In my last post you read about the unique and delicious Hungarian wines tasted during the June session of #WineStudio. As you recall “PROTOCOL wine studio presents an online twitter-based educational program where we engage our brains and palates! It’s part instruction and wine tasting, with discussions on producers, grapes, tourism, terroir, regional culture, food and wine matching and what all this means to us as wine drinkers. (Follow the hashtag #WineStudio on Twitter Tuesday nights at 8pm CST!)”

June’s #WineStudio session has been sponsored by Old World Vines, a wine importer co-owned by Katy Bendel Daniels. Old World Vines specializes in unique premium and boutique wines from the old countries of Europe. Some of the wines are emerging on to the world class market and some are gems we have discovered and would like you to discover them with us. The wines Old World Vines imports are from families who are passionate about their land and producing first class wines. Many are now winning medals with Decanter, receiving over 90 points with Wine and Spirits magazine, and taking top honors in highly competitive European wine competitions. Some of the wines are available in limited production … some as small as only 800 bottles. Some of these varietals do not exist in the United States and are indigenous to the country they’ve been imported from. They are special and make long lasting memories.

Please see Monday’s post on Rockin Red Blog for map of area, review of two Hungarian wines and additional information.

 Erzetič Winery 2011 Rebula: The Erzetič 100% Rebula (aka Ribolla Gialla) wine met the eye with a soothing pale yellow color; on the nose it’s pleasing aroma smelled like an orchard, while delivering on the palate with crisp apples, white nectarines, apricots and lemon with cloves and baking spices. This lovely crisp white wine was like a delicious fresh out of the oven apple pie! It was dry with a crisp acidity that paired beautifully with Dubliner Kerrygold and Smoked Seaside Cheddar cheese. I paired this crisp dry white with my adaptation of chicken gyros: fresh soft pita bread topped with rotisserie chicken, butter lettuce, purple onion, marzano tomatoes, cucumbers and tzatziki sauce, and fresh strawberries. The Erzetič Rebula was a delightful pairing with the dish; the well balanced acidity, lingering finish and dryness make it a perfect food wine. I also paired the Erzetič Rebula with pizza comprised of a pesto sauce, roasted chicken, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, basil, with mozzarella and goat cheeses. Again the wine was a refreshing pairing with the crisp and flavorful pizza. This was a lovely crisp, fresh white wine; I encourage you to order a few bottles to add to your cellar. SRP $22.95 from Old World Vines.

 

 

 

 

 

The Rebula is the leading grape variety in Brda, the pride of Brda. It is important on both Slovene and Italian side, especially in the district of Collio. The grapes are hand harvested, de-stemmed, pressed then transferred to inox tanks for 3 weeks for fermentation, then bottled in dark bottles to protect the wine from light. The story of Erzetič family from Višnjevik is for a long time in close connection with nature, viticulture and wine production. The inhabitants of Višnjevik will say you that the homestead is called ‘pri Martinovih’ because it was devised in 1725 by first landowner Martin, that’s why this name is still in use today. I encourage you to learn more about Erzetič Family Winery, their history and view their entire portfolio of wines.

Kupljen Jeruzalem – Svetinje 2011 Rumeni Muskat: The Kuplijen 2011 Rumeni Muskat poured soft gold into the glass. The wine met the nose with a wonderful burst of fresh flowers and fresh fruit; on the palate it fully delivered with a fresh cut bouquet of roses, sweet alyssum and white peonies; followed by refreshing flavors of honey, lemon and spice in an invigorating frizzante! Due to the semi-sweet nature of the Rumeni (yellow) Muskat, I did not expect to like this wine and I certainly did not expect my husband to like it. Not only did we both like it; we thoroughly enjoyed it and throughout the evening.  It is quite delicious. I do not find this an everyday meal wine; rather, its nature lends itself to an aperitif or dessert wine. Therefore, I paired it with CAKE: Red Velvet and Chocolate Eruption. It will come as no surprise that the Rumeni Muskat paired excellently with the cake. Other pairing suggestions include creamy cheese, macaroni and cheese, lemon tart and tiramisu. However, this wine was great sippin by itself. The Rumeni Muskat was quite a hit with all the participants in #WineStudio. It was so lively and refreshing it is hard not to enjoy such a delightful wine. I recommend you order several bottles from Old World Vines (SRP $22.95), invite some friends over and share it with dessert outside on a warm summer night!

Vino Kupljen Winery is located in the north-east of Slovenia, in Jeruzalemsko-Svetinjske gorice hills, which is an area that has been known for its quality wines and winegrowing land for centuries. Vino Kupljen runs a traditional family winegrowing estate, the beginnings of which go back as far as 1836. As one of the first professional private Slovene winemakers, Jože Kupljen launched the brand Vino Kupljen to bottle and label his wine as early as in 1976.

The wines of Vino Kupljen are very telling of the terroir they come from, namely the winegrowing hills of Jeruzalem (named by 11^th century crusaders who liked the land so much they named called the area Jeruzalem). This is an area renowned for wines that boast a fruity and fresh character from an early age and that are famous for their extraordinary maturing potential (whites 5–20 years, reds 5–25 years), whereby each vintage unveils their diverse multilayered flavors. It all comes as a result of the eco-friendly cultivation of the winegrowing land, the vine and the grapes, as well as the winemaking processes in the cellar and our methods of tending the wine. Perfectly in tune with the Vino Kupljen slogan: With Sun and Love!

*For those of you reading this post and Monday’s post that have never participated in #WineStudio, please join the fun! To find out about July’s session go to the Protocol Wine Studio and log on to Twitter each Tuesday at 8pm CST. A world full of wine is waiting for you!

My Song Selections: The song I chose to pair with Erzetič Winery 2011 Rebula is Peel Me a Grape by Diana Krall.  I chose this song because her smooth delivery and sultry voice personifies the smooth, pleasing taste and aroma of the Rebula. I can imagine hosting a dinner party with Diana Krall playing in the background and Erzetič 2011 Rebula on the table.

The song I chose to pair with the Kupljen Jeruzalem – Svetinje 2011 Rumeni Muskat is Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson. The reason I chose this song is because I cannot listen to it sitting still; it makes me want to sing and dance. The Rumeni Muskat is the same way; it is like a dance party in the mouth! The wonderful blend of flavors with the hint of sweetness accompanied by frizzante makes me want to dance.

Get your own bottles of Erzetič Winery 2011 Rebula and Kupljen Jeruzalem – Svetinje 2011 Rumeni Muskat and let me know what song you would pair with them. Cheers!