To cap award season, I’m spending time with two of Hollywood’s finest: Francis Ford Coppola and Demi Moore. One, a past winner for The Godfather Pt II; the other, a current nominee for her tour de force performance in The Substance.
It’s pretty cool to be up close and personal with the big stars. Well… kind of, sort of. To mark the occasion, I dusted off a bottle of 2015 Director’s Pinot Noir that we purchased on an unforgettable visit to his Coppola Winery. Saving it for a special occasion, it’ll be perfect to enjoy as they hand out the gold hardware.
But before that, I’ll be hunkered down reading Moore’s book, Inside Out – her candid memoir about a life of fame, fortune and stardom amidst immense struggles. I’ve always loved her work and can name so many of her films coinciding with different times in my life. Ghost can still make me cry. Ditto?
So from now until the Oscars on Sunday night, I’ll be off the grid with a good book, then tuning into the broadcast with a great bottle of wine. And once the bottle is empty, I’ll be sure to thank the Academy…
Next week kicks off the official start to the holidays!🦃🎄🥂🍷
And with those celebrations come many traditions. Many that our loved ones might be hard pressed to abandon or change.
Not surprisingly, one of those traditions involves wine. And a very particular type of wine.
Over the years, HubbyDoug has been very ‘stamped-it-no-erasies’ about the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving wine offerings. Without question: Pinot Noir. And I understand why.
Pinot Noir has a beautiful lightness, a subtle yet present mouthfeel, delicate flavors of cherry, raspberry , clove, vanilla and mushroom. Oregon Pinots are a favorite because the cooler climate creates more tartiness in the vibe (Old World Pinots tend to have more earthiness but it’s all a matter of taste). Across the board, Pinot’s bright acidity makes it a great dinner companion – not only for the turkey main attraction but a variety of holiday savory and sweet side dishes. Think green beanand fried onion casserole, candied yams, squash-pecan casserole.
This year I want to break out an option: the beloved Zinfandel. Its bold, fruit forward vibe pumps up the jam along with some nuanced smoky notes. Flavors of blackberry, strawberry, cinnamon, crushed gravel and white pepper give it a lot of depth to play with the myriad flavors present on the table. The juicy fruit, richness of the tannins and smooth, lingering finish is worth popping the cork.
My pick is a 2022 Kunde Family Winery Sonoma Valley Red Zinfandel. I’ve enjoyed this wine during the year paired with roasted chicken, rosemary-garlic mash and charred broccoli with olive oil, and toasted pine nuts. I know it won’t let me down.
Ultimately, these two varietals will coexist in the most lovely way on our holiday table.
So this Thanksgiving, feel free to be a little zinful!😈
No matter what your choice, have gratitude in your heart and the sweetest day.💋♥️
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!🧡
“The Ladybug wears no disguises. She is just what she advertises. A speckled spectacle of spring, A fashion statement on the wing…. A miniature orange kite. A tiny dot-to-dot delight.”- J. Patrick Lewis
During the busy days of summer, it’s easy to forget the little things; a warm evening breeze, toes in the sand, glass of wine in your hand. If the past two years have taught us nothing else, it’s the simple pleasures that we need to pay attention to. Little things sometimes have the biggest impact.
Farmers and gardeners love the lady bug. According to ThoughtCo.com, the lady bug (beetle) are beneficial predators who munch on many pests of the garden such as scale insects, whiteflies, mites and especially, aphids. Over the course of a day, a lady bug can scarf down 50 aphids, over a lifetime (about a year), they can consume over 5,000. They really are the ladies who lunch.
Too much of a good thing, though, can become a challenge for growers; an overpopulation can mean that many bugs can snuggle up in the fruit. And this can subsequently taint the wine if they’re not sorted out at pressing.
Searching for a nice light wine to pair with my evening chicken stir fry, I discovered this little but mighty gem: 2020 Malivoire Lady Bug. Located in Beamsville, ON, Malivoire is aCertifiedSustainable winery. Made from a blend of 56% Cabernet Franc, 36% Gamay, 8% Pinot Noir, and cultivated especially for this wine, the grapes are harvested when sugars are at 19.5 Brix. The crushed grapes then soak in free-run juice ( juice that runs freely out of the tank by gravity) between two and twelve hours before press. After cold-fermentation and stabilization, the wine is transferred to stainless steel tanks to rest before bottling.
This lady bug had a surprising complexity, revealing different layers of flavor with each sip. Many single varietal roses are good but one-dimensional.
Check out the video below for more summer fun!🏖
Some tasting notes for ya!
• bright berry on the nose – flavors of red raspberry, strawberry,
• cherry, pomegranate – nice burst of tart flavor that sparkled down into a tangy tart that lingered on the finish.
• bouncy mouthfeel makes it great to sip on its own yet it paired beautifully with a gently spiced chicken stir fry with jasmine rice.
Daylight is beginning an early decline, the shadows getting longer. A chilling breeze causes the leaves outside to rustle, and your candle to flicker and then blow out. You hear a scratching at the window…
Don’t be frightened…it’s just me with my annual Halloween wine round up! 🎃🍷
If you know your vampire lore, you have to invite me in.🧛🏻♀️
But first, click the video below for more fun!👇
This year, we’ll become familiar with three. And since I never play favorites, here they are in no particular order:
🎃Banshee – 2018 Pinot Noir – Sonoma County With a cooler than usual start to their growing season, and moderate temperatures throughout the summer, the fruit yielded an offering with intense flavors and optimal acidity. This wine was then left to its slumber for 9 months in new French oak casks.
Shhhh…. don’t wake the master!
•Flavor profile: sweet | tart mix of bright cherry, raspberry, tea and vanilla.
Awaken your senses with this lush warm – climate Syrah. From Michael David Winery (they make a wonderful Petit Petit), this is darker than Cabernet Sauv with lots of antioxidants and lends well to aging (the wine, not you). It will come out of the botttle with a big, bold bite at the start that gently settles into a gentle warming spice on the finish.
So how can you tell if your wine is a warm climate or cool climate offering? Let your sixth sense guide you (or just check the alcohol level on the label). Warmer regions have alcohol levels of more than 14%+, cooler regions less than 14%. This wine checks in at 15%.
•Aromas: blackberry, boysenberry, fig, dark chocolate & allspice.
•Pairs well with: grilled or roasted lighter meats – especially pork spare ribs, tender chicken thighs, anything with a little fattiness to rip into the high tannins; fragrant, softer cheeses with lavender, fennel or thyme.
•Price Point: $15.99
👻Halloween fun trick: say, “Sixth Sense Syrah” 5x, as fast as you can after drinking a full glass. And please video it and upload to the comments if you dare! Lol
Sink your teeth into this cozy throuple of Zinfandel | Cab Sauv | Merlot, aged in American and French oak. It summons the dark arts of flavor. Lodi’s climate is more like the Mediterranean; warm days and cool nights to grow intense, ripe grapes with wonderful structure and style. Flavors meld together to hit you like a stake through the heart.
•Flavor profile: blackberry, dark cherry, mocha, toasted oak, whisper of smooth caramel.
•Aromas: spice and pepper with a little bite of jammy berry.
•Pairs well with: Any good cut of red meat, BBQ beef kabobs, beef tenderloin; cheeses such as aged Gruyere, Havarti, Parmesan and Gorgonzola.
It says right on the label that meat was made for this wine so choose anything juicy and red from the meat counter and feel free to char broil. The smokier the better as it will pair beautifully with the robust spiciness of this wine.
•Price Point: $11.99
So now you have a few treats to get you going this Halloween season. Whether you’re doing a little socializing or staying in your catacombs with a good scary movie, cheers!🍷🧡
I wanted to get this shot before the next summer storm cell rolled in. And when I opened this wine, I thought it was another lovely rosè to enjoy. But it isn’t. It’s a Pinot Noir Blanc. What’s the difference?
Some rosès are a blend of red and white wines. Some are made from fermented juice of red grapes with a small amount of skin contact. This Pinot Noir Blanc is produced from lightly pressed Pinot Noir juice from the whole cluster, with just a scant time in the French barrels before, and after fermentation.
Refreshing and flavorful, this Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc was wonderful treat to enjoy with my Swedish meatballs and incoming storm.
One of the best things about summer is getting together with friends for an amazing dinner and trying a new Pinot Noir! Featured for the evening: 2014 Maysara Jamsheed.
Cultivated in the Momtazi Vineyard located in the foothills of Oregon’s Coastal Range, these grapes have been given much TLC that is necessary produce top quality pinot. The temperatures in this particular region separates them from impact from the valley. Here, there are warmer days, cooler nights and lower precipitation during their harvest. Because pinot is a delicate grape to cultivate, this gentler microclimate is best especially in the days leading up to harvest.
Tea Time
Maysara’s philosophy is that “90% of winemaking takes place in the vineyard.” They believe in truly biodynamic cultivation – a ‘nature to nature’ credo. They shun the chemical approach by the use of compost tea, made through the propagation of an assortment of medicinal flowers and herbs that are brewed into a steeped tea. Steeping extracts the most beneficial elements which are then worked back into the vineyard soil. This boosts optimum health for the soil, vines, and then the grapes.
What a Pair
Our wine was paired with an incredible dinner of fragrant lamb tangine, grilled root vegetables, and roasted cauliflower with yogurt mint sauce. The delicate balance of sweet and spice played beautifully with the spritely cherry, luscious blackberry, and light cracked pepper vibe of the wine. Since this was a ’14 vintage, it had just the right amount of aging to truly release its tender nuances. This pairing was outstanding.
I would like to eat this picture.
My thanks again to our friends, Judy and Greg, for a wonderful evening of fun, incredible food, and an amazing wine that is one of my new favorites of the summer.
It’s the weekend before the official love day, and whether you’re just celebrating you or love divine with your partner, thoughts ultimately turn to… wine!
Much like at Halloween, I noticed many labels this year sporting a serious Valentine’s vibe.
• Red fruit such as: strawberry, cherry and raspberry
• Cola- yes! Like the soft drink, this wine has that bright, effervescent mouthfeel (sans bubbles) that you find in cola. It made this almost refreshing in a way.
2016 Finca Pasion MiAmor Malbec Ihaven’t profiled this on my Malbec Monday posts so this was nice to find! As with most Malbecs, this features darker fruit characters with some spice and:
The winery with the dungeon was one I had to see.
On this weekend winery getaway to Napa and Sonoma, HubbyDoug and I had only two days to visit and sample. So rather than a meandering trip, we became precise and and streamlined about what we wanted to see.
We’ve enjoyed Gundlach Bundschu wines since Doug’s last trip to see them a few years ago so they were a top choice. But friends told us about Castello Di Amorosa, a winery fashioned after a thirteenth century Italian castle, complete with dungeon … and torture chamber. Um… more about that in a bit.
Peace and quiet
There are times when visiting a winery is like visiting an old friend. The feeling of ease and relaxation wraps around you like a warm hug. At Gundlah Bundschu, we made our way to the bottle bar to grab a glass and then walk the vineyard. I typically enjoy so many of their reds but because of the heat, I chose a flavorful, chilled and beautifully floral Gerwürtztraminer, while Doug had his favorite, Pinot Noir.
The relaxed vibe of the staff invites you to take your glass and explore pretty much anywhere on the property. There were no limits, and no restrictions except perhaps your footwear, and how long you needed until you wanted to refill your glass.
We got our shoes dusty as we made our way through the vineyards, stopping to taste a couple of Pinot Noir grapes off the vine. There was nothing like it. The flavor was so bright and sweet; almost like a sunburst on the tongue.
Small enclosures at various points along the walk were available with coolers of water and comfortable seating. It was unbelievable how quiet it could be out in the vineyards with nothing but the sun, a light breeze blowing, breathtaking scenery and your wine to savor. We felt any tension melting away as we sipped and walked.
It was how I imagine heaven might be.
While we could’ve stayed all day, we wanted to get to the next destination before nightfall, those winding roads can get pretty tricky.
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Dungeons and dragons Driving on approximately forty minutes, we arrived at the castle. A labor of love for Dario Sattui and 20+ years from concept to completion (15 years of construction), Castello Di Amorosa is an authentic replica of a 13th century Medieval Tuscan-style castle. Fashioned with hand squared stone, tile and ancient brickwork brought over from Europe, it features spectacular upper and lower courtyards, 5 defensive towers with battlements, a chapel, great hall, royal apartment, dungeon and torture chamber (no castle was complete without them), as well as a fully functioning winery. This architectural marvel is 136,000 sq. ft. including castle and winery. There are 8 levels — 4 levels above and 4 underground. It is truly a feast for the eyes.
We made our way through the drawbridge to travel back in time to a world where romance swirled, women swooned and if you stepped out of line, it was the rack (or the iron maiden). I made sure HubbyDoug was on his best behavior. The chill from the deepest cellar crept up my spine with a slither and it made it difficult to remember the heat from the sun just beyond our reach. It kind of freaked me out when we walked through the labyrinth before getting to our final destination: the tasting room. I bet Halloween here is a scream!
Taking in the opulence and authenticity of detail was awesome and then to see the modern winemaking equipment was a real juxtaposition. And it wasn’t lost on us that we were taken to our wine tasting right after visiting the dungeon and torture chamber. Hmmmmm…. Needless to say, many of us bought several bottles. My pick: the 2015 Dolcino Gerwürztraminer a nice, slightly sweet chiller.
In the next post: Day 2 of our excellent wine adventure at Alexander Valley Vineyards, Francis Ford Coppola Winery, and Jordan.
Cheers!
What’s good for the heart may also be very good for lung cancer. In a groundbreaking study just published in Cancer Cell International, investigators from Brock and McMasteruniversities in Canada have shown that wines are effective in stopping the spread of non-small-cell carcinoma.
Over the past few years, much has been written about the benefits of polyphenol resveratrol on cardiovascular health, confirming that drinking a glass of red wine a day can help keep the heart surgeon away.
In cancer, cell damage occurs from oxidation, a process that releases harmful free radicals. Polyphenol resveratrol, is a potent antioxidant that prevents this damage. The significance of this study: This is the first time that researchers have demonstrated this link using actual wine instead of a synthetic form.
Evangelia Tsiani, associate professor of community health sciences at Brock University and Dr. Theos Tsakiridis, from the Radiation Oncology division at McMaster University’s Department of Oncology, looked at the effects of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Riesling on Non-Small Lung Cancer Cells (NSLCC). Using wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries, they found strong data suggesting that wine may have “considerable anti-tumour and chemoprevention properties in lung cancer and deserves further systematic investigation in animal models of lung cancer.”
While all the reds had a significant effect, and in small doses, the Pinot Noir was the most effective. White wines produced an effect that was evident but higher doses were required to be significant. And as with most things in life, moderation is key. Too much of a good thing will not help increase the result, and it’ll just give you a sore head in the morning.
According to Mark McNeil [via the Hamilton Spectator], just eating the wine grapes was not identified by the research team as a beneficial way to deliver the resveratrol needed to obtain these results ~ it may be a combination of resveratrol and the various, currently unidentified, chemicals in fermentation that impact the cancer cells.
While more investigation is needed to determine whether this study will yield the same effect in animals, it’s an excellent step in the right direction for helping prevent the progression of a disease that affects so many.
So drink up! In many cases, it’s just what the doctor ordered.
The Wine Student 