Drink Wine With Me

What could be better on a blustery cold evening than to curl up on the couch with a perfectly balanced bottle of red wine?  Lately this winter we have been finding ourselves doing this regularly on the weekends.   Last night’s pick was Yalumba Shiraz Viognier 2007, a medium bodied red wine from South Australia.  Yalumba is run by the Hill Smith family and is the oldest family run winery in Australia, turning out excellent quality wines for 150 years.  This red wine is a blend of 94% shiraz and 6% viognier and is 13.5% alcohol.  In the glass it has a deep purple color with the aroma of minerals and spices.  Once it opened up we experienced flavors of tart fruits primarily currants and plums that were well balanced with tannins and gave this red a long and refreshing finish.  We really liked this wine  for it’s easy drink-ability as it wasn’t too sweet or overly dry.  Yalumba Shiraz Viognier is a great everyday wine that should satisfy any red wine fan and is well priced at less than $13.

This Christmas I was given a bottle of Devonian wine  from 2 very dear friends of mine with a request that I blog about it.   Devonian dry red wine is produced by Anthony Road Wine Company located in the Fingerlakes region of New York State.  I have been meaning to make the trip to the wineries in this region and being originally from Syracuse I really have no excuse as to why I have yet to tour that area.   This particular winery uses only grapes grown in the region for all of their wines.  This red variety is a blend of cabernet franc, lemberger, pinot noir, and rougeon.  Some of these are aged in oak and then blended together to form the finished product.  When my boyfriend and I opened the bottle we were struck with a strong cherry nose and huge black cherry flavor.  This red wine is all fruit and very delicious.  It is smooth and has a slight acid to it that is on the back end of the finish.  This is one of several Fingerlakes wines that I have tried recently and based on what I have tasted I am hoping to make a trip there before the year’s end.  Thanks to Denise and Neil for the great recommendation!

From time to time I will include in my blog wines that aren’t necessarily expensive but go slightly above the $25 per bottle parameter that is the premise for this blog.  One such wine is from the ever popular producer Ridge out of Sonoma County, CA-the Ridge Geyserville Red 2007.  Ridge has been producing highly rated red wines for over 40 years.  This is the first of their wines that I have tasted.  The Geyserville Red is a zinfandel blend composed of 58% zinfandel, 22% carignane, 18% petite syrah, and 2% mataro.   This variety has an earthy aroma with flavors of blackberries and plums.  Notes of pepper, spices, and some light oak were also present.  The presence of tannins and acidity give way to a really nice finish.  This wine has all the character and flavor that I look for in red.  If you are looking for a good quality wine to take to a dinner party this would be an excellent choice.  It retails for approximately $35 per bottle and can be held for a decent period of time.  Ridge Geyserville Red has been rated 91 points by Wine Spectator.

Even though it technically isn’t wine per se, sake in American terms is referred to as rice wine.  That is enough of a reason to include in this blog a recent and impressive find-Moonstone Coconut Lemongrass Sake.  I am not one to drink sake on a regular basis but really enjoy drinking it with my sushi.  Produced by Sakeone in Forest Grove, OR this is a Nigori Genshu  sake infused with coconut and lemongrass essence.  The taste is as delicious as the name sounds.   Each sip is filled with a tasty combination of citrus, spices, lemongrass, and of course a light coconut flavor as it finishes on the tongue.  It is creamy in appearance and has an aroma reminiscent of a tropical island.  Sake is much higher in alcohol content than traditional wine and this variety is 18%.  Moonstone also offers other infused flavors including asian pear, raspberry, and plum.  After loving their coconut lemongrass version I am definitely going to try their other flavors as well.  In addtion to sushi, this sake also pairs well with spicy cuisine and fruit based dishes.  Moonstone infused sakes retail for under $12.

For someone who primarily drinks red wine especially in the cold winter months I seem to be discovering quite a few white wines that I am really enjoying.  Recently while preparing a delicious dinner of chicken with green curry sauce my boyfriend selected Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc, a medium bodied white that he purchased at a wine tasting.  Arboleda wines are produced in the Leyda Valley located in Chile.  Chilean wines are gaining in popularity based on their high quality and affordable prices.  This sauvignon blanc is no exception.  When poured this wine has a pretty straw color and concentrated aroma.  I found it to smell rather buttery with notes of grass and minerals.  The flavor of fresh tropical fruits and slight citrus was well balanced with a nice acidity.  According to the wine makers notes this wine has 14 % alcohol and notes of asparagus and green chili.  I didn’t really taste either of those but this wine did pair extremely well with our spicy Thai meal.  This wine scored 90 points from Wine Advocate and retails under $20.   Arboleda Sauvignon Blanc is another fine white wine choice and another great representation of Chilean wine making.

This holiday season I visited Bar Veloce in Chelsea for pre-holiday party drinks and a quick bite.  Located on 7th Avenue between 20th and 21st streets in NYC this wine bar is one of several locations that is cozy and always crowded.  Each location’s wine list features a specific region.  The Chelsea bar is all Italian wines and the food is primarily specialty paninis.  You can also get wine bar staples such as olives, bruschetta,  and a great cheese plate of chef’s selections.  While on this excursion I had a terrific gerwurtztraminer and a glass of prosecco. 

Maso Michei Gewurtztraminer 2007 (Trentino) is one truly great white wine.  Produced in Northern Italy close to the Swiss border it has a clear gold color in the glass.  It is perfectly balanced and crisp.  This white is full of flavor with peaches and light citrus.  I was going to write about a different Gewurtztraminerthat I had the week prior but this one blew the other away.  It pairs well with most foods especially white meats.

When I want to drink something lighter than red wine and am not in the mood for mixed drinks I always go for a sparkling glass of Prosecco.  Bar Veloce features Prosecco Zardetto MV (Veneto) by the glass.  I love the way the bubbles float to the top of the glass and dance across your tongue with each sip.  This Prosecco has a honey and floral aroma.  It has a pale yellow color and tastes of apples with a hint of  lemon.  It has a great acidity and a long, clean finish.  Both of these were great choices and went well with the paninis that were ordered.  I highly recommend the prosciutto, mushroom, and truffle oil panini.  The food is reasonably priced and most wines are less than $12 per glass.  All in all an absolutely delicious visit!

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend another amazing wine tasting at Court Street restaurant in Hoboken, NJ.  We tasted 10 top rated wines several of which I will be writing about in future posts.  We started with 4 whites and I was excited to see that one of my favorite varietals was on the list.  Viognier is a white grape that is produced in the Rhone Valley in France.  Zaca Mesa winery located north of Santa Barbara, CA in the Santa Ynez Valley is producing what I feel is an excellent version of this wine.  They are the first winery to plant this varietal in the area.  Zaca Mesa Viognier 2008 has both rich aroma and bold, crisp flavors.  This wine is first aged in stainless steel and then transferred and aged in French oak barrels.  In the glass is a clear pale golden color with a strong floral nose.  This white has an intense burst of flavors on the tongue.  I tasted pear and citrus with hints of peaches.  It is medium bodied and has a long finish with great acidity.  You can pair this wine with spicy dishes and seafood.  I recommend this white for wine drinkers who favor less sweet and slightly drier whites.  Zaca Mesa Viognier is rated 90 points from Wine Enthusiast  2008 and is available for less than $20 per bottle.

My absolute favorite wine is Silver Palm Cabernet Sauvignon.  This award winning wine is produced by Silver Palm Wines in California.  I first fell in love with this fabulous red wine at a tasting a few years ago.  I purchased several bottles and just finished my last one this Thanksgiving.  This is without a doubt the most smooth and flavorful cabernet I have yet to taste.  The varietal breakdown is 82% cabernet sauvignon, 10% merlot, 5% syrah, and 3% petite syrah.  Upon opening the beautiful bottle which is accented in platinum, you experience mouth watering aromas of cherries, coffee, pepper, and wood smoke.  Upon sipping there is a perfect blend of flavor with cherries, currants, vanilla, and spice.   These flavors are intensified due to aging in oak barrels for 15 months.  If you love spicy, smoky, reds or are a cabernet drinker in general this is a wine you definitely have to try.  My bottles were from the 2005 vintage which was only available in restaurants previously.  You can now purchase this wine online as the 2006 vintage is readily available.  I LOVE Silver Palm Cabernet and cannot wait until my latest order is delivered!

Since I gravitate towards all things French, it is no surprise that I also love French wines.  At many of my local wine shops there are plenty of inexpensive Cote du Rhone offerings.  By far my immediate favorite is Perrin & Fils Cote du Rhone Villages 2006 from Chateau de Beaucastel in the Rhone Valley.  I first tried this version at a wine tasting and was blown away by how great it was.  I went on to order several bottles and have really enjoyed each experience upon drinking them. 

The reason I am so impressed with this red is the explosion of flavor that comes with every sip.  A blend of 50% syrah and 50% grenache, it’s slight  floral and licorice aromas lead into full rich black cherry and plum flavors with a light spice and a hint of oak.  There are mild tannins present and there is a smooth and long finish on the palate.  I find this wine on the lighter side even though it is categorized as medium bodied.  This makes it a great companion not only to grilled meats and cheeses but  it also pairs well with spicy Thai and Indian cuisines.  It is rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and retails under $18.

Lately I am hearing a lot of buzz regarding wines produced in New Zealand particularly Sauvignon Blanc.  I decided to taste for myself what this gorgeous country is offering with their wines.  I took a chance and picked up a bottle of Kono Sauvignon Blanc 2008.  This white is produced in Marlborough which is New Zealand’s largest wine growing region and is now recognized by wine experts for turning out the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world.  The initial taste of this wine was clean and crisp with a distinct citrus flavor reminding me of juicy grapefruit.  This white has a pleasant acidity which gives it a nice long finish on the palate.  I definitely would pair this wine with seafood and poultry dishes.  Kono is a huge hit for me and will now be a regular purchase since it is extremely affordable at less than $11 a bottle!