by Eleni-Glenn-Katrin on December 28, 2011
Eleni – I’d like to try Westport Winery’s “Grace”. From their Web site: “Scoring a 92 and earning Gold Medal status at the World Wine Championships, our aperitif Chardonnay was 7 years in the making. To make Grace is deceptively simple. We take our estate grown eau de vie of chardonnay and blend it with brilliant, fresh pressed chardonnay juice. Then age it in French oak. Give the elements time to evolve and the result is nothing short of heavenly. Aromatics of lemon zest, rich toast, ripe pears lay across sweet, succulent fruit. The flavors and aromas of our sun-drenched season become a blessing for us today. Savor Grace before the meal with most cheeses, pate, and of course, foie gras. 17.5% alcohol by volume. 375ml bottle. $29.99. Grace is here (and no, you don’t deserve it). Only available at the winery or our online store.“ Sounds delicious.
I’m looking forward to something replacing one of my true loves, dare I say it, BACON. I love bacon but I could live without some of the hype, and especially the artery clogging recipes saturating the online world.
I hope that we continue to see the revival of specialty liqueurs. I’ve enjoyed drinking St. Germaine in a variety of settings and would love to see a Pousse Cafe? Just kidding. But Chartreuse concoctions would make mine a bright New Year.
Glenn – First, with the recent openings of Hawthorne, Saloon, and Backbar, the craft cocktail movement continues. As our appetite for well-made cocktails is quickened, more establishments of this ilk will continue to appear. Hallelujah! Hopefully, the demise of the fruity/girly “martini menu” is imminent; the didactic, torch-bearing attitude of some watering holes gets toned down; and bartenders no longer resemble extras from the set of Deadwood.
Second, local craft brewing continues to – and I’m compelled to write this – barrel along. With the relaxation of the requirements by the Massachusetts ABCC for a “farmer brewery” license, the opportunity for all closet brewmasters opens up. Plus, the current emphasis on the consumption of local products serves to accentuate this trend and results in more good, fresh local brews.
And finally, food trucks become a non-story. They are here, there and everywhere. And with large corporate food chains on the verge of sending out fleets of mobile eateries, their novelty – and foodie hipness cred – become moot. They will become just another dining option.
Katrin – Three thoughts about wine in 2012. I’d love to call them predictions, but they each reflect my own biases and wishes too clearly. First, Torrontés, Argentina’s native grape, will start to steal some of the limelight from Malbec. Argentine wines are hot, but white wines have been slower to catch on. With the increasing availability of Torrontés on store shelves, it is becoming easier to find a wines from a wide range of producers, at a broad range of prices, from different regions, and in varying styles. Perhaps there will even be a day dedicated to this versatile varietal, like Malbec does!
Second, I’m hoping that light red wines will become more popular. Wine lovers who are tired of big, brawny, high alcohol wines will want lighter, fresher, less manipulated red wines. German Pinot Noir, Schiava from Alto Adige, and Beaujolais Villages and Cru fit the bill perfect. I, for one, definitely plan to drink more of these in 2012.
And finally, I hope that consumers will see the light and embrace wines that are organic, biodynamic, or sustainably farmed. Market research shows that less than 20% of consumers make a purchase decision based on these labels. It’s a shame. More wineries are going green, but are not noting that fact on their labels for fear of turning off potential customers. As the wise Kermit said “it’s not easy being green,” but in 2012, I would like to see that change.
by katrin on July 17, 2011
As a big fan of Torrontés, Argentina’s signature white varietal, I have relished the interest that this wine has been receiving of late. It has been great to see the number of wines coming from producers stretching from Salta down to Mendoza expanding on store shelves. There aren’t many blends among them, but the Trivento Amado Sur is an interesting one that combines Torrontés (75%) and Viognier (15%), two very aromatic, floral varietals, with the more malleable Chardonnay (10%).
As I poured the light golden yellow wine into the glass, the aromas lifted out. It was, of course, very floral with rose petal, peach, and orange. On the palate the citrus combined with spiciness. With medium plus acidity and medium body, the floral notes and spiciness are carried through the long finish. As I often do, I tasted the Amado Sur again on the day after I opened it and founded it even more enjoyable. I initially thought that the Chardonnay was just filler to help tone down the characteristics of the Torrontés and Viognier, but what I found on the second day was that those green apple flavors I associate with Chardonnay really emerged and added another dimension to this interesting summer wine.
At Colonial Spirits of Acton for $14.99.
by glenn and katrin on June 28, 2011
L’Espalier Wine Monday
Argentina
The Menu
First Pairing
2010 Crios de Susana Balbo, Torrontés, Salta
Apple Street Farm Greens with Shaved Carrot and Rhubarb
Second Pairing
2009 Alfredo Roca, Malbec, Mendoza
Roasted Lamb Sausage with Pearl Barley, Tomatoes and Kalamata Olives
Third Pairing
2009 Jean Bosquet [sic], “Reserva”, Malbec, Tupungato Valley
Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri and Roasted Potatoes
Fourth Pairing
New Age, Sauvignon Blanc/Torrontés, Mendoza
Mt. Tam, Menage and Fourme d’Ambert
GLENN – We were eager to attend our first Wine Monday at L’Espalier on June 27th. The featured wines were from Argentina, one of our passions at WDWU. What interesting gems would Sommelier Erich Schliebe offer us? What wonderful culinary treats from the kitchen? And what imaginative pairings would we experience? Alas, the watchword for Wine Monday is casual, as in “off-the-cuff”. The wines were basically an uninspired selection of entry-level wines. Though Susana Balbo’s “Crios” is a favorite of ours, this is a large scale production and not some undiscovered gem. I found a similar lack of depth in the choice of Malbecs. The first, the 2009 Alfredo Roca, was flat and unexciting. The second, the 2009 Jean Bousquet, was over-oaked. I don’t enjoy “chewing on an oak floor” (quote attributed to Kathy Benziger). And finally the fourth wine, billed as the most popular wine in Argentina and the mainstay of Buenos Aires nightlife, was a sweetened, carbonated concoction. (An aside about restaurant wine mark-up: additional glasses of wine were available for $12 a glass – more than the wholesale, and in some cases the retail(!), cost for a bottle of any of these wines.) This was definitely “Argentina for Beginners.”
KATRIN – Glenn described the wine selection perfectly. I really had been looking forward to this dinner, and particularly the wine selection, for weeks, knowing that the wine list at L’Espalier is well-chosen, both elegant and comprehensive, and has a number of fine selections from Argentina. Plus my last experience at L’Espalier was stellar and unforgettable. If this was “Argentina for Beginners”, then I wouldn’t be surprised if it made would-be Argentina enthusiasts run back to European selections. Which is not to say they make bad wines. Quite to the contrary. Susana Balbo has become a flying winemaker in South America and Europe; Alfredo Roca has made wine in Argentina for four generations; Jean Bousquet immigrated from Southern France in the 1990s, where he had made wine; and Valentin Bianchi’s namesake and founder left Italy in 1910 to make his future in Argentina.
GLENN – The food exhibited a similar lack of excitement. The greens from Chef Frank McClelland’s farm in Essex were unremarkable – my salad a handful of baby spinach leaves, some of which were totally bruised; the vinaigrette, though, was well made. The lamb sausage – tasty, but overly salted – sat on a tasteless bed of barley. The flank steak was fine and as there are as many versions of chimichurri as there are cooks who make it. L’Espalier’s rendition was quite different – more an herb aioli. The meal ended though with a solid cheese plate – the triple creme “Mt. Tam” was at perfection and the tomme-like mixed milk “Menage” from Carr Valley Cheese provided a good contrast. And of course, “Forme d’Aumbert” is always a reliable choice for the requisite bleu. The rye bread – a variation of Swedish rye – that accompanied the cheeses was outstanding. However, the cheese plate was done a disservice by the wine that accompanied it. Service, as one would expect, was professional and courteous except for the greeters at the doors who were overly scripted and effusive – honestly, I felt like a woman of a certain age being fawned over.
KATRIN - The impression I was left with was that the restaurant has a “you get what you pay for” mentality and that if you are only paying $65 for the privilege of dining there then that is the quality of the food and wine you should expect to receive. I asked Erich how the wines were selected and it seemed that the decision was based on price. A gem like the Bodega Chacra Barda Pinot Noir, which is on their wine list, wasn’t served because it would be too expensive. Meanwhile, only Susana Balbo’s Torrontés is on the wine list; the fact that the other three didn’t make the cut speaks volumes.
