Wine School, New York Finger Lakes Rieslings, August 19, 2014

Theme:  On my recent trip to the Finger Lakes, New York (see post July 8, 2014)  with my husband, I made sure to bring back some Rieslings from this region to share with Lisa and Mary Jo. These three wines were great for a summertime class!

The Wines:

Heart and Hands Patrician Verona Vineyard 2011 Riesling

• Color:  Clear, pale gold
• Nose:  An aromatic wine with vegetative, pear, apple crisp/cooked apples-the aromas continued to change as the wine opened up
• Mouth:  A dry, light bodied wine with tart acidity, apple flavors and good balance.
• Price:  $29.99
• Rating: 4

Silver Thread 2012 Dry Riesling

• Color:  Clear, pale yellow with greenish hues
• Nose:  First whiff of this wine reminded us of an unoaked Chardonnay. Floral, grass and peach aromas present. It has a clean, fresh nose that is quite pleasant.
• Mouth:  This light bodied wine is bone dry with fresh acidity. It is well balanced with hints of lemon and floral. Fresh, just like the nose indicates.
• Price:  $18
• Rating: 4

Herman J. Wiemer 2013 Dry Riesling

• Color:  Clear, pale gold with an almost effervescent appearance
• Nose:  Another aromatic wine with  aromas of juicy peaches and floral.
• Mouth:  Fresh acidity is present in this dry, light bodied wine. It has nice balance with flavors of creamy peaches. Quite smooth mouth feel.
• Price:  $18.50
• Rating: 4

Overall conclusion:  Amazing how the characteristics and nuances of these wines differ from the same region. The individual terroir definitely has an affect on the wine. We enjoyed all three of these wines and they were a wonderful accompaniment to dinner. 

Pairings:

Brie Cheese:  The Brie cheese was a nice pairing with all three of the wines. It really brought out the fruit in the Heart and Hands and Wiemer wines. Though it is paired best with the Silver Thread wine.
Goat Gouda Cheese:  Yum! Loved the cheese and it was a match with the wines. The fruit in the wines came out when paired with these cheeses. Very balanced pairing. Enjoyed the most with the Wiemer, but was a close second with the other two wines.
Edam Cheese:  Our least favorite cheese pairing of the evening. Paired best with the Wiemer.

Goat Gouda and Havarti Dill

  
Havarti Dill Cheese:  This is one of our favorite cheeses and it paired well with the wines. The tartness of the wines was a nice contrast to the dill in the cheese. Again, it paired best with the Wiemer, but was a great pairing with all three wines!

Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Bruschetta: Fresh garden tomatoes was quite yummy with the Heart & Hands Riesling. Also was a nice match with the Wiemer.  
Peach Salsa with Chips:  Peach paired nicely with these Rieslings. Enjoyed best with Heart & Hands with Silver Thread a close second!
Crab Salad:  Great pairing with all!
Vanilla Poached Peaches:  We all enjoyed this dessert, but was a bit sweet for these dry Rieslings. It was nice with the Heart & Hands and Wiemer.
Bissinger's Chardonnay Salt Caramels:  A nice pairing overall, and a great way to finish the tasting!

Conclusion:

Beth: There are so many wine regions around the world! It was fun to explore the Rieslings from the Finger Lakes with Lisa and Mary Jo. I enjoyed all three of these distinct wines. I found my personal favorite overall was the Silver Thread, it was quite fresh and refreshing on its own and paired well with most of the foods. A close second was the Herman Wiemer  which I actually found paired best with the foods. My favorite pairing of the evening was the Goat Gouda with all three wines! I'm so glad I was able to share these wines from my trip with Lisa and Mary Jo. I definitely recommend trying a Finger Lake Riesling if you get the chance.
Lisa:  I do love a good dry Riesling!  I was looking forward to trying something new and from a different part of the US, so I'm glad Beth shared them with us.  First of all, I was totally surprised how unique they each were!  That being said, it was truly hard to pick a favorite.  As for the food pairings, my favorite cheese was the havarti dill.  It kept getting better with each wine.  The fresh tomato bruschetta delicious with all, but my favorite was Heart & Hands.  The crab salad was definitely my favorite food pairing of the night!  The Heart & Hands may have been the winner for me. And ending the night with vanilla poached peaches and chardonnay salt caramels--YUM!  What a treat!   Thanks Beth!
Mary Jo:  This was a delightful departure from the wines we typically taste.  We were very fortunate to be able to try wines from this area!  It is definitely a location that has interested me!  I felt each wine had its own shining moments!  With the Brie, I found the Silver Thread to pair the best, Herman Wiemer with the goat Gouda, Havarti Dill and the Edam.  I enjoyed the Heart and Hands very much with the bruschetta , crab salad and desert!  Ultimately, I enjoyed the heart and Hands the most with food.  It was very reminiscent of apples.  It was slightly, but pleasantly, tart, and had a great finish!!  The Silver Thread was delicious as a sipper!  It was very different from the Heart and Hands.  This wine is very clean and fresh, but has a shorter finish than H and H.  This was fruitier on the nose than the mouth, but had nice minerality on the mouth.  Thanks, Beth!

Summer Sippers

It is hard to believe, but kids are headed back to school this week! Where has the summer gone? With plenty of warm days still left, I thought I would share some of my favorite warm weather sippers that I have enjoyed this summer.

Let's begin with Sauvignon Blancs from around the world! These summer sippers are wonderful alone on a hot summer or evening or paired with summer salads, asparagus, lobster, and crab cakes.

Gary Farrell 2013 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc
A wonderfully crisp and zesty wine with citrus flavors of lemon and grapefruit with tropical notes as well. Gary Farrell is known for his Pinot Noirs, but this Sav Blanc is delicious. You can find online at www.garyfarrellwinery.com.  

Kim Crawford 2013 Sauvignon Blanc
The nose on this wine has the citrus and grassy notes Marlborough wines are known for. A fresh and zesty wine with a juicy acidity. Year in and year out a wonderful Sav Blanc at a great price and easy to find at your area wine and liquor stores as well as many grocery stores.

Sirius 2012 Maison Sichel Bordeaux Blanc
A nicely balanced wine with a more earthy aroma than the new world Sauvignon Blancs. This wine is 50% Sauvignon and 50% Sémillon with tropical fruits and floral aromas. Classic French mineral finish and well balanced, this wine is wonderful alone or with food.












Now a couple of white wines from Spain and Italy!

Fazi Battaglia 2011 "Titulus" Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi
The grape this Italian wine is made from is the Verdicchio grape from the Marche region. My husband and I first enjoyed this wine with a Margherita pizza at a café in Rome. It is also delicious with Bruschetta! The light bodied wine has citrus and herbal aromas - a bright and refreshing wine. I ordered mine at www.empirewine.com for $9.95 a bottle.

Martin Códax 2011 Albariño
Another favorite wine of mine year after year. This Spanish wine has citrus and fresh herb notes on the nose with a fresh palate of citrus and grapefruit. A favorite pairing of mine with this gem is guacamole! It also pairs well with seafood, shellfish, poultry, and mild cheeses.

Back in the US here are a couple from Oregon and the Finger Lakes of New York!

Elk Cove 2013 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

Peach and pear with a full, almost creamy mouth feel that coats the mouth. This is an Editor's Choice from Wine Enthusiast receiving 91 points in the upcoming October issue. I will enjoy this delightful wine into the fall.

Barnstormer 2013 Chardonnay

This unoaked Chard has floral notes with pear and citrus on the finish. We discovered this wine from the Finger Lakes earlier this summer (See blog entry July 8, 2014). $17.99 a bottle at www.barnstormerwinery.com .

Last, but not least, a couple of Rosé wines to enjoy as well!

Herman J. Wiemer Dry Rosé Cuvée NV

Another delicious gem from the Finger Lakes. This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Chardonnay with notes of strawberries and raspberries. Fresh and crisp with a nice body it is easy drinking alone or with light fare. It is $13.50 at www.wiemer.com .

Isabel Mondavi 2013 Deep Rosé

This unusual Rosé is Cabernet based which gives it a bit more body than some Rosé wines. The wine is full of strawberry, cranberry and red apple. Wonderful alone or pair with spicy Thai, salmon, or this Labor Day with burgers and brats.

And if you are worried about taking your wine glasses outdoors, I have the perfect glasses for you! Govino shatterproof wine glasses. They are shaped like true wine glasses and are so thin you are able to taste the wine instead of the plastic. They even have an indentation for your finger to make it easier to hold on to your glass! You can find these glasses at The Wine Merchant in Clayton, MO or online at www.govino.com and www.amazon.com. Look for Champagne flutes, beer glasses, and decanters as well.

Cheers,

Beth

Wine School, French Gamay Noir, July 29, 2014

Theme:  In preparing for this class, I wanted a varietal that was unique, or at least fairly uncommon.  I decided on Gamay, a French grape, with one Pinot Noir (the region's noble grape) as a comparison.    Gamay grapes are traditionally grown in Beaujolais, but can also be found in the Niagara Peninsula, Canada, Willamette Valley, Oregon, and a small amount is found in Australia.  This grape is more fruity, as opposed to a Pinot Noir, that can be more earthy.  

The Wines:

Trenel Fleurie 2010 Gamay

• Color:  Medium ruby
• Aroma:  Youthful nose with raspberry,cherry pie, a bit of earth, and cinnamon
• Mouth:  This light bodied wine has tart acidity with cherries and classic French mineral notes on the finish
• Price:  $17.99
• Rating: 3.5 alone : 4 with food!

Domaine Cheveau Saint-Amour "En Rontey" 2011 Gamay

• Color:  Deep ruby with a hint of purple
• Aroma:  Raspberry and pepper dominate this nose
• Mouth:  Cherry and raspberry up front with tart acidity on this light bodied wine
• Price:  $20.00
• Rating: 3.5 alone: 4 with food!

Regis Bouvier Bourgogne 2011 Pinot Noir

• Color:  Light brick red
• Aroma:  Earthy, smokiness hits the nose initially and then the undertone of blackberry, blueberry and bit of pepper with a light, fresh touch of floral
• Mouth:  Definitely an earthy wine with low tannins and some tart cherry on the finish
• Price:  $24.99
• Rating: 3.5 alone: 4 with food!

Overall Conclusion:  Initially, on the nose, we found the wines to be very interesting.  During tasting, we were taken aback slightly with the tart finishes on the Gamay wines.  They were distinctly different from the Pinot.  Over time, and with food, we found the wines to be enjoyable. We favored the Pinot Noir, but really loved all the wines with the French cheeses! These wines were definitely meant to be enjoyed with food and friends!

The Pairings:

Camembert Cheese:  This cheese was a fantastic pairing with the wines! Really enhanced the fruit flavors in both the Trenel Fleurie and the Cheveau! Also wonderful with the Pinot. French wine with French cheese - can't go wrong!
Brie Cheese:  Again difficult to pick a favorite pairing with this cheese between the Trenel and Cheveau. The balanced out  the tart flavors in the Trenel. Was also spot on with the Cheaveau.

Cheddar Cheese:  We enjoyed this best with the Pinot, but we would pick the French cheeses over the cheddar when pairing with these wines.

Meatloaf Muffins:  Very nice with the two Gamays.

Sweet Potato Hash:  A nice side pairing with the Gamays, but we didn't enjoy as much with the Pinot.

Chocolate with Raspberry Filling:  This chocolate really brought out the mocha notes in the Trenel Fleurie.

Strawberry Shortcake:  Not our favorite pairing of the evening, but this dessert was fantastic!

Conclusion: 

Beth:  Another fun wine class as we ventured into the area of French wines! As always, French wine goes hand in hand with food. I absolutely loved all three wines with the Camembert and Brie cheese! It was also delicious with the Meatloaf muffins. Difficult for me to pick a favorite wine for the evening. I enjoyed the Pinot best alone, but would have to call it a tie between the two Gamays when paired with our delicious dinner. Thanks to Mary Jo for a fun and educational evening. I loved the company.

Lisa:  Coming into the class, I really didn't know what to expect. Would the Gamay's be similar to the Pinot Noir or totally different.  Well, we had fun finding out!!  Starting with the cheeses, the Camembert was the winner for me! It seemed to improve all the wines.  The Brie balanced the two Gamay's but not so much the Pinot Noir. Cheddar was the opposite-liked best with Pinot. The Meatloaf muffins made the Gamay's pop- great pairing. Also loved the sweet potato hash mainly with the Gamay's again.  Then to the sweets- loved the chocolate with all wines but as for the strawberry shortcake, it was best eaten alone (without wine but with wino friends:)).  Overall, food made the Gamay's standout and the Pinot was great on it's own.  Fun night!!

Mary Jo:  It is always exciting, and nerve-wracking, to host a class that includes a varietal we have not yet investigated.  I found this class interesting because it compared the noble grape of a region (Pinot Noir) with another grape indigenous to the region.  What a difference!  The Gamay wines were definitely more red-fruit on the nose, where the Pinot had more earthy, dark fruit aromas.  The wines all went very well with the Brie and Camembert.  With most of the food, I felt that the Cheveau Saint-Amour Gamay paired the best.  Ultimately, I enjoyed he Gamays most with the food, versus drinking them alone.  It was a wonderful and informative class with my great friends!

Love is Blind!

This past Thursday, the Stay At Home Winos were, again, fortunate to host a wine tasting through the O'Fallon Parks and Recreation Department.  In the past, we have joined forces with a chef from a local conference center for the "Grilling in The Garden" however, for this event, the Winos hosted alone.  

For this tasting, we wanted to try something a little different, so we decided to hold a "blind" tasting with three red wines.  We decided on a Garnacha, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Zinfandel.  The wines we chose were Borsao Tres Picos (Garnacha), B Side (Caberrnet Sauvignon) and Klinker Brick (Zinfandel).

We also had another surprise in store for our guests!  Utilizing a basic red wine combined with several different fruits, vegetables, and spices, we created "standards" to train our guest's noses to pick out different aromas often found in wine.  

The standards we used were: vanilla, pepper, red pepper, cherry, raspberry/blackberry, anise, asparagus and cloves.  We numbered each "standard" glass, and the participants took turns smelling and trying to guess the aroma of each.  It is not as easy as it sounds, as our guests learned!  The most correct answers were 6/8 and the prize went to Elizabeth C.!

Next, we embarked on our tasting.  Three wine bottles, wrapped in black paper and labeled A, B and C were poured.  The participants were taught to properly assess the color of the wine and write down their thoughts.  Next, we demonstrated swirling and encouraged everyone to swirl, then smell, the wine to elicit the aromas.  We had many great answers from the crowd, with regard to the aromas of each wine.  As we know, it is not always easy to identify those aromas!

Finally, (the fun part) everyone was allowed to taste their wines.  Each guest had pairings including Stilton, Manchego, Parrano and aged Cheddar cheeses, as well as bread and crackers.  It was interesting to see the participant's reactions to how time and food changed the wines.  Certainly, this phenomenon is well known, but it really takes experiencing it for yourself to realize how true it is!!

At the end of the evening, we had a question and answer session and a lot of laughs.  This class was very enjoyable and, we think, quite informative for our guests!  We cannot wait for our next wine tasting in the Fall.  Stay tuned for details!

Cheers!

Mary Jo