Fork and Gobble It: The Honeymoon Hasn't Even Begun

I'm a late bloomer. I found my career late, my spouse late, now I'm taking my honeymoon late. But just like career and spouse, I'm doing this right. This isn't going to be one of those pre-designed resort getaways to a Caribbean island version of an adult Disneyland. No way Jose, we're going back to the Motherland, back to Italy. Specifically, we're off to Tuscany.

I met Jens Schmidt in 2004 at his Villa in a little town called Colle Val d'Elsa just outside of Sienna. His company, Montecastelli Selections was putting on an open house at the villa to highlight all the producers of wine and food products his company exports. I was to be his guest as I was also a customer. Upon my arrival there the first thing I wanted to do was cook dinner for my host. This endeared me to he and his wife instantly. An impromtu meal of fresh Dorado (a small white fleshed fish) cevishe, grilled sausages, and ratatouille followed along with many bottles of wine. I never forgot the beauty of that villa and I swore I would get back there someday.

So here we are seven years later and I'm married to a woman who loves food and wine as much as I do and I know exactly where I want to go with her for our honeymoon.

As with everything I do, this would not be a typical honeymoon. The villa is so beautiful and so beautifully situated, that it would be easy just to do nothing but eat and drink locally. That would suit me perfectly but my wife has other ideas. A compromise would have to be found. A visit to Florence to see Michelangelo's David is in order. I also remembered reading many years ago about a trattoria there called Garga owned by a husband and wife who served inventive and delicious food. He, Giuliano Gargani, cooks up dishes like Veal Scallopine with Avocado in Truffle Cream while Verdi blairs from the open kitchen. I was relieved to find that they are still there and I booked a dinner reservation immediately. I can't wait to see the dining room vividly painted by local artists and taste the food I'd read about.

A visit to a wine estate would also have to be planned. La Rasina in Montalcino, makes wonderful Brunellos, (we carry them in the store) and is easily reachable by car. I booked us a visit to see the vineyards and tour the winery. The operations there are currently under the supervision of a third generation family member, Marco Mantengoli. He is an affable, and energetic young man who I had met on my first visit to Montecastelli. I look forward to meeting him again. His wines are excellent and receive consistent good press from the Wine Advocate and the Wine Spectator.

On Jens's recommendation we will also lunch at a two star Guide Michelin restaurant right there in Colle Val d'Elsa. Arnolfo is run by Gaetano and Giovanni Trovato, the former being the Chef and his brother being the Sommelier. The food is local, sustainable, whimsically presented in great detail, and I expect ... delicious.

I expect of course for all this sacrifice and compromise to have my share of doing splendid nothing. And I will cook for my host again. It will be like completing a circle for me.

Look for complete reports in two weeks. Until then ... Ciao!

What's Brandon Drinking?

Today's Thursday blog is authored by Brandon Bartfalvi, Wine Manager of the Lawrenceville store.

As a wine manager I consistently get asked the same question: What have you been drinking lately? This seems like an easy question but then I realize that I try several different wines (sometimes on a daily basis) but tasting wines and drinking wines are two different creatures. I sample quite a few different wines each week but I only have so much time on my hands so I have to pick a few to drink at home. This isn't an easy process but it's not difficult either. Sometimes I want a wine I can sit and enjoy on its own and take my time thinking about it and analyzing it. Other nights I want something simple and easy that I can enjoy after a long day while other times I need something to pair with a specific dish. Hmmm, maybe it's a little harder than I thought! Well, I have included a small list with a few of the wines that I have been enjoying at home over the past few weeks. This is my answer to the aforementioned question: This is what I have been drinking lately (and yes, I have been drinking a lot of Spanish wines lately)! I'll try to update this list once a month so my clients can keep track of what I've been sampling (don't be surprised if you see some beers or liquors in the near future). If you have any questions or want to see some of my picks don't forget to check out my GREATEST HITS at jcanals.com!

Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spatlese 2009
This has been my favorite Riesling in the past two months. A rich, ripe style offering honeyed fruit notes supported by laser-like acidity. Notes of ripe peach, melon and apricot highlight this flavor-packed wine. Don't be afraid to lay this down for several years and let it evolve.

Luna Beberide Finca la Cuesta Bierzo 2008
Once I tasted this wine I knew I had to bring it in. A deep, intense red sourced from sixty year old Mencia vines. The nose reveals aromas of ripe blackberries, spice, smoke and earth with these same notes echoing on the palate. A full-bodied wine that is ripe, smooth and complex with well-integrated tannins and good acidity masked by lush, dark fruit flavors.

Kathryn Kennedy Lateral 2007
Try this wine tonight! A beautiful nose of cherry, spice, raspberry and a light chocolate note. A forward style that is smooth and approachable with flavors of lush red berries, savory spice and a vanilla whisper on the finish. A seamless wine that is seductive and hard to resist. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Bodegas Maurodos Prima Toro 2008
A wonderful wine at a remarkable price! A gorgeous nose of blackberry, cedar, spice and a touch of chocolate. The palate reveals these same notes with a juicy dark fruit component dominating. Well-structured and a pleasure to drink over the next few years.

Frank Family Cabernet Sauvignon Napa 2007
Where have you been my love?! I have recently tasted this wine and have fallen in love. This is what 2007 Napa Cab should taste like. A complex offering that reveals flavors of blueberry, cassis and spice. A seamless offering showing depth and concentration with no hard edges and the ability to age for over a decade.

Cooralook Shiraz 2007
If you're looking for a great Shiraz for under $15 then consider buying a case of this wine. Not the typical heavy fruit style! This offers notes of blackberry and spice with a nice dose of black pepper on the fine finish. Great acidity keeps the ripe fruit in check while the spice character really kicks into high gear on the finish. A fresh style of Shiraz.

San Roman Toro 2006
This is drinking so well right now despite its youth. Dark fruit flavors along with notes of tar and chocolate caress the palate. Spice and earth flavors emerge with a little time. Good lush fruit with fresh acidity and well-integrated tannins highlight this delightful wine. A must try!

St Innocent Pinot Noir Villages Cuvee 2009
A wonderfully fresh Pinot that is a great value for under $30. With all the hype around the 2008 vintage, consumers may overlook the strong 2009 vintage. While this may not have the ripeness of the '08, the 2009 will appeal to true Pinot lovers. The palate delivers flavors of cherry and dusty spice with an alluring freshness. Pure red fruit flavors and a mouthwatering finish. Drink this now while the 2008's are ageing.

Arrocal Ribera del Duero 2007
A wonderful value from Spain! Brooding, dark fruit on the nose with a fair amount of vanilla and spice notes. The dark fruit and vanilla character carries through to the palate and picks up additional savory spice flavors. The wine is drinking well right now but will be even better with a little bottle age.

Pico Cuadro Ribera del Duero 2007
Wow! A sleek, opulent wine that overdelivers for the price. Aromas of espresso, chocolate and tobacco and blackberries. The palate contains these same notes with additional flavors of vanilla-oak and spice. The finish is long and tinged with pure dark raspberry flavors. You can drink this now or save it for several more years.

Domaine Lafage Cote Est 2009
A tasty blend of Grencache Blanc, Marsanne and Chardonnay. This is a fun white that is perfectly suited for the upcoming warm weather. The nose reveals notes of white flowers, melon, lemon and minerals (think chalk). The medium-bodied palate echoes these same notes while picking up a pear/ apple note. Crisp acidity keeps the wine fresh and lively.

Tikal Patriota 2008
An outstanding nose of blackberry, chocolate, coffee and leather. The palate is rich but not heavy with flavors of dark berries, leather, cassis, cocoa and a mineral note. Bright dark berry notes and vanilla are evident on the lengthy finish. There is good acidity and polished tannins providing structure to this rich effort.

A Special Oatmeal Stout

An interesting product was brought to the attention of the Internet gurus that work in the offices of Joe Canal's. It's an Imperial Oatmeal Stout that's brewed with coffee. While this isn't too impressive (there are plenty of delicious coffee stouts), the particular coffee that is used to brew this beer is not just any coffee.

Mikkeller's Beer Geek Brunch Weasel is a high-octane, 10.9% ABV stout.

I remember watching a movie called The Bucket List a few years back where they talked about this special coffee. They made it into a joke in the movie, and while the idea of it is rather amusing, the story behind the coffee itself is really quite interesting.

The coffee used to brew Beer Geek Brunch is called Kopi Luwak, and it is one of the world's most expensive coffees. In Indonesian, the word kopi means coffee, and the word luwak is the local name of a weasel-like cat called a civet. The coffee is made from the beans of coffee cherries (did you know that coffee is actually a cherry?) which have been eaten by the civets, and passed through their digestive tracts. While the civets love the fleshy pulp of the coffee berries, the beans inside are undigestable. Enzymes seep deep into the beans, breaking them down and simplifying the acids within. Nature takes its course, and the beans are expelled from the civet, intact. After gathering, the beans are thoroughly (thoroughly!!) washed and then dried in the sun. After the beans are lightly roasted and brewed, the resulting coffee has much less bitterness than other types of coffee, with a beautiful aroma.

Kopi Luwak coffee is produced mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi, as well as in the Philippines.

So, exactly how much does the most expensive coffee in the world cost? Generally, it costs between $100 and $600 per pound. There is one type of kopi luwak that is made by collecting coffee beans eaten by wild civets that can cost up to $3,000 per pound! A cup of this coffee in a coffee shop, if you're lucky to find one that serves it, will run you about $50 a cup!

Have you ever tried Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch or kopi luwak coffee? I'd love to hear what you thought, please drop me a comment below!

On Wine: With or without food?

On Wine: With or without food?
By Laurie Daniel

The California wine industry, taking its cue from European wine culture, long has preached the pleasures of lingering over a meal with a bottle of wine. Entire books have been written about pairing wine with the appropriate foods. I once heard Julia Child declare to a wine gathering that "any meal without wine, with the possible exception of breakfast, is uncivilized."

But wait. A funny thing happened on our way to becoming the world's largest wine-consuming nation. American wine lovers don't necessarily see wine as something to be drunk with food. Recent research shows that nearly 60 percent of the wine consumed by avid U.S. wine drinkers does not accompany a meal. About one-quarter of the wine they drink is consumed on its own, in situations where food of any kind is a no-show. One-third of the wine is consumed with snacks or appetizers, or while the consumer is preparing a meal.

"The industry spends so much time on wine and food pairing," says Christian Miller, research director of Wine Opinions, the California-based market-research firm that conducted the study, "and the implication is that the public" doesn't care that much.

Rather, Miller says, Americans are "developing a notion of wine as a drink." More than half the respondents report drinking wine at casual non-meal get-togethers at home. "That's a wine occasion, not a food occasion," Miller says.

Even though this applies to wine drinkers of all ages, he adds, so-called millennials "are leading the charge." Three-quarters of this group born after 1980 say they "kick back over a bottle of wine" with their friends.

Some other surprising findings were in the Wine Opinions research. When I think of wines that are drunk on their own, as an aperitif or with appetizers -- wines that are called "sippers" in my house -- I generally think of lighter whites or maybe sparkling wines. But a majority of high-frequency wine drinkers (defined as drinking wine daily or several times a week) in the survey do not classify certain types of wines as stand-alone wines and other types as wines that should be consumed with food.

In fact, dry red wine, the leading type of wine for all occasions, is also the leading category of wine consumed without food. It was followed distantly by dry white wine, then by semisweet, off-dry or sparkling wines. "The notion that wine without food should be lighter or white," Miller says, doesn't hold up anymore. Nearly half of respondents reported drinking dry red wines without food weekly or even more often, Miller says.

My first reaction to the news that so much wine is consumed without food -- or, at least, without a meal -- was to wonder whether this might explain why so many wines these days are soft, plush and low in acid. I find acidity to be essential when I drink wine with a meal, because that acidity cuts through the food and leaves you ready for more. But without food, a high-acid wine, whether red or white, can be less attractive and downright puckery to some drinkers. Where red wines are concerned, a firm tannic structure helps the wine to pair well with hearty meat dishes. But mouth-drying tannins aren't so great when you're sipping wine as a cocktail.

Although the Wine Opinions survey didn't delve into the question, Miller notes that "there's been this obsession with smoothing out tannins" in red wine. He adds, "Smoothness might be something that has paved the way for more dry reds without food."

Wine still finds its place at the table, though. "It's still the leader in what you drink with a proper meal," Miller says, "but obviously it's extended far beyond that."

While I was a little dismayed when I first heard about this research -- all those columns about pairing wine with food apparently are falling on deaf ears -- I've come to believe that it's actually a sign that the United States is developing its own wine culture. And that's a good thing.

As for me, I'll continue to drink most of my wine with meals -- although, in truth, I don't really need a reason to drink a glass of good wine.

This article originally appeared on mercurynews.com on 4/21/11.

Fork and Gobble It: Crossing the Streams and Parting the Sea

Being half of a mixed faith/heritage marriage, I have made a lot of observations and notes to self over the last few years about the differences in traditions and holidays. Every time I think about our intermingling traditions, it reminds of that scene in Ghostbusters ... "Don’t cross the streams!" She was raised in the Jewish faith, me a Roman Catholic. This time of year I think about dyeing eggs and eating lamb and she makes chopped chicken liver and stuffs her face with as much pizza as she can eat up until the first night of Passover. Luckily for her, during my brief 18 year stint as a culinary professional, I was taught about Passover food by a pair of restaurant owners I worked for. I came pre-loaded with the software on how to prepare Matzoh Brie, and chopped chicken liver. Last year in preparation for the week of all the bread, pasta, etc., that she would not be able to eat, she requested that I adapt my meatloaf recipe to be in keeping with these dietary requirements. Meatloaf made with matzoh meal instead of fresh breadcrumbs????!!!!!! Seemed foreign to me but for the sake of marital bliss I would give it my best effort. It turned out well enough to be deemed an instant tradition.

This year in anticipation of the holiday and the cooking that goes with it, my wife brought home matzohs and matzoh meal for the holiday meatloaf. Unfortunately, no one had clued in our new arrival Elvis the Coonhound about these goings on. I came home one afternoon last week to find two boxes of Passover matzohs shredded, partially eaten, and distributed to every room in the house. He had done the same with the box of matzoh meal and artfully worked it into representations of sand dunes to commemorate Moses wanderings in the dessert. I think he must now be Jewish by ingestion and we have formally re-registered his breed as "Cohenhound." So now it was back out to the grocer's for more matzoh and matzoh meal. The meatloaf must go on!

Matzoh Meal Meatloaf

-2 oz. Olive oil or Kosher Canola oil as per your requirements
-1 clove garlic minced
-1 medium to large onion diced small
-1 large green bell pepper diced small
-3 ribs celery diced small

Saute the vegetables in the oil until they begin to dry out and start to brown. Set aside to cool.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F

-3# 80/20 ground beef
-vegetables from above
-3 whole eggs
-1 cup matzoh meal
-2 Tbsp salt
-1 tsp black pepper
-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
-½ cup ketchup or BBQ sauce
-a healthy squirt of Sriracha

Mix the above together well adding more matzoh meal if necessary. The texture should be wet but it should hold shape. We like to take a small bit of the mixture and microwave it until done to taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.

Form the mixture into two even sized loaves and sprinkle with dehydrated chopped onion if desired.

Bake at 350F for approximately 1 hour or until the loaves reach 160F internal temperature.

Two meatloaves should be enough to sustain one person for the entire Passover holiday.

Speaking of which, Kosher for Passover wines do not need to be an abysmal experience of overly sweet and syrupy wines. There are some killer wines coming out of Israel these days and producers like Yarden, Barkan, and Ella Valley are making really excellent Cabernets and Merlots to go with said meatloaf. For my personal preference, I chose a Cabernet Sauvignon by Hai called The Patriots from the Judean Hills region of Israel.

This wine is complex, full bodied and thoroughly delicious. It shows aromas of coffee, red currant, and kirsch with fine grained but very assertive tannins. It retails for about $14.00 and will convince you that the Concord grape stuff may be fine for a traditional toast, but for drinking, this is the real deal.

By the way, it is probably a good thing Moses was Jewish and not Italian. If it had been one of my people leading the crossing of the Red Sea we probably would have stopped for lunch. At least the seafood would have been really fresh. "Hey, who packed the Soave?!"

This Weekend at Joe Canal's

EASTER HOURS:
Lawrenceville: 9:00am - 4:00pm
Woodbridge (Iselin): 12:00noon - 4:00pm

This holiday weekend at Joe Canal's we have lots of exciting things going on for you to take advantage of!

THIS WEEKEND IN LAWRENCEVILLE:

TONIGHT!! Thursday, April 21, 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Free Easter Food and Wine Tasting!
featuring elements Restaurant

Join us as we welcome our friends from elements Restaurant in Princeton for a very special food and wine tasting! elements will be providing delicious dishes made from locally grown, environmentally friendly ingredients that will inspire your culinary imagination for your Easter dinner table.

We will be pouring the following wines:
Duc de Romet Champagne NV
Christoffel Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese 2009
Bergstrom Cumberland Reserve Pinot Noir 2008
Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel 2009

And elements will be providing these delicious dishes:
"Rock Shrimp" (Thai flavorings, pineapple)
"48 Hour Brisket" (ramps, morels, egg yolk)

Stop by and join us as we welcome our friends from elements!

* * *
Friday, April 22, 4:00pm - 7:00pm
TAP TAKEOVER! Weyerbacher

We are pleased to announce another exciting Tap Takeover! This Friday from 5:00pm - 9:00pm, our good friends at Weyerbacher will be stopping by to TAKEOVER our Growler station!

Weyerbacher will dominate our Growler station with the following beers:

Fireside Ale
64 oz: Regular: $16.99 / BottleClub: $15.99
32 oz: Regular: $9.49 / BottleClub: $8.49

Slam Dunkel
64 oz: Regular: $16.99 / BottleClub: $15.99
32 oz: Regular: $9.49 / BottleClub: $8.49

Blanche
64 oz: Regular: $14.99 / BottleClub: $13.99
32 oz: Regular: $8.49 / BottleClub: $7.49

Insanity
64 oz: Regular: $27.99 / BottleClub: $26.99
32 oz: Regular: $14.99 / BottleClub: $13.99

Verboten
64 oz: Regular: $14.99 / BottleClub: $13.99
32 oz: Regular: $8.49 / BottleClub: $7.49

Double Simcoe IPA
64 oz: Regular: $22.99 / BottleClub: $21.99
32 oz: Regular: $12.49 / BottleClub: $11.49

Join us and fill your Growler with a beer from Weyerbacher! Once these are gone, they're gone, so come early!

* * *
FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, April 22nd, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, April 23rd, 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Join us for a free taste of these fantastic wines:

Alasia Moscato
Regular Price: $9.99 / BottleClub Price: $8.96

Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Auslese
Regular Price: $21.99

Dreambird Pinot Noir
Regular Price: $4.99 / BottleClub Price: $3.99

San Filippo Brunello di Montalcino
Regular Price: $41.99 / BottleClub Price: $33.96

---

THIS WEEKEND IN WOODBRIDGE:

FREE BEER TASTING!!
TONIGHT!! Thursday, April 21th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm
Labatt Blue Light Lime

"Blue Light Lime is a premium light beer that perfectly balances the high quality of Blue Light with the refreshing flavor of 100% natural lime. New and refreshing in 2010, Blue Light Lime has been providing an easy to drink, super refreshing experience ever since. Big Summer beach parties, evenings on the patio and Sunday barbecues are all a lot cooler and more refreshing with Blue Light Lime."

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Labatt!

* * *
FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, April 22nd, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, April 23rd, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Join us for a free taste of these fantastic wines:

Gold Oak Hill Chardonnay
Regular Price: $12.99 / BottleClub Price: $9.96

Chateau Maris La Touge Syrah
Regular Price: $29.99 / BottleClub Price: $19.98

Magnein Bourgogne Rouge
Regular Price: $18.99

Luce Toscana
Regular Price: $80.99

Upcoming Tap Takeover!

This Thursday in our LAWRENCEVILLE location, our friends at Weyerbacher are coming in to Takeover our Growler station! They'll be dominating our taps with their fine craft brews.

On FRIDAY, April 22nd from 5:00 - 9:00 pm, join us as we welcome Weyerbacher and tap the following beers:

Fireside Ale
64 oz: Regular: $16.99 / BottleClub: $15.99
32 oz: Regular: $9.49 / BottleClub: $8.49

Slam Dunkel
64 oz: Regular: $16.99 / BottleClub: $15.99
32 oz: Regular: $9.49 / BottleClub: $8.49

Blanche
64 oz: Regular: $14.99 / BottleClub: $13.99
32 oz: Regular: $8.49 / BottleClub: $7.49

Insanity
64 oz: Regular: $27.99 / BottleClub: $26.99
32 oz: Regular: $14.99 / BottleClub: $13.99

Verboten
64 oz: Regular: $14.99 / BottleClub: $13.99
32 oz: Regular: $8.49 / BottleClub: $7.49

Double Simcoe IPA
64 oz: Regular: $22.99 / BottleClub: $21.99
32 oz: Regular: $12.49 / BottleClub: $11.49

Fork and Gobble It: A Real Handful

Me and Elvis the wonderdog were out at the dogpark one afternoon. It was a tough morning of running, wrestling and romping all doggystyle. On the way home we were passing our favorite Vietnamese restaurant Bien Hoa. Not coincidentally, it was lunchtime. I went in and ordered two Bahn Mi, Vietnam's contribution to the sandwich universe. Two small baguette rolls with the innards pulled out and stuffed with BBQ pork, pickled vegetables, fresh chilies, cilantro and a creamy, slightly sweet dressing were presented to me in just minutes.

A feast on a bun, the sandwich at its best is nothing less than miraculous. The bahn mi were scrumptious, balancing savory, spicy, sweet, and textures ranging from crunchy to chewy to moist and tender. I have to admit for all my culinary exploring, nothing beats a good sandwich. Whether it is a hoagie, tuna melt, Dagwood, or some otherworldly construction at a favorite deli, when it's done well, nothing is as satisfying to me. I tip my cap to John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich and very likely the inventor of the foodstuff bearing his name. It is told that he liked to spend quite a bit of time at the gambling table and to sustain himself he would ask his servant to bring him sliced meat between two slices of bread. Such humble beginnings!

Every ethnicity seems to have its own version(s) of this truly portable feast. Panninis, Cuban Sandwiches, Croque Monsieur, Subs, Vada Pav, to name just a very few are made from just about anything you can dream up. My own creations have been known to utilize anything from a mousse made from smoked salmon to meatloaf or grilled steak.

It's always a lot of fun for me to play "Clean out the Fridge" and make my own version of Dagwood Bumstead's eponymous sandwich. A veritable plug and play of principal ingredients and condiments. Horseradish sauce, Sriracha hot sauce, green peppercorn mustard, Kewpie mayonnaise, pickles, hot peppers, blue cheese, cheddar cheese, all flying out of the pantry onto baguette, 9 grain, sourdough and ciabatta.

Vegetarian possibilities abound whether it is the fresh tomato and mozzarella creation above or those heavenly Middle Eastern chickpea fritters called Falafel wrapped in a flatbread with tomatoes and cucumbers and a sauce made with tahini.

It is the food of summer. Hot dogs and hamburgers, sausage and pepper sandwiches, pulled pork and chicken salad, I bow to you all and owe you a debt of endless satisfaction. Like a perfect relationship there is room for endless growth, change, improvisation, while still clinging to the roots from which you sprung. All this and it fits in a brown bag!

A Very Sopranos Saturday

This past Saturday, we were treated to a special personal appearance by Tony Sirico, Paulie Walnuts from HBO's hit series, The Sopranos!

Tony stopped by at around 12:30 and was greeted by a crowd of about 500 fans. One dedicated fan was on line at the store at 8:30 in the morning, waiting to meet Tony! He shook hands, and signed bottles of Sopranos Chianti Classico that were sold through the BottleClub for $19.99!

We had a professional photographer on-hand who was kind enough to take photos of everyone that came to see Tony! She's working on the pictures right now and they should be available for viewing online next week. Keep an eye on your BottleClub e-mails for the link!

If you couldn't make it out to meet Tony but would still like to pick up some signed bottles of Sopranos Wines for gifts or to add to your personal collection, we still have plenty available at the Woodbridge store!

Sopranos Chianti Classico
"Intense ruby red color with big bouquet of notes of cherry, spice and hints of vanilla. The mouth feel is medium-bodied and balanced with full, harmonious flavors and a nice velvety finish rounding out the rustic tannins. A perfect wine to pair with beef, lamb and most pasta dishes." -The Sopranos Wines

The very best part of the event was that we were able to raise $6,400 to benefit special charities. Tony presented a check and we are thrilled to be able to help support these great causes.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended! We here at Joe Canal's had a great time chatting with you and we hope you had a great day as well and will come back to see us again very soon. Keep an eye on your email for those pics!

Wine 101: Chianti

This past Saturday, Tony Sirico from The Sopranos stopped by our Woodbridge store to meet his fans and sign bottles of the Sopranos Chianti Classico. While everyone waited to meet him, the owner of the Sopranos wines told the crowd a little bit about the particular wine, I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to foray into the world of Italian Wines and learn a little more about Chianti!

I've always been intimidated by Italian wines because they're not as cut-and-dry as other wines, where if you "know your grapes" you pretty much know what to expect out of the wine. With Italian wines, thet are named after the regions they hail from rather than the grapes within, so you need to know which grapes are grown in which region.

The region of Chianti is in the wine growing region of Tuscany, which sits in North-Eastern Italy. Chianti is composed of mostly the grape sangiovese, and the law requires that in order for a Chianti wine to be named as such it must be composed of at least 75% sangiovese. Other grapes in Chianti are canaiolo, and two white grapes: trebbiano and malvasia. Chiantis that are blended with more of the white grape varieties tend to be lighter bodied, while varieties with mostly the res grapes have a fuller and richer feel.

There is a region in Chianti called Classico that spans for roughly 100 square miles, and wines from that region tend to be medium-bodied with firm tannins and high acidity. Chianti Classico wines have to conform to vigorous rules from the Italian government. The different regions of Chianti Classico have unique characteristics that come through in the wines.

The black rooster (or gallo nero) is a symbol of the Consorzio Chianti Classico, a foundation of producers in the Classico region. The foundation was founded with the aim of promoting the wines in the region, improving quality and preventing wine fraud.

What to eat with Chianti? Well, it's a great table wine and it's perfect for every day drinking. Traditionally it goes well with anything with a tomato-based sauce. However, Chianti is very food-friendly and goes well with a wide range of things from white meats or even with fish like swordfish or tuna.

Winery to power production with solar panels

Tuesdays on the BottleBlog, we'll focus on interesting or exciting industry news from here in New Jersey, to the valleys of California, to the vineyards of New Zealand. Today's we're "Jersey Proud" as one of our home-state wineries makes efforts to Go Green.

Winery to power production with solar panels
by Todd McHale

SHAMONG, NJ - Valenzano Winery took another step toward going green on Wednesday.

The winery started construction of a new solar panel system at the vineyard off Route 206.

"It's nice to see this day come. We've been looking into doing this for about two or three years," Anthony Valenzano said after watching the first solar panel rack constructed on the 48-acre farm.

All told, more than 350 solar panels will be placed on about a quarter acre of the property in the coming weeks.

Valenzano, who owns the winery with his father and brother, said the solar panels are just the latest "going green" initiative the winery has undertaken. The winery also has installed a geothermal system for the facility's heating and cooling.

"We will eventually be using 100 percent renewable energy," Valenzano said.

On Wednesday, the Valenzanos joined the developer SolarSense of Radnor, Pa., the system's designer, installer and other business associates involved in the project to celebrate the occasion.

When complete, the $750,000 system will produce about 102,000 kilowatt hours annually.

The system ultimately will generate enough power for all the production, wine tasting and the banquet facilities at the 31,000-square-foot complex.

"Once it's up and running it's going to be good for the environment, because it's going to reduce the carbon emissions," Valenzano said. "It will also reduce our costs which we will pass on to our customers."

He added that he doesn't know of many businesses that have gone as far as the winery has in pursuit of harnessing renewable energy.

The project was developed by SolarSense, which paid for the system and put together a power purchase agreement.

During a short ceremony prior to construction of the first solar panel rack, Chris Fraga, founder and CEO of SolarSense, handed Valenzano an oversized check for $185,000, which is the estimated amount he expects the winery will receive in energy savings over the life of the 15-year agreement.

Opened in 1997, the Valenzano Winery has a network of farms in South Jersey that grow produce for their products, such as their famed cranberry wine.

The Valenzanos purchased the farm on Route 206 about four years ago. A year later, the owners began expansion of the facility in order to provide entertainment space and a tasting room larger than any other in the state. Today, the facility is a state of the art winery with kitchen facilities for serving light fare and catered foods, behind-the-bar wine rack with a 2,500-bottle capacity and a production facility that produces more than 68,000 gallons a year.

This article originally appeared on Phillyburbs.com on April 7, 2011.

Fork and Gobble It: Embracing my Heritage

We have an event going on at Joe Canal's in Woodbridge this weekend. Tony Sirico, the actor who played Paulie Walnuts on HBO's series The Sopranos will be doing an appearance at the store on Saturday. I always enjoyed the show and didn't really get too caught up in the whole "portraying Italian Americans in a bad light" thing. One aspect of the show that I really did enjoy was the food. When I was a kid we really did eat dinner at Nona's every Sunday. My grandmother would cook enough for three armies and we'd all convene at her little apartment in Bloomfield, NJ and eat. While that tradition unfortunately has gone away in my family, I still recall those recipes and turn to them regularly. This week I realized there was one dish that even through the course of all these years I had not prepared in my own kitchen... Eggplant Parmigiana! Not the version you get in any pizzeria that uses frozen breaded eggplant slices and canned sauce, but the real deal. The kind of preparation you start knowing you'd better fry off more eggplant than you need because anyone who passes through the kitchen will be picking at the freshly fried slices, crisp in their coating of seasoned breadcrumb and moist and tender on the inside. Yeah, this had to be done.

It is an assembly of a dish with multiple steps especially if, like myself, you make everything from scratch including the "Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs." Where did they get that from anyway?

This recipe makes one large (10.5”x 14.5”) pan.
-7 cups fresh breadcrumbs seasoned with:
--1 ½ cups grated parmigiana cheese
--½ cup dried basil
--½ cup dried oregano

-3 cups of flour seasoned with:
--2 Tbsps salt
--1 Tsp black pepper

-7 eggs lightly beaten

-5 small to medium purple eggplants, peeled and sliced into discs 1/2" thick

Bread the eggplant by first dredging in the flour and shaking off the excess, then dipping in egg, and then coating with the breadcrumbs. In order to keep your hands relatively clean and more workable, use only one hand to coat the slices with egg so that one hand is wet and the other remains dry.

When all the eggplant is breaded, get a large skillet and fill it with ½ olive oil, ½ vegetable oil to a depth of about 1" and heat it over a medium flame. The oil is ready for frying when a tiny amount of breadcrumb is dropped in and it falls to the bottom of the oil and immediately rises and begins to fry.

You will now need:

-1 quart tomato sauce
-1 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced very thin
-more grated parmigiana cheese

When all the slices are fried, take the baking dish and ladle some tomato sauce into it just enough to coat the bottom. Put in a layer of eggplant slices. Top this with scattered slices of mozzarella and sprinkle grated parm on that. Then repeat ~ sauce, eggplant, cheese, until the pan is filled.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

Finish off the top layer with a generous amount of sliced and grated cheese and a little more sauce. Cover the pan with a piece of parchment or wax paper and then aluminum foil. Bake for 30 mins covered and then remove the paper and foil and finish baking until golden brown.

Allow the pan to cool for about 15 minutes, portion and serve with more grated parmigiana cheese.

Nona would have been proud. Come to think of it, I should have saved some for Paulie. It would be nice to see the expression on his face.

We did pop a cork on a Chianti that night. Monteguelfo Chianti is medium to light in body with flavors of cherry, tobacco, and bright acidity to keep up with all that tomato sauce. It is silly inexpensive too. Just the kind of thing you want to be drinking watching Sopranos re-runs... Kapeeesh?

"Paulie Walnuts" is visiting Joe Canal's!

Please join us on Saturday, April 9th from 1:00pm - 3:00pm as we welcome Tony Sirico to Joe Canal's in Woodbridge! Tony Sirico is best known for his role as Paulie "Walnuts" Gualtieri in HBO's hit drama, The Sopranos!

Tony will be appearing to meet his fans and sign bottles of The Sopranos Wines! These wines are inspired by the landmark HBO series and feature a range of selections for every type of wine enthusiast. At the appearance, we will be featuring The Sopranos Chianti Classico, and offering free samples to taste while you wait to meet Tony Sirico!

During this very special event, $1 for every bottle sold will be donated to Tony's favorite charity, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Because this is a charity benefit event, no outside memorabilia will be signed.

Hope to see you there!

Building a Wine Cellar on a Budget

Today's Workshop Wednesday is written by Brandon Bartfalvi, Wine Manager of the Lawrenceville store.

PUTTING TOGETHER A WINE CELLAR FOR UNDER $50 A BOTTLE

Are you curious about collecting wine or do you want to put together a nice cellar on a budget?  I put together a small list of wines that will cost you less than $50 a bottle and provide you with vino enjoyment over the next decade.   I concentrated on a few of the major wine regions providing a good basis for a starter cellar.  These wines will improve with age and provide enjoyment for the upcoming decade.

I constantly get questions from newbies to experienced wine-rs about putting together a nice collection on a small budget so I decided to help everybody out by providing a small selection of cellar worthy wines at great prices.  This list will help beginners as well as serious collectors looking for value-priced, cellar selections.

Putting a cellar takes time, knowledge and money!  We are here to assist you in your pursuits and help make your collection the envy of the neighborhood.  Think it takes big money to put together an impressive cellar?  Well, think again!  There are several wines out there that are flying under the radar (at ridiculously good prices) that make awesome additions to any cellar. 

This list is just a sample of what we can put together for consumers looking to start (or round out) a wine collection.  We will work with each consumer on a personal basis to put together wines that will improve with age.  Take advantage of buying a few bottles to start or jump in and buy a few of each of these selections and start that cellar! 

CALIFORNIA

2007 Turnbull Cabernet Sauvignon  Regular Price:  $41.99  BottleClub Price:  $36.99

The brilliant 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is the real deal. Incense, forest flowers, black fruits, and crushed rock, jump from the glass of this inky purple-colored wine. Full-bodied, dense, and voluptuously textured, this is a beauty, a superb bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that should drink well young but age 15-10 years. Bravo!  92 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2007 Cliff Lede Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon Regular Price:  $59.99 BottleClub Price:  $48.99

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Stags Leap (75% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc) is everything that one expects in a wine from this sector that is known for elegance, harmony, and Margaux-like finesse. A perfectly balanced Cabernet, it exhibits a dense purple color along with a big, sweet nose of spring flowers, black and red currants as well as graphite. It is deep, rich, young, and promising with plenty of tannin, but an unmistakable, profound minerality. Although accessible, 2-3 years of bottle age will be beneficial, and the wine should age for two decades.  93 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2007 Ramey Napa Cabernet Sauvignon  Regular Price:  $44.99

A stunning yet reasonably priced, high end Napa Cabernet Sauvignon is the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. The final bottling from the extraordinary Larkmead Vineyard, it boasts a dense purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of blueberry and black currant fruit intertwined with licorice, bay leaf, cedar and fruitcake notes. Full-bodied and opulent, this precocious 2007 is drinkable now and should evolve for another 15+ years.  92 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2007 Frank Family Napa Cabernet Sauvignon  Regular Price:  $40.99

The dense dark plum/purple-tinged 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa is composed of 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. The fragrant bouquet of blueberries and flowers is followed by admirable complexity, sweet tannins, a medium to full-bodied, graceful mouthfeel and no hard edges. Drink this outstanding Napa Cabernet over the next 15+ years.   93 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

WASHINGTON

2007 Januik Cabernet Sauvignon  Columbia Valley  Regular Price: $29.99

The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon contains some Champoux Vineyard fruit. It sports a nose of pain grille, mineral, a hint of balsamic, black currant, and blackberry. Structured, balanced, and lengthy, it will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring and offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2027.   90 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

OREGON

2008 Shea Wine Cellars Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate  Regular Price:$39.99

The 2008 Pinot Noir Estate contains fruit from all of the vineyard blocks and clones on the property. Dark ruby red, it displays an inviting bouquet of smoke, spice box, rose petal, incense, black cherry, and black raspberry. This leads to an intense, layered, spicy wine with enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years, excellent volume, and a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. It will provide prime drinking from 2012 to 2020.   92 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

SOUTH AMERICA

2007 Cousino Macul Finis Terrae  Regular Price:$19.99 BottleClub Price:  $17.59

The 2007 Finis Terrae is a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot aged for 15 months in French oak. Now it is essentially the second wine of LOTA with lots not making the cut for the grand vin going into Finis Terrae. Dark ruby red in color, it offers up an inviting nose of balsam wood, spice box, rose petal, violets, blackcurrant, and blackberry. Medium-bodied on the palate, with some elegance, it displays excellent volume and intensity and enough structure to evolve for 3-4 years. Drink this classy effort from 2013 to 2022.   91 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2007 Montes Purple Angel  Regular Price: $51.99  BottleClub Price:  $39.96

The 2007 Purple Angel is a blend of Carmenere and Petit Verdot that might be the only competition for Terrunyo’s Carmin de Peumo for top Carmenere-based wine in Chile. Purple/black in color, it displays a splendid nose of exotic spices, herbs, lavender, incense, blueberry, and blackberry. Dense, chewy, and opulent on the palate, this is a rich, already complex offering that is meant strictly for pleasure-seekers. Enjoy it from 2013-2022.  94 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2007 Catena Alta Malbec Regular Price: $44.99  BottleClub Price:  $39.96

The 2007 Alta Malbec is a glass-coating opaque purple color with an inviting perfume of balsam wood, clove, cinnamon, lavender, black cherry and black raspberry. More structured and with greater density and aging potential than the “regular” bottling, it can be cellared for 5-7 years and will provide a drinking window extending from 2013 to 2022.  92 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

AUSTRALIA

2008 Noon Eclipse Red Blend  Regular Price:  $75.99  BottleClub Price:  $46.66

Blended of Grenache, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Graciano, 2008 Eclipse has a medium-deep garnet-purple color and intense aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, menthol, cumin and fennel seed with some white pepper and a whiff of dusty earth. Full bodied and rich, the fruit is very opulent if a little straight-forward with crisp refreshing acid, medium-firm velvety tannins and a long finish. Drinking well now, it should develop a few more layers with 2-3 years in bottle and drink to 2023+.   94 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2007 John Duval Entity Shiraz  Regular Price: $33.99

The purple-colored 2007 Entity Shiraz spent 17 months in 30% new French oak, the balance in seasoned French and American oak. It displays an alluring nose of wood smoke, game, meat blood, Asian spices, and blueberry. Ripe and sweetly-fruited, this plush effort conceals enough structure to evolve for another 2-3 years. Drink this classy offering from 2012 to 2022.   93 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

SPAIN

2006 Vinedos Alonso del Yerro Alonso del Yerro   Regular Price: $22.99

The deep crimson-colored 2006 Alonso del Yerro displays an alluring nose of smoke, scorched earth, Asian spices, incense, and blackberry. Layered on the palate with some elegance, this harmonious, savory offering has excellent length and enough structure to evolve for 2-3 years. Drink it from 2012 to 2021.   91 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2005 Vinedos de Paganos El Puntido   Regular Price: $48.99  BottleClub Price:  $42.99

The 2005 El Puntido is 100% Tempranillo sourced from a vineyard of the same name planted in 1975. Malolactic fermentation was sur lie in new French oak for four months followed by 18 months in new French barriques. Purple/black-colored with a brooding nose of great promise, it shows off notes of new oak, crushed stone, scorched earth, roasted herbs, incense, and blackberry. Voluminous yet elegant on the palate, it is mouth-filling and rich with gobs of fruit and plenty of ripe tannin. Give this lengthy effort 6-8 years of cellaring and drink it from 2016 to 2030.   94 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

FRANCE

2007 Clos des Brusquieres Chateauneuf du Pape   Regular Price: $36.99

The outstanding 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits a darker, plum/garnet/ruby hue as well as an evolved, but complex bouquet of kirsch liqueur, lavender, new saddle leather, spice box, and garrigue. It is an unadorned, pure wine with the kirsch/black cherry liqueur character following through across the attack, mid-palate, and finish. Quasi-rustic tannins kick in at the finish, but there is more than sufficient substance to stand up to the wine’s structure. Nevertheless, I recommend 1-2 years of bottle age, and consumption over the following 12-15 years.
 90+ POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2005  Chateau Lafon Rochet St Estephe   Regular Price: $54.99  BottleClub Price:  $47.99

At present, this structured, backward 2005 is dominated by the vintage’s substantial tannins. It exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color, a reticent but promising bouquet of sweet black fruits intermixed with weedy tobacco, licorice, and leather characteristics. Medium-bodied and powerful, with excruciating tannin, but promising potential, patience is most definitely required. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2030.  90 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2005  Chateau Rauzan Gassies Margaux   Regular Price: $54.99  BottleClub Price:  $48.99

Significantly better from bottle than it was from barrel, the 2005 Rauzan-Gassies appears to be the finest wine this estate has ever produced. Dense purple-hued with a beautiful perfume of camphor, creme de cassis, licorice, bay leaf, and incense, it is a full-bodied, stunningly concentrated, broad, rich Margaux with lovely integrated tannins. This backward 2005 will handsomely repay cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2014-2030+.   92 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2006 La Fleur de Bouard   Regular Price:  $35.99 

At present, this estate is the reference point for high quality wines from Lalande de Pomerol. The basic cuvee from proprietor Hubert de Bouard and his wife Corinne, the 2006 La Fleur de Bouard is composed of 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Sensationally rich, with abundant quantities of blue and black fruits, spring flowers, graphite, licorice, and hints of espresso roast as well as toasty oak, it is supple enough to be drunk now, or cellared for a decade.    

91 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

ITALY

2004 Fanti Brunello di Montalcino   Regular Price:  $56.99  BottleClub Price:  $39.96 

Shows blackberries and dried flowers on the nose. Full-bodied, with lots of ripe berry and cream character. Rich and flavorful. Long and beautiful. It's layered and velvety. Seductive. Drink now. 5,610 cases made.   

94 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR

2007 Felsina Rancia Chianti Classico Riserva   Regular Price:  $40.49 

The 2007 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia bursts onto the palate in a big, brooding expression of Sangiovese from Castelnuovo Berardenga. Muscular and dense to the core, the 2007 powers all the way through to the long finish. Hints of smoke, tar, leather and scorched earth emerge over time, but only with great reluctance. In a vintage where so many wines are open, the Rancia comes across as quite stubborn and in need of at least five more years in bottle. That said, it is a standout, not to mention one of the greatest values in fine, age-worthy wine. In a second tasting the 2007 Rancia came across as decidedly more elegant and restrained in style, so it will be interesting to see where this ultimately settles within the context of recent vintages. Today I don’t think the 2007 has the elegance of the 2004 nor the power and ageworthiness of the 2006, but we will see. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2027.  

94 POINTS WINE ADVOCATE

2006 Viticcio Monile   Regular Price:  $49.99  BottleClub Price:  $39.96  

Offers currant, berries, light toasty oak and light coffee. Full-bodied, with ripe fruit, soft, silky tannins and a rich finish. Ripe and beautiful, with a lovely texture. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Best after 2012. 555 cases made.    

94 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR

2005 Silvio Grasso Pi Vigne Barolo  Regular Price:  $44.99  BottleClub Price:  $34.66

Plum, prune and bark aromas turn to raisin. Full-bodied, chewy and powerful, with big tannins and lots of concentration. Best after 2012. 850 cases made.  94 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR

2006 Rocca Giovanni Barolo  Regular Price: $32.99

Very lush and round, offering black cherry, plum and floral notes. Bright and firmly structured, yet the tannins are supple and the texture rich. Approachable now. Fine length. Best from 2012 through 2028. 900 cases made.   93 POINTS WINE SPECTATOR

We reserve the right to limit quantities. Not responsible for typographical errors. In case of errors, the lowest price allowed by NJ State law will apply. Products available while supplies last. Artwork does not necessarily represent items for sale. Shipping available in select states. Prices effective through April 12, 2011!

Upcoming Tap Takeovers!

This week begins our first in a series of very special Tap Takeovers at our Growler stations in both our Woodbridge and Lawrenceville locations!!

THIS WEEK IN WOODBRIDGE...

Thursday, April 7th, 5:00pm - 9:00 pm
Stoudt's

We are pleased to announce the debut of our exciting Tap Takeovers! This Thursday from 5:00pm - 9:00pm, our good friends at Stoudt's Brewing Company will be stopping by to TAKEOVER our Growler station! As one of the pioneering craft breweries in America, Stoudt's offers a variety of amazing Lagers and Ales.

Stoudts will dominate our Growler station with the following beers:

American Pale Ale
Scarlet Lady ESB
Pilsner
Gold Lager
Triple
Fat Dog Stout
Double IPA
Brewer's Reserve - Double Chocolate Porter

Join us and fill your Growler with a beer from Stoudt's! Once these are gone, they're gone, so come early!

---

THIS WEEK IN LAWRENCEVILLE...

Saturday, April 9th, 3:00pm - 6:00 pm
Flying Fish!

We are pleased to announce the debut of our exciting Tap Takeovers! This Saturday from 3:00pm - 6:00pm, our good friends at Flying Fish Brewing Co. will be stopping by to TAKEOVER our Growler station! Started as the web's first virtual brewery in 1995, Flying Fish became a real brewery the next year and is now the largest of New Jersey's craft breweries.

Flying Fish will dominate our Growler station with the following beers:
Dubbel
HopPhish
Farmhouse
ESB
Exit 13
Exit 9
Join us and fill your Growler with a beer from Flying Fish! Once these are gone, they're gone, so come early!

Fork and Gobble It: Everything's Coming Up Roses!

Me and Elvis the Coonhound have been taking note of the changes outside the last couple of weeks. Crocuses and Daffodils are poking up along with Hyacinths and buds on the trees. Spring is really here. Yeah, it might be snowing in Pennsylvania as I write this, but there is no denying it, spring is truly here. Along with all the environmental harbingers of the season there are also vinous ones... rose wines. Real roses, not White Zinfandels, not various pink wines that exist all year long, these are the wines that come out in the spring and are around for a limited time because they are only made in small quantities.

Taditionally rose wines were a way to make the first money from a particular vintage. Real roses are made in the fall, and released the following spring. The vintage coming out now is 2010. I know. I just purchased our annual case of the very limited (and very inexpensive) Chateau Lancyre Pic St. Loup Rose 2010.

It comes from the sub-region of Pic St. Loup in the Languedoc region in southern France. Roses are meant for the most part, to be drunk young and fresh. They are generally light in body, with fresh flavors of fruit, crisp and bright acidity, and depending on their origin, different mineral components. Although some like Lancyre can age, and some age really well, you want to look for the vintage from the previous year. The bulk of roses start to develop secondary characteristics (they're starting to fall apart) after a year.

These are versatile wines that pair well with light foods, like the grilled fish or roasted chicken we prepare throughout the summer, or a simple plate of dried sausage or cheese. They also work as stand alones or cocktail wines that are balanced so as to be pleasant to drink without food.

Just about every wine producing region in the world makes a version of this seasonal wine. Many of my favorites come from Europe as I favor the less fruity styles of producers, but I have some California favorites also such as the fuller bodied rose' of Pinot Noir made by Etude.

Most of these label shots are of last years wines.

A full, round, and lush style of rose', this wine has a big mouthfull of ripe Pinot Noir fruit balanced with moderate acidity making it a good pair for grilled tuna or salmon.

Quite the other extreme is an Italian rose produced in a Tyrolian abbey in northern Italy. The Abbey of Mure-Gries makes a rosato from the local red grape Lagrein which is bone dry, minerally and very food friendly. It is one of those wines which you have to be ready to purchase when it is released as it is made in very small quantities.

Possibly one of the Holy Grails of this seasonal spawn of pink wine is the famed rose of the Provencale Bandol producer, Domaine Tempier.

While not as dark in color as some other rose wines, this wine is full of nervy mineral flavor mingled with soft fruit and the acidity that makes wines like this great. I might even go so far as to pair this with a cheeseburger (with mushrooms of course!)

In addtion to my beloved Chateau Lancyre, which is made from Grenache and Syrah and has ample fruit to make it quaffable but surely better with food, I tried another 2010 rose last night. Jean-Luc Colombo, a high quality and somewhat roguish producer in the northern Rhone Valley makes a light and very pleasant rose' made from Syrah and Mourvedre. Luckily it is plentiful. Very easy to drink and immensely refreshing, with flavors of zingy strawberry, and wet slate, I paired it with some beautiful Fluke filet cooked acqua pazza or crazy water style. Very simply, I roasted onion and potato and haricot vert with olive oil, salt and pepper, then doused the pan with white wine and poached the fish in the wine.

When the real heat of summer finally hits, I look forward to getting home and popping open one of these delicious and invigorating wines. Sounds silly, but at 5pm on a hot, humid afternoon it all becomes very clear... or rosey.