Water into Wino

Anthony Road Cabernet Franc-Lemberger

Cabernet Franc-Lemberger 2006
Finger Lakes, New York ($18)

Every once in a while I find a wine that seems like its been grown, made and marketed towards people like myself. On a recent trip to basically the only wine store I go to these days, I found a wine that simply made its purchase mandatory. No questions. No doubts. No checking of my finances before hand.

There are only a few grapes that could induce this kind of reaction. And if this isn't your first trip to my site, you probably know the that I'm talking about cabernet franc. But this bottle had even more going for it... 30% lemberger! And from the Finger Lakes to boot.

Anthony Road Winery is located on the west side of Seneca Lake. I've stopped in quickly on my way down to NYC in the past and was mildly impressed with the reds, which were really the only wines I tasted there. The fact is nothing really stood out compared to the other FL reds I tried that day. I had pretty much forgotten about them until last week when I found this bottle.

Why am I so thrilled about this wine? I just think these two grapes are suited for cool climate viticulture up here in the FL and Niagara USA Region. Rarely do you see them together and I'm not sure why that's the case. I know Fox Run Vineyards also bottled a blend of the two that won an award or two, but it wasn't available when I visited. So this bottle is my first introduction to the cab franc/lemberger wines of the FL.

Dark red color with aromas of raspberry and cherry. Lively mouth feel with decent weight to it for a cool climate red. Spicy tones of cherry and vanilla linger on the finish. I drank this with my meat ragu (and used it in sauce as well) the other night and loved every sip. I don't think it's big enough to just hang out with as it begs for food with its acidity. It also benefitted with decanting and/or a good rest over night. My grade: A-

J.P. Tinto 2003

J.P. Tinto 2003
Setubul Peninsula, Portugal ($6)

It's not much of a secret anymore that Portuguese reds can be quite satisfying for a fraction of the cost of the competition. I figure that these wineries never became obsessed with single varietal releases, never spent the big bucks on marketing, and never got into the Parker influenced over the top fruit flavors that people seem to look for these days. On a recent trip to a wine "outlet" the other day I found an inexpensive bottle all alone on the shelf. Psychologically speaking when I see the last bottle on a shelf I feel one of two things. One, it must be good if the rest have already been bought. Two, what if I like it and now I know I can't get anymore?

For six bucks, I had nothing to lose. This bottle is not your average Portuguese red. It comes from the Setubal Peninsula, an area I don't see often and instead of being a carefully crafted blend of indigenous grapes, it one one single varietal called Castelao or Periquita.

Ruby red in color, this wine is noticeably lighter than any red I've had from Portugal. On the nose I got dark cherry, blackberry, and black pepper. There was a noticeable element of funk coming through as well, with manure being the best word to describe it. Luckily it didn't show on my palate as this wine was quite pleasing. The word balanced comes to mind because this wine just simply went down well. Simple yet charming, it was a perfect week night match for that pizza or pasta dish. The finish was adequate, with little or no sign of oak lingering. For six bucks, I'd pick up a couple more if I can ever find it again. Grade: B-

Monarchia Cellars Noir 2003

Monarchia Cellars Noir 2003
Eger, Hungary ($9)

Every once in a while I get motivated. If you read the date of my last post on this site, you might think it's been a long time coming. I think the downside of geeking out on wine is that your taste may get more expensive with time. In my case, the desire to try New York State wines and boutique winery offerings has led to less wine consumed at a higher price point. Now I admit that this weblog was meant to find those best buy gems from anywhere, so tonight I'm going back to the roots of this blog because I found one of those intriguing under $10 wines.

Lately I've been seeking out cool climate wines that would do well in NYS. I know Cab Franc does well throughout the state of New York, and I've tasted a hell of a lot of it over the last two years. So now I'm tasting Lemberger, aka Blaufrankish, aka Kekfrankos, aka ect... I've tried some Washington State examples, some NYS, as well as some from its home in Austria. Most are in the $15- $20 range and they have been hit or miss. Well this time I found an under $10 bottle from Hungary at Premier Wines in Buffalo.

This is a 100% Kekfrankos (Lemberger) wine is bursting with blackberry aromas. I also get a pinch of bell pepper and smoke on the nose as well. Medium bodied with ample acidity, it stood up well to my hot sausage and peppers hoagie, and the next day it even complimented my meat ragu I've perfected thanks to Mr. Batali. This wine doesn't bring a lengthy finish, but I think it's as long as any Lemberger wines I've had from NY or Austria. For under $10 it's a no brainer as far as I'm concerned. If your into Cab Franc, Lemberger, Zweigelt, or even Gamay, this should impress for the cost. Not so much a sipping wine, but with dinner, it rocks with a style of its own. My grade: B

Osprey's Dominion Cabernet Franc 2002

Osprey's Dominion can take much of the credit for my awakening to Long Island's North Fork wine country. Sure it took a couple of my good friends to pour there for a few seasons to find it, but it really did open me up to several new things. It all started with the 2000 vintage Cabernet Franc and evolved into day long picnics with live music, friends, and a huge selection of wine.

Last season Osprey's was building a new tasting room so we didn't hang out there for their live music and tranquil scenery as much as I'd like to. This didn't stop us from stopping by to taste how their Meritage blends were evolving and to pick up more Cab Franc. They probably have the widest selection of reds and whites on the Island, with about 90 acres of grapes planted. In 2005 they were declared winery of the year at the NY State Wine and Food Classic and they are no stranger to double gold and best in show awards.

The standouts for me have been the reds of course, the rose, Fume Blanc, the Sauvignon Blanc, and maybe even the Johannisberg Riesling. The list goes on and on and something they have should satisfy anyone that goes. They welcome picnics on their property and it's as easy as walking up to the outdoor bar and bringing an open bottle back to your group. On busy weekends, it may get crowded with families and kids playing, but its always relaxing.

Osprey's Dominion Cabernet Franc 2002
North Fork, Long Island, New York, USA ($24)

The 2000, 2001, and 2002 Cabernet Francs have been among the best in the region. They have been known to mix in a splash of Merlot to round it out some but the 2002 is pure Franc. The wine spends 12 months in French oak and the alcohol weighs in at 13%.

Dark ruby red color. Aromas of cherry, raspberry, and bell pepper. Textbook mouth feel as far as I'm concerned. A slightly tart food friendly acidity is obvious and welcome. This is not for the fruit bomb lovers out there as the fruit is subtle and in lockstep with the spice and herbal qualities. What really separates this wine from similar ones is its long delicate spicy finish. My grade: B+

WBW #30 New World Syrah

I must sound like a broken record. It seems like every wine I write about lately is from Chile. Well I just can't help it. The price to quality ratio of these wines is impressive. The Carmeneres are basically free. The Cab Sauvignon and Merlots are usually half of what I'd pay for a comparable domestic version. The Pinot Noir can be satisfying while still accessible under $20. For some reason Chilean Syrah is undeniably more expensive then the other varietals. While the bargain wines I've had before are consistently a pleasant surprise, at $20 I'm expecting a $35 flavor profile that will rock my palate.

Casa Lapostolle Winery was founded in 1994 by the Marnier Lapostolle family from France and the Rabat family from Chile. The French connection are founders and owners of Grand Marnier ( of the Spirit fame) and have been winegrowers in the Loire Valley. They own 300 hectacres and produce 150,000 cases, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carmenere, and Syrah.

Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre Syrah 2004
Cachapoal Valley, Chile ($22)

This Syrah is grown in rocky Las Kuras Vineyard of Requinoa, in the Cachapoal Valley, and it's from their midlevel Cuvee Alexandre series. It's made from 100% Syrah grapes grown after a dry 2003 season which resulted in budding some 10 days earlier than average. What's really crazy is that there was no rain registered that summer at all. The wine was aged for 21 months in new French oak barrels and it weighs in at 14.5% alcohol.

Dark purple in color. The nose took a while to open up, but when it did it revealed definite meat aromas with ripe dark fruits. This wine feels very fleshy and full bodied. I get some complex notes that include chocolate and cigar box. Overall, it's well balanced and persistent on the finish. While I do find this wine to be worth the $20 I paid, it's not as intriguing as the Montes Alpha Syrah I tasted a few weeks ago. It went extremely well with the sausage and peppers I had for dinner and got better with every sip I took. My grade: A-

Alsatian International Night

This past Monday was my night to cook our weekly "International Night." After numerous warnings that another Italian inspired menu wouldn't get a welcome reception, I chose an Alsatian French Country Comfort menu from Bon Appetite Magazine. In the past, my girlfriend had made croque monsieur for a French dinner and it went over well enough to start our weekly dinner tradition. The menu I chose was pretty straight forward without any crazy hard to find ingredients. As far as wine pairings are concerned, it doesn't get any easier to match these dishes, plus the folks over at Bon Appetite listed some as well.

The first course was the most challenging part of this meal. I've never made anything that resembled a muenster cheese souffle. Luckily my girlfriend is a natural in the kitchen so it worked out well in the end. The tomato and red pepper salad didn't excite me but I stuck with the recipe and pulled it off. I could have easily had another souffle serving if there was extra, which there wasn't, and I couldn't help but noticed every finished their souffle as well.

Blanck Gewurztraminer 2005
Alsace, France ($20)

I have to thank my friend that brought this bottle. He stopped by Chambers St Wines and asked for an Alsatian Gewurtztraminer and got a good one at that. This Blanck Family wine is made from "environmentally friendly" vineyards. This producer has about 90 acres in total and releases around 18,000 cases a year. This was one of the best Gewurztraminers I've had. It's not sweet although the aromas are of sweet ripe fruit. Supple texture and balanced acidity. It paired extremely well with the souffle, as from what I've read, muenster cheese and Gewurztraminer is a classic pairing.

The main course was Chicken in Riesling with prunes and cabbage with fresh herb spaetzle on the side. The chicken was extremely aromatic and fall of the bone tender. The herb spaetzle was an adventure to make without the proper equipment. Speaking of equipment, our Le Creuset Dutch oven makes a dish like this a pleasure to put together.

Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling 2005
Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes, New York

Instead of searching out an Alsatian Riesling, I went with the Governor's Cup award winning Wiemer Riesling 2005 from the Finger Lakes. I not sure that I can find another New World Riesling this good for the price. An elegant combination of apple, pear, and lime refresh the palate and stimulates every taste bud. This dry Riesling is case-worthy, and I think it will get some people hooked on Finger Lakes wines if they haven't tried them already. The last time I was in the Finger Lakes I stopped by their winery and was impressed by everything I tasted. The staff was very serious and informative...pretty classy for it all being in a barn.

I diverted off the written menu for the dessert and went with a red wine poached pear with cream and lemon zest. It's also funny that Dr. Vino had a discussion about red wine and citrus recently. The lemon zest and Bordeaux red paired well. For it being such a simple recipe, it was pretty damn good. The reduced wine with pair essence poured over some whipped cream was a good followup to the pear with cream as well.

Required Reading

What to Drink with What you Eat
by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page

Finding wine recommendations and reviews online is a breeze these days, and in my opinion, blogs are primary destinations for such info. Specific wine pairings are another story. This book covers a huge amount of territory and looks into which drink might pair well with a wide range of foods. It doesn't limit itself to wine either as spirits and specific brands of beer are covered as well. One of my favorite features includes actual tasting menus from restaurants around the world and several explanations from well respected sommeliers. It even differentiates between what goes well with Domino's Pizza (which is sweeter than most) and regular pizza. Gonna have pepperoni? Try a Montepulciano. Sausage? Try a zinfandel. Any my favorite pairing...a Cabernet Franc with a peppers and onion pizza. Obviously these are just the most basic of examples as this book goes into great detail. Unless you are already an expert, I highly recommend this book.

Columbia Winery Syrah 2002

The latest varietal to fall victim to my obsessive and compulsive personality is Syrah. Sadly most of the stuff I've had has been jammy Shiraz from Australia, and I do remember there being a critter or two on the labels. Since some of the most sought after wines in France are Syrah based, and seeing how the most complex examples of this wine are grown in the cooler appellations of the world, I figured it might be fun to throw my not so expendable income at this grape for a while and see what's worth drinking. That is, of course, without dropping the big money for the Cote Roties and Hermitages. I've heard that California is producing some kick ass Syrah, but what don't they produce over there? So I am more interested in the Washington State, Canadian, Chilean, and even some New York examples.

Columbia Winery Syrah 2002
Columbia Valley, Washington ($13)

This 100% Syrah is from four different vineyards in the Columbia Valley. It's 13.5% alcohol and it was released in fall of 2005. There were 6500 cases produced and I assume that with a little searching most people could get their hands on a bottle. Apparently the winery was founded by 10 University of Washington professors that thought they could grow vinifera that would survive the harsh winters of the area and deliver quality over time. Apparently they were right. I found this bottle for $13 but I've seen it online for as much as $19.

Deep ruby red color. The nose is generous with dark red fruit and anise. It's silky texture is full of ripe fruit and some smokiness that is in perfect balance with the other flavors. This wine got better with time and I think it even improved over night as I took another run at it the next day. It's an extremely masculine wine that is great for sipping or would do well with roasted meats. It makes me want to try more Syrah from Washington State and maybe pick up a few bottles of this as well. My grade: A-

Northern Rhone for $13

My knowledge of French wine is extremely limited. I can pretty much contribute to a conversation on Italian wines, Spanish wines, and New World wines with some serious wine geeks. If someone brings up France, I run for cover. Sure I know what the major grape varieties of each region should be... but don't ask me to pronounce the area or the producers' name correctly.

My last investigation into a French bottle was for New Year's eve dinner. The cheese plate my friend was preparing called for a Northern Rhone red as a pairing. My gut reaction and only reaction was finding a Cote Rotie wine. I know enough to assume that finding an affordable bottle may be difficult. So after picking out seven bottles for the other courses including a dry Riesling, a Chinon Rose, an Osprey's Dominion Reserve Merlot 2002, Rosa Regale sparkling red, and a decent bottle of Champagne, we ran into another liquor store where we could be helped to find that Northern Rhone bottle. After mentioning our remaining budget of up to $30 for the bottle, the store employee handing us a bottle from Gigondas sub region. "Is this mostly Syrah?", I asked. "Yes and some Grenache as well", he replied. Sold!

Of course when I got home and googled it, it turns out to be from Southern Rhone. It tasted fine and didn't take away from the cheese plate but I made up my mind to find an affordable wine from the North. Another stab at the wine store turned up this bottle from Crozes Hermitage area for $13.

Cave de Tain Crozes de Hermitage 2003
Crozes Hermitage, Rhone, France ($13)

Ruby red color with a nose of red fruit and red licorice with a slight note of pepper. Light to medium body feel with flavors of cranberry and cherry. There is a dominating tartness that ruins the finish of this wine. It simply demands food with the acidity overwhelming the spice and fruit. Interesting wine until the finish. I find myself enjoying the cooler weather reds these days and can see the potential in a wine like this being spectacular if only a little more balanced. My grade: C+

Peybonhomme-les-Tours 2003

Peybonhomme-les-Tours 2003 Premieres
France, Bordeaux, Cotes de Blaye ($12)

I finally motivated myself and my girlfriend to hop on the 1 train to Chambers Street Wines last saturday. I've read so much about their extensive organic selection and their huge selection of Loire wines. Between four and seven o'clock they had about ten wines to taste including a few Loire whites, a bunch of Burgundian reds, and three Bordeaux reds. In the past I might have been intimidated by the staff and especially by my ignorance in the details of French wine.

The three Loire wines were delicious. So far the hype behind the 2005 vintage is accurate, as each of these 2005 examples represented accordingly. The Raimbault 2005 Sancerre Les Godons was my favorite of those. The five Burgundy wines were nothing special. Just another example of how I don't get excited about Pinot Noir. Of the three Bordeaux wines, the Peybonhomme-les-Tours 2003 Premieres Cotes de Blaye was tasty and for only $12 it spoke to my wallet as well.

Ruby red color with aromas of raspberries and cherries. Extremely supple and smooth. Very well balanced and effortless on the palate. The finish is long and reveals some earthy notes. Overall an elegant wine for the price and my whole view of French reds being overpriced has been altered. My grade: A-