I Love French Wine and Food - A Burgundy Aligote

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the world famous Burgundy region in eastern France. Although it's fairly rare, you may even find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white wine based on the Aligote grape.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions Burgundy ranks fourth in acreage if you include the Beaujolais region, which most people do in spite of their considerable differences. Partisans, and they are many, claim that Burgundy is really the number one or number two wine-producing region in France, if not in the world. The wine reviewed below comes from somewhere in Burgundy, whose wine production is almost 90% white, almost exclusively Chardonnay. The Aligoté grape is Burgundy's number two white grape, but remains fairly unknown. We'll find out whether this lack of notoriety is deserved or not. In addition to Burgundy Aligoté is grown in Bulgaria, a not a very-well known wine producer but one that is occasionally generates bargains. The best Aligoté wines are said to come from the village of Bouzeron and its environs, located in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. These wines are occasionally a blend of Aligoté and Chardonnay. To the best of our knowledge the reviewed wine is pure Aligoté and does not come from the Bouzeron area of Burgundy.

If you are visiting Burgundy, and you really should, make sure to stop by the Côte d'Or village of Châteauneuf about twenty five miles (forty kilometers) southwest of Dijon in northern Burgundy. This little hilltop village seems to come straight out of the Middle Ages, except for the tourists who have recently discovered it. Its focal point is the Château (Castle) built in 1132 and occupied by the same family for nine generations until 1456 when Cathrine of Châteauneuf was burnt to death; it is said that she poisoned her second husband, Jacques d'Haussonville. The castle then went through various owners until the French Revolution when it was expropriated and the village's name was changed to Montfranc. With the construction of the Burgundy Canal its fate was sealed so to speak. Be sure to see the castle's medieval tapestries and its reflection in the canal. By the way, the famous Châteauneuf du Pape wine is from Provence, not from Burgundy.

Before reviewing the Burgundy wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with Jambon Persillé (Ham in Parsleyed Aspic).

For your second course savor Rable de Lievre à la Piron (Saddle of Hare with Shallots and White Wine).

And as dessert indulge yourself with Mousse au Chocolat (Chocolate Mousse.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Jaffelin Bourgogne Aligoté 2005 12.7% about $14.00

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note Pale straw colour; Subtle aromas of mineral,citrus, anjou pear and green apple; Dry, light bodied, with clean apple/lemon flavours, crisp acidity on finish. Serving Suggestion Add cassis for a Kir, shellfish, light seafood dishes, ceviche or pan fried trout. And now for the review.

My first meal was whole-wheat spaghetti with a homemade tuna, red onion, garlic, and Greek olive sauce that had a commercial tomato spaghetti sauce as its base. I doused on a lot of grated Parmesan Cheese. The wine was light and short but did linger slightly. It was pleasantly acidic. As I continued the meal I realized that this wine is not weak. Its acidity was a good accompaniment to fruit-juice candy.

The next task for this Aligoté was to accompany bagels, smoked salmon, and 15% cream cheese along with sides of Greek olives some with chili pepper flakes, thinly sliced red onions, and an artichoke, garlic, and tomato salsa. The wine was lightly acidic and surprisingly long. The salsa intensified its fruit, but both the olives and fresh blueberries (no, not together) seemed to deaden the wine.

The final meal was a disappointing "Louisiana" style home barbecued chicken sausage. Both the wine and the meat were rather tasteless, but when I added some very strong mustard the wine's fruit perked up a bit. The sweetness of the barbecued corn on the cob turned up the wine's acidity. But the artichoke and garlic salsa made this thin Burgundy, yes it is a Burgundy, even thinner.

The first cheese pairing was with a mild-tasting Italian Pecorino Fruilano. The wine was light and fruity with decent length. The Dutch Edam was nutty, a bit fatty, and somewhat sour. The cheese itself was tastier; in contrast the wine was weaker.

Final verdict. Burgundy brings its expectations. They weren't met by this wine. What do you want for this moderate price? More than what I got here. If I can get my hands on a Bouzeron Aligoté I'll give it a shot.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love French Wine And Food - A Red Beaujolais

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Beaujolais region of southeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Beaujolais Cru (high quality) wine.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions Beaujolais surprisingly ranks number eight in total acreage devoted to vineyards. However, it is one of the best-known wine regions in large part because of the enormously successful Beaujolais Nouveau marketing campaign. I review Beaujolais Nouveau wine in a companion article in this series.

Beaujolais wine is usually, but not always, red. Almost all red Beaujolais wine comes from the Gamay grape which, while grown in many parts of the world, does its best in Beaujolais, in particular in the northern part of the region with its granite soil.

There are no cities in the entire region so tourists will have to be satisfied with the 14 mile (23 kilometer) Beaujolais wine route and its villages. Most of them are. This wine route is home to nine of the Beaujolais grands crus including Chiroubles, reviewed below. Not far from the wine route is the city of of Bourg-en-Bresse, whose suburb Brou includes a magnificent Gothic church and museum with numerous paintings from the 16th to 19th Centuries.

Bresse chickens are said to be among the world's most delicious and most expensive. It is said that when Henry IV stopped in Bresse following a traffic accident and had his first taste of Bresse chickens, he insisted on adding them to the royal menu. Growers must raise these blue-footed birds under strictly defined conditions. A large part of their short life is spent outside, scratching for food. These magnificent birds were the first animals to receive the coveted AOC classification that crowns many great and not-so-great French wines.

Before reviewing the Beaujolais wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Andouillette (Pork Tripe Sausage).
For your second course savor Poulet de Bresse (Bresse Chicken).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Ile Flottante (Floating Island Meringue).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Domaine du Clos Verdy Chiroubles 2004 12.9% alcohol about $14.50

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. George Boulon is the mayor of the town of Chirboubles. He produces this single vineyard Gamay in a fruity and ripe style. Enjoy it as sipping wine or with grilled fish or roasted chicken breast. And now for the review.

My first meal consisted of a barbecued rib eye steak in a homemade sauce of ketchup, horseradish mustard, garlic, pepper, and fresh lemon juice, accompanied by fried potatoes. The wine was nice and fruity with a pleasant acidity that cut the grease. After finishing the meal, the wine was enjoyable on its own. As you know, Beaujolais wines have little tannins, which is one reason that many people who don't like red wine like Beaujolais. The relative lack of tannins was no problem with this steak.

My next pairing was with a slow-cooked beef stew and potatoes. The wine was very fruity and quite pleasant but not complex or powerful. My final meal involved poulet chasseur (chicken cacciatore) that I made with a lot of care. The wine was round and fruity but short. I wonder if it would have been better with a Bresse chicken.

I tried the Chiroubles with a French Saint-Aubin, a soft cow's milk cheese traditionally packed in a wooden box. This cheese has a creamy brie-like texture and a stronger taste. Unfortunately the cheese gave this wine a bit of a dull aftertaste.

I next tried the wine with an Italian Bel Paese, a mild buttery cheese suggested to accompany fruity wines or to be eaten alone as a snack or a dessert. The wine and the cheese simply didn't gel; they remained two separate entities.

Final verdict. I first started drinking Beaujolais decades ago, in part because I was no fan of tannins. Then I sort of dropped Beaujolais with the exception of the yearly tryst with Beaujolais Nouveau. This bottle was my first Beaujolais Cru wine, and I cannot say that I was particularly impressed. There are ten Beaujoalais Crus. I will taste at least one more somewhere along the line, but not before tasting many, many other French wines.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe's highest peak, Mount Blanc. This was arguably the last region of Italy to be populated, because it was covered with ice until relatively recently. Over time it was occupied by Celts, Romans, Ostrogoths, Byzantines, Lombards, and Franks. It is bilingual, Italian and French. The Aosta Valley is by far the smallest region of Italy with a population of only 120 thousand.

Agricultural is not particularly important, with the exception of cattle raising. There is substantial forestry and some industry, in particular hydroelectric power. The region is one of the wealthiest in Italy, with a highly developed tourist sector.

This region has no single capital. The largest city is Aosta, with a population of about 35 thousand. It was a Roman garrison over two thousand years ago, and is the best example of Roman city planning in Italy. Among the Aosta Valley's tourist attractions are the remains of a Roman amphitheater said to hold 20,000 spectators. Other tourist attractions include medieval fortresses and churches, the Matterhorn, and Mount Blanc.

The Aosta Valley devotes only fifteen hundred acres to grapevines, and ranks 20th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about six hundred thousand gallons, also giving it a 20th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving about 10% for white. The region produces a single DOC wine, that is divided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region's wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Chardonnay is the most important international white grape variety in the Aosta Valley. Muscat and Pinot Grigio (Pinot Gris) are also grown. Local white varieties include Blanc de Morgeux and Petite Arvine, also grown in Switzerland.

International red grape varieties grown in the Aosta Valley include Gamay, Grenache, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir), and Syrah. Local red varieties include Picotendro (called Nebbiolo in neighboring Piedmont and arguably Italy's finest red grape), Petit Rouge, and Fumin. In the unfortunate absence of any Aosta Valley wines, I am reviewing a DOCG Nebbiolo-based wine from neighboring Piedmont. If I am ever in the Aosta Valley, I promise to drink and review a few local wines.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley-style wine and Italian cheese that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Jambon de Bosses; Uncooked Ham.
As the second course try Carré D'Agnello Gratinato Alle Erbe; Grilled Loin of Lamb in a Pastry and Herb Crust.
For dessert indulge yourself with Crema alla Panna; Pannacotta from the Aosta Valley (a sort of crème caramel without eggs.)

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Travaglina Gattinara DOCG 13.5% alcohol about $28

As stated above, little if any wine from the Aosta Valley region is available in North America. We had to settle for a Piedmont wine produced only a few miles away from the Aosta Valley. For some reason I can't get out of my mind the 1905 George M. Cohan Broadway title tune (Only) Forty-five Minutes from Broadway, think of the changes it brings. Given that this is a DOCG wine made with Italy's best red grape, I really don't feel that I made a sacrifice. It is perhaps a fitting way to treat the last of Italy's regions.

Let's start with the marketing materials. "The winery has other jewels in its crown, as the fabulous base Gattinara 2001 so eloquently proves in the best version we can remember. A pure, austere nose expresses the Gattinara territory, with licorice and crushed roses from the Nebbiolo grape and elegant streaks of eucalyptus, menthol, and even acacia blossoms. The long lingering palate is lively and tangy, slightly held back by assertive tannins."

Let's talk a bit about the bottle. As a DOCG red wine, there is a lavender ribbon at the top of the bottle. The bottle itself has a unique curve that fits in the palm of the hand. It was designed by a glassmaker for the 1952 vintage, and proved so popular that the producer has been using it ever since. The grapes are grown on steep slopes at 900-1300 feet in iron-rich soil with traces of Calcium and Magnesium Carbonate. The wine is aged a year in French oak barriques, 18 months in Slovenian oak casks, and then for six months in the bottle. It has been called an affordable Barolo, (one of Italy's finest red wines that starts at about twice its price). Wine Spectator Magazine has listed a previous vintage as one of the year's 100 best wines.

My first pairing was with a cheeseless meat lasagna. Frankly the wine was wasted on this meal. It was mouth-filling, long, and powerful, but yet delicate. I felt that the wine was great on its own. A few ounces kept my mouth satisfied for a very long time.

The next pairing was more suitable, grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, sweet and sour mustard, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The meal also included potato patties, and caponata, an Italian-style eggplant and tomato salad. This marriage was made in heaven. The wine was mouthfilling and powerful. A little bit went a very long way.

The final meal was with slow-cooked, boneless beef ribs and potatoes. Once again, the wine was very powerful, tasting of leather and dark fruit. It is easily the most powerful wine of the series, and probably one of the most powerful wines that I have ever tasted. However, I did not find the tannins assertive; they blended perfectly with the fruit and other flavors.

It might have been best to try this wine with a Piedmont cheese such as Gran Padano or Gorgonzola, or with an Aosta Valley cheese such as Fontina. I had none of the above, so I settled for the ends of my Italian cheeses, coincidentally at more or less the end of this series. The Gattinara took on a pleasant acidic character to deal with a Montasio cheese from the Veneto area that was past its prime. It also went well with a Sicilian Isola. I liked it the best with an Asiago, also from the Veneto region. But once again the wine was somewhat wasted on these cheeses.

Final verdict. I don't think that this wine should be cellared wine for a dozen years, but I would love to find out. If I had the money, I'd buy a case, drink a bottle a year, and then decide what to do. Not going to happen. This wonderful wine will have to go into my once a year category. I'm already looking forward to savoring and comparing the 2002 vintage with this wonderful 2001.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Friuli-Venezia Giuli Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Friuli-Venezia Giuli region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Friuli-Venezia Giuli is a mountainous area tucked away in the northeast corner Italy, bordering on Austria and Slovenia. Experts believe that Friuli-Venezia Giuli was first inhabited twenty thousand years ago. Like most regions of Italy, it has belonged to many nations over the years. Unlike most regions of Italy, it remains multicultural, an exceptional mixture of Italian, Austrian, and Slavic influences. To make this article easier to read, we will replace the region's full name by its first part, Friuli. The total population is less than 1.2 million.

While Friuli is home to a wide variety of agricultural products, most farmers don't get rich. The farms tend to be small and much of the land is infertile, suitable only for grazing and grapes. Unfortunately the Adriatic sea is in poor condition and fishing is on the decline. However, a wide variety of seafood is available. Friuli's best-known food is San Daniele prosciutto, an uncooked ham aged in sea salt for over a year. Gourmets debate whether this ham or its cousin prosciutto di Parma from the Emilia-Romagna region in northwestern Italy is the best ham in the world.

Friuli's administrative center is Trieste, which only became part of Italy in 1954. This city was once the principle port of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Like Vienna, Austria, Trieste is filled with cafés. It is also home to the famous International Center for Theoretical Physics.

Friuli devotes about one hundred fifty thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 14th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 27 million gallons, giving it a 13th place. Approximately 48% of its wine production is red or rosé (only a little rosé), leaving 52% for white. The region produces 9 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 1 DOCG white dessert wine, Ramandolo. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. Over 60% of Friuli wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Friuli is home to almost four dozen major and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Pinot Grigio, often called Pinot Gris outside of Italy, Pinot Bianco, often called Pinot Blanc outside of Italy, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc. The best known strictly Italian white varieties are Tocai Friulano and Verduzzo Fruilano, exemplified in the DOCG wine, Ramandolo.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Merlot, grown in Fruili for well over one hundred years, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. The best-known strictly Italian red variety is Refosco. Fruili's candidate for grape variety with the most unusual name is Tazzelenghe, which means tongue cutter in the local dialect. While I have never tasted any wines based on this grape, I can guess that they won't be delicate.

Before we reviewing the Friuli wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Cjalzons con Ripieno di Cioccolata e Spinaci, Chocolate and Spinach Filled Pasta with Smoked Ricotta.

Then try Capesante alla Triestina, Broiled Scallops and Oysters with Watercress. And for dessert, indulge yourself with Strucolo di Ricotta, Ricotta Strudel. If you are like me, you think of Austria or Hungary, when you hear the word Strudel.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Pighin Pinot Grigio 2005 Grave del Fruili 12.5% alcohol about $13.50

I'll start by quoting the marketing materials. "Toast, white flowers and mineral on the involved nose, this light-bodied white is all about zing, verve, and refreshing citrus flavors. Some notes of pit fruit, but mainly built to match up to seafood. Try with friends and grilled scampi drizzled with lemon juice."

I first tasted this wine with sesame seed covered filo dough stuffed with hamburger meat and accompanied by zucchini in a tomato sauce. It was pleasantly acidic and fruity providing lemon and other citrus flavors. I liked it with a chocolate cake labeled strudel which intensified the wine's acidity. I don't think that any Friuli residents would have called that cake strudel, but this review is about the wine, and not the cake.

My next food pairing was with whole-wheat pasta in a spicy meat sauce. The wine stepped up to the plate and handled the spice very well. It was nice and round. I finished this meal with out of season strawberries, in whose presence the wine became almost sweet.

With filet of sole poached in onions, a side of brown rice, and okra in a tomato sauce, the wine became more acidic and rounder. It was quite refreshing. It was a sweet, acidic companion to fresh pomegranates. It took on a nice acidity with pecan and caramel chocolate candy.

Montasio is a cooked, full-fat, semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and aged for several months. It has a pungent smell and a strong, pasty taste. The Pinot Grigio was not outmatched by this powerful cheese. Strictly speaking, Asiago cheese does not come from the Friuli region, but its neighbors Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto. Once again, the wine changed its character to match this softer cheese.

This wasn't a great wine, but it did go well with everything. I would most likely buy it again.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love German Wine and Food - A Franconian Riesling

If you are looking for fine German wine and food, consider the Franconia region of southeastern Germany. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local Riesling.
Franconia is bordered by the Danube River on the south and by the Main River on the north. Both France and Franconia are named after the Franks, a Germanic tribe. Franconia had been independent for centuries but the Congress of Vienna in 1814-1815 joined it to neighboring Bavaria in southern Germany as part of the reshaping of Europe.
Franconia ranks sixth out of the thirteen German wine regions in both vineyard acreage and total wine production. Over 85% of Franconian wine is white. Its main grape varieties are Müller-Thurgau, a German hybrid, responsible for almost half the local production of white wine and Silvaner. Unlike many other German wine regions, here the Riesling grape is not a major player. About 40% of the region's wine is middle-quality QbA wine, and almost 60% is the higher quality QmP wine. Only about 0.5% of Franconian wine is table wine.
Nürnberg (Nuremberg) is the largest city in Franconia and the second largest in Bavaria. It's a very historic city, slightly less than one thousand years old. It was the site of the first Diet of the Holy Roman Empire, the site of Hitler's most important rallies, and the site of the Allied War Crimes Tribunals after the Second World War.
Among its many sights are the city walls surrounding Nuremberg's Old Town. Be sure to see the Albrecht-Dürer-Haus, where the great Renaissance painter spent almost the last twenty years of his life. The Germanisches Nationalmuseum (German National Museum) is the largest such museum in all of Germany. Should you so desire, there's enough to view to spend days there. Outside the museum is the Strasse der Menschenrechte (Street of Human Rights) with thirty huge columns inscribed with excerpts from the Declaration of Human Rights. Make sure to see the Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle) complex, which in bygone times was the home of the Holy Roman Emperors. As its name might suggest, the Neues Museum (New Museum) is devoted to modern design. Children and the young at heart will like the Spielzeugmuseum (Toy Museum) and Tiergarten (Zoo) which includes a dolphin show. Nuremberg's historic churches include Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), St. Sebaldus Kirche (St. Sebaldus Church), and St. Lorenz Kirche (Church of Saint Lawrence). If you get hungry you might want to stop in the Historische Bratwurst-Küche Zum Gulden Stern, the oldest bratwurst restaurant in the world dating back to 1419. Their slogan is Wer nicht hier war, war nicht in Nürnberg; if you weren't here, you weren't in Nuremberg.
Before reviewing the Franconian wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Hochzeitsuppe (Wedding Soup - Meat Broth, Dumplings, and Sliced Potatoes)
For your second course enjoy Hackfleischküchla (Franconian Hamburgers).
As a dessert indulge yourself with Lebkuchen (Gingerbread).
OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.
Wine Reviewed
Burgerspital Zum Hl. Geist Riesling Kabinett 2004 12% alcohol about $17.50
We'll start by quoting the marketing materials. Description Franken is best known in our market for their Silvaner-based wines and squat, green bottles called bocksbeutal. Here, we have a rare opportunity to explore the incredible job Franconian winemakers can do with Riesling too. Tasting Note Aromas suggest rose petals, apple, apricot and mineral. On the palate it is off-dry, fresh and lively. Light- to medium-bodied, this long finishing wine would complement veal cutlets, pan-fried freshwater fish or mildly spiced Thai cuisine. And now for the review.
The first meal was consisted of slow-cooked chicken legs in a supposedly spicy tomato sauce, potatoes, and a medley of small salads. Wow! This wine just hit it right with its acidity and fruit. I tasted lime. It was very round. Frankly, no pun intended, I could have finished the bottle.
The next meal was an omelet with sliced brown mushrooms and chopped red onion and a side of smoked salmon. Once again I tasted great acidity and lime. The smoked salmon intensified the wine. It was a very pleasant combination.
Then I went to spaghetti and meatballs but a bit different from the usual style. The spaghetti was whole wheat and the meatballs were made with ground turkey. The Riesling was honey-flavored, rather light, but somewhat complex and slightly acidic. I finally found a disappointing combination; fresh pineapple which flattened the wine. On the other hand, the wine went well with honeydew.
First I tried this Riesling with a French goat's milk cheese that really seemed more like a Camembert. The wine was refreshing with good balance of fruit and light acidity. Then I tasted it with a nutty Swiss Gruyere. The wine became more acidic and was nice and long. When it finally faded away, it did so delicately. I saved the best cheese for last, a local Asiago that I prefer to the native Italian variety. Ironically the best cheese made the worst pairing; the wine was weaker.
Final verdict. This wine is a winner. I plan to buy it again. And I won't be wasting it on cheese, especially local Asiago cheese.
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine German or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Riserva Wines

Did you ever wonder what the word Riserva on an Italian wine label meant? Does it guarantee a fine wine? Can it still be a bargain? This short article will try to answer these questions, and review a Riserva wine that I recently tasted.

The major and sometimes only difference between two Italian wines with the same name on the label except for the word Riserva is the Riserva's extra aging. For example, Barbaresco wine from the northern Italian region of Piedmont wine is aged for a minimum of two years, one of which must be in oak or chestnut casks. The Barbaresco Riserva version is aged for a minimum of four years, two of which must be in oak or chestnut casks. Let's look at another example; Piedmont's Barolo, the king of wine and the wine of kings. Barolo is aged for a minimum of 38 months, and Barolo Riserva is aged for a minimum of 60 months. In the first case Riserva means that the wine has been aged in wood for two additional years, while in the second case it means the wine has been aged in wood for 22 additional months. The exact specifications for Riserva depend on the given wine. As you will see in the review of the wine I tasted, the producer may add his or her own additional requirements.

What about the price? Do you have to pay extra for a Riserva wine? The answer is yes. The Riserva process costs money, in part because the wine has been held off the market for all that extra time. But the wine business is complicated. Let's say that you are always on the lookout for a specific wine. One lucky day you get to your favorite wine store just when the new shipment arrives including both a 2005 and a 2003 Riserva of this wine. To your grand surprise the 2005 costs more than the 2003 Riserva. How could this happen? Perhaps the 2005 is a far superior vintage for this particular wine. Buy what you can. And expect to pay even more for the 2005 Riserva when it finally reaches the marketplace.

Be careful, on occasion the word Riserva means an essentially different wine. The central Italian region of Umbria produces a DOC wine called Torgiano and a DOCG wine called Torgiano Rosso Riserva, both made from the same grape blend with minor changes allowed. A similar situation occurs in the central Italian region The Marche where Rosso Conero is a DOC wine and Rosso Conero Riserva has been accorded the DOCG classification. The grape varieties used in both wines are the same, and perhaps only difference is the aging. For both these pairs the authorities decreed that the longer aged wines are sufficiently different from their cousins to warrant a fancier classification, and a higher price tag. Are they right? You might want to taste them to reach your decision. Personally, I have not tasted any of the wines mentioned in this paragraph.

But I have tasted two Nebbiolo-based wines, a Gattinara and a Gattinara Riserva from the northern Italian region of Piedmont. As luck would have it both wines came from the same producer. The regular Gattinara was a 2001, the Gattinara Riserva was a 1999. Of course, when comparing these wines, we should take into account the vintage, which can make a big difference. I remember a relatively inexpensive 2001 French dessert wine that was absolutely spectacular. But the 2002 vintage of this wine made by the same producer from the same grapes was good and nothing more.

For a review of the Gattinara DOCG 2001, see my article I Love Italian Wine and Food - Aosta Valley Region, Piedmont Wine.

Wine Reviewed
Travaglini Gattinara Riserva DOCG 1999 13.5% alcohol about $33

First a few notes supplied by the producer Giancarlo Travaglini. This Riserva wine, composed of 100% Nebbiolo grapes, was aged for at least three years in oak barrels, and one year in the bottle. In fact, 25% to 30% of the grapes were aged in small oak barrels. The grapes for the Riserva wine come from selected grapes at selected sites. To protect its name, Travaglini makes Gattinara Riserva only in the best years. The Riserva grapes are processed and aged separately from the regular production. The producer suggests serving the wine at 19-20 degrees Centigrade (66-68 degrees Fahrenheit), and claims that it can be cellared until 2015-2020.

This wine was very rich and mouth-filling. A little bit went a long way. I tasted tobacco, leather, and black cherries, but essentially I tasted a very fine wine. I don't think that I am kidding myself when I say that I could tell the difference between this wine, and the non-Riserva 2001 vintage, which I also found excellent. I felt that the Riserva was even more powerful and complex than its younger cousin.

I tasted it with rib steak and potatoes, and with slow-cooked beef ribs as in my previous tasting. (I wasn't going to waste any of it on a more plebian dish such as a lasagna.) The food pairings were great, as was the wine on its own. My only regret was that the bottle was empty before I tasted it with any cheese. Frankly I wonder if a wine of this quality wouldn't be a bit wasted with cheese.

Final verdict. I'd have to think very hard to find something negative about this wine. I'm not convinced that it should be cellared until 2015-2020, which at this point seems a long way off. But for now, and certainly the next few years, this wine is excellent, and is somewhat of a bargain. For this particular wine, and undoubtedly many others, Riserva means more than just additional aging.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love French Wine and Food - An Alsace Pinot Gris

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Alsace region of northeastern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Pinot Gris wine.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions Alsace ranks number ten in total acreage devoted to vineyards, perhaps because it is the smallest region of metropolitan France. In any case Alsace is one of France's best-known wine regions. The wine growing area is about 60 miles (100 kilometers) long, but at most 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide. Their wine bottles are distinctively tall and thin. Chaptalization (adding sugar to the fermenting grape mixture) is allowed for many wine categories. And unlike the standard practice elsewhere in France, the labels feature the grape variety.

About 95% of Alsace wine is white. The major white grape varieties are Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris, and Riesling. The major red grape variety is Pinot Noir. A companion article in this series will review an Alsatian red wine.

Strasbourg is the major Alsatian city, with a population somewhat exceeding a quarter million. The city dates back to Roman times. It was part of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire for centuries and first joined France in 1681, but as a Free Royal City retaining some independence. Like the rest of Alsace, Strasbourg has bounced back and forth between France and Germany. It now houses the European Parliament and is a symbol of French-German reconciliation and united Europe.

Hopefully by the time you read these lines the Ancienne Douane (Old Customs House) will be fully rebuilt from its fire in 2000. This magnificent building that served as an art gallery was first constructed in 1358 and destroyed during the Second World War. It was faithfully reconstructed after the war. The Ancienne Douane also houses a giant brewery, should your tastes run that way.

The dark pink sandstone Gothic Cathédrale Notre-Dame, dating from 1176, is unsurprisingly the most Germanic of all French cathedrals. Climb the spire, finished almost three hundred years later, to get a magnificent view of Strasbourg and the nearby Black Forest and Vosges Mountains. Among the museums to visit are the Musée Alsacien (Alsatian Museum), the Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain (Modern and Contemporary Art Museum) and the Musée de l'Oeuvre Notre-Dame (Notre Dame Cathedral Museum). The list goes on and on.

Make sure to see the Petite France (Little France) neighborhood close to the town center with its gingerbread houses and tiny streets. After this look into the past, you may want to see the European Parliament, open to the public one week per month, which may or may not represent the future of Europe.

Before reviewing the Alsatian wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Tarte Flambée (Onion Tart).
For your second course savor Chouchroute Garnie (Sauerkraut with various Pork dishes, perhaps cooked in Champagne).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Kugelhopf (Almond and Raisin Cake).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Pfaffenheim Pinot Gris Cuvée Rabelais 2005 13.5% alcohol about $17

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Alsatian Pinot Gris is becoming increasingly fashionable, and this example illustrates why. Honeyed fruit aromas, such as peach and pear, plus a texture of smoke and mineral seduce in this just off-dry white that's, round, soft and quite rich. The producer recommends this as a good substitute for red wine with meat dishes such as cold cuts, roast beef or game. They also suggest pairing it with smoked chicken, fish or lobster. And now for the review.

My first meal consisted of a broccoli quiche with avocado and out-of-season grape tomatoes. The wine was a true success. Two words came to mind, gossamer and honey.

I then paired it with slow-cooked chicken and potatoes in Mediterranean spices. The wine kept its fruitiness and did a great job of cutting the grease. It was excellent with dessert, a chocolate mint cake. The mint intensified the wine's fruit.

I was somewhat disappointed when I tasted this Pinot Gris with a cheddar-cheese omelet. The combination was OK, neither element added anything to the other. I tried to make up for this shortcoming with two desserts. First, and I should have known better, I tried the wine with a very sweet chocolaty pecan pie. Once again, nothing was added. But at least the wine wasn't destroyed. All's well that ends well. I finished the meal with high-quality butter (and margarine) cookies. This time the words were gossamer and orange.

Saint-Aubin is a soft French cow's milk cheese traditionally packed in a wooden box. This cheese has a creamy brie-like texture and a stronger taste. The wine's fruit came out to meet the cheese, but the wine was a bit short. I next tried the wine with an Italian Bel Paese, a mild buttery cheese suggested to accompany fruity wines or to be eaten alone as a snack or a dessert. The wine was quite round and had great fruit. This was one of the best wine and cheese combinations that I've enjoyed in quite a while.

Final verdict. I usually don't like Pinot Gris. So what. I really liked this wine and plan to buy it again even if, as almost always, I do wish that it cost a bit less.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Aosta Valley

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Aosta Valley region of northern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

The Aosta Valley is a tiny corner of northwestern Italy bordering on France and Switzerland. This beautiful valley is surrounded by high mountains, including Europe's highest peak, Mount Blanc. While some other regions of Italy are bilingual, this is the only one where French is extensively spoken. With a population of only 120 thousand this is by far the smallest region. Its largest city is Aosta, home to some 35 thousand people. Tourist attractions include the remains of a Roman amphitheater, churches and other buildings dating back to the Middle Ages, Mount Blanc, and the Matterhorn.

The Aosta Valley devotes a mere fifteen hundred acres to grapevines ranking it dead last among Italy's 20 regions. It produces about six hundred thousand gallons of wine a year, putting it at the bottom of the list. Some 90% of this limited wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé). The region produces a single DOC wine, subdivided into 23 categories. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin. Almost 23% of this region's wine carries the DOC. The Aosta Valley is home to almost three dozen major and secondary grape varieties, with somewhat more red than white varieties.

Before reviewing the Aosta Valley wine that I was lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Pazzarella; Small Pizza with Porcini Mushrooms, Mozzarella Cheese, and Porcini Mushrooms. As the second course try Fonduta; Fondue with Melted Cheese, Eggs, and Grated Truffles. For dessert indulge yourself with Pere Martin al Vino Rosso; Pears cooked in Spiced Wine with Whipped Cream.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Les Crêtes Torrette 2006 12.0% alcohol about $22

Let's start with the marketing materials. "Petit Rouge is Valle d'Aosta's claim-to-fame grape. It produces darkly colored and very perfumed red wines. Many think of roses and peonies when they smell this pretty red wine. It is a naturally low-yielding variety that produces very small berries. This is a virtue, because the small berry size produces wines that can be very aromatic and flavorful with a good core of acids and tannins for balance. Enjoy it with braised beef dishes or a wild mushroom risotto."

And then there was one. Over the past two and a half years I have tasted wines from eighteen of the twenty regions of Italy. All that was left was the Aosta Valley and Liguria, the Italian Riviera, neither of which export much wine to North America. As soon as I saw that my local wine store imported an Aosta Valley wine I jumped at the opportunity. Perhaps my expectations were too high.

On the first sipping I found the wine nice and long with tannins in the background. It was round as well. The first pairing was with a slow cooked beef stew accompanied by potatoes and carrots. The wine was mouth filling and tart. I got the feeling that the grapes were slightly unripe. It actually improved when consumed with a relatively mild tomato-based salsa. On the other hand a Turkish hot pepper sauce, Harissa, did not improve the wine.

The next meal included a commercial barbequed chicken leg with the paprika dusted skin, barbequed chicken wings in a sweet and sour sauce, potatoes roasted in chicken fat, and more of the salsa. The wine tasted of black cherries. It had palate-cleansing acidity with no tannins at all (like a Beaujolais). The potatoes melted in my mouth but made the wine sour. And the wings were more powerful than the wine. The salsa cleansed the palate and muted the wine.

The final meal was an omelet with smoked salmon. The wine was fruity displaying pleasant acidity but was short.

The first cheese was a cream cheese that took away the wine's fruit. In the presence of a marbled Cheddar cheese the wine was sweet and fruity.

Final verdict. The Aosta Valley is an expensive part of Italy. This wine was overpriced. I've been doing a column on $10 wines and the best of the lot compete with this one. Perhaps I was overly excited about this wine because of its location. Actually the wines from this part of Italy don't have a special reputation. I won't rush to taste another one, not at this price. Next stop, Liguria.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

Pairing Wine and Food

It has almost been a constant puzzle for many people. What type of wine should I pair with what food?

Many people seem to worry about not being able to provide the right wine that will complement the food being served at the dining table. Here are some simple tips that may help get the complexities out of your mind.

First of all, it doesn't have to rely on you to choose the right type of wine to go with the food if you are going to a party somewhere. If you are planning to give a bottle of wine for a gift, then you shouldn't have to worry about what type of wine to buy that you think will go well for the type of food that you are expecting at the party, that is, unless you have been requested to do so. Bringing a good bottle of wine would be enough for any dinner party.

If you are the dinner host and would like to serve more than just one type of wine during dinner, it is always the custom to first serve the lighter wine before the full-bodied variety. The dominant flavor of the food being served should also provide a hint of what type of wine to serve. If the dish eaten is sweet, a sweet wine should also be served to go along with it.

It is always wise for the dinner host to strike a balance between the flavor intensity and the type of wine served. Try to pair up lighter wines with light food recipes. If the meal is more heartier and offers a more flavorful concoction, then a full-bodied wine should go well with it.

Try to remember what type of wine goes well with different types of meals. Wines with a citrus tang to them such as a good bottle of Sauvignon Blanc goes well with fish dishes, in the same way that a lemon does. Pinot Noir wines on the other hand is an excellent complement to mushroom soup.

Here are some more tips for you to remember. If the dish being prepared is acidic, then an acidic based wine would be preferred for it. The acidity in wines such as Sauvignon Blancs and sparkling will also help cut the saltiness in most salty dishes and would be a better partner to it than most red wines. Full-bodied wines usually go well with rich meat and chicken dishes. The richer the dish, the wine with the higher alcohol content should also be served as the alcohol seems to help bring out the flavor in the rich meaty dishes.

Another good tip for dinner hosts is to try and consider pairing opposites. Hot and spicy dishes can be paired up with sweet dessert wines. This can sometimes help giving your guests a whole new flavorful adventure since the opposing flavors from the wine and the served dish can provide a unique tasty sensation that might surprise your dinner guests.

I Love French Wine and Food - A Midi Merlot

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south central France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local red Merlot.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions the Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest in total area and ranks number four in the vineyard acreage. This area, which includes the Midi, had been known for generating immense amounts of rather dubious table wine called vin ordinaire. Recently, in part because of Australian winemakers, the region started to produce a lot of fine wine. Like Alsace, and unlike most other regions of France, many Languedoc-Roussillon wines, such as the one reviewed below, are identified by their constituent grape variety on the label.

This lovely region is hardly uniform. For example, Languedoc is mostly flat; in contrast Roussillon is hilly. Several areas take advantage of their unique combination of microclimate and soil (terroir) to produce one or more local AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlé) wines. These wines are usually more expensive than their generic cousins. We intend to examine one or more such wines in this series. Languedoc-Roussillon has almost 50 AOC wine appellations; red, white, rosé, sparkling, and sweet. This diversity is not surprising given that the region grows over 30 grape varieties including Merlot, the single most important grape variety in Bordeaux.

Perpignan, settled first in Roman times, was founded over a millennium ago. It was the capital of Roussillon. Unlike most of the other cities and towns mentioned in this series, Perpignan rose up against French rule. Even though it lost the battle, France ceded it to Spain for several decades. You won't have to look far to see Spanish influence. Salvador Dali, arguably one of Spain's greatest modern artists, called its train station the center of the universe and said that he got his best ideas sitting in its waiting room. Small wonder that there is a monument honoring Dali above the station. Other sites to see include the historic downtown near the docks of the Basse River, the fortified Palais des Rois de Majorca (Palace of the Kings of Majorca), Le Castillet a former prison, and the Cathédrale St-Jean (Cathedral of St. John the Baptist). Unfortunately it's a bit late to visit the city walls; they were torn down more than a century ago to let a growing city expand.

The Mediterranean fishing village of Collioure is a major tourist attraction especially during the summer months. To a large extent it was made famous by Henri Matisse and other Fauve painters of times gone by. The good news is that the view hasn't changed much. As you might well imagine, this village of less than three thousand remains popular with artists. Make sure to see the old port, the Seventeenth Century Notre-Dame-des-Anges (Our Lady of the Angels) Church and the Thirteenth Century Château Royal (Royal Castle) once the summer home of the kings of Majorca.

Before reviewing the Languedoc-Roussillon wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Roque Anchois (Anchovies with Tomato, Spices, Vinegar, and Olive Oil).
For your second course savor Tagine de Lotte (Monkfish Stew).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Crème Catalan (Crème brûlée with Orange Flower and Aniseed).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Domaine des Aspes Merlot 2003 13% about $14

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. An attractive Merlot from the warm 2003 vintage. The aromas suggest ripe plum, blackberry and a hint of tar. It is dry, quite rich and supple with a long, balanced finish. Match barbecued steak.

My first meal was take out. It consisted of chicken breast with the skin on, potato salad, and a somewhat spicy tomato, red pepper, and garlic salad. No, I didn't buy this last salad in the Midi. At the first taste the wine was excellent: it was very round and quite rich with a bit of tobacco and plenty of dark fruit You know the old story about not getting a second chance to make a first impression. No need. I think that the Merlot's length and level of complexity kept it from competing in a totally different price range. I wasted a bit by trying it with a quite unorthodox partner, fresh pineapple. No surprise, the two didn't mesh.

The next meal was a stove-top home cooked chicken breast with a somewhat spicy tomato sauce, white rice, and green beans. Once again the wine was quite powerful with tobacco and dark fruit.

Of course I did want to try this wine with red meat. I went for hamburgers and the fixings. Once again it was a success. The Merlot was long and round with a pronounced taste of tobacco. Let me remind you that I am not now and have never really been a smoker. I don't go looking for a tobacco taste but I do like it in a wine, if not overdone. In all cases I was pleased with its tobacco taste. The wine seemed a bit chewy and very pleasant. The last sips were quite enjoyable after the meal was over.

My first cheese pairing was with a goat's milk cheese, a Palet de Chevre from the Poitou Charentes region of central-western France. This cheese seemed more like a Camembert than a goat's milk cheese. The wine was less forward than with the meals, but I'd say subtle instead of flat. I got the taste of plums. The second cheese was a Swiss Gruyere. The wine was intense; a nice match between its fruit and the Gruyere's nuttiness. I usually restrict these tastings to imported cheese but I found a real favorite of mine, a local Asiago that I prefer to its Italian cousin and, frankly, to almost any cheese that I have eaten in quite a while. The wine remained powerful and fruity with a good level of acidity. Black plums are good, but I don't think that they were ever this good.

Final verdict. Can you guess? Will the next bottle be as good? I'll follow my instincts and the marketing notes and try it with barbecued steak.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love French Wine and Food - A Midi Viognier

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south central France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Viognier.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions the Languedoc-Roussillon is the largest in actual area and ranks fourth in acreage planted in wine grapes. This area, which includes the Midi, was once known for producing huge quantities of questionable quality wine called vin ordinaire. Now, however, in part due to the influence of Australian winemakers, the region is producing more and more fine wine. Unlike most other regions of France, many Languedoc-Roussillon wines, such as the one reviewed below, are identified by their grape variety on the label.

Don't think of this region as being uniform. For example, Languedoc tends to be flat, whereas Roussillon is hilly. In addition, several areas with their own unique combination of microclimate and soil (terroir) produce their own AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlé) wines, which tend to be more expensive. Sooner or later we'll be looking at some of these wines in our series. There are almost 50 AOC wine appellations in Languedoc-Roussillon; covering the entire range, red, white, rosé, sparkling, and sweet. This diversity is not surprising when you consider that the region grows over 30 grape varieties.

The Viognier grape was on the edge of extinction about forty years ago. At that time it was restricted to France with a grand total of about 35 acres. Times have changed and this grape is now grown in California, Italy, Australia, Chile, and Canada, with more countries on the way. The classic Viognier wines come from the Northern Rhone Valley of eastern France, but we probably won't be reviewing them because of their limited availability and high cost.

Of course the Languedoc-Roussillon region has many places to visit. We'll just focus on a single city, Carcassonne whose population is about 45 thousand. Talk about location. This city lies on a hilltop on the route leading from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea. And it's not far from the Spanish border. Small wonder that it dates back well over two thousand years. The Romans fortified it about 100 BC. Carcassonne has the longest standing city walls in all of Europe. Its name comes from Dame Carcas, who fed the last of the city's wheat to a pig in clear view of the French Emperor Charlemagne. He mistakenly believed that the besieged city was in no danger of starvation, and called off the siege.

The Aude River divides the fortified upper town, La Cité, from the newer lower town, La Basse Ville. The upper town is basically closed to private cars. Among the upper town sites to see are the Fortress, the Bascilica of Sainte Nazaire, Museum of Chivalry, Arms and Archery, and the Museum of the Middle Ages, focusing on military history. The lower town has a fine arts museum and, in season (April to mid-November), an Australian Animal Preserve with kangaroos and emus.

Before reviewing the Languedoc-Roussillon wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Huitres de Bouzigues (Oysters from Bouzigues).
For your second course savor Bourride (Fish with Aïoli, a local mayonnaise).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Crème Colane (Dessert Cream with Lemon, Vanilla, and Dill Seed).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Domaine des Salices Viognier 2005 13% about $12

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Over the past decade, Viognier has shown remarkable success in the vineyards of Languedoc-Roussillon (a.k.a., Midi). Once confined to vineyards in northern Rhône, today Viognier is thriving not just in the Midi, but throughout other warm climate regions around the world. Enjoy this fruity, low acid, aromatic wonder with lightly spiced seafood dishes, turkey breast or grilled salmon.

My first meal consisted of baked chicken leg with the skin on in a medley of spices (garlic, onion, cumin, and uncharacteristically tame Moroccan Harissa), rice, and green beans. I identified apples, pears, and a floral taste in the wine. I liked the acidity and the way that it cut the tasty grease of the chicken skin. The wine was a good accompaniment to fresh pineapple. I tried an off-the-wall combination by finishing my glass with jalapeno roasted almonds. The wine went dead. I don't blame the Viognier for this mismatch.

The next meal was an omelet with brown mushrooms, red onions, and American cheese (a mistake). The Viognier was moderately acidic and very slightly sweet with light fruits. Frankly, I preferred sipping the wine to this combination. There is a well-known rule when pairing a wine to dessert: make sure that the wine is sweeter than the dessert. I broke the rule with a homemade cheesecake that simply denatured the wine. On the other hand, the wine held up better with a homemade chocolate cake that wasn't as sweet.

My final meal was vegetarian. There was a moderately spicy broccoli mushroom sort of quiche that contained no cheese. The wine was very refreshing and almost ethereal. The other dish was a sweet potato, olive, and rustic potato concoction held together by crushed crackers. The wine was somewhat less exciting than before but still fine. As often with vegetarian meals, I was still hungry. Always on the lookout for an unconventional pairing, I tried dried, lightly sweetened cranberries. They killed the wine. Why stop there? Candy-coated peanuts went better. They turned up the wine's acidity but the combination was good enough to go back for seconds.

The first cheese was a goat's milk cheese, a Palet de Chevre from the Poitou Charentes region of central-western France. This cheese looked and tasted more like a Camembert than like a goat's milk cheese. But the wine was quite fruity and pleasant with it. The second cheese was a nutty tasting Gruyere from Switzerland. Once again the wine was fruity and a bit acidic. Just before the wine and cheese tasting I went to the local supermarket. On the cheese shelf was a local Asiago, a sharp cheese originally from northern Italy. Usually I don't taste local cheeses with these wines, but because I actually preferred this local Asiago to the imported version, I thought that I'd make an exception. The combination was quite good; the wine came out fruity and lightly acidic. Slices of fresh tomato perked it up even more.

Final verdict. I liked this wine and intend to buy it again, even more so at its relatively low price. I'll let you in on a secret; this is the first Viognier wine that I liked to any extent. I plan to taste other Viognier wines in this series. I don't promise that I'll try the top-of-the-line offerings from the northern Rhone Valley; they are quite pricey.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - Tasting A Noble Sicilian Wine

Once again, we are breaking into the series tasting wines from each of Italy's twenty wine regions. This article examines a noble red wine from the island of Sicily in southern Italy. It is very far from a bargain wine. We were about a dozen to taste it. I'll be presenting my opinions and those of others.

So far, the wines that I purchased for this series have cost a maximum of about $20. I thought that I should try one at about double the price. I felt that by going to a relatively unknown region such as Sicily I might get a bargain. A lot of wines from the Tuscany or Piedmont regions of Italy cost $40 or much, much more. Such is not the case for Sicily.

Italy's top of the line wine designation is DOCG, which stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata Garantita (Denomination of Controlled, Guaranteed Origin.) There are no DOCG wines in Sicily. But the formal designation is not very important, many Super Tuscans costing at least twice my budget carry "inferior" designations. The wine I chose carries the Contea di Sclafania DOC designation, having been promoted from the Sicilia IGT designation. The wine reviewed here is produced by the same company as the white Sicilian wine reviewed in my article I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sicily Region. This was no accident. First I bought the relatively expensive red. Then I bought the white wine for about one third the price. This white wine carries the Sicilia IGT designation, but I found it to be pretty good. Let's take a look at its much more expensive red cousin.

Wine Reviewed
Tasca d'Almerita Regaleali 'Rosso del Conte' Contea di Sclafania DOC 2002 15% alcohol about $38

About 35 years ago, Count Tasca d'Almerita decided to make a flagship Sicilian red wine from two local grapes, Nero d'avola and Perricone. Nero d'avola is a thin-skinned grape that ripens extremely late, perhaps three weeks after Cabernet Sauvignon. Consequently this variety is virtually limited to Sicily. Some think that it is a relative of Syrah. Nero d'avola wines are usually dark and tarry, with lots of black fruit aroma and taste. They are rich and well structured, with firm and silky tannins. Many of the grapes in this bottle came from vines over forty years old. The plants are grown as shrubs, a somewhat unusual practice. This wine was aged for twelve months in French oak barrels, about 60% of which are new. It can be cellared for years. I only wish that I could taste a ten or twenty year old Rosso del Conte.

I'll spare you the marketing materials and reviews that tend to be very laudatory. Here are the comments from my tasting group.

A bit of black fruit. Highly oaked. Toasted grains, toast, grilled barley. Nervous and wild. Garriga (a mixture of spices found in areas near the Mediterranean Sea). Leather, dried meat, musk, and underbrush. A strong presence. Acidic and tannic, but not very long. Moderately long, fairly tannic. Round. More fruit than oak.

When asked to guess the price, the general consensus was considerably lower than what I actually paid. It's fair to assume that most of these people would not purchase this wine, even if they do buy wines in this price range. On the other hand, it's not hard to find reviews on the Internet that draw the opposite conclusion. In fact, every review that I read was more laudatory than my tasting group was. And my thoughts?

Personally, I would rather drink wine with food than without food. There were only a few sips left in the bottle but I was able to squeeze out two pairings. First I tried slow-cooked beef ribs with potatoes and a side of green beans in tomato sauce. This wine was the essence of mouth-filling, a tiny sip enveloped my mouth with pleasure. The wine's acidity and tannins handled the meat's fat. If only I had more.

Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep's milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. The Rosso del Conte's richness and complexity was quite noticeable in the presence of this cheese. I am glad that I didn't waste the last precious sips of this wine on a weak cheese.

Final verdict. It'll probably be quite some time before I buy another bottle of Rosso del Conte. I do think that it's worth the price, but I can't say that I got a $100 wine for less than $40. Have you ever done so?

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love German Wine And Food - A Baden Pinot Noir

If you are looking for fine German wine and food, consider the Baden region of southeastern Germany. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local Pinot Noir.

The Baden region is the southernmost wine-growing region in Germany. Most of its many vineyards are found in a long, narrow strip between the Black Forest and the Rhine River. Across this river lies the French wine region of Alsace. While about 60% of the wine production is white, by far the most important Baden grape variety is the red Pinot Noir. White varieties include the German-bred Müller Thurgau, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Riesling. Baden ranks third in Germany for both vineyard acreage and total wine production. Slightly over one third of its wine production is QbA wine, the remainder is the higher quality QmP wine. Baden produces no table wine.

If you're going to be in Baden, why not visit Baden-Baden? This town, simply called Baden until 1931, is the center of a famous spa taking advantage of the local hot springs already known to the Ancient Romans. The city offers a casino, the oldest casino in Germany. It was here that the Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky wrote The Gambler to pay off his gambling debts, while not increasing them at the tables. Be sure to visit Abtei Lichtenthal, a medieval Cistercian abbey. The Festspielhaus Baden-Baden (Baden-Baden Festival Theatre) is Germany's largest opera house and concert hall with 2,500 seats.

Before reviewing the Baden wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Schwarzwälder Schinken (Black Forest Ham).
Continue with Forelle (Trout) done in dozens of ways.
For dessert indulge yourself with Schwarzwälder Torte (Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Cake with Whipped Cream and Cherries).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Konigschaffhausen Pinot Noir 2003 13.0% alcohol about $15

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. The hot growing season of 2003 facilitated a level of ripeness in the vineyards of many regions, including Baden, that was almost unprecedented. Expect ripe strawberry, cherry, and plum aromas and flavors. This Pinot would complement grilled salmon or veal chops.

My first meal consisted of breaded, fried chicken breast with potato salad, eggplant, and tomato salad. Perhaps because I knew that the wine was a Pinot Noir, I tasted the earth and a bit of tobacco. I really enjoyed this combination.

For my next tasting, I started with a tomato-based eggplant salad and humus topped by very piquant Moroccan spices. I continued with beef stew and potatoes. Once again I knew this Pinot Noir was a Pinot Noir and I enjoyed it all the way.

The final meal wasn't really a meal. It was a late night snack of cold barbequed chicken. The wine was excellent and tasted of light cherries. At first I thought it was short, but later sips changed my mind.

As often, I tried this wine with two cheeses. The first was an overripe French Camembert, a soft cow's milk cheese. The wine became flatter, and while it was still fruity what a shame to combine the two. It was as if somebody shaved the top off the wine. I guess you know by now that German Limberger cheese can be quite pungent; this one was certainly starting to smell but interestingly enough the odor didn't really affect its taste. My Pinot Noir retained a bit more of its fruit than when paired with the Camembert, but frankly, why waste this wine with this cheese?

Final verdict. I'm going to buy this wine again. The 2003 vintage is no longer available so I'll grab the 2004 and see what a difference a year makes.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Sardinia Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider Sardinia. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on the fact-filled wine education tour.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean, located in the Tyrrhenian Sea west of mainland Italy. Sardinia's terrain is mountainous, and its beaches are excellent. Sardinia is known for archeological ruins and has become a tourist destination for the international jet set. Because of its exceptional location Sardinia has always popular, Invaders include Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, and Spaniards, without mentioning numerous Italian peoples. During part of the 18th and 19th Century it was united with the northern region of Piedmont in the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. The population is about 1.6 million.

Sardinia's administrative center is Cagliari, an ancient university town on the southern coast of the island. Its population is approximately one hundred sixty thousand. The famous author D. H. Lawrence compared this beautiful city to a "White Jerusalem." Another city of interest is Sassari, which has the best collection of Sardinian art.

Sardinia is Italy's leading source of organic produce, and includes nearly one-third of Italy's land cultivated biologically. The climate is subtropical and more than half the territory is devoted to pasture land. Food is plentiful, it is said that there are over 500 kinds of bread, perhaps one for every village. The inland is full of meat, including lamb, goat, pork and game, while the coast teems with fish, lobster, and eel.

Sardinia devotes about 107 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 8th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 28 million gallons, giving it a 12th place. About 57% of the wine production is red or rosé (only a bit of rosé), leaving 43% for white. The region produces 19 DOC wines and one DOCG wine, Vermentino di Gallura, one of the two DOCG wines produced in southern Italy. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. About 15% of Sardinian wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Sardinia is home to almost dozen four major and secondary grape varieties, about half white and half red.

There are no widely grown international white grape varieties in Sardinia. The best known Italian white varieties are Vermentino, Nuragus, and Vernaccia.

Widely grown international red grape varieties include Cannonau, known as Garnacha in Spain, and Grenache in France and elsewhere, and Carignano, known as Carignan in France. The best known Italian red variety is Monica, which probably originated in Spain, and may be related to California's Mission grape variety.

Before we review the Sardinian wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Melanzane in Pinzimonio, Smoked Eggplants in Mint-Basil Oil.
As a second course try Aragosta Arrosto, Roasted Lobster with Parsley and Bread Crumbs.
For dessert indulge yourself with Seadas, Pastry with Cheese and Bitter Honey.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Sella and Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna (V) DOC Reserva 2003 13.5% alcohol about $12.50

Cannonau wine may qualify as the mother of all European wines. It is made from the Grenache grape, which originated in Spain. The producer, Sella and Mosca, has the second largest contiguous vineyard in Italy. Over 6 million bottles are year are produced on an estate of more than 1500 acres. Some will say that such a humongous estate is unlikely to produce an outstanding wine. Such a claim may be incorrect, but this wine was far from outstanding.

The marketing materials stated that this wine is more or less ruby in color, tending to orange upon aging, with a light scent of grapes with a characteristic flavor ranging from dry to sweetish. It was aged three years in oak prior to its release and may be cellared for a decade or more. The wine is said to be particularly suitable to accompany red meats and seasoned cheeses. Uncork it at least one hour before serving.

I found that it had quite a light color for a red wine. To my mind, it was thin but pleasant with very little nose. I first tasted it with a rib steak marinated in a spicy sauce. This pairing brought out the fruit, and the wine was pleasantly acidic, but I would have preferred a more robust wine to balance the meat. I finished the bottle withy barbequed hamburgers, and it didn't go quite as well. The wine was weak, perhaps affected by staying too long in the bottle.

Pecorino Sardo is a traditional sheep's milk, semi-cooked hard cheese that comes in a "sweet" or "ripened" variety. The sweet variety is soft, and the ripened variety is hard. My cheese was ripened and treated with balsamic vinegar. A commercial roasted eggplant with sweet red peppers accompanied the wine and cheese. Everything went well together, the nutty flavors of the cheese balanced the wine's fruit. In conclusion, I liked the wine best with the cheese. I don't plan on buying this wine again, I found it a bit overpriced. Even though it didn't cost a lot, one might have thought that a mass-produced wine from Sardinia would be somewhat less expensive.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love Italian Wine and Food - The Bascilicata Region

If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Bascilicata region of southern Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Bascilicata is the instep of the Italian boot. This hilly and mountainous region is located in the southwest corner of Italy on the Ionian Sea. Parts of Bascilicata have been settled since the Stone Age. It was conquered by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Normans. When the pirates came, the local inhabitants were forced to flee into the interior. Historically the region is quite poor. Its population is slightly more than 600 thousand.

Agriculture products include barley, citrus fruit, corn, potatoes, oats, olives, and tomatoes. While meat is relatively scarce, more and more sheep, pigs, goats, and cattle are raised. There is some industry including a major FIAT (automobile) factory. Tourism is becoming more popular, in spite of, and perhaps in part because of a lack of infrastructure.

Bascilicata's administrative center is Potenza, a city of about 70 thousand. It is known as the coldest city in Italy and sometimes has snow. The city of Matera has at least two reasons to be proud. In September, 1943 it was the first Italian city to rise up against the German occupation. And Matera contains a prehistoric settlement, caves that have been occupied by people for at least 9 thousand years. In some places, the streets are actually rooftops. Parts of this area are now classified as a World Heritage Site.

Bascilicata devotes about 60 thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 17th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is less than 13 million gallons, also giving it a 17th place. About 73% of the wine production is red, leaving 27% for white. The region produces two DOC wines, Aglianico del Vulture, reviewed below, and Terre dell Alta Val d'Agri. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine. Only 2.4% of Bascilicata wine carries the DOC designation. Bascilicata is home to about two dozen major and secondary grape varieties, half red and half white.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Malvasia and Muscato. The best-known strictly Italian white variety is Malvasia Bianca di Basilicato. Virtually no Bascilicata white wine is exported to North America.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are international red grape varieties that compose the Terre dell Alta Val d'Agri DOC wine. The best-known Italian red variety is Aglianico, which may have actually originated in Greece.

Before we reviewing the Bascilicata wine and Italian cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Acgua e Sale, Soaked Bread with Sweet Onion, Tomato, and Basil. Then try Grano con Ragù de Maiale, Savory Pork Ragout.
For dessert indulge yourself with Grano Dolce, Plump Wheat with Pomegranate, Chocolate, and Nuts.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Cantine di Palma DOC 'Il Nibbio Grigio' Aglianico Vulture 2000 13% alcohol about $14

Let's start with the marketing materials. "Medium ruby in color with aromas of dried berries, leather, figs, dried flowers and spice. This medium-bodied wine has a rustic style, it's quite assertive on the palate with some dusty tannins. It would be great with lamb chops or braised pork ribs and could reward 2-3 years further cellaring. (August 2005)."

This was a wine that I was rooting for, prior to opening the bottle. It is a hard life for many people in Bascilicata; perhaps that's why the residents live longer than in most other Italian regions. But I didn't have to cheat to like this wine. Interestingly enough, my supplier has dropped the price by $2 a bottle, which may be a first for the wines in this series. I might buy a half case and taste it over the years. And now to my review.

The first pairing was with meat balls and potatoes. The wine had a fine nose. It was quite full-bodied, and tasted of tobacco (I'm not a smoker) and cherries. While the wine was very pleasant it was shorter than I had hoped. It was quite enjoyable on its own.

My reactions were basically the same when tasting this wine with beef ribs, except that the wine was moderately long. It was easy to drink but not light.

Then I drank this wine with a grilled rib steak in my spicy, homemade barbeque sauce that included ketchup, Dijon-style mustard, horseradish, fresh garlic, and black pepper. The accompaniments included potatoes cooked in chicken fat (a specialty of a local supermarket) and a tomato and red pepper salsa. The wine was really excellent. It held up well and tasted of dark fruit and tobacco.

I didn't have any Bascilicata cheese so I had to settle for two other Italian cheeses. Isola is a Sicilian fresh cheese made from sheep's milk. The Isola cheese was powerful, strong smelling and strong tasting, especially when you crunched into a peppercorn. Even though it was getting a bit long in the tooth, the cheese intensified the Aglicano's fruitiness. Montasio is a cooked, full-fat, semi-hard cheese made from cow's milk and aged for several months. It has a pungent smell and a strong, pasty taste. It comes from the Friuli-Venezia Giuli of northeastern Italy. This time the wine and cheese pairing was not as successful, but the combination was still satisfying.

Before giving my verdict, which I believe you can guess, I do have one final comment. In spite of what I have read, this wine is not very tannic. I would not recommend keeping it until 2020, or even 2015, as some others suggest. But I do recommend buying it now, and even storing it for a few years.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love French Wine And Food - A Bordeaux Merlot

If you are looking for fine French wine and food, consider the world-famous Bordeaux region of southwestern France. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a red Merlot from a internationally renowned producer.

Among France's eleven wine-growing regions Bordeaux ranks first in acreage with about 50% more land devoted to vineyards than the second-place Rhône Valley. But it's more than just a question of acreage and volume. Bordeaux is widely considered as one of the top wine producing regions of the entire earth and has been for centuries. The wine reviewed below comes from the Pomerol area on the right bank of the Garonne River, which divides Bordeaux in two.

Bordeaux produces over seventy million cases of wine per year, about 85% red, 12 white, and the rest rosé. That works out to more than two million cases of rosé wine per year. I don't remember ever tasting a Bordeaux rosé. I promise to deal with this problem later in the series. There are more than twenty two thousand vineyards in Bordeaux covering about 280 thousand acres, which works out to somewhat less than 13 acres per vineyard. Approximately half of the vineyards produce wine, and altogether about 6000 properties produce and sell their own wine, the rest selling wine through cooperatives. Bordeaux boasts about 60 different wine appellations ranging from fair-to-middling to world class with plenty in between. Some Bordeaux wine classifications date back to 1855 and have barely changed since, except that Baron Rothschild was able to get his best wine promoted from Second Cru (second growth) to Premier Cru (First Growth). Those in the know say that his Château Lafitte definitely deserves this honor. We'll review some fairly top-notch Bordeaux wines sooner or later, but the wine reviewed below is very affordable. Interestingly enough, its noble cousin, Chateau Petrus, crafted by the same producer with the same grape in the same area holds no prestigious classification. However, Chateau Petrus is definitely world class and comes with a price to match, if the wine merchant will even look at your money.

Believe it or not, Merlot is the major red grape in Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon comes in a distant second. We'll talk about the remaining important Bordeaux red grape varieties elsewhere in this series. The major white grapes are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc. The Pomerol region of Bordeaux is a small, rural area of Bordeaux producing only red wine. Its major grape varieties are Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

Pomerol's main tourist attractions are the wine chateaux. Perhaps surprisingly the world famous Chateau Petrus is not all that special to look at. The most attractive Chateaux are Chateau Nenin and Vieux Chateau Certan but even they are far from spectacular. As the famous phrase goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. Of course the Bordeaux region is brimming with sights to see which will be described in the appropriate articles.

Before reviewing the Bordeaux wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Gravette Huitres (Oysters from the Arcachon Bay).
For your second course savor Lamproie au Pomerol (Eels cooked in Red Wine and Chocolate).
And as dessert indulge yourself with Cannelles de Bordeaux ("Portable Crême Brulée).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Moueix Merlot 2003 12.3% about $13.00

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. No one knows Merlot better than Christian Moueix, owner of the world famous Château Pétrus. Year after year, his wines define Merlot. Soft and round with aromas of raspberry, cedar and blueberry, this wine delivers ripe fruit, great balance and a medium long finish. It's magic with veal medallions and sautéed mushrooms, or baked pasta.

My first pairing was with turkey meatballs, potatoes, and sautéed vegetables in a moderately spicy tomato sauce. This wine was round and full-bodied. It was quite long with pleasant acidity but overpowered the meat. The Merlot tasted better after eating the potatoes. When I finished the glass after the meal, the wine was quite rich and I started tasting blackberries.

My next meal consisted of slow-cooked beef stew and potatoes with a somewhat spicy sauce and two rather spicy side salads. The wine was full-bodied and agreeably acidic, tasting of plums and black cherries. Once again I enjoyed finishing the glass after the meal. The spices were intensified. I can only imagine what its famous cousin, Chateau Petrus, would taste like but at forty times the cost (or more), I can only imagine.

The final meal included hamburgers, rice, cauliflower and red peppers in a tomato sauce, once again with Harissa, a Moroccan hot pepper spice that was fairly weak. The Merlot tasted of dark fruits and tobacco with a bit of black pepper. The only downside was that the wine was not long.

As always, the cheese tastings came last. I started with a Palet de Chevre, which is a goat's milk cheese from the Poitou Charentes region of central-western France. Honestly, if I didn't know that it was a goat's milk cheese I never would have guessed. It simply looked and tasted like a slightly runny Camembert. The combination was almost OK, but deadened the wine's flavor somewhat. The other cheese was a Swiss Gruyere. The wine bounced back in the Gruyere's presence, but frankly was too good for the cheese.

Final verdict. No doubt about it; I want this wine again. And should the day come that I'll buy its noble cousin, Chateau Petrus, I'll still be buying this wine.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love German Wine and Food - A Nahe Riesling Spatlese

If you are looking for fine German wine and food, consider the Nahe region of southwestern Germany. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local Riesling.

The Nahe wine region is a relatively small area along the Nahe River, a tributary of the much more famous Rhine River. This region is close to many other German wine regions and is at the other end of Germany from the capital of Berlin. Of the thirteen German wine regions Nahe ranks right in the middle; it is seventh in both vineyard acreage and total wine production. About 90% of its production is white wine, but the red percentage is now increasing. The three major white grapes are Riesling, Mueller-Thurgau, and Silvaner. Only about 2% of Nahe wine is low quality Landwein. About three quarters of the local wine is medium quality QbA wine that allows winemakers to add sugar to the fermenting mix (chaptalization). The remainder is higher quality QmP wine that forbids this somewhat controversial process. You may remember from my Launching a Series article that while Spätlese literally means late-harvest, these wines are in fact made from ripe grapes. Only about 1% of Nahe wines carry this premium designation. Perhaps we were lucky, the wine we review below is a Riesling Spätlese.

Bad Kreuznach is a city of about fifty thousand on the Nahe River. It was probably first settled thousands of years ago. The baths for which the city is named have been known since Roman times. They contain radium, which is said to cure various ailments. Funny, I always thought that radium was a poison. Bad Kreuznach's Gothic Pauluskirche (St. Paul's Church) has held many weddings over the years. It most famous bridegroom was Karl Marx who married Jenny von Westphalen in 1843. The city center contains many historic buildings. The nearby town of Bretzenheim is proud of its many historic houses and wine culture center.

Before reviewing the Nahe wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region.
Start with Grumbeworscht (Potato Sausages).
For your second course enjoy Spiersbraten (Onion Marinated Flame-Grilled Steak).
As a dessert indulge yourself with Beeren (Berries, perhaps with Dessert Wine).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed
Hehner-Kiltz Riesling Spätlese 2001 9.0% alcohol about $15

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Peachy keen! This delicious Riesling Spätlese from the Nahe region exhibits aromas of peach, paraffin and floral notes. It's round with luscious fruit flavours, a seam of balancing acidity and great length. Enjoy with apricot stuffed pork loin.
My first pairing was with a somewhat spicy mozzarella and cottage cheese lasagna made with whole-wheat noodles, roasted vegetables, but no meat. The wine was slightly sweet, but that was OK - a lot more than OK. Its acidity went well with the tomatoes. The Riesling was delicate but strong. Dessert was a high quality, very rich chocolate mousse cake, which made the wine lemony and acidic. The combination was excellent. When I finished the glass after dinner I definitely tasted peaches, perhaps white peaches.

The next meal consisted of prepared chicken thighs with the skin on bathed in an orange, sweet and sour sauce, basmati rice, and a tomato, carrot, onion, and red and green pepper mixture that was runnier than a salsa. The Riesling was round and lightly acidic with the meat and rice and an excellent balance to the sweet and sour sauce. The wine became more acidic and not as sweet to match the "salsa". Talk about a chameleon; don't misunderstand, I'm not complaining.

The final meal was a purchased chicken pot pie with Mexican Jalepeno hot sauce. The wine was sweetly acidic and round but frankly wasted with this meal. By the way, when I tried seconds without any sauce the combination wasn't as good. I was disappointed when strawberries overpowered the Riesling. Maybe they were too cold. After the meal the wine was richer on its own.

I was able to taste this Spätlese with three imported cheeses. The first cheese was a soft, creamy French Camembert. The wine was very round and lightly acidic. It was sweet but the sweetness did not cause a conflict. Then I went to a nutty Gruyere from Switzerland. The wine became more acidic and fruity. This combination was quite nice. The final cheese was a German Edam; its consistency and taste were softer than the Gruyere. The wine tasting results were about the same but the wine was a bit shorter with the Edam.

Final verdict. This wine is definitely a winner. I thought that I wasn't a fan of sweetish wine with food but I changed my mind, at least for this wine. The only problem is that we don't get many Nahe wines. And given the fact that only about 1% of Nahe wines are Spätleses, I may never see this wine again. Unless I visit the Nahe wine region of Germany. Ich bin bereit (I am ready).

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine German or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college.

I Love German Wine and Food - A Mosel Qualitaetswein

If you are looking for fine German wine and food, consider the Mosel region of central western Germany on the border of Luxembourg. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you'll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour in which we review a local white Qualitätswein (read inexpensive) Riesling.

The Mosel Valley is felt to be one of the most beautiful river valleys in the world. This region, previously called Mosel-Saar-Ruwer in honor of its three rivers, is famous for its Riesling wine. Some of the greatest Rieslings in Germany and in fact in the entire world come from the Mosel Valley. Experts can often identify Mosel Rieslings because of the slate in the local soil, which may impart a taste of flint. The slopes are among the steepest in the wine-producing world, and sometimes attain 70 degrees. The soil is so precious that every spring local workers lug pails of soil up these steep slopes, temporarily reversing the effect of the rains that wash the soil down every winter.

Mosel ranks number five among the thirteen German wine regions when it comes to both vineyard acreage and total wine production. Slightly over three quarters of the regional wine is classified as QbA and somewhat less than one quarter is higher quality QmP wine. Only one percent is table wine. More than half of Mosel wine is Riesling. The German hybrid white grape variety Müller-Thurgau represents about 20% of the wine production. In third place is the historic Elbing that dates back to Roman times. Only about 2% of Mosel wine is red.

The Mosel Valley pretty well stretches from Koblenz which isn't far from Germany's former capital Bonn to the city of Trier sitting very close to the border with Luxemburg. These two cities are linked by the Mosel Weinstrasse (Mosel Wine Road) approximately 140 miles (224 kilometers) long on the eastern side of the river and somewhat less on the western side. Of course, you could take the autobahn to travel between Koblenz and Trier at breakneck speed. If you do, you'll miss the interesting little towns and vineyards along the way.

Cochem lies about one third of the way from Koblenz to Trier. It's a fine little Mosel River Valley town. This medieval town is long and narrow. You should take a boat trip as well as a walking tour. Outside the town gate is the Kaiser Wilhelm railway tunnel, which at 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) is the longest in all Germany. About fifteen minutes of walking get you to the Reichsburg (Imperial Fortress), a thousand year old castle that overlooks Cochem. The castle hosts a medieval banquet which features period costumes and music on Fridays and Saturdays but you must reserve in advance. North of the city is a larger castle, the Burg Eltz a few miles inland from the Mosel.

Before reviewing the Mosel wine and imported cheeses that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with indigenous wines when touring this beautiful region. Start with Aalsuppe (Eel Soup). For your second course enjoy Rolladen (Beef rolls with Bacon and Pickels). As a dessert indulge yourself with Moselweintorte (Chocolate and Wine Cake).

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Moselland Bernkasteler Kurfurstlay 2005 9.5% alcohol about $8.50

Let's start by quoting the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Pale straw yellow colour; citrus, mineral and dried apricot aromas and flavours; balanced with crisp acidity in the finish. Serving Suggestion: Serve chilled with pork, turkey or appetizers. Spicy asian dishes.

My first pairing was with a homemade pizza with lots of tomato sauce, vegetables, and cheese but no meat. This wine displayed refreshing acidity that worked well with the pizza sauce. It had good fruit and was surprisingly long.

The next meal included a barbecued chicken marinated in a commercial Mediterranean-style light sauce, red-skinned potatoes, and a somewhat spicy Turkish salad. The wine's acidity cut the fat very well and yet complemented the tomato's own acidity which largely defined the salad. This little and lightly alcoholic wine (9.5% when 13% plus seems to be the new norm) was quite assertive, especially with the potatoes. And yet it was somewhat flat with dessert, some orange fruit-juice candy.

The final meal was whole-wheat pasta in a sauce that started our as your basic commercial pasta sauce and then livened up by a fried medley of garlic, red onions, red and green peppers, topped with anchovies and shredded (local) Asiago cheese. The wine was light and fruity and the combination was quite tasty. I was happy that this Riesling was low-alcohol (and inexpensive) so that I could drink quite a bit without any negative effects, including to my pocketbook.

The initial cheese pairing was with a mild Italian Pecorino Fruilano. The wine was sweet but didn't impress me very much. Then I tried it with a nutty Dutch Edam cheese. Once again the wine was sweet but it was round and the combination went quite well.

Final verdict. Great bargain. The wine really goes well with simple food. I didn't get a chance to try it with gourmet specialties but wouldn't be surprised if it did as well as many wines including Rieslings at twice the price. If I didn't have so many wines to taste (talk about problems) I'd buy half a case and drink one every two months or so. Then I'd try one from the next vintage and hope to repeat the process.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation.