27 March 2013 5 Affordable Easter Wines

5 Affordable Easter Wines

March 27, 2013 By

EasterEaster’s less than a week away and for those who need to bring wine to a party or are hosting and still need to make a wine store run, here are five affordable wines that pair well with Easter dishes.

  • 2010 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel ($12 – California) – Smoky, big and jammy deliciousness. Perfect pairing – lamb.
  • 2011 Red Newt Cellars Circle Riesling ($12 – New York) – Pear and pineapple flavors with a trace of sweetness and a nice level of acidity. Perfect pairing – poultry or ham.
  • 2010 DEADBOLT Winemakers Blend ($16 – California) – big, beefy wine while showing finesse and elegance. Perfect pairing – grilled meat, especially lamb.
  • 2010 Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Dry Riesling ($17 – Australia) – Lime aromas and Meyer lemon flavors with great acidity. Perfect pairing – fish or seafood.
  • 2010 Heart and Hands Pinot Noir ($21 – New York) – Aromas of red berries, flavors of ripe cherries on a beautifully-balanced wine. Perfect pairing – just about anything, very versatile wine.

Happy Easter!

Filed Under: Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
25 March 2013 2008 Franciscan Estate Magnificat Meritage

2008 Franciscan Estate Magnificat Meritage

March 25, 2013 By

2008 Franciscan Estate Magnificat MeritageI uncorked this Napa Valley Cabernet blend to pair with grilled steaks, garlic and Vermont cheddar mashed potatoes and peppercorn sauce and it was simply delicious.

I decanted half of the wine and actually enjoyed it both ways, although, predictably, it softened a bit after 30 minutes in the decanter.

In the glass, it’s inky red. I just knew I’d enjoy it by just looking at it in the glass and getting a sniff of the chocolaty, oaky, dark berry aromas. A good swirl showed legs wrapped around my glass. As far as taste goes, this California wine has delectable blackberry, stone fruit and mocha flavors. The finish is long and dry and I just loved it.

Aged in French oak barrel for over 20 months, this is a big, bold, almost jammy boy that’s right up my alley.

Pairings: Grilled beef, mac and cheese

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec

Region: Napa Valley, California, USA

Price: $50

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
21 March 2013 How Many Wine Glasses is Too Many?

How Many Wine Glasses is Too Many?

March 21, 2013 By

I must admit that I have a healthy collection of wine glasses. I have ‘good’ casual party wine glasses and ‘great’ dinner party wine glasses. My collection features glasses for: Cabernet Sauvignon, Rielsing, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Champagne and dessert wines.

Here’s a poster with tons of various wine glasses especially designed for specific grapes.

Wine Glass Poster

 

Too much? How many kinds of wine glasses do you have at home?

Filed Under: Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,
19 March 2013 2011 Tapena Tempranillo

2011 Tapena Tempranillo

March 19, 2013 By

2011 Tapena TempranilloRed/blueish in the glass, this young Spanish wine offers a noseful of stone fruit and earthy notes. This food-friendly Tempranillo is bright with rich fruit flavors.

Pairings: Grilled lamb, garlicky shellfish, seared salmon

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Tempranillo

Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Price: $8.99

Filed Under: Red Wine, Spain, Tempranillo, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
16 March 2013 2010 Cristom Pinot Noir Mount Jefferson Cuvee

2010 Cristom Pinot Noir Mount Jefferson Cuvee

March 16, 2013 By

2010 Cristom Pinot Noir Mount Jefferson CuveeA bit transparent red in the glass, this Oregon Pinot Noir is floral on the nose with earthy notes. In the mouth, it’s Burgundy-like in style with strawberry and cherry flavors and crisp, dry finish.

Pairings: Duck, roast turkey, pasta with mushroom sauce

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Price: $30

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
13 March 2013 1998 Turley Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Acres

1998 Turley Petite Syrah Rattlesnake Acres

March 13, 2013 By

1998 Petite Syrah Rattlesnake AcresOnly 275 cases of this California Petite Syrah were made, so don’t be surprised to find that it’s nearly impossible to buy at your local store or online. I was fortunate enough to sample this rich, deep wine at a recent dinner.

In the glass, it’s dark and leggy. The aromas are of dark fruit and moist soil. The flavors are of stone fruits, fig jam and juicy dark berries. Big, bold, peppery, delicious.

Pairings: Grilled meats, pasta with Bolognese sauce, blue cheese

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Petite Syrah

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Price: $60

Filed Under: Petite Syrah, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
10 March 2013 2010 Fulcrum Wines Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir

2010 Fulcrum Wines Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir

March 10, 2013 By

2010 Fulcrum Wines Gap’s Crown Pinot NoirI sampled this delicious Pinot Noir at the New York Wine Expo and think it might just be the best wine I tried there. In the glass, it’s dark and purple-hued. On the nose, it’s fabulous – earthy, mushroomy, black cherry. In the mouth, there are ripe cherry, blackberry, chocolate flavors with a rich, velvety texture. The finish is long with some clove and lightly oaky notes.

Pairings: Duck, roasted mushrooms, pork

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Sonoma Coast, CA, USA

Price: $50

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
7 March 2013 2010 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

2010 Predator Old Vine Zinfandel

March 7, 2013 By

2011 Rutherford Wine Company PredatorI sampled this wine at the New York Wine Expo last week and the first sniff of this Old Vine Zinfandel screamed – BACON! Simply a delicious Zin with all a Zin should be – big, bold, chewy, peppery, licorice-laced and in this case, smoky. At this price point and from a solid winery like Rutherford Wine Company, buy a case and cellar it for a few years.

Pairings: Grilled lamb, BBQ ribs.

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Zinfandel

Region: Central Valley, CA, USA

Price: $12

Filed Under: Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews, Zinfandel Tagged With: , , , ,
4 March 2013 2009 Esporao Reserva Red

2009 Esporao Reserva Red

March 4, 2013 By

Esporao-Reserva-Red-2009Enjoyed this wine at the New York Wine Expo. Nose offers dark cherries, ripe berries and pumpkin pie spice. This easy-drinking wine has juicy berry and some stone fruit flavors and a rich, slightly tannic finish.

Pairings: Grilled meat, roasted mushrooms.

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Tempranillo, Tinto Fino, Tinta Roriz, Trincadeira, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alicante Bouschet

Region: Alentejo, Portugal

Price: $18

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Portugal, Red Wine, Tempranillo, Tinto Fino, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,
2 March 2013 New York Wine Expo 2013

New York Wine Expo 2013

March 2, 2013 By
Finger Lakes Wines

Finger Lakes Wines

Last night, I attended the New York Wine Expo, an event featuring over 600 wines by 150+ producers. Most of the wines were served at tables grouped together by country, which made it simple to maneuver.

Esporao

Esporao

I’ll admit that I sampled a lot of wines. Some were great, some nice and some I’ll be okay just trying once. While I enjoyed many, here are some worth mentioning:

  • Fulcrum Wines – the three Pinot Noirs poured were outstanding. Just everything a solid California Pinot should taste like. The jewel in the crown is the aptly-named, Gap’s Crown.
  • 2009 Esporao Reserva Red – nice velvety mouth feel, bright red fruit with a little oaky finish.
  • 2011 Altitudes Ixsir White – who knew I’d enjoy Lebanese wines this much? Of the four delicious wines poured at the Ixsir table, this one was the favorite with its big floral nose and bright fruity flavors.
  • 2011 Rutherford Wine Company Predator – the first sniff of this Old Vine Zinfandel screamed – BACON! Just a delicious Zin with all a Zin should be – big, bold, chewy, peppery, and in this case, smoky. All this for $12-$13.
  • Finger Lakes pavilion – was fun reliving my latest Finger Lakes wine country visit through the sipping of some of the wines. Always nice are the Red Newt Dry Riesling and Circle Riesling, the Red Tail Ridge Semi-Dry and the Fox Run Lemberger.
  • Cavazza Prosecco Spumante DOC Extra Dry – perhaps the best Prosecco I’ve had. Crisp, perfect dry finish.

CrowdAmid a sea of wines were some food companies showcasing their goods. Among some favorites were:

  • Chocolate Springs – A boutique chocolate shop from Lenox, Massachusetts headed by Joshua Needleman, creator and chocolatier. I had the opportunity to sample the Culinary Institute of America graduate’s decadent salted caramels coated with a rich, thin chocolate coating. The treats were incredible.
  • Backyard Farms – I live in the Garden State, a place with the most succulent tomatoes in the country, right? I’m thinking that perhaps I might have tasted one of the best tomatoes EVER, last night at the Backyard Farms booth – straight from…Maine! Tomatoes from this vendor are superior in flavor to others, partly because tomatoes are left on the vine to fully ripen before being picked.

ProseccoThe crowd was relatively young and the room was busy but not uncomfortably crowded. Two minor hiccups were the lack of bottled water, unless I simply missed it, and the long, winding line of folks waiting to enter the expo.

Overall, it was a nice evening with many opportunities to sample wines from around the world, some available for tasting exclusively at this event.

Make a point to attend this event in 2014 when the expo returns to the Big Apple.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
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