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Home / Archives for Wine Words and Beer Notes

Wine Spotlight

June 2, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Loving the Lighter Reds

By Jake Wright, Annex Wine & Beer Buyer/Manager

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My love affair. It almost didn’t happen at all. It was a chance meeting, but it irrevocably, irreversibly turned my world upside down.

My wife made a simple seafood stew, with rockfish, shrimp, some clams and mussels – a working parent’s cioppino. Now, what wine to pair with this? I didn’t want a white, and pairing a red felt like a little too much. I was about to default to a rosé when I remembered I had already picked out a wine, by reputation only, for a meal just like this.

This wine was a Rossese di Dolceacqua, a light and savory red wine from the Lugurian region of Italy.  Think Genoa, La Spezia, even Cinque Terre. This is a rugged land that lives in close relation to the sea, and like all Italian cuisine, the wines and foods of the regions evolved together in time-tested harmony. This is seafood country, with simple stews like my wife made as common fare.

The wine poured a tawny, almost brick-like red. It had intense fruit aroma, with herbal and woody undertones. It was very light bodied, and upon tasting, the savory, herbal notes were enticingly apparent. A bite of stew, then another sip of wine… and that’s when Cupid shot his little vinous arrow. What a heavenly match!  It was one of those elusive, serendipitous moments when the whole far outweighed the sum of the parts.  That Rosesse and that stew danced together in the most delightful, delectable, delicious way.

I read somewhere that if you find Rossese in the States, it’s because someone really loved this wine and felt it needed to be imported. This is not anyone’s definition of commercial success, but rather a soulful appreciation for obscure, underdog varietals rooted in local traditions and cuisine. In fact, Rossese is deeply rooted along that part of the Mediterranean coast, and thrives even west into Provence, where it is known as Tibouren (and largely made into rosés).

Luckily, I work with an importer who found a lovely Rossese made by a committed, salt-of-the-earth winemaker named Danila Pisano.  If the best wines are a reflection of their maker, then Danila is surely humble, strong, earthy, and mischievous by turns (and by all accounts, she is). She and her longtime boyfriend Tino (whose family owned the vines) work the dizzyingly steep slopes and terraces to bring forth low yields of this thin-skinned, light red grape. It is a labor of love (emphasis on labor) that brings this delicious, relatively unknown wine to our shores.1

But for those who know, the grape and its wine is a delight. Even the iconoclastic Randall Graham of Bonny Doon calls Rossese “one of the coolest grapes on the planet.”2 I wholeheartedly agree, and I am grateful my fortuitous discovery happened to be with one of those meals that take both food and wine into the stratosphere. I had never experienced the pleasures of light, gamey, savory red wines before.

Did it really turn my world upside down? Well, it certainly opened the door to a whole world of heretofore unknown pleasures.  You see, now I chase after all light and bright reds, from snappy Gamays to minerally Zwiegelts, fruity Grolleaus to funky Pipeños.  Put a slight chill on any of these, and savor the warmth of summer and its lighter cuisine.

Wines:

Danila Pisano Rossese di Dolceacqua 2014, $19.99

La Galoche Beaujolais 2014, $14.99

Familie Maier Zweigelt 2014, 1L, $14.99

Les Hautes Noëlles “HéHo” Gamay/Grolleau 2015, $14.99

Viña Maitia “Aupa” Pipeño (Pais) 2015, $10.99

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Filed Under: Annex, Blog, Wine Spotlight, Wine Words and Beer Notes

Hot & Cold

May 27, 2016 by The Natural Grocery Company

Hot & Cold

By Jake Wright, Annex Wine & Beer Buyer/Manager

 

It’s almost June and we’ve only had a few hot days this spring. It’s true that in the East Bay, especially our area (situated as we are directly across from the Golden Gate), that we rarely get too hot. But it does happen, and hot days demand one thing: cold beer!

 

Earlier this year we (the Wine & Beer department) made a lot of people happy when we took over a cooler across the aisle to expand our 6-pack selection. We effectively tripled our offerings, as well as increasing our selection of ciders and gluten-reduced and gluten–free beverages. Here, we aim to have something for everyone!

 

There is a style of beer we are seeing more of these days that is a perfect summer refresher, and this is gose (goes-uh), a style that originated in northwestern Germany. Like a Berliner Weisse, gose has wheat in addition to barley, as well as a tart acidity from Lactobacillus; like a Witbier, it has coriander spice; but unlike either, it is brewed with a pinch of salt that delivers a lip-smacking freshness.

 

Now, I do call this a “buyer beware” beer. It’s not your typical, hoppy brew. It’s tart, so if Kombucha and other sour beverages are not your thing, probably gose won’t be, either. Personally, if I’m looking for that traditional beer flavor satisfaction, I’ll head to the hops. But if the party’s on and I’m sweating over a fiery grill, I’m gonna grab me a gose!

 

Sierra Nevada added Otra Vez Gose to their core line-up, knowing they had a hit on their hands.  Otra Vez also has prickly pear fruit and grapefruit added as well. A bit of a bold move, since a traditional hoppy beer this is not. But it’s beer nonetheless, a revival of a traditional style and a great product of the brewing renaissance we are living in right now. Thank you, I’ll have another!  $9.99/6-pack

 

Sudwerk in Davis, CA, has also jumped on the gose bandwagon, with a couple of twists.  Long-known as one of the West Coast’s best lager breweries, Sudwerk made their gose with lager yeast and fresh navel oranges from nearby Winters.  With an orange, citrusy profile, their Farmers’ Market Citrus Gose Lager goes down (gose down?) easily… perhaps too  easily!  $11.99/6-pack

 

I’m looking forward to a few hot days ahead!  Cheers!

Filed Under: Wine Words and Beer Notes

Wine Spotlight

September 1, 2015 by WineAndBeer

HORSE & PLOW “THE GARDENER” Pinot Noir, Carneros, 2012

The Pinot Noir for this bottling came from Robert Sinskey’s Scintilla Vineyard in the Sonoma portion of Carneros. Aged in French oak barrels for 10 months and bottled without fining or filtration, to preserve complexity and character. Enchanting nuances of rose petal and forest floor lift primary notes of red cherry, raspberry and blue plum. The palate shows balanced acidity, well -integrated tannins and elegance. 200 cases produced. Pair with lightly smoked meats, mushrooms and savory herbed vegetable dishes.

Regular price: $33.99; Sale price: $29.99

Filed Under: Wine Words and Beer Notes

Wine Spotlight

August 1, 2015 by WineAndBeer

Phil ‘ en Bulle NV “Pet Nat ”

A Petillant Natural (naturally sparkling) wine made from the Menu Pineau and Romorantin grapes. This is the wine to wake you up, lay you down and make sweet love to your taste buds. This amazing beverage is not the least bit serious , and is perhaps one of the most enticing in Philippe Tessier’s line up. Enjoy it fresh and frothy with friends and snacks at a park or on a beach or in a bath with the window open and a breeze sifting through the curtains. This wine is hot, hot, hot among somms and wine geeks so grab a bottle before it’s gone.

Thank us later! $23.99.

Filed Under: Wine Words and Beer Notes

Wine Spotlight

July 1, 2015 by WineAndBeer

WINEMAKER NAME 
DONKEY & GOAT, Isabel’s Cuvee, Rosé of Grenache, 2014

Jared and Tracey Brandt live just up the hill in El Cerrito. Their much anticipated pink, named after their oldest daughter, is made from 100+ year old Grenache Gris vines. This year they made 50% like a white wine with whole cluster press to neutral French Oak barrel. The other 50% was de-stemmed and left to soak on the skins for 24 hours in an open top wood vat before pressing and then on to neutral barrels. Spontaneous fermentation occurred in barrel followed by naturally occurring malolactic fermentation. Bottled unfined and unfiltered on February 23, 2015. The wine is nearly sold out at the winery so grab a bottle while you can for $25.99.

Filed Under: Wine Words and Beer Notes

Happy Summer! Seasonal Selections

June 1, 2015 by WineAndBeer

The sun is shining (hopefully!) and friends are gathering. So, what wine to select? Consider the context. Taste is dependent on the surroundings, mood and food on the plate.

I like to think about the wine on my table or at an event as another invited guest. A party is more pleasant when all the people gathering have some sort of rapport and coalesce with harmony. So, what might some convivial company look like?

Hot sun + low alcohol wine = joy. Why? Because then the wine becomes a refreshing beverage rather than a sleep inducing, hang-over inviting cocktail.

Summer fruits and cured meats + a trocken Riesling will highlight the floral musky qualities of the fruit and bring out the savory flavors of the meats.

Meat and seafood paella + an unoaked Tempranillo or Monastrell (for reds) or a Viura or unoaked Chardonnay (if you prefer whites) to complement the sweetness of rice and the salty richness of the meat and fish.

Watermelon, feta and mint salad + a dry rose or aromatic, dry white like Muscatel would be excellent to bring out the sweet savor of the salad!

We’d love to hear about your food and wine pairings! Share it on Twitter (@wine_ecng)

June Recipe and Wine Pairing: Fig & Arugula Salad with Pistachio Pesto; paired with Holloran Dry Riesling, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2011

Salad Ingredients:

2 big handfuls of arugula
8-10 figs, sliced into halves or quarters
½ avocado, cubed
1 ball of Burrata or Mozzarella, torn
a few splashes of balsamic (reduce in a saucepan to thicken)
drizzle of olive oil
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
Pistachio Pesto: (this makes extra):

⅓ cup toasted pistachios (reserve a few to top the salad)
1 big handful of basil leaves
juice of ½ a small lemon
sea salt & freshly ground pepper
¼ – ⅓ cup olive oil
Make pesto by pulsing the toasted pistachios in a food processor. Then add basil, lemon, salt & pepper. Pulse again, then add the olive oil and pulse. Taste and adjust salt content.

Arrange the arugula, sliced figs, avocado, and cheese on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Dollop pesto and gently toss. Crush extra pistachios and sprinkle them on top.

Salad recipe from: loveandlemons.com

 

Filed Under: Wine Words and Beer Notes

The Farmer and the CEO?

April 15, 2015 by WineAndBeer

Wine made in the vineyard

You may have read some of the headlines about wines that tested positive for excessive arsenic. If not, a quick google search will turn up lots of results. My point is not to discuss the merits or truth of the claim, but rather to explore the alternative to those big, industrial wineries who may or may not know why arsenic is turning up in their wine. Since April is the month for Earth Day, let’s take a closer look at makers of wine who also actually work in the vineyards.

The French have a term for it—vigneron—which refers to a person who grows the grapes and makes the wine. This kind of connection with the land is almost unheard of in big corporate wineries. But, if we believe—as so many wineries say—that wine is made in the vineyard, then winemakers and perhaps winery owners should spend time there.

One of the alternatives to a vigneron is a négociant—the French word for a wine merchant who assembles the product of smaller growers and winemakers and sells the result.

A third way to make wine is perhaps the most common among the new California cohort of winemakers. Winemakers take out long term leases on vineyards, hire vineyard managers whose farming practices align with their own vision for the wine and planet, and visit the vineyards regularly to stay attuned with the growing season and soil health. Dirty & Rowdy is an excellent example of this approach. See this month’s featured wine for details.

The corporate model most commonly practiced is to purchase the land, hire a site manager, and employ migrant labor to routinely apply fertilizers and pesticides. Nowadays, drones are utilized to photograph vineyards and generate data to be analyzed by distant winemakers at corporate headquarters—hardly a boots-on-the- ground or grape-in-the-mouth familiarity with the land, vines, and vintage.

Our Earth Day proposal is to drink wine made by people who get their fingers in the dirt and whose children or pets are safe to roam in the vineyards! Our selection is chock-full of Earth Day friendly wines. So drink to your health and to the health of the planet!

“My only regret in life is that I didn’t drink more wine.” ― Ernest Hemingway

We’d love to hear what you are drinking right now! Share it on Twitter (@wine_ecng)

Why drink “natural” wine? The best ones have exceptional flavor, complexity, and surprise. They cause a reaction and carry you away to their place of origin. Lower sulfur addition is another reason to love “naked” wines. Sulfur can act like a seal, keeping the wine safe from microbial alteration. To eliminate it, or use very little of it (sulfur in wine is allowed up to 350 parts per million; natural-wine people only use up to 35ppm) the vineyard work must be impeccable and the cellar work, hypervigilant. The resulting beverage can sometimes have a slight acetic tang or a hint of funk. Fans aren’t bothered by these quirks, technically called “flaws,” and the wines are hugely popular across the globe. As with organic food, the demand is greater than the supply.

Wine of the Month (while supplies last):

DIRTY & ROWDY

“Familiar” Mourvèdre, California 2013

Five hundred miles of California in a glass! This wine is an argument in favor of blending different vineyards and appellations for optimal balance. Dirty & Rowdy is owned by two families who travel to remote pockets of California, searching to uncover something special from soil, sun, and soul. “Familiar” is a fresh, medium-bodied wine to pour when friends, family, and food pull you home. Notes of raspberry leaf and stem with tarragon and stone. The “Familiar” should be decanted for 45 minutes for full enjoyment! The grapes (94% Mourvèdre, 6% Petite Sirah) hail from Santa Barbara County, Redwood Valley in Mendocino, and Amador County. 100% Whole Cluster. 270 Cases. Allocated. Price: $34.99.

(Pssst! Mention reading WINE WORDS and we will give you 10% off this wine at the register!)

Filed Under: Blog, Wine Words and Beer Notes

Shades of Pink

March 15, 2015 by WineAndBeer

A new crop of Rosé wine is arriving

Versatile, crisp and refreshing, the wines from last summer’s harvest are just hitting our shelves. While rosés are great year-round, there is no doubt that the warmer the weather gets, the more appealing a glass of cold rosé becomes.

So why are rosé wines often snubbed? Is it because some think that pink is wimpy, or that all rosés are sweet? Sure, there’s terrible rosé out there—that’s true of most consumer products— but you will find only well-made, artisanal selections on our selves.

To make most rosé wine, red grapes are crushed and left to macerate on their red skins for anywhere from a few hours to a few days—the longer the maceration, the darker the juice. Then the juice is strained from the solids (called “must”) and fermented in tanks or used barrels. Look to ARNOT-ROBERTS ROSÉ for a delicious example.

Another style of rosé, vin gris, is made from the immediate pressing of red skinned grapes without any maceration time. Vin gris is a very pale pink that is usually much lighter than traditionally made rosés. You can’t beat BONNY DOON’S VIN GRIS DE CIGARE as a great local example of the style.

A third method for making rosé is called saignée, and is a by-product of red wine production. When the winemaker wants to increase the color and concentration of a red wine, some of the juice is bled off early in the maceration. This “bled” juice (saignée is derived from the French “to bleed”) is captured and put in tank to ferment as a rosé. Saignée rosés can be extraordinary or lackluster. Luckily, we have the VAUGHN DUFFY ROSÉ as an excellent example of a Pinot Noir rosé made in the saignée method.

“His lips drink water, but his heart drinks wine.” ― E.E. Cummings

We’d love to hear what you are drinking right now! Share it on Twitter (@wine_ecng) or in the shop. Let us know what you’d like to learn more about! We’re happy to research it for the next WINE WORDS.

How “White Zinfandel” Saved Our Vines

Zinfandel’s roots in California go way back, and fortunately we have a lot of old vines to prove it. This may not have been the case but for the accidental marketing success of the saignée rosé called “White Zin.” Easy, sweet, and cheap to make, it clearly had (has?) mass appeal. At a time when lots of old vines were being torn out to plant more fashionable varieties, this wine’s success ensured that Zinfandel grapes had a market. Finally, old-vine red Zinfandel found its fans and older plantings are recognized and valued as viticultural treasures in their own right. (And thankfully classic, crisp, dry rosés also have growing numbers of devotees!)

Filed Under: Blog, Wine Words and Beer Notes

Wine of the Month – March

March 1, 2015 by Jenny Lovett

Wine of the Month (while supplies last):

Julien Sunier Gamay Noir Morgon, France 2012

This month’s wine comes from a top French growing region classified as “Cru Beaujolais.”
If you love Pinot Noir but have never tried a good Beaujolais, give this wine a chance—I promise you will be hooked. Grown in granitic soils, this Sunier Morgon puts many higher priced Burgundies to shame. The aromatics show fresh black cherry, ripe strawberry, and cranberry along with earthy notes of wet leaves, rose petals and crushed granite. The palate is rich and concentrated, the finish is long and complex.

Price: $31.50

(Pssst! Mention reading WINE WORDS and we will give you 10% off this wine at the register!)

Filed Under: Blog, Wine Words and Beer Notes

Wine Spotlight – February

February 15, 2015 by WineAndBeer

Wine of the Month (while supplies last):

Forgive me if I use a lot of exclamation points, but I am really excited about Cruse Wine Co.’s 2013 Valdiguié from Rancho Chimiles Vineyard, Napa Valley, California.

This wine is unreal! A mind-bending take on what has become a more common varietal! This is not a carbonic, fruity, Gamay-like version. Cruse pulled all the sensual, silky, seamless, subtle, creamy texture out of the grape while respecting the enticing spice aromatics. This isn’t just that cool-kids-lesser-known-wine-grape wine; it’s knock-your-socks-off good red wine! But here’s the kicker: it was a tiny production to boot and we got the last 1.5 cases. So, get it while you can!
It’s on our shelves for $25.99!

Filed Under: Blog, Wine Words and Beer Notes

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