FUME BLANC, LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT…

Robert Mondavi's entrance gate

Two years ago, I was lucky to travel to Napa Valley for the first time in my life and I totally felt in love with the valley. Tough I visited many different vineyards; Robert Mondavi’s winery was by far one of my favorite wine tastings ever. I chose their “Twilight Tour” which is a 90 minutes tour and tasting at the time when the sun sets over the valley. A Wine Educator takes you to the cellars and teaches you about the whole wine process and concludes at the edge of the To Kalon Vineyard with an amazing tasting and artisanal cheese board. Definitely, a very Mondavi moment!

But at the beginning of the tour, we were gathered outside in the vineyard and our Wine Educator Peter brought for all of us some bottles of their unique Fumé Blanc. According to him, the term “Fumé Blanc” was a made-up name created by Robert Mondavi in the sixties to assign his own blend of Sauvignon Blanc (92%) and Semilion (8%). The French word “Fumé” means “smoke” but that is not related to the wine in itself; it refers to a thick fog that you experience early in the morning in the Loire Valley (France) where most of the Sauvignon Blancs are produced.

The Fumé Blanc is in fact a drier version of the typical Sauvignon Blanc. It is fermented in French oak barrels first and then it is transferred to stainless steel barrels to retain its freshness. It offers intense aromas of lemongrass, lime blossoms, hints of sage and spice. Its color is bright, clear and almost pale and it definitely tastes out of this world!

Have you ever had a magical experience?

I did; and it was at that amazing sunset in October at Robert Mondavi’s winery.



OTHER ARGENTINE WINES

People always expect to have Argentine Malbecs, but there are other red wines that are also “superstars” in Argentina.

Puerto Madero - Buenos Aires, Argentina

Let’s take the Bonarda, also known as “Charbono”, which originated in the Italian Piedmont region and now is widely produced in Argentina. This varietal offers a lighter-bodied, much fruity plum flavors and deep red color. Try the 2007 Altos Las Hormigas Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda that is produced in the province of Mendoza, Argentina.

Another surprise is the Italian grape Nebbiolo which is hard to find out of Italy and it is well produced by the Arizu’s family. The first vines that they planted were brought from Europe in 1901 and slowly adapted to the new hard environment and soil conditions in Argentina. This type of Nebbiolo offers a mix of ripe plum, roses and wild raspberry.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Last but not least, you could also enjoy great Pinot Noirs like the ones produced by Clos de los Siete, Miraflor Pinot Noir 2006 and you would be able to experience a big mocha coffee nose, creamy berry fruit flavor, perfect to match with a traditional wood fire grill Argentine lamb with roasted potatoes.

It’s always good to try something new and take a risk.

Cheers!

MY FAVORITE CAVA

I just came back from the 2011 Sandestin Wine Festival in Florida and I had the chance to try the Cava Elyssia, Pinot Noir Brut produced by Freixenet, and I totally loved it.

This sparkling rose wine has aromas of cherries, strawberries, cucumbers and a touch of mint. It’s fresh with nice body and big bubbles; perfect for summer time. You could serve it with seared scallops or traditional Spanish paella. Delicious!

High quality sparkling wines like Cava are harvested and blended with three different Spanish varietals: Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada. Then a syrup mixture of sugar and yeast is added to cause the necessary fermentation. The same yeast later cause a secondary fermentation in the bottle and it is transfered to a cellar for nine months. After aging enough, this fantastic sparkling wine is ready to be served.

Cavas from Extremadura, Spain

In Spain, Cava wines have always been the choice for weddings, baptisms and parties. So next time you plan a romantic evening, choose a good Cava and I’m sure that you will set the tone for the rest of the night.

Bubbles are always fun and romantic!

UNCORKING SOME FUN AT THE BEACH

This past weekend, I had a wonderful time at the 25th Annual Sandestin Wine Festival, in Florida. I had the chance to mingle with many different wine experts and enjoyed a wide variety of international wines. It was the picture perfect event at the beach.

This year the festival reported a record of attendance and sales at the retail wine tent. The weather was absolutely gorgeous; and the Culinary Pavilion featured ”Food Treasures of Spain” that included the traditional Manchego cheese, chorizo and Jamon Serrano.

I was thrilled to have been invited to the Wine Festival Media Brunch at the Azalea Terrace of the Sandestin Resort. It was a four course brunch sponsored by Chan’s Wine World and Beaches of South Walton, where Chefs Roy Khoo, Crystal Castillo, Alan Baltazar, Tim Creehan and Jascha Becker offered different delicious dishes. We were also lucky to have the well-known Californian vintner, Mr. Marc Mondavi from Charles Krug Winery, as the special guest and he was so generous to share with us many stories about the art of making wine.

Also this year the “Best of Show Red” wine was Bodegas Caro 2007 from Southern Hemisphere and the “Best of Show White” was the Rombauer 2009 Chardonnay from Napa Valley.

I want to thank again to the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort’s team for their excellent job as host of this fantastic wine event.

Cheers for the Sandestin Wine Festival again!