Monthly Archives: July 2007

White Wine Review: La Crema Chardonnay

La Crema Chardonnay Sonoma County 2005

La Crema Chardonnay Sonoma County California wine bottleGenerally I’m not a fan of California Chardonnay, mostly because many of the examples I’ve tasted were too over the top with sugary fruit, high alcohol, and overabundant oak. Of course, not every California Chardonnay is like that, but in my experience there have been more “cocktail quaffers” than bottles appropriate for the dinner table.

However, I took a gamble on La Crema’s Chard, and paired it with two different meals: one a simply grilled chicken, and then a Greek salad that included more grilled chicken. The result: I can say confidently that La Crema Chardonnay is a fine match for grilled chicken.

It’s also an enjoyable wine overall. The nose is expressive, showing full aromas of ripe pear, apple, and a touch of spice. On the palate you get a creamy, smooth texture that carries forward, ripe pear fruit with a good dose of vanilla spice and oak and a faint touch of honey. However the oak is not overpowering — it’s right on. The ripeness is most apparent upfront, but carries through the midpalate and stays through the finish, which is appropriate in length, polished, and subdued. This wine can be described to a neophyte as smooth, buttery, and ripe. It may be more directed toward cocktail hour, as it is very enjoyable on its own. However, it has enough acidity and a touch of tannin to make it matchable with lean foods — try it with the aforementioned chicken, fish, and veggie dishes. A pleasant surprise to my palate and a recommended Weekend Wine.

a-8 t-8 b-8 fc-7 v-7 ~ 88 Points


La Crema Winery Website

Buy La Crema Chardonnayicon direct from Wine.com

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White Wine Review: Drylands Sauvignon Blanc

Drylands Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006

Drylands Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough wine bottleIn the summertime, I’m always on the lookout for a clean, quality Sauvignon Blanc under fifteen bucks. They’re around, but can take some time to find. Usually you’ll find such bargains from Chile or Argentina, and on occasion from New Zealand or South Africa. One good valued example is this Sauvignon from Drylands, which retails for about $14.99 (though some retailers may have it for a few dollars less).

Drylands is a winery — and vineyard — in the Marlborough region of New Zealand, and is a label under the umbrella of the Nobilo wine group. The property consists of a 33-acre block that was planted with Sauvignon Blanc rootstocks back in 1980, and now also is home to some Pinot Noir plantings. You don’t need to know any of this information to enjoy the wine, but it makes for interesting dinner conversation.

Wide open on the nose, with lots of bright gooseberry and grassy aromas, along with limey citrus. The palate is equally bright, showing ripe citrus (lime), green melon, some mineral, and a touch of granny smith apple that comes along in the finish. A faint bit of a vegetal component comes in the finish as well — maybe lemongrass? Very clean and crisp. Good edge of tart acidity balances the ripe fruit and allows this wine to be matched with a myriad of foods. Finish is fairly long, harmonious. Well balanced. Try it with all kinds of fish, poultry, spicy foods.

a-8 t-8 b-9 fc-10 v-8 ~ 93 Points

Drylands Website

Importer: Constellation Brands

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Mailbag: How to Store Wine

Your Questions Answered by Vino Joe

How to Store Wine Question

Wine questions answered by Vino Joe

Question:

Is it OK to store red wine (mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc) at room temperature if it was previously stored properly in a walk-in cellar? I’m moving from a large house with a cellar to a small house with only a portable wine unit that won’t accomodate the amount of bottles I have. Any help you can give would be appreciated.

Answer:

Generally speaking, “room temperature” — which in most homes is about 72 degrees fahrenheit — is a bit too warm for aging wines. However, “ya gotta do what ya gotta do”, right?

The ideal temperature for wine storage is in the 50-55 F range. Unless you have a temperature-controlled wine cave, or a deep cellar, that’s next-to-impossible in most homes. However, what are nearly if not more important than the temperature are three other factors: darkness, humidity, and temperature consistency. While keeping a wine in a 72-degree environment isn’t the ideal, if you can be certain that it is ALWAYS 72 degrees, there is little or no light, and there is some humidity, then the bottle should hold up much better than if stored in a place that (a) has wild temperature fluctuations; (b) in direct sunlight; (c) has dry air; or (d) any combination of the three.

That said, find the bottom of a closet, or underneath stairs as a possible location for your wines. But don’t expect them to age gracefully over a long period of time. If you have expensive bottles in your collection, that need several years’ aging, and you can’t afford/fit a wine cave, then you may want to consider renting cellar space or finding a friend with a good cellar who can hold the wines for you. Or, do what I do — drink them up quickly!

BYOB BBQ Question

Question:

Is it rude to write on an invitation to a BBQ: ‘Bring a Bottle!’ ?

Answer:

No, absolutely not. Assuming that the host is providing all the food, fixins’, space, entertainment, and cleaning up afterward, I think it’s OK to suggest that guests bring a bottle. In the US, it’s common for the food at barbecues and other parties to be supplied by the guests (ex., one brings the potato salad, another brings cookies, etc.), so asking guests to bring a bottle is a fair request, in my book. (But then, there surely are people who disagree vehemently with this idea, so don’t count on me 100%.)

If you’re hesitant, and you’re inviting wine-conscious guests, one way out of it is to turn the BBQ/party into a theme, and make it fun, such as “BYOBB – Bring Your Own Best Bottle”, or similar. I was once invited to a “Chardonnay Brunch” where everyone was asked to bring Chardonnays from different parts of the world, for comparison.


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White Wine Review: Bailly Pouilly-Fume “Les Loges”

Michel Bailly et Fils Pouilly-Fume “Les Loges” 2005

Michel Bailly Pouilly-Fume Les Loges wine bottleIf you can’t pronounce Pouilly-Fume, don’t fret — you need only recognize it when you see it on the shelf (you can always point it out to the sommelier in a restaurant as well, without embarrassment).

And you should be on the lookout for Pouilly-Fume (POO-wee foo-MAY), because many of the ones you see in the USA are a decent bet to be a fine complement to seafood and white meat dishes — even those doused in heavy cream sauces. That’s because the wine is made from the food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc grape, which is grown in limestone-rich, chalky soil that is also rich in marine fossils (i.e., old seashells) and flint. Oh jeez … did I just go geek on you? Why should you care about the dirt? Because it’s what makes Sauvignon Blanc from Pouilly-Fume different from Sauv-Blanc from New Zealand or California. Whereas an NZ example may have a tropical twist to its flavor, Pouilly-Fume will have a more mineral taste, along with a distinct flint character — both due to the fossil-rich and minerally soil.

There are a number of different producers of Pouilly-Fume, and all the fancy French names can get confusing. Here are two very general rules of thumb: first, you usually get what you pay for when it comes to Pouilly-Fume, and a quality bottle is likely to be at least $17-22; second, the phrase “Les Loges” on the label is a fairly dependable indication of quality — it is a small village within Pouilly-Fume containing prestigious vineyards. Using these two “rules”, I came upon, purchased, and enjoyed this bottle: Michel Bailly Pouilly-Fume “Les Loges”.

And it was a very typical Pouilly-Fume: herbaceous, smoky, and green fruit aromas and flavors, with distinct stony mineral, racy acidity. Includes the standard “pipi du chat” (cat pee) / gooseberry aroma, and has plenty of forward, ripe green, flinty, smoky fruit. Also some citrus – lime, grapefruit, and maybe a touch of granny smith apple. Medium-bodied, a nearly creamy texture, and acidity that is appropriately tart but not overbearing when drunk alone. This is a first-class Sauvignon Blanc that perfectly expresses the Pouilly-Fume character: herbal, smoky, minerally. A great food wine, match it with poultry, vegetarian dishes, Thai, Indian, and salads. If you like typically herbaceous Sauvignon, you will enjoy it alone as well. At around 18 bucks, you get what you pay for — a fair value.

a-9 t-9 b-9 fc-9 v-7 ~ 93 Points

Importer: Michael Skurnik Wines

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White Wine Review: Masi Soave

Masi Soave Classico “Levarie” 2005

Masi Soave Levarie white wine bottleSoave gets a bad rap, mainly because most people associate it with the big 1.5- or 3.0-liter bottles filled with insipid, watery juice from mass-market producers, or the similarly tasteless “house wine” of a faux-Italian restaurant adorned with red-and-white checkered tablecloths.

Truth is, a good Soave is a fine choice for everyday drinking, as it can be fresh and vibrant, accentuating the flavors of a dish without overpowering it. The problem, of course, is figuring out which Soave is worth buying, and which are best left to the amateurs.

The “secrets” to buying Soave is this: 1. don’t buy it if it comes in a double magnum, or larger, bottle; 2. don’t buy it if it costs less than seven bucks; 3. don’t buy it if there’s no vintage listed. In other words, find a Soave in a standard 750ml bottle, costing at least $7, and which includes a vintage date — preferably within the last year or two.

One such gem among the trash is Masi Soave Classico “Levarie”.

Mild, almost closed nose of pear, spice, and an herbal / green / unripe component. Smooth as glass texture on the palate. Acidity is more mild than expected, but enough for matching with simple dishes. Limey citrus and mineral flavors dominate the finish, which is mellow and pleasing.

This is a perfect alternative for the crowd that drinks Pinot Grigio by itself, as it gives similarly easy drinking, fruity with a touch of mineral character but without the mouthwatering acidic edge.

If you’re looking for an over-the-top, overripe wine that’s bursting with fruit and commanding your attention, don’t buy this wine. If, however, you’d like a true Soave –subtle, easydrinking, a wine that like a popular person is able to ‘blend in’ and get along with just about everything, then pick up a few of these bottles for your entertaining. Drink this by itself as an apertif, with simple appetizers, and with all kinds of mildly seasoned fish, vegetables, and pasta salads. It’s also a fine foil for spicy foods, such as hot wings and Asian cuisine. A good quaffing wine – something you don’t have to think about, yet so enjoyable you will want to remember the name and label to buy it again.

a-7 t-7 b-9 fc-9 v-7 ~ 89 Points

Importer: Remy USA

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