Tag: wine

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Glass of Green

Want to help the environment? Start with a good glass of wine. Having choices between conventionally made wines and those more eco-conscious was once non-existent, but now they are more plentiful.

Viticulture can be a great strain on the environment. The industry’s negative effects include excess water usage (it takes up to eight gallons of water to produce one gallon of wine), chemical spraying, and air pollution. Wine lovers can help alleviate this stress through smart choices in the wine shop and the restaurant without sacrificing quality or taste.

Seeking out organic wines can be a good start, but it doesn’t end there. “In some instances, more diesel and chemicals are used in organic grape production than sustainably farmed wine grapes,” says David Gates, vice president of Vineyard Operations at Ridge Vineyards in California. Ridge produces high-quality, age-worthy wines from very old Zinfandel vineyards.

“Wine is food,” Gates continues. “It has moved along the same ecological path as the rest of agriculture. Conscious growers and vintners realize that the status quo isn’t good enough anymore and must work toward healing the earth by putting back as much as we take. Besides, sustainable wines taste good.”

In the sustainable vineyard, cover crops are planted to reintroduce nitrogen into the soil. Whenever possible, natural predators, not pesticides, are used to combat pests such as spider mites. And it doesn’t stop in the vineyard. The winery at Ridge’s Lytton Springs was built with rice straw and clay. The insulating straw and clay keep the tasting-room temperature around 68 degrees and the barrel room around 60 degrees — all without the aid of air conditioning. The 400 solar panels covering the roof have so far saved more than 102 tons of carbon dioxide from polluting the environment. What this all produces is some of the most beautiful, sublime, and food-friendly red wines in the world.

When Ron and Marianne Lachini set out to make world-class Pinot Noir in 1997, they knew they wanted “to respect the land and treat it well for generations to come.” For the Lachinis, sustainable viticulture not only protects and renews soil fertility but minimizes adverse impacts on natural biological cycles as well as wildlife, water quality, and the environment.

Alois Lageder, fifth-generation winemaker at Alois Lageder Winery, is breaking the deeply ingrained traditions held in the Alto Adige region of Italy. In an interview posted on the Internet, he said, “We conducted many experiments and found that the more naturally we do things, the better it is for the quality of the wine. When I took over the winery, I knew that we had a lot to change.” Lageder’s philosophy is to work in harmony with nature and not against it. The solar panels he installed on his new winery’s roof produce more than 50 percent of the winery’s power needs. Philosophy aside, his wines are seductive. Wine Spectator magazine placed his 2005 Pinot Bianco on their top 100 of 2006, and the 2006 Pinot Bianco is just as exquisite.

Aside from the positive ecological philosophy, there are two other important factors to consider: Does the wine taste good and does it sell?

“There has been a definite increase in demand for organic and sustainably farmed wines,” says Brad Larson, owner of Joe’s Wines in Midtown Memphis. “Many customers come here specifically seeking these wines. I used to keep the few that were organic in a section in the back. Until one day, Petros Lolonis, owner of Lolonis Winery, came in and said, ‘Don’t hide me in the back. Put me in with the rest of these wines. Ours is no different from the rest in taste and quality.'”

Recommended wines:

Ridge Geyserville Dry Creek Valley, California 2004. $36.99

Lachini Family Estate Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon 2006. $22.99

Alois Lageder Pinot Bianco Alto Adige, Italy 2006. $16.99

Lolonis Fumé Blanc Redwood Valley, California 2005. $13.99

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

The Supertaster Unveiled

Ask 100 people if they’d want to be “supertasters” and probably 99 of them would say yes. We have Superman, Superwoman, Supergirl (well, she was killed off, but she was still cool), so you’d think supertasters would have superpowers, right? It sounds so appealing, like living in a delicious, taste-enhanced world, and I, of course, fancied myself a super-mega-taster, able to describe a wine in a single bound. But as the theory came to light, I quickly realized a wine critic doesn’t exactly want to brag about this.

The term originated in the mid-1990s, when research revealed that some people possess a powerful sensitivity to bitterness. The study estimated 25 percent of the entire world’s population are supertasters (mostly female), 50 percent are normal tasters, and the remaining 25 percent fall into the nontaster category. The three slots divide along gender and racial lines, with 35 percent of Caucasian women fitting the super bill, but Asians, Africans, and South Americans also heavily weigh into the super class.

Despite the name, to be a supertaster isn’t so super — it’s actually a prison sentence to a uniquely overintense experience. We’re not talking about an ecstasylike, feel-good intense but a gag-reflex intense. One out of four people has more fungiform papillae on their tongue — the little bumps on the surface that house your taste buds — rendering them intolerant to many foods. Basically, they taste too much. Anything bitter, such as black coffee, Scotch, grapefruit juice, or most vegetables, supertasters avoid. And really sweet items, such as artificial sugars or spicy foods also taste too powerful. Sooo … basically, the foodstuffs that please my palate, they can’t stomach.

The reasoning could lie in the bumps. Back in Paleolithic times, we needed more sensitive receptors on our tongues to determine if scavenged food was edible. As we evolved, the increased number of receptors became less and less useful, so, apparently, we’re phasing them out — 75 percent of us already have.

To determine if your annoying “sauce on the side, no broccoli in my sautéed vegetables, can you make sure that’s not Thai hot” habits could actually be the result of your super tongue (and not, as your mom said, your “pickiness”), there are ways to test yourself. One way is applying an apparently nasty medicine (which treats hyperactive thyroid), propylthiouracil, to your tongue and analyzing your perceptions. Most people can’t perceive any flavor at all, but supertasters shudder from the terribly bitter substance. A much easier way is to apply a small dab of blue food coloring on the tip of your tongue and count the pink bumps. The denser the bumps, the higher likelihood you are a supertaster — 64 per square centimeter is the average taster.

If I were a supertaster, which I am thankfully not — I have a career-saving, generic tongue — I probably wouldn’t be a proficient wine critic. (“Way too much fruit, offensive acids, and tannins. Where’s my favorite boring, tasteless Chardonnay?”) Plagued with too many buds, I’d be overwhelmed by all my favorite foods: green tea, fruits, vegetables, and, of course, wines of all flavors — alcohol tastes quite bitter and irritating to a supertaster. They lean toward the bland (light beer, anyone?), and their sensitivity to acidity keeps them far away from astringent Sauvignon Blanc, Spanish Albarino, or Pinot Noir. Even the sensation of alcohol sets off their touchy tongues — so don’t expect to find Listerine in their medicine cabinets.

Recommended Wine

Pewsey Vale 2006 Riesling Eden Valley (Australia) — Rieslings in Australia almost always taste clean and bright, with complex petrol flavors. Pewsey Vale is no exception. Vibrant, tart lemon-lime and elegant tropical fruit with soft, even acidity. $16

taylor.eason@cln.com

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Rosé Rising

‘Tis time again for my annual pimping of pink. I’ve been on the proverbial wine box about rosés for several years, throwing my body up against a wall that only now is beginning to budge. This year, rosés decorated a one-page spread in The New York Times food section as well as the cover of Wine Spectator, and even burly men are deigning to drink this blushing wine worthy of respect.

And by rosé I don’t mean white Zinfandel, the culprit that caused Americans to shun pink for years while men and women in Europe guzzled it like Budweiser at a Memorial Day picnic. Today’s rosés are dry to off-dry (a tiny bit of sweetness), tart, and filled with watermelon, strawberry, and raspberry aromas and flavors. What’s not to like? Food-friendly, acidic, and fruity, they pair perfectly with summer meals and outdoor gatherings. Throw a couple of bottles in a cooler (many are screwtop, avoiding the clumsy corkscrew) and head to wherever the summer breeze blows you.

Rosés come about their color in a very natural way. Most winemakers create tint by allowing the juice from red grapes to sit with its skins for a few hours. All grape juice, no matter if the fruit appears white or red, starts out clear. Rosé wine attains a darker shade when the red grape skins stew with the juice for days or weeks, imparting a pink to reddish color. Darker rosés indicate the winemaker kept the juice sitting longer with the skins, coaxing more tannins into the wine to give it more oomph and structure. Not that you have to scrutinize these wines. Rosés are meant to be enjoyed without thought or analysis.

You can pretty much make rosé from any red grape, with my favorites coming from Syrah, Grenache, and Zinfandel (wineries fearing the “White Zin” moniker call theirs “Zinfandel Rosé”). Cabernet Sauvignon is also on the rise as a winemaker’s grape of choice. The most famous pinks come from the Provence and Languedoc regions of France, where carafes filled with blushing wine dot outdoor café tables. And, unlike many French selections, high-quality rosés come pretty cheap. Most run between 10 and 15 bucks, depending on the label and a store’s price markup.

Rosés are meant to be consumed fresh, within a year of bottling, so don’t put them on the rack and forget about them. Look for the astounding 2006 vintage when shopping and drink them cold like you would white wine.

White Zinfandel remains one of the top-selling wines in the U.S., so there’s still plenty of sweet pink. This flavor comes from adding sugar or stopping fermentation before the sugar has been transformed into alcohol. Dry rosés’ sugar gets eliminated through complete fermentation, yielding higher alcohol content. One reliable, yet not infallible, method of determining whether a pink packs a sugar wallop is looking at the alcohol content, usually located on the front label. Those with higher alcohol content, normally between 12.5 and 14.5 percent, are dry, and sweeter wines come in at 10 to 12 percent.

New York and San Francisco, two trendsetting cities for wine consumption, have been enjoying the pink stuff lately. Sell-out crowds at events featuring solely rosé wines indicate its growing popularity. Rosé is finally hip — join the party and drink pink.

I recommend trying a variety of rosés. You’re pretty much safe quaffing any from France, where all is dry. A few American gems to look for: Hamacher Pinot Noir Rosé (Oregon, $14); Vina Robles Roseum (Paso Robles, $13); Falcor Rosé (California, $15); Solo Rosa Rosé (California, $13); Pedroncelli Zinfandel Rosé (Sonoma, $13).

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Just Do It

On Thursday, April 19th, River Oaks executive chef Ben Vaughn teams up with local chefs for “Ben and Friends Cook for the Cure.“ Among those “friends” are Erling Jensen and Justin Young (Erling Jensen), Stephen Hassinger (The Inn at Hunt Phelan), Jason Severs (Bari Ristorante), Antony Field (Timbeaux’s on the Square), Jackson Kramer (Interim), and Clay Lichterman (Grille 83).

The Cook for the Cure dinner raises money and awareness for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Launched in 2001, Cook for the Cure, a partnership between KitchenAid and the Komen Foundation, has raised more than $3 million to help the fight against breast cancer. For Vaughn, this isn’t just about bringing the event to the Mid-South. It’s also a meaningful way to mark River Oaks’ first anniversary. Tickets for the dinner are $150, and all proceeds will benefit the Memphis affiliate of the Komen Foundation.

For more information and reservations, call River Oaks.

River Oaks, 5871 Poplar (683-9305)

For the second of its First Friday Wine Tasting Series, on Friday, April 13th, at 6:30 p.m., Lulu Grille is offering a “Big Valley”-themed menu and wines from Sonoma County. The three-course meal features smoked- salmon canapés, goat-cheese and chive tartlets, and Serrano ham-wrapped asparagus as appetizers paired with Gloria Ferrer Brut (Sonoma County NV). Grilled mahi filet, roasted pheasant breast, and grilled rack of lamb are the entrée choices, each paired with a different wine. The dinner will be rounded out with imported cheeses and fruit to be paired with Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County 2004). Scott DeLamere is in charge of the food at Lulu Grille and also designed the menu for the dinner; John Adams with Star Distributors selected the wines.

Cost for the dinner on April 13th is $55 per person plus tax and gratuity. Dates for the next Friday Wine Tasting are May 4th and June 1st.

Lulu Grille, 565 Erin (763-3677)

Lynne Rossetto Kasper, host of the public-radio series The Splendid Table, will be at Davis-Kidd Booksellers to celebrate WKNO’s 35th Birthday Bash on Friday, April 13th. Rossetto Kasper has written for The New York Times, Food & Wine, and Bon Appétit, among other publications, and was named one of the 12 best cooking teachers in America by the James Beard Foundation. The Splendid Table, her first book, is the only book to receive Cookbook of the Year awards from both Julia Child/IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) and the James Beard Foundation. If you miss her at WKNO’s birthday party, you can catch her show on Sunday mornings at 10 on WKNO-FM.

Tickets for the event, which starts at 7 p.m., are $35 and include a complimentary martini from Swig. Dan Gediman, of the public-radio series This I Believe, will be another special guest for the evening. Party guests will receive a 20 percent discount on most items in the store and can enjoy food by Davis-Kidd’s Brontë bistro while mingling and chatting with Rossetto Kasper and Gediman. Tickets can be purchased at Davis-Kidd or by calling 325-6560.

Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Ext.

(683-9801)

This year, Brooks Uncorked, the museum’s annual celebration of wine, food, and culture, is honoring Spain with Viva España. The event, on Friday, April 13th, at 7 p.m., will feature Spanish wine, food, and dance. Tickets are $100 for Brooks members and $125 for nonmembers (a portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible). To purchase tickets, call 544-6209 or visit www.brooksmuseum.org.

If Spain isn’t your thing, you might want to stop by the Brushmark for lunch to try the restaurant’s new spring menu. Arugula salad with beet “Carpaccio” candied pistachios and creamy goat-cheese dressing, fried green tomato BLT, and root-vegetable tarte Tatin with goat-cheese and black-olive vinaigrette are just a few of the fresh additions.

Memphis Brooks Museum of Art,

1934 Poplar (544-6200)

The Peabody’s Chez Philippe will present a Taste of Thailand dinner on April 19th from 6 to 10 p.m. Chef Reinaldo Alfonso will introduce diners to the five basic flavors of Thai cuisine — spicy, salty, sweet, sour, and bitter — and its Indian and Chinese influences. The five-course menu will feature such dishes as tom kha gai, som tum, pad ga pow, and the popular pad thai. Cost is $65 plus tax and gratuity.

Chez Philippe, 149 Union (529-4188)

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

In the Meantime

Interim opened this week in the space formerly occupied by Wally Joe restaurant. Interim’s executive chef is Wally Joe protégé Jackson Kramer. On board with Kramer are: general manager David McWhorter, who until recently worked in a similar position at the Grove Grill; bar manager Chris Williams; sous chef Brian Ellis, who helped to get Boscos in Little Rock off the ground; and lead cook Duncan Aiken, who most recently worked for Stella and is in the process of opening his own restaurant downtown.

As to the future of a restaurant named Interim — Fred Carl Jr., founder and CEO of Viking Range Corporation and former majority owner of Wally Joe restaurant, doesn’t want to keep it a secret that the place is for sale. Carl would consider maintaining an ownership position with the right “operator” so long as he remains in the background, as is the case with the three restaurants he owns in Greenwood, Mississippi (Delta Fresh Market, Mockingbird Bakery, and Giardina’s).

Interim aims for a slightly more casual dining atmosphere than Wally Joe, with a menu that appeals to a wider range of customers. Appetizers and salads range from $5 to $14 and include oysters on the half shell, macaroni-and-cheese casserole with country ham and herb and Parmesan crust, and a Caesar salad topped with grilled chicken or fried oysters. Entrées start at $15 and include grilled beef tenderloin with garlic mashed potatoes, broccolini, fried onions and red-wine sauce or blue-cheese butter; bow-tie pasta with sage pesto, roasted tomatoes, radicchio, and Fontina cheese; and sesame-crusted salmon with glazed baby carrots, taro root purée, and miso sauce.

Interim is open Monday through Saturday at 5:30 p.m. for dinner only.

Interim, 5040 Sanderlin (818-0821)

After much anticipation, Spindini, Judd Grisanti‘s new restaurant in the South Main Historic District, is opening soon.

The concept is “simple, elegant Italian,” but in true Grisanti fashion, Spindini can’t be summed up so easily. For one thing, Grisanti has rediscovered an ancient way of preparing his dishes (and one that fascinates so many males): cooking with fire. In this case, the fire is smoldering in a $30,000 custom-built, wood-burning oven that is the center of attention from every point in the restaurant — aside from Grisanti, who’ll be right there shoving food in and out of the oven using a multitude of pedals. Even the wood — red oak and hickory — is chopped on the premises by the chef himself.

Spindini seats 120, and the kitchen takes up approximately 500 of the 3,900-square-foot space. But just outside the back door is a walk-in cooler that could easily fit the family sedan. A private dining room for up to 20 people is in the back of the restaurant, with more space for special events in a building next door. There’s a parking lot with 50 spaces on the north side of the building, and 100 feet of South Main frontage will be transformed into a patio in the early spring, and that might still not cover it all.

The restaurant’s interior, revamped in a contemporary style by archimania, mixes shades of black and charcoal with copper and earth tones. Most seating is banquette-style with a few free-standing tables near the oven. The bar and the “chef’s table” (the bar around the oven) offer seating, and flat-screen televisions will keep diners in the entrance lounge entertained.

The restaurant’s atmosphere is laid-back, with a $5 martini bar, live music some nights, and early hours for dinner. Appetizers include: beef and tuna carpaccio; Miss Mary’s salad; bacon-wrapped spiedini (skewered) shrimp; and Grisanti’s oysters Rockefeller soup. Entrées include: trout stuffed with apple-wood smoked bacon, tarragon, and Yukon-gold potatoes; Tuscan beef steak; double-thick pork chops with herbed gnocchi, cremini mushrooms, and shallots; and a variety of pizza and pasta dishes, such as lobster ravioli, smoked chicken fettucini, and white pizza with potato cream and portabella mushrooms. Diners can also choose from original Grisanti family favorites, such as spaghetti with Grisanti Bolognese, ravioli Mezzo Mezzo, manicotti, and eggplant Rollatini.

Spindini is open daily from 4 p.m. for dinner only.

Spindini, 383 S. Main

siba@gmx.com

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Pegging Consumers

When I recently stumbled across a wine-consumer study called Project Genome, in my head I heard Project Runway‘s Tim Gunn cry, “Designers!”

The study came out last fall, but I didn’t read it then since the puzzling name sounded more like genetics than wine. Like Project Runway, with its stereotypically catty cast of characters ripping out each other’s souls, Project Genome typecasts the souls of wine buyers.

The study, sponsored by corporate wine behemoth Constellation Brands, reported the results of an online survey of 3,500 people, asking more than 100 questions about their recent wine-buying behavior and lifestyle choices. The findings placed people into six neat stereotypical segments.

Here are the Project Genome definitions: Enthusiasts (12 percent), who are obsessed and wallow in wine-ness; Image Seekers (20 percent), who buy both for sophistication as well as for trendiness; Savvy Shoppers (15 percent), who seek out great wines with great value; Traditionalists (16 percent), who want wine from an established winery; Satisfied Sippers (14 percent), who desire a sensible wine to serve to family and friends; and Overwhelmed (23 percent), those consumers who find shopping for wine frustrating.

Cutesy names aside, there is some validity to these segments, and they remind me that typecasting works sometimes. In this spirit, I defined each myself, hoping to cut through the bull.

• Enthusiasts: These exploring people try everything and rarely drink the same wine twice. They read anything “wine” and tend to think independently, so you can’t peg them. I hang with a bunch of Enthusiasts.

• Image Seekers: Personally, these people make me nauseous and are the main reason why wine is viewed as a stuck-up beverage. They drop $140 on Silver Oak Cabernet or Cristal just to look cool, no matter how many better wines are on the wine list. I’m depressed the percentage is so high.

• Savvy Shoppers: They want to expand but are nervous about it. These folks frequent wine tastings and buy the best values that night. They aren’t scared of more expensive wines as long as they’ve tried them. I love these people — they listen and make my ego swell.

• Traditionalists: These people don’t necessarily care about the price but also don’t want to be surprised. They buy the same Chardonnay each time they go to the wine shop or grocery store, like Mer Soleil (higher end) or Clos du Bois (lower end). Boring people, but hey, they support the industry and keep me working.

• Satisfied Sippers: They lack the explorer gene, probably have consumed the same crappy wine for years, like Schmitt Sohne’s Piersporter or Beringer White Zinfandel. They don’t care about where it comes from. They just want to catch a buzz.

• Overwhelmed: They struggle at the store and seek out creative designs on labels for their purchases. Animals hook them every time, and they fall prey to marketing efforts. Advice: Look for reliable Australian brands like Jacob’s Creek and Penfold’s. No animals, but they are consistent.

Why segment wine consumers? To make money, of course. The industry wants to market its wines more effectively, as well as graduate people through the levels to higher-priced brands. But there’s nothing wrong with being on any level — make it work (as Gunn would say) with your taste, wine drinkers.

Recommended Wines

Covey Run 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley (Washington) — Smoky flavor like charred meat, laced with roasted cherries and ripe blackberries. A bit of oak tannin gives it some heft. $13

Banrock Station 2005 Semillon-Chardonnay SE Australia — Sexy aroma of sweet honey, mango, and pineapple. Zingy acidity with a smooth red-apple flavor. $6

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Zin Is In

I’m an admitted Zin Bitch. I even have the T-shirt to prove it. This means I hoard my red Zinfandels, only bringing out the best ones when people “worthy” enough are around and on special occasions, like the season opener of Grey’s Anatomy. When I’m alone, I savor every drop, growling like a dog with its favorite chew toy if anyone comes near and licking the sides of glass if any drops deign to spill. Yes, it’s pathetic, but, hey, passion is passion. It’s the gutsy, berry-jammy thing that grabs me and holds on. I gladly surrender.

Zins still don’t get the respect they’re due. Austere Cabernets may be king, but since red Zins have the peppery personality and zingy zip, they deserve to at least be the prince. However, many people might think it should be the queen, since red Zin is often associated with its sweet cousin, white Zin. But I thank this blushing relative every day since, without it, I probably wouldn’t have Zin in my glass right now. In the ’70s and ’80s, grape growers were yanking out the Zin vines because they couldn’t sell the stuff. Then Sutter Home accidentally created a fruity blush wine from this hearty grape, and consumers went wild for it. Some 100-year-old vines were saved from death by their ability to be sweet on people. Versatile and delicious — just what I love in a grape.

The 1990s saw a resurgence in the love for dry, gutsy red Zinfandel, and pioneers such as the five “Rs” (Ravenswood, Renwood, Ridge, Rombauer, Rosenblum) began releasing these full-bodied beauties. At first, snooty Cabernet lovers shunned them, calling them brash and untamed (many hit a head-spinning 16 percent alcohol), but Zin, with its wafting fruit and irresistible charm, won many over. It’s now kinda hip to like Zin — like you’re “in the know” or something.

The regions that are churning out the best these days are the warmer areas, since Zinfandel takes a lot of heat to get ripe: Paso Robles, Dry Creek Valley, Lodi, and some from a cooler area, Russian River.

Zin’s versatility allows winemakers to get creative, crafting lighter styles as well as late-harvest dessert wines and ports. By definition, Zinfandels are heavier than Merlots but not as tannic as Cabernet Sauvignon. Many “bigger” (heavy tannins and high-acid) Zins are amenable to aging, capable of growing smoother and more complex with a few years of lying on their side. But most of them are fine for guzzling as soon as you hit the door.

And guzzle you should. Try a couple of these wines and tell me they aren’t beautiful.

Recommended Wines

Ottimino 2002 Rancho Bello Zinfandel Russian River — Elegance defined, with flowery scents of violets and roses, and ripe blackberry, blueberry, and earthy tobacco follow. $29

Clos La Chance 2003 Buff Bellied Zinfandel Central Coast — Named after a hummingbird found in Northern California, this wine is rich, hearty, and fruit-forward. It impresses with its luscious black cherry/blackberry combo. Subtle hints of herbs and white pepper too. Multi-layered wine that keeps giving the whole sip. $15

Artezin 2004 Zinfandel Mendocino/Amador/Sonoma Counties — Funky aroma when you first pour it, like stinky socks, but wait it out. Silky raspberry, wild cherry, and vanilla introduce a soft texture on the tongue. $15

Meeker 2003 FroZin Mendocino — A dessert Zin for those who love them. Liquid sugar, laced with orange peel, strawberry, and raspberry. Delicious. $27 for half-bottle, but it’s all you’ll need.

Hayman and Hill 2003 Reserve Selection Zinfandel Dry Creek — Bright and lighter than the others I tried. Bright cherry, eucalyptus, and fresh sage take the stage. The Zin to try if you like them more acidic and less sweet. $15

corkscrew@creativeloafing.com

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Popular wines, up and down the dial

Churning out pithy wine descriptors for a regular column is no easy task. Some critics don’t even do them since fashioning creative imageries becomes overwhelming. But it’s got to be the same for other critics, especially music critics. How does one describe something that can only be heard? At least I have three senses to play with: sight, smell, and taste. So I thought, just for giggles, I could match up wine and music and see what happens:

Cabernet Sauvignon comes in many shapes and sizes, but it is often bold, tannic, and chewy. Its fruit arrives slowly, erupting in your mouth like a chocolate-covered cherry or … a surprise guitar solo. Van Halen comes to mind — the classic stuff, back when Eddie rocked, rough and steady. Like a Cabernet, VH’s music is relentless, strong, and hedonistic. Rapper Missy Elliott, with her commendable I-don’t-give-a-shit attitude, also gets in there.

Chardonnay, one of America’s favorite grapes, has been oaked up, buttered up, and twisted to fit into a chic consumer package for so long, I can’t remember its unadulterated flavor. Like music, the Chard trends change each year to please the fickle masses. Over the years, U2 has had the ability to morph its sound to change with the times. From acidic, corrosive guitar sounds to a smooth, elegant groove, the band’s music makes a statement the way a good California Chardonnay should.

Pinot Grigio/Gris, a somewhat bland grape that — in the right hands — has moments of glory, tastes clean, citrus-y, and a bit sharp. And it’s often better with food. Dinner-party, piano-based music, like Norah Jones or George Winston, works here.

Pinot Noir wallows in feminine sensuality. Sometimes coy, sometimes stylish, but always unpredictable. It changes dramatically as it ages, mellowing from a fruity personality into a more austere, darker flavor. Pinot is Sade, whose graceful, soulful music is timeless and embodies the elegance of a Pinot Noir. Erykah Badu with her smoky, funky neo-soul, comes in a close second.

Riesling, the oft-underrated grape of soft, sweet, peachy wines, is one of the “noble” varieties that people frequently drink surreptitiously, fearful of admitting their affection. People also won’t admit they love the cute, syrupy lyrics of country music, but if you investigate their car radios, you’ll inevitably uncover at least one button tuned to a Dixie Chicks-friendly station.

Sauvignon Blanc, acidic and tart, rubs people the right way or the wrong way. Some people just hate the bracing grapefruit, citrus scent, and flavor, but others, like myself, love this stuff. I throw the entire rap and hip-hop genre into this category — it generates the same ire or adoration.

Syrah/Shiraz is mysterious since you never know what you’re gonna get from the bottle — some Aussie Shiraz is light and fruity, and some California Syrahs taste spicy and full-bodied. The spicy ones reflect Johnny Cash, with his gruff, smoky vocals. Fruity Shiraz, delicate and sweeter, is more like John Mayer — uncomplicated and appealing to everybody, every day.

Zinfandel tastes gutsy, fruity, and sometimes garish with alcohol. It wants everyone to know it’s in the room, with its strong scent and peppery personality. Who does bold better than Cher? Or perhaps KISS, back in their youthful days, of course.

Recommended Wines

Fattoria Le Terrazze 2004 Rosso Conero (Italy) — $10. Bright, fun cherry with some tart acids that zing. Old-school Michael Jackson dance music. Delicious and cheap.

Bogle 2002 Phantom (California) — $22. Port-like in flavor, with hearty raisins and prunes, dark black cherries, and blackberries inching in. Big, beefy, and not for the faint of heart. Let breathe before drinking. A Nine Inch Nails kind of wine.

corkscrew@creativeloafing.com

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Food & Wine Food & Drink

Beaujolais isn’t all bad.

When people think of Beaujolais … well, they don’t really think of Beaujolais at all, do they? Those who remember it recall a watery, acidic, too-fruity Kool-Aid called Beaujolais Nouveau that accompanies the November celebration in honor of the wine’s annual release. Once the party’s over, they buy some and drink it the next night or “age” it until some pitiable — and usually drunk — sap comes along to drink it. (Beaujolais Nouveau should be consumed within six months after bottling.) But the really downtrodden ones are the Beaujolais producers. The November rush delivers a cash windfall, but the hype for the Kool-Aid eclipses any hope they have to establish a name for their good wines: the “cru” Beaujolais.

A “cru” is basically an appellation (called “AOC” in France) or a section of land with a name. Appellations are declared when the soil and climate turn out grapes in that particular swath of land that are decidedly different from other swaths of land. All Beaujolais are made with 100 percent Gamay grapes, but when they are grown in a different place, they can take on different flavors and characteristics. For example, Moulin-à-Vent, a cru designation in northern Beaujolais, has granite-based soils that are richer in manganese than other crus, producing a spicier, more robust wine. The other nine crus are: Brouilly, Chenas, Chiroubles, Côtes-du-Brouilly, Fleurie, Julienas, Morgon, Regnie, and Saint Amour.

Everyone who knows something about wine lauds the 2003 and 2005 vintages of cru Beaujolais, saying they produced the best juice since the historic 1945 and ’47 vintages.

The ’03 and ’05 are two completely different stories. 2003 was the year Europe got butt-kicked with so much heat that the grapes practically raisinated on the vine. But 2005 was a more traditional vintage, with near-perfect sun and rain conditions. And it’s no bull either. Virtually every wine I’ve tried from these years was beautiful in some way. The 2003 wines have more of a “cooked” flavor, with darker fruit like prunes, roasted cherries, and raisins. If you close your eyes, you’ll swear you were drinking red Burgundy, which is made from pinot noir and costs twice the price. The 2005s, especially my favorites, Julienas and Morgon, smell and taste like velvety, ripe raspberries and in-your-face cherry.

There are two other appellations, Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages, which originate from less favorable regions than the crus. These often have great fresh and fruity aromas but destroy the moment with their acidic and sometimes tannic flavor. So I pay $5 more and go cru, which runs anywhere from $12 to $25, depending on the producer and the AOC.

One other surprising thing about cru Beaujolais: They age well. Since people tend to think of the drink-it-now Nouveau as the quintessential Beaujolais, they don’t think any of them can age. On a recent trip to Beaujolais, I tried wines from 1989, 1990, and 1992, and they had a scrumptious, aged Pinot Noir appeal about them — tamed tannins and acids, roasted red fruit, and soft leather. Not bad for an initial investment of $15 and a whole lot of patience to let it rest.

Because of its lightheartedness and fruitiness, Beaujolais is great for summer drinking. In fact, it’s the perfect red-wine “bridge” for white-wine drinkers. To bring out the fruit and refreshing acids, chill it down for about an hour in the fridge. And seek out the most reliable Beaujolais producers: Mommessin, Jadot, and Duboeuf.

Recommended Wines

Duboeuf 2003 Morgon Jean Descombes — Smells like dark red wood and leather seats in a men’s cigar bar. Taste is soft layers of roasted black cherries, blueberries, and currants. $14

Mommessin 2005 Julienas — Well-balanced acids with lively cherry, rich vanilla, bright raspberry, and a dash of earthy leather on the finish. Might be hard to find but worth the effort. $14