A Wine Lover’s Weekly Review Of $10 Wines – A Kosher For Passover French Cabernet Sauvignon

A short while ago we reviewed a French Kosher wine costing less than $10. Now we will reviewi the same producer’s Cabernet Sauvignon, just in time for Passover. As you may remember, the Skalli family started in the wine business during the 1920s in Algeria. From Corsica they went to southern France in 1961, where they were among the first to produce single variety wines instead of blends. The Skallis make wine in the Languedoc region of southwestern France as well as in the Rhône Valley, Provence, Corsica, and Napa Valley, California. Towards the end of November, 2011 many but not all of their wine interests were purchased by Boisset Family Estates. Our companion wine is a Napa County Cabernet Sauvignon, also Kosher for Passover, costing about twice as much.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Fortant Cabernet Sauvignon Kosher for Passover Mevushal 2006 11.5 % alcohol about $10.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. “Tasting Note: Deep purplish/ruby color; spicy black berries, black pepper and minerals with subtle oaky notes; medium-bodied with a dry finish.” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine offered plums and some harsh acidity. It was short but a taste remained at the finish; this is not a positive comment. Since I reviewed this wine prior to Passover Japanese rice crackers were on the menu. They served to step up the drink’s harshness. Slow-cooked meatballs brought out the plums that were lurking in the liquid. And partially tamed its acidity. When paired with the potatoes, the drink’s acidity was now OK. I tasted chocolate (but not Passover chocolate). The salad composed of broccoli sprouts, cucumbers, orange and yellow peppers, tomato, cilantro, and Portabello mushrooms thinned the chocolate.

My next meal cleared our freezer of packaged Baked Ziti Siciliano that I doused with grated Parmesan cheese. Now our southern France friend was round with light tannins and fruit, namely plums. There wasn’t much there. Fresh cantaloupe rendered the liquid almost tasteless. When paired with nut cake this Cab was very light offering a touch of tobacco.

The closing meal’s centerpiece was a baked chicken leg in cardamom, cilantro, black pepper, and garlic. This drink started off well but weakened, except for its acidity. The side dish consisted of okra in tomato and onion sauce over white rice. Now the liquid’s acidity was tamed. It showed a bit of chocolate and not much else. When our boy met fruit juice candy he virtually disappeared.

Final verdict. I won’t be buying this wine again. It’s hard enough to produce an acceptable French non-Kosher wine at this price. And going Kosher can only add to the cost. Double for Passover.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but definitely prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. Visit his Italian wine website www.theitalianwineconnection.com .

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Guide To $10 Wines – A Pinot Grigio From Hungary

Today’s wine is an interesting combination, a Hungarian Pinot Grigio. It’s named for Baron Lazare de Schwendi who according to legend brought Tokay vines from Hungary into Alsace back in 1565. Just so you don’t make a mistake, these are not the vines that produce Hungary’s sometimes world-class sweet Tokaji wine. I don’t recall ever tasting a Hungarian Pinot Grigio. I do recall tasting a Hungarian Tokaji that I preferred to a French Sauternes, but that’s another story. This wine was produced in the Pozmand region of Etyek, Hungary’s youngest viticultural area in the eastern part of the country. The locals claim that it has stunning landscape, and is known for excellent wines including sparkling wines. You might want to check out the local Cellar Festival in mid-May. Today’s companion wine comes from Austria’s signature grape, Gruener Veltliner in a moderate price range.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Baron Lazare de Schwendi Pinot Grigio 2008 11.9% alcohol about $10.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Hungary is starting to make some exciting Pinot Grigios. As a result, wines such as this melon-, pear-, citrus- and floral-scented one are finding favor. Dry and flavorful, this wine finishes crisp and very refreshing. Enjoy it with steamed mussels or clams. (VINTAGES panel, June 2009). And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine’s acidity was dominant. It seemed thin but refreshing. The first meal centered on a meatless patty made with textured vegetable protein. The acidity was now round and pleasant; the wine’s lemon stepped up. French fried eggplant sticks rendered the Pinot Grigio refreshing. A high-quality ice cream bar with a thick chocolate coating essentially gutted the wine.

My next meal was an omelet brimming with chilies. This wine was now excessively acidic and did not have a lot of flavor. Fresh avocado made it rounder. The wine lengthened in the presence of roasted eggplant brimming with garlic. And its delicate lemon flavor increased when consumed with a fresh tomato. Dessert was Scottish shortbread with lots of butter (32%) that intensified this Pinot Grigio’s sweetness.

My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon filet marinated and basted in an agave nectar sauce and then broiled and blackened. The wine now possessed lemony acidity. It displayed a tinge of sweetness when it met up with lemon slices. When married with rice and cold beets (really the beets, not the rice) it was crisp and refreshing, The accompanying green beans in tomato sauce rendered this Hungarian more acidic.

The first cheese was a mild provolone. The wine was now light, almost thin, with balanced acidity. With a fairly tasty yellow cheddar it gained in intensity to help it keep up with the stronger tasting cheese.

Final verdict. This is a close call, but I’d rather taste something new. It wasn’t quite good enough.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but drinking fine Iwine with good company. He loves teaching computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. His European travel website is http://www.traveleuropetravel.com .

A Wine Lover’s Review Of Upscale Wine – A Red Chateauneuf Du Pape

Today’s wine is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape coming from the southern Rhone Valley of France. Unlike many of its competitors, physical bottle has no distinguishing characteristics but I won’t that against it. This vineyard has been in the family hands since 1905 and the average vine is 60 years old. The winemaker used no fertilizer or chemicals and has started to use biodynamic techniques. The grapes were harvested by hand. This wine is a blend of Grenache (60%), Syrah (15%), Mourvedre (10%), Counoise (10%), and Cinsault (5%). Chateauneuf-du-Pape vineyards are known for their large stones that retain heat and hasten ripening. Our companion wine is also organic and comes from the nearby Languedoc region. It’s a Marselan, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Chateauneuf-du-Pape Domaine de la Vieille Julienne 2005 15 % alcohol about $55.

There are no marketing materials and the front and back labels are essentially silent. So let me quote one of my favorite wine writers, Tom Stevenson, on red CdPs. “Due to the variation of terroir (roughly surroundings, my addition) and almost limitless permutations of encepagement (roughly grape blends, my addition), it is impossible to describe a typical Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but there are two categories – the traditional, full, dark, spicy, long-lived style and the modern, easy-drinking Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the best of which are unashamedly upfront and brimming with lip-smacking, juicy-jammy fruit… (In The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia).” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was very rich and multi-layered. But it did taste sour. The first meal centered on a first-cut veal chop coated with parsley flakes and thyme and fried alongside brown mushrooms and garlic. The wine was long and mouth filling. It tasted of chocolate but its sour acidity remained. Shaking the wine vigorously seemed to reduce its sour aspect. With the mushroom and garlic mixture the Chateauneuf-du-Pape deepened and chocolate remained predominant. The wine’s acidity dealt well with the grease in the accompanying side of potatoes roasted in chicken fat. Hopefully the sourness is a thing of the past. Dessert was fruit juice candy that somewhat muted the wine. But it was still powerful.

My next meal was a broiled Atlantic Salmon perked up by Cajun spices and fresh lemon. The wine presented liquidy tannins and had good length and black fruit. The microwaved redskin potatoes gave the wine harsh, not sour, acidity and took away most of its fruit. Cold beets weakened this Rhone Valley native but it had pleasant tobacco and was balanced.

The final meal was a lamb blade chop coated with a mixture of black pepper, onion powder, and ground basil leaves and fried alongside brown mushrooms and garlic. The wine was long, very long and balanced. It dealt well with the fatty meat. When paired with the mushroom and garlic mixture this Chateauneuf-du-Pape was long and mouth filling. In the presence of a moderately spicy tomato-based Turkish salad the wine remained powerful. Its tannins were soft and it was really omnipresent.

The first cheese was a rather bland provolone. In response the wine was very long, powerful, and multi-layered. It tasted great but was perhaps wasted with a pedestrian cheese. Things were about the same when the CdP faced a yellow cheddar which managed to add a taste of tobacco to the mix.

Final verdict. I don’t intend to buy this wine again. While some of the pairings were fine I was often disappointed. I want a Chateauneuf-du-Pape that meets Stevenson’s description but perhaps $55 just won’t do it. Needless to say, I won’t be repeating this experience every week. By the way, the producer recommends aging this bottle for 8 to 15 years so perhaps I hit it a bit too soon.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but drinking fine Iwine with good company. He loves teaching computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. His European travel website is http://www.traveleuropetravel.com .

A Wine Lovers Near Weekly Guide To $15 Wines – An Organic Marselan From Southern France

Today’s wine comes from Languedoc in the heart of Provence, France. It is organic and suitable for vegetarians. It comes from a grape that most people have never tasted, Marselan, which is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. Maybe because the vines weren’t heavy croppers, this grape essentially went nowhere for decades. The first non-blended Marselan was released in 2002. But now it has started to become popular, both in Languedoc and in California; Sunridge Nurseries of Bakersfield has been selling it to growers who want to supply winemakers with unknown varieties. For about three years it has been legal to import wines with Marselan on the label into the United States. Today’s winemaker is the top organic winemaker in France. Maybe he knows something. The companion wine is also a blend. It’s an upscale Chateauneuf-du-Pape at almost five times the price.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Pech Matelles Marselan 2008 14 % alcohol about $12.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description: And now for something completely different; Marselan is a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache and was first bred in 1961. Now this grape is winning admirers including winemaker Gilles Louvet, founder of Celliers du Languedoc, who is at the vanguard of organic winemaking in France. His version is a dry, medium- to full-bodied red featuring ripe black fruit, cherry, marzipan and toasty oak flavors supported by medium tannins and leading to a medium-long dry finish. Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 21 mg/L of free sulphur. And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was powerful but tasted of grapes. It was round and had a good balance of tannins and acidity. The first meal centered on a first-cut veal chop coated with parsley flakes and thyme and fried alongside brown mushrooms and garlic. The wine’s tannins were soft and its flavor deepened when paired with the veal. The mushroom and garlic mixture brought out the oak. With a side of potatoes roasted in chicken fat the Marselan once again tasted of grapes. I took the chance of accompanying the wine with dessert, fruit juice candy. This was not a marriage made in heaven. A grapey taste predominated and the wine attained a degree of flatness.

My next meal was a broiled Atlantic Salmon perked up by Cajun spices and fresh lemon. Now the Marselan added tobacco (a plus) to its grapey taste (a minus). The microwaved redskin potatoes transformed the wine’s acidity to harsh. Cold beets weakened this native of Provence, especially at first.

The final meal was a lamb blade chop coated with a mixture of black pepper, onion powder, and ground basil leaves and fried alongside brown mushrooms and garlic. The wine was chocolaty with some oak and good acidity. The mushroom and garlic mixture bumped out the chocolate. In the presence of a moderately spicy tomato-based Turkish salad it showed a good balance of tannins and acidity and tasted of dark cherries.

The first cheese was a rather bland provolone. In response this wine was tasted of dark cherries. It was round and refreshing. When it met a yellow cheddar the Marselan became darker tasting.

Final verdict. I don’t intend to buy this wine again; the pairings were too hit and miss. I just checked and my supplier doesn’t stock any other Marselan wines. I cannot say that I am disappointed.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but drinking fine Iwine with good company. He loves teaching computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. His European travel website is http://www.traveleuropetravel.com .

A Wine Lover’s Near Weekly Guide To $15 Wines – A Southern Italian White Fiano

Today’s wine comes from Apulia, also known as Puglia, on the Adriatic coast of southern Italy. This is one of the few times that I remember a back label in Italian only. But the company has an English-language website that’s quite attractive even if somewhat hard to read. Their estate is some 300 hectares (740 acres) about half of which is devoted to wine. They specialize in Italian grape varieties that you might find unfamiliar: Negroamaro, Aglianico, and Fiano. The mother company belongs to the Zonin family that has been in the wine business since 1821. Zonin possesses Italy’s largest privately owned vineyards and winemaking complex and is present in seven wine regions of Italy. They also own one American vineyard in the state of Virginia. Maybe, just maybe they went to the “Old Dominion” because their vineyard is located in the commonwealth’s Piedmont region. In any case, Barboursville Vineyards wines were served to Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to Virginia in 2007.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Masseria Altemura Fiano 2008 12.5% alcohol about $13.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Fiano is a variety whose home turf is believed to be nearby Campania. Puglia is making headway with this bold, crisp variety. Aromas of ripe apple, grapefruit, smoke and fresh herbs are front and center. Dry, racy, and fruity with good body and structure. Try it with moderately rich fish or chicken dishes. (VINTAGES panel, Sept. 2009) And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was rich and round and tasted of grapefruit. The first meal centered on a dry barbecued chicken breast. The wine showed good acidity. It compensated for the meat’s defect and tasted of lanolin and honeysuckle. I tasted peaches that weren’t quite ripe. The meat was accompanied by green beans in tomato sauce and rice. In response the Fiano’s acidity was subtle. This wine was elegant. With fresh pineapple the wine came out weaker but still showed elegance.

My next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna made with ricotta and mozzarella cheese that I doused with grated parmesan cheese. The Fiano was delicate and tasted of almonds and lemon. It was somewhat oily (I find that positive) and very long. Dessert was fresh strawberries from the local market. Now the wine was weakened but not destroyed. When paired with another dessert, a high-quality ice cream bar coated in chocolate this wine showed a fine sweetness. It was subtle but quite long.

My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon filet marinated and basted in an agave nectar sauce. The Fiano was long and powerful. It was honeyed and tasted of green apples. Faced with slices of fresh red pepper it seemed unripe, but it was fairly long and there were almonds. With fresh tomato this wine was multilayered and slightly sweet.

The first cheese was a rather tasteless brick. In response this wine was floral and nicely complex. But when it met a slightly tastier provolone the wine was not very present.

Final verdict. I already bought a bottle for my wine tasting club. I like this wine and I like this grape. I’ll be on the look out for more wines from this producer and more Fianos. The poor pairing with the provolone couldn’t change my mind.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lovers Weekly Guide To $10 Wines – A Northern Spain White Viura

Today’s wine comes from Carinena in the Aragon region of northeastern Spain. Carrying the DO appellation; it is the first wine to be so honored in Aragon. The region’s wine history dates back some 2300 years. In those days people often mixed their wine with honey. Unlike most of our reviewed wines, this one comes from a wine cooperative. The coop, Bodegas San Valero, was founded in 1945 uniting 60 growers. They are now up to about 700. The Viura grape, called Macabeo in France, is the most popular grape in northern Spain. It is found in Cava, a popular Spanish sparking wine. Traditionally this is not a prestigious grape but I recently came across a review entitled Macabeo/Viura – the Cinderella Grape? from Jancis Robinson, one of the world’s top wine reviewers. Exceptionally there will be no $10 review next week. It’s not a question of taking time off, I’ll be doing an upscale wine review and the companion wine came in at about $12. On the subject of upscale wines, I found an 1989 Viura/Malvasia (also not a prestigious grape) marked down to about $55. I won’t be tasting that wine unless the markdown process goes viral. Today’s companion wine is a moderately priced white from Apulia in southern Italy.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Castillo de Monseran Viura 2008 12.5% alcohol about $9

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale straw color, aromas of white peaches and flowers, dry, light bodied, delicate floral flavors and a crisp lemony finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve with seafood pasta dish. And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine had astringent acidity. It was lemony and long. The first meal centered on a dry barbecued chicken breast. The wine’s acidity was under better control. I tasted peaches that weren’t quite ripe. The meat was accompanied by green beans in tomato sauce and rice. The Viura’s acidity nicely met the acidity in the tomato sauce. The word delicate came to mind. With fresh pineapple the wine was fairly long but didn’t have much to say.

My next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna made with ricotta and mozzarella cheese that I doused with grated parmesan cheese. The Viura displayed moderate acidity. It had good length and tasted of white grapefruit. It was refreshing. Dessert was fresh strawberries from the local market. The wine’s acidity and almost everything else was gone. So I drowned my sorrows in another dessert, a high-quality ice cream bar coated in chocolate. The wine was discrete.

My final meal was a broiled Atlantic salmon filet marinated and basted in an agave nectar sauce. The wine had a light taste of apples but did not mesh with the salmon. Slices of fresh red pepper stepped up the wine’s acidity but nothing else. With fresh tomato the Viura’s fruit came back and the wine was round.

The first cheese was a rather tasteless brick. The wine had good lemony acidity; this was quite an acceptable combination. With a slightly tastier provolone the wine was virtually the same.

Final verdict. I don’t plan to buy this wine again. It was definitely hit and miss. But if you want to do an inexpensive wine and cheese tasting with pedestrian cheeses it may be a good option.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

Which Wine? The Choice is Yours

There has been far too much talk regarding which wine to select for a dish. The old adage “White wine with white meats and red wines with red meats” is merely a very lazy man’s way of not having to think. In place of taking the simple way out and categorize wines by color (a typical problem in our society) you will find it much simpler if you categorize them by weight. In other words, light wines with light foods and heavy wines with heavy foods.

This takes a bit of getting used to, and requires a lot more time, but it’s well worth it in the long run. Consider light, thinly carved beef tenderloin, served with a dash of lemon and butter and seasoned with capers and fresh thyme. Would you serve a big, heavy Cabernet, or coarse Barbaresco? The meat would get lost. But beef is red, and the “rule” says you should serve a red wine. Or, how about cioppino, a blending of shrimp, mussels, lobster and calamari in a rich tomato broth and served with crusty bread? Many Chardonnays and nearly all Chenin Blancs and Rieslings would disappear under the avalanche of flavors.

It’s time to stop bothering the wines you must choose and start thinking about enjoying the blending of good food, good wine and good company. There are two areas to concern yourself with regarding pairing food and wine:

1) Pairing light foods with light wines.
2) Making up your mind whether you wish to complement or contrast the flavors.

The first one is easy. A light Beaujolais or even many lighter Pinot Noirs and Zinfandels are superb matches for salmon, swordfish and even many shellfish dishes. Chardonnays as well as Sauvignon Blancs can easily withstand many veal, turkey and even duck dishes. If you know what the dish tastes like but not the wine, ask someone. Any wine vendor or restaurateur really worth his or her pay should know what it is that they are trying to sell you.

Contrast and complementing are a bit more fascinating. Now we must get into the actual preparation of the dish. A heavily spiced dish like cioppino, curry or rich tomato sauces go well with big, oaky Chardonnays in addition to a brawny Amador County Zinfandel or a full-bodied Petite Sirah. Lots of herbs and spices maybe complemented by a spicy Chateauneuf du Pape or an herbal, melony Sauvignon Blanc. Or, you could contrast them with a rich, cherry/berry Zinfandel or Barbera.

If you are still sufficiently confused, lets take a look at the different types of wines.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WINE … their descriptions and flavors

APERITIF: FINO SHERRY (Feeno) or MANZANILLA (MAN-zahn-eeya) – Nutty, earthy, floral, tart. SERVE WITH Soups, appetizers, nuts, cheeses, smoked meats.

AMONTILLADO SHERRY (Ah-MAHN-tee-ahdo) – Caramel, smooth. SERVE WITH Soups, appetizers, cheeses, smoked meats, fish.

TABLE WINES: 1) LIGHT REDS

PINOT NOIR (PEA-no No-WAH) – Rose petal, raspberry, cotton candy, spicey, velvety, rich, cherries. The grape of the great red Burgundies of France. SERVE WITH Game, lamb, chicken, salmon, swordfish.

BEAUJOLAIS (Bo-jho-LAY) – Strawberry, fresh, soft, grapey. Popular red wine of Beaujolais region of France. SERVE WITH Soups, cold salmon, chicken salad.

2) MEDIUM TO HEAVY REDS MERLOT (MER-low) – Grapey, briary, herbal, elegant, soft, rich. Softer wine similar to Cabernet and often blended with it. Coming into its own as a varietal. SERVE WITH Game, roast beef, lamb, stews.

ZINFANDEL (ZIN-fan-dell) – Raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, spicey. Uniquely California. Unsure of origin. Experimental plantings in South America and Italy. SERVE WITH Sweetbreads, roast beef, pork, venison.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Cab-er-NAY Soo-veen-YOHN) – Green olive, herbal, minty, truffles, earthy, cedar. The king of red wines. Adds strength and longevity to Bordeaux. Grows best in Napa Valley and Dry Creek, Sonoma and Alexander Valleys. SERVE WITH Rich meats like Beef Wellington, duck, lamb.

BARBERA (Bar-BEHR-Rah) – Grapey, spicey, woody. Fruity, yet substantial wine of the Piedmont area in Italy. SERVE WITH Hearty veal dishes, calamari.

PETITE SIRAH (Peh-TEE si-RAH) – Spicey, black pepper, blackberry, black currents Rich, full-bodied wine, very dark and tart. SERVE WITH Bouillabaisse, Pork, venison

3) LIGHT WHITES CHENIN BLANC (Chen-NEEN Blawn) – Melons, pears. Light, crisp wine. Can contain residual sugar. SERVE WITH Aperitif, chicken, light seafood dishes.

WHITE RIESLING (REES-ling) – Apricots, peaches, honey, green apples. Great noble grape of the Mosel and Rheingau areas of Germany. Great ones are tart. SERVE WITH Cream soups, saurbraten.

GEWURZTRAMINER (Geh-VERTZ-trah-meener) – Spice, honeydew, earthy. May be very concentrated in spice, melon and pear flavors. Many have some sweetness. SERVE WITH Shellfish, red bell pepper soup.

4) MEDIUM TO HEAVY WHITES SAUVIGNON/FUME BLANC (Soo-veen-YOHN/FOO-may Blawn) – Herbal, earthy, grassy. Very dry and crisp with a slight herbal tinge. From the Loire and Bordeaux. Grows very well in the Central Coast, Alexander Valley and Napa. SERVE WITH Whitefish, monkfish, escargot.

SEMILLON (SEM-ee-yohn) – Figs, pineapple, soft. Richly flavored blending grape used in Bordeaux. Produced sparingly in California.

PINOT BLANC (Peano Blawn) – Bananas, melon, pineapple, buttery. Rich, concentrated flavors. Not grown in quantities because of difficulty in producing. SERVE WITH Chicken, veal, catfish.

CHARDONNAY (Shar-doe-NAY) – Green apples, butterscotch, vanilla, citrus, perfume. Great, noble grape of Burgundy. Most flavorful and versatile white grape. SERVE WITH Full flavored fish dishes like scallop mousse, lobster, salmon.

BEST BETS: Arrowood ($ 20), Matanzas Creek ($ 19), Freemark Abbey ($ 18), Rosemount Show

DESSERT WINES CREAM SHERRY-Vanilla, spice, cream. Smooth, rich “creamy” taste from a variety of Spanish grapes. SERVE WITH fruit souffle, cheesecake.

PORT-Black cherry, woody, tannic. Big, higher alcohol wine made in Portugal from five little-known varieties. SERVE WITH chocolate, raspberry desserts.

LATE HARVEST-Apricot, coconuts, raisins. May be made from almost any grape, but primarily White Riesling, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. SERVE WITH fruit and nuts, cookies.

SPARKLING WINES BRUT – Dry, flinty, tart. Usually the driest of the bunch. Made with the least “dossage”. SERVE WITH caviar, smoked salmon.

BLANC DE NOIR (Blawn de No-war) – Full-bodied, crisp, fruity, yeasty. Usually made from Pinot Noir with some skin contact to give it color and a sturdier, more obvious flavor. SERVE WITH full flavored hors d’ouvres.

EXTRA DRY-Smooth, creamy, rich. A touch of sweetness, though not a “sweet” wine. SERVE WITH cake, fruits, nuts cheeses.

Armed with the above information is just enough to make you dangerous in a crowded room. This is only a guideline. One way to further your food and wine parring knowledge is to join a wine of the month club, Here you can prepare a meal built on the recipe and taste the paired wine. For every rule there is an opposite rule when it comes to wine. Just keep in mind than just when you think you understand enough, along comes another whole part you didn’t even realize existed. The essential thing to remember is to not get excited about it. Drink what you enjoy, with what you enjoy and with whom you enjoy. After all, it’s only a bottle of wine.

A Wine Lover’s Near Weekly Review Of $15 Wines – A South Australia Verdelho

Our stock of Australian wine is slowly but surely getting lower. Along the way there have been both positive and negative surprises. Today’s wine comes from a major Australian winery that was founded by a medical doctor well over 150 years ago. As you will read below, the (white) Verdelho grape was originally Portuguese. You might want to visit the producer’s website for lots of detailed information on their wines. However, because I bought this wine about three years ago the site does not provide information on this specific wine and vintage. Hunter Valley is north of Sydney in southwestern Australia. Despite its fertile soil, hot climate, and high yields its wines are often quite good. Today’s companion wine is a South African Chenin Blanc priced at about $10.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Lindeman’s Reserve Verdelho 2005 13.5% alcohol about $14

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Description: The Verdelho grape made the journey from its native Portugal to Australia sometime in the 19th century. Today, it remains an important variety in Hunter Valley where it makes vibrant, full-bodied wines like this one. Perfect for summer time, it’s fresh and fragrant with tropical fruit aromas and flavors, lively acidity and a clean, lingering finish. Enjoy with pasta salad. And now for my review.

Just so you know, I needed a serious pair of pliers to twist off the cap. At the first sips this wine was very powerful and tasted of honeysuckle. The initial meal started with tomatoey barbecued chicken wings. In response the Verdelho was long and mouth filling. When faced with a similarly prepared chicken breast, this wine provided honeysuckle and some tropical fruit. With the accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat its honeysuckle taste intensified and it offered good acidity that dealt well with the grease. When paired with a fresh tomato the wine was sweet and barely acidic. I tasted honey as well as honeysuckle.

My next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna containing ricotta and mozzarella cheese to which I added lots of grated parmesan cheese. The Verdelho was very long and multilayered. It offered honeysuckle, but was slightly harsh. Could this be the taste of unripe honeysuckle? Now its acidity was round and I tasted slightly green apples. The first dessert of fresh strawberries brought out the wine’s sweetness and softened its acidity. When faced with the second dessert, chocolate macaroons, the wine weakened but was still round and somewhat fruity.

My final meal centered on an omelet with plenty of ground chilies. The Verdelho showed round acidity and had good length and light fruit. In the presence of black Kalamata (Greek) olives the wine tried to assert its presence but wasn’t really there. When paired with a store-bought, somewhat spicy, guacamole, the wine provided a little more fruit with each sip.

The first cheese was a bland white cheddar. In response, the wine was light and tasted of apples. When facing a Muenster, this wine was long and pleasant.

Final verdict. I would definitely buy this wine again, perhaps because I am partial to Verdelho. Some of the pairings were quite good.

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Review Of $10 Wines – A South African Chenin Blanc

We have had a lot of luck with South African wines in both our bargain reviews and our other reviews. I cannot remember the last time I tried a Chenin Blanc, so maybe that in itself is a comment on this often far from remarkable grape. Don’t get me wrong; there are some great Chenin Blanc wines on the market, but few, if any, will be found in this price range. My supplier presently stocks 6 bottles of a Loire Valley (France) Clos de la Coulee de Serrant Savennieres 1995 produced by arguably the world’s best biodynamic winemaker, Nicolas Joly. But at about $225 a bottle you won’t see it reviewed here or in my organic wine column.

Today’s wine comes from mostly old bush vines in the Helderberg area of Stellenbosch, not far from Capetown. These hand-picked grapes were grown in mineral soil in vineyards facing the ocean where the days are hot and sunny and the evenings are really cool. The 2006 version of this wine was ranked 6th in the international top 100 BEST BUYS in the American publication, The Wine Enthusiast. But now we are talking about a 2008. Our companion wine is a 2005 Verdelho from a major Australian producer.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY: All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed: The Winery of Good Hope Chenin Blanc 2008 13.5% alcohol about $10

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: This wine starts with a curvy nose of pineapple, apricot and melon, leading into a very pretty interplay of tropical melon and spice on the palate. Elegant with a cheerful overall character, this Chenin balances acid and fruit well, creating a rounded wine with a delicate edge. Overall, dependable and fun. Score – 88. (Susan Kostrzewa, Wine Enthusiast, March 2009). And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine showed bright acidity. It had good length but I tasted unripe melons. The initial meal started with tomatoey barbecued chicken wings. Now the Chenin Blanc’s acidity was harsh and the melons seemed even more unripe. Things worked better with a similarly prepared chicken breast. The wine was initially sweet and its acidity was round. When facing the accompanying potatoes roasted in chicken fat the Steen (that what South Africans call Chenin Blanc) had excess acidity, which however did a good job cutting the grease. With a fresh tomato the wine was too acidic and yet mellow.

My next meal was a boxed vegetarian lasagna containing ricotta and mozzarella cheese to which I added lots of grated parmesan cheese. Now the acidity was round and I tasted slightly green apples. The first dessert of fresh strawberries meant an acidic wine without much fruit. Things were worse, wine wise, with the second dessert, chocolate macaroons. The Steen was overwhelmed, all that remained was a little acidity.

My final meal centered on an omelet with plenty of ground chilies. The wine’s acidity was fine but there wasn’t much fruit. Black Kalamata (Greek) olives were simply too powerful for the wine. When paired with a store-bought, somewhat spicy, guacamole, the Chenin Blanc provided good acidity but only light fruit.

The first cheese was a bland white cheddar. The wine was present, sort of. When facing a Muenster, this wine picked up depth and fruit.

Final verdict. I would not buy this wine again unless I got a much better price and was holding a Muenster cheese and wine tasting. This winery sells a presumably higher quality Chenin Blanc for a few dollars more. And I’d only have to drive a few hundred miles to pick one up. Do you remember that old phrase, no way Jose?

Levi Reiss authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but prefers drinking fine wine. He teaches computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines and a whole lot more. Visit his Italian travel website www.travelitalytravel.com.

A Wine Lover’s Weekly Review Of $15 Wines – A Gewurztraminer From Canada

We haven’t been doing too many Canadian wines. Maybe we should. More than three decades ago the Pennachetti family helped to pioneer noble grape varietal wines in the Niagara Peninsula with Riesling and Chardonnay. The hillside of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario is known as Beamsville Bench. In this fine location a single bloc of 25-year old vines grew the Gewurztraminer grapes that were fermented in stainless steel. This is a popular tourist area and the winery also offers an inn, a restaurant, and a spa with vinotherapy treatments. What more could you want? Today’s companion wine is a $10 Georgian wine grown from the most popular local grape, the white Rkatsiteli.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Cave Spring Estate Bottled Gewuerztraminer VQA 2008 14.0% alcohol about $15

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Medium gold. Intense aromas of lychee, white flowers, candied citrus, and exotic spices. Just off-dry, medium bodied with an emerging lime cordial note on the palate. Very well-made Ontario Gewürz. Pair it with grilled prawns in a moderately spicy sauce, or lemon grass chicken. (VINTAGES panel, Jan. 2010) And now for my review.

At the first sips the wine was slightly sweet and floral with fine acidity. The initial meal started with sesame seed puff pastry stuffed with spinach. The wine was appley and its acidity was mouth cleansing. Then came an omelet with lots of chilies. The wine was elegant and tasted of lemons and honey. When facing the accompanying artichoke and garlic tomato salsa the Gewurtz stepped down a bit but it was quite long. With Greek Kalamata olives I got the image of a fluttering butterfly and there was some nectar. Cantaloupe slices rendered the wine long and lemony. Honeydew made it very long and the wine’s acidity complemented the not quite ripe fruit.

The next meal was chicken baked in soy sauce, agave nectar, and plums. The wine had bright acidity and lime. It was somewhat oily. Something wasn’t quite ripe. The plums made the acidity somewhat harsh. With fresh pineapple the wine tasted of honey and was medicinal.

My final meal was a boxed eggplant parmiagana. The wine was elegant and mouthfilling. The Gewuerztraminer tasted of spicy lemons and was quite long. Dessert was a vanilla ice cream bar coated in high quality chocolate. The wine presented light acidity.

Prior to the traditional two cheeses I paired this white wine with Matjes herring. The wine was long and its pleasant acidity cut the herring’s salt. The first cheese was a usually bland brick but since this one had been around for quite some time it was somewhat strong. The wine was weak, and yet long. The second cheese was a Muenster, the Gewurzt stepped up to the place; it was round and fruity.

Final verdict. This call is fairly borderline. Instead of buying this pretty good but somewhat overpriced wine I may go for another one of the producer’s many, many offerings. There’s a Beamsville Bench Chardonnay that looks promising.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten computer and Internet books, but drinking fine Iwine with good company. He loves teaching computer classes at an Ontario French-language community college. His global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com features a weekly review of $10 wines. His European travel website is http://www.traveleuropetravel.com .

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