Wine

A dearth of reviews for this producer on The Wine Front. Only a lonely 2003 Chardonnay, way back in 2006, from me.

The Pinot masters at Ponzi sent this wine to us to put up our thoughts so here goes: classic light watermelon hue with aromas of bright cinnamony cherry brimming with sweet spice notes.Palate--vibrant, zippy cherry juice with cranberry back bitters and spicy red fruit with a cherry smoke finish.Ponzi defined Oregon Pinot and if I'm not mistaken was the Wine Spectator's #1 wine of the year in the not too distant past. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong...)This is NO scheme, but the real deal; a good Pinot will run you $35 which is not cheap but if you compare this to Burgundy it's practically a steal so raise a glass!--A Review from The Wine Cask Blog. Creative Commons: Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 applies

I visited Hedonism Wines for the first time today. You can see a report, mostly pictorial, on my visit here. Some thoughts: It is an amazing retail space. Beautifully planned and perfectly executed. It’s a bit like a museum of wine, where a wine lover can gain a good deal of pleasure from just wandering around and looking at all the amazing bottles. But I can see why some object. There’s a focus on the rich and famous of the wine world, which isn’t always in strict correlation with what’s interesting and worthwhile in the wine world. And I don’t much care for prestige wines. However, there are interesting, well chosen wines here. I didn’t search extensively, but I came across a really good Portuguese selection, and the South African whites were brilliantly chosen, with current knowledge and not just a reliance on old classics. Yes there is a Sine Qua Non room. But while I don’t like the wine style, I admire the packaging and brand cohesion here. The room is remarkable. There’s also a Penfolds room. Grange is an ‘icon’, but it’s not the most interesting, compelling Aussie wine out there. The marketing, though, is spot on. The wine is good enough. We just have to look on and gasp at the prices Penfolds are getting for this wine. Yes, this is a retail outlet that is irrelevant to most wine drinkers. But isn’t it GREAT that wine has this sort of bling factor. Wine is pappable. It’s ‘A’ list celebrity. How cool is that? I think that Hedonism Wines is great for wine overall. Of course, I don’t think many of the celebrity wines are worth the money, and that you can have much more fun elsewhere. But many people buying celebrity bottles aren’t looking for value for money. Quite the opposite. If a wine is affordable, it loses some appeal. We shouldn’t despise this shallowness of the marketplace; rather, we should be positive, and think of the benefits for wine overall that comes from people willing to drop $$$$ on a bottle of wine brings. Overall, the profile of wine is raised by retail outlets such as Hedonism Wines, and this is a good thing.

Hello Friends, Following an enjoyable and informative Wine of Austria Master Class, we jumped on a bus and headed to the Institute of Culinary Education for a South African Wine Pairing Luncheon hosted by Wines of South Africa. Going into this tasting, I had familiarity with some of the region’s refreshing Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc wines as well as Pinotage – a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that is largely unique to South Africa. As a matter of fact, a few years ago I hosted a ‘Pinotage Party’ on Twitter with fellow wine blogger @BrainWines to draw attention to the often misunderstood and underrated grape variety. South African Wine Lunch South Africa has a long wine growing history dating back over three centuries. However, at a time when other new world wine regions were advancing, South Africa’s wine industry was set back by apartheid (1948-1994). In response, trade sanctions were imposed, preventing South African wines from being imported into the U.S. and other markets. Since that time, South African wine has experienced a renaissance of sorts and is growing in popularity. "Chenin Blanc is no longer called Steen and varietals such as Syrah are taking their rightful place among the world’s finest," said the folks at Snooth. Adding that, “ Pinotage ... the black sheep of the vitis vinifera family, is finding new appreciation as producers begin to understand how to coax the most from each variety in South Africa’s famously complex soils.” Curry Mussels Our lunch, prepared by Chef Hugo Uys, who has experience with the flavors of South Africa, consisted of traditional cuisine. Everything served was delicious -- so much so that I cleaned every plate that was put before me. There were also several wines on the tasting sheet I found agreeable – particularly the red blends that I do not see too much of on store shelves here in Virginia. Smoked Ostrich Wines and dishes of note start with a refreshing flute of Graham Beck Brut N.V. (SRP $18). This is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir that’s crisp, clean, and versatile and priced just under the $20 sweet-spot for wine consumers. It is also widely available nationally, so check with your local wine shop for a bottle. The bubbles paired nicely with the curry mussels dish (with lychees, shallots, white wine and dry sherry, in a curry emulsion), which was an extremely pleasing and flavorful dish. Boekenhoutskloof ‘The Chocolate Block’ Our entrée, and a first for me, was a delectable smoked ostrich dish with roasted root vegetables, gorgonzola mousse, herb port reduction, homemade sultana/apricot chutney, and an oven-baked spicy potato chip. It had a texture (even taste) that I would liken to beef (not chicken like everything else) and paired well with a few of the red blended wines we had an opportunity to taste. Some of the reds enjoyed were a 2008 Kanonkop Paul Sauer (SRP $42); a Bordeaux-style blend comprised of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Merlot. This wine shows aromas and flavors of ripe red and dark berry fruit, plum, smoke, and anise alongside hints of leather and floral perfume with a full-bodied velvety texture. The 2010 Boekenhoutskloof ‘The Chocolate Block’ (SRP $34), a blend of 72% Syrah, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Grenache Noir, 6% Cinsaut and 2% Viognier, exhibits a superbly ripe, luscious, and silky smooth profile with well-integrated barrel character made complete by a solid acid backbone. The 2009 Glenelly "Lady May" (SRP $49.99), a blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot is a polished wine that flirts with elegance and finesse showing a dark fruit core with moderate complexity, a juicy mid-palate, and a lengthy finish. Tipsy Tart For the sweet ending, we enjoyed a scrumptious and lip-smacking Tipsy Tart (tart soaked in rooibos infused brandy, vanilla ice cream and a brandy date syrup) with a sp

May Showers (of Wine) Bring Happy HoursSome people use rubs on their entree. You'll be able to use rubs on the ENTIRE FREAKIN' BANQUET.It's such a lovely time of year - but not so lovely that it couldn't be made a little lovelier. Tip a glass or few of these fine wines and let their euphoric glow bring a sparkling sense of well-being to sunny and blustery days alike. Also they're super-cheap.

Have maybe ten more 2005 Bordeaux to review from the United Cellars spectacular spectacular. Love the label on this wine, and also its brother Clerc-Milon. Joyful. Hooray for Bordeaux. Frolic and ring your bells. Throw your grapes in the air. Shake ‘em around like you just don’t care.

Since the site has been down, I’ve falled behind on Mad Men. But I do have a few cocktail notes for the current season! In the first and second episodes (the 2 hour season premiere), the doorman has gifted Don and Megan with a bottle of Galliano, which they open on New Year’s Eve, 1967. Galliano is an herbal liqueur from Italy. It’s known for it’s bright yellow hue and distinct tall bottle. According to Wikipedia, the color symbolizes the Gold Rush of the 1890s. The exact recipe for original Galliano is considered a “closely guarded secret,” but the flavors include vanilla, star anise, ginger, citrus, juniper and lavender. All of these natural ingredients are infused into neutral alcohol, with the exception of the vanilla. The vanilla comes later, when the alcohol is distilled and then infused with vanilla.  I haven’t yet had Galliano, but now I’d like to try a sip. There are cocktails made with the drink, although in the photo above, Megan is serving it straight in simple aperitif  glasses. From the Galliano site (because it’s hot here and this looks amazingly cool and refreshing): La Dolce Vita 1.5 tbsp Galliano Vanilla 1 tbsp Limoncello Top off with Prosecco Build the ingredients in an ice-filled glass and garnish with orange or lime wheels.

May Showers (of Wine) Bring Happy HoursNo, I'm not spending the night alone. I'm spending it with the best friend a guy could ask for: Scott Harvey Barbera.It's such a lovely time of year - but not so lovely that it couldn't be made a little lovelier. Tip a glass or few of these fine wines and let their euphoric glow bring a sparkling sense of well-being to sunny and blustery days alike. Also they're super-cheap.

Here are my top wine picks from the May 25 Vintages Release. I’ll be posting the rest of my recommendations by Thursday. You can also see my reviews for the May 11 LCBO Vintages Release. You can add my wine picks to your shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. You can also create a custom list just for this release that will be saved in your account. Print a text-only version of the reviews. The LCBO Vintages Catalogue published the following of my tasting notes, the most quoted Canadian source of wine reviews in this release: Posted with permission of the LCBO. Get access to all wine reviews:

Celebrate true independence this summer by turning your Fourth of July fête into an all-local feast. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite locavore gourmands to inspire you to build your own homegrown epicurean event.