X and Z! Where's the Y?

I only have 2 letters left, "X" and "Z" as there aren't any grapes on my list that begin with the letter "Y". I wonder "why"? I'm too close to the finish to worry about "Y" grapes..perhaps on my next 100.

Xarel-Lo is a white grape variety blended with Macabeo and Parellada in the Spanish sparkling wine Cava. For this wine, I shared a bottle of 2008 Cava Mistinguett with my wine buddies, Steve and Virginia. Great wine and even greater friends~

Now for end of this adventure, two "Z" grapes, Zinfandel and Zweigelt. The red grape Zinfandel produces some very powerful red wines with high levels of alcohol. Zinfandel is also called Primitivo in the Italian "heel" region. The wine that I explored this grape in was a bottle of Ridge Zinfandel Pagani Ranch 2006 from Sonoma. This was an earthy, spicy blend of 88% Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah and 2% Carignan. This yummy bottle of wine was shared over a delicous dinner with my friends, Julie and Hal. Waiting for the next invite~

My final 100th grape was Zweigelt, ( also known as Rotburger) the most popular red grape variety in Austria. The wine which featured this grape was a 2008 Berger Zweigelt, a dry, red table wine with a bottle cap. The wine had a distinct aroma and a taste of dark cherries, rasberries and some spice. Definitely not my favorite nor the worst wine that I have sipped.
Just an end to a very interesting and tasty project!

Uva di Troia, Verdicchio, Vermentino and Viognier

I now have 7 grapes left to complete my project of sipping 100 grapes from A-Z ! Only one "U" grape, Uva di Troia, a red Italian grape. Finding a wine with this grape was challenging however when I was visiting my son Rob and his family in Los Angeles we decided to tackle the challenge. We found a bottle of 100% Uva di Troia, 2007 Torre Quarto Bottaccia from the Puglia region of Italy. It smelled like a $15.00 bottle of Kool-Aid full of aromas of plum and cherry.

The "V" grapes were much easier to find. A bottle of Falesco Verdicchio-Vermentino Vitiano 2007 is a dry, medium body, tropical fruity white wine with the grapes Verdicchio and Vermentino. Not my favorite wine however I was able to mark off 2 grapes from my list~

My final "V" grape was one of my favorites, Viognier. This white grape was highlighted in an incredibly delightful bottle of 2009 Domaine de Couron, a Cotes du Rhone white wine that I purchased at Corner Wines in Plano owned by my cute friends Linda and Jim. Viognier has a distinctive perfumy aroma with rich, intense tropical fruit flavors. An excellent wine!

Tannat, Tinta Barroca, Torrontes and Trebbiano

It's amazing sipping through the alphabet how many grapes begin with the letter "T". Even though I only explored 4, I am anxious to return to my list and try the other 7. The four "T" grapes that I chose to taste were two reds and two whites. I tried a bottle of Don Rodolfo Vina Costas Tannat 2007 from Argentina with the highly tannic black-berried red grape Tannat.


The second red grape on my sipping list was Tinta Barroca in a bottle of Mural Douro Red Wine 2004 that I found at Central Market. The wine was a blend of 45% Tinta Roriz, 30% Touoriga Fanca grape and 25% Tinta Barroca, all Portugese red grapes.

Torrontes, a white wine grape that has been described by Eric Asimov of the New York Times,
"Torrontes has been touted as the hottest thing to arrive from Argentina since the tango", a fruity, floral and highly aromatic wine. I enjoyed this grape in a bottle of Crios de Susana Balboa 2009 Torrontes.

My final white wine was La Vielle Ferme 2008 Cotes Du Luberon Blanc with the white grape Trebbiano. The grape is called Trebbiano in both Argentina and Italy, Ugni Blanc in France, White Hermitage in Australia and Thalia in both Bulgaria and Portugal.

Now that I have finished the "T" grapes I only have the "U", "V", "W", "X", and "Z" left to taste!

Sipping S's

Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are just some of the grape varietals on my "S" list. Sangiovese (san-joh-VAU-zeh)is a red grape and both Sauvignon Blanc (SOH-vihn-BLAN) and Semillon (say-mee-YOHN) are white grapes. Sangiovese is one of the top red grapes in Italy and a great way to explore this grape is in a bottle of Querciavalle Chianti Classico 2005.

Leslie Scrocco in her book, Wine for Women, humorously describes the Sauvignon Blanc grape... "It seems appropriate that Sauvignon Blanc tastes a little untamed since it takes its name from the French word for "savage". Naturally high levels of acidity are responsible for Sauvignon's sassiness and delicious fruit flavors for its friendliness, but its personality is multifaceted". A bottle of Chateau de Parenchere Bourdeaux Blanc Sec 2009, is a tasty way to enjoy both the "sassy" grape Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, which often tempers the grassiness of Sauvignon Blanc.

Rock'n R's

My next 3 grape varietals were Riesling, Rondinella and Roussanne. I love this Riesling description from the book, Wine for Dummies.

"Riesling wines are as unpopular today as Chardonnay is popular. Maybe that's because Riesling is the antithesis of Chardonnay. While Chardonnay is usually gussied up with oak, Riesling never is; while Chardonnay can be full bodied and rich, Riesling is more often light bodies and refreshing. Riesling's fresh vivid personality can make many Chardonnays taste clumsy in comparison. The common perception of Riesling wines is that they are sweet, and many of them are-but plenty of them aren't. Rieslings can be vinified either way, according to the style of wine a producer wants to make."

A great wine to taste the Riesling grape is in a bottle of Dr. Loosen Riesling from the Mosel Valley of Germany.

The second "R" grape is Rondinella. Sounds like it is something out of a Beach Boys song~ I explored this grape in a 2007 Fabiano Valipolicella. ( see the Corvina blog below). This Italian red grape is blended with the grapes Corvina and Molinara. This light bodied wine with a hint of tart cherries was a great pairing with rigatoni pasta tossed with roasted asparagus, cherry tomatoes, shallots and mushrooms.

The final "R" grape in my tastings is Roussanne,( roo-SAHN) a white grape grown mainly in France's northern part of the Rhone region. Sipping a bottle of 2008 La Vieille Ferme, a blend of Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc and Roussanne grapes was a great way to cross off 4 of my grapes.

Petite Arvine, Petit Manseng, Piedrosso, Pinot Blanc and Pinto Noir

I love exploring the "P" grapes and have discovered some incredible wines! "Petite and Petit" are French words for "little" but there is nothing little about the two wines that I tasted with the white grapes Petite Arvine and Petit Manseng. The first wine that featured the Petite Arvine grape was a 2006 Les Criles Vale d'Aoste that I found at the La Case Sena wine shop in Sante Fe, New Mexico. This wine with its light, cream body and flavors of apples and peaches was a wonderful addition to my entree of grilled salmon. The wine shop was a great find next to the La Casa Sena Restaurant. (http://www.lacasasena.com) Now to see if I can find this wine in Dallas as I definitely would like a couple of bottles and might share one or two!

The second petit "little" grape was Petite Manseng, a white grape variety from the southwest French region of Jurancon and the wine that I explored this grape was a bottle of 1997 Domaine Capdevielle Noblesse d 'Automne . Wow! This sweet wine with aromas of honey, peach, caramel and candied fruit was a magical dessert!

I tasted the grape, Piedrosso in a bottle of Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Mastroberarndino 2008. "Lacryma Christi" can be translated as the 'tear of Christ'. These grapes are grown on the volcanic, ashy, rich soil around Mt. Vesuvius. "The name Lacryma Christi comes from an old myth that Christ, crying over Lucifer's fall from heaven, cried his tears on the land and gave divine inspiration to the vines that grew there." (Wikipedia). This big, bold red wine is definitely not a sipping wine however I may try it this winter with nice plate of lasagna.

Pinot Blanc was my next "P" grape. This white grape makes some dynamite wines in the Alsace region of France. Where can you experience these grapes? Try a bottle of Barth Rene Pinot Blanc Vignoble de Bennwihr 2008 from Alsace. With high acidity, flavors of apples and spice, this well balanced wine was an incredibly delicious pairing with hatch chili crab cakes from Central Market. Fabuloso!

My final "P" grape was the red grape Pinot Noir. I had the great pleasure of tasting this grape in a bottle of Lynmar Estate Pinot Noir 2006. Unbelievable! This wine can be enjoyed by itself or paired with a bowl of homemade French onion soup topped with gruyere cheese and brie cheese spread on a baguette. Bon Appetite!

Melon de Bourgogne and Muller Thurgau

Two white grapes, Melon de Bourgogne and Muller Thurgau round out my "M" grapes. Melon de Bourgogne (meh-lohn du boor-GAWN-yuh) ( I love saying this grape) is widely planted in the Pays Nantais region of France's Loire Valley where it is also known as Muscadet. I sipped this grape in a bottle of Chateau l'Oiselinere de la Ramee 2009 which I found at La Cave in Dallas. Its creamy, soft flavors with a hint of citrus made this the perfect picnic wine for an evening of jazz in the park.

Muller Thurgau (MEW-luhr TOOR-gow) is one of the most widely cultivated grapes in Germany and also enjoys popularity in Austria, Switzerland, England, New Zealand and the northern mountain regions of Italy. I enjoyed the grape in a bottle of Ritratti Muller Thurgau 2007 that I found at Central Market. The wine had a light minerality with notes of apples and lemons and is another great patio wine.

Half Way Through the Alphabet!

I am half way through my A-Z sipping journey with the grapes Lagrein, Malbec, Merlot, Montepulciano and Nebbiolo. Lagrein (lah-GRAYN) is a popular red grape of the Trentino-Alto Adige region of Italy. A bottle of 2007 La Vis Dipinti Lagrein Trentino with its spicy, intense dark berry fruit flavors and medium body, paired well with an arugula, ricotta, smoked mozzarella pizza, a very tasty recipe from one of my favorite Food Network chefs, Giada.

My next wine, Trivento Amado Sur Malbec, featured the red grape Malbec (mahl-BEHK). This grape is widely grown in France, Argentina, Chile, Australia and the United States. In France, Malbec is often blended with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tannat. The wine that I tasted was from Argentina and offered a nice balance of dark berry fruit and tannins. It was a great pairing with lettuce wraps and tuna wontons.

I love a Merlot! My daughter Meredith brought me a delicious bottle of King Family Vineyard Monticello Merlot 2007 from one of her visits to Charlottesville, Virginia. The red grape, Merlot (mehr-LOH) produces wines with a deep garnet color, full body and low tannins. This wine was a Double Gold Medal Monticello Cup 2010 winner. Thomas Jefferson would be proud!

Montepulciano (mohn-teh-pool-CHAH-noh) is a red grape variety grown throughout Italy. The wines produced with this grape have moderate acidity with a deep color and peppery, blackberry notes. I tasted this grape in a bottle of Masciarelli Montepulciano d'Abruzzo over a plate of Three-Cheese Lasagna. Delish!

Have you ever thought about what wines you would like to have if you were on a deserted island? Well, I have now started this list and have added a bottle of Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo 2008 to the top of it. This red wine made with the Nebbiolo (neh-b'YOH-loh) grape had a very appealing personality with great texture and structure, full flavored and beautiful berry aromas. Does a wine have personality? Try this wine and let me know if you agree that it comes alive on your palate!

Spanish Sparkling!

Sparkling wine produced in designated areas of northern Spain is called Cava. The grapes used in Cava most often are Macabeo (mah-kah-BEH-oh), Parellada (par-eh-LYAH-duh) and Xarel-lo (sah-REHL-lo). I had the pleasure of sharing a bottle of 2008 Mistinguett Cava with my friends Steve and Virginia as we were discussing their upcoming trip to Spain to visit the winery owned by the Domenech family of Catalonia and to meet the oldest son and winemaker, Oriol. This Cava is a blend of 30% Macabeo, 30% Parellada and 40% Xarel-lo. With aromas of apples and apricots and a balanced acidity, it truly was a delightful Spanish sparkling experience! And the best part of discovering Mistinguett is that it's a great value...under $15.00! You can find it in Dallas at Cork Wine Bar ( West Village), Majestic Liquor stores, Mercy Wine Bar and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. With the holidays approaching, this sparkling would be a great addition to any party or just celebrating life!

Inzolia, Len de L'el and Loureiro

More white wines with grapes that are challenging to pronounce but fun to sip. Inzolia is a white grape native to Sicily and blended with Chardonnay makes a wonderful, delicious white wine! I explored this grape in another wine from Jimmy's market, Cusumano Angimbe 2007. This full bodied wine with its beautiful honey color and aromas of peaches and nectarines has now been added to my "favorite summer sipping wines" list.
Another fun summer wine was the Loin de L'Oeil 2008 Gaillac that featured the Len de L'el grape. This wine was recommended to me by Francois at La Cave here in Dallas. This light, slightly effervescent, white wine with a hit of lemon was a hit when I served it with a lemon basil pasta. Unbelievable!! Thank you Francois for introducing me to another lesser known grape but fabulous wine!
Loureiro (loh-RAY-roo) is a popular white grape variety in northern Portugal. The estate Quinta da Aveleda in Portugal produces a very nice Vinho Verde wine with the Loureiro grape. This light bodied wine had touches of citrus especially lime, very nice texture with just a hint of fizz. Another great outdoor wine.

Kerner

Kerner ( KEHR-nuhr) is a white grape that is often grown in Germany and Northern Italy and was developed in the 1960's as a cross between the red grape, Trollinger and the white grape, Riesling. I explored this grape in a bottle of Kerner Stiftskellerei Neustift 2005 from the Abbazia Di Novacella winery of the Alto Adige region of Italy. What's really fun about this winery is that it was founded in 1142 by the Augustinian order of monks, who are still running it today. This pale, gold wine with an aroma of mangos and great structure moved up to #1 on my list of favorites. Served with a shrimp couscous salad, it was another home run!

"G" Grapes and their White Wines

As I moved into the "G" grapes, I was amazed at how many white wines are made from these grapes, Garganega, Gewurztraminer, Godello, Grechetto, Greco, Grenache Blanc, and Gruner Veltliner. Wines from Italy, France and Austria made up my "sipping" list. The Italian grape Garganega (gahr-gah-NEH-gah) was found in a bottle of Soave Classico Vigna Dello Stefano 2009 from the Veneto region of N.E. Italy. Light, delicious with a hint of almonds....I loved it by itself or with a summer salad. My second "G" grape, Gewurztraminer (guh-VURTS-trah-mee-ner) was found in a 2007 Alsatian Hugel Gewurztraminer. It was one of the more expensive bottles of wine at $30.00 but definitely well worth it. The Hugel family from the Alsace region of France has been producing wine for 12 generations. I explored this grape with my wine sipping buddy, Melanie at Dallas's Thai-riffic Restaurant over steamed Thai dumplings, Pad Kee Mow and a dish of Panang, a red curry. A great wine and food pairing! Moving on to the next grape, Godello which I found in a Castelo do Papa 2005 from the Valdeorras region of Spain. Tropical aroma, herb notes and a well balanced acidity made this another easy summer sipping wine. Two more Italian wines from Jimmy's included the grapes Grechetto (gre-KEH-toh) and Greco (GREH-koh). The wines were a $14.99 Sportoletti Assisi Grechetto 2006 and Greco di Tufo Tenute di Altavilla at $19.99. Both wines were more minerally in flavor than fruity. The Grenache Blanc (gruh-NAHSH blahn) grape was found in a bottle of La Vielle Ferme 2008 from the Rhone Valley of France. Another light wine that was perfect with a cold chicken salad. My final "G" grape was the Gruner Veltliner (GROO-ner FELT-lih-ner) in a bottle of Wolfgang Concerto 2005 from the Burgenland region of Austria. It was challenging getting past the metallic aroma and I found the wine not in balance as the acidity was very pronounced. Overall, the hot Dallas summer evenings were definitely cooled down with some of these delightful white wines.

Exploring the World of White "F" Grapes

My next group of grape varieties were all white grapes that began with the letter "F"....Falanghina, Fiano, Folle Blanc , Friulano and Furmint. I tasted the Falanghina(FA-lan-GHEE-nah) grape in a 2008 Terredora Dipaolo from Jimmy's Italian market http://www.jimmysfoodstore.com/. A really nice summer wine with flavors of citrus fruits and a hint of minerals and a great bargain at only $16.99.

Next was another Italian grape Fiano (fee-AH-no). This medium bodied wine, Cantele Alticelli Fiano 2007 was pretty heavy on the grassy and herbal notes, almost like a really overpowering Sauvignon Blanc.

Moving on to the Folle Blanc grape. I found this grape at the Highland Park cheese store, Molto Formaggio (http://www.moltoformaggio.com) in a 2008 Berroia Bizkaiko Txakolina from Spain. It was a blend of 90% Hondarrabi Zuri, 6% Folle Blanc and 4% Riesling. I may not be able to pronounce the wine, but I can certainly recommend it! Fresh and crip with more mineral aromas and flavors than fruit. A great "sipping by the pool" wine on a hot Texas day.

Friulano, a popular grape from the northern Italian region of Friuli was another wonderful discovery...very aromatic! The wine, di Lenardo Vineyards TOH da uve Friulano 2008 had more notes of fruit (pears) than the others which when I paired it with a homeade gazpacho....home run! The fruitness in the wine balanced with the acidity of the tomatoes in the gazpacho.

Finally we come to the Hungarian grape variety Furmint (FOOR-mint). This grape made up 70% of a 2005 Kiralyudvar Tokaji dry white Hungarian wine. The other grape in the blend was a Harsleveli. I served it with a butternut squash risotto and was very pleased with the combination. Who would have thought that there were so many great, off-beat, random "F" wines!

Piedmont Grapes... Dolcetto and Erbaluce

What I love about this challenge is discovering hard to pronounce grape varieties AND having fun while tasting them! My next two grapes are from the Piedmont region in northwestern Italy, the red Dolcetto (dohl-CHEHT-oh) and the white grape variety Erbaluche (erh-bah-LOO-chay).

I explored the Dolcetto in a 2007 L'Ardi Dolcetto d' Acqui which was made up of 100% of the Dolcetto grapes. A light bodied wine with an aroma of ripe cherries; the name Dolcetto translates to "little sweet one" although these wines are usually dry. It's a fun sipping wine or wonderfully paired with a yummy pizza~

Have you ever had an "Erbaluce Experience"? Mine began with just a few sips of a 2007 La Torrazza Erbaluce Di Caluso. What a discovery! This light bodied wine filled my wine glass with wonderful fragrances of pears, lemons, apples, rosemary and sage. The name Erbaluce comes from two Italian words, erba means "herb" and luce means "light". Served with a shrimp pasta dish, it was a definite flavorful wine experience~ Now see if you can say Erbaluce three times in row.. Erbaluce, Erbaluce, Erbaluce! Sounds like an Italian cheer at one of the World Soccer Cup matches~

Clairette

Clairette, a French white grape variety is one of the 13 grapes permitted by the French government for use in red Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines and in white Cotes du Rhone wines.

Looking for this grape led me to La Cave Warehouse where my friend Gabe recommended a 2008 Coteaux-Du-Tricastin from Southern Rhone. The wine is a blend of these grape varieties, Marsanne, Grenache, Bourboulenc and Clairette. It had a delightful aroma of apricots and peaches and was so alive on the palate! A definite keeper~ I served it with cheese ravioli over a bed of sauteed spinach, garlic and topped with grated parmesan cheese. Magnifique!

Colombard, Cortese and Corvina

What a treat to discover during a tasting at the Dallas Food and Wine Festival, two of the white grape varieties on my A-Z list. Colombard, a white grape often used in France for distilling into Cognac and Ugni-Blanc also know as Trebbiano, another French white grape variety. Ugni-Blanc can also be found in many Italian white wines. These grapes were blended in a very delightful white wine which was a silver medal winner, Domaine Du Tariquet, Vin de Pays des Cotes de Gascogne 2009. A 3rd generation family winery produced this light, lemony, acidic and very easy to drink wine and it's only $8.99!

The next grape variety on my list is Cortese, a white grape from the Piedmont region of Italy. Of course, when I need to find an Italian wine, I turn to Jimmy's Italian market. The white wine with the Cortese grape, Michele Chiarlo 2008 Gavi was light, fruity and would make a fabulous summer wine and did I love its aroma of fresh peaches! The best way to serve it is chilled and for dinner I paired it with bowtie pasta tossed in a creamy basil pesto and for dessert....peach pound cake! My oh My!

Next is the Corvina grape, an Italian red grape variety blended with two other red grapes, Rondinella and Molinara in a 2007 Fabiano Valpolicella. This light bodied wine with a hint of tart cherries was a good pairing with rigatoni pasta tossed with roasted asparagus, cherry tomatoes, shallots and mushrooms. I discovered this wine at a hidden treasure in Dallas called La Cave Warehouse. (http://www.lacavewarehouse.com/) What a find! I am so impressed with their wine selections, temperature control and Gabe.... who is extremely knowledgeable on wines with great customer service. Every time I enter La Cave, I feel that I am taking a trip around the world in first class.

Cinsault

Cinsault (San-soh) is a red grape variety that is widely planted in France. In the southern Rhone area of France, it is often found as a blend with Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre. I explored this grape in a very affordable bottle of Réserve Perrin 2007 Côtes du Rhône which was a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 10% Cinsault. This very flavorful, smooth, full bodied wine with its peppery, dark cherry notes was an excellent pairing with a creamy mac n' cheese. Yum!

Chenin Blanc-a Noble Grape

"Bees have their queens, wolves have their alpha males, gorillas have their silverbacks, and humans have their royal families. In the grape kingdom, there are nobles, too-at least as interpreted by the human beings who drink the wine made from those grapes. Noble grape varieties (as wine people call them) have the potential to make great-not just good-wine. Every noble grape variety can claim at least one wine region where it is the undisputed king. The wines made from noble grapes on their home turf can be so great that they inspire winemakers in far flung regions to grow the same grape in their own vineyards." (Wine for Dummies) This brings me to my next white grape variety on my list, Chenin Blanc from France's Loire Valley....a classic example of a noble grape. Susanna Griffith at the Walnut Hill Centennial liquor store here in Dallas assisted me with finding a great Chenin Blanc, Domanine de la Taille Aux Loups 2006 Vouvray. This medium bodied wine had a brilliant gold color with a fabulous almond, honey, apricot aroma. Need I say again, how much I love inhaling an aromatic wine! The wine was ideal with Central Market's crab cakes and fresh green beans with toasted almonds. I love Leslie Sbrocco's comment about a Vouvray Chenin Blanc wine in her book Wine for Women, "...it's apt to tingle your taste buds". What an evening for my senses!

Chardonnay-the Lynmar Way!

I couldn't wait to get to the Chardonnay grape so I could share with you my fascination for a very special winery in California. A couple of years ago I discovered Lynmar Estates, Quail Hill Vineyards in the Laguna Ridge area of Russian River Valley in Sonoma County. My darling friend, Allison and I were "touring" the wine country and accidently discovered Lynmar. Last weekend, while I was attending the Women For WineSense Grand Event in Napa, I had the opportunity to visit Lynmar with Virginia, one of the 20 women from Dallas attending the weekend's events. I could blog for hours on Lynmar and its incredible views and culinary and sensory gardens, but this blog is about the grape....the Chardonnay grape. According to Leslie Sbrocco in Wine for Women, " it's the number-one-selling white in America, and 'I'll have the Chardonnay' has become a national motto. It takes on the character and complexity depending upon where the grapes are grown and who turns them into wine. With an estimated 700 different Chardonnay bottlings on store shelves at any given time." Now, for Lynmar's Chardonnay! I sipped a glass of a 2007 Lynmar Quail Hill Vineyard Chardonnay, a beautifully balanced wine with hints of lemon curd, lemon meringue and green apple. Did I mention that their wines have been served at the White House? Do you remember at the beginning of my blog journey when I referred to Tyler Coleman's definition of "context"? "Context is wildly underrated when it comes to enjoying wine. Where we are, whom we're with, what time of year it is, what we are eating, when in the wine's life-and ours-we are drinking it, and even how we are drinking in all influences our perception of wine." At Lynmar, I enjoyed a delicious glass of chardonnay surrounded by breathtaking views of the vineyards and gardens and laughter with new found friends. Anyone ready to return to Lynmar with me?

Charbono

I was pleasantly surprised when my son sent me a bottle of Mount St. Helena Heritage Sites 2005 Red Wine from the California Gamble Family Vineyards. The wine was a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Charbano, and Petite Sirah grapes. Charbano (shar-BOH-noh) is a red grape grown in Napa Valley and Mendicino County. I shared a glass with Meredith and she commented " after one sniff of the wine, all of the stress of the week is gone!" Words that come to mind...plush velvet, plummy fruit, soft, friendly tannins. A wine that caresses your senses~

Dinner at Julie's

One of my favorite dining spots is at my dear friend Julie's home. Not only is she an incredible cook but great wine and colorful conversations always flow. I never pass up an invitation to her house! She is always so good at last minute get-togethers and one particular night she called and invited me to join her for an evening of wine and cannelloni. I was out the door before we could hang up the phone! Julie, Hal and I began the evening by sipping a 2007 Chateau Millegrand Mourral while munching on a very tasty Coastal English white cheddar cheese. This delightful wine is a blend of 3 grapes that are handpicked from 60 year old vines in the Minervois appellation of France; 20% Grenache, 40% Carignan and 40% Syrah. I loved its aromas of dark ripe fruits, spices, herbs and a hint of licorice.

Over dinner we enjoyed a bottle of an Italian 2007 Antica Vigna which is a blend of these grapes: 50% Negroamaro, 30% Lambrusco and 20% Anglianico. The deep flavors of the wine are a result of the age of the vines -50 years (I try to remind myself that aging can be a good thing). This richly flavored wine was the "ticket" when served with Julie's sister-in-law's mouthwatering cannelloni recipe and a green salad tossed with Girard Champagne dressing. I can't begin to describe the magic of these food and wine combinations and then to top it off, Julie served a lemon cheese cake with raspberries. Can it get any better? What a delicious evening-did I mention that Julie wore a red hair piece? Stay tuned for more "richly flavored" evenings!

Canaiolo

So far the "C" grapes in this journey have been blends in some really delicious red wines. The next "C" grape, Canaiolo (kah-nah-YAW-loh) is an Italian red grape found in the Italian regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Latium, Marche and Emila-Romagna. Its official name is Canaiolo Nero. It's traditionally part of the blend of Chianti but less than 10%. The wine that I chose to explore this grape was a bottle of Querciavalle Chianti Classico 2005 that I found at Jimmy's. I served the wine to Meredith and my niece, Devon with a large platter of Mama's meatballs (from Jimmy's), pasta and an Italian cream cake. Heaven!! The wine had such a beautiful floral aroma, that both Meredith and Devon commented that it would make a great perfume. It was light, fruity and very refreshing. We even paired it with two different cheeses, a blue cheese and Drunken Goat (both from Whole Foods Market). The blue cheese overpowered the wine and the wine brought out the flavors of the drunken goat. We were amazed at how much the wine enhanced the oregano spice in the meatballs and was the perfect match to the Italian cream cake. Since we all agreed that this wine was a keeper, I ran back to Jimmy's to pick up a bottle for Devon's birthday.

Three C's

Cabernet Franc (KA-behr-nay FRAHN), Cabernet Sauvignon (KA-behr-nay soh-vihn-YOHN), and Carmenere ( car-men-EHR) are 3 of 4 grapes that make up this spectacular bottle of wine from Colchagua Valley in Chile. I found this bottle of wine while I was visiting my friends, Linda and Jim's wine store, Corner Wines in Plano. Estampa Gold 2007 is a blend of 60% Carmenere, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot. The rich jeweled color of the wine, heavenly aroma and smooth and balanced flavors have moved this wine up to the top of my "keeper" list. My daughter Meredith and I decided to enjoy this wine with a plate of olives and two delicious cheeses, Manchego El Trigal (sheep's milk) and Seaside Cheddar (cow's milk). Wow! Corner Wines is closed for the evening but I can't wait to call Linda tomorrow and "brag" on her great selections of wines and of course to ask her to put back a couple of bottles of Estampa for me~

Bonarda and Bourboulenc

Another trip to Jimmy's ( http://www.jimmysfoodstore.com/) and with the assistance of Alfonso, I purchased a bottle of Marchese Adorno Oltreò Pavese Bonarda with the grape Bonarda. This Italian red wine had an aroma of dark cherries, was slightly effervescent and reminded my niece, Devon of bubbly cherry Robitussin poprocks. Devon and Meredith, who joined me in tasting the wine, both agreed with the description on the back of the label-"Vigorous Personality"!

The next grape variety in our tasting was Bourboulenc (boor-boo-LAHNK), an important white grape of Côtes du Rhône, France. We explored this grape in a 2008 La Vieille Ferme white wine that is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Ugni Blanc and Roussanne grapes. I was pleasantly surprised at the great value of this light, fruity and "easy to drink" wine, less than $8.00. Dinner was a hit as I paired the wine with a whole chicken, fresh herbs and vegetables baked in a Romertopf clay pot. How wonderful to be able to taste one wine and cross off 4 grape varieties from my A-Z list.

Blaufränkisch

Blaufränkisch (blouw-FRAHN-keesh) is a red grape variety grown throughout Austria, Germany and Central Europe. In Germany it is known as Blauer Limberger, in Hungary it is called Kékfrankos, in Slovakia and Croatia it is known as Frankovka and it is called Game in Bulgaria. I explored this grape in a bottle of 2006 Prieler Blaufränkisch Johannishohe from Burgenland, Austria. Since this was one of the many grapes that had not crossed my radar, I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed the wine especially when served with a cheesy vegetable lasagna with loads of mushrooms, spinach and eggplant while watching Sawyer fight the Black Smoke Monster on "Lost". Now, any suggestions on what wine to sip while watching Jack and Renee on "24"?

Bacchus, Baga and Barbera

I decided to involve my sisters, brother-in-laws, parents and daughter in a wine tasting Saturday evening when we explored 3 different grapes in the next letter of the A-Z project. How appropriate that the first grape on my "B" list was named for the Roman god of wine, Bacchus (BAK-uhs). This white grape variety is native to Germany but is also grown in western Canada and the United Kingdom. The wine that we tasted with this grape was a Peter Brum 2008 Bacchus from the Rheinhessen region of Germany in a beautiful, slender, tall, red bottle. I was fascinated with the wine before I even tasted it~ Did I expect a genie in the bottle or the Roman god of wine? The wine was actually quite tasty with its fruity and floral aspects and I have already decided to add this to my list of summer sipping wines.

The second "B" grape that we tasted was the Portuguese grape, Baga (BAH-guh) in a bottle of Mateus Rosé. Mateus Rosé is an inexpensive, semi-sparkling wine in a green bottle shaped like a flask. "Mateus Rosé was launched in 1942 and introduced to the UK in the early 1950s where, together with Black Tower and Blue Nun, it helped introduce wine as a mass-market drink." (guardian.co.uk) Now I remember this green bottle from my early college days and quite honestly... it hasn't changed. This pink wine still has little aroma and little flavor but great memories of the green bottle.

The 3rd grape in our "B" marathon wine tasting evening was the Italian grape Barbera. We tasted this red grape in a bottle of 2007 Michele Chiarlo Barbera D'Asti from the Italian town of Asti in the Piedmont region of Italy. The consensus of the group was that the wine had a very nice fruity aroma of plums and strawberries. Dad, who is my biggest grape tasting fan, picked up on some "woodsy" notes. We served the wine with parmesan cheese toasts and a platter of pasta and meatballs. Then we indulged in warm Nutella pound cake topped with a scoop of Tin Roof ice cream. I would highly recommend this wine before dinner, with dinner and definitely after dinner with dessert! How I love sharing these "wine moments" with my family!

The Final A

The final "A" grape in my A-Z grape project was Auxerrois (awk-sehr-WAH) from the Alsace region in France and the wine that highlighted this grape was a 2007 Paul Blanck Pinot Auxerrois. The Blanck family has been in the wine business in the Alsace region since the late 16the century. Think they know something about wine?
This wine was light, fruity, good acidity with a delightful aroma of pears, pineapple and baked apples. The best part of this tasting was the pairing with Emeri's Blue Cheese Polenta Cakes with arugula, walnuts and caramelized onions. Amazing flavors and a real culinary triumph for Meredith! (who would have thought that my eldest could successfully tackle this recipe?) The fruitiness in the wine was a great match with the sharp flavor of the blue cheese and enhanced the richness of the caramelized onions and the creaminess of the polenta. Sipping through the A's has been been an adventure discovering grapes that were not part of my wine repertoire but also sharing the experiences with old and new friends. Now on to the B's.

Assyrtiko the Greek

Assyrtiko (ah-SYR-tih-koh) is a white grape grown on the Greek island, Santorini and also grown throughout Greece. I decided to explore this Greek grape while dining again at Charlie's Opa! Grill in Dallas (a wonderful BYOB restaurant). The wine that highlighted this grape was a 2008 Boutari Santorini Assyrtiko which after much research, I finally found at Central Market. The wine was a big hit at the restaurant as I was able to share it with those diners who did not bring their own wine. To enjoy the wine at its optimum, it definitely needs to be served chilled. There is a distinctive mineral taste in the wine due to the volcanic soil on Santorini. The flavors in this mildly acidic light wine paired well with a Horiatiki salad; a plateful of Greek tomatoes, cucumbers, Greek olives, Feta cheese and a creamy dressing. The saltiness of the feta cheese, the tartness of the olives and the lemony flavor of my entree, a Grilled Tilapia Lemonati definitely enhanced this inexpensive Greek wine.

Sparklers!

I love anything that is sparkling...diamonds, crystal chandeliers, clean windows and of course wine! The difference between sparkling wines and other wines is the presence of carbon dioxide (bubbles) in the wine. The sparkling wine that Meredith and I sipped one night was Domaine des Perelles, Cremant de Bourgogne. The French word for "creamy" is Cremant and these sparkling wines "are made with the same method as Champagne but because of slightly less gas pressure in the bottle, the mousse is less fizzy and creamier than Champagne." (Wine for Women by Leslie Sbrocco) By law, 30% of the blend called Cremant de Bourgogne must come from one of these grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and the balance may come from one of the lesser varieties such as Aligote (ah-lee-gaw-tay). In France's Burgundy region, Aligote is the second planted white grape after Chardonnay and it is also planted widely in Eastern Europe especially in Bulgaria and Romania.
What a perfect way to celebrate a Wednesday, "hump day" with a glass of bubbly, lemon and butter broiled shrimp served over warm capellini and watching reruns of NCIS. Even better, the price was only $13.99. Anyone for sipping sparklers?

Dessert in a Glass

Who doesn't love splurging at the end of a meal with dessert especially if it is paired with chocolate! I decided to combine tasting the Italian red grapes, Aleatico ( ah-leh-AH-tee-koh) and Brachetto (brah-KAY-toh) with a yummy chocolate bundt cake and heavenly Ghirardelli chocolate squares. I found the first wine, a 1998 Montevina Aleatico to be a light, fragrant dessert wine and a little too sweet for my palate when sipped alone but much better after indulging in the chocolate bundt cake. By the way, I have just discovered a new store in Dallas, "Nothing Bundt Cakes" http://www.nothingbundtcakes.com/ and unfortunately it's now on my radar! Check out the one at Preston/Royal for "complimentary" bundtinis! The next wine that we explored, Banfi 2007 Rosa Regale Brachetto D'Acqui was a homerun. This light sparkling red wine with its hint of raspberries, cherries and strawberries was the perfect after dinner wine or "dessert in a glass"~

abc (anything but chardonnay)

We've all heard the phrase, "anything but chardonnay" and as I explored the next four white grape varieties, Arinto, Arneis, Bombino Blanco and Catarratto, this definitely rang true.

Once again I convinced Steve and Virginia to assist me with tasting the next couple of grapes on my list. The first wine, a Broadbent Vinho Verde NV from Portugal, is a blend that includes the grape Arinto (aka Pederna). Vinho Verde is the most popular white wine in Portugal. The wine was very clear (almost like water), light (only 9% alcohol) with a hint of lemon and slightly effervescent. We decided to pair this wine with a grilled chicken Caesar salad; compliments of Steve's grilling talents and Virginia's culinary skills. Locating a wine with this grape variety, Arinto was challenging but I found it at the Inwood Village Pogo's Wine & Spirit (http://www.pogoswine.com/) with the assistance of Michael Needleman. I can honestly say that I would probably pass on another bottle of this wine but happy that I was able to share it with good food and much laughter with Steve and Virginia.

The next wine that Steve, Virginia and I sipped was an Italian 2008 Costalupo Illuminati, a blend that includes the Bambino Blanco grape. I discovered this dry, crisp white wine with the help of Alfonso Cevola (http://www.alfonsocevola.com/) at Jimmy's Italian Food and Wine store. ( http://www.jimmysfoodstore.com/. The grilled chicken Caesar salad also paired well with this chilled wine and we agreed that seafood, pasta and even Mediterranean cuisine would compliment the wine also. The wine had hints of citrus and a little pear and Virginia commented that anyone who enjoyed Chardonnay should try this wine. We did discover an undefined finish and as Steve so humorously put it "the finish just went poof"! I may try this wine again but it will be by the swimming pool next summer on one of those hot Dallas afternoons.

The third white grape variety that I tasted was the Italian grape Arneis (ahr-NAYZ) primarily grown in Italy's Piedmont region. The wine, Ceretto Blange' Arneis purchased at Jimmy's for $19.89 was truly delightful! The Thomas sisters, Ann and Jane joined Meredith and me as we sipped this very appealing dry, lightly bubbly white wine with its bouquet of apples and pears. We served it with a yummy Artesian Sea Salt bread from Tom Thumb grocery store, a great bargain at 99cents. The sea salt in the bread and the wine's light fruitiness was a wonderful combination. It was decided that the wine would be a perfect aperitif and/or served with fruit, a creamy cheese or even a brunch omelet. I have been making a list of "keepers" since I began this tasting project, and the Ceretto Blange' Arneis will definitely be added it to my list.

The final "abc" grape variety was a wonderful Sicilian wine, 2008 Regaleali Tasca D'Almerita Bianco that included the grape, Catarratto (kah-tahr-RAHT-toh) in its blend. Catarratto is Italy's most cultivated white variety. Meredith and I were pleasantly surprised to discover this wine with its bright color, mild acidity and hints of honeydew melon, apricots and lemongrass. We served it with broiled shrimp marinated in olive oil and a lemon/garlic spice from Penzeys Spices store. Unbelievably delicious! The lemon flavor in both the wine and the marinated shrimp created a "bomb effect" in your mouth that exploded with flavor! Meredith described this tasting experience as "it's the bomb"! What a fabulous combination~ This wine will be Numero Uno on my "keeper" list.

Two Red Wines

I made a quick trip to Houston this weekend to explore two red grape varieties with my daughter Meredith and my parents, three generations of wine aficionados. The wines we tasted were a 2007 Francis Coppola Alicante Bouschet and a 2006 Tinto da Anfora from Portugal. Both of these wines with the grape varieties Alicante Bouschet and Alfrocheiro proved challenging to locate but Robert Emery at Goody Goody's liquor store in Addison once again came to my rescue. The Coppola Alicante Bouschet was surprisingly good with a medium bodied texture and fruity aromas such as red currants and cherries. Pulled pork sandwiches and roasted vegetables pair well with this wine. "No matter what color their skins, the great majority of wine grapes have clear juice. Very few have red colored juice; the French call these types teinturier, literally "dyers". One of the most famous and widely-planted is a wine grape cross, Alicante Bouschet, created by a French father and son vine breeders." (http://www.winepros.org). Alicate Bouschet was also popular in California during prohibition. The intensely colored wine could be diluted and still taste good.

The second wine that we tasted was the Tinto da Anfora from the Alentejo region of Portugal. It is a blend with 5% Alfrocheiro and these grapes making up the balance: Argonez, Touriga Nacional, Trincaderia, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine was a dark ruby color with a plummy, ripe fruit, rustic, earthy aroma. We discussed Tyler Coleman's definition of the 'arc'. "You need to pay attention and try to capture the entire arc of the wine. The best wines have a beautiful arc. The arc is broken down into three states: the "attack", the midpalate and the finish. Think about plotting this on any X-Y axis and sketching at what point the wine is most intense. Many young wines today are all attack and then fall flat." We all agreed that the Tinto da Anfora definitely fell flat on the finish but we would look forward to opening another bottle of the Alicante Bouschet for our next family tasting.