Wine and Chocolate

Visited my friends at Jewel Towne Vineyards today for their Lindt chocolate and wine pairing event. I got to try some interesting combinations. The Marechal Foch, which is a personal favorite of mine was suprisingly delicious with Lindt's white chocolate. Marechal Foch is a soft tannin fruity red (cherry mostly) with a light/medium body. An easy sipper. I'm not a fan of white chocolate but it was so smooth and rich due to the high butter fat. I was always under the impression that there was no such thing as real "white" chocolate but the folks from Lindt said it is the presence of butter fat and not the cocoa that makes it chocolate. I wonder about that. Nevertheless it was a good pairing.



The most interesting pairing was the Leon Millot with the chile chocolate (yes, real chilies!). At first you don't notice the presence of the chilies but slowly it creeps up the back of your throat. You start to feel the warmth. It's not a heat but a slowly building warmth. It was a pretty pleasant sensation. The Leon Millot is full bodied red, garnet colored with subtle aromas of cranberry, black raspberry and licorice. Since the vineyard sits in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire JTV notes on the bottle that half of the grapes were grown in MA and the other half were gronw in NH.

The prices are great. The value is high. It's close to home. Jewell Towne wines make great gifts. Go visi them this holiday season.

This Zin Makes You Sit Up and Pay Attention

Green & Red 2007 Napa Valley Zinfandel Chiles Canyon Vineyards brings a lot to the party. I love zins and this one begged to be sipped and savored, not slogged down. The layers of flavors just wash over you. Red fruits and earthy aromas, full-bodied, good depth and structure. It makes you sit up and pay attention while its in your mouth, and you don't soon forget it on the finish. Only $21. It rated 92 points on the Wine Spectator scale. It's a great value for the money. I enjoyed it by itself but I'm guessing it would do well with a nice steak.

Earlier this evening I had an opportunity to taste Almos 2007 Malbec. I keep trying to like Malbecs and I should since I like shiraz, rhone blends, gigondas, all those spicy, peppery wines but I have yet to find a malbec that I like. Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

My favorite local vineyard is having a chocolate (featuring Lindt chocolates!) and wine tasting on December 5th from noon til 5pm. Jewell Towne Vineyards is located in Southampton, NH on the Amesbury, MA border. For a small, young, east coast vineyard they sure have racked up a lot of awards.

Check out their website: http://www.jewelltownevineyards.com/. They offer free tastings. It's a fun visit. I always find a reason to give a few bottles as gifts during the holidays. They work with varietals that play well with our terroir. My personal favorite is the Marechal Foch. It's nice knowing that we have a real quality vineyard so close by.

Opened a bottle of 2006 Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet on Saturday to curl up on the couch with and catch up on a little TIVO. I know it doesn't sound like an exciting Saturday night but it was exactly what I needed after a long week. That's my kind of comfort wine. A full bodied dark fruit and berry explosion with pepper and spice. The cabernet gives it good structure. I love Australian reds. They give you a lot for the money. This is under $10 and has a Robert Parker rating of 91 points. You can never go wrong with anything Penfolds. I had this with a wedge of softened fontina.

Tasters Agree

Friday night my friend Liz invited me to do a wine tasting. It's so nice spending time with her family. After two back to back tastings the evidence is clear to me that the italian white blend, Orvieto is a huge hit with those seeking a refreshing alternative to pinot grigio. I also had a suprising number of orders for a spanish Ribera del Duero Tempranillo that I presented at another tasting. Both were something better than the ordinary, easy drinking, food friendly, with great price points. The Orvieto and the Tempranillo both retail for only $17.99. (www.myttv.com/lorie14020). The Orvieto goes well with goat cheese, lighter fish dishes especially poached fishes, and prosciutto with melon. It's also a good sipping wine. The Tempranillo pairs well with braised or stewed beef, lamb dishes, roasted poultry and game birds, paella, and pork. Also good to enjoy all by itself.

2006 Tenuta Le Velette, Berganorio, Orvieto Classico Secco, Umbria, Italy
A stylish, crisp, slightly peachy white wine – real Italian character. This crisp white hails from central Italy’s Umbria region and comes from the Orvieto zone, named for the town of the same name. This wine is a step up in quality from your basic Orvieto as it is Orvieto Classico and is derived from the original smaller Orvieto zone. Vintners at this family run estate have produced wines since the 1870’s with over 220 acres of prima vineyard land. Excellent exposure provides all day sun and the rich soil is of volcanic origin. Produced via traditional fermentation with cold stainless steel and aged for 6 months in bottle before release. Brilliant pale straw-colored with emerald reflections, this intense Orvieto offers fresh fruit and floral nuances. This release is a traditional blend of Italian varietals including: 45% Trebbiano, 25% Grechetto, and 30% Verdello, Malvasia, Drupeggio. It opens with a complex nose of lemon, lime and apricots. With a beguiling roundness, these fruity flavors continue through a long finish with a touch of bitter almond. Excellent with seafood as well as fresh and aged cheeses.

2006 Catania, Ribera del Duero, Spain
Intense garnet red in color with strong violet hues, this wine made from 100% Tempranillo grapes exudes a bouquet of ripe berries on top of a licorice background. Full, fruity flavors of currants and spice flood the palate. With a powerful and fleshy mouthfeel and savory tannins, this unoaked red is at its best when paired with “chorizo” (Spanish sausage) and Serrano ham. Silver, highly recommended, 2008 World Wine Championships, "very good", Robert Parker's "Wine Advocate", "very good", Robert Parker's "Wine Advocate"

I plan to start including recipes in future posts and hope you will share some of your own food and wine adventures as well.

Popped open a bottle of bubbly to kick off last night's wine tasting in Melrose. This cremant (French sparkling wine not from the Champagne region) from the Alsace region of France was tasty with everything we tried, fontina, warm brie, scallops with bacon, and popcorn! It was peachy with aromas of nuts and warm bread. I'm very well adjusted to the idea that sparkling wines are not just for special occasions.


This sparkling wine is made by Cave-Hunawihr and is named for Pope Calixte II who served in the 12th century. Luminous yellow with silvery hints that reflect gracious bubbles, this is a fresh and long lasting cremant with rich, floral aromas and a warm note of brioche. It is full and fleshy with a cheerful vitality sustained by a persistent stream of sprightly bubbles. What makes this wine unique is the addition of Pinot Blanc (30%) and Auxerrois (20%) to the Chardonnay base (50%), adding elegant and flowery aromas. Cremant d’Alsace is perfect as an apertif and as a reception wine. A wine to be enjoyed year-round, don't wait for a special occasion.

Silver, 2007 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition