Wine & Spirits Trends of 2011

As we enter 2011 here are some trends to look for in the coming year.

Malbecs from Argentina are still hot.

Carmenere from Chile will be one of the next grapes to see influx of. Brought from Bordeaux over 100 years ago, it's no longer common in Bordeaux.

Root beer & cotton candy are next in the flavored vodka segment. Root beer floats to be a cocktail we will see.

Obscure varietals such as Ruche & Grignolino, etc. from Italy will make some head way.

Micro brewed beers are still gaining steam & fans.

New Zealand's sauvignon blancs will continue to see their rise and the emergence of NZ pinot noirs may give other pinots a run for their money.

Some thoughts on organic wines...

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Organic wines have been available for quite some time and it's only recently that people have become more aware of them. Organic wines need to be certified "organic" by USDA to be labeled organic. Organic in a nutshell means that the grapes used are not treated with pesticides, fertilizers. 100% Organic means " that all grapes used are certified organic & no sulfites added". Organic means "95% of ingredients are certified organic & may a little sufites added". Made with organic grapes means "at least 70% of grapes are certified organic & may contain sulfites". Some organic wines are even vegan. Organic is not be confused with Eco friendly(although most organic producers are) or sustainable. Eco friendly can be used when using recycled glass for bottle, paper for labels, no run off into streams that may hurt environment & solar power. Most retailers have organic wines but Whole Foods seems to have the best selection. Some names to look for when buying organic wines.....

CALIFORNIA
Lolonis
Bonterra
Frey
Organic Vinters (Vegan)

WASHINGTON
Badger Mountain

SOUTH AFRICA
Stellar Organics (Vegan)

CHILE
Nuevo Mondo

ARGENTINA
Vida Organica

Wines for the Holiday Season

As the holiday season starts one of the hardest decisions people are going to make is "What wine should we drink with.....". This post will give you a quick ides of what to look for at your favorite wine retailer.

Pinot Noirs is a versatile grape that will go well with turkey, ham and and all the fixings. Oregon, California or the Burgundy region of France are the ones to look for. You'll want a well balanced Pinot that can stand up to all you will be enjoying them with. Expect to pay about $20 for a good, solid Pinot Noir.

Beaujolais is another red wine that works well with holiday meals. Made from the Gamay grape from the Burgundy region of France, Beaujolais is lighter and fruitier than Pinot Noir. Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the 3rd Thursday of November and is from the most recent harvest and is a celebration of the harvest. Beaujolais should run less than $20 and Nouveau should be less than $12.

For the white wine drinkers at the table a Riesling works well. A Riesling from Australia, California or Germany would drink well. The crisp acidity & the mild fruit offer a great combination and should compliment your meal. Again find one that is well balanced. You can find a good Riesling for less than $18

Robert Craig Winery

Robert Craig has been in the wine industry for over three decades having been General Manager of Hess Collection Winery and helping to emphasis the the unique qualities that mountain fruit can have when making wine. Mountain fruit is better structured, concentrated than valley fruit & can age better. He's helped develop hundreds of acres on Mt. Veeder & when he started his own winery in 1992 he wanted to use fruit from both Mt. Veeder in southern Napa Valley & Howell Mtn. further north and across the valley. He also makes a limited wine from Spring Mountain. Known for their big style Cabernet Sauvignons Robert Craig Winery has garnered not only some great press over the years, but also a cult like following. I had the chance to see Robert once again when he was in town and taste some recent releases. I also had a chance to chat with him and he is looking forward to the 2010 vintage and says production could be lower than previous vintages.

Here is what I tasted with Robert and my thoughts....

The 2009 Durell Vyd. Chardonnay Sonoma Valley was just released and I was one of the 1st people to taste it. Lively and soft I found it very well balanced with good fruit, oak & mineral characters. Only 588 cases produced.

The 2007 Howell Mtn. Cabernet Sauvignon had big tannins, a good fruit character and nice long finish. Built to last (like all his Cabs.) this shows the depth of how mountain(2,300 ft up) fruit differs from valley fruit. He recommends decanting. 1,488 cases produced.

The 2007 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon has softer tannins, bigger concentration of fruit combined with good acidity and see's almost 2 years in french oak barrels. One of his most age worthy wines and patience will be rewarded. 1,480 cases produced.

The 2008 Affinity Cabernet Sauvignon is considered by many to be his flagship wine. A Bordeaux blend of mostly Cabernet, followed by Petite Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc & Malbec offers some unique flavors thanks to the mix of grapes and changes from year to year. Currants and spice are prevalent along with a medium body make the 4,780 cases produced always a winner with the consumer and the press.

He also makes small amounts of Zinfandel and a Mt. George Cuvee. His wines are not found everywhere, but they're well worth the search. So next time you're looking for a big Napa Valley Cabernet or if you're a collector Robert Craig wines needs to be in your collection. You won't be disappointed.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse's Memorable Meal for 2 & Fall Prix Fixe Menu

I recently had the pleasure of joining about 12 other lucky souls who had the chance to taste 2 of Fleming's Steakhouse new programs and their new release of their own wine 46 Diamonds. We were hosted by Scottsdale's Operating Partner Michael Head who guided us through our experience. Here is what Flemings has to offer.

We were greeted with a new cocktail just in time for the holidays The Merry Maker's is made with Maker's Mark bourbon and Chambord then shaken with orange, pomegranate & cranberry juices. Quite a tasty cocktail and as one guest said "I don't like bourbon, but I really like this".

We then proceeded to sample the Fall Prix Fixe menu which consists of
Your choice of Oysters Rockefeller or Autumn Salad for appetizer then for an entree your choice of Veal Osso Bucco or Cioppino. For dessert you get a slice of Dark Chocolate Cheesecake. All were very good and everybody enjoyed what was tasted so far. I really enjoyed the Oysters Rockefeller. The Prix Fixe menu costs $39.95 per person and runs through Jan. 3 2011.

We then moved on to The Memorable Meal for Two which is The Cellar Master's Filet & Maine Lobster Tail. You start with a Caesar Salad with a King Crab Crostini followed by Filet Mignon & Maine Lobster Tail and a side of Maple roasted baby carrots. For dessert you're served Carrot Cake with Dark Rum Caramel. I'm not a big carrot cake fan, but this may have changed my mind. All for $99 for 2 dinners. This runs through Dec. 15 2010 so hurry and reserve this soon.

We were also treated to the new release of Fleming's own wine Forty Six 46 Diamonds. This years bottling is a collaboration with Fleming's Director of Wine Marian Jansen op de Haar & Schug winery team of Sonoma County. This Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot & Malbec from very reputable vineyards in the Sonoma Valley.It is medium bodied with with good tannins and fruit and showed a very elegant, long finish. A nice compliment to any meal you may be enjoying. Only 388 cases were made of this and can be had by the glass for $16.50 or $65 for a bottle.

Make reservations soon for these limited time specials and even more limited wine.
There are 4 Phoenix are locations and several more throughout the country. 905 North 54th Street, Chandler, AZ 85226 480-940-1900
20753 North Pima Road, North Scottsdale, AZ 85255 480-538-8000
9712 West Northern Avenue, Peoria, AZ 85345 623-772-9463
6333 North Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85250 480-596-8265
http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/

Where I've been, what I've seen & what I've heard.......

Where I've been...
- Seasons 52, new at Biltmore Fashion Park featuring a seasonal menu of nothing over 425 calories. Great wine list.
- The River Palm Steakhouse in Edgewater N.J. great steaks and seafood frequented by many VIPs in NY/NJ area. Considered one of the best in the area.
-The Local in Saratoga Springs N.Y. some tasty English pub grub in small town upstate N.Y. They do a great Sunday brunch too!
- Amura Sushi in Orlando Fla.(Sand Lake Rd.) surrounded by chain restaurants this place is a favorite among locals. go next door for a pre or post meal cigar.
- Sushi & Thai Cafe in Boca Raton Fla. 1 of 4 locations in area w/ extensive menu for Thai and sushi. great for the vegans in your life. always a must for me when in the area.
- Via Della Pace in NYC's east Village. Homemade pasta is the specialty.
-Maialino in NYC's in Gramercy Park Hotel. Authentic Italian restaurant that was hoping on a Mon. in Sept. interesting Italian wine list too.
-The Upper Deck @ Boston's on the beach in Delray Beach Fla. Good lobstah bisque and broiled lobstah. Sports bar downstairs do good bar food.
-La Grande Orange's Cubano sandwich is really good.
- Bobby' Burger Palace in Paramus N.J. Bobby Flay's quick casual burger joint. Only a few out there so far. Good burgers at reasonable prices. Please come to Phx.
-Ronnie's Hot Bagels & Cafe in Hillsdale N.J. one of the best Italian sandwiches I've had in a while.
-Wandering Horse Buffet @ Casino Az.'s Talking Stick Resort. One of the best deals around for lunch buffet($12.95)
- Tweetups at Switch located on Central & Virginia in Phx. and the new location of Los Taquitos, a family owned Mexican taco's, burritos and margaritas featured on The Food Networks "Diners, Drive-ins & Dives" Original location at 48th st& Elliot in Phx. and the new one at 16th st. & Glendale in Phx.
- To many burgers to mention. See reviews. https://www.examiner.com/burgers-in-scottsdale

What I've seen...
-R.E.D w/ Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, Morgan Freeman & John Malkovich. Retired CIA agents coming out of retirement who are up to some old tricks to catch some bad guys. Entertaining.
-Harrison Montgomery w/ Martin Landau about the goings on in apartment building in SF's Tenderloin district. Very limited release. Gotta search for this one.
- Stone w/ Robert DeNiro, Edward Norton & Milla Jovonovich. retiring prison counselor(DeNiro) debating to parole prisoner(Norton) and being influenced by prisoners wife(Jovonovich). Good performances, a tad bit slow drama.

What I hear.....
-Justin Becketts new Becketts Table opened last night and the Twitteratti seems to like it.
-Oregano's relocating old town Scottsdale location to the old SugarDaddy's down the street in near future.
-As Tweeted a while back Patsy Grimaldis's is opening a burger joint called "Coal Burger" at Scottsdale Quarter.

Change of seasons & change in your wine?

Does the change in color of the leaves and temperatures mean you should be changing your wine preferences? I've never entirely believed in that rule, as there really are no rules with wine drinking. "Drink what you like, when you like is" my motto and as the holidays approach & temps. take a dive is it time to start drinking big reds & put away the whites wine? No I say. I've always keep an open mind to wine drinking(and so should you!) but if I drink wine I usually will let the food dictate my wine selection, not the weather. People usually think of pinot noirs as a common pairing for holiday fixings, but a riesling from Australia or Alsace will compliment the meal also. Why wait for New Years Eve for the bubbles, the cool, crisp bubbles still taste really good watching the kids trick or treating on Halloween. What goes better with apple or pumpkin pie, than a late harvest riesling or dessert wine. So as we change seasons twice a year, don't feel as if you have to change your drinking habits or play "by the rules". Remember the motto "Drink what you like, when you like"