Jane's Weekly Wines from the Atlanta Wine School PRINT AND GO VERSION February 23rd, 2006 New in the Market *************************************************************************************** RETAILERS WHO SUPPORT THIS COLUMN AND HAVE HAD THIS LIST OF WINES IN ADVANCE. Pearson's Wines of Atlanta, 3072 Early St Nw Atlanta, GA 30305 -- 404-231-8752 Corner Wine & Art, 1402 N. Highland Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30306 -- 404-875-8810 Home Town Wine & Spirits, 4856 Hog Mountain Rd, Flowery Branch, GA --770-965-6058 The Colors of Wine, 2355 Cumberland Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30339 -- 770-432-2828 Sigman Bottle Shop, 425 Sigman Road - Conyers, GA 30012 -- 770-929-8797 Shiraz, 675 Pulaski Street, Suite 400, Athens, GA 30601 -- 706-208-0010 Windward Beverage, 12915 Hwy 9, Alpharetta, GA 30004 -- 678-566-3301 IS YOUR WINE SHOP NOT LISTED HERE? HAVE THEM CALL 770-668-0435 *************************************************************************************** Recas Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2004 Recas, Romania Medium-bodied dry white wine, medium pale gold. Delicate aromas of citrus, gentle grapefruit, with flavors blending grapefruit and minerals enclosing a big bunch of melon in mid-palate. Elegant, refined style of Sauvignon Blanc, i.e., not overtly grassy or heavily grapefruity, but clearly varietally correct. Well knit. Nice work, with a clean, long finish. Serve moderately chilled, about 55 degrees, in tulip-shaped glasses. The winery also produces a Pinot Noir. An ideal seafood and shellfish wine. But skip strong flavors, such as heavy garlic, with this wine, please. Delicate flavors only: Oysters with lemon; grilled scallops or shrimp with mild (not spicy) rémoulade sauce mild curried chicken, egg, or shrimp salad; chicken or shrimp tarragon; crab cakes; crab-stuffed shrimp; tilapia or flounder (or similar mild fish); crab puffs; cold Asian-style noodles; shellfish-focused dim sum; seafood mousse Rhapsody Wines ([404-408-4451) $12 90 ************************************************************************************* Halleck Dry Gewürztraminer 2004 Russian River Valley, CA Medium-bodied dry white wine, pale yellow. Very attractive lychee nut aromas, with a hint of jasmine/honeysuckle; ample, voluptuous fruit, emphasizing lycnee nut and pear, with some white stone fruit in the finish. Nice minerality. A classic. Balanced, with good acidity. Grape: Gewürztraminer (pronounced geh-VURTS-trah-mee-nair) is grown in Germany and Alsace, France, but appears everywhere from Spain to Chile to the American west coast. Chill no colder than 55 degrees, to avoid dimming the aromas and flavors, and serve in tulip-shaped glasses. Also produces two Pinot Noirs and a Sauvignon Blanc. Mild curried chicken salad, curry-flavoread mayonnaise on chilled poached chicken breast, spicy Thai coconut chicken, satay (pork or chicken) with peanut sauce, chicken or pork with creamy mustard sauce, ginger-flavored foods, such as raisin-studded gingered butternut squash or sweet potato purée with roasted turkey or pork tenderloin, plain grilled salmon or ginger-crumbed salmon, mildly seasoned Indian dishes, Reuben sandwiches Quality Wine & Spirits $35 92 ************************************************************************************* Vińa Robles Roseum 2005 Paso Robles, CA Medium-bodied dry rosé wine; bright, reddish salmon color. Intense floral aromas with fruit emphasizing strawberry and kiwi, and flavors that epress red fruits (strawberry) and spice in extraordinary balance. Hefty alcohol (13.5%) but the fruit holds its own. Long, crisp, clean finish. Great staying power and structure. Grape: Syrah, from the Huerohuero Vineyard. Outstanding value! Slightly cool, about 55 degrees, in tall tulip-shaped glasses, such as Riedel's Zinfandel glass. At Shiraz (Athens). What doesn't it go with? Steak, maybe, but that's about it. Shellfish mousse, grilled shrimp with mild rémoulade, fried chicken and catfish, chili, Brunswick stew, barbecue, smoked meats of all sorts; chorizo, salami, ham and other cured meats, empanadas, paella, couscous (not too much harissa); eggplant dishes; pizza; Chinese fare, … the list is endless. Ultimate Distributors $16 95 ************************************************************************************* Red Skye "Sunset Red" 2001 Sonoma County, CA Full-bodied dry red wine, deep purple red. Fruit medley frames the aromas, with lots of blackberry/boysenberry flavors, a touch of caramel (from American oak) and a hint of smokiness. Flavors add some white pepper to the fruit mix, which acquires a pleasing jammy character as the wine opens. Round fruit-driven tannins, with a clean, moderately long finish. Notch of vanilla at the end. Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, both from Sonoma, and Cabernet Franc from Napa Valley. Bronze medal San Francisco Chronicle Competition 2005. Good value. Serve moderately cool, about 65 degrees, in tall large-bowled glasses. Dishes combining meat and dark fruits, such s dark meat turkey or rabbit with sun-dried tomatoes and prunes, pot roast with vegetables, lightly curried red meats or turkey, roast Cornish hen brushed with blackberry jam/wine glaze. Winery likes it with roasted pork loin and mushroom Dijon peppercorn crust, garlic mashed potatoes and oven-roasted vegetables. Choice Brands (404-422-3287) $14 87 ************************************************************************************* Charles Creek "La Sonrisa del Tecolote" Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 Napa Valley, CA Full-bodied dry red wine, deep inky purple red. Aromas of blackberry and some red raspberry set the tone and carry through the palate and finish. Some caramel emerges in the aromas as wine opens. Powerful, big fruit flavors. Alcohol is high, and the finish delivers some heaet, but rich foods blunt it. Fruit is voluptuous, also softening alcohol. Good, firm, fruit-derived tannins. Lots of structure. Name means "the smile of the owl," although "tecolote" must be a native word, not standard Spanish. Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (3%). Excellent value. Cool temperature, about 65 degrees, in tulip-shaped large-bowled glasses. Consider decanting. Potential near term keeper, 6-9 years. Red meat wine. Rich pâtés, steak plain or with Gorgonzola or other blue cheese sauce, prime rib, stews, meat with dark fruit, braised short ribs with caramelized onions and mashed potatoes, grilled lamb, buffalo or venison, roast pork with dark fruit chutney, lagged mild cheeses, such as a raw-mild mild cheddar. Winery suggests dark chocolate for dessert, but it didn't work for me. Your call. Quality Wine & Spirits $34 89 ************************************************************************************* Morandé Edición Limitada Golden Reserve "44 Barricas" Red Wine 2001 Loncomilla Valley, Chile Full-bodied dry red wine, deep purple red. Compelling delectable aromas focus on red fruits, red raspberries, with flavors that deliver well-integrated black raspberry voluptuous fruit, oak and acidity. And American oak at that, although neutral, 2-year-old oak. Tannins are firm but round. Serious alcohol, 145, but finish not affected by heat. Tasted three times, once at the winery, a second after the bottle was open 10 hours and still going strong, and for this review. Consistently excellent. Worth the money. Grapes: Carignan (from old vines); Cabernet Franc; Merlot, a Rhône/Bordeaux jumble. Protected from the ocean, with very dry, poor soils, the Loncomilla Valley is on the eastern side of the coastal Maule Valley range, near Talca. Get out the good glasses, with large bowls, and serve at cool room temperature, about 65 dedgrees. Cellaring potential, about 5-8 years. At Shiraz (Athens). Rich pâtés and terrines, steak with blue cheese sauce, roast dark meat turkey, grilled duck breast rare with dark fruit-duck stock reduction sauce; grilled lamb, roasted or grilled Cornish hend or pork tenderloin with dark fruit jam glaze, rabbit or dark meat turkey with dark fruits, sun-dried tomatoes; grilled protobello mushrooms; dishes with teriyaki; and, yes, dark chocolate Quality Wine & Spirits $66 93