What does it mean when a wine is “balanced?” It’s a wine that incorporates all its main components – tannins, acid, sweetness and alcohol – in a manner where no one single component stands out. Tannins come from grape skins, seeds, stems and oak barrels – it’s the astringent taste you get when you have bitten into a grape seed. Tannins give body and structure to the wine – too much tannin can be mouth-puckering and drying. The right amount of acids give wines their characteristic crisp, slightly tart taste. Too much acid and the wine can taste sour. A wine with too much sugar will taste cloying and sugary and will not be refreshing. A balanced wine is when all the components work in harmony.
My friends and I recently tasted three beautifully balanced wines from Klinker Brick Vineyards in Lodi. The Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel has juicy flavors of cherry and plum and the perfect balance of oak and spice. The Klinker Brick Farrah Syrah has flavors of berries, chocolate and tobacco. Finally, The Old Ghost is a rich Zinfandel tasting of spiced cherries, mint and licorice. Find the Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel at Nob Hill and BevMo for $18. The Syrah ($16.99) and Old Ghost ($34.99) are at Whole Foods.
Local Wine Buzz
This newspaper’s executive editor delights in finding out about a local winery before I do and told me about Monte Verde Vineyards in Morgan Hill. Picking up on his lead, I met with Alexia Johnson, who, with her husband Todd, owns the winery.
Alexia was born in the Sherry region of Spain while her dad was stationed there in the Navy. Wine was a part of the Spanish culture so there was always a bottle on the table – along with seltzer water to provide dilution for the children. Alexia grew up drinking and appreciating wonderful Spanish varietals.
After their third child was born, Alexia took an online wine class at UC Davis and along with Todd, started making wine as a hobby in 2000. Since the South Bay has a similar climate to her birthplace, it was an easy decision to plant some Spanish vines. In 2006, they began selling their wines commercially.
A jackrabbit raced across the path that leads from Alexia’s home to the tasting room where we talked about Monte Verde Vineyards being the only local winery to produce Spanish varietals. Their Tempranillo is grown from three different clones and their Verdejo and Albarino are delicious white varietals from Spain.
Their flagship and best-selling wine is Tres Amigos (“three friends”), which is a blend of three varietals. They also produce an estate Cabernet and Merlot.
Alexia recommends Albarino with garlic shrimp or crab cakes, Grenache with artisanal cheese and quince paste, Syrah/Merlot blend with pulled pork or spicy barbecue and Tres Amigos with everything – including filet and blue cheese.
Alexia and Todd designed the winery in keeping with an outdoor, Mediterranean feel. The rustic, Old World style tasting room has magnificent hand-carved wood doors and hand-painted Spanish tiles.
Totally unpretentious, husband and wife pour the wines and provide an overall tranquil experience.
“Anyone can go to the grocery store and purchase wine,” Alexia said. “But there is something special about spending the day winetasting with friends in beautiful surroundings.”
Their children pitch in during harvest and are becoming educated about fine wine. So much so that when their daughter received her First Holy Communion (a religious ceremony that involves taking a sip of sacramental wine), she commented that the wine “needed more oak.”
It was becoming increasingly difficult to juggle three children and a wine business. So Alexia and Todd reduced their production from 2,000 cases to 500 cases, and instead of being open year-round, they open their doors for winetasting on third weekends between April and October.
In life, as in wine, finding balance is a beautiful thing.
White Wine and Garlic Shrimp
(serves 2)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound shrimp or prawns
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley
• Salt and pepper
Prepare the shrimp by removing the shells and de-veining them. In a large skillet melt butter on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until lightly golden. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute per side Add white wine and simmer for one more minute (do not overcook). Stir in parsley and some salt and pepper. Try it over linguine or angel hair pasta and serve with crusty French bread.
