5 Pairing Tips for Turkey Day 2014

Those of you who shop with us know that we just love food and wine pairing so helping to make your selections for holiday meals is a real treat. What should you drink with all of those sides and mounds of turkey? There are so many answers to that question that sometimes the best choice would be to open a bubbly, white, red and rose, put them on the table and let people chose for themselves because it’s all about personal preference!

Every year I give a few pairing tips and recommendations from our staff.   We've chosen traditional and some more adventurous options at different price points so there is something for palate and every wallet.  Each of the wines will have a tag with our silly turkey photo above to let you know who picked it and if you purchase any 4 of these wines for your celebration, we’ll give you a 10% discount.  Here's a sampling of our picks, but you'll find lots more when you come in to shop...

1.  For the wide array of flavors on the Thanksgiving table, sparkling wines are a no-brainer. Bright acidity, fruit and yeasty undertones make bubbly extremely food-friendly. Especially good are Brut Rosé and Blanc de Noir, which can take you from the lox or chevre hors d'oeuvre to the vinaigrette salad right through the turkey and potatoes and onto the pie. The Pinot Noir in these wines provide body, some tannin for texture, red-fruit character, complexity and acid balance. And in general, the bubbles and the wine's acidity can help cleanse your palate and get you ready for the next course!

Our Picks: Budget Conscious (under $12) Matt: Florinda Cava
Solid Values ($12-$29) Kimi: Jean Paul Brunn FRV; Casey: Gerard Bertrand Rose' Cremant
Indulgent ($30 and up) Beth:  J. Lasalle Rose Brut Champagne, Adam: Monte Rossa Franciacorta; Tarani: De Sousa Brut Champagne

White wines with lively fruit and acidity and little to no oak are also versatile. With its aromas and flavors of citrus, apple and pear and zippy acidity plus herbal notes, Sauvignon Blanc pairs with everything from butternut-squash soup to green salad to turkey with a dressing made of briny oysters and herbs. Even notoriously tough-to-pair Brussels sprouts will sing with Sauvignon Blanc. Alsatian and German whites like Rieslings, Gewurtztraminer, Pinot Gris with their tropical fruit, citrus, green-apple, pear and mineral notes combined with thirst quenching acidity, work with almost any Thanksgiving dish except the cranberry sauce.

Our Pick:  Budget Conscious (under $12) Adam: 2013 Nobilissima Pinot Grigio; Beth: 2013 Marcato I Prandi Soave
Solid Values ($12-$29) Tarani: 2012 Domaine Flaugergues Blanc; Kerry: 2013 Alessandro Bianco del Borgo Viognier, Erin: 2013 Groiss Gruner Veltliner
Indulgent ($30 and up)  Kimi: 2009 Deux Montille Rully; Kerry: 2011 Alice & Olivier de Moor Chablis

Fruity reds and dry rosés are a favorite "go-to" pick for Thanksgiving. They bring soft, easy drinking affordability to the table that's perfect for the variety of flavors and large group setting that Thanksgiving brings. With their bright fruit flavors, they can perk up the milder dishes and enough have structure to hold their own with the more robust courses made with sausage and herbs. As an alternative, a good Dolcetto or lighter style Barbera and a young Etna Rosso can offer similar characteristics and are real crowd pleasers.

Our Pick: Budget Conscious (under $12) Kimi: 2012 Honoro Vera Monastrell; Matt: 2012 Castello Monjardin Garnacha
Solid Values ($12-$29) Casey: 2011 Kyklos Agiorgitiko;  Kerry: 2012 Vino Lauria Frappato;  Erin: 2011 L'Argentier Cinsault
Indulgent ($30 and up)  Beth: 2012 Caciorgna Etna Rosso

Bigger reds with spicy, dark fruit and berries like Syrah and Zinfandel can bring out the best in cranberry sauces as long as the wine has soft tannins and ripe, forward fruit and the sauce is balanced -- moderately tart and not too sweet.

Our Picks:  Budget Conscious (under$12) Casey; 2012 Delas Frere Ventoux
Solid Values ($12-$29) Adam: 2011 Complicated Red; Kimi: 2011 Vina Robles Petit Syrah; Erin: 2012 Bastide Miraflors
Indulgent ($30 and up) Tarani: 2010 Mont Redon Chateaneuf du Pape; Beth: 2007 Dominio IV Syrah

The most popular single wine to choose for Thanksgiving is Pinot Noir. This versatile varietal has tangy red fruit of strawberry and cherry, with nice acidity to balance and low levels of tannin. With elegance and a touch of earthiness, Pinot Noir will subtly support most things on the Thanksgiving table without overpowering them. Cranberry sauce and dessert are exceptions again, with the sauce too tart and the dessert too sweet.

Our Pick:  Budget Conscious (under $12) All Staff: 2012 Sea Glass Central Coast Pinot Noir
Solid Values ($12-$29) Matt: 2012 Dominio IV;  Adam: 2010 Daniel Rion Cote de Nuit; Tarani: 2012 Sean Minor 4 Bears; Kerry: 2010 Brella Willamette Valley
Indulgent ($30 and up) Beth: 2008 Carlton Hill Yamhill Pinot Noir;  Casey: 2009 Domaine du Meix-Foulot Mercurey 1er Cru; Erin: 2010 Moises Yamhill Carlton

So there you have it! But remember the most important thing is to drink wines that make you happy with people that make you smile, because that is what it's all about!

Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving to All of You!!

Jaw Dropping Washington Wines

Kiona Vineyard, Red Mountain  AVA

When Scott Howett of Mystic Vines came to me about doing a Washington State wine tasting I was intrigued.  While the area has never been a focus of mine, I've always liked the wines, finding the reds without the sledgehammer jamminess that many new world wines can have.  Big, bold but with nice structure awarded by the very unique micro climate of western Washington.

I asked Scott to send me his portfolio so I could begin doing my research and narrowing down our selections to 12 wines.  I was familiar with many of the wineries, having done events in the past with Scott (our partners in crime for our popular rose and charcuterie yearly event and many other great tastings) .  But as I dug deeper into the wines and the people behind them, I have to admit I was blown away by the absolute gems of artisan wineries Mystic Vine has curated.  And I realized how lucky we are to be able to introduce you to some of the most creative, highly regarded winemakers in Washington through our relationship with Scott and Mystic Vine.

Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, Red Mountain AVA

The narrowing down part was the hardest, selecting wines at a variety of price points, styles and grape varieties to give you some insight into what is going on in Washington.  Below are my selections with a little info on each winery as well.  I used the word "impressive" when talking about these wines before I did my homework, but my new descriptor is "jaw dropping" and I even changed the name of the event!

Don't even care to read through them and just want to sign up?  But be aware these wines are not for the faint of heart - we're featuring 2 whites, a rose' and 10 big reds.  The walkabout style tasting is $25 and you can reserve your spots here:  Jaw Dropping Washington Wines

Klipsun Vineyard, Red Mountain AVA

The Lineup!
All attendees of the event will be give special pricing on the wines purchased that evening only.  
*Wines with limited availability!

Mark Ryan Winery
A Wine & Spirits top 100 winery in the world 3 years in a row is a pretty impressive accomplishment for Mark Ryan McNeilly who began making wine in 1999 in a friends garage.  Now considered one of the "godfathers" of cult wine making in Washington, the innovative McNeilly has a reputation for small production, highly rated reds.   With grapes sourced from some of the finest vineyards in the state such as Ciel du Cheval, Grand Reve, Kiona, and Klipsun, his wines are considered classic, structured and age-worthy, yet trust me, they don't skimp on fruit or texture!

Mark Ryan McNeilly

*2012 Mark Ryan Winery Dead Horse Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, WA 94-96pts.
Much more rich and voluptuous, the Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Dead Horse Ciel du Cheval Vineyard boasts knockout aromas and flavors of blueberries, blackberries, licorice, spring flowers and toast to go with a full-bodied, rich and structured profile on the palate. Despite all of the richness here, this puppy stays nicely focused, has superb purity of fruit and notable tannin that frame the finish. It-s another effort that will benefit from 4 to 5 years of cellaring and have over two decades of longevity.

*2012 Mark Ryan Winery Mourvedre Crazy Mary, WA 92-94pts.
The Mourvedre- dominated 2012 Crazy Mary incorporates a splash of Syrah and comes both from the Ciel du Cheval and Force Majeure vineyards. Possessing serious minerality in its black cherry, black raspberry, pepper and floral-driven aromatics, this medium to full-bodied effort is still firm and tight on the palate, with savory tannin showing on the finish. It will need short-term cellaring and evolve gracefully for 10 to 15 years. 

Board Track Racer - a second label of value driven wines by Mark Ryan
2012 Board Track Racer The Chief, WS 92pts.
This ripe and generous red is open-textured and appealing, with broad cherry, currant and exotic spice flavors, remaining airy and refreshing as the powerful finish extends. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Drink now through 2018. 3,000 cases made

Sleight of Hand Cellars
To say that co-owner and winemaker Trey Busch is a fan of Pearl Jam is an understatement. Pearl Jam holds cult status in Trey’s mind and is the inspiration for the winery's branding. "Sleight of Hand", for those less familiar with the band, is a song about a dreamer who feels a compulsion to break free from the norm - almost as if by a magical force.  Launched in 2007, Sleight of Hand Cellars has but one focus, and that is to craft exceptional wines from exceptional vineyards here in the state of Washington. The winery has only been in operation for a short time, but in that time, Sleight of Hand Cellars has been named as one of the "The Next Generation" of up and coming wineries in Washington State by Seattle Magazine, as well as  one of "The Next Cult Wineries".

Trey Busch, Sleight of Hand Wines

2013 Sleight Of Hand Riesling The Magician, WA 90pts.
Made from 100% Riesling that wasn’t harvested until October, the 2013 Riesling Magician is an impressive, outstanding effort that gives up plenty of juicy citrus, lime and hints of lychee, and subtle minerality in its medium-bodied, lively and refreshing personality. Showing just a hint of sweetness on the finish, it will be versatile on the dinner table and drink nicely for 2-3 years. 

*2012 Sleight Of Hand Syrah Levitation, WA 94pts.
Kicking off the 2012s and my favorite vintage to date, the 2012 Syrah Levitation is a blockbuster-styled effort that possesses fantastic creme de cassis, blackberry, licorice, graphite and crushed flower-like aromas and flavors. Full bodied, balanced and awesomely textured on the palate, with integrated acidity and building, sweet tannin on the finish, this is the real deal and will dish out loads of pleasure over the coming 7-8 years, possibly longer.


Underground Wine Project
Our two above mentioned, dynamic and successful young winemakers, Trey Busch  and Mark McNeilly have collaborated over the years on a few very limited release wines under the name of The Underground Wine Project. A joint collaboration, the winery produced just a 100 cases of its first wine in 2007. The wine flew out of the winery, and they were eager to team up again. Only 700 cases of the 2012 vintage were produced, and they expect them to sell just as quickly. Aptly named, since this wine is a best kept secret of sorts, with no website or info available anywhere and very few cases leave the state!

*2012 Underground Wine Project Idle Hands Syrah, NYR
A luscious combination of 92% Syrah and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon coming from the Red Heaven Vineyard on Red Mountain, this thing is loaded with lots of in your face aromas of fresh vanilla, blueberry jam, and hints of anise. The palate is rich and supple, with full body and gripping tannins which will no doubt soften over time, showing blackberries and smoky oak, with hints of black pepper up front. There are combined hints of coconut and medium-dark chocolate which make me think german chocolate cake, and it finishes with ripe black raspberry preserve and perfumed roses.

Januik Winery
While our first two wineries featured young, energetic winemakers, “living legend” is accurate to describe founder, owner, and winemaker Mike Januik. When Mike Januik left Chateau Ste Michelle Winery in 1999 to form his own venture, he was regarded as possibly the most powerful and successful winemaker in the Northwest.  He’s had over a dozen wines in the Wine Spectator Top 100, and even Robert Parker can be counted as a superfan saying, “Nobody in Washington State delivers more outstanding quality for the dollar than Januik winery.” His reputation gets him access to some of the best fruit Washington has to offer and his small production winery offers wines of incredible finesse and balance.

Mike Januik

 2010 Januik Merlot, IWC 90pts.
(Fruit from Weinbau, Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval; contains bits of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc):  Good deep red.  Plum, redcurrant and spices on the expressive nose.  Suave and spicy on the palate, with red berry and spice flavors complemented by a sexy cocoa powder note that may be from the Taransaud barrels.  The mellow, persistent finish features smooth tannins and late notes of spices and milk chocolate.  Another excellent value.

2010 Januik Petit Verdot Ciel du Cheval Vineyard, WA 92pts.
The 2010 Petit Verdot Ciel du Cheval Vineyard is remarkably civilized for the variety. A blend of 96% Petit Verdot and a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it delivers lots of spice-coated red and blackberry fruit, cedar cabinet and dried flower-like qualities to go with a medium to full-bodied, supple and beautifully textured palate. While up-front and very drinkable, it has enough back-end tannin and concentration to evolve gracefully for upwards of a decade (or more). Drink now-2020+.

Novelty Hill 
A second label for Mike Januik, Novelty Hill winery grew out of a dinner-party conversation between Tom Alberg and Januik four years ago. Alberg and his family had long suspected that their 300 acres of Columbia Valley land would make an excellent vineyard but they had let it remain fallow for more than 30 years. Januik offered to tour the site, found it suitable for grape growing and started planting vines in 2000.  The two, along with Alberg's wife, Judi Beck, founded Novelty Hill that year and started making wine using grapes from some of Washington's best growing sites with a goal of making wine with grapes only from his family vineyard, Stillwater Creek.  Through Mike's stewardship, the winery and has grown and now shares both the facility and reputation of Januik wines.

2012 Novelty Hill Sauvignon Blanc Stillwater Creek Vineyard, WE 90pts.
Done in a bracing, sappy style, this is a concentrated wine with lush flavors of lemon drop, orange candy and Key lime. It’s ripe and juicy, with a suggestion of bees wax in the mouth. Washington wine critic Paul Gregutt recently named Stillwater Creek one of Washington’s Top 20 vineyards, in part because of the site’s outstanding Sauvignon Blanc.  With the goal of growing world-class wine grapes through careful vineyard management and innovative clonal selection, this steep, south-facing estate vineyard on the Royal Slope of the Frenchman Hills is gaining a growing following.

2011 Novelty Hill Cabernet , WS 91pts.
Supple, spicy and appealing, offering a harmonious balance of dark berry and savory beef tartare flavors, lingering with a sense of elegance. Best from 2015 through 2021

JM Cellars
A successful career in technology sales helped fuel winemaker/owner John Bigelow’s path from wine enthusiast to vintner.  He began by studying winemaking in the mid-1990s at U.C. Davis and by the fall of 1998, he and his wife Peggy had converted the basement of their Seattle home into a winery where they fermented and aged 100 cases of wine for their own enjoyment. Encouraged by the success of their first vintage, John made 350 cases of Tre Fanciulli in 1999. JM Cellars was officially launched. John moved to Walla Walla for the 2000 and established a permanent home for JM Cellars in Woodinville – a seven acre property known as Bramble Bump.

John Bigelow

 2010 JM Cellars Tre Fanciulli, WA 92pts.
The 2010 Red Blend Tre checks in as a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot and 10% Syrah that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak. A rich, structured effort that will need bottle age to fully come together, it offers up deep, layered aromas and flavors of dusty spice, mineral, saddle leather and both red and black fruits as well as a full-bodied, mouth-filling and concentrated profile in the mouth. Give bottles 3-5 years in the cellar and plan on drinking bottle over the following decade or longer. Drink 2017-2030.

2013 JM Cellars Mourvedre Rose, NYR
Crafted to honor rosé found in the southern regions of France, JM’s 2013 Mourvèdre Rosé shows crisp and refreshing fruit flavors.  A grape originally planted in the Rhone Valley of France, Mourvèdre , offers distinctive aromas and flavors to create a memorable rosé.

Valpolicella, a Spectrum of Styles from Classico to Amarone

Packing the punch of extraction and purity of fruit that equal some of the best the New World has to offer, the wines of Valpolicella, and especially those made in the Recioto and Amarone styles, are the perfect "gateway" wines. Yet at the same time these wines from Northeast Italy's Veneto region are still unmistakably Italian, or more accurately, unmistakably Veronese. The fan-shaped collection of communes and vineyards spreading out west, north and east from the ancient city of Verona to the shores of Lake Garda, produce wines that offer an intriguing combination of concentration (alcohol levels routinely approach 16 percent); fruit - in all its possibilities: dried, cooked, macerated and freshly picked; minerality; and deliciously velvety texture.

It all starts with Valpolicella, an area within the Veneto region of Northeast Italy around Lake Garda. Like “Chianti”, Valpolicella is a region, not a grape and the red wines produced there are blends dominated by Corvina, with Corvinone and Rondinella usually lending support. Molinara, Negrara, Rossignola, Dindarella and a few other local varieties are also allowed, although have diminished in importance. But it is Corvina that forms the backbone of the blend with its silky tannins and delicious fruity, smoky red cherry flavors and aromas with the deeply colored Rondinella grape adding red currant and citrus components plus color-intensity to the blend.

What can be difficult to understand about Valpolicella is that there is a hierarchy of styles. The lighter fruitier styles of Valpolicella Classico wines are what most people associate with the zone, but these are actually more recent creations. They were preceded in history by the sweet Recioto della Valpolicella and it’s dry counterpart, Amarone.

Grapes drying on straw mats

Recioto, by most accounts came into fashion during Roman times when wines were made sweet and high in alcohol to preserve them during long travel. The Romans are also said to have developed the process of “appassimento”, in which the grapes were dried in farmhouses on straw mats which transforms them into shriveled, sweet, tiny concentrated berries. To make Recioto, they press these tiny dried berries, but stop fermentation early to retain the high sugar level.

Amarone is said to have come about possibly as a mistake, someone left a barrel of Recioto unattended too long, the yeasts in the barrel continued to work and the wine fermented to dryness. Now aged a minimum of 25 months in oak, they are densely concentrated and deeply colored with luscious ripe fruit balanced with a savory robe of alcohol, acidity and tannins. Think leather, coffee, chocolate, stewed blackberry fruit all wrapped up in a rich, viscous and heavenly concoction that just so happens to come out of a wine bottle.

Straight Valpolicella Classico (no oak aging required) are the perfect easy drinking wines to have with pizza or pasta or sitting on the porch on warm summer evening. They are vinified in the traditional manner using fresh grapes and usually have little or no oak and present a fresh, fruit forward style with light tannins and tart acidity. The Classico Superior wines can definitely take on a more serious note with 14 months of oak aging required. You have more structure and complexity present which makes them a better match with game and roasted meats, although they are usually wonderfully pleasant on their own as well.

Valpolicella Ripassa is a different animal yet. The term Ripassa means “re-passed” and was made famous by Agricola Masi in the 1960’s. The straight Valpolicella, produced earlier in the usual red wine fashion, is passed "back over" the lees of the Amarone or Recioto after their fermentation is complete. The lees or pomace includes yeast, grape seeds, pulp, stems and skin and traces of alcohol. All of this leads to a second fermentation and the creation of Ripassa Valpolicella whose color, depth and flavors are greater than those of the original Valpolicella. Sometimes referred to as baby Amarone, it is also ready to drink much sooner than the Amarone and usually comes in at a third of the price.

One of the great things about Valpolicella is that you can experience the different aging and vinification processes across a spectrum of price points and styles. Basic Valpolicella is usually priced in the teens, Valpolicella Classico and Superior are priced in the high teens to low 20's, Ripassa style usually starts in the 20's to mid 30's, while most Amarone and Recioto (Recioto is sold usually in 375 ml bottles) wines begin in the $50 range and go from there.

Currently we are carrying a few different styles of Valpolicella, each chosen for their unique expression of the region, vinification process and quality. But as with every thing else in our store, my selection changes frequently although you will always find at least one Valpolicella on our shelves.

Franciacorta, What's Not to Love?

I'll admit, it has taken me a long time to appreciate Franciacorta.  As a women obsessed with Italian wine who owns a wine shop/bar, you wouldn't think it would take almost 8 years in the business to get "it".  But in my defense, the problem with Franciacorta is its availability in the US has been scarce and with only 11% of its production sold abroad, it was something I rarely got to taste.  The only one in the market for years was the high quality and highly priced Bellevista label and recently Ca' del Bosco became available through our friends at Artisan and Banville & Jones.  It was something I enjoyed, as I do most sparkling wines, but I didn't really seek it out.

Then I went to northern Italy for the first time and Franciacorta was everywhere!  And affordable - and made by producers I'd never heard of - and I could drink a different one everyday to start my meal.  I became obsessed with tasting every Franciacorta I could find!  And I finally got "it".  High quality bubbles that could rival Champagne from my favorite place in the world?  What a no brainer!

So I come back home and start asking our wholesalers about Franciacorta and find them trickling in to the market.  Berlucchi, Ferghettina, Bellavista, Ca del Bosco, Cantadi Castaldi, Montenisa...I'm so excited that we are buying a new shelf just to accommodate all of the Franciacorta I want to buy!  

And now comes the part of my job that I love - exposing our wonderful customers to a still barely known wine region and the amazing world of Franciacorta.  We started with putting the Ca' Del Bosco on our by the glass menu and it has been so successful that it remains a staple on our list.  We used the Ferghettina in our Italian rose' flight and people went crazy for the elegant wine in the beautiful package. But we've decided to really put it to the test and conduct a seated tasting, blind, and put it up against the world's best sparkling wine, Champagne. 

Kimi will present the Champagne and I the Franciacorta.  But this is not a test to see if you can determine which is which because what I really want to know is what you think.  Is the quality similar? The taste?  Do you prefer one bottle over another?  And most importantly, do you like it?  We'd love for you to participate in this very special event where a small area in Italy takes on the most prestigious sparkling wine region in the world! Casey Foote will also present his favorite cheeses from both countries to pair with the wines.  Sound fun? Interesting?  You can make your reservations here:  Champagne Vs. Franciacorta 

Here's a bit of information for thought on my two favorite regions for sparkling wine:

Regions:

Champagne:  Continental Climate, chalk and limestone soils

Franciacorta:  Continental Climate; moraine, limestone and volcanic soils

Grape Varieties: 

Champagne -  30% planted to Chardonnay, 38% planted to Pinot Noir and 32% to Pinot Meunier

Franciacorta - 80% planted to Chardonnay, 15% planted to Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) and 5% to Pinot Bianco

Production Methods:

Champagne - Traditional Method with secondary fermentation in the bottle

Franciacorta - Traditional Method with secondary fermentation in the bottle

Styles:

Non vintage:  Champagne -  wines must spend a minimum 15 months maturing on the lees 

Non vintage:  Franciacorta - wines must spend a minimum 18 months maturing on the lees 

Vintage:  Champagne -  wines must spend a minimum 36 months maturing on the lees.  100% of the grapes must be harvested from the stated year. 

Vintage:  Franciacorta - wines must spend a minimum 37 months maturing on the lees.  85% of the grapes must be harvested from the stated year. 

Blanc de Blanc:  Champagne - wine made exclusively from white grapes, 100% Chardonnay - must be aged 15 months

Saten:  Franciacorta - wine made exclusively from white grapes, Chardonnay and up to 50% Pinot Bianco allowed - must be aged 24 months

Duccio Corsini & Antonio Molesini Host Wednesday Nite Flites

When I think about meeting Italian royalty, I envision a stuffy guy in a fancy designer suit, but maybe with an ascot instead of a tie - aloof and arrogant as truly privileged people can be (I've actually meet a marchesi from Piemonte who meets this description to a T!).  So you can imagine my surprise when a jovial man in jeans, a vest and button down shirt walked up and introduced himself to me, Kerry and my family while we were touring Principe di Corsini this summer.  "Il Duccio" was the complete opposite of my vision and previous experience. Humble, warm, friendly with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, he wanted to be sure we were enjoying ourselves and even sent me a personal email afterwards asking about our visit!

This week we're excited to have Duccio Corsini & Antonio Molesini host Wednesday Nite Flites.  The noble Corsini family has held a prominent place in Tuscan history since the 1100's.  Once the largest landowners in all of Italy the Corsini's prestigious and influential ancestors include a bishop, saint, and a Pope!  But Duccio is sure to charm you with his down to earth attitude, love of agricultural and belief that his wines are ideally paired with “good food and good company”! We'll be tasting a fantastic lineup of 4 wines -  

Le Corti Chianti Classico 2011 ($22.50)

Le Corti Don Tommaso Chianti Classico Riserva 2007 ($41.99)

Principi Corsini Birillo Maremma, 2011 ($20.99) 

Principi Corsini La Marsiliana Maremma 2006 ($68.99). 

The flite is $15 and we'll have Italian themed cheese plates available to try with the wines.  Reservations are recommended and you can do so here, Duccio Corsini.

Eating Green in Tuscany, Carpaccio di Zucchine

My personal meat platter at Castello di Verrazzano

One of the things I love about foreign travel is immersing myself in the local culture.  Not only eating what they eat and drinking what they drink but also doing those things the way they do them.  Downing a shot of espresso in the afternoon with a half a pack of partially melted sugar in the bottom of the cup while standing at a bar in Cortona, eating a decadent brioche con crema for breakfast in Rome, drinking the simple but delicious house table wine made by the owner of the osteria in Montepulciano, enjoying a daily sweet, creamy gelato in Positano - I live 49 weeks of the year in America but for a few precious weeks I get to experience the joy of eating and drinking like an Italian!  I tell people who travel with us to leave all of their American habits at home because the best way to truly experience a place is to live it like a local.  After all, why spend the money and the time to come half way across the world to a country steeped in thousands of years of culinary traditions to eat a hamburger and french fries covered in ketchup and washed down with a Budweiser? 

Pasta with saffron cream, prosciutto and zucchine

But I must admit I do have one gastronomic complaint about Central Italy - as much as I love going to Tuscany every year the thing I crave by the end of our trip is fresh green vegetables! This part of Italy is about meat + pasta + cheese and many amazingly different and unique combinations of all of them.  Of course there is also an abundance of ripe juicy tomatoes in every size and shape, deeply flavored roasted eggplant, marinated artichokes, delicately fried zucchine flowers, but sometimes a girl just wants a SALAD!!! 

Truffles foraged in Umbria

So one of the American traditions that I enjoy on a regular basis has slowly and reluctantly crept its way to Tuscany.   Each year we go, as the Italians try to cater more to American tourists, I have noticed salads are making their way onto restaurant menus.  Thankfully these are not salads as we know them - there are no bottled gloppy dressings or fake processed cheese, no stale croutons that came out of a can or "salad in bag" stuff here.  It's their spin made of course with fresh local ingredients that change with the current season's offerings. Like crisp lettuce topped with the thinly sliced, small pears that were ripening on the trees and shaved with the local pecorino cheese from Pienza just a few towns away or the local figs that grow wild on the hillsides combined with strips of sliced prosciutto over freshly picked arugula....

Fufluns frolicking on the left

All of these wonderful food memories are bringing me to one such salad we had on our last trip - not once, but twice!  There is a great little pizza place off of Piazza della Republica in Cortona called Fulfuns (fittingly the Etruscan God of vegetation, gaiety and wine!) that we tested out on my family the first week and then brought our Swirl guests the following week.  Not knowing what it would be but assumed it would be "green"  Kerry and I ordered the "Carpaccio di Zucchine"; the epitome of Italian flavor and simplicity!  Freshly grown local lettuce and basil topped with very thinly sliced zucchine ribbons and shaved parmigiana cheese, a sprinkle of roasted pine nuts served with half a lemon and Tuscan olive oil to dress it.  I've made it a few times at home now and while it will never be as good as it is in that medieval hill town washed down with a pitcher of local Trebbiano, it brings me back to sitting outside on that cobblestone street with family and friends enjoying the food and flavors of Tuscany.

Carpaccio di Zucchine, Fufluns Cortona

Carpaccio di Zucchine  (serves 2 hungry Americans craving greens)

1 fresh head of local lettuce or Boston Bibb lettuce if not in season

2 baby zucchine sliced very thin on a mandolin 

1 handful of fresh basil torn into pieces

2 T. toasted fresh pine nuts 

lemon zest from 1/2 lemon

shaved parmigiana or grana padana

Salt, pepper

1/2 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil  

Take a large flat bowl, add the lettuce an torn basil leaves.  Top the greens with the zucchini, salt and pepper, and pine nuts; Serve with 1/2 lemon on the side and olive oil.  To dress, put a fork in the lemon half to break the fibers and squeeze the juice all over the salad.  Follow with olive oil, toss and enjoy!

Buon Appetito!!

I didn't have pine nuts this time so I used roasted almonds, preferred the pine nuts!

Real Crispy Skin Salmon, For True

I admit that I am a bit obsessed with Salmon. Grilled, seared, plank roasted, baked it in parchment, topped with chermoula; you name it, I've cooked it!  It is a weekly item on our menu, especially when I need something quick, healthy, delicious and easy to pair with either red or white wines.

But my latest obsession has been crispy skin salmon, which I was never successful at until now!  I found a recipe a few months ago, which I'm sorry to say I could not find again to reference in this post, that I've modified a bit to create the perfect salmon.  The big crunch of the skin is truly the perfect contrast to a fat piece of tender, juicy salmon.  And when I say crisp I mean like a crunchy potato chip!

I will also admit that as beautiful as the Coho and the wild salmon looks, I love the fatty North Atlantic and King Salmon.  Much richer and more flavorful, I select which ever fits into my current budget.  The new Whole Foods on Broad has a really nice fresh selection and is easy to just pick  up a piece after work.  

So here it is, just a few simple tricks to create the perfect crunch:

Trick #1:  You have to descale it.

Take your salmon fillet ( I get about a pound to split between Kerry and I and we usually eat the whole thing!) and put it on a cutting board.  Then grab your chef's knife and run along the top of the skin with a bit of pressure, scraping the scales off.  You can tell they’re gone because the skin has a netting pattern to it:

Give the salmon a quick rinse to remove the scales.

Trick #2:  Water is the enemy 

Dry the salmon very well with paper towels. Water is the enemy of a good crisp sear so soak up as much as you can. Next, season the fish skin with a good pinch of salt (no pepper on the skin, it will burn) and let the fish sit for 5 minutes. Then touch the fish skin and notice that there’s moisture there. This is because the salt pulled out moisture from the skin. You've just set the skin up to be even CRISPIER.  Give the skin a good pat with paper towel again to soak up that excess moisture, and now it’s ready to be seared.

Trick #3:  Cut the salmon into even pieces.
The more evenly the meat is distributed the better it will sear.  With a large fillet you usually get the thick piece of the body and then the thinner part of the belly.  Cut off the thin part - you'll just cook it a little less.

Trick #4:  No non stick pans!
You just don't get the same sear and if your heat is high enough it won't stick anyway.  So start with an uncoated pan, fairly close in size to the piece of fish.  Heat up your pan somewhere between medium to medium high heat (6 or 7 on a 10 scale), and let it heat up for about 3-5 minutes (3 minutes for gas stoves, 5 for electric).  Since we are using an uncoated pan, you’re going to want to have a sturdy, metal turner that can really get under the fish, not one of those flimsy plastic spatulas.

Trick #5:  You need a high smoke point oil.
Olive oil or butter won't work here.  My preference is ghee or coconut oil but the ghee really helps to brown it evenly.  You could also use grape seed oil.   Add enough to really coat the bottom of the pan.

When the oil starts to shimmer, take your piece of fish and test it by touching the very end of it to the pan. If it makes that hissing sizzling noise, that means the pan is nice and hot, and go ahead and lay the fish down in the pan, skin side down, always away from you so the oil doesn't splash. (and if the fish doesn't sizzle, your pan isn’t hot enough).  Now you can season the top meaty side with salt and pepper.

Let the salmon cook for 90% of the time on the skin side. You need about 5 minutes per 1" thickness of salmon.  With the fillets I get I usually end up doing 7 minutes on the skin side.

While the skin is cooking, take a lemon and zest about half of the skin.  Take the rest of the lemon and cut into quarters to squeeze on the fish before serving.

When it is time, flip it over and give it a about a minute or so on the other side. Remove it, put a few pats of butter on it and the lemon zest and serve immediately with the lemon quarters on the side. Fantastic!!

Ok now what wine to serve?  The reason I had to make this was to give me an excuse to open the 2012 Terre Nere Cuvee delle Vigne Niche from Macrco de Grazia.  We just received our very very small allocation and half of it has come home with me!

TENUTA DELLE TERRE NERE
Etna White Cuvée delle Vigne Niche 2012
Wine Spectator Score: 92

Aromatic, with floral and spice notes. There's power to the racy acidity and smoky minerality of this finely meshed white, which is elegant overall, offering flavors of creamed apple, almond skin, apricot and preserved lemon. A vanilla-tinged, leesy overtone echoes on the finish. Drink now through 2025. 250 cases made.

Bringing the Cinque Terre to Swirl - 2013 Bisson Ciliegiolo Rose'

If you've ever been to the villages of the Cinque Terre or Portofino on the Ligurian coast, chances are you fell in love. You probably hiked a few of the trails between the villages, ate the local sea food and fresh pasta with pesto in one of those tiny osteria perched on the cliffs.  You warmed yourself in the coastal sun, taken in view the of the ocean, waves crashing on the rocks below as the terraced vineyards above soaked up the summer rays and salty sea mist.  Really, there's nothing quite like it.

You also probably had the local wines; the crisp refreshing whites, the juicy, pure rose' and the light bodied fruity reds.  And like me, you wished you could have them here at home to try to recreate that amazing feeling you had by the sea...unfortunately Ligurian wines are a bit hard to come by.  They produce such tiny amounts on those steeply terraced mountains and keep most of it for their own consumption.  So you can imagine how excited we were to get our hands on the 2013 Bisson Ciliegiolo Rose from one of the top producers in the region!

Pure red cherry fruit, juicy acidity with that subtle salinity from the sea breezes - this wine is perfect for New Orleans spicy fare, has enough body for barbecued chicken, pork sausage and most food from the grill, and is a classic pairing with Zuppa di Pesce Alla Ligure

Hunting with Sole

Every year we take a group of Swirl guest on a wine, culinary and cultural trip in Tuscany and Umbria.  This year our visit included a truffle hunting excursion in Umbria...

Sunflowers in full bloom in Tuscany & Umbria

Driving the twisting narrow roads with seemingly endless switchbacks we go up and over the mountains that seamlessly join Tuscany and Umbria.  Even those who don't get car sick feel effect of the last 6 days on our stomachs.  Plunging down into the valleys we ride through the very rural small villages, peaceful land layered in a patchwork of color with brilliant yellow sunflowers, the silvery leaves of olive trees, golden wheat fields, and endless deep green tobacco.

View from the top of the mountain

Of course we make a few wrong turns but finally find the steep windy road that takes us up to the top of the tallest mountain yet.  Climbing higher and higher the forest changes from slender birch, ash and maple trees to thick trunks of oak and pine until finally reaching the top.  The GPS tells us we've arrived but all we see is a sleepy little hamlet of old stone dwellings and not a soul in sight.  As I try to find the phone number to get directions, a little white truck appears - our host out looking to see if we are lost.  We follow him further up the mountain road to his farm greeted by the breathtaking view of the villages below with the mountains of the Marche, Umbria and Tuscany stretched out before us.

Our host, the personable and soft spoken Matteo, brings us to one of the wood buildings on the property where we are greeted by his mother, father and two cats with their four young kittens.  Matteo and his family live here in this remote area of north west Umbria. They work the land as farmers, hunters and gatherers, living harmoniously with nature on their 30 acres of property.  It's not game or fowl that they hunt, but treasure in the form of elusive and mysterious funghi, truffles!  

We sit and spend some time talking first.  Matteo tells us that his passion and skill for truffle hunting was passed down from his father Carlos and he in turn wants to share his knowledge with others. He educates us on the fascinating world of truffles - what they are, the different types, colors, where they grown, how the animals find them, ripening, maturing and of course, the amazing dogs.

Walking to the forest to begin the hunt

Armed with our new found knowledge, we walk a short distance up the hill with kittens following close behind.  It's time to meet Sole, his dog.  As he talks about Sole, telling us stories of his training and first hunt, it's evident in his voice how much Matteo loves  his dog.  He releases him from the pen and the enthusiastic Sole bounds up the hill to greet us. Running, jumping, darting, constantly putting his nose to the ground and then the air, his energy seems endless.  Matteo softly commands and Sole obediently follows; their symbiotic relationship and mutual respect is the key to their success.

Into the woods we all traipse, Matteo leads us to one of his favorite spots. "Vai, vai Sole" Matteo says and Sole takes off, frantically searching, sniffing - you can actually hear his rapid breathing as he puffs his cheeks and puts his nose to the ground.  He hons in on a smell and frantically begins to dig.  "Piano, piano" slowly, slowly, Matteo softly calls and Sole tries to slow down but he's so excited, tearing at roots, flinging dirt behind him. Reaching down Matteo gently takes him at the neck and Sole immediately goes limp and lies beside his hole awaiting his next command. Matteo digs into the hole first using his vanghetto, a shovel like tool, and then his hands to see what Sole has found.  Out comes a black truffle about the size of a large plum with its dark knobby skin.  Matteo smiles, shows us all the treasure and then puts it into the pocket of his vest. Sole is generously rewarded with treats and affection.

Sole's first find

The ritual repeats, over and over in this spot and then another.  Matteo and Sole hunt each morning for several hours.  They are fortunate to live in an area where different types of truffles are available year round. And the reward can be great; the jewel of Italian gastronomy, white truffles, retail for over $3000/lb., the black for around $1200/lb. The black summer truffles that we found sell for around $500/lb.  Each type of truffle is available only certain months of the year.  Some days are plentiful but others might not yield a single truffle; it's a roll of the dice.

Today is a good day for Sole and Matteo.  In about an hours time Matteo has a pocketful of truffles and we head back to reception area where the delicious smells from the kitchen tell us lunch is almost ready!   Matteo shows us how to clean and store truffles as we sip on Prosecco in the courtyard.  We move into the dining area, beautifully and humbly set for our lunch. The intoxicating smell of fresh truffles permeates the air. Matteo sits with us but goes into the kitchen with each course to help his mother. Crostini with many different types of truffle sauces, carafes of local wine, fresh pasta shaved with our catch of the day, Matteo's fennel roasted pork with rosemary potatoes followed by dessert and of course espresso; we are served a simple, rustic family meal with local fresh ingredients, prepared with the utmost care.

The fruits of Sole's labor

Our fresh pasta with his catch of the day

Matteo's generousity,calm demeanor and infectious smile gives the experience an incredibly intimate feeling - his spirit, love of the land, his relationship with Sole are expressed throughout the visit.  Matteo is a young farmer dedicated to his trade and enthusiastic about sharing it with others.  We will be back...And so with full bellies and warm hearts we load back into our cars, with a new found understanding and appreciation for the now not so mysterious funghi and the people and dogs who bring them from the mountains of Italy to our tables.

If you'd like to visit with Matteo and Sole email him at bartolini.matteo@gmail.com or check out his website at Ca' Solare Agriturismo.  Please tell him Beth from New Orleans sent you :)

Temperature Matters

Serving wine at the proper temperature is something we all struggle with here in New Orleans.  It's really an issue in the US in general; we drink our reds to warm and our whites too cold.  Especially here in the sub tropics - our reds suffer severely from the idea that they are best served at "room temperature".

The beautiful underground cellars at Antonio Caggiano's winery in Campania

The whole room temperature red wine thing came out of Europe where those lovely stone castles and chateaus, lacking in central heat,  remain a constant 60 some degrees. Then there are those cool underground cellars at where their whites rest at a perfect 55 degrees.  That is a far cry from our poorly insulated below sea level homes in our stifling humidity and 90+ degree temperatures!

So what's the big deal?  What does it really matter what temperature you serve your wines?  I guess that all depends on the drinking experience you are looking to have.  If your goal is to guzzle down a big high alcohol red so you can get a quick buzz to start your weekend, then chances are you don't really care how it's showing.  But if you really want to experience a wine at it's best, temperature matters.

When we pour a white wine directly from our frosty 35 degree refrigerators to our glass, the aromatics and flavors are suppressed. The cold brings out greater astringency, which means the wine can  tastes sharp and tart.  And our room temperature average of 72 degrees for reds?  They lose all their finesse and freshness to an overpowering sensation of alcohol and tannin.  They're flabby, out of balance and not as enjoyable as they could be with a little help.

But you don't need to have an fancy wine cellar to serve/drink your wines at the proper temperature.  If you store white wine in the refrigerator, take it out 20 minutes before you want to pour it. To cool down reds (or room-temperature whites), all you need is an ice bucket filled half with ice and half with water. If you’re in a hurry, throw in a cup of salt.  You can get to the right temperature in 10 minutes in an ice bath; or you can put reds in the fridge for about 45 minutes if you are thinking ahead, with whites, 2 hours in the fridge should be perfect.  That’s all it takes.

Kerry is more of a stickler about the red wine thing than I am - I'm usually impatient and just want a glass of wine.  Sometimes I think she waits too long and the wine gets too cold!  With whites, I like them a bit warmer, Kerry- super cold! So to help us both out, I got these little wine bottle digital temperature cuffs. You put them on a bottle, give it a few minutes and it reads the temperature of the bottle.  

So I  put one of the digital thermometers ($16 at swirl) on a bottle that is down in the dark corner where we store our wine at home and got this: 72 degrees.  Upstairs in the kitchen while we are making dinner? Yikes! 75 degrees! In the fridge 30 minutes? A perfect 63!  

Here's what we should be shooting for:  Typical temperature for serving red wine ranges from 52ºF - 65ºF, and 45ºF- 50ºF for white wines.  If you really want to get picky about this, there are different temperature suggestions for different varieties (see chart below).  But I think if we just shoot for the averages for now, we'll all be happier wine drinkers!  

Cheers!

Aperol Spritz, a Classic Italian Beverage

While you can order an Aperol Spritz just about anywhere in Italy, its beginnings are in the north.  It is particularly popular in Venice and Verona where it is the aperitivo drink of choice.  It's bright orange color is unmistakable and while it is served in a variety of different glassware, the recipe remains the same.  This is the classic recipe from Aperol, the company who has produced this low alcohol spirit since 1919.  We'll be serving these at our first Aperitivo Thursday this week at Swirl.  Come over and try one with a complimentary plate of snack from our friends at Good Eggs!

Aperol Spritz

3 parts Proscecco

2 parts Aperol

Splash of club soda

Fill a wine glass with ice. Add the above ingredients and garnish with half an orange slice. Insert straw, close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting in a lively piazza it Italy! 

Aperitivo, The Happiest of Hours

Verona from Lamberti Tower in Piazza Erbe

It's somewhere around 5pm.  The sonar sound coming from my ipad tells me it's time to wake up from my very brief nap.  I hear Kerry rustling around in the livingroom as I slowly try to focus my eyes and will my self from the bed.   After an exhausting 3 days sampling hundreds of wines at Vinitaly in Verona, we only have a few more hours left to explore this beautiful city and I need to perk up.

The Adige River in Verona

Out of the apartment we take a right and walk the few blocks toward the Adige River which winds around in a crescent shape with the historic center of the town nestled inside.  A city that dates back to the Romans, the ancient cobblestone streets are lined with Medieval palaces, elegant churches and bars and restaurants with small terraces perched over the banks of the river.  We duck inside one for a much needed espresso and the icy orange drinks being prepared at the bar can mean only one thing - it's aperitivo time in Verona. A trend that started once upon a time in Milan and can now be found all over Italy, an aperitivo is a glorious couple of hours, a little something before dinner; an aperol spritz or maybe a prosecco or a glass of wine, accompanied by a small snack, great people watching and lively conversation.

Bars and cafes line the piazza.

Continuing our walk, we contact James for a meeting time in Piazza Bra for our last aperitivo of the trip.  We get there early and I start perusing the perimeter of the square checking out the cafes to see who has the best offerings. Some simply provide olives and chips, others get a bit more elaborate with a plate of small nibbles like bruschetta, focaccia, or even meats and cheeses.  I of course chose the latter and James appears just as we are about to sit down.

A round of "spreetzs", the beckoning bright orange drink, for all as we settle in to take in the scene around the piazza while nibbling on our snacks.  The bars and cafes are buzzing with activity, the evening passeggiata is in full swing as the locals enter the marble lined Via Mazzini and stroll to nearby Piazza Erbe.  The coliseum towers mystically over the square reminding all of ancient beginnings of this beautiful place.  There is a joyfulness here that is hard to capture in words, a lightness in the people, an energy in the air that is positively enchanting.

Hoping to recreate that special feeling, we're excitedly starting our own aperitivo at Swirl on Thursdays. There will be a special drink menu for the evening, all Italian of course.  Your first drink will be accompanied by little something extra; a small plate of nibbles, local fare provided this week by our friends at Good Eggs.

So please join us this Thursday, May 8th anytime  between 5:30 - 7:30 for our first aperitivo, a joyful couple of hours after work to relax with friends, take in the lively scene around Faubourg St. John while sipping on a delicious Italian beverage.

Ciao!

Coravin, Drinking High End Wines and Never Popping the Cork!

It's Sunday night and I've cooked a really nice piece of crispy skin salmon.  For some ridiculous reason, Kerry wants to drink a beer.  I, of course, want wine.  Digging through the wood boxes stuck in the dark corner of the downstairs hallway, I'm in search of something for me to drink with my meal.  I realize I have a dilemma - the only appropriate wine, in my mind, to have with my fish is the 2008 Moises Holmes Hill Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and at almost $40 a bottle, it's not the one to pop open on a whim, drink a glass or two and put in the frig hoping it holds until the next time I'm at home and looking for something to drink.  But now my mouth is watering thinking about drinking this wine and how lovely it will pair with my salmon....

Enter Coravin, the solution to my problem!  I had brought home our new gadget and this was the perfect opportunity to give it a try.  Unwrapping the box, I'm a bit nervous - it looks like a cross between a microscope, a drill press and one of those silly rabbit wine bottle openers.  I take my time, read the directions and follow the steps to readying  the "device" - take the yellow safety piece off of the needle, insert the gas capsule and test the gas.  Ok. looks like we're good to go.  

Clamping it on the bottle, it's time to insert the needle. Making sure everything is lined up properly, it goes in with an easy push from the palm of my hand, right through the foil and into the cork. I pull out one of my awesome Reidel Oregon Pinot Noir glasses and get ready to pour.  Tilting the bottle above the glass I give the trigger a quick press, release, and out it comes - the translucent but deeply tinted perfect shade of garnet lovely Pinot Noir. Into my glass it flows until the bowl fills to my desired amount.  Turning the bottle upright, I hear the quick hiss of the argon gas being released into the bottle.  Out comes the needle, the bottle goes back in its resting place until its services are required on another day, the perfect pairing just a pour away... After a glass and a half I thought about having a little Barolo, but then realized I was just being greedy :)

The top of the bottle - you can see where the needle pierced the foil.

Coravin offers a revolutionary way to drink or serve high end wines without worrying about oxidation - the cork is never pulled and the instant insertion of gas means that it never sees air.  For more info on how it works, check out the Coravin site or sign up for our Special Coravin Flite Nite this week where we'll be offering the following wines to chose from.  A flite of 3 will be $25.  Reservations are recommended as we are only pouring 12 flites.  You can reserve here with a credit card, Coravin Flite.  

2007 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino, $85

Winemaker's Notes

Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino is ruby red tending to garnet. It's very intense, with a persistent nose with red fruit notes. There is a warm, balanced flavor with velvet-smooth tannins and long-lasting aroma. A beautiful Brunello made in the traditional style, produced exclusively from Sangiovese grapes picked by hand from vines at least 20 years old.

Critical Acclaim

"The estate’s 2007 Brunello di Montalcino has developed beautifully over the last year. Freshly cut flowers, dark raspberries, spices and mint all take shape in a 2007 that impresses for its freshness and pure energy. Sweet roses and violets linger on the finish. I imagine the 2007 will enjoy a very broad drinking window. Today it is drop-dead gorgeous. The combination of dry extract above 34 and acidity north of 6% is exceedingly rare and suggests the wine will age for several decades. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2047."

95 Points The Wine Advocate

"Medium red. Reticent nose hints at red berries, marzipan and nutty oak. Fine-grained, fleshy and highly concentrated, without any undue impression of weight. Lovely sappy sweetness accentuates the wine's inner-mouth perfume. Really builds on the very long, even, sweetly tannic back end, which stains the palate with red fruits, flowers and complex soil tones. This strikes me as more typical perfumed sangiovese than the darker, more locked-up, more obviously structured 2006 riserva."

95 Points International Wine Cellar

"A wine with roasted meats and dark fruits on the nose and palate. Full body, with soft and velvety tannins and a juicy and fruity aftertaste. So delicious and seductive. Drink now or hold."

94 Points James Suckling

2008 Fisher Coach Insignia, $87

Winemaker's Notes

The Coach Insignia honors our family's tradition of craftsmanship, first represented in fine automobiles of the 20th century with Body by Fisher and now in Fisher Vineyards' wines of the 21st century. The Coach Insignia Cabernet represents the pinnacle of our winemaking craft, comprised of the finest selected lots of Bordeaux varietals from our Napa Valley Estate.

Critical Acclaim

"Deep ruby. Highly fragrant aromas of red and blackcurrant, dried cherry, anise and herbs, with sexy oak spice and floral qualities adding complexity. Sappy and expansive in the mouth, offering sweet cherry and dark berry flavors. Turns spicier with air and finishes quite long, with fine-grained tannins and a late note of black cardamom. "

93 Points International Wine Cellar

"The 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Coach Insignia is a gorgeous, refined wine laced with expressive red fruit, flowers, mint and licorice. The elegant, feminine side of Cabernet comes through, along with a hint of mocha and spice from the presence of 8% Cabernet Franc in the blend. Hints of sweet herbs and licorice reappear on the finish. Today the 2008 looks to be a fairly early-maturing wine, but I don’t think that will be much of an issue based on how delicious it is."

92 Points The Wine Advocate

2010 M. Chapoutier "Les Granits" Saint-Joseph Rouge, $76.99 

Notes:

In Saint Joseph, as in Hermitage, elevated soils of high granite composition give Syrah a unique style. Made from 60-80 year old vines this rich and expressive Syrah is dark garnet in color and features aromas of black fruit jams (blackberry) and mineral overtones. Smoky, peppered notes, with a long persistency in the mouth.

Chapoutier owns some of the most famous plots in the Rhône, including 34 hectares within the tiny Hermitage appellation. This collection of highly sought after wines is coined "Selections Parcellaires".

Critical Acclaim

"Most of the fruit comes from hillside vineyards in Larnage. The 2010 St.-Joseph Les Granits (870 cases produced) is a more flowery, elegant, feminine-styled effort than Les Varonnieres. A deep purple color is followed by sweet aromas of Chinese black tea, graphite, blueberries and black raspberries. With a flowery character, superb purity, full body and a precise, crisp finish with plenty of wet rock and powdered stone-like notes, this 2010 should age well for 15-20 years. "  

94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"Bright purple. Potent aromas of black and blue fruits, incense, licorice and black olive, with a bright mineral topnote. Sappy and precise, offering deeply pitched blueberry and cassis flavors and an exotic floral pastille nuance. The mineral quality comes back strong on the finish, which lingers with outstanding tenacity and clarity. There's a tension to this wine that suggests it will be a long-distance runner."

93 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2010 Gaja Ca'Marcanda Magari, $79.99

Winemaker's Notes

The word "Magari" has several meanings: "if only," "would that it were true," "perhaps." Ca'Marcanda's unique combination of terre brune (dark soils: loam and clay) and terre blanche (white soils: stones and pebbles) is reflected in Magari. Deep garnet with blue tinges. Lush Merlot fruit and spicy Cabernet aromas. Magari showcases the essence of the upper Maremma. It's a full, rich, well-rounded wine with an elegant, silky finish.

Critical Acclaim

"Showing spectacular traits of the vintage, the 2010 Magari (50% Merlot and 25% each Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc) is a dark and modern wine with a thick fabric of dark fruit, blackberry preserves, spice and tobacco woven tightly together. The mouthfeel is exceedingly plush and there’s a sweet oak note of toasted almond or Spanish cedar on the close. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2026. "

94 Points The Wine Advocate

"Fresh and bursting with black cherry and plum fruit, this red has density and a well-integrated structure. Builds to a long finish of fruit, spice and mineral. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc."

90 Points Wine Spectator

10 Reason to Visit Swirl During Jazz Fest 2014!

This is one crazy time in Faubourg St. John and the fact that the entrance to this grand party is right around the corner from us, it makes Swirl a popular place to stop before, after and during Jazz Fest 2014.  And while we don't hold our free tastings or happy hour over the weekend, we're giving you lots of reasons to come by and shop for party beverages, check out all of the local art and fun t-shirts, have a drink at the bar and bring your out of town guests in for a taste of the local culture.

10 Reasons to Visit Us During the Fest

Fat Falafel Food Truck, Tuesdays from 6-8pm

1. Check out one of New Orleans Own Famed Food Trucks - Trying to figure out how to feed all of those out of town guests?  Bring them over on Tuesday as our favorite food truck, the Fat Falafel, pulls up to Swirl from 6-8pm. They dish out delicious Mediterranean food ($5-$10) that you can bring into the shop and let us pair it with our favorite specials by the glass.  6-8pm

Vending Machine Wines made by some pretty awesome locals!

2. Wine by Local Producers - People are always looking for "local" wines and we feel these great labels produced by some of our favorite New Orleanians fit the bill and deliver a whole lot of quality.  We've got James Moises' 2008 Holmes Hills Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and his 2013 Pinot Gris in stock from Oregon and the entire lineup of Vending Machine Wines from Napa including the brand new relase of Horror Show IV! Open a bottle in house, take a few home, or we can ship!

Get some vitamin c for your walk to the Fest!

3. Refreshing Mimosas to Kick off Your Day at the Fest - Join us on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week from 10:00-2:00 for our $5 mimosas - a Jazz Fest Swirl tradition. Relax  with us in the air conditioning for a bit or we'll serve 'em to go!

Shaun Aleman; 1 of 5 local artists we show

 4. Great Local Art on the Walls - Check out the really cool New Orleans themed work with local art from "in nola words" and Shaun Aleman, Lizano’s Glass Haus, Carnival Sculptures, Jeanne Catahula Vidrine and Julia Stefanski! Their original works start at just $20!!

Italian wines are our favs, but we have an adventurous international selection.

5.  Quality Selection of Wine and Beer - Besides stocking 300+ labels of interesting and adventurous wines from all over the world, we serve over 25 wines by glass.   How about picking up a nice cold rosé to sit on the bayou with in evening, or having a glass at the bar while you are waiting for the taxi cab line to ease up? The perfect end to a wonderful day at the fest!

Small selection but mighty good!

6.  Artisan Cheese, Chocolates and Breads - Fresh breads from Bellegarde Bakery, a nice selection of imported cheeses, olives, cured meats and local chocolates from Bittersweet confections await!  Cheeses are cut into perfect cheese plate sized chunks and breads are delivered fresh on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

7. Try a Wine Flite at the Bar -  Stop by on Wednesday for a special flite nite this week when we hold our first rose' tasting of the season!   Flites feature 4-2oz pours of really great juice and while reservations are not required we do limit the number of flites we pour so you may want to be sure to get a spot by prepaying here:  '13 Rose' Round 1! Selections for the flite are posted on our Facebook page on Wednesday. $15

A few of our 2013 selections from Provence

8. Rosé! Rosé! Rosé! -  Did I mention that we have one of the best rose' selections in the city?  The perfect wine to pair with New Orleans food, porch sitting, picnics in the park, canoeing on the bayou or sitting at the shop and watching the festers go by; we have lots of 2013 rose' from all over the world.  And this Wednesday we'll hold our first rose' flite nite of the season!

Great gifts or "festive" wear!

9. Citizen Nola Tees  - We're stocked up with those cleverly designed tees from our friends at Citizen NOLA so come over and check out the new designs coming in on Tuesday! They make great gifts and "festive" wear!

10.  More than 25 Wines by the Glass - Have a drink at the bar or sit outside with a cheese plate and watch the festers go by! I am putting a new list together this week with lots of adventurous, crowd pleasing glass pours!

Artisan Oregon Wine & Culinary Travel 2014

Alloro Vineyards, 2013 Tour

Join Swirl Wines and James Moises of Bizou Wines October 8th - 12th  for a unique, hands-on experience of small production, artisanal winemaking at its best!  We'll take you to the stunningly beautiful Pacific Northwest where the lush foothills of Oregon's Willamette Valley await.  Nestled between the Oregon Coast mountain range and the snow-capped Cascades, the many different terroirs and microclimates makes this one of the most distinctive places on earth for grape growing.

On this five day tour you will visit small, off the beaten path wineries and vineyards; meet, taste and dine with winemakers and witness one of the most exciting times of the year in wine country, the harvest!  You will get an exclusive, insiders look into what goes on behind the scenes as you'll have the opportunity to pick grapes, sort fruit and see many aspects of the grape harvest and early stages of production first hand.

Our home away from home for the week will be a lovely bed and breakfast located in the heart of one of the Willamette Valley AVAs.  McMinnville is a beautiful town with treelined streets, restaurants, shops and of course, tasting rooms! Bon Appetit magazine, in its annual feature on Best Foodie Towns in America, rated McMinnville number two giving us many superb restaurants to choose from for both lunch and dinner.  And for breakfast?  We'll take over the entire Tuscan Estates B&B and have our very own French trained chef on site to cook us the most amazing gourmet meals. Our base in McMinnville also puts us in close proximity to Carlton, Yamhill and Eola Hills as well as the new winemaking facility at the Holmes Hill Vineyard site.  

So, have we gotten your attention yet?  Then keep reading and check out the daily itinerary!

Wednesday, October 8 

We will await your arrival at the Portland International Airport and whisk you off down Highway 99 through the heart of the Willamette Valley as we head towards the charming town of McMinnville.   We’ll get you off to a good start as we stop at a surprise winery and make a toast to a fantastic trip.  After checking into the B&B we'll turn you loose to explore the tasting rooms that line the streets.  Eyrie Vineyards, Panther Creek, R. Stuart, Willamette Valley Vineyards and more are all within walking distance and will give you many opportunities to taste a variety of wines from the McMinnville AVA.   Tonight we'll walk to dinner at a local restaurant for our first of four winemaker dinners.  Tonight's guest will be presenting his biodynamic wines to pair with the food.

Thursday, October 9

Following a lovely gourmet breakfast at the B&B we'll meet up with our winemaker from last night again at the old granary where he makes wine and have a lesson in natural and biodynamic winemaking.  Afterwards we’ll drive over to the Yamhill Carlton to a larger producer where you will see their state of the art facility that focuses on gentle winemaking through gravity flow. We’ll tour the winery and vineyards and taste through their lineup of wines.  Next we’re off to the charming community of Carlton where we’ll spend the day exploring, tasting and eating around the town.   After a quick lunch at one of our favorite cafes  we’ll turn you loose on Main Street where you’ll find great tasting rooms and shops to explore at your leisure.  Scott Paul, Ken Wright/Tyrus Evans, Omero Cellars,  WildAire, Carlton Vineyards and more are all within a few blocks.  Just when you think you’ve had your fill, we’ll meet up with one of our winemakers at the Carlton Studios, an eco-friendly, recycled-material-using and cooperative winemaking facility where a group of top-notch Oregon winemakers all share equipment to turn out award winning whites, roses, reds, sparklings and dessert wines. We’ll tour the facility and see what it takes for all of these personalities to exist under one roof!  Tonight will be an early dinner in a wonderful French restaurant in Carlton, accompanied by wines from one of our favorite producers in the Chehalem Mountains presented by the owner of the winery.

Friday, October 10

After our breakfast at the B&B we'll take a beautiful drive to the Chehalem Mountain AVA. With panoramic views of Bald Peak and the sweeping valley below, the producer we will visit is said to have one of the most beautiful views in the entire Willamette Valley. Following our tour and tasting there, we’ll stop at the Red Hills Market for to pick up our picnic lunch while we head into the Dundee Hills AVA to visit a small producer and have lunch on the property. And just to make sure you are getting your fill of Oregon wines, tonight’s dinner will be at the home of a winemaking team located in the Eola-Amity AVA.

Saturday, October 11

After breakfast at the B&B we’ll head over to the Holmes Hill Vineyard where James and his partner/winemaker Mark Wahle have built their new winery. You'll take a tour of the property with James and have the opportunity to spend some time in the vineyards picking grapes.  Weather permitting we'll set up a late lunch in the vineyard where James and winemaker Mark Wahle will treat us to their lovely wines. After lunch we'll head back to McMinnville and  you'll have a little time to yourself before a very special dinner at  a new wine hotspot opened by our friends at Nick’s Italian Cafe, where one of our favorite winemakers will join us for dinner and present his lineup of Chehalem Mountain wines.

Sunday, October 12

Following a hearty send-off breakfast with our French chef at the B&B we’ll pack up and head back to the Portland airport and sadly say good-bye to the beautiful Willamette Valley.

Reservation Information:

Total trip cost is $1700 per person, double occupancy only, and does not include airfare.  Cost include all scheduled meals and tastings as listed above and transportation to and from Portland Airport as well as transportation to all sites listed above. Basically we take care of everything.  The only thing you have to think about is which tasting rooms you want to visit during your free time!

A $500 deposit by cash or check and a completed registration form are required to book your spot.  The balance of $1200 is due 90 days from trip start date.

Our trips book very quickly!  If you are interested in more information, please contact me at 504.304.0635

To view photos from our previous trip:  Artisan Oregon 2013

Bizou Wines and Blue Dot Donuts Team Up For Unique Tasting Event!

Wine and donuts? Why not! Local winemaker James Moises of Bizou Wines has teamed up with the donut making experts at Blue Dot Donuts to create a tasting experience like no other — A savory donut and wine pairing. The unique tasting experience will be held on Wednesday, April 16 from 6-8pm at Swirl Wines (3143 Ponce de Leon St.) Guests will sample four savory donuts paired with four fine wines, including Moises Pinot Noir, for $25 per person. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Companion Pet Adoption, a small non-profit animal rescue group based around foster homes. Purchase tickets at 

Savory Donuts and Wine

Savory donuts include:

-Fresh Fig wrapped in Prosciutto created by of Blue Dot Donuts

Italian Sausage with Red Sauce and Mozzarrella created by Chef William Mauk of New Orleans Tomato Company

Chorizo Dulce and Manchego created by Chef Glen Hogh of Vega Tapas Café

Mocha Cappuccino with Mascarpone created by Jessica DeVay of Saint James Cheese Company

 

 

ABOUT MOISES WINES:

A reflection of his celebrated Lebanese heritage, Dr. James Moises has been producing a premium line of limited production pinot noir and pinot gris wines from Willamette Valley, Oregon since 2009.  The part-time ER doctor turned part-time winemaker is firmly committed to the practice of sustainable farming and strongly believes that minimal handling in the cellar produces wines of depth, grace and character. Moises’ wines are available exclusively in the New Orleans area (at top retail wine shops and restaurants.) Moises wines are made in a Burgundian style: elegant and supple with rich, ripe fruit flavors impeccably balanced by the careful use of oak.

 

ABOUT BLUE DOT DONUTS:

Blue Dot Donuts, founded by three New Orleans policemen —Ronnie Laporte, Dennis Gibliant and Brandon Singleton — is a boutique bakery offering uniquely flavored gourmet donuts. The first location opened on Canal Blvd on April Fool’s Day in 2011 and a second shop, a franchise operated by Singleton, recently opened Uptown.

Eating, Drinking, Sleeping in Barolo

View from La Morra of the Boiolo vineyards of Barolo

Your two weary travelers arrived in Milano early this morning here in Italia, around midnight in New Orleans. While most of you were sleeping we got a quick cappuccino and went in search of the bright yellow Hertz desk to pick up our brand new 4 door Fiat 500. The two hour drive to La Morra was pretty uneventful until the polizotti decided to pull us over for no reason at all, just to check our documents and have some polite conversation. Giving us more of a jolt than the caffeine, it definitely helped to clear our jet lagged brains!

Village of La Morra in Barolo

As we drove closer to the Alps the landscape changed from low lying plains to endlessly rolling hills with tiny villages perched on the highest peaks. We made the steep climb into our own little hilltop town of La Morra where with only a few wrong turns, found our apartment. After a quick introduction from Emmanuela we went in search of a few places she recommended for a light lunch. We chose the tiny traditional cafe over the more Americanized one, ordered a few local wines and a plate of regional cheeses and meats. At first we were the only ones in this six table bar, but slowly the locals started drifting in for a espresso here or a panino there, but mainly for friendly conversation. Very little English was spoken which is intimidating and exciting at the same time as I struggle to understand their rapid fire speech and hand gestures. But with our limited Italian we managed to have a conversation with one of the men who worked at a local winery. His pride, love and knowledge about that particular sub region and its wines spoken through his passionate delivery needed no common language to understand.

 

I am so happy to be here! It's hard for me to explain my connection with Italy and its people because I don't really understand it myself. All I can say is that there's a sense of comfort that comes over me as soon as I get off the plane. Their passionate nature helps me focus on what is important, their slower way of living life on what is real. As my friend Vincenzo once said, "life, there is only one"...more to come.

The Best Roasted Cauliflower

I had always found cauliflower to be one of those odd vegetables that I had a hard time figuring out what to do with it...until now.  I bought a huge head from one of our local farmers at the market awhile ago and started looking up recipes for roasting. I tried a few of them out, but they just didn't seem to have a whole lot of flavor.  So I started playing around with a few things I had in the frig and came up with this, which has now become a delicious weekly habit in our house!

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, broken into medium-size florets 

Big handful of  grape tomatoes, halved

3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup pitted olives sliced into rounds 

2 tablespoons of pine nuts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Good size pinch of peperoncino

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Put your oven rack on the top position and preheat the oven to 475 degrees F. Toss together the cauliflower, tomatoes,olives, olive oil, pinenuts, 1/2 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper and the garlic in a bowl until the florets are evenly coated.  Put the contents of the bowl on a baking sheet and roast until the cauliflower browns in some spots and is tender, tossing about halfway through, about 20 minutes. Toss with a squeeze of lemon and the parsley. Serve warm.

Andrew Rich, Innovation in the Pacific Northwest

Like most of us in the wine industry, Andrew Rich had a former career. Needing a change from the hectic pace his life had taken on as a successful magazine editor, he decided to follow his passions and learn how to make wine.  Andrew trained in Burgundy, and afterwards his love of Rhone varieties led him to Randall Graham of Bonny Doon where he worked for five vintages.

A connection with another Oregon winemaker brought him north where he decided to start his own label, Andrew Rich Vintner in 1994. He quickly became a noted pioneer at creating Rhone-driven wines with a Northwest spin and works with some of the most respected vineyards in the Columbia Valley of Washington. With 20 years experience behind him, he has access to choice fruit and his his highly regarded Syrahs and his Coup D'Etat (Châteauneuf-du-Pape comes to Washington!) are a testament to his success.   And with his base in Carlton Oregon, he makes really delicious Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley too!

Dinner w/Andrew @ Cuvee

Andrew produces his wine at the state-of-the-art Carlton Winemaker's Studio, the nation's first "green" cooperative winemaking facility, which is where James Moises currently makes his wine and hence the connection between the two. James introduced us to Andrew when we visited in 2012 and the most recent meeting included a wine dinner that I arranged for our group of New Orleans travelers as part of our Artisan Oregon wine and culinary tour of the Willamette Valley.

We are excited to have him in the shop this week to host our Wednesday Nite Flites where we'll be showing a range of wines from a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and 3 of his Washington State wines!  The tasting is part of our Wednesday Nite Flite Series and is $15.  You can book your spot here:  Andrew Rich

2010 Andrew Rich Wines Pinot Noir The Knife Edge Willamette Valley

Bright ruby-red.  Intense black raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by notes of smoked meat, licorice and dried flowers.  Smooth and succulent on the palate, offering powerful dark berry and bitter chocolate flavors and a touch of candied rose.  Finishes on a smoky note, with slow-building tannins, a jolt of peppery spices and very good length. ST 91pts, RP 91pts, $50

2011 Andrew Rich Wines Roussanne Columbia Valley

Bright, full yellow.  Musky aromas of pear, apple, honey and nuts.  Broad, dry and pliant, with good definition to the flavors of apple, menthol and flowers.  Nicely done, rather suave roussanne with a firm finish. ST 88pts, $22

2009 Andrew Rich Wines Mesalliance Red Wine Columbia Valley

(48% merlot, 24% cabernet franc, 20% syrah and 8% malbec):  Bright medium ruby.  Slightly candied aromas of black cherry liqueur, licorice, bitter chocolate and violet.  Sweet and smooth but a bit youthfully stunted; not a thick wine but densely packed and fine-grained, with firm acidity keeping the dark berry flavors under wraps today.  Finishes with firm, suave tannins and good subtle length.  I'd hold this for two or three years before pulling the cork. ST 90, $24

2010 Andrew Rich Wines Cabernet Franc Red Willow

Its Burgundy-shaped bottle hinting at a possible kinship with Loire exemplars that is borne out in the glass, Andrew Rich’s 2010 Cabernet Franc Red Willow – from two-decade-old vines on this iconic property – leads with scents of dark cherry, beet root, and fennel, which re-merge in the context of an infectiously juicy palate that utterly believes its (per the label, anyway) 14.1% alcohol. Positively herbal, subtly bitter and saline notes of sea oats, dried herbs, walnut, maple syrup and dark chocolate add interest en route to a succulently lingering finish tinged with saliva-liberating salinity. There is a fine diffusion of tannin that, along with the wine’s reservoir of primary juiciness, likely guarantees that its fascinations will persist for at least 3-5 years in bottle. RP 90pts, $27

Pasta for Breakfast...Again!

Way back when, before Cat opened Faubourg Wines, before Neil & Monica launched their Vending Machine Wines label, a small group of us started a pretty amazing dinner club. There were wacky themes, super creative food, great beverages, fun conversation and good times for all involved.  But as things tend to go in this world, lives changed, babies were born, relationships ended, people moved and the DC 10 was no more.

One of our last get togethers with the entire group was a DC10 brunch and really a highlight for all of us; the Saints were in the middle of the playoffs of their historic 2009 season, Mardi Gras was right around the corner and the entire city was on one big collective high.  Our contribution that day was a pretty complicated pasta dish where we made large ravioli stuffed with the usual ricotta and herb filling, but then topped it off with a fresh egg yoke before covering it with the 2nd sheet of pasta. We boiled them, just like you do regular ravioli and then plated them drizzled in melted butter and a little pancetta. Sunnyside up with a side of bacon, Italian style and our first pasta for breakfast!

So after a long bike ride yesterday, I was craving eggs and wanted to make a traditional Italian Frittata.  I searched 4 or 5 of my favorite cookbooks until I can across this one with a little twist in Frances and Edward Mayes Under the Tuscan Sun; Pasta Frittata.  A quick note on the book itself - it's a great compilation of recipes from their friends and neighbors in our favorite little Tuscan town of Cortona.  I've made quite a few of the dishes in the book and find them simple, fresh and really delicious, as traditional Italian food should be.  

So here is a much less complicated but really flavorful dish using plain, leftover pasta.  I've changed things just slightly from the original and added comments when I did so.  Kerry and I ate the whole thing with the best bacon we've ever had made by our friend Steve.  And for a pairing?  I had too much to do yesterday to have alcohol with breakfast but a dry, full bodied Italian sparkling like the Berlucchi Brut or Ferrari Brut would have been heavenly. 

Pasta Frittata

1 onion finely chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup milk

6 eggs (I used 5)

+ 2 cups whole brown beech mushrooms (I added these and used the whole pack from wholefoods)

1 cup leftover cooked pasta (I used farfalle)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano

1 large tomato sliced

1 handful of parsley chopped

In an oven proof skillet, over medium heat add oil and sauté the onion and mushrooms until onions are translucent about 3 minutes.  

In a bowl beat the milk into the eggs.  Stir the pasta, seasonings and cheese into the eggs and pour into the pan.  Arrange the tomato slices on top of the egg mixture and cook for about 8 minutes over medium low heat until it is semi-set.  (this was not enough time on my stove, we added an extra 3 minutes)

Sprinkle the parsley and put under a preheated broiler for 1 minute.  Make sure it doesn't burn on the top.