Weinert? Argentine Wine that'll blow your mind!

I've wanted to go to Argentina for a long time. I want to see the wineries in Mendoza and I also am a huge fan of beef and dulce de leche. I know that I'll start singing "What's new Buenos Aires! I'm new..." and embarrass myself. I've always liked the jammy Malbecs and the floral Torrontes. When I worked at Zachys, Argentina was a go-to region.  Newcomers to wine find it lush, accessible and consistent. Other boozers like the price. I was getting a little bored with wines in the $10-$20 category from Argentina. I felt like there wasn't a ton of diversity in this New World arena. That is... until... I tasted wines from Bodegas de Weinert.


Weinert isn't new to the scene like some Juanie-come-latelies. They've been around since the '70s (like me). They were the very first wine to be reviewed (& highly I might add) by Robert Parker. They produce a distinct old-world style of wine. They are thoughtful wines full of character.

Bodega Weinert was founded in 1975 by Bernardo Weinert who has a passion for wine. German sounding name confusing you?  The Weinerts are from a German colony in Brazil.  He searched high and low for the perfect locations for his vineyards. He worked with the legendary winemaker, Don Raul de la Mota, who at 91 years old passed away earlier this week.
They make several tiers of wine. They have a great big earthy old world-style Malbec that you would think was from France. I also fell in love with the 2002 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, and I’m not a Cabernet Sauvignon fanatic. It was the Carrascal Blanco (Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc) that I found unusual and delicious. I’ve also never had/seen this combination on the shelves or wine lists here in NYC.
Chenin Blanc is usually found in the Loire Valley where it is manifested in various degrees of sweetness. South Africa also grows quite a bit and sometimes they call it Steen. This is usually a steely, green apple, dry style. Sauvignon Blanc, we’re all familiar with, but this too is famously grown in the Loire Valley, albeit a little deeper into the heart of France in the Sancerre region.
This is an unusual blend for Argentina, but the Weinerts are always experimenting with grapes. The Carrascal Blanco is a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Chenin Blanc. They have about 2 acres of Chenin- this comes from the Iduna vineyard; named after their vivacious daughter. The vines are 30+ years old.  There is some Chenin grown in Argentina, but it’s mainly destined for cheap sparkling wine. This Sauvignon Blanc-Chenin is stainless steel fermented and hangs out on its lees (dead yeast cells) for 3-4 months. Malolactic fermentation gets down there on the lees transforming the wine into a soft creamy goodness, and yet it maintains very fresh acidity. This really gives the wine a more complex personality (like me & Iduna).

I had the privilege of tasting this wine with Miss Iduna Weinert herself! She we swirled sniffed and sipped this together at the Chelsea Wine Vault.

Color: pale lemon
Nose: Iduna says (and I concur) the Chenin dominates the aroma. There is a beautiful spun honey, sweet cream butter, macadamia nut and Iduna also says butternut squash (something I would have NEVER come up with, but she is right on!)
Palate: The Sauvignon Blanc dominates the palate with fresh lemon-lime zestiness.  There is a zippy lemongrass and sweetpea that rounds it out

Iduna and I enjoying some Weinert at a NYC trade tasting

If you are lucky enough, you may catch a glimpse of Iduna Weinert. She is the sassy Weinert ambassadress to the world can be seen promoting and educating wine drinkers on her family's wine.  When  you see any bottle of Weinert on the shelf or on a wine list -- grab it.  You won't be disappointed!!

Yessir I Cider!! Eden Ice Cider NV Vermont

I am upfront about my sweet tooth.  I will also confess my weakness for artisinal products.  You can just imagine my delight when I found myself presenting next to Eden Vermont Ice Cider at a trade tasting recently in Massachsusetts.   This was one the the highlights of the tasting! 

I, like 80% of the other thirsty folk that stopped by the table assumed that Ice Cider is made with frozen apples (because that's how icewine is made.. from grapes that have frozen on the vine).  Eleanor of Eden patiently told me and consequently everyone else, that apples fall from the tree.  Aha!  They don't freeze ON the tree.  This liquid dessert is made from the Cider that has been frozen not from apples that have been frozen.  Aha!!  So it is as the name suggests: ICE CIDER -- frozen cider.

Eleanor and her husband Albert (French pronunciation here please) use 11 differnt varieties of apples to make just the right blend of for the Ice Cider.  The largest percentages are Empire, MacIntosh, Northern Spy (see apple above) and various other "french cider apples" as Eleanor charmingly puts it.  The thought of a "french cider apple" makes me feel all warm and tarte tatin-y inside.  This duo has worked hard at creating just the right balance for the blend.  Cider apples are broken down into several categories such as sweet, bittersweet, sharp and bittersharp.  Each have different levels of tanin and acidity.

Eleanor and Albert Leger lucky owners of Eden Ice Cider

Back to the Ice Cider... around November, when the apples are at their peak; they are picked and pressed.   They pour the precious cider into special plastic containers and leave them outside to freeze in the bracing Vermont air.  They are in the way northern tippy-top of Vermont so there's no worry of it not freezing.  Once the cider is completely frozen they bring it inside to thaw.  This is where the delicate cider trickles down and percolates through the ice - that takes about 3-4 days.  Then it is fermented using a Riesling yeast.  I thought that was really interesting!  Eleanor says that particular strain works well with the high sugar levels of the apple juice.  Interesting indeed.   Meanwhile, there is  huge carcass of ice bereft of it's cider that apparently just hangs out in the yard 'til it naturally melts.  Considering where they are in Vermont; it could be June or July!  Just kidding. I'm sure they get to wear shorts there at some point during the year!

What does it taste like?  Amazing.  So light and pure.  It really tastes good for you,  I felt like I was really doing myself a favor by drinking it!  When she told me that there are about 8lbs. of apples that go into every bottle - I felt like maybe I'd had my fiber for the day!

color: golden yellow

nose: golden delicious apples, it smells just like cider

palate: not cloyingly sweet, very delicate, pure apple, creaminess, honey and baking spices.

http://www.edencider.com/

Wait! Wait! Rosé Me! A Confession to Drinking Rosé After Labor Day!

The leaves are changing color; they're falling on the ground, The pumpkins are out.  Candy corn is on display at Rite Aid.  Today, even though there was a nip in the air and I wore a sweater; I wore my open toe sandals. I saw some people on the subway doing the same and smile a conspiritorial smirk.  We hardly had a summer!  I'm not letting go that easily either!  One way of not letting go is drinking rosé.

Ok, it might not be sweltering out.  You may have lost your tan.  You might not be in the south of France, the Hamptons, or poolside; but you can still drink pink wine.  It's like wearing white after Labor Day - it's okay to drink rosé after September! That's right!! You can drink it all year long.  Drink it at Thanksgiving - it pairs better with Turkey than Zinfandel and all those other big reds magazines would have you believe.

Actually, now is a great time to buy rosé.  A lot of retailers are freaked out that they still have inventory. They might feel like discounting them.  I just bought a couple of Roses that I plan on sipping whilst wearing my flops and shades. , Domaine La Croix Belle's Grenache-Syrah from Languedoc, Calera's Pinot Noir rosé from California, Rizzardi's Bardolino Chiaretto from Italy.  All of these wines were around $10 even though they used to be around $15-$18. I love a bargain. 

Rosé has the reputation in the US as being a seasonal wine.  This is a huge leap from 5-10 years ago when rosé were only thought of as sweet wines. Now, most of the rosé in stores (in the Northeast anyway) are on the dry side.  It's tricky for importers, distributors, and retailers to calculate how much rosé to either carry or bring in.   Everyone is terrified of being stuck with older vintages of rosé. You probably saw 2008 rosé in your wine stores.  There may have been an odd 2007 - but you'd better believe that your retailer was getting a great deal. However, even though we drink rosés young, fresh 'n fruity; some of them can age for a few years if they are made well. 

What is rosé? Some of you oldies might still call it Blush?  Well stop it! Don't make me cringe!  It's rosé.  If you want to speak Italian, call it a  rosato.  If you are really cool and drinking a Pinot Noir rosé, maybe you'll refer to it as a vin gris  Rosé wine is made from the juice of red grapes.  The color is from the contact with the grape skins.  Some times it is quite minimal - like hours, sometimes it can be a few days.  The longer the contact with the skins, the deeper the color and more taninns the wine will show. Sometimes Roses can be an orangy salmon color (just like Champagne rosé) and sometimes they can be a very light but intense violet. I am a sucker for the ones that look like fruit punch.  Thank you Scaldabrone rosé from Antinori (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah). 

Buonchristi's small production Rose of Syrah is amazingly full-bodied and spicy.   I bought a case of Lechthaler's Lagrein Rosato.  I still have about 6 bottles left.  I'm not worried.  The acidity is so good that the wine will last for a couple of years.

Don't be a fad follower.  If you like your rosé, don't be afraid to drink it year round.  Yes, rosé tastes amazing with a salade nicoise while dining al fresco - however, that is just ONE pairing.  Rosé can give a warmth that can give you comfort during your next Nor'easter.

Crying Out Loud!! Weepy Italian Grapes! Luciano Landi Lacrima di Morro d'Alba 2007

Have you ever taken one of those tests that try to determine what grape you would be based on your personality?  If you are moody and reclusive then you'd be a Pinot Noir.  If you are sassy and dynamic maybe you'd be Syrah.  Well if you are Italian, fruity and floral with a tendancy to cry; you'd be Lacrima di Morro d'Alba.      What's that you say?? You've never heard of that grape?  Lacrima di Morro d'Alba. Quite a mouthful!  I've provided a map here for you so you can see that it's the commune of Morro d'Alba located in the province of Ancona... Le Marche!! Yes, blog followers - you know this Central Italian region!!  It's home to Verdicchio.    It's also casa dolce casa for some pretty interesting and oft overlooked red wines.  Lacrima di Morro d'Alba is just one of them.  Some of you have heard Alba in relation to Piedmont like Barbera D'Alba.  This is a different Alba all together.  This is a different Alba.

Lacrima means tear (boo-hoo not riiiiip) it Italian.  No one is sure if this alludes to the tear shaped bunch that the grapes form, (I have a picture up there, what do you think?)  or the driblets of juice that run out of the ripe grapes could resembles tears as well. That is the thought behind another tearful, cry-baby, Italian varietal in the south called Lacryma Christi.  Whatever the folklore, it makes for one tasty vino. 

Once you have smelled Lacrima di Morro d'Alba (from now on LDMDA) you will always remember it.  LDMDA is distinct and difficult to pin down. It is a fresh and fruit driven wine with very aromatic qualitites.  As I have been reading I see a lot of people compare it to Gewurtztraminer. I see where they are going with it.  There is a rose-petal quality in the wine.  It is also reminiscent of Gamay with it's fruity/floral dynamic in its youth.  I love the saturated purple color of it and the intriguing nose.  Oh, it's also pretty lip-smackingly delicious in an uncomplicated and perfectly satisfying way.  It was awarded DOC status in 1985.

One website says that it should be paired with stuffed pigeon, tripe with beans, and tortino di ciccioli but alas I was on a buiness trip and only had Panera's black bean soup.  It wasn't a difficult feat to outshine that sludgy soup.  It certianly brightened up my dinner even senza the tripe accommpaniment. 

This is really a fantastic grape to experience.  If you see it in the store, snatch it up!  I grabbed mine off the shelf for a mere $16.99.  Well worth it.  Since I have been out there in the northeast peeking into various wine stores, there is definetly a shortage of Italian wines from Le Marche and Umbria.  I know i am senstive because I was just there, but these wine store owners only think people want to buy wine from Piedmont and Tuscany.   We have to show them that we want some variety!! Si si si!!

color - grape juice purple

nose - rose petals, orange peel, blueberry pie filling, cinnamon, grape soda
palate - raspberry, blueberry, boysenberry

Pinot Blanc - Always the Bridesmaid - Never the Bride. Albert Mann Pinot Blanc 2008 - Tifenbrunner Pinot Bianco 2008

I am always on the hunt for aromatic white wines.  When I worked in the store, so many people were just looking for a Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc.  Not that these grapes don't make amazing wines... but come on!! Step out of your comfort zone.  I would always feel as if I had scored a point for the underdog grapes everytime some Westchesterer came in looking for a California Chardonnay and left with a Torrontes, a Pinot Bianco, or a Gruner Veltliner in his or her shopping bag.  Yay!

If you come across a Pinot Blanc in your wine store adventures, pick one up.  You are most likely to find them in the Alsace area, department, aisle, shelf, or nook.  I suppose it depends on your store.   You may also see one if your store is progressive enough to have an Austrian section -  it may be listed as Weissburgunder on the label.  Don't be afraid of that Teutonic name - say it how it's spelled AND look at you  -- now you know how to say Pinot Blanc in German!  Actually it is White Burgundy (no not Chardonnay - smartie pants).  There are some outstanding Pinot Blancs from Alto Adige and the Veneto too - they will be labeled as Pinot Bianco.  Ah ha!  Now you speak Italian!

Let me give you a little Pinot Blanc history!  As the name suggests Pinot Blanc was born in France and as its German name suggests, from Bourgogne.  It is a mutation of Pinot Gris which is also a mutation of Pinot Noir.  Now there is very very very very very little Pinot Blanc grown in Burgundy, the majority really is in Alsace and Alto Adige.  That is why I have two examples here from those two regions. 

In general, Pinot Blanc is always a secondary grape - of secondary importance...never the star.  I think that is such a terrible fate. Even my WSET book says that it is a white grape of not great importance.  So I'm thinking UNDERSTUDY!  BRIDESMAID!!  sort of the Jennifer Anniston of grapes.  No I've gone too far there, I really do like Pinot Blanc.  It is so aromatic - and it can range from quince and pineapple to white peach and washed pebbles (nice one, eh!).   It is usually stainless steel fermented and that really lets the fruit and minerality shine along with a beautiful acidity.  There are Pinot Blancs that are very ageworthy.  Hofstatter from Alto Adige does a single vineyard old vines Pinot - it's amazing. 

These two are great to taste side by side because we can really see the regional differences.  Alsace is sunny and shielded by large amounts of rainfall from the Vosges mountains.  There is usally a richesse of flavor in these wines that contributes to their unique Alsatian quality. They may also be higher in alcohol.  Alto Adige on the other hand is ALTO indeed.  Sometimes called Sudtirol - this region is situated near the Italian Alps in Northeastern Italy.  Most of the better vineyards are on south facing slopes, but it is generally a bit chillier up there so you will see a crisper, more aromatic style.

Albert Mann Pinot Blanc 2008, Alsace, France
nose - quince, lime, orange water, white peach
palate - mineral, quince, lemon/lime

Tiefenbrunner Pinot Bianco 2008 Alto Adige, Itlay
nose - subdued pineapple, lime
palate - crisp, mineral, lime rind, Meyer lemon

Saucy Saucers! Le Cigare Volante Red 2004 - Bonny Doon Vineyard

I had a half bottle of the Bonny Doon Cigare Volant years ago – before I started thinking of myself as oh so knowledgeable. I loved it. I enjoyed it so much that I thought now that so many years have passed and my palate is oh so sophisticated, I will probably think it’s pedestrian. I didn’t. I liked it. I liked it a lot. I liked it so much, that when I saw the Rose version at Spec’s in Houston – I convinced my father to pick up a bottle. I think my mother and I drank most of it before he could get a sip.  The red is smooth and rich and luscious. It's big, but it's really balanced. It was great to sip by itself, but it was even better with the boeuf that we had for dinner.

The Cigare Volant is done in a Southern Rhone style. That means it’s a blend of several different grapes that are commonly grown in The southern Rhone Valley. We’ve looked at a cotes du rhone in this blog, but some of the other fancy pants wines from the area are the whopper Chateauneuf du Pape, Gignondas, Lirac, and Vacqueras. The wines from that area are full bodied spice houses with luscious fruit and earthiness. Some of the most common red grapes are Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan.

The breakdown of the Cigare Volant Red is:

38% grenache, 35% syrah, 12% mourvèdre, 8% carignane, 7% cinsault

The name? Well that’s a play on a law that was passed by the Village of Chateauneuf in 1954 that prohibits flyaing saucers (cigares volantes en francais!) from landing in the fields. It’s hilarious that they would even think to get such a law passed, apparently the folks at Bonny Doon thought it hysterical enough to take their parady and their respect of the wines one step further. So you see the lable is adorable – the top of the screw cap (yay screw cap!) has a little Alien on it. Sometimes a gimmicky wine DOES taste good!

Bonny Doon is located in Santa Cruz, California.  The man behind the beast is an irreverent jokster named Randall Grahm.  Apparently he is called many things.  The Rhone Ranger and God are just a few.  As you can tell, he has an amazing sense of humor and I think that is an invaluable quality to bring to the wine world. His wines look approachable, and they taste approachable without being unsubtle.   He moved out there to produce the best Pinot Noir imaginable and ended up realizing that the Southern Rhone varietals and Italian varietals were really what the region lent itself to. Sounds like a pretty awesome guy!

Here's what Bonny Doon says about their wine:

vibrant, fruity and floral notes contrasted against a denser, darker core rarely seen in preceding Cigares. The first wafting aromas suggest freshly warmed black raspberry conserve, rose petals, black licorice and garrigue. The grenache is hinted at by way of the bright puffs of raspberriocity and cherry liqueur, with the syrah and mourvèdre showing their tendency towards dominant density - laying down thick, recumbent panes of flavor vaguely suggesting spice, meatiness, and a strong expression of the minerality we have been working so hard to mine, as it were, in our high-flying flagship.

check them out on Facebook or their website:
http://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/

Get on the Porch!! Swig's Southern Style Lemonade Liqueur!

I was in Houston recently and I could not resist a trip to Spec's. If you have been to Spec's you know what a great place it is. If you haven't - let me tell you - they have some of the best wine prices I've seen, but more than that is the selection they have - especially in spirits and especially at this particular Spec's in downtown H-town.

I am definitely like a kid in a candy store when I step in there... who am I kidding... I still love going to candy stores as an adult! It's exciting to stop in there - there are shelves of glassware and decanters, a gourmet food section filled with all sorts of cheeses and oils and goodies. The spirits section was particularly engaging this time. There was an apple pie liqueur,mint bitters (yes I purchased some), several different flavors of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka (now in Mint, Lemon, and Peach) a rich Chocolate liqueur from Piedmont. I wanted to buy everything. Luckily, my father was there to somewhat keep me in line informing me that the cart was filling up quickly and asking me "do you have room in your suitcase for all of that?". Of course I didn't an a lot would inevitably end up in their liquor cabinet.

One bottle that made the cut was a Swig's Southern Style Lemonade Liqueur. It's in this great glass bottle with a rubber stopper. All in all, it makes a clean fresh-looking package. It looks very olde-tyme-ey - very country time-ey. Although it really smells like limoncello, it doesn't have that neon yellow look - it is really the color of lemonade. Also, it's not a thick or cloying taste. There is a nice balance of sweet and tart that is an attribute of any good lemonade.

The label suggests enjoying it on the rocks "on a hot summer day" or mixing it with Sweet Tea vodka for a sort of Arnold Palmer. Just the fact that this product references Sweet Tea Vodka sealed the deal for me. How many people outside of South Carolina and the South in general are up on Sweet Tea Vodka (besides you my readers, because I know you read my earlier post about it).

Okay so you're dying to know what it tastes like.
color: lemonade!!!
nose: lemon, cane sugar, alcohol
palate: sugared lemon, lemon peel

I took their advice and mixed it with some Sweet Tea Vodka, then I added some Lemon-Lime Seltzer, and some Strega for a Arnold Palmieri. I think that next I will experiment by adding some Maraschino Liqueur for a sort of Pink Lemonade. The possibilities are endless - let's hope the bottle will last me into the Fall.

Check it out at http://www.swigswig.com/