Something for Everyone . . . a Rosé Tonight!

As one of the more senior (in more ways than one!) members of the Heights Chateau staff, I can well remember a time when we had to drag folk, virtually kicking and screaming, in the direction of our rosé selection. Happily, that is no longer the case, as soundly proven by the current refrain, "Where are your rosés?"

+/- Something for Everyone . . . a Rosé Tonight!

Why that early reluctance? I suspect it was residual fallout from early exposure to the likes of Lancers and Mateus, or even the color association with white Zinfandel, which left many with the assumption that rosé is, by definition, sweet. Even today I find the occasional customer who, standing in front of our wall of pink, will ask "which of these are sweet?" to which, I can happily reply, "none." (True, some are more fruity than others, but that's another issue entirely.)

There are many aspects of rosé we could celebrate, but I'll focus on three: its unpretentiousness, its affordability, and its diversity/versatility.

Rosé doesn't expect to be taken seriously, which is a great part of its charm and its suitability for warm weather. Can you picture a bunch of stuffed-shirt wine tasters sniffing and swirling Riedel glasses full of rosé? Nor can I. Rosé doesn't need to be analyzed, parsed, thought about, dissected, it just needs to be enjoyed. And, with all due deference to the tastemakers of the Hamptons, it should be sufficiently inexpensive as to make opening a bottle relatively guilt-free. Remember, rosé is the winemaker's cash cow: grapes picked and vinified in the fall of one year are converted into bottled wine released into the market in a mere six months' time, the following spring. No need for costly oak barrels, no need to see one's available assets tied up in bottles ageing in the cellar for months or even years. And here's another plus for the winemaker: many of the world's most popular rosés are blends of two, three, or more grapes, so if a winemaker has not enough Syrah, or Grenache, or Cabernet, or whatever to make on its own, the intelligent solution to the problem is to make a rosé. All this means that making rosé is, relatively speaking, an inexpensive process, and you should benefit accordingly.

How to make a rosé? Well, let's start with how not to make one. I recall many years ago reading a column in a travel magazine written by the late great restaurateur/raconteur George Lang. Lang told how, on a recent airplane flight, the stewardess asked him for his drinks order and, when he indicated wine, asked him "red, white, or rosé?" Lang, thoroughly mystified because he saw no rosé on her cart, rose to the bait and ordered it . . . at which point she opened a carafe of red and one of white and poured them together. No, that's not how it's done. To understand how rosé is made you need to know only two things: 1) the juice of all grapes, red or white, is white, and 2) the color of a wine, whether red, white, or rosé, comes from the pigment in the skin of the grape. The color of a particular rosé reflects not just the depth of color of the grape(s) used to make the wine but also the length of time the juice is left in contact with the skins, anywhere from one or two hours to several. (I used to maintain that a rosé had to be made from red grapes, and to my amazement, we recently took on a rosé made from Pinot Grigio; apparently there is enough pigment in the skin of this "gray" Pinot to make this possible.) Not only does the wine take its color from the skin but the depth and intensity of its character as well: the lighter the color, the more delicate and ephemeral the wine, while the deeper, darker versions could come close to passing as reds.

Which brings me to the true glory of rosé, namely its diversity and versatility. On a recent Saturday Matthew asked me if I had tried a particular rosé; instead of answering him directly I pointed to a particular wine on the shelf and said that my preference was for rosés that had at least that much color to them and went up the color scale from there, to which Matthew replied that his choice was from that point on the color scale on down. We laughed and said that between us we had the entire spectrum covered, but in fact there is a place for both styles: to put it a bit simplistically, the wines at the lighter end of the color spectrum are natural substitutes for whites, while the ones at the darker end, even well chilled, can stand in for a true red.

In contemplating this post, I thought it might be useful to replicate that color spectrum, from lightest to darkest; you may find it a useful guide to our range of selections. And one final note: if over the course of the season you find a particular rosé you fancy, consider making a commitment to it: most importers/distributors still think of rosé as a seasonal commodity and will take on from their producers only as much wine as they think they can sell between Memorial Day and Labor Day, so when a particular wine is gone, it's gone until the next vintage.

The Range of Our Rosés

Commanderie de la Bargemone 11 Rosé . . . Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Cabernet, Carignan, and Ugni Blanc from Provence @ $14.99
Bucklin 11 Old Hill Ranch Rosé . . . Grenache, Syrah, Zinfandel, Carignan and Mourvèdre from Sonoma @ $22.99
Domaine de la Solitude 11 CdR Rosé . . . 100% Cinsault from the Rhône @ $13.99
Donkey & Goat 11 Rosé . . . 100% Grenache from Mendocino @ $22.99
Lopez de Heredia 00 Rosé Tondonia . . . mostly Grenache with a little Tempranillo and Viura blended in @ $24.99
Mattebella 10 Rosé . . . Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon from Long Island's North Fork @ $13.99
Montenidoli 11 Rosato . . . 100% Canaiuolo from Tuscany @ $19.99
L'Opale de la Presqu'Ile de St. Tropez 11 Rosé . . . Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan from Provence @ $12.99
Paumanok 11 Dry Rosé . . . Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc from Long Island's North Fork @ $16.99
La Rame 11 Rosé . . . primarily Cab and Merlot from Bordeaux @ $12.99
Saint Aix 10 Aix en Provence . . . Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Counoise from Provence @ $15.99
Sainte Lucie 11 MiP Rosé . . . Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah from Provence @ $14.99
Sinskey 2011 Vin Gris . . . 100% Pinot Noir from Sonoma @ $32.99
Tour du Bon 11 Bandol Rosé . . . Grenache, Mourvèdre, Cinsault and Clairette from Provence @ $22.99
Aphillantes 11 CdR Rosé . . . mostly Cinsault, with Grenache, Counoise and a touch of Mourvèdre from the Rhône @ $12.99
Bonny Doon 11 Vin Gris de Cigare . . . Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Cinsault from Monterey @ $15.99
Brun 11 Rosé d'Folie Beaujolais . . . 100% Gamay from the Beaujolais @ $16.99
Carrel 11 Rosé de Savoie . . . a blend of Gamay and Mondeuse from the Savoy region of France @ $11.99
Charles & Charles 11 Rosé . . . 100% Syrah from Washington @ $10.99
Chateau d'Angles 11 Rosé La Clape . . . Mourvèdre, Syrah and Grenache from the Languedoc @ $14.99
Clapière 11 Rosé . . . Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah from Provence @ $14.99
Dalton 10 Rosé . . . 100% Cabernet from Israel @ $16.99
Delecheneau 11 Tournage Riant Rosé . . . Malbec, Gamay, and Grolleau from the Touraine @ $17.99
Edmunds St John 11 Bone Jolly . . . 100% Gamay Noir from California's El Dorado County @ $19.99
Esprit Sud 11 Rosé . . . Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet from Provence @ $14.99
Gobelsburg 11 Rosé . . . St. Laurent and Zweigelt from Austria @ $16.99
Le Grand Rouvière 11 Rosé . . . Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault from Provence @ $11.99
Grange Tiphaine 2011 Rosa, Rose, Rosam . . . a "Methode Ancestrale" sparkler made from Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Gamay and Grolleau @ $19.99
Manarine 11 CdR Rosé . . . 100% Grenache from the Rhône @ $11.99
Markowitsch 11 Rosé . . . an 80/20 blend of Blaufrankisch and Cabernet from Austria @ $13.99
Mas de Cadenet 11 Sainte Victoire Rosé…Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah from Provence @ $16.99
Ollieux Romanis 11 Corbières Rosé . . . Carignan, Syrah and Grenache from the Languedoc @ $15.99
Ostatu 11 Rosado . . . Tempranillo, Grenache and Viura from Rioja @ $16.99
Plouzeau 2011 Chinon . . . 100% Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley @ $13.99
Le Poisson 10 Gris . . . Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvèdre from Tunisia @ $11.99
Rimbert 2011 Petit Cochon Bronzé . . . a blend of Cinsault, Syrah and Grenache from the Languedoc @ $12.99
La Selve 11 Maguelonne Rosé . . . Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault from the Rhône @ $10.99
Source de Vignelaure 11 Rosé . . . Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet from Provence @ $14.99
Xavier Flouret 11 Nationale 7 Rosé . . . Grenache, Cinsault and Tiburon from Provence @ $14.99
Borsao 11 Rosé . . . 100% Grenache from Campo de Borja @ $7.99
Bouké 10 Rosé Dry . . . Cabernet and Merlot from Long Island's North Fork @ $13.99
Chateau Puligny-Montrachet 11 Rosé . . . 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy @ $19.99
Chemin de Bassac "Isa" Rosé...Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre and Syrah from the Languedoc @ $15.99
Gourgazaud 11 Le P'tit Grain Rosé . . . 100% Syrah from the Languedoc @ $12.99
Hitching Post 11 Pinks . . . Pinot Noir and Valdiguié from California's Central Coast @ $17.99
Houchart 11 Côtes de Provence . . . Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Cabernet from Provence @ $11.99
Lamargue 11 Rosé Les Grandes Cabanes . . . 100% Syrah from the Rhône @ $9.99
Leone de Castris 2011 Salento "Five Roses" . . . Negroamaro and Black Malvasia from Puglia @ $15.99
Oupia 11 Rosé . . . Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault from the Minervois @ $15.99
Saintsbury 11 Vincent Vin Gris . . . 100% Pinot Noir from Carneros @ $17.99
Schola Sarmenti 2011 Rosato . . . 100% Negroamaro from Puglia @ $15.99
Uvaggio 09 Rosato . . . Primitivo, Barbera and Vermentino from Lodi @ $12.99
Casal Garcia 11 Rosé . . . Vinhaõ, Azal, and Borracal from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal @ $8.99
La Kiuva NV Rosé de Vallée . . . Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir from the Valle d'Aosta in northwestern Italy @ $14.99
Mulderbosch 11 Rosé . . . 100% Cabernet from South Africa @ $10.99
Musar 09 Jeune Rosé . . . 100% Cinsault from Lebanon @ $15.99
Shinn Estate 11 Rosé . . . 100% Merlot from Long Island's North Fork @ $14.99
Chateau Penin 2011 Rosé . . . Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot from Bordeaux @ $12.99
Chateau Penin 2011 Clairet . . . 100% Merlot from Bordeaux @ $12.99
Cortijo III 11 Rosado . . . Tempranillo and Grenache from Rioja @ $10.99
Crios 2011 Rosado . . . . 100% Malbec from Argentina @ $10.99
Penamonte 11 Rosado . . . 100% Grenache from Navarre @ $8.99
ZaZa 11 Rosado . . . 100% Grenache from the Campo de Borja @ $10.99

And for those of you who may be wondering…the wine that represents the meeting ground between Matthew's take on rosés and mine is the one in bold-face type on the list. And for those of you who may be wondering…the wine that represents the meeting ground between Matthew's take on rosés and mine is the one in bold-face type on the list.

Click here to see an exhaustive list of all our Rosés!

Anise, the Universal Flavor of the Mediterranean

Go all around the Mediterranean, starting on the Costa del Sol or the French Riviera, and in whatever country you touch down in you will be offered licorice in a glass. For the Spanish it will be Chinchon or Anis Gorilla; for the French it will be anisette or Pernod or pastis or (now that it's legal again) absinthe; for the Italians, anisette or Sambuca; in Greece, ouzo, of course; in Turkey, raki; and in Lebanon and other countries of the Middle East, arak. If the country touches the Mediterranean Sea and the culture permits the consumption of alcohol, you will find there an anise-flavored spirit.

+/- Anise, the Universal Flavor of the Mediterranean

And that makes great good sense. Anise is a member of the parsley family, it originated in the eastern Mediterranean somewhere around 1500 B.C. and is found today in all the countries that rim the Mediterranean. Anise was regarded as sacred by the ancient Egyptians and as a panacea by the ancient Greeks; Hippocrates wrote about a drink called anisum, extolling its medical effectiveness. As for its various alcoholic incarnations, once the Arabs invented the art of distilling, that knowledge and skill spread quickly throughout the Mediterranean region.
As for those alcoholic incarnations, let’s focus on what is perhaps the best-known version, the Greek one called ouzo. Ouzo has been produced commercially only since the latter part of the 19th century, but it does of course have deep roots in Greek history. As with versions made in other countries, “early” ouzo was made by steeping anise in alcohol; today it is made by distilling either pressed fruit (grapes, raisins, figs) or more likely the residue of the winemaking process (skins, seeds), then flavoring the result with aniseed and sometimes a touch of fennel or other aromatic herbs, then sometimes redistilling the liquid to bring out the pure character of the flavors. The result is a deceptively strong spirit with a pronounced anise character. And so a word to the wise: if you don’t like the taste of licorice, you probably won’t like ouzo (or any of its many Mediterranean cousins).
Ouzo is produced everywhere in Greece and specific recipes, whether those of families or of commercial companies, are held as closely guarded secrets. But ask a Greek who knows about ouzo and you will be told that the best ouzo comes from the island of Lesbos; in fact, one aficionado has written, “If you have never had ouzo from Lesbos, there is a possibility you have never had good ouzo.” In Greece ouzo is an art,a philosophy,  a way of life: it appears day and night, as an aperitif, as an after-dinner drink, and at baptisms, weddings and funerals, at every conceivable kind of celebration. And Greeks will tell you that the key to drinking ouzo is to have it with food, which will keep the effects of the high level of alcohol from overwhelming you; in fact, even the most modest taverna will serve you a meze (snack) with your ouzo, anything from a small salad or a portion of fava beans to stewed meat or fried fish. The other key to enjoying ouzo is to dilute it with water; at that local taverna your glass of ouzo will come with a separate glass of water and/or a dish of ice. And, as one wag has written, don’t try to be macho, use the water!  The norm is a two-to-one ratio of water to spirit, but some people will simply continue to add ice and/or water as they sip the ouzo so that the spirit is further and further diluted.
Now, no self-respecting Greek (or ouzo fan of any other nationality, for that matter) would tolerate the addition of anything other than water to the spirit; that having been said, however, I thought it would be fun to end this discussion with a few ouzo cocktail recipes.

Ouzo Sunrise

1 ½ oz. vodka

¼ oz. ouzo

1 oz. orange juice

Dash of sugar

¾ oz. seltzer

Orange slice for garnish

Shake first four ingredients together until sugar is dissolved; strain into a tall glass. Add seltzer, and garnish with orange slice

 Apollo Cooler

½ oz. lemon juice

1 ½ oz. lemon juice

1 tsp. ouzo

Ginger Ale

lemon slice for garnish

Mix brandy and lemon juice in a shaker with ice; pour into a taqll chilled glass, fill with ginger ale, top with ouzo and garnish with lemon slice

The Greek

3 oz. ginger ale

3 oz. brandy

2 oz. ouzo

½ oz. lemon juice

Shake together with ice and strain into a chilled martini glass

On Our Shelves:

Arak Gantous & Abou Raad @ $17.99

Massaya Arak @ $23.99

Ksarak Arak @ $24.99

Arak Touma @ $34. 99

Henri Bardouin Pastis @ $22.99

Marie Brizard Anisette  19,99

Ricard 45 Anise @ $30.99

Pernod Anise Aperitif @ $32.99

Plomari Ouzo @ $15.99

12 Ouzo @ $22.99

Herbsaint 90 Liqueur @ #21.99

Herbsaint 100 Liqueur @ $35.99

Tourment Vert Absinthe @ $44.99

Kubler Absinthe Superieure (liter) @ $49.99

Vieux Carré Absinthe @ $54.99

Lucid Absinthe Superieure @ $56.99

St George Verte Absinthe  @ $72.99

Delaware Phoenix Meadow of Love Absinthe @ $75.99

Delaware Phoenix Walton Waters Absinthe @ $75.99

Galliano L'Autentico (half bottle) @ $21.99

Sambuca Romana (fifth) @ $27.99

Sambuca Romana Black @ $29.99

Sambuca Romana (liter) @ $31.99

The Lighter Side of Red

With the worst of the cold weather behind us, it's time to talk about brighter times and the lighter wines ahead. Even though it was one of the warmest winters on record here in Brooklyn, we're still excited to lighten up everything for Spring, from the clothes we wear to the foods we eat. For many wine drinkers, this means ditching their comforting full-bodied reds for refreshing whites and fruity pinks, but it doesn't have to be this way. There is a world of light-bodied red wines out there,  all perfectly suited for the food and activities we enjoy this time of year and in the warmer months that follow.

+/- The Lighter Side of Red

If you ask around for lighter reds, you're liable to get a variety of answers. This is because the notion of a wine's body is a vague and somewhat subjective concept. So before we get into some specifics, let's take a moment to think about what "light-bodied" means. For many of us, when we talk about the body of a wine, we're referring to its weight in the mouth. Among the many factors that come into play, three in particular offer some help at understanding what body means:

• Extraction is a term that refers to the intensity of the fruit in the wine. A wine can feel heavier or lighter based on how much fruit has been extracted out of the grape. With certain wines, one expects to find fuller, more concentrated fruit. However, if a wine is over-extracted, then it may showcase its fruit at the expense of delicacy, finesse and balance.


• Alcohol is another factor that can influence how we perceive body. Wines with high-alcohol content will generally feel bigger on the palate.


• Tannins, found in the skins, pips and stems of grapes, are responsible for the astringency and some of the mouth feel of red wine. Tannins are also found in the oak barrels in which many wines age.

Putting these three ideas together, we can define a wine's body as the combined influence of fruit extraction, alcohol and tannins. This gives us a starting point for the kind of wines we're looking for: A light-bodied red is a wine that will generally have less-extracted fruit, lower alcohol and lighter tannins.

For many people, there is already an easy option: Pinot Noir, the classic red wine that is supposed to pair with anything lighter than steak but heavier than a lettuce leaf. While this conventional wisdom isn't necessarily wrong, the fact is that many, if not the majority of Pinots these days are made in a much fuller style, exhibiting highly extracted fruit, elevated alcohol and big tannins resulting from aging in new oak barrels. Hence, without eliminating Pinot Noir completely from the equation, here are some light-bodied reds that you should have in your repertoire.

Gamay:
The classic grape of the Beaujolais is also grown to much acclaim in the Loire Valley. Generally, it has bright, fruity notes of red berries, zesty acidity and low tannins. The Cru Bourgeois, named after the villages where they grow are generally fuller bodied with more substantial tannins.

Cambon 10 Beaujolais $15.99 (12.5% ABV) From vineyards located between Morgon and Fleurie, this is a pure expression of Gamay fruit. Behind its deep red-purple color, this wine presents inviting and complex aromas of cherry-like fruit with earthy notes. It should be a perfect match for coq au vin.

Grolleau:
A thin-skinned grape, mostly grown in the Loire, Grolleau is best known for its use in rose in the Anjou region. However, winemakers are reviving this indigenous grape in red wines that feature rich, red berry aromas and low alcohol.

Cousin-Leduc 10 "Le Cousin" Rouge Grolleau $20.99 (13% ABV) "Le Cousin" is crafted with 100% Grolleau, and offers very expressive, inviting aromas of freshly crushed wild berries and grapes that mingle with earthy and mineral notes. Try pairing with fruity and spicy Moroccan chicken.

Mondeuse:
Grown mostly in the Savoy and Bugey regions of France, Mondeuse is a fascinating grape that is beginning to make a comeback. The wine, which characteristically exhibits soft, fruity aromas and light spice, was on the verge of extinction with less than 500 acres planted throughout France in the year 2000. Today the grape is being revived and has appeared in the United States and Italy, where it produces still soft but somewhat more extracted wines.

Cellier Palais 07 Mondeuse Vin de Pays $19.99 (12% ABV) This red from the Savoie has an earthy nose with floral notes of violet, roses and cloves. The palate is bright and juicy with great acidity, making it an excellent pair for charcuterie, mushrooms or roast poultry.

Grignolino:
Grown mostly in the Piedmonte region of Italy, Grignolino produced extremely light and fruity reds with bright acidity and low alcohol. Its name derives from the word "Grignole" which means "many pips." Sufficient care from the winemaker will ensure that the abundant pips do not translate into heavy, bitter tannins.

Heitz 08 Grignolino Napa Valley $17.99 (13.8% ABV) From vines lovingly planted in 1949, this is an anomaly of a wine, a light, fresh red produced in the heart of Cabernet country. Heitz's Grignolino comes in a bit high on the alcohol at 13.8%, but it is perfectly in balance, with a fresh floral bouquet complemented by the flavors of bright berry with a hint of orange peel.Try pairing with poached salmon, chicken or crostini.

Schiava:
Schiava is native to the Alto-Adige region of Italy, where it is grown mostly on high-altitude steep-sloped vineyards. It makes a light, easy-drinking wine that is perfect for drinking before or during dinner.

Castel Sallegg 08 Bischofsleiten $17.99 (13% ABV) The unpronounceable "Bischofsleiten" is made 100% from the Schiava grape; the wine has a vibrant ruby hue with a hint of nectarine and plum, good acidity and a clean finish. Its round, soft flavors should pair well with hearty scrambles, cured meats, poultry and pork.

Zweigelt:
This is the most popular grape in Austria, and relatively new on the scene, considering it was only invented in 1922 by crossing Blaufrankisch and St. Laurent (2 other reds that could be included on this list). At its best, Zweigelt offers bright floral aromas and exotic spices that are carried across its light-to-medium frame by racy acidity.

ZVY-GELT 09 Zweigelt $10.99 (13% ABV) Made from 10-40 year-old vines, this is a fun, unpretentious wine, featuring strawberry and red cherry flavors. After pressing, the wine is aged in stainless steel and used oak, imparting a wonderful balance between freshness and structure. This is a great choice for pairing with casual weeknight meals like pizza or pasta.

Blends:
Light red blends might be a bit more difficult to identify than single-varietal wines, but they are often worth the extra effort. Especially in Europe, one will find field blends made with light reds that are designed to be enjoyed young. Passetoutgrain is a perfect example. Made from at least ⅓ Pinot Noir and up to ⅔ Gamay, the wine can come from anywhere in Burgundy, but generally hails from the Cote Chalonnaise. Though its quality can vary wildly, a good bottle will offer soft, drinkable fruit and elegant structure, usually at a reasonable price point. Following are a few of our favorite lighter blends for you to enjoy.

Taupenot-Merme 2008 Passetoutgrain $16.99 (12.5% ABV) This is a fresh and fruity blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Gamay from organically-farmed parcels just below Morey-St. Denis. Rich, aromatic and full of fruit, this budget Burgundy will pair with a variety of game and poultry.
Montjovet 10 La Kiuva $17.99 (12.5% ABV) From a tiny co-op in the Valle d'Aoste, this is a light, bright and zippy blend of mostly Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir. Characteristic black cherry and leather flavors meld with an alluring spiciness and refreshing acidity.
Laurent 09 Saint Pourcain Rouge $12.99 (13.5% ABV) From the Allier region in Auvergne, central France, Laurent Saint-Pourcain is an easy-drinking, juicy, earthy wine made of Gamay and Pinot Noir. It is a perfect spring and summer wine, to drink slightly chilled like a Beaujolais with simple dishes like cold cuts and charcuterie.

The Ides of March Meet the Irish Dram

    For me, March is the month to drink whiskey. It's cold, still dark, and often you're just hoping for the lamb to tame the lion. Given the St. Patrick's Day celebrations around town, it's hard not to mix it up with an Irish whiskey. For those of you who have spoken to us about our spirits selection, it's fair to say that we at Heights Chateau appreciate most good whisk(e)ys, with or without an "e". For those of you who love Irish whiskey, the last couple of years have brought many new expressions to New York, including many from the recently sold Cooley Distillery.

+/- The Ides of March Meet the Irish Dram

So what makes an Irish Whiskey Irish? Well, The Irish Whiskey Act of 1980 states:

A) Irish whiskey has to be distilled and aged in only a country with “Ireland” in the name. This means the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

B) The spirit must be distilled to an ABV alcohol by volume level of less than 94.8% from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains (saccharified by the diastase of malt contained therein, with or without other natural diastases) in a way that the distillate has an aroma and flavour derived from the materials used.

C) The product must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks. There are no further requirements for the casks used.

D) If the spirits comprise a blend of two or more such distillates, the product is referred to as a "blended" Irish whiskey.



What about drinking Irish-owned? Although none of the distilleries in Ireland are currently (since December) Irish-owned, there still are a number of independent blended Irish whiskey brands, including Tullamore Dew. We are anxiously awaiting the cask strength of Red Breast 12 YR. Also, Tullamore Dew will be releasing a higher-end expression in the United States, but unfortunately not in time for your St. Patrick’s Day festivities.



Whether you’re toasting to Paddy, Caesar, or rites of Spring, stop by Heights Chateau to try Tara’s Top Five Irish Drams (in no particular order):

Knappogue 17YR Single Malt Irish Whiskey 750 ml | $89.99 | Knappogue Castle (pronounced nah-POGUE) is a small Irish whiskey named for a 15th-century castle in County Clare. Knappogue has created a new 17-year-old expression, aged in Bourbon barrels for 15 years, plus another 21 months in Oloroso Sherry casks, for a total of 17 years in “twin” wood. Soft, fruity with hints of Christmas spice, oranges and nutmeg. Like most Irish whiskeys, it is triple-distilled, not artificially colored and only slightly chill-filtered (Chill-filtering is a process by which whiskey is refrigerated to isolate certain fatty compounds, which are then strained out. It is a cosmetic process to prevent clouding during shipping.) 4,500 bottles produced. 80 Proof. Please Note: I believe chill-filtration does change the flavor of whisk(e)ys that use this technique. - Tara
Paddy Irish Whiskey | 1L | $35.99 | Finally available in the States, Paddy is a light and balanced Irish Whiskey. Paddy Whiskey was first produced by the Cork Distilleries Company in 1779 and was originally known as Cork Distillery Company Old Irish Whiskey. Made at the Jameson distillery in Midleton, Paddy whiskey is distilled three times and matured in oak casks for up to seven years.It has a high malt content in its blend compared to other Irish whiskeys. 80 Proof. It is Matthew’s favorite Irish Whiskey.
Greenore Single Grain 15YR Irish Whiskey | 750 ml | $105.99 | Produced at the Cooley Distillery (recently purchased by Beam), Greenore is a single-grain Irish whiskey aged 15 years in Bourbon casks. Greenore is made with only corn, and then aged in first-fill Bourbon casks. Greenore is found with several age statements and the 15 YR release is relatively rare (5,000 bottles made.)
The Irishman “The Original Clan” Irish Whiskey | 1 L | $28.99 | Created by Bernard and Rosemary Walsh (conveniently pictured on the back of the bottle), this pot still whiskey is 70% malt. Soft, balanced with flavors of spice and dried fruits, it is easy drinking at a good price for all your Paddy Day adventures. 80 Proof.
Bushmills Malt 16YR | 750 ml | $72.99 | Bushmills 16 YR is one of the most interesting mainstream Irish whiskeys currently available. It's matured in three different types of casks, first in traditional Bourbon barrels, then in Sherry butts and finally in Port pipes. It is amber to brown in color with a lovely nose of fruits, apple, orange and some vanilla. On the palate there is cocoa, fruit, and some spiciness. YUM. 80 Proof.

Port and Cold Weather, Perfect Together

    Which is not to say that Port can't be enjoyed fittingly at any other time of the year. And maybe we've been a bit culturally brainwashed by all those literary and cinematic depictions of the decanter of Port on the sideboard and a raging fire in the fireplace. Still, there's no denying that a glass of Port suffuses the lucky imbiber with a delicious sense of warmth and well-being that is most welcome on a cold winter night.

+/- Port and Cold Weather, Perfect Together

The Romance, the Ritual
There are any number of charming, even romantic traditions associated with drinking Port. The first has to do with opening the bottle, and the recommended method (which, I confess, I have never witnessed) is a bit more dramatic than simply pulling out the cork. For this exercise you need a special pair of tongs which are heated until they are bright cherry-red, then applied to the neck of the bottle and held there until the glow is gone; remove the tongs, then put a wet rag on the neck and, with a sharp twist, remove the neck of the bottle. Not terribly practical, but good entertainment for the guests at your next dinner party!

Then there is the practice of passing the Port decanter round the dinner table, always to the left, which I will let British wine writer Geoffrey Robertson describe: "The host, after pouring a very small quantity into his own glass first, is allowed to serve the lady on his right and left, so long as the decanter or bottle does not leave his hand. The decanter is then passed on to the left, the gentleman usually serving the lady as sometimes the decanters are very heavy. Should the decanter stop too long at someone's elbow, a gentle reminder from the thirstier guests, such as 'Mr. X, your "passport" is out of order,' or 'do you know the bishop of so-and-so, he never passed the Port,' will cause the wine to be circulated again, as no glass should ever be left empty. Another well known cry of despair is 'please polish the table,' as usually the bottom of the coaster is covered in green baize, and the host will then explain that the table is only polished properly when the Port is pushed round in its coaster regularly." Nobody seems to know the origin of this custom — some suggest the Royal Navy, where, of course, "port" means "left" — but the simple explanation probably lies in the fact that most people are right-handed and it is easier for them to pass wine that way.

The third custom has nothing to do with romance and everything to do with practicality, the custom of decanting vintage Port. Vintage Port, as it ages in bottle, throws off a significant amount of (often chunky) sediment, quite tannic and bitter in character, not what you want to find in your post-prandial glass of cheer. To eliminate the sediment, you should pass the wine through very finely textured cheesecloth set in a funnel or coffee-filter holder (and be careful to buy untreated cheesecloth, as some of what is in the marketplace is intended for waxing your car). A recent dinner guest, feeling that bringing wine to our house was equivalent to bringing the proverbial coals to Newcastle, offered instead a bottle from his cellar of 1985 vintage Port; he wisely (and courteously) decanted the bottle at home, rinsed out the original bottle and replaced the wine, as to have done otherwise would have risked reintegrating the sediment with the wine.

What Makes Port "Port"?
Or, more properly, what makes it "Oporto," after the city in which it originates, the name of "Port" (like that of "Champagne") having long ago been traduced by pathetic imitators. Port starts out like any other blended red wine; but well before all the natural sugars in the grapes have had the chance to convert to alcohol the winemaker adds brandy to the wine, thus at the same time stopping the fermentation process, leaving natural residual sugar in the wine, and significantly bolstering the level of alcohol. Tom Stevenson, another of my favorite Brit wine writers, narrates (and simultaneously explains the long-standing English connection): "In 1678, two Englishmen were sent by a Liverpool wine merchant to Viana do Castello, north of Oporto, to learn the wine trade. Holidaying up the River Douro, they were regally entertained by the Abbot of Lamego. Finding his wine 'very agreeable, sweetish, and extremely smooth,' they asked what made it exceptional among all others tasted on their journey. The Abbot confessed to doctoring the wine with brandy, but the Englishmen were so pleased with the result this had that they purchased the entire stock and shipped it home."

The Sweetness Issue
I got hooked on Port a long time ago, and it was my (mis)fortune that my first experience with it was with one of the latter-day classics, the 1963 Quinta do Noval. It was then that I started referring to Port as the adult's lollipop. I think one reason Port is not as widely appreciated in this country as it should be is that many of us still suffer from a misguided idea of a sophisticated palate, namely "dry is good, sweet is bad." Yes, Port is sweet, given how it is made, but it is a natural sweetness, and it has a place at the savory end of the food-pairing line as well. True, it's not for diabetics, but for the rest of us, in reasonable amounts, it is a delicious indulgence; in fact, forget the sweet dessert and bring out some ripe Stilton, some salted almonds, and the Port.

It's Not as Complicated as It Looks
I think the other problem for Port acceptance could well be the language of the label; it can seem a bit intimidating, especially when the "language" in question is in Portuguese. So let's conclude with a very brief "language" lesson. If I am advising someone wanting to buy a Port I tend to start at the most basic level by asking for a stylistic preference: "fruity" or "nutty"? The answer to "fruity" is Ruby Port, while the answer to "nutty" is Tawny Port. Every Port house makes a Ruby and a Tawny as its entry-level wines, and we move up from there in degrees of complexity, so here goes:

Ruby Port  a young Port bottled after two or three years in bulk (probably cement or stainless steel)
Tawny Port: Ruby's cousin, made lighter or browner usually by the addition of some white Port (which was made in the traditional way, but with white grapes)
LBV Port :  which stands for "late bottled vintage," ruby from a single year, bottled after four to six years of ageing
Aged Tawny :  usually marked 10-year, 20-year, etc...light, tawny-colored Port which attained its color not through the addition of white Port but rather through extensive ageing in wood barrel for the number of years indicated
Colheita :  a blend of tawny Ports from a single vintage aged several years in wood
True Vintage Port :  Port from a single vintage, bottled after only two or three years in cask, then left to mature in bottle in the consumer's own cellars
True Vintage Port represents a mere 1% of all Port produced and is made/offered only in years when all the Port houses agree that the vintage in question was good enough to warrant them "declaring" it a vintage year
Single Quinta Vintage Port :  called "poor man's vintage Port," produced from a single wine farm from a year not "declared" as a vintage, a way of experiencing the style of vintage Port without having to pay as much or wait as long
Crusted Port :  a blend of different years, bottled early without filtration so that it matures in the bottle and has a heavy sediment

Now that you understand the different style of Port it's time to find out which style you prefer. Going back to the original "fruity/nutty" characterization, let's organize a Port Party; invite a few friends over and open a bottle each of a good Ruby and Tawny from the same producer... the differences will be obvious, and so should your preferences. Then you can move up the ladder a bit, as per the following recommendations.

Ruby Port by Sandeman  16.99 each Tawny Port by Sandeman 16.99 each Ruby Port by Quinta do Infantado  16.99 each Tawny Port by Quinta do Infantado 16.99 each Noval NV Noval Black (in the "ruby" direction) a new style of Port, big, rich and seductive with elegant fruit flavors that lead to a nice touch of spice 19.99 Churchills 03 LBV (in the "nutty" direction) spends four years in oak before bottling, resulting in a lush, medium-bodied Port with concentrated and balanced dark fruit flavors complemented by a hints tobacco and leather  29.99