Pour More

Bouké White (Long Island)

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 | Long Island, New York, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | 2 Comments

I’m not a huge fan of Long Island wines, and I’ll spare you my usual explanation of why. Suffice it to say, generally I think they taste weird and cost too much. That doesn’t mean I don’t try them, though. Last fall I received a sample bottle of Bouké 2007 White Table Wine ($18). (Don’t forget that sassy accent mark over the “e”). Since I was newly pregnant and not drinking, I stuck it in my wine fridge, waiting for early summer.

A couple of weeks ago I made some jerk-spiced chicken and grilled some garlic-scape-infused summer squash with it. (How’s that for fancy sounding?) I thought that this wine, a blend of 40% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Gris, 18% Sauvignon Blanc, and 10% Gewurztraminer, would pair well. While our dinner cooked outside, Drew uncorked the bottle and poured us each a glass. The nose was citrusy with a bit of tropical fruit there, too. Quite promising. I took a sip and gave myself a moment to think about the flavors and it hit me: this wine tasted like lemon-scented Mr. Clean. That sounds a lot worse than it was. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but Drew agreed that there was a vague cleanser taste to the wine and it was a little odd. Not a great start.

Luckily, with a little time and the glass and with the food, the wine was quite enjoyable. The flavor evolved to a nice cleanser-less citrus taste, combined with a little Granny Smith apple and bright acidity. The flavors mellowed even more the next day and it held up well. So all in all, I thought this was a fairly decent wine, though not one I’m sure I’d pay $18 for. Personally, there are other similar whites that I like better. If you’re looking specifically for a Long Island wine, though, this one would not be a bad pick.

Brotherhood Winery Blanc de Blanc

Monday, July 6th, 2009 | Chardonnay, Food & Wine Pairing, Hudson Valley, New York, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | 1 Comment

I don’t know about you, but I love all things bubbly… seltzer, tonic, soda, and of course sparkling wine. Last summer at Bounty of the Hudson we purchased two bottles of this Blanc de Blanc from Brotherhood Winery, located right here in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Blanc de Blanc sparkling wines are made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. The grapes in this bottle are all from the Hudson Valley. We thought it was a great accompaniment to our steamed lobster tails. It’s dry and crisp, but certainly not bone dry. I have to admit that I was wracking my brain for the best way to describe this wine for you. Obviously I’m out of practice and, truthfully, while reading wine blogs as a non-drinker during the last several months, I became painfully aware of how snooty some of the descriptions sound. I suppose there’s really no way around that, but I really will try not to sound too obnoxious.

The nose had a hint of white fruit on it. Drew first mentioned peaches, but then decided it was more like apricots. The wine itself had a vague citrus taste to it, making me think of grapefruit pith (but in a good way. It was very easy drinking and a good choice for a warm summer evening on the deck. (At least we thought so!)

At $10.99, it’s a very affordable option when you want to drink something like champagne, but don’t want to shell out the bucks for the French stuff.

2005 Twisted Oak Verdelho

Monday, June 23rd, 2008 | California, Lodi, Verdelho, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | 2 Comments

Back in December I bought Drew a couple bottles of wine as last-minute Christmas gifts. I was really eager to try a couple of the offerings from Twisted Oak, as well as give WineQ a try. One of the bottles I chose was the 2005 Twisted Oak Verdelho ($15.99) and this weekend we finally got around to opening it. The APV is 13.1% and it was aged in stainless steel for two months. Twisted Oak produced 800 cases of this wine.

When my order arrived, I noticed some chunky white sediment floating around. Now, as someone who drinks plenty of wine I figured that this was nothing of importance, but I have to admit it was a little unsightly and you wouldn’t want to get a mouthful of it. (It’s happened to me before with other wines and though the flavor certainly isn’t affected, it’s just not pleasant to feel the crystals in your mouth). I decided to e-mail the fine folks at WineQ just to be sure. They forwarded my question to Jeff Stai, owner of the winery. His official response made perfect sense, and was pretty much what I figured:

It’s actually not sediment, it is sodium tartrate crystals. If the wine gets cold tartaric acid will start to fall out of solution, forming these crystals. This could have happened through shipping or storage. These are the same crystals you will sometimes find on the bottom of a cork.

Since these crystals are made of stuff you would be drinking they are totally harmless. Just let the shoulder on the bottle catch them while you are pouring.

That was good enough for us, and I have to say that I really appreciated the quick response not only from Marshall Sontag at WineQ, but from Jeff Stai as well. There’s nothing better than good customer service.

To save ourselves a little aggravation and to keep the tartrate crystals from floating around too much, we opted to decant the wine, which worked out perfectly. The wine was a very pretty shade of light yellow and the nose was unbelievable. It smelled of honeydew melon, apricot, and unscented candlewax all wrapped around flinty slate. There was something that evoked honeysuckle, too. I kept sticking my nose in the glass over and over again to breathe it in.

The wine itself had a nice acidity to it and was very balanced. Again we picked up a bit of a rocky flavor along with citrus and kiwi. Drew noted that the wine gave him the sense of chewing on a piece of kiwi skin –the skin strips out the sweetness, but you still taste the fruit. I think that people who enjoy Sauvignon Blanc would certainly enjoy this wine.

We didn’t drink this with a meal, but did have a few snacks along with it. Walnuts seemed to tone down the acidity and paired really well. The cocktail sauce we had with our shrimp, however, was too spicy for this wine and stripped down all the fruit. If we have this again, I’d probably serve it with soft, mild cheeses, fruit, and bread or crackers. It’s delicious on its own.

The 2005 Twisted Oak Verdelho has won several awards including Four Star Gold Award, White Varietals, Orange County Fair; Best of Show, White Varietals, Orange County Fair; and Best of Class, Lodi, California State Fair. The 2005 vintage is still available at WineQ and probably some other fine wine sellers, though  the 2006 is available now as well.

Wine Questions Answered: Part I

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008 | Prosecco, Sauvignon Blanc, Sparkling Wine, White Wine | 2 Comments

You might have noticed that things have been quiet around these parts. It’s not that I haven’t been drinking wine, it’s just that real life has interrupted my blogging mojo. So I decided to seek out help in curing my blogging malaise. I turned to the readers of my personal blog. I invited them to toss out some wine questions and promised to answer them here. The first three questions come from my friend Lisanne.

What is the prettiest bottle of wine that you’ve ever seen/tried/bought? I know that there are lots of cool-looking wine bottles out there.
I admit that I’m a sucker for a good wine label, and it seems that wineries are constantly trying to create a label that will get their bottle noticed on the shelves. Personally, I like classic, understated labels best. The Joseph Carr label is still one of my favorites because of its simplicity:

I also really like the labels for the Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner and for B.R. Cohn wines:

I’m a white-wine lover. What’s the best white wine out there, in your opinion?
Well, I guess that all depends! I don’t think I could pick one white wine in particular as “the best” because styles are so different and while one white might be perfect for quaffing, that wine might not be great with your dinner. But here are a couple of my favorites:

Hayman & Hill Interchange 2006 ($14) - The 2006 is a blend of 47% Chardonnay, 34% Sauvignon Blanc, 7% Muscat Canelli, 5% Malvasia Bianca, 4% Semillon, and 3% Gewürtztraminer. It’s semi-dry and very similar in style to Conundrum. In fact, I’ve converted a few Condundrum drinkers to Interchange because of its great QPR. I like to enjoy it by the glass on lovely, warm afternoons, but it probably would pair well with some fish dishes.

Baron Rothschild Réserve Spéciale Bordeaux Blanc 2006 ($13) - This is a crisp wine made from Sauvignon, Semillon, and Muscadelle grapes. The citrusy flavors and nice, clean finish make it a great choice for many chicken and fish dishes.

What are some of your favorite summery wines?
Prosecco! I love this sparkling Italian wine, particularly Filipetti if you can find it. It’s dry and refreshing and delicious. I also enjoy Sauvignon Blancs in the summer. It’s a food-friendly wine that goes well will salads, chicken, fish… many of the lighter dishes people tend to eat in warm weather. A few of my favorites are Te Awa (New Zealand), Goose Bay (New Zealand, Kosher), and Groth (California). If you want something slightly less expensive, I think that Dancing Bull ($10) is a good value, and if you can find it, Stone’s Throw was surprisingly good for around $7.

Thanks for your questions, Lisanne!

WBW #45: Old World Riesling

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008 | Germany, Riesling, White Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday | 5 Comments

When Tim Elliot of Winecast announced the theme (Old World Riesling) for the current edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, I was really looking forward to it. I don’t drink many Rieslings and consider the variety to be unfamiliar territory for the most part, and thus an adventure. German Rieslings are arugeably the most famous of all “Old World” Rieslings. The country’s Riesling vines can be traced back to 1435 and by the end of the 19th century Riesling was the region’s dominant grape variety. In Germany, you might hear Riesling called “The King of White Wine Grapes.”

I decided to come back to a German Riesling that I had quickly tasted at an industry event in the fall: 2006 Urban Riesling Nic Weis Selection. I remembered liking it and wanted to be able to take my time and get a better feel for it. Urban Riesling is produced from grapes in the vineyards neighboring St. Urbans-Hof Estate in Leiwen, Germany. St. Urbans-Hof has only 30 hectares of land on which to grow grapes, and with their reputation for high-quality wine that was growing in popularity, German winemaker Nik Weis reached the limit on what he could produce from his own vineyards. In 2006 he began to source grapes from his neighbors and began producing Urban Riesling. He put his name on the label to assure consumers it was a high-quality product. I found a bit of background on this wine at Wine Online:

“The Mehringer Zellerberg vineyard is a southern- facing site of slate soils which offers the perfect conditions for producing a typical Mosel Riesling on a high quality level,” said Weis. “Since the area is lesser-known than others on the Mosel, and because the vineyard is only slightly-steep, allowing some vineyard work by tractor, Urban Riesling also offers great value.”

As a member of Germany’s prestigious VDP (German Association of Praedikat and Quality Wine Estates), Weis is restricted from using the St. Urbans-Hof label on any wine that is not grown on his own property. He is diligent in honoring that regulation and thus, Urban Riesling carries the name I. Weis as producer on the label.

The wine has a very pretty light straw color. We were tasting it at about 9 PM, but I imagine that it would glisten beautifully if you were enjoying a glass of this Riesling out on the deck or porch. There were aromas of honey, pear, minerals, and a melony sweetness. The melon and pear carried through to the palate, and the sweetness rolled onto my tongue nicely. The wine resolved to a semi-dry, mineraly finish: quick and crisp. For around $11.99, I think that Urban Riesling is an excellent value. Like most German Rieslings it would pair well with foods that have a bit of spice to them. I think it would be great with grilled kielbasa (from a good butcher please, not the supermarket stuff if you can help it) and sauerkraut (with caraway seeds if possible). I could also see this pairing well with sushi. I think the sweetness of the wine would be a great contrast to the salty soy sauce and hot wasabi. Of course, Riesling is wonderful on its own and at only 10.5% alcohol, is a great choice for warmer weather when you don’t want to drink anything heavy.

Thanks again to Tim for hosting and picking a great topic for this round. Stay tuned for the announcement of the round-up, and the topic for Wine Blogging Wednesday #46, which will be hosted by Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20.

2006 Hogue Cellars Genesis Riesling

Thursday, March 27th, 2008 | Food & Wine Pairing, Riesling, Washington, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | No Comments

I’ve been craving Indian food for way over a month. I thought that my belly would be satisfied after enjoying a delicious Indian buffet at Basera Indian Bistro (in the Hell’s Kitchen section of New York City), but that only intensified my craving. So yesterday I decided to try out a recipe for Indian Spiced Braised Chicken (it’s from the April 2007 issue of “Everyday Food”). It was a delicious blend of chicken, garlic, onions, tomatoes, and rich Indian spices. We had a bottle of 2006 Genesis Riesling in our fridge, and I thought we’d try that with the dish. The Genesis line of wines are Hogue Cellars‘ mid-tier line. They are produced in Washington state and the Riesling retails for around $15.00. The alcohol content is 13%.The wine was a lovely shade of light yellow. It had a floral nose (I thought of honeysuckle). It tasted slightly citrusy at first and then the flavors developed into slightly sweet kiwi with a hint of peach and nice minerality. It finished clean and dry, just the way I like it. The off-dry wine really complemented the spicy food. The bit of sweetness cut the heat, and yet the finish wasn’t cloying. I felt like my palate was cleansed and ready for the next bite. I don’t always nail my food and wine pairings, but this time I felt like I did. The Genesis Riesling was a wonderful accompaniment to the meal, and it would also be lovely to enjoy by itself.

WBW #42: Just Seven Words (Drew’s Wine)

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Italy, Pinot Grigio, White Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday, Wines Under $20 | 1 Comment

As Carol mentioned, we decided to take a tag-team approach for this, my first official Wine Blogging Wednesday contribution. I decided to take on one of the more popular mass-market Italian whites.

2006 Cavit Pinot Grigio
“If you like adding ice, try me”

North Fork Granny Smith

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 | Long Island, Meritage, Red Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | 3 Comments

I just tasted a bunch of wines from Macari in Mattituck. Actually, with 3 exceptions, I tasted all of their current wines. I must say, the wines performed fairly well when compared to the other North Fork stuff I’ve tasted. In general I found them significantly lighter in body than what I am used to from California, France, Chile…well, almost everywhere else. For the most part, the flavors were solid, with a  common earthiness among the reds, and a miscellaneous acidic tang to the whites. These, both, being positive traits. I just can’t get away from the watery mouthfeel common among these wines.

There were two standouts worth seeking out. First, their Bergen Road 2004 is a sort of North Fork Meritage. It’s heavy on Merlot with about a quarter each of Cab Sauv and Malbec, and just a touch of Petit Verdot. Full-flavored and woody with some nice spicy notes and light tannins, it was a pleasant take on the classic Bordeaux blend. Again, a little thin and watery in the mouth. The flavors would suggest a lush, velvety finish, but the body isn’t quite there to deliver. The $40-something price tag is no laughing matter, either, but if you want good, solid flavor from the North Fork, this is worth a try.

The real standout for me, however, was a white called Early Wine, the 2007 vintage. It is Chardonnay with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc that is picked, fermented in steel and bottled rather quickly- all in a matter of months I think. (It was only bottle number 2 of 10 or so I tasted so be kind - my memory ain’t what it used to be.) If I didn’t know this was a wackadoo Chard I would have thought it a Babich-ish New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from the nose. Fairly aggressive aromas of green and unripe fruit. Think kiwi and lime and those little tiny bananas still green on the tree. In the mouth it was all Granny Smith apple. Big, tart, delightfully puckery and totally mouth filling. Somewhere on the finish was a teasing promise of sweetness that was never quite delivered…and for some reason, that made it even better.

Despite its pedigree, this oddball Chardonnay has no business in the Chardonnay section. This is definitely a wine for lovers of crazy-tart Sauvignon Blanc. And at about $15 on the shelf, it’s worth checking out when you’re just in the mood for something different.

WBW #41 | Whites From Friuli Venezia Giulia

Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 | Friuli, Italy, White Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday | 5 Comments

Let me first admit something: I’m highly suspicious of white wines from Italy. I can’t help it; I just think of cheap Pinot Grigio. Now don’t get me wrong — there’s nothing inherently wrong with cheap Pinot Grigio. Here at Pour More, we’re not wine snobs. Heck, we drink Crane Lake Cabernet Sauvignon on a regular basis and are not ashamed to admit that. But to date I have not been impressed by white wines from Italy (the exception being that delicious, sparkling treat: Prosecco). So when I became aware of this month’s topic I considered skipping it. Jack and Joanne of Fork & Bottle chose Friuli Venezia Giulia white wines. And when I had a difficult time finding anything decent from Italy’s Friuli region, I seriously considered throwing in the towel.

But I thought that I really should plod on, especially because Italian white wines are something I generally ignore. None of the local wine shops had any Friuli wines in stock (well, they had Kris Pinot Grigio, but I really didn’t think that was what the hosts were going for, espcially since Jack and Joanne cautioned us that quality wines from this region are rarely priced under $18), so I tacked two bottles onto an order from one of our distributors. The Tocai was backordered, but my second choice arrived last week.

The 2004 Vidussi Ronchi di Ravez ($24.00) is a white blend. The grapes are not listed on the wine label, and I am assuming the blend changes from vintage to vintage because in my research I found two different descriptions of this wine. One says it is a blend of Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco, Ribolla Gialla, and Picolit. The other says it is a blend of Ribolla Gialla, Malvasia Istrian, Tocai Friulian, and Picolit. Either way, we can guess that that Picolit and Ribolla Gialla both found their way into my bottle. Loosely translated, “Ribolla Gialla” means “yellow” and that certainly makes sense once you see the color of this wine. It truly is yellow, making Drew think of lemons and making me think of a pilsner beer (though ever so slightly lighter). It was an unusual and very pretty shade. The nose reminded us of a California Chardonnay: buttery, with a suggestion of cream. There was an apple componant as well and as I swirled my glass eventually I coaxed out some apricot.

Don’t be fooled, though. This wine tastes nothing like a California Chard. It’s one of the most unusual white wines I’ve had. It has a wonderful, creamy mouthfeel and tastes of dried apricots (there was a concentrated sweetness) and almonds, or perhaps another very mild nut. Almond was what first came to my mind. It has a lingering, nutty finish that coats your tongue after you swallow. The wine is full-bodied and begs you to take your time while drinking it.

I served this with a very simple pasta dish: chicken breast, red peppers, broccoli, and whole wheat fusilli sautéed with herbs and olive oil, and topped with Pecorino Romano cheese. Although it paired well, I think the wine would be better suited to a creamy risotto or with an appetizer of soft cheeses.

The Ronchi di Ravez has inspired me to try other wines from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. This particular wine was so different from most whites I drink. It was truly, a refreshing change, and I thank Jack and Joanne for challenging us this month.

About Wine Blogging Wednesday: In 2004 Lenn Thompson of LENNDEVOURS was inspired to create a virtual wine tasting. Each month a different bloggers chooses the theme and ”hosts” that month’s tasting. Other bloggers seek out a wine consistant with the theme, taste the wine, and write about it. For more information, visit www.winebloggingwednesday.org 

2005 BEX Riesling

Monday, January 14th, 2008 | Germany, Riesling, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | 2 Comments

I don’t drink a lot of Rieslings, but when I do I tend to prefer those of the drier variety. The BEX Riesling, from Germany’s Mosel region, was a good match for me. It is low-alcohol — only 10.5 %. This wine had a delicious nose of bright, crisp apple. It had a very fresh aroma. On the palate the apple notes carried through to some apple flavor along with a touch of lemon, some minerality, and nice acidity. The wine had a crip, medium-long finish.

We drank this bottle with Chinese take-out (General Tso’s chicken and Crab Rangoon). It paired well with the spiciness of the food. For the price (around $12), this is a decent dry Riesling. It was certainly enjoyable and I would recommend it.