merlot

The 2015 vintage of Grand Passione is a delightful alternative to the much revered Amarone. As stated about previous vintages, this wine impresses with its elegantly embossed bottle and simple yet classic hand written look on the label. The name seems to fit the region itself which is steeped in history and romance. Thus is an impressive present for a loved one.

A delicious blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Corvina, this Rosso is produced in the Veneto region in the same appassimento-style as many Amarones. The Corvina grapes are sun dried before processing creating a raisin-like quality to the wine.  It is full bodied with a deep, nearly black color and rich and bold. There is a strong flavor of dark cherry, black currant, prune, raisin, and allspice with soft tannins and a long, smooth finish. This is a terrific bottle for under $15.00.  It works very well with stews and roasts, but give it a try with hard cheeses, crostini and liver pate.

You wouldn’t know it by the temperature of late, but fall is approaching and summer will be just a memory.  It’s been great for Rose sales where several red wine diehards have found a chilled and refreshing alternative to their favorite room temperature “go to” for most of the year.

So do we say farewell to the roses until next May and focus strictly on the reds? If many of us drink white wine all year as well as red, then why not rose?  In fact, think about food pairings where rose could be the perfect choice.  Thanksgiving could be a whole new experience for some folks.  Rose and turkey is a winner combination.

There are several roses we have to choose from that come from various parts of the world. Often they are blends but I would like to mention two particular favorites that are single varietal wines. Chateau De La Deidiere is a rose from Provence and is made from 100% Grenache grapes. This wine comes in a lovely curvaceous

Fermented in stainless steel, and aged in French oak, this is no wimpy Merlot.  Produced by Charles Smith who seems to make most things he touches interesting. The Velvet Devil Merlot is a Washington state wine that is truly Merlot with only a smidgen of Cabernet Sauvignon. Like its name, this Merlot is velvety with a mysterious, devilish blackberry jam color. On the nose there are ample dark fruits like boysenberry and blackberry along with sweet chocolate cherry with faint notes of cedar and tobacco.

The lure of French value wines continues with a red Bordeaux because …well, how can it not?  How can a bargain hunting wine drinker turn down a Fall deal like this, especially a French wine with Vermont in the title?

Starting on October 1^st we will be having our Fall Double Up for a Buck sale.  Several of your old favorites will be on the sale as well as some new comers, including some lovely wines from France.

Admittedly my title for this blog may sound like an exaggeration and yes, it is.  But maybe not for the hot summer months. Roses are catching on in Western New York and we of course at Premier, have plenty of them. They are bold diplomats who answer the call of those looking for something different from the wave of Red Blends and Pinot Grigios regularly consumed.

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.

For my third and final installment discussing Holiday wines and films, I have left my favorite Christmas film until last. It is the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol with the remarkable Alistair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. I have watched nearly every version of this story ( the Mr. Magoo cartoon version that you Baby Boomers may remember) but nothing touches Alistair Sims version. He is the most convincing as a mean old miser, a vulnerable and fragile old man fearing for his life, and as the giddy, jubilant survivor on Christmas morning.

In the last few years, wine producers have stepped up and generously contributed some of their profits and in some cases their time to several worthwhile causes. One of the most significant causes is honoring and supporting our veterans.

After I got back from Tuscany, I noticed that I had gained a bit of weight.  At first I thought this was a bit unusual because it seemed I ate well, but moved around quite a bit. Then it dawned on me. I wasn’t just having three squares a day over in Tuscany I was constantly munching on something. You see, Italians view drinking wine as something you do with food, even if it is just with bread and cheese.