Croatian wine is Old World wine, lesser-known in the U.S. since winemakers of the small-production vineyards rarely import their wines overseas. A few importers and others (like Cliff Rames of winesofcroatia.com) are working hard to change that. So why not be ahead of the curve and enjoy wines from the gorgeous coastal and mainland regions of Croatia before everyone else catches on?
Tonight we'll taste Lirica Plavac Mali 2005, Katunar Riserva Anton 2005, and Kozlovic Malvasia. We realize those hard-to-pronounce names probably mean nothing to you right now. But let your senses decide tonight from 6 to 9pm. Here are 5 reasons to taste Croatia....
1. Geography. You’ll never learn what you love until you taste wines from around the globe. Many people shy away from wines not produced by mass labels or made in popular wine countries. But it’s fascinating that Croatia, located just across a thin strip of the Adriatic Sea from Italy, can produce such astoundingly different wines with great depth and complexity.
2. Experience. You could keep coming back to the same thing time and time again, or you could dare to try something new. Wine is meant to be enjoyed and discussed, whether you’re a connoisseur or a newcomer to drinking wine. Tasting new grapes and wines from different regions gives you something to chat about—maybe you taste a new flavor like a hint of cinnamon you’ve never experienced in wine before. Lirica Plavac Mali 2005, grown in the valleys of the Peljesac Peninsula, smells of cherries, cloves and cinnamon. Plavac Mali is a small blue grape indigenous to Croatia, and it’s the cousin of Zinfandel.
3. Food. Say you’re enjoying a burger for dinner tonight. Katunar Riserva Anton 2005—a red blend of Syrah, Sansigot and Debejan grown on the windswept Croatian island of Krk—pairs perfectly with a hearty burger. Aromas of red cherries, plums, sweet vanilla and spice compliment a juicy piece of red meat like nothing else.
4. Knowledge. Every wine has a story and a winemaker behind it. The most important Istrian grape is the white Malvasia. Gianfranco Kozlovic is the largest private producer of Malvasia in Istria, and a vocal crusader for quality. His vineyards dot the hillsides of northern Istria, where his modern winery is located. Kozlovic Malvasia is a lemon-colored dry wine offering notes of hay, white peach, apple and almond on the nose. It is medium-bodied, unoaked, with fresh acidity and a slight minerality and herb-y-ness on the palate.
5. Enjoyment. Croatians love their wine, and they make it with detailed attention and care. While most of their wines are consumed in their homeland, they’ve released their wines to the U.S. market not because they couldn’t sell them at home, but because they want us to enjoy Croatia too. Zivjeli! — As they cheers in Croatia, which literally translates to, “May you live.”
Friday, December 11, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Croatian Education
We're going to go out on a limb and say when picking out a wine, you don't generally throw Croatian wine into the mix of options. We're hoping to change that. Taste three Croatian wines with us tonight from 6 to 9pm, and hopefully you'll realize that a $16.99 bottle of Debit (plus 10% off today) is one hundred times better than that bland bottle of Yellowtail you like to pick up because you recognize the little kangaroo label and are too hesitant to purchase anything but a mass label. How's that for a challenge?
Debit 2007 - $16.99 (10% promo discount offered)
A dry white wine made from the Debit grape varietal native to the sun-drenched Northern Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, the name Debit relays an interesting story. The grape was used as a form of currency for barter trade, dating back to feudal times. Legend has it, Croatians used Debit grapes as a form of payment to French merchants, and the debit grapes were used as a base in French wines. Hence, the origins of the American use of the word “debit.”
Fermented in stainless steel, Debit is crisp and refreshing with aromas of apple, citrus and almonds, complemented by a full and well-rounded body.
Another plus, this wine has a very low sulfite content and farming methods are organic.
Plavac Hvar (1L) - $16.99 (10% promo discount offered)
Made from the indigenous Croatian Plavac Mali grape—a cousin of the Zinfandel grape—this wine of strong and balanced flavor is zesty with berries and raisins. Plavac Hvar beautifully complements dark meat dishes, game, medium cheeses, and even fish or crab. It comes in a one-liter bottle with a screw top as it’s a wildly popular and everyday wine in Croatia.
Postup 2005 - $34.99 (15% promo discount offered)
If you ever see our Facebook posts, you know Postup, made from the indigeneous Croatian grape Plavac Mali, is an all-time favorite that borders on obsession. We’re known to enjoy a bottle on a chill, weekend night and at major holiday gatherings—Thanksgving and Christmas included. A full-bodied red with a raisin-like flavor complimented by a perfume-y nose of lilac and lavender that carries through the palate. We enjoy it both alone and paired with cold cuts and hard to medium cheeses.
Debit 2007 - $16.99 (10% promo discount offered)
A dry white wine made from the Debit grape varietal native to the sun-drenched Northern Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, the name Debit relays an interesting story. The grape was used as a form of currency for barter trade, dating back to feudal times. Legend has it, Croatians used Debit grapes as a form of payment to French merchants, and the debit grapes were used as a base in French wines. Hence, the origins of the American use of the word “debit.”
Fermented in stainless steel, Debit is crisp and refreshing with aromas of apple, citrus and almonds, complemented by a full and well-rounded body.
Another plus, this wine has a very low sulfite content and farming methods are organic.
Plavac Hvar (1L) - $16.99 (10% promo discount offered)
Made from the indigenous Croatian Plavac Mali grape—a cousin of the Zinfandel grape—this wine of strong and balanced flavor is zesty with berries and raisins. Plavac Hvar beautifully complements dark meat dishes, game, medium cheeses, and even fish or crab. It comes in a one-liter bottle with a screw top as it’s a wildly popular and everyday wine in Croatia.
Postup 2005 - $34.99 (15% promo discount offered)
If you ever see our Facebook posts, you know Postup, made from the indigeneous Croatian grape Plavac Mali, is an all-time favorite that borders on obsession. We’re known to enjoy a bottle on a chill, weekend night and at major holiday gatherings—Thanksgving and Christmas included. A full-bodied red with a raisin-like flavor complimented by a perfume-y nose of lilac and lavender that carries through the palate. We enjoy it both alone and paired with cold cuts and hard to medium cheeses.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Tasting: Rioja, Sangiovese and Verdejo/Viura
You can study wine, but the best way to learn is by tasting. Tonight from 5 to 8pm, we'll taste and learn about a Tempranillo from Rioja, Spain; a Sangiovese from Tuscany; and a Verdejo-Viura blend from Rueda, Spain. We’re offering a 10% discount on all three wines tonight!
Marques de Vitoria Rioja Crianza 2004, $17.99
Enjoy this Spanish Rioja slowly and you’ll appreciate each new flavor as the bottle breathes. Flavors of wood, tar, bright berries and cherry create this smooth Tempranillo. The grapes grow on vines between 15 and 20 years old, and then it ages in American oak casks. Medium- to full-bodied, the wine will continue to improve with age. It’s the perfect accompaniment to medium cured cheeses and a variety of meats.
Cignozza Peregrinus Toscana IGT 2003, $36.99
Cignozza was founded in 1997 when Roberto del Buono, then only 34, took over his father’s estate. Truly a small production wine at 3000 bottles, Roberto puts the corks and labels on himself. This is an intense 100 percent Sangiovese wine aged one year in small French oak barrels. Ideally served with grilled meats, game and aged cheeses.
Palacio de Vivero Verdejo/Viura 2008, $10.99 (750 ml), $16.99 (1.5 L)
The Rueda region of Spain is known for its exceptional dry white wines. Palacio de Vivero is a blend of Verdejo and Viura—the Verdejo grape allowing for the soft texture and flavors of honey, citrus and apple. This dry and refreshingly acidic white Spanish blend comes at an excellent value—especially in the magnum size!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Critic Picks
You can't go wrong with a classic.
We're all about pushing you to try new grapes, wines from new regions, and anything other than Yellowtail and Cavit. But we still love a solid cab, sauvignon blanc and merlot. Try these California tried and true wines tonight at MHW from 6 to 9pm.
Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
This widely loved Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon—regularly $44.99 on our shelves—is currently marked down to $34.99. As Robert Parker describes it: "The elegant 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc) reveals notions of lead pencil shavings intermixed with black cherries, black currants, toast, and damp earth. It is a mid-weight, flavorful red with good acidity as well as a moderately long finish.”
Girard Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Another critically acclaimed wine rated 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast and named one of Robert Parker's "Fifty Super Domestic Wine Values” (just $18.99 at MHW) this sauvignon blanc grows on an estate vineyard in Napa Valley. It feels crisp and clean on the palate. Smell the luscious pineapple, guava and banana, and taste the fresh grapefruit and tangy lemon. This pairs perfectly with lighter white fish, green salads and goat cheese.
Lot 205 Merlot 2006
Made from two lots on the southern side of Mendocino County, this flavor-rich and densely ruby merlot packs aromas of cassis and blackberry, graphite and cocoa. Cola and toffee frame the bright fruit on the palate leading to a surprisingly robust finish compared to most merlots. This merlot is available at an excellent $13.99 value.
We're all about pushing you to try new grapes, wines from new regions, and anything other than Yellowtail and Cavit. But we still love a solid cab, sauvignon blanc and merlot. Try these California tried and true wines tonight at MHW from 6 to 9pm.
Silverado Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
This widely loved Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon—regularly $44.99 on our shelves—is currently marked down to $34.99. As Robert Parker describes it: "The elegant 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa (87% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc) reveals notions of lead pencil shavings intermixed with black cherries, black currants, toast, and damp earth. It is a mid-weight, flavorful red with good acidity as well as a moderately long finish.”
Girard Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Another critically acclaimed wine rated 90 Points by Wine Enthusiast and named one of Robert Parker's "Fifty Super Domestic Wine Values” (just $18.99 at MHW) this sauvignon blanc grows on an estate vineyard in Napa Valley. It feels crisp and clean on the palate. Smell the luscious pineapple, guava and banana, and taste the fresh grapefruit and tangy lemon. This pairs perfectly with lighter white fish, green salads and goat cheese.
Lot 205 Merlot 2006
Made from two lots on the southern side of Mendocino County, this flavor-rich and densely ruby merlot packs aromas of cassis and blackberry, graphite and cocoa. Cola and toffee frame the bright fruit on the palate leading to a surprisingly robust finish compared to most merlots. This merlot is available at an excellent $13.99 value.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Vampires love Vino
This Hallow’s Eve, we recommend saving the heavy liquor consumption for Saturday night’s official Halloween bashes and cozying up to a bottle of vino. It’s a nice way to unwind from a tough week, and your body will be thanking you tomorrow for those all-night-long festivities.
Tonight from 6 to 9pm at MHW, we’re tasting: Kozlovic Othello (a Croatian blend of Teran, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), Pullus Sauvignon Blanc from Slovenia and Pullus Zweigelt, a zesty red grape indigenous to Austria and grown in Slovenia.
If you’re dawning your costumes tonight, we hope you’ll still stop by our tasting when you pick up the pre-party goods.
Kozlovic Othello
Gianfranco Kozlovic’s modern winery in northern Istria, Croatia is known for quality. He grows the red Teran, a subvariety of Refosco that produces a “wild,” high-acidity wine, which he blends with Merlot and Cabernet in Kozlovic Othello for the perfect inky purple color, and flavors of intense plums, ripe black cherries with soft oak and a slight herb note.
Pullus Sauvignon Blanc
Pullus is the oldest winery in Slovenia - its cellars dating to 1239 lie labyrinthine beneath the streets of the city of Ptuj. A dry, delightfully rounded sauvignon blanc with grapefruit, guava and pineapple on the nose and hints of paprika on the palate, it’s a nice refresher with asparagus dishes and seafood.
Pullus Zweigelt
The most notable grape in Austria and Slovenia these days is arguably zweigelt (pronounced TSVYE-gelt). A relatively new grape—it was developed in 1922 when Austrian scientist, Fritz Zweigelt, crossed blaufränkisch with St. Laurent. It’s growing in popularity in the United States, even when Americans prefer grapes more easy to pronounce like Chardonnay. The berry-full red, tangy and dry, is delicious and unusual, making us want to consume it more and more.
Happy Halloween!
Tonight from 6 to 9pm at MHW, we’re tasting: Kozlovic Othello (a Croatian blend of Teran, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), Pullus Sauvignon Blanc from Slovenia and Pullus Zweigelt, a zesty red grape indigenous to Austria and grown in Slovenia.
If you’re dawning your costumes tonight, we hope you’ll still stop by our tasting when you pick up the pre-party goods.
Kozlovic Othello
Gianfranco Kozlovic’s modern winery in northern Istria, Croatia is known for quality. He grows the red Teran, a subvariety of Refosco that produces a “wild,” high-acidity wine, which he blends with Merlot and Cabernet in Kozlovic Othello for the perfect inky purple color, and flavors of intense plums, ripe black cherries with soft oak and a slight herb note.
Pullus Sauvignon Blanc
Pullus is the oldest winery in Slovenia - its cellars dating to 1239 lie labyrinthine beneath the streets of the city of Ptuj. A dry, delightfully rounded sauvignon blanc with grapefruit, guava and pineapple on the nose and hints of paprika on the palate, it’s a nice refresher with asparagus dishes and seafood.
Pullus Zweigelt
The most notable grape in Austria and Slovenia these days is arguably zweigelt (pronounced TSVYE-gelt). A relatively new grape—it was developed in 1922 when Austrian scientist, Fritz Zweigelt, crossed blaufränkisch with St. Laurent. It’s growing in popularity in the United States, even when Americans prefer grapes more easy to pronounce like Chardonnay. The berry-full red, tangy and dry, is delicious and unusual, making us want to consume it more and more.
Happy Halloween!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Wino Weekend
We at Murray Hill Wines are here to meet your post-work-week needs.
You're craving a Rioja... cherry and tarry. We'll even recommend the perfect pairing snacks.
For our fruitier friends, meaning those who like a fruit-gushing wine, may we suggest the Montellori Moro, mellowed out with some earthiness.
Last but not least, those of you craving the crisp and tropical, we've got you covered with the Dolomites Pinot Grigio.
Marques de Vitoria Rioja Crianza 2004
We sat down and enjoyed this endlessly impressive Rioja from Spain after a long day of work this week. It’s a bottle to enjoy slowly, concentrating on the medley of flavors with every sip because it’s just that delicious and the flavors keep mounting as the wine breathes. A beautiful dark cherry-garnet color, the scent is intoxicating with wood and tar against bright berries and cherry. Enitrely Tempranillo, the grapes grow on vines between 15 and 20 years old, and then it ages in American oak casks. Smooth and medium- to full-bodied, the wine will continue to improve with age. It’s the perfect accompaniment to medium cheeses and whatever cold cuts make your mouth water. Personally, we snacked on some sopressata from the fridge that really uncovered the wine's layers.
Montellori Moro 2005
This Tuscan red blend of 90% Sangiovese and just a little Cabernet and Malvasia Nera (10%) gushes black fruits, tart cherry and a smidgen of cranberry. Sangiovese is an indigenous grape to Italy known as the grape of Chianti. Favorably acidic, the scents of dampen earth and smoky tar intertwined with herbal tones level out the fruit-loud wine.
Dolomites Pinot Grigio 2008
Grown in the rugged alpine environment of Trento in the north of Italy on 12-year-old vines, this crisp Pinot Grigio of straw-yellow color is dry, harmonious and full-bodied. A small production vintage, only 12,000 bottles were made—even more reason to pick up this unique bottle. The bouquet is elegant: flowers, green fruits and tropical notes. Crisp and refreshing, it pairs well with crustaceans, pasta and risotto.
You're craving a Rioja... cherry and tarry. We'll even recommend the perfect pairing snacks.
For our fruitier friends, meaning those who like a fruit-gushing wine, may we suggest the Montellori Moro, mellowed out with some earthiness.
Last but not least, those of you craving the crisp and tropical, we've got you covered with the Dolomites Pinot Grigio.
Marques de Vitoria Rioja Crianza 2004
We sat down and enjoyed this endlessly impressive Rioja from Spain after a long day of work this week. It’s a bottle to enjoy slowly, concentrating on the medley of flavors with every sip because it’s just that delicious and the flavors keep mounting as the wine breathes. A beautiful dark cherry-garnet color, the scent is intoxicating with wood and tar against bright berries and cherry. Enitrely Tempranillo, the grapes grow on vines between 15 and 20 years old, and then it ages in American oak casks. Smooth and medium- to full-bodied, the wine will continue to improve with age. It’s the perfect accompaniment to medium cheeses and whatever cold cuts make your mouth water. Personally, we snacked on some sopressata from the fridge that really uncovered the wine's layers.
Montellori Moro 2005
This Tuscan red blend of 90% Sangiovese and just a little Cabernet and Malvasia Nera (10%) gushes black fruits, tart cherry and a smidgen of cranberry. Sangiovese is an indigenous grape to Italy known as the grape of Chianti. Favorably acidic, the scents of dampen earth and smoky tar intertwined with herbal tones level out the fruit-loud wine.
Dolomites Pinot Grigio 2008
Grown in the rugged alpine environment of Trento in the north of Italy on 12-year-old vines, this crisp Pinot Grigio of straw-yellow color is dry, harmonious and full-bodied. A small production vintage, only 12,000 bottles were made—even more reason to pick up this unique bottle. The bouquet is elegant: flowers, green fruits and tropical notes. Crisp and refreshing, it pairs well with crustaceans, pasta and risotto.
Wine to Boot
Everything Italian is fine. Fine Italian leather... fine Italian food... and, of course, Italian fine wine. Taste our three faves from the wine category tonight at MHW, 6 to 9:30pm. Special: 10% OFF the Barolo and Brunello tonight and tonight only.
Giovanni Sordo Barolo 2005, reg. $24.99, today 10% OFF
This flavorful Barolo of Nebbiolo grapes from Piedmont in northwestern Italy is fleshy with the taste of and smell of the leather interior of a new car, the fresh minerality of rocks and the deliciousness of bright passion fruits and red currant. Don’t let the color fool you: light garnet red with orange highlights, this Barolo offers the same medium-body of a typical Barolo and provides superior intense, rounded flavors and lingering aromas. It pairs well with meat dishes, hard cheeses and heavy pastas as the tannins react favorably with proteins.
Molino del Piano Brunello, reg. $34.99, today 10% OFF
Aromas and flavors of roasted chestnuts and plum, spice, hints of perfumey iris and a significant earthiness like tobacco and roasted coffee make this Brunello a mouthful of Heaven. Every sip is a rush of pleasure. Brunello is a red Italian wine produced in the vineyards of Montalcino in the Tuscany wine region. It is the clone of Sangiovese, and in wine judging competitions it often ranks among the world’s best wines.
Tutela Prosecco, $9.99
A dry sparkling wine from Veneto, Italy, this lively and fun prosecco brings orangey scents to the nose with a creaminess on the palate along with citrus notes. It’s extremely easy to drink and at a very nice price.
Giovanni Sordo Barolo 2005, reg. $24.99, today 10% OFF
This flavorful Barolo of Nebbiolo grapes from Piedmont in northwestern Italy is fleshy with the taste of and smell of the leather interior of a new car, the fresh minerality of rocks and the deliciousness of bright passion fruits and red currant. Don’t let the color fool you: light garnet red with orange highlights, this Barolo offers the same medium-body of a typical Barolo and provides superior intense, rounded flavors and lingering aromas. It pairs well with meat dishes, hard cheeses and heavy pastas as the tannins react favorably with proteins.
Molino del Piano Brunello, reg. $34.99, today 10% OFF
Aromas and flavors of roasted chestnuts and plum, spice, hints of perfumey iris and a significant earthiness like tobacco and roasted coffee make this Brunello a mouthful of Heaven. Every sip is a rush of pleasure. Brunello is a red Italian wine produced in the vineyards of Montalcino in the Tuscany wine region. It is the clone of Sangiovese, and in wine judging competitions it often ranks among the world’s best wines.
Tutela Prosecco, $9.99
A dry sparkling wine from Veneto, Italy, this lively and fun prosecco brings orangey scents to the nose with a creaminess on the palate along with citrus notes. It’s extremely easy to drink and at a very nice price.
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