Water into Wino

Wino Getting All Classy on Your Arse

It's been five years since I've classed it up at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. The event has ballooned into a huge success with tickets becoming more and more elusive every year since its inception some seven years ago. Aside from the Grand Tasting Tent which is actually on the sand of south beach both saturday and sunday, there are several other wine and culinary events, seminars, demonstrations, and tastings all over Miami over the course of four days.

Tonight's event is the Wine Spectator "Best of the Best" tasting at the suites of the American Airlines Arena in Miami. My fiance and I were lucky enough to get tickets and I can't wait to test my palate on what should be the cream of the crop reserve and estate selections of the show. I'm prepared to push and shove my way through well dressed wine snobs and their trophy wives to get samples but I just don't know where I'm going to spit yet.

Revived by the New York Times and Austria

Zweigelt in the nude.

When I think of exciting grapes currently being experimented with in the Finger Lakes and Niagara Wine countries, there are three or four that get my blood flowing. The first is Syrah. Not those jammified Syrahs that you can find anywhere. I'm talking about cool climate ones that combine good acidity with pepper and light tannins.

The other two grapes are the Austrian grapes Gruner Veltliner, Blaufrankisch, and Zweigelt. Spelling them is tough enough let alone pronouncing them. I know Hermann Wiemer is growing Blaufrankisch and Gruner Veltliner, funny enough cause I picked up a couple of each last time I visited the winery. Currently I believe they are just blending grapes in his arsenal. I've tried Lemberger, our not much friendlier name for Blaufrankisch, from Fox Run Vineyards, Goosewatch, and Seneca Shore Vineyards in the Finger Lakes. The latter of the three was surprisingly my favorite. As for Zweigelt, a cross of St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch, I know Konzelmann Winery in Ontario makes it as well as a few others wineries in Canada.

All this wine geek banter takes me to my point and the reason I got excited enough to update my site while I run around in circles of sh*t to do in my new country home. The New York Times done did an article and an interactive feature on Zweigelt and Blaufrankisch the other day. Cheers to that. The reviews were obviously Austria intensive as they should have been, while fascinating at the same time. Too bad I'm not in NYC anymore cause I don't think I'll find these wines in my area. So if you can, try some of them for me.

Home Sweet Home....

My futile attempts to update this site have failed repeatedly in the past few weeks during which my life and the life of my fiance have changed drastically. Seizing on an opportunity we felt would not be so easily attainable in the future, we took a giant step into adulthood and became home owners. This is where the story gets interesting because we didn't just buy any home, we bought a farmhouse in the Niagara Escarpment AVA on 10 acres of well drained gravelly loam in hopes of some day being able to live and work in a fledgling wine country.

Leaving the city life and our friends who are more like family has not been and will never be easy. We have had some of the happiest time in our life living in New York and crazy is the word I might describe our sudden decision to leave but my family lives in the area and we've been interested in what's been going on agriculturally here for a couple years.

The farmhouse predates the 1870's and it lies just south of Lake Ontario. There is a rather large vineyard and winery opening across the street and the area in general is packed with historical sites, farm stands, and sleepy cottage towns with harbors and parks. There is a creek that runs through the north west corner of our property in which trout make there way up to spawn and there is never a moment where we aren't without some geese or wildlife in view.

In the coming weeks I'm going to share my experiences in what may be the most foreign environment I've ever lived as well as touch on what's happening locally here. I'm truly excited to be close to Niagara, Ontario too because it has much to offer in terms of culinary options and a maturing wine industry. My internet is not hooked up yet as I am waiting for the satellite company, that's right I said satellite company, to install it. Oh my... what have we gotten ourselves into?

Quick taste of Warm Lake

Warm Lake Estate has literally put the Niagara Escarpment AVA on the map. Banking on a climate that has been compared to Burgandy, they have found investors from around the globe to plant 45 acres of pinot noir. The winery has been open for only a few years but has been successful at distributing their wine throughout the state and beyond. Their location on the sloping bench of the escarpment was meticulously picked to provide an ideal terroir for pinot.

My first visit to this winery was almost two years ago and was regrettably not a memorable event. Last friday we stopped by while driving through the area and I'm glad I did cause it was an eye opening experience. Along with the tasty 2005 vintage were three single vineyard wines available to taste and buy. The point of course is to showcase the differences of each vineyard separated by soil type. I've studied up on the area's geography enough to know that the Otis and Rhinebeck wines are named after the loam soil on which they are planted. The other bottle, whose name escapes me at the moment, consisted of their newest planting and was my favorite despite the vines only being 3 years old. Each was extremely Burgundian in style and worth the hefty penny they are charging, and I only say that because the area is young and the other wines tend to be inexpensive.

Overall it was an inspiring day driving around the country up in good ole Niagara County, south of Lake Ontario. Even with snow covered roads and blustery winds this wino wasn't slowed down enough not to get a few tastes in with his new fiance and soon to be mother in law.

Typical friday story...

I picked up a bottle of Montes Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2005 last night on my way to a friends house. The wine store was tasting a few wines so I couldn't resist trying a couple even though I was running late. Good thing I did cause the Oregon A to Z Vineyards Night & Day 2005 red was delicious. Mostly Merlot, Cab Franc, and Cab Sauvignon, it was ripe and fruit forward, with some earth and spice. The 2004 vintage was sprinkled with a bit of Dolcetto and Syrah as well as other grapes, but I'm not sure about this one. Nothing too complex but just a naturally enjoyable wine. They didn't have any to sell because I think the employees were tasting to decide on stocking it. If they do, I'm going to buy a couple... even if it is a screw cap closure.

As far as the Chilean Montes Cabernet went, it was OK. The aromas were sexy as hell but the tannins were very immature and bitter. The 2004 was voted best of tasting by the WSJ not too long ago in their Chilean Cab article. This vintage should mellow out with bottle age, but since I'm nothing close to an expert, I'm totally guessing.

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.

Friday Night Flight

Friday started another weekend of wine assimilation. Last night we got together with friends and decided to make wine the main course of the evening. The first bottle we corked was a ubiquitous Bogel Petite Syrah 2004. It's been some time since I had this wine, but I thought I'd see how my taste buds have changed. It didn't taste as good as I remember. I thought it had a juicy quality that I don't care for.

After polishing off that bottle we took a field trip to a liquor store adjacent to a Costco store. I know, this is sinful in the eyes of someone that has become accustomed to wine boutiques, but it wasn't a let down. First off, they had free samples from Martha Clara Vineyards from the North Fork of Long Island. Each wine we tasted was almost half of the price you pay at the winery, but we ended up buying two Cabernet Sauvignons from not so ordinary regions as well as a Merlot from Navarra Spain.

We opened an Argentine Catena Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza and tasted it next to a Cousino Macul Cabernet Sauvignon from Maipo Valley, Chile, both from the 2003 vintage. While being extremely different they both delivered for the prices we paid (around $13). The Catena was full very full bodied with concentrated dark fruit flavor and a touch of pepper. Very reminiscent of quality California Cabs for twice the price. The Cousino Macul had a remarkable dusty aroma that I could only associate with the odor of a moist cavern. Dark fruit flavor with sweet tannins that end on an earthy note. They were so different that I could not pick a favorite over the other. The Chilean one is much more interesting although it isn't as crowd pleasing as the Catena.

The Monjardin Merlot Deyo 2002 seemed to go over well too. This Spanish merlot was mysterious and it seemed to show a maturity and complexity I rarely taste in a straight merlot. All three of these wines were a bargain. There were several other bottles that caught my eye there at the Costco infected wine store including some Italian reds and a few Oregon Pinot Noirs.

Forty Dollars a Day

"Best Red in Show" in the Sunlight

It's amazing how the value of a dollar can change within the coarse of the day. During a recent trip to the Northfork of Long Island, my opinion of spending $40 on a Cab Franc went from a skeptical "yeah right" to a somewhat slurred "put it on the Visa." My anticipation of visiting Jamesport Vineyards had been growing all season. A "Best Cab Franc" award at the New York Food and Wine festival only fueled my interest and I'm not even going to mention the Wine Advocate blurbs about Jamesport's wines. Osprey's Dominion 2001 Cab Franc won the same "Best Red" and "Best Cab Franc" the previous year and I love that wine enough to give it credit for my current addiction to the varietal.

After insisting we stop at Jamesport first during our recent visit I was amped to get a taste of their reds. Because we went on the weekend the tasting room was overwhelmed with buses and "weekenders." No clean glasses and my refusal to taste in plastic denied my taste buds for a little while longer, but when I finally got my flight I wasn't disappointed at all. The 2001 Merlot Reserve was lush and concentrated with cherries and plums. It had everything I have come to love Long Island wines including a perfect balance of fruit and oak with that terroir of the North Fork. The acclaimed Cabernet Franc 2004 was just as good as the hype that surrounds it. Aromas of red berries and smoke with a elegantly soft mouth feel and a palate that whispered strawberry. The finish was delicate and subtle. It didn't have the spiciness that I expected with only a slight herbal quality yet still delicious and unique to the region.

My only disappointment with my experience there was the prices. Both of these reds were priced roughly at $40. Similar Cab Francs at Osprey's Dominion and Corey Creek Cellars that are equally as satisfying are almost half the price. With my current budget combined with the amount of wine I buy in general, a $40 wine makes its way into my home a few times a year. Long story short...I passed on a purchase of the Cab Franc at Jamesport.

Key Lime Pie at EON in Southold

After lunch at EON (duck salad and key lime pie - Shinn Rose and Corey Creek Cab Franc) in Southold and tastings at Castello di Borghese our journey led us to Shinn Estate Vineyards. Shinn is a small winery that practices sustainable agriculture. Their tasting room is a tiny room in a renovated old barn that oozes with quaintness. The owners are on hand to pour and answer questions, and even ring you up after you splurge on a few bottles. Stand-out wines tasted were "Wild Boar Doe" 2004 and their 2005 Rose. I was bummed when I found out they weren't pouring their Cab Franc, but after some of my charming nosiness, co-owner Barbara Shinn indeed let me know there just happened to be an open bottle behind the bar. From what I remember there are only 1 1/2 acres of cab franc planted there and only 170 cases made of this 2004 vintage which has a price tag of around $40. For some reason I didn't mind shelling out the cash for this bottle. Maybe because there's not that much of it going around, maybe it was the organic vineyards or the humble tasting room, or maybe it was because it resembled a mom and pop business that made my decision easy. In hindsight it may have been all the alcohol, but after being wooed by the ambience of the North Fork, I found myself completely doing a 180 and heading home with a $40 bottle that I'm sure will just cause me anxiety when I decide when to open it. Cheers to that!

Shinn Estate tasting room

A Return to Being a Wine Geek

For two months I traveled the plains, driving sometimes 12 hours a day trying to stay ahead of the severe weather. From Texas to Wyoming and everywhere in between, I took in weather and landscapes I've never seen the likes of. The abundant free time I've grown accustomed to was no where to be found. Browsing wine blogs and reading up on all the latest headlines took a back back seat to work and sleep.

After a grueling day with the crew we'd stop at the local liquor stores to help ease the road rage we had and to keep some sort of social interaction that we were used to in NYC. I immediately noticed even before I left Colorado that most states had their own wineries. It was in Colorado that I picked up a few bottles of local Cabernet Franc which made me feel right at home. I've since drank one of them. It was from the Grand Valley region and it was pretty good. I poured it for a couple non wine geek coworkers and they enjoyed it as well. Along the way I picked up bottles from Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and South Dakota. It was also in a few of these states that I learned what 3-2 beer is. In some states the beer sold at grocery stores and gas stations can only have as much as 3.2% alcohol. That's when I would go straight to whiskey. I can only assume that before this 3-2 law went into affect that these states must have been like the wild wild west with intoxicated people causing constant havoc and unrest.

Since I've been back I've drank my share of wine. I went tasting in Northern Michigan, Western New York, the Finger Lakes, and Long Island. My appreciation for white wine has grown this summer, and I can't help but think the Finger Lakes and Ontario wines influenced that. I'm hoping to review some wines and wineries I stopped at in Michigan and New York soon. My Cab Franc collection has tripled and I intend on reporting on my day to day fickleness in my taste for my favorite grape. Although my wine fridge hit 100 degrees during the 10 day blackout in Queens, I'm banking on the fact that it's the severe temperature change that ruins wine and not just a week of hot temps. My daily wine blog reading is close to pre tornado season levels and my storm prediction center trolling has eased up.

Wine pairing for middle America

Over the last few weeks my blogging has come to a crawl. I've been preparing for a job that will replace my dependance on flowing wine to flowing adrenaline. For the next two months I will be chasing tornados with the world's most obsessed storm chasers for a television show on everyone's favorite science network. I drank several bottles over the last few weeks and took some notes so I am going to try to update with some more reviews. I'll keep my eye out for some wines as I go from small town to town, and maybe bar to bar with these adrenaline junkies. Either way I'm going to try to keep in touch with the blogging world. Stay tuned!