Sauced

Well-Priced Wines From a Seattle Expert

Generous guy: Dan McCarthy offers up an impressively inexpensive list of offbeat French finds, and throws in food pairings just for fun.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Aug 11, 2011 at 11:56AM 0 Comments

Dan McCarthy forages French wine country for lesser-known finds.

Photo Courtesy: Dan McCarthy

The Expert
Dan McCarthy, co-owner McCarthy and Schiering wine shops in Queen Anne and Ravenna.

The Cred
McCarthy and his partner, Jay Schiering, have been in business together since 1980. They know what they’re doing. Also, wait till you see the wines McCarthy picked. I’m buying all of them. Tonight.

So what’s this week’s theme, expert?
“French wines that are off the beaten path.”

Why did you pick that theme?
“It is fun to travel and find unique wines that have a story. These are a few of my current favorites.”

Okay, let’s get into them.

The Red
2009 Mas de la Renjarde Cotes du Rhone Villages Massif d’Uchaux ($15) “Many people have tried Cotes du Rhone wines, but few know the wines of Massif d’Uchaux. The grape varieties are the traditional grenache, cinsault, syrah, and mourvedre, with ancient carignan added for its unique bouquet and structure. The wine has a bold raspberry aroma and flavor, and a powerful mouthfeel that needs spiced meat dishes to complement it.”

The White
2009 Lamblin & Fils Bourgogne Blanc Maligny-les-Chablis ($13) “Bourgogne Blanc (white burgundy) is common, but most of it comes from the Cote de Beaune in Burgundy. This wine is from the hills around Chablis. It is a crisp, delicious chardonnay that works exceptionally well with local shellfish.”

The Rose
2010 Chateau Val Joanis Syrah Rose Cotes du Luberon ($13) “Many roses are made in the south of France but few focus on the syrah grape as their main variety. 2010 Chateau Val Joanis has a prominent aroma of red currants and it pairs well salty foods, especially garlic shrimp.”

The Rose

The Sparkler
Domaine d’Orfeuilles Sparkling Touraine Rose ($15) “There are many sparkling wines from the Loire Valley but most are blends of chardonnay, chenin blanc, or pinot noir grapes. Bernard Hérivault and his son Arnaud have crafted an elegant sparkling rose from 100 percent malbec, known locally as côt. This delicious bubbly has a scent of wild strawberries and very pleasing balance.”

Nice list, Dan! Thanks so much. Now, please let us know why you are in wine.
“I worked at a local wine shop while I was in college—I wanted to be a computer animator. Thirty-nine years later, I am more excited about the business than when I started. The travel, the access to friends around the world, and the fact that, each year, the slate is cleaned and every wine is new again keep me pumped.”

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Well-Priced Wines from a Seattle Expert

This week: Michael Teer of Pike and Western and Soul Wine.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jul 29, 2011 at 11:51AM 0 Comments

Need a bottle? This guy will never steer you wrong.

The expert
Michael Teer, owner of Pike And Western and Soul Wine.

The Cred
Michael Teer? Come on, man. The advice he doles out at Pike and Western, his den of potable treasures in Pike Place Market, has been saving Seattle dinner parties for the past 35 years. Seven months ago, Teer opened Soul Wine, his second shop, in the retail space below Serious Pie. If you see him, say hello. Then ask for a recommendation—Teer is every bit the unpretentious wine expert.

So what’s this week’s theme, Expert?
“Wines that will make your friends think you spent more than you did.”

Ooh, tricky. Why did you pick that theme?
“A frequent request from customers goes like this: ‘I am going to a friend’s house for dinner and want to bring a nice bottle of wine. I don’t want to spend a lot but I want something that is delicious and distinctive.’ I take great pleasure in finding wines under $20 that outperform their price point. Each of these is an estate-bottled wine, which means it is made where the grapes are grown, by the people that own the vineyard.”

Let’s do this thing.

The Red
2009 L’Ecuyer de Couronneau Bordeaux Superieur, France ($15) “Two thousand and nine was a great Bordeaux vintage, and it is through wines from small properties that most of us will be able to experience it. This 100-percent merlot (don’t even tell me you don’t like merlot until you taste it) is certified organic—unusual in Bordeaux—and it’s full of ripe but balanced fruit with a bit of structure to add character.”

The White
2009 Château de La Greffiere Macon La Roche Vineuse “Sous Le Bois’’ ($18) "White Burgundy is a favorite of mine, but it is not cheap…usually. This wine shows the richness and minerality of more prestigious appellations, and a surprising level of complexity for the price.”

The Rose
2010 Château du Rouët, Côtes de Provence, France ($15) “Provence makes some of the world’s best and most sought-after roses. This one is dry, with hints of dried fruit, spice, and minerals, and it’s beautifully balanced. When you drink it the sun will come out…somewhere.”

The Sparkler
2007 Domaine du Vieux Pressoir Saumur Rosé ($18) “Little is more festive than a glass of rose with bubbles. This sparkler from the Saumur region of the Loire Valley fills the bill quite nicely at only $18. It is 100-percent cabernet franc—full of snappy red fruits but also a surprising depth of flavor.”

Sounds delicious. Thanks for the recs, Michael. So how’d you end up with a life in wine?
“By the time I graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in editorial journalism, I had already started in the wine business. Neither the New York Times or the Seattle Times came calling, so my hobby became my vocation. I’ve never looked back.”

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Tags: South Lake Union, Wine, Pike Place Market, Well-Priced Wines from a Seattle Expert

Well-Priced Wines from a Seattle Expert

This week: Tom Hajduk from Vino Verité.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jul 15, 2011 at 12:48PM 1 Comments

Tom Hajduk.

Photo: Will Hughes

The Expert
Tom Hajduk, co-owner of Vino Verité.

The Cred
Tom Hajduk’s other job is teaching English literature. He loves books and wine, that’s pretty easy to relate to.

So what’s this week’s theme, Expert?
“Wines that get dinner guests’ attention and end up creating lively conversation.”

Why did you pick that theme?
“These wines represent the intersection of my love for wine and cooking and my job as an English teacher. When I have guests, I like them to have a interesting tasting experience, to learn something new, and to enjoy discussing what they are tasting.”

Right. Let’s hear ’em.

The Red
2007 Primosic Refosco Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy ($13) “One sip always draws an audible reaction from guests. Heady dark plum, ripe blackberry, and vanilla romp with wet earth, yet the finish holds a note of flowers and a hint of tar.”

The White
2010 Bodega Colome Torrontés Salta, Argentina ($13) “Perfect for seafood, especially boldly flavored courses with citrus and spice. When guests drink this wine they inevitably start talking about world travel.”

The Rose
2010 Biohof Pratsch Rosé Austria ($13) “Delightful with appetizers, it is full-flavored, with a sharp edge to the melon and berry notes.”

The Sparkler
2010 Avinyó Penedès Vi D’Agulla, Spain ($14) In Act Three of The Tempest there is a fantastical banquet scene, and in my imagination the sea-sprite Ariel opens bottles of this wine. It pairs with everything, and I mean everything: salty/oily salami, spicy calamari, a wide variety of cheeses, roasted vegetables. Heck it’s even good with steak.

Thanks Tom, for giving us recs with a little Shakespeare refresher on the side. Why’d you get into this whole wine thing anyway?
“Wine is like literature: people have their favorites which they will defend to the death—it’s fun to be part of the fray.”

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Tags: Wine, Wine and Food Pairings, Well-Priced Wines from a Seattle Expert

Well-Priced Wines from a Seattle Expert

This week: Esquin’s Jameson Fink.

Posted by: Jessica Voelker on Jul 06, 2011 at 01:06PM 2 Comments

Wine expert Jameson Fink is proud to drink wines that are cheap and cheerful.

Photo Courtesy: Jackie Donnelly Baisa

New series: There’s no shame in it. Everyone loves to discover, and show off, great inexpensive wines. Even—nay, especially—the pros. So I’m asking local wine experts to weigh in on their budget bottles.

I pick an expert. The expert picks a theme, then offers up a red, white, sparkling, and rose wine in accordance with it. Meantime, you drink well and cheaply. Because let’s face it, it’s always been about you.

The Expert
Jameson Fink, European Wine Buyer and Social Media Director, Esquin Wine Merchants.

The Cred
Who, outside of a Roald Dahl book, gets to be named Jameson Fink? I love that name. Plus I follow him on Twitter and have learned that he knows a lot about wine—including how to have fun with it. And that is perhaps the most important wine-related skill there is.

So what’s this week’s theme, Expert?
“Cheap and cheerful wines under $10.”

Why did you pick that theme?
“These are my daily drinkers. I don’t come home to a bottle of Chateau Fancy Pants as often as you’d think.”

All right, let’s get to the wine.

The Red
2009 La Carraia Sangiovese Umbria ($8.99) “The ultimate pizza and pasta wine. The Wine Advocate calls it ‘full throttle’ and ‘not for the timid’ but I disagree. It’s just an easy drinkin’ red.”

The White
2009 Domaine des Cassagnoles Cotes de Gascogne ($7.99) “Every wine nerd in town is selling or buying this wine. The definition of a porch-pounder, it’s a light and fresh wine to consume liberally. And if you see the words ‘Cassagnoles Gros Manseng’ on a label, buy first, ask questions later.”

The Rose
2010 Miradou Cotes de Provence ($9.99) “Yes it comes in an enticing, hourglass-shaped bottle that should influence your buying decision. (I am not immune.) It’s also a textbook crisp, dry rose. Poach some shrimp, grill some salmon, and slake your thirst with this pale, austere gem.”

The Sparkler
NV Mas Fi Cava ($9.99) “Bubbles forever! Unfortunately there is an ocean of ungodly awful, cheap sparklers that will make you hungover just by looking at them. This Cava from Spain, however, is a little charmer that you can actually enjoy all by itself or with a mixer. Get creative.”

Thanks Jameson. Before you go, give us three reasons why you work in wine.
“The convivial eating and drinking, the cast of characters in this industry, and the fact that the lucrative job market for my MA in History seems to have dried up.”

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Tags: Sommelier stuff, Sparkling Wine , Cheap Wine for Weekdays, Well-Priced Wines from a Seattle Expert