Brew Hops & Wine Stops

In the year 2015, you can have your cake, eat it too and stay on track with your healthy resolutions. Well, maybe you can’t have literal cake and stay on track, but you can still enjoy wine, and to us, cake and wine are kind of synonymous. Whether you’re looking for a dry (therefore low sugar) white wine to sip while you follow your diet plan or you’re trying to make the switch to an organic lifestyle, the following options ensure that fitness and taste remain priorities.  

La Cappucina Organic Pinot Grigio

Made entirely from organically grown grapes, this wine exhibits mandarin orange aromas and citrusy flavors. Pinot Grigio is the lowest in sugar of the white varietals and therefore easiest on the waistline! Plus, organic means no pesticides or herbicides were used in the cultivation of the grapes, which means no yucky chemicals will be flowing through your veins! Pair with a baked filet of sea bass or a crispy appetizer of spanakopita for a fit-minded meal.

Skinnygirl Moscato

Being as sweet as Moscato is, one would normally warn away from this wine during a trial of nutritious eating habits, but Skinnygirl has a knack for solving high calorie wine issues. A little effervescence goes a long way on flavor. Pear, peach and mango make for a gentle and all together refreshing mouthful. An assortment of fresh fruits or a plate of crisp veggies with creamy vinaigrette would complement this moscato in a guilt-free way.

Smirnoff Sorbet Light Raspberry Pomegranate

Infused with natural essences of tart pomegranate and juicy sweet raspberry, this 78 calorie per 1.5 oz. vodka is a must-have for anyone who’s health conscious. It’s smooth enough to drink on the rocks and sweet enough to pour into some sparkling water. This drink might be best all on its own, served as a replacement for diet debilitating dessert.  

Fleur Pinot Noir Carneros or Mondavi Pinot Noir Reserve 2011

A dry, full-bodied Pinot Noir might become your new best friend. Red wine contains the most phytochemicals, antioxidants and flavonoids, all of which work miracles in skin aesthetics, free radical prevention and even helps with boosting metabolism. Pinot Noir, however, contains the highest concentrations of resveratrol. This superstar antioxidant is an enzyme found in grape skins, and Pinot Noir blends usually contain more resveratrol than any other red wine. Drink these with anything from a hearty red sauce dish to seared pork chops or lamb.

Ariel Cabernet Sauvignon Non-Alcohol

Some peopleresolve to drink less alcohol. For those brave souls, I present this Ariel Cabernet that’s brimming with black berry complexity, subtle tannins and a smooth finish. It’s still packed with all the metabolic benefits mentioned above and it’s low in sugar, with 65-80% less calories than other reds.  Grilled chicken or filet mignon serve this wine well.

Allie Smallwood

Holidays in hand, it’s safe to say there’s sure to be a flock of succulent fowl featuring prominently on dinner tables throughout the season, be it turkey, chicken, game hen, or quail, etc.  Which wines shall accompany our feathered friends during these festive meals will mostly be a matter of personal preference, taste and budget.  And while I contend that there’s hardly a wrong wine to serve with your holiday feast, there are a few choices that offer a bit more food-friendly flexibility versus some others.

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio’s viticultural cousin, Pinot Blanc is definitely one of these.  Both grapes can trace their origins to Alsatian France.  Pinot Blanc is also significant in Germany and the US, particularly in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Pinot Blanc typically produces a zesty, dry and crisp white wine.  Appreciated for its crunchy apple and citrus profile, it often displays high-toned floral notes with a pleasing wisp of white pepper.  Pinot Blanc is suited to many dishes including seafood and poultry.  It’s focused enough to stand alongside rich cream and butter sauces.  It is also an ideal partner for soft white cheeses.

The charm of Pinot Blanc is perhaps best reflected on its home turf in Alsace.  Since 2011, Philippe & Pascale Zinck have implemented a strict organic and biodynamic agricultural regimen on their vineyards.  Their Domaine Zinck Pinot Blanc Terroir ($13) culminates in a wine alive with the scent of spring flowers, Anjou pear and white plum fruit supported by a fine mineral spine.

Across the Rhine in Germany, Pinot Blanc is traditionally known as Weissburgunder, although you’re less likely to find it bottled under this moniker here in Florida.  Produced in the Rheinhessen, PJ Valckenberg Pinot Blanc ($12) is a solid value, sporting a bright palate of orange zest, white peach, nectarine and slate.

The Willamette Valley is Oregon’s top wine appellation and has long been noted for some of the best examples of Pinot Gris in the US.  Recently, however, there’s been a conscious shift by wineries in the valley toward Pinot Blanc, which seems to better translate the varied volcanic, sedimentary, and loess sub-soils contained within the region.  Athena Pappas and Stuart Boedecker of Boedecker Cellars have created a delightfully juicy Pappas Wine Company Pinot Blanc ($16), offering generous citrus blossom, honeysuckle, melon, quince and wet stone.

Jim Greeley, wine supervisor, SW Florida

Follow me on Twitter @ABCWineJimG

All of us at ABC Wine Country wish you and yours a very happy Thanksgiving! Guessing that you’ve already chosen and most likely enjoyed your Turkey Day wines, we decided to move on to a new topic. Hope you enjoy!

Pinot Grigio? They make oceans of this stuff and it sells like there may well be no tomorrow. At the same time 7 out of 10 self-respecting wine drinkers tend to pooh-pooh it. The next time you’re dining at a prestigious restaurant try asking the sommelier to recommend one. You will likely receive the most withering of glances and be mentally put in that circle of hell reserved for those who imbibe wine coolers and sugary pink wines.

Pinot Gris? Well, that might be a different story. That might be acceptable, except that many novice wine-lovers don’t quite know what it is or how to say it (‘gree’).

The fact is, of course, that the two grapes are exactly the same, ‘grigio’ being the Italian name and ‘gris’ being the French. At face value it’s as simple as that. AND YET – though the grape is exactly the same, in most cases the wine labelled ‘grigio’ will be stylistically very different from the wine called ‘gris.’ So what’s the difference?

Let’s start at the beginning. Gris or grigio - the word translates as gray, which seems to indicate the grape’s gray-blue skin. (Pinot is the French word for pine cone, which may have something to do with the shape of the cluster.) It seems to have originated in Burgundy in the Middle Ages, and from there brought to Hungary and to the Champagne region. In the 16^th century Hungarian plantings found the way back to France, this time to Alsace, where it became one of their noble grapes. For a while the grape gained some prominence and recognition, but by the late 18^th century Pinot Gris fell out of favor in Burgundy and Champagne. It was introduced to Germany in 1711 where it was known as Ruländer (after wine merchant Johann Seger Ruland) or Grauburgunder (‘gray burgundy’), and it was most likely from there that it was brought into northeast Italy, where it still proliferates today.

What is the difference in style? In a nutshell the Italian style is light-bodied, fresh, crisp, dry-ish, with light simple fruit flavors and a pleasing acidity. The French style is rich, full-bodied, fruity, sometimes spicy, with higher alcohol levels, often a hint of oiliness and low acidity. This style can also be subdivided into dry fruity and sweet fruity.

The grape itself has a natural low acidity which is why in the cool higher elevations of northeast Italy it is picked relatively young so that it retains its vibrant acidic qualities. In the warmth of Alsace, on the other hand, the grapes are allowed to ripen longer, which enhances their full-bodied fruitiness and reduces the acidity. Both styles are usually fermented in stainless steel (occasionally in old barrels that impart no wood flavors). The Italian style does not usually go through malolactic fermentation, while the French style often does, giving it a rounder, richer, creamier mouthfeel. The French style is often aged on the lees, which contributes to a greater complexity.

Though we speak of an Italian and a French style, Pinot Gris/Grigio is produced all over the world now. The first American Pinot Gris was planted in Oregon in 1966 by David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards. King Estate followed a few years later, and today Oregon is known and respected for its many fine Pinot Gris wines. No matter where it comes from, the producer will usually use the name Grigio or Gris to denote the style used in the making of the wine.

So should we be ashamed to drink it? Certainly not! Pinot Gris has a complexity and full-bodied flavor that many white wines would envy and is a natural partner for many fine foods. As for Pinot Grigio – any wine that has a long tradition and a style founded on the region that it comes from is worthy of interest. And provided that it is created with this in mind, all wines have their time and place. The honest simplicity of Pinot Grigio is a natural for casual dining, especially out of doors, and is perfect in these surroundings with picnic foods, grilled seafood, chicken, light pasta and appetizers.

No matter which style you’re looking for, your nearest ABC wine consultant will have plenty of delicious suggestions to offer. Cheers!

Bill Stobbs, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinebills

Why not invite the three little pigs to your Thanksgiving feast this year?

Is it just me or does it feel like your inbox is blowing up with a constant barrage of Thanksgiving wine suggestions? Google "Thanksgiving wine" and you will find more choices than you ever thought possible.The Internet wine experts will suggest red, white, pink, dry, sweet, sparkling and fortified wines that must be on your table. If I left something out I apologize, but after digesting your web search my suggestion is ignore most of it and just remember a few simple guidelines.

Pair the wine to the people rather than the food. Unless you have a bunch of wine geeks coming to dinner forget about food and wine pairings. Now is not the time to try and figure out what wine goes best with Grandma's green bean casserole. All you need are a couple of all-purpose, tasty wines--one red and one white--that will go with many different dishes.

The only other thing to keep in mind is to have plenty on hand. Few things are as sad as running out of wine on Thanksgiving Day. If your holiday feast is anything like mine we start eating and drinking around noon and don't stop until the final football game has ended around 11:00 p.m.

Which brings me back to inviting the three little pigs to dinner this year. If my previous two blog posts I highlighted two terrific red wines for Turkey Day, Pigro Rosso and Pigro Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. I've neglected to tell you about the Pigro Pinot Grigio. This light, refreshing, delectable white wine would be the perfect partner for your guests who prefer white wine. At just $9.99 per bottle, you can afford to have plenty of these cute little piglets being passed around the dinner table until the wee hours of the night.

Paul Quaglini, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits wine supervisor

Follow me on Twitter @abcwinepaulq