February 26, 2006
More pictures of the little one.
This morning we had a minor little scare that saw us at the Emergency Room at Children's Hospital. Ethan had managed to find a blister pack of some travel sickness pills and had decided to ingest at least one or possibly up to three while hiding under his bed. Good thing we got to him when we did or he could have gotten up to around 10 of them. We took him in for observation even though he insisted he only had one. We stayed there for about two or three hours before it was obvious that there were no negative reactions.
So, take the time, all you parents reading this to ensure that you've got all your meds out of reach. We thought we did, but forgot about these pills in a compartment of my travel kit bag in a cabinet in Ethan's closet. Lesson learned with no lasting problems. So, I thought I would post some recent pics here of the little bugger...
CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE GALLERY PAGE for the pics.
February 22, 2006
Wednesday Wine of the Week #8
2003 Schloss-Saarstein Riesling Kabinett Serriger Schloss-Saarstein Estate
Another wine we enjoyed over Christmas was provided by my sister, Jill. A wonderful wine that really does very well in festive gatherings such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. I was really excited to see she had brought this wine and was eagerly awaiting the chance to pop it open to drink it.
Riesling is one of the most underappreciated yet storied grape varietals in the world. A long history, Rieslings have been around for centuries. At one time, Rieslings were the most prized wines in the world, surpassing most red wines as the preferred wines of aristocrats and royalty.
The grape is grown primarily and most successfully in cooler climates. Predominately, the grape is best known for coming from Germany, most notably the northwestern area known as the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. However, Riesling is also quite successfully grown in Austria, Alsace (NE France), Washington state and New Zealand. The reason the grape fell out of favor around the world was due to a myriad of reasons. One reason is simply the difficulty of German wine labels. Another reason is the flooding of the market of artificially or overly sweet Riesling table wine (as opposed to the intentionally sweet and prized desert wines). The quality had dramatically suffered for years and no one wanted them. In the past few years, however, Riesling has seen a resurgence in popularity mainly attributed to the efforts of quality-conscious winemakers. Sure, you can still find cheap plonk (i.e. liebfraumilch), but the majority of German Rieslings - and other Rieslings from the aforementioned regions - are of top quality and are available in all price categories.
I could get encyclopedic here and go into all of the different classifications of German Rieslings and their styles, but that would take a lot of time and space. Perhaps in a future WWW installment, I will focus only on the varietal instead of doing an actual tasting.
In the interest of this particular post, I am focusing on the wine of the week - Schloss-Saarstein Riesling Kabinett Serriger Schloss-Saarstein Estate. The 2003 is available in stores and should be easy to get if the merchant you are going to is reputable. If they are reputable and do not have it, they are likely able to get it for you if you ask them. The 2003 was a very hot year in Europe and a lot of white wines suffered from the heat. However, since a characteristic of Riesling is its high fruit concentration, the heat of 03 may have aided the development of these wines.
On to the notes...
Clear. Lemon-gold in color with a very thin and watery clear rim. Small bubbles cling to the inside of the glass. A clean nose with a light to medium intensity. Still young, this is developing character. Rieslings have the potential to age gracefully and this one is still quite young and could blossom in the next couple of years. A nice soothing aroma containing scents of melon, light honey and even a slight woody note. Also present on the nose was the tell-tale petrol-oily characteristic of Riesling. You can always tell a Riesling in a blind tasting if there is a scent of gasoline on the nose. Sounds strange, doesn't it? The palate is dry to off-dry. The characteristic Riesling crisp acidity and minerality is there, but slightly muted. This is also an after-effect of the hot summer of 03. The heat from the days, while contributing to the full fruit characteristics can also rob the grapes of their natural acidity, making the wine feel and taste "flabby". This wine did not taste flabby, but was not as crisp as a typical Riesling could and should be. Low alcohol and light in body. There were nice layers of lime citrus, melon and honey on the long fresh fruit-filled finish.
Overall, I felt that this was a successful Riesling in a tricky vintage. A quality producer and a great wine. This Riesling is an easy match for a lot of different foods such as all types of Asian foods, turkey and ham, etc. Also, this wine is a great wine to serve at a bunch in lieu of the typical fizz (sparkling wine/Champagne). At roughly between $20 and $25, it is not the cheapest Riesling on the market but other comparable Rieslings can easily surpass the $40 per bottle.
February 21, 2006
Coldplay
Coldplay
Sunday night we saw the band "Coldplay" at the Denver Pepsi Center. Although we are typically not into the impersonal nature of a big arena for a show, we could not pass up seeing this great band. A good time.
Click HERE for the gallery of pics I took at the show.
February 15, 2006
Wednesday Wine of the Week #7
2004 Barton & Guestier Vouvray
The Loire. This northern-ish region in France follows the Loire River from the west at the Atlantic flowing east and south roughly to the Rhone. It is a huge region and very diverse in the wines it yields, which are predominately white, although red, rose and sparkling wines are also grown widely in this region. The middle Loire is the area of the Loire that I am focusing on today. Today's wine, Vouvray, is 100% Chenin Blanc. Vouvray is the part of the Loire where this Chenin Blanc comes from and you may find many producers that put out Vouvray. Chenin Blanc shines its brightest here in the Loire, but is also successfully planted in South Africa and California. Nowhere else, however, is Chenin Blanc more recognizable than in the Loire. What's more, Chenin Blanc, along side Riesling and some Chardonnay, is one of the most age-worthy of all white wines.
The spotlight today is on the 2004 Barton & Guestier Vouvray. This wine is not an expensive wine and should be available widely. I bought this wine for roughly $12.00 and, as you will read below, I thought it was worth every penny. If you are tired of always drinking a California Chardonnay or settling for something "typical", search out a Chenin Blanc from Vouvray. It may cost a couple of bucks more than the Sutter Home or other cheap plonk, but you will be drinking a far superior wine and, thus, a much better value. When looking for a Chenin Blanc from the Loire, look for the names "Vouvray", "Vouvray Sec" or "Savennieres" (pronounced 'saav-en-yeer'). To really get a bottle for cheap, you sometimes may find a bottle that says the grape varietal "Chenin Blanc". In France, it is not common for producers to list the grape name on the bottle. Instead, you will simply see the name of the producer, the region or the village/vineyard name. Putting the name of the grape on the bottle typically means it has not complied with the strict classification laws and is a pretty cheap wine. (Case in point, we just opened a white Burgundy from a very well-known producer that was less than $10 and had "Chardonnay" written on the label. It was one of the worst Chards I have ever tasted and we couldn't even finish the glass.) So, the lesson is, try to stay away from wines from France that list the grape name on the label.
So, on to the tasting notes...
Clear. Pale straw-yellow in color both in the core and also along the rim. A fine sheen along the inside of the glass slowly forms thick legs that seem to lay motionless for quite some time. A clean nose, yet only moderately intense. Still young, this wine shows a good amount of pear, melon and fig aromas that are coupled with a nice touch of citrus notes of orange and grapefruit. A tiny bit of oakiness also comes across. The wine is dry, but almost a bit toward the off-dry. A very pronounced flavor intensity, the wine seems to envelop the tongue and fill the mouth. The intensity seems to predominately come from the high acidity. Very crisp and refreshing with more citrus flavors combined with pear, lychee and kiwi. Given the acidity, one may think that the wine is lighter in body, but actually is almost oily and heavy. The balance of these gives the wine a nice, pleasing medium weight. The alcohol also is lower (12%) which lends to its crisp refreshing "zip". Very nicely balanced overall and a very long, refreshing finish that continues to give up citrus and melon flavors throughout.
Again, I felt that this wine was a tremendous value and is worthy of a spot in your "everyday drinking" wine rack. We enjoyed the wine with roasted chicken because the juiciness of the roasted chicken paired wonderfully with the weight of the wine. I would recommend this wine with a wide range of dishes from grilled salmon and roasted chicken to spicy Asian dishes as well. Very versatile.
February 14, 2006
Ethan
This is especially for (Great) Grandma E. A little birdie told me that there was a wish for more Ethan pictures. So here you go. I thought I had better get a bit more Ethan pictures up here before another wine post (tomorrow).
Click HERE to access the gallery where I have posted a few recent pictures.
February 12, 2006
Jeppson Visit
This weekend, good friends Nate, Julie and Ellie Jeppson came to visit Denver. We had them and a few people over for a little brunch this morning. It was a nice visit. We were fortunate to have the Jeppson's out to our England home the weekend just prior to our departure back to the US. That visit was minus little Ellie, so it was very nice to be able to meet the little princess! Sure wish we could see those three more often.
A small gathering, we had Big Jake (all the kiddies' favorite), Heather, Nicholas and Sofia Quiroga and Nate's sister, Erin over.
Food included a bacon and cheese strata (egg, bacon, asparagus, mushroom, red pepper, artichoke heart and cheese baked dish), Smoked salmon and creme fraiche, sliced mango with lime and cilantro, pear coffee cake, grilled sausage patties, gorgonzola cheese, kiwis, green grapes, quince, coffee and , of course - sparkling wine and orange juice.
Of course, it was a great morning. Couldn't ask for better weather, either. Mid 50's and total sun.
Click HERE for a few pictures from the brunch and other galleries.
February 08, 2006
Wednesday Wine of the Week - #6
Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia - Bolgheri
Today's wine is a truly special wine in that it is one of legendary status. Sassicaia is a wine that is sought after the world over by both connoisseurs and enthusiasts, alike. Go into any reputable wine merchant or restaurant and ask if they know Sassicaia. My bet is that, not only will they have heard of it, but may also have a personal story about it as well.
To understand why Sassicaia is such a special wine, it will help to understand a little bit about the wine laws, regulations and designations of Italy. There are three official classifications of Italian wine - IGT, DOC and DOCG. IGT (Indicazione Geographica Tipica) is the lowest standard (not necessarily lowest quality) and the least stringent of the three. DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) is the middle and signifies wines that meet a minimum of rules and regulations of a region. DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita) is the top quality standard as dictated by the government. There are only 21 wines in all of Italy that have been awarded the DOCG certification. Now, there are also many other wines that are available in Italy that do not conform to any of the official certification standards and, thus, cannot be awarded the IGT, DOC or DOCG status. These wines are referred to as vino da tavola. Most often, these wines are experimentations with varietals not typically known to be traditionally aligned with a certain region. Also, these wines may simply be wines that are produced for family and friends and not really intended for distribution. It is also possible that on your last trip to Italy, the house wine you loved so much at the little trattoria just off the market square was likely a simple vino da tavola (that's also why it likely cost less than the bottle of water you ordered)!
Sassicaia began in the 1940s as an experiment. Marchese Mario Incisa della Rocchetta wanted to make a noble wine with Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc.) In Tuscany, these varietals were considered not ideal for making superior wines. His initial vintages (beginning in 1948) were just meant to be enjoyed by his own family and friends. In 1963, when the DOC laws were instituted, Sassicaia did not conform since the grapes used were not traditional Tuscan varietals. In 1980, the DOCG was enacted and, since Sassicaia was not a DOC wine, it had a snowball's chance under the Tuscan sun of garnering a DOCG certification. By this time, however, Sassicaia's reputation was known around the world. The wine was winning competitions against some hefty Bordeaux rivals and other rivals from around the globe. By the 1970s and the 1980s, Sassicaia and other Tuscan vini da tavolas began to be called what they are generally referred to to this day - Super Tuscans. Sassicaia is a legend because it is the pioneering original Super Tuscan! So, once again, when you are at a shop or a restaurant and you order a Super Tuscan, Sassicaia or a different one, you are really drinking a vino da tavola. However, you are also drinking some of the best wines ever to come out of the country of Italy.
I had the distinct pleasure of having the opportunity to have a glass of the 2000 Sassicaia while I was in Montalcino, Italy this past October during the Brunello di Montalcino harvest. I went to the Enoteca la Fortezza located in the centuries-old fortress atop the village of Montalcino. There they have a very good number of high-quality wines to enjoy by the glass. Not ever having had the good fortune of drinking a Sassicaia, I eagerly plopped down my 17 Euros (roughly $20) for a meager half-glass (60ml) of the legendary wine. (The full-glass pour goes for 25 Euros - roughly $30) Here are my notes from that wine...
2000 Sassicaia. 02 October 2005 (Enoteca la Fortezza, Montalcino, Italy)
Clear. Deep pronounced intensity. Full robust garnet core leading to a thin mahogany rim. Bountiful thin tears caressing the inside of the glass. Clean nose. Young. Still developing. Medium to pronounced alcohol level and flavor intensity. Illicits beautiful aromas of blueberry, vanilla, cinnamon and even a touch of cardamom. Dry. Pronounced intensity. Full bodied and high in acidity. Soft, supple round tannins that feel silky smooth. Full mouth-filling flavors of strawberry, cherry and hints of pine. A bit warm on the back end of a surprisingly short finish.
The finish notwithstanding, I feel that the flavors and the body of this wine make this an outstanding wine. A little disappointed that the flavors faded too quickly on the end. Still, a very happy moment. It is not everyday that a wine like this can be enjoyed by the glass.
I'd be very surprised if very many establishments even offer this wine by the glass since the suggested retail price for the 2002 is roughly $180.00 per bottle (the 1985 fetches close to $1,500.00!). Nonetheless, if you are a wine drinker, haven't ever tried Sassicaia and do see it on a "by the glass" list, I recommend you give it a go. You'll be experiencing a legend.
February 01, 2006
Wednesday Wine of the Week #5
1999 E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape
Today is a review of a special wine. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a village in the Southern Rhone regions of France, roughly ten miles or so north of Avignon and south of Orange by approximately five or six miles. CDP wines are world-renown for their robust color, structure and ability to stand up to Father Time. Remarkably, I had never had a CDP wine prior to our first visit there in 2002. Once introduced to the wines, I was hooked and it immediately became my favorite wine. This is to say that even when we returned from that holiday and had the opportunity to taste some CDPs, I still found myself entirely enthralled with the massive wines. Many times it is easy to be on vacation and become infatuated with the local wine because you are caught up in the ambiance and the moment of the holiday. Then, you return home, find a merchant that may carry the wine you had on vacation, buy some and are shocked at how bad it is. That is common and has everything to do with how your senses make everything that much better on vacation.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines are, by law, allowed to be blends of up to 13 grapes. However, the main varietals used are Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah. Not often will you encounter a producer that uses all 13 grapes. These wines are, as mentioned, very robust, concentrated and rich. The slopes surrounding the village where the vineyards are located are exposed to very intense sun and heat. The rocky soil is made up of smooth, round and flat stones called "galettes" that radiate the heat from the day throughout the night. This keep the grapes warm, thus promoting the development of ripe and rich flavors that are so inherent in CDP wines.
This wine, the 1999 Chateauneuf-du-Pape from Guigal was named the Wine Spectator Wine of the Year in 2003. I was lucky enough to buy the last eight bottles at a local store back then just after it was named Wine of the Year. I bought these bottles for roughly $30 each. Now, if you can find any of the 1999, you would likely pay anywhere from $40 to $70 each. I was able to find bottles on the Internet for both of these extremes.
We opened this wine over Christmas. I hadn't intended to open it, but noticed the capsule over the cork was bulging out a bit and a small amount of leakage as well. I figured that the wine inside was probably shot and I may as well open it to try it anyway.
Here are my notes from that night...
"Protruding capsule with some sticky leakage around the top. Could be off. Clear. Pronounced intensity and a deep brick-red core leading out to a tawney/clear thin rim. Nice thick and slow tears along the inside of the glass. Clean nose. Quite pronounced. No taint or oxidization present, like I figured there might be. Clearly aged. A nice cellar-like, moldy aroma. Earthy. Bits of game, leaves, pencil lead and chocolate come to mind immediately. Some soft cooked fruits like blackberry and blueberry cobblers also show up. The palate is dry. Nice soft acidity and moderately high alcohol. The palate is also quite pronounced. Big ripe fruits like cherries and blackberries along with a sense of chocolate and coffee, too. This wine is definitely full-bodied and has a long, silky and mouth-filling finish.
I was definitely very happy with the outcome.
