Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Wines for Valentine’s Day 2015

February 9, 2015 by Don Lahey

Men and women are different, and, when it comes to wine, men and women don’t always think alike or share the same tastes in wine. Valentine’s Day is all about love and making that special someone feel special, so consider that special someone before you give them a Valentine’s Day wine gift or choose a wine to share.

Tips for Guys: You may love that big, brawny Cabernet that you drank at the steakhouse last week with the guys, but chances are she won’t be so enamored. Why not appeal to her sensual self and desire for romance with a fine bottle of Champagne or Prosecco? Many good sparkling wine choices abound, beginning with Magenta Brut – a tasty, reasonably priced traditional style Champagne. For a fuller, more complex Champagne, consider Joseph Perrier Cuvée Royale Brut. However, if a lighter and more delicate sparkling wine is in order, any Valdobbiadene Prosecco from Umberto Bortolotti is sure to provide charm and send the message I am thinking of you. And, if she prefers red, Pinot Noir can say “I love you, too.” There is no shortage of fine Pinot Noir from California on the market. Fore Family Vineyards, Pietra Santa, and Solomon Hills are just a few producers of excellent fairly priced California Pinot Noir that should appeal to her.

For the Ladies: Men are visual creatures and delight in adventure and surprises. Power is usually more exciting to them than subtlety, so unless he just can’t wait for another glass of the Chardonnay you adore or the delicate, complex Pinot Noir you crave, consider something more appealing to him. A big, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon from California, South Africa or elsewhere that he has never had before will make a statement to him. Edgebaston GS and Rustenberg John X. Merriman are two of South Africa’s finest Cabernet-based wines that should appeal to your guy’s senses as well as his taste for adventure. Châteauneuf-du-Pape and rich Syrah or Shiraz offerings will likely strike his fancy as well. Domaine du Grand Tinel and Domaine du Vieux Lazaret craft several excellent Châteauneuf-du-Papes worth considering, while Australia, California, and South Africa all produce a bevy of great Syrah/Shiraz. Chapel Hill and Mr. Riggs from South Australia are two Shiraz producers that are hard to beat.

So, guys and gals: compare notes at the end of the evening, taste each other’s wines, enjoy the communion, and have a happy Valentine’s Day together.

Don

Three Aphrodisiacal Food & Wine Pairings to Spice Up Valentine’s Day

February 6, 2015 by Kristina Manning

The end of next week graces us with (what is supposed to be) the most romantic holiday of the entire year. Hopefully, your night will be spent with a special someone, eating out at a four-star restaurant or cooking a three-course meal fit for the Food Network. But here’s a little tip: the food and wine you choose for your special dinner can play a major role in what happens after you eat. So with a little help from Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love, we’ve laid out some food and wine pairings that will ensure your Valentine’s Day is as romantic as the all the commercials promise.

Chili Peppers

Adding chili peppers to your V-Day dinner is an obvious choice if you’re looking to spice things up. Not only will the Capsaicin found in chili peppers speed up your heartbeat and sweaty up your palms after just one bite, but eating chili peppers also releases endorphins, a chemical in your brain that can immediately fuel up your sex life. Now that’s chemical romance.

Perfect wine pairing: Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon Blancs are typically dry wines with flavors of citrus fruit, melon, fig, and herbs. Sauvignon Blancs can range from dry to semi sweet, and everything in between which can help toward tempering hot and spicy dishes. Though on the dryer side, one of our personal favorites is the Château de Fontenille Entre-Deux-Mers 2013. This Sauvignon Blanc blend is a mélange of scintillating citrus, fig and melon with an underpinning of minerality for the ideal combination of sweet and spicy.

Oysters

Since more than 200 years ago, raw oysters have been declared the pinnacle of all aphrodisiacal foods. Oysters are said to be the first edibles used to increase sexual desire in the second century by the Romans and by legendary lover, Casanova. The compounds found in raw oysters such as zinc, D-aspartic acid and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) help to raise your libido and can also raise the levels of estrogen and testosterone found in your body.

Perfect wine pairing: Viognier

Originally from the Northern Rhône region in France, Viogniers are medium-dry to dry and are lighter flavored wines that usually have flavors of tree fruits, nuttiness, and undertones of spice with peachy aromas. The Château du Trignon Viognier Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc 2013 offers finely honed fruit flavors and subtle complexity that will pair perfectly with raw or cooked oysters.

Chocolate

Everyone loves chocolate. Whether it’s liquid or solid, hot or cold, chocolate always seems to bring us instant joy. This is probably because of the “feel good” chemicals found inside chocolate, namely Serotonin and Phenylethylamine. This inseparable chocolate-happiness connection is far from a recent discovery, as the Aztec emperor, Montezuma, is rumored to have consumed up to 50 goblets of chocolate each day in order to fuel his sexual desires. Sounds like he’s trying to overcompensate for something!

Perfect wine pairing: Shiraz

Slightly softer and more subdued than Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz (aka Syrah) is still full of flavor with bright notes of red and dark berries, peppery undertones, and fine tannins. The Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage Shiraz 2013 with a luscious and lively core black cherry and mulberry flavors wrapped in a light patina of oak, it pair perfectly with any chocolaty dessert.

For more information on pairing wines with your favorite meals, visit our Food & Wine Pairing Guide and be sure to see our 2014 3 Aphrodisiacal Food & Wine Pairings.

Girl Scout Cookies and Wine Pairings

February 2, 2015 by Kristina Manning

If you’re like us, you can’t pass on buying a box (or ten) of Girl Scout Cookies on your way out of the store. While relaxing with one of your wines from your wine club, here are some pairings to help polish off some of those Girl Scout Cookies in the kitchen.

Porter Brisket Sandwiches

January 30, 2015 by Kristina Manning

Super Bowl XLIX is just around the corner and we cannot wait to see what the Seahawks and the Patriots have in store for us! In anticipation for the big game, we are making Porter Brisket Sandwiches that are cooked to perfection in a slow cooker that is finished off with a creamy horseradish sauce.

Makes 12 sliders or 6 larger sandwiches

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil – divided
4 tbs unsalted butter – divided
2 large Mayan (sweet) onions – sliced
4 lbs beef brisket
salt and pepper
1 head of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
12 ounces of porter or dark beer
1 can of stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1/4 cup + 2 tbs worchestershire sauce – divided
1/4 cup + 2 tbs balsamic vinegar – divided
1 cup sour cream
1 tbs cream style horseradish
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp smoked paprika
12 slider buns or 6 regular sized buns

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat add the half the oil (1 tbs), half the butter (2 tbs) and onions. Cook until lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Remove from pan, set aside.

Liberally salt and pepper the brisket on all sides.

Add the rest of the oil and butter to the onion pan and sear the brisket until browned on all sides. Add to a slow cooker. Top with onions and garlic, then add the beer, un-drained tomatoes, 1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup balsamic.

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until fork tender. About 30 minutes before done, add 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce and 2 tbs balsamic.

Remove the brisket, thinly slice.

Drain the onions, transfer to a small bowl.

In a small bowl stir together the sour cream, horseradish, garlic powder and smoked paprika.

Fill the buns with brisket, onions and sour cream mixture.

South African Wines: Where the Quality and Values Are

January 23, 2015 by Don Lahey

A decade ago, finding an exciting bottle of South African wine in the United States was a hit-or-miss proposition at best. Not so today. In the past decade, South Africa has ramped up both the quality and variety of wines available for export. Today, South Africa offers a wide selection of very high-quality red and white wines at affordable prices. Thanks to the strength of the U.S. dollar versus the South African rand, even the most compelling South African wines remain in the reach of most American oenophiles. Some of the most exciting recent offerings from that other land down under include:

Bellingham-Vineyard — Vineyard at Bellingham

2013 Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage/Shiraz: A smooth, succulent blend of Pinotage and Shiraz that is nearly impossible to resist because it goes great with all kinds of foods (or all by itself). The estate’s flagship offering, the 2011 Bellingham’s Bernard Series Syrah/ Mourvedre/Viognier, provides even more pleasure. It is a deep, rich Northern Rhône-style wine that will thrill those looking for a powerful, complex wine of noble bearing.
2012 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon and 2011 Rustenberg John X. Merriman: The 2012 Rustenberg Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the finest values in Cabernet Sauvignon on the market from anywhere, while the 2011 Rustenberg John X. Merriman is the estate’s iconic super premium red Bordeaux blend that puts to shame more than a few big name Bordeaux châteaux.
2012 or 2013 Black Pearl Mischief Maker Shiraz: These two wines are a perennial favorite of Mary Lou Nash, the American-born winemaker who never misses a beat.
2012 Boschendal S&M (Shiraz/Mourvedre) and 2013 Boschendal Chardonnay: These two excellent wines offer the best value in red and white wine on the market today.
2012 Groot Constantia Pinotage: The ideal medium-bodied red wine for purists who want unadulterated Pinotage from one of the longest surviving trademarks in the world, and the oldest wine producing farm in South Africa.
2010 or 2011 Edgebaston GS Cabernet Sauvignon: A staggering Napa Valley-style of Cabernet Sauvignon that won’t set you back a king’s ransom. And, for those seeking exceptional, every-day drinkable wines, try any vintage of the Edgebaston Berry Box, an easy drinking blend of Cabernet and Merlot, or the Edgebaston Honey Shale Hill white, a delightful, fruity white wine with a zip.

Equally impressive are South African Sauvignon Blancs and Chenin Blancs from the above producers.

Salute!
Don

Don’s January Collectors Series Top Pick

January 20, 2015 by Don Lahey

Whether it is Domaine Fournier’s super premium 2012 Cuvée Silex Sancerre or any number of the month’s exceptional reds, all of January’s Collectors Series features should please the most discerning of palates. We had an unusually high level of interest from our membership in this month’s Primary Collectors Series red wines, which necessitated us choosing two outstanding Italian wines for the same category: the 2008 Il Palazzino Bertinga and the 2010 Revello Barolo. Each expresses the essence of its respective region. The 2008 Bertinga hails from one of Tuscany’s most renowned vineyards and producers, and it epitomizes the greatness of Cabernet, Merlot, and Petit Verdot in Tuscany. Revello’s 2010 Barolo emanates from several choice vineyards in La Morra, Barolo’s most renowned commune. Moreover, Revello’s Barolo captures both the elegance and power of Barolo, and this is particularly true in the outstanding 2010 vintage. For these reasons, the 2008 Il Palazzino Bertinga and 2010 Revello Barolo share this month’s Top Pick.

Enjoy!
Don

Don’s January Premier Series Top Pick

January 19, 2015 by Don Lahey

The January 2015 Premier Series offers an exceptional lineup of wines from three different countries. It took an unusual amount of searching and tasting to come up with the four wines we ultimately chose for this month. With that said, Massone’s Vigneto Masera Gavi has always been a personal favorite. And who makes better Cru Beaujolais than Château Pizay? Beautiful, balanced Viognier is very hard to come by, too, but Château du Trignon nailed it with their 2013 Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc. Yet, this month’s Top Pick goes to the 2013 Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage/Shiraz, a smooth, satisfying red wine that simply blew us away. There is plenty to like about this wine’s savory aroma and lively black cherry and mulberry flavors, all which come wrapped in ripe tannins with nary an edge. In fact, our two tasting panels for the 2013 Ancient Earth Pinotage Shiraz enjoyed this wine so much that they immediately stopped spitting and began drinking – always a good sign for the wine, but a bad omen for the wines to follow. One sip of the 2013 Bellingham Ancient Earth Pinotage/ Shiraz and you’ll see why we stopped spitting. In addition, this excellent wine is an International Wine of the Month Club exclusive.

Enjoy!
Don

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Chili Peppers

Oysters

Chocolate

Thin Mints

Samoas®/Caramel deLites™

Tagalongs®/Peanut Butter Patties®

Trefoils/Shortbread

Do-Si-Dos™/Peanut Butter Sandwich

Thanks-A-Lot™

Lemonades

Ingredients

Directions