Great Wine Made Simple - Andrea Immer [100]
Alsace Trimbach, Lucien Albrecht, Paul Blanck, Pierre Sparr, and Marcel Deiss
Germany Anything from the Strub, Selbach-Oster, and Robert Weil wineries
New World Allan Scott from New Zealand, Grosset and Pike’s from Australia, and Chateau Ste. Michelle from Washington
SAUVIGNON BLANC Although I am a Riesling fanatic, I drink this more often at home because the great ones are easier to find and sometimes more affordable. We’re talking Sancerre and Bordeaux from France, plus the varietal Sauvignon (and Fumé) Blancs from the United States, New Zealand, Chile, and Australia. My favorites:
Sancerre Jolivet, Crochet, and Château de Sancerre
Bordeaux from these chateaux Carbonnieux, Chantegrive, and La Louvière from Graves, and the basic Bordeaux white from Michel Lynch
Chile Casa Lapostolle, Veramonte, and Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo
Reds
FUNKY AUSTRALIAN BLENDS It seems the Aussies are a little more democratic in their attitude about wine grapes. Rather than being slaves to fashion (in other words, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah/Shiraz), they take a “love all, blend all” approach, using lots of different grapes, often in interesting combinations. They make their share of single-grape varietal wines, too, but a lot of these nifty blends have the character of a boutique wine without the high cost. Look for Cabernet-Merlot, Shiraz-Cabernet, and Grenache/Syrah/Mourvèdre blends. They often have proprietary names.
My specific favorites are: Grenache/Shiraz, Hill of Content; Red Ochre Grenache/Shiraz, D’Arenberg Cellars (“Red Ochre” evokes the area’s flame-colored cliffs, whose dust was used to tint Aboriginal body paint); Rosemount Cabernet-Merlot, and Penfolds Koonunga Hill Shiraz-Cabernet.
ZINFANDEL The red kind. If you are a fan of California Cabernet or Merlot, consider red Zinfandel, which offers at lower prices the full-throttle, juicy, California-red intensity you are looking for. Cline Cellars’ plain California bottling and Joel Gott’s Amador Zinfandel are two of the great values, but there are so many wonderful California Zins.
Here is my short list of the other great names: Rafanelli, Renwood, Ridge, Ravenswood, Rosenblum, Mt. Veeder, and Andrew Murray.
CHIANTI As we discussed in Chapter 7, Chianti has morphed into a seriously good wine at doable prices. Some winery names offering great Chianti values are: Badia a Coltibuono, Viticcio, Dievole, Brolio, Castello di Gabbiano, and Querciabella. Any of these are great food wines (my highest compliment), spicy and easy-drinking, yet with Chianti character.
BARBERA As you have learned, this is an Italian red grape, grown in the Piedmont district. It’s soft and juicy and the inexpensive versions are the chameleons of the dinner table. They fit right in with nearly every food imaginable, so they’re always a great bet in restaurants. There are a few expensive ones, which are a little less flexible, but great with cheese. My picks include: Barbera d’Alba, Moccagatta; Barbera d’Asti, Chiarlo; and Barbera d’Albas from Vietti, Pio Cesare, and Prunotto.
SPANISH RIOJA For my money, this is the red wine for value. Great boutique bottlings are sprouting up everywhere, yet you still have to look pretty hard to pay in excess of twenty-five bucks. Even mass-market bottlings offer good, reliable drinking year after year. Look for bottles with the term Crianza for day-to-day drinking with pretty much any food. Bottles labeled Reserva and Gran Reserva, which, as you know, are barrel- and bottle-aged longer, offer intensity that is well worth the trade-up in price. My top pick is the Rioja Crianza from Marqués de Cáceres. I also love Riojas from these bodegas: Loriñon, Remelluri, Sierra Cantabria, Contino, Montecillo, Finca Allende, and Marqués de Arienzo.
Theme Buying
There are many situations when buying considerations go beyond your own taste. A deal-closing steak dinner with a client, pot roast with the whole family, wine