winewaves

Mango and Black Bean Salsa

Hello, I'm Nancy.  I'm here to contribute a little food inspiration to Winewaves.  It's been really hot here in the South lately and it's left me craving something cool and refreshing. This Mango and Black Bean Salsa satisfied the urge.  It becomes a light summer meal when served with grilled chicken and crispy corn tortillas.  I find buying soft corn tortillas at the grocery and cooking them myself offers a much more satisfying experience than any bagged variety.  This salsa is also fantastic when served over grilled fish.  Sweet mangoes, creamy avocado and earthy black beans with just a little kick.  It's absolute heaven when paired with a glass of your favorite Rose.  Enjoy!

Mango and Black Bean Salsa
Ingredients:

• 2 mangoes, diced
• 1/3 c. red onion, finely chopped
• 1-2 jalapenos (depending upon heat preference), seeded and finely chopped
• 1/3 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 c. white corn
  
• 1 avocado, diced
• Juice of 2 limes

Mix all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.

Shinas Estate "The Guilty" Shiraz 2005

Sometimes you can get lost in a wine. Or just lost - period. There's nothing wrong with letting go at these times. Not every mystery has to be solved. Let's face it, some wines, like some days, pose more questions than they answer, and it could be that we're better for it.

I kept having a sense of "deja vu" coming over me with this wine. "What's that smell, familiar yet elusive?" Or as Morrissey once put it, "Stop me, oh-oh-oh stop me; Stop me if you think that you've heard this one before." But for me the words never came, not even in the course of opening and tasting from 2 bottles.

George Shinas, aka "The Judge", himself actually a criminal judge in Mildura, Victoria, Australia, has created a Shiraz that's rather like staring out into the sea at 1 a.m. You're drawn to its power and mystery, and captivated by its depth and infinity. You may want to describe it but the words you need remain on the tip of your tongue. It keeps you up a while before you finally let go. Tomorrow's another day and chances are, the next wine will show its face in the light of day, and the words will come to you to describe it.

Shinas Estate Shiraz 2005 has an unfiltered appearance, deep dark crimson. You might sense sweet spice, roasted dark chocolate and earthy notes over the top of the loganberry and blackberry fruit aromas. The finish lingers, like the best words to describe the whole experience, on the tip of your tongue, until you give up.

Judge Shinas reportedly only makes about 2000 cases of this Shiraz annually, so there isn't enough to go around. If you see it, you might want to grab a few bottles. Vine Street Imports represents in the USA.

Price: $19 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 15.3%.

Educated Guess Napa Cabernet 2005

There have been a string of really good Napa Cabernet vintages, and 2005 is shaping up as well in the bottle as it looked in the vineyards. When I was in Napa in mid-October of 2005, most of the abundant crop of Cab was yet to be harvested, so I was able to get some pictures of the pregnant vines. The vines were loaded and seemed to be almost bleeding rich ripe fruit. It was obvious then there was enough fruit to go around and then some. As a result there are now some bargains to be had, like Educated Guess.

In fact, 2005 was the first year for Educated Guess Napa Cab, founded by Proprietor Mark Albrecht, who is by all accounts an industry marketing success story, having been behind a number of successful labels. He tapped consulting wine maker Barry Gnekow, another big noise in industry circles to make sure the bottles got filled with the best juice available. I guess the timing was perfect for Educated Guess. Representation by Hahn Family Wines, formerly known as Wimbledon Wine Company, ensured the brand quickly received the reach it needed. Hahn represents some great bargains that over-deliver, like Cycles Gladiator, Hahn and Huntington. They spun off a big winner a few years back, Rex Goliath 47 Pound Rooster.

Put this Napa Cab up against the big names on the Valley. This is a big, bold, buttoned down wine that could easily win a brown bag contest of Napa Cabs. Few would guess it to be available under $20. The color is deep and dark. You definitely get textbook blackberry and cassis liqueur aromas, plus vanilla overtones and a smidgen of peppermint leaves. On the tongue the cassis liqueur dominates as it should, plus there's a bit of spicy oak present. The body is full and the finish is substantial with sturdy tannins, although you won't have to wait on this Cab. At least I won't - it's ripe for drinking now. That's good, because I have neither the patience nor the room to lay down wine these days.

Price: $19 (Nashville). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14.1%.

2004 Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Last week I was skimming a wine book and came to the chapter on Chateauneuf-du-Pape, prior to this I'd thought, for some reason, that the percentages in a CNdP blend were fixed. In fact, they are not and and vary quite a bit among the different wineries. Typically the blend is mostly Grenache, with a minority of  Syrah, Mourvedre or Cinsault, but may also contain Counoise, Muscardin, Picpoul, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Picardan or Vaccarese. I'd be lying if I said that I knew what any of those were beyond the first 4.

But what caught my eye was the Grenache. Coming off last week's write up of 2006 Bitch Grenache I was interested in trying an old world Grenache and shot down to my local wine merchant with valid ID and a crisp $50 in my pocket. I asked around among the staff to see if I could locate the CNdP with the highest percentage of Grenache, but was out of luck - nobody really knew. I took a recco from the staff and picked up this bottle - the 2004 Chateau La Nerthe at $49.99.

I got it home and figured I'd give it a taste and see if I could guess the percentages before I looked it up. Color wise - in the glass it was a deep purple. It has a fairly typical 14% alchohol which gave it some heat in the nose. The first taste didn't give me the Grenache flavor I was looking for and my first guess is that this was on the low end, blend wise.

A little research turned up the following percentages: 56% Grenache, 24% syrah, 12% Mourvedre. I was really looking for something a little lighter up around 80-85% Grenache.

While I was a little disappointed at not finding exactly what I was looking for, I wasn't disappointed with the bottle. It's a nicely complex wine - earthy, great on the palate and very few tannins.

Price: $49.99 (Out West). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 14%.

Meridian Santa Barbara County Chardonnay 2006

The label eludes to the scene. You're there, or your mind takes you there if you're not there in body. You look to the west and the colors emerge with a fortunate sunset as sailing vessels are in no hurry to return to their moors. People amble down the boardwalk or the palm lined avenue as a hard working two-man band entertains a crowd at the Tiki bar around the corner. No shirt, no shoes, no problem.

You may have spent a lot to get here, or maybe you don't have a lot to spend and your trip is pure imagination. No matter, because as the saying goes, wherever you go, there you are. This scene is not begging for a high-priced bottle of wine, but one that fits the ritual and mood of a picture perfect day as it prepares to pass into night.

Has Meridian painted a picture you can see yourself in? You can certainly afford to be here. Meridian Vineyards, whose history includes being acquired by Beringer, then becoming a little piece of the beverage behemoth Foster's, is the little engine that can get you here. They could charge more, you could spend more, but why? For $7 you can dive into a bottle of Santa Barbara Chardonnay and experience a tropical sunset wherever you are.

The aromas and flavors are centered around pineapple. It's a summer fling in a glass, you might even call it a fantasy. The flavors come across a tad sweet, but it's just the tropical fruit talking. The wine is actually pretty dry in terms of residual sugar, but oak influence is minimal so the Santa Barbara fruit is intense. There are hints of orange, coconut and lemon-lime, but that welcoming pineapple is what reverberates. The finish is a simple pleasure; one that says, "drink, don't think".

The point is, we don't always need a wine to be monumental. Very good for the price and right for the mood is frequently all we really need. Like this Chardonnay.

Price: $7. (Nashville, Clearwater). Closure: Nomacorc. Alcohol content: 13.4%.

Marquis Philips R Wines Roogle Riesling 2007

Move over Chardonnay; Riesling is back in our refrigerator, thanks to the Roogle. After a long hiatus from drinking Riesling, Roogle Riesling 2007 has put this grape back on our list this summer. It's hot outside and this Riesling is like air conditioning in a wine bottle.

Thirty years ago, Riesling was a much more popular grape. Popularity has declined and many wine lovers have had little interest in recent years. The Roogle could help spark greater interest in the grape, due to it's cutting edge styling and the Wine Advocate's 90 point assessment of this vintage.

We expect most American and German Rieslings to be too sweet for most occasions, and those from Alsace and Australia are typically bone dry and not what we expect. Roogle gets it right with perfect balance, almost dry but with just enough residual sugar to coax a smile out of anyone. Riesling at its best does a great job of carrying a little bit of sugar, due to its tart acidity. This is Riesling at its best for seasonal everyday drinking, especially to get summer evenings started.

All the talk about sugar and sweetness takes away from the real heart of the matter, the layers of nature that unveil themselves in the nose. Without requiring manipulation such as oak or malolactic fermentation, Roogle Riesling delivers a plethora of aromatic purity. When the glass is empty you just want to keep smelling the residue. There's honey, apricots, perfume and a whole lot more to keep your brain occupied trying to identify.

On the tongue the tartness tickles you while the restrained sweetness rewards you. You get to experience that "mineral" character you hear wine guys like me talking about. Some Riesling fans refer to it as "slate". And the finish is like a shower and a fresh outfit, clean and refreshing all over.

We hope to see more Riesling of this caliber at this price. Meanwhile, we'll drink more Roogle while the summer and the wine lasts (It's going fast).

Price: $11 (Nashville). Closure: Screw cap. Alcohol content: 13.5%.

R Wines is a partnership between Grateful Palate's Dan Philips and renowned Australian wine maker Chris Ringland. Winewaves recently reviewed Bitch Barossa Grenache 2006, and named Dan Philips wine marketer of the year for 2006, as well as Chris Ringland wine maker of the year, also for 2006.

Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2005

There are more and more Spanish wine buyers out there every day, and as a result Spanish wines have been on the increase in price. But you can still find a surreal deal if you know where to look. If you haven't gotten involved with a Spaniard yet, don't be timid. Now is the time. Man, oh man, this Mano A Mano es muy bueno, comprende?

El genio importador Jorge Ordonez serves up a boat load of exciting wines every year, and it is with bated breath that many of us wait for each ship's booty. I don't get to taste them all, but of the ones I've tasted recently, Mano A Mano La Mancha Tempranillo 2005 is the Dali. Casual as a Zin, but it's not a Zin, and it's not a Shiraz, even with its spice and perfectly subtle yet passionately smoky undertones; it's well, a Tempranillo, from the very macho and carefree sounding area La Mancha, the home of Don Quixote. With just a half a year in French oak, this Tempranillo doesn't take itself too seriously. Hold the bottle up to your ear and you might hear Flamenco. You are present as Charo is shredding a guitar to a disco beat.

The color is deep purple ruby, inviting you to smell it. The aromas are fruit filled, tilting to the red and exotic, intoxicating, and surrounded by those perfectly subtle smoky undertones I mentioned. The overall message is more complex than you expect, powerful yet graceful, fast paced yet well coordinated and harmonious. If you've never gotten to know Tempranillo, let this be your example of what a young one can be. There's a lot of body here and a lot of soul. "Meaty, dense and chewy", Robert Parker said, and you would agree. The finish is dusty, dry, but doesn't kick you as hard as you might expect. That's a good thing. That means you can drink more of it!

Price (Nashville): $11. Closure: Nomacorc (LDPE synthetic cork). Alcohol content: 13.5%.

Jim Freeway Intro | Bitch Grenache 2006

Hi there - Jim here. Not Jerry, obviously. Not long ago I'd noticed that Jerry had gone on hiatus and I offered to help out with Wine Waves. Jerry kindly agreed, so here goes -

As it happens, the wine I was drinking when I made the offer was the latest released of R Wines' Bitch Grenache. You can find Jerry's write up on the 2005 Bitch Grenache here. Having discovered Bitch on a whim last summer when the temperature climbed a little too high for an evening glass of claret and a friend suggested that I try a grenache, I often turn to it on a warm evening.

I was, as you should be, pleased to see that the Bitch is a product of R Wines and imported by the kind folks at The Grateful Palate. This is the same duo that brings you a multitude of other be-screw-topped gems including Boarding Pass Shiraz and the Marquis Phillips Cabernet. (Both of which I have on hand and will be profiling in the near future.) Among those three, Bitch is the lowest priced at my local wine shop at just $10.99. To be honest, there is not a lot of wine at $11 that I enjoy drinking. And looking like a Sex in the City promotional item doesn't help either...but once you crack the top and spin it off, all sins are forgiven.

In the glass it's clearly not a full bodied wine. Really, from across the room you could mistake it for cranberry juice. It's a charmingly light ruby in color. As light as it appears in the glass, however, it is not (as some less expensive Australians are - especially shiraz) watery. In fact, going in to catch the nose you're surprised at the amount of heat. While grenache do not tend to be especially fragrant, a moon shine like alcohol content doesn't exactly help. One thing you notice right away, as well, are the incredible legs.

Anyway, enough swirling, down the hatch I say! I will admit upfront that aside from the Bitch I have had only one other grenache and it would be difficult to say either was completely typical of the varietal. But how important is that in an $11 bottle with a screw top? What you really want to know is - is this a good bottle of wine for the price, should I buy this bottle of wine, would I enjoy this bottle of wine? Well, yes, yes, and that depends on your palate, my friend.

Right off you'll notice that the Bitch is sweet, there are notes of cranberry and strawberry. If higher alcohol wines aren't your thing, steer clear, this is probably not for you, while the alcohol doesn't compromise the taste, it's omnipresent. I quite like the integration, the result is a light, but flavor packed wine that feels almost carbonated on your tongue.

In short, the 2006 Bitch is ...bitchin'?

Price (Out West): $10.99. Closure: Screw top. Alcohol content: 15% (yow!).

Pepperwood Grove Pinot Noir 2007 (Chile, Australia)

Apparently we can't get enough, so Pinot Noir is flowing in from everywhere. Interestingly, although the most expensive Pinot Noir in the world is French Burgundy, and although the U.S. Dollar is at a disadvantage to the Euro and many other world currencies, and although shipping costs are soaring, a lot of inexpensive Pinot Noir is being imported to the U.S. from France, as well as other less well known Pinot Noir appellations.

Don Sebastiani and Sons' Pepperwood Grove unit is now offering two 2007 vintage Pinot Noirs from two lesser known Pinot Noir appellations in the southern hemisphere: Chile and Australia. I spotted both of them on display at Frugal MacDoogal's warehouse store in Fort Mill, South Carolina (just across the border from Charlotte, North Carolina). And the price each is low, under $6 at the time of purchase.

Both are bright ruby/garnet in the glass, the Australian a bit deeper in color but lighter in alcohol (12.5% vs. 13.5% for the Chilean). Don & Sons must have been shooting for the same flavor target when sourcing these lots, because they are similar. They both offer up light spicy red berry and black cherry fruit aromas. But the Chilean sibling has a bit more roasted, you might say earthy, expresso character. The Australian shows a bit more fruit and is a little softer with its cola and vanilla sensibilities. Neither is big, bold, or an artisan's statement. Both are easygoing, here for the now, for the drinking, and at home with a bit of a chill on the wine to take the edge of the summer heat.

Don and Son's timing is right on the money. You can't go wrong with either of these Pinot Noirs right now, and you might even have as much fun comparing them as I did.

Price: $5.50 (Charlotte). Closure: Neocork (Synthetic LDPE cork, recyclable).
Alcohol content: 12.5% (Australia) - 13.5% (Chile).

Nashville Area Charity Needs Your Corks

A Nashville area foundation called Sports 4 All has come up with an ingenious way to raise money. They are asking for your used wine corks. They are gathering corks from local restaurants, individuals and retailers, sorting them, and then they sell them to artists all over the country and beyond. "There is an artist in California who has a large standing order we can't fill at the moment", Sara Koppelman, Program Manager told me recently. Sports 4 All raises money and solicits sporting equipment and provides equipment and recreational opportunities for disabled persons of all ages.

Sara and Sports 4 All President Kris Salisbury do most of the work at Sports 4 All, but all of the proceeds of their work goes into the foundation. They don't receive payment for their work. The two came together about 2 years ago when Koppelman was working at a Down's Syndrome camp and needed equipment. She met Kris and they began working together on the foundation that Salisbury, a Down's Syndrome parent had begun over 10 years ago. Sara and Kris share a love for wine, and it was over a glass that they had the bright idea now known as "Corks 4 Charity".

It has worked. Now they are putting the word out to do more of it. "The market is there", Sara told me. We have signed up local restaurants like J. Alexander's and Park Cafe, and put the word out to local tasting events and to our friends. On a bi-weekly basis, Sports 4 All makes a “cork run” (cork retrieval trip) and collects the corks which then get separated into groups of 100. The lots of 100 corks are then sold to artists for creative projects including: picture frame ornamentation, furniture design, dartboard backsplashes, wreaths, and many other artistic endeavors. When we get a bunch of corks, we get together for "cork therapy", when we sort them out, separating out the real corks from the synthetic ones. "We market on eBay, and when artists find out we have corks available, we become a supplier to them. "We can sell as many corks as we can gather."

"Corks 4 Charity creates a community of recycling and giving, providing unique corks to creative minds and artists, raising awareness of Sports 4 All Foundation, and offering a reliable funding source to fulfill Sports 4 All’s Mission: to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities by providing funding and equipment to enable full participation in sports and recreation activities. Corks 4 Charity is an easy was to give back to the community and recycle – simultaneously."

I found out about Corks 4 Charity through the Nashville Predators Hockey organization, whose community foundation hosts a large Wine Festival and Tasting each spring. Sports 4 All has been supported by the Nashville Predators Foundation for 2 consecutive years and this year they are fortunate enough to be a featured charity with the Predators. Sports 4 All is definitely on to something. This is a great idea you have to agree. Now I know what to do with those corks I've been collecting for years that I didn't know what to do with. I couldn't throw them away and now I know why.

If you're a retailer or restaurant, contact Sports 4 All about saving and donating corks. Retailers can place a clear receptacle in their stores so people know it's for corks only. Local businesses can have their corks picked up. If you're an individual, here's a great way to recycle and help a foundation. Gather up a bunch of those corks and send them to Sports 4 All Foundation. The contact information is listed below. By the way, there are other ways to support the foundation besides giving them your corks, and you'll find more information on their website.

For more about the Sports 4 All Foundation, and the 2 women force behind it, see the 2007 Nashville Tennessean newspaper article reprinted here (pdf file).

Sports 4 All Foundation
Kris Salisbury and Sara Koppelman
http://www.s4af.org
5827 Charlotte Pike
Nashville, Tennessee
(615) 354-6454