Recovering from a 40-Day Blitz, Part I

This could not be more true about me at this stage of my life.

Well, here we are. It's 2018, and with the way Thanksgiving landed on the calendar this year, there was roughly one extra week leading up to Christmas Day. That's seven more days of rich foods, dessert after lunch, and holiday parties with friends/family/co-workers (I'm already full just writing that last sentence). Additionally, we blew through our budgets for holiday goodies, picking up gifts for others, a roast, baking supplies, booze...whatever it was, December tends to be a time of indulgence among all the cheer and giving.

Who needs resolutions?

Some of you are looking to get back to some healthier eating and drinking patterns if you went too hard the past forty days. Perhaps your body is looking for a vegetable or a salad to help get things right, maybe even some seafood. If this is the case and you are also a wine-drinker, we can restock the cellar with some solid everyday white and red wines that pair well with some of these so-called "detox" foods, yet still offer warmth and satisfaction considering that a large swath of the country remains under Old Man Winter's icy grip.

So as I warm up my writing chops for this year, I'll keep things simple. Two white wines and two red wines are listed below to help you get 2018 started right. It's a new year, so get to know a some new grapes while enjoying some old favorites.

Michel Gassier Cercius ($12): Costières de Nîmes is an outlying region of the Rhône Valley of France, where the bulk of Gassier's wines are labeled. It is a winemaking region that frequently delivers great value in its red wines, and white wines are incredibly cheap. The Cercius is a non-standard blend of Grenache Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, offering a great balance of texture, body, and mouthwatering acidity that will work with your salads.

L'Ecole No. 41 Old Vine Chenin Blanc, Columbia Valley ($16): This is a great New World take on a Vouvray (Loire Valley) style of Chenin Blanc. Unoaked and fruit-forward, this is a refreshing Chenin Blanc with passionfruit, citrus, and golden apples on the palate with a pleasant floral aroma and a touch of sweetness on the finish. This is going to be tremendous with some sushi or exotically spiced dishes (Thai or Indian cuisine). 

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages ($11): This is a versatile old favorite that is great to keep on-hand when you need a light, fruity red. Bursting with red berry fruit, you can enjoy this with sauteed leafy greens like kale and Swiss chard, but it is light enough in tannin where you can also pair this with fish rich in Omega-3s like salmon (FYI...full-bodied, high tannin reds do not mix well with salmon's Omega-3 compounds, leading to a metallic taste in your mouth).

Santa Carolina Pinot Noir Reserva, Maule Valley ($11): Chile is quickly establishing itself as a good source of inexpensive Pinot Noir, a grape that can be difficult to find wallet-friendly sources of good wine. The example from Santa Carolina has plenty of cherry fruit with earthy tones and a spicy finish. If you are a fan of mushrooms and bean-based dishes, this is an easy one to grab.

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...

Back to Basics: Premium Blends Around The World

You may have noticed that a lot of my posts have been of the exotic variety of late. Aside from recapping vacation adventures, I have gone into great detail on cocktails, plenty of spirits, and unusual grape varieties. So today, it's time to ease up on the gas a little and get back to basics with some good straight-up wine discussion. In this edition of Flight School, I share with you some classic and interesting red and white blends of which I have really received a high level of enjoyment from.

Franciscan Estate Winery does a blending class on-site, but we were fortunate to get one of their blending kits for our classroom. Image credit: Franciscan Estate

At the store, we once ran a blending session using Franciscan Estate's "Magnificat" as our reference point, a kit that is sold by the winery. It is a lot of fun to take the five grapes from the Magnificat (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) and create your own wine in the proportions you see fit. Tasting your own "Franken-wine" alongside the Magnificat is a great practical exercise in how the different grape varieties play off of one another.

When it comes to wine blends, remember that there is always a method to the madness. While it used to be that some producers would just throw disorganized grapes into the fermentation vats and make a wine from them, individual grape varieties are bringing something to the party. The goal is for the grapes to work in harmony to achieve a desired style. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, for example, have long been partners in Bordeaux wines; Cabernet's "structure" (acid, tannin, and aromatics) have often been a foil for Merlot's plush texture and ripe fruit flavor. However, one can also amplify a specific characteristic in a blend. In an example like this, A Merlot-Malbec blend in Argentina will feel ultra-soft on your palate with very ripe fruit flavors since the two grapes have some marked similarities.

I have three whites and three reds for you to try that have been recent favorites of mine. None of these break the bank and provide you with casual, yet interesting wines to enjoy.

The White Wine Flight

Wieninger Wiener Gemischter Satz ($20): You may remember me mentioning "Gentil" blends as a way to get introduced to the grapes of Alsace, France. Gemischter Satz is a similar concept in Austria. This particular blend is mostly Grüner Veltliner, Weissburgunder, Welschriesling, and Chardonnay, but there are smaller proportions of many local varieties like Riesling, Rotgipfler, Zierfandler, Sylvaner, Traminer, Neuberger. The producer refers to this as "All of Vienna in One Wine." This is aromatic and fresh with delicate citrus and stone fruits, along with some minerally/earthy notes. Perfect with lighter seafood dishes or as a counter to Wiener Schnitzel!

Domaine Lafage Côtes Catalanes "Côté Est" ($14): The Côtes Catalanes region of France near the Spanish border is delivering great value with these unique blends of native and international varieties. Côté Est uses Grenache Blanc (popular for its body, alcohol, and tropical fruit), Roussanne (a high-acid aromatic white grape of the Rhône Valley) and the well-known Chardonnay. The end result is a vibrant, yet creamy white wine with pineapple, apricot, and wild herbs.

Castellargo Friuli Grave "Albus" ($16): Friuli is tucked away in the far northeast of Italy, touching the Austrian and Slovenian borders. Native grape Friulano is blended in near equal proportions with Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to create a pungent citrus, herbaceous, earthy wine with some texture on the palate and a slightly floral nose. Delicious with a pasta of fresh herbs and green veggies.

The Red Wine Flight

Viberti Langhe "Dolbà" Rosso ($16): The "Dolbà" refers to the blend of Dolcetto (40%) and Barbera (60%). Dolcetto (translates to "the little sweet one") when fully ripened gives you wines with dark berry, almost jammy fruit that has some tannin and strong aromatics. Barbera is the workhorse grape of the Piedmont area, and in this case provides plenty of acid and fresh red cherry fruit to counter the Dolcetto. A wonderful pizza wine!

Domaine de la Solitude Côtes du Rhône ($18): Solitude is a well-regarded producer of the ageworthy Châteauneuf-du-Pape. In some ways, this is the "baby version" of their flagship wine. 50% Grenache (for body and berry fruit flavor), 30% Syrah (for dark, earthy fruit, acid, and tannin), 15% Cinsault (for juicy red raspberry fruit and acid), and 5% Carignan (for additional "structure" such as acid and tannin). What you get is a well-balanced, versatile red blend that goes great with anything from a burger in summertime to a hearty stew in winter.

Graffigna Centenario Elevation San Juan Red Blend ($14): This is a blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec (both well-suited for many Argentine wines), Syrah, Tannat (an old Southwestern French grape that actually thrives in neighboring Uruguay!) and Bonarda (a fruity red grape that gets lost in the shuffle at times). Tannat's structural and dark fruit content are very high, and Bonarda's fruitiness and full body help counter the aggressiveness of Tannat (which takes its name from "tannin"). The Syrah actually adds a touch of smokiness to the finished wine, too. Sear a cut of red meat, pour a glass of the Elevation, and be happy!

This Week in Tony's Cellar...

Last week was loaded with afterschool activities, rehearsals, concerts, and caring for ill children. It's not easy to find time to get some adult beveraging in with all of that going on, but by golly I found a way to make it happen! After all, part of my service to you is to share what I am drinking, which I realize I have not done nearly enough since starting this blog. You need to know what tastes good, brings you value, what might make a nice gift, and so on.

Fortunately, among the chaos of the week I tasted some terrific wines (sorry...no time for spirits or beer). The Old World triumvirate of France, Italy, and Spain dominated my liver and brought moments of happiness. I have some good things to share with you as all of these are worth seeking out and trying for yourself.

Mionetto Prosecco Brut ($16): Mionetto has been making Prosecco for 130 years, with styles ranging from casual to prestige-level. This flagship product is fresh and lightly fruity; we added some peach nectar for a simple Valentine's Day cocktail.

Bodega Otazu Navarra Premium Cuvée Red Blend ($13): Rioja's neighbor Navarra is red and rosé-dominant. Aside from traditional varieties like Tempranillo and Garnacha, Navarra also plays with international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This particular blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Tempranillo, and 20% Merlot is loaded with dark cherry, blackberry and tobacco flavors. An easy weeknight red to enjoy with a juicy burger.

Château Saint-Cosme Little James' Basket Press Red ($14): Saint-Cosme is best known for its wines produced in the Gigondas region of the Rhône Valley (a neighbor of the higher-profile Châteauneuf-du-Pape region). This multi-vintage 100% Grenache is aged in concrete tanks, leading to a very fresh, yet dark and deep wine. Awesome with a medium-rare roast beef.

Maison Louis Latour Marsannay ($23): Louis Latour's wines are a consistently great way to get introduced to the individual villages of Burgundy. Red wines from Marsannay are 100% Pinot Noir, and this expression shows a mix of red and black fruit. Fragrant yet powerful on the palate, its savory finish begs for some roast duck, but a charcuterie platter or flavorful cheese (like Munster) would do just fine here, too. We had this as a reward for surviving the busy week!

As for the week coming up...

February 21st: We are tasting a range of wines from Steele of Lake County, California at the Divine Wine Emporium. Bill Bishop, National Sales Manager at Steele, joins us in the classroom. He is a fantastic storyteller and with vineyard holdings throughout California, you can get a very good feel for which styles you prefer over others. Steele's wines are a longtime favorite of the store as they consistently deliver for the price.

February 25th: I am delivering a tasting of kosher wines for a group that is preparing for Passover. The time to taste wines for the holiday table is now, and I will be showcasing an array of wines from Bordeaux, Spain, and Israel, all produced in accordance with kosher guidelines. It's a fun topic to revisit for myself, but it is also great to promote the fact that kosher wines are quite tasty!

Hope your week is off to a great start!