You can Gruet

A couple weeks ago, while blathering on about bubbly wines, I mentioned that my favorite producer of American sparkling wine is Gruet. I will be out working the market with the regional rep from Gruet today, so I just wanted to talk a little more in detail about the winery.
In the early 80's, a guy named Gilbert Gruet was travelling around America, looking for a place to grow some grapes. He already had the knowledge on how to make Champagne, as he had been running Gruet et Fils in France since the 50's. He happened upon the area of Truth or Consequences, NM (about 170 miles south of Albuquerque) and found the perfect little microclimate for growing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes. Based on his findings, he started the Gruet winery, and handed the keys over to his son Laurent.
There are a couple of things that make the area perfect for growing these grapes. First of all, the vineyards lie at about 4200 feet above sea level. This means that the grapes can cool down at night, after extremely hot days, thus prolonging the maturation period. Also, the area has almost no humidity to speak of, which takes away the problem of grape rot/mold. Finally, the climate doesn't allow for many bugs, so the grapes can be grown without pesticides.
The winery makes several wines, but I'm really a fan of their entry-level wines, each costing less than $20 retail:
NV Blanc de Noir-
made from 75% pinot noir, and 25% chardonnay, this wine has just enough breadiness to keep it interesting, while adding some of the raspberry, citrus, and almond notes that I love in bubbly.

NV Brut-
made from 75% chard, and 25% Pinot, this one is for the sparkling wine lover that is really looking for the bready, yeasty characteristics that give it a full-blown body

NV Rose-
Again, made predominately from Pinot, the rose drinks dry, but is like eating a bowl of mixed berrries. I had some last night, cooled almost to the point of freezing, and my wife kept grabbing my glass to steal a sip!

NV Demi-Sec-
Just a touch sweet, this is my wife's favorite. Think flavors of ripe green apples, and tropical fruits. It's just flat out refreshing!

Well, that should give you enough to think about for dinner tonight!

Cheers.

Gettin' all Geeky up in here

Good morning, class. Today we will be learning about malolactic fermentation. If you hang out in wine bars or restaurants long enough, you will eventually hear someone try a wine and ask the waiter/sommelier/bartender/person next to them "Did this go through malo?" I wanted to very briefly, and in as little of a geeky manner, explain what that means. Every wine goes through alcoholic fermentation. Basically, yeast converts the sugar in the grapes into ethanol (the alcohol that makes you feel funny) and carbon dioxide (which blows off into the air- except for sparkling wine, where it is captured). Some wines go through a second fermentation. This second fermentation, which is called malolactic fermentation and involves bacteria, does not produce alcohol. Instead, it takes the malic acid that's in the wine and converts it to lactic acid....think of the difference between the tart acid in apples (malic), and the creamier acid in milk (lactic). This process happens in almost all red wines, and some white wines, resulting in a softer, smoother, more complex wine. This is also what causes the "butteryness" in many California Chardonnays. However, this isn't always what the winemaker wants. That is why something like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc doesn't go through it- they want to keep the tarter, crisper acids for those wines. So, the next time you try a wine that has either the buttery creaminess, or the "peaches and cream" thing going, it has probably gone through "malo". Clear as mud? Good.

Today, I have bubbly wine on my mind. This is probably because I'm headed to see my cousin get hitched in Dallas this weekend, and bubbly wine will probably be had. Therefore I propose that you go out this weekend and get a bottle of Gruet Blanc de Noirs. This wine is made in the champagne method (another geeky conversation for another day), but hails from the land of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Yes, you read that correctly- New Mexico. It is a blend of 75% pinot noir, and 25% chardonnay grapes. Seriously, I would put this wine up against many of the Champagnes (from France) at 2 or 3x the price and most people wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Go get a bottle, which should cost you about $16, chill it down, pop the cork, and enjoy!

Cheers, and congratulations Emily!