Wine Time™ with WineGuyMike™ on ABC Montana

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Join me live for Wine Time™ with WineGuyMike™ on ABC Montana. Wine Time airs bi-monthly on Friday’s during the 5:30PM news cast.  The next feature airs on 5/24/2013. 

This week on Wine Time™ with WineGuyMike™ on ABC Montana I featured an exceptional flight of ” versatile” wines. View here; 
 

 
This Mother’s Day flight of wines are very good and pair well with a wide variety of dishes. If you need ideas please message me in the comment section below.
 
Happy Mother’s Day from WineGuyMike. These are great spring time wine selections as well.
1. Hedges Family Estate Independent Producers Merlot – Columbia Valley
2. Pecchenino Dolcetto san Luigi Dogliani - Italy – Piedmont
3. Paul Hobbs Crossbarn Pinot Noir – Sonoma Coast
4. Unique Sauvignon Blanc – French – Loire Valley
5. La Cala Vermentino – Sardinia
6. Kings Ridge Riesling – Willamette Valley
 

From my table to yours,

 

 

Wine Infographic from Headwater Breakaway Adventures

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This infographic was provided to me by Headwater in association with Breakaway Adventures based in th United Kingdom. This group designs guided and self-guided walking and cycling tours, http://www.headwater.com/

Headwater shared this beautiful infographic with me that is posted below. I personally enjoy great infographics and I share this one with you. I would like to mention that this is not a paid endorsement. Please enjoy this well done infographic and it does appear that this organization puts together some fun vacations.

From my table to yours,

Wine Time™ with WineGuyMike™ on ABC Fox Montana

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Join me live for Wine Time™ with WineGuyMike™ on ABC Fox Montana. Wine Time airs bi-monthly on Friday’s during the 5:30PM news cast.  The next feature airs on 4/26/2013. 

Enjoy these two very different yet exceptional Chardonnay wines that I’m sharing with you on this week’s Wine Time with WineGuyMike on ABC Fox Montana. 

Chardonnay is one of the most maligned grapes used to make wine in modern history.  Its popularity rises and falls like an exhilarating roller coaster ride, it’s in, it’s out, it’s oakey, it’s not oakey, but one thing is for sure when you talk to wine drinkers they will have a comment on this great Classic wine grape.

Chardonnay is one of the most complex white wines thanks to winemaking techniques and the grapes ability to draw flavor from the nutrients and minerals in the soil.  Chardonnay is aged in new oak barrels, old oak barrels, and steel barrels, cement vessels, all producing varying nuances in the wines.  New barrels produce the strongest oaking, old barrels have a slight oak influence, while the steel produces no oak, and cement vessels leave the wine in a neutral state.

The Chardonnay grape produces a dry wine that can be oaky or steely, fruity or flinty, depending on where it’s grown and the style that the winemaker wants to produce. Chardonnay that is fermented and aged in oak barrels can be rich, bold, fruit forward, vanilla, and a bit toasty.

Chardonnay that has been fermented and aged at cooler temperatures in steel tanks produces crisp, bright, wines that have nice acidity,soft floral notes, citrus, apple, pear, and tropical fruit aromas.  Chardonnay’s made utilizing steel tanks have well preserved fruit esters, thus is the goal of the winemaker.

Chardonnay that has been fermented and aged in cement vessels produce wines that are a bit more neutral and what I mean by this is; remember wines fermented and aged in oak will have a sweet element, an oak nuance, and a tannic textual mouthfeel to them.  A wine fermented and aged in steel will have these elements; they may be a bit steely, crisp with bright edgy fruit, and zippy acid.  The cement vessels provide a neutral element for fermenting and aging that produces wines that are clean, pure, a little less acid, and restrained fruit.

No one method  is better than another but it is important to know what your buying so you find the type of wine that best suits your palatte and your food pairing.

Today I’m featuring two Chardonnay’s that are fantastic, one is fermented and aged in oak barrels, the other is from steel tanks. If that wasn’t enough be sure to note the two types of Chardonnay glasses I’m tasting from today…Complexity is the word that best suits Chardonnay.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts to pair with 2009 Edna Valley Chardonnay.

Pork Chops with Honey and Garlic to pair with Teresa’s unoaked chardonnay.

From my table to yours,

 

 

Easter Dinner Wines on ABC TV with WineGuyMike™

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WineGuyMike on ABC Montana Featuring An Easter Wine Flight

Wines are an integral part of any holiday meal being shared with friends and family.  During Passover and Easter wines historically have been a ceremonious emblem used in religious observances. For wine, Easter may be the most important holiday of the year when you consider its use in religious ceremonies.

It is important to know a little about wine and food pairing in order to choose the best wines at the best prices to serve your family and friends.  Pairing wine and food not only makes the dining experience more fun for everyone but done correctly it makes both the wine and the food taste better.

Remember though at the end of the day you drink what you and your guests like and there are no rules.  As the late Robert Mondavi said “Wine to me is passion, its family and friends, it’s warmth of heart and generosity of spirit. Wine is art, its culture; it’s the essence of civilization and the art of living.”

Wines and food both have texture and a sense of weight.  Balancing the two is the goal for a perfect marriage of wine and food.  A great example of weight, otherwise known as the body of wine, would be milk.  Consider non-fat milk as (light body wine), low-fat milk as (medium body wine), and whole milk as (full body wine).  Texture is much more of a mouthfeel but there is also a sense of weight that we associate in our minds and on our palates.  In other words is the wine or food heavy or light, is it rich or perhaps light?

The method of food preparation is also plays an important role when considering synergy and balance between food and wine. Here a couple of things to think about.

  • How is the food prepared, has it been Grilled, Baked, or Sautéed?
  • What about sauce? Sauce has a significant impact on food, is there a gravy, crème or tomato sauce in addition to the food itself?

Big robust full bodied wine bold on texture should not be paired with delicate dishes, nor should they be paired with a food dish that is big on flavor.  Big wine and big flavor does not work well together; we are looking for that simple harmony between food and wine, not a power struggle.  Mild food dishes do well when they are paired with a wine that is medium to light in body.

When choosing wine the preference is medium to lighter bodied wines that have a balance of fruit and acid, have soft supple tannin qualities, and have moderate alcohol levels.  The best white wine to use in pairing wine and food are Pinot Gris or, as it is known in Italy Pinot Grigio, and Chenin Blanc.  Both of these white wines have a great fruit profile and the acid is a little higher than other grapes.  Acid is the component that brings out the flavor so wonderfully in food.

When it comes to selecting the right red wine there are a couple of things to consider.  Just like your white wines medium to light bodied wines are best when pairing with food along with the other attributes I just mentioned.  The red varietals that will always work great with food are; Barbera, Gamay, and Pinot Noir.  Frappato is a new wine varietal that also pairs very well with food.  This grape is native to Sicily and is currently in favor with cult wine drinkers who enjoy pairing wine and food.   Another good rule of thumb to remember with red wines is that if they are light enough to see through in a glass they will work with food fairly well.

WineGuyMike Tastes an Italian Wine Flight for Easter Dinner

 

From my table to yours,

WineGuyMike

WineGuyMike’s Wine Time™ on ABC Fox Montana

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Enjoy these two very different yet exceptional Chenin Blanc wines that I’m sharing with you on this week’s WineGuyMike’s Wine Time on ABC Fox Montana.  Be sure to check back first thing in the morning for the recipes I will pair with these delicious wines.

Recipe pairing:

Serves 8 – Poaching is a great way to cook lean fish because the technique keeps the fish moist. Serve with one of our sauces, such as Lemon Parsley Sauce.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fish fillets, such as cod, sea bass, salmon, or tilapia, skinned
1 teaspoon acceptable vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
¼ cup chopped celery
1 cup hot water or dry white wine (regular or nonalcoholic)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 bay leaf
Pepper to taste
Sprigs of fresh parsley (optional)

Directions:

Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat bottom. When oil is hot, sauté onion and celery for 2 to 3 minutes, or until tender.
Place fillets flat on top of vegetables, or roll each fillet, securing it with a toothpick, and place rolls on vegetables. Add remaining ingredients except parsley. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes, or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
Carefully transfer fillets to a serving platter. Remove toothpicks and garnish fillets with parsley.

Cook’s Tip:
Pour fresh lemon juice into the compartments of a plastic ice tray – each compartment holds about 1 tablespoon of juice – and freeze it. Remove the cubes and store them in an airtight plastic bag in the freezer. They’ll be ready whenever you need them.

Calories 92
Protein1 8 g
Carbohydrates 1 g
Cholesterol 37 mg
Total Fat 1 g
 Saturated 0 g
 Polyunsaturated 1 g
 Monounsaturated 0 g
Fiber 0 g
Sodium 75 mg

 

 

Mediterranean Sauteed Sea Scallops

Ingredients:

24 Large Sea scallops
2 Tbl Bertolli brand olive oil
6 Tbl minced garlic
2 tsp lemon peel
1/2  cup  minced sun dried tomatoes in oil
4 Tbl capers
4 Tbl fresh lemon juice
2 Tbl chopped fresh thyme
1 stick Land-o-Lakes brand butter
dash of Lea & Perrins sauce

Directions:

Heat oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and lemon peel 30 seconds. add scallops, probably about 8 minutes if they are large, use punch test. Remove scallops. Add tomato, capers, lemon juice thyme and Lea & Perrins. Thicken about 2 minutes. Add butter and whisk until melted. Salt. Return scallops until heated.

From my table to yours,

 

 

This Week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© Take 2 With Top Chef “Fan Favorite” Fabio Viviani

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and U 104.5FM.  The live stream feed is online at www.trail1033.com where you can click on “Listen Live”.  The WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© airs on both radio stations Sunday mornings at 11:00AM MST.

Social Media links;

This week’s podcast with Top Chef “Fan Favorite” Fabio Viviani; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/27/wine-guy-mike-for-january-27/

This Week’s YouTube preview Take 2 With Top Chef “Fan Favorite” Fabio Viviani;

Last week’s podcast “Two New Grapes”; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/13/wine-guy-mike-for-january-13/

Recent weeks podcast on pairing wine and food; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/06/wine-guy-mike-for-january-6/

Recent podcast with wine visionary David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/12/23/wine-guy-mike-for-december-23rd/

Recent podcast; (full length conversation) with Maximilian Riedel, CEO Riedel Crystal of America http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/06/24/wine-guy-mike-for-june-24/

NBC Montana Today TV Segment; Perfect Patio Wines and food pairing; http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mike-Tornatore-8-7-12/-/14594602/15999458/-/67a5ri/-/index.html

YouTube; My YouTube channel of course is WineGuyMike™ or the actual URL link: http://www.youtube.com/user/WineGuyMike?feature=mhum

Facebook; http://on.fb.me/hvHsil please “like”

Twitter; https://twitter.com/WineGuyMike

Sleep City Missoula  www.SleepCity.com

Liquid Planet www.LiquidPlanet.com

 

 Good Sunday morning and welcome back to the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© This week I had the pleasure to sit down and have a conversation that was as down to earth, informative, and enlightening as any that I can recall.  http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/27/wine-guy-mike-for-january-27/

 Chef Fabio Viviani was this week’s featured guest and I can tell you that after the show I was left humbled by the person I discovered in Viviani.  Yes Viviani was a “Fan Favorite” on season 5 of Top Chef and a contestant on Top Chef All Stars, and most recently featured on BravoTV’s newest culinary reality series Life After Top Chef but this is a man of integrity, true expertise, wisdom, and one of the most sincere persons I have ever had the pleasure to have a conversation with.

 Viviani came from humble beginnings in Florence, Italy and at 11 years of age went to work in a bakery in order to support his family.  He is quick to point out that he was well paid for his work.  At 14 Viviani began work at Italian Florentine iconic restaurant “Il Pallaio”.  By age 16 Viviani had risen to the position of sous chef.  Hard work, passion, and a commitment for doing things right is who Fabio Viviani is.  He is a rare individual who always rises to the top because he is true to himself and everyone else that he touches.

 Viviani attended culinary school and traveled across Europe, training in classic Italian and European cuisine.  He has always been on the move learning and sharing his culinary passion and by the time he was 27 he had 5 restaurants and 2 night clubs in Italy.  True of most entrepreneurs Viviani wanted to expand his horizons and ventured out to America.  Viviani settled in Los Angeles, California with all of his experience and business acumen to try his hand as a business man in the United States.  The result has been success. The reason integrity, hard work, and always delivering a valued product.  Viviani points out this is fairly simple but how many can truly deliver like he has?

 Viviani is Owner and Executive Chef of Café Firenze in Moorpark, CA and Firenze Osteria in Toluca Lake, CA, and will soon be opening opening Siena Tavern an Italian concept in Chicago, IL.  Viviani has also successfully published two cookbooks and will be releasing his newest one in April 2013 titled Fabio’s Italian Kitchen.  This cookbook is full of his family’s recipes from 20 generations of grandmothers spanning 300 hundred years.

 Viviani is arguably the most sought after celebrity chef in America and has been a  guest on many of the top TV talk and morning shows.  His award winning “Chow Ciao!” the #1 lifestyle and food show on the internet, http://screen.yahoo.com/women/chow-ciao/  features a new show every Monday.  If you visit www.FabioViviani.com you can sign up for Fabio’s newsletter which will keep you up to date with this star that continues to rise.

 On a personal note; Fabio I would like to thank you for taking time to share your story with the WineGuyMike audience.  I can only hope everyone has been as touched by your story and inspired by your sincerity and passion as I was my friend.

 Thank you for joining me once again on this week’s show and remember to continue to broaden your wine palates.  Be sure to check out my wine blog at www.WineGuyMike.com for wine suggestions. You can find many of the wines that I recommend at Liquid Planet in the Heart of Downtown Missoula for your ultimate wine shopping experience.  I’ll see you on the radio friends.

 

 

For a great selection of wines to pair with your food with be sure to visit Liquid Planet, Missoula’s “Best of Beverage”, located in the Heart of Downtown Missoula.

The  wines suggested today receive the WineGuyMike™ Seal of Approval™   www.wineguymike.com is your wine resource.

From my table to yours,

 

 

This Week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© Top Chef “Fan Favorite” Fabio Viviani

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and U 104.5FM.  The live stream feed is online at www.trail1033.com where you can click on “Listen Live”.  The WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© airs on both radio stations Sunday mornings at 11:00AM MST.

Social Media links;

This week’s podcast with Top Chef “Fan Favorite” Fabio Viviani; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/27/wine-guy-mike-for-january-27/

This Week’s YouTube preview Top Chef “Fan Favorite” Fabio Viviani; http://youtu.be/YGslJK3CsOI

Last week’s podcast “Two New Grapes”; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/13/wine-guy-mike-for-january-13/

Recent weeks podcast on pairing wine and food; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/06/wine-guy-mike-for-january-6/

Recent podcast with wine visionary David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/12/23/wine-guy-mike-for-december-23rd/

Recent podcast; (full length conversation) with Maximilian Riedel, CEO Riedel Crystal of America http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/06/24/wine-guy-mike-for-june-24/

NBC Montana Today TV Segment; Perfect Patio Wines and food pairing; http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mike-Tornatore-8-7-12/-/14594602/15999458/-/67a5ri/-/index.html

YouTube; My YouTube channel of course is WineGuyMike™ or the actual URL link: http://www.youtube.com/user/WineGuyMike?feature=mhum

Facebook; http://on.fb.me/hvHsil please “like”

Twitter; https://twitter.com/WineGuyMike

Sleep City Missoula  www.SleepCity.com

Liquid Planet www.LiquidPlanet.com

 

 Good Sunday morning and welcome back to the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© This week I had the pleasure to sit down and have a conversation that was as down to earth, informative, and enlightening as any that I can recall.  http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/27/wine-guy-mike-for-january-27/

 Chef Fabio Viviani was this week’s featured guest and I can tell you that after the show I was left humbled by the person I discovered in Viviani.  Yes Viviani was a “Fan Favorite” on season 5 of Top Chef and a contestant on Top Chef All Stars, and most recently featured on BravoTV’s newest culinary reality series Life After Top Chef but this is a man of integrity, true expertise, wisdom, and one of the most sincere persons I have ever had the pleasure to have a conversation with.

 Viviani came from humble beginnings in Florence, Italy and at 11 years of age went to work in a bakery in order to support his family.  He is quick to point out that he was well paid for his work.  At 14 Viviani began work at Italian Florentine iconic restaurant “Il Pallaio”.  By age 16 Viviani had risen to the position of sous chef.  Hard work, passion, and a commitment for doing things right is who Fabio Viviani is.  He is a rare individual who always rises to the top because he is true to himself and everyone else that he touches.

 Viviani attended culinary school and traveled across Europe, training in classic Italian and European cuisine.  He has always been on the move learning and sharing his culinary passion and by the time he was 27 he had 5 restaurants and 2 night clubs in Italy.  True of most entrepreneurs Viviani wanted to expand his horizons and ventured out to America.  Viviani settled in Los Angeles, California with all of his experience and business acumen to try his hand as a business man in the United States.  The result has been success. The reason integrity, hard work, and always delivering a valued product.  Viviani points out this is fairly simple but how many can truly deliver like he has?

 Viviani is Owner and Executive Chef of Café Firenze in Moorpark, CA and Firenze Osteria in Toluca Lake, CA, and will soon be opening opening Siena Tavern an Italian concept in Chicago, IL.  Viviani has also successfully published two cookbooks and will be releasing his newest one in April 2013 titled Fabio’s Italian Kitchen.  This cookbook is full of his family’s recipes from 20 generations of grandmothers spanning 300 hundred years.

 Viviani is arguably the most sought after celebrity chef in America and has been a  guest on many of the top TV talk and morning shows.  His award winning “Chow Ciao!” the #1 lifestyle and food show on the internet, http://screen.yahoo.com/women/chow-ciao/  features a new show every Monday.  If you visit FabioViviani.com you can sign up for Fabio’s newsletter which will keep you up to date with this star that continues to rise.

Please rejoin Fabio and WineGuyMike once again next week for part 2 of our continued conversation.

 On a personal note; Fabio I would like to thank you for taking time to share your story with the WineGuyMike audience.  I can only hope everyone has been as touched by your story and inspired by your sincerity and passion as I was my friend.

 Thank you for joining me once again on this week’s show and remember to continue to broaden your wine palates.  Be sure to check out my wine blog at WineGuyMike.com for wine suggestions. You can find many of the wines that I recommend at Liquid Planet in the Heart of Downtown Missoula for your ultimate wine shopping experience.  I’ll see you on the radio friends.

This wine is a secondary label from Adelsheim Vineyard.  While the Adelsheim Vineyards wines have grown in popularity so have their prices.  By creating a secondary label with this Wallace Brook Pinot Noir you can enjoy a terrific wine that is a real deal.  This is a wonderful wine to pair with your dinner.

This Pinot Gris from Balletto is an incredible wine.  Pinot Gris is perhaps the best white wine to pair with food due to the natural fruit and acid profile of the grape.  What winemaker Anthony Beckman does with the grapes grown by John Balletto is extraordinary.  Beckman is one of the top winemakers in America and Balletto is one of the best consumer values for wine in America.

Chenin Blanc is another great white wine to pair with foods and this is a wonderful example of a New World wine made from this grape varietal.  This wine is inexpensive and very well made.  I enjoy this wine with meals frequently.

Christophe Hedges was a recent guest on the WineGuyMike Radio Show recently and like Balletto Vineyards & Winery the Hedges Family Estate wines are also one of the best consumer values for wine in America.  Hedges Independent Producer wines are a personal project of Christophe’s and these wines are outstanding.  Both the Chardonnay and Merlot that I’m recommending are New World Wines made in an Old World Style and you should not miss the opportunity to try one or both of these wines with your meal.

The Hedges CMS Red and White are two delicious New World wines from Hedges Family Estate that are very well made, very good wines, and offer very good consumer value.  I recommend both of these wines to drink alone of pair with your meal.

For a great selection of wines to pair with your food with be sure to visit Liquid Planet, Missoula’s “Best of Beverage”, located in the Heart of Downtown Missoula.

The  wines suggested today receive the WineGuyMike™ Seal of Approval™   www.wineguymike.com is your wine resource.

From my table to yours,

 

 

This Week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© Just Darn Good Wines

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and U 104.5FM.  The live stream feed is online at www.trail1033.com where you can click on “Listen Live”.  The WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© airs on both radio stations Sunday mornings at 11:00AM MST.

Social Media links;

This Weeks YouTube preview ”Just Darn Good Wines”;

Last week’s podcast “Two New Grapes”; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/13/wine-guy-mike-for-january-13/

Recent weeks podcast on pairing wine and food; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/06/wine-guy-mike-for-january-6/

Recent podcast with wine visionary David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/12/23/wine-guy-mike-for-december-23rd/

Recent podcast; (full length conversation) with Maximilian Riedel, CEO Riedel Crystal of America http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/06/24/wine-guy-mike-for-june-24/

NBC Montana Today TV Segment; Perfect Patio Wines and food pairing; http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mike-Tornatore-8-7-12/-/14594602/15999458/-/67a5ri/-/index.html

YouTube; My YouTube channel of course is WineGuyMike™ or the actual URL link: http://www.youtube.com/user/WineGuyMike?feature=mhum

Facebook; http://on.fb.me/hvHsil please “like”

Twitter; https://twitter.com/WineGuyMike

Sleep City Missoula  www.SleepCity.com

Liquid Planet www.LiquidPlanet.com

 

Good Sunday morning and welcome back to the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© This week I would like to briefly mention next week’s very exciting show and trust me it is a show to look forward to.

In recent weeks I have shared with you a great deal of information about pairing wines and food.  Well next week joining us on the show will be one of America’s hottest chefs Fabio Viviani!  If you’re not a foodie and have been living in a cave Viviani is from Florence, Italy.  He started as a baker at 11, owned and operated 5 restaurants and 2 nightclubs when he left Italy at 27.  Be sure to tune in for next week’s show to find out what this culinary master, entrepreneur, and Top Chef “Fan Favorite” contestant has accomplished since coming to America.

Now on to this week’s business, just darn good wine.  That’s right this week I’m sharing wines that I have loved over the last few weeks of tasting wines that offer great value while pairing them with food.  So let’s dig right in as I share with the wines that I have enjoyed and why.

This first wine that I have talked about as a varietal, Frappato, has been around a long time and until recently has been used as a blending grape with the well known Nero d’Avola.  Frappato is a semi-aromatic grape varietal that presents subtle floral and blossom aromas.

This Frappato is one I personally enjoyed recently as I tasted wines to share with you.  Decant this wine a good hour before serving to enjoy it at its best.  This wine really does well with food, is new and fun with a very affordable price point.

This wine is a secondary label from Adelsheim Vineyard.  While the Adelsheim Vineyards wines have grown in popularity so have their prices.  By creating a secondary label with this Wallace Brook Pinot Noir you can enjoy a terrific wine that is a real deal.  This is a wonderful wine to pair with your dinner.

This Pinot Gris from Balletto is an incredible wine.  Pinot Gris is perhaps the best white wine to pair with food due to the natural fruit and acid profile of the grape.  What winemaker Anthony Beckman does with the grapes grown by John Balletto is extraordinary.  Beckman is one of the top winemakers in America and Balletto is one of the best consumer values for wine in America.

Chenin Blanc is another great white wine to pair with foods and this is a wonderful example of a New World wine made from this grape varietal.  This wine is inexpensive and very well made.  I enjoy this wine with meals frequently.

Christophe Hedges was a recent guest on the WineGuyMike Radio Show recently and like Balletto Vineyards & Winery the Hedges Family Estate wines are also one of the best consumer values for wine in America.  Hedges Independent Producer wines are a personal project of Christophe’s and these wines are outstanding.  Both the Chardonnay and Merlot that I’m recommending are New World Wines made in an Old World Style and you should not miss the opportunity to try one or both of these wines with your meal.

The Hedges CMS Red and White are two delicious New World wines from Hedges Family Estate that are very well made, very good wines, and offer very good consumer value.  I recommend both of these wines to drink alone of pair with your meal.

Thank you for joining me once again on this week’s show, next week get ready for one of America’s Top Chef’s Fabio Viviani.  Fabio and I will be talking wine and food, be sure not to miss this show!

Remember to continue to broaden your wine palates and be sure to check out my wine blog at WineGuyMike.com for wine suggestions and Liquid Planet for your ultimate wine shopping experience.  I’ll see you on the radio friends.

For a great selection of wines to pair with your food with be sure to visit Liquid Planet, Missoula’s “Best of Beverage”, located in the Heart of Downtown Missoula.

The  wines suggested today receive the WineGuyMike™ Seal of Approval™   www.wineguymike.com is your wine resource.

From my table to yours,

 

 

This Week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© Two New Grapes To Know

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and U 104.5FM.  The live stream feed is online at www.trail1033.com where you can click on “Listen Live”.  The WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© airs on both radio stations Sunday mornings at 11:00AM MST.

Social Media links;

This Weeks podcast on “Two New Grapes”; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/13/wine-guy-mike-for-january-13/

Last weeks podcast on pairing wine and food; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2013/01/06/wine-guy-mike-for-january-6/

This weeks WineGuyMike YouTube preview on pairing wine and food; http://bit.ly/pVLaBr

Recent podcast with wine visionary David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/12/23/wine-guy-mike-for-december-23rd/

Recent podcast; (full length conversation) with Maximilian Riedel, CEO Riedel Crystal of America http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/06/24/wine-guy-mike-for-june-24/

NBC Montana Today TV Segment; Perfect Patio Wines and food pairing; http://www.nbcmontana.com/news/Mike-Tornatore-8-7-12/-/14594602/15999458/-/67a5ri/-/index.html

YouTube; My YouTube channel of course is WineGuyMike™ or the actual URL link: http://www.youtube.com/user/WineGuyMike?feature=mhum

Facebook; http://on.fb.me/hvHsil please “like”

Twitter; https://twitter.com/WineGuyMike

Sleep City Missoula  www.SleepCity.com

Liquid Planet www.LiquidPlanet.com

 

Good Sunday morning and welcome back to the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©  Last week on the show I shared with you a few basics of pairing wine and food.  One of the important points I mentioned focused on balance, weight, and texture of both food and wine.  Ah yes… a harmonious balance of wine and food, it’s a beautiful thing when it all comes together.  Perhaps it is like a well written song; rather like beautiful music in your mouth.

One of my goals for this year is to drink less of what I’m familiar with and more of that which I’m not, bringing me to this week’s show.  There are two new grapes that I believe we should pay attention to.  One a red varietal from Sicily, Frappato,  and the other, Jacquère,  a white grape from a little known wine region of France.

On last week’s show I mentioned a new little known red grape native to Sicily, also a great wine to pair with food.  It is one of those varietals like Barbera, Gamay, and Pinot Noir that when you hold your glass up to light you can see through it.  Generally speaking this would be a suitable wine to enjoy with your dinner.  The new up and coming grape that is native to Sicily is known as Frappato.

The Frappato grape varietal has been around a long time and until recently has been used as a blending grape with the well known king of the island, Sicily that is, Nero d’Avola.  The Frappato grape is very thin skinned and one of the problems in making wine from this grape was getting any measurable color extraction from the grape.  This problem has been solved through the advancement of winemaking technology though.  Temperature controlled stainless steel tanks allow the winemaker to macerate or leave the grapes with the skins longer at a cooler temperature and extract the desired coloration without imparting unwanted nuances such as too much tannin into the finished product of the wine.

Frappato is a semi-aromatic grape varietal that present subtle floral and blossom aromas.  This grape that basks in the warmth of Sicilian sun at the base of Mount Etna maintains a perfect level of acidity which makes this an up and coming wine to pair with foods.  Frappato wines also have very supple tannins which also make it a perfect complement to foods.  It wonderful profile and beautiful Cherry blossom floral notes are the reason this grape has been traditionally used as a blending grape for the powerful Nero d’Avola.

The second grape I would like to share with you is also an amazing wine to pair with foods. It comes from the little known wine region around the Rhone Alps, Savoie and the predominant grape grown in the region is Jacquère (Jah-KEHR).  This white grape varietal covers about 50% of their vineyards in the region.

Growing grapes dates to the 1st Century B.C. in the region.  Greek influence was strong and their knowledge of making wine steeped in experience.  The Savoie region has been growing grapes since antiquity and mentioned in writings by

The church was amongst the largest landowners during the period of the Middle Ages.  The Monks were very advanced in their practice of viticulture and making wine and as a result implemented a system of designating the wine regions within the Savoie.  By the 18th century vineyard acreage increased as grapes were being grown from the valley to the foothills of the mountains.  

After the annexation of Savoie to France in 1860 competition of the inexpensive wines of southern France became strong and it was also during this period that the phylloxera vine louse infested the vines and devastated the French wine industry.  By the end of the 19th century vines had been replanted utilizing more modern knowledge and techniques allowing the vineyards to become prolific again.

During the first half of the 20th century the wine industry was hampered by World War 1.  Scarce labor forces were another contributing factor to the decline of the wine industry as meaningful work drew laborers to city centers.  The wine industry continued a downward spiral until well after the end of World War 2.

It wasn’t until the 1970’s when this area became a popular destination of skiers from around the world that the wine industry really began to recover.  Today the region is well known for its indigenous foods and draws travelers near and far seeking gastronomic delights.  

Savoie’s vineyards have always played an important role in the farming economy and remain an integral part of the agricultural industry.  It is not until recently that the wines from the Savoie region have shown up at our favorite wine shops. 

Wines from the Savoie can be exceptional with the Jacquère grape varietal which produces wines that are pale-colored, delicate, fresh, and sometimes a slight effervescence.  The nose of the Jacquère grape exudes beautiful aromas of wild flowers and earthy mineral notes.  The palate this wine is light with well balanced fruit and acid leaving you with a finish that is clean and dry.  This inexpensive wine from the Savoie is exceptional to pair with food.

Well friends it has been fun this week introducing you to a couple of new grapes, Frappato and Jacquère, which you will definitely be seeing more of.  Remember to continue to broaden your wine palates and be sure to check out my wine blog at WineGuyMike.com for wine suggestions.  I’ll see you on the radio friends. 

For a great selection of wines to pair with your food with be sure to visit Liquid Planet, Missoula’s “Best of Beverage”, located in the Heart of Downtown Missoula.

The  wines suggested today receive the WineGuyMike™ Seal of Approval™   www.wineguymike.com is your wine resource.

From my table to yours,