Robert Parker Wine Advocate Issue 183

Its that time again, The Wine Advocate has released its latest issue of wines Parker and friends have rated. Today we are going to focus on Jay Millers Spanish ratings. Earlier this year we were first teased with the Wine Advocate issue 181 when Jay Miller released his Top 100 values from Spain. Even though we wanted to know how well the “high end” Spanish reds were drinking this was probably the smart thing to do since at that time wine consumers fears with the economy were climaxing.

Luckily this seems to be one of the first years in a long time that these high end collectibles are still available for sale. Normally us in the wine industry get a little disappointed that the ratings are released just when the wine is no longer available from the importer to sell. Yes its great to have sold the wine but when you have to answer 200 calls a week asking for that Red Jumilla that was just scored 99 points, it gets a little tiresome having to repeat the fact that it is no longer available. Anyway on to the wine….

One of my favorite importers has to be Jorge Ordonez. This is a man who completely revolutionized the modern day Spanish wine industry. Shelves that used to be filled with only low end jug wine has been replaced with bottles that will compete against any other region in the world. Jorge is responsible for great Spanish values such as Bodegas Borsao and Altos de Luzon to the amazing “high end” wines as El Nido El Nido and Bodegas Alto Moncayo. His portfolio is the definition of New World wines. Big, Bold, Rich, Silky and of course usually on the higher side of the alcohol content.

Speaking of the 2006 Bodegas El Nido El Nido there is no surprise here that it scored a nice 97 points by Jay Miller. Ever year since 2002 it has topped 96+ Points. This is a wine that has serious depth and concentration and exhibits everything this wine is supposed to be in a near perfect vintage. Luckily this is one of the first vintages that the rating was released and there is still some available from the importer. You can still buy the 2006 Bodegas El Nido El Nido online here. Unfortunately we can’t say the same for the 2006 Clio, El Nidos younger brother needed no rating for it to quickly sell out late last year.

How about you has anyone else had a chance to try any of the new releases from Spain? Whats your favorite or most interested in trying this time around?

Two Washington State Winery Profiles

When most wine consumers think of great American wine the first wine producing state to pop in their heads 9 out of 10 times in California. However for over 100 years Washington State has been producing award winning wines making it the second largest wine producing state in the nation. However it really wasn’t until the second half of the 20th century that Washington producers really began to push the level of quality that was coming out of their wines. Two of the largest producers that really brought national attention to Washington state were Chateau Ste. Michelle and the Columbia Crest Winery. These two producers have done a great job with releasing wines that showcase Washington State grown grape varietals at all different price levels.

First up, Chateau Ste. Michelle located in Woodinville, WA. Built on the 1912 estate owned by Seattle lumber baron Frederick Stimson, the winery’s roots date back to the Repeal of Prohibition, when the Pommerelle Wine Company and the National Wine Company were formed. They merged in 1954 to form American Wine Growers. In 1967, American Wine Growers began a new line of premium vinifera wines called “Ste. Michelle Vintners” under the direction of legendary California winemaker Andre Tchelistcheff. The winery is most noted for its best-selling Riesling bottlings. Chateau Ste. Michelle is the largest single producer of Riesling wine in the world. However, the winery also produces wines of many classic varietals and some experimental wines on a per-year basis. Among some of the amazing wines they produce Chateau Ste. Michelle has teamed up with the Dr. Ernst Loosen winery of Germany to create the year after year award winner Eroica Riesling.

Columbia Crest on the other hand really over delivers with their red wines. Their range extends from their value driven fruit forward wines with their Two Vines label to some very memorable selections from their Grand Estate and Reserve wines.

Blessed with vineyards that enjoy the right combination of soil, geography and climate, Columbia Crest makes their Two Vines selection fruit-forward and approachable in a style that is ready to drink now, yet with so much essential character that you may want to hold them a year or two before pulling the cork. Critics such as Wine Spectator have repeatedly praised these wines for their value and high quality.

Moving up one notch is their Grand Estate wines produced with grapes grown right in Columbia Valley. Grand Estates draws its distinctive and distinguished intensity with attention to detail from prime vineyards in eastern Washington’s Columbia Valley. The Grand Estates team creates astonishing wines true to the varietals’ expression of this region – luxuriant while vibrant, with a balance that begins in the vineyards and is enhanced in the cellar.

Some of the most searched for wines from the Columbia Crest portfolio are from their Reserve line. Searches for Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet exploded this past year when their 2005 Reserve Cab was rated 95 Points by Wine Spectator. Unfortunately this wine only had a limited production and is now sold out throughout most of the country. However these are wines you should keep on your radar.

Wines to check out:

Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Cold Creek Vineyard
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay Indian Wells
Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen Riesling Eroica

Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Two Vines
Columbia Crest Syrah Grand Estates
Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Estates

What’s for dinner?

15 years in the food industry and a life time of cooking has shown me that the right wine can enhance any meal. Picking the right wine is not as hard as you might think. Here is a simple way of looking at it. Heavy meats, heavy wine such as Cab, Bordeaux, or Malbec or my favorite…. Zinfandel. This is what we will talk about today. Zinfandel is a wonderful wine with lots of fruit and a little spiciness on the finish. They generally are less tannic than Cabs, this gives it more versatility and makes it perfect for BBQ and heavily seasoned foods such as ribs and beef brisket. Zinfandel got its start in California when the Italian farmers who settled the west brought it with them and planted it on the sunny, sloping hillsides. That is when the change began. The vines they brought with them are known today as Primativo. The wines produced from these grapes in Italy are simple table wines that pair up nicely with lighter dishes like pasta with red sauce. Nice wines, but quite different from the fruit driven Zinfandels produced by wine makers in California today. The general character of this wine is a rich purple color, fruit forward, with lots of jammy wild berries and a spicy finish. A nice wine can be had for around $10, such as Rosenblum Cuvee Michelle, or Seven Deadly Zins. If you are adventurous and have a little more to spend you will get more of what a Zin is fruit, fruit and more fruit. The Rosenblum Winery (my favorite) produces many single vineyard bottlings, North Coast and Carla’s to name two. Their wines are great examples of what a well made Zin should taste like. Yes, I know what all you wine sophisticates say, we want complexity, earth, mocha, tar. It has its place, but who wants to figure out a wine when your chasing the kids around and eating burgers and ribs. These wines do not need to be cellared to reach their full potential. They are made to drink now. If you haven’t tried a Zin now is a good time. Bottleking will be featuring Zins for the month of June with great prices and an expanded selection. So try a Zin with this very simple recipe. Four ingredients no measuring.

BB Beef Brisket……
Brisket is best but you can sub chuck roast if you like.
(I don’t recommend London broil for this recipe)
Ketchup
Onions
Brown Sugar
Roasting pan with deep sides

1. 2-5 lb piece of beef
2. 3 or 4 large onions sliced thick
3. Cover the bottom of the roasting pan with a
solid layer of onions
4. Use about a cup or so of ketchup over the onions
5. Pack both sides of the meat with brown sugar(I like sugar)
6 Put it in the pan over the onions
( here’s where you need the deep sides)
7. Cover with more onions( I like onions too)
8. Put some ketchup on top( not as much as the bottom)
9. Cover tightly with foil and put it in a 375 degree
oven and forget about it for about 21/2 to 3 hours.
You can peak after about 2 hours and turn
it down to 325 if you like. It will take a little
longer.

I know what you are probably thinking, Ketchup???? This guy must be nuts. Believe me when I tell you, I am not a ketchup fan.
When this is done it won’t taste anything like Ketchup and the meat will just fall apart. Now for nice glass of your favorite Zin, and see how the right wine makes food more enjoyable.

Jim Bartholomew
Bottle King Regional Manager

Grilled Banana Dessert for Memorial Day

2009 is the year to really think out of the box for this weekends BBQ why not throw a twist at your guests and grill up a fun, easy and very tasty dessert. This dessert will become a favorite with all ages. There are only two food ingredients needed, a lot of Bananas and a bag of chocolate chips. If you have some left over Port in your fridge keep that to the side for a little added surprise.

First you will want to lay everything out on a table. You will need your bananas (the number will be determined on how many mouths you are feeding) second you will need a bag of chocolate chips, I prefer the mini ones as they are easier to use for this recipe. After you have the two ingredients you will need some heavy duty aluminum foil, a knife and if you have some port left a food brush.

The first step will be to make a slice down the middle of the banana while the peel is still on. Feel free to slice right down till you hit the other end of the peel without breaking through that end. After you made your slice spread the banana gently so it looks like a canoe.

After the canoe shape has been made take a tea spoon and stuff the inside with the chocolate chips. This part doesn’t have to be neat. If you have opted to include the port in this recipe now is when you will paint the inside of the banana with the liquid.

Once you have the banana stuffed with the chocolate chips take your aluminum foil and tear a sheet that is about 9in. long and wrap it around the banana just like you would if you were going to grill corn.

After you have completed slicing stuffing and wrapping all of your bananas it is now time to take them out to the grill. Make sure you grill is already hot and place the bananas right on the grates. You will want to cook these for anywhere between 10-15 minutes. Less ripe bananas might take a few extra minutes. Make sure you rotate them from time to time to keep the cooking even. After the bananas look to be done you can tell if when you push on them that feel like they have softened take them off the grill. Now for each banana grab a napkin and wrap it around the banana while the foil is still on. You are then going to peal back the foil so you can see the canoe part on top. Put a spoon right in and have fun eating it right out of the peal. Be careful with the young ones as it will be hot when you first take it off the grill.

It’s 5 O’clock Somewhere

“It’s five o’clock somewhere” a seemingly timeless and ever popular phrase amongst your drinking connoisseurs and neophytes alike denoting that it’s never too early to have a drink, lol. But can this be taken seriously? In my opinion, why would wines pair so well with so many different foods if it wasn’t meant to be enjoyed all day long?

To illustrate this point, allow me to show you a brief glimpse of my personal life (its ok this is “G” rated)…

My family gets together for major holidays and they somehow have morphed into these all day affairs starting at breakfast and not ending until dessert. This past Easter was no different; I arrived at my parents for a 10 am brunch styled breakfast feast including eggs (scrambled and hardboiled), Easter pie, kielbasa, bratwurst, knockwurst, breakfast sausage, and a couple of different holiday breads. Of course there were the obligatory Mimosas and Bloody Marys but I brought with me the perfect final touch, in my opinion. I greeted my family, hugs and kisses all around, and then presented my contribution to the festivities…. A few bottles of chilled Mulderbosch Rose. Now everyone kind of looked at me like I had 3 heads, but I assured them that I was not loosing my mind and asked for their trust. I found, through a customer, that a cold rose goes extremely well with all sorts of breakfast food. Certain roses have just enough fruit and acid to balance out even the most insanely stuffed omelet. And the wine was certainly a hit with the relatives, so now my wine bringing duties have expanded to all hours of the day when it comes to family functions.

Now allow me to add a little disclaimer to this tale…. Please do not think that I am telling people to start their cocktail hours at 9 am, lol. I just wanted to illustrate the versatility of many overlooked wines and alternative avenues for enjoyment. There is a whole world of wine to explore out there and I, for one, am enjoying the journey.

*And for a little disclaimer to Bottle King ownership… This is not the reason I show up to work with my jovial mood and a smile on my face. : )

-Jeff Wertalik
BK Wine Buyer for South Africa, Portuguese and New Zealand wines