Masút Vineyard & Winery owner Jacob Fetzer is a third generation winemaker who grew up on his family’s Fetzer Vineyards. No stranger to organic farming, Jake continues the practice today on his certified organic vineyard. Jake and his brother Ben take a very hands-on approach when it comes to winemaking, a skill demonstrated and modeled by their father, the late Bobby Fetzer.

This legacy of love and respect for the land coupled with healthy farming practices has paid off enormously because the Fetzer brothers have somehow managed to translate and infuse these values into each bottle of wine:

Relaxing with Masút Vineyard and Winery’s 2009 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir brings us back to what we’d imagine drinking wine with our great-grandparents would be like. There’s something about their Pinot Noir that evokes the feelings of refined, classy elegance.

This ruby red, well-balanced Pinot Noir from Mendocino offers a full-palate experience that’s so smooth, you’ll barely notice the tannins. With flavors of blackberry and black cherry jam, this wine wouldn’t be a Pinot Noir without that hint of earthiness. This elegant wine has been aged in French oak barrels for 10 months to give it a kiss of cocoa on the finish. It’s a great wine for drinking now either alone or with food.

Although this wine comes with a $40 price tag, it’s one of the few times I’d say IT’S WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Valentine’s Day is here and you’re probably starting to think about what you want to do for the big day o’Love. If you’re planning on making a restaurant reservation, you better do it fast! Otherwise, creating your own romantic food and wine pairing feast for Valentine’s Day at home can be easy.

Here are a few wines that can be easily accessorized with the right meal:

For busy wine lovers…

2007 Red Splash – St. Francis Winery:

Perfect for a meal that lingers… this super dry, smoky wine makes a full-bodied splash in a HUGE way and then sticks around to tickle your taste buds. It’s fruitiness suggests dark stone fruits and if you pay close attention, you’ll notice a trace of clove as well as a delicious caramel finish.

Red Splash is definitely a food wine. Order a pizza, nook lasagna, or grab some burgers to create a simple and easy Valentine’s Day dinner.

At $10/bottle, this wine is a great deal and a real Valentine’s Day winner.

For wine lovers who want earthy, balanced, and bold…

2008 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir

Black cherry and with a strong sense of earthiness, this Pinot Noir is smooth as silk and great for those who prefer a dry, strong, down-to-earth red for their Valentine’s Day feast. If you’re looking for a Pinot Noir that isn’t very fruity, you may have found your match! The raspberry notes are present, but never really stand out. This wine offers a nice balanced, spicy finish.

Be sure to enjoy this Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir with a food such as red meats and earthy mushroom dishes. At around $30/bottle, this wine is a bit overpriced, but enjoyable.

For wine lovers who want cool refreshment…

2009 Bollini Trentino Pinot Grigio

If you’re looking for a young, fresh, crisp, and citrusy wine to pair with your Valentine’s Day feast… look no further than this Pinot Grigio.

You’ll get refreshing floral and honeysuckle notes while grapefruit boldly greets your palate.

We paired this wine with spinach ravioli topped off with a Meyer Lemon Miso Sauce and it was heavenly!

At around $12/bottle, this wine is priced just right.

(These were all sent as sample wines)

We had the great opportunity to visit the Nelson wine region on a recent trip to New Zealand.

First of all, it is important to know there are 10 wine regions in New Zealand. Yes, there are wineries in almost all corners of the country!

The Nelson wine region is located on the north tip of the South Island and enjoys a very sunny, maritime climate.

It comes as no surprise that, due to great weather conditions combined with passionate winemaking, Nelson is producing highly distinctive, premium quality wines.

And I really love the fact that many winemakers are adventuresome enough to explore different grape varieties too, considering that Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Noir account for over 80% of the region’s grapes.

Here are the Top 4 wineries we enjoyed in Nelson:

Milcrest Estate

Not only does Milcrest Estate produce superb wines, but they own a beautiful and luxurious B&B right in the middle of their vineyard!

This is by far the best spot to stay and set as your base when visiting the Nelson wine region.

The owner, Terry Milton, is very friendly and knowledgeable about the grape varieties, which wineries are worth a visit, as well as the region in general.

And this is also one of the reasons I recommend making Milcrest Estate your first stop; you’ll gain a lot of valuable information from Terry.

Milcrest Estate’s new Chardonnay is phenomenal, flowery on the nose, with hints of vanilla and oak. But their fine aromatic Pinot Gris is a true masterpiece.

Milcrest Estate website: www.milcrestestate.co.nz

Golden Hills Estates

On our visit to Golden Hills Estates we got a chance to meet the owner, Jeff Marr, who told us about his wines and beautiful property on the Waimea Plains.

Marr’s passion in wine making is very obvious and his vast knowledge on the terroir of Nelson has allowed him to be somewhat adventuresome in trying different grape varieties to make wine.

Not only does Golden Hills Estates produce great Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris, but two wonderful wines we got to try as well were the 2008 Merlot and the 2009 Dolcetto.

Golden Hills Estates website: www.goldenhillsestates.co.nz

Neudorf

Started over 30 years ago, Neudorf is one of the oldest vineyards in Nelson.

It is also, perhaps, the most internationally known Nelson winery. Their wines have earned not only Neudorf, but the entire Nelson region, worldwide recognition.

Today, Neudorf exports their wines to 16 different countries and many grace the menus at some of the finest restaurants around the world.

If you visit Neudorf, I would strongly suggest you try their Moutere collection. Their Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are top-de-tops.

Neudorf Vineyards website: www.neudorf.co.nz

Woollaston Estates

What I loved about this unique award-winning winery, besides their great wines, is their emphasis on utilizing sustainable methods in winemaking.

In fact, their multi-level winery (built on a hillside) is gravity-fed, which allows the wine to evolve from grape to bottle in a process driven by gravity.

The owners of Woollaston Estates also share their passion and love of art. There is a modern sculpture with a shape of an “X” at the front of the winery (I guess “X” marks the spot), and there is also a modern art gallery right next to the Cellar Door.

My favorite here is their 2006 Pinot Noir.

Woollaston Estates website: www.woollaston.co.nz

Other Activities in Nelson

Nelson has many art galleries including the works of traditional and contemporary Maori craftspeople, as well as other international artists.

If you have time, visit Höglund Art Glass, a very colorful and elegant hand blown art glass gallery.

If you love hiking or sea-kayaking on clear ocean waters, you should visit Abel Tasman National Park.

And last but not least, prepare for the Rugby World Cup in 2011 because Nelson is one of the host cities! And if this doesn’t sound exciting enough, you should know that countries like USA, Russia, and Italy will be playing in Nelson.

“Ahh! I’m having guests over for dinner! How do I pair my menu with wine?”

This is a common conundrum (pun intended), so have no fear if you’re feeling a little baffled or overwhelmed at the thought of pairing food and wine for other people.  In fact, this is one of the most common questions people ask when they discover just how much I love wine.

Simply take it one dish and wine at a time. You’ll be fine.

Here’s the rule for serving multiple wines during a meal: Start light and make your way to full-bodied.

Here’s a real-life example of a recent (vegetarian) meal I enjoyed:

Starter

Menu: A light salad mixed with snow peas, radish, a mild and nutty Idiazabel cheese, topped with a light vinegar dressing.

Wine: Pair with a crisp, dry 2006 Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc ($36).

Why? Close your eyes and imagine how the light, fruity flavors would mingle with crisp vegetables and grated chunks of sheepy Idiazabel cheese.

Main Dish

Menu: A hearty wild mushroom dish with hints of fennel and sprinkled with fresh parmesan cheese.

Wine: Pair with a 2007 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley ($54.99).

Why? The mushrooms are earthy, so selecting a typically earthy Pinot Noir is an outstanding match. Remember: earthy dishes go great with earth wines!

Dessert:

Menu: Chocolate sponge cake lightly drizzled with caramel, topped with almonds, and served with coconut sorbet.

Wine: Pair with a Taylor Fladgate 20-year-old Tawny Port form Portugal ($60+).

Why? Chocolate and Port, for many, is bliss. Tawny port, in particular, goes perfectly well with dessert because it tends to be either sweet or medium-dry.

In particular, Tawny Ports are aged in wooden barrels giving the wine a nutty flavor. Mix that with rich, concentrated flavor and you’ve found an excellent match for chocolate!

Pair an exceptional dessert with Fadgate’s Tawny Port and your guests will walk away with a lingering memory of dinner in your home…

Stay tuned for more food and wine pairing tips!

It is argued that the best red wines in France come from Bordeaux. But where can you find the best white wines in France?

Although there are plenty of regions that produce great white wines, most French wine connoisseurs will point the way to Alsace.

Located in the eastern part of France, Alsace has produced white wines since the end of the first millennium. Talk about experience!

The only interruption of wine making in Alsace happened because of the Thirty Years’ War in 1618 which devastated the region.

But the Wine Gods would not leave Alsace in such misery!

Fortunately for wine lovers, local winemakers revived the production of high quality wines at the end of World War I using exclusively Alsatian grapes. The results have been amazing!

Village of Ribeauvillé, Alsace

Today you can find wines from Alsace all over the world. The tall and slim Alsatian flute bottle makes it easy to identify wines from this region in shops.

Now, before I explain each of the seven grape varieties, you should know that Alsatian wines are consumed young since they don’t require a lot of fermentation time in barrels to reveal their splendid character. Typically, the aging process goes from six months to five years.

Without further ado, here are descriptions of the seven grape varieties along with food pairing suggestions.

Sylvaner – This is a very refreshing, light bodied wine with a sweet delicate touch. It is great to enjoy with seafood and cold cuts.

Pinot Blanc – This is an all-purpose wine with a very smooth taste. This is one of the most representative wines in Alsace and you can’t go wrong pairing it with fish and other traditional seafood plates.

A Perfect Pairing: Riesling and Choucroute

Riesling – This is the most celebrated of all the white wines in Alsace. It’s dry but refined and delicately fruity with an elegant bouquet. The excellence of this wine is unbeatable when pairing it with most seafood dishes and, of course, with choucroute, the traditional Alsatian dish.

Muscat D’ Alsace – Don’t think this is your typical sweet Muscat! This one is dry, but very aromatic and delightfully grapey. Its goes perfect with appetizers, vegetarian dishes, asparagus, and pastas.

Pinot Gris – This is a rich, full bodied wine with a lingering finish. It exhibits aromas that are slightly woody as well as smoky. If you are having foie gras or poultry dishes, look no further, this is the perfect wine.

Pinot Noir – In Alsace, the Pinot Noir grape not only produces an outstanding red wine, but also a fruity rosé with hints of cherries. It pairs great with game, red meat & barbecues, as well as with strong goat cheeses or gruyere.

Gewurztraminer – You can call this an all-terrain wine. Its character is full- bodied with exotic fruity aromas. Contrary to other Gewurztraminers, the Alsatian counterpart tends to be a bit on the dry side. It is a very flexible wine when it comes to pairings and goes well with appetizers, exotic international dishes, strong cheeses and desserts.

Bonus Wine

Alsace also produces a high quality sparkling wine similar to champagne. The Cremant D’ Alsace is a terrific option to celebrate those special moments in life. You can find it white and rosé. Try them both!

Boat Ride in Colmar, Alsace