Wine Country Traveling

We’re off on a short trip to the wine regions of Yakima, Washington; Hood River, Oregon; Napa/Sonoma, California; and the Sierra Foothills of California. We should have some fun new wines to review when we return (and will try to find time to post a bit along the way on our trip).

Masciarelli Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo 2004 – Italy

This starts with a nose of deep, black cherry. The flavors aren’t very fruity, but rather of briar and bramble, almost “woody,” but not in an oaky sense. There’s also a hint of mint. Puckery tannins, and some nice acids. Yes for Ken, Maybe for Francesca. $11

Columbia Winery Syrah 2004 – Washington

Nose of dark cherry and blackberry. This is one of the darker, smoky, peppery, and spicy Syrahs. We like both this style, and the fruiter style such as seen in the Columbia Crest and Red Diamond Syrahs we've previously reviewed. There is, still, some blackberry notes in this, as well as nice tannins and acidity. A Yes for Ken; Maybe for Francesca. $10 on sale, regularly about $17.

Columbia Winery Pinot Gris 2006 – Washington

Pinot Gris is the name more frequently used in Washington and (especially) Oregon than Pinot Grigio. Still, it’s the same grape, just like Syrah (California or France) and Shiraz (Australia) are the same. This has a buttery and citrus nose. It tastes rather “thick,” with grapefruit and some butter, and a tiny bit of nutmeg spice, with a smooth finish. Yes for Francesca, Maybe for Ken. $10 on sale.

Beringer Founders Estate Shiraz 2004 – California

Following our own advice, we began sampling other wines from a winery where we liked one particular wine. We really enjoy the Beringer Founders’ Estate Pinot Noir (California) – in fact, it’s one of our House wines. Yet we were disappointed with both this, and a Cabernet Sauvignon we reviewed previously. This does have some bold, zingy acids, and some green pepper and black pepper spice. It’s just not special enough, and not too well integrated. Maybe. $8 on sale, retail $13.
(Note: The Beringer Pinot has changed, to several different wines. It's now made from French or Italian grapes. We've sampled the French wine, and were ambivalent - good but not great. We haven't yet tried the Italian.)

Columbia Winery Cellarmaster’s Riesling 2006 – Washington

Just as there are two Stag’s Leaps in California, there are two Columbias in Washington. Columbia Winery is less well-known than Columbia Crest, but produces some very nice wines. This Riesling has a wonderful honey and mildly floral nose, and the tastes are honey, pear, and melon. This is frankly sweet (not overly so), yet without quite enough acidity to balance the sweetness. It’s almost more of a dessert wine. Still, a Yes wine. Probably about $15.

Vin du Lac of Chelan “Les Amis” Riesling/Muskat 2005 – Washington

This is a 67% Riesling and 33% Muskat blend. It has a wonderful floral nose of honeysuckle and tangerine. The tastes are soft and creamy (not in an “oaky” sense), but with just enough acid for balance. We’re tasting pansies, honeysuckle, honey, lemon (that little acidity), and a hint of melon. A new House wine for us. This goes to show that you can’t judge a winery by one wine – we didn’t much care for the Vin du Lac Chelan “Grisant” Pinot Gris (we gave that wine a Maybe/No), but this Riesling/Muskat is great. And cheaper. $11 on sale, usually about $17-18

Francois Pinon Vouvray 2006 Cuvee Tradition – France

This is a "bigger" French Loire Vouvray. It offers sharp, distinctive Chenin flavors, and some weight and substance. As with the B&G Vouvray (which is one of our house wines), this is not one of those sometimes soft, limp American Chenins. Nor is it the minerally type often found from South Africa. It’s different from the B&G, but both are what we think a good French Chenin should be like. Yes. $18

Vin du Lac of Chelan “Grisant” Pinot Gris 2006 – Washington

This was a challenging one for us. Fresh from the fridge, this tasted like the bastard love child of a Riesling and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. While we like both Rieslings and Sauvignon Blancs, this wasn’t a spectacular combo. As the wine warmed a bit, it developed flavors of grapefruit and a “creamy” citrus. The nose is floral, citrus, and buttery. Francesca liked it more as it opened up in the glass, while for Ken this went more toward the Pinot Grigio style he doesn’t much care for – sort of like a Junior Chardonnay. If your tastes run toward this style, worth sampling. Despite our tastebuds, this is still a well-made wine. Maybe/No for us. $15 on sale, usually $22.

Jason (Pahlmeyer) Pinot Noir 2005 – California

Pahlmeyer is known for its “industrial strength” reds (Cabernet, Merlot, and red blends) and Chardonnay. We understand this is only the second vintage for the Pinot Noir, and it’s a stunner, yet different from many other Pahlmeyer reds. This opens with a big nose of cherry fruit, and the tastes continue with more of a fruit-bomb of cherry flavors. This is surprisingly high in alcohol for a Pinot (yet not so for a Pahlmeyer), yet has nicely balanced tannins and acids – very smooth and integrated. About $65. Yes.

Artichokes, Shrimp Cocktail & Chenin Blanc

WINE
Covey Run Chenin Blanc 2005 – Washington
This is one of those wines that are two-wines-in-one. The first is when the wine is cold from the refrigerator – the nose is mild, just a hint of apple. The tastes are a little too much like many inexpensive, ethereal (typically California) Chenins. Yet once this wine warms and opens in the glass, it becomes almost like a Vouvray – tastes of honey and melon. And the tangy zingy-ness it has when cold disappears and becomes a mild natural sweetness with a nice, mild acid balance. It definitely smoothes out as it warms. Yes (bordering on House). $8


DINNER
Steamed Artichokes & Southwest Shrimp Cocktail

• Pan braise fresh peeled and deveined shrimp in tequila, chili oil, rosemary, and garlic. Chill.
• Mix ketchup, mayonnaise, crushed garlic, finely chopped onion, finely chopped chipotle chili. Chill.
• Serve warm artichokes and cold shrimp. Dip artichokes in either melted butter or cocktail sauce.

Turley Dogtown Zinfandel 2002 – California

This opens with strong cherry on the nose, as well as a little blackberry. The tastes are incredibly smooth and integrated, with black cherry, a hint of spice, and a wonderful transition to a long, lingering finish. Francesca called this a “whoomkph” wine. Lots of power and balance. Oh my, Yes. Probably around $50 if you can find it.

Beringer Founders’ Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 – California

Smoky blackberry nose. Wonderful clear, deep red/purple color. This Cab has meaty tastes, firm tannins, and lots of oak. Not too well integrated, a little harsh. Maybe. $8 on sale (usually about $13).

Chateau St. Michelle Riesling Eroica 2006 – Washington

This is the product of a joint venture between Washington’s Chateau St. Michelle and Germany’s Dr. Loosen wineries. This particular bottle showed to us what a difference a vintage can make. We hadn’t had this wine in a couple of years, but had previously thought of it almost as Tokaji-like, with a wonderful balance of sweetness and acid. Now, however, this time around we’re less impressed. The wine starts with a floral, citrus, and honey nose, and the tastes come on as kiwi, honey, grapefruit, and pineapple. It’s probably that grapefruit tinge that takes it down several notches from our previous memories of other vintages. Yes (if future tastings reveal more of the “older” style), or Maybe (if they are like this bottle). About $25

Concannon Petite Sirah 2005 – California

Concannon was one of the early California pioneers, and while it’s now owned by one of the big wine conglomerates, the company is still making nice wine, if this bottle is any indication. Petite Sirah isn’t very well known, but by now you probably know our general enjoyment of less-known variatels. Sometimes, Petite Sirah can be, as a winemaker once said to us, “wine that stains your teeth black.” Those monster wines have their place, but this Concannon is easy enough for everyday drinking. It has some pepper/spice on the nose, and tastes of boysenberry and pepper. Not to belittle it, but it’s sort of halfway between a Zinfandel and a Syrah, showing Zin’s fruitiness and Syrah’s spicyness. Francesca said it’s sort of “regal” or “proud,” with a character that she called almost old-fashioned. House. $14 (we got it for $12 on sale).

Tepana Garnacha 2006 – Spain

A second nice Spanish red from Tepana. (See our Tempranillo review.) Nose is pleasant but simple – dark, maybe smoky/spicy fruit. Some nice blackberry tastes, with white pepper and maybe even a hint of lemon. Not heavily tannic, and decently smooth for an inexpensive red. Yes. $8 on sale, $12 regularly.

Oyster Alfredo & Chardonnay

WINE
Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2004 – California
This dark straw yellow wine opens with a nose of honeysuckle and baked apple. The wine is a big, creamy, rich, smooth California style. Tastes of burnt honey and oak, along with thick butterscotch. Interestingly, this tasted very little like the 2002 Santa Cruz Mountains Home Ranch Chardonnay we reviewed awhile back. This had none of the minerals and earth of the earlier vintage. As much as we love Ridge wines, because of the heavy style of this 2004, we’d give it a Maybe. About $35.

DINNER
Oyster Alfredo
We used tortellini, but any large, chunky pasta (rigatoni, thick fettucini) would do. (As one of our Italian food gurus said, “thick sauce, thick pasta; thin sauce, thin pasta.”)

• Sauté oysters in butter and thyme; remove from pan (save pan juices)
• Optionally, you can also sauté quartered mushrooms and thick-chopped onions, either with the oysters or separately
• Cut large oysters into about quarters; if small, use whole
• Mix a jar of commercial Alfredo sauce, some dry white wine, thyme, sage, the butter and liquid from the oyster pan, and a tiny splash of Tobasco or similar hot sauce
• Add the oysters to the sauce, and pour over pasta

White Zinfandel/Chardonnay & Garbanzo Chimichangas

WINE
Beringer White Zinfandel & Chardonnay 2006 – California
This is Beringer’s “new” white zin – an 80/20 blend of zinfandel and chardonnay. It retains the wonderful strawberry nose. It’s darker pink than the regular white zin (odd, as it’s blended with a white). Deeper tastes, strawberries, and not quite as soft as the regular white zin. The Chardonnay gives it some weight and depth. House/Yes. $7.50

DINNER
We made Garbanzo Chimichangas, adapted from Horn of the Moon cookbook. The light Rose wine went well with them.

Avery Lane Shiraz 2003 – Washington

Green pepper on the nose, and a range of tastes including mint, lemon balm, paprika, and spice. Ken thought it almost like a Petite Sirah (which is a different but related grape). This is quite different from most Washington state Shiraz, but a nice change. There is almost a tomato-like acidity. Strange, but good. Yes. $5 on sale, usually about $11.

Columbia Crest Shiraz 2003 Grand Estates – Washington

Smoother, deeper, richer, more integrated than the Columbia Crest Two Vines Syrah (previously reviewed, and a House wine). Is it worth 50% more? It’s up to you. Ken thinks so; Francesca thinks that the Two Vines is just as good. Francesca Yes; Ken House. $10 on sale, usually about $13.

Corks & Corkscrews

We were never particularly concerned with the type of cork or closure used for wine, and besides, consumers don’t have a choice – we’ve stuck with whatever cork a winemaker puts into a bottle. Until last night.

Like everyone in the wine world, we’d heard of “corked” bottles – wines tainted by TCA, a chemical found in (among other places) cork, which makes a wine smell like wet dogs or dirty socks. Last night, we opened one of our regular House wines, and the wine was unmistakably corked. We’ve had “bad” wines – vinegary, past their prime, or with other flaws – but never one we could point to and say, “That wine is corked.”

It really wouldn’t be fair to point out the wine and winery (unless subsequent bottles show the same flaw, at which point we’d want to alert the winery and consumers), but suffice it to say the wine was from a large producer that we’ve found consistently reliable. (Two good articles about cork taint can be found at The Wine Academy and BlogCritics.)

So, our little meditations on corks and corkscrews.

Corkscrews
After opening wine bottles for many years, we’ve gravitated toward some preferences in corkscrews. Our three favorite types are:

Waiter’s Corkscrew – The old standby classic. It has to have an “open” worm, not one with a central shaft. Unless the cork is old or damaged, or we insert the corkscrew incorrectly, this opens everything every time.

Ah-So – This is the two-prong “rock-and-twist” corkscrew, which is absolutely essential for getting broken corks out of bottles. It’s also a good everyday corkscrew, but doesn’t have the traditional appeal of a worm-type screw.

The Lever Types – These come by a lot of names: Screwpull, Rabbit, etc. They generally have open worm screws, and have a three-step lever action which inserts the worm, removes the cork, and then removes the cork from the worm. We love these, but find that the worms need frequent replacement as they loose their coatings or break.

(To us, the absolute worst are the wing-type corkscrews. They almost always have a central shaft, and chew up corks like a dog with a bone. For some reason the new-to-wine set in the 1970s just seemed to love these. We don’t know why.)

Corks & Closures
Even before we had our corked wine experience, if we had a choice, we’d prefer a screw top (despite its lack of traditional charm). Yet despite that bottle, our second choice would be a good old real Portuguese cork from a tree. To us, the other big problem with real cork is that it deteriorates with age – even some five-year-old corks have crumbled on us. (Guess we’ll just have to start drinking our wines younger.)

We detest composite corks (we know they aren’t, yet we think of them as full of wood glue, sort of like plywood), as they seem cheaply made and prone to crumbling and breakage. (The corked wine we had was closed with a composite cork.) We also dislike synthetic (plastic) corks, as they are next to impossible for screwpull openers; an Ah-So often slips on them; and they’re even a lot of work for a waiter’s corkscrew. Conversely, they’re as TCA-proof as are screw tops. (I say “we,” but this is mostly Ken’s writing. Weirdly, Francesca, who is tiny and struggles with most corks, actually prefers synthetic corks.)

And as opinionated as we are, we really don’t spend a lot of time worrying about foils, plastic foils, or wax on a cork. We’d prefer anything but wax, but for us it’s a non-issue.

Left to right: Real cork; 2 synthetic corks; 2 “one-plus-one” composite corks (real cork on ends and composite middle); screw cap.

Columbia Crest Merlot Cabernet 2002 – Washington

Black cherry, blackberries, plum. Smooth, nice, but not much character. To us, more Merlot-style than Cab (actually, it’s 52% Merlot, 28% Cab Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc). Maybe (and we’re not giant fans of Cabernet or Merlot). $6 on sale (usually about $8).

Covey Run Dry Riesling 2005 – Washington

This is a pleasant wine, but without a great deal of character. Floral and tangerine/orange scents in the glass, with some mild tangerine flavors. Dry, but little discernable acidity. A “good enough” wine, but there are many other affordable Rieslings with more “oomph” to them. Maybe. $8.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Pinot Gris 2006 – Washington

Floral and citrus nose. Tastes of melon, tangerine, and a touch of creaminess. This is why Ken hadn’t been too excited about Pinot Grigio (same wine and grape as Pinot Gris) in the past – a “good enough” wine but nothing special. A Maybe for Ken, Yes for Francesca. $9 on sale (usually about $15).

Columbia Crest Riesling 2006 – Washington

Very similar to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling previously reviewed. Nose of apple, peaches, and apricots. Tastes of citrus, peach, apricot, and a little white pepper. A little sweeter and a little less acid than the Ste. Michelle. Yes (not quite to “House” standards). $6 on sale.

The Wine Review We Always Wanted To Write (and Read)

Chateau du Cal Pinot Meunier 2004

When I was living in Paris in the early 1970s, I dated a French woman who smelled of olive oil and violets. She used to lounge on a feinting couch covered with green velveteen that was probably upholstered by her grandmother in the 1920s. Her hair was dark, her eyes wide, and the smells of her apartment were encapsulated in the first hint of aromas from this wine. I breathed deeply, memories of an idle youth contrasting with the warm glow emanating from my glass. This was going to be a wine to remember.

I hesitated even to take a sip, as I was afraid my memories would be deceived. I was hoping for perfection, but would have gladly settled for merely wonderful. Alas, the wine’s promise didn’t initially quite live up to my heated desires. Oh, it had a rich nose and tastes of an English summer garden, and a round, sensuous feel that coated my mouth like chocolate pudding. Yes, this wine reminded me somehow of the Brits – warm, uptight, and reserved all at the same time. But slowly, I began to open to the wine, as the wine began to open to me.

The flavors changed to tobacco, earth (deep, California dirt, from someplace near the central coast, not some loamy mud from the valley or foothills, but rather a clean, sea-sharpened note of wind spray and coastal pine infused into the dry hills), and leather (old, tanned leather, like the native Americans used to produce, of brain-tanned cowhides that were washed with salt and left to dry in the Arizona desert sun). Over the course of the first eight-and-a-quarter minutes that the wine had been in the glass, all these tastes came to the fore, as if they’d been hidden behind some Persian silk screen and only now chose to reveal themselves.

Over even more time – and time now seemed to stand still for me, as I became lost in the depth of this marvel – the wine moved from youth to midlife to maturity, much as a round-the-world traveler moves from continent to continent, from excitement at the beginning of his journey to depression during the middle of his undertaking to finally near the end of his adventure where the very act of travelling brings contentment with the universe and he realizes he has been blessed to see. Finally, the last drop about to be drained from the bottle, I sensed a finish to the wine that I would have never imagined.

As the wine lingered on my palate (pallet? palette?) I knew I was in the presence of greatness, as if Genghis Kahn or Charlemagne were to walk through my door and challenge me to acts of bravery and heroism.

$11. (We found it on sale for $8.99.) 86 points.

Asparagus Pizza & Tempranillo

WINE
Tapena Tempranillo 2005 – Spain
We generally enjoy Spanish wines, especially Tempranillo and Garnacha (Grenache), so it’s fun to find something new and affordable. This has a great nose of cherries, and a lovely garnet color. The tastes are of black cherries, bing cherries, and some delicate spice. To us the wine doesn’t have the “silky tannins” suggested on the label, but some nice, firm, sharp ones. This is a Yes wine, bordering on House (a second bottle tasting will tell). $8 on sale (usually about $11).


DINNER
Francesca made a fabulous asparagus, onion, and garlic pizza. Used a store-bought pizza shell (we can be lazy), topped with a thin alfredo, pesto, and olive oil sauce. Next, grated Asiago and sharp provolone cheeses. Finally, she sautéed onion and asparagus in Italian spices, and added those to the pizza along with some previously roasted garlic.

Go-To Wineries

There are times when you need a bottle, yet can’t remember the specifics of wines you’ve enjoyed. We’ve also suggested that if you find a wine or two from a producer that you enjoy, keep trying that winery’s other wines. Following our own advice, here are the wineries that we feel we can buy any wine from without thinking, and we’ll almost always get a bottle we enjoy at a fair price.

• Rosemount, Australia
• Yalumba, Australia
• Beringer, California
• Cambria, California
• Ridge, California
• B&G, France
• Columbia Crest, Washington

Shrimp Louie & Vouvray

DINNER
We love “Louie” salads, but didn’t really know what they were. We discovered Louie dressings in several old cookbooks, but no reference to a Louie salad. After some research, it seems nobody actually knows for sure the origins of the Louie (Louis) salad, other than it probably began on the U.S. west coast (Seattle or San Francisco) early in the 1900s and was originally made with crab.
Our Louie salads are usually a mish-mash of everything possible. Last night we used sautéed shrimp in olive oil and spices, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, mixed greens, pickled asparagus, artichoke hearts, red pepper, green onions, croutons, home-made green tomatoes in brine, pickled garlic, radish, left-over sautéed potatoes and mushrooms, and thousand island dressing. We’ve also used salmon or crab instead of shrimp, as well as red or yellow onions, fresh mushrooms, black or green olives, sliced carrots, fresh herbs, broccoli, avocado, and other vegetables.

WINE
We had a B&G Vouvray (previously reviewed) which went perfectly with the salad. Sometimes wines are hard to pair with salad, but we’ve found that whites or roses that have the very slightest tinge of softness (sweetness) are the best. Wines that are too dry (Sauvignon Blanc) or too hearty (Chardonnays, especially from California) just don’t work that well. Try a Chenin Blanc, any decent rose (as long as it’s not bone dry), or a Gewurztraminer.

Cambria Chardonnay 2004 – California

A pleasant nose of floral scents and honeysuckle. This tastes deep, rich, with honey and tropical fruit notes. There’s obviously some vanilla and oak notes, too. This is a rich California style, but without being overpowering – “industrial strength,” as a friend says of certain California Chards. Cambria also has an excellent website and a nice mailing list program for its smaller-production wines. Yes (House if it were a few bucks cheaper). $18 on sale (usually about $25).

2005 Ridge Geyserville Redux

We gushed about the Ridge 2005 Geyserville on Christmas Eve. Apparently others think likewise. Here is the Connoisseurs' Guide (subscription) review of the wine.

Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine
Volume 32, Issue 3: January 2008

2005 Ridge Geyserville – 95 points
77% Zinfandel; 17% Carignane; 6% Petite Sirah

"Some years back Ridge removed the varietal identifier from its Geyserville red wine made substantially from Zinfandel but a field-blend in reality. But whatever they call it, it has been and continues to be a terrific Zinfandel by any standard. Its deep but still developing aromas of berries, brownies and sweet oak give way to more open and accessible ripe-berry flavors, and, contrary to the latter-day norm, the wine is free of excessive ripeness or evident heat. It has the depth to enjoy now, but given Geyserville's track record for longevity and the wine's nascent character, it is wise to cellar away a few bottles." 95 pts.

Estancia Pinot Grigio 2006 – California

This nice wine starts with a nose of lemon and fresh thyme. The tastes come on as lemon, with a tiny touch of honey (taste, not sweetness). Some nice acidity, even a little “tingle” on the tongue. Yes (maybe a House after a second tasting). $9

Book Review: The United States of Arugula

The United States of Arugula, by David Kamp
We were a little late discovering The United States of Arugula (published in 2006), but found the book to be a wonderful history of American food in the 20th century. Beginning in the late 1930s, the book chronicles the taste makers that changed America’s eating habits from meat and potatoes to sun-dried, free-range, and organic. The biggest changes began in the 1950s, with Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and with her appearance on American television. The story ranges from personalities who may not be well known to most people (such as Clementine Paddleford or Mollie Katzen), to the icons of American food – Alice Waters, Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, and a host of others. If you have an interest in food and cooking – and in how we went from canned peas to baby Arugula in the grocery store – The United States of Arugula is a great read.

French Onion Soup & Marsanne

WINE
d.A. (Domaine Astruc) Marsanne 2005 – France
Deep, pineapple nose. Tastes of pineapple and honey (not sweetness). Definitely some oak. Marsanne is a “third-tier” grape that is usually worth a try (at any reasonable price). Yes. $8

DINNER
French Onion Soup
(Recipe for 2)

• In a medium sauce pan, sauté 3/4 of a large onion in equal parts olive oil and butter, until the onions begin to brown and caramelize a bit.
• Add ground thyme, white pepper, sage, and whole thyme, to taste. (Tarragon is often a traditional spice, but we don’t care for it.)
• Add 2 cans of beef broth, or equivalent stock. (We’ve also made this with chicken stock as well as with homemade veggie stock – most anything works.) Add about 1/4 cup dry white wine and a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce. Scrape the pan to make sure all onion is well mixed. (If using a lighter chicken or veggie stock, we sometimes add red wine instead of white. Or even sauté red onions instead of yellow.)
  
• Simmer uncovered, and cook until reduced by about 1/3. The longer you simmer, the more infused will be the onion flavor.
• Put into individual broiler-proof soup tureens.
• Top each soup with a round of toasted French bread, and about 1/4 cup of grated Gruyere (or other) cheese.
• Broil just until cheese melts completely but before it starts to brown.
• Serve with additional slices of French bread (toasted or not) and Parmesan cheese.
• (Some recipes call for a flour roux after the onions have been sautéed, but we find any flour in the soup makes it drab and grainy.)

George Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2005 – France

Classic French Beaujolais-Villages – nose of lemon, black cherry, a little plum. Light tastes (it is a Beaujolais) of red grapes and a little spice. Some good minerals and acid. We enjoy the Gamay grape for just this type of wine that it makes – light and fun, yet if you go beyond the Beaujolais-Nouveau or Beaujolais to the Beaujolais-Villages wines, you gain much more in complexity and character. Many folks serve Beaujolais slightly chilled; we prefer it at cellar or cool room temperature. (See our previous entry for our opinions on wine temperatures.) Yes. $8 on sale (usually about $11).

d.A. (Domaines Astruc) Shiraz/Viogner 2006 – France

This was a pleasant surprise from the “value” section of our local wine shop. Floral notes and violets on the nose (which we’d attribute to the 20% Viogner), and well-integrated tastes of earth, mushrooms, and a tiny bit of tangerine on the mid palate. We’re constantly surprised by the French winemakers who are finally catering to an American market by listing grape varieties, but this wine lists the classic French Syrah grape with the trendy Aussie spelling! House/Yes. $10

Lost River Community Red 2005 – Washington

The label doesn’t say what grapes are in this red blend, but it tastes to us sort of like the common Aussie blend (but less common in the U.S.) of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Another nicely made wine from Lost River, but it’s just another average, OK, “red” wine. Maybe. $12

House Wines

(We’re going to be traveling and away from computers for a week, and we aren’t going to even think about posting again until we return on February 17. Enjoy your wines and dining until then.)

If you’ve been wondering what are our House wines, here is the complete list. We have not indicated differing vintages (and there can sometimes be vintage variations), nor different bottlings within a winery’s offerings. In a few cases, we have specified a particular wine. (For example, Mark West is a California winery which sources grapes from around the world. We don’t care for their California Pinot Noir, but did hugely enjoy their wine made from Corsican grapes.) On this list, you’ll find wines from California, Washington, Colorado, France, Australia, New Zealand, and Spain. (Next up, we’re planning a concentrated effort to see what’s new and exciting in South African wines, as well as to revisit some of our old tastings from Chile and Argentina.)

This is the cheat sheet we take with us to the store, although we’re always sampling and trying new offerings from the shelves. Also, this doesn’t represent all the wines we enjoy – rather it is the ones we like that we find most reliable at a good price, without having to do any thinking. We do have a separate list of higher-end (and higher-priced) wines we know and love, but those are for special occasions and not for our House wines. With a few exceptions (such as some of the Colorado wines), these should be widely available, affordable (under $20; most are $10-15, or even less, especially on sale), and reliable year-after-year.

SAUVIGNON BLANC
Brancott, Yvecourt, Columbia Crest, Turning Leaf, Covey Run, Canyon Wind, Geyser Peak, Barnard Griffin

GEWURZTRAMINER
Villa Wolf, Meridian, Chateau St. Michele, Columbia Crest, DeBeque Canyon, Covey Run

TRAMINER- RIESLING
Rosemont

RIESLING
Covey Run, Clean Slate, Snoqualmie, Chateau St. Michelle, Beringer, Greenwood Ridge, Columbia Crest

CHARDONNAY
Peace, Stonehedge, Carlson, Penfolds Thomas Hyland, Cambria, Redwood Creek(France)

VIOGNER
Domaine de Caillan, Oxford Landing, Yalumba

CHENIN BLANC
B&G Vouvary, Beringer, St. Chappell, Yalumba

ROSE
Beringer, Buehler, B&G Rose Anjou, Le Ville Ferme

PINOT GRIGIO
Columbia Crest, Stone Cellars

MUSCADET
Clos de la Clemanciene, Remy Pannier

GAMAY
George DuBeuf Beaujolais-Villages

ZINFANDEL
Ravenswood, Rosenblum, Stonehedge, Ridge

PINOT NOIR
Castle Rock, Coyote Creek, Mark West(Corsica), Scarlett of Paris, Beringer, Redwood Creek(France), Parducci, Cambria

CABERNET SAUVIGNON & MERLOT (and Blends)
Barnard Griffin(C-Merlot), Columbia Crest(Merlot-C)

SYRAH/SHIRAZ
Columbia Crest, Castle Rock, Yalumba(S-Viogner), B&G Cotes du Rhone, Red Diamond, Los Planos, Rosemount(S-Grenache), Lindemans, Domaines Astruc(S-Viogner)

GRENACHE
Los Rocas

TEMPRANILLO
Penascal, Tapena

SPARKLING
Bouvet Brut, Cristalino, Segura Viudas, Domain Chandon, Gloria Ferrer

PORT
Sandeman Tawny

Gnarly Head Zinfandel 2006 – California

This has a black cherry and almost perfumy nose. It tastes smoky, with blackberries and plums. There’s not too much oak or toast, and it has a dry finish. Yes. $12

Trimbach Gewurztraminer 2004 – Alsace, France

Yes, the French make Gewurztraminer, just as do the Germans. Alsace is on the border of France and Germany, and in many ways shares cultures, cuisines, and wine from both countries. This Gewurztraminer has a deeply aromatic, floral nose. The tastes are of honeysuckle, with some real weight and depth – almost as if it has seen some oak (which would be unusual for a Gewurztraminer). This is so different from a soft (every-so-slightly sweet), ethereal American Gewurztraminer. For us a Yes, but be forewarned if your Gewurztraminer tastes run toward the lighter style. $17

Quick Bouillabaisse & Chardonnay

DINNER
After watching a very old episode of Julia Child’s old TV show, The French Chef, we had a craving for a simple bouillabaisse. Thus, our Bouillabaisse for Two Recipe.

• About 3 cups fish stock, clam juice, or whatever’s on hand (we had some frozen shrimp-shell stock) in a saucepan
• Separately, sauté a leek, some sliced onions, and crushed garlic in olive oil (we used fennel oil) until soft
• Add some kind of sliced tomatoes (we used grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise) and simmer until the tomatoes just begin to soften
• Add vegetables to stock pan, and add a half cup of white wine
• Season with saffron, thyme, white pepper, and salt
• Let this simmer for 15-20 minutes to blend the flavors
• About 5 minutes before serving, add fish or shellfish (we used a few shrimp, and a couple of small Dover Sole filets)
• Serve in large bowls, accompanied by warmed buttered bread

WINE
Domaine Talmard Macon-Chardonnay 2006 – France
The nose starts off almost like a Sauvignon Blanc – crisp apples and grassiness. The tastes come on wonderfully with green apples, some buttery oak, and a hit of citrus/grapefruit on the mid palate. It has a nice, “unusual” lingering finish for a cheap white wine. We tend to like cheap French whites more than cheap French reds. The label gives a nod to Americans (actually listing Chardonnay as the grape, rather than having to know that most Macons are Chards), and the taste is another of those 50/50 French/American styles. Yes. $10

Welsh Rabbit (Rarebit) Recipe

A lot of words have been spent justifying calling melted cheese on toast Welsh Rabbit or Rarebit. The consensus seems to be that Rabbit is the original phrase.

Ken’s dad was arguably the world’s most un-creative cook. If you’ve ever suffered through “pizza” topped with canned tomato sauce, pieces of cooked ham, and canned green chilies, you’d understand. Anyway, he did have one excellent signature creation – Welsh Rabbit.

Our version is pretty close to Dad’s. It’s basically a roux white sauce, to which beer and cheddar cheese is added. It works well thick over toast, or thinner as a cheddar cheese sauce for vegetables, baked potatoes, or other dishes. Here’s our version (remember, we don’t measure much).

• Melt 2-3 tbsp of butter in a saucepan
  
• Add equal quantity of flour, cook on low heat for a minute or so
• Add maybe 1/4 cup milk, and stir constantly
• Add some beer (another 1/4 cup) - a good beer, please, not some watery American "light"
• Season with some combination of prepared Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, white pepper, sage, thyme, a tiny pinch of nutmeg, and either a dash of cayenne or a shake of Tabasco-type sauce
• Add grated Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup at a time, alternating cheese with beer until you have your desired consistency (thicker for traditional Rabbit over toast; thinner as a cheese sauce)

Tonight we had a thinner sauce over leftover broccoli-mushroom popovers and some pan-braised asparagus (please don’t ask us where that came from in January). Our wines were leftovers, too – a dry Riesling for Francesca and a hearty Zinfandel for Ken. Both worked well.

Wine Prices

Many of the wine prices we list are a little vague – often because we have lousy memories and also forget to record the price when we purchased the wine. On other occasions, we list the price we paid and also what typical retail is (ie: “$8 on sale, usually about $13”). In keeping with our wine philosophy, we’d say that 80 percent of the wines we discuss are below $15 retail. But we – and you – seldom need to pay $15 for a $15 wine.

Many retailers, especially supermarkets in many states (California and Washington are two we know of), frequently have a variety of wines on sale. And almost all wine retailers – whether a wine store, a liquor store, or a supermarket – offer case discounts (even mixed cases) of 10-20 percent for a case of 12 wines.

Part of our goal with this blog is to show that you can consistently find excellent wines at nearly every price point, especially affordable wines. Of course, when you go too low in price you’ll end up with a few stinkers, but we’ve had $30 bottles we didn’t like either.

Another good way to find affordable bottles is to stick with one producer you know and that you’ve had good luck – four of our “go-to” affordable wineries where we feel we’ll seldom go wrong are Columbia Crest (Washington), Rosemount (Australia), Beringer (California), and B&G (France). Try some of the wines we list as House wines, and if you agree with us, then try a few others in that winery’s line.

Louis Bernard Cotes du Rhone 2006 – France

As much as we like French wine styles, we really wanted to like this red. But... This Grenache/Syrah blend has a nose that’s almost alcohol-y, and tastes that have little fruit (a hint of dark plum), but lots of minerals, earth, acids, and tannins. Somewhat harsh (maybe young). A Maybe, at best. $13

Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2006 – Italy

Another of the California/Euro hybrid Pinots, but this one isn’t successful. Cheap-tasting, harsh, young “red” wine. We’d had it on our No list before, but hadn’t tasted it in several years (and had forgotten to look at that list when we purchased this bottle). We know why. Pinot Noir from Italy sounds to us like Chardonnay from China. No. $10 (thank goodness we only paid $5 on sale, and only bought one bottle).

“Go With Anything” Wines

Are there wines that can truly go with anything? Within reason, we think it’s possible. The wine would be white or rose (pink, blush, whatever you want to call them), have some acidity, and just the barest touch of sweetness. These wines won’t necessarily be the “best” with certain foods, but we think they can go with anything – steaks, burgers, asparagus, artichokes, salads, fish, shellfish, even some cheeses. (To us, that may actually be the toughest “go-with-anything” challenge. We think most cheese needs a completely dry wine, but try some of our following ideas and see what you think.) So, our choices for wines that you could take to a dinner where you don’t know what’s being served, or wines to have on hand just in case you can’t think of what to open with a particular meal.

• Beringer White Zinfandel
• Cristalino Rose Brut Cava
• Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling

If you can’t find (or don’t like) these particular wines, look for something similar – any Spanish Cava, a dry-ish Rose, a not-too-sweet Riesling. You might also experiment with Gewurztraminer, Chenin Blanc, or maybe even a light-weight Pinot Grigio.

Food and Wine Pairing

There was an interesting article in the January 19 Wall Street Journal about Tim Hanni, who has developed a wine consulting business and a method to help pair wine with hard-to-match foods. He also is promoting “progressive wine lists,” and we’ve shopped in wine stores where basic wine progressions similar to his were used (light-bodied whites, medium, full, etc.). Hanni’s credentials are impeccable – one of the first Americans to pass the “Master of Wine” exams – yet some of his recommendations seem odd to us. We really don’t want our asparagus to taste like salt and lemon juice (his basic spice suggestion) just so we can drink a big Bordeaux with it – just pass the white Zinfandel and we’ll enjoy it just fine.

Wine and food pairing is an art – just as food and spice pairing is. Try some of our “cheap” wine suggestions from this blog with different foods. If something doesn’t taste good together, open another cheap bottle of something else. To us, that’s far better than changing the flavor of the food we so carefully created.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2006 – Washington

This starts with a nose of apple, peaches, and apricots. The tastes come on with citrus, peach, apricot, and a little white pepper. The barest hint of sweetness, nice mild acidity. Yum. A new House wine for us. $6 on sale (usually about $9).

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. This received an 86 from Wine Spectator.]

Pan-Seared Salmon with Teriyaki Sauce; Mushroom Saffron Risotto; Pinot Grigio

DINNER
We eat salmon a lot, and in a lot of different ways. We also make our quick homemade Teriyaki sauce, which is:

• Soy sauce or Tamari
• Sake or dry white wine
• Maple syrup
• Crushed garlic
• Crushed ginger
• Mix equal parts of soy, wine, and maple syrup; add garlic and ginger to taste.

Salmon
We like salmon cooked pretty lightly, so we first sear it skin-side down in olive oil. As soon as the skin side begins to get pink, we flip the filet over, peel off the skin, and cook the second side for another minute or two. We add a splash of the Teriyaki just before the fish is finished, then remove and plate the salmon. We add the rest of the Teriyaki sauce to the pan, to heat it and reduce it a bit. Drizzle some sauce over salmon, and serve the rest on the side.

Risotto
Risotto rice is cooked differently from Japanese or Chinese rice.

• Soak a pinch of saffron threads in a tablespoon or two of warm water.
• Sauté sliced mushrooms and set aside.
• Sauté some finely chopped onion in butter.
• Add dry Risotto rice to onions in pan and coat the rice with the butter.
• Add saffron and its soaking liquid, and a quarter cup or so of white wine.
• Add warmed vegetable or chicken stock a quarter or half cup at a time, and wait for rice to absorb all the liquid before adding more.
• When rice is fully cooked, add the mushrooms.

WINE
A Columbia Crest Pinot Grigio (previously reviewed) went perfectly with the smoky and smooth tastes of both the risotto and the salmon.

GraEagle Red & Enchiladas

WINE
GraEagle “Red Wing” 2004 – Washington
The first taste is a quick blast of green pepper (not unpleasant). This wine then mellows out to just another red. Some nice solid acidity. Not bad, but just nothing special. A red blend of 49% cabernet sauvignon, 12% merlot, 39% cabernet franc. This was a gift, and we haven’t researched the price (wouldn’t that be unseemly?), so without that guidance, we’ll stick with a Maybe. (As we've said before, our "ratings" are value dependent -- a wine might be a "Yes" at $10 but a "Maybe" at $20.)

[Update: As previously mentioned, if we find a wine rated elsewhere, we will note those ratings – but only after we write our reviews. The 2005 vintage of this wine received a 91 from Wine Spectator.]

DINNER
Green chili & cheese Enchiladas, with creamed spinach topping.