Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve is fast approaching, and I'm sure that more than a few of you will be opening a bottle of champagne to ring in the new year. Champagne will get a full blog post in the future, but for now, the issue at hand is getting the bubbly out of the bottle and into your glass.

Beaujolais for Turkey Day

Its coming up on Thanksgiving here in sunny Seattle, and every place that sells wine is trying to sell you the perfect wine to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey.
 
There are many fantastic choices and popular favorites, and it seems to me that the wine that seems to cause the most confusion is Beaujolais (BOH-zho-lay). 

Beaujolais? Beaujolais Nouveau? Aren't they the same? Kinda? Sorta? 

Well, no, not really.

Grenache is for Autumn

Happy First Day of Fall!

As the seasons change, what we eat changes, and so the wine we drink will change too. Grenache is a perfect autumn wine – its a nice transition from lighter wines drunk on the patio during the summer to fuller bodied wines best enjoyed sitting by a fireplace during winter.

Grenache (Greh-nosh) is thought to have originated in northern Spain, and from there transplanted to southern France and the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. There is also a school of thought that Grenache is indigenous to the islands and was brought to Spain after the Spaniards invaded in the 13^th Century.

In more recent history, Grenache has been transplanted in Australia, California, and Washington. 

Rich, Ripe, Juicy Zinfandel

Zinfandel has been a cornerstone of California winemaking since the 1850s when it was planted by immigrants who came looking for gold. Since it's time for your Labor Day barbecue, it's a good time to take a look at this quintessential California wine.

Zinfandel makes a deep purple wine with big, bold flavors of blackberry jam, raspberry, strawberry and plum with spices like black pepper and cinnamon.

Its a classic wine to pair with barbecue!

The riddle of Rioja

Rioja is Spain's most recognizeable wine region, and the Tempranillo grape plays a major component in the wines that come from Rioja.

Tempranillo (Tem-Pra-KNEE-yo) is Spain's most common red grape, where it goes by a number of names depending on where it's planted and where the wine is made. To keep things simple, this post will focus on the Rioja region of Spain, where the grape is called Tempranillo.

Sauvignon Blanc: a variety of styles!

Sauvignon Blanc (SAW veen yon BLAHNK) is a white grape that, more than almost any other grape variety, directly reflects it's growing climate in the wine it produces.

Sauvignon Blanc is a high acid wine, mouthwatering and an excellent companion to food, and a very aromatic wine. It's flavor varies wildly, depending on the climate where the grapes were grown.
 

When picking out a Sauvingnon Blanc, it pays to match the flavor qualities you desire to a particular wine region to look for.

Why won't you dance with me? I'm not no Lemberger!

 

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Lemberger is a Austrian grape with an off-putting name that is not widely grown in the United States.

You have to try it!

A toast to Brie & Camembert!

What would be a good drink to wash down soft cow's milk cheeses like Brie and Camembert? 

Merlot lotta love

Merlot (mer loh) is often dismissed as a second rate Cabernet Sauvignon, but not only is Merlot delicious on its own, it is often used as a blending grape to make some fantastic wines.

Merlot is the most commonly grown grape in France and it helped put the Washington State wine industry on the map.

If you've dismissed Merlot in the past, do yourself a favor and give it a second chance.

How about a nice Chianti?

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Chianti is not a type of grape, but rather the region that this particular wine comes from, and the Chianti region of Italy is in Tuscany.

The primary grape used to make Chianti wine is called Sangiovese (san-jo-veh-zeh), and that's where Chianti's magical food pairing ability comes from.

Sangiovese is a thin skinned grape that ripens slowly. It produces a wine with as much acidity as Syrah, but with a lighter body. Sangiovese has a medium body similar to Tempranillo.

Sangiovese is Italy's most commonly planted red grape varietal, but for wine made with Sangiovese to be called Chianti, the wine must come from a specific region in Italy. Outside of the Chianti region, wine made from the Sangiovese grape goes by a variety of names, depending on where it is made, such as: Brunello, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Morellino, or just Sangiovese, which is what it goes by in Washington State.

Grab a bottle, any bottle, of Sangiovese, and pour yourself a glass.