Archive for Wine

When you think of Australia you think of a fun-filled country full of spirit and jovial people. And the burgeoning wine business in Australia is very similar. Most of the reds are light and flavorful, but lack the depth of European or California reds. My wife and I are not big white wine drinkers, but on a recent celebratory trip to Emeril’s Restaurant in New Orleans, I decided on a bubbly white wine from Australia, a 2006 Wolf Blass Brut.

We were both pleasantly surprised and happy with the selection. The white was light and not too dry or sweet. The slightly fruity flavor and effervescent bubbles were a perfect accompaniment to our happy evening and wonderful meal.

The $36 restaurant bottle price was a good value.

Australia has grown into a force in the international wine community. And one of the more recent Australian imports comes from the Razor’s Edge Winery. In 2004, they came on the scene with a Shiraz that received much critical acclaim.

Last night, we had the chance to try the 2006 Razor’s Edge McLaren Vale, Cabarnet Sauvignon. It was like many Australian Cabs in that it was smooth, but did not overwhelm you. Like most great bottlings of Cabernet, it had notes of a mild herbal aroma, which were followed by big fruit flavors.

My wife-to-be and I enjoyed the bottle along with a late evening snack of cheeses, humus, and grilled flatbread.

It was well worth the ~$12 bottle price.

Wine Name: 2004 Swirling Dervish Merlot

Region: Central Coast of California - Livermore, CA

Price Paid: $6 per bottle

Description:

We had the wine on a weeknight to go along with a dinner selection of French Toast with Apples and Cheese. The eye-catching label was the first impression I had when I opened this bottle. Pouring the wine to our glasses, it had a rich color but not quite as dark as some of the more aged merlots. The wine had a fairly rich body and had hints of almond as it is worked around your mouth. Although it doesn’t have the depth of flavors of the northern California merlots, it was a solid dinner wine for the economic price of $6.

Saturday night at home with no children (which is hard to accomplish when you have 4 kids)! We decided to make a light dinner of Blueberry Salsa Chicken and an Escarole Salad (you can read about this in our sister publication, TastyThoughts).

After dinner we decided to lay on the living room floor and watch Michael Clayton (read reviews of the movie in FlickRev). To go with our lounging and cinematic release, we had a bottle of Villa Conaro Prosecco Extra Dry.

For those of you who like the effervescent sensation of spumante, but do not like the heavy sweetness that comes with the bubbles, this is the bottle for you. This prosecco, which comes from Veneto, Italy, is a light straw-colored bubbly wine. My WTB and I had three or four flutes each and did not get the aftertaste or heavy feeling you get from most sparkling wines.

A sharp cheese and a baguette would be lovely partners for this delightful, moderately priced wine selection.  It also would make an excellent addition to a martini, giving a small amount of carbonation to lighten the drink.

There’s a common misconception among what would be called the ‘uneducated wine drinkers’ that the older the wine is, the better. This is true in any wine created to age in the bottle — but especially these days, not all wines are. There are a huge variety of wines of all types, from all regions, that are made to be drunk immediately, or within two years, tops, from their bottling age. While a wine made to age in the bottle tastes better the longer you let it wait, an immediately drinkable wine tastes better right now. The longer you let an immediate wine sit, the worse it gets.

One of the easiest ways to tell if you’re buying a wine that should age or should be drunk right now is to ask for assistance. However, that’s not always possible. So, read the labels. Most drinkable wines will have wording that gives you some indication that the wine makers expect you to drink the wine right away — phrases like “enjoy it now”, “best within X years”, and “perfect for your dinner table” are polite ways of telling you that this wine was made to imbibe today, not years from now. Price can be a factor as well but not the only determinant. You can spend a small fortune on a wine that should age, yes, but you can spend a lot on a fabulous wine to drink at tomorrow’s dinner party, as well.

In particular, when you receive wine as a gift, take a careful look at the label. Is it one that you’ve seen in grocery stores or in liquor departments priced “reasonably”? Best bet is that it’s a wine to drink tonight, or, worst case, next time these folks visit. If, however, someone delivers a bottle of wine in a crystal case, chances are good it is something to preserve and save for you baby daughter’s wedding.

Remember — drinkability is all in the winemaking. A wine you can drink today can be as wonderful as one you age for twenty years. Just be sure you’re not saving a wine meant to be drunk in 2005 for that wedding planned for 2025.

This past February I attended the Boston Wine Expo. During this event, I met representatives from many vineyards. Although I talked to many, the most memorable vineyard was Saviez Vineyards in Calistoga, California. What makes this vineyard so memorable is its Yogi’s Petite Syrah.

To learn more about Saviez Vineyards and this great wine, read the full post at our food and cooking blog, Tasty Thoughts.