Basic Juice - the wine blog for my generation

That's Debatable

If you watch the 1st presidential debate this evening, have a bottle of wine handy.

Select your favorite (or least favorite - depending on your mood) catch phrase.  Here are some examples:

Stay the course
Defend America
Healthcare costs
Tax Cut
Raise your taxes
Catastrophic success
Coalition partners

Once you've got your phrase, sit down, open up the bottle and pour yourself a glass.  Everytime Sen. Kerry or Pres. Bush utters your selected phrase, take a sip.  Track how much time it takes to empty your glass. 

This game is fun to play with friends and/or family.  Each person selects a different catch phrase.  Whoever empties their glass first is the big winner!

Some suggested wines:
Renwood Zinfandel 'Sierra Series' '02 ($10)

Chapellet Dry Chenin Blanc, '01 ($13)

Piper Sonoma 'Blanc de Noirs' NV ($16)

(Get it?  A Red, White & Bubbly....clever clever!)

Seriously though, watch the debates.  Think about the issues.  Think about the future.  And vote on November 2nd.

Sushi + Wine: Good Idea?

Yes, yes and yes.

If you like Sushi rolls, give sparkling wine a try.  Some can be a bit too harsh (over-eager bubbles).  Prosecco (Italian Bubbly) is normally a good bet.  Try Zardetto Prosecco ($14)

If you like it raw (i.e. Sashimi), try an aromatic white like Riesling, Gewürztraminer or Viognier.  Three to try:
1. Trefethen Estate Riesling ($18-$20)
2. Trimbach Gewurztraminer ($15-$20)
3. Yalumba 'Y' Viognier ($10)

One to splurge on:  E. Guigal Condrieu ($40) - the original Viognier-based wine from the Northern Rhône valley in France

If you or one of your dining companions is a red-only person, keep it light and crisp.  Try Pinot Noir or a Beaujolais Cru (higher end Beaujolais).  Two suggestions:  Brancott Pinot Noir ($11), G. DuBoeuf Moulin a Vent Beaujolais ($12)

 

NZ Sauvi-Blanc: Taste it again for the 1st time

I often pass on New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc whilst shopping at the wine store.  I subconsiously think, "I know what it tastes like."  And, "I'm not in the mood for Sauvignon Blanc tonight."

Well, believe it or not.  NZ Sauvignon Blanc is one of the world's rock-solid wines in terms of quality and price.  Starting at around $12, you can purchase a mighty fine wine that works well with a number of foods:  Caesar salad, spinach & feta pizza, spanikopita, sushi and much more.

A good rule of thumb for Sauvignon Blanc:  If it's bold, pungent and/or raw, then it will pair nicely with S.B.

Villa Maria is always a fine standby.  For $12 the Sauvignon Blanc Reserve is a great-tasting wine.

Chill it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.  Sautee some garlic & spinach.  Enjoy!

From Villa Maria's Website:

Vintage Notes:
The 2004 Marlborough vintage will be remembered as a very interesting one. This region saw a fabulous growing season up until verasion when Marlborough experienced its heaviest February rainfalls on record. The 2004 February rainfall was 124mm compared to a long-term average of 45mm. This rainfall coincided with a week long cold snap that proved challenging to both the vineyards and winemakers. Overall the vintage was very sound producing some very intensely aromatic Sauvignon Blanc parcels.

Viticulture:
Fruit was sourced from a range of vineyards in the Wairau and Awatere Valleys. The diverse range of soils and climatic conditions throughout these valleys provided an array of fruit flavours and wine blending options.

Winemaking:
Each vineyard was harvested at optimum ripeness and processed separately to provide the greatest blending options. The fruit was pressed in a pneumatic airbag press, cold settled and racked for fermentation. Cool fermentation techniques were employed to savour flavour and aromatics. After the fermentation had completed the wines were racked to blend, gently fined, filtered and immediately bottled, capturing flavour freshness and richness.

Winemakers Comments:
Distinctively Marlborough, bursting with passionfruit, ripe gooseberry and hints of herbaceous nuances. A well balanced and a freshly invigorating palate with a crisp and zesty finish (June 2004).

Food Match:
Enjoy chilled with fresh seafood and shellfish.

My New Favorite Aussie

My new favorite Aussie grape isn't what you might expect.  It's not even the color you might expect.  It's the white grape of Portuguese origins, Verdelho.

Why do I like it?

Two reasons:  1)  It makes a nice zesty little white wine that is very food-friendly & food-flexible.  2)  The Aussies are selling this wine at dirt-cheap prices.

My most recent sampling of Aussie Verdelho is simply labeled, "Hope Verdelho."  This wine is made by Hope Estate Family Vineyards in the Hunter Valley, North of Sydney in New South Wales.

The Skinny
Hope Verdelho, 2002 ($7)
Hunter Valley, Australia
Light gold in color
An attractive/exotic nose for a value-priced wine:  scents of lime, yogurt, pineapple, grass, olives
In the mouth it starts crisp and finishes creamy (think: lime spritz giving way to key lime pie)
***.5 (3.5 stars out of 5)
Try it with olive bread/tapenade, smoked poultry, pasta; as an aperitif

Brampton Chardonnay/no oak

Brampton Unoaked Chardonnay - just released, the 2004 vintage (which I haven't tasted yet).

Perhaps your impression of Chardonnay is a full-bodied wine with rich vanilla scents. Try this wine – it will change your Chardonnay opinion. It is full of citrus, peach and non-oak spiciness.  This is quite a crisp Chardonnay, which makes it more affable with food than the typical flabby ten-buck Chardonnay

My tasting note from the 2001 vinage:

Brampton Unoaked Chardonnay
South Africa, 2001, $10
Medium gold in color
Fresh, crisp scents of orange and pear, with some sweet pepper lurking
Medium-bodied; well balanced, with noticeable acidity.
Try with stir-fried veggies, roast chicken, pork tenderloin
**** (4 Stars out of 5)

Flights Expanding Nationwide

Nope, this isn't a blurb about a new airline.  Today's Washington Post has an article about the 'flight' concept - as in wine flight.

Flights have now made the move to swanky bars & nightspots nationwide..

"In restaurant-speak, a flight traditionally refers to several small tasting pours of wine (two to three ounces each) as opposed to a full pour (six ounces).

But a number of bars and restaurants have adapted the flight concept -- a tasting menu in miniature -- beyond the wineglass to sake cups, shot glasses, tumblers, even the dessert plate."

I think this is a great idea.  I enjoy trying new wines and new spirits.  A flight makes this a safe bet.  Not only can you compare diferrent beverages side by side; but you can also discover something new without spending a whole lot of dough.

According to this article one DC establishment has a Vodka Flight.  I'm curious if anyone can really tell the difference, or better yet, succesfully blind taste vodka (non-infused or unflavored).  By definition vodka is a distilled neutral grain spirit, which means there really isn't much in terms of flavor.  Perhaps there are differences in texture, body, etc.  I'll have to try a Vodka flight..

Make your own damn pizza!

I'm as lazy as the next person. It is incredibly easy to call and order a pizza on a Tuesday night. However, with few exceptions, fast food delivery-pizzas just aren't all that good.

Give this recipe a try. It's easy, different and mighty tasty:

Wild Mushroom Pizza

1 1/2 T olive oil
1/2 to 3/4 pound assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, crimini, morel and stemmed shiitake), sliced
1 t chopped fresh rosemary

1 10-ounce purchased fully baked thin pizza crust OR make a fresh pizza crust - recipe here.
1/2 cup shredded Fontina cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mozarella cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir onions in bowl with 1/2 T olive oil. Add salt and pepper. stir again. Spread onions on baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 450°F. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and rosemary. Cover skillet and cook until mushrooms are just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Uncover and simmer until any juices evaporate. Season with salt and pepper.

Place crust on baking sheet. Top with cheese, onion and mushrooms. Bake pizza until heated through and cheese melts, about 15 minutes.

Another take on this pizza is to caramelize the onions instead of roasting them:
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt and pepper; cook until onions begin to brown, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and 1 T balsamic vinegar. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until most liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm before serving.)

This pizza works well with either red or white wine.

For white; try Boutari Santorini, 2002 or Höpler Grüner Veltliner, 2003

For red; try Taurino, Salice Salentino, “Reserva”, 1999

Make your own damn pizza..Dough!

Homemade pizza dough is easier than you think. You can also freeze the dough and use it whenever you get a hankering for pizza. Give it a try.

Pizza Dough

1 cup lukewarm water
1 package (2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
A pinch of sugar
1 t of salt
1 T olive oil (plus extra for the bowl)
3 cups unbleached white flour
Extra flour for kneading
Cornmeal for the baking tray

Place the water in a medium-large bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and sugar, and stir to dissolve. Let it stand 5 minutes, or until the mixture begins to bubble.

Stir in 1 cup of flour, the salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Beat for several minutes with a wooden spoon.

Add the remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. The dough will be soft but should not be sticky.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead for several minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough rise until doubled in bulk. This will take about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough, and return it to the floured surface. (This is the point at which you can freeze the dough for future use.)

To make pizzettas, divide the dough into six equal parts, knead each piece for a few minutes, then let the balls of dough rest for about 10 minutes. (This allows the gluten to relax, so the dough will easily stretch into shape.)

Preheat oven to 500°F. Stretch each ball of dough into a 6-inch circle. Sprinkle two thin, noninsulated baking trays with cornmeal, and place two circles on each. Sparingly top each pizzetta with topping.

Bake one tray at a time in the lower half of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are crispy and brown. (If you are not sure whether it's baked through, you can take one pizzetta out of the oven and cut it in half. If it is still a little doughy on the inside, return it to the baking pan and bake a few minutes longer.) Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Makes six 6-inch pizzas.

Sparkling Slang

Most of us are intimidated by the scary details of French Wine.

Champagne is no exception.  For example, suppose you see a Champagne on the menu at Le Expensive French restaurant.  You're celebrating a special occasion (oh and by the way; no special occasion is needed to drink Champagne/Cava/Prosecco/sparkling wine) and you want to order a fine bottle of Champagne.

And for kicks, let's say you're a guy, which means you won't ask the waiter/sommelier for assistance.

One Champagne description includes the word, "Brut."
The description of another Champagne includes the words "Extra Dry."

Well, you want to drink this Champagne w/dinner, so you figure Extra Dry is the way to go.

Buzzz.  Wrong Answer.

The terms Brut and Extra Dry describe the relative sweetness (residual sugar) of Champagne & other sparkling wines.

The sweet breakdown:

Brut nature, Brut Zero or Brut Sauvage (.0-.5% residual sugar) should taste bone dry.

Brut  (.5-1.5%) should taste dry with no perception of sweetness.

Extra Dry (1.2-2.0%) tastes slightly sweet and is a style invented for the American market that "talks dry and drinks sweet."

Sec (1.7-3.5%) literally translates to "dry", but is noticeably sweet. No wonder the public is confused!

Demi-Sec  (3.3-5.0%) is very sweet

Doux (over 5.0%) is extremely sweet.

A bit confusing, no?

Actually, the most common style of Champagne is Brut.  Extra Dry is also commonly available.  The other styles are not often seen in the US.

Two to taste for an example of Brut and Extra Dry:

Brut - Nicholas Feuillatte Brut, NV ($30) - A great, classic example of Champagne in the Brut style.  An excellent dinner companion

Extra Dry - Moet & Chandon White Star, (Extra Dry) NV ($30-$40) - Blended specifically for the American sweet tooth/palette.  A definite hint of sweetness makes this bubbly a good aperitif wine

Help! I need a (good) white wine under $10

A friend of mine is getting married.  Of course he wants to serve wine - good wine.  One problem though; he can't spend more than ten-bucks per bottle.  He already has the red wine selected, but he asked me today to recommend a cheap, good white wine.  No Problem.

So, the question 'o the day is:
Is it possible to get a good, cheap white wine?

The answer is most definitely yessirreee.  In fact, for under ten $, you can do better than 'good.'

Here's a little old list of mighty fine white wine under 10 clams:

1.  Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava ($9) - It's bubbly.  It's really good.  And it will put everyone in a festive mood (except for those bubbly-scrooges, who, by the way, I don't trust at all.  I mean; who doesn't like bubbly??).

2.  Cuevas de Castilla Rueda, '02 ($7) - Think of it as a cross between Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.  If you're planning on serving crabcakes, shrimp or even fish sticks, this is the cheap white wine for you.

3.  Fairview Goats do Roam Blanc, '03 ($9) - I know, I know.  Goats do Roam is a lame joke on ''Cotes du Rhone."  However, this is a nice bottle of wine.  It's aromatic, full(ish) bodied and silky smooth in the mouth.  This wine would be a good choice if you are serving it w/o food (i.e. it's a nice aperitif wine).

Of course there are dozens of very good, cheap, tasty whites around.  If you can't find any of these, ask your friendly neighborhood wine guy/lady.  Most wine store folks are dying to help you find something tasty.