Everything Wine

Happy #ChardDay !

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With the Twitter craze in all its glory, the wine social media industry has taken full advantage and delegated holidays for certain grape varieties and regions. Today happens to be #ChardDay (they all have the hashtag included so you can search for relevant tweets on Twitter). Since Chardonnay continues to be one of the most (if not THE most) popular wines in the US, I figured I would share my current fave.

It’s the 2009 Double T Chardonnay from Trefethen. Trefethen’s estate Oak Knoll Chardonnay is one of the better known Chards in all of Napa for its quality and somewhat reasonable pricing. This Double T comes from the same estate, but is produced from the fruit off the younger vines and spends less time in oak. So what does that mean?  The fruit is a bit cleaner and brighter then in the estate Chard. Also, while the oak integration is still noticeable, it does not overpower the wine with those rich and creamy buttery notes that many Napa Chards suffer from. This wine has a nice dose of those characteristics but the green apple, pear, citrus and some popcorn nuances maintain the focus on the palate. Pair it up with a hearty shellfish dish or sip it on a hot summer day. Either way, this is a wine worthy of picking up for #ChardDay. Oh, and for under $20, it is certainly one of the best value Napa Chards around.

Cheers!

Can I drink anything good for under $7 a bottle? Hells yeah!!

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It has been brought to my attention that a lot of my recent posts have not hit on that real value end of the spectrum.  For some wine drinkers, a value wine is under $20, for others under $15 or $10. But there is also a large contingency that is looking for something cheap and drinkable under the $7 mark. Mind you, it is tough to find “great” wines at this price point.  However what we are looking for here is great value,  not top quality.

So with that, I give you my Top 7 under $7!

7. Fish Eye Pinot Grigio

Nothing too complex here, but the fruit is clean and the acidity is crisp. What else do you want from a $7 Pinot Grigio?!

6. Yellow Tail Shiraz

Bash it all you want, for about $5-6 this is an easy drinking Shiraz with lots of ripe, dark fruit.  And for a few extra bucks their Reserve is a big step up!

5. Il Bastardo Sangiovese di Toscana

This is the wine that has that fat Italian guy sitting in a chair that’s too small and drinking out of a glass even smaller. Funny label,  good juice!

4. Beringer Chenin Blanc

All the green apple and citrus that a good Chenin Blanc should have with just a hint of sweetness. Fantastic summer sipper at $5-6 a bottle.

3. Rex Goliath Cabernet Sauvignon

Ever seen that label with the Rooster… that’s this wine! Lots of black cherry and cassis, but with soft and mild tannins. Smooth and supple.

2. Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir

Blind taste this next to Pinots 2 and 3 times the price and you will be shocked how well it stands up. The whole Pepperwood Grove line is solid, but this one stands out.

And the number one wine under $7 is….a tie!!

1. Black Box & Bota Box

That’s right… Boxed wine! It doesn’t matter which varietal you go with (Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, etc.), these two brands provide the absolute best bang for the buck on the market. Box wine no longer has to be the sweet, cheap and nasty wine that gives you those viscous hangovers.  They are using good grapes and making really solid wine from them. And at around $20 a box that breaks down to $5 a bottle  (4 bottles per box for those non mathematicians out there).  So open it up and keep it in your fridge for the week…with the bag acting as a “bladder” inside the box the wine will stay fresh longer than in your fancy bottles.

Cheers!

Talk about Zin-sanity!!

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This week I attended the ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates & Producers) food and wine event in NYC. These guys are serious about promoting Zin and do a wonderful job at it. This particular event was a Pairsine Chefs Food & Wine Pairings,basically meaning they paired up a number of really nice dishes with different Zinfandels from various producers. The event was held in the Sun West Studios on the West side of Manhattan. Needless to say the views were pretty impressive and only enhanced while sipping  some tasty Zins! Here were a few of my favorites from the event.

Best Overall Zin: Ridge Geyserville 2009 Sonoma

Big and juicy with lots of spice, yet surprisingly smooth for a young Zin. Very sophisticated wine.

Best Family of Zins: Ravenswood Zinfandels

Everyone knows their entry level wines offer great value, but their small production Teldeschi and Belloni Zins were really impressive, especially from such a large outfit.

Best Newcomer: Chacewater Zinfandel 2010 Sierra Foothills

This is their first bottling and damn was it tasty! I see big things for these guys….

Biggest Surprise: Tie between Opolo Vineyards and Pedroncelli Winery

Opolo’s Summit, Mountain and Reserve Zins all showed very well, especially at the price points offered. Pedroncelli had 2 Zins, both under $20 that were soft with beautiful fruit. They also had a Zinfandel Rose (NOT White Zinfandel) I was somewhat skeptical about, but I will be seeking that one out for a summer BBQ sipper.

Biggest Disappointment. Cakebread Cellars Zinfandel 2009 Red Hills Lake County

I know, I know… everyone loves Cakebread. But in all honesty, I’m not sure I get it. In a room full of great Zinfandels, this one was just OK. It wasn’t bad, but there was nothing that really stood out about it. And of course, Cakebread is NOT cheap…

This ZAP movement is up and coming and they will be having more of these events throughout the country. So if you are a Zinhead (one who favors the Zinfandel varietal), then I strongly suggest checking them out the next time they are in town. The events are not inexpensive, but you certainly get your money’s worth both in quality and quantity of solid food and killer Zins.

Cheers!

The WWG Wine Guide for Easter and Passover

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This is one of those rare years where Easter and Passover fall on the same weekend. So I am taking that as a sign that some higher power would like for me to combine my Easter and Passover wine blogs into one religiously harmonious post. Am I just being lazy, it’s possible. But maybe we all learn a little about how the other side celebrates the holiest of days in their respective religion, or at least what they eat and drink!

The traditional Easter meal usually consists of either ham or lamb… or both for the true hedonists out there. For those going with some sort of a glazed or baked ham, the quintessential pairing would be a Pinot Noir. It is light enough not to over power the ham yet delicate enough to help enhance all those succulent flavors. Personally I am all about California Pinot these days, but there are certainly some great wines from Oregon and France (particularly Burgundy) as well. A Nebbiolo based Barolo would also make a good accompaniment with its beautiful balance of acidity, tannins and delicate fruit. Below are a few of my favorites at some different price points.

If lamb is on the menu, you’ll probably want to go with something a little heartier like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux. In fact many Cabernet based wines (the main grape used in most Bordeaux wines) can have a minty characteristic to them that ends up being a wonderful compliment to your lamb or gigot dish. California is certainly the most popular region for Cabernet, but there are some great values from Australia and Chile to be found. And as for Bordeaux, some of the entry level 2009 selections are just starting to hit stores. If you can get your hands on one for Easter than you are in for a treat! 2009 was one of the best vintages Bordeaux has ever seen, if not THE best! So it’s pretty tough to find a bad wine from that year. Check out my lamb pairings below for some ideas.

I won’t sit here and pretend I know a whole lot about Passover and the Seder celebration… but here’s what I do know. There are six symbolic foods that are served on the traditional Seder Plate all having special meaning. Other than that, each family has their own tradition of what they serve. It seems that brisket and chicken are the most popular options which would certainly lend themselves to very different wines. The other commonality that appears to transcend almost all Passover celebrations is that Kosher wine is served. With that, I have listed some of my favorite Kosher wines below.

Cheers and Mazel Tov!

EASTER HAM PAIRINGS

Under $15

Rascal Pinot Noir 2010 Williamette Valley, OR

Smoking Loon Pinot Noir 2010 California

Handcraft Pinot Noir 2010 California

$16-29

Belle Gloss Meiomi Pinot Noir 2010 Santa Barbara, CA

Seven Devils Carlton Cellars 2009 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Cambria Pinot Noir, Julia’s Vineyard  2009 Santa Maria Valley, CA

Moshin Pinot Noir, Molinari Vineyard 2007 Sonoma, CA

$30 and Up

Heintz Pinot Noir 2008 Sonoma Coast, CA

Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 2008

Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir 2007 Williamette Valley, OR

Barolo Giacomo Grimaldi 2007

Barolo Pio Cesare 2007

EASTER LAMB PAIRINGS

Under $15

The Seeker Cabernet Sauvignon  2010 Central Valley, Chile

Chateau Begadan Cru Artisan 2009 Bordeaux, Medoc

Liberty School 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles

Columbia Crest ‘H3’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 Columbia Valley, WA

$16-29

Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon  2009  Knights Valley, CA

La Chapelle de Calon 2008 St. Estephe

Simi Cabernet Sauvignon 2007, Alexander Valley, CA

Atalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Napa, CA

$30 and up

Archipel Red Blend, 2007  Sonoma, CA

Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2009, Australia

O’Shaughnessy Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 Howell Mtn, CA

Chateau Talbot 2007 Saint Julien, Bordeaux

PASSOVER SEDER PAIRIINGS

Under $15

Baron Herzog Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Central Coast, CA

Barkan Classic Shiraz 2010 Israel

$16-29

Segal’s Chardonnay, Special Reserve 2009 Galilee Hts., Israel

Gamla Cabernet Sauvignon, The Reserve 2009 Upper Galilee, Israel

$30 and up

Legend Red Blend, Shiloh 2009 Judean Hills. Israel

Golan Heights Winery Yarden Yonatan Vineyard Syrah 2007 Galilee, Israel

 

A Simple Guide To BYO Restaurants and Corkage Fees

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You can say what you want about New Jersey, but there is no better place to go out for a meal. No, it’s not because you may run into Pauly D or JWOWW at your favorite restaurant (although that’s a pretty solid reason). New Jersey laws have made it very difficult and expensive for restaurants to obtain a liquor license, so most of them will allow you to bring your own wine, beer or booze without any corkage fees!

Unfortunately that is not the case for most restaurants in NY, although there are a handful of BYO spots out there (ex. Buon Gusto in Irvington and Juniper in Hastings). However, almost all restaurants will allow you to bring your own bottle as long as you pay a corkage fee. Most of the higher end steakhouses and fine dining establishments will charge so much that it ends up not being worth it ($30-40 a bottle), unless you are bring a particularly expensive wine. For example, if you want to bring a bottle of Far Niente Napa Cab that cost you $100, it is certainly more cost effective to pay the $35 corkage fee than to purchase it off the wine list for $200-300.

But there are a number of places that will charge a much more palatable fee ($10-20) making it very cost effective to grab a bottle from your cellar or even your local wine shop to take with you. For example, Acquario in Silver Lake only charges $8 per bottle! So when you consider a typical mark up on any given wine in a restaurant can be 2-3 times what you would pay for it in a store, bringing your own is an absolute no brainer. This is especially genius if you have a magnum you wanted to open. This way you are basically paying one corkage fee for two bottles. Is that being a little bit too frugal? Probably, but whatever man…aren’t we still in a recession?!

So my recommendation is this… the next time you are going out for a meal around town, give a call first and ask the restaurant if you can bring in your own wine and what corkage fees are associated in doing so. Be aware, there is some etiquette involved. The most important is not to skimp out on the tip. The server will have to serve the wine just the same as if you purchased it at the restaurant, so remember to factor that into the final tally. Lastly if you are out with a big group and know you will be doing some drinking, you may want to bring a couple of bottles with you but still purchase one or two from the restaurant’s wine list. It is a sign of good patronage and who knows, in doing so you may even get that corkage fee waived.

Cheers!

http://www.aquariony.com/

http://www.juniperhastings.com/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/buon-gusto-restaurant-irvington

Some Last Minute Valentine’s Day Picks

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Yes… I realize posting a blog actually on Valentine’s Day is a little last minute. But what can I tell you, better late than never? Whether it is my skeptical view of these “Hallmark” holidays or just having a little less time these days… it just didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, any reason to tell the one you love how much they mean to you is absolutely something to celebrate.  But the materialistic hoopla that follows it is not my favorite aspect of any holiday.

What IS my favorite part of Valentine’s Day is that it usually involves a romantic candlelit dinner at home or a quality meal at your favorite restaurant. So while I am sure you already have made your dinner plans for the evening, the least I can do is offer up a couple of good wine recommendations for your celebration.

First things first…Champagne! Typically I would say there is no reason to spend the extra dough on Champagne and just stick with a sparkling from California or a nice Prosecco. However there is something about Valentine’s Day that screams Champagne. Maybe it is the romanticism that comes along with region, or the yeast and acidity that can only be captured by the traditional method of making Champagne, but sometimes there is no substitute. My favorite is always Piper Heidsieck Brut Cuvee ($30-40), although the most romantic bottle of bubbly has to be a vintage Perrier- Jouet Fleur de Champagne ($140-160) if you’re feeling extra saucy!

If you want to stay on the value side and are looking for a good red, then the 2007 Red Splash blend from St. Francis is a perfect way to follow in the Valentine’s Day motif. At around $10-15 a bottle, this is one of the more original concoctions produced in Sonoma. It’s a fun blend that includes Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Zin and a couple of other varietals. Lots of supple fruit and spice makes it a perfect pairing to everything from pizza and pasta to steak and potatoes.

A lot of wine bloggers put the “Bitch” Grenache wine in their top Valentine selections for all of those V-Day haters out there. While that is a great value wine option, I am going to buck the trend and vie for Hope instead of spite. After all, if we can’t find Hope for love on Valentine’s Day then when can we?!? This makes the 2009 Austin Hope Grenache fromPaso Robles the perfect pick for your romantic evening. Not only is it loaded with ripe and concentrated fruit, but the aromas of rose petals (seriously!) will keep you in that Valentine’s Day spirit. Plus it’s perfect for your roasted lamb or veal dish.

However you decide to celebrate and whatever wine you choose for your meal, keep in mind today is for celebrating the ones you love and to make sure you let them know. Flowers, candy, presents… they are all well and good. But without genuine emotion and passion behind them, they just don’t mean the same.

Cheers!

Crabtree’s Kittle House Proves Again Why it is One of Westchester’s Finest!

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Image

Been to Crabtree’s Kittle House lately? If not… shame on you! But if so then I am sure, much like myself, you are already anxiously anticipating your next visit. Tucked away at the end of a windy and tree lined country road in Chappaqua lies the Mecca of Westchester dining. The old world charm of this establishment, that was originally a barn back in 1790, is perfectly suited for the fantastic dining exprience that awaits you inside.

Last week a large group of us had the pleasure of sitting in the wine cellar dining area. This is a glass enclosed extension off of the 65,000 bottle (not a misprint) wine cellar. Needless to say it is one of the more impressive collections not only in Westchester, but in the world!

Glenn Vogt, Wine Director and GM, took us on a tour of this infamous cellar and it’s all you can do to keep your hands in your pockets. Staring down the barrel of a 1997 Shafer Hillside Select or a 2001 Harlan can be somewhat intimidating and invigorating all at once. Having worked under wine guru Kevin Zraly at the Windows of the World just before 9/11, Glenn is unbelievably knowledgeable about the collection, and a hell of a nice guy to boot.

We started with an array of appetizers ranging from the Jumbo Diver Sea Scallops with Black Truffles to the Big Eye Tuna Sushi Pizzetta…however the Escargot really stole the show for the first course. We paired that with a 1999 Saintsbury Carneros Chardonnay and it was simply delectable. That is another great thing about the wine collection. They have some rare back vintage wines that are very reasonable (that bottle was $47), and because the cellar is properly temperature controlled you can be confident that the wine has held up over the years.

For my main course I got a little adventurous and went with a Venison Loin over a Brussels Sprout Butternut Squash and Applewood Smoked Bacon hash…ummm, yeah it kicked some serious ass! However a colleague ordered the Roast Berkshire Pork Chop with a Potato Puree and Glazed Onions in a Blood Orange Reduction and that seemed to be the show stopper of the night. Of course the Sirloin looked great also, but with the culinary genius available at the Kittle house, the steak seems a little too easy.

We were lucky enough to have someone bring some fantastic wines for the evening (thanks Tom!) including the 2008 Kobalt and Noemi Napa Cabs. However the real treat came after we finished our meal and our host decided he wanted to venture into the cellar for something REALLY special. As per Glenn’s recommendation we went with a 2001 Merus Napa Cab, which scored 96 Pts by Robert Parker. Again, not that scores mean everything… but RP was dead on with this one!! It was a truly intricate, elegant and memorable wine from one of the best vintages in Napa. Needless to say, this was one of those meals that didn’t suck.

Granted, the Kittle House is not an inexpensive restaurant by any means. However when you consider how much your standard steakhouse (Ruth’s Chris or Morton’s) can cost for a meal, the Kittle House can actually be a lot less expensive if you order properly. Moreover if you take some advice from the knowledgeable “wine guys” on staff they are quite helpful in finding some of those older vintage value wines that are just really fun to drink. So if you are looking for somewhere special to go for your next big occasion, be certain not to overlook the Kittle House in Chappaqua.

You can also sample some of their dishes at the upcoming Westchester Culinary Experience…more details to come on that.

Cheers!

A Little Press for the WWG!

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Just thought I would share a nice little write up that was done about me for Wine Enthusiast that you can view by clicking on the link below. As you may or may not know I manage a very talented team of Wine Storage Consultants at Wine Enthusiast and double as an in house Wine Specialist. So if you ever have any questions regarding anything related to wine or wine storage feel free to comment here or email me directly.

Enjoy!

http://blog.wineenthusiast.com/2012/01/19/meet-our-wine-storage-consultants-marshall-tilden/

Some New Wines to Try in the New Year

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So here we are in 2012. I’ll be honest; I’m not much of a New Year’s resolution kinda guy. However I do think about things that I would like to do in the year to come to try and better myself and expand my horizons. With the end of the world just around the corner, one thing I am planning on doing is focusing on trying some new and obscure varietals. I love finding those random new wines that can become a seasonal or perennial favorite of mine.

For example, I have recently been enamored with the wines of Campania in Italy, and more specifically the ones from the Taurasi DOCG which is an appellation within Campania. Aglianico is the main grape varietal used in the region and helps to produce big, concentrated and complex red wines. They make wonderful pairings with beef or veal dishes, as they can be somewhat tannic when they are young with lots of dark fruit character. My favorite right now is the 2007 Donnachiara Taurisi. It’s not cheap running in the $30 range, but man is it impressive!

While almost every wine drinker in the world is familiar with Cabernet Sauvignon, its neglected distant cousin Cabernet Franc can influence some pretty exciting wines as well. While it is mostly used as a blending grape in Bordeaux, more US wineries are using it as the feature grape variety in their wines. In warmer areas like California and Washington State it can mimic a lot of the Cabernet Sauvignon characteristics leading to big, fruit driven and tannic wines. However the cooler climates of the Loire Valley in France and New York lead to lighter wines with some herbal notes and bright acidity making them inherently food friendly. A few favorites of mine are the 2010 Ironstone Cabernet Franc California ($8-12), the2006 Pellegrini Cabernet Franc Long Island ($14-18) and the2009 Owen Roe “Rosa Mystica”  Cabernet Franc  Columbia Valley, WA  ($35-40).

The Rkatsiteli grape is one of the oldest known to man. It produces wines similar to a Riesling or Gewurztraminer which I have been diggin’ lately, especially ones from the Finger Lakes Region in Upstate NY. Someone turned me on to the Dr. Konstantin Frank 2009 Rkatsiteli ($14-20) about a week ago and I was pretty surprised how pleasant it was. It has this aroma of fresh flowers and herbs followed by a mouth full of clean fruit and crisp acidity. So now I am on the look out for more of these Rkatsiteli wines, specifically from the Finger Lakes, in hopes they are all this tasty!

Remember, there are literally hundreds of different grape varieties that are out there and they all will show different characteristics when grown in different regions. So don’t be afraid to try something new to see what floats your boat. After all, even if it is not your new favorite wine you can probably still catch a pretty good buzz from it 😉

Cheers!

Seven Wines to pair with the Feast of Seven Fishes

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The holiday shopping frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday has come and gone, and everyone is probably a little lighter in the wallets because of it. So now that most of the materialistic aspects of Christmas are in our rearview mirror, its time to focus on what is truly important this season…family and friends coming together to celebrate this most joyous holiday. My family partakes in the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve, and it is always one of the most memorable meals of the year. I generally have the honor (and the pressure) of selecting the wines to go with the meal…talk about stress!

The traditional fishes that are served in the Feast are Calamari, Scungilli, Baccala, Shrimp, Clams, Mussels and some type of big fish (usually a snapper, sea trout, tuna or large shellfish like lobster or crab). However over the years the rules on what fish to serve have really loosened up, so these are by no means set in stone. What’s really fun about this meal is the fish can be prepared in so many different ways that it leaves your wine options wide open

Most of our dishes are prepared in a red marinara sauce (even the lobster tails and crab legs!) so I usually load up on reds for the main course, with some whites for the apps. But I know many families do the complete opposite and use a lot of white wine and cream sauces that lend themselves to a night of whites. Although if there are any old school Italian men attending your Christmas Eve dinner, I would highly recommend having some reds on hand…otherwise you may be sleeping with the seven fishes!

So below I have compiled a list of seven wines that are no brainer pairings for your Christmas Eve Fish Fest. There are literally hundreds of wines that will compliment this meal, but these seven wines are what I believe to be the best options based on various varietals, style and budget.

WHITES

Durand Reserve Sancerre 2014 ($20-25)  –  This is a wine that overdelivers on quality vs. price each vintage. Piercing acidity and a flinty minerality make it ideal for those chilled seafood dishes/

Fox Run Reserve Chardonnay Seneca Lake, Kaiser Vineyard 2012 ($15-20)  –  Lovely balance of acidity, green apple fruit, banana and toasty oak lends itself perfectly as a lobster companion.

Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc-Viognier California 2014 ($10-15)  –  Loaded with citrus and lemon lime flavors, perfect for those white wine clam sauce dishes. One of my first true white wine loves.

REDS

Villa Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva ($25-30)  – I was pretty shocked at the depth and complexity of this wine. Dried, sour cherry with smoke, earth and toasted almond notes. The acidity will drive through all of those red based sauces.

Hanna Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 ($20-30)  –  Simply put… I just love this wine. Dense and vibrant red and black cherry fruit with hazelnut and vanilla notes and a plush mouthfeel. A big boy with a flash of elegance.

Tormaresca Neprica, IGT Puglia 2013 ($8-12)  –  This is a bright red wine with lots of spicy red fruit and floral aromas. If you’re looking for that solid $10 bottle of red, this is it.

Villa Mt. Eden Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley 2009 ($12-15) – A few years of bottle age has done some wonderful things to this affordable Pinot. Soft tannins, vibrant acidity and mature fruit gives this some serious depth and structure.

BONUS WINE

Gaja Promis, Toscana 2012 ($50-60)

Angelo Gaja is infamous for his Barolo and Barbaresco wines that usually fetch about $200-400 a bottle. This Super Tuscan gives you a chance to sample some of his outstanding juice at a relative value. Granted $60 is still a good chunk of change to spend on a bottle, but this is a pretty special wine that is sure to enhance your Christmas Feast.

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!