Wine & Words

The gifts of the sea are just now starting to come in down here in coastal Carolina, so I figured we'd offer a selection of wines that will pair very well with anything that swims, whether finned or shelled.
 
Cabriz Colheita Seleccionada 2009 (Dão, Portugal) Everyday low price $10.95
We're starting our "Wines for Seafood" with a new white blend from Portugal. We were introduced to this wine by our friend Andoni Uroz, a Basque who distributes a small list of Spanish and Portuguese wines in Raleigh. I tried this one some time ago and just now am getting around to introducing it.
I haven't seen any points ratings for this 2009 vintage, but the 2007 got 90 points from Wine Enthusiast magazine and was rated a "Best Buy." The wine is a blend of Malvasia-Fina 20%, Encruzado 40%, Cerceal 20%, and Bical 20%. Huh? Never heard of any of these Portuguese grapes? Well, here's what I've learned. The Encruzado is most prominent in the blend. It's an obscure white grape of the Dâo region that is known to be "quite fragrant with flavors and aromas of apricots, nectarines and golden raisins." Yes, those flavors are there in the blend, but the grape notes go on to say Encruzado is not often used on its own because it lacks a crisp acidity. Enter the Bical that is used mainly for crisp sparkling wines and the Cercial that is called "Sercial" on the island of Madeira and is used for its fortified wines. Finally, we've got 20% of the better known Malvasia, one of the two white wine grapes allowed in Chianti Classico and known for its almost sweet fruitiness. "Colheita Seleccionada" means "select harvest," a melange of the best grapes of that year's vintage. Put it all together and we've got a great seafood wine and all-around summer sipper.
Dão
The central Portugal wine region known as Dão is located on an inter-mountain plateau that ranges from 1,200 to 2,100 feet in elevation. The continental climate of Dão has cold, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. This has been a designated wine region since 1908, but only since Portugal's inclusion in the EU has its winemaking been up to international standards. I like to think of it as being in harmony with the Dão.
 
Alvarinho Deu la Deu 2008 (Vinho Verde, Portugal) Regular Price $19.95/ Feature Price $15.96
This slot was going to be occupied by Branger "Les Fils des Gras Moutons" Muscadet Sevre et Maine, which is a classic pairing for oysters. But when Mary was in Raleigh to pick up wines from Andoni Uroz, she was supposed to get us some more of the lovely Eidosela Albariño from Riax Baixas. Andoni said they are between vintages at Eidosela (don't worry, more will be here soon) and would we be interested in a "beautiful" Alvarinho (same grape) from Portugal. Well, you know how fussy I am about what we bring in to Wine & Words, so Mary called me and asked what to do. She said Andoni says, "This is the best Alvarinho I've ever had." Well, that's good enough for me. As I've written before, Andoni is one of those distributors who is passionate about wine...and whose recommendation I will accept without having tasted the wine myself. I told her to bring back a couple of cases to get us through until the Eidosela arrives.
I got the wine home last night and chilled a bottle for Chef Yvonne and me to taste. Well, that's when this new Portuguese Alvarinho pushed the French Muscadet out of its "Wines for Seafood" slot. As soon as we opened the bottle the whole kitchen smelled of ripe green apples. Wow! Then we tried it. It is dry, with just the right fruit notes of lime and kiwi. This is just the ticket for a cold shrimp or crab salad.
The bottle has the words Vinho Verde prominently on the label, but don't be confused with the Broadbent Vinho Verde that is a blend of three Portuguese grapes, is low alcohol and light and fizzy for easy quaffing. This wine from the same region (hence the name) is as elegant and sophisticated as the white Burgundies we've been featuring. It's an eye opener. A "beautiful" wine, indeed.  Gracias, Andoni.
 
Domaine Houchart 2009 Rosé (Côtes de Provence) Regular Price $14.35/ Feature Price $11.48
My campaign to turn people on to dry rosé for summer is working. Everytime we Feature a new one, we sell out. Well, here's another one. It's from Domaine Houchart in the center of Provence, at the foot of Montagne St. Victoire. The Domaine dates back to the mid 1800s, when Aurélien Houchart, great-grandfather of Geneviève Quiot (who, with her husband Jérôme, is the current owner) extended the family’s cellars. The Quiots live in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where they manage their second winery, Domaine du Vieux Lazaret. We have carried several vintages of their Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a stunning wine that is more for autumn and winter drinking.
Now you can get the same great grapes made in a lighter style for summer. The wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a touch of Mourvedre. It has a light, fruity nose and finishes with a sort of creamy, honey thing. The recommended food pairing is: "Meaty fish, salads, cold meat, pasta, pizza." That works for me. Because this wine is simple and light, it goes with seafood dishes that are the same. Maybe that's why we like it so much, because simple and light is how we like our seafood. Leave the breading and the spice and the sauce behind for me. Give me a batch of fresh-caught shrimp, poach them in hot water (or dark beer) for 12 minutes, chill them...then pour the chilled rosé. Now, that's summer!
 
Monte Antico Rosso 2006 (Tuscany, Italy) Regular Price $14.50/ Feature Price $11.60
We used to carry this wine regularly, but for some reason I just let it fade away. Then I was reading a list of Wine Spectator's "Best Values" and found this 2006 on that list with a score of 90 Points! When I talked to our distributor I expected that, with such a good score, the price must have gone up. Not so. We used to sell it for $17.00 a bottle...now it's only $14.50. I decided I'd better get it back in.
This is a "Super Tuscan," a wine from Tuscany that is of high quality but that doesn't adhere to the strict rules for Chianti (including, I believe, the audacious but entirely appropriate decision to bottle this wine "aux screwcap"). This vintage is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot. It's a project of Italian wine specialist Neil Empson (the "né" in the Matané Primitivo we featured last week is the first two letters in Neil's name) and star winemaker Franco Bernabei. It's made from grapes of mostly 25-year-old vines from the Pisa, Maremma and Chianti Classico areas.
Now, you may still be following the old adage that you pair "red wine with red meat and white wine with fish"...but not so fast. We had this wine at home with our first seafood special - Chef Yvonne's crab cakes and a piece of grilled Mahi Mahi. It went very well, indeed. The little Chef couldn't get enough of it.