Dallas Wine Chick

A Preview of Virginia Wines: Surprises Abound (the Good Kind)!

It’s just about lights, camera, and action time for the Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville, VA. To whet our palates and educate many bloggers who aren’t familiar with wine from Virginia, the Virginia Wine Council and my Twitter friend, Frank Morgan, put together several Twitter Taste Live opportunities to get a group of us familiar with what the state has to offer. Last week, it was all about Virginia Viognier.

I am a big fan of viognier, but shared some trepidation with the group of seven girls who I gathered for the tasting. Boy, were we wrong. Virginia makes some great Viogniers in a variety of styles from sparking to fruity to mineral in nature.

We started with the NV sparkling viognier, a 100 percent viognier wine. I got green apple, pear, mango and apricot in this wine. Winemaker Mike Heny told us that he wanted to do something unique that had not been done before. Well, he succeeded and beautifully. At $25, this was my favorite of the tasting.

Our next wine was the 2010 Blenheim Vineyards Viognier. This wine was full of honey, tropical fruits and had a minerality that made it a perfect match for the spicy shrimp we were eating. At $19, this was a great food friendly white.

We then tried the King Family Vineyards 2010 Viognier. This was elegant and well balanced with melon, honey and peach flavors. At $24.95, this wine was a delightful pairing with sushi.

We followed up with the 2009 Barboursville Vineyards Reserve. This was a very floral wine with peach, apricot and some minerality. It was interesting to see the change in flavor as the wine spent more time in the bottle. This wine was $22.

While there were six wines in the tasting, my sixth wine from Delaplane Cellars didn’t arrive until after the tasting, so our last wine was technically the fifth wine – the 2010 Cooper Vineyards Viognier. I tasted of peach, apricots, tropical and floral notes. While the wines shared many of the same qualities, they were all very different.

My friends, who usually are tougher than most wine critics, universally said that they enjoyed all of them. It was a reminder to me that there are some great wines out there and it often pays to go off the beaten path and experiment. I look forward to sharing my adventures with you during my time in Charlottesville beginning today through July 25. The Wine Blogger’s Conference is always good for new discoveries and good friends.  I look forward to sharing my adventures.

Fourth of July, Family & Fireworks Meet Bordeaux and Chilean wines

Fourth of July.  It’s more American then apple pie, mom and tasting French and Chilean wines?  Let me explain.  I found myself over the Fourth of July weekend on a beach trip with my husband’s family.  Picture one beach house in Sandestin, eight adults and six kids (with all six under the age of six and a half).  Usually not ingredients for a successful wine tasting, but my husband’s family had indicated an interest in wine tasting.   In the beginning, I had my reservations with my husband blasting beach music, a Pixar movie on the screen, kids eating dinner and the family gathered around a small coffee table with one glass in hand.  But soon, the kids were happy, the electronics were off and we were discussing the wines.  

Due to a schedule mix-up, the Planet Bordeaux people had sent over some samples earlier this year for a Twitter Live Tasting while I was out of town.  We discussed conducting a tasting of my own at a later date and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.  The Planet Bordeaux folks are trying to get the word out about what Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur AOC wines have to offer.  Superieur Bordeaux’s are inexpensive, but come from a specific vineyard with a set amount of age.  I was surprised at the differences in appellations, blends and tastes of the variety of Bordeaux wines provided.  And that was a good thing because the folks in the room couldn’t have more different palates.

The wines tasted included the following:

• Chateau de Parenchere 07 Bordeaux Superieur Rouge ($15) – liquorice, blackberry, chocolate, tar and plum.  This wine screamed for a food pairing.
• Costes du Chateau Feret-Lambert 07 Bordeaux Superieur Rouge ($16) – this wine was fruity, but an earthier, chewier mouth feel.  I tasted cassis and blackberry.
• Chateau Cablanc 06 Bordeaux Rouge ($11) – this was smooth, elegant and the definite favorite of the group.
• Chateau Lamothe de Haux 09 Bordeaux Blanc ($11) – very grassy with big notes of grapefruit, lemon, crisp fruit and refreshing.  The crowd favorite of the whites and a fabulous price for a good white. 
• Chateau Marac 09 Bordeaux Blanc ($11) – This one had a lot of minerality, almost a little effervescence to it, muted soft stone fruit.
• Chateau de Lisennes Cremant de Bordeaux ($17) – This one was described as the “non champagne drinkers champagne” by my brother-in-law.  We were split on this one as half of us liked the dry palate and half wanted something with softer bubbles.  A great brunch or food wine.

The next day we decided to expand our journey to Chilean summer white wines provided by Banfi Vintners.  We first focused on the Casablanca (aka Carneros South, which is north of Santiago), region of Chile, which is known for cooler temperatures and compared on occasion to California’s Carneros region.

Emiliana Organic Vineyards, the world’s single largest collection of estate-grown wines, produces their wines from organically grown grapes.  Their winemaking is directed by Alvaro Espinoza, known for being a visionary for organic, biodynamic and eco-balanced wines.                                          

We started with the 10 Natura Sauvignon Blanc ($11) and Chardonnay ($11).  I smelled oranges, citrus, grapefruit and something floral.  I enjoyed this wine better on the second day as it was more balanced.  The Chardonnay had lots of tropical fruit and almost a nutty flavor.  My mother-in-law named this as her favorite.

We then moved to the 10 Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc ($12) once named “Devil’s Cellar,” after the owner spread a rumor about his cellars being haunted by a devil after a robbery.  It’s crisp, fresh and tropical – definitely the favorite of the group.  We followed that up with the 10 Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay ($12), which had lots of tartness, fruit, citrus and a crisp finish.

Our final wine was the 09 Marquis de Casa Concha Chardonnay ($18), which is from Limari, the “Land of Cold Light” known for the presence of limestone soil.  This was a much meatier wine with buttered toast, vanilla and citrus flavors.  This was also a divisive wine with half of the tasters naming it one of the top wines and the other half in disagreement.

It may have not been the most traditional thing to do on a fourth of July weekend, but then again, what better time to experience different wine with your family?  And, sometimes wine is the ingredient needed for all that togetherness.

VOVETI Texas Launch: A Night of Italian Wine/Design

I recently attended an evening of “contemporary Italian wine and design” that married the Texas launch of VOVETI Prosecco with a tour of the incredibly cool Scott+Cooner designer showroom of Italian designers.  The product is a result of a partnership between Freixenet, one of the main Cava producers in Spain, and the Collavini family in Italy.

Brand manager Liz Hartley talked about how the Ferrer family wanted to expand and create an “authentic Italian Prosecco by going to the source” and the labor of love that went into this project.  Because the end goal was to keep quality tight, showcase the caliber of the fruit and launch a higher-end product, only 7000 cases were produced.  I tasted lemon, almond, floral and a little minerality at the end.  And, for $17, this is a great alternative to other higher priced sparkling wines.  You can find VOVETI at Mr. Gs and Sigels.

A Bubbly Review: Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé and Poema Brut Cava

If you consistently read this blog or have ever met me, you know that I am a fan of all things champagne, sparkling or bubbly.  You also may know that last year I lost several people who were dear to me and I vowed that I would try to make every day a champagne occasion.  That was why when I received two bottles of bubbly from my friends at Kobrand, I was very happy.

What Happens When Moms Don’t Attend Y Guides

My husband and daughter were camping at a Y Guides (formerly Indian Princesses before we got all politically correct) retreat, so I had several of the gals in my girl’s wine over and pulled out the bubbles.

Our first bottle was the Domaine Carneros Brut Rosé 06. It was a fabulous fruit and floral blend with rose petals, peach and hints of raspberry, strawberry and great balance. A blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay, the Brut Rose retails for $36 and is worth every penny.  
 

The other sparkling provided was a Poema Brut Cava from the Penedès region in northeastern Spain.  This was nice, crisp with lots of pear, spice and almost a baked bread finish.  Quite a bargain at under $11 and a great summer sparkler.

A Matter of Taste: An Evening of Review Wines

I had the opportunity to taste a number of wines with several of my girlfriends a few weeks ago.  As a wine blogger, it is always a pleasant discovery to find deliveries in your office full of new goodies to taste.  Our line-up that evening included the Banfi Vintners Rosa Regale, a sparkling apertiff with strawberry notes that was immediately claimed by one of the attendees as her bottle of the evening.  We also tried the line-up of Folie A Deux wines including the Merlot, Chardonnay and Cabernet as well as the Soave DOC “Re Midas” from Cantina di Soave and Soave Classico DOC “Castello” from Cantina del Castello.

The winning wines were the Soave Classico DOC and the Folie A Deux Merlot.  With its balance of tropical fruit, pear and mineral notes, the wine continued to develop in the glass for the entire evening. It was a great match with the cheeses and other appetizers set out for the evening.  The Folie A Deux Merlot was almost creamy with notes of cherry, raspberry and mocha. The wine reminded me of the style of Merlots that made me realize how much I liked this grape, which coincidentally occurred right around the debut of the movie, Sideways, which almost single-handedly wiped out Merlot sales.

If you are looking for some value wines, both of these are good options.  Personally, the Soave Classico DOC was my favorite.

The Envelope Please: Cotes du Coeur Unveils Wine & Food Pairings

Last week I had the chance to attend the chef announcement party for the 20^th annual Cotes du Coeur International Fine Wine Auction and Celebrity Chef Dinner.  The event raises money for the American Heart Association’s fight against heart disease and is scheduled for April 9^th at the Hilton Anatole. A few days prior the event, I received an email that the location was being moved to the Addison Conference Center due to the increase in the amount of attendees expected.

Chef Richard Chamberlain served in an emcee role as he ran through the chef line-up paired with some wonderful wines.  He seemed surprised to receive the Cowboys Quarterback Award from Chairman John L. Adams for his tireless work on behalf of the Cotes du Coeur. 

The menu and associated wines are listed below and I have so many personal favorites including Gemstone, Realm, Ceja, Terra Valentine, Jordan and Peju that I’d be here all day talking about them. 

If you want to meet great winemakers, support a cause that impacts all of us and enjoy food from the best chefs in town, I’ll see you on April 9.

She’s leaving on Midnight Train to Saint-Emilion

I know you’ve heard the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for….”  About a month ago, I was lamenting the fact that review wines were stacking up in my kitchen and I posted on Facebook that I needed some tasting assistance.  Naturally, several people immediately jumped to help and the next thing I knew, Lea Cromer had arranged for our tasting to be held at Saint-Emilion Restaurant.com in Ft. Worth, TX for a nominal fee. 

First, I had to figure out how to get a bunch of folks from Dallas to Fort Worth without having to drive.  We were planning to drink 16 review wines and we were ready for some fun.  Sure, we could have paid for a driver, but since it was the midst of the holidays we didn’t want to spend the funds.  In most metropolitan cities, this would not be that big of a deal, but in Texas, public transportation is not an easy feat.

We found out the Trinity Railway Express would get us from point A to point B in less than an hour.  Seemed easy.  Notsomuch.  My friend, Julie, and I took a taxi from my house to the station and found it difficult to navigate with someone else driving.  Actually, that’s an understatement.  Do you remember the scene from National Lampoon’s European Vacation?  We had our Look kids.  There’s Big Ben.  There’s Parliament moments.  The real irony occurred when several of my friends tried to (gasp) drive their cars to the station and park.  That’s when we found out that the ample lot located next to the station is closed and they wanted three women driving separately to park 15 minutes away and walk… because that is safe and makes sense? 

I must admit.  Once we got on the train we planned to clandestinely pour some wines into coffee cups to toast the journey.  The train was so packed that was not a reality, but I know some of the conversations that we had definitely were not what the daily commuters were used to overhearing.  Once we hit Fort Worth, we piled (and I mean piled) into the taxi where we were finally en route to Saint-Emilion Restaurant, one of Fort Worth’s treasures.

In the past, I haven’t spent a great deal of time in Fort Worth outside of client business or the arts community, but I can’t put into words how lovely and hospitable the owner, Bernard Tronche, was to us. He truly rolled out the red carpet.

Bernard had arranged for the tasting wines to be properly chilled and stemware was waiting when we arrived.  Our aperitif was the Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blancs Methode Champenoise.  Made of chardonnay grapes, it was floral, had a touch of honey and some citrus notes.  A very nice sparkling for $24.99.

Once we had finished our sparkling, Bernard began to bring out lovely plates of cheeses, frog legs, escargots and freshly baked warm bread to complement the food.   There were arsenal meats, goat cheese rolled in spices, almonds, olives and an amazing bruschetta appetizer that I couldn’t stop eating. 

My favorites of the 16 wines that we reviewed:

Favorite Wines

• Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc 09.  At $13.99, we were pleasantly surprised with this wine.  Lots of citrus, but with a touch of pineapple that made it balanced. It was named by one of the attendees as her 2011 “lakehouse wine.”
• Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Rubric 07.  I had a bit of a bias against the Blackstone wines, but really enjoyed the Rubic.  Big notes of blackberry and a caramel smoothness made this a nice drinking experience. Priced at $22.  The Blackstone Sonoma Reserve Cabernet 07 also received some good table reviews.
• Caviste Carneros Pinot Noir 07.  Lea, who reps several wines with retailers, brought this one made by Acacia.  It had notes of licorice and a lavender note that I really liked.  Priced at $17.99.
• Albino Armani Corvara Pinot Grigio Valdadige 09. This was an interesting wine.  I tasted pears, peaches, honeydew and a touch of bubble gum.  Definitely one to be served as an aperitif.  Priced at $19.99
• Bodegas Osborne Tempra Tantrum Tempranillo/Cabernet 09.  Very fruity with blackberry notes.  We deemed this a great picnic wine at $11.99.
• Robert Mondavi Merlot Napa Valley 07.  Raspberries, blueberries and black tea made this a well balanced wine.  Priced  at $23.
• Dona Paula Estate Malbec 09.  Hands down – our favorite of the wines to be reviewed.  Velvety smooth and notes of cherry, herb and licorice.  Very nice.  The quote of the night occurred here – “I want to sleep with this.  I want to bathe with this.”

Right as the Dona Paula Malbec was poured, Bernard and crew came with the grand finale – a fantastic steak, pommes frites and grilled asparagus.  The meal was absolutely heavenly and I don’t think I left a bite.  Saint-Emilion opened in 1985 when Bernard, a transplant from France, decided that he wanted to open his own restaurant after working at restaurants in New York, New Orleans and Dallas.  Mark Hitri serves as the Chef de Cuisine and joined last September. 

Bernard and I enjoying the evening

We wrapped up the night with a few wines from our own collections.  The Summers Adrianna’s Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 07, the 00 Chateau Margaux Pavillon Rouge and the 05 Marquis Phillips S2.  This time we planned ahead and filled out “to go” cups before arriving at the station for the long ride ahead.

I can tell you one thing – the food at Saint-Emilion is worth the trip.  I will be back – and might even take the train again to do so …

Dallas’ Most Interesting Wine List is at a National Hotel?

Last month I attended the Texas/New York Gridiron wine challenge had the opportunity to sit at a table with Hunter Hammett, sommelier for the Dallas Fairmont Hotel.  Surprisingly enough, our conversation shifted to wine and he told me about the Fairmont’s wine list which he had totally overhauled including a large number of Texas wines.  I was intrigued, so I asked Hunter if I could spend some time with him learning more about the list.

He’s an agreeable guy and very passionate about wine, so I found myself in the totally revamped Pyramid Restaurant & Bar at the Fairmont – with a tasteful local focus on Texas products and a rooftop garden.  I was handed the list, which received a Wine Spectator 2010 Award of Excellence, and like a kid in the candy store, I started perusing.  As Hunter hand-selected the 250 wines that are on the list, it was important find a variety of on and off “the beaten path” wines at any price that patrons would love.  I especially enjoyed the Underrated Reds and Underrated Whites sections that had a number of wines I have enjoyed in small little wine bars or across the country.  I never expected to see them at a restaurant in a national hotel.  You’ll also find grapes you’ve probably never heard of nor had the opportunity to try like Aligoté, at least in Texas, until now. 

Gruet was one of the selections on the Underrated Reds list and I mentioned that I had never tried its still wines.  In short notice, I had a glass of the 06 Gruet Pinot Noir Cuvee Gilbert in hand.  Hunter also had a large selection of wines that are positioned by varietal vs. region to encourage experimentation of all different types of grapes from around the world.

Of course, because this is Texas, you will find the usual big suspect Cabernets -we all know that restaurants have to carry these to please certain patrons.  Also, I believe that having some of the big steakhouse wines gives people the trust factor to try other wines that may not have considered otherwise.  

Wines that are sustainable, organic and environmentally farmed are given special consideration.  You’ll probably see a future focus on building out the French section of the list in 2011.  Hunter’s credo, like The Wine Century Club, is to broaden the wine drinking scope at every opportunity.  I, for one, look forward to my trip around the world with his wine list as my guide.

A Return Visit to Fuqua: The Dallas Wine Experience

I had the chance to attend a tasting at Dallas-based Fuqua Wines in September.  Some of you may remember my surprise at the quality of the wines – especially the tempranillo — from my column in Black White and Read last November. 

Lee and his wife, Julia, started the winery a few years ago in the warehouse district in Dallas.  Fuqua’s motto is to distribute super ultra-premium wines using the best grapes from Texas, California, Oregon, Washington and Europe.  Lee and Julia would like to use more Texas grapes, but there is a huge shortfall of quality fruit, which is obviously a problem when your mission is to make premium wines.  We had the chance to meet Courtney Key, a wine making student about to start her apprenticeship in France, who was helping Lee and Julia with the most recent vintages.

Courtney and Lee with the Fuqua 08 Chardonnay

We arrived to a glass of Segura Vidas Cava from Spain – obviously not a Fuqua wine, but a favorite sparkling of theirs and good palate cleanser.  This is a great value sparkler and has always been on my list of preferred value wines.

We tried a number of wines — some made by Fuqua, some made by others – but I’m going to point out a few that were of note to me:    

Fuqua 09 Summer Cabernet ($17.95) – very light, fruit forward and Beaujolais style with currant, vanilla, cherry and strawberry notes.  This was the only Texas wine and certified by the Texas Department of Agriculture to have 100 percent grapes from the Texas High Plains.  My personal preference was for the bigger styles, but because it is the only 100 percent Texas wine, I thought I’d mention it.

Fuqua 06 Syrah ($19.95)- very dark, spicy, concentrated fruit, wood, liquorice and coffee. This was a wine that needed food or a little more time to open.  Very interesting flavor combination and I would have liked to try it again the following day.

Fuqua Malbec Barrel 09 ($27.95), my favorite with the exception of the tempranillo, which has also not been bottled yet.  Even right out of the barrel I tasted lots of big blackberry fruit with vanilla and complex flavors.  Looking forward to picking up my pre-ordered bottles when they are ready and putting them down to age.

Fuqua wines are available at Pogo’s, select Sigel’s and Red’s Seafood.

I’ll let you know in a few years if I was right about the Malbec and I continue to eagerly wait for this year’s release of the tempranillo.

A Dom Perignon Oenotheque Tribute to a Star

I recently posted about how we need to drink more champagne and live life to the fullest because you never know what curveball life will throw you.  Little did I know what sad reality was waiting for my family just a few short weeks later. 

It’s amazing how coincidences in life play out.  One of my friends on Twitter is @cleavagecreek, a winery where 10 percent of the gross wine sales is donated to fund breast cancer research and support , sent me several bottles of their wine last week and my plan was to invite my mom and two of my aunts to come and taste them with me.  My Aunt Sue was battling breast cancer and my Aunt Anne, is a long-time survivor.  I wanted to use the wine as an opportunity to celebrate both of their lives and toast survivorship.

Unfortunately I never got that chance.  On Tuesday evening, we received a positive update from my Uncle John reporting that my Aunt Sue had finished her second round of chemo, that everything was going well and they had been released from MDA Anderson to enjoy a night at a hotel.  Several short hours later Sue had an aneurysm and died.

This weekend my family gathered in Austin under the saddest of circumstances to support my two cousins, their families and Sue’s husband, John.  We came to honor a great mom, wife, grandmother, business woman, church leader and friend.  We memorialized her constant smile, her love of family, the people she helped find career direction through her business and how she was a friend and mentor to so many.  We paid tribute to someone who lived life to the fullest, touched so many people in her short 53 years and made it tough to find a single flower left in Austin due to the quantity of arrangements sent to the funeral home.

After the church ceremony and the burial, we went back to the gorgeous home that Sue and John so laboriously renovated – one exquisite detail at a time.  The house was designed for family, for friends, for fellowship and for fun.   At approximately, 6:24 p.m., we came together to toast Sue at sunset, one of her favorite times of day.  Looking down at the city of Austin in its majestic glory, 107 of us raised a glass of 1993 Dom Perignon  Oenotheque,  and paid tribute to her.

As I took that first sip and watched that beautiful sunset with tears in my eyes, I looked around at my family and Sue’s vast network of friends.   There were so many parallels with what I tasted in that glass with the person that Sue was – elegant, balanced, exquisite, one of a kind and even a little nutty (this is, after all, a woman who met her neighbor for the first time wearing a smurf outfit because she invited the neighborhood kids over for a party).   Later I read the booklet included in the box.  Dom Perignon describes this library wine as “a wine whose style defines time.”  I would describe my Aunt Sue the same way.  Dom described when he first tasted champagne as “seeing stars.”  I was lucky to have had 40 years of my life to know another.