Barolo visits Minnesota: Podere Ruggeri Corsini

I met Weston Hoard (the Piedmont Guy) at a Barolo class he hosted at Sunfish Cellars about a year ago.  I was excited to see that Weston was coming back to town, this time bringing the winegrower from one of the Piedmont wineries he represents, Podere Ruggeri Corsini.  In addition, this was to be a … Continue reading

Under the Radar: Analemma Wines

The Columbia Gorge AVA was granted AVA status in 2004, but it still seems to be an “under the radar” vineyard area.  The AVA includes land close to the Columbia River right at the spine of the Cascade mountains, including vineyards in both Oregon and Washington. Even within the Columbia Gorge AVA, Analemma is a … Continue reading

Fish in Parchment: Viognier or Sancerre?

Our final Viognier test will be with a light dish: fish in parchment.  Medium bodied Viognier or light bodied Sancerre; which will pair the best? We’ve tried Viognier with heartier fare and spicy foods, now we’ll challenge it on the opposite side. Matello Deux Vert Viognier 2010 ($28 from the Winery) Eye: Nice rich yellow … Continue reading

Barolo Chinato: Dark Chocolate Partner

How would you feel about a dessert wine described as “traditionally drunk for medicinal purposes to guard against fevers and stomach upsets”?  How about one described as bitter and sweet, infused with quinine bark and cardamom? Via twitter, Stefano Poggio (@Batasiolo_US) suggested the winter weather in Minnesota might be a perfect opportunity to try Barolo … Continue reading

Mystery: What Price for this Wine?

What would you pay for this wine?  A common question posed by someone selling wine from a value geography or a grape or winery you haven’t heard of before.  Of course, the wine does have a price, and after you taste and guess they will tell you the answer.  But how would you put a … Continue reading

Sparkling New Years!

Going out for New Years?  Stopping by the liquor store / wine shop / grocery store for a bottle on the way? Here’s a last minute primer on picking up your sparkling wine. Champagne Champagne producers in France want you to know: It’s only Champagne if it’s produced from the Champagne region in France. Champagne … Continue reading

Holiday Oysters & Champagne

Do you have a Christmas Day tradition?  After all the pre-Christmas family events, our usual Christmas day is easy and unstructured.  During a visit to the Walrus and the Carpenter in Seattle over Thanksgiving, we found our young adult children both liked oysters on the half shell.  A new Christmas tradition is born: Oysters and … Continue reading

Shrimp Masala & Viognier

Viognier with Spicy Indian Food After some early success in this Viognier series with spicy foods, I decided to take the spice level up a notch.  Today, we’ll try a couple of nice Viogniers with Shrimp Masala. Whenever I’m looking for an Indian recipe, my first stop is My Fancy Pantry.  Shari is a food … Continue reading

Roast Chicken Pairing: Viognier or Pinot Noir?

Viognier Exploration #3: Wine Pairing with Roast Chicken Our next Viognier experiment will test two very nice wines with a locally sourced roast chicken dinner.  For roast chicken, I would often pick out a nice Pinot Noir.  If I’m really open, would a Viognier be a better match? Going Local in Late Fall All summer … Continue reading

3 Rules for Wine Pairing with Turducken

Recently, I was contacted by Echelon Foods with a request to provide wine pairings for their Original Turducken. Never having prepared or eaten a Turducken before, I thought it sounded like fun!   Julie and I prepared an early mini-holiday Turducken dinner.  The question was: how does a Turducken differ from a traditional turkey dinner … Continue reading