Quote of the Week - WC Fields

I was in love with a beautiful blonde once. She drove me to drink; that’s the one thing I’m indebted to her for.

W.C. Fields

Italy comes to Tortola! One for the BVI's.

Banfi Col di Sasso 2006

$9.73 p/bottle @ Caribbean Cellars, Road Town.

For all you vinophiles in Tortola, here’s a fantastic wine, from the consistently great Italian powerhouse winery, Castello Banfi. After my rather partisan review of the Poggio al Tufo ‘Super-Tuscan’, I must admit to falling for another so-called “Baby Super-Tuscan” – Banfi’s Col di Sasso 2006.

‘Col di Sasso’, a name which translates to ‘Stony Hill’, reflects the area in which the grapes grown for the on the Banfi Estate in Mondalcino, Tuscany. For those not too enamored with the idea of drinking wine from such an inhospitable setting, remember that vines under duress reach deeper for water, and produce undiluted juice and therefore more intense flavor!

Young, fruity and spicy in nature, the wine’s body (‘mouth feel’: light, medium, full-bodied), is provided by the Sangiovese, while the fruit and structure (think tannins) by the Cabernet, in a 50/50 blend. This is a wine to be drunk in its youth, suiting rich, meaty pasta sauces, as well as grilled poultry and game. This is a wonderful, great-value Italian table wine, and, earning itself another plus-point with me; comes with a handy screw-cap for easy opening and storage!

Cin cin!

Glühwein at Christmas Time

While we're on a Christmas roll, here's a great Glühwein recipe that will warm you up after battling the chill this winter.

For those unfamiliar, Glühwein [glue-vine]is the German equivalent of Mulled Wine as we know it in English, Vin Chaud as do the French, and translates literally to 'Glow wine' (no doubt from what happens to your nose and cheeks after a few glasses!) It's best served on the warm to hot side, and is a great way to get rid of those unwanted and undrinkable Christmas bottles of red that 'friends' have brought over and conveniently left for you to enjoy. For a tip or two, use as much sugar as you think the wine deserves, and try as far as possible not to boil the wine itself, but heat gently, thus also allowing the flavours of the added spice and citrus to really come out. It's not essential to add the sherry or brandy if you don't have it to hand, but remember, you may not glow as brightly!

• Peel of one orange (give it a squeeze and ass a tsp of zest)
• Peel of one lemon (as above; squeeze and add a tsp of zest)
• Bottle of red wine (cheap within reason!)
• 30g caster sugar (more, or less - to taste)
• One cinnamon stick (teaspoon of powder as a substitute if not to hand)
• Double measure (50ml) of Dry Sherry
• Double measure (50ml) Brandy
• 5 Cloves

All that's left to say then I suppose is: Prost! and Froehliche Weihnachten!

Christmas Dinner 2009: What's your poison?

During the Christmas period it would be fair to say one hears the pop of a cork more often than at any other time during the year. The celebratory and frivolous nature of the season also gives us the excuse to reach deeper into our pockets and buy the bottle of champagne or malt whisky you've been eyeing the rest of the year; I usually term it: 'my gift to myself'! This has induced me to wonder, in the run-up to the big night - the reason we have to suffer the endless symphony of Carols on every radio station and in every store for two months prior to the date itself - what we'll be drinking when all the family are together for Christmas dinner.

Now, while I've had the wonderful opportunity of having tasted some fantastic wines over the last few weeks: Clos de l'oratoire Chateauneuf du pape 2007 (big, bold and meaty - maybe a year or two too early), Charles Heidsieck NV champagne (nicely balanced yeast and fruit, always fun) and the jaw-droppingly magnificent Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 1998 (beautifully smooth, overriding notes of liquorish and black fruit on the nose and palate) I've had my eye on a certain beautiful, but shy and humble Tuscan wine: Tommasi's Poggio Al Tufo 2006. I have had the pleasure of trying it already, and know it'll be a winner. With powerful notes of violet on the nose, soft, but noticeable tannins and chocolate, plums and black cherry on the palate - it'll work just as well before dinner as an aperitif, as it will with the turkey and trimmings.


Let me now ask all of you readers - and I encourage you to use the Comment function under the article, or to email me at kurtdettman@hotmail.com - what is it that you're thinking about getting for your guests (or just yourself!) this Christmas?

Ricossa Barolo 2004

As promised, here’s a deal I’ve found, for pre-Christmas deal-hunters back in Blighty.


Rush out and buy a case of this wine!

In fact, don’t rush out – avoid the hassle of having to fight the masses who will inevitably be out at your local Tesco wrestling over the last bottle, and click ‘Send’ to have this wine delivered free to your door by the mega store, who this Christmas appear to be trialing a free delivery per case deal, like their competitors, Majestic Wine.

Upon closer inspection however, it does seem that Ricossa Barolo comes not in what I’d initially (and, I feel quite rightly!) perceived as the traditional twelve-bottle ‘case’ size, but rather a box of six – so, though a clever case of contextomy and marketing, let me affirm – before like me, you start picking up the phone to call everyone in your address book – that you are not getting this for ₤5 a bottle!

Still, without splitting hairs, I have to be honest and say that at ₤10 a bottle it’d still make me do a double take! Piedmont’s Barolo, regarded by aficionados of Italian wine the world over as the wine of kings, and king of wines, remains the powerhouse Italian celebrity it has always been. Made from the sensitive and highly tannic Nebbiolo grape, a bottle of Barolo typically takes a few years to ‘smooth out’ after it has been bottled – that is, to allow tannin integration and thus the wine to drink better. However, since this has already been allowed a few years to do so, it is conveniently ready to drink now, and as such I wouldn’t suggest breaking this out at the Christmas table in another five years!

Like so many Italian reds, this is an out-and-out food wine, so pair with rich pasta dishes, game and meaty stews. I’d almost certainly recommend decanting for a couple of hours if you have the facilities to do so (if you don’t ask for a decanter in your stocking this Christmas!), and it’ll come into its own, releasing primary aromas of plum and anise, with secondary notes of black cherry and spice.

Read the small print! All orders at Tesco of a minimum of a case (twelve bottles!), placed before Midnight on December the 13th are free for delivery.

Quote of the Week: Champagne

I only drink champagne when I'm happy, and when I'm sad.
Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory.
I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am.
Otherwise I never touch it... unless I'm thirsty.

Lily Bollinger of the distinguished Champagne house's reply when asked the occasion during which she drunk champagne.

This Week's Best Buys!

This one's for you Chicago readers:

Over the last week, I've been religiously scanning the net, and here are two deals from Binny's, who are currently doing a pre-Christmas Bin-end clear out, which I think are not to be missed out on!
___________________________________________________________________________

Chateau Petit Gravet-Aine St. Emilion 2006

Here's a wonderful opportunity to grab a top-quality Grand Cru from my favorite appellation in Bordeaux at half the price! This is certainly one I’d recommend buying now to lay down for a couple of years – allowing the wine time to develop complexity and for the tannins to soften – though if like me you probably want to pop one open now to check on your ‘investment’, give it an hour or so in the decanter to open up a little.

Expect chocolate and tobacco to be prevalent on the nose, with secondary notes of dried fruit. Given 80-89 points by Robert Parker, this is an inexpensive bargain not to be missed!

Binny’s Beverage Depot
$37.99 down to $16.99
55% off


Fattoria La Magia Rosso di Montalcino 2005

This half-price Tuscan table wine is a no-brainer! Fattoria La Magia’s Rosso di Montalcino is a DOC classified wine made by the Schwarz family, utilizing modern techniques while placing emphasis on a natural and eco-friendly viticultural approach.


Only different in the wine-making process, this wine is created using exactly the same grapes found in their more expensive Brunello. Rich in color, it exhibits intense fruit on both nose and palate – smoky, with strong black fruit and a hint of violets. This wine was made for food and should be drunk soon.


Binny’s Beverage Depot
$21.99 down to $12.99
41% off

This Week's Top Buys!

This one's for you Chicago readers:

Over the last week, I've been religiously scanning the net, and here are two deals from Binny's, who are currently doing a pre-Christmas Bin-end clear out, which I think are not to be missed out on!

Château Petit Gravet-Aîné St. Emilion 2006

Here's a wonderful opportunity to grab a top-quality Grand Cru from my favorite appellation in Bordeaux at half the price!

This is certainly one I’d recommend buying now to lay down for a couple of years – allowing the wine time to develop complexity and for the tannins to soften – though if like me you probably want to pop one open now to check on your ‘investment’, give it an hour or so in the decanter to open up a little. Expect chocolate and tobacco to be prevalent on the nose, with secondary notes of dried fruit. Given 80-89 points by Robert Parker, this is an inexpensive bargain not to be missed!

$37.99 down to $16.99

55% off

“Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!”

The New Beaujolais has arrived!

A belated happy Beaujolais Nouveau [bo-zjoh-lay / noo-vo] to all of you who celebrated the occasion last Thursday!

Released every third Thursday each November, this light, fun, carefree little wine was originally created to celebrate the end of harvest, but has now come to represent a large, and fiercely competitive market within the wine industry. France’s Beaujolais province itself, while geographically closer to the Rhône wine region, is in fact considered part of Burgundy. The grape used in the creation of the wine is Gamay, and the widely practiced process called carbonic maceration (this process is seen as a less harsh method than traditional pressing and subsequent fermentation, and involves fermenting the juice in a carbon dioxide rich environment before the grapes are crushed) gives rise to a light bodied, easy-drinking, and fruity wine.

Its critics see its apparent unsophistication as a reason to dub it ‘Vin de Merde’, but personally, its fun and unassuming nature should not be damned, but celebrated as exactly as that – a party wine. Last week, Jenny and I were lucky enough to try alongside one another, three of Joseph Drouhin’s wines: their Beaujolais Nouveau 2009, Beaujolais Villages 2008 and the exciting Moulin-a-Vent 2007.

Saluting the occasion, we started off with the unashamedly bubblegum, violet and red berry fruit rich Nouveau, which practically leapt out of the glass at me like a young puppy. Not more than two months old, the contrast of the nose to the palate was remarkable, as the flavor disappeared as quickly as it had arrived. The Beaujolais Villages (grapes of a higher quality, produced from fewer sites) was slightly more sophisticated, though in all honesty, without the charm or lasting effect of the Nouveau. Luckily though, the Villages gave way to the wonderful Moulin-a-Vent (a selected single site producing high-quality grapes/wines or ‘Crus’), a worthy winner that turned out to be a hit amongst those lucky enough to try it. With all of the character of the Nouveau – though thankfully a little more restrained in the nose – it displayed primary notes of ripe red cherry, with faint secondary hints of tobacco smoke and leather. This is a great Thanksgiving wine; as well as being a fantastic match for white meat like turkey and chicken (the tart cherry characteristics almost seem to compliment those present in the traditional Turkey condiment, Cranberry sauce), it, being low in the tannin department could also suit a wider audience.

Anne Amie Winemaker's Selection Pinot Noir 2007

Its 2006 vintage was given 90 points by Wine Advocate, and after tasting the 2007, Anne Amie’s latest vintage on release is every bit as impressive. Just over twenty miles south west of Portland, Oregon, this vineyard, formerly Château Benoit has been transformed in the last ten years by winemaker Thomas Houseman and viticulturist, Jason Tosch to producing some of the best bottles in its price-range that you’ll find anywhere in the North East.

With its cool, but mild winters and warm, though not scorching summers, the relatively steady climate – and most importantly, temperature (moderated by the cool breezes from the nearby Pacific Ocean) – throughout the growing season, suits the delicate Pinot Noir grape, and its cousin, the Pinot Gris incredibly well; indeed both are widely regarded as two of the Winery’s frequent standout varietals (Read about Anne Amie’s Pinot Gris at http://www.anneamie.com/details/44 ). It is these mild, stable growing conditions that reflect those of France’s famed region of Burgundy, and a far-cry from the young, purely fruit-driven Pinot Noirs found in many of its New World neighbors; Anne Amie’s Winemaker’s Selection truly reminds one of the ‘earthy’, ‘farmyard’ nuances typical of its Old World counterpart.

Continuing from nose through to palate, the Winemaker’s Selection Pinot Noir imparts strong notes of black berry fruit – in particular black cherry and blackberry itself. Secondary notes hint of tobacco smoke and mushroom earthiness, suggesting almost Burgundian characteristics. This wine is a perfect match for roast pork, and would certainly stand up to any Moroccan-style, spiced lamb dishes.

As a Winery which places as much emphasis on its ‘Green’ outlook as it does on its fantastic wine – both in its position as a L.I.V.E (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) farm and its accredited Salmon Safe status (maintaining healthy practices and demonstrating sustainable land management) this is truly one of the many Oregon wineries which, from a modest beginning, is rapidly on the rise. Indeed, who can say to what heights Anne Amie can reach under the shared vision of the shrewd, forward-thinking Thomas Houseman and Jason Tosch, given a further ten years at its helm?

Wine Class 101 - Week One: Tasting Method

Welcome to Week One of Wine Class 101, a short series of online lessons which you can read through and practice by yourself, or better yet, with a friend! Learn a few things about the wine you are drinking, and discuss the class or other wines you have tried recently with other forum members.

Simply click on the link below to download the first week's class:

http://www.filehosting.org/file/details/87331/Wine_Class_-_Week_1.doc

Have fun and happy drinking!

Wine Class 101 - Week 1: A Systematic Approach to Tasting

Welcome to Make Mine a Wine!

Hello and welcome to Make Mine a Wine!

This site is a forum-orientated, non-exclusive, virtual venue where Wine in all aspects can be discussed and enjoyed by anyone and everyone! Any questions and responses are welcome, be it sounding out the latest and greatest vintage you have just discovered, discovering and making known any Wine events that are coming up, or simply chatting to other like-minded wine enthusiasts.

In vino veritas - In wine, truth. So post away and let the truth be heard!