The Splendid Grape

A Look into the World of Wine from a Novice Perspective

Alianca Vinho Verde from Portugal June 16, 2013

Filed under: Tasting Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 7:10 pm

Sometimes, a glass of wine is all that is needed to cure a bad day.  Not to long ago, I had a pretty ferocious day at work.  On top of that, it was hot outside.  And while I don’t want to complain about having a sunny day (we never get enough sun here in Seattle), being hot and bothered is never a good combination.

aliancaI popped open a bottle of Alianca Vino Verde, a lovely white from Portugal. This wine is light yellow in color and has a green (savory veggie-like smell) and citrus not.  The palette was a touch of spice, sweet, tangy and citrus.

I didn’t pair anything with this wine.  I honestly just needed something to take the edge off my day and this glass of wine did just that.  There was also a hint of sparkle to this wine – a nice surprise and very refreshing.

A good wine for a decent price, and it made a bad day better.  I recommend it for sure!

 

Martin Codax and Paella – A Crisp and Delicious Combination June 2, 2013

Filed under: World Tour of Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 10:21 am
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I have been wanting to try Paella since I started my virtual tasting through Spain.  Saving the best for last, I saved this dish as my final pairing for my Spain adventure.

I had heard quite a bit about the Albariño grape – a white grape grown in the Rias Baxias region of Spain.  The Rias Baxias region is in Northwestern Spain, beautiful and coastal.  So, what better than to make a seafood dish.

I have never tasted, let alone made, Paella before, so this was quite an adventure.  I know that Paella contains a lot of shellfish, but being this was my first attempt and I didn’t want to mess it up completely, I went for a little milder version of the dish.

Paella!

Paella!

I used chorizo, chicken, shrimp and crab meat – so there was still some seafood, but nothing too extreme. It actually made a mild, but very tasty meal.  You should know that when cooking, it seems I always forget a step – and I did this time as well.  I was supposed to add roasted red peppers at the end, but I forgot.  Regardless, the Paella still turned out good.

 

martin codax

I paired the dish with Martín Codax 2011 Albariño.  The wine was light yellow in appearance and had a nose of citrus (mostly lemon) with hints of honey and ginger.  The palette was reminiscent of citrus with a touch of honey.  Nothing too sweet and the acids worked well with the seafood.  The chorizo was also spicy so the cool wine balanced out the heat.

Overall, Spain was tasty and delicious!  So many great wines and so much great food.  And now off to Italy!

 

 

Tasting of Benziger Sauvignon Blanc, Chateau de Berne Rose & Villa Montepulciano d’Abruzzo May 22, 2013

Filed under: Tasting Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 8:24 pm

I recently received three great bottles of wine from Wine Chateau.  Wine Chateau is an online (and brick & mortar) wine retailer that offers an extraordinary selection of wines and spirits.  They also offer wines that are hard to find in store.  I am quite impressed by their selection – and the reasonable prices – something that can be hard to find these days.

For me, opening a bottle of wine is like taking a mini-trip around the world.  Each bottle captures the different flavors of its region – and in a single sip, you are transported to a different country.

The three bottles I received were just that – a mini-trip around the world.

My line-up included: Benziger Family Winery 2011 Sauvignon Blanc (California), Chateau de Berne 2011 Rose (France) and Villa 2011 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Italy).

Three Great Wines

Three Great Wines

I started with the Benziger 2011 Sauvignon Blanc. It was pale yellow in color and had a crisp citrus nose – light white grapefruit.  The palette had lots of great acid, very refreshing and lemony.  I could imagine sitting on the porch in the summer, eating a chicken salad and enjoying this wine.

- A side note, Benziger is Certified Sustainable Growth – meaning the way they grow their grapes is good for the environment.  Forward thinking.

Cool Square Bottle

Cool Square Bottle

I then tried the Chateau de Berne, Cotes de Provence Rosé 2011.  The wine was pale pink with an orange tint and has a super light nose,  I could smell very light tannins.  The palette was a little savory, with a slight taste of peaches and apricots.  I LOVED the bottle shape of this wine – a cool square design, very unique.

- Chateau de Berne is a true Chateau, you could actually stay overnight, wine and dine – nice!

The last wine was the Villa 2011 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.  The wine was shades of dark plum and burgundy, and had a nose of cooked dark fruits, plums and cherries.  The palette had light tannins, as well as cherries, berries and ripe fruit.  This wine would be great on its own or with a meal (pizza maybe).

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The one thing I found interesting was the Benziger was a little cloudy when it was first poured, but that dissipated after a few minutes.  I am thinking this was titrates….It didn’t affect the wines taste – it was still great!

I enjoyed all three wines, but I was really torn between the Benziger and the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo as my top favorite.  I am also going to investigate other wines these wineries have to offer.

 

Champagne Taste-Off: Champagne vs. Methode Champenoise May 5, 2013

Filed under: Tasting Wine,World Tour of Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 4:13 pm
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Over the past few months, I have learned quite a bit about my favorite wine – Champagne.  I know that Champagne is only Champagne if from Champagne, France, and I recently learned about Growers Champagne – those wineries that grow their own grapes for their Champagne.

I was recently introduced to Methode Champenoise – basically making sparkling wine the same way as Champagne (just not in Champagne, France).

I am quite fond of comparing different wines, and with my family all getting together, I thought what a better way to celebrate than with a Champagne taste-off!

I had a bottle of growers Champagne, Champagne Aubry, and a bottle of Methode Champenoise, Arbor Crest Estate.  My brother contributed a bottle from a Champagne House, Drappier.

champagne tasting

The corks were popped, the glass poured and the tasting began:

  1. Champagne Aubry, Premier Cru (Growers Champagne).  Very pale yellow in color, it had a nose of citrus – tart and sour.  The palette was light citrus, very dry – good acidity.
  2. Arbor Crest Estates (Methode Champenoise). Also very pale, but with a hint of pink.  It had an earthy nose to me – I could smell a touch of sulfur.  The palette was slightly sweet and savory – and dry.
  3. Drappier, Carte-D’Or Brut (Champagne House).  This wine was more of a honey color, with a nose of yeast.  The palette had citrus, slightly sweet and slightly bready – kind of like dry toast.

All of the wines were good.  The Arbor Crest was the sweetest, the Drappier the driest.  But of all three, we all thought the Aubry was the winner!

The best part – I purchased this bottle all on my own – I think my studies and tasting are starting to sink in!

I do really enjoy these different taste-offs and am looking forward to the next (and am always open to recommendations).

 

Loire Valley Dessert Wine, Grains Nobles April 7, 2013

Filed under: Tasting Wine,World Tour of Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 2:26 pm
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I recently opened a bottle of 2003 Philippe Delesvaux “Grains Nobles”.  The wine is from the Loire Valley and the wine maker, Philippe Delesvaux pours his heart and soul into his wine.

Grains NoblesThe grapes he used for this wine, Chenin Blanc, are hand-picked and averaging 40 years of age, planted to soils containing sedimentary rock, slate and coal.

I can be weary of sweet wines – many of them bring me back to my college days and overly sweet (and dangerous) cocktails.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by this wine.

The wine was garnet in color, with a nose of brown sugar, maple syrup and honey.  The palette was reminiscent of strawberries, honey and was very fruity.

The wine also had a very nice aftertaste, always leaving me to want another sip. It was the perfect end to my sunny afternoon at the beach, and was a great substitute for actual dessert.

It was also a nice contrast to the Silex Noir Vouvray I had enjoyed earlier in my journey through France.

 

A Glass of Villa Narcisa Rueda Verdejo on a Sunny Day March 17, 2013

Filed under: World Tour of Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 8:37 pm
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It was a beautiful sunny day in Seattle, which is worth a celebration.  I decided a glass of Javier Sanz Viticultor Villa Narcisa 2010 Rueda Verdejo would do the trick.

I am still virtually making my way through Spain, nibble and sip, but today, I was somewhat unprepared culinary-wise.  But then again, maybe not.  I poured myself a small bowl of salted almonds, a glass of wine and found a sunny corner of the kitchen to sit and bask.  This could be very European of me, now that I think of it – no big production, just enjoying life with a glass of wine on the side.

rueda verdejo with almonts

I happen to be very pleased with my choice.  The wine, Javier Sanz Viticultor 2010 Villa Narcisa Verdejo, was the perfect pairing to a sunny day.  Light yellow in color (like a ray of sun), it had a green, fresh, light nose.  I could smell hints of honey, lemon or just citrus, but nothing over powering.  The palette matched the nose, light, airy, hints of citrus, a little floral.  Basically, it was Spring in a glass.

And this wine is worth raving about!  I love, love, loved the lightness of the wine.  It was the perfect match to my salty snack.  There was nothing over powering or too strong about this wine.  It is also a great stand alone wine.  To be honest, I had all of two almonds before ditching them just for the wine.

It has been awhile since I have enjoyed a glass of white this much and it was worth the wait.

 

 

Priorat Bodegas La Cartuja with Garlic Pan Fried Chorizo March 10, 2013

Filed under: World Tour of Wine — Chloe Nichols @ 10:48 am
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The Spanish wine region of Priorat is just South of Penedès and is one of Spain’s newer regions.  Even though the region has been producing wine for quite some time, it really hit its stride in the 1990′s.  The region’s terrain is sprinkled with volcanic minerals, which give the grapes a unique flavor.

I wanted to try a red from Spain, and settled on a bottle of Bodegas La Cartuja 2011.  I am slowly starting to get the pairing bit, so I decided to pair my wine with another tapa – Garlic Pan-Fried Chorizo and Bread.

Ok, this wine is delicious.  It has a beautiful ruby-red color and smells of plums, warm cooked fruits and dark cherries.  The palette is multidimensional.  It has the initial taste of the same warm cooked fruits and cherries as the nose, but it also has hints of spices, black pepper and tannins.

la cartuja and chorizo

My tapas did not turn out as pretty as the cookbook picture, but it was still tasty.  I used fresh chorizo, instead of pre-cooked (whoops), but I think in the end it added to the dish.  The bread sopped up the juices from the fresh chorizo, making the small bites rich and spicy.

I was a little concerned the wine wouldn’t hold up to my dish, but I was pleasantly surprised.  The spiciness of the wine paired well with the sausage, and made for an overall yummy experience.

The La Caruja is 70% Garnacha, 30% Cariñena, and reminded me of Maison Bleue’s Grenache (which I also love).  Yum!

I also tried a glass of Protocolo Vino de la Tierra de Castilla 2010 Tempranillo.  This wine was also quite tasty and had the same warm cooked fruits and stone fruit palette and nose as the La Cartuja.  It did lack the spice of the La Cartuja, but paired nicely with my steak sandwich.

The wines of Spain have so far been very impressive and helped to grow my understanding of wine and my palette.  I am looking forward to more!

 

 

 

 
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