Food, Wine, Culture TV- Episode 6: Cooking show- Mike’s Mama’s Schnitzel & Rieslings!

Wow…already at episode 6! If you missed the first five, click on the FWB-TV link above (or here!). Today we’re back in our “still being renovated” kitchen where I prepare my Mama’s schnitzel with pommes frites and a few Rieslings. Carlos L. is back this time with his electric guitar to provide music and expert food tasting skills. The schnitzel turned out great, the wines are good and Carlos keeps the music rocking. (Main image credit: wikipedia.com)

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Food, Wine, Culture TV: Episode 5: German (and one Austrian) wines under $12 with Carlos L!

Food, wine, culture - TV: Episode 5: German Riesling! Michael Mohammadi of Foodandwineblog.com gives an overview of German wines and tastes a few Rieslings. An Austrian red wine is slipped into the mix to please the palate of guitarist and friend of foodandwineblog.com Carlos L. In this 5th episode, 2 of the Rieslings are good values, one is an OK value and the Zweigelt is a big pass. This show sets the stage for Episode 6 which features Michael’s mamas recipe for Schnitzel mit Pommes Frites and a pairing with German bier and wine!

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A trip to Virginia’s Wineries: A weekend of wine drinking in Virginia tastes best with good friends!

The majority of wine production in the United States takes place in 5 of the 50 states: California, Oregon, Washington, and to a lesser extent Michigan and New York. The last two may not be making wines the caliber of their west coast counterparts, but there are many good Rieslings and Ice Wines coming from Michigan and New York that are gaining national and international attention.

But what about the other 45 states?

For starters, wine (of some sort!) is being made in almost every state in the US. Idaho, Montana, Texas, Virginia and even Maryland have been producing wine for many years now. But you have to wonder: who’s drinking these wines and are they any good? I’ve been in Maryland for 4 years now and I know very little about the wines of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania- all of which have wineries less than 2 hours from my home. I have had a few bottles here and there that had me impressed (an Elk Run Gewurztraminer comes to mind), as well as one outstanding bottle of 1980 Byrd Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon that Kim and I had at Della Notte a few years back. Yes, a 1980 Maryland Cabernet, drank in 2005, that was very good. Sad to say I can’t find out any information on Byrd Vineyards and they are not around today (if you know anything e-mail me: michael@foodandwineblog.com). Read more

Wine Blogging Wednesday: Old World Riesling (FYI: I love German Riesling!)

Wine Blogging Wednesday is in it’s 45th edition. For those of you unfamiliar with this event, Lenn Thompson (LennDevours) started it a few years back hoping to have a “community wide” wine tasting. Anyone (not only bloggers can participate. For more info, ehck out winebloggingwednesday.org.

This month’s host is Tim at Winecast.net (a blog/podcast that is well organized, written and very highly recommended). The mission: Old World Riesling, which generally would mean:

• French (Alscace)
• Germany
• Austria

I am very appreciative of this theme, as I absolutely love German Riesling but don’t drink nearly enough of it. This in mind, I had a big task ahead of me: choose one Riesling that I knew I’d enjoy and would like to share with you all!

My wine of choice for this outstanding theme was a 2005 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett. This wine is produced a little over an hour away from my family’s house in Herborn and is one I have had (previous vintage) while in Germany. Overall, it’s a great, Old-World style Riesling. It’s got a nice touch of sweetness that isn’t overpowering. Highly recommended, especially if you can find it (around $20).

2005 Zilliken (Forstmeister Geltz) Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett: Light straw color with a nose of apple, minerals, a light tangerine/citrusy component that is really nice. On the palate I wouldn’t have guessed a Kabinett, although it’s not overly sweet, there is a nice, honey undertone with flavors of pear, apple, citrus and crushed minerals. Very crisp acidity and a long, refreshing finish really bring this wine together. My rating: 90 pts, Very Good Value (VGV)

Image of bottle from the world’s best cellar-tracking program: www.cellartracker.com

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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TN: 2006 Standing Stone Vineyards Riesling (New York State, Finger Lakes)

2006 Standing Stone Vineyards Riesling- $12:  Pale yellowish color. Floral bouquet with some apple and pear. Light body with pear, apricot and mineral notes. Medium-light acidity with a crisp finish.  My rating: 86 pts, GV

“Al-’zas”

Welcome to part two of the “Learn how to pronounce a French wine region” series! “Al-’zas”, better known as Alsace, is in the north-eastern portion of France on the western banks of the Rhine river, bordering Germany. The Alsace is known for producing exceptional white wines (90% of wine production in Alsace is white), the major varietals being Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner. The wines of Alsace used to be more dry and crisp, but today we find many sweeter versions that are a result of later harvest (more concentrated fruits) of the grapes and therefore wines with more sugar.

There are three demarcated AOC regions in Alsace: Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand Cru AOC for white wines from particular classified vineyards and Crémant d’Alsace AOC for sparkling’s. A good look at the names of many of the producers in the region, as well as the varietals grown in Alsace, you will find that they are very much from Germanic influence.  The area was the site of many terrible battles over the course of the Franco-Prussian War, as well as the center of many brutal conflicts in both World Wars.  A stroll through the cobblestone streets of many Alsatian villages will result in one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Europe, filled with gravestones marking the final resting place of many French and German soldiers.

As far as wine is concerned, the most important characteristic of Alsace is its climate. With the Vosges mountains to the west the region is somewhat sheltered from a lot of rainfall giving it summers that can be quite dry. Further, cool, long growing seasons give ample time for the ripening of many of the grape varieties, and a late harvest can lead to outstanding, concentrated, fruity wines. The Alsace runs north to south, with the Rhine River to the east. The soil is variable throughout the region.

Food and Alsace Pairings

• Spicy Chicken Stir-fry with Gewurtztraminer
• Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme with Riesling
• Cajun-seared Sea Scallops with Gewurtztraminer
• Sushi with a Cremant d’Alsace (sparkling)

Final Note: Any Asian cuisine will do very well with wines from Alsace

My favorite Alsatian producers (look for 2005’s which was a good vintage):

• Lucien Albrecht
• Trimbach
• Kuentz-Bas
• Weinbach

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