WINE MYTHS and LEGENDS

March 13th, 2013 by Leonard Logan

Wine, Myths and Legends 2013
Leonard G. Logan, Jr.
Proprietor – Elizabeth’s Café & Winery

A Myth: “You should only drink white wine with fish”
Not true.
The concept of drinking white wine with fish began as a food pairing with oily fish. The sharp acidity of some white wines were a perfect match with the fish instead of using lemon juice to cut the oil. Now, remember, there are three ingredients that tend to kill the taste of wine and result in a yuckie food pairing – these are vinegar, salt and lemon. Accordingly, don’t use lemon (if provided by a restaurant) with your fish if you are drinking a crisp white wine as an accompanying beverage. The wine alone will be the perfect pairing.
Innumerable dinners have discovered the joy of drinking red wine with fish. A seared tuna goes great with a red burgundy which is a Pinot Noir. There are no magic hard and fast rules – if you like it go with it.

MYTH: “Wine is only for special occasions.”
True and false – Wine is a wonderful accompaniment for special occasions. However, wine is merely a food and shouldn’t be limited to an occasional drinking at Special times. Wine consumption has taken on a certain snobbism in some places which is unfortunate. Folks, Wine is food – it is grape juice albeit a really good grape juice. It is made to be enjoyed with food in the company of lovers and friends. Accordingly, it may be consumed at most meals and enjoyed at gatherings. New studies are being released almost weekly touting the health benefits of reasonable wine consumption.

MYTH: “Champagne is only for special occasions.”
See above and fo Champagne, I defer to Madame Bollinger who responded when asked if she drank Champagne:
“I only drink Champagne when I’m happy, and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty.”

MYTH : “White wine should be served cold and red wines served at room temperature.”
We are often asked questions about serving temperature for our wines.
As a general rule in this country most restaurants and people serve white wines too cold and red wines too warm. Our perception of a wines taste is affected by the temperature. We taste by our tongue only sweet, sour, salt, bitter, and unami. The real taste of wine and food is obtained from vapors that reach the upper nasal cavity by inhaling or from vapors rising from behind the palate after swallowing.
A very cold wine will release few flavor vapors. At 60 to 65 degrees most wines are capable of releasing their full flavor components. As a wine is chilled it tastes crisper, fruitier and drier but looses fullness and complexity. Above 65 degrees ethyl alcohol is released and as a wine warms the alcohol dilutes the flavor components and numbs the nerves.
Most home refrigerators are chilled to approximately 38 degrees to keep milk icy cold. Only the poorest jug wines should be served directly from a home refrigerator. These wines have little complexity or acidity and cold makes them appear crisp and thirst quenching while at the same time hiding their flaws.
White Wine – An outstanding rich and complex Chardonnay will release best flavors between 50 and 60 degrees. For those used to wines served palate numbing directly from the refrigerator our wines may appear “warm.” However, each wine has an ideal temperature which enhances the complexity of the wine while at the same time maintaining a refreshing tartness. We attempt to serve wines at Elizabeth’s as close as possible to this ideal temperature. Rieslings, Chenin Blanc’s, and some other white wines are meant to be served colder. We serve these wines and our wines by the glass at a cooler temperature.
Champagne should be served cold at approximately 45 degrees.
Red Wines – From the earliest days Red Wines were served directly from the wine cellar at “Room Temperature”. However, “Room Temperature” in days of castles and manor houses with wine cellars is not remotely similar to our present day central heat pump homes and restaurants. The term “room temperature” means 60 to 65 degrees to most wine makers. Our storage system enables us to serve Red Wines at this recommended “room temperature”.

“Some wine hints”
A good wine is a wine you like – if you don’t like a wine it is not a good wine for your palate.

Life is too short to drink bad wine.
The Croaker Society has the right idea – don’t die with any good wines in your cellar.
More and more medical studies are showing the benefits of both red and white wine consumption.
Don’t cook with any wine you wouldn’t drink – even better drink good wine when you cook.
When in doubt about how to pair food with wine – add some of the wine you will be drinking to the sauce you are preparing – it will help the pairing.
Wines release endorphins, assist in digestion, have proven medical benefits, is a benefit to camaraderie, and does not generally defuse intelligent conversation. (Liquor inhibits our palate and correspondingly the enjoyment of food – and often reduces intelligent conversation to babble. However, an Irish Coffee or cognac sure is enjoyable after a meal.)
I learned that not all great wines need to be drunk in a restaurant or a formal setting: try a bottle of Duckhorn Merlot in the little gazebo behind the Williamsburg Inn overlooking a Duck Pond; chill a bottle of Château dÝquem in a babbling brook or stream and enjoy it on a misty day sitting on a rock pairing it with homemade coconut macaroons; enjoy a great bottle of Champagne in an outdoor hot tub chilling the Champagne in the snow; try a bottle of Bollinger Grand Anne for breakfast in a house with a mountain view; try a bottle of great Champagne with someone you love -anywhere with anything – be bold.
Try champagne with pizza.
Try Champagne with almost anything at any time.
Sneak a bottle of Champagne and 2 glasses into a movie theater in the off season and enjoy with popcorn and chocolate covered almonds.
Learn how to open Champagne without a “pop” – but rather a contented sigh. It is the proper method and also permits you to open a bottle in a movie theater.
Refuse to purchase any wine from a New York or California winery which calls their sparkling “Champagne”, their red “Burgundy” or offer a “Chablis.”(For those new readers – almost every nation signed an accord that prohibits other nations selling wine labeled with French villages or local names.)
Men – become aware that more and more some of the great wines in the world are being made by Women Winemakers.
Women – recognize that you generally have more taste buds and accordingly a better palate than most men. Select a wine you like because for you – you are right.
Do not accept mediocrity in people- food – wine – or yourself.
Wine education is one of the few learning endeavors where you are ahead of the teacher – you know what you like.
Women – if you are with a man who buys cheap wine or doesn’t tip – dump him.
Buy a really great bottle of Wine – save it and nurture it, turning it every quarter- keeping it at a proper temperature and humidity. And then when ready – share it with special friends who appreciate the fantastic nose and exquisite body of this delightful creation. Wine is created to be shared with appreciative friends – not drunk alone.
It is better to share a good bottle of wine than to drink a world class one-of-a-kind wine alone in a closet.
If you like a wine – it is a good wine. If you don’t like a wine – then the wine is not a good wine for your palate regardless of its ratings or what other people say about the wine.
There are no wrong answers concerning wine – your individual palate controls what you taste. But, practice with good wine educates your palate.
Santé from Leonard

Fall Wines

July 27th, 2012 by Leonard Logan

THE WINE GUY
Fall Wines
This is a continuation of our series of articles- “Wines for the Season”. Previously, we discussed summer wines featuring wines with acidity which would be refreshing on a summer day with light summer fare. In fall and winter food choices tend to include roasted meats and heavier foods. As always the perfect wine is a wine you enjoy with the food you are eating and is an enjoyment to be shared. We will continue to concentrate on a few varietals giving some examples of wines released which show some of the variety of flavors of wines from certain varietals .
Wines that tend to go well with fall and winter foods are generally round or full bodied wines (mellow and balanced on the palate). Some are fruit forward, some mellow and others tannic. These wines are generally red, however, there are several exceptional white wines that can meet these criteria.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The most successful red grapes grown in California are Cabernet Sauvignons. Almost all California Cabernets are dry and vary in style from light to full-bodied. Younger Cabernet Sauvignons tend to be more tannic needing bottle aging. If the label describes the wine as cabernet sauvignon, there must be 75 percent of that wine in the bottle. This means that there can be 24 percent other wines in a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. Other grapes are often blended with cabernet sauvignon to increase complexity, mellow the tannins, and for numerous other considerations at the discretion of the wine maker. Example wines:

Dyer Vineyards 2006 Napa, Diamond Mountain District Cabernet Sauvignon , $95.00
Candied cherry nose with hints of eucalyptus. Big tannins, earthy and black fruit on the palate. Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot blend. Staff Tasting
Clark-Claudon 2006 Howell Mountain Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $90.00
A tradition continues- Leonard’s Favorite Wine we featured last year is back with a new vintage. Cedar, chocolate, dark fruit, leather, nice tart tannins. Only 350 cases made. Staff Tasting
Elyse 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Mirisoli Vineyard $85.00
Nose of ripe and dried fruit, cherry, Christmas spice, blackberry and violet. A full-bodied wine with tastes of leather, dark fruit, with big tannins.. Staff Tasting
Gabrielle Collection 2008 Juxta Position Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $60.00
75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Syrah. Red plum nose, black current flavors hints of toast. . Aged 20 months in medium toast French oak. Soft elegant tannins. Smoky with lots of juicy berry flavors. Silky smooth. Staff Tasting
Fuse 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $50.00
Red wine with crimson tints with a pleasant dark cherry spice nose. Pungent flavors of pepper, cloves, cinnamon in a dry bodied wine with a long finish. Tobacco notes, black fruit with a chocolate meaty mouthfeel. 25% Syrah, 75% Cabernet Sauvignon. . Staff Tasting
Montes Alpha M 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Apalata Vineyard Chile $35.00
A purple brick red wine from a single vineyard. 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, softer tannins, blue fruit, cherry, coffee, chocolate, a soft body. “Yummy”. Staff Tasting
Goyette 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $30.00
Made by winemaker Robert Goyette. A nose of ripe blueberry. Blueberry pie, conditioned leather, vanilla and lilac flavors. Staff Tasting Hyatt 2008 Rattlesnake Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Washington Estate Grown $20.00
Jammy blueberry and black cherry with chocolate notes. A full-bodied wine. . Staff Tasting
Kaiken 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Argentina $20.00
Bright cherry and raspberry nose. Cherry chocolate soft and bright. Forward fruit with hint of oak. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Malbec. “Kaiken” is a wild goose from Patagonia. Medium tannins. Staff Tasting

Merlot
Merlot in French means young blackbird probably because of the grape’s beautiful dark-blue color. Merlot Noir is commonly referred to simply as Merlot. Merlot is the primary grape of the famous Pomerol and Saint-Émilion regions of France and one of two major grapes of Bordeaux (the other being Cabernet Sauvignon.). Merlot has long been identified as a blending grape which, when added to Cabernet Sauvignon, produces a wine which is smoother, less tannic and ready to drink. Merlot wines are generally less tannic, rounder and more supple than Cabernet Sauvignon and generally do not age as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. However, this being said, Merlot by itself is the predominate grape for the most expensive and most highly regarded red wine in the world, Château Pétrus, which requires long aging before reaching its potential. Example wines:
Ferrari-Carano 2008 Sonoma Merlot $35.00
Complex with luscious cherry aromas. Spice, black pepper, chocolate and caramel with a silky finish. Staff Tasting
Clos Saint-Vincent 2007 Saint Emilion Grand Cru $65.00
Nose of blackberry, blueberry and smokey notes. Aged 12 months in French oak. Light but full flavored. Silky and elegant texture. Finishes a little tart. We loved this. 60 % merlot. 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc. Staff Tasting

Meritage or blended wine
The wines of Bordeaux are pre-dominately a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot with added varietals – Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere. This is the Bordeaux Blend. In the United States a wine that does not have a sufficient percentage of a wine to be on the label is called a red table wine. This term didn’t excite the consumer who was spending a considerable sum for the wine. A number of wine makers held a contest to name a California wine that was a Bordeaux Blend. The winning name was “Meritage.” This term rhymes with heritage. Not all blends are called Meritage, as there is a substantial fee for a winery to join the Meritage Association. Example wines:
-
Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006 Columbia Crest Meritage$59.00
A vegetal nose of green pepper, cocoa, coffee, thyme and black cherry. Blend of Classic Bordeaux varietals. Berry sweet finish, good solid tannins with a leathery finish. We really liked this.. Staff Tasting

The Sum, The Seventy Five Wine Company, 2008 California Red wine. $ 40.00
Made by our friend Andy Beckstoffer’s son, Tuck, 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Petit Syrah, 10% Syrah. Black cherry, deep bitter chocolate chocolate nose. Dark deep chocolate with raspberry flavors. Staff Tasting
Pinot Noir
Considered one of the most difficult grapes to grow and make into wine, Pinot Noir is the red wine of Burgundy, having been grown there for over 2,000 years. There are two basic Pinot Noir concepts- A California style which is generally bigger and more intense and a Burgundian style which includes most of Oregon’s Pinot Noirs – softer and more complex,.

Seri Wines 2007 Mendocino Ridge Pinot Noir $32.00
A nose of spicy, black cherry and tobacco. Fresh on the palate with smoky and floral notes. A big wine with good medium tannins. Staff Tasting ..

Saintsbury 2007 Stanly Ranch Carneros Pinot Noir $55.00
A full bodied wine with dark fruit – blueberry- character made from mostly Pommard and Dijon clones. This wine displays a smoky plum nose with notes of dried herbs and a plump mid-palate of dark cherries and blackberries. It posses a long, rich finish with good acid structure and fine tannins. Tasting

Stoller 2007 JV Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, Oregon $30.00
Cherry and jammy berry with notes of leather and spice. Balanced.
Belle Glos 2009 Las Alturas Vineyard Monterey County Pinot Noir $65.00
Dark cherry, blackberry and other dark fruits. Tannic and some heat on the dusty finish . Staff Tasting

Sequanna 2008 Pinot Noir Green Valley of Russian River Sundawg Ridge Vineyard $79.00
Big oak, toasty, caramel. A big mouthfeel with a beginning sweetish start ending in a slightly tart finish with tea and toast notes. Made in 100% French oak with 35 of the barrels being new oak. A difficult to find wine. Staff Tasting

Zinfandel
This grape is considered California’s red-wine Grape. It is not grown widely in other parts of the world. The origins of the grape are disputed. The initial vines were brought to California by Agoston Haraszthy who has been called the father of California Wine. The origin is believed to be from the Italian Primitivo grown in the Puglia region. Although Zinfandel gained some notoriety with the production of White Zinfandel (a beginner cool-aide wine which we do not stock), the Red Zinfandel can produce robust reds with berrylike, spicy flavors with plenty of tannins and the depth, complexity and longevity to compare with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Malbec
A French red wine grape grown in Bordeaux as a blending grape for the Bordeaux Blend. It has been planted and adapted well in Argentina.

Pascual Toso Reserve 2008 Mendoza Argentina Malbec $35.00
Flashy, Ruby colored wine with fig, raspberry ganache, licorice and mocha notes weaving through a fleshy, rounded palate. The long finish lets the fruit pump through. Drink now. 15,000 cases imported. 100% oak aged in French and American Barrels. Black fruit, mocha and cocoa flavors. Bold and deep. 80 year old vines. Staff Tasting

Norton 2007 Privada, Mandoza Argentina. $35.00
40% Malbec, 30% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruit of blackberry, blueberry and raspberry. A toasty wine with medium tannins. Staff Tasting
Keep a wine journal to record wines you like. Ask your wine purveyor or wine shop friends for recommendations. A few local wine shops sponsor tastings that provide an opportunity to taste a number of wines. Or visit a restaurant that offers wine tasting flights and discover wines you like. We have wine tasting in the day and offer wine dinners nightly.
Lastly drink a full glass of water for every glass of wine you consume. You will thank me for that tip the morning after.
Enjoy your Fall.
The Wine Guy, Leonard Logan, a wine judge and lecturer is the proprietor of Elizabeth’s Café in Duck. His blog, The Wine Guy, is available at Elizabethcafe.com send questions and comments to elizcafe@charter.net.

Wine Sale Fri and Sat Nov 26 & 27

November 17th, 2010 by Leonard Logan

Elizabeth’s Café & Winery
Elizabethscafe.com
elizcafe@charter. Net
Duck, North Carolina

ANNUAL FALL SALE

This year we are offering a wide range of collectable wines.
Offered ONLY Friday and Saturday November 26 and 27
Noon until 4:00

Tastings for bottle and case sales
Pre-Priced Tables of wine
Light Snacks Read the rest of this entry »

Thanksgiving Feast 2010

November 12th, 2010 by Jason Hibbets

Going to be on the Outer Banks this Thanksgiving? Are you looking for a place with incredible food, wine, and art? Elizabeth’s Cafe has over 20 years of experience serving our cooked-to-order Thanksgiving feast.

Join us for a Thanksgiving Feast on Thursday, November 25, 2010. Seatings at 1:00, 4:00, and 7:30 pm.

See our Thanksgiving Day menu and make your reservations today, by calling (252) 261-6145.

Curious about what’s on the menu? See some of the wine we’ll be serving and menu items we’re prepping in the kitchen: Read the rest of this entry »

Wine Closures, bottles and wine historical facts

September 10th, 2010 by Leonard Logan

Wine closures, bottles and interesting wine historical facts.

I began this article by studying the origin of wine- which may have been in Mesopotamia.. There is evidence of wine from 5400 BC. As I researched writings for this article I went far afield discovering interesting historical facts. A full discussion of the origin of wine would take an entire volume at least. –“Too long”, says my editor, so we will look at bottles, closures and a few wine facts.. Read the rest of this entry »

Memories

September 10th, 2010 by Leonard Logan

THE WINE GUY- Memories

I was going to write an article responding to some quotes in The New York Times and other newspapers that “Fine Dining was dead”. This I don’t believe. However, there are various levels of “fine dining.” If you mean the pretentious fake French speaking waiters who mispronounce “Meritage” the American word for Claret or Bordeaux blend made in California, and who look down on their guests as if they were unworthy to dine in their fine dining restaurant- then I say Good Riddance. But if they mean a non-pretentious restaurant that has exceptional servers well trained in the art of food and wine pairing serving the freshest ingredients available at reasonable prices- then I say they are wrong. And the number of guests returning to Elizabeth’s year after year would also agree.

It is amazing how much our senses key our memories. Can you remember the first Read the rest of this entry »

Summer Wines

September 10th, 2010 by Leonard Logan

THE WINE GUY May 2010

Summer Wines

You are sitting outside on a deck enjoying an Outer Banks summer breeze and you want a refreshing glass of wine. Remember back when you were little and how good a glass of lemonade tasted during a hot summer day? The primary reason was because of its refreshing acidity.

It is fairly easy to answer the question, ”What wines are best in summer? “ It is a wine you find refreshing and drinking it is an enjoyment to be shared. Read the rest of this entry »

Are Inexpensive Wines Worth the price?

April 24th, 2010 by Leonard Logan

THE WINE GUY
I conclude all of my wine tasting seminars with the following comment: “If you like a wine it is a good wine, if you don’t like a wine it is not a good wine for your pallet-regardless of what scores the wines have received from magazines, professional wine writers and shelf talkers.

Recently, a guest at Elizabeth’s Café declined the offer of an Oregon Pinot Noir on our nightly wine dinner expressing that she “hated Pinot Noir”. She found Pinot Noir “harsh and not at all velvety smooth“as I described the wine in our wine book. In response to my questions she said that she had drunk French Pinot Noir often and just doesn’t like it. Unfortunately, she and a number of beginning wine drinkers were lured into the inexpensive wine section and drank a wine that was called pinot noir but didn’t show true varietal characteristics. This is not unusual. Read the rest of this entry »

Is Wine A Good Investment?

April 24th, 2010 by Leonard Logan

THE WINE GUY- IS WINE A GOOD INVESTMENT?
During these difficult economic times investment gurus are discussing in economic and trade magazines different ways to make money and recommending wise investments. One direction they are pointing is investing in fine wine.

For the past twenty years I have been asked if acquiring Wine is a good investment. The economic magazines are now beginning to write about the advantages of investing in wine explaining their interest with statistics that wine has appreciated more than almost anything- – fine art, stocks, bonds,, precious metals,. Decanter.com has reported that fine wine has outperformed stock indexes in Britain and the United States.

It is apparent this would be a perfect time to explore wine as an investment. Read the rest of this entry »

New Year’s Eve Celebration – December 31, 2009

December 19th, 2009 by Jason Hibbets

On New Year’s Eve, Elizabeth’s turns 21. It is hard to believe that Elizabeth’s has been featuring food and wine pairing dinners for twenty full years. Elizabeth’s began as a wine-friendly restaurant concept from opening night and was one of the first restaurants in North Carolina to prohibit smoking inside the restaurant–which was not as popular then as it is now.  The philosophy has been to select wines first and then create pairing food utilizing the best and freshest ingredients available.

Elizabeth’s always does something special for New Year’s Eve. This year, there are two seating times available, 7:15 PM and 8:30 PM. The entire restaurant will ring in the New Year with a toast. Enjoy Perrier Jouët  Brut Champagne, noise makers, and stupid hats at midnight.

See our New Year’s Eve menu’s and make your reservations before it’s too late by calling (252) 261-6145.

Happy New Year!