Gone Fishing

Dear Enthusiasts! The blog will be under construction for July and August. While we must spend some time apart, there are so many things to look forward to:

1. I will still be sharing awesome wine, food and travel finds via Twitter @nycenthusiast
2. Look forward to results posts on the Pinot Grigio vs. Pinot Noir and Wines of Spain tastings - I have not forgotten!
3. New information on rose wines and maybe a review of the wine documentary SOMM.
4. When the blog returns it will have a facelift and... maybe even a name change!

Until we meet again...

Cheers!

Photo Confessions: Street Art

As a New Yorker, you learn to tune things out when commuting - literally. We are trained to walk the sidewalks, headphones in with music blasting, avoiding eye contact with passers-by. Every so often though, I would walk my daily path sans headphones - ya know old school. 

Once your tuned in to what is happening on the streets, you notice so much more. An interesting new store, fresh items at farmer's markets and cool sights. This week's picture is one of those cool sights worth sharing.

Street Sign on my Ride Home

This photo was taken on my ride home last week when I decided to take a random path home and just explore. While the image could stand alone - it is also very representative of my time in Boston. So I challenge you Enthusiasts - take a walk without those headphones, take a left when you would normally go right and capture a cool sight!

The Enthusiasts! NYC Wine Club: Viva Espana!

"I have enjoyed great health at a great age because every day since I can remember I have consumed a bottle of wine except when I have not felt well. Then, I have consumed two bottles." (Bishop of Seville)

I'm not one to mix wine with religion - but this Spanish bishop really had the right idea about wine. This quote is pretty much my favorite. quote. ever. So what better place for the wine club to cover than a country home to such old school wine Enthusiasts -- Spain! 

History of Wine in Spain

As is true with most wines from Europe, it all goes back to the Romans. During Roman rule, Spanish wine was widely exported and traded. However, after the fall of the Romans, the Moors conquered much of the wine-making region and practically banned the production of wine as a low priority. During the first century A.D., the Moors were overthrown (Reconquista) and Spanish wine was exported again.

As time moved forward, Spanish wine was popular, but its development lagged behind due to additional obstacles like slow industrialization, phylloxera and several wars. Eventually, with acceptance into the European Union in 1986 and the influence of the "flying winemakers", Spanish wines slowly began to reclaim their prestige on the international market.

The Basics in Spanish Wine

Major Native Grapes, Wine Regions and the Appellation System of Spain

Native White Grapes 

-- 

Albariño

; Verdejo; Macabeo; 

Cariñena

Native Red Grapes

 -- Temperanillo; Garnacha; Monastrell (aka 

Mourvèdre)

Wine Regions at a Glance

If you are looking for Spanish wine in the United States, you are most likely going to see wine from the following regions (listed with the primary grapes grown there):

1. Rioja - Temperanillo (Tinto Fino) and Garnacha
2. Ribera del Duero - Temperanillo
3. Priorat - Garnacha, Cariñena
4. Penedés - Macabeo, Caberbet Sauvignon, Carinena, Garnacha
5. Rías Baixas - Verdejo, Albariño
6. Sherry (Jerez) - Palomino

Appellation System:

The wine regions of Spain are regulated under the Denominacion de Origen (DO) laws, similar to the French AOC system, updated as of 1982. Currently, there are 71 DO regions and 2 DOC regions (Priorat and Rioja). The ranking hierarchy is as follows:

• DOC (formerly DOCa) - Denomenacion de Origen Calificada, the highest category.
• DO - Denominacion de Origin, the mainstay of Spain's wine quality control system. Each region is goverend by a Consejo Regulardor, who decides on the boundaries of the region, permitted varietals, maximum yields, limits of alcoholic strength and other quality standards or production limitations pertaining to the zone. 

If you are searching for Spanish wines in the U.S., you will likely only see wines from the

above

 categories, however the appellation system also includes the following:

• VCIG - Vinos de Calidad con Indicacion Geografica. 
• VdlT - Vino de la Tierra, a mid level regional wine that conforms to local norms without qualifying for DO status, the equivalent of the French Vin de Pays.
• VdM - Vino de Mesa, the catch-all at the bottom of the pyramid that for all wine from unclassified vinyards and wine that has been declassified by blending. 
• VP - Vino de Pago, a special term for high-quality, single-estate wines (Pago is the Spanish term for a vinyard) which in some cases also belong to DO or VdlT appellations.
•  
•  
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Wine Regions in Detail

Photo Source: http://www.efow.eu/vineyards_of_the_month/

rioja_the_strength_of_a_name_with_a_historic_reputation

Wines from Rioja

Rioja is known as the powerhouse of Spain. The key thing to remember when buying wine from Rioja are the three levels (or styles):

Crianza,

2 years of aging, minimum 1 year in oak barrel;

Reserva,

3 years of aging, minimum 1 year in oak barrel; 

and Gran Reserva

, 5-7 years of aging, minimum 2 years in oak barrel.

Grapes?

Temperanillo

, known for producing complex wines worthy of aging. It's name comes from the Spanish word "temprano" or "early" because the grape typically ripens several weeks earlier than most red grapes in Spain.

Garnacha

(aka Grenache in France), known for its spicy berry flavors and producing wines that are rich, warm and alcoholic - so its commonly blended.

Wines from Penedés

If you love sparklers, the first thing you should think when you think Pened

és is Cava. However, this region is also known for making some quality red table wines. If you are looking for quality wines from these region, check out Torres or Jean Leon (producers).

Wines from Ribera del Duero

Stay on the look out for wines from this wine region. It is known as an up-and-coming region of Spain. The major red grapes grown here are Tinto Fino (Temperanillo), Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Garnacha.

Wines from Priorat

Given that most of the vineyards in this region were historically farmed by Monks, Priorat was traditionally known for sacramental wine. However today, if you are looking for a quality (and pricey) bottle of red wine - Priorat is another great place to go.

Photo source: http://www.theworldwidewine.com

Wines from Rueda & 

Rías

 Baixas

FYI - not all the wine worth drinking in Spain is red! These two regions are known for the production of white wine. The modern style of wine made in Rueda is dry, fruity and fresh. These wines are made from Verdejo, Viura and occasionally Sauvignon Blanc grapes. The native Verdejo are generally harvested at night to reduce the risk of oxidation from the hot day-time. It is also known for making aromatic but full-bodied wines.

Rías

 Baixas, on the other hand, makes delicious white wines with mostly the 

Albariño

 grape. 

Albariño

 (synonym for "Alvarinho") is one of my personal favorites from Spain! Known as the classic Vino Verde grape - the grape is known for its distinctive peach and apricot aroma. It produces light but highly acidic wines.

Phew! So that covers the basics of Spanish wine. If you are searching for a take away - it seems Spain is a powerhouse of reds and not really well known for whites - similar to Italy.  However, the white wines of Spain are not to be ignored! I know I will be looking for a aromatic and crisp white from Spain next time I hit the local wine shop.

Cheers!

Boston: American Craft Beer Festival

Dear Enthusiasts! I think it goes without that I enjoy a good glass of wine. Ok, Ok - I may be a bit obsessed! But realizing that wine is not the only fermented beverage out there - this blog will finally cover a beverage that America's drink 20.8 gallons per person last year... you guessed it - Beer! 

History of Beer in America:

Dare I even try to address the history of this important beverage? Since there are some very high odds that I would not fully encompass the history of beer in this introductory post - I will just throw out a few fun facts:

• In 1587, Virginia colonists brew ale using corn.
• In 1643, Samuel Cole is the first to be licensed in Boston to operate a tavern.
• In 1754, George Washington enters a beer recipe into his notebook.
• In 1820, Brewers report business off due to increased consumption of whiskey.
• In 1935, Canned beer introduced by American Can Company and Krueger Brewing Co. of Newark, New Jersey.

Picture from ACBF - can you

 spot the awesome yellow pants?

American Craft Beer Fest:

With my first weekend in Boston, I decided visit the American Craft Beer Fest. Per the event handout, the ACBR is the "largest and most diverse celebration of American craft beer on the east coast." And they weren't lying - there were over 140 brewers there, serving 4-6 beers. So I grabbed my glass and started tasting as many beers as I could in the three hours I had.

Ranking System:

As I started ranking beers, it became quickly obvious that I needed to create a ranking system. So with the help of a few friends, we used the following (not-so-scientific) system:

1. Beers that drink like One Direction sounds (lowest)
2. Meh 
3. I'd have another but...
4. Beers that are awesome like a black skirt - goes with every occasion!
5. "Dance on the ceiling" good! (highest)

My Tasting Card:

In three short hours, I was able to taste beer from 22 different breweries. The results below are listed by brewery, beer type and score:

Relic Brewing Co.

 (Plainville, CT), Madeline Belgian Blonde - 4

Mayflower Brewing Co.

 (Plymouth, MA), Pale Ale - 2

The People's Pint

 (Greenfield, MA), Wheelman's Wheat - 3

*Night Shift Brewing

 (Everett, MA), Snow American Stout - 4.5

      White Coffee Stout with great texture and I really enjoyed the coffee taste.

Moat Maintain Smoke House & Brewing Co.

 (North Conway, NH) Matilda's Red Ale - 2

Idle Hands Craft Ales

 (Ipswich, MA), Triplication - 3.5

*Enlightenment Ales

 (Lowell, MA), Enlightenment Brut (Biere De Champagne) - 3.5 

      Definitely a floral scent and complex beer.

Kennebec River Brewery

 (The Forks Pit, ME), Summer Ale - 2

                                                                    Whitewater Wheat - 4

Port Jeff Brewing Co.

 (Port Jefferson, NY), White's Beach Wit - 1

                                                                 Party Boat IPA - 2

Mystic Brewery

 (Chelsea, MA), Welkin Ringer (E.S.B.) - 3.5

Long Trail Brewing Co.

 (Bridgewaters Corners, VT), Maple Maibock - 4

Otter Creek Brewing

 (Middleberry, VT), Copper Ale - 4

*Clown Shoes

 (Ipswich, MA), Barley Wine - 5

Redhook Brewery

 (Portsmouth, NH), Wise-cracker - 3

Anderson Valley Brewing Co

 (Boonville, CA), Wild Turkey Burbon Barrel Stout - 4

Somerville Brewing Co. (Slumbrew)

(Somerville, MA), Happy Sol Hefeweizen - 3.5

Wachusett Brewing Co.

 (Westminster, MA), Blueberry - 2.5

Smuttynose Brewing Co.

 (Portsmouth, NH), Short Batch #11 - 2.5

Green Flash Brewing Co.

(Denver, CO), San Diego Saison - 4

Sixpoint Brewery

 (Brooklyn, NY), Apollo Kristalweizen - 2

*Maine Beer Co.

 (Portland, ME), Mo Ale - 5  This beer was great, definitely worth finding and trying again!

If the brewery is starred above - its definitely worth seeking out at your local store! Happy tasting!

Cheers!

Wine and Law: Counterfeiting

For those of you who think wine and law go together like hot sauce and wedding cake (or more traditionally oil and vinegar) - think again! So many areas of the wine industry are intertwined with complicated legal issues, and this post discusses one of the most fascinating issues of all: wine counterfeiting.

Photo Source: Luke McGarry via Bloomberg BusinessWeek

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-11/an-insiders-guide-to-counterfeiting-wine

Wine Counterfeiting in the News

Earlier this year, one "unlucky billionaire" was awarded $12 million dollars in punitive damages (on top of the near $400,000 in compensatory damages) by a New York jury for being sold counterfeit wine. The french wine in dispute was allegedly previously owned by Thomas Jefferson. Turns out it was fake.

While the story of one billionaire swindled by another billionaire over the sale of allegedly centuries old wine does not necessarily tug at my heart strings - this case does shine light on the growing counterfeiting problem in the wine industry. 

Wine Counterfeiting 101

The production of counterfeits is a problem across several industries, especially since counterfeiting is a lucrative business and the production of most goods moved overseas. Some common counterfeit items include: baby formula, medication and luxury fashion items. In fact, the production of counterfeit luxury handbags, sunglasses and other accessories is a billion dollar industry all by itself.

Counterfeit wine, on the other hand, remains largely only a problem in the Asian market and for high end collectors. (So no worries - that $15 bottle of reisling is probably legit). Regardless, if you enjoy a good con-artist tv show (White Collar anyone?!?!) or simply want to learn how to protect your investments, the process of counterfeiting is interesting. My research revealed the following themes for counterfeiting wine: 

1. Counterfeiters target older vintages. These bottles are more likely to sit in a collector's cellar, likely to remain closed, or if they are opened, the drinker is likely to accept potentially iffy tastes given the age of the wine.
2. Counterfeiters commonly modify the fraudulent bottle to look like the original bottle. There are several common approaches, including: relabeling, recycling, or "reverse fraud." 
   • The upside to relabeling is that it is the easiest approach, especially given today's technology. However, an examination of the cork (which may reveal the original producer) could reveal the fraud. 
   • Recycling an empty original bottle solves the problem of a faulty look, however, those empty original bottles are more costly (try over $1,000 on the black market) and high-end producers now use anti-counterfeiting techniques as a defense. 
   • Finally, reverse-fraud is the act of purchasing a real bottle, finding a reason to send it back, but sending a counterfeit bottle back and keeping the real one. That is bold sir.

According to wineauthentication.com, the top ten most common counterfeit wines include: 

Cheval Blanc 1921, 

Cheval Blanc 1947, 

Lafite 1787 Thomas Jefferson (single bottle format), 

Lafite 1870, 

Lafleur 1947, 

Lafleur 1950, 

Latour a Pomerol 1961, 

Margaux 1900, 

Petrus 1921, 

Petrus 1947. 

What do all these wines have in common? Bottom line: they are old, rare and pricey.

Photo Source: 

http://www.anotherwineblog.com/archives/5185

How does the law come into play?

Should you some day question the legitimacy of your wine and it is discovered that it is counterfeit - you have some legal remedies. Koch argued a successful claim for

fraud.

 A successful claim for fraud (in plain english) requires the plaintiff to show

somebody lied to you on purpose, with the goal of screwing you, you fell for it and you actually got screwed.

 A claim of wine fraud could be brought against someone you contracted with to buy wine or even auction houses. If you are successful, you have the ability (happily) to collect both compensatory and punitive damages.

Takeaway?

So what is to be learned from all this? #1 Don't ever but a bottle of wine from Rudy Kurniawan (most famous wine counterfeiter). #2 Do your due diligence if you are considering buying pricey vintage wine. #3 Your everyday wine purchases are likely legit.

If only the rest of us could be so lucky as to buy phony wine from a skeezey rich guy... oh well, better luck next time!

Cheers!

Photo Confessions: Shippin' Up to Boston!

Finals - Check! J.D. - Check! Update the blog - uhhh, oooops.

As anyone who reads blogs, writes blogs, or ever attempted to write a blog will likely known -- a blog can be fun

and

 time consuming. Its just a given that updating the blog will sometimes takes a back-seat to real life. For me, real life has included finals, graduation, and ... (drumroll please!) ... a temporary move to Boston! That's right Enthusiasts! Contrary to the blog's title, this blogger is taking some time off from the Big Apple to cover the best restaurants, local haunts and secret sites in Beantown! 

Which brings me back to Photo Confessions! This weeks photo...

Random Historical Sign in Harvard Square

After three short days, I already know how I would describe Boston in a word (if I had to) - CHAMELEON.   That's right - this town is like a uniquely adaptable, color-changing lizard because each neighborhood is seriously different from the last and it morphs around  the people that live there. I have seen neighborhoods that are colonial, modern, collegiate, retro, traditional and artsy - all within 30 minutes of each other.

Thus - this photo confession series will feature a photo from a different Boston neighborhood. This photo was taken in Harvard Square and reminded me how much American history is tied to Boston. It caught my eye mostly due to the contrast between the brick and ivy - but I appreciated it more for its historical value. Until next time!

Cheers!

Food and Drink: What is Speculoos?

So - speculoos? Weird name right? Is it a technical culinary technique? A rare produce item? A Harry Potter spell? None of the above! Its actually spiced shortcrust biscuit that hails from the Netherlands. If that isn't enough to tempt you - they also make speculoos cookie butter. You heard right folks - cookie butter! I recently discovered this delicious spread (and sure, I'm probably late to the game), but I thought it was worth blogging about anyway!

History

Speculoos is traditionally a Christmas cookie consumed around the St. Nicholas Feast in early December. 

Spices used in speculoos are 

cinnamon

, 

nutmeg

, 

cloves

, 

ginger

,

cardamom

 and 

white pepper

.

The origin of the name has been traced back to the latin word

speculum,

 which means mirror, and refers to the mirrored designs traditionally stamped into the cookies.

While cookies are fun and all, where did the tradition of "cookie butter" come from? In Belgium, local workers used to make sandwiches with speculoos cookies and butter, which  turned into into a cookie paste by the time lunch rolled around. The corporations soon stepped in and speculoos butter was produced by several companies. Though, over time the competition was whittled down to two, 

Lotus and Biscuiterie Willems. For my legal nerds, the two companies claimed they had exclusive rights to the recipe and initiated a patent lawsuit. In the end, the disputed patent was nullified because it was discovered the recipe was online all along.

How to use it?

When I first laid eyes on the speculoos cookie butter - one of my first thoughts was, what do you use this with?

Its the consistency of peanut butter, tastes like a cinnamon cookie, and literally has no nutritional value whatsoever... like not even frozen yogurt or natural peanut butter levels of nutrition where you can at least justify the calorie splurge. 

Some pairings you may consider (though feel free to leave some suggestions in the comments!):

• On an english muffin, toast or really any baked good (except maybe apple pie, that may be too weird)
• Speculoos and banana sandwich, or
• Mixed in your favorite brownie receipe

Where to buy it?

I have seen speculoos cookie butter on sale at both Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, and Le Pain Quotidien. As per tradition (though I'm assuming because I haven't double checked the prices) the better value is likely at Trader Joe's. But beware - I heard Trader Joe's is running low on supply due to the item's growing popularity. When you are able to get your hands on some - be sure to share your recipes!

Cheers!