Wines for Spring Part II: A Shopping List - 20 wines to kick off any springtime BBQ!

Part II of my Spring Wine Guide (Read Part I here): The chill of winter is ready to be packed away with your snow pants and wool sweaters in exchange for bathing suits and tank tops. If you’re like me, this time of year you’ll also transition from drinking big red wines every night to more Champagne, crisp whites, and Rose. Sure you’ll still have a big Cabernet or Barolo with a nice dinner indoors, but on a warm spring or summer night its best to kick things off with one (or two, or three!) bottles of a light, slightly chilled wine.

Here are my recommended wines for this Spring organized by Country and Price, with truncated tasting notes (Pink text = Rose wine, Green text = white or sparkling wine, Red text = red wine):

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MD Cru March 2008 Wine Tasting: Spanish Wines!

Good company is the best pairing with any wine. This past Saturday, I enjoyed what is becoming a classic pairing: wine and the MD Cru. MD Cru refers to a small group of wine enthusiasts who organize through the Wine Spectator forums to meet up once a month in the MD/Washington DC area to share wine, food and good stories. Venue ranges from the homes of some of the members to local restaurants. Each month we have a theme with the March 2008 tasting focusing on the wines of Spain. Overall the wines were very good and went great with the food menu (below). Here is the list of wines we tasted with my picks for “Wines of the Night”. A big thank you to PH, CS, and HWT for dealing with the organization and logistics of the event. A few wines received a score with a “+” symbol after it. This represents wines that I may have scored higher had there been sufficient pour volume and time to taste it over a few hours. Without further ado:

Wines of the night:

1. 2004 Alto Moncayo (Great wine, outstanding value even at $35- a must try for those new to Spanish Wines)
2. 2003 Clos Mogador (Still a bit young, but very good- hold 2-3 years or decant 2+ hours)
3. 2001 Cims de Porrera Priorat Classic (a load of ripe fruits, good structure and balance)

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WBW #43 - Comfort Wines

Today is another Wine Blogging Wednesday! This month our host is Joel at WineLifeToday. The theme is something dear to all of us wine lovers, comfort wines. Our mission:

“choose a wine, any wine, that you love to unwind to and tell us about not only the wine but what makes the experience special and relaxing for you!
“

This one’s a no-brainer for me: Sparkling Wine - more specifically, Avinyo Brut Reserva Cava.
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Recipe: Mint/Saffron Poached Shirmp

Here’s an easy recipe I came up with last week that went great with a bottle of Champagne, bread and cheese for a first course.

Saffron Poached Shrimp

Ingredients

• 6-8 extra-large jumbo shrimp, split and deveined (shell on)
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon savory
• 1 teaspoons dried/crushed mint
• 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/5 teaspoon Saffron fibers

1. Be sure shrimp are properly de-veined- gently rinse in cold water. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt/pepper.
2. In medium sauce pan add olive oil and all herbs/spices (except not saffron) over medium heat.
3. Add butter in small pieces to mixture and allow time to melt. Once butter has completely melted, stir in crushed saffron working the spices into the oil mixture.
4. Allow the oil/butter mixture to infuse with flavors for 10 minutes over medium-low heat.
5. Increase heat to medium and add shrimp in small batches so shrimp are completely covered by liquid. Gently stir occassionally over the next few minutes.
6. After 7-8 minutes, remove shrimp and repeat as necessary.
7. To serve, drizzle shrimp with poached liquid and plate with with fresh mint and plenty of bread to dip!

Wine pairing advice: This dish would be served with an appertif, I’d go with a N.V. Champagne, perhaps the Charles Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top ($35), which has good acidity, crispness, and subtle fruit flavors which won’t take away from the delicateness of the mint and saffron.

MD Cru February 2008 Recap: Traditional Pairing of French Cuisine and Big Cali Wines!

On Sunday February 24, 2008 the MD-Cru (previous events: Big Wines, Chateauneuf du Pape) met up for it’s monthly gathering of friends, new and old, to talk wine, catch up on politics, and drink a few bottles of wine with a light meal. This month’s venue was familiar to many of us in the “Cru” - Cafe de Paris in Columbia, Maryland with the wine theme familiar to any serious wine enthusiast: California Wine.

When I say “few bottles of wine”, I mean 20 outstanding wines, including 2 barrel samples from Stefania Winery. And by a “light meal” I mean onion soup, fois gras, ratatouille on crustini, ribeyes, lamb chops and duck breast finished off with decadent chocolate moouse and other delectable desserts. Classic French Cuisine with the traditional pairing of big Cali wines…at least we started the evening with Champagne!
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TN: Three Champagne’s: One good, one not-bad, one ugly.

Here are tasting notes on three Champane’s we had recently:

The good (the Huskies approve as well!):

1998 Duval-Leroy Champagne Blanc de Chardonnay Brut - $42: Light pale in color with a lot of tiny bubbles that seem endless. Initial dough/yeastiness (brioche), some citrus, a lot of banana peel, some caramel, just a lot of great stuff going on with the nose. Immediate and large dose of grapefruit and yeast on the palate, followed by pear and lime that carries through the finish when a touch of almond appears for a short while. Good focus, solid acidity and balance. Solid effort - drinking well now. My rating: 92 pts, GV (Good value)

The not-bad:

N.V. R. L. Legras Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut -$38: Light pale in color with grapefruit, melon, lime, apple, apricot flavors. Light style through the finish but crisp and refreshing enough. My rating: 86 pts, OKV (OK Value)

The ugly:

N.V. Jean Vesselle Champagne Brut Réserve - $36: Light/medium amber color - it began with a good nose of citrus, some vanilla, a lot of pear and apple, and a very little touch of brioche. On the palate the wine was very light and lacked any sort of body or finish. Granny smith apples and a lot of green pears stood out…which was pleasant. After 30 minutes though, the wine completely fell apart. Perhaps flawed? There was no finish and the fruits became quite sour. It started out fine (86 pts?) but really fell apart quickly. My rating: 82 pts, PV (poor value)

TN: Cristalino Brut Cava - Excellent QPR Cava

You all know how much I love Cava…here’s an excellent QPR (quality-to-price-ratio) sparkling from Spain (all Cava is from Catalina , Spain) Hazelnut, dough/yeast, grapefruit on the nose. Crisp acidity that becomes quite refreshing with some citrus notes. Very good Cava and great QPR (Quality to Price Ratio). Excellent with some spicy Thai food! My rating: 88 pts, OV (outstanding value)

Martini & Rossi Prosecco: New Look But Same Great Prosecco

I received this bottle as a sample and took these notes during a recent wine tasting:

The bottle had a unique closure for a wine - an actual bottle cap, reminiscent of a large glass bottle of soda or some other everyday beverage. The new design hopes to give the Prosecco more of an every-day feel and although I was first put off by it, I found it to be pretty cool and a great way to make drinking a sparkling wine with dinner more informal and fun. The Prosecco itself was a great appertif with a touch of fizz, grapefruit and pear flavors, and some sweet fruits on the finish. It rolls in at $12, is good bang for your buck, and was a fun way to start off the night.

Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of the Year - What I thought!

This month The Wine Spectator released it’s top 100 wines of the year. Without getting into what I thought of their selections, and with 2008 a few days away, I thought I’d recap my tasting notes on the wines that made Wine Spectator’s top 100 that I was lucky enough to try. Unfortunately, the high prices of those wines in the top 50 were too much for me to taste more than a few! Maybe next year we’ll see more value wines making the top 50! NOTE - I’ve listed Wine Spectator’s ratings (WS Rating) and rank. For information on my Value Rating System, check out my ratings page.

Without further ado:

8. Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love 2006 ($80): Opened and tasted immediately: Mushroom, plum, cherry, big fruits, big yet soft tannins. Decanted. 2 hour decant: Great color. Still tight on the nose. The initial mushroom note is gone with the appearance of a musty-forest floor with a touch of pepper and bacon. On the palette it’s toasted cedar, vanilla, plum, pretty solid through the middle with a long, complex finish that goes on and on. At this point I’m definitely seeing 96 pts or more. 3 hour decant: Again showing better, more buttery now with a bit more spice. The fruits in this wine just don’t stop. Quite pleasing and still 96+ points. 4 hour decant: Just as elegant as before. I’m quite impressed with the structure of this wine and overall quality. Very good. A very solid 96 points. My rating: 96 pts, GV. WS Rating: 95 pts

12. Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva 2001 ($175): I have yet to try this wine, but it’s in the cellar and will be opened in 10 years or so!

16. Schild Shiraz Barossa 2005 ($25): Decanted - big dark fruits, spice, tobacco on the nose. On the palate the wine is explosive with big, dark fruit, leather, plum, tar. Smooth tannins, long finish - pretty straight forward big Aussie Shiraz if that’s your style, you’ll like this wine (the 2004 was a better wine overall). We had this twice and it was consistently good. My rating: 90 pts, GV. WS Rating: 93 pts

37. Navarro Zinfandel Mendocino 2004 ($19): Blueberry, blackberry, cherry and some spice notes on the nose, as well as a small petrol component. Very good balance given the amount of alcohol, smooth tannins and a medium-long finish. A good Zin and great value. Tasted 3 times with consistent notes and evaluation. My rating: : 93 pts, VGV. WS Rating: 92 pts

62. Louis Jadot Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques 2005 ($22): Decanted 1 hour. Earthy tones, cherry, raspberry and other bright fruits. On the palate the wine was very well balanced, with dusty tannins and a earthy, medium-length finish. Should get better with a couple years, drinking nice now with a long decant. My rating: 93 pts, VGV. WS Rating: 91 pts

71. Columbia Crest Merlot Columbia Valley Grand Estates ($11): Deep reddish plum in color with notes of plum, raspberry, vanilla and blueberry on the nose. The body is surprisingly creamy with soft tannins layered with good fruit and tar flavors. Long finish accented by a subtle chocolate note - well made bargain Merlot. Buy a case and enjoy one of the best values out there. My rating: 89 pts, OV. WS Rating: 90 pts

72. Yellow Tail Shiraz South Eastern Australia The Reserve 2005 ($11): With all the hype about the Yellowtail reserve Shiraz, I felt it would be fun to grab a bottle and see for myself whether it was warranted. I did not taste this blind, but I wish I had, it was very good. The wine was filled with dark fruits and spice with surprising balance and really smooth tannins. The finish fell apart a bit, but overall the wine is a great value and highly recommended as a daily drinker. My rating: 88 pts, OV. WS Rating: 90pts

77. Heidsieck Monopole Brut Champagne Blu Top NV ($35). Tasted from 375 mL bottle. Pale yellow color with plenty of tiny bubbles. Apple, pear, buttered toast with good balance. Light, crisp, and very refreshing. My rating: 90 pts, VGV. WS Rating: 91 pts.

92. Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch 2006($14): Pale yellow color. On the nose is wet stone, pear, honey and a touch of lemon rind with citrus, pear and some more honey on the palate. This wine has some wild acidity but it’s not overwhelming and makes it a great spring/summer wine served with spicy cuisine. The finish is crisp and very refreshing. A great value wine from an outstanding producer. My rating: 91 pts, OV. WS Rating: 90pts

100. Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2004 ($70): Tasted twice. August 2007 - Filled with dark fruits, berry, currant, chocolate, touch of oak. Firm tannins, long finish. Another great wine from a great producer with good aging potential. My rating: 93 pts, CV. WS Rating: 92 pts

Caymus tasted again 12/26/07: Decanted 30 minutes at a wine bar. Real tight nose, blackberry, black currant, leather. On the palate the wine was a bit off from the other time I’ve had this and rated it 93 pts…the tannins were rough with a medium-long finish. Not corked, but maybe an off bottle. My rating: 87 pts (PV, poor value as it showed this time around).

Congrats to the New England Patriots!

Just a quick congratulations to former University of Michigan (GO BLUE!) quarterback Tom Brady (image to left from the bostonherald.com website - Photo by the AP) and the New England Patriots for finishing the NFL regular season 16-0 (hey Lions, fire Matt Millen and maybe we’ll have a winning season again in the next 10 years). Their win over the Giants (Kim and her family’s favorite team- sorry everyone!) included three record-breaking moments (most points in a season, most TD’s in a season by a QB and most TD’s by a receiver by Randy Moss).

The only way to celebrate tonights win would be a nice vintage Champagne…the 1989-90’s are drinking well. The more widely available 1995 and 1996 vintages are a bit young but the few I’ve had this year were also quite good. And of course, if you’re a New England Patriot, money is know object…so break out a case or two of Krug from each of those vintages and enjoy your achievement in style with some of the best Champagne in the world!

Three sparklings, two Champagnes, and one night of celebration

Sparkling wine can turn any meal into fine dining, any night into a celebration, and any celebration into a great party. Rightfully so, it is always a good idea to have a few bottles of bubbly in your fridge especially with New Years Eve just around the corner. But before stocking up for the holidays, keep these tips and sparkling recommendations in mind. I wish you all safe and happy holidays!

First remember that all Champagne’s are sparkling wines, but not all sparkling wines are Champagnes. To be a real Champagne (always with a capital letter “C”), the wine must have been produced following the rigorous standards set by French wine law and only in the French DOC (recognized wine region) of Champagne. Because of the limited production of real Champagne, it tends to be quite pricey.

The primary grape varieties used in Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. On the label you may find terms such as “NV”, which indicates that the grapes used to make the wine came from multiple vintages. A designated year on a Champagne means it’s a vintage Champagne (only made in years where conditions were optimal) and usually more expensive than NV. Finally, the term Brut denotes that it is semi-dry appears on a majority of the labels, whereas demi-sec, denotes a sweeter wine.

The first Champagne I recommend is Taittinger NV Brut Champagne ($36) which is very crisp, has good amounts of peach, honey and vanilla and has very good structure. This is much more bang for your buck that the more popular and similarly priced Veuve Clicuot. For around $40, NV Heidsieck Champagne Brut Blue Top Monopole is another excellent choice with great structure and balance, as well as plenty of fresh flavors.

On to the sparklings!

The Italian equivalent of Champagne is Prosecco. It comes from white grapes grown in the foothills of the Alps in the Venuto region of northeast Italy. Prosecco is generally a pale/straw color with a fresh melon and citrus flavors as well as honey and nuts. Prosecco has a crisp, refreshing finish and is a great, affordable way to celebrate any occasion. I highly recommend the Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV which can be found for $13 and is filled with great fresh fruit flavors and lots of refreshing bubbles.

My personal favorite alternative to Champagne comes from the Catalonia region of Spain and is called Cava (literally meaning “cave” or “cellar”). Produced in Catalonia for hundreds of years, Cava is light, crisp, filled with apple and citrus, and quite refreshing. One of my favorite produces of Cava is Avinyo; look for the Brut Reserva which is less than $15 and a lot of bang (and bubbles) for the buck!

And of course there are many versions of sparkling wines produced right here in the USA. The styles of these are quite diverse and rather than get into the details of each, I suggest to you a glass of Domaine Chandon Brut Classic (one of my favorite California-made sparklings) and an hour or so of Google searchers!

A few tips

• When serving a sparkling wine, be sure it is chilled properly (42 degrees for non-Champagne, 45-50 degrees for NV and vintage Champagne).
• The best way to open the bottle is to use the following method. Remove the foil from the top of the bottle. Gently unwind the metal twist-ties and dispose of the cap. With one hand firmly grasp the base of the bottle while placing the other hand on the cork. In one quick motion, turn the base of the bottle while pulling the whole bottle down and away from the cork. The hand that is securing the cork should remain in place throughout the process. Caution: due to the pressure of carbonation in the bottle, use extreme care when opening any sparkling wine. Never aim the top of the bottle at any living object! An alternate method for opening a Champagne bottle is the more advanced “saber” method which involves chilling the top of the bottle in an ice bucket, then running a saber up the side of the bottle at a 45 degree angle to cause a splitting of the glass (see image to the right, not recommended for beginners!).
• When possible use a Champagne flute: the shape of the glass helps preserve the bubbles. One final tip, sparkling wines and Champagne go great with many different foods (especially Sushi and spicy foods like Thai), so experiment and have fun!

As you can see there are many options for sparkling wines at all different price ranges. Whether it’s for dinner on a Tuesday night or to toast in the new year, a great sparkling wine or Champagne can turn any occasion into a celebration. Cheers!

Fine print on Champagne Bottles

The following was written by a veteran member of the WineSpectator Forums with the call name of “VinoMe.” It is very well written and insightful, and with his permission, I have copied it here. For more information, or two participate in the discussion, see the original post on WS forums here: Fine print on Champagne Bottles

by VinoMe originally written December 10, 2006

With the Christmas and Holiday season upon us, I thought it might be an opportune time to post this information. I find that many wine lovers, even some of the most knowledgeable ones, are oblivious to the meaning of some of the fine print on a Champagne bottle. So here it is (ignore it if you already know this).Every bottle of Champagne must have a 2 letter code on it. They are in very small print with a set of numbers after it. They are always on the front label based on my observations but I don’t know if that is a regulation. ‘NM’ and ‘RM’ are the 2 most common with probably 80-90% of all Champagne sold falling into the ‘NM” category. Here are all 5 sets of letters and what they mean.

NM (Negociant Maker)- Actually the French use the word manipulant instead of maker but it means the same so I will use maker because it is easier to remember. These letters refer to a house which buys grapes to make their wines. All of the big houses fall into this category. Of course they also use some of their own estate fruit.

RM (Recoltant Maker)- This refers to a Champagne maker that grows their own grapes. they are allowed to buy up to 5% of their production. I often look for these initials on a bottle since they are often a sign of a small house that does not get a lot of press and is a very good value.

RC (Recoltant Cooperative)- Same as RM but they make and sell their Champagnes with the help of cooperatives.

CM (Cooperative Maker)- Here you have a collection of growers that join together to make and sell Champagne on behalf of its members.

MA (Marque d’acheteur)- This is a Champagne that is owned by a 3rd party and not the maker of the wine.

As I indicated, I like to look for the RM on the bottle simply because I find small production Champagnes more interesting and like to support small producer that take pride in what they do. It is much easier to get a sense of terrior from these producers since the blending from multiple site that is done by the large houses in most of their wines destroys any sense of place. They are more concerned with maintaining a house style than delivering a unique product. of course that is not to say that large houses can’t produce a great product, they can and do since they have access to most of the best sites and the most modern technology.

Hope this was informative and useful. Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and don’t forget to open something sparkly.

The weight watchers agree that only diet pills take one nowhere. The best way of weight loss is to follow blood type diet along with pills.

TN: Boizel NV Brut Reserve Champagne

Having recently tried the 1995 Boizel Brut Champagne Joyau de France and really enjoying it, I was really looking forward to this NV Brut Reserve. At $20 / 375 mL (which is the bottle I tasted from) it’s quite a fair price for a good Champagne ($20-$25 online for 375 mL, around $50-60 for 750 mL).

The first difference was the presence of an actual “pop” when I opened the bottle.  As I noted with two bottles of the 1995 Boizel, there was only a very little pressure in the bottle which worried me, but did not impact the wine.   This NV Brut Reserve had similar fruits in the nose with grapefruit really standing out as well as a touch of hazelnut and minerals.  The wine was complex and had great presence and very good balance.  The finish was crisp and refreshing, but did not have the same lasting impression as the 1995, which I would expect.  This NV Brut Reserve is ready to drink now and was a steal for $20 / 375 mL.  A much different style than Veuve Clicquot Brut or Taittinger Brut; less acidic and crisp, but creamier and quite refreshing .  My rating: 88 pts.

Champagne at half time…go Blue!

Sure the Michigan Wolverines are 4-2 with two very disappointing losses. Yeah they lost by 30 points to Oregon when I was on the Michigan sidelines experiencing defeat first hand. And I know, it’s only half-time of a game versus Purdue who isn’t that good of a time. But damn-it they have me excited again.

It’s Michigan: 31 - Purdue: 7 at the half and Michigan is showing the nation (or at least the nation that has the Big Ten network on Direct TV) that they are in fact the team we thought they were pre-season. They are showing us the first two weeks were a fluke. A bad coincidence. A terrible nightmare. But that’s over and I give a lot of credit to Mike Hart. Not only has he carried the team on his back with his big rushing yards and two touchdowns a game, but with his attitude and strength.

Mark my words, from this point on Michigan will not lose another quarter of football. They will win out this year and quiet the naysayers. Tressel and Ohio State will not stop us. Mike Hart will win the Heisman. And maybe, just maybe, Lloyd Carr will be back next year. For this I’m opening up my last bottle of Taittinger NV Brut Champagne on this Saturday afternoon and going to enjoy a fifth straight victory. I better head out and pick up another case or two of Champagne, there’s a half of a season of football left and the Wolverines are going to give me plenty to celebrate!

Go Blue! (Some more pictures from my sideline experience: watching the Oregon game from the sidelines!)

Sparkling Birthday and Cannoli Bon Voyage!

Last night a group of 15 or so met at our friend Jessica’s house to celebrate her 30th birthday (In this “candid” photo from Left to right: Jessica, Kim, Heather, Jim). Kim and I (with the help of our friend Heather) were in charge of the food (as well as Jim who grilled up some great clams). Among the nights highlights were the sabering of a bottle of Champage (the video turned out too dark but it went off without problem) and Jim’s reciting of two German poems. Below are some notes on the dishes we had as well as some tasting notes and a recap of what pairings worked and didn’t work. I left out notes on the Sparkletini by Verdi that made its way into the night (thanks Georgia!) because frankly, it was too good for words! (More images and videos of the party can be found here.)

The menu

• Garlic/Rosemary Almonds (Michael)
• Homemade Yukon gold chips (Kim and I)
• Grilled asparagus (Michael)
• Melon wrapped in prosciutto (Kim)
• Grilled clams (Jim)
• Seared scallops served with Champagne-butter reduction (Michael)
• Spicy scallop and lump crab ceviche with grilled jumbo shrimp and avacado (Michael)
• Thai Beef served on lettuce (from Thai Arroy)
• Birthday canoli’s and birthday almond cookies!

Notes on the wines:

• Zardetto Prosecco Brut, Italy - $13: Crisp, clear in the glass. Notes of grapefruit, peach, touch of lemon rind without real direction or good structure. Soft palette, refreshing finish, perfect for an apertif. Excellent pairing with the melon and prosciutto. My Rating: 85 pts
• 365 Oriel Prosecco, Italy - $12: I would say this was consistent with the other times I tasted it: Pleasant nose with mineral notes and ripe fruits. Medium-light body with mineral and flint. A good finish but not as crisp as I expected - still enjoyed it very much. Excellent pairing with the melon and prosciutto. My Rating: 86 pts
• Domaine Chandon Brut Classic, California - $18: Ripe, vibrant fruits on the nose. On the palette the fruits keep coming: pear, apples, tropical fruits, citrus. Crisp, clean finish with perfect acidity and balance to enjoy with food. Went great with the scallops. Great quality to price (QPR) ratio meaning this is an excellent value wine. My Rating: 89pts
  
• Lindauer Brut Sparkling, New Zealand - $10: Aroma of ripe fruits and citrus. The wine was quite dry and had plenty of bubbles thanks to a long secondary fermentation. The finish was almost foamy, maybe a little too much so. Still a great value. My Rating: 85 pts
• Avinyo Brut Cava, Spain -$15: I’ve reviewed this one before (see previous). Again enjoyed it very much. The nose was consistent with before; peach and apple stood out, and this time I also got citrus and a touch of rosemary. Minerals and more subtle fruits with a medium body. Good finish. Great with the almonds! A reminder that Cava can be really good (and inexpensive!). My Rating: 87 pts
• Alain Soutiran NV Rose Grand Cru Brut, Champagne, France - $50: The best rose I’ve had to date. I be-headed (sabered) this bottle (first time I tried this, see image) to the enjoyment of my friends! Great rich pink color with a bouquet of cherry, strawberry and floral notes. The body is elegant and dances with cherry, raspberry and a touch of dried herbs with hints of minerals and earth reminding me the whole time why the Champagne region is so special. Very highly recommended, but unfortunately low production (around 350 cases made). My Rating: 95 pts
• Louis Roederer - Carte Blanche Demi Sec, Champagne, France - $50: Golden straw color. A lot of fruit in the bouquet along with figs, honey, minearls as well. A rich, creamy texture and good integration. Sweet, but not too sweet - could have very easily enjoyed 3 glasses without being overwhelmed. Nice, refreshing fizz and a crisp, clean and delicate finish. Very good as a dessert wine. My Rating: 91 pts.
• Pineto Brachetto D’ Acqui Marenco 2006, Italy - $20: Great ruby/purple color with a touch of bubbles. A ton of fruits on the nose with a touch of sweet liqueur. Layers of sweet (but not too sweet) ripe fruits on the palette with good fizz that was perfect with almond cookies. Very nice dessert wine - unique and a must-try. My Rating: 87 pts.

A very happy birthday to Jessica who’s official birthday is this Sunday, October 14 and best wishes on your trip to Hawaii. Bon voyage! (Image to left: Last Wave (Maui Sunset) © Phillip Bishop | Dreamstime.com

Food and wine pairing: Prosecco with melon wrapped in prosciutto

The preparation does not get any easier:

• halve a melon, cut into any sized portions you desire
• wrap with favorite prosciutto
• serve with a sparkling Prosecco (I specify sparkling because many people are unaware that about 5% of Prosecco is used to make still wines)

Prosecco is a white grape variety that is grown in the foothills of the Alps in the Venuto region of Italy. Venuto lies in the Northeast of Italy near the Austrian/Slovanian borders where its best known for its capital city of Venice. The Prosecco grape does well in this region where it achieves balanced acidity and fruit. The sparklings are different than Champagne in that they undergo secondary fermentation in large, stainless steel tanks, rather than in individual bottles. This is more cost efficient and leads to sparkling wines that offer excellent representation of the components of the grapes and terroir.

Prosecco is generally a pale/straw color with a fresh melon and citrus bouquet as well as on the palette along with honey and nuts. Prosecco has a crisp, refreshing finish perfect as an appertif or to wake-up a warm summer night. The best part about Prosecco is that they are very reasonably priced, much more so than Champagne or even many of the sparkling’s made around the world. An excellent alternative on a Tuesday night when you’re in the mood for some bubbly!

Two Prosecco’s to try:

• Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV - $13 - Great nose with apple and citrus, very interesting texture and a mineral finish make this one of my favorites. You can’t beat the price either! My Rating: 91 pts
• Oriel Prosecco 365 - $19 - Pleasant nose with mineral notes and ripe fruits. Medium-light body with mineral and flint. A good finish but not as crisp as I expected - still enjoyed it very much. My Rating: 87 pts

Taittinger NV Brut Champagne

All Champagne’s are sparkling (most anyways) but not all sparkling’s are Champagne.  In fact, not all champagne is Champagne!  Confused?  Well you’re not alone.  Traditional Champagne comes from the region in the northeast of France with the same name.  Strict standards are set to what classifies a wine as a Champagne (note the capital “C”) and throughout Europe, you will only find traditional, “real” Champagne on the shelves with the name of Champagne.  This is in contrast to other areas of the world where producers their sparkling wines as champagne (note the small letter “c”).  Do not be confused and always check the label to see where the wine was produced (wines named “champagne” MUST by law have the appellation on the label).  That is not to say that there are not great sparkling wines out there that are not Champagne, but you usually pay a premium for the real thing so you may as well be sure that’s what you’re getting!

The primary grape varieties used are Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot meunier.  On the label you may find terms such as “NV”, denoting it’s not a particular vintage, but instead multiple vintages; Brut, which denotes that it is semi-dry appears on a majority of the labels, whereas demi-sec, denotes a sweeter wine.  Today’s wine is a “NV Brut”.

The Taittinger NV Brut Champagne is a blend of Chardonnay (40%), Pinot noir (%40), Pinot meunier coming from more than 40 different vineyards.  The amount of Chardonnay used is quite unique in Champagne (generally half as much is used) and gives this wine a nice bouquet with peach and vanilla and great body.  It’s crisp and refreshing with  lively fruits and honey.   Less famed than Veuve Clicquot, I feel this is a higher overall quality Champagne (that’s not to say I don’t really like Veuve!) and great for a special occasion or after a long day at the office.  A few years in the cellar may be beneficial, but it’s ready for consumption now.  My rating - 92 pts.

Avinyo Brut Reserva Cava - $15

Let me start off by admitting, I love cava. The less acclaimed (and definitely less expensive) of the sparkling wines in Europe (think Champagne), Cava is a lot of fun. Originating from the Catalonia region of Spain, Cava (literally meaning “cave” or “cellar”) is a sparkling white wine that can, when done right, be a great substitute for Champagne.

The Catalonia region is about 25 miles south-west of Barcelona, situated. Grape vines have been growing in this region for hundreds of years. In 1872 the first Cava was produced. Today, common varietals used in Cava are macabeo, parellada, xarel·lo, Chardonnay, and Subirat. Today’s wine of the day displays macabeo, xarel-lo, and parellada.

This non-vintage, organically grown, Brut Cava is just incredible. A lot of subtle fruits including peach and apple, combined with minerals and mild acidity makes this a treat on a warm summer day. YUMMY!