The Wine Correspondent — [object Object]

I have had a few bottles from the 2015 Bordeaux vintage and they have been very good; which bodes well for the vintage. For what I’ve been able to gather is that the vintage is fantastic and the main worries are that there may be the tendency for the wines to be over extracted or very powerful to say the least. But that was said about the 2003 and 2005, the better vintage. Seek out your favorites for 2015 as they arrive in stores.One wine is hitting 100 points on most tasting reports and that’s the great Chateau Margaux and it will come in a commemorative. What started as $500 a bottle has quickly grown to up $1000 a bottle and waiting lists…Château Margaux 2015 will come in a black bottle with writing and a design of the estate in gold. Margaux communicated that it was the first time it had ever commissioned a one-off design for its grand vin for any vintage. So, it’s becoming a real keeper.It is a mark of estate owner Corinne Mentzelopoulos’ respect for Paul Pontallier, who joined Margaux in 1983 and became Managing Director in 1990. He passed away and was a very close friend and was credited with steering the wine in the last decade. Together, they have been praised for significantly modernizing and improving the winemaking.Bordeaux 2015 was Pontallier’s final vintage at Margaux. He died of cancer in March 2016, one week before the beginning of en primeur week for the widely praised 2015 vintage; not seeing the 100 point accolades. The bottle is now in his honor.

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Placed up near the top of Spain is the Rioja winemaking region which is known for producing classic red wines based on the Tempranillo grape often blended with GarnachaTradition has it that there are clear ways of making this wine that make it what it is. Much like great Bordeaux wine or the wines of Italy there are rules to follow. But what makes Rioja wine individual is the process to bestow quality....and it works, due to the ability of these wines to age and maintain their Spanish essence.There are three distinct quality levels of Rioja wine: Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. Each of the levels increase the grape quality along with the oak and bottle aging requirements.CrianzaThis is a fresh, fruit-forward youthful red wine that is aged in oak for a minimum of one year and then spends another year aging in the bottle. The Crianza is well-priced and averages at around $10 -  $15 a bottle and packs the reputation a a wine made with quality. The will age, no problem.Crianza has a reputation for being very food friendly – give it a try with tasty Spanish offerings like appetizers, croquettes, cheeses and tapas....even oysters and clams. This is an easygoing, everyday wine that will not disappoint and offers good, consistent value year in and year out.ReservaThe Reserva ups the ante a bit from the Crianza both in complexity and in price. Again, Tempranillo is the major red grape and makes its presence known with commanding cherry flavors along with acidity. This combination makes the wine very palatable on it's own and with food. Some wines a re just food wines; a Reserva can most of the time be drunk as a big wine and a crowd pleaser. The aging requirements for a Reserva are a minimum of one year in the barrel and another two years aging in either the barrel or bottle.The price point for a Reserva ranges from around $15 to over $35, with super value packed into every dollar. Think about what you often have to pay for a good Cabernet. What's often great about the Reserva is that it's a very versatile red wine that eagerly complements an assortment of food options. Consider pairing it with grilled dishes, fish, octopus, beef, lamb, it has a 'sweet-spot' for ham (or jamón as they say in Spain).Gran Reserva​The creme de la creme of the Rioja Reds is the fittingly named, Gran Reserva. These wines require barrel aging for two years and must have another three years (minimum) of bottle aging before they are released, making them a terrific wine find as they have already enjoyed 5 years of aging before they may even grace the merchant shelves. So you'll notice the bottled years are much older on the shelf. Great wines to store away. The oak and the aging can make the wines a standout for years to come.In many cases the  Gran Reserva is not made every year but enjoys its high status because it is only made in extraordinary vintages. The Gran Reserva is assertive in  both depth, body and intrigue It's elegant and in many cases won't breaking the bank, as it starts at around $25 - $30 a bottle and rivals many New and Old World reds that are asking three times the price. At the restaurant check the Gran Reserva out.Spanish wines are so hot these days. Some of the best values are coming from all over Spain and many are adhering to the Rioja method of making their wines; which says a lot about it and its' history. So pick up a Rioja today and enjoy the taste and versatility.

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In wine speak term Oaky often pops up. What does it mean? A wine described as oaky if it received oak flavors from being in contact with oak. That simple. But isn’t all wine in Oak? The answer in no. There are wine that are unoaked. Remember that wine is in the eye of the beholder; so, there’s no reason for you to not prefer a non-oaky wine. Wine is purely subjective.Wine making is basically divided into two phases. The first is fermentation; when the grape juice becomes wine. The second is the maturation process, where the newly fermented wine goes from being immature and young to a mature adult. Some wines are fermented and finished in oak barrels. Other wines are oaked only during the maturing phase. Contact with oak acts like a compound for chemical changes in wine. Many believe that oak is really secondary to the distinctive quality of a wine. Oaking imparts special flavors and aromas to the wine.Now this is purely subjective; California Chardonnay for example, many enjoy oaky Chardonnay and it’s at the peak of its popularity while unoaked Riesling is considered currently unconventional. Vanilla goes hand in hand with oakiness. New barrels contain vanillin and the wins aged in these barrels take on vanilla flavor as past of the oaky charm. In Ice Cream vanilla is very simple; while in wine, oak adds complexity, smokiness, smoothness, spiciness and gets us into territory of the mysterious words like structure which sounds like all those all those overenthusiastic or subtle adjectives that pop up in describing wine.Somethings to remember…Barrel fermented means to white wines that the grape juice went into those barrels and emerged as wine. Barrel aged means that the wines aged in these barrels were put into them after fermentation. As for red wines; they are fermented with grape skins intact in stainless steel containers/tanks or large wooden vats. After fermentation, the skins are removed from the liquid and the wines are aged in small oak barrels. Remember some wines (white or red) are not aged in oak at all.

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Tangled up in Blue - Blue Cheeses and other like Roquefort, Stilton and Cambozola sure give a variety to choose from. The family of blue cheeses — made from cow's milk, goat's milk, and sheep's milk — is treated with molds to produce blue and green veins. Although blue cheeses stereotypically have strong flavors that intensify with age, there are also a few blue cheeses that can be defined as relatively mellow and very tasty. Their tastes can include a distinct sweetness that's often combined with the salty, sharp, and tangy notes that you'd expect from a blue. That’s what truly special about blue cheeses; there truly is a profile for all kinds of cheese lovers.Wine Recommendations for Blue Cheeses:Dessert wines: These sweet wines have intense flavors that aren't overpowered by strong blue cheeses. Try Fonesca Late Bottled Vintage, Taylor Fladgate Special Ruby Porto, or something like Château Rieussec Sauternes.Also, Full-bodied and fruity California Zinfandels or Cabernets are also a great pairing option for the saltier blues. Try a Rosenblum Zinfandel, Ridge Zinfandel, Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, or Joseph Phelps Cabernet SauvignonRoquefort Blue:This blue cheese is made from sheep's milk and aged for at least three months. Its creamy texture yields a slightly salty taste. It’s relatively soft with plenty of good blue. Wine Recommendations for Roquefort:Rhône Valley reds: Choose a red wine from this winemaking region in southeastern France. Try Crozes-Hermitage Paul Jaboulet; Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape or a Marques de Caceres Rioja Gran ReservaSauternes is a great pairing for Roquefort; this sweet and delicious wine from the Bordeaux region of France. Try Coutet or Château Rieussec.Stilton:Whole cow's milk is used for this pale yellow blue cheese. Rich and creamy in taste, it has a slightly crumbly texture with a subtle nutty flavor and tang that gets stronger with age, which makes it the perfect foil for sweeter wines. A Stilton chunk with Blue Cheese in it is fantastic. Sometimes it contains Cheddar, Cotswold or even cranberries. Sometimes when crumbles in a Cole Slaw or Cobb salad can be a revelation along with wine.Wine Recommendation for Stilton:Port: This sweet wine is made in the Douro region of northern Portugal. Asso Try Taylor Fladgate 40 year Tawny Port or Nieport Late Bottle Vintage. I enjoy Malmsey wine or rainwater Madeira as wellCambozola:Native to Germany and Austria, Cambozola is considered a cross between a Gorgonzola blue and Camembert. Cow's milk is the main ingredient of this cheese, with added cream to give it a smooth, creamy, and spreadable texture. Mostly, flavors are mellow and mild with a bit of zip from the blue. Sometimes it can be spicy…especially the Italian versions of this style.Wine Recommendation for Cambozola:Merlot Wines: A soft, round red wine that has a very supple texture. For Cambozola, choose a Merlot from California. Try Mantanzas Creek Merlot or Shafer Merlot. A Piedmonte Nebbiolo Wine from Italy can be a very tasty combination

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By Ralph Del Rio, Wine Correspondent These are three Cabernet Sauvignon that I have been drinking a lot of lately. Three of my favorites; Definitely 2018 Top WinesMy last visit to Napa Valley afforded me to taste these wines and I have been partaking a lot over the 6- 8 months. So I have gotten to know them fairly well; I have described them in depth and can recommend them to you without reservation. Schug2014 Heritage Reserve Cabernet SauvignonTotally violet in color. Really nice. Not really big on the palate but it is a big wine. Aromas and flavors of figs, dates and dried orange, dried flowers, bakes spices, vanilla roasted notes, with a clean supple, bright, dry yet fruit compote medium body. It has a medium-length finish evoking notes of cassis, spiced nuts and beets, It is chewy, earthy tannins and moderate oak flavor. It’s not like a Caymus or Silver Oak Okay…but it’s a complex and alive red blend that will go with a lot of spicy meat dishes.Grgich Hills2015 Estate Grown Cabernet SauvignonIt has a Garnet black color. Aromas of dried cassis, cranberry, spiced plums, blood orange, and sweet smooth tobacco, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body with a medium-length suede, a bit of star anise de mono, and coffee. cherry tea finish. It has chewy tannins and good oak flavor. A toast red with plenty acidity to spare. It can be paired with a grilled steak or BBQ ribs.Frog's Leap2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate GrownThis Cabernet Sauvignon is dark, bold and luscious, with generous dark cherry, plum spice, chocolate and leather. Forward but supple, it will drink well right out of the gate, on its own. and you can tell yet it also has enough freshness to age nicely for a number of years. It has a gorgeous depth to play off a classic, mid-weight sense of structure. It flows with layers of enjoyment. This is positively a knockout wine. I like it with hard cheeses and nuts. I just don’t want anything to distract me.

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