by Lorri | Aug 17, 2011 | UnCorked
I am first to admit I was one of the many who turned my back on chardonnay in the last several years. It was never my intention but I was trapped in the monotony of predictable styles and flavor. However, a few weeks ago my palate was offered a revival of sorts, with a spectacular French Burgundy. I took to exploring this chameleon of a grape hoping to renew my expectations and once again became a fan of chardonnay.
FRANCE
Chardonnay’s character is often obscured by the use of oak but France’s Cote d’Or seems to have perfected the balancing act. If you enjoy the rich, soft, creamy side of this grape look to wines from this region. But if you enjoy chardonnay without the oak consider French Chablis, a classic dry white wine of north Burgundy. French Chablis is an elegant, dry, crisp wine, unlike other chardonnays most people have tasted, with subtle light mineral and apple flavors.
THE VALUE
- 2009 Joseph Drouhin Vaudon Chablis, France (about $26 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2007 Joseph Drouhin Puligny Montrachet, France (about $76 retail)
UNITED STATES
California’s Carneros region stands apart from the others with significant variations in growing this grape. Winds sweep over Carneros every afternoon, allowing a slow ripening in the vineyard resulting in lean, crisp wines. The climate has a lot to do with the elegance of Carneros wines, but a great deal is owed to the winemakers once the grapes are in their hands.
THE VALUE
- 2009 Acacia Chardonnay, California (about $24 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay, California (about $38 retail)
AUSTRALIA
Given the sheer size of Australian wine country, it isn’t surprising that Australia chardonnay ranges from perfection to average. But the best chardonnays can be found around the town of Margaret River and in South Australia. These cooler regions produce wines that are soft, creamy and buttery with chardonnays’ balance of melon and tropical fruit flavors. The warm regions are generally where the fullbodied, high alcohol “fruit bomb” styles show up.
THE VALUE
- 2009 Grant Burge Chardonnay, Australia (about $18 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Leeuwin Estate Prelude Chardonnay , Australia (about $49 retail)
by Lorri | Aug 10, 2011 | UnCorked
Wines with high alcohol (13 percent or higher) content have become increasingly popular in the past decade.
Their popularity, in part, is due to the high scores the wines receive from critics. Many times wines being reviewed are among hundreds tasted blindly. Of course when the powerhouse high alcohol wines hit the fatigued palate of a taster they generally will stand out in the sea of bottles.
Naturally, with these great accolades from reviews many wineries kept in step with the trend and continued producing higher alcohol vintages. By letting grapes stay on the vine longer, the sugar content is higher. It’s the sugar, which converts to alcohol during fermentation, that is responsible for the higher alcohol percentage.
These high-alcohol wines are frequently included on restaurant wine lists. While a 3 percent increase in alcohol content may not seem like a large difference, your blood alcohol level and your taste buds will surely react. High-alcohol wine can overpower the flavors of food and accentuate the spiciness of bold foods.
And as for what it does to your brain, many studies are technical in their description. My favorite is by writer and retired physician William “Rusty” Gaffney.
He took a Breathalyzer test after drinking low- and high-alcohol wines. The 5-foot-9-inch, 178-pound Gaffney found that after two glasses of 12 1/2 percent alcohol wine on an empty stomach in one hour, his blood alcohol was 0.05. After two glasses of 15 percent wine, he was over the legal driving limit of 0.08 after an hour.
So, you may want to forgo the food clash and alcohol content by considering these lower alcohol wines for your lunchtime menu.
THE VALUES
- 2009 Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc, California (about $16 retail)
- 2010 Broadbent Vinho Verde, Portugal (about $10 retail)
- 2010 Conte Stella Rosa Imperiale Moscato, Italy (about $19 retail)
- 2010 Helfrich Pinot Gris Vin d’Alsace, France (about $18 retail)
THE SPLURGES
- 2010 Pascal Jolivet “Attitude” Sauvignon Blanc, France (about $22 retail)
- 2009 Oriel Or tolan Falkenstein Gruner Veltliner, Austria (about $25 retail)
- NV Roederer Sparkling Wine, California (about $35 retail)
by Lorri | Aug 3, 2011 | UnCorked
This time of year Uncorked seems to have a recurring theme: what to drink in the sweltering summer heat. The urge may be to skip the wine and reach for an icecold hoppy beer, but that’s not the only way. There are plenty of wines fit for summer if you’re willing to look beyond heavy reds. Here are a few to cool off your summer shopping list.
THE VALUES
- 2010 Folonari Pinot Grigio, Italy (about $12 retail)
- 2010 Big House White Blend, California (about $10 retail)
- 2010 Lindeman’s Bin 77 Semillon–Chardonnay, Australia (about $9 retail)
- 2009 Delicato Pinot Grigio, California (about $8 retail)
- 2009 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay, Australia (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGES
- 2009 Wente Vineyard Estate Sauvignon Blanc, California (about $17 retail)
- 2009 Rutherford Ranch Chardonnay, California (about $19 retail)
- 2009 Sineann Pinot Gris, Oregon (about $24 retail)
- 2009 Pascal Jolivet Attitude Sauvignon Blanc, France (about $25 retail)
- 2009 Chateau St. Jean Sonoma Pinot Noir, California (about $39 retail)
by Lorri | Jul 27, 2011 | UnCorked
If you think of how each person has such different likes and dislikes in food, it’s not surprising that we enjoy different wines. Some like the zip of a crisp white wine, while others prefer the smooth softness of low-tannin red wine.
The key to finding new wines you like is a better understanding of what you enjoy about a specific wine and being able to discern exactly what you dislike. Being able to articulate your preferences will enable you to become a smarter buyer in the retail shop and offer you more confident choices while dining out.
ACIDITY
If you enjoy the sharp, puckery sensation of biting into a Granny Smith apple, most likely you enjoy light-bodied wines with vibrant acidity. The most piercing style is New Zealand sauvignon blanc. For less zest, consider sauvignon blanc from California or France’s Loire Valley.
THE VALUE
- 2010 Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc, California (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand (about $19 retail)
SMOOTH AND SOFT
There is a reason merlots and chardonnays are the bestselling crowd-pleasing wines on the market. A wine being smooth, neither tart nor tannic, is one of the most sought-after qualities for many wine drinkers, from novice oenophiles to seasoned connoisseurs. This style of wine is usually medium-bodied, with less tannic bite for reds and less oak for whites.
THE VALUE
- 2010 Lindemans Cawarra Merlot, Australia (about $10 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Gloria Ferrer Merlot, California (about $22 retail)
SWEETNESS
If you enjoy sweet wines you’ll want to be able to distinguish between the styles. (Asking a sommelier for the best sweet wine by the glass could end in a $40 Sauternes versus a $4 white zinfandel.) A wine becomes sweet from added sugar or a natural viticulture process. A wine obtaining its sweetness in the winery involves fermenting a wine to dryness and adding a sweet reserve juice, grape must or grape concentrate back into the wine. When Mother Nature has her hand in the process it results in a luscious sweet wine with a higher price tag.
THE VALUE
- 2009 Hogue Cellars Late Harvest Riesling, California (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- NV Jackson Triggs Riesling Ice Wine, Canada (about $55 retail, 375 ml)
OAK
It’s not always easy to know whether oak has been used in a wine style, but scents of vanilla, toast or grilled nuts are often reliable clues. If you enjoy a full-bodied wine, most likely you will like a wine that has been in contact with oak during winemaking or aging. The most familiar is Chardonnay, with the soft, rich, buttery and creamy style so many consider a favorite.
THE VALUE
- 2009 Kendall Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, California (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Silver Oak Napa Valley Chardonnay, California (about $24 retail)
FLORAL
Aromatic qualities of floral are more common in white wines than red. Certain grapes offering layers of this pronounced sensory explosion for your nose are Gewurztraminer, viognier, Riesling and torrontes.
THE VALUE
- 2010 Bonterra Vineyards Viognier, California (about $19 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 Calera Mt. Harlan Viognier, California (about $37 retail)
by Lorri | Jul 20, 2011 | UnCorked
As temperatures reach sweltering levels many readers are asking similar questions when it comes to summer heat and wine.
Can you drop a few ice cubes into your wine to give it a quick cool-down?
It seems the perfect solution to quickly cool a glass of wine, but it can alter the taste and balance. Wine, unlike other beverages, has a perfect balance of water, sugar, acid, tannin and alcohol. Adding ice disrupts this balance.
What is the fastest way to cool a bottle of wine?
Place the bottle in a half water, half-ice solution for 10 minutes or a quick freezer chill for 10 to 20 minutes.
Will leaving a bottle of wine in the car on a hot day make it go bad?
I consider myself a wine rule follower but last summer I forgot a bottle in my trunk in sweltering 100-degree temperatures. Not only did the cork start to push out and spew wine in my shopping bag but, worse, it tasted stewed. When wine is subjected to temperatures over 100 degrees, you can be sure its quality will be jeopardized. This can happen in a relatively small amount of time in cars with excessive inside temperatures. I like to treat wine as I would milk and ice cream. You wouldn’t leave these items in the car while you take on an afternoon of errands in summertime heat.
Can red wines be refreshing during the summer months?
Many people serve red wines entirely too warm, especially in the summer. If the bottle of wine is sitting out in your home it most likely will be warmer than if it was tucked away in a cool cellar. The tradition of drinking red wines at room temperature does not apply to consumers in sweltering heat. The ideal temperature for a red wine is best between 58 and 65 degrees. If your bottle feels too warm, pop it in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Don’t leave it in too long or you’re left with a glass devoid of fruits and packed with tannin overload.
Is there one wine style you recommend for summer?
Rose, rose, rose (ro-zay). This perfect summer wine offers the cool, refreshing characteristics of white wine. I will stay on my rose wine soapbox until I am confident that wine lovers have given them a fair try. Many people still associate rose with its 1970s reputation: cheap, sweet, slightly fizzy — the pink drink at an afternoon cookout, wedding reception or even, unforgivably, a dinner party. The truth is a quality rose wine is neither sweet nor fizzy and in most cases bone dry, refreshing with beautifully aromatic characteristics ideal for summer menus.
by Lorri | Jul 13, 2011 | UnCorked
When walking the long aisles of a wine shop, you’ve probably had moments of discouragement, not because of an inadequate selection of wines but from the humdrum feeling you experience reading the routine labels one after another — cabernet, cabernet, cabernet; merlot, merlot, merlot; chardonnay, chardonnay, chardonnay.
Every once in a while a snazzy label jumps out at you and for a split second you are drawn to the shelf, only to resume chanting the familiar “Cabernet … cabernet … cabernet.”
There is no need for the monotonous wine search when more than 150 different commonly grown varietals await your palate. For a head start on stepping out of the box consider exploring these refreshing summer favorites.
Snubbed almost as often as white zinfandel, Rieslings may be the most under-appreciated white grapes in the world. That’s usually because of the continued misunderstood image of all Rieslings as sweet, the cumbersome, confusing labels or simply because people have not explored the surprising and racy crispness of dry Rieslings.
In its youth it is crisp, light, apple-y and refreshing. With age, fine Rieslings take on aromas of petroleum (in a good way) and become richer on the palate.
THE VALUE
- 2010 Cupcake Dry Riesling, California (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Spy Valley Riesling, New Zealand (about $24 retail)
If you enjoy New World chardonnay, you’ll love the unique taste of Viognier. Traditionally grown in France’s northern Rhone region, California’s Rhone Rangers are beginning to master this rich, perfumed grape. At its best it’s a dry, opulent, rich, mouthwatering wine with layers of aromatic flowers.
THE VALUE
- 2010 Yulumba Y Series Viognier, Australia (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 Bridlewood Viognier, California (about $23 retail)
Albarino is produced and grown in the Rias Baixas region of northwest Spain. The climate in most of Spain can best be described as hot, hotter and unbearable. This area offers much cooler temperatures and has an abundance of rainfall, all contributing to Albarino’s delicate, lively, aromatic characteristic. For centuries, its following was in the local Spanish market, but since its release to the rest of the world, it is emerging with cult status in limited quantities.
THE VALUE
- 2009 Martin Codax Albarino, Spain (about $14 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Laxas Albarino, Spain (about $20 retail)
