Vino - Talk! (uncorked)

My love affair with wine
April 2009

It’s OK, my husband knows AND approves.

I have enjoyed wine for some time now so why is it that unlike in other areas in my life the passion keeps on going?

Is it because my father was a farmer and I still wonder at the conversion of seeds into tasty vegetables, of milk into over 500 different French cheeses, and now of grapes into wine? Is it because wine takes me places? Is it because it goes so well with food? It’s all of the above and more.

My interest in wine took a big jump once I started “playing” with pairing food with it. It became that much more interesting to me and in some way, took a new life of its own. It’s one thing to recognize elements in wine, acidity for example, but to put those elements to “work” and experience new dynamics in taste is very exciting. This reminds me of an “epiphany” I had once with cooking.

Dinner consisted of sautéed white fish which I wanted to keep light so I opted for white wine, lemon and capers as the main flavors; Before cooking, I pulled some blue cheese and crackers because I was hungry (read, I need something to eat right now!). It so happened that I popped a small chunk of blue cheese in my mouth right before I took a spoonful of my sauce; As the cheese and the lemon caper sauces combined, I immediately recognized that a Ah Ha! moment had just happened. It worked beautifully! Though not surprising in retrospect, I had never thought of combining blue cheese and lemon. The synergy was amazing, to my taste buds.

Other experiences, like a particular cheese that improved a wine or a cheese that made the wine taste moldy (bummer!) kept on happening for the very simple reason that I was paying attention. I figure if there is going to be a party in my mouth, I might as well be part of it.

I remember an awareness in taste from an early age; One that particularly stands out is the green tomato marmalade my mom’s friend once served me at breakfast. It was an entirely NEW flavor to me. I was 12 years old.

While I can’t describe today the specific flavor profile it had then, I remember the first wine that struck be as being “superb”. My boyfriend and I were dining at a very good restaurant in Calais, my home town, and he ordered a Volnay (Pinot Noir from Burgundy). Prior to that, the only wine I knew (the “gros cul” table wine Mom bought at the grocery store notwithstanding) was the Chianti I had every week-end at my favorite Pizzeria – you know the one, straw covered bottom half. That was 28 years ago.

My husband “makes fun” of that memory of mine; But in reality all it is about is paying attention.

Can I accurately describe today the 1985 Beringer Cabernet Knights Valley we had at the then Roaring Fork restaurant in Lake City sometime during our first dating year? No. Do I remember making noise as this rich velvety red wine coated my mouth with a richness and smoothness new to me and lingered way after it was swallowed? I think so.

Then there was my first “Meritage” (the California equivalent to a Bordeaux Blend): 1985 Clos du Bois “Marlstone”. I now think that this blend of 5 different grapes was my very first encounter with “complexity” and “balance”, though I did not know what to call it at the time. 

OK, so you get the idea.

ANYBODY can expand their wine tasting experience; All it takes is paying attention. If there is one area in my life where I actually live in the moment it is when I pour that first glass out of a bottle I either like, or remember liking some time ago, or out of a brand new one. Each time I am ready for the experience of the senses: sight, smell and, most of all, taste.  Not a bad form of “meditation”, I’d say.

So go ahead, start paying attention, or more attention, to what is happening in the various areas of your mouth when you drink wine and after your swallowed it too. It helps to prime your taste buds with a good swishing of the first few sips (or of the first large sip like I do, which is why my husband is always reluctant to give me a sip of HIS wine when we order different ones at a restaurant).

Soon you’ll identify aromas and flavors that you can relate to because you already know those: strawberries, blueberries, honey, black currant, licorice etc.

Before you know it your memory banks will start filing information from the tasting experience and soon (or later), you will be able to tap into those for selection.

Oh yeah, and then there is the nose! YOUR nose that is.

While our so-called taste-buds can only distinguish four qualities (sweet, sour, bitter and salt), we can recognize thousands of different smells. All other tastes, other than the four mentioned above, are detected by the olfactory receptors high up in our nasal passages.

Therefore the human nose is (in fact) the main organ of taste (as well as smell).

Therefore, the size of the glass is important. You have to be able to put that nose of yours inside the glass! Seriously.

More than once I have tricked my friends by pouring the same wine in two different glasses: a small one and a large one; I asked them not only to tell me which they liked better but to describe how they differed. All but one smarty pants (who probably knew me too well) thought they were two different wines.

Until next time,

Happy swishing and “A votre santé”!

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NOT ALL THAT BLUSHES IS SWEET
May 2009

Part One

First a confession: I was a “red wine snob” for a long, long time.

Not that I wanted to be a snob but that’s all I drank so that’s all I had the appreciation for. This changed during a wine country trip to California; The wineries we visited offered many white wines in their tasting rooms, some actually specialized in them. Long story made short we came home excited with a new interest. The main factor that enabled this new appreciation was the fact that the white wines were served at the appropriate temperature so we could actually “taste” them and discover many new flavors. As is a rule of thumb, “we” (Americans) tend to drink white wines too cold (straight out of the refrigerator) and reds too warm (we keep our houses way above 55 degrees).

Many years later I was involved in a wine tasting that featured rosés; I found them surprisingly interesting. I discovered that many were NOT merely a soft fruity pinkish wine made for those who don’t like reds or dry whites. The imported rosés in particular were crisp and dry and displayed great structure*. And so I became reacquainted with a world of wine I had forgotten. This tasting brought back to memory a trip I took to Provence when I was in my twenties. While traveling the country side, my friends and I stopped at several “Caves de Dégustation” (tasting rooms often set in cellars) and we enjoyed refreshing cold dry rosés. In fact rosé prevailed in that region and not just because it was summer. Come to think of it, much later JM and I enjoyed Rosés in the Jura region of France too. Now, THOSE really tasted like light reds. But somehow, even though I often purchased wines “out of my comfort zone”, rosé did not make it to my shopping list. That too would change.

Now, before you decide this just is not for you (as I probably would have 20 years ago), let me clarify one thing right off the bat: I too run for cover at the sight of a white Zinfandel. No offense to those who like it, taste is very personal therefore there are no right and wrong per se, but most white Zinfandel drinkers I have met admit that they like it precisely because they don’t like most wines. But if you are a budding wine lover, a “serious” wine drinker or a food and wine pairing enthusiast, you deserve to be introduced to TRUE rosés. 

While the “recycled” awareness that rosé wines are serious wines worth our attention resurfaced a few years ago, judging by the comments and reactions I still hear today, it seems this fact has not yet been overheard or over-read in our small part of the world. So it is my duty to share my “rosé experience” with those of you who have been left in the dark. Here we go.

 

WHAT IS ROSÉ?

Did you know that rosés are made with red grapes? Their light color comes from a very short contact of the skin in the juice during the initial fermentation; How quickly the skin must is removed (1 to 3 days) explains why so little color is extracted. (Note: there are two other methods of making roses which I will mention later). Unlike white Zinfandel, rosés are fermented * until dry.

Why most restaurants list their rosés in the white wines column and/or label them a “white wine alternative” always baffles me. If I were president, I would change that. Granted the crisp and refreshing elements are, to some, reminiscent of a white wine but in my opinion doing so deprives many red wine drinkers of the awareness that though lighter than reds, rosés retain the character of the red grape they are made of. Therefore, I think of rosé as a lighter expression of a red wine (think Beaujolais only lighter yet.). While they deserve their own identity, sure they CAN be a “substitute”. Summer brings lighter fare and on a warm day, except for perhaps a light Pinot Noir from Burgundy or northern Italy, red wine may just be too “heavy” and overpower the food and the mood. Yet a white wine may not be your choice either.

Now, before you let your expectations rob you of a neutral, fresh approach, keep in mind that rosés are not going to provide the immediate, sometimes intense gratification most reds do. But if you focus and pay attention you may change your mind in regards to their place in your wining and dining habits. Today I still drink more red and white wines but sometimes rosé is just the right choice for the occasion or the meal.

 

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE PRODUCTION OF ROSÉ?

Is rosé really a “serious” wine?

In France, not only do most wine regions produce rosé wines, but there are areas that produce ONLY Rose wines. The two king Appellations* for Rosé are TAVEL ($$) and BANDOL ($$$).

In this country, well, let’s just say that we have to hand it out to the persistence of wine makers who did not give up. The popular White Zinfandel (which was an accident, by the way, at Sutter Home Winery in 1975) gave rosé a bad reputation. Those persistent individuals must be happier now as rosé sales have grown steadily for the past 4 years. This being said, be aware of the fact that America does not produce the best rosés, still. They simply do not have the structure to stand up to the large array of food that their imported counterparts do. But they ARE improving. Some have a good amount of acidity, others a touch of earthiness (Oregon). NOW, we are talking wines with body and structure and we begin to near the food friendliness factor.

 

Identifying which grape(s) a given rosé is made of may help selecting the right style for your taste and/or your meal. Keep in mind that while the practice of food and wine pairing can be taken to heights that our palate limitations and everyday needs do not justify, it can be made simple enough for unpretentious enjoyment. I LOVE figuring out which wine to pair with dinner, but I am the first one to say: Hey! If what you are really in the mood for tonight is a rich, jammy, spicy, red Zinfandel, who cares that you’re having crab cakes. By all means, go for it!

 

So, without getting into the principles of food and wine pairing (yet), and without getting too technical, I’d like invite you on a journey to discover the rosés of the world in part II of this article.

On this note I am going to put a rosé in my fridge to have with our Curried Mussels tonight!

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*GLOSSARY

Fermentation: the natural process by which wild or cultured yeasts transform the sugars in grape juice to create alcohol. The lower the residual sugar after fermentation had stopped (naturally or by intervention), the dryer the wine.

Structure: Structure comes from body (light or heavy flavors) + texture (how the wine feels in the mouth silky and smooth or firm and tannin ) + finish (lingering of taste after wine is swallowed). A soft Merlot has less structure than a Cabernet with tannins. Wine with structure are good cellaring options as they will age longer.

Tannin: comes from the skins and seeds of the grape, serves as a natural preservative and gives body and a “backbone” to the wine; It leaves your mouth dry with a puckery after taste. Tannins soften with age.

Appellation: Official name of a geographical wine region. AOC stands for “Appellation d’ Origine Controllée” which is the Appellation system in France.

Appelation status comes with a set of rules that must be respected from growing methods to vinifying to bottling.

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NOT ALL THAT BLUSHES IS SWEET - PART TWO

Tough Enough to Drink PINK?

Follow-me on a “Tour de Rosés” and decide for yourself.

France, Italy, Sicily and Spain have made rosés for centuries; A good place to start.

FRANCE
As said earlier, just about every region of France produces rosé so I will concentrate on the ones you can actually find.  

The Rhône Valley, Provence and the Languedoc in Southern France: look for a Côtes du Rhône, or any Rhône Valley sub-appellations such as Costières de Nimes, Côtes du Ventoux, Côtes de Provence or Coteaux du Languedoc. They are Grenache and Syrah based and sometimes blended with Mourvèdre and Cinsault. In the Languedoc, Carignan sometimes replaces Grenache. They are mostly medium bodied, and dry with understated fruit flavors. They pair well with: poultry (duck breast!), dishes accented with black olives or sun dried tomato, egg salads, grilled vegetables, tuna (grilled, seared or raw), and salmon.  A great value that comes to mind is Guigal Côtes du Rhone rosé which can be found under $15.00 (and is currently on special in several local stores). Once you fall in love with French rosés, you may want to splurge a little and try a Tavel or a rosé from the Bandol region of Provence. The most expensive rosé I have tried so far from this region is called “DomaineD’Ott” ($45?) and truly is exceptional
but there is a Tavel I really like as well that is more affordable called “Chateau Trinquevedel” (under $20). A Bandol “AOC” (Appellation d’Origine Controllée) may prove difficult to find as the production for the whole wide world is very small and they are allocated.

Burgundy
In the Northen part of Burgundy known as the Côte d'Or they are made of Pinot
Noir. They are softer than those of the Rhône Valley, fruitier (but dry) and very versatile. Unless they are made by a large producer (Jadot, Drouhin, for ex), they can be expensive but worth it. In the southern part of Burgundy, the Beaujolais region produces a slightly
earthy rosé made of Gamay.  Rosés from Burgundy and Beaujolais pair well with: any of the above suggestions as well as Ethnic food such as Indian and Thai. A white fish served with a red wine sauce also comes to mind as well as berry desserts.

Loire Valley
The Touraine region produces an excellent rosé made of Pinot Noir called “Sancerre Rosé” that is often described with references to minerality and under ripe strawberries. It is pricey but as with Burgundian rosés incredibly versatile. I had one of those with a three course ethnic meal once that included a mild crab rangoon, a hot Tai basil shrimp, and spicy lamb with a strong clove accent and the it held his own very well and worked beautifully, interacting at times, but never conflicting. Impressive.   In the Anjou region of the Loire Valley, a sweeter rosé called “Rosé D’Anjou” is made of the Groleau grape. This is a wine to have alone, as an aperitif for ex, if you like fruitier wines.

Bordeaux
Bordeaux rosés are mostly blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and
sometimes Cabernet Franc. They are very affordable and the less expensive ones
are simpler (less intensity of flavors, less structure). They are refreshing, dry,
and they compliment Brunch, light dinners and berry pies desserts quite well.

ITALY

Tuscany
They are made of the Sangiovese grape (the “Chianti” grape) and are juicier and lighter than those from the Rhône in France, for ex. Some show a hint of spice and earth. They pair well with: pizza! Pasta, chicken, veal or shrimp in mild or spicy red sauces, and sausage.

Veneto
This dryer firmer blend of 3 grapes (Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara) can be paired as you would a Rhone Valley rosé.

Sicily
A semi dry rose is made of Negro Amaro. I have not had this type of rosé yet but knowing how intense the red wine made of the same grape is I would probably venture into heartier preparations and ethnic food with this one.

SPAIN
Navarra and Rioja

In both regions Garnacha (same grape as Grenache) is used to make crisp and fragrant rosés. They are a usual suspect in Tapas Bars and served with garlicky dishes, shrimp, cured hams, and eggs dishes such as the traditional Frittata. Spanish rosés should also do well with fish stews like “Bouillabaise”, a French specialty served with grated cheese, croutons and “rouille” (saffron garlic mayonnaise).

AUSTRALIA

Barossa Valley
“Are you tough enough to drink pink?” takes more of a meaning here.

If there is ONE rosé that truly knocked my socks off it was Torbrek “Saignée”, an Australian rosé made of 100% Mataro. It takes its name from the Saignée process (method #2): the pink juice from the must of a red wine is drained from the bottom of the vat at an early stage of the fermentation. As a result the red wine remaining in the vats is intensified. I am not a huge fan of many Australian reds. I find them too thick, too rich and often overpowering. So it makes sense that this lighter “red” would be more to my taste.  This dry wine had the strongest flavors of any rosé I’ve had, great texture, depth and length (long finish). Impressed, I sent my husband with a bottle of it to a party I could not attend. I did this intentionally because his friend is a BIG Red Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon fan and would NEVER pick a rosé (even though he IS a little feminine). As I expected, he looked at JM with this “are you serious!?” look. But even HE was amazed after he tried it. I bet you could have this one with a Steak au Poivre and it would hold its own.

CALIFORNIA
I must admit I have not tasted many California rosés in a while. The few I have had were light and fruity and sometimes crisp. It is probably time for me to revisit however now that it is worth it for wine makers to craft rosés that won’t be mistaken for White Zin. The finest California rosés are made with the skin contact method while the cheaper ones are made by adding a small quantity of red wine to a white wine (method #3). Varietals used include: Merlot, Grenache, sometimes Gamay (the grape of Beaujolais) and the precious Pinot Noir. Until I taste more California rosés I’d have those with Brunch and
lighter fare such as poultry.

OREGON
I favor Oregon rosés over California because so far, in my opinion they have greater character. Perhaps this is because Pinot Noir and Gamay are favored here. They are fuller yet crisp and display more depth and often a longer finish, and when made with Gamay, display some earthiness. They can be paired as suggested for Burgundy and Loire rosés and those made with Gamay may even do well with light preparations of leaner red meats. Adelsheim, AtoZ and Van Duzer are good brands to look for amongst others.

WASHINGTON
I have a soft spot for Washington wines. Dollar for dollar compared to CA wines, they win in my book. No I don’t have a grudge toward ALL California wines, I just have to spend more money on them to find the ones I like. In Washington the oak seems less overused and the fruit does not overpower other elements. I find them more balanced. Grenache and Syrah seem to be favored in Washington for the production of rosé; I imagine some are made of Cabernet and Merlot as well, two important varietals in WA. I have yet to do the research and the tasting in part because they are no as easy to find but I'll be looking.

SO WILL YOU TRY A ROSE?
Discovering wines while dining out is expensive but one way to do so for less is to order a “flight”. A “flight” is a tasting of 3 different wines (3 x 2oz pour) usually of the same varietal (grape) but from different countries or regions. This newer trend (in
these parts anyway) has now landed in our neck of the woods so take advantage
of it when you see it offered and have fun sampling and learning. Getting a group of friends together and create your own flights at home is of course another great option. Plus, small pours + (lots of) food + more time spent mingling = safe driving too!
And don’t worry! It’s no longer un-cool to be seen drinking a glass of pink wine! In fact, in some US cities it seems rosé may be on its way to becoming a “movement”! All we need now is a song or better yet a movie ;>D 

I also read that in France rosé sales have surpassed white wine sales; Hmm…62,448,977 French (wo)men can’t be wrong, can they?
Let me know what you find and what you’ve liked! Of course the food pairings suggested in this article are only a fraction of the possibilities, do not limit your experiments to those; Go with your instinct and have fun with it.

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