Brrrr–Ice Wine

It is another bitterly cold day in what is becoming one of the coldest winters in many years. A perfect day to write about Ice Wine! This past Christmas we enjoyed a bottle my in-laws brought back from a trip to Canada!

Jost Vineyard

What is Ice Wine or Eiswein as it is called in Germany? Ice Wine is sweet dessert wine made from grapes that are harvested when frozen.When made in the traditional method, these grapes are hand harvested, often at night. The grapes are then crushed and pressed while still frozen, producing a extremely concentrated flavor. Harvesting these these tiny, frozen jewels is plagued with pitfalls; from the difficulty of harvesting in extreme weather, to fighting the birds and other wildlife that can strip the vines of fruit as they search for food in frigid winter weather. Canada, Germany, and Austria are major producers of this wine.

After our Christmas dinner (beef tenderloin paired with a delicious MacPhail Pinot Noir) we enjoyed the Ice Wine that my husband’s parents brought back from a recent trip to Nova Scotia-Vidal Ice Wine from Jost Vineyards. It was a nice sweet treat after a rich dinner. The Jost family has been in the wine business for over 400 years, going back to Germany. Today at their Canada vineyards, they make red, white, and specialty wines with grapes grown on their estate as well as sourced from other regions. The grapes for our wine were grown in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. They were harvested in December with temperatures between –8 to -10° C. The wine was a golden color, almost shimmering by candle light. Definitely a full bodied wine with a balanced acidy. A perfect way to cap off a wonderful time with family!

Christmas dinner

I love trying new wines and learning about wine regions from around the world. It was a real treat to be able to sample this Ice Wine with the entire family as we celebrated a special Christmas with our first grandson! Thank you to my in-laws, Dick and Carol for bringing back a bit of their adventure to share with us!
Cheers,
Beth

How Long Is Too Long?

Some evenings, we really need more than one glass of wine.

But how long will your wine last if you do not drink the entire bottle in an evening?

Several factors come into play when answering this question.  First, is the wine a red or white?  How old is the wine?  Are you storing it in proper conditions (temperature, preservation gas and humidity)?  Finally, how much do you care if the wine is a little (or a lot) past its prime.  Ultimately, the rule of thumb is - if it tastes okay, go for it!  However, for the purposes of this blog, we will examine some "rules".  (Interestingly, I found a lot of disparity between web sites on this issue.)

1.  Is the wine a red or white, still or sparkling?
     ~According to Corkbuzz.com, acidity, sugar, tannins and alcohol call all act as preservatives in
     wine.
     ~According to supplewine.com, sparkling wine lasts 24 hours at the most.  Some won't last more
     than four hours.
     ~According to supplewine.com, white wines can last 1 to 3 days.  Heavier wines, such as an oaked
     Chardonnay, can last longer than lighter, fruitier wines.
     ~According to supplewine.com, Rose wine can last 1 to 3 days.  This also can depend on how full-
     bodied the wine is.
     ~According to supplewine.com, light-bodied red wines can last 1 to 3 days.
     ~According to supplewine.com, full bodied red wines can last 1 to 5 days.  Sometimes, heavier reds
     such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, can actually improve after being open a day or two.
     ~According to supplewine.com, fortified dessert wines can last 7 to 14 days.  The high sugar and
     alcohol content acts as a preservative.  Madeira can last for weeks in the refrigerator after being
     open.

2.  How old is the wine?

     ~According to Corkbuzz.com, generally, younger wines will stay fresher longer than old wines.
     However, according to luxist.com, the opposite is true.  That site claims that the longer the wine was
     aged, the longer it will retain its flavor, whereas younger wine is more susceptible to the effects of
     oxidation.
 
3.  Are you storing the wine under proper conditions?

     ~According to Corkbuzz.com, since oxygen is what ultimately will deteriorate a wine, closing the
     bottle after you are finished will keep more oxygen from entering.  This fact is disputed by supple
     wine.com, which states that once the wine is exposed to oxygen, the deterioration process begins
     and closing the bottle will not stop it.  Corking the bottle will, however, limit continued exposure
     and slow the process.
     ~Utilizing a vacuum seal can help keep the wine fresher longer.

     ~Cooler temperatures can slow down the deterioration of wine, so, unless you have a dedicated
     wine cabinet, store your wine in the refrigerator.  (Yes, even reds.)
     ~Utilizing an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon can replace the oxygen in the bottle and increase
     the wine's lifespan.

4.   What is your taste preference?
      ~Ultimately, the only true "rule" on this issue is whether the wine is pleasing to your palate.

5.   Miscellanous
      ~Luxist.com states that the fuller the bottle, the longer a wine will stay fresh due to less room in the
      bottle for oxygen.  The site suggests transferring what is left into a smaller bottle.
      ~Do you have a wine aerator?  A common brand of aerator is the Vinturi.  This device allows you
      to pour the wine through it and into your glass, aerating the wine.  This process can help wines that
      are otherwise past their prime, to taste a little better.

      ~According to winefolly.com, avoid storing open wine on its side, avoid storing it by a window,
      and don't store the wine above 70 degrees F.

Bottom Line

The general consensus throughout my research is, on average, three days.  Red wine typically can last a few days longer than white.  However, it really depends on your own personal taste.  Wine will not make you sick, but it may simply taste like vinegar.

Just remember, wine should be enjoyed, not just finished!

Cheers!

Mary Jo

Wine School-Mystery Wines, January 7, 2014

Theme: Mystery Wines

I thought we would start 2014 with a little mystery!  These wines were all one varietal, but a little different.  Interestingly, they really stumped everyone!  Had I not known what they were, I would have been stumped too!

The Wines:

Santa Margherita 2009 Chianti Classico Riserva (Wine A)

• Color:  Ruby red with a hint of purple-the inkiest of the three wines
  
• Nose:  Floral notes on the back end. Not a lot of fruit with a hint of oak and slight earthiness
  
• Mouth:  Light tannins, fairly acidic with a hint of metallic
  
• Price:  $13

Banfi Chianti 2009 Classico  Reserva (Wine B)

• Color:  Brick red with a touch of ruby red
  
• Nose:  Earthier than the first wine with a hint of tar. Lisa said the wine smelled like the powder her grandma always used!
  
• Mouth:  Earthy and rustic wine with firmer tannins than the first wine
  
• Price:  $17

Gabbiano Bellezza 2009 Chianti Classico (Wine C)

• Color:  Ruby/brick red
  
• Nose:  Most floral on the nose of the three wines. We all agreed that there wasn’t much fruit on the nose of any of the wines.
  
• Mouth:  Medium tannins, not much fruit – none of these wines are “jumping” out to us!
  
• Price:  $25

Overall Conclusion:  Lisa was correct identifying the wines as Chianti-congratulations to her! We loved the wines with the lasagna-a perfect match! All agreed that these are wines best enjoyed with food. Our favorite cheese of the evening was the Havarti Dill and we very much enjoyed the Sea Salt chocolate paired with the Chianti.

 The Pairings

• Gouda Cheese:  The cheese brought out a bit of fruit in these wines, it made the third wine more interesting. Overall, the cheese was a bit too creamy for the wines.
  
• Havarti Dill Cheese:  Very nice with the Banfi Chianti. Mary Jo found that it added minerality when paired with the Gabbiano Chianti.
  
• Smoked Cheddar Cheese:  Our least favorite cheese pairing of the evening. The smokiness of the cheese clashed with the wines. 
  
• Lasagna:  Wow, the lasagna was delicious and a great pairing with the wine. The lasagna and wine together was the biggest hit of the night!
  
• Sea Salt Chocolate:  Definitely our favorite chocolate of the evening. It was perfect with Santa Margherita.
  
• Dark Chocolate:  We enjoyed with the Gabbiano the most, although the Sea Salt chocolate was definitely a better pairing.

Conclusion:

Beth:  It is always fun putting our knowledge and experience to the test. Congratulations to Lisa for correctly identifying the correct varietal of the evening – Chianti. And a big thanks to Mary Jo for putting the class together. As we have found in the past, we really enjoy Italian wines much more with a meal. If you are looking for a wine to sip by the fire on a cold winter night, I would not recommend the wines we shared this evening. But to share a hearty meal with good friends, Chianti is perfecto! If asked to pick my favorite wine of the evening, I would have a hard time choosing between the Santa Margherita and Banfi Classico Reservas. Both were fantastic with the lasagna and the Sea Salt chocolate.

Lisa:  I always love blind tasting and I think Mary Jo gave us a little hint with the lasagna (Italian wines pair great with Italian food).  Thanks Mary Jo!  And the lasagna WAS delicious with all the wines!  My second best favorite pairing of the night was the Sea Salt chocolate. Oh my!  Cheeses were good too and I agree that the Havarti Dill was the winner of the three. Now I am more motivated than ever to take a trip to Italy.  But just to pick a favorite for the night, I would have to go with Banfi.  However, the Santa Margherita was a very close second.  Maybe I should try them again :)! Fun night!!

Mary Jo:  I was excited about this tasting!  We had not tasted Chiantis in a while and, frankly, I don't think we have had enough Chiantis to really be able to distinguish them as well as the other varietals.  Personally, I wasn't blown away, initially, by any of the wines.  However, I had hoped that they would improve with food.  I was right!  With the cheeses, I found Wine B (Banfi) to be the best with the Gouda and the havarti dill.  I really didn't like any of the three cheese with Wine C(Gabbiano).  Wine A(Santa Margherita) was the wine I most enjoyed with the lasagna.  As far as the chocolates, Wine A was best with the sea salt chocolate and I found Wine C to be best with the dark chocolate.  Ultimately, I liked the Banfi best.  However, the Gabbiano was definitely a close second.  A great class!  We definitely need to get more experience with Chianti!