Not really candy... sweet wines are a very nice way to end a meal (with dessert, or replacing dessert).
The best sweet wines are made in one of two ways. One way is to dehydrate the grapes and reduce their water content and concentrate the sugars. A second way is to boost the alcohol as is done to make fortified wines such as Port and Sherry. The following is background on the these types of wines:
Botrytis - In the common vernacular this is Noble Rot, a fungus that is a disaster for wine growers trying to make a dry table wine. However, it produces a sigh of relief for those trying to make sweet wines. Essentially, the botrytis cineria is a spore-like fungus that attack healthy grape clusters in the late fall and grows, feeding on the grape's sugars. Damp nights and warming days helps to dry the grapes and prevents total decomposition. The resulting epitome can be found in those marvelous Sauternes from Bordeaux (Think Chateau d'Yquem), the Tokaji from Hungary, and the Auslese or Beerenauslese from Germany's Rheingau. These are all very expensive wines because of the difficulty of the method which results in very limited production. This week we brought to Mezzanotte and Capriccio a reasonably priced example on the DeBortoli Botrytis Semillon Noble One from Australia.
Eiswein - German for Ice Wine these wines are made from frozen grapes. These grapes are picked during a hard frost and frozen. When the frozen spheres are pressed the sugar concentrated juices are separated from the grape's icy water. Because grapes for Eiswein's are picked very late in the season while waiting for winter's chill, the grapes are very ripe and produces captivating sweet white wines with extracted fruit and high acidity that make them excellent with food. This week at Mezzanotte and Capriccio we are featuring one such Eiswein from the Columbia Valley of Washington State: the delicious Apolloni Viognier Dulce.
Late Harvests - Simply, grapes are left on the vines in the late autumn to ripen to their fullest. The grape clusters can be left to dry on the vines, picked and dried indoors or just laid down on the vineyard ground to shrivel in the sun and do their best impression of a raisin. Late Harvest wines are not usually as complex as Noble Rot or Eisweins but they are full of sticky honey, deep fruit flavors, and floral bouquets. This week at Capriccio and Mezzanotte we are featuring an extremelly complex and delicious wine, however: the Malbec Late Harvest by Susana Balbo from Mendoza, Argentina. Yes... a deep red sweet late harvest!
Fortified Wines - Neutral grape spirits such as brandy are added to the wines during fermentation which arrests the process, kills the sugar consuming yeast, and holds the Residual Sugar level while giving the wine an alcohol boost upwards to 18-20%. A small glass of a fortified wine goes a long way. Examples of this process are Port from Portugal and Banyuls, Muscat de St. Jean de Minervois, and Maury from France's Languedoc-Roussillon region.
I hope you enjoy this week's sweet wine selections.
Cheers!
Gerry |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUAN!
Our good friend Suan Tinsley celebrated a big birthday at Mezzanotte last Saturday. The restaurant was packed with friends and family and everyone had a great time (according to the cocktail and wine consumption log) dancing until the late hours!
Here are some pictures of the event:
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FEATURED WINES THIS WEEK
This week we are featuring (at both restaurants) exciting dessert wines. We have very limited availability so we may run out fast. We are selling them only by the glass:
DeBortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon - Yarra Valley, Australia
Glass $12
Lovely deep gold to amber color. Very attractive nose of raisined fruit with beautiful botrytis and already honeyed aromas. On the palate: pronounced residual sugar, but with enough lifting acidity to balance (acidity is even 'tangy' on the finish). Complex, if young, with good to very good length.
Apolloni Viognier Dulce - Willamette Valley, Oregon
Glass $12
This wonderful dessert wine brings out the floral, apricot, pear and spice flavors unique to the Viognier grape. Made in the ice-wine style from frozen Viognier, the concentrated flavors and aromas capture the essence of the sunny growing season into each small bottle. Enjoy this candy for adults! Columbia Valley appelation. Only 255 Cases produced
Malbec Late Harvest Susana Balbo - Mendoza, Argentina
Glass $12
Dessert from the desert? Late harvest-style wines from arid Mendoza are incredibly rare due to the lack of moisture at harvest time, and RED dessert wines are almost unheard of. Fortunately, Susana has created a sweet, super-ripe Malbec dessert wine that is both incredibly balanced and totally seductive. Starting with very ripe Malbec grapes, she then used multiple delestage and pump-overs, long, cool fermentation through the winter in new French oak, and then aged it on the lees. Deep, creamy, pure black fruit. Lots of stewed prune and plum. Lovely fruit sweetness and a chocolaty ripe depth. Lovely stuff with good acidity. |
4 COURSE PRIX-FIXE MENU AT CAPRICCIO - $30
FIST COURSE (choice of)
CRAB CAKES
Served with jalapeño aioli
EMPANADAS DE CARNE
Spanish empanadas stuffed with beef and pork
PERAS SERRANAS
Caramelized pear, prosciuto ham, and Cabrales cheese
SECOND COURSE (choice of)
ENSALADITA
Spring mix tossed with our own balsamic vinaigrette
CUP OF SHRIMP BISQUE
MAIN COURSE (choice of)
NY STRIP CABRALES
Sliced NY strip topped with cabrales sauce and served with potatoes gratin.
CHICKEN MARSALA
Chicken breast sautéed with mushrooms and topped with a thyme Marsala wine sauce. Served with potatoes gratin.
JUMBO SHRIMP RAVIOLI
Pasta pockets stuffed with shrimp and garlic and topped with a delicate bisque sauce.
DESSERT (choice of):
TIRAMISU
CHOCOLATE PARFAIT CAKE |