Wine Beneath The Palms

Europe may rename its wines; it could be war

     This may sound like inside baseball, but it may spur foodies and wine fans to start World War III. The European Common Market Organization is drawing up plans to replace current wine appellation systems with two standard Europe-wide denominations.
     It means, for example, that in Italy’s Piedmont region, what today are the Barolo, dolcetto and Barbera DOCs would be reduced to a single Barolo DOP.
     Wait’ll the French hear that they want to re-label Bordeaux. This is a war that even they could relish.

Watermelon, mint and sweet bubbly: sweet!

Last week I offered here an “Indoor Picnic” menu; its dessert was watermelon balls mixed with chopped mint, placed in a big martini glass and covered by sweet sparkling wine. The bubbly suggestion was a sweet, sparkling red wine from Italy from the grape called brachetto d’acqui, which is available in supermarkets and wine shops.
     “The dessert was outstanding; we’ve had all our friends try it,” e-mails Barb from Coral Gables.

     “Do you have a name for it?” asks Ben Neji, at the Wine69 shop on Biscayne Boulevard. “Did you use melon or watermelon?”

     Ben, I used watermelon with this because it’s the quintessential picnic melon. Also, it seems to be more porous and better able to absorb the sparkling wine than firmer melos.

     But I use other melons for my traditional Christmas day brunch salad. I ball green melons and yellow melons, drop in some blueberries, add some mint and a bit of orange-flavored Grand Marnier liqueur.

     As for a name for the watermelon dish, I don’t know, Ben.

     Anybody have any ideas?

A wine for anything you want to grill

    

    OK, so despite the heat, I’m reconciled that the Fourth of July holiday is the peak grilling weekend of the year. So here’s my list of a wine to go with almost anything you might decide to grill.

 

· Grilled oysters, clams, shrimp – a muscadet from France’s Loire Valley; it’s light and dry, so it’s the perfect shellfish wine.
· Grilled vegetables, from onions to eggplant, summer squash, carrots, scallions, fennel – sauvignon blanc; it has an herbal, even vegetal taste that’s a nice match.
· Grilled fish -- pinot grigio; it’s crisp and light, just the thing.
· Grilled chicken breast, skin off – pinot grigio here too; for lightness.
· Grilled blackened fish or chicken – a fruity red shiraz; here you have to match the spices rather than the meat.

 

· Pork or beef ribs with barbecue sauce – zinfandel; it’s American and patriotic, and it's spicy to go with the sauce.
· Grilled hot dogs – champagne; I always remember that Jimmy Buffet’s restaurant in Key West used to offer a hot dog for $100, and, for another dollar, a bottle of Dom Perignon; can’t beat that.
· Grilled hamburgers – a fruity merlot if you use ketchup, a high-acid chianti if you use mustard; if you use both, have a glass of each. I’m sort of kidding here, but I’ve seen wine writers seriously propose that you have to match the condiment rather than the meat.
· Grilled New York Strip – a big California cabernet sauvignon; the king of wines with the king of meats.

 

· Grilled fruit – for dessert you can grill slices of pineapple, plums, peaches, even bananas, as long as you keep a close eye so they don’t burn; pop a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you’re in heaven; the matching wine is a sweet, late-harvest dessert wine made of sauvignon blanc and Semillon.

Tastings resume at Jimmy Cefalo's in the Grove

    Fans of ex-Miami Dolphin, current sports broadcaster and wine fan Jimmy Cefalo will remember that when his wine shop was located near The Falls shopping center, he held regular wine tastings with some pretty unusual, top-flight wines. Now he’s restarting those tastings at his new Cefalo’s Wine Cellar in Coconut Grove, which opened about a year ago.

     The first is 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fri., June 20, at 3540 Main Highway.

     For $30 fans get a $20 card to use the Enomatic tasting machine plus free pours of Italian wines hosted by Julie Mushett of Vinifera Imports.

    These are some unusual wines, including the 2006 Prosecco “Millesimato” Soligo; 2006 Fiano d’Avellino, Roca de Principe; 2006 Morrelino d’Scansano, Castello Romitorio; 2005 Nero d’Avola “Chiaramonte” Firriato; 205 Primitivo Rosa del Golfo; 2004 Chianto Classico Fontodi and 2003 Barbaresco “Nubiola” Pellissero.

     Tasters may take home the Zafferano glass they use at the tasting.

     Oh, and Jimmy will be there talking football and wine.

    Call 305-971-2400, e-mail Brenda@Cefaloswine.com.

Can you narrow down your peak wine experience?

      Question of the week:  I was going to ask you to relate the No. 1 wine experience of your life. Then I realized that if you asked me that, I couldn’t narrow it to fewer than 50. How do you compare a delicate old Burgundy to a muscular Super Tuscan? A sunset  picnic on a hillside in Sonoma to sipping and spitting on the floor in a frigid, dripping cave in Beaujolais?

     So let’s do this: Please tell me ONE of your top wine experiences.

     One of mine was in 1979. I was driving around Spain visiting wineries with my best wine-drinking buddy, Fred Barger. When we arrived at Bodegas Torres, outside Barcelona, we were thrilled to be greeted by Miguel Torres, Sr., himself –- the dean of Spanish wine. We walked into the vineyards to a rustic shack for a wine tasting. We spoke of wine and women and, I suppose, philosophy. We sipped, and leaned back in our wooden chairs to spit out the open door.

     As we drove away after effusive thanks, we looked at each other and simultaneously, if ironically, recited a beer slogan: “It don’t get no better than this.”

     Wine friends, tell me ONE of your peak wine experiences.

Dads are easy to gift on their day

      Finding a present for your dad on Father’s Day is a piece of cake. We dads are sooo easy.

      A piece of beef, a potato and a bottle of red wine.

      That’s it. We don’t even need a card. We know you love us.

      We’re so easy you can give us the same thing every year and we’ll love it every time.

      Also any price range will do.

     If times are tough, we understand. A cheeseburger, a plate full of tater tots and a $9 bottle of Bodega Norton Malbec from Argentina will leave us purring.

      If we’re flush, take us to Don Shula’s for one of those 48-ounce haunches of beef the football players like to eat, and a $200 bottle of Sassicaia, that fabulous Super Tuscan wine from Italy. In fact, Shula’s website says a guy named Taft Parker – a pretty big guy, I’m betting – recently downed his 175th 48-ounce Porterhouse at the restaurant. I’ve never eaten one, but I’ve seen them. Scary.

      Or, maybe to be more practical, there’s a middle solution. Pick up a nice prime Beef Tenderloin, google the recipe for Steak Diane, slathered with heavy cream, nestled in mushrooms, flambéed with brandy, open a nice merlot/carmenere blend from Chile, the Casa Lapostolle Cuvee Alexandre, at only about $25.

      Finally, you should keep in mind -- if the father you’re treating is your husband -- that all that beef and Burgundy are likely to put us in a romantic mood.

      That works every year too.