Book Review: "California Wine for Dummies"

We recently received a copy of California Wine For Dummies and after reading it, found that it is a great resource for both novices and self proclaimed experts. Part I introduces California wines to the reader by briefly describing the history of wine making in the state, the wine regions, the grape varieties used, and how to decipher the label. These topics are worthwhile for the reader particularly during the discussion regarding the differences between "varieties" and "varietals" as well as "estate bottled"and "estate grown".

However, parts II through IV were the useful for us. Instead of focusing on the wine region, the authors focus on each grape variety and then discuss in which regions they are grown and how they differ depending upon that region. Particularly why wines made from the same grape may differ depending on the temperature variation between regions. They also list their favorite wines made from each variety as well as why wineries may blend certain grapes. Great information.

In between they offer interesting information such as Wente Vineyards Estate Winery being the first vineyard to plant Chardonnay in California and why Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are blended. And not only do they discuss the major grapes (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel), but they discuss other grapes such as Petite Sirah, all the Rhone varieties, the other Bordeaux grapes, Tempranillo, Tannat, and even Napa Gamay (Valdiguie). Sparkling and dessert wines are also included. It was nice to see that
Ridge Vineyards was noted a few times particularly how they blend their Zinfandel as well as our favorite Petite Sirah from Foppiano Vineyards.

This book would also serve as a nice companion on a wine touring trip to California. The authors discuss some of the towns in the major regions, suggest places to stay and wineries to visit. The final chapters actually discuss what to expect when visiting a California tasting room and special attractions and excursions.

Like we said previously, we highly recommend this book from novices to self proclaimed experts. Its also an easy read. One of us finished the book during a 2 1/2 hour plane ride and the other during a short afternoon on the beach. We will also be seeking out the earlier release: Wine For Dummies

Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery, St. Leonard, MD

Last week we received this press release that Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery is now open to the public and selling their wines:

In 2001, business partners Mark Flemming and John Behun purchased 22 acres of farmland in St. Leonard, Maryland, with the goal of establishing the first commercial vineyards in the scenic Calvert County countryside. At the time, there were fewer than 30 wineries in the state, and only five in Southern Maryland. With the help of their families and friends, these new entrepreneurs put their love of wine to good use, planting Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery's first vinifera vines in 2002. The name Perigeaux refers to the ancient walled town in the Dordogne region of Southwest France near Bordeaux. The town is famous for its pate and flocks of geese, hence the origin of the white goose on the Perigeaux label. The Dordogne region is known for its idyllic countryside and famous vin-de-pays (wine of the country.) After leaving the active duty Air Force in the early 1990s, Mark spent time at a farm winery in Tocane-St Apres near Perigeaux in the Dordogne.

Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery specializes in making hand-crafted wines in small lots, with production, fermenting, aging, and bottling all carefully supervised by John, the winemaster. All grapes used for Perigeaux's award-winning wines are grown at the St. Leonard vineyards. The winemaster's methods are in the natural vin-de-pays tradition of southwestern France, which leads the owners to take great care of the grapes, and to make the wine as authentic to the Chesapeake Bay and Calvert County areas as possible. When you taste wine from Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery, you experience the ripe fullness of the grapes and power of the sun in Southern Maryland.

Reflecting the range of the winemaster and the tastes of the region, the winery has crafted three distinct styles of wine, under three different labels. "Perigeaux Vineyards" wine is drawn from the premium signature and reserve vintages. The "Mackall Road" label was developed for wines crafted without fining and minimal filtering to be natural and authentic to the grape varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. "Patuxent River" wines have a lighter, fresher feel and include specialty and sweeter varieties.

The 2005 harvest produced the vineyard's first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc wines. In 2008, Perigeaux's first commercial vintage (from the 2006 harvest) was released, and the winery also added Pinot Gris and Muscato to its offerings. The winery plans to release its Zinfandel and an Italian-style blend of Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Fall of 2009.

All of the attention to detail and hard work recently paid off with several regional and national awards. In 2008, Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery was recognized by the American Wine Society with three bronze medals for its Cabernet Sauvignon, under all three of the vineyard's labels. The Best of Appellation tastings in Napa, California recognized the vineyard's Chardonnay and Merlot with silver medals. Also in 2008, the Maryland Governor's Cup and Winemaster's Choice Competitions resulted in silver and bronze medals for the vineyard's Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Merlot.

Perigeaux Vineyard & Winery, which is located off of Route 4 in St. Leonard, MD (about 45 minutes south of Washington, DC and 15 minutes north of Solomons Island), is open for visitors from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon-5 p.m. on Sundays, by appointment. They will be represented at several upcoming wine festivals and events: "Wine in the Woods" (May 16-17); "Great Grapes" (June 13-14), the "Maryland Wine Festival" (September 19-20), and the "Riverside Wine Festival" (October 3-4). Please visit www.Perigeaux.com or call 410-586-2710 for more information on the vineyard's wines, upcoming events, directions, or to contact the owners.

Laurel Gray Vineyards

During our drive down to Merlefest we visited our first Yadkin Valley winery: Laurel Gray Vineyards. The Yadkin Valley is situated between the Blue Ridge and Brushy Mountains and is slowly becoming an important wine producing area on the east coast. There are over 25 wineries in the valley with some being old tobacco farms converted to vineyards. This practice is not as common as we thought since most tobacco farmers who received settlement money, simply retired - why even think about the strenuous labor associated with growing grapes. However, one such converted tobacco farm was Laurel Gray Vineyards.

We selected Laurel Gray Vineyards simply because it was the closest to route 421. We learned that it resides in a new sub-appellation - Swan Creek Appellation along with five other wineries. The winery is owned and operated by Benny and Kim Myers, who first planted the vineyards in 2001 on the former dairy and tobacco farm. Interestingly Myers can trace his ancestors to when they arrived in the valley in 1773. That's 10 generations. The next generation also helps with the winery, and is who the winery is named after, Ashley Laurel and Taylor Gray. In fact Ashley is the resident grape expert having earned a M.S. in Plant Pathology and by working in Virginia as a Grape Pathology Extension Specialist.

Kim Myer met us in the tasting room and we learned that Laurel Gray specialized in French styled wines. To date the region does not have a clear specialty since the industry is so new. Some wineries specialize in Italian varieties, whereas the Myers believe that French varieties have the most potential - particularly Chardonnay. Their Chardonnay is fermented and aged in French oak for 12 months which provides a soft creamy texture. The wine possessed the nice chardonnay flavor with a slightly vanilla finish. We preferred their Viognier more since it was made in a more acidic style - plus it had a nice apricot flavor.

The winery makes several different red styles from dry and full bodied to a semi-dry summer red. We started with the Sultry a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged in three different types of oak which helps produce a slightly spicy finish. I guess the Syrah would have a hand in that as well. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in the same fashion, just aged slightly longer to 18 months. We liked this more than the Sultry - it was more full bodied and just seemed to have more jolt. They also produce an Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which not surprisingly, we liked the most. The nose contained aromas of figs, the middle full bodied, while the tail was slightly tannic. A nice wine, except for the price tag. Is it worth $29? The final red wine was one of their top sellers, the Scarlet Mountain, made from traditional Bordeaux varieties. However, that's where the similarity ends. Some Chardonnay is added to the blend making this wine a little off dry - designed for summer days. We liked it and it contains the strong cherry flavors that were advertised.

The final two wines were sweet wines, starting with the Rose’ 1773, a blend of Chardonnay, Viognier and Syrah. It isn't really as sweet as advertised and has a nice strawberry flavor - the wine that compliments spicy foods. The final wine is made from 100% Niagara, the grape we came to like while visiting wineries when our son was an infant. He always wanted us to drink the same fruit that was in his white grape juice. In any case, the Nectar is really good - if you are like us and enjoy the fruity aroma and flavor of the grape. And it is not as concentrated as most dessert wines. Others were purchasing it rather quickly during our visit.

This was a nice spot to break our drive to Wilkesboro. We can see why the winery receives frequent visitors from Charlotte - its a nice location to hang out during the day. And since all the wines are sold strictly from the tasting room; that's the only method people have to purchase these wines. See you again before next year's Merlefest.

Burgundy Wine Expo - French Embassy

On Thursday April 23 we were invited to a Burgundy Wine Tasting held at the French Embassy and hosted by the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB). As expected, the expo provided fabulous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines as well as a nice overview of the Burgundy region. Wine has been produced in this region for over 2,000 years, which is remarkable since many the the ancient wine growing regions are no longer producing wine. We also learned about the five vignobles within Burgundy, from Chablis in the north, through Côte de Nuits to Côte de Beaune and finally to Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais in the south.

We started with the Pinot Noirs and we found a common trait among most of these wines in that the nose was peppery, but on the palate the wine was full cherry flavors with little or no spiciness. Not even a lot of earthiness. Maybe the winemakers are succumbing to the American palate. With over 30 exhibitors we didn't taste wine from every company or even the entire portfolio within an exhibit; with that said, of the wines we tasted, we found some keepers starting the 2005 Clos des Langres Monopole from Domaine d'Ardhuy. Evidently 2005 was an excellent vintage in Burgundy, and this wine reflects that. It is smooth and creamy even with the aforementioned peppery nose. But the tail, no tannins - completely smooth. Located in the Côte de Beaune this winery also produces an excellent Grand Cru from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Beaune was also the region that produced our other two favorites, the Domaine Chanson Pere & Fils, 2005 Clos des Feves and the creamy Bourgogne Parent, 2002 Les Epenottes. There were other outstanding reds. Starting with Maison Louis Latour, Clavelier & Fils, Domaine Tortochot, and Chateau de Melin.

In many cases the actual winemaker was pouring the wines so we were able to meet the families and learn about their history. Many of these wineries have been in the same family for over 5 or 6 generations. One overlooked benefit is that their is an immediate library of facts and history that the winemaker can resource when weather conditions make winemaking difficult. In most situations, there is a documented history to suggest alterations duing the winemaking and evidence how the wine matures in these years. This is difinately somthing missing in the states.

Because of time constraints, we did not sample many chardonnay wines. The Chateau Beru was one of our favorites, producing only whites. Another winery that just produced chardonnay was Cave de Vire. And we can't forget the Closerie des Alisiers - Stephane Brocard. We started with their red Gevrey-Chambertin, but really liked their chardonnay - particularly the 2007 Meursault.

Another benefit of this expo was the booklet of reading material we were able to take home. We will be studying this region, learning more bout its history, regions, wines, and wine-making families.

More photos are available at the Compass Tours section.

DC's Wine Country - Food & Wine Festival 2009

Our friends at the Virginia Food and Wine Foundation have just announced the dates for the first annual DC's Wine Country - Food and Wine Festival. This festival will occur during the evenings of July 10-12, 2009 at the historic Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia and will highlight the fabulous wines being produced by twenty wineries in Loudoun County. Besides the $30 general admission, there are a few dining packages available. All proceeds will benefit the Virginia Food & Wine Foundation general scholarship fund which supports culinary arts and wine studies. Attendance is limited so we recommend ordering early.

Participating wineries:

Bluemont Vineyard	Lost Creek Winery
Boxwood Winery	Loudoun Valley Vineyards
Breaux Vineyards	North Gate Vineyard
Casanel Vineyards	Quattro Goomba's Winery
Chrysalis Vineyards	Sunset Hills Vineyard
Corcoran Vineyards	Swedenburg Estate Vineyard
Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery	Tarara Winery
Fabbioli Cellars	Village Winery & Vineyards
Hidden Brook Winery	Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
Hiddencroft Vineyards	Zephaniah Farm Vineyard

Leblon Cachaça

While spending time in south Florida, we haven't drunken much wine, and as for beer, PBR and Schlitz seem to be the most satisfying while under the sun. But what we can't restock quickly enough is Leblon Cachaça. We had received a sample a few months ago and never opened under now. What a waste. This Cachaça is fine on the rocks and a perfect in a Caipirinha. Move over Mohitos.

According to their website, "Leblon, is distilled at a state-of-the-art distillery, Maison Leblon, in the fertile Minas Gerais region. Gilles Merlet, the master distiller, approaches the fermentation, distillation, and finishing of Cachaça like a fine wine. Using techniques from his native land of France, Gilles manages every detail of the creation - from the hand-selection of the cane and his proprietary fermentation approach, to the Alambique batch-distillation and light-casking, triple-filtering, and master-blending. Gilles rests the final distillate in XO Cognac casks from France, giving Leblon an extra-special touch. As a result, Leblon Cachaça has a delicate, fruity nose, combined with an ultra smooth finish."

We have tasted several excellent cachaças over the past two years and Leblon is easily the best. Don't trust our opinion? For the past 4 years, Leblon has been awarded gold medals at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; a first for any cachaça. Now that's quality.

Creating the Perfect Wine Cellar

Guest Author, Jamie Sward

If there’s one thing that can bring a group of close friends or family together, it would be done with a bottle of wine. Seeing as how giving the gift of wine is such a popular choice around the holidays, for housewarming parties, or for casual dinners throughout the week, the idea of creating your own wine cellar with your existing collection of wine is always a great idea. Not only will you be able to properly store your bottles on a set of sturdy wine racks so that they may age over time but it will also allow you to be prepared for a last minute event at your home.

It’s important to keep in mind the temperature, amount of light, and humidity of the room you choose. Many people choose to use their basement to store their wine collection as this is one of the darkest, coolest areas of their home where dehumidifiers can be stored as well. The humidity of a wine cellar should be stay around 65-70% so as not to let the corks from drying out or cracking and this will also allow them to stay airtight in the wine bottle. Your wine cellar should stay at a constant temperature between 45-65°F and the optimal temperature for maturing wine is anywhere from 50-55°F. Wine should be in the darkest space you can find as natural light can potentially ruin the aging process and taste of the wine when you finally decide to use it.

When choosing the perfect wine rack for your collection, find a reliable model that allows the bottles to lie flat on their sides so as to keep the cork moist. Place more expensive aged wines in the back rows of the racks so as to keep them out of the way for special occasions in the future as this will provide a space for wine you plan on using soon in the front for easy access. If you don’t have a cool, dark space in the home for wine storage, you can always look into purchasing a wine cabinet that will provide proper temperature and light conditions for you. This option allows you to hold anywhere from five to a few hundred bottles of wine and can be used as a decorative piece of furniture in your formal dining room or bar area.

Quattro Goomba's Winery

Today we finally had an opportunity to listen to live music at a winery so we headed out Route 50 to Quattro Goomba’s Winery (QGW) - a winery with a completely different business model than its neighboring wine colleagues. QGW was officially formed by three friends - Jay DeCianno, David Gaetani, and David Camden - in the fall of 2006. DeCianno and Gaetani were raised in Italian households where homemade wines were common and learned the art and science from their grandfathers. They decided to become partners in making wine, starting in their basements. After two years honing their skills, they became bonded in 2006 and sold the wine through the WineStyles retail outlets. After the initial success, the opened their current tasting room directly on Routh 15, north of Gilbert's Corner, in the fall of 2008.

Now, there are dozens of wineries that started in a basement - or bathroom - but what makes QGW unique is that they source their grapes completely from outside the state - California, Chile, and Italy. They utilize brokers to suggest the vineyards and transport the juice or grapes; but only after the proprietors at QGC have conducted an extensive cost\benefit analysis and sampled wine made from grapes from the prospective vineyard. One they select a vineyard, it must meet stringent guidelines on quality (ie. acidity, brix) and vineyard control (what chemicals to use and when to apply). The growers segment a lot for QCW and are financially responsible if they fail to deliver fruit that meet their contractual obligations.

Eventually the owners would like to become a Virginia farm winery and plan to plant a small estate vineyard beside the tasting room. They will also source grapes from Breaux Vineyards in order to sell Virginia made wine. In order to satisfy the definition of farm winery, they are not required to produce wine from their estate grown grapes - only from Virginia grown grapes. This will give them time to slowly acquire the necessary vineyard skills to grow grapes and manage a vineyard.

When we arrived Dave Pepper was already performing in one corner and a group of tasters surrounded one tasting bar. Soon David Gaetani walked us through their portfolio - which interestingly only included two wines available for sale. For when they started, they only made 300 cases - and most of these sold out quickly. They plan to ramp up to 2,000 cases a year, but until these wines are bottled - we tried barrel samples served in carafes. We started with their only white - the soon to be bottled Vino Di Frascati, made from Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca grapes. Because of its proximity to Rome, the wines from the Frascati region have popular for over 2,000 years. The juice for this wine was transported in 57 gallon drums - taking about 17 days to reach the winery. Not a bad trip. At our tasting, the wine hadn't been clarified so it looked more like lemonade or a lemoncello flavored drink, than wine. But it was probably our favorite wine of the day - fruity and refreshingly acidic. We can't wait until this wine is bottled; perfect time for warm weather.

The next wine that was another favorite was the Vino Di Nanni (Wine of our Grandfathers) - proprietary family recipe made from two red and one white varieties. The wine has a pinkish tint, but is not a rose since the juice was not bled from the skins. Instead the color results from the composition of the grapes. This wine is also dry, but fruity enough were we can see it drunk chilled.

When the proprietors formed QGW, their goal was to make Mediterrean styled wines that were drinkable now and not necessarily with food. Their Chilean Merlot definitely hit this mark - it is dry and full bodied but amazingly smooth. The wine had undergone malolactic fermentation, converting the malic acids to lactic acids, and it showed in the finish. The following two wines were an interesting combination - made from the same varieties and vintage; but a different location: Vino D'Ana California and Vino D'Ana . Each wine is made from equal percentages of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon; however they are completely different. The Chilean wine is fruitier whereas the California version has a much peppery nose and earthy flavor. What's interesting is that is usually describes the comparison between California and French wines; but in this case, the California is the Old World wine and the Chilean the New World wine. We finished with their Vino Dolce, a dessert wine made from late harvest old vine zinfandel. Even though the wine has 4% residual sugar, it is not not syrupy and sugary. Instead its more like drinking dark raisins - similar to the Cyprus Commandaria we tasted recently in south beach. The final wine in the portfolio, currently aging is their popular Vino Di San Pietro, a Super Tuscan blend of 80% Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The 2007 vintage sold out quickly.

Afterward we relaxed on the deck playing with dogs, watching horses, drinking wine, and listening to the music. The winery is very dog friendly as described by Ms. Martin below. And the music completely complemented our visit - it was just nice to have music playing in the background. In fact we learned from Pepper that he enjoys playing at QGW because he has complete control of the setlist. Apparently that is not always the case - particularly when an agency is involved. Look for him on Sundays and when the winery hosts a larger concert on April 18th. This event celebrates the release of the Vino Di Frascati, Merlot and Vino Di Nanni wines and features Gaetani's rock band Swiftkick. You should see us there.

Quattro Goomba's Winery: Pet-Friendly and Fun!

Our family, which is comprised of myself, my husband, and my two mutts, Titan and Sox, went out for our usual "nice day adventure" to a local winery and found ourselves at Quattro Goombas for the first time ever this afternoon. Much to my surprise, Quattro Goombas is very pet friendly; they not only allowed us in the tasting room with our pups, but also served our thirsty monsters water before they served us wine. It's hard to win me over because I am a very tough critic but taking good care of my dogs is always a great start!

My family is from Spain, I have lived and worked in France, and was involved in the restaurant and hospitality industries for many years. I have had the pleasure of tasting fantastic wines from all over the world and Virginia wines don't always measure up, however, Virginia wineries offer tons of fun, beautiful views, and local entertainment that is oftentimes hard to beat.

Quattro Goombas made today's visit more fun that usual because they welcomed our pups with open arms. It's tough for a dog-lover like me to leave my dogs at home while I enjoy a day out in the sun, therefore, finding a winery that allows me to share my love of the outdoors with my mutts is truly exciting.

The staff members at Quattro Goombas approached our dogs with interest and care and made sure that we felt welcome and comfortable from the moment we arrived on their property. Many of the patrons were also open to the prospect of having dogs in their midst. Titan and Sox got loads of attention and love as well as bits of cheese and crackers, which they usually wouldn't get at home. All in all, my husband and I had a wonderful time getting to know other Northern Virginians and watching our dogs take in the views and treats that Quattro Goombas threw their way!

Quattro Goombas is definitely at the top of my list for pet-friendly wineries in Northern Virginia; I'm pretty sure Titan and Sox would agree!

Music @ Wineries: Virginia & Maryland

While viewing winery events at WineCompass and MyJoog we have seen a literal explosion in the number of wineries that provide live music in Maryland and Virginia. In the past you could count on the summer concert series at Tarara Vineyard & Winery, Linganore Wine Cellars, and Chateau Morrisette as well as a few random shows at several wineries; but now there are good shows every weekend. Particularly in Loudoun County.

Notaviva Vineyards is the most appropriate place to start since the winery was specifically designed as a live music venue. The winery provides year round entertainment on weekends in this spring they are hosting several talented local and regional artists: Ken Wenzel, Luke Brindley, Todd Wright, David LaFleur, and Mary Ann Redmond. Neighboring Loudoun Valley Vineyards is also providing Ken Wenzel a steady gig on Saturdays. And Bluemont Vineyards and Quattro Goomba’s Winery showcases local artists on weekends. Expect to see Lenny Burridge Saturdays at Bluemont and Dave Pepper and co-owner David Gaetani's band Swiftkick on Sundays or during special events at QCW.

For those living in other counties in northern Virginia, there are other options. In Fauquier County, Barrel Oak Winery provides live music on Friday nights and Saturdays which include our favorites Robbie Limon and farmDoubt. And nearby, Fox Meadow Vineyards hosts a few artists this spring. Along the 95 corridor, try Potomac Point Winery. Besides good wine and a incredible chateau, don't miss Dave Goodrich, who plays a few times this in the coming months.

In the rest of the state, Friday night Barren Ridge Vineyards hosts Jimmy O and look out in June when William Walter comes to the winery. You also don't want to miss Robyn Dobbyns at
Blue Ridge Vineyard or Eli Cook at Blue Mountain Brewery (yea, not a winery - but close to many).

Maryland does not provide as many options as Virginia, but there are still good opportunities particularly at Frederick Cellars. Their neighbors are trying to beat them down, but let's hope they fail. Otherwise where else could you sip award winning Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon while listening to Bo Weevil and Karyn Oliver. Besides their annual festivals, Linganore Wine Cellars opens its doors on Sunday's for local artists.

These are examples of regular scheduled music. There are even more opportunities to listen to live music at wineries when festivals are factored in. Plus you get to drink good wine.

Corcoran Vineyards

Planning a Spring birthday party enticed us to visit Corcoran Vineyards, one of our favorite Virginia wineries. Not only are the proprietors, Lori & Jim Corcoran, friends, but they craft excellent wines. Just look at their medal collection. With a tasting room built in the 1750's, a pond, and rolling vineyards; we thought this would be a great venue for our son's birthday. The major question on our minds: was it too far for parents to drive? The answer came quickly as we had trouble finding a parking space. For a late February weekend, the winery was packed. Obviously distance was not a factor.

The high volume of visitors may have been influenced by the appearance of Mary Watson Delauder, who was pouring and signing bottles of her Mary's Cuvee. This wine was a collaborate between Mary and Lori, where they basically sampled from different barrels to concoct a suitable blend. Predominately Cabernet Franc and Merlot, the wine also contains a little Tannat which contributes an earthiness to the wine. It's a real nice blend - fruit forward from the Cabernet France with a "herbish" tail from the Tannat. There was only a few cases left and wines were moving fast, so they may be sold out already. The other red wines are just as good: the varietal Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Malbec, and Meritage (Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot). The Malbec is our favorite. For whites, all you need is the Chardonnay. Particularly since their Viognier is also sold out. The Chardonnay was aged in neutral oak and stainless steel to produce a nice wine. There's just enough oak at the finish to balance the fruit and acidity. They had also brought our for the day their semi-dry whites: Traminette and Seyval Blanc. The Traminette is drier that contains the spiciness associated with the grape. The Seyval Blanc is sweet lemons - enough sweetness to make this a dessert wine, but we have friends who down the bottle in one sitting. We can't wait to try the wines again at the birthday party. Hopefully the weather will cooperate.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival - Grand Tasting

The primary focus of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is the Grand Tasting Village - located directly on the sands of South Beach. The village is split into two sections; the bow contained the seminar tents, sponsor tents, and this year a Wines of Spain display, whereas the stern consisted of two large tasting tents. In previous years we had spent the large proportion of our time in the tasting section; this year we decided to actually attend a few seminars and browse the sponsor tents.

We loitered in the Delta Airlines tent for awhile where they not only served excellent wines (Don David Torrontos), but we learned that the airline uses an elaborate system to select wines for their BusinessElite® customers. In house sommelier, Andrea Robinson, accumulates over 80 wines that met a strict criteria of outstanding flavor, brand recognition, diversity and destination connection, as well as ease of serving in flight. She then tasted the wines at 30,000 feet; apparently the structure of wines can change at high altitudes. Ms. Robinson then selects a final array of wines from those that passed the "flight" test. She will also hold "wine culture" seminars for flight attendants that will "enhance the personalized service they provide to Delta customers." We may have to consider Delta for our next international travel.

Back to the festival, on Saturday we saw Ingrid Hoffmann strolling the sands without the standard entourage that usually swarms around a Food Network personality. She cheerfully greeted attendees posing for snapshots all the while reminding people the time for her seminar. She became an instant favorite - no pretentiousness - she could have been just another party goer. But after watching a few seminars, our favorite Food network personalities were easily the Neelys. As with Ms. Hoffmann, they also fit naturally into the environment and had a playful relationship. Plus they were preparing mac and cheese keeping it simple.

The Wines of Spain was a somewhat obvious choice for a special tent, not only from Miami's Spanish background but also because of the rising status of their wines. There were over two dozen vendors, so too many wines to taste in one setting. Thus we stuck to cava and the sherry - being poured directly from the barrel. We are neophytes regarding sherry so this was a nice education, learning about the Solera process in the Cardenal Mendoza as well as the history of the product.

But of course, throughout the day the tasting tents were a constant magnet and eventually we succumbed. The South Beach festival has the largest assortment of spirits of its kind so this year we planned to keep to that genre. We eventually tasted a few wines that caught our attention, but in general we stuck to the vodka, gin, brandy, cachaca, and rum. And was there rum. Many of our favorites that we have discussed previously were on hand (Vizcaya, Diplomatico, and Ron Barcelo); but within a few yards of the first tent we struck gold. Gold as in the Ron Zacapa Centonario (23 years) - perhaps the best rum ever produced (At least in our estimation). And according to Robert Pallone, the resident Rum Ambassador "it's won so many tasting competitions that it's actually been retired." This rum is made from the juices from the first press of sugar cane, like a rhum agricole, and distilled in the high mountains of Guatemala of Quetzaltenango. The rum is aged white oak casks using the "solera" method the same method as sherry. Basically the angels share lost through evaporation is replaced with rum that was casked the following year. We also tried a couple new rums that are worth naming: Ron Atlantico, Angostura and Ron Botran. There was also a Thai rum, the Mekhong, named after that country's national river. "The amber colored liquid is the result of a unique combination of an age-old distillation process followed by the artful blending of this quality spirit with a unique (and secret) recipe of indigenous herbs and spices that brings out its classic taste." The spices provide enough variety to make this an interesting drink neat - but they advertise it more as a mixer. These last rums were nice, but after drinking Ron Zacapa, Vizcaya, Diplomatico, and Ron Barcelo; there was no more room at the top. Sorry.

The newest novelty and perhaps the most popular vendor was the LIQ Frozen Cocktails. Yes frozen strawberry daiquiris and margaritas on a Popsicle stick - made with real rum and tequila. Our first question was "How do you get the alcohol to freeze"? Well, they employ a proprietary system that somehow freezes alcohol. The pops are 100% pure ingredients, the strawberry daiquiri includes real strawberries that melt with the Popsicle. And tasty. The company has even planned how to get the product into retail outlets that normally don't have freezers. They provide their own. This is one product that fits with south Florida - if they only sold it on the beach.

We also re-tasted several spirits that we discovered at last year's New York City Food & Wine Festival. The Castries Peanut Rum tasted as good in South Beach as well as it did in New York. The same holds with the Whitley Neill Gin. One of our favorite creme liquors, Amarula - made from the African Marula fruit was also on hand. Whiskeys were represented by Evan Williams bourbon and Glenrothes scotch. There were several new products we liked. Our favorite vodka was the Polish Sobieski Vodka - named after King Jan III Sobieski. The brand was launched by Imperial Brands only two years ago and is already the world’s #7 best selling international vodka. In its first year the vodka was awarded a Gold Medal and the "Best Buy" award by the Beverage Testing Institute (BTI), and was ranked the #1 premium vodka and #2 overall in a random blind-tasting of 108 vodkas, the largest review of vodkas in its history, that included extravagantly priced super-premium brands. The last sentence is important because a bottle retails for approximately $11. What a bargain. We also learned about cognacs from the House of Hines - particularly that cognac shouldn't have the harsh bite that we normally experience in the states. In fact, many of cognac brands are specifically made in this style and targeted to certain communities. Not Hines. Their brandy has been produced in the Cognac region for over 250 years and meet the strenuous legal requirements in order to bear the name, Cognac. Its smooth finish was enough of a raw to keep us coming back.

We did sample a few wines. The first set of wines we tasted were from the Finger Lakes' Heron Hill Vineyards. We had to support east coast wineries. They were pouring two nice Riesling styles a dry and semi-dry. Can't go wrong with that. The other set of wines we tasted were from the Greek and Cyprus alliance booth. How could we pass on wines made from regions with centuries of wine making experience. We learned that the oldest named wine in the world, the Commandaria, has been produced in Cyprus since 1,000 B.C. Today there are 15 indigenous grape varieties found on the island. We started with the Greek wines and loved the Assyrtiko - a white wine grape indigenous to the island of Santorini. There were also two exceptional reds. The Megapanos Namea made from the Agiorgitiko grape, but named after Nemea region of the Peloponnese and the Pavlou Winery Xynomavro, produced in northern Greece. Moving two the Cyprus wines, they actually had a version of the ancient Commandaria, the St. Nicholas from Etkos Winery. This dessert wine is made from the ancient Mavro and Xynisteri grapes that are spread out to dry in the sun, then pressed. The juice is collected and fermented in old, very large wooden barrels. The result is a sherry like substance with caramel flavors without the fortification. A nice dessert wine. Its companion is the Centurion - made in the same style just aged longer (at least 30 years). This is a potent wine, once again not fortified but with a deeper richer dark raisin \fig flavor. The downside - $130. Our budget favors the Commandaria ($20); but our tastes the Centurion.

The food served in the tasting tents was also outstanding. Each day, the Puerto Rico booth prepared outstanding dishes. We also enjoyed grabbing a Agua Luca cachaca and pairing with guacamole from Rosa Mexicana. The most entertaining chef was Eric Grutka from Jensen Beach's Ian's Tropical Grill, who used a hand held propane tank to sear pork bellies. There was plenty of other food that made this an overwhelming success. Representatives of the Washington D.C. Food & Wine Expo should take notes - the SOBE Wine & Food Festival is a real Food & Wine event.

2009 South Beach Wine & Food Festival - Best of the Best

On the first full day of the festival, Friday the 20th, we actually took it easy during the afternoon Trade Tasting because we had a full schedule planned for that evening. It all started with a cocktail hour at The Tides for Batali Rocks - sponsored by Hendricks Gin. The event showcased the collaboration between chef Maria Batali and wristwatch designer Leonid Khankin. Under heat lamps - yes it got a little chilly in the evening - we ate h'ordourves and sampled some interesting gin infused concoctions. After a cucumber laden drink we switched to gin on the rocks - much better. After meeting Guy Fieri we were forced to leave in order to arrive punctually for the evening's main event: Wine Spectator’s “Best of the Best".

The Best of the Best was held at the Fontainebleau, which had just finished a $1 Billion renovation. Yes $1 Billion; talking about bringing a Vegas casino to the beach. We were pretty naive about this event, we knew the wine would be good, but we completely underestimated the quality of the food. This event was the bomb. Walking in you were immediately inundated with awesome wines: Beaulieu Vineyard, Far Niente, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Provenance Vineyards..... We started with a Grgich Hills Cellar Chardonnay - how could you go wrong - and the wines got better. Many of the wines just listed are household names, but we found many new finds - and mostly Pinot Noir. There was the Trolley Pinot Noir from Red Car Wine Company, the Pali Wine Company's Russian River Valley Proprietary Reserve; Donum Estate's Carneros Pinot Noir; and A. P. Vin's Kanzler Vineyard Pinot Noir. We also drank amazing Cabernet Sauvignon from Ladera Vineyards, Flora Springs Winery & Vineyards, and Andrew Geoffrey Vineyards; Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah from TOR Kenward Family Wines; and Sauvignon Blanc from Silver Pines Vineyards. The event was definitely California top heavy - but there were wines from Bordeaux - including our friends at Château Lascombes; Spain; Austria; and most importantly Italy. We found two gems from Sicily, both from Planeta. The La Segreta Bianco is a a blend of 5 white varities - predominately the native Grecanico, then smaller amounts of Chardonnay, Viognier, and Fiano. The second was the Santa Cecilia, made from 100% Nero d'Avola. This wine provides a mouthful of flavor, with a smooth, balanced tail. These are two nice wines and coming from Sicily, they must have great price points.


Then there was the food. Even though we are food novices, many of the chefs were familiar to us: Masaharu Morimoto, Tyler Florence, Michael Psilakis. A couple to add to this list are now Michael Symon and Andrea Curto-Randazzo & Frank Randazzo. Everwhere you turned there were plates of gourmet food - we stuffed ourselves worse than any Thanksgiving dinner. You couldn't help it. The crabcakes from a now forgotten chef was the absolute best. (By this point our journalistic skills were quite diminished.) The dessert bar was something out of a dream: truffles, mini key lime pies, apple caramel - you get the idea. The Best of the Best was probably the most worthwhile ticket for the weekend, even with the $300 tag. Its one we will not forget.

Feeling ambitious we ended the night at the Hotel Victor and the Seven Daughters SoBe Soundcheck. The party was held surrounding the rooftop deck and included burgers, Seven Daughters wine, Swiss Vodka, more desserts from the hotel's restaurant, Vix Restaurant, music from The Cringe, and for those interested, Rachael Ray. The Cringe is fronted fronted by her husband John Cusimano. But after one vodka tonic, we had miscalculated. We were done. After gorging and drinking at the Best of the Best - we needed bed. Not even the pool, music or Food Network celebrities were an incentive to remain. We'll have to catch The Cringe another time in New York or SXSW. Ingrid Hoffman, we see you Saturday.