Top Ten Wines of 2012 per Wilfred Wong: Wines 6,7,8,9,10

Louis Jadot Pouilly Fuisse 2010, left,
and Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc 2011, right

Wilfred Wong is one of the few wine experts that I follow on FaceBook. As Cellar Master for the 130-store retail chain Beverages & More (BevMo), he tastes more than 8000 wines a year.  I’ve found he has a great palate, and so I’m sharing details about his choices of the Top 10 Wines of 2012.  This column covers Numbers 10 to 6.. 

Number 10: 2010 Rosemount Estate Diamond Label Shiraz, South Eastern Australia.  Australian Shiraz, once very trendy, fell out of favor for many years.  “When I tasted the new vintage, I was simply amazed at how good the new vintage showed,” said Wong.  “Excellent richness and depth, the 2010 Diamond Label Shiraz may be the one that brings Australia back to the playing field.”  Priced between $8 to $11 per bottle.

Number 9 : 2011 Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley.  Wong says that this is one of the year’s best wines. “A subtle wine, with exquisite balance, this wine just took my palate into another stratosphere,” Wong said.  He notes that this is a really important wine that “deserves love from all serious wine consumers.”  This 2011 blend includes 24% Sémillon.  “The 2011 is one of Duckhorn’s best Sauvignon Blancs, ever!” said Wong.  Priced at $29/bottle on Duckhorn’s website.

Number 8: 2010 Louis Jadot Pouilly-Fuissé.  Wong states that Pouilly-Fuisse is “one of the most unheralded and loved appellations in all of France.  Made from one of “lesser” areas of Burgundy, this place has provided great chardonnay pleasure to many, many wine drinkers.”  He continues:  “I taste Pouilly-Fuissés every year. Over the decades, Louis Jadot has remained consistent and fine.”   Priced between $19 to $28 per bottle. The 2011 vintage is also fine and widely available,

Number 7: 2008 Chasseur Pinot Noir (RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY) Blank Vineyard. Wong notes:  “The search for the ultimate Pinot Noir is always so difficult and frustrating… this wine stood out as one of the best ever Pinot Noirs that I have ever experienced!  Showing enticing and alluring aromas and flavors of ripe strawberries and fragrant flowers,,,long and persistent… one of my top wines of the year.”  This wine might be hard to find but Wong says it is definitely worth the search.  Suggested retail price is $60.00 per bottle.

Number 6: 2009 Mendel Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wong proclaims this is one of the greatest Cabernet Sauvignons in the world.  This Argentinian wine was one he discovered during a trip to the Maipu region last year.  “I had no idea that I was going to be so dazzled,” Wong said.  “The 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was so fine; very concentrated, but never over-the-top. Great elegance in a wine with plenty of power…this is really great stuff.”  Suggested retail price is  $35 per bottle.

This information first appeared in The Tahoe Weekly newspaper, where I write the Wine Time column, on January 31, 2013    

Petra at Northstar: Wine and Dine on the Slopes

Alice Baldwin pours Easton wine for tasting

If you are not going to Northstar, I suggest you make the trip to enjoy Petra anyway.  This is a wine tasting room, restaurant, and retail wine shop all in one,  opened under the tutelage of Kali Kopley, proprietor of 3 other good wine shops: “Uncorked” Tahoe City, Squaw and Truckee.  She knows what she is doing in her wine selection and pricing.

The “Taste Three” program is a wonderful way to experience the diversity of Petra’s wine offerings.  For $12 you enjoy 2 ounces of 3 wines.

 In the Sparkling category, the Cava Pino Noir Rose Brut, Aria, Torrelavit from Spain was a good choice.  This has cherry and berry aroma, toasty edges, is full in the mouth, and fresh.  The finish of cherry was a bit chocolately too, and very nice.  12 percent alcohol.   $7/glass,  $18/bottle.

Lana enjoys Qupe Marsanne

In the white wine group, I tasted a 2011 Marsanne from Qupe,  Santa Inez Valley (Santa Barbara).    This organic wine is a classic French blend of white Rhone varietals, 80 percent  Marsanne and 20 percent Roussanne.  It is crisp and floral, light and vibrant.  An intense but refreshing wine, it has flavors of lemon, honey, and notes of pineapple and peach.  13 percent alcohol.  $9/glass, $21/bottle.  Yummy.

In the red wine group, the choice was hard to make.   When in doubt, I will always choose a Sierra Foothills wine.  The 2010 Zinfandel from Easton, Amador County, a Beaujolais-style wine, is a winner.  It has bright cherry and blackberry fruit aromas, and a beautiful balance with a great juicy mouthfeel.  This Zin has a nice creamy texture from ten months in French oak barrels, and a toastiness and spiciness that is complex and scrumptious.   14.5 percent alcohol.  $9/glass, $18/bottle.   Learn more about Easton wines at the website www.terrerougewines.com .

Brent enjoys Syrah
with crispy broccolini

 The 207 Syrah from Sequel, Columbia Valley, is deep purple in color, and has complex aroma of smoked meat, pepper, plum.  The flavor of plum and spice dominates, and it has a nice tannic structure.  14.7 percent alcohol.  $18/glass, $60/bottle.

For foods to pair, Petra’s many shareable plates are great.  Try the crispy broccolini, the risotto cakes, and any of the pressed sandwiches.  The charcuterie and cheese choices are fabulous too.  If you like sweets, go for the dark chocolate pecan caramel tort:  heavenly.

Dine on the Patio, summer or winter

 

Petra's beautiful indoor space

Petra is located in the village at Northstar, 3001 North Village Drive, Suite 3112.  Hours are generally noon to 8 p.m. , but call 530.562.0600 to verify.   Hey, take a bottle back to your hotel or condo!

This information first appeared in The Tahoe Weekly newspaper, where I write the Wine Time column, on January 16, 2013   

 

 

Champagne and Cookies: a Sparkling Party Idea

It’s that party time of year, but who has the time to prepare for a really fancy event?  For my holiday celebration, I did a really simple party:  cookies and champagne.   The French producers of “real”  champagne will not be pleased to see me extending the term to include sparkling wine of all kinds and from non-French regions.  Pardon me, but budgets prevail!

Most of the sparklers below you can get at Costco or supermarkets, and the standard is 1 bottle per 2 guests.  And the cookies?   Do a cookie swap type of party where everyone brings two dozen cookies and is thus entitled to take some others’ home.   Keep cookies-and-champagne in mind for Valentine’s Day parties too.

The California Brut Classic Chandon.  This is a soft yet dry and refreshing wine,  made in the traditional champagne style,  with a second fermentation in the bottle.   Grapes are the traditional Champagne varieties, and in this bottle I served,  the blend was 55% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay, 3% Pinot Meunier and a nice 9% Pinot Blanc joined in the crowd. Taste and aroma of apple and pear, with citrus, spice, almond and caramel in the bouquet.  12 percent alcohol.  Around $20/bottle.

Someone gifted me a Zonin Spumante Brut Prosecco DOC.  This Italian sparkler is intense and fruity, nicely aromatic with hints of white flower and green apples.  Made completely from Glera grapes, it has a delicate almond note.  This well-balanced and appealing sparkler has 11 percent alcohol.   Average price on the internet is $11/bottle.

The Lamarca Prosecco DOC  is a sparkler from the Veneto region of Italy,  available at Costco for about $12.  The bottle notes that it has fresh and vibrant bouquet of golden apple, white peach and honeysuckle are correct!   Yummy, and only 11 percent alcohol. 

You’ll have to go to a well-rounded wine shop for this one, but I suggest you try a sparkler from South Africa, the Graham Beck Brut, “method cap classique”.  The blend is 58% Chardonnay and 42% pinot.  It is a crisp, light, tasty, dry sparkling wine.   11.5 percent alcohol, $17/bottle internet price.

The Chandon California Blanc De Noirs from Carneros has a taste of berries and spice, and is a full- bodied  medium-dry sparkler.  I always read the back labels, and Chandon’s has a graph that shows you where the wine is in terms of the dry-to-sweet spectrum.  Nice touch.  13 percent  alcohol,   $14-$16/bottle

Wines are Perfectly Paired at Six Peaks Grille, Squaw Valley

Ruffino Moscato with beet salad

A nice glass of wine, a beautiful view of Olympic Valley’s astounding mountain scenery, and food by a remarkable chef – nowhere could be more Sierra-perfect as a place to try new wines than Six Peaks Grille in the Resort at Squaw Valley.  It’s a family-centric dining room too, where adults can order either a nice bottle of wine or one of the 30 wines-by-the-glass that are featured this winter.

Chef Chad Shrewsbury commands the kitchen and presents dishes that pair so well with Six Peaks’ wine.  If you missed his pairing at the Autumn Food and Wine Festival, where the restaurant won second place, be sure you dine at Six Peaks sometime this season.

The Ruffino Moscato d’asti 2011 is a versatile sweet semi-sparkling wine that goes with many foods. The aroma is all about fresh flowers and peaches, and  I like the taste of honeysuckle that lingers. Ruffino is world-renowned for Chianti wines and to many wine drinkers, the winery’s products embody “la dolce vita”.   6 percent alcohol.   $35/bottle.   It was paired with one of Chef Chad’s signature dishes, a salad of beets, goat cheese mousse, arugula, and all adorned with crispy shallots.

Adobe Road and Soup

Adobe Road 2008 Sauvignon Blanc, Dry Creek Valley, uses grapes sourced from the Greene Vineyard and was a limited production wine.    It has a taste of pineapple and apricot. This wine is often compared to a Riesling; it is medium bodied with a touch of petrol on the back palate.    11 percent  alcohol.   375 ml bottle/$33,   full bottle/$64.   The pairing with soup is delightful, and the butternut squash soup was adorned withhHousemade pumpkin biscotti.

Summerland Chardonnay

The very buttery California-classic Summerland 2007 Chardonnay. Santa Barbara is smooth and silky, with a creamy texture.  The taste of peach, pear and citrus lead to a long finish.  All grapes were sourced from the Central Coast.    14.1 percent alcohol   375 ml bottle/$23.  The pairing was Serrano ham wrapped red snapper. Yummy.

Hook & Ladder Pinot Noir

Hook & Ladder 2010 Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River valley.  Its aroma is of Bing cherry and spice, and flavor of cherry and clove with a lot of spiciness.  It’s a smooth drinkable wine, and a solid Pinot that is fruity and juicy.  14.2 percent alcohol.   $50/bottle.   Thepairing was coffee crusted duck, served with bordelaise sauce, fresh apples and blueberry.

To finish, I enjoyed the Moscato again, this time with chocolate lava cake and marshmallow ice cream.  There goes the diet!

Six Peaks Grille is located in the Resort at Squaw Valley, 400 Squaw Creek Road in Olympic Valley, CA.  Open for breakfast and dinner daily.  Dinner reservations are a good idea: 530-581-6621.  

Sparkles and Wine: Bluestone Jewelry in Truckee pairs Jewelry with Inspiring Wines

Lynette Astors, right, pours
Sierra Foothill wines for customers

There are two things that pair well with women and also with men:  fine jewelry and fine wine.  That’s why I like the concept that Lynette Astors is helping to nurture at Bluestone Jewelry and Wine in downtown Truckee.    I’ve known Lynette for many years, and seen her grow in wine knowledge by attending tastings and functions at L'uva Bella Wine Gallery in Reno and helping Rombauer Vineyards grow in recognition by pouring at many of their Tahoe area events.  Now she is adding her own sparkle to the wine shop in the back of the Bluestone’s Truckee store,  They are becoming local specialists in wines from the Tahoe basin, namely Sierra Foothill wineries.

I decided to sample the Sierra Foothill ports from a variety of wineries, and looked over some nice jewelry pieces at the same time.  The ambience of this 1850’s building with exposed brick and reclaimed barnwood floors is conducive to a relaxed afternoon of browsing and tasting.  Many locals know this lovely location from its previous incarnation, as “OB's” building.

Narrow Gate Vineyards, located in Placerville, features its Lot '10 Chocolate Splash, El Dorado County, at the store.  This Port is made from six classic port varietals and is infused with 1.25% bittersweet, natural chocolate essence .  Hold up the glass and you’ll notice the jewel-tones that characterize this and other ports.  Chocolate Splash is winery owner Frank Hildebrand's "special blend".  18 percent alcohol.  $32/bottle (500 ml).

Grant Eddie’s winery, located in Oregon House, Yuba County, is one of the few California vineyards to establish plantings of a range of grapes from the Douro region of Portugal. Bluestone features the tasty Grant Eddie 2010 Port, which is blended from five different varieties of grapes grown in the Ramey Mountain Vineyard.  The blend includes the traditional Douro grapes Touriga Nacional, Tinta Cao, Tinta Amarela, Tinta Madeira, and Sousao, and a touch of Syrah.  19 percent alcohol,  $31/bottle.

The Mount Aukum Winery, Somerset, El Dorado County,  features its port-style wine, 2008 vintage Ace of Hearts, at Bluestone.  This delicate port style wine is really tasty, and is a blend of Tempranillo, Touriga, Tinto Cao, and Souzao grapes.  If you are not thinking about blueberries already, you will when you taste this wine.  18.2 percent alcohol.  $29/ bottle.

There are many other wines to sample at Bluestone Jewelry and Wine, located at 10046 Donner Pass Road, Ste. 3, Truckee.   Hours:  everyday 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m.     530-582-0429.

Wines to Serve with Family Feasts (including turkey!)

When smell of cooking turkey will soon be in the air,  take time beforehand to consider what wines you’ll serve.  I chatted with Caroline Vogt Lee, wine buyer for Tahoe House Bakery & Gourmet in Tahoe City, and emerged with some reasonably-priced recommendations from their wine corner.

Start with a bottle of Prosecco, always versatile.  Lamberti Prosecco, extra dry, is a sparkler from the Veneto region of Italty.  It has some delicate mineral notes and stonefruit flavors and will pair well with such savory appetizers as pesto & spinach stuffed mushrooms or Spanikopita.  11 per cent alcohol.    $14.99/bottle

Another good appetizer-friendly wine is the J Vineyards Pinot Gris, California.  This well-priced wine ($14.99/bottle) has a lot going for it. The winemaker notes that it is a blend of 100% Pinot Gris fruit from Preston Vineyard and Saralee’s Slusser Road vineyards in the Russian River Valley, with grapes also from several vineyards located along the Salinas River near King City in Monterey County and vineyards in the Sacramento River Delta area of Clarksburg. 13.8 per cent alcohol.  

Pinot Noir is a perfect pairing with turkey.  “The Argyle Pinot Noir, 2010, Willamette Valley, Oregon is excellent. It’s 13 per cent alcohol and sells for $28, which is a good price for Oregon Pinot Noir,” notes Caroline.

The Sobon Estate 2010 Amador County Old Vine Zinfandel would be a good choice for those who prefer a more full-bodied wine with their turkey.  This is a great example of Amador Zinfandel, with aroma of cherries, blackberry and maybe a touch of cocoa. Sobon makes this wine from their own certified organically grown grapes.   14.9 per cent alcohol.  $13.99/bottle.

For those who want white wine with their turkey and trimmings, Tahoe House features Pine Ridge 2011 Chenin Blanc/Viognier blend (79% Chenin Blanc, 21% Viognier). The winemaker notes that this blend unites the crisp, honeyed fruit of Chenin Blanc with the plush body, light floral aromas and juicy stone fruit notes of Viognier.  12 per cent alcohol. $14.99/bottle.

If you are a pecan pie fan, as I am, you can serve either of the red wines with this and other desserts.  Enjoy!

Tahoe House prepares wonderful ready-to-go side dishes, appetizers and desserts.  Other purveyors of already-prepared dishes to relieve the crush in the kitchen on family feast days are Dockside 700, and Spoon, both in downtown Tahoe City.

Ferrari-Carano Among Good Wines served at Roxy, the Fine Dining Restaurant at Eldorado Resort Casino in Reno

If you hurry, you can get tickets for the special wine pairing dinner November 18 at Roxy, the fine dining restaurant at the Eldorado Resort Casino in Reno.  There are two seatings for this dinner presented by Gregg Carano, and based on my wine review  a few weeks ago, I suggest this event.

Ferrari-Carano wines were the majority of the wonderful selections that Jeff Vachon, wine director, chose for us, but Roxy’s extensive wine list has been repeatedly lauded by Wine Spectator Magazine.  On November 18, you taste many of the same wines that we tasted. I wish my waistline would allow me to partake a second time, although I did work off some calories after dinner by dancing in front of my Showroom seat at the terrific Jersey Nights tribute to Frankie Valli.

 The Lazy Creek Vineyard, Anderson Valley Riesling 2010 is a classic Riesling.  This Riesling has not too much of that characteristic petrol aroma, and it is a light colored and light-tasting wine.  13.5 per cent alcohol.  $6 the glass or $25 the bottle.  Roxy’s chef Jakon Tolhurst paired it with Frog Hollow Ranch pear salad.

The Ferrari-Carano Tre Terre, Russian River Valley 2010 Reserve Chardonnay has aroma and taste of pear, citrus, buttercream and hazelnut.  Yummy!   Grapes are sourced from three different vineyards, and this wine is kept in French Oak.  It is a Burgundian style of Chardonnay, featuring more minerality  than you will find in many California Chardonnays.   14.1 per cent alcohol.  $16.50 the glass, $65 the bottle.   This wine paired perfectly with the duck confit ravioli.

Ferrari-Carano Prevail West Face Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 is a blend of 68 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 32 percent Syrah.  Sourced from the steep slopes of LookOut Mountain which sits at the junction of Alexander Valley, Knights Valley and Chalk Hill appellations, these grapes are not too tannic and produce dark, concentrated aromas in the finished wine. Flavor is of warm berry pie, butterscotch, chocolate, caramel and toast.    14.5 per cent alcohol.  $15 the glass, $59 the bottle.   The pairing was a seared venison New York style and a Merguez style venison sausage.

The perfect end was a not-so-honey dessert wine, Ferrari-Carano’s Eldorado Gold, a blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Sonoma County.  13 per cent alcohol.  $15 the glass, $60 the bottle. 

If you go to Roxy on a non-wine-dinner night, I highly recommend enjoying one of their well-priced ($12-14) wine flights that feature 2 ounce servicing.  The Italian flight, the Light and Bright, or The Golden Girls would be my choices.   Roxy is at 345 North Virginia Street, Reno.  Reservations online at www.eldoradoreno.com or  775 786 5700.