Argentina-a rising star

by Dwight Casimere

A perfect spring evening, bathed in moonlight with warm tropical breezes and the soothing sounds of vintage Spanish Zarzuela provided the perfect setting to enjoy an array of newly arrived wines from Argentina. “Rising Argentina” was he event that took place at W wine boutique in Miami’s trend-setting South Beach area. It featured a South American singer circulating through the crowd to the romantic strains of a Flamenco guitar as guests sipped on Mendoza Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs from the Maipu Valley. Both the singing and a selection of ‘tapas’, light finger food that accompanied the rich flavors of the wine, provided the framework for an enjoyable evening. “She’s like an 80 year old Eartha Kitt serenading you,” the proprietor said of the talented singer.

The selections progressed in flavor profile from light and fruity to hearty reserves with a complete price range from value priced (2007 Bodega Lamadrid Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza $11.99) to a serious 96 point-Robert Parker rated reserve (2006 Vina Cobos, “Nico” $169.99). All of the wines had one thing in common, an abundance of flavor and richness.

2006 Kalken Malbec Ultra ($16.99) attracted a great deal of attention. It is a full-bodied, rich red wine deep blackberry flavors and roasted coffee on the nose. This is the wine to have with summertime barbeque and grilled meats. If you happen to visit one of those Argentine steak houses or a Brazilian Churascurria, this is a great wine to order with the parade of grilled, marinated meats that will ensue.

2007 Bodega Catena Zapata Chardonnay of Mendoza, Argentina’s primary growing region, was one of the best examples of that varietal as interpreted in South America. No, this wine is not named for the famous Mexican revolutionary of the last century. Nicolas Catena Zapata has consistently earned rave reviews and high ratings for his interpretations of Chardonnay over the past two decades. His 2007 represented here earned an 89-point rating from Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Review. The grapes are sourced from one lot in the Adrianna Vineyards of the Mendoza. Zapata is a major owner of choice vineyards around Mendoza, so his winemaking team has the pick of the best grapes from which to build superior wines. For the price ($19.99), this wine could go toe-to-toe with any Napa Valley Chard boasting twice the price tag.

Its no surprise that the lush Mendoza region has attracted one of the great names in winemaking in the world, that of Barons de Rothschild. Bodegas Caro is the source of this Red Bordeaux Blend that was the standout of the entire tasting. With its deep, red color, firm tannins and nose of roasted meat with notes of berries, plums and currants, it is as complete a flavor experience as you could hope for. It possesses a soft palate with hints of black cherry and earthy mushrooms at the end. It tastes great now, but a bit of aging will bring out the dominant plum flavors even more. This is a wine that pairs perfectly with a prime, aged steak with black peppercorn crust or forest mushrooms, such as morels or truffles. It can also stand alone, accompanied by a Maduro cigar and a roaring fire.

The wines of Argentina are readily available at your local wine retailer. W Wine Boutique has established an outstanding reputation as an online wine merchant and has many regular clients throughout the United States and globally. Their pricing is generally below market for many upscale international wines. The online retail shop can be reached at www.Wwineboutique.com.

Miami Rum Renaissance: Beach Blanket Babylon!

By Dwight Casimere

Sandy, sun-drenched beaches, bongo rhythms and a cortege of beauties serving premium rum cocktails poolside at The Raleigh Resort in South Beach, Miami, provided the ingredients for the Grand Tasting of the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival 2010.

From light, almost floral aromas and flavors to deep, rich mahogany cognac-like esters, more than a hundred of the world’s premium rums showed their versatility in a dizzying array of cocktail creations served in the tropical atmosphere that is their birthright.

“The way we make rum, it’s like an art form,” said Javier Figueroa, Director of the Rums of Puerto Rico program, based in Puerto Rico. “It takes a lot of craftsmanship to do our rum.

Rums, their texture, colors and flavors are as varied as the colors of the rainbow. “We have the light rums, which compete head-to-head with vodka. We have the Gold Rums, which are aged at least two to three years and then we have the super premium rums, which are aged anywhere from six to twelve years and those you can drink on the rocks or straight up or neat in a snifter like cognac. People should know that whatever your taste preference is, there’s an alternative with rum.”

Dennis Rodman, the former Chicago Bulls superstar, Celebrity Apprentice contestant and all-around eccentric was holding court in the Ron Zacapa cabana. Raising a glass of 23-year-old Centenario ($39.99), he declared. “Dwight you know me from ‘the Day.’ I’m a Jagermeister man and a cognac and cigar man all the way. But this stuff here—this is excellent. You here what I said, ‘cause I don’t use that word often. This is EXCELLENT!”

Dennis was not exaggerating. The rum was excellent. Dark and rich, it had all of the properties of a fine cognac with hints of the French oak barrels that it spent six months aging in. There were flavors of apricot and dried fruit on the tongue and a whisper of smoke as it slid smoothly down the back of the throat. This was perfect rum to have with one of the excellent Cuban-seed cigars that were being prepared by master rollers just across the way.

Ron Abuelo rum of Panama presented a delectable array of cocktails with its Anejo ($15.99), 7-year ($22.99) and 12 year old ($35, in its Premiere U.S. tasting) rums. Abuelo (‘grandfather’ in Spanish) is authentic, dark rum made from sugar can grown on their estate. The rum is best drunk neat or with a few cubes of ice so you can appreciate the rich, complex flavors that are not unlike those of a reserve cognac or brandy. Despite its dark amber color, the rum is somewhat light in texture, giving it an almost ephemeral quality. It glides over the tongue, releasing a rush of tobacco and dark roast flavors before vanishing in a whisper of oak and smoke at the back of the tongue. The word “outstanding” comes to mind when thinking of this rum in hindsight.

Ron Barceló Imperial ($24.95) is lush, buttery toffee rum with a rush of delicate floral aromas on the nose and delicious dried fruit dancing on your tongue. Its distinctive brilliant copper color almost jumps out at you in its distinctive ‘soft shoulders’ shaped bottle. Bikini clad beauties were on hand to entice VIP party-goers with a selection of cocktail creations from traditional mojitos to exotic Daiquiri creations, but I see no need to have Ron Barceló any way other than in its natural state, straight up in a glass or cut-crystal snifter.

Vizcaya VXOP Cask No. 21 Cuban Formula Rum ($35.99) was a real scene-stealer. It has the pedigree to back up its reputation as well. A Gold Medal winner in both the 2007 and 2009 Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition, this brown rum is distilled from fermented fresh sugar cane juice and then aged in used whisky and bourbon barrels. The results are nothing short of dazzling! This is a favorite among serious spirits aficionados and, priced under $40, is a real go-to for drinkers who would normally spend a hundred bucks or more to get the same experience in a different type of high-end spirit. I’d have Vizcaya in my garden any day of the week!

Just for fun, I took a tour of St. Aubin’s Rhum Agricole selection of flavored rums, among them White ($32.54), Vanilla ($32.87) and the newest incarnation, Coffee ($35.54). There wasn’t a Captain in the house. First of all, the vanilla pods used in this infusion are from St. Aubin’s own vanilla plantations and are among the most pungent in the world. I was given a few strands to take home for my own cooking experiments and the aroma quickly filled the room. On the palate, the vanilla is upfront with agricole notes still coming through. The sweetness balances the rum out completely and makes for a wonderful sipping experience. St. Aubin’s Vanilla is great over ice or in making the perfect daiquiri.

It was great catching up with an old favorite from my sailing days at the Sausalito Yacht Club near San Francisco, Seven Tiki Spiced Rum ($17.95). This is probably the first ‘step-up’ rum most drinkers will have when they graduate from the mass-produced commercial stuff. For the price, it can’t be beat. Deep brown amber in color, it mimics the volcanic earth the nurtures the sugar cane used in its production. This rum captures the scent of Fiji’s forests where it is nurtured. Hints of sugarcane and vanilla are accented by flavors of peach, banana and dark wood.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the array of flavored rums presented by the House of Bacardi. VIP events included a visit to the new Bacardi Americas Headquarters in Coral Gables, Florida. The visit included an excursion through the World of Bacardi and a walk down the Sugarcane Corridor to learn of the legacy created by Don Facundo Bacardi Masso that has become one of the most recognized brands in the world. The Emilio Bacardi Company Museum is like a life-sized family album containing rare family photos and historic memorabilia dating back to the 1860s. Back on the beach, Rum Festival revelers got a reminder that the famous brand isn’t living on its historic laurels. They got an elaborate introduction to Dragon Berry Rum ($17.95) and Razz Raspberry ($17.95) served by some of the most beautiful Beach Blanket Babes this side of Santiago de Cuba, the hometown of the original distillery.

Brazilian producer Leblon showcased its Cachaca and Caipirinha ($26.95). Leblon is an ultra-premium cachaca produced in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The rum-like spirit, made from fresh-pressed Brazilian sugar cane, is the main ingredient of Brazil’s national cocktail, the Caipirinha. It was served as a sorbet by an attention-grabbing trio of seductive servers at the Caribbean Beach party cum Grand Tasting. This put the punctuation point on a splendid afternoon of sippin’ and swingin’!

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Miami Rum Renaissance: Beach Blanket Babylon!

Miami Rum Renaissance Festival 2010-Rum's time has come

Miami Rum Renaissance 2010-Rum's time has come

Story and Photos by Dwight Casimere

South Beach, Miami, Florida-“”Rum’s time has come!” Robert Burr, producer of the second annual Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, made that proud declaration. Seated in the elegant seaside floral gardens of the Ritz Carlton, Key Biscayne, Burr pointed to his surroundings to illustrate his point.

“Rum is having a Renaissance. Rum is old, but its being rediscovered,” Burr said. That’s the key. There’s so much range in rum that you’re never finished discovering new things. “Tequila is a great example of how that happened. You never heard the words Tequila and ‘fine sipping’ in the same sentence twenty years. It was something that you didn’t taste; you just banged it down in a single shot. Now, that’s all changed.

“The history of rum is the history of the western hemisphere. It truly is the beverage of the New World. It goes hand in hand with the colonization of North America. Every island makes the rum the way they want it. Most bourbon comes from Kentucky. All Irish Whisky comes from Ireland. Tequila comes from a very small part of Mexico, but rum comes from wherever there’s sugar cane growing and they make it the way they like it, with their own sensibility.”

Hundreds of rums were tasted over the five-day festival in some of Miami’s most prestigious venues, from the rooftop lounge of South Beach’s Gansevoort Hotel and the Epic's River Cafe and Area 31 along Miami’s burgeoning riverfront to the lobby bar and lounge of the Ritz Carlton along the beach.

“There’s something about rum where it just fits. It’s the antidote for the hectic lives that we lead. Rum is a sailboat, an island, a palm tree, and a swimming pool. Your toes in the sand. A coconut. A beautiful girl in a bikini. We need to have a balance in our lives. We need to work hard, but we also need to have some fun. At the same time, we need to travel and what better way to travel to beautiful tropical places than by simply opening a bottle of rum!”

Some of the rare rums that were tasted at the Renaissance will never be tasted again. “They just aren’t available in this country or there’s simply no more to be had,” Burr explained. “Many others are readily available at your local liquor store or fine wine and spirits purveyor. Some of the familiar names, such as Bacardi, which has its national headquarters and museum in nearby Coral Gables, Florida and Abuelo and Appleton rums, were represented. Lesser know rums with exotic names like Pusser’s Rum, Palo Viejo of Puerto Rico, Vizcaya Cuban rum and St. Aubin Rhum Agricole and Velvet Falernum provided a kaleidoscope of flavors and colors that ran the gamut. From white, almost wine-like acidity to deep, dark rich mahogany flavors of cognac, coffee and tobacco, the rums all had distinctive characteristics. They are delicious served ‘neat’ in a hefty glass or snifter, on the rocks, or as the base for an exotic, tropical drink like the Mojito.

More on the Celebration of Cane Spirits in the New World at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival and my tasting notes in the next installment.

Lunch with a wine “Superstar”-Pio Boffa of Pio Cesare of Piedmont, Italy

by Dwight Casimere

Italian winemaker Pio Boffa, fourth generation winemaker of the legendary Pio Cesare winery of Piedmont, Italy is almost breathless as he describes the new releases over an elegant authentic Italian gourmet lunch at South Beach Miami’s Quattro restaurant on luxurious Lincoln Road.

“This wine is a Rock Star,” he declared emphatically, lifting a glass of his signature Nebbiolo Langhe 2006 ($32). This rich, full bodied wine with its intense red fruit component and aromatic presence of late toast and the mellow richness of light toast derived from its aging for 30 months in French oak, melded perfectly with the classic dish of Osso Bucco, so expertly prepared by Chefs Fahrizio and Nicola.

“The warm tannins almost create a richness in the mouth that gets you ready for the rich taste of the meat and the sauce, which is made with the wine we are drinking.” Pio Boffa’s words arrived in cascades as the expert wait staff buzzed amongst the select group of invited guests and wine journalists who were assembled from around the world during the recent Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Experience. “We differ from so many other wineries in the region in that we own and control all of our vineyards, so we maintain the quality from the soil to the bottling.”

Pio Boffa’s words are an understatement. The family has been producing wines under the flagship name Pio Cesare since 1881 when his great grandfather first planted vineyards in the legendary rustic hills of Piemonte. Under his leadership, the winery has moved into the area of technological advancement that incorporates the latest modern innovations coupled with sustainable growth practices in the vineyards. “My father is a man of few words,” Pio Boffa said, his tone lowering with gravitas. “In fact, my father was not one to give compliments lightly. But he told me when tasting this wine, ‘Now you are making the wine, using all this technology, that I have been making without for the past 43 years!’ “That is as close to a compliment as he has ever given me,” Boffa said with rye humor.

The sun-splashed afternoon began with an appropriately spring-like wine selection,
Pio Cesare’s buttery l’Altro Chardonnay ($16.60) served with an assortment of Anti-pasti. This is one of the most beautiful examples of Italian Chardonnay I have ever tasted with its light notes of lemon and a discreet influence of oak on the nose. It has a clean, almost honey-like flavor that makes it the perfect summertime wine with salads, yet it has an herbal quality that makes it a perfect match for lamb or veal. There’s good acidity and a touch of fatness in the mouth feel that makes it a perfect match for seafood, particularly salmon, with its rich Omega 3 fatty tissue and a certain soul mate for shellfish, be they clams, mussels, stone crab, lobsters or grilled calamari. (They adventurous might opt for grilled baby octopus. They’re available in many supermarkets these days and quite inexpensive. With all of the problems with seafood supplies due to the Icelandic volcano and recent Gulf oil spill, these more inexpensive, exotic ‘seafoods’ such as calamari (squid) or octopus (they need to invent another, more consumer friendly name for this one) might be a budget conscious alternative to the soaring prices of more traditional sea fare).

Look for Pio Cesare wines in the Italian section of your local wine merchant. They’re quite affordable and absolutely delicious and food-friendly! Dwight The Wine Doctor recommends them highly! For more information, visit www.piocesare.it.

Passport to Sonoma an invitation to wine paradise

by Dwight Casimere

There is no more supremely sublime experience than driving through the Sonoma Valley on a sun-drenched afternoon. The vineyards and arbors of gnarled tree branches seem to envelop you as you see the names of the hallowed wine estates roll past; Kunde Estate, Adler Fels, Kenwood, Chateau St. Jean, Landmark. The facades are as varied as the wines served in the tasting rooms, from regal French chateaus to rustic country cottages that harken back to the region’s origins as the nation’s oldest winemaking region, dating back to 1824, when Franciscan monks planted the first gnarled vines in Sonoma’s rich, volcanic soil. Along every mile, signposts, old vines and whispering hills emit echoes of its storied past.

Wine lovers have a unique opportunity to take a behind the scenes look and experience first hand all of the glories that the Sonoma Valley has to offer. Passport to Sonoma Valley, May 15 & 16 lays the vast panorama of this extraordinary region at their feet. For two glorious days, 50 wineries open their tasting rooms and cellars to present over 300 wines paired with a mouth-watering array of culinary delicacies along the Sonoma Valley’s lush 18-mile stretch. Each “passport” entitles the holder to an experience reserved for only the most discriminating connoisseur. A commemorative glass is the ‘open sesame’ key to unlimited tastings, special discounts on wine purchases and exclusive entrée to the valley’s hidden treasures.

I have experienced the unparalleled pleasures of experiencing Sonoma Valley ‘behind the scenes’ at the annual Wine Country Weekend held each fall in the midst of the Harvest crush. A succession of wine tastings in the private tasting rooms, dinners in the wine cellar and the vineyard and moonlit excursions to the vineyards during the exciting night harvest made for a once in a lifetime experience.

Among the participating wineries in the Passport Weekend, there are some exceptional wines to be had. The Wine Doctor has been fortunate to preview some of the selections that will be offered.

Arrowood Wines is a stellar example of the rich heritage of Sonoma Valley because of the exceptional wines created by Winemaster and Owner Richard Arrowood.

His resume speaks volumes. Prior to founding his own winery, he was chosen by the founders of Chateau St. Jean Winery to become their first Winemaster and eventual Executive Vice President. The awards and accolades are too numerous to recount here but suffice to say Arrowood was the architect of Chateau St. Jean’s stellar worldwide reputation.

After 16 years with Chateau St. Jean, Arrowood decided to move on and devote himself to creating reserve quality Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. His creative drive also led him branch out into less familiar varietals to California such as Viognier, Malbec and Pinot Blanc. The results of his creative extrapolations are phenomenal.

I have waxed eloquently about the superlative palate-pleasing qualities of his award-winning 2005 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, a steal at $50. Grapes for this essentially Bordeaux blend of 94% Cabernet, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot are culled from organic and sustainably-farmed vineyards along the benches, hillsides and mountains set in the dewy morning shadow of the Mayacamas Mountains. The resultant wine has all of the harmonic insight of a virtuoso. Elegant notes of coffee, rich dark chocolate and hints of tobacco belie its husbanding for 24 months in French and American oak. Total production of this extraordinary wine was only slightly over 7 thousand cases, making this one of the most prized wines to be discovered during the Passport excursion.

The same family has operated Kunde Family Estate for five generations. Located in the heart of Sonoma’s picturesque Valley of the Moon, the centerpiece is the Kunde Estate Tasting Room, constructed as a replica of the Kinneybrook Ranch cattle barn, which stood on the land for more than a century. Another focal point on the vast estate are the stone ruins of the Dunfillan Winery, set in a secluded five-acre meadow surrounded by vineyards and mountain views. Built by winemaking pioneer John Drummond in the late 1800’s, Dunfillan Winery is the site where California’s first varietally labeled Cabernet Sauvignon was vinified and bottled.

The Estates three elevation levels and seven distinct microclimates along with a mix of soil depths and types make for uniquely complex and sophisticated wines. A unique flavor portrait is created for each of the wines by this diverse pallet. Kennybrook Chardonnay, Shaw Century Vines Zinfandel, C.S. Ridge Chardonnay, Wildwood Chardonnay, Drummond Cabernet and Magnolia Lane Sauvignon Blanc are just a few of the distinctively crafted wines created by the winemaking team. The winery also produces specific vineyard block designated wines exclusively for Kunde Family Estate Wine Club members. If you mention that Dwight The Wine Doctor recommended a sip, you just might have an opportunity to taste one of these limited edition wines. That alone should be an enticement to join the Passport Weekend experience.

Weekend Passports and daily tickets and Designated Driver ticket information is available at SonomaValleyWine.com.