News from the Southwestern Wine Guy

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.

In This Issue

Looking for the Perfect Gift?

Wines of the Month

Romantic Wines You Gotta Love

"Cooking With Jane"

The Southwestern Wine Blog

Upcoming Events

Looking for the Perfect Gift?

Give the giift of knowledge to your favorite beginning (or advanced) wine lover. Contact us for a gift certificate for a Wine Maestro Evening and make someone happy.

"Wines of Echantment" Available at the Following Locations

Wines of Enchantment

ISBN# 0-9709878-0-3

$7.95

Available through Amazon.com

and at

Bookworks

4022 Rio Grande Blvd NW

23 Coyote Canyon Road

Chocolate Turtle Bed & Breakfast

1098 W. Meadowlark Ln.

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.

News from the Southwestern Wine Guy

Wines of the Month

I'm singling out two interpretations of a varietal for the Month of Romance. (Why limit it to a single day on the 14th?) The Barbera grape is one of Italy's best imports. It's used to make Barbera Barbera Grapes

d'Asti, Barbera di Alba, and Barbera di Monferato wines from Piedmont. In the US, it achieved popularity as a jug wine from California's central coast before the planting of this grape fell off.

The Barbera grape makes a mouth-filling luscious wine when properly handled. One California winemaker taking the grape seriously is Castoro Cellars. Not surprising since they are Italians. I bought their 2005 Barbera to sample with another Barbera from the Central

Coast on my last California excursion. My friends and I all picked the Castoro Cellars version as the best, and at the retail price of $21.95, it's also a good buy.

A well-made Barbera is like few wines, it is definitely food-friendly with very good acidity, and a lush, velvety mouthfeel. Dark Cherry flavors predominate, but the 2005 Barbera has a good bit of spice to add depth. You may recall how many people select dark chocolate-covered cherries for their Valentine? That's what this wine will remind you of when you sip it. I dare you to keep a smile Barbera 2005

off your face after a glass of this. This one scores a perfect 10 on my Hammond Drinkability Index (HDI), and it will pair with a wide range of dishes. Of course you may never get to the meal if you open this wine first, as it drinks fine on its own.

If you would like a local NM version, then I recommend the Luna Rossa 2004 Barbera. That one is also made by an Italian, Paolo D'Andrea. Italian heritage seems to be a requirement for making a good Barbera, which echoes the language of love in every sip.

Romantic Wines You Gotta Love

Too many wines go well with chocolate but don't show up as well with more conventional foods. So, what about the meal that precedes the dessert? That is where your wine should shine, and if it also pairs with your dessert, so much the better. I actually had a wine that did that, a Brunello di Montalcino that my wife and I shared for our 25th anniversary, which is also a high-romance affair. Since Italians are big on romance, let's take a virtual trip there to make our wine selections.

Click here for a virtual trip to Italian Wineries

"Cooking with Jane" Hits the Road

Your Southwestern Wine Guy will be joining Jane