A Napa County Kosher Wine

Some time ago we reviewed a Kosher Sauvignon Blanc from the famous Sonoma County, California. Its producer, Weinstock Cellars, seemed to have no web site. Now we are reviewing a Kosher for Passover Cabernet Sauvignon from right next door, the even more famous Napa County. Same producer, same absence of a web site. Their distributor, Royal Wines, had very little to say about this Winery. Of course that isn’t what really counts. Our companion wine is another Kosher for Passover Cabernet Sauvignon. At half the price it comes from southern France.

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

Wine Reviewed
Weinstock Cellar Select Cabernet Sauvignon Kosher for Passover Mevushal 2008 13.5 % alcohol about $20.

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. “Tasting Note: The nose here offers up suggestions of redcurrant, cassis, ripe raspberry, cinnamon, toast and touches of mocha. The palate is dry, ripe and sunny, with excellent fruit and a backbone of fine ripe tannins. Both red and black fruit notes emerge, along with roasted red pepper and more spice and chocolate. This will drink well for the next 3-5 years and will make an excellent pairing for braised meats, or even a meaty pasta dish or pizza. (VINTAGES panel, Dec. 2011).” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was long, round, and mouth-filling but its fruit was light. Since I tasted this wine before Passover Japanese rice crackers were on the menu. They served to render the drink multilayered and brought out the plums. Slow-cooked meatballs rendered the libation even more forceful. When paired with the potatoes, the drink presented lots of chocolate (but not Passover chocolate). The salad composed of broccoli sprouts, cucumbers, orange and yellow peppers, tomato, cilantro, and Portabello mushrooms imparted the taste of chocolate and black cherries.

My next meal cleared our freezer of packaged Baked Ziti Siciliano that I doused with grated Parmesan cheese. Now our southern France friend was oaky in a positive sense offering refreshing acidity and melt-in-your-mouth tannins. Fresh cantaloupe richened the taste of dark cherries. When paired with nut cake this Cab was very dark with some chocolate.

The closing meal’s centerpiece was a baked chicken leg in cardamom, cilantro, black pepper, and garlic. This drink was long and chewy. It was powerful and offered refreshing acidity that cut the dish’s grease. The side dish consisted of okra in tomato and onion sauce over white rice. Now the liquid’s acidity was muted but its chocolate and fruit remained strong. When our boy met fruit juice candy he softened but was still very present and very pleasant.

Final verdict. I would definitely buy this wine again. I have the feeling that it might be even better after cellaring for a few years.

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

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 .

“Seeing Red” Shiraz vs. Cabernet: The Smackdown

Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are two very popular red wines that people are especially fond of using as dinner pairings. Inevitably in such circumstances, people want to know which is the “better” wine. Obviously people have different palettes so there is no clearly superior wine, even when considering pairing with a specific meal. These variables tend to matter almost more than anything else when evaluating the two wines. And even if everybody had the same preferences, the variation among Shiraz and Cabernets depending on budget, region, grower, vintner, and even year are such that a basic ranking of the two is not very meaningful. However, it is helpful to identify one or two of the main and most popular bottles of each and at least compare them in terms of taste, bouquet, common regions and terrior, and body.

Cabernet Sauvignon is grown and produced in most parts of the world, but most famously in the Bordeaux region of France and in California wine country. Though there is even great variety within Bordeaux Cabs and Napa Valley Cabs, they are representative enough of this varietal wine to explain its basic elements. In a general sense Cabernets tend to be medium or full bodied. The Bordeaux Cabs are also known for being “high-powered,” with a strong, pleasant presence on the palette and a high alcohol content. Its high tannin content gives this wine its distinctive gripping flavor. However, as the best Cabs need to age for quite a while, usually in Oak, they are also likely to have a softened tannin level after aging. The French often blend Cab Sauv with Merlot or Shiraz to support some of the flavors and acidity that can be lost during this aging process. But most California Cabernets are almost 100% varietal.

Though both varieties have a bouquet influenced by Oak barrel aging, the process produces different results due to the differences in soil in the two regions and different types of Oak used. Both tend to have a somewhat fruity aroma, with black fruit flavors coming through in the Napa cabs and the fruity fleshiness of other wines such as Merlot included in the blend often defining the nose of the Bordeaux bottles. Many varieties of Cabernet also have subtle notes of bell pepper. Thought it is important to pay attention to the specific characteristics of the different types of Cabernet, as a general rule this dinner red pairs well with strong-flavored dishes that can keep up with its high tannin content, such as simply-prepared red meat

Shiraz is known as Syrah in most of Europe, and is most well-known as a varietal. Its most popular modern varieties come from Australia, where the name Shiraz was popularized. It is also grown in California, and of course in its country of origin, France. Shiraz is usually very terrior-expressive, so it varies greatly even within the same region depending on variables like if it is grown on a hillside or flat area, which impacts soil content. It is dry, though not usually as much as with a Cab. It also has gripping tannins that gives it a full body comparable to Cabernet.

Because it varies so much based on how the grape is grown and the wine is aged, its aroma and bouquet can vary greatly. Pepper and blackberry, chocolate, and lighter fruits are all common undertones in young bottles. As it ages, these primary notes recede giving way to a more complex layering including a bouquet of earthy and savory notes and even toffee in some cases. Shiraz can pair well with red meat, though the most popular Australian bottles have a very full body that lends it especially well to heavier dishes, as opposed to those with delicate flavoring or fishy oils.

The comparison between these two popular dinner reds suggests that there are fine, if important differences, especially in their flavor. But without a specific example of each wine to compare, there is too much left to the specific grower and vintner to effectively generalize. The best approach to answer this question is to taste a few of each and decide for yourself!

Shiraz and Cabernet Are Two Reds That Go Great with Dinner. Each Wine Has Its Own Strengths, Advocates, and Ideal Pairings.

Cream And Non-Cream Based Chocolate Wines

There are different kinds of Chocolate Wine out there in different alcohol levels, using specific production approaches. Each has it’s place on the rack. There is some validity in the suggestion of a chocolate wine classification. Investigation has seen about a dozen distinctive samplings of chocolate wines based on a variety of characters.

There seems to be two basic varieties of chocolate wine and within these two selections there is an assortment of flavor profiles and styles. The two primary chocolate wine classifications are cream derived and non-cream based. So far, there are 4 non-cream based products and four cream-based products. Ficklin, Chocolate shop, choco X and choco dman are all non-cream products. Cocoa Vino, Chocolate Shop, Cocoa di Vine and ChocoVine are all cream-based products.

Non-cream based brands of chocolate wine are basically wine infused with chocolate flavorings. They are generally translucent and have a viscosity just a little heavier than the wine that it is created with. These brands are additionally more ordinarily come from the winery that creates the wine. In other words one more brand name offering out of a particular winery, however in the chocolate wine market.

Cream derived brands are more noticeable in the bootle. They are inclined to be “chocolate milk” looking in nature and are definitely not translucent. Such brand names have a tendency to stand on there own and there are many flavor mixtures to be found depending on the supplier. Cocoa Vino, ChocoVino, Cocoa Di Vine and the Chocolate shop are all chocolate wines made up with cream.

Sampling these chocolate wines was a suprise. They were simply very good and generally speaking the quality was very good.

It appears that these wines are actually mis-named. Calling them wine (purely from the content of alcohol) is a mis-nomer. The wine aficionado is not the one who is going to move towards this kind of alcohol refreshment. Even though after they try a really good one, they will probably become a fan. However, such wines are unmistakably not a substitute for a goblet of regular wine. Chocolate wine tends to be an after dinner time aperitif, and may be served cool or warm. The routine technique for their use would likely be that of Baileys Irish cream or Kahulua.

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.

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.

Next Page »