No power, No Water....Get Out the Corkscew.

    I know it's been awhile since my last post but I was set back a bit by Hurricane Irene, which dumped about 7 inches of rain in our area. We were without power for a couple of days, a small number compared to folks just over the hill from me who still haven't had the lights turned back on. Our hearts go out to those folks in upstate New York and Vermont, areas hit especially hard. Wilmington, VT, a town we know intimately due to many years of skiing was destroyed. It's just too sad.
   We did get to enjoy some great wines by candlelight. One was a delicious Pinot Noir that is a private label project of Polaner Selections called Wyatt. It sports typical pinot aromas of bright cherry and cinnamon. In the mouth it has a very lush feel with bold cherry fruit, excellent concentration and good balancing acidity. It sells for around $15.99 and though I know it's a little expensive to be an everyday wine in these pages, it's a good one for Saturday night.

   Another delicious wine we tried was a fantastic and very affordable Vouvray from Domaine d'Orfeuilles. Good Vouvray has gotten so expensive so finding this $11.99 beauty made me very happy. Vouvray comes from the Loire Valley of France and is made from the Chenin Blanc grape. These wines are fantastic with seafood of all kinds, especially lobster, but they have the body to stand up to heavily sauced chicken dishes as well. This beauty features aromas of pear, lemon zest and a distinct stony element. Pear and mineral flavors are balanced by typical Vouvray acidity that keeps it fresh and lively feeling. These wines can easily age 10 or more years and develop more nuance along the way. I'm a big fan.