"GretchenRoberts" news and stories

Photo: Constellation Brands

Gretchen Roberts writes the wine blog Vinobite, has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

Autumn officially arrives next week. Labor Day has come and gone, and we've traded our barbecue tongs for pots of soup and our shorts for sweaters on chilly nights. But before you put away all your summer wines, consider this: Many of them, including Sauvignon Blanc, won't taste oh-so-fresh by the time you're in the mood for them again. Some of the best Sauv Blancs from the Loire Valley and Bordeaux can age for several years, but most inexpensive bottles are meant to be drunk ASAP.

What happens when you brave an old bottle? I tried a 2005 recently and the first word that came to mind was dank. It was like tossing a salad, forgetting about it for a week and then trying to eat around the decaying pieces. Blech. So here's my PSA for this week: drink all your unquestionably delicious Sauvignon Blancs now, before they become questionable -- the 2007s from the northern hemisphere and the 2008s from the southern hemisphere. Soon, the 2009s from New Zealand, Chile and South Africa will be on shelves, and in the spring, the 2009s from California, France and Italy will arrive.

After the jump, Sauvignon Blancs I loved, and a question for you: Which Sauv Blanc region steals your heart?

2005 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Châteauneuf-Du-Pape. Photo: K. Todd Storch, Flickr

Gretchen Roberts writes the wine blog Vinobite, has passed the introductory course at the Court of Master Sommeliers and is studying for her sommelier certification this fall.

Like most 20- and 30-something Americans who didn't travel to Europe as high school or college students, I discovered wine by the varietal: Merlot. Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay. Eventually, I branched out into Riesling, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Varietals, or wines made from one type of grape, were easy to understand. I could read up on the flavor profile of the grape -- Merlot is soft, fleshy and fruity, with hints of violets and sometimes a note of green pepper -- and find those notes in the glass.

Then I traveled (virtually) to Europe and discovered blends: Rioja. Bordeaux. Chianti. These wines are made from a blend of grapes -- and learning about them was like learning a new language. They're labeled by the place, not the varietal, mostly because Europeans are adamant about the importance of terroir. Well, that and the fact that it would be awkward for the maker of Châteauneuf-du-Pape to list all 13 grapes in its blend.

After the jump, five blends I adore.

My 'Bete Rouge': Red Wine. Photo by bhollar/Flickr

This last weekend, much to our dismay, my wife and I drank our first $300 bottle of wine.

Our neighborhood in the Bronx is not blessed with an overabundance of great restaurants, so we have learned to turn a blind eye to the shortcomings of our local dives. For example, one of our favorite places has outstanding food and is beautifully decorated, but also has incredibly aggressive waiters who endlessly try to upsell us. Still, in the grand scheme of things, we've decided that pushy waiters are the kind of thing that we can overlook, particularly when the restaurant makes the kind of adoration-worthy pizzas that are its stock-in-trade.

Last weekend, a few old college friends were in town for a visit, so we took them there. After we ordered a couple of appetizers and three of the restaurant's distinctive gourmet pizzas, my wife picked a reasonably priced Italian red that seemed like a good bet to accompany our meal. A few minutes later, the waiter returned to double check on our order. My wife, who was dealing with our daughter at the time, glanced at the wine he pointed to, noted the name, and replied that, yes, it was the one we wanted.

When new bloggers join the Slashfood team, we like to make sure they get a proper introduction to our readers. You've met Eric Diesel, Mike Pomranz, and Annie Scott. Now meet the latest addition to our team, Gretchen Roberts.

Do you have a personal blog?
Yes, it's called Everyday Wine, though I don't post over there nearly as often now that I'm blogging at Slashfood.

What is your day job, or rather, what do you do when you're not food blogging?
I'm a freelance writer specializing in wine, food, home, and garden. I write a lot of wine stories from food and wine pairings and recipe development to "green" wine, the latest and greatest trend. I also write gardening stories and home features. Most of my work is published in magazines and online, and I do the occasional corporate job.

How long have you been blogging with Slashfood and what is your favorite post?
I started with Slashfood in September. My very first post was about amazon.com offering wine, and it got a lot of comments, so I was buoyed by the great Slashfood readers who care about shipping laws as much as I do.