 |
When cold weather seeps in, wine is a sure antidote! Whereas summer heralds the sipping of Riesling and other warm-weather whites, winter brings forth our fondness for inner warmth. Here are a few suggestions for warming your soul, Allegro-style, this season:
-Forté! Carl has released his first ruby-style Port wine, and it’s a sure-fire warmer. Produced over the course of the 2004 and 2005 vintages and made from a blend of Chambourcin and Cabernet Franc grapes, this Port was fortified with grape spirits and mellowed in oak barrels to create a stunning combination of richness and smoothness.
|
 |
-Dry Red Wines: Our wine list is starting to look like Carl’s heart: full of reds! Our 2006-07 wine list has an almost-full roster of reds, including our:
-harvest celebration 2006 Nouveau
-light, refined (and affordable!) 2004 Merlot and 2004 Pinot Noir
-smooth Chambourcin
-spicy Proprietor’s Red
-nice new pair of Cabernets: 2005 Cabernet Franc and 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
-light and food-friendly 2005 Dry Rosé
All we’re missing is a Cadenza-style big ol’ Reserve Red. Never fear: both 2005 and 2006 were good years for our reds, and we’ve got some very good dry red wines coming |
 |
-Warm Spiced Wines: Of course, there’s no more instant cold-weather pleasure than the release of cinnamon and fruit aromas into your gathering-place. Share mugs of our Apple Cinnamon and Fusion all season long!
We’re often asked how to serve these warm winter wines. You want them to be warm, with movement at the top of the wine and the release of the spice aromas, but not boiling (you’ll lose the alcohol and change the flavors!).
Here’s how: If you’d like a single serving, pour some wine into a mug and warm it in the microwave, starting at one minute and adding time, to fit your taste. If you want to share an entire bottle, pour it into a crockpot or non-aluminum saucepan on your stove and hear over “low” heat until you can smell the spices. Since the aroma is such a key part of the experience, we love the crockpot method, since it leaves your whole house smelling like Christmas!
These wines are nice chilled, too, but they’re designed for heating: When served warm, they taste a bit less sweet, while the spice flavors come to the forefront.
Warm, serve, and enjoy!
|
