The Squeaky Wheel…. Really does get the Grease

I was thinking about Valentine’s Day coming up. Rob and I aren’t huge Valentine’s people- so we don’t go all out- but it is always fun to feature wines at the store. In the past we have brought in special wines for the holiday- wines with hearts or couples on the label, wines with Valentine’s themed names- but I feel like we end up still selling those in April. Those who celebrate at home usually just want a good wine according to their taste.  However, I do love to feature pink wines for Valentine’s Day, because I am determined to convince people that rosé is great all year round.  This year I am particularly excited that I get to feature the Lioco Indica rosé that I blogged about this past summer.

After I fell in love with the wine at Season’s 52, I kept calling and calling my rep. “I know Season’s took the entire production… but is the next vintage out?…. When will the 2011 be released? ….How much do you think I’ll be able to get?” She called one day and said she was working with Kevin O’Connor (The OCO of Lioco.)  “Did you tell him that I really want the Indica rosé?”  Well, apparently I really was the squeaky wheel, because about a month ago I got a call. Seasons 52 ended their feature and a few cases made it back to the winery- would I, the crazy rosé lady, like it? Yes, yes and yes!  Apparently, the restaurant had featured two vintages. I had tried the 2009 and received 2 cases of the 2010. Naturally, I tried it right away.  Their Notes: Aroma- watermelon rind, moroccan spice, tomato leaf. Flavor: wild strawberry, orange peel, rose water. Pairings: smoked trout BLT, wild mushroom quiche, charcuterie.  My Notes:  This is still 100% old vine Carignan. The nose had plenty to find- scents of queen anne cherries, apricot jam, herbs de provence and fresh blueberries. It was full bodied in the mouth- not as weighty as the 2009, but with more heft than the vast majority of rosés out there- and had lots of cherry, orange peel, strawberry and light dried herbs. Good finish. I will definitely agree with the charcuterie pairing- this is still a bold pink to pair with hearty dishes- but don’t serve it too cold, you lose some of the great complexity. 

We still have some of the 2010 at the store, and I found out that we are also getting 2 cases of the 2009 (hmmm, make that 18 bottles) in a couple of weeks. Both are $15.99. 

Note: I noticed that there is another Lioco Rose 2010 that is in the online market. That one, however, is a blend of Pinot Noir, Grenache, Mouvedre and Carignan.

Taste to Win!

Custom Veggie Appetizer

We had so much fun awarding a gift card to the best guess on the Mystery wine last tasting, that we decided to really up the stakes!  This Thursday, February 9th, from 6 to 8 we’ll be trying several great wines, including TWO “Mystery” wines. The closest guess on the first Mystery wine will get a $15 gift card to Cork + Cracker and a $15 gift card to the Ripple Inn.  That makes up for the cost of 2 admissions, so bring a friend to help you guess.  Then, the highlight of the night- the closest guess for the second Mystery wine wins a free Magnum of wine worth $75!

This should be a lot of fun- and you’ll certainly enjoy the food as well.  We have heard rave reviews, and at the last tasting, the Ripple Inn made a beautiful appetizer just for one of our attendees who was a vegetarian.

Great food, great wine, great customer service and free giveaways! Hope you can join us.

Thursday, February 9th  6pm to 8pm

The Ripple Inn, 929 E. Westfield Blvd.

$15 for wine and appetizers

No Reservations Required

Holiday Grand Tasting

We are really excited and gearing up for our final Grand Tasting of the year. As I am finalizing the wine choices… I think that it is a shame I’ll have to put a lot of hours in on the store side, because I would just love to taste with you!   Selections like a 90 point grower Champagne, a 92 point Super Tuscan, and several 90+ under $15 selections. Plus,  incredible dessert and Port values, and wines that will knock your socks off with their taste, price and (last, but not least,) scores.  This is the most fun tasting of the year. We really hope you can join us so that you can get a chance to try our new loves, old favorites, and get a chance to know the people who bring us the great wines that we bring you!

Holiday Grand Tasting

Saturday, December 3rd

2 pm to 6 pm

Bark Tutor 2122 E 62nd St. (Next Door)

$5 at the door and you receive a $5 store credit

Old… or Bad?

Last weekend was my husband’s 40^th birthday.  We had originally planned a foodie extravaganza weekend in Chicago with friends, but circumstances conspired against us. He is an airline pilot, and couldn’t bid the weekend off, but his schedule ended up including a 36-hour layover in New York. Since he is from New York, and still has so many friends there, it seemed like the perfect solution. We decided to have a dinner birthday party with his closest New York friends.  Although he, perhaps, might have skipped the significance of the birthday, I wanted to commemorate it.  So, after some research, I found a 1971 Barolo for us to enjoy.  Unlike my birth year, (and many vintages of the 70’s,) 1971 was a pretty good year in Italy and, especially the Piedmont. Robert Parker rated the year 94 for Barolo.

I was very much looking forward to us toasting his 40^th birthday with a 40-year old wine. We decanted the Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Monfalleto while we began with a nice Gavi di Gavi that primed our palates for the “main course.” The wine was poured and we all sipped history.  I will admit, you never know with older wines. Although I knew that this wine had been stored impeccably, it still might disappoint. But the Monfalleto did not. Unfortunately, I didn’t take detailed tasting notes- we were at a birthday party after all- but I remember my impressions. There was such depth and complexity. Of course, after 40 years, you will lose some fruit- but this still has dried cherries, prune and tart cranberries. These were joined by leather, truffles, earth, tobacco and that indefinable sense of “terroir.”  For those of you not familiar with the term, it loosely translates as “a sense of place,” and this wine brought you to the Piedmont, 40 years ago.

We all were enraptured, and we saved a bit for the manager of the restaurant who had allowed us to bring it in.  After awhile, he came over to take a taste of th ’71. He made a face immediately.  “This is bad,” he pronounced, “This is the problem with Italian wines, they fall apart with age.”  He insisted in providing us with a much “superior” bottle- a Ca’ Bertoldi Amarone.  I do love Amarone. Because they dry the grapes before pressing them and making the wine, I think they tend to have a great deal of depth and body. However, as good a the Ca’Bertoldi was, it was still young.  But the manager’s reaction made me think.  Were we giving the Barolo attributes it didn’t have? Were we loving it simply because it was the perfect wine to celebrate a milestone birthday? Then I tried a sip of what was lef and all doubts left my mind. It wasn’t bad, it was aged…. aged to perfection. And, I hope I get the chance to try a lot more wine that have hit their prime.

The “Obsession” Wine

Recently, an online wine forum asked people to write about their “epiphany” wine- the wine that converted them to full oenophilia- the wine that sparked their interest in the whole wine world. I thought about that for awhile, but, honestly, I can’t pinpoint that wine. Maybe because I was really fortunate to be exposed to many different wines as I grew up. However, I do think I have had a few “obsession” wines. This is the wine you have that you just can’t wait to try again… Some, in the past, have been expensive- Spottswoode Cabernet, Flowers Camp Meeting Ridge Pinot Noir, Domaine Tempier Rosé- and some quite affordable- Rafael Palacios Louro Godello, Michel Gassier Cercius Blanc, and Lioco Indica. The latter is a delicious red blend based on old vine Carignane. My love of that particular wine led to another recent obsession. A few weeks ago, the kids had their first sleepover at Nama and Pa’s. It was a Saturday night, and I didn’t have to get home to be with them. I decided I wanted to go somewhere with a decent wine list, light appetizers, and a guarantee that I wouldn’t run into anyone so that I could happily read my book (The Help- I know, I am decidedly behind the times.) A couple of my customers suggested Seasons 52. Although I do try to eat locally as much as I can, it seemed like the right fit that night. It was quite busy, but I found a table in the bar. While perusing the wine list, one wine caught my eye. Lioco Indica ROSÉ? Had I died and gone to heaven? One of my favorite wines was available in one of my favorite formats? I promptly ordered a glass, and I promptly fell in love. The next day I called my wine representative to order the Lioco into the store. Unfortunately, I was informed that Seasons 52 took the entire (albeit small) production of the wine for the whole country, and no one could buy it. I was incredibly disappointed. I kept thinking about the wine, even trying to book my birthday there (with a 3 and 5 year old…) But, as time passes, you begin to think to yourself “Was it the situation? Was it really that good? Maybe it was just that I had a Saturday on my own.” Tonight, I put that to the test. I returned to try the Lioco again, this time with tasting notebook on hand. And, it didn’t disappoint. Their notes: Aroma: rhubarb, tangerine, red peppercorn. [not sure what this is- I have heard of pink peppercorn.] Flavor: red currant, blood orange, peach pit. Food Pairings: fish tacos, pressed sandwiches, vegetable frittatas. My notes: There are scents of maraschino cherries, spice, light floral notes and white raspberry on the nose. It has surprising weight on the palate with plum, cherry, rhubarb, fresh blueberry, light spice and a dry finish without the acidity you typically expect from a rosé. This is a beautiful food wine that paired just as well with my tuna as it did with my husband’s steak. I agree with the aroma and taste notes from the winery but not with the food pairings. This is a hearty rosé with much of the structure of a red wine- it would be great with hearty and spicy dishes, a full flavored fish dish such as salmon, or even a great pork tenderloin. I would recommend stopping in at Seasons 52 to try the Licoco Rosé, but I also recommend finding, and pursuing, your own “obsession” wine.

Not Too Late for These Wines

September may be drawing to a close with October just around the corner but these wines are good any time.

Have you ever tried the wines or Portugal? Or – even crazier – how about a dark, big red wine from Uruguay?

Check out the September wines of the month by clicking here.

A Word About Ratings, Part 2

In Part 2, I am going to tell you a little more about the Wine Advocate and International Wine Cellar. Unlike the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, neither publication takes advertising, and each is based upon a single critic (although both have expanded enough to have a staff of reviewers.)

The Wine Advocate:
There is probably more controversy surrounding Robert Parker, the founder of the Wine Advocate, than any other figure in the wine industry.  A rating of 90 or above from Parker is not only good for sales of a particular wine- but can speed along sales of the wine’s future vintages and even other wines from that producer. Many think that too much power rests with one palate- particularly because Parker seems to favor highly extracted, bold, big fruit wines. Some think this has lead to the “Parkerization” of wine; many wineries employ techniques, such as leaving grapes on the vine longer, to create ripe, high alcohol wines thereby increasing their scores from Parker.  Despite the controversy and criticism, I do enjoy Parker’s (and his Staff’s) reviews- and consider him the foremost authority on Bordeaux wines.  I particularly like the write ups of Advocate writer, David Schildnecht, who can put more adjectives in one wine review than anyone else I have ever seen.

In Fine Cote du Ventoux 2008
“An intro-level Grenache-Syrah blend from Domaine de Cascavel’s Raphael Troullier whose quality completely belies its low price, this 2008 Cotes du Ventoux smells vividly of fresh black raspberries with hints of nutmeg and ginger. Mouth-filling, sweetly ripe, and fresh, with brown spice and bitter herbal accents, it finishes with sappy persistence, albeit a hint of heat. Enjoy this over the next 9-12 months.”
87 points Wine Advocate
$11.99

Villa des Anges 2009
“Another outstanding value from Villa des Anges, their 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon exudes cassis, elderberry, and licorice, with hints of burley tobacco, black olive, and saliva-inducing salt adding interest to its persistent finish. While a tad more rustically tannic than the corresponding 2008 (which I tipped in issue 184 as a remarkable and truly improbable value), this outstanding value ought to drink well for the next 9-12 months (beyond that one could as yet only speculate).”
88 points Wine Advocate
$9.99

The International Wine Cellar:
Founded by Stephen Tanzer, a former editor of Food & Wine magazine, the International Wine Cellar is much less well known than many other sources for wine reviews, but it is my favorite. For whatever reason, Tanzer and I are palate twins. What he likes, I like- and generally for the same reasons. Although a score from Tanzer might not drive sales as much as one from other publications, International Wine Cellar write ups are highly regarded among people in the wine industry. They are concise, descriptive and, in my opinion, accurate. He is a particularly go-to guy for reviews on wines from the up and coming regions out of Spain- many of which we carry.

Yard Dog White 2009
Spicy citrus and orchard fruits on the nose, with complicating notes of musky herbs and white pepper. Supple in texture and refreshingly bitter, with incisive lemon/lime flavors and a deeper note of pear skin. Finishes dry and slightly hard-edged, the spicy note repeating.
87 points International Wine Cellar
$10.99

 Heredad Ugarte 2009
“Raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a bright note of white pepper. Light-bodied, but slightly watery red fruit flavors show good freshness but could use more heft. Finishes gently sweet and with good spiciness.”
87 points International Wine Cellar
$14.99

Two Big Tastings this Week!

 

TONIGHT

6 pm to 8 pm

Fire by the Monon

6523 Ferguson St

(in the building that formerly housed Tavola di Tosa, Thai one On and L’Explorateur.)

Wine & Appetizers $15
No reservations needed.

Fire by the Monon is going to pair their delicious flatbreads and other appetizers with our incredible line up of wines. Free Market Wine Company will be providing the wines. We’ll have a great line up as we segue into Fall.  Free Market has provided us with lots of favorites- including Alfredo Roca Pinot Noir, and the Matsu wines (“young guy,” middle aged guy,” and “old guy,) as well as Pierre Delize sparkling and the Paradise Pinot Grigio. With all of these best sellers, we are sure to have fantastic wines for you to fall in love with.

After the tasting, the store will be open until 9pm so you can stop in a stock up on your new favorite wines. See you there!

Grand Tasting Saturday

 If you can’t make the delicious and fun Fire by the Monon Tasting, we hope you can join us at the Grand Tasting for Fall next door at Bark Tutor on Saturday.  We’ll have all kinds of wine to taste- from 93 point rated sparklings, to 90 point fall favorites, to the perfect bargain wine- (rated 89)- that you can feel confident serving at any gathering. Come join us to find your new favorite- or just to discover a new grape or new region that you will want to follow.

 Fall Fun Tasting

Saturday, September 17th

2 pm to 6pm

Bark Tutor (2122 E 62nd Street, next door to the store.)

$5 at the door receives a $5 in store credit.

For the Love of Grandpa & Riesling

Recently, I had the urge to clean. I started with the baseboards, and then started moving furniture. When I got to the bar, I realized I couldn’t move it without cleaning it off.  We have a fully stocked bar at home. Vodka, gin, scotch, bourbon, cordials, we have it all. However, we don’t drink mixed drinks very often. So, I decided to pare down and organize.

While doing that cleaning, I discovered several bottles of Riesling that I inherited from my grandfather. For those of you who don’t know me, I was brought into the wine world by my grandfather. He was a connoisseur who truly loved wine – from Bordeaux to white Burgundy to fine sherry and port, and most importantly, good German Riesling. While I grew up enjoying the Germans with him, for the most part, I got away from them when I got into the wine industry. Instead, I was discovering Spanish wines, great Rhones, and values from the central coast of California.

When Grandpa died in 2003, I very much missed sharing my wine discoveries with him, but I also inherited a lot of wonderful wine. There was a lot of German Riesling.  And, although I shared it with other oenophiles, I couldn’t go through it all. I found some bottles from before I was born that didn’t quite make it – the bottles were leaking and the corks disintegrated.  I decided to get rid of them, although it was hard.  And then, when I was opening one, I got a whiff as I started to pour it out.  It was lovely, and I stopped.  It was a Weingut Rheingrafenhof Bacchus Spatese 1993.  The color was so dark golden, it looked like apple juice. But the bouquet, the taste, it was as fresh as it can be.

Let me backtrack for a moment. I am not a fan of sweet wine, I don’t care for sweet drinks in general- no sweet tea, fruit juice, or even Caramel Macchiatos, but I wanted to give this wine a chance. So, I put it in the fridge and waited to revisit it. It didn’t disappoint.  The bouquet was all about honeysuckle, dried apricots and tobacco.  The palate was full of dried apples, raw honey, cigar box, peaches, and a wonderful, vibrant streak of acidity that impresses for a wine that is 18 years old.  The finish lingers with fresh fig, and just a touch of tangerine. It is almost certain you won’t be able to find this wine. I had a tough time even finding current vintages, but this review is to remind – or let you know – how wonderful aged Riesling can be.  The grape itself has amazing structure and acidity, and in the hands of a skilled vigneron, it can have a very long life.

I still have some long-lived bottles from my grandfather.  I am reminded that I can’t wait to share them with people who are interested in giving this noble grape a chance.

Defining Magazine Wine Scores

We have plenty of wines in our store that don’t have ratings – whether they are smaller production,  haven’t been submitted to publications, or are new vintages that haven’t yet been rated- we taste ‘em, we like ‘em, we buy ‘em.  However, there is no question that ratings sell. So, if they have scores, all the better.

We typically use 4 main sources for scores and write ups: Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate and International Wine Cellar - with the occasional use of smaller publications. An important thing to remember in the scores game is how wines are categorized. Using the 100 point scale, 85 to 89 points is considered a VERY Good to Excellent wine, 90 to 94 points, an outstanding wine and 95 points or above an Exceptional or Classic wine (yeah, you don’t find those in our $15 and under category.) I always like to remind people that each of our four main sources uses this same 100-point system, and that a wine with a score of 85 or 86 which some might dismiss is actually rated a VERY GOOD wine.

In Part 1, I am going to tell you a little more about Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. Both blind taste thousands of wines per year and are adamant about their commitment to the integrity of reviewing. One thing to note, however, that both accept advertising which some consider a conflict of interest.

The Wine Enthusiast

Wine Enthusiast was founded in 1979 as a direct mail business for Wine Accessories.  In 1988 Wine Enthusiast Magazine was founded. The magazine has grown to become the world’s largest periodical devoted exclusively to wine and spirits. There are some who discount the Wine Enthusiast because they feel it scores too liberally. I actually like their reviews – which I find have a lot more detail and descriptors than the Wine Spectator – and almost always really like wines they have rated well.  I think of the Wine Enthusiast as the Roger Ebert of wine reviews.  Many reviewers seem to criticize films not destined for an Oscar, but whenever I see a movie that isn’t terribly profound, but is 90 minutes of entertainment and fun, Ebert always seems to recognize its merits.  I think the Wine Enthusiast does the same. Keep in mind, most wine is made for pure enjoyment- and sooner rather than later.  Recognition should go to wines you enjoy now while hanging out with friends, and shouldn’t be reserved just for those you bring up from the cellar to pair with foie gras. Hey,  I like Academy Award winners- and cellar candidates- as much as the next gal, but sometimes I just want to sit back, have fun and have a tasty glass of vino.

 Moncontour Cremant de Loire Rosé NV

“Young, very crisp wine, definitely in the bright acidity style of sparkling wine, its fruits going towards currants, with a final grapefruit citrus element.” This is a fantastic sparkling rosé of Cabernet Franc that is incredibly food friendly- and affordable! – 87 points, $11,99, Wine Enthusiast

Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc 2010

“For as long as Chile has been taken seriously for its SBs, Veramonte has been a value leader. This wine is a bit softer and less pungent than previous efforts, but it’s still tangy and shows good green apple and melony flavors.” This is a great go to white for hot weather. 87 points, $10.99, Wine Enthusiast

Wine Spectator

Founded as a San Diego-based tabloid newspaper in 1976, Wine Spectator was purchased three years later by current editor, “the good life” publishing guru, Marvin R. Shanken.  In 2008, the Luxury Institute ranked the Wine Spectator as the No. 1 business and consumer publication among wealthy readers. It is probably the best known of all the publications with wine reviews. Though often called the “Wine Speculator” and criticized for inflating the ratings of high paying advertisers (and panning those who don’t advertise or who have discontinued ads,) it is still one of the most influential in the ratings game. A spot on the Spectator 100 is a guaranteed sell through for any wine!  Using a rating from the Spectator can really help sales, since many people give a lot of weight to its scores, but the write ups are notoriously brief and I usually have to add more to fill a wine card.

St. Kilda Shiraz 2009

“Bright and lively, a crisp style that offers cherry and strawberry fruit, hinting at coffee on the finish. Drink now.” 87 points, $8.99, Wine Spectator

St. Kilda Chardonnay 2010

“Fresh and citrusy, with a lemony edge to the apple and spice flavors. Drink now.”  (You can see how that wouldn’t fill up a wine card.) 85 points, $8.99, Wine Spectator