Trader Joe’s Wines: Winners and Losers

With Chef Janet Ebright churning out one fabulous dish after another, our Cooking with Class spring dinner and tasting of Trader Joe’s wines was a home run. Not that I wasn’t a bit nervous about it beforehand, because I was.

The quality:price value of the Friexenet Cordon Negro Cava is tough to beat.

The source of my jitters: all the empties plonked down behind the school’s demonstration kitchen, most of which were the TJ wines that didn’t make the cut. It wasn’t a pretty sight. Night after night and with high hopes, my co-tasters and I had tasted through all of them, kissing a lot of frogs. Finding bottles on a budget that would be worthy of Chef Janet’s food and effort, and that would uphold my wine cred, turned out to be tougher than I thought.

Undaunted, we found wine redemption, charging through the TJ aisles to find these five winners you too might want to try or share proudly with friends.

We began with bubbles, of course, giving the value nod to the Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava. Housed in a classy frosted black bottle, this Spanish sparkler – made in the traditional style used in Champagne but with native Spanish grapes – pours with a fine mousse, delivering refreshing citrus and peach flavors with a hint of nuts and flowers. Paired with the mixed charcuterie platter that had everyone abuzz, this lovely bubbly makes a perky partner for other appetizers and light dishes (tempura is especially divine). It flies solo too, a fitting companion for the warm days ahead. For only $8, it will beautify your table any day of the week or, at this price, you might find yourself reaching for it all week long.

This taste of Latour delivers at Trader Joe's.

Next, we uncorked the Maison Louis Latour 2013 Grand Ardèche Chardonnay, a $9 steal that often sells for two or three times as much. Diners who were not fans of Chardonnay were instead asking for another taste of this juice. Medium in body, the Grand Ardèche has lovely balance with citrus and apple fruit, a touch of oak and bracing acidity. Try it in honor of the recently passed Louis Latour, who ran the tenth-generation company from 1958–1998, the sixth Latour named Louis to do so. He saw the promise of the warm Ardèche region south of Beaune, where he expanded the business and built a winemaking facility in 1986. Merci, Monsieur Latour.

The third course was accompanied by two reds: the Château Roudier 2010

Montagne-Saint-Emilion and TJ’s own, the Trader Joe’s Reserve 2013 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Lot #71.

 These two bottlings brought big smiles to the red wine lovers. 

Whoa, you might wonder at first, good 2010 Right Bank Bordeaux at TJ’s? And what, for $13? Yup. Though lacking the conversation-stopping complexity of pricier Bordeaux, the Château Roudier allows you to experience one of the best Bordeaux vintages in the past 20 years at an everyday price. The wine shows characteristic Saint-Emilion dark, plummy fruit with cassis flavors and a velvety texture. Drink this one now and over the next 1–5 years with a grilled steak or, at this price, your favorite hamburger, pizza or steak sandwich.

The second red for the main course was just as popular as the Château Roudier, if not more – Trader Joe’s Reserve 2013 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Lot #71, one of TJ’s new tiers of wine. Medium in body, this Zin had plenty of Zinny character without the harshness and raisiny overripe fruit often found in low-priced bottlings.

To finish with a perfect ending, Chef Janet dazzled everyone with a luscious dessert that featured different elements that all go well with Port – walnuts, blue cheese (Gorgonzola, in this case), pears and chocolate.

Try this affordable and thoroughly enjoyable introduction to Port, the Noval Black.

The final tasting treat was the Noval Black Porto, an absolutely lip-smacking Port in the fresh and fruity ruby style. Much like the ‘I don’t like Chardonnay’ drinkers who were clamoring for more of the Grand Ardèche, the non-Port drinkers were dumbstruck to have found a new drinking buddy, especially for only $15, nearly half of the usual retail price. Housed in a slick black box, this wine, like the Cava, makes a terrific gift. Just remember to keep your opened, tightly corked bottle in the frig at home and nurse it to emptiness over the course of a week or two.

An honorable mention must go to one of my TJ favorites that wasn’t in the tasting but easily could have been: the Marques de Caceres 2014 rosé from La Rioja. This fruity Tempranillo-based beauty is a must-buy every vintage. With its screwcap and a $7 price tag, you can savor a taste of springtime all year long.

In the next installment, we’ll discuss TJ’s new tiers of wine and offer a few conclusions. Meanwhile, let us know your favorite TJ wines in the comments section. No slams, please.

Lastly, join us for our last food and wine pairing dinner of the season on Saturday, May 21^st starting at 6 pm. Even though it won’t be Trader Joe’s, you can be assured of going home happy, well-fed and juiced about your evening’s food and wine adventure.

Morgan Wines, Morgan Memories

Last month's tasting of Morgan Winery wines at Cuistot brought back memories of Doug Arango's restaurant on El Paseo. The wine list at Dougie's, as regulars nicknamed the spot, always featured a special wine or winery whose story was captured in detailed tasting notes. Ho-hum, perhaps to today's dining crowd, yet these specials helped set the eatery apart, particularly for diners who sought a more citified wine experience in those years. Besides exciting wines, the menu was eclectic and the vibe was a grounded kind of cool, paced by a small group of young, spirited partners. In all, Doug Arango's had the right stuff to become a sentinel 1990s hangout during Palm Desert's early foodification.

Carin and Dan Morgan Lee pour at Cuistot

It was at Dougie's that I tasted my first Morgan wines. Like the restaurant, those Central Coast wines had an exotic, individualist beat of their own. Twenty years later, I still reach for Morgan to reconnect with the magic of Santa Lucia Highlands winemaking.

Unlike warm and sunny Napa to the north, the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation contends with chilly Monterey Bay. As afternoon temperatures climb in the southern part of the Salinas River Valley, rising hot air draws cooling winds off the Bay. Nighttime brings a blanketing layer of fog to the vineyards, a form of natural air conditioning that helps lengthen the ripening season. The extended hang time allows grapes to reach a trifecta of acid retention, sugar development and phenolic maturation of complex flavor and texture compounds. In the glass, this translates into food-friendly, terroir-driven wines with rich textures, elegant flavors and savory fruit in balance with depth and structure.

The affable Dan Lee poured wines from his organically farmed Double L vineyard, so-named for Dan and wife Donna's double-luck blessing of twin daughters. Luscious and toasty, the 2010 Double L Chardonnay is big sister to the breezier, citrus-inflected 2010 Highland Chardonnay. Together, these wines could easily bookend a meal that begins with pasta, seafood or a white meat dish (Highland) followed by a richer seafood, poultry or meat course (Double L). If you've never had Chardonnay with steak, the Double L is up to the task.

Morgan's reds led with Cote du Crow's, a perennial favorite. Grapes for the 2010 blend of 55% Syrah and 45% Grenache are grown in warmer parts of Monterey County, producing a medium-bodied wine enlivened by spiced dark berry flavors scented by violets.

Judging from reactions of tasters crowding the Cuistot patio, the two Morgan Pinot Noir bottlings registered as hits. The 2011 Twelve Clones, named for the range of original plantings at Morgan's Double L vineyard, showed power and finesse, all dark cherry and blackberry flavors laced by an earthy, mineral streak. Fruit from the heralded Double L vineyard comprise 45% of the vintage blend.

Last came the steak Pinot. If your inner carnivore couldn't abide the Double L Chardonnay working with steak, the 2011 Double L Vineyard Pinot Noir is poised to challenge your thinking about food pairings for Pinot. Hefty yet balanced, this wine shows how brawny SLH Pinot can be, with layers of truffled black cherry fruit, smoke and spice. Give this one some time to tame those tannins and then let it show its grace and muscle alongside a robust dish.

Find Morgan wines at Los Angeles Wine Company in Palm Desert and occasionally at Cost Plus World Market in La Quinta. Prices start around $15 for the Cotes du Crow's and can head north of $40 for the Double L Pinot Noir. All are sure-fire winners that will add an element of class to your next meal or get-together. And, perhaps, stir up your own Morgan memories.

With thanks to Dan, and Dougie's.

2013 Wine Resolutions

Diners' reactions to a preview of wines from the new Cork & Fork Wine Bar menu at Sunday's Cooking with Class wine-pairing dinner told us we're on the right track. The wine bar and restaurant, slated to open later this month next door to the cooking school, will feature boutique wine selections, flights and Chef Andie Hubka's ambitious menu of tasty, wine-friendly delights.

The winning quartet at Sunday's dinner – Le Colture Cruner Prosecco, DOCG, NV; Neil Ellis 2009 Stellenbosch Chardonnay; Januik 2009 Columbia Valley Red and Altocedro 2011 Año Cero Malbec – got me thinking about wine resolutions for the New Year.

In no particular order, here are a few wines I'm eager to taste in 2013, along with wine varieties, styles or regions I'd like to know better.

Try more sparklers. It's true: Bubbles make any get-together a more festive occasion. Plus, they go with foods from lightly breaded and fried goodies to sushi and quiche.

Resolve to try more: Lambrusco, Brachetto d'Acqui and other red sparkling wines, Sekt (sparkling Riesling, bring it on), American sparkling wines. 

Get to know Chardonnay – again. Tastes are changing, and Chardonnays from cooler climates with far less oakiness are tasting better and better.

Get to know more: Central Coast, Pacific Northwest, cooler-climate Australian, South African and New Zealand Chardonnays. And if anyone's pouring more white Burgundy, count me in.

Try more blends. Januik's Merlot blend was layered and provocative. At their best, blends are an alluring mix of balance and intrigue.

Resolve to try more: Bordeaux, Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Cotes du Rhone; super Tuscans, Portugal's white and red blends, Priorat, West Coast American blends.

Get to know more varietal wines. Argentine Malbec is the Shakira of South American wine. With their multicultural roots, both wine and singer have shaken up their respective worlds with unique style and inviting appeal.

Resolve to track down: Less-known Italian reds and whites (Lagrein, Teroldego, Arneis, Fiano); Austrian reds Blaufränkisch and Zweigelt; varietal wines from Greece, Corsica, Loire, Alsace, Sardegna and Sicily.

Did I forget anybody? If so, I'll find a spot for it during the next 363 days.

Catch your own inspiration at our next food and wine dinner on Sunday, January 27. Be sure to make a reservation to savor new flavors at Cork & Fork Wine Bar, too. Share your New Year's wine resolution list for 2013 in the comments section, or post your picks on the Write on Wines Facebook page.

Happy New Year!

Argentina, Part 2: More Than Malbec

It's an exciting time for Argentine winemaking. Despite long shadows cast by Malbec, the country's signature red grape, wines made from other grapes drew nods of approval at a recent tasting. In Part 2, we take a look at Argentine wines from Salta's dizzying high-altitude vineyards to cool, windswept Patagonia. 

Whites

Torrontés

Considered Argentina's signature white variety, this Muscat relative is usually unblended and unoaked. Floral aromatics and a flavor profile of tropical to citrus fruits underscored by minerality make Torrontés irresistible. The grape may excel in Salta, but versions from other regions don't disappoint. Sparkling versions pop with pure delight.

Colomé 2011 Torrontés

Lovely perfume, unoaked. From Calcaquí Valley. $16*

Finca La Linda 2012 Torrontés

From Salta. Floral and delicious. $10

Maipe 2011 Torrontés

From high-elevation Cafayate in Salta. Guava goodness rings in at a slightly higher alcohol (14.5%) than other versions. $10

Just behind Torrontés in white-grape acreage, Chardonnay is finding its place among Argentine whites.

Catena Alta 2010 Chardonnay

This 100% Chardonnay spent 12 to 16 months in mostly new oak. Elegant, with bright pineapple and citrus flavors. $33

Postales del Fin del Mundo 2010 Chardonnay

An excellent value and only lightly oaked, this 100% varietal from Patagonia shows crisp citrus and pear flavors. $12

Urraca 2009 Chardonnay

Shows nice complexity in a more Burgundian style. Aged six months in oak. $18

Sparkling

Chakana Sparkling

From Agrelo in the higher Lujan de Cuyo district of Mendoza. All stainless, half Chardonnay, half Pinot Noir. $19

Deseado 2012

A 100% Torrontés sparkler from Patagonia. A festive wine from Familia Schroeder that sees no oak with 9.5% alcohol and a touch of sweetness. $15

Toso Brut

100% Chardonnay, a Pascual Toso sparkler from Barrancas, Maipù district of Mendoza. Price not available.

Reds

No longer confined to blends, Syrah from Argentina's cooler districts shows minerality and heft with warmer regions yielding more fruit-forward versions.

Pascual Toso Alta Reserve 2007 Syrah

Chewy, 100% Syrah from Barrancas Vineyards in Mendoza's Maipù district. $60

Find value and uncompromising flavor in Argentine Cabernet Sauvignon.

Catena 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon

Aged 12 to 14 months in oak, from Mendoza. Firm, with blackberry and cassis. $20

Pascual Toso 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Made from 100% Cabernet and oak-aged for 12 months. Savory notes with firm acidity. From Barrancas, in Mendoza's Maipù district. $20

Urraca 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Oak aged for 12 months; organic. $20

Other Argentine wines worth your wine dollar include Bonarda, usually made in an easy-drinking and fruity style and Pinot Noir, especially from cooler regions such as Rio Negro in the Patagonian south. 

With world-class winemakers, vast and diverse terroirs, and a strong wine culture rooted in European tradition, Argentina stands poised to enlarge its mark on the global wine scene. These wines provide a snapshot of Argentina's wine diversity, as mighty Malbec leads the charge.

* All prices estimated retail; expect retail outlet and regional variations.

White Wine Essentials

Last week's White Wine Essentials guided tasting was the first in our new wine education series, Wine Essentials at Cooking with Class. The sellout group of wine-curious attendees tasted their way through the three top-selling varietal wines in the country: Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay.

By tasting two wines styles or expressions of each grape, the group was able to pick out what made the two wines smell, taste and feel different by harnessing their senses in a more focused way. Tasting the two styles side-by-side helped each person better understand their own wine palate and discover which style they preferred − and why.

Each taster received a complete tasting sheet that described the wine's scents, tastes, style, food pairings, alcohol content and region. They also learned about each winery and were given ideas for other types of wines they might like if they enjoyed that particular style of wine. Surprise giveaways were awarded to those whose questions or comments heightened everyone's wine appreciation.

The fun continues at Red Wine Essentials at 6 PM on Thursday, November 17 and again with Sparkling Wine Essentials during the holiday week on Thursday, December 28. Sign up online or by calling Jane at 760.777.1161 as seats as going fast. All sessions are independent and open to all levels of wine enthusiasts. Whether you're new to wine or an experienced taster, you'll learn more about your palate in a way that will broaden and deepen your wine enjoyment for years to come. 

The six wines we tasted at White Wine Essentials are given below. All are available at Cooking with Class or can be ordered for you to pick up. Together, they beautifully demonstrate stylistic variations that make wine tasting a constant challenge and a thrill:

Pinot Grigio

Vigneti Pittaro, 2009 (Friuli, Italy) and Montinore Estate 2009 Pinot Gris (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Sauvignon Blanc

Spy Valley 2010 (Marlborough, New Zealand) and Cannonball 2010 (Sonoma County, California)

Chardonnay

Los Vascos 2010 (Colchagua Valley, Chile) and Samantha Starr 2008 (Monterey County, California)

For those of you who want the complete food- and wine-pairing experience, our next Food & Wine Tasting dinner at Cooking with Class in on Friday, October 28 and next month on November 11 at 6:30 PM. We'll feature two whites and two reds with four exciting dishes paired to perfection and created by Chef Andie and her talented crew, plus a special dessert.

See you soon!

Wine #2: Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Chardonnay

Our second wine comes from Washington, the second-largest wine-producing state in the nation. Chateau Ste. Michelle is Washington's oldest winery and while they produce oceans of wine, CSM quality just keeps getting better.

The 2009 Columbia Valley Chardonnay is aged on its lees for more than six months and barreled in mostly older oak barrels to give the wine soft, integrated oak flavors and balanced richness. The final blend is juiced by 10% tank-fermented Chardonnay for a fresh lift that's still opulent.

Flavors of apple, pear and citrus meld beautifully with soft vanilla and spice. This lush wine will pair beautifully with crabcakes, richer salmon and shellfish dishes, white beans, polenta, white mushrooms, chicken tarragon and buttery or cream-sauced pastas.  

For an eye-opening experience, visit Chateau Ste. Michelle's white winemaking facility at their magnificent French-style chateau in Woodinville, a short drive from Seattle. You'll discover a new appreciation for Washington wines and Chateau Ste. Michelle's broad wine portfolio. Lovers of supple and rich red wines will want to seek out CSM's Indian Wells bottlings, named for the winery's Indian Wells vineyards rather than the namesake desert city. Even the Riesling-resistant will find they are powerless in the presence of Eroica and other racy Rieslings.

Find this terrific value at local grocers. If you make it on time to Albertson's wine sale, grab this great bargain at $7 or get your money's worth at their regular $12 price once the sale ends.  

Next up, Wine # 3: A rosier side of Cabernet Sauvignon

Wine Circle Tasting Wine #1 - Unoaked Chardonnay

Two grape varieties will be the focus of my first tasting party for The Girlfriend Factor's Wine Circle this week: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. I don't usually divulge the names of the wines beforehand but I'll use this new blog space to count down the five wines over the next few days.

The first two wines are 100% Chardonnay – the first is unoaked and the second is an oaked variety that's still balanced and fresh. Try this at home with friends as a fun way to flesh out your own white wine palates. It's one way to pinpoint the flavors, textures, aromas and characteristics of wines you like (or don't like) and why. Best of all, this simple exercise will help you become a better-informed wine consumer.

Wine #1: Four Vines Naked Chardonnay

Thumbs up for the screwcap on this pale straw-colored 2009 Chardonnay from northern Santa Barbara County. Winemaker Christian Tietje is a self-proclaimed hedonist, as the bold reds he and Susan Mahler produce at Four Vines Winery attest. With Naked, however, Tietje sets the fruit free.

After hand-sorting, the grapes were gently pressed as whole clusters and fermented in stainless steel tanks. The wine was given extended contact with the lees, or spent yeast, to produce a balanced richness. No malolactic fermentation occurred, a process winemakers use to convert sharper malic acids that give apples their acidic zing into softer, rounder lactic acids found in milk and milk products.

Four Vines Naked has clean aromas of fresh peach, pear and apple with a touch of lemon-lime citrusy freshness on the palate. The long lees contact helps give the wine a medium body and balanced acidity. Naked finishes clean and refreshing with a stony edge. Besides the winemaker's food pairing suggestion of oysters, Naked partners well with grilled fish, salads and light appetizers with citrus notes, vegetarian dishes, herbed pastas and lighter meats.

The 13.9% alcohol is pretty typical for this region, and hovers close to this taster's upper limit for Chardonnay. Catch it on sale for just under $10 at Cost Plus World Imports in La Quinta or find it at Costco.

If you like this style of Chardonnay, you may also enjoy unoaked California Chardonnays by St. Supéry, Mer Soleil Silver, Layer Cake Virgin Central Coast and Oregon Chardonnay from A to Z Wineworks.

Coming next: Wine #2 – Oaked Chardonnay.