Deep Red Cellar

Oh My Goodness! It’s National Drink Wine Day!

Today is Drink Wine Day! Pop the cork and enjoy a refreshing glass of Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot, Shiraz, or Zinfandel in honor of the occasion! People have been producing wine since at least 6000 B.C. There are dozens of ancient legends about humans who accidentally consumed fermented grapes and became intoxicated, which is probably how wine was first conceived. Eventually, people began experimenting with the fermentation process. The methods for making wine spread from the region of Mesopotamia to Egypt, Greece, Rome, France, Spain, and eventually the New World. Today, over 20 million acres of the earth’s surface are dedicated to growing grapes for wine.

source: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/drink-wine-day

Which Type Are You?

Have you ever wondered about the shapes of wine bottles? Are the different shapes random happenstance or are they part of a great plan? Believe it or not, the shapes of wine bottles are actually well calculated to match the styles of specific wines. If you love burgundy wine, then your bottle type has sloping shoulders and a tall appearance or if you love bordeaux, then your bottle type has straight sides and high shoulders.

This little bit of trivia can give you ease in spotting your preferred bottle…which can come in handy the next time you and your fellow wine shopper are both going for that last bottle of bordeaux!

graphic from: http://www.lewineoil.com/

Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

Beaujolais Nouveau is made from the Gamay grape – it’s light and soft with aromas of strawberries and cherries.

The bright fruit, bubble gum flavors are enhanced by the process of carbonic maceration (whole berry fermentation).

By law, Beaujolais Nouveau must be released the third Thursday in November of the harvest year.

Beaujolais is a region in Burgundy known for it’s granite and schist soils which enhances the character of the wine – it’s (almost) all about terrior.

The vast majority of Beaujolais Nouveau wine is not age-worthy and is intended to be enjoyed directly upon purchase.

If you haven’t tasted Beaujolais Nouveau, give it a try – it’s light, inexpensive and available for a limited time – once the current vintage runs out, you will not see this wine again until next November.

The Best Place To Stay In Tuscany!

It’s been about 2 years since I’ve lived in Italy – hard to believe except for my massive withdrawal from mozzarella di bufala, too many delectable wines to count and lasting friendships. Ah the friendships…..you meet an Italian once and you’ve gained a friendship that will last a lifetime. They will never forget you and if you’re lucky, you will never forget them.

My friendship with Stefano & Paola Zocchi, in particular, has led me to write this post. I met Stefano & Paola when my family and I stayed at their beautiful Relais “La Palazzetta del Vescovo” (www.lapalazzettadelvescovo.com) in Umbria. I’m not sure how I stumbled on “La Palazzetta” but I was so impressed, I stayed two more times before I left Italy (see march 18,2010 post). I’ve had the privilege of keeping in contact with the Zocchis who have just opened their second accommodation in Lucca called “Palazzo Orsucci” (www.palazzoorsucci.com).

Deep Red Cellar is not a travel website but it is my website which means I get to write what I’d like. 🙂 Besides, it would just be mean to know about “Palazzo Orsucci” and not tell you!

Stefano and Paola opened “Palazzo Orsucci” just a month or two ago after a complete renovation to the 16 century apartment. Close attention was paid to ensure the integrity and allure of the historical architecture remained and modern conveniences were added. The Zocchi’s dedication to quality and meticulous eye for decor are evident throughout the apartment as it seems as if you are walking into their own carefully decorated home or perhaps a beautiful 5 star accommodation situated in the historic city center of Lucca.

So if you find yourself planning a trip to Tuscany, I highly recommend a stay at “Palazzo Orsucci.” It’s the perfect romantic get-a-way.

You will find all the pertinent information including contact, reservation and pricing information at www.palazzoorsucci.com. I have every intention of experiencing “Palazzo Orsucci” myself but if you beat me to it, I’d love to hear what you thought!

Merlot – Simply Stated

I love this video put out by Gundlach Bundschu (www.gunbun.com) – it is their very creative way of explaining the life of Merlot.

Ban on Foie Gras

As of July 1, 2012 the production and sale of Foie Gras has been banned in California. While I don’t eat Foie Gras often, I do enjoy it’s decadency on occasion (most recently on my anniversary in August).

After watching the below video though, I probably won’t be seeking out any Foie Gras tastings. Watch and decide for yourself.

US Foie Gras – A gourmet but troubling treat

Now That’s A Good Pairing!

Currently, I live in Hawaii and it is hot – especially in the late afternoon, say around 5-6pm when dinner preparation should be going down. Supposedly, I live on the “windward side” of the island but of late the winds have not been so forthcoming so I’m very interested in any recipe that does not include cranking up the oven.

This evening I decided to try a recipe I stumbled on through Facebook. It was originally published by Jennifer Fiedler of Wine Spectator utilizing the quintessential pairing of goat cheese and sauvignon blanc. Jennifer also included a tomato salad stating the wine stood up to the raw tomato. I’m not so sure my taste buds agreed so I’ll just focus on the sandwich which paired beautifully with the wine.

Jennifer suggested a high acid, citrusy sauvignon blanc but I didn’t do my homework before purchasing and ended up with a 2011 Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand. In my opinion, it paired very nicely.

This is the perfect dinner if you’re looking for something simple, loaded with flavor and perfectly paired. It definitely put me in my happy place.

Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich
Servings: 2
1 zucchini
3 TB butter
2 pieces of flatbread
6 oz goat cheese
1/4 c. minced green olives (don’t be scared they add the perfect subtle tang)

~Using a vegetable peeler, slice long ribbons of zucchini lengthwise
~Split each flatbread into two slices (4 pieces total) and butter both sides
~For each sandwich, spread the goat cheese on the inside of each piece of bread. On the bottom slice, spread 1/2 of the minced olives and a thin layer of zucchini. Cover with top slice.
~Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat on stove top. Place sandwiches in pan and press down using a can
~Cook until the butter has browned (around 2-3 minutes) and then flip carefully with a spatula
~Cook until the butter has browned on the second side and the interior is heated through
~Slice in half diagonally and serve immediately with a chilled sauvignon blanc of your choice.

Enjoy!

Official Wines of the Olympics

This Olympics is epic in that it is the first time in history the games have their own official wine. UK wine merchant Bibendum was given the job of selecting the wines – a white, a rose and a red. The decision making didn’t come without controversy as the commercial director insisted the wines be from the 2012 vintage to avoid having confusion of the vintage date and 2012 Olympic date both on the bottle. In addition, since the wines would be available in event areas, they had to be contained in recyclable PET bottles and the alcohol level had to be lower than normal to promote responsible drinking (11.5% instead of around 13%).

To make the deadline, the wines had to be from somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere and the grapes had to be picked early by a couple of weeks. For the white that meant the potential of too much acidity and green flavors. To overcome this winemakers fermented the wine with yeast strains from sauvignon blanc to enhance the aromatics knowing full well the wine would be drunk soon, age-worthiness not being a factor.

So what wines made the cut? The white and rose are from Stellenrust, the largest Fair-trade wine estate in South Africa located in the oldest, most respected region of Stellenbosch. The white is a Chenin Blanc that is easy drinking with tropical notes and just a hint of acidity. The rose is a blend of Pinotage, Shiraz and Merlot.

The red is from Seival Estate in Brazil, a nod to the 2016 Olympics. It’s a blend of Shiraz and Tempranillo with a dash of Gamay Nouveau to keep the otherwise earthy wine vibrant and lively.

If I were lucky enough to be at the Olympics, I’d have the white while watching beach volleyball, the rose while watching swimming and the red while cheering on the gymnasts.

Go Team USA!

Wine & War

Troop-member-in-vineyard-1024x865 — Members of the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, patrol a grape vineyard with members of the Afghan National Army in Char Shaka, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, on April 28, 2011. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Justin A. Young). Picture from www.wineeconomist.com

I was reading an article on www.wineeconomist.com by Mike Veseth. He pointed out how human conflict sooner or later reveals itself in wine. I find this thought-provoking – history has shown us this reality and it is certainly present today whether across borders, states, or even AVAs (American Viticultural Areas).

Mike went on to explain a really neat program formed by Michelle Moyer. Michelle is a statewide viticulture extension specialist for Washington State University and has created a presentation for the national extension Grape Community of Practice (GCoP) specific for troops fighting in Afghanistan. The presentation gives troops a crash course in vineyard production teaching them everything from what a vineyard in Afghanistan may look like (often quite different than the neatly manicured vineyards of Napa), to how to grow grapes, to the potential fungal threats on the Afghan vines. The presentation takes particular care to educate troops on the delicate issues specific to the country such as water rights, etc.

I’m glad to read that even in time of war, vineyards are a catalyst to bringing harmony and hopefully peace to countries who are in need of a ray of hope.

If you’d like to read the entire article, click on the link above.

The Art of Barrel Making

I am taking a course through Sonoma State University and this link was on my syllabus as useful information.

It shows just what an old-world art form barrel making still is. It was fun to see this video was from “Goosecross Cellars” as this is who I did my latest project on for this course!