Bud's Picks: Spanish Red

Yet another Bud's pick, this time a Spanish Red to rock your Labor Day:

Hacienda Lopez de Haro Riga Reserva ‘05
Rated 92 Wine Advocate
$11.49
90% Tempranillo 5% Graciano 5% Garnacha

It’s a nice one!  At first sip I knew it was going to be good.  It went down soft and easy with no burn. The tannins are really mild.  It’s very fruit forward and lingers nicely, but not too long.  This is one to keep in the rack, if you can leave it alone.  I bought it at Hopewell Buy Rite, on sale, for $11.49.  At that price it’s a “must” have.  At least it is for me!  Another fine Spanish Red at a great price!

Okay, now I'm excited. I served 2 Bud's Picks at my last wine party, Protocolo and Bodegas Borsao Garnacha, both of which received rave reviews from the crowd. With their grace and strength, Spanish grapes tango the thrill of the Mediterranean across the palate, enticing you to give yourself over to the temptation of exploration and discover the thrill of a new terroir. This wine will be making an appearance at the next WineGirl Wine Party. Stay tuned for the full review!

Imperfect Pairings is the Perfect Match for Your Wine Reading List

I am grotesquely late in publishing this review, but such is life - we sneak in our pleasures in the sparest of spare moments and revel in the opportunity to share them when the time arises.

Jackie Townsend was kind enough to send an autographed copy of her latest novel Imperfect Pairings my way last year. Billed as "not your typical Italian love story" I was pleased to find the antithesis of the typical saccharine, unimaginable plot that has come to define paperback novels geared towards a female audience. Light on sex and deep in thought, Imperfect Pairings is, in fact, a romance novel for women who despise romance novels.

The plot revolves around Jamie, a high-paced American junior executive, and Giovanni, a brilliant Italian engineer who falls for Jamie at first sight. A fling quickly turns into a romance, and when Jamie is swept off to Italy to attend a cousin's wedding at the family vineyard she encounters a life she never could have imagined in more ways than one.

The book hits all the right notes for wine lovers. Barolo, a Northern Italian wine based in the Nebbiolo grape, plays a deft supporting role triggering well paced character and plot development. A quick decision creates an elegant plot twist forcing Jamie to grow in profound ways, not unlike a fine wine reaching maturity with each passing day in the barrel. And as the story grows, so does Jamie's taste in wine; it is a clever move on the part of a writer obviously well versed in the wine scene.

Imperfect Pairings reads like a full-bodied dry red; well balanced, emotionally rich with just a hint of sweetness, this novel pairs well with snowed-in days, quiet evenings, and a glass of your favorite wine. An enjoyable read that will also motivate your interest in the vine, Imperfect Pairings should find a place at your reading table.

Auburn Road Vineyard - the Full Review

Wait a sec - let me get the last of the Rosalita...

The semi-sweet blush is bright and juicy with a light mouthfeel and pleasantly puckering tannins dancing along the sides of your tongue. Chilled and carrying all the appeal (and none of the sugary nature) of a candy apple, this wine pairs as well with cheeses as it would BBQ, and should frequent your summer dining experiences under the stars as it did ours last evening as we sat watching Shakespeare amidst the vines of Auburn Road Vineyard & Winery in Pilesgrove, NJ.

The evening started as all visits to a winery should, with a tasting. We sidled up to the packed bar in the Enoteca and were quickly welcomed with two logo-emblazoned glasses that were ours to keep with the tasting fee ($5/person for 10 wines on that day's list).

Our favorites included:

Sole - a bright Vidal Blanc containing strong mineral notes and a fruit-forward finish.

Good Karma - a vinifera red blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, this fusion of Italian body and French flavor carries all the tannins you'd expect from a dry red in a light body, making it the perfect wine for grilled chicken or salmon. Slightly too tannic for my husband, the sweet drinker, I find Good Karma to be a great balance between semi-sweet and dry pallates. This is the bottle I can easily share with friends who are the driest of drinkers.

Roxanne - the light dry rose that acts as the base for the Rosalita, this wine offers the crisp tang of grapefruit and is best served chilled.

Kind of Blue - Hammonton, NJ blueberries are used to create this fruit wine that rides the line between sweet and tart

Blessington - the husband's favorite, this wine rings a Concord note, but is actually a sweet red blend of grapes that don't include the labrusca favorite. Chill it for a great summer sipper.

A few of the wines, including Rustica, aren't currently available; I look forward to tasting the 2012 vintages when they are released. The Classico - the motivation behind the creation of Auburn Road Vineyards - is a gorgeous dry red wine. I will readily admit to not being a dry red drinker, but in my humble semi-opinion, Classico is a distinctly American vinifera blend with a healthy balance of tannin and fruit.

Auburn Road Vineyards and Winery offers the Enoteca - a beautiful dining area boasting a patio that looks out into the vineyards and offers enough green space for live performances, of which there are many. With dinners on Friday nights and light fare all around, this is the place to cap your wine ride or hang out on a relaxing summer day/evening. For the oenophile, Auburn Road's Enoteca offers the kind of space you're looking for when you're out to contemplate the wine you're drinking.

To compliment our bottle(s) of Rosalita, we ordered one of the artisan cheeses from the Italian Market in Philly, a crusty loaf of Italian bread with olive oil, a bowl of the soup du jour (yellow pea with roasted red pepper) and the Coco Bar for dessert (think a high-end Klondike with a coconut infusion). Everything was fresh, delicious and a perfect match for the wine.

An excellent performance of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by the Commonwealth Classic Theatre Company provided excellent theatrical accompaniment to thoughtfully crafted wines. What a fabulous show put on by three talented actors and a staff of dedicated professionals. If you have the chance, catch this show! Watching Shakespeare unravel among the vines was a transcendent cultural experience I will forever cherish.

Auburn Road Vineyard and Winery is the quintessential experience for wine drinkers seeking an American twist on vinifera grapes. With an environment as welcoming as the wine, Auburn Road is already a Jersey Wine classic.

Rose Bank Winery

We're hiding out under the porch of the old tasting room as wedding guests pour into the beautifully restored 1800's barn/tasting room. A great way to end your tour, this pour your own tasting featured nearly 20 wines ranging from super dry to delicious desert. We left with the infamous Acai and Raspberry Secret in hand. As I sit sipping on my rather fruit forward Reisling I have to admit, the Bucks County Wine Trail is going to be one of my hotspots for ages to come.

Wear T's 4 Wine #supportlocalvines

This week I tweeted @WineGirlBlog:

Want 2 support #NJWines @RenaultWinery Summer Chill #winefestival -need the t-shirt(s) 2 do it! Email winegirlblog@gmail.com WillTee4 #Wine
— WineGirl Blog (@WineGirlBlog) June 19, 2013

So, why am I offering to wear an NJ Winery T-Shirt at the upcoming Summer Chill Wine Fest at Renault Winery? It all started, ironically enough, at the Winter Chill Wine Festival at Renault last January. It was the perfect event to don my Sharrott Winery Crimignoles t-shirt I'd picked up and warm enough to wear it without a jacket. Sure enough, the t-shirt was a hit with my friends at Sharrott, who were the only folks who didn't mistake me for a winery employee that day. Various reactions I received included:

"What's a Crimignoles?" (Answer: A blend of Sharrott's Crimson Sky and Vignoles - two great wines on their own - paired for an extra sweet-tart treat.)

"Dude, we love your wine!"

"Wow, they let you off to go taste wine?"

"Shouldn't you be working?"

And, my personal favorite: "Why aren't you wearing my t-shirt?"

It was a question posed, quite charmingly I might add, by several vintners charmed by my support of local wines. "Well," I'd reply, "I'll wear one of your t-shirts next time! Do you have them here for sale?"

Hence the idea: Will Wear T's 4 Wine.

I've got an impartial witness who will testify that I sent at least 20 odd attendees over to Sharrott's table that day to try their Crimignoles blend. I didn't think I'd be a walking billboard, but I had great fun talking NJ wines and showing my support for one of my favorite wineries.

Are you a #NJ Winery with a t-shirt to spare? Contact me at winegirlblog@gmail.com with pricing details. I want to support YOU at the upcoming Summer Chill Wine Festival at Renault Winery!

All Corked Up

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22909428

So what do you prefer? We've seen a growing number of wineries make the move to synthetic, and it is nice not to worry about crumbles in your wine, but you can't sniff plastic.

Kiwi-tastic at Cream Ridge Winery

In his book Inventing Wine Paul Lukacs cites balance, length and depth as the three factors that we use to gauge wine. Perhaps. Then again, just as everyone has a different definition of balance, length and depth, everyone has their own reasons for getting into wine. Personally, I'm into wine for the sensory rush of a tasting, as well as the social and even intellectual curiosity of the experience. Simply put, if Lukacs rates on balance, length and depth, I rate on flavor, personality and vibe.

Man, there are some gorgeous vibes at Cream Ridge Winery.

A few weeks ago, my husband and I were fortunate enough to attend Cream Ridge Winery's 25th Anniversary celebration. A lovely 2-day affair featuring live music, BBQ and tastings inside and out, this event was the perfect example of the fun you can have at a winery on a weekend afternoon. Families with kids on picnic blankets, bridal shower parties, couples young and old soaking in the springtime sun - these are good vibes.

A tour of the facility was given by founder Tom Amabile. Knowledgable and sweet, Tom not only gave us the history of the vineyard, insight into the tanking and bottling processes, and great tips on corking, we were also introduced to his lovely wife Joan who passed through to announce that more family had arrived, including their cousin Vinny.  (It's a Jersey thing.)  After giving Tom a helping hand with some extra chairs we were treated to a taste from the tank - the Eastern White, a sweet Niagara clear, clean and crisp from the steel tank where it sat ready to be tapped.

Known for its fruit wines, Cream Ridge has an extensive list of reds and whites as well. The Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc were both flavorful, light-bodied whites in their own right and the Muscato Amabile put the Barefoot stuff you find on the rack to shame. The Cab Franc, Chambourcin and Red Zin were just as dry in their own right with some powerful tannins.

Favorites included the Raley's Red - their Chambourcin blended with NJ blueberries. The Chambourcin's tannins and the fruit balanced nicely creating a unique red that could serve as both a table wine as well as a sipping sensation for dryer drinkers.

The Cherry - the description reads pie and that is no lie. This Governor's Cup winner is meant to be savored; not too sweet, nor to tart, this is a just-right cherry wine that begs for a summer afternoon.

Both the Cranberry and the Blueberry hit acidic and fruit nodes like a tightrope walker at Barnum & Bailey's.  Walk the line with these fine wines.

AlmondBerry - There's a reason we left with 2 bottles. This fantastic blend of raspberry and white wine with almonds is legendary for a reason. Sweet with a slightly tangy finish. Sipping with appetizers or savoring for dessert, this wine will become one of your best cellar friends.

Javaberry - Blackberry, chocolate and espresso make for a menage a trois for the tongue.  Wow, what gorgeous coffee flavor.  Drink this and you'll never waste your time with an Irish coffee again.

Kiwine - Premiering at this event, this kiwi-infused Niagara blend is sweet, light, tropical and begs to be served at your upcoming summer party along with the Frozen Sangria (we loved the Red - a perfect sweet/tart blend!).

Pineapple - Ok, so we've been before.  This gorgeous stuff wasn't available at the fest (they were in the process of restocking) but we were able to snag a bottle from the back when we checked out.  What gorgeous stuff - and you won't find anything else like it around here.  It's pineapple in a glass - tangy, fruity wine.  Drink it out back, with a Hawaiian pie.  Don't miss this!

Visit Cream Ridge for the experience. The festival was $5, but we've been in the past and the tastings on a non-event day have been free. You will not leave empty-handed and you'll have one heck of a good time!

PS - Turn left out of the winery and head to Allentown for a fun afternoon of shopping and dining. Turn right and hit up the back 9 at the local golf course.

Westfall Winery is Apple-icious...and then some

Westfall Winery became one of my favorite places when I first traveled to the area a few years ago.  Nestled in the hills of northwestern New Jersey, Westfall Farm is a beaucolic gem with a rich history dating back to the colonial era.  Lumber, produce, dairy and horses each acted as the mainstay of the farm at one time or another until 2000 when wine was introduced to the grounds.

While I will happily taste anything, fruit wines are my personal fave.  Westfall's Apple Cinnamon Wine is no exception.  While I've tasted several great apple wines (Valenzano comes readily to mind) Westfall's 100% apple blend makes a unique mark on the palate with its cinnamon flavor.  A mouth-watering perfume escapes the minute you pull the cork and lingers on the tongue for a sweet and tangy finish. 

When chilled, the apple essence fleshes out on your tongue as if you just took a bite from your fresh pick-your-own stash.  Served warm, the flavor ushers in the memory of that first autumnal chill in the air as the wine becomes a nectar with sweet and tart nodes.  No matter how you serve it, Westfall's Apple Cinnamon brings back fond memories of blissful autumn days spend breathing in fresh, crisp air and jumping on piles of colorful leaves.

Plan on bringing a picnic with you when you visit Westfall.  There is a wide variety of award-winning wines from the standard merlots and pinots to the Country Wines that highlight the fruit flavors of the region.  Reasonably priced, Westfall Winery is the highlight of the Sussex Wine Trail.

And, if you're lucky, they'll have some of their Chocolate Orange Port -- not listed on their website, but an amazingly dark and powerful dessert find when I visited in the late summer of 2010.

let them ...drink wine

T-minus two hours-ish until Downton Abbey graces the screens of PBS viewers across the nation once more and here I sit, sipping a gorgeous Blackberry Wine from Buckingham Valley Vineyards. 

It seemed only appropriate to pull something sweet and dark for the occasion.  Apparently the series that homages the dusk of the British Empire has inspired a call for more than one sweet after dinner drink.  According to WinesfromSpain.com the airing of Downton Abbey has inspired a 15% increase in sherry sales across London.  Ironically, the spike in sherry sales has also been impacted by the opening of bars devoted to the sweet stuff.  With names like "Capote y Toros" the bars are influenced by those of a similar nature in Andalucia, Spain, the birthplace of the sweet stuff.  Not quite as popular in Jersey, Renault Winery is the only one I know of that has a sherry in their list. 

The wine of Downton, however, is most likely claret - "a now uncommon dark rose" that once was the most common wine exported from the Bordeaux region of France.  Originally a spiced red wine, claret eventually became an unspiced, dry dark red Bordeaux associated with the British upper class.  Today, French wine makers are looking to re-fashion claret as a light, sweet, fruity wine akin to its Plantagenet roots.  When it comes to Jersey, Tomasello Winery offers an American Claret, a semi-dry red table wine. 

During the Downton era, wine was a commodity of the rich.  Today, thanks to the prevalence of local wineries and the renaissance of the American wine-making industry (which has struggled to make a comeback since the repeal of Prohibition) wine is becoming as popular at middle class dinner tables as it once was in the great halls of now-defunct castles.  Perhaps, therein lies one of the greatest appeals of Downton Abbey is the understanding that we, too, can live like royalty - at a fraction of the price.

Cheers!