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Pronounced “jeeray meeray,” meaning cumin (jeerem) and pepper (meerem.) This is probably India’s oldest curry, since it predates the importation of chile by the Portuguese. Black pepper provides heat here. A green curry paste, fresh herbs such as cilantro, kaffir lime and mint can be added to it.
Joy of Sake
Friday, August 21, Honolulu, Hawaii at Honolulu Academy of Art Museum This spectacular tasting will once again be held in Honolulu with all of the sake from the US National Sake Appraisal tasting available to taste. The Appraisal started in 2001 and judges more than 300 sake samples. At Joy of Sake, all the sake entered are available for tasting accompanied by “sake appetizers” prepared by some of the best Japanese restaurants in Honolulu. This year, the event is even more prestigious given its setting. It will be in the lovely buildings of the Honolulu Academy of Art. This way one is able to enjoy both wonderful sake and accompaniments, and view the impressive displays of oriental art in the Academy. It is a unique event. For more information log on to: www.joyofsake.com for information on purchasing tickets for the Joy of Sake. Bucelas is an almost extinct white wine which, in the 19th century, was one of the most sought after wines from Portugal in England. It comes from a vineyard area close to the Lisbon airport, and consequently the land available for Bucelas is slowly succumbing to development. Arinto is the grape variety which produces Bucelas, and it is an important high quality white Portuguese variety that would do very well in California. The characteristics of Bucelas were so highly considered that the wine was shipped to the English market in the 1800s as “Portuguese Hock.” At one time Arinto was thought to be Riesling transplanted to Portugal. But no, it is in fact an authocthonous Portuguese variety that produces wines with a delicate scent, citrusy-mineral flavor and very fine acidity–hence its “hock” description. The producer is Companhia das Quintas who has planted a new vineyard above Bucelas village on chalky soil. The company is a very large producer in Portugal, and its interest may just rescue Bucelas from oblivion. Prova Régia 2005 is the wine I urge you to try. It is a stainless steel production which suits Arinto just fine. At one time the wine was obliged to be bottled after wood aging, but now the aging should take place in bottle. Arinto produces a minerally, fragrant, low alcohol wine even under the broiling sun. This is one of the characteristics of Arinto. Now, with some bottle age to it, Prova Régia 2005 is impressive. Here is a wine that is classy, straight forward and delicious. There is no reason why Bucelas cannot regain its forgotten glory.
Radee Fruit Wines from Thailand - Icewines That Didn’t Come from the Cold Every so often, a splendid product just walks in the door. This is what happened with Radee Fruit Wines. A charming young Japanese lady came in and asked if Corti Brothers wanted to buy Thai fruit wines. Never having heard of these before, I asked if she had samples. No she didn’t just yet, but would get them to me as soon as possible. A month later they arrived and we tasted them. Overwhelmingly delicious! Not only were the Radee wines delicious dessert wines, they tasted of the fruit they are made from: mangosteen, pineapple, and passion fruit. They are made by Dominic Rivard, from Canada, who has had previous experience making ice wines. To borrow a word from Randall Grahm’s vocabulary, these are real “vins de glacière,” freezer wines, since the fresh fruit juices that make them are merely partially frozen, removing a percentage of fruit water. This concentrates both fruit juice and flavors. A long, slow, cool fermentation stopped at about 11% alcohol, leaves 50 grams of sugar in the passion fruit wine and 150 grams each in pineapple and mangosteen. The acidity is between 7.8 g/L and 9.5 g/L. This production was bottled in August, 2008. Radee wines are not your every day fruit wines. They can be paired very well with oriental cuisine. It is the lovely balance between fruit intensity, sweetness and acidity that make them such a delight. If you thought you knew fruit wines, please taste the Radee wines. You have a treat in store for you.
Rosé for Summer Abel Clement 2008 Côtes du Rhone
Summer is a time for relaxed living. Rosé wines are very relaxed. Nevertheless, you want to find a relaxed yet “nervous” wine, that will satisfy with flavor yet not be flabby. The Abel Clement Côtes Du Rhone Rosé 2008, is just this sort of wine. Not so high strung as to be strident, its acidity and fruit form a delicious whole. Nicely colored, not too pale nor too dark, under screwcap, this is a wine that just begs to be in the refrigerator, ready to pull out and serve as the bottle slowly frosts in the warmer air. Rosé wines are often a winemaker’s second thought. In the Côtes du Rhone, rosé wines are serious wines, made to be a rosé for its own sake. There is no bleeding off of black grape juice, or the blending of white and red wines. Grapes are harvested and vinified as a rosé, with a short skin contact time and a slow, cool fermentation. Here is a lovely example of serious rosé that can only charm. It is the perfect accompaniment to anything with tomatoes.
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Corti Brothers
Sacramento CA
