Kelly's Grape Times

Yeah, but does it tell me if the wine is any good?

kmagyarics — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Valpolicella producers Allegrini just launched the world’s first talking wine label. The device, using Ecocoder technology, is activated by touching the surface of the label.

“The international wine market is thirsty for information about wine and Italian wines can be difficult for many consumers to understand,” says Marilisa Allegrini, owner of the winery, whose voice can be heard describing the wine on the Ecocoder. ”We hope that this new technology will facilitate their understanding and create a relationship with the person who opens a bottle of our wine.”

The new label technology is being launched through a network of participating retail partners across the United States and coincides with the release of the 2006 vintage of Palazzo della Torre, Allegrini’s most widely-distributed wine. The Ecocoder is being featured in an easy-to-use display that allows shoppers to hear first-hand from the producer about the wine’s history, origin, production, flavors and ideal food pairings.

Pretty interesting–wonder if lots of other wineries will follow suit. I can’t help but wonder how much this will add to the cost of a bottle of wine, though. And for wineries who strive to be green not only with their wine but with their packaging as well, is there an environmental impact? I’d love to see it in action, though.

Austrian wine seminar and tasting

kmagyarics — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0000

On October 20, the Institute of Masters of Wine and the Austrian Wine Marketing board will offer a tutored Austrian wine seminar and tasting at The Washington Club, 15 Dupont Circle, Washington, DC.

The tutored seminar (1:30pm to 3pm) will be moderated by Joel Butler MW, and will include Bernhard Stadlmann (Thermenregion), Helmut Lang (Burgenland) and Thomas Gratzer of Zantho/Umanthum (Burgenland). The walk-around tasting (3:30pm to 5:30pm) will include many excellent, new white, red and dessert wines from Austria.

Tickets to these DUAL event will be limited to only 50 attendees, are $50 per person, and are tax deductible, as IMWNA is a 501 (c3) educational entity.

For ticket information, go to Local Wine Events.

Carving stations

kmagyarics — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:54:00 +0000

If you love the month of October and Halloween as much as I do, then maybe you are thinking about hosting (or are already planning…) a pumpkin carving party. Fun for adults and children alike, the event can be tweaked depending on the audience. For tips (including setup and cleanup) and food and cocktail recipes, check out my recent article on Wine Enthusiast.

To pique your palate, here is a sample cocktail recipe, courtesy of Rachel Sergi of Washington, DC’s Zaytinya. Though at first glance it appears involved and daunting, much of the drink can be prepped/batched in advance–perfect for a party:

The (Not So) Stingy Jack

Courtesy of Rachel Sergi, Zaytinya, Washington, DC

2 oz. Macintosh Apple Infused 42 Below Vodka*

1 ¾ oz. cardamom scented black tea**

Juice of ¼ lemon

Lemon wedge

Cinnamon sugar rim (for garnish, see recipe below)

Put the cinnamon sugar mixture in a plastic container with a mouth as wide as your cocktail glass or Champagne coupe. Use a wedge of lemon to moisten the glass’s rim, and then dip the rim of the glass into the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated. Set aside.

Add first three ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir with long-handled spoon to mix and chill. Strain into the prepared coupe. (For a non-alcoholic version, replace the vodka with 2 oz. of apple juice and proceed with the rest of the directions.)

*For the infused vodka, core and slice 2 Macintosh apples, and place them in a bottle of vodka for at least 5 days (removing some vodka to allow for increased volume). Strain to remove solids, pour into any clean glass receptacle, and tightly cap.

**For the tea, take 16 oz. of cold water, add 2 black tea bags and 3 cardamom pods, and steep to taste.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Rim:

⅔ cup brown sugar

⅓ cup granulated white sugar

2 tbsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix sugars and cinnamon, and spread out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Back for 7-9 minutes until a bit crunchy. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

The proof is in the pomegranate…

kmagyarics — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 17:08:00 +0000

If you have a bottle of commercial grenadine on your shelf, more than likely it’s filled with artificial ingredients and color, and a heck of a lot of high fructose corn syrup…

Real grenadine is made with the juice from pomegranate seeds (the French call the funky red fruit “grenades,” hence the name). It’s quite easy to mix up a homemade batch–and much tastier too. And if you add an ounce or so of vodka as a preservative, the concoction will last for a month or longer, refrigerated

It’s pomegranate season right now, so if you find picking out the seeds to be Zen-like (like I do…) have at it, and then crush them to yield fresh juice. Or you can take an easier route and purchase pomegranate juice from POM or other producers (available in most grocery stores in the refrigerated section by the produce.) Depending on which you use, you may need to adjust sugar levels to taste. Here is an easy recipe for grenadine I found on Epicurious from Audrey Saunders, owner of the Pegu Club in NYC:

Homemade Grenadine
Courtesy of Audrey Saunders, Pegu Club, New York
6 ounces unsweetened pomegranate juice, such as Elite Naturel
3 ounces superfine sugar

Bring juice to simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced by half, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat and add sugar, stirring constantly until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate syrup until cold, about 30 minutes.

Mondavi’s far reaching influence

kmagyarics — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:16:00 +0000

Wolfgang Puck’s DC outpost, The Source, is celebrating its second anniversary with an Asian-themed dinner On October 12 at 7 PM honoring Robert Mondavi. Mondavi’s widow Magrit will be in attendance along with Puck, and the evening will pay tribute to and acknowledge the California winemaker’s major influence on Virginia’s wine industry.

Priced at $195 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity, the evening will kick off with a cocktail reception featuring local Virginia wines from Kluge Estate Winery. Like so many other winemakers across the country, Patricia Kluge credits Mondavi as her mentor in the industry, the force that helped shape her vision, and one that supported Virginia’s growing wine industry.

Chef Puck and Executive Chef Scott Drewno will start the Asian-inspired feast with a delectable array of appetizers, including signature dishes such as the Tuna Tartare in sesame-miso cones and signature Smoked salmon pizza. Other courses will feature dishes such as Shanghai Lobster with crisp spinach and golden coconut curry sauce and “American Style” Kobe beef short ribs with rutabaga puree and tamarind-chili sauce. Asian flavors will make an appearance at dessert as well through a velvety Ginger crème brulee with apricot marmalade and salted caramel ice cream.

The evening will feature vintages from the Mondavi winery, including mature bottles such as the 1978 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve and the 1983 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve. The dinner will also feature a 2006 Fumé Blanc, a wine designation that Mondavi himself coined in1968 to differentiate his dry-style Sauvignon Blanc from the traditionally sweet ones produced by US wineries.

The Source by Wolfgang Puck is located at 575 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (entrance on 6th Street). For reservations to the dinner, please call The Source at (202) 637-6100.

Tasting wine at the foot of the Alps

kmagyarics — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0000

If (like me) you can’t get enough of wine from Italy’s Alto Adige region , like Lagrein, Schiava and Gewurz (or want to know what the buzz is about), check out my article “Alto-Rhapsody” which appears in the October, 2009 issue of The Tasting Panel.

Oh, and the picture above is from my visit to the region this summer. So beautiful.

A Window on the Wine World

kmagyarics — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:01:00 +0000

Kevin Zraly just released the 25th anniversary edition of the companion book for his Windows on the World Wine School course. I got a reader’s copy a few months ago, and it’s great–filled with interesting notes and comments in the margin, new and expanded sections on the world’s wine regions, and a poignant chapter about what September 11 meant for Windows on the World, its employees and Zraly personally.

A few months ago, I had the chance to dine with and interview Zraly for an upcoming article in Wine Enthusiast. It was so amazing to have the opportunity to sit down and chat with the man who influenced my decision to enter the wine business (I took his course in the spring of 2001 when it was still held at the WTC.)

This book is a must have for any wine lover.

Wines off the Beaten Path at the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show

kmagyarics — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:00:00 +0000

Call all foodies and wine lovers! On November 7 at 2 PM, I’ll be doing another wine seminar at DC’s Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show, which will be held November 7 & 8 at the Washington Convention Center. Headliners include Paula Deen, Giada DeLaurentiis and Tyler Florence, and there will be lots of opportunities to taste, learn and buy. I’ll be discussing “Wines off the Beaten Path,” and you’ll have the chance to taste some less familiar varietals (in other words, there won’t be wines like Chardonnay or Cabernet…)

Check out the website for hours and ticket information.

The Winemakers debuts tomorrow on PBS

kmagyarics — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 00:53:00 +0000

Move over, Top Chef. Tomorrow evening, The Winemakers premieres on PBS, a reality show about twelve men and women competing for a chance to create and launch their own label nationwide. A team of well-known food and wine personalities make up the panel of judges: Leslie Sbrocco, well known wine writer, author and host of public television’s “Check Please”; Mark Oldman author of the bestselling Oldman’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine, and guest judges including Food & Wine magazine writer Lettie Teague and Doug Frost who holds the distinction of being only one of three people worldwide to hold both a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier title. visibility among PBS’s upscale audiences.

For additional information about the series and to view clips from season I visit http://www.thewinemakers.tv/ or www.youtube.com/winemakerstv .

I considered auditioning for the 2nd season, which they are shooting now in France’s Rhone Valley. But it’s just a huge time commitment away from home. Sounds so cool, though.

Suddenly Sonoma

kmagyarics — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:08:00 +0000

Just returned from an amazing trip to the Wine Road, the part of Sonoma that includes the Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley and Alexander Valley. For all the deets from my trip, check out my Twitter feed.