I don’t know about you, but I’m a “last minute” kind of person. My modius operandi: why complete a task or fulfill an obligation now when you can wait until the warning lights start flashing red? Procrastination is my middle name. Ask my wife…no don’t do that!

Anyway, it’s almost Christmas and I haven’t yet purchased the first gift. In years past, that was not much of a problem thanks to the plethora of stores at our large indoor shopping mall – that last bastion of gifts for the tardy. But now, with the demise of the mall I‘m in panic mode. Thankfully, most of the gifts I purchase this year will be of the liquid variety, so I’ll just pop into my local wine shop to find that special bottle.

And for those of you who, like me, are looking for that last minute gift of wine, I have a whole cornucopia of vinous suggestions for your consideration. This list should enable you to find just the perfect bottle for that special person regardless of their wine preferences.

Let’s start with Champagne and sparkling wines with which you can toast Christmas and Hannukah as well as, the coming New Year. Then I’ll follow with recommendations for those white and red wine lovers respetctively.

Champagne:
Moet et Chandon White Star Brut, Nicholas Feuillatte “Blue Label” Brut, Paul Bara Brut, Veuve Cliquot (The Widow) Brut, Krug Grande Cuvee Brut, Perrier Jouet Grand Brut and Taittinger Comptes De Champagne Rose.

Sparkling Wine from other regions:
Gusbourne Brut Reserve (England); Mumm Napa Cuvee, Roderer Estate Brut Anderson Valley, Iron Horse Russian Cuvee and Domain Carneros Blanc de Noir (all from California); Pierre Sparr Cremant d’Alsace Brut Reserve (France); Segura Viudas Reserva (Spain); Ruffino Prosecco (Italy); and Gruet Blanc de Noirs (New Mexico).

White Wine:

Kistler Sonoma Mountain Chardonnay, Peter Michael Chardonnay, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Hess Select Monterey Chardonnay, Massican White Blend and Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay ( all from California); Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Monrachet Premier Cru and Moillard Puligny-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes (France); Dr. Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Mosel Riesling and S.A. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese (Germany) Martin Codax Albarino and Ossian Vinedo Ecologico Verdejo (Spain); Bastianich Vespa Bianco and Anselmi San Vincenzo (Italy).

Red Wine:
Chateau Montelena Cabernet, Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cabernet, Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Saddleback Cabernet Sauvignon, Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Merryvale Profile, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Dominus and Harlan Estate (all from California); Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington); Chateau La Dominique;, Chateau Lynch Bages, Chateau Brainaire Ducru, Chateau Cos d’Estournel, Chateau Pontet Canet, Chateau Leoville Las Cases and Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape (all from France); Domaine Serene Evanstad Reserve Pinot Noir (Oregon); Altesino Montosoli Brunello di Montalcino and Ornellaia (from Italy).

Here’s wishing you the merriest of Holiday Seasons and a prosperous New Year!

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book is “Augie’s World” which is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War. You can find out more about his novels at wordsbyjohnbrown.com.

It is the dead of winter and you’re not only sick of the cold, gray and snowy days– you’re weary and listless. You’ve probably tried to amuse yourself and your friends by playing cards, board games and just about anything to make time go faster. You may have even been desperate enough to retrieve that old exercise bike that’s been rusting in the garage for a spin around the TV room.

Well, for those of you who enjoy a glass or two of wine, I’ve got just the restorative tonic to brighten your mood. Why not gather a few friends for wine tasting? And guess what, it’s really pretty simple to do and it’s affordable too, especially if you ask friends to contribute a bottle for the event.

You can taste and evaluate as few as two wines or as many as you wish, but normally a tasting will consist of six or seven wines. You may choose to evaluate a particular wine varietal such as chardonnay or zinfandel, or you may decide to taste wines from a region like the Napa Valley or Bordeaux. You can also just put together a random group of wines and go at it.

The classic tasting begins with lighter-bodied wines (usually whites) and moves to fuller-bodied and dryer red wines. If you’re evaluating sweet wines, you can taste whites at the beginning and reds, such as port, at the end. I usually taste sparkling wines at the beginning of a tasting.

While your main goal in evaluating wine is to judge the taste, you will also want to scrutinize the aroma, and you should use stemware that allows you to observe the color and clarity of the wine in the glass. Be sure to pour tasters about one ounce of each wine so the total amount you sip over the course of the tasting approximates a glass. I’ve been to events where the pours were heavy and, within a short period of time, the tasting devolved into a wine gulping event – and that ain’t pretty.

One of my favorite tastings is designed to get folks out of their wine comfort zone and expose them to bottles they wouldn’t normally try. I conducted just such a tasting before Christmas at Fish Hawk Acres in Buckhannon. Owner Dale Hawkins calls his establishment a “Grocer-Rant” and it is a mecca of epicurean delights, including a superb wine selection, locally farmed vegetables, fresh meats and the best sandwiches I’ve had in West-By-Golly.

The following is an example of how a wine tasting list might be comprised. Incidentally, these are wines which I would also recommend for your sipping pleasure.

Veuve Du Vernay Brut Rose ($15) – This French sparkler is well balanced and fresh with raspberry and bright cherry fruit flavors. Great as an aperitif or try it with brunch-type foods such as omelets, crepes or salads.

2020 Cantina Zaccagnini ($17) Pinot Grigio -From the Abruzzo region of Italy, this wine has a tropical fruit bouquet, flavors of ripe pears and is a refreshing, well-balanced wine. Try it with various antipasti, oysters on the half shell, grilled veggies, or roasted chicken.

2019 Pazo Cillerio Albarino ($22) – From the Galicia region of Spain, this Albarino is influenced by the cool breezes of the Atlantic. Refreshing and clean, the wine is fruit forward with notes of ripe green apples and citrus flavors. Would pair extremely well with delicate seafood dishes like pan sauteed grouper in a lemon butter sauce.

2018 Grayson Cellars Chardonnay ($15) – The 2018 Grayson Chardonnay is rich with a touch of vanilla, but it shows bright, brisk acidity and good minerality with notes of pineapple and apricot. Try this California wine with chicken cordon bleu, pasta with clams or roasted Chilean sea bass.

2018 Sebastiani Pinot Noir (Central Coast) ($18) – The fruit for this 2018 Pinot Noir comes from the Central Coast of California with 60% coming from Santa Rita and 40% coming from Monterey County. The wine is ripe and rich with black cherry and spice flavors. This would be lovely with Salmon on the grill or roast pork tenderloin.

2020 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone ($18) This rich red wine from the southern Rhone region of France is full of spice and plum flavors. Try it with beef pot roast, chili or even lasagna.

2019 Fitch Mountain Merlot ($23) – This Dry Creek Valley wine has a silky mouth feel with flavors of chocolate spice, dark berries, coffee, caramel, and cedar. It has impressive length and a lasting, elegant finish. Try this wine with grilled rib eye steak or rack of lamb.

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book is “Augie’s World” which is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War. You can find out more about his novels at wordsbyjohnbrown.com.

You like to drink wine or you would not be reading this column, right? I’ll presume my assumption is correct, and I will also venture to guess you enjoy pairing the fruit of the vine with wine’s best friend – a compatible meal. But what about using wine as an ingredient in cooking your meal?

The most common questions I get from folks regarding the use of wine in cooking relate to: the type of varietal to select; the quantity of wine to use; and the quality of the bottle -which usually relates to price. The main concern people have, though, is that the wine they choose might not work with their menu item, and the meal will be ruined. And sometimes their fears are realized when they assume it’s okay to use that half bottle of Three Buck Chuck’s that’s been sitting on a shelf in the refrigerator for two weeks.

The first rule when using wine in cooking is to make sure the bottle you choose is sound – as in fresh. It should also be something you would enjoy drinking. It doesn’t have to be an expensive wine, but it should be one that has been recently opened (like in the last day or so) and is still tasty. And always bypass those bottles labelled “cooking wine” in the vinegar and oil section of the grocery store unless you want to add a cod liver oil or other medicinal nuance to the meal.

Regarding the amount wine to use in cooking, the best advice is to follow the recipe. Generally, recipes will call for a cup or less of wine. But if you aren’t following a specific recipe, remember the goal is to enhance the dish not to overwhelm it. And don’t worry that cooking with wine will add alcohol to the meal. The reality is that after a few seconds in a heated pan or pot, all the alcohol is dissipated, and only the flavor of the wine is retained by the food.

So, what are some of the foods that are positively influenced by the addition of wine? I would say most foods, but I still haven’t found the perfect wine pairing for cereal. Anyway, there are a plethora of great recipes out there that rely on wine to enhance the finished dish. You can open any cookbook or Google recipes online, but if you can’t wait, check out the hearty wintertime wine-enhanced dish I’ve detailed for you below.

I know I said earlier that most recipes call for moderate amounts of wine, but this one requires a full bottle of dry red to tame the hearty flavors of the dish. You can use any full-bodied, dry red like zinfandel, Cotes du Rhone, cabernet sauvignon or merlot. I chose the 2015 Terre Rouge Tete-a-Tete ($27). Terre Rouge is a California winery located in Amador County. The winery focuses on Rhone varieties, and this bottle is a blend of grenache and mourvèdre (39% each) and syrah (22%). Full-flavored, round and rich, it has the body to stand up to and enhance the hearty short rib recipe below.

Drunken Short Ribs

Ingredients (feeds four people)

Three to four pounds of short ribs cut into two-inch pieces
One large Dutch oven
Two tablespoons of flour
One tablespoon each of Kosher salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Three cups of beef broth
Two onions, celery stalks, carrots and red bell peppers chopped
Two tablespoons each of olive oil and tomato paste
Four cloves of garlic chopped coarsely
One tablespoon each of chopped parsley, thyme and rosemary

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Season short ribs with salt and pepper and cover in flour
Sauté’ beef in Dutch oven on stovetop in batches and set aside on a plate
Add onions, carrots, celery and peppers until translucent
Add garlic and herbs and tomato paste to the Dutch oven
Stir mixture for a few minutes and then add bottle of wine
Lower heat to medium when mixture begins to boil and add short ribs
Add beef broth, cover pot and place in the oven
Cook for two and one-half hours and serve over polenta or mashed potatoes

Enjoy!!

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book Augie’s World, which is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War, is available online at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com

Just recently, I had the pleasure of sipping three wines I think you might find enjoyable, especially when paired with the dishes I’m also suggesting.

2019 St. Supery Dollarhide Sauvignon Blanc ($32) – The Dollarhide vineyard is nestled in the mountains on the eastern slopes of the Napa Valley. Cool evening temperatures allow this sauvignon blanc to develop flavors of citrus and anise with nuances of vanilla from oak aging. It is a rich, but well-balanced wine, that will show best when paired with one of my favorite springtime dishes: pasta with sauteed ramps and asparagus sauced with a half cup of the sauvignon blanc, olive oil, and sprinkled liberally with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

2019 J. Lohr Seven Oaks Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon ($18) – From Paso Robles along California’s Central Coast, the Seven Oaks cabernet is full of dark cherry and cola flavors. It is deep and rich with noticeable tannin, but it’s still very drinkable right now. I paired the wine with grilled pork tenderloin brushed with a cumin and honey glaze.

2019 Martin Ray Vineyards Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($21)) – This medium-bodied, silky smooth wine has flavors of ripe, red cherries with hints of Asian spices. It also has a lovely balance of richness and acidity which makes it an excellent match to foods with some sweet and heat notes such as Pad Thai or barbecue chicken mopped with a sriracha infused sauce.

***

I’ve always considered grape growing and winemaking as activities that help bring the diverse peoples of our planet together. Despite our ethnic, cultural or political differences, the fruit of the vine has always offered a figurative bridge between countries, allowing us the opportunity to literally toast one other.

But the devastating carnage inflicted on Ukraine by that barbarian in the Kremlin has cast a pall on the mostly cordial and respectful relationships that the nations of the world have enjoyed for decades. I am particularly concerned for Moldova, a small, poor country that borders a large swath of Ukraine. Unfortunately, the geographic location of Moldova puts its continued existence in jeopardy. Unlike its neighbors in the region, Romania and Slovakia, Moldova is not a member of NATO and therefore does not enjoy the protections of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Several years ago, I was privileged to be among several West Virginians to meet a travelling delegation of business and government officials from Moldova, a country that has a long tradition of winemaking dating back centuries. One of the visitors was a woman winemaker, and I was impressed with the wines she brought along for us to sample. I remember liking the white wines somewhat better than the reds, but all of them were very drinkable.

This small country, which was formerly part of the Soviet Union, surprisingly has more vines per capita than any other country on earth. As you would expect, most of the Moldovan wines are made from obscure, native varieties such as Viorica, a Muscat-like white, and reds such as Aurore Rara Negro which is similar to pinot noir. The country also produces value-oriented traditional varietals like pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

I fear for the people of Moldova who find themselves on the border of a country being brutalized.  I’m sure Moldovan citizens  are wondering if they will be the next domino to fall. So, in a gesture of solidarity with Moldova, and all the countries in that increasingly dangerous part of the world, I’m going to order some Moldovan wine, and then I’ll raise a glass to them and pray they will remain a free and sovereign nation.

If you would like to try the wines of Moldova, you can order them online at https://wineofmoldovausa.com/wine/

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book Augie’s World, which is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War, is available online at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com

Leg of lamb is always the featured entrée in our home on Easter Sunday. I must admit, however, that my first experience with lamb could have been my last. That inedible dish was prepared in the time-honored and assertively bland tradition of English gastronomy. It was roasted in its own pungent juices, devoid of any spices and then served with huge dollops of mint jelly to obscure the gamy taste.

Unfortunately, we Americans do not often eat lamb because of this gaminess. When it comes to meat, we prefer beef, chicken or pork, and we are unaccustomed to gamy-flavored meat, except for venison. But venison is usually made palatable by the addition of flavoring spices and/or marinating – which is what we’re going to do in the recipe I’m sharing with you below.

Thank goodness that one of my Italian aunts later shamed and nearly force fed me into trying her version of lamb. Her rendition featured a boned and butterflied leg of lamb marinated in a heavenly bath of olive oil, wine and lemons with copious amounts of garlic and other spices happily swimming in the liquid.

So, in honor of my late Aunt Notie, who never met a garlic clove she didn’t covet, I’ll share her recipe for the absolutely best leg of lamb you will ever prepare! And to truly elevate this transcendent culinary experience, I’m going to suggest two round, rich and supple red wines to accompany the dish.

I’ve eaten lamb raised in the U.S. and from other countries such as Italy, France, Australia and New Zealand. I’m convinced the folks from the two Down Under nations produce the best tasting lamb, especially from the leg and rack of lamb cuts. The leg of lamb I used for this recipe was raised in New Zealand.

Wherever you purchase the lamb, you’ll need a boned leg that is opened up (butterflied) and which lies flat. Butterflying the leg allows it to absorb the spicy marinade more completely, and it insures more even roasting. If you have a Sam’s Club or Walmart nearby, you won’t need to worry about boning and butterflying the critter’s shank since the product they sell is already packaged that way. Simply open the package and remove the netting from around the leg. If you find a leg of lamb that is only available as a whole piece, ask the store butcher to bone and butterfly it for you. It is worth the effort.

My favorite wines to accompany leg of lamb are big and red, and you should try one (or both) of these bottles.

2019 Ridge Geyserville ($45) – This mostly zinfandel (71%) is blended with carignane and petite sirah and is a delicious mouthful of dark berry flavors with hints of vanilla on the finish. The richness of the wine makes it an absolutely spectacular pairing with the grilled lamb.

2018 E. Guigal Gigondas Rouge – ($38) – Gigondas is village near the renowned Chateauneuf du Pape appellation and its red wines are on a par with its more famous and expensive neighbor. This blend of grenache, syrah and mourvedre delivers full-bodied red fruit flavors, hints of licorice and a very spicy finish that compliments the smoky flavors of the grilled lamb.

Aunt Notie’s Leg (of lamb)

Ingredients:

One five to six-pound boned and butterflied leg of lamb
One half bottle of good dry red wine
Eight ounces extra virgin olive
Two ounces of red wine vinegar
Eight garlic cloves, chopped finely
One tablespoon of Dijon mustard
Three tablespoons of fresh rosemary chopped or two of dried rosemary
Two teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper
One tablespoon of salt
Four lemons juiced and cut into quarters

Preparation

Trim some of the thickest fat from the lamb
Score both sides of lamb making cuts diagonally across the meat
Combine the salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary and mustard into a mixture
Rub the mixture all over both sides of the lamb
Place lamb in a large container or gallon plastic bag
Add the wine, lemons, vinegar and juice and pour in and cover lamb
Put in the refrigerator overnight or for at least eight hours
Prepare a charcoal fire or heat up the gas grill
Remove meat from the marinade and pat dry
Place meat directly over the fire four minutes per side until seared
Cook meat indirectly for 30 minutes until inside temp. reaches 130F
Allow the meat to sit covered loosely with foil for 20 minutes
Slice and serve immediately

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book Augie’s World, which is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War, is available online at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com