Domaine Chandon Brut Rose California Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: In 1973, Moët et Chandon bought land in California and launched its American brand, Domaine Chandon, and released its first sparkling wine in 1976. The exuberant California style is reflected in this medium-bodied brut rosé sparkling wine. The color captures a delicate pale pink, and the wine pours with a nice, dense mousse. Aromas reveal toasty brioche and intense red fruits including watermelon and strawberry. On the palate, the vibrant fruit continues and offers a suggestion of candied apple in mid-palate. The slightest hint of the taste (not the sweetness) of honey comes in at the end. Serve chilled, about 45ºF/7ºC, in tall tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: exuberantly flavored seafood, chicken, pork, especially dishes reflecting Asian, Latin American, Spanish, Creole, Cajun or other robustly seasoned dishes: Creole barbequed shrimp; crawfish or crab cakes; pickled shrimp Georgia Distributor: National Distributing Co. $20.00 Ruinart Brut Rose Champagne Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: You know how to tell a real Champagne enthusiast from a poseur? The real one loves brut rosé. And a real one would love this medium-bodied brut rosé, a most elegant wine with a deep pink color, ample mousse and a fresh, zesty aroma of red fruits, especially strawberry. On the palate the sensation is simultaneously elegant and clean, with good red fruit character and a suggestion of aromatic brown spices. Grapes: Pinot Noir 55%; Chardonnay 45% from Premier and Grand Cru vineyards. Serve chilled, about 45ºF/7ºC. Ruinart is the oldest Champagne house, having been founded in 1729. Among its first U.S. customers was none other than Old Hickory himself, President Andrew Jackson. Foods: chilled poached salmon topped with beluga caviar; crab cakes with not-too-spicy Louisiana-style Rémoulade sauce or crab- or crawfish-filled crêpes; spicy (but not hot) pickled shrimp with some tomato; lobster; filet of veal, tart of red fruits (not too sweet). Georgia Distributor: Empire Distributing $70.00 2005 Selbach-Oster Liebfraumilch Qualitätswein Rhinehessen Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 86 Tasting Note: Wine snobs look down on Liebfraumilch, originally Libfrauenmilch, and indeed the famous ones are some of the least interesting. The word means something like “beloved lady’s milk,” perhaps because the wine originally comes from the vineyards owned by the Liebfrauenkirche, a church in Worms, and goes back to the Renaissance. The grapes are typically a blend of four: Müller-Thurgau, Sylvaner, Kerner and Riesling of QbA quality from the Rheinhessen and the Pfalz. Residual sugar is at least 1.8%, and alcohol is typically low. This example is 10%. Quality varies widely from frankly boring to delightful, if never complicated. I’ve tasted this one twice, and was very surprised at how delightful it was. Aromas and flavors key on white melon and white peach. The sweetness is tempered by acidity, and the finish is clean if not especially long. It’s a fine value, and perfect for young romance on a budget. Serve moderately cool, about 50ºF/10ºC. Foods: Bring home anything Chinese; Thai lemongrass shrimp salad (VERY nice); mild curried chicken salad; shrimp on sugar cane; grilled pancetta-wrapped scallops with mustard mayonnaise; quiche; red chili sauced pork tenderloin; pork steak or beer-poached fish with mustard cream sauce; tandoori chicken. Georgia Distributor: Northeast Wholesale $8.00 2007 Borsao Rosado Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 86 Tasting Note: Spain virtually resonates with romance, and the color pink suggests love all around. Combine the two in this medium-bodied dry rosé from Spain, made entirely of Garnacha (Grenache), which originated in Spain. The lovely pink color, the aromas of red fruits and roses, the delicious fruit character on the palate, a hint of spice, and a long, dry finish make a serious wine. (Sorry wine geeks, but I think rosés are serious wines when well made.) Serve moderately chilled, not icy cold, about 50ºF/10ºC, in tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: pickled shrimp with some tomato (see the recipe in “From Black Tie to Blackeyed Peas,” from Savannah, but ditch the mushrooms), grilled wild salmon; legume-based salads with cherry tomatoes; pork barbecue with creamy tomato-based barbecue sauce; pasta with sun-dried tomatoes; grilled red snapper; wings; barbecued chicken; grilled ham steak. Georgia Distributor: Prestige Wine Wholesale $10.00 2007 R Wines Shiraz Luchador South Australia Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: “Luchador” means “fighter” in Spanish, and while we don’t want to start anything untoward for Valentine’s Day, we would recommend this wine as a fine way to launch the evening. While many Shiraz-based wines from South Australia can come across a little brutal, this one has smoothness going for it all the way. Full-bodied, it presents a deep, opaque ruby red color, and lovely aromas of black fruits, especially blackberries, and just a hint of pie spice, as if you had a cobbler in the oven. Think ripe, ripe, ripe. The palate displays a sweet black fruit character, soft tannins, and lingering fruit. The finish is long, and although it gets a little heat going (alc. is 14.5%) at the end, doesn’t crowd out the fruit. Each bottle bears the masked image of one of four different characters, a bit unfriendly looking, but if you decant it, your intended won’t see it, and that’s not a bad idea anyway. Best served cool, about 60ºF/15ºC, in large tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: Smoked meats; terrines; meat pies; braised beef, steak or prime rib; mole poblano; root vegetable stew with country ham; Stilton cheese; very dark chocolate. Georgia Distributor: Quality Wine & Spirits $21.00 2005 Denis Race Chablis 1er cru Mont de milieu Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: The romance of France comes to mind for Valentine’s Day, and nothing says it better than a good Chablis. Chablis—the real deal—is grown in northern Burgundy, chiefly from the Chardonnay grape. The resulting wines could not be more different from their California counterparts. First, the soils in Chablis contain lots of limestone, much of it derived from fossilized seashells, and that contributes Chablis’ minerality. Second, typically the wines are done in either neutral oak or stainless steel, so you don’t get “big, buttery, oaky” (yucky) Chardonnay. Drink a Chablis, and see what Chardonnay is supposed to taste like. This example is a full-bodied dry white wine with a medium yellow color. Its aromas hint of anise, a character that becomes even stronger as the wine opens, while on the palate well-developed fruit repeats the spice. Good acidity—another marker for Chablis—keeps the finish running long and clean. Elegant; sublime. Good Chablis is a keeper; I’ve drunk them nearly as old as I am, and they were lovely. Decant (no joke) and don’t over-chill, or the flavors will get lost in the cold; 55-60ºF/13-15ºC should get it, and use medium-sized tulip-shaped white-wine glasses. Foods: Raw briny, salty, cold-water oysters; grilled scallops; sautéed fresh cod with tartar sauce; poached seafood sausages with beurre blanc; seafood terrine; mild fish (flounder, cod) with creamy sauces; quenelles (poached mild fish dumplings) with a cream sauce. King crab legs; crab cakes, creamy goat cheese (Chèvre). Georgia Distributor: Peach State Wine & Spirits $30.00 2007 Justin Vineyard Obtuse Paso Robles Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: What is Valentine’s Day without chocolate? Classically, wine authorities advised against serving wine with chocolate, but we say “Not so fast!” Red wines and chocolate can be—depending what kind of chocolate and on the wine’s tannins—delightful combinations. This fortified Cabernet Sauvignon is an ideal wine for the darkest possible chocolate. With its inky dark ruby color, this full-bodied sweet red wine exudes enticing red fruit and dark chocolate aromas, with a palate pay-off of rich red and dark fruits that get added complexity from decided chocolate notes. The wine is high in alcohol, so it should be served at cool room temperature in small tulip-shaped glasses. This wine can be cellared, but as it’s unfined and unfiltered, it should be decanted before being served at that point. After being opened, if kept corked and cool, the wine should last up to six months, but will evolve and become tawny-like toward the end of that period. So the type of chocolate you choose depends on where the wine is in its evolution. When the bottle is first opened, go with wicked dark chocolate, whether cake, truffles, or dark chocolate ganache-filled chocolates. Creamy blue cheeses should do well, too. As the wine becomes more tawny-like, go with milk chocolate, including caramel-filled, nut-filled, or milk chocolate ganache-filled chocolates. For cheeses, go with a nutty, firm aged cheese, such as Parano, cave-aged Gruyère or well-aged Spanish Manchego. Georgia Distributor: National Distributing Co. $25.00 2006 Tagaris Winery Mourvèdre Columbia Valley Alice Vineyard Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 92 Tasting Note: Washington State’s red wines are hardly wussy; there’s plenty of tannin and structure, with ample, delicious fruit, and good acidity. But they’re also not so big and bold that they overwhelm food. Winemaker Frank Roth’s approach to Mourvédre presents a full-bodied red wine with a deep dark red color. Aromas and flavors lean toward dark fruits with a slight whiff of black pepper among the spices. The tannins are soft thanks to some of Roth’s methodology. There is a very slight burst of acid at the end, suggesting acid adjustment. Native yeasts and used oak mean the fruit is highlighted. This one still tastes lovely several days after being opened, boding well for some cellaring. Serve at cool room temperatures, 60-65ºF/15-17ºC. Foods: Well-seasoned braised meats; truffle (or mushroom) risotto (this was awesome!); mushroom-stuffed ravioli or mushroom lasagna; barbecue or any smoked meats; roast chicken with black-bean salsa; pole poblano, dark chocolate. Georgia Distributor: Sommelier Direct $30.00 2003 Caledonia Australis Pinot Noir Gippsland Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 91 Tasting Note: Pinot Noir is the feminine red, making it an ideal pick for Valentine’s Day dining. This example comes from Gippsland in southeastern Victoria (east of Melbourne), a zone that’s gathering reputation for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A medium-bodied dry red wine; the wine shows a bright cherry red color with a slight pink rim. The aromas detail dried herb characters, with a graham note that emerges as the wine opens. The palate adds a dried red cherry character to the herbal foundation. Tannins are resolved, and fruit and oak are completely integrated. The lingering finish hangs onto the fruit. Serve at cool room temperature, about 65ºF/17ºC. Great value, IF you like savory-style Pinot Noir (as opposed to cherry-bomb California Pinot Noir), and a likely good keeper for a few more years. Foods: duck terrine with pistachios and orange liqueur; creamy liver mousse; mushroom-stuffed ravioli with olive oil and fresh minced herbs; grilled pork chop; roast pork loin, chicken; duck or Cornish hen brushed with dark fruit jam; grilled tuna; roast turkey with an herb crust; legume dishes with ham or other smoked meat; eggplant with pine nut crust; creamy (even moderately ripe ones) cheeses. Dark chocolate ok, but American Pinot Noir does better. Georgia Distributor: Continental Beverage $21.00 2007 Cantina di Casteggio Barbera Oltrepò Pavese Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 88 Tasting Note: Another spot for romance, Italy extends a siren song to all lovers to come to Italy. There, in these hills along the Po River (Oltrepò means “beyond the Po”) in northern Italy just south of Milan but still in Lombardy, you’ll find the vineyards that produce this Barbera. This medium-bodied dry red wine shows lovely extraction, with a deep, violet-edged ruby color. Done in stainless steel, the wine shows lovely fresh dark fruits, Ripe tannins lend structure, and the acidity is mouthwatering and palate-cleansing. The long fruit-filled finish is most appealing. Lovely value, too. The best serving temperature for this wine is 60ºF/15ºC, to be enjoyed in a medium tulip-shaped glass. This wine is produced by a huge cooperative of some 350 members, but the quality of this good-value red is indisputable. Foods: mildly seasoned salamis and sausages; both cured and fresh; ham steak or baked ham; braised meats; roast chicken; legume dishes, eggplant with tomato; dishes with sun-dried tomatoes; mild firm cheeses (Caccio di Roma—yum!); medium dark chocolate, about 55%, with toffee or nuts. Georgia Distributor: Liquid Brands $10.00 2005 Campos Góticos Tempranillo Ribera del Duero Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 90 Tasting Note: Who doesn’t think of Spain without thinking of Romance? A full-bodied, deeply colored red wine is just the ticket for alluding to the romance of Spain, with its varied landscape, myriad sub-cultures and concomitant fabulously varied cuisine. This deeply dark colored dry red wine comes from one of the wine regions where red wines rule: Ribera del Duero, just north of Madrid, where the famous ruined castle of Peñafiel and the wines of Vega Sicilia are iconic. Full-bodied, the wine presents aromas of dark fruits—plums especially—while fresh dark fruits fill the palate. Six months in oak have left the fresh fruit unencumbered by extraneous flavors. Mouth-filling and easy to enjoy, the wine offers lovely fruit-derived tannins. Producer is 100% biodynamic. Grape type: Tempranillo. Serve cool, 65ºF/17ºC, in generous tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: meat terrines or meat pies; cured sausages and salami; chorizo; fabada (a legume-based dish with ham and sausage); roast game; lamb; stews both with meaet and legume-based vegetarian dishes; sausage lasagna; salad with faro, feta cheese, tomato and olive oil; black olives and dishes containing them; grilled pork chop or roast pork loin; aged Manchego cheese. Georgia Distributor: Bacco Fine Wine $19.00 2008 Azienda Agricola Saracco Moscato d’Asti Piemonte Review Date - 2/1/2009 Score - 93 Tasting Note: For your sweetheart, something a little sweet to conclude the meal, although one might also make an aperitif out of a sparkling Moscato. The genre typically comes of just sweet, with little complexity or interest. Not this one. Light-bodied, pale yellow in color, and slightly spritzy, this example exudes the perfume of fresh yellow fruits and summer flowers. On the palate, sweet fruits are refreshing, not cloying, with a delightful pink grapefruit note. The flavors never dull out, thanks to nice acidity, but instead continue to tingle and refresh the palate. The genre also offers relatively low alcohol, 5.5% in this case, a definite plus. These are not wines to be kept, although a year or two after vintage is usually fine. Serve this one moderately chilled, about 55ºF/13ºC, in tall tulip-shaped glasses. Foods: as an aperitif with Asian-style appetizers, such as shumai; crab cakes; chicken salad with yellow fruits; fruit salad; for dessert, creamy mild cheeses (e.g., mascarpone); custards; fruit-based desserts, such as a fruit tart; cheesecake; mel i mato (make it with drained whole-milk ricotta, honey and toasted walnuts crushed over all) Georgia Distributor: Quality Wine & Spirits $15.00