Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

Hello Wine Lovers!
I thought today I would not only talk about a wine but since Thanksgiving has just passed, and it reminded me of so many traditions that I'm quite sure we all have, I would also talk about just that... traditions. Wikipedia defines "tradition"as a ritual, belief or object passed down within a society, still maintained in the present, with origins in the past. The holidays always bring about memories of my family traditions I grew up with. Some I didn't understand at the time, some I passed on to my own family, and some have gone by the way side. I'm sure you have many traditions of your own and I hope reading this reminds you of them and sparks a few laughs!
I'm going to start with a few beginning with Thanksgiving. I always run a 5k on the morning of Thanksgiving. My reward for that is a glass of champagne and a nice cigar. Next comes football, I always watch the Cowboys on Thanksgiving! I'm willing to bet you watch football too... it's an American tradition. Next comes a dear friend's tradition, after football, eating the bird, smoking a cigar, he then begins to mumble (because he had too much wine)and we all bet what time the mumbling will show it's ugly head. We share a few laughs at his expense, but all in fun. We then pass the calendar and we all pick a day for the first snowfall, winner gets a bottle of champagne! Another tradition is to begin to decorate the house for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, not a day sooner, not a day after, Friday. Christmas music, the tree gets delivered, the lights, the ornaments, the fire place burning... you get the picture! The next tradition we have is we always volunteer for one of my darling wife's causes the first week of December. A time to give thanks and to share with the less fortunate. I hope this has sparked a few memories, traditions of your own, and maybe thoughts of your old childhood traditions.
Finally the wine... Four Vines Naked Chardonnay, for about $9 at Wine Discount Center and Binny's. Why is it called "Naked" you ask? No oak! That's why I am writing about it! You can actually taste the grapes and not the oak, this wine is clean and naked! This Chardonnay was fermented in 100% stainless steel and is crisp, concentrated Chardonnay with all its natural acid. You will find apple, white peach, and pear, finishing long with hints of citrus and mineral. This wine is a perfect match for oysters and friends! Enjoy it often! The pictures posted with this entry are all of Four Vines and the winemaker.

Cheers!
J

Pedro Romero Sherry

Hello Wine Lovers!
This morning a good friend receives his annual delivery of Christmas Trees for the season and as I have for a number of years, along with many friends and neighbors, we gather to help him unload 2 semi's full of trees, wreaths and roping. By no means was it cold, but it was chilly. You spend a couple of hours out in he weather today and a chill comes over you. After it was all over, I headed home with the anticipation of two things. Lighting a fire and retrieving a bottle of Sherry out of the cellar. I did both! Which leads me to this entry...Sherry. What is it and my review of the Sherry I opened. Let's talk Sherry!

Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez (Jerez de la Frontera), Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez.
In Europe, "Sherry" is a protected designation of origin; in Spanish law, all wine labeled as "sherry" must legally come from the Sherry Triangle, which is an area in the province of Cádiz between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. (See map)
After fermentation is complete, sherry is fortified with brandy. (Somewhat like Port)Because the fortification takes place after fermentation, most sherries are initially dry, with any sweetness being added later.
Sherry is produced in a variety of styles, ranging from dry, light versions such as finos to darker and heavier versions known as olorosos, all made from the Palomino grape.

Jerez has been a centre of viniculture since wine-making was introduced to Spain by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC. The practice was carried on by the Romans when they took control of Iberia around 200 BC. The Moors conquered the region in AD 711 and introduced distillation, which led to the development of brandy and fortified wine.
Christopher Columbus, brought sherry on his voyage to the New World and when Ferdinand Magellan prepared to sail around the world in 1519, he spent more on sherry than on weapons, my type of guy! Ok... now we talk about styles.
*Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry. The wine is aged in barrels under a cap of flor yeast to prevent contact with the air.
*Manzanilla is an especially light variety of fino Sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.
*Manzanilla Pasada is a Manzanilla that has undergone extended aging or has been partially oxidised, giving a richer, nuttier flavour.
*Amontillado is a variety of Sherry that is first aged under flor but which is then exposed to oxygen, producing a sherry that is darker than a fino but lighter than an oloroso. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened.
*Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20%, olorosos are the most alcoholic sherries in the bottle. Again naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions (Amoroso).
*Palo Cortado is a variety of Sherry that is initially aged like an amontillado, typically for three or four years, but which subsequently develops a character closer to an oloroso. This either happens by accident when the flor dies, or commonly the flor is killed by fortification or filtration.
*Jerez Dulce (Sweet Sherries) are made either by fermenting dried Pedro Ximénez (PX) or Moscatel grapes, which produces an intensely sweet dark brown or black wine, or by blending sweeter wines or grape must with a drier variety.
*Cream Sherry is a common type of sweet sherry made by blending different wines, such as oloroso sweetened with PX.
Wow... all that, now just drink it!
My entry today is Pedro Romero Amontillado Sherry, available at Binny's for around $10 a bottle. Buy it, on those cold nights, have a glass with a nice fire, a good book and your honey sittin close to you!
You will find this wine to be Medium-bodied and off-dry, with caramel, roasted walnut and nut flavors. Builds nicely on the palate to a long, caramel-tinged aftertaste with a smooth finish.

Cheers!
J

Liberty School Cabernet

Hello Wine Lovers!

Lets get right down to it... this is a great value from Paso Robles California. Priced at $8.99 a bottle at The Wine Discount Center and at Binny's, you don't want to miss this one! Liberty School is part of the Hope Family of wines. The Hope family arrived in Paso Robles in 1978 and planted vineyards, as one of the pioneering families of this distinctive wine community, the Hope family is dedicated to sustainable farming and making wines that are delicious, affordable and memorable. Still family-owned and operated, Hope Family Wines now makes five individual brands: Liberty School, Treana, Candor, Troublemaker and Austin Hope. The 2009 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon offers up-front aromas of ripe red fruit, followed by rich berry flavors. Silky but firm tannins lead to excellent structure, while maintaining a soft approachability reflective of Paso Robles Cabernet. The wine has a ripe finish with good length and is much more sophisticated than it's modest price! Impress your friends, pour them a glass of this little number and watch their face light up! I found it to be a nice match to Barefoot Contessa's recipe for Beef Bourguignon that I made on Sunday. Open a bottle and start cooking!
Cheers!
J

1 3-pound filet of beef, trimmed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons good olive oil
1/4 pound bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups good dry red wine, such as Burgundy or Chianti
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled
8 to 10 carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick (domestic or wild)


Look Inside

With a sharp knife, cut the filet crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Salt and pepper the filets on both sides. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan on medium-high heat, sauté the slices of beef in batches with 2 to 3 tablespoons oil until browned on the outside and very rare inside, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the filets from the pan and set aside on a platter.

In the same pan, sauté the bacon on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until browned and crisp. Remove the bacon and set it aside. Drain all the fat, except 2 tablespoons, from the pan. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

Deglaze the pan with the red wine and cook on high heat for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the beef stock, tomato paste, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil and cook uncovered on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return it to the pan. Add the onions and carrots and simmer uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and the vegetables are cooked.

With a fork mash 2 tablespoons butter and the flour into a paste and whisk it gently into the sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken.

Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms separately in 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon oil for about 10 minutes, until browned and tender.

Add the filet of beef slices, the mushrooms, and the bacon to the pan with the vegetables and sauce. Cover and reheat gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Season to taste and serve immediately.

Finca el Origen, Malbec

Hello Wine Lovers!
I thought today I would fill you full of fun little wine facts and review a great Malbec from Argentina! I'll make this light and fun! You know, fun little facts you can wow your friends with!
Let's talk wine first. Finca el Origen 2010 Malbec. This wine is packed with plum, cherry and blueberry with a little oak and herbal tea thrown in for good measure. This wine is smooth with a somewhat complex finish. (Certainly for the $) This little baby will set you back a whopping $8.99 at your neighborhood Wind Discount Center. Get in your car, drive to the shop, tell the person to load as much as you can fit into your trunk and put in your basement. There, you're all set for winter!
Now fun facts!
It takes approximately 21/2 pounds of grapes to make a bottle of wine.
Approximately 800 gallons of wine is produce from 1 acre of vines.
There are over 10,000 different grape varieties.
California produces over 17 million gallons of wine each year.
There are 85 calories in a 4 oz glass of red wine.
There are 60 gallons of wine to a barrel.
There is approximately 400 vines to an acre.
Wine making can be traced back to 6000 BC, by the Mesopotamians.
Screw caps seal 93% of wines from New Zealand and 75% of Australian wines.
90% of all wines should be consumed within 1 year.
Yellow Tail is the number 1 selling imported wine in the US.
The term bouquet refers to the total scent of the wine. Aroma is the scent of the grapes. When wine tasters want to describe the bouquet and the aroma together, they use the term nose.
In 2008, the top five wine-producing states in the U.S. were California (3.4 million tons of grapes crushed for wine), Washington (145,000 tons), New York (45,000 tons), Oregon (40,000 tons), and Pennsylvania (13,200 tons).
California grows more Chardonnay grapes than anywhere in the world!
Chardonnay is the number 1 selling wine in the US.
Wine has no fat or cholesterol (otherwise I would be one fat son-of-a gun!)

That should keep you busy for a while. Go impress your friends!
Cheers!
J