by Lorri | Jul 3, 2013 | UnCorked
I enjoy wines from across the world but for my Fourth of July party I have always served guests my favorite American wines.
The American zinfandel always seems to be a source of consumer confusion. Some think pink and light and out of fashion, while others think intense full-bodied reds. The taste fitting my palate is the latter. Our cooking method for the holiday will most likely be centered on the grill. Zinfandel easily matches the smoky meats that call for a good medium- to full-bodied red. My favorites are not the heavy, exaggerated high-alcohol styles that can be almost exhausting to drink, but those with lower alcohol content, peppery notes and at a value price.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Bogle Vineyards Zinfandel, California (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2011 Seghesio Sonoma Zinfandel, California (about $24 retail)
At our celebration we have a varied picnic-style menu that includes grilled burgers and steaks, coleslaw and fresh salads. A dry rose is one of the few wine styles able to compete and complement the array of flavors. Serving rose also offers guests the refreshing chill of white wines and the structure of light-bodied reds.
THE VALUE
- 2012 Cline Mourvedre Rose, California (about $11 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2011 Bell Wine Cellars Rose, California (about $24 retail)
Not to seem too pragmatic but most Independence Day celebrations start early and end late. With this entertainment setup it may be worth considering what wines you will be serving throughout the party. The 3 percent difference between a light-bodied 12-percent-alcohol wine and a 14.9 percent may not seem like much, but the impact on blood alcohol levels, especially if you have more than one glass, is very relevant.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Montevina Pinot Grigio, California (about $11 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2011 Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc, California (about $18 retail)
by Lorri | Jun 26, 2013 | Tips, UnCorked
One of my favorite things about summer is the ability to regularly fire up the grill. We like to grill everything from squash to sausage, which we then top with everything from a simple drizzle of olive oil to a rich slather of barbecue sauce. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is when family and friends arrive it seems they have the urge to gravitate to the cooler filled with beer. I hope these easy tips and recommendations will make your next cookout a wine-friendly affair and help you persuade your guests to close the cooler.
Steak and cabernet sauvignon are an ideal match up. Most cuts of steak cry out for a full-bodied, tannic red wine. If you sauce your steak, consider choosing a sauce without a lot of sugar to keep the ideal combination of salty, fat and high-tannin wine flavors.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Bridlewood Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, California (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 BR Cohn Silver Label Cabernet Sauvignon, California (about $24 retail)
Salmon and a buttery, oaked chardonnay are wine-pairing perfection. Chardonnays, particularly those from California, can overwhelm many dishes with their oaky, fruity, full-bodied style, but the richness of salmon complements these flavors.
THE VALUE
- 2011 BV Coastal Chardonnay, California (about $11 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2011 Argyle Chardonnay, Oregon (about $23 retail)
Burgers and merlot may seem like an odd pairing,but the two work wonderfully together. Merlots tend to share supple, velvety tannins and round black cherry and plum flavors that enhance the smoky earthiness of a grilled burger.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Bogle Vineyards Merlot, California (about $11 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 Bell Wine Cellars Yountville Merlot, California (about $40 retail)
When it comes to chicken, many red wines will overpower the delicate flavor, but sometimes a red is exactly what you want. Chicken with heavy sauce or cheese requires a full-bodied wine with intensity, making zinfandel an ideal choice. Most zinfandels have ripe luscious, fruity, spice and vanilla aromas, making the match work. If you are grilling a chicken dish lightly seasoned with a little olive oil and herbs, chardonnay is a sound choice.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Cline Cellars California Zinfandel, California (about $12 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2010 Earthquake Zinfandel, California (about $30 retail)
by Lorri | Jun 19, 2013 | Tips, UnCorked
Dispensers to make boxed wine look stylish in your kitchen and washable markers for writing names on glasses are just two of the gadgets or ideas I have seen in the past couple of months worth talking about.
THE BOX MAKEOVER
I am not a wine snob when it comes to buying boxed wine. I would consider myself the opposite. Boxed wine stays fresh longer than the traditional glass bottle and has the bonus of being environmentally friendly. I’m not alone in the support of the box. A multitude of quality producers are working to change the image of boxed wine. Yet even with my confidence and support it’s challenging to not judge the humble cardboard box and its ability to compete with the aura of the bottle.
I came across a stainless-steel wine dispenser for the 3-liter bag in the box, The Boxxle. Buy your brand, open the box and pull out the bladder, place inside the dispenser and, voila, you have a chic and functional product without the cardboard. Boxxle successfully tackles a few other issues as well. Boxxle’s spigot is positioned so the glass sets on the counter, rather than having to bring the box to the edge of the countertop and hold the glass in one hand and work the spigot with the other. Boxxle’s automatic compression also eliminates the need to squeeze the last two or three glasses from the pouch. For more information, visit Boxxle.com
SKIP THE JEWELRY
Not to say they aren’t useful, but the wine charm – those colorful rings that slip on the stems of glasses – has never seemed to work in helping my guests keep up with their wine glass. A person will put down the glass … talk … move to another location and before you know it several people are asking who has the color blue, red or yellow or a lady bug, butterfly or the Eiffel tower. For me, wine glass markers – special pens that write directly on the glass – are a great solution.The marks stay on for the affair, wash away with a sponge or in the dishwater. A few tips from my blunders are to wait about 30 seconds after writing before the guest uses the glass, and if you are serving a chilled wine, write close to the rim and above the pour line. For more information, visit WineGlassWriter.com.
PUT A CAP ON IT
Last but not least is the CapaBunga reusable silicone cap. The cap reseals a bottle of wine after you remove the cork and resembles a bung used to seal barrels during winemaking. After you remove the cork you can reseal the bottle and get a liquid-tight bottle. For those of us who tend to store opened bottles on their sides in the refrigerator to later find the wine has leaked and dripped onto everything below it, this product makes sense. Invented by two winery owners in northern California, the caps show off the designer’s artistic passion with the range of slogans available, for example “in case of in-laws remove cap,” “I’ve earned it,” “me time,” and “retox” as well a solid colors. For more information, visit Capabunga.com.
THE VALUES
- Wine Glass Writer (about $10 retail for a three-pack)
- CapaBunga Reusable Silicone Cap, (about $8 for a two pack or $13 for a four-pack)
THE SPLURGE
- The Boxxle, Box Wine Dispenser (about $100 retail)
by Lorri | Jun 12, 2013 | UnCorked
You’re browsing in your favorite wine shop strolling among the familiar California section and a turn to the next aisle lands you in uncharted territory. The once familiar chardonnays and cabernets are replaced by strange and unfamiliar bottles. Grape names and labels are becoming unrecognizable, almost mysterious. It’s not a bad dream, just the realization of the myriad of wine regions around the globe.
The downside of this exploration is it can lead to confusion and uncertainty. Just the act of learning which wines are worth your time and money can be a bewildering and daunting prospect. The names may be unfamiliar (Barrida), the grapes difficult to pronounce (tinto cao) and the growing regions hard to find on a map (Rias Baixas) but they are delicious.
GALICIA
Galicia (an autonomous community located in northwest Spain) is experiencing the spotlight with the rising popularity of Albarino, a wonderfully refreshing grape variety. Albarino is produced and grown in the Rias Baixas region. The region is cooler than most of Spain, giving the wine its crisp, fragrant characteristics.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Martin Codax Albarino, Spain (about $14 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2011 La Cana Albarino, Spain (about $19 retail)
PORTUGAL
While much of the rest of the world was planting high-demand varieties like cabernet sauvignon, merlot and chardonnay, Portuguese growers focused on grapes that have been produced in the country for decades. The Douro, most famous for its port houses today, produces exceptional still red wines. The indigenous grapes – touriga nacional, tinta roriz, touriga Franca and tinto cao – are made into wines that expand beyond the common flavors of the world’s wines. Farther south in Barrida and Dao, the baga grape is making a name.
THE VALUE
- 2011 Twisted Douro Vineyards, Portugal (about $14 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2011 Barco Negro Douro, Portugal (about $17 retail)
CHILE
Wines such as malbec and camenere from Chile may be familiar to most, but the growing regions of Maipo, Colchagua and Aconcagua may not.Chilean growers have been making great strides in the warm valleys nestled between the Pacific and the Andes. The Colchagua in the central valley region of Rapel has ideal growing conditions for carmenere and merlot. Just to the north the hot Maipo Valley offers excellent conditions for cabernet sauvignon.
THE VALUE
- 2012 Puerto Viejo Sauvignon Blanc, Chile (about $13 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- 2009 Montes Alpha Syrah, Chile (about $23 retail)
by Lorri | Jun 5, 2013 | UnCorked
The difference in rose, blush and white zinfandel is a common question from Uncorked readers. The term “rose” has been used for centuries for the French rose, along with Italy’s rosato and Spain’s rosado wines. White zinfandel and the term “blush” are 20th-century American creations. They are all essentially the same, with only very minor variations.
Most wine grapes have clear juice regardless of the skin color. Each style is made by removing the skins from the juice after the grapes are pressed. The winemaker watches for the shade of pink he wants, then quickly drains the juice from the skins. This stops the transfer of tannin and pigment from the skin. After this the wine is made like most white wines – with cool fermentation, no oak – and traditionally ends up dry or off-dry.
White zinfandel started as a wine making mishap but turned into an American phenomenon. In 1972 Bob Trinchero of California’s Sutter Home Winery salvaged a stuck fermentation (the yeast died before all the sugar could turn to alcohol) of his red zinfandel. He bottled a sweet, pale rose-colored wine he labeled “white zinfandel.” In the late ’80s Sutter Home was selling about 20,000 cases a year of that mistake and today that number is well into the millions. White zinfandel is generally pale pink, sweet and often given a touch of gas and blended with more obviously aromatic grapes such as Muscat or Riesling.
Blush wine has been heralded a “marketing triumph.” In the 1970s the term “blush” wine was born. Wine writer Jerry Mead was visiting the California Sonoma County winery Mill Creek Vineyards. He was offered a sample of a pale, pinkish wine made from cabernet sauvignon grapes. Lots of names were being thrown around but Mead suggested “blush.” The term stuck and the rest of the story is anardor relationship with the American wine drinker. Blush wines are made with a wide variety of red grapes and are generally lighter in color than traditional rose and most likely sweet. They may be labeled vin gris, cabernet blanc, blanc de pinot noir or white zinfandel, depending on the grape.
THE VALUES
- 2010 La Vieille Ferme Rose, France (about $12 retail)
- 2012 La Remise de la Mordoree Rose, France (about $16 retail)
THE SPLURGES
- 2011 Blackbird Vineyards Arriviste Rose, California (about $28 retail)
- 2011 Turkey Flat Rose, Australia (about $22 retail)
by Lorri | May 29, 2013 | UnCorked
The Art of Wine is one of my favorite wine events in Arkansas, and this year it’s celebrating 13 years of success. This Northwest Arkansas gathering draws guests from across the country, with proceeds supporting the Walton Arts Center’s award-winning arts and education programs. What started as a simple affair has grown into one of the largest in the region, featuring hundreds of wines, food from dozens of restaurants and entertainment.
I enjoy all of the events and tastings, but my favorite is the annual Winemaker’s Dinner and silent auction June 13. It always has a touch of exclusiveness, as the dinner is held on stage in Baum Walker Hall at the arts center. This year, Arkansas is honored to have William Hill winemaker Alex Dutzi in attendance. Chef William Lyle of Ella’s Restaurant will prepare the intimate five-course dinner and, as expected, the wines will be sensational. To finish off the dining experience, Ghirardelli’s Chocolatier Steve Genzoli will create a special dessert. Tickets, $200 each, go quickly, so my advice is reserve sooner rather than later.
The warm-up tasting is at 7 p.m. June 14 at the arts center and presents more than 400 wines and nibbles from local restaurants. Tickets are $80 each.
The main event is The Premier Tasting at 6 p.m. June 15 at Baum Walker Hall. There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres prepared by Northwest Arkansas chefs and more silent auction items, ranging from art to entertainment. This grand highlight is a colossal tasting opportunity, with hundreds of wines to sample- many unique to this event. Tickets are $150 each.
For more information call the Walton Arts Center box office at (479) 443-5600 or visit waltonartscenter.org.
These are a few to keep your eye out for. I hope to see you there!
THE VALUES
- 2011 Tuck Beckstoffer Hogwash Rose, California (about $16 retail)
- 2011 Sean Minor Four Bears Chardonnay, California (about $14 retail)
- 2011 Charles Smith Eve Chardonnay, California (about $15 retail)
THE SPLURGES
- 2010 Charles Krug Napa Valley Generations, California (about $50 retail)
- 2010 Regis Bouvier Marsannay Clos du Roy, France (about $40 retail)
- 2011 Blackbird Vineyards Arise, California (about $55 retail)
I enjoy wines from across the world but for my Fourth of July party I have always served guests my favorite American wines.