Wine, Travel & Food News From Vino-Sphere: July 24, 2018

Martha Stewart Wine & Food Experience Set For Las Vegas

Can’t get enough of Martha Stewart? Tickets are now on sale for the Martha Stewart Wine & Food Experience presented by USA TODAY NETWORK and MGM Resorts International in Las Vegas, NV. The event will take place October 13 at the Las Vegas Festival Grounds on Sahara Avenue. The venue has 35 outdoor acres on the southwest corner the famed Las Vegas Strip. The venue provides a great fan experience with turf throughout and trees for shade.

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Cheat Day Land Experience Coming In September

If you've ever dreamt of donuts while pumping iron, or simply wished that being bad didn't have to be so bad for you, then Cheat Day Land may well be the place for you. Rubi Rymenmy, creator and founder of Art Flying Aerial, is presenting Cheat Day Land to Los Angeles, CA. Cheat Day Land is a space where healthy lifestyle advocates can take a break from their dietary restrictions and indulge in whatever strikes their fancy for the day. Everyone's entitled to a cheat day after all.

Cheat Day Land is the world's first interactive pop up museum dedicated to your favorite cheat foods. Imagine a donut gym complete with pastry dumbbells, or a life- size bowl of cereal where you suspend from the spoon to get that perfect Instagram shot. This is a playful, fun, whimsical world where your inner child can come out to play. "Cheat Day Land is a sensory explosion," Ms. Rymemny explains. "A space where you are able to truly experience each piece of art, to immerse yourself in it."

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But Cheat Day Land isn't purely about indulgence. The event will offer up sensible ideas and suggestions on balancing a healthy lifestyle with snacking and guilt-free cheating. Don't worry though; you can still eat the donuts.

Red Carnation Collection Earns “World’s Best” Honors

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection has announced it has once again earned top honors in the highly esteemed Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards. This year the collection garnered the No. 2 spot in the ‘Best Hotel Brands’ category, while Ashford Castle, Hotel 41 and The Chesterfield Mayfair each placed in the top 10 in their respective categories.

2018 is the first year that Red Carnation has appeared in the ‘Best Hotel Brands’ category. Its debut second from the top of the list is impressive. The brand has 17 luxury boutique properties worldwide.

Reidsville NC An Enticing Option For Parks And Recreation

July is national Parks and Recreation month and a great place to spend a little fun in the sun is Reidsville, North Carolina. Gorgeous lakes, greenways, trails, outdoor events and cozy downtown make it an ideal outdoor adventure spot.

The Tar Heel State prides itself on some of the most welcoming, picturesque, unique and historic destinations in the nation. Approximately 10 minutes from North Greensboro, Reidsville offers an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city complete with a wealth of outdoor activities, both on lake and land. Lake Reidsville is a 750-acre lake and park. If hiking is your thing you can reconnect with nature on the Chinqua-Penn Walking Trail, a historic trail featuring a small waterfall, wildflowers and over 150 species of birds.

Cage-Free Eggs And Craft Beer On New Alaska Airlines Menu

Alaska Airlines has announced the roll out of a new seasonally-inspired Main Cabin food and beverage menu. Based on research and feedback from guests, the menu includes local ingredients paired with West Coast staples such as artichokes, tomatoes, asparagus, berries, avocados, artisan breads and cage-free eggs. Main Cabin guests will also enjoy a rotating selection of craft beers starting today and an elevated wine program, which will be rolled out later this fall.

Technorati Tags: Alaska,wine tasting,hotels,parks

A Sip From Livermore Valley’s Murrieta’s Well Is Deep And Refreshing

Livermore Valley is gaining fans among California visitors. Quality wineries like Murrieta’s Well are one reason why.

A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Napa…

Livermore Valley is less than an hour east of San Francisco. It is one of California’s oldest winegrowing regions with the first commercial vineyards being planted in the 1840s.

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The region boasts some wine heavyweights with high outputs as well as wineries like Murrieta’s Well, that focus on limited production wines. Increasingly, wine lovers are deciding to skip the crowds and high prices of Napa and Sonoma and visit Livermore Valley.

Through a virtual tasting hosted by Snooth we were able to taste a quintet of Murrieta’s Well wines with commentary by winemaker Robbie Meyer. It gave an insight into why wines from this region are garnering increased attention.

A California Original

Murrieta’s Well is one of California’s original wine estates, growing grapes since the 1800s. The winery also comes with an impressive pedigree. The vineyard was started with cuttings from the prized Chateau d’Yquem and Chateau Margaux vineyards in France.

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We started our tasting a bit early, taking the 2017 Dry Rosé with us on a trip Wrightsville Beach, NC. After a day of fun in the sun, we uncorked the chilled bottle while watching the surf roll in on our balcony.

The rosé is 42% Grenache, 39% Counoise and 19% Mourvedre. It’s a Rhone-style wine and the addition of Counoise adds great acidity. It is a peach color with strawberry notes. No flimsy summer sipper here: It’s a serious rosé that would pair beautifully with salmon. SRP is $30.

The virtual tasting kicked off with a pair of whites. The 2017  Small Lot Sauvignon Blanc is made in the French style. It is fermented in French oak barrels to breath and mature, but is removed after early aging so heavy oak qualities are not imparted to the wine. It is aged sur lie for four months in neutral oak barrels to add texture. It has soft grapefruit notes and a wonderful acidity. The grapes are descendants of the original Chateau d’Yquem cuttings. It retails for $35.

Brilliant Blends Bottled

Two wines that have brought Murrieta’s Well to the forefront are beautifully crafted blends. The 2016 “The Whip” White Blend is 33% Sauvignon Blanc, 24% Semillon, 21% Chardonnay, 12% Orange Muscat and 10% Viognier. The wine is dark straw in color and provides a carnival ride of flavors and aromas. The Orange Muscat and Viognier amp up the aromatics with funky floral notes.To add to the complexity, some components of the blend are aged in small oak barrels while others are aged in stainless steel tanks.

This is a lively wine with white peach flavor notes and a crisp finish. We paired it with lump North Carolina crab cake, snow peas and hush puppies. It would also work well with Thai food, too. It’s one of our favorite white wines and has a very approachable cost of $26.

Counterpoint to the Whip on the red side is the 2015 “The Spur” Red Blend. The wine is a mix of 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Petite Sirah, 18% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 6% Cabernet Franc.
Each variety was fermented individually then blended together and aged for 24 months in a combination of new and neutral French oak. This wine is easily the equal of others costing twice the price. It exudes ripe blackberry, vanilla and spice notes. Layer upon layer of flavor create an inviting complexity. It is one of our top wine picks.

The Well Is Not Dry

Murrieta’s Well had not yet run dry. The crowning wine in our tasting was the 2015 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon. The Cab has 11% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec. All the grapes come from the Murrieta's Well estate vineyard and the grapes are hand sorted. The 2015 harvest was the fourth drought vintage in a row, but contributed to flavor-concentrated grapes and expressive wines.

The wine has earthy notes with luscious black fruit and cocoa. It’s an impressive wine that can be aged now through 2025. The Small Lot Cab is scheduled to be released in September (we got a sneak peak!). It retails for $58.

In case it isn’t apparent, we really like Murrieta’s Well wine. This iconic Livermore Valley winery has a great lineup of wines and the quintet we tasted is representative of the quality of the entire range. They aren’t producing “entry level” or “lifestyle” wines. Instead, Murrieta’s Well focuses on finely crafted, limited production wines. We are particularly enamored of their “The Whip” and “The Spur” blends. A good host could keep a case of each on hand and be very nicely provisioned for any occasion.

We’re glad that California’s drought hasn’t dried up this well of amazing wine.

Full disclosure: We received this wine as marketing samples.

Technorati Tags: Livermore Valley,California wine,Cabernet Sauvignon,Sauvignon Blanc,rosé,wine tasting

Montefioralle Producing Chianti Classico Gems For 50 Harvests

For more than 50 years the Sieni family has been making limited production wine in the Medieval hamlet of Montefioralle. One of the smallest Chianti Classico wineries, their wine continues to attract new fans.

In Chianti, Small Is Beautiful

It seems not a week goes by without news of a winery or brand being gobbled up by a massive international beverage company. Due to its mountainous terrain and political divides, profusion of different winemaking traditions and native grapes, Italy has avoided this. There are more than 1 million grape growers in Italy and the average holding is less than two-and-a-half acres.

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That suits us fine. To us, small is beautiful. A case in point is Azienda Agricola Montefioralle, a family-run winery in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany. Through the recent Wine Studio education program, we were able to learn about this Italian gem.

The winery has been run by the Sieni family since 1964, when Renato Sieni took over management of the vineyards that had been cared for by the local priests for centuries. Renato and son Fernando planted new grapevines and started production of a Chianti Classico wine called Santo Stefano a Montefioralle.

When the church administration gave up the vineyard in the 1990s, the Sieni family immediately bought it. Now Fernando’s oldest daughter, Alessia, is the owner of the estate and winery. Together with brother Lorenzo and Fernando, they manage the production of wine and olive oil.

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The first harvest by the Sieni family was 1968. This year marks the 50th harvest for the winery!
The roots of Montefioralle go back to the Romans and the castle dates back to the year 931. The rule of the castle was controlled at different times by Florence and Sienna. The village of Montefioralle currently has about 70 inhabitants and the Sieni vineyard is about five acres.

A “Peculiarity Of The Soil”

Sangiovese is one of our favorite grapes and Chianti Classico is one of the best expressions of it. While Chianti can be produced anywhere in the Chianti zone, Chianti Classico is the historic heart of Chianti and became a separate appellation in 1996. Chianti Classico wines contain 80% to 100% Sangiovese and white grapes are excluded from the mix. Chianti Classico wines are emblazoned with the “black rooster” logo.

Wine producers in the Montefioralle knew that something was unique about their soil. This microclimate, a peculiarity of the soil, is what gives their Sangiovese a special character. The soil is rich in limestone and good drainage, forcing the roots deep underground. Geologists surmise that a glacier may be the reason  why certain areas in the region have up to 50% rich, fertile loam soil.

We were able to try three Montefioralle wines:
The Vin Santo del C.C. 2014 is a dessert style wine that we paired with assorted fruit mini-cheesecakes. Vin Santo is made with grapes that have been dried to raisins. This concentrates the fruit sugar that will turn into alcohol. The pressed juice is put in small cherry wood barrels and allowed to ferment slowly.

The result is a delectable raisin nectar. At first we served this with a slight chill, but heeding the advice of the winemaker we gave it a more substantially chilling and that made the wine even more enjoyable. The colder temperature lessened the perception of high alcohol and allowed us to focus on the sweet, delicate flavors in this amber colored wine.

The Montefioralle Chianti Classico DOCG 2015 is primarily Sangiovese with small amounts of Canaiolo and Colorino. The wine is aged for a year in oak. It has a smooth body with sour cherry notes.

We enjoyed the Montefioralle Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2014 with a seafood cocktail of squid, mussels and shrimp over pasta. The Riserva gets two years of aging and a higher level of alcohol, but the tannins are surprisingly supple. There are delicious red fruit notes wrapped with hints of wood and spice. The finish is velvety. An outstanding wine that didn’t overpower our seafood dish!

The Montefioralle winery is small but mighty. It produces limited run, handcrafted lots of elegant wines. This is an ideal site for a visit – but if not the wines can be purchased online. Cheers!

Technorati Tags: Chianti,Chianti Classico,Sangiovese,wine tasting,winelover

SoCa Cocina Latina Restaurant Rocking Raleigh With Eclectic Food And Wine Options

Drawing its culinary inspiration from the region South of the Tropic of Cancer, Raleigh’s SoCa, offers a delightful mashup of Latin and Caribbean inspired street food paired with an outstanding selection of wine.

Elevated International Cuisine

We’re always up for exploring unique restaurant experiences. Last month was Triangle Restaurant Week, so we headed to SoCa, a Latin-inspired Raleigh restaurant that we viewed through the windshield, but had never visited..

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SoCa has carved out a unique culinary perch, focusing on cuisine from locales south of the Tropic of Cancer, a geographic dividing line that runs just north of the equator. That adds up to an eclectic menu that includes dishes from more than 20 different countries. Dishes include Guatemalan Ceviche de Camaron, Jamaican Lamb Patties, Peruvian Tiradito de Pescado and Brazilian Feijoada, to name just a few.

The restaurant is one of just 11 Wine Spectator Award winners in Raleigh. We were all smiles as we saw the finely crafted wine list featuring a wide array of southern hemisphere wines.

Outstanding Vibe And Vittles

SoCa, located at 2130 Clark Ave, Raleigh, in the Cameron Village area, has an inviting energy. Servers whisk past with trays of food, guests unwind with friendly chatter at the bar, wine bottles are opened and food sizzles as cooks work in view of the customers.

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It was a hot summer day in Raleigh (imagine that!) and so we first wanted a drink to chill down. What better way than a sparkling Brut rosé? We selected the Viña Underagga from Chile’s Central Valley. Not only are South American wines delicious, but they are typically great values as well.

I opted for the three-course Triangle Restaurant Week special and my first dish was Caramelized Pear Empanadas, with savory pastry, Manchego cheese, chorizo and toasted almonds. This dish was not only a sweet and savory explosion of flavors, it was artistically plated. It was a treat for the eye and the palate – something that was true for each dish we had at SoCa.

The evening was a bit toasty outside, but we plan to sit out on the patio during our next visit. It looks like an ideal vantage point to watch the world go by while sipping a glass of wine. SoCa also offers free valet parking, something greatly appreciated by us and certain to remove the “do you see any parking spaces” anxiety from your evening.

Done with my ruminations while gazing out the window, I was ready to pick a red wine to go with my entree. We like to try new and different wines (hey, it’s what we do!) but SoCa has you covered even if you don’t. They offer lists of SoCa reds and whites, focusing on countries in their geographic bullseye, but also have lists of global reds and whites featuring outstanding choices from the rest of the world. For example, they feature Cabernet Sauvignon by Sleight of Hand in Washington State and Ty Catton in Moon Mountain, Sonoma, as well as Albariño from Rias Baixas in Spain and a good selection from France.

To accompany my Grilled Adobo Pork Tenderloin I selected the 2015 Alto Limay Pinot Noir from Patagonia. I’ve been wanting to try a Pinot from this up and coming Argentine region. At SoCa I was able to do so by the glass. The pork dish had poblano pepper slaw, charred pineapple, salsa verde and lime. The Pinot had notes of cranberry, minerality and a touch of cocoa. It was a nice pick to go with my entree as well as my wife’s seafood dish.

A Sweet Ending

It was no contest for the dessert selection. The Restaurant Week menu offered Choco-Latte which, by its description, promised to raise the bar on decadence. Videri dark chocolate cake is topped by whipped mascarpone and Brazilian brigaderos (a chocolate fudge ball!) and accompanied with raspberry purée and chocolate chunk coffee ice cream.

The dessert delivered in spades. Rich chocolate accented with tart berries and creamy coffee goodness – an outstanding way to end our dinner.

There’s a lot to like about SoCa. The cuisine is at a very high level: well prepared and beautifully presented. The menu is also thoughtfully composed with surprising and inviting dishes, most of which you won’t encounter elsewhere and certainly not all together. The wine list is well designed and contemporary in style. Other restaurants may have more voluminous lists, but they likely don’t have some of the great selections featured at SoCa. It has everything to make a wine lover keep filling glass after glass.

SoCa Cocina Latina gets our highest recommendation. Whether you want to explore the world or just have a great meal, head south of the Tropic of Cancer!

Technorati Tags: Raleigh,dining,restaurant review

Rosé Quartet Dazzles With Art And Winemaking

These wines are stylish inside and out. The art outside intrigues while the rosé inside delivers a well-crafted wave of refreshment.

The “Wow” Factor Of Rosé

Art and wine are a good pairing. Long ago we vowed not to purchase “critter wines” just because of cute animals on the label. We’re focused on the heavenly juice inside the bottle. We’re not immune, though, to an attractively produced bottle. A classy piece of artwork on the label may be a good indication that the people behind the wine have good taste.

That’s certainly the case with four rosé wines we recently sampled as part of the Wine Studio online education program. Each had striking art on the bottle as well as stirring wine inside. Here we unveil the four works of art:

Bedell Cellars 2017 Taste Rosé, Long Island, NY $18

This rosé is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, 5% Syrah, and 5%Cabernet Sauvignon. If offers strawberry and vibrant acidity with herbal notes. Artwork is by internationally acclaimed conceptual artist Barbara Krueger. She created the image “Taste” for Bedell Cellars, suggesting the notion that taste can influence what we love, how we live, and who we think we are. The art is a good match for the wine. Bedell is considered by many to be the benchmark winery on the East Coast, so if you are not familiar with Long Island wine, this is a great starting point.

Babylonstoren 2016 Mourvedre Rosé, Simonsberg-Paarl, Western Cape SA $22

Bablyonstoren is a Mourvedre rosé from South Africa. The cryptic label is laser etched. The symbol on this bottle is the Babylonstoren logo, consisting of the pipe (representing the farmer), the flower (representing the garden) and the bird (representing nature). It represents the essence of Babylonstoren – keeping things simple and as true to the earth as possible. South Africa is a wine lover’s dream with epic scenery and magnificent wineries. This wine would be perfect for a special occasion and can pair with a variety of foods. Elegant with floral touches and raspberry notes.

Eric Kent Wine Cellars 2017 Rosé, Sonoma County, CA $22

This beauty from Eric Kent Wine Cellars is 77% Pinot Noir, 17% Syrah and 8% Grenache. It has a slight cloudiness since it is unfiltered as well as  flavors of tart apple and raspberry. There is nice minerality and the Syrah adds body. The mind boggling artwork is by Yellena James. It is one of the most interesting pieces of label art I’ve seen and elevates the wine drinking experience to a higher level. The art reminds me of “Octopus’ Garden” by the Beatles. We paired it with salmon over a warm broth of kale, bacon and beans. Outstanding!

Domaine Paul Mas 2017 Côté Mas Rosé, Aurore Languedoc, France, $12.99

This wine from the south of France has an arresting label in a couple of ways. First, there is a sticker noting 33% more wine – that’s because it is a liter bottle, not 750 ML. The artwork is an eye-catching pastel of the original Domains Paul Mas family estate in the Art Nouveau style. The artwork captures the “luxe rural” vibe of Paul Mas wines, which has a philosophy of enjoying the simple pleasures of life. It has round, juicy flavors of cherry and candied fruit. We paired it with bacon-wrapped turkey tenderloin with fresh chimichurri sauce and roasted corn with Cotji cheese. It was an unexpected and delightful pairing. A great go-to wine for your Bastille Day celebration!

Wine, Food & Travel News From Vino-Sphere: July 7, 2018

Chinese Crawfish A Hit With Russian Soccer Fans

Songge Crawfish, a Shenzhen-based food and beverage brand has collaborated with dozens of local catering companies in Russia to add a touch of Chinese flavor to fans' palates during the World Cup soccer season.

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The popular Chinese brand sent several of their top chefs to work alongside catering companies to prepare the world-famous Chinese dish for fans. Customers were invited to pair one of the Songge Crawfish signature dishes with their favorite beer or Russian Vodka while cheering on their team.

Processing and preparing the crawfish for hundreds of hungry fans is no easy feat. Songge Crawfish dispatched a special team of quality control experts to Russia to inspect local crawfish farms, where they sourced batches of crawfish in advance to ensure they were fresh and of a high standard.

Antica Terra Adds Champagne And Caviar To Willamette Valley Tasting Room Experience

Antica Terra, named by Food & Wine as a winery to watch, has added an innovative experience to its tasting room. Collective Tastings at Antica Terra now all begin with Royal White Sturgeon Osetra and Champagne followed by house-made hen liver and foie gras terrine, a selection of farmhouse cheeses curated by Steve Jones of Portland’s Cheese Bar, jams by Ayer’s Creek Farm and Alma chocolates.

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All tastings at Antica Terra offer a journey through the senses including a selection of rare and inspiring wines from all over the world thoughtfully compiled and sourced by Winemaker Maggie Harrison. A total of nine wines are poured at each. The Collective Tastings are approximately 90 minutes and $75 per guest. The winery is located at 979 SW Alder Street in Dundee.

Restaurant And Hotel Openings Slated In Miami Beach

Miami Beach, already rapidly growing as an international destination, is set to celebrate several anticipated hotel and restaurant openings this season including:

The Re-Imagination of the Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club – Say hello to vacation with a welcome popsicle from the hotel's signature shaved ice cart on arrival and take in the 70-year old hotel's art deco charm.  The 357-room hotel, set to open this month, will provide unique services and amenities including a signature Cadillac Concierge program, on-site photo booth and a poolside family movie night every Friday.

A Rooftop Glass Bottom Pool at Celino South Beach – Influence from the 1940's meets Latin flair at this new, 132 guest-room hotel, creatively comprised of three historic buildings on Ocean Drive.  Opening later this summer, guests will enjoy custom complimentary bicycles to explore, 24-hour room service, an in-room spa menu and culinary concepts rooted in coastal Mediterranean and Spanish Tapas styles.

Culinary creations and cocktails at iLov305 at the Bel-Air Hotel – American comfort food meets modern Latin cuisine and a 100-drink cocktail menu at Mr. 305's 9,000 square-foot, two-level space, complete with VIP rooms and DJ booth. Guests can head to a first-floor, Havana Club-inspired daiquiri bar or grab a welcome, hand-rolled cigar once this sure-to-be-hot spot opens later this summer season.

Fresh Seafood and Gin at Seawell Fish n' Oyster and Minnow Bar at the Kimpton Angler Hotel South Beach – Seafood and cocktail lovers can go for traditional raw bar items and thoughtfully-prepared dishes paired with herb-infused drinks, the brainchild of Chef Julian Garriga and veteran Bartender, Chris Resnick. The destination Minnow Bar will feature a "clear spirits bar," focusing on varietals of gins, piscos, white rums and cachaças.

Travaglino Wine Estate Celebrates 150th Harvest With New Sparkling Wine

Italian winery Tenuta Travaglino is releasing a new label to honor the winery’s 150th anniversary. The sparkling Riserva del Fondatore 150° is made from 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Chardonnay that are grown in the winery’s most historic vineyards. The fifth-generation family winery is the oldest in Oltrepò Pavese, located in the northwest Italian region of Lombardy. Lombardy is acclaimed for its sparkling wine. Since 1868, the winery has been growing and cultivating their own vineyards.

Cruise Destinations Ranked by Month

A new report from InsureMyTrip ranks the most popular cruise destinations for travelers, month by month. The Caribbean is the top choice throughout the year with the Bahamas, Alaska, Mexico, Italy, and Canada also making the list. Results are based on all travel insurance purchases sold for cruise vacations on InsureMyTrip.com between January 2015 and June 2018.
The rankings show:

• The Caribbean islands (like Grand Cayman, Dominican Republic, and Aruba) remain the top destination for cruisers anytime during the year.
• Domestic cruises gain popularity during October, November, and December.
• Travel insurance customers prefer to cruise to the Bahamas during the late fall and winter.
• April and May are the preferred months to sail through Alaska.
• 
  

Summer Heat Got You Down? Try Québec City’s “Cool” New Innovation

The Québec City tourism agency, in collaboration with Ateliers du Carnaval de Québec, has come up with a unique way to let visitors experience winter right in the middle of summer and encourage them to come back and visit in winter. Micro Climat(e) offers a one-of-a-kind break from summer from July 3 to September 3, 2018.

A 26-by-9-foot container, refrigerated to 39 to 46 degrees F and decked out in all the trappings of the snow season, offers tourists a feel for the exotic appeal of Québec winters, with ice sculptures, a mini ice hotel, a ski lift, Québec décor, and videos on popular seasonal activities. 

Québec City Tourism hit on the idea two years ago to let summer visitors in on the magic of Québec City winters. The objective is to increase tourist traffic during that season.

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Cool Climate Wines Of Germany An Expressive Pick

Where The Wind Blows

Germany is home to some of the world’s coldest-climate vineyards, well north of what is generally considered prime territory for growing grapes. The temperatures are lower during the growing season and the vineyards get less sunshine. The good news is that the cool climate allows the grapes to ripen slowly and retain their hallmark acidity. The resulting wines are crisp and expressive. We found a pair just right for summertime drinking.

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The best vineyards in Germany are on southern-facing slopes on the north side of a river. The orientation allows for more sunlight hours and the river reflects sunshine onto the vines. Rheingau, produces just 2% of Germany’s wines, but has a reputation for producing Riesling that is second to none. The region has the most favored position on the Rhine and benefits from red slate soil. The slate absorbs heat from the sun and radiates it back during the night.

The King Of White Wine

Some consider Riesling the king of white wines. It certainly is the most versatile, with Riesling being produced from bone dry to sweet dessert-style wine. Who ever heard of a late harvest Chardonnay? Riesling also pairs perfectly with a variety of foods. (Can you tell Riesling is my favorite grape?)

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We opened a bottle of Furst von Metternich 2014 Schloss Johannisberger Riesling Feinherb Gelblack from Rheingau. Johannisberg is renowned for producing wonderfully refreshing Riesling, so much so that wineries in the US were producing “Johannisberg” Riesling until international trade agreements put the kibosh on that marketing ploy. Feinherb indicates that the wine is off-dry.

We paired the Riesling with mahi-mahi with peach salsa and tri-colored carrots. This is a classic Riesling with fragrant aroma of white blossoms. On the palate there is fresh apple and pear. There is a subtle fruit sweetness that is balanced with juicy acidity. This is a wine that will appeal to those with a dry palate as well as those who prefer more sugar. It was a nice match with the sweet and spicy salsa and our fish.

You Need To Know Spätburgunder

Spätburgunder is the most widely planted red wine grape in Germany. That makes more sense when you know that Spätburgunder is also known as Pinot Noir. Even so, I was surprised to learn that Germany is the world’s third leading producer of Pinot Noir (behind France and the US).

We enjoyed a meal of mushroom ravioli on the patio while enjoying the Becker Family 2012 Pinot Noir from Pfalz. German Pinot Noir is less tannic than warmer climate Pinot and this bottle offers wonderful fruit flavors of blackberries and strawberry.

Pfalz is a region that in years past was know for producing bulk-style, inexpensive wines. That has changed and no German region has shown a more drastic improvement in quality. The packaging of this bottle is unintimidating to US wine consumers. The grape variety is prominently shown without a confusing (to some) array of German words for villages, vineyards and quality level.

The Becker Pinot was an inspired pairing with the ravioli dish. The savory mushrooms blended seamlessly with the swirling fruit of the Pinot Noir.

Germany is one of the great wine producing countries of the world. It’s reputation is built on world-class Riesling – but surprises are in store. More than one third of German wines produced today are reds, including delicious Spätburgunder! White or red, Germany wines are a good pick for your summer meal.

Full disclosure: These wines were received as a marketing sample.

Technorati Tags: German wine,Pinot Noir,Riesling,wine lover,wine