Wisconsin Wine! Wollersheim Winery’s Prairie Fumé 2016

Prairie Fumé 2016 by Wollersheim Winery, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. 10% ABV, SRP $9.50/bottle.

 

It’s always good to step out of your comfort zone and try something new. So when I was on a motorcycle trip in Wisconsin, I saw this wine and had to give it a taste!

Color is pale green, while the nose offers lime zest and green apple. On the palate: a mix of Granny Smith  and Golden Delicious apples, with a hint of sweet-tart candy. Semi-dry but a definite sweet note, this has a very light mouthfeel. Overall take away from this wine is that it is light, a touch sweet, and crisp, with balanced acidity.

I paired this wine with tandoori chicken and sweet plantains.

 

What I find fascinating is that when I visited the winery’s website, I was informed that the wine is actually made from 100% seyval blanc grapes that are grown in NY State. I find that strange to call it a Wisconsin wine even if it’s made in the state of Wisconsin, if the fruit is from NY. C’est la vie! Winemaking notes include cold fermentation and that the wine is designed to be drunk young, but can age for up to two years- so I don’t suggest cellaring. I’d forget this was in there and find it three years later… whoops. It’s a fun, fine summer wine to quench your thirst. Unusual, yes! Unmistakable, no.

 

so, what’s in YOUR glass?

 

à votre santé!

 

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Lasorda Family Wines 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

Lasorda Family Wines 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, CA, USA. 13.5% ABV; SRP $24/bottle.

 

 

Color is deep magenta with purple edging. The nose offers boysenberry, eucalyptus, and dried black fruit. On the palate is  blueberry and boysenberry, with secondary hints of raspberry and cherry, followed by notes of forest floor, mocha, cedar plank, and granite. There is considerable heat across the front palate, followed by dried blueberry, black plum, and stone across the  tongue; residual heat shifts along the rear of the top palate on the lengthy, fruity finish that features moderate acidity and medium-to-large tannins.

Winemaker Terry Culton has crafted a modern cabernet with a nose and mouthfeel that nod to old world cabernet style, while the flavor profile is unmistakably Paso Robles- that’s a great thing!  And it goes with food, let me tell you! In addition to pairing with American fare, this wine will sit happily along Italian, Spanish and French meats, game, and savory dishes. It is medium bodied with a warm, enveloping and gossamer mouthfeel. I paired this over a five day period with Italian, Mexican, Chinese, burgers, grilled chicken, and steak and I was pleasantly surprised every single time. This is a delicious, food-friendly wine that drinks nicely alone and pairs beautifully with American fare and, like the game, gets along with all others.

Did I expect to like it? No preconceived notion. 

Am I Impressed? Yes.

Would I buy it again? Yes!  

Would it be the perfect wine or gift for your friends & family who are BASEBALL FANS?  Oh HECK yes! 

Editor’s note: If you didn’t automatically THINK about Tommy Lasorda when you read the top lines of this post or saw the baseball diamond on the bottle, ok- you’re not a baseball fan, & here’s the skinny: Tommy Lasorda was a major league baseball pitcher and went on to become a Major League manager. For two decades he managed the LA Dodgers, and was one of the top managers in baseball history. His name is synonymous with professional baseball, regardless of who you root for. Yes, this is his family’s namesake wine. Tommy Lasorda, at 90, is currently the oldest living member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

 

 

This wine is an absolute HIT. make no mistake about it, I expected a gimmick, and got scored on.

 

Surprised? Don’t be.
I AM a Yankee fan, after all!

But for any baseball fan, this is a treat! Take this bottle to the park. Or give it as a gift. You’ll thank me. 

 

à votre santé!

Ah-So Rosé – In the Can!

Ah-So Rosé of Garnacha, Navarra, Spain. 12.5%ABV. SRP $19/four pack, or approx $5-6/can, street price. 

 

The Ah-So tool is the strange-looking, two-pronged wine opener that sommeliers use to open older wines or wines with damaged corks. The Ah-So Rosé Wine is cute in that you don’t need any corkscrew or wine opener, the pop-up top allows you to drink it direct from the can or to transfer it to a glass.

“Ach-So!” is also a phrase my great-aunt Tante Anna used in her broken English at  many points in conversation to shift focus, meaning “Ah, now I see”. Her other highly useful phrase when directing the conversation was simply “So” before starting another idea. Speaking of other ideas, let’s get to the wine!

 

The color is fuscia; the nose is of fresh garden greenery and a hint of watermelon. On the palate, muted young raspberry and citrus fruit with solid acidity. Crisp, clean, refreshing, and best served cold. Food pairing is more easy than usual: the delicate flavor and strong acid level make it a good palate cleanser and refreshing wine, so the greatest success is with simpler, cafe or bar-style food. In an easy-to-carry can, it is designed for the beach, boating, the golf cart or poolside. Where a traditional container poses issues, this is an easy-to-use packaging. Sold in four-packs of 250ml each (about 8.2 ounces).

 

L-R: An Ah-So koozie showing the Ah-So Tool, a glass of Ah-So Rosé, and a can of Ah-So Rosé. 

 

Ah-So is a joint operation founded by the duo of third generation winemaker Carlos Lopez de Lacalle and hospitality industry veteran Dustin Chiappetta. The vineyards are made up of 15-45 year old vines, planted in clay and limestone soil. Only organic viticulture takes place, without any herbicides, and grapes are entirely hand picked and sorted from 100% garnacha clusters which are pressed by gravity over a five hour period. Only 100% free-run juice is used for Ah-So Rosé and the vinification is done entirely in stainless.

Ah-So made Food & Wine’s Top 20 Wines Under $12, and to my knowledge is the ONLY Spanish wine currently available in a can. Now you can pile these up in your Yeti Cooler when you’re off to the July 4th party.

Drinking rosé all day just got a little easier!

 

#WIYG?

 

à votre santé!

El Chaparral De Vega Sindoa Old Vine Garnacha

El Chaparral De Vega Sindoa 2015 Old Vine Garnacha, by Bodegas Nekeas, Navarra, Spain. 14.9% ABV, SRP $14/bottle.

Color is garnet with ruby edging. The nose offers young raspberries and green cuttings. On the palate the fruit is red plum, raspberry and boysenberry. Notes of black pepper, aged wood, granite and clay on the long finish. Bold flavors with a solid, matching tannic backbone: this a nicely balanced, medium-bodied wine that is certainly suited with grilled meat or game. I opened this and tried it with strong cheeses where it paired well, but the next day I fired up the grill and paired this with steak and the wine sang so beautifully in that pairing! I sipped it after the meal, enjoying the silky texture and full mouthfeel with the same level of satisfaction, and would pick this bottle up again in a heartbeat. This 100% old vine garnacha has the fruit profile of a cab with the texture of pinot. At this price, you’d be foolish not to pick some up for the summer! A terrific value, this is a wonderful alternative to cabernet sauvignon for grilling or tapas and drinks like a $30 bottle with a price tag less than half that on the street.

#WIYG?

à votre santé!

Locations NZ7 Sauvignon Blanc

Locations Wine by Dave Phinney, “NZ7” Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand. ABV 13.5%; SRP $19/bottle.

Color is bright straw. The nose offers grassy herbs, grapefruit, and starfruit. On the palate: gooseberry, grapefruit, with stunning acidity and a delightful mouthfeel. Secondary notes of tall grass/grassy meadows and herbs, with hints of minerality clay, and gravel.  This blend of grapes, 100% sauvignon blanc sourced from three locations within New Zealand, is a classic SB. The Wairau, Awatere, and Waihopai valleys all provided the fruit that generates this gorgeous blend that tastes like a superb single vineyard. Singular in focus, simple yet absolutely complete. Tremendous quality and value from a winemaker you can trust to deliver the absolute ideals from a wine region. 

I paired this with a Provençal herb chicken with baked apple compote, asparagus, green peas and couscous. So delightful on the palate and so SPOT ON with the protein, the herbs, the fruit and the vegetables. This is my idea of a perfect sauvignon blanc pairing, hands down. The secondary pairing with a trio of cheese (brie, gouda, goat) was also a great success. The third pairing was purely accidental: a lemon cookie was tremendous with the grapefruit/gooseberries, and made for a stunning harmony. All in all, this is a killer wine of summer. If you like classic, clean sauvignon blanc, this will make you quite happy, indeed.

 

Dave Phinney’s NZ Sauvignon Blanc from Locations Wine. 

 

 

Surprise! An excellent dessert pairing of lemon sugar cookie with the NZ SB! 

 

#WIYG? 

 

à votre santé!

Blind Tasting Markus Wine Co’s 2015 “Domo” Lodi Red Blend

Markus Wine Company 2015 “Domo” Lodi Red Blend; Borra Vineyards, Lodi, California. 13.8% ABV; SRP $39/bottle.

 

A dry red blend of 75% carignane, 15% petite sirah, and 10% sirah.  Aged 17 months in 25% once-filled French oak casks. 71 cases made, bottled March 10, 2017.

 

 

Color is deep and lustrous garnet with ruby center. The nose is of red roses, stewed plums, and wildflowers. On the palate is massive red fruit- plum, cherry, and raspberry dominates while softer notes of spices and tobacco leaf follow, with a hint of loam on the tart, satisfying finish. The massive fruit is matched with beautiful acidity and a solid tannic backbone.

I was so excited when I tasted this wine that I re-corked it with argon and then took the bottle to a party that night, where I poured blind tastes for friends along with two other top shelf new and old world red blends. After tasting all the wines, and without prompting or provocation, people unanimously came back to Markus Domo- against red blends costing two and three times more, respectively- as the wine they wanted to drink. After a few minutes, I asked people to suggest where they thought the wine was from. “You love French wines, is it Bordeaux?” said one guest. “This is Italy for sure.” said another. “Napa Valley?” inquired a third. When I explained it was from Lodi, folks were surprised.

“JvB, cut to the chase! Wherever it is, from, it’s just really good. Could you pour me some more please?” said the man on my right.

I laughed, and brought back the bottle, thinking, “It’s true. Doesn’t that sum up all we need to know?”

à votre santé!