Snooth PVA: Wines of South Africa

Immediately after the Wines of Austria tasting, we were whisked away to the Institute of Culinary Education, a cooking college in the Flatiron District of Manhattan. We were there to enjoy a tasting hosted by Wines of South Africa and a lunch prepared by Johannesburg native Chef Hugo Uys.

We started out with a sparkling blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the NV Graham Beck Brut, $18. Crisp and acidic with medium bubbles and a clean finish. I enjoyed it, but after the dozen Austrian wines sampled in the previous two hours, I was a little peckish and decided to dive into the little wooden bowl of dried fruit, nuts, and meat. And it was the best beef jerky I've ever had. Shortly thereafter, the host explained it.

In the photo it's a little hard to make out the details, but the wide flat pieces are biltong, a favorite snack of South Africa. A round roast or other large cut of tough meat is cut into strips (called tongs or tongues, but it's not actually tongue meat), marinated and air-dried. I loved it, and also enjoyed the little thin dried sausages known as droëwors. Try one of those and you'll never snap into a Slim Jim again.

I've long been fascinated by the history of South Africa (sparked in no small part by the adventure novels of Wilbur Smith), and while I have tried many wines from the country, this was my first experience getting to enjoy them with the appropriate cuisine and with folks devoted to this particular wine region.

Amuse Bouche
“South African Shot”: Peppadew relish in a parmesan cup, a guava juice shot topped off with a ginger foam

This was a pleasant little snack, just enough to wake up the palate and get us ready for the wines that followed.

2012 Thelema Sauvignon Blanc, Stellenbosch, $18: A little rough on the beginning, but it later opened up with jasmine and citrus notes. Certainly more in line with Chile and New Zealand than France.

2009 Raats Family Chenin Blanc, Coastal Region, $22: Mild and fruity with gentle floral aromas and a round body.

Appetizer
Curry Mussels: Lychees, shallots, white wine and dry sherry, in a curry emulsion

I love a good batch of mussels, and these were delicious. I would never have thought of adding lychees, but it made for a nice flavor combination.

2012 De Morgenzon Chardonnay, Stellenbosch, $15: The winemakers here play Baroque music to the vines to help them grow. Light white fruit aromas and flavors with just a little vanilla from the oak. Medium acidity and a short finish.

2009 Badenhorst Family White Blend, Coastal Region, $34: A rough edge at the beginning yields some herbal and vegetal elements in this Rhône blend of six white grapes. The winemaker made his first wine at the age of thirteen.

Entrée
Smoked Ostrich: With roasted root vegetables, gorgonzola mousse, herb port reduction, homemade sultana/apricot chutney and an oven baked spicy potato chip

Excellent ostrich, and I'll be on the lookout for some thicker steaks to try and recreate this dish in the future.

2011 Warwick Pinotage Old Bush Vines, Stellenbosch, $19: Lovely aromas of ash and earth from the Pinotage, with a flavor of red cherries and raspberry seeds. The 12% Cabernet Sauvignon should help round this one out for those that are afraid of Pinotage.

2010 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir, Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, $39: Spicy and smoky at first, giving way to aromas of tart red cherries with a thin, gentle body. Very unusual for a Pinot Noir, but I thought it worked out quite well with the ostrich.

2008 Kanonkop Paul Sauer, Stellenbosch, $42: This wine is named after a hilltop where, in the 17th century, a cannon would be fired to alert everyone that ships were entering the harbor at Cape Town. It gave everyone enough notice to load up their oxcarts with food and other trade goods so they could meet the sailors. The wine has complex aromas of green bell pepper, smoke, and leather. It's a deep and dark Bordeaux-style red made with 69% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot.

2010 Boekenhoutsklouf Chocolate Block, Swartland/Citrusdal, $34: Due to the popularity of this wine, it is allocated in the United States and may be difficult to find. Interesting blend of 69% Syrah, 14% Grenache Noir, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cinsault and 1% Viognier. Cream and cherry aromas with, yes, a deep chocolate character. Deep yet smooth and very drinkable.

2009 Glenelly Lady May, Stellenbosch, $50: This venerable wine is made of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot in a traditional Bordeaux style. Lots of bell pepper and black cherry with underlying notes of coffee and leather. Medium tannins indicate that this one could age for another few years. Highly recommended with your favorite roasted meats.

2010 De Toren Fusion V, Stellenbosch, $45: Another Bordeaux blend, but this one is still quite young with very firm tannins and a long tannic finish. There is a cherry profile to the wine but I found it a little tight and not quite ready for consumption. Check again in three years.

Dessert
Tipsy Tart: Soaked in rooibos infused brandy, vanilla ice cream and a brandy date syrup

Sweet and savory and delicious, and the addition of rooibos was incredible.

2010 Ken Forrester T Late Harvest, Stellenbosch, $55: This 100% Chenin Blanc dessert wine was rich and golden with floral notes, honey, and a beautiful, slightly musky finish. Delicious and decadent.

Check out these other great reviews of the same tasting! Avvinare "New World Wines: South African Wines Continue to Excite Me"

Note: This trip was provided by Snooth.

German Wines in May

The folks at Wines of Germany sent along their quarterly pair of samples. The first is a repeat, but one that I've enjoyed every time that I've had it.

2009 Dr. Pauly Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstube Riesling Kabinett
Mosel, Germany
100% Riesling
$22, 9% abv.

Nose has a tinge of petrol and overripe white fruit, but gives way to a light and golden, medium-dry wine. Low acidity and a round mouthfeel, with a lingering yellow apple flavor on the palate.

The second wine was a bit of a surprise. I wasn't expecting a Pinot Noir, even though it's not that rare in Germany, where it's known as Spätburgunder.

2010 Franz Anton Pinot Noir
Baden, Germany
100% Pinot Noir
$37, 13.5% abv.

Cherries and bacon fat, mild nose, light and thin body with a lingering sour cherry flavor. This is by far the best German red wine I've ever had. My first experience was with a rather disappointing Dornfelder. This pleasant Pinot Noir would be delicious with kielbasa or other dense pork sausages.

Note: These wines were provided as samples.

NV Ogio Prosecco

I've long been a fan of Prosecco, and have tried to promote it as a casual, fun sparkling wine to enjoy in the middle of the week with dinner. Whenever I have a Prosecco on hand at a party, I ask around for a show of hands.

"Who has never opened a sparkling wine before?" If anyone is curious, I'll let them practice on the bottle. Undo the wire cage, keep it vertical, gently twist, and for the last bit just let the pressure in the bottle do all the work without spewing good wine all over the kitchen and dining room. And then it's time to show the second trick: how well this wine works with things like fried chicken, popcorn, salty potato chips, and even Buffalo wings. These are the kind of pairings that will bring about a true and vibrant wine culture in the United States, coming from the everyday treats below, not from the haute cuisine at top.

Also, in accordance with Federal Trade Commission regulations, I have to disclose that in addition to the wine, I got a neat USB carabiner (loaded with the wine info) and a pair of Ogio-branded flip-flops. Neither influenced my review of the wine.

NV Ogio Prosecco
DOC Prosecco
100% Glera
$17, 11% abv.

Initial aroma of green apple peels and just a touch of honey. There's a hint of something wild and musky in this, like overripe peach. I thought it was perfect with a nice salad of baby spinach, smoked chicken, and roasted walnuts with a light vinaigrette.

Note: This wine was received as a sample.

SakéOne Tasting

My first good experience with saké came thanks to the folks at SakéOne during an online tasting last year. The company was started in 1992 as an importer of quality Japanese bottles, but they began building their own kura and making their own brews. Today, Oregon has the highest per capita consumption of saké in the United States.

A few interesting facts from the tasting:

• Rice quality is important, but saké is not really terroir-driven. The percentage of polish is more important, meaning how much of the outer layers are ground away.
  
• Color is important in Japan (it should be clear), but in the US can be a little yellowed. The beverage is pasteurized, and thus is stabilized and can keep up to two months in the fridge after being opened. If unopened, good saké can be enjoyed within 12-18 months if stored like wine.
  
• The Japanese sakés are in 720mL format bottles, while the Oregonian one comes in 750mL. The TTB requires certain sizes for wine, but saké is classified as beer thanks to our nation's bizarre tangle of alcohol regulations. 720mL is a traditional size denoting four 180mL servings.
  
• Saké is fined and clarified with gelatin, but the industry is experimenting with a seaweed-based agent to make vegan saké.

Murai Family Tokubetsu Honjozo
Special Honjozo
Japan
$25, 15.5% abv.

The modern incarnation of this brewery dates back to 1889. Deeper barley-style aroma with a drier flavor. Earthy elements that appear as it warms. This family helped get the kura established in Oregon and provided a lot of early guidance. The label features the Nebuta warrior from Aomori Prefecture. Honjozo means that a little extra alcohol was added to round out the flavors, though not as strong as a fortified wine.

SakéMoto
Premium Junmai Saké
Japan
$11, 14.7% abv.

Gentle, mild, lightly toasted rice aroma with a hint of sweetness. Easy drinking, approachable packaging with an easy-to-read label. The idea was to market something that would be easy to ask for and remember without an extensive knowledge of Japanese.

Yoshinogawa Winter Warrior
Junmai Ginjo
Japan
$27, 14% abv.

This brewery has been around since 1548. Hint of spice with mellow pear nectar, apple blossom, and herbal elements. Named after the kurabito, the workers who make the saké in the snow.

I had the opportunity to try something special with this particular bottle. Japan is not the only country that knows how to safely enjoy raw fish. In this preparation, I made yellowtail tuna crudo but with a more Latin twist. Slices of avocado, pickled red onion, and topped with a brunoise of habanero peppers and some delicate lime zest. A little sea salt and pepper on top provided the perfect crunch with each savory bite.

SakeOne G Fifty
Junmai Ginjo Genshu
Forest Grove, Oregon
$25, 18% abv.

American rice from California produced the superior saké. Bold pineapple and floral aromas, with rich fruit and a delicate finish. Very round and mild. A pleasant experience, and highly recommended.
But what to eat with it?
Snow crab legs turned out to be an exceptionally tasty combination. You end up hitting all of the flavor receptors with salt and sweet and savory and umami and the tart elements from the saké and lemon wedges.

* * *

I will admit that when I first tried through all four of these bottles, I had difficult telling them apart. My nose was thinking white wine, and everything was far too subtle. It's also possible that I had the bottles too cold, or that the combination of wild weather swings and massive amounts of pollen had dulled my senses. But as I went back through them the next day, I kept teasing out many different aromas and flavors, and found myself eager to enjoy a small glass with dinner or even while sitting at the computer in the evening.
You've got to recalibrate your nose and tongue a bit, but the effort is well worth it, and I highly recommend studying saké if you want to broaden your beverage literacy.

Note: These bottles were provided as samples.

Snooth PVA: Wines of Austria

Sunday morning in Manhattan we left our Chelsea digs and headed over to a SoHo event space called Meet at the Apartment, a repurposed apartment with a big dining room seen at right, a kitchen, and a few other rooms. There we had our first of three Sunday classes. This one focused on the Wines of Austria and was hosted by Aldo Sohm, Chef Sommelier at Le Bernardin and recent maker of his own Grüner Veltliner back home in Österreich.

While waiting, we sipped on an Austrian sparkling wine, the 2011 Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Brut, Weinviertel, $14. Gentle and relaxing with aromas of lemongrass, a slightly creamy texture, and mild white fruit flavors. In addition to Aldo, we were joined by other representatives from Wines of Austria, including Constance Chamberlain, who has been a long time supporter of this blog with samples and information. I've issued many thanks to Snooth for putting together the trip, but I also owe gratitude to the many wine publicity groups that put in a lot of work to make that weekend happen.

Each class had something special about it, and this one was superlative for having the greatest density of viticultural information combined with the fact that we all had to be dragged away from the table to make our lunch appointment. Aldo wanted to keep going even as we ran late, and nobody was eager to leave. He spoke about the general distinction between American and European sommeliers: Americans start with the fruit, and Europeans start with the terroir. There are obviously many outliers, but for this course we focused almost entirely on the soil and geology of Austria and how they impact the wine. Aldo spoke passionately about rocks, and passed around chunks of limestone that he had carried from different parts of the country. We heard about winemakers who would pick up a pinch of soil and chew on it to gauge how the grapes would go and how the wine would develop over time. It's also a nation in which a third of the wines produced are organic or biodynamic.

That we stuck purely to Grüner Veltliner should come as no surprise, but we got to see many different expressions. This lineup featured one small wine country, one grape, yet infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

There's far too much information in my notes for one blog post, but I would encourage you to explore the many and often very affordable wonders that are available from Austria. I mention the wine regions in each mini-review, but in brief, we're talking about the eastern side of Austria on the borders with Slovakia and Hungary.

• 2011 Stadimann Grüner Veltliner, Thermenregion, $16: Bright green apple profile, dry and fruity with excellent acidity and minerality. Quite fresh and clean. I was craving oysters something fierce with this wine.
  
  
• 2011 Huber Obere Steigen, Traisental, $22: Wet stone with a more brash edge to it than the prior wine. Touch of peach and white pepper. It is recommended that younger, tighter wines like this be decanted for a period of time serving--a great idea, but one that presents a challenge for warmer climates like my own.
  
  
• 2011 Ebner Ebenauer Birthal, Weinviertel, $19: A bit of dust on the nose, but bright acidity, very floral and crisp. Gravelly and rustic, and one that would pair well with an earthy trout dish.
  
  
• 2011 Graf Hardegg Vom Schloss, Weinviertel, $18: Lots of sandstone in this area, resulting in a wine that is richer, fruitier, but with medium acidity. Well balanced and a classic Grüner Veltliner.
  
  
• 2011 Veyder Marlberg Kreutles, Wachau, $30: 100% organic from an eccentric winemaker. Tropical fruit, pineapple dominate this tangy wine with a slightly salty, bitter finish. Very unique yet enjoyable.
  
  
• 2011 Sohm & Kracher Grüner Veltliner, Weinviertel, $38. Aldo's own wine, produced in small quantities--only 800 bottles in this release. There's a hint of mint on top, with very delicate apple notes underneath. Very soft and round with a mild, gentle finish. Incredibly delicate.
  
  
• 2009 Moric St. Georgener Grüner Veltliner, Leithaberg, $49: Bigger alcohol content in this wine from a predominantly Blaufränkisch producer. Oak and a little oxidation, with a touch of bitterness.
  
  
• 2011 F.X. Pichler Dürnsteiner Liebenberg Smaragd, Leithaberg, $70: Darker apple tones on this wine with a pure and silky body. Mysterious and fascinating.
  
  
• 2011 Prager Stockkultur, Wachau, $90: Very ripe peach aromas dominate the nose of this powerful and rich wine. Big acidity and a slight sweetness round out the wine that has 4g/L of residual sugar. Yet another surprising facet of this versatile grape.
  
  
• 2011 Ott Fass 4, Wagram, $26: Loess soil provides for a clean and charming wine dominated by minerals. Perhaps the most purely mineral-focused wine of the entire tasting.
  
  
• 2011 Schloss Gobelsburg Lamm, Kamptal, $62: Dark and deep with a bitter edge. Austere and in need of much deeper inspection, yet we were running out of time.
  
  
• 2010 Schloss Gobesburg Tradition, Kamptal, $50: From the same producer as above, but more mellow and approachable with a brightly perfumed nose.

Check out these other great reviews of the same tasting! VineSleuth "Gruner Veltliner: A Delicious Puzzle", The Reverse Wine Snob "Gruner Love Featuring Stadimann Gruner Veltliner", Jameson Fink "High Line Park and Gruner Veltliner: Contemplating Time and Space", Vindulge "So you think you know Grüner", Wine Julia "SnoothPVA: Terroir Driven Grüner Veltliners of Austria Create Food Friendly Wines with Distinctive Flavors", My Vine Spot "#SnoothPVA: Wines of Austria Master Class", The V.I.P. Table "My 2013 Vinous Revelation: Grüner Veltliner"

Note: This trip was provided by Snooth.

Toad Hollow Wines

One of my favorite moments in O Brother, Where Art Thou? is when Tim Blake Nelson says to John Turturro, "We thought you was a toad!" Ah, my dear little toads...

Small grey toads with brown freckles (Bufo americanus) are pretty common around here, and pop up in flower beds and backyards often. Dogs I have known and loved over the years have occasionally picked up toads and spat them out, and I appreciate the fact that my amphibian friends eat annoying insects. Thus I was delighted to try a quartet of samples from Toad Hollow Vineyards, though it was not my first exposure to the winery and its amusingly named wines. Take the sparkling Amplexus, named after a very specific move that mommy and daddy toads do when they love each other very much. (I served it at my 33rd birthday and loved explaining the name.)

2011 Toad Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay
Mendocino County, California
100% Chardonnay
$14, 13.9% abv.

First tried this back when I made salade niçoise in a hotel room. Hints of apricot and peach are present on the nose, with a nice bit of acidity followed by a pleasant, round finish. A very fun and tasty example of an unoaked California Chardonnay.

2012 Toad Hollow "Eye of the Toad" Dry Rosé of Pinot Noir
Sonoma County, California
100% Pinot Noir
$12, 11.5% abv.

Bright wild strawberries with a tart lemon finish yet low acidity. Nice and round body with dry and fruity flavors. Serve this one with tapas or an evening gathering when you're just laying out a lot of appetizers. It will perform admirably with cheeses, cured meats, olives, and more.

2011 Toad Hollow Erik's The Red
California
Proprietary blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Malbec, and Dolcetto
$13, 14.4% abv.

I haven't tried this wine since year one of this humble blog... Still a crazy blend of red grapes, but also a good blast of ripe red fruit. Aromas of cherry and red plum, low tannins, and particularly enjoyable when served a little on the cold side. A great bargain, and highly recommended for the mid-week pizza or burger wine.

2011 Toad Hollow Pinot Noir
Russian River Valley, California
100% Pinot Noir
$20, 14.5% abv.

Light strawberry and raspberry aromas, with a dash of ash on the nose. The body is mild and round with a quick, clean finish. Delightful berry aftertaste. Not quite light enough for salmon, but one that would be perfect with all sorts of pork dishes.

Note: These wines were provided as samples.

Cardinal Gin from North Carolina

A major point of happiness for the 19th century Dutch colonists in Indonesia was when modern refrigeration arrived and allowed them to drink their beloved genever cold as a respite against the sweltering heat of the tropics. A lot of the spices required to make the beverage were farmed on the islands of the region, shipped back to the Netherlands as part of the lucrative spice trade, and came back to the colonists in bottled form. Until the 1942 Japanese conquest of the Dutch East Indies, but that's a longer story for another day.

The Brits had their own gin traditions related to their colonial properties, but that didn't seem to extend to their own occupation of our land of liberty here in North America. The Province of Carolina split into North and South colonies in 1729, and distillation of many different liquors was popular for many years. Yet the first Tar Heel State gin since Prohibition had to wait until Southern Artisan Spirits produced this particular spirit.

Cardinal American Dry Gin
$30/750mL, 42% abv.

I keep thinking about spice cookies whenever I first sniff this gin. Cardamom is definitely a dominant aroma, though there are many other floral and spice components. The first sniff will smell like cookies, the second smells like perfume, and the third reminds you of flowers. Every now and then there's a hint of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg that brings you back to Christmas.

My primary reason for keeping gin in the house is for the purpose of making cocktails, but this one joins my beloved Hendrick's in terms of a gin that I enjoy simply on its own. Perhaps with a few ice cubes in a nod to those old Dutch settlers.

A few additional notes: the logo comes from the fact that the cardinal is the state bird of North Carolina, and the founders are twins. The company is branching out into additional spirits, with Carolina Rye and Butcher Whiskey coming along soon. You can read an extended story about the distillery in WNC Magazine, and oddly enough, I've had my photo of kudzu jelly published with my permission in that very publication.

Note: This gin was received as a kind gift thanks to my brother from another mother Paul and his main squeeze Anna.