Wine and Food Party...

Another successful wine and food party was celebrated by the wine enthusiasts of the Raintree cal du sac last evening. The much anticipated annual event lived up to the expectations of everyone. Wines from France, Italy, Spain, Australia and California were paired with mouth-watering appetizers prepared by the excellent cooks of our group.

The evening started with a French Duval-Leroy Champagne accompanied by Lincet Chaource cheese. A 2005 Shiraz by RockBare of McLaren Vale, South Australia was paired with a bruschetta of roquefort cheese and fruit. A 2003 Chardonnay by Chateau Souverain, Sonoma County was paired with aged Goulda and Jarlsberg cheeses. Another bruschetta of cheese and ham was the mate of a 2008 Merlot by Lindemans from South Eastern Australia. A 2007 Yecla red wine by Castano Monastrell from Spain had a stuffed mushroom--full of spices, and chopped cheese and italian sausages-- companion. A 2002 French red wine--Vin de pays de'l Herault--was matched with a very tasty steakhouse classic tri tip by Morton's of Omaha. And a 2007 red Italian wine--Sicilia Nero D'Avola--by Epicuro paired with a delicious antipasto capped the event.

The description of this memorable evening would be incomplete without mentioning the most important ingedient that contributed to its success--the wonderful friends that we are so fortunate to have found in this warm and sunny corner of America. We can't wait for the encore event...

The Wines of Distomo...(cont'd)

Distomo has always produced excellent grapes and wines. But it wasn't the quality of its wines that distinguished my village from many of its neighbors. Along with olive oil and wheat they were the local staples that helped the village weather many man-made disasters like the Great Depression, World War II and the Civil War in the late forties. Not only they provided modest income for many villagers, they gave them a sense of security that as long as they had bread, olives and some wine, they could make it. And they did.

Traditionally most vines were left to grow as bush vines and they consisted mainly of white grape varieties dating back to ancient Greece. Phylloxera, a vine root disease that obliterated French vines in late 19th century, devastated Greek vines in the second half of the 20th century as well. This introduced new varietals, mostly from France, and with the new vines it brought new and improved viticulture practices. Most of the new vineyards have been designed with trellis systems on wires and, whenever possible, irrigation systems have been installed. White grape varieties have dominated Greek vineyards since ancient times and in that respect my village was not any different. More than 300 indigenous, ancient grape varieties--white and red--have been discovered although considerable work remains to be done in wine identification.

For more on the Wines of Distomo, visit my website The Wine Cellar.

Wine Review...

2006, Amancaya, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. Rated 91 points by The Wine Cellar

This week's wine review features a 2006 Amancaya from the Mendoza region of Argentina. Amanacya is a blend (50/50) of the two varietals and according to the winemakers the "elegant texture of Cabernet Sauvignon is enhanced by the fruit of Argentinean Malbec". Amancaya wine takes its name from the synonymous flower of Andes with which the native women used to decorate their hair in the Spring.

With its inky dark color and robust tannins, Malbec has been one of my favorite wines. Although was long known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine in France, it is increasingly celebrated as an Argentinean varietal wine. I was intrigued by Amancaya and I bought it in February 2008 for $15 and tasted it a few days ago--two years later. My expectations for the Amancaya were exceeded. This blend of Malbec with Cabernet Sauvignon, is ingenious indeed!

Amancaya is a full-bodied, velvety wine with a nose of cedar, cherry and plum. It's well balanced with a persistent finish. The Wine Cellar gives it 91 points and at $15 a bottle is an excellent buy. Should drink well for another 3-4 years.

Know your wines...

You may be aware who Robert Parker is but in case you are not, he is the most authoritative voice about wines and his wine reviews, some say, are considered infallible. Regardless of how high in the wine pantheon Robert Parker sits, I think his website--www.eRobertParker.com--is a very good one with lots of useful information about wines. I would refer you to three links in his website that I found interesting and educational. They are: Glossary of Wine Terms, The Vintage Chart, and Parker's Rating System. Visit them and don't be intimidated by all the new terminology. You don't have to memorize anything and definitely there will be NO test...In the Glossary section, what I found very interesting is that the definitions he uses to describe wines are almost identical to those we use to describe people. Yes, wines are like us and they have a personality. The more we know about them, the more we will enjoy their company. Have a pleasant journey...

Wine Review...

2004, Shingleback, Cabernet Sauvignon. Rated 92 points by The Wine Cellar

Let's start with a disclosure--I am not, even by a long stretch, a wine expert and definitely not a wine critic. But I love grapes and wine and want to demystify the reviews of wines and make them a bit simpler and better understood by common folk. I say this with great respect and humility toward wine critics. So this is the inaugural post of wine reviews and wish it will give you something to cheer...

The wine I chose is a 2004, Shingleback, Cabernet Sauvignon by McLaren Vale, South Australia. In the label, the winemaker says that the wine is "named after the lizards that live happily amongst the vines. Enjoy now or cellar for up to 8 years". It is 14.o% alcohol. I bought two bottles for $16/bottle in February 2008. Drank one in 2008 and kept the other one in cellar till February 2010. Unfortunately I did not keep notes on this wine in 2008 and regret not doing so. I was very impressed with it when I tasted again a few days ago and that is the reason I decided to write about it. I rate it 92 points, one of the highest ranked wines that I have tasted and for the price it is a "best buy" for The Wine Cellar and highly recommended.

If you are like me, you rate wines as real good, good, average, and bad. Now, that's not necessarily a bad description of wine but it doesn't do justice to them. Wines want their character fully revealed. They have flavor, taste and color and we must at least try to get to know them up close and personal. The McLaren Valley winemaker describes this wine as a deep red, full-bodied wine. Blackcurrant, blueberry and dark chocolate flavours that have been enhanced by 12 months maturation in fine grained French and American oak. That's a bit better than saying merely that this is a very good wine. Read the label and, of course, get to know the wine. Discover its personality; describe its soul; bring it to life and it will reward you beyond your expectations...