Session V

TODAY’S DISCOVERIES:

Wine & Food Pairing Guidelines Port Madiera Brief Overview of:

Australia New Zealand South America South Africa

Wine and Food Pairing: a talent to be honed

Chardonnay?

Zinfandel?

Cabernet?

Though wine and Food pairing is intricate and diverse, there are some

basic rules one can follow.

It’s not just the protein that is paired, but

everything on the plate in balance; like the wine.

Grüner VeltlinerWhen a dish has

lots of fresh herbs…

Austrian Grüner Veltliner’s citrus-and-clover scent is lovely when there are lots of fresh herbs in a dish.

Other go-to grapes in a similar style include

Albariño from Spain and Vermentino from Italy.

Pinot Grigio Pairs with seafood…

Light seafood dishes seem to take on more flavor when matched with equally delicate white wines, such as Pinot Grigio or Arneis from Italy as well as a Chablis from France.

Off-Dry RieslingPairs with sweet & spicy dishes…

The slight sweetness of many Rieslings,

Gewürztraminers and Vouvrays helps tame

the heat of spicy Asian and Indian dishes.

Moscato d’AstiLoves fruit desserts…

Moderately sweet sparkling wines such

as Moscato d’Asti, Demi-Sec Champagne

and Asti Spumante help emphasize the fruit in the dessert,

rather than the sugar.

ML/Oak y Chardonnay

For fatty fish or fish in a rich

sauce…Silky whites—for

instance, Chardonnays from California, Chile or Australia, are delicious with fish like salmon or any kind of seafood in a

lush sauce

Rosé ChampagneGreat with dinner,

not just hors d’oeuvres…

Rosé sparkling wines, such as Rosé

Champagne, Cava and sparkling wine from California, have the depth of flavor and

richness to go with a wide range of entrées

Dry RoséFor rich, cheesy

dishes…Some cheeses go better with white wine, some with red; yet almost all pair well with dry rosé, which has the acidity of white wine and the fruit

character of red.

Pinot NoirGreat for dishes

with earthy flavors…

Recipes made with mushrooms and truffles

taste great with reds like Pinot Noir and Dolcetto, which are

light-bodied but still full of savory depth.

Traditional Tuscan dishes, for example, have evolved along with Tuscan wines over centuries, and

have resulted in a symbiotic relationship with each

complimenting the other.

Old World Wines and Old World dishes are

intrinsically good together

Malbec, etc.Stands up to

strong sweet & spicy barbecue

sauces…Malbec, Shiraz and

Côtes-du-Rhône are big and bold enough to

drink with foods brushed with heavily

spiced barbecue sauces

Cabernet Sauvignon

Great with red meat…

California Cabernet, Bordeaux and

Bordeaux-style blends are terrific with steaks

or chops; their firm tannins refresh the

palate after each bite of meat.

Syrah, etc.Matches with highly-spiced

dishes…When a meat is heavily

seasoned, look for a red wine with lots of

spicy notes. Syrah from Washington, Cabernet Franc from France and

Xinomavro from Greece are all good choices.

Zinfandel, etc.For pâtés & mousses…

If you can use the same adjectives to describe a

wine and a dish, the pairing will often work. For instance, the words rustic and rich describe Zinfandel, Italy’s Nero d’Avola and Spain’s

Monastrell wines, as well as duck liver mousse.

But what about wine and cheese?

Because wine and cheese are both natural products that improve with age, they have limitless combinations, pairing well as their flavors evolve

The acid in wine and the fat in cheese compliment each other well, as one provides what the other lacks

Many cheeses also help to soften the tannins in wine, creating a fuller and fruitier taste

New cheese varieties, many incorporating creative flavors/ingredients, provide new pairing possibilities

Portugal

Though Portugal has recently emerged with some fabulous still wines, we will focus on their main

claim to fame: Madiera and Port

Portugal’s Wine Regions

PORT WINE HISTORY Established in 1756, the port wine producing Douro

region of Portugal is the third-oldest protected wine region in the world after the Tokaj-Helgaja region in Hungary, established in 1705, and Chianti, in 1716

Port became very popular in England after the Methuen Treaty of 1703, when merchants were permitted to import it at a low duty, while war with France deprived them of French wine

The long trip to England often resulted in spoiled wine, so the fortification with brandy was introduced to improve the shipping and shelf-life of the wine for its journey

The continued English involvement in the port trade can be seen in the names of many port shippers: Cockburn, Croft, Dow, Gould, Graham, Osborne, Offley, Sandeman, Taylor and Warre being amongst the best known

PORT WINE Brandy began to be added during

fermentation to kill the yeast and leave un-fermented sugar

Subsequently, Ports have a reputation for being higher in alcohol, noticeably sweeter, with more body and palate density than other still wines

The two styles of Port, therefore, pair well with desserts, as they accommodate a number of dessert options with ease and added versatility

Ports also pair well with many cheeses. Ruby Port, for example, is traditionally paired with Stilton blue-vein cheese

PORT WINE STYLES

Port wines can be split into two distinct categories: Wood-Aged (Tawny color) Bottle-Aged (Ruby color)

The only true bottle aged port is a Vintage Port

Port starts life as a red wine (unless, of course, it is a “White Port”) and then it's typically aged in wood casks or in the bottle (if it’s a Vintage Port)

PORT WINE STYLES II Basic Ruby Ports are inexpensive and made

from a mix of both grapes and vintages and are “aged” 1 year in oak and 2 years in the bottle However, they do not technically continue to age in

the bottle because they are already oxidized and are designed to be consumed young

Tawny Ports are lighter (in color and body) as they spend more time in oak; their color fades from ruby, to brick, and ultimately to mahogany The taste becomes nuttier and develops the rich

caramelized flavors of dried figs, dates and prunes

TAWNY PORT STYLES Tawny ports are commonly classified

in 10, 20, or 30 year designations which refer to a the average of a blend of various vintages

Tawny Ports come in three different styles: Colheita: Made from grapes that all

share the same vintage year Crusted: An un-filtered Tawny that

develops visible sediment (“crust”), which then needs to be decanted before serving

Indicated Age: Made from grape blends that are older in average age

VINTAGE PORT Vintage Ports are made of blended grapes

from various vineyards which are all from the same vintage year; hence the name

Aged 6 months in oak and then bottled (unfiltered and not oxidized) and aged for another 20 years!

As a direct result of this long-term aging, one can expect a pretty heavy layer of sediment, requiring decanting and a good bit of aeration prior to consumption

If Ruby Ports are entry-level, then Vintage Ports represent the upper-echelon of quality and cost

LBV PORT A classification that is commonly mistaken

with Vintage Port is "Late-Bottled Vintage" Port (LBV)

Originally wine that had been destined for bottling as Vintage Port, but because of lack of demand was left in the barrel for longer than had been planned

Over time it has become two distinct styles of wine, both of them bottled between four and six years after the vintage, but one style is fined and filtered before bottling, while the other is not

LBV provides some of the experience of drinking a Vintage Port without the need for lengthy bottle aging

WHITE PORT

As the name implies, White Port is derived from white grape varietals and can be made in both the very dry to semi- sweet styles

White Port is typically fruitier on the palate and a bit fuller-bodied than other fortified white wines

Often served as an aperitif, this particular Port has found favor as a replacement for Gin in a “Port & Tonic” on the rocks

MADEIRA

Madeira is a fortified white wine that is available in several different styles of dry to sweet variations

The base white wine is fortified with neutral grape spirits at differing points during fermentation, depending on the level of sweetness the maker is going for; the more sweet the Madeira, the earlier point in fermentation the base wine was fortified

MORE MADEIRA MY DEAR…

Madeira is a unique wine because it is not only fortified and oxidized, but also “cooked” under controlled temperatures in special buildings called “Estufagems”, making for an indestructible wine

In fact, the term “Maderization” refers to the process of oxidizing and heating a wine

Madeira is typically an amber-colored gem of a wine with caramel and nutty flavors

MADEIRA GRAPES AND STYLES

Sercial: A white wine grape that is used to produce a dry-style of Madeira, which is served as an aperitif with salty foods, olives, almonds, walnuts, and broth-based soups

Verdelho: A white wine grape used to make a semi-dry variation of Madeira, which is served with richer appetizers like prosciutto, fancy mushroom dishes or caviar

MADEIRA GRAPES AND STYLES II

Bual: A white grape that makes a semi-sweet Madeira, which is served as a dessert wine with fruit-based or caramel desserts

Malmsey: A white grape that makes the sweetest, richest, most full-bodied Madeira, which is an excellent dessert wine that is commonly paired with cheesecake, flan, tiramisu, crème brûlée or dark chocolate-based desserts

GENERIC MADEIRA

A “Generic" Madeira labeling basically denotes that the wine is not made from one of the four key noble grape varietals

It will also typically come with a "hint" on the label as to whether it is: Sweet (Doce) Medium-Sweet (Meio-Doce) Dry (Seco)

MADEIRA AGING CLASSIFICATIONS

Finest: Aged for a mere three years

Reserve: Aged for five years

10 & 15-Year: As the name implies; aged for 10 or 15 years

Vintage: Dated for a specific year

AUSTRALIA In just 200 years, Australia's wine industry

has become renowned throughout the world for their quality, innovation and depth

Consistently one of the top-ten wine producing countries in the world

Australia is such a large country, that almost every climate and soil type can be found on the continent

One of the few countries that produces every one of the major wine styles: Reds, whites, fortified wines (such as port), sweet

wines, and sparkling wines

AUSTRALIAN INNOVATION

Australia also has some of the oldest-surviving original Vitis Vinifera vines in the world

Since many of Europe's established vineyards were destroyed by disease in the 1800’s, some of the only survivors had been brought to Australia

In order to preserve these, Australian viticulturists have developed cutting-edge vine-management techniques now used throughout the world

Also developed methods using fewer chemicals

The home of the wine cask (aka “bag in the box”), it was invented and patented in Australia in 1965

AUSTRALIAN WINE REGIONS

Wine is produced in every Australian province, with more than 60 designated wine regions

However, Australia’s wine regions are mainly in the southern, cooler parts of the country, with vineyards located in: South Australia New South Wales Victoria Western Australia Tasmania Queensland

AUSTRALIAN WINE REGIONS

The wine regions in each of these states produce different wine varieties and styles that take advantage of the particular Terroir such as: Climatic differences, topography and soil

types

With the major varieties being predominantly: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay,

Merlot, Semillon, Pinot Noir, Riesling, & Sauvignon Blanc

Wines are often labeled with the grape variety, which must constitute at least 85% of the wine

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand wine is distinctive for its purity, vibrancy and intensity

The long ripening period (a result of cool temperatures) allows flavor development whilst retaining fresh acidity, a balance for which New Zealand wines are renowned

New Zealand is home to what many wine critics consider the world’s best Sauvignon Blancs

NEW ZEALAND WINE REGIONS

There are a number of distinct major winegrowing regions spread throughout New Zealand, with the majority on the East coast of the Islands in the rain shadow of the mountains

Within these diverse regions, sub-regional characteristics are beginning to show through and wines are now being distinguished as being not just from a wine region, but from a sub-region and a place

Historically, French Sauvignon Blancs have been considered the world’s best, especially the Loire’s Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé

New Zealand’s stellar Sauvignon Blancs, however, have garnered quite a world-wide reputation

SOUTH AMERICA The wine producing nations of South

America are making great strides in improving the quality of their product

Chilean wines are the most predominant on the foreign market

Argentina, Chile's larger neighbor, is increasing quality, and is beginning to make an impact

As well as these two countries, there is also a small amount of wine coming out of Uruguay

CHILE West of the Andes, Chile's climate

varies from the heat of the arid, rocky, mountainous desert to the north and the icy, Antarctic expanse in the south

Midway between the two are the warm, fertile valleys that are home to this nation's vineyards

Like many New World nations Chile has only made an impact on the foreign market in the past decade, viticulture has been established here for centuries

CHILE II

There are a wide selection of international varieties planted, including: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay

In truth, much of what was once thought to be Merlot has recently been correctly identified as Carménère, a rarely-planted Bordeaux variety

Many wineries are bottling Carménère as a varietal, though it continues to be common to blend it with Merlot

ARGENTINA Malbec, historically thought of as a minor

blending Bordeaux variety, is behind some of Argentina's top reds and has become a trendy choice for consumers

Torrontés is another interesting Argentine grape; a white variety with some character With good winemaking, this variety can

produce fresh and aromatic wines, not unlike those made from Muscat

Some of the world’s highest altitude wineries are found in Argentina

SOUTH AFRICA The heart of the South Africa’s wine industry

encompasses the Cape Peninsula and the Coastal region, both of which are exposed to the maritime influences of the Atlantic and Indian oceans

A significant development in the South African wine industry has been the enforcement of the “wines of origin” (WO) program, which dictates the way that wine regions are defined and how they appear on wine labels

One of the main features of the program is that a wine stating a WO on its label must be made exclusively from grapes grown in those areas.

SOUTH AFRICA II South Africa demonstrates a mix of Old and New

World winemaking styles Its sparkling wine, and the majority of still wines, follow

New World winemaking practices There are many well-known fortified and dessert wines

which are more in line with their Old World counterparts

Diverse grape varietals are grown in South Africa: Chenin Blanc (locally know as “Steen”) and

Chardonnay top the list of whites Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are notable reds Pinotage is another important variety and produces a

signature-style of South African reds

Wine # 1 Vintage: 2010 Name:Pinotage Producer: MAN Vintners Region: Stellenbosch, South Africa

Wine # 2 Vintage: 2010 Name: Morse Code Shiraz Producer: Henry’s Drive Region: Padthaway, Australia

Wine # 3 Vintage: 2011 Name: Malbec Producer: Diseno Region: Mendoza, Argentina

Wine # 4 Vintage: NV Name: Tawny Port Producer: Dow’s Region: Oporto, Portugal

Tasting & Wine Evaluation

Let’s Taste Our Wines: See: (color/clarity), Swirl & Sniff:

(viscosity & aromas; F.E.W.), Sip: (mouth-feel & flavor), Swallow: or expectorate, Savor: the finish

Take a minute to savor your wine:

15 seconds Mouth-feel30 seconds Fruit flavors & body45 seconds Are other flavors

present? 1 minute Tannins, length of

flavors

Now, let’s see what the professionals say and

what went into making these wines!

Fermented in stainless steel tanks over 5 days with frequent pump-overs. The skins were removed and the wine was pressed and racked back to tank for completion of alcoholic and malolactic fermentation. 20% of the wine was matured in American oak barrels (25% new) for 6 months. 15% Shiraz was added for its silky tannin structure and spicy fruit flavors. A small portion of the Pinotage was co-fermented with Viognier to enhance the aromatics. After further tank maturation, the wine was fined and filtered, then bottled. Vintage conditions: Good winter rains in 2009 kept vineyards healthy throughout summer. Excellent ripening conditions started the 2010 season, with cool temperatures prevailing. Strong winds resulted in some crop loss, but increased concentration of flavors in remaining fruit.

2010 MAN Vintners, Pinotage, Stellenbosch, South Africa

It all started as a simple plan: to make a wine that we’d love to buy. We wanted quality wine that offered excellent value and great packaging. Not exactly an epiphany, perhaps, but enough to motivate us into action. Of course, first we had to come up with a name. To keep peace in the families, we took our wives’ initials (we each have one wife) - that is how we explained to Marie, Anette and Nicky that we were going to be “busy” most weekends. “It’s for you!” we told them. And mostly it’s true.

Fun Information about MAN!

Morse Code Shiraz is a fruit driven wine made with minimal oak contact to allow the fruit flavors and regional characters to be at the forefront. With lifted floral lavender, spearmint, plum, cherry fruit and hints of spice and licorice this is a very aromatic wine.The palate is medium-bodied and elegant with fleshy plum fruit and cool climate rose and lavender characters as well as hints of spearmint; finishing with a soft and smooth tannin structure. Vinification: The vineyards destined for the Morse Code Shiraz are harvested when flavour ripe, and fermented on skins for a period of 5 days. Only the free run fraction of the wines is selected for the Morse Code as we aim to have a soft rounded palate with a velvety finish. It is matured for a period of around 12 months and a small proportion of the wine finished ferment in barrel, but the majority was un-oaked to allow the fruit to shine.

Henry’s Drive, Morse Code Shiraz, Padthaway, Australia

Simply put, this is a big, big wine and an outstanding value. It has a sappy, black cherry and blackberry nose woven with bright perfumed accents. The palate is full and fruity, with slightly jammy blackberry and plum flavors. There’s a little cocoa on the finish, which is relatively short. I’d like it if it had a touch more tannin, but it’s still a great wine at this price!

Another opinion:Admittedly this is a rustic version of the Malbec grape, but it offers full-throttle black and blue fruit scents and flavors underscored by notes of bitter chocolate, licorice and lavender and a touch of Malbec’s cedary, leafy, dried thyme quality. Tannins are a touch roughshod but essential and enjoyable too, in a sort of “these-boots-are-made-for walkin’” way. Call it succulent AND brutish

2011 Diseno Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina

Amber golden in color, soft and rich on the palate with a fine and mellow fruit flavor blending in with the almond overtones of prolonged cask aging.

A very fine Port to be savored in a reasonable sized glass so that the aromas and color can be appreciated. Serve slightly chilled in warm weather.

Dow’s Tawny Port, Portugal