Backstreet Cafe-Wine News
Just because the weather is a bit warmer doesn’t mean its time to give up on the bountiful world of wine in favor of other libations.Summer is the time to develop our taste buds, discover new areas of wine, and embrace a love of fruit, minerality, and acid.Who needs air conditioning when you can have a glass of Albarino, Muscat, Sancerre, or exquisitely dry Riesling at your finger tips.While your head may tell you that you miss the cigar box aromas and muscular tannins of Cabernet, your palette will happily quaff silkier, softer reds such as Mencia, Grenache, Gamay, and Pinot Noir.You may even find comfort in the occasional affable rose (beware trendy high priced versions).Yes, you can count on Backstreet to point you in the right direction when it comes to quenching your thirst throughout the season, so drink on!
For wine dinner lovers, we will offer several throughout the next few months.In addition to these sit down dinners we hold regular tastings.Just last month we held a delightful Rose tasting on the patio with the Women of Wine, helping to raise money for the Houston Women’ Center.The event gave me reason to create some lovely rose sangria made with fresh passionfruit, pear, lemon, and ginger.Be on the look out for this thrilling sangria.For information on upcoming tastings and dinners just email me at sean@backstreetcafe.net
For those who can’t join us, you can always schedule your own little private tasting.With a little advance notice Chef Hugo and I can create a thoughtful and well paired wine dinner for a festive night with friends, family or clients.We do this often for groups six or larger and can host private events for companies, birthdays, baby showers, and other important gatherings.Of course we can also take this show on the road and have catered at a number of guests homes.
We have a simple mantra regarding wine here at Backstreet:
"Wine is not an extra or a luxury, but a necessary part of healthy living and a critical ingredient in helping food taste its best."
~It is this belief that compels us to be diverse in our selections and above all fair in our price.We will continue to provide you with the best wine at the best prices, so relax and take pleasure in a great meal with good friends and good wine. sean@backstreetcafe.net
Sean Beck-Sommelier
The Recommendations
- Sangria of the Day $7.5
- What is more refreshing on a warm day than a good glass of Sangria? Few drinks quench the thirst quite like sangria, particularly when it is made with delicious wine and the best fruit of the season. I begin simply by finding good wine and figuring out what flavors it offers an how to really bring them to life. It is very similar to food paring only now I am matching the flavors of the wine to an assortment of seasonal fruits, fresh herbs, brandys, rums, and liqueurs. Every day brings new flavors and styles whether it is white, red, or sparkling. Be sure to ask your server for today’s selection, especially if you’re taking a relaxing lunch.
- Cocktail of the Month“Sparkling Summertime” $9.5
- One of the few truly wonderful things about August, is the abundance of delicious, bright, and refreshing watermelon. As such I feel it is my obligation to rethink how to use watermelon every year for a new cocktail. This year I have one of my coolest creations ever! We puree watermelon with kafir lime and orange zest, before freezing it into cubes. We then fill a Riedel Flute with the ice cubes and pour over the top cointreau, lime, orange bitters, and finally the wonderfully light Italian sparkling wine Moscato d’ Asti. The watermelon flavor releases slowly to create the perfect summer refreshment.
- ’05 Torii Mor Pinot Blanc - Oregon
- Torii Mor is a lovely little winery in the Dundee Hills area of the Willamette Valley. Run by a great husband and wife team, the Olson’s have spent fifteen years building a name of quality and consistency in a valley where integrity is paramount. They hired a clever winemaker by the name of Jaques Tardy (how else do you describe a Frenchman who decided he would rather live and work in the U.S.) who has taken the winery to new heights. Despite being known primarily for Pinot Noir, Torii Mor actually makes some delicious examples of classic Oregon whites. Like a diet Chardonnay or a rounder, more generous Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc strikes the perfect chord for summer. The texture is round and juicy with soft pretty aromas of pear, apple, and tart citrus. The wine sees just a shade of oak, helping bring out the subtle flavors of baked spice. A charming and engaging white fit for the warmest of summer days and delicious with good seafood.
Glass: $10 3oz Taste: $5 Bottle: $40 - '04 Carol Shelton "Monga Zin" Zinfandel ( Cucamonga Valley ) - CA
- A true throwback Zin, the Carol Shelton makes me yearn for the days when Zinfandel was produced by the passionate and unique characters of the wine landscape. Today Zinfandel is more commercialized, better known, and way overdone. Carol was one of the first female winemakers to gain notoriety out in Napa and while she may not be Helen Turley, she does make sumptuous wines. Here Monga Zin is awash with this bright, joyful red fruit of rhubarb, raspberry, and stewed strawberry. The concentrated fruit comes from 84 year old vines, yet the wine is surprisingly well balanced offering pleasant white pepper, cardamom, and coriander notes to go with the luscious fruit. Frankly, I need a bit more fruit and spice in my system for the summertime. Forget the overly tannic reds and enjoy this tasty Zin, particularly with the seared duck breast.
Glass: $10 3oz Taste: $5 Bottle: $4