Chinese Chateau Lafite?

.

Here is an interesting article about Chateau Lafite's intent to make a Grand Cru wine in China, a country that is supposedly poised to become one of the world's biggest wine regions in the next fifty years. Apparently Lafite is not alone as there are a number of other European wineries who see great potential in the region of Penglai on the Shandong Peninsula. It will be interesting to see what comes of this.

I find the prospect of Chinese wine extremely intriguing so I did a little research and discovered China has more the 450 wineries in various provinces across the country. The industry is highly concentrated with four wineries accounting for 60 percent of domestic production and sales. The big four are Great Wall, Dragon Seal, Changyu and Huadong. Foreign partnerships are common. The French multinational Pernod Ricard helped create Dragon Seal in 1987and Seagrams and Remy Martin have also been involved in joint ventures.

Changyu Winery, located in the city of Yentai - also in Shandong has been making wines since 1892 and in 2002 they opened a wine museum to honor their 110 year anniversary. Their website offers a virtual tour of the winery and museum and it's pretty mind blowing to see what they've done.

Croft Pink Port

Let's face it, Port is not exactly the most hip beverage out there. Is it good? Absolutely! There's nothing better than a rich glass of ruby or tawny Port on a cold winter's night but for most of us Port still brings up images of an Ernest Hemingway doppelganger sipping it fireside with a tobacco pipe in one hand and a leather bound copy of Moby Dick in the other. Croft, makers of Port since 1678, is trying to change that image and has introduced the first ever Pink Port in the hopes of attracting a younger group of drinkers and making Port a year round beverage. The pink hue is courtesy of a lighter skin contact with traditional Port grape varieties. It is best served chilled straight or over some ice.

Adrian Bridge, Managing Director of Croft Port stated: “The port industry needs innovation to raise awareness of port as a contemporary product which is why, three years ago, I came up with the idea of producing a lighter style of port. This will attract new consumers to the port category and at the same time de-seasonlise consumption."

When I first got wind of this product, I was really skeptical as the idea of pink Port reeks of a white zinfandel-esque marketing ploy - make it light, pink and sweet and timid palates will drink it up. I've had white Port before which is extremely tasty and underrated but pink fortified wines always taste like cough syrup to me which is not a good thing no matter how well Robitussin makes you go beddy-by.

Well as the saying goes - don't knock it till you try it so I did and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. It's an extremely well made product with sweet strawberry and raspberry flavors. It's also refreshingly light and easy to drink - almost too easy which is a problem considering it registers at 20% alcohol. Charles, our friend KC and I polished off an entire bottle in one sitting with some strawberry cake that I had made - tasty pairing.

I really think Croft has something here as the style will certainly appeal to a new generation of Port drinkers. It should make for a nice summer drink over some ice with a splash of soda to cut the sweetness. Croft Pink retails for around $20 a bottle.

Chicago Tonight Segment - Great Wine Books

They say there is a story in every bottle of wine so grab a glass and get lost in these fascinating books chock full of mystery, greed, family bickering and all the juicy bits that make wine more than just a beverage.

Take Home Chef - Curtis Stone

.

TLC has this really funny and awkward show called Take Home Chef with hottie Aussie Curtis Stone. The show's premise is based on Curtis finding an equally attractive woman at a supermarket who just happens to be cooking for someone that evening. Curtis then offers to buy the groceries and go home with her to cook (and I do mean cook in the platonic sense). There is the usual scene of the woman placing a phone call to her husband or boyfriend telling him that dinner is delayed and to stay away from the house while she spends the afternoon in the kitchen cavorting, chopping and flirting with an extremely gorgeous Chef. There's always wine involved as the woman feigns a damsel in distress act while Chef Curtis shows her the proper way to make chocolate fondant. When dinner is almost ready, Curtis tells the woman to go freshen up and slip into something more comfortable while he puts the finishing touches on the meal. The best part of the show is when the unsuspecting boyfriend or husband finally comes home only to find a camera crew in his living room and the tall and handsome Curtis standing next to his lady friend. Most of the guys take it in stride but there are the few who you can tell are livid with jealousy. It all makes for good television.

We were at the Common Threads World Festival Benefit on Monday night and Curtis Stone was there. He was kind enough to pose for a picture. I don't know about you but if Curtis came up to me in a supermarket and offered to go home with me, I would offer to pay for the groceries myself. THC is one of Charles' favorite shows and he's not the jealous type especially if there is food involved.

Oy Vey Schmear (hold the pickles)

.

My husband Charles is mildly obsessed with Martha Stewart. He works from home as a writer and never misses her daytime talk show. I know it sounds weird for a guy to be so into Martha Stewart, especially considering Charles has no idea how to sort laundry or defrost meat but he still finds her appealing. I think he is amused with the way she over enunciates her SAT words and unintentionally talks down to her guests and audience and constantly brings up her fabulous chickens and house in Hamptons, etc. She's also OCD. On one episode she demonstrated the proper way to wash a sweater at home which involved a measuring tape, ten kitchen towels, three bath tubs full of water, a steamer and an entire afternoon. But this is what makes her Martha and that is why we love her.

Her show from two days ago was devoted entirely to packing your own lunch. One of the highlighted sandwiches was the Oye Vey Schmear from Manhattan's Russ and Daughter's. It involves mounds of homemade chopped chicken liver and pickles piled high on a crusty bagel. Charles happens to be Jewish and he absolutely loves chopped liver. As we were watching the cooking demo, I could hear Charles moaning and groaning and muttering to himself how he wants to live inside the sandwich and how we would kill for just one bite. I think he may have even touched himself inappropriately.

Now I've never made chopped liver before but I aim to please so I downloaded the recipe and made a batch for Charles last night. It was all pretty easy to do and I must say it came out really well. The recipe calls for schmaltz which can be made by rendering chicken fat. The only problem with making this dish is the lingering smell of fried onions you'll find in your kitchen the next day. I'm sure Martha has a remedy for this.

When I was at Everest, I used to pair Joho's foie gras with Alsace Pinot Gris and I think the same would also work for this dish. Joho's foie gras featured bacon and marinated turnips and although Sauternes would be good for the foie part it would completely mask the other flavors. Pinot Gris provided enough weight and fruitiness without too much sugar. A really ripe version, like Weinbach would hold up against the creaminess of the liver while the tropical fruit and slight sweetness would make for a nice contrast against the saltiness. For a red wine, I would recommend something light, dry and tart. Valpolicella, Bourgogne Rouge or a simple Barbera would be quite nice. The earthiness of these reds would play well into the iron flavors from the liver.

Spring Clean that Dusty Wine Rack

.

In today's Bottle Service column in the RedEye, I encourage you to open that bottle you've been saving before....it's too late! What are you waiting for?

Wines for the Spring

.

Are the tulips up on Michigan Avenue yet?

Another winter has passed and spring is finally here. This past winter was especially brutal here in Chicago and I spent many a nights holed up in my apartment clinging to the warmth and safety provided by a big glass of hearty red wine. As the weather slowly begins to warm up and I loosen the shackles of my winter coat, I find myself craving wines that are lighter and fresher. I want to run free free in the warm open air and I want that bright sunshine in my glass!

Here are my picks for the perfect spring wines. The whites will remind you of items in a grocery store or farmer's market that are green: apples, limes, pears, herbs and veggies while the red wines have flavors of tart red fruits such as cherries, pomegranates and rhubarb. All the wines are light bodied, fresh and juicy and will pair well with all kinds of spring produce: asparagus, ramps, leeks, peas, young garlic and chives. I've linked each wine to a recipe in case you get culinarily inspired as well.

2007 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc, South Africa $20

Penne with Asparagus, Sage & Peas

Bright and lively wine with notes of green apples and lime zest keeps things nice and clean so you can still appreciate the fresh flavors of peas and asparagus. Here the wine acts like a squeeze of lemon juice over the entire dish.

2007 Lois Gruner Veltliner, Austria $14

Fava Bean Crostini

The recipe for this dish comes from Stokes Adobe Restaurant in Monterey, a local favorite. This was one of my favorite items on their menu and I was so excited to see this recipe available online. Fava beans are a pain to shell but this dish is so worth it. The lemony quality of Gruner is a perfect foil for the garlicky and citrusy flavors of this spread.

2007 Jezebel Pinot Noir, Oregon $20

Nancy Ponzi's Morel Mushroom and Risotto Recipe

Pinot Noir loves to be paired with any thing earthy, especially fragrant morel mushrooms. Spring is morel season so if you can find them fresh at your farmer's market, I say go for it - there's nothing quite like it.

RedEye Column - What's Your Wine Astrological Sign?

.

For this week's Bottle Service column in the RedEye, I paired each astrological sign with a wine. Your astrological sign can say a lot about you but can it also reflect your taste in wine? Click here to read the column and decide for yourself.

For next week's column, I'll recommend my favorite new wines for the spring season. Be sure to check it out in next Wednesday's edition of the RedEye.

Winecouch.com

.

If you're looking for a fun and convenient way to learn about wine then I suggest checking out winecouch.com, a wine education site run by my friend and fellow Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein. Evan is one of the best when it comes to teaching and demystifying wine in an entertaining yet informative manner. He created the site as a forum for users to learn more about wine at their own pace. You can access weekly wine and food tasting webisodes hosted by Evan, recipes and suggestions on wine pairings, a weekly wine quiz to test your knowledge as well as a really superb wine blog to get the inside scoop on the world of wine - all without leaving your couch.

Another Ask Alpana Segment from the CT Archives

This is a holiday wine segment that I did for Chicago Tonight but most of the wines can be enjoyed year round as well.

And yes, I do have a giant goose egg in the middle of my forehead. I woke up with it on the morning of the taping and I'm not really sure how it got there.

Ask Alpana Segment on Chicago Tonight

I would love to answer your wine questions on Chicago Tonight. Please visit the Ask Alpana page on the WTTW website to submit your question!

iPhone Wine Apps

.

I don't own an iPhone as I just can't give up my Verizon wireless service. I really like their level of customer service and I've never had an issue with reception quality or dropped calls, etc. Nonetheless, I do covet the iPhone and am dazzled by the different types of applications you can add. It seems there is an app for everything. I suppose I could just get the iTouch...hint, hint to the husband if he is reading this.

A few people have sent me emails asking my opinion of wine apps and if one is better than the other. I haven't had the chance to work with any of the apps up close and personal but I did come across this pretty thorough review from Ben Boychuck at iPhone Central. It seems the best app is subjective just like wine and it really depends on what you're looking for. Some of the apps offer points, prices and scores while others offer food and wine pairing suggestions or the ability to keep track of your own notes. Be sure to read the reviews for additional suggestions. I read this morning that Vinfolio just launched an app that gives users access to wine prices.

Please feel free to leave any suggestions or comments on wine apps.

Cuvaison Wine Dinner - March 31st @ Wildfire Chicago

.

Calling all Cuvaison fans! Here's your chance to spend an evening with the President of Cuvaison Winery, Jay Schuppert as he hosts a wine dinner at Wildfire Chicago (a Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant). Cuvaison has been making wines in the Carneros district since 1969 and their portfolio includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from their Mt. Veeder vineyard.

If you can't make it to the event on March 31st, a similar dinner will be held with Special Guest speaker Don Clemens at Wildfire Schaumburg on March 23rd.

Here is the menu:

Reception

Potato Crusted Sea Scallops, Oven Dried Tomato Crisp, Orange-Apricot Glaze & Crispy Mini Risotto Cakes, Crème Fraiche & Caviar
Cuvaison Winery Chardonnay ‘07

First Course

Pan Seared Australian Barramundi, Steamed Baby Vegetables, Lemon-Chive Butter
Cuvaison Winery Block F5 Pinot Noir ‘06

Second Course

Grilled Porcini Crusted Tenderloin of Beef, Sweet Potato Hash, Red Wine Black Cherry Jus
Cuvaison Winery Cabernet Sauvignon ‘06

Third Course
Selection of Artisan Cheeses
Cuvaison Winery Syrah ‘06

Dessert

Dark Chocolate & Brioche Bread Pudding, Blackberry Crème Anglaise, Whipped Cream
Brandlin Cabernet Sauvignon ‘06

For more information or to make a reservation contact Brad Wermager at 773.398.6960.

Please specify which dinner you would like to attend: Chicago or Schaumburg

6:30pm Reception -- 7:00pm Dinner
Wildfire Chicago - 159 W Erie in Chicago

Wildfire Schaumburg - 1250 E Higgins Rd
$95.00 per person (tax & gratuity included)

For information on other upcoming wine dinners at Wildfire click here

Wine Labels - Love or hate at first sight

.

I can't tell you how many times I hear confessions from wine lovers how they'll buy a wine simply because of a fun label or name. I must admit that I'm just as gullible. After all, we're only human and who honestly can resist purchasing a wine featuring a cuss word?

I came across this wine titled First Love Red with a picture of two hands intertwined against a pile of hay with tiny hearts going across it. At first I thought - oh isn't that special and how romantic would it be if my husband popped open a bottle of this for a dinner date. But then I thought I would probably not feel this way if I was I single and not loving it or if I was just dumped by my first love. Or worse, what if a stalkerish character showed up at my front door step clutching a bottle of this in one hand and two glasses in the other. I guess it goes to show us how the beauty of packaging is in the eye of the beholder.

I will say that if you are planning a proposal, wedding, commitment ceremony or any love themed party, this would be a great wine to go with. I'm assuming some of your guests will sigh with an ahhhh while the others will want you to gag them with a spoon.

As for the stuff that is in the bottle: First Love Red is an unusual Barossa Valley blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Barbera. It is medium bodied with ripe fruit flavors. It certainly holds its own.

Priced at around $12 a bottle

Sushi & Wine with Chef Thomas Buckley from Nobu Miami

.

I don't know about you but when I was growing up I learned to equate sushi with the food of the yuppies. I'm pretty sure it was because of the movie Wall Street and that campy scene with the automatic sushi maker. Daryl Hannah takes on the task of decorating Charlie Sheen's new Manhattan apartment with bad wall paper and gold foil because he's suddenly filthy rich and that's what you did if you had gobs of money in the 80's. Later on they celebrate with a dinner that includes Talking Heads, white wine, fresh pasta and balls of rice and raw fish spewed from a sushi-o-matic. The love fest is suddenly interrupted by Martin Sheen who played Charlie Sheen's honest, no-nonsense, blue-collar father who certainly does not approve of his son's new high-falluting lifestyle. Martin spots the raw fish on the coffee table, picks it up to take a sniff and then puts it back with a disgusted look on his face. Gordon Gecko had brainwashed his son to the point where he was eating raw fish and thinking it was cool. My 11 year old brain then made a mental note - only crazy rich people with money to burn eat sushi.




Of course I no longer feel this way about sushi and I count it as one of my favorite types of food. The art of Japanese cuisine has come a long way since the 80's and much of this is thanks to great Japanese chefs like Nobu Matsuhisa. His Nobu restaurants can be found all over the world including Miami and I had the great pleasure of doing a sushi and wine pairing seminar with the guy in charge of Nobu Miami, Chef Thomas Buckley. Chef Buckley also co-authored the Nobu Miami Party Cookbook. Here's an interesting bit of trivia from Chef Buckley - it take two years of training just to learn how to properly make sushi rice.

Here is wine and food lineup from the seminar. In general, when it comes to pairing wine with sushi, I prefer light whites high on acid with some fruitiness and absolutely no oak or butter. This would include Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Gris, Albarino, etc. I also like reds wines and rose provided they are also light and refreshing and easy on the oak and tannins.

Toro Pastrami - Tuna Belly lightly dusted in pastrami spice and cold smoked for 10 mins, sliced sashimi style and served on raw asparagus salad with Yuzu Ponzu. We paired this with a white wine sangria. The fruitiness of the sangria provided a nice contrast against the pastrami spice. Serving sangria is also something fun and a bit different.

Tuna Nigiri - Simple classic Tuna on rice. This classic staple is best eaten upside down with the fish hitting the tongue first in order to truly appreciate the texture of the fish. Chef Buckley also pointed out if you want soy sauce, you dip the fish part not the rice other wise the whole thing will fall apart. We paired this with Seven Daughters white wine. For sushi, I prefer crisp, clean white wines with a hint of fruitiness, just like this blend. No oak and certainly no butter.

Flounder Sashimi Salad with Yuzu Honey Aji Limo - Sliced white fish, red bell pepper, red onion, hint of dry white miso and a dressing of Peruvian chili with yuzu and honey finished with a splash of extra virgin olive oil. We thought out of the box with this one and paired it with a Pisco Sour. Many of us enjoy sushi with friends when we are looking to whoop it up and want something a bit stronger than wine. This sweet/sour cocktail proves you can pair the hard stuff with your food.

King Crab Daikon Roll - Rice-less roll of king crab leg with cucumber, shiso and avocado, jalapeno dressing is used instead of soy. Lois Gruner Veltliner was our choice for this pairing because the mineral notes of Gruner is a perfect match with shellfish, especially crab.

Yellowtail Maki - Classic roll - Nori, rice, wasabi Salmon Inside out Roll - I specifically wanted to showcase a red wine with sushi so Chef Buckley created this roll with salmon. Many of us prefer red wines with our meal yet the perception with sushi is you have to do white wine. Pinot Noir is a great match with many types of sushi since it is lower in tannins and lighter in body. I thought this pairing was one of the best in the lineup.

Talking Wine & BBQ With Chef Howie

.

You can get your very own "nice rack" t-shirt from Bulldog Barbecue. I ordered one for Charles.

I'm a Top Chef junkie and season 3 set in Miami is probably my favorite (with season 4 being a close second - yeah Stephanie!). I just loved the cast of characters and could not wait to tune in each week to see the drama unfold, much of it caused by Howie. His take no prisoner, I'm in to win it antics eventually earned him the moniker - The Bulldog. During season 3, Howie won the Latin Lunch elimination challenge where they had to cook for the cast of the Telemundo telenovela, Dame Chocolate. He wowed the tough crowd with his Braised Pork Shoulder, Yucca and Sour Orange Mojo. It turns out this win was no fluke as Howie has the gift of the grill.

He recently opened his own BBQ restaurant appropriately named - Bulldog Barbecue in North Miami, Florida. Howie and I presented a BBQ and wine pairing seminar together for the South Beach Wine and Food Festival last month. I must say the man knows a great deal about BBQ and I really enjoyed talking with him and getting his take on it. He is a very no nonsense kind of guy but he is also very passionate and devoted to his craft. One audience member asked why he chose not to do something more fine dining and he responded, "I wanted to to do food that I like to eat and this is it."

Here is the rundown of the food and the wines we paired with it.

Ribs & Cordoniu Sparkling Rose

I discovered this pairing by accident when Charles and I went to a BBQ restaurant a couple of days before my birthday. We brought along a bottle of sparkling rose to celebrate not thinking it would go well with the food but boy were we surprised. The acidity and bubbles from the wine just cuts right through the richness of the meat and the fruitiness is delicious contrast to the tangy quality of the sauce. You must try sparkling rose with BBQ this summer! So good!!

Seven Daughters White Wine with Side dishes of mac and cheese, cole slaw and baked beans

The Seven Daughters is a refreshing blend of seven grapes, it's kind of fruity not quite sweet but very light and zippy, no oak or butter - perfect for a backyard BBQ. Howie's mac and cheese was really awesome by the way.

Cosentino Zinfandel with Pulled Pork

I like to eat pulled pork on a bun with coleslaw and BBQ sauce. This Zin has all the flavors of BBQ sauce: black pepper, molasses, spices and robust jammy notes. The trick to enjoying this wine in the heat is to chill it down a bit. This will keep the alcohol burn at bay.

Jade Mountain Syrah & Taz Goat Rock Syrah with Brisket

Syrah is great with brisket since the grape sometimes features a smoky component which goes really well with this slow braised meat.

Charles and Paula Deen

.

The tasting tents for the SOBE Wine and Food Festival are located on the beach and the majority of the cooking demos are open air. The ambiance of the festival is definitely of the celebratory, let's all have a good time nature. I won't lie, it does get crowded but after a few glasses of wine you end up joining in on the party. We wanted to meet Paula Deen but her cooking demo conflicted with another event we wanted to attend. Posing with her cardboard cut out was the next best thing I suppose. We did see her walk past us and I must say, she has lost a ton of weight. There was a video going around of her pants falling off during the demo. That happened to me in yoga class once and I never really recovered from it. I had to find another studio. She seemed to be a good sport about it though.

Tasting on the beach

Fans waiting in line to meet Rocco Dispirito

Thirsty festival goers

Just keep pouring

It takes a while to get used to tasting wine with the feeling of sand in your toes

Charles obviously had no problem adjusting to the crowd.

Tyler Florence, Chef Daniel and Spike

.


To all the Tyler Florence fans out there, I know it's hard to believe but he's even better looking in person. I first met Tyler Florence back in 2002 at the James Beard Awards ceremony when we were both nominated in our respective fields. I don't have to tell you but a guy this handsome really stands out in a crowd. We ran into him at an after party in South Beach. He's just really very sweet and of course extremely talented.

We also met Chef Daniel Boulud and Spike from Top Chef at the same party.



Chef Daniel is a good friend of Chef Jean Joho of Everest. It's amazing the connection French chefs have with one another. Chef Daniel's face just lit up when I mentioned Chef Joho's name and how I used to be the sommelier for his restaurant.



Top Chef Chicago contestant Spike is just so cool. We talked about his new restaurant in Washington DC. It's sounds really good and is appropriately named, Good Stuff Eatery. I'm planning a trip to DC this year and its on my list of places to try.

I met Sandra Lee!!!!

.

Regular readers of this blog know of my obsession with all things Sandra Lee from the Food Network Show, Semi-Homemade. I'm mesmerized by her need to match her kitchen decor to her outfits, the over the top tablescapes, the rehab inducing cocktails and her 1001 uses for Cool Whip (with a cap-full of vanilla to cut the packaged taste). I knew she was going to be at the Food Network festival in South Beach, Miami last month and I was a woman on a mission to get a photo with her. She was hosting a cocktail party appropriately called, "Cocktail Time with Sandra Lee" and I told Charles we had to go because come hell or high water, I was determined to meet her.

We walked into the party and low and behold there she was perched on top of a bench giving a speech thanking her faithful viewers and promising not to leave until she had said hello to each and every one of us. When my turn came up to meet her I was caught off guard by how verklempt I became - it was very emotional. I told her we watch her every night and you could sense the kindness and appreciation in her eyes. Being in this business, I've come across my fair share of big name chefs and food personalities but Sandra Lee is honestly one of the nicest food celebrities I've ever met. Whether or not you agree with her philosophy on food, she is very approachable and she certainly appreciates her viewers.

The party itself was a hoot. The cocktails were served by men and women in bathing suits covered in silver paint. We also ran into a some other friends and colleagues.

Chef and Humanitarian Art Smith and his Life Partner renowned Artist Jesus Salgueiro were also there. It's always nice to see them and I told Art my life has not been the same since I had the hummingbird cake at his restaurant. I dream about it. It would be interesting to see Sandra Lee's take on it.

I didn't realize Maximilian Riedel of Riedel crystal fame was also a fan of Sandra Lee. I had not seen him in a few years so it was nice to catch up. Maximilian created the stemless O Series for Riedel after moving to a tiny apartment in Manhattan. The traditional stemware did not fit in his cupboards and as a result he was inspired to create a more space friendly line. We also talked about his latest decanter. It's certainly a wowser.