Mourvedre

Can you believe it’s February already?! A month down, 11 to go. Hope I can find 334 more topics to write about. Please send me ideas. I’m open to hearing from you about what you’d like to see.

Origin

Mourvedre actually originated in Spain, where it is known as Monastrell, and had been a component of Châteauneuf-du-Pape until Grenache overtook it, and is only surpassed in acreage in Spain by Grenache. It is also cultivated in France, Australia and California.

Style

This black grape can be found as a single varietal, but is widely blended with Syrah, Carigñan and Tempranillo to produce wines that have aging potential as well as to improved tannin and color.

Characteristics

Wines made from Mourvedre have beautiful intense garnet color, deep red fruit flavors, with aromas of game and leather. This grape makes it challenging to select any distinct characteristics, but when young in highly tannic and alcoholic, so decant, decant, decant your young Mourvedre.

Pairing

Mourvèdre-based wines pair well with grilled and roasted meats, root vegetables, mushrooms and dark fowl such as duck. It is a great wine for a winter meal of chicken and dumplings.

Stop by

If you are out and about this week, stop by Associated Bank on Richmond Street in Appleton, and check out my display (it’s a small display). Let me know what you think.

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Trebbiano

Good Monday morning everyone! With the beginning of a new week, we may be yearning for the weekend again, so I’ll start out the week on a light note (with a light Trebbiano), giving us time to warm up to working again.

Origin

Trebbiano originated in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and likely gets its name from the river Trebbia and is the most planted grape in Italy. This same wine has migrated to France where it is known as Ugni Blanc. In the U.S., you may find this style in California wines, but you will more likely find it as a blend of white wines than on its own.

Style

Trebbiano has high yields and unremarkable qualities and can be fresh and fruity, but should be enjoyed while young. This grape is also the dominant grape used in the production of high quality Cognacs.

Characteristics

Trebbiano produces a dry, very pale wine with high acidity and a clean finish. You may notice aromas of citrus and an unassuming light almond finish.

Pairing

If you are enjoying Trebbiano on its own, you will want to pair it with light foods, such as fish and light pastas. Cognac can be enjoyed on its own in small sips after dinner.

In ancient times, Trebbiano was thought to be a lower class wine by the upper class, and was popular with the Roman army, likely because of its availability (being the most planted grape in Italy).

The wonderful thing about wine is the opportunity to try and find so many different styles, and to be able to share the experiences. So, whether try this wine itself with its light, dry style or whether you try it as a Cognac, I hope you enjoy it with friends!

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Sauvignon Blanc

White Chicken Chili — that’s what I made for lunch today. At my full-time job at Alternative Solutions in Sheboygan, we had “soup week” where each day someone brought in a different soup. Today, a co-worker and I brought in Chili: she brought in red chili and I brought in White Chicken Chili. So, as I was making it and putting the ingredients together, I was thinking of what wines would pair well with it (I happen to have a few bottles in my overhead bin at work).

Well, Chenin Blanc will actually pair nicely with White Chicken Chili, and so will a nice light Sauvignon Blanc. Read on for more info on this elegant and adaptable grape and follow through to the end to see what wine will pair well with your red Chilis.

Sauvignon Blanc is an earthy wine, commonly generating aromas of grass, and as mentioned in previous blogs, is used as a blending wine with Sémillon to create a Meritage or Sauterne wine.

Sauvignon Blanc originated in Bordeaux and its name refers to “savage white”, so when you drink a Sauvignon Blanc, you can picture yourself as enjoying a wild white wine, which is one of the reasons I’m going to enjoy it with the White Chicken Chili. Researchers have recently discovered, and this is amazing to me, that Sauvignon Blanc – a white grape – is a parent grape along with Cabernet Franc to Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wines from this widely-planted grape should be fresh and crisp, with grassy aromas and citrus flavors. Other foods you can pair with this bright wine are shellfish, summer salads, Havarti cheese and I like it with green olives.

Alternative Solutions is a fantastic company, developing software solutions for small to medium property and casualty insurance companies. They are so supportive of my wine business and have often had wine tastings in the office. When we have food weeks or festive lunches, we crack open a bottle of wine or beer (wine for me, thank you, even with a last name of ‘Brewer’). I will be enjoying a Sauvignon Blanc with the White Chicken Chili and those who will enjoy the red Chili could pair it with Zinfandel or Sagrantino de Montefalco. What is Sagrantino di Montefalco you ask? You’ll just have to check back on another day.

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Malbec

I was approached this morning by a member in my networking group who wanted to find a way to learn about wines and know what the right wines are to select with foods. Well, of course, I let her know that my wine tastings are a fabulous way to do that AND have fun at the same time – visit: www.greatWineSource.com\wine_tastings. I also recommended that she visit this blog daily. We are all so busy, but this is a quick way for the new wine enthusiast to learn a little bit about wines, aromas, flavors, and food pairings.

On to the Malbec …

When you think of Malbec, what region of the world do you think of? I think of Argentina. Well, did you know that it actually originated in Burgundy, France? This dark, inky wine was one of the six grapes blended into the red Bordeaux, and is still grown in France, but in the Cahors region in Southwest France.

I imagine Argentina when enjoying Malbec because Argentinean Malbecs have a certain romance surrounding them, producing such beautiful, robust wines, while remaining lovely and enjoyable for the newer wine enthusiast.

In Argentina, it is generally made in the style of Cabernet Sauvignon (and can be blended with). Malbec is more approachable when young, with somewhat softer tannins than Cabernet, but still retains structure and body.

You may enjoy your Malbec with aromas and flavors of leather, blackberry, chocolate, with subtle hints of flowers and herbs. Interesting foods to pair with this favorite are bread dipped in olive oil with garlic, chile peppers and cilantro (bringing in a bit of sassiness to match this sexy wine); casseroles, anti-pasta and grilled steaks (really steaks and most red wines are a delicious combination).

As a shout-out to Kelly, if you need to furnish your office, hotel, hospital, restaurant, see Kelly Nething, Lakeshore Business Interiors: www.lakeshorebi.com, 800-236-8497 (be sure to ask for Kelly and tell her Kathy Brewer sent you!)

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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Chardonnay

The weather promises to warm up here this week, so I’ll wrap up today with a chilled white wine again and tomorrow perhaps I’ll move on to a luscious red. The great thing about this blog is I don’t know from day-to-day which wines I’m going to focus on, so it’s a new experience for me each day, and I hope an enjoyable one for you too.

  

Chardonnay is grown all over the world, although it originated in Burgundy (and is the varietal found in the wine White Burgundy). It is also an important grape in Champagne (as I mentioned in an earlier post).

Chardonnay grapes are very hardy; a primary reason for its popularity and versatility. Chardonnay wines are always dry, so if you lean toward drier wines, this grape is a good choice. When aged in oak, it will give the wine complexity, depth, full body with a buttery finish, but should also involve a balance of oak. If you are drinking a wine and the oak and toast is all that you notice, it has likely been left in the barrel too long.

Select a wine aged in oak if you are a fan of buttery aromas and flavors. However, if you prefer your Chardonnays light crisp and unoaked (or if you are not a Chardonnnay fan right now, but want to grow into enjoying it) you will lean toward Chardonnnays that were partially aged in oak. Winemakers today are blending Chardonnay with other sweeter varietals such as Riesling or Muscat to add lighter fruit dimension and to satisfy the masses. The Chardonnays that we’ve had in our tastings that are blended with Riesling or Muscat are much more popular than the fully oaked Chardonnays. My feeling is if we are expanding one’s palette and helping them grow in appreciation of wines, fantastic!

Common aromas and flavors with Chardonnay are apple, butter, pineapple, vanilla, tropical fruit. (Mmmm, just writing those sounds delicious … I might have to open up a bottle of Chardonnnay later.) Pair this wine with fruits, grilled freshwater fish, buttery mashed potatoes, and I’ve had it with a fantastic recipe that I’ve added to my Recipes section for your culinary pleasure.

Cheers to full glasses all around!

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