LIFEST YLE WINE
Veltliner grape. It has always been one of my favorites since I began my career, when the world was young, importing German and Austrian wines. Mind you, being a Brit and coming from a Jewish heritage, I always insisted on dealing with my contemporaries rather than the generation of goose steppers! The GV is typically dry, with a smidgeon of white pepper, and it can have some citrus flavors to it. And this Italian bottling has precisely these qualities I adore in this varietal. No hesitation from me in suggesting you try this very uncommon and splendid Italian wine. The Beach House Sauvignon Blanc (approx. $10.99). OK, first and foremost, this wine has a rocking label. Yes I actually said I like the label. It is fun, sexy, and one look at the label and you’re swept away to the beach as swiftly as your imagination can take you there. This is the liquid equivalent of a Beach Boys classic song. The wine is so cool looking and so funkily New World that unless you take time to study the label you won’t even realize it comes from South Africa. That’s right, it’s not from the Left Coast of the U.S., it’s from Wellington in the Western Cape. The wine has a small amount of Semillon added to the Sauvignon Blanc. It’s fresh, fruity and full of grass and lemon rinds (not literally, I mean this is what is conjured up when the elixir hits the palate). Any wine with a star fish on its label is always welcome in my glass. A to Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Gris (approx. $16.99). Staying with fun wines, here’s a quote from this winery’s website: “We are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it, because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it, because in the process, we will catch excellence. We are not at all interested in just being good.” If you’re expecting a Pinot Gris from Alsace, then stick to the Alsace variety. This is a light-bodied quaffer. There is a definite citrus flavor, with some melon 58
Spring 2015 |
LIFESTYLE
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and most definitely dear old Granny Smith’s apples are also in the flavor; clean, crisp, and totally refreshing and satisfying. Leonard Kreusch Estate Gewürztraminer (approx. $13.99). When the world was young and I first embarked on my journey in wine, the LK wines were the first I tasted. I must confess that their labels would now be considered politically incorrect and probably offensive, but that was the innocent 1970s when the only PC I knew directed traffic at the end of my road and popped in for a cup of tea when he’d finished his traffic duty. Police Constable Shoosmith was indeed a lovely chap. The Kreusch Gewurz comes from the Rheinhessen, it is a screw cap and there is a delicate sweetness to it that transports me back to happier times when life and wines seemed so much simpler. Kreusch’s wines were never pretentious or purporting to be anything more than well-structured, dependable, flavorful drinks. Have this wine with your favorite Chinese meal and it will take days to get the smile of contentment off your face. REDS Markham Vineyards Cellar 1879 Blend (approx. $26.99) is an interesting concept. Markham selects different vintages and grape varietals to produce this blend each year. So, it’s not the type of wine you dismiss by saying you’ve already tried it. If you enjoy the structure and the style of the wine, then it’s similar to enjoying the cooking of a particular chef, and each season sampling his or her new menu. The current blend on the shelf is from the 2012 vintage and includes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. Wow! The flavor is precisely what you would expect from these bighitting grape varieties; a smoky, chocolatey, spicy, ripe fruit cacophony of deliciousness. 2013 Ravenswood Besieged Red Blend (approx. $15.99) is made in Sonoma County, California. I besiege you (an
intended pun) to find this wine. Why? Well, one, because it’s brilliant and two, because it’s 15.99. The wine was created by one of the greatest winemakers on the planet, Joel Peterson, to warm the cockles of our winter hearts. And so his blend of Petite Sirah, Carignane, Zinfandel, Syrah, Barbera, Alicante Bouschet, and Mourvèdre grapes are just what the doctor ordered for these morose, bleak, fiendishly-unfriendly months. The dark cherry flavors are ideal partners for our winter stews, and beefy entrees. It’s one of the most satisfying red wines I’ve tasted since last year’s dour season and I for one will be snuggling up with a bottle or three over the next few months feeling very content indeed. I’ve had many mental blocks but I’d never had a Loveblock until this past week when I opened a bottle of Loveblock Pinot Noir 2012 (approx. $37). The wine comes from Central Otago in New Zealand’s South Island and a vineyard called “Someone's Darling.” The name was inspired by a legend that in the mid1800s, the farmer who owned the land found the body of a young man on the property. He buried him and for the lack of name, identity, or kin, he simply engraved on the coarse wooden cross, “Someone's Darling.” This Pinot spent just under a year of aging in old oak barrels and has more complexity than I expected and not too much to overwhelm me. The wine has those gorgeous red berries of summer on the palate and if ever I found the perfect wine for rack of lamb, this organicallycertified wine is definitely the one. Happy spring everyone. And make sure you enjoy “The Good Stuff” life has to offer. Cheers! n “Time Out With Phillip Silverstone” is a weekly podcast heard exclusively on TuneIn. “Follow” the show for weekly updates. You can also LIKE Phillip on Facebook: www. facebook.com/Phillipsilverstone and follow him on Twitter: @wining.