2008 South Beach Food & Wine Festival - Chris Lilly

One of the highlights Friday was the chance to sit down with Chris Lilly, the reigning Food Network barbecue expert. He was in the middle of the twelve hour smoking process for that evening’s Moet & Chandon Champagne Party, when he took a break to meet with us. It was a very enlightening conversation. Lilly’s culinary achievements are extremely impressive – you can view his bio and awards below – and it was a privilege learning a few barbecue tips. For novices like us – the best pork barbecue is made by smoking the pork over low temperatures for a long period of time. You need to arrange the pork so that the smoke can circulate among the entire cut of meat. Even a good brisket requires long term smoke. Besides adding flavor the smoking process keeps the meat moist because during this process the pork’s fat essentially melts off and self bastes the meat. We also learned that there are several distinctions between cuts of port – and whether you use the shoulder, butt, or upper shoulder influences the decision on the type of sauce. Chris also changes his sauce depending on the season and has been known to make a white barbecue sauce when appropriate. We also discussed what types of spirits enhance a sauce and a bourbon based recipe is one of his favorites

Chris gave us some suggestions for pairing wine with barbecue and his most important point is to stay away from heavy smoky wines – i.e. wines that have been aged for a long period of time. The wood on wood flavor would basically overwhelm the palate and you would lose the characteristics of each. Instead, you could use a Rose, or a Pinot Noir, but the best choice is a wine with a semi-spicy finish, such as a Zinfandel or even a Gewurztraminer. I used this suggestion on Saturday by getting a plate of Bulldog Barbecue and pairing with Cubanisimo Vineyards 2006 Rose and 2006 Pinot Noir and then with Ridge Vineyard's Geyersville Proprietary Red (Zinfandel, Carignan, and Petite Sirah). Each wine enhanced the barbecue – with the Pinot influencing the meat and the Rose complementing the sauce – but I have to agree the Zinfandel brought out the best in the pork and the sauce.








BIO

Chris Lilly, husband and father of three children, is one of America's best-known barbecue pit masters. Chris emerged on the barbecue scene in 1992 when he began working for the world famous Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q restaurant in Decatur, Alabama. Recognized by The Wall Street Journal as having the best pork barbecue in the country and named the "Best Barbecue Restaurant in Alabama" by the Birmingham News, Chris is now vice president of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q.

Chris also is head chef of the award-winning Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q Competition Cooking Team. He is the winner 10 World BBQ Championships including six Memphis in May World Titles (a.k.a. "The Super Bowl of Swine"), as well as the American Royal International Cook-Off and BBQ Sauce Competition (Best Sauce on the Planet), and eight state barbecue grand championships across the Southeast. Chris has also displayed his culinary talents abroad by capturing the Grand Championship at the 2003 International Jamaican Jerk Barbeque Cook-off. Widely recognized as one of the top pit masters in his field, Chris recently served as an honorary chef at the James Beard Foundation, American Institute of Wine and Food, and was a presenter at the Low-Country and Caribbean Food Conference at Johnson and Wales University.

In an effort to educate America on the fundamentals of championship barbecue, Chris was the co-creator of “The All-Star BBQ Showdown” for The Outdoor Life Network (OLN). This 9 episode BBQ television series aired in 2005. Along with creating the show, Chris has also assumed the Executive Producer role and hosted the show. In 2006, Chris continued with his television career as co-creator and executive producer of BBQ Championship Series on Versus Network.

Culinary Awards

Memphis in May World Championship BBQ Cook-off
1997 1st place BBQ sauce
1999 1st place BBQ sauce
1st place Pork
2000 1st place Pork - Grand Champion
2001 1st place Pork
2002 1st place Pork
1st place “People’s Choice”
2003 1st place Pork – Grand Champion
2004 1st place Pork

American Royal International Cook-off and BBQ Sauce Competition
1995 1st place White BBQ sauce
1998 1st place BBQ sauce
“Best Sauce on the Planet”
2002 1st place Chicken
1st place Reserve Grand Champion

International Jamaican Jerk Championship
2003 Grand Champion

Houston Livestock and Rodeo World BBQ Championship
2004 1st place ribs
1st place Reserve Grand Champion

Alabama State Barbecue Championship
1999 1st place Pork – Grand Champion
2000 1st place Pork
1st place Ribs – Grand Champion
2001 1st place Pork – Grand Champion

Tennessee State Barbecue Championship
1998 1st place Pork – Grand Champion
1999 1st place Pork – Grand Champion
2000 1st place Pork - Grand Champion
2001 1st place Pork – Grand Champion

Chili Pepper Magazine Barbecue Awards
2000 1st place BBQ sauce
2001 1st place vinegar BBQ sauce
1st place mustard BBQ sauce
2002 1st place spicy mustard BBQ sauce
2003 1st place mustard BBQ sauce

National Barbecue Association Awards of Excellence
2000 “Restaurant of the Year”
1st place hot BBQ sauce
1st place vinegar BBQ sauce
1st place mustard BBQ sauce
2001 1st place vinegar BBQ sauce
2002 1st place mustard BBQ sauce
2003 1st place mild vinegar BBQ sauce
1st place hot vinegar BBQ sauce
1st place mustard BBQ sauce
1st place hot BBQ sauce
2004 1st place BBQ sauce
1st place hot BBQ sauce
1st place mild vinegar sauce

The Southern Pride Cup, National Nonrestrictive Cook-off
2001 1st place
2002 1st place
Grand Champion

Texas Fiery Food Challenge
2001 1st place BBQ sauce
2002 1st place hot BBQ sauce

Louisiana State Barbecue Championship
1999 1st place beef
Grand Champion

American Institute of Wine and Food BBQ Rib Fly-In
2003 1st place, “Best Ribs in America”
2004 1st place, “Best Ribs in America”

South Beach Food & Wine Festival - FIU School of Hospitality and Tourism Management

The major benefactor of the South Beach Food and Wine Festival is Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. This is one of the country’s top hospitality management schools and attracts students from across the United States and over 90 countries. Graduates pursue careers in obvious choices such as restaurants and hotels, but also marketing, cruise lines, and even the wine industry.

The school’s promise was in full display on Saturday as we met with student Alex Blanco, who planned FIU’s contribution to the festival. Alex entered FIU as an independent but quickly chose to major in the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management after learning about the school. He had been a member of the school’s participation at the Food & Wine Festival for the previous three years, but this year he took ownership of the operation by creating a menu, getting staff approval and coordinating its execution with the other students.This included procuring the food, the logistics of setting transporting and cooking the food, and even mundane problems as not having enough cups available on site. Saturday’s menu was venison served with cucumber-hummus on a pita. The farm raised – free range - venison was donated by Bush Brothers Provision Co., the local providers of Cervena New Zealand Venison. Throughout the day, a long line of attendees snaked their way to the kitchen – with the line moving rapidly as the students cooked and distributed the food. The venison was awesome, slightly pink and quite moist. The smooth operation was a testament to Mr. Blanco’s planning and the execution of the students. Well done.

In addition to their culinary skills, the student’s wine and beer making talents were also on display. Many of the students take several types of wine classes, from appreciation to wine-making technology to wine and beverage management. As part of the curriculum, Professor Barry Gump was able to obtain Merlot juice from his friend, Clark Smith of WineSmith. Some of the merlot grape were crushed, pressed, and then frozen and used to make a White Merlot. The remaining juice was frozen and half was used for this year’s bottling of a semi-sweet Merlot and the rest is currently aging in American Oak to be opened during next year’s festival. The students used their wine-making skills to make the White Merlot dry but with a fruit forward aroma and flavor – in a White Zinfandel fashion. The wine is remarkably clear and refreshing with a slight acidic finish. The semi-sweet Merlot reminded me of some of the Hungarian reds made a little sweeter – but not overly so. The wine is fruity and could also be served chilled. Since the student's did not have time to age the wine, this semi-sweet red was a great choice. Professor Gump also feels this wine would be attractive to a Midwestern audience. The students at the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management are obviously gaining an enjoyable, yet practical education.

2008 South Beach Food & Wine Festival

Yesterday was the trade tasting and it was quite an event. There was outstanding wine being poured from the West Coast (California, Oregon, & Washington) as well as from France, Italy, and the Americas. I did not get a chance to try wines from Australia, New Zealand, or South Africa - but will try to today. There was also a pleasant surprise to see Long Island's Bedell Cellars pouring their excellent Merlot and local Schnebly Winery pouring their tropical fruit wines. More than wine was poured however, as we were able to taste awesome rum, cachaca, and even Lucid's Absinthe. Then there's the vibrant South Beach nightlife - where we saw a great flamengo duo. Check MyJoog for details. In the coming days I will post about our favorite reds, whites, and spirits as well as our interview with the Food Network's barbecue king Chris Lilly.

Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay

We at Wine-Compass.com have never been steady chardonnay drinkers, nothing to do with the grape, its just that there are so many other varietals to try. However, that may change once we opened a bottle of Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay on a suggestion from our friends at Out of Site Wines. The wine starts with a peach aroma and flavor and followed by a refreshing slightly acidic finish. What makes the wine special is that even though it is unoaked, it has more texture and complexity than many oaked versions. This is the type of wine where you take one sip and say "Wow". And the wine won't bust your wine budget since it retails for less than $20. We look forward to researching the Trevor Jones brand and other wines from Kellermeister Winery. A quick review of their website shows a large selection of award winning wines; from their Riesling and Frontignac to Sparkling Wines and Ports.

South Beach Wine and Food Festival

We learned yesterday that we have received press passes for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, held of course, in sunny South Beach Florida. In the coming weeks we will be posting articles about the students at Florida International University’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management - on whose behalf the festival is sponsored. This year the students have produced two wines (a rose and a white merlot) to pour in the general tasting on Saturday February 23rd and Sunday February 24th. If you plan to attend, please stop by their booth and please let us know - we plan to interview people to get their impression of the student's wines. There will also be wines and spirits poured from some of the best wineries in Europe, California, Australia, and South America - so we will post our thoughts of these wines as well.

2006 Lady Grace Verdelho

From somewhere a bottle of Burford and Brown's, 2006 Lady Grace Verdelho appeared in our wine refrigerator - how, I do not know. The wine's pale appearance almost dissuaded us from opening it - think cheap pinot grigio. However, curiosity overcame our skeptical attitude and once again we found that looks can be deceiving. It's nose is floral and the flavor, somewhat like apricots. You can also feel the wine's complexity as it moves off the tongue and throughout the mouth. With a nice balanced acidity - this wine is a refreshing libation alone or with a meal.

Having heard of Verdelho, but never really researching the grape, I found that it originated in the Portuguese island of Madeira and is also grown in the Douro valley to make "white" Port. It is also grown in some regions in Spain and Argentina, but its greatest success outside Portugal has been in Australia.

Peter Burford brought his knowledge of the grape from Australia when he was hired winemaker at California's Alexander Valley Vineyards. In 2001 he started Burford and Brown with a colleague from Alexander Valley Vineyards, Adam Brown, whom he has since bought out. The 2005 Lady Grace Verdelho was his first vintage verdelho, the "Lady Grace" to honor his mother. Burford and Brown is now the largest producer of Verdelho in the United States, so look forward to many future releases. The 2007 Verdelho will be released shortly and is priced at only $10. What a bargain.

Virginia Wine Showcase - Day 1

The first day at the Blogger's Corner has ended and its been an interesting experience. On the plus side I was able to meet a couple new wine\food bloggers (The Food Scribe and The Humble Gourmand) and witness the Dezel's popularity with the wine public. Dezel's Virginia Wine Spot also has more interactive interpretation of the Showcase than my postings. I was also able to taste wines from several new wineries. I discussed Acorn Hill Winery earlier and I was able to visit with Mattaponi Winery. They have a very interesting Pinot Blanc and several fruit wines - try the peach and strawberry. I also liked the Conundrum and Rosé from Vault Field Vineyards.

On the downside, it was difficult to visit the tasting booths while your laptop and belongings were sitting out in the open. With a limited amount of time and fighting the large lines, I was only able to visit a few of the wineries I'd anticipated. For instance, at Vino Curioso, I was only able to taste their Chardonnay - as a constant flow of customers interrupted my tasting by purchasing wine. Imagine that - evidently a very popular winery. I also couldn't get near Breaux Vineyards or Hillsborough Vineyards and didn't even attempt to get close to Fox Meadow Vineyards. The final disappointment - at least as a consumer - is sticker shock with the higher price of Virginia wines. The average list price now seems to be over $20/bottle. Whereas some bottles are definitely worth that price, others are not. And with the 2007 vintage that many winemakers anticipate will finally put Virginia on the wine map - look for even higher prices to come.

If I return Sunday, my goal will be to select the best value red and white Virginia wine. Plus, my laptop will stay in the car.

Virginia Wine Showcase - Cooper Vineyards Petit Verdot

The bloggers decided to share a bottle of wine since it was getting crowded at the tables and we selected Cooper Vineyards Petit Verdot - which won a Gold medal at the 2007 VA Governors Cup. This wine is a blend of 80% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon; it has a full berry flavor and a slightly spicy, but smooth finish. April, The Food Scribe, found samples of cheddar cheese that was a perfect match. She gained instant credibility in our eyes.

Virginia Wine Showcase - Round 1

I just took a short dry red run and tasted some very interesting wines. My first stop was Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard to try their Corot Noir a new grape developed at Cornell's New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, N.Y. In fact Davis Valley is one of the first wineries to make wine from this grape - a cross between Seyve Villard and Steuben that is more suitable for growers in cold climates. The Davis Valley's version has a cherry aroma with a smooth berry flavor. While not as structured as Pinot Noir, the wine is very similar. I plan to bring a few bottles home for a more in depth analysis.

I also tried the red selections from Acorn Hill Winery, which plans to open this spring in Madison. Today they are pouring their 2006 Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The Merlot is full bodied and smooth and for some reason I preferred it over the Cabernet Franc. Go figure.

Finally, I was able to taste the red wine's from my wife's favorite winery, Savoy Lee Winery. I tried their Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which weren't bad- I think I'm becoming a Merlot lover, but my favorite was the 2004 Echo Forest Red, a smooth cab blend.

Virginia Wine Showcase - Finally Online

After a brief network hiccup, Dezel from My Virginia Vine Spot and I are finally online at the Virginia Wine Showcase's Bloggers Corner. Throughout the day we will be posting highlights of the showcase and the wines. There are a number of Virginia wineries that traveled a great distance to be here including Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard, Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery, Peaks of Otter Winery, and Savoy Lee Winery to name a few. The Bloggers Corner is situated right next to James River Cellars and Bluemont Vineyards so we should get good sample of their offerings. We are also looking forward to tasting a few new wines such as Cooper Vineyards Petit Verdot and Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard's Corot Noir. This is also a chance to taste the wines from Virginia's newer wineries, Acorn Hill Winery, Mattaponi Winery and Vault Field Vineyards. I'll be back shortly.

Virginia Wine Showcase

This Saturday, the 9th, I will be joining Dezel from the Virginia Vine Spot at the Virginia Wine Showcase at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia. The sponsors are creating a Virginia Bloggers table where we will be "blogging" about the festival and Virginia wines. Please stop by and say hello. The Expo is open from 11am-5pm Saturday and Sunday. The cost is $25 online or $35 at door. "Enjoy unlimited tastings of Virginia’s award-winning wines all in one comfortable, indoor location. Become a wine aficionado in pairing and tasting seminars for both the novice and the connoisseur. Stock your cellar with hard-to-find artisan wines and shop ‘til you drop for the best art, craft and gourmet offerings in the region at this fabulous mid-winter showcase - just in time for Valentines Day!"

Hops & Barley Shortage

Our brethren in the beer industry are facing a crisis due to shortages of hops and barley. Several factors lead to this development: rotation to higher margin crops, increased beer consumption in China, real estate speculation, the weather (drought in Australia and storms in Europe), and government subsidies for bio-fuels and ethanol. Demand for ethanol has doubled the price of corn and farmers have switched to rapeseed and canola as the government subsidizes biofuels - so why grow barley. In fact, very few in the Federal government will acknowledge that their search for the ethanol Holy Grail has negatively affected other farm products - expect your dairy and beef prices to rise as well.

As a result of these factors brewers either can not find substantial supplies of barley or hops or can not find the specific type of hops they prefer. When they do find a hops supplier, the price is between 300 to 400% higher than last year. Many craft brewers have had to suspend brands such as our favorite Tuppers' Hop Packet Ale and New River Pale Ale. In other instances, breweries have closed and consolidated. In theory, the higher prices of hops and barley should induce farmers to switch back to these crops. In the meantime, expect a smaller variety of craft beers this year - at a higher price.

February 2008 Wine Events

The Wine-Compass.com event database is growing rapidly for the 2008 wine season in the United States and Canada. For those looking for wine festivals in February, here is a short list of events in a few states:

Aizona
5th Avenue Fine Art & Wine – Scottsdale: Feb 15th-17th
Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival – Carefree: February 29th-March 2nd

California
Truffles, Tidbits and Wine Tasting – Pleasanton: February 7th
San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition – San Francisco: February 16th

District of Columbia
Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival - Ronald Reagan International Trade Center: February 29th-March 2nd

Florida
South Beach Wine and Food Festival - Miami: February 21st-24th
17th Annual Space Coast Wine & Beer Festival - King Center for the Performing Arts, Melbourne: Feb 24th

Massachusettes
17th Annual Boston Wine Expo - Seaport World Trade Center, Boston: February 9th-10th
Extreme Beer Fest - Boston Center for the Arts, Boston: February 15th-16th

Missouri
Chocolate Wine Trail – Hermann Wine Trail: February 16th-17th

Oklahoma
5th Annual Flying Fez Wine Tasting Festival - Bedouin Shrine Temple, Muskogee: February 23rd

Oregon
Oregon Seafood and Wine Festival - The Oregon Convention Center, Portland: Feb 1st-2nd
Newport Seafood & Wine Festival - Rogue Ales Brewery, Newpor: February 22nd-24th

Pennsylvania
Wine & Chocolate Valentine's Weekend – Berks County Wine Trail: February 9th-10th

South Carolina
Winter Parrot Head Festival - La Belle Amie Vineyard: February 23rd
Charleston Food + Wine Festival - Marion Square Park, Charleston: February 28-March 2nd

Virginia
Virginia Wine Showcase - Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly: February 9th-10th
Virginia Wine Expo - Greater Richmond Convention Center - Richmond: February 16th-17th

Washington
Red Wine & Chocolate – Lake Chelan Wineries: February 8th-17th

WineCompass.com introduces MyCompass Calendar

WineCompass.com now includes the ability to create a personal calendar of wine events. Wherever an event is listed on the site, it will include a calendar button next to its title. The button's tool tip will inform you whether the event currently exists in your calendar. Simply click the button to add or remove that event from your calendar. Your calendar is viewable under the MyCompass tab. In the coming weeks wine-compass.com will include the ability to save these events to your Yahoo, Google, or Outlook calendars as well. Note: This functionality is only available for registered users, but registration is free for all.

Government Regulation Gone Crazy

Here is yet another example how government regulation is ruining people's freedom to enjoy wine:

By LARRY O'DELL, Associated Press Writer Fri Jan 25, 3:51 AM ET

RICHMOND, Va. - If you're served a pitcher of authentic sangria in a Virginia restaurant, someone's breaking the law.

Since 1934, the state has prohibited mixing wine or beer with spirits. Frances McDonald, vice president of La Tasca Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurants, found that out the hard way when his Alexandria location was cited for violating the sangria ban in 2006 and fined $2,000.

McDonald and managing partner Shana McKillop appealed their case to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board on Thursday before going to the Capitol to urge legislators to pass a bill legalizing the red wine, liqueur and fruit concoction.

McDonald said his business received no warning about the ban. He said he was unaware of the prohibition and had he known about it would not have located any of his five restaurants in Virginia. "It's like not being able to serve tequila in a Mexican restaurant," he said.

The Alcoholic Beverage Control Department agent who cited La Tasca even ordered restaurant employees to pour its sangria — about 40 liters — down the drain, said Shana McKillop, managing partner at the Alexandria restaurant.

A ruling on the La Tasca's appeal should take two to four weeks, said Kristy Marshall, a spokeswoman for the ABC Department. In the meantime, the restaurant has taken to modifying its sangria recipe. The brandy has been eliminated and the triple sec replaced with a nonalcoholic orange liqueur.

"It's still sangria but not as authentic as we'd like to offer our guests," McKillop said.

2005 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc - 75 Wine Company

Over the years we have tried several excellent Sauvignon Blanc wines from France, New Zealand and Virginia, but I think we may have found on of our favorites: the 2005 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc from 75 Wine Company. The winery is named after the year the Beckstoffer family moved to the Napa Valley.

The wine possesses a refreshing citrus aroma and flavor, but has the texture and finish of a good chardonnay. After fermented in stainless steel tanks, the wine was aged on lees for three months. Technically this means that yeast components, usually polysaccharides, are released to the wine by autolysis. For our purposes, this means that the wine develops greater palate weight and texture, i.e. a rich and creamy finish. The 2005 and soon to be released 2006 Sauvignon Blanc are both very affordable at $20/bottle. We drank this wine with fruit and cheese - a great combination.

Burnley Vineyards

For the first time we finally took the time to visit one of the oldest vineyards and wineries in the Charlottesville area: Burnley Vineyards. The Reeder family harvested their first grapes in 1980 and sold them to other Virginia wineries until 1984. At that time they started their own farm winery. They have gradually expanded operations where they currently have 31 acres planted which produce close to 5,000 cases annually. Only 5% of their grapes come from elsewhere.

We had never previously tasted Burnley’s wines at the various state festivals, so this was a great opportunity to familiarize ourselves with their products. They started with the Barrel Fermented Chardonnay which was fermented in oak, then aged in oak for only 4 additional months – the result is a wine with subtle hints of oak – a very refreshing wine. Burnley also offers a stainless steel fermented Chardonnay that is dry – but fruitier. Of the two – I leaned towards the Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. The Rivanna White was next – a semi-dry Vidal Blanc – made in the Germanic style where unfermented grape juice is added to the wine to “enhance the fruit flavors and add natural sweetness to the wine”. I really liked this wine and at 1% r.s. – it’s a medium dry wine – your summer afternoon wine. Their Riesling was made in the similar method where the unfermented Riesling juices increases the residual sugar to 2%. The strong Riesling flavor is evident in this wine.

The first red wine served was the Rivanna Red a blend of 2003 Chambourcin, Norton and Cabernet Sauvignon. This is an excellent everyday table wine – made in the Beaujolais style – dry and fruity. Each grape variety contributes – Norton to the fruity flavor, the Chambourcin to the nose and texture, and the Cabernet to the slightly spicy finish. This is also a bargain at $11 a bottle. I next tried the only wine not made from Burnley Vineyard grapes, the 2006 Zinfandel – made from grapes grown in Amador County that were immediately processed on delivery. This is a very good Zinfandel – loads of plum flavors and the expected spicy finish. It is also a young wine that will improve with age. Their 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon is similarly dry – but heartier – a strong wine. It is also unfiltered and after having aged 5 years in the bottle – the finish is very smooth. This is another good red wine. The final dry, full-bodied red is their 2006 Norton. This wine is young and acidic – but contains the fruity Norton flavors. I would recommend letting this one sit a couple of years to mellow – a process the Reeder’s wish to do, except the wine sells too quickly as is. I’ll let you know in a few years how my bottles aged.

Burnley’s best selling wine is their Somerset, a sweet wine made with Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Riesling, Norton, Chambourcin and Cabernet Sauvignon. Quite the combination. Unfermented Vidal Blanc juice is added back to the wine after fermentation for sweetness and the Norton, Chambourcin and Cabernet Sauvignon provide plenty of color. The wine is a little too sweet for my tastes as an every day wine but I strongly recommend their Moon Mist a dessert wine made from Muscat Blanc and Orange Muscat. The wine has the floral aromas and flavors of the Muscat grape and at $12 is another bargain.

Burnley also produces a blush style wine, their Rivanna Sunset. This wine shows the versatility of the Chambourcin grape, which is normally made into a dry red wine, but here, the grapes are processed with no skin contact. This is a sweet blush – with more flavors than a standard White Zin, but just as sweet at 4% r.s.

The final two wines were their Peach Fuzz and Spicy Rivanna. The former is a blend of grape juice and peach juice that is cold fermented, cold filtered, and cold bottled. Serve chilled or as Lou Reeder suggested, mixed with Champagne. Our bottle lasted one night using that approach. The Spicy Rivanna is your Christmas wine, where the winery adds cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, anise, orange peel, lemon peel and residual sugar to the Rivanna Red. This wine can be served chilled, but is better served warm. This wine is also a string seller after the season as a visitor purchased a case during my visit.

In the future, we will make more of an effort to visit Burnley’s tasting tent at this year’s festival or visit the winery again during trips along route 29. The winery is only 6 miles of the highway – although be prepared for 6 miles of twisting road over several one lane bridges. The ride itself is almost worth the trip.

Flute

On a recent trip to New York City, I stumbled upon a great wine bar - or should I say Champagne bar: Flute. There are two New York locations and I found the midtown one located on W. 54th street, between 6th Ave and Broadway. The goal of this establishment is to provide "a comfortable space where guests could have a "Champagne experience" whether they came for caviar and bubbly or cocktails with friends." I think they succeeded. I arrived promptly at 5:00 PM, right when they opened and thus I had the tasting bar to myself - plus another couple starting their Saturday evening. Flute serves 100 champagne and sparkling wines by the bottle with about a dozen of these available by the flute. You can also purchase tasting flights of various champagne and champagne cocktails.

I started with a flute of the Chartogne-Taillet Rosé NV - a dry champagne made from 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay, plus a splash of Pinot Meunier. The wine has strawberry flavors and a dry - complex finish. I can't wait to step up and try their Cuvee Fiacre. I wanted to also try a French sparkling wine, so the bartender recommended the Blanquette de Limoux Grande Reserve, a dry champagne from southern France's Languedoc and the home of the first sparkling wines. This wine was lighter than the Chartogne-Taillet and balanced throughout, a very drinkable champagne. It is made from the Mauzac grape, known locally as “Blanquette” and the name of the appellation: Blanquette de Limoux. I would suggest this wine before a meal and the Chartogne-Taillet during.

Niner Wine Estates - 2004 Sangiovese

On Christmas Eve, a dinner guest brought over a 2004 Sangiovese from Niner Wine Estates. After re-tasting today, this is the best Sangiovese I've tried produced outside of Italy. I can't articulate tasting notes as well as the winery's description so here it is:

"This wine’s deep dark color is notable for Sangiovese. The promises made by its appearance are kept by the aromas and flavors of this dark rich wine. The nose brings aromas of black fruit and well-integrated oak with a hint of licorice. Warm rich flavors of jammy blackberry and juicy cherry are accompanied by soft tannins and a subtle note of mint on the finish."

In layman's terms this is a fruity wine, but with a smooth - slightly spicy finish. Even with the low tannins the finish is unique. This morning I discovered that the wine won Best of California and Double Gold Medal at the 2007 California State Fair Commercial Wine Competition and various other Gold and Silver medals during the past year. The wine is also very reasonably priced at $20. I hope I can find another bottle in my area.

Antis Malbec

A short while ago, one of our local wine merchants, Norm's Beer & Wine, suggested a bottle of the 2003 Antis Malbec. We have been back several times to restock. Antis is another term for the Andes Mountains and this wine is made from 60 to 90 year old vines grown on the foothills of these mountains. The wine is composed of 92% Malbec and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon and aged in different oak combinations. The result is a dark purple wine - with strong fruit flavors - and a slightly spicy finish. Plus at around $10 - it is a bargain. But don't just take our word - the wine won a Gold medal at the 2003 CATAD’OR, Argentina's most famous wine competition.