What You Are Drinking For NFL Week 2

Two very different cities with one thing in common: football teams with explosive offenses that are must-see television on Sunday night.

Yeah, last Sunday night was a snoozefest. Even Dallas Cowboys fans have to admit that was a boring show, but this week's Sunday night game is shaping up to be much different, especially to the casual fan.

This week's contest takes us to Atlanta, where the Falcons open up their brand new billion-dollar stadium against the Green Bay Packers. This is a rematch of the January NFC Championship game, where the Falcons ran the Packers out of the building before you could even warm your seat to the tune of a 44-21 final score. Now the Packers head back to the same city to exact some revenge. Each team is loaded with star players; quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan are recognizable and if you are a fantasy football player, chances are high you have someone you are counting on in what should be a game loaded with offensive fireworks.

So when we are looking for something to drink with a game that mass appeal to both the casual fan and the die-hard, we need to keep things simple. We want our beverage to taste good and be interesting, but we also don't need something to contemplate or analyze. Since Wisconsin and Georgia aren't wine country powerhouses, wine won't be in the equation. There are some fine distilleries in each state, but neither has strong enough nationwide distribution where I can make a recommendation for you to find easily. By default, we go to the old-school traditional pairing of football and beer.

Wisconsin has a long brewing history, thanks to German immigrants settling in the state and bringing their beer-producing knowledge to 1840s America. Within each town there was some kind of brewery/brewpub, but as quickly as business grew, Prohibition and The Great Depression closed the doors on many establishments. However, one brewery that managed to survive it all was Stevens Point Brewery. Located a two-hour drive northwest of Milwaukee, it was able to cope with Prohibition by manufacturing soft drinks and sodas, plus beverages known as "near beer" during the Dark Ages of alcohol production. Stevens Point has been in business for 160 years, but it wasn't until 1990 that it made its first sale outside the state of Wisconsin, which was their flagship Point Special Lager. By 2004, distribution expanded throughout the Midwest and demand for more products rose. Today, Stevens Point makes a fantastic range of solid-to-outstanding beers and non-alcoholic sodas that are worth trying when you see them.

When it comes to beers from Georgia, I had no experience with them until I took my first trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee. With a really cool downtown and waterfront area that is becoming quite the food and drink destination, Chattanooga has access to so many beers and spirits made by craft producers throughout the south. So when I walked into a Chattanooga grocery store for the first time and saw a display of beers from Atlanta's Sweetwater Brewing Company, I was intrigued and picked up a few. SweetWater produced its first beer back on April 20th of 1997, the 420 Pale Ale. It didn't take long for word to get out about how good their beers were, leading to quick growth at a time when craft beers were really making a name for themselves. Winning an award for Best Small Brewery at the Great American Beer Festival made a major impact as brewery expansion was needed to meet demand. In just 20 years, SweetWater established itself as one of the top craft brewers not just in the American South, but nationwide.

Trust me...I am not overlooking the wealth of craft brewers located in Wisconsin and Georgia. However, the best place to start if you are looking to get each state under your beer-drinking belt is to go with the breweries with the greatest amount of access. Stevens Point and SweetWater can do just that for you. Here are two brews that taste good, have great balance, and don't require a lot of thought while you are watching the game on Sunday.

Stevens Point Beyond the Pale IPA ($10/6-pack): Tropically fruity with a touch of maltiness to balance the refreshing quality and the hoppiness of the beer. 6.5% abv means you aren't rocketing through these beers, but it if the game is that interesting you will be taking it slow anyway.

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale ($10/6-pack): This golden ale is very aromatic with floral and earthy notes. It is a mouthwatering brew that will make you want to keep the salty snacks coming as you enjoy the game. 5.7% abv, which is on the lower end of the craft beer alcohol spectrum...as long as you aren't driving after the game is over, grab an extra one.

Fun To Say, Fun To Drink: Dolcetto

I spent plenty of time honing my skills by coming to trade events hosted here by Vias Imports. Image credit: Marriott

It's been a little while since I took the time to shine the spotlight on a grape for you to be introduced to in your wine-drinking adventures. As always, I try to tie these wines into some of my own experiences, and today will be no different. Let me take you to my early days of trying to figure out Italian wine. One of the first things I did when making the change from the tech sector to the alcohol business was to find opportunities to pour wines at trade shows. If there would ever be opportunities to get the combined practical experiences of wine service and knowledge, working a grand portfolio tasting for an importer or distributor would be the perfect place to do it (if you are thinking of getting into the industry, I recommend you do the same).

So twice a year, I would head to New York City's Marriott Marquis to pour wines for Vias Imports, an outstanding importer of (predominantly) Italian wines. Much of my experience with them would be in northern Italy, where I was hit with an incredible array of long-lived wines, unique local varieties, and some interesting cultural crossover with border countries like Austria, Croatia, and France. Yet there will always be one day that will stick out in my mind when I think of these days working a table for five hours straight: my meeting with winemaker Orlando Pecchenino.

Spending five hours with Orlando Pecchenino shaped my understanding of winemaking, in general and Dolcetto, in particular. Image credit: Tom Hyland

I found out I was assigned to work with Pecchenino mere minutes before the show started. I spent a lot of time researching his wines, along with the wines of fellow Piemontese producer Elvio Cogno. Anytime I can have access to a winemaker of premier products, I am going to make the most of my time learning from him or her. I listened to Pecchenino talk about his vineyards and how they are organized. I learned why he plants one grape variety in a block of vineyards and others elsewhere. I got to understand how he determines ageability of wines made from grapes in specific vineyard blocks. While it was great to nerd out to all of this, the thing that really stood out that afternoon was his passion for a single grape variety: Dolcetto [dole-CHAY-toe].

The only thing missing from this picture is a glass of Dolcetto. Image credit: Martha Stewart

Dolcetto is a very popular wine in the Piedmont area of Italy. While Nebbiolo gets all the praise and Barbera is the workhorse, Dolcetto is the choice for the local drinking establishments with large plates of antipasti and other casual meals. It makes wines with very deep color with some examples almost looking like blue ink in your glass. Dolcetto might mean "little sweet one," but these wines are not made into a sweet style; they are bold, aromatic, and finish very dry, but are fruity with a slight tannic/bitter edge to them. The most likely appellation you will encounter with Dolcetto wines is "Dolcetto d'Alba," which you will find from many Barolo and Barbaresco producers as the Dolcetto vineyards will overlap these communes. Since Dolcetto grapes can ripen very quickly, a Piedmont wine producer might plant Dolcetto grapes at higher altitude than their Nebbiolo grapes (destined for Barolo, for instance) to slow down ripening and help preserve what little inherent acidity the grape has.

While Alba has some recognition for Dolcetto, other grapes like Barbera and Nebbiolo can thrive there to make quality wines. On the other hand, the nearby small town of Dogliani is exclusively devoted to Dolcetto in Piedmont. Producers in Dogliani might own vineyards outside the area to make Barolo, Barbaresco, and Barbera-based wines, but the focus is on Dolcetto here. With Dolcetto wines from Alba being fragrant and approachable in youth, Dogliani wines are more powerful and structured, many of which hold incredible aging potential. In fact, at the event with Orlando Pecchenino, he opened a magnum of his entry-level stainless steel-fermented "San Luigi" that was a decade old and I can only explain the flavor as red and black cherries wrapped in leather and Italian herbs. It was incredible. I can only imagine what his oak-aged "Siri d'Jermu" (12 months in large oak barrel) and "Bricco Botti" (2 years in old oak barrel) would taste like after 10 years in bottle.

Dolcetto offers so much for your senses, showing itself in many styles. If you have some cash laying around to spend on wine, I highly encourage you to try Pecchenino's three Dolcetto wines as a flight; it will run you close to $100 for the three wines. But if the budget is tighter, or you can't get access to the whole range, I have three wines for you to try that you should be able to find at your local shop.

G.D. Vajra Dolcetto d'Alba ($15): A perfect intro to the grape, this Dolcetto is loaded with blackberries and smoked meat flavor with just a touch of tannins and pleasant bitter edge on the finish.

Elio Grasso Dolcetto d'Alba dei Grassi ($19): An outstanding Barolo producer, this is a great way to get to know Grasso's powerful styles. Deep purple, almost opaque in the glass, this is very full-bodied with a ripe plum fruit that is similar to New World Merlot's flavor and plushness. However, the herbaceous and peppery notes are the major difference here with noticeable tannins.

Pecchenino Dogliani San Luigi ($22): This has to be in your lineup to get to know Dogliani. Stainless steel fermented, the wine has lively cherry flavors with violet, rose, and smoke. Acidity and tannin are more noticeable compared to the other two wines. Finishes savory, but fresh. 

Cognac Is My Pumpkin Spice

Up here in New England, if you can believe it, leaves have already started to fall. A couple of storms ripped through town and took the muggy heat with them as they left. Even though it is not officially autumn, it sure feels like it now.

Just...no. The craze has gone too far.

And as the fall season takes effect, oftentimes well before it does, the pumpkin spice folks start getting very excited for said flavors to infiltrate every food and drink imaginable. Pumpkin spice is an option in every coffee drink available. And syrup. And Peanut butter. And waffles. How about yogurt pretzels, tea, and chocolate. Pumpkin spice is in your beer and Jell-O pudding. Hell, it's even in the things you don't eat: candles, soaps, perfumes, and so on.

Here's a hot take for you: I'm not into ANY of the above, especially in my coffee. This is also not a criticism of you if you are a pumpkin spice lover; eat and drink what tastes good to you, I am all for that. However, you know what my job is for my profession and here at Flight School. I am here to show you a beverage that you may not have given consideration to or perhaps forgot about. So for all you pumpkin spice champions out there, I have something for you that I absolutely love at this time of year: Cognac

Yes...Cognac! This is MY pumpkin spice. While it is something I like to use in cocktails such as a Sidecar year-round, in the fall I am all about sipping this spirit of power and delicacy. It's not an easy spirit to generalize, but fine aged examples of Cognac give me dried orange, apricot, apple, and figs fruit flavors. With increased age, Cognac becomes more savory and earthy, all while preserving delicate floral notes that give Cognac its finesse and elegance. Accompanying flavors and aromas give you the range of baking spices you love in that pumpkin spice latte: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and anise. Throw in a little pipe tobacco and dead leaves, and you have all the smells of fall in one glass!

The regions of Cognac. Image credit: Cognac Expert Blog

Additionally, if you are a wine-lover and you have never tried Cognac before, give it a shot; this type of brandy is actually a distilled white wine! The region of Cognac is located north of Bordeaux, whose vineyards almost form concentric circles as it spreads from the central heartland and top area of production. Each region and choice of grape variety brings something different to the final spirit. For example, Grande and Petit Champagne (not to be confused with the sparkling wine region of Champagne) give Cognac the combination of floral notes and ageability. Fins Bois is fruity, with faster maturing spirits. Borderies is rich, earthy and full-bodied. When it comes to grapes, Ugni Blanc (also known as Trebbiano in Italy) is a popular choice as it provides high acid necessary for quality distillate, as well as floral, spicy, and fresh-baked pastry aromas. Two other grapes, Folle Blanche and Colombard, provide body and depth of flavor, along with additional acidity and intense aromatics.

As for barrel aging, which is required to produce Cognac, here are some helpful labeling terms and their definitions.

• VS or ***: Minimum of 2 years

• VSOP: Minimum of 4 years

• Napoleon: Minimum of 6 ½ years

• XO: Starting with 2016 vintage, Mininum of 10 years (previously 7 years minimum)

• Hors d’Age: For very old Cognacs, usually an age statement (as in Scotch whisky)

Now let's get down to business. Let's hook you up with a flight of the three most popular styles of Cognac: VS, VSOP, and XO. It often pays to try these three styles from one producer to see the effect of age, but I will share three different producers for you to seek out that offer outstanding quality. When you are done with this flight, you will be saying it with me: Cognac is my pumpkin spice.

Camus VS Cognac ($30): Fruity and floral. Lively, but mellow on the palate. This is a great way to get introduced to Cognac. Use this as part of a cocktail, or if it is still warm in your location, this will be great on the rocks.

Thomas Hine Fine Champagne Cognac VSOP ($55): "Fine Champagne Cognac" means all the Cognac comes from the Grande Champagne and Petit Champagne regions, with Grande Champagne making up over 50% of the blend. Rich with a creamy texture, it is fruity with cloves, nutmeg, and ginger spices.  

Delamain XO Pale & Dry ($100): Powerful and deep, with dried figs, vanilla, smoke, and the entire range of baking spices, but still retains an orange blossom character and fragrance that is hard to achieve from a Cognac subjected to extended aging. A special bottle!

What You Are Drinking For Sunday Night Football Week 1

The glamour and glitz of New York and Dallas are overshadowed by a strong community brewery in Brooklyn and a humble distillery 95 miles south of "Big D" in Waco. Image credits (L-R): Business Insider, D Magazine, Brooklyn Brewery, The Beer Haul

You (hopefully) just read my in-depth analysis of the teams playing in tonight's NFL Kickoff game, and what you can drink from the respective cities/regions involved. I finish up the Opening Day special with the two teams playing on Sunday Night, which will be the norm for this series; I would be here all day and night if I tried to come up with recommendations for every game of the season!

Where Sunday's score will be settled this week in prime time. Image credit: Dallas Cowboys

The first Sunday night game that counts in the 2017 standings is being played by two teams Eagles fans wish would be wiped off the face of God's green earth: the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys. These are two teams that drive massive ratings anytime they are on television (to the chagrin of the Eagles fan) and hail from two states that are booming in all three phases of alcoholic beverages: beer, wine, and spirits. It's not going to be an easy decision.

The Giants call themselves New York, but play in New Jersey, so I have been given some leeway with where I can choose from. However, I am going to stick to my place of birth for the New York/New Jersey choice. I was born in pre-trendy Brooklyn, New York that looks nothing like it does today. When Brooklyn Brewery first opened for business 1988, the goal was to revive the brewing scene in New York City that was hit hard by both a hop shortage and then Prohibition. Co-founder Steve Hindy took the approach of donating his brews to local events, mostly in creative arts like music, theater, and museums, but also in other business launches, according to their web site. The foundation was formed through ties to the Brooklyn community and spread from there. Today, you can find Brooklyn beers on the shelves nationally, with a killer range of products.

For the Dallas area drink of choice I head south to Waco, where Balcones Distilling is located. I had made mention of their Texas Single Malt Whisky in the past, but never really went into great detail about the company. Balcones got started in an old welding building in 2008, knocking down walls, bringing in copper stills and started distilling by 2009. The goal was simple: make authentic Texas whisky (note the lack of 'e' in whisky, sort of an homage to the Old World), where malted barley plays a key role in their products as it does in Scotch whisky production. However, the hot days in Texas offer an aging environment different from Scotland, where the spirit matures in barrel faster, leading to a different flavor profile. Balcones also uses corn in their products as is common in Bourbons from Kentucky, but sourcing in the American Southwest leads to a different flavor from Kentucky Bourbon. In a mere nine years, Balcones has put itself on the map as a fantastic whisky producer with distinct products.

So I'll be honest: I am a Giants fan. I will be sitting on the couch rooting for my team with beer in hand, but in a showing of support for the greater good of alcoholic beverages, I will recommend a Balcones whisky for you and I to enjoy...it's just really good and impossible to ignore! Here's what you (yes, you too, Eagles fans!) are drinking Sunday night:

Brooklyn Brewery Oktoberfest ($10/6-pack): Malty and creamy, but balanced with the right amount of hops. It's like drinking a loaf of dark, crusty bread with a touch of baking spice. Enjoyable on a cool, late-summer night.

Balcones Brimstone ($70): This is a deep, bold, unique whisky that imparts an incredible smokiness thanks to a proprietary process using local Texas scrub oak. Tobacco, red chiles, tea, and a flavor I can only describe as "Texas BBQ rub" based on black pepper with a long savory finish. If you are a fan of strong, upfront flavors and aromas in your whisky (I am looking at you, IPA beer drinkers), this is one to sample!

Kicking Off A New Season Of Drinking

From urban revitalization to quaint villages, there is a stark contrast between the two regions of Western Missouri and Coastal New England. Image credits (L-R): Lawnstarter, MysticSeaport.org, VisitKC, Wikipedia

Editor's Note: The author is a huge professional football fan and is about to make mention of this sport in a new weekly series. Fear not, non-football fans; the focus is on the aspects of drinking delicious alcoholic beverages from all across America.

I am entering my favorite part of the year: the humid summer weather will be going away, my kids are back at school, and the football season is getting underway. When the calendar flips to September, the big red wines become more frequent than white wines, and the spirits cabinet morphs from Tequila and rum to Scotch and brandy. My beer preferences change from the refreshing wheat ales to hearty stouts. Despite all my efforts to convince you that there is no need for "seasonal" drinking, guess what? I still do it...and I don't care. With that in mind, today I debut a new series revolving around the teams playing on NBC's Sunday Night Football. Since Week 1 has kicked off every year on a Thursday night since 2002, I will be including the Thursday night game in my opening post. 

Gillette Stadium: the site where the opening conflict gets resolved.

2017's opener gives us the Kansas City Chiefs and the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. Aside from outstanding barbecue, some of my favorite items coming out of Kansas City is the beers of Boulevard Brewing Company. The founder of the brewery, John McDonald, was a carpenter by trade, but he drew inspiration for what he was about to build from a European trip in 1984. After sampling many Belgian-style ales from overseas, he was ready to turn his dream into reality. McDonald built his brewery in an old brick building on Southwest Boulevard (where the brewery takes its name from). By 1989, the first keg of Boulevard Pale Ale was ready. 

Thanks to word of mouth, beer-lovers soon discovered how good McDonald's beers were. The company flourished so much, Boulevard outgrew that old brick building by 2004. An expansion of the brewery and addition of state-of-the-art equipment was part of the revitalization of this Kansas City neighborhood. Today, Boulevard boasts an impressive lineup of brews, whether they are available year-round or in limited releases.

For the New England beverage of choice, well I have many states and cities to choose from, with anything from New Haven north and east all the way up to Maine. I do realize that the craft brewing scene is unbelievable throughout New England, but with the weather still a bit muggy and warm lately I will give you a rum to enjoy!

Back when I did some events for a private club in New London, I remember being introduced to filmmaker Bailey Pryor, who produced The Real McCoy: The Legend of Bill McCoy and the Rum War at Sea. In a nutshell, it was the story of a rum-runner during the Prohibition Era, constantly beating the authorities in the spirits trade, all while gaining such a well-regarded reputation for providing uncut spirits, the buyer always knew he was receiving "The Real McCoy." It's a fascinating piece, and if you have about an hour to check it out, you should click the link above.

Pryor worked with Richard Seale, Master Distiller at Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, to develop a rum that could live up to the name "The Real McCoy." While the distillery is down in the Caribbean, the company operates out of Mystic, Connecticut, offering a range of rums that includes 3 Year, 5 Year, and 12 Year age statements. Certainly great for mixing cocktails, I chose one that I really enjoy sipping on its own. 

So who do you have...Kansas City or New England? No matter who you root for, you can't go wrong with either of these two beverages. Stay tuned for Part 2, which includes what to drink for the Giants-Cowboys game. Cheers!

Boulevard Brewing Company Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale ($13/4-pack): When I went to Florida on vacation this summer, it seemed as though all of the restaurants in or near the theme parks had Boulevard's Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. So after spending a week in Disney World passing on Tank 7 every time, we went to Universal Studios Orlando only to see this beer on our lunch menu at Cowfish. I was happy to have finally tried it; citrusy and lively, Tank 7 has some body and richness (at 8.5% abv) to it, but it finishes bone-dry and made me want to eat everything in the restaurant. Boulevard also has a "Great Eight" variety pack, which includes Tank 7 and three other beers from the Smokestack Series (The Calling Double IPA, Tell-Tale Tart Sour Ale, and the Imperial Stout) that should cost you about $20 if you can get your hands on it.

The Real McCoy 5 Year Old Rum ($26): A tasty range of dried fruits (mango, pineapple, papaya) on the palate are complemented by the flavors from the ex-Bourbon casks used to mature the rum. Vanilla and brown sugar come through, but the finish is nutty and spicy...it's like drinking French toast! 

A True Labor Of Love

You may have noticed that my post count has dwindled over the last couple of weeks. School has already begun here in Connecticut, yet we are still trying to squeeze every bit of summer in that we can. However, I have also been using the time to plan all sorts of great events, classes, and casual tastings during the autumn months.

That brings me to this past Saturday, where we sent summer off in style by tasting a range of sparkling wines. Parents of school-aged children toasted the various educational facilities taking our kids for another 182 days of our year. Others simply raised a glass to what was a very fun summer in town.

The sparkling wines we tasted all had something in common: all wines were made in the Traditional Method of sparkling wine production. What is that, you ask? In its most basic form, it is the following:

1. Ferment a base wine in a vat
2. Re-ferment the wine inside of a bottle
3. Age the wine with the spent yeast cells (the lees)
4. Remove the lees from the bottle
5. Add appropriate sweetness (if desired)
6. Bottle the wine under pressure

Looks easy, right? Well, I guess when we break it down into six steps, I suppose it does. Truthfully, there is so much more to making a sparkling wine via the Traditional Method. Let's break down each step:

Fermenting a base wine might be the simplest task on here, but even then to achieve the best base wine a winemaker needs some things to work in his/her favor. Grapes need to be high in acid; this is the reason sparkling wine is so refreshing when you sip it. When acidity and bubbles come together, your palate wakes up instantly. Wines low in acid taste flat and boring. If a winemaker is making a non-vintage sparkling wine, it needs to be a consistent product, meaning it should taste the same every time you buy it. Winemakers define a "house style" by blending wines from the most recent harvest with reserve stocks of wine of varying ages.

Next, that blended wine goes into bottles along with the liqueur de tirage, which is a concoction of yeast, sugar, and wine that leads to refermentation in the bottles. The carbon dioxide given off by the yeasts during this process is captured in the bottle and that's where your bubbles come from. This is how they do it in Champagne, Cava, and many New World Sparkling wines. "Crémants," which are essentially sparkling wines made in France that follow Champagne's model but don't come from the Champagne region, use this method for bubbles, too.

After this stage, it is time to age the wine on the lees, which have basically drowned themselves in the alcohol they created. The longer the wine ages on the lees, the more toasty and savory notes develop. There are different requirements laid out for specific regions. Non-vintage Champagne requires a minimum of 15 months bottle aging, while vintage examples must spend at least three years in bottle. In practice, many Champagne houses will exceed those minimums. Cava is required to age only nine months (as in the Crémants of France), Cava Reserva specifies a minimum of 15 months (as in non-vintage Champagne), and Cava Gran Reserva requires 30 months minimum (approaching the level of vintage Champagne as far as aging goes).

These metal cages are gyropalettes doing their jobs of getting the yeasts into the bottle necks.

Once the aging is done, it's time to get the yeasts out of the bottle. Traditionally, the bottles were stored in "pupitres," which look like peg boards with bottles sticking out of them. Over time, the bottles would be "riddled", or manually turned to allow the yeasts cells to slide into the neck of each bottle. This is a time-consuming process that costs the producer money. In the 1970s, the gyropalette was developed to handle riddling in a more efficient way, accommodating about 500 bottles at a time. From here the bottle necks are frozen to turn the yeasts into a solid plug that can be ejected from the bottle. I think the best way to illustrate the process is to just show you with a video:

What you are seeing after the frozen plugs are removed is the addition of sweetened wine (the dosage) that will dictate the sweetness level of the entire bottle of wine (Brut, Demi-Sec). If no sweetened wine is added, the sparkling wine will be labeled "Brut Nature" or "Brut Zero", a bone-dry product.

So there you have it. It's not an easy process to make a sparkling wine by Traditional Method, but the end result is persistent bubbles, a creamy texture, and a liveliness that can't be matched by other methods of production. We sampled five wines this past Saturday afternoon of all different styles, but all are delicious in their own ways.

Saturday's Lineup!

Parés Baltà Cava Brut ($14)

This winery practices organic and biodynamic farming, leading to vibrant wines made from the traditional Spanish grape varieties of Macabeo, Parellada, and Xarel-lo. Green apples, lemon zest, and a touch of earthiness. Makes for a great sipper on its own or as the base for a Mimosa.

Paul Mas Cote Mas Crémant de Limoux Brut Rosé ($16)

Located in the eastern foothills of the Pyrenees, Limoux has a long and storied history as a sparkling wine region in Southern France. This dry, pink bubbly is loaded with blood orange and tangerine flavors and has a pleasant bitter note on the finish that adds to the complexity of a customer favorite at the store.

Gruet Brut ($17)

Who would have known that the deserts of New Mexico would be suitable for quality sparkling wine production? The Gruet family discovered this fact on a trip to the American Southwest in the early 1980s, and they set up shop near Albuquerque. 24 months aging on the lees in this flagship product is balanced by ripe nectarine and tropical fruit flavors and a full-bodied softness on the palate.

Marie-Pierre Manciat Crémant de Bourgogne Brut ($23)

A fine sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay in sustainable vineyards. Floral with orange and lemon peel aromas, peachy on the palate, and very lively with persistent bubbles. Killer value. I wrote of this in Building a Case for a Few More Dollars

Ayala Champagne Brut Majeur ($39)

Champagne is not cheap; it can sometimes be a challenge to score something for less than $40, but here is a non-vintage example the delivers well beyond that price. White peaches and flowers are on the nose with fresh baked brioche and savory/smoky flavors on the palate. Long and fruity on the finish.

Aquavit: The Drink That Stumped Me

During my WSET studies several years ago, The Greatest Wife In The World would frequently (and happily) help me get in tune with my tasting skills by showing up with random wines and spirits brown bagged to sample blindly. It was really a great way to keep my on my toes while exploring all the alcohol the world had to offer. On a day where I sent my kids back to school to get smarter and off each other's backs, I share with you one heck of an educational brown bag tasting session.

It was the WSET Spirits Unit that I was working on one spring day; while I had a great appreciation for whiskey already, getting to know and love many other spirits was very rewarding. I was doing very well, identifying different types of rum, different styles of vodka, and liqueurs of various quality levels. But there was one spirit that really messed with my head. It was clear as if I was holding a glass of water. When I stuck my nose in the glass, it was aromatically intense. It smelled like something that would come from Northern or Eastern Europe, but the nose was too forward to be vodka. On the other hand, the intensity would be the same strength of gin, but it was missing the distinct Christmas tree scent. It was not tropical and fruity like a high-proof white rum. On the palate, it felt like some sort of grain...like a really strong vodka. This spirit had something distinct about it that I just couldn't put my finger on, but it really felt like I was drinking a glass of liquid rye bread. What the hell is this?? I just blurted out that it was a rye-based vodka like Belvedere when I made my guess.

The item that tripped me up in my spirits studies...which I will never forget again.

It turns out, I was drinking something called aquavit (sometimes written as "akvavit"). This Scandinavian specialty is based on caraway seed, which is redistilled with a neutral grain spirit. Other botanicals, as with gin, can be blended in with the caraway spirit; some of these botanical choices often include coriander, cumin, fennel, and citrus. Aalborg, the producer's aquavit that I sampled that day, uses amber in its botanical recipe. The resulting spirit is a pungent, mouthwatering aperitif that will get your stomach ready for large quantities of food; this is what makes aquavit so popular for Scandinavian feasts. Conversely, I feel like aquavit can be a fantastic digestif after chowing down all day long thanks to the properties of caraway.

Additionally, an aquavit producer can age the spirit in casks. Oftentimes it is done in large neutral oak to mellow out some of the sharp flavors, but aquavit has been shown to age in Sherry cask, Port cask, or Madeira casks, giving more complex spiciness as well as traces of the flavor absorbed from the wine cask.

I will never forget the taste of aquavit ever again. It makes a mark on your senses the same way Gewürztraminer does for the first-time wine drinker as far as the distinct, wild, pungent flavors and aromas go. If you are looking for something different to stock in your bar, aquavit is the way to go. Here are three examples for you to try!

Aalborg Taffel Akvavit, Denmark ($28): The word "Taffel" simply refers to an unaged/clear aquavit. This is the one that tripped me up, and the strength of the caraway is complemented by turmeric and dill. Fresh and lively, it is a great way to prime the pump before chowing down on sausages or roast pork.

Lysholm's Linie Original Aquavit, Norway ($28): Linie might be the most popular aquavit on the market today; you can find this in Disney's Epcot Center World Showcase if you go to Norway. This spirit is based on a potato distillate, leading to a creamy, soft texture. The spirit is then aged in Oloroso Sherry casks, to impart vanilla and brine notes. A fine example of a cask-aged aquavit!

Lyshom's Linie Double Cask Madeira Finish, Norway ($40): Take Linie's Original recipe example from above then, rather than age the spirit in Oloroso Sherry casks, transfer to old Madeira casks for 12 months. This example is rich, savory, and earthy, with bright citrus notes acting as a foil to the weight of the spirit. A real treat to enjoy at the end of a big meal. 

White Wines of Spain: You Are Missing Out

One of the things I really enjoy about my time at the Divine Wine Emporium, is the opportunities I get to conduct a casual Saturday afternoon tasting. It is a chance for us to introduce our customers to new grapes, new regions, and new stories. In the summer months, we get to kick back outside on the deck and enjoy warm days with chilled wine. So when The Boss and I discussed a theme for the tasting, his suggestion to showcase white wines of Spain really got me thinking about something: Spain's white wines are incredibly underrated.

Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris/Grigio, and Chardonnay sort of rule the white wine landscape. A large percentage of the wine-drinking population knows those grapes. Riesling, while not universally loved (in the USA, anyway), is still plenty popular and can reach incredible heights in Germany, Austria, and the Finger Lakes of New York. Signature varieties such as Austria's Grüner Veltliner and Argentina's Torrontés are identifiable white wines of those respective countries. In Castello d'Ambrosini, this house loves the range of French and Italian white wines available to us; we rarely meet one that we don't enjoy.

So that leaves us with Spain, whose most popular wine is the red Rioja. Beyond that, so many red wines of Spain have gained traction in this country. The Ribera del Duero region is gaining the respect of Rioja. Wines made from Monastrell grapes in Jumilla give big, bold fruitiness and power. The light red wines made from Mencia in Bierzo. Catalonian regions have a boatload of international red grapes like Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot thriving.

But we are not here to talk about the red wines today. In fact, sitting there right under your nose (at consistent price points, by the way), are Spain's incredible array of white wines. For a long time, we really only had broad access to Rioja's white wines. Back in the early days, too many of these white wines were heavily oxidized and bland with very low acidity, thanks to warm fermentations in large wooden vats...not exactly a way to attract consumers to your wines. When stainless steel tanks were brought into the wineries, easier temperature control became possible, which meant cooler fermentations to preserve the natural fruit flavors of the white grapes. With that revelation, it opened the door for so many native Spanish varieties to shine both domestically and overseas.

The wines we chose really displayed the nuances of the different grapes; variations in fruitiness, nuttiness, texture, and overall complexity showed up easily, especially because we could taste everything as a flight! Here is a rundown of the five wines we sampled on Saturday; you can play along at home for roughly $75!

Legado de Moncayo Campo de Borja Garnacha Blanca ($13): Garnacha Blanca is the same as Grenache Blanc, a grape used in many southern French white blends. This producer is situated in the region of Campo de Borja, which is typically known for red Garnacha wines, but devoted a plot of vineyard land to the white grape. This Garnacha Blanca is refreshing with green herbs, Granny Smith apple, and lemon flavors. It was hot outside on Saturday, and this went over very well with those who joined us right after coming over from the beach.

Bodegas Godeval Armontes Valdeorras Godello ($19): Godello was a grape that nearly went extinct until the Palacios brothers rescued it in the 1970s. With proper site selection in regions such as Valdeorras in the southeastern corner of Galicia, Godello's fortunes turned for the better and have been trending upward since. A blast of lime zest on the nose, followed by citrus, stones and minerals on the palate, this is an incredible wine and well worth the spend. I have yet to have a bad wine made from Godello.

Bodegas Shaya Rueda Verdejo ($15): The region of Rueda is a white wine-only production zone that is located not far from red wine region of Ribera del Duero. Rueda is where the Verdejo grape calls home, but traces its origins to North Africa roughly 1,000 years ago. Like white Rioja, Verdejo-based wines were often heavily oxidized, but now show best in the fresh style made in stainless steel. This example from Shaya does ferment about 25% of the wine in barrel, giving an almondy flavor that complements the pure peach and nectarine fruit. A creamy texture is created through aging the wine on the lees for six months.

Orowines Kentia Albariño ($14): You may remember this wine from my post on Albariño. It's still as good now as it was then.

Enate Somontano Chardonnay 234 ($14): So we decided to throw in one of the international varieties just to show an expression of Chardonnay in Spain. Somontano is located in the foothills of the Pyrenees, which shields Somontano from harsh, wet, windy weather from the north, leading to a warm-to-hot and dry climate. As a result, Somontano can work with just about any grapes the soil will take as they can all ripen somewhat reliably. Case in point, this Chardonnay is very full-bodied, rich, and ripe. While not overly aromatic, the palate bursts with tropical and exotic fruits, similar to an Alsace Gewürztraminer, finishing with a sensation like you just ate a slice of peach pie. If you are a fan of New World Chardonnay, this is a must-try!

Drink Up The Willamette (Dammit)!

Even though I am involved in many aspects of the wine and spirits industry, sometimes I get so wrapped up in what I am doing that I forget about various events and "holidays," especially those that show up on the National Days of the Year Calendar. Some are ridiculous, others are fun. However, I do enjoy when a day is devoted to specific alcoholic beverages, no matter if the concept is coming from some marketing board that wants the spotlight for a day.

So apparently I missed the fact that it was #PinotNoirDay on Friday during my summertime tunnel vision. A bummer since I really do enjoy Pinot Noir, but it is a grape that does show itself in so many ways: lean, juicy, earthy, fruity, rich, acidic, green, jammy, aromatic, overoaked and underoaked. Pinot Noir is just so finicky about where it grows, and the slightest variation in climate and soil can drastically change its aroma and flavor profiles. Fortunately, I have discovered that there is one area on Earth that will consistently deliver great quality from vintage to vintage: Oregon's Willamette Valley.

Known as "Papa Pinot", David Lett (1939-2008) had the vision and passion to make Pinot Noir successful in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Image credit: Wikipedia

The Willamette (yes, rhymes with "Dammit") Valley is a geological formation that was carved out by the Great Missoula Floods of 10,000-15,000 years ago, also responsible for creating Eastern Washington's Columbia Valley. It was here that David Lett, a UC Davis student in 1968, held a belief that wine grapes would grow successfully. Professors at Davis advised against this, theorizing that the climate was too cool and too wet for wine grapes to thrive, even cool climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Lett essentially flipped the bird to the faculty and made his way up to make it happen. David and his wife Diana produced their first Pinot Noir in 1970. In 1979, they entered their vintage 1975 South Block Reserve Pinot Noir into the Wine Olympics of Paris. It stood up to the very best coming out of Burgundy, thereby helping make Oregon (and Willamette Valley) leave their mark as a serious wine producing region. This revelation led to the Willamette Valley receiving its own recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1983. Other varieties, such as Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer began to show real quality as well.

It's amazing when you think about how monks spent centuries seeking out sites for Pinot Noir to grow in Burgundy, and yet in a mere 15 year period Oregon was being taken seriously as a place with great potential for quality winemaking. By this point, names such as Erath, Ponzi, and Sokol Blosser were establishing themselves in the Willamette Valley winemaking community. If you are a geology nerd, note that the Coastal Range to the west of the valley shields a lot of wet weather during the growing season, keeping the vines warm and exposed to enough sun at peak growing season. Even though 2017 saw some serious heat spikes, the Willamette Valley doesn't get ridiculously hot. With regard to how Pinot Noir fares in general, wines don't get jammy, but they are fruity with noticeable acidity and very clean flavors with fresh berry-scented aromatics. While the narrative on the Pacific Northwest is rainy and mild, the major winemaking regions could not be further away from this type of climate.

Eventually, sub-regions of the Willamette Valley began to carve out their own niches, displaying subtleties that the larger valley may not be able to show you, based on differences in soil composition, micro-climates, etc. Dundee Hills, where Lett planted those first vines, are considered the traditional heartland of grapegrowing, with deep and concentrated flavors. Chehalem Mountains has vines at higher altitude, leading to wines with great color and structure. Other AVAs that became officially recognized in just the past 15 years include Eola-Amity Hills, Yamhill-Carlton District, and Ribbon Ridge; I would go into more detail on them, but I need a little more experience in tasting some of these wines to give you a feel for them.

Now, wines are not particularly cheap. Good quality Pinot Noir rarely is. In fact, based on what you might encounter from Burgundy (highly-structured and earthy) or from warm spots in California (rich and opulent), Willamette Valley sits right in the middle of the spectrum. You will pay a minimum of $20 for many bottles from Willamette Valley and you can easily hit on wines well into the luxury price bracket of $75+. Producers are often small and family-owned, producing a few hundred cases per year, so you are getting true artisanal products.

All that being said, there are many producers I find offer consistent quality at a fair price that are worth paying for. So in honor of being late to the #PinotNoirDay party, I submit three Willamette Valley Pinot Noir wines for you to seek out and taste! Besides...who cares if you missed the "holiday"...drink these any time of year.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($29): When Jim Bernau founded this winery, he was able to keep the name of the valley in the name of his wines since he registered prior to Willamette Valley being given AVA status. His flagship Estate Pinot Noir showcases fresh red cherry and raspberry flavors, complemented with cinnamon and nutmeg with a touch of violet petals on the nose.

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($32): Packed with raspberry, blackberry and blueberry flavors, this example is backed up with plenty of acidity to counter a plush texture along with roses, anise, and wild herbs. Long on the finish with refreshing acidity.

Chehalem Wines Chehalem Mountain Corral Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir ($49): Powerful, complex, and even a little chewy, this Chehalem expression gives you pomegrante, espresso, and a touch of English Breakfast tea, along with a range of baking spices, including cardamom. An awesome celebratory wine!

Fun To Say, Fun To Drink: Falanghina

It has been a while since we touched on a new grape variety! Hell, my own posting scheduling has been irregular as I enjoy as much of the summer as I can before it leaves us for another year. Despite my slacking, I do have another installment of Fun To Say, Fun To Drink to share with you, and today's topic touches on another grape that carries some personal significance.

With fewer gray hairs and wrinkles, here I am pouring some killer Italian Pinot Noir at a Vias Imports tasting, ca. 2010.

Waaaay back in the day when I was looking to break into the alcohol industry, I saw an opportunity to help out at a trade show for an Italian wine importer called Vias Imports. As I was in the throes of studying wine, I thought, "could there be a better way to learn about Italian wines than to jump in and pour wines at a table?" The answer was an easy "yes" for me, so I went to New York City's Marriott Marquis. After a five-hour blitz of buyers, retailers, restauranteurs, and other "who's who" types of the beverage industry, I not only survived busted corks (yes, this happened on the first pull of a new wine), and hundreds of glasses shoved in front of me, I had successfully learned a good dozen of native Italian grape varieties.

As a thank you from Vias, they sent me on me way with some money and six bottles of wine! Hey, not a bad gig! Two of the bottles from their portfolio came from a producer Terredora di Paolo, which included a bottle of Aglianico and a bottle of white wine called Falanghina [fah-lahn-GHEE-nah].

Falanghina was not one of the varieties I had worked with that day, but I was excited to taste it. Southern Italy is generally hot during peak growing season, so I understood how red wine grapes would thrive in the Campania region. But white grapes? Would the climate be too harsh? Would the acidity and freshness just get baked out of the grapes in the vineyards? Remember...this was a period of time when I knew next to nothing about the wine grapes of the world.

As it turns out, I learned that Falanghina traces its ancestry to Greece (hence why this grape is sometimes called "Falanghina Greco"), where it is plenty hot out in the vineyards and evolved to retain acidity in the warmth. When Falanghina was brought to Southern Italy roughly 1,600 years ago, it was brought to Campania, where it was very successful alongside other white varieties such as Greco (different from Falanghina Greco) and Fiano. Later, it was discovered that Falanghina thrived in the cool microclimates within the hills of Campania. Here is where Falanghina showed its greatest potential, giving fragrant, pine-scented wines with citrus and pineapple fruit flavors...all balanced by a backbone of zesty acidity.

I fell in love with this grape right away. I couldn't stop recommending this to anyone who would listen to me. Falanghina is one of those wines that is impossible to stop smelling when you aren't drinking it. It's great with seafood, perhaps even linguini with clams or crab meat, or just a warm summer night.

Today, I thank Vias Imports for introducing me to Falanghina by sharing a flight of three Falanghina wines with you below, all of which your retailer should have access to. Don't see it on the shelf? Ask them to order it for you! These are all worth seeking out.

Terredora di Paolo Campania Falanghina ($16): My benchmark wine for getting to know this grape. Those pineapple notes I mentioned above really come through in this with lemon zest and rosemary on the nose. My personal favorite example, but...

Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina del Sannio ($17): This is damn good in its own right, showcasing the sub-region of Sannio within Campania. This has more of an apricot and white peach flavor with white flowers on the nose. This wine also ages on the lees of 5 months, giving the wine a creaminess that plays nicely with the acidity.

Mastroberardino Falanghina del Sannio ($18): Well-known for its long-lived red wines made from Aglianico in the Taurasi region, this producer's Falanghina shows bold citrusy flavor and a blend of soft green herbs, with a stony/earthy character. A tasty way to welcome party guests!

Ask Tony: How Do I Get Someone To Like Wine?

It's time for another installment of Ask Tony: You have questions, I (maybe) have answers!

Today's question is quite the interesting one as it deals with a matter of taste and preference. Perhaps you are at a party or gathering with someone and wished this person loved wine as much as you do...or perhaps you wished you loved wine as much as your friend. Instead, beers, cocktails, or a dram of a favorite spirit take the lead and that is OK. I love all of those things, too. However, there is something magically relaxing about wine. I will tell you this...I have never seen an unhappy person sipping on a glass of wine. I know some find wine to be snobbish and exclusive, but I say it is just the opposite: it is as welcoming and inclusive as clinking beer bottles and whiskey glasses.

When it comes to drinking alcohol in America, there is an overwhelming number of products to choose from in an over 200 billion-dollar market. Even with beer still making up the majority (47%), spirits (about 36%) and wine (just over 17%) are growing and becoming more important. So with the question of "How do I get someone to like wine," comes choices from among what amounts to a $35 billion pool of adult grape juice. My goodness...

It's a question with many layers; there is not one defined way to attack this idea, but I do have a way to provide some guidance. These points are not to be taken in as a top-to-bottom order in which you do these things; you have lateral movement based on how you wish to go about enjoying and becoming increasingly comfortable with the nectar of the gods. However, item number one is the most crucial step and needs to be followed at all times:

Have an open mind

You or your friend are getting into wine, because you want to know more about it. It takes a small level of commitment to allow yourself to explore what is out there. If you taste one wine to start and you can't stand it, it doesn't mean you don't like wine...you don't like THAT wine. As an old colleague in New Jersey used to tell customers with whiskey, "Of course you like whiskey...you just haven't met the right one yet."

Start with the international grapes

When I use the term "international," I am referring to wine grape varieties that have proven to make quality wines in multiple countries of the world. You will oftentimes see these grape names prominently displayed on a label so there is no mistaking what you are drinking. The major players include the following: Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris/Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. The wine geeks out there could argue some others, but lets stick with these. Four whites and four reds with easy access.

Think about the beers you like

Rich and creamy with sweet tropical fruit, this Chardonnay from Washington State might be just for you if you are a fan of malty beers. Typically found for about $13.

I immediately point the IPA drinker to Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah. The bitter finish of the IPA resembles the bold flavors, as well as aggressiveness of the acid and tannins in the two grapes above. A saison can have some fresh, but funky earthy components that a Pinot Noir can display. Like a malty ale? Chardonnay can show the same richness in texture, especially when oaked. Merlot's plush texture and plummy/chocolatey flavors can mirror malty sweetness, too. If you like something lighter like a pilsner, the delicate nature of Riesling or refreshing qualities of Sauvignon Blanc may be of interest to you. It is not always a direct match, but these qualities are something to think about if you are trying to find a wine based on the beers you like.

Think about the spirits you like

A great way to get into Pinot Noir, without paying over $20 for it. A to Z can be found for as little as $14 in some markets.

Using the same principles as above with beer, consider the following for spirits. Peated whisky matches up well with Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sauvignon Blanc has intense, pungent aromatics that follow Tequila. Vodka's delicate flavors mirror Pinot Grigio and its body matches up with Riesling. Oaked Chardonnay can have a similar richness and sweet, ripe fruitiness to Bourbon or even rum's tropical fruit notes. Sauvignon Blanc's acid and spice in cool climates can show similar character to the forwardness of rye whiskey. Cognac's fresh, lively nature can mirror either Riesling or Pinot Noir, particularly from Oregon or Chile.

Think about the non-alcoholic flavors you like

This can be especially useful to a newbie alcohol drinker as this can be useful across all categories. As it applies to wine, think about fruits you like; the amazing thing about wine grapes is that each variety has phenolic compounds in the skins and juice that lead to a variety of "non-grape" flavors and aromas. Some of these compounds can be amplified or muted during alcoholic fermentation, or even the region of the world where the grapes are grown. This is why you hear or read people describing wines smelling like peaches, berries, or cherries in a description on a label or magazine article. 

A branded "welcome" wine from the prestigious Schloss Johannisberg property in Germany, 50 Degree Riesling is a great introduction to the grape at just $15.

If you like citrus and "green" flavors (lemon, lime, fresh herbs), then Sauvignon Blanc might be right for you. Do you enjoy white stone fruits (apricots, nectarines, peaches)? Riesling or Pinot Gris may be your preference. How about plums? California Merlot has that type of flavor. Fresh raspberries and red cherries? Pinot Noir can show that in the Old World, but if you like raspberry jam then you may prefer California Pinot Noir. Blackberries and black cherries? Cabernet Sauvignon's got them. These are all broad generalizations, but some quick research and reading can give you an idea of what to expect in a bottle of wine.

Also note that many European wines can have earthy and herbaceous notes, more noticeable acids and tannins complementing the fruit flavors. New World wines tend to be fuller-bodied and riper/bolder in fruit flavor with softer tannins and acidity. Again, this is a broad generalization, but the concept should help you establish a starting point.

An easy way to jump into a deeper part of the pool, the Centine incorporates 60% Sangiovese with 20% each Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon...all for $10-$12! 

Be sure to (eventually) branch out!

I don't spend all this time writing about the different wine regions of the world, nor do you read this blog to have you stick with the same wine over and over again. Is it good to have some reliable wines you can go to anytime because you like them? Yes! But don't forget about the other grapes in the 35 billion-dollar wine market! Explore regional varieties like Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Gewurztraminer, and the like. There is plenty of good wine that needs a home...and we will spend time discussing these in the future. Keep these on the back burner.

Record what you like

Not everyone wants to bust out a journal and a pen to write down what you liked about your wine, but trust me...it can be very handy to refer back to when you need to remember what you sampled. At the very least, it is easy enough to snap a photo with your smart phone on the fly and research more afterwards. Then...

Share with friends

Wine makes things very easy when it comes to social sharing. Join Facebook groups, get on Twitter, take Instagram photos...get involved in the online community. Search hashtags on grape varieties and see what people are talking about. For example, #CabernetDay is taking place on August 31st. Share your favorite Cabernet and see what others are drinking and discussing on your favorite social media channels.

Have fun with it

I just outlined many ways you and/or friends can get introduced to wine and STAY with it. If that first wine you sample ends up turning you off, push the reset button and try again. One of the things you can always do to help yourself is get friendly with your local wine merchants. Talk to them about your experiences, and a reputable shop will be able to guide you to a style you have a good chance of enjoying. Getting into wine may not happen overnight, but if you have the interest and commitment to tasting and exploring, you will do just fine.

Happy exploring!

Building A Case...For A Few More Dollars

Earlier this week, I shared with you an easy strategy for building a case of wine that sought value and quality. Today, we take it to a different level. Assuming you have saved up your schillings, received a bonus, or just feel like spending money on wine, well I have a "version 2.0" guide for you when you are looking to find 12 tasty bottles. Whether you are dropping $10 or $100 a bottle on wine, I am always going to steer you to something that delivers high a quality-to-price ratio.

When you have extra money on-hand for that case, new doors open up not just at higher price points, but it gives you access to regions and styles that just aren't widely available in the $10 range. Here are some points of interest to consider when buying a mixed case of wine when money is less of an object, but not growing on trees by any means.

New Zealand has the highest average selling price per bottle of wine of any winemaking country. While there are some large brands that you can find in the $10-$12 range, there are many that exceed $15. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Gewurztraminer can all cost you. However, if you like the bold tropical zestiness of Sauvignon Blanc, or the clean, aromatic fruit in Gewurztraminer, now is the time to include a New Zealand wine.

Austrian wines command high prices with the precision and balance that shows in their wines. Grüner Veltliner has become quite popular and doesn't really grow anywhere else in the world, so again while there are some good entry-level wines in the $10-$12 neighborhood, go for a wine from a small producer that has complex citrusy/minerally/peppery flavors.

Wines from Burgundy can be very expensive, partially due to the fact that vineyard land is some of the most expensive in the world. Prime sites in many villages make long-lived wines, but there are also more accessible examples that don't require you to empty your bank account if you want to dive into Burgundy. Try Chardonnay wines from the Mâcon region in the south. Additionally, seek out the wines from a négociant to try any Burgundian region's typical style. Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, and Bouchard Pere et Fils are just a few of the larger examples that you should be able to find for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Oregon makes some outstanding wines, with Pinot Noir being the superstar of the Willamette Valley. Finding a good Pinot Noir in the sub-$20 range can be a challenge and many examples from Oregon start at about $20. Oregon tends to strike the right balance of fruitiness and earthiness.

Wines from Napa Valley aren't cheap, and if you like your red blends to be a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend a la Bordeaux, there are plenty to be found in the $20 and over range. If you had been purchasing some "everyday" Bordeaux reds in the $12 price point, shoot for the wines with a defined geography such as "Medoc" or "Saint-Emilion", which will cost a few dollars more, but it will give you a sense of what a wine tastes like when grown from vineyards within a smaller parcel of vineyards.

In the Rhone Valley, it's up to you if you want to shoot for Chateauneuf-du-Pape or Hermitage, as each of those wines will hit you for $40 and way upward in many cases. However, if you reach for some of the lesser-known subregions like "Gigondas" or "Crozes-Hermitage," you will pay a fraction of the price of their more expensive brethren. This is where chatting with your friendly local wine merchant will help you a lot.

In Italy, you can start checking out the great grape of Nebbiolo, famous in the Piedmont region and most notably in the sub-region of Barolo and Barbaresco. Like the two Rhone wines above, they can cost you plenty, but wines labeled "Nebbiolo d'Alba" or "Langhe Nebbiolo" will often encompass vineyards outside of the Barolo and Barbaresco communes, giving you something lighter in body, but more approachable in youth (which means you don't need to stick them in the cellar to evolve and harmonize).

Spanish wine's most popular export to the U.S. is wines from Rioja. Now is a great time to go for the wines with some extended oak aging. Look for wines labeled "Crianza," "Reserva," and "Gran Reserva," all of which will increase in price thanks to the amount of time spent in barrel. The great news about Rioja is that wines are always released ready to drink, needing no further aging if you don't want to stash them in the cellar.

Let's not forget the sparkling wine here, too! I'm not saying you have to shoot on up to Champagne, which is truly a delicious sparkling wine that deserves the recognition it gets. However, if you seek out "Crémant" wines, which are sparkling wines made in non-Champagne French regions the same way they are made in Champagne. A Crémant can be found for roughly half the price of a large Champagne house's flagship non-vintage wine for regions like Burgundy (Bourgogne), Limoux (Southern France), Alsace, and Loire.

If you are a Port or Sherry fan, go for a nice bottle of one of your favorite fortified wines. If you need something versatile to cook with as well as drink, an Amontillado Sherry is a nice buy here. As we approach fall, if you enjoy time in the kitchen there will be some recipes calling for a Port sauce. A Ruby Port is fiery and fruity enough to add flavor, but also a nice warming beverage on a chilly night. You can typically find an example of each Port and Sherry style for around $15. Each style also gives you a good baseline of what to expect from an individual producer if you were to venture into their other styles.

So here's what that case looks like if we take the items discussed above into account with specific products. Additionally, we will refer back to the Value Case we did earlier this week and use that as a springboard into other wines.

Marie-Pierre Manciat Crémant de Bourgogne ($23): A fine sparkling wine made from 100% Chardonnay in sustainable vineyards. Floral with orange and lemon peel aromas, peachy on the palate, and very lively with persistent bubbles. Killer value.

Weingut Loimer, Grüner Veltliner Langenlois ($19): Grüner Veltliner's peppery character is on display, with green apples, minerals, and soft herbs, along with a creamy texture. Finishes dry and refreshing! 

Dog Point Vineyard Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($20): We have been seeing the price of the Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc reach the $18-$19 price point over the last few years. For a buck or two more, it is worth your time and money to try this New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, whose passionfruit and grapefruit character gets a boost of 

Cave de Lugny, Mâcon-Villages La Côte Blanche ($15): The thing I love about the Mâcon region is how it can be a great way to introduce you to Old World Chardonnay, while retaining riper stone fruit and tropical fruit flavors.

Fairview Cape Granite White Blend ($16): I can't help but be an advocate for South African wine. You tried the Tormentoso Chenin Blanc from the Value Case. For a few dollars more, try a white blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc for a full-bodied, wildly aromatic wine experience.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir ($25): Fresh red cherry fruit and red plums, with herbs, baking spices, and a touch of smoke. This is a great way to get introduced to an Oregon Pinot Noir if you haven't tried one before. If you have tried one, this has been a consistently good product from vintage to vintage.

Château Lanessan Haut-Medoc ($25, 2014 vintage): Bordeaux feels the impact of vintage variation more than most winemaking regions with its marginal climate. After a string of leaner, more traditional Bordeaux vintages (2011-2013), this 2014 from a solid property located in the upper Medoc peninsula gives you a wine loaded with black cherries and pipe tobacco, thyme, a touch of woody character.

Scavino Langhe Nebbiolo ($20): Nebbiolo's inherent flavors of red cherry fruit and roses are complemented by eucalyptus and tobacco. Nebbiolo can be forceful despite the pale ruby color; it is loaded with tannin and acid meant for long-haul aging, but in this more approachable version, the structural components are as intense thanks to shorter skin contact during fermentation. A great entryway to get to know Nebbiolo from a traditional producer. 

Martin Cendoya Rioja Reserva ($21): Dark berry fruit with earthiness and a noticeable oak component, which smooths out some harsh edges you can get from Tempranillo when it is young. Vanilla and a slight toffee note help illustrate the impact of 14 month barrel aging and additional time in bottle before being released to the market, ready to drink now.

Domaine du Terme Gigondas ($28): I picked this up for my birthday back in December. It is my favorite French red wine region. Neighbor of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas is based on Grenache, with small percentages of Syrah and Mourvedre added to the blend. Gigondas has offered more stability to me in terms of quality and price, whereas Chateauneuf-du-Pape can be all over the map. Fresh blackerry fruit, violets, and Herbes de Provence, show up in this wine that I really enjoyed on my big day.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec Reserva ($16): You got the introductory Malbec in the value case. Go back and get the Reserva, which spent 12 months in oak barrel and see what's different!

Quinta do Noval Fine Ruby Port ($17): A single estate Port (compared to a blend of estates produced by the larger companies), this is an easy one to carry in the cellar if you are a Port fan. Raspberry and blackberry fruit, but warming and well-balanced.

So total is $245. With a 10% discount and Connecticut sales tax, this is a $234.50 case, roughly twice the cost of our Value Case earlier in the week. If you had these 24 bottles lined up in your wine fridge/cellar, I think you are off to a heck of a start! Stay with me as we keep exploring. Send me feedback...let me know if you tasted ANY of these wines as I would love to know what you think.

Until next time...

Building A Case For Value

It's not that often these days where I am actively working the sales floor at the store. However in the past and when I help out on the big holidays at Divine Wine, a customer presents me the following:

"Hi! I would like to buy a case of wine, but I am not sure what I want. Can you help me?"

Yes! This is what I do. It's my livelihood. I always get excited at the opportunity to send customers home with 12 bottles of wine that (hopefully) they will enjoy with friends, family, colleagues, or just by themselves on a random Wednesday night.

Now, there is a key component to the statement above: "I am not sure what I want." In general, wine drinkers know what they like, but in this instance I get the impression that my customers are hesitant to step outside of their comfort zone. After all, they are buying a full case of wine so people are investing their hard-earned dollars in me and my recommendations. Of course if you choose to make your own choices, which you are perfectly capable of doing, I won't treat you as if you were having a touch time choosing a dozen donuts:

No matter whether you decide to choose specific wines on your own or ask me for help, I have a way for you to structure how you go about purchasing a case of wine. For today, I am focusing on the everyday/value bottles. Consider this to be the $120-$150 range when all is said and done. Keep in mind that many retailers will take anywhere from 10-20% off of a purchase of a case of wine with the ability to mix and match how you see fit. Let's dive into some things to consider when building your case from a perspective of seeking value.

Find your brands:

As much as I love to show you something from a small artisanal producer from some remote corner of France, the fact is that your larger, well-known brands will be easy to come by. Additionally, depending on the size of the retail store, their purchasing power will dictate how low they can keep prices. So you might encounter that Alamos Malbec, Blackstone Merlot, Concha y Toro Chilean red blend for a very inexpensive price already, all of which make great house wines or something you can offer a guest at a party who is looking to have something familiar. You can score some of your favorite brands for as little as $7 per bottle in some places. However...

Include some lesser-known regions and grape varieties:

Know what Corbieres is? In context of this post, who cares? Just know that some great Cinsault-based pink wine is being made here for $12.

If you are shopping at a good store offering the combination of knowledgeable and friendly customer service, chances are high that the overwhelming majority of wines on the shelves will be at minimum, drinkable and at best, very exciting. So if you see a red wine from Portugal made with Touriga Nacional for $10, grab it. A rosé from Languedoc, France made with Cinsault for $12? Get it. A South African Chenin Blanc for $10? Go for it. There are tons of examples from Italy and Spain, too. Piedmont and Tuscany get tons of love (and accompanying higher prices to match) in Italy, but Puglia, Sicily, and the Veneto regions can frequently offer you significant value. Additionally, Spain still has an incredible quality-to-price ratio, maybe the best of any country right now. There is a ton to choose from.

Find "declassified" wines from a European producer:

Naming conventions and labeling rules for wines in Europe will often refer to a geography, which is most evident in the wines of France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Lets say you have a producer of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a specific wine zone in the Rhône Valley of France with a set of rules for making wine. Chances are that the same producer might make a wine from a larger area, different grape varieties than are permitted in the "Grand Vin" of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or less stringent production rules to make a Côtes du Rhône wine, costing you a fraction of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Côtes du Rhône is a broader geographical area with more flexibility in rules for producing wines.

Another example comes from the Loire Valley. Sancerre's white wines are made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc in the Sancerre region. However, if the wine is made from vines outside of Sancerre, or don't adhere to technical aspects like vine age or yield control, then the wine might be labeled "Vin de France Sauvignon Blanc" such as the example below from Domaine de la Perriere.

Both wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the same property owner, but the Sancerre is costing you $25. The one labeled Sauvignon Blanc? $10. This is a great way to go value-hunting. It might take a little digging around and a bit of research, but finding this kind of information will help save you several dollars.

Don't forget sparkling wine!

Look, we can't drink Champagne all the time, nor should Champagne and other sparkling wines only be reserved for special occasions. A bottle of bubbly as part of your case is a must-have. Best of all, you can find a fruity sparkling wine like Prosecco, or you can find Cava (Spain's sparkling wine made using Champagne's process, but with native grape varieties) can often be found at a bargain. For less than $15, you can spot one of each without a problem. Then you can pop the cork anytime you see fit, because you will have a bottle on-hand and ready to go, special occasion to celebrate, or not.

Why don't we do this...let's take some of these wines and stick them in the box. Then we'll add a few more, total it up, and you will see how you can build your mixed case of goodies to take home. Prices are approximate, and I will use 10% as the case discount as a conservative estimate. These are all wines I have tried and would recommend to anyone looking for a solid variety pack case that includes many styles of wines.

Mionetto Il Prosecco Brut, $11, a simple, easy-drink bottle of fruity sparkler, great for casual parties and Mimosas.

Fonseca Twin Vines Vinho Verde, $8, Vinho Verde is a light, low-alcohol, slightly fizzy citrusy wine from the northeastern corner of Portugal.

La Petite Perriere Sauvignon Blanc, $10, this is the declassified Sancerre from above

Cantine Paolini Sicilia Pinot Grigio, $10, this Sicilian Pinot Grigio has some flavor to it, with melon and tropical fruit.

Tormentoso Old Vine Paarl (South Africa) Chenin Blanc, $13, try some Chenin Blanc as a Chardonnay alternative, plus a wine from South Africa. A region and a grape that deserves your love and attention.

Domaine Sainte Eugenie Corbieres Rose, $12, an unbelievably fruit-but-dry rose wine from southern France. Provence, for all of its delicate fruit and herbs that I really enjoy, does not have the fruit-forwardness of this wine.

Parolvini Barone Nero Veneto Red Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Refosco, Malbec), $12, an interesting blend that includes the native northeastern Italian variety of Refosco, which has a leathery, violet-scented character. It plays so well with the deep, dark fruit of the other two grapes, and it's not every day you see Malbec being grown in Italy.

Azul Portugal Douro Red Blend, $11, a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Touriga Franca. All of these grapes go into Port wines, but when vinified as a dry wine, it gives you plenty of structure and fruit with a bit of smokiness.

Domaine Bousquet Mendoza Malbec, $11, there is a proliferation of Argentine Malbecs out there, and for the money Bousquet delivers so well.

Bodegas Atalaya Almansa Laya Red Blend, $10, this is a blend of Monastrell (a powerful, dense, chewy high-alcohol red wine variety), and Garnacha Tintorera (one of the few red varieties whose pulp and juice is red also).

Concha Y Toro Casillero del Diablo Winemaker's Red Blend, $10, an easy-drinking staple in the large Chilean Concha y Toro winery's lineup. Fresh black fruit, licorice, and a touch of green bell pepper.

Gnarly Head 1924 Lodi Red Blend, $10, an opulent, blackberry jam and raisiny wine that is very soft on the palate.

Total for the 12 wines is $128. Take 10% off, and that's $115.20. Connecticut sales tax is 6.35%, so that gets us to a grand total of $122.52. That puts us in the lower range of what I categorized above. You are getting a nice spread of regions and grape varieties in this, too. Keep in mind that I have also listed these in order of how you might want to taste them if you were to do an absurd 12-bottle flight!

Hopefully, this gives you a great starting point in building your own case, but as always you know where to find me if you have questions. Good luck!

Fun To Say, Fun To Drink: Muscadet

Wines from the vineyards near the river city of Nantes (pictured) are exactly what you need this summer.

It's fun to drink

And it's fun to say.

It comes from France.

It's Muscadet [moose-cah-day]!

You know that I am an unabashed fan of wines from the Loire Valley of France, and with the heat returning to the northeast, I love them even more. There are so many dry, zesty white wines and fresh, lively red wines to choose from. However, today we focus on a white wine from the city of Nantes in the western Loire whose low alcohol, light body, and refreshingly simple flavor is perfect for this time of year. Additionally, it was a wine that my two older sons absolutely loved to say when they overheard me discussing my wine studies; it's clearly fun to say for kids, but they have over a decade to go before it can be fun to drink.

Muscadet is one of the unique protected production areas in France in that it does not refer to a grape variety or a geographic region. Wines made with this name are made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape (often shorted to Melon), whose tendency toward neutral flavors was ideal base material for Dutch traders to turn into brandy. This, along with the deep freeze of 1709, led to an increase in plantings of Melon. The name "Muscadet" is believed to have come from the supposed "musky" character that Melon displayed. Perhaps earlier clones of the variety showed this funk, but in today's examples there is no muskiness to be found.

Muscadet wine is produced from an area of roughly 32,000 acres, a significant swath of land for producing one type of wine, but still pales in comparison to Bordeaux's nearly 300,000 acres. Within the boundaries of the Muscadet zone, there are more specific terroirs and names that may be appended to the name of Muscadet on a label if the wine follows the production rules.

Map of the Muscadet production zones. Chéreau Carré is an important producer of Muscadet wines Image credit: DeMaison Selections

Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine: this is the one we see the most often on the shelves; it is often the richest and most complex of all three sub-zones.

Muscadet-Coteaux de la Loire: the northernmost region, where vintage variations are noticed the most out of the three sub-zones. Coteaux de la Loire tends to be the highest in acidity of the three sub-zones.

Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu: this didn't receive its own sub-zone until 1996, so prior to this vineyards were producing basic Muscadet. Soils are lighter and sandier, leading to delicate, light-bodied wines with floral aromatics.

In addition, these three sub-zones can all add "sur Lie" if they use a specific winemaking technique. In order to impart a creamier texture and give Muscadet a fuller body, fermented wines will sit in a tank or vat with the spent yeast cells (called the lees) from fermentation. The cellar hands need to stir the lees, which release sugars and proteins into the wine, leading to a richer texture. Temperature needs to be kept under control and lees need to be stirred, otherwise spoilage can occur in the wine. Additionally, if lees aging goes for more than a twelve months, it can lead to "off" flavors, such as rotten eggs in the wine (Yum!), unless serious care is taken in the cellar.

Muscadet wines are natural matches for seafood. Sea scallops and raw oysters are both phenomenal with Muscadet, as are mussels cooked in white wine with garlic and herbs. Keep the seafood preparations simple,and you will be in business. The other good news about Muscadet is that it does not break the bank, even on the higher end of the price spectrum. I have four wines for you to try, all of which show a progression from delicate and easy-drinking to assertive and complex.

Château de La Chesnaie Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie ($12): Briny and citrusy, this is an easy way to get yourself introduced to what everyday Muscadet is all about.

Château l'Oiselinière de la Ramée Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie ($17): More defined citrus fruits, such as grapefruit and lemon zest, are complemented by a subtle floral note A softer texture than the Chesnaie, but still has some bracing acidity to keep the wine from feeling flat in your mouth.

Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie Les Gras Moutons ($23): Vines are 20-60 years old, so fruit concentration begins to increase when compared to the previous two wines. The range of citrus fruits show up in this wine, but now stones and earth start to show. The texture is richer than the two as well, and this is where you begin to see what happens when Melon is grown in more specific vineyard areas with organic farming techniques.

Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson ($28): Organically farmed, "Clisson" is the first recognized "cru", or great growth of Muscadet. Pépière stretches the limits of lees aging by going to nearly two years on the spent yeast cells. Vines ages are anywhere from 50 to 110 years old, leading to very concentrated flavors. White peaches, apples, brioche bread, and a smoky/stony character make this one of the more complex Muscadet examples out there. I highly encourage you to try this wine if you can find it!

Portugal: Killer Wines With Fierce Pride

It was just a short time ago when I released a post about a past wine dinner that was incredibly educational. The reason that concept started in our group of friends was because one of the couples was about to go on their honeymoon, and being into the great outdoors and adventure they took a trip to Portugal to celebrate. With my foray into WSET studies beginning, I was asked if I could show them some wines to look out for when they went away, maybe run an informal-but-educational tasting to make them aware of some different styles. This eventually led to us all deciding that wine dinners would be a great idea. So we had a lot of fun with this, where honestly we were all exploring Portuguese wines together; none of us had really taken a dive into this proud Iberian country that can sometimes get lost in the shuffle among France, Italy, Spain, and Germany in the Old World wine hierarchy.

Portugal has records showing the first wine production to take place in this area sometime around the 5th century, B.C. By the time trade with England opened up with the signing of the Methuen Treaty in 1703, Portugal had already begun a system of demarcating quality vineyards and production zones, roughly 200 years before France even began passing laws to protect well-regarded wine production areas. Further south in the Dão region, they had even begun outlining demarcartion guidelines as early as the end of the 14th century. Wine has been taken seriously here for a long time.

However, the Colonial Era right through the 20th century saw complex waves of political and economic strife. With international trade all over the map as far as relationships went, Portugal could always count on their native grape varieties having already adapted to its diverse soils and climates. Grapegrowing was easy to some degree since Portugal never really absorbed the well-known Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Chardonnay. However, remote inland areas lacked in the winemaking equipment necessary to produce good wines. Once Portugal was admitted to the European Union in 1986, grants for technology upgrades, most notably temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation tanks, led to improvements in winemaking and its quality of its dry wines. By the time the 21st century arrived, we were well on our way to having more Portuguese dry wines to choose from. Portugal had emerged from all of the chaos as a serious Old World producer of awesome wines; with the reliance on native varieties that lack name recognition to the wine-drinking masses, Portuguese wines were (and still are) a fantastic value.

As you know, I already published a Port cheat sheet for you here at Flight School back in the wintertime, but we have yet to discuss the dry wines of Portugal, something that is very important for you to know about as a wine consumer. Here's the thing...I would bet that a good percentage of you have never heard of some of these grape varieties used: Aragonez, Touriga Nacional, Antao Vaz, Encruzado, Jaen, and Alfrocheiro are just a handful of the cornucopia of native grapes used to make fine dry wines. That said, the warmer southern regions of Portugal have lowered their resistance to international varieties and have started to make some interesting blends, particularly with red wines, where a local variety joins up with an international one. For instance, this is one of the first such wines I can remember tasting:

The combination of Aragonez (a.k.a. Tempranillo), Syrah, and Touriga Nacional (the great grape of Portugal) results in a dark, spicy, savory wine that is also easy on the wallet.

While Port labels don't typically tell you the proportions in a blend, the dry wines do just the opposite. There is greater transparency to help you get to know some of these grapes and understand what to expect in that bottle. Am I going to list them all here for you today? No, but there are some grapes that take on greater significance than others internationally, and simply trekking to a different part of the country leads you to a new array of varieties. Here are the regions of note you are likely to find on the shelves here in the U.S.

Vinho Verde:

In its simplest form, this is a low-alcohol, slightly fizzy wine that is easy to knock down on hot summer days. The majority exported is white, made from Loureiro and Arinto (a.k.a. Pedernã) grapes, creating a lemony, green apple-y dry wine that can be had for less than $10. A fuller-bodied non-fizzy example is made from Alvarinho, and will be labelled as "Vinho Verde Alvarinho," which will raise the price bracket to $12-$18. Some rosé is exported and tiny quantities of red wine make it to us, both of which have the fizz.

Douro:

This is the valley of greatest significance, as this is where Port wines are made. With respect to dry wines, all of the Port varieties are available, but instead of stopping fermentation to make the wine sweet, all grape sugars are fermented dry. The bulk of what we see is red, with Touriga Nacional leading the way, complemented by Tinta Roriz (a.k.a. Tempranillo), Tinta Barroca, and Touriga Franca. In the best vintages, you will find more Touriga Nacional in the blend (which also typically dictates when a "Vintage" is declared for Port wine). Since production of Port wine is limited by the government, any surplus is fermented into dry red wines. Seek out the Douro red blends from the years 2011, 2007, and if you are lucky, 2003 and 2000...these are all years where Vintage Port was declared. Wines can show a range of styles from fresh and fruity to deep and savory. There is also an increasing amount of white wines becoming available.

Dão:

The Dão region has been fighting with the Douro over who gets to claim origin of Touriga Nacional, the highly-structured, ageworthy grape variety packed with bold aromas and dark fruit flavors. Dão tends to use more varieties outside of the Port grapes used by the Douro, but any chance to showcase its style with Touriga Nacional is welcomed. The two most common grapes I encounter are Alfrocheiro (a berry-scented variety which retains acidity well in the heat of the growing season) and Jaen (a rustic, blueberry/cherry flavored grape that performs reliably well in Dão). I also need to draw attention to the white wines made from Encruzado, which is a citrusy and very floral wine with body and richness that will allow further development of honeyed notes when aged in bottle. I look at this as the Portuguese answer to Riesling, but with fewer sweet examples. 

Bairrada:

Bairrada is an important area for Portuguese sparkling wines. Fernão Pires (a.k.a. Maria Gomes) is the main grape used, but Arinto (from Vinho Verde above) is also included among several other varieties. Fernão Pires can taste of just about any citrus fruit with an earthy/ash quality the shows up, particular in the non-sparkling wines. Red wines often include Baga, which reminds me of France's Carignan in some ways. When not taken care of in the vineyard, wines made from this grape can be overly acidic and tannic with very little fruit. Older vines given more attention are capable of giving you wines with dark plum fruit, smoke, and pipe tobacco. Baga combines well with all of the Douro and Dão varieties above, giving the winemaker a large palette of choices in the winery.

Alentejo:

Antao Vaz, Arinto, and Viognier combine to make a fruity and aromatic wine with plenty of tropical fruit and richness.

This is Portugal's most important region for experimentation as international varieties are increasingly included in both white and red blends. It's plenty warm in this southern region, so just about any grape will ripen reliably. Here, the grapes of all of the regions above (except Vinho Verde) are used in conjunction with many red varieties and a handful of white. These are often tasty and inexpensive when you are looking for something a little different. Any time these international varieties infiltrate the wine, you will see the label marked as "Vinho Regional Alentejano."

Aragonez, Syrah, and Touriga Nacional create a boldly-flavored, spicy, full-bodied wine that will be a winner with any animal protein you toss on the grill.

I have long been impressed by Portugal's commitment to their native grape varieties; they all offer so much in the way of aromatics, fruit, and earthiness with an edgy character that makes the wines taste distinctly Portuguese. I hope I have given you some good reasons to grab a few bottles of Portuguese wines the next time you head out to your local wine merchant. There will be more to come as I dive into specific regions and grape varieties, but this mini-guide should help you get started if you didn't know where to begin. Cheers to the start of a great week!

Supporting information credit goes to Wines of Portugal.

Drinking Through Disney: Pacific Northwest Edition

For all of the exploration we love to do as we roam the Disney parks, we are also hotel nerds. Even if we aren't staying at a different resort each time, we still enjoy visiting them, especially for dinners. We know that all of the restaurants are going to be kid-friendly, but when we go to one of the higher-end places as a treat, we wonder how three young boys who have been dragged all over the place are going to respond to having to sit for a while as their parents enjoy a delicious meal. Fortunately for whatever reason, every time we have gone to Artist Point at the Wilderness Lodge, it seems to always go extremely well.

That is just one of many reasons why we like to eat dinner at Artist Point every time we go down to Disney World for a visit. The theme here is Pacific Northwest cuisine with sustainable and organic ingredients. Additionally, they have quite the wine list (I feel like I say this frequently, but the restaurants in Disney have unreal adult beverage inventory). Since I can easily feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of choices available to me, I went for the Taste of the Pacific Tasting Menu. With wine pairings, which I added on, the whole experience runs you a cool $100 (or two Disney dining meal credits).

If you are having a hard time choosing a bottle, the by-the-glass selections are also enjoyable, quality examples of the styles of Oregon and Washington wines. The Greatest Wife In The World chose the Argyle Brut, which is in the running for favorite New World Sparkling wine.

The customizable Taste of the Pacific menu. My selections: Duck Ragout, Land Greens Salad, Aged Buffalo Strip Loin, and Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée. They throw in the Friandise as a second dessert, which has tasty little fruit jellies and chocolate lollipops.

I was given a glass of Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut to start. After sweating out in the parks and rehydrating with water, a refreshing glass of bubbly is always welcome. Light, yet creamy, it had simple apple and citrus flavor that primed the pump for me to stuff my face. Chateau Ste. Michelle is easily the largest winery in Washington. Additionally, they own many other brands under "Ste. Michelle Wine Estates." Some you may have seen before include 14 Hands, Columbia Crest, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

After that, my Duck Ragout came out with a glass of Sokol Blosser Pinot Gris. For a long time, my only familiarity with the winery was in the form of their Evolution White Blend, a wine stew of roughly a dozen grapes that makes for a lush, golden, easy-drinking wine. Sokol Blosser's Pinot Gris also has some of the richness I experienced with the Evolution blend, but the finish is much drier, with a green fig and citrus fruit going on in it. When tasted with the Duck Ragout, a noticeable floral aroma came out, almost like chamomile or honeysuckle. I also tried this with the Land Greens Salad, and that released a peachy flavor that complemented the, uh...peach in the salad! Normally, pairings don't work that way, but in this case it did.

After that, it was time for Buffalo Strip Loin, which I had to prevent the six-year old from taking away from me. The pieces I was able to have went well with the Roco Gravel Road Pinot Noir that I chose over the Waterbrook Malbec. While it would have been interesting to try a Malbec from Washington, I was feeling Pinot Noir today and rolled with it. I'm sure the fuller body and sturdiness of the Malbec would have been wonderful, but the Roco offered a fresh blackberry flavor and peppery spice that came out in this pairing that I really liked. This was a great first-time experience for me with a product of this winery.

Finally, it was time for the desserts to come out. Let me tell you this: I am not a sweet/dessert wine drinker, except for Port or Madeira in the wintertime. However, when I sampled the NxNW Riesling Icewine (sorry, not pictured) with the Crème Brûlée...my goodness! This may have been the best food and wine pairing on the list, and one of the best ones I can remember. It was an explosion of apricot, mango, and kumquats (Yes, kumquats. Normally, I stay away from unusual fruits as a wine descriptor, but that's exactly what I tasted!). NxNW is a brand from King Estate, whose Pinot Gris we will never refuse. I was so full, I didn't care that the children wanted to steal my second dessert.

By the way, this could easily be in the category of "If It Grows Together, It Goes Together" as this was a classic illustration of how Pacific Northwest cuisine works so well with its wines. I can't recommend Artist Point more to you. The service was fantastic (as Disney tends to be anyway), but our server was also sharp and new his stuff when it came to the wines. Hopefully if you are making the trip to Disney World, you get this place on your dining to-do list.

Fun To Say, Fun To Drink: Aglianico

These past few days here in the northeast have felt very autumn-like; long pants and/or fleeces in mid-to-late July aren't out of the question for a day, but for several days? That's a little excessive and it's keeping the beaches quiet here in New England. All of those zesty, light and fresh white and rosé wines I have been sharing with you suddenly don't seem too appealing.

So today's installment of Fun To Say, Fun To Drink takes us to Southern Italy, which has felt the influence of Greece since the 8th Century, B.C. Present-day Southern Italy was referred to as "Oenotria" by the early Greeks, whose meaning refers to the sea of vineyards they encountered when arriving here. As a result, there is a rich history of native Italian vines, along with those Greek in origin and the one we focus on today is called Aglianico [ahl-YAH-nee-ko].

RIP, Denis Dubourdieu. The wine world lost a dude who made a major impact in Bordeaux's winemaking, and who had a global understanding of viticulture and winemaking, including his reverence for Aglianico.

The late Denis Dubourdieu, legendary wine producer and Professor of Oenology at the University of Bordeaux, referred to Aglianico as "probably having the longest consumer history of all (grape varieties)." During the height of the Roman Empire, references to the red Aglianico were made in the works of Pliny the Elder, where the grape was part of the ancient wine called Falernian, which may have included the white grape Greco. Aglianico was consumed by military commanders, scholars, and nobles, whose vines thrived in the volcanic soils of the Campania and Basilicata regions. What was it about Aglianico that was so appealing, even a couple of millenia ago?

From a more modern standpoint, let's take a look at what Aglianico is. It is a grape rich in structural components; high in acid, tannin, and deep, dark fruit concentration. Aglianico also shows a smoky/savory quality that adds an extra distinct layer of complexity. As great as the Nebbiolo-based wines of Barolo and Barbaresco or the Sangiovese-based wines of Tuscany are, they can't give you the flavor and aroma combination you get from Aglianico (of course, you aren't getting the immense structure of Nebbiolo or the leathery/earthiness of aged Sangiovese, but that's another story for another day).

Additionally, if Nebbiolo is the great grape of the north in Barolo and Barbaresco, and Sangiovese rules the center of Italy with Brunello di Montalcino, Chianti Classico, and other Tuscan regions, Aglianico is king of the south, most notably in Taurasi in Campania. These regions all contribute to their signature grape variety's ability to age for decades in the bottle. Of course, if you aren't looking to spend tons of money or wait several years for the wine to hit its optimal drinking point, Basilicata's only DOCG-level wine, Aglianico del Vulture, represents a better entry point for the grape. Vineyards are situated right up against an extinct volcano at Mt. Vulture in what is quite the dramatic landscape. Many examples of Aglianico del Vulture can be found for less than $20.

Despite southern Italy having many economically improverished parts of the country, places like Basilicata are capable of producing wines fit for kings and queens. Image credit: Wine Spectator

While the overwhelming majority of Aglianico comes from these southern Italian regions, you can also find some examples in Australia and the American Southwest, notably Texas and Arizona. The common link among these winemaking regions? Hot, sunny, dry weather during the growing season. Without the sun and heat to ripen Aglianico, it would taste aggressively harsh and bitter with green leafy flavors instead of the ripe black plum and black cherry flavors that it should have.

The good news here is that there are some high-quality examples out there for you to try. I have never sampled any of the Aglianico wines outside of Italy, so I haven't included any below. However, if you do see some in your travels, give them a try. In the meantime I have these three that are worth seeking out.

Terredora di Paolo Aglianico Campania ($17): Here is a great way to get introduced to the Aglianico grape. This winery has always produced steady examples of native grape varieties throughout the south, and this wine is no different. Very approachable with gentle tannins and some red raspberry flavors and violets on the nose.

Tenuta del Portale Aglianico del Vulture Riserva ($20): Very ripe black cherry fruit with anise, nutmeg, black pepper, and earthy notes. This wine spent two years in barrel, as noted by the "Riserva" on the label. This is released ready to drink on purchase and needs no further cellaring, but if you wish to do so, you can for a good 5-7 years.

Donnachiara Taurasi ($30): Packed with blackberry fruit, mushrooms, earth, and smoke, this intense and structured Taurasi is a great deal at this price. Chewy and full-bodied, if you have the patience to let this evolve in the bottle for a decade, you will be rewarded. If you don't have that kind of time, this is very enjoyable now...just give it an hour or more to breathe and open up.

What Is New Zealand's Second Act? It's On You To Decide.

In our house, Sauvignon Blanc is our front-runner for our go-to white wine. We have not met a world winemaking region or style of Sauvignon Blanc that we did not enjoy to some degree. Yes, we have long been champions the Loire Valley of France, with one appellation situated squarely at the top of the list. We have found plenty of examples from Bordeaux, California, Chile, and South Africa that we like, but there is a remote part of the globe whose Sauvignon Blanc makes a great case to be invited to the party at all times: New Zealand.

While the oldest vineyards in New Zealand only date back to the 1850s, it wasn't until 1979 when Montana Wines (known to you today as Brancott Estate) produced a Sauvignon Blanc that was accepted by many wine critics as being a high-quality, unique expression of the grape variety. It was pungent and aromatic with the zesty acidity found in the European style, but there were also tropical and exotic fruit flavors accompanying the "green" aggressiveness typically associated with Sauvignon Blanc. It became an instant hit with its overt fruitiness that appealed to the international palate, and the arrow has never pointed higher in the trend of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Tamatoa (voiced by New Zealand native Jemaine Clement) know that while Sauvignon Blanc is the "shiny" grape variety, don't forget about the others offered by New Zealand's wine producers! Image credit: Disney Wiki

With that being said, Sauvignon Blanc makes up 72% of New Zealand's wine production and 86% of its export market. When I read these figures, it made me wonder what the future holds for the New Zealand wine industry. With so much riding on the success of one grape variety, is that going to be sustainable, or is New Zealand in desperate need of a second act, just in case the fortunes of Sauvignon Blanc go south? Let's take a look at some of the other grape varieties that New Zealand is working with these days and begin to dive into what else New Zealand can offer us.

Pinot Noir:

While sitting at a distant second place in the pecking order, Pinot Noir (9% of total production) is being groomed to be the next great grape in New Zealand. Marlborough, the region that has become synonymous with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, has the most plantings of Pinot Noir in the country. However, some of the greatest potential is being discussed further south on the South Island in the Central Otago region, where it is cooler and more mountainous, but the sunny days are what becomes key to Pinot Noir's success. On the fruitiness scale, in general, I put most New Zealand Pinot Noir in between Burgundy (earthy and structured) and Oregon (fresh red berry fruit and vibrant acidity).

Chardonnay:

Hey, just about any winemaking region in the world has plantings of Chardonnay. It can express itself in so many ways, take to different levels of oak treatment, and pair with a wide range of foods. In New Zealand, Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, two coastal regions on the warmer North Island, are making some shimmering examples of delicate, well-balanced Chardonnay. There are even some good ones coming from Kumeu, all the way up north near the city of Auckland, that display very rich, nutty flavors that I would put up against some California expressions any day.

Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer:

The aromatic Alsatian white varieties show excellent potential, too. Pinot Gris isn't as full bodied as it is in Alsace, but does have a silkiness that is very fruity (think golden apples and peaches here) when grown up on the North Island. On the South Island, Pinot Gris expresses itself bright and zesty with citrus fruit flavor. New Zealand Rieslings, mainly from the South Island, have peach and apricot prevailing further north on the island. As you make your way to the Canterbury region and even Central Otago, you get these lime/green apple notes with a lightning bolt of acidity that is tempered by a touch of sweetness. Gewürztraminer shows the typical floral/tropical fruit profile as it does in most parts of the world working with this grape. However, it is not as intense coming from New Zealand; instead I notice a fresh ginger spiciness tends to show, which I really enjoy.

Bordeaux-style Red Blends:

The typical Bordeaux recipe has been Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. With New Zealand's South Island being to cool to ripen these varieties, the North Island (and most notably, Hawke's Bay) is going to be warm enough to allow these grapes to thrive. Merlot has been more successful than Cabernet Sauvignon, in general, and acidity is quite noticeable to go along with the red berry and cherry fruit and a touch of herbaceous notes. There aren't a ton of these available at the moment, but don't be surprised if you start seeing Merlot-Cabernet blends on your shelves soon.

Syrah:

Produced in very small quantity, but slowly making it to the U.S. market, Hawke's Bay has some vineyard area devoted to making lean, fresh blackberry-scented, floral, and peppery wines from Syrah grapes. It's a different style from what you might be used to in France, Australia, or the other regions in the Southern Hemisphere, but it is uniquely savory. As winemakers work more with the grape, expect more examples to slowly appear in your stores.

So what will it be that supplements Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand? Well, the truth is that it is you who will decide what the future holds. The reasons you read this blog is because, like me, you enjoy exploring wines that may not be in your traditional comfort zone. I have a flight of New Zealand wine that you should get your hands on. The more you expose yourself to different styles, the easier it is to give feedback to your retailers, who can then keep bringing in interesting wines like the ones below. Help shape the fortunes of the next great grape of New Zealand...but of course, keep reaching for the Sauvignon Blanc in the process (it still tastes really good, too!).

Kumeu River "Kumeu Village" Chardonnay ($18): 25% of the Chardonnay juice is fermented in barrel while the bulk of it is done in stainless steel. A small amount of oak treatment afterwards rounds the wine a little bit, so acidity isn't super-high. You are left with a wine tasting of lemon curd, peaches, green figs, and hazelnuts. Delicious with a white fish stew.

Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürztraminer ($19): Medium-bodied with plenty of tropical and exotic fruit, along with the ginger aromas and flavor I discussed above. Acidity is higher in this one than, say, something I would taste from Alsace. This is great with a red curry duck or pork dish.

Matua Marlborough Pinot Noir ($17): Matua is a well-known winery, who has a great way to introduce yourself to this style of Pinot Noir. Fresh and vibrant with red berry fruit and a touch of savory earthiness. 

Drinking Through Disney: Club Cool Edition

Today's Drinking Through Disney taps the brakes on the eating and drinking blitz through the parks and the hotels. Don't get me wrong...I love all that Disney World has to offer when it comes to food and beverage, but you have to come up for air every now and then. Additionally, if you are racing through the parks trying to hit all the rides you can in the searing Florida sunshine, chances are high that you are getting worn out.

One of the best ways to help chill yourself down while you are at Epcot is to stop into Club Cool, a soda shop featuring soft drinks from around the world. Anytime we went from Future World to the World Showcase and vice-versa, we brought the kids here to recharge the batteries.

Club Cool has multiple stations of eight different drinks to try; the selection changes every so often, but here is what the taps looked like when we visited last month:

The sodas on display feature a wide range of styles, sweet and fruity to bitter yet refreshing. Starting at the left, the Beverly is an Italian clear bitter soda that will get your appetite going before you start eating through World Showcase OR help you digest everything you just ate at World Showcase. It's a wake-up call for your system that has the most medicinal impact of the eight sodas. This was one of my favorites.

Fanta is a well-known worldwide brand of soda, and both Greece and Thailand were represented. If you are trying to scale back on the caffeine, the pineapple Fanta is a great choice; it certainly has a sweet taste, but it is very lively. Thailand's tropical melon soda has a similar sweetness/fruitiness profile of the Greek version, but with a more exotic flavor.

Japan's VegitaBeta is actually more of a juice than a soda, but the bright orange elixir was very flavorful. It has a combination of apricot, passionfruit, and carrots that acted as a restorative for me as it was not overly sweet and the fruit/vegetable combination tasted great together. Another favorite of mine.

South Africa was represented with Bibo, which was released within the last 20 years. There are many flavors of juices produced by this brand, but the one being dispensed on our trip was tasting like very sweet strawberries. Next is Zimbabwe's Sparberry, which is a raspberry cream soda. It has a deep red color that smells very fruity with vanilla tones.

The last two represented South America. Inca Kola is a fruity-earthy Peruvian soda that has a candylike sweetness. The Guarana Kuat is based on Guarana berries in Brazil, which turns into a maple syrup/caramel flavor that doesn't finish sweet...it finishes clean and dry with a tropical fruit flavor.

So remember this...a trip the Disney is a marathon, not a sprint. Take a break at Club Cool for a few moments before pushing through to your next FastPass or dinner reservation.

Fun To Say, Fun To Drink: Soave

Going by the intro picture above, you can clearly tell that while I really enjoy researching and presenting wine and spirits to you, I also don't take myself too seriously. You know that I will go for the obvious pun every now and then, and today is no different. For you teenagers of the 1990s, you know this artist as Gerardo, the constantly shirtless flash-in-the-pan rapper who blessed us all with the smash hit, "Rico Suave." You may be asking yourself, "Tony...what is wrong with you? How are you going to work this into a meaningful wine discussion?"

Actually, Gerardo's brief popularity may have played a part in reversing the fortunes of a wine region teetering on the edge of irrelevance in the United States. You see, the northern Italian wine zone of Soave (so-AH-vay) was once a major hit in this country thanks to the marketing of Bolla after World War II. By the 1970s, Bolla's TV ads for its Soave (a white wine) along with its red counterpart Valpolicella were everywhere.

Here is a pause for you to go click the link above to see for yourself. These things are pure gold. This one is also fabulous in all of its 1970s glory.

The wines gained a reputation for being bland, flabby, and flavorless, but they were inexpensive and easy to knock back in quantity, leading to it being the top-selling brand in the United States in the 1970s. However, as quickly as Soave rose to the top, it fell out of favor just as fast thanks to Pinot Grigio's ascent. When our bare-chested heartthrob's one-hit wonder was released in 1991, I have no facts that suggest Soave producers saw that as a wake-up call to restore its good name (which it always had locally), but I'm just sayin'! Maybe it forced them to take a hard look at how they were going to continue doing business in their export markets.

Soave's Production Zones, for your educational amusement. Image credit: Casa del Vino

Above: smurf-hating wizard Gargamel. Below: nutty and textured Garganega. Try not to confuse the two.

With that said, some revisions were made in Soave's classification system in the early 2000's. Distinctions were made within the large Soave region (originally given an official appellation in 1968), which had grown from 2,700 acres in the 1920s to over 14,000 acres. The "Soave Classico" region, the traditional heartland for making this style of wine, was restricted to the hillsides, which led to better-quality wines than those wines made from grapes on the flat, fertile plains (where a lot of the cheap 1970s stuff came from). A grape called Garganega (gar-gah-NAY-gah), a thick-skinned white grape whose texture resembles Chardonnay, must make up at least 70% of the blend, while Trebbiano di Soave and/or Chardonnay makes up no more than 30% of the blend. Other local varieties, such as Friulano and Cortese, can be included in up to 5% of the blend.

"Soave Superiore" follows similar rules as Soave Classico, but Pinot Bianco can be used. Even though many vineyards from the Classico region are used to make Superiore wines, some do extend outside the Classico region, but are located on hillsides that lead to good quality wines. These wines are labelled as "Soave Colli Scaligeri;" you may not see this often, but I am just preparing you in case you encounter it in your wine explorations. This region was named "referencing the hills around Verona that used to belong to the noble Scaligeri family that were Lords of Verona for many years." [Source: The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition] There are also sweet, late-harvest versions called "Recioto di Soave," which I honestly have not experienced much, but probably should place that on my to-do list.

Bolla and large cooperative wineries own a significant percentage of business here; they make up at least 90% of all Soave production. The good news is that quality is so much better than it once was. Cantina di Soave is one well-regarded cooperative that makes many brands, but universally produces easy-drinking, but flavorful, wines. Smaller, family-owned wineries generally produce more expensive wines, but they will have additional layers of flavor. Acidity is not as high in Soave wines as they are in many other Italian white varieties, so the wines generally feel softer on the palate. No matter which way you go, Soave is great with seafood with its aromatic, citrusy quality; I find herbed mussels, clams, and scallops, or anything with pesto sauce, to be fine partners for Soave wines. Soave Classico tends to show a nuttiness to it, almondy in fact, so an almond-crusted sturdy white fish will work nicely with it.

So go ahead...put on your Z. Cavaricci pants while blasting "Rico Suave" and thank the guy who ushered in a Soave Renaissance (at least in my own mind) by trying these wines. All are meant to be consumed within a year or two, so find the latest vintage you can.

Rocca Sveva Soave Classico ($15): A great way to introduce yourself to this style of wine, Rocca Sveva is made by Cantina di Soave from 100% Garganega. The Rocca Sveva has honeydew, grapefruit, and Granny Smith apple flavors; this is a leaner, style with more acidity, but this will be very refreshing on a hot day with lighter foods. A great Pinot Grigio alternative, a piece of proscuitto on crusty bread is all you need with this wine.

Inama Soave Classico ($17): Another that is 100% Garganega, Inama has long been a choice that I offer those looking for the Chardonnay alternative. This is not as fruity as the Rocca Sveva, but does have a white peach/nectarine thing going on among the range of flowers on the nose and minerals/almonds on the palate. There is a silkiness to this wine that I enjoy with texture of scallops.

Cantina Prà Soave Classico "Otto" ($22): A full-bodied expression of Garganega, Grapes come from vineyards with 30-60 year old vines, leading to intense fruit concentration. The Otto has lemons, golden apples, apricots, plenty of floral aromas, and a wet stone flavor (yes...wet stones!), with a long-lasting nutty finish.