WineTime TV

Tag: wine

Wine 101 – Wine Time TV’s Simple Wine Pairing Guide

Kamary, Indie Wino
One thing I’ve learned about drinking wine is to ultimately trust your own taste buds, no matter what any Wine Pro attempts to tell you otherwise.

I’m famous for being in a setting where we’re all drinking a vintage that is supposed to be of exceptional taste and quality and I’m the one thinking, “Hm, this wine sucks…” whereas the others around me are seemingly orgasmic while drinking. Then I have to think, what’s MY problem anyway? “Did I just brush my teeth or something?” Is that why this glass doesn’t appeal to me?

Whatever the case, there is no WRONG in wine tasting, just differences of opinions. So with that in mind, I offer this general advice when it comes to Pairing your wine with a meal. Though many will agree with these generalities (even some Pros), it matters not to me as it’s my formula that I’ve found works for my tastes so far. Maybe it appeals to yours as well?

Salads with Sauvignon Blanc

Starters

If you are considering fresh salads of somekind, the appropriate wine may be a Sauvignon Blanc.

However, if you are serving cheese, the best company could be a Merlot. Works great with a cheese fondue as well. Been there, done that!

For pizzas, cold cuts or snacks in general, a great choice is a Rosé since they tend to be on the lighter side of the Winosphere.

Main Course

A general good choice for a main course, particularly when it is an important dish, a great wine would be a Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s an awesome ‘all around’, pair-able and certainly drinkable wine to have in the house at any time and for just about any occasion.

But, if the main course includes sour dishes such as seafood, then put your money where the Sauvignon Blanc is and I’ll bet you’ll have a perfect match!

Nonetheless, if you’re serving a red meat dish, you could stretch a bit from the norm and
Malbec with Red Meat
surprise your guests with a nice Malbec wine. I recently went for an Argentinean vintage from a winemaker I met while producing their Ad spot for Wine Time TV. They gave me a few bottles as payment and I certainly couldn’t complain. Pretty sweet deal!

As any Wino would agree, there’s sort of a standard rule when it comes to fish as a main dish. White wines are the ticket in that department and I definitely agree. So far in my limited Wino-ramma lifestyle, I have to say there’s nothing better than a nice buttery Chardonnay. Then again, if it’s a greasy fish dish (say that 10 times fast…I dare you!) try a dry one on for size. Hm, that whole paragraph seems like it belongs in a Rap song. See what I mean? 🙂

Alternately, If you don’t like white wine at all, besides being weird you can also pair fish with a nice Pinot Noir. No worries, no one will think any less of you. If they do, their snobs and you shouldn’t be hanging out with them in the first place; Let alone cooking them dinner!

Lastly, spicy dishes can sometimes be tricky. I’m going to suggest a Syrah simply because I can’t think of anything better. I’ve had the experience and was quite pleased with the result. The only problem I found is, Syrah vintages aren’t often available in your basic shopping location. Maybe you’ll have to go to a real wine seller. Maybe not.

Desserts with Sweet Wine

Desserts

Taking into account that desserts themselves are sweet, it’s a logical pairing point to go for a sweet wine as well. Any other choice of wine can and will likely be succumbed by the desserts sweetness. Does that make sense? Admittedly, I’m totally NOT a dessert dude so I have little to offer on this point. However, my friend the Internet suggests a Chenin Blanc, which is a white wine grape variety from the Loire valley of France and as we all know those Frenchies sure can make pretty happening desserts! If I’m wrong, blame the Internet.

Happy pairing and thanks for reading.
Holiday Stress

Sommelier Jodi Fritch

Dear Wine Stores:
It is with heavy heart that I write to you during this holiday season. I must request that you stop staffing your stores with employees who are completely uneducated about wine and have no desire to learn. Additionally, I must request that if you insist in continuing this practice that you have them refrain from distributing bad information to customers.
Sincerely,tampawinewoman

Dear Wine Consumers:
If I had only one wish this holiday season it would be that you re-evaluate where you are buying your wine. We are so lucky to have some really great wine shops in the area filled with both knowledgeable staff and knowledgeable consumers that it would only make sense to support such places. If you live in the Tampa Bay area, please email me and I will tell you where you can visit such a store close to your home.
Sincerely,tampawinewoman

I MUST RANT just for a second

So … here’s the deal … I had a fantastic wine dinner at my house this weekend. All Australian themed. My friend called me up and said, I would like to buy some wine for the dinner, can you recommend some bottles. Happily I responded with a list of bottles that I know are readily available.

As we were discussing the wine selections over appetizers I could not believe the ‘bad’ and ‘just plain horribly wrong’ information that she had received from the ‘wine person’ at the ‘big and large’ wine store. There are so many people out there handing out incorrect information about wine and confusing everyone, what’s one more, right.

During this holiday season find a wine store that you love, and a wine person you can trust. Let’s support the small wine stores, who staff their stores with love and passion and have in place a staff that can truly assist you with correct wine information.

FYI – they do make sparkling wine in Australia! and you do sell it – as I saw it on your shelf just two days before in large supply.
Merlot? Maybe.

Rachel From Loco Diner
Talk about a ghost of Christmas past. That was my first thought when I went into the cellar to pull out a bottle of red to go along with our take-out pizza the other night. This Christmas apparition, a 1996 Sterling Merlot, was still dressed in the gold ribbon it wore when it arrived at Club Loco back in the late 90s. It was dustier than I remembered.

Over the past decade, I’ve often thought of Merlot as a wine cliche, much like White Zinfandel was to the 80s. Like aphids among the vines, bottles of Merlot started to pop up everywhere. They appeared at weddings and restaurants and especially at our house during dinner parties and holidays as they arrived with guests eager to spread good cheer. Where there’s a party, there’s Merlot.

Eager to jump on the wine train, I poured and drank, and poured again. This went on for years. I just didn’t like it and I gave up. You can lead a girl to the tasting room but you can’t make her drink.

I tried to figure out what the big attraction was. I was left with the belief that it had to be the cool name. After all, it really sounds chic to say, “I’ll have a glass of Merlot.” Leaving that “t” off of the end makes the coolness official combined with the fact that Cabernet Sauvignon is a bit difficult to roll off your tongue after you’ve had a few glasses of it.

As a result, years have passed since my last taste of Merlot. That is, until this past Saturday night rolled around. You see, I really hate to go against the grape. In addition to my conformist tendencies, I have embarked on a recent journey to revisit wine that I have decided I don’t like. After all, tastes change, right? I was off to test the vintage.

Back to the 96 Sterling Merlot. I grabbed my favorite bottle opener and attempted to open it up. The cork broke. The first aphid in the grape pulp. With some assistance, I was able to remove the cork without any further incident and the wine made it into my favorite, stemless tasting glass.

If you look carefully, you can see the “ghost” in the wine.

I sniffed and swirled. Not bad. I liked the color, a deep garnet. The aroma was earthy and rich with a small bite but nothing discouraging.

I tasted. Better yet. I was greeted by a spicy and flavorful wine that had plenty of fruit and a punch of cedar. Ok. It was downright pleasant.

I’m not going to whine over spilt Merlot and will stand by my assessments of the other Merlots I have tried. They do pale in comparison to the 96 Sterling. As a result, I now find myself with even more of a dilemma.

Do I like Merlot after all? Is my new found affection exclusive to the 14- year-old bottle from Sterling Vineyards? I guess only time will tell. In the mean time, I will, once again, take my hat off to Sterling Vineyards. You really knocked this Merlot out of the Valley.
Wine is Everywhere!

Sommelier Jodi Fritch
Wine is Everywhere!

I have great news for all of us wine enthusiasts … wine is everywhere. It’s as if the whole world is saying “cheers!”, all while endorsing your appreciation for the juice. If you’re as passionate about wine as I am, you have to agree … it’s AWESOME.

It’s being sold at fine wine stores, mega wine and spirit superstores, Target, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco, grocery stores, drug stores, you can even buy wine at gas stations (choose wisely, for selection is limited, but it will do in a pinch).

It’s on television and movies. All types of movies from romantic comedies to action packed thrillers. It seems that everyone has time for wine. I’ve seen it on soap operas and sit-coms. They are not just drinking this stuff either. They are going to wine tastings. They are owning vineyards. They are really involved.

This week I was blown away when my son informed me that he was given a bottle of Pinot Noir in the video game World of Warcraft. That’s right its even in video games now. At least it wasn’t any F***ING MERLOT!

So, stop anywhere, buy some wine. Pour yourself a glass and toast pop-cultures endorsement of your passion for the juice.

Seen wine somewhere surprising lately? Let me know or comment below.
Agent Elizabeth’s Mission To Barrel 27 Wine Company

Elizabeh White
Barrel 27 Wine Company

This weekend our mission was clear: navigating grey skies and a slippery highway with the ultimate intention of pleasing our palates. Cautiously traipsing through the torrential downpour hammering San Luis Obispo County, a fellow wino and foodie friend and I arrived safely at our Paso Robles destination. Rain-spattered, we slogged our way through the parking lot of an industrial center to the home of Barrel 27 Wine Company, welcomed by blustery winds and the pungent scent of fermenting grapes emanating from 800 barrels of their ageing wine.

Entering the tasting room, beset by a high backdrop of round wooden vats, one of Barrel 27’s partners, Jason Carter, soon greeted us in the cool 56?F cellar atmosphere. Over the course of the next hour, not only did he guide us through a flight of several lovely wines, but also graciously allowed us to explore their barrel room, adorned with stainless steel fermentation tanks and splendid French oak casks stacked loftily to the ceiling. Our expectations for their wine already high (as we had both recently stumbled upon some of Barrel 27’s well-balanced creations), we earnestly sipped, swirled and unlocked the nuances of more of their fragrant wines.

Some of the highlights included their beautiful white Rhone blend, 2008 High on the Hog ($15), a balanced blend of creamy Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussane, and splash of Marsanne. Possessing a light golden touch and fresh floral and citrus nose, this silky white left splendid traces of honey and lemon zest, and finished with a hint of mineral essence. Their caramel-blushed 2005 Central Coast Rosé of Syrah ($13) exuded light berry aromas. Our first sip produced a dense acid feel, soon toning down to allow the spicy layers to unfold. Smoky orange and berry undertones brought this food friendly wine to a balanced close.

Our next splash brought us their 2007 Rock and a Hard Place Grenache ($23). With captivating fresh garnet and violet affects and a dense blueberry nose, the flavors changed as our hands warmed up the glasses in this cellar-like temperature. Alluring notes of chocolate, blueberry, and charcoal warmed our palates, leaving a rich finish of orange rind and citrus. Their complex 2006 Right Hand Man, Central Coast Syrah ($18), exuded a deep, luscious plum tone and wafted of dried cherries. Possessing smooth notes of toasted vanilla, plums, currants and mocha, their signature wine left a light peppery and raspberry finish.

The nuances of their 2007 Hand Over Fist ($30), a sophisticated Rhone-style blend of 52% Syrah, 29% Grenache, and 19% Mourvedre, resulted in a beautiful shade of intense black plums, with a light jammy nose hinting of lavender and plum. This lovely fruit medley boasted currants, cherries, orange and chocolate, with a lasting mineral finish. This new release of their first Rhone-style blend proved dense and bold. Their 2006 Bull by the Horns ($32) also attested to Barrel 27’s ability to construct unified, intense blends. This concoction of well-tamed Petite Verdot, Syrah, and Tempranillo grabbed us with its concentrated dark cherry tones, its spicy nose of currants and cocoa, and its perfectly blended layers of chocolate, blueberry, cloves, and vanilla yet peppery finish.
At the end of the day, my fellow wino (who happens to be a former Southern Wine and Spirits executive and has been involved in the wine industry for twenty years) declared Barrel 27’s wines stunning. I couldn’t agree more. In spite of the ghastly weather and feeling stuck between a rock and hard place, we found our right hand man, sipped hand over fist, rode high on the hog, grabbed the bull by the horns and discovered more outstanding well-crafted SLO County wines. Mission accomplished.

Visit http://barrel27.com for more information about their own mission.