“People spend their entire lives at those lower altitudes without any awareness that this high country exists” – Robert Pirsig The history of the wild west evokes images of rugged trails, horses and adventurers mining for gold in harsh conditions. Colorado Springs is filled …
“Through Love all that is bitter will be sweet, Through Love all that is copper will be gold, Through Love all dregs will become wine, through Love all pain will turn to medicine.” – Rumi Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and if you haven’t found the …
“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.” – Paulo Coelho
My family started the New Year with our traditional dinner of ham, collard greens and black-eyed peas. Pairing 3 varietals of red wines with distinct flavors – Syrah, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon – was a fun way to start the year and learn a little about wines from France and California
D’Autrefois Rèserve Pinot Noir (http://compagniedesvinsdautrefois.com/en from the Autrefois region in France started the first round of tasting. This is a ruby red offering with stone fruit aromas and flavors of cherry. D’Autrefois’ Pinot Noir is a medium bodied wine with a moderate finish that shows a minerality prevalent in the Burgundy region. Pinot Noirs from the Burgundy have a lower alcohol content than many Pinot Noirs from California. The tannins are light with a smooth ending on the pallet.
Next up for the tasting is a 2014 French Côtes-du-Rhône Saint-Espirit Rouge Syrah (www.http://mmdusa.net/Delas-Freres/Cotes-du-Rhone-St-Esprit-Rouge/2014/index ). This Syrah is full-bodied with blackberry and vanilla flavors as well as light oak characteristics. Spices are evident in the finish with a hint of pepper rounding off each sip. This is a wine with a long-lasting finish that is higher in acidity and tannins.
Positivevines Helpful Hint: Is Syrah the same as Shiraz? Yes – these are the same grape varietals. In France the grape is a Syrah whereas in the New World (US, New Zealand, etc.) it is called a Shiraz. Remember that terroir significantly impacts the qualities of a grape so a Pinot Noir in France will have a different taste, flavor and finish than a Pinot Noir from California.
Our last wine for the tasting was a Cabernet Sauvignon from California. The San Antonio winery based out of Los Angeles with Paso Robles vineyards features a deep purple and full-bodied wine labeled Maddalena (www.sanantoniowinery.com ). The aromas are rose based with plum hints. The tastes are cherry, blackberry and vanilla. The use of use of oak in the winemaking techniques gives spice, balance, smooth taste, and tannins that are smooth to the finish.
How did my family rank these 3 reds? Different than our family white wine tasting, the preferences for the 3 reds varied significantly. The Cabernet was the overwhelming favorite. It was a split between the Syrah and Pinot Noir. The price points range from $18 to $30 per bottle.
#wbc2017 @SAWineryLA
“Always carry a corkscrew and the wine shall provide itself.” Basil Bunting Today’s post will focus not on a particular varietal or blend but, on a variety of ways to open your next bottle of wine. There are a wide variety styles based on your …
White wines can present themselves as a bold accompanist or lay back like a mellow friend. Diversity in white varietals make it possible for most wine lovers to find a selection or two to regularly enjoy. Over the 2016 holiday season, I hosted a …
Are you looking for a refreshing drink for your guests who aren’t drinking alcohol for the Rose Bowl or any other event during the month of January? Try a couple of easy ones that just happen to be Cardinal and Gold! Fight On!
Golden Asian Pear
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh Asian Pear Juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cups honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 small sprig fresh rosemary
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into coins
Ice
Seltzer water
Combine pear juice, lemon juice, honey, sugar, rosemary, and ginger, in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a boil, then simmer on low heat for five minutes,
Set the mixture aside and let it cool for 30 minutes. Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the syrup into another container discarding the solids left behind. Let the syrup mixture cool completely.
To serve, fill a glass with ice cubes, add 6 tablespoons of syrup and fill with seltzer water. Stir briskly and enjoy.
Note: Add 1/2 oz of white rum for the adult guests who would prefer a little kick to the drink.
Ingredients:
Fill a glass of ice with 1/2 cup soda, grenadine, and lime juice and stir. Garnish with cherries.
Note: Add 1/2 oz of vodka for the adult guests who would prefer a little kick to the drink.
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” — Mark Twain 2016 will be over in just a few hours! Drinking champagne is a very popular part of many New Year’s eve celebrations. In today’s blog, I’m going to …
“Wine is bottled poetry”– Robert Louis Stevenson While many parts of the country are still warm, most of us are beginning to think about the upcoming holiday and party season that starts with Thanksgiving and takes us through the first of the New Year. Intimate …
A French wine legend creates a bold Chilean Cab
“In vino, veritas! – In wine, truth!” – Latin Expression
In the early 1600’s, Spanish conquistadors planted the first stock of grapes in the South American country of Chile. Located on a strip of land between the towering Andes mountain ranges and the Pacific Ocean, the French began transplanting vines in the 1850s. This proved to be a wise investment after the almost total destruction of vineyards in France in the late 1800s. By 1900 A.D. Chilean wine production expanded rapidly and that expansion continues today. Vineyards in Chile avoided the diseases that infected much of Europe. Chilean vineyards are surrounded by mountains that protect from natural parasites.
Los Vascos Grande Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 varietal (www.lafite.com/en/the-domaines/vina-los-vascos.com) is the focus of today’s review. This full-bodied Cabernet is an estate wine grown in the Viña Los Vascos vineyards in Colehuga, Chile under the legendary French Domaines Barones de Rothschild. In 1988 the Château Lafite Rothschild purchased the Viña Los Vascos property to expand their winemaking domain in Chile.
Susan-Anne Cosgrove from Paternak Wine Imports introduced me to Los Vascos. Paternak Wine Imports manages the distribution of the Viña Los Vascos wines in the U.S. from Chile, France,
Spain, Italy, New Zealand and Argentina. Viña Los Vascos vineyards are located next to the Pacific Ocean. This takes advantage of the microclimate of ocean breezes within the warm, dry climate of Colchagua, Chile. This climate of this region is similar to that of California’s Napa Valley. Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon holds true to my impression of earthy, spicy wines from Chile.
PositiveVines Helpful Hint : A microclimate is an area within a larger region that has a different climate. Colchugua enjoys a microclimate cooled by breezes from the Pacific Ocean.
Los Vascos Cabernet Sauvignon has a beautiful ruby red colored wine with a fruit forward cherry fragrance. The wine’s flavors are intense with blackberries, cherry and spices. This is a full bodied Cabernet with plenty of spices and walnut flavors in the tradition of earthy Chilean reds. Winemaker Marcelo Gallardo uses techniques refined in Chile with a balance of L’Espirit Lafite to create a bold, smooth red wine. The grapes for this wine are exclusively grown at Viña Los Vascos’ estate. This qualifies the wine to have the Grande Reserve classification. I would decant the wine 2-4 hours before serving.
Retail prices average $20 per bottle making this an excellent value for a full bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. It will pair well with grilled beef, pork and lamb dishes. If you are not able to find it in your local wine store it is easy to order. The wine can be secured from Wine.com or Wine-searcher.com. This is a wine that you can drink now, or hold for 2-5 years. At this price, I recommend grabbing a few bottles for your cellar.
“What I like to drink most is wine that belongs to others” – Diogenes In my August 13th blog on the 2016 Wine Bloggers’ Conference, I provided a brief highlight of my excursion to the Michael-David winery(www.michaeldavidwinery.com) with fellow wine bloggers. Michael-David wines are favorites …