Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I am back again with a new edition of Thursday Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food & drink events.
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1) Gordon Wilcox, CEO of Wilcox Hospitality Group; Dr. William G. Austen, Jr., Chief of the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital; Brian Poe, chef & co-owner of The Tip Tap Room, Poe’s Taco Room at Lower Depths and Bukowski Tavern – Cambridge, will all come together on Monday, October 2, at 6:00pm, for the 4th annual “Chefs for Clefts” fundraiser at The Tip Tap Room to benefit the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Global Surgical Initiative.

Funds raised from the charitable fête will directly assist Dr. William G. Austen, Jr.’s “Cartagena Surgical Missions” that support children with facial deformities and cleft lips as well as burn victims in Colombia. During its existence, the Cartagena Surgical Mission has served more than 700 children who otherwise would have no access to care.

This festive “Night in Colombia” themed event will kick-off with South American music as well as complimentary Colombian-inspired cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres, as prepared by The Tip Tap Room’s Brian Poe and David Spinazzola.

Brian Poe and chef friends Andy Husbands (Tremont 647; Smoke Shop), Jose Duarte (Taranta), Lydia Shire (Scampo), Rodney Murillo (Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse; Davio’s Cucina), Nick Calias (Brasserie Jo), Mark Sapienza (BOND at The Langham, Boston), Will Gilson (Puritan & Company) and Jason Bond (Bondir) – among others – each graciously have donated a three-course “dinner for ten” with wine pairings at their respective restaurants which will be up for bid during the live auction. Supporters also will have the opportunity to mix and mingle with some the city’s top culinary luminaries who will be present at this evening with a cause.

COST: General Admission (includes open bar and passed hors d'oeuvres): $80 per person in advance; $100 per person at the door
MORE INFO: To purchase event tickets or to make a donation to the Cartagena Surgical Mission, please visit: https://because.massgeneral.org/events/-/e142342.

2) On Monday, September 25, from 6:30pm-9:30pm, North End seafood destination il Molo will host its first-ever wine dinner inspired by the Southern Hemisphere’s unique wine culture. Featuring a four-course dinner specially crafted by Executive Chef Pino Maffeo, each dish will be complemented by hand-selected wines from vineyards across Australia and New Zealand. il Molo is teaming up with local wine making specialist Tom Tellier of Signature Brands for the evening, who will be on-site to guide guests through the nuances of the four wines.

MENU
Upon Arrival
Spy Valley Rose 2017 Marlborough, NZ
First Course
Tuna Crudo (soy, wasabi, olive oil, bread crisps)
Satellite Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Marlborough, NZ
Second Course
Watermelon Salad (Fried Oysters with sambal aioli)
Roaring Meg Riesling 2014 Central Otago Au
Third Course
Hay Roasted Trout (Warm Brussels salad, smoked raisin emulsion)
Roaring Meg Pinot Noir 2014 Central Otago Au.
Fourth Course
Coconut Cake
House made vermouth

TICKETS: Tickets are $69 each (plus tax and gratuity) and can be purchased on Eventbrite
For more information or for grouped seating requests, please call (857) 277-1895.

3) The Mandarin Oriental, Boston has announced the return of Maki@MO, a pop-up sushi lounge located in the hotel lobby.

"An inviting place to gather socially and unwind after a busy day in Back Bay, guests are able sit amongst the lobby’s exotic blonde wood paneling and enjoy an assortment of traditional and signature hand-rolled sushi, appropriately paired with sommelier selected wines and a unique assortment of Japanese beer and whiskey."

Available through October 28, the select Maki@MO menu will be served as follows:
--Atlantic Maki tuna and avocado 8 pieces for $12
--New England Maki tuna, tempura flakes, and spicy mayonnaise 8 pieces for $12
--Boylston Maki crabmeat, avocado, cucumber and tobiko 8 pieces for $12
--Boston Maki salmon, avocado and cucumber 8 pieces for $12
--The signature Mandarin Oriental Maki crabmeat, avocado and cucumber, topped with a colorful display of salmon, tuna, shrimp and avocado 10 pieces for $18.

Serving Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., both casual seated dining and Maki@MO “to go” orders will be available. The Lobby Lounge at Mandarin Oriental, Boston is able to entertain 25 seated guests or a reception for up to 50.

Wines Of the Southern Hemisphere: The Complete Guide

It is now autumn, with a brisk chill to the air, and the winter season will arrive in a couple months. We often don't think about the fact that in the Southern Hemisphere it is now spring, and they are looking forward to summer in a couple months. Near the end of our winter, grape harvest will begin in countries like Argentina and South Africa. How much do you know about the wine regions of the Southern Hemisphere?

You can learn more about these regions in a newly released book, Wines of the Southern Hemisphere: The Complete Guide, written by Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, the World Wine Guys (Sterling Epicure, October 2012, $24.95). It is a 580 page hardcover book, broken down into seven chapters, each covering a different wine producing country. DeSimone and Jenssen are wine, spirits, food and travel writers and are the Entertaining & Lifestyle Contributing Editors for Wine Enthusiast Magazine. They have also written for numerous other magazines and previously published The Fire Island Cookbook.

Their book covers seven countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa and Uruguay. Each chapter is broken down into five sections: a History & Overview, Major Grape Varieties, Wine Regions, Recipes and In Their Own Words. The greatest bulk of the book consists of information about the wineries of these regions. Australia and New Zealand have the longest chapters, each over 100 pages. It is great to see coverage of Brazil and Uruguay, two countries which seem to rarely be addressed anywhere else. 

This book is primarily geared toward the novice wine lover, providing more of a general overview rather than a comprehensive and detailed exploration of these regions. A more advanced wine lover may want much more detail than is provided in sections like the brief History & Overview. Personally, I would have liked to see a more extensive exploration of the history of these countries. The Major Grape Varieties is useful, though I would have also liked to see some information on the lesser known grapes too, to see which new grapes may be up and coming.

The Wine Regions section, the largest part of each chapter, discusses each country's wine regions and then lists many wineries in those various regions, providing basic information about the wineries with a few tasting notes of their wines. This is more of a starting point about these wineries, a sampling that might intrigue you to seek more information elsewhere.    

It is the other two sections of each chapter which most intrigued me. Each chapter contains one to four Recipes, usually provided by the wineries, and often represent regional specialties. For example, you will find a recipe for Familia Zuccardi's Argentine Empanadas. I have visited the Zuccardi winery and greatly enjoyed their empanadas, so it was cool to see this recipe in this book. As another example, you will find a recipe for the Pisco Sour cocktail in the Chile chapter, another item I enjoyed while visiting Chile. From Bellingham Braai Pie (South Africa) to Waipara Lamb Chops (New Zealand), there is much to entice the food lover in this section.

The final section of each chapter is In Their Own Words, a series of interviews with wine personalities from each region. You will find fascinating interviews with people such as Laura Catena of Argentina (winemaker/owner of Catena Zapata), to Philip Van Zyl of South Africa (editor of Platter's Guide). This section will appeal to wine lovers of all levels, providing intriguing insights into the wine industry of each country. These interviews captivated my attention and I am sure other wine lovers, from novices to advanced, will also find much of interest and value.

At $24.95, this hefty book offers an excellent value as an introduction to the wine regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Though primarily for novice wine lovers, there are sections, like Recipes and In Their Own Words, which will appeal to more advanced wine lovers too. The chapters on Brazil and Uruguay also provide much needed information on these countries, information which is tough to find in other wine books. With the holiday season, consider this book as a gift for your wine lover friends.

New Zealand Wines: Current Status and Reviews

Though I have previously tasted numerous New Zealand wines, I actually have had few of them during the last couple years. This is mainly due to my time being taken up with explorations of other wine regions. So I was particularly excited to attend a special New Zealand Wine Showcase recently held at BiNA Osteria in Boston. I was very curious as to the current state of New Zealand wines.

There were over 75 wines available for tasting, from Sauvignon Blanc to Pinot Noir, from Chardonnay to Syrah. The wines were organized by grape and you were able to pour your own wine. This made the tasting convenient, and you could proceed at your own pace, tasting only what you wished.

Though that also meant you usually did not have someone to tell you about the wine or answer your questions. Fortunately, there were a few people around, representing some of the wines, and they were willing to explain more. Attendees also received an informative booklet about the New Zealand wine industry with plenty of information on their grapes and wine regions.

As there were so many wines available, I only tasted a portion of them. But I think I tasted a representative sample of what was there. Overall, I found plenty of solid wines, good tasting ones that were worth their price. Generally, I did not find overpriced their wines so if you buy a New Zealand wine, you will likely get what you pay for. But I failed to find any "wow" wines, something that would dazzle me. There were definitely some interesting wines there, just nothing spectacular.

From the tasting, it was easy to see that New Zealand wines generally have their own unique style. Though there are obviously differences in their wines, you will find many commonalities as well. For example, most of their Sauvignon Blancs have a grassy smell and taste which appeals to many. It was interesting though to get to taste a number of such wines, to see the differences, sometimes subtle, between them despite their common elements.

Let me highlight some of the wines that most appealed to me.

2008 Palliser Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough ($18.99): I freely admit that I generally do not care for New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs as I am not a fan of their grassy flavor. It is just a matter of personal preference and I have plenty of friends who do enjoy that style. But I did like this wine. It had a very pale yellow color, almost clear. It had an interesting nose and on the palate there was a nice blend of light grass, citrus fruit and some minerality. Crisp, nice finish and well balanced.

2008 Te Mara Pinot Gris, Central Otago ($24.00): This was a delightful wine with a nice fruity nose. Those lush fruit flavors came out on the palate as well, some melon, pear and orange peel. Touches of minerality added to the taste. Nice acidity with a long and satisfying finish. Only 656 cases were made and they are currently looking for a local distributor. I hope they find one. I did get to try their Pinot Noir as well and it too was quite good.

2007 Felton Road Riesling, Central Otago ($27.00): A very good dry Riesling with green apple flavors. A crisp wine with a long finish.

There were plenty of Pinot Noirs to taste and here were some of my favorites. It was good to find three that cost under $20 as good Pinots at that price point can be hard to find.

2007 Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($18.00): Good red fruit flavors and some nice spice notes. A light colored wine with a light body feel. This is a Pinot that could pair well with seafood.

2007 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($18.99): This is a more fruit forward style Pinot but goes beyond that. It has nice character, especially for the price.

2007 Nobilo Icon Pinot Noir, Marlborough ($19.99): This was a bit darker in color and more full bodied. It was a meatier wine with good red fruit flavors as well as an earthiness to it. Plenty of complexity and a nice, long finish. It reminded me more of a Burgundy.

2007 Palliser Estate Pinot Noir, Martinborough ($28.00): This was another Pinot that reminded me of a good Burgundy. It had an earthier style with subtle red fruit flavors. It was not as full bodied as the Nobilo.

2006 Trinity Hill "The Gimblett" Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, Hawke's Bay ($29.99): I previously enjoyed a few different Trinity Hill wines, but it has been a couple years since I have drank any. I am going to have to start drinking them again as they are quite good. This wine was silky smooth, with lush dark plum and black cherry flavors. It had a nice structure, good complexity, and a lengthy and satisfying finish. The tannins were restrained.

Besides the cheese and meats provided by BiNA Osteria, there was also a boatload (literally!) of Island Creek Oysters. These happen to be one of my favorite types of oysters, with a delectable briny flavor. If you enjoy oysters, you should seek these out.

Overall, I enjoyed this tasting and it was good to see that New Zealand is producing plenty of good wines at all price points.

Boston Wine School: Rosé Wines

Think Pink for the Summer!

I love Rosé wines and have reviewed a number of them in recent weeks. So when I had the opportunity to attend a tasting class on Rosé wines, including a few less common ones, I was eager to go.

The class was led by Jonathon Alsop at his Boston Wine School. His website states: "Jonathon Alsop is a wine writer covering wine, food and travel since 1988. He is author of the wine column "In Vino Veritas" as well as many articles for the Associated Press, Frequent Flyer, La Vie Claire, Beverage Business Magazine, Mobil Travel Guides, Fodor's Travel Guides, Boston Globe, and others. In addition to writing about wine, Jonathon founded the Boston Wine School in 2000 where he teaches wine and food classes."

This is the second class I have attended at the Boston Wine School, the first being a Wine Writer's course that is still going on (and which I will review later). But the Rosé class was the first tasting course I have taken there. The usual price of these tasting classes is about $50 though the Rosé class was only $35 as the wines are less expensive.

I have found Jonathon to be personable, knowledgeable and very down to earth. He is definitely not some pretentious wine snob. He wants the students to feel comfortable, to trust their own palates, and I think he accomplishes exactly that. There were fourteen people in the class and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves very much, opening up more as the evening progressed. Jonathon helped to make the class fun as well as informative.

The Boston Wine School is a good venue for classes and even has a kitchen area. The tables and chairs are generally set so everyone can more easily see each other as well as converse. It is an intimate setting, perfect for small groups.

Before the class began, Jonathon handed out flute glasses of a German sparkling water, Gerolsteiner Mineral Water, and there was a plate of fresh cantaloupe and strawberries. All intended to help us relax as many were coming directly from work. I thought the water was delicious, with a light and natural effervescence. It is something I am going to seek out as I am usually not a big fan of carbonated waters.

In additions to the wines, Jonathon provided an assortment of foods to nibble on, including figs, three different cheeses, some cured meats, bread, olives and pickles. This was a very nice touch and all of the food was fresh and tasty, especially the cheeses which included a Brie and a Gorgonzola.

We tasted twelve Rosé wines, sequenced from the lightest color to the darkest. Nearly all of these wines cost less than $20 making Rosé a good value.

2006 Dr. Loosen Villa Wolf Rosé de Pinot Noir (Pfalz, Germany): This wine had a very pale color with almost an orange tint to it. It had a subdued aroma with maybe a touch of red fruit. It was a dry wine with some strawberry flavor and a bit of tartness. It was also acidic and only had an alcohol content of 11%. It was ok but nothing special and probably something I would not buy.

2007 Domaines Corey Creek Rosé (North Fork, Long Island): This Rosé is a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. I did not care for the smell as it seemed to have some vegetal notes, maybe from the Cabernet Franc. I also did not care for the taste as I still got green notes and some light effervescence.

2007 Charles Shaw White Zinfandel (Sonoma): Yes, technically White Zinfandel is a Rosé. And I must admit there was a time when I enjoyed White Zinfandel. But the more I have gotten into wine, the less sweet wine I usually want, except for dessert wines. This wine had a sweet strawberry aroma and tasted like strawberry jam or even cotton candy. It only has an alcohol content of 11%. It is still a popular wine but I am no longer a fan, preferring my Rosé to be dry.

2006 Bogle Petite Sirah Rosé (Clarksburg, CA): With a nice pink color, the nose seemed a bit closed as I could not really smell much there. It was a very dry wine with a restrained flavor of strawberry and raspeberry. Its finish was very short, the flavor vanishing very quickly in your mouth. Another Rosé that did not appeal to me.

2007 Louis Jadot Beaujolais Rosé (Beaujolais, Burgundy): I have never had a Beaujolais Rosé before so I was very curious about this wine. It is made from the Gamay grape and has an alcohol content of 12%. It had a pleasant nose of strawberry which followed through on the palate as well, mixed with hints of light cherry. It is a medium bodied wine and almost seems sweet because of the lush fruit but it is not. I found this a very pelasant wine and would recommend it.

2004 Long Beach Shiraz Rosé (Robertson, South Africa): Another Rosé to intrigue me because of its country of origin. I have had only a couple Rosés from South Africa and usually have enjoyed them. This wine was a darker pink color with a more unusual but interesting nose, a bit of apricot and almost tropical fruit. Possibly due to the fact it is older than most other Rosés on the market. Its taste was just as intriguing to me, with touches of apricot but a little strawberry as well. There was also a hint of smokiness that seemed to come and go. A very different Rosé but which is enjoyable. Another wine I would recommend.

2005 Marea Rosato del Salento (Puglia, Italy): This was another older Rosé but it did not fare as well. It was a bit orangey in color with an offputting, medicine smell. It tasted sour with apricot notes and I did not like it.

2007 Kim Crawford Gisborne Rosé (Gisborne, New Zealand): We now moved on to a biigger, bolder Rosé with a vibrant strawberry nose. It was a more full bodied wine with an alcohol content of 14%, though the alcohol was balanced. It is a dry wine with lush fred fruit flavors and would definitely be enjoyable on a summer day.

2005 Galil Mountain Rosé (Galilee, Israel): This was another wine that really intrigued me as I have had very few wines from Israel. This Rosé is a blend of 65% Sangiovese, 23% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% Syrah. I certainly had no idea they grew Sangiovese in Israel. It had a vibrant dark pink color with an enticing nose of mixed red fruits. It was a full-bodied wine with an intriguing taste of strawberry, raspberry and a touch of watermelon. It was slightly tart and had a nice, long finish. I thought it was a very good Rosé and I would recommend this as well.

2007 Marques de Caceres Rosado (Rioja, Spain): I have had this Rosé before and enjoyed it at the tasting as much as I have before. It is a Tempranillo blend and just the image of a good, down-to-earth Rosé, with excellent fruit flavors, dry and a nice crispness. Another wine to buy and share with friends.

2006 Domaine de la Mordoree Tavel (Rhone Valley, France): This Rosé was the star of the show and the most popular for many of the attendees. This is what you might think of as a more serious Rosé, a subtle and complex wine. It is a dark pink color and has a nose of strawberries and cream. On the palate, you get an assortment of red fruits with hints of spice. It has a satisfying, long finish and may be the heavy weight with an alcohol content of 14.5%. This wine shows that not all Rosés are simple wines. I highly recommend this wine!

2007 Saintsbury Vin Gris of Pinot Noir (Carneros, CA): We ended on a poor note, the darkest wine of the bunch. I recently tasted this wine at home and found it unbalanced, the alcohol too prevalent and masking the rest of the wine. At this tasting, I was once again disappointed, the wine unbalanced and bitter. What makes it more disappointing for me is that I like most of the other Saintsbury wines. They make excellent Pinot Noir so I wanted to like this wine too, but I just can't.

This was an excellent tasting class and motivates me to sign up for other classes at the Boston Wine School with Jonathon. Jonathon provides a fun environment to learn about wines without pretension or snobbery. I highly recommend you check out the list of upcoming classes and sign up for something interesting. You won't be disappointed.

Reviews of Wines of New Zealand

The following is a compilation of old reviews I have done on the wines of New Zealand.

2000 Rippon, Pinot Noir, Central Otago: At $40, this was the most expensive wine of the tasting. But, I would never have guessed it from its taste. It was an average pinot with nothing exceptional about it. I have had $20 pinots that would blow this one away. A disappointment and a definite No Drink/No Buy.

2003 Hunter's Pinot Noir, Marlborough: New Zealand has acquired some fame for their pinots and this wine is a good example of what they can do. A light colored, medium bodied wine is has a nice fruit aroma and a pleasant taste on the palate. It tastes of some berry but with spice as well. The berry is not too lush or overpowering. It is more subtle with a decent finish. It is a smooth wine as well with some complexity in its structure. It is a $20 wine so you do expect some complexity and it does deliver in that regard. For me, it is a definite Drink and Buy.

2005 Sileni Cellars, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough: At only 12.5% alcohol, this was a crisp, light wine with citrus and tropical fruit flavors. At $14, it was the most flavorful of the three wines and my favorite. A definite Drink & Buy.

2004 Mt. Difficulty Chardonnay, Central Otego: One whiff of this wine and I knew I would dislike it. It was a very oaky chardonnay, which I generally dislike. If you like oaky wines, you might like it. No drink, no buy.