Category Archives: Whites

Unexpected Treats!❤️

One of the best things about having visitors from the North is not only spending time together but the treats they bring! 🍬🍭❣️
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Canadian Smarties are a sweet little taste of childhood; creamy milk chocolate enveloped in crunchy, brightly multi-colored candy shells.
What I paired it with might be a little surprising.
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Typical pairings for milk chocolate are richer, sweeter wines; tawny ports, Lambrusco,Reciotto della Valpolicella; late-harvest reds such as pinot noir, petit sirah, and shiraz.
My pick of this 2022 Gundlach Bundschu Dry Gerwürstraminer is not a typical pairing.
So why would I choose a dry white wine of all things??? Whyyyyyy?? That’s not in the rules!

Well…I like a juxtaposition of flavors, styles and mouthfeel when pairing food and wine. And I was looking for something a little off the typical path. I didn’t want the sweet sensation to become cloying (no one likes a clingy anything).
Its flavors of lychee, tangy tangerine, crisp white pear and ginger give more bounce to the ounce on your palate. 🍊🍐🫚
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This was a beautiful balance. A little surprising, I wasn’t sure what to expect at first. But the dryness of the wine played so nicely with the light creaminess of the Smarties and candy shell. Its balanced acidity took just a tiny edge off the creamy; providing bright bursts of flavor to the mix.
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Serving notes: Chill overnight, then let it sit just a little – about 55-60F (12-15C) to open up. Then bring on the chocolate Smarties.

Happy Wine Wednesday! 😙🥂🍫

©️ Copyright. The Wine Student. 2024

Turkey Time Wine! 🍷🦃

Now I know you’re not going to have just a turkey on your table. But I wanted to keep it simple and spotlight the star of the show (though maybe it’s a featured player, as we all know the real star is you).✨

According to Food and Wine magazine, turkey’s rich flavor profile; light and dark meat, and its juicy texture matches well with a wide variety of wines and traditional side dishes.

Keep in mind that what’s good for the turkey is probably going to be good for the side dishes.

•Dry Riesling– OK… wait a minute, this isn’t the sugar bomb you think it is. Many have the view that riesling always equals cloyingly sweet. But this dry offering is the riesling you never knew you wanted. High acidity and plentiful minerality make this a most agreeable turkey companion.

•Chardonnay – Sometimes chosen because of its name recognition, Chardonnay can be a wonderful pairing with turkey. Crisp acidity, and fuller-bodied vibe make it a pleasure to sip. Old World offerings, particularly from France, are more citrus-forward with a stalwart mineral heart. New World Chards from the US, Australia and South America have a juicier, stone fruit vibe.
Hint: Add a little to the turkey as you baste.

•Gamay – The Beaujolais grape, but skip past the Nouveau and head straight for a more mature offering to enjoy. Pleasant high acid, lo tannin, and a satisfying grippy mouthfeel make this wine one of the best pairings with turkey.

•Pinot Noir – A classic, Pinot Noir’s playful flavors of cherry make this a great pairing for both turkey and your favorite sides. Pinots from France have a grounded, earthy, mushroom-y, tart cherry gravitas where New World Pinots brings forth a brighter complex cherry vibe. 🍒

•Viognier – An excellent, but not as well known match, Viognier’s whispers of honey and rich ripe stone fruit essences are wonderful with the tender turkey. Look for amazing offerings from Northern Rhone, South Africa and Australia.

•Zinfandel – Jammy, juicy and fruit forward, this wine is a boss pairing with both light and dark turkey meat, and many traditional Tgiving sides.
A big hit on turkey day, you might want to splurge and buy a couple of bottles. 😉

•Champagne – Bubbles and high acidity make this wine a merry treat to cut through the richness of the turkey and all side dishes.
And it makes your holiday table scape even more festive and fun! 🥂

When all is said and done, these are simply suggestions to dial back some of the guesswork when picking your wine. In the end, it’s really about sharing time with family and friends. And whatever wine(s) you choose to adorn your Thanksgiving table this year, I hope you have happy and healthy holiday!🧡

Cheers!🍷🦃

©️ Copyright. The Wine Student. 2023

Easy Breezy Picnic Picks!🏖️

I love Rosé. I love it in summer. I love it in my picnic basket. But I was looking for a change. I wanted a couple of wines that were light and refreshing but not my usual go to. I circled back to a couple of wines that I’ve not had in a while: Pinot Gris and Beaujolais.

As for my picnic treats, I strayed from the usual fare of potato or macaroni salad, instead pivoting to a crunchy Asian Ramen Salad with fresh peaches, Grilled Cauliflower salad w/ Feta, and Dill Deviled Eggs. Yum!

For the wine I chose a 2022 J Vineyards Pinot Gris and a 2021 Chateau de Jarnioux Beaujolais.

Check out the video below for more!👇

Made from Gamay grapes, this is no Beaujolais Nouveau, which is consumed right after harvest, and of which I’m not generally a fan. It’s way way too young. This wine was light-bodied, fruity and earthily floral. Paired with the Asian ramen salad, it brought out more of the fruit and had a lovely finish that lingered. Often, I find Beaujolais a little too fleeting but this pairing was both lively and light, highlighting the ripe peach flavors in the salad.

I paired the Pinot Gris with both the dill deviled eggs and the grilled cauliflower. While starting out with subtle flavors of white peach, cantaloupe and lemon zest, I liked the brightness and acidity that picked up nuances in the Dijon mustard and seasoning, while cutting a nice little swath through the creamy richness of the dill/egg mixture. With the cauliflower, its subtle vibe melded well with the creamy feta and brought out the heat of the red pepper, especially on the finish. It was like little fireworks on the tongue, an unexpected but nice surprise. It was a totally different wine with this pairing.✨

And I guess that goes to show you; first impressions are not always what they seem. Sometimes circling back can help you discover what you may have missed the first time around.

I think that’s one of the many things I love about wine – the flavors and characteristics they possess on their own, and how that can completely change when paired with food. Textures, protein, fruit, vegetal vibes can bring out so much more depth on both sides of the equation. Food + wine = awesome!

Whatever you choose to pair with your holidays, may they be safe and happy.🏖️🎢🎡

Cheers!🍷

©️Copyright. The Wine Student. 2023

Orange is the New White

A long time ago, when I worked as a bartender, I once served a wine that was orange.

It was not a design choice. It was just bad.

So when I saw that orange wine has been making a big splash, I was a little skeptical. Fool me once…

Orange wine is not made from oranges. It’s also not a rosé. It’s actually a natural white wine that gets its colour and flavor from keeping the white grape skins and seeds in contact with the juice for between 4-30 days. The orange colour comes, in part, from the lignin in grape seeds. The longer the contact, the deeper the colour. Most white wines have little to no skin contact.

In most wine production, seeds get discarded prior to any processing of the juice and fermentation. That’s because seed contact can make wine taste bitter. So how do orange wines stack up? Do they taste sour or bitter? It depends. While technically a white wine, orange wines are very dry and tannic, much like a bold red wine. Flavors are bold and brassy with aromas of honeyed jack fruit, sourdough, juniper (like gin), brazil nut, apricot, orange blossom, and bruised apple. They can be very intense on the palate with a sour vibe much like a fruit based beer.

What is jack fruit? I don’t know jack $&@! about jack fruit so I did a little research. When ripe, jack fruit has a strong aroma and tastes like tropical fruit: mango and pineapple, and banana.

Orange wine is not a new ‘oops’. It is an ancient process dating back roughly 5000 years. All elements were left to ferment for time in large buried clay vessels called quevri (kev-ree).

Check out the video below for a little summer fun!

Pairing:

Bold for bold, orange wines pair well with bold foods like curry and Moroccan dishes, Korean and traditional Japanese cuisine. Because of the high tannin, and hint of almond-like nuttiness, it can pair with beef and fish. This is something you can play around with to find your favorite.

It’s a white wine that thinks it’s a red so the pairings could be really colourful. But be careful of the spice quotient: it will bring out the heat in some dishes.🌶🌶🌶

If you’re looking for ‘grippier’ offerings with increased tannin, look for 30+ days of skin contact; fresher, lighter versions have maybe 4-10 days. Because they’re natural with little to no preservatives, drink within 2-3 days after opening. Store in cool, dark areas (between 50-60F). Serve chilled, at around 55-65F. If it’s too cold, you’ll lose the nuance of the flavors.

Look for wines from Italy, Solvenia, Australia, France, South Africa, Austria, and the US.

I recently tasted a 2021 Bonny Doon Vineyards Le Cigare Orange (California). It is the ‘skin-contact wine of the earth’ (says so right on the bottle) and is made from 10% Grenache, 80% Grenache Blanc and 10% Orange Muscat. It had a hint of orange blossom on the nose, and a sour, almond vibe on the palate with a dry, puckery, yet bouncy mouthfeel. Flavors of white peach, early-ripe apricot and citrus lingered on the finish.

It sells for $17.99

Here are three others that might float your boat:

• Cos Pithos Bianco (Italy) $27

• Attems Pinot Grigio Ramato (Italy) $20

• Field Recordings Skins (California) $24

I chose the Field Recordings Skins to share and here’s what we thought:

(Pairing with Thai food)

These orange wines restored my faith that not all orange wine is wine gone bad. And they can be very different than what you might be expecting. But isn’t that half the fun about summer wines ~ trying something new, refreshing and just a little bit different?

Cheers!

©️Copyright. The Wine Student. 2022.

Wine, Women & Song

To celebrate Women’s History Month in the best way I could think of, I revisited a book about women whose passion is both the grape and the wine. 🍇🍷🎉

In her book, Women of the Vine, Deborah Brenner explores the lives of several women in wine. Each woman shares her own story about how she came to be in wine world; the pitfalls, the triumphs, and candid views on their experiences of discrimination within the industry.

There are only a small handful of books that chronicle the lives, careers, and history of some incredible wine women – those who have gone the distance in a typically male-dominated profession. But this is a rapidly changing landscape as more and more women are finding themselves drawn to the world of wine.

Here are two more great books to look for:

Women Winemakers: Personal Odysseys by Lucia Albino Gilbert & John C. Gilbert

Labor of Love: Women Winemakers of Piedmont by Suzanna Hoffman – a historical perspective of women

And here’s how you can support some wonderful women winemakers! Check out their sites below (and their unique stories) and keep them in mind on your next wine run:

🍇 Theopolis Vineyards

🍷 McBride Sisters

🍇 Aslina Wines

🍷 Imagery Estate Winery

🍇 Groth Vineyards & Winery

🍷 Screaming Eagle

Here’s to all the amazing, strong women in the world: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them, & may we enjoy their amazing wines! 🥂🎉

Cheers!🍇🍷

©️ copyright 2021 TheWineStudent

International Sauvignon Blanc Day Game Changer: Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc

He told me it would change my life. And that sounded good. To celebrate International Sauvignon Blanc Day I was looking for something crisp, expressive and a little different from the Sauvs I’d enjoyed in the past.

When I first walked into Royal Park Fine Wines in Strongsville, Sommelier George Zaboura listened carefully to the basic flavor profile I was looking for, then immediately took me over to the 2018 Whitehaven from Marlborough, NZ. “It will change your life.”, he said. And hey, if my life can be changed for under $20, I’m in!

The general profile of Sauvignon Blanc is dominated by a fruity, fresh quality with aromas of green fruit, and vegetables like green bell pepper and asparagus. The classic New Zealand Sauv style is dry, high acid, no oak, and zesty flavors of passion fruit, gooseberry, green pepper, and black currant leaf. The herbaceous qualities can be a deal breaker for some who prefer their white wines to be a festival of fruit. Yet the green features can make these wines that much more interesting to drink, and to pair with food.

This wine was incredible! Zesty essences of grapefruit and passion fruit wafted up from the first pour into the glass. Its high acidity was crisp and refreshing and made it bouncy on the tongue. Flavors of tangy white peach, black currant, and the gentle kick of green pepper made this delightful. It was a great expression of the style.

Most Sauvs are best enjoyed young, although this can be cellared for three to five years to bring out more of the asparagus quality of gently aged Sauvs.

Suggested pairings:

  • Summer salads
  • Chicken
  • Lobster
  • White fish

At a price point of $17.99, this Sauvignon Blanc did change my life in a big way. This is now my go-to white wine for the Summer of ’19.

George was right!

Cheers!

©️Copyright TheWineStudent, 2019

Get Lit This Holiday: Wine Nog, and Boozy Glogg

Bells will be ringing, snowflakes will swirl; the holidays are fun, until you hurl.

Such sweet poetry… yep, I’m full of it. Poetry, that is…

Remember my old rule, when I write a bad pun or rhyme – take a sip. So take a sip. Maybe two.

Each holiday, I’ve written about various wines with which to toast the season. This year, I wanted to mix it up a little by making my own wine concoctions. I did not invent these recipes, but I wanted to try them because I’m feeling creative. And using a cork screw in artful ways just didn’t satisfy my creative thirst.

But first, a little winter’s tale of nog for you – gather round.

It was a cold Christmas eve, the snow crisp and deep, and even. With everyone at home with their treasures, and few creatures stirring, HubbyDoug realized that he’d forgotten to buy his traditional carton of nog! What now?? Donning his best Maple Leafs toque (beanie), and jacket he dashed out to find the frost was indeed cruel; no open stores. Bah! When what to his wondering eyes should appear, a lone open gas station, oh dear, oh dear! And, yes kids, it had one remaining carton of the nog he craved; as if it was there just for him.

Now, what could possibly go wrong by drinking gas station egg nog, you ask? Well, my friends, it wasn’t just the frost that was cruel that night…

Lesson learned: Always. Check. Expiry. Dates. Even at Christmas.

My nog will be different. It will be delightful! It will be tasty! It will be fresh! It will have wine! And it will be served within a day of making it!

Two of the most consumed traditional favorites are Egg Nog, and Glögg. Egg nog is, well, egg nog; delicate eggy goodness with nutmeg and cinnamon. And Glögg? You’ll see in a bit.

Use Your Noggin’

While my nog has white wine, the only stipulation is that it be a dry white. So many possibilities, but also the chance of a swing and a miss; too dry or savoury and it upsets the delicate balance. Too sweet and you may need to go to the ER. What to do??

I looked at the general flavor profiles of a couple of white varietals and narrowed the field down from there. While I love Sauv Blanc, the herbaceous profile suggests it might be too pungent: flavors of green fruit and vegetables such as gooseberry, green bell pepper, grass, and sometimes nettle. Using wines with great complexity of flavors is, honestly, a waste since the star attraction is really the nog, not the wine. So go for an inexpensive wine that has a higher acidity (to cut some of the nog’s creamy heaviness). An affordable Pinot Gris might be a good bet since its style can range from dry, off- dry, medium to sweet, and flavors include spicy tropical fruits, hints of honey and nuttiness, depending on the region.

I chose a 2016 Chateau St. Michelle, from Columbia Valley, Washington, with flavors of pear, melon and a whisper of spice.

Christmas Egg Nog:

Serves 10

2 egg whites

1/2 bottle white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 tablespoon lemon zest 1/2 cup honey

3 cups milk

1/2 quart half and half nutmeg

Place egg whites in a clean bowl and beat with hand mixer until stiff. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, combine white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, and honey over medium heat. Stir until mixture is warm, then slowly add the milk and half and half while continuing to stir.

Stir over medium heat until mixture is frothy. Remove from heat. Fold in beaten egg whites, then pour mixture into individual glasses or mugs.

Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Serve immediately.

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Glögg

Glögg, on the other hand, has been described as the Long Island Ice Tea of mulled wine. There is a lot of booze in this, and really packs a punch, so better make sure you have Uber lined up if you’re drinking this during the annual open house crawl. Just reading the ingredient list will show you just how much booze is in this. It’s crazy.

Keep in mind, this serves 4.

1 750 bottle dry red wine

1 cup white rum

1 cup bourbon (getting tipsy)

1/2 cup brandy (hello I’m now drunk)

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup dark raisins

1/4 cup raw almonds (no skins)

1 entire orange peel

1 cinnamon stick 1/4 teaspoon whole cloves 5 cardamom pods

1 breathalyzer

In large saucepan over medium-low heat, combine all of the ingredients. ( Do not use an aluminum or copper pot because the metal can give the Glogg a metallic taste.)

Allow it to warm until small bubbles form along the edges of the pot. Make sure the mixture doesn’t boil as this decreases the alcohol content. And we don’t want that!

Carefully strain the raisins and almonds out of the liquid.

Now, nestle yourself in a chair or sofa because you may be there a while and … enjoy!

Whether you have a fully stocked wine cellar ready to go, or are trying a different take with wine based holiday drink, have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light.

Be safe, be kind, and be good for goodness sake. Apparently, he sees you when you’re sleeping.

Cheers!

Copyright ©️TheWineStudent, 2018

TBT: Dine & Dashe 🍷😊🍷

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The perfect ending to a spectacular Monday here in the Cleve (a sunny day right now is always cause for celebrating), my friends, Shelly, Lisa and I attended the February wine dinner at Sarita in Lakewood, OH.

Featuring wines from Dashe Cellars, and presented by Whitney from Vanguard Wines, our evening began with Shrimp Madagascar paired with a 2015 Grenache Blanc. Cool climates and higher elevation help to cultivate this rare varietal. On the nose it made me think of a honey bun; bearing a subtle sweet bread-y scent. The main flavor we tasted was honey but because it was a dry wine, it wasn’t a cloying sweetness. The balanced acidity cut gently into the cream sauce of the shrimp dish.

My favorite wine of the night was the 2016 Chenin Blanc “Black Bart Cuvee”. This wine gets its name, Black Bart, not from the vineyard where it’s grown but the 500 gallon concrete ‘egg’ vessel in which it’s fermented. Concrete helps to highlight the mineral quality of the grapes, and helps to keep the lively freshness. After harvest, the grapes are pressed and fermented four weeks until the desired dryness is realized. This was paired with Scallop Crudo w/ pink grapefruit, avocado and malagueta honey that provided a sweet heat that was incredibly delicious with this wine.

Since 1996, Dashe Cellars, a family-owned winery, has operated in the urban location near Jack London Square in Oakland, CA. Going against convention, and with the conviction that outstanding wines could be found outside the traditional wine route parameter, they use natural winemaking techniques including: small lot fermentation, using indigenous yeasts, and little to no fining/ filtration.

Michael Dashe oversees the harvest and winemaking, and partners with small (including some organic-certified) growers in Mendocino and Sonoma counties to name a few. Working together, they try to achieve a balance of steep hillside vineyards, old vines, and vigor-reduced growing conditions. Steep hillsides force the grapes to struggle a bit and exposes them to better balance of sun, heat and cooling temperatures. Lower yields increase the quality and complexity of the wine. Struggle makes even grapes stronger!

As our evening progressed, we sampled Carignana (similar to Pinot Noir) with braised duck and goat cheese grits; fettuccine, bbq braised ribs (paired with two beloved Zinfandels), and finished it off sampling a selection of dark chocolate truffles and cheeses with a 2014 Late Harvest Zinfandel.

The next wine dinner takes place in April, and I’m really looking forward to experiencing a great selection of different wines, and what Chef Tony Romano will come up with next!

 

 

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Cheers!

©The Wine Student, 2018

The Thankful Heart

Emerson once wrote, “Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously.” It’s something I try to do in my daily life but it’s not always easy, especially with running here and there getting things ready for the official start to holiday season.

I think that’s what is nice about opening a bottle of wine; time slows for a second when you open the bottle, pour a glass for yourself and those you’re with. You take a moment, think of a little toast (no matter how profound or cheesy) and then take that first sip together. It’s a nice ritual.

After tasting some wines at the annual Heinen’s Holiday Wine Tasting, here a few of my picks to enhance your holiday ritual! 🥂

And, yes, I will happily share my bottle of Papillon with dessert!

Cultivating the habit of gratitude and thankfulness is easy this time of year. And it’s a good thing to remember beyond the holidays.

I am truly thankful for my family, my friends and to all of you who stop by and check out my blog. ☺️

I hope you all have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving! 🍷🦃❤️

Cheers! 🍾🥂

Field Trip: Wine Dining with Orin Swift Wines

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This wine event at Bar Cento in Ohio City couldn’t have fallen on a better night. It was the perfect antidote to the cold November rain that was making me feel dark and drab.

This wine pairing, presented by Chris Victor, National Account Manager for E&J Gallo, and Superior Beverage of Cleveland paired three wonderful wines from the cellars of Orin Swift with an amazing three course menu created by Chef Sean Conroy.

Our first pairing was a 2015 Mannequin Chardonnay with the Amuse Bouche of fall veggies featuring acorn squash, red beet, sweet potato, sultana and Brussels sprouts. The Chardonnay tasted of ripe white peach, jasmine with a nice acidity that was softened bu the creaminess of the food and the sweet of the sultana. We continued with the Chardonnay into the 1st course of halibut, pumpkin, saffron, pine nut, and golden sage. The delicate flavor of the halibut with saffron sauce was nicely balanced with the bright citrusy vibe of the wine.

Next up was the 2015 Papillon Bordeaux Blend that paired well with our 2nd course that included lamb rack, mustard greens, merguez, and eggplant. Yummy! The flavours of ripe blackberry, dark cherry and subtle tannin played beautifully with the mustard greens and horseradish eggplant, coaxing out a flavourful bite spice in the wine.

Our final course was Clafoutis: a baked flan-like dessert of brandied cherries, fresh fig, and DiSaronno Amaretto. Paired with the 2014 Palermo Cabernet Sauvignon, it provided and unexpected, amazing surprise of the evening; I’ve never enjoyed a Cab with dessert before. I’d always thought they were too heavy. But the silky combination of blackberry and cassis didn’t overpower the delicate, flavourful dessert, it enhanced the richness of the cherries and Amaretto. I had always thought that in pairing wine and dessert the rule was sweet for sweet. This pairing proved that rules were made to be broken.

As the evening came to a close, our group’s discussion turned to the 2014 Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon and as luck would have it, we were treated to a small sample. Outstanding!

Sometimes, even in the darkest, rainiest night, a little light can shine in: great friends, great food and some amazing wines. And if you’re really lucky, you can find all three in one place.

Cheers! 🍷

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©TheWine Student, 2017