Pairing wine and TV dinners? Not for me
As I sit here typing, I am still chuckling over a recent article. It was titled TV Dinner and Wine Pairing Guide. The writer, Ben Carter, went on to extol the virtues of enjoying good wine with mundane fare. I’m sorry, folks, call me a snob, but I would only resort to a TV dinner if the sole other choice were a rutabaga, liver and lima bean goulash. You can find the article with due diligence. I hope the writer was tongue in cheek. An example was recommending Amy’s Cheese Enchilada and following that up with, “Recent years have shown an increased interest in organic and healthy dining options, and that has been reflected in the freezer case as well. Amy's produces a line of organic and vegetarian frozen foods, including a quite decent Indian lineup.” Indian, organic, enchiladas and fine wine all in one paragraph is a reach for me. “Chacun a son gout.” There were five wine recommendations, four of which I had sampled. Bonterra Chardonnay 2012 was in the organic column last spring. Bonterra Chardonnay consistently garners high 80s ratings, and I think the critics are stingy due to its low pricing. When it appears in a price range tasting (under $19 usually) it normally wins gold and silver.
Initially, Bonterra was a division of Fetzer and known as Lake County wines from Mendocino. Remember those old Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino wine ads from the ‘60s and ‘70s? They produce a full range from red through rosé to whites. I would like to recommend that in addition to sampling the Chardonnay, you look for the 2013 Viognier. Pink-tinged, crisp green apple with ripe pear, golden cherry and white peach flavors on a crisp frame. The fruit balances acidity; 89 points, under $14. The 2012 is also quite enjoyable . Also under $14, 88 points, it is acid bright with fresh apricot flavor and finishes with a palate-cleansing lemon-lime aftertaste.
If you buy French Burgundy, be very careful. The 2013s are worse than the 2012s in most cases. Many producers added sugar for fermentation. Capitalization is the process of adding sugar to unfermented grape must in order to increase the alcohol content, after some fermentation. The weather was deplorable all through the growing season, cold, wet and nasty. Grapes hate that. Acidity was way up (unripe) and tannins are much reduced in the whites. The color on the reds is dark, which should be a harbinger of high tannins. However, in 2013, tannins are low. The color comes from small berry size, resulting in more berries needed, therefore more skin and seed per tonne, rather than appropriate maturity. I am typing here with a large font. As is usually the case, some of the best vintners will produce fine products. Those who enjoy reds with high acidity will find some wines they enjoy. Those who enjoy whites would be better served to look to Alsace or Sauternes in 2013.
Ravenswood Teldeschi Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2011 is terrific. In fact the Teldeschi is wonderful in most vintages. If you enjoy old vine Zins, start buying. It was on sale for $22 with a purchase of 12 or more and a coupon, available online, plus free shipping. Joel Petersen is the Zin master, Tanzer rated it 93 and Cali wine guide 94. Price rose to $32. At $22 it is a steal. Dark color says it will cellar. Complex bouquet of cassis, blackberry, mixed spice, mineral and cedar led to dark fruit, chewy but smooth tannins. Elevated acidity prevents those austere dark qualities some find offensive in Zin. The long finish shows the lovely spicy quality Zin aficionados enjoy so much. Will cellar through 2021 or longer.
Chateaux le Grand Moulin Grand Reserve Meritage 2010 Bordeaux from Cote de Blaye, 91 points recently on sale under $13 won gold at both Concours Mondiale and General Agricole. It’s 70 percent Merlot, 25 percent Cab Franc and 5 percent Cab Sauv, approachable now but will cellar well. A rustic red wine with tart black fruit, smoke, cedar and herbal aromas. Nicely balanced with a long, pleasing finish. It has won gold in two previous vintages as well. The blend changes to reflect the terroir. I really enjoyed the 2008 and wrote of it here two years ago.
