InTheCellar - "How To Steps on Wine & Cheese Pairing For The Holiday's " Part I & II

Wine & _____ (if you said Cheese) we are on the same page! The holiday entertaining season is now upon us, therefore InTheCellar is teaching methods of pairing Wine & Cheese! As a two part series we will explore the "brand new" International Gourmet Cheese section at the Hy-Vee Grocery in Liberty, MO with Marquee Selections and In The Kitchen With Bonnie!

In our ninth episode of In the Cellar, we head to the International Cheese Shop at the Hy-Vee Premium Grocery in Liberty, MO and take a look behind the scenes in their show kitchen at a number of lovely wine & cheese pairings!





The first wine we review is the 2008 Capa Rota Monastrell / Syrah blend from the Yecla, region of Southern Spain. Monastrell, also called Mourvedre and Mataro in other parts of the world is a dark red grape known for being cherry flavored with a dry, light mocha dustiness to the wine. For the perfect cheese comparison we stuck with the theme of what "grows together goes together" and choose a Cheese used quite a bit in Spanish cuisine, Manchego to pair with this light red wine. A waxy, semi dry style of cheese, the Manchego is used in many charcuterie plates and finds its way next to another Spanish component, Serrano Ham and olives on many platters. If you are looking for a great pairing to entertain this winter, the Spanish sampler plate with Capa Rota Monastrell / Syrah is a great hit!


For the second wine we showcase a specialty wine, the best of the best from Caligiore Organic Vineyards in Mendoza Argentina, the 2008 Caligiore Organic Legacy Malbec. Described as a big rich red wine wrapped in a velvet glove, we have chosen a very dry aged cheese to pair with this wine, Parmigiano Regiano. The selected Parmigiano for this wine benefits whereby the dry and hard cheese component helps to bring out the subtle spicy notes from the wine and offers a crisp contrast to clean the palate. A delicious discovery, always also try old world Italian wine favorites with the aged Parmigiano like Chianti Classico or Amorone.

Time for Part II - Continue with us in our eleventh episode of In the Cellar, we head to the International Cheese Shop at the Hy-Vee Premium Grocery in Liberty, MO and take a look behind the scenes in their show kitchen at a number of lovely wine & cheese pairings with our partner Bonnie Rabicoff from In The Kitchen With Bonnie!





The third wine we review is the 2008 Marquee Signature Chardonnay, a cool-climate Chardonnay from the Yarra Valley in Australia just North of the city center of Melbourne. This "chardy" has light tropical notes riding alongside lemon flavors, a bit of creaminess and a touch of minerality. To show a similarity in pairing we went paired this wine with a Triple Cream Brie Cheese from France, which accentuates the notes of oak integration and buttery soft notes. The brie is served soft and the Chardonnay also acts as a palate cleanser as the balanced acidity brings refreshes your presentation for a 2nd / 3rd taste. Historically Chardonnay is a great pairing with many soft cheeses, be sure to ask your wine consultant for a lighter style if you are going with strong cheese or a stronger style if you are going with light cheese!

The forth wine we focus on in this episode is the 2004 Silver Wings Old Vine Vincenzao Mourvedre / Shiraz that is also from Victoria, Australia. Beautifully aged for several months in both French and American oak, this wine is a great choice for long term cellaring, and/or decanting to be consumed now. As a cheese accent we have moved to showcasing two different types of blue cheese with this wine, the first a Deep Veined Artisan Blue Cheese that also hails from Australia, the "Roaring 40s" from King Island and the second cheese, a more traditional Blue Stilton Cheese from England. A special note of thanks out to our friends from Paris Brothers Artisan Foods for allowing us a taste of this Australian Specialty cheese! The blue flavor is strong and therefore the wine picked has a backbone of strength, but actually is a medium bodied and not full bodied wine to contrast the cheese/. As shown in our episode the Stilton has more milky, creamy notes and is a bit softer in style, while the Roaring 40s has more blue veins and a stronger flavor. Both profiles work with the wine and will tempt your taste buds, the best pairing, well you need to try that for yourself!

In the Kitchen and Marquee send out a special thank you to our friends at Hy-Vee for participating in this exciting series of wine & cheese shows! The test kitchen is spectacular and we look forward to be coming back for more!

Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program " In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (http://inthekitchenwithbonnie.com) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!

Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Have a great holiday!

~Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
Marquee Selections - Green, Global, Grapes
http://www.marquee.com

InTheCellar - Wines for Thanksgiving!

Give thanks, carve the bird, pile on the stuffing and pop a cork on GREAT WINE to go with it... check out great tips to pair with the hearty fare we serve at Thanksgiving from cranberry sauce to mom's pumpkin pie, we have got the wines for you!

In our tenth episode of In the Cellar, we head to the Club Room / Gourmet Kitchen at the Hy-Vee Premium Grocery in Liberty, MO and unwrap wines to pair for our upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday!



The first wine we review is the 2009 Marquee Classic Riesling - a lovely wine that pairs perfectly with the Thanksgiving meal and is not the "Sweet Riesling" that you may think of when you hear the term. Australia does a more dry style of Riesling and what we find is that this wine pairs well with a variety of foodstuffs, is lighter in alcohol and has lots of lime / lemon acidity to clean your palate between the different Turkey day tastes!

The second and third wines we are showcasing today come from Mendoza, Argentina and are of products of the grape type, Malbec. The first is a bright and fruity "rose", yes rose as in white zinfandel, but mind you this is a lovely wine as opposed to the tangy sweet White Zin's from Sutter Home that you may have tasted once before. The 2010 Pianissimo Organic Malbec Rose is fruity, fresh, has lots of strawberry, watermelon and light rhubarb qualities that make it a great chilled wine for thanksgiving that has enough body to match the sauces, turkey, stuffing and even pumpkin flavors of the season.

For those that prefer to drink red wine we have selected the 2010 Staccato Organic Malbec / Cabernet Blend as a "medium bodied red wine" that will pair well, but not overpower your food at thanksgiving. I like the choice of a lighter bodied wine as it allows the food to stay center stage on this occasion. I routinely also serve Pinot Noir for Thanksgiving, but this year in a tough economy could not think of a better wine for your value at only $9.99 than the Staccato Malbec / Cabernet Blend. PS - Like the family dog at thanksgiving grabbing table scraps, the family dog for this winery in Argentina actually loves to eat grapes straight out of the fields!

In the Kitchen and Marquee send out a special thank you to our friends at Hy-Vee for participating in this exciting series of wine education shows! The test kitchen is spectacular and we look forward to be coming back for more!

Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program " In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (http://inthekitchenwithbonnie.com) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!

Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week for more exciting wine education from Marquee!

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
Marquee Selections - Green, Global, Grapes

InTheCellar - A Visit To Lake County, Califonia!

Travel outside of San Francisco, past Napa to its North neighbor, Lake County, home of Clear Lake the largest freshwater lake in California as we taste the Classy Sauvignon Blanc & Zinfandel!



In our sixth episode of In the Cellar, we listened to Miles from Sideway's and turned our head away from California Merlot, but instead of going to Pinot Country, Marquee turned North and the vineyards of Lake County to find two great single varietal bottlings of Sauvingnon Blanc and Zinfandel . With partner wine company, X-Winery we have two unique wines that show the terrior of the area and focus in on how simple, minimalistic winemakeing can have a true impact on highlighting vibrant wines!

The first wine is a Sauvignon Blanc from just vineyards that surround the largest freshwater lake in California, Clear lake. Two vineyards contributed the fruit to the Classy Sauvignon Blanc to balance natural acidity and peach flavors with a longer palate and juicy mouth-watering finish! Sauvignon Blanc in California (as opposed to other parts of the world that it is also grown in like France, New Zealand, Chile & South Africa), is medium to full bodied with interesting green notes intertwined. A great comparison to try, taste the racy acidity of a New Zealand Sav. Blanc that can make your mouth pucker next to its cousin from the USA where it gets more sunlight, warmth, etc... and you can even fool some experts!


For the second wine we showcase the grape that the USA has adopted as our own varietal, ZINFANDEL. No other place in the world produces as much of this single variety than the US and for today's tasting the Classy Zinfandel shows that great nuance between spicy, rich notes and medium to smooth soft tannins. A great pairing for a ton of the US food supply, Zinfandel can win you kudos as a pair with BBQ, Pizza, Hamburgers and more! Scientific tests have shown this grape to be the same as the Italian grape "Primitivo", another interesting comparison, taste these two side by side to take your wine education to a new level!

Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program "In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (and it's lovely host Ms. Bonnie Rabicoff) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections ; view our list of topics and videos at the Marquee Selections - Wine Talk Channel on YouTube!. During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life.

Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!
Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week for more exciting wine education from Marquee!

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
cjcribb@marquee.com

InTheCellar - Organic Wines of Mendoza, Argentina!

Argentina is known for a few great things, the tango, international soccer, incredible beef and now WORLD CLASS WINES - join us as we discuss the Wines of Argentina & explore 100% ORGANIC wines from Mendoza!



In our fifth episode of In the Cellar, we head to looking at one of the world's most dynamic and growing wine regions, Mendoza, Argentina! The wines of Caligiore Ecological Vineyards and the Symphony Organic Series are all produced under strict 100% Organic guidelines where no pesticides, herbicides and minimal intervention were used in their processing. The organic movement in the wine industry is growing and Marquee is proud to present the wines of Gustavo Caligore, Caligiore Ecological Vineyards and VinEcol SA Vinos Organicas as perfect representations of great wines regardless of price-point that also happen to be organic!

The first wine is a Torrontes from the high elevation vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina, the 2011 Grazioso Organic Torrontes. A light and floral grape that is unique to being grown in Argentina, it is #1 in overall white wine production and dances a unique line between the acidity and crisp flavor of a Sauvignon Blanc and the more floral and soft mouthfeel of a Pinot Grigio. Once you have tried this versatile grape varietal, you will keep watching for it on every wine list you see!

For the second wine we showcase the grape that has made Argentina a world wine power, MALBEC. Malbec has its origins in the field blends of Bordeaux, France, and came to Argentina with early settlers to this new world location. A "thin skinned" grape that loves sunlight, Malbec thrives in the high-elevation climate of Mendoza where the long days and cooler nights let the grapes achieve optimum ripeness. The Caligiore Organic Reserve Malbec is a stellar example of the varietal with deep dark raspberry, blueberry and blackberry notes alongside a hint of spice, mocha and dry sandalwood. The luscious mouthfeel / body of this wine comes from the "old vines" that produce it (over 80+ years old) and the long period of skin contact (3+ weeks). Malbec is the most widely planted grape in all of Argentina and Marquee Selections is proud to showcase this award winning Malbec for the mere cost of $14.99 per bottle! Wine & Spirits Magazine awarded this wine one of its Top 100 Best Buy Wines of 2009 and once you taste you will know why!


Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program " In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (http://inthekitchenwithbonnie.com) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!

Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week as we move around the map and explore new wines!

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
cjcribb@marquee.com

InTheCellar - Down Under With Aussie Wines!

With a "New World" winemaking tradition that mirrors the United States, Australia produces unique wines at great value prices from Shiraz & Cabernet to Chardonnay, Riesling and more... join us for ten minutes of education and fun tasting Marquee Australian Wines with wine expert Christopher Cribb and Bonnie Rabicoff - Host & Food Expert of In the Kitchen With Bonnie!



In our fourth episode of In the Cellar, we move to the Southern Hemisphere and explore two Aussie wines from Marquee that have won outstanding international acclaim and showcase the bright tropical fruit, minimal intervention winemaking and artisan care that are the hallmarks to the Marquee portfolio. The first wine is a Riesling from the high county in the province of Victoria. The Marquee Classic Riesling is off-dry in style with just a slight hint of sweetness that is kept in balance with strong acids and a lovely lime / lemon zest character. Versatile and adept for wine pairings this wine can go with seafood, Asian cuisine, light salads or even on its own as a meal starter!


For the second wine we revert to the grape/style that has allowed Australia put its name back on the international wine scene in the last twenty-five years, Shiraz (yes the same grape as Syrah, but the stubborn Aussies have stuck to changing that trend). The Marquee Signature McLaren Vale Shiraz is a rock star wine, that has very smooth tanning, a rich, full bodied character and tons of flavor (raspberry, dark cherry, mocha, toffee and more...)! Shiraz is the most widely planted grape in all of Australia and this single vineyard wine showcases why so many vineyards are devoted to Shiraz production! 91 Points from Wine Spectator Magazine along with a list of other awards and accolades allows our confident assertion that this wine may only cost $20.00 but it tastes like $50.00!

Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program "In The Kitchen with Bonnie" to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!

Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week as we move around the map and explore new wines!


Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
cjcribb@marquee.com

In the Cellar - A Visit To Yecla - Bold Wines of Southern Spain!

Spain has been crafting fine wines for centuries, visit Yecla in the Southern Highlands of Murcia for 10 minutes of education and fun tasting the wines of Bodegas La Purisima with Managing Director of Marquee Selections, Christopher Cribb and Bonnie Rabicoff - Host & Food Expert of In the Kitchen With Bonnie!



In our third episode of In the Cellar, we move to the dry windswept plateau of Yecla in southern Spain where in 1946 a large group of local grape growers banded together to form Bodegas La Purisima to show the best wines of their region of Yecla, We will explore two indigenous grapes to Spain, the first is Macabeo (also called Viura) in other parts of Spain, a light white wine with a profile similar to a Pinot Grigio as we taste the Capa Rota 2010 Macabeo. This fresh, floral white is a great pair with the spicy elements of Spanish cuisine as well as a lovely match with many seafood dishes.

The second grape we will dive into is Monastrell, also called Mourvedre or Mataro in other countries. This rich, hearty red has a lovely long pallet, dark blueberry and blackberry fruit that is layered over leather, spices and a dusty, earthy note. We open up the 2006 "Trapio" Old Vine Monastrell from un-grafted 50+ year old vines that is the TOP Cuvee for Bodegas La Purisima, a real treat and lovely wine for your next grilled steak or pork chop (awarded in the prestigious Top 50 - Penin Guide to Spanish Wine)!



Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program "In The Kitchen with Bonnie" to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!


Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week as we move around the map and explore new wines!

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
cjcribb@marquee.com

In the Cellar - Learning the Wines of Portugal!

Portugal is now creating some of the world's best values for table wine, take 10 minutes and learn about Portuguese wines with Managing Director of Marquee Selections, Christopher Cribb and Bonnie Rabicoff - Host & Food Expert of In the Kitchen With Bonnie!

In our second episode we bring you a brief introduction on Marquee and dive into two wines from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically Portugal! Learn about the award winning Clemen Reserva Vinho Verde - a white table wine from the North of Portugal that is 2010 was featured as one of Wine & Spirits Magazine's Top 100 Wines (regardless of price... and it is only $12.99) as well as a red blend, the Lua Nova Em Vinhas Velhas (Old Vines) from the Douro region, an outstanding value at only $14.99.



Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program " In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (http://inthekitchenwithbonnie.com) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!

Please enjoy this web-episode of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week as we move around the map and explore new wines!

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
cjcribb@marquee.com

In the Cellar - Visit to Northern Italy - Piedmonte

Marquee Selections has partnered up with the award-winning chef focused program " In The Kitchen with Bonnie" (www.inthekitchenwithbonnie.com) to produce an exciting new wine segment entitled "In the Cellar" with Marquee Selections . During each episode we will unravel the wine world one grape at a time! Each week we invite you to join us for an engaging conversation for our food and wine lovers to see why wine has been a worldwide tradition for centuries and how learning more about it can help bring the stories and flavors to life. Learn more about exciting regions, new wine types, varietals, how to pair wines with food, decanting, proper serving temperature, what wine goes best with pizza and more! A great 10 minute break from your day to learn and "wet" your taste buds for more"!

JCCCF2F Cellar from In the Kitchen with Bonnie on Vimeo.

In our initial episode we bring you a brief introduction on Marquee and dive into two wines from Piedmont, Italy the Quattro Leoni Monferrato Bianco and the Quattro Leoni Barbera D'Asti by Castello Di Gabiano! These wines are both perfect for back to school and the fresh harvest bounty available at markets as farmers start tidying up for fall. Castello Di Gabiano last year was awarded the prestigious "Best Barbera" medal at VinItaly and focus its red wines on this signature grape as well as doing an elegant blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Cortese for our white wine drinkers! Please enjoy this web-episoded of In the Cellar with Marquee and additional details are available below for more information on Marquee Selections! I am a bit new to the HD Camera, so please bear with me as I get my sea legs as an action reporter ( with today's technology you can find the grey hairs if you look) :) and thank you so much for tuning in and supporting Marquee Selections!

Check back next week as we move around the map and explore new wines!

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
cjcribb@marquee.com

Five “Go To” Methods of Food & Wine Pairing that just DON’T MISS!

When I talk with an event planner, chef, or even my family about pairing up food and wines for whatever the special occasion, I first start by asking good questions…

• Is it a daytime event or an evening event?
• Are you going to have a cocktail hour or might there be a silent auction that you want people to look at?
• What is your theme for the night, casino; masquerade ball, Italian castle, a night in Paris?
• Will you be inside or outside (and accordingly what is the temperature / season of year)?
• How many courses are you serving and what type of staff and what do you want to be the focal point of the dinner, the food, the wine, both?
• What is the main course?

Answers to questions like these will help you move forward and narrow down your overall search. Simple knowledge of having a Saturday afternoon grilling party (something similar to a 4th of July event) will sway you towards serving more light alcohol, less tannic wines at the event. At this point, I tend to rule out things more than make choices, for example – I would pass on the Cabernet Sauvignon for my grilling party, most are heavy, higher in alcohol, with oak and tannin and look towards lighter reds like a Pinot Noir, Rioja, Grenache, Barbera or Red Blend.

Back to the Meat & Potatoes – FIVE “Go To” Food & Wine Pairing Tips

• ONE - MATCH THE WEIGHT – One of the best tactics and the central approach I take to pairing wine with food is to pair and serve lighter wines with more delicate foods and heavier wines with richer, more robust items. This simple approach ensures that neither the food, nor the wine overtakes the other and allows the diner to appreciate the nuances and flavors in everything. A big fan of examples, think about Sea Scallops and Beef Brisket; one is light, one is heavy. I would pair a simple grilled Sea Scallop with a lighter wine such as the Blue Fin Vinho Verde from Northern Portugal. The lime and stone fruit flavors, high acidity & 11% alcohol pair well with a delicate dish. For the Beef Brisket, I would first hope that the grill master used my favorite KC BBQ Sauce in cooking it, Gates Original in slow cooking the beef, and then move to a robust red wine to pair with it, the Caligiore Organic Reserve Syrah would be a nice choice, the spicy notes in the BBQ would bring out more of the white pepper, clove notes in the wine.

Takeaway – Delicate Food = Light Wine; Hearty/Rich Food = Big Robust Wine

• TWO - LET THE SAUCE SPEAK LOUDLY – The accoutrement sauce to your dish can significantly change the food’s compatibility with wine. A lighter fish like poached sole loves a delicate white wine like a Pinot Grigio but this same fish swimming in a rich, creamy butter sauce or pan fried with a thick batter would become a great candidate for a heavier white wine as in a rich Chardonnay. In many cases I look first at what the sauce is and then find a nice wine to match up to it. One example of this I find is very effective, think Chicken Breast and plan your wine pairing by the sauce. If done in a light lemon sauce with capers this to me screams for medium bodied wines with citrus fruit but a bit of depth, the Castello Di Gabiano Quattro Leoni Monferrato Bianco would be a great choice (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Coretes Blend). The 2nd chicken breast has been used with a rich cream alfredo sauce to transform a plate of pasta into a hearty meal. I would stick with Californian or New World Chardonnay for this wine pairing, the Marquee Classic Chardonnay a great choice. If you are at home, try using just a bit of your wine in the sauce, most of the alcohol will burn off in the pan and it is another trick to tying your dinner together with flavor!

Takeaway – The Sauce is king, match the flavor and wine to the sauce 1st, the protein – main portion second!

• THREE - LET OPPOSITES ATTRACT – Think nuts in chocolate or peanut butter and jelly, a great way to find a lovely wine and food pairing is for a flavor or textural contrast to transport a meal to new heights! Contrasts in acidity of a crisp white wine with the grease of fried foods or with the smooth creaminess of soft cheeses are interesting direct pairing. One chef I know makes a delicious pan Fried Chicken that the restaurant has been known to pair up with different types of Sparkling Wine! The acid and fizz in the bubbles help to cut through the grease and cleanse the palate. Likewise, I have had other success with the Grazioso Organic Torrontes from Mendoza Argentina with Tempura fried vegetables; the contrast makes the pairing work. The time honored food and wine pairing of this type I must mention is a late harvest honeyed “dessert wine” such as Sauternes with a salty richness of foie gras or Roquefort cheese!

Takeaway - There are reasons why different sides of a color wheel look good together, this same principal applies with food and wine, just think what you want to Contrast against!

• FOUR - SPICY FOOD CAN BE TAMED – The key to taming the heat in some spicy foods is to balance that heat with the sweetness found in “Off Dry Wines”. In particular I have found that there is nothing better than a slightly sweet Riesling or Gewurztraminer to tackle mildly hot Asian food. One fondness I have in particular is for Kung Pao Chicken, and the Marquee Classic Riesling from Victoria, Australia is the perfect wine to quench the heat. With a touch of sugar, it pairs well and the acidity allows you to taste more exciting flavors in the Asian fare. If you want to see something that doesn’t work, next time you see somebody with Cajun shrimp, hand them a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, the hot spices make the dry wine seem harsh and metallic and unfortunately the food spicy factor also goes up in the food!

Takeaway – An off dry, low alcohol, white wine like Riesling is the choice for Spicy Ethnic food.

• FIVE - PEPPER & SEA SALT PACK A GREAT PUNCH – Despite it being a very pungent spice, pepper is far more wine friendly than people give it credit for. A small sprinkling of freshly ground pepper on food will sensitize your taste buds and make many wines taste more vivid and flavorful. As restaurants and home kitchens have access to greater varieties of course salts, such as traditional sea salt, these can also assist in bringing the natural flavor out of your dishes and enhancing the notes you find when pairing with wines.

Takeaway - One or two cracks of the Pepper Shaker or Ground Salts will enhance your meal!

Have a great day!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW
Managing Director & GM
Marquee Selections - Green, Global, Grapes
1.888.MARQUEE (627.7833)
www.marquee.com

Just A Brief Break from Wine - Baby Cribb Has Arrived

Ready to change my world and warm my soul from Day 1 until eternity, our baby, Elizabeth Lynn Cribb has just arrived and wanted to say hello!

Have a great day!

The Cribb's

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Five Wines to "Class Up" the Movies for the VIP Theater Treatment

Last Friday night I went with friends and family to not just our local theater to see a movie, but instead for the VIP movie theater, a great experience! With the change in habits since our 2009 Recession, people are doing things differently and that now includes movie theaters! We had quite a blast at the theater and Watched Hangover 2, which in my opinion was just about as funny and distasteful as the original. The whole crew got it right in a remake on this, use what works (the great lines and character roles) and MAKE US LAUGH (yes, the story was basically the same, but I did laugh out loud several times).

Today’s digression to the movie theater brings us to the new trend in movie theaters, providing great food with more of an “Applebee’s” feel / menu than the standard fare that I had growing up as a kid (hot dogs, popcorn, candy and carbonated beverages “soda” or “pop” depending upon where you were raised. I am all for the idea of making going to the movies a big thing, and I think in doing so you need to make the food and beverages equal to the task. I would be happy to have my chef/foodie friends plug in some entrée’s, but I will stick to the wines and here are five versatile wines to bring to the movie theaters as we “Class up the Theater”. I choose all wines here that can be sold both BTG (by-the-glass) and BTB (by-the bottle) and range in price from $10.00 to $25.00 Retail. Theater price points will range, but there is hope that theaters will not go quite as far as a few restaurant cousins in the wine mark-up area. I have estimated below a BTG price for these wines based on current market trends and what I would happily pay.

First on the list must be a GOOD, Solid New World Chardonnay. In terms of white wine there are varietals making headway, but Chardonnay is the king and your list will need a good one. Now that the global wine world has arrived we have more options and pairing a white wine with just a hint of oak, and malolactic fermentation will do wonders for that person that is also grabbing a few bites of buttery movie theater popcorn! I would tend to go “New World” so that they are fresh and fruity (who’s kidding, they also cost less than stuff competing with the Euro).

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  Marquee Classic Chardonnay – 2008 Vintage – Victoria, Australia – Perfect Aussie complement of cool climate and a touch of oak, WS -88 Points - $7.00 Glass
  


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  Sebastiani California Chardonnay 2009 Vintage – Sonoma Coast - A larger producer that keeps the lid on quality for price - $9.00 Glass

Second on the list it is time to go lighter and stay with the white wines, choose an Alternative White Wine Blend – I personally love Spain or Portugal white wines, or could have my arm twisted for Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, South Africa or California depending on mood, so I submit this is a great wine to let it change with the seasons! Start off with summer, right now it’s hot so I am concentrating on lower alcohol levels and something that is refreshing to take the bight out of the spicy or fried foods coming my way, at the movies. Come winter I might think of something a little heavier with more body (Pinot Gris for example), but on the light side for summer I have two great selections:

• Blue Fin Vinho Verde – 2009 Portugal – Light blend of Alvarinho & Trajadura (yes, Alvarinho like the Spanish grape, Albarino – same varietal different countries) with a hint of fizz and only 11% alcohol (you can have two glasses at the movie and not need to take a cab home) – $6.50 Glass
  


• Nobilio Sauvignon Blanc – Marlborough New Zealand – 2009 Grassy and zesty, but not so much acid that you feel like you are having alcoholic limeade. A lovely bit of citrus, a nice choice if your movies have a summer salad or are experimenting with Sushi! - $9.00 Glass
  

Third the ease of finger foods in the new movie theater will keep us more limited in terms of offers, but another “go to, must have” wine on this list is a Great Red Wine for Pizza! Small slices, little flatbreads, and even the large appetizer brochette is lovely when made well with perfect ingredients. Let’s hope the staff can move those TV trays around to accommodate our new space, & pizza offerings. The other good news about a lovely Pizza wine is that it can also be a great cheese sticks, pretzels with mustard and meatball wine (if you make the right choice). I look for a lighter bodied wine with lots of red fruit, a hint of spice and smooth, mouth coating tannins when looking to pair with my pizza pie. Two great choices:

• Staccato Malbec / Cabernet Blend - 2010 Vintage – Mendoza, Argentina - Cabernet grown at higher altitudes gives lighter bodied red flavors and the Old Vine Malbec smoothes out the palate and coats any places burned form melting cheese - 100% Organic and $6.00 Glass




• Castle Rock Pinot Noir – Carneros - 2009 Vintage – California A fruit driven pinot that has lots of raspberry and some smoky tones that make you think of a big stone pizza oven. Seek out Castle Rock, the quality to price ratio is high - $9.00 Glass

Fourth in our top five is a big red winethat may have been made for food, but it stands out when enjoyed by itself! What we are looking for here is to find a wine that do change with food, gets better with a few swirls of the glass, allows for more taste, tertiary aromas start coming out and this wine is at its best when on center stage, in a big red glass. I call this selection the BIG BAD Velvety Red Wine and when narrowing down this category I thought of wines with bold dark fruit flavors, wines that can start to turn your teeth a bit purple like, Caberent Sauvignon, Petit Sirah, Monastrell, Malbec, or Zinfandel and two of my favorites might cost a bit more, but if you are only going to have one glass, lets’ make it one “big bad” glass of wine to savor & sip!

• Charles Smith – “Chateau Smith” Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – 2008 Vintage Rock star Winemaker Charles Smith of K Vintners has done an outstanding job with this sweet Cabernet from Washington State. Big, bold and best of all SUPER SMOOTH! - $12.50 Glass
  



• Trapio – Bodegas La Purisima - 2006 Vintage Old Vine Monastrell – Yecla Spain Like a bold crimson fist wrapped in a smooth glove, un-grafted 80 year old vines and time in small new French make this a real bargain, one of the top 50 Wines in Spain! - $14.00 Glass

Fifth - Bubbles, Sparkles, Fizz, or Champagne… nothing says it’s time to celebrate quite like a glass of sparkling wine and why should the movies be any different! I highly suggest a reasonably priced bubbly needs to be on the wine list and it will pair wonderfully with almost all of the food! All grown up and still wanting a bit of that fizz from the soda fountain, try it in your vino for fun and class! Sparkling wines are a real success with a light cheese / fruit plate (which also gives someone an option besides fried items on the movie menu)! Two of my favorites for value & quality are:

• Segura Viduras – Brut Reserve - Cava – Spain Non-Vintage Light, medium dry, / brut style with lots of green apple flavor, this is a very refreshing and reasonably priced sparkling! - $900 Glass
  



• Greut Brut Rose Non Vintage Sparkling Wine – New Mexico – A lighter style rose from New Mexico. I love the bit of watermelon notes, and yes I said New Mexico, these guys are doing a great job – try a taste & you will want a second. - $12.00 Glass

Our movie going experience is changing, we now have 3D, IMAX, luxury all around and it is time for our movie theaters to step up to the plate and class up our beverage and wine choices to match! I recently watched the movie Annie (a blast from the 80s past) for the first time in years and noticed when Daddie Warbucks took Annie to the movies it was a BIG DEAL! He bought out the entire theater, but in the 30s the cinema was really the golden screen and watching Mr. Warbucks at his picture show, I just kept thinking to myself that the only thing he was missing was a nice big glass of vino! One aside, watching Annie as an adult, the humor was really very funny and I think Carol Brunette deserved an award (if she didn’t get one).

Cheers!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW - GM/ Managing Director
Marquee Selections - Green, Global, Grapes
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Marquee Selections Blog - Notes From The Cribb

Using Beer and Beer Styles as a Guide to Wine – Part I – White Wines

Over the past weekend I was out with some good friends that are more into beers than wines, but truly enjoy the best of both. We were discussing a few wines that were on an Italian Wine List and I had just ordered a glass of Barbera D’Asti. Asked, “What is that wine like?” I thought about the style of the wine, the medium body and flavors and quipped, “Well if it was a beer I would think of it sort of like a Brown Ale, not the really nutty kind, but very smooth, easy drinking, but one I probably wouldn’t have more than a couple of before switching to something a little lighter or to have with food.”

The more we discussed the concept I decided to write this piece for all of my beer loving friends that get handed a wine list and could use a little “Cliff Notes” version of Wine 101 to help them to choose a wine that their palate will like. I do have to make a small caveat before I dig deep into this subject, just like with beer, every wine is different and finding producers / importers you can trust will make choosing wines that you like much easier. There is a ton of wine out there and 80% of it is average – some good , some not so good… choosing the 20% that is above average is a talent that can be learned, the first lesson is to choose a wine that is in the style that you are looking for you will be more apt to be happy with the results. Here we go…

The Light Stuff

Bud Light is to Beer as Pinot Grigio is to Wine… Sometimes what you are looking for is light, easy drinking and simple. The alcohol content is usually a bit lighter in this wine and some may find it “a bit watered down”. There is nothing wrong with Bud Light or Light beer in general, but we had to start somewhere and this is it. Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are they same grape type / varietal, but most Pinot Grigio is from Italy and is typically “unoaked” (a term for not having a buttery or toasty flavor) and has tropical fruit flavors. If you are a Coors Light fan or have another light beer you like that has more flavor, you might try an Oregon Pinot Gris that is grown in a cooler climate to show a more robust taste profile. A stalwart for many wine lists is the Santa Margeherita Pinot Grigio and for an Oregon Pinot Gris I like the King Estate wines that are also widely found. Check out a picture of the Pinot Gris grapes up close and you will be surprised to find that the grapes are not “Green” or “White” but rather a light copper colored in most cases and the reason that the finished wine is white is because it doesn’t have the long skin contact that other wines have…

Pilsner – Pale Lagers = Similar to Chardonnay (Chenin Blanc) – OK, so this is the softball because this is one of the largest categories for both beer and for wine and it also is allowing for the most wide ranging flavor profiles in each. Chardonnay is the white wine equivalent of the middle of the road, it can go fruity, or have a lot of oak, it can be very round in the mouth with unctuousness and oily tones or it can be light and crisp… just as you can go with many different styles of Pilsner. I grabbed a couple notables on each to highlight this area, one Italian Pilsner I like is Peroni, it doesn’t have a ton of flavor, is slightly bitter, but is still rather refreshing. I liken this to an Australian Chardonnay, fairly fruity goes well with a lot of different foods and two I like under $15.00 a bottle are the Marquee Classic Chardonnay and to a lesser extent the Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay.

To peel this onion back a layer deeper, I think another great Pilsner I like, Pilsner Urquell from The Czech Republic is a good example of comparison with a good California Chardonnay. In years past I would have used the Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay as my example for this, but I contend this has gone downhill quite a bit, I actually think a better comparison these days would be the La Crema Chardonnay It is made in rather large quantities, but it has good flavors and shows a balance between fruit and oak.

For Chenin Blanc and very “oaky” chardonnay, I think this wine is the highly similar to a beer that I first found in the Pennsylvania area, but later have been also enjoying across Florida, Yuengling. The lager flavor is there and to accompany it is a very rich mouth feel that you get with wines like Chenin Blanc. A recommendation would be to try some Chenin Blanc from Vouvray in the South of France to taste this style. I mentioned Bud Light earlier, but think that another good comparison here exists in the country’s largest production beer, Budweiser and one if its highest production wines, the Kendall Jackson Chardonnay. Both can be good and in the relatively large quantities they are made, but when giving a gift of wine to a friend, think of the bottle of Kendall Jackson Chardonnay in the same light as handing off a six pack of Bud… it doesn’t scream awesome gift!

Wheat Beers or Hefeweizen– Similar to Sauvignon Blanc – Kansas City has a great local brewery, Boulevard that makes a very tasty wheat beer, that I would highly recommend anyone check out. In some cases, wheat beers come with a lemon or orange on the glass to give the beer a bit more spritz of juice and complement the beers flavor. The reason that I compare wheat beers to Sav. Blanc (and to a lesser extent some Portuguese White Wines like Vinho Verde) because they have a more pronounced acid content and flavor profile. The same pucker that you get when you suck on a lemon is what some Sav. Blanc from places like New Zealand can lend you to (often thought of as gooseberry and grapefruit juice). The wheat beer has a lighter body, just like these white wines and concentrates the flavors on crisp, refreshing tones, even creating a mouth watering sensation. I would recommend picking up a glass of the Peju Sauvignon Blanc if you like the Boulevard Wheat Style (one of my wife’s favorites) or trying the Quattro Leoni Sav. Blanc blend as a good comparison if you like wheat beers like the Blue Moon that are often served with an orange on the glass.

Belgian Style Ales – (Viognier, Marsanne/Rousanne & Torrontes) – The main string that I see tying these two disparate entities together is “florality”, or a floral note that is highly predominant in the nose or bouquet of the wines (and to a lesser extent in the Belgian Styled beers). The site, ratebeer.com calls this category Belgian Session as opposed to the specific wheat beer style this category has more of a “Sour Ale” style. The wines that I see as a good comparison to these are known for a great smelling wine, almost perfumed in nature and have a bit of a sharp, acid based profile. Off the top of my head I can’t name my favorite Belgian Session beer, but a couple great Torrontes (A white grape that hails from Argentina) are the Bodega Colome from the North and the Grazioso Organic Wine from Caligiore Organic Wines in the Mendoza Region.

Viognier, Marsanne & Roussanne are white wine grapes that you can find in several places in the world, but I have found some of my favorites in the Rhone Valley in France and the Central Coast of the California, USA. Viognier by itself has been popping up in new regions and I have been particularly impressed with some from Virginia including Jefferson Vineyards, Barboursville Vineyards, and The Winery at La Grange.

A fun exercise, I think to do this write-up justice this post will need to be released in two parts…
Part I – The White Wines and Part II – The Red Wines.

Thank You!

Christopher J. Cribb, CSW

GM / Managing Director

Marquee Selections – Green, Global, Grapes