By CHRIS SHERMAN and JANET K. KEELER
Published June 9, 2004
VINA LATINA
What kind of wine goes with the rich soup Puerto Ricans call sancocho and hearty mofongo dumplings of plantains? "California pinot noir and good Burgundies are perfect with my food," says Carmen Gonzalez, who sets an elegant Puerto Rican table at Carmen the Restaurant in Coral Gables.
Although she's had older cabernets do well, the pinot noir grape makes for a more delicate flavor but has body and earthiness to match the food.
Other choices: full bodied white Burgundy does well with some dishes and her shrimp pionono finger food "goes wonderful with a rose Champagne."
COOLER THAN COOLERS
"It took people a couple of weeks to recognize what it was," says distributor John Waterbor, which may prove the packaging works. The bright slick octagonal box is not a kid's juice drink but Almaden Sangria, the first wine in a Tetra Prism developed by Canandaigua.
The Tampa Bay market with its beaches and boatloads of coolers is one of a few test markets for the red sangria, a smooth semisweet red with added fruit juice. It's the first wine in this container, and the smallest wine-in-a-box yet. If it works, future boxes could hold other Almaden pop flavors and perhaps other wines too.
Already the sangria is moving fast, says Waterbor, division manager at National Distributing Company; it sells for $3 to $4 in wine stores and groceries.
One caution, the minibox sangria seems personal size but it's considerably more than a single serving. The 500ml box is 18 ounces - more like a tall boy, and at 9 percent alcohol, twice the punch of most beers.
Tip: Pour over ice, squeeze some limes and share.
GERMANY'S BIG YEAR(S)
"It's very simple. In a nutshell, 2002 was great," says Dr. Christian Burklin-Wolf, who runs the 400-year-old family estate in Pfalz with his wife, Bettina. At least three riesling vineyards hit Germany's top quality and ripeness levels of beerenauslese and trockenbeerenauslese. Not only were BA's and TBA's reported throughout Germany, there was eiswein harvested from frozen vines in December, and it was an abundant harvest, so prices for crisp ripe wines would be good.
Just around the corner is 2003, a vintage that was down 20 percent but won a perfect score from wine critic Robert Parker.
One, two, three, this is the decade of German wine.
WINERY REOPENS
A historic Napa Valley winery, Spring Mountain Vineyard, has recently reopened for tours and tastings after having been closed to the public for more than a decade. In the 1980s, the property became well known as the setting for Falcon Crest, a prime-time soap opera set among the wine-growing set. The vineyard sits on 845 hillside acres, 225 of which are planted predominantly in cabernet sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties. The winery, developed in the late 19th century by some of the region's first vintners, is about 1 mile northwest of St. Helena. Information: 707 967-4188; www.springmtn.com
WINE TERM, EXPLAINED
Legs: When you put down your glass and wine slowly drips down the inside of the glass, the wine is said to have "legs." Scientists call this stickiness viscosity, and it can be caused by high alcohol or glycerine. Viscous wines are often full bodied and smooth to drink. Some think "legs" are a sign of good wine, but sometimes they are a sign of dirty glasses.
SUMMERTIME WINES TASTING
Celebrate the arrival of summer with wines from Spain to pair with tapas, domestic zinfandels with barbecue, plus casual South African wines at a tasting from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at B-21 Fine Wine & Spirits, 43380 U.S. 19 N, Tarpon Springs. Tickets are $20 before Friday and $25 after, if available. Call 727 937-5049, ext. 210 or visit www.b-21.com to reserve. For other tastings and wine events, see Food File, inside this section.
- Compiled by Chris Sherman and Janet K. Keeler from staff and wire reports.
