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Want to Get Away this Fall?
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Alto, near Ruidoso, is beautiful in the fall and Hammond House, in Alto, is my favorite retreat for a writing getaway. It's just a long
stone's throw from Wilmon Restaurant, which I reviewed in July. And it is available
for rent.
Click here for fall specials. |
If you know of someone who might enjoy receiving newsletters from the Southwestern Wine Guy click this link:  |
| 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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| Looking for Unique Party Ideas?
Spend an entertaining evening with Jim, the Wine Maestro, while you learn fun facts, such as the difference between a Bordeaux and a Burgundy, or what the ritual of tilting, swirling, and sniffing a wine before taking the first sip is all about.
By including one of Jim's Wine Maestro series of presentations and events in your party plans, you and your guests will delight in Jim's light humorous, and information-packed style.
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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. |
| The Southwestern Wine Blog |
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Check out my blog for these and other topics
Barbeque Wines and Celebrations
Santa Cruz Mountain Ramblings
Atop St. Helena
Who Criticizes the Critic?
Bottle Shocked; or Who Was that Guy?
The Pope's New House is All About Wine
French Wines with a Southern Exposure
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| News from the Southwestern Wine Guy |
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Justin Justified
Winery of the Month
The Winery of the Month is Justin Vineyards and Winery, located in the California Central Coast wine region. Justin is one of the premier wineries in the region, and one I always look forward to visiting. It had been a while since my last bottle was pulled from the wine cellar, but on a recent visit with Ken and Chris Abbott, I made a glorious re-discovery of their wines. Ken prepared smoked salmon, grilled kielbasa and pork tenderloin that paired well with all the reds he brought out.
When I arrived, Ken led me to his wine cellar where a stack of wooden boxes of Justin Isosceles wine were in evidence. And of course I commented on that. The cellar felt so cold I actually reveled in the summer warmth of their spacious backyard when we exited. Now I know what he meant when he said, "Are you ready for this?" Or perhaps he meant the selection of wines he pulled down. Hmm.
Justin Founders
Justin and Deborah Baldwin founded the winery in 1981, one of the early founders of the Paso Robles area that now has the third largest concentration of wineries in the US. Justin makes classic Bordeaux-styled wines that are as age-worthy as their Gallic counterparts. The noble grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec are featured in many of their red blends.
We started with a 2004 Justin Justification, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The familiar red and salmon-colored label already looked appealing. The nose sports blueberry and earth, soft and lush on the palate with dark fruit and spice. By the time the mid-palate hits, you'll realize this wine takes no prisoners. Apparently, Ken doesn't either, because he followed this with a 1997 Isosceles, one of Justin's signature wines.
This one was big and lush and revealed more complexity as it opened up. I'll bet if I could have waited another hour or so, I would have picked out more of the spice and earth notes this wine had by the bushel-full. You'll probably pay close to $100 if you can find it. Better still, buy a case of the current release, the 2007 Isosceles, and lay it down in your own cellar. Justin has a number of red and white wines from under $20 to just over $60 that work within most wine lovers' budgets. After all, not everyone can count on having friends that just happen to collect Justin wines.
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Tunneling Into the Hills of Coombsville
If a winemaker made a wish list of everything he or she would need to make the best wines, and price was no object, it might look something like Porter Family Vineyards. When Curtis Strohl drove us up the final hill to the Porter property, there were breathtaking views to the north. Below us lay Napa Valley around many gentle curves of the sloping hills. In the near distance, a dilapidated building indicated the last vestiges of a long defunct stage line that brought early settlers to this lush farmland.
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Judgment of Albuquerque
Checking my email recently, I almost couldn't believe my eyes; Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro was staging a "Judgment of Paris" blind wine tasting. Unfortunately when I called in, the maximum of twelve attendees had already signed up. Rats! But with the promise of another possible tasting later I put my name on the list. This time luck was with me, and the second tasting on August 8 was a go.
Read about the "Judgment of Paris"
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PAIRING WINES WITH CLAMS
I recently returned from a family re-union in Connecticut, and took on the job of finding wines to go with Clams ala Casino, bruschetta, and porterhouse steaks. The clam dish was my father's favorite to make and a family favorite to eat. A selection of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc went well with the clams, but so did a Muscadet Serve et Maine, a fine shellfish wine from the Loire Valley and within the same price point as low-end NZ whites.
After watching Julie and Julia (highly recommended) with the family and wishing I'd at least bought some Raisinettes to take the edge off my hunger (warning: don't go into the theatre hungry), I watched as my brother Richard and his wife Theresa duplicated Julia's recipe for tomato and basil bruschetta. Using thick-cut Italian bread instead of those thin impossible-to-eat dried toast points that serve as the base, we fell in love with this dish all over again.
The steaks went great with a modestly-priced Gran Sangre de Toro blend of Garnacha, Cari�ena and Syrah from Torres, which has vineyards around Spain and in Chile and Sonoma, California. Garnacha is the Spanish equivalent of the French Grenache, and the Carinena is known as Carignan in France. This makes it comparable to Rhone blends, but with an earthier, fuller mouthfeel that I found very attractive. At under $14, you may find it fits both your palate and your budget.
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Activities, Book Signings and Events
Celebration of Excellent Women: September 10 from 3-6:30pm
I'll be helping excellent women find excellent wine! And signing me book at the Bookworks booth. The Celebration of Excellent Women is a networking event held at:
Sandia Resort & Casino
30 Rainbow Road NE
Click here for more information
Rio Rancho Holiday Bookfair: November 7, 2009 from 10am to 4pm
This is a special event to celebrate ReadWest's anniversary, support literacy and have fun at the holidays. ReadWest provides the gift of literacy to adults in Rio Rancho, Corrales, Bernalillo and NW Allbuquerque. I'll be signing my book and talking about wine to whomever is interested and stops by my table. The Bookfair will be held at:
Rio Rancho Inn
1465 Rio Rancho Dr.
Click here for more information
Elderhostel September 2009
On Wednesday, September 6 from 9 - 10:30 I'll be leading a Roads Scholar wine class in Santa Fe. | |
The smell of green chiles roasting is in the air! Fall is on its way, time to start thinking of robust wines and hearty meals. While you're getting ready for Balloon Fiesta, State Fair and other autumn celebrations, don't forget to check out my website and my blog!
Sincerely,
Your Wine Guy
Jim Hammond |
P.S. If you know of someone who might enjoy receiving newsletters from the Southwestern Wine Guy here to: | |
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