Lobsters and Cupcakes!
December 25, 2010
Lobsters and cupcakes, I think I can die now…
Lobster’s on Christmas Eve is kind a of tradition, and it’s a tradition that I have no problem maintaining! Every Christmas Eve is the same, we have a small family get together where fresh lobsters play a starring role. With me being the Sommelier in the family I’m obviously in charge or bringing the wine.
Now, when it comes to any kind of wine pairing, you can look at it two ways; namely from either a complement or contrast perspective.
A complement pairing is when the wine and food have similar flavors and / or textures. For example, with lobsters dipped in butter you would pair a big buttery Californian Chardonnay, in order to match two like flavors.
Posted in Pairings | Tagged Underdog Wine Merchants | 1 Comment //Getting to Know Alsace Grand Cru’s
December 24, 2010
Alsace Grand Cru is a selected site in the Alsace AOC region of North-Eastern France.
For wines to qualify for Grand Cru status, the yield of the vineyards have to be much lower than regular Alsace vineyards with wines only coming from a single named plot of land, of which must then be listed on the label.
Regulations also govern the density of vine plantings, distance between rows, height of vegetation and the final alcohol content after fermentation. All grapes must be picked by hand and all wines are white and can only be produced from the “noble” Alsace grape varieties of Riesling, Muscat, Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer.
It’s worth noting that the Grand Crus of Alsace represent only 4% of the total Alsace wine production! It is suggested that Alsace Grand Cru wines benefit from cellaring much longer cellaring than regular Alsace wines, 5-10 years in good years.
Posted in Facts | Tagged Underdog Wine Merchants | Leave a comment //Helfrich Steinklotz Alsace Grand Cru Pinot Gris 2008
December 24, 2010
Grape
100% Pinot Gris [Pee-no Gree]
The word "Pinot", comes from the French word for pinecone" The grape grows in small pinecone shaped bunches on the vine. Grigio (Italian) or Gris (Everywhere Else) eludes to the unusual grey-blue color of the grapes.
Facts
Even though Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris are the same grape, the differences in the wines produced from these grapes can be huge.
Pinot Grigio is the Italian version of the grape, known for its light, crisp acidity.
Pinot Gris from from the Alsace region of France creates richer, more stone-fruit-driven wines.
Want to See What This Year’s Christmas Card Looks Like?
December 24, 2010
No cats were harmed in the making of this Christmas card, I promise!
Posted in Funny | Leave a comment //The Underdog Wine Bar in Livermore California
December 23, 2010
Launched on Saturday August 18th 2010, Underdog Wine Bar is considered an “urban oasis” in the beautiful Livermore Valley wine landscape.
With Underdog Wine Merchants having such a large portfolio of global brands, they are able to put together a well-rounded wine list of over 50 of their own wines by the glass.
For your viewing pleasure I have attached a short video of the grand opening, a few photos from inside the Underdog Wine Bar as well as their full wine list. Enjoy!
Hours: Thursday, Friday, Saturday 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Sunday – Wednesday 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Phone: (925) 583-1581
E-mail: info@underdogwinebar.com
Twitter: @underdogwinebar
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/underdogwinebar
Address: 4590 Tesla Rd. Livermore, CA 94550
(Located on Concannon Vineyard)
Introducing Underdog Wine Merchants
December 23, 2010
This week’s feature is Underdog Wine Merchants!
Ever heard of Underdog Wine Merchants? No me neither, but you have certainly heard of their wines!
In their own words; “Underdog Wine Merchants is the champion of the more interesting, albeit sometimes misunderstood or under-appreciated wines and wine styles. In a word…the “underdogs” of the wine world.”
Underdog isn’t just a wine importer, they also partner-up with winemakers from all over the globe, crafting wines from Argentina, New Zealand, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, as well as the west coast of the U.S.
As you can see below, Underdog Wine Merchants has a vast portfolio and I only have one week to talk about as many wines as possible, so I best get started!
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