Portugal - Destination for The New “It” Wine

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

June 15, 2009

While fashion editors vie to declare the upcoming season’s new “It Bag,” I live to spot the next up-and-coming wine region where consumers are bound to come up with value as well as drink fashionably. And this season, Portugal is the latest and greatest. Long overshadowed by its more famous, flamenco-ing neighbor to the East, Portugal is finally getting its well-deserved time in the limelight. You might be saying, Portugal has had our attention. But it’s only been in one specific category, and that’s the fortified wine of Port. But it’s just now that the dry red and white wines of Portugal are becoming mainstays on restaurant lists and at your local quality wine shop.

It’s not surprising wine drinkers don’t currently maintain a stash of Portuguese wine. With its thousands of native grapes, some with different names depending on which region you’re in, Portugal isn’t too consumer-friendly for the connoisseur or the novice. As a primer, start your quest for dry reds by investigating the regions of Douro, Dao and Alentejo. Most quality wines are blends of grapes including Touriga Nacional – the workhorse grape of fine Portuguese wines - Tinta Roriz and Aragonez- (aka Tempranillo), Touriga Franca, and Trincadeira. Each grape adds something unique to the blend with resulting wine that distinctly reflects a region’s unique makeup or terroir. Portuguese wine steps away from the often homogenous taste of some new world wines and reveals something distinctly its own. Its whites often mirror tastes familiar to us from Spain such as Alvarinho and Vinho Verde. Both tend toward freshness and minerality with racing acidity allows it to be a perfect complement to summer salads.

Here are a few favorites for those who want to be in-the-know:

2007 Monte Velho Vinho Branco, Alentejo, $9 - Beautifully lemon in color and fresh in taste, this Roupeiro based wine has a well-balanced and clean finish.

2004 Roquette e Cazes Xisto, Douro, $55 - A joint venture between the Lynch-Bages family and a historied Port family, this French oak aged, intense, rich wine shows it pedigree with port-like flavors and concentrated black fruit but balanced with slatey minerality.

2005 Esporao Red Reserva, Alentejo, $15 - The juiciness and color of pomegranate with robust yet smooth tannins, it’s a complex pleaser for the Cabernet Sauvignon-loving crowd

2006 Quinta Do Crasto, Duoro, $12 - Tasting of baked cranberries and savory spices, there’s no confusion of its Old World origins and easy going personality

For More Wine Tips and Fun Stories out

The Rise & Return of Lambrusco

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

May 21, 2009

While you may cringe and remember it as the sparkling, sweet wine ala Riunite (on ice, as the ad cheerfully suggested), the comeback of Lambrusco is upon us. And it’s highly welcome in its latest incarnation.

These wines are made from the eponymous grape and hail from a lesser explored region of Italy, Emilia-Romagna, better known for its Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and balsamic vinegar. Lambrusco is “frizzante,” or semi-sparkling in style. Jammy, vibrant flavors of strawberry and flowers are underpinned with a hint of rustic earth. The wines range from simple sippers to more complex and interesting finds in a wide range of color from pale pink to cherry cola red. However, good examples always have lively bubbles and refreshing acidity, making this wine remarkably food friendly. Unlike the reputation that precedes it, classic Lambrusco finishes dry.

Since it perfectly complements pizza, you don’t need an occasion to open up a bottle Lambrusco. I predict a rise in the popularity of Lambrusco like its cousin the in-demand Prosecco, if we can get over Lambrusco’s less than serious US past. The uplifting Lambrusco is sure to make you smile, and not just because it usually falls under the $16 mark.

Wine shop owners may be reluctant to stock the wine until the stigma is erased, so you may have to look harder than usual to spot these. Start your exploration with bottles from Medici Ermete and Ca’ De’ Medici, both well-known, top Lambrusco producers with a variety of offerings.

How to order wine with your meal

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

May 5, 2009

Want tips on how to order wine in a restaurant? Read on:

We’ve all been in the situation before- you’re at a restaurant on a big date or with important client when the wine list is dropped in front of you with a thud. Understandably, your reaction might be to hightail it out or order a beer and skip the daunting process all together. Some wine lists are as thick as the Twilight series. Wine lists are organized differently. And choices abound from every region, at every price. The combination of factors makes the process intimidating, especially if your dinner companion is a wine enthusiast, or worse yet, a connoisseur.

Since it’s impossible to know every wine producer in the world, you need to pick your wine through a reliable process.

1) First, let your dinner companions figure out what they’re eating. The old waiter’s habit of asking asked what you’d like to drink before you’ve had a chance to review the menu should stop!

2) Use your resources, i.e. the waitstaff or the sommelier. Sommeliers love giving suggestions and may even produce the “perfect bottle” that isn’t on the list. Give the sommelier some direction to ensure you get something you’ll like. Know whether you want white or red. You also probably know whether you want a red that’s big and bold or light and fruity or a white that’s crisp and fresh or smooth and buttery. Alternatively, describe a great wine you had recently.

3) Know your budget and make it clear to the waiter, surreptitiously.
READ THE REST HERE

Wines Perfect for Spring Weather

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

April 29, 2009

Spring is finally promising to fully unleash her warmth. That means it’s officially time to take the party outdoors. Whether it’s dinner on the deck, a picnic in the park or a full-out celebration, wine can be the perfect beverage to serve alongside summer salads and burgers sizzling on the grill. Along with your winter scarves and parkas, shed the bigger, bolder Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux wines of winter, and step into something lighter. When choosing a wine for warmer weather, it’s important to keep a few things in mind. Since you’re in the heat and more apt to dehydration, choose a wine relatively lower in alcohol. And keep it crisp, refreshing and acidic, the same reason we naturally gravitate toward lemonade when temperatures creep up. The same logic makes me instinctly reach for dry Rose, dry Riesling from Alsace or Australia and Muscadet from the Loire Valley as well as sparkling wine.

But don’t think red wine has the season off. On the contrary, red wine stands up to heftier foods like barbequed ribs where white wine would falter. And sometimes only a glass of red wine truly satisfies. However, I’m going to advise doing something once considered heresy, and that is, to chill your red wine. Nothing is more satisfying to sip alongside a hot-off-the-grill burger than a juicy Barbera d’Alba or Valpolicella from Italy slightly chilled. When picking a red wine perfect to drink out-of-doors, think light to medium bodied, with soft tannins and a hefty dose of bright fruit and acidity. These wines will shine where their heavier counterparts seem dull or just unappealing.

Click here to read my favorites for alfresco sipping:

Best Rooftop Bars in NYC to drink wine & eat well

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

April 28, 2009

Wonder where the best rooftop spots to drink wine with some great food in New York City? Here goes:

As this weekend firmly assures us, Spring really is here. But in usual New York fashion, we’ll probably enjoy the gentle breezes and 70’ lazy days for two weeks before the oven-like heat of summer subways kicks into full gear. When the heat hits, escape the crowds at Central Park and take in one of these rooftop establishments where you can (legally) sip on more than an unnamed glass of Chardonnay while soaking in some rays and working on that St. Barths-like tan.

Check out my favorites here

Is Boxed Wine Hip Again? & How it Cuts down your Carbon Footprint

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

April 23, 2009

If you didn’t think you’d see 1980’s era wine-in-a-box become hip again in your lifetime, you might be even more surprised by the alternative packaging movement’s newest incarnation - wine in a tube. FOUR is the first premium California wine in a sleek eco-friendly tube. Not only does the 3L tube reduce a wine’s carbon footprint by 50% (versus a typical glass bottle) but it also helps reduce waste by staying fresh for 30 days after opening. The first release of FOUR is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the California appellations of Monterey, Paso Robles and Lodi from the 2006 vintage. The winemaker’s goal was to create a $25 bottle for the price of $10 by putting the savings from packaging into higher quality grapes and production. FOUR achieved their goal with this deeply aromatic wine firm with dark plum and dark toffee taste. So, leave your corkscrew and foil cutters behind - they’re, like, totally 80’s anyway.In NYC, buy it at Astor Wines. Check out more of my wine tips

5 Date Worthy Wines

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

April 15, 2009

If you want to impress your date or appear sophisticated, here are some “big date” worthy wine choices:

1. If you want a white wine, try something a bit more sophisticated than a Pinot Grigio - Try a Sauvignon Blanc from either New Zealand or, to be really chic, from Chile. Chile’s just coming onto the scene for Sauvignon Blancs. Great value choices include the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand or the Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc from Chile.
2. A spicy, smoky and sexy wine - Like Syrah or Shiraz (which are the same grape but will taste different based on where they’re from). Try the Green Point Shiraz, an elegant wine with bright fruit or the Layer Cake Shiraz which has luscious layers of flavor. Both selections are from Australia. For a really impressive Syrah, try any of the Syrahs from Terlato in California which run from $30 to $55. Their Angel’s Peak is a favorite. This is a perfect one to have at home to really impress.
3. A big, bold brawny red – A Malbec from Mendoza, Argentina is the ultimate budget-friendly “muscular” wine to offer your date. Ladies - don’t have a guy over and only be able to offer him a lightly sparkling glass of Prosecco.
4. A bottle of Champagne -You can get great value in Champagne with high quality by looking for what’s called a “Grower Champagne”. Look for the initials “RM” on label vs. “NM” (which are the big brands).
5. Stock your home with a wine with a story - If you want to expose your adventurous side, have a bottle on-hand from a place you’ve traveled. Tales of adventures in exotic lands are sure to make your date inch just a bit closer.

Editor’s note: This piece was subsequently featured in the Chicago Sun-Times on April 22, 2009.

Why organic wine?

And what’s biodynamic?

From SwirlWineSavvy by Anu Karwa

April 15, 2009

April is Earth Month and a perfect time to learn about organic wines and their kissing cousins, biodynamic, natural and sustainable wines - and why they’re important. And finally, we answer the age-old question about sulfites.

Why is the organic wine movement important: Grapes are some of the most heavily sprayed items and they have thin skins, so having a more “green” option is welcome! Also, we think of wine as something straight from the soil and vines and a somewhat more natural beverage than things like soda, cocktails, etc. But it’s surprising to learn how tampered with wine can be. These alternatives help assure us that our wine is a more direct connection from grape to glass.

What do all these words mean? There seems to be overlaps and confusion between all the “green” words out there whether it’s with produce or wine. Let’s clear some of those up:

Sustainable Wine: This is a term that unfortunately been abused by marketers so be aware. There’s no legal definition for this. But true sustainable farmers and winemakers try to create a product that’s been made in a way that allows the vineyard to continue to produce in a way that isn’t harmful for future generations and production. It’s a philosophy that minimizes soil erosion, depletion of soil nutrients, water pollution, etc. It’s a holistic approach.

Organic: A wine that is labeled organic and has the USDA Organic Seal is made without chemical pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

Biodynamic: I think of this as extreme organic. Follows same principles as organic wine but adds a whole other layer. It’s a holistic approach to winemaking. Biodynamic farmers view the vineyard as a part of an entire system - animals, other crops, with emphasis on balance between all the elements. The whole “farm” or vineyard should be self-sustaining so there is a lot of composting and not using chemicals. It also involves farming according to a lunar calendar.

“Natural” wines: Again, this is more a philosophy that says “don’t tamper with the wine!” But what it entails is not adding sulfites or additives. The shocker here is what others are adding - wood chips, colorants, acidifiers, de-acidifiers, de-alcoholization, etc. commercial yeasts, enzymes, tannin powders, heavy fining or filtration that is hardly sustainable. Even when a wine is labeled Organic it doesn’t mean that all of this other stuff can’t happen.

And the age old question: What’s the deal with sulfites?
Yeasts naturally produce sulfites during the fermentation process. Sulfites act as a form of preservatives for wine, allowing it a longer shelf life. Conventional wines are allowed to have 350 parts per million of sulfites. Organic wines have less with a maxium of 100 parts per million of sulfites.