Brew Hops & Wine Stops

Last week, Ken posted his choices for this year’s big game menu. If you aren’t into theming your food for the teams, but you want something more than chips-n-dip, how about a build-your-own-sub bar? Sub sandwiches are pretty basic party food—they’re filling, tasty, and easy to do. Make sure you’ve got two or three choices in everything, take them out of their original packaging (including the napkins and toothpicks), and to each his or her own.

 You can take your party up several levels from “come over for the game” just by taking the deli/sandwich fixings out of their original containers. You’re going to have to run the dishwasher later anyway, right? So start with a big platter or bowl and toss the sub rolls into it. And when you buy them, get two or three kinds to allow for all tastes.

 If you have a sandwich press, plug it in and provide the fixings for Cubans or cheesesteaks just for the fun of it.

 Mayo, mustard. Two kinds of each (the salad dressing kind and straight mayo, and both yellow and brown mustard), and maybe some horseradish sauce.

 Because you love your friends and family and want them to be healthy, don’t forget the veggies—besides, they really make the sandwich. Don’t slice the tomatoes until just before game time, and make sure they’re at room temp (cuts down on the cold, mushy non-taste of them); a couple types of lettuce, or even grab a bag of salad leaves—baby field greens, romaine, whatever, the already washed and torn apart stuff—it’s easy to add and adds a little flavor. Slice up an avocado, too, maybe an onion.

 Cheese: You know what you like. Get that. If you know what your friends like, get some of that too. If you don’t care about the cost, get it already sliced at the deli and then get one more besides, just for variety. Remember to take them out of their plastic bags and put them on a plate for serving.

 Meat: unless you’re shopping ten minutes before party time, you might go for rare on the roast beef. It’ll hold up better to being in the refrigerator for a bit without drying out. Turkey, ham, maybe some Genoa salami. Go for the deli if possible—the meats will taste better on the sandwiches. Don’t bother getting into the rolling and toothpicking of them—just slide them out onto a big platter. Keep the cold stuff cold and the hot stuff hot.

 Miscellaneous: pickles, sweet and dill. Green chilis and jalapenos, if someone who likes them will be there.

 Let the game begin!

Guest blogger Dave Malone, Tallahassee Wine Consultant, recently blogged on "testing a secret of a sommelier." We asked him to follow up with a few more comments.

In a recent post, I introduced the idea of the blind tasting, and the fun, excitement, and education it can bring when learning about your favorite wines.  I hope some of you have had the opportunity to explore this exercise and that you found it both enjoyable and eye-opening.   You may recall that I spared you the “wine geek” details about why the two wines I tasted were so different.  A request was made, however, to break out the “geekiness,” so without further adieu, I present part two.

                As a quick refresher, a blind tasting, where the taster doesn’t know which wine he or she is sampling, is a great exercise for learning the stylistic differences between the same grape varieties from diverse regions.  So what makes two wines made from the same grape taste so different?  In one word: terroir.   It comes from the word terre, “land,” and was made famous (although some may say infamous) by French wine producers who use it to describe the conditions of location, geology, and climate that make a wine-growing area unique.  

                Some take it a step further to include the human element: the decision of which grapes to plant, whether to age the wine in oak or steel or something else, the type of yeast used in fermentation, whether to fine or filter the wine, etc.  There are literally hundreds of different combinations of wine-making techniques that a producer can use on top of what Mother Nature has given that can affect the final flavor and quality of a  wine.

                 To say the least, winemaking doesn’t exactly follow a cookie-cutter recipe, but that’s what makes trying different wines so much fun.  The terroir and winemaking practices are what gave my Oregon Pinot Noir its forward-fruitiness and the French Burgundy its earthy, rustic appeal laced with the flavor of new oak. 

                Next time you visit ABC and pick up a bottle of your favorite wine, I encourage you to seek out the store’s wine guru, ask for a similar selection from a different region, and see for yourself how two wines made from the same grape can be so vastly different, but most importantly equally as enjoyable.           

--Dave Malone, Wine Consultant, Tallahassee

Picture this. You bring home a nice bottle of white wine, chill it down to just the right temperature, pour it in front of your friends and what happens? Something that looks like tiny shards of glass can be seen floating in your wine.

             Problem? Well, no, not really.

             What you’re seeing are tartrates, which are formed when the tartaric acid (which occurs naturally in grapes, bananas, and tamarinds) is combined with potassium (which also occurs naturally in wine and is in fact one of wine’s health benefits) under cold temperatures.

             The first thing to know is that these tartrate crystals are completely harmless and quite natural. They are also tasteless and odorless.

          The second thing to know is that they are often a sign of higher quality wine.

             Tartrates occur quite naturally during the fermentation process. Some wineries choose to use the Cold Stabilization process – a process that actually does nothing to improve the aroma or the flavor of the wine, but does filter out the tartrate crystals and turns the wine into something clear, filtered, processed, and de-sedimented. Unfortunately, many experts feel that this can filter out a little of the flavor.

             In Europe, tartrate crystals are generally accepted, and indeed appreciated, because they show that the wine is one of quality and is made naturally. In Germany they call them “weinsteins” or “wine stones." You might want to think of them as “wine diamonds." They act as an anti-oxidant, they maintain the chemical stability of the wine, and in a pulverized form they are what you buy at the supermarket as Cream of Tartar.

             Tartrates can also appear in red wine, but because they are colored by the wine, most people accept them as sediment – something else which often shows the quality of the wine.

             So what do you do if you find tartrate crystals in your wine? First of all, don’t worry. Next, stand the bottle upright for a while and let it settle. Then pour it carefully into a decanter (or if you don’t have a decanter pour it very carefully into your glass). Serve and enjoy. It’s a great bottle of wine!

 --Bill Stobbs, Wine Supervisor, West Coast

David Duband is a talented young winemaker in Burgundy, who took over the family vineyards in the early 90s and started making his own wine rather than selling the grapes to négociants.

David’s vineyards are organically farmed, meaning no use of herbicides, pesticides, nitrates or any other chemicals.

He makes pure, powerful, age-worthy, honest wines that are pure expressions of terroir and grape variety (pinot noir in this case).

I recently re-tasted his 2005 Vosne-Romanée ($47.99); the wine exhibits dark, saturated ruby color and aromas and flavors of black cherry, cherry liqueur, ripe blackberries and notes of cedar, vanilla and spices. The wine is medium to full-bodied, dense, powerful and elegant, with ripe, silky tannins and long-lasting finish. A pure delight and a must taste for any pinot noir enthusiast!!

 Other David Duband wines available at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits are:

Nuits-Saint-Georges 2004 - $54.99

Chambolle-Musigny 2004 - $47.99

Chambolle-Musigny Les Gruencheres 2005 - $64.99

Morey-Saint-Denis 2005 - $39.99

--Atanas Nechkov, Wine Supervisor, Central Florida

 For many years I’ve been putting together a little Super Bowl party with a few friends. Each year, after the Championship games decide who is in the big game, I begin to put together a menu based on what two cities are represented. I then try to find foods that are unique or connected to each city; this is nothing too original and I’m sure many others do the same thing, but we have a good time with this as opposed to going to a crowded, loud sports bar. Most years it is fairly easy to come up with a menu: when the Patriots and the Giants played a couple of years ago it was a big pot of chowder and grilled New York Strip steaks. For Philadelphia and New England I made cheesesteaks and chowder; St. Louis Rams and the Patriots… barbequed ribs and chowder. Thanks to the New England Patriots run in the 2000’s, I now have the chowder recipe down pat.

 Last year I made a seafood gumbo for the New Orleans Saints, but coming up with something unique to Indianapolis was a bit problematic, so I went to my “ace in the hole,” Google, and found that in Indianapolis they make a breaded pork sandwich. Something like a veal cutlet sandwich only you use pork. It is pretty darn good.

 This year’s game is between two storied franchises in the history of the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers, and should be a great football game. I figure for the Packers I will have to do something that Lambeau Field, the Packers stadium, is well known for and that is any kind of sausage. With that I’ll make some beer cheese soup, since cheese and beer are the other two things Wisconsin is known for.

For the Steelers, as anyone that has ever been to Pittsburgh would know, there can only be one thing: one of the greatest sandwich creations you could ever imagine, the Primanti sandwich. Now, I grew up about a hundred miles north of Pittsburgh, so I’m very familiar with Primanti Brothers Restaurant and never miss a chance to visit there when I’m in the neighborhood, which unfortunately isn’t very often these days. In days past we’d go down to catch a Pirates or Steelers game and invariable stop at Primantis and fill up on one of these huge sandwiches. This creations starts with two thick slices of fresh Italian bread, then you choose what large portion of meat or meats and cheeses you want to add. Now so far, this isn’t much different than most sandwiches, but what sets this one apart from the rest is the handful of French fries, yes French fries, and secret recipe homemade coleslaw that is then piled very high on this giant sandwich. This may sound a little strange and the word “little” should never be used when describing a Primanti, but it’s the fries that make this sandwich so unique and delicious. The only other thing this sandwich needs is a cold bottle of Iron City Beer.

 One of the great things about the many food shows on cable these days is that they search out these unique, local foods and expose them to rest of the foodies around the country. I don’t know who will make the Super Bowl next year, but if you have any foods that are local favorites, post a comment on this blog. I may need some new ideas for a future Super Bowl…Go Steelers!

Ken Amendola (former Pennsylvanian), Wine Supervisor, North Florida

Like most people, I live on a budget. Of course I would love to drink highly rated trophy wines every night but until I hit the lottery, that's not happening.

Every Monday and Tuesday night my local Italian restaurant offers large pizzas for $6.99. What a bargain! While pizza and beer are a natural for most people, that combination always makes me feel like I'm incubating pizza dough in my stomach all night long. That's why Monday or Tuesday I look for bargain wines to match with my $6.99 dinner.

If you look solely at price as a criteria your choices are endless. There are plenty of bargain wines on the market. However, whenever I eat pizza or any red-sauced pasta I immediately think of sangiovese. Sangiovese, of course, is the principal grape in many of the wines from Tuscany. Over the past twenty years there has been a quality revolution with sangiovese and today the finest bottles of sangiovese fetch prices that rival the worlds greatest wines.

Lucky for us there are still plenty of bargains to be found. Here are a few of my current favorite pizza wines:

1. Il Piaggione Chianti Classico Riserva 2006.  $16.99. Not really a bargain wine at $16.99 but a real steal for Riserva Chianti.

2. Querciarossa Morellino Di Scansano  2008.  $12.99. This sangiovese is from the southern part of Tuscany and offers raspberry fruit and a pretty raciness for the appellation.

3. La Caloncia Sangiovese 2008. $12.99. Singing with tart cherry and raspberry fruit.

4. La Tancia Chianti 2008.  $9.99. This has become my house wine. Great price/quality relationship.

I could go on and on but I suggest you stop by and ask your local wine consultant what he/she drinks with pizza.

Paul Quaglini, Wine Supervisor SE Florida

 
Guest blogger Larry Baker, certified sommelier and the wine consultant at our Pompano Beach store.

Everyone is looking for that $10.00 bottle of wine that tastes like a $25.00 bottle of wine. They exist; however, in order to make that happen and to broaden your wine horizons, you have to be willing to let your ABC Wine Consultant help you stray away from the Big 9 grapes that most people keep buying over and over. Raise your virtual hand if you have heard of these 9 grapes. Ready? #1-Pinot Gris (Pinot Grigio)..Yes!! #2-Riesling..Yes!! #3- Sauvignon Blanc..Yes!! #4- Chardonnay...Yes. Here come the red grapes. #5- Pinot Noir...Yes!! #6 Merlot...Yes!! #7- Cabernet Sauvignon ...Yes and Yes!! #8-Syrah (or Shiraz)..Yes!! #9 (Thanks to Argentina, even though the grape is one of the 5 red grapes of Bordeaux, France) Malbec…Yes!!!

 Now raise your virtual hand if you have heard of these white or red grapes: Insolia, Garganaga, Cortese, Verdejo, Torrontes, Tannat, Mencia, Monastrell, Negramaro, Carignan.  Nothing to be ashamed of if you haven't heard of most of these or the other 2,000 grape varietals out there, but if you don't step out of the box and try some of these wines and stray away from the basic 9 grapes most wine consumers purchase, you are missing out on not only the fun of drinking wine, but also on some phenomenal values.

 My first homework assignment for you is this: every time you visit one of our ABC Fine Wines and Spirits locations, buy one wine or grape that you are familiar with and then ask your local Wine Consultant to recommend one grape varietal that you haven't tried before. My personal two selections would be these:

 White: My favorite white varietal is widely planted in the northern part of Argentina. It is called Torrontes (not Toronto…that is in Canada)  Torrontes, in my opinion, will become the new Pinot Grigio once the grape varietal becomes more popular. Try Finca Copete from the Cafayate Valley in Salta in Northern Argentina. It exhibits a floral, fruity nose of lavender, rose petals and citrus fruits. The taste provides one of the most refreshing glasses of white wine you have ever had.

Red: "Tannat.” People who haven’t tried the grape "Tannat" (pronounced Ta-knot) are missing out on one of the greatest red wines around. It is king in France in the Southwest town of Madiran. It can be very tannic; however, when it is blended with some Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc it is a much softer, pleasing wine. I suggest Madiran Laplace which is 60% Tannat, 20% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This wine is deeper and darker than any Cabernet Sauvignon you have ever tried with dark fruit flavors and medium tannins that could stand up nicely to a NY Strip with mushrooms. By the way, both of these offerings are under $15 and, in fact, the Torrontes is under $10.

 Try these two on for size and then you will feel so good that you only have 1,991 other grapes to try. Instead of buying that inexpensive cabernet or chardonnay, sit back, relax and leave the driving to your local ABC Wine Consultant and let them find you some terrific quality to price ratio wines from all over the world and help you broaden your wine horizons and stray away from "The Big 9" Grapes you have been drinking. 

 --Larry "The Wine Guy"  -Certified Sommelier, and Wine Consultant, Pompano Beach

 If you want, you can see more of Larry’s wine writings at www.larrythewineguy.net

On my last post, I extolled the virtues of Albarino from the region of Rias Baixas and it seems that my timing was perfect.  Noted wine writer Dana Nigro echoes similar sentiment in her blog dated January 14 in the Wine Spectator on-line via an interesting piece titled “Spanish Whites for Seven Fishes”.  Here’s the link: www.winespectator.com/wwdn/show/id/44318

She also references Rueda, another important Spanish white (mostly) wine region.  Located in Northwestern Spain in the province of Valladolid and near the Duero River, Rueda is home to native grape varieties Verdejo and Viura.  Verdejo is far away the star of the region with Viura its most likely blending partner.  The region also features French varietal interloper Sauvignon Blanc and a bit of Palomino Fino.  Just for the record, there are some red grapes grown here as well (less than a quarter total production) with Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Garnacha planted, but I’ve yet to see much of it here in the US.  By default, that makes Rueda a destination for white wine fans.

The hallmarks of Verdejo from Rueda are lemony citrus, stone fruits, herbs, flowers, and anise on the palate with vibrantly crisp acidity and a fine mineral essence.  Indeed, many of us wine geeks seek out these wines for their “crushed-rocks-in-a-glass” underpinnings.   The soil types in the region are alluvial, sand or calcareous with limestone in the best locations.  Typically, the wine is best “sans oak," vinified in stainless steel to maintain freshness, but a few producers are experimenting with barrel-fermented versions, surprisingly with some success.  More on this in a future post, perhaps?

In the meantime, stop by your local ABCFWS store and pick up a Rueda from Agricola Castellana, either the Cuatro Rayas or Pampano bottling will work just fine.  Con Class makes a good one as well.  Pick the current vintage (i.e. 2009).  You can pair it with most anything you would drink a Sauvignon Blanc with.  I like them with pan-seared scallops, baked chicken with lemon and Serrano Ham, or a mixed-greens salad with goat’s cheese and a kiss of good quality olive oil.  Try using a fresh squeeze of lemon as the condiment instead of vinegar.  Top off with a turn or two from your black pepper mill.  (I think my mouth is watering).

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

Of the many benefits working at ABC Fine Wines is certainly the travel, visiting 'Wine Country' and experiencing the culture, people, food, and of course, the wines! You really gain so much more just being there, soaking it up than you ever could simply reading about the places. One of the greatest benefits while traveling with the ABC group is Brad, whose knowledge of the wines and history add immensely to the experience. Brad is wonderful, and Brad is a meat and potatoes fella, where I will eat anything once!

 A few years back, while spending a cold and rainy week in Piedmont, one of the options on the menu one evening was a dish I had never heard of called Stinko! With a name like stinko, there was no doubt I was ordering it.

Turned out to be the slow cooked knee-joint of some animal, a cow I think, and it lived up to its name. It was delicious, full of deep, rich, earthy flavor, much like osso bucco, but served in its entirety, bone and all.

 A few years later, while traveling to Trento with Brad and a few others, stinko reared its stinky head, and I was obligated to order it again (see photo) without any prodding! It was lovely, and paired with pretty much all of the red wines of the night, although I especially liked the Barolo and Barbaresco with it.

 I will post more on some of the unique regional dishes I have (sometimes happily) tried....until then, what are some of the more, well, odd dishes you have experienced while traveling?

--Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

 
Why do you think German wines are not as fashionable in the market place as Italian, French and California wines? 

Most of us have learned to love those Franco-Italian style dry table wines.  German Rieslings have an aroma and flavor profile that can be hard to get used to. 

Another reason for slower German sales is when Liebfraumilch became the western world's cheap white wine of choice in the 1980's, selling for almost nothing and destroying the German fine wine industry.

How about not being able to understand the wine label?  If you can't read it, why buy it?  Hopefully, the following may help with that:

SELBACH-OSTER is the winery

2007 is the vintage

WEHLENER is the village of WEHLEN.  (The "er" shows that it is an adjective.)

SONNENUHR is the vineyard

RIESLING is the grape variety

SPATLESE is the term for a wine from fully ripe grapes. Although the wines are often sweet, the term refers to the level of ripeness when harvested, not the amount of sugar in the finished wine.

MOSEL  is the modern shortened version of MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER wine region.

Due to new merchandising and new "easier to understand" labels we find German wine sales on an uphill trend.  Buck the old trend and be ahead of the fashion.  German wines are coming back!

--Marie Griffin, Wine Supervisor West/Northwest Florida

A few years ago it was the martini, then the amaretto sour (or perhaps in the opposite order). I keep calling for the return of the Harvey Wallbanger (I suspect the only thing hampering its return to fame is, perhaps, the price of Galliano. It couldn’t be the name. Or maybe it’s the fact that there really aren’t any variations on the original? At least…not yet.). According to some sources, the Manhattan is again on the rise.

 One of the things I like about mixing drinks is trying out the classics to see what makes them work—and then changing them to see if I can make them work better. (This works for cooking, too.) Of course, variations happen all the time, and sometimes they’re better than the original.

 For fun, and just in time for your end-of-season football parties, here are a couple classic recipes, with some ideas for switching them up. Hey, it’s January, it’s cold outside, you’re entertaining indoors…why not? And if you come up with any truly stellar combos, let us know.

Manhattan

• 1 ½ oz blended whisky (such as Seagram’s 7)


• ½ oz sweet vermouth or to taste (if you aren’t familiar with vermouth: this is the red vermouth)


• Dash of Angostura bitters


• Maraschino cherry (garnish)

 Mix whisky, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass or pitcher with ice and strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with cherry.

 Ideas to mix it up: changing the whisky is an easy change. High on the charts these days are bourbon Manhattans (Maker’s Mark, especially). Add a twist by swapping the cherry for a slip of lemon or orange peel. (Note: by now, this may not be a Manhattan. It may be something else entirely. However, it's the fun of creating tastes you'd never tried that's the point, not the name. The original drink is just a place to start.) Any other ideas?

 Harvey Wallbanger (you knew this one was coming, didn’t you?)

• 1-1/2 oz vodka


• 4 oz orange juice


• 1/2 oz Galliano

 Pour vodka and ornge juice into a chilled highball glass with several ice cubes and stir well. Float Galliano on top.

 I love vodka drinks: they present almost endless opportunities for creativity. Galliano adds a vanilla layer to the drink, so changing the vodka to a flavored vodka like citron, vanilla, or similar (whipped cream, perhaps?) that complements the hint of vanilla would be a great way to mix it up. Change the fruit juice for something still tropical, but not orange—maybe a pineapple-orange-banana. Could you make a straight cocktail with vodka, citrus vodka, and Galliano float? Serve it in a martini glass for added elegance?

 Any favorite drink variations (on these or other classics) you’d like to share?

Brooklyn Black Ops (bottle size: 1 pint 9.4 fluid ounces.)

 11.3% alcohol.

 According to the back label, there were only 1000 cases produced. It's aged 4 months in bourbon barrels, then bottled flat and re-fermented with Champagne yeast.

I opened it after a 4 mile run and shared it with my son Michael. Here are my notes.

 Great 1" foamy head with strong coffee and chocolate nose.  The foam was like dessert. 

 Very drinkable for having such a high alcohol content. I could feel the extra carbonation on the back of the tongue.

 It was very thick. High viscosity. You can't see thru it. It looks like a cup of espresso in the glass.

 The aroma of coffee and chocolate were strong.

 We savored the two 12 ounce glasses for 45 minutes. You can't drink this fast!! The flavors lingered on the palate for 5 minutes after each sip.

 I had a Sam Adams Infinium  over the holidays, also a limited edition brew at $23 and this one definitely blew it away. One of the best beers I have ever had, second only to the Sam Adams Utopia a few years ago. The bad news is that there was very little available in Florida.

 There are a few other bourbon barrel aged beers available at select ABCs that may be well worth trying.

Andy Abernathy, COO ABC Fine Wine and Spirits

Reading a recent excellent blog by my colleague Jim Greeley on “The Fringe Lunatic”, I was struck by what he said (and how well he said it) about getting away from our comfort zone wines and trying something new and different. I agree with him completely. We should all make a New Year’s resolution for 2011 to try varietals that are new to us. And not only grape varieties – how about exploring wine from regions of the world most of us tend to overlook?

 Case in point – how many of you think of Austria when you’re buying wine? I must admit I didn’t until I visited Austria a couple of years ago, and I fell in love with their wines, their culture, and the beauty of their country. And if you’re searching for lesser known grape varietals, you need look no further!

             Of course Austria produces a lot of great Riesling, but if you’re looking for a white that’s crisp, delicate, shows nice fruit, and has a pleasant creamy finish try Grüner Veltliner (GREEN-er Felt-LEEN-er). Grüner Veltliner is often considered to be Austria’s national grape variety. It has something of a cult following elsewhere, but definitely deserves to be better known. With delicate aromas of apricots, peaches, and vanilla, it shows some mineral tones and crisp zesty flavors of white pepper and grapefruit. It pairs well with picnic foods, hors d’oeuvres, Wiener schnitzel, fried chicken, and is considered one of the few wines that is a natural with salad.

             Looking for a red you haven’t tried before? Try Zweigelt (ZVEYE-gelt), a grape variety created by the eponymous Dr. Zweigelt, who crossed two other Austrian red grapes – Blaufränkisch and Skt.-Laurent. This is a wine that’s a dark ruby red color with tinges of inky purple, and has flavors of cherries, red berries, and spice. If you like Zinfandel or Primitivo, try Zweigelt. It pairs wonderfully well with roast beef, venison, wild boar, lamb, hearts, kidneys, and brains.

             You’ll find these, and many other unusual wines, at your local ABC Fine Wine and Spirits. Look for Höpler or Schloss Halbturn Kaiserberg brands for some great Grüner Veltliner and Zweigelt. Or just ask your friendly wine consultant.

And don’t forget to let us know what unusual regions and grape varieties you’re trying!

 Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor, Central West Florida

 
 
My very first sparkling Champagne was a Mumm “Cordon Rouge,” but that is not the only reason why it holds a special place in my wine collection and on the dinner table: being an exciting Champagne of top quality and moderate price makes it a regular bubbly for celebrations and fine meals.

The Champagne House of G.H. Mumm was founded in Rheims in 1827 by three brothers, winemakers from the Rhine Valley in Germany. Quality has been the main focus for Mumm from the beginning. In 1852 Georges Hermann de Mumm, son of one the founders, took control of the house. He was open-minded and an advocate for social freedom; his commitment to quality elevated Mumm to one of the top four Champagne Houses. Georges Hermann’s famous maxim was “Only the Best.”

In 1876 he registered the “Cordon Rouge” label with authorities in Rheims; originally a ribbon of red satin dressed every bottle.

“Cordon Rouge” today remains one of the best values in Champagne and the House of Mumm ranks as the third largest Champagne producer.

For the fine Champagne connoisseur who wants only the very best, a must taste is Mumm’s top cuvee, “René Lalou,” which is available by special order.

 --Atanas Nechkov, Wine Supervisor Central Florida

  I was watching the final round of the PGA golf tournament from Hawaii last night, umm… that is, I was on my couch, the tournament was in Hawaii, and I was wondering what to write on my blog post for today, when they showed Ernie Els, a golfer from South Africa. Ernie Els, one of the best golfers of his era, the winner of three majors and countless other events around the world, would not normally get mentioned in a wine blog, except that he also is the owner of a vineyard. He produces a few red blends from the Stellenbosch region in South Africa. I have tasted his wines in the past and thought they were better than many of the wines to which celebrities attach their names. Wine Spectator gave his 2007 Proprietary blend a 90 point rating and his 2007 Guardian Peak, a Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache blend, an 89 point rating.

  Celebrities owning a winery or putting their names on a bottle of wine is nothing new. Lillie Langtry, an actress from the early nineteen hundreds, owned 4200 acres of vineyards in what is now the Lake County region in California. Look at a bottle of Guenoc Wines and you will see her picture. Another actor turned winemaker was Fess Parker, whose Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays still sell very well all over the country. Probably the most successful and well-known celebrity wine maker is the Oscar winning movie director Francis Ford Coppola. He produces a Diamond Series and Director’s Cut line of wines that can be found in just about every wineshop and grocery store in the country along with his higher end Rubicon wines. His holdings include vineyards that were once part of the great Inglenook Winery (yes, that Inglenook, though not to be confused with 3 liter screwtops). This once-proud name in the industry produced some of the finest wines in the early days of California winemaking.

  There are other golfers with their names on wine bottles, including Arnold Palmer, David Frost, Luke Donald, and I’m sure athletes from other sports and many Hollywood celebrities also have financial interest in vineyards…if you know of any others, comment with their story.

Ken Amendola, North Florida Wine Supervisor

Well it's a new year and time to make my resolutions. Exercise more, eat healthier, read more books, all the typical promises to myself. Oh, and one more: drink my wine sooner rather than later.

When it comes to wine I have this bad habit of holding onto wine too long. I rent a vault from one of our stores and once I put a wine in typically it doesn't come out until the wine is too old.

Renting a wine vault is a great way to start a collection. Your wine is stored at the perfect temperature and humidity and you have to make a special trip during business hours to get your wine. This prevents your friends from opening your prized bottle of 2000 Mouton Rothschild at 2AM after you have fallen asleep on the couch....not that anything like that has ever happened to me.

This past New Year's Eve I made the trip to our store in Boca Raton to extract some wine for the big night. I was attending a party where there was quite a variety of wine open but I was confident my wines would impress.

The first wine I opened was a 1996 Vintage Moet & Chandon Champagne. 1996 was a classic vintage for Champagne so I was sure this would be a great start to the evening. Wrong! The wine had a golden color and more than hints of oxidation on the nose. Sure people tried it but no one came back for more.

Next I opened a 1995 Barolo from Alessandro Brero. The Wine Advocate described the wine as having a deep garnet color with a spicy, dried herb, foresty nose. Most of what I smelled was stewed fruit and cough syrup. Ok, strike two.

Finally I opened a 1995 Lafon Rochet. Once again the Wine Advocate had a nice review...impressively saturated deep ruby/purple color accompanied by vanillin, earth, and spicy scents. Outstanding richness in a powerful, well-delineated finish. The wine opened with a beautiful nose similar to the description but within a half hour the fruit began to fade. Had I waited too long on this one as well?

On New Year's Day as I refelected back on the evening and the wines I came to the conclusion I'll just have to start drinking more wine at a faster pace. I'm pretty sure that's a resolution I can keep.

Paul Quaglini

Wine Supervisor

On the recommendation of some fellow wine enthusiasts I recently read a book by one of America’s top wine gurus, Rajat Parr, called “Secrets of the Sommeliers.”  He covers topics ranging from his favorite wine-producing regions to education, and does an excellent job of making the information both entertaining and informative.

   Parr explains that the best way to really learn wine is to taste it “blind.”  In a standard blind tasting, the participants do not know the exact wines they are sampling and are only given basic information, such as the grape variety, to help in their evaluation.  By doing this one can get a real grasp on a region’s style and the basic characteristics of the grape variety.   As a Wine Consultant at ABC I have had the opportunity to participate in such tastings and have always found them to be both humbling and enlightening. 

   To revisit this exercise, I conducted a blind tasting at home comparing two Pinot Noirs; one from the Willamette Valley in Oregon and another from Burgundy.  The mission: to see if I could successfully identify one from the other and pick out the defining characteristics of each.   My girlfriend poured the samples and the comparison began.   I’ll spare you the “wine geek” details, but in short, both wines were excellent, both showed their regional characteristics well, and I was able to successfully identify one from the other.   The two Pinots were Argyle’s 2008 Willamette Valley bottling and a Premier Cru from Maison Champy. 

   I encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about wine and what makes each varietal and region unique, to invite a few friends over and have fun with this exercise.  I think you all will find it informative and enlightening, but most importantly, fun!  But don’t let yourself get discouraged if you don’t get the “right answer.”  Even some of the most experienced tasters have difficulty correctly identifying wines in blind tastings.  It’s all part of the excitement and learning process.  Enjoy! 

--Dave Malone, Wine Consultant, Tallahassee

In my previous post I hinted to our readers that when it comes to the choice between red versus white, these days I’m more likely to choose the latter.  But to be a bit more succinct, the pale, straw-colored, juice in my glass usually features a grape variety from the lunatic fringe rather than something more modestly mainstream.  I guess that makes me a card carrying fanatic of the “anything but chardonnay” sect, and, quite frankly, I wouldn’t do it any other way. 

Yes, oaky, buttery chardonnay lovers, who swear that they won’t be swayed from their steadfast devotion to their varietal of choice, I’m talking to you.  There’s nothing wrong with enjoying your, creamy, toasty, pear-infused nectar with a perfectly matched Lobster Newburg or delicate Poached Salmon with Caper Butter sauce.  But, seriously!  Some of you drink it day after day or night after night (with the wrong food pairings even!) afraid to leave your comfort zone for a bolder, more enticing choice.

And perhaps it’s unfair to single out the chardonnay drinkers out there, when there’s also a fair number of pinot grigio and sauvignon blanc quaffers with staid taste buds hankering for a sip of something on the far side of ordinary.  It is you I invite to take a walk on the wild side because “variety is the spice of life”, you know.  There is an endless array of tasty, lesser known, whites to enjoy.  So let’s throw caution to the wind, shall we?

Let me suggest a refreshing glass of Albarino for your flavor-questing palate.  Here’s a grape that hails from Galicia in Northwest Spain, specifically from the region of Rias Baixas.  This is not the dry, arid, sun-drenched part of Spain, but rather cool, misty, emerald-green rolling hills, with ancient castles dotted along the Atlantic Coast.  Think Celtic rather than Conquistador.  In fact, the land is a bit more Ireland-like than Spanish (though fortunately it’s slightly warmer to the benefit of its indigenous grape).  

Albarino produces a zesty wine, with an inviting, aromatic perfume reminiscent of white flowers and almonds, with intense citrus, apple, and peach fruit.  It’s the perfect match for the fresh seafood that Galicia is famous for but also works well with chicken, pork loin, risotto, paella, tapas, a wide variety of white cheeses, pasta with butter or cream sauces, and even apple tarts.  As you can see, it’s pretty versatile.

Looking to try this unusual white? Great examples can be had for less than $16.  ABCFWS carries two very good ones from Burgans and Martin Codax.  Cheers!

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida     

Every New Year’s Eve, while I should be coming up with life-changing resolutions, one idea that always pops into my mind has to do with the quality of wines I enjoy during the month of December…. but not, or not as frequently, in the other eleven months. More friends over, more worthwhile occasions, sure….. I would bet most of you open your better bottles during the Holidays, and probably more of them, too.

 Which leads me to my top wine of 2010….I opened quite a few nice Burgundies this December, but I think I will choose my top wines of the vintage from earlier in the year, since the better wines are less frequent, and just maybe a little more memorable because of it.

 Best white wine of 2010…..

1996 Jacques Prieure Chevalier-Montrachet. I had been saving this 14 year old chardonnay for quite some time, and the opportunity to pull the cork came one evening with Jim Greeley, Wine Super at ABC. We paired it with some fresh shrimp sautéed with a splash of the wine, some garlic, olive oil and saffron. Beautiful wine, powerful and elegant, as good as one could expect chardonnay to be, although it faded rather quickly, and the next morning it could have passed for a good sherry!

 Best red wine of 2010…..

2001 Chateau Cheval-Blanc. I opened many wonderful reds in the past year, some with pedigrees alongside that of Cheval Blanc, but this one bottle really stood out. A friend of mine and I shared it over lunch a few months back, at a sidewalk café in Kissimmee, just south of Orlando. We sat outside, since the weather was perfect, and had it with shrimp salad. The wine was fresh and alive, just the right temperature so the cabernet franc simply jumped from the glass. Balanced and elegant, yet powerful…everything in place. It is wine like this that keeps us coming back.

--Shayne Hebert, Wine Supervisor, Central/Coastal Florida

What a wonderful Christmas!  Great family, food, fun and fabulous wine!  Our traditional prime rib this year weighed in at a whopping 18 pounds!  Most of the grandkids are teenagers now and can they eat! 

On past holidays, I gave small sips of wine to my kids.  Now that they are grown, I get to set the table with a wine glass at every place setting, although most of my family falls into the "novice" class when it comes to wine.

First challenge: I had to find something red and on the sweet side for some of my guests (not all of them like wine).  Recently, we got a new Italian wine: Costarosa Sangue Di Giuda (D.O.C.) . The varietals in it are Barbera, Croatina Uva rara, Vespolina and Pinot Nero.  The taste is sweet , like a sweet grape juice and great for dessert, but also nice with a meal for those who don't normally drink red wine.  

Everyone loved it!  One bottle for eleven didn't go far, but everyone got a sip.

We also had a bottle of 2005 Collalto Cabernet Sauvignon which was the favorite of mine with the prime rib.  Rich and smooth with appropriate tannins for the meat.  A second bottle of wine was opened; again, Italian.  La Gerla Rosso Montalcino, 2007.  Another winning selection for dinner.  This wine was medium bodied and had intense fruit.  My novice wine drinkers favored this one out of the two dry wines.  Eventually, they'll come to love and enjoy dry, red wine as much as I. I'm sure of it, but until then, it's good to have choices!

Marie, Northwest Florida Wine Supervisor

Expand your horizons, I tell myself. Take a leap into the not-so-known (the unknown is a little too scary for me).

In the world of wine, spirits, and beers, that’s actually fairly easy to do. Many spirits are available in small (single-shot, or 50ml “miniature”) bottles—just right for trying a new flavor or brand without spending a lot of money.

Even those that don’t come in small bottles can be not-so-scary if you start with what you like, ask some questions, and remember to drink “up” if you aren’t sure.

First, what’s your goal? To find something that’s a better value than what you’ve been drinking? In that case, asking a few questions can go a long way. Let the associate helping you know what you like to drink: there are a lot more options for vodka to put in a screwdriver than, perhaps, in a martini, where every nuance of flavor is going to come through.

If you want to explore different flavors and styles, shopping “up” whenever possible is a good idea, because that’s where you’re more likely to find the interesting variations. Take rum or bourbon, for example. Small batch productions will be pricier, but they’re also going to have more character—they’re less “mixing spirits” than “sippin’ whiskey,” as my grandfather would put it.

If you’re a Scotch drinker, perhaps this is the year to break into single malts. Or do a Scotch club with friends and taste across the regions (just how does Islay Scotch differ from, say, a Highland malt? Not in theory, but in your mouth?), or even compare within a region. Laphroaig and Bunnahabhain are both from Islay; do they taste the same? What about Speyside Scotches Macallan and Glenlivet?

It’s a new year: make a resolution to try something new.