organicspamagazine.com

NOV/DEC ARTICLE IN ORGANIC SPA MAGAZINE
click image to enlarge

WINE REFINED
Natural and organic options for the holidays and beyond.
(please note: Coturri wine and Vintae Luxury wine stories were combined by mistake! this was corrected in a future post.)

toast with RED!

A nice gem to bring to red wine afficianados is the Australian 2005 Castagna Sparkling Genesis. This Shiraz offers a not-too-sweet, balanced, and sophisticated taste to the sparkling red category. Happy toasting!

tips from the top

The Bryant Family Vineyard, known for their extraordinary wines by collectors, has gathered top chefs from around the country to create dinner recipes with matching wines suggestions (by the grape) in their new cookbook, The Bryant Family Vineyard Cookbook. See what Thomas Keller or Eric Ripert have to recommend for your next dinner party.

the nose knows

This beautifully boxed kit is designed to hone your olfactory awareness and develop the right vocabulary when describing wine. Nez du Vin contains tiny vials of the essences of fruits and flowers, and some odd items, like cut hay, roasted almonds, and leather. To reinforce learning, it’s best to test your knowledge with wine itself, remember, practice makes perfect! The 54 kit is a little on the pricey side, but might be a good excuse to form a wine group, so everyone can pitch in.

define wine

Become a wine expert in nine weeks with Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. Kevin Zraly has updated his best-selling book for its 25th anniversary edition. A fantastic gift for someone who is ready to learn about wine, and great reference book for the wine fanatic. Its straightforward manner is immediately engaging, as are the lists of fascinating facts throughout.

double duty: wine bottle carrier

Stylishly transport a bottle of wine, and keep it cold, in this sophisticated felt carrier from Gräf & Lantz. Quiver is made of luxurious merino wool felt with vegetable-tanned leather adjustable belts. Other styles feature red, olive, and black felt, or you can go with the duo, which holds 2 bottles (for those who like to plan ahead).

'tis the season for SHERRY

At a recent Sherry and Tapas Tasting, I was reminded of how much I enjoy sherry. North Square’s sommelier, Raoul Segarra, shared his knowledge of this unique wine, with each of the six pairings emphasizing unique notes of every variety, whether a Fino, Amontillado, or Oloroso. Photo shows the sherries in order, which, of course, got sweeter and heavier as we progressed. I encourage you to head right over to the Washington Square Hotel and warm up with a glass yourself in their cozy surrounds. See more photos and details on the pairings here.

inventive natural wines from Spain

A few months ago I went to a Spanish wine and food show and discovered a winemaker inspired by American techniques and attitudes with an extremely creative collection. Vintae Luxury Wine Specialists produces Matsu, which means “wait” in Japanese. The 2006 label is a dedication to the people who have devoted their lives to the land (photo, center, on the right is a trio of older labels). I thought these designs were as innovative as the wine. Also noteworthy is Castillo de Maetierra, an elite line of white wines from the Valles de Sadacia, usually known for Rioja. This region of Spain boasts low rainfall and humidity levels, thus imparting the most sunshine for the re-established Muscat à petits grains grapevines. When combined with Viura and Malvasia varieties, Libalis, part of the collection, thrills you with its fruity and well-balanced taste. On the left is Ribera de Queiles’s “6” —a blend of Temperanillo and Merlot, this wine is intensely dark, full-bodied, excellent. Save these wines for a special occasion, but don’t wait too long!

Techno-Vino

At the newly opened SD26, there is a futuristic trend. They have ditched the traditional wine list and replaced it with a touch-screen device. It’s not only fun to play with to learn about the wines, it also works in real time, so that if a wine sells out, it will not appear on the list. This frees up a lot of time for the sommeliers, who can focus on discovering new wines instead of keeping track of inventory. I like the fact that the labels are displayed—like a face, I never forget a label but often forget the name. It’s great to see a paperless solution! They didn’t stop there. At the entry to the restaurant is a slick-looking wine bar, where you can sip some interesting by-the-glass choices as you gaze out onto picturesque Madison Square Park. The diplay which houses the wine, also prevents the wines from oxidizing, resulting in just-opened taste every time. I predict this will become a popular spot for wine enthusiasts and novices alike. See more photos from my visit here.

Scandinavian BEAUTIES

I am usually attracted to anything round or dotted, something about circles excites me. So naturally, when I saw these carafes, I immediately wanted to know more. Design House Stockholm offers these blown-glass pieces which can be used as a pitcher with stopper, a wine decanter, or a vase. When the stopper is not in use, it can still act as part of the design, only securely stationed underneath. The stopper actually has one flat surface, so that it will not roll. See the website for more designer tabletop items—there are a few more things on there that would come in handy, like the lacquered Gourmet Tray, which rotates, or the Bono Bowls, whose stark white look is accented with thin black lines.

stomp your way to the top

Be sure to tune into a new reality show on PBS. Yes, even PBS cannot resist the temptations of pushing participants to their limits. This show will feature 12 contestants, who all share a passion for wine and winemaking, and compete to win the chance to create their very own wine label. Check out the website for details. Season One begins in September 2009. You just missed casting for Season Two, so you have time to hone your skills and knowledge and go for a spot on Season Three. See more photos from the launch party at Rayuela here.

gifts / WINE FOR THE DESIGN LOVER

With the myriad of great wine choices out there, for gifting I like to limit my selections to the ones with stark, graphic labels. These two natural wines from Spain stood out at a recent wine tasting. Made of Tinot Fino grapes, they were exceptionally full-bodied, glass-staining dark, and intensely delicious. The Wines of Telmo Rodriguez, Ribera del Duero, are in the process of getting organic certification. Matallana 2005 is aged in French oak for 15-18 months, the MB 2005 for 14 months. The labels were designed by Spanish graphic designer Fernando Gutiérrez, known for Benetton’s Colors magazine. Don’t waste your time trying to choose between the two, bring both.

Hip Hostess NYC: NOW on Facebook

The Hip Hostess has a travel photo log on Facebook. See HipHostess Nyc for the full picture.

Lever House WINE CLUB / bordeaux

BASICS Bordeaux is made up mostly of large vineyards that grow and produce the wines. The label Mis en Bouteille au Château means “bottled at the chateau.” These glamorous reds are extremely refined and age gracefully. Bordeaux is governed by a set of regulations known as Appellation Contrôlée (AC). Almost all red Bordeaux is blended. Red wine grape varieties are: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. White varieties are: Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. 2005 seems to be the year everyone talks about as the best. Ranks: Cru Bourgeois, then Cru Bourgeois Superieur, then Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.
PICKS I described this as “easy” and “perfect” the 2005 Chateau Lascombes Margaux ($80). A tie for second place: 2004 Les Fiefs de Lagrange Saint Julien, which was still a little young, ready next year, and 2003 medoc Chateau Looudenne Cru Bourgeois Superieur ($19). Others worth mentioning: 2004 Chateau Cantemerle Haut Medoc ($55), priced right and is a classic example; Chateau Haut-Beausejour, Sainte-Estephe Cru Bourgeois ($22), smack finish, from more limestone in soil; Chateau de Pez, Sainte-Estephe Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel ($28), very earthy, like a wet forest; 2002 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou Saint Julien, full bodied, a masculine wine to drink while relaxing or before going to bed. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / australia

BASICS Australia grows a huge assortment of grapes. A lot of their vineyards must irrigate because of low rainfall, however terroirs are starting to be mapped out in certain areas. Adelaide Hills is a cool climate area that is getting a lot of attention now. South of Adelaide is Clarendon Hills, old-school producers with 10 vineyards: Brookman, Hickinbotham, Sandown, Blewitt Springs, Clarendon, Liandra, Piggott Range, Romas, Astralis and Kangarilla.
PICKS Loved Giaconda, a 2006 chardonnay by Natua Vineyard, from Victoria, the best by far. A decent, good drinking everyday white was Jim Barry Silly Mid On, from Adelaide Hills, also a 2006. We tried 5 wines by Clarendon Hills, which were all good: two grenaches were my favorites, a 2004 Blewitt Springs, and a 2003 Hickinbotham; a syrah 2004 Moritz, very full and fruity, great to drink on its own; a merlot 2004 Brookman had a nice bite to the finish, and a great cabernet sauvignon called Sandown, 2004. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / spain

BASICS Spain’s famous grape is called Temperanillo, which creates a wine of low acidity and less of an alcoholic content, and is used to make riojas. The term Crianza is applied to a rioja when it has spent one year in a cask, and is at least three years old. The grape is usually blended with other reds, such as Garnacha Tinta, Graciano, and Mazuelo. White varieties: Godello, Albariño, Treixadura, Verdejo, Malvasía.
PICKS The two whites that impressed me were the 2006 Viña Godeval, from the Valdeorras region, made from the godello grape, which was heavy with a sweet touch of honey, and the 2006 Naia from Rueda, which was nice and crisp, acidic on the tounge, with a hint of almonds and a great smell. It was my first choice for the whites, made from the verdejo grape, which is considered to be the finest for white. Of the reds, the 2006 Valtosca, Syrah from Jumilla made the cut, which tasted like the most appealing cough syrup you could ever have—and I mean that in the most complimentary way—so soothing and sweet. It’s soil is high in minerals. The 2005 Alto Moncayo Veraton made with 100% grenache from Campo de Borja is grown in the high mountains on super old vines—my tasting notes only say “yum”—plus I really love the label, which is a mosaic of all the colors of the soil. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / champagne

PICKS I must say this was my favorite of all the tastings, and they were all grand. From Pommery, the driest and peachiest of the lot, we had the Reims Brut Royal, the 1998 Brut Grand Cru, and the Reims Brut Rose. Krug MV was slightly heavier on the tounge and had hints of walnuts and smooth bubbles. Ruinart Rose had a superb taste, but was a little flat to me. My absolute favorites were all from Louis Roederer, the Reims Brut Premier was quite bubbly, the Blanc de Blanc was smoother, with finer bubbles, and the 2002 Reims Brut Vintage Rose was tops—due to its excessive evaporation, it literally danced in your mouth! Almost like drinking air. Check out their beautiful website to see how they grow the grapes. Very educational! See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / burgundy

BASICS The region produces Pinot Noir for red wine and Chardonnay for white. Burgundy is composed of small-scale growers. Négociants, who do not own a vineyard, but have stakes in rows of grapes, finish and bottle the wines. Terroir refers to the soil, the climate, and the angle to the sun, which gives specific characteristics to the wine and is how the wine is classified. Grand Cru is considered the best and must age for 5 to 7 years. Premier Cru is second and must age for 3 to 5 years. Villages must age for 2 to 4 years, and is sometimes blended.
PICKS Of the whites, I really liked the 2006 Puligny-Montrachet, Jean Marc Boillot, a nice winter white, with a vanilla, perfumey smell. Out of the reds, the 2005 Gevrey-Chambertin Emile Geantet was smooth, with a “dirty” smell—this would be great decanted along with a steak. Everyone in the group was raving about the Domaine Chanson Beaune Greves, which comes from a single vineyard. See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / napa cabernets

PICKS What can I say? I lost my notes from this tasting, but have photos of my favorites. I remember vividly, how I was in reverie over the 2004 Reverie; Honig, a vineyard that developed sustainable practices for the area, like using solar power, reducing water usage, and composting the skins, got my vote for their 2004 from Bartolucci Vineyard; and the 2004 Opus One came in as my third choice. Arnaud’s vote was for V Madrone, made by Christopher Tilley. With super cherry and plum notes, it concentrates on terroir from Napa floor and shows great potential for aging! See more Lever House Wine Club in the OUT AND ABOUT section.

Lever House WINE CLUB / learning the easy way

I didn’t know much about wine, except that I truly enjoy drinking it. So, this past winter, that lack of knowledge prompted me to join the Lever House Wine Club, conceived and hosted by sommelier Arnaud Devulder. The 15-week experience turned out to be divine, housed in the ultra-cool back room at Lever House. Each week, a different group of learned and sophisticated guests would savor Arnaud’s cavalier, yet informative, presentations into the many worlds of wine. Arnaud had a knack for mixing expensive wines with surprising picks for everyday enjoyment, under $20. Tasting was done in an ascending sequence, leading to a crescendo, which allowed your brain to grasp the basic flavors, yet focus on the subtle differences. Arnaud has intimate knowledge of his subject, having lived at various vineyards, and can speak about it on any level—be it about the sensual qualities or knowing the specifics on terroir, winemaking practices, and prices. See my recaps of each session for some basic facts about the various regions and my favorites of each tasting. I can’t wait for the next session! Check out arnaud.com for information on the next phase of the club.