A 35 Year Old Wine

Large Format BottlesThis past weekend I was able to sneak away from the city and enjoy a warm and beautiful day in Napa. There is something so relaxing about seeing rolling hills covered in vines. Built into the side of one of these hills is Chateau Montelena. If you've seen the movie Bottle Shock, you may know a thing or two about this winery and their famous Chardonnay which beat the French wines in a blind tasting in 1976.

Flash back to this past weekend, I found myself in the Montelena cellar with a very large bottle of, get this.... a 1978 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon! Swoon! This wine is 35 years old, not to give my age away, but this wine is older than me and by a few years! The wine was exceptional. The balance and structure was still there, the deep red/orange brick color was the only evidence of its age, (kinda like wrinkles.) The deep of flavor and vibrancy of this wine wowed me. Me very happy holding the '78!The tannins had soften, the fruit had mellowed out but there was still rich blackcurrant and black fruit qualities you often find in Cabernet. There was also an earthy almost musty flavor, much like you find in an older Bordeaux wine. I have to say, I hope I hold up this well by the time I am 35! 

'78 Estate Cabernet One of the great things about large format bottles is that the aging process takes a little longer due to the increased volume of wine vs. air exposure through the cork. The more common, 750 ml bottles, will age faster than a large format bottle. That's not to say a 750 ml bottle of this '78 Cabernet might not have been good, but it would have been more oxidized and further along in its process to becoming vinegar. If you are interested in cellaring wine, I recommend buying large formats. Although, I will admit, I don't think I could hang on to a bottle for 35 years without drinking it before hand! This was a beautiful wine that had much of an "old world" taste. Perfect for this old soul!

What is the oldest wine you have had? Share in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!

Santé!

Vinho Verde - Nope it's Not the Latest Salsa Craze

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the Wines of Portugal tasting and seminar in San Francisco. Throughout the day, producers and importers poured their countries beautiful wines. Since 2000 B.C. Portugal has been dedicated to making fine wines. And with over 250 native grape varieties, and 593,000 acres planted, they know a thing or two about grapes. And no, its not all about the sweet stuff anymore. 

Portugal, is one of the only countries who puts restrictions on max and min levels of acid and alcohol in a wine, in addition to, requiring a chemical and sensory evaluation of their wines in order to receive a quality stamp for a wine's label. 

More specifically in the northwest corner of the country is the region Vinho Verde. A region I knew some of but have a much more in-depth knowledge after attending Master Sommelier, Keith Goldston's seminar. The Vinho Verde region is known more for its white wines coming from green grapes, hence the name. Keith also referred to this region as being very green in the Spring time much like Oregon, which I can relate to, having grown up there!

The white wines made in the region come from the following grapes: Azal, Arinto, Loureiro and finally Alvarinho (or Albranio). Which if you have been following me for a while know I am obsessed with! The Vinho Verde region of Portugal just so happens to sit directly across the Douro river from the Spanish region Rias Baixas, where some of the most world renowned Albranios are produced. However, as the prices for Spanish Albranio are on the up-rise while Vinho Verde is producing some killer Alvarinho with a lower price point. (Get them while you can because one day, and I fear sooner rather than later, these prices will go up as well.)

These white wines are known for having screaming acidity, (and I mean sour patch kid style), and are low in alcohol, no higher than 11% allowed. I love these wines because I am an "acid slut." Meaning where there is high acid, there tends to be great minerality and citrus fruit flavors. If I had to characteristics, many of these wines have a similar flavor profile to Pinot Gris and of course Albranio. 

Awesome Portuguese reds although not from Vinho Verde RegionThese which is great for food pairings. Even the reds made in this region from the Vinloa grape are great with seafood. If you are looking for an alternative to Pinot Noir with your fish, seek this grape out. As Keith put it, "Pair these wines with anything you would squeeze a lemon on."

In order to find Portuguese wines closer to home, it may require heading to your local wine shop. The US has just become the number one export country for Portugal but we only get 37% of their overall exports which doesn't mean it is readily available just yet.

These wines are also perfectly refreshing for the upcoming summer season and being lower in alcohol will allow for more wine pool side. ;) So grab the chips and salsa and let's start a new wine craze!

Have you tried a Portuguese wine lately? I would love to hear about your experience below in the comments! 

Santé!

Celebrating 1 Year of Wine Classes!

This week I wanted to speak with you directly as I celebrate a huge millestone! 

Santé!

Judging the NW Wine Summit 2013

If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, you may have noticed the last three days I have been consumed by tasting hundreds of wines from the Northwest. I felt privileged to have been a judge at the NW Wine Summit which took place in the beautiful Columbia Gorge, Oregon. Three days of wine tasting and man do I have purple teeth! lol.

The judging took place over three days at the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel with wines submitted from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Six panels of four judges spent hours blind tasting hundreds of wines over the course of 5 tasting sessions. Breaking only for meals and after parties. The overall showing was solid with a few hiccups but I assume those winemakers will learn from not winning a medal. ;)

I have to say, my favorite wines of the weekend were not actually entered in the show but wines my fellow judges who brought with them bottles from their cellars to share at dinner and throughout the night. The '01 Rieusec Sauternes was one of the best dessert wines I have ever had! The '93 Beaux Freres Pinot Noir from Oregon, the '02 Bergstrom Pinot Noir, the '99 Betz Cabernet from Washington, '91 Ridge from California and a '02 Montrachet....all phenomenal! 

Ok, I'll stop geeking out for now....results from the show will be posted next week. 

I recommend recreating this experience with friends at your next dinner party or special occasion. Have everyone bring a bottle of wine, place the bottles in paper bags and number them with a marker. The give everyone a voting sheet for first, second and third place. Reveal the wines at the end of the night and see what wines were everyone's favorite. It is amazing how much we judge quality from a brand rather than our own palates. 

Alright, that is all from me this week, now please pass the beer.....

Santé!

Rosé Wine - Oh How You Blush

As I'm writing this post, I am enjoying the "heat wave" that has fallen upon the City of San Francisco. 80 degree definitely calls for rosé! And today happens to be a large rose tasting on pier 33, lucky me!

But how the heck is rosé made, you might be asking? Modern day rose isn't your Grandma's sweet White Zinfandel. Rosé can range in colors from pale pink to dark salmon - but how is this delicate, dry yet fruity style of wine achieved?

A Favorite Rosé of Mine.Rosé is made from red skinned grapes. Just like with red wines, the color comes from the phenols, (an organic compound), found in the skin. Depending on the length of time the grape juice and skins sit in contact, the richer the color.

So in order to get that fetching blush color, skins spend very little time in contact with the grape juice. Sometimes as few as a couple of hours. 

The word, "saignee," is French for "bleeding." Also, a popular method for making rosé wines. Red winemakers may decide to drain or "bleed" off a small portion of grape juice from their red wines in order to create higher concentration of color in their reds. The portion bled off was often sent to the fishes but now many producers are saving the wine and bottling it as rosé. This method is called "Saignee."

This process also pertains to sparkling rose wines. As pinot noir and pinor meunier are the two red grapes of the Champagne region in France, most rosé sparkling wines are made from these two grapes.

Other popular grape varieties used in making rosé wines include: Cinsault, Cabernet Franc, and Syrah, to name a few.

Most regions around the world have embraced rose styles wines. In Provence, France, rosé is the norm and goes swimmingly with their cuisine and sunny beaches. I love rosé because it is refreshing, can be consumed on its own but also great with food pairings from breakfast to dinner and everything in between. 

Got a favorite Rosé? I want to hear about it below. As I taste my way through Pier 33, follow The Wine Key on Instrgram, (@thewinekey), Twitter and Facebook for live updates and the full report on my favorite Rosé wines!

Santé!