WINE-TORIAL:
WINE & CHEESE aka CHEERS & CHEESE!
I don’t define myself as a
“foodie” but a “Wein [wine] Garten [garden] lover. Still
these days I am heavily into cheese- studying it by taking
classes, reading books and of course eating cheese! As
many WEINGARTEN readers know, there is much beyond the simple
neighborhood concept of Terroir that connects wine and cheese.
I recently incorporated two cheese homework exercises into my
“Why is Wine Special?" workshop:
1] Discover the ideal cheeses to match your
favorite wine and 2] Discover which wines match your favorite
cheeses. Why?
This is a happy by product
of my new association with Artisanal Premium Cheese (AHFP). We hope to
help them become the number one premium national brand cheese
in America. They have a promising head start as the
cheese of choice for many illustrious clients such as Per Se,
Picholine, Goldman Sachs, New York Times, NY Stock Exchange
etc. This spring Artisanal will be opening the first of their
European style cheese cafés in Long Island City. For
this reason among others, I have also been recommending their
stock to friends and family for aggressive/speculative
portfolio allocation. Recall the Peter Lynch dictum- “Invest
in what you know and love.”
In future, I plan a regular
Cheers & Cheese feature to this newsletter.
WEINGARTEN
#1 2014
1. WINE NEWS & TRENDS
2. WINE & HEALTH
3. WINE 101
4. WINE CALENDAR
5. WINE TASTINGS & EVENTS
6. THIS AND THAT
7. BOOK & WINE REVIEWS
8. WINE QUIZ
9. LETTERS
1.
Microbes May Add
Special Something to Wines
2. Drinking
wine leads to stronger sperm
Grape Seed
Extract May Protect Against Prostate Cancer
Yet Another
study confirms drinkers live longer than teetotallers
3. Wine
Fundamentals Part 4:
Terroir
Definition for Wine
4. January 16 50 Great
Portuguese Wines 2013 Selection
January
18 3rd Annual
Pinot Days New York City Grand Festival Public Tasting
February
8 5th Annual
NYC Winter Wine Festival (2 sessions: 3-6pm & 8-11pm)
February 21 2nd Annual
New Jersey Winter Wine Festival
5.
GRAND CRUS CLASSES OF SAINT-EMILION: MISSION
ACCOMPLISHED!
November 17 Irene set herself a goal: To find a St.
Emilion Grand Cru that she didn’t like.
She succeeded: She found two of the 33 wineries she really
didn’t like very much.
Here 2009 were ready to drink, but 2010 was presented with
its high acidity to age beautifully.
Speaking of which, the 2010 Magnums were forecast to add 5
years of life.
Two perennial favorites: Chateau Yon Figeac [80 Merlot
(M) 20 Cabinet Franc (CF)] and Chateau Le Prieure [both 80 M
20 CF). Personally I am not as much a Merlot lover as Irene,
although I did usually prefer the addition of Cab Franc to
Merlot.
Discoveries: Couvent Des Jacobins Bio Dynamic[ 75
Merlot & 25 Cab Sauvignon] and Chateau Guadet (80M 20
CF) . Chateau Moulin du Cadet [100M] almost made
the grade as did a number of others - Perhaps next year.
Grandes
Pagos de España tasting was full of pleasant surprises for
Irene:
- A
new grape variety, Bobal, caught my attention. Finca Terrerazo
2010, 100% Bobal from Mustiguillo winery is intense yet
fresh, with notes of ripe black fruit and a touch of
minerality and smokiness.
-
Another outstanding single varietal wine represented at the
tasting was Estrecho 2010, 100% Monastrell (Mourvèdre) from
Bodegas Enrique Mendoza. The oak notes are beautifully
harmonized and complimented by soft tannins and notes of fruit
and lavender.
- Mauro VS
2008 is 100% Tempranillo from Bodegas Mauro aged in oak
for 33 months. The wine is powerful yet elegant, with juicy
fruits on the palate with a hint of balsamic character.
- Pago
Calzadilla Gran Calzadilla 2006 is a blend of 60% Tempranillo
and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 18 months in barriques and
3 years in bottle. The wine is balanced and elegant with notes
of dark berries on a spicy background and a touch of graphite.
- Even
though Spain is mostly famous for its red wines, Dehesa del
Carrizal Chardonnay 2010 was exceptionally good. Aged for 3
month in French oak, the wine is smooth and creamy and
extremely food friendly as well.
- In the US, cavas, along
with prosecco, have a reputation for being simple and
inexpensive sparkling wines, perfect for cocktails but hardly
ever special on their own. Trying Recaredo Reserva Particular
2003 definitely breaks that stereotype! This organic and
biodynamic Gran Reserva Brut Nature
6. How money
can buy happiness, wine edition
Never Mind
Fantasy Football. What About Your Fantasy Wine List?
Wines and
Viticulture of Argentina
7.
BOOK REVIEW IF A WINE WERE ME, WHICH WOULD IT
BE? Lasaan Georgeson
I very much like the premise of this book- to imagine
yourself as a wine. But I find rather than expressing
anthropomorphic qualities to each wine, it relapsed into
standard wine writer descriptions. I hope the writer
does a major rewrite to help newbies discover “their wine
personality”. If not, perhaps her next idea will find
a more robust expression.
WINE
REVIEW:
90 Plus
Cellars Brand
90 Plus Cellars repackages wines from highly rated vintners
under the 90 Plus Brand and sells them at a strong discount.
I was very impressed with the price/quality ratio of their Lot 23 2012
Malbec.
A delicious Malbec from 100 year old vines and selling for
$11.99!.
8. T/F Generally Goat’s milk cheese goes well
with Sauvignon Blanc
T/F Generally, red wine goes better with hard cheese and
white wine with soft cheeses.
WEINGARTEN
310 Lexington Avenue Suite 36
New York, NY 10016-3810
(212)
949
7275
http://www.afund.com/wine
wine@afund.com
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