Thursday, 11 April 2019
Tuesday, 9 April 2019
Castelli del Grevepesa 2015 “Clemente VII” Chianti Classico
Castelli del Grevepesa 2015 “Clemente VII” Chianti Classico
This tale starts with our protagonist leaving their sylvan homestead in search of their destiny. With an eye to making their mark in the world, they make their way to a sprawlingly romantic city on a hill. After trials and tribulations, they succeed, but not in a way that people will resent their good fortune.
This particular story is about Gualtiero Nunzi, who founded his namesake winery in the 19th century in Tuscany and retired to the great city of Florence. His family kept the tradition alive for two centuries. His great-grandson Gualtiero Armando Nunzi then founded the local winery cooperative in 1965, Castelli del Grevepesa, which has been a Wine School favorite for several vintages now.
The 2015 Chianti Classico tops that list. Sangiovese has several personalities. At times, it can be aggressivo e tannico, but other times it can offer up fiori delicati e profumo. In this incarnation, it is delicate and complex; the perfect partner for Pici Cacio e Pepe, or any other fresh-and-simple Tuscan pasta.
Don’t mistake its lightness for simplicity. Darkly aromatic, it’s crisp red fruit is buttressed with cloves and cigar smoke. Wet earth and thinly boned tannins make for a dramatic finish.
The post Castelli del Grevepesa 2015 “Clemente VII” Chianti Classico appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
Source: https://www.vinology.com/castelli-del-grevepesa-2015-clemente-vii-chianti-classico/
source https://meself84.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/castelli-del-grevepesa-2015-clemente-vii-chianti-classico/
Monday, 8 April 2019
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For April 8, 2019
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- 2015 Tenuta La Viola Bertinoro ‘P.Honorii’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Ready for battle, with a steely-eyed glare and more than it’s fair share of grit & resolve. $NA A-
- 2015 Giovanna Madonia Cantina di Bertinoro ‘Ombroso’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Kicking ass, and taking names, using its ample graphite pencil for the latter. $NA B+
- 2016 Peter Zemmer ‘Giatl’ Pinot Grigio Alto Adige Riserva (Trentino-Alto Adige): Any sexier and it’d need to be featured in an adult magazine spread. $38 B+
- 2011 Caiarossa Rosso di Toscana (Tuscany): Still fruity, savory, and pretty, even if it’s put on a few extra pounds over the years. $60 A-
- 2016 Alara Cellars Tempranillo (San Benito Valley): Smokey tobacco FTW, people!! $41 A-
- 2015 Dutton-Goldfield Dutton Ranch Cherry Ridge Syrah (Russian River Valley): Meaty, tangy, spicy, and basically irresistible. $50 A-
- 2016 Dutton-Goldfield Rued Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River Valley): Leaning into all of its curves with precision and focus. $55 A-
- 2014 Louis M. Martini Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): Round, rich, and ready to make most of your friends feel very, very good. $33 B+
- 2018 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay (Mendoza): Fun is written all over this one; it’s already saying “you’re welcome.” $12 B
- 2017 Bodega Colome Autentico Malbec (Calchaqui Valley): Case-worthy buy of plummy, spicy, meaty excellence. $30 A-
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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For April 8, 2019 from 1WineDude.com
– for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!
Source: http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-april-8-2019/
source https://meself84.wordpress.com/2019/04/08/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-april-8-2019/
Thursday, 4 April 2019
Monday, 1 April 2019
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For April 1, 2019
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- 2015 San Patrignano ‘Avi’ Sangiovese di Romagna Superiore Riserva (Emilia-Romagna): Long on the herbs, wood, spices, black cherries, structure, and, well, on pretty much everything. $35 A-
- 2017 Enio Ottaviani ‘Strati’ Romagna Pagadebit (Emilia-Romagna): Pear, White Fig, and Grapefruit all go surfing together. $NA B+
- 2017 Domaine de Sainte Cecile du Parc ‘Notes Frivoles’ Rose (Pays de Caux): With all of that pleasing structural bite, it’s not really living up to its namesake – in good ways. $17 B
- 2014 Christine Mouton Bertoli Domaine de Sainte Cecile du Parc ‘Sonatina’ (Coteaux du Languedoc): Bring on the BBQ, because this one has some savory meat to smoke up. $24 B+
- 2017 Ferraton Pere & Fils ‘Plan de Dieu’ (Cotes du Rhone Villages): We could talk about how floral, earthy, and solid this is, but it’d be a hell of a lot more fun to just drink it. $15 B
- NV Leclerc-Briant Reserve Brut (Champagne): Almonds, brioche, lemons, and decided improvement since its last report card. $65 A-
- 2014 Taylors Wakefield Exceptional Parcel Release ‘The Visionary’ Cabernet Sauvignon (Clare Valley): Eucalyptus, cassis, and a near-incredible sense of wonder. $200 A
- 2012 Truchard Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Carneros): This old fellow still has plenty of charm, attitude, and cigars to share. $38 A-
- 2015 Sosie Wines Spring Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (Sonoma County): A fine teakhouse plate – as in, bold and meaty, but also refined. $43 A-
- 2015 Sosie Wines Vivio Vineyard Roussanne (Bennett Valley): Oily/vibrant, floral/rich; it kind of enjoys showing off its contrasts. $38 A-
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Copyright © 2016. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For April 1, 2019 from 1WineDude.com
– for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!
Source: http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-april-1-2019/
source https://meself84.wordpress.com/2019/04/01/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-april-1-2019/
Friday, 29 March 2019
10 Tips For Food and Wine Pairings
Eating what you like with a glass of your favorite wine is a great idea; eating should be a pleasure. But food and wine pairings are not a solitary affair. When was the last time you saw a restaurant full of people eating alone? For most of us, it is a shared pleasure, one which everyone is seeking pleasure, not just yourself.
To entice others, we have to think like a sommelier, and that means adopting a few rules. Some food goes better with certain types of wine, and there is a tug-of-war between science and tradition in every successful match. Pairing food with wine is a creative endeavor as much as a chemistry experiment. We will cover many details here. If you are interested in delving deeper, check out our food and wine pairing classes.
The following ten rules are a good starting point to take your pairings in the right direction, approaching the craft of wine and food pairing with the jaded eye of a realist and the lilt of a folk singer.
Learn About Food and Wine Pairing
#10 Pair by Weight
No matter if you’re talking about salads or stews, you can intrinsically determine the overall weight of a dish, especially when comparing it to another. A mixed green salad is lighter than a more substantial salad with feta cheese, roast peppers, and olives. Grilled chicken breasts are lighter than roast chicken. The sauce, dressing, amount of fat, the calories, they all (literally) weight in.
You can also measure wine by perceived weight. A California Zinfandel is weightier than a Sonoma Merlot; Merlot is heavier than a Carneros Pinot. Heavy reds match better with heavy dishes.
For whites, oak-aged wines from warm weather are bigger than ones aged in stainless-steel. Heavy whites go better with cooked fatty fish and poultry, while lighter ones are better with light plates of sashimi and sushi, for example.
#9 Pair by Cooking Method
The way you cook something alters its pairing possibilities. A grilled lobster tail might work better with a full-bodied Chardonnay; poached lobster will be nicer with a subtle Pinot Gris; lobster ceviche will play deftly with a coastal Sauvignon Blanc.
Like with rule #10, grilled or roasted food can stand more assertive wines, with higher tannin and alcohol. Will you steam your fish filet? or will you glaze and roast it?
#8 Pair to Complement
Leaving weight aside, you can marry food with wines that have similar flavors and aromas. Earthy Burgundian Pinot Noirs can have notes of undergrowth and mushrooms, making them a complementary match with mushroom-based dishes. A creamy, buttery, oaked Chardonnay will pair with equally creamy sauces.
Cabernet Sauvignon can taste like bell peppers so grilled peppers on the side might enhance any pairing. The same principle applies to Syrah and its black pepper aromas, which will beautifully enhance a steak au poivre.
#7 Pair by Contrast
On the other hand, you can contrast flavors looking for harmony. You don’t eat spicy food with a spicy wine; you pair it with sweet wine. Complement oysters au gratin with a creamy white wine, or contrast it with a tangy, crisp one. It’s up to you. Sour balances sweet, sweet balances bitterness. You get the idea.
#6 Pair Local
Local food evolved to harmonize with local wine. Especially in regions with long winemaking tradition. Tomato based Italian dishes will pair nicely with a Primitivo, a plate of choucroute garnie is very enjoyable with Alsatian whites. Beef bourguignon loves earthy Pinots and cured meats love Rioja. Even new world cuisines are shaped by old world cooking; do your research and find common ingredients.
#5 Pairing Dessert
Desserts are ambitious to pair. Go for a sweet wine as long as the wine is sweeter than the dessert itself, or else it will taste dull. In a bold move, you can pair chocolate desserts with dry red wine, but it must be rich and jammy, think Aussie Shiraz or old vine Zinfandel. When possible, add red berry coulis or marmalade to any dessert to help strengthen the bond mirroring the fruity aromas in the wine.
#4 Pair with the Occasion
Brut Champagne tastes odd with wedding cake, but the occasion calls for such a pairing. No one wants to toast with a Moscato in the most important day of their lives even if the wine will taste better with cake than Champagne. A value-oriented Cava would be a reasonable suggestion for a toast at the office holiday party; you can save the Prestige Cuvée for some other time.
#3 Pair with the People
Don’t just think about the occasion, think about the people. Sommeliers often forget that they’re selecting wines for the guests, and not for themselves. Asses the wine knowledge, experience, and expectations of your audience and pick the correct wine. A Grand Cru dry Riesling might work beautifully with coconut shrimp, but if your friends are all beer drinkers, pop open a less contemplative wine, or even better, a fancy beer.
#2 All Around Pairings
When in doubt, pour Champagne. The tight acidity and freshness of the sparkling wine will pair well with any dish whether in contrast or as a compliment. A palate cleanser if you wish, Champagne elevates any dining experience, from starters to dessert.
#1 Experiment
There’s no perfect pairing, every palate is different. With so many variables, even a well-thought pairing might not work out as planned. But don’t worry, this only means that you can find unexpected, successful pairings with a little creativity. Put on your scientist hat and experiment.
The post 10 Tips For Food and Wine Pairings appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.
Source: https://www.vinology.com/10-tips-for-food-and-wine-pairings/
source https://meself84.wordpress.com/2019/03/29/10-tips-for-food-and-wine-pairings/