Jane's Weekly Wines from the Atlanta Wine School PRINT AND GO VERSION April 13th, 2006 The Lowdown on Lodi *************************************************************************************** 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 *************************************************************************************** Perrano "The Other White" 2004 Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium pale straw. Oak-influenced aromas with fruit leaning toward pear and Asian pear apple; oak continues to inform the palate, still pear/pear apple dominant. Rather well-integrated fruit/oak. Good acidity supports fruit, and finish concludes with a reminder of oak. Grapes: Chardonnay (70%); Sauvignon Blanc (20%); Viognier (10%) all vinified separately. Moderately chilled, about 55 degrees, in tulip-shaped white wine glasses. Assertive but sweet (not hot) exotic flavors: Salt-and-pepper chicken or squid; garlic shrimp or shrimp with rémoulade sauce; Chinese peanut chicken; chicken pot pie; paella; cous cous (but hold the harissa); mild curries such as curried chicken salad with apples and raisins; toasted cous cous with dates Continental Beverage $14 88 ************************************************************************************* Michael-David Vineyards "Incognito" White 2005 Full-bodied dry white wine; slightly coppery medium pale gold. Intense but not "blousy" or over-the-top aromas of correct varietal character, with peach, floral, ginger notes stitched together; fleshy fruit, with peach, quince, suggestion of membrillo, banana, and other aromatic brown spices. Very long finish carrying the same flavors through the mid palate to the close. High alcohol (15.6%); slight burn. Exotic, tasty and. Slightly spicy. Grape: Viognier. Moderately chilled, about 55 degrees, in tulip-shaped white wine glasses.. Crab cakes or crab legs; soft-shell crab, stone crab bread pudding or stone crab claws for that matter; poached or steamed white fish; chicken pot pie; pasta dishes with cream, chicken Chinese peanut chicken or Indonesian chicken satay with peanut sauce; dishes with ginger (but keep it mild). Quality Wine & Spirits $20 90 ************************************************************************************* Bokisch Albariño 2004 Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium pale greenish yellow. Aromas of peach, apricot with flavor that draw on the same profile. Exotic, fleshy-textured, and luscious fruit. Dead-on correct for the varietal; I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't drinking a Spanish albariño. Shows the close kinship between albariño (meaning white wine from the Rhine) and Riesling. Fermented in tank, then briefly kept in neutral oak. Not at all oaky. Stunning work. High alcohol (14.5%) but the fruit handles it. Serve at about 55 degrees, in white wine glasses. Exotic flavors: Toasted cous cous salad with raisins and dates; light curries (not hot), especially curried chicken salad with apples, raisins and peanuts; crab and red pepper pâté; grilled chicken with yellow fruit salsa; Country Captain (an old Savannah dish of chicken with curry, almonds, and currants) served over rice. Not too good with Thai-style curries, however. Winery suggests paella and tapas. I agree with the paella, especially if it's a seafood paella made with saffron, but the tapas depends on the tapas. Also I didn't like it with shrimp, as it emphasizes a chemical taste. Ultimate Distributors $16 94 ************************************************************************************* Jewel "Firma" Red Table Wine 2003 Full-bodied dry red wine; translucent medium dark cherry color. Fine berry aromas of fruit and spice, juicy berry flavors are clean, if not complex, and finish is modest in length. Acidity seems correct, with good mouthwatering effect. Pleasing flavors make for a nice palate experience, with soft tannins and juicy fruit. Grapes: Barbera; Cabernet Sauvignon; Sangiovese; Petit Sirah. Moderate alcohol, for Lodi, at 13.8%. Gangbuster value. Decant a while to let it develop. Cool room temperature, about 60-65 degrees. Smoked liverwurst; black olives, braised chicken thighs with caramelized onions (actually the caramelized onions may be the match ingredient); braised short ribs of beef; braised stuffed breast of veal; grilled lamb or pork steak; ribs with or without barbecue sauce; pulled pork, roast duck, Chinese pork dishes (such as moo shu pork); grilled portobello mushrooms with soy; creamy mild bleu cheeses; dark chocolate National Distributing Company $11 87 ************************************************************************************* Abundance Mencarini Vineyards "Old Vine" Zinfandel 2003 Full-bodied dry red wine; bright ruby red. Aromas of dried dark fruits, some definite raisin notes; flavors of fresh and dried dark fruits. Rich and spicy, with dried dark fruit flavors continuing through the finish to the close. Silky textured, with no sense of heat in the finish, despite hefty alcohol. Rather classic American Zinfandel style, but not a big palate bruiser. Cool room temperature about 65 degrees. Smoked liverwurst; salamis, spicy (but not hot) Italian sausages as this really loves the fennel; braised meats with caramelized onions and white potato purée with parsnip; Italian sausage and peppers; barbecue (smoked ribs or pulled pork); mild firm cheeses and creamy mild bleu cheeses Winery suggestions: "zesty pasta, pizza and your favorite Italian food, grilled meats and BBQ, or simply by itself" We think it's best by itself, as it's not totally compatible with food, except for that smoked liverwurst, with which it's awesome. Grapefields $16 89 ************************************************************************************* Mettler Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Medium-bodied dry red wine; medium deep purple red. Aromas of blueberries, touch of black currant with an emerging caramel note (from oak); oak-influenced dark fruit flavors touch on dark cherry, mocha, and black currant. Very silky tannins. Components very well integrated. French oak for 12 months. May have a tiny bit of Petit Sirah blended in. All in all, a very nice "drop," as our Aussie friends like to say. Cool temperatures enhance the fruit, so serve at about 60 degrees. Rich meat pâtés and terrines; smoked ribs; grilled steak with either chimichurri sauce or bleu cheese sauce, duck, braised meats and stews (see web site for a recipe, www.mettlerwine.com), beef casseroles; grilled lamb steak, mild cheeses, dark chocolate Quality Wine & Spirits $25 88