Spying the Best New Zealand Wines at Zola

Ordinarily you might not wear a deerstalker and hold a magnifying glass while looking for specific vintages right next to Penn Quarter’s Spy Museum. Yet I spied, with my little eye, many Kiwi brands at a March 31 event showcasing New Zealand wines at Zola. This event presented an ideal opportunity to take the current pulse of New Zealand varietals and wineries. The New Zealand wine industry has acquired a very strong reputation in a fairly short amount of time, considering that much of the country started creating wines in the 1970s, and had an uneven prior history of production. For more information about the ten main wine-growing regions, sub-regions, and the varietals represented, click here.

These vintages were complemented throughout the afternoon by a menu of hors d’oeuvres created by Zola’s executive chef Bryan Moscatello and a tasty center table of fruits, cheeses, flatbreads, vegetables, and sausage slices. The bottles were placed in the side room on long thin tables by region and variety, rather than producer. This arrangement gave attendees a better basis for comparison.

Starting out with a table of Rieslings, I found a few that pleased my palate. The Dry River Craighall Martinborough Amaranth Riesling 2008 was phenomenal, intense, and complex, with a hint of grapefruit and orange zest, and a great potential for aging. One of the rarely distributed and more expensive wines at $45 a bottle, it seemed well worth the expenditure. I also enjoyed the Neudorf Brightwater Riesling 2007. At $16, it won’t break your bank, but its floral aromas, acidity and subtle lime and mineral flavors will make this wine a worthwhile addition to your cellar.

These days New Zealand is known primarily for its Sauvignon Blanc, which seduces you with its paradoxical knock-down, drag-out subtlety. My first taste on this table turned out to be my favorite, the Mount Grey Estate Sauvignon Blank Waipara 2008. Unwooded and unoaked, it had aromas of lychee and kiwi, along with some spicy herbs. I went back for a slightly larger glass of this to accompany my plate of hors d’oeuvres, fruits and cheeses, and found that its acidity went well with my selections. I would certainly try it again at $19 a bottle. Unsurprisingly, I also heard it complimented by an oenophile wholesaler following in my wake.

One pleasant and easily available Chardonnay that struck me as I wandered was the Oyster Bay Chardonnay Marlborough 2007. Very affordable at $16, it has a slight richness with grapefruit and melon aromas. Fermented in oak barrels and tanks, this wine was soft and integrated. It is worth drinking in the near future.

After trying the Pinot Noirs, I also want to mention a particularly lovely example. The Wild Earth Pinot Noir Central Otago 2006, a full-bodied, oaked and spicy wine with plum and currant fruit flavors, leaves you wanting more. At $32, it is completely worth your investment. You may want to let it age a few years.

Lastly, I do not want to forget Chef Moscatello while remembering my taste treats. As we stopped here and there to take notes and make comparisons, we had our choice of an assortment of savory bites. Perhaps one of my favorites was the tiny pork, relish, and lettuce hors d’oeuvre that, interestingly, reminded me of a tiny BLT presented on a garlic pita round. The lamb with pecan relish on a garlic pita round was also wonderful, and I enjoyed the macadamia-crusted chicken dipped in mango sauce as well. In addition, the cream-cheese-and-chive puffs seemed to go particularly well with my Sauvignon Blanc. While not the focus, the savory items did nothing to distract from the wines themselves, and added to my enjoyment tremendously. So did the mound of vegetables, sausages, flatbreads, cheeses, dates and grapes that took center stage in the room.

So don’t forget New Zealand when you plan your next trip to the wine store! There are many wonderful New World options awaiting you and yours.

Zola
800 F St NW
Washington, DC 20004
www.zoladc.com

The Craft of Cheese

Bradley Parker of Pipe Dreams fame will partner with Christianna Sargent at Domasoteca to host a special cheese-making class this Saturday, October 18th 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Domaso Restaurant at the Hotel Palomar in Arlington, just over Key Bridge.

Food lovers can learn from local cheesemaker and guest host, Bradley Parker, how to create their own chèvre from a starter rennet with special molds, and will leave with their own samples of cheese made during the class.

Samples of the chèvre, already prepared by Parker and Sargent, will be used in a chef’s demo of three easy to prepare dishes incorporating chèvre in each recipe. At the end of the demonstration, guests will have the opportunity to taste four samples of Pipe Dreams cheeses and the three chef-prepared dishes, all with specially selected wines.

The cheese making class, chef’s tasting and wine pairing is $50 plus tax per person. Space is limited and credit card reservations are required. For reservations and for more information call 703-894-5104 or email at Christianna.Sargent@domasoteca.com.

Domasoteca, 1121 N. 19th Street, Arlington, VA 22209
www.domasotrattoria.com

EatBar

Earlier this week the wine club met at EatBar in Tallula Restaurant for a wine and cheese tasting. Every Tuesday EatBar offers a tasting for $10, and it is a real deal. You get a flight of three ample wine samples and three cheeses which arrive on a carving board with sliced baguette and marinated currants. The cheeses were gorgeous - the first one was a Garrotxa and it was semi-hard but smooth and delicious. Next was a delicious and creamy Mahon which almost looked like a thick slice of Muenster. We finished with a Manchego. All of the wines were tasty and paired well with the cheese. EatBar has a stellar menu which offers lots of small plates and sides as well as larger dishes, and all for very reasonable prices. Mer and I split a bottle of a Spanish red which was really delicious and at not much more than $20 a bottle a super deal as well. I started with the Mushroom Ragout, which is wild mushrooms sauteed in some sort of tasty fat (bacon perhaps?) - they were so good everyone ended up sharing the dish. I also tried the County Ham, Tangerine & Pea Shoot Salad which was very lightly dressed and really a nice match of the savory ham and sweet tangerines. I tried one of the mini burgers as a comparison to those at Matchbox. EatBar's mini burger is really tasty, and the meat is tender and well-seasoned, but I think I prefer those at Matchbox as they come along with yummy onion fries and sides of condiments. Mer and David and Cathy and I also shared Mussels with Chorizo. The mussels were actually a bit small, but the broth was nice and the chorizo was delicious. Nice big chunks were scattered around the mussels. We all had a great time, and I can't wait to go back and try some more of the wines on offer as well as Bacon-Wrapped Figs with Mascarpone Cheese.

EatBar in Tallula Restaurant
2761 Washington Boulevard in Arlington
www.tallularestaurant.com