Ultreia and Legend Raul Perez
Dare to break the rules, do what feels right. If that means go swing on a kids swing with your wine just because you feel like it and laugh with all of your soul, then so be it. That is what Raúl Pérez did – he had a vision and wanted to make wine his way, period. If you like Mencia and INCREDIBLY well made wines, you have most certainly heard of Raúl Pérez ….he is LEGENDARY. I realize that is a rather big word to use, but he is. It’s as simple as that: He is THE winemaker to watch, he is what is considered the “Visionary Spain” winemaker and somewhat controversial – which are some of the reasons why he is so popular. Since he produced his first vintage in 1994 at the 300 years old family winery Bodegas Castro Ventosa, his experience and ideals grew and flourished. He did not want to compromise his ideals so in 2005 he started Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez in Bierzo which quickly grew into Rías Baixas, Ribeira Sacra and Tierra de León DOs. Ulreia is a homage to the pilgrims of Santiago de Campostela used in greeting as they journey through his village, which means ‘we go further’. His accolades run from Winemaker of the Year, Best Winemaker in the World and intuitive winemaking genius …. Yet this humble and spirited man, a man of few words that expresses his genius in his wines. Each and every wine is about the village, the vineyard, the terroir that it came from. “Raúl Pérez takes nature very seriously. His priority is to exert the minimum influence on the grape, that’s how he understands wine.” These are limited releases, handcrafted and unique wines that even after 10-15 years in the bottle they will be fresh and expressive. Bodegas y Viñedos Raúl Pérez Ultreia Saint Jacques Mencia 2018 🍇 Mencia with Bastardo, Garnacha Tintorera Bierzo DO, Castilla y León, Spain Mencia’s home is in northwestern Spain, particularly Valdeorra, Ribeiro and Bierzo. The 5 hectares of average aged 60 year old vines, the Mencia dominant blend has 80% of whole cluster fermentation in large oak vats for 2-5 months and aged for 9-10 months in various and types of vessels. Pours into the glass a deep ruby red color Swirl and vibrant crunchy dark red fruit, chalk, floral, herbal and spice Sip and this medium bodied wine’s soft velvety texture is accompanied with juicy black cherry, raspberry, plum, black currant leaf, licorice, leather, gravel and violets. It has soft,chalky tannins, vibrant acidity with a long finish of pepper, licorice, savory tomato leaf and smoke finish that just lingers and lingers. The wine is clean, precise and fresh, and the oak is super-subtle, almost unnoticeable. The palate reflects a fluid pleasure, a thirst quenching red compelling red. Pair with cured ham croquettes, roast duck with quince sauce, pastrami sandwich, mushroom risotto or braised chicken with onion, garlic and saffron.
Nerthus Kelley Fox Wines 2019
Skin contact alert from a female forward thinking and uber talented winemaker – Kelley Fox. Kelley Fox Wines was founded in 2007 by Kelley Fox and father Gus Stearns. Small production, biodynamic, native yeasts, their wines are highly regarded and sought after. Her experience stem from her stints with the likes of Torii Mor, Hamacher, Eyrie and influence of their wines stretch back to 10 years with Scott Paul Wines. Her love for Oregon grew with her experiences which is why she decided to branch out on her own and make her own wine. This is a kickers winemaker and so are their wines. Named after the Norse goddess of prosperity, fertility and peace. A bled of Early Muscat and Gruner Veltliner. First the Muscat undergoes 12 days of skin contact and the Gruner 6 days. They are then pressed, blended and in small 1.5 ton opentop fermented to dryness. After malolactic fermentation, the blend is aged for 7 months in stainless steel. Nerthus Kelley Fox Wines 2019 Willamette Valley, Oregon Blend: 60% Gruner Veltliner ad 40% old vine Early Muscat 12.5%abv Pours into the glass a medium gold color Swirl and stone fruits, honey, orange blossom, citrus and minerals and fresh spring grass. Sip and you are greeted right away with the honeyed apricots and peaches, tangerines, orange blossom, marmalade, grass, rhubarb pie, elderflower and lemon curd leads into a white pepper finish. It’s a bone-dry, unique wine with a pleasant medium all aroundness in body, acidity and intensity. It’s clean, fresh, lithe and elegant. This would be a great introduction for someone who isn’t familiar with skin contact wine. Pair with your beautiful garden or a dish of Asian Five Spice Cod, Zucchini Thyme Farroto basil Thai chicken or Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
Washington State Oldest Winery
If you thought Napa had big bold reds locked down, think again…… Washington State produces some of the most Bold and Beautiful (not the soap opera LOL) reds in the USA. Why you ask? Washington State is as arid as the Gobi Desert in Mongolia, it has 300 days of sunshine, high diurnals during the long growing season which produces some of the finest, the boldest and beautiful reds in the USA? You will find incredible Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Mouvèdre. Their Cabernets are underrated and deserve HUGE props. The Cabernet in today’s post is from Horse Heaven Hills AVA – 1 if 12 subregion of Columbia Valley (the largest AVA) in Washington State. Named after an early pioneer declared the rolling, grass-covered ridge of hills a ‘horse’s heaven’. Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Horse Heaven Hills AVA, Columbia Valley, Washington State 14.5% abv 6,500 bottles produced 97% Cabernet 3% Merlot The oldest winery in Washington state dating back to 1912, owned by Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson. They are sustainable, Old World winemaking traditions with New World innovation. They have 2 state of the art premium wineries to make their wines, one for red and one for white, the red being Canoe Ridge Estate. The Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1991. The wine is aged for 22 months in 51% new French oak, 36% once-filled French oak and 13% neutral oak. Pours into the glass an inky dark ruby color Swirl – NOTE I could smell the wine above the glass WAY before the swirl – intensely ripe dark cherry, currants, blueberry jam, licorice, chocolate, bramble, cedar, dark roasted coffee, backing spice (cinnamon, cloves), vanilla. Sip and BAM, yes I said BAM – the velvety ripe dark fruits hit you first, baking spice, graphite, licorice, sandalwood, cayenne pepper, minerals with a long finish on the mint. The tannins are polished and balanced with the acidity. It’s voluptuous, structured, suave and ever lasting on the palate. Pair with Juicy Beef Burger with Aged Cheddar, Grilled Venison chops with peppercorn coffee rub.
Kelby James Russel Rosé Stunner
Music and wine go hand in had – wine is bottled poetry – Robert Louis Stevenson 🎶 I have music on 98% of the time- while being creative in the kitchen, working out, studying, while driving, by the pool – you get the idea. Music drives my soul, my passions, my mood. It’s a friend, a lover and a companion. It inspires creativity for me as well as many others, including winemaker Kelby James Russell of Kelby James Russel Wines. Their wines are as diverse and inspiring as are all of the genres of music. A artist and lover of Cabernet Franc, there was no question to Kelby that their first Rosé from Nutt Road Vineyard, it was the wine to kickstart Kelby’s career. “I trust what people taste in the wine, so I instead want to give them a glimpse of the artistic spirit inside the bottle.” 10% whole cluster topped with the remaining fruit which was destemmed and lightly crushed. Kelby James Russell Cabernet Franc Rose 2020 Nutt Road Vineyard, Seneca Lake Finger Lakes, New York 13% abv 🍷Pours into the glass a vibrant ruby red color thanks to the 72 hours of cold soaking 🍷Swirl and pink grapefruit, cherry, red currant and herbal character all burst from the glass 🍷Sip and bright acidity along with red summer fruits (cherry, red currant, watermelon and strawberry), rhubarb, gooseberry, grass, wet stone and finishes on light red chili flakes and bell pepper. This Rosé is dry, refreshing and bright in flavor. One of my Rosé favorites this summer 🍷 🎶🎶Best enjoyed while listening to ”Vivir Lo Nuestro” by La India and Marc Anthony – great rec on the song @kelbyjamesrussell 🍷Alongside tomatoe herb tartine, a roasted vegetable salad or mozzarella zucchini tart.
Champagne Goerg Blanc de Blancs
What are the first words that come to your mind when you hear the word Champagne? Is it a special occasion (your birthday, an anniversaries) or a luxury, something that you don’t permit yourself to enjoy when you know deep in your soul that you want to…. But it doesn’t have to be …. You don’t have to dressed in spectacular outfit (though that always does feel wonderful in my opinion 😉) or be at a high end restaurant to experience the greatness known as Champagne. It’s as classic as the perfect pair of jeans and a T-shirt which is how I enjoyed it. Champagne Goerg’s signature grape is Chardonnay which accounts for 85% of their vines. They are meticulous in their selection of grapes from small parcels, and craftsmanship of their champagne. This lovely Blanc de Blancs is sourced from the Premier Cru vineyards in Vertu, right in the heart of Côte des Blancs region. Their skill and craftsmanship are reflected in how they make Chardonnay shine in the bottle. This beauty sits on the lees for a minimum of 3 years with additional 4-6 months after disgorgement. It has a moderate dosage of 8-9g/L from reserve wines only. Champagne Paul Goerg Blanc de Blancs Brut Champagne Premier Cru N.V. Vertus, Cote des Blancs, Champagne Pours into the glass a sparkling lemon color Swirl and rich aromas of lemon curd, tart green apples and pears, apricots, brioche, minerals and honeysuckle. Sip and the classic beauty of Blanc de Blancs greets you – rich citrus & orchard fruit, pastry, toasted brioche, honeysuckle, hazelnut and ginger hum. It has fine vivacious bubbles and a zingy acidity. This sparkler has creamy texture, a freshness and vivaciousness to it, accompanied a toasty complexity – what more could you ask for in a grower Champagne? Bubbles are happiness, they are joy, they are always evolving in the glass as is life and it’s wonderful. Pair with a Goat cheese tart, freshly shucked oysters or lobster tacos.
Lambrusco di Sorbara
Lambrusco is Italy’s answer to a red sparkling wine. It is also the name of a family of grapes which means “wild grape” in Italian, native to Italy’s Emilia-Romagna DOC region in Central Italy. They range in color, style, sweetness levels and sparkle (Frizzante to Spumante). They are an ideal food partner thanks to it’s higher acidity profile. Today’s wine is the lighter style, Lambrusco di Sorbara which is typically pale pink color, lighter body, low alcohol, high acid. Cleto Chiarli Vecchia Modena Premium 2017 Lambrusco di Sorbara Secco Modena DOC,Emilia-Romagna, Italy Cleto Chiarili winemaking dates back to the 1860s in Emilia Romagna, Italy. “The bottle and label are reproductions of an 1892 bottle, the oldest existing bottle containing Lambrusco, that is still treasured in the Chiarli archives today.” The wine is made through a single fermentation under pressure, rather than the normal two-fermentation process of almost all other sparkling wines. This is in the brut range, with minimal detectable sweetness. Pours into the glass a gorgeous magenta pink color Swirl and just crushed red berry aromas along with violets and earth. Sip and the fresh raspberry, strawberry, tangerine, orange blossom, violets, cherry, watermelon, a brut wine that is lightly sparkling frizzante style is so refreshing and thirst quenching with it’s tangy acidity. At 11%abv it is so fun on it’s own poolside. Classics are Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano-Reggiano, Fresh Tortellini with Olive Oil and Parmesan or Argentinian Beef Empanadas
Anthony Road Wine FLX
Summertime is all about thirst quenching wines and this rosé fits the bill. This was a first for me – a Finger Lakes Rosé from one of my favorite grapes – Cabernet Franc. Anthony Road Rosé of Cabernet Franc 2020 Finger Lakes, NY Blend: 80% Cabernet Franc 20% Lemberger 1973 saw many changes for the Martini family. John and Ann packed up their belongings, family in Baltimore and headed to Seneca Lake to pursue a dream. They started with 5 acres of vineyards which quickly grew over time to 30. Theirs is a labour of love like a family, in winemaking and in viticulture. They produce a wide range of wines from dry to sweet. This particular Rosé crushed grapes were macerates for 10-18 hours, following a fermentation and ageing in both stainless steel and neutral oak barrels. Pours into the glass a medium salmon pink color Swirl and lively aromas of ripe wild red berries, spice and dried herbs. Sip and you palate is greeted both lively acidity and flavors of cherry, rhubarb, watermelon, tart apple, blood orange, wild strawberry, honeysuckle, yeast, grapefruit zest, melon and minerals and finishes on the heat of red pepper flakes. It’s a medium bodied style of Rosé at 13.7%abv that has a refreshing and crisp finish. Pair with Feta, spinach, mint and quinoa salad, chicken chive tartelettes or pork carnitas.
Lieb Cellars Cabernet France
Lieb Cellars was founded in 1992 by Mark Lieb. The winery started small with 12 acres of vineyards to today’s 54 acre winery across 3 vineyard sites. The vines are sandy loam soils near Long Island sound. They many different varieties planted and some of the oldest vines in the area – Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Teroldego, Lagrein and Gold Muskateller. All organic farming, sustainable practices, forward thinking winemakers. This particular wine was aged for 10 months in Hungarian oak. Cabernet Franc from Long Island are quickly becoming the signature red grape with a lovely lightness, character and reflects our terroir. Lieb Cellars Cabernet Franc 2019 100% Cabernet Franc North Fork of Long Island, NY Pours into the glass a medium ruby color earthy mushrooms, sweet tobacco leaf, bell pepper and pepper. Swirl and lovely violets, raspberry, wild raspberry and earth are on the nose. Sip and you are first greeted with juicy blueberry and raspberry, violets, dirt & earth like you just planted a tomato plant in the ground with your bare hands, your hands in a tomato plant , cherries, warm spice of pepper and licorice and ends on a vegetal funk of bell pepper and tomato leaves. The fresh and crisp acidity plus the lower alcohol of 12.8% abv makers it very quaffable in the summer heat. It has a charming vegetal edge to it with a lovely fresh sage swing to it that carries into a dry peppery finish. Meatballs with tomato sauce, lamb gyros, rosemary beef burgers or a fresh parsley and farro asparagus salad.
Hacienda Lopez de Haro
One of the first Rioja’s that caught my attention WAY back in the day was Hacienda Lopez De Haro. Now keep in mind this was when I was a relative newbie to wine, venturing outside of my France and USA comfort zone. I had a wow moment and remember the meal that accompanied the wine, who I was with and what restaurant we were at. That’s the impact that it had on me. I still enjoy it as much as I did then…. However my tastes have evolved. I’m not saying its not good, I just remembered it being larger than life. Today it was “cool, this is tasty” it’s a very approachable wine for someone who has never experienced a Rioja. Hacienda Lopez De Haro Rioja DOCa, Spain Reserva 2013 13.5% Blend: Tempranillo and Graciano Hacienda Lopez de Haro is located in the heart of Rioja Alta. The old vines are goblet trained with low yields along the Ebro’s. The Wien is aged for 10 months in a mix of new and old French oak. Rioja wines are a remarkable value that improve with age. A traditional Rioja is generally leathery, savory, red fruited and retrained, while a new-style Rioja is generally sweetly dark fruited, baking spiced, plush and bold. This particular wine was aged for 20 months in both French and American oak. Pours into the glass a medium deep ruby color with a garnet tinge at the rim Swirl and ripe dark fruits are accompanies spice and vanilla. Sip and the ripe, sweet black cherry, black plum, blackberry jam hits you first, followed by sweet tobacco, pencil shavings, dark chocolate, vanilla, truffles, and licorice. The tannins are soft and ripe, it has just the right amount of acidity and length. All of the bases are covered and are in harmony – it’s round, pleasing and lingering in flavor. This is a great QPR for under $20. It has maturity, it’s fine, gentle and layered. I paired with with a big Porterhouse steak with one of my “secret steak spice blends” but a hearty Ragu or tuna empanadas would also be lovely.
Nyetimber Blanc de Blanc 2013
All of your champagne fans out there, have you had the pleasure of enjoying its next door neighbor? Welcome to English Sparkling Wine. Thanks to climate change, regions that were once too cool to fully ripen grapes to produce sparkling wine are now considered to be the next big thing in winemaking. One of the pioneers to bring English Sparkling wine to the worlds attention is Nyetimber. The 1980s brought about planting of traditional champagne varieties by several estates – Nyetimber being at the front of the line. Their goal is to make the finest top quality English sparkling wine to rival Champagne. They were the first producer to make wines from the most popularly utilized Champagne varietals – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Meunier. Their wines are made from 100% estate grown grapes in chalky limestone soils, located in Southeast England (Sussex, Hampshire and Kent). They age their wines typically for 3 to 5 years on the lees (the minimum required is 9 months on the lees). Nyetimber Blanc de Blanc 2013 100% Chardonnay Regions of: West Sussex & Hampshire, England 12% abv 9.5g/L Pours into the glass a pale golden color with fine, persistent bubbles. Swirl and delicate aromas of white blossom, crisp green fruit, fresh citrus, toasty bread and minerals greet you. Sip and the purest lemon flavor, tart green apple and pear, rich creamy bread dough, a touch of vanilla, delicate honeysuckle leading on to a rich pastry and toasty brioche flavors. Thanks to the cool climate, the racy acidity carries the lively bubbles and flavors for a very long, toasty complex finish. It has finesse, complexity and freshness. Perfectly refined, beautifully British. It’s Englands version to grower champagne. I paired this liquid sunshine with a picnic blanket and a warm sunny day, but a Blanc de Blancs savoriness loves to accompany crab cakes, fritto miso with aioli, lobster chive salad.