500 years in the making…

To learn more about wine it’s imperative to explore different grapes from different countries. This month’s choice is from Croatia - really Croatia?!? Yep! They’ve been making wines for 2500 years. That may seem inconceivable to some but it’s true. Although Croatia is considered to be an “Old World” wine producer most of their larger wineries has adopted newer methods - It just so happens the one I chose is more traditional using methods that are 500 years old and I reaped the benefits!

The one I enjoyed was from Kastel Vineyards - Central Dalmatia, Croatia “Babica Stafileo” 2008 using 95% Babica grapes and aged 18 months in oak barrels. This is the only vineyard in the world that I’m aware of that uses the Babica grape. The grape is not sturdy at all as its thin skinned which makes it very difficult to handle/process.

Aromas of figs, frozen red fruits, some jam, and I swear I detect that Croatian soil. This medium bodied wine is well balanced on the palate with smooth tannins and red fruit finishing nicely with strawberries. This tasty wine is rather charming and easy to drink.

Although this wine may be a bit tough to find (Tasty Wine Company is the distributor) ask your retailer to get you a bottle. With a price tag of about $20 it’s worth every penny for the enjoyment and the knowledge you’ll gain!

Sláinte! TCW

Owen Roe - How you swoon me...

Well, 2011 was a great year! I tried some amazing wine and had some fantastic experiences with some fellow winos. One of the things I learned this past year, and highly recommended to you, is to taste Owen Roe Winery from Washington. I have not had a bad wine from them yet. They really have a tasty line! Here are some of my favorites to keep me warm in the winter:

• Yakima Valley Red Blend 2009 (59% Merlot / 24% Cabernet Franc / 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, $42): Aromas of red flowers, red and black plums, cranberry sauce and blackberry currant. Flavors of tart red cherries, blueberry cobbler, and raspberry give way to a balanced tannins and finish with warm, lingering Madagascar vanilla and black licorice. The winery states, "It smells like Merlot, drinks like Cabernet Franc and finishes like Cabernet Sauvignon!" Drink now or age this seductive wine for 10-20 years.

• Sinister Hand 2009 (75% Grenache/20% Syrah/3% Mourvedre/2% Counoise, $24): Aromas of beautiful wild strawberry, black pepper with red and black currant notes. Leads into the palate with satisfying acid that provides ripe black fruit finish.

• Syrah Ex Umbris 2009 (100% Syrah, $24): Amazing scents of Bing cherry pie, green peppercorns and molasses. Rich, warm flavors of strawberries, dark plum and dates expand on the palate and finish with black licorice. Although this drinks like a Syrah should, big tannins and heavy fruit it comes across delicate and subtle. Drink now through 2016.

Sláinte and Happy New Year! TCW

“It’s a Cracker!”

Not knowing what to expect when I walked into The James Hotel - I met Krista and she showed me to the room. I walked into this gorgeous room overlooking Downtown Chicago and there was this tall man with a thick Australian accent. He introduced himself, Bernard, Chief Winemaker for Jacob’s Creek Winery. I’m sure you heard of them, they were the first to plant a vineyard commercially along the banks of the legendary Barossa Valley and today they are of the leading exporters from Australia

I was invited to taste their newly released “Regional Reserve Wines” focusing on three key wine regions, Barossa, Coonawarra, and Adelaide Hills. These wines reflect the distinct personality of each region through the perspective grape. I sampled their Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and their famous Shiraz. When I sampled the 2007 Shiraz the descriptors started flowing freely. In a word, it was delicious! That’s when Bernard said, in his thick Australian accent, “Wait ‘till you try the 2008 vintage – it’s a cracker!” Not sure why, maybe it was the several glasses of wine working, but it was funny. Never hearing that term before I found out it means it’s great. Of course I asked him to ship me a bottle of that when it was released.

A few months later I got that bottle signed by Bernard. I could not wait to open that baby up! Upon pour it was a deep cerise color. The bouquet offered rich French blackberry jam followed by juicy plums with notes of vanilla and spice. On the palate were expressive and clean black juicy fruits. It continued with notes of oak, cinnamon, and sweet vanilla. Although not a very long finish it still left me wanting another sip. Bernard was right, it was a cracker!

Sláinte! TCW

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais

Beaujolais (boh-zhuh-ley) is a French wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Beaujolais tends to be a very light-bodied red wine with relatively high amounts of acidity. This summer-friendly red wine should be enjoyed at 55 degrees although I prefer mine at 58 degrees. They are not very complex but don’t let that scare you away. These are easy drinking reds with flavors being very forward and charming. I was lucky enough to be part of this Beaujolais online tasting event from Georges Duboeuf. Here are the three wines I sampled.

Georges Duboeuf Julienas Chateau des Capitans ’09 (NOTE: Decant for 1 hour): Color of plum with aromas of peach and summer fruits. On the palate was raspberries, peach pit (it’s better than what that may sound), with a hint of tropical flavors. This was my absolute favorite of the 3.

Georges Duboeuf Brouilly ’09: Color of dark cherries with unbelievable balanced aromas/flavors of cherry, plum, and strawberry pie. This was my second favorite of the 3 but was close to #1.

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages ’09: Color of cherry juice and purplish tints with aromas of jellied strawberries with some mild spice. On the palate was freshly made grape jam. A nice starter wine!

It does not matter if you’re a white wine kind of person, a red wine lover, or me and enjoy both – Beaujolais is a perfect pairing for all of us winos out there…

Sláinte! TCW

Cool off with some Sauvignon Blanc!

Now that Chicago finally figured out it is summer - Sauvignon Blanc is a perfect wine to battle the heat! Sauvignon Blanc actually originated from Bordeaux, France. It’s not surprising that I enjoy it as much as I do since I’m in love with the red blends of Bordeaux. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage (wild) and blanc (white). It is now planted in many wine regions including: Australia, Brazil, California, Canada, Chile, France, South Africa, and my favorite, New Zealand. It was also one of the first wines (Riesling being the other one) to be bottled with a screw cap in commercial quantities. The wine is usually consumed young as aging it does not offer any benefits. Sauvignon Blanc is typically light to medium-bodied with aromas/flavors of, citrus, tropical, grassy, veggie, and mineral notes. This wine pairs very well with sushi, fish, Thai food, cheeses, and salads.

Although my favorite Sauvignon Blanc comes from Marlborough, New Zealand I would encourage you to try some from different parts of the world to find your favorites. I listed 3 below that are reasonably priced and ones I enjoy very much!

California, Napa Valley: St. Supery 2009- Aromas/Flavors of exotic grapefruit, lime, kiwi, guava, and hints of lemon zest. $16

New Zealand, Marlborough: Nobilo Icon 2009- Aromas/Flavors of tropical pineapple, pink grapefruit, and hints of citrus zest. $16

Chile, Rapel Valley: Lapostolle Casa 2009- Aromas/Flavors of Sweet citrus fruits. White flowers, pears, and nectarines. $10

Sláinte! TCW 

Lynfred Winery Primitivo, 2009

I could go on about Primitivo wine but I will just give you the quick rundown and hope I don’t bore you. It is possibly from Greece but is more known from when the grape migrated to Italy. It was named Primitivo from the Benedictine monks because the grape matured early. You may know Primitivo as Zinfandel – genetically the same grape.

Lynfred Winery came out with their first ever Primitivo (2009 vintage). Lynfred Winery states “the grapes came from Heringer Vineyards in Clarksburg, California (Lodi region). Heringer planted an Italian clone in California soil and found that the resulting grape is quite different from the Napa & Sonoma Zinfandels. The Primitivo has brighter fruit, is softer and leaner, and seems to be more food friendly.” The wine consists of 82% Primitivo, 9% Merlot, and 9% Rosé.

This bottle has aromas of fresh raspberries and, dare I say, rich creamy vanilla ice cream (almost like the end of the bowl melted down goodness). On the palate are juicy red berries followed by some oak. This light to medium bodied wine is delicate and sexy - a perfect treat on a warmer day.

Sláinte!
TCW

Switchback Ridge Merlot ’08

I was at The Turf Room the other day and was lucky enough to try the Switchback Ridge Merlot ’08 from Napa Valley, California. I was very interested in this bottle as I hosted a Cab tasting a while back and Switchback Ridge scored the best. When poured in my glass I noticed a dark plum color. The aromas were rather seductive and complex, at first a sweet perfume that developed into juicy black fruits. With the second fragrance I noted chocolate, coffee bean, and herbal accents. Now knowing this wine is just playing with my senses I had to have a taste. The flavors were unbelievable raspberry and blackberry fruits that led to a rich and silky mid-palate and finished coating your mouth with great strong yet soft tannins. Am I really drinking a Merlot? This is much fuller than I am used to with every bit of gracefulness. This has got to be the best Merlot I’ve ever had – a rather bold statement but much deserved! This was perfectly layered. You can drink this now through 2018. With a $140 price tag this may scare you but I can assure you this is a ridiculously fantastic bottle!

Sláinte!

TCW 

Sélection Laurence Féraud Gigondas ’05

I have said this time and time again – discovering a new grape/wine is awesome! I came across a wine from a local restaurant, Gigondas (gee-gun-dus). Gigondas vineyards lay at the bottom of the Dentelles de Montmirail, a great scenery for good value wine in the Rhone Valley. The history of Gigondas wine traces back to the Romans. They take advantage of the Mediterranean weather and the red clay soil.

The bottle I tasted was Sélection Laurence Féraud Gigondas ’05. This is a deep, vivid ruby in color. The aromas were raspberry, minerality, and a little grassiness to it. On the palate I tasted some French earthiness/vegetal qualities with some fruit. It finished with smoky minerals. This Gigondas is complex and yet expressive. This was a fun wine to drink! Drink this now to 2013.

Sláinte!

TWC