Rant: Where's The Love For Fortified Wines?

Madeira, Marsala, Port, Sherry, and Vermouth are some of my favorite wines, yet they receive far less attention than they deserve. These wines are "Fortified" wines, meaning that a distilled spirit, often brandy or a neutral spirit, is added to the wine. As such, their alcohol content is commonly 15-20%, higher than the average wine, but at least half as much as the typical spirit. Other types of fortified wines exist as well, although the five I mentioned are the most common. 

Why don't these fortified wines receive more love?

Even many ardent wine lovers don't give much attention to these wines. Vermouth is often relegated to being a mere cocktail ingredient. Marsala is often seen as merely a cooking wine. Sherry is too often seen as something only one's grandparents would drink. Port might receive the most attention of any fortified wine, yet the diversity of Port is still largely ignored. For example, many people are unaware of white port, especially the aged versions. 

A number of wine drinkers enjoy sweeter wines, but even though some of these fortified wines are sweet, these wine drinkers still don't pay much attention to them. Sherry may be the king of wines for food pairings, yet it's rare a wine drinker seeks out Sherry for their dinner.  When's the last time you had a sommelier recommend a Sherry for your dinner? In fact, when's the last time a sommelier recommended any type of fortified wine to you for dinner? At best, they might recommend one for dessert, but not for your savory courses. 

One benefit to these wines not receiving much attention is that you can find some special values, far less expensive than similar wines of similar age and quality. For example, over the summer I enjoyed a 60 year old Port, which cost less than $200. If you tried to purchase a still wine, of similar age, you would likely pay at least double, if not triple that price or more. 

Wine lovers, you should expand your palates and experience the marvels of fortified wine. There is so much diversity in these wines, from bone-dry Sherry to sweet Port, from herbal Vermouth to dry Madeira. These are also wines with rich histories, and once were much more popular around the world. It's time for a comeback for these wines, and I strongly encourage you to explore this fascinating wine category. 

Rant: No Predictions For 2013, Only Wishes

Break out your crystal ball, look into its depths and envision the future. What food and drink trends do you see coming up for 2013? If you don't have your own predictions, you will find numerous articles making their own predictions. It happens every year but if you review the previous year's predictions, you will likely realize that most of the predictions probably never came true. Our prophetic powers seem to be lacking. It would be futile for me to predict a list of trends which might occur in 2013.

Instead, I want to offer my wishes for which trends I want to see, though it may be doubtful that these trends will actually occur. I believe my wishes address gaps in the local food and drink scene, and which present opportunities for adventurous entrepreneurs to capitalize on. Too many trends extend for far too long, becoming stale and trite, because they seem safe. I am hoping more people choose to take a risk by leading the way in a new trend rather than following others like sheep.

1) Bread Pudding: I am so tired of cupcakes, especially as it seems many are average or lower quality. A good bread pudding can put those cupcakes to shame, and bread pudding is so versatile, available in a myriad of tasty flavors. Maybe you would enjoy a moist chocolate bread pudding or a light bourbon bread pudding with caramel sauce. Why don't more restaurants offer this dish on their dessert menus? Why isn't there a local bakery that specializes in different bread puddings? Can you make a bread pudding out of all those mediocre cupcakes? My favorite dessert of 2012 was a Pineapple Bread Pudding and I would love to see more restaurants creating their own compelling bread pudding.

2) Meatloaf: I am also tired of burgers. I love a good burger but I think we are over saturated with burger joints, with even more coming in the near future. When is enough enough? Why not use all that ground beef and create some amazing meatloaf recipes? I admit that meatloaf never did much for me but The Painted Burro has changed my mind, showing me the potential of this comfort food. Their Yucatan Meatloaf was stunning, a blend of alluring flavors that won't remind you of the bland meatloaf you might have once had as a child. I want other restaurants to step up to the plate and create their own unique meatloaf recipes, recipes that will change the mind of even meatloaf haters.

3) Filipino Restaurants: There isn't a single Filipino restaurant in Boston and the closest restaurant appears to be in Quincy, JnJ Turo Turo. Where is the love for Filipino cuisine? This isn't just a Boston problem as there are less than 500 Filipino restaurants across the country. However, it can be a delicious cuisine, with a rich history, so it is very strange that there are so few restaurants. This is a great opportunity for a Filipino chef to blaze a trail in Boston. Bring on adobo, mechado, kare-kare and more!

4) Peruvian Ingredients: Peruvian cuisine is under represented in the Boston area despite the myriad of fascinating Peruvian ingredients which exist, from thousands of potatoes to numerous indigenous fruits. Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta, an Italian/Peruvian restaurant in the North End, has opened my eyes to the vast potential of Peruvian ingredients. He has created some superb dishes and I am perplexed why more chefs are not delving into the treasure trove of Peru, using such ingredients to enhance their dishes too. Let us see  lucuma, auyuma, panca pepper and more.

5) Sake: Sake seems to be growing in popularity, but very slowly. I want that trend to continue though I would prefer that the pace accelerates. It truly is a complex and wondrous drink with a rich history and culture. It is extremely food friendly and many more people would enjoy it if only they tasted it. I will continue my own campaign to spread my passion for Sake and hope others take up the effort as well. Come to one of my Sake dinners, tastings or classes in 2013 and learn why you should be enjoying Sake.

6) Fortified Wines: Sherry, Port and Madeira remain niche beverages, though they are worthy of far more attention. Consumers often possess misinformation about these wines and need more education to better appreciate them. For example, many think all Sherry is sweet yet a large portion are actually dry, like Fino and Manzanilla, and they are food friendly. Why not enjoy some oysters and briny Manzanilla? Port is great after dinner, yet it too can work well throughout an entire meal. Explore these fortified wines and learn the marvels they contain.

7) Spirit Paired Dinners: Wine and beer paired dinners have become commonplace but it is still a rarity to find dinners paired with spirits, such as bourbon, scotch, tequila, and rum. For example, Legal Sea Foods ran their first Scotch paired dinner this past year. I have attended several spirit paired dinners in 2012 and the pairings often worked quite well. People usually don't think of drinking spirits with dinner but they should give it consideration. Restaurants have the opportunity to present unique events by creating harmonious pairings with spirits. Show the potential to consumers.

What food & drink trends would you like to see in 2013?

2010: Top Wines Over $50

What were some of my favorite wines of the past year?

Welcome to my third, and last, Top Wine List. I have already posted my Top Ten Wines Under $15 and Top Ten Wines Over $15. It is now time for my Top Wines Over $50.  This list only has six entries as there were not enough worthy wines to complete ten entries. Though, you will find that two of the entries are actually wine categories, encompassing numerous wines, so the total amount of wines covered by this list is far more than ten. 

This list includes wines that during the past year I have enjoyed very much and which I also found to be particularly compelling for various reasons. They might be especially delicious, something more unique or just excellent values for the price. They all stand out for some particular reason above the other wines I tasted this past year.  I highly recommend all of these wines, and believe many wine lovers will also enjoy these wines.

The wines are not listed in any particular order and all are definitely worth your consideration. These are not every day wines, but those worth a splurge, those for special celebrations. These are exceptional wines for those wine lovers who want to amaze their palates. Each of the choices is linked to my more detailed prior review. Please also note that the actual price of the wine may vary in your area.

1. 2008 Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Kollmutz Reserve, Austria ($75-$80)
If you are familiar with Grüner, you are probably most familiar with its inexpensive versions, often costing less than $25. You might even think there are not any high-end bottlings of this grape. But that is definitely not the case, and you can find Grüner at all price points. This wine was a stunner, a superb melange of alluring aromas and tastes. It is a "wow" wine and will change your understanding of Grüner, leading you to seek out their superior bottlings.

2. 2007 McGregor Vineyard Black Russian Red, Finger Lakes, NY ($54.99)
I love trying wines produced from obscure grapes as you never know what wonders you might find.  This winery grows a few unusual grapes, including Sereksiya Charni, Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, and Sereksiya Rose. This wine uses two of those grapes, the result reminding me of an exotic Cabernet Sauvignon.  It will age very well, and I was glad to see it only had an alcohol content of 12.5%.  Once again, the Finger Lakes proves it is not just about white wines.

3. Aged Sherry, Spain ($50+)
Sherry is very underappreciated.  But if a wine lover were to taste a VOS (20 year old), VORS (30 year old) or Vintage sherry, they would change their tune.  These are fascinating wines, of great complexity, intense flavors, enticing aromas and much more. While in the Jerez region, I tasted numerous aged sherries, nearly all which thoroughly impressed me, and I bought a number of them to savor at home. These are world-class wines, as good as anything else find in the world. Out of all the recommendations on this list, this gets my highest regard and I cannot recommend them enough.

4. 1999 Jacques Puffeney Vin Jaune, France ($95)
Vin jaune is produced by flor which is similar, though not the same, as that used in making sherry.  Thus, vin jaune can sometimes remind you of sherry. This wine did remind me of manzanilla, its briny apple nature, but it was more complex than the usual manzanilla. There was a blend of interesting but subtle flavors, including herbal notes, and the finish lingered and lingered in my mouth.  The wines of Jura are also underappreciated but well worthy of your consideration.

5. 2004 La Cruz de Comal "Cohete Rojo", Texas ($50)
This is the first wine I have ever tasted that was produced in Texas, and it showed me the potential of this mighty state to produce excellent wine.  It is a natural wine, made with the input of the famed Tony Coturri, and is more European in style than Californian.  A red blend, it brings together fruit, herbs, minerality, earthiness, and more into a compelling wine. This wine is not just a good Texas wine, but is a good wine for any region.

6. Madeira, Portugal ($50+)
This is another underappreciated category of wine, one which should appeal to many wine lovers if they gave it a chance.  Madeira can be either dry or sweet, and ages extremely well. I generally prefer the dry versions, though I understand the allure of the sweet ones too. Some reminded me of sherries, while others had their own unique tastes. Madeira can be quite pricey, but often the most expensive are also the oldest and most rare.  Where else can you find a 100 year old wine that still rocks?

No one region dominated this list, with wines from New York, Texas, France, Spain, Portugal and Austria.  Though California dominated the Top Ten Over $15 list, they are absent from this list. This list has more unusual wines, not the norm praised by many others.  There are no high-end Cabernets here, or top end Pinots. Instead, the list is a path to exploration, to tasting some of the underappreciated, but very compelling, wines that are available.

If you have some of your own recommendations for wines over $50, please add them to the comments.

Madeira: Rich In History & Taste

Unfortunately, I don't know as much about Madeira wine as I would like, though I hope to remedy that in the near future. It is a fascinating niche wine, rich in history, and rich in taste. It is closely tied to American history yet occupies only a tiny place in our current society. Why is that so? Why has it been largely forgotten by so many people? And what can we do to change that?

Madeira is a Portuguese wine that can only be produced on the volcanic island of the same name, located about 360 miles west of Morocco. The island was first settled by Europeans around 1419 and its wine became very popular by the 17th century, remaining so for over 200 years. The United States lovingly embraced Madeira. For example, during the Civil War, it was the most favorite wine for Americans to collect, and every important family in Boston had a Madeira wine collection. Sadly, but by the late 1800s, the Madeira trade declined significantly, phylloxera being one of the responsible culprits.

To spur my Madeira curiosity, I recently attended a special tasting hosted by the good people of Vineyard Road Imports, who have a great portfolio of interesting wines. The speaker at the tasting was Blake Murdoch, of the Rare Wine Co., (pictured above) who is a local expert on Madeira wines. The Rare Wine Co. imports a selection of fine Madeiras, and their website provides lots of information about this intriguing wine.

Blake began by providing us some background on Madeira and then led us through a tasting of twelve Madeiras. It was an impressive group of wines, definitely pleasing my palate and making me desirous of learning and tasting more.

Though wine has been produced on Madeira for centuries, the Madeira we now know originated during the 18th century. The island had been a common port of all for ships, including many explorers, headed to the Americas and East Indies. So it was a frequent spot for ships to load up on wine, which was commonly fortified to prevent spoilage. But during the 18th century, an unsold shipment of wine was returned to the island, wine which had traveled across the equator and subjected to much heat. The transformed wine though was excellent, and producers began heating their wines to replicate the process.

This heating and aging process is known as estufagem, and there are three main methods. The most common, Cuba de Calor, is primarily used for inexpensive Madeira. Stainless steel or concrete tanks are surrounded by either heat coils or hot water pipes. The second method, Armazém de Calor, involves large wooden casks stored in a steam producing room. Madeira might be stored here for up to a year. The last process, Canteiro, is primarily for high-end Madeira, and the heat of the sun is used to very slowly heat the wine. This can take 20-100 years to complete. The wine is also allowed to oxydize a bit. Because of this entire process, Madeira can last longer than almost any other wine, even after it has been opened.

The island of Madeira primarily grows white grapes, which rarely get very ripe and have high levels of acidity. Most Madeiras are blends except for vintage Madeira, which are usually made from one of four grapes: Malmsey, Bual, Verdelho and Sercial. These grapes also describe the style of the Madeira, from the sweet and rich Malmsey to the light and dry Sercial. Up until the late 1800s, some other grapes were used as well, such as Terrantez, Bastardo and Moscatel. But there are few vines of those grapes any longer, and it is rare to find Madeira made from them.

We began our Madeira tasting with the "Historic Series," introduced in 2002, which are ten year old blends. Each wine bears the name of a U.S. city with a historical connection to sherry. As a generalization, people in the southern states used to prefer dry Madeira while those in the north preferred it sweeter. These blends generally contain about 70% of the named grape, and 30% of Tinta Negra Mole, a common red grape on the island. These Madeiras tend to be less pungent, softer, sweeter and less acidic than other Madeiras.

Of the four we tasted, they got darker in color with each successive one. All possessed lengthy finishes, and I generally preferred the dry to the sweet, though none of the sweet wines were cloying in any regard. The Charleston Sercial reminded me of a sherry, with its dry, nutty finish. It was a smooth wine and though dry, still had a hint of sweetness. I really enjoyed this Madeira as I did the Savannah Verdelho. This is supposed to be the scarcest grape on the island, with vines of 15-25 years. It was smoother and sweeter than the Sercial, with more caramel and almond flavors. The Boston Bual was a surprise as the bottle had been open already for about a year! Yet now of the flavor seemed to have diminished. It had more sweetness, and dried fruit tastes, reminding me of some ports. The New York Malmsey was the sweetest, with a complex taste of dried fruit, including some raisin notes.

Our next flight of wines included some of the youngest vintage Madeiras. To be a true Vintage Madeira, the wine must have been in the cask for at least 20 years. We began with the NV Barbeito "Ricardo Freitas" Signature VB (Verdelho-Bual), produced by a young winemaker. This easy drinking wine was smooth and soft, with plenty of acidity and flavors of nuts, caramel and vanilla. The 2001 Barbeito "Ricardo Freitas" Signature Bual was sweeter but had a bit of a bitter finish.

Next up were two Madeiras from the D'Oliviera winery, whose vineyards have been in family for over 400 years. The 1988 D'Oliveira Terrantez was a stunner, with an amazing aromat of fruit and floral, and an intriguing melange of floral, fruit and dark spice flavors. Its complexity, lengthy finish and astounding taste made this my favorite Madeira of the tasting. Terrantez is a rare white grape known to produce an intensely aromatic wine. If it can produce Maderias of such high quality, more vines should definitely be planted. The 1989 D'Oliveira Malvasia was a very sweet Madeira, and just not my preference.

For the final flight, we started tasting some of the older Madeiras, though all from the 20th century. The 1978 Barbeito Sercial was very interesting, with a smooth, delicious taste, including some smoky notes. The French Laundry pairs this Madeira with foie gras. The 1968 D'Oliveira Bual, which was my second favorite of the tastings, had a complex taste of caramel, dried fruit and nuts and a very lengthy finish. The Rare Wine Co. considers it a benchmark, and the best post-WWII Madeira that exists. I certainly can understand their enthusiasm for this wine.

The 1950 Barbeito Malvasia FV was dry and a bit bracing with all of the acidity. The flavors did not work for me, and it did not impress me as most of the others did. The 1912 D'Oliveira Verdelho, the oldest Madeira in the tasting, had a very dark brown color, and was sweet, with lots of concentration, good acidity, and rich flavors. Of the sweeter Madeiras, it was definitely my favorite, though overall I liked the dry versions better.

This was an excellent introduction to Madeira, and I tasted enough excellence to want to pursue the wines even more. Plus, I want to learn more about its history, beyond the tantalizing bits I already know.

What have been your experiences with Madeira?