Dave McIntyre's WineLine

Sweet Endings for 2009

Earlier this month I wrote two columns for The Washington Post recommending sparkling wines for the holidays - one on wines above $30, the other for more budget-conscious revelers. All the wines were dry. That led one frustrated reader to fire off an e-mail complaining about "brut this and brut that," reminding me that some people prefer sweet sparkling wine.

So this week I oblige, with some delightful recommendations from southern France, Italy and Spain.

Cheers, and thank you for reading Dave McIntyre's WineLine in 2009! What started 10 years ago as an e-mail newsletter (no one called them "blogs" back then) will continue in 2010. You can find me on Facebook at /wineline and Twitter @dmwine as well!

Happy New Year!

Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra

Spain is hot. Every few weeks it seems there's a new region that's the coolest thing in wine. One region that's been on the radar for about a decade now but never really challenged for fad status is Bierzo, in northwestern Spain. Along with Ribeira Sacra, a small region inside Galicia, Bierzo's reds are made with a grape called mencía. I'm actually glad Bierzo hasn't caught on, because that means the wines, when we can find them, are affordable. You can read my take on the wines of Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra in today's Washington Post.

After I wrote this column, I had opportunity to taste another sample of Ribeira Sacra: the Viña do Burato 2008 ($18) is another good example of the mencía grape. Fermented in stainless steel and bottled without a whiff of oak, it is lively and fresh and light on its feet at a mere 12% alcohol.

PS - A special salute on this Veterans Day to all members of the U.S. armed forces, past and present. Thank you for your service.

A Smokin' Albarino

One of the most exciting wines produced in Virginia is not a Viognier, and it's not a Cabernet Franc or Petit Verdot, either. (Though there is definitely some excitement with those three grapes in the Old Dominion!) No, the wine that really gets Todd Thrasher, award-winning sommelier of Restaurant Eve in Old Town Alexandria, Va., excited is an Albarino from Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, Va. Watch this short film clip to see why Thrasher should be writing wine reviews .... I mean, "a smokin' representation of what Virginia wine can be." ... I can't top that.

(There's more discussion of the Chrysalis Albarino in our lengthy dialogue about Loudoun County wines, to be posted later this week right here on Dave McIntyre's WineLine.)

This is Regional Wine Week. Click your way regularly to DrinkLocalWine.com to see updates on local wines from around the United States and Canada.

Spain's Underappreciated White Wines

Spain's white wines - albariño, godello and verdejo are the main ones - have somehow slipped under the radar for American consumers. Restaurants have caught the fever, but most of us have yet to realize that these refreshing wines can be great values for casual summer dining, when we slap a fish on the grill or sit back and relax on the patio. Check out my column in today's Washington Post for some top-notch Spanish whites worthy of your attention this summer.

Celebrate the Year of the Ox – with Sherry, Baby!

The smartest thing I ever did was marry Chinese, but it does make wine pairing problematic sometimes. Chinese cuisine, with its variety and wide range of dishes, salty and fermented flavors, is traditionally considered a difficult match for Western grape wines. Ask a wine lover what to drink with Chinese and he’ll probably say “beer.” Then he’ll default to Riesling or Gewürztraminer, explaining that the sweetness matches the spicy complexity of the food.

So as we say good riddance to the Year of the Rat and welcome in the Ox this Monday, I suggest a new departure – a new beginning, if you will: Toast the new year with a glass of sherry!

Sherry is as versatile as Chinese cuisine is varied. Its oxidative character even resembles the nuttiness of Shaoxing jiu, the aged rice wine of central China. It seemed an ideal match for a Chinese feast.

I put this theory to the test for my January 21 wine column in The Washington Post. You can also read about the meal and my recommended sherries here on my Web site.

Cheers, and Gong Xi Fa Cai, Hong Bao Na Lai in the Year of the Ox!

Flavium Bierzo Crianza 2005, $10

A few years ago, Bierzo was touted as Spain's next emerging wine region. The region's main grape, Mencia, was thought to be related to Cabernet Franc. But then DNA research apparently put the kybosh on that theory, and it turned out that Mencia is merely identical to some obscure Portuguese varietal. No prestige there, so less cachet. This spicy little red, however, shows the region's potential. Beefy and slightly reductive, with cherry, cocoa, and cola notes, it makes a great casual wine for hearty meat dishes.

But what do I like most about this wine? I couldn't find a Web site or bottle image on the Internet. That tells me this winery is interested more in the quality of the wine rather than the marketing.

Yum. Yum. Yum!

Imported by M. Touton Selections.

Some Bargain Fizz for the Not-So-Jolly Holidays

Holidays can be less than jolly in tough times. But before we all endulge our inner Scrooge, we should remember that Tiny Tim's impoverished family, the Cratchits, celebrated even in the leanest of times. So even though we may not want to splurge on expensive Champagne this holiday season, there is still plenty of good, relatively cheap fizz available for our holiday toasts. God bless them, everyone!

You can read my recommendations in this week's Washington Post Food section, or on my Web site, dmwineline.com.

Cheers!