Dinner at The Stinking Rose, in Beverly Hills, is always a treat for me and my husband. The theme of this restaurant is everything garlic. Whenever we are there we enjoy eating the delicious Dungeness Killer Crab roasted in a garlice sauce serve with garlic butters. The last couple of times we were there we order the Alexander Valley Vineyards Syrah to enjoy with our meal. Each time we’ve had this wine we found it to be consistent in the flavor department. On the palate the AVV Syrah boasts flavors of dark berries and licorice. There is also a hint of a floral component to this wine because a small amount of Viognier is blended with the syrah. Finally, a hint of sweet oak stands out on the finish. 

This great wine is produced at a family owned vineyard in northern Sonoma County, just 75 miles north of San Francisco, California. Although they concentrate primarily on Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, the Syrah is quite outstanding and deserves a lot of respect. It pairs well with red meat and as I mentioned before, shellfish. The Syrah retails from about $18-20.00.

Check out the video below and then check out this fabulous wine.

Francis Ford Coppola, a world renowned director has won many awards including a few Oscars for a little movie you might remember called “The Godfather”. He is not only an exceptional director but also a very fine winemaker. My first experience with a Coppola wine was at a little French restaurant in Hollywood.  My husband order the Diamond Collection Zinfandel which was so delicious we decided to go search for another bottle after dinner.

Recently I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Coppola’s Diamond Collection Celestial Blue Label Malbec. I really didn’t know what to expect initially. I must admit upon first taste I wasn’t really impressed. A little surprised (because the Zin was so tasty), I decided to give it another try. I then started to appreciate the fruity aroma which also possess a hint of minerals. The taste of very dark fruit became more pronounced as the wine aerated. I served this wine with a nicely seasoned salmon dinner and the flavors complimented each other quite nicely.

The malbec grape is a native of Cahors which is in southwest France. However, it has been produced quite abundantly in Argentina and on a smaller scale in Chile. You will find this grape spicy, as well as fruity. The flavors of blackberries and mulberries are very prevalent. This grape is often blended to make delicious wines like the California meritage. In New Zealand malbec is now being blended successfully with merlot given it a nice full flavor.

There are moderate tannins in Coppola’s Malbec so you would think the “pucker effect” would be quite great. However, to my surprise this wine finished very, very smoothly. To learn more about Coppola’s wine please check out the site here.

As always, drink responsibility. Cheers!!!

Green Tea - Tannin Gives Bite & Color

Do you often wonder why you get that furry feeling or dry mouth after drinking red wines? Well, it’s because of a powerful little thing called tannins. Tannins are an astringent component (plant polyphenol) found in stems and seeds of grapes, amongst other things. Tannins occur naturally in roots, wood, bark, leaves and fruit. It is even found in tea. It’s astringent properties has been used over the years to treat tonsillitis, pharyngitis, hemorrhoids and skin eruptions. 

Tannins are what allow long aging of red wines as well as clarification of beer. As wine ages, tannins also prevent oxidation. However, because most novice wine drinkers can’t handle high tannins, most winemakers try to minimize the undesirable tannins by gently extracting juices from the grape. Their main focus is to decrease the amount of grapes seeds crushed in their wine making process. Even when this done wines can still have a higher amount of tannins because wine aged in wood casts or oak tend to have a higher amount of tannins.

In some areas of France tannic grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon are often mixed with lower tannic grapes (i.e. Cabernet Franc or Merlot) to produce a softer wine. Young red wines often have a high tannic content. As the wine ages the tannins began to decompose and the wine mellows and improves in taste. 

Tannins - Higher in Reds than Whites

Tannins have some good health benefits though. They have also been proven to have a positive vascular effect. Studies have shown that tannins suppress the peptides responsible for hardening of arteries. Tannins can, however, wreak havoc on ones ability to absorb minerals such as iron, causing anemia. So you must be careful to ensure that this is not happening. Signs of anemia include but aren’t limited to, fatigue, weakness, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and headaches. If you are experiencing these symptoms please contact your health care provider. 

Tannins aren’t just found in wines. Below are some other categories of foods in which they can be found:

Beer

Fruit Juices (apple, berry, grape, etc.)

Condiments (vanilla, tarragon, cloves and cinnamon, etc. )

Nuts (walnuts, pecans, etc. )

Fruits (persimmons, cranberries, pomegranates, blackberries, etc.)

Legumes (red beans)

Chocolate

Finally, one of the things that I have found that truly helped me deal with wines that would be otherwise very tannic is my Vinturi aerator. Please see previous post. This little device has mellowed out many a wine for me. 

Until the next time…drink responsibly. Cheers!

As stated in the video sulfites have been added to wine for many, many years. Sulfur dioxide or as it is commonly known, sulfites, is a preservative that prevents bacterial growth as fermentation occurs as well as prevents oxidation or the browning of wine. However, sulfites are not just found in wines. They are found in a variety of other foods including dried fruit, dehydrated potatoes, pizza dough, onions and even seafood (shrimp and lobster). Sulfites are even added to some medications to maintain stability and potency. 

The Food and Drug Administration requires that packaged food labels disclose information when sulfites are presence.  The law also, requires that a sulfite warning label be added to any wine containing more that 10mg/L of sulfite made or sold in the U.S. All wines have some degree of sulfite in them and winemakers often add more during the wine making process. Sweet dessert wines have the highest level of sulfites in them. Dry red wines typically have the least amount. If a wine has less than 1mg/L of sulfites it can actually state “No Sulfites” on it’s label. This is usually an organic wine that you can find in a natural food store. One thing to keep in mind is that if the wine has a very low amount of sulfites, as in organic wine, then it’s shelf life will be much less than wines with higher level of sulfites. On average U.S. wines have about 80mg/L of sulfites , which is about 10 mg per typical glass.

Adding Sulfite to Wine

So What is the Big Deal About Sulfites?

It is estimated that one out of a hundred people are sulfite sensitive or have a sulfite allergy. The FDA requires doctors and pharmaceutical companies to report adverse reactions that occur as a result of taking a particular drug, however, the reporting of events from sulfite or food ingredients is voluntary, so it is really hard to say how many people may be at risk. For people with sensitivity or allergies, exposure to sulfites in their food or drink can cause a severe reaction which left untreated could prove to be fatal. According to Ron Simon, head of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California, “most rapid reactions occur when sulfites are sprayed onto foods or are present in beverages, but the most severe reactions occur when sulfites are constituents of the the food itself.” 

What Are the Signs & Symptoms?

Diagnosing sulfite allergies is very tricky. It can be triggered at any point in one’s lifetime and the mechanism by which the reactions occur is unknown. People with asthma and weakened immune systems seem to be especially at risk. Some of the symptoms include:

Nasal congestions

Skin flush

Nausea

Abdominal Pain

Broncho-constriction

Dizziness

There is much debate of over whether headaches associated wine drinking is really due to sulfites. Most say that it is not. To test this out it is often recommended that a person who thinks they are getting headaches due to the sulfites in wine eat dried apricots. Dried apricots have about five to 10 times more sulfite than a glass of wine. There are a few reasons why people may get headaches after drinking wine including, high alcohol content, cheap wine or dehydration. You should drink a glass of water for each glass of wine you have. 

Without sulfites we could be left with brown, spoiled, disgusting wines, so give ‘em a break. However, if you really think you are having a reaction to sulfites please make an appointment with an allergy specialist. If you develop breathing problems or airway constriction, please go to your local emergency room immediately.

As always remember to drink responsibly.

Mollydooker The Boxer Shiraz

Late last year while at dinner with some friends we decided to order a couple of bottles of wine for the table. Being predictable I opted for the red wine which was an Australian Shiraz.  It was a truly intense wine with heavy fruit content. The smell was quite aromatic and the taste of sweet fruit stood out in the complex wine. As you all know I am not a fan of sweet wines, but this was different. There was definitely a boldness with a peculiar hint of sweetness. I found the wine to be delicious and made sure I wrote down the name before I left the restaurant. As I was jotting down the name I couldn’t help but giggle because the name was quite fitting. Mollydooker’s “The Boxer” Shiraz packs quite a powerful punch. However, the wine finishes on a very smooth note.

The Boxer Label

The next day I took a trip to one of my favorite wine shops, The Green Jug, in search of The Boxer and sure enough they had it in stock. The holidays were fast approaching so I purchased a few bottles for myself and some extras to give as gifts. On New Year’s Eve my husband and I decided to open a bottle to drink instead of going with the traditional Champagne.  Although it was good, I was a little disappointed because it wasn’t as good as I’d remembered it being at the restaurant.  It was still intense but the fruit was extremely sweet and tight. I thought that part of the problem was me not letting it breathe long enough and at that time I didn’t have my wonderful Vinturi aerator.

Not willing to give up on The Boxer, I visited the website of the producer to try and understand this wine a bit better. Again, Mollydooker wines are produced in Australia by an award winning husband and wife team. Sarah & Sparky Marquis have been producing wines for years and now have a winery in McLaren Vale outside of Adelaide in South Australia. Their Watering Programme and Fruit Weight system has proven to be key in making great wines.

While visiting their website I noticed that they had a link to what they called the Mollydooker Shake.  Curious to find out more, I clicked on the link and sure enough there is a video teaching you how prepare Mollydooker wines for optimal consumption.  To watch the video please click here. Below I have also included written instructions on the Mollydooker Shake. If you can, check out the video because it is not only educational, but fun also.  According to Sarah and Sparky they put the minimal amount of sulfites in their wine because of sensitivity in some people. To reduce the sulfites they add inert nitrogen gas prior to bottling.  The purpose of the Mollydooker Shake is to eliminate some of the nitrogen. By doing the shake some of the nitrogen escapes and the full, round flavor of the wine comes out. Since learning this new wine dance, I have found The Boxer every bit as tasty as our first match-up.

Go out and pick-up The Boxer tonight. This jackpot retails for about $20.00 to $25.00. Before drinking it though don’t forget to do the Mollydooker Shake. Have fun!!!

Mollydooker Shake Instructions

Stonehedge

I simply love going into a store to purchase something and then happening by the wine section only to leave with a total jackpot. That very thing happened to me again today. I was in Trader Joe’s picking up a few items for lunch for the rest of the week when I decided to just peruse the wine section. Now mind you, I wasn’t planning on buying anything I was only going to look (window shop if you will). 

Stonehedge Vineyards

Well after several minutes of going up and down the aisles I happened upon a small section of Petite Syrahs. Knowing how much I enjoy a good Syrah I decided to focus in a little closer. I found myself reading several of the labels (front and back – see previous post) when I became fixated on a bottle of Stonehedge Reserve Petite Syrah produced by Stonehedge Winery in Napa, California. There was nothing extremely fancy about the bottle. A typical black bottle with a nicely done black and gold front label. The back label was also nothing to write home about. However, for some reason this little bottle seemed to be calling out to me to take it home. I finally conceded and put it in my small shopping cart before heading to the register.

Petite Syrah Grapes

After I made dinner I decided to give it a taste. Wow! What a surprise. The first thing that came to my mind was a nice smell of ripe dark cherries.  The initial taste was outstanding. Explosive flavors of dark plums and berries filled my mouth and engulfed my palate. Complex, the flavor was quite bold but the finish was as smooth as silk. I didn’t have to use my Vinturi to get this effect either. 

I really try not to seek out other reviews about a wine before I write about them so that I am not biased. However, while searching for more info about the vineyard this wine comes from I did read a few reviews. Some seem to agree with me and others not so much. As always I encourage you to try this wine for yourself and let me know what you think. I had this with a spicy dinner and it was very good. Also, for the price (a mere $9.99 at Trader Joe’s) this will definitely go on my jackpots list. Go out and try it and provide a comment. I would love to hear your opinion. 

Stonehedge Reserves

Until next time…drink responsibly.

I was first given Montes Alpha Syrah as a Christmas present. I had not tasted it before and put it away to drink on a special occasion. About a month after Christmas, I was out to dinner with a friend and saw this wine on the wine list. I hadn’t opened my bottle yet but decided I would try it at the restaurant. I was impressed after the first sip. Needless to say I opened my bottle a few days later.

Montes Alpha Syrah is a Chilean wine produced by Montes Premium Wines’ La Finca Estate.  This wine will take many people by surprise because it is a very full-bodied, bold wine. The color is a dark red ruby and it smells of leather and tobacco. The taste is extremely bold with a touch of dark cherry and bittersweet chocolate. Even though the wine is quite strong the tannins are smooth. The finish is toasty and everlasting.

Montes Wines Vineyard

Now I know a lot of people don’t like very strong red wines, so there is a solution…the Vinturi wine aerator (see previous post). Even though I can handle this Syrah without using the aerator I have tried it with it and there is a true difference. With the aerator this wine is toned down at least 50%. When poured through Vinturi this wine is transformed into a much milder version. The fruit flavors come out easier and the finish is much softer. If you have not yet purchased your Vinturi, I encourage you to do so. It really can transform a wine.

I have heard a lot of people say they don’t care for the MA Syrah but I think it is just misunderstood. Again, if you can’t handle it’s boldness try it through Vinturi and you will not be disappointed. MA Syrah is a great wine and pairs well with spicy foods as well as barbecues. Give this bold beauty a try and let me know what you think. 

As always please drink responsibly. 

Rideau Vineyards - A Taste of New Orleans in Wine Country

Our last post found us at the Kalyra Winery in Santa Ynez. After an uneventful time tasting at their winery we left and proceeded to the Rideau Vineyards in Solvang, CA. For those of you unfamiliar with Solvang it was founded by Danish educators so it has the feel of Denmark with Danish bakeries and restaurants. It is also home to the Hans Christian Anderson Museum and the Elverhoj Museum of History and Art.

The Gardens at Rideau

Although that is impressive the town is also home to a very well respected vineyard. Rideau Vineyards was founded in 1997 by Iris Rideau, a New Orleans native.  Even though the Rhone varietal isn’t well suited to the Santa Ynez Valley, Iris decided to dedicate her vineyard to this varietal because it most appropriately complimented her Creole background and cuisine. This vineyard was extremely superior to Kalyra in ambience as well as product.

Upon our arrival we walked into a very nice size tasting room where  we were immediately acknowledged. There was a nice size crowd and wonderful aromas of food wafting through the air. Unfortunately we’d just eaten and didn’t have room to partake of the lovely sandwiches or fruit and cheese platters.

Rideau - The Main Room

Approaching the initial check-in point we were immediately greeted with warm smiles and were given the choices of participating in the traditional tasting or a couple of special tastings they were offering. After looking over the list my wonderful husband suggested that we do the special tasting of the Reserve and Estate Red Wines. For the general public this particular tasting is $20.00 per person but for club members (which we now are) it is free. This tasting was being conducted in another room separate from the main tasting room. As we maneuver our way through the building we immediately noticed displays that called out the owners New Orleans upbringing. There were Mardi Gras masks as well as colors of burgundy and gold everywhere. The furniture was ornate giving you the feel of France during the 18th or 19th century.

We finally made our way to a smaller tasting room where the server immediately acknowledged us. She began to pour the reds for us giving  much detail on each of the wines. The first wine we tasted was a 2006 Pinot Noir (Sta. Rita Hills). We found this wine to be a bit to dry for our liking. We typically like a pinot that has a much smoother finish. The second wine was a 2005 Pinot Noir (Bien Nacido Vineyards). This pinot was even bolder than the first and again we really didn’t  care for it.

I was beginning to get a bit concerned because I’d heard such great things about the wines from this vineyard and having been disappointed by Kalyra, I didn’t want to be disappointed by Rideau as well. The server then poured the third wine. The 2007 Sangiovese was absolutely out of this world. It was a very full bodied wine with great complexity. This wine has a strong taste of berries with an oak texture. My husband and I enjoyed it a lot.

The fourth wine served to us was the 2006 Estate Mourvedre. After learning that the vineyard has one acre dedicated to this grape we were again disappointed because we found this wine to be quite bitter. Not to fear though, our disappointment quickly turned to excitement when we served the 2006 Chateau Duplantier. This wine carries Iris’ maiden name and is very spectacular. It is a blend that has the flavors of raspberries and ripe fruit as well as a hard spice. Although it is bold in flavor it has a very smooth finish. We enjoyed this one so much that we purchased a few bottles of it.

Our final taste at Rideau was the 2006 Estate Syrah. This, too, is an excellent wine. it has an extremely dark fruity taste but finishes quite smoothly. This jackpot also found its way into our take home bag.

Rideau - A Landmark

After we’d finished our tasting we wandered around for short while checking out the sites. There was  a very lively piano player in the main tasting room keeping the crowd very motivated. The Rideau Vineyards is a great place to do a wine taste, hold a wedding or entertain prospective business clients. We didn’t get to meet Iris on this trip but I hope on my next visit (and there definitely will be a next visit) I will. Please check out the Rideau Vineyards and let me know what you think.

The next blog will look at the final winery(Gainey) of our weekend and our adventures at Chumash casino. Until then, drink responsibly.

We took a trip up to the Santa Ynez Valley on Saturday to visit some vineyards and do a small amount of gambling. Our stops included the Kalyra, Rideau and Gainey wineries as well as Chumash casino. Today’s blog will give you a little insight into our experience at Kalyra. I will blog about the other vineyards and Chumash over the next few days.

I was concerned about going on Saturday because the sky was cloudy and there was mention of rain (something rare in Southern California). I was also a bit fearful that the weather around Santa Barbara would quite cold. However, the day turned out to be absolutely lovely. The sky was blue and the temperature was in the 70′s. A great day to go wine tasting.

The Ambience

 Our first stop on our adventure was the Kalyra Winery tasting room. Immediately we find it small and a bit crowded. The decor was a sort of tiki style which I assume is to pay homage to the owner who is from Australia. The tasting bar takes up a large part of the room but upon entering we find it a bit confusing on how to get started. We eventually noticed the cash register at one end of the bar and went over to pay the $10.00 per person tasting fee. The tasting fee included six traditional wines and two dessert wines. After paying we obtained our glasses (which were ours to keep) and the cashier began to pour our first taste right there at the register. This was also quite disturbing because as other people came in they were trying to inch their way in to pay as well. We eventually moved to the opposite end of the bar to gain more room and access a spit/dump bucket because there wasn’t one on our end.

The Whites

Our first taste was of the 2007 Kalyra Sauvignon Blanc. It was agreed that this wine was bland and weak. There really wasn’t anything exciting about it. Next on the list was a 2007 Chardonnay (Unwooded) which is fermented in stainless steel. Again, there really wasn’t anything great about this wine either.

The final white of the traditional wines was the 2007 Riesling. I actually found this wine okay (not great, but okay). As I have mentioned before I am not a big fan of sweet wines and this one was only mildly sweet. It was still a bit weak though. It is almost as if their white wines are watered down.

The Reds

I was beginning to think that this winery just didn’t produce good wines until we got a taste of our first red, a 2006 Sangiovese. It had a very deep and dark fruity taste. This wine definitely grabbed my attention and made me rethink the winery. Next was special wine they called the 2005 Kalyra MC² Blend. This wine is 70% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a very deep berry taste with a bitter chocolate finish. Although the guy pouring it said this is one of their better wines I really wasn’t that impressed with this blend.  The final red at Kalyra was the 2002 Barossa Valley Shiraz. Although bold this wine had a full berry and spice flavor with a very smooth finish. It definitely made me appreciate a red in their portfolio.

And for Dessert

The two dessert wines poured included the 2007 Viognier Sticky Wicket and the Kalyra NV Black Muscat. We found both of the dessert wines to be quite tasty. The Viognier had a surprising honey flavor with hints of citrus and pear. This seemed to be a favorite of most the tasting participants. The Black Muscat is  fortified with brandy early in the fermentation process giving it a very strong and sweet flavor.

Overall the Kalyra was a bit of a disappointment. The tasting bar was crowded and a bit disorganized and the wine just wasn’t that appealing. Although there were a couple of decent wines at Kalyra there were no jackpots. As always this is only my opinion. I encourage you to try it for yourself. I would appreciate hearing any of your comments.

Next blog…I will share with you our experience at Rideau.

What can I say??? I happened to stumble upon Opolo Summit Creek Zinfandel by accident. I was having a bite to eat at Wood Ranch in Northridge. I wanted a full-bodied red wine and after perusing their somewhat limited list I decided to taste the red zinfandel. Before that evening I’d never heard of this vineyard or this wine.

After the first taste I was hooked.This wine is bold and fruity. With hints of raspberries and spice. The tannins are soft which leaves it with a smooth finish. This wine is definitely one for the jackpots list.

Before I left the restaurant I confirmed the name so that I could purchase this wine at a local wine shop. A few days after my first exposure to this wine I tried to find it in a local Beverages & More store with no luck. They called around and found that the Thousand Oaks store was carrying this particular wine. Because my full-time job takes me to Thousand Oaks daily I figured I would pick it up there. However, that never happend.

Finally, one day on my run to the Green Jug ( a local wine shop) I happened to be strolling the zinfandel aisle when I noticed the Opolo Summit Creek Zinfandel I was extemey exited. I was so happy to find this jackpot that I bought at least 10 bottles to get started.

The flavor of this wine has not changed over the years. It is still an outstanding wine that is inexpensive. It retails for aprozimately $16.99.  I have since been able to find the wine not only at  the Green Jug but also at the Woodland Hills Wine Company. Pick up a bottle of this wine. It is versatile enough to go with your daily dinner or a fancy party. Even though it’s delicious without using an aerator, try pouring it through the Vinturi aerator (see last post) and discover an even smoother, silkier texture.