Sangiovese

Sangiovese is my first love, it happened in Napa Valley; I was at the Culinary Institute at Greystone for lunch.  They paired one of the courses with a Sangiovese from Charles Krug, and I have been in love with Sangiovese ever since.  Charles Krug does not make a Sangiovese anymore so I have been on a mission to find that special one again.

Sangiovese is one of the most planted red variety grapes in Italy. The Sangiovese grape changes in response to its environment, which is why it so diverse, elegant and complex when well-made. The flavor profile of Sangiovese is generally not assertive it can show a strawberry, blueberry, faintly floral, violet or plumy character. Some of my new discoveries are:

Walla Walla river winery by cougar crest Sangiovese has a soft nose and silky feel on the palate, with expressive fruit….a dream in a glass.

Elegance Winery Sangiovese is gorgeous and rich with body, persistence that is loaded with plush personality.  Showing layers of dark cherry and savory notes…compelling and lovely.

Tura Rita, Perlato Del Bosco from Tuscany. Deep purple in color, rich dark fruit on the palate with a lingering finish…..drop dead gorgeous.

For the Holidays try pairing it with an herb Pork tenderloin recipe (see my recipe under the "recipe" tab).  Season’s Greetings…Cheers!

Denise

Happy Thanksgiving! 

We suggest to pair with your holiday dinner would be a Pinot Grigio, Rose or Pinot Noir.  My favorite pinot's come from Oregon.  We are thankful for all our blog views...Cheers!

Sinister Hand
A gruesome tale for you in time for Halloween, sit back pour a glass and I will share the story of the Sinister Hand.

Two rival families had a rowing competition for rights to some highly regarded land, the first to touch the land, after rowing across the lake, would become ruler of the land. One boat was falling behind so a member of the crew grabbed his own sword, cut off his hand and threw it ashore, winning the title to rule the land.

Own Roe Winery in Saint Paul Oregon produced Sinister Hand with a beautiful full red color and generous fruit is expressed from the onset with a harmonious blend of  63% Grenache, 19% Syrah, 16% Mouvèdre and 2% Cinsault.  Fruity notes of raspberry and blackberry warms the palette with silky light tannins that persists thru the long smooth finish.
Sinister Hand is amazing wine with an unforgettable tale…..Happy Halloween
Denise
Read the entire tale and more on Owen Roe website
http://owenroe.com/

A sommelier friend once said, “Drinking wine should be about the emotions you experience as the wine crosses your lips; glides over the palate; slips down the throat and says farewell.”  I have always enjoyed tasting wine and the emotional experience that comes from each sip and appreciate the nurturing care and emotional structure the Vintner crafts into each bottle.

In the Walla Walla Valley, a couple of Vintners allowed me to tag a long one fall evening as they tended  their vats of fermenting grapes.  Harvest had just begun and I was giddy with the excitement of what I would see and experience by this unexpected adventure………

As the winemakers performed their punch downs of the grape vats, the CO gases were released and replaced by heady aromas of grapes and yeast working together.

Slipping my arm into a warm vat of fermenting grapes, I could feel the yeast and grapes working together to create the foundation of the perfect nectar.  A small cup in hand allowed me to siphon off some of the fermenting juice.  This was wine in its infancy and my first time tasting it at this stage in the process.  I loved the unsullied taste of the grapes and sediments. 

There were still round grapes that had yet to open but as I popped one into my mouth the intense flavors gave a rush that can only be experienced.  I compared it against tasting grapes strait from the vine and these grapes had already been affected by the winemaking process and held the greatness of what was to come.

The warm wine was tossed out of my glass and quickly filled with freshly pressed chardonnay juice.  Nothing can prepare you for this unbelievable flavor and taste.  I have had numerous fruit juices in my travels but freshly pressed chardonnay juice is the very best of all juices. 

I walked through the racking room where the barrels were staged and ran my hands over the smooth wood, wondering if the wine stains were from the wine seeping through the wood.  The Vintner was kind enough not to laugh at me but said it was spillage from over filling the barrels.

The adventure was too short lived but it brought back the words of my friend and it re-affirmed why I get that emotional rush and pleasure from drinking wine.  Till next time...Cheers! LD  

Wine Lovin Women set out for Walla Walla, WA again for another adventure.  This time was for Fall Crush, where we visited some of our old favorite wineries, Tero Estates and Dumas Station.  Both wineries had amazing releases to sample, if you haven’t been there yet or tried their wines you are missing out….so get started on making some plans to check them out. 

During our visit, we discovered a new favorite, El Corazone, which has a tasting room in downtown Walla Walla.  We walked into an eclectic, packed out showroom which made you realize great things were about to happen…no wine snobs here.

El Corazone has been producing since 2007 and during our visit we tasted:

♦     First Crush, Malbec (Walla Walla Valley) - Stronger tannins and bolder fruit flavor  

♦     Supernova, Malbec, (Columbia Valley) - Beautiful color, smooth tannins, full fruit and a slight spice on the pallet

♦     Pistalero, Bordeaux style blend - Marriage of bold fruit, which intoxicatingly rolls across the tongue

♦     Swordfight, Syrah - Deep color, subtle wild fruit aroma with rich texture in the mouth

♦     V-Neck , Viognier - Crisp and clean fruit flavor as a Viognier should be, the floral aroma leads you to believe it will hit sweet on the palette however it is dry and smooth with a soft lingering finish   

After two and half hours of tasting wine we were offered a barrel tasting….now the fun begins! 

We sampled a Cab Franc and Syrah to be released in 2013 and a Carmenere which is a grape that was presumed extinct for 150 years but found growing again in a field of Merlot grapes.  Everything we sampled was still a little young but oh so promising.  El Corazone does amazing things with grapes usually known for blending grapes, they have found a thoughtful way of bringing out great flavor.  What a great release 2013 will be!

El Corazone has a great sense of humor with refreshing liveliness to their attitude, their wine and even the labels on their bottles.  When I asked what grapes were in the wine, Spencer the winemaker, told me to read the back of the bottle.  The back label said……”stop reading, start drinking”.

Cheers! Denise

Malbec

If I were to choose a wine for its color, I would pick a Malbec. It has such a succulent deep rich color, with dark fruit and spice to complete the dance on your palate...it tantalizes my taste buds. It's not the most popular; however there are more great Malbecs becoming available.

The Malbec grape truly comes into its own in Argentina, where Malbec is the major red variety planted and is most often bottled as a singe varietal.  Argentina might have claimed this grape but it originated in the Southwest of France, however Eastern Washington is producing beautiful Malbecs with intense fruit and subtle spice. Malbec is a spicy wine reminiscent of blackberries and chocolate, with an enticing aroma and velvety texture.  Malbecs are also used in small amounts as a blending grape, such as in Bordeaux blends to add color and to smooth the tannins of the other wines in the blend.

One winery you have to be sure to put on your agenda when visiting Walla Walla is Flying Trout Wines located in Milton Freewater Oregon, partnered with Tero Estates.  Wine maker Ashley Trout makes a fantastic 100% Malbec with beautiful color, flavor and long finish. I first fell in love with their 2009 Old Vines Malbec, with intoxicating black fruit aroma which hits full and ripe with a long, lingering lush finish.  Marys Block Malbec also a 100% Malbec which has soft black fruit forward with a smooth spice finish, this has layers of subletieties that are very impressive.  Flying Trout/Tero Estates winery is worth the visit just for the view you get when you make the climb up the stairs to their roof top patio with your glass of wine, you feel in that moment, all of your senses come alive.

Domingo Finco 2011 Malbec, they call themselves “undiscovered high altitude wines” from Argentina.  The 6400’ altitude microclimate and the unique soil from the region of Salta, results in a wine you need to try for yourself.  These factors create an impressive intense color and is extremely well balanced on the palate with a long sultry smooth finish. It avoids all the hurdles as it transitions from nose, to palette, to finish.

Pondera Winery’s 2009 Stillwater creek Malbec is 92 % Malbec, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot make this Malbec rich but balanced with a heavenly finish.  This Malbec won the 2012 Double Gold Award at the Seattle Wine Awards.  Pondera has a tasting room in Woodinville.

The intense character of Malbec is smoothed out with the Columbia Valley 2009 Sailor Malbec produced by Wachtler Winery.  This is a lovely Malbec with aroma that carries nicely to the palate with spice and a finish that makes a captivating bottle.

Ash Hallow, Walla Walla 2009 Malbec possesses a dark berry color created by a riveting meld of dark fruit and texture of the Walla Walla Valley.  A clean and notable Malbec, which is a beautifully realized effort.

Try a Malbec with some roasted or grilled beef, a cheese plate with aged or herbed sheep cheese…it’s all good! 

D

We found a great Rose' to take on a picnic or camping trip, Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose 2011.  This Willamette Valley Rose has a fresh fruit aroma with a crisp, light and refreshing taste; even better yet it has a twist top so you have one less thing to pack.  Cheers….Denise