I recently returned from an overseas trip where I ate and drank like Nero in and around a noble estate located in the hills not too far from Rome. And while I may be slightly exaggerating the quantities of food and wine I consumed, I did feel like Roman nobility since I stayed at a villa overlooking an Italian castle.

In fact, I had the privilege of staying at Villa DiTrapano, a beautifully appointed lodging facility located in the mountain village of Sezze about one hour southeast of Rome. Charleston Attorney Rudy DiTrapano and his family own the villa and a 17th century Castelletto (castle) on the property that is currently being restored. Check out their website at: www.villaditrapano.com/


Rome is the capitol of Lazio (pronounced Lat-zee-oo) and of the entire country. Lazio is one of 20 states or provinces in Italy, but I had never visited any other part of this region near Rome. And I had certainly never experienced the wines of Lazio. But that changed very quickly as our group tasted our way through as many of the local wines as we could.

You’ve probably never heard of wines made from grapes such as nero buono (red) or bombino bianco (white), but these vines produce exceptionally good bottles of wine. Lazio also makes wines such as syrah and trebbiano that you probably have sampled, but when I’m in a new area, I love to drink the indigenous varieties.


It always amazes me to discover that no matter where I travel, the best wines are the ones that are made from vines which are native to the area. Whether you’re in the Cori Valley of Lazio drinking bombino or in the Willamette Valley of Oregon sipping pinot noir, you won’t go wrong drinking local.

And every region and sub-region of Italy seems to be known for specialty foods. My wife and I also spent several days in Apulia along the heel of the Italian boot and reveled in the cornucopia of diverse food and wine. We visited and tasted our way through picturesque towns such Martina Franca that is the capocollo capital of Italy.


In Martina Franca, we visited a butcher who demonstrated how capocollo is made. Meat from the neck of locally raised pigs is salted, marinated in a cooked wine with spices, stuffed in a natural casing, smoked and then hung to cure for up to six months. The resulting thinly sliced capocollo is a delicious treat, especially when accompanied by the full-flavored red wines of Apulia such as primitivo or negroamaro.

Back in Sezze, we were delighted by the quality of the local restaurants and the friendliness of the citizens, most of whom tolerated our feeble, but well-intentioned attempts to communicate with them in Italian. Fortunately, most everyone under 40 spoke English.


And right outside the gates leading to Villa DiTrapano, we could walk and find everything, including fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and seafood, excellent bread, wines and spirits and mouth-watering pastries. We could not get enough of the small, circular, biscotti-type cookies called Taralli that were coated with cinnamon and sugar. Taralli produced in other regions can be seasoned with herbs and/or salt and pepper, but the Tarali made in Sezze were addictively sweet treats.


 
The fully-equipped kitchen at Villa DiTrapano was too much of a temptation for us to ignore so we prepared our own feast of pasta with porcini mushrooms, sautéed hot and sweet peppers, grilled local Bisteca (rib-eye), fresh salad and – of course – bombino bianco and nero buono.

Oh, and we finished the meal off with little rounds of Taralli!

If you live in or around Charleston and you enjoy fresh seafood, I know you’ve shopped at Joe’s Fish Market (304-342-7827) on the corner of  Brooks and Quarrier Streets. Two brothers – Joe and Robin Harmon- have been providing our area with fresh treats from the sea for decades.

I venture into Joe’s at least once a week when I’m “jonesing” for salmon. I’m not a fan of poaching the fish, but I really enjoy grilling or smoking salmon, and basting it with various concoctions. I actually do a riff on Joe’s hot smoked salmon, but I have to admit that it’s hard to beat the original version that Robin prepares each week on his smoker out behind the market.

At Joes, the hot smoked salmon is brined in water, salt, brown sugar and garlic for a few hours and then smoked for up to an hour over apple wood. They also use farm-raised salmon and recommend choosing it rather than wild caught salmon (like King, Coho, Sockeye, etc.) which tends to dry out if you’re not careful. Try a slab of Joe's hot smoked salmon and maybe you’ll be inspired, like I was, to experiment with different methods of preparing this exceptionally versatile fish.


Today, I’m going to share a salmon recipe that I've created which involves using a brine, a dry rub and then charcoal grilling the fish to delicious perfection. It’s a little time consuming, but really easy and definitely worth the effort. This recipe uses a charcoal, but you can use a gas grill by cooking the fish indirectly and using a smoke box.

And, of course, I’m recommending wines that will enhance your dining experience. In this case, you may select either a full-bodied white wine or medium-bodied red to pair with the dish. See my suggestions below.

 
 
Salmon Italiano
Ingredients
One salmon filet with skin on (usually 2 to 3 lbs)
One-half bottle of dry white wine (sip the rest while grilling)
Three quarts of cold water
One cup each of Kosher salt and light brown sugar
Four garlic cloves minced
One-half teaspoon each of crushed red pepper flakes and dried oregano
One teaspoon each of fennel seed and coarsely ground black pepper
Two teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
One cup of apple wood chips

How To
Make a brine (in large pot) of the salt, sugar, water, wine and half the garlic
Stir and dissolve the brine ingredients and pour into a gallon baggie
Place salmon filet in brine making sure the liquid covers the fish
Put baggie into the pot and place in refrigerator for two to three hours
Soak wood chips in warm water for same amount of time
Remove salmon from brine and pat dry
Sauté the fennel seed in a dry pan until slightly toasted
Grind in a food mill (or use a large knife) to crush the fennel seeds
Rub olive oil all over fish and place on aluminum foil in a long oven pan
Rub the garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper, oregano and fennel evenly onto filet
Make a charcoal fire and divide coals evenly on either side of the grill
Drain wood chips and place in and on charcoal fire
Place pan with salmon between the two piles of charcoal and put lid on grill
Keep grill vents wide open on top and bottom of the grill
Grill salmon for 15 minutes

Salmon is done when slightly firm to the touch

Wine Recommendations:
2014 Mer Soleil Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay ($30) This is a rich, yet perfectly balanced, chardonnay that has hints of vanilla on the nose and a creamy mouth feel with ripe apple flavors and refreshing acidity that marries well with the salmon.

2013 Castello Banfi Rosso di Montalcino ($27) Fruit forward, rich and medium-bodied sangiovese (Baby Brunello) that is full of dark cherry flavors with just a hint of oak on the finish. Great accompaniment to the Salmon Italiano.

Summer is a time to kick back and relax. Picnics, barbecues, back porch lounging and casual dining rule the day and that’s a very good thing. So the beverages we choose to match the lighter, fresher and more casual foods we consume this time of year should not only be delicious, but also refreshing too.

But nothing should require us to eliminate whatever style or type of wine we wish to drink. So if you prefer full-bodied reds with your barbecued chicken, go ahead and uncork one – just know that popping that bottle in the refrigerator for a half hour before you drink it will make the experience a whole lot more enjoyable.

But me? I prefer summer-style wines such as rose’, lighter whites like pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc or albarino and less intense reds such as Beaujolais, pinot noir or Dolcetto. But there is one particular type of wine that is my overall warm weather favorite and that’s because of its versatility with just about any food, and its overall refreshing nature.

This is a wine that goes equally well with fish, meat, veggies or fruit. You can match it with spicy foods like jalapeno pepper -infused dishes as well as delicate seafood entrees such as Dover sole. This wine is really good with popcorn, anchovies and pizza, and it punks any type of beer as the go-to beverage for chili, baby back ribs or even fried hot banana peppers.


I’m talking about Champagne and sparkling wine! Yes, the wine that most of us only open on celebratory occasions is probably the most flexible beverage to use with just about any food – even a green salad with vinaigrette dressing. I am not a food chemist (though I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express), but the refreshing fruity flavor and mouth cleansing bubbles seem to marry well with just about any dish.

We seem to forget how good sparklers are with everyday meals, especially those that are spicy, rich or salty. And you really do have a wide variety of reasonably priced domestic and international wines from which to choose such as Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy and Champagne-like wines from just about every wine-producing country including the US.

Here’s a little refresher on sparkling wine.  While many sparklers are made in the Champagne method, none can be called by that famous moniker unless they are produced from grapes grown in the region of Champagne in northern France.

If you recall, the Champagne method (or methode champenoise) is a process where still wines (traditionally pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier) are blended and then put in a bottle to which yeast and a small amount of sugar are added. This causes the wine to go through a secondary fermentation and the result is a bubbly wine like Champagne. While Champagne is regarded as the gold standard, many other countries produce excellent sparkling wine using this method.

And while true Champagne (which is the most expensive of all sparkling wine) certainly deserves to be paired with decadent foods like foie gras or caviar, it and other sparklers are equally copasetic with just about any dish on the planet. Hey, if food could talk, don’t you think a spicy dish like chili would prefer to be paired with Champagne rather than that hoppy,foamy yellow stuff?

Champagne is priced from the mid thirties to upwards of hundreds of dollars a bottle. Here a few of my favorites priced under $60: Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve; Nicolas Feuillatte Brut; Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut; Moet & Chandon Imperial; Veuve Cliquot (Yellow Label); and Perrier Jouet Grand Brut.

Sparkling wines (those made outside France, but using the Champagne method) priced under $30: Gloria Ferrer Brut; Schramsburg Brut; Domaine Carneros; Mumm Cuvee Napa; Domaine Chandon Reserve; Piper Sonoma Brut; Ste. Michelle Brut; Castillo Perelada Cava Brut Rosado; Dibon Cava; and Gustave Lorentz Cremant d’Alsace Brut Rosé.

Prosecco (these don’t use the Champagne method) priced from $10 - $20 a bottle: Santa Margherita; Ruffino; Zardetto; Lamarca; and Mionetto.

It’s always fun and gratifying to be a part of an organization that provides essential services that are beneficial to the community in which we live. For the past decade, it has been my privilege to serve on the boards of the Thomas Health System and also the Foundation for Thomas Health.

One of the benefits of my association with Thomas is that I get to (occasionally) use my knowledge and love of food and wine for some purpose other than gratifying my own hedonistic tendencies. In this instance, I will be a part of an effort to celebrate and shine a light on the good works of the folks at Thomas.

It will be my pleasure to once again select and then present the wines at the second annual five-course gourmet dinner sponsored by the Foundation for Thomas Health. The event will be held again at the Chop House – this year on July 28, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

At the inaugural event last July, the dinner highlighted Italian food and wine. This year, attendees will be treated to a celebration of traditional American cuisine with wines paired for each course by yours truly. The Chop House has been a very generous partner in this event and, as usual, you can expect the quality of the food to be exceptional.

Here’s the menu with wines:

Passed Canapés: Warmed mushrooms stuffed with fresh herb roasted chicken and pecans; Smoked salmon topped on bruschetta with tomato caper relish
2014 Emmolo Sauvignon Blanc
Appetizer: 4 oz. Crab and lobster cake topped with homemade red pepper coulis with basil and crispy onion stack
2014 Clos Pegase Carneros Chardonnay
Salad: Seasonal greens with Michigan dried cherries, spiced pecans and dressedwith Maytag blue cheese

2016 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Blanc
Entrée: Grilled 6 oz. filet mignon on whipped garlic mashed potatoes with glazed baby carrots and broccoli and finished with a cabernet demi sauce
2014 Mullan Road Cellars Red Blend
Dessert: Chocolate Decadence cake with fresh summer berries
Santa Margherita Prosecco
The price is $125 per person and seating is limited. If you’re interested in attending, please call the Foundation at 304-766-4340 and make your reservation today. You can also bring your friends as tables of four, six, eight and ten are available.

Hope to raise a glass with you to Thomas Health on Friday, July 28th.

What words come to mind when I say Washington?

I bet dysfunction, quagmire, loggerhead and unyielding are among the most defining words you might use to describe that place. But when I think of Washington, words such as balance, nuance, depth and finesse immediately come to mind.

Obviously, we’re describing two different places. In fact, I often use the products produced in the kinder, gentler Washington to soothe and anesthetize me from the vitriol and vinegar of that other place with the same name.

Of course, I’m referring to Washington State. That bastion of good taste in the Pacific Northwest is often overlooked by wine lovers who seem to gravitate more to California and Oregon when looking for some of the best wines produced in the U.S.


If you’re one of those folks, you should really give Washington State another look. In a region of the country perhaps better known for producing cherries, hops, apples, apricots and RAIN, thousands of acres of grapes have been planted. And the wines produced from these grapes are truly exceptional.

In the past 40 years, the wine industry in Washington has exploded. In 1981, there were only 19 wineries in the state and today there are more than 900 scattered over 14 American Viticultural Areas (AVA’s).

Most of us who live east of the Rocky Mountains think of Seattle when we think of Washington State. But Seattle sits smack dab between the Cascade Mountains to the east and the Olympic range to the west, and has rain forest-like weather. And while there are a few vineyards in the Seattle/Puget Sound area, the overwhelming majority of wine is being produced from vines grown across the mountains in Eastern Washington.

So what makes this northwest corner of the U.S. so special? It’s the superb terroir
(pronounced tare-wah). Terroir is defined as the combination of soil, climate and geographic location that determine the quality of a wine appellation. Washington’s terroir is superior and suited for growing some of the world’s greatest wine grapes including, cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, chardonnay, riesling, gewürztraminer and semillon.

Washington white wines are the equal to anything produced in California or Oregon, particularly the riesling, chardonnay and gewürztraminer. And the cabernets, merlots and syrahs are truly exceptional and can compete with wines produced from similar vines anywhere else.

In fact, Washington State produces one of my all-time favorite cabernet sauvignons - Quilceda Creek. It’s a very small production winery and has gained cult status from several 100-point scores regularly awarded to it by critics such as Robert Parker. I was fortunate enough to get on their mailing list 20 years ago. But there other equally good, red wines produced in Washington that are readily available and don’t take a back seat to any other region in the world.

That’s a pretty bold statement, but in addition to intensity, richness, elegance and power, Washington State red wines have the potential to achieve a qualitative attribute uncommon in many wine regions: balance.

Here are a few of my favorite labels from Washington State that you should find in wine shops around the state: Mercer Canyons; Kiona; Saviah Cellars; L’Ecole No. 41; Columbia Crest; Canoe Ridge; Hedges; Leonetti; Waterbrook; Quilceda Creek; Woodward Canyon; Covey Run; Milbrandt; Walla Walla; Chateau Ste. Michelle; Columbia Winery; DeLille Cellars; and Barnard Griffin Winery.

Memorial Day weekend is in the rear view mirror which means that summertime is about to arrive. This time of year, some people’s thoughts turn to gardening or even golf, but not mine. My thoughts turn to grilling various meats and vegetables and accompanying these culinary delights with cool bottles of lighter-textured wines that refresh the body and the recharge the spirit.

I am referring to approachable whites and reds that transform your grilled foods into even more delicious morsels, and raise the overall gustatory experience to sublime levels. And most of the wines listed below retail for less than $30 a bottle.

Let’s start with my go-to spring and summer white.

This is a great time of year to sip crisp, herbaceous sauvignon blanc with herbal suffused foods such as salmon with dill, grilled asparagus, or even a basil pesto  over linguine. Or how about these sauvignon blanc friendly options: creamy chicken salad with tarragon or sautéed brocolini and shitake mushrooms.

You'll want to search for richer, more fruit forward styles of sauvignon blanc that bring out the best in these types of dishes, like : St. Supery, Ferrari-Carano, Nobilo, Chateau St. Jean, Duckhorn Sonoma County, Kenwod, St. Michelle and Sterling.

My absolute favorite picnic and warm weather wine is rose’. Nothing beats the freshness and suitability of rose to pair with foods like grilled Brats, Italian sausage, or baby back ribs. Give these babies a try: Domaine Fontsainte Gris de Gris, Banfi Centine Rose, Mulderbosch Cabernet Sauvignon Rose, Elizabeth Spencer Rose of Grenache and Ferraton Tavel Rose.


Sangovese and pinot noir are my seasonal choices for red wines in the springtime, particularly when matched with grilled dishes. And spring lamb is just about as good as it gets. Whether you choose a boned and butterflied leg, lamb chops or rack of lamb, these wines do not over-power the food, but rather compliment and enhance the flavors.

Here are some sangiovese choices for the grilled lamb dishes mentioned above: Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale, Carpineto Vino Nobile Di Montepulciano, Falcor Sangiovese, Monsanto Chianti Classico, Fossi Chianti and Monte Antico.

Pinot noir may be the world’s most versatile wine with a multitude of dishes. From grilled salmom to chicken, to spicy barbecue and even beef, pinot noir shows its adaptability to a host of foods with different tastes and textures. And a slightly chilled pinot noir is the perfect accompaniment to outdoor dining.

Try these favorites of mine: Erath(Williamette Valley), Cloudy Bay (New Zealand), Joseph Phelps Freestone Vineyards Sonoma Coast, Chehalem Winery, King Estate, Twomey Russian River, La Crema and Melville.

Okay, so here’s a recipe for a simple warm weather dish that could be used as an appetizer or an accompaniment to other picnic type foods. It also pairs up well with just about any of the wines mentioned above. It’s actually a bit spicy, but if you like a little heat with your meal, this is one you’ve got to try.

Poblano Stack
Ingredients:

- Eight medium poblano peppers

- One red and one yellow bell pepper

- One-half pound of sharp, grated white cheddar cheese

- Two ounces extra virgin olive oil

- One –half teaspoon each of salt and pepper

- One large paper bag and several sections of paper towels

Preparation:

Scorch each poblano and bell pepper on a very hot grill until peppers are fairly black

Wrap and cover each pepper in a paper towel and place in the closed paper bag

Allow peppers to steam for about one-half hour

Remove from bag and use a small knife to scrape off burnt pepper skin

Discard seeds and stems from peppers and cut each into two or three pieces

Place a layer of poblano pieces in a small square or rectangular baking dish

Add small amounts of olive oil, salt and pepper and cheese to poblanos

Alternate and stack poblanos with yellow and red peppers

Bake in the oven for 25minutes at 325 F.

Slice into small squares and serve

The warmer weather usually means it's time to switch from the fuller-bodied wines of winter to the lighter wines of spring time. Take a look at what I'm sipping and how there's even a wine for ramps!
https://youtu.be/wUIc169XTpI

My brother and his wife visited us last week. It was great to get together with them, but I must admit things always get a bit testy between my brother and I, but only when it comes to a few topics like: food, wine, politics, movies, the weather, religion, sports, the universe, medicine, creation, clothes, art, fishing, capital punishment….

You get the picture. Sibling rivalry does not even begin to describe our relationship. And cooking together can devolve into a contact sport. Well, that may be an exaggeration, but we do get into some heated discussions. Then we kiss and make up.

We can’t help ourselves. It’s genetic and comes from the Italian side of our family where no opinion ever went unchallenged. Our aunts, uncles and cousins would argue about everything, and ignorance of a subject did not inhibit us from passionately defending a less than plausible position. Those who prevailed usually did so, not through knowledge or eloquence, but because they were louder or had more stamina. Eventually, though, they (and we) settle down and do what we do best: cook, eat and drink!


Among the memorable meals we prepared last week was one that was a pretty complex undertaking. It involved using a Christmas present from my brother – the Anova (a manufacturer) sous vide device – to prepare a confit of duck legs. Sous vide is a method of cooking in which food is vacuum-sealed in a plastic pouch (or baggie as we used) and then placed in a container filled with water. The Anova heating device is used to circulate the food for long, slow cooking in the water bath. The duck confit took 10 hours to cook.

Of course, not every sous vide dish requires ten hours to prepare. Anova provides a cooking guide to assist in setting the circulating device to the appropriate temperature and time for the specific food you’re preparing. Once the food reaches the correct temperature, you can continue to leave it in the water bath until you're ready to eat. This method of cooking is the absolute best way to insure that the food (particularly meat) will be at its tender best.

I’ve used the Anova to cook rib-eye steaks and total cooking time in the water bath was about 1.5 hours. It’s recommended that you finish the meat on a grill or very hot cast iron skillet for one minute per side to get a good searing caramelization. The rib-eyes were among the best I’ve ever served.

We cooked the seven duck legs at approximately 140 degrees Fahrenheit and, once out of the water, we pan-seared them in a cast iron skillet for about 2 minutes a side. Out of the pan, we served the duck with a blueberry gastrique (which is a fancy name for fresh blueberries sautéed with balsamic vinegar, water and sugar). We accompanied the duck with asparagus and a cheesy ramp polenta.

I have to say that after all the weeping and gnashing of teeth, the meal was delicious. And the wine pairings were excellent too. We opened a 2009 Joseph Phelps Freestone Vineyard Pinot Noir ($45) and 2012 Fabre Montmayou Cabernet Franc Reserva ($22). The pinot noir is from the Sonoma Coast and the cabernet franc was made in the Mendoza region of Argentina.

Both wines excelled as companions to the dish, but the pinot noir came out on top because it was more compatible with the blueberry gastrique. The cabernet franc was made in the medium-bodied style of a Chinon, a wine that is made from the same grape grown in the Loire Valley of France.

If you’re interested in learning more about the sous vide method of cooking, you can simply check it out on the web or Google the Anova website.

Join Chef Paul Smith at Buzz Foods and me as we cook up a few great dishes at Paterno's at the Park and pair them with some excellent wines.  We'll show you why breaking some wine and food pairing rules can be fun - and tasty too. Check it out here

https://youtu.be/rhntK2A-MTw

I’ve often said this before, but it bears repeating: don’t be constrained by convention when it comes to matching wine with food. The more you experiment, the more you will realize – like I have – that it’s both fun and instructive to try just about any combination of food and wine that strikes your fancy.

Wine snobs (aka Alt-Wine zealots) would have me dispatched to the grape crusher -if they could -for uttering such vinous heresy. You know the type of person I’m referring to, right? He’s the guy who wears a purple ascot and smoking jacket to the neighborhood barbecue, and wishes his name was Trevor. His mantra? White wine with fish and chicken, red wine with red meat- and absolutely no substitutes!!

Hey Trevor, I have news for you: there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing which wine to serve with a particular meal. Not that I would suggest pairing Chateauneuf Du Pape with pan seared cod, but go ahead and be adventurous. You might be surprised at the tasty combo’s you’ll discover on your gustatory journey.

So here are some tips (not hard and fast rules) on where you may wish to start your wine and food pairing expedition.

Think about the flavor, texture and weight of the food and then consider which wine might be a good fit. You wouldn’t logically pair a full-flavored red wine with delicately broiled seafood. Think about it. The flavor and weight are all out of balance.

Instead, you might complement the dish with a delicate white wine such as Sancerre from the Loire Valley of France (made from sauvignon blanc) or an albarino from Spain. Conversely, a robust red wine such as cabernet sauvignon or merlot would pair seamlessly with a well-marbled rib-eye steak.


Another element to consider in choosing a complimentary wine pairing is how the dish is seasoned. The addition of sauces or spices can add a flavor dimension that should be considered when picking the appropriate wine.

For example, pinot grigio would be an excellent choice with poached salmon in a dill sauce, while grilled salmon that has been dusted with cumin, black pepper and chili powder would overpower that same wine. Here’s an example where I suggest choosing a red wine to marry with that particular dish. With no apologies to Trevor, spicy, grilled salmon requires a medium-bodied red such as pinot noir or even sangiovese.

The texture of a dish can also play an important role in determining the best wine match. And sometimes that means pairing the dish with a wine that has contrasting notes or nuances. For instance, if you have a rich, fatty piece of beef, lamb or pork, a good wine match might be a young tannic and astringent red like zinfandel or petite sirah. That’s because the mouth feel of the wine will provide a pleasant contrast to the richness of the meat, and also serve to cleanse the palate.

Probably the most difficult dish to pair with wine is any type of vinaigrette, particularly those used on salads. Vinegar or acid-based dressings clash with most wines, destroying the flavors of both the salad and the wine. The only possible palatable pairing I’ve found is to match the vinaigrette with a very dry sparkling wine such as a Cava from Spain.

And finally, one of my favorite, but seemingly counter-intuitive pairings, is full-bodied red wine with chocolate desserts. As a matter of fact, one of the most exquisite dessert experiences I’ve had recently is paring the 2015 Orin Swift Abstract ($35) with a large slice of double chocolate cake.

The Abstract (a California blend of grenache, petite sirah, and syrah) is an opaque, purple monster full of rich, mocha and blackberry flavors. It is an absolutely delicious complement to chocolate. And the Abstract bottle has a really one-of-a-kind label with a collage of eclectic images. It’s sure to be a collector’s item.

So go forth and be adventuresome. Try some unconventional (maybe even outrageous) wine and food combinations. (Trevor will never know).

I was asked the other evening to expound on the qualities of a particular grape grown in a number of different geographic wine regions around the world. How did it differ in taste and quality from one appellation to another? Good question, right?

Things seemed to be going well as I began to describe the qualitative differences in terms of not only the taste and aroma of the wine, but also how climate and soil affected the finished product. So when I mentioned that this particular grape flourished in places like California, France and Australia, my friend asked: “How does the wine made from that same grape in Israel compare to the others?

Huh? To my knowledge, I assured her, that grape is not widely planted in Israel. “No”, she insisted, “I just read how wine produced from that grape in Israel is similar in style and substance to what is made in California.”

The grape we were discussing is syrah (which the Australians call shiraz) and I could tell from her disappointed look that my wine credibility had taken a serious hit. Could they really be growing syrah now in Israel?

I asked my friend to spell the grape in question and she did so correctly without hesitation. However, she also added the word “petite” before spelling syrah. Ah, now I understood. The pronunciation of sirah (seer-ah) is the same as syrah, thus the misunderstanding. And, indeed, petite sirah is produced in Israel’s emerging wine regions. But, of course, petite sirah is a completely different grape than syrah.

Holy obfuscation! There can’t be any other product that is more difficult to understand than wine. Maybe quantum mechanics, but I doubt it. To start with, much of the language – even on American wine labels – is foreign (i.e., “cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, etc.). And when some of the so-called wine-illuminati use terms like ethereal, orgasmic or unctuous to describe “Uncle Amos’ Purple Mountain Majesty,” normal folks- who would like to learn a little more about wine – are left scratching their heads.


And unless you’re studying to be a sommelier, you probably wouldn’t know that “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” (which is from Tuscany and comprised of at least 70 percent sangiovese) is a totally different wine from “Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.” This latter wine is from the state of Abruzzo and is produced from the montepulciano grape.

Confused? You should be. And while it can be maddening to someone who just wants to find a good bottle of wine to accompany their meatloaf and mashed potatoes, it can also be fascinating for wine geeks like me who enjoy nothing better than translating that bewildering gibberish for you.

So here are four different and delicious examples of wines representing the confusing language discussed above. I think you’ll like them and I promise to use common words to describe them.

2010 Terre Rouge Cotes de l’Ouest Syrah ($22) – This California wine is full of bright cherry and spicy black pepper flavors. Unlike some new world full-throttle syrah’s, this one is medium -bodied and similar to a northern Rhone wine. This would be lovely with a spicy casserole of Chicken Cacciatore.

2014 Boogle Petite Sirah ($14) – There is nothing subtle about this inky purple monster, but it is still very well balanced with gobs of black and blueberry flavors and just enough acid to make it an excellent food wine. Try it with a hearty, garlicky beef stew dusted with a generous portion of coarsely ground black pepper.

2012 Fattoria dell Cerro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ($27) –You will need a glass of this delicious wine after trying to pronounce it! A nose of flowers, cola and mint is followed by notes of black cherries, vanilla and spice on the palate. Match this delicious wine with a crown roast of pork that’s been rubbed with olive oil, sage, black pepper and minced garlic.

2014 Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ($22) – Another tongue-twister, this wine bursts with sweet and sour cherry flavors along with nuances of cinnamon and tea. Round and rich, but with a good zing of acid, marry this baby with roasted or grilled lamb chops that have been marinated in lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, olive oil and rosemary.

Check out my Vines&Vittles video on Port by clicking below.
https://youtu.be/_AQrkRUvbvE

There are not many good things one can say about winter except it is the season of Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But otherwise winter is gray, cold and depressing, and I wish it could be shortened. But until we figure a way to adjust the rotational tilt of the earth or flee to terra firma nearer the equator, we’ll just need to make some adjustments to survive this uncomfortable time of year.

As you might have guessed, my adjustment to winter involves consuming endorphin-enhancing sustenance. In other words, good wine and food. And while I’ll be uncorking full-bodied red wines to accompany cold weather foods such as stews, pastas and hearty soups, I will also open a bottle or two of Port to enjoy as a postprandial digestif by the fireplace. And don’t worry if you don’t have a fireplace. Anywhere indoors will do just fine.

Port or Porto (as it is called in Portugal where the wine is produced) is made from a variety of grapes grown along the steep slopes of Douro River. In fact there are more than 80 varieties of (unpronounceable) grapes which are permitted to be used in the production of port, but most producers use less than ten.

Port is a “fortified” wine and that means brandy is added to it during the fermentation process. The addition of brandy causes the fermentation to stop, leaving the wine with about 10 percent residual sugar while bumping up the alcohol content to approximately 20 percent. Once the new wine is made, it is shipped to the city of Oporto where it is sold to companies, known as Shippers, who then age the young wine in barrels and label it under their house name before exporting it all around the world.


The Styles of Port

Vintage Port -This is the best and most expensive type of Port and is produced only in exceptional years (about three years in a decade). A “vintage year” is declared by an agreement among the Shippers who then take special care in aging and then bottling the wine. Vintage Port can improve in bottle for 15 to 50 years (or more) before reaching maturity. The Wine Spectator Magazine rates the 1997, 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2011 as among the best recent vintage Port years. You can expect to pay between $50 to more than $150 a bottle for vintage Port.

Late Bottled Vintage Port – It is a blend of Ports from different vineyards in the same vintage year. Late bottled vintage Port (or LBV) will have a vintage date on the label, but it is not vintage Port. LBV is usually priced between $15 and $30 a bottle.

Tawny Port – This is sometimes called the “poor man’s” vintage Port because it is aged for many years in oak and, when released, it is very smooth and rich like an old vintage Port. Without a doubt, this is my favorite. It is affordable Port with prices ranging from $10 to about $40 a bottle.

Ruby Port – Young port wine blends from several different vintages comprise Ruby Port. Ruby Port is lighter and fruitier than other styles and usually the least expensive Port ($10-$20 a bottle). Ruby Ports can be cloyingly sweet and fruity.

White Port – Made from white grapes, this is the only Port-style wine that is produced dry. It is usually crisp, yet full-bodied, and makes a nice aperitif wine. Really lovely with lightly flavored and pan seared white fish. ($10-$25 a bottle)

Here is a list of some of top Port producers you can look for in your local wine shop. Warre’s, Graham’s, Taylor-Fladgate, Croft, Dow’s, Fonseca and Ramos-Pinto. One of my favorite American Port-style wines is Ficklin. Try their 10-year Old Tawny – it’s absolutely delicious.

Many people prefer to accompany Port with nuts or with blue cheese like Stilton. I love to have a glass of Tawny after a nice meal as a liquid substitute for dessert. Yummy!

So, go out and sip the winter away with a warming glass (or two) of Port!

Check out my video wine picks for your holiday celebrating.
Please click on the link below.  And Happy Holidays !

https://youtu.be/j4YqOkzKIfI

It’s that special time of year when we all willingly succumb to something loosely defined as “The Holiday Spirit.” And while it is generally a good thing, the holiday spirit induces in me a kind of euphoria that causes me to recklessly disregard my own financial limitations.

Yeah, you guessed it. In other words, I am about to spend a whole lot of money on wine – for family, for friends and for ME!

And it’s not just yours truly either. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans will spend about seventy percent of their yearly wine budget, purchasing bottles for Christmas gifts, parties, and for holiday dinners. To accommodate this demand, local wine shop shelves are now overflowing with bottles of every type and pedigree.


I‘ve already been searching those shelves (and online too) for that special bottle and there is an incredible selection of wine from all over the world available to fit just about any budget. And I’ve always said that giving the gift of wine, particularly to someone close to you, can have its own reward since there is a good likelihood you’ll be invited to sip along with the giftee once that special bottle is uncorked.

But whenever I consider a wine for myself, I always ponder what type of meal will present the best opportunity to showcase the bottle. In my particular situation, I’m thinking about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals, and the wines that will make the feasts memorable. I’m also shopping for the right wine to celebrate New Year’s Eve. So let’s consider wines to match Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners, as well as celebratory sparklers for New Year’s Eve.

In our home, my wife and I divide up responsibility for the holiday meals. I’m in charge of Christmas Eve and she is the Christmas Day chef de cuisine. Drawing from my Italian- American roots, my menu will consist of seafood -ala The Feast of the Seven Fishes- and I will accompany the meal with some of my favorite chardonnays.

For everything from squid and lobster to shrimp and smelts, I will use rich, full-bodied chardonnays. Here are some you might consider for a similar type feast: Falcor Henry Ranch or Sonoma Mountain, Mer Soleil, Cakebread, MacCrosite, Rombauer, Far Niente and/or Amapola Creek.

On Christmas day, my wife will prepare a standing rib roast and accompany it with Dauphinoise potatoes and Yorkshire pudding. Of course, this meal demands a rich and full-bodied red wine such as a cabernet sauvignon, Bordeaux Red or a Bordeaux -style blend (i.e., blends which might consist of any combination of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, or petit verdot). Here are several which would fit the bill perfectly for the beef roast or just about any roasted meat - even grilled or smoked turkey:

Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon; Joseph Phelps Insignia; Dominus; Harlan Estate- The Maiden; Merryvale Profile; Chateau La Dominique; Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; Chateau Lynch Bages; Chateau Brainaire Ducru; Chateau Cos d’Estournel; Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon; Pontet Canet; Leoville Las Cases; Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon; and Ornellaia (from Italy).

To ring in the New Year, I always pop open a sparkler. Try one or more of these bubblies: Roderer Estate (sparkling) Paul Bara Brut Champagne; Nicholas Feuillatte “Blue Label” Brut Champagne; Mumm Napa Cuvee (sparkling); Veuve Cliquot Brut Champagne; Iron Horse Russian Cuvee (sparkling) Krug Grande Cuvee Brut Champagne; Perrier Jouet Grand Brut Champagne; Taittinger Comptes De Champagne Rose.

Have a great Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve, but watch out for that “runaway” Holiday Spirit!

From time to time, I'll be posting video featuring Vines & Vittles topics. Check out the link below for information on Beaujolais Nouveau and for some wine suggestions for Thanksgiving. Hope you like it!

https://youtu.be/Mk8Q_Awne8c

When most of us think of November in the context of food and drink, Thanksgiving comes immediately to mind. But there is another date - also a Thursday and always one week before Thanksgiving -that should have particular significance for wine lovers.

On November 17, the 2016 Beaujolais Nouveau will be released in France and available in the US- even here West Virginia. Beaujolais Nouveau is a fun sipper full of fresh strawberry and cherry flavors that is the first wine of the 2016 vintage. The Nouveau, produced from the gamay grape, is only two months old when it arrives in wine shops and cafes around the world.

You can expect Beaujolais Nouveau to be a lively, frothy, fruit- forward mouthful of wine. At its best, the wine is a pleasant quaffer that is never meant to be taken too seriously, but rather should be enjoyed in celebration of the new vintage. It would also be a good wine to use as an aperitif before your Thanksgiving dinner.


But there are more serious wines made from the gamay grape in Beaujolais and today I’ll tell you about them. The Beaujolais region lies just south of Burgundy and descends along a 34-mile stretch of rolling hills ending where the Rhone wine appellation begins. Gamay is a lighter pigmented red grape that regularly produces a medium bodied wine similar in texture to pinot noir.

In addition to Nouveau, most of the other wines in the appellation are labeled Beaujolais, Beaujolais Superior or Beaujolais Villages. These wines are all more substantial in texture and flavor than Beaujolais Nouveau. The very best wines of the region, though, are called Cru Beaujolais and they are much more serious and can actually improve in the bottle for many years.

These Cru (which means “growths” in French) wines are named after the villages around which the grapes are grown. The ten Cru Beaujolais wines are: Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Cote de Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent, Regnie and Saint Amour. Each of these Crus produces distinctly different Beaujolais from very light and delicate (i.e., Chiroubles and Fleurie) to fuller-bodied wines (i.e., Moulin a Vent and Morgon).

Like Burgundy, it is very important to select your Beaujolais from reputable producers and shippers. Among the most reputable of these are: Joseph Drouhin, Georges Duboeuf, Louis Jadot, Louis Latour and Domaine Manoir du Carra. And unlike Burgundy, these are wines that are reasonably priced - usually between $15 to $30 a bottle.

In matching these wines to food, I suggest you use the Crus Beaujolais like you would a medium-bodied pinot noir. These Crus show the best qualities of the gamay grape, producing in good years silky smooth wines with cherry and tea flavors and aromas of crushed flowers. I particularly like to pair them with roast pork tenderloin, grilled salmon or Thanksgiving turkey.

So celebrate the first wine of the 2016 vintage by sipping a glass or two of Beaujolais Nouveau. Try it with cheese or as an aperitif and then open a bottle of Beaujolais Villages or Cru Beaujolais to accompany the dinner entree.

A Votre  Sante'!

Hey, friends of wine, I’m back! After that last column where I focused too much attention on that other beverage, I was whisked away in the middle of the night and brought to a wine reeducation center for an intervention by a group of masked wino’s called “Warriors For The Vine.

As a result, I want you to know that I’m back and more dedicated than ever to expounding on the virtues of that liquid we all love. As a matter of fact, I have had my nose in a plethora of wine glasses lately, spending hours sniffing and sipping my way through dozens of bottles just to present you with several vinous recommendations.

And with the exception of one wine (out of the 10 I’m recommending today), they are all priced between $9 and $20 a bottle. If you don’t see these wines on the shelves of your favorite shop, just ask the proprietors to get them for you since they are all available in the state.


As is always the case when I suggest a wine for your sipping pleasure, I will also offer an appropriate food to pair with it. So here goes.

Aperitif Wine or (as we call them in my home) Porch Sippers:
2014 Montinore Gewürztraminer – a spicy, slightly sweet white with aromas of flowers and nutmeg, this would be great with sliced apples and Vermont Cheddar; 2015 Fritz de Katz Riesling – this German Mosel white is tangy, a touch sweet with peach overtones and would be nice with strawberries or brunch food like omelets; and 2013 Pacific Rim Eufloria White – this is mostly riesling blended with a little gewürztraminer and chenin blanc and has citrusy, tart apple flavors that would be a superb accompaniment to Quiche Lorraine.

White Wine:
2014 Ceretto Arneis – Light to medium-bodied and slightly fizzy, this northern Italian bottling is delicate and should be paired with plainly broiled or pan seared white fish; 2014 Clos Pegase Chardonnay ($25) – this Napa Valley wine is very well balanced with a nose of ripe apples and freshly baked bread with flavors of ripe honey dew melon. Pair it with chicken cordon bleu; and 2014 Buil & Gine Nosis Verdejo – a Spanish wine full of citrus and apple flavors that is slightly effervescent.  It would be an excellent pairing with steamed mussels in a little of the verdejo and a lot of garlic.

Red Wine:
2013 Jasci & Marchensani Montepulciano d’Abruzzo - a literal mouthful to say, it is a delicious Italian wine which is round, rich and medium bodied with loads of ripe dark fruit flavors.  This wine would pair exceptionally well with grilled Italian sausages; 2013 Marc Roman Terret – from Southern France, this wine at $9 a bottle is one of the best bargain wines I’ve tasted in a while. Terret is an obscure grape that produces a medium-bodied red that is well balanced and would be perfect with chicken thighs that have been dry rubbed with a southwest seasoning and then oven baked;

2012 Haraszathy Family Cellars Old Vine Zinfandel – a medium to full-bodied old vine zin from Lodi, this wine is chock full of blackberry and cola flavors, and demands to be paired with grilled baby-back ribs; 2015 St. Cosme Cotes Du Rhone – from the magnificent 2015 vintage, this wine must be aerated in a carafe for an hour or so if you choose to drink it in the next year. It is dark purple and very tannic with flavors of black cherries and aromas of black pepper and tack room. Try this one with marinated and grilled flank steak that has been stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, sausage and provolone.

Enjoy!

I was sorry to hear that my good friend and fellow Gazette-Mail colleague, Rich Ireland, will no longer be educating us on the pleasures of sipping that hop-infused beverage he has so lovingly championed over the past decade.

Rich’s “Beers to You” column and blog has been on my required reading list since its inception, and his passionate advocacy for that lesser beverage (just kidding, Rich) has been instrumental in promoting the rapidly expanding craft beer movement in West Virginia.

Rich and I have spent the better part of a decade gently chiding each about our respective sipping preferences. In fact, we will continue to do so at the annual Beer vs. Wine “Feastival” event held each year in February. The event helps to support Festival - our city’s excellent arts and entertainment program held throughout the summer.

This coming February will be the fifth year for the event where each course in a five-course gourmet dinner is accompanied with both beer and wine. Attendees then vote on which beverage they feel paired best with each course. So far, wine and beer have each won two of the events. (Note to Rich: Wine is going to win the rubber match).

While I have (tongue firmly planted in cheek) criticized beer as an inferior beverage to wine, I am also an advocate for and consumer of the stuff, especially locally produced suds. Heck, the first alcoholic beverage I ever purchased was beer as a 14-year old at the Sportsman Inn in Clarksburg


I’ll never forget sheepishly approaching the bar and asking the proprietor – Joe Serafini (RIP) – if I could buy a glass of draft beer. Joe, who was known to sip a thimbleful of 7-Up with his Calvert Reserve, looked down at me and slurred: “you’re going to jail, Lap.”

Joe called everyone Lap. Don’t ask why. Anyway, as I turned to sprint out of the bar, Joe, wheezing and laughing, called me back. “Don’t worry, Lap. If you can reach up to the bar and hand me a quarter, you can have a beer.”

I’ve had a few beers since then as well as a glass or two of wine. I grew up in a working class neighborhood where beer was an every day beverage. So was wine. In my Italian neighborhood, just about every family made a barrel of red and sometimes a crock of home brew too. So I come by my love of these beverages naturally.

But I am truly excited to witness the growth of the craft brewing industry in our state. Here are some of the towns in West By Golly that are brewing suds: Charleston, Fayetteville, Davis, Thomas, Morgantown, Lewisburg, Martinsburg, Parkersburg, Wheeling and even tiny Wardensville.

Unbelievably, in just a one-mile stretch of beautiful Tucker County there are three craft breweries. And last week, I stopped at Big Timber’s brewery and pub in Elkins for a cold glass of “Forrest Fest” – their version of Oktoberfest produced just in time for the town’s annual Forest Festival.

Happily, some of these craft breweries are joining with restaurants and food trucks to pair their beers with (many times) locally grown or produced foods. A few, like Stumptown Ales in Davis, are also planting and harvesting hops for use in making their beer.

I recently stopped by Stumpton with a few friends for a beer and noticed a food truck parked across the street. It turns out the owners of Stumptown are working with the food truck folks and allowing patrons to purchase meals they can then take across the street to consume at the brewpub.

So wine lovers please do not despair. I promise to get back on that purple track soon. But in the meantime, chill out with a nice West Virginia craft brew while you ruminate about which wine to bring home for dinner tonight.

I like to think that, like a fine wine, my own personal vinous tastes have matured, morphing from “in your face” big, tannic purple monsters to balanced, flavorful and nuanced wines of all colors. This transition did not occur overnight and, in fact, it took about two decades for my mind to accept what my palate had been transmitting to it: that bigger is not always better.

When I became seriously interested in wine a few decades back, my tastes ran to just about any red that was full-bodied. The bigger, the better! These were new world wines produced either in the U.S., Australia or South America, and they always seemed to have tons of rich, dark fruit flavors, mouth puckering tannin and stratospheric alcohol levels. Even the white wines I occasionally drank ran to heavy, over-oaked California chardonnays.

But I have seen the light, brothers and sisters! And it is not bright and blinding. No, it is soft, muted and subtle. And this evolution of taste has nothing to do with  sophistication, aesthetics or a sudden epiphany. Rather, it reflects a realization that I had stubbornly resisted for years: that wine appreciation is all about balance. And finding that balance is a challenging, but fun, life-long pursuit.



Hey, I will be the first to defend your right to drink any wine you wish. If you prefer Uncle Vito’s Thunder Mountain Red with filet mignon, then go for it. My only wine appreciation admonition is: If you think you’ve found the world’s greatest wine – you haven’t- so keep trying.

It’s easy to enjoy – as I still occasionally do – those big, rich monster wines that provide instant gratification, but they are one dimensional palate bullies that don’t get along with food. And that’s the crux of the issue for me. Wine should almost always be enjoyed with food and especially at mealtime. And finding that perfect food and wine pairing is the payoff.

So today, let’s talk about red wines you might try from appellations that are known for producing flavorful but balanced bottles. In the good old US of A, pinot noir is the red that can be rich, yet subtle and the best regions to find these excellent food-friendly products are: Willamette Valley of Oregon; Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast and Santa Rita Hills of California.

While you may be surprised by this suggestion, zinfandel can also be produced to provide subtle, lighter styled wines that are very good food companions. Try zins from these California appellations/producers: Dry Creek Valley – Preston, Quivira and Pedroncelli; Amador County: Easton and Sobon.

In Europe, you should try the lighter to medium bodied wines of France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In France, the wines of the Cotes Du Rhone feature grenache as the primary red grape while in Beaujolais it is gamay and in Burgundy it’s pinot noir.

In Italy, you might look for the reds of Chianti in Tuscany produced mainly from sangiovese while in the Veneto look for Valpolicella. In Piedmont, barbera and dolcetto are great choices, and the nero d’Avola of Sicily is a lovely quaff. The wines of Spain provide some subtle, but flavorful offerings. Try Rioja made from tempranillo as well as the reds of Ribera Del Duero and the Penedes region near Barcelona.

And while most people think that Portugal produces only Port, you might ask for the lovely dry red wines from the Duoro River Region produced from the touriga nacional grape.

Enjoy!