TaylorEason.com: Foodies unite » Pairs with Food

Wine review: Rocca Sveva 2009 Soave Classico

Taylor Eason — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:53:25 +0000

While most people think Pinot Grigio is the white wine of Italy, I beg to differ. Softer and rounder, Soave white wines from northeastern Italy complement a wider range of food, have an exceptional depth of flavors, and are quite versatile. Like the Rocca Sveva 2009 Soave Classico.

Wine review: North by Northwest 2010 Riesling Horse Heaven Hills

Taylor Eason — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:00:52 +0000

I admire when a winery steps outside the annoying conservative boundaries of the wine industry. Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon fame (an interview with him), The Three Thieves and their ground-breaking Bandit wine in a small box and chalk up another win to the folks at Oregon's King Estate (reviews of their other wines), who created this Washington State-based project, North by Northwest. These guys have the chutzpah to do things differently.

Wine review: Chappellet 2008 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:55:11 +0000

When Chappellet Winery opened its doors in 1967, 32 wineries operated in Napa. Robert Mondavi – now owned by corporate wine company Constellation – was number 31. Today, over 400 wineries share the same valley. Early on in this recession, Chappellet began combating the sales spiral by concentrating on the customer — they lowered their prices. “We wanted people to feel the love,” said Cyril Chappellet, 2nd generation winemaker. But they also stayed true to their history. This 2008 Cabernet effort tastes like it.

Sparkling wine review: Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Brut 2007

Taylor Eason — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:35:32 +0000

My history with Napa Valley's Schramsberg Winery goes back a few years. Back in 2006, I spent a day during harvest in 2006 with their former winemaker, Craig Roemer, and a few days at their incredible sparkling winemaking immersion course, Camp Schramsberg, in 2010. So you might say I possess an affinity for their outstanding bubbly. It's elegant like French Champagne, remains family-owned and their quality is consistent like the sun setting.

Wine review: Vietti 2007 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne

Taylor Eason — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:29:37 +0000

Barbera is an unfortunately overlooked red grape/wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. But it's SO tasty. Plenty of fruit but also high acidity, making it a quintessential food pairing experience. You'll find Barberas from the Asti sub region, which often have often a more feminine style (due to the soil structure in that region) and the Alba sub region, producing the yin, masculine version. Barberas from Asti, as a general rule, appeal more to my taste. And this Asti from Vietti kinda rocked my world.

Wine review: Penfolds Bin 128 2008 Shiraz Coonawarra

Taylor Eason — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:54:27 +0000

Most consumers have heard of Penfold's, and unfortunately have mostly tasted their somewhat generic, everyday Cabernet and Shiraz blends. But their Bin Series bottlings, made from a more exclusive, higher tier of fruit, are simply breathtaking (and worth the extra $8 or so). Established in 1962, Penfold's Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz series is made from grapes grown on Penfold's-owned land and produces a consistently tasty wine vintage after vintage.

Wine review: Castello d’Albola 2007 Chianti Classico

Taylor Eason — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:30:09 +0000

Chianti is one of the classic food wines of Italy. In this wine-soaked country, regional foods are designed to pair with regional wines. [Read about my foodie trip to Italy). They're crafty that way. Like Garanimals back in the day. In Tuscany, the locals sip Chianti, Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reserva (what's the difference?) with red sauces, long-simmered bean dishes and slow-roasted meats. The higher acidity of the Sangiovese grape complements the high acidity of tomato sauces but also contrasts with the delicious fat of the meat dishes. Matches made in foodie heaven.

Wine review: Delas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Saint Esprit

Taylor Eason — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:15:48 +0000

It seems even the traditionalist French are caving to the new consumer tastes -- producing fruity wines like their "New World" competitors that they used to deride. Perhaps the musty, dusty, fruity-free style has simply been overtaken by the up-and-coming wine buyer tastes. The Delas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Saint Esprit leads me to believe it...

Wine review: Quivira 2009 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Taylor Eason — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:15:28 +0000

I was a bit hesitant to write about Quivira's Zin that I recently tasted blind, since I reviewed the 2008 vintage in April of this year. But I thought, what the hell, they deserve to get kudos twice in one year. These guys rock the Zinfandel. And, farming biodynamically, they're stewards of the earth.

Wine review: Elena Walch 2010 Lagrein Alto Adige (Italy)

Taylor Eason — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:12:41 +0000

For a few years now, the Alto Adige wine region in northeastern Italy has been a darling of mine. With a cooler climate than the rest of the heated Italian countrysides, the Pinot Grigios taste crisper, the eclectic reds are more refined and they grow a whole slew of interesting grapes from this rich, historic soil. Like Lagrein.

Wine reviews: King Estate 2009 Domaine Pinot Gris and 2008 Pinot Noir

Taylor Eason — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:50:18 +0000

King Estate specializes in Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and that's what I've been sipping on these past eight years since I met them. Still family-owned -- like most wineries in Oregon -- they've expanded their horizons with their other, more affordable (and still tasty) Acrobat Pinot Noir and Gris. I really admire what these guys have been doing.

Wine review: Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs Sparkling

Taylor Eason — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:15:42 +0000

Established in 1986 as the California home of Spain's Ferrer family (who own Freixenet), Gloria Ferrer embodies the winning result of a large gamble placed 29 years ago. Sure, the Ferrers likely had some money to burn, but to throw down cash to buy 160 acres of land in Sonoma County's unproven Carneros Valley takes some courage. However, they did have some experience in the bubbly arena.

Wine review: Banfi 2008 Centine Toscana

Taylor Eason — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:20:05 +0000

When I explored the limitless wines of Italy's Tuscany wine region during a trip last year, I became enamored of the high quality "Toscana IGT" labeled reds. These simple table wines helped salve my weary wallet, already weathered by the leather purse and jacket shops of Florence. But they weren't just inexpensive -- they were high quality sangiovese-based reds, reminiscent of the more expensive Chianti which normally cost a lot more money but often aren't worth it.

Wine review: Cameron Hughes 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Stag’s Leap Lot 189

Taylor Eason — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 15:10:03 +0000

At last... a Cabernet that Napa Cab obsessives can drink everyday without opening up a new equity line on the house (if you can still get those nowadays?). Winemaker Cameron Hughes approaches wines a bit differently. He's part of the growing trend of "traveling winemakers" who don't own vineyards but take advantage of the bulk market to craft wines for less money.

Wine review: J Vineyards 2010 Pinot Gris California

Taylor Eason — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:34:36 +0000

The J Vineyards 2010 Pinot Gris has a fabulously creamy mouthfeel but offers up a snappy, crisp finish. Medium-bodied and dangerously easy to slurp on a hot day. Aromas of honeyed peach, red apple and honeydew melon follow onto the tongue with a splash of lemon and ripe apricots. Almost Viognier-like in body and flowery aroma but with a lot more food-friendly acidity. Gorgeously well made and now, thankfully easy to find.

Wine review: Tormaresca 2008 Neprica Puglia (Italy)

Taylor Eason — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:49:07 +0000

Bravo to this deliciously affordable Italian red wine, made from two grapes few have heard of -- Negroamaro and Primitivo (the Italian equivalent to Zinfandel) -- and the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Neprica also hails from an obscure region in Italy, Puglia -- the heel of the boot -- where vineyard land doesn't fall into the ranks of the absurdly expensive. Puglia (also called Apulia) is an up-and-coming wine region, having shod their former lowly, bulk wine rep, and now competes successfully in the international red blend market.

Wine review: Il Poggione 2008 Rosso di Montalcino

Taylor Eason — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:13:57 +0000

When I look at wine lists in Italian restaurants, it's tragic that the Chiantis are are so damn expensive. Even for the lowest "Chianti" classification (what's this?). I simply refuse to pay $40 restaurant pricing for something worth $15. So the other night, feeling the urge to spend more wisely, I ordered something a little different to pair with my savory red sauce, a Rosso di Montalcino.

Wine review: Buried Cane 2009 Whiteline Chardonnay (No Oak)

Taylor Eason — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:11:49 +0000

There's a bit of a backlash with oaky/buttery California Chardonnays now. A newfound love of the unadorned version -- labeled "Unoaked”, “Virgin”, “Naked” or “Stainless Steel” -- can be witnessed on retail shelves and on restaurant wine lists. The taste difference between oak-aged and/or fermented Chardonnay and those that don’t see wood can normally be summed up in one word: minerality. Washington State's Buried Cane is on to something.

Rediscovering Chardonnay wine: The unoaked version

Taylor Eason — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:56:22 +0000

Chardonnay has become the whipping child of the wine world -- the veritable before-the-ball Cinderella or Joan of Arc. But this unfortunate rep has a reason behind it. There are a crapload of disgusting, woodchipped and buttered Chardonnays lining shelves of every American retailer. And, like Merlot before Sideways busted its ass, the quality level simply plummeted into the deep sea of average wine. Sweet-lovin' consumers fleeing White Zin, after the populist mocked them, found solace in the softer, fruitier Chardonnay grape. It was comforting and easy to drink, like a cold bottle of Kendall Jackson on a warm summer day. But enter the un-oaked Chardonnay.

Wine review: Blackstone 2007 Rubric Sonoma Reserve

Taylor Eason — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 12:25:55 +0000

I’m rarely a fan of the lower level Blackstone wines, seeing them as bland, sweet and too commercial. And, like most Rhianna songs that get played too often on the radio, I grew tired of hearing about and seeing Blackstone Merlot like everywhere when there were so many others of better quality for the same price.