What’s on my table this January? Everything good n’cheap! It’s amazing what you can get your hands on after the New Year in particular, when wine buyers are particularly keen on discovering great wines for short change. Note that savvy buyers often can find wines that are in their prime but are offered by wholesalers for a reduced rate, who are busy trying to move out “old” inventory what with new vintages due in the coming few months. These professionals also appreciate that consumer’s credit card bills will have been maxed out during the holiday gifting spree, but that while they still want some vinous love on a chilly night, quality should not be compromised. (Who wants to re-live their New Year’s hangover?!)

Of course, here in Massachusetts the liquor tax has been repealed. So as of the first of the year, we’re “saving” 6.25% to boot!

Curious what am I sipping specifically?

Let’s start with last weekend, when I was uber-happy to uncork the 2007 Chateau Les Tours Seguy Cotes de Bourg (Bordeaux, France). This is a wine that is chock full of French-tastic terroir (barnyard aromas and a hint of leather and checked earthy appeal on the palate) and supple blackberry, black currant and even some red fruits. It has great balance, but like most Bordeaux is better with food (game meats, hard cheeses, even pasta with meat sauce like lasagna – hell, I had it with Chicken Mushroom soup because the brussel sprouts and leeks in the dish brought savory earthy appeal to deliver a great match for the wine). We are pretty convinced this is a wine that is in it’s prime right here, right now with just light, dusty tannins, good lift and integration. Even better, this is a wine that should retail in the high teens, and it is worth every penny; but because it was one of those wines cluttering up the  wholesaler’s warehouse when new vintages are coming in,  it was available for a super low price, which the shop was happy to pass on to customers.  For $8.99, I’m one happy (repeat) customer!

What values are you finding out there so far this Winter?

Image c/o TW Food website

I can’t remember the last time I wrote a restaurant review. I do have a list of places on my ‘to talk about’ list, though; some of these spots are more remote or ‘hole in the wall’ than others and I selfishly find I like to keep these hidden gems to myself before I dig deep to overcome my personal/professional block and write about them. The good news for you, dear reader, is that when I do finally ‘break down’ and share my impressions of certain fine establishments around town, you know my writings are heartfelt.

Time and again my experiences at the somewhat off-the-beaten path TW Food restaurant in Cambridge are exceptional ones – so much so that it was the “Something New” gift card I imparted on two of my best friends earlier this fall as part 2 of  their wedding present (part 1 being “Something Old” – a gift card to the spot where they had their first official date). The recent special tasting of Jura wines with food pairings by the ever-meticulous head Chef/Owner Tim Wiechmann that I attended was no exception. A small, talented team (maybe just Tim, his attentive wife Bronwyn and their knowledgeable Sommelier Jillian Marini?) in a small, cozy/romantic space seems to be all you need to create an unusually thoughtful, unobtrusive experience for guests. An artisanal approach doesn’t hurt either…

Jillian’s personal wine curiosity means that TW doesn’t just deliver an amazing gastronomic experience, but that you are in for a treat when you also opt for the wine pairing as part of their prefix menu. I don’t think there is a more reasonably priced meal around town – let alone one that will allow you, already an ‘explorer’ by virtue of the fact that you sought out TW Food in it’s Cambridge nook, to further discover several distinct parts of the wine world and delicious flavor combinations at one sitting.

TW is also committed to the local/seasonal movement. This means that their wine list, though small, packs a real punch and is always fine-tuned to work with the fare of the season. Right now they are rock’n a largely Jura wine selection. The Jura is a tiny, lesser explored wine region bordering Burgundy and Switzerland. Wines from these regions share a certain similarity with one another – but as I always find is the case in these parts, they have their own chutzpah and personality, too. In the Jura their focus is on lesser known varietals like Poulsard and Trousseau (reds), and Savagnin and Chardonnay (whites). It can get beastly cold there, so yes, it is right to guess the reds tend to have a levity or lighter-bodied quality to them. Minerality (terroir) cuts through and distinguishes the wines in a such a distinct way that I can only analogize to say, it reminds me of a chilly winter day when it smells like snow is coming -  you just know it to be what it is.

During dinner we enjoyed Peggy Buronfosse’s Cremant Rose of Pinot Noir Brut (a lively, delicious, finely bubbled sparkler with raspberry and blueberry intonations) as well as her 2006 Savagnin/Chardonnay blend called “Les Belemnites, which reminded me of an aged Chablis for its richness, truffle tones and caramel nuttiness you can get from an aged wine. Stephane Tissot’s old vine Poulsard (2007) reminded me of a Gamay/Pinot Noir blend – and was a fine match for the seared tuna at hand. Dessert need not have come for the tremendous Vin Jaune by Jacques Puffeney (1999) was treat enough for me; Vin Jaune is considered a specialty of the Jura and one not to miss when the occasion presents itself.

At last check, each of these wines is available right now at TW Food. They are certainly ones I consider “nerd wines” – perfect for the wine curious explorer. And ’tis the season for giving and indulging! Head over to TW Food and you won’t be disappointed.

Have you had the pleasure of dining at TW Food? What is it that keeps you going back?

For Thanksgiving you often think of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris as “perfect” pairings. And in fact, those are the varietals that I almost always seek out for the big day in part because they are such a good match but also because it is an ‘excuse’ to spend the bigger bucks on a great red Burgundy or some incredible Alsatian PG. But Thanksgiving really is an open-ended wine pairing holiday.

Like chicken, turkey offers a clean slate. It’s like the tofu of the meat world; it’s something that needs dressing up to have a real identity. As such, wine pairing is more about all the sides you are going to prepare – cranberry sauce, earthy root vegetables like brussel sprouts or creamed white onions, or sweet potatoes, or your mother’s fruit salad (with marshmallows) that you have every year because it’s “tradition”. Yes, the Pinot family can take the fun on home with sides like these. But the world really is your oyster!

Here are a few other ideas to consider – and when I say consider, I mean who all is coming to dinner, what their preferences might be and how to keep everyone happy (sometimes the real objective at your holiday gathering)….

Whites  ~

White Burgundy, or the more affordable alternative, Macon Chardonnay. The thing about these wines is that Burgundy (and the surround areas where you can spend a few less dollars) offers a full, fleshy and fruit-forward experience that won’t weigh you down. They are gently oaked wonders, which means that you can still bring Chardonnay (a familiar grape) to the table without bringing a bottle of buttery, wooded, BIG juice, that won’t quite work with such a big meal. Clean, pure, fruit and citrus lift are a winning combination.

Albarino. Albarino is an incredibly versatile option that will pair with anything. Its low alcohol, terrific, sea-like minerality and bright acidity keep your guests, and your overindulgence, in check, and also offers a little something unique and enjoyable beyond “the usual suspects”. While gaining in popularity, it is still a grape that not everyone knows. Few are likely to have a preconceived notion of what to expect – and whether they will like it or not. Chances are – they will, too.

Reds ~

Malbec. Now this is a grape that people know and tend to have only very positive feelings about! And, it is also a grape that won’t over-power the turkey and will certainly complement the earthier fare on your table. Seek out fruit forward, earthier styles (as opposed to the chocolatey, rich ones) for a real treat.

Zinfandel. Zin can be tricky because so many of them are so high in alcohol. That is dangerous both on an over-consumption level and also because it really can weigh you down. The juicy sweetness and slightly earthy nuance on offer (in great Zin) certainly pairs with the cranberry sauce. But for the Thanksgiving table that runs the ‘non traditional’ gamut in particular by delivering an Italian feast (and yet for folks that want a truly “American” wine to pair), this is an option to consider. My recommendation? In this case, spend the extra bucks to get a really well-made, more nuanced wine.

What will you be drinking next Thursday?

Last weekend at a pumpkin carving fiesta a good friend asked me which wine I would pair with pumpkin. I was arm deep in pumpkin guts at the time (see image to the right) so I told him to keep an eye out for a post this week. And now here we are 3 days from Halloween with an ample supply of pumpkin around town – also known as the biggest opportunity to bust out your culinary genius. A post was all too necessary!

Here are a few different ways you could go (and there are many…):

Pumpkin Rissotto w/Scallops

If you prefer a cheese-tastic take on rissotto, go for a buttery Chardonnay from California. If you prefer a lighter, savory risotto, go for a more mineral-driven, Alsatian white like Chasellas or even Pinot Blanc.

Roasted Pumpkin w/Root Vegetables

My brother in law makes a killer roast pumpkin – with all the root veggies and even tomatoes left to stew inside his prized Princess pumpkin. In this case, a fine option would be a Valpolicella from Italy. Savory, with stewed fruits and some nice structure, this wine’s earthiness, fruit forward qualities and natural food-loving nature would be a treat. An earthy red from the Cote du Rhone would also work superbly.

Beef and Pumpkin Stew

Go to the mothership of all things beef: Argentina! Go team Malbec.

Pumpkin Pie or Pumpkin Bread

Any dessert made with pumpkin and seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg will love a great off-dry white. Think Riesling or Gewurtztraminer. Either of these will complement the savory brown spices in the dessert, yet the richness of the food will be cut by the great acidity and low-alcohol nature of the wine.

Which pumpkin dish is your favorite to make this time of year?

Back to the wines we tasted at the Bordeaux wine dinner, folks who attended wanted to know my favorite in the mix. Here was the prestigious line-up to “choose” amongst:

First Course: Chateau Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc 2003 (Pessac-Leognan)

Second Course: Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste 1997 (Paulliac)

Second Course: Chateau Lynch-Bages 1997 (Paulliac)

Third Course: Chateau L’Arrosee 1986 (St. Emilion)

Third Course: Chateau Cos d’Estournel 1986 (St. Estephe)

Fourth Course: Chateua Doisy-Vedrines 2000 (Barsac-Sauternes)

Not bad, eh?

You can see from this list that we had a few charges, if you will, among the reds.  For example, the second and third courses were set up to allow us to sample wines from the same vintage, same appellation – followed by wines from same vintage but different appellations. What was so much fun was that each of the wines showed very differently from each other so you really could relish either the variation in styles Chateau to Chateau or in vintage years. I could write for days about their unique qualities. Truly, these were red wines to behold and when paired with the cuisine Chef meticulously prepared, they continued to deliver even more flavor and depth as you might expect.

But as so often is the case, it seems whatever is first in any given wine lineup gets lost. (There is probably scientific research that backs up my informal assessment accordingly.) After marinating in my experience for a few days, I knew for certain it was the Smith-Haut-Lafitte that I kept thinking about. There’s just something so captivating about aged whites, particularly from regions that produce wines that can age. It’s rich texture, still-singing acidity and solid core of fruit was just so appealing! Particularly delighting was the bruised apple meets cheese rind rusticity the wine delivered. You just can’t get that kind of depth of tertiary nuance from a “fresh” wine. It is something magical that happens in the bottle when you can be patient enough to just… wait for it.

Do you enjoy white Bordeaux? Have you ever tasted an aged one?