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tavel: pretty in pink

May 3, 2012 By admin
wine recommendations from amy reiley

woman on wine with
amy reiley

Tavel is the perfect wine region to celebrate in spring. It is often called the “King of Rose” and is considered the region producing the finest roses in France. Unlike many American rose wines, those of Tavel are generally blended from several different grapes. The resulting wines are generally complex, voluptuous and a deep shade of springtime pink.

2010 Domaine Le Vieux Moulin
Fresh and refreshing with a slight minty note on the nose, this is a wine to which anyone can relate. Its fruit is classic cooked and wild strawberries with a bit of pomegranate coming in toward the finish.

Tavel rose2010 Domaine Moulin La Viguerie
With its smooth tannins and bright, fruit punchy flavors, this pretty pink is a crowd-pleaser. An anise note and minerality on the finish add complexity. Enjoy it on a summer afternoon as a thirst-quenching aperitif.

2011 Domaine de la Mordorée Tavel Rosé “La Dame Rousse”
One of my favorite wines from Tavel, this bottling is sophisticated, complex and relatively full-bodied. Its delicious fruit flavors include fresh raspberries and strawberries as well as the refreshing citrus of Meyer lemon.

2011 Chateau d’Aqueria Tavel Rose
A somewhat masculine interpretation of rose, this wine starts out with pretty red and yellow plum but its flavors evolve to something more earthy near the back of the palate. Perhaps we should call this the “man’s rose.”

2010 Domaine de Tourtouil
Surprisingly light in color and body for a wine of Tavel, it takes a soft approach to rose. Floral and wintergreen notes dominate with mere hints of strawberry fruit. A licorice note adds interest to the finish.

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america’s great northwest

April 9, 2012 By admin
wine recommendations from amy reiley

woman on wine with
amy reiley

I had the great fortune of visiting a few of Oregon and Washington’s wineries last month. I tried to hit a few of the best known as well as uncovering a few lesser-known gems. But what remained consistent among all the visits was the welcoming hospitality and high quality of wines. Here are just a few of the highlights, many of which are perfect for springtime sipping.

Chateau Ste Michelle
2009 Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay
A winery well-known for its large production wines, Ste. Michelle also makes some impressive single-vineyard bottlings like this one. Beautifully textured with direct, crisp apple and pear flavors, its a little heavy on oak but overall a memorable wine for the price.

Alexana
2010 Revana Vineyard Riesling
A terrifically food-friendly wine, this dry Riesling (.53% residual sugar) walks an impressive line between refreshing and no-nonsense. Floral aromas and white peach and apricot flavors dominate with underlying citrus notes and a kiss of honey on the finish.

Novelty Hill
2009 Stillwater Creek Vineyard Viognier
Floral and faintly spicy, the wine delivers what you’d expect from a Washington Viognier. Its peach and apricot flavors linger long on the pretty finish.

Januik
2008 Columbia Valley Red Wine
From one of Washington’s smallest wineries comes this amazing value wine. For under $20, this red blend delivers layers of fruit and spice flavors. Although it has good tannic structure, it manages to remain approachable with a long finish.

The Eyrie Vineyards
2008 Estate Pinot Noir
This is a true Oregon old vine wine. Coming from vines averaging 30+ years of age, this Pinot is elegant with delicate cherry notes evolving to earthy flavors toward the back of the palate. Best of all, it’s finely crafted Oregon Pinot for under $30!

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a little help from my friends

March 8, 2012 By admin
wine recommendations from amy reiley

woman on wine with
amy reiley

This month my column takes on a slightly new flavor. I’m discovering that its tough to keep up my normal wine tasting pace in my current condition (pregnancy). So I turned to a little help from my friends in the wine business, asking them to recommend some of their favorite wines right now. Not only was I amused by the different styles in which each describes their wine, I am in love with the sexy sumptuous names many have selected to recommend.

But what probably struck me the most was the realization that I have not one, not two, but three friends in the wine profession named Ian. So if you’re hoping to produce the next generation of winemakers, the odds are on Ian as the best choice of name!

Ian White, Wine Country Director for 7×7 magazine:
St. Helena Winery
2007 Scandale
The ‘07 is deep in color, very dense and concentrated. It has a nose of red cherry, red currant, pomegranate, and black truffle with a hint of sage. Lively on the palate, it has flavors of dark chocolate, black cherry, blueberry and juicy red plum. This wine is very complex with tannins that are smooth, round and succulent.

Laura Englander, co-creator of Cookies & Corks:
Trinitas Cellars
2009 Sauvignon Blanc
This is a surprisingly heavy, spicy Sauv Blanc with nice mellow citrus notes of peach and
citrus on the finish. I of course had to try it with one of our cookies and Espresso Chocolate Peanut Butter was nearby. What ensued was the makings of a creamy, chocolaty dessert right there in my mouth when the spicy wine met the creamy peanut butter and dark espresso chocolate.

Ian Burrows, consultant wine director, San Francisco Bay Area:
J.K. Carriere
2009 Provocateur Pinot Noir
Old world style Pinot with emphasis on balance and complexity, over in-your-face fruit. The nose is reminiscent of forest mushrooms and chartreuse liqueur with a strong earthy component. The lack of obvious ripe fruit on the nose is evidence of the respect winemaker Jim Prosser has for Burgundy. The earthy nose gives way to delicious ripeness on the palate with red cherries, cranberry, ripe raspberries all held together beautifully by smooth, elongated tannins.

Annette Tomei, Chef Instructor for the French Culinary Institute/International Culinary Center:
Henry’s Drive
The Scarlet Letter NV Sparkling Shiraz
I’m having a bit of a love affair with this Sparkling Shiraz. It goes with everything it should, both savory & sweet including dark chocolate chocolate chip cookies. A wine of many charms, it even has a fabulous label & beer-style crown cap for ease of opening the 2nd or 3rd bottle.

Renie Steves, freelance wine journalist and member of Les Dames d’Escoffier:
Coquerel
2008 Le Petit Coquerel Sauvignon Blanc
The Coquerel family from Dallas produces award-winning Sauvignon Blancs in Napa Valley earning a Gold Medal at the Lone Star Wine Competition in 2010. The ‘08 has grapefruit, lychee and mango in the nose. Crisp, clean, and lean like a handsome 18-year-old, the wine has perfect balance between roundness and sharp brightness.

Greg La Follette, founder/winemaker of La Follette Wines:
Oakvale Wines
2011 Reserve Semillon
From one of the oldest working wineries in Australia, this wine represents the best of what “Hunter River Riesling” (aka Semillon, not at all a Riesling) presents. With zippy acidity, a mouth-wateringly low pH and an alcohol of 10.5%, this wine is totally about racy food and having a good time. Old-vine, dry-farmed but just what the new age demands of sexy wines.

Ian Blackburn, Founder of Learn About Wine & CEO of Wine Cloud:
Inception
2009 Chardonnay
This is a beautiful wine at a wonderful price, clean, pure, balanced. It is made by Allan Phillips, a winemaker with a solid reputation and great resume. The Chard makes a wonderful introduction to one of Santa Barbara’s finest up-and-comers.

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something for your sweetie

February 1, 2012 By admin
wine recommendations from amy reiley

woman on wine with
amy reiley

Since the Valentine’s Season is upon us, I decided to theme my wine picks around perfect wines to give to or drink with that special someone. But don’t get me wrong. I think wine can be a romantic drink any time of the year–not just on the day the calendar dictates. So my selections, though well-suited to Cupid’s big day, will work to keep your lover warm all winter long.

Valdo
Prosecco Brut DOC
Something sparkling can always spark romance and when it’s both Italian and affordable, well, somehow that just makes it even better. This wine has both aphrodisiac baking spice notes as well as a citrus freshness, which helps keep the mood light and your palate primed.

Boekenhoutskloof
2009 The Chocolate Block
By the name alone you can probably guess why this is one of South Africa’s best-selling wines. An unusual blend of Cab, Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Viognier, its raspberry, blackberry and nutty notes are perfect for pairing with dark chocolate.

Georges DuBoeuf
2009 Saint-Amour
Georges DuBoeuf is most often associated with Beaujolais Nouveau, a wine most of us drink once each year simply to join in the party. But the winery also makes wines of depth and character like this sexy red with its romantic name.

Terra Valentine
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain District
This is definitely among California’s most impressive Cabernets for the price. Beyond its romance-inducing name, the wine offers notes of cocoa and musk that make it notoriously irresistible to men.

Inniskillin
2010 Sparkling Ice Wine
Sometimes the best thing to share with your sweet is something sweet. This wine fits the bill in a most seductive way. From North America’s leading maker of ice wines, this unusual bottling is made in the Champagne style for a truly unforgettable sweet experience.

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break out the bubbly

January 2, 2012 By admin
wine recommendations from amy reiley

woman on wine with
amy reiley

I’m a big believer that the toasts shouldn’t stop once the New Year’s been rung in. Champagne is one of the most delicious and alluring of all alcoholic beverages (not to mention that it’s lower in calories than most drinks and has a few health benefits no other spirit can offer). I believe in finding reasons to break out the bubbly as often as possible. Perhaps you should consider toasting yourself every day that you keep your new year’s resolution. Whatever you decide to make your reason, here are a few bottles from some of France’s greatest producers to help whet your appetite.

Taittinger
NV Prestige Brut Rose
A plush and faintly sweet rose, this is a crowd pleaser, not to mention a good value among the big name Champagnes. Its aromas and flavors include rose petal, tart plum and red berries.

Moet & Chandon
NV Brut Rose Imperial
A nice wine to serve with a meal, it offers raspberry and roses on the nose. Its big berry flavors finish with a slight, sophisticated bitterness.

Henriot
NV Brut Rose
Made in a masculine, full-bodied style, this is a pink wine that will please the boys. Yet the ladies will love its complexity and smooth finish.

Pol Roger
2002 Extra Cuvee de Reserve Brut Rose
The kind of wine to make you forget all your troubles, get lost in its vanilla custard aromas and soothe yourself with its chamomile tea and ripe apricot flavors.

Nicolas Feuillatte
2003 Cuvee Palmes d’Or Brut Rose
Forget everything you think you know about Brut Rose because this wine breaks every rule. Big and bold with an almost fruit punchy quality, it is one of the most distinctive and interesting Roses on the market.

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