Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2019

Spanish wines offer some of the best values that you can find in the market today. Good quality and well priced Spanish wine can be found in both red and white if you do some research and are open to try something new. Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2019 is a perfect example of a very drinkable Spanish wine that is both widely distributed and very inexpensive. This red is certainly worth trying when you consider that it can be purchased for around $10 a bottle.

Campo Viejo Tempranillo 2019 is made in Rioja, Spain. Tempranillo is the most widely planted red grape variety in Spain but is not produced as a varietal often. Tempranillo is commonly used as a blending grape due to its neutral profile and ability to enhance the wines it is blended with. This wine is a balanced lighter red wine with no single dominating characteristic but that is not to say it doesn’t have enough structure, acidity, and flavor to be enjoyable. This Tempranillo pairs with tapas, grilled chicken, charcuterie, and of course Pizza.

There is no need for overkill when picking a wine for a meal or event. I try to match the type of wine with the type of event, meal, or group of friends and family I will be sharing it with.

Thanksgiving Dinner Wine List Suggestions

With Thanksgiving only a few days away the question of what wine to serve at dinner looms as large as the Garfield balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Over the years the traditional menu for this holiday has evolved for many but the problem of what wine pairs well with everything remains. The answer is that no single wine pairs well with everything. The solution: Buy several different wines and buy more than enough of each without going over your budget. My advice is the same as it would be if you were going bowling, ” Just roll it down the middle”. Here are four suggestions that will certainly score you some points with your friends and family this holiday season. 

Loosen Dr. L. Riesling is a great introductory German Riesling from Mosel. It’s not

Loosen Dr. L. Riesling

too dry or too sweet classic style means this low alcohol (8.5%) Riesling pairs well with a Thanksgiving dinner and @ around $13 it won’t “Break the bank”.

Leonard Kreusch-Zeller Schwarze Katz Riesling. This is a very approachable Riesling from a legendary German producer in the Mosel river village of Zell. Fruity, crisp and easy to drink. You can find it for around $10 a bottle so stock up

Leonard Kreusch-Zeller Schwarze Katz Riesling

now.

South Shore Gruner Veltliner is an excellent

South Shore Gruner Veltliner

Pennsylvania Lake Erie Wine Country wine. Fresh aromas and bright acidity make this a very food-friendly wine and a bargain at around $13.

Breitenbach Cranberry wine is both sweet and tart. This wine is always a hit especially with your guests that usually don’t drink wine. These seasonal

Breitenbach Cranberry Wine

offerings can be a little hard to find but worth the extra effort. You should be able to find one of these seasonal wines in the $15-$20 range.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and may the good things of life be yours in abundance, not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year.

 

 

 

The Shape of Wine

     The theme of the Oscar-winning movie of a similar name was that something could be completely different and yet possess qualities that could make you fall in love. Chateau Niagara Kagor 2016 is just such an animal.

Jim and Cathy Baker make their Kagor from Saperavi grapes grown in their vineyard on the Niagara Plain in Newfane, NY. Kagor is traditionally made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes but its name comes from Cahors, France where the predominant grape variety in French Cahors wine is Malbec. Kagor is best described as a red dessert wine with a very long and interesting history. 

Jim Baker describes his Chateau Niagara Kagor 2016 taste profile as  “Decadent, lush rich cherry that morphs into cassis on the tongue. A sweet wine that pairs well with dark chocolate.”

     Jim gave me very detailed instructions on how to taste his Kagor. He told me to be patient with this wine and give it time to develop its flavors by waiting until they all were revealed, then taste it again over fine dark chocolate for a cherry cordial profile.

     Chateau Niagara 2016 Kagor won Bronze at the inaugural 2017  Saperavi World Prize (SapPrize) wine completion in Tibilis, Georgia (Russia). Chateau Niagara Kagor 2016 and all the Chateau Niagara wines are available at  http://chateauniagarawinery.com