| Jim Hammond |
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Jim Hammond has been exploring wines in North America, Europe and Australia for more than 20 years. A published author, he includes information about wine in every book.
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| "Wines of Echantment" Available at the Following Locations |
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Wines of Enchantment
ISBN# 0-9709878-0-3
$7.95 Available through Amazon.com
and at
Bookworks
4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW
Albuquerque, NM
Madeleine's Place
3824 Corrales Road
Corrales, NM
Tularosa Winery
23 Coyote Canyon Road
Tularosa, NM
La Vi�a Winery
4201 S Highway 28
La Union, NM
La Vinca Winery
4201 Highway 28
Anthony, NM
Chocolate Turtle Bed & Breakfast
1098 W. Meadowlark Ln.
Corrales, NM
Frontier Mart
3677 Corrales Road
Corrales, NM
Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
9201 Balloon Museum Dr.
Albuquerque, NM
Hacienda Manzanal Bed & Breakfast 300 W. Meadowlark Ln. Corrales, NM
End of the Vine Winery 2801 Sudderth Dr # D
Ruidoso, NM 88345
You can order the e-version by clicking on the book cover.
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| The Southwestern Wine Blog |
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Check out my blog for these and other topics
Must-Have Wines in
New Mexico
Paolo's Grapes
Wines with a Southern Exposure
A Judging in Albuquerque
Tasting Notes in Alexander Valley
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| Book Signings and Wine Talks |
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This month your intrepid wine writer did two book signings in the Balloon Museum at the Balloon Fiesta Park. I'd have been better off selling souvenir wine glasses shaped like a balloon. Hey now, there's an idea. Weight the glass so it floats to the ceiling once the glass is empty. On second thought, the party would be over after only one drink. Darn!
At least I had the company of Monica and her staff at Arte de la Mano who graciously lent part of their space. The looks of excitement and child-like wonder were prevalent everywhere. Even the kids were excited.
Book Signing Event Coming Up!
Standard Diner
320 Central Ave SE
November 1
3 - 5pm
Reservation only, advanced reservations required
Call Louis French, Manager
505-243-1440
I'll be doing a book signing and co-hosting a wine tasting at the Standard Diner. Check out their website. The Standard Diner has a very good wine list and excellent food, we'll be pairing a few New Mexico wines with some of the chef's creations for a unique set of wine and food tastes. And you get an autographed copy of my book as part of the package.
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| News from the Southwestern Wine Guy |
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Wine of the Month
 Recently I was asked to join a nation-wide group blogging about their favorite regional wines. I picked two white and two red wines that I think deserve recognition within New Mexico. The wines I chose came from wineries for which I have a high regard, and which I believe have a bright future. Time will tell, but many indicators suggest that New Mexico wines are poised to make a big impact nation-wide, and I don't mean just Gruet. The full article, Must-Have New Mexico Wines, is on my BlogSpot.
Since space is limited I'm only going to list my picks. One I mentioned last month; the Luna Rossa 2004 Barbera. Another was the La Chiripada 2007 Viognier from the Embudo Valley area. Two others were from my home town, Corrales. These are the Milagro Vineyards 2006 Chardonnay and the Corrales Winery 2005 Sangiovese. All four wines are classic examples of their respective grapes, and all are reasonably priced when compared to their California equivalents.
Sometimes I wonder if California isn't the New France. Before the Judgment of Paris in 1976 (and even since then for some people) everyone was turning their noses up at wines that didn't come from France. And now it seems people turn up their noses when the wine isn't from California or at least the West Coast as if maritime influence was the be-all and end-all for domestic wine. It just ain't so, folks. Regional wines are beginning to rock, so stay tuned to this newsletter for not-to-be-missed wines.
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Wine Harvest Time
 From early July on, grapes are being harvested in New Mexico. I mentioned experiencing a harvest of white wine grapes in Deming in the last newsletter, and now I've participated in one at Corrales Winery in early September. We harvested Muscat grapes from the two small vineyards surrounding the winery. We also harvested a large bull snake that had become ensnared in the black netting that covers the vines and protects the grapes from marauding birds. The snake was none too happy about his predicament, but a couple of brave harvesters cut it free. The things we do for wine.
The Muscat grape is of the genus, Vitis, and the species, Vinifera. It may well be the most ancient of grapes, and a parent to many other grapes of the Vitis Vinifera persuasion. In New Mexico we grow many Vinifera grapes, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In North America the native grapes are of the species Vitis Labrusca which include the Catawba and Concord. Most of the wines made from these grapes are from East Coast wineries.
 The golden yellow Muscat grapes will turn into Keith Johnstone's Muscat Canelli, a not-to-be-missed dessert wine that has graced our table for many years. After tasting a few of the grapes I can't wait for the wine to be bottled. Early this month I also did a barrel tasting with Keith to see how the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon were doing. Carly Simon's "Anticipation" was playing in the back of my mind while he dipped the wine thief into the cask and poured the wine into out glasses. Maybe I should just buy a barrel. That way I won't have to wait for the Cab to be bottled. Hmmm . . . Check out Corrales Winery or call to find out when you can pick up your own Cabs.
In New Mexico we also plant many Vinifera hybrids, which are combinations of vitis vinifera grapes designed to handle the harsh conditions found in some parts of this state. Grapes such as Baco Noir and Chambourcin are finding their way into some very good wines. Baco Noir is one of our more successful grapes grown at higher altitudes. That's because it doesn't suffer from altitude sickness, I imagine. By now all the grapes are harvested and most likely crushed and fermenting or aging in the barrel. It was great fun getting to watch many of these phases come to completion. Now it's time for my favorite phase, drinking the wine! That's why the heading reads wine harvest in case you wondered.
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Wine and Food
Wine Dinners
Even more fun than planning wine dinners for me is going to wine dinners. The one on September 25th was particularly special to my wife, Barbara, and I. It's also our anniversary. We celebrated it at the Encantado- an Auberge Resort in Santa Fe, as their guests for their first wine tasting dinner (associated with the Santa Fe Annual Wine & Chili Fiesta). That included a stay at a luxurious casita that we did not want to leave. Sometimes it pays to be a wine writer. Check out the website for information about all of their resorts. Outstanding! The dinner included wines from Hall Wines of St. Helena, with commentary provided by Kathryn W. Hall, the vintner of Hall Wines. Their vineyards are in Napa Valley, Rutherford, and St. Helena. The wines included a 2007 stainless steel fermented Sauvignon Blanc, a 2005 Napa Valley Merlot, and two outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Check out their website for details on all their wines. I don't dare describe the dishes that complimented these wines, but trust me when I say our anniversary celebration could not have been better.
Cooking: New Mexico Style
The weekend of October 10, I attended the Jane Butel Cooking School to learn more about how to prepare Southwestern cuisine dishes and also to begin pairing wines to suit the various chile and masa (corn) inspired dishes that Jane is  famous for. I learned much more than I expected, and I had high expectations. Both Jane and I believe that it's possible to pair classic wines with spicy fare without having to rely on very sweet wines or beer. Not that those are not valid choices, but there is a wide world of other taste sensations and wines to match the spice and heat than are commonly reported.
The Ponderosa Valley Riesling I brought was too sweet for the main courses, but was magnificent with the Sopaipillas. A Sauvignon Blanc with light oak was more complimentary to the Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, Baja Shrimp Tacos and Spicy Fried Chicken Strips with Salsa Verde. Sunday, the Tamales and Chile Rellenos with Red Chile Sauce and the Carne Adobado were awesome with a Ponderosa Valley Tres Rossi, a blend of Sangiovese, Dolcetto, and Nebbiolo. This will prove grist for the mill when we launch our podcast: Bold Foods and Bold Wines. Check my website next month for details.
I know I've got to fix myself some supper after writing this.
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Lift high your glasses, my fellow wine lovers--behold the luminous hue of the grape in its glory. Be sure to check out my website and my blog! Sincerely,
Your Wine Guy
Jim Hammond |
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