ABQ Lodging, Hospitality & Wine

Repair Your Bad Wine Serving Habits

2011-01-01T20:42:00.000-08:00

I do not have a wine cellar. I usually just put my wine in the lower kitchen cabinet behind the maple syrup. Im not worried, I know just what to do when its time to enjoy that favorite bottle of wine that should be served chilled. Ive learned the basic wine chilling tips in order to avoid disaster. Some good wine chilling advice that wine enthusiast should know is to never chill wine in the freezer. Avoid the freezer at all cost. Also, do not leave wine in the fridge for days. That mistake will make your wine taste corked. Temperature and the chilling process certainly affects the taste of you favorite wine. To reach a good serving temperature, wine is best chilled in the traditional ice bucket. (Buy an ice bucket its alot less then the cost of a wine cellar). Fill a wine bucket with half ice and half water and chill the wine in there for 30 minutes before serving.

Serving temperatures:

(a) Red table wines should be left standing in the dining room approximately 24 hours before the meal for allowing any sediment to settle, and then brought to room temperature.

(b) White and Rose wines are served slightly chilled (around 50'F.), and one hour on the shelf of a refrigerator will bring them to the right temperature.

(c) Champagnes and other sparkling wines take longer to chill and should be left in the refrigerator for a few hours or ice chilled in a wine bucket.

Optimal Wine Serving Temperatures :

White Wines: 45-50 °F or 7-10 °C
Red Wines: 50-65 °F or 10-18 °C
Rosé Wines: 45-55 °F or 7-13 °C
Sparkling Wines: 42-52 °F or 6-11 °C
Fortified Wines: 55-68 °F or 13-20 °C

I hope this information is helpful and inspires you to serve your wine at the correct temperature.

Sheri Brewer

General Manager

Lodging & Hospitality Expert

French Champenoise Wine in ABQ?

2011-01-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

For the Love of Sparkling Wine

Visitors and locals of Albuquerque will appreciate a visit to the Gruet Winery. Located at 8400 Pan-American Freeway N.E. Albuquerque, New Mexico. This fine winery produces award winning wines and sparkling wines! This fabulous winery has brought years of combined experience and knowledge in the traditional French champenoise method which you can experience!

Originally from the Champagne region of France, the Gruet family began making champagne in 1952. Then in 1984, Laurent Gruet and Farid Himeur launched their now famous Gruet Winery, bringing their many years of combined experience and rich tradition of champagne making to Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 1989, Gruet's first two sparkling wines were introduced to a very excited wine world. Impressed wine critics and connoisseurs alike were astonished by the quality and the value. These two wines were the beginning of uplifting Gruet Winery as a competitive wine producer and placed New Mexico on the map as a serious wine producing region.

Gruet Winery, now produces seven different sparkling wines: Brut NV (non-vintage), Blanc de Noirs NV, Rosé NV, Demi Sec NV, vintage Blanc de Blancs, vintage Grand Rosé, and Laurent's latest bubbly creation — an homage to his late, great father, and the Gruet Winery's luxury tête de cuvée — the vintage Gilbert Gruet Grande Reserve. Gruet Winery also produces two excellent Chardonnays and two Pinot Noirs.

Gruet's Wine & Sparkling Wines

http://www.gruetwinery.com/wines.htm?cart=1206106812346926

Join The Gruet Wine Club

http://www.gruetwinery.com/wine_club.htm

Sheri Brewer

General Manager

Lodging & Hospitality Expert

Buying the Right Wines

2011-01-01T17:56:00.000-08:00

Stop Buying Bad Wine

Years ago, I was guilty of purchasing wines because the price was right or the bottle appealed to me. I laugh about that now, but I do not do that anymore. I am no longer doing blind wine purchasing. I only purchase wine that I have validated and know to be a great tasting wine.

Researching wines before purchasing can help eliminate bad wine experiences. Check the Internet, wine magazines, wine books, and even ask the opinion of the wine market's staff for their varied opinions on the wine you are considering purchasing. Look for the types of wines that appeal to you. If possible, taste the wine before you buy it. I enjoy visiting wineries and I am big on wine tasting rooms and wine tasting events. Before visiting a winery its a good ideal to research their wine list.

If your not sure about what wine to purchase start with these basic questions. Do you prefer reds or whites? Light-bodied or full-bodied? Exceedingly dry or a little softer taste? Deciding those basic questions will help you to purchase the right wines for your enjoyment and wine experiences.

Often wine lovers will purchase wine by the case. It makes sense to purchase a good supply of what one likes. Your favorite wine should be at hand for your enjoyment. You certainly do not want to find yourself scouring wine shops for that good wine. Remember, wine is to be shared and celebrated with friends. If you find yourself buying and hiding cases of wine, you may have other issues. Try not to hide your wine.

Its easy to be convinced that an expensive wine is better then a less expensive. This thinking may work regarding cars but not wine. It is entirely feasible to find great wines at prices under $20.00. Pressures in the market from the new wine country producers such as Chile and Australia, have forced many older and established wine countries, such as France and Italy, to lower prices and make wines more accessible to consumers.

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert

Albuquerque Wine Events

2011-01-01T15:17:00.000-08:00

Albuquerque Local Wine Events

Dining & Wine Events

http://www.localwineevents.com/Albuquerque-Wine/

http://www.nmwine.com/

Wine & Dine in Albuquerque

2011-01-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

Downtown Albuquerque - Slate Street Cafe

Dining in Downtown Albuquerque can be a bit of a challenge. There is a great selection of restaurants to choose from and if your new to Albuquerque it can be frustrating. I say that you go where the locals go. One such place to get comfort cuisines along with terrific high end wines would be the Slate Street Cafe. This restaurant provides beautiful atmosphere with a serious menu for worldly and local dishes. Serving breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, Brunch on Saturday’s, and dinner Wednesday through Saturday nights. To make it even more interesting there is a wine loft. A relaxing tasting room that overlooks the dining area. This loft has held many wine tasting events. A perfect place to visit, get comfortable and sample popular wines of interest.

www.slatestreetcafe.com

Sheri Brewer

General Manager

Lodging & Hospitality Expert

Albuquerque Wine Enthusiast Club

2011-01-01T11:37:00.000-08:00

Albuquerque has a membership free wine club called the "Albuquerque Wine Enthusiast Club". This Albuqurque wine club was established in 2006. Currently, the club has 645 members. The perfect group to enjoy the art of wines. Come to a local Wine Meetup to taste new wines; learn about noses and legs; and discuss great vintages and estates. Everyone's welcome!

Albuquerque Wine Enthusiast Club

http://wine.meetup.com/313/

Sheri Brewer

General Manager

Lodging & Hospitality Expert

Cooking Fearless with Wine

2011-01-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

The first month of living in New Mexico I gained ten pounds. The reason is simple. The food here is delicious! Im not interested in doing extra sit ups but I am interested in cutting the fat from my favorite foods. I decided that I would eat out less and cook at home. I decreased to amount of oils and butter from recipes and started substituting wine. I discovered that its easy to cook with wine and my wine cooked foods taste even better. Who knew a dab of wine could be so delicious and healthier. I have found that simply matching wines with the correct food types makes cooking with wine a fearless task.

My favorite foods cooked with white wines are mushrooms, olives, sea foods, oranges, pears, pineapples and apples! I even use wine when I bake a cake. The wine actually lightens the cake. (Instead of adding 3/4 cup of oil to a cake mix recipe, add 3/4 cup of white or dessert wine to the batter). Also, I enjoy cooking my favorite sugared berries in red wines . I use the berry sauce to top off ice cream.

I become even more brave when it comes to cooking for my friends. It's easy by following these two guidelines.

1. Light-colored meats like chicken and fish, are paired with light-colored wines (white).
2. Dark-colored meats, like beef, are paired with dark-colored wines (red).

Tips for cooking with wine to add flavor to foods.

Cut out some fat. Use less oil or butter and add wine to saute your veggies.
The wine will bring out the flavors of the veggies!

When making a marinade with 1/2 cup of oil, decrease the oil to 1/4 cup and add 1/4 cup
wine.

You can add wine to the pan to simmer your favorite fish, poach the fish over a saucepan of boiling wine, or add a tablespoon or two of wine onto your fish and bake it in a foil package.

So, be fearless and try adding some wine to your veggies, sea foods, or meats. The wine will enhance the flavors of your foods. I use my favorite brands of white & red wines because I know they taste great and will taste even better in my food dishes that need enhanced flavors. You can find a huge variety of cooking with wine recipes on the Internet. You'll find anything from wine jellies to slow cooked stews.

Try this site for some popular wine dishes. http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blwineindex.htm

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert

Looking Good Drinking White, Red or Blush Wine

2011-01-01T08:42:00.000-08:00

Some people think that the drink a person chooses says a lot about that person in question. How much one drinks up in public sure says something too. Quality not quantity is a good rule when drinking at social or public events. There are also drinks that you shouldn't let others see you drinking, depending on the impression you'd like to make.

Drinks are part of person's appearance, drink expert, Dave Jacobson, bar manager at Restaurant Miami in the trendy Uptown area of Minneapolis, Minn. offers a few thoughts on the message that certain drinks suggest.

Wine can convey many messages. To many, it's a sophisticated drink, no matter what type you order. To others, wine can suggest a different meaning. Jacobson offers his interpretation of what different types of wine can suggest:

White Wine -- "Typically, (this is ordered by) women who don't really want to drink. It's still got a fruity taste but it is something you can sip for most of the night if you want to avoid drinking too much."

Red Wine -- "People who drink red wine often want to seem sophisticated. Some of them are, some aren't. You can learn a lot by watching how someone holds their wine glass and drinks their wine."

Blush Wines -- "People who order blush or white zinfandel in a restaurant are not typically wine drinkers. They really have no idea what is good or not-so-good when ordering wine."

Of course, this is not a scientific study just an observance. I say that you should drink the wine that you love. You can look good drinking any wine, as long as you hold the wine glass correctly (by the stem). Remember, stand up tall, smile, pinkie in. You look marvelous!

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert

Wedding and Wine - The Perfect Pair

2011-01-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

Why not look for a perfect pairing that would offer you a romantic wedding venue? Consider a beautiful winery that presents the best wedding facility and handcrafted wines for your event. An exclusive all included package is a much needed service that offers a spectacular site for your special event. Casas Rondena Winery is the premiere host for special events.

Casa Rondeña Winery is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This established winery has long been the perfect estate to host weddings and events. The winery's beautiful acreage of vines and castle-like buildings, lush landscaped courtyards and gardens are inviting to all.

When you choose Casa Rondeña as the setting for your wedding or event, you are participating in the rich heritage of the Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico. Favored award winning wine has been grown in this area for both sacred and celebratory purposes. At your event, your guests will enjoy the finest wines grown in the oldest wine-growing region in America.

Your event will take place in Casa Rondeña’s Great Hall with its cathedral ceilings, antique oak fermentation tanks and Indian-carved sandstone shaded windows, and in the Vineyard Garden replete with bubbling fountains, rose bushes, mountain views, a pond and a vine-shaded arbor. Your guests will feel honored to be invited to your event at Casa Rondeña.

http://www.casarondena.com/

The Substance of Wine

2011-01-01T07:01:00.000-08:00

It's interesting to me that to drink wine and enjoy it one must publicly validate their knowledge of wine. When I'm in public, enjoying a glass of wine, people ask me wine questions. People are sincerely interested in my choice of red over white and the type of red I am drinking. When I have a margarita people do not ask me about my knowledge of tequila. But for some odd reason with wine it seems to bring serious conversations. I was annoyed with myself for not knowing about my favorite wines. Its simply not okay to just like your wine. One must know exactly what it is, who made it and where did it come from. A winemaker put his heart and soul into that delicious wine and damn it, I must know the answer as to why I am drinking, Cabernet Franc. Starting with the basics of wine was the beginning step to my wine knowledge.

I have learned that wine is more then just crushed grapes. Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from the fermentation of grape juice. The natural chemical balance of grapes is such that they can ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes or other nutrients. During this fermentation process, the sugars are converted into alcohol. I recently read that some amateur wine enthusiast put grapes in a jug and buried it, waiting for it to ferment. I sincerely hope they did not drink it. The wine making process is a precise method. I have heard that yeast spores from the air can be used to make wine but I do not think that would be drinkable or likeable.

When it comes to the sweetness of wine that is determined by the amount of residual sugar in the wine after fermentation and the acidity present in the wine. Interestingly, where the grapes are grown affects these variables and each grape variety will produce different flavors, aromas, and even textures. Also, this is where the art of wine making comes in effect, the wine maker can control various things by the technique, temperature, yeast used during fermentation and flavor additives. Storing in oak barrels will also affect the color and taste. Wine aroma is the result of the interaction between components of the grapes and those produced during wine making process, fermentation, aging and storage. When it comes to wine tasting, specific flavors can also be sensed, such as esters and terpenes that grape juice and wine can contain.

Learning that wine is more than aged grapes has inspired me to discover the complete substances, processes and origins of my favorite wines. Now, I enjoy that glass of wine even more and I don't mind publicly discussing my wine preferences. One of my favorites is Cabernet Franc. This lovely wine has a fruity, berry-like flavor that is soothing and refreshing. Cabernet Franc is usually mixed with varietals such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I enjoy this wines light red color, its soft fruity bouquet and it has low traces of tannin.

Basic Wine Composition : 86% water, 11.2% alcohol, 2.8% other. Over 250 compounds have been identified in "other". That is why wine making is an art and not a science.

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert

This Month's Featured Wine

Casa Rondena Winery

2005 Cabernet Franc

Flavors of blackberries,

dark cherry and chocolate!

http://www.casarondena.com/

Wine Tasting - Filtered or Unfiltered?

2011-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

Filtered or Unfiltered

This has been the question of a long standing debate. Does this picture say it all? There are some definate slight differences in terms of appearances. Notice the clarity of the wine on the right and the brownish color of the one on the left. In taste, the filtered had more richness in the mouth. Yes, the filtered.

The unfiltered is a 2006 wine made from a majority of Pinot Auxerrois plus a bit of Chasselas and Sylvaner, while the filtered version is a blend of 2005 and 2006 wines, blends of about 50% of Pinot Blanc, some 25-30% of Pinot Noir 2006 pressed like a white, and a bit of Gewurztraminer, Sylvaner and Chasselas.

The filtered wine had more richness in the mouth than the unfiltered, because of the Pinot Noir. This Pinot Noir was pressed like a white and added to the blend because it came from grapes that were damaged with botrytis and sorted out at the harvest. Later, after the fermentation, the Pinot-Noir batch never cleared, it remained so dark that it was decided to filter the whole blend. This produced a remarkable filtered wine. Who knew damaged grapes could be so delicious. The wine was noted to be very aromatic, both on the nose and in the mouth.

The unfiltered had an appearance of hazy, rusty color. Aromas of wheat before harvest, ripeness. Some honey, apple and pear. A bit short in the mouth. The second glass minutes later had some putrefaction smell on the nose as more gas was coming out, but the mouth was much wider and deeper and gave lots of pleasure. Feels something like valerian or similar herbal notes.

Damaged grapes and filtration seemed to be a winning combination. Try this wine tasting at home and let me know what you thought.

Sheri Brewer

Historically, the wine tasting ritual started as a precautionary method used to avoid drinking poisonous sludges of wine gone bad. In the beginning of wine, the art of wine making was not perfected and people learned quickly to cautiously approach a mug of wine. Centuries later, the wine making process has been mastered. Wine is plentiful and here to be enjoyed, judged and shared. Now days, the process of wine tasting is used to validate a wine on a personal or public basis. Experiencing the varieties and wines can seem complicated but really in the end a wine is loved for its taste. However, there are some steps needed to reach that decision of love for a certain wine. Wine tasting is a traditional ritual established to qualify wine.

Wine tasting starts with looking into the wine. Sight is valued in the judgment of wine. Look deep into the wine glass. Is the wine appealing in color? Does it look light, medium, full bodied or opaque? If its red wine is it maroon, purple, ruby, garnet, red, brick or even brownish? If it's a white wine is it clear, pale yellow, straw-like, golden, light green, amber or brown in appearance?

Once you have decided the wines color status, its time to get your wine glass swirling. (I practiced at home swirling water in a wine glass. This helped me to overcome my fear of swirling in public). Why are we swirling? The swirl technique will lift the aroma of the wine to the top of the wine glass enabling you to smell, take in a whiff of a fruity bouquet. Was it a pleasant fruit aroma or did it have some not so pleasant smells? Did it burn your nostrils? If yes, this is a sign of a strong alcohol presence. If the strong alcohol smell has not over powered your aroma of the fruity wine then that is definitely a sign of quality. Okay, so far its pretty basic. Sight, swirl and smell.

Time to taste. Get ready to taste while you slurp. That's right, slurping is required. It sounds and may look silly but it works. (Eventually, you will master the technique of looking dignified while slurping). This important wine tasting step helps us to obtain the full indulgence of the wine. Drink in a small amount of the wine. Now, give it a slurp in your mouth. Why are we slurping? Well, we want the aroma of the wine to reach our nose through our mouth. This intensifies the flavor of the wine. As we are slurping, we must concentrate and taste for the wines flavors. Our ultimate goal is to decide if the wine has pleased us with balanced tastes of fruit, acid and tannin flavors.

Sight, swirl, smell, sip, slurp and spit . Thats it. Thats the ritual to wine tasting. Wine tasting is fun and necessary. Best of all discovering a wine that you love and will remember is worth the slurp.

Fun Wine tasting fact:
To best enjoy a variety of wines, drink white wine before red wine, light wine before heavy wine, and simple wine before complex wine.

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert

The Truth about Sparking Wine in New Mexico

2011-01-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

Wine Connoisseur Expert

Michael DeLoach said it best about the Gruet Winery located in Albuquerque, New Mexico!

Michael Deloach

"The best sparkling wine made in the US is from (are you sitting down?) New Mexico. Yep, Gruet (pronounced grew-AY) makes a damned good one for under $20, with fine, tiny bubbles and exceptional elegance. Their Blanc de Blancs won Best of Show at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London (practically Champagne headquarters) this year. Way to go, Albuquerque! "

The Best Red in the Southwest

2011-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Casa Rondena is releasing the Calvin Series, a trilogy of luxury wines: a Founder's Reserve, Clarion and Animante!

Casa Rondena Winery is located in the peaceful North Valley in the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. This charming winery was established in 1995. The Casa Rondena Winery began as a family vision to produce fine wine. John Calvin and his sons applied passionate hard work and with a mission to be successful enabled the winery to flourish and produce award winning wines.

The craftsmanship of winemaker/architect John R. Calvin shows through in the fine Bordeaux style Cabernet Franc, Riesling, and a Proprietor's Blend of fine white wines.

Casa Rondena Winery has brought us handcrafted wines and has created a landscaped stage of beauty providing a perfect setting for the arts, classical musics and special events. This winery has been a major contributor to the arts and entertainment culture in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

http://www.casarondena.com/

Wines of Casa Rondena Winery

Casa Rondena Winery has a lovely tasting room. No appointment is needed. Arriving guests will enter into main lobby of the chateau. Visitors are welcomed by the wine hostess. The hospitality is upscale and the wine hosts are very knowledged in all of Casa Rondena's handcrafted wines. Tasting room is open: Wednesday – Saturday 10am – 6pm. Sunday – Noon – 6pm. There is a tasting fee.

Cabernet Franc - Casa Rondeña’s signature red wine. This wines fruity style delivers black cherry, berry, light tobacco and chocolate flavors. Due to its fresh, robust taste, with hints of oak.

Meritage Red - A blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon gently aged in our large hybrid oak barrels.
Sangiovese - a blend of cherry and cranberry flavor from this light body wine and has added a slight toastiness by aging in a combination of neutral and new French and American oak.

Serenade - A lively, fragrant, off-dry wine that has a fruity blend of Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

Meritage White - the Sauvignon Blanc was approaching over-ripeness in the fall of 2005 to make a wine that offers bold, rounded, tropical flavors. The addition of Semillon adds citrus qualities.

Viognier - Gold Medal Winner - A dry white wine with bright pineapple and apricot flavors.

Clarion - Gold Medal Winner - A blend of 48% Syrah, 48% Tempranillo, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, flavored with vanilla.

Animante - Port-style dessert wine - Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that have been aged for 2 years in French and American oak. Flavors of dark fruits and ripe raisins with smoky characteristics.

Great Ideas:

The Casa Rondena Winery is a must see destination site in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I suggest that you make the trip. Take Rio Grande near the Historic Old Town District and drive North. Put your car stereo on station Classical KHFM 95.5 and enjoy the scenery as your drive to this very special place!

http://www.classicalkhfm.com/default.asp

Sheri Brewer
General Manager
Lodging & Hospitality Expert