Question: I decant a lot of my wines. Never sure whether to put the stopper back into the top of the decanter after pouring out the bottle. Your thoughts?

Answer: I also decant most of my wines at home. Young whites and reds usually are helped from the aeration of the act of pouring itself and I leave the stopper out for even more exposure and help open the aromas. Particularly good for screw top closures to help get rid of any reductive issues that may show up initially in the wine. For older whites and reds the decanting is an important procedure to get a clean clear wine off the tartaric acid crystals or sediment that may have resulted from time in the bottle and freshen it up. Be careful. In those cases it is preferable not to aerate too much so put the stopper back in to avoid extra airing and the loss of the delicate bouquet. Stopper is also good protection if you are dining outdoors or there are any insects around. Use your own good judgment on the stopper based on how the wine is showing while you are decanting it.

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By Joseph Temple

Beginning in 1967 when over 60,000 fans paid an average ticket price of nine dollars to watch the Kansas City Chiefs face the Green Bay Packers in the first ever AFL-NFL World Championship Game, the Super Bowl has morphed from an experimental football endeavor pitting rival leagues against each other into a must-see extravaganza.  And over the decades as television screens have gotten bigger and bigger, so has this annual spectacle, which is watched in over 100 million American homes.  In fact, the festivities have become so huge that several petitions have been launched to make the following Monday a national holiday.

But how can you talk about the big game without mentioning the pivotal role that food plays?  After all, Super Bowl Sunday represents the second largest day for food consumption in the United States, second to only Thanksgiving.  As one author wrote, “Unlike Thanksgiving … it’s all about football and food.  Thanksgiving may go food, then football, but Super Bowl Sunday is simply eat food, watch football while you eat food, and then eat more food.”

So in honor of the big day, here’s a spin on ten classic dishes that no Super Bowl party can go without.  Enjoy!

1. Chili (for a spin on the classic, skip the habanero and add some spicy smoked sausage)

2. Pulled Pork Sandwiches (for something fun even the kids will like, try slow cooking pork in root beer)

3. Hamburgers (jazz up a traditional burger by making them into bite sized sliders – try different cheeses too like pepper jack or smoked Gouda for something special)

4. Pizza (for a crispy and smoky crust, grill your favorite pizza on the BBQ)

5. Bean Dip (for a healthier alternative, mix in some veggies like fire roasted corn and peppers)

6. Pigs in a Blanket (don’t limit yourself to tiny franks – see what your guests think of duck or chicken sausage)

7. Nachos (for a low carb option, replace tortilla chips with zucchini medallions)

8. Chicken Wings (for a more exotic flare, bake in a curry sauce and serve with a cool yogurt dip)

9. Meatballs (buns, sauce, cheese,
veggies…presto! A meatball sub bar!)

10. And of course, you can never go wrong with a football shaped cake and team themed cupcakes

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Question: Where on the wine label does it tell you whether or not oak has been used?

Answer: Good idea. Wish it was that simple. Usually it doesn’t tell you. There may be a specific word like unoaked or unwooded used – especially for chardonnay. There may be some helpful information on the back label including descriptors like crisp, fresh or vibrant that probably indicate no oak was used. Even those terms can be confusing though because say wines like Chablis Premier or Grand Cru are in that style but still may see some old oak barrels. It can be a difficult issue somewhat like the sugar one in a wine – though many producers now are providing more information about residual sugar on their back label. It really depends on the overall balance of the wine whether the oak or sugar seems prominent to you. Remember that new oak diminishes with bottle age. Best way is to smell and taste the wine for oak but you raise another good reason why I support ingredient labeling.

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By Joseph Temple

For a country known more for its tequila and cervezas, you may be surprised to learn that Mexico also has a rich history when it comes to winemaking. Dating back to the early 16^th century when the first vines were planted in the New World, Mexican vintners have endured their fair share of peaks and valleys in order to produce some wines that have gained a very loyal following. And while their estimated annual output of 20 million liters is miniscule compared to their neighbors to the north, it appears that when it comes to quality, Mexico has clearly stepped up its game, moving beyond the watery grapes and poor vintages that were commonly associated with their nation. So to get you up to speed on the 25^th largest wine producer in the world, here are ten interesting facts. Gracias!

1. The first Mexican wines were produced in the early 1500s after Hernán Cortés and his fellow Spanish Conquistadors overthrew the Aztecs. Quickly going through their own supply, he ordered each colonist to plant a minimum of 1000 grapevines.

2. Casa Madero, the first winery in the Americas was established in 1597 in the town of Santa Maria de las Parras and is still in existence to this day.

3. Surpassing Spanish wines in terms of quality while facing stiff competition from France, King Philip II in 1595 ordered that all production stop immediately. After this edict, only the Jesuits and other religious sects made wine on Mexican soil for sacramental purposes.

4. In the early 20th century, a group of pacifist immigrants from Russia known as the Molokans arrived in Mexico after escaping the Czar. With their knowledge of agriculture, they were able to revitalize the country’s wine industry in the Guadalupe Valley, which came to a halt during the Mexican Revolution.

By Gabriel Flores Romero from Tecate, México (originally posted to Flickr as viñedos) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

5. Serious attempts to make quality wines again began during the 1980s using modern techniques and backed by Mexico’s National Viticulture Association.

By Marrovi (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

6. Today, Mexican wine is made in three main areas—in the Baja Peninsula, the states of Coahuila, Durango and Chihuahua that are south of Texas and New Mexico, and in the central states of Zacatecas, Aguascalientes, and Queretaro.

By Tomascastelazo (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

7. Of these three, the Baja Peninsula is where more than 90% of all Mexican wine is produced. Divided by the Sierra de Baja California mountain range, all vineyards in the peninsula are located west of these mountains where the climate is similar to the Mediterranean with the Pacific Ocean helping to cool the grapes.

By Jaime Sanchez Diaz (jsanchezd) [GFDL, CC-BY-SA-3.0 or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

8. Along the Baja Peninsula, Guadalupe Valley is considered to be the Napa Valley of Mexico, being home to approximately half of the all the country’s wineries.

By Tomas Castelazo (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

9. Many of the grapes grown in Mexico are of either Spanish or French origin. These include syrah, cabernet sauvignon, malbec and chardonnay.

By Kjetil2006 (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

10. With no system of denominations of origin, all bottles simply need to be labeled “Product of Mexico.” (However, some may note the valley it was made in.) Also, the grapes listed may not be listed in the order in which they dominate the blend.

Sources:

MacNeil, Karen. The Wine Bible. New York: Workman Publishing, 2015.
Micallef. (2017, January 7). Wine Stories: Mexico’s Wine Renaissance. Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com
Newton, James. Mexican Cookbook – Traditional Mexican Recipes: Recetas Mexicanas. Springwood EMedia, 2014.
Palmerlee, Danny. Baja California and Los Cabos. Oakland: Lonely Planet, 2007.

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By Laurent Espitallier from France (Sauternes & Foie gras) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Question: I have collected quite a few Sauternes from different years starting with 2000 and onwards. Which vintages do you consider the top ones and best aging?

Answer: Discussed this issue last night at a dinner while sipping on the amazingly pineapple rich forwardly Chateau Coutet 1989. Middle year of the successful Sauternes trio with those early picked powerful 1990 and more botrytis with higher acidity 1988. Starting this century 2000 had a lot of rain from October 9^th resulting in fragrant lighter Sauternes. The following year 2001 is so outstanding with their incredible balance! Also the 2005 has balance but less acidity though exceptional while the 2009 is ultra-rich with lots of botrytis. Some promising ones coming along from this decade to monitor. Expert Bill Blatch on his www.bordeauxgold.com is a good site to follow. Try some from your collection and make you own assessment.

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