|
This month I'll be sampli ng the cuisine of Hawaii and reporting on the best restaurants on Kauai; the Garden Isle at the north end of the Hawaiian chain. My first visit to Hawaii was steaming into Pearl Harbor aboard the aircraft carrier CVA-19 Hancock. I was poised on the flight deck in my dress whites aligned with my mates as we navigated the entrance to the harbor. From that moment onward Hawaii would always be a magical place for me.
Kauai is my favorite island and my wife, Barbara and I come each year to our timeshare on the North Shore in Princeville, which overlooks the east end of Hanalei Bay, home to Puff the magic dragon. Magic still abides, even if Puff is missing some of his scales.
I'm finishing this newsletter on Labor Day in Hawaii, so it will be a couple of days late, but tell me that's not dedication! While there are no vineyards for me to tour, or winery tasting rooms to explore, adventuring here is always easy. I will be commenting on Kauai restaurants, coffee tasting at the Kauai Coffee Company, and Rum tasting at Kilohana Plantation. Since this is an island, I'll also cover a wine dinner sunset cruise with Captain Andy that skirts the Na' Pali coast.
Meanwhile, back in New Mexico our winemakers are preparing to begin the harvest. Nasty weather, hail and a storm in July that also blew huge branches off my cottonwoods have reduced the crop yields. Rich Hobson of Milagro Vineyards in Corrales is hoping for quality if not quantity. I can just about guarantee the quality, but I may need to shop early after the 2013 vintage is bottled. Rich, Mitzi and David Hobson generally hold their wine in bottle for a year before release, so don't panic, there is still time.
Milagro Vineyards was open the weekend of August 10 and 11 for wine tasting, and I was there Sunday to sample the wines and grab some of their library selections; the 2008 Merlot and the 2009 Old Church Road Zinfandel. This Zinfandel compares favorably with some of California's finest, so I made sure to add more to my wine cellar when it was offered.
The Corrales Bike and Wine Tour was successful again this year, with all of the participating wineries enjoying good visits and wines sales. I was out on my Stumpjumper to witness the event, even though I was doing it for the exercise. No really, I was.
|
|
Winery of the Month:
Save Me San Francisco Wine Company
Once again I went outside New Mexico to spotlight a winery. However, this time they came to me. First it was via a wine tasting event with Jimmy Stafford, lead guitarist of Train, and next; the arrival of all their wines via FedEx. For me the delivery of wine at my door is like an early Christmas; the bottles upright in their Styrofoam padding, awaiting deployment. In this case, literally, each treasure plucked from its bed bore the image of a song as well as the promise of a good wine.
How does a wine company like this come into being? The members of the rock group, Train, based in the San Francisco Bay area, were searching for a charity they could support. As it happens, Jimmy is well known for enjoying a couple of glasses of wine before he goes on stage. Well, why not a wine company, using Jimmy as their spokesperson?
And so, the Save Me San Francisco wine company was formed, with some of the proceeds going to the Family Project, an organization that provides housing and support for families that must stay in the Bay Area to care for a child undergoing cancer recovery therapy. That support included the band paying many visits to the facility and providing so many musical instruments for the children that a special Train music room was created. That did impress me, but what about the wine?
I'll admit, I was leery of a wine company that had names like Drops of Jupiter Red  Blend and Calling All Angels Chardonnay; particularly at a price point of $12. This was not Australia, after all, and I wasn't thrilled with Yellow Tail and other critter wines. As it happens, I had nothing to worry about.
My interview with Jimmie lasted nearly an hour and we sampled three of their later entries and all three rocked, excuse the pun. All the names, as I later learned, were from Train songs and albums so I obviously was not a fan before. But I am one now of both the group and the wine. The Calling all Angels Chardonnay, for example, is an honest, well-made wine that avoids the twin pitfall of over-oaking and 100% malolactic fermentation. Good fruit, balance and acidity make this a good food-pairing or easy drinking wine.
The Soul Sister Pinot Noir, the California 37 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Hella Fine Merlot round out the musical and varietal composition. All five wines go for 12 bills, all five are better than their price point and all five help families in need. What else do you need to know?
|
Wine Question of the Month:
What is the best type of closure for wine?
The long tradition of cork for sealing and protecting wine has undergone a significant transition in the last thirty-odd years. Cork does a great job of sealing the wine and allowing minute traces of oxygen to enter the wine and permit proper aging. Assuming a decent corkscrew, extraction is easy and resealing if the cork is still intact can further protect the wine.
Unfortunately, a little contaminate called Trichloroanisole (TCA) can corrupt the wine, making it undrinkable. That is unless the smell and taste of moldy newspapers is something you actually seek out. Estimates of from 3 to 5%, mean this can cut into many a winery's bottom line, not to mention the revulsion of the wine lover.
One approach has been with synthetic corks. The first generation of these was a solid, dense closure that could be done in several colors - my favorite was the blood red stopper of Dracula wines, originally from Transylvania. Seriously, I'm not making this up. I discovered it one Halloween, of course, at Whole Foods. However, extraction of this synthetic can be problematical unless Arnold Schwarzenegger was available to pop the cork, or one possessed a high-end corkscrew. I sometimes wondered if they applied glue to help it stay in place.
The second generation synthetic looks and feels more like a real cork with a wrapper around a high density foam-like material. The reports from the field are that these corks sometimes permit excessive oxygen to enter the wine. I've even experienced that problem with a white wine that was compromised.
While both of the synthetics can still work with existing machinery, possibly modified, a screw cap closure requires a different bottle and bottling method and is currently too expensive for many small-scale wineries. Wine corkscrew makers and Bordeaux winemakers are up in arms about this one, but its use in white wines and red wines that do not require much, if any aging, have found a new friend. Pinot Noir and Beaujolais are two typical red wines that are often in screw caps.
A screw cap is usually easy to open and reseal and if one forgets the corkscrew; no problem. Ongoing research into long-term aging is inconclusive at present, but unless your screw cap is on a Carlo Rossi jug wine, it should still be drinkable.
|
|
Jim's Picks of the Month
Sparkling wines from France other than the Champagne region are often a good bet as quality is good and tastes are reminiscent of Champagne, but costs are much lower. Cremant is the most common term for these wines, often followed by the region. Thus Cremant d' Alsace wines from the Alsace region, Cremant d' Bourgogne from Burgundy and Cremant d' Loire or Fillet Bulles (fine bubbles) from the Loire Valley. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are the three classic grapes used in these regions as is the case in Champagne.
I recently tried a number of these and was favorably impressed with sparklers from all of the regions of France.
Arthur Metz Cremant d' Alsace Blanc de Noirs: $20-24. The bottle is elegant, with a wide base, too big to go in one of my wine cellar bins. Obviously I was supposed to drink it as soon as I got home. At least that's my excuse. This is a very rich, almost creamy, sparkler with good fruit and acidity. The Pinot Noir flavors are pronounced, providing a ros�-like texture. All four of us loved this wine.
Louis Bouillot Perle de Vigne Brut - Cremant d' Bourgogne: $16 to 20. If I didn't already know this was from outside the Champagne region, I'd have identified it that way. This grand reserve brut has a nice yeasty nose, apple and pear fruit, dense bubbles and good acidity. Since Burgundy is known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, its principal grapes, one would expect good fruit for this wine and they'd be right.
Louis Bouillot Blanc de Blancs - Cremant d' Bourgogne: $18 to 22. Blanc de Blancs refers to a Chardonnay-based sparkler.
Wine Enthusiast - Burgundy, France- "With its blend of Chardonnay from northern Burgundy, close to Chablis, this has a fine cool, steely character. It is bright, fresh, dominated by grapefruit flavors and a taut fruit skin structure. There is a final burst of crispness.
|
 The 2013 Winemakers Cruise of the Caribbean is taking reservations!
Combining the delights of a sea cruise of the romantic waters of the Caribbean with a profusion of wines usually only found on dry land, the 2013 Winemakers Cruise is your ticket to culinary delights, a relaxing sea cruise, intimate contact with winemakers from across the United States, and me.
The 2013 cruise begins and ends at the port of Fort Lauderdale. This a regular stop of Southwest Airlines making access to the port easy and affordable from many US locations. The cruise begins on November 17 and ends back at Fort Lauderdale on November 24. The Holland America cruise ship is loaded with amenities and activities besides the special wine events that only Winemaker Cruise members enjoy.
There are four ports of call. The first is storied and historical Grand Turk; a haven for snorkeling and deep sea fishing. Here the sea drops 7,000 feet into the deep. San Juan Puerto Rico is the oldest city in US territory; founded in 1521 by Juan Ponce de Le�n. Boasting one of the largest natural harbors in the Caribbean, visit the natural wonders of El Yunque Rain Forest, or walk the Camitillo Trail through the Palo Colorado forest. Explore Old San Juan of bike the Pi�ones Reserve.
The third port of call is Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas for sailing, relaxing or sightseeing. Browse the shop-lined streets of Charlotte Amalie which is called the "duty-free shopping capital of the world." The fourth port of call is Half Moon Cay. Visit Stingray Cove or ride a horse to a deserted beach and into the surf.
Mention you heard about the cruise here and you'll receive a personally autographed copy of Wines of Enchantment: 2012 and a guaranteed seat at the Southwestern Wine Guy's table for one night of the cruise and a champagne reception where your copy of the wine book is presented. You will also be on hand to celebrate the wine guy's first non US Navy cruise!
|
September Events
September 18 to 22: Hollywood and Vine:
I'll be developing a new wine class that includes information on how Hollywood has been influenced by wine and in turn how it has influenced the world of wine. Selected clips and stills will be included. Wines keyed to the topic will be selected for the wine tasting portion of the class.
September 24: The Wines of Washington:
A custom wine tasting class that covers the wines of Washington. The state has experienced explosive growth since its entry into the US wine market in the 1960s. This is a private wine class for Compadres de Corrales.
|
I may be off in a far away land but I have not stopped working. Visit my website and blog to share in my adventures the next two weeks.
Happy Trails!
Your Southwestern Wine Guy
Jim Hammond
|
|
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. |
|
"Wines of Enchantment the Centennial Edition"
| |
| |
Wines of Enchantment, 2nd Ed
ISBN # 978-1466453432
$12.95
Available through Amazon.com
Please do me the favor to go to Amazon and rate my book.
|
|
Good News
Beginning in September I'll be writing for New Mexico Magazine. I will be adding wine commentary to the recipes created by the magazine's contributing culinary editor Cheryl Alters Jamison.
|
A Unique Party Idea
Spend an entire evening with Jim, the Wine Maestro, and 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.
You and your guests will delight in Jim's light humorous and information-packed style when you include a Wine Maestro presentation in your
party plans. |
|
Wine Trivia
The Italian wine, Montepulciano comes from which town or region?
- The city of Montepulciano
- The Montepulciano region
- Tuscany, Italy
- Abruzzo, Italy
- Piedmont, Italy
To find the answer,
|
Links to Articles, Blogs and other Writings
Examiner.com
Southwestern Wine Guy Blog
|
|
