SWEET WINES FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine's Day gifts usually center around chocolates or flowers.  While those are great choices - you'll hear no argument about either from my valentine - dessert wines have the sweet and pretty angles covered in both aroma and taste.

If your valentine is a wine lover, a dessert wine is the perfect gift idea.  Sweet, floral aromas and luscious candy-like flavors make dessert wine a natural choice for the sweetest person in your life.  Anyway, they taste so much better than those awful candy hearts.

As you may expect, dessert wines are great for dessert, or as an addition to dessert.  They also pair well with blue cheese and you can even liven up a lobster dinner with a sweet wine.

Here are some dessert wines you may want to look into as a gift on the sweetest day of the year:

Sauternes is a sweet Bordeaux white wine.  Sauternes wines can get very expensive, but many affordable examples can be found in the $20 to $30 range for a half-bottle.

A Hungarian wine known as Tokaji (pronounced to-kay) is a sweet white wine often called "the king of wines and the wine of kings."  At least that's what Louis XIV called it.

Italian Brachetto is not extremely sweet - call it off-dry - but it's a sparkling red wine and is certainly a festive choice for Valentine's Day.

An Icewine from Austria, Germany, Canada or New York State will also please sweet-craving palates.

Port is a sweet wine, although it's fortified with brandy or grape spirits and the alcohol level is a bit higher than most dessert wines.  Real Port comes only from Portugal, but Port-style wines are made just about everywhere.

California's Rosenblum Cellars makes a treat called Désirée.  It's a Port-style wine made from Zinfandel and two Portuguese grape varieties, infused with chololate.  It can certainly set a romantic mood all by itself.

WINE COUNTRY: ALABAMA

Now And Zin's bid to sample the wines of all 50 states continues in the Deep South.  Morgan Creek Winery is located just south of Birmingham in in the sleepy little town of Harpersville, Alabama, population 1,620.

Harpersville was the birthplace of the man who founded the second Ku Klux Klan back in 1915, and nowadays they boast the first African-American mayor in Shelby County, Theoangelo Perkins.  Actor Henry B. Wathall hailed from Harpersville.  He is said to have a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.  I've walked those sidewalks in Los Angeles many times, but I don't recall ever seeing Mr. Wathall's star.  I'll keep an eye open for it, though.  ABA star George McGinnis and former NBA player Warren Kidd are also from Harpersville.

Besides all the cotton fields - which is king in the Deep South - the vineyards of Morgan Creek Winery are the main attraction.

Morgan Creek's winemaking focuses on a regional grape popular in the southern and southeastern United States, Muscadine.  They also produce wine from other fruit, notably peaches and blueberries.   The winery is run by Charles Brammer and his son, Charles, Jr.  Winemaking was supposed to be the elder Brammer’s retirement hobby.  Things apparently went in a different direction, and he ended up working again.  At least it’s a labor of love.

More widely known grape varieties, like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, don't grow so well in the hot, humid climate of central Alabama.  Fortunately, that's the kind of weather in which Muscadine thrives.  I was unfamiliar with Muscadine wine, armed only with the word that it was a lot sweeter than the wines I was probably accustomed to drinking.  The folks at Morgan Creek were kind enough to supply two samples of their Muscadine, a red and a white.  Both Muscadine wines are actually more off-dry than sweet, with a very good acidity and earthy, mineral-laden notes which I did not expect.

I think both the red and the white are well made, but the funky flavor of the fruit was simply not getting any traction on my palate.  The acidity was fine, color beautiful, mouthfeel nice - I just didn’t care for the fruit.  I have the same issue with asparagus, sauerkraut and grapefruit.  That doesn't mean they are bad foods - I hear that plenty of people love asparagus, sauerkraut and grapefruit.

Tasting the wines over several days gave me the opportunity to become more accustomed to the flavor profiles, and pairing them with food helped put me in a Muscadine mentality.  In the case of the white Muscadine, I did not try it fully refrigerated until the third day. The recommended serving temperature is ice cold.

Morgan Creek Cahaba White, Alabama Muscadine, Dry Table Wine

The white wine is made from the Carlos variety of Muscadine and sells for $11 per bottle.  There is no residual sugar and it is vinified without the use of oak.  It has a beautiful, golden yellow color.  At room temperature there's an extremely vegetal nose with a bell pepper aroma so strong there seems at first to be no other aroma available.  Chilled, the nose is more like wet straw, tasting very tart and vegetal still.  It becomes less astringent after a few sips and is quite nice paired with macadamia nuts and spicy pecans.  When served ice cold, it still smells a bit of wet straw, but with a hint of oaky chardonnay in it.  The taste is much less tart, with grapefruit and minerals on the palate.  It pairs nicely with peanuts and almonds, and with a blueberry Welsh cake.

Vulcan Red This wine is medium weight, brick-red in color and made from 100% Muscadine grapes.  It sells for $13.  The nose carries a sweet and earthy quality.  Denise - on whose great sense of smell I often rely - says it reminds her of grapes fallen from vines and crushed underfoot, which she experienced as a child.  The palate shows a trace of the same funkiness that presents itself in the Cahaba White, only smoothed out with a ripe sweetness that resembles sour raspberry candy.  There's a sparkling acidity which actually feels almost - but not quite - fizzy in the mouth.  It pairs well with butter cookies and blueberry Welsh cake, too.  It’s not so great a match with peanuts, but food with a bit of a sweet edge seems to be a good mate for it.  Vulcan Red can also benefit from a good chill.

Although Muscadine's flavor profiles were not meant for me, I can certainly see why the grape has its fans.  Tremendous thanks go out to Morgan Creek Winery for showing us the wine side of Alabama.

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MICHAEL DAVID INCOGNITO VIOGNIER 2007

Lunchtime in Beverly Hills usually takes us to one of a bushel basketful of Italian restaurants located in and around 90210.  This time, we tried a place that was new, for us anyway.

Da Pasquale Trattoria Italiana in Beverly Hills is a bright and comfortable place to grab good Italian food.  There are streetside tables on the sidewalk, but I honestly don't see what people find so enthralling about dining three feet from Los Angeles traffic.  We went indoors.

The wine list is fairly decent, but when I asked which whites were unchilled, it was a choice between a Lodi Viognier and a California Chardonnay.  I think I made the right choice.

Brothers Michael and David Phillips carry on a family tradition of farming that dates back to the 1860s.  The vineyards are irrigated by the Mokelumne River, and the family no longer relies on selling their grapes to other winemakers - they make their own wine.

The Michael David website calls Incognito "the Viognier formerly known as Roussanne. Originally thought to be Roussanne, D.N.A. testing found it to be a rare clone of Viognier."  The winery also produces a red wine which goes as Incognito Rouge.

Incognito shows a beautiful golden color, with a nose not as floral one might expect from Viognier.  There is a big flourish of apricot, with a touch of peas, or maybe edamame.  Apricots dominate the palate as well, with a vegetal accent and a wet rock minerality.   Incognito has a very full mouthfeel.  It's a lush drink with nice acidity and a long finish.  It paired well with my spaghetti aglio olio, which was garlicky and simply fantastic.

THE BIRTH OF WHITE ZINFANDEL AT SUTTER HOME WINERY

A recent post on a wine blog well worth checking out - Dr. Vino - dealt with the story behind the birth of one of the most popular White Zinfandels, that of Sutter Home Winery.

The Napa Valley winery dates back to the late 1800s, and was resurrected by the Trinchero family in 1948.  They struggled along for a number of years, until Bob Trinchero - quite by accident - made what he termed a White Zinfandel.  He did this by bleeding off some of the juice to try and make his Zinfandel wine more concentrated.

Dr. Vino quotes Mr. Trinchero at length from an oral history at the University of California's Bancroft Library.  He says the happy accident occurred in 1972, and White Zin really started to take off in the mid '70s.  At that time he was producing about 400 cases of the pink wine.

Dr. Vino concludes the post with the success story: Sutter Home's output of White Zinfandel grew and became more popular.  By 1985 they were selling a million and a half cases, by 1990 they moved 3 million cases of their White Zinfandel.

Sutter Home also has a little video of the story of White Zinfandel on their website.

By the way, if you pooh-pooh White Zinfandel while ruminating over your old vine Zin, consider what I have been told.  Were it not for the enormous popularity of White Zin in the 1980s, many old Zinfandel vines in California might have been ripped out to make way for more commercially viable grapes. 

WINE GUYS AT VINOTEQUE ON MELROSE

I had an all-too-infrequent wine session with my friend and colleague Nicolas Soufflet recently at Vinoteque on Melrose in Los Angeles.  Nicolas is a young man determined to make his mark in the wine industry.  Hailing from France, he has an extensive knowledge of that country's wines and, in fact, has worked forChapoutier.  He also has experience in Italian wines - I have witnessed his expertise in hosting tasting sessions featuring the wines of Italy.  His recommendations to me are always taken to heart.

This evening, the conversation ran wildly from one topic another.  Nicolas extolled the virtues of French wine and disparaged the cult wines of Napa Valley, in particular.  Some good wines, and good wine places we have shared were also up for discussion.  The state of our personal and professional situations caused some lively banter - all good on the personal front and somewhat guarded on the professional.  My illustration of the sad shape of my own professional outlook when I was at his age didn't seem to brighten his spirits much.  I remember the same sort of conversation with my elders at that time had the same effect on me.  We let the wine dominate our evening, however, and that proved to be a good thing.

Nicolas - no surprise - enjoyed a Vouvray and a Burgundy.  I spent a couple of hours ruminating on a Rhone blend from Lirac and a Douro vinho tinto.

The 2003 Roger Sabon Chapelle de Maillac blends Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignane, with the Grenache taking the lead.  Nicolas mentioned that Lirac was adjacent to Châteauneuf du Pape, and I understand the vineyards are on hillsides full of stones and chalk.  The wine is $8 by the glass at Vinoteque.

Its nose features very dark fruit and notes of tobacco and tomato, or tomato sauce, actually.  The palate shows smokey blackberry and black plum.  Starting out a little hot, it really smooths out after half an hour.

The Douro entry, Lavradores de Feitoria Vinho Tinto, is also $8 per glass.  A blend of native Portuguese grapes Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca, this red shows very deep color due to prolonged maceration and shows particularly dark aromas and flavors considering the steel fermentation.

I pick up smokey black cherry aromas with an overlay of tar and a taste of plummy cassis.  A very firm structure paired well with the treats on the table.

We had some Garrotxa cheese made from goat's milk in the Catalonia region of Spain.  A peppery salami and some mini crab cakes were also nice.

ANCIENT ARMENIAN WINERY DISCOVERED

Archaeologists digging around in the mountains of Armenia have found what they believe to be the world's oldest known winery.

National Geographic reports the researchers have unearthed a wine press, fermentation vessels and even some old dried up grapevines believed to be about 6,100 years old.  One of the archaeologists, from UCLA, says it is the "earliest, most reliable evidence of wine production."

It appears that the ancient winemakers stomped the grapes with their feet, allowing the juice to run into a vat where it was fermented.  The scientists say the cool, dry conditions of the cave where the winery was found would make a perfect place to store wine.

Traces of malvidin - the plant pigment that causes red wine to be red - was found on some drinking cups also located there.  However, the lack of tartaric acid might point to the wine having been made using pomegranates instead of grapes.

Evidence of wine has already been discovered dating back 7,000 years in Iran, but there was no winemaking facility discovered there.  The new discoveries lead scientists to believe that Armenia, Georgia and neighboring countries may be the birthplace of viticulture.

There were also some burial sites discovered in the area, leading the team to suspect that wine was a big part of the civilization's funeral proceedings.

According to the report, these discoveries are important because of what they show about prehistoric societies.  Vine growing represents an advanced form of agriculture and the knowledge of how to make something with culinary and nutritional value out of what were once wild grapes indicates a certain level of sophistication.

SUPER BOWL WINE

Football fans are looking forward to the Super Bowl - and wine lovers who like football - may want some help in finding a suitable wine that pairs well with pigskin.

Here are some wines with football pedigrees.

Former NFL coach Dick Vermeil makes wine in Napa Valley. Calistoga, to be exact.  That's where his great-grandfather lived and made wine, and where Vermeil grew up.  Vermeil has coached teams to a college national championship and a Super Bowl victory in the NFL, so maybe cracking a bottle of his vino will mean good luck for your team.

As the president of the San Francisco 49ers, Carmen Policy helped build Super Bowl champions.  Now he presides over his wine label, Casa Piena in Napa Valley.  With a heavy-hitting Cabernet Sauvignon, Policy's team color is now purple.

The former quarterback for those 49er championship teams, Joe Montana, also has a wine still available - Montagia - although he sold the Calistoga winery in 2009.

Former Redskins defensive standout Terry Hoage runs Terry Hoage Vineyards in California's Paso Robles area.  He concentrates his efforts on Rhone varieties.

Michigan Wolverine fans will want to stock up on Bo's Wine, named for the late Bo Schembechler, who coached the Wolverines for 20 years.  Schembechler is memorialized by a Merlot and a Savignon Blanc, both selling for less than $20.  A contribution from the sale of each bottle is made to the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center.

Former New England Patriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe has a Washington state wine called Doubleback.  His Cabernet Sauvignon has just released its first vintage.

Former Bears linebacker Dick Butkus offers his Legends 51 Cabernet Sauvignon - a wine which contributes 100% of its sales to the Butkus Foundation.

"Iron" Mike Ditka has a manly brand on the market - Kick Ass Red - which utilizes grapes from Mendocino, California.

The New York Jets commemorated the opening of their new stadium with the release of a - California - wine.

Gary Eberle was a Penn State Nittany Lion in his collegiate career.  His Eberle Winery is one of the finest in Paso Robles, a wine area he helped establish.


The image above is a hand painted wine glass called "Football Widow" - it sells for $20 at Etsy.com.

BUCCI VERDICCHIO DEI CASTELLI DI JESI CLASSICO SUPERIORE

Another trip to Fabrocini's Beverly Glen - yes, the calamari and scungilli salad beckoned again - resulted in another white wine to pair with my favorite dish.  Usually I go with a California wine here - once a German Riesling - but this time I went Italian.

The Bucci Verdicchio Dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore is $12 by the glass at Fabrocini’s.  It has an alcohol level of 13.5% and appears to be a 100% varietal wine aged only in the bottle. 

The wine has a shimmering golden color with a greenish tint.  Peach and minerals vie for attention on the nose and the palate, with the mineral aspect particularly forceful on the taste.  There is a hint of vegetation as well.  A full mouthfeel and plenty of acidity make it a wonderful quaff, and both help it pair so well with seafood.  A long-lasting finish leaves ripe peaches as a memory.

ROSSO WINE SHOP EXPANSION

I stopped in to see Jeff Zimmitti at Rosso Wine Shop in Glendale, California recently to check out the expansion of his store.  Zimmitti said, “The process began in mid-2010 and went through the summer.  We got the final tweaks done in October.”

The next-door space was previously occupied by a maternity shop.  When they decided their business had grown to the point that they needed more room - a fitting metaphor - they moved up the street and created room for the Rosso expansion.

Zimmitti said the extra space allows for more inventory.  “We now have a selection of German and Austrian wines.  I sort of limited myself to Italy, France, Spain and California up to now.  We also were able to add a little additional bar space and we have room for stacking cases now.  Oh, and a place for dinner.”

He nods into the new space, in the direction of a huge, rustic dinner table.  “That’s for wine dinners,” he said, “so we can have winemakers and importers bring in their wines to pair with food in a relaxed and comfortable setting.”  Those situations were a little crowded before, when extra tables and chairs had to be squeezed in between the wine racks and the tasting bar.  “You can also rent the room,” he adds, “for a private event or a birthday party, something like that.”

The new space is adorned with a number of interesting maps on the walls, depicting different countries and their wine regions, something I’ve long thought would be a natural choice for a place selling wine from around the world.  “I’m a map guy,” Zimmitti confessed, “and I’m a graphic designer, and I have access to a large format printer.  It all fell into place.”

There isn’t a kitchen, so the Rosso wine events involving food have to be catered from off site.  Zimmitti noted that “one importer did find a way to make a paella in the back for his Spanish wines.”

City permits were the hardest part of the expansion process.  “All the forms and applications we had to wade through when we opened, we had to basically do it all over again.  The end result was worth it, though.”

As we talked, I enjoyed the weekend tasting along with a few other early arrivers.

Zaumau Priorat Blanco 2008
This Spanish Grenache Blanc is made from the fruit of old vines, and has the grizzled qualities expected.  The pale yellow wine undergoes steel fermentation.  The nose is loaded with minerals and the fresh taste puts wet rocks, bell pepper herbal notes and citrus on display.  The finish is lengthy.

Nebout Saint-Pourcain Rouge 2009
From rocky vineyards in France’s Loire Valley, this red is 80% Gamay and 20% Pinot Noir.  Medium brick red with a grapey nose - a fabulously grapey nose.  There is a strong floral scent as well, and flavors of bright cherry.  Very smooth tannins make this mellow wine very friendly.  Based on the brightness and clarity of the fruit, I would guess there is no oak used in making this wine.

Collosorbo Sant' Antimo 2007
This Tuscan red blend is a dark purple in the glass with a nose of blackberry with spices and an oaky presence.  Dark fruit and smoke on the palate are abetted by a  big mineral effect.  Good grip.  White pepper lasts into long finish.  A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot seems an odd mix for Tuscany.  The wine is aged in small 225 liter barriques.  It may interest you to know that the estate, Tenuta di Collosorbo, is headed by three women - owner Giovanna Ciacci, winemaker Laura Sutera Sardo and enologist/marketing manager Lucia Sutera Sardo.

Rosso Wine Shop’s weekly tastings - Friday and Saturday evenings from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. - cost $10 for the flight.  The conversation is free.  Zimmitti loves to start pouring early and doesn't mind running overtime.  Wine by glass and bottled beer are also available at the bar.

LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY WINE CLASSIC 2011

A suddenly rainy Sunday and a bit of a cool snap provided the perfect backdrop for the 30th Annual Wine Classic at Loyola Marymount University.  The weather may have gotten unexpectedly off track from the early spring which Southern California was enjoying, but January 30, 2011 turned out alright for those in attendance at this event.

The crowd was big - it was big last year, too.  The fundraiser for LMU Student Scholarships does great business each year, and hundreds turned out for the 2011 edition.  Tickets sales account for a portion of the money raised, and a silent auction of large format wines from the participating wineries brings in additional revenue.

Despite the gymnasium surroundings, the event is decidedly elegant.  It’s the only tasting event I’ve been to which has a string quartet playing live.

Close to 50 wineries were pouring their wares and the event was populated primarily with Napa Valley wines from somewhat small producers.  As you may expect, there was a lot to like at the LMU campus.


The Delicious Dozen - My 12 Favorites of the Loyola Marymount Wine Classic 2011:

August Briggs Wines Pinot Noir, Dijon Clone 2008 - darker and earthier than the Calistoga winery's also wonderful Russian River Pinot.

Fontanella Family Winery Zinfandel 2009 - Napa Zin comes on like a Napa Cabernet, muscular and elegant at once.

Frazier Winery Merlot, Frazier Vineyard 2007 - smokey and dark nose with more of same on palate from this Napa producer.

Judd's Hill Petite Sirah, Old Vine Lodi 2007 - a great, big wine from the Napa winery on the Silverado Trail.

Lasseter Family Winery St. Emilion Style Red Blend, Sonoma Valley 2007 - Glen Ellen producer's blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Cabernet Franc is extremely dark and earthy; very dry with great grip.

Martian Ranch and Vineyard Grenache Rosé 2009 - Los Alamos pinkie with great acidity and light cherries forever.

Ortman Family Vineyards Chardonnay, Edna Valley 2008 - Paso Robles' Chuck Ortman utilizes grapes from Edna Valley, one of the best areas in California for white wines.  Slight oak and big fruit.

Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 - One of the best bouquets at the event with graphite, dark fruit and wonderful minerality.

St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Zinfandel, "Old Vines" Sonoma County 2007 - Santa Rosa winery uses Zin from vines exceeding 100 years old.  Big fruit and tannins to match.

Vinoce Vineyard Proprietary Blend, Mount Veeder 2007 - From one of Napa's premier locations, a mix of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  Tons of earth and smoke.

White Rock Vineyards Claret 2006 - A new release from this Napa winery, it spent two years in French Oak and two years in the bottle.

Yates Family Vineyard Cabernet Franc Cheval Vineyard 2007 - Huge fruit in this dark Napa beauty.




Also Fabulous:

August Briggs Cabernet Sauvignon, Monte Rosso Vineyard 2007 - Briggs said he loves this vineyard. Huge pencil lead edge.

Brookman Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 - A deep, rich nose and a long finish.

Foxen Vineyard Chardonnay, Bien Nacido Vineyard 2009 - Lightly oaked and wonderful acidity. Exceptional.

Foxen Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley 2007 - Dark and earthy with a very good grip.

The Grade Sauvignon Blanc 2009 - Grassy, tropical and refreshing with nice acidity.

Judd's Hill Pinot Noir, Central Coast 2007 - Restrained, compared to the big reds on hand.

Krupp Brothers Estates Black Bart's Bride White 2007 - Marsanne, Viognier and Chardonnay get nine months French oak, but is not overblown.

Lasseter Family Winery Rosé Blend, Sonoma Valley 2009 - Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre; salmon colored and dry.

Martian Ranch & Vineyard Grenache Blanc 2008 - Nutty, tropical and peach with great acidity.

Riverbench Chardonnay 2007 - Oaky, good rich nose.

Riverbench Pinot Noir 2007 - Earth and pepper.

Smith-Madrone Riesling 2009 - Dry style, nice peach flavor with great acidity.

Yates Family Cabernet Sauvignon, Mountain Vineyard 2005 - very reserved and elegant.  This producer has been making wine for the family since the 1950s.  1999 was their first commercial vintage.

ZD Wines Pinot Noir Carneros 2009 - Floral nose with earthy notes accenting.

WINE AND BEER AT LUCKY DEVILS

Meeting friends for a beer is a time honored tradition.  The beverage isn't really important, it's the company and the conversation that count.  However, if all you're talking about is how lousy the beer - or wine - is, it sort of defeats the purpose of the get-together.

There was no such discourse at Lucky Devils in Hollywood.  The beverages spoke for themselves.  A great beer list, a wine list in which brevity left little choice and some tasty snacks combined for a nice little Saturday soiree.

After the usual Hollywood Boulevard hassles - two-dollar an hour parking at the meter, men looking semi-dangerous doing some sidewalk preaching about something or other, LAPD staring intently into the place for an undisclosed reason - we managed to settle into our kitchen-style chairs and let the festivities begin.

Even though it was intended to be a beer gathering, one of the few wines offered caught my eye because it was from the Sonoma County town of Geyserville, a place I visited a while back.  I was impressed with the wines I found there, so I chose a red table wine from Mercury Geyserville called The Jug.  It was an easy-going $7.50 by the glass, but a bit pricey at $19.50 in the 500ml jug.  It appears to be a Bordeaux-style blend from Alexander Valley vineyards.

The Jug is very dark in the glass, inky in fact.  A fruity nose also displays an earthy darkness and some spice.  It really tastes great, with cassis and black cherry flavors accented by spice and smoke.  The finish is a little weak with a sour cherry aftertaste.

Others in the group opted for brewski.  The Hornin' Nettie Madge Black IPA from Anderson Valley Brewing Company is stout-dark with a licorice nose and a tan head that hangs around a while.  The taste reminds me of dates and almonds.  The Craftsman IPA is a more standard-issue India Pale Ale, with characteristics much like Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale.  A golden color and lots of hops will make plenty of summer afternoons more tolerable.

MEASURING THE TANNIN FINGERPRINT IN WINE

Wine scientists at the University of California at Davis have developed a way of identifying which grape varietal a wine is made from by looking at the “fingerprint” of the wine’s tannin.

In an article in Wine Spectator, Dr. Eric Anslyn says the process involves an array of chemicals with which the wine’s tannic structure reacts.   “It really relates to the DNA coding of the wine,” says Dr. Anslyn.

Another UC-Davis scientific bigwig says that identifying a grape’s DNA is easy - well, by scientific standards - but until now, no way existed of getting to the DNA level of a finished wine.

The discovery of this process was actually a happy byproduct of scientists looking for something else.  The researchers were actually trying to study the way mammals taste and smell to develop new ways of diagnosing disease.  They chose tannins in wine as the focal point because they are complex and because wine is popular.

The scientists have yet to try the method on blended wines or aged wines, but they expect to do so in the future.  Also, the error rate has not been determined, but even in its preliminary state, there are indications that this process could be a leap forward in medicine as well as wine.

WINE COUNTRY: GEORGIA

The West Coast of the United States gets most of the attention for domestic wine production, but wine is made in all 50 states.  The “Wine Country” series is my effort to taste wine from all the states.  The recent series on Norton wines got me started, with fine efforts from Missouri and Virginia - so fine, we may revisit those states along the way.  This isn’t an alphabetical journey, nor is it ordered geographically. 

Today, we kick off the official “Wine Country” trail where the Norton series ended - in the state of Georgia.

I sampled a Norton wine from Tiger Mountain Vineyards, in Tiger, Georgia.  You can see the article on their Norton wine for more on the vineyard.

Tiger, Georgia is a tiny burg of just over 300 people.  The town sits at about 2,000 feet above sea level at the foot of Tiger Mountain, a 2,856-ft peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  Tiger is in Rabun County which has a slogan - "Where Spring Spends The Summer" - indicating a place where the average temperature in January is about 49F and just under 80F in August - very pleasant.  An annual rainfall of over 70 inches no doubt helps the flora along.

One of the treats I’m looking forward to in this series is the opportunity to sample grape varieties which are not readily available to me in California.  The Norton grape is a prime example.  Tiger Mountain also throws a little winemaker love on the Petit Manseng grape.

Petit Manseng 2008 

The white Petit Manseng grape originated in southwestern France.  It is said the wine of this grape was used to baptize Henry IV.  This particular Tiger Mountain wine was entered into the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, where it took a silver medal.  Tiger Mountain’s Petit Manseng has won 11 awards, 5 of them gold.  It sells for $35 from the winery.

Sitting in the glass with a rich, golden color, the smell of this Georgia white wine’s bouquet immediately put me in mind of Chardonnay, then Viognier, then Albariño.  The aromas lean toward green apples, with a nudge toward some tropical fruit which is never fully realized.  There is also the scent of vanilla spice and a trace of nutmeg!  On the palate, a vegetal flavor comes forward first, with spiced apples following; a hint of pepper lingers on the finish.  It’s a full-bodied white wine, with a lively mouthfeel.  The 13.5% alcohol level is moderate and the nearly bracing acidity makes this a wine that pairs well with food.  I had it with a holiday feast of sweet, brown sugar ham, bourbon pecan mashed sweet potatoes and chestnuts on the side.  The Petit Manseng paired well with everything on the plate, especially the ham and the chestnuts.

The next scheduled stop on the Wine Country express is Alabama.  We’ll try some Muscadine from the Deep South.

TERRE DE TRINCI SANGIOVESE UMBRIA 2008 AT VIVOLI

Vivoli is one of those restaurants we don’t favor too much, even though the food is good.  There are two reasons we slight them, and it’s not really intentional.

First, the restaurant is in a Sunset Boulevard strip mall with another restaurant we like a lot.  Vivoli sometimes loses out at the last second, as we pass the door to the other place and decide to go there instead.

Second, we tend to measure all Italian restaurants against the yardstick of our favorite, Il Buco.  When compared to Il Buco, everybody loses out.

As I mentioned, though, the food at Vivoli is good.  They also have a nice wine list.  It’s not very extensive, but there are a few good selections of Italian wines at decent prices.  The cheese and tomato sauce pizza was simple and rustic, done with a very thin crust which was a little burned around the edge.  We ask for it that way.  I chose a Sangiovese from Umbria to accompany it.

Terre de’ Trinci concentrates on Sagrantino wines, but they do a few others in addition.  The Sangiovese is one of them.  It’s $8 per glass at Vivoli.

Medium red in hue, this 100% Sangiovese goes purple around the edge of the glass.  The nose is earthy with black cherry notes dominating and an almost minty overlay.  The palate is smooth enough - it’s a very drinkable wine - and the medium mouthfeel carries flavors of currant and cherry.

I would have liked the finish to be a bit longer, but the pairing with the pizza was good enough to keep me from thinking about that too much.

MADDALENA MERLOT 2006 AT THE FARMERS MARKET BAR

I had a little time to burn while waiting for a movie to begin at The Grove in Los Angeles, so I ambled over to the adjacent Farmers Market to have a glass of wine at the bar.  I could have gone to any of several enocentric restaurants at The Grove for a glass of vino, but the bar at the Farmers Market always attracts me.

I don’t even know its name - if it actually has a name.  There’s no mistaking it, though.  It’s the bar in the middle of the Farmers Market - not quite outdoors but not quite in - where accents from all over the world always seem to be enthralled in debate over a televised soccer match.  There always seems to be a soccer match on when I visit this bar, no matter what time it is.

The bar is actually more of a beer drinker’s haven, with plenty of good brews on tap and decent pitcher prices.  Get your food from any of the countless eateries in the Farmers Market and settle in at a table near the bar for a good time any time.

The wine scene at the Farmers Market bar is a little more limited, but it does offer some interesting choices on a rotating basis that change with great frequency.  It’s either that, or I just don’t get there as often as I think I do.

The ‘06 Maddalena Merlot is produced by the Los Angeles winemaking Riboli family.  They produce wine at their downtown San Antonio Winery using grapes from some of California’s best winegrowing regions.  This Merlot hails from the Paso Robles AVA in San Luis Obispo County, the Spring Creek, Cass and Batdorf vineyards.  The different vineyard lots are produced separately and aged in American oak.  The wine has a robust 14.5% alcohol content

The nose features blueberry with smoke on it.  Other dark fruit meanders through the sniff, too.  On the palate, a vegetal angle seems a little out of place.  The dark fruit I taste has a smokiness through it as well, to the detriment of the fruit.  The tannins are soft, which is rather unusual in red wines served in this bar.  Rather than coming off as simplistic, though, the wine tastes rustic.  It’s a good table wine and a pleasurable quaff.  Maddalena Merlot is poured at the Farmers Market bar at just $7 per glass - as long as it is still on the chalkboard.

WINE TRENDS

American spending on wine was greater than ever in 2010, according to an article in Wine Spectator.  The U.S. wine industry posted its 17th straight annual gain, with an increase in sales of 0.9%.  The numbers come from a report in The U.S. Wine Market: Impact Databank Review and Forecast, 2010 Edition.  The report shows that Americans spent over $40 million on wine last year.

The magazine cites the report as showing that large producers had the most to gain, increasing their sales by almost twice the overall number.  WS figures this means that wine drinkers were looking for more value in last year’s bad economy.

According to the report, Franzia led the way as the nation’s largest case producer, while E & J Gallo nailed down the top spot as the country’s largest marketer overall.  Gallo was also one of the fastest-growing brands, along with Barefoot Cellars and Sutter Home.

WS also reports that good upward moves were made by Ménage à Trois and Cupcake Vineyards.  The fastest-growing sparkling-wine brand was the Italian Verdi.

AMERICA’S WINE HISTORY

There’s a new wine column which appears to be well worth seeking out.  Eater.com has started a new feature called Vintage America: A Brief History of Wine in America.  It’s a weekly column penned by Talia Baiocchi.  She will explore winemaking across the breadth of the nation.

In the introductory column, Baiocchi remarks on the path wine took from Bordeaux to Thunderbird, and the hard climb to respectability the American winemaking effort has endured.  She writes of how the American wine industry has grown by embracing those who were put off by wine snobbery, of how the domestic wine industry “offered a way in to those who had once felt marginalized by a culture of wine that was not their own.”

Touching on the more accessible jargon used for describing wines and the “democracy” of the 100-point scale for rating wine, Baiocchi outlines the rapid rise of the American wine culture since the 1970s and promises to reach back further into America’s winemaking history.  She also promises to delve into wine from states other than the big four producers of California, Oregon, Washington and New York.

That is of particular interest to me, since I recently began an effort to taste wine from all fifty states.  You can follow my “Wine Country” series on the Now And Zin Wine Blog, and follow Talia Baiocchi’s column on Eater.com.

AUSTRALIAN WINE DINNER AND TASTING, LOS ANGELES

The Australian wine industry has seen more than its share of troubles recently.  Wildfires, floods and overproduction have been aggravating at best, tragic at worst.  Thursday January 20, 2011 at Twist Restaurant in the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood, it was "no worries, mate" at least for a few hours.

A dinner showcasing fine Australian wine and cuisine was hosted by Chris De Cure, the Australian Consul-General in Los Angeles on behalf of the G'Day USA Australia Week Committee.

The purpose of the event was to feature some of the culinary facets of the land down under which often take a backseat in an American media happy to portray Australia as all koala bears, shrimp on the barbie and supermarket-level wines.  This event showed just how much Australia has to offer in fine wine and dining.

Mr. De Cure had many good things to say about Australian food and wine, and was so affable that when he slipped up and referred to Champagne, he quickly covered by stating that, "Australian sparkling wine is better than Champagne."  He offered that comment as a humorous aside, but it's not hard to believe that it was heartfelt.  Australia could not ask for a better proponent than the Consul-General.

The wines of the evening were, of course, all Australian.  The food, too, was flown in especially for this event.

Dinner was prepared by two of Australia's best chefs, Mark Best and Peter Gilmore.  Gilmore'sQuay Restaurant is a Sydney showcase, while Best's Marque Restaurant takes a quieter profile in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills.  The dishes served by these two men were exquisite, and the wines paired with them matched almost perfectly.

I had the good fortune to be seated next to Best's wife, Valerie, who compared and contrasted both restaurants while acting as a one-woman public relations team for her husband.  She explained that Quay is an opulent restaurant where diners face outward to a beautiful view, while Marque is more reserved and inward-facing.  She said many people refer to Marque as "Melbournian" in atmosphere.

The description of the two restaurants fit the cuisine presented by each chef.  Best's compact, Asian-influenced dishes contrasted with Gilmore's more sumptuous European-styled fare.  The two chefs alternated menu items and gave diners a taste of the best of both worlds.  There was no problem with too many chefs in the kitchen - I was told the collaboration was easy, as the pair are friends and hold each other in high esteem.

They aren't the only celebrities looking to upgrade Australia's image in the eyes of the American public.  Australian television personality Jamie Durie - host of HGTV's The Outdoor Room - is working with YouDontKnowOz.com on a campaign to educate Americans on all things Australian in hopes of debunking stereotypes.  Wine education is the focus of the campaign, with wineries like Wolf Blass, Rosemount, Lindemans, Greg Norman Estates and Penfolds working together to capitalize on Australia's wine tourism cachet.

The wines showcased during the dinner event - during a mixer/tasting beforehand and with the dinner itself - showcased Australia's ample winemaking talent.  The country has been producing wines since the 1820s, and boasts a number of well respected wine regions.

Tablemate Gavin Speight of Old Bridge Cellars was there promoting several of the wines on the dinner menu.  He broke out a small map of Australia's wine regions to show me some of the wineries of South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania.  Great wine also is produced in Western Australia.  When I asked how much time I should allow for an Australian wine vacation, he told me to "imagine that you are in Los Angeles and Napa Valley is in New York - that's how far it is from Sydney to Perth.  Coupla weeks ought to do it."

Although Perth native Speight has been in the States for ten years, he says, "I haven't lost my accent.  I want people to see Australia's diversity and terroir, and know that they haven't lost their accent, either."

The Menu, and The Wines
CanapésPrepared by Chefs Mark Best and Peter GilmoreBeetroot & Foie Gras MacaroonsTomato & Parmesan MarshmallowTuna Sashimi, Shiso and LimeTart of fresh Goat's Curd, Pickled Beetroot, Radish, Olive Crumbs, Chard, Pine Infused Balsamicpaired with
DB Family Selection Sparkling BrutEmeri De Bortoli Pink MoscatoClover Hill Vintage Brut 2004

First Course
Prepared by Chef Peter GilmoreSmoked Eel and Eggwhite Pearl, Sashimi Kingfish, Pickled Kohlrabi, Horseradish Cream, Octopus Tapioca
paired withd'Arenberg The Last Ditch Viognier 2008
Second CoursePrepared by Chef Mark BestPetuna Ocean Trout with Lemon & Dill Jelly, Burnt Vanilla
paired withKilikanoon Mort's Block Riesling 2009
Third CoursePrepared by Chef Peter GilmorePoached Lobster, Lobster Custard, Lobster Consommé
paired withGiant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay 2008
Fourth CoursePrepared by Chef Mark BestRoast St Helens Oyster with Mustard & Abalone
paired withDe Bortoli Yarra Valley Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2008
Fifth CoursePrepared by Mark BestAll Natural Free Range Roast Lamb with Licorice, Eggplant & Burnt Leek
paired withPenfolds Bin 407 2006
Sixth CoursePrepared by Chef Peter GilmorePoached Fillet of Angus Beef with Truffle Infused Potato Puree, Baby Spinach,
Bitter Chocolate Black Pudding Crumbs
paired withYarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 2005
DessertPrepared by Chef Mark BestSauternes Custard
paired withDe Bortoli Noble One 2007

THORNTON CUVEE DE FRONTIGNAN, TEMECULA SPARKLER

While all my wine world pals seemed to be filling the Twitter timeline to the “fail whale” point about which Champagne’s cork they’d be popping on New Year’s Eve, I was chilling a bottle of California sparkling wine.  From Temecula.

Two summers ago, Denise and I visited Thornton Winery and picked up a bottle of their Cuvée de Frontignan.  We both loved the taste, and it was at a sale price well below $20.  We thought we’d ring in 2010 with it, but a rush of bubbly over that holiday season pushed it into the crowd, and there it waited patiently for the year to pass.

This Temecula sparkler is made from Muscat grapes in the Méthode Champenoise.  It reminds me of Asti Spumante - all the celebratory bubbles of Champagne, just lighter and fruitier.  It has an alcohol content of 12.5% abv, so we could enjoy several flutes without becoming tipsy.

We had secured some of our favorite snacks from Whole Foods Market - Denise calls them Lovely Little Things - and the Cuvée paired quite well with the wide variety of crackers, cheese, olives, grains and rice-based salads. 

The Cuvée de Frontignan has medium-fine bubbles that form a sparkling white froth about a half-inch thick.  The nose is full of fruit growing up against a wall of minerals.  It’s yeasty and spicy on the palate, with fruity flavors tasting so very fresh.  The creamy mouthfeel leads to peaches which linger on the finish.

The bottle lasted three days for us, and on the second day it took on a much earthier and more substantial tone without sacrificing too many bubbles.

Don Reha, Thornton’s winemaker at the time this Cuvée was bottled, has moved on to  R.Merlo Estate Vineyards.  He had been with Thornton since 2003.  David Vergari is now Thornton’s winemaker.  He interned at Napa’s Sonoma-Cutrer and the Hess Collection after studying Enology and Viticulture at UC Davis.  Working abroad for a bit, Vergari now returns home to California, although somewhat south of his native Sonoma County.

THE PARING WHITE 2008

A recent dinner at the Capital Grille, in the Beverly Center in Los Angeles, provided me with my first look at the restaurant operating from the space the old Hard Rock Cafe once occupied.  More than once during the evening I heard the comment, "Boy, it sure doesn't look like the Hard Rock, does it?"  No, it doesn't.  This place features a lot of "steakhouse browns" and dark red leather upholstery in the booths.  It also features some outstanding food and a very nice wine list.  Master Sommelier George Miliotes has done a nice job.

There were some issues at the maitre d' stand resulting in a rather long wait, but we were offered something to drink during the delay.  Once we were seated, the service was stellar.

I like to see plenty of local options on a wine list, and there were a few here.  I went with a wine I had only sampled at a tasting event a couple of years ago.  The Paring White comes from the folks who brought you the Napa cult brand Screaming Eagle.  The Santa Ynez winery Jonata is their Central Coast high-end producer, and The Paring is a second label featuring wines which are much more moderately priced.  The white blend sells for $13 by the glass at The Capital Grille.

Winemaker Matt Dees oversees both labels.  Dees has a degree in soil science from the University of Vermont, so it's no surprise to find that he feels great wines are made in the vineyard.

Dees honed his winemaking chops in Napa Valley and New Zealand, and his specialty is wine made from Bordeaux grape varieties.  The Paring's estate vineyard is in Ballard Canyon, in the Santa Ynez Valley.

The Paring White 2008 is a blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc, 28% Sémillon and 17% Viognier.  The 2007 vintage had only Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon in its makeup, and the addition of Viognier makes a difference.  The wine is made utilizing equal parts new French oak, neutral French oak and stainless steel, and is bottled unfined.  375 cases were produced.

Our server advised that it was a good choice to pair with my lobster bisque - which is incredible - and she was right.  She told me many of her customers find it's a bit like Conundrum, also offered by the glass, but not as sweet.

The Paring's nose shows only a slight touch of the Sauvignon Blanc's grassiness and a good whiff of the Viognier's floral aspect.  I also smelled fresh pears and nectarines.  Tropical flavors come first on the palate with a lovely herbal/floral quality.  It has a pale green tint in the glass and feels medium-to-full in the mouth.  There's a great acidity - razor sharp - which makes it pair very well with the bisque and also with Denise's salmon, a bite or two of which I sneaked from her plate.  Pear juice on the finish leaves a beautiful memory of the wine's taste.