Tag Archives: French

This Week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© Chenin Blanc and Fondue for You

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and Fresh 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 10:00AM MST.

Social Media links;

Today’s Podcast; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2012/01/22/wine-guy-mike-for-january-22/

NBC Montana Today TV Segment with Christmas wines; http://www.nbcmontana.com/video/30063511/index.html

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

Facebook; WineGuyMike please “like”

Twitter; @WineGuyMike please follow me

Sponsors      

Ciao Mambo, “Eat Like You Mean It”, located in Missoula on The Hip Strip.  Find them online at www.CiaoMambo.com

Sleep City Missoula  www.SleepCity.com

Liquid Planet “Best of Beverage” and a great place to find your holiday wine located in the heart of downtown Missoula.

W.J. Deutsch & Sons since 1981 has been marketing quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. 

Georges Distributing in Helena, Montana.

Good Sunday morning and welcome to the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©. 

The Loire Valley is well known not only for its wines but it also is the summer playground of the rich, famous and royalty.  The countryside of the Loire Valley is embellished with elegant and enormous chateaux.

While the Loire Valley is the largest white wine producing region in France, it is also the second largest producer of sparkling wine in France.  But what the region is truly famous for is Chenin Blanc.

This wine whether you prefer an Old World or New World style of Chenin Blanc made in a dry style pairs very well with my favorite dinner this winter, Cheese Fondue.  The blend of cheeses in this delectable winter comfort food is a staple for the Swiss.  The wines that I’m recommending today are perfect partners with the Cheese Fondue recipe I’m also sharing with you, (see this recipe at the end of today’s blog post).      

Chenin Blanc is such a very versatile grape that it can produced as a standalone varietal or as a blending grape, typically with Chardonnay.  It is dry, very crisp, acidic, high in alcohol content, yet is smooth and a full bodied white wine.  Chenin Blanc wines are intense, aromatic, and floral on the nose.  On the palate this grape will deliver a wide spectrum of flavors and textures.  One’s palate may experience everything from slight citrus, grasses, spiciness, a little bit of honey, and lush tropical fruit. 

This grape is commonly referred to as the “chameleon”, it is diverse and can be made in many styles.  In the Loire Valley of France Chenin Blanc is known as Vouvray, it is the best example of French Chenin Blanc. 

In the Old World Chenin Blanc is frequently used as a blending grape with Chardonnay.   These two grape varietals are wonderful companions in a wine and I’ll be sharing one of these with you today.  In the New World Chenin Blanc is typically produced as a single varietal wine.

Old World winemakers ferment their wines at higher temperatures and age their Chenin Blanc wines in acacia and chestnut barrels.   This Old World technique produces wines that are well rounded with a greater depth of desirable color.   New World winemakers will use steel tanks for fermenting and aging.   This technique preserves crispiness, acidity, and fruitiness that are terrific attributes of a well made Chenin Blanc wine.  New World style Chenin Blanc’s are typically lighter in color than its Old World counterparts.  Color varies with style and approach in making wine, wood barrels vs. steel tanks produce different results.

The versatility of Chenin Blanc allows winemakers the flexibility to transform this chameleon of a grape into many different styles ranging from dry to sweet, or as a sparkling wine.  This wine is often described as having a taste profile driven by minerality, greengage, angelica, and honey.  The dry or semi-sweet styles exhibit flavors of chalky minerality, honey, quince, and acacia. 

Vouvray from the Loire Valley is offered in three different styles; dry which is known as (Sec), medium-dry or (Demi-Sec), sweet (Moelleux, m wah leuh), or as a sparkling wine.  Winemakers of the New World are striving for a dry wine that both intense and floral.  A well made Chenin Blanc wine is delightful on the nose, notes of floral aroma and scent of banana, pear, guava, and pineapple. This wine is crisp, acidic, and tropical with a little nuance of spice on the palate.  Paired correctly with food this wine is beautiful and can bring out the very best in the food.

Each year weather is a determining factor in the type of wine that is produced in Vouvray.  Cool years produce vintages of dry or sparkling wines, while warm years produce sweet wines such as Moelleux, (m wah leuh).  Because wines of Vouvray are naturally high in acid they may be aged in some cases up to 100 years.

The soil in Vouvray consists of calcareous clay, producing Chenin Blanc wines that are rounded and balanced, delivering nice body, fruit, and acid.  Almost all vineyards in the Loire Valley are planted on sloped plateau with southern exposure.  Streams run through the area and this combination offer ideal growing conditions.  Old World winemaking technique truly compliment the terroir of this region, the wines are stunning.

Marc Bredif Vouvray 2008 from the Loire Valley, France ($21.99)

This is one of the finest examples of Vouvray I have ever tasted.  Visually this wine is sintilating in the glass, presenting a geourgeous pale gold yellow. On the nose this wine is intense with floral and fruit driven scent.  Marc Bredif Vouvray is perfectly deceptive on the entry and then reveals itself as lush and full on the mid-palate.  Crisp, lush, yet a slight citrusy tart quality that shows a little citrus and a perfect grassiness that while this wine is big on flavor it is beautifully dry.  Next you experience wonderful fruit led by exquisite pineapple with layers of other subtle yet a wonderful supporting cast of tropical fruits.  color is pale gold yellow.  It has a very intense and fruity nose with notes of white flowers and quince.  It has a subtle attack on the palette and a fresh structure and aromatic finish.

Tariquet Chenin Chardonnay, a unique recipe 75% Chenin 25% Chardonnay ($9.99)

This wine from the Southwestern Languedoc Rousillon region is a lovely wine and at this price you can’t go wrong.  It’s crisp, it’s creamy, yes a treasure of a wine.

The contrast between the Chenin Blanc minerality and the creamy Chardonnay is somewhat reminiscent of sweet and sour cooking.  Refreshing, bold and full of flavor on the entry with underlying notes of crisp ripe grapes, followed by a satisfying finish.  Faint floral shades of vanilla and toffee take turns revealing their delights, while a touch of saltiness leads to a pleasant lingering finish.

L’Ecole N° 41  2010 Chenin Blanc – Columbia Valley ($10.99)

This second generation, family-owned artisan winery located in the historic Frenchtown School depicted on our label.   Founded in 1983, they are the third oldest winery in the Walla Walla Valley.  As a traditional brick and mortar winery they grow and make 100% of their wine.  The focus is on terroir-driven, distinctive, and expressive wines.  All of L’Ecole’s Walla Walla Valley wines are made from grapes which are certified sustainable.

This fresh, tart and delightfully fruity Chenin Blanc shows Asian pear, perfumed honeysuckle and orange blossom aromas with flavors of apple, apricot, and grapefruit on a crisp mineral, lightly sweet finish.

L’Ecole Nº 41 has produced this old vine, Vouvray style Chenin Blanc since 1987. Jean Ferguson, L’Ecole Nº 41’s founding winemaker, loved this wine and crafted her version of Vouvray through cold fermentation to enhance the fruity and floral esters.  This wine offers great value.

WineGuyMike’s™ Cheese Fondue Recipe

Preparation – Chop on Shallot finely, 1 loaf of crusty cubed bread, grated 2 cups of Gruyere cheese, grated 1 1/3 cup Emmenthal cheese, cube ½ cup of Brie cheese, have one real lemon and corn starch

  1. Combine one finely chopped Shallot
  2. Add 1 ¼  cup of Cristilino Extra Dry Cava(Sparkling wine)
    1. Combine and bring to a medium boil for 2 minutes, then turn off heat
    2. Add all cheeses and stir to combine, cheese will begin to melt
    3. In a bowl mix 4 tsp. of corn starch with 1 Tbls. Of real lemon juice
    4. Return mixture to a medium heat and stir for 10 minutes
    5. Mixture will melt and then begin to thicken.  At about the 8 minute mark add about 4-5 healthy shakes of nutmeg and about 4-5 generous shakes of white pepper
    6. Continue to stir and combine all ingredients, once mixture thickens reduce heat to a consistent medium-low heat  

Grab your fondue fork and poke a piece of cubed bread, dunk it in the Cheese Fondue.  Choose one of the wines I have recommended today and enjoy a perfect mid-winters meal. 

Cheers from WineGuyMike™

"from my table to yours"

"from my table to yours"

“Wine Just for the Health of It” part 2 this week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and Fresh 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 10:00AM MDT.

Each week WineGuyMike™ will be giving away gift certificates from our sponsors.  If your question is selected as WineGuyMike’s™ topic of discussion you will win one of the $20.00 – $25.00 gift certificates.  Good luck and send your questions to WineGuyMike™ on his Facebook fan page.

Social Media links;

Today’s Podcast; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2011/10/30/wine-guy-mike-for-october-30th/

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

Facebook; WineGuyMike please “like”

Twitter; @WineGuyMike please follow me

Sponsors

      

Ciao Mambo, “Eat Like You Mean It”, located in Missoula on The Hip Strip.  Find them online at www.CiaoMambo.com

Sleep City Missoula www.sleepcity.com

 W.J. Deutsch & Sons since 1981 has been marketing quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. 

Georges Distributing in Helena, Montana.

Welcome to the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© this Sunday morning.  This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with a man who enjoys great wines from around the world.  Dr.Stan Wilson from Missoula, Montana is a world renowned Cardiologist and inventor.

You might ask why such an accomplished doctor lives in a small city like Missoula?  Missoula is host to the International Heart Institute at St. Patrick Hospital which is the number one program for heart surgical procedures and research in the world.  The other reason Missoula may be one of the coolest places to live is The University of Montana.  Culture, art, wine, excellent medical care, and great restaurants just make this university centered city a great place to live and work.  In Dr. Wilson’s case, practice his cardiology specialty.

About The International Heart Institute of Montana http://ihimontana.org/

The International Heart Institute of Montana (IHI) brings together a recognized team of cardiologists, heart surgeons, nurses and researchers to perform advanced cardiac procedures and to search for new and improved ways to treat heart disease. Founded in 1995, IHI involves physicians and staff of St. Patrick Hospital and Health Sciences Center and The University of Montana.

What is The Women’s Heart Health Program offered at the IHI?

Many of us are surprised to learn that one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease.  Heart disease and stroke kill more women than all cancers combined, including breast cancer.  It remains an underappreciated fact that more women than men die of cardiovascular disease every year.

The Women’s Heart Health Program is a comprehensive way to prevent, diagnose and treat heart disease in women.  Heart disease may be especially difficult to diagnose in women as they may have different symptoms than men.  This program helps women to identify and reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Red wine, in moderation, has long been thought of as heart healthy.  The alcohol and certain substances in red wine called antioxidants may help prevent heart disease by increasing levels of “good” cholesterol and protecting against artery damage.

“Wine Just for the Health of It” is part 2 of an ongoing series on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©.  This mission of my show is to share great wine and food in a moderate healthful way.  Sometimes we forget about the wonderful and natural health benefits that both red and white wine provide as part of a daily lifestyle that we enjoy.

The American Heart Association recommends a daily glass of wine to keep the heart doctors away.  Woman should drink one 5oz. glass and for men 10oz. is the recommended amount.  They medical community is quick to say if you don’t drink alcohol now do not start.  The recommendation here is over consumption may could lead to alcoholism, while increased caloric intake could contribute to obesity which increases the risk of diabetic complications.

As Doctor Wilson points out there is plenty of science to back up the health benefits of the daily recommended amount of wine.  In fact studies show that drinking the recommended amount of wine may reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 50%.  Medical associations now recommend white wine for those that have respiratory issues. 

The right diet to complement the recommended moderate consumption of wine is a way that we can still enjoy all that we love about wine and food.  It is very important to examine our lifestyle and think about how we can live in a healthier way.  Remember the old saying, “you are what you eat”, it still holds true.  WineGuyMike™ would like to recommend this website for great information on healty eating, recipes, and exercise recommendations.  www.Heart.org is a site that I found to be outstanding.

Dr. Wilson, the inventor, developed what is known as Bifurcated Stent.  The stent is a stainless steel tube that looks like a microscopic piece of chain-link fence.  An incision in the patient’s groin is the point of entry for the physician to snake the stent up to the damaged artery.  A balloon opens up a path way to insert on the end of the wire.  A patient’s own tissue will grow around the stent in four to six weeks.  Stents act as reinforcement for arteries.

20 percent of the time a blockage is at a junction, or bifurcation.  Stents on each branch would leave a junction unprotected and a stent placed at a junction could block one of the arteries.

The bifurcated stent goes in on the end of one wire while the cardiologist snakes it to the site, imagine a Y-shaped device with its legs tied together.  Once the bifurcated stent reaches the site the wire releases and then the stent opens up and is guided into the bifurcation.

The bifurcated stent is in use in Europe and is nearing FDA approval in the United States.  This magical device should begin to be used in cardiology procedures in the United States next year.   Dr. Wilson gets to be the magician.

As a result of Dr. Wilsons Bifurcated Stent invention he is invited as key note speaker for heart conferences around the world.  Many of these conferences take place in finest wine regions of the world.  This week I’m sharing Dr. Wilson’s favorite wine, the E Guigal Gigondas.  I invite you to listen to the entire conversation between Dr. Wilson and I.  the podcast is available at; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2011/10/30/wine-guy-mike-for-october-30th/

E. Guigal wine from the Rhone Valley of France

the domaine of E. Guigal is located at Ampuis, and was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal, who had apprenticed at the negociant Vidal Fleury starting in 1924.  Etienne’s son Marcel has been the winemaker of the family firm since 1962.  He has preserved the tradition of the Rhône region and the scrupulous methods of his father, without hesitating to modernize and update his methods in ways that improve the traditional style without violating the spirit of the appellation.  Philippe Guigal, Marcel’s son, is poised to carry on these traditions of innovation and quality well into the 21st century.

E. Guigal is both a domaine and negociant, vinifying grapes from its estate vineyards in Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage, and St. Joseph.  Guigal buys grapes from other growers in Côte Rôtie and Condrieu to supplement his estate production, and buys wines from other AOCs, including all of his southern Rhône production.  All wines are aged, finished and bottled in the firm’s own cellars, which have undergone several renovations and expansions since 1995.  A new cellar completed in 2006 has allowed the Guigals to store all of their production under their own roof for the first time.

The Rhone Valley is one of France’s most important wine growing regions covering a long strip of land from Avignon in the south to Vienne in the north.  This area produces more appellation wine than any other part of France, except that of the Bordeaux region.  This very diverse region is split into two sections.  The two main red grapes grown in the Rhone are Syrah and Grenache.  The north which is a semi-continental environment is dominated by the Syrah grape and prestigious appellations which include Côte-Rôtie, Hermitage and St Joseph.  The south has a Mediterranean climate and produces mainly blended wines from varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Carignan.  

Syrah is a grape that is a big powerful full bodied red that is supple, smooth, and rich with well mannered mellow tannins.  Flavor wise a Syrah can be slightly spicy, fruity like black cherries, or some may have a deep nutty flavoring.  Grenache is a grape that is famous for use as a blending grape in both France and Spain. Grenache is also full bodied with berry flavors.  It lends itself well to nice full reds or roses that produce fruity or berry like flavor.  The Mourvedreplays a strong supporting role as a blending grape that is fruity with berry flavor and tannin that help provide structure in the red wines I’m recommending today.

E Guigal Gigondas

The vineyards of Gigondas are planted on hillsides at the foot of Mont Ventoux, a region directly north-east of the town of Orange in the southern Rhône Valley.  The Rhone Valley is home to very rocky soils that collect heat from the abundant sunshine that is common in the Rhone.  The grape varieties are similar to Chateauneuf-du-Pape; Grenache (60%), Mourvèdre (30%), and Syrah (10%) predominate. The dry, stony slopes produce substantial wines that are deep in color, with flavors of ripe summer fruits and savory herbs.  This E Guigal Gigondas is polished, refined, and drinks well now or can be laid down for many years.

E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge

This is a beautiful wine that is inexpensive. This blend from the well known Guigal family is 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 10% Mourvèdre.  The grapes are grown in pebbles and alluvia soil matter, sediment, limestone, granite.  This provides great drainage for the grape vines.

The grapes for this wine spend a great deal of time with the skins are fermented in a cool temperature controlled environment.  Aged 1 ½ years in oak but this wine presents with only a minimal oak influence. Visually this wine is dark red with great depth, and a beautiful shimmer. On the nose this wine has an aroma of red berries, fresh fruit, and just a hint of spice.  The palate is ample, not to full, really a great example of an affordable Cotes du Rhone.  This wine is balanced and very well made.  Nice tannin and spice that is enticing with a long rich finish.  This wine is very aromatic in a very pleasing way.

The Guigal Cotes du Rhone Red will pair nicely with cold cuts, cheese, wild game birds, pheasant and quail in particular.

E Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc

Marcel Guigal has strayed from his Father’s blanc blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, and Bourboulenc. This delicious blanc blend now includes significant proportions of Viognier (now 50%), Marsanne (from St.-Péray), and Roussanne.  Fermentation at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks produces a wine that is fresh, rich, and complex.  The beautiful nose of this wine has aromas of honeysuckle, pear, kiwi, and minerals.  This dry white from E Guigal pairs well with appetizers, grilled fish, or spicy Asian preparations.

"from my table to yours"

"from my table to yours"

“Wine for the Health of It©”with Montana Celebrity Jill Valley from KPAX-TV on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and Fresh 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 10:00AM MDT.

Each week WineGuyMike™ will be giving away gift certificates from our sponsors.  If your question is selected as WineGuyMike’s™ topic of discussion you will win one of the $20.00 – $25.00 gift certificates.  Good luck and send your questions to WineGuyMike™ on his Facebook fan page.

Social Media links;

Today’s Podcast; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2011/10/02/wine-guy-mike-for-october-2nd/

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

Facebook; WineGuyMike please “like”

Twitter; @WineGuyMike please follow me

Sponsors      

Ciao Mambo, “Eat Like You Mean It”, located in Missoula on The Hip Strip.  Find them online at www.CiaoMambo.com

W.J. Deutsch & Sons since 1981 has been marketing quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. 

Georges Distributing in Helena, Montana.

Jill Valley KPAX-TV Anchor

Jill Valley KPAX-TV Anchor

This week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© local Montana celebrity Jill Valley from KPAX-TV in Missoula joined me in the radio studio.  Jill has been Broadcaster of the Year six times now in Montana including this year’s award.  She will quickly tell you though her biggest victory has come as the result of her winning battle against breast cancer.  Jill recently posed a question to me about wine and with this being Breast Cancer Awareness Month I suggested she come into the radio studio, that is just what she did.

It was a real pleasure to have Jill as my featured guest this week.  It was very interesting to hear her story and she made my job easy, she is very good at her profession.  Jill is a mother and has one wonderful young daughter who is an ice skater.  Jill also skates as a hobby and claims to be a “bad skater”, but I have heard otherwise from Missoula’s top age group skating Coach Patty Koster.

Jill and I have discussed wine in the past and she came to me recently and asked if I was aware of any non-alcoholic wines that tasted good.  The long and short of it was, no I was not aware of any good non-alcoholic wines.  There may be some good ones out there but I am not experienced with any.  Over time it has occurred to me that I learn more from listening than I do from talking.  Jill has done her homework her and has sought out an answer to her own question. 

The following are a few excerpts from Jill’s guest blog post, http://wp.me/PFhHw-dC, based on her research of non-alcoholic wines that are drinkable:

I started investigating the non-alcoholic wine option because even one glass makes me feel hung over the next day. But I still enjoy the taste and ritual of wine. And non-alcoholic wine lets you blend into social or business situations where you don’t have to explain why you’re not drinking. So I thought I’d give it a try – Jill’s guest blog post, http://wp.me/PFhHw-dC

CVS pharmacy has a terrific wine selection but only had Fre’, a product made by Sutter wines. CVS stocks it next to the Reunite (on ice, that’s nice) and the other wines in the giant glass jugs with twist tops which should make anyone suspicious. It was $4.99 with a twist top and wasn’t that good. I tried it years before but thought maybe technology had moved this brand ahead. If you’re the kind of person who likes to mindlessly sip wine while reading a book, this would work. Although mindlessly drinking alcohol might point to a deeper issue but I’m not your mom….so – Jill’s guest blog post, http://wp.me/PFhHw-dC

As a Montana celebrity Jill is constantly involved in community causes and events where attendees drink wine.  Unfortunately for Jill she is plagued by headaches from drinking even one glass of wine.  Jill has been searching for a solution, she too would like to enjoy a glass of wine while attending and speaking at these events.

Reactions to wine are not uncommon for many people.  It is readily assumed that such reactions are due in part to an allergic reaction of sulfites which serve as a preservative in wine.  My research results suggested that those who may suffer from reactions to wine may lack a natural enzyme in their body that will not breakdown sulfites in the wine.

Sulfites or sulfur dioxide is a fruit preservative widely used in dried fruits as well as wine.  It is also produced by the human body at the level of about 1000 mg (milligrams) per day.  Food preserved with sulfites is generally not a problem unless you are deficient in the natural enzyme that breaks it down.  For those individuals, the additional sulfites from food can be a problem.

The levels in wine average 80 mg/liter, or about 10 mg in a typical glass of wine, with slightly higher amounts in white versus red.  Many case studies show reactions by sensitive patients to drinking wine with sulfites.

All wines contain sulfites.  Yeast naturally produces sulfites during fermentation so there is only a rare wine which contains none.

The US and Australia require a “sulfite” or “preservative 220″ warning label.  Nearly all wine makers add sulfites, including imported wines.  Import wines contain sulfites, but they are not legally obligated to indicate this on their labels.  European wines contain an average of 80 mg/L sulfites just as US wines do.

There are a few (very few) wine makers who make wines without adding sulfites.  In the US, organic wine must be made without added sulfites.  These are unusual because the wine is very perishable and often have unusual aromas from the aldehydes that are normally made aroma-less by the sulfites.  Look for these wines at natural food stores.

*Aldehydes – Any of a class of highly reactive organic chemical compounds obtained by oxidation of primary alcohols, characterized by the common group CHO, and used in the manufacture of resins, dyes, and organic acids.

It is possible that eating food along with your wine may reduce the severity of a reaction.  My hypothesis is this; sulfites may not be the cause of wine induced headaches or generally not feeling well as Jill has mentioned.  I suspect that people who are deficient in the natural enzyme that breaks down sulfites can be the problem.  When ingesting additional sulfites a person may have a difficult time digesting the sulfite and hence “the reaction”.  It is interesting to note that anyone you talk to who suffers from such reactions vary from mild to severe.

If you are someone who suffers from this wine dilemma you should consult with your physician concerning this issue before drinking any wine. 

If your physician suggests that it would okay to try wine in moderation and according to the American Medical Associations guidelines I would suggest trying organic wine or an estate produced and bottled wine.  Typically the grapes in estate produced wines grown by conscientious farmers have been treated in a similar practice to that of organically grown grapes.  Many wineries have not gone through the process of being certified organic as it is a very arduous and expensive process.   Organic and Biodynamic Agriculture practices are on the rise as wineries realize the benefits of sustainable farming practices.

The other suggestion I may offer is to select an Old World Wine as they have a tendency to be lower in alcohol.  For instance Beaujolais is a great choice as these types of wine are light-bodied, fruity, fresh, and without an abundance of tannin.  While enjoying wine at lunch the French use sparkling mineral water to dilute their wine which greatly reduces the alcohol content. 

 This is a great solution for a person in a social situation who wants to enjoy a glass of wine with the rest of the crowd.  A glass of wine diluted by ½ or 2/3 sparking water still maintains a beautiful color in your glass.  The wine still provides the palate with a nice taste experience.  San Pellegrino is my favorite brand to use when mixing sparkling water with my wine.  Drink in moderation and good health and may we all raise a glass during Breast Cancer Awareness month in acknowledgement of our fellow wine lovers who have been touched by this illness.   

I want to personally thank my friend Jill Valley for taking time out to join me on the show this week.  She is a very brave, humble, and courageous woman who has survived her battle with cancer.  In wellness Jill is a crusader for the prevention and cure of this illness that has touched all of our lives.  Jill, cheers to you.

"from my table to yours"

"from my table to yours"

“Wine Fusion” with Reynvaan Family Vineyards from Walla Walla on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and Fresh 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 10:00AM MDT.

Each week WineGuyMike™ will be giving away gift certificates from our sponsors.  If your question is selected as WineGuyMike’s™ topic of discussion you will win one of the $20.00 – $25.00 gift certificates.  Good luck and send your questions to WineGuyMike™ on his Facebook fan page.

Social Media links;

Today’s Podcast; http://trail1033.podbean.com/2011/08/28/wine-guy-mike-for-august-28-2011/

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

Facebook; WineGuyMike please “like”

Twitter; @WineGuyMike please follow me

Sponsors      

Ciao Mambo, “Eat Like You Mean It”, located in Missoula on The Hip Strip.  Find them online at www.CiaoMambo.com

W.J. Deutsch & Sons since 1981 has been marketing quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. 

Georges Distributing in Helena, Montana.

This week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© I’m pleased to introduce you to Reynvaan Family Vineyards and Mike Reynvaan. 

The Reynvaan Family

The Reynvaan Family

You’ll notice in the title of this piece I refer to “Wine Fusion”, and for a good reason that I will be sharing with you.  This week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© my special guest was Mike Reynvaan founder of Reynvaan Family Vineyards.  This winery and vineyards are a small family agricultural business whose mission is to produce quality fine wines and boy have they done that and then some.  In wrapping my head around just what the Reynvaan family has achieved in their quest to produce great wines I just kept thinking about what they have, how they got there, and what does that mean for all of us wine lovers.  And so the story begins with a very engaging conversation with Mike Reynvaan; Podcast http://trail1033.podbean.com/2011/08/28/wine-guy-mike-for-august-28-2011/

The Reynvaan philosophy and path to making world class wine is really through great terrior and viticulture.  The greater Columbia Valley has eleven AVA’s that all produce great wines but the one we are focusing on today is the Walla Walla Valley AVA.  This area is one of the most unique terrior’s in today’s New World of wine. 

The Walla Walla Valley AVA was established in 1984 and grape growing began in the 1850s by Italian immigrants. There are over 100 wineries in this region that have planted vines on over 1,600 acres.  The predominant varietals are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Syrah.  Sangiovese also grows very well in Walla Walla which is one reason why the Italians chose this area.  Other varietals  are also becoming more common in the region; Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc, Grenache, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillion, and Viognier.

The soil in this region is the result of layers of alluvial soil from the Lake Missoula floods and volcanic eruptions.  The Missoula Floods were a series of perhaps 35-40 geologic cataclysms that swept across Eastern Washington and down the Columbia Gorge at the end of the last ice age around 12,000 and 15,000 years ago.  These massive floods were a result of ruptures in the glacial ice dam that created Montana’s Glacial Lake Missoula.  The flood level reached 1200 feet at its greatest depth which resulted in layers of soil and deposits from volcanic eruptions.  This left behind a layer of bedrock that facilitates an incredible growing ground for the Reynvaan Family Vineyards grapes.

The Reynvaan Family Vineyards are located near the base of the Blue Mountains which adds one more dynamic layer to the terrior table, Basalt bedrock and boulders. There is a layer of soil known as “Freewater cobbly loam” that sits atop a stratum of 10,000 feet depth of bedrock.  This is one of the largest deposits on earth outside the floor of the world’s oceans.

What does this all have to do with wine?  Once you begin to study wine you realize that the best wines in the world are grown in and on what appear to be the worst of vineyard conditions.  In reality these tough conditions force the grapes to work hard to survive and that is exactly what happens.  The growing grounds around this Blue Mountain area in Walla Walla allow the vines roots to dig in deep seeking nutrients in soil that has great drainage.  This along with the generous sunshine and heat warm the rocky soil which aids in the grapes development.

It is important to understand the geology from this Walla Walla Valley AVA because this is the beginning of a great bottle of wine that expresses concentrated fruit with distinct minerality.  Mike Reynvaan understood this clearly when he purchased land to establish the Reynvaan Family Vineyards.  Viticulture also plays a significant part in producing a great wine.  The Reynvaan’s vineyards are planted in a very dense manner, if fact some of the most crowded conditions in all of Walla Walla.  This along with reducing fruit from the grape clusters forces the grape clusters to grow smaller berries that have tremendous fruit concentration.  This in the hands of a skilled winemaker all translate to great wine.  Welcome to Reynvann Family Vineyards wines, some of the best you will ever taste if you can get your hands on some.  Yes these wines are so good that they sell out every vintage.

It was so hard for me to get my hands on these highly coveted wines this week it reminded me of high school and the pretty girl you always admired from afar and never had a chance to date.  Lucky for WineGuyMike™ his sponsor Georges Distributing in Helena, Montana who supply the Reynvaan Wines made it happen for the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©.   

When I started this story I mentioned “Wine Fusion.”  This entire Reynvaan story immediately reminded me of the late great Miles Davis, the Godfather of Jazz Fusion.  Different elements coming together that result in amazing music or in this case Reynvaan Wines.  You may wonder about this analogy but stay with me for just a minute.  France and Walla Walla share similar latitudes, Walla Walla may be the new Châteuneuf-du-Pape of the United States, a terrior created by floods and volcanic eruptions, Old World and New World viticulture and winemaking.  Okay you probably get my point of “Wine Fusion,” how about that in your glass with a little Miles Davis. 

Mike Reynvann combined forces with one of the great cult winemakers from France who also settled in Walla Walla, enter Christophe Baron.  Christophe owns Cayuse Vineyards and also produces world class wines.  He has been consulting with Reynvaan Family Vineyards since 2004 when Mike purchased his vineyard land.  Now enter Mike’s son Matt Reynvaan who honed his winemaking skills in France to and now he and Christophe work as a team in producing wines for the Reynvaan label.  Matt was bestowed a very special honor this week by Wine & Spirits magazine.  He was named one of the 30 Under 30 top wine talents in the world, and I’m here to tell you that after drinking his wines, yes he is.  Congratulations Matt!

The Reynvaan Wines are made in a very French Northern Rhone wine like style.  There is a great deal of terrific Old World technique and style involved in crafting these fine artisanal wines.  The Old World countries just have a leg up on the New World because of time and experience in working with wines, especially when it comes to blending varietals.  European wines also tend to be lower in alcohol content and are a product of being made to complement the indigenous foods from the area in which the wines are produced.  In this case Matt Reynvaan has produced a horizontal flight of three Syrah wines that are some of the best in the world from the 2008 vintage.

These three wines are all blended and co-fermented with small amounts of white wine varietals; Viognier, Marsanne, and Roussanne.  This winemaking technique helps a wine to be a bit more restrained and less aggressive in your glass.  Syrah wines can be bold and spicy but when blended in this Northern Rhone style the wines become refined, elegant, supple, with silken like tannins which is exactly what Matt has accomplished with all three of these beauties from Walla Walla.

All three of these wines have scored 93-95 points in Wine Spectator reviews out of a possible 100 points.  Let’s get to these three wines; The Unnamed Syrah, In The Rocks, and the The Contender all from the 2008 vintage.  I share these wines in the order in which I tasted as Mike Reynvaan led me through the flight of Matt’s masterpieces.  You might wonder how three Syrah wines can all have such distinct personalities but they do. 

A common theme that each of these wines express are beautiful fruit, great on the nose, elegant structure, superb balance, silky tannin, perfect acidity, a finish that leaves you longing for more, and a mouthfeel that leaves a beautiful mid-palate impression.  These are red wines that are extremely approachable even in the summer.  The French style in which the wines are made lend themselves to a style that is a bit lighter in body, not too heavy and meaty like some of their counterparts that are a straight up Syrah varietal produced wine.  Not that that is a bad thing but perhaps a bit much in the middle of summer.  The other important thing to note is the style and balance of these three Syrah’s in which they are made make them perfect food companions.  I would recommend pairing these wines with Veal, Pork, and Lamb chops.  A great prime Sirloin steak, Leg of Lamb, or any Wild Game Meat will also do nicely with Matt Reynvaan’s wines.

The Unnamed Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2008 $40

Rating: */** (Excellent/Exceptional) The Unnamed Syrah is loaded with aromas of peach, tangerine, wild blackberry, smoke and hints of lavender and a trace of caramel.  This elegant wine is created to be enjoyed in its youth but will evolve over the next 7-8 years.  90% Syrah co-fermented with 10% Viognier.  13.8% alcohol.  Approximately 450 cases produced.  WS 95pts.

In The Rocks Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2008 $45

Rating: ** (Exceptional) The In The Rocks is packed with dark fruit aromatics, smoked meats, crushed gravel, and white pepper.  It is very animalistic with hints of sweet creme brulee and will benefit from 5 years of cellaring if you are able to resist the temptation to drink it.  2% Syrah co-fermented with 6.5% Viognier and 1.5% Marsanne. 13.2% alcohol.  Approximately 450 cases produced.  WS 93 pts. 

The Contender Syrah Walla Walla Valley 2008 $55

Rating: ** (Exceptional) The Contender has amazing aromatics that are bursting with Marshmallow, white flower, crushed rocks, wild mushrooms, Asian spices and crushed raspberry.  The minerality of this wine is so powerful with the balance of aromatics that will make it hard to take your nose away from the glass. The finish goes on and on.  94% Syrah co-fermented with 4% Marsanne and 2% Viognier.  Approximately 450 cases produced.  WS 95 pts.

Seattle Metropolitan Magazine just released their list of 100 Best Washington Wines, the 2008 The Contender was #2, 2008 The Unnamed Syrah #6, Cayuse, Cailloux #1, Quilceda Creek #3.

Stay tuned because this is just the beginning of what is happening in the New World of wine.  With great young winemakers like Matt Reynvann Oregon and Washington wines have only just gotten started, the potential is scary and I can’t wait to share those wine stories with you.  For now I wish that your glass may be full of wine from the Reynvaan Family Vineyards in Walla Walla, Washington.

A special thank you to the Mike, Gale, Matt, Amanda, and Angela Reynvaan for all that you do to produce some of the best wine there is, cheers to all of you.

This flight of wine all receive the WineGuyMike™ Seal of Approval® as for Matt I dub him the “New World Grape Slayer.”

"from my table to yours"

"from my table to yours"

WineGuyMike™

Burgers and Beaujolais on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show©

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Check out the radio show on The Trail 103.3FM and Fresh 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 10:00AM MDT.

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Ciao Mambo, “Eat Like You Mean It”, located in Missoula on The Hip Strip.  Find them online at www.CiaoMambo.com

W.J. Deutsch & Sons since 1981 has been marketing quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. 

Georges Distributing in Helena, Montana.

This week on the WineGuyMike™ Radio Show© I’m pleased to a flight of three Beaujolais wines that are exceptional.  These wines really define what the show is all about, value, budget, and wines that are just downright great to drink. 

I love to share wine with friends and recently I sat down with my neighbors Ken and Cathy, and my journalism intern Andy for a virtual Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais wine tasting hosted by my friends from W.J. Deutsch & Sons and WineTwits.com., and Chef Bob Waggoner of UCook with Chef Bob on PBS television.  Chef Bob was nice enough to share his burgers with us today.  Please check out Chef Bob’s website at www.Ucookwithchefbob.com

You might ask what is a virtual wine tasting.  Let me see if I can if I can succinctly share with you what a virtual wine tasting is, so here we go.  In this case my friend Steve Gilberg from New York who is founder of WineTwits.com Steve has built a sharing platform that allows him to broadcast streaming video via the internet.  Then through the use of Twitter Steve creates an event by using a Hashtag as it is know which is the # with no space afterword and then the use of the keyword.  For the Burger and Beaujolais event Steve chose the Hashtag; #GDandBurgers.  Now what you have is live streaming comments via Twitter and live streaming video via WineTwits.com and voile you now have a virtual wine tasting event seen around the world in real time.  W.J. Deutsch & Sons provided the wines for this particular event, they have a outstanding portfolio of wines that they distribute so that you and I as a consumer have the opportunity to purchase outstanding wine at fair prices, or in this case the wines I’m sharing with you today are wines that offer extreme value.  You just won’t believe the prices of these wines and how great they are, my neighbors Ken and Cathy were just blown away by these wines.  Ken and Cathy are very knowledgeable wine consumers who drink primarily west coast produced wines.  They were very surprised with the wines we had at our #GDandBurgers virtual wine tasting.

Let me share some background about Burgundy, France which is where the Beaujolais wines are grown and produced.  Beaujolais is a province within Burgundy but produces wine distinct enough that it is considered its own area within Burgundy.  It is controlled by French wine law known as AOC.  When you purchase a bottle of these wonderful wines you will see this designation on the bottles label.  This French  wine law, Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée, gives the governing body the control to dictate these various issues; how many grapes can be grown in a designated area or a particular vineyard, how the grapes are harvested, how they are handled once they are harvested, most definitely the type of grapes grown in an area or region, how the wines are made, and how the wines are aged.  Now AOC laws throughout French wine country vary widely from one another based on what the French understand based on centuries of experience, and they do it well.

This week I’m writing about Beaujolais and its AOC wines.  Beaujolais is produced from 100% Gamay grapes grown in Burgundy region of France.  The Gamay Noir grape is a cousin to the Pinot Noir grape.  These are the only two red grape varietals allowed to be grown in Burgundy under the French AOC wine laws.  Although Burgundy may be better known for its Pinot Noir the Beaujolais wines make up about two thirds of the wine produced in Burgundy.  The wine style is light, fruity, very mellow tannin, and perfect acidity which is what makes it perfect as a food wine.  Beaujolais is produced in a style that it is meant to be consumed right away, unless we talk about the Cru versions of Beaujolais.  Beaujolais is a perfect summer wine because it should be served lightly chilled which makes it a  great to drink and serve in the spring and summer time.  There are three quality levels to understand when we learn about these wines; Beaujolais, Beaujolais – Villages which is a blend of wine from a 35 of the better wine producing villages in Beaujolais, and then there is the Cru Beaujolais.   The Cru Beaujolais wines are named for the villages that produce the finest wine of all the villages in Beaujolais.   There are ten Crus or villages, in Beaujolais and make no mistake these wines are very special. 

The price of these wines vary with the quality designations that we now understand, remember these are all extremely affordable wines with exceptional value.  The wines I’m sharing with you today are all $20.00.   In fact the Beaujolais-Villages is priced under $10.00, one of the two Beaujolais Cru wines are under $15.00, with the last one coming under $20.00.  You just can’t beat these wines.

Speaking of wine let’s get to the wines I’m sharing with you today, and please let me know what you think of todays wines after you have tasted them.   I’ll be pairing each one of these wines with the burger recipes Chef Bob was so kind to share with you and I.

The producer of these incredible wines, Georges Duboeuf,  has stated that the 2009 vintage from Beaujolais was the vintage of a lifetime and after tasting these wines with my Cru (crew), Ken, Cathy, and Andy I’m inclined to agree with the wine producer. 

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2009

Today I taste the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2009.  The Beaujolais-Villages takes its name from a number of wine-producing villages located in the area of Beaujolais which have long been identified for the superior quality of their wine.  In this instance “superior” refers to greater complexity in bouquet, higher concentration and deeper flavor.  Its distinctive character sets a kind of middle ground for Beaujolais with its unique, casual charm and the prestigious top ten Cru Beaujolais wines to the north.

Visually the Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2009 appears rich, self assured and well made.  The wine is a deep ruby color with nice streaks of purple running through its veins.  It appears to be nicely viscous and upon a few good swirls in the glass it proves to be nicely structured.  Just as Rod Stewart suggested, Hot Legs, well in this case great legs in my glass that is.  You can really tell a great deal about the structure of a wine by paying attention to some of these details.  I know this wine is very well made wine by observing it.

I want to get my nose in this glass, and I recommend using a Pinot Noir glass for this wine so that this wine has every opportunity to express its Sunday best for you and I.  As every great French wine does this wine expresses a real sense of place or as we say in the wine kingdom terrior.  On the nose this wine delivers, raspberry jam, cherry, really nice earth and dust with just a hint of very nice mild smoke the follow up the rear.  These are all really beautiful fruit filled aromas.  As for the bouquet that this wine has developed in the bottle, I’m talking about the dust, earth, and smoke these are ever so mild and refined, they a true compliment to this wine as well as a real treat for me.  This wine expresses great terrior, it knows where it came from and knows where it belongs, in a glass in your hand of course. 

The Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages 2009 is just so well made.  This wine has wonderful tannin, is lush and full of its beautiful berry self.  It is a wonderfully balanced wine that will be so food friendly due to its fruit and acid companionship.  It doesn’t stop there though this wine for me delivers a great little nuance of toast and butter too.  It’s like a great mildly toasted piece of bread with homemade raspberry and cherry jam; yes it’s a really great wine to complement the burger recipe that Chef Bob has provided.

RECIPE #1- ANGUS BURGER (For 2 people)

From Chef Bob Waggoner, host of PBS’ Ucook with Chef Bob

 INGREDIENTS:

· 2 regular sesame buns

· Angus ground beef – 160z

· Red heirloom tomato – 4 slices

· Vidalia onion – 4 slices

·Smoked bacon – 4 slices – diced finely

· Fresh rosemary -1 tablespoon

· Peeled shallots – 3 diced thinly

· Butter lettuce – half of a small head

· Salt

· Fresh ground white pepper to taste

· Aged white cheddar cheese – 2 oz diced

into small cubes

 DIRECTIONS:

In a small sauté pan cook the bacon until crisp.  Add the shallots and cook for 3 more minutes on low temperature.  Add the chopped rosemary and cook for another 30 seconds.  Remove from pan and let sit at room temperature.

Form 4 thin patties of beef approximately 4 oz each.  Then place bacon, shallot and rosemary mix on top of 2 of the patties.  Add diced cheddar, salt and fresh ground pepper.  Cover with other patty.  Pinch the sides together to form one big burger.  Salt and pepper the top of the patty.  Preheat grill and grill burgers.  When the burgers are almost done, lightly grill the bun.  On the bottom bun place the burger, Vidalia onion rings, tomato rounds and lettuce.  If you like you may add mustard, mayo or ketchup.  Top with other bun.

The 2009  Brouilly, is produced in an area that is located in the southernmost of the ten Cru Beaujolais.  On the nose you know that this is the biggest, jammiest wine in this flight of Georges Duboeuf masterpieces.  This wine delivers a message like that from Paul Revere.  It is truly intriguing as it delivers both terrior and character, which is which, now we understand it, we think.  But Ken, Cathy, and I know we like it.  This wine is large and in charge, those of us who enjoy a big fleshy, fruit driven Cabernet or a Port wine will really love this wine.  The 2009 Brouilly has nice dark fruit, plum, and black cherry.  The palate displays silk like tannin, it’s chewy with a little tobacco, yet the texture of this confident wine is like that of  the very finest velvet.  This is a beautiful wine that those of us who enjoy a slightly fuller body to our wines will absolutely love, enjoy, and crave more.

Brouilly is the largest Cru in terms of volume, as well as the most extensive in surface area.  Its vines form a large wreath around the base of the impressive Mount Brouilly, stretching out over the six villages of Odenas, Ouincle, Cercle, Saint-Lager, Charentay and Saint-Etienne-Ia-Varenne.  Its name is thought to hail back to Brulius, a lieutenant in the Imperial Roman Legion.  It is tempting to picture this officer, placed under the command of Caesar, as having the same solid, jovial persona as the most flavorful of the Cru Beaujolais.  The wines of Brouilly, known and esteemed around the globe, are true ambassadors of quality French red wines, regardless of the vineyard area.

RECIPE #2 – GRILLED PORTABELLA (BURGER) (For 2 people)

From Chef Bob Waggoner, host of PBS’ Ucook with Chef Bob

 INGREDIENTS:

· 2 large portabella mushrooms – Stems removed and gills scraped

· Fresh thyme – 2 tsp

· Green onions – 4 each

· Yellow tomato – 4 slices

· Large eggplant – 4 round slices

· 2 Kaiser Rolls

· “Beaujolais Wine” – 4 tbsp

· Olive oil – 4 tbsp

· Salt

· Fresh ground white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Gently drizzle the olive oil over the sliced tomatoes, eggplant and green onions. Salt and pepper all.  Gently grill and set aside -1 1/ 2 minutes on each side. Salt and pepper portabella mushroom.  With a small paring knife make checkerboard cuts going halfway into the mushroom.  Drizzle 2 tbsp each of “GDwine” onto each mushroom and let it seep in for 2 min.  Add a tiny bit of olive oil on the mushrooms and grill for 2 1/ 2 minutes on each side.  Once pulled from grill sprinkle with fresh thyme.  Gently grill Kaiser Roll.  Stack portabella mushroom, tomato, green onions and eggplant on the Kaiser Roll.

The third wine I want to share with you today is the 2009 Julienas Chateau des Capitans from one of the ten Cru villages, Cru Julienas.

The 2009 Julienas Chateau des Capitans displays intense beautiful, deep crimson color.  I recommend decanting this wine at least one hour prior to drinking so that this wine expresses itself properly, this is a great wine and was my favorite from this flight of wines.  This wine has a great balance and structure to it and will age very well in the years to come, I would even recommend laying it down for 2-4 years but if you’re like me you want to drink it.  Just be sure to decant it otherwise you may not enjoy this particular wine.  On the nose of this wine you can expect some floral, like that from peonies, dark fruit, spiciness of white pepper, smoke, dust, with a beautiful mild sweetness in the air from vanilla with a tiny bit of mocha. 

This wine displays a sumptuous deep red color. Its intense, complex nose offers an array of fruits, from peach to raspberry and black currant, with a subtle touch of cinnamon.  Ample structure and excellent balance will allow this wine to age in bottle quite gracefully.  A 19th century castle is situated right in the heart of AOC Cru Julienas, in a locality known as Les Capitans.  Centuries-old cedar trees in the stately gardens stand as tall sentinels of a long, illustrious past.  The remarkably old vines form one single, undivided vineyard circling the estate and benefit from optimal soil and microclimate conditions.  South-southeast hillside exposure to the sun allows the grapes to attain perfect ripening before they are harvested.  According to popular tradition, this locality has preserved unmistakable signs of its Roman origin.  Considered as a strategic point, this site was in all likelihood where military staff headquarters were located.  Thus the name Capitan, which refers to the officer rank of Captain, or first in command.  In the 1940′s, the castle and vineyard estate belonged to Victor Peyret, a colorful wine merchant and rambunctious gourmet from nearby Lyon who left to posterity, among other things, the literary prize he endowed.  At the annual mid-November wine festival held in the village of Julienas, the Victor Peyret prize is awarded to a celebrity from the arts who is recognized as a worthy ambassador of Cru Julienas. The prize consists of 104 bottles of choice Julienas, just the right number to enjoy every Saturday and Sunday for an entire year!  Well that depends on how many friends you share with.  Now for the burger recipe from Chef Bob.

RECIPE #3-TURKEY BURGER SLIDERS with SUNDRIED TOMATO&BASIL (For 2people)

From Chef Bob Waggoner, host of PBS’ Ucook with Chef Bob

INGREDIENTS:

· Ground turkey meat with 15% fat -1/2 pound

· Sundried tomato – 2 oz

· Shallots 3 each – sliced thinly

·Medium sized garlic cloves -3 each – sliced thinly

· Fresh basil- 8 large leaves – roughly chopped

· Olive oil – 2 tbsp

· Water – 11/ 2 cups

· Baby arugula – 1/2 cup

· Red onion – 4 slices

·1 ripe avocado

· Mini pita pockets – 4 – split in half

· Salt

· Fresh ground white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a 10 inch saute pan, heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced shallots and cook for 1minute.  Add the sliced garlic and cook for another minute.   Add the sundried tomato.  Add 1tsp of salt, 3 cranks of fresh ground white pepper and 11/ 2 cups of water and let simmer until all water is evaporated.  Add chopped basil, remove from pan and set aside.  Leave at room temperature.  Form 4 small patties using 1/2 pound of turkey meat.  Salt and pepper both sides.  Gently grill for 11/ 2 – 2 minutes per side, depending on temperature of your grill.  Grill the red onion slices at the same time. Just before the burgers are done, lightly grill the pita pocket that you have split in half. When the burger is cooked, place a small amount of arugula in the bottom of the pita.  Top with a turkey patty and arrange your slider with the grilled red onions and the sundried tomato basil mixture.

Foods that are light fair and not overly seasoned pair well with Beaujolais wines.  Today’s wines receive the WineGuyMike™ Seal of Approval™ as they deliver on quality, value, and price.  Buy these wines, chill them, and drink them now, you will be satisfied, and please share your tasting notes with me.  I’m interested to know what you think, Salute.

'from my table to yours"

'from my table to yours"