2004 SOJO Shiraz

The SOJO Shiraz is from South Africa. It is peppery, full of smoky seasoning and not too full bodied. The tannins do come in and say hello, but I wouldn't be worried about them completely drying your mouth out. The first time I put my nose in the glass, I thought I smelled bacon. All my friends know how much I love bacon. I'm like the dog in the Beggin Strips commercials. This is an affordable shiraz that you can find around 10-12 dollars. Bring it to a BBQ and people will invite you again just because of the impact this wine will have.

I paired this wine with the Spice Rubbed Pork Chops.

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Dolcetto needs more Recognition: Ode to the 100th Grape

I know that an ode is a lyrical verse. Well, I'm not that talented but it sounds great as a title. So don't expect me to break out in to a written rhyme.

I have done it. I have crossed the finish line. I didn't want to wait any longer. I can now say that, "I have tasted 100 different grape varieties."

Dolcetto was her name, a sometimes forgotten Italian grape. This grape has the body and the characteristics to be a regular date to any tomato based Italian dish. I know you have had Chianti with Italian food, and maybe a Sangiovese/Cabernet blend. However, Dolcetto should be the wine of choice for your everyday spaghetti with tomato sauce or with meat sauce. It has some acidity that you wouldn't expect from a red but it has the strength to push back on the tomato flavor.

I have been converted by this last grape in my journey. I don't think I will crave just any Italian wine with my spaghetti bolognese (meat sauce). Don't worry, the recipe is on it's way but I think after this discovery, it will be sooner rather than later. I think I have found the perfect match to a never-fail meat sauce and the bottles of wine can be under $20 dollars. There are a lot of brands but you will have to find the one you like. I had the Pio Cesare Dolcetto d'Alba.

I started this quest a little over 2 years ago and to see it come to a glorious end gets me thinking, "what now?" One hundred grapes down, how many more to go? Don't know. I do know I will continue to keep track of any new grapes and that I'll help my girlfriend get to a hundred. I'm excited to finish this quest but at the same time, sad to see it end.

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2006 Wishing Tree Unoaked Chardonnay

Right off the bat, I have to tell you. I am not a fan of chardonnay. Too often have I been knocked over the head with oak. Too often have I been only been able to taste smoke and wood. I mean come on, wine is made from grapes. You are supposed to smell and taste some fruit in a chardonnay, but no, all we usually get is oak. Sure, the more expensive chardonnays have the expertise and means to balance the fruit and oak but why can't someone make a great bottle of Chard' for under 15 dollars. I guess this is the reason why I was drawn to unoaked chardonnay.

What a nice change of pace to a bottle of chardonnay. This had a very fruit forward nose. It was enticing you to take a sip. And once you do, you get hit with a ripe fresh pear, and a little bit of grapefruit. It is just one of those whites that you can sip on while you cook or pair it with a lightly seasoned chicken dish. If I will ever learn to like chardonnay again, this might be the type of chardonnay that will get me to come back to dark side.

This wine was paired with the Chardonnay and Herb Chicken.

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The 100th Grape is Within Reach

My current wine quest is inching ever so close to the end. I was looking over some of the major grapes that I am yet to try and realized that I have been ignoring some important Italian grapes. The count at the time stood at 98. However out of nowhere, thanks to a wine tasting I went to last night, I realized that I have failed to check off one Italian grape that I actually first tasted back in 2006.

Anyone who had "Wines" senior year at Cornell, had the chance to try a variety of sparkling wines during the last class of the semester. You can say it was the professor's way of toasting the class, mostly seniors, and wishing them a pleasant journey after graduation. Starting off with Champagnes from France, then the cava from Spain, we were fortunate enough to finish with a sparkling red wine from Italy. It was unanimously the class favorite. It had just enough sparkle, just enough strawberry and subtle maraschino cherry flavor to make you forget about the upcoming stress that Finals were going to put on your life. It is probably the main reason that I hold this bottle of bubbly in such high regard. If you are curious to the wine's name, I'll tell you.

It is the Banfi Rosa Regale. 100 percent Brachetto. 100 percent delicious. And you can find it at most supermarkets and wine stores. And it's light red color looks great in a flute, perfect for any romantic occasion.

Having realized that I had missed this grape, I instantly knew that I was standing at the very edge of success. My next move, find a way to cross the 100 grape mark in style. Another realization I had yesterday was, that due to my little quest, my girlfriend had actually accumulated quite the high grape count as well. I was paving the way and she was catching the draft behind me to the finish line. There are not too many times that I try wine without her. So here we are, she is standing at grape #89 and I'm at grape #99.

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2006 Tilia - Malbec Syrah

What an interesting combination for a wine. In the past, I've had Malbec blended with Cabernet or Syrah blended with any other red besides Malbec. I was excited by the idea of this new combination. I love Malbecs and Syrah, when done well, can be amazing. This wine is from Mendoza, Argentina. It is reasonably priced and can go with any red meat, whether it is a steak or a burger. I had it by itself, but then again, there aren't too many reds that I have to drink with food.

I can only describe this wine as a great, even blend of Malbec and Syrah. You get that fresh blackberry and raspberry with the fresh seasoning of some cracked black pepper. Smooth and not too tannic so it will not dry your mouth with every sip. If you have never had a Malbec, you should dive in to this bottle because the Syrah will wean you nicely and teach your palate about the interesting grape known as Malbec. It's about the time that Malbecs gain some popularity.

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Pizza Thursday and Grape Variety #98 - Negroamaro

The roads are all slush. It's cold. Winter needs to die.

Another Thursday has come so that means pizza night. Went back to an old standby, Tombstone Supreme. The weather isn't cooperating therefore the plows decided to take a day off. It was a fun little adventure trying to drive to the grocery store for a Tombstone pizza. I pretty much came to two conclusions: People forget how slippery snow is when they get in to a car and a good bottle of Italian wine will always help you ignore all of your surroundings.

I fired up the oven. Threw in my trusty pizza stone. Then I uncorked the 2006 Sfida Puglia Rosso. The blend changes from year to year. This year it is 70% Primitivo (Zinfandel) and 30% Negroamaro. You get the jammy flavor from the Primitivo and get the earthy, smoky notes from the Negroamaro. The Negroamaro makes 98 grapes tasted so far in my wine quest. I can see the end in sight but first I have to finish enjoying the bottles that I have open in my wine fridge.

It smells like smells like blueberries and dark cherries. Chewy with medium tannins. And tastes like raspberry preserve, mocha, and raisins. All I could think about were dark chocolate Raisinets. $11

To cap off the relaxing Thursday night, I decided to watch a movie that I hadn't seen in years. The choice was between Memento or The Lost Boys but I didn't feel like seeing Jack Bauer pick a fight with Jason Patrick. The movie then was Memento. I forgot how good the movie was. Although, I realized that as the amount of wine in my system increased, the more I thought I had the inability to form any short-term memory. If you have never heard of the movie, I'd suggest you just go pick it up. Look for a trailer but don't read about it because it might spoil the surprise. I'll give you one hint. The whole movie is played backwards. What a great movie!!

The streets are slush. I have the Puglia Rosso open, the Dom Martinho open and a Syrah/Malbec blend open. Now all I have to figure out what dinner is going to be. It's Friday and all I want to do is stay at home. Winter needs to seriously end.

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Your wine and Calories

I know. Who cares about calories when you are enjoying wine? I try to not care about this either. Actually, I never really think about it. However, I have had some e-mails asking me to at least show you some numbers. Well, thanks to the USDA National Nutrient Database, I had an easy way of looking up all the most popular wine varieties.


Don't worry though. Wine is still the healthiest of your adult beverages. I used 5 oz as the serving size for the wines. Safety guidelines also refer to a 5 oz serving of wine as one drink. Since a 750 ml bottle of wine typically has about 25 fl oz of wine. You are usually able to get 5 servings from each bottle.

Here are the varieties and the amount of calories in each serving:

Whites

Riesling	118
Pinot Grigio	122
Sauv. Blanc	119
Chardonnay	113
Champagne, Brut	131
Avg. Whites	121

Reds

Pinot Noir	121
Syrah	122
Zinfandel	129
Merlot	122
Cabernet Sauv.	122
Port, Ruby	185	(4 oz)
Avg. Reds	125

Now that you know how much each glass has, you can work it in to your daily intake. Here's something to keep in mind. Cut out one soda or one starbucks coffee and you could easily replace it with a rewarding glass of port after dinner. You can even have that square of dark chocolate too.

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Grape Variety #97 - Savatiano

Have you ever had wine from Greece? Aren't they the ones who came up with this whole crazy idea of fermenting grapes? I had the opportunity to try the "wine of the gods" or at least that's what the Greeks call Retsina. I found a bottle for 8 dollars and I decided to take a chance. If the word retsina reminds you of the word resin, you are close to the origin of this wine. Here is the label:


Quick history. The ancient Greeks would store their wine in ceramic vessels and seal them with tree resin. The resin would give the wine some flavor. The Greeks grew to love this taste and has been recreated since then. So yes, the wine tastes a bit like resin but I ended up liking it.

We had it with a spicy beef and scallion dish from our local Chinese place. It definitely helped cool down the mouth plus the low acidity level made it an easy sipper.

I am now three grapes away from 100 and it's getting very tough to find new grapes. I will get there though so stay posted for that 100th grape.

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Chateau Frank - Celebre Cremant NV

Two words: Sparkling Riesling. The very thought brings a smile to my face. How can you not want to Celebre when you hear the pop? I have been enjoying this wine for some time now. Christmas seemed brighter, New Year's was a blast.

When I first tasted this, all I could think of was a peach medley or a peach tart. There was some creaminess in the flavor too. I think that makes up the crispy crust. The bubbles rolled ever so gently over the tongue. It was hard not to take big gulps since I wanted to keep the flavor alive. The wine is a little pricier than usual. $19 . This is the sparkling wine you should use for special occasions such as Patriots losing the Superbowl parties or a Jim Carrey movie marathon. Hunt for this wine and your capture will be very rewarding.

approx 130 calories per 5 0z serving

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Valentine's Day is here, Better have something to do

Dinnertime is getting closer. The stores have already marked up their flowers and the few that are left look like mutants that will never open. You better have some plans for tonight or you can just write off the next 10 months off. If you need more time, you better be a charmer.

Let's say you lost your iPhone, avoided all forms of media and follow the Chinese calendar. Well in this scenario, you can claim ignorance to the significance of February 14th. Otherwise, it's pretty much doomsday. Your saving grace this year is that Valentine's landed on a Thursday. You can make a valid, reasonable argument that you should BOTH wait until the weekend to shower each other (read: her) with lavish gifts. If she's a reasonable woman, you have a 20 percent chance of getting away with it. So bring graphs, notarized reservations and other information that can delay the inevitable. Most important of all, if you are delaying it for the weekend, at least scrounge around for flowers, chocolates or whatever plant life is growing outside that resembles a flower. Yes, I know it's winter.

Something you can always count on last minute is your local grocery store or wine shop. You know they sell wine and you know that they won't run out. You have two choices: bubbly or not bubbly.

If you guys are regular wine drinkers then I can say with some confidence that sparkling wine is not a weekly selection, although it should be. You are looking for the most bang for your buck here. For a romantic, fun night, stay away from the under 6 dollar bottle of sparkling wine. You still have to get to work tomorrow. Too much of that will give you a hangover that would feel as if you had a leprechaun practicing for St. Patty's day on your face. A great,reliable and fun sparkler: Asti Spumante or Moscato d'Asti. Almost a mimosa in the bottle. Citrusy, light and not to bad on the wallet. Find some chocolate with a hint of orange and you are golden. If you are really lucky, find some sparkling Riesling. I am yet to find someone that can say anything bad about it.

If you think bubbly is too much of a cliche, then you better know what type of wine she likes. You will be tempted to go with brand names or recognizable areas but here is your time to shine. Don't give in to marketing gimmicks such as special Valentine's wine. If she loves reds, find two great reds. Spain has great reds at a steal of a price. 'Codice' is a fun wine with a label that says you spent more than you did. Their reds are packed with flavor and most are between 8-15 dollars. If she loves whites, find 3 great whites. Germany and Oregon are places you might have overlooked. German Riesling comes in a variety of sugar levels. I'd say start with Kabinett or Spatlese Riesling, not too sweet and not too pricey. Other than that, find a Gewurztraminer (Ge-Vurz-Tra-Me-Ner) and you will keep the palate guessing.

I've given you some ideas to help deflect the mind off the fact that Valentine's is going to be delayed. But you knew this already, wine and flowers will always brighten up anyones day.

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Fairvalley - Chenin Blanc

This is a smooth and easy drinking Chenin Blanc. Coming out of South Africa, chenin blanc is called Steen there. The Fairvalley Chenin Blanc was my wine for the Caribbean Chicken Curry recipe. Wow, what a pair. This white had just enough acidity to cut through the cream of chicken in the recipe and still had that sweet and light feel in the mouth to make sure the cayenne didn't hurt you too bad. I could have sipped on this all night. And it was priced at 8.99. Wow. Talk about finding my everyday white. I've had similar luck with the Beringer Chenin Blanc in the past but the Fairvalley comes in a screw top. Do you really need another reason to pick it up?

Light and fruity. Not too sweet, almost like an off-dry riesling. Apricot and pear nose. Low price point, high in flavor. I'd have this with any spicy chicken or fish dish. Or outside with a book and a radio.

approx 118 calories per 5 0z serving

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Uh Oh... I'm Out of Ideas For Valentine's Day

Valentine's day is this week. The trouble with that statement is that I've run out of ideas. The fancy dinner has been done to death plus I'm still trying to recover from Christmas. I can cook a special dinner and pair it with a nice wine but as you can tell from some of the meals I make, it probably won't feel as spontaneous as it would had I just made mac and cheese all year. I guess that's the only downfall to cooking all these meals. I've proved I can cook well so it's expected and pretty much required. So what now?

I got it! Why not just get a bunch of her favorite things and make a fun bag? Oh wait, nope, can't do it because she has already done the same for me in the past. I know everyone says Valentine's day is for women but I think they are so much better at getting us things. So much so that they look forward to it even more because of that reason. For example, I know what I'm getting already. She has purchased tickets to the Michael Buble concert. Well... can't top that. I'm pumped though, because we both love Buble.

Lots of sushi... Lots of sake

I've got an idea though. And thanks to my sensitive stomach the last time I tried this, I know it's something out of the ordinary. How about we have a low-key, watch a movie like we used to when it all began, and graze on sushi and sake. Most sushi places are carryout so advantage us. Since we can save on tip, parking and ridiculous mark ups on drinks, carryout sushi sounds even better.

Alright, now this is strictly for the guys. Hopefully you know her favorite sushi. If she is new to it, do not pick out the slimy looking ones or the eel rolls. Don't forget the wasabi and the soy sauce. Take the sushi out of the styrofoam box, find your cleanest (preferably white) dish, and plate the sushi. We are skimping on the fancy restaurant so you need to triple the effort at home. That means clean the apartment, febreze the couch and not 5 minutes before she gets there. If you are going to go candles, how about you get two for the coffee table since that's where you are going to most likely eat. Just tell her that you want a more traditional Japanese sushi experience. For you to pull this off, remember to vacuum the carpet and clean out any stains you have left from the Superbowl party.

Ok now. You have a clean area to eat, the candles are lit, and the sushi is waiting on the clean plates. All you need is the sake. If you've had sake before, it's come in two forms: hot and strong at most sushi places, or as a sake bomb. I recently just learned why it's served hot. It's for the same reason you would serve crappy white wine really cold, to hide the crapiness. Don't get me wrong, high quality sake can also be warmed but serving it cold is when it shows it's true colors. If you can find a decent wine shop with a variety of wines then you will find good sake there too. Remember, sake is just rice wine. Find some small sake bowls if you can, it will give you extra points. But I know you have a collection of large shot glasses. As a last resort, pull out that old Cancun Spring Break shotglass and serve the sake chilled.

You have "prepared" a special dinner for Valentine's day. Try not to drink too much sake and don't spill the soy sauce.

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Another Relaxing Thursday Wine Night

Ah, Thursdays. Friday Eve. Guess what, the weekend is pretty much here. Again, it's just my dog and I. He's actually been passed out since dinner. Leftovers.... mmmm...mmm. Boiled some barilla plus spaghetti, heated up some barilla tomato and basil sauce and voila. Healthy and easy dinner. My schedule has been so irregular this week that I figured I would wrap the week up with something straight-forward and easy.

Of course Thursdays are great for another thing. Catching up on old movies but something made me really think. I caught "The Matrix" on tv, not on HBO but on AMC. AMC!!!! And then it hit me, it's almost been 10 years since it came out. I remember watching 'old' movies on TBS on summer afternoons. It's probably the reason that I LOVE 80s movies. Ferris Bueller, Porky's, Wargames, Big, Die Hard, they all belong on AMC. Not The Matrix. But I've digressed.


The wine of the day was an old favorite. Quinta de Carmo Dom Martinho 2005. Full-bodied, rich with good concentration. A balanced wine, ready for drinking. Almost leathery and earthy too. It's a blend of Tempranillo, Alicante, Periquita, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. If you are trying to get to 100 for the Century club, this will help you along. For the average wine person, it's definitely a food wine. I can drink most reds by themselves so it's perfect for these Thursday nights. If you want to try some food with it, try a nice meaty pasta or a bbq turkey burger.

I'm going to go back to my "classic" movie. Just to clear it up, I think The Matrix is an amazing movie that revolutionized special effects, but come on... Has it really been 10 years?

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The White Knight - Clarksburg Viognier

I went with a white wine with the sesame chicken meal. This time around I picked up The White Knight Clarksburg Viognier. Whether or not you have tasted a viognier before, I would give this a whirl. I think this is what a prototypical viognier should be like without getting in to the expensive category. And guess what, it's a screw cap. It's begging to be opened. Nice floral nose, amazing fruit with the body to carry it threw any meal. Has some crispness but it won't make your mouth feel like a pinot grigio. Remember this wine for summer but at least you can dream of warmer days while you sip on it with your sesame chicken. This might be a wine of the week soon. wink wink.

approx. 115 calories per 5 oz serving

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Hey Mambo - Swanky White

With the Hawaiian Mahi, I couldn't think of anything else besides the Hey Mambo white. It has viognier, muscat, sauvignon blanc, and chenin blanc. What, no chardonnay? This dish needed some crispness to go with the lime as well as some good body. Flavors of fresh lime, gala apples, grapefruit and lemongrass. Has some sweetness to it, but the sauvignon makes sure you remember why you have an adult palate. This is a wine you bring home to mom, she will love it. Have it alone, have it with some Mahi, or with a shrimp scampi.

approx. 121 calories per 5 oz serving

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A Kitchen Can't Live Without It (part 2)

So continuing from part one. This time I want to focus on wine and glassware. For wine it comes down to really two things, make sure you have an easy to use, fool proof opener and one good glass to pour your wine in to.

I know you've seen the fancy openers with the lever, sometimes resembling a rabbit. These are good, but pricey. You are also familiar with the cork screw that you screw in to the cork, then pull down the arms on each side of the opener, these are inexpensive but they can tear up the cork very quickly. The easiest and most reliable way to get your bottle open is to learn how to use a waiter's corkscrew. They cost under 10 dollars for a quality one and you can find it at most wine shops. Once you learn how to use it well, you will never have to rely on anyone or anything else.

Check out this video. It will teach you how to properly use the waiter's corkscrew.



Great! You got your wine open. Which glass are you going to pour it in to? You probably have come across the glasses at crate and barrel that tell you they are perfect for a particular type of wine. If you can afford each variety, more power to you. However, I think all you need are two types of glasses. A red wine glass and a white wine glass. If you drink a lot of pinot noir, get the glasses that look like a large bowl, but again these are not as practical as the standard red cabernet glass. Check out the two examples.

The red wine glass on the left has a bigger bowl and narrower opening. The white wine glass on the right has a slightly larger opening.

One last thing to keep in mind. Make sure your whites are chilled well. Put them in the fridge an hour before you open them. For reds, you want these slightly chilled too. If you keep your reds in your kitchen, either on your counter or on top of the fridge, first thing to do is smack your left hand. Bad, very bad. Keep all your wine in a COOL, dark place. Make some space in your closet. Throw out those old Nikes, unless you want your wine to smell the same. Before opening that red, grab it, throw it in the fridge, not the fridge door, for about 10-15 min. Red wine should be consumed between 59-61 degrees. Just like it was when French monarchs had no heat to keep their castles warm. You'll realize how much of a difference this will make to your wine.

Now go... Find your red wine... Start practicing your waiter's corkscrew skills.

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2007 Santa Julia - Malbec

I actually had my pizza with an 06 Malbec by Trumpeter. Santa Julia and Alberti make a very similar Malbec so you could go with any of the three. It's a nice change from your everyday red. It's silky smooth and has that nice spice to go with the pepperoni and the subtle cream to with the cheese. It still has that dark red fruit though like dark cherries with out the bitterness. You have to love what Argentina is doing for wine and at easy prices. It's wine like this that shows Argentina's ability with Malbec.

approx. 122 calories per 5 oz serving

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2007 Santa Julia - Organica Torrontes

Picture of Label Coming Soon

Ah, Argentina's white grape. They are known for it like Germany is known for Rieslings. And this is no slouch. I paired the shrimp arrabbiata with this chilled white . Just a perfect match for this spicy dish. Mildly crisp, makes your mouth water but not like a pinot grigio. With some apple and nice fresh floral scent. It had a mildly vanilla flavor like a chardonnay but definitely not to be confused as one. Chill it and pop it open. We struggled to keep some in our glass since it went so well with the french bread too. Pick it up for 9-12 dollars depending on the shop.

I picked it up at the Mass Ave Wine Shoppe. A perfect little wine store with all the quirky, unique international grapes without the snobby price. And they sell stouts too so it's my kind of place.

approx. 120 calories per 5 oz serving

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