Two Sultry Summer Sippers to Try this Weekend!

With another warm weekend upon us, what will you be drinking the next few days to help beat the heat? If you haven't yet made this crucial decision, here are two options perfect for Summer sipping.

First is the 2009 Martín Códax Albariño, a refreshing white wine from the Rias Baixas (pronounced ree-ahs buy-shuss, click to listen) region of Spain. Located in the northwest portion of the country, this region lies in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Not so coincidentally, this wine pairs with just about anything that comes out of it! This crisp, light white has flavors of citrus and peach as well as a lovely minerality; it was fermented entirely in stainless steel to preserve its fresh, fruit character. This wine's bright acidity and flavor profile make it a natural match for briny oysters, succulent shrimp or lighter dishes like goat cheese and arugula salad. It's essentially like adding a squeeze of lemon to whatever you pair it with.

Second is the 2010 J Vineyards "California" Pinot Gris. This lovely white is a blend of 100% Pinot Gris grapes from three different California appellations including Clarksburg (38%), Monterey (35%) and the Russian River Valley (27%). It has enticing notes of tangerine, vanilla and pear with a subtle dash of honey. This wine was also fermented 100% in stainless steel to preserve its fresh fruit character. Comparatively, this wine has a richer mouthfeel than the  Albariño and would pair nicely with dishes that have slightly more body and even a little bit of spice. Try this Pinot Gris with Indian or Asian food, brie with honey drizzled over the top (yum!) and richer seafood like scallops. 
  
Both of these wines retail for under $20 and can probably be found at your local wine shop. If not, they can be ordered online by clicking the links above. I really hope you enjoy these Summer sipping selections and would love to hear what you think of them. What's you favorite Summer sipper...so far?

Cheers,

Winesday with Gary Vee: A Fabulous Sparkling Wine for Summer Sipping!

What's not to love about a refreshing glass of sparkling pink bubbles to sip by the pool this Summer? Gary Vaynerchuk of the Daily Grape has a recommendation exclusively for readers of The Glamorous Gourmet for a delightful and affordable Spanish Cava that will deliver in the glass and not break the bank! Check out what he has to say about the
2008 Parxet Titiana Brut Rosé Pinot Noir Cava:

"With the summer weather you're going to want to drink something fresh and lively. Cavas are produced in the same method as Champagne at a fraction of the price. Many can be hit or miss, but this one both has a friendly price tag and impressive structure for its price point. Lounging by the pool or cooling off after mowing the lawn…this wine is a no brainer."

Gary's tasting note: Tight nose, not showing much and not nearly as aromatic as the other sparkling roses. But a subtle elegance and complexity, just a preview of strawberry fruit. Very complex fruit, quite earthy with beets along with rose petal and ripe black raspberry flavors dominate this complex bottle of bubs. I like the finish and mouthfeel, and in general I'm impressed. Not knowing what it costs when I taste it, if this wine is $20 or under, I might text my friends to pick up a bottle. (Trouty just told me this is only $15. Winner winner, chicken dinner. I think everyone needs to add this to their wishlist).

2008 Parxet Titiana Brut Rose Pinot Noir Cava
100% Pinot Noir
90 points
$15 MSRP

Yet Another Great Reason to Live and Drink in South Florida: Albariño in January!

After listening to my best friend Syd recount the local snowfall amounts for the week in Beverly, MA I had to thank my lucky stars for the gorgeous weather we're having here in South Florida. So it got into the low 40's a few times and I actually had to put on a sweater last week - not a big deal relative to shoveling and snow-blowing! 

Practical issues aside, the gorgeous weather here also allows for a wider variety of wine choices, which can never be a bad thing as far as I can tell. Personally, I would find it a bit odd opening a crisp, cold bottle of rosé in front of a roaring fire while snow was falling outside. Au contraire here in Florida, where temperatures in the mid-50's are definitely open to interpretation. A fabulous wine to try here in the "dead of winter," or pretty much any time of the year, is Albariño.

Albariño is a white grape varietal grown in northwest Spain and Portugal that produces lovely, lively wines with fabulous, food-friendly acidity. Spain produces Albariño to a significant degree in the Rías Baixas DO (click the link to hear the pronunciation and get a leg up on any wine snobs), and is also common in the Vinho Verde region of Portugal. If you are a Pinot Grigio, Viognier or Sauvignon Blanc fan, you may want to give this white wine a try. Albariño is also readily available at most local wine shops. Two of my faves to look for would be:

Martín Códax Rías Baixas Albariño 2009: crisp and dry with a nice acidity and flavors of lemon zest, pear and passion fruit $15.
Vionta Rías Baixas Albariño 2009: citrus and lychee on the nose followed by pear and lemon on the palate and refreshing acidity $20.

The Rías Baixas region is located in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and, not so coincidentally, Albariño pairs wonderfully with just about anything that comes out of it. I especially love it with Florida Stone Crabs which are in high season right now. This is really a delicious pairing which we are fortunate enough to enjoy until the end of Stone Crab season on May 15.

So next time you're looking to roll with some white wine in the middle of January, pop on over to your local wine store and try a bottle of Albariño! I'd love to hear what you think.

Cheers,

Wine Pairing Principles for Thanksgiving and Beyond!

Holidays like Thanksgiving can sometimes cause an acute case of WPP otherwise known as wine pairing paralysis. With the cacophony of flavors and textures involved in a meal whose primary goal is to stuff oneself until bursting, what wine could possibly (1) complement the meal (2) appeal to a variety of palates and (3) not break the bank? Don’t fret, my fellow wine lovers, here are a few tips to help make the process a little easier for Thanksgiving or any other holiday meal.

When presented with dishes such as roasted turkey, caramelized onion and cornbread stuffing, cranberry compote, sweet potato casserole and Brussels sprouts at the same meal, the best wines to select (and guests too I might add) are those that “play nicely with others.” Choose wines that are fruit-forward with a food-friendly acidity that will not only stimulate your taste buds but “do no harm” to your already flavor filled meal. Hold off on tannic Cabernet Sauvignons or heavily oaked Chardonnays and opt instead for lighter style Rieslings, unoaked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot.

The same principles apply when trying to satisfy a variety of palates at your holiday gathering. Avoiding wines with harsh tannins and heavy oak influence is usually a good game plan. Select a fruity, approachable Cru Beaujolais or crisp, bubbly Spanish Cava to appease your guests. While universally appealing, these wines will also complement the flavors in your meal beautifully.

Thirdly, we all know holidays like Thanksgiving can involve feeding a small army of family and friends; however, finding an appropriate wine to serve doesn’t have to break the bank. Choose wines from regions known for producing great values at reasonable prices including Spain’s La Rioja, Chile’s Central Valley and France’s Beaujolais AOC to name a few. Save your Classified Growth Bordeaux and California cult collectibles for another occasion! Stock up on your favorite value wines and have them on hand when guests drop by for some “holiday cheer.”

Use the above principles to eliminate your wine pairing paralysis and get you through any holiday meal in style. Here are a few recommendations to get you started – Cheers and have a fabulous Thanksgiving Holiday!


1. J Vineyards “Cuvée 20” Brut Sparkling Wine NV $20
2. Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler Riesling QbA Mosel 2009 $12
3. Castillo de Molina Chardonnay Reserva, Casablanca Valley 2009 $15
4. Bodegas Faustino VII Rioja 2007 $12
5. Louis Jadot Moulin-à-Vent Château des Jacques 2009 $18
6. Viña San Pedro 1865 Single Vineyard Syrah 2007 $25

Bon Appétit,