Grecian Formula

Greece may be the cradle of democracy, but its wine visibility, at least within the U.S., has been woefully inadequate. Well, this is changing. Chances are most people have not had wines from Greece; and the names alone, certainly the Grecian varieties, are hard to pronounce and unfamiliar. But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try something new. It’s a big bold world and now is the time to sample the wines of Greece. Case in point: the 2010 Moschofilero (that’s the grape name) from the Mantinia region, made by Ktima Tselepos. I know that’s a mouthful, but so is the wine. There’s a simple, bright tart, lemony quality supported by a solid acidity and this is reminiscent of European wines like Vinho Verde from Portugal and Albariño from Spain; a local wine which performs remarkably well in a basic and simple setting. There is also a slight effervescence and residual sugar which makes this quite excellent with creamy pasta dishes and salads. The overriding point here is trying something new and with this Moschofilero, you’ll be pleased you did.

$17/750 ml – Alc: 12.2%

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!

Three Rivers Run Through It

I grew up in California, however my wife is from Pittsburgh (Penn Hills to be exact) and though we live on the California Central Coast, I know she misses her hometown. Let me be honest, Pittsburgh is a great city filled with very nice people, but kinda crappy local wines. Dreadnought Wines in Pittsburgh (a wine shop, not a winery) has cleverly private labeled three wines (made in California by Sylvester Winery in Paso Robles as an FYI) for the true ‘Burger. “Yinzer Blanc” (Chardonnay), Redd Up Red (Cabernet Sauvignon), and Bubbles N’At (sparkling wine). No, these are not stellar wines, but the sheer joy of my wife seeing these was worth the price and they are OK sippers to boot. The Cabernet (Redd Up Red – “redd up” is to clean up) is pretty basic, lots of simple red fruit but nonetheless enjoyable. Similarly the Chardonnay (Yinzer Blanc – taken from the word “yunz” as in a group of people) is light with simple lemon notes and a nice acidity, and the Bubbles N’At (“N’at” translates literally as “and that”) is a decent little sparking wine. So really the idea trumps the wines, but the point is that this is a pretty damn cool gift for those who miss Pittsburgh, and you might keep the bottles after the wine is gone n’at. We did, yunz will too.  www.dreadnoughtwines.com

$45 for three 750 bottles

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!

Beer-Tails

Since beer has been on planet Earth for thousands of years, it comes as a weird surprise there isn’t much in the way of cocktails actually made with beer – like it’s some sort of anomaly (yeah, like wine coolers were a good idea). Until now. Howard and Ashley Stelzer’s new book, Beer Cocktails, gets you on the creative path to changing up your drinking routines. There are 50 recipes here, many happy color photos, from the times of old, classics and tried-and-true concoctions. And there are new creations that the Stelzer’s have crafted (you can also check out their blog called Beyond the Shadow of a Stout). The cool thing about this book is that it doesn’t shy away from telling you which brand of beer works best with which cocktail. For example they strongly suggest a Pabst Blue Ribbon with one, and not Heineken for another. The book is organized from lighter beers into cocktails made with porters and stouts. Many of the recipes use bourbon and whiskey elements and I like that, and they suggest Belgian brews like Kwak, and Delirium Tremens. Plus, with this as a guide you won’t be able to help yourself as you dash to your kitchen to create your own beer-tail. But that’s half the fun and frankly, this book has been a long time coming. Now, drink up.

$12.95/Harvard Common Press (hardback).
Harvard Common Press

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!

The Apple of the Golden Eye

I love Pinot Noir. It can be delicate, fierce, subtle and provocative. Far too many versions however don’t reflect the actual grape – they reflect too much intervention and manipulation on the winemaker’s part. The Goldeneye 2009 Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley in Mendocino is a terrific wine. Why? Well, for starters, it lacks the “bright berry,” and frankly spastic, raspberry commonly associated with average Pinots in favor of a more mature, earthy and sedate Pinot, which is nonetheless deftly masculine and feminine. Here’s the point: anyone can take Pinot fruit, age in way too long in oak barrels and make bubble gum, seriously, it ain’t that hard. But to craft a version like this means that there is comprehensive acidity rounding out the mouth, therefore this will work much better with your food choices. There is more black cherry, and a slight cola note without being too young and immature. If you want to drink Pinot because it’s trendy, get something else. If you want to drink a Pinot Noir which captures a sophisticated iteration of this classic grape, then drink this. http://www.GoldenEyeWinery.com   

$55/750 ml, Alc. 14.5%

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!

Virgins and Rum

I love rum. Ever since I attended the Taste of Rum Festival in Puerto Rico, I have discovered the beauty, the sensuous taste, the diversity of rum. And though I’m keen on dark rums, there are also light rums, and the Cruzan Aged Light Rum is a solid example of an effective light rum, distilled on the island of St. Croix in the Virgin Islands. Starting with molasses (rums begin with sugar cane converted to molasses) this rum has evident vanilla notes from the American oak barrels they use to age it in and the nose has a woody sweetness to it. In the mouth it’s charred oak, cinnamon, vanilla and a near blackstrap sweetness. This is a great rum for mixing your cocktails, not really a sipping rum (which can be incredible by the way), though I’m still partial to most any spirit served neat. At this price point the Cruzan is a great value and it avoids the simplistic and tedious mass produced rums which do nothing to further this terrific spirit. A bottle in your liquor cabinet is a good idea. Two bottles is an even better idea.

$12/750, Alc. 40%

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING - 4 Bonz – Good Dog!

That Other Red Wine

Everyone thinks Grenache is this French grape but actually it’s originally from Spain and known there as Garnacha. Yeah, that’s right. France has laid claim to it and certainly in the Rhone Valley (Southern France) it’s part of the fabric of the region, and in the States it’s one third of the GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre) trinity. The Beckmen Vineyards 2009 Purisima Vineyard Grenache from none other than Santa Barbara County is 76% Grenache and 24% Syrah, so it barely squeaks by labeling laws, and is a potent robust wine with a mild acidity and a wee bit more oak than necessary, but still champions the grape well with its rustic and tannic nature, and its deep and rich berry fruits. This wine is more hefty and less delicate than other iterations of Grenache I’ve had, and though you’re free to drink what you want with what you like, I immediately crave grilled lamb, cheddar cheese, and maybe some sweet Hungarian paprika biscuits – not necessarily all together. This is a very superb wine and though higher in alcohol content, it is surprisingly and deftly balanced, and far too easily drinkable.

$45/750 ML, - Alc. 15.5%

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!

120

Carménère is a grape few people know about, so when I see it as a stand alone wine, well, I get excited. The 2012 120 Carménère is from Chile’s Santa Rita area and Carménère is common there, but not so much in the U.S. (the 2011 is also on store shelves). It’s so named for the 120 “patriots” who apparently fought for Chile’s independence in 1814. Uh, I don’t know much about that story, but a wine can be named anything as long as there is bang for the buck. Well, the 120 Carménère succeeds in this endeavor. This red wine has a mild acidity, a wee bit too much oak, but plenty of ripe red fruit, minimal hints of cocoa and tobacco, and solid tannins. And at the price, it is truly a wonderful value, plus it will get you in touch with a grape you’re probably not familiar with. Wine need not be expensive and complicated, and the 120 will show you how enjoyable a bottle of wine can be. You might find that you buy more than one bottle, I know I did.

$8 - $13/750 ml (depending on where you live), Alc. 13.6%

BOOZEHOUNDZ RATING

4 Bonz – Good Dog!