The Good Wine Guru

Archive for April, 2009

Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc

Varietal:  Sauvignon Blanc
Region:  Chile
Cost:  $9.99

 Pale straw colors and a crip nose match flavors of citrus fruit, most notably grapefruit, perfectly.  Also featuring lime, nectarine, and hints of peach flavoring.  A very light white wine.

Recommendation:  I first came across Terra Andina Sauvignon Blanc while at the Seafire Grill in Richmond, Virginia (which is where I live).  I instanly fell in love with the crisp flavors, especially the prevelance of grapefruit, which I don’t enjoy by itself.  Searching for the wine at my local shops turned up nothing until this past week when I stopped into Private Stock Cigar & Wine.  There it was, the wine I had been searching for for the better part of 2 years.  Purchased and taken home, it didn’t take long until my wife and I enjoyed it on our deck.

While I normally try to pair wine with food, we’re getting into the time of year where I like to just sit out on my deck and enjoy a glass of white wine.  The Sauvignon Blanc from Terra Andina is perfect for that.  Light and crisp, it’s still full of flavors and not at all sweet.  The citrus fruit flavors are the perfect for enjoying on a hot summer day, or for pairing with any number of meals from pork, to chicken, and even seafood.  For the price, this is easily one of my favorite whites, and if you happen to find a bottle of it, I would highly recommend grabbing it, especially as the temperature continues to rise.

Varietal:  Chianti
Region:  Tuscany – Italy
Cost:  $9.99 – $12.99

Slightly fruity nose that has leads into spicy notes the more you inhale.  This ruby red medium-bodied wine has a slightly fruity taste with just the right amount of tannins on the back end to fit perfectly with a traditional Italian dinner, but not so much as to make it hard to drink by itself.

Recommendation:  If you’re not a big Chianti drinker and want to get into it, this is a good one to start with.  Nice and smooth with a slightly more subtle finish than some other Chiantis, this will go great with pasta, steak, lamb, and pretty much anything that’s juicy or saucy.  However, thanks to the smoother finish, this is also a great wine to enjoy by itself, something I find very appealing about the Ruffino.  While it’s not my favorite Chianti (Gabbiano and Bell’agio hold my heart), it’s really hard to pass on for the price if you’re looking for something to mix in with your red sauce and then enjoy with a pasta dinner.   Don’t pay more than $9.99 for this, but worth it at that price.

Varietal:  Red Table Wine (merlot, cabernet franc, chambourcin)
Region:  Virginia – USA
Cost:  $16

Medium to Full-bodied, the Galena Creek Red from West Wind Farm Winery is a dry red featuring berry flavors that lead into a very dry finish with high levels of tannins.

Recommendation:  I paired this wine with a steak, and it’s a good thing I did.  The tannins on this wine give it a very dry finish that is perfect for pairing with juicy red meat such as steak or lamb, but would probably be a bit overwhelming by itself unless a very dry wine is something you like to enjoy by itself.  At $16 it’s just slightly pricy for an every day red table wine, but it’s still a good value and an excellent substitute for a dry chianti to pair with a meal of pasta and meat sauce.  If you’re not a fan of wines with a dry finish, this probably won’t appeal to you, but if you like a red wine that hits you in the back of the throat and isn’t shy about its tannins, this is a wine you should try to get your hands on.

Varietal:  Viognier
Region:  Virginia – USA
Cost:  $17

A Rhone varietal aged in stainless steel and French oak barrels.  The golden color leads into a floral wine that is the favorite of Potomac Point employees.

Recommendation:  My wife and I drank this with grilled pork chops, and it was great for that.  The floral flavors of the wine are subtle, but weren’t overwhelmed by our meal.  Even had I not known it was aged in French oak, the slight buttery taste makes it evident with a bold finish to the wine.  Perfect for pairing with grilled white meat or for enjoying by itself, but will probably overwhelm all but the most heavily seasoned fish.  Otherwise, a great wine to keep on hand.

Varietal:  Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
Region:  Virginia – USA
Cost:  $13

Medium-bodied in the Bordeaux style, this blended wine carries hints of black cherry, cassis, pepper, and spice that follow through into soft tannins that make this red wine easy to enjoy with a variety of meals such as pasta, red meat, and barbeque.

Recommendation:  I’ll admit that I don’t drink a lot of merlot any more.  It’s not so much that I don’t like it, as I’m very picky about my merlot and have a hard time finding one that I like.  That being said, I am a fan of blending merlot with other red wines, and the Chesapeake Cab/Merlot from Ingleside Vineyards was no exception.  This medium-bodied wine paired great with a dish of wheat pasta and meat sauce, but the soft tannins made it easy to enjoy even after the food had been finished.  

What I like most about this wine is the value.  At around $13, it’s easy to keep on hand and use as upscale red table wine, but while you won’t spend a lot on this wine, you’ll get a lot of taste out of it.   Great with food or without, this blended red wine is a great value and one you won’t regret having in your wine selection.  I’ve already enjoyed the one bottle I had and regret having not bought more, something I plan to remedy before too long.

This past weekend I hosted a company cook-out at my home, and amidst the burgers and hot dogs and beer, I also made a pitcher of Sangria.  If you’ve ever been to an Italian restaurant you’ve probably seen Sangria on the drink menu, and if you’ve never ordered it before, I would highly recommend it.  

While no two places are going to serve Sangria exactly the same, there are some similarities between them all.  They will all use some type of dry red wine, preferably a table wine (no point to using a $40 bottle of Bordeax to make Sangria), and there is typically some type of fruit juice, be that from actual fruit or some type of fruit juice.

For my Sangria I started by having my wife slice up some oranges, lemons, and limes (I was using a larger bottle of wine, so I used extra fruit, but for a standard 750ml bottle of wine, one of each is plenty), then added the bottle of wine, Korbel brandy, a splash of triple sec (Gran Marnier is a great way to upgrade this), and a splash from a bottle of Sangria mix (not necessary, but it adds good flavor and can be found in the wine section of most grocery stores).

Some people will add soda water or some variety of lemon/lime soda to add a bit of fizz to the Sangria, but I passed on that and simply threw in some ice and set it in my fridge to chill for a few minutes before serving.  Served over ice, this Sangria was refreshing on a warm Spring day and went well with everything we were eating.  

While most of us move towards the lighter, sweeter wines as the seasons turn warm, Sangria is a great way to continue to enjoy red wine even as the thermometer starts to push into triple digits.

My Sangria Recipe

Slice up the fruit (wedges or wheels), squeeze and drop into a pitcher.  Add the bottle of red wine and then add triple sec and brandy to taste.  Add Sangria mix to taste, no more than 1/4 of the bottle.  Add ice, chill and serve over ice. 

The beauty of Sangria is the experimenting, so grab the ingredients, add some, take some out, and mix it up to your taste…just remember to write down the recipe if you find one you really like.  Enjoy!