Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Ravines Cab Franc
The 2007 Cabernet Franc by Ravines Wine Cellars from the Finger Lakes, is a ripe, slightly oaky wine with medium tannins that is enjoyable now but will become outstanding with a little cellaring. Uncork this wine as you’re grilling for Father’s Day next year.
Great buy at around $20.
Ravines Pinot Noir
The 2007 Ravines Wine Cellar Pinot Noir, from the Finger Lakes, is a beautiful bright ruby in the glass and vibrant, slightly spicy cherry in the mouth. The soft tannins and pleasant velvety texture provide the smooth, long finish that all classic Pinot Noirs try to achieve.
Nicely-priced at around $20.
Cremant de Bourgogne
I had an opportunity to sample this creamy, voluptuous Crémant while at a wine tasting where over 100 wines were served. I can easily say that it was the nicest example of a non-Champagne bubbly there was, and at around $23, a bargain.
The mostly Chardonnay blend, highlighted with Aligoté, is pure elegance. With its light honey color, its fruity notes and pleasant freshly-baked bread flavor, this bubbly will please both casual and sophisticated palates.
2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva
This big and rich Chianti was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and rightly so. This wine features spicy and sweet layers and intense dark berry flavors. The color of this wine is the darkest ruby.
Served half the bottle decanted and the other half not. The wine out of the bottle was sharp but not unpleasant and made me glad that I decanted some of it. The decanted wine show more velvety tannins and was smooth and delectable.
Successfully paired the 2005 Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva with bacon-wrapped filet mignon and it was a good match. Not the first thing I’d think of pairing with it, but worked well none-the-less.
This food-friendly Sauvignon Blanc was rated 91 by Wine Spectator and deserves the honor. It has a well-balanced level of acidity and is pleasantly dry. There’s a brightness about the 2008 Provenance Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc that’s vibrant with peach – tropical fruit – lemon flavors and hints of minerals.
Paired well with apple, grilled cheese and with shrimp.
Pairings: Fish, seafood, especially seared scallops
Style: White Wine
Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA
Price: $17
2008 Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
I’ve purchased this Kim Crawford wine several times for casual dinners where I didn’t want to spend a ton of money but still wanted to enjoy a decent glass of wine. I wasn’t disappointed again last night when I uncorked, um, unscrewed, another bottle.
We paired this bottle with Thai food and found that it cut through the heat of the dishes well. I typically buy Rieslings to pair with spicy food, but this Sauvignon Blanc stood up to the heat and provided a refreshing pale green mouthful of grassy lime. I agree with the following review:
“Fragrant and complex, with a refreshing burst of lime, guava, grapefruit and grass flavors,” wrote Wine Spectator, awarding it 91 points. “Wet stone, passion fruit and oyster shell accents add interest, with bright acidity highlighting the vivid finish. Another outstanding Sauvignon from a perennial success. Drink now.”
For about $14 a bottle, this is a solid buy. Pairs well with spicy foods, would be great with a light fish or with chicken, and can be found at most wine stores across the country.
Pairings: Fish, seafood, especially seared scallops
Style: White Wine
Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Price: $14
St Supery Wines
Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the second stop of the St Supery East Coast Tweet Up Tour at Gary’s Wine in Wayne, NJ. The event provided wine enthusiasts the opportunity to sample St Supery’s line of popular wines and to meet Social Media Guru, Rick Bakas.
The venue for the event, the mega wine store, Gary’s Wine, is grand in every way. Gary’s motto “We’re not just a wine store, we are a Wine Destination!” is understood immediately upon entering the spacious facility. The layout is uber easy to navigate with wines arranged by region and varietal. There’s a superb food market with specialty groceries, a fabulous selection of fine cheeses and some prepared food items ideal for an impromptu gourmet feast. Gary’s features a wonderful tasting area for events just like the St Supery Tweet Up and also offers a climate-controlled wine room that houses very special wines and a gorgeous tasting table.
Gary's WIne
The well-attended event was warmly hosted by Gary himself, his team and Rick Bakas, the Director of Social Media for St Supery winery. Rick was generous with his interesting information about Napa Valley, the winery and this year’s crush. Upon arriving, we were immediately made to feel welcomed. Gary is a gracious host and takes pride in his beautiful store. We first tasted the St Supery Oak-Free Chardonnay. The wine was mouthwatering with vibrant yeasty qualities and green apple and pear flavor. Although the name suggests no oak, there were still hints of it that were pleasant and not overpowering. The second wine we tasted was the white Meritage – Virtu, which is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. This wine offered a juicy mouthful of peach with an enjoyable mineral finish. I’m looking forward to tasting this wine with grilled scallops. Last on the list for this tasting was the widely popular Cabernet Sauvignon with its dark cherry nose, well-balanced tannins and long finish. This wine screams for a grilled steak.
For those of you in the New York area, Rick Bakas and the fine folks at St Supery are making two additional stops. Tonight, 10/15, the Tweet Up stops at Harry’s Cafe & Steakhouse in the financial district and tomorrow night, 10/16, the event is at the Roger Smith Hotel. Not in New York? The tour continues and information on additional stops can be found here.
This extra dry Prosecco offers a creamy and almost ‘thick’ consistency with tons of green apple bouquet and citrusy notes. This affordable wine is bold enough to be the star of festivities with its fruity nuances and could also be used to make sparkling wine-based cocktails. The finish is clean and crisp.
Segal's Cabernet Sauvignon
I opened the bottle of 2004 Segal’s Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve a couple of hours prior to dinner, and when I first tasted it, I felt like it could improve from decanting for all the elements to come together.
After about 45 minutes in the decanter, I found the beautifully dark wine to be rich, spicy and full of bold red current flavors.
We enjoyed the well-priced wine with grilled filet mignon kabobs, basmati rice and a four pepper sauce, enhanced by a splash of the Segal’s. I feel the meal was a worthy pairing to the well-balanced oak and tannins of this pleasant wine.
2007 Vietti Barbera D'asti Tre Vigne
This young wine shows a beautiful purple, ruby color in the glass and offers a nice mouthful of ripe cherry and fresh berries. The tannins are soft on this medium-bodied wine, and there’s a nice level of acidity making the Vietti Barbera D’Asti perfect for pairing with food. Could benefit from a few years in the bottle, but can be enjoyed right away.
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