Price:  ~$20

Producer:  Etienne Daulny

Country:  France

Region:  Sancerre

Review by:  Jeff Bovee,  Wine Neophyte

I pulled out another bottle of white from the Loire Valley tonight, as I’ve been in a French wine state of mind for a couple weeks now. I know many of you that favor American west coast wines and you’re used to the name of the grape on the bottle (e.g. Blackstone Merlot). This particular bottle is another one of those wines that are made in a specific region of France and composed primarily of one grape varietal. The region: Sancerre. The grape: Sauvignon Blanc.

This particular producer, Etienne Daulny, has taken Sauv Blanc grapes from several venerated vineyards and created a very crisp and bright little white. It has flavors of tart apple and grapefruit with a nice little punch of acidity that will make your face pucker a wee bit. You probably are well aware now that good acidity can play well with many food types. I personally paired this bottle with a little grilled fish, roasted green beans and some mushroom rice pilaf. Just before dinner, we enjoyed what could be marketed as the practically perfect pairing for Sancerre: goat cheese on slices of baguette. I know, I know…many of you out there are saying, “who the hell eats goat cheese on baguettes besides pompous wine people?!”   Lemmie tell you:  I’m still a relative newbie of the wine world, but all you gotta do is try this pairing once, and you’ll understand.  It personally makes me dream of the French countryside…and Scarlett Johansson. The latter probably has more to do with my recent but 27th viewing of The Avengers, but regardless…it all makes me a little giddy.

Other good pairings I think would be:

• Sushi (with a little wasabi)
• Oysters
• Salad with a vinaigrette dressing
• Any triple cream cheese (then again, what DOESN’T go with TCC?)

Loved this one.

WineGeekTV Rating: 8/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

PRICE: ~$12
WINERY:  Auguste Bonhomme
COUNTRY: France
REGION: Vouvray

Review by:  Jeff Bovee, Wine Neophyte

My wife, while an amazing, creative, and sexy cook, she appreciates when I come up with something for dinner.   So tonight, we did chicken Cesar salad.   But being the lazy cook I am, I ran over and picked up a rotisserie chicken from Kowalski’s.  Wilst I wandered the aisles, I came upon a LOVELY French double-cream cheese (Fromager d’Affinois) and a baguette as a little apéritif.   We even mixed a little fig spread with the cheese.

Now home, I went in search of a decent pairing.  I still consider myself a novice at this, but at least I know chicken (in general) means white.  The safest bet would probably be a Chardonnay, but I decided to do something a little different.  Reached in to the wine cooler and found a Vouvray.   What is a Vouvray, you say?   Well, to be honest, I knew it was French but had to hit the interweb to get more info.   Vouvray is a region in the Loire Valley in France and is made from Chenin Blanc grapes.  This particular bottle was sweeter, not really complicated, affordable, but honestly…went AMAZINGLY well with our spread and the salad.  It kind of hinted of the juice you get in canned pears, and even had a hint of fig on the palate.  The food aside, I think this would be a lovely sipping wine for a hot summer day.  You’d think this thing had the alcohol content of a Moscato, but this thing is up there at 12%!   So pace yourself, or you may end up dancing around like Elaine Bennis.  ”Sweet fancy Moses!”

WineGeekTV Rating: 7/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Wines Featured in the Show:

• Angeline Chardonnay Reserve 2011 (~$10)
• Noble House (Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler) Riesling 2010  (~$12)
• Flaco Tempranillo 2011  (~$8)

Better Than Average Pairing:  Glazed Ham

A Chardonnay pairing swings into another BTAP, and just in time for Easter dinner!  Over 1 billion Catholics will be celebrating the holiday this coming weekend, and I can safely say that at least a dozen or so will be enjoying a delicious ham for their main course.   Why is Chardonnay the better than average pairing for ham, you ask?  It has to do with our specific preparation…which is so easy that even those that are cooking challenged (like Bovee) can pull this one off.

We’ve discussed this before, but yellow mustard and Chardonnay go hand in hand like vodka and tonic.  For this recipe, we use mustard as the zippy base for a sweet, caramelized glaze.  At this point, I’d normally link to a specific recipe online, but could not find this exact precision method for my kick-ass ham glaze.   Please find below our better-than-Food-Network version of the Easter honey ham.

Glazed Ham

• Roasting pan
• Bone-in half honey ham
• Yellow mustard
• Brown sugar
• 2 cans of Coke (or sweet beverage of your choice, but brown cola is recommended)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the bottom of the roasting pan and place the ham in the center with the cut side down.  Spread yellow mustard on the ham (fairly thick…like a PB sandwich), then proceed to pack the brown sugar in a generous layer around all exposed sides of the ham.  Stick the ham in the oven for 30 minutes, then take out and baste with Coke.   Place ham back in oven and baste every 30 minutes.   A 7-10 pound ham should be in the oven for about 2 hours total.  Use a meat thermometer to gauge internal temperature, which should be 145 degrees when done.

Wines Featured in the Show:

• 2010 Cantine Prá Soave Classico
• Centonze Cerasuolo di Vittoria
• 2007 Vietti Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne
• 2008 Brigaldara Amarone della Valpolicella

Taste My Tweet:  Italian Style

This was actually the 4th Taste My Tweet event, but the first ever caught on video.   What is TMT?  It’s a collection of Twin Cities wine people who believe the synchronized drinking and tweeting makes for enhanced enjoyment for the recipients of said tweets.  We have yet to validate that theory.  Regardless, it’s one helluva good time when we tweet our tasting.

This month’s theme was Italian wines, and we held court at Bovee’s “terror bunker”.  Normally the food is bread and cheese based, however we are fortunate to have our favorite foodie, Miss Amanda Paa, on board.  She has a lovely website you should visit at Healthy Life, Happy Chef, where she shares insanely tasty but health culinary delights.   We started with a Venetonian wonder she brought, the Prá Soave Classico. It has some weight but well balanced with fresh acidity and a mild nuttiness. It was a perfect foil with the roasted squash and goat cheese number she graced us with. A great start.

Next up was Allison (The Savvy Lush) and her choice of the Centonze Cerasuolo from down Sicily way. With its bright cherry and cranberry notes and fairly dry finish, I seem to recall it going nicely with some of the harder, aged cheeses we had in play. I’ve loved this wine for months and was happy to see its inclusion to the TMT repertoire.

Mr. Bovee was kind enough to share an Italian classic from his cellar. The Vietti Barbera d’Asti was showing very well this night.  Medium bodied, smooth and fairly zippy, but walks around with a quiet confidence that says she can ball with the best of them. This is the one I would really like to go back and re-taste. Very user-friendly.

As I mention in the video, I gotta believe that 2008 was a great year for Amarone. I’ve tasted a few in the last several months and they have all been knock-outs. However, none have blown my mind like the Brigaldara Amarone Classico. It’s rich, bright, fruity and smooth.  This is not for the young but for the young at heart. Drink it, think about it and put it aside for 20 minutes. Take the next sip after you have figured out your life. It is intense perfection.

Happy Holidays!

We thought it would be fun to invite some of the wine rock stars from around the Twin Cities to share a few of their favorite wines with us to help you come up with some great gifts, or to create your own holiday wish list.  We recruited a  wine shop owners,  some sommeliers, two wine bloggers, and a partridge in a pear tree.

So thus begins what we hope will be a holiday tradition for years to come.  Watch in the coming days for A Few of Our Favorite Things, and have a very Happy Holiday Season!

Episode 1 – The Savvy Lush, Allison Wagner

Click here to view the embedded video.

We begin our holiday “Favorite Things” series with one of the coolest wine bloggers there is…the Savvy Lush herself, Allison Wagner. Allison has a way of taking the sometimes complicated and ostentatious topic of wine and dissects it in a way that makes it consumable by the average Joe or Jane…just like we like it at WineGeekTV.

We are so glad she accepted our invitation to come share some of her favorite wines! Check out her blog at TheSavvyLush.com. It’ll turn you on to some awesome wine.

Episode 2 – Jeff Kycek, Sommelier & WineGeekTV Host

Click here to view the embedded video.

We obviously couldn’t have a WineGeekTV special without including our own crazy wine connoisseur Jeff Kycek.   He began as a super hero to the uneducated wine buyer in the Minneapolis metro area (and some surrounding suburbs).  But his wine knowledge has been passed to many a common man and woman around the world via the magic of the interweb.    His amazingness can be best experienced just by watching him in action, so press play and enjoy!

Episode 3 – Leslee Miller, Sommelier

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Sommelier Leslee Miller braved the insane weather we had 2 weeks ago to help us with our “Favorite Things” series. She was one of two women who were the only ones that made it to the first shoot. TOTAL TROOPERS…which is less than I can say for the men who “needed to reschedule”.  Leslee is an amazing source of wine knowledge and  is a hot commodity on the wine speaking circuit, especially in the Twin Cities.   If you get a chance to go to one of her engagements, you  will not be disappointed!

 Episode 4 – Jason Kallsen, The Wine Company

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Jason Kallsen is one of those guys who lives and breathes wine and wine lore. The taste is always important, but to him the spiritual bounty of a wine can only be fully experienced if you know it’s story. Jason shares a few of his favorites from one particular pair of winemakers who have strong ties back to the Twin Cities. And while he works at The Wine Company, he also created TwinCitiesWine.com, a source of “intimidation-free wine knowledge”. I highly recommend you check it out.

Episode 5 – Amanda Paa, HealthyLifeHappyCook.com

Click here to view the embedded video.

Amanda Paa is one of those people who knows how to love wine: with food! Her website, HealthyLifeHappyCook.com, is loaded with amazing healthy recipes that look and sound so good you are virtually driven to try them. But why would a foodie be on a wine show? Because she’s also a wine nut and knows how to identify the perfect pairing with her recipes. So glad she accepted the invitation to share a few of her favorites!

Episode 6 – Chuck Kanski, Solo Vino

Click here to view the embedded video.

As we begin to wrap up “Few of Our Favorite Things” for 2012, there’s one wine guru we had to make sure to get. Chuck Kanski is the quintessential wine enthusiast. Very few can discuss wine in the Twin Cities without thinking of Chuck. He can generate more energy talking to one customer about Spanish wines than Mick Jagger can produce in a 2 hour show, and his spring Rosé tastings are like rock concerts. If there’s is no one person you want at a wine tasting, it’s Chuck…cuz he is one giant catalyst for fun!

Chuck shares a few of his favs, and all are great gift ideas for the holidays…especially the sparklers!  Check out his store and site at SoloVinoWines.com.

Episode 7 – Jeff Bovee, WineGeekTV

Click here to view the embedded video.

It’s pretty evident to me why I am, and should remain, more behind the scenes that on camera. My other wine friends from this series are clearly more fluid, natural, and entertaining that I. Despite my less than savvy presentation, I do not want that to diminish the wines I mentioned in any way, as both are truly worth your exploration if you’re not already familiar. We will be planning more recommendations from our local wine experts in the coming year and beyond, so stay tuned!

I hope you enjoyed the series and that it gave you some helpful info to use in your own wine endeavors. And may you have a wonderful and safe rest of 2012 that include many good friends, good times, and good wine!

Wines Featured in the Show:

• 2003 Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac Les Pins

Better Than Average Pairing:  Shortbread Cookies

The holidays are upon us, and you know you’re going to be invited to a few parties, and you’ll most likely need to bring a hostess gift. So far I haven’t had a lot of positive feedback giving a  set of self esteem hypnosis cassettes, so this year I’m going to try this little pairing recommended by The Som.  The shortbread is nice and mild and offsets the insane sweetness of the dessert wine.    However, there are many types of dessert or after dinner wines, so make sure you know what you’re getting.  You have our pairing for the Les Pins from Monbazillac, but what if you get an ice wine (aka Eiswein…which is a wine where the grapes are left on the vine and allowed to freeze a little to concentrate the juice).  Then you might want to do an apple pie or peach cobbler.  If you get a port, then pair with some dark chocolate.   If you’re unsure, just ask your wine person…they should know.  If they don’t, you need to find a new wine shop.

Dessert wines are a beautiful little finish to any meal, and a guarantee you will be invited to the party next year. If that’s not your objective with certain individuals, then I recommend the cassette tapes.

Wines Featured in the Show:

• 2011 Champteloup Touraine Sauvignon Blanc

Better Than Average Pairing:  Goat Cheese & Tomatoes

For some people, the two words “goat” and “cheese” used in succession immediately inspire bad memories from their grandparents farm. But let me assure you, as a man who hates tomatoes like Viking fans hate Christian Ponder,  this little wine and food pairing is lovely and IT WORKS.  We team up a French Sauv Blanc with a little tomato and goat cheese sprinkled and EV olive oil.  The Som pulls together a recipe even I could follow, and with that another better-than-average pairing.  The Champteloup has this bright acidity which complements the acidity of the tomatoes and washes away the creaminess of the cheese.   It also has hints of grass and lemon, so you could easily serve this with an always classic Sauv Blanc pairing of fish.  Here’s a simple recipe for whitefish with lemon and herb.

Bon appetit!

PRICE: ~$15

WINERY: Conde de Hervías

COUNTRY:  Spain

SUB-REGION:  Rioja

With one more Minnesota weekend trying to reach into the 50s, I knew I had to try to get another night on the grill before the snow falls.   I went in search of some good wine to pair with some big, fat rib eye steaks.  I happen to be wondering around St. Paul and stopped in at two of my favorite wine shops and picked up a couple different bottles.  Got home and presented the options to my wife, and she leaned towards the Conde de Hervías  ”Mencos” Rioja which was reflexively recommended by Chuck Kanski at Solo Vino since his favorite varietal is Tempranillo.

I have to admit, I was a little concerned when I was getting flowers and vanilla on the nose, as I had added a little red pepper to the meat.    I thought I might have muscled the wine right out of contention.  But it held its own with its very ripe, steel-fermented bad self.   After a few sips, I started to get some earthiness and tobacco on the nose, as well as tart cherry and tannin on the palate.   The pairing worked fine, but I enjoyed the wine after dinner even more so.

This is a good buy for $15.  Grab it if you find it.

WineGeekTV Rating: 8/10 Scarlett Johansson Heads

Wines Featured in the Show:

• Señorio De Rubiós Albariño   (~$11)

Better than Average Pairing:  Salmon

General pairing rule of thumb:  red meat, red wine…white meat or fish, white wine.   Is that 100% true?  No.  However, you’re safe about 86.9% of the time.

The rule applied for our pairing today.  All we did was sprinkle some sea salt, black pepper, and drizzled some EV olive oil on two salmon fillets, and 10 minutes on the grill later…we were enjoying lunch.   As the savvy sommelier stated, the bright acidity of the Albariño cuts through the slightly oily/fatty salmon and cleanses the palate.  It’s so good at refreshing your taste buds, you can put it up against things with a little more kick.  Here’s a 10 minute recipe for szechuan chicken that will do you no wrong.  And if you have a few extra minutes, you could even try this garlic shrimp number from Rachael Ray.

Enjoy!

Wines Featured in the Show:

• 2010 Buehler Vineyards Russian River Valley Chardonnay  (~$15)

Better Than Average Pairing: Hot Dogs

This is the first show in what we hope to be a fun series of not only helpful but enjoyable wine and food pairing shows.  They are meant to be quick and easy (to watch), just like the food and recipes we pair with the wine.  We’ve all seen those pairings that tout things like “Chardonnay goes exquisitely with  grilled trout fillets with crunchy pine nut lemon topping”.  I don’t know about you, but I get to “pine nut” and they’ve already lost me.   Our pairings are meant to be easy, every day kind of meals for the average Joe and Jane, like us, who may not have pine nuts lying around the kitchen.

For this starter show, we made it INSANELY easy for you:  a grilled hot dog with mustard.  If you need a step by step recipe for that, I advise you stay away from grills or anything involving an open flame.

…and motorized vehicles.

…and sharp objects.

Anywho, if you do wish to get a little fancier than a grilled dog, here’s a  recipe for a pork loin that we love and it’s easy as hell.    If you notice, at the very end of this recipe they recommend a Merlot which, in my opinion, makes little sense. Really? Mustard Lime Vinaigrette and Merlot? Sounds gross just thinking about it.   Stick with the Chardonnay.