Pools of Darkness

Pools of Darkness

As I wade in the endless darkness,

Tears fill pools that are heartless.

It is the depth I flee

Screams of loneliness surround me.

With closed eyes my world is free;

Filled with birds and trees, peace and harmony.

Why can’t this scene be real to me?

A place that’s calm with tranquility.

At night I drown in sorrow,

My heart is calloused, I fear tomorrow.

Reaching for a hand to save me,

The darkness grows I can’t see.

Soon they say there will come a light.

A time when everything is back to right.

How long do I wait in this pool of tears?

It could be too long my heart fears.

Hope is waiting, it’s within my grasp.

Pleas are useless, my heart cracks.

I plunge into the pools to find my way.

The light is there it needs to stay.

I reach for it and pray…

But when I open my eyes I realize,

The dream I’m in has black skies.

Deeper into the pools my heart drifts,

Until only the darkness exists.

By Bryan Bennington

Remember America

Do you remember when family meant something? When Christmas was celebrated for Christ! I remember when kids could play in the streets without parental supervision, (at least until the street lights came on). There was an era before computer games and the commercial hype of the holidays. When I was a kid, our family would always eat dinner together at the table. I especially think about the time when doing your job did not mean just going to work. There was a time when the American dream was just to get here. Does this mentality still exist? When you look at your life now, do you fall into all the hypocrisy of today? Here is the big question; do we take enough time out to actually see America and all its beauty?

What do us, as Americans need to do to get back there? We need to live our lives for a purpose not just to get something done. We need to celebrate the family because it brings neighborhoods together. We need to redevelop pride in our work so we can feel like true Americans. We need to teach our children that playing sports is exactly that, playing. We need to celebrate what we have, not look past it all and wish for more. Is this even possible? Ask yourself that question. Is it too late? What would your dad say about how you celebrate life? What would your Grandparents think about how you have raised your children?

I know many of you may think, “I do not fall into these categories.” If you are like me, you may find yourself with eyes wide open and realize that you are trapped in an inescapable life style. Then again you may be one of those people that read this and think, “I did not sign up for this. What does this have to do with wine?” Well, every month I have to write a newsletter about wine. I have to tell you sometimes it is hard. Creativity is a gift. If we all received the same gift every day, we would probably get sick of it.

Therefore, I am choosing to use my gift of writing to ask each of you, who are you as a person? Whether you have religious beliefs or not, you still have a mind and your sense of vision. I say we all need to improve ourselves in one way or another. Each day we should do one thing that will get us back to that place. What if on Mondays we said, “Hi” to someone we do not know. Starting this week, reserve Tuesdays for family dinner night. Wednesdays you should go around and complement anyone for doing a good job. Maybe Thursday we say a prayer for those less fortunate than us. On Friday go watch your kids play ball or a local team if you do not have kids and let them know you appreciate them trying even if they did not win. Saturday, take your loved one out on a date and do something they want to do. Sunday, it is the last day, what can we do to make the past week count? How about planning the next week? Yeah, we cannot stop there; keep going until it all becomes viral. Can you imagine if we all did something different six days a week, week after week, to rejuvenate the spirit of life? How will it make you feel to know you have touched another person? Would people notice and follow your lead? All I can do is try. I know this I can do better!

As for the wine, I think I am ready now. I am intellectually open to discuss other people’s accomplishments.

This month I am taking your palates to Argentina. The wines I have chosen are from Bodega Poesia. This winery is located in the town of Lujan de Cuyo, in the district of Mendoza. It is here where a husband and wife, Patrice Lévêque and Hélène Garcin-Lévêque, have joined their knowledge of wine and produced a finished product unique to this terrior.

As prestigious owners of famed Chateau’s like Clos L’Eglise, Chateau Barde-Haut, and Chateau Haut Bergey, they have come to Argentina to produce the finest wines. Their 13-acre estate is located in the heart of Lujan de Cuyo, which is considered the finest region for Malbec in Argentina. Our Poesia Malbec comes from vines planted in 1974. The vineyard and wine are treated with the same meticulous care that is applied in France to their Grands Crus. The vine cultivation is 100% natural, no herbicides or pesticides are used and all work is done by hand. The grapes are hand-harvested, and all the equipment used in the winemaking process is imported from France in order to guarantee that the 20,000 bottles of Poesia are produced with the same high quality tools, that they use in France.

Small, traditional, wooden vats, which are imported, are used in the winery, that resembles Clos L’Eglise in Pomerol more than a typical Argentinean Bodega. Malolactic fermentation takes place in new French oak barrels and the wine is aged for 18 to 20 months. Poesia Malbec is blended with 40% old vine Cabernet Sauvignon, which comes from the same vineyard. Its aromas and flavors are unique. Our wine is deep garnet in color with a tinge of purple. The nose exudes appealing notes of warm blackberries, cassis, mocha and spice. The palate shows great balance and structure. Ripe, berry fruit fills the mouth balanced by nice acidity and velvety tannins. The Lévêques recommend slightly chilling this red, before consuming, to enhance this passionate style of wine. This wine’s unique character pushes the flavor index to an extreme for food pairing. We recommend grilled beefy meats like Flank steak or a Tri-tip roast. Smoked meats and grilled vegetables will also pair well with this wine.

Our white wine, also from Bodega Poesia, is a Torrontes. This white grape variety is becoming popular in Argentina and I feel it is way under the radar as far as a quality grape varietal goes. Another outstanding effort from Hélène and Patrice, this Torrontes comes from vines with an average age of 25 years. The wine has a beautiful nose of tropical fruit and spice. On the palate, we pick up rich lemon, pear and a hint of pineapple. This wine is perfect as an aperitif or you may serve it with light seafood, chicken or veal.

I had a Dream...

I had a Dream…

That someday all wines would be judged equally…

That all wines would be graded upon their quality instead of their label or cost…

That each wine would be tasted with enthusiasm and an open mind…

I had a Dream…

We could all gather and appreciate the natural healing power that the grape brings to all of us…

That food and wine would pair perfectly without overpowering each other…

I had a Dream that everyone would like both red and white wines evenly…

Without prejudice or discrimination.

As spring unveils itself and brings forth life. We too should open our minds to all the preconceptions of wine and start a new appreciation for the world of Oenology. My goal this year is to gain a respect for white and red wines alike. I hope all of us will learn and grow our respect for the farmer, vintner, and wine itself. This can only be done by directly comparing what a grape has to offer, no matter where it is grown or who makes the finished product. We will grow to understand each terroir and appreciate each wine for where it comes from.

This month we are comparing a Chardonnay from the Burgundy region of France and a Chardonnay from the Colchagua Valley in Chile. Both Chardonnays are of equal quality but different in so many ways. They come from two different sides of the equator. One vineyard will be experiencing summer while the other is chilled with the blanket of winter. What they do have in common is enthusiastic men and women who want nothing more than to make a perfect wine with the tools they have been handed.

First, we will look at the Burgundian Chardonnay. France is without a doubt the most difficult wine region in the world to understand. Therefore, I will try to explain it simply without too much detail. In France, nearly all wines are labeled with their origin instead of the grape variety. The basic wine areas in France are Bordeaux, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Rhone, Provence, Champagne, Alsace and a couple more with which we will not bother. Burgundy, which is where our wine is from, is broken down into three basic regions: Chablis, Côte d’Or, Mâconnais. Within each region is an intricate map of sub-region, then Villages, and vineyards, all of which are shared by many more farmers than there are vintners. Our wine is from the village of Saint Véran located in the Mâconnais. The nearest village of great distinction is that of Pouilly-Fuissé. All white wine made within the Mâconnais is 100% Chardonnay and with good reason. The characteristics held by the terroir here are a perfect match for the queen of grape varieties. Limestone subsoil, layered with clay and gravel, along with a warm climate suit the Chardonnay grape. What determines the distinction between one Village’s wines to the next are the undulating differences in the soil. Saint-Véran is distinct due to its red chalky soil and the gravel turning into sand, which brings an acidity and minerality to the wine that, is not found in some of the neighboring villages. The southeast facing vineyards, which rise a mere 300-500 feet, appreciate the sunshine that caresses its fruit. This wine sees no oak during the winemaking process. Our wine is fruity with aromas and flavors of white peach, pear, granny smith apple, a flinty minerality and a bit of honeyed-petrol. Food pairings for our Saint-Véran are monkfish, lightly seasoned chicken with a cream sauce, prawns and goat cheese.

Now, we will jump 8400 nautical miles over the Atlantic Ocean, the Equator, and the whole continent of South America to the vineyards of Chile. The most dynamic thing about Chilean wine country is the fact it is the only region in the world that has never been invaded by the destructive aphid Phylloxera. This is due to the sandy Atacama Desert to the north, the Andes Mountains to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west and Antarctica to the south. The climate is generally Mediterranean with day after day of warm sunshine, little rainfall and an unpolluted atmosphere. The soils here are different from those of Burgundy. Chile has fine textured clay, loam silt, and granite derived from volcanic slopes.

The low humidity, maritime influence and the cooling breeze from the Andes Mountain range generate an ideal condition for grape growing. Temperatures fluctuate as much as 40°F from mid-day to mid-night in the Colchagua Valley, giving the grapes additional hang time and a long molecular chain responsible for the aromas and taste of the fruit. It is here where the vineyards range from 1500-3000 feet in altitude. MontGras is at the top of their class when it comes to environmental responsibility; they know the unique geographical situation they are a part of and they take their farming and winemaking technique seriously, while maintaining the natural surroundings. All these dynamics, combined with skillful winemaking make our MontGras Chardonnay unique. This white wine is aged for six months, 40% in oak and the remainder in stainless steel. Tropical fruit aromas, and flavors of apricots and honey combined with vanilla, peach and pear flavors, invite foods such as Hawaiian pork kabobs, grilled jerk chicken, and Alaskan Salmon with mango chutney.

Enjoy!

East versus West

This is the year of wine wars! One of my goals this year is to do wine comparisons, so we can determine the actual difference terroir makes in the chemistry of a wine. The French define all the elements that can change the flavor profile of a grape as terroir. These elements include soil composition, precipitation, latitude, sun exposure, degree of angle of which the vines are planted and elevation.

This month we are comparing a Barbera from Italy’s Lombardy region, which is the northern most wine region of Italy, and a Barbera from Mendocino County in California, which is located just north of Sonoma Valley. The wineries we choose are Cantina di Casteggio from Italy and Fattoria Enotria from California. We chose these wines based on their geographical location and the quality of the wine, not specifically because of the winery.

Terroir is an interesting thing when discussed in the wine industry. Many winemakers will state that their ultimate goal is “to make top quality wines that express the true terroir of the vineyard.” Well, if every winemaker makes this statement what makes one wine better than the next? My answer is sustainability. In order for true terroir to be expressed, the most important thing a winemaker can do is make sure the vineyards are cared for without the influence of humans. This means doing without man made herbicides and pesticides to control the outcome of the crop. If terroir is nature nurturing the vine, than a wine made to define it should not be influenced by man!

Mendocino County (AVA), American Viticulture Area, is the northernmost wine-growing region of California. The landscape is a breathtaking span of rolling hillsides, monstrously tall trees and rugged coastline.  There are more organic vineyards located here than any other AVA in the country. Most of the vineyards are scattered across the foothills and the tree-blanketed mountains. The Barbera grapes grown here benefit from the shallow rocky soil, good drainage and sunny southern exposure. The trees and mountains shield the vines from strong winds and the average precipitation from bud break to harvest is 6 inches. The mean temperature year round only fluctuates about 10 degrees, with the average temperatures of 60°F during the day and 50°F during the evening. Compare this to the temperature fluctuation in Monterey, which can go from 102°F down to 50°F from one side of the valley to the other (yes that is at the same time of day). The last terroir factor for our Enotria is the latitude of around 40° that puts the vineyards on the same plain as Ohio, Portugal, Spain and Southern Italy. A huge contributing factor to this wine is the fact that is was aged for 24 months in French and American oak. This process brings soft tannins and a hint of smoke and oak to the bouquet of this wine. The resulting characteristics of this wine are a dark purplish-garnet hue with flavors of blackberry, boysenberry, plum, and toasty oak, the tannins are soft and the acidity is slightly racy. Recommended food pairings for this wine are pasta with ragu sauce (not the brand Ragu), grilled lamb chops or grilled Gorgonzola cheeseburgers.

Our second wine from Casteggio is located on the 45^th latitude. That puts our Barbera in the company of Champagne France, the Ice wines of Canada and the elegant wines of Oregon and Washington. Lombardy is situated between the DOC (denominazione di Origine Controllata) of Piedmonte and Romagna in Northern Italy, Viticulture has been traced back 3000 years in this region. The vineyards sit on the foothills of the Apennines Mountains and the Po River just to the south. The vines in Oltrepo benefit from well-drained soil rich in clay, which supplies plenty of acidity to the ripe fruit at harvest. Pinot Noir is also grown abundantly here because of the terroir. Remember these vineyards are on the same playing field as Burgundy and Oregon the two most highly rated Pinot regions in the world. Rainfall in the Po River valley averages 21 inches from April through September, much more precipitation during the growing season compared to Mendocino County. The Po valley also contains morainic gravel left behind by Glaciers thousands of years ago. As for the temperatures in Lombardy, they are significantly higher than those in northern California are, with summer time highs in the upper 80s and nighttime temperatures dipping down into the 60s. I can tell you this; the Italian Barbera definitely has a distinctive nose and flavor profile that I associate with Italy. If you have ever been there you know what I mean. This wine never saw an oak barrel, it is 100% stainless steel aged. The wine shows a delicate ruby color. Aromas of ripe cherry and bramble berry turn into flavors of dark fruit and spice with a slight minerality component. I need to mention that Casteggio is a co-op of 50 growers and together they made a great wine. Food pairings for this wine are ham and salami, as well as barbecued meats and vegetables.

I went back and forth with these two terrific wines and I love both of them. However, I would decide which one to serve according to the meal prepared.

Overall, I think the California Barbera is richer in flavor than the Italian version, even though it is grown in a cooler climate. However, I feel the Italian Barbera is more elegant and food friendly.

Waiting for the Snowman

Well folks,
It is January in Ohio and we have been pretty lucky so far, as far as snow accumulation goes. However, I am waiting for this double sock-it-to-me front to come in and blast us with some real white stuff.

As the snow falls, I will be cooking my usual Chinese staples for a celebration Saturday. I will be serving a Pinot Grigio from Bosco dei Cirmioli. This is a nice little bottle of wine; crisp, sweet-tart flavors of pears and citrus, very refreshing. I think it will help tame the heated flavors of my Kung Pao.

Also, last night while I was planning this meal, I had a glass of Bordeaux my buddy Frank asked me to try. Frank I gotta tell you, I was impressed. The 2009 Chateau Davril was ripe and smooth. The wine had terrific fruit flavors of currant, blackberry and a hint of spicy earth. An outstanding value at $11.99 750ml. This is a great wine to pair with grilled burgers, pasta and meatballs (which is what I had) or Steak and fries. Way to go Frank.

Maybe after dinner my daughter and I will build a snowman.

Cab Corner

Once a year my friends and I get together and blow it out. Phil is always gracious enough to host the venue and supply tremendous appetizers, as well as great wine. It is typical that everyone who comes to the party should bring something; it could be a dish to share or a bottle of wine sure to impress. Actually, it has become somewhat of an unspoken challenge to bring a wine that no one has had before or better yet a bottle on someones bucket list.
My favorite foods of the evening were: homemade pasta sauce, castelvetrano olives, roasted pork tenderloin (Phil's specialty) and a Riesling cake. The wines were numerous and all quite good. However, there were a couple of block busters.

It seems the night was dedicated to the king, Cabernet Sauvignon. I brought a bottle of 2009 Vineyard 29 CRU Cabernet. The wine has Philippe Melka oozing out of it. I love his wines and even though the 29 CRU is reasonably priced at around $50 (Bryant Family sells for $300) the wine showed his style of deep fruit, fine tannins, and a multi-layered finish. Aromas and flavors of cassis, raspberry, cherry, pepper, cocoa, and toasted coffee were identifiable immediately. The wine only needed 15 minutes to open and show off its racy youth. I believe this wine will smooth out over the next five years and taste even better.

I think Frank brought my favorite wine of the evening. We were blessed to try a 2008 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet. The Caymus went through proper decanting and breathing procedures before we were allowed to meet its acquaintance. I was able to try this wine two times. The first time, it presented itself as a bit tight and uncomplicated, even though the fruit aromas were developing nicely. It smelled ripe with cassis, vanilla, spice, and plum. The tannins were fine and integrated but they were blocking the wines full potential.

Later in the evening, while everyone else was onto the next wine of the night, I found old man Caymus resting on the counter; I think they all forgot he has there. I dared to pour another taste. Raising my glass with nobody around, I felt like I was stealing something, I reintroduced the Cabernet to my palate. WOW! The wine had sat for an hour and turned into a silky goblet of fruit. The tannins had softened and allowed the full development of the fruit and accenting aromas to step forward. I read this morning that the 2008 was the first year Caymus blended Merlot into this wine. I think it showed great foresight and I believe the Merlot helped the wine achieve a silky, smooth, almost symphonic texture.

I love discovering these beauties.

Merry Christmas

The past four weeks have been chaos and work weeks with 70 hours of physical labor. We shipped 1500 gift baskets out in three weeks. Now it is time for a little relaxation.

 It is Christmas Eve and I am preparing dinner; roasted chicken breast with Penzey's Fox Point Seasoning, oven roasted potato wedges, roasted corn and green peas. The plates are going to look so festive. I definitely deserve a glass of wine tonight.

Down the steps I go. What is in the cellar that will go great with this simple but flavorful meal? I think a white wine, a Chardonnay even. What do I have from Cameron Hughes? I see a Santa Barbara lot 180, Arroyo Seco lot 273, I got it; this is the winner, Willamette Valley lot 215.

Cameron Hughes wines always come through for me; red or white it doesn't matter. His wines start with great fruit from great vineyards. Cameron seems to nail it every time when it comes to complete balance of his wines. He brings the best out of his juice, great fruit on the palate, balanced acidity, and character that is true to each AVA designation.

This Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley, Oregon is perfect. The nose is packed with gold delicious apple and danjou pear aromas. The flavors are a harmonious combination of apple, pear, lime and a minerality that finishes on the palate. I can taste the vanilla, from malolactic fermentation. Love, love, love this Chardonnay. The only thing is C.H. sells out of these lot numbers quickly, so I don't know if I'll be able to get more.

Christmas morning. It has been four weeks since I had an opportunity to sleep in and I wake up at 4:30 am. Oh well, we have 30 people coming over for brunch so I guess I will get started. I put up the tables, helped prep the food and most importantly I have the beverage department ready. O.J., milk, Martinelli's Sparkling juice for the kids, Asti for Mimosas, and I am trying something new this year; I call it my Holiday Spritzer.

This drink is so simple. Just mix 50% Martini & Rossi Rose with 50% Oceanspray White Cranberry-Peach. You can decorate the rim of the flute with a long pick spearing sugar coated cranberries and a mint leaf. This is definitely a girly drink, but the low alcohol and juice is inviting at 10:00 am.

Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year Everyone.