A Spicy Pinot Noir to Warm Up Your Winter Nights

We're socked in on the coast, with fog and rain. It's a glorious change from the warm temperatures that have hung around in Southern California. The fire is going, there's the smell of wood smoke in the air.

It's perfect weather for a spicy Pinot Noir.

The 2004 La Rochelle Pinot Noir from Monterey County was an excellent QPR find at just under $20. I purchased my bottle for $19.99 through WineQ, the online wine club with the Netflix-like system of queing up wines for automatic delivery. What first struck us was its beautiful, bright ruby color. Then were were aromas of cherry and spice that managed to retain their freshness (even though that combination should have reminded us of cherry pie). When sipped, it revealed flavors of cherry, pepper, and allspice with an extra kick of spice at the end. This wine was nicely made, with a good balance between the supple fruit and the acidity at the core.

Pinot Noir and pork are excellent together. With this bottle we had some marinated and grilled pork tenderloins--it's colder in California but we can still grill outside!--and my mom made some Potatoes Anna in a cast iron skillet. Both the pork and the potatoes were lovely with the wine's fruit flavors, and they brought out meaty and earthy notes that we didn't taste when we sipped it on its own.

I saw that dhonig from 2 Days Per Bottle got a flawed bottle of this wine. My sympathies go out to him--he missed a real treat! (And I'm glad that the good people at WineQ are already speeding him a replacement bottle)

Deliciously Different Ribolla Gialla

Ribolla Gialla is one of those varieties that most people have never heard of, never mind tasted.

It's been grown in the Friuli region of Italy since the 13th century, and experts believe that it is related to the red wine grape Schioppettino. Ribolla Gialla isn't grown in very many places in Europe, and it's grown in even fewer places here in the US.

You can count the US vineyards where Ribolla Gialla is planted on the index finger of one hand. Only one vineyard grows Ribolla Gialla and it's Vare Vineyards in the Napa Valley. George and Elsa Vare fell in love with Northern Italian and Slovenian grapes and wine and decided to dedicate their winemaking efforts to seeing how the varieties would fare over on this side of the world. In addition to Ribolla Gialla the Vares grow Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Tocai Friulano, and Sauvignon Blanc. They produce limited quantities of wine from small yields, and bottle it exclusively in 500ml and 1.5L bottles. And the wine is good--good enough that the famous French Laundry bought nearly all of their 2004 vintage for sale in the restaurant.

The 2005 Ribolla Gialla is sold out at the winery--but you can still get your hands on some of it if you are interested in trying it from Wine Q. (sample; $24.99/500ml, WineQ) This good QPR wine was deliciously different. When it was cold from the fridge I could have sworn it was very fresh Fino Sherry because of its dry nutty and citrus aromas and flavors. As it warmed up in the glass, however, the wine became heavier in the mouth, more acidic, and full of lemon oil aromas and flavors. There was a sensation of creaminess as well, which made it reminiscent of tangy lemon curd. This wine is made for shellfish and fish dishes, although it would also be a great match for appetizers or tapas.

Don't be afraid to try a new variety if you get the chance. You could be in for a deliciously different surprise.

Still Enjoie-ing Rosé in September

It's September, and though summer is an increasingly distant memory for most of us, I'm still hooked on rosé.

Thought of as a summer quaffer, the thing that makes rosé perfect for your dinner table regardless of the season is that it's a terrific food wine. It lightens up spicy pasta with red sauce and sausage. It's glorious with tuna and salmon. It's fantastic with turkey, and roast chickens with rosemary and garlic.

The 2005 Vinroc Caves Enjoie is a gutsy rosé made with Grenache and Barbera. (I received this wine as a sample; you can get a bottle for $13.99 from Wine Q, and if you are in the WineQ Good Wine Under $20 wine club, it's been added to your Q already) It had a rich, raspberry juice color which reflected its robust character. There were aromas of red currant jam, raspberries and also wet chalk and clay. The raspberries I've smelled before in a wine, and even the chalk--but not that clay note. After smelling the wine the surprises were all behind me and then I tasted pomegranate seeds--not the juice, the slightly powdery mix of seed and fruit together in the seeds. Combined with more raspberry, these flavors led into a juicy aftertaste with a mineral undertow of clay and chalk that kept you coming back for more. It was so different, and so complex, that I have to give this wine an excellent QPR rating.

Rosés like this one are a perfect partner for late summer tomatoes. I made a fresh tomato tart (or tarte aux tomates if you want to be French about it) that was terrific. Hint: disregard the 30g of yeast part of the ingredients and just use a single packet of yeast from the supermarket. It had a light, biscuity crust and wonderful swirls of cherry tomatoes, oregano, and olive oil. When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle some chiffonaded basil on top, some kalamata olives, and (if you are like me and a cheesehound) some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. I am so proud of it that I took a picture. The biscuity crust was quite nice with the chalk/clay/mineral notes in the wine, and the pomegranate flavors worked well with the tomatoes.

Hang onto the last whiffs of summer while you can. Rosés can help.

Color Me Syrah

I don't know what it is about Syrah, but when I drink it I see colors.

Syrah blends from France and Shiraz from Australia make me see red. Cool-climate Syrahs make me see blue. And sometimes, I find a Syrah that makes me want to put on the Rolling Stones' Paint It Black.

The 2005 Kendric Syrah falls into the final category. I received this bottle as a sample from WineQ, but you can put it in your own Q and enjoy it for just $17.99. At this price, the wine certainly qualifies as an excellent QPR option if you like your Syrahs bold and showy, but moody and complex as well. Sound like any musicians you know?

The wine was true garnet in color, like my grandmother's garnet ring, and it turned a bit purplish towards the rims. (My grandmother was a flapper--she would have loved the Stones). When I pulled the cork and poured the first glass, I was bowled over by spicy aromas and a bit of plum and cherry fruit. As the wine opened up you could also smell black tar. The flavors reminded me of macerated plums that had been sitting on a warm countertop all day, and there were also spicy flavors of allspice, clove, and nutmeg. The spices turned more herbal and lively as the wine rolled over your tongue, and I thought I tasted sage and eucalyptus. The long, silky aftertaste picks up a stony note and wraps around and picks up the tarry smell that you get on first sniff. The overall impression of this wine is black rather than blue or red, and its richness and acidity are in perfect balance. We had it with a delicious vegetable chili and garlic rice, and the wine neither overwhelmed nor was overwhelmed by the strong flavors of the dish. Instead the sweet fruit and the spices matched the tomatoes, vegetables, and chili flavors note by note.

One thing to know about this wine: it's sold without a foil capsule, so don't be alarmed when your wine shows up with a visible cork. Once upon a time they bottled wine with a lead capsule to protect the cork from rats and insects. This is happily not necessary today, and Kendric owner and winemaker Stewart Johnson writes on his webpage: PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL MY 2005 WINES, AND ALL FUTURE VINTAGES, ARE BOTTLED WITHOUT A FOIL CAPSULE WHICH I REGARD AS POINTLESS, WASTEFUL AND ANNOYING. Since I wrote about sustainability yesterday, I will point out that your decision to drink Kendric Syrah not only makes sound fiscal sense, it will also save one foil capsule from ending up in the trash, or using up precious energy being recycled.

Leave your foil-cutter in the drawer, put on Mick and the boys, and order yourself some Kendric Syrah. The winery is sold out, but as far as I know WineQ still has some in stock.

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Warning: These Wines May Change Your Mind About Pinot Grigio

When Pinot Grigios are good they are very good--but when they are bad, they are horrible.

Overproduced Italian Pinot Grigio flooded into the US market some years back, and much of it was thin and tart. If you chilled it to near freezing and served it on a hot day in place of lemonade no one made much fuss, and soon people who didn't like Chardonnay could find Pinot Grigio on restaurant and bar menus and started ordering it by the glass. More overproduced Pinot Grigio came pouring in to meet the new demand. At cocktail parties, women were offered Pinot Grigio as soon as they entered the door, as if our genetic makeup demanded we receive a glass of the stuff a day or we'd shrivel up and die. Today, the poor grape has joined Merlot and Chardonnay as Varieties Most Likely to Be Dissed in polite wine society. Had Miles of Sideways been a woman, the most famous wine line in movie history may well have been "I am NOT drinking any f&#*ing Pinot Grigio!"

Pinot Grigio--or Pinot Gris as it is called in places outside Italy--is a grape that is capable of making a wide stylistic range of wines. In Alsace, the grape produces wines that have body, intense floral and honeyed notes, and citrus. In Italy, the grape makes wines that are light bodied and acidic, often with a touch of spritziness. Here in the US, Pinot Grigios/Pinot Gris range from the full and melony to the bright and citrusy. And I'm here to tell you that these wines can be excellent.

I've got a pair of very good QPR Pinot Grigios to recommend that should warm the heart and quench the thirst of even skeptical wine lovers who have avoided this grape for the past 10 years.

The first is the very good QPR 2007 Altanuta Pinot Grigio. I received this as a sample, but you should be able to find it near you for between $9 and $15. What I liked most about this wine was that it was well-made and wasn't trying to be something else. As a result, what you got was a tasty, straightforward Pinot Grigio at a very attractive price point. Light aromas of lemon, flowers, and stone accompanied the characteristically pale straw color of this Italian wine. The flavors were citrusy and smooth, with no bitterness or tartness. This was a great summer wine, with a refreshing, light body--and it tastes like an Italian Pinot Grigio should taste with a light, but not watery, freshness. It is a natural partner for shrimp or clams--we had it with linguine alla vongole and the clean citrus flavors were lovely with the briny clams and the sharp garlic, providing a contrast of flavors and textures.

The second is the 2006 Esca Pinot Grigio from the Russian River Valley ($17.99, WineQ). This was one intense wine, with aromas of lemon oil, lemon peel, and a mineral nuance that I simply couldn't place. One of my fellow bloggers, MonkuWino at One Wine Per Week, described this wine as "steely" and that corresponded to what I was smelling in my glass. The flavors are fresh and zesty, full of lemons that turned slightly bitter on the finish. I enjoyed this very good QPR wine immensely, in large part because of those in-your-face lemon oil aromas, and it is one of the better domestic Pinot Grigios I've had. We had it with a pasta dish that was sauced with chicken, spinach, mushrooms, a bit of cream, and orange zest and this really brought out the intense, concentrated aromas and flavors of the wine.

Whether you prefer your Pinot Grigios light and refreshing or steely and intense, there are good choices out there in the market that don't cost a fortune and are a far cry from the anemic wines being poured by the glass in some restaurants. Give one a try and remind yourself that Pinot Grigio--like Merlot--isn't all bad.

Cabernet Sauvignon That's Made for Summer

Some people like big, oaky, fruity Cabernet Sauvignon. Except under the right conditions (winter, a fire, full moon, grilled steak, nowhere to drive) I'm not one of them. I tend to like my Cabernets a bit more herbal, a bit lighter on their feet, and with an impression of glycerine if I can get it.

Glycerine (or glycerol) is one of those Advanced Wine Tasting Terms that sounds like complete hooey and which scientists have decided is present in such minute quantities that most people can't actually taste it. What it is is a natural bi-product of fermentation that is syrupy and provides a note of sweetness in a wine. I associate it with smoothness and a sense of satiny body that is not plush and furry on the tongue.

Where I find most glycerine is in aged Cabernet Sauvignon, especially those from the Old World. Finding it in a young Cab, from the New World, has become like searching for a needle in a haystack. Under $20? Well, that's even harder.

Enter the 2004 Sapid Dorcich Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Central Coast ($18.99, WineQ). This was a smooth and rich cabernet, with 13.9% alc/vol and an old world taste. The wine is made from Central Coast fruit, and is blended from 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Fresh aromas of herbs, green bell pepper, and plums are crisp and inviting. The palate if very plummy, with flavors of berry as well and a nice herbal lift to the flavors in the aftertaste that keeps the wine from seeming even the tiniest bit heavy. The wine had a nice balance between fruit and acidity, and a generous, smooth texture. Yep, my favorite glycerine sensation is in this wine, and it made me happy to find it in a domestic Cabernet Sauvignon for such an affordable price. Very Good QPR.

The best thing about this Cabernet Sauvignon is that you don't have to wait until the winter to drink it. Because it is lighter and fresher than many New World bottlings, you can keep it on hand for summer BBQs and serve it with everything from burgers to pulled pork without worrying it is going to overwhelm the food or leave you with a crashing headache after July heat meets up with high alcohol levels. We had it with some grilled Filet Mignon, a salad, and some baked potatoes. As you would suspect, the plummy and herbal notes of the wine were stunning with the beef and the vegetables--but it was that nice glycerine note that picked up the soft texture of the meat just beautifully.

"Sapid" literally means pleasing. I thought it was an apt name for a charming and delicious domestic red that I would certainly buy again and keep on hand.

When You Think Mendocino, Do You Think Cabernet?

If not, then maybe you should.

Most US wine lovers think of Napa when they think of domestic Cabernet Sauvignon, but the cool ocean breezes of Mendocino County are helping Sky Saddle--a small winery that cares deeply about the environment--to produce a great wine at a great price. I was expecting something leaner and greener when I uncorked this bottle, but instead I found a well-balanced and fruit-forward wine that will only improve over the next few years.

The 2003 Sky Saddle Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich and complex example of the variety. ($21.99, WineQ) It's a big wine, and it's still a bit young to show at its best. I decanted it for 35 minutes, but it needed at least twice that amount of time or another year of bottle age in my opinion. Despite its youth, it had the lovely dark color of an eggplant. There were aromas of plum, jammy blackberry, and a hint of eucalyptus along with sweetly vanillin oak. These abundant, fruity aromas were all present in the flavors, too, along with a hint of baker's chocolate. This last flavor possibly came from the tiny bit of Petite Verdot in the wine. The wine was smoothly textured, with a glycerin-like quality to the aftertaste. Very good QPR for wine that was just a smidge over $20.

We had the wine with a simple meal of grilled veggies and a fillet mignon. The soft, silky texture of the meat was wonderful with the texture of the wine, and the wine's fruity and minty flavors brought out the full spectrum of flavors in both the veggies and the meat.

If you are looking for a Cabernet Sauvignon to go with your meals this summer, then think about getting one from Mendocino. Even if you haven't liked California Cabs in the past, this may well be one that catches your fancy.

Organic Wine Week, Part 1: Chardonnay

This week I'm focusing on a pair of organic wines to highlight the increasingly wide range of options consumers have if they want to drink wine that has been made with organic grapes.

There was a time when wines made with organic grapes were difficult to find, but that is certainly not true any more. In fact, you are probably drinking wine made with organic grapes and not even realizing it. One of the things that has struck me is that some wines don't identify themselves as using organic grapes on their labels.

One of the reasons for this may be that current regulations require that a wine labeled "Organic" must not only be made with organic grapes, there must be no added sulfites. Sulfites are added to wines to help stabilize them for shipping and storage, so it's pretty hard to find a wine that is "Organic." It's far more common to find a wine that is made "with organic grapes." If you look at the tiny type at the bottom of the Jeriko label, you will see that it indicates that organic grapes were used. Wines labeled in this fashion have been made with certified organic fruit, but do have sulfites added for stability. If you want to find out more about organic wine, visit the Organic Wine Company and read up on their notes regarding how wines are classified.

My latest recommendation for a white wine made with certified organic grapes is the 2005 Jeriko Estate Chardonnay. ($19.99, WineQ) Jeriko Estate now uses only certified, organically grown grapes in their wines, all of which are grown in vineyards in Mendocino County. This was a creamy chardonnay that gets its body from partial malolactic fermentation in oak, and its crispness from a majority of fermentation time spent in stainless steel tanks. It was a pleasant bright straw in color, and had aromas of summer orchard fruits like pear and apple, and some late summer hay. The flavors you will find in this wine are of apples and cream, with a faintly buttery aftertaste. All in all, I found this a nicely made example of a creamy, California Chardonnay with good QPR. It will appeal to anyone who likes a richer style of chardonnay, but one that is still fresh and crisp.

With a wine like this, there is nothing better (in my opinion) than oven-fried chicken and slaw. I like the recipe for buttermilk-dipped, pan-browned, and oven-fried chicken from Cooking Light which tastes every bit as decadent as the real thing but leads to only a fraction of the guilt afterwards. The creamy, tangy buttermilk and caramelized flour coating is a perfect pairing for a creamy Chardonnay like this one. And for the slaw, do yourself a favor and try this one with dried cherries, sweetly spicy pecans, apples, cabbage, and a vinegar-based dressing. I cheated and picked up a package of already sweet and spicy pecans from Trader Joe's, and only used green cabbage, by the way, and it was fine. The apples in the slaw really pick up the apple notes in the Chardonnay.

As I get older I'm finding I care more and more about the environment. I stopped drinking bottled water, I'm buying a hybrid car, and I'm eating more organic, locally produced food. It's a good thing to be able to extend this philosophy into my wine drinking, with such tasty results.

A Great House White from Ceja

Choosing house wines is a difficult business. A house wine must be affordable, obtainable, and versatile. It has to fit many moods, and go with many types of food. Ideally, you keep a few bottles of your house wine around to make your life easier because you know you like it and you know what it tastes like. Last minute dinner invitation? House wine to the rescue for a hostess gift. Last minute decision to sit in the backyard and watch the sunset? House wine to the rescue to toast the colors as they change and darkness falls. Forgot to pick up wine for dinner? House wine to the rescue, since it will probably go with the meal.

Given it's label's claims, I was interested in trying the 2005 Ceja Vino de Casa White Table Wine. I purchased this through my WineQ wine club for $19.99, but it's sold out from WineQ and the winery itself (expect the 2006 soon), but is available from online merchants for between $15 and $20. Ceja is a historic Napa winery, owned by the Mexican-American Ceja family, who came to the US in 1967 and bought 13 acres of land in Carneros in 1983. They celebrated their first vintage in 1988, and have been making wine ever since. Around the top of each bottle is a Latin motto: "vinum, cantus, amor," or "wine, song, and love." This sums up the family's winemaking philosophy, and is an indication of the passion that they bring to the job. I discovered on The Cork Board that Ceja's downtown Napa tasting room is now open for business, so I encourage you to check out the wines if your plans take you to Napa.

All things considered, the Ceja lives up to its label. This nicely made wine was pale straw in color, with aromas of both orchard and tropical fruits. Then there were luscious, mouth-coating pineapple, apple, and pear flavors and a fresh, juicy finish.

With its combination of round fullness and refreshing finish, this wine would indeed go with a very wide range of foods. We had it with roasted chicken and arugula/walnut pesto and the wine stood up nicely to the arugula, walnuts, and cheese as well as complementing the roast chicken. It's versatile enough to go with your Chinese takeout, with appetizers, and with vegetarian dishes, too.

If you don't have a house white yet, this is a great choice. And if you do, let us know what it is in the comments below.

Decanting Young Wine

Decanting is one of those subjects that has far too much mystery associated with it. When to decant, why to decant, and how to decant are some of the most pressing issues facing you when you think, just as you stick the corkscrew into the cork, that maybe you should dig in the cupboard and find that decanter you've had for years and not used.

Today, I'm going to talk about decanting young red wine. Young reds can really benefit from decanting because the process adds oxygen to the wine. This is what happens slowly over time as wines sit in the bottle, and while decanting compresses the time frame it can't exactly duplicate all the complex changes that come with cellaring a wine. Nevertheless, if you've got a red wine that you can't wait to drink, decanting may bring out some of the wine's character that you would have missed just pouring it into a glass.

What follows is a photo essay with captions and tasting notes for my decanting experiment. My subject was the 2004 Bonneau Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County ($31.99) that I received as a sample from WineQ. You definitely could have had this wine right out of the bottle if you like your cabernets to have substantial grip from tannins, but I wanted to soften it up a little bit, so decanting suited my purposes perfectly.

Step #1: Assemble equipment. If you're going to do this, it's helpful to pull all the stuff you need out of the drawers and cupboards before you begin, and work on a clear flat surface. You need a wine glass, the wine (of course), the decanter (check for dust if you haven't used it for a while!) the filter, the foil cutter, the corkscrew, and a funnel. Because this is a young wine, you don't need the filter, so you can move that to the side. I got this decanter/funnel/filter set from Wine Enthusiast this Christmas, and I love it. It's affordable (currently on sale for $39.99), not too huge, and has everything you need to perform decantations in your own home.

Step #2: Taste the Wine. This is the biggest mistake people make, I think. Just as you don't want to salt food before you taste it, you don't want to decant a young wine before you've tasted it and seen what it's all about first. Maybe it doesn't need decanting. Maybe it needs twice the time you thought it did. You'll never know until you try it, so pull the cork, pour yourself a it, and see what you think. When I opened this cabernet, it tasted kind of tight--which is wine speak for a wine that has flavors that seem compressed and so coiled together that you can't easily distinguish one from the other. This is a classic description of a young red. I tasted some blackberry and a bit of baker's chocolate, but suspected that there was a lot more going on. So, I decided to decant it.

Step #3. Decant the Wine. First, you have to get the funnel into the decanter. You can use any kind of funnel that you want that isn't reactive--i.e., don't use an aluminum one, since that can react with the acids in the wine and impart a metallic taste. If you have a wine funnel, like the one pictured here, it may angle the tapered end towards the side of the decanter. That's so that the wine hits the glass, and slowly slides down into the globe of the decanter, maximizing the infusion of oxygen into the wine.

Here's the same decanter, filled with wine, and you can see from the frothy purple foam on top that the process has worked. That foam (which will quickly subside) is the sign that the wine has taken on some oxygen. Now, all you have to do it wait.

Step #4. Check the Wine. Between 30-50 minutes after you decant, go pour yourself another splash of wine. After 50 minutes in the decanter, I felt like the Bonneau was ready to strut its stuff. There were now pronounced aromas of plum, dark chocolate, and espresso. These aromas were present in the first taste of the wine when it hit your tongue, and as the wine passed through your mouth there was a nice, fresh lilt of cranberry that added freshness to the richer plummy, chocolatey flavors. The texture was smooth and silky, and the tannins were present but not overpowering. This was a fruity wine, but the more bitter chocolate and espresso notes held it in nice balance. I think this wine would develop nicely in the bottle, and I would consider buying a few bottles for short-term cellaring (ca. 1-3 years).

Step #5: Put Leftovers Back in the Bottle. If you've got wine left over, don't leave it in the decanter. Instead, put it back in the bottle, using the funnel to make sure it doesn't end up all over the counter. Use your favorite preservation strategy, and enjoy some the next night, too.

In a few weeks, I'll decant an old red--a nine-year old Australian shiraz that I know has lots of sediment in it from other tasting notes on CellarTracker. The basic technique is the same, but the reason for decanting is different and so there are a few important changes to the process. Meanwhile, find your decanter and give it a try with one of your wines. Track how decanting changes the aromas and flavors. You won't want to decant every wine you drink, but at least you'll have a better sense of which ones are worth the little bit of extra effort.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #40: Petite Sirah

Welcome to WBW #40, the monthly online tasting event that Lenndevours thought up over three years ago. This month our tasting theme was set by Sonadora, the Wannabe Wino. She picked Petite Sirah, the misunderstood and variably spelled grape variety whose mysterious origins were only established in 2003 when it was discovered that California's Petite Sirah was actually the French variety Durif--a cross between Pelousin and Syrah that had never really distinguished itself as a stand-alone grape in its home country but was usually used as a mix-in for other red blends.

This grape took very well to California, however, where warmer temperatures led to higher levels of ripeness. In the 1940s Larkmead (now known for its Cabernet Sauvignon) and Louis Martini started bottling "Duriff" wines that were probably made with Petite Sirah. Today more than 60 California producers make wine with this grape, including the folks at Twisted Oak. As soon as this theme was announced, I knew I had to have one of their Petite Sirahs from the Silvaspoons Vineyard in Lodi.

The 2004 Twisted Oak Silvaspoons Vineyard Petite Sirah was a terrific example of this varietal and what it can achieve if it is fully ripe when harvested. ($23.99, WineQ) Juicy aromas of boysenberry, plum, and sweet oak gave way to a palate of plummy richness with notes of fig which were entirely unexpected and added to the complexity of the wine. The finish had just a touch of cracked pepper--one of the hallmarks of this grape--and a nice tannic grip. We did decant this wine for 30 minutes since when I first opened it up it was a bit too mouth-puckering and dry. Petite Sirah is known for its long-term aging potential, so this was not entirely surprising. The 2004 Twisted Oak opened up nicely with just that little bit of extra air, and it continued to bloom and develop over the course of the evening. If you are lucky enough to have a bottle, I would give it another 6-12 months in the bottle, and it will be even better. A little more than I pay for most of my wine, this was complex enough that I felt the price was worth it--very good QPR.

With Petite Sirah, I find I crave something meaty and rustic, like stew or chile. We had it instead with meatloaf made according to the revised Joy of Cooking's recipe that uses oatmeal instead of breadcrumbs, and slathers chili sauce on top instead of the usual ketchup for a bit of extra kick. With it? Mashed potatoes and green beans of course. The Petite Sirah's unpretentious richness went just perfectly with this homey, comfortable, and tasty meal.

If this review makes your mouth water for something a bit twisted, there is a new vintage of this wine out now, so if you can't get your hands on the 04 you may want to set your sights on the 05 instead. Thanks to Sonadora for a great theme, and I will be posting a link to the roundup as soon as it's available.

A Warm Red for Cold Winter Nights

It's cold outside. But that's no reason for it not to be warm inside, especially considering that this is the holiday season. The holidays mean family, and when my parents came to visit me it was clear that we had to open a bottle of Escafeld wine.

Escafeld Vineyards are owned by Steve and Elsbeth Wetherill. Elsbeth's family is from Liverpool--the same UK city that brought you the Beatles and my mom--and they owned a pub that mom is pretty sure my grand-dad and uncle sometimes went to for their pints. (I think her exact words were "If there was a pub there, your grand-dad and Uncle Percy were surely in it.") My mom read my review of the Escafeld Petite Verdot a while back, and she was dying to try a bottle from Escafeld. So we made spaghetti and meatballs, and opened up the Wetherill's zin.

What a good decision! The 2003 Escafeld Zinfandel is an outstanding big, brawny zinfandel that reaches out and enfolds you. ($19.99, WineQ) When we first opened it there was a tiny bit of sulfurous funkiness but we waited 20 minutes for it to come up to the right temperature from the cellar and the smell blew off entirely. In its place were aromas of candied cherry, plum, cedar, and a hint of cocoa as the wine opened up and warmed up. Flavors of plum, dark chocolate-dipped cherry, black tea, and cracked black pepper kept this wine interesting right until the last dregs. Fine-grained tannins kept is smooth and easy to drink, too. This was a lovely, complex wine that had no alcoholic heat despite its high (15.5%) alcohol levels. Excellent QPR at under $20, too.

If you have a meal in your future that involves friends, family, hearty Italian food, a roast, or even some turkey, consider inviting the Wetherills' wine to the party. It is a great warm red for these cold winter nights.

Holiday Food and Wine Strategy #3: Takeout

Holidays are full of traditions. Eggnog. Mistletoe. Dreidels. Latkes. Takeout.

Takeout is a tradition that goes back at least as far as ancient Rome. But during the holidays, there is no happier tradition in my opinion. To fully enjoy it, it's imperative that you stock up on specific kinds of wine and have them in the cabinet and waiting for your next needy moment. In my house, we don't like to spend more on the takeout wine than on the takeout itself--despite Dean & Deluca's latest and best efforts to get me to spend $395 on six bottles of wine because "nobody drinks fancy wine every day." Well, I think we can do a lot better than that, don't you? For far less than $395, here are some wines that go great with your takeout, and will leave you lots left of dosh left over for holiday shopping.

Riesling--This is what you need for incendiary takeout, such as hot Thai curries, vindaloo, and raging Szechuan cuisine. Go for something dry or off-dry for best results. There are lots made in the US and Australia that are not terribly expensive, or you can splurge slightly and get a bona fide German riesling kabinett like the 2005 Max Ferd. Richter Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett($16.95, Chronicle Wine Cellar; available elsewhere for between $15 and 27) It had full aromas of peach, peach blossom, and apple with a silky texture and flavors of apple, citrus, peach, and flowers that were distinctly off-dry.

Viognier--This is what you need for everything Asian that is not searingly hot, or spicy little chicken wings. If you like noodle bowls, pad thai, and mu shu, this is the wine to have on hand. Try the 2005 Domaine de Gournier Viognier, a producer recommended to me by Dr. Weingolb. (I got this as a sample from domaine547, and you can get it there for just $10.99). It was drier than most domestic viognier, with subdued citrus and apple aromas, and a predominantly apple palate.

Red Blends--These are vital for your pizza delivery nights, or for coming home to after driving through In-N-Out Burger. Blending several red varieties helps to keep the wine soft, affordable, and relatively inexpensive. There are lots of earlier reviews for red blends on the site, but we just enjoyed the 2004 Peterson "Zero Manipulation" red blend and highly recommend it for your house red this holiday season. ($12.49, WineQ) It is a carignane-based blend with additions of zinfandel and mourvedre, and it tastes a bit like an Italian red. High-toned red fruits (cranberry, pomegranate) are present in both the aromas and flavors. A bit of black raspberry is in there, too, if you reach for it. Nice acidity, not too much tannin--in short, a great food wine.

Lightly Oaked Chardonnay--Good with any bucket of fried chicken, or the rotisserie chickens from the supermarket, a lightly oaked chardonnay imparts enough richness to stand up to the bird, whether fried or roasted. One that we liked recently was the 2005 Egret Chardonnay. ($14.99, WineQ) This wine had rich aromas of vanilla and pear, with touches of white flowers. There were flavors of creme fraiche, apple, and pear with a touch of Mandarin orange at the very end. This was a creamy, slightly oaky chardonnay that paired well with food.

Sparklers--With everything else, from subs to salads, why not open an inexpensive sparkling wine? We had the NV Zonin Prosecco the other week, and it was a terrific bargain. ($5.99, Trader Joe's; between $5 and $9 from other merchants). This was the color of pale toast, and had aromas of lemon, bread dough, and apple. Lemon and white grapefruit dominate the flavors and produce a very light, refreshing wine that is great value.

Remember, this is supposed to be the season of joy. Put that cookbook down and get some takeout. There's plenty of time to make fricasee and beef daube later. After the packages are wrapped.

Smoke and Mirrors: The Story of Fume Blanc

1968 has a lot to answer for: the assassination of Martin Luther King; the musical Hair; "Up, Up and Away" winning Song of the Year at the Grammy Awards; the Tet Offensive; the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Russians; and Fume Blanc.

Once upon a time in 1968 a California winemaker named Robert Mondavi decided to buy a load of sauvignon grapes from a local grower. California sauvignon blanc didn't sell well in those days; it was too grassy for most palates. In a game of smoke and mirrors, Mondavi decided to barrel-age the juice (hence fume, or smoked, to refer to the oak influence), and give it a French name that might conjure up images of Pouilly-Fume in the minds of customers.

It worked. Sauvignon blanc sales shot up. And the legacy of confusing American wine drinkers with made-up names instead of proper varietal ones continued, so that today many in the US still don't know that Fume Blanc is made with sauvignon blanc grapes at all. Both CellarTracker and the ATF recognize Fume Blanc as a synonym for sauvignon blanc, which is incomprehensible to me.

Given my feelings about this dubious historical development, I opened the 2004 Hannah Nicole Vineyards Fume Blanc with some trepidation ($14.99, Wine Q) Just like Mondavi's 1968 version, this fume blanc is aged in oak barrels to give take off sauvignon blanc's more assertive edges. Unlike Mondavi's original Fume, however, this wine is is blended with 12% viognier. This accounts for the perfumed aromas of citrus with a floral overlay. The flavors in this wine were less zingy than zingy than most New Zealand sauvignon blancs, and not as rich as most California viogniers. There were flavors of pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon, with some floral notes on the finish. Despite its oak aging, I didn't detect much discernible oak in this wine, but felt instead that most of the roundness in the flavors was coming from the viognier.

All in all I felt this wine had good QPR, and it provided an opportunity to think about wine trends and fashions and the role that marketing plays in telling us what we are--and are not--drinking.

Sometimes, You're Worth It!

As regular readers know, I seldom drink a wine that creeps much above $20. Occasionally, however, I make a little splurge and try a wine that is around $30 (or above...) just to see what (if anything) I'm missing. Some of my regular splurges include Larkmead cabernets; almost anything by Tablas Creek, Owen Roe, or Kris Curran; pinot noirs from Fort Ross, Sineann, and Eric Kent; and Eric Kent chardonnays. Sometimes, it's worth it to splurge even if it's just for a meal after a long day at work. It makes me feel pampered to open up a wine that costs a little bit more, especially if it delivers more in the flavor department.

There are few guarantees, however, that spending more on a wine will necessarily result in a wine delivering more bang for the buck. As a result I'm careful with my splurges. In the past, I've only splurged on wine when I know that I like how the winemakers in question handle the grapes based on my experience with wine tastings at the winery, at wine shops, or at big events like Pinot Days. In other words, I have to know I like the cleanness of the wine, the quality of the fruit, and the deliciousness of the end product before I plunk down more than $20. Recently, though, I've been taking more and more recommendations from folks on the 'net, including consumers on CellarTracker! and fellow bloggers.

Among the consumers over at WineQ--another site that has great reviews from folks who have had the wine you're thinking about buying--there was a fair amount of consensus that the 2003 RustRidge Chardonnay was a wonderful wine that was worth the money ($29.99, WineQ). I put it in my Q a few months back and received it before the summer heat. It was waiting for me when I needed something to pair with a chicken pasta dish tossed with some green beans and a compound butter made with cashews (note: I threw in some parsley and garlic with the butter and cashews, as well). This was one of the best domestic chardonnays I've had in a while--probably since my last Eric Kent. When I poured it out into the glass it had the color of bright straw, and aromas of pineapple, apple, and vanilla-cream. These delicious aromas dominated the flavors, too, and added to them came a lovely butterscotch note as you held the last drops in your mouth. It was a perfect foil to the rich, subtly-flavored pasta dish. And this is how I like my chardonnays to be oaked--with finesse and restraint. (RustRidge uses a mix of 1-3 year old French oak barrels, and leaves the wine in there for a year).

The overall impression that was left was one of cleanness and richness. This chardonnay was just as wonderful as my fellow Qers said it was, and even at just shy of $30 represented very good QPR given its balance and complexity. And that's what I'm looking for when I splurge a bit on a wine--more balance, more complexity, and all the great varietal characteristics that make wine distinct (and a distinct pleasure). What have you splurged on recently?

Wine-Drinking Horses and Crab Cakes

I pulled this wine out of the wine-rack last week for two reasons.

First, I can't resist a wine-drinking horse.

Second, the flavor descriptors over at Wine Q were right up my alley, and suggested that this wine would be fruity without being tart. In other words, it was just the kind of wine to have with crab cakes like those perfected by John Potter of Brim to the Dregs. These are our new house crab cake (though they are scrupulously referred to as "John Potter's Crabcakes" by my entire family on two coasts), which I described and then was expected to produce to a hungry mob one warm, sunny day.

This wine was perfect with them. The 2005 RustRidge Sauvignon Blanc ($17.99, Wine Q) is a very good QPR wine. The winery was out to make a Bordeaux-style sauvignon blanc. In the Bordeaux, sauvignon blanc is often blended with semillon to produce a richer, rounder wine. Here, the sauvignon blanc (80%) was blended with chardonnay (20%). It resulted in a wine that has creamy apple, grapefruit, and light pineapple flavors. The chardonnay does indeed impart a roundness to the wine, and mellows its acidity. This is not a tangy, grassy New Zealand style sauvignon blanc. Nevertheless, the wine finishes with a zesty flourish that is mouthwatering and keeps you coming back for more. If you've been drinking a lot of cheaper, quaffable sauvignon blancs--and there's nothing wrong with that!--you'll find that this wine has a great deal more complexity to go along with the higher price tag.

I've got another RustRidge wine from WineQ that is waiting for my return to southern California. If you've not done so already, swing over there and see what they have on offer to put into your Netflix-style wine queue. Their flavor-tags (don't know the exact technical term for them, but that's mine!) make it so easy to find wine that agrees with your palate. And they specialize in bringing you wine from smaller, boutique wineries. What's not to love? (the wine-drinking horses are an extra bonus)

Winery Watch: Twisted Oak Winery

An ongoing series of Friday posts highlighting California family wineries. You might not be familiar with all of these vineyards and winemakers--yet--but they produce wines that speak with the voices of this state's people, places, and history. They are worth seeking out. These posts will be longer than most posts on the blog, but I hope you will find them perfect for leisurely weekend reading and internet browsing. To read previous posts in the series, click here.

Some people have entirely too much fun at their work.

They do not work in cubicles--they work at a place where a sign proudly proclaims "Adults at Play." (picture courtesy of Twisted Oak). They do not commute long hours on Los Angeles area freeways--they scoot down country lanes in Calaveras County. Instead of corporate cocktail parties they attend BBQs where folks dress up in pirate gear or western outfits, brandish rubber chickens, and ask if you are twisted enough to join the Twisted Few. They do not write up mission statements that no one will read full of words no one can pronounce. They've given those joys up for wine labels that feature punctuation marks instead of letters of the alphabet, and coming up with clever t-shirt slogans. You have a job that sucks the joy out of life at Mindless Thoughtless Corporation X. They work at Twisted Oak Winery, and they produce #!&* fine wine that puts some of the joy back into life.

Named after the venerable California Blue Oak on the property, Twisted Oak specializes in Rhone and Spanish varietals. (photo courtesy of Twisted Oak) Grenache, Tempranillo, Verdelho, and Viognier are just some of the grapes that Twisted Oak makes into wine. These wines are not just New World knock-offs of Old World bottlings, however. Each one has the stamp of the Gold Rush region of California where they are grown: they are a bit more adventurous in their flavor profiles, have a bit more backbone in terms of acidity and structure, and are more fun to drink as a result.

Twisted Oak grows their own grapes at vineyards in Vallecito and Sheep Ranch Road in Murphys, CA. But they also work in partnership with other Calaveras County growers, including Tanner and Dalton Vineyards, and those in other parts of the state like the Silvaspoons Vineyards in Galt and Sumu Kaw Vineyard in El Dorado County. Twisted Oak believes in the fruit grown in these often overlooked viticultural regions of California, and one taste of their wine will make you a believer, too. But they also know that good fruit benefits from careful treatment, so after the grapes are harvested they process them in their nifty gravity feed winery. This ensures that the juice is extracted gently and the maximum flavor is left in the juice, where it belongs.

One of the most remarkable things about the Twisted Oak Winery--apart from the wine--is the way that they have welcomed their customers as friends. This can be attributed in part to the fact that Twisted Oak is a pretension-free zone, where they poke fun at each other, their wine, us, and the wider world of wine enthusiasts with devilish good humor. Jeff Stai, known throughout the Blogosphere as "El Jefe," keeps us all up to date on the doings at the winery through his blog, El Bloggo Torcido. His entries show that these are winemakers we can imagine spending the evening with--just look at the picture above of the Twisted Oak bunch at the Hospice du Rhone Saturday BBQ. (photo courtesy of El Bloggo Torcido). Aren't these the kind of people you want to buy your wine from?

While Twisted Oak folks might be lots of fun, don't let their silliness fool you. These are talented winemakers who take a lot of care with the wine that they produce. I've been struck in my tastings of Twisted Oak wines by the balance that they are able to strike between ripe, lush fruit and food-friendly acidity. What follows are some of the wines from their portfolio that I've had recently. This is by no means all the wines that they make, so you might want to visit the Twisted Oak online store, or head over to WineQ which has a roster of their wines including some no longer available through the winery. Prices listed below are the recommended retail price from Twisted Oak or the price I paid for them through WineQ; as always you may be able to get these wines at higher or lower (lucky you) prices. Detailed "Geek Sheets" are available for each and every wine listed here, if you want to know what food goes with your wine, or how much brix or volatile acidity it has.

2005 Twisted Oak %@#$! ($23.99, WineQ) Also known as "Potty-Mouth White," I had it with some of John Potter's crab cakes I pulled off his blog Brim to the Dregs and it was a great pairing. This wine is a Hermitage-style blend of Roussanne and Marsanne that represents stunning value. I dare you to try to find a Hermitage from the Rhone that delivers such fresh peach and pear aromas and flavors with a decided streak of minerality for this price. Earthy notes add complexity to the finish. Excellent QPR.

2005 Twisted Oak Viognier ($22) This is seriously good viognier, a textbook example of the aromas and flavors characteristic of the varietal: honeysuckle, jasmine, and orange blossom flowers; zippy citrus including lemon and an intriguing note of mandarin orange. The wine was also very well-balanced, with a slightly sweet impression when you first sipped it, and then refreshing acidity in the flavors. Excellent QPR.

2005 Twisted Oak Verdelho Silvaspoons ($15.99, Wine Q) Get this excellent, award-winning white while you can, as stocks are running low. It had soft aromas of peach and melon followed up by bright floral and citrus flavors to accompany the rounder peach/melon notes. Perfect with grilled fish, fish tacos, peel and eat shrimp—if it swims in the sea or crawls on the ocean floor, this is the wine to have with it! Excellent QPR.

2004 Twisted Oak Tempranillo ($24): This young tempranillo from Calaveras County grapes has lots of potential. All it needs is a bit more time in the bottle to settle down. Right now there is a pronounced spiciness to the wine, with good tannic structure and cherry fruit—the kind of wine that would perfect for BBQ and big steaks. But in another year or two I suspect that the fruit and spice will be a bit more integrated, the tannins a bit more subtle, and it will be even more fantastic. Buy it now while you can! Excellent QPR.

2005 Twisted Oak *%#&@! ($28) They may call this "Potty-Mouth Red", but it's really another beauty of a wine made from Calaveras County fruit. This soft Rhone-style red blend contains grenache, syrah, and mourvedre. Blueberries, black plum and alluring floral aromas are followed by black and blue fruit flavors that are bright and will pair well with food. Very good QPR.

If you're planning a trip to the Foothills this summer, be sure to stop into one of their two tasting rooms to try some of this excellent wine. I've had a chance to meet some of the Twisted Oak family, and I guarantee you will have a good time! In the meantime, consider joining the Twisted Few wine club, to get your hands on their wine (and maybe a rubber chicken, too...) at deep discounts, as well as procuring limited production wines like their new 2005 Torcido.

You and I might not be able to have much fun at work. But at least we can drink stuff made by those who clearly do.

Next Week: Peachy Canyon

Nothing "Petit" About It: the 2004 Escafeld Petit Verdot

I once had a t-shirt that said: "Coffee and chocolate--nature's only perfect marriage." Throw some rich berries in and you have the recipe for a perfect wine: the 2004 Escafeld Petit Verdot ($19.95, WineQ; or direct from Escafeld)

First, let me say there is nothing "petit" about this wine. It is lush, rich, and satisfying. Don't let the name fool you. Petit Verdot is a robust varietal traditionally used in Bordeaux blends, where its tendency to ripen late (if at all) led vintners to rely less and less on the grape. But in California--well, that's a different story, as Escafeld has proven.

The 2004 Escafeld Petit Verdot has excellent QPR, with complex yet food-friendly aromas, flavors, and textures. Aromas of coffee and chocolate leap out of the bottle from the moment you pull the cork, and once the wine is in the glass rich berry aromas are added. Flavors of blackberries and huckleberries dominate the flavors, embedded in a silky texture. That rich coffee/chocolate mix wends its way all through the finish, held up by a nice acidity that keeps this wine from becoming a fruit bomb. I suspect that this wine will continue to improve and develop for the next 2-3 years at the very least--but who can wait to drink it that long? I know I can't, and there's no reason to wait when it's so very tasty now. We had it with some yummy burgers and a salad, but it would be just at home with ribs, any kind of barbeque, stews, or roasts of any description.

Escafeld Vineyards is located in the new San Antonio Valley AVA. Steve and Elsbeth Wetherill make the wine, and Elsbeth writes a wonderful blog that will tell you all about life in the vineyards, and how your wine was made. They're a relatively new operation, but they're receiving all kinds of accolades, including a Double Gold-Best of Class for this very wine from the 2007 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

And if you are wondering who the lady is on the label, its Elsbeth's grandmother, Mary-Ann Jones. She was a publican's wife in Liverpool, at about the same time that my Mom was a child in the very same city. I like to imagine that my grandmother and grandfather stopped by Elsbeth's grand-dad's pub in the Whitechapel neighborhood, and that my uncle went there for his after-work pint when he'd finished walking his beat as one of Liverpool's finest.

Tonight I'm raising my glass of Escafeld Petit Verdot in memory of all our collective Liverpudlian connections. But you don't need a connection to the Mersey to indulge yourself--get some of this wine now. It's a winner.