So what do YOU drink?

One of the most common questions I get from people is "How do I know I'm getting my money's worth when buying wine in a store?"and the associated "What do you drink at home?"

There's actually a pretty good way to tell if a wine is at least "OK" if buying in a grocery store or neighborhood wine shop, and the price isn't ALWAYS the deciding factor: Is the winemaker or winery owner's name on the label?

I don't mean just something like "Gallo" or "Mondavi" (although both make quite a few very good wines). I mean, they're making a wine of which they're actually proud. To name a few, I always tell people to buy anything Bogle, Ravenswood, or Famille Perrin. And all three of those producers make wine at a multitude of price points. Here are some of the wines you'll find in my cooler:

Bogle Petite Sirah ($11, Total Wine)

Jammy, Spicy, Blackberries, Cherries. Have it with Burgers, BBQ, Beef & Broccoli, but most of all.....don't laugh....Oreos! 7 seconds. 

You'll never dunk in milk again!

Ravenswood Vintner's Blend Zinfandel ($8, Total Wine)

For someone that doesn't really eat a lot of red meat, I drink a lot of burger-and-BBQ wines. Because I'm also a cheese and chocolate lover. Again, better with a chill, but more red berries and wood, a bit of hot pepper spiciness, and chocolate on the finish. Have it with BBQ, teriyaki anything, dark chocolate, strong cheeses, heck, have it with a Grilled Cheese sandwich! I'll reduce a half bottle to a syrup and add it to brownies, then spike them with a little brandy when cooled. I'm also a big fan of their Lodi District Zin ($16). If you MUST drink Chardonnay, get theirs. I would go through ten cases a week, in the dead of winter in NYC, when I poured it by the glass.  

Perrin Reserve Côtes du Rhône ($10, Total Wine)

I usually have one of each, red and white, in my cooler for when friends stop by. People will say "I'll have a pinot grigio/chardonnay," not realizing I probably won't have either variety in my house, and I'll pour them this and they'll announce
"That's the best pinot grigio/chardonnay I've ever had!"

The red is meaty with black cherries, woody spices, black pepper, and a touch of cassis. Drink (with a chill) with, well, just about anything. I love it with veggie burgers, spinach dishes, heavier fish, chocolate and nuts (pecan pie, anyone?)
Ditch the Chianti, have it with Pizza. 

The white is round, but not cloyingly so like a chardonnay, with stone fruit, lemon peel, and floral overtones. You CAN drink it ice cold, but I serve it at cellar temperature.

Have it with salads, vegetarian food, fish, chicken, macaroni and cheese, quiche, creme brulee....the list goes on. Try it as a kir with Limoncello.

La Vieille Ferme ($7 Total Wine, sparkling a bit more)

Yes, more Famille Perrin wine! I have come to the conclusion that they just don't make ANY bad wine (although the rosé was not my favorite, I find very few rosés that are).I bought this as a cooking wine the first time (at Whole Foods! 2/$10?), and Julia Child said to never cook with a wine you won't drink, so I tasted it. And drank it. Perhaps not as complex as their Côtes du Rhône, but in a similar vein. This wine is from their grandfather's old property (The Old Farm) in the Luberon. I would pair similarly, if not more casually. And what's that? A new Sparkling Wine?
I haven't seen it on the shelves down here, but I'm game.

Keep in mind, these are the same people who make Miraval Rosé (Branjelina's wine, about $25) from Provence, Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($80-100) and Tablas Creek from California ($30-50) where they sold their vines to the original Rhone Rangers, notably Randall Graham from Bonny Doon.

Want to save a little money? It's a buck less at Trader Joe's
under the name "La Ferme Julien" (Joe's Farm). 

Gruet Winery ($11-17 Blanc des Noir, $10-15 Brut)

Probably the best American Bubbly for the buck you can get. This is a French family that, like Chateau Potelle in Napa, came to the US to figure out why people were suddenly buying domestic wine instead of French. They set up shop in the foothills around Albuquerque, New Mexico. Their Cuvee Sauvage is frequently rated in the top ten American bubblies, regardless of price. The Demi-Sec will satisfy the fussiest Prosecco or Moscato drinker. This might not be my "special occasion" bubbly (Iron Horse, Clicquot, Bollinger, Gatinois, etc.), but you'll usually find a bottle in my fridge.

If your winery didn't make it up here, you might check back for updates. There's always something from Ridge, Chateau St. Michelle, Argyle, Bonny Doon, and a few Italian Producers of which I'm quite fond in my cooler. And an occasional French or Spanish special offer from my friends at Wine Access. But these will give you the best value for your money and are the safe bets for quality. 

Asterix's Magic Elixir!

OK, I'm late. I usually post about my annual holiday liqueur, but I was just crazy busy this year. Here it is now as promised. For those of you who got a bottle without an actual ingredient tag, You can print it up from here. 

In my second Sommelier post in NYC, we inherited a cellar full of the most terrible assortment of inexpensive spirits which should never have been brought into any restaurant desiring more than a star in the New York Times reviews. Chef was just going to throw them out, and I volunteered to turn them into something useable, or at the very least, promo-able to regular guests or irate customers (of which there were very few). Cheap gin became Lemon Anisette, a decrepit bottle of eau de vie became a Raspberry-Lime cordial, an obscure bottle of Marc de Champagne became "Love Potion 33," an infusion of Hawthorn Berries and Rose Petals with Strawberries and Gold Dust that swirled and pulsed in the bottle as if an impish spirit had been trapped in the bottle. But the one that grabbed the attention of several critics was my Cranberry Kirschwasser. It was a leftover bottle of Massenez Kirsch blended with organic cranberry juice, white creme de cacao liqueur, and sugar. After a shot of this (and the better part of a bottle of Vacqueyras), she proceeded to buy a round of liqueurs for the next table, and then to arm wrestle them over their dinner checks. 

The recipe is rather simple, if you're patient, and makes rather a lot....I use it for Christmas Gifts. The acidity is bright, and purifying. Depending on the strength of your Kirschwasser, you can adjust flavors to your own tastes, and it's rather harsh the first few days, but mellows with age. 

2 -750ml bottles Kirschwasser 

––(my personal preference is Steve McCarthy's Clear Creek Distillery in Oregon)

300ml White Creme de Cacao Liqueur

––(any brand, but DeKuyper or Marie Brizard are most suitable)

300ml Cranberry Juice Concentrate

––(any brand, organic is better)

750ml  by volume superfine (bar) cane sugar

1- 32oz bottle of Lakewood Organic Black Cherry Juice (NOT Juice Blend). 

1 - teaspoon Organic Vegetable Glycerin

2 - teaspoons Organic Vanilla Extract

Combine the Liqueur and Juice Concentrate and make a syrup of an equal part (600 ml/about 3.5 cups) of sugar. Combine remaining sugar with the Cherry Juice, and reserve for adjusting flavor (this should be about a liter). Combine Kirschwasser and 750 ml of the syrup in a large pot or dispensing jar. Add vanilla. Stir well, and allow to rest at least overnight, up to 3 days if tightly sealed. 

Add 500ml of the sweetened cherry juice and the glycerin. Stir and let rest another day, stirring several times during the wait. 

Add additional cherry juice and/or sugar until desired strength is desired (my last batch used a rather potent Kirschwasser and I ended up using about 3/4 of the sweetened juice). It will still be rather harsh at this point, as the cranberry may need several weeks to fully incorporate, but is suitable for bottling once the desired strength is achieved. 

Try pouring over ice cream (affogato style), or serving with fresh chocolate-cherry chunk cookies. It also makes an interesting addition to a classic Manhattan cocktail, or a simple digestif after a traditional duck dinner!