Celebrating Waitangi Day with New Zealand Wines

February 4th is a day of celebration for the New Zealanders (or the Kiwis, as we like to call them.) In honor of this day, in which a treaty was signed in 1840 declaring New Zealand as a new country, Wine Channel TV has put together a virtual wine tasting of 20 different wines and anyone with internet access can join in.

I think most wine-drinkers know New Zealand for their grassy Sauvignon Blancs and earthy Pinot Noirs. But other varietals will be showcased in this tasting including a Gewurtzraminer, Rieslings and a lovely Bordeaux Blend. Here is a list of wineries that will be represented:

Villa Maria
Kumeu River
Craggy Range
Vinoptima (Gewurtztraminer)
Trinity Hill
Ata Rangi
Escarpment
Neudorf
Palliser
Cloudy Bay
Nautilus
Saint Clair
Seresin
Spy Valley (Envoy series)
Vavasour
Pegasus Bay
Amisfield
Felton Road
Mt Difficulty
Quartz Reef

Here is more info and a link to sign up:

"The World Toasts to Waitangi Day

WineChannelTV hosts international wine tasting for New Zealand's Independence Day


On Saturday February 4th, WinechannelTV is celebrating Waitangi Day (New Zealand's National holiday) with a virtual wine tasting and cooking demonstration. Wine enthusiasts are encouraged to gather a group of friends, register, and tune in with fellow-wine lovers from around the globe. The online wine tasting will be a fun, social way to learn about New Zealand's finest wines.


“We are excited to be the official host for this virtual wine tasting,” says Jess Altieri, CEO of WinechannelTV. “New Zealand offers an outstanding selection of wines that span the entire wine spectrum.”


Registration for the event is free.


Please visit: http://nzwineday2012.eventbrite.com/ for more information.

Highlights from 2012 Winter Wineland

Having long been a fan of the wines of Dry Creek Valley, my friends and I set out yesterday for the 2012 Winter Wineland of Northern Sonoma County. We were committed to visiting only wineries we had never been to before. Not surprisingly, we tasted a lot of great Zinfandel and were very gratified to finally taste at Bella Vineyards which we had long-neglected in past visits to Dry Creek. Bella poured two zins to pair with chicken sausage paella by Gerard’s Paella: the ’09 Maple Vineyard which was more fruit forward and ’09 Lily Hill Estate Zinfandel, a lusher, earthier, and chocolatier Zinfandel from the old craggly vines above Bella’s caves. With paella, zinfandel, sun, crisp air, and gorgeous views of Dry Creek Valley, the hour or so spent at Bella was one of the best tasting experiences I’ve had.

Our most exciting surprises of the day were found at Kokomo Winery which just garnered Best of Class medals at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for its ’09 Peters Vineyard Chardonnay (Russian River) and ’09 Pauline’s Vineyard Zinfandel (Dry Creek Valley) and a Double Gold medal for its ’09 Peters Vineyard Pinot Noir. Grower Randy Peters who farms 70% of Kokomo’s vineyards, including Peters and Pauline’s Vineyards, poured us the Pauline’s Vineyard Zinfandel grown on the property he was raised on. He spoke of his pride in the wine and the sense of reward in the accolades it is receiving. Before yesterday, I had never tasted Kokomo wines. We found all the Winter Wineland offerings at Kokomo exceptionally good, and I took home the clean but soft Chardonnay, the delicate Pinot Noir, the complex and floral Mounts Vineyard Zinfandel, and the rich and structured Pauline’s Vineyard Zinfandel. I will undoubtedly return to Kokomo and delight in sharing and drinking their wines in the coming years.

Napa Cellars Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - Cheese Friendly Wine to Share

 Recently I received some samples from Napa Cellars. It was fun to experiment with  a Merlot and  Cabernet Sauvignon now that the climate has definitively shifted from white to red wine weather.  Napa Cellars boasts an inviting space to taste the full lineup along with the Folie a Deux and Menage a Trois lines; more on that here:
But on to the wines...
'07 Napa Cellars Merlot, Napa Valley, USA($26): An opaque ruby color, with lovely aromas of raspberry and dusting of black spice, this wine had a smooth mouthfeel.  With alcohol level clocking in at 14.5%, I felt a touch of heat at the finish, but not in an unpleasant way.  Flavors of black fruit with a touch of mocha, and soft smooth tannins made this a nice drinking wine.
Next up was the
'07 Napa Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, USA($28): This wine also had a dark ruby color with aromas of black fruit, berry and woodsy hints.  It showed tasty flavors of black fruit, berries and spice.  The finish was short, but with nice black fruit and a smidge of cedar.  Again, smooth tannins.  Which made me immediately think "Cheese!"

Sure enough, with a mild cheddar, an aged Parmigiano Reggiano and  Pt. Reyes Blue, both wines were complementary.   Since we are entering the season of scrounging around so as not to arrive empty handed, these pretty labels, nice bottles and easy breezy cheese pairing, will come in handy.  I am getting some bottles to stash away for those occasions when I need to come up with something to bring with.  Everyone always loves wine and cheese but it's not always the easiest thing to pair well on the fly.  You can find these wines at Cost Plus World Market.  

I received these wines as samples