The WineMadeEasy Blog

For Memorial Day weekend, why not try something a bit different than the ‘go to’ cabs and or red blends for your cookout? Think something a bit lighter, but still hearty that with a slight chill can hold up to practically anything you throw on the grill. Try a Pinot Noir from Sonoma.

Sometimes it is difficult to go against the temptation to discuss summer wines beyond the traditional whites and even Roses.  But it is important to take a chance, to stretch and hopefully introduce a wine that few have tried in order to not only sell a different wine, but more importantly attempt to expand individual palates for the simple love of it.  I feel the same way about film. 

Cinco de Mayo may be over, but there is still plenty to celebrate. It’s May, it’s warm and most importantly, Mother’s Day is Sunday. Last Mother’s Day, I mentioned the 2013 Dom De Paris Rose and how delicious it was. This year is no different for the new vintage as well as several other Roses. Here is a brief sampling of roses from different regions.

From MAN vineyards the folks that brought us a solid selection of well made and easy to drink value wines, comes Tormentoso Mourvedre Paarl 2012.  Produced in the Western Cape of South Africa, this wine gets its name from old, tormented vines but also from the original Portuguese name for The Cape of Good Hope (Cabo di Tormentoso) which originally was called Cape of Storms for obvious reasons.  The Portuguese realized early on that this was bad press so they renamed it to make it sound more attractive.

This past Monday, I sat on the screened in porch for the first time in several months – like 7 or so, and felt alive and nostalgic at the same time.  The breeze was very strong but warm and pleasant, nothing like the bitter winds we‘d been experiencing for so long.  I finally felt it. What I had been waiting for.  It’s porch sitting time again.  And what comes with porch sitting is porch sipping.

Many of our customers know that aside from being a "wine guy" I also have a passion for Mezcal. I make a yearly pilgrimage to Oaxaca, Mexico to visit palenques (distilleries) and taste several Mezcals that cannot be found in the US. I also contribute to a well known Blog about Mexican Culture and Tourism "Dave Miller's Mexico". I recently sampled El Buho, a Mezcal purchased right off our store's shelf. Here is a copy of my review:
Tasting Notes...Pretty, floral, fresh nose showing pine forest hints. It is very delicate and pleasant. Viscous mouth coating texture with little hint of alcohol on entry. The pine character comes to the forefront followed by intense mineral and citrus flavors. A little touch of heat carries the long finish where the mineral/citrus peel flavors remain.
Additional Thoughts…

It is always a pleasure when I can write about wines that are not only tasty but are under $10.00 like these wines are, but as an extra bonus, these wines are from South African farmers who are working to make a difference in the world. Both the 2014 MAN Free Run Chenin Blanc and the 2014 Padstal Chardonnay are solid wines to welcome in springtime sipping.

There is a world of perfectly suitable wines to pair with your favorite Easter meal.   The variety of foods people consume over the holiday weekend should make this a fun process and not stressful.  Yet there still seems to be considerable hand wringing when it comes to choosing wine for Easter.

In our neck of the woods, Ham is still the major player and has led to record sales of Riesling in past years.  I have no issue with that. After all, Riesling is very good with Ham.  But so is Sparkling Rose, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Rose, Gewurztraminer, etc.  It would actually be easy to write about several of these wines but I decided to focus on one particular wine that may not have been considered, and that is Beaujolais.  Yes, I know it is Easter and not Thanksgiving, but the wine I’m discussing is more complex and durable than the November Youngster known as Beaujolais Nouveau.

St. Patrick’s Day is over and you have left over corned beef to eat but the thought of more beer to drink with it isn’t that appealing.   After all, you may have had plenty of beer in the last few days. In terms of leftovers, you opt for a corned beef sandwich with Swiss cheese and spicy mustard on rye.  A glass of wine might do the trick, but which one? 

In Italy, winemakers use the term Da Sole in reference to the place the wine comes from.  Da Sole means “Where the Sun Rises” which is appropriately named for the area of brilliant sunshine of this classic area.  Frankly, any wine with “sun” in the name right now will be very endearing to western New Yorkers who have had enough of this s_ _ _.  ( snow, that is )