Apollo Wine and Spirits

Only two days left of the big wine sale at Apollo.  In my endeavor to recommend great wines to you during the sale, I was trying to think of a wine that is very versatile in food pairings and has broad appeal to red wine lovers.  It didn’t take long before it hit me that Pinot Noir fits the bill.  Only Pinot Noir has the grace, finesse and complexity to go with the finest seafood meals and still be able to hold up to a hearty steak.  When thinking of great Pinot Noir regions in the world, the list is short.  Pinot Noir is a finicky grape that needs a cooler region than most red grapes.  It can test the patience of even the best grower.  Burgundy is always first to my mind when it comes to great Pinot Noir, but for me a close second and more affordable is Oregon.  I have enjoyed Pinot Noir from all over the world but only Burgundy and Oregon seem to be consistently great.  The only turn off I have about Burgundy is to get a good to great Pinot from there, your price point will start around $100.  In Oregon, a good to great wine will start around $20.

Oregon’s wine history started around 50 years ago when a small group of pioneering growers decided to give the Williamette Valley a try to grow some grapes.  The conventional wisdom was that these people were nuts!  Why go to Oregon where the weather is usually too cold to ripen grapes, the precipitation is unpredictable, and frost can hit virtually anytime of year.  Why not stay in California, where the sun is seemingly always shining and the weather reliable.  Nevertheless, the adventurous group gave it a try and after several trying years of trial and error, they discovered that when the stars aligned, the Williamette Valley could produce truly great Pinot Noir.  Some even rivaling the great Burgundy!

As far as flavor and style, Oregon can produce a wide range depending on where the grapes grow.  Most have a characteristic raspberry and cranberry note with distinctive earthy tones.  The flavors are powerful but there is still always a beautiful finesse to the finer examples.  The good examples can age for decades and will still show the beautiful terroir from the stunning valley.  This balance is truly hard to achieve anywhere else in the world!

When deciding on food, simpler is better.  The classic pairing is salmon prepared simply.  Poultry also pairs up great.  Fuller bodied Pinot Noir can even pair beautifully with steak.  To me the key is to keep the food simple.  The complexity of Pinot Noir will shine when it doesn’t have to compete with complex dishes.
Great producers are Montinore, Drouhin, Eyrie, Penner Ash and Maysara.  Due to the difficulty of growing great Pinot Noir, most of the producers are small production.  While this makes certain producers hard to find and the wines difficult to keep in stock, it keeps up the great quality.

Pinot Noir, when done right, can be one of the greatest wines you will ever drink!  It is hard to make this wine consistently great, so I would stick with the tried and true regions that have the terroir to pull off great Pinot Noir.  Oregon is one of the select few regions of the world that I can say achieves the feat of great Pinot.

One of the great things about Italy is they have a long history of independent city-states retaining their culture and cuisine even though they are now unified under one banner.  One of the greatest red wines in history has survived because of this.  The Nebbiolo grape, despite being enormously finicky to grow and nearly impossible to grow outside of its native Italy, has survived for centuries because the proud people of the Piedmont region refused to give in and plant other international varieties and other economic pressure through the years.

Early history alludes to the alluring grape as far back as the first century AD.  Pliny the Elder noted the exception quality of the wine produced in what is now the Barolo region.  He doesn’t name Nebbiolo by name, but his description is eerily similar to what Nebbiolo is and looks like.  More definite records go back as far as the 12^th century.  Nebbiolo doesn’t get the international attention until the 18^th century when the English were looking for an alternative to Bordeaux during warring periods with France.

Besides the legendary wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, other wines from NE Italy that utilize Nebbiolo are Roero, Gattinara, Ghemme, Langhe and Nebbiolo d’Alba.  Despite the legendary reputation and popularity among collectors and conneusseurs, Nebbiolo is only about 3% of the total wine production of the Piedmont.  Even though the rarity of these wines can be vexing, the small production accounts for excellent quality control.

Wines made from Nebbiolo are known for ample amounts of acidity and tannin.  Because of this, most Nebbiolos are built for aging.  Some of the most high quality need at least a decade and can last for 4-5 decades.  As the wine ages, the bouquet becomes very complex and delightful with aromas of tar and roses being common. In the mouth, the acidity shines presenting a lively and complex beauty that is incredible with meats and wild game.   For lighter styles try some of the great Langhe and Gattinara wines that only need a couple years but may lack a bit of the complexity.

Today, Nebbiolo is known for making some of the finest red wines in the world such as Barolo and Barbaresco.  The thousands of years of growing in the Piedmont have allowed the grape to adapt perfectly with the terroir.  The result is a gorgeous wine so in tune with the Piedmont, that it barely survives anywhere else in the world!  During the Apollo sale, it would be unfortunate to not grab and try a bit of this tremendous varietal.

Yes, I know there is a smoking deal coming up at Apollo for Italian wines, but do yourself a favor and toss a few German wines in your cart too.   Great beer is often equated with Germany for good reason,  but wine is another one of Germany’s prominent exports and should not be overlooked.

Currently German wines have a mixed reputation in these parts.  Some equate the wine as simple, sweet wine that is uncomplicated and fine as a low alcohol “quaffer”.  Others view German wine as the world’s most elegant and pure white wines in the world!  My view is of the latter, in fact prior to the 1900’s there were arguably only two countries in the western world that were deemed worthy: France and Germany.

The history of German wines date back to Roman times when the Romans had a garrison in Trier to beat back the Germanic tribes on the other side of the Rhine.  The Romans needed a steady supply of wine and transporting it from France or Italy or across the Vosges mountains proved to be too expensive.  Thus winemaking began in earnest with the Romans and many of their methods are still used today.  During medieval times the vine spread east coinciding with the eastern spread of Christianity.  Because of this, churches and monasteries played an important role in grape growing reaching the peak production in the 1500’s and controlling most of the land under vine.  During this time quality rather than quantity became important and German wines were established as being some of the finest in the world.  When Napoleon became ruler, he took most of the vineyards away from the church and broke the vineyards into parcels and many people formed cooperatives.  This, coupled with beer gaining in prominence produced market changes that drove German wine down the road of making much more wine, but of lesser quality.  This carried into the 20^th century and still damages the reputation of German wines.

Despite this, there are many German producers making truly incredible Riesling than range from floral and aromatic to flinty and mineral laden.  The flavors and characteristics can change but all of the top-flight wines have Germany’s signature finesse and tremendous balance between fruit and bracing acidity.  This acidity is what makes the wines of Germany often copied but rarely matched.  This is because of the delicate balance of the climate, soil and topography in Germany.  German climate is generally too cold to grow top wines, but because the factors of the river, steep slopes facing the sun, slate soils and German ingenuity, wines are able to ripen to near perfection while still being bright, crisp and aromatically pure wines in the world.

German wines found in these parts are usually of the sweeter style but are beautifully balanced.  Some of my favorites:

• Pauly Bergweiler Noble House Riesling ($13): The Bergweilers believe that the most important asset of the estate is its vineyards.  Extensive care, handpicking of the grapes and intentionally low yields have kept this estate among the top producers in the world.  The Noble House wine is actually a blend of Rieslings from some of the very best vineyards in the Mosel Valley.  Bergweiler makes wines from each of these vineyards but they are much more expensive.  By blending grapes from these top vineyards, he is able to use some of the very best Riesling grapes in the world, yet make a consistent low cost wine.  In my opinion, this is among the very best value Riesling I can find.
• Urbans-Hof Ockfener Bockstein Spatlese ($39): Named fof the patron saint of German winemakers, St. Urban.  This winery was founded in 1947 but really started booming in the 1960’s.  In the 1980’s Hermann Weiss started investing in some of the very top vineyards in Germany, including Ockfen.  Ockfener Bockstein is considered a Grand-Cru Vineyard.  Located on a 50 degree slope so the sun’s rays have more direct contact with the vines.  The soils are filled with hard, gravelly slate which also retain heat.  Most importantly the hill is topped with an extensive forest that retains water and allows the water to drain slowly to the subsoil of the vineyard.  The combination of these factors make Ockfener Bockstein the most refined wines they make.  For a taste of a top-flight Spatlese, this wine fits the bill and costs significantly less than many other of the great Mosel Spatlese wines out there.

Holiday season is quickly approaching.  While always a great time to be with friends and family, it can also be the most stressful time of year.  Amidst this stress, who wants to fret about pairing the proper wine with the complicated dishes being planned.  If you subscribe to the KISS method like me, you may want a single wine choice that can go with virtually any food you throw at it.  Some say impossible!  I say grab a rose!

When speaking of rose, I’m talking of the deliciously crisp, fruity and dry gems that are made throughout the world.  Wines such as White Zinfandel, while they serve a purpose, are not nearly as food friendly as their dry rose counterparts.

The primary way rose is made is to make the wine from red grapes such as Syrah, Cab or Merlot.  You start by crushing the grapes but you remove the juice from the skins much sooner than you would for a typical red wine.  Typically, 1-3 days.  This imparts only a hint of the red color and also only imparts only a hint of the bitter tannins that can get into typical reds.  What’s left is a pink, dry, fruity yet crisp wine that revitalizes the senses!

Rose wines are perhaps the earliest style of wine making.  Many of the techniques used to produce hearty dark red wines were not in practice in ancient times.  In the Middle Ages, even though there was the know how to make red wines, rose wines were still preferred and considered of higher quality.  Red wines were considered harsh and of lower quality.  According to wine historian Hugh Johnson, “To the powerful English market the most prized clarets were the vin d’une nuit or “wine of one night” which were pale-rosé colored wines made from juice that was allowed only a single night of skin contact. The darker wine produced from must that had longer skin contact were known as the vin vermeilh (or pinpin to the English) was considered to be of much lesser quality”.

While pretty much any region that makes quality red wine also makes quality rose, my favorites tend to come from France.  A couple regions that stand out are Tavel in the Rhone, and Anjou in the Loire Valley.  These two regions have a very long history of specializing in this style. Through hundreds of years of practice and trial and error they have seemingly perfected the art!

With holiday parties on the horizon, it is always a good idea to be well stocked in a wine that can pair with virtually any type of food you can throw at it.  Rose wines are also sure to please nearly every drinker from the novice to even the most hardened connoisseur.

What if I told you there was a place in the world where the soil, climate, tradition and philosophy of winemakers is so in-tune that the growers decided to only make one style of wine in that region.  When you can make a wine so aligned with the terroir, why make anything else.  One such region is Tavel in the Rhone valley of France.

Tavel is reputed to have been a favorite wine of kings Louis XIV and Philippe le Bel, the Popes of Avignon and Ernest Hemingway to name just a few!  Tavel wines must be rose wine and have a minimum alcohol content of 11%.  This makes the style drier and more masculine than most pink wines.  It is also one of the few rose wines that will actually get better with age.  The wine is also aged longer on the skin than most rose wine.  This style makes this wine a near perfect food wine.  Many great chefs will tell you that if you don’t know what wine to pair with a meal, serve Tavel.  It pairs will with nearly any food.  It’s also superb as the sun starts shining the the birds start singing!

One of my favorites is Domaine de Chantepierre.  Organically grown from a small family farm.  It is imported in tiny lots into the U.S. but still manages to give great bang for the buck!

Farmer Fizz – A Matter of Terroir

If you have had any interest in Champagne at all in your life, you probably understand that true Champagne is only made from grapes coming from the Champagne region in France.  All other sparkling wines grown outside of Champagne cannot or should not use the term Champagne.  This is a branding technique the French have used for decades to give their sparkling wine notoriety.

What you may not know about Champagne is that nearly 90% of it is made from the “big houses” such as Roederer and Mumm.   Because the big houses produce such mass quantities they have to buy from any number of the 19,000 Champagne growers in France.  Sometimes as many as 80 different growers may have grapes in that bottle of Champagne.  This has forced the big houses to have a house style that is consistent year after year.  While this consistency is admirable, it lacks what many wine connoisseurs are looking for.  It lacks terroir, or a sense of place.  Terroir is an all-encompassing term that means the land and natural influences control what the wine tastes like more so than humans making the wine.

For centuries French wines have championed the concept of terroir in their wines.  It is what separates the great Burgundies and Bordeaux from the rest of the world.  Yet, in many cases Champagne has not followed suit, at least not for Champagne in the affordable price range.  For those looking for a sense of terroir in your champagne and don’t want to spend $150+, you should give grower Champagne or “farmer fizz” a try.

An example of the involvement and pride the makers of Gaston Chiquet Champagne exhibit.

Grower champagne is simply sparkling wine made in the Champagne region that is produced by the same estate that owns the vineyards from which the grapes come from.  Of the 19,000 growers, only about 25% do this and only about 1% export to the U.S.    Since these wines are only coming from a single grower, they are able to be more terroir focused and artisanal in nature.  These Champagnes are also typically organically grown and released sooner than the big producers due to the high cost of ageing.  While grower Champagnes have become trendy, the marketing budget of these wines are a fraction of the big houses.  Subsequently they still represent a small chunk of the overall sparkling wine market.

A common criticism is that grower champagnes have variable quality, especially from vintage to vintage.  This is true, but many consider this a strength because the wine truly shows the sense of place and purity of the grape.  The large Champagne houses are getting grapes from all over the region, and some may call the mass produced Champagne non-distinctive.  Opinions may vary about the quality of grower Champagne, but I believe many of them are a delight and show the true craftsmanship and special terroir that is evident in Champagne.

If you would like to actually try a grower champagne look for the initials RM that appear before a number on the wine label.  This means Recoltant-Manipulant.  Other initials you may see are:

• NM for Negociant-Manipulant: This appear on the large Champagne houses that buy the majority of their grapes.
• RC for Recoltant-Cooperateur: This means a wine is sourced from a single grower, but it is made for him by a co-operative winemaking facility.  While the grower grows the grapes, they often have little involvement in the winemaking process.
• SR for Societe de Recoltants: This is company set up by two or more growers who share the winery they use to make the wine. In this process the growers have significant involvement in the winemaking process.

Some of my favorite brands are:

David Pehu in his element

Pehu Simonet Grand Cru Brut ($60) made from a Grand-Cru vineyard and tended by four generations.  The land is famous for producing farmer fizz of power, structure and nobility.  It is a deliberate effort that speak of the local traditions, people and above all the land from which it grows.

Gaston Chiquet Tradition 1er Cru ($55) The Chiquet family has been tilling the vineyards since 1746, but started in Champagne in 1919 when two of the brothers started production of Champagne.  Thirty-five years later, half the family went on to start Jacquesson.  Gaston stayed with the original vineyards and passed it on to his son and two grandchildren who now run the business.  Because of the age of the vines, production is low and quality is high!  The family refuses to use the modern high production clones preferring the classic methods.  He also does not use oak aging as he feels the land already gives the wine plenty of body.  This produces a pure and clean flavor that is not too weighty.  “We are not making wines as winemakers” says Nicolas Chiquet.“ We are adapting our methods to the land.”

For a wine guy, no other holiday has as much meaning as Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the busiest wine season.  Everyone loves a good bottle of wine with his or her sumptuous feast.  The right wine can make all the food taste so much better.  The right wines can enhance conversation and lead to a wonderful day of family and friends.  From the thousands of wines, it is difficult to pick the right one.  Your mind may wonder do I get one wine to carry the party thru from beginning to end?  Or should I get a few wines to pair with each part of the feast?

I prefer variety. You should have a nice mix of whites and reds in the house.  You don’t want anything too rich or heavy.  So your Huge Napa Valley Cabernet or French Bordeaux might overwhelm the taste buds and your light turkey flavors.  A few standbys are Rieslings for a white and a Pinot noir for the reds.

Kung Fu Girl Riesling is a fun and excellent turkey pairing

Rieslings are good with turkey, cranberry sauce, even the pecan or pumpkin pie for dessert! Go with a slightly less sweet one.  A German Kabinett or Washington Rieslings are always good.  I love Kung Fu Girl Riesling.  It is a medium priced Riesling from famed winemaker Charles Smith in Walla Walla Washington.  It has hints of sweetness, but a clean finish.  It won’t overwhelm the meal, but rather complement the many flavors.  The added bonus—it is a natural conversation starter.  The unique bottle always makes people pick it up and talk about it.  Who can’t love a Kung Fu Girl?

Pinot Noir is the classic red wine with a turkey dinner. Pinot Noir has an earthier feel surrounding the bright fruit flavors of Black cherry.  It will not overwhelm the turkey, but will go really well with the spicier stuffing that make the meal so good!  There is tons of good Pinot Noir on the market.  I like Oregon Pinot Noir, as they are usually a little more nuanced than their California Counterparts.  Cooper Hill makes a great medium priced Pinot Noir. It is a little more money than your run of the mill labels from California (like Mondavi, Sutter Home, Gallo, Mark West) but I think the balance and outstanding flavors make it worth it.

It you want to shake it up, try a little champagne with the party. We all forget how much fun it is to drink champagne.  If you pour a flute of champagne when your guests arrive, they will invariably smile and light up a little bit!!  And the Champagne goes surprisingly well with the traditional meal.  Get brut or extra dry champagne.

Nouveau Beaujolais is the classic fun wine for the season also. Nouveau only comes out the week before Thanksgiving.  It is the traditional first harvest wine made in France.  In Paris they have big celebrations to announce the new vintages.  For us Americans, it is the perfect fun, seasonal wine with Turkey.  The wine is fresh and meant to drink young.  Low in alcohol and bursting with fruit flavors, it is youthful in flavor and just perfect to drink! Buy it now because by New Years Eve it is all gone!!

Dessert is the best part of any big meal! Pecan pie and Pumpkin pie is always awesome.  If you want a good dessert wine, try a classic Sherry from Spain.  It is not as heavy as a port and will go perfect with the spiciness of the pies.  But after drinking wine all day—I’m ready for something else.  I love the wide variety of dessert liquors out there.  Of course Baileys Irish Crème is the number one.  Baileys on the rocks or in a fresh cup of coffee is always appreciated!

But a new favorite out this year is the Brown Jug Bourbon cream. The owner came up with the recipe as his family was scrambling to use up all their leftover cocktail ingredients before heading home from vacation.  It is an amazing mix of Bourbon, cream, ice cream, vanilla, and maple syrup.  Bring this classic, old school looking bottle out and people will love it.    It will bring your dinner to a perfect close.

While we celebrate and give thanks for all we have, a good after dinner cocktail will only add to the festivities! Cheers and enjoy in moderation!

The Godfather I and II were on TV again a few weeks ago. As usual, I ended up losing a few hours, because I can ‘t channel surf without getting engrossed again and again in the intricate and tragic story of the Corleone Family. I have seen the movie at least 150 times, in bits and pieces, but can never get enough!

The second Godfather, which chronicles the story of a young Vito Corleone coming to America and starting an Olive oil importing business, is the greatest movie ever! It is a true epic representation of the American dream. Even though it ends in a sordid affair of crime and murder, it is a testament to vision and risk taking! There is a venerable Italian company that is following the same path in the Wine business! No crime or murder, but the same passion and commitment to excellence!

Sant’elia a Pianisi

Colavita has partnered with the Terlato Wine Group to bring these great wines to America. Terlato is an importer and producer of some of the greatest wines and wine values in the world. They deal only with quality and amazing wines. Some of the great wines in their portfolio include Chimney Rock, Rutherford Hill, Gaja and Santa Margherita to name a few of the over 90 wines they represent. They don’t mess around! They have some awesome wines!

Colavita basically means a life lived well! Vita is Italian for life—not just life–but life lived well! The four wines they have created are a testament to this ethos.

The Colavita Pinot Grigio is a classic Italian Pinot Grigio. It is fermented in 100% stainless steel. The non-wood fermentation and aging allows the fresh flavor of this wine to jump out of the glass! It is from the famed Veneto region, where some of the greatest Pinot Grigio comes from. The cooling ocean climates and rolling hills create an ideal climate for this grape to flourish. Pinot Grigio is an awesome summer quaffer with a touch of sweetness that will please everyone in the group.

However if you want a white wine that really reminds you of Italy, try the Verdicchio. The Verdicchio comes from the Marche province. The Apennines Mountains to the west and the Adriatic sea to the east surround it. This unique terroir gives this wine some amazing characteristics, light Yellow Green Color, crisp fruit aromas, and a little earthiness balanced by citrus notes! There is no other wine like this in the world.

Pinot Noir is a grape that enraptures wine lovers. It is a grape that can create some of the greatest wines in the world. However it is hard to find good affordable Pinot Noir. Winemakers know that it is a temperamental grape. Cheap Pinot Noir is exactly what you pay for–flat boring thin wines. However when you step up a little bit, Pinot Noir can be a joy! The Colavita Pinot Noir is unique in its fruit forward flavors. 100% stainless steel aging allows the soft flavors to come forward. Hints of Blackberry, and a velvety finish tease your palate.

The Valpolicella is truly the treat of the entire portfolio. Just saying the wine is fun! Vahl-paw-lee-Chel-la. It rolls off your tongue like the wine floats over it! This Valpolicella is made in the Ripasso method. Ripasso literally means repassed. The grape juice for this amazing wine comes from the same juices that create Italy’s most amazing wine—Amarone. Amarone is always $40-100 a bottle. You can get a taste of the exquisite flavors for around $15-20, in the Ripasso Valpolicella. The grapes for this wine are partially dried by laying out on the open plains of Italy. The sun slowly dries the grapes to a raisiny texture. This brings an amazing ripeness and intense flavor. Truly unique. If you want to tantalize your taste buds, This well-balanced wine has great wild berries on the finish. I can’t emphasize enough how fun this wine is!

The Colavita Family has a winner in these wines. Italy has made wines for thousands of years; they know what they are doing! Food and wine are an intricate part of the Italian lifestyle. They go hand in hand! Enjoy in moderation and live a Vita Life! Cheers!

I have long maintained that the single most underrated region in the wine world is the Loire Valley.  There are scores of unique wineries, growers, and grape varietals to be found here.  This small area can lead us to discuss a whole myriad of wines.  Today we will review a region in the heart of the Loire called Bourgueil.

The wines from this region are almost exclusively made from Cabernet Franc.  Cabernet Franc, underrated in its own right, is a wonderful red grape full of character and vibrancy.  Lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine tends to be a bright pale red wine with finesse and a touch of pepper on the nose.  Along with pepper, well made wines can also include aromas of cassis, violets, tobacco, raspberry and maybe even cedar. The complexity of these wines along with well balanced acid and judicious oak make my mouth water!

Bourgueil soils contain a lot of gravel and sand along with some limestone.  This combination allows the vines to have excellent drainage without the soil being to rich.  The vines have to fight to survive, therefore the roots go deep and extract every ounce of love from the soil.  This creates wines that are floral, fruity and complex and with age will have a wonderful earthy element.  Bourgueil wines can age beautifully in the bottle.  If you like a more up front, fruity style, you can drink these young, if complex earthy and  leathery notes are your thing, age the wine for 10-20 years in a cool, dark place and you will be amazed at the complexity and melding of earth and fruit in the glass.   Pair reds from this area with pork tenderloin or grilled chicken.  Bourgueil wines are also the ultimate burger wine!

Harder to find, but also beautiful are rose’s from this region.  Only 5% of total production, these wines are fresh, vibrant yet still have the signature violet and peppery notes.

An awesome example of Bourgueil that won’t break the bank is Domaines des Ouches Bourgueil Igoranda.($20)  Made by the Gambier brothers who represent the 8^th generation of Gambiers making wine in Bourgueil!  Over time, they have learned to master the region pulling grapes from various spots on the vineyard in order to make different styles.  The Igoranda  is elegant with cassis, tobacco combined with a flowery aroma of bing cherries and black raspberries.  This wine is composed of fruit from the hillside.  The Gambiers have noticed this plot takes longer to ripen, giving the wine more acid and complex fruit.  While riskier and more expensive to produce, the results are beautiful!

Be daring and don’t ignore this unknown region.  If you are a red wine fan, I think you will be surprised.  While hard to find, it is worth the search!

The new world versus the old world is a common battleground in the wine arena. However while old world is easily defined as the European masters such as France, Italy, Spain and Germany, and New World was always Napa Valley and Sonoma valley, I want to talk about the New new world of wines. The Southern Hemisphere can be easily forgotten!

Southern Hemisphere wines have had a renaissance in the past few years, while Australia had a big boom with cheap shiraz and Sauvignon blanc was made famous by the innovative e winemakers of New Zealand, other countries like Chile,, Argentina and South Africa have come to market with amazing wines!

Stellenbosch South Africa Vineyards

South Africa has been making wines since 1659. But it has only recently started to make great inroads into the consciousness of Americans. South Africa makes good use of the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay grapes, but two of my favorites are the blended wines and a great white wine made with Chenin Blanc

Bush Camp Red is made by the Landskroon wine company. Landskroon is dates back to the 17^th century when the French Huguenot settlers came to the Cape. The Bush Camp Red is a crazy good value. It is a blend of Cinsault, Cabernet, Shiraz and a touch of Cabernet Franc. It has flavors of black raspberry and a little smoke. But for whatever reason the flavor profile is perfect for my taste buds. IT is about $9-10 a bottle and among the greatest values in the world!

The Bush Camp Sundowner Chenin Blanc is an awesome white sipper. It is fresh and clean tasting and will go great with fish and a nice crisp salad. It is slightly dry, but has enough fruit to please everyone!

Argentina is also a region that has become more popular lately. Malbec is the grape that has brought the Argentine wines to the forefront. Malbec is originally a French wine that was used in many basic Bordeaux blends. Malbec has great big tannins and a rich inky dark color. Argentina is famous for their cattle farms and amazing steaks! Try a Brazilian Steakhouse like Fogo De Chao, for a small taste of great Brazilian Grilled Meats! Malbec goes perfectly with any grilled beef. A great Value is Tilia malbec. It is a top seller due to its aromas of black cherry and plum. Nicolas Catena is the brain trust behind this everyday killer wine. Catena was a pioneer in the Argentine wine world. His wines have won competitions throughout the world and his Namesake Catena Alta is always top rated around the world. With Tilia you get a little bit of the masters magic for about $10 per bottle! Tilia comes in Malbec, Chardonnay, Cabernet and a little sleeper wine called Torrontes. The Torrontes is slightly sweet with a little effervescence. Try it by itself or with light appetizers or salads,, it is refreshing and clean!

Adelaide Hills Australia Vineyards

Australia is still the king of Southern hemisphere wines. It produces more wine and has the largest vineyards in the southern hemisphere. It is easy to forget that it is a Continent onto itself! It has many different climates and great regions. It can make wines in virtually any style! But I love Aussie Red wines. The king of the Grape world Cabernet Sauvignon is well represented, but Shiraz is the kingpin in the land down under. Australian Shiraz is Rich, with lively berry flavors and aromas. It is so good that I drool as I write about it! True Aussie Shiraz can match up with the greatest wines in the world! While Yellow Tail Shiraz and its ilk can be great quaffable values, step up a bit and try the next level or two. A few dollars a bottle can make a huge difference in the quality. Try Black Opal Shiraz for about $9 a bottle. It is about the best red wine for a little scratch that I know of. The Stump Jump red is another favorite of mine. It’s a cool blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mouvedre. Rich jammy and tons of flavor. It is made by D’Arenberg wines, which is a 6^th generation wine family in Australia. Chester Osborne, the latest in the lineage, knows what he is doing!

Event though it is a world away, and even though everything is backwards, from the seasons being opposite, to the toilets swirling the wrong way, the one thing the southern hemisphere can do do right is the great wines! Try one of these southern stars or any down under wine and you will love it!