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Air-Swap specialists measure your warm air intake and cooling output.
They examine your duct configuration and determine how to increase your air flow,
so the cold your air conditioner is producing is
mixed throughout the house--especially the second floor.
It eliminates a cold basement and hot second floor.
Most HVAC systems are starved for air--
Air-Swap
add ducts to make your furnace and AC more efficient.
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Charles Marshall is selling Welton Place,
Denver's largest residential "Green Building" development,
which consists of 11 contemporary Townhomes,
as well as 101 state of the art Luxury Flats,
and 4 spacious row homes.
The Luxury Flats at 2300 Welton will be LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
certified upon completion of the 7 story,
101 unit building in 2009.
Contact Charles at:
Kentwood City Properties
1660 17th St. Denver-80202
303.522.0183p
charles@kentwoodcity.com
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Wine Bat is a Denver group devoted to blind wine tasting.
They offer a relaxed evening of socializing and wine tasting.
It's a great opportunity to meet like-minded people with an interest in wine.
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Are you interested in learning more about wine?
Join the Denver Wine Group to savor wine and conversations,
build new friendships, and learn as you go.
Beginners and experts welcome!
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Terroir and elegance often walk hand in hand,
with thought-provoking subtleties.
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Private Preserve blankets your open bottles,
making a layer between the wine and the air.
One bottle will last through dozens of bottles of wine.
Private Preserve feels like it is empty when you pick it up.
Stretch your wine dollars,
preserve your aromas, flavors,
and structure with Private Preserve.
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Read about it today, experience it tonight.
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rhyme or reason NV White, California
An elegant blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, and semillon.
Cantaloupe aromas lead to a rich and luscious wine.
Soft, with pretty notes of tangerine, green apple, pear, and summer flowers.
The acidity cradles the ripe, perfume-like palate
as honey and lime peel nuances linger on the finish.
92 points -- tasted 2/29/2008 -BF $8
Primo Vino, Chambers Wine and Liquor, County Line Liquors,
Dillion Ridge Liquors, Superior Liquors,
Gondola Liquor Inc, Off Broadway Wine and Spirits,
Liquor Max, Grape Expectations, Liquor Land, Payless Wine and Liquors.
Pacific Street Liquors, 9th Avenue Liquors, Otie's Wine and Spirits,
Walnut Creek Wine and Liquors, Wet Grocer Discount Liquors,
Grand Lake Wine and Spirits,
Plaza Liquors,
and Wilburs Total Beverage carry this wine.
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Domaine de Pouy 2006 Vin de Pay de Cotes de Gascogne, France
Beautiful nose filled with scents of pulmeria and flinty mineral.
The fore-palate fills with notes of key limes.
The mid-palate ripens with flavors of nectarine and honeysuckle.
The acidity is perfect for the delicate flavors.
Soft, yet bright, this white is a real crowd pleaser.
90 points -- tasted 3/16/2008 -BF $10
City Wine, Heritage Wine and Liquors, and Bonnie Brae Liquor Mart
carry this wine.
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Gramona 2006 Gessami Vendimia, Pennedes, Spain
The aromas of grapefruit and honey fill the olfactory senses.
The intense flavors of stone fruit on the fore-palate
lead you to believe the wine is going to offer a heavy finish.
However, honeysuckle and orange blossom notes dominate
and the mid-palate; this white is delicately perfume-like.
The finish is pleasantly citrus with notes of
tangerine zest, lemon oil and nectarine.
It is a refreshing light bodied wine,
which paired well with our salad.
A blend of Moscatel de Alejandría,
sauvignon blanc, and Muscat Frontignan.
94 points -- tasted 3/06/2008 -BF $18
City Wine
and Primo Vino carry this wine.
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Zamba 2006 Chardonnay, Famatina, Argentina
Stainless steel fermented chardonnay has been winning many fans in the American market.
Zamba chardonnay is a fine example of how refreshing unwooded whites can be.
Reminiscent of the original unoaked chardonnays of Chablis.
Vibrant, young and refreshing, it offers notes of lime zest,
green apple, allspice, with a touch of pear.
Zip of minerality flirts with the mid-palate,
while the finish offers a zing of honey.
It has a lush mouthfeel, while its fruit flavors are clean and focused.
Exceptional for the money.
91 points -- tasted 12/18/2007 -BF $9
Primo Vino, Wilburs Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Reserve List Eagle Bend,
Heritage Wine and Liquors, Keg Liquors,
and Colorado's Liquor Outlet in Colorado Springs carry this wine.
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Wolf Blass 2006 Yellow Label Riesling, South Australia
Big petrol aromas greet the nose.
Lemon meringue pie and pineapple fill the palate
with a touch of tangerine peel on the mid-palate.
Lots of mineral and citrus flavors.
Bright and refreshing, its intensity offers a soft profile on the finish.
91 points -- tasted 3/18/2008 -BF $10
Heritage Wine and Liquors
and Wilburs Total Beverage carry this wine.
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Two Rivers 2006 Delta County Riesling, Colorado
Fragrant, pretty, and soft,
this is a fine example of the quality wines our Western Slope is producing.
The nose is floral with aromas of honeysuckle.
The wine offers a rich mouthfeel,
with notes of golden apples, peaches, limes, and a hint of tangerine.
The acidity is bright, yet polished, not upstaging the fruit flavors.
The finish smacks of mineral and a touch of honey.
92 points -- tasted 2/15/2008 -BF $15
Meridian Wine and Spirits, Libations Wine and Spirits,
Heritage Wine and Liquors, Hampden Warehouse Liquor Mart,
County Line Liquors, Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction,
KaCee's Wine & Spirits,
Reserve List Eagle Bend, Wilburs Total Beverage, Costco Liquors,
and Primo Vino carry this wine.
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Big Tattoo White 2006 Riesling, Rheinhessen, Germany
This white is racy, with in your face flavors.
Peach, nectarine, and honey crescendos as the acidity
backs up the intense flavors.
The finish is reminiscent of Hawaiian White Ginger perfume.
While it gets your taste buds' attention,
it has a soft aspect to it that makes it easy to drink.
The 10% alcohol makes it a crowd pleaser,
perfect for your holiday meal.
91 points -- tasted -BF $10
Heritage Wine and Liquors
and Wilburs Total Beverage carry this wine.
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Toad Hollow 2006 Dry Pinot Noir Rose, Sonoma, California
Strawberries and lemon flavors fill the senses,
this wine is bright, mouthwatering and very dry.
Elegance in the mouth leads to a touch of cranberry on the finish.
A very quaffable pink,
with the right structure to take on some of the most difficult foods to pair,
like salad.
91 points -- tasted -BF $12
County Line Liquors, Heritage Wine and Liquors,
Costco Liquors,
and Wilburs Total Beverage carry this wine.
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Robert Hall 2007 Rose, Paso Robles, California
Aromas of rhubarb rise from the glass.
This is a lighter bodied rose with an elegant presence in the mouth.
Flavors of strawberries, wild cherries, and green tea evolve on the palate.
The mid-palate offers an elegant touch of white flowers,
tangerine peel, and rose petals.
Hints of minerals on the finish linger,
sealing the dry, refreshing profile.
Blooms a bit as it warms,
so take it out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before drinking.
93 points -- tasted 3/8/2008 -BF $16
Divino, Wilburs Total Beverage, Heritage Wine and Liquors,
and Highlands Wine Seller carry this wine.
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Crios 2007 Rose of Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
Incredible intensity for a rose.
The wine is savory, rich, and packed with flavor.
Cranberry, lime, honey, orange zest, raspberry, ginger,
and a touch of radish.
Soft tannins are barely detectable,
yet gives the ripe fruit flavors a structure to build on.
One of the most complex roses on the market.
93 points -- tasted -BF $12
Lido Wine Merchants, City Wine, Wilburs Total Beverage,
Heritage Wine and Liquors, KaCee's Wine & Spirits,
and Primo Vino carry this wine.
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Castle Rock 2006 California Cuvee Pinot Noir, California
Big red raspberry and cherry lifesaver flavors.
Soft tannins, perfume like with vanilla nuances.
Bright, simple, yet solid pinot noir.
Drinks well for a few days under a blanket of gas.
91 points tasted 1/25/2008 -BF $12
Bonnie Brae Liquor Mart, Reserve List Eagle Bend,
Libations Wine and Spirits, Wilburs Total Beverage,
Heritage Wine and Liquors, Hampden Warehouse Liquor Mart,
Costco Liquors,
and City Wine carry this wine.
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Chessman 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir, Mendocino, California
A light bodied pinot noir with a bright canvas of flavors.
Magenta and transparent in the glass,
its aroma offers a dose of spices and red fruits.
Strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, cola,
and a touch of tangerine peel prevail on the palate.
It is spicy, with white flower, vanilla, and perfume nuances.
The finish offers a hint of cream soda.
Little to no tannins make this a very versatile wine.
You'll swoon if you pair this pinot noir with turkey or ham.
93 points -- tasted 2/18/2008 -BF $15
Bonnie Brae Liquor Mart, Heritage Wine and Liquors,
Apple Jack Liquors, Franktown Wine and Liquors,
Aspen Leaf Liquor, Bailey's Wine and Spirits,
Forest Wine and Liquors,
Jordan Liqours, Keg Liquors,
and Primo Vino carry this wine.
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Tap Project - UNICEF
Friday and Saturday, March 21 - 22, 2008
Restaurants will invite their diners to donate a minimum
of $1 for the tap water they would normally get for free.
For every dollar raised, UNICEF will donate clean drinking water
to a child for 40 days.
Make a reservation at a
participating restaurant.
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Wine drinkers practice Swahili
An acquaintance of mine speaks several languages. Swahili is one of them. Those pops and clicks she makes with her tongue sound so natural; I can almost understand what she is saying.
Wine drinkers make those pops and clicks too. 'I don't like that sth-ntch' (as they make a popping sound off the roof of their mouth). I've heard dozens of Swahili syllables used to describe wine.
Wine drinkers are creative when it comes describing the sensations in their mouths. 'I don't like sharp wine.' 'I don't like thick wine.' People are not limited to words and sounds. Some mimic a spasm when describing their preferences.
Here are some of my interpretations of these expressions. The astringent property in your mouth that causes you to lap into Swahili momentarily is tannic acid. Tannins make your teeth feel rough, similar to eating walnuts. You find tannins in red wine and in wines aged in newer oak barrels. Tannins in the right proportions add a complimentary facet to wine. Too much tannic acid creates a 'sharp' sensation in the mouth.
It is the mouthwatering effect of acidity that makes a person squirm. Just like those sour candies you love to hate, acidity makes the mouth salivate. It is the lack of acidity that makes a wine feel full, round, or 'thick.'
I discovered that the hand moving away from the mouth means finish. My best guess is that the hand gesture partnered with a grimace or a tongue smacking noise signifies tannins on the finish. The hand gesture coupled with a twitch could mean lingering acidity on the finish.
Knowing your likes and dislikes takes the game show aspect out of making a selection. A good wine salesperson can usually interpret these expressions, but having a wine vocabulary reduces the margin for error. It also allows you to explore all of your options within your preferences.
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Pairing wine with ham a tricky feat
Easter dinner brings to mind images of elegant tables with all the frills. Wine is an important part of any well planned meal, but pairing wine with ham becomes a tricky situation. Salty foods exemplify tannins in red wines and any wine that has been aged in newer oak or has oak additives. Most cabernet sauvignons, petite sirahs, syrahs, and many Chiantis are much too tannic for the briny likes of ham. Many Californian style chardonnays and sauvignon blancs are aged in new French oak barrels, which can create the same overly astringent sensation.
On the other hand, salty foods can cause acidic wines to taste even more acidic, sometimes causing a metallic flavor. Refreshing white wines that cut through fatty foods can become bitter and thin when drank with salty food. Opt for softer whites like Riesling, gewürztraminer, viognier, roussanne or marsanne. Sparkling wines labeled demi-sec are tasty options that elevate the event to a celebration.
Red wines should be chosen with scrutiny. Beaujolais, made from the less tannic gamay, is one of the best options. The quality Crus of Beaujolais offer an extraordinary experience well under $20 a bottle with their soft acidity and flavors of strawberries, sundried tomatoes, and roses. Pinot noir is another option worth exploring, but be wary of barrel aging or Burgundian styled wines that boast high acidity.
Finally, be open to rosé. New World rosés tend to be softer in acidity and will not offend your salt slathered taste buds. Red wine is made by allowing the juice of freshly crushed grapes to 'rest on the skins' in order to add color, tannin, and flavor. Rosés are made the same way, with red -not white grapes. Flavors of raspberries, cranberries, and strawberries are the perfect backdrop for that salty-sweet slice of ham.
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Vocabulary
Each week we'll include a few wine (or beer or spirits) terms.
To read more terms go to the
vocabulary
page. This page will grow as we add more terms.
acid:
Acid, as in acidity, is a component in grapes that decreases as they ripen.
Acidity makes your mouth water and is considered an important part of a wine's
structure.
Too much acid tastes harsh, too little makes a wine taste flabby.
Acidity incites an appetite and is key if a wine is going to be served with food.
alcohol:
Ethyl alcohol is a chemical component created when live yeast consumes sugar.
Ethyl alcohol adds structure and body to the wine.
Most wine contains 9-15% alcohol after fermentation.
If a wine's alcohol content is too high in relationship to the other components,
it is said to taste 'hot' because it has a prominent alcohol flavor.
Not all wines with high alcohol taste hot.
Fermentation generally does not create alcohol levels over 16% ABV or Alcohol By Volume.
corked:
2,4,6-trichloroanisole, or TCA is a mold taint that comes from infected corks.
This mold is so prevalent that it can infect an entire winery.
It is a difficult eradicate because it thrives on bleach.
When a bottle of wine is severely tainted, or corked, it can taste like wet dog, mildew,
wet cardboard, or ground up rubber bands.
As revolting as a corked bottle can taste,
TCA starts out as a loss of fruitiness with no ill flavor.
Even though it tastes like it could kill you,
you can drink the wine, but I don't know why you would want to.
finish:
The lingering impression a wine leaves after it is swallowed (or spit)
is referred to as the finish.
The finish is part of a wine's structure.
A finish can offer flavor that were prominent on the palate,
or offer different impressions.
Some wines have a long finish with evolving flavors, such as better quality rieslings.
Wines that have a non-existing or short finish are considered flawed.
flabby:
A flabby wine is soft in the mouth, lacking acidity.
Acidity offers an opposite facet to fruit flavors, alcohol, and tannins.
Acidity is a component considered in winemaking as well as culinary arts.
Some people prefer a lower acid level and do not mind the thicker mouthfeel.
Less acidity often comes from too much sun.
Flabby wines can taste sweet when the actually don't have any residual sugar.
fortified wine:
is wine that has had spirits added to it to give it longevity.
When the only transportation to the new world was an unrefrigerated ship,
wine would often spoil during the journey.
Some clever sailor poured a bit of brandy into a
barrel containing wine and the rest is history.
The spirits allow the wine to withstand warm temperatures often
experienced at sea.
This is the technique used to make Portos.
hot:
Refers to the distinct flavor of alcohol in a wine.
Wine can have high levels of alcohol, yet still not taste strongly alcoholic.
When a wine has a flavor of rubbing alcohol it is said to be hot.
It is considered a flaw and can be detected at many levels,
from slightly hot, where the rest of the characteristics make up for the strong flavor,
to unmistakably hot, where no matter how much fruit or flavor the wine offers otherwise,
the alcohol flavor is overwhelming.
Pinot noir is known for being hot as a flaw.
lees:
are sediment created by fermentation.
Lees are made up of dead yeast and other debris,
such as small grape solids.
When wine is left on the lees it is called sur lie.
Allowing wine to rest on the lees adds creamy flavors.
This technique is generally used with white wines,
in particular, chardonnay.
legs:
are tears that roll down the side of a glass containing wine.
The more distinct and colorful the legs, the more body and alcohol the wine contains.
Colorful tears form when grapes are grown in a hot growing region.
Sometimes legs do not show right away when the wine is rolled inside the glass,
but with a little patience most wines will show some legs.
Wines that are lower in alcohol, like German wines, will often not generate legs.
Legs are used by wine professionals to determine alcohol levels.
new world:
comprises the countries Australia, New Zealand, Chile,
Argentina, South Africa, and the United States.
New world refers to a geographic area, but can also define a
style of wine.
The geographic parameters of the new world definition
are defined by a young wine industry and sunny weather.
The new world style is fruit-forward,
softer in acidity and tannins, and generally is not made to be
stored in a wine cellar for extended periods of time.
The old world has a wine history that often spans thousands of years.
old world:
comprises the countries France, Germany, Italy, Greece,
Spain and other European wine producing areas.
(Spain is often considered both old world and new world because of their new world styled wines,
even though they have been making wine for some five thousand years.)
Old world refers to geographic areas as well as a style of winemaking.
Old world wines often are grown in areas that struggle with getting enough sunlight.
The grapes can be under-ripe and the wines are consequently more acidic.
residual sugar:
is grape sugar that is left over after fermentation is complete.
Residual sugar can make a wine seem flabby or thick in the mouth.
With ample acidity most wines with residual sugar taste balanced.
Sparkling wines can contain a little residual sugar as a matter of style.
Because of a lack of sun, German wines often need to leave some residual sugar.
Grapes lacking ripeness are very acidity and leaving a touch of grape juice behind after
fermentation can help soften the perception of the acid.
Dessert wines are created by leaving grapes on the vine after main harvest has been completed.
The extra ripening causes excessive sugar that cannot be fermented by the yeast.
skin contact:
Skin contact is also called maceration.
Freshly picked grapes are crushed and allowed to soak with their skins to extract
color, tannins, flavor and other phenolic materials.
The skins form a cap on the top of the vat,
which is mechanically or manually punched back into the liquid
over several days to facilitate the extraction process.
Red wine grapes spend much time on their skins,
while the skins of white wine grapes are removed almost immediately.
Rose wines are generally made with red wine grapes,
but the juice rests on the skins for a short period of
time compared to when the grapes are made into red wine.
sparkling wine:
is all wine containing carbonation.
Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.
Champagne can only come from the region of France called Champagne.
If a sparkling wine is from any other place it is called sparkling wine or
another regional name as in Prosecco (from Italy) or Cava (from Spain).
The use of the name Champagne on wine from outside of the region of Champagne is a misnomer.
Sparkling wine can be made in several different ways,
the two most popular are Méthode Champenoise and
the Charmat method.
stainless steel fermentation:
refers to the type of container wine is fermented in.
Wine can be fermented in glass lined vats made of concrete,
French, American, or Hungarian barrels, or stainless steel vats.
Newer oak barrels impart flavor and tannins to wine.
Old barrels, concrete, or stainless steel vessels are considered neutral in flavor.
New barrels are expensive compared to neutral containers.
Stainless steel fermentation is becoming more popular,
after an apex of oak barrel use over the last few decades.
Stainless steel wines offer people who suffer from
oak tannin headaches relief from their morning headaches.
structure:
Structure is the combination of acidity,
tannins, fruit flavor, and
alcohol.
When these components are in proper proportion the wine is said to be balanced.
Every wine has structure.
To describe a wine's structure is to use these terms in reference to it's overall appeal.
For example, a particular wine's structure is too tannic and
another one's structure doesn't have enough acidity and is too fruity.
Structure can also include fore-palate, mid-plate, and finish.
tannin:
Tannins, tannic, tannic acid, an astringent component in wine that
comes from grape skins, seeds, and stems.
Tannic acid makes your mouth feel rough, like eating walnuts and
can be softened by eating fats.
Tannins can also be imparted in the process of extracting the juice from the grapes
or aging wine in newer oak barrels.
Tannic acid allows wine to last longer and often mellows as a wine is stored over time.
terroir (teh-rwahr):
is the subtle component that is often absent in new world wines.
Terroir is the flavor of the land, weather, and environment.
It is often called aspect.
It is the slight flavor of rocks, chalk, autumn leaves, spring rain, dust, baked earth,
ocean breeze or minerals.
Terroir is destroyed by sulfites that are added when the grapes are first crushed.
It is also diminished by the quick ripening that happens in hot growing regions.
A whopping alcohol level is a sign that the delicate flavors of terroir are lost.
Aspect of the land is an old world occurrence.
More and more new world producers try to preserve terroir in their wines.
The best examples of terroir can be found in European wines.
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