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ISSUE 26 | November 2011 | |
Welcome to the Winacea E-newsletter.
Everybody always wants to know what wine they should serve on Thanksgiving. Well let's keep this simple, because there will always be variations of this and that, and Aunt Martha only drinks White Zinfandel, and Cousin Carl only drinks California Merlot, blah-blah-blah. Forget all that. What can you serve with the holiday smorgasbord that will make the most people happy, including yourself? The answer is Pinot Noir. The adventure is finding that Pinot Noir or Pinot Noirs. Don't buy just one, buy 3 or more different ones to taste and compare. Pinot Noir has classic characteristics such as high acidity, bright red cherries, raspberries, plums, light tannins, earthy undertones, and sometimes smokiness. The wine takes on a different shape and style depending on what wine regions in come from in the world. You could consider starting your holiday feast with a Blanc de Noir Chapagne or a rosé sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir. It could be a theme from beginning to end! Here are some to consider: an award winning Pinot Noir from Oregon, California's Santa Barbara, France's Loire Valley and Burgundy, or the German Pinot Noir (called "Spatburgunder") from Baden and the Rheingau. Sometimes you can find a charming Pinot "Nero" from northern Italy. Now, just to be clear, Pinot Noir won't pair with pumpkin pie. But you could make a sure-to-please dessert of Pinot Noir Poached Figs as an alternative dessert. Bon Appétit and Happy Holidays!
Tip: If you don't like red wine, give the wine & recipe pairing below a try. |
Potatoes Baked with Wine and Mushrooms paired with White Burgundy*
Serves 4
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2 lb medium potatoes, peeled & sliced thick (place in cold water after slicing) | | |
1.5 lb mushrooms (portobello, chestnut, dark flat cap, or fresh wild), trim & slice thick | | |
3/4 c olive oil, plus extra for drizzling | | |
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped | | |
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley | | |
1/3 c dry white wine or vermouth | | |
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper |
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large skillet, then add mushrooms and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes or until brown. Stir in the parsley. Layer half of the potatoes in the bottom of a deep gratin dish, drizzle with oil, then add a layer of half of the mushroom mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Add another layer of the remaining potatoes, oil and mushroom mix. Drizzle with oil and season. Pour the wine on top of the layers, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover the potatoes and bake for another 30 inutes or until the potatoes are completely tender. Viola! What a great alternative to mash potatoes and gravy with this year's turkey.
Recipe adapted from "Enjoying Wine" by Chris Losh.
*White Burgundy is a medium-full bodied, expressive, rich Chardonnay from France. |  |
Looking for Something?
Did you know the oh-so-delicious recipes from each Winacea newsletter can be found on the Winacea website? Now all the recipes, 25 and counting, are search-able on the Main page's search-bar or via the Recipes page. Don't worry about printing or filing the recipes you like, they'll be just a-click-away on the Winacea site. If you've started looking for holiday gifts for wine enthusiasts, buy them the perfect wine-lover cookbook. Some of the Winacea recipes are from our favorite wine influenced cookbooks; "Enjoying Wine" by Chris Losh, "The Wine Lover Cooks with Wine" by Sid Goldstein, "Wine, Food & Friends" by Karen MacNeil, and Williams-Sonoma's "Foods of the World: Florence".
Find local wine events on the Winacea website and plan special events for the holiday season. Better yet, buy tickets or make reservations in advance and use them as unique, holiday gifts. "Experiences" are the newest, hottest gifts. People will remember for years and years the special wine tastings and wine dinners that made lasting impressions and changed their perception about food and wine. Give the gift that keeps-on-giving this year. Don't forget to tell them your great gift idea came from Winacea!
Stay Tuned!! Next month's issue will feature how to conduct a wine dinner at home. |
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Winacea Events
Other Recommended Colorado Wine Events
Other US Recommended Wine Events
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Dried Grape Wines
We've listed a few select wines (or wine styles) made from a traditional method of drying the grapes (raisinate), which concentrates the flavors and sugars, and in turn, makes interesting and complex wines, often on the more costly side due to the time, effort and labor involved. Seek them out and try them!
Amarone = Big, intense, dry, red wine from the Veneto region of Italy. Amarone means "big, bitter one" and is made from the grapes Corvina, Molinara, Rondinella, and sometimes Negrara. The grapes are harvested late in the season (for extra richness) and then left to dry on mats for 3-4 months. The wine is high in alcohol (15-16%), powerful, and chocolatey with earthy flavors and dried fig characteristics.
Vin Santo = Also known as "Holy Wine" because priests drink it at Mass. It is a traditional dessert wine from Tuscany, Italy made from Malvasia or Trebbiano grapes. The grapes are partially dried for 3-6 months in a dry attic or room, eventually used to make a creamy, honey-roasted, amber colored wine.
Strohwein or Schilfwein = An Austrian term for wine made from grapes that are dried on straw or reed mats and made into sweet wines. The grapes are sometimes white or red, and typical of the Austrian viticulture. The wine characteristics are dependant on the grapes used and maturation process.
Vin de Paille = The French translation of straw-dried grapes made into sweet wines. This style of wine is rare in France and confined to the areas of Jura and Hermitage. The grapes can be white or red and usually dried for at least 6 months before vinification. |  |
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Please stay in-touch for more information regarding the exciting Winacea expansion and exclusive membership. |  |
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