Wine Wednesday - E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone

I first became interested in Cotes du Rhone (a type of wine produced in France) when I was studying in Provence.  We spent a day at a vineyard near Arles, which is just on the tip of the area that is allowed to make Cotes du Rhone, studying production of the wine.  I bought several bottles that I packed very carefully to bring home!  Cotes do Rhone can be red, rose, or white - though most I've found for sale in the US have been red.

A few days ago, Kent and I tried the 2007 E. Guigal red Cotes du Rhone that we'd had in our cabinet for a while.  In doing research on this wine, I found that it was given 90 points by Robert Parker on his 100 point scale (for more information on the Parker wine rating system, click here).  I really liked this wine because it wasn't too overpowering.  The websites I looked through describe it as having smells "of jammy black raspberry, cherry, cassis, pepper and floral notes".  It is said to be the best wine ever produced by this maker.  It can be purchased on-line and at some Whole Foods locations for $12-15.

Wine Wednesday: Washington Hills Summit Reserve Last Harvest Riesling 2009

This is my first Wine Wednesday post in quite a while (I know T.J.'s been missing them!). For New Year's Eve last year, Kent and I decided to have a Wine & Cheese party and invite some friends.  Our friend, Jeff, brought along this Riesling.  I've tried it several times now and really like it!  It's fairly sweet, so I've enjoyed drinking it more like a cocktail when we've had friends over for drinks.  Most of the reviews I've read say that it has a fruity taste of apples, peaches, or apricots.

Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful start to 2011!  We celebrated the New Year with some of our favorite people at a New Years Eve Party we hosted at our house.  We decided to go with a wine and cheese theme for the evening and had a fun time shopping for everything at World Market and Whole Foods. 
We separated the wines, cheeses, and sausages into geographical regions - Italy, France/California, and Spain/South America.

Italy
Wines: Chianti and Orvieto Classico
Cheese:  Asiago
Sausage: Peppered Italian Salame

France/California
Wine:  Pinot Noir*
(The grapes used to make Pinot Noir on the West Coast are the same variety used to make Burgundy in France - so we had a crossover region.)
Cheese: Brie
Sausage: French Salame

Spain/South America
Wine: Malbec
(Malbec is made in South America, the cheeses and sausage can be found in Spain and South America.)
Cheeses: Manchego** and Bleu
Sausage: Chorizo

* One of the Pinot Noirs that we served was the Gallo of Sonoma Reserve produced in California.  I've had this wine twice, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorites.  It has won several awards along with other wines from their vineyards.  It is said to have tastes of red fruits and earthy elements.  It can be purchased in most grocery stores for around $12.

** The favorite cheese of the night was the Manchego.  We had never had this cheese before, but found that it matched well with Malbecs.  We went to Whole Foods to pick cheeses and narrowed down our choices based on some research we had done.  One of the employees at Whole Foods told us that Manchego (a sheep's milk cheese) was a cheese that most people liked, so we decided to give it a try.  Since I don't normally like hard cheeses, I was surprised how much I liked it.

We also served a Cheddar, a Havarti, and olive bruschetta and finished off the night with Champagne.  I loved spending the night with our friends and hope everyone had a wonderful New Years Eve!  Happy 2011!

Wine Wednesday - Campogrande Orvieto Classico

It has been a while since my last Wine Wednesday posting!  But, I recently tried Campogrande Orvieto Classico 2007 and had to share about it.  We actually bought this wine at Whole Foods over a year ago.  It has just been sitting in our wine cabinet for a while.  I got it out when I needed to add a little white wine to something I was cooking.  We tend to prefer red wines and rarely even open white wines.  Since I was cooking with it, I thought it would be nice to have with dinner.  This has quickly become one of my favorite white wines.  Many white wines are either to buttery or too crisp tasting to me.  This one is so light and fruity - not at all overpowering.  It goes well with seafood, light courses, vegetables, and many Mediterranean dishes.  Like one of my favorite red wines, Chianti, Orvieto is also made in Tuscany and Umbria.  Italians are not traditionally known for their white wines, but wine critics, like Kevin Zraly, believes that Italians are trying to become better known for some of their white wines.  The designation of "classico" that describes some Chianti, Orvieto, and other wines denotes that the wine is produced in a region where that type of wine has traditionally been produced.  Not all wines produced in Italy are eligible for the "classico" distinction.  Orvieto, traditionally grown between Florence and Rome is sometimes called "the Pope's wine" as it was commonly drunk by Popes in the early 20th Century.  To learn more about Orvieto, visit this website.  Campogrande Orvieto Classico can be purchased for $12-15 in some retail locations or on-line.

Wine Wednesday - Penfold's Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet

This Shiraz Cabernet is one of my favorite wines. Several of my friends have mentioned liking it as well. It can be found in most grocery stores for $10-12.

Penfolds produces numerous wines in Australia. Koonunga Hill (a line of wines produced by Penfolds) has been produced since 1976 and is said to be best if allowed to age for a few years. So, if given the option, definitely buy older bottles. Most that I have seen for sale have been from the 2007 vintage. If you order wine on-line, you can find much older bottles. I have only tried the Shiraz Cabernet, but Koonunga Hill produces 8 other blends and varieties.

The Shiraz Cabernet is purple/crimson in color. Critics say that it has flavors of red fruits, like strawberries, raspberries, and plums, and a chocolate-like finish. The makers claim that it is best matched with tomato-based Mediteranian dishes.

Let me know what you think if you try it! Enjoy!

Wine Wednesday - Chateau de Gaudou

It's been a few weeks since my last Wine Wednesday post! But, I've been meaning to share this wine for a while. Last summer Kent and I went to Charleston for our first anniversary. Our favorite restaurant there was La Fourchette, a small French restaurant (http://lafourchettecharleston.com/). We highly recommend it to everyone!!! With dinner we ordered a Chateau de Gaudou wine, their Malbec/Merlot/Tannat 2005. It was so wonderful! This vineyard is in southwestern France. This is the area of France where the Malbec grape originated before it was transported to Argentina about 150 years ago. Argentina is probably more famous now for its Malbec than France.

This particular wine may be difficult to find in the US. The sources I have seen says that it can be found at anywhere from $10-35 depending on the vintage year. The best way to buy it would probably be to order it on-line. I found this article written about the vineyard just three weeks ago if you are interested in learning more - http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/chateau-de-gaudou-brings-new-wines-us-z193. Or visit the vineyard's website - http://www.chateaudegaudou.com/. The vineyard has been owned and operated by the Durou family for over 200 years. Most of the reviews I read said that this wine is smooth with many fruity flavors. It is best served with heavy meat dishes or cheese. Many say that adding the Merlot helps to "round out the tannins" found in the Malbec so that it become softer. Also, it is suggested that this wine rests for several years because of the strong tannins, which are characteristic of this and other Cahors wines. Cahors wines are those grown in this specific region of southwest France that are made of the combination of malbec, merlot, and tannat grapes. Let me know if you are able to find this wine - it is a wonderful buy!

Wine Wednesday - Martini and Rossi Asti

So tomorrow is New Year's Eve, which means that champagne will be the drink of choice. If you haven't picked any up yet, Martini and Rossi Asti is a great choice, though actually a sparkling wine, that can be found at any grocery store. I know it's a pretty commercialized brand, but I've always really liked it (my college roommate, Jennifer, always said it was her favorite!). Many grocery stores will have it on sale this week for $10-12.

Martini and Rossi was founded in Northern Italy by two men (Martini and Rossi) in 1863. The Asti is said to be fruity and floral - and I would say it's fairly sweet. Their website has recipes for several cocktails, including a Kir Royal. I first had a Kir Royal when I was in Provence several years ago - they are often served at cafes. A Kir Royal is made from champagne and creme de cassis, which is black currant liquor. The website's recipe calls for 1 part creme de cassis topped with 4 parts Asti - Yum! Happy New Year!

Wine Wednesday - Sparkling Christmas Punch

I have not tried this punch yet, but it sounds really good! I wanted to post a Wine Wednesday recipe that would be good for a Holiday party. I think this will be great! Let me know if you try it!

Sparkling Christmas Punch

Ingredients:

2-3 cinnamon sticks, crushed

1 tsp. ground allspice

3 qt. apple cider

3 qt. cranberry juice

Juice of 3 oranges

1/3 c. firmly packed light brown sugar

3 (1 liter) bottles club soda or ginger ale

6 c. champagne or vodka, chilled

Method:
In non-aluminum 8-quart saucepan, combine cider, juices and brown sugar. Heat to simmering over medium low heat. Add spices and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight. Remove spices, if necessary, before serving.
Pour into bowl. Add soda or ginger ale and liquor immediately before serving. Garnish with apple slices. Serves 40 (1 cup) servings.

Wine Wednesday - Barefoot

My friend, Katie, suggested that I discuss Barefoot Cabernet this week for Wine Wednesday. Several friends of ours have mentioned liking different Barefoot wines. I'm not sure if I've ever had their Cabernet. But, Kent and I actually had Barefoot Bubbly Brut Cuvee at our wedding reception. We loved it! We had a champagne bar with different fruits and juices so that people could have mimosas and make other drinks. I've read several of the reviews, and it seems to be pretty widely acknowledged that Barefoot wines are good buys for the money - they are usually between $8-10 but can be found for even less. They have been awarded as one of the "Top 100 Best Buys in the World" as well as winning other tasting awards. These wines are made in California and can be bought in grocery stores around the US. Visit their website for more information: http://www.barefootwine.com/

Wine Wednesday - O'Reilly's Pinot Noir

O'Reilly's Pinot Noir - "Oregon's most popular Pinot Noir."

http://www.northwest-wine.com/oreillys-winery.html

Kent and I bought a bottle a while back when they were on sale at Whole Foods. We drank it with friends, Kate and Lee, when they were over for dinner one night. I think we all really liked it! It went very well with our spinach salad and pork.

O'Reilly's is a wine produced by the Owen Roe Winery. Many Owen Roe wines are much more expensive, usually in the $40-70 range. The O'Reilly Pinot Noir is advertized as the "flagship" of their value brands and appears to be made from slightly lower quality juices produced on their vineyards in the Northwest. It can be purchased on-line or in some retail locations, like whole foods. It usually cost between $15 and $20 but is said to have qualities representative of wines usually prices above $25. Tasting notes I read on-line describe it has having fruity flavors with hints of cinnamon.

Wine Wednesday - Tarantas Cava Brut

This is a great organic sparkling wine from Spain. It is made using the traditional "champenoise method" which means that it goes through two fermentations - like sparkling wines that come from the Champagne region of France. The most widely noted aromas/tastes from critics are apple and spice. It is said to have soft and clean finish. This Cava goes well with light dishes and is recommended for toasts or cocktail hours. I visited an organic vineyard when I was in France a few years ago. I loved the wines there and brought back a few bottles. This operation is pretty large - the largest producers of "quality" organic Cava in Spain, actually.

Kent and I bought our first bottle about six months ago at Whole Foods. I usually like sweeter sparkling wines while Kent prefers drier ones. This one is great because it isn't very sweet, but it's also not tart or too sharp. We both loved it and have kept one on hand ever since. It usually sells for around $13, and Whole Foods occasionally has them on sale.

Wine Wednesday - Whole Foods 365

I tried to do some research to find out more information about Whole Foods 365 wines. As part of their "everyday value" line, they offer different seasonal wines. It seems that they only carry a few types of wine at a time. I believe they buy wine from different vineyards and display a joint label that advertises the vineyard and Whole Foods. They sell them at low prices - usually around $6.00. This summer I was able to buy Burgundy with a certain label. Now they have Merlot and Chardonnay - but they are from a different vineyard.

All of this is to say, that the ones I have tasted so far have not been my favorites for drinking. But, they are great for cooking! Paula Dean says that you should never cook with a wine you wouldn't drink. But, I find it hard to pour a cup or two of my favorite wines into the crock pot. So far I've used the Burgundy for pot roasts - it adds great flavor and smells so good! And I've used the Chardonnay with chicken and couscous. I haven't tried the Merlot - but I'm sure it will work well with meat also. These wines don't seem to be too sweet like many other inexpensive wines. Let me know if you have any suggestions for great wines for cooking!

Wine Wednesday - Gascon Malbec

One night in college I went out to dinner with two of my best friends, Sally and Katie. We went to our favorite restaurant in Oxford - L&M (in part because the food was amazing but also because Sally had a crush on one of the waiters.) They had a great wine list, and Katie kept talking about the Malbec. Though I ordered a different wine that night, I kept wanting to try a Malbec. This one, the Don Miguel Gascon Malbec, has been my favorite so far. It is made in Argentina like most other Malbecs (though some come from France). Kent and I love having it with any kind of red meat. We usually buy it at Whole Foods or World Market but some grocery stores carry it also. Depending on the store, it usually ranges from $9 - $13. To learn more information about this wine, visit the vineyard's website: http://gasconwine.com/index.html. The website includes lists of awards the wine has won, tasting notes, and recipe ideas for food pairings. Please leave comments if you have any other Malbec wines to suggest!