Meet Malbec!  Malbec grapes are a beautiful deep purple color, and they produce a rich, dark wine.  Malbec is commonly used in combination with other grapes to create Bordeaux-style blends, but can stand alone as an exceptional wine as well.

The Malbec grape is very thin-skinned, delicate, and easily ruined by frost.  It requires more sunlight than most grapes, and ripens mid-season.  Malbec is the principle grape of the French wine region of Cahors.  Malbecs grown here are often highly tannic.  In recent years, however, Malbec has earned a reputation as the grape of Argentina.  Argentina’s Mendoza region has both cool nights and lots of sunshine, producing Malbecs that are softer and more approachable than their French counterparts.

Many wine experts think that Malbec’s move to Argentina was of great benefit to the grape’s development.  Argentine producers have brought Malbec back to an old way of growing, by dramatically cutting yields and focusing instead on quality.  They have put much time and thought into selecting the best planting sites, and developing vineyards that benefit from their individual environments.  As a result, Malbecs, which were once high-priced and sold only domestically, are now available around the world, and many quality bottles can be had in the $15-$30 range.

Malbec is particularly deep in color and intense in flavor.  It can be very plummy or very peppery, and can also have notes of dark berry and leather.  Because of its tannic nature, Malbec is a great candidate for aging.  The tannins will mellow out as the years pass, and the more subtle, richer flavors hidden in the bottle will become apparent.  Many Malbecs have the structure necessary to allow them to age well for a decade or even more.

Argentina, the current most popular producer of Malbec, is also known for its excellent grass-fed steaks.  Grass-fed beef is leaner than its American corn-fed counterpart, and so can be a bit tougher, but it more than compensates with its rich, intense flavor.  It’s no mere accident of geography that great Malbecs and great steaks both come from Argentina–the two complement each other perfectly.  Try Malbec with your next steak.  Its intense, spicy characteristics mean that it can handle the most flavorful steak you want to try.  So this time, skip the filet mignon and go for a flavorful ribeye or t-bone: it and a glass (or three) of Malbec is truly a mouthwatering combination.

This morning, I picked up a bottle of sherry for dinner tonight.  Not to drink, but to cook with.  But then it struck me: why was I abjuring it from my glass, and banishing a cup to the soup pot and the remainder to a slow death in the cupboard?  Sherry is wine, after all.  Why don’t we drink it?

It’s not like sherry has always been denied a place in the bar.  In the 70s, twice as much was exported as is today.  It comes from the far south of Spain, near a town called Jerez.  Here extreme summer heat meets cool Atlantic breezes, creating the perfect sherry-making environment.  The soils in the region are chalky and preserve moisture well.  There are three grapes grown here for Sherry-making: Palomino, Pedro Ximénez, and Moscatel.  Approximately 90% of the grapes grown for sherry are Palomino grapes, which produce a very neutral, crisp wine, a blank canvas upon which production paints sherry’s distinctive flavors.

In production, the wine is put in barrels (called “butts” in sherry-making).  A large amount of space is left in the top of each butt, giving yeasts the opportunity to collect, grow, and add their flavors to the final product.  After fermentation, brandy is added.  This step was originally introduced in the 1400s, so that the sherry wine wouldn’t rot during the long, hot voyage to the New World.  Now, it’s the essential step in the process, and what makes sherry a “fortified wine.”

Sherries come in a variety of styles.  Some are dry and light, some heavy and sweet.  The two main types are Finos, which are very dry with a light body, and Olorosos, which still fall on the drier side but are much heavier and more flavorful.  Also available are Manzanilla, Palo Cortado, Sweet Sherry, Cream Sherry, Pedro Ximénez, and Amontillado, (yes, the Amontillado made famous by Edgar Allen Poe).

Sherry is currently experiencing a resurgence in popularity.  Many wine experts think it’s under-appreciated.  Sherries pair well with cheeses and desserts, or as aperitifs.  They are usually served in copitas, small, tulip-shaped glasses.  This shape is ideal because of the sherry’s high alcohol content–the small opening of the glass limits the alcohol fumes that reach the nose, allowing other flavors to come through (and the small size keeps you from drinking too much).  If you’re willing to give sherry a try with fresh taste buds, pick one up today!  If you don’t like it, you can always use it for cooking–many soups and sauces, especially tomato-based ones, call on sherry to add richness and depth of flavor.

Pinot Grigio (or Pinot Gris, but more on that later) has long been a wine scorned by experts.  It is thought to be a wine easy to drink—light on acidity, structure, and aroma; in other words, only good for those whose palates aren’t sophisticated enough to enjoy the truly great things about wine.  But is this reputation deserved?

First off, let’s clear up the name issue: Pinot Gris is a long-grown grape varietal nearly genetically identical to its red cousin, Pinot Noir (the color difference between the two is due only to a genetic mutation, and in fact, the leaves and vines of the two plants are so similar that the color is the only way to tell them apart).  In Italy, clones of Pinot Gris are called Pinot Grigio.  In California, many winemakers copy the Italian style and also change the “gris” to “grigio” because of their wines’ similarities to the Italian style.

“Pinot” means “pinecone” in French, and might reflect the fact that Pinot Gris/Grigio grapes grow in pinecone-shaped and –sized clusters.  “Gris” means “grey,” and is so called because the grapes are usually bluish-grey (but can often be brownish, pinkish, or even almost white or almost black).  The wine produced from the grapes can be a variety of yellows, from copper to gold to pinkish to almost clear.

Pinot Gris most likely spread from Burgandy along with Pinot Noir about 700 years ago.  Since 2005, it’s been one of the most popular wines with consumers (if not with critics), and today is sold in competing numbers with Sauvignon Blanc, a wine so popular that it is grown in almost every location in the world that will support it.  But despite its growing popularity among casual drinkers, Pinot Grigio has kept its poor reputation with serious drinkers.

Most Pinot Grigio deserve its stigma.  It is often an unimpressive wine, without much flavor or aroma to speak of.  But with its increased popularity has come some increase in quality.  A good Pinot Grigio will be a highly acidic wine, perfect for light summer foods, especially those prepared on the grill.  It can be highly mineral-tasting, a clean, crisp backdrop to the terroir, an honest reflection of the soil in which it was grown.  A good Pinot can have a pleasant aroma of pears, apples, or flowers.

If you’re willing to give Pinot a second chance, start with the Italian and Californian Pinot Grigios, as their flavors are usually superior.  Another great region for Pinot Gris is Alsace, France, which grows the grape on nearly 14% of its available vineyard space.  The cool climate, warm, volcanic-rock soils, and long, dry fall seasons, which allow the grapes plenty of time to mature on the vine and develop the deep flavors that many Pinots lack, is the perfect environment for the Pinot grape.

Pinot Gris or Grigio is a perfect example of a wine in which reputation should not play too strong a role in your opinion.  Go out and try Pinot for yourself—you might be surprised with what you find.

First off, let’s get that pronunciation correct: it’s ga-VERTZ-trah-MEE-ner.  Gewürztraminer, besides being a fun way to show off your best German accent, is a great wine that has increased in popularity in recent years.  Besides Germany, it is grown in Alsace, France, and less notably, in California and Australia.

Gewürztraminer grapes are difficult to grow.  They require cold conditions, but can be easily damaged by frost.  Gewürztraminer lacks natural defenses against many diseases that attack vines, and is not a very productive grape varietal, producing very small clusters of grapes even when the vines are in peak conditions.  The grapes have thick, tough skins which protect extraordinarily high sugar contents.  The high sugar content also means that Gewürztraminer grapes can be made into very successful dessert wines.  In dry Gewürztraminers, this can translate to very high alcohol contents.

The Gewürztraminer grape makes an aromatic and pungent wine.  Gewürztraminer means “spice grape,” and it’s true to its name, an exceptionall full-flavored wine that can include tastes of pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg.  It is extremely full-bodied, especially for a white wine.  It has a strong aroma with identifiable tastes of lychee, an Asian seed that is sweet and nut-like or fruit-like in character.  Gewürztraminers taste of lychee because the two share many of the same aroma compounds.  Gewürztraminers that fall on the drier side may have a bouquet that includes passion fruit, roses, and flowers.

Gewürztraminer pairs well with fruits and cheeses, especially Münster.  It has a rich, oily character that complements game and other oily meats, such as smoked salmon.  It is one of the few wines that pairs exceptionally well with Asian food, especially dishes with curry, chinese five spice, or capasicin (hot pepper).

Don’t be intimidated by the name–try this excellent, fulll-bodied white wine soon!

Along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling is considered one of the world’s greatest white wines.  Riesling has a long history, even for a wine: it has been produced for at least 600 years.  Rieslings are highly versatile: they cover a widerange from dry, crisp wine perfect for a spring picnic, to  highly sweet dessert wines with complex, unctuous flavors.

Riesling grapes originated in the Rhine region of Germany.  They are highly  aromatic, imparting flowery, perfumed scents and high acidity to the wines they produce.  Riesling grapes are known for their expression of terroir, or the unique qualities of the soil they are grown in.  In addition, Riesling wines are hardly ever aged in oak barrels, meaning that their flavor and aroma is not changed by the addition of flavor compounds from the wood.  As a result, Riesling is prized for its clean, pure reflection of the soil in which its grapes are grown.

Riesling grapes need a rare environment: cool, with lots of sun and protection from the wind.  Small microclimates that fulfill these conditions often produce the best Rieslings.  Vineyards in Germany along the Mosel River and the French region of Alsace produce what are arguably the world’s best Rieslings.  Other notable areas are: Washington, Oregon, and in California, Santa Barbara, Monterey, Santa Cruz, and Mendocino.  Australia, South Africa, Austria, Chile, Switzerland, Russia, Yugoslavia, and Italy also grow Riesling grapes, but their product is generally of lesser quality.

Riesling grapes are fairly hardy in that they withstand cold well, but one rainy day can ruin a whole crop.  Riesling grapes left on the vine in wet weather develop the Botrytis cinerea fungus, more commonly known as Noble Rot.  The name “Noble Rot,” is truly a contradiction in terms, for this fungus is actually welcome by viticulturists.  In the late 18th century in Johannisberg, a vineyard’s workers received permission to harvest too late.  The grapes began to rot before they were picked, but the resulting beverage was remarkably tasty.  Noble rot causes the grapes to shrivel and the juices to evaporate, resulting in a wine with a sweeter, more concentrated and dynamic flavor.  This is particularly suited to Riesling grapes, which have the acidity needed to balance out the added sweetness, and in fact, Noble Rot helps to produce many great Riesling dessert wines.

Riesling’s flavor profile is highly fruity, balancing its high acidity with flavors of apple, pear or apricot, and floral aromas of rose and violet.  Because its taste so faithfully reflects its soil of origin, Rieslings can also have natural mineral tastes like flint, steel, and gunmetal.  Aged Rieslings can develop a distinct petroleum taste, but because it develops in grapes grown in ideal conditions and is thus present in often-great wines, these petroleum notes are actually prized by wine connoisseurs.

Riesling pairs well with many food.  Try the lighter, crisper Rieslings with delicate dishes like poached fish or simple salads.  The sweeter, more full-bodied and minerally Rieslings pair exceptionally well with foods with strong spices and sauces, especially Asian foods.

Celebrate the beginning of spring by trying a Riesling tonight!

Ahh, Sangiovese.  Despite its delightfully Italian name (which, incidentally, gives you a great opportunity to do your best Godfather impression), Sangiovese is a great wine that has been loved for a long time.  The first literary reference to Sangiovese was made in 1722, but it is most likely much older than that.

Sangiovese is a bit similar to Chianti, because Chianti is made from 70% sangiovese grapes.  Here’s a handy analogy: Sangiovese is to Chianti as Cabernet Sauvignon is to Bordeaux.  (OK, that was a mouthful.  But it’s still a handy way to think about the relationships between these wines.)  Both Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon are made solely from grapes that are most often seen as a component of mixed-varietal wines.  But alone, they make great wines too.

Sangiovese grapes have thin, delicate skins and can easily rot if exposed to the damp.  As a result, they thrive in a hot, dry climate, and so are very popular in Tuscany.  But because it’s so easily influenced by climate, the sangiovese grape takes careful and knowledgeable cultivation.  The quality of Sangiovese varies from vino di tavola at the lower end to the best classico superiore.

In flavor, Sangiovese is a fruit-forward wine.  Often, flavors of blueberry, cherry, strawberry, violets, and plums are evident, and Sangiovese can often have a faint floral aroma.  Sangiovese isn’t as bold as, say, Cabernet Sauvignon–it’s generally medium-bodied, moderately tannic and moderately acidic, but can range to assertive and robust with a slightly bitter finish.  Because of its balanced, smooth character, Sangiovese pairs well with many dishes, making it great to share at a restaurant with people who are eating different entrees.  Try it with chicken, red meat, fish, pastas, and even cheeses.

Chianti used to be regarded as an inferior wine.  But in the last 40 years, this simple red has undergone what might be bigger changes than any other varietal out there.  Chianti is made mostly from Sangiovese grapes: one of the hardest kinds of wine grapes to grow.  In the past, growers over-cut the Sangiovese vines, and also mixed the resulting wine with other varietals (some Chiantis were only 50% Sangiovese) led to a shoddy product: Chiantis were often low in taste and too acidic.  In the ’80s, Chiantis experienced a revival.  Superior Sangiovese grapes were rediscovered, and regulations became more stringent (now, a Chianti must be at least 75% Sangiovese, and the remainder must be an approved varietal).  As a result, today’s Chianti is a much better product than it used to be.  Many Chianti brands have also lost the traditional straw basket in favor of a sleeker, re-vamped look.

Chianti is the traditional wine of Tuscany.  Tuscany, which lies in the hilly country between Florence and Siena, has been producing Chianti for 700 years.  Today, seven areas of Tuscany produce Chianti: Classico, Colli Aretini, Colli Fiorentini, Colline Pisane, Colli Senesi, Montalbano and Rùfina.  Chianti produced in the central Classico area is traditionally regarded as the best.

Chianti is a strong, bold wine: very dry and tannic.  It pairs well with foods with strong spices or flavors; it will overwhelm a dish that’s too delicate.  That said, it’s great with a huge variety of foods, like pork, chicken, and beef, but obviously, its classic pairing is with Italian food.  Chianti was made to be drunk with pasta, and pizza.  And despite its recent improvements, most bottles are still relatively inexpensive, meaning that you can snap up a great bottle for a wallet-friendly price.

Chianti isn’t a crowd-pleaser, like a Merlot or a Chardonnay.  It’s more of an all-or-nothing wine: some like it, some hate it.  Which side of the fence do you fall on?

As the days start to be sunnier and the nights begin later and later every day, I start to long for the things that say ‘spring’ to me, like asparagus, apricots, and sandals.  And after months of craving nothing but Cabernet and Pinot Noir, I start to want something different: something light enough to remind me of the sun, and robust enough to drink with the hearty pastas and roasted chickens I’m making right now.  So let’s talk about the perfect choice for early spring, and the world’s favorite white wine: Chardonnay.

Chardonnay grapes, which can trace their evolution back to France’s Burgundy region but are now grown in vineyards in California, New Zealand, and everywhere in between.  Chardonnay grapes are very neutral in flavor, and, kept protected from other influences, the resulting wine can be very delicate-tasting.  But their neutral flavors are easily dominated by other flavors, mostly those of the terroir (local soil), and oak barrels Chardonnay is most often aged in.  As a result, Chardonnay flavors range across a broad spectrum.

In recent decades, California has especially become known as an internationally-respected producer of fine Chardonnays.  In fact, 40% of the grapes grown in California in 2000 were Chardonnay grapes.  While Chardonnay grapes are hearty and durable, they produce the best wine when grown in cool climates like the those of California’s central coast.  Unfortunately, the booming popularity of Chardonnay years back meant that the grapes were also grown in the hot and arid part of California, where Chardonnay grapes tend to ripen too quickly and lose acidity, resulting in a “clumsy” product–a wine without structure.  Currently, colder regions such as Oregon and Washington are producing fine Chardonnays, and a more “natural” kind of Chardonnay is coming back into style.

Kept free of outside influence, Chardonnay is perhaps best described as crisp and fruity: its delicate natural aromas are of lemon, pears, and apples.  Oddly, many Chardonnay drinkers don’t associate these kind of flavors with Chardonnay.  This is because it’s such a good vehicle for other flavors.  By aging Chardonnay (or more often, by treating it with malolactic fermentation), it develops a distinct buttery flavor that is decadent and satisfying.  Chardonnay is often aged in oak barrels; this is to allow the tannins in the oak to produce a vanilla flavor in the wine.  As Chardonnay grapes have begun to gain popularity  in cooler climates, the original “crisp and clean” Chardonnay is gaining in popularity.

Chardonnay is generally a very forgiving wine that can be paired with many different dishes, so it’s a great idea to have a few extra bottles in the cellar or wine refrigerator for easy pairings.  It goes well with seafood, poultry, and pasta dishes.  Pair the lighter citrus- and tropical fruit-flavored bottles with foods with more delicate and subtle flavors: halibut, for example, or spaghetti with lemon and spring vegetables.  For dishes with deeper, richer flavors, like roasted chicken or cream-sauced pastas, drink a richer Chardonnay with buttery notes.   Older, more mellow Chardonnays pair well with dishes dominated by earthy flavors, such as mushroom soup or cheese.

Regardless of which style of Chardonnay is the “proper” one, there’s no doubt that this delicate-yet-rich wine is here to stay.  And good thing too, because what else would we drink in the spring?

Maya: You know, can I ask you a personal question, Miles?
Miles: Sure.
Maya: Why are you so into Pinot? I mean, it’s like a thing with you.
Miles: [Laughs softly] Uh, I don’t know, I don’t know. Um, it’s a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It’s uh, it’s thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It’s, you know, it’s not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it’s neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they’re just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and… ancient on the planet.

-Sideways, 2004

Miles’ obsession with Pinot Noir in Sideways has given the fruity, subtle wine a renewed popularity in recent years.  But what is it about this wine that’s just so good?

The most appealing aspect of Pinot Noir may be its soft and velvety texture.  Its flavors are invariably delicate and complex, but subtle.  It is a smooth wine, easy on the palate.  Pinot Noir varies greatly from bottle to bottle, but it generally falls into one of two categories: Old World and New World.

Old World Pinot Noir is light-bodied, with fruit flavors taking a backseat to earthy ones.  Common flavors are mushroom, smoke, spice, and tart red fruits, like cranberry.  New World Pinot Noir is full-bodied and fruit-forward.  It often has flavors of juicy fruits, such as strawberries or raspberries, and also flavors of flowers, toast, or red meat, particularly bacon.  The two categories are not necessarily mutually exclusive, so certain Pinot Noirs can exhibit flavors form both styles.  Also, “Old World” and “New World” do not refer to regions; wines from America, for example, can follow the Old World style.

Pinot Noir is a particularly good wine to pair with food.  It is flavorful enough to stand up to  rich flavors, and smooth enough to not interfere with more delicate ones.  It pairs well with fishes and leaner meats, but can go well with red meat provided the dish isn’t overtly heavy.  Spicy or strong-smelling foods also go well with this subtle wine.

In Sideways, Miles is absolutely telling the truth when he waxes poetic about how difficult Pinot Noir grapes are to grow.  They are unusually fickle, requiring warm days and consistently cool nights.  The classic region in which to grow Pinot Noir grapes is Burgundy, France.  This two mile-wide, thirty mile-long stretch of gentle hills has produced the best and tastiest Pinot Noir grapes since the beginning of of winemaking.  Burgundy’s hills slope towards the East, providing its vines with many hours of sun exposure each day but protecting them from the intense afternoon heat.  The soil is also high in calcium carbonate (this kind of soil is often called “chalky”), which means that the soil drains easily and retains a higher average temperature, making it conducive to ripening.

Pinot Noir seems to reflect more Gout de Terroir, or flavor of the soil, than other types of black grapes.  The ideal soils of Burgundy make for a great product.  But grown in inferior regions, Pinot Noir can easily be flat-tasting and flavorless.  Although for many years a good Pinot was hard to find, now impressive vintages can be found all over the world, not just in Burgundy.  Oregon, California, New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Italy have all produced quality Pinot Noir.

So the next time you’re sipping a glass of Pinot Noir, enjoying the smooth texture and the complexity of flavors, consider how much expertise went into growing the perfect Pinot Noir grapes.  And if you’ve never really gotten to know Pinot Noir, now is the perfect time to swing by your local wine shop and extend your hand in friendship.