Living in Napa Valley, it is effortless to find beauty as it seemingly greets your eyes and senses at every turn.   The vineyards are lined with richly aromatic rose bushes, the sunlight dances upon the grape leaves and the air is perfumed with the scent of ripening grapes.     

Pablo Picasso once said, “I do not seek; I find.”   This statement is profound in the sense that if we do slow down and become more aware of that which proximately surrounds us, we will find enjoyment, beauty, opportunity and joy.   It is far too easy to seek a list of perhaps presently unattainable things or goals and encounter resulting frustration or failure.    However, if we choose to slow down and look at what is around us, we will find that there is beauty all around.    Regardless of circumstance or situation, there is a simple beauty present everywhere.   Perhaps it is as simple as sitting under a tree in your backyard in the evening while catching the final rays of the day’s sun.   Maybe it is the way that sunlight skips across the top of the ocean’s waves.   Perhaps it is the expression on your spouse’s, child’s, or dog’s face as you slow down and relax.   Maybe it is just as simple as the friendly considerate wave of a neighbor as you return home after a long day.     

The same philosophy is true with wine.    Every so often, I find that I encounter a wine that has a simple beauty or elegance such that it can just be enjoyed in the simplest and most casual of settings.   Elyse Winery, located on Hoffman Lane just outside of Yountville, makes a white wine that is elegant, balanced  and delicate in its style called “La Peche”.      “La Peche” in French means “peach”.     On the nose, La Peche greets you with soft aromas of peach, nectarine and most notably, honeysuckle.  La Peche could be considered a dessert wine, however, its light style easily suffices as a delightful summer afternoon aperitif.  Typically dessert wines are recognized for their sweetness and most commonly are labeled for being overly sugary or sweet.    Frequently the syrupy flavor that connoisseurs experience is due to a certain style of winemaking using Muscat grapes.    Such a sugary overly sweet factor is not found at all with La Peche because Elyse has elected to use a balance of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Malvania Blanca grapes to create this wine.   Include thoughtful winemaking in this mix and you have the beautiful, lightly sweet and well-balanced white wine known as La Peche.    As La Peche gently glides across your palate there is only a tease of sugar.     I liken it to picking that first seemingly ripe white nectarine from the tree in the backyard:    the fruit’s flavor is sweet but not fully ripe yet and presenting a hint of sweetness of summer ripe fruit to come.

It is a wine like La Peche that I invite to accompany me out into the backyard, to enjoy the final rays of the setting sun on a summer evening.   Often, in order to enjoy La Peche, I only need to bring along some sliced ripe white nectarine, a handful of macadamia nuts, and semi-soft mild creamy table cheese.  

The sky painted with warm sunset hues, a delicately semi-sweet wine on the palate and a comfortable evening summer breeze creates a breathless sense of beauty in which perhaps just in that moment, time does stand still. 

Presently, the white nectarine tree in my backyard is producing a bounty of ripe fruit.    Given that I believe in using fruits and vegetables that are seasonal, and coupled with the fact that using what I have promotes sustainability, these summer afternoons and evenings beg for La Peche.    In the last week I have been busily making white nectarine jam, white nectarine salsa and even pulled rhubarb from the garden to create a White Nectarine and Rhubarb Pie.   

However, after spending many hours cooking in the kitchen this past week, this weekend merited slowing down and appreciating the beauty that surrounds me.     Whether served as a cocktail at a summer backyard croquet match, as a dessert wine after dinner with a slice of white nectarine and rhubarb pie, or as a part of a White Nectarine Bellini, “La Peche” is simple, sweet and blissful.   For I, like Pablo Picasso, do not seek, but find.

Ah, Bubbles…  tiny, floating and rising to the top with grace and speed as if to greet or announce impending celebration.    This may sound like a description of Champagne, and it would be if I were sitting in France and drinking one of its vintages.   But instead, since I am located in Napa Valley, what sits in my glass and tickles my lips as I sip must formally be referred to as “sparkling wine”.    Casually, many of us just fondly call this type of wine “Bubbles”.

So why is it that we can’t refer to our California “Bubbles” as “champagne”?    Believe it or not, for the EU and most countries, wineries are relegated by law to only refer to a wine as “champagne” if it is produced in a certain manner and comes from the region named “Champagne” in France.   The United States elects to recognize this standard and hence, generally wines which are made in the “Méthode Champenoise ” in California are referred to as “sparkling wines”.    For those of us with a genuine love of these “sparklers”, we commonly and affectionately refer to these wines as “Bubbles”.   And why not call them “Bubbles”?    After all, Bubbles is far more fun, relaxed and perhaps even hip.

Throughout history, champagne and sparkling wines have been associated with celebration and they perhaps have been associated more so than any other type of wine.    Admittedly any time there is something worthy of celebration, I am the first to bring a bottle of my favorite Bubbles.  

But should we limit our Bubbles to just celebratory moments? 

Or should we perhaps just expand our notion of events which are socially acceptable?   I definitely have expanded this definition:  for example, perhaps it is a special occasion… because it is you . . . because it is Wednesday… or as on one infamous day, because I unwittingly filled my yard waste can to the top, somewhat corrected the problem and wrestled that monstrosity to the curb.   That moment definitely merited a glass of Bubbles.

Better yet, can we appropriately enjoy sparkling wines like any other wine?  

I suggest that we can and of course, we can do so with food.  

This week I elected to focus on one of my favorite California sparkling wines and selected Schramsberg’s Blanc de Noirs.    Schramsberg’s Blanc de Noirs (meaning white from black) consists of 90% Pinot Noir grapes and 10% Chardonnay grapes.   

But wait, Pinot Noir is a red wine grape, isn’t it?

Yes, Pinot Noir (as discussed last week) is a red wine grape.    Traditionally, sparkling wines are made primarily with chardonnay (a white wine grape).   However, it is not uncommon to find Pinot Noir made into sparkling wine.   Schramsberg first pioneered this Blanc de Noirs style and released its first such sparkler in 1967.  Pinot Noir grapes will give a sparkling wine its length and lovely fruit aromas, but as Schramsberg’s winemaker claims, it is the chardonnay grapes that give the wine some backbone and a nice, lingering finish.   And for those who read last week’s article, Laird Family Winery (who makes the Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir) provides Schramsberg with Pinot Noir grapes which Schramsberg uses to make Pinot Noir based sparkling wines, such as the Blanc de Noirs.   On the nose, the Blanc de Noirs has a slight fruit smell of apricot with honey, but it quickly presents a darker delicious mix on the palate which includes ginger, gooseberry, and a bit of Bing cherry.   While seemingly light, its flavors have a slightly darker edge to them.   The wine itself creates a sense of depth on the palate and is loaded with tiny elegant bubbles.   In essence, it is perfection.    

My food pairing selection this week may shock some of the traditionalist sparkling wine fans in my audience.    However, I assure you that this pairing does indeed match and it has been applauded each time at many gatherings.    I elected to make this week:

1)      Salsas and Sauce:   Tomato-Cucumber Salsa; Spicy Salsa Roja; and Avocado Sauce;

2)     Steak Tacos al Carbon; and

3)     Flan with Raspberry Dessert Sauce.

Typically in Mexican restaurants and taquerias, you find a selection of different salsas or sauces of varying levels of spiciness.   Given that I am pairing Blanc de Noirs with this meal, while the wine can stand up to spice, I do not want to overpower it.    Making a tomato-cucumber salsa (on the left in the photograph featured below), this salsa incorporates the concept of sustainability as I am using up tomatoes, cucumbers and cilantro from the garden.   By adding in only one Serrano chile, I was able to keep the heat of this salsa in check.   This salsa is geared for milder palates and makes for an easy appetizer with chips while dinner is cooking.    The Spicy Salsa Roja (in the middle of the photograph featured below) is a traditional authentic Mexican salsa recipe of mine and it does bring the heat up a notch.    This salsa, while it can also be enjoyed as an appetizer, is really intended to be used with the steak tacos.    It is meant to be used sparingly and given its many ingredients, it provides many layers of zesty flavors.  Finally, I prepared Avocado Sauce (on the right in the photograph featured below).   The Avocado Sauce should not be confused with guacamole and chip aficionados should beware prior to dipping into this one.   A little bit of the Avocado Sauce goes a long way and it also packs a spicy taunt to your taste buds.   So how does the Blanc de Noirs hold up with these salsas and the Avocado Sauce? Quite well.    The carbonation in the Blanc de Noirs offsets the spice and flavors in the salsas and Avocado Sauce nicely and the wine does not get lost in the fiesta of flavors.

One of the essential steps to preparing delicious Steak Tacos al Carbon is to marinate the meat.   Years ago when I studied in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, I would attend casual gatherings at the homes of friends where the grill would be going and the steak would be added with the sole intent to make tacos.   In order to preserve the moisture in the meat, my friends would often marinate the steak first in beer.   Oddly enough, the Blanc de Noirs is similar to beer due to its carbonation and darker flavors from the Pinot Noir grapes.  Thus, I reserved a glass of the Blanc de Noirs to marinate the steak earlier in the afternoon.  This means that I opened the bottle of Blanc de Noirs earlier in the day.

But wait, how did I preserve those Bubbles that I am so fond of?

The wine industry has developed bottle stoppers made specifically for champagne or sparkling wine bottles.    After opening a bottle of Bubbles, you will see a different mouth on the bottle and typically found with other wine.    There are two sets of ridges.   Pick up a stopper such as the one featured in the photograph below and you can reseal your bottle and preserve those wonderful Bubbles.

After adding the sparkling wine, I also rubbed a combination of spices and garlic into the steak meat.    The steak cooked on a charcoal grill and once done, I chopped it into small pieces for tacos.   Upon cutting into the steak, my kitchen filled with the aroma of the Blanc de Noirs.   My marinade was a delicious success.    Next to serve your Steak Tacos al Carbon, the style is to typically arrange a platter as I did below, featuring lime wedges, shredded jack cheese, chopped sweet onion, chopped cilantro and most importantly, the steak.   

Provide your guests with plenty of warm corn tortillas so that they can assemble their tacos to their tastes.    Mine included the Spicy Salsa Roja, which went perfectly with the steak.    Sitting at the table with the late afternoon sun on my shoulders, I took a sip of the Blanc de Noirs with the Steak Taco al Carbon and encountered seamless perfection.

Finally for dessert I prepared a traditional flan, which is a custard style dessert that has a light caramel coating to the top.   On the plate, I drizzled some raspberry dessert sauce (optional) to experiment and see what other flavors would come out of the Blanc de Noirs.    The pairing again was a success as the Blanc de Noirs brought forth a slight vanilla and hazelnut flavor on the palate with a tease of Bing cherry.

Certainly you can choose to save your Bubbles for those special occasions.    However, some sparkling wines, particularly the Blanc de Noirs featured here, can be paired perfectly with authentic Mexican cuisine.    Others have shared in the past that they like to pair sparkling wine with things as simple as buttered popcorn.    Regardless of your preference, it is socially acceptable to appreciate sparkling wines in any manner.  After all, it is done simply for the love of Bubbles.

Driving through the Carneros Region of Napa County easily triggers feelings of romance.    Despite the sun’s warmth on your skin, you are cooled by gentle maritime breezes, the air is tinted with aromas of ripening grapes and for as far as your eye can see, you are surrounded by rolling hills populated by endless vineyards.  Every so often, tucked in among these rolling grapevine-loaded hills, you come upon a creek and as you near, the air has a refreshing sense of moisture.    Perhaps due to this undeniable sense of environmental harmony, Pinot Noir grapes are grown in this region of California.

Pinot Noir is a difficult, temperamental and fragile grape to grow.  Historically it has found the most consistent and successful growing environment in Burgundy, France, in a two mile wide, thirty miles long stretch of vine-laden hills.   This region in Burgundy receives sunshine from the East, providing long hours of sun while not heating up dramatically in the late afternoon.   In order to have a memorable aromatic bouquet, the grapes do require heat to grow but a significant cooling down in order to avoid disastrous late afternoon sun effects.   If the vineyard has a balance of loamy and well-drained soil, the Pinot Noir wine itself will show a delicate complexity and varied layers of rich flavors.  

Pinot Noir ebbs its way across the palate like lilting rose petals, triggering sensations of silk and velvet.   Each complex layer of flavor in a good Pinot Noir glides and richly spreads throughout the mouth, as if delivered by the gentle brush stroke of a skilled watercolor painter.    Kissed by dark cherry and further encouraged by anise, the wine lingers as if waxing poetically and eventually softly floats away in its finish.  It is a wine that is not rushed, but is slow and thoughtful in its seduction.

Given its smooth unassuming mouth feel, Pinot Noir is deceptive as a red wine given that tannins are absent and there is no cautionary heat felt with the wine which would be indicative of its high alcohol content.  If not careful, a newly enamored connoisseur can become mildly bewildered and flushed when Pinot Noir’s alcohol content sneaks up on him or her.

Traditionally in the United States, Willamette Valley in Oregon offers the most promise for growing great Pinot Noir grapes.    I have tasted a few great ones from Oregon and my tasting was done long before the movie “Sideways” made drinking Pinot Noir “vogue”.  But based on the description of Burgundy, France and the elements found in the Carneros Region (which located in both Napa and Sonoma Counties), it is only presumable that some good Pinot Noir wine also would be found here in Napa Valley.

After tasting several Pinot Noir wines in both Napa and Sonoma County this year, I have narrowed my favorites to include two:  

                           (a) Hendry Ranch Wines’ (“Hendry”) 2006 Pinot Noir; and

                           (b) Laird Family Estate Winery’s (“Laird”) 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir.   

As mentioned in last week’s article about Albarino, Hendry abuts Mt. Veeder in Napa Valley.    However, due to its location, Hendry is also not far from the Carneros Region and is just close enough to receive the bay or coastal breezes which help cool down some of the grapes growing at its vineyard.    Hendry also has the benefit of Redwood Creek being on its property, which provides additional moisturizing benefits.  Seeking to maximize these benefits, Hendry’s Pinot Noir grapevines are purposefully planted in lots adjacent to the creek.   In the glass, the wine has a rich bejeweled garnet color and the fading rays of sunlight sparkle and dance off the wine as it swirls in my glass.  On the nose, Hendry’s Pinot Noir presents aromas of blackberry, dark cherry, anise and an unexpected dash of white pepper.     Similarly, these scents convert into subtle layers of flavors adding in a hint of cranberry, but as you continue to taste, the wine brings forth a subtle smell of rose petals.   While it is seemingly light on the palate, it still conveys a certain romantic rich flavor and a sense of casual elegance.

While Laird is located in Napa Valley, it owns significant land through Napa Valley and also some parcels in Sonoma County.    Its 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir hails from the famous Carneros Region.     Similar to Hendry’s Pinot Noir grapes, Laird’s are planted alongside a creek which has been fabled to be inhabited by ghosts or spirits as workers have claimed to have seen spirits of children playing among the vines.   Whether this piece of trivia has any bearing on the wine is up for speculation, but the magical bouquet and flavors in this wine has been potent enough to garner ratings of 93 points from the Wine Spectator (for those of you who follow ratings).   In the glass, this Pinot Noir has a delicate plum coloring and, if caught in the sunlight just right, glimmers of lavender.   A good Pinot Noir is known for an enchanting perfume and Laird’s 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir readily meets this standard.  On the nose, the wine awakens the senses with aromas of dark cherries, plum, anise, fresh thyme, and distinct wisps of lavender which immediately send the imagination to the countryside of Provence, France.   Floating softly across the palate, the wine is as delicate as its coloring and yet vivid with layers of complexity.   It has all the potential for romance and the excitement of new-found love.

As you encounter cool romantic mid-summer evenings with candlelight and dinner served on your patio, it is only fitting that Pinot Noir be included.  Poetry may not be your natural forte in the realm of romance, but selecting a quality Pinot Noir will serve poetic enough for both you and the object of your affection.    Pinot Noir, being delicate, aromatic and sensual, mirrors the way romance is often classically defined.    

Think that creating this ambiance is too difficult to create at home?   

Heavens no.

Pinot Noir is a wonderful red wine to pair with food and because of its smooth, well-structured balance it also pleases many a palate.   It can go with a wide variety of meats, poultry, vegetables and even salmon.  However, because Pinot Noir is characteristically delicate, any food pairing involving spices must be carefully planned.   For example, if Herbes de Provence is properly made, it is similarly delicately blended.   It connotes fragile layers of complexity quite similar to Pinot Noir.    Putting together a simple meal involving Herbes de Provence, mushrooms, blue cheese and Pinot Noir is certain to set forth a romantic setting in any backyard, patio or dining room.    My menu this week includes:

1)      Sweet Red and Summer Crisp Lettuce Salad With Dried Cranberries, Crumbled Point Reyes Blue Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette;

 

2)     Herbes de Provence Wild Rice With Toasted Pine Nuts, White Truffle Oil and Pinot Noir Sautéed Baby Portobello Mushrooms; and

 

3)     Grilled Herbes de Provence Chicken With Seasonal Steamed Garden Vegetables.

Gathering Red and Summer Crisp Lettuces from my vegetable garden and putting the salad together with dried cranberries and blue cheese crumbles creates a facially simple side salad, but the flavors inherently go with Hendry’s 2006 Pinot Noir.   Blue cheese pairs almost seductively with this wine, flushing out layers of complexity in their Pinot Noir.   The dried cranberries also induce the same flavors forward in the wine.  Laird’s 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir will also hold up well with this salad, although the salad’s flavors are more closely aligned with Hendry’s 2006 Pinot Noir.   

Living in Napa Valley, I feel compelled to take advantage of the herbs which grow naturally and abundantly around me.   Given where I live and taking into consideration what grows in my garden, Herbes de Provence is better fresh than dried from a jar.   The smells are akin to driving up valley with the car windows down and taking in the naturally found scents in the air.    Gathering freshly grown herbs from my garden, I created a carefully measured and balanced blend of the herbs that are traditionally found in Herbes de Provence.    Additionally, purists will argue that lavender is not found originally in Herbes de Provence and was later added after tourists to this region of France kept commenting on the lavender growing naturally and wondering why it was not included in the blend.    I have decided to experiment.   I have kept the traditional blend of herbs but have set aside a few lavender petals which I will use only with the grilled chicken (and not in the wild rice).  

To help tie the wine into the meal, I elected to sauté my baby Portobello mushrooms in Pinot Noir.    Mushrooms also inherently go well with Pinot Noir.    Once the rice was prepared and tasted with Hendry’s 2006 Pinot Noir, the mushrooms seemed to accentuate the wine’s aromas of rose petals and the wine took on an even softer feel in the mouth than before.    When paired with Laird’s 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir, the white truffle oil that I added to the rice seduces more complexities out of the wine as if to encourage the wine to divulge its vineyard’s mysterious heritage.   

Prior to grilling the chicken, in order to preserve the poultry’s moisture, I elected to marinate it in a cup of dry white wine with some lavender petals.    While heating the grill, I next marinated the chicken for a second time with the Herbes de Provence and carefully set a lavender petal or two atop each chicken breast.    The result was divine succulence.    Both wines went beautifully with the Herbes de Provence Grilled Chicken.    Which one wins out?   Whether you want to be a “purist” or a proverbial “tourist” will determine which wine you choose.    If I were not using lavender petals, I would select Hendry’s 2006 Pinot Noir.    Using lavender petals, Laird’s 2007 Ghost Ranch Pinot Noir is the clear choice as it naturally has a hint of lavender in its bouquet and the aromas only increase as the meal progresses, thereby lending itself to be a very sensually aromatic Pinot Noir.   

With layers of varied aromas and subtle complexities, Pinot Noir casts a romantic spell certain to bewitch your senses.   So this weekend, take a moment to surprise your loved one or “date de jour” with candlelight on the patio, the aromatic perfume of fresh cut flowers from the garden, Herbes de Provence and Pinot Noir:   a combination certain to momentarily transport you to a quiet world of elegance where the sole invitees are you and your beloved.    

Twenty years ago I spent my first summer studying in Mexico.   I found the people warm, enlightening, generous in spirit and gifted at taking time to enjoy that which matters most:   family, daily life, that which they have and that which surrounds them.    It was an easy lifestyle to embrace:  so I returned the two following summers and later lived for a year in Mexico City.    Going to Mexico was not about just touring a fancy resort or seeing the sights, but instead it was about spending time with the people that I met there, getting to know them and their families and learning about a generosity towards others that is often lacking in the hectic pace of the American daily lifestyle.    While I have never forgotten the people that I met in Mexico, the memories associated with those days came unexpectedly flooding back this past weekend.

Over the weekend, I had decided to go wine tasting and to start the research for my upcoming weekly article.    I had heard positive things about a winery named Havens and that it had a noteworthy Albariño.   So I decided to stop in to taste on a hot afternoon.     Upon arriving, I was greeted by an openly friendly staff member and other visitors who were seated around an old weathered picnic table beneath some oak trees in front of the winery.   I was immediately invited to take a seat and join them, even though they were in the midst of their tasting flight.    I sat there at the old picnic table swirling some Albariño in my glass, shaded from the hot sun under the canopy of the oak trees, and savored the wine’s initial crisp acidity, minerality, pear and citrus fruit.    I experienced a relaxed sense of refreshment akin to that which I found twenty years ago on weekends spent at ranches in Mexico, where I had enjoyed wine and food around a table much like this, in the shade of trees and in the company of good people.     

People often first think of pairing beer with Mexican food, however, there are a number of wines that can go with good authentically prepared Mexican food.   Much like the United States, Mexico has its own regional cuisines and depending on where you are in the country you will find different spices in sauces:  some mild, some semi-sweet, and some with a feisty degree of heat.   One of the wines that I believe that can pair well with Mexican food is Albariño.

Albariño is a white wine grape that originally hails from Galicia, Spain.   It is in this northwestern region of Spain where the weather is cool, windy and rainy (which is ideal for growing Albariño).   Albariño produces a unique white wine that boasts characteristics of several different white wine grapes, but all within one wine.    Because Albariño grapes tend to have a thicker skin, they can produce a very aromatic perfumed bouquet much like Viognier.   However, unlike Viognier (but similar to some Sauvignon Blancs), Albariño has a very crisp acidity in the body of the wine.    Add an undeniable lime citrus flavor, some minerality with other fruit flavors and you are drinking Albariño.   To my knowledge there are only a few Albariños produced in California, three of which are found at the following wineries in Napa Valley:   (i) Havens Wine Cellars (“Havens”); (ii) Artesa Vineyards and Winery (“Artesa”); and (iii) Hendry.  

While Havens is located just south of Yountville, its Albariño vines are strategically planted in the Carneros region of Napa Valley.    The Carneros region is commonly known for the coastal breezes, cooler temperatures during both the day and night, plenty of rain in the winter and moisturizing overnight fog the rest of the year.    In other words, the weather in this part of Napa Valley is much like the weather found in Galicia, Spain.    Artesa is actually located in the Carneros region and its Albariño grapes are estate grown.    Hendry, abutting the base of Mt. Veeder, is a neighbor to the famed Carneros region and thus its estate grown Albariño grapes are able to benefit from some of the same weather conditions.    While all three of these wineries have Albariño wine, each winery’s wine differs slightly from the others:

1)      Albariño – Havens:   Is a very nice balanced dry white wine.    Delicious pear and lime greet your nose and palate, accompanied by Albariño’s characteristic acidity.   The acidity, however, is not overwhelming to your taste buds thereby lending the wine to be compatible with a wider range of food, such as certain Mexican dishes, fish tacos, seafood, and other carefully selected spices.  Additionally, since the wine is dry, it is well-suited to cooking and being incorporated into a recipe.

2)     Albariño – Artesa:   Unlike Havens’ wine, Artesa’s Albariño is not dry and instead has a fuller body, which is evidenced in its coloring which offers a warm deeper golden hue.   On the nose I find lime and honeysuckle blooms.    As typical with Albariño, the acidity is present in this wine, although I find it to be slightly less than Havens’ Albariño.    With respect to food, this wine goes well with seafood, but (as I found out later with my Spanish Rice, see below) due to its fuller body, the Artesa Albariño readily goes toe to toe with spicier Mexican dishes.   If you find yourself at Artesa on a hot summer day, sit out on their beautiful deck overlooking the Carneros region and savor its Albariño.   You will not be disappointed and will want to leave with at least one bottle in hand.

3)     Albariño – Hendry:    Is similar to the Havens’ Albariño, in that this is a dry style Albariño.   The perfumed bouquet on the nose, however, is different from the other wines listed above.   The nose on Hendry’s Albariño is very floral, often times depicting an aroma of orange blossom.   On the palate there is a traditional flavor of citrus lime, but its acidity is the sharpest of the three wines mentioned here.   This wine is a light crisp affair, but it is somewhat cheeky in how it flirts with food.  In my opinion it embodies the adage that “sometimes less is more”.    This is in no means a negative criticism of the wine but instead an observation that will assist in food pairings.    Sporting a casual simple elegance on the palate, this wine goes well with simple seafood such as mussels, or even an Oaxacan style guacamole (consisting of avocado, cilantro and green onion).   If you are fortunate, when you visit Hendry, you might have the opportunity to sit down and taste with owner, grower and winemaker George Hendry and learn about why he personally enjoys this wine so much and why he chose to grow the grapes.

Taking into consideration the individual attributes of the three wines presented above, I decided that I wanted to incorporate Havens’ Albariño into my menu plan and cooking for this week:

1)      Lime-spritzed Avocado Dressed With Fresh Salsa Cruda and White Corn Tortilla Chips;

 

2)     Spanish Rice with Garden Fresh Zucchini; and

 

3)     Potosino Style Chicken Enchiladas with Sweet Sautéed Vidalia Onion and Jack Cheese.

Generally enchiladas take some time to prepare and as the cook I am not available to entertain.  Serving a simple appetizer such as Lime-spritzed Avocado with Salsa Cruda and tortilla chips not only entertains your guests but also delightfully engages the Albariño served alongside.     Avocado works almost magically and cuts the acidity in the wine.    It coaxes the wine back into a different style of balance and the result is a fun and festive appetizer accompanied by a crisp refreshing citrus-like wine.  

As initially stated above, sauces used in authentic Mexican cooking do not always strive to obliterate your taste buds with extreme spice or heat.   Instead, chilies and spices can be combined to create a savory semi-sweet spicy enchilada sauce.    When pairing Mexican food with Albariño, ensuring a balance of spice and sweetness is crucial in order to ensure that the wine itself will not be overpowered by the food.    Choosing to mirror the red enchilada sauce indigenous to San Luis Potosi, Mexico (which is mildly spicy with a hint of sweetness), the Potosino Enchilada Sauce that I created for this meal presents a tangy zip which accomplishes this goal.  When I prepared my traditional Spanish Rice, I made sure to include a half cup of my Potosino Enchilada Sauce to balance the spices in the rice and tie it to the main entrée.   The Havens’ Albariño steps up to the plate, as its acidity and minerality greet the spices in the sauce and its lime notes are intrinsically compatible with this style of authentic Mexican fare. 

Prior to preparing my enchiladas, I decided to brine my chicken overnight in a cup of Havens’ Albariño.    This allows the poultry to take on the flavor of the wine and helps to ensure adequate moisture when it cooked atop my charcoal grill.    Once it was grilled, I sampled a small juicy piece and sure enough, all of the flavors of the wine had been embraced by the chicken.    Adding some chopped sautéed sweet Vidalia onions and some of my Potosino Enchilada Sauce to the chicken, I then heated it in a skillet so that the flavors would blend just a bit more.   

After the enchiladas were prepared and served alongside the wine, the acidity of the Havens’ Albariño lessened and the citrus flavors deepened with a richer flavor setting forth a certain complexity and depth otherwise not apparent when the wine is consumed without food.   

If paired properly, Albariño will not disappoint.   Instead it will transport you to a time when life was simpler, the company was good and not a worry was present nor to be found.  In other words, anything else can wait until “mañana” provided that the food is good, the Albariño is chilled and that you are sharing the moment with others.   So as the sun heats up this summer, whether you find yourself at the beach or in your backyard, reach for a cool, crisp Albariño and enjoy it in “el estilo casual”.  

*If you are interested in Havens’ Albariño, I recommend that you “run not walk” to purchase some to enjoy over the course of the summer.     Word of advice:   contact the winery first to ensure the day and time when it is open for tasting.    If you enjoyed learning about Cabernet Franc last week, you will also be pleased to find a fun Cabernet Franc Rose and a deliciously well-blended Cabernet Franc/Merlot blend sold on site as well.   

I sit here on a quiet late evening.     The windows of the house are open; a cool summer night breeze is gently floating in and keeping me company.    My neighborhood is silent as if to imply that the whole world is soundly sleeping and completely unaware of what I am doing.   

In my wine glass sits a 2005 zinfandel:  to date, this zinfandel is without question my favorite.    The bouquet on this wine is so boldly aromatic that I do not have to bring my nose any closer than one foot from the rim of the glass to catch the hypnotizing smell of freshly made strawberry preserves.    As I take a sip in breathless anticipation, my palate is not disappointed.    Those same strawberry preserves found on the nose wash across my palate like a rich, sweet wave with depth and power.    As I swallow and the finish continues to linger, I am torn between characterizing my feelings as guilt or sheer unadulterated enjoyment.   

How could a wine like this possibly present a sense of guilt?   

More importantly, what on earth am I drinking and where can you find it?   

There is a simple, singular answer to both of these questions:    You cannot buy this wine any more because it is no longer produced.  

But how can a wine that is so explosively sensual no longer continue to be made?    

The mere notion of this wine’s extinction flies in the face of common sense because surely a wine like this would be a winery’s top selling wine.   In the case of this wine, its fate is a sad, dramatic tale which is perhaps worthy of being a soap opera titled “As the Grape Vine Withers”.    Regarding this zinfandel, the winery in question previously would purchase the grapes from a grower in Napa Valley.    That relationship was great . . .  until the grower and his wife’s relationship crumbled and they decided to divorce.  Once the divorce proceedings were underway, the couple became bitter.     Given that the land where the grapes are grown is an asset for the couple, bitter feelings overcame reason:    the couple elected to allow the grape vines to die so that neither one of them could obtain them.    The result was that the winery no longer could obtain these specific grapes and we, the public, were denied an otherwise extraordinary wine.

Any avid connoisseur of wine would scream with heartbreaking frustration over the above tale.    I am fortunate enough to have four bottles of this gem left in my collection.    However, I am never a fan of drama or gossip.   And as I sit here tonight, quietly sipping on my “last of its vintage” wine, I find myself mildly resentful towards that grower.    Why?    My answer is simple:  indirectly, I have been dragged into this grower’s drama and now have my own dilemma.    Aside from hoarding my four bottles, I am torn with every sip:   (a) is this wine too delicious to enjoy by oneself or (b) what if I share this wine with someone who cannot appreciate it and then waste it? 

Some of you in my audience may have no idea what I am talking about.   Others of you might find a tear in your eye at this moment and fully identify with me.     I am not looking for sympathy.   On the contrary, I am quite lucky that I have my four bottles.   And rest assured, I will thoroughly enjoy them.   However, the sharing of this sordid tale may help you learn how to recognize these proverbial “white whales” and how to stock your wine collection so that you are not heartbroken later if you find out that your beloved wine is no longer produced.  

Why do I refer to a wine such as this zinfandel as a “white whale”?     As you appreciate and enjoy wine, you find some wines that are seemingly “larger than life” as they find their way from the bottle, to your glass, and ultimately to your palate.   But who are we kidding?   Wine is expensive.    For most, it is a luxury.    As connoisseurs, we try to embrace a modicum of responsibility and to buy only a bottle or two here or there:  a practice which is smart and recommended.    Most of the time our favorite wines are religiously made by the vintners and we can go back each year and buy another bottle or two to restock our collection.    However, when a vintner is buying grapes from growers (as opposed to using estate grown grapes) there is the risk of that wine falling to a near unimaginable demise.   And particularly in today’s economy, where you might be tightening your wallet, this risk increases because wineries are tightening theirs as well.    And when that happens, certain wines can become too expensive to make and will disappear.    These “larger than life” wines, despite their popular following, will be here one day, not be here the next and suddenly no longer be made.    They in essence become “white whales.”

Do you need to panic?   You never need to panic.    Instead, you need to embrace confidence as a knowledgeable wine connoisseur and ask intelligent questions when you are wine tasting (or call the winery directly about wines that you deem exceptional and special):

1)      How many cases do they have left and are they at risk of selling out?

2)     Where are the grapes grown?    Depending on the type of wine that you are inquiring about and the year that it was made, are they going to release the same wine next year or will this be their final distribution?  

3)     If they are producing the wine for another year, is there any risk of the wine not being produced going forward?

Purchasing wine is commonly referred to as an “investment”.     If you know (i) that the wine in question is an absolute favorite, (ii) that it will age well in the bottle, and most importantly, (iii) that you can store it properly, then you need to strike a balance between what you feel comfortable having in your collection and what you want to spend.   I have found that wines that I dearly love age wonderfully and continue to knock my flip-flops off each year thereafter.

So what does this mean for me and the zinfandel that I am quietly hoarding?   I have four bottles.   I honestly wish that I had six bottles in my collection.    Then, I would feel more comfortable sharing the wine with others and taking the risk that it may be absolutely lost on them.     Because, after all, wine is meant to be enjoyed and part of enjoying a beautiful expressive wine is to share it with others.   

Do I know of other stellar wines that may go away?   Yes.    Have I made my investment?   Yes.    Will I let you in on what some of these gems are?  Yes.    In fact, I will be writing about some of these potential “white whales” in upcoming articles.    There is no need to worry:  stay casual and moreover, stay tuned.

*Want to know what easy appetizer I paired with the last glass of this mystery zinfandel over the weekend?   Check out The Casual Connoisseur’s Fan Page on Facebook to find out and see photographs.