Mother’s Day is fast approaching and I’m sure you’ll be treating Mom to a feast fit for a Queen! If you’re looking for the perfect wine pairing for your festivities here’s 5 Fabulous Wine Recommendations from some of our favorite “Women of the Vine”:
GIFFT Pinot Noir Rosé, Monterey, California, 2014 ($16): This wine is the newest addition to Kathie Lee Gifford’s GIFFT line of wines created in partnership with Scheid Vineyards (for more information, please click here). This delightful dry rosé is crafted from 100% estate grown Pinot Noir from the Scheid family’s Mesa del Rio vineyard in Monterey, California, a region known for producing beautiful Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The grapes were fermented entirely in stainless steel to preserve the fresh, fruity flavors of watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry. A crisp, food-friendly acidity and lengthy finish will keep you coming back for more.
Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Castel Ringberg, Alto Adige, Italy, 2013 ($22): Elena Walch is a leading wine producer in the Alto Adige region of northeastern Italy. She runs her eponymous winery with the help of her two daughters, Julia and Karoline, and together they produce an array of acclaimed wines. This wine is 100% Pinot Grigio from the Castel Ringberg vineyard. 85% is fermented in stainless steel while the remainder is fermented in used French oak barriques. The result is a lovely incarnation of this grape with ripe aromas of pear, sage and spice with a creamy mouthfeel, zippy acidity and lengthy, clean finish.
Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills Valley, Oregon, 2012 ($44): Maison Joseph Drouhin was established in Burgundy, France in 1880 and the family expanded to Oregon in the late 1980’s upon realizing the potential of the Willamette Valley to produce world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Véronique Boss-Drouhin is the family’s fourth generation winemaker and is responsible for crafting the family’s wines from both Burgundy and Oregon terroirs. This Pinot Noir is a lovely example of her expertise with enticing notes of violet, earth, pomegranate and cherry pie with supple tannins and a deliciously lengthy finish.
Hall Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California, 2011 ($48): Kathryn Hall is the proprietress of Hall Winery and has been involved in the California wine industry since her family first purchased a vineyard there over thirty years ago. Known for her eponymous Cabernets, this wine is a blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc which spent 20 months in 55% new French oak. The resulting wine has delicious notes of red currant, plum, tobacco, mocha and spice and is the perfect choice for Moms who crave big, bold reds with oodles of tannin.
Veuve Clicquot Demi-Sec Champagne, France, NV ($70): Barbe Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin (aka Veuve Clicquot or Widow Clicquot) assumed the reigns of her husband’s Champagne House in 1805 at the age of 27. Her contributions to Champagne were many including this delicious Demi-Sec, which is slightly sweeter than your standard Brut Champagne, but balanced by an elegant acidity. This blend of all three Champagne grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) exhibits notes of peach, honey and toasted brioche which will make the perfect accompaniment to a lighter, fruit-based dessert.
Please join us this Thursday, May 7th for our Mother’s Day Wine Tasting featuring Kathie Lee Gifford’s GIFFT Wines at Linen Closet in downtown Delray Beach. Come sip, sample and shop with us and for more information, please click here. I’d also like to wish all you fabulous Moms out there a very Happy Mother’s Day!
Cheers,
The sweltering Summer temperatures have wine lovers around the globe craving deliciously chilled white wines this time of year. Which brings me to the point of this post. As a Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier and Proprietor of The Wine Atelier online wine boutique, I often tell my students and clients to “drink what you like” and I do sincerely mean... Read More
The post This Summer Just Say No…to Pinot Grigio! appeared first on The Glamorous Gourmet.
The sweltering Summer temperatures have wine lovers around the globe craving deliciously chilled white wines this time of year. Which brings me to the point of this post. As a Wine Educator, Certified Sommelier and Proprietor of The Wine Atelier online wine boutique, I often tell my students and clients to “drink what you like” and I do sincerely mean that…most of the time. Where I feel the need to intervene at times is if I suspect my fellow wine lovers are being taken advantage of or duped in some way and are being sold a bill of goods instead of a good bottle of wine.
I’m afraid this is what has happened with Pinot Grigio, the benign, white wine-producing grape variety found predominantly in Italy’s Trentino-Alto Adige region. Pinot Grigio in its most banal form seems to have blossomed into a vinous epidemic here in the US, with one brand in particular garnering more than $20 a bottle retail and over $60 a bottle on local restaurant wine lists here in Delray Beach, Florida – considerably more than the next Pinot Grigio on the list! It’s bad enough to foist an insipid wine on the wine consuming public but to financially gouge them as well? The real tragedy here is the number of infinitely more interesting and enjoyable white wines in the world, many of which are from Italy, that go unnoticed as a result of the obsession with this uninspiring wine. Here’s a few reasons why you should just say no to Pinot Grigio this Summer:
With over 3,000 wine grape varieties out there you could easily drink a different wine every night of the week for a very long time and never have the same one twice. How exciting, right? Yet many of us still frequently find ourselves in a wine rut and while we all have our favorites, mixing it up regularly helps develop your palate which is defined as much by what you don’t like as what you do. Experiencing different wines from different regions is really the only way to do this and by all means let your palate be your guide on what should be a enjoyable vinous journey.
Italy is a veritable treasure trove of wine grapes from which white, red, sparkling and sweet wines are made. From Piedmont to Sardinia, each region has its own unique vinous culture and if you’re a white wine fan, this country could keep you busy for years discovering all the wonderful whites it has to offer. A few white wine grapes to seek out are Garganega, Pecorino, Malvasia, Greco, Ribolla Gialla, Vermentino and Falanghina (click links for examples and characteristics of each). I must warn you though, you might make your Sommelier positively giddy if you request a wine made from one of the abovementioned grapes instead of the same old $60 Pinot Grigio…so be prepared.
It’s true that Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are made from the same grape, but they are definitely not the same wine! The two wines are produced in different regions and climates and Pinot Gris, which is predominantly found in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and France’s Alsace region, has a very appealing viscous texture with ample flavor and personality which definitely deserves your attention! While perfectly enjoyable on its own, it’s also a very food-friendly wine – for some examples of Pinot Gris, please click here.
Farmers who toil in obscurity to make a living growing esoteric wine grapes struggle due to the lack of consistent demand for wines produced from grapes outside the mainstream. The unwavering consumption of mass-produced wine in this country ultimately limits the availability of more unique, artisanal products. Next time you’re in the mood for a light, crisp white wine ask your Sommelier or retail sales person to recommend a wine with that profile, that’s a little off the beaten path. Whether they recommend an Albariño, Torrontés, Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, or any of the abovementioned wines, your selection might have more far reaching effects than you think.
Is there a particular white wine grape you’re looking forward to trying? Would love to know, please let us know in the comment section below!
Cheers,
This week’s Wine Word of the Week is Terroir and was suggested by Leah Yablong of West Palm Beach, FL. Thanks for the suggestion, Leah!
“Terroir” is a French term which, loosely translated, means “a sense of place.” It is used to refer to products such as cheese, meat, coffee and wine that reflect or represent qualities unique to a specific geographic location. With respect to wine, terroir refers to the intersection of grape variety, soil type, climate and winemaking technique which come together to create a wine that, theoretically, cannot be produced anywhere else in the world. The art of blind tasting is based on the concept that wines look, taste and smell a certain way depending on where they are produced. So, if a wine is said to express terroir, the wine is believed to represent where it comes from and is considered a “wine of place.”
It is important to note the concept of terroir has special significance in Old World wine regions (i.e. France, Italy, Germany) where wine has been produced since approximately the fourth century. Winemakers in these storied regions have been tasked with upholding and preserving the vinous traditions of their ancestors by relying on their wisdom, keen observations and tried and true techniques which have been passed down from generation to generation. New World wine regions (i.e. the United States, South America, Australia), on the other hand, have only been making wine since approximately the sixteenth century, often using vine cuttings and winemaking techniques from the Old World. By simple virtue of time, New World wine regions don’t yet have the experience with their geography that Old World regions do. Today, the evolution of terroir in the New World continues to be an exciting and dynamic process.
Thanks again for your suggestion, Leah, and I hope that helps! If you (yes, YOU) would like to suggest a word for our Wine Word of the Week segment, please leave it in the comment section below or on our Facebook Fan Page which you can access by clicking here. If we use your word, your name will be entered into our monthly drawing to win one month of The Wine Atelier’s “Explorateur” Wine Club but remember – you have to play to win so make your suggestion now!
Cheers,
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Alberto Chiarlo, son of Michele who established the family’s eponymous winery in Italy’s renowned Piedmont region in 1956. The Chiarlo wines represent this family’s dedication to the mastery and expression of Piemontese terroir through the use of indigenous grape varieties, innovative viticultural practices and seven generations of winemaking tradition.
We met at Piattini, a new Italian eatery in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Place, whose deliciously authentic cuisine provided the perfect accompaniment for the featured wines. As we took our seats Chiarlo explained, “We make wine to go with food,” reinforcing one of my favorite things about Italian wine, “and Piemonte is the food capital.” With just shy of 20 Michelin-starred restaurants in the region, he made an excellent point.
We began the tasting with the 2012 Chiarlo Gavi “Le Marne,” a delightful white wine made from 100% Cortese grapes with inviting aromas of white flowers, citrus and minerals. Chiarlo explained, “Our goal is to make wines that are expressive of the soil, [they are] not super modern.” Stefano Chiarlo, Alberto’s brother and Chiarlo winemaker, generally abstains from the use of temperature controlled fermentation and new French oak.” [We are] traditionalists and use the same style now as my grandfather. Our wines are grown in the field…the less touch in winemaking, the better.” This bright white wine had flavors of white peach and lemon accompanied by a crisp acidity which paired deliciously with the freshly grilled octopus.
Of all their wines, Barbera is most definitely at the heart of the Chiarlo ethos. This might sound surprising in the context of this region which deifies the Nebbiolo grape and has historically considered Barbera a simple, one-dimensional offering not suitable for much more than everyday enjoyment. However, Barbera was essentially the first wine the Chiarlo family produced and over the years they’ve done much to elevate its reputation. “Our first goal is to make Barbera,” Chiarlo stated with conviction. In order to produce the finest incarnation of this grape, the winemaking team implements green harvesting, a technique first introduced to the region by Michele Chiarlo in which the fruit of the vigorous Barbera vines is dramatically thinned, resulting in fewer grapes of higher quality with the goal of creating a more complex and potentially age-worthy wine.
Since Barbera plantings must vie for land with Nebbiolo in the town of Alba, another region known for producing much of Piedmont’s Barbera wines, Barbera from Asti is generally considered more structured and complex due to the availability of superior vineyard land. The 2011 Barbera d’Asti Superiore “Le Orme,” is made from fruit sourced in the southern part of Asti from the hills around Nizza Monferrato. The wine is fermented for ten days in stainless steel tanks and then aged for eight months in large French oak casks prior to release. The wine had enticing aromas and flavors of black fruit, cassis and spice as well as a lovely hint of violet. On the palate, the wine had a velvety mouthfeel while the acid and tannin struck a harmonious balance. This wine was perfect for enjoying on its own but also paired extremely well with the flavors of the Prosciutto di Parma and decadent duck pate.
In addition to the “Le Orme,” we also sampled the 2009 Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza “La Court,” Chiarlo’s single vineyard Barbera made from fifty year old vines and only in the best vintages. Again, Chiarlo stressed the wine was, “very traditional, [fermented in] open vats with no temperature control. In order to do this we must have perfect grapes.” Fermentation in large oak casks was followed by an additional twelve months of oak aging resulting in a wine with structure and balance as well as heady aromas and flavors of ripe cherry, plum and spice with a tangy acidity and lengthy finish. This wine is delicious now but will continue to benefit from and evolve with additional time in the bottle. The “La Court” synergized deliciously with the Aged Goat Cheese studded with heavenly bits of Black Truffle.
Next were a dynamic duo of Chiarlo Barolos, the 2008 Tortoniano and the 2009 Cerequio. The ’08 Tortoniano Barolo is named for the tortonian-era soils in which the Nebbiolo vines are grown. This wine is more feminine in style than the other Chiarlo Barolos and is considered a great introduction to this wine known for its abundant levels of both acid and tannin. This wine is aged in oak barrels for two years and an additional year in the bottle prior to release resulting in a wine with a vibrant garnet color and fragrant aromatics of red cherry, roses and black truffle. On the palate flavors of pomegranate, ripe cherry, spice and Piemontese earth are accompanied by soft tannins and a lengthy, spice-tinged finish.
The Cerequio vineyard’s soil composition, southern exposure and mild climate make it one of the most prestigious crus of the Langhe. Located at 1,200 feet elevation within the La Morra commune the vineyard’s soils are rich in magnesium which has been found to result in wines of great elegance. Fermentation on the skins is followed by aging for two years in large oak barrels and an additional fifteen months in bottle before release. The resulting ’09 Cerequio Barolo was indeed elegant with complex, layered notes of black currant, cherry, spice and anise. This rich, full-bodied red clearly exhibited the hallmark acid and tannin levels often associated with these renowned wines and will most definitely age gracefully for years to come. Following Chiarlo’s lead, I also ordered the Bucatini Amatriciana, a pasta dish featuring crispy guanciale (cured pork jowl/cheek), flavorful pomodoro sauce and an ample dusting of Pecorino Romano cheese. The housemade bucatini pasta was cooked perfectly “al dente” which brought a smile to Chiarlo’s face as well as all who ordered it. Needless to say it was the perfect accompaniment for both Barolos demonstrating how a robust wine can stand up to a dish with comparable levels of flavor and texture which, in return, will serve to tame the wine’s acid and tannins.
The Michele Chiarlo wines offer a wonderful opportunity to explore Italy’s Piedmont wine region, one of the most renowned wine regions in the world. Whether you’re looking for a crisp, refreshing everyday white wine; an immensely enjoyable selection of red wines or age-worthy additions for your wine cellar there’s definitely a little something for everyone. Also, if you live in the Boca/Delray area (or happen to be visiting) be sure to visit Piattini Ristorante located at 187 SE Mizner Blvd in Boca Raton. For information on purchasing any of the Michele Chiarlo wines, please click here to visit The Wine Atelier.
Cheers,
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