Top 10 Wine Destinations 2013

                             Top 10 Wine Destinations 2013

                                                         1) Rioja, Spain

                                                         2) Mendoza, Argentina

                                                         3) Rhone Valley, France

                                                         4) Monterey County, California

                                                         5) Central Otaga, New Zealand

                                                         6) Danube, Austria

                                                         7) Puglia, Italy

                                                         8) Douro Valley, Portugal

                                                         9) Willamette Valley, Oregon

                                                         10) Mosel, Germany

Must Portland Wine Bars/Restaurants!

Portland Wine Bars that are a Must!

1) Oregon Wine's On Broadway

515 Southwest Broadway  Portland, OR 97205

http://www.oregonwinesonbroadway.com/oregon-wine-menu.html

2)Andina(Peruvian)

1314 Northwest Glisan Street  Portland, OR 97209

(503) 228-9535

http://www.andinarestaurant.com/

3)Metrovino
1139 Northwest 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97209

(503) 517-7778

http://www.metrovinopdx.com/

4)Noble Rot

1111 East Burnside Street  Portland, OR 97214 (503) 233-1999

http://www.noblerotpdx.com/

5)Bar Avignon

2138 Southeast Division Street, Portland, OR 97202

(503) 517-0808

http://www.baravignon.com/

Epicuro Aglianico 2010

Epicuro Aglianico 2010(Italian/$5.99 TJ's)

Color: Magenta
Smell: Blackberry, old oak, and heavy sage/cinnamon.
Taste: Juicy blackberry, plum, jammy, medium tannins, low acidity, medium alcohol, and high residual sugar.

Food Pairings: Gorgonzola Dolce
                           Roasted Walnuts and Almonds                           Ginger Orange Biscotti

Summary: I came into this tasting with high hopes after the last Epicuro I tried the Nero D'Avola. My hopes were absolutely crushed just on smell though. On the nose the sweetness was overwhelming as well as the sage and oak. I could tell there wasn't going be balance or have a depth of body. On the mouth the oakyness hit me first, then sugar/plum, and last the sage/cinnamon. I could have seen myself liking this a few years ago when I found sweetness and overpowering flavors desirable. This wine just doesn't have any balance though. The only way I could see this working would be hot it reminds me of a glogg or mulled wine.

Trentatre Rosso 2008

Trentatre Rosso 2008(Italian $5.99-8.99)
(Merlot 33.3%, Cabernet Sauvignon 33.3%, & Montepulciano 33.4%)

Color: Deep Ruby

Smell: Cocoa, black cherry, and cloves

Taste: Black Cherry, plum, clove, high tannins, medium acidity, medium alcohol, and semi-dry

Food Pairings:  With a Hearty Red Sauce Pasta or Baked Ziti(preference)

                            Polish Cabbage Rolls

                            Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

Summary: Trentatre Rosso is well aged and ready to drink right out of the bottle, which works out well by the end of some weeks. This is a full bodied and very high tanin red-blend. I get heavy black cherry & clove on the nose. On the mouth I get black cherry, plum, and hard spices mostly clove. It reminds me of a well aged sagiovese and an average Bordeaux. I would be most likely to serve it on a cold winter or fall evening with a slow roasted leg of lamb.

History/Information: Trentatre in Italian means 33 in Italian hence 33 on the bottle. Montepulciano is the second most common wine grape of Italy after Sangiovese. It shares very similar characteristic's to a Bordeaux, which is because it shares two of the same grape varietals. A Bordeaux is 55% Cab Sauv & 45% Merlot. The Cab Sauv is often to harsh for many wine drinks, but when blended with almost half Merlot it's more acceptable to a young palate.

Epicuro Nero D'Avola 2010

Epicuro Nero D'Avola 2010($5.99)

Color: Bright garnet
Smell: Raspberry, cinnamon, and blackberries 
Taste: Medium tannins, low acidity, medium alcohol, and dry.

Food Pairings:  Bison, Elk, or Beef Steaks(with hearty dry rub)
                           Aged Wild Game Bird
                           Berry's with Dessert

Summary: Epicuro's 2010 Nero D'Avola Epicuro is astonishingly bold and full of spices & berries. Nero D'Avola's make for silky smooth red house wine. Great paired with hearty winter meals of game or grilled meat in the summer. It astounded me just how good this bottle was. This was a label I've honestly been skeptical of for a while. It's one those wines I kept hearing cheap foodies & hipsters praising for years. Recently while living in Napa for a few months it was recommended to me by a wine steward I have a great deal of respect for. I gave her a sideways look and raised eyebrows "really?" I guess I still need to be a little more open minded to inexpensive wines.

ALSO: Disclaimer
  I forgot to mention in my former post some key information about decanters. If you do purchase a crystal decanter there are a few things I should have mentioned about cleaning and storing. Crystal is made with lead, which not everyone realizes. It is perfectly safe to have around and store wine in. There some steps you need to take though after purchasing and maintaining. Before using you need to clean with hot water and then fill with boiling vinegar. and allow to sit for about a half hour and then rinse with hot water again. This process will remove significant amounts of lead from the interior surface. Also never clean crystal with dish detergent and wash as little as possible or the brilliant shine will dull and a white film will develop. Never store wine in a decanter for more than three weeks or unhealthy levels of lead will seep into the wine, which is easy to recognize by distinct sweet taste. The Roman's actually lined their goblets with lead, because they desired the sweet taste it gave their reds.

Roccalta Sangiovese 2010

Roccalta Sangiovese 2010($4.99-6.99)

Color: Deep Ruby
Smell: Old oak, cherries, hibiscus, and blackberries 
Taste: Very high tannin's, medium acidity, medium alcohol, and slightly dry.

Food Pairings: Lamb Shanks
                          Cabbage Patch Stew
                          Hearty Red Sauce Pastas/Lasagna
                          Pork Medallions(on the rare side)
                          Morbier Cheese(older aged cheeses)

Summary: Roccalta's 2010 Sangiovese is one of the best deal's you'll find in a red, although sangio doesn't have to be expensive! I often find what I consider 90+ point sangio's for between $6-11. 
This sangio I found to be great drinking by itself with proper aeration. You can use a wide mouth glass or a decanter is you have one for presentation. I would serve this with hearty meal such as pork medallions with a potato/parsnip puree, carrots sauteed in oj/ginger/g marnier/cardamom/salt, and blanched spinach leaves. A half glass would be fabulous with a cheese plate as a starter.

Think of investing in an decanter! They're fabulous to have for aerating wines and for serving to for a romantic evening, for dinner parties, or if you just want to keep it classy! They also make fantastic decorative pieces in your kitchen or on your mantle. There is one for everyone's taste! I own one similar to the crystal on the upper left.

Columbia Winery Riesling 2009

Columbia Winery Riesling 2009($5.99-7.99)

Color: Straw/light gold
Smell: Resinous, floral, and very sweet on the nose with hints of apple & apricot.
Taste: Low tannin's, high acidity, high alcohol, and very high residual sugars.
          Apple, apricot, rose hips, and honey like sweetness.

Food Pairings: Thai Food
                         Stir Fry
                         Curries
                         Grilled White Fish
                         Shellfish

Summary: The Columbia Winery Riesling is one of the finer riesling's that can be found in this price point. I wouldn't recommend drinking it by itself being far to sweet for my taste. It's better paired with something savory or hot. It goes amazing with Asian food my favorite being stir fry. It can be nicely paired with a fruit and cheese for dessert as well though. I like to serve NW Rieslings with slices of pears or green apple and a semi-hard asiago cheese during the holiday season as an appetizer or dessert.

  It's important to take into account that riesling is only one varietal of grape, but differs dramatically from region. The three primary growing regions are the Columbia Valley(Washington State), Alsace(France), and Rheinhessan(Germany).
Washington Riesling: high sugar, fruity, floral, and high alcohol(some borderline coolaid or cough syrup).
Alsacian Riesling: semi-sweet, mineral, peach, sometimes melon, and medium alcohol.
German Riesling(can very dramatically): light-dry, fruits-apple, pear, citrus, & low alcohol.