The Foil

Ever wonder why wine bottles have a foil covering the cork? Well, the explanation is quite a simple one. In the olden days, wines did not have the foil, just the cork. There were a lot of rodents all over the place. While in the cellars, rodents would gnaw away at the corks to try to get into the wines. Hence the foil... At first, foils were made of lead and bits of lead would contaminate the corks and end up in the wine. Through trial and error, we now have our modern day foil.

Trimbach Alsatian Riesling

How many of you knew that France produces Riesling Wine? Well, they actually do in a small province called Alsace.

Alsace is located on the West Bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. Because of war, many Swiss and Germans fled to Alsace to live in the mid 18'th century.

An example of an Alsatian Riesling is the Trimbach Riesling, one of Wine Spectator's top 100 wines of 2009. It's not as fruity as it's German counterpart. 

The nose has no up-front aromas. On the palate, one tastes notes of green apple, pine needles, and pear, high acidity and chalk dust. This Riesling is very dry with no tannins. A medium finish and a very refreshing wine. Pair with my butternut squash soup below, with white fish dishes, or grilled pork chops and apple sauce. For $16.99, I think the 2009, is a great choice. Let me know how it goes!

Coconut curry butternut squash soup with oven roasted pepitas

Hey guys... Heres a simple, very delicious, seasonal soup that I love.
The point is not to bore you with long recipes but to give you ideas and let you create. 

Medium dice a butternut squash or two and add to boiling water. 
Save seeds and mix with olive oil and sea salt and oven roast till crunchy (this will add crunch and serve as garnish) then set aside when done. 
Boil Butternut squash until soft to the touch with a fork (skin on). Strain when done and when  cooled, cut skin off. 

Add coconut oil and garlic to a stock pot. 
Next, add curry and lightly fry to release flavors (the secret to cooking with curry). 
Then add butternut squash, chicken stock, and coconut milk. If needed, add water to make more quantity. Add to blender or hand mixer and blend. 
Put this blend back into stock pot and add ground ginger, ground nutmeg, cinnamon powder, ground clove, black pepper and sea salt to taste. Boil on high and then select simmer. 

Let soup simmer till flavors incorporate. Serve and top with pepitas (roasted seeds) and microgreens. Enjoy!

Bourdeaux wine harvest 2012

It's official! The 2012 harvest in Bourdeaux France Finally draws to an end. Vintners had to wait an extra two weeks this year for the actual harvest. All this was due to some nerve wracking wacky weather. Sounds like the weather was all over the place... Seems as though some rains and extremely rare, late, extra-tropical humidity were to blame. The grapes seemed to be thick-skinned and healthy according to Chateau owners (a good sign I would say). What a relief! I guess time will tell...

Cork vs screwcap

Cork vs screwcap? Choices choices..... How many of you have noticed a big rise in wine bottles that have screwcaps? Being that my influence is more Old World traditional style, I was against screwcaps at first. Actually, there are some top-class wineries using screwcaps nowadays. In reality, screwcaps create a more hermetic seal and the chances of oxygen getting into the wine are slimmer. So don't be put off the next time you are confronted by a screwcap!

CC Cabernet Napa Valley

Tried this Cab at home last night. I thought it was an excellent one. Very easy drinking. A good everyday wine. Not your usual oaked Cab. Up front acidity. The nose gives you hints of tons of dark chocolate and earth. On the palate, notes of tart, sour cherry and cranberry keep opening up as one drinks it. The finish is not very austere.  A few more months should balance it out some more. Best wines under $25 and a must have at home. By the way, the CC winery sources their grapes from some of Napa's best hillside  sites so you actually get what should be a more expensive wine for a great price.

Three more wines for my collection. These are from the Kermit Lynch Wine portfolio which is selectively procured. 2009 was an awesome vintage in France. A great find!

Michael David Winery Red Zin

Here's an amazing red zinfandel I found the other day at a wine tasting event. A real blockbuster wine. Lodi appelation. Notes of chocolate, blackberries and ripe cherries. Very well balanced. Another thumbs up for the Michael David Winery...

Sediment

How many of you have heard of the term "sediment" in a wine? Sediment usually occurs in older wines through time and it's when tannins settle at the bottom of the bottle and crystalize. This is why most decanters come with a small screen filter. By the way, a wine with sediment, does not mean a wine is a bad one.