The WineMadeEasy Blog

Chateau La Mouliniere 2011 Bordeaux Blanc Sec

Once again we have another terrific white wine from France that will taste delightful on a warm summer day. This white Bordeaux is a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion. Increasing the amount of Semillion from 20% to 50% has given the wine more body plus more complex fruit notes. The color is pale straw and is indicative of the bright, sunny fruit taste to come. Take a strong sniff and notice aromas ranging from pear, melon, even elderflower. As promised, this Bordeaux tastes of sunny fruit including green apple, lime, peach, and nectarine. This is a perfect picnic wine and will pair well with cold chicken, summer salads or shrimp cocktail.
Before June 17th, take advantage of our “Double up for a Buck” sale and get two bottles of this wonderful wine for $13.00.

Summer is nearly here and many of us are yearning for cool, crisp whites. Already sales of Pinot Grigios, Sauvignon Blancs and Rieslings are climbing. This is a good time to try out some other wines you might not consider during the colder months.

Recently, my wife and I decided to make broiled mahi-mahi with mango salsa for dinner. Normally, I would probably pair this meal with a semi-dry Riesling to compliment the hot spice and sweetness of the dish. Then I remembered a wine I recently tasted, a Rosnay 2009 Vouvray which is made from the Chenin Blanc grape. It is one of the best value wines I’ve ever sampled. This wine made a startling impression on me as a casual sipper, but I was curious how it would pair with certain foods.

The wine paired beautifully with the mahi-mahi. The floral, lemon-peach nose carries through as you taste the wine and the sip brings a subtle taste of honey as well. The wine did not overpower the fish and actually helped to tame some

My first real “wine moment” was spent at Chautauqua’s Johnson Estate Winery. A wonderful winery near a nice hiking spot called Panama Rocks. I had met their Winery Representative, Bob Dahl, while working in the stock department of Premier Liquor (then on Delaware) and it just seemed natural to go visit him on my hiking excursion.

Bob and Winemaker, Mark Lancaster, spent the entire afternoon teaching me about their winery and the grapes they used to make some of the area’s finest wines. We had such a great time learning, seeing the vineyards and tasting. I started visiting as many wineries as we could- even spent my honeymoon at Chateau LaFayette Reneau on Seneca Lake!

As time rolled on, my passion for wine turned into a career, I left the stock department and became the Assistant Wine Manager at Premier and went on to become the Wine Manager at Prestige Wines and Spirits (Still a Member of the Premier Group) in Orchard Park. Every day I seem to learn

It seems as though warm weather is upon us early and with tomorrow it will already be June. Thankfully, we have been blessed by our suppliers in ensuring that the 2011 vintage of dry rosés have arrived early, and are ready for mass consumption.

Old favorites like Tres Ojos (Spain), Chateau L’Ermitage (France) and La Vieille Ferme (France) are back as well as new wines from places such as Oregon, Austria, and Italy. The Dollar Sale has also begun, and the Delatour Grenache rosé is back at a great price; only $6.00 per bottle when you buy two. I should also add that we still have a good supply of Tavel rosé from 2010 that are on sale and still drinking great. These wines are all perfectly dry, so don’t let the pink color fool you. I think you’ll find they perfectly compliment a lot of warm-weather picnic fare. Please ask for a recommendation next time you stop in.

Through my friend Brigam, who used to manage Chautauqua’s Vetter Vineyards winery, I volunteered with a group called Adventures In Life Ministry on a Mission trip to Oaxaca Mexico (Mexico’s Culinary Capitol!). In addition to the ruins at Monte Alban, I got to visit an incredible market with fresh meats, wonderful cheeses, leather goods and crafts. Most stunning was the fantastic local Spirit, Mezcal- available for sampling!

In the mornings we would leave our base camp in the city of Tlacolula and ride through the hills and mountains in the back of a pick up truck to San Baltazar to visit local people and work on various projects. The air in some little stops along the way appeared almost foggy with the sweet smoke of the local Mezcal makers “smoking’ their Agave plants before using them to make their delicious spirit. The resulting drink was complex, delicious and had a great smokey flavor a connoisseur of fine Islay Scotch might appreciate.

If anyone