Matthew's World of Wine and Drink

Third and final installment in my interview with Clay Mauritson. In this episode, we talk about three single-vineyard Zinfandels which all come from the Rockpile AVA. All different expressions of Zinfandel, we talk about how the variety expresses the terroir of California so well.

Zinfandel is the signature grape of California, although it's one that often misunderstood. Clay Mauritson reveals the many challenges that Zinfandel poses - but why it's well worth the effort. Plus he talks about the small, unique Rockpile AVA and why it's like no other in California.

First of three interviews with Clay Mauritson of Mauritson Wines located in Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County, in which he talks about his family history which dates back to 1868. That history parallels the ups and downs of the California Wine Industry - from the beginnings in the nineteenth century, through government intervention and corporate takeover, to the modern, more mature contemporary industry.

Bulgaria has a 3,000 year history of making wine, but it was only in the mid to late twentieth century that the wine was drunk abroad. After the fall of communism, quality went into decline but it's now slowly rising and there's some good wine coming from Bulgaria if you know where to look. This episode focuses on the history, the grape varieties, and the regions of Bulgaria.

Mourvèdre is one of the great Mediterranean grapes, but it's often neglected as the third and least important of the GSM varieties. However, there's much more to it than that. In this episode, I talk to Hardy Wallace of Dirty & Rowdy, a California producer that's become known for their single-varietal, single-vineyard wines from Mourvèdre. Hardy discusses what Mourvèdre is like to work with in the vineyard, why he thinks it's the ultimate expression of California, and why it's capable of making such varied wines.

Second episode interviewing chef Andreya Nightingale focuses on the unctuous possibilities involved in pairing sweet wine with food - our examples are chocolate, cheese, foie gras, and oysters. Enjoy!

The final episode interviewing winemaker Eric Lyman focuses on faults in wine - TCA, volatile acidity, Brett, oxidation - and how they can be prevented or eliminated.

In the first of two episodes on pairing with food and wine, I'm joined by chef Andreya Nightingale of Mortar Pestle Cooking. We discuss the concepts behind food and wine pairings, what to pair with Chardonnay from different climates, and a specific dish that Andreya has prepared to match with Beaujolais!

Wine doesn't just happen by itself: in the third of four episodes, winemaker Eric Lyman talks about the additions, manipulations, and corrections that occur during the winemaking process.

Canada has not been historically associated with quality wine, and its cold climate makes grape-growing difficult. But quality is rising - and this is a country to watch as climate change alters growing conditions.