Riesling

Scott McWilliam shares some of his new wines

I recently had the opportunity to meet up with Scott McWilliam, 6th generation Australian wine maker for McWilliam’s wines.  A quick primer on McWilliam’s: Founded in 1877,  McWilliam’s is Australia’s most awarded winery.  They won 40 trophies and 889 medals in 2009 alone! Scott has been making wine since age 14 and has spent time in Bordeaux.

We tasted several wines in this sitting including Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and a special Bordeaux blend called “Jack’s Blend”

A quick video introducing  Jack’s Blend:

A quick video introducing McWilliam’s Cabernet:

an even quicker video introducing McWilliam’s Riesling:

McWilliam’s WEBSITE

New York’s Finger Lakes takes home “Best of Show” in San Diego

Vineyard Finger LakesWhile many New Yorkers may be familiar with the wines produced in the Finger Lakes a.v.a the rest of the wine going nation was just introduced to the region in a big way last week.

A quick primer: The Finger Lakes are 11 glacial lakes located in Upstate New York spanning the area between Rochester, Syracuse and Ithaca.  The Finger Lakes a.v.a is massive at just over 2.6 million acres however there are only 11,000 acres under vine.Finger Lakes New York In addition the sub a.v.a’s of Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake are located inside of Finger Lakes a.v.a.  There are over 200 wineries located in the Finger Lakes area.  The deep lakes, some over 600 feet deep, create a moderating lake effect and cool climate which is often compared to Germany’s Rhine.

Over 1,600 wines were entered in the 28th annual San Diego International Wine Competition.  A panel of 28 judges including sommeliers, wine makers and wine writers awarded 669 silver medals, 205 gold medals and 66 platinum medals.

3 of those gold medals were awarded to Dr Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars.  Dr Frank moved to New York from Europe in 1951 and by 1962 he founded Vinifera Cellars and quickly put the Finger Lakes region on the map as capable of producing world class wines.  Dr Frank is credited with pioneering grafting European vitis vinifera onto native rootstock.  The three gold medals were for the 2009 Gewurztraminer Reserve, the 2008 Rkatsiteli and the 2010 Riesling semi dry.  You may be wondering what a Rkatsiteli is…it is one of the oldest varietals and dates back to 3000 b.c. in what is now known as Georgia (eastern Europe)

Finger Lakes Vineyard

Winter vines at Casa Larga

Casa Larga Vineyards took home 2 of the 66 platinum medals for their 2008 Cabernet Franc ice wine and their 2007 vidal blanc ice wine.  Casa Larga was founded in 1974 and is now one of the leading producers of ice wines in the region.

And last but not least is Belhurst Estate.  Belhurst Estate took home a platinum medal for their 2009 Dry Riesling, Seneca Lake.  But wait there’s more, this wine also took home “Best Riesling”.  But wait! there’s even more!  This wine also took home the “Best of Show White Wine” award.

Seneca Lake New York

Belhurst Castle

Belhurst Estate Winery is located in a castle over looking Seneca lake.  The Winery is popular tourist destination for the setting as well as the wine.

This year’s San Diego International Wine competition introduced the wine going public to many wines from regions less well known including the Finger Lakes and even Mexico ( read this post on the $5 Rose that won best Rose ) Have you tried any of the New York wines, any from the Finger Lakes a.v.a?

Links: Dr. Konstantin Frank Casa Larga Vineyards Belhurst Estate

San Diego International Wine competition results

Photos courtesy of Meg Colombo

Wine Smackdown #2 | BC Wine

WINE REVIEW | WINES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

In December 2010 I took a trip to British Columbia, Canada to visit friends and family.

desolate highway

1,700 miles in a day and a half

While I was there my friend suggested we pay a visit to a special wine shop located in White Rock called Mud Bay Wines.  This wine shop carries only VQA certified British Columbia wines.  The shop is fairly small, but it is well laid out and has a huge selection of BC wines.  The staff was friendly and helpful as well.  I found the purchasing process unusual in that I knew nothing of the wineries or  viticultural areas.  And very few of the wines had shelf talkers.  It was like being transported back in time to my first wine purchase.  So after much deliberation, we made our choices and headed home to critique. The wines are in the order that we consumed them.  I thought I would be able to find the technical information about each wine online, so I did not include them in my notes.  However, upon sitting down to write this post I have discovered that this information is hard to find! Note to less well known wine producers:  Consumers like to know as much as possible about your wines, the process and the technical information.

The first wine we popped open was Volcanic Hills, 2009 Gamay Noir from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

BC Wine

Volcanic Hills Gamay Noir

After a quick decant we were restless and ready for a drink.  On the nose this wine came across  light with aromas of red fruit.  The palate was predominantly raspberry and cranberry. The finish was crisp and clean.  While this is not a complex wine,  it is a decent effort.  It’s a light and fruity, easy sipper and for only $15 it’s well worth it. 84 points

Next up was Domaine de Chaberton 2008 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley.

BC wine

Domaine de Chaberton Pinot Gris

This wine was nice enough, but I had a tough time discerning the aromas on the nose and the flavors on the palate.  It is a very light wine, although the alcohol clocks in at 13%.  I detected a little citrus on the nose. The palate displayed a very slight lemon profile with a hint of nutty butterscotch on the finish.  Once again, at $15, a decent wine, decent value but nothing to get too excited about. 82 points

Wine number three was Summerhill Pyramid Winery’s 2006 Riesling, Okanagan Valley.

BC Wine

Summerhill Pyramid Riesling

The nose was not as aromatic as I had hoped, I could detect minerals, but little in the way of fruit.  The palate consisted of  Grapefruit and Granny Smith Apple surrounded by a rather searing tartaric acidity.  Alcohol weighs in at 9% and the wine retails for  $22. A decent effort, however this wine is an acquired taste. I would only recommend this wine to wine drinkers who are looking for a Riesling which is not sweet. 83 points

Wine number four:  Church & State Wines, 2006 Quintessential red blend.

Quintessential

Church and State Quintessential

This wine is a blend of all 5 Bordeaux varietals, however I cannot find any information on the % breakdown.  The nose was pleasant enough, and displayed aromas of Cherries and leather. However, the palate is where this wine fell far short.   Immediately I was hit with an overwhelming unpleasant sweetness.  I was expecting something vaguely Bordeaux like but this wine did not deliver.  I thought maybe it was me and did not say anything, instead I had the other guests give it a whirl and they came to the same conclusion without my influence. At $50 a bottle I expected a lot more.  And even more confusing to me is how this wine could have won “Best Red Wine” at the All Canadian Wine Championships in 2009.  75 points

A couple of nights later my friends and I visited Salt Tasting Room in downtown Vancouver.  Upon being seated I asked our server, who also happened to be the inventory manager, for the best Bordeaux blend he had.

Wine number five:  Clos du Soleil Red 2007 Similkameen, British Columbia.

Clos du Soleil Red

This wine is a blend of 60% Cabernet, 22% Merlot and 18% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 80% French Oak, 20% American Oak. The alcohol comes in at 13.3%. Production for the Clos du Soleil Red 2007 was only 450 cases.

This wine was by far the best wine of my trip.  It displayed a pleasantly aromatic nose of cassis and vanilla with floral notes.  The palate featured chewy plummy tannins, great structure and a nice long finish.  A well balanced wine with all of its components in check.  This wine retails for around $40 a bottle which may be a little pricey but considering the comparative quality, it is worth it.  88 points.

I hope to get back to British Columbia again in 2011 and to sample more of what British Columbia has to offer in terms of wine.  I will have to be a little more discerning in my selections in the future, maybe to a little more research ahead of time.  The Canadian dollar is currently at par with the U.S. dollar which can put a lot of pressure on the budget when buying multiple bottles of wine purely for review.  Have you tried any wines from British Columbia, have you tried any of the wines reviewed here?

Wine Review | Cameron Hughes Lot 151

Cameron Hughes Wine

Tasting Room mini bottle

Cameron Hughes Wine Lot 151

has long been a favorite of mine.  If you are looking for what I consider to be one of the best values in American wine, Cameron Hughes wine is the way to go.

I recently received Lot 151 as a sample, and was surprised to see that this wine hails from the Columbia Valley.  Cameron has been largely focused on wines from California and this is his first wine from Washington State. Let’s take a look at the technicals: Lot 151 is a blend of Riesling 70%, Chenin Blanc 30%. The alcohol comes in at 12% and the production was 2,500 cases. Lot 151 retails for about $10.

Cameron Hughes wine Lot 151 color

Pale straw in color

The color is a clean golden straw color. The nose is quite aromatic and  features ripe peach and citrus with floral notes.  The palate is somewhat more concentrated than I expected and I liked it.  Lot 151 is crisp yet sweet, the acidity is lively.  This is a very interesting for only $10.  This wine would pair well with spicy dishes and also a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Seasons 52, Biltmore Phoenix

Seasons 52 at Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix, Arizona is set to open on October 25th, 2010.  The Weekly Wine Journal was lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the menu and wine list at a VIP event this past Saturday.  Seasons 52 features an all star cast including Master Sommelier and CWE George Miliotes.  Upon arriving guests were greeted with a fantastic glass of Champagne- Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee Sainte Anne, Champagne NV!  A little background on this wine:  Chartogne-Taillet has had vines in Champagne since 1683.  They are a fairly small producer, producing only 16,000 cases of wine each year and about 7,000 cases of this particular wine.  This was a nice dry champagne with fine bubbles.  So right away I knew I was dealing with something out of the ordinary in Seasons 52.

 

The Chef's Table

 

I quickly joined onto a tour of the restaurant and during this tour I noticed the Mesquite grill in the kitchen.  Another sign of good things to come as I have really enjoyed the Mesquite grill at FnB in Scottsdale.  The rest of the tour took us through the dining area and to one of three private dining areas.  The first one has full video capabilities with a screen that drops down out of the ceiling.

 

Private Dining Room #1

 

The other two private dining rooms can be joined together to make a nice big room that looks onto the Biltmore courtyard.  After the tour guests congregated in the bar area while listening to pianist vocalist Rebecca De La Torre.  I chatted with Master Sommelier and director of beverage and hospitality for Seasons 52, George Miliotes for a few minutes before we all were invited back to the big private dining room.

We were treated to a fantastic 5 course meal as well as in depth back ground information on the preparation, ingredients and the wine pairings.

 

Lump crab haas avocado

 

To start we had a simple Amuse-bouche of lump crab and Haas avocado paired with Aveleda Vinho Verde 2009 from Portugal.  The wine was light and crisp and fermented in stainless steel.

Next up was Wild King salmon and lemongrass sea scallop roasted on a cedar plank.  This was paired

 

Shrimp and scallop on cedar plank

 

with Mer Soleil 2008 Chardonnay from California’s Central Coast.  I was ecstatic to see wild salmon on the menu.  One thing I can’t stand ( it makes me crazy like Frank Booth in Blue Velvet ) is farmed salmon.  Add salmon snob to my list of short comings or strengths, depending on how you look at it.  The cedar plank was a really nice touch, it gives the food an extra level of flavor which is uncommon.  George Miliotes informed us that The Mer Soleil Chardonnay was fermented in the very best oak and also aged in oak.  This wine had an incredibly supple mouth-feel.

 

Salad in a cylinder

 

Next was a salad featuring Earthbound farm organic greens with oak-grilled mushrooms, toasted pistachios and truffle dressing.  The salad came on a plate inside of a clear cylinder.  Suddenly the servers lifted up the cylinders and the salad came out of the bottom and was spread around the plate, a very interesting touch.  Everyone went “ooooo”.  The salad was paired with Sinkskey Pinot Noir 2007 from Los Carneros.  A very nice Pinot Noir which also happens to be organic.

 

Sonoma goat cheese ravioli

 

Continuing right along, the next dish consisted of one big ravioli.  Sonoma goat cheese ravioli with roasted garlic, basil and a light tomato broth.  This was amazing.  Soft and creamy and the tomatoes added the perfect hint of sweetness.  This was paired with Retromarcia Chianti Classico.  This wine is a little “rough around the edges” as George put it, to be drunk by itself, but it is the perfect accompaniment to rich foods.

 

Mesquite grilled rack lamb and quail breast

 

The main course followed.  Mesquite grilled lamb rack and Manchester farms quail breast, mashed sweet potatoes and grilled Brussell sprouts in a bourbon chili glaze.  Once again, fantastic!  This dish was paired with two big red wines in very different styles.  First we had Markham Petite Sirah 2004 from Napa Valley.  This wine has matured in the bottle quite nicely from the last time I tried it back in 2008.

 

The wines

 

It’s rich and ripe and juicy. The second wine was De Toren Fusion V from Stellenbosch South Africa.  George Miliotes is a big fan of South African wines and actually helped develop Indaba Chardonnay which Robert Parker ended up calling one of the best values in French style Chardonnay out there.  De Toren Fusion V is one of the best wines out of South Africa.  It is an amazing Bordeaux style blend consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot.  This is another small production producer, only 3,600 cases of the 750ml bottles were produced for 2007.

Last but not least were the “Mini Indulgences”  see this quick 10 second video for a quick rundown because it’s much better than anything I could write!

The desserts were paired with Selbach-Oster Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Auslese, Mosel 2006.  Say that 10 times really fast!  According to George and most people in the know the 2006 vintage for Germany’s dessert wines is one of the best of the last 50 years.  This wine was no exception, it was the perfect pairing for the indulgences.

After lunch I managed to get a one on one interview George Miliotes in the Chateau, the place where they keep the wines.  See that video on the Weekly Wine Journal’s Youtube Channel HERE.

For more photos of the event, check out the Weekly Wine Journal’s Facebook page HERE

Christmas Dinner Wine Pairings

For those of you searching for something other than the traditional Christmas Dinner Wine Pairings, see my post Not the Same Old Wine Pairings.

So you’re having turkey dinner…

For those of you who want to show your guests that you have absolutely zero imagination or tolerance of risk, and that you have an almost maniacal disregard for their well-being,  I suggest you serve pink Zinfandel all day and all night.

If you want to go with a little more risk and pizzaz, try serving a fruit forward Red Zinfandel or Primitivo.  Layer Cake makes a decent $13 Primitivo.  It has a fairly light alcohol content at 13.5% and gentle tannins.  It’s a little bit sweet and generally happy to play second fiddle to the rest of your holiday meal.  For white you could serve a fruity Riesling.  I suggest Sofia (Coppola) Riesling at about $13.

If you want to step it up a little more and show some creativity, while still conforming to the wine pairing rule book you could serve a dry Pinot Noir.  I suggest Luigi Bosca Reserva 2007 Pinot Noir from Argentina.  90 points from Jay Miller for Robert Parker.  Retails for about $15-$20.  For white go with 2007 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling Eroica  (NOT their regular Riesling) 91 points and about $20-$25.

there you have it, short and sweet.  Merry Christmas everyone!