Traveling with Telmo

Ok, I should let you know I get a little obsessive about things. So when I find a winemaker that I like I will do my best to sample as many bottlings of their work as I can. Upon stumbling into the work of Telmo Rodriguez I knew I was in trouble, the man makes a lot of wine From the most prestigious to the more unknown regions of Spain he finds the best vineyard sights that reflect the virtues of the land and from these sights produces some of the finest wines I have had the pleasure of tasting.

The thing of beauty in his work is his dedication to his country. You won’t find Telmo planting Merlot, instead he focuses on indigenous vines; through this dedication we can travel the country with each of his wines.

Reared in the heart of Rioja Telmo then trained in Bordeaux, he produces high end highly allocated wines. But, he also has brilliant entry level bottles ranging in price from $11.99 to $16.99; these are the bottles that won my heart. As prices in Rioja, Ribera Del Duero and Toro rise, Telmo gives us a taste of the place we couldn’t otherwise experience in an everyday bottle.

For example his LZ a stainless steel fermented Rioja, after cracking open a bottle I felt for the first time I really tasted Rioja, the place not the barrel. This youthful wine took me to the dirt and gave me a true expression of this legendary place; fresh perfectly ripe fruit that finishes with notes of pepper and tobacco, Telmo I love you!

Dahasa Gago, his Toro is soft and supple with elegance and finesse I wager that any lover of Pinot Noir will fall in love with this wine its food friendly and versital.

Gazur, his Ribera Del Duero offering is a mix of old and new vines sprouting up on a harsh slope of clay soil. It is bright and spicy with mineral and chalk and a hint of spice.

AL Muvedre from Alicante is 100% Monastrell (aka Muvedre) a complex bottle of wine with a deep plumb tone, the nose is huge and spicy and what follows is espresso and cherry and altogether amazing, a fantastic wine for the price ($11.99).

The list can go on, as I said the man makes a lot of wine, these bottles are a fantastic way to get to know the wines of Spain without breaking the bank. Spain has the most land under vine in the World; sample some of this juice done right!

Thick

Being the child of a new country, I have always been struck by the ghosts of Europe.  History is thick in that part of the world and I am a sucker for history.  I like the depth and texture it lends to things, as though you can almost taste the way it used to be.  Which is why French wine has always excited me.

There is no other place, save possibly Italy, where the past is so rich in the glass.  Taste a sip of Burgundy and you’re drinking religion (the Cote d’Or was home to both the Benedictines and the Cisterian orders).  A glass of Bordeaux and you’ve got a taste of the Ancien Regime.  The Loire Valley used to be the Royal Hunting grounds.  Champagne kept growing while the Battle of the Somme dragged on, year after bloody year.  Invasions, Wars, Revolutions, Colonies, more Wars, Poetry, Popes, Golden Kings and Tiny Emperors.  Year after year, thick with history.

And through it, the seasons continue.  Grapes grow on the vine.  Wine is bottled and sent to market.  Generation after generation of vignerons pruning, and planting, and tasting, and fermenting.  Until the right grapes were planted in the right places.  Until tendencies became styles and tradition was made into diktat.  Until individual towns have earned the right to put their name, and only their name, on the label under the outrageous claim their wine tastes like nowhere else.   And what’s more, they’re usually right.

Nations have a great similarity to people and nothing reflects a nation more than the alcoholic beverage it chooses to consume (except perhaps it’s art but anyone who says they get drunk on art is most likely wearing a scarf inside and is not to be trusted).  American wine displays those things you’d expect from a teenager.  Vigor, power, perhaps a bit too strong a need to be impressive.  But France is getting on in years.  Maybe it isn’t as powerful and outlandish as once it was but it has grown deeper and more interesting.  Experience has lent it a certain elegance and complexity.  The wines reflect the nation’s soul, and France’s soul is filled with contradiction.

From the elegant and sensual Pinot Noir of the Cote d’Or, to the rustic charm of Bandol, through the beautiful sweetness of Sauternes to the mad variety of the Midi, past the bubbling ebulation of Champagne to the haughty power of Bordeaux, into the polygot charm of Alsace to the quiet greatness of the Rhone, French wine has been and will be.  After all, there are two kinds of history; that which has happened and that which has not.  I’m simply glad to be able to taste history in the making.  Like I said, I’m a sucker for the stuff.

Love and Circumstance

My Love of Spanish wine is entirely accidental. I wish there were some big romantic story where I met my husband under the stars in Barcelona drinking the finest of tempranillos but my story is quite the opposite. This wine journey happened out of necessity.

Coming from the restaurant industry I had the opportunity to drink some of the finest wines on the planet from all over the world, upon leaving the industry and moving to Chicago I was faced with a problem…I was broke. So there I was with Chateauneuf du Pape taste and a Yellowtail budget. What was a girl to do?

Lucky for me I got a job at Sam’s and wandered into the Spanish department, and what to my wandering eye should appear, a wealth of wines under for under $30.00, alas wine I could afford! I grabbed a few bottles, some for as little as $7.99, and decided to travel thru Spain one bottle at a time. My expedition started in Jumilla where I found Juan Gil’s Wrongo Dongo (only $7.99) 100% Monastrell fermented in stainless steel and bursting with plumy blackberry goodness. Next stop was Ribera Del Duero where I uncorked Urban Oak 100% Tempranillo ($12.99) this was big beasty fruit with a little peak at oak mid pallet, far more complex than its price tag would denote. And that is how it went bottle by bottle region by region.

Now that I find more cash in my wallet my lifestyle hasn’t changed much, I still look for great value and I find that in Spain. I can’t wait to share these amazing wines with you, I’ll help you match them with the perfect dish, (bacon and tempranillo are a match made in heaven) together we will find the Spanish wine for your lifestyle.

Cheers!

-Leigh Mabry White

DRINKING LIKE A “LIQUOR GUY”

-Thoughts and Drinks from the Spirit Department in the South Loop

EPISODE 1. Quality Hooch

Contrary to what one might expect, my days of waking up sick and hung over have ended since I started working here at Sam’s. That may be a bit of a stretch, everyone messes up sometimes, but I must say that waking up and letting loose last night’s mistakes has not happened to me in quite some time now. What I’ve found is that it isn’t just my personal maturation that comes with age, but from my respect for alcohol as an art form. With our minds clouded from residual prohibition era perceptions people often forget just how much care goes into our spirits, and because of this we are not giving our drinks the proper respect they deserve. A little effort goes a long way, and few dollars can make all the difference from knocking back swill to creating a tasteful, sophisticated, and complex beverage. Enjoy your spirits America, drink them slow.

EPISODE 2. Visit from James Tietelbaum and The Proper Mai Tai

Not too far back we had a Tiki Night here at Sam’s in the South Loop with guest host James Tietelbaum, author of the Tiki Road Trip. James taught us about the Tiki lifestyle and ambiance, as well as the history of great mixologists, Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber. This was a great class and I learned a lot, but most importantly I learned the art of the Proper Mai Tai. As James put it, Mai Tai has become a generic term for a boozy juice drink with a lot of sugar, and sadly these monstrosities are the only thing available at most restaurants and clubs. But there is light at the end of the tunnel: a proper Mai Tai is easy to make with a few ingredients from your friends at Sam’s. Let’s start with the recipe,

1    0z Martinique rum

1    0z Jamaican rum

½  0z Senior’s Orange Curacao of Curacao

½  0z Collins Orgeat syrup

Juice of ½ lime

Now for the importance of each ingredients:

A shot back to episode one here, don’t skimp on quality ingredients. Senior’s Curacao is the original Curacao, and is much drier and more fragrant than any other generic version. This product gives great body and aroma to your mai tai and is absolutely critical, not to mention well suited to be used in an array of other great cocktails. Orgeat is an almond flavored syrup that was far more common (as well as almondy, is that a word?) back in the day. The new stuff is sweeter; therefore the recipe has cut out simple syrup and put in place a larger dose of Orgeat. For the rums, any white Martinique rum will do the trick; LaFavorite and Rhum Neisson taste great, imparting that sugar cane tang. For the Jamaican rum I recommend the Appleton V/X, its viscous quality and color make up the body of your drink. Now, I can not stress the importance of using fresh lime. Fresh fruit brings your cocktails to life and skimping on this one part can ruin the whole drink. Each ingredient plays an exact role in the flavor profile of this drink, substitute at your own risk.

EPISODE 3. Trader Vic’s Bartenders Guide

The other day my assistant manager found an old copy of Trader Vic’s Bartenders Guide in her attic. This classic gem was written circa mid-1940’s and is a priceless peak into the classic cocktail culture. Prefacing the thousands of cocktail recipes are several chapters on bartending and the liquid culture of the forties; Brash Scottish check dodgers are scorned for bouncing on a seven dollar tab and overly chummy females are a sign of a dingy establishment. Vic describes using the soda gun to quell fights and big talkers slugging a eight color pousse-café in one gulp. Oh, if only an eight color pousse-cafe was even in a bartender’s vocabulary and a seven dollar tab could be for more than one drink. This book is like a view into the golden age of the cocktail. The level of attention to small details is key; the size and shape of the glass, the temperature, presentation, and exact ingredients all add up to the quality of every cocktail. Ever try drinking a martini out of a coffee mug? Don’t do it.

Txakoli

Do not fear the wine you cannot pronounce.  This bit of advice was never more relevant than in the case of Txakoli (pronounced CHA-koh-lee), a hidden gem-of-a-wine hailing from the Basque region in the north of Spain.

Cuisine and the kitchen are at the heart of Basque culture with statistics showing that the Basques spend more than twice as much of their disposable income on food than a typical American. The cuisine is rich and diverse with influences from the abundance of the sea on one side and the fertile Ebro valley on the other, with the mountainous terrain of the area creating variation of cuisine between the coastal areas and those further inland.

The Basque region has a tradition of gastronomic societies, almost always composed of men, who cook and eat together in a communal Txoko (translated as “corner”). In large cities, the societies can be very large and formally organized, but, traditionally, the txoko is a small space owned by a group of friends in smaller towns and suburbs, where food and costs are shared.  It’s almost like tailgating except with less face paint and big foam hands.

So, with all this focus on food you would assume there would be a rich history of libations to go with it.  There is the traditional liqeur, Patxaran, made of hawthorne berries soaked in anisette with coffee and vanilla.  There is the traditional cider called sidra which is consumed directly from the barrel.  And, of course, who could forget the most famous wines of the Basque Country, those from the Rioja region.   The wines can vary from spicy reds of varying intensity, predominately made from the Tempranillo and Garnacha grapes, to rich whites made from the Garnacha Blanca and crisp whites made of Viura.  However, the discussion of Rioja is for another time.  All I have on my mind now is the brilliant little wines with the funny name.

Txakoli is typically made from the Hondarribi Zuri (try saying that three times fast) white grape variety, which accounts for about 85 percent of all the Txakoli production; while the other 15 percent is made from the Hondarabi Beltza grape that produces either red or rosé wines. It is traditionally fermented in foudres (very old, large oak barrels).  However, most txakoli produced today is fermented in stainless steel. There are three Denominaciones de Origen dedicated to the production of Txakoli: Arabako Txakolina, Bizkaiko Txakolina and Getariako Txakolina.  Txakoli wines are classically paired with the coastal cuisine of the region served out of tumblers.

Adding to Txakoli’s appeal is the traditional serving method.  It is poured from a distance of about 2 feet above the glass to break up the gas in the wine and release the bounty of aromas and create an effervescent quality in the mouth.  This is very difficult to do and usually results in lost wine and wet feet.

So I’ve gone on and on about Txakoli and haven’t even mentioned what it tastes like.  This is partly because Txakoli is not an overly complex wine (don’t worry about throwing around fancy descriptors and mulling over previous vintages).  There are wonderful citrus and green fruit notes (pears, apples), but the overall attraction of the wine is its acidity and minerality; these wines are the definition of mouthwatering.  With every sip you are both simultaneously refreshed and yet yearning for more.  Combine those elements with its light effervescence and it proves to be the perfect accompaniment for seafood.

So next time you’re thinking of something fun to do with friends, pick up a bunch of mussels and scallops and throw a txakoli party.  Just be careful when you’re competing over who can have the highest pour that you don’t spill too much of the wine.

¡Salud!

Carl Moberg

Carl Loves Spain

Leigh can’t love Spanish wines nearly as much as me.  It’s a proven fact…Well, that might be a bit of a fabrication, but I do really love Spanish wines.  Spanish wine has survived over 1000 years, through the fall of the Roman Empire and subsequent conquest of the Moors, to phylloxera and the Spanish Civil War.  There has been a lot of adversity and yet the rich history shows through in the wines that are being made today.

Truthfully, I fell in love with Spanish wines as much out of practicality as out of genuine enjoyment of the wine.  Being a poor college student I was immediately taken with the wines of South America and Spain because of their ability to deliver quality wines for ramen-budget prices.  After college I travelled through South America and visited vineyards and actually ended up briefly living in Argentina.  I drank a ton of wine (sometimes a bit too much) in Argentina and learned a lot about how to make wine and how to train my palate to detect different flavors.  I enjoyed discovering new vineyards and regions, but soon I began to grow tired of what I perceived as trend towards a homogenous style that appealed to the generic palate and could be marketed around the world.  I was having trouble finding quirky esoteric wines that make drinking wine so much fun.  Don’t get me wrong; those approachable easy drinking wines are great because you don’t necessarily want to drink weird wines everyday.  Sometimes you want, what a friend once described to me as, “a porch pounder.”

I returned home with a new understanding and appreciation of wine, eager to test my new wine skills on other areas of the world.  My initial wine education under my father had been with old Bordeaux.  I had the fortune of drinking many spectacular bottles before I even had any clue about wine.  Clearly Bordeaux would be a difficult area to start, with the prohibitive issues of price and time, as most Bordeaux need to be aged before they are “ready” to drink.  I was slightly discouraged until a friend turned me on to a Spanish wine that he said would blow my mind.  The “Gotim Bru” from the property of Castell del Remei located in Catalonia was rich, dark and exciting; and to this day it is still on of my favorite everyday wines.

Well, needless to say this began my love affair with Spain.  There were so many obscure regions and grapes for me to explore: Verdejo and Viura in Rueda, Monastrell in Alicante, Albariño in Rias Biaxas, Tinto de Toro in Toro, the list goes on and on.  This was the wine experience I had been waiting for.  Every time I opened a new bottle from a new region it was a whole new experience, immediately I had dreams of enjoying said wine on a plaza in some small city in Spain.  To seal the deal, the wines were all about the price of a movie and popcorn, so why not stay home and drink a bottle of wine instead.

Spain has that potential to surprise you, although there are more and more producers seeking the high scores and mass appeal and therefore changing their style to a more modern universal style.  However, if you’re adventurous enough you’ll discover those obscure delights.

AC/DC

French wine is controlled by an Appelation system.  This means, in certain areas, the wines must be of a certain grape varietal(s), and made to certain specifications.  For instance, in Bordeaux, the grapes must be Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petite Verdot, and Cabernet France.  Bordeaux can be any one, or all, and in any proportion, but if a grape used is not on the list, it cannot be labeled Bordeaux.  In fact, often the wine will have to be de-classified into ordinary vin de table (table wine) which does not allow it to publish where it came from, what grapes are inside, or what year it was produced.  Harsh.

The argument for the Appelation Controlee (AC) system is to preserve the integrity of place.  Because of the French concept of Terroir, which is the reflection of geography/climate in the wine, and the embedded tradition of centuries, the AC system codifies and (theoretically) protects the singularity of many of France’s most famous wine region.

For instance, without the AC system, if I owned land in Bordeaux, I could make wine from whatever I wanted.  It seems reasonable.  That’s what they do in California, after all.  But the question becomes, would it still be Bordeaux?

The logic of the AC system is based on a sort of vinuous Darwinism.  Other grapes have been tried, they just didn’t suceed.  The permitted varieties were the ones left standing after the dust cleared.  The relationship between land and grape can be like lovers, ranging from embrace, toleration, and outright rejection.  Most of us are all too horribly familiar with the moment when we realize love no longer works and, what’s more, never really did.  Think of the Appelation system as a dating service, ensuring lovers are compatible.

But what of art?  Rembrandt worked in oils and achieved marvelous results.  Should we demand all Dutch painters do the same?  If we had, would there now be generations of soulful portraits hanging in our galleries?  And if so, would that be worth not having Van Gogh, who worked in water colors?

The New World way of looking at things would be to say, winemakers and vignerons must be free to express themselves.  If they wish to grow Chardonnay where previously (and for centuries) there has been Syrah, then let them follow their muse.  The Old World would strike back saying, pure expression is only possible within tradition.  After all, the land is more than the canvas.  It is a painter too.

So which side of the debate do I find myself?

I think there’s something to be said for tradition.  It is rarely present without purpose or sense.  But nothing can exist without air.  If tradition is not to become scripture, then it must be allowed to breathe.  Change happens.  The land grows.  It learns.  When women are young they love guitar players until they grow a bit and realize they’ll never have a proper jobs.  Perhaps soil is the same (I won’t strain the already thin metaphor by identifying which grapes I think are pretentious musicians).  In other words, change isn’t the hard part.  It’s recognizing it has happened.

So do I think winemakers should be free to paint as they please?  That the whole AC system should be scrapped?

Absolutely not.

Artists work best inside limitations.  In my experience, letting artists do whatever they please lead to one of two things; either complete creative paralysis or self indulgent crap.  Rarely does absolute freedom result in a masterpiece.  If Van Gogh had not been working in the framework of landscape painting, he never would have been able to transcend it.

One of California’s great sins (besides Los Angeles) is the brattish tendency to plant what the owner wants instead of listening to the land.  While much lip service is paid to matching grapes with terroir, I rarely believe it.  There can be no such problem in France.  Grapes ARE matched with the land already and, if you ignore what the land has said to the government, there are wine police who will come and bust up your cabinets.

We cannot ignore the advice of centuries, nor can we assume history has already provided us all the answers.  While I believe the Appelation Controlee system is invaluable, there must be a way to allow for new ideas in old places.

I’ll end with a story about comic book fans.  In the world of superheroes, nothing ever changes.  Fans of the genre take comfort in that fact.  When confronted with the confusing and ever-fluxing world around them, they have something changeless to consume.  Maybe, in the end, that’s the appeal of the A.C.  Bordeaux will always be Bordeaux.  Burgundy will always be Burgundy.  The world changes but they stay the same.  The Champagne you had last night will taste the same as the Champagne you have in fifty years.

I’ll let you decide whether that’s grand or sad.

Sherry Baby

When most people think of Sherry, they remember crazy old aunt Kathy or even a recipe for seafood bisque. But what most people don’t realize is that Sherry comes in many styles ranging from dry to sweet and is the perfect apéritif to serve with little bites (known as tapas in Spain).

The very first use of appetizers to start a meal and titillate the appetite was probably in Spain. And it is still customary to visit the local small food and drink establishments and have multiple small plates of various finger foods and a copita of Sherry before going home to prepare the evening meal to be shared with family.

All Sherries are produced in Andalusia, Spain, at the far south of the country, just north of Africa. Andalusia is the land of bullfights and Flamenco dancers. Moors and Muslims influenced over the centuries, so too the Romans and even the Dutch (check out the legend of Peter Simmons). There are three major areas in Sherry country: Jerez itself (where the word “Sherry” comes from, a corruption of “Jerez” via English) Montilla and San Lucar de Barrameda.

Sherry remains one of the most labor-intensive, fermented beverages to produce and, while the quality has risen with the amount of choices available, the prices have remained relatively low. The bottle of Sherry that you purchase in the store today probably started its life over 100 years ago in a solera (a fractional blending system used to insure consistency). And while most of the wine in any given solera isn’t quite that old, there always remains that original vintage that started the whole thing. The continuation of yeasts are also an important part of the solera and greatly affect the flavor profile of the Sherry.

As I’ve said, there are many styles of Sherry to try and this is where it gets a bit confusing. Sorry.

Finos and Manzanillas are dry, with a pleasant nutty quality and often are used in recipes – but they are a fantastic way to start any meal. I like a glass of Fino Sherry with a handful of almonds, some olives and a piece of aged cheese (preferably Spanish). Most dry Sherries are made entirely from Palomino Fino grapes and are aged their entire life under a thin layer of yeast called “flor” that grows on top of the maturing wine and protects the wine from oxidation. It is in this way that the wine can age for years and still keep its acidity and lovely, delicate flavor profiles of nuts and “dried” honey. Manzanilla Sherries are dry as well and are a Fino type of Sherry but are produced only in San Lucar de Barrameda. They typically have a saline characteristic because of the solera’s close proximity to the sea.

Amontillado Sherries are produced entirely in Montilla, Spain and are off-dry, with a nutty, caramel quality that lends itself particularly well to pairing with salty/sweet munchies. Think honey-roasted nuts, dried figs, cheese and crusty bread. The wines’ sweeter style is attributed to the fact that the flor dies or is intentionally killed off early in the maturation process preserving a bit of the natural sugar in the wine (this would typically be consumed by the constant contact with the flor) and also allowing the wine to oxidize and achieve a lovely caramel characteristic.

Palo Cortado Sherries have lost their flor early in their maturation as do Oloroso Sherries and are sweeter styles. Sweetest of all are the “PX” Sherries. They are produced from Pedro Jimenez grapes and are dessert wines that pair well with your sweetest treat or can sub for a dessert, paired with a bit of fresh goat cheese and some fruit preserves. Try one of these decadent wines drizzled over pound cake or ice cream.

Cream Sherries are another thing entirely and are created by adding sweetened grape must (unfermented wine) to the wines to produce a sweet wine. They are fine for cooking and are typically used in dessert recipes.

~ Kat Moon, Wine Consultant Lincoln Park

Cocktails Anyone?

Cocktail season is upon us and you can make drinks at home that will rival anything that you can order at the bar. I had the pleasure of tending bar for many years and had the good fortune of working for a five-star resort that stressed the importance of both training and creativity.

My associates and I attended many seminars taught by industry giants such as Tony Abu Ganim and Dale DeGroff. We also spent many hours in our liquor room, furtively mixing combinations of liquors, fruit juices and other ingredients to concoct just the right blend of sweet, tart, fruit & alcohol. We were mad scientists with every conceivable ingredient known to man at hand.

The annual drink contest helped fuel our competitive spirit and, with trips to Cancun or Vegas or Atlantic City on the line, we were sure that our drink was the ultimate cocktail. We also named our drinks with the same creativity – drinks such as “Priscilla, Queen of the Desert” (an over-the-top, rainbow, frozen Daiquiri with all the bells and whistles) or the “Bumble Beetini” (a martini with gin, vodka, Barenjager, and fresh flower garnish) – never did win a trip, but I did learn that the proper balance is necessary to achieve a perfect drink.

Sweet to tart ratio (1/3 sweet to 2/3 tart) is the key element when building the perfect cocktail. Also keep in mind that the freshest fruits and juices and also premium spirits will result in a much better-tasting drink.

And did you know that of utmost importance is the ice that you use. If it has been in your freezer for six months and smells like freezer burn, that is exactly what your drink will taste like. Also if you pour heavy on the booze your drink will be out of balance, the alcohol overpowering the other flavors.

Whether you’re having drinks for two or hosting a large, elaborate party, just keep it fun. I’ve always thought of bartending as cooking (something that I love to do) without all of the dirty pots and pans (something that I do not love to do). You can even count on someone in your party jumping behind the bar and mixing it up for a while, and while their drinks may not be perfect, they will absolutely have a blast pretending to be Tom Cruise.

Some of my favorite flavor combinations come from recipes and foods or drinks that I love. Drinks like Raspberry Lemontini – simply raspberry Vodka and Limoncello – recall the raspberry lemonade of my youth. And Cranberry Margaritas – Tequila, Cointreau, fresh-squeezed limes and cranberry juice – remind me of summer on the gulf coast. Even savory/sweet drinks such as Thyme Lemontini – citrus Vodka with a rim of superfine sugar and dried, powdered thyme and a garnish of a few fresh thyme leaves – is all you need for an elegant, tasty drink.

I should also mention that wines can be used in many interesting cocktails. From simple Sangrias- pitchers of wines, soda, fruit and brandy (or even schnapps) – to complex drinks made even better with a “float” of sparkling wine (half bottles work perfectly here), they should not be overlooked when choosing ingredients to make the specialty drink of your house.

Also, simple syrup is simply that, equal parts sugar and boiling water with a bit of citric acid. You can opt out of the citric acid, but you’ll need to refrigerate your syrup to prevent spoilage.

Regardless of timing – brunch, dinner or late night – you can always find a great signature drink that will fit your theme perfectly. You can match your occasion or simply complement a menu with a few well-chosen cocktails. Currently a number of classic cocktails are making a comeback – and for good reason. While a Rum and Coke or Bourbon and ginger ale are great drinks and easy to make, nothing says party better than a perfectly mixed and garnished cocktail, in the perfect glass, and paired with good food and great company.

Mojitos and Caipirinhas from Latin America, Mint Juleps and Sazeracs from the southern states, even a Moscow mule – a blend of Smirnoff vodka and ginger beer created in the 1950s – can transform your event from ho-hum to a tremendous success. A little homework is all that’s needed or you can come to Sam’s and any number of experts in fermented and distilled beverages will have you partying all summer long!

~ Kat Moon, Wine Consultant Lincoln Park; Sommelier ISG

How sweet it is

Wine as comfort food – or what I like to call “comfort wines” – are those familiar, simple wines that are inseparably linked to fond memories, or places or events. While they typically don’t receive rave reviews from wine critics and won’t be showcased in glossy periodicals, they do have merit.

Sweet wine
Throughout history, wine has been included in ceremonies and special occasions. Many are sweet wines made by traditional methods that have been passed down over the generations.

Palm wine and dandelion wine, for example, while still being made are not commercially available but can be experienced by reading the novels of Amos Tutuola, Barry Unsworth or Ray Bradbury.

Concord grape wines are produced in mass quantities and are still widely used in religious ceremonies. Their aroma and “foxy,” grapey flavor can transport you back in time to a wooden pew in a room filled with light, color, and music or to the PB&J that you had at lunch. Sam’s has a number of producers of Concord wine in stock and all are relatively inexpensive.

Hawaii makes pineapple wine (we can’t get any; I’ve tried) and in Japan and Korea plum wine is made by steeping green plums called Ume in Shochu (a clear, distilled Japanese spirit similar to vodka). It is a sweet, pleasant wine and is one of my favorites. It is readily available and inexpensive.

We also have Retsina, an aromatized wine from Greece (if you like gin you should try this). It is made by adding the essence of an evergreen shrub to a neutral white wine base. My sister and I always have a glass with our saganaki – the flaming cheese specialty of Greek restaurants – when we go out for Greek food.

And, as a Southerner, I enjoy an occasional glass of Muscadine or Scuppernong wine. It transports me back to my trips to Natchez Mississippi for the annual Great Mississippi River Balloon Race and to my trips to the Old South Winery.

Even if you don’t hail from a wine drinking family (mine preferred sour mash whiskey as most southerners do), you can create your own wine traditions simply by including classic wine pairings with your dining choices.

The next time you are having Greek or Asian food include a bottle of Retsina or Umeshu. Or instead of dessert, consider having a sweet fruit wine or even a wine made from honey called Mead, one of the oldest wines known to man. It is readily available. One to try is Wild Blossom Meaderies’ Desire. It is a thick golden wine aged in used bourbon barrels. It is sweet and decadent and a perfect after dinner delight.

~ Kat Moon, Sam’s Lincoln Park