Author: Rickie

Washington Wines Revealed

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For too long now, Washington wines have existed under the shadow of their neighbors to the south, and living under the pretense that they could not, and would not stack up to the boisterousness and nobility of California wine. Washington has been prisoner to the understandable misconception that they simply do not host a suitable grape growing climate. How could they grow grapes, you may ask, when it rains all the time? In fact, the majority of Washingtons wine growing region lies to the east of the Cascade mountain range, which, due to the rain shadow effect is arid and sunny. While damp and temperate Western Washington gets an average of sixty inches of rain per year, the East Side receives eight.

Its true that Washington was still making fortified wines based on Concord grapes in the 1960s when California wines were already receiving awards and becoming world recognized. But they have grown with leaps and bounds over the past 40 years and are producing high quality wines that compete with the best of California. The wheat fields and fruit orchards that were the previous staple economy in Walla Walla and Yakima Valleys have been replaced with acres of lucrative vines, growing from just ten wineries in 1970, to over five hundred today.

The Washington wine industry is currently worth three billion dollars and is ranked second to California in grape growing and wine production. The 1980s saw a huge demand for white wines and interest spiked for Rieslings and Chardonnays. Although the white wines are continuing to hold their popularity and prestige, Washington is now praised for its Syrahs, Cabernet Sauvignons and Merlots as well.

One of the most notable and celebrated winemakers out of Walla Walla Valley is winemaker Charles Smith. This year will mark his tenth year. The retired rock band manager shifted gears when he taught himself the art of creating quality wines, starting with very small batches of Syrah. Dont be fooled by the wine label effect and eye catching names, these are not mediocre wines with a cushy marketing budget. Inside the bottle are some of the most tremendous wines coming out of that region. These wines are not for the faint at heart. They are powerful, rock solid wine that pack a serious punch. With his wild thick hair, leather boots and a plain black t-shirt Smith looks like a cross between Jerry Garcia and a Harley Davidson poster child, and seems a little out of place in the perceived pretentiousness of the wine industry. His motorcycle riding, live on the edge, rock n roll personality shines through in all aspects of his winemaking, from labels to descriptions and within the wines themselves.

You can find Charles Smiths wines, the signature black and white labels, under his self-titled Charles Smith label, K Vintners and The Magnificent Wine Company. K Vintners is his original production and consists mainly of 100% Syrah and Syrah blends. The value-based Magnificent Wine Company label revolves around House Red Wine and House White Wine; quality table wine blends from multiple vineyards and vintages. His most recent endeavor is his Charles Smith wines, where he has been continuing with his full bodied, best wine possible approach and branching out to Rieslings, Chardonnays and Merlots.

Listed below are just a few of the favorites.
Charles Smith Label

Kung Fu Girl Riesling ($ 17)

Inspired by the Quentin Tarantino film Kill Bill

Tasting Notes: THIS GIRL IS SERIOUS! Aromatic, smooth, vibrant and tasty. Think tangerine, apricot, wet stone, key lime, clove and nectarine.now stop thinking and start drinking CAUSE KUNG FU GIRL KICKS ASS! Charles Smith

Eve Chardonnay 2007 ($ 15)

Tasting Notes: Sinfully temptingfresh, crisp, the perfume of sweet apple blossoms lures you into The Garden of Eden. Silky, soft, mouth filling deliciousnesstake the first sip! Charles Smith

Velvet Devil Merlot ($ 15)

Tasting Notes: If velvet had a flavor this would be it. Bittersweet chocolate, dark Italian cherries. Sweet rose petals with a firm, satiny finish. Pure Washington Merlot. HELL YEAH! Charles Smith

Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($ 21)

96.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.5% Malbec

Tasting Notes: Delicious Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromatics galorecigar box, pencil lead, cedar and currants with super refined tannins and a long, fine finish. French? No. Chateau Smith? OUI! Charles Smith

Boom Boom Syrah ($ 18)

99.5% Syrah, .5% Primitivo

Tasting Notes: Everything you want in a syrah.smooth, firm, fresh & darksuper

dense purple with meaty dark fruit, Asian five spice & sweet tobacco. Intense yet

plush textureit will KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF! Charles Smith

K Vintners Label

K Vintners Milbrandt Vineyard 2007 ($ 36)

Tasting Notes: As the day is longa never ending finish of spices, fresh tobacco, cured meats, and stone. So smooth, so fine. Charles Smith

K Vintners Northridge Vineyard 2007 ($ 40)

Tasting Notes: Extremely concentrated, intense color. Notes of huckleberry, cedar, cigar and kirsch. Built like a brick shit-house; exuberant ripe fruit with grippy backbone and spice and a seamless finish. Charles Smith

K Vintners Phil Lane Vineyard 2007 ($ 75)

Tasting Notes: Violets, lavender, roasted meat, game, crushed stone, and a super long finish. Charles Smith

Washington Facts retrieved from Complete Wine Course by Kevin Zraly. Additional Charles Smith information can be found at www.charlessmithwines.com, www.kvintners.com & www.magnificentwine.com

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I Love Italian Regional Cuisine – Pairing Campania Cuisine With Red Wine

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Campania is the shin of the Italian boot. Its capital is Naples and if you don’t want to “See Naples and Die” you can always visit upscale Sorrento and Pompeii, frozen in time with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius some two thousand years ago. Campania claims to be the home of pasta and pizza. We do some pasta below.

I’m a real fan of Parmigiana di Melanzane (Eggplant Parmigiana) and Campania has some great recipes. In spite of the dish’s name, tradition calls for more Mozzarella than Parmesan cheese. Suggested wine pairings include the local Aglianico del Taburno DOC, Monica di Sardegna DOC from Sardinia, and Rosso Barletta DOC from Apulia. If you can’t get any of these I would suggest trying a Chianti DOCG or Chianti Classico DOCG from Tuscany.

Another eggplant dish is Pasta ‘Ncasciata (Baked Rigatoni with Eggplant) which also includes some veal, chicken livers, and Mozzarella cheese. The full list of ingredients is fairly long as is the preparation. Purists use grated Pecorino cheese instead of grated Parmesan cheese. Wine pairings include Latium’s first DOCG Cesane del Piglio, Chianti DOCG or Chianti Classico DOCG, and Rosso di Montepulciano DOC also from Tuscany.

Braciole di Maile alla Napoletana (Pork Loin with Garlic) is one of those recipes that requires string or toothpicks to roll up the meat and the fixings. I would be tempted to forget the raisins but I’d keep the pine nuts, garlic, and capers. What about the wines? Suggestions include the local Pollino DOC, the Rosso Canosa DOC from Apulia, also known by the ancient Latin name Canusium, and the local Savuto DOC. The latter is probably the easiest one to find.

Time for some beef, such as round steak. Carne alla Pizzaiola (Beef Pizzaiola) includes fresh tomatoes, oregano, olive oil, garlic, and chopped parsley. Some people including me would add chopped olives and anchovies. Recommended wine pairings include Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG from Sicily, Rosso Piceno DOC from The Marches, and Sangiovese di Romagna DOC from Emila-Romagna.

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Wine With Your Burger?

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The return of blue skies and sunshine means dusting off the grill for a backyard BBQ. And with Five Guys as our neighbors, more often than not we see people looking to pair wine with their burger and fries. This conjures up images of that scene from Sideways where Paul Giamatti is sitting in the burger joint with his 1961 Cheval Blanc, wolfing down a juicy cheeseburger. Obviously that is not what we are suggesting, but we would like to share with you some pairings should you choose to enjoy with either a Five Guys burger or simply throwing some patties on the grill to share with family and friends at home.

The perception has always been beer with burgers, but with gourmet foodies have been changing the image of the burger as we know it. Think bleu cheese & bacon, green chili & swiss, olives & feta, caramelized onion, mushroom stuffed, lemon & garlic Aioli with avocado, sweet potato fries, etc. With a multitude of flavors and a solid backing of red meat, why not pair with your favorite Cabernet, Zinfandel or Merlot?

Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $ 30

Pair this one with your heartiest burger chili burger with a heavy dose of sharp cheddar cheese, Southern style BBQ sauce with caramelized onions, or splurge with a topping of sliced foie gras and truffles.

Duckhorn Merlot 2006 $ 40

The blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot make this a complex, elegant wine with intense fruits and soft tannins. Pair this with a lightly topped burger, perhaps with just a sampling of some good cheese try mild cheeses like Brie or goat cheese.

Dont eat red meat? Try:

Van Duzer Pinot Noir Rose $ 15

This dry style, fruit forward rose will pair perfectly with a chicken or ground turkey burger. Top your chicken burger with whole green chilis, Southwestern style Thousand Island, swiss cheese and guacamole. With your ground turkey try a cranberry chutney with Gorgonzola.

For more burger ideas, check out Saveur.com or just click on the link below

http://www.saveur.com/solrSearchResults.jsp?q=burger

I Love Italian Regional Cuisine – Pairing Basilicata Cuisine With Red Wine

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Basilicata is the instep of the Italian boot. This hilly and mountainous region is located in the southwest corner of Italy. Like so many other parts of Italy this region has known a series of conquerors, each of whom has left a cultural and culinary trace. The region is known for caves that have been occupied for thousands of years and have now become trendy tourist attractions, complete with upscale restaurants.

Start your meal with some delicious vegetables. One great dish is Piatto di Erbe alla Lucana (Dish of Herbs Lucana Style) consisting of eggplants, onions, yellow peppers, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and a few other ingredients. Start by salting the eggplants to remove their bitter juices. Fry and then simmer the veggies and their accompaniments. This isn’t a quick dish, but you’ll enjoy it whether you are a vegetarian or not. The suggested wine pairing is an Italian Syrah.

Lamb is really popular in Basilicata. Make sure to try Cutturiddi o Agnello in Casseruola (Cutturiddi or Lamb Casserole) which is made from a combination of lamb breast and shoulder with pearl onions, chili peppers, ripe tomatoes, and a few other ingredients. The classic wine pairing is the local Aglianico del Vulture DOC named for the extinct Mount Vulture volcano that gives the wine its special taste.

Maybe you like your lamb baked. Try Agnello e Funghi al Forno (Baked Lamb with mushrooms), ideally made with cardoncelli mushrooms that tend to grow under thistle bushes. The other ingredients include chili peppers and olive oil. Suggested wine pairings include Italian Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Pinot Nero. I have a sneaking suspicion that Aglianico del Vulture would also work very well.

Nobody will blame us for yet another popular but different local lamb specialty, this time based on leg of lamb. Agnello Venosino (Lamb Venosino style). Other ingredients include asparagus, onions, grated Pecorino cheese, eggs, and olive oil. This delicious dish calls for an Italian Cabernet Sauvignon, or those Piedmont prizes, Barbaresco DOCG and Barolo DOCG.

Let’s not forget chicken. One local dish is Pollo alla Potentina (Chicken Potenza Style), chicken braised in white wine with onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and some other ingredients. Recommended wine pairings include an Italian Pinot Nero and a Barbera from Piedmont.

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Wine Dispenser Machine

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Dispensers have been in bars and pubs for many years, but these days wine is coming back into style, and as a result, many are now looking for a wine dispenser machine. There are a few problems with this concept that can be answered with technology, but obviously lower end establishments could not afford decent wine dispensers, especially if they plan to maintain a high level of quality.

The problem with wine is that it needs to be maintained at a specific temperature, and that temperature will change depending on the type of wine that is being used. White wine and red wine will both need to be kept at a different temperature, and this is where a dual zone wine cooler comes in. Such coolers have two compartments and a control panel between the two that will govern the temperature in both.

This fact has served many well in both the bar and the home, but it can be taken a step further with a wine dispenser machine. In order for the wine to retain its taste and remain drinkable for the end user, certain steps need to be followed, and these are carefully adhered to when building a wine dispenser machine. It should be noted however that these are not cheap, and they should never be taken lightly.

Some of the cheaper dispensers will cost somewhere around $ 400-$ 500, which isn’t exactly a small amount of money. If you want to go for one of higher capacity, or maybe one with additional cooling options, then you will be looking at the four figure range. For some businesses this will be out of the question, but for others it will be required. To be perfectly honest, it all depends on the level of clientele you bring I, and how much money your establishment is actually making.

As luck would have it though, there are plenty of savings to be found both online and offline, though you will find most of your deals in the online world. You may be able to find used wine dispensers, and buying pre-owned is often much better than buying straight from the factory floor. That being said, now might be a great time for you to head over to your favorite search engine and do a quick search for these wine dispensing units.

Pouring from bottles is old school, and you probably want to get away from this practice as soon as possible. So find a good wine dispenser and see what it does for your business. Just remember not to cut corners when purchasing, and make sure you are buying from a reputable dealer. In some cases, your business may depend on your ability to dispense wine.

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