Longevity Chardonnay (2019)

A few months ago, I was strolling through the county liquor store, perusing the wine selection.  This trip was intentional, because, I was on the lookout for some new wines to try.  I was particularly focused on new regions or varietals. However, one thing caught my eye. It was three letters: "BLM." The letters stood for "Black Lives Matters," and, as it turns out, the county liquor store was highlighting African-American owned wineries and vineyards.  The one that got my attention was a Chardonnay from Longevity.

Longevity Wines is a family owned winery located in the Livermore Valley of California.  It is a certified minority owned winery, run by Debra and Phil Long.  As their website explains, Debra Long chose the name Longevity as a play on their last name, as well as an expression of the love she shares with Phil and producing wine. 

The Longs produce their wines using local grapes from the Livermore Valley.  The valley is one of one hundred and forty-two (142) American Viticultural Areas or AVAs located in the State of California. The Livermore Valley AVA is located around, as the name suggests, the city of Livermore in the Tri-Valley region.  There is a relatively long history of winegrowing in the area, with the most popular varietal being Petit Sirah. However, that is not the only varietal grown in the AVA.  There are over thirty varietals grown there, and, the list reads like an around the world tour of wine grapes including varietals typically associated with France (like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and others), Germany (such as Gewurztraminer), Italy (including Barbera and Sangiovese), Spain (Tempranillo) and even Portugal (such as Souzao and Touriga Nacional).

But, it is the Chardonnay from Longevity Wines that got my attention. Not just the fact that the winery is owned by an African-American (which is notable), but also the wine itself.  This is one of the few wine reviews that I have done where both my beautiful Angel and myself have actually tried a couple of the bottles of the wine. (Usually, I do a review based on the first bottle.)

When we purchased the first bottle, both my Angel and I thought that this wine was truly unique.  We both sensed flowers and some fruit in the aromas.  Flowers are not something that I would ordinarily expect from a Chardonnay.  But, there may be a reason for our initial impression.  Both my Angel and I have been leaning toward unoaked Chardonnay wines.  Those wines tend to be lighter and crisper, while oaked Chardonnay wines tend to develop more mellow tones, such as vanilla and butter.

When it comes to Longevity, the winemakers note that the wine is made with 100% Chardonnay grapes, which underwent "nine (9) months of fermentation in 20% new French oak barrels combined with 100% malolactic fermentation." The time spent in those barrels give rise to aromas and flavors that those winemakers describe "rich, complex, well rounded and full of ripe fruit and crisp acidity."  "In other words," they add, "think of aromas as apricot, pineapple, Asian pear, sweet vanilla and butterscotch."  

With our second bottle, the oaked presence seemed to become more pronounced. I could definitely sense the apricots and pears, as well as that vanilla and butterscotch. While those elements are definitely present, they are not overpowering, as some oaked Chardonnays can get.  For the price of about $12.99 a bottle, this is definitely a wine worth keeping around the house, either for guests or just when you want a glass while you are cooking. 

ENJOY!

Karas Classic White (2017)

I have always been fascinated by the lesser known wine producing regions of the world. Places such as Kakheti, Georgia or the Dalmatian coast of Croatia.  My fascination with such reasons lies with the fact that, inevitably, those little known regions are often producing wines with even lesser known grape varietals. 

Take, for example, the small country of Armenia.  The country consists of 11,484 square miles located entirely in the Caucasus Mountains. Yet, it is the valleys, especially those in the Ararat and Armavir regions, where people have been producing wines for centuries.  There are over 400 grape varietals that can be found in Armenia, but only 31 of those varietals become wines. 

One of these grapes is the Kangun.  The white varietal is a hybrid between the Rkatsiteli grape (which is one of the oldest grape varietals in history) and the Sukolimansky grape (which itself is a cross between Chardonnay and another grape varietal). The majority of Kangun grapes never make it to a wine bottle. Instead, they are destined for Armenian brandy.  Those grapes that become wine produce light, hay or straw colored wines, that are full of white fruits, honey and other elements.

My introduction to the Kangun grape came in an unexpected way. I went to my local Syrian/Middle Eastern market looking for a very specific wine - the Karas Classic Red. The store did not have any more of the red wine. Instead, it had bottles of the Karas Classic White. Needless to say, given how much I like the red wine, I decided to give the white wine a try. 

The Classic White is a blend of three grapes - Kangun (50%), Chardonnay (40%), and Viognier (10%). The wine pours in very light hay color, giving a yellowish hue to what you can see through the glass. The citrus notes come through in the aroma, with some grapefruit and a hint of lemon or pineapple as well. As expected, some of these aromatic elements also carry through to the taste of the wine. The crispness of the wine hinted at the Chardonnay grapes, presenting in some respects as an unoaked wine.  (I tried to find how this wine was aged, whether in oak barrels  or in stainless steel, but was not successful.)  The wine label boasts of a "solid mineral structure," but I was not able to pick up much minerality or any earthiness in the wine.

This wine was good enough to get me to sit down to type out a review.  (I had previously decided to reduce the number of wine and beer reviews that I do for this blog in an effort to focus more on cooking.)  That says something about the wine. It is definitely worth a try and provides an interesting first step into the experience of Armenian wine. 

ENJOY!

Wine Club ... Pairing Wine with Lebanese Mezze

The latest wine dinner was a first for one of the couples.  It was their first time preparing a dinner for everyone.  They decided to prepare and serve a multiple course dinner of Lebanese dishes that were drawn from family recipes.  From sambousek bi jibne to  kibbe nayee, it provided us with an opportunity to experience the culinary heritage that is an important part of their family.  

I volunteered to do the wine pairing, which was quite the task.  I wanted to make sure that there were at least a couple of Lebanese wines.  Lebanon has a long wine-making history, and, it may be one of the oldest wine production sites in the world.  The cultivation of grape vines dates back principally to the Phoenicians, who were primarily responsible for the planting of the vines along the coast and in the interior valleys.  The production of wine continued to grow while the lands were under the control of the Romans and Greeks.  However, once Lebanon became part of a caliphate, wine production decreased.   Wine production was tolerated only insofar as it was used in Christian religious ceremonies.  It was not until the mid nineteenth century that wine production began to increase once again.   This renaissance was led by Jesuits, who along with the French occupation, helped to increase wine consumption there.  

I managed to find several Lebanese wines at a local store; however, I decided to pair Lebanese wines to two of the four courses. I decided that I would try to pair a couple other wines for the remaining dishes.  

 

Chateau Ksara Blanc de Blanc (2012)

Paired with Syrian Olives, Jibn (mild white cheese), Syrian Bread, Stuffed Grape Leaves, Tabouleh, and Hummus

The first course was a variety of mezze dishes ... Syrian olives and Jibn, stuffed grape leaves, tabouleh, and hummus, all of which was served with Syrian bread.  All of these mezze provided different flavors and textures, which makes pairing a little dififcult.

Still, there is some common themes.  One of those themes was that the best wine for pairing would be a white wine.  There was one white wine from Lebanon.  It was a white blend from Chateau Ksara.  This winery was established by Jesuit monks in 1857 in the Bekaa Valley.  The vineyard and estate is located near Baalbeck.  Its name is drawn from "ksar" or fortress, because it was the site of a fortress during the Crusades.

There are several other interesting facts with respect to Chateau Ksara.  For example, the wine cellar used by the winemakers is a grotto that was discovered by the Romans, who dug tunnels from the cave.  The Jesuit monks enlarged the tunnels during World War I, using local people to dig the tunnels in order to create employment and alleviate famine.  The Jesuits eventually sold the estate and the wine production to a private concern, which has continued to produce the wines in the tradition of their predecessors.

This particular wine -- the Blanc de Blanc -- is a blend of 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 25% Chardonnay and 25% Sémillion.  This wine is aged for four months in French oak barrels. The aromas of this wine were described as floral, which is true to a certain degree.  The taste of this wine evolved as it warmed up.  At first, I was not sure I could describe it, but, over time, it opened up and elements of citrus, like grapefruit, and melon began to make their presence known.  There was also some elements of nuts and spice in both the aroma and the taste.

While I may not be a big fan of Sauvignon Blancs, the blending of the grape with Chardonnay and Sémillion really helped to produce a relatively light, smooth wine.   This wine was a very good start because it was not overly fruity, which allowed for it to pair well with all of the different flavors -- from the chickpeas in the hummus to the parsley in the tabouleh.  A bottle of this wine sells for about $11.99.

Henri Bourgeois Petite Bourgeois Rosé de Pinot Noir (2012)

Paired with Eggplant Slices, Pomegranite, Yogurt and Tahini

There was only one dish for the second course ... Eggplant Slices with Pomegranite, Yogurt and Tahini.  The eggplant slices were baked in the oven and then topped with the pomegranate seeds and a yogurt sauce.  

For this course, I had my sights set on a white wine or perhaps a rosé.  I ultimately chose the latter, and began looking for a French rosé.  The rosé style is produced in many different appellations in France, from the Loire Valley to Provence.  I chose a rosé wine from the Loire Valley, which is one of my favorite appellations in France.

The wine is the Petit Bourgeois, which is produced by Henri Bourgeois.  The vineyard is in Chavignol, which is located in Sancerre is almost equidistant from both Tours and Dijon.  The winemakers at Henri Bourgeois focus upon two varietals: Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.   Those Pinot Noir grapes are used to produce the Petit Bourgeois.  

This salmon-colored wine was described as offering up light red cherries on the nose, followed by red berries and dill on the palate.   The description is fairly accurate.  The aroma of this wine was full of strawberries, raspberries and cherries.  Those strawberries carried over into the taste of the wine as well.  The body of the wine is particularly light and easy to drink.

This wine paired very well with the eggplant dish.  The wine was light enough to contrast with the baked eggplant and the tartness of the pomegranate seeds.  This wine served as a great transition from the Blanc de Blanc to the next wine.  This wine sells for about $10.99 a bottle.

Massaya Classic (2010)

Paired with Sambousek bi Jibne, Fatayer, 
Kibbee Nayee, Kibbee Sunnee and Koosa

The third course was a return to multiple mezze.  The dishes include Sambousek bi Jibne (cheese pies), Fatayer (spinach pies), Kibbee Nayee (raw beef with burghul and onion), Kibbee Sunnee (a baked version of Kibbee Nayee) and Koosa (squash stuffed with a lamb mixture).   These courses would naturally seem to suggest that a red wine, but the cheese pies presented a pairing challenge, because of the spices created some amount of heat.  That type of heat will often intensify the tannins in red wine, which is something that may not be pleasant for some (but it is fine with me).

This is where I chose to pair a second Lebanese wine.  I could have chosen another wine from Chateau Ksara, as there were at least four different reds from that winemaker at the store.  Whenever I do the pairing, I try to use choose different winemakers.  So that eliminated all of those Ksara wines.

There were two other red wines from Lebanon, and, I chose the Massaya Classic (2010).  Like the Blanc de Blancs, this wine is a blend produced in the Bekaa Valley. The particular blend is 60% Cinsault, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Syrah.  The wine is first fermented in stainless steel tanks and then in concrete vats, which the winemaker says helps to promote the "suppleness" of the wine.

The Massaya is very reminiscent of a French blend, such as a Bordeaux or a Cotes du Rhône.  It wine pours a dark red, and, there is a very solid aroma of red berries and fruits, from strawberries to red cherries.  The body of this wine is much fuller and bigger than the first two wines, which is to be expected.  The taste of the wine is very fruit-forward, with a good amount of strawberries and ripe cherries.  There is also some spice and tannins in the wine (which, as I expected, were heightened a little when eating the cheese pies.  However, it paired very well with both types of kibbe.  (By the way, I really liked the Kibbe Nayee, which was the first time that I ever had it.) This wine can be found for about $14.99 a bottle.

Bagrationi Classic Brut

Paired with Rice Pudding

The final course, which was the dessert, was rice pudding.  The original recipe included an apricot compote, but, apricots are not in season.  However, the rice pudding was made with orange water, which added a nice flavor to the dessert.

I knew what I wanted to pair with this dish ... a sparkling wine.  However, I did not want a prosecco or cava; instead, I wanted a different sparkling wine.  The store where I did my shopping had a couple of interesting wines from Georgia.  While Lebanon may have some of the oldest vinicultural sites, some sites in Georgia date back to 6000 B.C.  As with Lebanon, wine became more important in Georgia when its people converted to Christianity.  More recently, Georgian wine was produced and solid throughout the Soviet Union, and, the wine remained popular in Russia. However, recent political troubles led to the ban of Georgian wine in Russia, which meant that the winegrowers had to look elsewhere to sell their wine.  Hence, the sparkling wines on the shelves of the store where I was shopping.  

This particular wine -- Bagrationi Classic Brut -- comes from one of the more popular winemakers in Georgia. Georgian Prince Ivane Bagrationi-Mukhraneli began producing sparkling wine in Georgia in 1882 using the méthode Champenoise.  This sparkling wine is made from grapes that are indigenous to Georgia, such as Chinebuli, Mtsvane, and Tsitska.  The Chinebuli is a grape varietal that produces clusters with big, cylindrical and thin-skinned berries that have a fleshy, juicy pulp.  The Chinebuli used in this wine come from vineyards located in the Kartli region, which is near the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi.  The Mtsvane varietal is a white grape that is used for white wines.  The Mtsvane grapes come from Kartli, as well as Kakheti region in the eastern Caucasus mountains.  Finally, the Tsitska grape is a varietal that is used in sparkling wines and is cultivated in the Imereti region in western Georgia.

The Bagrationi Brut pours a light straw color, with a good amount of carbonation at the outset.  The wine is as its name suggests ... brut or dry.  The winemakers describe the wine as having aromas of citrus and flavors of honeydew.  Those descriptions are accurate, although I would add that there is some melon and cantaloupe in the taste of this wine.  The effervescence of the wine worked well with the creaminess of the rice pudding.  This wine was a good pairing, although other pairings, such as the Massaya and the Blancs de Blancs worked a little better.  Still, a bottle of the Bagrationi costs $11.99.

ENJOY!

Black Ankle Vineyards Chardonnay (2011)

Chardonnay has become a worldly grape. Although the grape was first cultivated in the Burgundy region of France, Chardonnay vines now stretch beyond the borders of the French Republic, across the European continent and around the world, reaching out to the United States and as far away as Australia. 

 

Despite the seemingly omnipresent nature of the grape, there are definitely regional differences when it comes to Chardonnay wines.  For example, in the Chablis region, winemakers produce Chardonnays that have a sort-of "goût de pierre à fusil" or gunpowder flavor, which is simply a reference to the mineral elements in the wine's flavor.  These Chablis wines are also aged in stainless steel, never touching the side of a toasted barrel.    By contrast, in California, many winemakers followed a trend of aging their Chardonnay wines in barrels, lending flavors of  oak and vanilla to the wines. 

 

In Maryland, the winemakers seem to plot their own course between Chablis and California.  Take, for example, the Chardonnay wine produced by Black Ankle Vineyards.  The vines grow on north-facing slopes of decomposing slate that is laced with veins of quartz.  After the Chardonnay grapes have been harvested and the juice is extracted, the winemakers blend the Chardonnay with just a little Muscat and ferment the wine for six months in French oak barrels (of which 40% are new).

The Black Ankle Chardonnay, which is produced with 96% Chardonnay and 4% Muscat, pours a clear, fresh and light golden color.  The winemakers describe the aromas as having elements of smooth pineapple, lemon custard, and honey.  I could definitely sense the pineapple and honey.  As for the taste, the winemakers describe the Chardonnay as complex and well-balanced on the palate, with flavors of lemon, white cake, peach, and mineral supported by light oak flavors and a lingering citrus finish.  I think that the citrus was definitely in both the front and the finish of the wine, with the lemon and some grapefruit.  There are definitely other fruit flavors, such as the peach suggested by the winemakers.  And, there is definitely a little oak from the aging of the wine.  This wine is nothing like an oaked Chardonnay from California.  Instead, the winemakers expertly keep the oak flavors far in the background.   In so doing, Black Ankle strikes out its own path between the gunpowder flavors of the Chablis style and the buttery oaky style of some Californian Chardonnays.

The absence of the buttery, vanilla oaked character makes this Chardonnay very food friendly.  So friendly that it could be paired like a lighter wine, such as a Viognier or Pinot Grigio.  This wine goes very well with any seafood or vegetable dish.  On this particular occasion, I paired the Chardonnay with my version of Maryland crabcakes and the pairing was perfect. 

Only 170 cases of this wine have been produced, which means it is difficult to find.  If you come across a bottle, it is definitely worth a try (and a second one, and a third one, ...).  I purchased this wine at the vineyard and have not seen it at any wine stores. 

ENJOY!

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay (2010)

After experiencing the great wines of Black Ankle Vineyards and Serpent Ridge Vineyard, it has become a "mission" of sorts for me to learn more about Maryland's wine movement.  A couple months back, Clare and I took my parents on a little "wine-tasting" tour of Maryland.  We began our tour at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard in Comus, Maryland.  After tasting Sugarloaf's wines, Clare and I purchased a bottle of the vineyard's Chardonnay. 

Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard produces the Chardonnay in a Chablis style.  Chablis is the northernmost wine district in Burgundy, France.  The wines produced in this region have their own truly unique characteristics.  The cool climate of the Chablis region lessens the fruity flavors of the grapes and heightens the mineral flavors of the wine.  Some describe the mineral flavors as having flinty notes, a sort of "goût de pierre à fusil" or the taste of gunpowder.  Most Chablis wine is not aged in oak barrels; instead, winemakers age the wine in stainless steel tanks.  The white wines of Chablis have less of an oak influence than other whites produced in Burgundy or with the Chardonnay grape. 

Although I have not had a lot of Chablis wine, I can see why Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard says it produces its Chardonnay in the Chablis style.  Although this Chardonnay is aged in oak barrels (which would be challenged by Chablis purists), the presence of the oak in the wine is much less than other Chardonnays that come from California or elsewhere.  

Apart from the taste imparted by the oak barrels, the Chardonnay pours a color of light gold or, as the winemaker suggests, yellow straw.  The winemaker also describes the wine has having "aromas of vanilla, ripe pear and apple, citrus and spices."  For me, the aromatic elements of the wine suggest some mineral (not quite a goût de pierre à fusil), but also an abundance of fruit, such as apples, as well as a little pear or melon.  The wine is smooth, with a little tartness around the edges that frame a pear-filled taste.  As the winemaker suggests, the finish of the wine is open with apple and pear fruit. 

The winemaker suggests that this wine will be great with salads and grilled fish or seafood.  Clare and I paired this wine with a Grilled Calamari Salad.  The wine paired well with the grilled squid and the other flavors in the salad. 

We purchased this wine at Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard's tasting room and it may still be available for purchase online or at some stores in the area around the Vineyard. 

ENJOY!

For more about Chablis wine, check out Wikipedia.

A Tour Through Spanish Wine-Pairing

I have mentioned in the past that both Clare and I are part of a monthly wine club.  One couple cooks a four course meal, another couple pairs wines for each course, and everyone gets to enjoy the food and wine.  For October 2011, we were responsible for choosing the wines.  The couple who were cooking the meal planned to make a four course, Spanish meal.  They really wanted to prepare a dinner using the cuisine of a country with an established wine culture.  So, I undertook the challenge to  pair Spanish wines with the Spanish courses.  

Although it may seem easy to pair Spanish wines with Spanish cooking, I wanted to see if I could tap into the various styles and grapes grown throughout Spain.  This is a challenge because Spain has more than sixty-five DOs (Denominación de Origen) and DOCa's (Denominación de Origen Calificada).  These DOs and DOCa's cover the gamut, from white wines, to rose wines to red wines.  I decided to pick a different wine style for each course, and, in addition, to pick a wine from different regions of Spain.  No two wines could be the same style or from the same DO or DOCa, even if the wines were made from different grapes.  

So, here are my wine choices, along with the pairing.  A brief description of the winemaker (where available) and the wine is provided.  

Muga Rioja Rose (2010)

Paired with Pan con Tomate y Jamon de Serrano (Tomato-Rubbed Bread with Serrano Ham)

Bodegas Muga is located in the Barrio de La Estación, which is the historic railway district of Haro, a small town in the northwest part of La Rioja.  Muga's vineyards are located at the foot of the Montes Obarenses within an area called Rioja Alta.  The soil is mostly clay and limestone, although there are some variations that help provide character to the grapes and, ultimately the wines.  Muga has 620 acres of vineyards that it owns and the winery also gets grapes from an additional 370 acres of vineyards.  The primary grapes grown for red wines in these vineyards are Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano.  When it comes to white wines, the primary grapes grown in the vineyards are Viura and Malvasia.

The Bodegas Muga Rose is a blend of both red and white grapes.  The blend is 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% Tempranillo.  The wine is salmon pink in color.  The aromatic elements of this wine are said to include a lot of different fruits: pears, peaches, passion fruit, pink grapefruit.  One review even noted a little rhubarb. The tastes are said to be red berry fruit, with a little citrus zest and white pepper.  A "mineral streak" is also noted by some reviewers.  The body of this wine is light, and a little syrupy without being sweet.  

I chose this wine to pair head to head with the Jamon de Serrano, kind of how Lambrusco is paired with Proscuitto in Emilia-Romagna.  The light fruity flavors will also pair well with the use of fresh tomatoes, which are, after all, a fruit in and of themselves. 

Gran Vinum Albariño Nessa (2009)

Paired with Hot Pepper and Garlic Shrimp

When one thinks of seafood, the thought in Spain first focuses on the region of Galicia.  This region is renown for its seafood, so much so that the words "seafood" and "Galicia" could be synonyms. The second course features shrimp, along with crushed red pepper and garlic.  These ingredients call for a white wine, but I wanted to pair this course with a wine from Galicia, which proved a little difficult.

Ultimately I chose an Albariño.  The Albariño grape is grown in the Rias Biaxas D.O., which is found in southern Galicia, near the northern border of Portugal.  The grape has a thick skin and produces less juice than other grapes, which may be due in part to the cool and rainy environment in Galicia.  Yet, the Albariño wine is said to be very similar to Vigonier and Gewurztraminer, which are not grown in such wet conditions. 

The grapes for the Gran Vinum Albariño Nessa are grown on a hillside near the Atlantic ocean by a winery that has been owned by the same family for three generations.  The family, headed by Enrique Pineiro, also purchases grapes from other local vineyards to make this Albariño wine.  Most of these growers are located in a sub-region of the Rias Biaxas D.O. called Val do Salnes.  The wines are then picked and sorted by hand, pressed using a pneumatic press and fermented in stainless steel tanks.

The Albariño Nessa is gold in color.  According to the reviewers, the aromatic elements of this wine are supposed to include peaches, flowers, jasmine and honeysuckle. The flavors are said to include oranges and limes, along with pit fruits.  The medium body wine finishes with some more citrus and a "floral quality" in the finish. 

Albariño wines are known for being dry to bone-dry.  This feature of the wine highlights the spice and garlic without amplifying either flavor.  However, this Albariño wine differs from other such wines in that it is not as dry, thereby rounding out the spice and garlic flavors of this shrimp dish.  

Bodegas Bleda Castillo de Jumilla (2010)

Paired with Cocido Lebaniego (Cantabrian Meat Stew with Chickpeas)

The third course is a stew with pork (ham hocks, slab bacon, salt pork) and beef (veal shanks, dried beef).  Initially, my thoughts turned to a full-bodied red wine, such as a Priorat or a Toro.  However, Priorats and Toros are very full bodied, tannic wines that would be a little too "heavy" for this stew.  After thinking about it a little longer, I decided to go with a medium bodied red, such as a Rioja.  However, I already had a Rioja Rose.  Moreover, Rioja is probably the most well-known Spanish wine.  I wanted to find a different wine, one that may not be as well known.  

So I chose the Bodegas Bleda Castillo de Jumilla.  This wine comes from the Jumilla DO, which is an arid region located in the southern Spanish region of Murcia.  This DO is most known for the indigenous grape Monastrell.  This is a thick skinned, black grape that is high in tannin.  It is reportedly difficult to grow, with inconsistent results from year to year.  

The Castillo de Jumilla is a blend of 50% Monastrell and 50% Tempranillo.  Each grape contributes to the overall wine.  The wine is a bright violet in color.  The Tempranillo provides a lot of fruit to the aroma and the taste.  This fruit includes strawberries.  However, the Monastrell deepens the fruit aromas and flavors, most notably with dark berry flavors.  The layering of fruit flavors should produce an interesting wine.  The winemaker adds that the aromas include, not just berries, but also licorice

This wine is a "joven," which is a term for a DO or DOCa wine that sees little to no time in an oak barrel.  Instead, the wine is sold as "fresh" and/or "fruity."  

I ultimately decided on this wine to provide a contrast to the Cocido Lebaniego, pairing a fresh and fruity wine with a stew of meats and chickpeas.  This wine was the biggest wild card because it was a last minute substitution for what I had been planning to buy for this particular pairing.  

Mont Marcal Brut Cava Riserva (2008)

Paired with Tarta de Santiago (Almond Tart)

Tarta de Santiago is a Galician Almond Tart.  First thought would be to pair a Galician wine; however, I paired an Albariño with the Hot and Garlic Shrimp dish.  So, I needed to look for a white wine for a different region.  Not just any white wine.  I ultimately chose a Cava, Spain's answer to France's Champagne or Italy's Prosecco. 

Cava is typically associated with the Catalunya region in Southeastern Spain.  That is where most Cava is produced, although Spanish law provides that the sparkling wine may be made in other regions, such as Aragon, Extramadura and Navarra.  Sticking true to my challenge, the Mont Marcal Bruit Cava is produced in Castellví de la Marca, a small town outside of Barcelona, Spain.    

Cava is typically produced with a blend of grapes, typically Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo.  Other grapes used to produce Cava include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Subirat.   The Mont Marcal is a blend of 40% Xarel-Lo, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada and 10% Chardonnay.  Each grape is picked and fermented separately.  The grapes are blended and go through a second fermentation in the bottle for at least fifteen months.

The winemaker describes this wine as having a pale yellow color, with good carbonation and "a perfect mousse."  The aromatic elements and taste include apples, banana and pineapple.  The body of this wine is slightly sweet and crisp. Although Cava is typically an aperitif, I decided to go with this wine because the lightness of this wine will help with digestion, particularly after three course and three different wines.  In addition, the carbonation of the wine will help to cleanse the palate, allowing the guests to enjoy the almond tart. 

There you have it -- a sparkling wine from Catalunya, a white wine from Galicia, a rose wine from La Rioja, and a red wine from Jumilla.  Four different styles of wines from four different regions of Spain paired with four different courses.  All of these wines are available at Calvert Woodley in Washington, D.C.

ENJOY!

Sokol Blosser Evolution (NV)

When Clare and I were enjoying our wine tour throughout Willamette Valley, Oregon during our honeymoon, our tour guide took us to Sokol Blosser Vineyards.  One of my co-workers suggested Sokol Blosser Vineyards, because her relatives are the family behind this winery.  Our tour guide was kind enough to  arrange for us to have a complete tour of the vineyard.  The tour provided us with the opportunity to see how Sokol Blosser made its wines -- from start to finish.  This was one of the most detailed wine tours that we took during our honeymoon  And, as our guide gave us the tour, she carried a backpack with some of Sokol Blosser wine, so we got a chance to try the wine as we learned about the winemaking process and the different wines that the vineyard produces.

While Sokol Blosser produces some amazing pinot noirs, it also produces an outstanding white wine -- Evolution.  This wine a blend of nine grapes, Some are well known grapes, such as chardonnay, gewurtz-raminer, pinot gris and white riesling.  Others are less known, like slyvaner, muller-thurgau, muscat canelli  and semillion.  The exact blend is proprietary, with the percentage of each grape used in the blend being a closely-held secret. 

When pouring Evolution, you are greeted with a clean, crisp white wine.  The wine is a very light in color, with a nose that includes peaches, vanilla and spice.  When you taste the wine, you definitely get the taste of peaches.  This is a very drinkable wine.

Evolution pairs very well with spicy foods, providing a refreshing taste after the burn of the spice.  As far as I am concerned, I'd drink this wine with any food. 

The vineyard includes the "tag line" for this wine is "Luck? Intention?" on every bottle.  As it goes, "it hardly matters," because this is one of the best white wine blends that I've tasted.  This wine is available at some restaurants and at Whole Foods.  It sells for $16.99 or $18.99.