Wine Life - Houston

Malbec World Day is an annual celebration for wine lovers to drink their favorite  Malbec wine and share it online with other like-minded drinkers. It happens every year on April 17. I am a little late posting about it but I celebrated on time. The Malbec grape is originally from southwest France near the Pyrenees in Cahors and it is one of the approved red grapes for Bordeaux. It immigrated to Argentina in the 1800s and since 2011, it has been the main grape cultivated in its new homeland. Argentina has over 100,000 acres planted to the grape with 85% of that in Mendoza. Lujan de Cuyo is a subregion of Mendoza, it is located next to the Andes Mountains about 3,300 feet above sea level and has a hot, dry climate. There is good temperature variation from night to day allowing the grapes to fully ripen from the intense sun yet still maintain their natural acidity. I celebrated Malbec World Day with a bottle of Eolo from Trivento. 2015 was considered a more challenging vintage, ...

During the stay home period, we have been drinking more bubbles than usual in my home. If you are going to watch Netflix for hours on end, it is always better with some sparkling wine and some popcorn. The Champagne Mailly Grand Cru Rosé got a spot at my dinner table with a curbside carryout meal from one of my top Houston restaurants, Nobie's . Their Winner Winner Chicken Dinner is a family favorite. We added some grilled carrots, pierogis with carrot sour cream for dipping, and their famous dilly bread to accompany it. Friend and fellow wine blogger, Jeff Kralik , introduced me to this Champagne house a few years ago. He is such a fan, he named their beloved family dog after it. I've been seeking it at restaurants and wine shops ever since and it has become a preferred brand in my home as well. Champagne Mailly Grand Cru Rosé - The grapes for this wine come from one of the seventeen Grand Cru villages in Champagne, this one located in the Montagne de Reims. This a...

Mexico is the oldest wine producing country in North America. Despite its long history with the grape and my frequents trips to Mexican resorts over the years, I was not familiar with the wines.  My brother-in-law introduced me to my first Mexican wine in 2012, an L.A. Cetto  Don Luis Seleccion Reservada Merlo t from the Valle de Guadalupe. He  had purchased a few different bottles during a trip to Mexico City to enjoy with our family when he returned.  Despite my eight years of interest, I still haven't tried that many different brands.  I have mostly enjoyed wines made by Casa Madero, Mexico's oldest winery, at local restaurants and wine events.  This brand seems to be more available than others in Houston. Casa Madero was established 1597. It is located in the Valle de Parras which is located in the southern part of the State of Coahuila, in the north-east region of Mexico. The area is situated at almost 5,000 feet above sea level . Winters ar...

This photo was borrowed from Château Pitray's Facebook Page while the rest were taken by me during my visit. Jean de Boigne Château de Pitray rests on 250 acres of land in the Côtes de Cadillac sub-region of Bordeaux. The estate is divided between meadowland, forest, and the vineyard.  The Dining Room Château de Pitray, which looks like a storybook castle, has a long history. It is the oldest continuously family-owned château in Bordeaux. T he family has been there for six hundred years.  The manor house, located about ten miles from St-Émilion, was built in the 15th century. T he property is known now for its grape-growing and wine production but its record as a vineyard would not begin until the 18th century. Prior to that time, it was a more typical mixed-use farm.  The family would not only survive years of war at home in France but would also continue to flourish while some members even came to fight for American independence as we...

  I traveled to Abruzzo for the first time in 2018 and it was an eye opening experience for me. Throughout my time studying wine, both by myself reading various wine books at home before finally progressing on to certified courses in 2010, Abruzzo seemed to be an unimportant area to know. It was acknowledged primarily for the large amount of grapes grown for bulk producers rather than as a place from which one could seek interesting wines. The main concern from both books and instructors was that its main grape, Montepulciano, should not be confused with a place name in Tuscany.   On my first day there, I was struck by the expansive views of the Adriatic Sea which I could see from my hotel followed by the lush beauty of the countryside with the mountains in the background that I would see while visiting wine producers. Why was this place not on more American's radar as a travel destination, I wondered. To see to what I am referring, you can just look at the photo at the top o...

  Two months ago, I attended a Lodi Wines Masterclass in Houston taught by wine educator, Elaine Chukan Brown with Executive Director of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, Stuart Spencer. I am breaking this seminar down into three posts starting with the Zinfandel wines. I have also added some additional terroir notes from my visit to Lodi last spring.   Lodi calls itself the "Zinfandel Capital of the World" because historically it has produced about 40% of California's Zinfandel grapes.   There are over 100,000 acres planted to wine grapes in Lodi with Zinfandel making up approximately 17,000 of those acres. About 2,000 acres are home to ungrafted, head-trained, old vines that date back to pre-Prohibition, most of the wines below belong to this category. The amount of Zinfandel being grown in Lodi has been on a lowering trend in the past few years due to the fact that less White Zinfandel is being produced. Yields from red Zinfandel vineyards are much lower than wha...

André Clouet Brut Nature Silver Champagne NV -  This Pinot Noir sparkler is sourced from the Grand Cru village of Bouzy and has no sugar added to the dosage giving a very pure example of the vineyard. This wine, along with their Rosé Champagne, has been a long time favorite in my home.  Clean, fresh, linear, and dry with a persistent mousse, this Champagne is more mineral driven with subtle notes of pear and toast through the lingering finish. We often consume this with shellfish but this week, we had it on our table for our Sunday brunch of charcuterie, omelet, and pastries. This wine was purchased at Spec's, it is not showing online but I have purchased it both at the Midtown and Sugar Land stores. Cantele Primitivo 2016 - This spicy red was chosen for pizza night. It comes from the Salento area of Puglia and is 100% Primitivo grown on limestone soils. The wine is fermented and partially aged in stainless steel but also spends 6 months aging in used oak barrique....

From the April issue of Galveston Monthly magazine This month I recommended some Italian wines with a religious spin to enjoy for Easter. 

As in many households, more wine is being consumed at my home now since the stay-home order has been issued to flatten the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic. As I am more likely to write tasting notes while at home than when I am out in restaurants, I wanted to share some of the wines that we have been enjoying recently. Sosie Bare Necessity Sparkling Rosé 2018 -  This bottle of pink bubbles was opened late morning/early afternoon on Sunday for our at home brunch of breakfast tacos, berry muffins, and cantaloupe.  Sourced from Sonoma County and made in the traditional method, this wine is crisp, fresh and fruity. It is dry with bright notes of red berry, peach, and citrus with persistent bubbles, a round feel and a lingering fruity finish. Delicious and easy drinking, I am looking forward to learning more about this producer and tasting more of their wines, sample- $30 SRP Love you Bunches Sangiovese 2018 - Sourced from Santa Barbara County, this red from Stolpman Vin...