Eve Chardonnay (2013) Wine Review

It’s the first Wine Wednesday of the New Year and like many of you I tend to be eating lighter. I find myself gravitating toward seafood and salad and away from heavy meat dishes and rich sides and this week’s feature the 2013 Eve Chardonnay was a perfect pairing choice.

This Chardonnay comes to us from Washington state and Charles Smith Wines (I’ve enjoyed his Kung Fu Girl Riesling as well as his Boom Boom! Syrah.) The wines all share rather homespun label art but it’s what’s inside that matters most and I find this wine, like the others, highly drinkable and enjoyable (right now) and affordable to boot! Charles Smith originally from CA is a former manager of rock bands and his persona (the kind I'm quick to recognize having toured in bands for years) indicates he’s still rockin’ and always will be. Though now, and for some time now, he’s been rockin’ the wine world!

Nothing on the label specifically says it, so I was pleased and a little surprised to find this Chardonnay to be unoaked – aged in stainless tanks. (Perhaps the name Eve conjures up thoughts of nakedness and alludes to a Chardonnay without the cloak of oak.)

On the nose were notes of pear and citrus blossom. The palate -  slightly floral with a subtle round mouthfeel and a clean, dry, yet lingering finish. The mouthfeel here, one found often in Chardonnay, is likely due to Malolactic Fermentation. This is a process where specific bacteria are introduced to the must usually once the primary fermentation (process wherein yeast converts the sugar to alcohol) is complete. In Malolactic Fermentation (secondary fermentation) this bacteria converts Malic acid which occurs naturally in the must into Lactic acid. This process helps round out or reduce the acidity in wine. Malic acid is tart where Lactic acid is more buttery. This process isn’t desirable with all varietals for instance in the Kung Fu Girl Riesling the acidity is quite desirable and part of that wine experience. Here however, a portion of the must (20%) undergoes Malolactic Fermentation. And yes, it’s quite desirable – Adam be warned.

For food pairing, try this with Steamed Mussels in White Wine and yes, use this wine in the recipe. Since it is unoaked, it will work wonderfully. For those of you that like breakfast for dinner, try it with my Spinach and Egg en Cocotte. To print or save the recipes pairing suggestions, click the links below. 

Steamed Mussels in White Wine

Spinach and Egg en Cocotte

Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad Cava (Brut) Wine Review

So here it is NYE eve and the final Wine Wednesday of 2015. For this year’s bubbly I’ve decided to go with Cava - Spain’s take on French Champagne.  As you likely know, only wine from the Champagne region of France can be called Champagne. What’s interesting about Cava is that the same method is used to produce it (secondary fermentation) - Méthode Champenoise in Champagne. In Spain and with Cava it is referred to as Método Tradicional. 

What is different is the grape varietals used.  The three varietals for Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and  Pinot Meunier the last two being dark skinned grapes.  With Cava the primary varietals used are native to Spain, Macabeo, Xarel.lo and Paellada all of which are white skinned grapes.  Today’s feature the Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad (Brut) is comprised of 67% Macabeo and 33% Parellada and comes from Penedes, Spain near Barcelona.

You’ve likely had Cava before but may or may not have been aware of it.  Many are quite inexpensive. Cava ranges from sweet to dry just like Champagne and the more inexpensive ones tend to be the sweeter ones. This Cava is a brut which is dry (brut nature being the driest). There’s a tendency to want to compare Cava to Champagne but to me they are distinctly different and equally enjoyable though Cava tends to be more economically friendly making it a great NYE choice especially if you’ll be raising a glass with several guests.  This quality Cava was priced at $19.99. It is labeled as Reserva which means it was aged for a minimum of 15 months (though this particular one was aged for 30 months). The grapes were all harvested by hand and the riddling (turning of bottles during secondary fermentation) was also done by hand.

The bottle is quite striking which also makes it a great host/hostess gift and what’s inside lives up to the presentation. On the nose, tropical fruit (mango) and also pear with a hint of fresh baked bread.  On the palate an abundant amount of bubbles just a hint of sweetness, apple and lemon/lime. The finish is crisp and dry.  Of course this is great by itself for the midnight toast but if you prefer your bubbly with dinner the wonderful acidity here makes it a great pairing with a creamy pasta dish like Prosciutto Pasta Roulade or Scallops with Fettuccine Alfredo. Próspero Año Nuevo! Click the links below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestions.

Prosciutto Pasta Roulade

Scallops with Fettuccine Alfredo

La Pincoya Sauvignon Blanc (2014) Wine Review

What is the most popular wine grape varietal worldwide? Sometimes I think about that when enjoying a great wine.  What if I had to choose just one varietal to enjoy for the rest of my life, what would it be? Though I doubt it would ever come to that, if I had to make a choice, for me it would be Sauvignon Blanc.  You’ve seen me review several and in general those from the Marlborough region of New Zealand populate the top of my list. Today’s Wine Wednesday feature the 2014 La Pincoya Sauvignon Blanc is a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc from the San Antonio Valley region. 

The wine is named after Pincoya a mythological female water spirit of the Chilotan Seas who is believed to control the abundance of fish and seafood to the area with her ritual dance.  If she faces the sea during her dance there will be an abundance and  if she faces the mountains with her back to the sea there will be a shortage. Ironically, or maybe not, this wine is the perfect pairing for fish and seafood.

On the nose, slightly floral with notes of honey and citrus and on the palate, a balanced acidity and also a minerality and herbaceousness - different than the New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs - but what will cause me to reach for this one again when wine shopping. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc before and I’m certainly glad I tried this one. I’m reminded how a varietal can vary depending on the terroir and if I was limited to only one varietal I think these differences in time would become even more discernible and pronounced. For recipe pairings try Tempura Fish Tacos and Grilled Shrimp with Wasabi Remoulade. Now, to answer the question I opened with.... the most popular wine grape varietal worldwide is Cabernet Sauvignon followed in second place by Merlot. My favorite, came in at number 8! Click the links below to print or save the recipe pairing suggestions. 

Tempura Fish Tacos

Grilled Shrimp with Wasabi Remoulade

Domaine Pinchot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette (2014) Wine Review

Floral, if you’ve never tried a floral wine, I wish you would. It’s something you have to experience to really grasp, but once you do, you’ll “get it” and if you’re like me you’ll enjoy it from time to time. The Chenin Blanc varietal is a wonderful example. Today’s Wine Wednesday feature, the 2014 Domaine Pinchot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette is from the Vouvray (Voo-VRAE) sub-region in the Loire Valley region of France where the primary varietal grown is Chenin Blanc. Thus, a wine labeled as Vouvray is most definitely Chenin Blanc and from this particular region. The grape is widely cultivated in growing regions across the world, but here, they made it famous or perhaps it's the other way around.

If you prefer sweet wines and haven’t tried Vouvray, you may discover a new love. Vouvray comes in many styles ranging from sec (dry) to moelleux (sweet) to even pétillant (sparkling). The Domaine Pinchot Vouvray Le Peu de la Moriette in my opinion is more of a tendre (off-dry) slightly sweet.  On the nose were hints of pear, honey, citrus (lime) and yes, those floral notes. It had a wonderful slightly silky mouth feel with more than a tease of sweetness on the palate followed by an assertive crisp acidity. If you are new to Vouvray look for a demi-sec (semi-sweet) for your first experience and then venture into your preferred direction but you may find you’re right where you want to be with the demi-sec.

For food pairing try Salmon with Dill Sauce or Salpicao (Brazilian Chicken Salad) To print or save the recipes, click the links below. 

Salmon with Dill Sauce

Salpicao (Brazilian Chicken Salad)

Zynthesis Old Vine Zinfandel (2013) Wine Review

There seems to be a trend among Lodi winemakers when naming their Zinfandel. It seems the name must include a play on words. For instance you remember “Zinphomaniac” which I featured last week in an episode of Wine and Opine and then there’s the ever popular “7 Deadly Zins”.  

This week I bring you Zynthesis.  It too is a Lodi old vine Zinfandel. The play on words here seems to point to Synthesis (combination, fusion).  Here the wine is predominantly old vine Zinfandel sourced from vines 30 – 100 years old but also the winemaker adds Petite Sirah and depending on the vintage a splash of another varietal.

Here’s a bit of winemaking/labeling info you may or may not know. Labeling laws in the US allow a wine to be listed as a single varietal if it is made up of a minimum of 75% of that varietal. The other 25% can be any other combination of grapes.  Quite often winemakers add other varietals to enhance their wine.  By doing so it can add an element that they feel is missing to make a more desirable wine.

To get the most out of this wine, decant! Yes, decant! Many wines are great right after the pour, but this one needed decanting. In the case of a young wine such as this particular one it made all the difference.  Upon pouring the wine (prior to decanting) I actually found the nose to be somewhat unpleasant. There were notes of smoke and spice also forest floor and leather but the fruit seemed overwhelmed lost in the background somewhere behind the alcohol.  I swirled and sniffed and walked away several times. After about 30 minutes of exposure the wine opened up and delivered a much better experience. Notes of plum, and blackberry came to the forefront and the forest floor disappeared (thankfully). On the palate it was slightly jammy, with delicious raspberry and black pepper notes and light to moderate tannins.

This wine was much better the second and even the third evening.  Again I say, decant.  I tend to want to enjoy a wine right away, but a little patience can make a world of difference.  It made me go from wondering what to do with that second bottle I’d purchased to looking forward to sharing it.

We enjoyed this with pizza (sausage) one night and jambalaya the next and by itself the third night, each night finding it more favorable.

I think it would be wonderful with a raspberry chipotle barbecue sauce over pulled pork as well.To print or save my Jambalaya recipe, click the link below.

Jambalaya

The Buccaneer Back From the Dead Red 2013 Wine Review

A red wig, a buccaneer costume and a bottle of wine!  With Halloween just around the corner, it struck me as the perfect costume/theme for a party, at least for the host or hostess anyway.  I was browsing the wine shop looking for a fun Halloween wine ( of course it would have to be a new world wine because the novelty of the name is part of the party fun) when I saw the 2013 Back From the Dead Red and knew I’d found my wine. This one was plucked from the shelf solely on the merits of its label design.

The label briefly tells the story of Jacquotte Delahaye. My curiosity caused me to dig a little deeper. Jacquotte Delahaye was born in what is now Haiti the daughter of a French father and Haitian mother in the 17^th century. Her mother died giving birth to her younger brother who suffered from mental retardation. After the murder of her father, her brother was left in her care. According to legend she became a pirate - a buccaneer in order to support her brother. It is believed she faked her own death, living as a man for several years to escape her enemies. It worked for a while, but eventually her signature red hair gave her away and she became known as “back from the dead red”.  What became of Jacquotte is uncertain. Some believe she died in a shootout. What we do know is that now there is a wine named in her honor.

This offering from The Buccaneer (A label created for Plata Wines to be sold exclusively by BevMo) is a California red blend with grapes sourced from throughout CA. It’s gotta be a red wine for Halloween, right?  A bold red with great legs at that! 15.5% Alc. by Vol.

On the nose were notes of blackberry, cassis, cedar, spice and leather. After time, as it opened up, there was a subtle pleasing hint of caramel. On the palate it was fruit forward, slightly jammy with bold tannins.

As for pairing, after all, it’s Halloween so here are my candy pairings.  Try it with Twix, Snickers, 100 Grand or Rolo. It loves chocolate and the addition of caramel in the candy could really play up the subtle caramel in the wine. For a cheese pairing, it was wonderful with the Smoked Gouda with Bacon cheese I just so happened to have in the fridge.

So, put on a red wig (unless you’re so fortunate as to be a natural red head), a buccaneer costume and pour “Back From the Dead Red”.  Your Halloween 2015 will be off to a great start. 

For a food pairing at your party ( you may have to double or multiply the recipe or serve as sliders) click the link below.

Chipotle Chili Sloppy Joes

Curious Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Wine Review

Today’s Wine Wednesday feature is the 2014 Curious Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc.  I know what some of you are thinking, kiwi fruit must be listed among the tasting notes right?  Actually, it’s not.  In this case, kiwi is a reference to the bird, a national symbol for New Zealand. So important is the bird to New Zealand that New Zealanders have become known internationally as kiwi. The winemakers’ description on the bottle reads, “The curious kiwi loves sticking his beak into an aromatic glass of wine instead of burrowing and digging.”  You see a kiwi is a flightless bird and also the only bird to have nostrils on the end of its beak. They have a keen sense of smell and poke their beaks in the ground sniffing for food.

Well, here’s what my “beak” detected in this Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region. I’m a big fan of Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs and this one is among the finest I’ve tried. On the “beak” or rather the nose, was that wonderful citrus note signature to the Sauvignon Blancs from this region but also subtle apricot or white peach and a grassy or herbal note that I found quite intriguing setting this one apart from some of the others. On the palate a burst of citrus but yet a slightly rounder mouth feel than what I’m accustomed to making it seem a touch more centered than some - a well balanced wine.

The wine store I visited was offering a special on this particular wine, buy one and get the second for 5 cents. Of course I was skeptical that they were for some reason trying to unload a bunch of it.  However, I went for it and I’m excited to say it was a GREAT deal! The wine was $17.99 and the second bottle just 5 cents.

I now see what they were up to, reel me in with the deal and keep me coming back for a great wine.

For food pairing, try with Tempura Fish Tacos or Grilled Swordfish with Lime Crema. To print or save the recipes, click the links below. 

Tempura Fish Tacos

Grilled Swordfish with Lime Crema