on sushi joints.   

While we wait for that law to pass, let’s have a drink.  Here are eleven excellent wines for the week—the first five could work swimmingly with fish. 

Whites

Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2009, South Africa ($12CAN, $11US)
Billowing aromas of gooseberry and damp herbs lead to an immediate attack of cooked green apple, fresh fig, and baby greens.  Lovely balance in this full-bodied white with 13.5% alc.  Bring on the negihamachi maki.

Open Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Ontario, Canada ($12CAN, not widely available in US)
Quite silky wine with roasted nut flavours beneath zippy lime and grapefruit.  Not fancy, but clean and lean enjoyment.  Just the thing to set off a spicy scallop hand roll.  Light-bodied at 11.9% alc. 

Pillitteri Estates 2009 Gewürztraminer Riesling Fusion, Ontario, Canada ($13CAN/Not widely available in the US)
Clean, crisp, easy wine that’s aromatic and off-dry.  Think roses, lemon curd, lime zest and nutmeg.  Good match for salmon teriyaki—gulpably light with 11.5% alc.

McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Chardonnay 2008, South Eastern Australia ($14CAN/$9US)
A mouth-coating, concentrated wine buzzing with zingy pineapple and orange.  Classic cocktail-style wine but could work equally well with a California roll.  Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2008, California, USA ($18CAN/$12US)
Beautifully integrated aromas and flavours of crème caramel, sweet melon, and cooked pear with an appealing weight in the mouth.  Full-bodied with 13.4% alc.  Shrimp tempura anyone?

Rosé

Open Rosé, VQA Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada ($11CAN, not widely available in US)
Marachino cherry nose leads to wild strawberry, sweet peach and tart cranberry flavours. 

Reds

McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, South Eastern Australia ($15CAN/$9US)
Sun-warmed berries on the nose move toward blackcurrant, plum, and cherry flavours edged with floral and leafy notes.  Generous cherry-vanilla finish.  Full-bodied with 13. 5% alc.

McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Shiraz 2008, South Eastern Australia ($15CAN/$9US)
Sweetly-fruited wine brimming with milk chocolate and wild cherry.  Easy and affable barbecue pour.  Ribs anyone? Medium- to full-bodied with 13.5% alc. 

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Victoria Pinot Noir 2008, South Eastern Australia ($19CAN/Not widely available in the US)
Pale ruby.  Classic Pinot aromas of beetroot, cranberry, and violet.  Gorgeous palate—impeccable balance, bright acidity, black cherry and beet flavours.  Long and languid. Luxe.  Medium- to full-bodied with 13.5% alc.  A steal!

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Shiraz Merlot 2007, South Eastern Australia ($20/$22US)
Dark chocolate, black olive, meat drippings, dried herbs and dark fruit. Quite a savoury, masculine and complex wine with a long black olive finish.  Not your average Aussie fruit bomb.  Full-bodied with 14.5% alc. 

Rolf Binder Hales Shiraz 2007, Barossa Valley, Australia ($22CAN/$20US)
Delish!  It’s tightly-wound, seasoned with Mourvedre and Grenache, and harmonious.  Sleek flavours of black forest fruits, roasted meat, and delicate flowers—violet and rose.  Seriously seductive stuff–just not with sushi.  Full-bodied, 14.5% alc.

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, soared to #2 best-selling wine book at Amazon.com and the #1 best-seller at Amazon.ca within weeks of release.   It’s available at bookstores everywhere.  Watch the trailer at http://www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, published in Outreach Connection, at besteveryou.com, and distributed privately on 23/07/10

 

This was a big week for bubbly lovers–and i don’t mean Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, or Ellen DeGeneres and Portia what’s-her-name. 

Divers discovered about 30 bottles of Veuve Clicquot Champagne from the 1780s in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. And it’s still drinkable after remaining nicely preserved 180ft / 55m under water. 

Theory has it the wine is authentic and was being sent to Peter the Great by King Louis XVI.  If that story—ahem—holds water, the auction house that handles the goods will have a hey day.  The bottles will  be worth millions.  But you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy the glories of Champagne.  

Here are a few of my favourite widely-available fine French fizzes in the non-vintage category.

Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve NV ($59CAN/$35US)
Freshly rolled pie dough, hints of honey and crisp apple.

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut Yellow Label NV ($65CAN/$40US)
Relatively full-bodied wine with considerable finesse.  Quite toasty and nutty.

Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV($68CAN/$39US)
Tarte tatin notes with toasted brioche and almond.  Very elegant.

Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose NV ($95CAN/$80US)
Strawberry, cooked apple, and warm bread with appealing minerality.  Subtle, sophisticated, stylish.

Although I’m convinced the very best sparkling wine in the world is still bonafide Champagne, drinking it regularly is a bit rich at $50 a bottle or so.  And cheap Champagne is always a bad idea unless you like battery acid. 

So when I’m hankering for a bottle of bubbles with no good reason to splurge, I turn to the next best thing–Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV($28CAN/$19US) from Mendocino County, California. 

The estate is owned by Roederer—the French house of Cristal fame.  And it teems with hallmark elegance and finesse, but with a bit more ripeness from that twinkle of Californian sunshine.  Quite frankly, many tasters would have a tough time telling it apart from fine Champagne in a good year because of the fruit, balance and blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. 

All that for about half the price of it’s French counterpart?  What’s not to like?  Drink it with grilled fish in the garden, smoked salmon mousse in the afternoon, or naked in bed.

In fact, every time I pop a cork of Roederer Anderson Valley Brut NV, I wonder (if only momentarily) why I splash out on Veuve, Billecart-Salmon, Roederer, or Krug.  Well, not Krug—liquid lovedust that it is.  Krug remains head and shoulders above the rest; but so is the price—it’s lowly NV sells for $245CAN/$175US.  Ouch.

WIN A BOTTLE OF ROEDERER SPARKLING WINE

1. Post a review of Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, at any online bookstore.
2. Send your mailing address and a link to the review to carolyn@wine-tribune.com
3. And you could win a bottle of Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut , delivered to your door. Draw takes place Aug. 6, 2010. TWEET THIS, PING THIS, POST THIS ON YOUR WALL!

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, soared to #2 best-selling wine book at Amazon.com and the #1 best-seller at Amazon.ca within weeks of release.   It’s available at bookstores everywhere.  Watch the trailer at http://www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

By Carolyn Evans Hammond 16/07/10

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, July 5, 2010.

 

The World’s Most Underrated Wine and Food Pairing

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, published in Outreach Connection and distributed privately on 09/07/10

Just in case you were wondering why no one ever drinks white wine with meat, let me tell you.  It all comes down to Karl Marx.  His father was a German winemaker who made mostly whites.  A severe and lingering Oedipal complex made young Karl start the rumour that white wine does not go with red meat, a staple of German fare; he was hoping to bring his father down.  Then, Karl got famous, his thinking caught on, and the idea white wine shouldn’t be drunk with meat became received wisdom–a.k.a. the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the….

Of course it’s a lie.  All you have to do is try it with an open mind, and you’ll see.  White wine delicately seasons each mouthful of meat with citrus, minerals, a hint of buttery oak—whatever the vinous case may be.  And the relatively high acidity of white wine makes the mouth water, moistening the food beautifully.  Not to mention saliva, being rich in digestive enzymes, breaks down with gusto one of the world’s most difficult to digest substances—cow. Need i go on? 

I assure you, white wine goes perfectly well with red or white meat.  And if you think otherwise, you’re a commie.  

Okay, I admit it.  I made up that story about Karl Marx.  No idea if he wanted to kill his dad. 

Honestly though, I drink white with meat all the time.  So does my friend Beppi, also no stranger to wine being the wine columnist for Canada’s national newspaper, The Globe and Mail.  We were discussing the reasons we like white wine with meat the other day over sirloin in the garden, glass of Sancerre in hand. 

I’m not saying red wine doesn’t go with meat.  Frankly, I adore a bloody Syrah with steak—especially in the chill of an autumn evening or mid-winter’s night.  I’m just saying white works too.  So on to the recommendations. Pretty much all of the wines noted are widely available and affordable.

 

Shish kabab

 

Stone Cellars by Beringer Chardonnay, California, USA ($14CAN / $6US)
This seriously seductive rendition of Californian Chardonnay shines pale golden in the glass. It exudes creamy coconut aromas before bathing the palate with sun-soaked fruit suggestive of pineapple, melon, and citrus topped with coconut cream. Dry and fruity, this wine’s brilliant balance makes it seem incredibly rich and smooth. Delicious and seriously underpriced. Medium-bodied. 13% alc.

Grilled pork chop

Ironstone Vineyards Obsession Symphony, California, USA ($15CAN / $9US)
Pale yellow in color, this Californian variety—Symphony is the grape—smells slightly confected, suggesting candied citrus peel and spiced peach, before sliding across the palate with white grapefruit, lemon oil, honeysuckle, spiced peach, and ripe pear.  Just what a pork chop needs.  Light- to medium-bodied with 12% alc.

Duck confit

Fetzer Vineyards Valley Oaks Gewürztraminer, California, USA (Not avail in Canada/$9US)
Classic scents of lychees and rosebuds lead to an off-dry palate with cleansing acidity—and just enough mouthcoating viscosity to balance the richness of the duck. Concentrated flavors of lychee, peach, white cherry, and spice. Outstanding rendition of this grape variety. Medium-bodied with12% alc.

Breaded and fried pork cutlet

Citra Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Abruzzo, Italy ($7CAN/$6US)
Nose of talcy minerals leads to a crisp, refreshing palate imbued with delicate pear and floral notes. The result is a tight harmony of aromas and flavor in this refreshing, and beautifully balanced wine—and just right to offset this tender-crisp pork dish . Lighter side of medium-bodied with 12% alc.

Spicy chorizo sausages

Martín Códax Albarinõ, Rías Baixas DO, Spain ($18CAN/$11US)
Fresh lime and floral scents lead to a taut, refreshing palate of lime blossoms, soft lemon, almond, and sweet apple with hints of green herbs. Restrained, complex, and versatile.  Perfect to cool the palate after some spicy sausage.  Medium-bodied with 13% alc.

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, has already soared to #1 best-selling wine book at Amazon.ca and the #2 best-seller at Amazon.com.   It’s available at bookstores everywhere.  Watch the trailer at http://www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.

By Carolyn Evans Hammond, July 1, 2010. 

.

What’s a good wine to drink with chicken curry?

Jenine Vehkavaara, Toronto, ON, Canada

The key here is high acidity.  High acid makes your mouth water, cleansing the palate—a bodily function you want to encourage with spicy food.  Beyond that, you’ve got a few possibilities.

I love the stone fruit flavours of Pinot Gris or Torrontés, which work marvellously here—much the way mango chutney compliments Indian fare.  Viognier follows suit with its peachy pear notes.  And if you prefer a squeeze of citrus, go with a lime-scented Riesling (dry or off-dry) or a lemon-lime laced Grüner Veltliner. 

To set you off in the right direction, here are three widely available, affordable friends of chicken curry:

Trapiche Broquel Torrontés, Mendoza, Argentina ($15CAN/$14US)
Gentle white pepper nose leads to an elegant palate of restrained citrus oil, stone fruit, and spice.  It evolves in the mouth toward notes of fresh ginger, thyme, and bay leaf. Intriguing match. Full-bodied. 13.5% alc.

Loredona Viognier, Lodi, California, USA (Unavailable in Canada, $11US)
Fragrant nose of super-ripe apricots and stewed pears leads to off-dry peach, lilac, orange blossom, nectarine and tangerine flavors with a whisper of spice on the finish. This is a crisp, quenching, and almost creamy-tasting wine that’s quite complex, full-bodied, and attractively labeled. Stylish stuff. 13.5% alc.

Relax Riesling, Mosel, Germany ($12CAN/$9US)
Everyone I introduce this wine to loves it.  And why not?  It’s delish and affordable.  It starts with sea salt and lemon aromas before attacking the palate with bright incredibly concentrated lime, mineral, peach and apple. Off-dry but finishes dry. Light-bodied, sleek, accessible wine with 9.5% alc.

 

Is there such thing as good boxed wine?  I run a spa and would like to be able to offer wine to my clients this way.

Joelly, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada

Boxed wine gets a bad rap among drinkers and wine pros alike—and for good reason. Much of it isn’t worth the cardboard it’s sold in.  But a new category appearing now is definitely worth checking out: premium boxed wine. 

The two ranges I would recommend are Black Box Wines and Octavin Home Wine Bar.  Both are tastefully packaged and, rather sadly, only widely available in the US right now. But these wines are seriously worth knowing about as they’re sure to be the next big thing.  Canadian friends: Here are three great excuses for an excursion south of the border:

Monthaven Winery Chardonnay, Octavin Home Wine Bar, Central Coast, California, USA (Unavailable in Canada $24US/3L)
Here’s a clean, crisp, balanced Chardonnay that’s only ever-so-slightly oaked.  Mixed citrus and wet stone flavours, seasoned with a hint of white pepper, attack the palate in the most exciting way.  Lingering buttered toast finish.  Beautifully balanced.  Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Black Box Wines Central Coast Shiraz, Central Coast, California, USA (Unavailable in Canada $24US/3L)
With smooth, concentrated black cherry and blackcurrant flavours edged with cindery smoke and spice, a long, peppered finish, and a satisfying grip of ripe tannin, this wine will almost certainly challenge your assumptions about bag-in-box wine. It’s solid proof that outstanding value can indeed come in a carton. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Big House Red, California, USA ($23US/3L)
Subtle berry aromas lead to a riveting attack of mixed berry flavors layered with leather, chocolate, smoke, and a warm meatiness with an earthy undertow. This seriously complex and seamless blend of 10 red grape varieties tastes lifted and stylish rather than heavy and brawny, finishing with a dark chocolaty finish that feels polished to a high sheen. Full-bodied with 13.5% alc.

Carolyn’s latest book, Good Better Best Wines, has already soared to #2 best-selling wine guide at Amazon.com and the #1 best-seller at Amazon.ca.   It’s available at bookstores everywhere.  Watch the trailer at http://www.goodbetterbestwines.com

Carolyn’s critical articles and reviews have appeared in such eminent magazines as Decanter and Wine & Spirit International in the United Kingdom, as well as Maclean’s, Taste, and Tidings in Canada and her first book, 1000 Best Wine Secrets, earned critical acclaim and international distribution with the distinction of being a best-seller by Canadian standards.  Qualified sommelier and seasoned journalist, Carolyn holds the Diploma from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust in London and a BA from York University.  Carolyn has lived in many cities in North America and Europe, and now resides in Toronto, where she was born.

Join Carolyn’s Facebook wine club here.
To follow her at Twitter, click here.
To subscribe to her free newsletter, click here.
To see Carolyn’s profile at LinkedIn, click here.
To order her latest book from Amazon.com, click here.