The Joys Of Sauvignon Blanc

Sauvignon blanc wine grape. Location: Vlasotince vineyards, southeast Serbia - Photo: Wikipedia

To many people, if you say you want a white wine, they think Chardonnay. And while the Chardonnays of many vineyards are delightful, light and tart presenting a rich body and smart nose, many others are awkward, sour or overpowering. These latter ones and the somewhat unpredictability of the varietal has caused me to search for an alternative, a more reliable alternative, to the ubiquitous Chardonnay. I should say here that most California Chardonnays, and some South African ones, are absolutely wonderful, well-crafted wines with nuanced and multi-layered flavors that entertain without overpowering. However, there are those others...

So I began my quest for the Chardonnay alternative. I learned to enjoy Pinot Grigio, which offers a lovely contrast to the Chardonnay grape and intend to write another article extolling its virtues, which are many. The German whites, Riesling, Liebfraumilch, etc. tend to be too sweet for my tastes, though they are very popular and many people find them quite charming. Then a friend encouraged me to try a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. I had tried this varietal before, but it was European in origin, and consequently expensive and frankly, I didn’t find it terribly remarkable. But, this friend of mine is rarely wrong in matters of wine-loving interest, so I trudged to the local wine store and positioned myself in front of the New Zealand section. After a few moments, my eye was caught by a label that I felt was light-hearted and interesting enough to merit my attention. The bottle was not terribly expensive at $9, so I snatched it up and dashed home.

Photo: Pixabay

It was a summer evening, and that night’s dinner was a light pasta salad with vegetables, feta, black olives and fresh tomatoes in an olive oil and garlic dressing. I had chilled the wine thoroughly, though not overly, and popped the cork expectantly. Pouring myself a small portion, I sampled the nose of the wine and was greeted by the most amazing and almost overpowering freshness of citrus. In fact, not just any citrus, but strong grapefruit. The smell was so specific and strong that I read the entire label of the wine again to make sure that this was indeed grape wine of the variety Sauvignon Blanc with no additives or flavors beyond just the wine. I was startled at the strength of the grapefruit scent and had to know if it extended to the flavor of the wine. 

I took a small bit in my mouth and breathed in over it. And while the flavor was redolent with grapefruit, it was not overpoweringly so. In fact, this was an absolutely charming wine with power, nuance, and grace. The citrus quality provided a freshness that I can barely describe except to say that I now enjoy this wine regularly as one of my absolute favorites.

Since then, I have sampled many vineyards’ Sauvignon Blanc offerings and found them to have varying degrees of success. Frankly, my experience has been that Chile produces drinkable, but inferior bottles of this variety, while Australia and New Zealand seem to have mastered the graces of this delightful grape. South Africa, Europe, and California are uneven in their efforts and can range from the masterful to the amateur without any noticeable indication by price or availability.

Frankly, this variety has become my very favorite and I seek it in all its forms whenever I can. I encourage you to try it with a nice, light chicken dinner or avocado salad.

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Making Quality WINE

Home Winemaking - Photo: Wikimedia

Wine is a very wide term that is simply fruit being distilled and fermented for the product of an alcoholic drink. When most people think of wine they immediately think grapes, but there are so many different sources for wine production these include rice (sake), various fruits (elderberry, grapefruit, cherry, etc.), barley, and even honey (mead). 

For the purposes of this wine article, we will stick with wines produced solely from grapes. These are categorized by several means, of which include vinification methods, taste and lastly vintage. Many unknowing wine drinkers wouldn't care about the subtle differences in these categories, after all, most people rely completely on the taste of the wine. However, for many aficionados out there wine is a very intense passion. Their wines must always meet the highest expectations everything must be spot on, the variety of the grape, the taste and vintage must all meet the highest standard before serious wine connoisseur will consider purchasing a bottle. 

Vinification 

Vinification is the process by which grape juice is fermented into wine. This fermentation process is what determines the quality of the wine and this is what gives the wine it value. A common misconception by the novice wine drinker is the colour of the grape juice varies, this is not so as the juice from a grape (red or white) is almost a clear liquid. What does determine the colour of the wine is whether the grape skins have been fermented with the wine or were they left out, red wines are fermented with there skins on and with white wine, the skins have been left off and as for rose wine, well it is just a combination of the two wines

Sparkling wines and champagne are carbonated, this is where carbon dioxide enters into the mix, this process is achieved by fermenting the grape juice twice. The first time, the juice is fermented in open containers, which allow the carbon dioxide to escape and with the second fermentation, the juice is kept in closed containers, trapping and infusing the C02 with what is then wine. 

Taste 

Most wines are described as dry, off-dry, fruity, or sweet. This is a direct result of the amount of sugar that is left over after the fermentation process has ended, a Dry wine has very little sugar content, while a sweeter wine has a higher sugar content. 

Beyond this basic taste analysis, wine-tasting enthusiasts have developed a system of wine classification, this entails the more in-depth the tastes and the more aromas the wine gives off. Much less informed on wine find this system hard to grasp, but the seasoned wine drinker considers the ability to discern even the most subtle elements of a wines taste to be a great achievement. As one example, Cabernet Sauvignon which is a very popular wine that tasters claim contains a combination of black currants, chocolate, mint, and tobacco flavours. 

Vintage 

Vintage is a straightforward classification when the wine is concerned, this refers to the year of the grapes harvest from which the wine was produced. This is important because many grape growers have exceptionally good harvests only during certain years. Also, the best grapes are usually singled out for use in a producers vintage bottles. You get the highest quality wine from that year’s harvest.

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Beer Through the Years

Photo: Pixabay

No one really knows exactly how the first beer came into being ...

Suffice it to say that, around 10,000 years ago, somebody let a primordial barley and hop concoction stand long enough for it to ferment. The result not only made anonymous history, it was the genesis of beer's own special influence throughout the ages.

Here are a few examples of note:

It was the accepted practice in Babylonia, as early as 4000 years ago, that for a month after a wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer, and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the "honey month" or what we know today as the "honeymoon." I have also heard that the custom included one of the most resourceful bits of propaganda ever created for husbands. As the story went, if the groom drank mead for an entire moon, it would enhance the chances of his wife bearing a male heir. The bride, however, had to abstain from drinking alcohol at all. I'll leave the punchlines to you.

After consuming a bucket or two of vibrant brew they called ‘aul,’ or ‘ale,’ a certain self-appointed breed of Vikings would head fearlessly into battle without armor, or even without shirts. In fact, the term "berserk" means "bare shirt" in Norse, and eventually took on the meaning of their wild behavior in battle. They believed that Odin’s favor was all they needed for protection, and if they were to die in combat, it was only because The Allfather decided it was their time to enter the hallowed halls of Valhalla. This was Odin's great ‘Castle of the Chosen Slain,’ where 'inductees' would spend eternity in Viking nirvana, ie- fighting all day, having their wounds miraculously heal at sundown, and then partying all night, with generous quantities of ale at their beck and call.

Before thermometers were invented, brewers would dip a thumb or finger into the mix to find the right temperature for adding yeast. Too cold, and the yeast wouldn't grow. Too hot, and the yeast would die. This practice is where we get the phrase, "rule of thumb."

The first known consumer protection act arose with the German Beer Purity Law of 1516, known as Rheinheitsgebot. This decreed that, in order to be called 'beer,' a beverage could only consist of four ingredients: malt, hops, yeast, and water. This is such a revered regulation that when the European Union-facilitated the introduction of other beers into the German market, it took a court order for many stores to sell them. Most of those beers contained preservatives, and to a respectable German, that meant --- and still does --- that such beverages were not beer.

In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts. So, in olde England, when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at them to mind their own pints and quarts and settle down. It's where we get the phrase, "mind your P’s and Q's."

Also in England's olden days, pub frequenters often had a whistle baked into the rim or handle of their ceramic cups. When they needed a refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.

In 1740, Admiral Vernon of the British fleet decided to water down the navy's rum. Needless to say, the sailors weren't too pleased and called Admiral Vernon “Old Grog,” after the stiff wool grogram coats he wore. The term "grog" soon began to mean the watered down drink itself. When you were drunk on this grog, you were "groggy," a word that has been expanded to include the effects of too much beer and is still in use today.

There are numerous quotations which pay homage to beer. Allow me to list three of the wittiest:

"Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I drink, I feel ashamed. Then, I look into the glass and think about the workers in the brewery and all of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this beer, they might be out of work and their dreams would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is better that I drink this beer and let their dreams come true than be selfish and worry about my liver.'"

-- Saturday Night Live's faux-philosopher, Jack Handy

"Put it back in the horse!"

-- W C Fields, disapproving of a sub-standard brew

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."

-- Benjamin Franklin

Given a good pint, composed of God's natural ingredients and nurtured by man's learned craft, beer has made us very happy, indeed.

Just keep the joy below 0.08% of your blood content.

Author: J Square Humboldt

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Alaskan Brewing

Alaskan Brewing Company - Photo: Wikimedia

The Alaskan brewing company is the oldest operating brewery in Alaska, with their amber beer being their most popular brand. They produce two other brands as well, pale ale and Alaskan frontier amber. If you enjoy fresh amber beer, Alaskan brewing is what you want.

As you may already know, brewing beer in Alaska is very hard to do. The coastal community of Juneau doesn't have road connections to the lower 48 states, so everything arrives and leaves by water or air, with weather always having the final say.

In 1986, the Alaskan brewing company became the 67th brewery to operate in the United States and the only one to operate in Alaska. Since that time, the Alaskan brewery has received more than 30 major medals and awards, including the best beer in the nation award during the 1988 Great American Beer Festival.

The popularity of their beers has led to a lot of efforts to keep up with the demand from consumers. They also hold the unofficial record for the production on a 10 barrel brewing system, which produces an amazing 42 batches a week.

The Alaskan Brewery offers several different styles of the brew as well, which are listed below:

 1. Amber - This is the company's flagship beer, based on a turn of the century recipe that was used to quench the thirst of the miners during the Gold Rush era. It provides a smooth, malty, rich taste that goes well with meals - or friends.

 2. Pale - Pale is fresh, crips, and inviting. Alaskan pale is great with crab, pawns, and salads. The floral aroma of the hops is derived from dry hopping the tanks during the entire fermentation process.

 3. Stout - The oatmeal style beer stout doesn't have the harshness of other stouts. Great with chocolate and hearty meals, stout is also ideal to enjoy while walking in the snow.

 4. ESB - If you like hops, the infusion of hops in this delight will amaze your nose while the refreshing cascade hops will provide a wonderful crispness to both the flavor and the finish. This beer is great with spicy food, wild game, and other wintery food.

 5. Smoked porter - Very exclusive, Alaskan smoked porter has a world-class reputation for its excellence. Brewed in the fall, this beer is ideal for storing in the cellar for later enjoyment.

 6. Winter ale - This tender brew of spruce trees has been used for brewing in Alaska since the late 1700s.

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Tullamore Dew Irish Whiskey

Tullamore Dew - Photo: Wikipedia

Tullamore Dew 

The roll-call of distilleries and brands which disappeared when the Irish industry imploded is an extensive one. Locke's Kilbeggan (now revived under Cooley), Dundalk, Allman's Bandon, Comber, and Tullamore are just some of the famous and respected distillers who simply found it impossible to carry on, no matter how good people thought their whiskey was. 

Most of the brands simply disappeared the names of the distillers and their whiskeys slowly slipping into a vaguely remembered past. Some, however, managed to hang on. Tullamore Dew is one of them. It also represents a history of the Irish industry in miniature.

The Tullamore distillery was built in 1829 and was bequeathed to the Daly family in 1857. In 1887, Captain Daly-a man more interested in playing polo, hunting and racing horses - made Daniel E. Williams manager. Williams was a bit like an Irish Jack Daniel, having joined the plant at age 15 and speedily worked his way up to this lofty position. The fact that a country gentleman like Captain Daly was involved in making country whiskey is evidence of how wealthy landowners began to take over from farmer-distillers as the rural population declined and new laws were passed.

Williams expanded the distillery, began exporting and created a new triple-distilled pot still brand, Tullamore Dew (the 'Dew' taken from his initials) which was sold with the slogan 'Give Every Man His Dew'. The quality of his 8-year-old whiskey even moved that normally crusty old historian Alfred Barnard to poetry. Eventually, the Daly family sold their shares to the Williams', but popular though it was, even they couldn't keep the distillery running. In 1954, the Tullamore distillery closed.

It was a tough time for Irish whiskey. The government had, for reasons best known to itself, restricted exports of whiskey during the Second World War arguing that it would ensure ready supplies on the domestic market and continue to bring in guaranteed revenue. The UK government, on the other hand, had decided that while the whiskey industry was run down, some distilleries could stay open and exports should continue. It was a monumental blunder by the Irish. The distillers, meanwhile, were still holding firm to their belief that traditional pot still whiskey was superior to blended Scotch.

When the government raised taxes again in 1952 the writing was on the wall for distillers like the Williams' of Tullamore. No way could the domestic market support so many brands. The Irish may be famous drinkers, but even that was beyond them. In 1953 a survey by the Irish Export Board discovered that 50 percent of whiskey-drinkers in the States had never heard of Irish whiskey. Irish emigrants now saw themselves as Americans, they had turned their backs on the 'old country'.

Thankfully, Tullamore Dew was saved when the business was sold to Power's in 1965 and the next year became part of the Irish Distillers portfolio. These days it is owned by Cantrell & Cochrane, though the whiskey is still made at Midleton. A classic blend of traditional pot still with light grain, it's in the lighter end of the spectrum, though a 12-year-old version shows considerably more weight - probably from a higher percentage of pot still.

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The overall lightness has endeared it to German and, more recently, American palates. People are interested in the brand once more and Cantrell & Cochrane has opened a heritage center at the old Tullamore distillery site. All positive enough, but you can't help but wonder, what if...

TASTING NOTES

Tullamore Dew

On the lighter side of the Irish fence. Clean crisp and light, but not hugely exciting. * * Tullamore Dew 12-year-old So different from the standard bottling that you wonder initially if it is from the same stable. Ripe, fleshy and rich, this is the one to try. ***(*)