Wine of the Week

It may not be officially summer yet, but the temperatures keep on rising, and white before Labor Day is all the rage - white wine that is. Another fun California blend with a foxy label just made it on to the Gainesville scene: The Foxtail White Blend. Even though the back label reads a little like a drunken Aesop’s fable, the wine is light and refreshing at a great price.

Foxtail Non-Vintage White Table Wine gives no clues to the varietal blend on the label, though the aromas speak of Chardonnay and Viognier. When I looked at its website and found that Muscat is the Viognier substitute, it all made sense. There is floral quality to the nose that is common between these two varietals, though Muscat is often thought to make only sweet wines like Italy’s Moscato d’Asti or California’s dessert Orange Muscats. Muscat can be vinified dry, much like its fragrant cousin, Viognier. Viognier is more often part of the southern Rhone white blend, and gives complexity to the nose of classic dry varietals like Grenache Blanc, Roussane and Marsanne.

The Foxtail is not a dessert wine. The nose is deceptively sweeter than the palate reveals, which makes sense, since the rest of the varietals in the blend are Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris, known for their tart acidity. I got honeysuckle and honeydew melon at the first whiff, and a palate of tart citrus with a little grapefruit pith on the finish.

The wine has a light viscosity, no doubt from the chardonnay, but it is not oak-driven and most likely is unoaked, to enhance the fresh and fruity qualities. The acids come across on the mid-palate and back-palate, which make it ideal for pairing with light appetizers, creamy seafood dishes or a souped-up mac-and-cheese. The complexity of the nose and the very reasonable price, about $9 per bottle, can make it a great choice on a hot afternoon by the pool.

- Daniel Eddy, Manager at Gator Spirits, Westgate. Gainesville’s Wine Pairing Examiner

Wine of the Week

"What wine goes best with pizza?" This is a question I've heard many times in my 20 years of selling wine in Gainesville. There are a number of possibilities, but I recently found a perfect pairing option, and from Italy no less - the country that perfected the pizza. Carpineto's Dogajolo, a wine I had at this year's Celebration of Wine is a great option, but it can also work for classier Italian menus like lasagna, manicotti, and plain old spaghetti and meatballs.

For about $12 per bottle, you get a Tuscan red blend of 80 percent Sangiovese and 20 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, what we in the biz call a "Super Tuscan" style. This refers to the fact that it's not a historical blend like Tuscany's Chianti, but uses "foreign" varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon with Tuscany's own Sangiovese (literally "the blood of Jove"). The bottle has an explosion of leaves on the front and an interesting, though often mispronounced name. It isn't rare for people to ask me for the "Doggy Loo Loo" wine.

This wine has a vibrant red color, almost ruby, with a little rust tinge at the edges. It has enough bright, red fruit acidity to pair perfectly with red-sauce, fully loaded pizza. Hints of almond and dried fruits hit you on the first whiff, and tart red currants or cherries hit the palate, with a finish that hints of cedar and spice box. Even with that addition of Cabernet, this is a medium-bodied wine that goes with loads of food options.

Although the wine is affordable, it comes in a very classy package, making it appropriate for all levels of wining. The 2008 is the current release and it is ready to drink, but you can always let it breathe, if it has a little more Old World acidity than you are accustomed to. Cheers!

-Daniel Eddy, Manager at Gator Spirits & Fine Wines, Westgate and Gainesville Wine Pairing Examiner

Celebration of Wine 2010

Yesterday (Feb. 21), we had the great fortune of attending an event we’ve been eyeing for years: the annual wine-drinkers’ paradise known as the “Celebration of Wine.” And what a celebration it was.

First, some background. The Celebration of Wine (this time in its 21^st year and themed “Gone With the Wine”) is a destination wine tasting for enthusiasts from around the state, and offers more than 300 wines from around the world to sip, as well as a donors’ dinner (beforehand) and a silent and live auction (at the end) for the more enthusiastic. It is hosted by Gainesville’s Wine & Cheese Gallery to benefit public radio stations WUFT and WJUF-FM, and recently has attracted about 700 guests and $40,000.

For the main event on Sunday afternoon ($55 in advance), the University of Florida’s expansive Reitz Union Grand Ballroom was filled with a happy and diverse crowd, who ate up the delectable offerings from the kitchens of Chef Bert Gill (Ti Amo!/Mildred’s Big City Food/New Deal Café) and Panache Bistro almost before we could say “I’ll try the chardonnay.”

But, try, we did. The room was tastefully decorated with huge tables set up in rectangles, from which wine representatives shared their top wines and tips for pairing. The jovial atmosphere and sheer variety of wines (not to mention the plate/wine-glass/brochure-juggling) made for non-stop, madcap action. However, we were able to find some standouts, most at a very reasonable price-point and available from the Wine & Cheese Gallery.

We’d discourage you from making a rash decision based on our humble palate, but here’s what stood out (from those we were able to try)…

Our favorite table was #33, Rocland Estates, manned by John Doty. As it turns out, John graduated from UF, lives in Gainesville and has been attending this event for years. We’d seen and tried a couple of his wines before (Chocolate Box, Asskisser, Duck Duck Goose). We recommend, for a red, the 2007 Chocolate Box Cherry Chocolate GSM, from Barossa, Australia ($16, a blend of grenache, shiraz and mataro), and, for a white, the very interesting 2008 Rocland Estate McLaren Vale MVR ($17, marsane, viognier and rousanne), also from Australia. And, for a deal, try the perfectly versatile 2006 Duck Duck Goose Chardonnay, $11.

If you like buttery chardonnays, try Napa’s (2008?) ZD Chardonnay, $35. For a trio of great reds, any of California’s Mettlers would be good—try the 2005 Petite Syrah, $25. For a malbec with a twist, try Dolium’s 2005 Petit Reserva “La Terna” Malbec Tempranillo ($20). Finally, for a splurge, try Napa Valley’s 2006 Ehlers Estate St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon 1886, at $90.

All of these wines can be purchased from the Wine & Cheese Gallery, and are sold at a discount (for quantities of 6, 12 or 24) for those who attended! And don’t worry if you missed it, because they host a number of wine events throughout the year. But don’t expect to find us there; after we place our order today, we’ll be set until next year. Cheers.

—MM, Photos: Sean Kelly

Wine of the Week

Winter has set in, even here in sunny Gainesville, and so rich and ripe, red wines are the best choice to warm some cockles. A varietal we often forget in North America is Argentina's Malbec. The grape originated in France and is still a junior partner in the classic Bordeaux red blend, with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petite Verdot. Malbec is the major player in another French wine, Cahors, from the Dordogne region (pretty close to the Cro Magnon caves of Lascaux) but in Argentina the grape has found real prominence and a ripeness of flavor not as common in French Malbecs. Most California Malbecs are used up in Meritage or Claret blends, though a few producers bottle straight Malbec. 

The wines from this grape are medium-bodied, but have a spicy character reminiscent of Shiraz, so can work for both lovers of Cabernet and Merlot. Malbec is not as tannic as most Cabernets, but has a more dense flavor and a longer finish than most Merlots. Malbec can be a great pairing choice at a restaurant where everyone is getting different entrees but still want to share the same bottle. I find that the grape can work with a whole range of foods from BBQ to filet mignon to lighter vegetarian dishes.  

The new vintage of the Don Rodolfo Malbec, by Vina Cornejo Costas from the Cafayate Valley in the North, is big and spicy, with aromas of black currants and ripe plums on the nose, finishing with white pepper spice and a hint of cigarbox on the finish. This is not a wimpy Malbec, though it softens with a little aeration. The density of flavor and the 13.5 percent alcohol can keep us warm on these frigid winter nights. The price is about $13 per bottle, but there are many affordable Malbecs from around Mendoza worth giving a try like the Norton Malbec and the new Lote 44 Malbec from the Catena Family which is $9 but big and ripe and almost Zinfandel like in character. If you are a soft Cabernet or jammy Shiraz lover, you will learn to love Malbec, and be very happy that you can get great wines at affordable prices. Cheers!

-Daniel Eddy, Gainesville Wine Pairing Examiner and Store Mananger at Gator Spirits, Westgate Plaza

Gone With the Wine

Sean Kelly

Transport yourself to the vineyards of France and Italy, to South America and Australia, at Gainesville's annual wine tasting and auction extravaganza, A Celebration of Wine, sponsored by The Wine & Cheese Gallery in Gainesville adopted the theme of "Gone With the Wine,"for this year's event. From 1pm to 5pm on Feb 21, guests can wine and dine on an array of samples from around the world. "Throughout the years, we've acquired many exotic bottles and rarities," says Wade Tyler, coordinator of the event. "Furthermore, we work hard to get different wineries to contribute.”

Wade expects about 500 people to attend this year, and about 350 different wines. Throughout the tasting, a silent and live auction will feature both wine and wine accessories, as well as vacation and dinner packages. All proceeds from the event will benefit Gainesville radio stations WUFT-FM and WJUF-FM.

A Celebration of Wine is held at the J. Wayne Reitz Union’s Main Ballroom. Tickets are $55 in advance and $60 at the door. Tickets are available at The Wine & Cheese Gallery, 113 N Main St., Mildred's Big City Food, 3445 W University Ave., and Wild Birds Unlimited, 4215 NW 16th Blvd.

Free Wine Tasting tonight!

What's better than a glass of wine? How about free wine?

Tonight is the last "Second Tuesday" free wine tasting of the year at Gator Spirits, and it's all about holiday entertaining. Gator Sprits will help you with your holiday party planning by featuring eight wines and appetizer pairings, with wines from the Jorge Ordonez Spanish Collection, as well as a couple of bubblies and some of our favorites from Argentina, Germany and California with most from $10 to $20 a bottle.

Join Gator Spirits (and INsite's own wine expert, Dan Eddy) tonight (Dec. 8) from 5 to 7pm in Westgate Regency (3427 W. University Ave.) No reservations required!

Wine of the Week

Casa Diego Carmenere $7

The holidays are here, and we're all trying to come up with wines that appeal to everybody. This seems impossible until you consider some safe bets - Chilean Carmenere is one choice that people are finally discovering. Like its Bordelaise brethren - Merlot and Malbec - Carmenere originated in Bordeaux. It made its way to Chile in the 19th century, just as it lost popularity to Merlot in France and is hardly seen in any current Bordeaux blends.

The Carmenere plant can look similar to Merlot in the vineyard, so it was often confused for Merlot until genetic testing in the 1990s revealed that it was a different varietal. Lo and behold, if you treat the grape like Carmenere, and not like "Chilean Merlot" as it was first called, you get a much better wine - Carmenere, like a Cabernet Sauvignon, ripens later than Merlot. The wine produced is Carmen red in color (rather than the blue tones of Merlot). It has more structured acidity than the typical Merlot, without the tannic weight of Cabernet Sauvignon, so it can appeal to both camps. Sometimes the acidity has tart cherry notes like a Garnacha, but with a deeper mid-palate expression of woody tannins like a Malbec.

Carmenere has become "Chile's Varietal," like Malbec is for Argentina and Zinfandel for California. It ranges from $5 to $50 per bottle. Casa Diego, from the Maule Valley in Chile, makes two excellent Carmenere wines, one at $7 per bottle and a Reserva at $11. Both have great fruit acids and a nose that includes red currants with hints of vanilla and graphite. The Reserva has more time in oak to give it a little more complexity and depth and a fuller palate, but either would be perfect for any home-for-the-holidays scenario. Enjoy!

- Daniel Eddy, Gainesville Wine Pairing Examiner and Store Mananger at Gator Spirits, Westgate Plaza

Boys and Girls Club: Another Fun Event

Remember the great Boys and Girls Club Wine-Tasting fundraiser we blogged about last month? Well, the time has come for another great event to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County. This Friday (Nov. 20), The Liquor & Wine Shoppe at Jonesville will host a wine-tasting fundraiser. Advance Tickets are only $10 and are available at the Boys & Girls Club of Alachua County (2700 NW 51st Street.)

The Liquore & Wine Shoppe at Jonesville is located at 14451 Newberry Road, across from the Jonesville Publix; come out for a night of free wine tasting, delicious hor d'ouevres and discounted bottles of wine!

Photo by Sean Kelly

Wine Dinner: Manuel's Vintage Room

Marco Chavez

(by Jason Henry)

Last night (Nov. 16), we had the chance to try something we've been eyeing for a while: a wine-pairing dinner at Manuel's Vintage Room downtown. Now, we eat at a lot of restaurants, and we drink a lot of wine, but this truly took the cake (or, chipotle white chocolate mousse).

Once a month, father-son and owner-chef duo Manuel and Marco Chavez close the restaurant for a private wine-pairing dinner that is the brainchild of Marco and inspired by various themes. Last night, for example, Spain took center stage. For $75 a seat, guests enjoyed a five-course dinner paired with five wines from various regions. Included with the menu was a program explaining the nuances and details of each wine and a detailed map of Spain.

This evening was genius. We enjoyed meeting a representative from the wine company, chatting with Marco about his inspirations for the menu, and even getting to thank Manuel for hosting such an intimate, entertaining, delicious evening, from the pan-seared scallops with apricot glaze and pineapple-mango salsa (paired with a light and fresh 2008 Hermanos Villar "ipsum") to the aforementioned mousse (paired with a thick, sweet 2004 Bodegas Olivares Dulce Monastrell).

After dinner, we couldn't help but pick up a couple bottles of 2007 Vinos Sin Ley "G5" (paired with oysters baked with chorizo sausage and cilantro cream sauce) and 2004 Bodegas Vina Magana (paired with chicken in a bacon roja sauce over saffron rice). Bella!

Wine of the Week

Chocolate Box Shiraz, $15

Everybody looks for great wine at a fair price, and Australia is a country of great values and excellent wines geared to the American palate. Codewords: Fruit Forward. Yes, sounds like something on Bravo, but it's a style of wine more common in the New World (anywhere that's not Europe and Asia Minor, wine-wise) where we use techniques to maintain the ripe fruitiness of the wine but still have a reasonable alcohol content—in other words, wines that smell like those descriptions in the magazines: full of blackberry, black cherry and black currant flavors and aromas. A good Shiraz from Australia is the best of both worlds, with soft cassis notes backed up by black peppery tannins. It’s a wine you can have with hamburgers and pizza or filet mignon, with mac and cheese or cheese souffle, or just by itself.

My choice this week is from the Barossa Valley (outside of Adelaide on the western side of the south eastern peninsula of Australia). Wines from this valley are known to be big and ripe with full and rich flavors and a heavy does of alcohol. Chocolate Box Shiraz, made by Rocland Estates, is a great example of well-rated, yet affordable Shiraz, costing about $15 and available locally.

You might smell spicy, cigar-box notes with hints of cocoa and dried currants. On the palate you get blackberries, anise and a little coffee, finishing with soft and silky tannins. Plus you get a great label: a visual homage to 1950s Australian chocolates, calling it "Dark Chocolate" of a line that also includes "White Chocolate" (Sauvignon Blanc) and "Cherry Chocolate" (GSM Blend) and all great values. These are all perfect wines to pair with a Thanksgiving meal or to give as a Holiday gift. Who doesn't want a chocolate box as a gift?

—Daniel Eddy, Gainesville Wine Pairing Examiner and Store Mananger at Gator Spirits, Westgate Plaza