A big hand for Sean for coming up with some great pairings for wines and American dishes. However, I still can’t seem to come to terms with seeing the words ‘prawn’ and ‘po-boy’ in the same sentence. InterWined reckons that it’s time to offer its own advice for picking an excellent American wine.
Finding decent American […]

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A political battle over the regulation of Italy’s famed Brunello di Montalcino has blocked the shipment of hundreds of thousands of bottles of wine and effectively holds the region’s leading producers hostage in a paperwork prison. Brunello di Montalcino is a popular wine from Tuscany, though it is unloved by some, for its smooth tannin […]

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The 2004 Hogue Riesling, approximately $6.95 a glass from P.F. Chang’s Chinese Restaurant Chain (branches everywhere).

The 2006 Chateau St. Michelle Riesling, available for $7.99 at WineDelight.com.

The 2006 Snoqualmie Winemaker’s Secret Riesling, available for $8.96 from Wine Chateau for the 2005 vintage.

The driest of the three, the Hogue went excellently well with Ginger Chicken and Candied Walnut Shrimp. The nose screamed apricot, the flavour said the same thing, but, thankfully, in a much quieter voice. A great wine for P.F. Chang’s: 8.8.

An off-dry wine that battled the Hogue for the most-dry prize, the Chateau St. Michelle was light and refreshing. It paired superbly with a half-dozen oysters and thinly-cut Miso Tuna Rolls in a light batter: 8.8.

The Snoqualmie was by far the sweetest. While its label recommends Asian food, fruit, and cheese pairings, InterWined is hard pressed to agree. For all of its protestations, the Snoqualmie is more akin to a Late Harvest Riesling, making it an excellent dessert wine or digestif. Reading that it pairs with ‘Asian’ food, fruit, cheese seems like sloppy marketing. Indeed, it’s always strange to read that a wine would make an excellent match for cheese, as cheese is a dairy. Dairy coats the mouth and masks the flavours and flaws of the wine. In the case of the Snoqualmie, it is an unnecessary and misleading tasting note. The wine’s better than that: 8.6.

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In a recent edition of ‘Blow the Bank’, InterWined.com relayed the popular, and mostly accurate, professional dictum that red wine and fish &mash: well, red wine and white fish — go together about as well as red wine and Coca Cola.

So what about red wine and red fish? Is there a difference? In a word, yes. Think about a white fish (cod or haddock, for instance); then, think about a red fish (a salmon or tuna).
The one glaring flaw to the above bit of professional advice is that it glosses over at best and ignores at worse the differences in textures and flavours within fish — something that would never take place with meat or poultry.

Case in point: Summer in the United States, as in many other parts of the world, means outdoor barbecues. At a recent evening barbecue held in honour of InterWined’s journey to the US, the host prepared salmon steaks with a lemon and pepper rub. Since other guests were eating burgers instead of salmon, InterWined opted for a red wine that would compliment both the firmness and flavour of the salmon steak and the juiciness of the burgers.

Enter the 2006 Cloudline Pinot Noir from the Williamette Valley in Oregon. In recent years, Oregon and the Williamette Valley have grown in fame for the quality of their Pinot Noir, and the 2006 Cloudline is very good example. It’s deep-red with a forest gateaux cherry kind of flavour. Left open to breathe for 20 minutes, it softened nicely and paired better than expected with the salmon, helping to highlight the meatiness of the Pacific salmon served at the barbecue.

As its press will attest, Cloudline’s debut vintage was 2002. And, it already sells in some restaurants for $10 a glass — something of an indication of the league of wines with which its makers see it competing. Retailing at just over $20 a bottle, InterWined says save your money and, as is common in the US, buy in bulk, bottle over glass: 8.7.

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InterWined.com’s ‘Friend in Houston’ remarked that an earlier post, which suggested drinking Sauvignon Blanc out of a straw, was a neat idea, but that the suggested wine, Beringer, was just not good enough…
True enough, of all grapes Sauvignon Blanc is going through the same overproduction phase as Pinot Grigio, in Italy, in the early 2000s. […]

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A standard California table wine, The Boulders Viognier 2004, goes for £5. Viognier is an ancient lady, common in the Rhone. Needs sun as it is prone to rot.

The Boulders isn’t very floral, as one would expect when the grape is grown in America or Australia. A probably a bit too heavy for such a heavy dish. But Interwined has a big belly, so here we go: Greasy and tart, some hints of orange zing, quick finish, but heavy in body. Perfect with fish and chips. By itself: 8.2.

German Riesling is the fall back guy for difficult food pairings. 2004 Mineralstein Riesling, from between the Mosel and Rhein rivers, around £7 from Marks and Spencer. The low alcohol, nice apricot aroma and peach-smartie type flavor really enhance the spice on Buffalo chicken wings (what spice is that, anyway?). The wine itself is a gem, dry and flinty, with a unbelievably long finish… If Cricket were a wine sport, Mineralstein would be it’s star.
Perfect wine Buffalo chicken wings: 8.6.

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Zinfandel is American…as American as, well, Zinfandel.

The 2005 Lodi Zin (£8) stood out among the competition, for its hints of plum and vanilla. It stood up on a table and yelled out at the top of its squid ink-coloured lungs: 8.6.

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The 2003 Bodegas Olvena Magnum from Somontano, Spain, was purchased after some hard bargaining between InterWined and the fabulous wine shop, Planet of the Grapes. One of the owners, Matt, said, “Hey, InterWined, buy that bottle for 20 quid and stick it on your blog”.

The black cherry was also expected, but no less enjoyed. There was a hint of tarty flint, which would be more pronounced, and likely less enjoyable, in a single bottle offering. Delicious: 8.7.

The 2003 Magnum of Vendange California Cabernet is an example of a big American wine in a big American bottle…ready to drink on a Friday night – this one – and the new oak abounds with black berry. Simple and effective. Let breath for two hours to one day: 8.5.

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2002 Hawk Crest: The older of the two and ready-to-drink – Strongly Californian. Strong powerful nose, heavy body and a powerhouse finish, though short. A bit roasty-meaty and a bit blackberry. Not complex, but still as pleasing. Thanks for the memories Hawk Crest, but really, considering the nature of wine production, how can you remain so consistent? Curious comment, sure to have its share of detractors: 8.7.

2004 Cousino-Macul Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley: Other names on the bottle, such as ‘Estate bottled’ and ‘Antiguas Reservas,’ are just smoke and mirrors. Don’t mean it good, don’t mean it bad.

The label says 14% ABV, but the legs walk a 15.5%. Strong alcohol in the aroma confirms. Opened two hours, and the smell is still there. Best opened a day prior, and immediately re-corked. Some caramel and a touch of minty lamb.

The most shocking thing about this wine is likely due to critic-bias (a name InterWined just invented to explain how a wine taster cannot completely discount their own subjectivity based on their own experiences). For example, for reasons best left unexplained and unexplored, the Cousino-Macul smells, and even tastes, vaguely of Hawaiian Punch: 8.6.

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Bonterra 2004 Merlot and Zinfandel, ruby and peppery, respectively. Both full-bodied, but somewhat sweet. Well-priced and easy to drink. The lower blend of Shiraz-Carignan, whatever, cost around £5, and is about as tasty an Organic table can get.

2005 Vida Organica Sangiovese Bonarda blend, from Argentina. This nice little wine sells for £6 at one of London’s more impressive wine shops Planet of the Grapes. It’s peppery and smooth, very ripe with aromas of vine fruits. The label says red current, but InterWined tastes it as raspberry. Fun: 8.5.

2002 Williamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Pommard: Aromas of blackberry with a hint of vanilla. Tastes of grape lollipop and smoky oak. There’s something floral and vivacious, that is muted out by the folds of jasmine perfume that come and go: 9.1.

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