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!

You Can Drink Rosé and Still Be a Bad Ass

All you macho types keep in mind these words coming from Charles and Charles (a joint project between Charles Smith and Charles Bieler). It’s spring...the beginning of Rosé season.

Rosé wines are made from red grapes. The grape skins have very limited contact with the juice which gives the wines a pink color. The shorter the contact, the lighter the color. While Rosé can be sweet, off dry, or bone dry, today I'm talking about the beautiful decidedly dry type.  The flavors of Rosé wines tend to be subtle versions of their red varietal counterparts—strawberry, cherry, watermelon, citrus, and raspberry.

These wines are perfect for spring and summer, as they are served chilled and are probably the most food friendly and food versatile wines on the planet. The light body and delicate flavors make them ideal picnic wines that go well with roast beef, chicken or ham sandwiches, egg or potato salad, and even chips and dip. They are great for backyard barbeques, easily handling burgers, hot dogs, chicken, and even steaks. And nothing is better than Rosé to drink with nothing at all on a bright summer day. They are also great values, most being in the 10 to 20 dollar range.

Rosés got a bad rap after the winemaker at Sutter Home invented White Zinfandel completely by accident (an arrested fermentation).  This started the flood of sweet wine cooler-like blush wines from California. Consequently, in the past I've had people run from the tasting bar when I did a Rosé tasting. Dry Rosé, though, is a wonderful wine, and sales are going up. People are finding pleasant surprises at store tastings even if all the wines are pink.

There are hundreds of Rosés on the market. I'm going to mention three that are reasonably priced, fairly easy to find, and outstanding.

Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Rosé 2011 screams “Loire Valley” with its strong minerality and beautiful acidity. It is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Gamay. The nose and palate are full of rose petals, strawberries, bell pepper, and a bit of peaty earth. The finish is lingering and perfectly balanced.

Bieler Pere et Fils Rosé 2011 is from Provence, a renowned area of Rosé production. This deeply colored Rosé is Syrah driven (50%), blended with 30% Grenache and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is cranberry red in color with a nose of raspberry, cherry, and wild strawberry. It is crisp and flavorful on the palate with a medium body and notes of red berries, cherries, and spice.  The finish is long and refreshing.

Feudi di San Gregorio Ros’aura Rosato 2011 is made from 100% Aglianico which is known for making very powerful tannic wines. The wine is a brilliant ruby color with a huge nose of freshly crushed strawberries and cherries. Medium bodied and intensely fruit driven with a palate of strawberry preserves, cherries, and a hint of green herbs, it has a lingering but crisp finish. This is a powerful Rosé, and has always been one of my favorites.

These wines are coming into stores in large numbers this time of year and can be found at great prices.  So all you guys, if your football coach invites you to dinner, be brave and grab a bottle of dry pink wine. He’ll be impressed with your wine savvy.