Vibrant Rioja Tasting!

Happy Friday Brickgals!  I wanted to get the word out about a fabulous tasting happening at the Intercontinental Miami this coming Monday 4/30, the Vibrant Rioja Tasting.

Many of you have probably heard of Rioja before, and many actually think it is a type of wine, but it is not. It is actually a region in Spain, and might I add, the most well know.  You will find red (tinto), white (blanco) and rose (rosado) wines all from this region, but majority of the wines from Rioja are red, and made from the Spanish grape Tempranillo.

Wines from Rioja also are broken down in several categories.  You have basic Rioja, or Joven, which are more of the young, basic table wines.  Then you will find the main 3 classifications; Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva.  These classifications are used to show the aging of the wines, Crianza spending the least amount of time in oak barrels, and Gran Reserva’s the most.

While I can tell you the basics about Rioja, to get more in depth knowledge, and to taste 200+ wines from different producers, come to the Vibrant Rioja tasting next week.  You will be able to meet and discuss with the winery owners and winemakers directly from Rioja who are making a special stop in Miami to help educate us about this fabulous region!

Check out more information on the Vibrant Rioja Tasting!

Easter Wines

Hey BrickGals, sorry for the late wine post today, this week has totally gotten away from me.  Here are some good suggestions on wines to drink with your Easter menu.  Whether you are hosting or joining, wine is a MUST for the table on Easter Sunday.

If you are going traditional with Ham and/or Lamb, I would recommend a slightly sweeter white to go with the ham.  Something along the lines of Riesling or Gewurztraminer.  If you remember my blog from a few weeks back, I LOVE wines from Alsace, France, and this is a fantastic region to get Riesling & Gewurztraminer.  Both wines tend to offer fresh, flavorful taste profiles with enough sweet fruit to balance the salt in the ham and enough acidity to support the combination without compromising the flavor in either the ham or the wine. Also, a nice dry rosé would pair well.  If you are a hard core Chardonnay drinker, you can probably get away with a lightly oaked Chardonnay, but the key is lightly oaked!  Do not go for a rich, buttery styled wine, it will kill the food.

For the Lamb, I would highly suggest a red wine such as a Pinot Noir, Syrah or Tempranillo.  If you are a traditional red wine drinker and prefer staples such as Cabernet and Merlot, you can also pair these varietals with lamb as long as these rich, full bodied wines are not going to be overpowering the flavor of the lamb.  I would say a medium bodied red wine (such as the 3 listed first) would be your best bet!

I hope this makes your trip to the wine shop a little quicker this weekend.  Have a great holiday!

Drink Bubbles!

The sun is shining, the weekend is supposed to be beautiful and I am in a sparkling wine kinda mood, hence my inspiration for today’s blog!  Not enough people appreciate drinking sparkling wine unless they have a special occasion to celebrate, but look at it like this, you are alive, living in an awesome city, so celebrate everyday!

I know sparkling wine can be intimidating, don’t let it be!  The typical term you hear for sparkling wines is Champagne.  Champagne comes from the Champagne region in France and can only be called Champagne when it comes from this region.  Champagne holds the highest prestige (and price tag) of sparkling wines, so don’t assume you should only drink Champagne, venture out!  Here are some other sparkling wines from around the world that will make drinking bubbles just as glamorous, but let you afford to do so all the time!

Prosecco- One of Italy’s main sparkling wines
How it sizes up to the competition:  Compared to other sparkling wines, Prosecco is low in alcohol, about 11 to 12%.  The flavor of Prosecco is described as aromatic and crisp, bringing to mind yellow apple, pear, white peach and apricot.  Unlike Champagne, which is appreciated for its rich taste and complex aromas, most Prosecco’s are meant to taste fresh, light and simple.

Cava- Spain’s main sparkling wine
Cava is produced in varying levels of dryness and must be made according to the Traditional Method with secondary fermentation in the bottle (just like Champagne).

Sparkling Wine- Made throughout the world, but the term “sparkling wine” will mainly be used in California
As the sparkling wine industry in California has grown, some of the Champagne region’s most noted Champagne houses came to set up wineries in the US.   These producers include Moet et Chandon’s sister property Domaine Chandon,  Louis Roederer’s (producer of Cristal) Roederer Estates, and Taittinger’s Domaine Carneros.  All of these sparkling wine houses can be found in the Napa and Sonoma Valley’s of CA.

When you go out this weekend order a glass of Champagne, Sparkling Wine, Prosecco or Cava and remind yourself how amazingly good bubbles are for any day of the week and any occasion!

Cheers!

The “NEW” Pinot Grigio

After spending the week tasting wines from Alsace, France I was inspired to share my love for these wines and this region with you.  I would bet most of you probably have a glass of Pinot Grigio as your white wine of choice when out and about because it is light and easy.  It is a basic wine that is easy to drink on its own and doesn’t take much analyzing, it is just simple and that’s why so many choose this as their sipping wine of choice.

Now let me introduce you to Pinot Gris from Alsace, France.  Pinot Gris (pronounced Gree) is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, just specific parts of the world such as France and Oregon chose to call this Pinot Gris instead of Pinot Grigio.  Even though it is the same grape, stylistically the wines are night and day from each other.  DISCLAIMER… My opinion ONLY!  MOST Pinot Grigio’s are bland.  High in acidity and light in flavor and color.  Nothing too much going on with them.

The Pinot Gris from Alsace are rich in body and have tons of flavor.  These are some of the best wines to pair with foods in the world.  My recommendation is the Gustave Lorentz Pinot Gris.  Gustave Lorentz winery is a 6th generation family-owned estate in Alsace that makes a delicious Pinot Gris.  It has a beautiful aroma and a rich mouthfeel of apricots, pears, spice and a very subtle hint of sweetness on the finish.

This wine is a perfect pairing with shellfish and seafood which are obviously not lacking in our hood.  To get a good taste of the Gustave Lorentz Pinot Gris  I would suggest visiting Trulucks for their awesome happy hour or “all you can eat” stone crab.  They serve this wine By The Glass, but if you are with a group, get a bottle or 2, cause it won’t last long with its rich mouth watering palate appeal.

If you would prefer to buy this wine retail, ask your local wine shop if they can order it for you.  Since the wine is new to Miami it is currently in limited retail distribution but is available!  OR… Check out www.quintessentialwines.com to see how you can order online.

Chardonnay vs Chardonnay

So here’s a thought… would you like a glass of chardonnay, or a glass of chardonnay?  What?!  Chardonnay is becoming one of the most confusing grape varietals out there, despite its high recognition in the wine industry.  Chardonnay used to be described as a wine that is oaky, buttery, rich, full bodied, etc.  But now, more and more producers are going to an unoaked style of making Chardonnay, so more of a clean, crisp styled wine with great minerality.

I know this can get very confusing, but some producers have gotten smart and addressed the issue up front, on the label.   The best example I can come up with is Mer Soleil Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia Highlands in Central California.  Their original wine was Mer Soleil, but now they produce a Mer Soleil “Silver”.  The original Mer Soleil is aged in oak barrels with a nose of pineapple, banana and coconut.  The finish is rich with weight that coats the mouth for minutes after your last sip.  This is a heavier styled Chardonnay, and more typical of what “traditional” chardonnay drinkers expect.

Now on the other hand, the Mer Soleil “Silver” Chardonnay is called Silver because of its use of only stainless steel barrels, no oak, ever!  Aging Chardonnay in stainless steel creates a wine with much more minerality and acid.  The palate shows citrus fruits such as lemons, gooseberry, and grapefruit. This style of chardonnay finishes dry with good acidity.

The kicker here is that both wines come from the same vineyards, and use the same fruit.  The difference is ONLY the effect of fermentation treatment (oak or stainless steel).  If you are up for the test, I would suggest buying a bottle of each Mer Soleil and Mer Soleil “Silver” and doing a side by side tasting.  You will, without a doubt, be able to tell the oaky Mer Soleil from the clean style “Silver”.  Although both wines are fantastic, this will be the easiest way to figure out if you are an oaked or unoaked Chardonnay drinker.

Or, even cheaper, next time you go to a restaurant and they have a few Chardonnay’s by the glass, ask if you can taste a sip of one that is oaked and one that is unoaked.  Most restaurants have no problem letting you taste a wine before you order, especially if you make nice with the server or bartender, so give it a shot and find out what kind of Chardonnay drinker you are!

Suggestions for South Beach Food & Wine Fest

Hey Brickgals, Happy Friday and more importantly, HAPPY SOBE Food & Wine festival weekend.  This is one of the most highly anticipated weekends of the year in Miami and I wanted to share a few insider tips with you if you are headed out of the hood to SOBE this weekend.

I went thru a list of the wines being poured and I wanted to steer you to 5 of my personal favorites that you should not miss. These wines are coming from Palm Bay Imports who will have a large section at SOBE.  They will be pouring tons of wines, but here are some of my favs….

Bertani Due Uve- If you like refreshing white wines this one is for you my Brickgals!  A light, slightly fruity and refreshing way to start you tasting.  This bright wine of Pinot Grigio & Sauvignon Blanc will wake up your palate and get you ready for the day of wine, food, and eventually the debauchery you will most likely encounter following an event like this.

S.A. Prum Essence- this is for my girls with a sweet tooth.  S.A. Prum Essence is a Riesling, sweet, but not too sweet.  I’m not sure what food will be there, but when you get a glass of this run for the sushi or spicy (thai) styled dishes.  This is when the party in your mouth will begin.

Jean Luc Colombo (JLC) Abeilles White- my personal favorite of the 3 whites I am suggesting, this white blend from the Rhone Valley in France is a MUST TASTE!  A little bit richer in style than the other whites, this is more for you Chardonnay drinkers.  If you look at the color it should be a little richer and golden in color.  I LOVE this wine.  Not that this matters since wine is so subjective, but try it, you should love it too!

Fontanafredda Barbera- a lighter style Italian wine, this is a great wine for people that like Pinot Noir and Chianti’s.  Barbera is one of the best food wines because it has nice acidity and not too much oak.  I know there will be some Italian dishes with red sauce, so have some pasta with this deliciously fruity red.

And finally…

Fontanafredda Barolo- THIS wine is for my serious red wine drinking chicas and your manly Brickguys.  If your guy claims to like Cabernet and big rich styled red wines, head over to this wine.  Now, go find the steak table and let the debauchery begin.  Life is good.  This is a wine to be enjoyed and savoured, so don’t wait until the day is over to try this wine, try it well before you dive into the spirits and the day gets blurred.

I hope you all have either experienced, or will experience the SOBE Food & Wine festival.  It is truly a staple in Miami and is a must do.  Cheers!

BrickGals Hosts Wine 101 at Kork Wine & Cheese – 3/20

Hey BrickGals, it’s Friday and we have some exciting news to share!  We have teamed up with Kork Wine & Cheese to host a wine education class as part of their Tuesday Tasting Series on Tuesday March 20th at 7:30pm.

Do you want to learn about wine but it seems too intimidating?  Or, do you know enough but love to taste new wines?  Whatever level of a wine “chugger” or “connoisseur” you might be, this class is for everyone, and most importantly, it will be FUN!

This is the run down on our first class (the basics).  We will learn what exactly wine is, how it is made, temperatures to be served, how to properly hold the glass, why people swirl the wine and most importantly how to TASTE (and why sometimes people look so weird doing it).  If you want to get yourself in the mood for the ultimate cork dork experience, I suggest renting the movie Sideways this weekend.  It brings the term “wine snob” to a whole other level, and is quite entertaining.

We will taste 6 grape varietals during the class that most people are familiar with (Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot & Cabernet) and will discuss how each one varies from the next.  Whether you smell cat piss, barnyard, band-aids, tobacco, bacon (yes, these are all actual descriptors used by wine writers) we will figure out just what you get out of each wine.

Just a little disclaimer, this is not a “I know more than you class” this is pure fun!  I will be speaking during the class, and the #1 thing I believe about wine is, if you like it, it’s good, doesn’t matter what I think.  If there are any specific questions or requests you have, ask them now or bring them to class.  This class is to educated you, so whatever it might be that you want to know, ask away.

Cost is $20 per person. Call 305.377.8899 for more information and to reserve your spot.  Space is limited.

Have a great weekend and hope to see you at our first Wine class!

Jean Luc Colombo Rosé

With the heat of the summer just around the corner, there is no better time to drink Pink!!!!  I know what you’re thinking… Summer… it’s only February!  Well, hello!!!!!  One of the many reasons we choose to live in Miami are the very short winters.  And, as I have told you before, I drink my wines based on the weather.  If the weekend is going to be warm, you better believe I am digging in my cellar (by Thursday morning) for some nice Rosé, pronounced Rose-A, not Rose (like the flower) to chill down.

One of my personal favorites is Jean Luc Colombo (known as JLC for us lazy people) Cape Bleue Rosé.   Hold on… Before you even ask, the answer is NO!!!  It is NOT sweet and it is NOT like a White Zinfandel.  And shame on you for even thinking I would recommend such a wine to you! It’s a Provence style Rosé from Marseille, France.  And what exactly does this mean?  Well… the wine comes from the South of France and the Rosé’s from this region are floral on the nose, but dry, crisp and refreshing on the palate.

JLC Rosé is made up of 67% Syrah and 33% Mourvedre. And yes, the grapes in this wine are red wine varietals.  The way Rosé is made is by using red wine grapes, but only allowing a short amount of skin contact during the wine making process, resulting in only a subtle pink wine.  However, the same grapes can be used to make a very dark and powerful red wine, it just depends on how long the juice is in contact with the thick skins of the grapes as to the final color and flavor intensity.  When the wine is made in a Rosé style it’s dry, with subtle hints of peaches, rose petals and white flowers on the nose.  JLC Rosé is extremely refreshing & crisp on the palate with notes of raspberries, fresh cherries & plump strawberries. Please keep in mind, Rosé’s are best when consumed young.  That means you should be looking for a 2010-2011 vintage right now.  Anything older and it has probably lost all of it’s bright fruit flavors, and the color is probably more of a dark peach than the beautiful, fresh and vibrant pink we love.

Jean Luc Colombo is acknowledged as one of the most progressive and influential winemakers of his generation. His success and his remarkable ability to craft innovative, memorable wines that burst with personality, earned him the title of “Winemaking Wizard of the Rhone Valley”.

Weekend high’s… upper 70’s?  There’s no better time than now to pick up a bottle of Jean Luc Colombo Rosé!  Under $10 a bottle and available for purchase at your local wine shop and several Miami restaurants.  Drink Pink!

Thirsty Thursday Gets Classed Up

Tonight, Kork launches Jazz Thursdays aka live jazz music during Happy Hour!  I’ll be there. Le duh (read below).  $5 Happy Hour from 5-8 pm includes wine, cheese and meat & live music starts at 7.

…

Last weekend, my boo and I tried out something new.  Instead of hitting the Brickell bar scene (gasp!), we ventured a little further north into Downtown.  While nightlife options were few and far between, we found Kork Wine & Cheese (anything with wine in the name gets at least a check in from me!) on the corner of Flagler and South Miami Ave.

BrickGals' Heaven

When we walked in to the upstairs bar, I legit felt transported to Europe (not like Lucky Clover Europe…).  Rustic wooden floors, mahogany bar, minimalistic decor, a helluva lot of wine bottles… I liked.  Then we went downstairs, where the theme continued.  Yes, it looks like Miami does have a scene going down (pun intended).  What was once a 1940s bomb shelter… the underground wine center was BrickGals’ heaven.  Stacked with wine bottles – over 3,000 to be approximate, the cellar featured a large tasting table in the middle of the room and oversized leather couches and chairs.  We grabbed a table in the back (the last one open!) and began to listen to the live jazz band playing on a stage in the corner (a different jazz band plays every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night).

Charcuterie Platter

Now, their bites… While sandwiches, soups and salads are available for lunch and dinner daily (except Sunday), I was totes loving the cheese and charcuterie (obs I don’t need to say the wine b/c that’s a given).  We had parmesan, goat cheese, proscuitto, parma ham… pretty much everything awesome.  From now own instead of churning my own butter to make my own cheese, I will just hop on over to Kork.  I mean, it’s just easier.

** Even though I’m a huge fan of the Metromover, my man is not, so we ended up using the valet ($7 flat rate after 6 pm) in front of Macys, directly across from the bar.  If you’re more of the adventurous type like myself, take the Brickell loop to Riverfront and then walk two blocks.  Kork is right under the Miami Ave Station if you’re on the Inner Loop.

Wine of the Week: Eponymous MacAllister Red

After spending the last week in Northern CA on a whirlwind wine tour I was reminded about how awesome the wines from Napa and Sonoma Valley really are.  With the down economic times, and international influence of wines we encounter while living in Miami, I have a tendency to overlook CA wines because of how costly some of the wines can be. BUT… While many CA wines, yes, are still expensive, most still over deliver for their sometimes hefty price tag.

One of my personal favs is the Eponymous MacAllister Red wine from Sonoma Valley, CA.  This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot has something for everyone.  You have the strong, powerful dark fruit from the Cabernet, spicy characteristics of the Cabernet Franc and soft, sweet fruit from the Merlot.  Putting all these varietals and characteristics together in one wine help to make CA red blends some of the most sought after wines in the world.

The Eponymous MacAllister red is from Sonoma Valley, but its close relation to the mountain tops of some of Napa’s finest vineyards makes one second guess the appellation to be Napa.  Eponymous (meaning: one for whom or which something is believed to be named) is a play on words and a great choice by winemaker/owner Robert Pepi Jr. who sold his self named (Pepi) winery to Kendall Jackson back in the 90’s and was left searching for a creative name for his newest project in early 2000.  Under the Eponymous label, Robert Pepi also makes a single vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet and recently started producing small quantities of Syrah and Cabernet Franc that are not to be missed!

The Eponymous wines are focused on quality over quantity, so the production is limited and the wines are mainly found in restaurants and in fine wine shops.  You can also purchase these wines online at www.quintessentialwines.com.  Next time you need a fabulous bottle of wine for a special occasion or gift, buy a bottle of Eponymous MacAllister red wine.  You are sure to please the palate of any wine lover, and introduce them to something new and delicious!

**flwinegal is having technical difficulties with her posting ability so I’m posting the wine of the week on her behalf today.**