WINE ME UP BUTTERCUP
Notes & Thoughts on Food and Wine from Ron Alonzo aka Don Merlot
Written and completed -
New Orleans
Summer has come and gone, Autumn has arrived; we are in the middle of Hurricane season here in New Orleans; in July the COVID crisis that had consumed the country had peaked and local New Orleans hospitals opened up to non Covid activity so I took the opportunity to have surgery and I had my right hip replaced. I call it this economic social period: “Corona Virus 2020 the great unknown” and during stage 1 it was impossible to shop for wines because the new store openings were delayed until it was safe to allow customers to personally shop; but the paradigm of an open society I sensed was definitely changing and as I convalesced & recovered from my surgery the city retail markets opened up and by September I felt safe and was finally able to personally visit a wine purveyor that was new to the New Orleans market - & that is new in town to buy a selection of Summer wines by Labor Day. Finally, I could visit the wine shop in town – Total Wine – and see what the New Orleans offering was. I had my list of recommended 2020 wines, grabbed my new walking cane, and walked down the new store aisles in search of all selection of wines. I can imagine for a new store in a new market for them, it is hard to forecast what wines would be available for this COVID 19 Summer & they would only have history on New Orleans wine sales.
I had not been to a Total Wine store since leaving Florida which was in 2012. My current mission was keeping up with wines as my high priority, so since writing my last Fly on the Wall editions and I was very curious to see which of the top 2020 recommended wines were here in New Orleans. The New store, new staff, and trying to have the right answer for new customers seemed to be the big challenge. I know from my personal experience that training and understanding is the first hurdle of a new venture. I also know that no one wine shop can have everything that is on a wine consumers “expectation list” and that wine staff really cannot offer alternatives especially if Customer and Store meet for the first time, or know what the top 2020 wines list would apply to the New Orleans market.
My wine list included special meals that I wanted to have since birthdays and holidays were coming up and markets were recovering to offer a more varied selection of food and fresh groceries. My wine wish list included Beaujolais & Rosés from France, White wines from France, Austria, New Zealand, Argentina, Italy, Spain (including Sherry’s) and Chile according to the top 100 of 2020 wines we discussed earlier issues.
As this was my first visit to this wine store I found the French wines and display cases; I went to the France section and then the Austrian section where found a Beaujolais that I would chill and enjoy on a summer day and a Grüner Veltliner2 a new wine for me. These for me were my priority on this buying visit. The red was to serve chilled for a summer day and the white because I have not experienced this wine as it has become popular over the last few years and was on the top 100 list. The cold Beaujolais we enjoyed it with a Carne Asada – Honduran style: red wine with beef – on a summer day. The white went with our Sheboygan favorite plate – Bratwurst, sauerkraut, and Dusseldorf mustard, the marriage was perfect. Back in the 60s I had been weaned on French Wines by my PERNOD mentors – first job selling icemakers in Europe through their network, so I tended to ignore German wines – the French consider Alsatian wines the best German wines, and that is how I saw my French mates think anyway. The red Beaujolais was a treat as I had not had a chilled red during the summer in over 25 years; It was light and the cool liquid pleasant and no tannin aftertaste and I could feel, savor the fruit in the wine.
Next in the store I found the Loire section where my favorite Sancerre’s were displayed. (Back in my first trip to France in 1969 I fell in love with the goût of Sancerre; I preferred that with shellfish as I traveled all over the world.) My Mentors were Chardonnay driven and when I was in Paris for the first time the Sancerre was the served in bistros in the traditional pichet for a few Francs as a white table wine. I was enchanted with Sancerre, so my renaissance plans were to focus at first on white wines, the Sauvignon Blanc. I wanted to compare Sauvignon Blanc from France to the New Zealand white wines and the Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. Since it has been a while since I shopped for wines I was not familiar with all the vintners, I just inspected the offerings as I did not know any of the producers & there was were few bottles that matched my 2020 top 100; however there were sales promotion signs highlighting the vintages – and ended up buying two Sancerre’s: Le Pré Vaujour. 2018 & Pascal Jolivet 2018. To get the sense of comparison I found some New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc’s Cottesbrook 2020 & Seastone Marlborough 2020.
We bought some fresh Shrimp and boiled them and served them with a New Orleans Remoulade Sauce (as made by in the style of Denise’s Grandmother’s sauce and the Family Restaurant – Ye Olde College Inn in New Orleans). The Sancerre compared & equaled the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc – both had a marked dry savory taste (or I should say the New Zealand equaled the Sancerre since over the last 30 years New Zealand growers have developed a superior Sauvignon Blanc and some critics find it more attractive than the Loire legend.3
The second tasting included a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile - Devil’s Back – Santiago Station, Devil’s Back Valley, Valle Central that had such a clean Fresh taste on the tongue. We started with the appetizers that were almonds and olives served with a Fino – Don Benigno Jerez Pedro Rodriguez e Hijos to start our meal. My Sherry bent goes back to my early career with my advertising associate – Giuseppe Lucci – who showed me the path to Spanish Jerez. Sherry is an Aperitivo that It’s the driest category on Sherry and the two areas are defined as a Manzanilla and/or Fino ; dry and affectionately called: “ Uncle Joe” – or Tio Pepe, which became my favorite. When I first went to Spain in 1970 and had tapas Jerez was ordered - a Fino or Manzanilla that went with the different tapas dishes. Jerez pronounced in Spain – hereth – and in French Xérès as Sherish4. Although Sherry goes back to the Roman Empire period, Sherry was made popular and brought into the wine world in the 18th Century under the English. England consumed more Sherry than Spain; some Sherry houses were developed and owned by the English . The Sherry bodegas were influenced by the English “taste/goût”; the alcohol content is higher than wine because the sherry process is fortified. As for Manzanilla and Fino the driest sherries and these are primarily served as an aperitif; Although popularity of sherry has declined in the last decades, it is now making a comeback. When Manzanilla is matured in barrels by the Sea in Sanlucar de Barrameda it is said to have the taste of the sea5 and it should be served chilled. As a food accompaniment it goes with olives and almonds as an appetizer and many food and wine critics recommend it when serving Scottish Smoked Salmon.
We continued the comparisons and to tried comparing the Sauvignon Blanc’s from Chile comparing them to the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and French Sancerre’s and prepared more Shrimp again; however, we changed the sauce and served it with an Aioli which turned out to be an incredible marriage of taste. The recipe for the Aioli came from a Caribbean Cookbook – MIAMI SPICE - 6 and the sauce was very enhancing to the freshly boiled shrimp. My guest tasters all found this combination to surpass the remoulade that was served on the first tasting on this warm summer day. The first plate serving had been simple: Olives and Almonds served with a copita of Fino Sherry, and the boiled shrimp with Shells with a bowl of Aioli on a newspaper table cloth and a warm summer day that was served under a open shelter in our backyard. ( I am old fashioned and found my Manitas de Plata music and it sets the ambiance - but Carlos Montoya works just as well.
The Chilean Sauvignon Blanc tasting consisted of Devil’s Back Santiago Station from the Valle Central; and another Sauvignon Blanc that I found PORTA Reserva 2019 Bio Bio Valley Viña dos Andes Chile -- were pitted against the Sancerre’s Le Pré Vaujour & Pascal Jolivet and also Porta from the from the Central Valley - results were that both French and Chilean offerings were equal in matching the Shrimp and Aioli, so my conclusion was that French, New Zealand, and Chilean Sauvignon’s held their own with Shell fish and mayonnaise sauces. I like all the Sauvignon Blanc’s that I bought at TOTAL WINE , and I would not choose one over the other. I know that I must research a little more as in the Hugh Johnson pocket wine book7 2020 Section of Wine and Food he suggests also the Muscadet and Chablis to match with Shellfish so I will put those on my wine buying list to check it out. Also, I want to try the Spanish Albariño from Galicia – Atlantic borders8 – as I enjoyed that when I traveled Spain where garlic and mayonnaise are popular. Like Sancerre, I fell in love the goût of Albariño, which we will explore next time.
The word Mayonnaise and its origin has always been intriguing to me because it has many origin claimants, but I found one that fit my travels: Ayto a wine & food critic in 1993 wrote the early spelling was MAHONNAISE – that came from the Port of Mahon on the Island of Minorca (Balearic islands - Spain) and the sauce came to France with the Frenchman Count Richelieu in 17569, who took Aioli back to France and eliminated the Garlic and substituted lemon juice and the food from MAHON that became Mayonnaise. The French take credit,10 but it was something The French army may have taken with them from Minorca. French culinary history says that Aioli is considered part of the Provence cuisine but in Spain the Catalan Allioli is a gastronomic dish. The word Alioli- means garlic oil. In Spain it became ajolio and in France aillouse.
The rest of the White wines we purchased also had to be matched to a menu. I found another Loire wine – Vouvray 2019 ( varietal is Chenin Blanc) – Famille Bougrier Douce (Tours) France – a varietal Chenin Blanc and we matched it with Sushi. We had a Saké11 and that Compared it to the Vouvray. The Vouvray is a demi sec wine that matched the Sushi dishes along with chunks of pineapple; it was from a Famille Bourgrier of St Georges sur Cher 2019: The Saké is made in Japan of Rice wine. On another occasion we matched it to a ripe cantaloupe and Parma ham. The taste of the wine was compatible with the Sushi (no wasabi) and the melon and ham. This was a Summer treat – a perfect summer feast – harmony.
In the Spanish section of Wines at TOTAL WINES - there was a White Rioja, and we considered several menus as matches. The white wine is a work horse of Rioja made from VIURA grape. Although I had tried this before, I wanted to buy these whites because in the last few years they are gaining a good reputation. Selections found were a bottle of LATITUDE 42, a Rioja Blanco 2017 (100% Viura ) was served with a Chinese Sichuan Shrimp & Chicken with Fried Rice. It maintained its flavor and was an excellent match. VALSERRANO a Rioja Alavesa of Bodegas de la Marques 95% VIURA//5%MALVASIA. The White Rioja wine Is getting a Quality reputation by the wine critics. Another serving had grilled chicken breast and mashed potatoes. CASADO MORALES a 2019 Rioja Alavesa 100% Viura from Lapuebla de Labarca: in another tasting we shared this bottle with a (sandwich) - New Orleans Muffuletta, a New Orleans version of the East Coast Grinder and or East Coast Hero and or Hoagie.
A GEWRTZTRAMINER – F E Trimbach 2015 Ribeauville Alsace with a Spicy crispy Shrimp and Singapore Noodles Mei Fun. I picked up this way of serving this wine when I traveled to Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia from the Ex Pats & Europeans that preferred wine over Beer. I have always liked the impact Gewürztraminer has on my palate. I searched in the Wine/Menu books and in last 10 years this is having been the recommended wine for mild spicy Asian dishes. I know that many ex-pats I suggest this, yet other traditionalist stay with beer. Another cultural menu that goes well with “Gewurtz” is Indian curry food – not too spicy hot, however; it will go with Biriyani but not Vindaloo.
An Argentine White TORRENTES – PHEBUS – 2020 that we found and bought was served with a Muffuletta. While traveling to Argentina I had this Argentina white and it is a light casual sipping wine. The Italian laced culture of Argentina meals goes well with this varietal Argentina white wine.
An Italian white called PIEROPAN 2013 Calvarino SOAVE Classico DOC was the wine we had with Roast Chicken Breast and Roasted Potatoes and steamed Broccoli and Cauliflower. This wine is demi-sec; Leonildo Pieropan is credited of giving Soave an upgrade in quality and Soave Calvarino is the best of all.12
A BRUT ROSE Depreville (Sparkling wine) NV La Fontaine France as a summer wine was identified used to celebrate a birthday. Sparkling wines
are in much more demand in 2020, although Champagne has not lost its popularity, these sparkling wines are good summer treats . It is something that for 2021 I will buy a stock for entertaining.
Other Red wines than the aforementioned Beaujolais was a CAMPO VIEJO – RIOJA – Granacha 2018 . We found in the Burgundy section a PINOT NOIR 2013 Bouchard Ainé that we shared with a cheese plate – Grana (Parmigiano) and Manchego. One note I want to re-enforce is beware in matching cheese that red wine does not go with: Blue cheeses -. Jamais. In comparing the Gamay of Beaujolais and Granacha of Spain, there is no question that the Chilled Beaujolais is perfect for summer eating and drinking; whereas the Red Rioja and the Pinot Noir went well with cheese the summer heat was not conducive to a savory experience for the wine.
The purpose for jumping to 2020 and this shift to contemporary wines was to update my palate to the newly released wines that over the last several years have intrigued the wine world. For me I learned that Grüner Veltliner is considered one of the top 2020 wines. Spanish Whites are very appreciated and Sherry wine is making a comeback. New Zealand and Chile Sauvignon Blanc from the New World are top 2020 wines and equal or better than the Loire Sancerre (old world wines). Red wines are not summer wines except the Beaujolais chilled is very welcome on the menu.
I will continue to update my wine repertoire with the top 2020 wines.
Ron Alonzo/Don Merlot - (Fly on the wall by Don Merlot) I www.junto.blogspot.com
1 Ron Alonzo is a Chevalier of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin ; A Professionnel de la Table of the Chaine des Rôtisseurs ; and a CFSP level I of the NAFEM (Certified Food Service Professional) (Fly on the wall by Don Merlot) www.junto.blogspot.com
2 OZ Clarke’s Pocket Wine Guide 2006 p. 148.Webster’s International publishers. London, UK.
3 Australian and New Zealand Wine Vintages 15th Edition 1998. By Robin Bradley. Hunter Agencies.
4 Hugh Johnson Pocket Wine Book 2020. P182.
5 Hugh Johnson’s Pocket wine Book 2020 p. 189.
6 Miami Spice - New Florida Cuisine by Steven Raichlen 1993Workman Publishing Company NYC, NY.
7 Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book 2020. Octopus Publishing Group- London, UK
8 Spanish Wines 2nd Edition by Jan Read. P.45 Mitchel Beazley Publishers 1988.
9 Time Life – Foods of the World – THE COOKING OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL – 1969 Time inc.
10 FOOD- the Penguin Companion to Food. By Alan Davidson P. 8. Oxford companion to food. Penguin Books. 1999.
11 GEKKEIKAN SAKE (BREWED IN THE USA) Folsom, CA
12 Wines of the World consultant Susan Keevil, Metro Books – Dorling Kindersley Ltd. 2009. P 27.
Ron Alonzo is a Chevalier of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin ; A Professionnel de la Table of the Chaine des Rôtisseurs ; and a CFSP level I of the NAFEM (Certified Food Service Professional) (Fly on the wall by Don Merlot) www.junto.blogspot.com