Cosa Obra Sauvignon Blanc (2016) and Proprietor’s Blend (2013) Wine Review

Saturday afternoon, I was shopping at AJ’s Fine Foods, and was fortunate to be able to enjoy their Saturday tasting. This week they were featuring wines from Cosa Obra of Sonoma County.  There were 3 wines offered; a Sauvignon Blanc, a Pinot Noir, and a red blend.

I have to admit, as winemaker Gregory Hayes introduced the wines, I wasn’t all that enthused about trying a CA Sauvignon Blanc.  You see, for the longest time, if I had to choose a favorite varietal, it would be Sauvignon Blanc.  I have loved the crisp citrus, sometimes grassy, sometimes mineral notes, but usually prefer the New Zealand or French styles of this varietal. It seems the CA winemakers like to introduce oak, or too much oak for my taste, and I don’t care for that in my Sauvignon Blanc.  I say this, but at the same time, lately, I have found myself to be somewhat bored with my favorite varietal. 

Gregory poured the Sauvignon Blanc tasting. I swirled and sniffed and was “wowed’ and “wooed” by the nose. Lush tropical fruit, peach and orange blossom. The wine had a wonderful viscosity, more body than most Sauvignon Blancs and was very well balanced.  There was a luscious fruity finish, so much more than the typical citrus burst.  He mentioned that the wine was probably not chilled as much as it should be, but I thought it was perfect. At this temperature, there was nothing to hide behind. The wine is fermented in stainless tanks, but does just a short amount of time in neutral French Oak.  Fabulous!

As I was enjoying my tasting, Gregory mentioned that the wine was 100% Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Musqué. When I sat down to write this, my curiosity led me to learn more about this Musqué. A Musqué is a clone or mutation of the parent grape that has Muscat (highly perfumed) qualities. Sauvignon Musqué is not yet recognized as a varietal, thus, though unique, is still considered Sauvignon Blanc. This discovery was quite exciting to me. My favorite varietal, once again, claimed and owned its distinction as my favorite varietal.  Though the importance of exceptional fruit must be noted, this fruit, thankfully, ended up in the right hands. 

I went on to taste the other two wines, both very fruit forward options.  I also purchased the Proprietor's Blend, a red blend of 96% Syrah and 4% Grenache.  I enjoyed the dark fruit, blackberry and blueberry and the wonderful peppery finish as well as the deft use of oak.

We enjoyed the Proprietor's Blend with Beef Fajitas on Sunday evening, and I look forward to uncorking the Sauvignon Blanc very soon.  I also plan to make Cosa Obra a stop on my next CA wine tour. Click the link below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestion.

Beef Fajitas

La Quercia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (2015)

My basil plant has become a basil bush.  What does that have to do with this week’s Wine Wednesday feature you ask? Well, it has to do with how I arrived at serving it. You see, I decided to use some of my fresh basil to make a double batch of my homemade marinara. 

Whenever I’m making “sauce” I usually freeze most of it for future meals, but after smelling it slowly simmer for a good part of the day, I had to reserve some for dinner that night.  So, I browned some hot Italian sausage, sautéed some mushrooms and heated it with my marinara – then decided to choose my wine.

 I had used some Chianti in the sauce, but when I noticed that my wine fridge was now void of Chianti, I spotted the bottle of 2015 La Quercia Estates Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. I thought to myself “Montepulciano – Sangiovese – Chianti – same thing – that’ll work”. That could all be true if not for the d’Aburzzo part I had hastily overlooked.

To clarify, Montepulciano is a town in Tuscany. It is also a red wine grape varietal. The key grape varietal grown in Montepulciano, the town,  is Sangiovese which is also the key grape varietal in Chianti.  However, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is the Montepulciano varietal grown in the Abruzzo region of Italy. The good news is that though the wines are uniquely different they do share some common characteristics which still made my choice a delightful pairing for spaghetti with marinara.

Both wines tend to be very fruit forward and this one certainly was. On the nose, blueberry with a hint of spice and cassis. It was slightly sweet on the tongue but exhibited a well-balanced acidity with pleasant pepper on the finish. I actually preferred this over a Chianti with my sauce as my sauce is on the zesty side and with the addition of the Italian sausage, the wine stood up nicely to the bolder flavors. This wine is fermented in stainless steel with no barrel aging which in my opinion usually makes the wine a little brighter and more lively on the palate.

With a price point of $11 - $12 a bottle, this versatile wine for pairing makes for a great weeknight choice.

I would also recommend with pork loin or Baked Chicken and Wild Rice. Click the links below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestions.

Homemade Marinara

Baked Chicken and Wild Rice

Savor the Flavors of Sangria!

In last week’s Wine Wednesday feature I mentioned that I used the Beaujolais I reviewed (that I wasn’t all that impressed with) to make Sangria.  As a result, I’ve gotten several requests for my Sangria recipe. I’ll be happy to share, but first, a little about Sangria. 

First of all, if you can roll your R’s, please do, it seems to elevate this red wine punch into something a little more posh.  Say it with me, “sahn – GDEE – uh”.

Sangria is Spanish in origin and typically made with red wine. The name is believed to be derived from sangre, the Spanish word for blood, likely referring to its deep red color. Americans were introduced to Sangria at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City, where it was the featured drink in Spain’s pavilion.

There are likely as many Sangria recipes as there are people who make it. In addition to the red wine, there is usually some sort of brandy or liqueur, sometimes spices, fruit juices and of course fresh fruit.  The mixture is refrigerated for several hours or overnight while the fruit imparts its natural sugars and flavors.  Sangria is served chilled over ice without the fruit.  You may choose to garnish with additional fruit.

There are now many premade Sangria’s and Sangria mixes on the market. I would encourage you to make your own. It’s so easy and so much better.  Serve it with tapas, tacos, or whatever you wish.  Just Savor the Flavors!

Red Sangria

Brittany Allyn
www.savortheflavors.tv
Serves: 1 Pitcher (6 glasses)

Ingredients:

1 bottle of Beaujolais-Villages wine (I like Louis Jadot)
¼ cup Triple Sec Orange Liqueur (Cointreau miniature)
1 cup White Grape Juice
2 TBSP Super Fine Sugar
2 Plums (preferably one red and one black) sliced
1 Orange sliced
7-8 Strawberries hulled and sliced
Additional fruit for garnish

Directions:

Pour the bottle of Beaujolais in a pitcher.  Add the grape juice, orange liqueur and super fine sugar.  Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the fruit and stir.  Refrigerate for 4-5 hours or overnight – stirring occasionally.  Pour over ice and garnish with an orange slice and strawberry. I like to freeze strawberry slices into ice spheres for presentation.

Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Rosé (2016) Wine Review

Salmon-Safe Certified. While reading the label of this week’s Wine Wednesday feature, the 2016 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Rosé, I noticed that this wine is Salmon-Safe Certified.  I don’t believe I’ve seen that before so it caused me to do a little research. No, this doesn’t mean that the wine is safe to drink with salmon, though it most certainly would be. It refers to ecologically sustainable viticulture.  With winegrowers, the certification focuses on reducing runoff from hillside vineyards and enhancement of native biodiversity on vineyard sites. I also learned that nearly half of the wine grape acreage in Oregon’s Willamette Valley is Salmon-Safe Certified.

I recently visited Willamette Valley Vineyards while visiting family in Oregon. The location and facility are quite impressive and the view from the entrance, breathtaking.

This is one of the wines we tasted and decided to bring home with us. I always like it when I taste a wine at the winery and then when I get home and try it again, it’s as good as I remembered it being.  Sometimes, especially in cases like this, where the setting and ambience contribute greatly to the experience, I worry whether the wine will hold up without it. FYI, it most certainly does.

A rosé made from Pinot Noir, it is left with skin contact for 48 hours resulting in the medium pink color.  On the nose, slightly floral, hints of citrus and a pleasant minerality. Having been fermented in stainless, it is lively on the tongue with strawberry and honey notes on the palate.

This is a great summer picnic wine, quite versatile for pairing with lighter fare. We enjoyed it with Oven-Roasted Cornish Game Hens and Sage and Garlic Infused Whipped Potatoes. It occurred to me that this could be my Thanksgiving 2017 wine. As I think about it, in all sincerity, it would also be perfect with my Salmon Cucumber Canapés.

I also noticed on the label that if you bring the bottle back to the winery, they’ll give you a 10 cent refund.  Perfect, I was looking for an excuse to go back. Click the links below for recipe paring suggestions.

Salmon Cucumber Canapés

Sage and Garlic Infused Whipped Potatoes

Undivided Chardonnay (2015) Wine Review

Undivided. Honestly, I swear it was by sheer coincidence that this happened to be my Wine Wednesday feature this week. But as ironic as it may be, I find the name most fitting. Perhaps we can all come together over a lovely glass of wine – the 2015 Undivided Chardonnay.

The label indicates that this is a product of France. It is most common in French wine that the label indicates the appellation (where the grapes were grown). In this case, it does not which leads me to believe that this wine was not bottled at the vineyard but rather at a large facility which may not actually be in the appellation where the grapes were grown, or that it’s a product comprised of the grapes or wines from several producers.

In the glass, it is the color of light golden straw. On the nose, notes of tropical fruit, melon and almond. The mouthfeel is silky and buttery as the wine reveals well-balanced acidity on the finish. On the palate there are subtle woody notes, though not necessarily oak. This wine has spent very little time if any in oak barrels.

We enjoyed this with Salmon with Dill Sauce. Try also with Italian Chicken Veggie Wraps. Click the links below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestions.

Salmon with Dill Sauce

Italian Chicken Veggie Wraps

La Vidaubanaise Vin de Pays Maures Rosé

Did you ever look at a bottle of wine or a wine on a wine list and avoid it because you didn’t know how to pronounce the name? Well, unless you are fluent in French, at least where your wine vocabulary is concerned, this week’s Wine Wednesday feature, the non-vintage La  Vidaubanaise Vin de Pays des Maures Rosé could be one of those.  

So, let’s break it down. La Vidaubanaise (pronounced la Vee doh ban aze) is a wine co-op of independent vineyards that ban together to produce wine – the winemaker. Vin de Pays (pronounced Van duh payee ) translates as "wine of the regions".  Vin de Pays or regional wines are the third rank of French wines. However, that doesn't mean they can't be great wines! Vine de pays Maures (Mohr) - where this wine is from -  is an area outside of the  French AOC approved Provence growing areas, but still inside Provence.

This rosé is a blend of 40% Carignan, 30% Cinsault, 15% Cabernet and 15% Ugni-Blanc. The color,  a beautiful pale pink salmon.  The color is due to the juice having limited contact with the skins of the grapes.

On the nose (do not miss the nose on this one) sweet, very floral (cherry blossom) and strawberry along with subtle minerality.  On the palate, first, pronounced minerality giving way to supple fruit and a dry crisp finish. This is a great summer wine for an outdoor get together with friends. At around $10 a bottle you can invite several friends.

Try with light Mexican fair like Grilled Chicken Tacos or Grilled Squid Tacos with Purple Pineapple Slaw. Add some of my Garden Fresh Guacamole to the mix and you have a real Fiesta!To print or save the recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below:

Grilled Chicken Tacos

Grilled Squid Tacos with Purple Pineapple Slaw

Garden Fresh Guacamole

2013 Two Arrowheads White Blend

There’s nothing like a Wednesday morning history lesson. How could I have known that when I randomly picked up today’s Wine Wednesday feature it would peak my curiosity and have me googling about in an attempt to solve a puzzle of sorts.  The 2013 Two Arrowheads White Blend is third in a series of wines being vinted and bottled by American Pioneer Wine Growers. Each wine in the series is intended to reveal one part of a mysterious tale - providing a clue that will ultimately help reveal the name of their new winery in Geyersville, CA.  It’s an interesting marketing tool, one that first struck me as a bit far-fetched. Would the consumer really play along?  Well, I guess it worked on me.

The first release was named “The White Doe”,   the second, “Manteo”, the third, today’s feature “Two Arrowheads” and the fourth “The Lost Colony”. What do all of these have in common? Some of you history buffs may know.  Manteo was a Native American Croatan Indian chief that befriended English explorers in the early 1500’s. The expedition of 1587 would include men, women and children in an effort to establish a permanent colony – Roanoke Colony.  As history goes, the colony did not endure and it’s a mystery as to what happened to the 80 men 17 women and 11 children that made up the lost colony over 400 years ago.

So what does all of this have to do with wine?  It’s the American Pioneer Winegrowers way of paying homage to influential people, places and stories that are part of early American wine making.  English explorer Thomas Harriot from the expedition noted a luscious sweet grape growing in the wild. He may have been describing what we in the south have come to know as Muscadine. A 400 year old Scuppernong (Muscadine) “Mother Vine” still exists on Roanoke Island today and a clipping will soon be planted on the estate vineyard of the new Sonoma County winery. I appreciate the symbolic gesture, but it’s not a varietal I am a fan of – at least not for wine making.

So much for the story – now today’s wine. Two Arrowheads is a white blend of 71% Viognier and 29% Roussane. On the nose, wild flower honey, fresh herbs, pear and a hint of baking spice. I’d describe it as a medium bodied wine with a slight silkiness on the lips and tongue.  It has a crisp, clean, yet juicy finish. The acidity on the finish is short but the fruit lingers in a quite delightful way with a subtle bit of butter and vanilla.

Now, as for my guess on the name for the winery (or maybe they want us to name it), I have 3 guesses: Roanoke, Virginia Dare or Croatan.  What are your guesses?  Please feel free to opine!

Pair with Salpicao (Brazilian Chicken Salad) or Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs. To print or save the recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below.

Salpicao (Brazilian Chicken Salad)

Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs

2013 Rob Murray Vineyards Force of Nature Red Blend

“We cannot command nature except by obeying her”. This text which reads like sage advice appears on the back of this week’s Wine Wednesday feature, the 2013 Rob Murray Vineyards Force of Nature Red Blend. The label on the bottle is an Armageddon type scene with fiery explosions engulfing a city. It’s what appears to be more like nature’s fury than force.  (Nature’s force can be good at times, right? Maybe in the bottle, fury turns to fortune.  Read on…..)

It got me thinking that growing grapes is like any other type of agriculture where the farmer must deal with what Mother Nature doles out – some years good – others not so much and to a winemaker comes the task of how to treat the grapes your given to arrive at a successful wine. Or in this case, you can just bottle it and blame Mother Nature.

This wine is a blend of 67% Merlot, 11% Cabernet, 11% Syrah and 11% Petite Sirah. When I opened the bottle, upon taking that first sniff, I decided to give it some time.  However, even after about 30 minutes I still wasn’t pleased. After researching this wine for this review, I found the suggestion that it should be decanted for 1 hour.  However when we tried again the next day, it quite honestly didn’t seem to help it – not enough for me anyway. The nose, was sort of confusing – sort of everything at once – bombarding – much like the depiction on the label. When I thought I could sort a few things out I thought I detected, dark fruit, mostly plum, a touch of spice, leather and cedar.  On the palate, I found this wine to be unexpectedly sweet almost sweet like Concord but not with the Concord flavor. Not fruit forward, just sweet. There seemed to be this large gap between that experience and then really bold tannins.  The wine lacked balance. Even after decanting I feel this wine fell short. 

Ironically we opened this on a night when I had decided to doctor up a frozen pizza so I didn’t have any big pairing in mind for it.  The sweetness of the wine, in my opinion makes it difficult to pair with food.  It worked with the pizza, but not well enough to consider a second glass. In this case, the Force of Nature sided on the unfortunate.

2014 Belle Glos Oeil de Perdrix Pinot Noir Blanc Wine Review

From the vine to the wine. This week’s Wine Wednesday feature is steeped in family history.  It’s a story of the Wagner family spanning five generations who privately own and produce many familiar and popular labels such as Caymus, Conundrum, Meiomi and also Belle Glos (pronounced bell gloss and named after winemaker Joseph Wagner’s Grandmother Lorna Belle Glos Wagner). The Wagner family farms their own vineyards thus overseeing the quality from start to finish.

Winemaker Joseph Wagner is well known for his Pinot Noirs – Meiomi and Belle Glos. The 2014 Belle Glos Oeil de Perdrix (French for eye of the partridge which refers to its jewel like color) is a Pinot Noir Blanc from Sonoma County.

A Pinot Noir Blanc is made from Pinot Noir Grapes.  Pinot Noir grapes produce clear juice and the red color of Pinot Noir comes from the skins.  In a Pinot Noir Blanc the juice is exposed to the skins for a shorter amount of time.

On the nose I enjoyed hints of strawberry and orange but actually what struck me as dreamsicle and a slight minerality. It’s a light bodied dry wine with a pleasant concentration of fruit on the palate. Serve this wine well chilled 45°- 50°F. It’s a great summer wine by itself.  We enjoyed this with Seared Sea Scallops and I think it would pair wonderfully with a Lobster BLT Salad.  To print or save my recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below.

Pan Seared Sea Scallops

 Lobster BLT Salad

2013 Small Gully Mr. Black's Little Book Shiraz Wine Review

You can’t judge a book by its cover, or can you? The 2013 Small Gully Mr. Blacks Little Book Shiraz implies well guarded secrets known only to the bearer of a “little black book”.

As I cracked the cover (opened the screw cap), poured and pondered, sniffed and swirled, tasted and well, tasted again, I found Mr. Black’s Little Book to be somewhat of an "open book".Small Gully Vineyards is located in the Borossa Valley, one of Australia’s oldest wine growing regions (South Australia) where the signature grape varietal is Shiraz (red wine). Seeing as how this label isn’t listed on their website, I’m guessing this may be one they produce exclusively for Vine Street Imports – just guessing. The name is no doubt a nod to winemaker Stephen Black. 

Don’t misunderstand; I wasn’t disappointed, this is a solid offering of Shiraz from this region, full bodied, a bit bold, slightly jammy with notes of blackberry, cedar, leather and black pepper. Perhaps, the only secret Mr. Black holds here is the secret to getting me to take this one from the shelf vs. another – Mr. Black knows the secret to marketing. 

We enjoyed this with Roast Beef Sandwiches Au Poivre. For my taste, it was a bit too bold without food. However, my husband really liked it and said to put it on the list for the next trip to the wine shop. He doesn’t often put in requests so when he does I take them to heart. 

Maybe, just maybe, this one is more geared for the guys. Which makes me wonder, are their certain wines that appeal more to men than women and vice versa? Care to weigh in on that? Therein may lie a secret for Mr. Blacks little book! To print or save my pairing suggestion, click the link below.

Roast Beef Sandwich Au Poivre

2010 Cont Degli Azzoni Rosso Piceno

“R” is for Red Wine, Red bikes and Rosso Piceno. Rosso Piceno is a DOC (denominazione di origine controllata - Italian classification for wine style) in the Marche region of Italy. Under this DOC, wines must be comprised of at least 60% Sangiovese with smaller amounts of Montepulciano. They may also have a small percentage of two different white wine varietals. This one appears to be a blend of just Sangiovese and Montepulciano. 

Right off, knowing that Sangiovese is the essential varietal in Chianti it’s obvious that this too will go well with red sauced pasta dishes. “R” is also for red sauced pasta dishes. On the nose, raspberry, black cherry and allspice. With light tannins, it’s versatile for a lot of dishes from pasta to chicken, salmon and pork. In my opinion, it’s not aggressive enough for lamb and beef. To me, it was a bit astringent though fine with food. 

Every now and then you can find a great $10 bottle of wine and fortunately the search doesn’t cost a lot. This one was priced appropriately. “R” is for reasonably priced. For recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below. Oh, and also, “R” is for drink responsibly! 

Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs

Maple Chipotle Glazed Cedar Plank Salmon

2011 Sivi Pinot Populus Wine Review

So I happened into a liquor store I've never shopped before in search of a liqueur for a recipe (which they didn't have in stock) but as long as I was there, I decided to peruse the wine selection. Today’s Wine Wednesday feature the 2011 Sivi Pinot Populus seemed to practically jump off the shelf – well not really, but the label wouldn't allow me to leave without it. 

You see, on the label I saw the map of Slovenia. I've been reading about Slovenian wines but haven’t been able to find much of a selection, well until now, any, in stores. My ancestors on my Father’s side were immigrants from Slovenia and especially during the holiday season we enjoy Slovenian dishes and traditions. So of course, I had to try this. 

Before trying though I had to remind myself that it would be unfair to judge all Slovenian wines by my opinion of this one wine – sort of like judging any other region by a single bottle. Of course I wanted desperately to like it. 

It should be noted that the Vipava Valley (Slovenia) is about 20 miles from the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, Northeastern Italy’s most famous region for Pinot Grigio. Sivi Pinot Populus translates as “Pinot Grigio for the People”. So what’s not to like?

With that, I poured. First off, the color was a very dark gold - darker than what I’m used to in a Pinot Grigio In fact, almost the color of a lager; yes beer, though this was wine. On the nose - notes of vanilla and slightly floral. Upon tasting, it had a juicy finish but yet was a little chalky and not as lively as I would've liked. I've read about wine aging in cement lined vats and that is what came to mind when I experienced the chalkiness - it seemed even more neutral than a wine fermented in stainless - as if it had done time in cement. 

We had this with an Alfredo pasta dish and I think it would go well with a cream soup also shellfish – mostly shrimp, scallops and lobster. Though I’d likely reach for other wines before this one, my curiosity for Slovenian wines both white and red remains. Wine tasting in Slovenia ….. bucket list…….

To print or save recipe pairing suggestions, click the links below:

Fettuccine Alfredo with Scallops

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

2012 Sábrego Wine Review

From the Valdeorras region of Spain (Northwest corner) Sábrego is a white wine made from Godello. I don’t believe that I’ve ever tried Godello before, which is most unfortunate, but I’m glad to have stumbled on it now. 

The soil from which it grows is reflected in its delightful minerality. (Sábrego is a local term for the areas granite soil.) On the nose; green apple, pear, spice and what struck me as the scent of popcorn butter – you know the powdered kind (but in a good way). Having been fermented in stainless tanks, it is lively on the tongue yet sturdy and has a long juicy finish. 

This is a wonderful wine to enjoy by the glass with a cheese plate but also with shellfish. We enjoyed it with Lobster Risotto and I think it would be fabulous with my Lobster BLT Salad. For me, this wine just begs for shellfish but could work with light chicken dishes as well. For recipe pairings, click the links below.

Lobster Risotto

Lobster BLT Salad

2008 Fetish Playmates Wine Review

When I reacquainted myself with the various definitions of “fetish”, among them were: “a course of action to which one has an excessive and irrational commitment” and also, “a form of sexual desire in which gratification is linked to an abnormal degree to a particular object, item of clothing, part of the body, etc.” The winery's name implies great confidence in their wines and I’m guessing the “particular object” they are hoping you develop an “irrational commitment” for is on your wine shops shelf with a sexy silhouette on the painted label. Yes, this label is painted on – quite unique – nothing one could peel off here – classy touch. 

The Playmates they are likely referring to here are 3 varietals, Shiraz (Syrah) (80%), Mataro (Mourvedre) (10%) and Grenache (10 %). It just so happens, they play very well together. This New World GSM red blend is from the Barossa Valley of Australia. 

On the nose, cherry and dark chocolate (like a dark chocolate covered cherry), a hint of cedar and licorice. On the palate, more of the same but with spice (black pepper) and moderate tannins. I love how this wine evolved. On the sip - sweet on the tip of your tongue, which led to a juicy slightly tart burst of dark fruit flavor, finishing with delightful spice on the palate. 

We enjoyed this with Baked Chicken and Wild Rice. It would also be great with steak or grilled pork chops slathered in BBQ sauce. I can’t say that this has become a fetish, not yet anyway, but it is worth repeating….we’ll see what happens…..To print or save recipe pairing suggestion, click the links below. 

Baked Chicken and Wild Rice