Monthly Archive for October, 2009

Pumping Iron – Why Fish & Red Wine don't mix.

October 24, 2009 filed in Current Affairs, Food and Drink and Wine.
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05-29 Mercado (20) In this week’s edition of the ScienceNow Daily News, (full story, here) it was reported that Japanese researchers have discovered why fish and red wine so often clash.  Turns out there are minute traces of iron in some red wines, particularly those grown in soils high in certain minerals, and that these trace elements can leave you with a very unpleasant “fishy” aftertaste.  And I don’t mean the clean fish smell of the ocean, but more like the day-after fish smell of the trash bin.

The research also seems to answer why some red wines can actually compliment seafood and fish, while others make you run for the motion sickness bag.  The researchers identified an “iron threshold” of 2 miligrams per liter.  Any red wine containing more than this amount spoils the seafood pairing.

Scallops, perhaps the most notorious offender when it comes to foul red wine pairings, were used to test this theory further.  When dried scallops were soaked in wine whose iron content was below the threshold smelled fine, but those soaked in wine with iron above the critical 2 mg/L, smelled horrible.  Note, I’ve observed the same phenomenon when fresh scallops are rinsed using iron-rich water.  Now I know why!

Red Wine With FishBut I agree with Gordon Burns, the enologist who argued that the more compelling reason to avoid red wine with fish is that most red wines are big-bodied wines that over-power the lighter, delicate flavors of most seafood.  And that violates one of my key guidelines for food and wine pairing:

  1. Match high acidity in the food with high-acid wines
  2. Match sweet foods with equal or higher sweetness in the wine
  3. Pair light dishes with lighter wines, heavier dishes with heavier wines
  4. If the wine is high in fruit and alcohol, leave it on the cocktail bar when you go to the dinner table!

Others, such as Tim Hanni, M.W., suggest that simply adding a pinch of salt and a squeeze of citrus to your fish dish will make it surprisingly compatible with your red wine.  And still others, such as David Rosengarten, in his famous book (right) simply focuses on finding lighter red wines that can compliment fish and seafood prepared with red wine-friendly recipes.  Of course, his book was written in 1989, when it was easier to FIND a lighter red wine, i.e., lower in alcohol (average then was just 12.5%) and body.

By contrast, today’s contemporary styles for wine often dictate alcohol levels in excess of 14.5% along with “gobs and gobs of ripe fruit”.  If red wine with fish is your culinary preference, I’d seek the lighter reds of Burgundy, Beaujolais, Northern Italy, the Loire and other cool-weather growing areas.

Seek out such wine, and I think you’ll be finding Nemo never tasted so good.

DSCN0419Cheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com

Quote of the Day
“Fish, to taste good, fish must swim three times.  First in water, then in butter, and then in wine!”  ~Old Proverb

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Wine Book Review – In Search of Bacchus, George Taber

October 24, 2009 filed in Book Reviews, Food and Drink and Travel.
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In Search of Bacchus When Simon and Schuster’s publicist asked if I’d review George Taber’s latest book, I didn’t hesitate.   I’d enjoyed his previous books “To Cork or Not to Cork” and “The Judgment of Paris” and a new book from the retired journalist, wine collector and author was likely to provide hours of enjoyment.

But his new book arrived at a bad time.  I was in the middle of a wine club shipment and all my spare reading time was already divided between two biographies – one on Robert Parker and an out-of-print book on James Beard.  These were forced to the back of my night stand with only a minor amount of fisticuffs and complaints, the books embodying the self-promoting characteristics of their respective subjects.  And then I dove into “In Search of Bacchus“, and it was like taking a mental vacation to 12 of the best wine regions in the world.

Summary
This book is partly a travelogue written during his visits to a dozen of the world’s premium wine-growing regions.  The reader is introduced to each new region with a relatively brief (~25 pages) overview of regional winemaking history and the three or four wineries most critical to its current level of success. Each region could easily justify a book unto itself, perhaps even several several volumes, but “In Search of Bacchus” is a useful introduction to each growing region.  A temptation to travel.

These introductory sections are written in Taber’s identifiable style – high-toned, well-researched and erudite – reflecting his chops honed during his years as a journalist (and a well-schooled wine enthusiast).  I found each of these sections quite useful, packed with useful bits of insight and information.  As you complete each chapter, you’ll swear you’ve found the location for your next wine pilgrimage (honey we’ve got to go to this one, no wait, THIS one!  no, no…)

Following each detailed section is a brief story about Taber’s experience at one of the wineries mentioned.  While the entire book is written in the first person, this is where the reader feels as if he/she is actually looking over Taber’s shoulder.  It is less fact-driven, more intimate, and only slightly frustrating in that many of the experiences Taber relates are not available to the average wine tourist without his insider connections.

Picking Nits
I’m a fan of Taber’s work.  But I do find his style a bit dry.  Never does he squeal with delight, moan in the pain of a hangover, or admit to a lusty thought or other human foible.  With his apparent writing skills, I’m sure Taber could craft an ode to make a lover swoon.  But he doesn’t reveal that side of himself here, and while I appreciate his dispassionate professionalism, I’d also welcome a glimpse behind the Taber curtain from time to time.   Otherwise, he might as well be writing about economics instead of the greatest, most sensual beverage on earth.  I mean, the Romans also called Bacchus “The Liberator”, a God who could free one from one’s normal self through madness, ecstasy or wine!

In person, Taber strikes me as someone you’d enjoy sitting next to at a long dinner – interesting, unassuming, and friendly.  See for yourself:

Wine & Tourism – Finding the Right Balance
One of the issues surrounding wine tourism is the issue of access.  Taber doesn’t shy away from the fact that some wineries actively discourage tourists (well, mostly in Bordeaux, not surprisingly) while others put wine on the back burner with massive, tightly-packed tasting rooms, huge (and barely-trained) pouring staffs, and more souvenirs and paraphernalia than wine.   Such differences exist between individual wineries more than between wine regions, with both extremes even found in tourist-hungry Napa.  This book quietly raises the issue, and the wise wine pilgrim can then rely on the internet to develop an itinerary that suits their particular style.

Buying “In Search of Bacchus”
Despite these nits, with its release date so close to the holidays it seems obvious that “In Search of Bacchus” will be one of the biggest wine books of this holiday season, and I can’t think of another new wine book I’d rather read. Those interested in buying a copy for their favorite wine-lover can simply click here (also available as an eBook, though in Epub format only.  I make no commission on sales of this book).

And now that I’ve completed the book and am nearing completion of this review, my books on Parker and Beard are over on my nightstand, fighting to see which gets read tonight.  It appears to be a pretty good fight.

DSCN0416Cheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com

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Featured Wine – Andrew Murray 2006 Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley

October 21, 2009 filed in Food and Drink.
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Originally $25, now just $20.75 (Save 17%!)

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Viognier_06Whenever our menu calls for a rich, floral white wine, this is one we call up from the Bullpen.  It is a great all-year wine, but especially appropriate when seasonal dishes include roasted squash, roasted chicken, savory soups and the like.

Tasting Notes
A luscious floral nose of exotic fruit, sweet spice, flower blossoms and hints of grapefruit and apricots.  Such aromas often presage a sweet wine, but try a sip of this one and noooo…

…On the palate this wine leans towards the zaftig, a bosomy wine offering pleasures of the flesh (and yes, they’re real), but with a bright personality and braininess that keep you intellectually intrigued. It finishes with an almond-like bitterness (which also provides an obvious bridge ingredient when pairing with food) that plays counterpoint to its flowery nose.

Food Pairings

Viognier isolates some less adventuresome wine lovers because of this contrapuntal relationship between sweet and bitter.  But I dare any such doubter make their way through a bottle of this wine and tell me they haven’t jumped on the Viognier bandwagon with both feet.  Its pleasant, viscous mouthfeel makes it great on its own, but it’s also a fine table wine when paired with medium-bodied dishes.

One key to successful food and wine pairings is to match the weigh of your wine to the weight of your food ( where “light” = crisp and acidic foods with relatively simple flavors and “heavy” = fatty dishes or those with complex layers of flavor).  Another key to successful pairing is to focus on a flavor component that can act as a bridge between the food and wine.  To pair well with Viognier your dish might feature the flavors of  citrus, apricots or golden raisins  (in a stuffing or reduction sauce or as a compote) .   This wine also shines with roasted chicken (especially as a sandwich) or squash (perhaps par-boiled then roasted with lardons and a reduced balsamic-pomegranate sauce!) .  Any dish featuring the flavors of toasted almonds or other nuts tends to be friendly with Viognier as well.

For a most happy pairing, try this wine with my recipe for Macadamia-Encrusted Tilapia in Orange-Cream Sauce.

A Note About Screwcaps
“Guaranteed Taint Free!”

It’s hardly worth mentioning screwcaps anymore, as the American market comes to appreciate the wisdom of this once maligned closure. Many can still remember the days when premium white wines sometimes bore the scent of a tainted cork – easily detected by an identifiable stink in the wine, and a loss of its precious fruit aromas. And in the case of this wine, that would indeed be a shame. Hence, the screwcap/

Winemaking Notes

This wine was fermented in stainless steel at cool temperatures – a technique used to preserve an aromatic wine’s more subtle and ephemeral aromas. It is very crisp and fresh and refreshing and if you don’t buy all of this wine I’m going to drink whatever is left myself.

Winemaker Notes

Almost 20 years ago, Andrew Murray burst onto the wine scene with his eponymous winery and a fistful of impressive scores from wine critics who believe in such things.  This time frame seems impossible when you meet the boyish guy whose face stubbornly refuses to age (though I bathe in a bit of schadenfreude over his receding hairline!).   He is actually in his 40′s – no longer a Wunderkind, now just a wonder (named “2004 Tastemaker of the Year” by Food and Wine Magazine) .  Andrew was first bitten by the wine bug during a tour of France in the 80′s and that eventually grew to an apprenticeship in Australia, a degree in wine making, and then the aforementioned burst onto center stage.

Stylistically, his wines tend to be big and rich.  After several vintages with excessive alcohol (particularly in his Syrah) his wines now seem to have matured one more generation, and show better balance and food compatibility – the good manners you want when bringing them to the table!

Andrew Murray, 2006 Viognier, Santa Ynez Valley

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DSCN0419Cheers!
Dave the Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com

Quote of the Day
“You seem very calm for a woman who’s getting married” I said, and she nodded. “It’s on my to-do list” she said, “so there’s no point in agonizing about it”
~ Story People (Selected in tribute to my newlywed friends, Steve and Penny)

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Mah Jong Wines – Sojourn Cellars, Molnar Family

October 2, 2009 filed in Wine.
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I received a great email from friend and customer Seth Pariser, this morning, and thought I’d share it with you.  Not only does he give reviews of two wines from  past club shipments, but also a most helpful tip on how to cheat at Mah Jong.  Thanks Seth!

Cheers, Dave

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Hi Dave,

Last night my wife Dani had her Mah Jong group of ladies over and nearly opened my newly purchased 2006 Kosta Browne Gary’s Vineyard SLH Pinot for them. Thank god I got home when I did to stop her and to explain they were not KB worthy as lovely as they were. Instead though, I opened up two bottles: 2006 Molnar Family Poseidon’s Vineyard, Carneros and the 2007 Sojourn’s Sonoma Coast.

They may not have been Kosta Browne’s, but they were very intriguing wines all on their own worthy of enjoying.

Molnar Family Label I popped the Molnar and I got a little heat initially but crisp fruit quickly opened up on the mid palate and some nice spices on the back. I even detected a touch of some barnyard funk. This was a fusion of Burgundy meeting Northern California. A very good mah jong wine. Although I did not play, I was governing the wine pours to make sure our guests were enjoying themselves.

Sonoma Coast LabelThen came the Sojourn. That’s when the game turned in my wife’s favor. This one was like drinking silk velvet from Lyon, France. Pure smooth delivery. The nose gave a little forest floor but an opulent delivery of bright raspberries mixed with subtle acidity exploded in my mouth that sang in perfect tune and harmony together.

This was the one that took their minds off of their games (except for my wife who remained focused). This was a perfect hustling wine for home court advantage. We were a great team together.

Thanks again for the wonderful selection of choices.

Best,
Seth Pariser

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Note, I am not a fan of Kosta Browne – a pinot on steroids. Not all grape varietals were born to be body builders, though many enjoy that style. In fact, this week’s news indicates that MANY people disagree with my tasting notes on Kosta Browne – they just reported selling the winery to the Vincraft Group for $40 million.  That sales figure is many times the amount of successful, comparably sized wineries, so their wine style must appeal to a lot of people other than me.  But I say, try both styles and  Viva la difference!

DSCN0417Cheers,
Dave the Wine merchant

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