Category: Drink

A virtual trip to Tuscany

Get a bit of Italy in a glass

While Covid-19 has limited our ability to travel, summer with its long days and warm sunsets takes us off to romantic, dreamy environments. Tuscany is one such place that comes to mind.

All of Italy is noted for its cuisine. Dishes like fagioli all’uccelletto (a side dish of cannellini beans stewed with tomatoes, garlic and sage), breads like focaccia and the luxuriousness of gelato all have their roots in Tuscany, Florence and its countryside. The cuisine of Tuscany can be both simple without overbearing sauces, but also inventive with multiple textures, herbs and spices enhancing its dishes. As for wine, Tuscany is known for Chianti but there are other wines produced, some well-known, others not.

Podere La Pace Rosso Maremma 2014 (originally priced at $59.99, and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $25.99) is an interesting blend of 25 percent cabernet franc, 25 percent merlot, 25 percent cabernet sauvignon and 25 percent petit verdot. This wine is a “Bordeaux blend” that is unusual in that it has both merlot and cabernet sauvignon in the mix and they are mixed in equal proportions. The color of the wine is a deep, thick purple. To the nose it is floral, with a touch of dried fruit. To the mouth, it explodes with dried cherries and roasted plums, red currants, grilled herbs and hints of dried leather. The medium body is “plushly” textured. My wife described it as “crushed velvet.” There is a slight touch of underlying acidity providing some lift on the finish as it leaves behind flavors of cooked plums, grilled herbs and spicy tobacco notes lingering with a long, long finish. The alcoholic content is high at 14.5 percent, a little “hot” to the mouth, but it leaves beautiful “legs,” clear liquid lines on the side of the glass. This wine hails from Cura Nuova, located just four miles from the Gulf of Follonica on the Mediterranean Coast. Abiding by the strictest organic farming methods, the Podere La Pace vineyard, founded in 2007 with its first vintage in 2013, is small and young — just a little over 10 acres. In addition to the four grapes in this red wine, the vineyard is also planted in chardonnay and viognier, and produces limited quantities of olive oil and grappa. Wine production is limited to 30,000 bottles per year. Wine Enthusiast gave this wine a score of 88/100 and recommended to enjoy it before the end of 2020. This may be why the state liquor store has it on their “close-out list.” That being said, I would still recommend picking up a few bottles, as I believe it can cellar for a couple more years.

Blodilaia Brunello di Montalcino 2013 (originally priced at $55.99, and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets at $27.99) is a true brunello, that is 100 percent sangiovese grosso. These grapes are noted for having thicker-skinned berries, producing wines with bold fruit flavors, high tannins and high acidity. These tannins and acidity extend the life of this wine, allowing it to reach perfection a decade or more after bottling. According to the strict wine-making parameters of the DOCG, the wine must develop on oak barrels for a minimum of two years, then bottled and cellared for another two years before it can be sold. This wine is now just coming into its own! Robert Parker described this wine as offering “blackberry and cherry nuances enhanced by spice, leather and elegant balsam herb.” The color is much lighter than the red blend discussed above. It has a slight amber tone to it, approaching the color of a fine sherry. To the nose it was reserved with slight floral notes. To the mouth the fruit was less forward than the red blend, offering a certain silky elegance. The tannins were in check and it had a nice, long finish. It was worth the wait!

So, dream a bit. You may not be able to visit Tuscany, but you can grill a steak, or split a chicken, rub it with herbs and enjoy an afternoon sunset. Enrich this simple fare with a simple antipasto or chicken liver pate spread on toast points. Try a Panzella, a cold salad of bread soaked in balsamic vinegar, mixed with onions and tomatoes, basil, all topped with olive oil of course! You will be carried off to Tuscany!

Big flavors for sunny days

Wines for your summer feasts

Summer is officially upon us.

Mother Nature has proven herself to be merciless as she introduced summer with our first official heat wave. Covid-19 and social distancing have limited our socializing, but as our world begins to open, small intimate backyard barbecues can once again become a reality for you, your family and close friends. We have been kept inside for so long that a simple barbecue can seem like a banquet! To that end the following wines are worthy of consideration for that great meal to be enjoyed out of doors.

Nicholson Ranch 2012 Sonoma Estate Chardonnay (originally priced at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $44.99, and reduced at the Price Busters shelving to $22.99) won 86 points by Virginie Boone of Wine Enthusiast, who describes it this way: “oak, ripe pear and caramel dance to the fore of this wine’s bouquet, followed by thick, textural layers of lingering vanilla cream. The oak remains pronounced throughout the glass, giving the wine a sweetness on the finish.” I agree with this assessment, but I would add the wine has a bit of a citric note to it, with a full mouth taste of apricot, or peach. This wine is indeed very creamy; a friend described it as “buttery.” The oak combined with the “cream” allows this wine to become an excellent dessert accompaniment to summer fruit: strawberries, apricots, peaches along with soft, young cheeses. A true delight.

According to their website, Nicholson Ranch is a small family-owned winery of 40 acres located between the Sonoma and Napa valleys with panoramic views of these valleys but also Carneros, situated just north of San Pablo Bay. The cool breezes from the Mayacamas mountain range, just to the north, combined with the cooling effects of the Bay, combine for ideal conditions for pinot noir and chardonnay vineyards, the plantings of Nicholson Ranch.

Hierogram 2016 Vineyard 8 Block N Old Vine Zinfandel (Lodi) (originally priced at the NH Liquor and Wine Outlets at $45.99, and reduced at the Price Busters shelving to $22.99) got 86 points from Jim Gordon of Wine Enthusiast, who wrote, “…full bodied and quite ripe in flavor, this wine has a smoky, grilled veggie aroma followed by a mix of savory and jammy notes.” This aptly describes this wine that has an incredibly high alcoholic content of 15 percent and that is dry, yet surprisingly not “hot” from the alcohol. The wine has a deep, deep purple color; it is floral and prune-like at the same time. It has notes of blackberries and dark chocolate to the tongue, with a very pleasant and long finish. The tannins are there, but subtle. It is ideally suited to a variety of grilled foods such as ribs and hamburgers or to pairing with a red-sauced pasta. And what you do not finish over the meal, you can walk over to the fire pit with and just kick back.

The wine comes from Lodi, in California’s Central Coast, halfway between San Francisco and the Sierra Nevada mountain range. It is a prime example of old-vine zinfandels: 100-year-old vines, with some dating back to 1888! Lodi has warm, sunny days and cool evenings, and is home not just to zinfandel but also a vast array of other red wines. Zinfandel has an interesting history. Originating in Croatia, it made its way to southern Italy where it was named Primitivo. It came to America in the first half of the 19th century and landed in California during the Gold Rush of 1849. These ancient vines, located near Sacramento, languished during Prohibition, and today produce exceptionally concentrated and complex wines. They are a treat!

So head out to your backyard this evening to a great meal, paired with a robust red, followed by a delightful white paired to a seasonal dessert. And don’t forget to continue to savor these rich flavors, seated by a small fire in the firepit. Enjoy our all-too-short summer to its fullest.

IPA is still king

There is no getting around it

We can talk about stouts and sours and Belgian-style brews and Pilsners and barrel-aging and so on and so forth, but at the end of the day the IPA is still driving the bus. So, let’s get right into it.

I’ve been fortunate to have a series of excellent IPAs recently — not all at once, mind you — and even as I find myself overwhelmed or even burnt out with the style at times, I can’t help myself from going back time and time again.

Simply put, IPAs remain delicious and brewers seem to continually find ways to create exciting brews that delight the palate.

Here are three IPAs I’ve recently enjoyed and one I look forward to enjoying.

Angelica Hazy Orange IPA by Lord Hobo Brewing Co. (Woburn, Massachusetts)

I love the citrusy, sweet burst of a New England-style IPA that gives it that “juicy” characteristic. The combination of hops can provide an array of tropical flavors like papaya, mango, pineapple, grapefruit and orange. So all of that said, I was intrigued but also scared of this beer. Like I said, I like the citrusy burst but I get scared when a beer is labeled with the name of a fruit. It just screams “too sweet” to me. I need not have been afraid. On a blistering hot and humid day, this beer was refreshing, drinkable and extremely tasty. There is big orange flavor but I never got the over-the-top sweetness I feared. Lord Hobo also produces a non-orange version that is also delicious.

Trading Tales Dry Hopped Lager by Collective Arts Brewing Co. (Waunakee, Wisconsin) in collaboration with Dancing Gnome Brewery (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

I know, I know this is technically a lager but take a sip and you’ll slot this into the IPA category too. This brew hits you in the face with hops, specifically strata and citra hops but it comes in at an eminently drinkable 5.1-percent ABV. This was an absolute pleasure to drink, and, as with all Collective Arts brews, the can artwork, is, well, interesting.

Rise Double IPA by Breakaway Beerworks (Manchester)

I recently stumbled upon this brewery and grabbed this beer thinking I was grabbing something from an entirely different brewery. Now that it’s clear that I might not be all that detail-oriented these days, I’m glad I did mistakenly choose this brewery, which actually brews its beers at Great North Aleworks in Manchester. Rise is an aggressive brew that is, I think, best described as “amped up.” The hops are amped up, the flavor is amped up, the bitterness is amped up and the alcohol is amped up. But these are all good things. I’m just giving you a heads up. It’s a bold IPA that brings huge citrus and pine flavor. This is a terrific double IPA and I look forward to trying more brews from this brewery.

Playlist 07:01 IPA by Throwback Brewery (North Hampton)

Many breweries are offering ever-evolving versions of their IPAs, keeping the recipe the same but switching up the hop combination or some other aspect of the brew to create a new and interesting concoction with each batch. Throwback’s Playlist beer series features the same “base IPA recipe,” of oats and malts, but they switch up the yeast or the hops with each batch. This iteration, made with dragon, wolf, fox and citra hops and kveik yeast, features flavors of citrus, strawberry and light honey, along with light herbal tea and pine notes, according to the brewery. I’ll be tracking this one down.

What’s in My Fridge
Rise A.P.A. by Whalers Brewing Co. (Wakefield, Rhode Island) I love the can design here featuring a big ol’ whale, of all things, on the front. Their flagship brew, this is a pretty easy-drinking, dry-hopped American Pale Ale that paired quite well with watching my kids run through sprinklers on a hot day. Cheers!

Beer and fire pits

Fire pits are having their moment

“Want to walk over and have a beer by the fire? The kids can have some s’mores. We’ll keep our distance.”

My wife and I texted our neighbors with a version of this invitation a few weeks ago. The answer was, “yes,” so, no big deal, I have friends, but we were more than a little hesitant about the offer. Was it appropriate? Was it safe? Were we putting our friends in a tough spot where they would have to say, “No, thank you, duh, we’re in the middle of a pandemic that requires social distancing.”

I’m not trying to make light of a very real, very scary global situation, but as I walk up and down my neighborhood in the evenings, it’s very clear that if I’d somehow invested in backyard fire pits, I’d be very wealthy right now.

It makes sense. The ability to get together inside is pretty limited these days, so why not get together around the fire? I do think the current circumstances have reminded all of us of some simple pleasures we might otherwise take for granted. And there is nothing quite so simple, yet satisfying, as letting your mind go while the flames lick at a few seasoned logs.

It’s a campfire, except that when you’re ready to go to bed you can just walk into your own house.

And there is absolutely no reason why you can’t enjoy a beer with a friend sitting on the opposite side of the fire — or maybe even a couple friends, but let’s not get carried away.

The best news of all is that beer has always been perhaps the single greatest accompaniment to a fire. I don’t know that I ever appreciate a beer as much as I do alongside a fire. There is something about the flames and the smoke and the cool evening air that just pairs perfectly with a can or a bottle or a plastic cup of ice-cold beer.

Any beer that suits you works in this instance. You want a rich, dark coffee stout? Perfect fit! What about something light, like a simple Pilsner? Excellent choice! Thinking about trying out that bottle of raspberry wheat ale? You don’t need to bring me one but by all means go for it.

Unless it’s a blazing hot summer night, in which case I might be likely to decline the fire altogether, I tend to lean toward beers with a bit more substance, like a brown ale, such as Kelsen Brewing Co.’s Paradigm Brown Ale, or perhaps something like Throwback Brewery’s Oma’s Tribute, which is a black lager boasting big roasted malt flavor.

Able Ebenezer Brewing Co.’s Burn the Ships smoked IPA would be an obvious and perfect fireside brew.

I think the fire is the time to bust out, and presumably share, some barrel-aged brews, like Stoneface Brewing Co.’s barrel-aged Mistadoppelina, which is a “malt-forward lager with notes of toffee, caramel and dates,” according to the brewery, or Stoneface’s 2020 bourbon barrel-aged Russian imperial stout that “is dominated by bourbon and barrel characteristics like sweet oak and vanilla.” Maybe you wouldn’t normally go to a big stout in summer, but the fire helps you relax and appreciate the nuances and complexities of barrel-aged brews.

The point is, there’s a lot we can’t or maybe shouldn’t do right now, but one thing we can do is enjoy a beer by the fire, so go do it, and consider setting up a couple chairs for friends — six feet apart.

Photo: Any beer pairs well with a fire, including Henniker Brewing Company’s Kolsch Style Ale. Courtesy photo.

What’s in My Fridge
Juliette by Amherst Brewing Co. (Amherst, Mass.) Wow. I’ve come to love this brewery over the past few months. This IPA, in particular, might be my favorite. It’s brewed with flaked oats and “local Valley Malt Warthog Wheat,” and brewed with Summit, Eureka! and Citra hops. This is a brewery and a beer you should seek out. Cheers!

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