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Trivia question:
It's the holiday season, and to honor that, I offer my loyal readers not one, but three trivia questions this time around. The source for all of these is Rick Weissman's FunWithWine.com: -
What is the "20-minute rule" for wines?
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What is the world's most-planted grape?
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What does the tradition of the New Year baby have to do with wine?
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A year of Ten Dollar Tastings already?
Yes, this month marks my first full year of writing Ten Dollar Tastings, and I'd like to thank all of my readers for their support. Our mailing list has grown from my wife and me and a handful of friends to … well, a lot more than that. And thanks to Jeff Mason for hosting the column and giving me a forum.
A lot has stayed the same this year. Trina and I are still happily married. I still enjoy my day job most if not all of the time. And throughout the year, The Wine Merchant and I have maintained a symbiotic relationship … they sell great wines, and I buy 'em. If there's a better place for finding good wines and wine education, I don't know where it would be.
And then there are the changes. The death of a parent came to both Trina and I this year. There were some unexpected financial setbacks. But on more positive notes, we had a nice vacation in Key West and I got the best birthday present ever — Alex, our black Labrador, who's become a great friend and source of constant amusement. And an editor who published some of my poetry back in the late 80s contacted me recently because he's starting his magazine up again. I'll be reviewing a book and DVD for him and sending him some poems and fiction. That's exciting.
I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille …
But recently, we've had some other exciting news. While I'm fairly good at poems and prose, my aptitude for television extends to being able to turn it on, change channels and watch. But Trina has done much more than that. In fact …
My wife is going to be a TV star!
Well, maybe I exaggerate. But Trina and two other members of her writing group, Raleigh Area Women Writers, were recently interviewed for the Raleigh Television Network about the starting and maintaining a writing group. For those in the Raleigh area, the interview will air on “The Artist’s Craft” segment the first and second weeks in January, on Sunday at 8:30 p.m. and on Tuesday and Thursday of both weeks. You can catch it on local channel 10. But my readers around the country and the world can now watch, thanks to the magic of YouTube:
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
Hope you enjoy it! And to my male readers: Sorry, all the talented and lovely women in the interview are happily married.
Featured winery: Redwood Creek
I can hear you readers saying, "Yo, Calhoun, this is a wine column, not a commercial." All right, let's talk wine. As I've mentioned, I'm a marketing writer by trade, and few people appreciate a great marketing campaign as much as I do. That is one thing that I love about Redwood Creek wines. They are a very cleverly marketed product. If you go to their Web site, you'll see a big part of this: It's interactive, fun and engaging. They offer free posters that are clever and stylish. And the wines themselves have "theme" corks — my favorites are a little one-inch ruler right on the side of the cork and a fishing bobbin!
Some examples of "adventure tool" cork designs from Redwood Creek
But unlike many slickly marketed products, Redwood Creek wines are actually quite good and — remember the name of this column — priced at under ten dollars! Recently, I visited the Redwood Creek site and submitted a suggestion for a future poster. Imagine my surprise when Angela Betancourt from Hunter Public Relations — Redwood Creek's PR firm — sent me a bottle of their Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio to review. So here's what I think of them. I've also tasted and will review their Sauvignon Blanc: -
Redwood Creek Pinot Grigio:
I'm not the world's biggest Pinot Grigio fan. Pinot Grigio is a wine like one of those meek guys at a party who sits in a corner and has nothing interesting to say. However — Redwood Creek's is a pleasant surprise. It's still light-bodied, but there is a nice balance of floral aromas and tastes with spicy apple and peaches. Top this off with a smooth and surprisingly crisp finish, and you've definitely got a keeper. Especially because Redwood Creek prices their wines in the $6.99 to $9.99 range!
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Redwood Creek Pinot Noir: According to Hunter PR, this wine is "the number one selling Pinot Noir in the popular domestic category." And it certainly is a surprise at this price: classic cherry notes and some ripe berries thrown in. If I have any beef with it, it's that it's a bit too light-bodied for my tastes — but that might explain why it sells well in the "popular domestic category." It's got a pleasant earthy note but a smooth and silky finish. A surprise is that the wine is actually labeled "Product of France," but it's imported and bottled by Redwood Creek. Interesting!
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Redwood Creek Sauvignon Blanc:
Citrus and melon aroma and also on the palate, although there is a hint of lychee and more than a little pineapple. A bit, but not too much, fruit sweetness is balanced by tart, almost tangy green apples and, in fact, "tart" is the word I'd use to describe this tasty wine. An unusually dry finish that is quite satisfying.
Redwood Creek also makes a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, a Chardonnay and a white Zinfandel. I have yet to try them but if I see any of them, I'll snag a bottle and you'll hear about it. Oh, unless it's the white Zinfandel. Not an affront to Redwood Creek, but to white Zinfandel in general. It's not white, but pink, and it's not wine, but alcoholic fruit juice. |
Trivia question: It's the holiday season, and to honor that, I offer my loyal readers not one, but three trivia questions this time around. The source for all of these is Rick Weissman's FunWithWine.com: -
What is the "20-minute rule" for wines?
-
What is the world's most-planted grape? -
What does the tradition of the New Year baby have to do with wine? |
Featured wines — Harry's top ten affordable picks for 2007!
In the great end-of-the-year tradition, I've picked what I feel are the best values from the wines featured in Ten Dollar Tastings during the past year. Of course, the list is somewhat subjective, but I tried to judge the wines based on taste, price and overall value. Six of the ten are reds, which probably reflects my bias toward them. However, the top two selections are whites, and that no doubt reflects my conviction that you can find good whites for a fraction of the price of good reds. Most of these are available in screwcaps, which is a trend among much more expensive wines. Screwcaps are convenient and they eliminate the problem of corked wine.
10. Tenuta del Portale Starsa, $8.99. Made from the little-known Aglianico grape, Aroma is a cross between a booming Zinfandel’s cherry vanilla and a Syrah’s plummy, sweet spice. Same for the taste, filled with intense fruit and tobacco, full-bodied and with perfect tannins. (Note: I had a second bottle that was not nearly as good. On first tasting alone, this would have ranked higher on the list.)
9. Amaroo Shiraz, 2005, $8.99, New South Wales, . At only $8.99 a bottle, it might be worth the buck-and-a-half more than my beloved Bulletin Place Shiraz. They're both great wines, but the Amaroo is elegant, with full fruit and subdued oak. Licorice and nutmeg round it out. Screwcap.
8. Montalto Cataratto/Chardonnay, 2005, $6.99. The obscure Cataratto grape melds with Chardonnay to produce this fresh, blossomy nectar. As golden-green as a Granny Smith apple and flowery as a field of clover, it’s well structured and flavorful. Screwcap.
7. Haley's Mill Chardonnay, 2005, $9.99. Uncharacteristic Chardonnay bouquet, almost like a Riesling or Gewurztraminer, with little oak and plenty of pineapple and lychee. Amazing flavor complexity for a wine of this price. Almost like champagne without the spritz.
6. Falling Star Merlot/Malbec, $5.99. A Falling Star steal — peek ahead to my #1 choice for another. Aromatic and filled with fruit flavors that you would expect in a much more expensive wine. It’s nicely dry, the tannins are soft, and it’s all about the berries. Screwcap
5. 2005 Cono Sur Pinot Noir, $9.99. Drinks like a 30-dollar bottle at $9.99, bursting with black cherries and strawberries with a solid backbone, some earthiness and a touch of that brooding. Drinks like a traditional French Burgundy. Screwcap.
4. Cline 2005 California Zinfandel, $8.99. For the price — typically 9 dollars or less — it is amazingly complex, showing dark cherries, raspberries and strawberries with a classic Zinfandel spiciness and a great vanilla-laced finish.
3. Marques de Riscal 2005, 9.99. Beautifully balanced, full of energy and displaying a dark cherry color. Aroma full of berries and cherries and a little smokehouse hint. Balanced oak. An amazing intro to what Tempranillo is all about for the price. Screwcap.
2. Kumkani Chenin Blanc, 2005, $9.99. An aroma you might expect on a chardonnay —pineapple, violets and juicy fruit. Delivers on the tasting. Good acidity in midrange, ripe on the mid-palate and tangy, lingering, straw-dry finish. Screwcap.
1. Falling Star Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon, $5.99. My wife's favorite wine is a Chilean steal. Consistent quality across vintages and an incredible bargain. The 10 percent Semillon rounds out the sprightly, acidic citrus that positively pops from this tangy, spirited wine. Mixture of quality and price nets this the top spot. The current 2006 vintage is just as good as the previous ones. Screwcap.
Honorable mentions: The always-drinkable Bulletin Place Shiraz; Trinity Oaks Pinot Noir; Mi Villa Tempranillo; Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon; and Hogue Riesling and Gewurztraminer.
Pick for Charlie
Charlie and I meet up occasionally at The Wine Merchant and sample a few wines at the weekly tastings. Here's one that I tasted a while back and really enjoyed: Convento da Vila Vinho Tinto 2005, a super value at only $7.50. Like a Beaujolais, it's light in color and ready to drink right away. This southern Portuguese wine is made from a blend of Trincadeira, Aragonez and Castelao grapes, and it's full of blackberry and plum, with a slight earthy taste and well-balanced tannins. Charlie, this one might be a little more on the light side than you usually prefer, but I think you'll like it.
Digging deeper
In the last column, I talked about the incredibly elegant and drinkable 1999 Familia Barberis Malbec from the Mendoza region of . For a little over 15 dollars, it's a wine that's affordable when you have the urge to splurge. So is this month's wine, David Frost 1999 Merlot Reserve. This South African stunner is redolent of dark chocolate, tobacco and coffee. You'll love the underlying flavors of cherry and ripe berries, and there's a nice hint of spiciness — but mellow, subdued spice as befits an older wine. A great finish with smooth but firm tannins. And while it's normally priced at around $25, I found it on sale for an incredible $14.99.
Surf in for more Tastings next time …
Hope you've enjoyed this first anniversary edition of Ten Dollar Tastings. Lots more coming up next month, although the holiday season has me busy enough that I can't really say what it will be! I'm hope that whatever I come up with, you'll enjoy it. And speaking of enjoyment — have a wonderful, happy and healthy holiday season. See you in January.
Until then, in vino veritas … and que syrah, syrah! |
Answers to this month's three-headed wine trivia question: -
The 20-minute rule refers to a good rule of thumb for serving wines at the proper temperature: Take white wines out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving — and put reds in 20 minutes before serving.
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The most-planted grape: If you guessed Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Shiraz, you're wrong. It's a little-known grape (at least on this side of the Atlantic) called Airen. According to FunWithWine.com:
"Airen is planted extremely heavily in , and in the 80s covered around 1.2 million acres of land. It is planted with a low number of vines per acre, and is used in the production of brandy as well as standard dry white table wines. The light-skinned grapes create wines that are typically inexpensive and not well known for their flavour." The site goes on to say that Trebbiano is the second most planted grape. 3. Finally, the tradition of using a baby to signify the new year started in around 600 B.C. The Greeks at that time celebrated Dionysus, the god of wine, by carrying around a baby in a basket, representing the annual rebirth of Dionysus as the spirit of fertility. I won't explore the link between wine and pregnancy in this column.
If you’d like to talk more about chilling reds, warming whites, obscure grapes or wine and fertility, for goodness sakes contact me at HarryC13@aol.com. |
Thanks as always to The Wine Merchant for providing excellent wines, wine education and support. Prices are based on the author’s experience and may vary.
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