Wine review: Cono Sur Single Vineyard Block 23 Riesling 2012

24 02 2014

Cono Sur Riesling - reijosfood.com

Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery was founded in 1993, with the vision of producing premium, expressive and innovative wines that convey the spirit of the New World. The name refers to the company’s geographic position, representing wines proudly made in South America’s Southern Cone, on whose western edge lies Chile and its gifted wine valleys.

Single Vineyard wines should be of exceptional quality in which each variety comes from a specific block of grape vines with singular characteristics.

Cono Sur Single Vineyard Block 23 Riesling 2012 is selected for its extreme southern origins and cold climate, the Rulos del Alto Block is part of the Quitralmán Estate and contains the oldest vines planted in the Bío-Bío Valley. Experiencing some of the lowest average temperatures during grape ripening, along with its red clay soil, add to this Riesling´s freshness and impressive minerality.

THE LOOK

Cono Sur Single Vineyard Block 23 Riesling 2012

Wine is bright yellow but not golden as in the picture. Flash light changed the color a little bit.

THE NOSE

Fruits and acids, elegant bouquet. Riesling should be like this wine.

THE TASTE

Crisp and fruity, apricot and lime. Slightly petro-flavored with some minerals. Nice and balanced taste.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 13,50 %
Extract: 28 g/l
Acidity: 7,3 g/l
Sugar: 6 g/l
Energy: 90 kcal / 100 ml (360 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap

Wine is suitable for aperitif and paired extremely well with whitefish, which was prepared with asian style. Means that is suits with spicy food but also with white fishes and meats.

Would definitely purchase again because the price of this wine is not bad at all compared to value for money.

OVERALL GRADE: 4/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK +++ / +++

http://www.conosur.com


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Wine review: Freixenet Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut

1 02 2014

One of the best Cavas ever tasted!

Freixenet Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut - reijosfood.com

Spain´s sparkling wine, Cava, is part of a controlled appellation (D.O. Cava), which is concentrated in the Penedés region, just south of Barcelona.

Freixenet sparkling wine house has a long history that began in the early 1200s. Production of sparkling wines of Freixenet company began in 1900 as early as Ferrer and Sala winemaker families merged. Freixenet is now one of the largest producer of cavas which are made with champagne method.

Freixenet Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut includes Chardonnay, Macabeo, Parellada and Pinot Noir grapes. Macabeu is the most popular grape in Penedes region, but Chardonnay makes this Cava special.

THE LOOK

Shape of the bottle is elegant, more stylish than basic Cava bottles.

Color of wine is pale yellow. Small bubbles last long.

Cava - reijosfood.com

THE NOSE

The bouquet is balanced without disturbing side scents. Pleasant, elegant aromas like ripe pineapple and peach can be found.

THE TASTE

The palate is soft and appealing to start, opening into those same flavours, combining a clean, crisp acidity, and developing into a long balanced finish. No disturbing savors.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 11,50 %
Extract: 22 g/l
Acidity: 5,4 g/l
Sugar: 7 g/l
Energy: 70 kcal / 100 ml (300 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: natural cork

Elyssia is perfect for aperitif and pairs well with mildly spiced food. As bottle was received as a gift, bang for the buck can not be reviewed, but it is worth of it.

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 4,5/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK N/A

http://www.freixenet.com/index.asp


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Wine review: Château d’Arche 2006 – pairing with Runeberg’s tarte and cheeses

24 01 2014

Runeberg tart - reijosfood.com

How sweet white wine Château d’Arche 2006 pairs with traditional Finnish coffee bun, Runeberg cake or Runeberg’s tarte? And with Finnish and French cheeses?

Château d’Arche is located on the heights of the village of Sauternes in Southern Gironde.  This 40 hectare vineyard stretches across the prestigious Sauternes appellation. Wineyard produces only few wines with focus on sweet ones.

Chateau d'Arche - reijosfood.com

The grapes of the wine are Semillon and Sauvignon making the wine easy to enjoy. Wine could be stored even for 20 years if you have enough patience.

THE LOOK

Golden yellow, close to resin.

THE NOSE

Interesting observation or THE NOSE lied again. Found bitter almond, which was odd as it should not be there. Maybe piece of Runeberg cake on the small plate already mislead sense of smell. Anyway, honey and noble rot was there as they should be.

THE TASTE

As you can notice from the chart below wine is not so sweet as many of its cousins. But again taste of noble rot and apricot were obvious.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 14,00 %
Extract : 160 g/l
Acidity: 5,6 g/l
Sugar: 120 g/l
Energy : 140 kcal / 100 ml (590 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: natural cork

First tasted wine with cheeses: Finnish blue cheese Peltola Blue and French ones; white cheese Levasseur Grand Livarot from Normandy and 16 months ripened organic Gryerere, Comte, from Jura mountains (on the left). Port wine is maybe the most common wine for cheeses but would say that Château d’Arche 2006 paired quite nicely. If you would have had more sweet white wine it would have destroyed the taste of cheeses. Of course port or red wines are more safe choises but can recommend this one for salty cheeses.

Cheeses - reijosfood.com

Then tasted wine with Runeberg cake. Cake is available only from mid January to 5th February, when the birthday of our national poet and writer J.L.Runeberg is celebrated. As cake includes punch as humectant, it really is challenging dessert for wines.

Runebergintorttu - reijosfood.com

Result: Runeberg cake requires more sweet wine like Tokaji or Eiswein which have around 200g/l sugar. Also as cake has some strong ingredients it requires stronger wine to accompany.

With or without wine, it is always pleasure to enjoy the Runeberg cake or two!

And when it comes to cheeses, would say it was unbeatable threesome. Livarot being maybe the best white cheese in the world.

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 4/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK  ++ / +++

http://chateau-arche.com/


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Wine review: Matua Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012

19 01 2014

Matua Pinot Noir - reijosfood.com

I am not sure if THE NOSE lied but when wine was poured in to the glass it smelled first like butterscotch. After rotating the wine in the glass the scent changed totally! Any similar experiences with this wine?

Matua was the first wineyard in New Zealand to plant Sauvignon Blanc in 1969.  Their produced first bottle in 1974. However, this is not about Sauvignon Blancs, which is not our favourite grape. First wine review (not first wine enjoyed) 2014 concerns Pinot Noir.

Tested wine was Matua Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012. Wineyard claims that wine is it’s best Pinot so far.

THE LOOK

First of all the color of the label is different than usually on wine bottles, turquoise. Maybe that was the reason it caught my eye at Alko.

Wine itself is light red, close to mature cherry.

THE NOSE

This was surprising! Usually when tasting wines I do not smell the aroma of wine so carefully before rotating it. This time did and was surprised by the smell of butterscotch. The bouquet I did not expect to find from Pinot Noir. But it made the wine really fascinating and forced to focus on THE NOSE more specifically than ever.

After rotating the wine in the glass strongly, aroma changed significantly. Now we found cherry, more typical pinot noir characters and some tannins.

THE TASTE

Maybe tannins dominated, as acidity was quite low, because wine tasted a little bit acrid. Not that it hindered but that was the first feeling. Anyway, this wine was the most savory pinot noir ever tasted. As they are usually quite tawdry, Matua Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012 is not.

Facts and Figures:

Alcohol: 13,50 %
Extract : 30 g/l
Acidity: 5,4 g/l
Energy : 90 kcal / 100 ml (380 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap

Tasted wine with asian food and match was perfect. Mixed flavors of strong spices and sweet seasonings are difficult combination for wines. Also paired well with pizza which was spiced with tabasco and jalopenos. Conclusion: wine suits better with spicy foods than avarage pinot noirs, mostly because of tannins.

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 4-/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK ++ / +++

http://www.matua.co.nz/en


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Wine review: Hewitson Baby Bush Mourvèdre 2011

16 12 2013

Baby Bush - reijosfood.com
Baby Bush vines are thrived in the cool vintage of 2011 that saw a slow and even ripening period. The later maturing nature of Mourvèdre grapes meant ripening occurred in sunny and warm conditions compared to the cool and rain of earlier in the vintage.
After hand picking and fermentation on skins, the wine completed its maturation for 16 months in the very same barrels used, when new, for Old Garden Mourvèdre. During this period the barrels experienced batonnage, where wine was mixed the fermentation lees with the new wine by rotating barrels on little wheels built into the racks.

As title tells, Hewitson Baby Bush is made 100% from Mourvèdre grape. Mourvèdre is not so common grape, at least for me, which made the tasting really fascinating.

THE LOOK

Typical Hewitson label, white background and certain color of letters.

Wine itself is ruby red, some brownish although vintage is quite young 2011.

Hewitson - reijosfood.com

Red wine glasses - reijosfood.com

THE NOSE

Depending on glass, even liquorice-chocolate, but blackberry and boysen berry raised from both glasses. As wine is almost as strong as Amarones’s aroma of alcohol felt more strongly in bigger glass.

THE TASTE

Full-bodied a little bit spicy but tender taste. When wine opens up, flavor becomes even better.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 14,50 %
Extract: 29 g/l
Acidity: 4,6 g/l
Energy: 90 kcal / 100 ml (370 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap

Wine is excellent, well balanced and tannins do not interfere too much. Suits perfeclty with red meats but also with spicy foods as it has some character. I would not forget it either on cold winter days although we have not seen them yet in Helsinki.

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 4+/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK +++ /+++

http://www.hewitson.com.au/page.php?section=791&mId=1511&catid=779


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Wine review: Best mulled wines

13 12 2013

Glögi - reijosfood.com

First two important questions: Is mulled wine a wine at all? Are mulled wines available in your country or is there some other Christmas drink more popular?

Mulled wines (Glögi or Hehkuviini in Finnish) are really popular in Finland during Christmas time. They can be purchased at Alko’s already at the end of October. As the assortment of mulled wines is quite wide it is important to select right ones. Many of the mulled wines at Alko are too sweet, too strong or strangely flavored. Once we had to pour present down the drain because it was so awful.

So, we have picked two best mulled wines available at Alko: Perinteinen Punaviiniglögi and Hehkuviini.

Mulled wines - reijosfood.com

What is odd that both come from Denmark, which seems to be THE country of mulled wines, if conclusion is based on Alko selection. So, most of the mulled wines are not made in Finland. As a matter in fact, most of them are imported or specially manufactured for Alko and bottled in Finland. This was actually new information for me, without writing this post I would not have paid any attention.

THE LOOK

The labels of both bottles look similar, same red ground and golden decorations.

Hehkuviini is a little bit darker red than Perinteinen Punaviiniglögi. However, the difference of the look of mulled wines is usually negligible.

THE NOSE

The aroma of Perinteinen Punaviiniglögi is softer due to amount of less alcohol. Clove dominates but not disturbingly. Hehkuviini smells like raisin and Christmas spices but alcohol tries to come up. The scent of both wines is christmassy which is most important savor of mulled wines.

THE TASTE

You can find cardamon form Perinteinen Punaviiniglögi. Taste is well balanced and spices are in harmony. In Hehkuviini mostly you can taste almond and gingerbread. As it has more alcohol that can also be noticed.

Facts and figures:

Perinteinen Hehkuviini**
Punaviinigögi*
Alcohol: 13,00 % 22.00 %
Extract: 130 g/l 175 g/l
Acidity: 5 g/l 5.1 g/l
Sugar: 110 g/l 150 g/l
Energy: 130 kcal / 100 ml (520 kJ / 100 ml) 190 kcal / 100 ml (800 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap metal screw cap

Mulled wines are part of Christmas time, at least in Finland. It is a pity that Alko does not provide wider selection of Gluhweins, only one choice available which is one of the worst ever tasted. Gluhweins are quite close to mulled wines, but not so sweet.

One option is to buy mulled wines from super markets but then you also to need to know which ones to pick. Most of them are actually juices. Good choice is Blossa Lingon which is almost non-alcoholic and therefore suits for drivers also.

Blossa glögi - reijosfood.com

REVIEWS: OVERALL GRADES 5/5* AND 4/5** – BANG FOR THE BUCK +++/+++* AND ++/+++**


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Wine review: Champagne Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie Brut

6 12 2013

Champagne Taittinger - reijosfood.com

Finland celebrates its Independence Day on the 6th December. It is a day for bubbling drinks and this years champagne was from Taittinger, Les Folies de la Marquetterie.

Taittinger’s very first “Champagne de Domaine”, Les Folies de la Marquetterie is a blend of Chardonnays (45%) and Pinot Noirs (55%), made exclusively from grapes grown at the Folies vineyard that overlooks Château de la Marquetterie, the birthplace of the Taittinger family champagne. A “green” harvest is carried out on the selected plots of vines to ensure the fruit offers optimum sweetness and aromatic maturity. After harvesting, only the juice from the first pressing is reserved. The bottles are aged for five years.

THE LOOK

To be honest do not really like the color of the label but of course drink itself only matters.

Color is deep yellow with a golden touch.

Champagne Taittinger - reijosfood.com

THE NOSE

The intense nose is fruity with aromas of apricot and red apple.

THE TASTE

The palate is full-bodied, smooth and fruity with flavor of apricot. Although champagne has small bubbles they seem to multiply in the mouth.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 12,50 %
Extract: 28 g/l
Acidity: 4,8 g/l
Sugar: 12 g/l
Energy: 80 kcal / 100 ml (340 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: natural cork

Taittinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie is perfect wine for celebrating Independence Day. Wine was tasted from Finnish Iittala Essence Champagne glasses and Cocktail bowls. Champagne and sparkling wines suit perfectly for Iittala glasses. Especially solemnity increases when you use Essence Cocktail bowl although bubbles lose quicker. So what, glamour is more important when you enjoy champagne!

And if you have some seafood; like scallops, vendaces and flambeed salmon on your Iittala plate, you might want to taste Taittinger with them.

Seafood - reijosfood.com

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 4/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK ++ / +++

http://www.taittinger.com/


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Red wine glasses – does the size matter? (Part II)

27 11 2013

Red wine glasses - reijosfood.com

In part I we tasted Faustino VII with one result we did not write about. Right glass improved both aroma and taste of this affordable red wine. In Part II we tasted Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Vieux Lazaret 2010, which should be full-bodied with tannins, dark berries, cherry, spicy, hint of oak, nuanced regarding to Alko. Grapes in the wine are Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault which is challenging combination.

Red wines - reijosfood.com

We used the same glasses as in Part I with tasting results below:

Glass 1: Sommeliers Bordeaux GC (Riedel, Austria)

Huge 27 cm high glass with capacity of 0,86 litre. Could take the whole bottle! Glass maker Riedel recommends it to be used with following wines/grapes: Bordeaux (red), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chablis, Fronsac, Graves rouge, Listrac, Margaux, Médoc, Merlot, Moulis, Pauillac, Pessac Leognan (Rouge), Pomerol, St. Emilion, St. Estèphe, St. Julien

TASTING NOTES: Glass is still too big for tasting because spinning the glass is quite clumsy. Huge size makes you careful which does not help in the tasting. However, practice makes you master and this time wine spinned more easily. Both results of NOSE and TASTE tests were in balance. Wine opened nicely and aroma was pleasant despite of tannins. WINNER OF THE TEST!

Glass 2: Vinum Bordeaux (Riedel, Austria)

Typical 22,5 cm high red wine glass with capacity of 0,61 litre. Recommended by Riedel to use with following wines/grapes: Bordeaux (red), Carmenère, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zweigelt

TASTING NOTES: Part I winner was not so impressive as it was in previous test. Somehow sniffing the bouquet made you cough. However, result of THE TASTE was as good as it was with the winning glass.

Glass 3: Essence (Iittala, Finland)

23 cm high with capacity of 0,45 litre and designed by Alfredo Häberli for Iittala in 2001. No recommendations for wines or grapes. In Finnish Iittala web -site also classified as beer glass.

TASTING NOTES: Shame on Iittala! Again LOSER OF THE TEST! Same problems with the NOSE, alcohol and with THE TASTE, tacky and lackluster.

Glass 4: Basic tasting glass

These glasses are usually used in basic wine tastings. This glass was brought on from Barcelona Estacio Enologica 100-year celebration but glass type has also been used in Finnish Wine Fairs several years ago.

TASTING NOTES: The bouquet for the THE NOSE was tender but THE TASTE was a little bit tacky and acid. Part I and Part II tests proved that basic tasting glass is excellent for the THE NOSE part of tests.

Glasses - reijosfood.com

Conclusion

Size matters, at least when it comes to Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Vieux Lazaret 2010! Although none of the grapes of this wine are not mentioned by Riedel for preferred ones for Sommeliers Bordeaux GC glass, glass won the test. Wine with tannins need to get ogygen in order to open. Glass itself is like decanter which improves the experience.

But as written in the beginnng of the post, cheap and lackluster wines improve more in the right shaped glass. Best example are cognacs, do not use traditional glasses for them because you get blind due to the alcohol vapor. Buy cheaper cognac and enjoy it from flute-shaped aroma glass.


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Wine review: Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau

22 11 2013

Beaujolais Nouveau - reijosfood.com

Beaujolais Nouveau is a red wine made from Gamay grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is released for sale on the third Thursday of November. This “Beaujolais Nouveau Day” used to see heavy marketing, with races to get the first bottles to different markets around the globe.

The current release practice is to ship the wine ahead of the third Thursday of November, and release it to the local markets at 12:01 am local time. Of course not in Finland as there is only one monopoly company selling wines and alcohol (Alko) and it opens at 09.00 EET and they offer only one choice Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages Nouveau. Neither restaurants promoted opportunity to taste it right after midnight.

It is important to enjoy the wine enough chilled, proof below :). It must be served between 12 – 14C degrees.

Beaujolais Nouveau - reijosfood.com

THE LOOK

Label is colorful as always, flowers mirror the freshness of wine.

Wine itself is almost violet, blue-reddish like young wines always are. More dark than last year.

THE NOSE

Fruity, even sweet aroma especially when using tasting glass. Rasberry, vanilla and fruit candy scent came in to the nose.

THE TASTE

Young fruity wine, light and fresh. Berries dominate but on the other hand quite skinny taste.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 12,00 %
Extract : 27 g/l
Acidity: 5,4 g/l
Energy : 80 kcal / 100 ml (320 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap

This years only available Beaujolais Nouveau from Georges Duboeuf is eligible wine. Easy to taste, easy to enjoy.

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 3-/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK + / +++

Beaujolais Nouveau - reijosfood.com

Last years modest review:

Wine review: Beaujolais Villages Nouveau Louis Tête


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Red wine glasses – does the size matter? (Part I)

16 11 2013

Wine glasses - reijosfood.com

There is lots of fuss about the importance of glass on the taste of wines. Some thoughts around the topic in two posts.

Compared two totally different red wines, Faustino VII 2011 and Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Vieux Lazaret 2010. Part I covers tasting of most modest Faustino, Faustino VII, which should be full-bodied Spanish tempranill0 with medium tannins and delicately spicy regarding to Alko notes.

Red wines - reijosfood.com

Tested both wines in four different red wine glasses:

Glass 1: Sommeliers Bordeaux GC (Riedel, Austria)

Huge 27 cm high glass with capacity of 0,86 litre. Could take the whole bottle! Glass maker Riedel recommends it to be used with following wines/grapes: Bordeaux (red), Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chablis, Fronsac, Graves rouge, Listrac, Margaux, Médoc, Merlot, Moulis, Pauillac, Pessac Leognan (Rouge), Pomerol, St. Emilion, St. Estèphe, St. Julien

TASTING NOTES: Glass is too big for tasting because spinning the glass is quite clumsy. Huge size makes you too careful which does not help in the tasting. Mixed opinions compared to Vinum glass; actually it was a difficult task to rank these glasses with similar shapes. With affordable Faustino VII, glass did not provide any extra amazing experience; so we have to wait for how better French wine manages.

Glass 2: Vinum Bordeaux (Riedel, Austria)

Typical 22,5 cm high red wine glass with capacity of 0,61 litre. Recommended by Riedel to use with following wines/grapes: Bordeaux (red), Carmenère, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zweigelt

TASTING NOTES: Maybe easiest shape and size to taste Faustino VII. THE NOSE and THE TASTE were in balance. Vinum Bordeaux glass was the WINNER OF THE TEST! 

Glass 3: Essence (Iittala, Finland)

23 cm high with capacity of 0,45 litre and designed by Alfredo Häberli for Iittala in 2001. No recommendations for wines or grapes. In Finnish Iittala web -site also classified as beer glass.

TASTING NOTES: With Faustino VII Essence glass did not impress. It managed worst in THE NOSE and THE TASTE tests. Alcohol covered bouquet of tempranillo and flavor of the wine was bitter. LOSER OF THE TEST!

Glass 4: Basic tasting glass

These glasses are usually used in basic wine tastings. This glass was brought on from Barcelona Estacio Enologica 100-year celebration but glass type has also been used in Finnish Wine Fairs several years ago.

TASTING NOTES: Bouquet of tempranillo was most pleasant and easily identified, but taste of wine was as bitter as it was with Iittala Essence glass. Too much tannins and spices.

Glasses - reijosfood.comWine glasses - reijosfood.com

Conclusion

Size does not matter but the shape really matters. It is important to choose right glass for different type of red wines. Maybe Spanish tempranillo is not the best wine for Riedel glasses, because it was not recommended by glass maker. One option might be that Riedel ignores certain countries/regions/grapes. However, tasted wine was quite modest and immature. None of the glasses did not improve taste significantly.

In Part II we analyze Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Vieux Lazaret 2010 which was tasted by using the same glasses.

http://www.riedel.com/collections/glass-collections/


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Wine review: Christmas Riesling 2012

10 11 2013

Would you buy wine because there is Christmas tree on the label and name of the wine is Christmas Riesling?

Christmas Riesling - reijosfood.com

Wonder how one wineyard (weingut) can name it’s wine as Christmas something? Has the wine something to do with Christmas?

After tasting, nothing!

Wine comes from wineyard Lergenmüller, Pfalz (The Palatinate), Germany.

THE LOOK

As you can see the label highlights Christmas. The wine itself is straw-colored and slightly greenish.

THE NOSE

Typical light young riesling. Some fruits and raisins which we often find in rieslings but no one else seems to do so; at least when it comes to professional reviews.

THE TASTE

Lack of petrol and minerals makes this wine light and boring. The name Christmas would require more character.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 13,00 %
Extract : 25 g/l
Acidity: 7,5 g/l
Sugar: 6 g/l
Energy : 80 kcal / 100 ml (320 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap

Wine is basic riesling which suits for aperitif and with food without too much spices. Tried it with sushi and it did not pair at all. Christmas Riesling 2012 does not create a Christmas athmosphere neither reminds you of Christmas tree or presents. For Christmas I recommend Finnish Glögg or Gluhwein.

Only positive thing is the price of the wine; it is only 8,95€ in Finnish Alko’s.

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 2/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK 0 / +++

http://www.lergenmueller.de/


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Wine, Food & Good living 2013 -event – what went wrong?

27 10 2013

Champagne - reijosfood.com

Wine, Food and Good living -event is now in turning point. Either it has to find larger hall to take all “private” visitors on Saturday and lower prices or focus on business visitors.

First you have to line up to give your coat to checkroom (2.50€ per person). Then you queue for tasting class (8€ – 5€ = 3€ when you return your class) and tasting tickets (2,50€ each). All tasting -seminars are fully booked up well beforehand the event starts; so no guided tasting this year.

Of course vintage champagnes are expensive but it is odd that you have to pay 6 tasting tickets (15€) for 4cl of noble drinks in the picture. Of course Dom Perignon Vintage 2004, which had arrived to Finland 2 days ago, is rare and valuable drink but if we think that Taittinger Brut Reserve (2 tickets) tastes better you do not attract customers to purchase this vintage champagne.

To crown it all, most champagnes ran out of the champagne bar 1/2 hours before event closed. From about 20 champagnes about 4 of the most non-drinkable wines were left. What a waste for the tickets.

To summarize, too crowded and too expensive. Only way to carry on is to modify Saturday; either expand floor space on that day or try change visitor profiles. Hopefully the first one because event itself is marvelous experience on a rainy autumn day.

PS. Forgot to mention that entrance costs 18€. As we had free tickets did not remember that cost at once.

http://www.messukeskus.com/Sites1/Viiniruokahyvaelama/en/Pages/default.aspx

http://viinilehti.fi/tapahtumat/viini-ruoka-hyva-elama/

http://www.domperignon.com/


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Categories : Bar, Food, Helsinki, Travel, Wine, Wine review

Wine review: Jim Barry Watervale Riesling

19 10 2013

Watervale Riesling

The late Jim Barry was a pioneer of the Australian wine industry. He was the first qualified winemaker to work in the Clare Valley of South Australia and with his wife, Nancy, built a successful wine business which has produced trophy-winning wines since its establishment in 1959. Today, the company is headed by Jim’s second son Peter Barry.

Jim Barry Wines has four distinctive climatic and geographical sites in the Clare Valley:
1) Watervale towards the southern end of the Valley 
2) Lodge Hill in the eastern ranges 
3) Vineyards at the northern entrance to Clare and 
4) Armagh to the west 
In addition, the company has a 14 hectare Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard in the Coonawarra region.

Tasted wine was Watervale Riesling 2012, of course from riesling crapes.

Riesling - reijosfood

THE LOOK

Like the label of the bottle, simple black W on white background. Sometimes labels attract to try the wine which was the fact this time.

Wine itself is bright straw yellow in appearance with green nuance. Light riesling white wine.

Jim Barry - reijosfood.com

THE NOSE

Nice light riesling bouqet without disturbing side effects. Acidity, petrol and minerals are far away. Nothing disturbs…

THE TASTE

WIne is really dry as you can see from the facts and figures below. However, wine lacks typical riesling minerality which makes wine is a little bit unbalanced.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 12,20 %
Extract : 22 g/l
Acidity: 6,7 g/l
Sugar: 4 g/l
Energy: 80 kcal / 100 ml (330 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: metal screw cap

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Wine is suitable for all kinds of fish and white meat foods as well as pasta and pizza which we made by ourselves. With pizza we also tasted Don Camillo Sangiovese which paired better with it. Of course it also depends what toppings you add on pizza.

Home-made pizza - reijosfood.comHome-made pizza slice - reijosfood.com

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 3/5 – BANG FOR THE BUG + / +++

http://jimbarry.com/

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Categories : Fine Dining at Home, Food, Wine, Wine review

Restaurant review: Grotesk Winebar – but not grotesque at all

11 10 2013

Foie gras - reijosfood.com

Name Grotesk for restaurant may sound odd especially in Swedish, but regarding reader’s votes in local wine magazine, Viinilehti, it has the best wine bar in Helsinki and 2nd best in Finland.
After this review we also have new reijosfood.com leader in Helsinki, rankings can be found on page “Restaurant reviews – rankings”.

Restaurant Grotesk is fine dining restaurant with affordable prices and relaxed athmosphere located in Ludviginkatu 10. Guide Michelin has granted Bib Gourmand -rating to Grotesk Meatbar as a proof of good value for money and it is partly owned by same the chef’s as Michelin star restaurant Demo.

Instead of Meatbar we visited Grotesk Winebar, which has 3 small dining rooms and enjoyed 8 tapas dishes with wines chosen by sommelier Pekka Koiranen. And what a fireworks; you seldom see so many rare prestige delights one after the other.

Grotesk Winebar - reijosfood.com

First two portions were served with semi-dry Chenin Blanc 2007 from Loire. Was a little bit skeptic about semi-dry white wine but it did not differ much from dry. Perfect choice for both two first portions.

Dinner started with Oyster with tapioca and pomegranate. Oyster was easy to eat and had enough citrus acidity. Then we were served Foie gras with briosse, beetroot pyre and mustard ice cream. If you happen to like foie gras (it is not everyones favourite for many reasons) you would like this combination. Mustard ice cream was excellent realization.

Oyster - reijosfood.comFoie gras - reijosfood.com

Next two portions were served with dry Riesling from Austria. Totally different sense of taste due to minerals and acidity but well chosen white wine for next dishes.

Smoked scallop with quinoa plate was brought in covered by smoking glass vase which was upside down. When the vase was lifted enjoyable smell of smoke surrounded plate. Pity that I was not prepared to take a photo. Whitefish with red pepper crumb smelted in mouth, it was like mince as it was so soft. Both portions were superb!

Scallop - reijosfood.comWhitefish - reijosfood.com

First red wine served was Pinot Noir; medium-bodied with light red color.

Next delicacy with Pinot Noir was Sweetbread with black trumpet mushroom and shiitake. Sweetbread was perfectly cooked and fungus paired nicely with it. After that came Pork belly with cabbage. Some at the restaurant really did eat the pork lard but we did not, otherwise portion was excellent.

Sweetbread - reijosfood.comPork belly - reijosfood.com

Forth wine and second red wine was full-bodied andwell balanced Garnache from Spain. Again perfect choise to complement the taste of pleasure.

Quail legs were eaten with fingers. It would have been impossible to remove delicious and crisp meat with fork and knife. Tapas dinner was ended with Chicken liver which was yammy and well prepared. 8 tapas is not too much and they cost 44 €, affordable compared to quality and layout of portions.

Quail - reijosfood.comChicken liver - reijosfood.com

Grotesk Winebar earns 5- for overall grade because of ambitious set of voluptuous portions with affordable prices. Portions are really small but give you a chance to taste eats which usually are available in Michelin star restaurants but at much more higher prices. Our dinner took 3,5 hours, so restaurant is not fast food place. You really have time to enjoy the food and the wines or the wines and the food depending how you want to stress your dinner.

REVIEW: FOOD 4+/5 – SERVICE 4+/5 – OVERALL GRADE 5-/5

http://www.grotesk.fi/en/winebar-2/


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Categories : Bar, Food, Helsinki, Restaurant, Restaurant review, Travel, Wine, Wine review

Wine review: Gewurztraminer ‘Hugel’

5 10 2013

Hugel - reijosfood.com

The Hugel family, winegrowing ancestors since 1639!

Alsace is the driest wine region in France. Its micro-climate is caused by the distance which separates it from maritime influences, and by the protection of the Vosges mountains.
This climate enables the grapes to ripen slowly to full maturity, giving the wine great finesse of aroma and unequalled intensity.

Production of Wineyard Hugel averages 110,000 cases per year, of which around 90% is exported to more than 100 countries worldwide. Tasted from Hugel & Fils Gewurztraminer ‘Hugel’ which is one the Hugel classic wines. Other categories are tradition, jubilee, vendange tardive and selection de grains nobles.

THE LOOK

Hints of pale green and straw yellow, it is bright and clear which indicatesof full body.

Wine - reijosfood.com

THE NOSE

First aroma is noble rot which is typical to sweet white wines but also for Gewurztraminer grape. Soft, aromatic, scented bouquet with flowers and fruits

THE TASTE

Again noble rot but dry palate although sensation is not so dry as many other grapes give. Aromatic finish.

Facts and figures:

Alcohol: 13.00 %
Extract : 28 g/l
Acidity: 5.1 g/l
Sugar: 7 g/l
Energy : 80 kcal / 100 ml (350 kJ / 100 ml)
Closure: natural cork

Wine suits well with wild duck and calvados sauce (recipe available on page Dining at home) as well as with roe. With sushi and oriental flavors it does not pair so well. Serve well chilled due to light noble rot in taste.

roe - reijosfood.comreijosfood.com???????????????????????????????

REVIEW: OVERALL GRADE 3,5/5 – BANG FOR THE BUCK ++ / +++

http://www.hugel.com/en/notes.php

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