Sunday, May 18, 2008

Ode to Blind Tasting

I recently completed a Sommelier Course that included a great piece on blind tasting and using a systematic approach to review wines. Coming from a computer background I am the first to tell you that anything can be broken down into a "system" if you try, but this approach was well presented and allowed for a new experience for me in the wine world; having 75 people in one room looking at the same wine without any pre-conceived notions about it.

Without the bottle to look at, without your frame of reference as to where you purchased it, without your normal peer group to influence you, the reality brought you home with exactly what your senses could tell you and thereafter, what your mind tied it back to.

One wine took me back to a medicine cabinet in the Nurse's office at elementary school, another made me think of a banana peel and the time I tried to see if I could get my sister to slip on it just like I had seen in many cartoons. ;) By bringing the blind aspect into the wine tasting experience it made my senses flex and reach back into my personal history to allow for a frame of reference.

Next time you want a challenge, get 3 friends to each bring a bottle for a round table tasting, four different wines, put them in the bags and try the tasting blind... use a simple and honest approach (As my training would attest I prefer the Court of Master Sommelier's, http://www.mastersommeliers.org/), but whatever your approach just make sure that you allow objectivity and the time to review the look, smell, taste and essence of the wine.

I am putting this on my list of things to do during the next month and if anyone else in the Kansas City area would like to join me, please drop me a line and I will let you know where the group is going to put down our roots.

All my best,

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
GM - Marquee Artisan Wines
cjcribb@marquee.com

Friday, May 16, 2008

Bring On The Whites!

Bring on the Whites!

When I think of Spring time, I think of green grass, flowers blooming, and in general the outdoors. After a long and cold winter in Kansas City (Marquee headquarters), I am ready for some good weather and some nice light white wines to pair with it. From a taste perspective, lighter white wines have a tendency to show many of the same flavors that Spring itself brings about… some of my favorites are: freshly cut green grass, the floral scent of lilac, mint, basil, dill, and even the smell of dandelions.

Yes, I am actually writing about the fun and ever present yellow flowers that magically turn into a white and wispy seed. At one time or another we have all been tempted to blow the seeds off these fun forms of nature’s beauty… When the weather turns warm and the grass wakes up from its winter slumber, one week behind the grass (at least in my yard), are these hearty yellow flowers that if you pull one and rub it on a piece of paper leaves a vibrant splash of color. When gardening last weekend I managed to pull a ton of these little yellow creatures out of my lawn, my hands had a bit of a green tinge and I was at once hit with a smell that was both recognizable and different, dandelions.

I thought back to my wine portfolio at Marquee Selections and in my head ran the mental list of wines to find any association that fit. I checked the cellar and, it hit me; our newest white wine, Grazioso, a blend of un-oaked Chardonnay and Torrontes, the floral white grape most well know in Argentina, has just a little bit of that fresh dandelion smell that makes me think of Spring! Grown at high altitudes in the Northern part of Mendoza , the roots of this fun association likely stem from the Chardonnay grape that makes up 60% of this white blend.

I pulled the cork a few minutes later and sure enough, whether by association or coincidence, the flavor stuck out just as if you had taken iceberg lettuce in your normal salad and switched it with wild greens. The smell and flavor is both tangy and savory at the same time. The wines acidity lets this flavor come out while still being nicely balanced by the more luscious and floral aromas in the Torrontes. Floral notes were there, but not overpowering like you find in a potpourri, they are more mellow, understated and clean as in a tulip. Delicious, thirst quenching and a delight to enjoy as the sunset closed on my back porch.

My challenge this month for you is to let me know of your next “common scent” the everyday average smell that you enjoy so that I can associate it back to the fun world of wine. Whether it’s the scent of laundry fresh from the dryer, or the cherry smell that is not bing or maraschino, but sure enough it’s cherry cough syrup… send me a line at cjcribb@marquee.com and I will share it with more friends.

Till next month, cheers to the coming of spring!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW

Wine & Chocolate Mmm...

WINE & CHOCOLATE MMM...

When it comes to talking wine and chocolate, my mind immediately drifts to dark chocolate and deep red wines… but that could be because "most" of my favorite wines are large, bold red wines. ;) To ring in the grand month of February on this leap year, let's take a deeper look into pairing wines with Chocolate and other sweets.

Wine Myth - Red wine pairs perfectly with chocolate

Some red wines go well with chocolate but the rule doesn't guarantee wonderful results with many wines. Try to consider that you want your wine to be a hint sweeter what you are paring it with. Chocolate that contains a ton of sugar can make the wine it's being consumed with seem too bitter. Opt for dark chocolate with a high cocoa content (more than 50 per cent) and choose a wine with lots of sweet fruit or oak characteristics, such as a Bordeaux blend of Merlot & Cabernet, or a good example from the Marquee portfolio is the Marquee Signature Langhorne Creek Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine spent over 18 months aged in new American Oak and therefore has a innate sweetness that pairs beautifully with a deep, dark Chocolate.

New Idea – Chocolate covered strawberries & Champagne or Riesling

Well maybe its not that new of an idea, but it is definitely a good one!. Having nice, ripe strawberries dipped in both dark and white chocolate are a delight in and of themselves, but choosing a demi-sec sparkling and or an off-dry Riesling to pair with them allows the strong acid backbone in the wines to pair wonderfully with the juicy strawberries. You could go the traditional route and just do strawberries and Champagne, yet why add a new touch to an old classic. The just released 2007 vintage of the Marquee Classic Riesling would pair wonderfully!

For the Adventurous – Dessert wines and Desserts with Chocolate

On this, I love to either pick a flavor profile in my wine and then try and match it in the dessert, or to pick my wine and use it to help concoct the actual dessert. For the first style, take the Marquee Signature Dessert Chardonnay, it is brimming with apricots, pear, and marmalade flavors… pear is a bit hard to find in the chocolate world, but a brief look around finds many citrus infused chocolates…The hint of citrus in the chocolate is a fun match to the wine, or this beautiful wine is also great to pour over ice cream and garnish with a white chocolate square. Two minutes and you have a beautiful, classy dessert! Whatever your flavor for the month, enjoy it with style and let me know about your new and interesting subjects in the wine and sprits world.

Till next month, Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW