the world's most versatile white wine? Albarino uncorked.

If you think of Spain's geography as the shape of a bull's head, you realize it doesn't have much of a western coast. Portugal actually comprises much of that area - with only the tippy-top of Spain's left "bull horn" having ocean boundaries. It is in this northwestern area, Galicia - and perhaps more notably, the D.O. Rias Biaxas (said Ree-as Byay-shas) - where arguably the most versatile white wine is created: Albarino. With its northern location and proximity to the sea, it won't surprise you to learn Albarino has its work cut out for itself to avoid rot and ripen fully. (Or, well, maybe the high, spread out trellising by the vineyard managers has something to do with it, since the wind can more easily pass through the vines and help dry things out....) Whether natural selection is at play or not, Albarino fortunately has developed very thick skins - which impart the strong, beautifully floral aromas you should associate with this particular vino.

Actually, Albarino is often likened to two other grapes we've discussed now and again: Riesling and Viognier. It is associated with Riesling for its mineral characteristics and Viognier for the stone fruit and floral aromas that often float from the glass. It also has very low alcohol and high acidity. These factors make Albarino so versatile. (Low alcohol allows it to pair well with spicy dishes too, for example; the heat of the alcohol does not fuel the flames of spicy cuisine while the residual touch of glycerin adds a robustness that complements richer foods' texture. ) And it's not just that Albarino's innate characteristics make it a good match for these "trickier," spicy foods! The wine is also enhanced by the flavors found in these dishes: it tastes even more distinct than when it flies solo!

Albarino is a go-to wine for me particularly around holiday meals. It is so refreshing, has that extra bit of roundness to it texturally, complements so many dishes and is one even red wine drinkers can appreciate. With Easter a few weeks back, I brough home a bottle thinking I would save it for our feast. It never made it that far.... The Vinum Terrae's Agnus Dei Albarino offered such a lovely bouquet of peaches and apricots, it was love reignited. It delivered the same apricot-peachy goodness on the palate and was further enhanced by a serious squeeze of lemon citrus "juice" and a bit of wet-slate minerality. With its low alcohol, it quenched my thirst as I prepared the meal.

There are several Albarino's on the market, probably the most widely distributed being the Martin Codax. Have you enjoyed this varietal before? Which was the offering you tasted?

Oysters and wine innovation on the Charles river

Got $1? Get an oyster. Got $12? Get twelve oysters. There are a few places in and around town with a $1 oyster special at least one day a week. But only one place has oysters, a fabulous wine and cocktail list, synergy and ridiculously intelligent, innovative staff: Dante Restaurant in Cambridge, MA. Head on over to Wicked Local today to get the inside scoop on the finer nuances of what makes Dante so special. Then report back here:

Have you had the pleasure of sitting barside with Stephen or Chas at Dante?

Funny (and not so funny) Wine News: Italy, France and the U.S.

You know you're having a good morning of wine reading if you are both laughing and crying.... Wiping the cobwebs from my eyes yesterday morning, I found myself clicking on the link to a Decanter article about Italy's new "Drink-Driving" campaign. I read the brief article three times. It just didn't make good common sense! Allegrini is reportedly giving away a bottle of Palazzo della Torre to anyone who manages to drive sober after a night out. (How they are enforcing this, who knows, but....) Decanter stated this "Drink-Driving" campaign was not only to increase awareness about alcohol-related driving deaths but also to revitalize the slackening restaurant business. Great idea. Except isn't "Drink Driving" a bit of an oxymoron? Is the idea you are driving home with your free, uncorked bottle? No, that can't be it....

I had the great pleasure of meeting Marilisa Allegrini over lunch about a year and a half ago. She came to Boston to show her family's Veneto wares. They are lovely. She is lovely. It turns out she didn't initially commit to the family wine business, pursuing her own path first. I found her incredibly dynamic and market savvy. So I'm not surprised that Allegrini is collaborating on such a campaign. It just doesn't seem like Marilisa to get behind an idea called "Drink Driving".  And then it hit me.  A translation error must be at play! It isn't a "drink driving" campaign; it's a "drUnk driving" campaign. Yes, I'm laughing at myself too - but apparently I'm not the only one who didn't apply their own rational mind to the equation. If you read the comments below the article, you can see what I mean for yourself. I blame a busy week and a general lack of sleep... Too funny, too interesting not to share.

In other wine news, I was sad to see Duval-Leroy is giving aluminum Champagne stoppers a go. Champagne is sacred. I believe in cork when it comes to that one. Read for yourself, here.

Finally, if you're in California, Michigan or Atlanta, perhaps you've had the chance to taste wine out of a tap. If you're in New York City, perhaps you've heard it might be coming. The rest of us, well, we'll see when it all might come to fruition. Cool idea though. Check it out!

How do you feel about the alumunium stopper? What about wine on tap?

another German wine find!

With Dornfelder now under our belts and the trees about to budbreak, what could be more natural than musing a bit on a somewhat random,  German, hybrid, white varietal? Scheurebe! It's fun to say (shoe-ray-bay) and even more fun to drink! A couple of weeks ago I was inspired to bring home a bottle of the 2007 Forster Schnepfenflug A.D. WSTR Scheurebe Kabinett. That night I simply wanted a wallet-friendly pick-me-up wine.  I wasn't even having anything particularly exciting for dinner - I just wanted a little something to sip while I cooked and then work well enough with whatever culinary creation I managed.  Scheurebe is fairly versatile. It has a bit of weight to it (perfect for Spring), offers honey aromas, ripe peach and citrus flavors and a touch of spiced minerality. The Forster's acidity is not overwhelming, making it a solid cocktail wine: no food is required to really enjoy it.

Based on the flavor profile above, you probably won't be shocked to learn Scheurebe is a German hybrid varietal with Riesling thought to be one of the parent grapes. Often enough these wines have a touch of sweetness to them, too. The Forster, clocking in at relatively low 10.5% alcohol, certainly falls into the off-dry category.  (Unlike it's Riesling parent, Scheurebe isn't known for high acidity, as mentioned above. This makes me wonder who its other parent is! As yet, it's not clear who's the daddy, as Silvaner has been recently ruled out.)

But best of all, because Scheurebe is a hardier grape than Riesling, it has staying power in the vineyard. It is resistant to the colder elements, commands decent yields, and can grow in less desireable areas. This means you can get the wine for less. Consider it "recession proof"!

Have you tried Scheurebe? What was your impression?

April's "Wicked Wines" uncorked!

Of course we're all trying to forget about snow what with Spring springing. But I really think wine is like a snowflake. No two bottles (even of the same wine) are alike! Wine is one of the few things constantly pushing me to explore something new - because I never know what amazing gem I might encounter once the bottle is uncorked.

Today I am thrilled to debut a new series here at Pour Favor: Wicked Wines! Every second Monday of the month, pop on over to Wicked Local to see what treasures I've found - and hope you will also give a sniff, swirl and sip for yourself!

Are you familiar with any of the wines I feature this month? What's your April "Wicked Wine" find?

Vintage Port declared in 2007

Yeah, yeah, it may be sort of, kind of getting warmer out there here in New England. But it is still rainy, damp, brisk and windy, too.  It is way too early to forget about the wonderful world of Port! This week, in fact, just in case dreams of dry rose, picnics with bubbly, or vibrant whites are on the brain, the folks in Portugal are bringing us back to reality. For the first time in four vintages, major Port houses throughout the Duoro have declared 2007 a Vintage year for Port! What does this mean? Well, think of Vintage Port as the top of the totem pole. It is only made in great years, made from the best grapes on offer; there also has to be ample fruit available to meet the demand. No one is allowed to get ahead of themselves either, even if all of the conditions in a given year seem to indicate a Vintage year is inevitable. The Powers That Be have to wait one full year after the vintage year to assess the wines and then declare the Vintage.

Of course... the trick about Vintage Port is that you have to "earn it" to really enjoy it. The tannins are so intense it takes decades for the wine to come into its own. If you open a bottle of Vintage Port after, say, 10 years, your wine will still have very hearty tannin, enough such that you can drink it over several days. On the other hand, if you are a patient soul and wait 40-50 years to drink your Port, it should be enjoyed immediately; the wine has achieved maturity and will not be able to hold up to excessive oxygen exposure.

So if 2007 is an important year for you personally, keep an eye out for these Vintage Ports when they come to market in another few years. Then cellar it for a "special" occassion sometime in the distant future.

Which Vintage Port have you enjoyed? How old was it when you opened it?

Pinot Noir vintage "wars"

With Passover starting today and Easter a few days away, I should probably pick one or the other - or both - religious holidays to give a few wine pointers about. But today I'm inspired to go a different route; so if it was  holiday wine you were hoping for my musings about,  I hope instead you'll use this as an opportunity to get your own feet wet in your local shop (if you haven't already - tisk, tisk!) and see what your local buyer might recommend. (A Riesling or Gewurtztraminer for your Ham dinner, perhaps? Or maybe you're having lamb and need a dynamic red blend from the Cote du Rhone or even California? But I digress...) We've been tasting a bunch of Pinot Noir again lately at the shop. (A tough job, but someone has to do it!) We usually get on the Pinot tasting wagon around the winter holidays because it pairs so well with Thanksgiving dinner and is often a special selection at Christmas. Well, it turns out we're at this crazy point in the year where two vintages are available: the 2006 vintage is still perfectly delicious, but the 2007's are starting to get a bit more of a 'push' from salesmen.  Just this week Wine Spectator magazine reported the same thing via Monday's Tasting Highlights article. And so here I am telling my own tale in the very, very informal "battle of the Pinots".

First, let's remember each vintage in each (sub)region of the world is unique. I recommend Googling various grapes and regions for vintage reports particular to a given year - and then reading a myriad articles for greater perspective on the lay of the land. Second, please, please remember good wine can be made in a bad year. That's what we call winemaker expertise.  (Of course, pretty much anyone can make good wine in a good year.) Finally, each individual wine sings its own tune. So ultimately, you have to taste to know.

By point of reference, I found 2006 largely produced a solid batch of domestic Pinot Noirs. Of course there were some hits, some homeruns (go Pedroia and Varitek! ahem, sorry...) and some horrible misses. But for the most part, the wines are solid across the board. You simply need to know what style you prefer (ligher, earthier, meatier/fleshier, coca cola or beets, etc.) and ask your wine buyer which one is likely to suit your palate - but I argue 2006 Pinots largely don't suck.

The 2007s, on the other hand, struggled out of the gates last fall. It was a rainy year here in the States, with varying results depending on when the grapes were harvested and how badly the rains fell in a given (sub)appellation. When we started tasting through these wines in anticipation of Christmas last fall, many were a bit rough around the edges, still tight and green and a bit disjointed, showing very little fruit at all. We suspected they just needed some time to 'settle in' and would improve in as little as six months.

Wouldn't you know,  it's been just about that time? Today, with some bottle time under its belt, the O'Reilly's Pinot Noir is more reminiscent of its fan-favorite 2006 counterpart; the Siduri '07 Pinots are absolutely sudductive; the '07 Dobbes Family Estates Assemblage Cuvee (and their less expensive offering under the "Wine by Joe" label) are solid, solid wines; and.... the list goes on!

This Wednesday I encourage you to get out and about and try your own grouping of Pinots from both vintage years (whichever part of the world you prefer) and see which strikes your fancy!

Have you had your own 2006 vs. 2007 Pinot Noir taste-off yet? Were they from the same vineyard, or different selections all together? Tell us your impressions!

Keeping your wine fresh: storage basics

Let's face it, the average person's cellar is the backseat of their car. You pick out a bottle at your local shop with relatively immediate consumption in mind. But what about when you are inspired to pick up several and aren't exactly sure when you'll pop the cork? Or what happens when you get a killer wine gift you know needs more time before it'll be at its "best"? Today at WickedLocal we cover the basics of wine storage - both before you open the bottle and if you don't quite finish it in one go. Don't be afraid to open a bottle! Find out how to keep your wine fresh here.

Have you ever experienced wine gone bad? What were the circumstances?

Friday wine news: Health, Religion, Technology & Travel

A few headlines crossing myriad academics, if you will, caught my attention this week. Here's what rose to the top of my reading list: Wine & Health - While this may be a "duh" moment for some readers, I thought it was worth bringing this article from WebMD to your attention: white wine can also be responsible for teeth staining. Grape tannin (or shmutz) leaves its mark on your teeth, whether you are drinking wine made from white or red grapes. Of course, red wine's impact is more direct or immediate. But white can leave a mark too. Click on the link above to discover why! Is this news to you?

Wine & Religion - With Passover coming up, this is the time to be buying your Kosher wines. Gaiter & Brecher break down a few of their favorite Kosher Riesling offerings, a terrific varietal to enjoy with an important meal.  Remember, these wines get a bad rep for being sweet, when more often it is the ripe fruit and florals that require a little mind over matter to appreciate the actual dryness of the wine. Which Kosher wines do you enjoy each year?

Wine & Technology - This article actually bugs me a little because of my ying/yang reaction to new technologies available for wine making. (Of course, I really just don't want to see robots roaming the world doing everything for us.) But anyway, apparently there's a new technology available that will "tell winemakers when their wine has finished aging", reports Sophie Kevany of Decanter. Click on the link to learn more. Does this development irritate you, too?

Wine & Travel - or Wine & Laws, depending on your perspective. France hit the wine headlines multiple times this week, but this one seemed to be the most pertinent as summer vacation approaches. On July 31, 2009, France will ban outdoor consumption. I simply cannot imagine a vacation in France, sitting in their many cafes withOUT a glass of wine, a beer or a cocktail in hand. It is an oxymoron. And it outrages me.  Do you even think this move will ameliorate France's drinking "problem"?

Please comment below! Lots of interesting fodder this week....

A wine for wine nerds - or to intrigue your dinner guests

I quite enjoy reading whatever "varietal character" Appellation America comes up with for various grapes. Sometimes I agree with their take and sometimes I don't; (their impression is America-centric, so often the grape varietals I differ about show different characteristics when left in the Old Country, where I'm more often sipping). But they are always pretty darn entertaining. Enter Dornfelder, described by Appellation America as the latest action hero out of Germany. In your most recent role as 'the Germinator' all the older German stars seemed pale by comparison. Who knows how big you'll become, bulking up with each appearance. To think the critics suggested 'Nouveau Beaujolais-sequel' in their initial reviews. How mistaken they were! In less comical speak? Dornfelder is a German hybrid of two other grapes, which were also scientific experiments at the Weinsberg breeding institute. You'd think this particular grape might be so far (genetically) from anything "real" so as to lose itself, but I've found this grape could, in fact, live up to Appellation America's "The Germinator" description. This is what I call a "nerd wine" - but I argue this one is both for the wine lover and anyone new to fermented grape juice.

How so? This grape can create wines that are definitely vibrant-colored, floral nose-packing, juicy ripe-fruited wonders. For a country where the climate is a bit tricky for optimal fruit ripening, this grape does just fine - in fact ripening early enough in the season a late frost is no worry. It is also quite resilient. Like the Zweigelt grape in Austria, Dornfelder stares down vine diseases with relative ease.  And yields are prolific enough viticulturists and winemakers alike aren't sweating it out, pressing every last drop of juice from the skins to make enough wine to make Dornfelder worth their efforts. Happiness in a glass, I should think!

One of my favorite reps came by with the Diehl Dornfelder 2007 at the start of the new year. These are 1 Liter bottles (extra juice!) that in the MA market would go for about $16.99. My notes were simple: "YUM. Bright red fruits - raspberry flavors abound - and a nice touch of spiced minerality." Last week I tasted the Windisch Dornfelder 2007, which offered a touch more depth even and darker fruit flavors - and for less dinero ($10.99). The nose was much more floral, too. Quite surprising for the money.

Despite my fairly limited Dornfelder tasting experience, I have a hard time not agreeing with the "experts" about this wine's general characteristics. They suggest the best of these offerings have connotations of good Beaujolais village, particularly in terms of weight (on the lighter side, more like a Pinot Noir) and fruit vibrancy or ripeness.  The minerality and spices I've found in the two I've tasted most recently suggest something entirely its own, too - not old world earthy/barnyard, but something warming and familiar, like Grandma's spiced oatmeal cookies.

I know Dornfelder is extremely rare here in the states so I did a quick bit of research among my friends/colleagues in the trade. Word on the street is there are only four offerings available (in Massachusetts). But this doesn't mean you shouldn't keep an eye out for them on restaurant wine lists (a good match for many dishes). Better yet, ask your local buyer what finds they have (or can get) in stock. Then treat your dinner guests to a glass!

Which Dornfelders have you tasted? Any favorites - or is this something new you might try?