Louis Latour! Ooolala!

I am in love with Louis Latour -- his wines, I mean.  Over the weekend, I was fortunate enough to attend the Food and Wine Experience at the renowned Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, which for 3 days offered various levels of tasting opportunities.  In the VIP Tasting Room, we were treated to wonderful hors d'oeuvres supplied by Schnucks Markets and some incredible wines.

I took the photo below with my iPhone, one-handed - hence, the blurriness.  Nonetheless, the famous branding of Maison Louis Latour identifies the pedigree of these outstanding wines.

From the Cote D'Or in Burgundy, France, I savored samples of a Marsannay Rouge , a Chassagne Montrachet Chardonnay, and an incredible Aloxe-Corton Premier Cru Les Chaillet Pinot Noir. Even for those who struggle to identify the array of flavors present in wines, when it's a good wine, a wine lover knows it! The Latour family has been producing wines since the 17th century, and they are masters of fine wine production.

The best way to get familiar with great wines is to attend wine tasting events such as this, where you can taste a variety of wines side by side. Learn how quality wines taste. This then becomes your measure for others.  Are you familiar with good Chardonnays? Outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon? An great old world Pinot Noir? Find local wine shops and attend those tastings. Cheers!

Barbera d'Asti

 

Barbera d'Asti is a great dry red wine from the Piedmont or Piemonte wine region of Italy. In northwestern Italy, the Asti area is perhaps the best known.  Quality wines are rated DOC; exceptional wines DOCG - Denominazione de Origine Controllata e Garantita - where the G represents a promise (guarantee) of quality.
This 2010 Barbera does not disappoint. it offers great berry/dark fruit flavors, lingering nicely on the palate. I found this one at Trader Joe's in the St. Louis area.

Napa Cellars Zinfandel

The reputed Mecca for good zinfandel wines has been Lodi, California. Many from that region are spicy and meaty and complex. However, last night I experienced an impressive zinfandel from Napa Valley.
Some friends uncorked this 2009 Zin from Napa Cellars to pair with our evening fare of barbequed pulled pork. I barely managed to save one sip of it to pair with our main course.  We had nearly consumed this Zin before the dinner bell sounded. It demonstrate vibrant fruit aromas (cherry, currant, dates, subtle raspberry) and oak-imposed dimensions of spice and vanilla. Well-rounded and complex, this dry red is a fine wine to sip or to pair with food - pork, beef, ribs, lamb, pizza, chili. You get the idea!

The Napa Cellars website is currently offering the 2010 Zinfandel for $22.00. Ours was purchased upon the recommendation of a wine shop proprietor. There are lots of zinfandels out there.  It is always a treat to encounter a good one.  We recommend this Zin!