Category Archives: Wine Recommendations

Celebrity Wine Throwdown: Vol. 1

My first CELEBRITY WINE THROWDOWN was a rousing success!!! I hosted the event in my wine cellar, serving eight curated celebrity wines. I paired the wines (2 rosés, 2 sauvignon blancs, 2 cabernet sauvignons, and two red blends) and competed them head-to-head in a tournament-style bracket, until we determined a single winning wine. There were plenty of fun and games along the way with points scored on celebrity trivia, picking out specific flavors and aromas in the wines, and coming up with the most unique tasting notes.

Although all of wines were enjoyable and we had a lot of fun tasting them, in life there are winners and losers. In reverse order, the results were…

8. InvivoX SJP by Sarah Jessica Parker, $15, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

  • Sarah Jessica Parker partnered with Invivo, a wine producer in New Zealand, to select the blend for this wine
  • Intense flavors and aromas of honey and peach
  • Very fruity, bordering on sweet, but with a tart finish
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “A sorority girl wine”

7. Fergilicious by Fergie, $35, Syrah Blend, Santa Ynez CA

  • Fergie is part-owner of Ferguson Vineyards with her father, who makes the wine and created this blend in her honor
  • Favors of blackberry, black currant, pepper, and cloves
  • Needs more tannin to balance out the almost too-sweet fruitiness
  • One guest described this wine as a red version of the InvivoX SJP
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “A crazy one-night-stand that you regret in the morning, but was still satisfying.”

6. Miraval by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, $20, Rosé, Provence (France)

  • Branjelina co-own this label with the Perrin family, who are winemakers. The grapes are grown on the Pitt-Jolie estate and Brad in particular is very involved in the vineyard and winemaking process.
  • Aromas and flavors of pear, grapefruit, flowers and strawberry
  • A very nice example of a classic Provence rosé, with bright fruit and aromatics
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “I don’t like rosé, but this I could drink, although the fruit was a bit sharp.”

5. Dive Into Hampton Water by Jon Bon Jovi, $20, Rosé, Languedoc (France)

  • This wine was the brainchild of Jon Bon Jovi’s son, Jesse, who convinced his dad to partner with him in this venture. Their vision was to create a super premium rosé, not a celebrity wine, which is why you won’t see Jon Bon Jovi’s name on the bottle.
  • Aromas and flavors of apple, peach, melon, cream, brioche
  • Since this wine is 25% aged in new French oak, it has a roundness and richer texture that softens the fruitiness
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “This doesn’t taste like rosé…in a good way.”

My guests had a hard time deciding between the Hampton Water and the Miraval. It came down to personal preference as to who liked the oak influence and who preferred the bright fruit. However, the edge ended up going to Hampton Water.

4. Message in a Bottle by Sting, $18, Sangiovese blend, Tuscany

  • This wine is made from grapes grown on Sting’s Il Palagio estate and is produced by a winemaker he partnered with. His wife, Trudy, is very involved in the business side of the wine operation while Sting admits his role is only to sing to the wine to make it better.
  • Pepper, black currant, blackberry, cloves
  • Everyone enjoyed this wine and agreed it was a good value
  • However, one guest met Sting in person years ago and said he wasn’t very nice (although she used different words)
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “The wine is more approachable than Sting.”

3. Graham Norton’s Own by Graham Norton, $15, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand

  • Graham Norton partnered with Invivo (same producer as Sarah Jessica Parker), and is heavily involved in the process of determining the style of wine he wants and leading the blending efforts to achieve his vision. He is so passionate about it that he even invested in the Invivo business.
  • Grapefruit, lemon, mango, pineapple and grass balanced by nice acidity
  • This award-winning wine greatly impressed everyone with how much they enjoyed it
  • A phenomenal value that is highly recommended by all of my guests
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “Wow, this is really good.”

2. LVE by John Legend, $60, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

  • As a lover of wine, John Legend had been looking to create a wine label where he could be heavily involved in the process. He partnered with Raymond Vineyards and defines the vision for the style of wine he wants, and blends alongside the winemaking team.
  • Chocolate, cherry, pepper and tobacco
  • Intense, full bodied and fruit forward, like one would expect from a Napa Cabernet
  • Unfiltered feedback: “If you put your nose deep into the glass, you could almost get high.”

1. Pursued by Bear by Kyle MacLachlan, $56, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley WA

  • Kyle MacLachlan, originally from Washington state, had a lifelong love of wine and was involved in the wine world for a long time before starting his own label. His mentors were Ann Colgin and Marc Aubert, prestigious Napa Valley winemakers. For his label, he hired a winemaker, but is heavily involved in the process from sourcing the grapes to making the blends, and he even has a serious passion for oak barrels.
  • Intense aromas of blackberry, smoke, fig, mushroom, plum and bramble, with a smooth palate that strikes a graceful balance between fruit, oak and tannins.
  • Absolutely delicious, refined and very well balanced. An excellent value, worth every penny.
  • Unfiltered guest feedback: “It’s like sitting in a soft leather chair by a fire after eating an amazing porterhouse steak.”

Ultimately, it came down to a Cabernet face-off between John Legend’s LVE and Kyle MacLachlan’s Pursued by Bear. My guests flipped their votes back and forth for a while before settling on a winner. Both wines are in the $55-60 price range with celebrity owners that are passionate and involved in their wine projects. The LVE is a full-bodied, bold and intense Napa Valley Cab, but it was beaten out by MacLachlan’s big, yet more refined, Columbia Valley, WA Cabernet. Pursued by Bear was described as smooth and easy to polish off an entire bottle in one sitting, whereas my guests felt the LVE was delicious, but needed to be paired with food to balance some of its intensity.

In a very close third place was Graham Norton’s Sauvignon Blanc. All of my guests had a personal preference for big reds, but if they were white wine drinkers, Graham Norton’s wine may very well have carried the day. It is an excellent example of a quintessential New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, with tropical fruit flavors that are balanced by bright acidity and a grassy character. This is an unbeatable value at $15.

Stay tuned for Volume 2 of the CELEBRITY WINE THROWDOWN. I have more celebrity bottles that will be tasted soon!!!

New Jersey Wine Is On The Rise

Believe it or not, every state in this country grows grapes and makes wine. In my home state of New Jersey there are over 50 wineries, with quite a few of those within easy driving distance of me. However, the last time I actually tasted a New Jersey wine was at least 10 years ago. At that time, NJ tasting rooms were filled with syrupy sweet bottles of blueberry wine, raspberry wine and other similarly flavored sugary concoctions. After that experience, I wrote off New Jersey as a state entirely unable to produce quality wines. However, I can admit when I am wrong.

This past weekend I decided to attend a local Fall Portfolio Tasting event held by The Winemakers Co-Op, a group of local wineries that have come together to research, educate and ultimately improve the NJ wine industry. The co-op includes Beneduce Vineyards in Pittstown, Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery in Rio Grand, Working Dog Winery in East Windsor, Unionville Vineyards in Ringoes and William Heritage Winery in Mullica Hill. It was the perfect opportunity to taste and learn more about wines from a variety of local producers in one place. What I found entirely changed my perception of NJ wines.

In the last decade, a lot has evolved in NJ vineyards and wineries. Rather than turning out predominently sweet berry wines, producers are creating interesting, yet approachable styles from grape varieties like Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Albariño, Roussanne and Marsanne, as well as popular international varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. There is also no fear of experimentation, with several wineries producing funky, natural wines that are rustic and textured.

During the VIP session with the winemakers prior to the general admission tasting event, there was significant discussion about the current harvest as well as environmental sustainability in the vineyards. The winemakers are currently in the process of harvesting the 2019 vintage, and it is promising to be the best vintage in memory.

This past season began with its share of challenges. Todd Wuerker, Winemaker at Hawk Haven Vineyard, described it as a “tale of two weather patterns.” Frost damage in early Spring caused crop loss, with Beneduce losing almost 30% of their yield. Then the Spring weather turned wet and vine growth was rampant. Additional workers had to be hired to manage the canopy, keeping the vines in check and pruned back. Too much green growth means the vine diverts resources to growing leaves instead of grapes.

Then summer hit and settled into an absolutely perfect weather pattern of dry, sunny conditions during the day and cool temperatures at night, allowing the grapes to ripen fully, concentrating sugars and maintaining natural acidity. Michael Beneduce, of Beneduce Vineyards, said this year produced the best grapes he had ever seen in his life. Conor Quilty, Winemaker at Unionville Vineyards, said the higher yields allowed them to “call their own picks” and select the best grapes for each wine style. The perfect weather also reduced disease pressure, with less risk of fungal issues that could require spraying.

Talk then turned to sustainability and the efforts being made by New Jersey vintners to keep their vineyards as free from chemical herbicides, pesticides and fungicides as possible. Although some spray treatments may be necessary, they are only done when absolutely necessary, and usually no more than once or twice a season.

The invasive spotted lanternfly, which has a fondness for grape vines, has been making its way into western New Jersey from Pennsylvania over the past few months. Some vineyards, such as Unionville, have begun spotting some of these colorful moths on the vines, but other vineyards further east and south remain lanternfly-free for the moment. However, there is a sense that the lanterfly will become a more wide-spread issue, and one they will have to be prepared to battle.

Beneduce also stressed that sustainability lies in the hands of the consumer even more than in the vineyards due to the carbon footprint associated with shipping wines, and the importance of buying local. For those who want to support local vintners, but don’t want to sacrifice quality, there is a wide variety of excellent wines being produced in New Jersey today. Here are some my favorite picks from The Winemakers Co-Op Fall Portfolio Tasting.

William Heritage 2018 Pét-Nat Sparkling Chenin Blanc, $35

2018 is the first vintage made of this really interesting and tasty sparkling wine. Pét Nat is short for Pétillant Naturel, a very old process for making sparkling wine invented by 16th century monks in the south of France. It is a more rustic style of wine-making in which yeast is often left in the bottle rather than being filtered out, resulting in a cloudy wine with bready/yeasty flavors. This dry wine from Heritage has been gently filtered, so it is clear, but enough yeast has remained behind to add texture and flavor. The Heritage Pét Nat has aromas of honey and pear with a slight creamy texture and notes of pastry and brioche.

Unionville Vineyards 2016 Hunterdon Mistral Blanc, $26.95

Unionville’s Mistral Blanc is a blend of 70% Viognier, 15% Marsanne and 15% Roussanne. This dry wine has nice body and a round, creamy texture with flavors of peach, pear and apricot. The rich texture is balanced by bright acidity. If you like Chardonnay, but want something slightly different, you will definitely enjoy this wine.

Beneduce Vineyard Blue 2 Blaufränkisch, $30

Based on my tastings, New Jersey produces better white wines than red wines, but Blue 2 had a full body and concentrated fruit flavors that made this red wine a stand-out. Blaufränkisch is an Austrian grape variety known to produce medium to full bodied wines with juicy, spicy fruit flavors. Beneduce describes Blue 2 as “Pinot Noir’s bigger, badder cousin” and it didn’t disappoint. This wine had nice structure and tannins with dark fruit flavors and peppery spice on the finish. It has the juiciness of a Pinot Noir, but with a richer and bolder dark fruit profile. Bigger and badder indeed.

Recipe: Pappardelle with Scallops

This recipe is filled with umami flavors! Umami is the “fifth flavor” in addition to sweet, salty, sour and bitter. It is that earthy, savory flavor you find in monosodium glutamate (MSG) – think miso soup, cooked mushrooms and soy sauce.

Umami is not an easy flavor to pair wine with. It tends to make wine taste more astringent and bitter, especially wines high in tannins (big red wines). The typical suggestion is to pair umami dishes with white or sparkling wines. However, salt is a magical pairing agent for wine. If you add sufficient salt and salty ingredients (in this case, parmesan) to your dish, you can easily pair umami flavors with red wines with delicious results!

I chose to pair this recipe with a 2014 MACHETE by Orin Swift. Not only does this wine have the most bad-ass label EVER, it is wine is bursting with rich, ripe black fruit flavors – blackberry and black cherry all over the place. It is so fruity that it works beautifully with this rich, umami dish, cutting those earthy flavors with gorgeous berry flavors. Yum!

Ingredients

1 pound large sea scallops, patted dry

1 pound pappardelle pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon

2 cups mixed chanterelle, oyster, trumpet, mushrooms, thinly sliced

3 black garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more for serving

3 cups arugula

2 tablespoons white truffle oil

2 ounces best quality Parmesan, shaved

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon of salt.
  2. Rinse and pat dry the scallops. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
  3. Prep all of your ingredients and have them at ready, then cook the pasta according to package directions.
  4. While pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the scallops, cook for 2 minutes then turn over and cook another minute. When scallops are just cooked, remove from heat and set aside, keeping them warm.
  5. Add the mushrooms to the scallop juice in the pan and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Add in the reserved scallops, half of the truffle oil and the parmesan. Add in the drained cooked pasta, then the arugula and gently toss or stir to combine.

(Recipe courtesy of Guy Fieri)

Organic v. Biodynamic v. Natural Wines – What’s the difference?!

As consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about environmental sustainability, health and food sources, a market is emerging around organic, biodynamic and natural wines. However, these terms can be confusing and difficult to differentiate, so I will attempt to explain these terms and provide some wine recommendations for each category.

Organic

Organic wines are those produced from grapes grown without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers, and must adhere to stringent requirements and certification processes set forth by a governing body (with different governing bodies having different requirements).

Organic vineyards are much easier to sustain in wine regions with stable climates and low disease pressure. Regions that are dry and windy, such as Alsace and the Rhone in France, suffer less from mildew, rot and harmful insects, making it easier to adopt organic practices. In fact, Europe produces almost 90% of all organic wines on the market. However, organic wines tend to be a little more expensive because organic vineyards produce lower yields of grapes, meaning growing and production costs are spread across fewer bottles of wine.

One of the biggest differences with organic wines is that the addition of sulfites to wines is prohibited. Sulfites have been used in winemaking for hundreds of years as a preservative to protect wine from oxidation and spoiling. Some level of sulfites are naturally occurring, so all wines contain sulfites, but organic wines contain less. A very small percentage of people have a sensitivity or allergy to sulfites that can cause headaches and other symptoms, and organic wines may help alleviate that problem. Keep in mind though, this does not mean that organic wines prevent hangovers!

Biodynamic

The father of biodynamics was Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian spiritual scientist, cultural philosopher and social reformer (and all-around oddball genius). His idea was to apply a holistic “circle of life” approach to the farm, encouraging biodiversity and self-sustainability. Biodynamics views the vineyard as one solid organism or ecosystem that must be treated holistically. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are forbidden, and only natural materials (e.g., manure) may be used. There is are governing bodies that set standards and certify vineyards as biodynamic.

Biodynamics differs from organic agriculture in its belief that farming can be attuned to the spiritual forces of the cosmos, including linking harvesting to the phases of the moon. There are nine natural biodynamic preparations that can be used in the vineyard, some of which sound bizarre, such as burying cow manure in a cow’s horn over the winter, unearthing it in the spring, diluting the aged manure in 34 liters of water, and then spraying the mixture over the vineyard. Although there is some mystery as to how these concoctions work, they do seem to work.

Natural

There are no legal requirements, standards or certifications to label wines as “natural”, which makes defining it difficult. They are often organic or biodynamic, and usually produced by small independent growers.

Natural wines are unadulterated, made with very little intervention – no additives, sulfates, commercial yeasts, filtration, or oak influence. This results in wines that have funky, gamey, yeasty aromas and flavors, and are hazy in appearance. They tend to have more sour flavors than fruity flavors. Some can be very good and others can be downright weird. There is a certain thrilling unpredictability to natural wines.

Wine Recommendations

2017 The Eyrie Vineyard Pinot Gris, $18

2016 Rogue Vine Grand Itata, $20

2015 Tikal Natural, $20

Back to School Wines

Back to School time can either drive you to drink from the stress of trying to get kids up and out early, dealing with massive amounts of homework, frenemy drama, and constantly rushing kids to multiple sports and activities. Or it can be a cause to raise your glass in celebration for getting back on a schedule, not having to pay for summer camp anymore, not having to find ways to keep the kids busy/entertained, and getting some breathing room.

No matter your situation, here are a few wine recommendations to celebrate or cope with Back to School, expertly paired with your child’s grade.

Preschool/Kindergarten

No first day of school is harder than when your little one goes off to school for the very first time. For many moms, this is the first time their child has been away from them for any length of time, and certainly the first time their child is being left in the care of “strangers” for the day. Tears are very likely to be shed. For those moms crying into their wine on the first day, I am recommending a wine with some salinity (a salty character).

Albariño is a white wine from the Galicia and Rias Baixas regions of Spain, located on the Atlantic coast. This is a light-bodied wine that is both fruity and floral. It has lemon, lime, peach, and nectarine characteristics with a slightly bitter finish reminiscent of grapefruit. Due to its proximity to the ocean, the sea air imparts a slightly briney character on the wine. This wine is fresh and zippy and should be drunk young. It is excellent paired with seafood.

Recommended: La Cana Albariño, Rias Baixas, Spain, $17

Elementary School

The elementary school years are the easiest and most fun. Kids at this age love to learn and relish every lesson, while homework is still generally light and they are not yet overwhelmed by workload and exams. The kids grow attached to their teachers and make lots of new friends. Elementary schools still have classroom parties and field days. These fun years deserve an equally fun and easy-drinking wine. Nothing is more cheery than a glass of pretty pink rosé.

Rosé can made from several different grape varieties in a number of different styles, from light to full-bodied, and dry to sweet. The most popular style of rosé is from Provence, France, which is typically light, crisp and dry with aromas of strawberry, watermelon and roses. For a slightly fuller-bodied style, try a rosé from Spain or California.

Recommendation: Bodegas Muga Rosé Rioja, Spain, $15

Middle School

Middle School is an awkward time for many children with lots of changes. School is getting more difficult and friendships are beginning to develop lots of drama. However, these are also the years where we hold on to our childrens’ sweet innocence even harder before they truly grow up. Middle school requires a wine that is getting more serious, but is still approachable and enjoyable.

Pinot Noir is a finicky grape that can be difficult to grow due to its delicate, thin skin and need for a moderate climate. However, when done right, it produces a lighter-bodied, easy drinking wine with juicy red fruit characters of cherry and raspberry, and notes of flowers, vanilla and mushroom. It is one of the most popular wines in the world, with the very best coming from Burgundy, France (along with very high prices). Other regions that produce excellent Pinot Noir at more moderate prices are Oregon and New Zealand.

Recommendation: A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir, Oregon, $17

High School

High school – the dark years. You now have cranky and rebellious teenagers who think all adult are idiots, grunt rather than speak, and hide in their rooms for hours on end huddled with their smart phones. Schoolwork is so difficult that many parents (me included) cannot offer any help, exams are an everyday occurrence, preparing for college is a full-time job, and sports and other activities are all-consuming. The dark years require an equally deep, dark wine.

Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most popular wine, and for good reason. It is full-bodied and concentrated with black fruit characteristics (blackberry, black cherry, black currant) and toasty flavors from oak aging. It’s a big wine that can easily handle big moments in life. Cabernet Sauvignon from Bordeaux, France is renowned the world over. Napa Valley is equally well regarded (and my personal favorite). Yet both regions have prices that match the high demand. Excellent Cabernet can still be had at more moderate prices in regions such as Chile, Argentina and Australia.

Recommendation: Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon, Chile, $20

College

You made it this far, now it’s time to celebrate! Although there is still plenty of parenting ahead of you, you have gotten your children though to independence and adulthood. There’s no time like the present to pat yourself on the back and raise a glass to a job well done.

Sparkling wine (simply known as “bubbles”) is the perfect companion for celebrations. There are several different ways of producing sparkling wine, which I promise to cover in a future blog post. However, only sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France can be labelled as Champagne, and these also command some of the highest prices. Not to worry, though. There are plenty of delicious bubbles out there at very reasonable prices, including Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy and Sparkling Wine from California.

Recommendation: Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, $19

Cheers!