Why Did the Chicken Feet Cross the Road?

To get to my plate, of course!

I wanted to cook something interesting tonight... And it was absolutely delicious. The first course - chicken feet. Fried, and then brined with Xiaoshing wine, star anise, ginger, bay leaf and cloves, and then braised and finished with a sauce of fermented black bean, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and oyster sauce. There is a reason these are popular in Asia and the Caribbean Islands... They are WONDERFUL! Second course was braised and grilled lemon marinated baby octopus on oven roasted potatoes. YUM! It all went great with a wonderful little southern Rhone white, Little James's Basket Press from St Cosme, the oldest estate in the southern Rhone.

Looking for Good Whites? Try Australia!

People who drink wine with me and who buy wine from me know I’m not a huge fan of Australian red wines. It’s not that they are improperly made, but for me they are a little too fruit forward and lacking in complexity at the ten to twenty dollar level, although some of the more expensive examples can be wonderful.

The whites, however, are a different story. Australia has been able to assimilate grapes from other countries and make wines from them that rival the country from which they arrived. Chardonnay arrived in Australia in the 1920s but became popular in the 1970s, and now it is the most widely planted varietal in the country. Those from the warmer parts of the continent show flavors of melon, vanilla, and peach, while those from cooler areas are citrusy with lime and grapefruit. Yalumba’s “Y” Series Unwooded Chardonnay from South Australia is a great bargain at $10.99, letting the vibrant apple and citrus flavors show without any oak to mask them.

More interesting are the Rieslings. Unlike the U.S and Germany, the Aussies make their Riesling in a dry style. People who appreciate the food friendliness, wonderful aromatics, and beautiful balance of bright fruit, minerality, and acidity found in dry Riesling are often astounded when I lead them from Germany to the Australian section, but they are not disappointed. The best come from the Margaret River and Clare Valley regions. Leeuwin Artist Series at $19.99 rivals any German Trocken, and Jim Berry’s Lodge Hill Dry Riesling may be the best $16.99 dry version of this grape that money can buy.

Verdelho (not to be confused with Spain’s Verdejo) is a grape that is grown in Portugal and is one of the grapes used in Madeira. It has been brought to Australia, and some wineries have done amazing things with a grape that it often unexciting and acidic. Molly Dooker (meaning left handed), which is famous for its full throttle reds, makes a highly extracted, mouth filling version called The Violinist, which is awesome at $22.99. Huge flavors of honeyed melons, tropical fruits, and crisp citrus blend together in a wine with a remarkably creamy texture. This is a wine to seek out and buy if you are looking for something quite special.

Those familiar with French Rhone Valley wines know that Viognier, Roussanne, and Marsanne grapes can be made into wonderful wines. Viognier, native to the Northern Rhone Valley, is a member of the aromatic white group of grapes, and the wines are very floral on the nose. The wines are rarely oaked, yet are medium to full bodied with vibrant fresh citrus and tropical fruits. Although tricky to grow, the grape does well in Eden Valley and McLaren Vale areas of South Australia. Yalumba does several versions, with its “Y Series” entry level being very good at $10.99. The bottling from Eden Valley, however is outstanding for $19.99 and is especially good with seafood that has big texture and flavor, like scallops or shrimp.

Marsanne produces wines that have aromatics and flavors of dry honey and stone fruit. The acidity tends to be low, so this grape is often blended with other grapes to give it a little more acidity and backbone. D’Arenberg’s The Hermit Crab, at $16.99, is a blend of Viognier and Marsanne that is reminiscent of the southern Rhone with flowers and stone fruit on the nose and tropical fruit and mineral flavors that make it wonderful both with food and on its own.

Finally, Roussanne is a notoriously difficult grape to grow, originating in the Rhone Valley. It does rather well in the Eden Valley, and although it is often blended with Marsanne, it can stand on its own. Yalumba again comes through with a beautiful version, the Roussanne Eden Valley, at $20.99. Full bodied, creamy, and complex with aromas of flowers, blood orange, and biscotti and flavors of pear and citrus with a touch of honey. This wine stands up to food very well and is quite interesting by the glass on the back deck.

If you are making a meal that is calling for white wines, or if you just enjoy a refreshing glass now and then, do not forget Australia. You will definitely be glad you tried them.

Cheers!

Looking For a Few Good Men—Sardinia’s New Winemakers

Sardinia is Italy’s second largest island and lies about 150 miles off the western coast. Interestingly, the island not only is isolated in terms of geography, but also regarding grape varietals. Instead of finding typical Italian red grapes like Sangiovese,  Nebbiolo, or Negroamaro, we find those commonly associated with France and Spain—Grenache, Carignan, and Bobal.  The whites have a little more Italian feel, with Malvasia and Vermentino being dominant, as well as the ubiquitous Muscato Bianco. There are as well some indigenous grapes, like Monica, Torbato, and Nasco, and a host of others.

The Italians’ love of complex bureaucracy is evident in the fact that there are more D.O.C. and I.G.T designations than in nearby Calabria and Basilicata combined despite there being fewer vines per overall hectare than any other wine region in Italy.

Unfortunately, despite the climate and soil being ideal for grape growing, this is a rare part of Italy where the growing of wine grapes is not a priority.

In the sixteenth century, Sardinia was abundant with vineyards, to the point that it was called the “Wine Island,” but then the number of vineyards declined until the beginning of the twentieth century. At that time, several cooperatives arose and bought grapes on a guaranteed price per volume.  As a result, high yields were prized far above quality, and Sardinia became known for producing cheap low quality “plonk” wines.

In the early 1990’s a few serious winemakers decided to change the face of Sardinian wines. They improved vineyard management, and soon yields were low and qualities were high. They brought in new winemaking techniques and combined the best of these with the best of traditional methods to ensure that the “terroir” would be preserved in the wines.

While few Sardinian wines actually get to the U.S., three estates send enough wine across the ocean to be found at very good prices. First is Sella and Mosca’s Canonnau di Sardegna Riserva. Cannonau is the Sardinian word for Grenache, and this is one of the finest wines made from that varietal that you’ll ever find. Aromas of violets, bright red berries, and jam. On the medium bodied palate, there are spices and herbs beneath the ample red fruit. Medium bodied with supple tannins, this wine was once called the world’s best wine under $25.00 by Robert Parker. It is considerably less than that—a steal at $16.99.

Argiolas makes a bevy of wonderful wines. They make a Cannonau as well, called Costera, that is of similar flavor profile and quality as the Sella and Mosca—and a similar price as well. The Perdera is made from the indigenous Monica grape, and shows more blue and black fruit on the palate than Grenache and is delicious.

Finally, there is a wonderful Vermentino called Costamolino. Full of bright citrus and tropical fruit with a nice underlying mineralty, this is an outstanding food wine.

Last and certainly not least is the Santadi Carignano del Sulcis Grotto Rosso. This wine bursts with savory dark fruit, leather, and earth and is an awesome wine to have with your next beef stew. I love this wine, and at $14.99, it is an awesome value.

Italy is one of the greatest wine regions on earth. There are hundreds upon hundreds of different varietals made into wine. Each of the many regions has its own expression of its wines, and Sardinia is no different. Try them, and you’ll be very happy that you did. Cheers!

Sake—A Great Alternative to White Wine

Sake is a very misunderstood beverage. Most people think of the warm stuff served in Chinese/Japanese restaurants.  Sake is served warm when it is inferior, the heat covering up the roughness and the impurities. Premium Sake is wonderful, with often intense, pleasant aromatics and delicate flavors of apple, pear, melon, and banana. It is an excellent accompaniment to food.

Although considered rice wine by most Americans, it is actually brewed  rather than fermented. In winemaking, the naturally occurring sugar in the grapes is fermented. In beer production, a starch must be converted to sugar, which is then converted into alcohol. While these steps are done separately in beer, they are done simultaneously in Sake production.

A special type of rice is used for Sake. It is larger and stronger than edible rice, with less protein and lipid. The rice is then polished to remove the bran. The greater the percentage of rice polished, the higher the grade of Sake, as further polishing removes impurities and lipids.

Water is very important in Sake making. Hard water that is full of minerals is nutritive to the yeast in the fermenting process so it converts more sugar into alcohol. Hard water results in drier Sakes, while softer water is used for sweeter Sakes.

A scale, known as the Nihonsgu-do (SMV), measures the sweetness of Sake, with zero being neutral, positive being dry, and negative being sweet.  Acid levels affect the sensation of sweetness much like in wine, with acidity making sweeter Sake taste drier.

Most Sake is filtered so it is clear. However, Nigori Sake is unfiltered so it is extremely cloudy with sediment. Nigori Sakes are rich and flavorful and tend to be sweet.

When considering filtered Sakes, look at the various grades. Futsu is the everyday drinking Sake made from lightly polished rice and is the equivalent of VDP or table wine. Tokutei are the premium Sakes:

Junmai: the outer 30% is polished leaving rice grains 70% of their original size

Junmai-Ginjo: at least the outer 40% is polished

Junmai Daiginjo and Daiginjo: at least 50% of the outer portion is polished leaving grains less than 50% of their original size.

Each grade results in more delicate pure flavors—and higher prices.

Some great representative Sakes to try:

Tozai Nigori Snow Maiden.  Junmai grade. Great body, long finish, fruity, bright acidity. Fairly sweet, around -6 SMV $16.99 720 ml

Rihaku Wandering Poet. Junmai Ginjo grade. Wonderful tropical fruits, pear and appl, dry, beautiful acidity. Intense aromatics $36.99 720 ml

Kurosawa Junmai Kimoto. Kimoto means using a traditional and very time consuming method of producing the mash, giving this sake a beautiful oily, earthy richness along with flavors of apple and pear. SMV +2.  A great bargain, especially good for Junmai grade. $16.99 720 ml.

Konteki Tears of Dawn. Daiginjo grade. Slightly sweet, very aromatic, wonderful aromas and flavors of apple and tropical fruit. $32.99

There are lots of cheaper Sakes, but these are representative of what really good Sake can taste like. Sake is wonderful with light fresh foods such as seafood, sushi, fish, and chicken dishes that aren’t too spicy or rich.

So give Sake a try. You my very well find yourself turning to this beverage a lot more than you ever thought.

Wines for Halloween

With Halloween coming up, there is the inevitable party or dinner that screams for fun labels. Luckily there are a host of Halloween friendly labels out there that identify some very good wines. Vampire Merlot 2012 is a perfect party wine, with soft supple tannins supporting bright fruit flavor and a hint of vanilla from the French and American oak used in its aging, and costing $10.99. Next up is Spellbound Petite Sirah 2012 , and it is a bargain at $13.99. Petite Sirah is a grape that produces big, often very tannic wines, but this one is very approachable. There aromatics of black fruits, vanilla and coffee. On the palate there is lush black fruit with supple tannins lending just the right amount of support. This is a really nice wine.

Charles Smith is a very irreverent winemaker form Washington who makes big flavorful wines. His Velvet Devil Merlot 2011, at only $11.99, is typical of his and of Washington state wines – jammy,  and big on fruit and flavor. There are aromas of dark cherries, cedar and tobacco. When you take a sip, black fruit and chocolate covered cherries comes to mind. The tannins are soft, making for a very easy drinking wine.

Michael David winery  from Graton, California, is a very hot winery right now. They are known for their Seven Deadly Zins, Sixth Sense Syrah, Petite Petit, and their Earthquake series, all big bold fruit driven wines. Their Incognito wines, with the simple mask on the label, are no different. The red is a blend of primarily Rhone Varietals (up to eight different ones) and is full of fruit and spice. The white is a full bodied Viognier based blend with rich flavor and decent acidity for this varietal if grown in California. These wines run about $18  and are worth it.

Ghost Pines is actually a separate label owned and bottled by the Louis Martini Winery, known for its luscious Cabernet Sauvignons. Several varietals are found under this label, but my favorite by far is the Zinfandel. California Zinfandels can sometimes be overblown and hot with high alcohol levels and almost a raisiny quality from over ripened fruit. Ghost Pines has a more laid back and elegant style that is very enjoyable and makes it very food friendly. It is worth the $17.99 price tag (a bit high for a California Zinfandel unless you are looking at Turley, Storybook Mountain and Ridge, wines that can top out over $40).

In 2009, three college buddies form the Midwest and the East Coast met up in California, pooled their money and made a Pinot Noir from purchased grapes. The wine sold out in three months and by the end of the year Banshee wines was their full time pursuit.  While they bottle several varietals, the Sonoma Pinot Noir 2011 and the Mordecai Red Blend are particularly noteworthy. The Pinot has tons of red fruit, but also has the earthiness and complexity to back it up. This is an excellent wine for the $22.99 price tag. The Mordecai is a true kitchen sink wine…containing something like thirteen different varietals. The main grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, with some Syrah for spice, some Grenache for red fruit and some Mourvedre for a lift. All the others add complexity and richness – Bordeaux meets the Rhone. This is about as much flavor you can fit in your mouth for $22.99.

Last, and by all means not least, are Reaper Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 and Pinot Noir 2012. These are the wines you’ll want to pour for your Halloween dinner. The truly macabre labels (complete with blood red faux wax capsules) will certainly catch the attention of everyone at the table. The Cabernet is made by Jake Bilbo, the owner of Limerick Lane and Marietta Cellars wineries. The grapes come from the famed Chalk Hill appellation, one of California’s greatest sources of this varietal.  The nose is of super rich black fruit, leather and tar. On the palate there is a mouthful of blackberry and mocha with vanilla notes from the oak. Well balanced and utterly delicious, it is well worth the $33.99 price tag. The Pinot Noir is even better. Made by Pinot Goddess Penny Coral Gadd-Coster of J vineyards fame, there are aromatics and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, strawberry, and persimmon with notes of earthy mushroom and sweet herbs.  This is what California Pinot Noir is supposed to taste like. $27.99 will seem cheap after you taste this wine.

Hopefully I’ve been able to scare up (sorry) a couple of good ideas for Halloween at your house. Just because the atmosphere may be frightening, there’s no reason the wines have to taste that way. Enjoy!

A Grape You should Know About – Petite Sirah

In the 1860s, French botanist Francois Durif  went into his nursery where he was growing Syrah and Peloursin and he saw another vine growing, a new cross between the two. The new grape was called (not surprisingly) Durif and because of its resistance to mildew was planted in the south of France. However, the wines that were produced were inferior, so the grape fell out of favor and is rarely seen in France at present.

The grape was introduced to Australia where it is still called Durif, and to California and Israel where it came to be known as Petite Sirah. The grape became very popular during the American Prohibition because it is very durable and along with Alicant Bouchet could be transported around the country for home wine making. In fact, by the Repeal in 1923, two thirds of all plantings in Napa were to these two grapes. Some of the oldest vineyards in California are planted to Petite Sirah.

During these early years, field blending was common and often a bit of Alicante Bouchet, Zinfandel, Mourvedre, or Peloursin can be found in these vineyards as well as genetic naturally occurring crosses between them. As a result few Petite Sirah vineyards are “pure” and the wines produced are technically blends. It is estimated that 90-95% of Petite Sirah in California is actually the original Durif.

The wines from these vineyards are so similar that the single varietal designation is indeed justified.

Petite Sirah gets its name from the small size of the grapes which result in a large skin to juice ratio. This, in turn, can result very tannic wines if juice goes through an extended maceration period. The grapes form tightly packed clusters so are prone to rot if grown in rainy environments. French oak is often used in aging these wines, softening the tannins and imparting chocolate overtones to the aromatics.

Petite Sirah produces dark, inky colored wines that are relatively acidic with firm texture and mouth feel. The bouquet has herbal, chocolate and black pepper overtones. On the palate, these wines offer flavors of black fruits, plums, vanilla and especially blueberries. It is darker than Syrah, the grape it is often confused with, and is typically rounder and fuller in the mouth. The wine tends to have a wonderful brightness because of the ample acidity. This same acidity along with the well developed tannins allow this wine to age gracefully, often improving in the bottle for several years. If there is one flaw in this otherwise excellent wine, it is the rather short finish that the wine can have. For this reason, Zinfandel or Petite Verdot is often blended in small amounts to lengthen the finish and complete the wine. 

Petite Sirah is often combined  with other grapes to produce some of California's most well known red blends. The Prisoner, Marietta Old Vine Red and Bogle Phantom all have significant amounts of this grape in their mix. These are all big, fruit forward wines that are a mouthful of flavor. Especially in years where rains or poor growing seasons lessen the quality of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sirah is often added in small amounts to give deeper color and more backbone. It is also added to Zinfandel to help overcome the  “overdone” almost raisiny quality, that can sometimes occur in this varietal

Despite being a commonly blended grape and one used to improve or repair other varietal wines, Petite Sirah is truly special on its own. We have lots of these wines on the shelf. When someone comes in who drinks and enjoys red Zinfandel or Aussie Shiraz, I often suggest that they try this varietal. The big fruit flavor that these people enjoy will be enhanced by more complexity and structure. Newer techniques of developing fruit concentration and flavor has allowed for shorter maceration times resulting in wines with tannins that support nicely the fruit rather than overpowering it. Finally the acidity  adds a vibrance to the wine that is often missing in Zins and Syrah.

 

Bogle makes a really nice example of this varietal for the cost of a mere $11.99. the typical characteristic blueberries on the palate is unmistakeable. Actually, of all the wines Bogle makes at the entry level, this is by far my favorite. Peirano Estate, at $13.99 and David Bruce at $22.99 are good ones to try as well.

The one that you can't miss, however, is Michael David Winery's Petite Petit. You will recognize it by the whimsical circus themed label with large elephants. A blend of 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Petite Verdot, this wine offers an explosion of black fruit, vanilla and of course, blueberries,  that coat the mouth offering remarkable richness and a lingering finish. This dense, full bodied whopper of a wine is a must have at $17.99. The same winery makes a more expensive wine, called Earthquake Petite Sirah, which is what your palate will feel like it got hit by when you get a mouthful of this monster. Knock your socks off with this one for about $25.99.

Petite Sirah is a wine everyone should try, as well as the blends that this grape is so influencial in. I'm willing to bet you'll come back looking for more

THANKSGIVING WINES

    Thanksgiving is the busiest wine holiday of the year. Everybody wants to have a nice bottle of wine to enhance that turkey. The question is -- what is the best wine for this special occasion? Probably the most commonly chosen red is Pinot Noir, and that is a good choice. My choice for leftovers was a single village Beaujolais. Another great alternative is a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc.

    My choice for the main event, however, was a no brainer -- Zind-Humbrecht Gewurztraminer from Alsace, France. This medium to full bodied white wine with its incredible floral and spice aromatics and massive fruit and spice flavor profile stands up to not only the turkey, but also to the gravy, squash, dressing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and all the other flavors that assault your taste buds. Literally a "spice cake in a glass", this is a spectacular varietal and Zind-Humbrecht is the King of Alsacian winemakers.

   What did everybody else have?