When the battle is over what do Super Heroes’ and their Nemeses’ drink?   

Let’s peek, shall we? 

We don’t really know what comic book Super Heroes or Super Villains drink when they are not fighting.  You know there has to be down time for these guys.  They want to enjoy alcohol like we do; I mean they have feelings and taste buds too.

Spiderman, my favorite, probably drinks something light because he is young, has a blue-collar background, loves meat and Idaho potatoes and has a lot to learn about wine.  If he even drinks my friends think a light beer, but I can’t do that to my hero.  I am thinking a mediocre Merlot (even that’s hard).  Even though he has battled bad guys like the Green Goblin and Doc Ock for years he hasn’t learned much about adult beverages. 

One enemy, Norman Osborn, alias the Green Goblin, loves Scotch from the Island of Islay (eye-le), like Ardbeg (small headland) smoky and hard on the palette.  He is super-wealthy, an alcoholic and insane; his wine of choice is Henri IV Cognac Grande Champagne at $2 million per diamond studded bottle. 

You know Doc Ock has to love calamari so a Pinot Grigio, Albarino or a  New Zealand Sauv Blanc will do in his down time.  Like Doc Ock, the Sauv Blanc has high acidity.

It just wouldn’t be right not to talk about the Avengers since the movie is out.  This is not the original Avengers but the current movie heroes. 

Captain America, loves good old American made bourbon like Jack Daniels, his wine is going to be Zinfandel because it is considered indigenous to the U.S., even thought it is not.  He is Captain America after all.

Ironman, which I have collected since #1, wait that ages me doesn’t it?  Anyway, Tony Stark aka Ironman is a billionaire military industrialist. 

His choice is the Nun’s Island Galway Distillery 25 year old Pure Pot Still Whisky at $194,000 per bottle.   For a drinkable wine it is the Romanee-Conti at $24,000 per bottle.  But when he has a free wheeling fun attitude it’s the 12-year-old Glenmorangie and a cigar. 

Thor of course is going to favor Norwegian Aalborg Aquavit, like vodka it is distilled from potatoes and is very distinctive.  Aquavit would be better distilled from Idaho potatoes but second best will do. 

Hawkeye is going to naturally love rabbit.  He is drinking a Pinot Noir, Volnay or Chianti even if the rabbit is raw.  Yuk!

Since the Black Widow (Natasha Alianovna Romanova) was a Russian spy I was thinking Russian Vodka, but with all those arms maybe a wine blended with up to 13 grapes like a Chateauneuf-du-Pape (New House of the Pope) would do for her night out.  She does have some refinement. 

Loki the villain in this film is Norwegian and the half brother of Thor he is going to drink the Norse beer “Hesjeol” instead of Aquavit, (tradition though is taking shot of beer before the Aquavit); because he spends most his time in Hell and needs something cool.  But in later years, he was reincarnated by Thor and as a young man lived in Paris, so for his wine a nice Meursault. 

Their arch enemy, The Red Skull, though a nasty Nazi likes German wine, but he opts for Gruner Veltliner because he is cruel and loved to help crush the Austrians.  Drinking Gruner was in an up yours moment for him. 

The Corrupter likes anything he can corrupt or is corrupted, so his favorite wine is any wine that is corked, boiled or turning to acid. 

I’ll bet you think I forgot about the Incredible Hulk.  No Way.  Lou Ferrigno the very first Hulk (1977-1982) likes Chardonnay.  I know what your thinking, but his daughter Shanna and I are slowly changing him to Chenin Blanc, then Sauv blanc, then to reds, that is if he doesn’t kick my ass first.  I know I can take him long distance; it’s in person I think I might be over matched.  Ok, I am. 

The Hulk’s choice of spirits though is Absinthe.  Absinthe comes from the Latin Artemisia, which is from Artemis, the Greek God of the Hunt.  It is high in alcohol and best of all it is naturally green, perfect for the Hulkster. 

It is fun matching drinks to Heroes and Villains.  I can already hear your wheels turning with different ideas for wine and spirits.  Please share them.  My next installment will include Superman, Batman, Fantastic Four and their enemies. 

Flame On!

Holy Stand Off:  The Mexican Food & Liquor Wars.

Think of Mexican food and you think beer and margaritas.  Their life long enemy; wine.  Like the Alamo, wine is facing overwhelming odds in this war.  Hardly anyone thinks of wine and Mexican food together, yet wine can be noble and bold.

The war started when beer & margaritas had amassed a large diverse offensive against the outnumbered but tasty wine army.

Shiraz and Zinfandel started to make in-roads with burritos while Pinot Noir was mating (I’m single ok!) with Huevos Rancheros, tacos and pork. When it became known Champagne paired with Mexican egg dishes the beer coalition’s attacks became fierce.  But like the hero’s at The Alamo and San Jacinto, wine has grown in reputation.

Ok, that is way to dramatic.  The point is great healthy Mexican food with the outstanding herbs and spices they possess go great with wine.  For instance:

~Ranchero Sauce with Pinot Noir:

Ranchero has onions, green peppers, cilantro, cumin and cayenne, which allow these herbs and spices to match with Pinot Noir.  On the white side Sauvignon Blanc goes with onions, garlic and black pepper.  Migas for instance will also work well with Sangiovese.

~Fresh Cilantro Sauce with Sauvignon Blanc:

Cilantro, parsley, garlic, jalapeno and lime are tastes that work with Sauv Blanc and foods like chips, eggs and pork.

Mexicana Omelettes will also pair with Riesling and the sauce; Sauvignon Blanc will work without the sauce.  Weird huh?

~Creamy Tomatillo Sauce:

Onions, garlic, jalapeño, tomatillo and lime juice pairs well with chips, tamales, chicken enchiladas and Sauvignon Blanc, particularly with lime.

Ham & Cheese Omelettes with sauce pairs with Pinot Noir.

~Regular Tomatillo Sauce:

This has natural acid and fresh flavor because of Spanish onions, garlic, tomatillo, jalapeno and lime.  The sauce is a natural with grilled meat or most any food on the grill.  Beef fajitas, Picadillo (Latin flair) and Barbacoa works great with Zinfandel or Shiraz.  If you do white meats, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc or try Riesling if spices get really hot. 

~Orange Sauce:  Pinot Noir

This is a great mixture of orange juice, secret Spanish pepper, garlic, onion, lime and cilantro.  Al Pastor, marinated pork meat with grilled pineapple in my opinion works best with Pinot Noir.  You could also drink a New Zealand Sauv Blanc on the white side.

~Quesadillas in most cases go with Sauvignon Blanc because they are usually cheese, veggie or chicken.

~Menudo:  I don’t even want to know and I’m Scottish.  Ha!

These are just a few of the wines that I believe are enjoyable with popular Mexican dishes, but we all have differing tastes. It is really just matching to the sauce and the wines acidity. Frankly, if I had drunk or ate any more surgeons would be putting me back together. But, if you don’t want to explode or have too much tequila, wine will allow you to eat more food.  I think that’s good.  I’d rather drink, but you may have another preference.

One interesting historic note, after they had passed on Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett and even Santa Ana had stated in their wills that they wanted people to try wine with Mexican food. Their ancestor’s are still disputing the accuracy of these wills.

Thanks to Sunrise Café in Dripping Springs, Austin Custom Wines and Carey Lenss for allowing me to match these great flavors.

Please call me names if you like, but if you agree, let me know your thoughts: winestewart@gmail.com and Twitter @winestewart.

Imagine this:  Something you really love, glazed Krispy Kreme donuts. Then something else you really love, hamburger.  Now put them together with bacon and cheese then hang on to your stomach because this is freaking awesome.  Pair it with just about any red Zinfandel, grab your fire resistant space suit because you my friend have just gone into orbit without a space craft, re-entry is going to be a little hot. 

Here is how you achieve orbit; Pan fry or BBQ your favorite burger, cut a glazed Krispy Kreme doughnut in two, grill the inside of the donut only, when burger is done place bacon and cheese on top, (I wanted an egg but Chef Carey would not allow it), and then place the glazed side of the donut on bottom and top, toward the burger side, take a bite with a Zin and we now achieve lift-off. 

We could not believe how this tasted and there is no need to add any condiments like ketchup or mayo.  It was worth the 26 mile round trip to buy the donuts.  We only needed a few but a person has to make the trip worth it, so we were forced to buy several dozen assorted. 

We were amazed how a light Zinfandel like the 2009 Bubo Old Vine complemented the savory side of the meal and melded with the sweetness of the donut.  As we all know, red wine will stop the cheese, bacon and donut from clogging your arteries.  I think I read that somewhere.  

I would be interested in your Krispy Kreme recipes and how you paired it with wine. 

Cheers, 

Stewart 

@winestewart

@winestewart or www.winestewart.tumblr.com 

Did you know that flowers and their colors carry certain meanings?  For instance, red is for love, and a Tulip means perfect love.  OK most people do, except me!  Now I know why have no girlfriend.  It may be to late for me but a great twist for your relationship will be to pair wine with those flowers you are giving. 

The Red Rose of course symbolizes love (I knew this one) and Champagne would be the perfect wine.  Any Veuve Clicquot (‘Verve Klee-co’) is perfect.  Happy and rich in color and taste. 

A Black Rose (dark red) symbolizes a new beginning, so I am thinking the Beaujolais Nouveau from France , not the U.S.  You are usually safe with Antonin Rodet or Paul Durdilly. 

Tulips are presented for perfect love so Pinot Noir “The Finicky Wine” is great, smooth and balanced.  When it is good it is great and when it’s great you stay married forever.  Davis Bynum 2004 is outstanding. 

The Gerber Daisy from South Africa is for cheer so Fairview’s “Goats do Roam” is youthful and fun.

Iris (Fleur-de-lis) is for faith and promise so a fine French Red or White Burgandy works.  There are so many good ones you may have to research these. 

Lily of the Valley is for sweetness so an Olorosos Sherry or a Paolo Sarracco Moscati d’ Asti.

Lilac is for new found love.  Red Zinfandels because they can be light and cheerful or rich and powerful, you never know what you will find until you get to know them.  Try the Brazin or 2010 Seghesio. 

Hydrangea can stand for heartlessness.  Saki fits the bill.  (Technically a beer.) 

Sunflowers are forloyalty or best wishes, perfect for a New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, always loyal to your taste buds with gooseberry and grapefruit. Villa Maria Sauvignon Blanc or Brancott. 

These are just a few flowers I was thinking about to match with wine.  I am pretty sure everyone has their own choice.  Hey, maybe I can get a girlfriend now with spring just around the corner.

From:  winestewart@gmail.com

Did you ever notice in the cartoon Tom & Jerry that Jerry always got away with the cheese but then never paired it?

Wine and Cheese pairings.   Yuummmmmy!!!

Most all of us love wine and cheese.  Even though individual tastes vary, the perfect match of wine and food is like a circus in your mouth.  When someone tells me to drink what I like and it doesn’t matter what I pair it with, they probably do not drink wine. 

For tasting, cheese should be at room temperature, along with the red wine and the whites should be chilled.  For my taste, sometimes I put reds in the refrigerator for 15 minutes just to bring out the fruit flavors.  Not snobbery, but if you have crystal use it, wine tastes so much better out of crystal glasses.  Use sourdough bread to clean palette.  Also, don’t rinse glasses with water; always use the next wine to rinse the glass.  You might have to drink more but… 

Put about an ounce of wine in your glass, take a little cheese and put the two together in your mouth.  Most people don’t like to do this but it produces the results you are looking for. 

Here are some rules of thumb: 

~White wine pairs best with soft and stronger cheeses.  Sauvignon Blanc’s high acidity is     perfect with goat cheese.  They were married in Vegas.  Did you miss the wedding?

~Red is best with hard cheeses and mild flavors.  I love Zinfandel and Parmesan.

~Pungent cheeses are great with sweet wines.  Brie (The King of Cheeses) goes well with       Alsace Riesling or Vouvray (Chenin Blanc). 

I think the reason white “high acid” wine and sweeter wines work better than reds is that cheese has a tendency to coat your tongue with fat, which these wines cut through better. 

Enjoy and remember we all taste a little different so have fun.  Hopefully this blog will help you do something Tom & Jerry never did, pair wine and cheese.

If you have questions or comments please email winestewart@gmail.com. 

Cheers, 

Stewart

Imagine if America’s only choice was the same hamburger with the same options since 1948, that was the inception of McDonald’s.  No bacon, swiss cheese, mushrooms, avocado or an even an egg on top.  This is what I think of when individuals order the same wine over and over.

Every wonder why American Chardonnay and Merlot are still the most popular varietals? In general for my taste I don’t really care for either one because they are kind of boring. They are either fatty, thin or dull and lifeless; instead of vibrant with fruit or deep chocolate flavors. Not to say that good ones don’t exist.  (For these thoughts I am excluding French Burgundy and Bordeaux).

I was in the the grocery store talking with the wine expert about trying to get men and women to try different wines, which is very hard to do.  I found the same problem in my wine bar and in the distribution experience.

American Chardonnay and Merlot are still the most popular because both men and women love to cocktail.  If they are not drinking spirits this is what is usually ordered. Maybe they are easy to say or it is just a habit, but It took me a long time to get even my friends to switch from Chardonnay to Sauvignon Blanc or Merlot to Zinfandel. These are just my examples, but once the switch was made they only went back when necessary.

My point is experiment with all types of wines and match them with food.  The best learning lessons are sometimes when we mismatch wine and food.  My preference is New World wines like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and California Zinfandels, but I try everything because I love drinking.

I know I will be ripped for getting on Chardonnay and Merlot, but there is a great big tasty world of Old World and New World wine to taste.  Is that a glass in your hand?

So imagine, that glass as you would imagine a gourmet hamburger…..venture out, try something new and you will discover a tasty new world awaiting your palette. 

Please email comments and questions to winestewart@gmail.com.

Great Cooking with Sherry Question.

When preparing savory foods what is the best sherry to cook with?

Sherry or jerez is the Spanish wine from the southern region of Cadiz.  There are many official types of sherry from very dry to sweet.  For this purpose, I’ll stay with the well-known types of sherry. 

Fino styles are light, dry and straw colored with 15-18% of alcohol.

Manzanillas are very dry, pale and usually have a hint of salt.  Produced only in the coastal town of Sanlucar de Barrameda with 15-17% of alcohol.

Amontillados (milk sherry) are considered smooth, medium dry, darker, sweeter and a little nutty with an amber color and 16-22% of alcohol.

Olorosos (cream sherry) is full flavored, aged and expensive, amber to dark mahogany color, “fragrant” with 17-22% of alcohol.

In my opinion, Amontillados is generally the best for cooking with savory foods.  Savory foods have no sweetness but are full flavored like pork roasts, steaks etc., because it is a little sweeter, Amontillados is a great addition, particularly with savory soups.  When looking for medium sherry, the bottle will say Jerez Seco.

Best Foods For Cooking with:

Finos – Garlic shrimp tapas

Manzanillas – Beef short ribs braised

Amontillados – Best with Savory foods

Olorosos  - Pair with salty foods or cheeses like Manchego or Mahon

Always drink dry sherry chilled and sweet sherry at room temperature.  Not everyone will agree but this suites my taste buds.

Shelf life on open bottles depends on type, Finos shelf life is shorter and should be drunk sooner, who would argue with that.    As you move to a little sweeter sherry they last longer but 2 years on up seems to be the consensus.  No need to refrigerate but keep in a cool dark place.

 Questions - winestewart@gmail.com

Stewart Johnston

Renaissance Strategist

Bringing Strategy Together, Carey Lenss, LLC

Hello, my name is Stewart Johnston.  My specialty is “Bringing Together” the artistic and intellectual sides of business start-ups.  Melding these types of strategies prove to be very successful for start-ups and existing businesses, which need creative tactics to advance revenues. As an entrepreneur, my first business venture was right out of college.  I worked out of my garage and developed a successful fastener company, which I grew and sold.  From there, I continued with my start-up ventures into a profitable multi-unit tool division with a 60-store wholesaler.  However, my artistic passion always tugged at me.  I found myself creating and running a successful wine bar with food pairings. 

Over the last 25 years, my diverse business background from wine/spirits, construction, and military aviation sales to wholesale opportunities has positioned me to bring profitable strategies to the table.

Boise State University, Bachelor of Administration in Marketing

International Bartending School

Windows On The World Wine Class

Veuve Clicquot (Verve Klee-coh) Champagne & Food Matching, Reims, France