The Crushed Grape Report

Winter Whine (and Wine)

Well I’ve just about had it with winter. Even my hearty New England neighbors have had it. Several  blizzard-like storms in a row will do that to you.

I really only enjoy snow when I’m inside underneath the snuggie (don’t laugh it works), next to the fireplace with a glass of wine --nothing better to lift my  winter doldrums.

For me, red wine seems most comforting during this time. Typically, I turn to one of my favorites, Carmel Road Pinot Noir. The black cherry and  raspberry notes with that little touch of acidity is a perfect companion for the roasted root vegetables which are my new favorite thing.

I've been cooking more this winter---–a function of wanting to get back in the kitchen as well as not wanting to brave the elements. And comfort food seems best when prepared by my own hand. 

I’ve also been imbibing a bit of Rioja, the Spanish red that is so popular and budget friendly. Rioja is great with the spiciness of the andouille sausage I’ve stirred into several pots of  red beans and rice.  It’s definitely help me tamp down the  doldrums.

I’ve got to say, though, as a gal with a sweet tooth, nothing satisfies right now like Ice Wine. It’s made from frozen grapes, and is honeyed and silky smooth. It is not,however,wallet friendly, but I figured I needed a treat to get through more days of the frozen temperatures. My favorite ice wines come from Canada where they’ve perfected the production. Inniskillin and Henry of Pelham—yum. A little sip will do ya’ thank goodness, because it ain’t cheap.

  

 

On a blustery day,though, it's a little taste of heaven, and a good way to look forward to spring. Which MUST just be around the corner, right?

 

Chilled Toasts for a Warm New Year

Drop by my house during the days leading up to New Year’s Day, and I’m likely to toast your visit with whatever chilled bubbly I have on hand.  It’s festive and it goes with so many foods. And it tastes good!

(I admit I was snuggled under the covers during the recent blizzard with a warm adult beverage (see “Tis the season” post). But, now the sun is out, the skies have cleared, and the warming temperatures are melting the snow. So I’ve pulled out my flutes again.)

My new favorite sparkling is Domaine Carneros by Taittinger.

I tasted it first a few weeks ago at a celebratory dinner at Top of the Hub, a landmark Boston restaurant featuring stunning views of the city. I would have selected another sparkling from the wine list, if wine pal Jonathon Alsop hadn’t recommended it. My dinner companions and I drained the bottle happily. We loved the crisp lemony taste. And those tiny bubbles—heavenly.

Much as I love sparkling wine I am surprised I had somehow missed this one. Just goes to show how easy it is to fall into a bubbly rut. My go-tos include Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Shramsberg Blanc de Blancs, Louis Roederer Anderson Valley sparkling (can’t afford their Cristal champagne), Gruet Blanc de Blancs, and Gosset Brut Excellence.  

My wine writing buddy Dale Cruse author of Drinks Are On Me is also a fan of the Gosset. He’s on a one-year quest to taste champagne or sparkling wine every day for a year and write about it.

Taking a page out of Dale’s book, my wine resolution is to toast in New Year 2011 with a champagne not typically in my fridge. Humm..  Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose’ Champagne? Or Ruinart Blanc de Blancs? 

Cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Callie Talks Hot and Cold Holiday Beverages On NPR

Callie on Tell Me More with Michel Martin

http://www.npr.org/2010/12/22/132259079/Dont-Forget-Your-Holiday-Beverage

Tis the season -- for adult beverages

Nothing is more fun than drinks that embrace the spirit of this time (and the spirits that enhance my favorite sips of the season).

For me, nothing is more festive than champagne and sparkling wine. I’m particularly fond of drinks like the Poinsettia (yes, named after the plant) which use sparkling wine as a base.



Poinsettia:

3 oz Cranberry juice
½ oz Cointreau
4 oz brut champagne or sparkling wine
1 oz orange juice
Lime twist for garnish
Or fresh cranberries as a garnish

I like a tasty drink that looks like the holiday, and the Poinsettia is perfect. (I’ve also seen versions of this drink made with pomegranate juice.)

Whether or not there is snow on the ground, the holidays stir up cravings for warm drinks. Two of my favorites are warm and spiked.

Warm eggnog is a twist on the holiday staple many enjoy cold and spiked. I make the lazy woman’s version, starting with readymade commercial eggnog and then doctoring it up.

4 cups eggnog, the commercial kind
1/8 to ½ ground nutmeg
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped cream and additional ground nutmeg

In a large saucepan combine eggnog and nutmeg heat over low heat—do not boil. Slowly add ½ cup bourbon or rum

Remove from heat add vanilla top with whipped cream and more nutmeg.

Serves 4 (not the way I drink it, but I digress)

More work is the homemade warm eggnog recipe:
Separate egg yolks and whites (see below for use of whites)
Beat egg yolks well before
Mix sugar (minus one teaspoon) into the yolks—take your time to make sure it’s thoroughly mixed—a whisk does the best job of mixing all these ingredients
Add salt
Slowly stir in alcohol
(Note: some only use vanilla if there is no alcohol to give flavor—I like both)
Add in 3 cups of half and half or cream (you can use milk, too)

Now you’ve got eggnog!
Pour into glasses (heat tempered since this is warm)
Sprinkle I teaspoon nutmeg or 1 teaspoon cinnamon for garnish (I like both)

(If you chill in the refrigerator for about 4 hours it will mellow the alcohol’s taste.)
Serves 6

For creamier eggnog take egg whites that were set aside and in a different bowl, beat egg whites until form soft peaks (as if you were making meringue)
Mix in one teaspoon of sugar. Fold whipped sweetened egg whites into eggnog mixture.

Equally yummy is another warm drink—hot chocolate with the flavored liqueur Peppermint Schnapps.

Mint and chocolate are a great combination, even better with the schnapps. I kind of do a free form thing—make hot chocolate and add schnapps to taste:)

But for those who need a more precise recipe, here it is courtesy of celebrity chef Michael Chiarello, and the Food Network:

Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps

Ingredients
1 quart milk (skim, 2 percent or whole) or half-and-half
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped (recommended: Scharffenberger)
9 ounces peppermint schnapps
Whipped cream, for serving
6 peppermint sticks, for serving

Directions
Heat 1 cup of the milk in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate, stirring constantly, until melted. When the chocolate has melted, increase heat to medium and add the remainder of the milk while whisking rapidly. Do not allow to boil.

Serve in small cups fortified with a jigger (1 1/2 ounces) of peppermint schnapps and a dollop of whipped cream. Add a peppermint stick to stir.

If transporting in a thermos, heat thermos up with hot water to get it warm for 1 minute. Pour water out and fill with hot chocolate.

Note there are some who say there is a difference between hot chocolate made by melting chocolate, and hot cocoa made with powdered mix. I’ve been happy with both versions (as long as the schnapps is added).

A couple of tips to keep in mind as you prepare your warm drinks—use heat tempered glasses, and DO NOT BOIL.

Enjoy!

Red Wine--A Healthy Resolution for a New Year

Another January and another resolution to  be healthier. Many of my pals have embarked on a stepped up exercise routine.  Me, too, but I'm also including the elbow exercise---the one that calls for the slight lift of the wine glass to the lips:)

Good thing scientific evidence reveals that drinking red wine offers some hard evidence to support this brand of admittedly low stress exertion. Studies have identified a substance in red wine which provides health benefits.

 

Resveratrol is linked to prevention of heart disease and diabetes,helps to improve memory,foster weight loss, boost energy, and maybe reduce wrinkles. Reason enough to sip red wine. It's gotten a lot of attention lately. 60 Minutes did a story about it not long ago.

A new year is good time to go beyond  Merlot. (BTW, I'm not dissing Merlot-I was recently  gifted with a fabulous bottle of Duckhorn Vineyards 2007 Napa Valley Merlot. It is smooth and has a plummy spicy bouquet (also pricey--did I mention it was a gift?)

But, I figure if you are going to take advantage of red wine's health benefits, you might as well sample a variety of reds. I had a great time last week putting together an all red six pack for my friend Marcy. Right away push back --she told me right off "I'm not a fan of Chianti."  I persuaded her to try it, after all this was not the straw wrapped Chianti bottle of her salad days, but Chianti  Classico. Later, she sent me a text "The Chianti is gooooddd!"  She didn't love everything I suggested, but that's okay. Wine is, in many ways, a personal  taste--what may stimulate my palette may be a big blah for yours. However, what is true is that the more you taste, the more you broaden your palette.

Ongoing scientific studies continue to confirm the health benefits of red wine, even as there is no consensus about how much red wine you need to drink to gain the benefit. Doctors do agree with the old adage-- too much of a good thing is not good, and certainly not healthy. Best recommendation---no more than two 5 oz glasses a day. Just one of those gigantic wine bar goblets filled to the brim and you are way over the limit.

The health promise of Resveratrol is such that you can now buy it in pill form.

 

Let's see, a pill versus a great Cabernet to go with my steak. No contest.

Red wine sipping for health--that's one resolution I can keep.

Marcy's All Red Six Pack:

2006 Cambria"Julia's Vineyard" Non Estate Bottled Santa Maria Pinot Noir

2006 Castello di Monsanto Chianti Classico Reserva

2005 Bad Boy Bordeaux

2006 Birot Rouge, Premiere Cotes de Bordeaux

2006 Kathryn Kennedy "Lateral" Bordeaux Blend

2008 Knonkop "Kadette" Cape Blend Stellenbosch

Lifting a Glass of Unusual Sparkling Wines

It's not that there is not enough Champagne (the real stuff) and sparkling wine to drink. There's plenty, and if you are a bubbly fan, as I am, then you always have a bottle or two at the ready.  Champagne and sparkling wines are the perfect compliment to most any food. And there's no better combination than bubbly and fried chicken.

Typically, I break open a bottle of Veuve Cliquot for the New Year's midnight countdown. I'll admit to a bit of snobbery here--I like to lift a glass of Champagne to savor the new year and reflect on the old.(Only wine produced in the Champagne region of France can be designated as Champagne, everything else is sparkling wine.) 

But,New Year's Day---that's a different story. I still reach for the bubbly, but I expand my sipping repertoire with a variety of sparkling wines. 

I'm all about trying new wines, so this year unusual sparklies are on the New Year's day menu.  I'm chilling a bottle of sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. De Bortoli produces Emeri, and as far as I can tell, they are the only winemakers producing a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc. 

 

This sparkling is slightly sweet, and even though I prefer the crisp acidity and grassy overtones of non sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, I have to say this wine is delicious. At about $12 a bottle this is a sparkling treat. This is not fine-tiny-bubbled Champagne to be sure, but it will be good with my black eyed peas:) 

Australian winemakers have also pioneered in creating another unusual sparkling wine. They've added bubbles to Shiraz,the big bold red wine which had been a popular import for some years. Good sparkling Shiraz is actually closer to good Champagne in style. Most are dry or what's called off dry,slightly sweet. Please note --sparkling Shiraz is a world apart from the once trendy soda-sweet Cold Duck. 

 

This is also a food friendly wine, especially good with meat(and pizza). And, it's affordable,though not cheap. Expect to pay upwards of  $20 a bottle. Look for Black Chook,Hardys, Oakvale Reserve,Majella. 

 

The good news about the bad economy is that bubblies of all variety are more affordable than ever. It's a great time to sample some of the well known Champagnes,as well as the budget sparklies from around the world--- Cava from Spain,Sekt from Germany,and,of course,Prosecco from Italy.

In tribute to 2010 and the new decade, I'm filling my flute with a delicious unusual bubbly.

A Tip of the Glass to a Class Act

Say it ain't so! I opened up this week's Saturday edition of the Wall Street Journal's  Weekend Journal prepared to settle in for a leisurely reading of my favorite wine column written by  Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher.

 

Titled "The Mysterious Heart of Deliciousness, the column offered encouragement to wine drinkers to trust their judgement about their wine preferences. Then, at the end of the column, these words  "This is our 579th and last "Tastings" column. What??? I was frankly taken aback. The Tastings column has been a staple of the Weekend Journal section, and a weekly read by people like me who enjoyed the non snobby way they embraced the world of  wine. It was clear that they could converse easily and expertly about bouquet, terroir, and the impact of the weather on Pinot Noir grapes in 1997, but they wrote about wine in an accessible and down to earth way. I embraced their mantra of try  something new. 

 

A quick check of several well known wine blogs reveals that their exit is a mystery to all. Gaiter and Brecher did not explain why they chose to end  the column.

I can speculate, of course:

Maybe they were tired of writing it. After all, when they started both of their kids were at home, and now they are empty nesters (One of the reasons the couple's column was so popular was that it was very personal. Through the years, I've learned a lot about their personal lives.) 

Is it possible that these two, who always championed new wines and new wine trends, have said all they have to say about wine?  Nah, I don't believe that. 

Could it be that they were  tired of tasting wine on deadline?  Possible. They've often written about how the column-driven tasting and note taking didn't allow for sipping and savoring the wine--the pure enjoyment of the wine experience.

Or maybe they want to gaze into each other's eyes without the reflection from the glow of the computer screen? Likely. Having spent a little time with them, I can tell you they are a couple's couple. They enjoy each other's company and may have longed for some non work togetherness .

Selfishly, I want them right there in the paper where they've been for more than a decade. They were my wine gurus--the go-to experts on all things wine, and the ones who shunned wine geekism. 

 

Even though I own all of their books,  I will miss the weekly  column which has been a touchstone of my wine journey. I'm not the only one. Wine retailers owe much to their unbought and unbossed wine boosterism. 

 

And wine lovers will miss Open That Bottle Night, the special event they created. Held the last Saturday  in February, OTBN freed  wine hoarders from waiting for the 'right' occasion to open a special bottle. I will miss the post OTBN column during which they shared the stories of how readers enjoyed (or didn't) the long stored wine.

 

Gaiter and Brecher closed their last column this way: "The past twelve years--a full case--have been a joy, not because of the wine, but because we had an opportunity to meet so many of you, both in person and virtually. Thank you."

No, thank you, Dottie and John. I've got a special bottle ready to open February 27, 2010, and I will toast you, and your enduring contribution to wine lovers everywhere.

HOT DRINK FOR A MERRY CHRISTMAS

CALLIE TALKS HOT SANGRIA ON TELL ME MORE

There's nothing like a blizzard  to make you appreciate a warm drink. This weekend, as snow piled up outside my window, and I faced the prospect of shoveling nearly a foot of snow,  I knew that hot chocolate wasn't going to get it:)

I've long enjoyed mulled wine in the cold months, and it is especially festive during the holiday season.

. 
But, lately I've been inspired to try another kind of warm wine drink. Sangria, the fruity wine punch that is a staple of the backyard barbeque, is now a trendy winter sip. There are variations on the recipe but essentially Hot Sangria is,well, cold sangria warmed up.

  
 

The basic ingredients are Rioja, a dry red wine, fresh or frozen fruit, and brandy or liqueur.  Unlike mulled wine,spices are not as integral to hot sangria. 

BTW Rioja is typically a $10-15 dollar bottle of wine, cheaper if you look around. For these purposes avoid higher priced Rioja which is typically labeled Reserva. 

Hot Sangria is a wallet friendly tasty hedge against winter's bitter elements, and a fabulous addition to an open house buffet.

and oh, it's a great way to keep warm while waiting up for Santa.

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!

HOTTIE SANGRIA RECIPE

HOT CRANBERRY SANGRIA RECIPE

HOT SANGRIA WITH ORANGE LIQUEUR

Sipping from morning until night/Wine Bloggers Conference Day 2

There is no way right now that I can recount all of today's activities. So just a brief note with more to come when I can pull all of my notes and thoughts together.

It's been wine 24/7 since our buses left the hotel this morning headed for the CIA (the real one the director laughingly told us). Of course this CIA is the Culinary Institute of America, a gorgeous facility. More on this stop later.

From there we were off to vineyard visits and the organizers did something very clever. They didn't reveal what vineyards each of the buses was heading to--you just got on and got surprised. My bus went to Domaine Chandon and later Trinchero Family Winery . Again, more later.

After Trinchero, we headed to Quintessa for a tasting of Quintessa and Faust wines produced by the vineyard, as well as a huge tasting featuring about 20 wineries from Napa! We left there headed toward another secret location for a wine matched dinner. Our bus headed to Pine Ridge. I admit my taste buds leaped for joy. I love Pine Ridge wines--the Chenin Blanc-Viognier is one of my favorites. The blend of Chenin Blanc and Viognier results in a  crisp white wine with a touch of sweetness.

BTW, Pine Ridge's chef runs a cooking class on the property. Our dinner was delicious. 

We left Pine Ridge for the hotel and ONE MORE TASTING!!!  This time the wines of Portugal. You may know that Portugal makes the best ports in the world, as well as some other great wines.

I'm too pooped to talk about it right now, so consider this a teaser. Wait until you see the pictures.

Wining and Wining and Wining

I confess I'm about to fall over. I don't know that I have ever tasted so much wine in the space of a few hours.

After the rapid round robin tasting at the live blogging (I survived!), we had just an hour before the Grand Tasting of Sonoma wines.

Following the Grand Tasting, dinner, and our next opportunity to taste more wines from Sonoma.

Our dinner was sponsored by the Sonoma wineries and the wine representatives brought a wide variety of the wines from the area. Some were on the table, and if that weren't enough, a couple of vintners did wine pass arounds at the tables.

Whew!

Good thing I paced myself. Our dinner speaker was Chris Alden  of Alden Vineyards and the CEO of the company which produces Typepad, the blogging platform I use. He titled his talk "blogging past, present and future" but spent a fair amount of time looking toward the future and the merging of blogging and social media. He described Twitter as "the phenomenal gateway drug to blogging" The future of blogging, he said, will allow for what he called Social Media Optimization. I know he's right, and his examples of Six Apart's latest efforts in this direction illustrated that this could be a powerful  branding tool.

After dinner, more wine--this time the After Hours Tasting featuring vintners from the Russian River Winegrowers. Though my bed was calling (okay I'm a wuss) I had to go because I wanted a chance to sample the latest from one of my favorite wineries, the Benziger Family Winery. 

 I was not disappointed. I love, love, love the Signaterra Sauvignon 

Blanc, a pale green/gold color with a wonderful aroma and the kind of 

crisp acidity I can't get enough of. My friend Marcy,not typically a fan of Sauvignon Blanc took a sip and declared it quite tasty.

Also in the group tasting the delightful reds of Merriam Vineyards . I tried the Cabernet Franc, and the Cabernet Sauvignon. It was the perfect nightcap for me. By the way, Peter Merriam lives in Massachusetts but flies west every other week to tend to his vineyard in Healdsburg.

Tomorrow, the bus rolls out early and we head to Napa Valley.