CELEBRATE WITH SPARkLING WINE ANY TIME

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FO TAF
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SE W PI
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PA IN
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35
R
WINTER 2008
THE MAGAZINE OF FINE WINE, SPIRITS, AND LIVING
HOLIDAY
SPARKLE
+
Celebrate with
sparkling wine any time
­3
4
6 Delicious Hot Holiday Drinks
The Season’s perfect port
Explore Italy’s hidden treasure
$3.99
Responsibility is always in season. please dRink Responsibly.
GENTLEMAN JACK is a registered trademark. ©2007 Jack Daniel’s. Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Alcohol 40% by Volume (80 Proof). Distilled and Bottled by Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg (POP. 361), Tennessee.
CHEERS!
Seasonal Helpers
Y
ou don’t need us to remind you it’s a busy time of year. But we will remind you that we are here to help you
prepare for the merry making with great ideas for pairing wine with holiday meals, for gifts, winter warmers,
and festive cocktails. So sit back, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, and enjoy a little time for yourself.
A bit of the bubbly is the quintessential way to celebrate the season but it’s also delicious anytime of day. In
this issue, Roger Morris, who has written about fine wine, food, and travel for publications such as Saveur and Sommelier
News, takes you from morning mimosas to nightcaps and serves up suggestions for food-friendly fizz along the way.
At one time vintners predicted that Syrah would be the next Merlot, but it didn’t quite catch on as well as they
had hoped. While it may be underappreciated, this versatile red is perfect for the holidays. With its ample fruit,
spicy notes, and approachable tannins, it pairs well with a wide range of food from salmon,
duck, or chicken to beef.
Our wine staff calls out some favorites we think you’ll enjoy this time of year and our
beer manager highlights some winter warmers in our “Staff Picks” on page 35.
Cozying up by the fire with a glass of port and some good friends—or man’s best
friend—is a great way to enjoy not only the holiday season but the winter ahead. In this
issue, Anthony Dias Blue, who has been associated with Bon Appétit magazine for more
than two decades, and is the author of The Complete Book of Spirits, explores the virtues
of tawny port, the “essence of the Mediterranean light and heat.”
Add Alba, Italy to your travel wish list. This area of the Piedmont region is home of
glorious reds such as Barbera, Barbaresco, Barolo, and Dolcetto. Tom Hyland, who specializes in Italian wines
and has written articles for publications such as Saveur, Decanter, and the Quarterly Review of Wines, takes you on
an armchair journey to this great culinary and wine destination.
Top off an evening with delicious cocktails. This issue’s holiday-inspired creations mix it up with luxurious chocolate,
cool peppermint, sweet tangerine, warming cloves, and more. Kathy Casey, who has been featured in US Today, Food
& Wine, and on Good Morning America, shares recipes that are perfect for many occasions throughout the season.
Whether you’re hosting the whole family, entertaining a small group of friends, or looking for a special bottle
of wine to bring to your hosts, our knowledgeable staff can help with your selections. Thank you for choosing
Total Beverage—we look forward to serving you in the new year ahead.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Jim Dean, Store Manager
storemgr@totalbev.com
PS: On a personal note, in January it will have been a year since the passing of our friend and colleague Charlie Kay. It
is true that with the passing of time the pain of that loss is dominated by the warm thoughts and memories of Charlie. We
at Westminster Total Beverage want to extend our thoughts and best wishes to his family and friends during this holiday
season and remind them that Charlie is always in our hearts.
“Drinks Are What We Know”
9359 Sheridan Boulevard, Westminster, Colorado 80031 • 303-426-4800
www.totalbev.com
drinks Late-harvest wine
How Sweet It Is
Late-harvest wine tops off any holiday gathering.
drinks
www.totalbev.com
grapes shriveled to almost raisins by
the noble rot, it can take an entire day
for a person to choose enough grapes to
make just one bottle. This is a luxury
wine, indeed.
In the United States, California,
Washington, and New York are producing some good values in late-harvest
wine. Those labeled Select Late Harvest
are made from grapes picked a little
later when sugar content is even more
concentrated.
Late-harvest wines are often described
as having rich honeyed flavors. They are
usually served after dinner with dessert
or cheese such as Roquefort—or as dessert—but they can also complement
dinner fare. A late-harvest Riesling
matches roast pork, glazed ham, and
poultry as well as it does cheese and
fruit. The rich, fruity sweetness complements the natural sugars in roasted
pears. Also try it with apples and apple
desserts, apricot desserts, bread pudding, citrus desserts, nut cookies, and
pecan pie. A late-harvest Chardonnay,
with its hints of honey, peach, orange,
and apricot is a good match with the
perennial holiday favorite snack of
caramel corn, which has just enough
buttery flavor with a hint of salt.
Total Beverage
Recommends
Falchini Vin Santo 2001 (375 ml)
Regular: $34.98 Green Tag: $27.98
Ch. Laroche 2003 (Cerons)
Regular: $18.98 Green Tag: $12.98
Ch. Guiraud 1er Cru Sauternes 1996
Regular: $63.98 Green Tag: $53.98
JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr
Auslese 2003
Regular: $59.98 Green Tag: $34.98
PHOTO BY JILL CHEN
S
weet things come to those
who wait. When the weather
gets cooler and the leaves on
grapevines turn from green to
yellow and red, patience can pay off by
allowing the grapes to remain on the
vine for just a little while longer—until
they are very ripe and the sugar in the
fruit is more concentrated. Waiting to
pick the grapes can be risky, however,
as the crop can potentially be ruined by
rain. But when the weather cooperates,
patience is rewarded with deliciously
honeyed wines.
These wines, known as late harvest,
are usually made from white grapes.
Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Sémillon
are most frequently used in addition to
Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Moscato,
and others. Zinfandel can also make a
delicious jammy red choice.
Some late-harvest grapes are affected
by botrytis cinerea, a beneficial mold
that causes the grapes to shrivel further,
leaving sugar-laden fruit full of rich,
concentrated, honeyed flavors. Reduced
water content concentrates the sugar and
results in a powerfully sweet, rich wine
with a distinctive flavor. Also called noble
rot, this mold contributes to some of the
most revered sweet wines available.
Most wine producing areas have versions of late-harvest wine. In Hungary,
Tokay is the popular botrytis-infected
wine. Italy’s muffa nobile is their botrytis
wine. In France, this noble rot is called
pourriture noble and the best known of
the wines made with this is Sauternes.
Created from botrytis-affected Sémillon
grapes, Sauternes is a rich, sweet wine
produced within the Graves district
of France’s Bordeaux region. Often
described as having a slight nuttiness
with flavors of honey and cream, this is a
top-of-the-line dessert wine that is noted
for having balance that complements the
honeyed sweetness. In France’s Alsace
region Sélection de Grains Nobles are
wines made with late harvested grapes
affected by botrytis cinerea.
In Germany, the wines are classified according to the grapes’ ripeness
at harvest, creating different levels
of late-harvest wine. Spätlese, which
literally means “late harvest,” is made
from late-picked fully ripened grapes.
It may be on the dry side or have some
sweetness but grape’s high acidity level
keeps it from tasting too sweet. Auslese,
meaning “selected harvest,” is wine
made from very ripe grapes harvested
in select bunches. Beerenauslese—“berry selected harvest”—are rare wines
made from individual grapes selected
by hand. Usually called BA for short,
these grapes have been affected by the
noble rot—referred to as Edelfäule—
which gives them their richness. And
Trockenbeerenauslese—which literally
translates to “dry berry selected harvest”
(called TBAs for short)—are the richest
and sweetest of German wines, and also
the most rare. Made from individual
FIRST ROUND
[ WHAT’S NEW IN THE WORLD OF WINE & SPIRITS ]
FIRST ROUND
A New
Frontier
PHOTO BY Terry Brennan
As the old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke,
don’t fix it.” Well, the folks at Austriabased OVAL Vodka took that adage
and threw it right out the window with
the launch of their Structured Vodka
in 2007. After enjoying great success
in Germany, the United Kingdom, and
Austria, OVAL launched in the United
States this past summer.
OVAL’s patented technology—which
took more than 30 years to exact and
is a grand leap from the traditional way
vodka has been produced for 600 years—
uses an 11-day structuring process, which
combines water and alcohol in a way that
arranges the vodka such that the water
surrounds the spirit. The result: a smooth
vodka that seems to be turning heads. As
is the bottle, which is glass blown in the
form of a tetrahedron to mirror the structure of the vodka inside. Prosit.
drinks FIRST ROUND
Wine Trivia
wine for one
True or False: In the Bible, Noah gets drunk on wine. Now if that question can’t get your holiday guests a-buzzing, most likely nothing can. (The
answer is true, by the way.) This 100-card question-and-answer game by
Wine Smarts is a sure-fire way to satisfy the inner wine geek in everyone.
Scatter them throughout your home and invite your guests to test their
wine skills, or cleverly use them as coasters. Available online for $16.95 at
smartsco.com.
The big thing for wine-lovers
these days may be, well, not so
big after all. Single-serve bottles
of wine, a.k.a. 187ml bottles, are
one of the hottest categories on
the market today.
After a long day at work, maybe
you want just one glass of your
favorite wine. Enter single-serve
bottles.
While wine sales in the United
States are on the rise in all categories, the 187ml markets’ numbers
are some of the most impressive,
according to ACNielsen.
November
madness
Mark your calendars, people. It’s Beaujolais
Nouveau time. Released each year on the third
Thursday of November, the fruity, lightweight
red is the world’s most popular Vins de Primeur
(sold the same year it is harvested). Often
wrapped in wildly colorful labels, Beaujolais
Nouveau should be served lightly chilled and
is intended for immediate drinking.
California Wine Makes Cents
The Sunshine State brings the country a whole lot more than great wine year after year
California
makes
90% of
all U.S. Wine.
California is
California's
the 4th
California's
wine
California's
leading wine wine industry
industry
wine
industry
producer in
generates
creates
attracts
the world $125.3 billion 309,000 jobs
19.7 million
behind the
annually for
in the state
tourists
countries of
the U.S.
and a total of
annually.
France, Italy,
economy.
875,000 jobs
and Spain.
nationwide.
Source: The Wine Institute
drinks
The independent market
research company found that
from July 2004 to May 2007, the
187ml category exploded with an
enormous growth increase of
33% by case volume, which was
nearly three times the rate for
the overall wine market during
the same period.
Then, from approximately mid
August 2007 to mid August
2008, 187ml sales were up 8.9%.
During that same period, sales
were up 6.6% for 750ml bottles
and 3.6% for 1.5 liter bottles.
Scotch
for the
season
We all have them. Those tricky
folks on our holiday list who are
simply impossible to shop for.
They’ve got an iPod, ties are a bit
boring, and who needs another
fruitcake? Never fear, Single Malt
Scotch is here. Of course, Single
Malt Scotch is always here, but
this year there are two particularly noteworthy single malts to
mention.
The award-winning Bowmore 12
Years Old is garnering accolades
from critics throughout the spirits
world. It boasts a complex taste
and smooth texture. In addition
to the distinctive smokiness Bowmore is known for, the 12 Years
Old offers subtle notes of lemon
and honey.
Also an award-winner, the Macallan Fine Oak 15 Year is another
must-have for 2008.
Those Scots sure know what
they’re doing.
Cointreau
meets cognac
2008 has been a big year for lovers of Cointreau.
Just when you think nothing could be more exciting than the über-alluring burlesque entertainer
Dita Von Teese becoming the new
face of the famed orange liqueur's
"Be Cointreauversial" marketing
campaign, the company unveils
Cointreau Noir. The recently
released Cointreau Noir is a
blend of Cointreau liqueur
and Remy Martin
cognac. The cognac
mellows out Cointreau’s sweet orange
flavors and adds a
touch of spice, with
notes of vanilla, nut,
and honey. Unlike the
original
Cointreau,
which is generally
used as a mixer, Cointreau Noir is meant to
be sipped neat over
ice or straight.
drinks mixology
I
Absinthe
How to Serve Absinthe
1 1/2 ounces absinthe
2 sugar cubes
1 – 2 ounces cold fresh water
Pour the absinthe into a short glass. Place the sugar cubes
on a slotted absinthe spoon laid across the rim of the glass.
Slowly drizzle water (preferably from an absinthe fountain)
over the sugar cubes until they melt into the absinthe. The
liquid will turn cloudy. Sip slowly.
PHOTO BY ERIC MOORE [
t is the world’s most notorious spirit. Manet, Degas, and
Picasso all contributed to its lore by creating now-famous
paintings of drinkers imbibing the stuff in their favorite
cafés. Any student of French literature has read the poetry:
Baudelaire, Verlaine, and Rimbaud were all partakers of
“the green fairy,” penning tributes to its effects in delirious verse.
Those with a bohemian bent have most likely sampled simulacra
of the real thing, such as the licorice-flavored Pernod Pastis or the
wittily-named Absente (from which the offending wormwood
was punningly absent). But now, after a ban of nearly a century,
you can buy the real thing. Watch out world, absinthe is back.
For much of the 20th century, absinthe was illegal in most
western countries because of the supposedly harmful nature of
its wormwood component, which contains the chemical thujone
(hallucinogenic in sufficient doses). Making something illicit, of
course, only heightens its repute. During those many decades
underground, rumors of absinthe encounters would occasionally surface—a friend sampled it in Prague or Barcelona; someone your cousin knows
concocted a homemade
Grand wormwood, or
batch in his kitchen—
Artemesia absinthium, is a but the rumors were
gray-green bitter plant species
usually far headier
that is the defining ingredient
than absinthe itself.
used to make absinthe. Other
Given absinthe’s legcomponents include Florence
endary stature, it was
fennel and anise, which give
only to be expected
absinthe its like-it-or-leave-it
that once the U.S. govlicorice taste.
ernment approved the
sale of contemporary versions of absinthe—now containing
real wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) but with a dialed-back
thujone content—spirits aficionados would go into a frenzy,
making this vivid green spirit the year’s hottest cocktail trend.
Nearly every drinking establishment that prides itself on
its spirits savvy now displays an absinthe fountain on the bar.
(Appropriately, I noticed one in the classic beat-generation
saloon Vesuvio during a recent visit to San Francisco.) Absinthe
parties are a hot ticket now at bars and clubs in New York and
Los Angeles. And the market for vintage absinthe accoutrements, including slotted absinthe spoons, is booming.
New brands of absinthe seem to hit the market just about weekly, including versions from Switzerland, Austria, and even the
United States. Pernod Absinthe, the original French brand that
morphed into an anisette during the ban, is back in something
resembling its original form. So-called “Bohemian” versions
(originally from Bohemia, in what is now the Czech Republic)
contain less intense licorice flavor and can be useful in cocktails.
Although most researchers agree that the alcohol in historic
absinthe was far more harmful than the thujone from wormwood, modern versions have very low levels of this chemical
compound. But in keeping with its sinister reputation, today’s
absinthe is definitely potent stuff—most is bottled at well over
100 proof—so moderation is in order.
[
Wormwood
BY Anthony Dias Blue
drinks
“The Green Fairy”
Absinthe was banned in the United States on July 25, 1912.
After more than 90 years, Lucid Absinthe made history in
2007 when the U.S. allowed the authentic absinthe to be
legally imported into the States.
LIQUID ASSETS
Grape
Charmers
lay claim to your libations
this holiday season with
these artful markers
1
2
1. Keys & Memories uses authentic vintage
typewriter and cash register keys from the
early twentieth century to create this unique
set of markers; $35 for set of six from
keysandmemories.com.
PHOTO BY TERRY BRENNAN
2. Inspired by the famous Russian jeweller
Peter Carl Fabergé's jewelled eggs, these
Fabergé arrowhead egg wine charms boast
vibrant colors and are adorned with crystal;
$95 for set of six from sienajulia.com.
3
4
3. This set of simple, silver numbers wine
charms is sure to delight; $12.95 for set of
eight from crateandbarrel.com.
4. Add a splash of color to your guests'
glasses with these enamel and brass charms;
$12.95 for set of six from crateandbarrel.com.
drinks noon
&
morning,
night
Sparkling Wine is perfectly
pleasant any time of day
By Roger Morris
PHOTOS BY Maki Strunc Photography
drinks 11
N
ot long ago I found myself making
morning coffee in the guesthouse
kitchen of Pommery, the premium
Champagne maison on the outskirts
of Reims. Dawn was just creeping
through the light fog that had spread
over the vineyard during the chilly harvest night.
Opening the refrigerator door, I found all the French
breakfast basics—several kinds of cheeses, a crusty
baguette, a piece of fruit, a jar of pâté-like pork rillettes, orange juice, and, of course, four bottles of chilled
Champagne: Pommery’s top of the line, Cuvée Louise, a
Brut Rosé, and the basic Brut Royale.
“Should I?” I asked myself. “Of course,” I quickly replied.
Faster than you could say “pop,” I had blended the orange
juice with the Brut Royale—no ice needed—into a tall
glass for a perfect half-and-half Mimosa.
Sparkling wine, including true Champagne that comes
only from that region of France, can be an extremely
versatile drink. It can be sipped by itself or paired with
food, served “straight” or combined in a cocktail, and is
increasingly chosen as a beverage that can be enjoyed tout
le jour—from a top-of-the-morning Mimosa to a climbinto-bed toddy. So pop that cork, because sparkling wine
is perfect for drinking any time of day.
Though it can be made almost anywhere, some of the
most popular sparkling wines come from: cooler growing
areas in France’s Champagne region north of Paris; the
Loire Valley and Alsace in France; America’s West Coast;
the Penedes area in Spain; northern Italy; and even South
America and Australia, which makes a popular red version from the Shiraz grape. Sparkling wines also have a
wide variety of flavors depending on the grapes used and
the process by which they are made—they can be sweet
or dry, fruity or crisp, light or rich.
In the morning
Almost everyone likes to start the day off with a glass of
juice. It provides a good balance of fresh fruit and good
acidity that is perfect for whetting the appetite. And if
there are out-of-town guests in the house, what better
way to start an exciting weekend than with a morning
cocktail made of juice and sparkling wine. You can pour
orange juice to make a Mimosa, or peach nectar (whip
up your own in a blender) to make a Bellini. Other fruit
juices will work just as well.
Use an inexpensive brut (the dry and most-common
type of Champagne) to give this juice refreshing bubbles,
crisp acidity, and a light touch of alcohol. If you choose a
tart pineapple juice, you may be tempted to use a slightly
sweeter sparkler instead. Almost all Champagne and
other sparkling wines are slightly lower in alcohol than
most table wines, and blending them with juice further
reduces the wine’s potency—a little morning kick-start
without feeling as though you’ve been kicked.
Croissants from the neighborhood bakery with some
jams, marmalade, and perhaps a little cheese round out
the perfect breakfast.
RED HOOK AND HOUNDSTOOTH
Midday
Few people know how well sparkling wines go with
meals. Part of this gap is because we’ve always been told
that Champagne is for celebrating. True, but if you think
about it, isn’t there something worth celebrating in just
sitting down to a meal with family and friends? The other
reason bubbly is underserved at the table is that most people think it’s too expensive, but there are many California
sparkling wines under $15 a bottle, and the same is true
of Proseccos from the hills of northern Italy and Cava
from Spain’s Mediterranean coast. So open your mind to
midday bubbly—trust me, you’ll thank me for it.
Sparkling Wine 101:
five facts that will get you speaking “Champagne” in no time
1. Officially,
Champagne with a
capital “C” comes
only from the
Champagne region
of France.
12 drinks
2. Other forms of
bubbly are crémant
and vin mousseux
from France, Sekt
from Germany, Cava
from Spain, Prosecco
and Spumante from
Italy, and sparkling
wine from the
United States and
other “new world”
countries.
3. Sparkling wines
can be fermented
in the bottle, as it is
in Champagne, or
in tanks, then bottled, as it is in the
Prosecco regions of
Italy.
4. They can be
sweet or dry, but
the most common
are brut (very dry)
and extra dry (lightly sweet).
5. Champagne and
other sparkling
wines are best
enjoyed lightly
chilled in tall flutes,
which accentuate
the bubbles, or in
white wine glasses,
which accentuate
the aromas and
flavors. –R.M.
Summer thyme clover club
12
drinks 13
sparkling recipes
Velvet Swing
makes 1 cocktail
6 ounces Sparkling Wine
1/2 ounce Port
1/2 ounce Cognac
rose petals for decoration
Pour sparkling wine into a tall flute and add the Port and
Cognac without stirring. Serve one or more on a tray
decorated with the rose petals.
Kir Royale
makes 1 cocktail
6 ounces Sparkling Wine
1/2 ounce Crème de Cassis
cherry for garnish
Pour Crème de Cassis into a tall flute. Top off with sparkling
wine and garnish with cherry.
Le Pom
makes 1 cocktail
Pommery Brut Royal Champagne
2 1/2 ounces pomegranate liqueur
1 ounce Triple Sec orange liqueur
3/4 ounce lime juice
Shake with ice all ingredients except the Champagne and
strain into a white wine glass. Top off with Champagne and
decorate with a lemon twist.
For most of us, lunch is a lighter meal, so a lighter sparkling wine is needed. If brut is a little too crisp, try an
“extra dry,” which is just a touch sweeter than the brut.
(Most Champagne was originally sweet, and extra dry
was the crispest category before brut was invented.)
What to serve it with? The choices are many. Shellfish
is a fantastic match, particularly oysters on the half-shell,
juicy scallops, and grilled shrimp. White-fleshed fish fillets served with a little lemon also go well with bubbly.
So does smoked trout and smoked salmon. Chicken and
other small fowl served with pasta is another natural
match. However, most sparkling wines generally don’t
go as well with red meats or heavy cream sauces.
“Sparkling wine is increasingly chosen as a beverage
that can be enjoyed tout le jour—from a top-ofthe-morning Mimosa to a climb-into-bed toddy. ”
In the afternoon
Sparkling wine can be made from either white grapes or
red grapes. Since juice from even most red grapes is clear,
winemakers can allow just a little of the pigment from the
skins to blend into the juice to form a pink or rosé wine,
which can be either dry or sweet. Only recently have rosé
sparkling wines been recognized as quality quaffs, and
“pink champagne” is an excellent afternoon pick-me-up
in both color and taste. Serve it with some salted nuts as
an afternoon treat.
Another option is to try a newer type of sparkling wine
that is fizzy and a little fruitier. One such wine is New Age
White from the respected Argentina winery, Valentin
Bianchi. Slightly sweet, fruity, and spicy, it also goes well
over ice, becoming a lighter version of Campari and soda.
Think of it as white sangria with bubbles.
As evening comes
Kir Royale and Velvet Swing
14 drinks
sparkling wine with equal portions of a liqueur—such as
Belle de Brillet (pear), Grand Marnier (orange), framboise
(raspberry), or St. German (elderflower)—served over ice
in a tall glass. A third choice is to use Champagne as an
element in a multi-ingredient cocktail where it becomes
just a player in the ensemble. An ambrosia, for example,
blends applejack, brandy, sparkling wine, orange liqueur,
and lemon juice.
However, if you want to stick with just sparkling wine, look
for one that has spent some time aging in the bottle on the yeast
sediments that give Champagne its bubbles. These are often
called “R.D.” (recently disgorged) wines, and they provide a
richer, fuller taste to help take the chill out of the night air.
The hour before dinner is when we change gears. The
busy afternoon activities are over, and we turn our
attention to dinner at home or a night out on the town.
Either way, there must be cocktails. Champagne has long
been considered the most elegant of mixed drinks. The
Champagne cocktail, served in an elegant flute with just
a drop or two of liqueur and perhaps a slice of fruit, is
essentially sparkling wine with just a touch of flavoring.
For example, a Kir Royale (see recipes) is a few drops of
cassis and a cherry added to a glass of bubbly for a little
more flavor and complexity. Another option is to mix
Once you’ve moved into the dining room, Champagne
certainly still has a place at the heavier, more serious meal
of the day—but usually at the beginning and the end.
Serve your most elegant, sophisticated sparkling with
an appetizer course, particularly anything that comes
with puff pastry. This is Champagne’s first love, as the
buttered, flaky bread matches perfectly with the toasty
flavors (often compared with brioche) of the wine.
There are even a few sparkling wines that go with red meat,
such as Australian sparkling Shirazes, but these are often
acquired tastes. Try it yourself before springing it on guests.
Another hearty alternative is a Black Velvet—an equal mixture of Guinness stout and an inexpensive sparkling wine.
With dessert, especially if it has almonds or other
nutty components, try a “creamy”-style sparkling wine
that is lightly sweet and full of mouth-tingling bubbles,
such as the delicious Cremant made by Schramsberg of
Napa Valley. A more assertive sparkling dessert wine is
the famous sweet red from northern Italy—Brachetto
d’Acqui—which goes well with heavier desserts, such
as poached fruits.
At bedtime
If you’ve gone through the day without a glass of bubbly—or if you simply can’t get enough of it—try this
nightcap called “Goodnight Kiss.” It’s Champagne with
a drop of Angostura bitters, a cube of sugar, and a splash
of Campari, and it’s guaranteed to have you counting
bubbles as you drift off to sleep.
drinks 15
y
Tawny Time
Fascinating ports keep you
warm through the winter
By Anthony Dias Blue
Photos by John Abernathy
inter is for hunkering down. This season makes me want to pull an old
leather-bound book off the shelf and take to my favorite chair by a roaring fire with my imaginary basset hound, Bertram, by my side. The only thing
missing from this picture-perfect scene is a good glass of tawny port in my hand.
Port may be a complex wine to make and fully understand, but it’s entirely
easy to appreciate at first sip. I haven’t known many wine novices who weren’t
instantly won over by the charms of the Portuguese fermented wine. Whether
it’s a 10-year-old or a 40-year-old, tawny port captures the essence of the
Mediterranean light and heat, distilled into a delicious glass of brick-red wine.
It’s perfect for warming the body and soul against the chill of winter.
Established 1670
PRODUCE OF PORTUGAL
drinks 17
e75cl
can begin to deteriorate if kept too long
in bottle. These are not wines that can
be left open for more than two or three
days, as they oxidize rapidly.
TAWNY TREASURE TROVE
What is Tawny Port?
Ports are essentially wines fortified
with brandy, a process that stops fermentation, improves stability, and
increases alcohol content. The English
are credited with creating the fortified
Portuguese wine we know today as port.
Even today, many port houses retain
their English names and their connection (or should I say connexion?) with
Great Britain.
Ports can be divided into two broad
categories, based on the way in which
they are aged. Bottle-aged ports are
given only a short time in wood and
reach their final maturity in the bottle;
Wood-aged ports are matured in casks
and are ready to drink when bottled.
Tawny ports are a subcategory of woodaged ports.
Of course, it being Portugal, nothing
is quite as simple as it seems on the surface. The term tawny can actually apply
to two different styles of wood-aged
port. The first (labeled simply Tawny
18 drinks
Port, with no age designation) consists
of younger wines made from less ripe,
less pigmented grapes grown in cooler
areas of the Douro Valley. They tend to
be pale in color rather than rust-tinged,
and some even include a percentage of
white wine. They’re generally aged in
smaller oak casks to hasten the development of their tawny tinge. Good
examples are Cockburn’s [KOH-burns]
Fine Tawny, with fresh, simple fruit
and good balance, and the Sandeman
Porto Tawny, which retains fresh fruit
character and shows a light body that
makes it a good apéritif. In warm
weather, the Portuguese often drink
these wines chilled.
The second type of tawny is true aged
tawny; these wines will include an age
statement (or the designation Reserve or
Reserva) on the label. They are generally made from high-quality wines from
undeclared years—years in which the
port producer decides not to make vintage-dated wines. The age listed on the
label is an approximation; these tawnies
are blends of wines from several vintages, and the age designation is intended as
a standard guideline for what to expect
from each bottle.
Age-designated tawnies are among the
most delectable of all ports. Their tawny,
brick-like color comes from lengthy barrel aging, which also softens their tannins and gives them a fascinating sort of
masculine delicacy which only becomes
more complex the older the wine is.
(Think Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf
in Lord of the Rings and you’ll have
some idea of an aged tawny’s combination of expressive power and
captivating subtlety.) They’re less
intensely aggressive than vintage
ports and, with their nimble and nutty
characteristics, are often preferred by
Porto insiders, who sometimes drink
them chilled in summer.
Because the producer has already done
the aging for you, tawny ports are ready
to drink when purchased. In fact, they
The venerable house of Sandeman,
which specializes in ports as well as
sherries, offers a lovely range of aged
tawnies, including a bright 10 Year
Old, a racy 20 Year Old, a concentrated
30 Year Old, and a heady 40 Year Old.
Another of my favorite port houses,
Taylor Fladgate, impresses with its several offerings in a range of ages, from
the dense and mellow Taylor Fladgate
10 Year Tawny to the explosive Taylor
Fladgate 30 Year Tawny, with bright
notes of apricot, peach, and caramel.
If you’re new to tawny, I would suggest starting with a 10-year-old. Among
these, the Churchill’s 10 Year Old Tawny
is smooth and silky with crisp, lively
fruit, while the toasted W. J. Graham’s
10 Year Old delivers nice rancio (see sidebar) and ripe fruit with good length. The
rich Ferreira 10 Year Old Tawny Quinta
do Porto is a single-estate port that offers
up bright plum and toasty oak.
Once you’ve gotten your tawny footing, you’ll want to move on to some older
versions. Lovely 20-year-olds to look
for include the complex and balanced
Adriano Ramos Pinto 20 Years Tawny
Quinta do Bom Retiro and the lush-textured W. J. Graham’s 20 Year Old, with
elegant flavors of vanilla. The subtly
sweet Dow’s 20 Year Old has loads of
elegance and finesse, while the Delaforce
Curious & Ancient 20 Year Old retains
amazingly fresh fruit and a bright finish.
The opulent Fonseca 40 Year Old Tawny
shows its age, both in its olive-hued color
and in its powerful, concentrated oakand-spice nose with nut-like overtones.
Wine lovers looking for versatile tawny
ports that can be consumed throughout
a meal would do well to check out the
Warre’s OTIMA line, which is lighter in
style and geared to more contemporary
palates. The smooth and toasted Warre’s
OTIMA 10 Year Old Tawny shows lovely
rancio and spice, while the rich, creamy
Warre’s OTIMA 20 Year Old Tawny
offers lots of berry fruit and toasty oak.
Tawnies with Food
“We have many different tawny ports at
Delmonico Steakhouse,” says Kevin Vogt,
the certified Master Sommelier who heads
up the wine program at this well-known
Las Vegas restaurant owned by Emeril
Lagasse. “To me, the benefit of the additional age in wood is that the wines advance
about twice as fast as vintage ports, so a 20year-old tawny drinks more like a vintage
port twice that age. What a great value!”
Tawny port can be a good match tableside
with certain foods, as Vogt demonstrates.
“I sometimes use tawny port in food and
wine pairings,” he says. “If the chef does
a sweeter-style foie gras course just before
dessert, I can pair a tawny port and carry
it into dessert.” Vogt points out the nutty,
madeira-like character that the oxidation
from the wood gives to tawnies. “The purity of fruit may not be quite as linear as in a
vintage port,” he concedes, “but I look at it
as one more layer of complexity.”
At noted Portuguese restaurant Alfama
in Manhattan, co-owner and wine director
Tarcísio Costa sometimes suggests tawny
port with dishes such as a salad of sautéed
duck, bacon, and onions served with shiitake mushrooms in raspberry vinaigrette.
“Tawny port is also an ideal partner to
egg-based desserts, which we refer to in
Portugal as doces conventuais, or monastery-inspired desserts,” says Costa, “as well
as nut-based desserts, dried fruits, apple pie,
crème brûlée, and creamy cheeses.”
One thing that Costa does differently
at Alfama is incorporate tawnies into his
cocktail program. “Some might consider it
sacrilegious to mix a tawny port with other
spirits,” remarks Costa, “until they try my
Alcântara, a blend of tawny port, Canadian
Club whisky, Grand Marnier, and fresh
lemon—shaken and served straight up in a
cocktail glass with a flamed orange peel.”
Even George Sandeman, who heads up
one of the world’s best-known port houses,
agrees that tawnies have a contemporary
role in cocktails. “One of my current favorite suggestions,” he says, “is the Sandeman
Royale: ice-chilled Sandeman 20 Year Old
Tawny, a splash of Chivas Regal, and an
orange twist.” As such inventive uses of
tawny port show, this traditional wine has
a modern appeal that will continue well
into the future.
Tawny Terms
What is Rancio?
When port lovers discuss their
favorite tawnies, the word rancio
often pops up. This term, while
related to the English word rancid, is actually a positive attribute
when used to describe the aroma
and taste of wines such as ports,
madeiras, and sherries. It indicates
pungent smells and flavors of overripe fruit, raisins, and melted butter brought about by oxidization as
these wines age in barrels. Rancio
contributes to the great complexity
found in aged fortified wines and
is something that port aficionados
look for and cherish when found.
What is Colheita Port?
Colheita means “harvest” or
“vintage” in Portuguese. Colheita
ports are wines from a single year
that are aged for at least seven
years—usually longer—before bottling. In this
sense, they can
be considered
vintage-dated
tawnies; the year
of harvest will
be found on the
label, along with
the bottling date.
(Vintage ports,
on the other
hand, are bottled
after only two
or three years
in wood and
achieve their
full maturity
in bottle.) The
elegant Smith
Woodhouse 1994
Colheita is a
good example,
with keen rancio
and lovely silky
texture. –A.D.B.
WARM IT UP
Holiday Manhattan
makes 1 cocktail
By Kathy Casey
Celebrate the season with these hot holiday drinks
Grand Marnier adds elegance to this classic cocktail. Zest the orange right over
the drink and catch its flavorful oil mist.
2 ounces Woodford Reserve Bourbon
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1/2 ounce sweet red vermouth
Hearty dash of Angostura or other
orange bitters
Garnish: maraschino cherry and an
orange twist
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure
in the Woodford, Grand Marnier, and
red vermouth. Add the bitters. Stir
the cocktail with a long cocktail spoon
for 10 seconds. Strain drink into
martini glass. Garnish with cherry
and orange zest.
Sugar cookies in the oven, football humming in the background, the
in-laws on their way over…the holiday season is here. It’s time for
a cocktail. These holiday-inspired concoctions evoke all the timehonored sights, smells, and sounds of the season, with luxurious
chocolate, cool peppermint, sweet tangerine, warming cloves, indulgent Grand Marnier, and the sparkle of Champagne. From liquid
desserts and cocktails for a crowd to sophisticated classics with a ’tis
the season tweak, you’ll find the perfect recipe for any occasion.
Red-Hot Hot Chocolate
makes 1 cocktail
For a large holiday party, make a big pot of cocoa and keep it warm in a slow cooker.
Guests can add their own rum to mugs and have fun garnishing. Make the spiced rum a
day in advance.
3 tablespoons dark or
bittersweet high-quality
chocolate sauce
4 ounces milk
1 1 /2 ounces Red Hot Spice
Rum (recipe follows)
Garnish: whipped cream,
red hot candies &
shaved chocolate
(optional)
Mix together chocolate
sauce and milk in small
saucepan. Place over medium heat until very hot, but
not scalding. (Or microwave
for about 1-1 1/2 minutes.)
Then measure and stir in
the rum. Top with whipped
cream and garnish with red
hot candies and shaved
chocolate, if desired.
Red Hot spice Rum
Place rum and candies into
glass jar. Cover tightly and
shake well. Let set for one
day or overnight, shaking
jar periodically. Once candies are dissolved, place
liquor into a pretty bottle
and seal. Store at room
temperature.
Makes 2 cups
enough for about 10 drinks
2 cups Captain Morgan
Original Spiced Rum
1/3 cup cinnamon candies
PHOTOS BY Terry Brennan
drinks 21
Fresh
thyme
Chocolate
Mint Chill and honey syrup add
depth to this classic gin cocktail.
Red Hook
makes 1 cocktail
makes 1 cocktail
The Brooklyn Cocktail might not be in the first rank
of classics, but with the resurgence of the borough it’s
named after, this 1910-era mixture of rye whiskey, dry
vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and the French apéritif
Amer Picon has been receiving a fair amount of attention. Of course, it would probably get a lot more if Amer
Picon were actually available here in the United States (it
stopped being imported a few years ago). But this cloud’s
silver lining came about when Enzo Errico, bartender at
New York’s Milk & Honey, took the apéritif’s disappearance as an opportunity to tinker. The result is the Red
Hook (named for a Brooklyn neighborhood), which has
become something of a modern classic in its own right.
The classic combination of chocolate and mint makes for a tasty, decadent after-dinner
drink. Be sure to get a very thick chocolate sauce for swirling inside of your martini glass.
I like to put the sauce into a squirt bottle and refrigerate it to make “swirling” easier.
1 1/2 ounces Three Olives Chocolate Vodka
1 ounce Baileys Irish Cream Mint Liqueur
Thick dark chocolate sauce
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Measure in the vodka and liqueur. Cap and shake cocktail
vigorously. Swirl chocolate sauce inside a large martini glass. Strain drink into prepared
glass and serve immediately.
2 ounces 100-proof rye whiskey
1/2 ounce Punt e Mes
2 teaspoons maraschino liqueur (preferably Luxardo)
Garnish: Lemon twist
Holiday Pomegranate Sparkle
Add ingredients with ice to a cocktail shaker and stir well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a swatch of
thin-cut lemon peel over the top.
makes 1 cocktail
This cocktail uses a “pre-mix” to make mixing for
a crowd a snap.
Houndstooth
makes 1 cocktail
The Brooklyn wasn’t the only cocktail back-bencher named
after a New York State municipality. There was also the
Tuxedo (named after Tuxedo Park, where the sawed-off
evening jacket was introduced to America), the Queens,
and the Saratoga, which was simply equal parts rye
whiskey, Cognac, and sweet vermouth, with a dash of bitters. I’ve always considered this last to be as elegant and
understated an example of old-school mixology as there
is. So when, not too long ago, I was asked to come up with
a cocktail for the elegant and understated old New Haven
menswear firm J. Press, it was to the Saratoga I turned,
substituting a rich sherry for the Cognac and dry vermouth
for the sweet (the sherry is sweet enough). The result is just
as rich in flavor, but not quite so intoxicating.
1 ounce 100-proof rye or bourbon whiskey
1 ounce Lustau Solera Reserva East India sherry (or
other medium-sweet amontillado)
1 ounce Noilly Prat white vermouth
2 dashes orange bitters
Garnish: Lemon twist
Add ingredients with ice to a cocktail shaker and stir well.
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a swatch of
thin-cut lemon peel over the top.
22 drinks
Northern Spy
makes 1 cocktail
Not all old cocktails are classic, or for that matter
even particularly good. Take the Sonora: apple brandy
and white rum in equal parts, with dashes of lemon
juice and apricot brandy. Nothing but a glass of mixed
booze, with little to recommend it—except for the fact
that somehow it wormed its way between the covers
of the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, one of the foundational texts of the bartender’s art. But Josey Packard,
a talented bartender then working at the Alembic in
San Francisco, saw something in there worth saving,
and proceeded to excavate it. (The name of her new
drink? It’s a kind of apple, plus it sounds “money,” as
Ms. Packard points out.)
2 ounces Laird’s applejack (or calvados)
1 1/2 ounces fresh-pressed apple cider
1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 ounce imported apricot brandy, to taste
Garnish: apple slice
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 1 /2 – 3 ounces Pomegranate Pre-Mix (recipe
follows)
Splash of chilled brute Champagne or sparkling
wine (about 1 – 1 1/2 ounces)
Garnish: small rosemary sprig
Bend rosemary and drop into cocktail shaker. Fill
shaker with ice and measure in Pomegranate PreMix. Cap and shake vigorously. Strain cocktail into
a large martini glass and add Champagne. Garnish
with small rosemary sprig.
Pomegranate Pre-Mix
Makes 3 1/4 cups, enough for about 10 drinks
1 1/2 cups vodka
1/2 cup DeKuyper Pomegranate Pleasure
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup simple syrup
Mix together ingredients in a large pitcher. Cover
and refrigerate until ready for use. (Will keep for
up to two weeks.)
Add ingredients with ice to a cocktail shaker and shake
well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a
thin slice of apple.
drinks 23
Chocolate Caramel Buttered Rum
makes 1 cocktail
This Old
winterCuban
warmer is perfect to share with friends around the fire or after holiday caroling.
makes 1 cocktail
better
at making alterations to a cocktail
1–1 1/2Nobody’s
ounces silver
rum
than Audrey
Saunders,
queen Buttered-Rum
of modern mixologists.
3 tablespoons
Chocolate
Caramel
Mix
So it follows)
should come as no surprise that the Old Cuban,
(recipe
herboiling
retrofitting
1/2 cup
waterof the Mojito, is another modern classic. Like all good tweaks, it has the advantage of
Measure rum and buttered rum mix into a heatproof glass.
simplicity: You just make your Mojito with a mellow
Add boiling water and stir until evenly mixed.
old rum, add a couple of dashes of bitters, and fill it up
with Champagne instead of fizz water. Easy. Delicious.
Chocolate Caramel Buttered Rum Mix
Makes 2 1/2 cups, enough for about 10 drinks
2 ounces well-aged rum
3 ounces
(squares)
unsweetened
3/4 ounces
fresh
lime juice chocolate
8 tablespoons
(1 stick)
salted
butter,
at room
1 ounce simple
syrup
(equal
parts
watertemperature
and sugar)
1 1/2 2
cup
packed
brown sugar
dashes
Angostura
bitters
1 teaspoon
ground
nutmeg
6 to 8 mint
leaves
1 teaspoon
cinnamon
Chilledground
Champagne
3/4 cup
high-quality
caramel sauce
Garnish:
Mint sprig
1 cup (1/2 pint) vanilla ice cream, softened
ingredients
with
ice to a cocktail shaker and shake
1 1/2 Add
teaspoons
vanilla
extract
Microwave chopped up chocolate for about 1-1 1/2 minutes,
or until almost melted. Stir with a spoon to totally melt.
(Or melt over a bain-marie on the stove). In a mixing bowl,
whip the butter, melted chocolate, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon,
and caramel sauce with an electric mixer on high speed for
about 2 1/2 minutes, or until fluffy. Stop and scrape the bottom
and sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add ice cream and vanilla
extract, and whip on medium-high for 1 1/2 minutes. Stop and
scrape the bowl again, then whip on high for about 1 minute
more, or until smooth.
If the mixture looks broken, keep whipping; it will come
together.
When refrigerated, the
mix will keep for up to one
Chrysanthemum
Club
week
or, when
frozen, for up to two months. If frozen, defrost
makes
1 cocktail
before using.
As long as we’re doing clubs and their cocktails, we
might as well take on the Clover Club. Back around
the turn of the last century, this group of Philadelphia
journalists used to meet at the Bellevue-Stratford
thoroughly but gently to avoid shredding the mint.
Hotel to eat the hotel’s excellent cuisine and listen to
Strain into a large Champagne coupe. Fill with chilled
speeches, making sure to always heckle the speaker.
Tangerine
SideCar
ChampagneSpice
and garnish
with a mint sprig.
Assisting in the heckling was the club’s eponymous
makes 1 cocktail
cocktail, a smooth-as-silk blend of gin, dry vermouth,
Tangerine and a spiced sugar rim add festive holiday flair
lemon juice, and raspberry syrup, with a touch of egg
to the classic sidecar.
white to give it froth and body. Now, gin and raspPoona Club
berries is a fine combination, but so is Cognac and
makes
1 cocktail
1/4 – 1/2
tangerine
or mandarin orange (depending upon size)
raspberries. So let’s make the switch. We don’t need
1 3/4Speaking
ounces Hennessy
V.S. Cognac
or other
to use syrup: Just throw some fresh berries into the
of Audrey
Saunders,
she ishigh-quality
the proud brandy
pro1/4 ounce
Cointreau
shaker and let the back-and-forth with the ice extract
prietor
of the Pegu Club, one of the finest cocktail
3/4 ounce
fresh lemon
the juice. But that means we’ll need some sweetening.
dispensaries
on thejuice
planet. It’s not the first famous bar
1/2 ounce
simple
syrup however: For almost a century, it
The venerable Japanese Cocktail, from the 1860s,
to bear
that name,
Garnish:
Spiced
(recipe
follows)
glass
and a long pairs Cognac and orgeat, an almond-flavored syrup
belonged
toSugar
a British
social
club inrimmed
Rangoon,
Myanmar
orange
zestthey
twistcalled it Burma then), which was known
to excellent effect—why not use that? (Oh, and you
(although
can lose the vermouth—it’s great with gin, not so great
the world over for the cocktail that it had spawned,
To make
Spiced
Sugar
rimmed
martini
place
Spiced Sugar inwith
a Cognac.) Once the dust has settled, we’re left
also acalled
the
Pegu
Club. Just
to glass:
further
confuse
bowl,matters,
slide a tangerine
lemon Club,
wedgeaaround
glass rim—crewith a Clover Club/Japanese Cocktail mashup that’s
I offer theorPoona
red andmartini
toothsome
atingtwist
a 1/2-inch
film
on the
rimI came
with juice.
Holding
the glass at an
shockingly tasty, if not downright sinful. Let’s call it the
on the
Pegu
Club
up with
for Manhattan’s
angle,
lightly dip
theCrab
moistened
rim about
inches
the Spiced
Chrysanthemum Club, that flower being the symbol of
popular
Fatty
restaurant.
(Yes,1 1/2
there
is aninto
actual
Sugar,
twisting
evenly
to create
a nice
sugared
goal is to notthe Japanese throne.
Poona
Club,
in India.
No, the
cocktail
hasrim
no(the
connecget any
glass).
Set
aside.
tioninside
to it—Ithe
chose
the
name
because, I blush to admit, it
Squeeze
tangerine
wedge
into
sounded vaguely dirty.) a cocktail shaker, and then drop in.2 ounces VSOP Cognac
Fill shaker with ice. Measure in the Hennessy, Cointreau, lemon juice,
1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
and simple syrup. Cap and shake vigorously. Strain into Spice Sugar
1 teaspoon orgeat (almond syrup)
1 1/2 ounces Tanqueray Rangpur gin
rimmed martini glass and garnish with a long orange zest.
1 teaspoon simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar)
3/4 ounce Martini & Rossi red vermouth
1 fresh egg white
3/4 ounce fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
Spiced Sugar
6 to 8 whole raspberries
1 dash Angostura bitters
Makes 1 cup
1 dash orange bitters
1 cup bakers or super fine sugar
Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake hard to
Garnish: blood orange wheel
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
froth the egg white, then add ice and shake hard again.
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, using a fine-mesh strainShake ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail
glass.
Garnish
with
a
quarter
of
a
blood
orange
wheel.
Mix together and keep at room temperature in a sealed container. er to catch the raspberry pulp and seeds.
24 drinks
drinks 25
the road less traveled
It may not be as famous as Tuscany or the Amalfi
Coast, but the Alba area of Italy’s Piedmont
region is a wine-lover’s hidden paradise
The hilly alba AREA in italy’s
piedmont region is famous for
its wine, white truffle, and
peach production.
© Massimo Ripani/Grand Tour/Corbis
I
t’s true. Alba doesn’t have famous Roman ruins, a spectacular
cathedral, or a stunning coastline. It doesn’t have the romantic allure of the Amalfi Coast, it doesn’t house the works of
Michelangelo, nor does the Grand Canal run through it. But
this beautiful area in northwest Italy’s Piedmont region
is one of the world’s greatest culinary and wine destinations. Positioned in the midst of the production zone
of some of the world’s most renowned red wines,
and boasting a collection of restaurants perhaps
unrivaled anywhere else in the country, Alba
should be near the top of any wine lover’s travel
wish list.
The easiest way to get to Alba is to fly into
Piedmont’s capital city, Torino, and drive
one hour south. On this short jaunt, you
By
will pass through rolling countryside
TOM HYLAND
where some of Europe’s most
flavorful strawberries
drinks 27
and peaches are grown. While the local
fruits as well as the area’s hazelnuts are
special, it is the white truffles—tartufi
bianchi—that are arguably Alba’s most
famous product.
Just as the local truffles are recognized
for their distinctiveness, so too are the
area’s red wines. While a few charming
whites, such as Arneis and Favorita, are
produced from nearby vineyards, it is
the glorious reds—Dolcetto, Barbera,
Barbaresco, and Barolo—that account
for a major percentage of this territory’s
prestige and economy. Just outside Alba,
the topography changes. Hills as high
as 1,800 feet rise dramatically above
the landscape. Soils on these hills are
often quite thin, which limits yields,
intensifying flavors and resulting
in complex wines that are sought
around the world.
There are two major zones near
Alba where the best vineyards are
located. One is the Barbaresco zone
that encompasses three towns east
of Alba. The other is the Barolo
zone that is comprised of eleven
towns south of Alba. Both districts are
planted primarily with three red grapes:
Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo.
Dolcetto produces the lightest wines,
with very light tannins, that are
easily the most delicious with their flavors of black raspberry, plum, and cranberry. These are charming red wines
meant for immediate consumption
and are usually the preferred choice at
28 drinks
Grapes Photo © CEPHAS / Matthew Molchen
Truffles are found in several regions of Italy, France, other parts of Europe, and
even in a few sites in the United States. But it is the white truffles of Alba—tartufi
bianchi—that are the most famous and highly sought-after.
Quite pungent, these truffles are associated with as many as 50 different aromas ranging from walnuts to animal pheromones. Generally considered highest in
quality, the more perfumed truffles are those dug up later in the season after
spending a longer time underground in a cool clime.
Given their rarity and short life span, white truffles are very expensive. The cost
in mid-October of this year was 3 Euro per gram, which works out to approximately $200 per pound.
Local chefs in Alba use these white truffles with a variety of dishes, such as pastas, vegetables, and meats. This past fall at Le Ciau del Tornavento, one of the
area’s most creative restaurants, a special four-course tartufi bianchi dinner was
priced at 200 Euro. –T.H.
Illustration by Arthur Mount; truffles by tom hyland
White truffles: Worth their weight in gold
lunchtime, especially with lighter pastas
or poultry.
The second red variety planted here is
Barbera, a grape that produces a wine
with tart acidity and plenty of spice. It is
best served with traditional antipasti, as
the wine’s acidity cuts through the fat of
salumi extremely well. Barbera from this
territory is known as Barbera d’Alba,
which differs from Barbera d’Asti, a
riper, more powerful style made in the
neighboring Asti province.
Nebbiolo produces the most powerful
wines, namely Barbaresco and Barolo.
These are world-famous, not only for
their complexities but for their aging
potential (often as long as 40 years).
Aged for several years before release
(three for Barbaresco and four for
Barolo), these wines are quite sturdy
and tend to overpower most other foods,
which is why they are best enjoyed at
dinner with roasts or rich game. Aged
cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
or Pecorino are also excellent matches
with these wines.
Having tasted many of Italy’s great
wines during my 30-plus visits there, I
firmly believe that Piedmont offers the
country’s finest red wines, even more so
than Tuscany. Other wine journalists
agree, including the highly respected
Franco Ziliani, author of the vinowire.
com blog. For Ziliani, who lives in the
Veneto region, Barolo and Barbaresco
“offer the richest ensemble of nuances
and differences you can find in an Italian
wine: the mix of elegance, finesse, harmony, tannic structure, persistence and
richness that every enthusiast searches
for in a great wine.”
Regardless of which of Alba’s many
beautiful wines and foods tickle your
fancy, when visiting Alba you better
learn one very important phrase: “Tutto
buono, ma pieno,” (“Everything’s great,
but I’m full.”). This, of course, depends
on your ability (or lack thereof) to intake
four or five courses for lunch and dinner. That lovely phrase is all too often
my response. Guess I’ll have to get in
better eating shape for my next visit to
this area, where the wines and food are
robust, nourishing, and incredibly
memorable.
Barolo & Barbaresco Basics
Two of the most celebrated red wines of this area are Barolo and
Barbaresco. Both are produced exclusively with the Nebbiolo grape,
which is named for the Italian word nebbia, meaning “fog,” and is generally harvested in mid to late October, just as fog begins to creep into the
vineyards.
TASTE: Both wines are robust with aromas of dried cherries, orange,
and plenty of herbal notes. Barbaresco is generally a bit lighter than
Barolo, as the vineyard soils are not as old or thin, meaning the tannins
are a bit gentler.
GRAPE: Nebbiolo is a very tannic grape, giving Barolo and Barbaresco
a bitter edge in their youth, but also the potential for long periods of
aging because tannins serve as antioxidants.
AGING: From a modest vintage, Barolo and Barbaresco drink well for
10–12 years, while 25–40 years is not unusual for a great vintage of
Barolo, such as the recently released 2004.
PRICE: A bottle of Barbaresco at retail will typically start at about
$40 and increase to about $75 (for wines made from single vineyards
known as crus); expect to pay anywhere from $60–$150 for a Barolo.
Nebbiolo d’Alba, made in a lighter more drinkable style, is typically a
more reasonable $25–$35 per bottle. –T.H.
drinks 29
This
versatile,
often underappreciated
red is
perfect
for the
holidays
Que
Syrah,
Syrah
By Laurie Daniel
There was a time when vintners were
predicting that Syrah would be the next Merlot. And why
not? Syrah is a user-friendly wine with ample fruit, attractive spicy notes, and ripe, approachable tannins—depending on where it’s grown.
“Syrah is the wine that Merlot wanted to be,” says Gary
Eberle, who is one of California’s Syrah pioneers as well
as the owner of Eberle Winery in Paso Robles. But Syrah
never really caught on. Pinot Noir became the Next Big
Thing, while Syrah trails not only Pinot but also Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and Zinfandel in sales.
Photos by Tad Ware & Company
food styled by cindy syme
drinks 31
REDISCOVERING SYRAH
PaIring Syrah with Food
Syrah is ideal for a big holiday meal with a range of flavors. It
is an extremely versatile red that cries out for food with substantial flavor, so don’t opt for dishes that are too delicate
because the food will simply be overwhelmed by the wine.
Here are a few food-pairing guidelines for selecting a Syrah:
Ë
When pairing with beef, venison, lamb, or wild game,
select a substantial, structured Syrah from the northern
Rhône, Australia, Washington, or California.
Ë With grilled or barbecued meats and poultry, or sausage,
select a jammy, ripe Australian or California wine.
Ë
With poultry or full-flavored fish like salmon or ahi tuna,
select a lighter, less-expensive version.
Ë
When selecting cheeses to pair with Syrah, choose a
semi-hard or hard cheese like Cheddar, dry Jack,
Manchego, or Asiago. –L.D.
140-year old Shiraz vine in the Hill of Grace vineyard of Henschke,
Gnadenberg, near Keyneton, South Australia.
“I think of Syrah almost
as Pinot on steroids.”
know what you got,” says winemaker
Adam Lee of Novy Family Wines,
referring to one obstacle Syrah faced
back when the predicted boom fizzled.
“It deserves to be more popular.”
Another aspect that should make
Syrah attractive to consumers is that
unlike, say, the more finicky Pinot Noir,
less-expensive Syrah can offer reasonably high quality. “Syrah gives you a
chance to buy something pretty good at
10 or 12 bucks,” Lee says.
Frost adds that “price can be a pretty
good guide” of what’s in the bottle and
what foods the wine will best accompany. An inexpensive Syrah, for example,
is usually light and fruity enough to
32 drinks
pair with a substantial fish like grilled
salmon. “As you go up in price,” Frost
says, “the Syrah is going to be bigger and
richer,” and thus requires more substantial food. Still, he says, “I have zero problem taking virtually any Syrah” and
pairing it with poultry such as duck or
chicken. He notes that Syrah also works
well with salty dishes, which “tend to
suck the life out of some wines.”
Frost says that when he worked in restaurants, Syrah was “my go-to wine” for
groups in which the people were eating
a mix of dishes, from fish to poultry to
steak. “Syrah committed fewer sins than
more tannic and astringent wines like
Cabernet.”
Here’s one way to look at it: If a wine
like Pinot Noir, which is versatile in its
own right, is a little too delicate for the
food you’re serving, Syrah may be just
the ticket. As Lee puts it: “I think of
Syrah almost as Pinot on steroids.”
ON THE HOMEFRONT
Syrah has been grown in the Rhône
for centuries—in fact, the grape originated there. According to wine historian Charles Sullivan, the first vines in
California believed to be Syrah were
planted in the late 1800s, and the grape
has existed in some mixed plantings
(popularly known as field blends) for
decades.
But Syrah didn’t begin to take off in
California until after Gary Eberle put in
a block of Syrah in 1974 at Estrella River
Winery (now Meridian Vineyards) in
Paso Robles, using cuttings from the
experimental vineyard at the University
of California-Davis.
Photo this page © Cephas / Kevin Judd
It remains a mystery why Syrah fails to
gain traction. There are good versions
available at all price levels and the wine
is incredibly versatile at the table, pairing well with a wide range of foods.
That’s why the holidays are a great time
to revisit this delicious red.
Syrah is “one of these one-size-fits-all
grapes,” says Doug Frost, a Master of
Wine, Master Sommelier, and Kansas
City-based consultant and writer. Syrah
can be a bit of a chameleon. Grow it in
warm surroundings and you’ll get a
jammy wine with warm, ripe berry flavors—something akin to the Australian
Shiraz that many wine consumers
have grown to love. But grow it in a
slightly cooler spot and the result is a
wine with less-obvious fruit and spicy,
peppery, even gamy flavors. That’s the
sort of wine you’d find in the northern
Rhône River Valley appellations like
Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. Both types
of Syrah are found in California and
Washington, the two states where most
of the domestic supply is grown.
That variability may have confused
consumers, though. “It was from so
many different places … it was hard to
drinks 33
The EVOLUTION of Syrah
Syrah was once believed to have originated in the Middle East, but DNA testing
has shown that it’s a French native. So it makes sense that Syrah finds probably
its greatest expression in France’s northern Rhône River Valley, where it’s the red
grape of Hermitage, Cornas, Crozes-Hermitage, St.-Joseph, and the main component of Côte-Rôtie. The grape was introduced to Australia, where it’s called
Shiraz, in the early 1800s. Since then, it’s spread to a number of wine-producing
areas, including the United States (especially California and Washington state),
South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, and even Italy and Portugal.
The best-known Australian Shirazes comes from the warmer areas of South
Australia, such as the Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale, where the grape
produces a rich, ripe, opulent style of wine. But it’s also being grown in some
cooler areas of Western Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, where Shiraz
tends to be more spicy and peppery. Some winemakers outside Australia also
call their versions Shiraz, usually to connote that the wine is made in that
opulent Australian style.
In many areas, Syrah/Shiraz is often blended with other Rhône grapes, notably
Grenache and Mourvèdre. Increasingly, winemakers are co-fermenting it with a
small portion of Viognier, as is the custom in Côte-Rôtie.
Most of the lush, fruity styles of Syrah/Shiraz are made to be drunk within five
years of release, while the more structured wines of Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie
need 10 or more years to unfold. –L.D.
34 drinks
Today, Syrah acreage stands at more
than 18,000 acres in California. It’s
scattered around the state, from the hot
Central Valley to cooler coastal counties
like Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Santa
Barbara. The largest plantings, at more
than 2,600 acres, are in San Luis Obispo
County; about two-thirds of that acreage is in Paso Robles, a warm growing
region that has gained a stellar reputation for its ripe, opulent Syrahs in recent
years. The Dry Creek Valley and appellations in the Sierra Foothills are other
good sources for this sort of warm-climate Syrah.
A lot of vintners have been trying to
grow Syrah in cooler areas such as the
Russian River Valley and Monterey’s
Santa Lucia Highlands, practically
alongside Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Other sources for this sort of peppery,
higher-acid Syrah include Carneros and
some warmer Central Coast areas like
Santa Maria Valley and Edna Valley.
The Santa Ynez Valley is even a bit
warmer but still yields a more savory
style of Syrah.
Washington state is proving to be
another exciting spot for Syrah, though
the grape is still in its infancy there. The
first Syrah was planted in 1985. Today,
there are more than 2,800 acres, which
is almost double the acreage that was
planted as recently as 1999.
As in California, Washington Syrah is
planted in a variety of locations. But the
style of Washington Syrah “falls closer
to the northern Rhône rather than the
New World style,” says Joel Butler, a
Master of Wine and director of education for Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine
Estates, the state’s largest wine company.
Washington is at a northern latitude
similar to that of the Rhône, Butler
explains, and fall temperatures, during
the critical final stages of ripening, are
generally cooler than they are in
California.
Photo this page © Cephas / Mick Rock
vineyard Workers Harvest Syrah
grapes on the steep slopes of
the Côte-Rôtie in the northern
Rhône wine region of France.
STAFF picks
Staff FAVORITES
Here are some handpicked favorites straight from our wine staff. Whether you’re looking for a great gift, something to serve
when entertaining, or just something new, we’ve got a vast selection from which to choose. For questions or more recommendations, e-mail Wine Manager Gary Hall at winemgr@totalbev.com.
GARY HALL
Wine Manager
Old Time Rioja
In keeping with my penchant for great wines
made with traditional (read not modern or high
tech) methods, I have always loved the wines of
Lopez de Heredia. These are Rioja wines of great character with
classic structure and long ageability. They have recently become
available again in Colorado and I am happy to offer them to you.
Lopez de Heredia is the oldest winery in Haro, Rioja Alta,
founded in 1877. Their impressive vineyard holdings total over
170 hectares (420 acres) so they do not rely on purchased grapes.
The white wines are from Viura and Malvasia and receive
extensive barrel (4 to 6 years) and bottle age prior to their
release. The reds are 65-80% Tempranillo, with Garnacha,
Mazuelo, and Graciano and are likewise barrel (3 to 10 years)
and bottle (3+ years) aged.
The wines available are noted with mention of wine press
accolades (the actual notes are available in the store).
Viña Gravonia Blanco 1998
100% Viura. 4 years in barrel, 6 in bottle. 91 points Tanzer.
$26.98
Viña Tondonia Reserva White 1989
90% Viura, 10% Malvasia. 6 years in barrel, 13 in bottle.
93 points Tanzer $39.98
Viña Cubillo Red 2002
65% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano.
3 years in barrel, 2 in bottle. $24.98
Viña Tondonia Reserva Red 1999
75% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano.
6 years in barrel, 3 in bottle. 91 points Tanzer $41.98
Viña Bosconia Reserva Red 2000
80% Tempranillo, rest Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano.
5 years in barrel, 3 in bottle. 92 points Wine & Spirits $34.98
Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva 1987
92 Tanzer $79.98
Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva 1981
94 Tanzer $79.98
Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva 1976
95 Parker $139.98
Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva 1973
$169.98
Josh Luhn
Assistant Wine Manager
So it’s holiday season again, and I have made
selections that will pair perfectly with your Tom
turkey, ham, and decadent desserts. All of these
producers are top notch and would make the perfect gift for any wine lover. I wish you all a wonderful holiday.
Leeuwin Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay 2006
This is considered by many critics to be the best Chardonnay
producer in Australia, and I would have to agree. Their top
wine, the “Art Series” Chardonnay has received ungodly scores,
but is unaffordable. So this is the second level white, and it’s
unbelievably good. Margaret River is known to be a cooler,
more French-style climate, and I love the whites from here.
Crisp, this wine has not gone through malolactic fermentation,
so the natural acids are fantastic. Both the nose and palate have
a wide range of green apples to stone fruits, all encompassed by
a light vanillin from the French oak. This wine goes perfectly
with turkey, ham, and cheese. 90 points Tanzer.
Regular: $39.98 Sale: $33.98
Digioia-Royer Bourgogne Rouge 2005
Another Burgundy for you and it is a steal from the great 2005
vintage. Bright red raspberries and earth undertones are all
bound by the great acid that will cut through turkey gravy,
the sweetness of cranberries, and ham. Make sure to decant
this little mule to get it to wake up. This will also pair great
with goat cheeses.
Regular: $19.98 Sale: $15.98
Decendientes de J. Palacios “Petalos” Bierzo 2006
Wow! This wine has power and finesse. The Bierzo region is
one of the coolest growing regions is all of Spain. The grape
is 100% Mencia, a local varietal that is believed to be related
to Cab Franc. Mencia is floral, full of red and dark berry fruit
with tons of minerality, which is held up by great acid. This
one will throw your guests for a loop when they try it. Perfect
with your turkey, ham, and the strongest cheese you can find.
91 points Robert Parker.
Regular: $27.98 Sale: $23.98
Sandeman “Vau Vintage” Port 2000
This is a “Vau Vintage” style of port that is meant to be consumed at a younger age than the typical vintage port. The wine
has an amazing range of berry flavors and aromas, running the
gamut from red raspberries and strawberries, to blueberries
and blackberries. This is one to enjoy with chocolate and blue
cheeses. 90 points Robert Parker.
Regular: $39.98 Sale: $19.98
Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva 1970
93 Parker $224.98
www.totalbev.com
drinks 35
Staff Picks
Rachel Eastwood
Wine Staff Member
Not Your Parents’ Wines
I grew up with my parents’ brands of wines. We
lived in North Dakota, so had German influence—Black Tower, Blue Nun, Liebfraumilch.
I swear there was a bottle of Mateus in the fridge all my life.
I hope it wasn’t the same bottle, yuck. I’m sure you know
someone whose parents always had a gallon jug of Carlo Rossi,
and claimed it was so much better than expensive wines. This
was in the 1970s, when domestic wines were just starting to
label their wines as varietals (Chardonnay, Merlot, etc.) rather
than as White Wine or “Burgundy.”
Start your own traditions. For family gatherings, I like a
good Châteauneuf-du-Pape, like Château Fortia. Dark red,
spicy, and smoky, it goes well with any hearty meal. We have
magnums for $54.98 and standard bottles for $26.98.
After dinner, have a good Eiswein chilled and pour it into
tiny cordial glasses. From Germany, we carry half-bottles of
Allendorf for $25.98. Canada does good ones as well, and
we have Mission Hill for $47.98. Why such small bottles?
This sweet golden wine has a lot of power, and you won’t
need more than one.
Alaskan Winter Ale
This is a great crisp winter spruce ale that can be enjoyed with
the family by the fire on a cold winter evening spent looking at
the Aurora Borealis and Russia with all of its beautiful colors.
(By Ballek) $8.48 12oz/6pk
Anchor Christmas Ale
If there were a brew that changes year after year, this is the
one. A delicious mystery indeed. $12.98 12oz/6pk
Full Sail Wassail
An intoxicating brew, it’s like a massage in a bottle.
$7.48 12oz 6pk
Rogue Santa’s Private Reserve
This time when Santa stops by to drop off the Christmas gifts
you can surprise him with an ice cold stein and this doublehopped red with a roasty malt flavor. Then you will definitely
get what you want next year. (By Ballek) $9.98 12oz/6pk
Avery Old Jubilation
This winter strong ale is robust in flavor that will warm you up
on the inside and this beer is a great treat with s’mores while
enjoying good company. (By Ballek) $8.48 12oz/6pk
Great Divide Hibernation
Wine Staff Member
A Great Colorado strong ale that has a rich-malty flavor and
a hearty warming character to it. A great gift or accompaniment to your winter festivities. Enjoy! (By Ballek) $9.48
Gundlach Bundschu Mountain
Cuvee 2005
Bridgeport Ebenezer
TOM Boeder
If you like BIG reds full of flavor but light on
the tannins, you’ll like this one. 71% Merlot, 31%
cabernet with Syrah and Cab Franc thrown in to jazz it up.
Rewards price: $22.98
Lafond Lirac Rouge 2005
A real well-rounded “catch you by surprise” Rhône-style red.
Drinkable now, however, I suggest you open it to “breathe”—
you’ll be pleasantly rewarded.
Rewards price: $13.98
12oz 6pk
Definitely no “ba humbugs” for this brew—it’s an enjoyable
beer that has four different roasted malts complemented by a
nice caramel finish. So put down the egg-nog and have yourself a pint instead this Christmas season. (By Ballek)
$7.48 12oz/6pk
Deschutes Jubelale
This is expressive Christmas ale that is a dark crystal malt
with luscious holiday notes filled with bountiful hops that will
excite your taste buds. This is a great beer to bring with you to
Christmas parties during this wonderful season. (By Ballek)
$7.98 12oz/6pk
Brews News
12 Beers of Christmas
Derek Ridge BEER Manager
For a lot of beer lovers, this is the best time of year, and for
good reason. Many breweries spend months of excruciating
work tinkering with each different recipe in preparation for
the upcoming holiday season. Man, what a terrible job!
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale
If I had a beer tree, this one would be at the top. Very luscious,
hoppy, and strong. You can’t go wrong.
$14.98 12oz/12pk $7.98 12oz/6pk
Odells Isolation Ale
Just like the cabin on the label, this will warm you right up.
$8.48 12oz/6pk
36 drinks
www.totalbev.com
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
This mahogany colored Christmas ale has an apparent spicy
hop note to its aroma and the great flavors of chocolate and
caramel to complement the taste. Goes great after enjoying a
full day of winter sports and all you want to do now is relax!
(By Ballek) $8.48 12oz/6pk
Sam Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale
This classic is a crowd fave, it may look innocent but it can
make you feel jolly right quick. I like this year’s label too! (By
Stew the Dog) $3.48 18oz $8.98 12oz/4pk
T-Bev mixologists Bess and Tristan are back with some interesting combinations to brighten your holidays. To mimic the Black
and Tan layer the following in equal parts in your standard pint
glass. Rogue Hazelnut Brown from Washington state and
Young’s Double Chocolate Stout right out of jolly ol’
England. For a likeness of a chocolate covered cherry combine
Lindeman’s Kriek (Cherry Lambic) and Lion Stout.