By Lizbeth Conguisti, The Sassy Sommelier

Foodies enjoy trying new foods and visiting new restaurants always looking for the next exceptional dining experience.  Well, vinophiles like me, too enjoy tasting new wines from different producers (wine makers), new appellations (regions), different grape varieties, always looking for the $10 bottle of wine that tastes like we spent $100.

This month I encourage you to try something new and “make a wish” each time you try a new or different wine than you usually drink. You may find that elusive  bottle of wine.  Here are a few suggestions.

People have been making wine in areas we know as Spain and Portugal since 5000BC.  Many of the wine makers followed ancient wine making processes which created unfriendly wines.  With the introduction of technology, and by abandoning old techniques, we are now seeing some very nice wines from this region heaped in tradition.

Currently, I am really enjoying wine made from the Albariño (al-ba-ree-nyo) grape in the area of Rías Baixas, the northern part of Spain and Portugal.  I say currently because I usually find a new favorite wine every season.  The grape is noted for its distinctive aroma, very similar to that of Viognier, Gewurztraminer suggesting apricot and peach.  The wine produced is unusually light and generally high in acidity with alcohol levels of 11.5-12.5%.  If you like lemons, you’ll love the wines from this area.

Light and crisp Albarino with hints of lemon

You will enjoy Albariño during the warm summer months with a salad or cold fish dish. We suggest Nessa Albariño 2008 by Adegas Gran Vinum or Do Ferreiro Albariño 2008 Rias Baixas.

Foodie Jay enjoys Albarinos at Fred's at Barneys. His fave!

This past month we had the good fortune of visiting Tres Sabores Winery in Napa Valley. Julie Johnson runs the show and graciously showed us around this quaint “family-owned ranch located on the western Rutherford Bench land of California’s Napa Valley, where we grow organically certified Zinfandel, Cabernet, Petite Syrah and Petit Verdot grapes, olives, Meyer lemons and exotic pomegranate cultivars.”

If you’ve never tried Zinfandel before you are going to want to try Tres Sabores 2006 Rutherford Bench Zinfandel with strong hints of blackberries and black pepper. It has great mouth feel and is waiting for that steak off the BBQ. If this seems like a little too much for you, try the 2006 Tres Sabores Por Qué

No Zinfandel Blend “best of the rest of the cellar”.  You’ll love the way it smells of berries, the texture in your mouth and the sense of earth from the Petite Syrah. ¿POR QUÉ NO?!!  WHY NOT try it?  http://www.tressabores.com

As the weather heats up here in Arizona, we are going to have to pay more attention to transporting and storing our wine.  In the meantime, let’s look at the bigger picture….wine barrels.  Put on your thinking caps, pour a glass of wine and answer this month’s quiz questions.

1. The average oak barrel hold?
2. What is a barrique?
3. What is a Puncheon?
4. How many bottles of wine can be made from 1 ton of grapes

Choose from these options:

A.  a large cask of varying capacity, but usually 80 gallons
B.  About 744-756 bottles (assuming 750 ml bottles)
C.  225 liter barrel –Bordeaux style
D. 60 gallons or three hundred 750 ml bottles

Answers:

1-D, 2-C, 3-A, 4-B