Brew Hops & Wine Stops

I like beer. Wherever I go I search for new beers to try, and will often stash a beer or two for later enjoyment.  This is how I found myself staring at a glass of Victory Golden Monkey.  The beer had been in my closet since November, and I felt the summer weather warranted a Belgian style ale so I put it in the fridge for about twenty minutes to chill before pouring into a pint glass.

            Located in Downingtown, PA, Victory Brewing produces several year round ales and lagers.  Golden Monkey is a Belgian Tripel ale brewed with spices.  It pours a golden straw color with a fair amount of haze and a moderate white head.  Carbonation is lively, but the beer does not lace the glass thoroughly.  A biscuit nose, warm with spice, leads to a malty sweet flavor that is accentuated by the spices added to the beer.  Brewed with German two row malt, European hops, and Belgian yeast this beer is balanced and satisfying, but should be enjoyed in moderation as this beer clocks in at 9.5% abv. This would be a good choice for anyone who likes wheat beer.  A good transition beer for someone curious about Belgian ales.

            Overall I was very happy with this beer.  It had been some time since my last Belgian ale and I had forgotten how satisfying they can be.  A tripel ale is so named due to the traditional brewing process that uses three times the malt than a standard beer has.  They should be bright yellow to gold in color.  The head should be copious and dense.  The yeast strain used often imparts a spicy complexity to the beer, and yeasty, bready, and fruity flavors are often apparent.  A large amount of hops is used to balance the sweetness from the huge malt bill.  Some triples have Belgian candy sugar added to lighten the body and this will often add complexity to the aromas and flavors.  Spices may be added.  These beers are very high in alcohol, ranging from 8.0-12% abv.

Op uw gezondheid!

Beer blogger Jason Holland is an associate at ABC Fine Wine and Spirits in Oviedo

There are over 5,000 varieties of grapes used for making wine. The other day I tried testing myself to see if I could name at least one grape for every letter of the alphabet. (Well, you’ve got to do something while you’re driving!) The following list is what I came up with. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I confess I had to do a little research for the more difficult letters.

            But first, why not test yourself. Cover the right three-quarters of your computer screen with a sheet of paper and see what you come up with ---

A    is for Albariño (Alvarinho in Portugal), Aligoté, Arneis, and Airén.

B    is for Barbera, Brachetto, Bourbelenc, and Bastardo.

C    is for Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc, Corvina, Cortese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Cinsaut, and Côt.

D    is for Dolcetto, Dornfelder, and Durif.

E    is for Elbling and Espadeiro.

F    is for Furmint, Frappato, and Frontignan.

G    is for Gamay, Grenache (or Garnacha), Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, Garganega, Grignolino, and my newly found favorite Godello.

H    is for Hanepoot and Helfensteiner.

I    is for Inzolia.

J    is for Jurancon Noir and Juzna Morava.

K     is for Kekfrankos, Kadarka, and Kerner.

L    is for Lambrusco, Lagrein, and Lemberger.

M    is for Merlot, Malbec, Mourvedre, Marsanne, Malvasia, Muscat (or Moscato), Muscadelle, Muscadet (or Melon de Bourgogne), Macabeo, Mauzac, Montepulciano, Monastrell, Moschofilero, and Müller-Thurgau.

N    is for Nebbiolo, Nero d’Avola, Negroamaro, and Nosiolo.

O    is for Olasz Rizling.

P    is for Pinot Noir, Palamino, Primitivo, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris (Grigio), Pinot Meunier, Petit Verdot, Pinotage, Picpoul, Prosecco, Paralleda, Pedro Ximenez, and Pais.

Q    must remain a Question: Do you know any wine grapes that start with a Q? I don’t.

R    is for Riesling, Rondinella, Rousanne, Refosco, Ribolla Gialla, and Rivaner.

S    is for Syrah (or Shiraz), Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Silvaner, Schioppettino, Spätburgunder, St-Laurent, and Steen.

T    is for Tempranillo, Trebbiano, Touriga Nacional, Teroldego, Torrontes, and Tannat.

U    is for Ugni Blanc and Uva Rara.

V    is for Verdelho, Viognier, Vermentino, Verdicchio, Viura, and Vidal.

W    is for Weissburgunder and Welschriesling.

X    is for Xarel-lo.

Y    is for Yellow Muscat. And –

Z     is for Zinfandel and Zweigelt.

So what’s the point? The point is that there’s a whole world of wines out there to try and enjoy. Many of these grape varieties can be found, at least in blends, at your local ABC. Others are difficult but not impossible to find. So many people get stuck in the rut of buying Chardonnay or Cabernet or Merlot or Pinot Grigio. Why not give your taste buds a treat tonight and try a type of wine you’ve never had before. You could very well find you have a new favorite!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

Tasted again, true again... the wines from Cave de Rasteau are still on top of my list of “every-day-favorites”.  They are well crafted, complement a multitude of dishes or are easily enjoyable on their own and are a great bargain at $10.99. Grenache-based wines are no longer a well-kept secret of a few initiated connoisseurs.  White, red or trendy rosé wines from Grenache are in high demand. This is an opportunity to enjoy quality wine for the price of a generic label one.

Atanas Nechkov, Wine Supervisor, Central Florida

I was teaching a wine class on Italy the other day and after the class one of the students pulled me aside and asked me a question on pairing wine with food. In the class I spoke at length about the importance of wine as part of the meal at the Italian table. Typically, a question on pairing wine and food would not have been so challenging, but this student was a vegetarian, vegan at that. The first thing I had to consider was the wine itself, since most wines are fined and filtered to remove cloudiness and particulates, and the fining process uses egg whites: a vegan no-no. So just finding wines that fell into the vegan category turned out to be much more difficult than matching the wines with the meal. Of course, another challenge was finding vegan wines that were available in the market, i.e. wines that ABC carry. So this is what I have come up with:

 For a sparkling wine, which always makes a great starter to a meal, you can try Piper-Heidsieck, Moet & Chandon Champagne or J Sparkling Wine. Serve this with a fresh fruit like strawberries drizzled with Balsamic vinegar, walnuts and freshly ground pepper.

 As a wine option to serve with this Spinach Salad try Snoqualmie or Sineann Riesling:

•  1 Lb. baby spinach


• ¼ cup toasted pine nuts


• ½ cup raisins

Dressing:

• 2 tbls. Olive oil


• 2 tbls. Red wine vinegar


• 2 tbls. Maple syrup


• 4 tbls. Apple juice


• ½ tsp. ground black pepper

  For dinner, a red wine to serve with Eggplant "Parmesan" would be a Tuscan wine from Querciabella or a Spanish Rioja. The Reserva from Marques de Caceres would be a good choice.

 Sauce:

• Olive oil, as needed


• 1 onion chopped


• 1 bell pepper


• ½ lb. mushrooms sliced


• 1 clove garlic minced


• 14 ounce can chopped tomatoes


• 14 ounce can tomato sauce


• Oregano, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper to taste

 Eggplant:

• 1 eggplant sliced ½ inch thick


• soy milk as needed


• flour as needed


• Oregano, salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste


• Bread crumbs as needed


• Vegan parmesan or mozzarella – optional

 Saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil. Add in mushrooms and garlic, cook till done. Add in tomatoes, herbs and simmer while you prepare eggplant.

 Mix together flour, garlic salt, oregano and pepper for dredging. Dip both sides of eggplant in soy milk. Dredge in flour mixture, repeat. Then dip into the milk and dredge in the breadcrumbs. Fry both sides in a pre-heated, oiled skillet then remove to paper towels to drain.

 Put two to three pieces per serving on a plate, cover with sauce, sprinkle with vegan cheese if desired.

 These are all fairly easy recipes and the wines to go with them are delicious. If you have any other good food & wine pairings that would fit the vegan diet, please post them on this blog for our readers that are on the lookout for some fresh ideas.

 Ken Amendola, Wine Supervisor, N. Florida

I hear the question all the time from our guests,"What wine should I serve with {fill in the blank }? While I always try to offer some suggestions, I also tell anxious shoppers not to stress. There are no set in stone rules to wine and food pairing. I'm sure there are a number of sommeliers who make their living partnering wine and food that would tell me I don't know what I'm talking about. I agree there are some classics that seem to work well all the time; Chablis with oysters, Sancerre with goat cheese, but for the most part I tell people to drink what they enjoy. If you like chardonnay with your steak or cabernet with your mahi-mahi, go for it. Don't be intimidated into purchasing a wine you won't enjoy yourself.

OK now that I've debunked the whole wine and food pairing profession I can also attest to the fact that there are times when dining out that a wine and food go so well together that it inspires me to try to replicate the experience at home. One of the prerequisites of attempting to prepare a recipe at home is that it must be fairly simple. I enjoy cooking but would never consider myself a chef.

This past April I had dinner at Antico Caffe Dante in Verona. Our host, Fernando Cattani ordered Risotto all'Amarone along with a bottle of 2005 Tommasi Amarone. It was one of the most memorable dishes I had on the trip.

3/4 cup amarone
5 cups beef stock
4 tbsp. beef marrow (from 2–3 marrowbones)
4 tbsp. butter
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups vialone nano or other Italian risotto rice
3 oz. grana padano or parmigiano-reggiano, grated
Salt
Leaves from 3 sprigs parsley, finely chopped

1. Bring wine and stock to a simmer in two separate pots, then keep both warm over low heat.

2. Put marrow, 2 tbsp. of the butter, and onions into a heavy medium pot over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until onions are soft, 8–10 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring to coat with the butter and fat, for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is almost completely absorbed, about 30 seconds. Add a ladleful of stock at a time, stirring constantly; wait until almost all of the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Continue cooking and adding stock (you may have some stock left over) until rice is tender but firm to the bite, about 25 minutes.

3.Remove pot from heat and vigorously stir in remaining butter and the cheese. Season to taste with salt. Divide evenly between 4 plates and garnish with parsley.

You can substitute olive oil for the bone marrow if you choose. I also have a hard time pouring 3/4 of a cup of Amarone at $50 plus per bottle  into a recipe. Try using a wine labeled "ripasso" in place of the Amarone.

As for the wine itself there a a number of good quality Amaroni in our stores. Look for Allegrini, Bertani, Castellane, Masi, Tommasi, Zenato and Zonin.

Paul Quaglini

WS SE Florida

Today I would like to talk about two high alcohol and hard-to-find beer styles, the barleywine and the wheatwine.  These are some of the strongest and most intense beer styles.  They boast flavors ranging from jammy fruit to resiny hops to mocha chocolate.  The complexity is usually unmatched in most other beer styles and they are challenging to the palate.  This style gets better with age, like wine, and can be cellared for many years.   There are two versions, American and English.  The American versions are usually much more hopped and bitter, packed with high alpha oil hops.  The English versions are more balanced between the malt and hops, but massive amounts of each are used.

Wheatwines are similar to barleywines but instead of barley malts, wheat malts are used.  This style is fairly new to the world of beer and very rare.  I was lucky to procure Terrapin’s “Gamma Ray”, a powerful wheatwine brewed with honey.  I will now do a real-time sampling, which will also be a first because I have never had this style of beer before.   If you are in the Gainesville area, it is now offered at my store on Archer road. 

Terrapin is a great little brewery out of Athens, Georgia.  They have a wonderful line of extreme beers such as “Monk’s Revenge” a Belgian style IPA, “Rye Squared” a rye imperial pale ale, “Hopsecutioner” a delicious double IPA, “Hop Karma” an Indian brown ale, and “Wake-N-Bake” a coffee imperial oatmeal stout. 

Gamma Ray is a hefty 10.8 ABV.  The colorful label illustrates a neon green lightning bolt brandishing, superhero turtle with Geordi La Forge looking glasses.  There is a plug for the Savannah Bee Company stating the honey used in the brew was produced locally from there.

Appearance – I am using my smaller Maudite goblet for this one.  It almost looks like thin honey as I watch it cascade out of the bottle.  The head quickly fizzes to nothing.  Holding it to the light produces an awesome burnt orange glow.

Smell – Whoa, I can smell the aroma before I put it to my nose.  Flowery honey is prevalent (think mead).  I notice a hint of orange blossom, banana, and some bready malts.

Taste – A fluffy fruit and wheat combination hits first.  Honey sneaks in second leaving a sweetness on my lips.  The finish falls flat a little but goes down smooth despite the high alcohol with a pleasant carbonation.  The honey is coating my lips like a sugary chap stick.  It seems to separate from the brew as I roll it over my tongue, a very interesting sensation. 

Well I am happy to say this is my very first wheatwine and I definitely enjoyed it.  I would suggest this to any mead lover.  Some barleywines located at a handful of ABCs include Sierra Nevada “Big Foot”, which is at the store on 34^th street in Gainesville.  Also, Avery Brewing Company “Hog Heaven”,   Lagunitas “Olde Gnarly Wine” and Flying Dog Brewery “Horn Dog”, an English style one.

Beer blogger Adam Shugan lives for beer in Gainesville, Florida

Prologue:  File this under “strange but true”.  At the conclusion of Day 1’s Cava tasting and sumptuous lunch, the entire group had the evening off before setting out on the crux of our journey.  I chose to retire to my hotel room and catch up on a bit of rest (still needing to shed a little jet lag).  It was 5 PM local time and I was hoping to get a few hours of shut-eye and then check out the tapas scene in Zaragoza.  I set my alarm for 7 AM the next morning just in case I zonked out.  We were slated to leave the hotel at 8 AM.    

I awoke from a dead sleep at 7:45.  The dim morning light was peering through the drapes into my room.  How did I over sleep?  No matter.  I put on a fresh set of clothes and proceeded downstairs to the lobby to meet the group.  However, when I reached the lobby I noticed something quite surreal: no one in my travel troupe was there.

Instead, I witnessed a parade of people in dinner jackets and evening dress shuffling off to the hotel dining room.  Outside, people were gathering at the local square for café and cocktails.  Dumbstruck, I had to pause to gather myself.  It wasn’t 8 AM the next day but 8 PM the same evening! 

(BTW, the sun stays out until nearly 10 PM in Spain this time of year).

Day 2 (Part 1): Campo de Borja

After a bite of tapas and a full night’s sleep (sort of), I awake at Hotel Palafox and prepare for first full day of winery visits.  All members of our group meet in the hotel lobby at 8 AM and board the bus for the hour and a half drive north from Zaragoza to Campo de Borja for scheduled appointments with Bodegas Borsao and Alto Moncayo. 

We arrive seemingly at the junction of anywhere and somewhere: a fork in the road outside of the tiny village of Fuendejalon where we meet Borsao GM Jose Miguel Sanmartin.  Back in 2002 Señor Sanmartin partnered with Jorge Ordonez, noted Australian winemaker Chris Ringland and Dan Phillips of Grateful Palate Imports to create the Alto Moncayo brand. 

We pile out of the bus and pair off into awaiting courtesy cars to tour some of the old vine Grenache plots that comprise the three Alto Moncayo bottlings (Veraton, Alto Moncayo and Aquilon) and Borsao Tres Picos.  The weather is hot and sunny (like Florida in July but without the humidity). 

 

The vineyards are all old vine Grenache ranging from 45 to 100 years.  The vines are pruned into the classic bush-vine configuration which allows for good canopy development to keep the fruit from getting an unwanted suntan.  The vineyards are a mixture of clay, calcareous and red slate sub-soils with a high iron content.  There is very little annual precipitation here and no irrigation systems installed as a supplement so each vintage is the literal expression of what Mother Nature did or didn’t provide.

 

Before too long our group retreats to Alto Moncayo’s modern but nondescript winery facility in the nearby town of Bulbuente.   Jorge Ordonez treats us to two barrel samples of the 2010 Alto Moncayo, one in French oak and the other in American.  It was a terrific opportunity to taste the separate components of the wine before they’re blended together.  Alto Moncayo is typically a 60/40 ratio of French to American oak.  We also tasted the 2008 and 2009 vintages of Veraton.  All the wines were outstanding modern interpretations of old vine Grenache.

Coming next time: Bodegas Borsao and Jamon Iberico

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor SW Florida

The most recent installment in my quest to discover whether boxed wines live up to their billing, fulfilling my wish to have an easy-drinking table wine that doesn't need to be finished right away.

BOTA BOX MALBEC

DAY 1: Soft and rich, slightly off-dry with nice cedar, spice aromas and flavors. Medium body and pleasant, it finishes with spice and cocoa. Not my style, but very tasty (as I have found most all of the BotaBox wines so far).

DAY 3: Has a slightly meaty aroma, not gamey, but like Mourvedre, a bacon/smoked quality. Nice freshness, and like the other BotaBox wines, just a hint off-dry but full of varietal flavor.

DAY 5: Has pretty much the same aromatic quality, still fresh and very easy to enjoy.

DAY 9: Same flavors, ripe and soft, and even though the simple flavors are pretty straightforward, they are still easy to appreciate and holding well.

DAY 12: Has lost a touch of its vibrancy, still good though. The flavors are fading and becoming more one dimensional, but I do like the fact that I can still enjoy it without thinking too much.

DAY 14: Last glass, OK but not too exciting now. Drinkable, and not offensive, nice with pizza and two weeks is longer than anyone should need to drink this up.

Very nice, I will buy it again!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

 
   
 
 

I just got back from a wine trip to Lake County, California, having no idea it was going to be one of the most beautiful wine areas I've ever been to!  It's one of the newest and fastest growing wine regions in California.

Many of the vineyards are situated on the hillsides of "Clear Lake," which has more than 68 square miles of surface area and 100 miles of shoreline.  It's the largest natural freshwater lake in California and at an estimated two million years old, it's also one of the oldest lakes in North America.

It sits at the foot of Mt. Konocti, a dorment multiple volcano, from which it gets the rocky, red volcanic soil in many vineyards.  These soils along with warm, sunny days and cool evenings have created an ideal envirement for quality grape growing.

Our hosts were Clay and Margarita Shannon, owners of Vigilance, Shannon Ridge and Cross Springs wineries and vineyards.  Their vision of farming, using sustainable practices to preserve the land and wildlife, was seen as we ventured out on their property.  Clay uses sheep to keep weeds down instead of mechanical mowing and also gets a bonus in natural fertilizer and wool!  All fungicides are organic as well.

Of course the meat from the lamb was fabulous along with the multitude of delicious wines we drank from his vineyards. Have your wine consultant point out their red wines: great with grilled meat!

Marie, Wine Supervisor, North/West Coast Florida

 It’s summer. It’s hot. You’re hosting a party and want something a little different on the drinks menu, but …. It’s hot.

 Maybe it’s time to pick up some cordials and liqueurs.

 Nothing says summer like fruit flavors, and liqueurs in general are a fantastic way to mix up some lighter, refreshing cocktails, either in flavors you can’t quite manage otherwise, or with a little less alcohol—a great option when it’s so hot outside. Lower-alcohol drinks can be more refreshing and they can be lower in calories, without slowing you down. Not all of them are light on the proof, of course, but all of them pack in the flavor.

 Mixing fruit flavored liqueurs such as peach schnapps (Dekuyper Peach is a classic choice with orange) with fruit juice will give you a light, refreshing cocktail; add an ounce of Watermelon Pucker to vodka with ice in a shaker and pour out a watermelon martini. Another favorite is to add an ounce of 99 Blackberries to lemon-lime soda for an Italian soda with a twist. Muddle some fresh berries into the bottom if you like.

 New to our shelves is Fragoli Wild Strawberry liqueur in a smaller size if you’ve been putting off buying a full-size bottle. Add an ounce to 4 ounces of prosecco (we love Collalto!) for the perfect brunch or cocktail hour sparkler.  Popular in Italy, a prosecco spritzer made with 2 parts Aperol, 3 parts prosecco, a splash of soda over ice.

You can add another touch of fruit by freezing fruit into ice cubes for any drink you'll be pouring over ice--anything from lemonade to a mixed drink. Simply fill the ice cube tray about 1/3 full with water and freeze partly (just under solid is perfect). Add the fruit: a small lemon slice, raspberry, even maraschino cherries if the recipe calls for them. Then finish filling the tray with water and freeze.

Don't you just love summer?

UPDATE: reviews below

It's summer again and time to enjoy some of the best of what Florida has to offer. Swimming at the beach or lying by the pool is a great way to spend the warmer months of the year. Glass bottles, much less proper glassware, are not always appropriate for such occasions. Even the beaches that allow alcohol don’t allow glass bottles. What is a devotee of beer to do? Never fear, more and more breweries are seeing the benefits of canned beer and your friendly neighborhood ABC has you covered.

Magic Hat from Vermont has recently started canning their #9, and Harpoon, Boston’s other micro, cans their IPA as well as their Summer Beer. The most ubiquitous supporter of the trend is Oskar Blues out of Colorado; their entire line is available exclusively in cans.

Next time you’re thinking about having an outdoor get-together, and glass isn't an option (or the best option) delight your friends with a high quality canned beer.

  UPDATE: Just sat down to write the reviews for these and thought I should add some here--check these out: and remember, you don't actually have to wait for a reason to skip the bottled beers!

  Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale

This pale amber beer is full of pine, citrus and pineapple in the nose. Loads of pineapple, citrus, pine in the mouth with a light grassy finish make a very drinkable beer for any occasion, especially poolside. This is what canned beer aspires to be.

Magic Hat #9

Pours a nice light golden color that opens with notes of sweet malt and light stone fruit, notably apricot. Even the smell is refreshing. Light sweetness on entry, followed by a bit of apricot and a little more fruity sweetness. There is a hint of floral hop character hiding in there as well. This is a great "gateway beer".

Harpoon Summer Beer

This Kölsch pours light yellow with a cloud-like head. The nose is full of fresh grain, straw and pear while the flavor reflects crisp Granny Smith apple, sweet malt, and a hint of very light grassy bitterness to balance the flavors. Refreshing falls short of describing a nearly perfect taste of summer in the form of a little-known beer style.

Beer blogger Stephen Schmitt is an associate at our Fletcher Avenue, Tampa, ABC Fine Wine and Spirits store.

This past week I had the pleasure of spending a few days in the beautiful town of Naples in southwest Florida with my colleague and friend Shayne Hebert. The purpose of our visit was work-related. (Actually we were filling in for a third colleague and friend Jim Greeley who – poor guy – had to go to Spain to taste great wines and wonderful food. It’s a tough job, and etc….) However, knowing Shayne as well as I do, I was also aware that at least a part of our visit would be dedicated to good food and wine. And so it was.

            The first evening we went to I M Tapas on 4^th Avenue North. We weren’t particularly hungry, but were looking for a light and delicious snack – quality rather than quantity. We asked if we could take a few tapas back to our hotel where we had a couple of bottles of wine waiting. Everyone at the restaurant was very kind and accommodating, and it wasn’t long before we were back at the hotel with a number of small boxes filled with culinary treasures.

            We began with a bottle of Carteres Tavel. This was only fitting because by Shayne’s count he and I drink about three-quarters of all the dry rosé that comes into Florida. And Tavel of course is one of France’s premier rosés – slightly weightier than many others but still extremely easy on the palette and a pleasure to imbibe. What a great aperitif it was and how well dry rosé pairs with so many foods!

            We opened each box as if it were a gift, which indeed it was. First – a variety of Spanish olives and marcona almonds in a sweet garlic sauté. The secret here – besides offering quality produce – was that the olives were slightly warmed. The marcona almonds – often called the queen of almonds – were rounder, softer, and slightly sweeter than other varieties – delicious.

            Next we had Barquarónes al ajillo – uncooked white anchovies seasoned with garlic. Anchovies are an extremely healthy food – packed with proteins and minerals that can reduce heart problems – but that wasn’t the reason we ordered two servings. We just knew they’d be mindblowingly tasty.

            With it we had some Jamon Serrano, 18 months cured and (my choice) Morcilla which is a delicious blood sausage. I was raised on blood sausage (aka black pudding or boudin noir) and was happy that Shayne was willing to try it and indeed enjoyed it. To finish we had asked our host to let us try an interesting and unusual Spanish cheese. What she offered truly fit the bill. Majorero (pronounced ma-ho-RER-o) is an unpasteurized white goat milk cheese from the island of Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. It is a semi-firm cheese with milky, nutty flavors and a little spiciness as it is rubbed with pimento. Along with some fine conversation and a little more wine it was the conclusion of a very enjoyable evening.

            After another hard day’s toil Shayne and I decided to walk around town and find another restaurant for dinner. There are no shortages of fine restaurants in downtown Naples, but somehow we found our feet heading back to I M Tapas for another friendly greeting.

            We started with a glass of Castelo de Papa Godello which I fell in love with. Godello (pronounced go-DAY-o) is a white grape found in northwestern Spain, especially in the Valdeorras region of Galicia. It is also grown in Portugal under the name Gouveio. It has beautiful aromas of white peach, lemon and wild flowers and a pleasant minerality. The principal white grape from this area is Albariño which is beginning to have a true cult following now. Godello could be next. (Note to self: Don’t forget to mention to Brad, our Director of Wine, just how good Godello is!)

            Food-wise, we started with Isabel’s Salad – organic baby arugula tossed with Jamon Serrano, Majorero cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and raspberry compote. We followed this with artichoke hearts, stem in, filled with Serrano and Manchego in a garlic fume.

            Moving on to red wine I ordered a glass of G5 Vinos sin Ley, which was 100% Garnacha from 120 year old vines near Madrid. Vinos sin Ley means “wines without law”. They are the result of winemakers who want to make new wine that is value-oriented, driven by innovation, and using unconventional methods of winemaking. The result was a truly tasty surprise. Shayne meanwhile ordered a glass of Sao Coupage 2006 from Catalunya which also worked very well with the food. We had some Spanish sausage with a sweet relish, followed by D.O. Piquillo peppers stuffed with salt cod and drizzled with pepper and tomato coulis. Piquillo peppers are a variety of chili from northern Spain. They are sweet and spicy and high in fiber and Vitamin C. They also just melted in your mouth and as far as I’m concerned worked just as well as a dessert. We certainly didn’t need to follow it with anything, except perhaps more wine.

            Back at the hotel we opened a bottle of Chateau des Landes Lussac-St. Emilion 2009. A blend of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc, it showed supple plum notes, excellent structure and ripe tannins and was certainly worth the $16.99 we paid for it.

Bill Stobbs, ABC Wine Supervisor

The vineyards of the Northern Rhône Valley are amongst France’s oldest ones, planted to the vine since before Roman times. Here the river valley is narrow and the vineyards are located on its steep banks of granite and schist soil. The red wines come from a single variety, Syrah, synonymous with Côte Rôtie, Hermitage red, Cornas etc. The whites are made from mostly Marsanne; Viognier is used to make Condrieu and Château-Grillet. Both reds and whites from the Northern Rhône Valley are considered some of world’s best wines, not always well known by the general public, but highly sought after by connoisseurs, fine-dinning restaurants and other sommeliers.

Our ABC wine team has visited the Rhône Valley on numerous occasions the most recent of which in June 2011 gave us the opportunity to visit several wine estates including the Durand winery in Cornas. The village of Cornas gave its name to the small appellation of 230 acres of steep slopes of granite soil planted solely to the Syrah.

The two brothers, Eric and Joël Durand run this family estate, crafting some of the regions best wines from the appellations of Cornas and Saint Joseph. The Durands make 3 different cuvees of Cornas; the largest production is called “Les Empreintes” of which the 2009 vintage received a commanding 93-96 points from Robert Parker. A must taste is the 2007 Les Empreintes, currently available at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. 2007 was one of the area’s best vintages in recent history and is one of my all-time favorite Syrahs. The wine exhibits dark ruby color, round, generous and powerful with silky tannins and gobs of black fruit on the long-lasting finish. The Wine Spectator rated this wine 92 points. I am currently enjoying the last few bottles of Les Empreintes 2006, showing its best 5 years after harvest.

Atanas Nechkov, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

What makes a great summer glass of wine?  First, I guess the heat of summer would be a good start and, with it now being July in Florida, all you need now are some wine ideas. Next, I would have a bunch of friends to enjoy the celebration of summer and wine. These are a few that I would recommend:

 A terrific warm weather wine choice is Sauvignon Blanc from the New Zealand wine region of Marlborough. This area is located in the northern part of the south island of New Zealand. These wines are very light, bright and food friendly. They are almost always done without the burden of oak-aging which really shows the grapefruit, pear and tropical fruit character of the wine. These make great wines to enjoy nice and chilled with fun times and friends.

   One of these enjoyable wines is Young Meg Sauvignon Blanc. It is full-flavored, steely crisp and at around $12.00 not hard at all on the wallet. It has been a New Zealand staple for a few years now, and  is a wine that goes perfectly with a fresh summer salad, chilled shrimp or all by itself to enjoy all the splendid summer flavors the wines from Marlborough have to offer. Another wine that you may want to try is Konrad Sauvignon Blanc. This a little more money at around $16.00, but for that few more dollars you get an explosive blast of fruit, acidity and pure wine drinking pleasure. This is a wine that makes your mouth start to water as soon as you get the glass near your nose.

 If your white wine drinking has only gone as far as Chardonnay, please do yourself a favor and go in a completely different direction and try these ultra-crisp, lip-smacking fruit bombs that are really made for this oppressively hot weather we are going to be dealing with for the next few months. There are many more choices of Sauv Blanc from New Zealand, but give these two a try and see what all the buzz about these Southern Hemisphere wines is all about.

 Ken Amendola

North Florida, Wine Supervisor

Last October after a visit to the Champagne region of France I wrote about a newly discovered producer for ABC, Charles Mignon Champagne. In looking back at my blog [10/27/2010], I must admit it was pretty lame. It is full of information on Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards as well as lots of meaningless stats that most people could care less about.

I think what most people are concerned about when purchasing Champagne is [unfortunately] the familiarity with the label, and then how the wine tastes. As Charles Mignon is new to the Florida market I know that most of us are not familiar with this label --  please don't let this lack of knowledge prevent you from discovering these spectacular Champagnes.

Charles Mignon is a family run Champagne house managed today by the fourth generation, Bruno Mignon. We are pleased to finally have in stock three wines from Charles Mignon.

The Brut Premier Cru is composed of 75% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay. It has a nose of peach and honey followed by white flowers, butter and brioche notes.

The Cuvee Comte de Marne Brut Premier Cru is composed of 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay, all from premier cru vineyards. A very intense and complex bouquet of acacia and dried flowers with hints of almonds.

The Cuvee Comte de Marne Rose Grand Cru is 55% pinot noir and 45% chardonnay with the addition of 15% Bouzy Rouge to obtain color. Very intense and complex...maybe the best rose champagne I have ever tasted.

These are hand crafted champagnes where the production is intentionally limited in order to meet the expectations of the true wine lover.

Paul Quaglini

SE Florida WS

Today’s blog is on the “Wee Heavy” Scotch Ale style, which is the Scottish version of a Strong Ale.  Although it is not a summer style, I have one from Hoppin’ Frog brewery to review.

Wee Heavys traditionally go through a long boil in the brew kettles for a caramelization of the wort. This produces a deep copper to brown colored brew. Compared to regular Scottish Ales, they are sweeter, fuller-bodied, and higher in alcohol content. The taste has mostly malty caramel and roasted malt flavors.

Upon inspection of the label of Hoppin’ Frog “Outta Kilter Wee Heavy Scotch-Style Red Ale” (that’s a mouthful!), I find that it is 8.2% ABV. 

Appearance – Pours an iced tea color with a quick fizzing one-finger head...and now it is gone.  Holding it to the light I see an orange color eerily similar to the Triaminic cold and allergy medicine I used to take as a kid.

Smell – With a deep whiff, I get burnt caramel, raisons, cinnamon, and a hint of gingerbread.

Taste – The first sip is nice.  I do detect the hint of rye that is stated on the bottle.  They claim it is “Scotch-like”, but I get little to no smokiness or peatiness.  The second sip invokes a pleasant raison-y caramel taste.  This is very drinkable for its high alcohol content.  As I continue to imbibe, the bite of the rye and the caramel malts dominate. 

All around, this is a good brew by Hoppin’ Frog.  I do like the taste of Scotch, so I am a little disappointed this brew is lacking that.  For a very good actual Wee Heavy from Scotland, try Orkney Brewery “Skullsplitter”.  Other examples of the style you may find in your local ABC’s beer section include Samuel Adams “Wee Heavy” (Imperial Series), Oskar Blues “Old Chub”, McEwans Scotch Ale, Belhaven “Wee Heavy”, and Erie Brewing Company “Ol’ Red Cease and Desist." 

Adam Shugan

Wine Supervisor James Greeley is traveling in Spain this month ....

Day 1: The trek across Spain begins: Madrid to Zaragoza

I arrived in Madrid early Saturday morning a little sleep deprived after the long flight but no worse for wear; part of small group of 16 American wine professionals mostly from Florida but also Boston, Chicago and Houston.  We caught up with importer Jorge Ordonez and trip organizer JC Marin at the airport and suddenly learned about the first unplanned wrinkle in the trip itinerary.  It appears we won't be going to Penedes.   

We board the tour bus bound for Zaragoza instead.  It’s quite roomy with comfy leather seats (I didn't know Mercedes made full-sized buses!).  It’s nearly a three hour ride to our accommodations at Hotel Palafox (really nice hotel, but with lousy Wi-Fi service).  It’ll be our base for the first two days of the trip.

We arrive at hotel just before noon and have just enough time to freshen up for a tasting and lunch with Maite Esteve of Cava producer Marques de Gelida.  Due to our itinerary change, Maite came up from Penedes (a 2 hour trip for her!!) just so we could taste her wines.  And they are indeed a treat: all made from the traditional Cava varieties Paralleda, Macabeo, and Xerel-lo.

Perhaps I should mention that Cava is the most important sparkling wine of Spain, like Champagne is to France and Prosecco is to Italy.  The best is made in the Penedes region just outside of Barcelona and in my opinion Maite’s is among them.  We tried 5 sparklers and 1 still wine:  the entry level Cava “Kila”, the Brut Exclusive Reserva, the Brut Ecologico Reserva (from 70 year old biodynamically farmed vines), the “Claror” Gran Reserva (also biodynamic), and a 100% Pinot Noir pink hued Rosado Reserva.   The Gran Reserva was my favorite, but all of them were delicious; a perfect foil, too, for the tasty lunch we were served at the hotel restaurant. 

The still wine was a unique dry white made exclusively from 100% Xarel-lo from a portion of the same 70 year old vineyard that makes the Ecologico Reserva.  Lemony, with a wonderfully mineral character and bright acidity, it was the perfect way to end things.

Another installment in my quest to discover if box wines fulfill my desire for easy-drinking every day table wines that last. This time: Black Box Sauvignon Blanc.

DAY 1: Bright herb and grass, gooseberry and slightly grapefruit. Very tasty in this format. Refreshing and food friendly, I really will buy this one again! Let’s see if it holds up.

DAY 3: Same. I am a big Sauvignon blanc fan, but not always of the New Z style, and usually not a fan of any barrel/oak versions…This one is neither, leans a little toward New Z in style, but not so aggressive. More new wave than Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, but still has elegance, as long as you don’t mind the cats' you-know-what.

DAY 5: Holding onto its bright, oakless clean style. Refreshing and crisp (crisp is the key here).

DAY 7: Same

DAY 9: Slightly fading, but still easy and tasty. Nice acidity still, good fruit, but not so much as early on. Almost gone?!?!?!?

DAY 11: Sorry to say it is gone, well before my test time ran its course, which may be the best accolade I can give it. This is one of the better box wines, and I will be buying this one again!

Shayne Hebert, Central Florida Wine Supervisor

I've always been a fan of old movies.  Recently, I watched a 50+ year old movie, "The Sound of Music", probably for the tenth time!  I looked up the actual story about the Von Trapp family, who later settled in Stowe, Vermont, on a farm with a beautiful mountain background, reminiscent of their beloved Austria. 

They welcomed guests to a rustic 27 room home/lodge in the summer of 1950.  In 1980 they had a devastating fire, so they replaced it with a 96 room Alpine lodge.  The property is still owned and operated by the von Trapp family.

So why would I be writing about all this?  In my research, I found  the von Trapps serve one of my favorite wines as their "house wine" at the "lodge".  HOPLER PINOT BLANC !

Many people I talk to about wine have never had interest in Austrian wines and maybe this will spark an interest in some of them to try it.

Pinot Blanc, also known as Weissburgunder, is elegant, clean and crisp with a surprising amount of fruit up front, but truly dry, with a rich, well-balanced mouthfeel. 

Give it a try with shrimp!

Marie, Wine Supervisor, North/West Coast Florida

Are you ready to celebrate this weekend? America turns 235 years old on Monday and we’ve got great deals in our stores and some pairing suggestions from a few of our wine and beer experts to help you rock the BBQ in style!

Wine:

Vigilance Cimarron – This blend of Zinfandel, Petite Syrah, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache is a great match with the foods we love to eat in the summer, especially BBQ! Whether you’re having a big grilled steak or a rack of ribs finished off with your favorite sauce. This medium to full-bodied wine has big, ripe black cherry and raspberry flavors with a nice spicy finish. Ken Amendola, Wine Supervisor, North Florida

 Bramblewood Zinfandel – This American staple for summer grilled food is from Lodi and shows all the fruit, spice and pepper that really makes Zinfandel the perfect food friendly wine for the summer grilling season. Ken Amendola

 Pappas Pinot Blanc - From Willamette Valley, Oregon, this is a dry, crisp white with a nice rich fruity appeal. I would recommend this wine with most seafood from the grill, including fish like snapper and grouper, as well as shrimp. Shayne Hebert, Wine Supervisor, Central Florida

 Wild Oak Zinfandel - From St. Francis winery in Sonoma, California, the Wild Oak Zin has plenty of ripe black fruit aromas and flavors, with nice zinfandel character, including pepper, underbrush and spice. In style, this is the quintessential BBQ and grilling wine for meats, including steaks and chops. Shayne Hebert

 Beer suggestions from our Craft beer experts:

Standard American lagers like Sam Adams or even Budweiser are really good lagers to have with burgers. They have the hints of corn and rice and an overall clean, crispness. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, specifically because its well-balanced hops and malts gives a nice taste to burgers. Pilsners and Kolschs are good, light hopped beers that go well with poultry and fish. They are easy-drinking and refreshing. Sierra Nevada "Summerfest" is an example of a decent Kolsch. Good doppelbocks like Spaten Optimator or Ayinger Celabrator go great with hearty steaks because of their dried fruit malt flavors like dates, figs, prunes, and raisins. Adam Shugan, Gainesville Beer Blogger

 More pairing ideas:

Jai Alai IPA from Cigar City Brewing...pairs with grilled White fish, crab cakes, Thai curry and enchiladas.

Big Sound from Cigar City Brewing ...pairs with smoked meats,venison and Morbier cheese.

Festina Peche from Dogfish Head...pairs with grilled chicken or pork and any light salad.

Billy's Chilies from Twisted Pine...pairs with spicy food and TexMex.

Summer Solstice from Anderson Valley...pairs with burgers and hot dogs. Steve Crowley, Lake Mary

 Our stores will be open their normal Monday hours so you can stop by for any last minute needs (don't forget the ice)! Visit www.abcfws.com for our store locator to find the closest store, our current newspaper ad and our June Wine Country Flyer to find some great deals...prices are good through July 4th.

 Please remember to celebrate safely and responsibly.