Chateau Montelena:wine history written in stone

by Dwight Casimere

A Western Union telegram dated May 26, 1976 changed the history of American winemaking forever. It read: Bordeaux 5/26/76 AM 1:46

“Stunning success in Paris tasting on May 24 STOP Took first place over 9 others with Le Premiere Cru wine STOP Top names in France were the blind taters STOP TIME Magazine to do article Congrats to Everyone Jim Barrett “

That simply worded telegram shook the very foundation of the wine world and changed the face of the California wine industry. What had been the private cache of a select group of eccentric ‘gentleman farmers’ in a remote corner of the world north of San Francisco Bay called the Napa Valley was suddenly thrust onto the world stage. The rest, as they say, is history. I was standing inside the stonewalls of Chateau Montelena on Tubbs Lane in the northern reaches of the Napa Valley in the town of Calistoga. It’s a remote setting, complete with an imposing nearly hundred thirty-year-old castle, a pair of placid lakes complete with Chinese pagodas, charming footbridges and a resident swan.

The event was the basis for the 2008 movie Bottle Shock and the book “Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine” by George M. Taber (Scribner, 2005). The other winners that year were Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ’72 Cabernet, Chalone ’74 Chardonnay from Monterey county and Spring Mountain Chardonnay ‘73, also from Napa Valley.

“ The winery was built by Alfred Tubbs in 1882, which was a California Senator and wealthy businessman who had traveled extensively to France” explained by Josh Luhn, tasting room manager at the winery. “The actually winery was on a hill behind us and the juice was gravity fed to the building here for barreling and maturation. The second owners then converted the building to a residence, the Wing family, who fled China to come to the United States at the onslaught of World War II. The only thing that’s original in the building, as it’s currently constituted is the stonewalls and the tunnels. Jim and Bo Barrett bought it in 1972 with the idea of making premium Bordeaux-style wine in the Napa Valley.”

Apparently Barrett and his team had gotten it right the first time around!

My tasting experience in the Wine Library tucked away inside one of the tunnels of the stone castle was a revelation. 2005 Napa Valley Chardonnay ($55) was exceptionally brilliant with a bright gold color and a fragrant fruit cornucopia of a nose. There’s only a slight hint of toast from French oak. The rest of the palate is all pears, citrus and white flowers. “The beauty of this wine is that it will change character after ten years and start to reveal something all together different that is closer to the type of layered palate you’d find more in a French wine. You’ll never experience that heavy buttery taste people associate with California Chardonnays with our wines because that breaks down so quickly with aging,” Luhn emphasized.

2003 Napa Valley Cabernet (also $55) was another testament to the art of great wine making and exemplary of the Bordeaux style the winery is famous four. Plums and black currant literally jump out of the glass as soon as it is poured. A round, full flavor with very soft tannins caresses the middle of your tongue and then slides down the back of the throat with a hint of pepper and cassis. I’d love to have this one with prime steak au poivre but sometimes, when a wine is this complex, a bit of Mobier cheese, and a warm fire will make for a cozy accompaniment!

Being a wine writer does have its privileges and one of them is an opportunity to taste Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon ($135, the bottle). “This was the product of a great growing season with good weather and just the right balance of sun, rain and cool breezes coming across the mountains,” Luhn said. The wine has an opaque density of bright ruby red color and aromas of black cherry and boysenberry jam. “This is where you get to experience the impact of terroir,” Luhn explained. “Our unique soil blend really comes through and gives the wine a strong profile of tannin and that long, desirable finish of layered spice, oak, cherries and mint.”

Potter Valley Riesling 2005 ($25) was the dessert course. It was all honeysuckle and peach cobbler with just a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. “Our chef makes a mean peach cobbler flavored with this one. You can also just pour it over strawberry shortcake or peach melba for a real decadent treat!”

All of Chateau Montelena’s wines are on strict allocation, so I joined their wine futures club to ensure a steady supply of this liquid gold. You might want to do the same at www.montelena.com.

ZD Wines of the Carneros: It’s a “Family Affair”

by Dwight Casimere

“It’s a Family Affair!” The opening line of the 1971 hit Sly& the Family Stone song “Family Affair” for Epic Records is the appropriate description of ZD winery.

A pioneer in the Carneros winemaking district, which straddles both Napa and Sonoma counties, the winery is the legacy of the late Norman deLeuze to his family, which is still involved in hands-on operation of the winery.

“Zero Deviation” is the phrase that graces the side of a commemorative glass. The words speak to the origins of the winery, which was the brainchild of deLeuze, who was an aerospace engineer, by trade.

An intimate luncheon for special guests and the media featured a sneak preview of the winery’s auction lot of Petit Abacus, to be presented at Premiere Napa the following day. The luncheon was hosted by Norman’s widow, Rosa Lee, and presided over by winemaker Chris Pisani.

In the garden room setting of Go Fish restaurant’s airy private dining room off St. Helena Highway with the lush mountains and vineyards of the Napa Valley visible outside its picture windows, attendees dined on assorted sushi, lobster rolls and fresh local oysters and scallops while drinking ZD’s Gold Medal-winning vintage Chardonnay, which has graced White House dining tables for the last three decades.

One neat touch, the activity preceding the appetizers was a little wine ‘quiz’, which I later learned is a parlor game played by many at informal gatherings in the Napa Valley. Guests were poured a blind tasting of wines produced by the winery and asked to identify their year of vinification. I, of course, missed them all, but there was lively discussion and banter from the family members and guests familiar with the wines about their various properties and telltale characteristics. It was a lively exchange and very revealing. It really gave an insight into the character of the people who create the wines we love and the psychological sparks that keep their creative juices flowing.

Besides pioneering the Carneros designation, the winery is also one of the trailblazers of organic farming practices dating back to the 1980s. ZD’s Estate Vineyard and deLueze Family Vineyard have been Certified Organic since 1999.

“Our basic philosophy is that we be ecologically sound in everything that we do. We not only wanted to do things better than our previous generations, but we wanted to do things that were smart. What we learned that organic practices are not only beneficial to the ecological, but they’re also smart business practices.

“What you have in your glass are the 2007 Founder’s Reserve Pinot Noir and the 2008 40^th Anniversary Pinot Noir, both from Carneros. These are both Certifiably Organically grown Pinot Noirs. I’ll let their qualities speak for themselves. They also say a lot about the importance of organic farming as the starting point for great winemaking.

“We’re not only farming organically, but we’re also using solar power. So much so, in fact, we’ve even starting to get credits from it.”

Matriarch Rosa Lee deLeuze was quick to point out that not all of the credit for the success of ZD’s organic practices belongs to the younger generation. “We actually started the organic farming with my Norman, so the project was well underway before the younger generation took charge!”

“This is the identical wine (Founder’s Reserve), that was the Reserve Pinot Noir, which is now no longer, ” said ZD Wines Robert deLeuze, son of the Founder. “This wine is in honor of our dad who loved organic farming and who was a huge believer in what it was all about. He was also a lover of Pinot Noir. So this is in honor of him and his passion for the wine industry and what’s in that bottle.”

A "Premiere" event in the Napa Valley

by Dwight Casimere

“Here. Hold these!” Mark Pope, a former pharmaceutical company executive who is now founder and chief executive of the Bounty Hunter, a Napa, California wine shop that specializes in rare and cult wines, shoved a pair of bottles of Beringer Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Mountain to Valley into my lap. Each was worth about a thousand dollars. He had just won them at auction at Premiere Napa Valley 2010, the Napa Valley Vintner’s Invitational Barrel Auction for the Wine Trade, held at the massive cathedral-like Greystone, The Culinary Institute of America, formerly occupied by Christian Brothers Winery. He was on his way to bid on another prime lot of Napa Valley Wine, Shafer Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Stag’s Leap District that eventually went to another bidder for a staggering $42,000.

All of the money raised at Premiere Napa goes to benefit the ongoing educational and marketing programs of the Napa Valley Vintner’s Association and its various charities and outreach programs.

That was just the tip of the iceberg in a single afternoon that would bring hundreds of thousands of dollars in bids from wine retailers, restaurant owners, hotel and resort operators and high-roller wine collectors who came from around the planet to bid on what some connoisseurs believe are the best wines in the world.

“Napa Valley has a unique position in the world,” said Jac Cole, winemaker at Spring Mountain Winery, best known for being used as the façade for the mythical Falcon Crest in the hit CBS-TV soap opera series of the 1980’s.

“I just came back from Bordeaux, where the wines are of a completely distinctive flavor profile. French wines are distinguished by the soil. It can’t be duplicated anywhere in the world. That mineral and limestone flavor that is imparted to the wines can’t be duplicated anywhere in the world. There’s one thing that Napa Valley has that no one else in the world has, a unique blend of intense fruit, a mixture of soils in a very defined area and a combination of cool breezes from the ocean and short, hot bursts in the valley. It makes for a bright, intense fruit profile that we really need to do a better job of promoting. You realize that there are so few places on the planet that have that unique combination of factors that produce great wine, and we’re one of them in Napa Valley. That’s what makes Napa special and why people are coming here to this auction.”

A visit to nearby Duckhorn vineyards, which specializes in Cabernet and Merlot blends, proved why their 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Three Palms Vineyard brought a commanding $32,000 at auction, sparking some of the most competitive bidding of the afternoon. Mark Pope of Bounty Hunter won the lot.

“We pride ourselves on being specialists in making great Cabernet and great Merlot. We have a number of collectors who have followed us over the years and are very loyal to our brand and we’re very grateful to people like Mark Pope who have remained loyal to us over the years and supported us,” said winemaker Bill Nancarrow, a New Zealand transplant who has spearheaded Duckhorn’s expansion into new labels like Paraduxx that is designed to attract a newer generation of wine drinker.

Duckhorn Wine Company is a collection of small winery estates focused on site- specific wines of distinction. Co-founded by Dan and Margaret Duckhorn in 1976, Duckhorn Vineyards has spent a quarter century establishing itself as one of North America's premier producers of Bordeaux varietal wines.

At an open house, held in conjunction with Premiere Napa, Margaret Duckhorn was the life of the party. Drinking a glass of its 1992 Merlot, she reminisced about the early days when the winery was establishing its name. “When we started, we made just 800 case each of Cab and Merlot. We didn’t even have a tasting room. Now, we have this sort of hunting lodge motif that makes it feel warm and homey. We’re amazed at how many people have been loyal to us over the years. Also lately, we’re seeing a lot of younger people coming here to the tasting room who say they remember their parents drinking Duckhorn. Now, its like they’re continuing a family tradition.”

The party was flowing with pourings of the barrel offerings for Premiere and savory bites of marinated shrimp and prime been short rib “sliders” with garlic crinkly ‘fries’.

Next day’s barrel tasting and auction was jammed with collectors and trades people chomping at the bit to bid on Napa Valley’s luscious wines. At one point, the bidding was so hot and heavy it brought the auctioneer down to audience level from behind his lofty podium. It wasn’t long before bidding levels exceeded $50,000, even hitting a stratospheric $72,000 by mid-afternoon. It was getting down and dirty!

Wine of the Marche Region, Italy-the "new Tuscany"

by Dwight Casimere

"I am not here just to promote my wines, I'm here to promote my region, Marche, which is the 'new tuscany!'" That declaration came from Mario Lucchetti,one of the most important winemakers in Le March, Italy, which has been granted designation of origin status through the Instituto Marchigiano di Tutela Vini, a consortium representing the nine DOC and DOCG wines of the region. Lucchetti was pouring his Lacrima di Morro d'Alba at the tasting that marked the official opening of Vinitaly US Tour Miami at the fabulous newly renovated Foutainbleau Miami Beach.

Lucchetti began in the 1980's with the first acres of Lacrimo di Morro di Alba, one of the local DOC grapes, and is considered one of the founders of the movement to enhance the value and prestige of these indigenous grapes. A committed artisan in the cellar and a respected oenologist, he worked hard with his wife and son Paolo to elevate both the quality and the recognition of the grapes and the wines produced in Le Marche. "At times it has been an uphill battle. But if you taste the wine, the unique character of the region comes through with clarity."

I tasted the 2008 Morro d'Alba Maria Sole, a soft red wine that had a decidedly fruit forward style. Aged in the barrel for one year, the oak served to give the wine an roundness of structure and a distinctive character that allowed for a lingering finish of currant and a hint of tobacco at the back of the mouth. For a moment, I had one of those epiphanal experiences that happen only a few times in a wine aficionados life. I experienced the terroir of the grapes in a profound fashion. It was as if I had lifted a handful of the volanic soil that produced the grapes to my nose and inhaled its rich mineral aroma.

Lacrima di Morro d'Alba DOC is produced north of the river Esino from the native Lacrima grape. An intense grape with bright red coloring, it has lush notes of rose and violet on the nose and intense blueberry on the palate. I later tasted this wine with grilled rack of lamb, marinated in herbs and olive oil at the Blue Door restaurant in South Beach, Miami's chic Delano Hotel. Not wanting to make a pig of myself in public, I took part of it home and enjoyed the remainder of the smoky, charred ribs with a bottle of the Morro d'Alba. That's when the epiphanal moment took place.

Need I say more? This is a must addition to any cellar of those who appreciate good Italian wine. "The Marche is unspoiled by the overload of tourism experienced in Tuscany," said Lynn Farmer, Senior Editor, The Wine News, who acted as one of the Speakers at the guided wine tasting. "I just returned from some of the smaller, hillside towns that are just beautiful and produce some incredibly lush wines." march is nestled between the Adriatic Sea and the Apennine mountains along the eastern seaboard of central Italy with the regions Emilia-Romagna to the north and Abruzzo to the south. Rising to the peaks of the Appennines, which form a natural border with Umbria and Tuscany to the west, the region has a history rooted in the culinary treasures harvested form the rich local soil. That includes top-tiered wines.

"Wine is the poetry of the land," said Alberto Mazzoni, Direttore IMTV, through an interpretor at the guided wine tasting of the "Wines of the Marche Region" at Vinitaly 2010 Miami. "It is a wine that has a great versatility. You can see it in the color and in the complexity of the taste. There is a smoothness that opens up to a lovely roundness in the mouth. The wine of the Marche region has the three C's; Coherency, Complexity and a Continuity that makes it an important component to any fine meal. The sages were right when they said 'A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.' And the sun shines a great deal of the time in Le Marche!"

Finance Wiz Suze Orman talks about wine,women and finance on the water

by Dwight Casimere

"I've been investing in Napa Valley wine futures with Bill Harlan, (owner of Meadowood Resort and Harlan Estate wines, inlcuding Bond, Matriarch and Meadowvale labels). " I can't believe how well its been doing," finance maven Suze Orman told Dwight the Wine Doctor during a recent appearance at the Miami International Boat show on behalf of MarineMax and its popular Women on Water (WOW) boating program. Standing on the bow of the new Sea Ray 280 Sundeck power boat, which she recently took delivery on, the Emmy Award winning TV, Radio and internet host and financial motivational speaker spoke about women and boating and her love of wine while preparing to sign copies of her bestselling book "Women and Money" for about 200 lucky fans.

"I've been talking to Bill about sponsoring some boat races for women that would not only promote his excellent wines, but also the love of boating among women. The funny thing is, wine is turning out to be a great investment. I couldn't believe what happened with the value of my wine futures. I pinched myself and asked, 'did I just make more money on wine barrel futures than I did on the stock market? It's truly amazing!"

Orman told the crowd that now is a great time to buy a boat. Not only are there more value priced boats on the market and more consumer-friendly financing options, purchasing a boat works right in with general efforts to improve the overall economy. "Buying a boat has the positive impact of not only lifting the boating industry, but all of the people who service boats and provide equipment as well. The nice thing about buying a MarineMax boat is that they also give you two years of free repair service with the purchase, which you're never going to need, because these boats never break down." Women on Water was created ten years ago as a way to offer women an opportunity to take advantage of the boating lifestlye and to learn to operate boats safely. "There's nothing that increases the joy a couple can have owning a boat with both parties are equally involved. Plus, we want women to know how to operate the family boat in case something happens while the family is out on the water. We want women to be just as empowered behind the wheel of a boat as we want them to be empowered in the world of business and finance," she declared to an ethusiastic crowd."

Women on Water is designed to help women to take the helm and learn the ropes of boating. That ties in perfectly with Suze's efforts to gain knowledge in the marketplace. The goals are similar; learning the terminology and the rules and regulations of navigation, safety and emergency procedures. "That parallels between boating and finance are endless," Orman said. "There is nothing as powerful as being the captain of your own ship. So in the same way, you have got to be the master of your own financial destiny. "The truth of the matter is that women are as powerful as men, the problem is that we just don't take our power.

"Men are essential in our lives. What we're doing with Women on Water is making it possible for women to take over control of the boat if something happens to the man they're with.If a woman can be powerful with money, then they can be just as powerful when it comes to boats. Women on Water creates a community in which women can become comfortable with learning about boats."

As Spring approaches, Orman says she's looking forward to another trip to the Napa Valley and a visit to Harlan Estate. "I know there's a huge auction and barrel tasting going on out at Meadowood in the coming weeks. I just wish I could be there. Their 2006 Cabernet Reserve was an absolute must-have and was really value priced when it was first released. I'm sure anyone who bought a quantity of his wines is sitting on a pretty good investment. "

Suzy has yet to name her new boat, but she's thinking of going with 'Approved,' the title of a popular segment of her Saturday night radio show, in which listeners call in and ask her advice on financial ventures they are undertaking. Her catch phrase is "you are approved" if she thinks the investment oppportunity is right for the caller." Suze says she invested in barrel futures in Harlan, Screaming Eagle and Silver Oak wines and has watched their values soar. The next project is getting a few cases stowed away safely in the hold of her new Sea Ray 280.

Don't call it 'Italian Champagne,' it's Prosecco!

by Dwight Casimere

“The Italian Wine Masters” swept into Chicago’s Hilton and Towers with more than 150 producers from the most prestigious D.O.C.G. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) wine producing regions in Italy presenting a thousand of their best wines.

The first room was dedicated to Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine made from the Prosecco grape, which is the pride of northern Italy. “This is the first time that there has ever been an entire room dedicated to Prosecco, “said Lamberto Frescobaldi scion of the renowned Marchesi de Frescobaldi house of Florence. “We are presenting our Prosecco IGT Brut II Fresco and our DOC Extra Dry Claxa Prosecco as well as our Extra Dry GR 11% Danzante for the first time in the United States.” The sparkling wines were all different, ranging from a classically bone-dry sparkler, which would rival anything from Champagne, to the Danzante, which had a slightly sweet taste. It was a perfect dessert accompaniment or something that could stand on its own as an aperitif. Bravo Frescobaldi!

Luisa Bortolotto, Planning and Marketing Director of Carpene Malvolti, is the spitting image of the Mona Lisa, the subject of the most famous painting in the world by Leonardo da Vinci, which hangs in the Louvre in Paris.

The history of Carpene Malvolto dates back to the 1860s, when Italian patriot Antonio Carpene founded the winery. A staunch supporter of Garibaldi’s Red Shirts, Carpene was a chemist who had a strong belief in the power of science to change society.

An associate of the great Luis Pasteur, he admired Champagne and was convinced that he could produce sparkling wine of the same distinctive character from the Prosecco grape of the Conegliano and Valdobbiadene zone, D.O.C.

“He was truly a pioneer in the use of the Prosecco grape in creating this type of wine. He became a famous enologist who taught others in the region how to grow this grape and use it to make great sparkling wine. In 1924, he put the first label with the word ‘Prosecco’ on the bottle. Before that, he called this wine Champagne Italiano. Then he was obligated to change the name, because the Champagne area reserved the name. So, he changed, and decided to name this wine ‘Prosecco.” The rest, as they say, is winemaking history!

The sparkling wine is made using the Charmat method, which is, as Bortolotto described, is “a shorter way of making sparkling wine. This is a fresh wine. Very easy to drink. It’s also not too alcoholic, being only 11%. It’s nice to drink before dinner or during lunch. It’s very easy to drink and goes with a variety of foods.”

By the way, as of this year, wineries outside of Italy can no longer use the word ‘Prosecco.’ “ The name of the grape has been officially named to ‘Clara,’ Bortolotto proclaimed. We won’t have any more Prosecco coming from the rest of the world because the official name has changed and noone outside the D.O.C. can use it. So you won’t see Prosecco coming from any place else in the world, beginning this year.”

The illustrious history of Prosecco doesn’t stop there. There’s a strong connection to the great American writer Ernest Hemingway, who lived and worked in Rome as a war correspondent for the International Herald. A frequent habitué of Harry’s, the famed bar on the Via Veneto in Rome. It’s where the famous Bellini drink was created, a concoction of equal parts Prosecco and the juice of a freshly squeezed white peach.

Steve Lombardo of Blue Star International Imports, the Chicago-based importer that brings Carpene Malvolti into the country, tells the story. “ The Bellini was created in Harry’s Bar by Sr. Cipriani while he and Sr. Carpene were drinking in the bar late one night. It was after 3 in the morning and they were trying to come up with a new drink so Sr. Carpene simply grabbed one of the peaches that was in fruit basket on the bar, squeezed it into a glass with his bare hands and topped it off with some of the Carpene Malvolti Prosecco and, Voila!, the Bellini was born!” The story has become legend. Hemingway mentions it in one of his articles in the Herald, so, there must be some truth to the legend.”

Super wines for the Super Bowl for under $12

by Dwight The Wine Doctor, Dwight Casimere

With the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl on back-to-back weekends, it’s a good time to think about some fantastic wines at unbelievable prices that come from countries that cheer for a very different kind of football.

Chile and Argentina are two South American countries where the predominant sport is soccer, only there, its known simply as football. Unlike American football where the ball is passed and caught more than it is actually kicked, the ball in soccer is primarily kicked and occasionally, deflected off a player’s head.

But, I digress. Chile and Argentina have been exporting wines to the U.S. for several years now and, thanks to some competitive pricing, they’re starting to make their way into the common vernacular of wine lovers. In countries where outdoor grilling is a part of everyday lifestyle and not just the tailgating associated with game day, their wines make a perfect accompaniment to the beer brats, char-burgers, briskets, po-boys, pizzas, fajitas and guacamole dips that make up popular American football fare.

Ever since the missionaries traveling with the conquistadores brought vine cuttings from the native Spain to the area around one of their first settlements, Santiago, in the mid-sixteenth century, Chile has been producing some spectacular, affordable wines. With a climate very close to the Mediterranean homeland, a fertile, dark volcanic soil, the first wines exported to the homeland began to quickly outclass the local stash. Spain began imposing heavy restrictions and high taxes on their colonial cousins, eventually leading to a revolt against the Spanish monarchy.

Again, I digress. Here are my picks from the best of Chile’s vast array of wines for your Pro Bowl or Super Bowl buffet. Maybe Brett Favre will show up. He has nothing else to do!

Concha y Toro is the leading exporter of wines from Chile. Their wines can be found in most stores and wine shops. The wines are excellent and the prices, across all their varietals, are reasonable. The winery has also invested heavily in expansion and created new wineries in both Chile and Argentina. Their expansion and diversification has resulted in the creation of such labels as Cono Sur, now a familiar staple at a number of bars and restaurants that feature South American food. I was in New York recently and saw Cono Sur on wine lists and at stores everywhere.

Cono Sur Riesling (Stelvin) Bicycle Series 2008 ($7.32) is the latest release from the protean producer. Its in bargain stores everywhere. This is a varietal normally associated with Germany or South Africa, but Chile and Cono Sur in particular, does a spectacular job with the Riesling grape. Its got nice fruit and is a little on the dry side so it will go well with any kind of pork dish. Its great to drink while passing the guacamole dip or diving into the Nachos.

Cono Sur Vision Pinot Noir 2008 ($11.99) moves you right into the serious stuff coming off the grill. Ribs, spicy rubbed chicken, Buffalo Wings and my personal version of Mike Ditka’s Pork Chop (I rub mine in a blend of Hot Paprika, Powdered Garlic and Cajun spices that I bought at the French Market in New Orleans, but you can experiment with your own blend. I also do a mean smoked duck that goes perfectly with this one).

Concha y Toro Xplorador Cabernet Sauvignon ($7.99) moves us right into the end zone with its flavors of rich berries and toasty oak. Bring out the chili, the smoked brisket and the blackened steak. The rub I brought back from The Gumbo Shop in the French Quarter is just the thing for marinating and cooking steaks. Tony Cachares and Zatarain’s are two authentic New Orleans spice blends are available in most stores as are Paul Proudhomme’s Spice Magic or Emeril’s blends. You can add your own ‘magic’ touches to give it your personal stamp. Trust me, this wine is a big one and can stand up to even a healthy dousing of Crystal hot sauce!

Odyssea Pinot Grigio 2009 Mendoza , Argentina $10 French winemaker Olivier Ruhard came to Mendoza, originally to work for Jaques Lourton, making great wine for Escorihuela. His touch is apparent in this delicate wine from Odyssea. Great with spicy foods like Gumbo or Buffalo wings or right at home with shrimp or crab, it has bright tropical fruit, hints of citrus and subtle back notes of cinnamon and green apple. Have it while you’re passing around the appetizers and listen to the rave reviews from your guests. You won’t find a more nuanced wine at this price!

Cucao PX 2008 Pedro Ximenez Elqui Valley Chile $11.99 I’m drinking this beauty even as I write this review. It comes with a screw cap, but don’t let that be a turnoff. There’s gold inside to go with its beautiful gold color! The Pedro Ximenex grape is a wild grape grown in the deserts of Chile in a region known as the Elqui Valley. It’s a hearty grape with big, juicy flavors. From the moment you open the bottle, you’re hit with the smell and the taste of fresh pineapple. Lemon-lime, almonds and honey dance on the tongue as you cram down oysters, crab and shrimp po’ boys. I’ve got a great recipe for shrimp and tilapia ceviche with diced mango, pineapple and jalapenos that would go perfectly with this one. There’s a touch of pear and fresh herbs on the back of the throat that makes it go down easy.

Pascual Brut NV ($11.84) from the Mendoza growing region of Argentina is an absolute last-second winning field goal. The wine has a bright Champagne-like appearance with green and yellow undertones. The blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc gives it a soft, gentle taste that makes it easy to drink. The ladies will love this one and if someone forgets the Coronas, it’ll make a nice substitute beverage for beer lovers that will carry them from kickoff to the final play.