by Frank Mangio
As many of my regular readers know, every once in a while I gather my most recent press release and e-mails relating to “insider” information in the wine world. It’s fascinating how fast things change. This is column #510 of my “no repeat” pledge. Oldies may be fine for pop music, but it doesn’t work for the dynamic wine and food world.
So let’s stay in the present and review a fitting top story for the new: the fantastic move into the world of sparkling wine. If we could have, we would be wowed at the number of new year’s eve parties where sparkling wine was served instead of Champagne .
Prosecco has been instrumental in the surge of wine sales as it has risen some 32% from a year ago. Mionetto is the big name ($14.). It was founded in 1887 in Northeast Italy . Flavors of honey, golden apple and white peach abound. The wine is very trendy and seems to add a party atmosphere to any get-together. You won’t find it on anyone’s “ best tasting wine” list, but its fruitiness and bubbly good looks will being a party to life. And yes, sugar is added in the process.
The Italians seem to have an edge in sales, like other varietals of wine they import. Other sparkling wines to try include: Lambrusco, Asti Spumante, Moscato di Asti, Bellini and their versions of Brut, especially the Blancs Noir made from red grapes and can match up nicely with a poultry or pork dish.
Get set for calorie counts for wine on the menu of chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, along with the food choices of course. The other number that you see constantly is the alcohol content, mandatory if the percentage is 14% or above, although most brands reveal the number anyway.
I was privileged to sample the new wine list at the recently renovated Bijou French Bistro on Prospect in La Jolla . It was expertly prepared by Wine Director Elizabeth Heutinger, who is also the master mind at Addison and Amaya in the Grand Del Mar Resort. I was struck by the four descriptive categories used to list the wines: Sparkling, Light to Heavy Whites, Rose,’ and Lighter to Lush & Heavy Reds. A few of the more intriguing wines engaging my attention were: Domaine Mogneard Mugneret Vosne, a 2011 Burgundian French Pinot Noir; Vallin Syrah 2012 from the Santa Ynez Valley in California and Chateau Respide Cabernet 2011 from Bordeaux France. Small, less familiar, crafted wines from a selective wine director… Bravo!
Paso Robles Wine Country, one of the largest in California , is launching the 1st annual “Blendfest” Sat. Feb. 21st in conjunction with Cambria, San Simeon and Wine Coast Country Tourism Center. Many of Paso’s distinct wineries will be featuring two blends at a location near
San Simeon. Some 32,000 acres are home to 200 wineries that grow most of the favorite grape varietals in the world. For more information on this unique wine event, visit pasowine.com.
One of Paso’s most popular wineries, Cass, has announced that most of their wines will move to screwcaps and scrap the corks securing their bottles.
Wine buyers and writers (including myself) favor screw caps mostly because it prolonges the life of a bottle of wine, once it is opened. With cork, oxidation kills the true taste of the wine within 48 hours. With a cap, the air is kept out and the wine life is lengthened to a week or more. There is also the problem of “cork taint,” caused by poor corks that allow air into the bottle. A premium Napa Valley winery, Plumpjack, reportedly has also changed most of its bottles to a screwcap system. Yes, there are instances where quality corking on a premium bottle is romantic ( I love the pop sound at the moment it separates from the bottle) but the time has come for this change.
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