We came together eleven weeks after our many weeks in Italy: the colonel and the angry pony hosted. Scriba brought along her delightful husband, Dave, who unfortunately did not make the Italian vacance and had to suffer through our many 'you had to be there' stories of our time together in Cortona and other oases of Italian nirvana. He held up well. The Bawl Baby, Minkie and Ed from Fla rounded out the festa and a festa it was: the center piece being the distribution of our italian wine purchases and a chance to worship the almighty pig.
The antipasti plate of cheeses, salami, marcona almonds, olives and assorted crackers provided an elegant accompaniment to the Walla Walla champagne, compliments of Minkie. Dinner followed shortly: perfectly pan-roasted potatoes and cruciferous vegetables, day-long languidly stewed white beans and the centerpiece, the anglo-fied porchetta roast tinged with maple smoke from the Traeger. The table groaned under the weight of such largess and the gutteral utterances of happy eaters. Yeah, we had some wine too: a 2003 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from Boscarelli, a 2007 Villa Antinori Toscana, a 2007 Vino N di M from Poliziano (that we purchased in Italy) and a non-vintage Sauvignon Blanc from Wally World's Va Piano.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
You Had to Be There
A spontaneous change, for us: instead of a trip to ERS, we went to Vinopolis to pick up a few things, including a remarkable wine from the ever remarkable Marcel Deiss. Then on to Andina for a bit of food and drink. Well now, little did I know that another entry into the top 60 would appear....perhaps the entrants are as much about the "where" and "with what" as they are the wine proper; as if you could separate the two!
So, a meal laden with quinoa was taken to new heights by a 2010 rioja blanco (viura) from a producer that I don't recall but it started with an "I". The wine was just spot on with the entire meal. The pequillo peppers, the avocado/crab salad, the quinoa timbale all were impeccably interwoven with this crisp, floral, acidic white wine. One of my "to die for" wines is the LdH Vina Tondonia, which is an aged, oxidized viura. But this fresh version makes me committed to finding more viura, in whatever stage of age, to reconnect with the food marriage like few others. Is it only with Spanish or Latin flavored dishes? I have to find out.
So, a meal laden with quinoa was taken to new heights by a 2010 rioja blanco (viura) from a producer that I don't recall but it started with an "I". The wine was just spot on with the entire meal. The pequillo peppers, the avocado/crab salad, the quinoa timbale all were impeccably interwoven with this crisp, floral, acidic white wine. One of my "to die for" wines is the LdH Vina Tondonia, which is an aged, oxidized viura. But this fresh version makes me committed to finding more viura, in whatever stage of age, to reconnect with the food marriage like few others. Is it only with Spanish or Latin flavored dishes? I have to find out.
Monday, April 9, 2012
Interlude
Meanwhile, a road trip to WW, while the 60 for 60 awaits.
I love going to the Wallas. It is spring, the Cayuse is flowing, and the inevitable battle arises: why do we spend so much on domestic wine when we could get twice the value and quality for as much or less dough from our favorite areas in Europe? I don't have an easy answer. Basically, I guess it's because we can. In another economic time, we would, but because I'm still employed and "we can", we schlep over and make a game of it. Trapped in the Cayuse flywheel...oh well, the wine holds its value and is fun to drink. Over priced? Compared to what....foreign? domestic? As good as the high end Napas and hold their value as well. Foreign? Apples and oranges my friend; can't compare in any format.
So we play and meet exceptionally nice people. Our love affair with the simple down to earth folks at Bunchgrass always a highlight. New friends this time, from Mannina, whose roots are Italian and makes....wines....under .....14%...and can be good with food! What a concept. Nice man with a great feel; will buy and drink more of his wines. It's not the etoh level debate; it's the "can you drink it with something besides bbq" issue for me and Mannina's wines will make the grade. Also spent a nice afternoon at Castillo Feliciana...very nice people and serviceable wines. Others? WTF is up with Rasa? Wines WAY over priced and not that good. What do you think: you can hang with the big dogs? Good luck with that. Mackey, probably a mercy buy of two bottles; same with Ash Hollow. These two were nice came with nice folks who were nice to us and that will generally get you a sale. Rulo? The white wine refuge came through again, with a really nice, affordable stainless chardonnay that washed down our free Burgerville chicken salad way too easy.
Home to chinese and, for grins, a 2007 Trio Riesling that's been lurking in the cellar and a fino sherry. The sherry just magnifico with the hot and sour soup and the riesling working well with the spiced up rice/vegetables (see? you can spell vegetables, people; veggies (ick) is NOT a word!!!
Okay, now back to the 60/60 tales.....gevry, sancerre, oh so much more.....
I love going to the Wallas. It is spring, the Cayuse is flowing, and the inevitable battle arises: why do we spend so much on domestic wine when we could get twice the value and quality for as much or less dough from our favorite areas in Europe? I don't have an easy answer. Basically, I guess it's because we can. In another economic time, we would, but because I'm still employed and "we can", we schlep over and make a game of it. Trapped in the Cayuse flywheel...oh well, the wine holds its value and is fun to drink. Over priced? Compared to what....foreign? domestic? As good as the high end Napas and hold their value as well. Foreign? Apples and oranges my friend; can't compare in any format.
So we play and meet exceptionally nice people. Our love affair with the simple down to earth folks at Bunchgrass always a highlight. New friends this time, from Mannina, whose roots are Italian and makes....wines....under .....14%...and can be good with food! What a concept. Nice man with a great feel; will buy and drink more of his wines. It's not the etoh level debate; it's the "can you drink it with something besides bbq" issue for me and Mannina's wines will make the grade. Also spent a nice afternoon at Castillo Feliciana...very nice people and serviceable wines. Others? WTF is up with Rasa? Wines WAY over priced and not that good. What do you think: you can hang with the big dogs? Good luck with that. Mackey, probably a mercy buy of two bottles; same with Ash Hollow. These two were nice came with nice folks who were nice to us and that will generally get you a sale. Rulo? The white wine refuge came through again, with a really nice, affordable stainless chardonnay that washed down our free Burgerville chicken salad way too easy.
Home to chinese and, for grins, a 2007 Trio Riesling that's been lurking in the cellar and a fino sherry. The sherry just magnifico with the hot and sour soup and the riesling working well with the spiced up rice/vegetables (see? you can spell vegetables, people; veggies (ick) is NOT a word!!!
Okay, now back to the 60/60 tales.....gevry, sancerre, oh so much more.....
Sunday, February 26, 2012
The Top 60 Continues, in No Particular Order
It should have been apparent, with the precipitous jump on things on the 20th of Dec. I guess there's no compelling reason to list these things in the order consumed. It's the top 60 wines after all and chronology isn't mandatory.
So with that out of the way, let's talk about the 2009 Muller Thurgau from Colterenzio. This wine was spellbinding. Instantly I was transported to an alpine field, crisp and cold, redolent with glorious wildflower scents. Amazing. Just amazing. Ethereal and long lived, as if the gustatory pleasure would never end. It soared, in a high alpine way; cutting acidity but not aloof and remote. Unbelievably good....really: it was so good it was unbelievable. Those crazy kids at ERS know there stuff. Wish I'd bought a case.
Next up, another white from northeastern Italy, the 2009 Malvasia from Skerk. We took this to Cabazon and had it with fish. Truly an astonishingly good wine. So floral, so flavorful, so damn good. The folks at Cabazon would be wise to expand their wine list and include more fish friendly wines. It is their character flaw: too many Cali and northwest whites. If you could taste this wine, with the skate I had, you would die knowing that you had tasted one of the great food/wine matches. Just astonishingly good and....I think we have another bottle in the basement! At least I know that we have more Skerk, just not sure it's malvasia. We had the good fortune to meet the folks from Skerk at ERS; that's how we happened onto this gift from the wine gods. Ed/Richard/Stephanie: thank you.
So with that out of the way, let's talk about the 2009 Muller Thurgau from Colterenzio. This wine was spellbinding. Instantly I was transported to an alpine field, crisp and cold, redolent with glorious wildflower scents. Amazing. Just amazing. Ethereal and long lived, as if the gustatory pleasure would never end. It soared, in a high alpine way; cutting acidity but not aloof and remote. Unbelievably good....really: it was so good it was unbelievable. Those crazy kids at ERS know there stuff. Wish I'd bought a case.
Next up, another white from northeastern Italy, the 2009 Malvasia from Skerk. We took this to Cabazon and had it with fish. Truly an astonishingly good wine. So floral, so flavorful, so damn good. The folks at Cabazon would be wise to expand their wine list and include more fish friendly wines. It is their character flaw: too many Cali and northwest whites. If you could taste this wine, with the skate I had, you would die knowing that you had tasted one of the great food/wine matches. Just astonishingly good and....I think we have another bottle in the basement! At least I know that we have more Skerk, just not sure it's malvasia. We had the good fortune to meet the folks from Skerk at ERS; that's how we happened onto this gift from the wine gods. Ed/Richard/Stephanie: thank you.
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