reviews

Best for Less: Sparkling Wines for New Years

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Have you ever heard of Cheapism.com? I hadn’t until a few weeks ago when I was contacted by one of their representatives about their findings for the best cheap champagnes. Of course, a true Champagne (from the right grape and region of France) is seldom if ever to be found “cheap,” but you can find plenty of lovely sparkling wines (the larger category that Champagne belongs to) in any price range.

Their suggestions?

Experts note that not all sparkling wines pass as a substitute Champagne, and champagne reviews discuss factors such as bubbles, sweetness, and taste. Topping Cheapism’s list of best champagne buys are Roederer Estate NV Brut, Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut NV, and Freixenet Cordon Negro Extra Dry — all priced at less than $20.

And if you try any of them to ring in the New Year, please let me know.

our sparkling wine choices for 2011Todd and I prefer our sparkling wines on the sweeter side, so those Brut recommendations just don’t do much for us. We rang in 2011 with a couple of inexpensive Italian sparkling wines on the sweeter side: one white and one red.

Wait, red sparkling wine? Oh yes, my friends, it’s out there and it’s fabulous!

The red is Costarosa Sangue di Giuda Oltrepo Pavese and is, as best I can tell as the label is 100% in Italian, a blended red wine with just enough bubbles to keep things interesting. It was recommended by the guy in the liquor store when I said I wanted anything but Brut. Good call.

The white is Ca’D’Gal Lumine Moscato d’Asti. Moscato is very popular these days as more are discovering this sweet wine in both still and sparkling styles. I think Moscato is doing quite a lot to dispel the negative opinions many people have of champagne. And we just a bottle of Cupcake M0scato d’Asti with Thanksgiving dinner that was pretty fabulous, too.

And sweet champagne is nothing new–in Europe it’s always been available but not a lot made it to the United States as our palates were, somehow, not interested in sweet wines.

Thank goodness times have changed!

We haven’t decided, yet, what we’ll be sipping when ’11 turns to ’12, what about you?

A Few Ideas for Those Last-Minute Christmas Gifts

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No matter how many lists you make, this time of year it’s practically unheard of not to leave someone off your list. At the very least you’ll receive a last-minute invitation to a dinner, open house or event and, well, of course you want to bring a little something for the host(ess), right?

collage of 4 alcohols that make good holiday and hostess gifts

A bottle of something is always in season, but for Christmas and New Year’s it’s an especially nice gesture to wrap a bottle in a pretty little bag that they can either share now or save for later.

Courtesy of the folks at W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd., here are a few suggestions that are both festive and affordable for all your holiday giving. Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to have one of these bottles presented to you!

(left) Warm his heart and delight his senses this holiday season with a bottle of Landy Cognac. The holiday season is a time to make him feel special and Landy Cognac will do just that with a refined blend of cognacs from French prestigious origins. Landy Cognac is available in three aging statements – VS, VSO, and XO. He will appreciate it neat, on the rocks, or blended in a delicious cocktail! SRP $ 24.99-$119.99

[Jenn’s Note: Cognac just screams luxury, this is the way to go if you need to impress a boss or maybe a new in-law with something a little different than your usual bottle of wine.] 

(top-right) If you are looking for a great value this holiday consider Barone Fini Pinot Grigio, a reasonably priced white wine with a crisp, clean taste. With its subtle fruit flavors, this wine can be enjoyed with rich holiday meals and allows your guests to enjoy the delicious tastes of the many flavors of the holidays. Barone Fini has long been recognized for producing Pinot Grigio of the highest caliber at a great price point and we would love to share this wonderful product with both you and yours this holiday season. SRP $9.99 http://www.facebook.com/BaroneFiniWines

[Jenn’s Note: We’re always in favor of a good bottle that comes in under $10 and this Pinot Grigio was absolutely delightful. It was perfect in the Rosemary Risotto I made last week and, of course, the rest was great in the glass to go with dinner.]

(center-right) Prohibition may be over, but America’s love affair with Moonshine has just begun! Original MOONSHINE is the perfect gift for the whiskey fan on your list. Made by a third generation master distiller with his grandfather’s authentic recipe, it is hand-crafted from 100% estate-grown corn and distilled four times in a Prohibition-era copper pot still. At 80 proof, our all-natural, recipe is charcoal-filtered for the highest purity, quality and taste. A truly versatile spirit, SHINE can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a wide range of mixed cocktails…perfect for the holiday season. SRP $39.99  http://www.facebook.com/moonshine?sk=app_6009294086

[Jenn’s Note: Moonshine is, for many people, one of those curious novelty alcohols. If you know someone who is always up for something a little different, even having this adorable bottle on their bar will please them to no end.]

(bottom-right) Discover the spirit this holiday season with Ruta 22 Malbec. It’s the only Malbec from Patagonia – the perfect reason to give this unique find as a gift. Wow your loved ones with this one of a kind wine that they can keep for themselves, for that unexpected house guest, or bring to a holiday party and steal the show! Ruta 22 pairs perfectly with red meats, cheeses, and pastas…three favorites at any holiday party, making this wine a great party guest! SRP $12.99

[Jenn’s Note: This was a rich, slightly spicy Malbec that went great with a humble pot roast–I can only imagine what it would be like next to a standing rib roast or other rich and meaty dish. And it’s another steal at under $15!]

Have a wonderful time these next 2 weeks when the conviviality is high on the ol’ priority list! Remember, though, always be safe, use a designated driver and remember moderation in all things. I guarantee you’ll enjoy your holiday more if you’re able to remember it!

Images and product information provided by W.J. Deutsch & Sons, Ltd. Samples were accepted by the blogger for the purpose of review but the opinions expressed in this post are entirely her own.

Let Them Drink Red!

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Chances are, if you’re new to wine, you’ve heard two things:

  1. Pairing wine with food is incredibly complex and takes years to master.
  2. Red wine with red meat, white wine with white.

While the first is somewhat true and the second is a good starting-point, here’s the advice I like to give the best:

Drink what you like.

And for us, that usually means red wine with anything, specifically Pinot Noir. So when the opportunity to sample a trio of Pinot Noirs perfect for Thanksgiving presented itself, what do you think I said? Yes please!

While you might normally pair a meal of turkey cutlets with a clean, crisp white (and be perfectly within your rights to do so), the reason reds work well with Thanksgiving, or any big, rich meal, is in the meal’s description: rich! A wine needs to complement the meal while holding it’s own, not merely match the color of the primary protein!

Two Pinot Noirs, both bottles and poured samples

The first two bottles we tried side-by-side were The Crossings (from New Zeland) and Llai Llai (from Chile). Here are the notes that came with each (for those who find them interesting–I know I do!):

The Crossings Pinot Noir 2009 is said to be a fantastic wine to pair with potatoes; a Thanksgiving favorite. It’s finely poised aromas of red cherry, spice, raspberry, and gentle smokiness forms the perfect smell for the nose. The palate is vibrantly intense with a full rich and silky mid-palate which creates a very persistent finish.  The resplendent ruby red goes through to the core of the wine and will harmonize the many flavors of the Thanksgiving meal. Recently named a Best Buy and Best Value for Pinot Noir by World Value Wine Challenge.

[Llai Llai] This light wine will blend in with the many foods of the holiday and allow guests to enjoy the flavors of both their drink and dinner. This Pinot Noir is hand-harvested, creating a deep, brilliant red color with a ripe and intense red fruit aroma. Llai Llai Pinot Noir has the perfect balance of alcohol and acidity creating a certain elegance and sweet earthy notes, perfect for harmonizing multiple flavors. The very ripe and soft tannins allow for a long, rich, and smooth finish which is necessary to preserving the moistness of the turkey. Recently named the Best Value Chilean Pinot Noir by World Value Wine.

Both are available under $20 a bottle , so excellent options for the budget-conscious (and, let’s face it, who isn’t these days?). We found Crossings to be slightly sweeter than Llai Llai, each a medium red color and a fine flavor. There’s definitely no harsh aftertaste that you might find from a stronger red, these are both nice and easy table wines. The Llai Llai was slightly more mellow, according to Todd, but it was tough for either of us to pick a favorite.

Sonoma Coast Vineyards Pinot Noir, bottle and poured sample

A few days later we got a chance to try a California Pinot Noir, from the Sonoma Coast Vineyards. This one’s a bit pricier at an SRP of $39.99 but, after sampling it, I have to say it’s worth every penny. Let’s start with the “liner notes:”

Sonoma Coast Vineyards Freestone Hills Pinot Noir 2008 is perfect to pair with the heavy foods of Thanksgiving. The mixture of dark black cherry and ripe rich black raspberry fruits plus pomegranate will insistently enhance any fall celebration and we think it is perfect to pair with a Thanksgiving turkey! It’s fruity enough to bring together the different flavors of the meal while creating a fresh taste.

Two things right off: deep red color and a velvety mouth-feel; amazing. Todd thought it was a little oakier than he prefers, and I can see that (I suppose).

But I? Well, let’s put it this way: I could have easily finished the bottle in one night, on my own. I didn’t! But I could have. And remember how I said pairing wines with food is about richness? The Sonoma Coast held it’s own with a sinfully rich crawfish bisque last night, so turkey, dressing and all the trimmings would pair equally as well.

Whether it’s your own table or you’re invited to a friend’s home for dinner this year, I highly suggest the Sonoma Coast Vineyards. Even after the holiday this is a great wine to have on hand for anytime you need to unwind.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided bottles of wine on which to base this review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own, unless otherwise indicated.

Introducing: AGWA de Bolivia

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AGWA de Bolivia banner
Lately I’ve been getting a lot of press releases from different companies running contests or touting new or improved alcohols and I’m thrilled to be able to share then with you guys. Don’t worry, though, I won’t be turning this into an announcement list for beverage distributors–we’re going to be pretty choosy about what makes it through the gate.

One bit of news that did catch my eye was about the new liqueur, AGWA de Bolivia. Not going to lie, what made me sit up and take notice was the fact that this liqueur is distilled from Coca leaves.

Yes, really, those coca leaves.

A few years back I picked up a book that looked interesting, mostly because I misread the title as I wandered through the bookstore. What I though was about Native American medicine (thinking medicine wheel or trail of tears sort of thing) turned out to be about alternative/natural medicines among various ancient cultures spread out around the world. And while the author did spend quite a bit of time searching for and describing the potential of a Viagra-substitute, the book was an interesting read and featured a bit about the importance of coca to the Peruvian culture.

And, of course, being from the South we all know about coca being part of the original Coca-Cola.

But back to the topic of the day! AGWA de Bolivia is a coca leaf liqueur (along with over 30 other herbs) but before anything else happens, the leaves are decocainized. I didn’t know that was a process, either, but I suppose it’s like decaffeinating coffee beans or tea leaves. And, really, it’s not like it’d be allowed in this country if it were truly laced with cocaine, right?

The same folks who kindly offered to send me a sample of this new liqueur also included a few starter recipes to try it out.

Trio of Agwa de Bolivia applications

The 3 AGWA-migos!

First I tried the Bolivian Kiss–it’s a simple 1-2 punch of bite the lime, take the shot. Only I don’t really see the point in shooting alcohol: it want to taste what I’m drinking, not get drunk. So the shot? Not so much. But the flavor combination of the lime and the AGWA was quite refreshing. On the agwabuzz website they also have a recipe for the AGWA Fresca and I’ll bet it’s delicious with the lime and soda water.

Next up was the Red Devil: AGWA and Cranberry. Todd and I both found this one to be surprisingly good. I mean, cranberry gets mixed with a lot of different alcohols and does pretty well, but on it’s own the juice can be a little thin, a little sharp, and very tart. It’s cranberry, after all. But add about an ounce of AGWA? Totally different story! The AGWA doesn’t assert itself over the cranberry, it blends together and creates this warm, soft, round flavor and feel–even on the rocks. This one we will be trying again.

Finally it was time to test the recipe that really made me curious from the original information: the Green Angel. It has two ingredients I dearly love–gin and limoncello–so I knew we had to give it a whirl.

The Green Angel

4 large Basil leaves
1/2 oz Limoncello
1 1/4 oz Gin
3/4 oz AGWA de Bolivia
3/4 oz Apple juice
Lime and Vanilla sugar for garnish

In the bottom of a shaker, bruise the basil leaves into the limoncello with a muddler. Fill the mixing glass half-full of ice and stir to coat with the limoncello. Strain off the limoncello and add the gin, AGWA de Bolivia and apple juice to the mixing glass. Shake like your attempting lift off and strain into a chilled cocktail glass rimmed with vanilla sugar.

I adjusted their recipe a little–converted it from milliliters to ounces, muddled the basil with the limoncello rather than just stirring it around (and using only half of what they called for since I had huge basil leaves), and I shook it instead of stirring. It’s a preference thing.

The Green Angel reminds me of these little candies a friend gave me back in high school. They were French rosewater sugar drops with a little bit of licorice in the center. This cocktail has almost an anise touch to it–Todd said it reminded him of the monkey-face licorice we got back in Nebraska–but I don’t know that there’s any licorice actually in there, it’s just the first impression we each got. The lemon and basil are subtle, the gin in pretty good accord with the AGWA and the apple adds enough sweet to balance out the herbal notes from both alcohols. Not as sweet as I thought it would be, but a very tasty libation.

The Red Devil was obviously our favorite. If you’d like to give it a try you can find out who in your area is likely to carry AGWA de Bolivia (if you’re lucky enough to have a BevMo, try there first) at aqwabuzz.com

Oh! And an aside about the limoncello. For the love of lemons do not just pour out the limoncello and discard it! The hint of basil in the limoncello adds an amazing depth of flavor. In fact, I’d even suggest giving it a try on purpose.

FCC Disclaimer: If it isn’t already obvious, I was provided with samples of the product to try. The rambling opinions are entirely my own.

Wine Notes: Mavrodaphne of Patras

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Mavrodaphne of Patras

Mavrodaphne of Patras

On Friday night, Todd and I headed out to the Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church and the annual Greek Food Festival.

I gave a fairly complete picture (or, rather, several of them) of the night over on Nibbles, yesterday, but I glossed over our wine selection–on purpose! I was saving a little something for Sips.

In previous years we haven’t gone into the Taverna for whatever reason but this year it was on my definite to-do list. We weren’t much interested in the beer or ouzo, but I wanted to see what was different about Greek wine.

Well, they weren’t doing actual tastings and even though the $4 a glass price wasn’t too bad, tasting 4 wines at the end of the night probably wasn’t the best idea. So we chatted with the guy manning the counter and he was pushing us a bit towards the whites (one of which had a piney taste? I’ll stick to gin for drinking trees, I think) but when we saw the sales sheet listed a sweet red, I just had to try it.

Our would-be wine steward wasn’t sure I knew what I wanted, though, and insisted I take a little sip before he poured me an actual glass.

Oh. My. Yes.

The wine is Mavrodaphne of Patras Kourtaki and the first thing my tongue told me was Yum! The flavor is described as dried fruit–figs, prunes, raisins–and reminds me of some ports I’ve tasted, yet it doesn’t appear to be a fortified wine. It’s definitely sweet, a great dessert choice and one that you’ll want to sip slowly.

I know I’ll be checking my local wine shops to see if they carry it, this is one I want to keep on hand!