Superbowl Edition: Not So Terrible Towels, Not So Terrible Wine

After last year’s amazing Giants victory over the Patriots (yes, I’m biased), I was heading into tonight’s Superbowl XLIII with a heavy dose of whatevs. That was until I learned about Terrible Towels in yesterday's NY Times. If you’re a football fan, you need no explanation. For the rest of you: Terrible Towels are the battle flags for the Steelers. They cost $7 and for each towel sold, $1 goes to the Allegheny Valley School for people with severe developmental disabilities. They’ve used proceeds for things like high-end wheelchairs and communication devices to those unable to speak. Should the Steelers win sales of Superbowl versions of the towels are expected to take off - and that means more resources for a good cause.

And what will I be sipping while I’m cheering for the Steelers? A 2007 Gainey Riesling from the Santa Ynez Valley ($15). Odds are that it won't work with my famous vegetarian chili, but I’m visiting my parents and it’s the only wine option in the house. I’ll admit, I haven’t tasted many California Rieslings. But what I do know is that this one comes from a small production winery with sustainable farming practices…and that’s always a plus!

Be The Change

Our President, Barack Obama, called us to service and yesterday I took a baby step toward that goal. In honor of Martin Luther King Jr., I started the day at Martin Luther King Jr. High School, a few blocks away from my apartment. Several hundred New Yorkers gathered there to put together malaria kits, paint inspirational messages, collect school supplies and knit baby blankets going to homeless shelters. Average age: 13. The energy of so many kids inspired and serving was the embodiment of change...and that got me thirsty!

That night, I got some like-minded friends (Jess, Dhanusha & Lo, Isela and Sue) together for dinner at my neighborhood BYOB to celebrate history in the making with wines from winemakers of color. The first was a 2007 Indaba Chenin Blanc from South Africa ($6 to $10). Indaba is a Zulu word meaning a “meeting of the minds.” Tribal chiefs in South Africa would call their people together to discuss any issues that might affect the village and an indaba would be held. In a way, America just had it's indaba, it has spoken and we are moving forward! I also love the fact that Indaba proceeds support an empowerment scholarship for Black South Africans, previously limited by apartheid, who want to join the wine industry. Luscious, bright, refreshing, apples, fresh pineapple, honey.

The second wine was 2007 Vision Cellars Pinot Noir Mendocino County ($30). It is the “vision” of Mac McDonald, one of America’s first African-American winemakers. His story is about the American dream, hard work and the pursuit of happiness. Mac didn’t come up in the biz. He’s a Texan with a high-school degree who worked at a California gas company for three decades before he launched his winery in '95. In the spirit of service, he co-founded the Association of African American Vintners to help sell fine wine to his community. I had to jump up to Harlem Vintage to find this bottle! (AA producers aren't widely available because they are boutiques with small production volume.) Mac's Pinot Noirs consistently earn high ratings and win big-time industry awards so his wines don't come cheap. The one we tried was a newcomer, but it was perfect. Elegant, refined, bold, smooth. Much like our new Pres.

This article in San Francisco Chronicle has an awesome profile. http://www.visioncellars.com/SFChronicle2008.html

Inauguration Wine: What's Obama Drinking?

Ever since I found out Barack Obama has a 1000 bottle-capacity wine cellar at his Chicago home, I’ve wondered what was in it. How “into” wine is he? Which wines were friends to him during his lengthy campaign? Does he have a Chief Wine Adviser and if not, can I be her?

Well, I haven’t figured all this out yet, but this just in… we finally know what’s on tap on Inauguration Day! Here’s an excerpt from Elin McCoy at Bloomberg.com:

Fortunately for Barack Obama, the first wines he’ll sip as president include some pretty nice California bottlings, though one of them poses a foreign-relations test. At the inaugural congressional lunch at the Capitol, right after the swearing-in ceremony, the wines will include 2007 Duckhorn Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ($30) and 2005 Goldeneye Pinot Noir ($55). Two hundred dignitaries will toast the new President with 15 magnums of Korbel Natural sparkling wine ($15). It’s labeled “California Champagne,” so better not show it to the French. More at: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aaXbOml8n7Vc&refer=muse

Much credit to the people who picked these patriotic pours at recession-conscious prices. I guess even the choice of wine has to be political! As Chief Wine Adviser, I would have suggested Champagne as a way to move past the Bush era of "freedom-fries."

A Vegetarian's Wine Dilemma

I’m mostly vegetarian. By that I mean that I’m a vegetarian who eats fish and every three years gets a serious craving for a Yankee Stadium hot dog. I also love big, red and seductive wines. (I also happen to have a thing for tall, dark and handsome men and I’m convinced there is a connection between the two…but that’s a topic for another time.) So what’s a mostly-vegetarian girl to do when she wants to enjoy a bold red with her mostly-vegetarian food?

Solution 1: Drink What You Like
This is ALWAYS a solution to any wine dilemma! ‘Nuff said.

Solution 2: Be Open
If you’re up for trying new things, ask waiters or sales associates for light-to-medium bodied red suggestions. A few options I like are: Barbera (light red from Italy, good acidity, low tannin) or Red Burgundy (light-to-medium red, made from the Pinot Noir grape). This is good advice, but it’s kind of like being told to choose fat-free cheese when what you really want is regular cheese. See Solution 1 and don’t be afraid to get your Cab on with a salad.

Solution 3: Break the Rules
Forget about the “drink red wine with red meat and white wine with white meat” rule. For seafood, try lighter-bodied reds such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, and Rose. These red wines are low in tannins and work well with fleshy and oily fish like salmon and tuna. The reason for this is simple: High tannins + Iodine in Fish = Nasty Metallic Taste. Avoid if possible, but if you don’t notice the nastiness in your mouth, then see Solution 1.

Solution 4: Find A Way
Ok, so this is less a “solution” than it is a reminder to me to experiment with pairings that will work with the reds I love. In fact, this post was prompted by a successful Rioja experiment last night which I will write about in a few.

p.s. die-hard vegetarians should know that very small amounts of animal and egg-derived agents (e.g. albumin) are used during the wine-making process. They don’t end up in the final product, but do come in contact with the wine.

Tropical Surprise

If I’m still thinking about a meal I had two days ago, then it means it’s time to write about it. It wasn’t at a top-rated restaurant. It wasn’t a culinary masterpiece or elaborately prepared. It wasn’t even free. It was a home-cooked dinner of Risotto Primavera (ok, so the recipe was from the old Le Cirque, adapted by former New York Times Food Critic, Ruth Riechl, in her book Garlic and Sapphires) prepared with my boyfriend. Perhaps it was the act of cooking together which in and of itself is not a big deal, but when you consider that we are morphing into that other breed of Manhattanites—the ones who actually cook—the “act” is still fun and new for us. But it was the bottle of 2006 Geyser Peak Chardonnay which pulled it all together.

It’s not rated by WE, WS or RP and at $13, it’s one of those good-to-have-on-hand bottles for everyday drinking. The wine immediately gave off aromas of tropical fruits like pineapple and banana as well as notes of vanilla. (Watch for my upcoming post Wine Words: Crock of Shit or Gospel?) The first sip gave us butter and caramel with a very creamy texture. As with California Chardonnays, the oak was definitely detectable, but it didn’t overwhelm. The bottle’s label also suggested pear, figs and crisp finish, but I didn’t get the crispness.

PS 1st sip rating: good, may buy again. PS end-of-the-night rating: mm mm good!

The “mm-mm-good” status happens when I manage not to burn my dinner and when the flavors of a wine and meal play off each so that 1+1=3. This was about the perfect harmony between the wine, the meal and our On-Demand movie, Tropic Thunder. The creaminess of the wine complimented our Risotto which was equally buttery, golden from the saffron, with a teeny al-dente bite, and a hint of sweetness from the carrots and peas. We were so loving the meal that it didn’t matter what movie was on, except that Ben Stiller and Robert Downey Jr. played off each other like Batman and Robin. Downey’s character, a Black man from a another era, was slightly offensive, totally believable and downright hysterical. When it was time for dessert, Haagen Dazs Pineapple Coconut ice cream, we still had some wine left over. I would normally wait until after dessert to finish my wine so that it doesn’t taste like sour grapes, BUT… we experimented, and to my surprise, the tropical Geyser Peak Chardonnay worked beautifully with our tropical ice-cream. Harmony is a great way to start 2009.

p.s. Wine.com recommendeds this wine with Sea Bass in a ginger coconut broth.

p.p.s. This wine also reminded me of the 2006 La Crema Chardonnay, also from Sonoma County. It's $15, widely available, and RP gives it a 90. As the name suggests, it's CREAMY.