Friday Sips

We are always supportive of our local friends in their endeavors and ventures, so when we found out that Bob & Sharon Lewis (they also are partners in a vineyard located in Walla Walla) along with their daughter Laurel Boardman were making olive oil from theirs and a friend's property in Tuscany we instantly took notice!

Leonida is named after the family's grandmother and is produced in Northern Tuscany near Lucca, and this particular style of oil is virtually never found outside of the area of Brancoli. The character of this oil carries all the attributes of the region, those being oils of finesse but with no shortage of richness, very classy and floral along with well-integrated and finishing with delicate piquancy. Invite some friends over, break out the bread and oil, and of course a good bottle of wine. For a step up drizzle this on bruschetta. For maximum pleasure though, this makes a great and easy natural "sauce" for grilled fish, from salmon to halibut. And for our carnivorous clientele, could you think of a better dinner than a huge grilled porterhouse, rubbed with garlic, and drizzled with this oil?? Damn it, now I'm hungry!!!

A while back our old Cellar Door friend, colleague, former sausage king and now wine king of Chicago, Craig Perman sent a special bottle of this producer's wine back to me as a gift. I wound up drinking it soon after and was super-impressed, however, it was one that I figured we'd never see in our area. Move the clock ahead to earlier this year and I get a call from Craig seeing if we knew anyone who could work with these wines here in town. After hooking his friends up with a local importer, Portland, along with Chicago are now the only two areas in the US who have them.

Celler Penedes is a young operation in the Upper Penedes region located south of Barcelona. Founded in 1996 by Ramon Perera and Jordi Arnan, these guys are farming their 60+ acres on hillside terraces, making absolute authentic, organic wines that deliver ample quality and character for fair prices. A red wine that virtually speaks the Catalan language, this wine is made with 2 non-native varietals, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon along with a dollop of the native Sumoll grape. Aged in French barrel, 20% new with the other 80% being second and third use, fragrant, direct scents of black cherry and balsamico combine beautifully with milk chocolate, aromatic herbs and freshly ground pepper. Hearty flavors that expand, yet maintain smoothness reverberate into a multi-faceted finish that is undoubtedly rooted in Catalan soil and spirit. Delicious now and over the next 4-7 years with lamb or grilled pork.

I am enamored with all 3 of these selections we're pouring today, but when it's all said and done, it's the white wine in this lineup that I am most infatuated with. Pure and essence of sea and land, this blend of 81% Xarel.lo, 6% Xarel.lo Vermell and 13% Malvasia de Sitges, all native grapes, has both geek street credibility and yet is so much about pleasure.

Intense aromas of melon, quince, lavender, holly, saline and mineral follow through to a texture that is broad and diverse with cool fruit that is seemingly suspended on a tightwire with its zest and burst. The finish here is lively, refreshing and quite complex with all components and aspects making this wine ideal for mussels, clams and grilled fish like halibut or snapper.

When Celler Pardas's importer brought this wine to me last week, I grumbled about not needing another Rose, however after tasting it I wound up cursing at him because what wasn't necessarily needed quickly turned into something that I just had to have. You'll think the same thing, too!

100% of the native Catalan grape Sumoll, this Rose has cojones meaning there is structure here. Craig, who is friends with these cats, also said that while this pink wine is imminently enjoyable, it'll also age, too. Prominent scents of cherry-pit, fig, anise and flint consistently build as it sits in the glass and carries over to a texture that fills the mouth with impressive material then totally sweeps the entire palate clean with vivid briskness as it goes down. Try it with goat cheese slathered in Mediterranean herbs and olive oil, salads or seafood pasta dishes.