Do you know that a wine from the Czech Republic was selected the “Best White Wine” at the prestigious 2014 San Francisco International Wine Competition? 

NOTE: All wines tasted at this event were provided by the sponsoring wineries.  Please see my page ' Submissions, Reviews, Invitations & Disclaimers'.

It seems the ‘cat is out of the bag’ when it comes to the quality and character of these delicious wines from eastern Europe, thanks to the Petr Vacenovsky 2013 Riesling winning double gold and best of show at the competition.

Now, it used to be when I thought of this historic nation, I would think of handcrafted crystal, intricate garnet jewelry, a treasure-trove of culture and architecture, and of course, Pilsner, but after having an opportunity to try a selection of Czech wines, I can now add vino to the list.

Viticulture and wine are nothing new to this region of the world.  Like many parts of Europe, the Romans brought the vine to the area  and are credited with introducing Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling which are still grown today. During the Middle Ages the industry really took hold mostly due to the power of the monasteries.  Importing grapes from France and Germany, they began to establish vineyard designations and winemaking rules as far back as 1309.  Although the territory was conquered and occupied over the centuries, vineyards here supplied wines for the aristocracy of Europe until phylloxera destroyed much of the vines at the turn of the 19th to 20th century.

Today, the Czech Republic has a small but thriving wine industry.  The majority of the vineyards (96%) are located in the southern region of Moravia ( Mo-rahv-EE-ah) which is just north of the well known Austrian wine region, Weinviertel.  A small number of vineyards may be found  in the northern region of Bohemia which is on the same latitude as the Rheingau area of neighboring Germany.

The nation itself is landlocked and the terrain is predominately rolling hills, with the White Carpathian mountains sheltering the wine regions of the south.  Soil types range from rich dark clay to gravel, marl and limestone.

There are are about 18,000 winemakers in the country - many of them extremely small with production of only a few barrels - continuing the age old traditions of local winemaking. They make wines for their own palates - bone dry and full of crispy minerality with hints of spiciness.  It’s not uncommon to see a group of local winemakers getting together on a Saturday afternoon to sip and critique each others product!

The majority of production is white wine - around 60% - with red and rosé making up the balance.  With larger producers looking to export more of their product, they are now producing wines from dry to off dry as well as the popular sweet, dessert ’straw wines’ . (For more on this wine style, click here)

Many of the grapes grown here are familiar names:, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Just as fabulous, but perhaps not household names (yet!) are: Müller-Thurgau, Blaufränkisch (Frankovka), St. Laurent (Svatovavnnecké) and Welschriesling (Ryzlink Vlassky).

A system of quality designation, based on the French AOC and Austrian DAC, regulates things such as where the grapes are grown, hand harvesting, oak barrel usage, alcohol levels and many other factors. This ensures that the wines labeled with a regional VOC (Vina Originální Certifikace) mark have a guaranteed level of quality and reflect the best attributes of Czech wines.

There’s a distinctive feature that can’t go un-noticed - the absolutely captivating labels on the Vino z Czech vintages.  Every one bears artwork by the famous  Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. These sensuous depictions of female beauty are not only eye-catching, but also reflect the artistic integrity of the wines themselves. (For more on the Art Nouveau movement in the Czech Republic, see below)

Our first wine was the Grüner Veltliner Michlovsky 2011 ($16) - Fragrant dried apricot, sweet grass and white pepper with ripe red apple and lemon balm on the palate - showing a slight hint of  effervescense. Clean and minerally, it paired well with a spicy crab salad and the bacon and onion tart.

Next, Welschriesling Spielberg 2013 ($23).  This variety is not related to the famous Riesling grape, even though the names are similar.  All white flower blossoms, sweet grass and honey with touches of pepper and lemon peel.  Great paired with that onion tart, and gobs of brie.

Two examples of Pinot Blanc followed. Here’s a hint - if you enjoy Pinot Gris/Grigio, give their ‘relative’ Pinot Blanc a try!

Pinot Blanc Vyskocil 2009 ($23) showed unexpected tropical character - kumquat, perfumey guava, ripe peaches, light honeysuckle and spicy clove/nutmeg.  Paired beautifully with brie, Comte cheeses and sushi - especially the cucumber roll.

Pinot Blanc Spielberg 2009 ($34) was quite different - lots of ripe apple and stone fruits with an abundance of dusty rose aromas.  Off dry, the finish was long, clean and supple with more baked apple and honey notes.  Once again, it was terrific with the sushi and the onion tart, too.

Now, on to Riesling Michlovsky 2011 ($19) Classic Riesling with crunchy green apples, linden flowers and a passing whiff of petrol!  Plump apricots on the palate with a slight, refreshing touch of ‘fizz’.  Perfect with the sushi, Persian dolmas with rice, veg and dill and, believe it or not, a walnut baklava! 

Rivaner Valtice 2011 ($16) Rivaner is the local name for Müller-Thurgau and, if you enjoy off-dry wines from the Rhine, this will be your new favorite!  Soft, supple apple and ripe, ripe pear flavors make this an easy sipping wine.  I loved it with the crab salad and the sushi and the hot, spicy Sriracha chicken wings found a refreshing friend in this wine.

Rouci Stapelton and Springr 2007 ($40) A blend of Pinot Noir and St. Laurent (the most widely planted red grape in the Czech Republic - also popular in Austria). Earthy and velvety, red plum with caramel, black pepper and milk chocolate undertones, the palate is full with dried strawberry, black raspberry and ripe rich cherry.  If you like a fruity, lighter red wine like Beaujolais, this is right up your alley.  I loved it with a spicy ginger snap cookie, the spicy wings and Comte cheese. Super sipper, too.

Our final wine was a ‘mystery’ treat, selected by the Sommelier back in the Czech Republic.

Modry Portugal 2012 from Vinarstvi Vyskocil is made with the grape variety Blauer Portugieser. The deep garnet color is reflected in the nose and on the palate - lots of super juicy, purple fruits and soft baking spices, red licorice and black plum - reminiscent of a Christmas Pudding in a glass.

To finish the event in true Czech tradition, we each had a ‘wee dram’ of a local digesif called Becherovka.  And a tiny sip is all that’s needed.  Although the locals tout this as a ‘cure all’ and a great pick me up for the ‘morning after’, I think I’ll stick with my new-found friends - the delicious and intriguing wines of the Czech Republic.

NOTE: All wines tasted at this event were provided by the sponsoring wineries.  Please see my page ' Submissions, Reviews, Invitations & Disclaimers'.

The distinctive designs of world renowned Czech artist Alphonse Mucha are a true representation of the Art Nouveau style.

This undulating, sensuous artistic movement began in Europe in the late 1800’s and continued into the early years of the 20th century.  Using nature’s graceful, flowing lines as it’s inspiration, the style infiltrated all the arts.  From architecture to fashion, from everyday household items to the painting, sculpture and art glass, “The New Art” took the world by storm.

Mucha was, and continues to be, one of the most recognizable proponents of the period and his homeland of the Czech Republic has respected and preserved many architectural representations. 

For more information: www.czechtourism/a/art-nouveau/

Many of us are ‘seasonal’ wine drinkers; in other words, we tend to drink cozy reds in the winter and lighter, more refreshing wines in the warmer months.  Not only do these choices fit our mood but also the food selections we make.

With this in mind, the Wine Review Council met on a classic Southern California July evening to sample a selection of wines perfectly paired to our relaxing poolside setting.

All the samples hailed from California, from producers large and small, both established and new and the evening brought a few surprises.

Both the first and last wines were versions of Viognier from one of the newer wineries in Southern California, Estate d’Iacobelli (pronounced “de Yack-oh-belly).  This small establishment opened the doors of their tasting room this past May, located in the town of Fallbrook, located between San Diego and Temecula.  The owners, Ronei and Lisa Iacobelli, are originally from Michigan, but their love of wine and Italian heritage brought them to the Temecula Valley in 1998 where they bought 20 acres and planted vines and olive trees.  They decided, however, to build their tasting room on a beautiful hillside overlooking the Pala Mesa Golf course.

The 2011 Estate d’Iacobelli Viognier is refreshingly fragrant with crunchy green pear, orange blossom and peach leading to a somewhat creamy palate with nectarine and lime zest on the finish.  Not your typical Viognier, but delicious just the same.  Retail $32.00.

The companion wine, 2010 Estate d’Iacobelli “Sticky Fingers” LH Viognier was a terrific finish to the evening.  Baked pear and nutty cashew mingled with lemon drop! The finish was not syrupy or overly sweet. It would make a perfect ‘little something’ after dinner. Retail $26.00. Both wines are available at the tasting room or through their website.

Moving further north to Mendocino, we sampled three offerings from Moniker Wine Estates.  A creation of three generations of the Thornhill family, the name and logo honor the multiple generations working together to create this premium line of wines.

First up was the 2012 Moniker Chardonnay.  The majority of the fruit was sourced from the Ribera vineyard located  on the banks of the Russian River.  The wine was barrel fermented for four months in American oak and, prior to bottling, blended with a bit of Viognier and more Chardonnay that was aged in French Oak.

The result is a subdued and somewhat elegant Chardonnay, with soft apple, spicy cinnamon and notes of baked pear.  The sur lie aging lends a soft mouth feel and good acidity keeps the finish fresh.  Retail $23.00

Pinot Noir is always a great choice for summertime cuisine and the first one we sampled was also from Moniker. 

The 2012 Monkier Pinot Noir is a blend of grapes harvested from three Mendocino vineyards located in Anderson, Redwood and Potter Valleys, aged in American oak for seven months.

The wine is all red fruits – rhubarb, cherry and red plum, highlighted with notes of fresh tobacco and tealeaf.  Retail $30.00

Our last selection from this producer was the 2011 Moniker Cabernet Sauvignon.  Although I wouldn’t normally consider this variety as a ‘summer sipper’, one can never say no to a California Cab!

This bottling received Double Gold at the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Awards.  Aged for fourteen months in three year old French oak barrels, the wine lets the fruit do the talking.  Black cherry, spicy plum and vanilla notes on the nose and palate linger on to the finish.  This wine would definitely benefit from some more time in the bottle to fully show itself.  Retail $30.00

From newer wineries on to a familiar name in the pages of California wine history: Wente Vineyards.

Founded in 1883, Wente is the oldest continuously family owned winery in the United Sates.  They began with 47 acres, planted by founder C.H. Wente and have now grown to 3000 acres, still in the Livermore Valley AVA.  

The Wente family have always contributed to the growth of the wine industry: first to put the grape variety name on the label, founders of the California Wine Institute and of course, the development of the now prolific Wente Clone of Chardonnay. 

They were honored as the American Winery of the Year in 2011 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine and in 2010 became a Certified Sustainable Vineyard, part of their “Family for the Future” campaign.

To be honest, I had not tasted any of their wines for a very long time.  Call me a snob, but I just hadn’t.  I was in for a pleasant revelation.

We first sampled the 2012 Wente Riva Ranch Chardonnay.  This is part of the “Heritage Block” Series utilizing grapes from vineyards named after some of the pioneers of Wente winemaking.  They are located in the Arroyo Seco region –considered one of the prime Chardonnay areas since the 1960s.

The grapes were fermented in a combination of French, American and Eastern European barrels and stainless steel.

The result is a tasty, New World Chardonnay.  Vanilla beans, soft toast, baked apples with nutmeg and hints of tropical pineapple.  Retail $22.00

The second sample from this historic producer was the 2012 Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay.  Named after the cooling mist that flows from San Francisco Bay over the vineyards of the Livermore Valley, the wine is aged half in stainless steel and half in new French, American and European oak barrels.  All the wine is aged sur lie for seven months.

Elegant and enticing soft apple, lemon curd and spicy ginger show on the nose and palate with soft toasty, brioche, peach and applesauce lingering on the finish. Part of the ‘Vineyard Selection’ Series. Retail: $12.00

Our third and last taste of Wente was red - the 2012 Wente Reliz Creek Pinot Noir. The fruit once again is sourced from the vineyards of Arroyo Seco in Monterey.  The soil here is gravelly loam with shale and limestone, lending structure and minerality to the wine.  The wine spends twenty months in a blend of French and European neutral oak.

The lovely cherry red hue matches the perfumy nose filled with cherry, black raspberry, and toast.  The palate is deeper with notes of raspberry preserve, dark strawberry and earthy note of kirsch.  The finish is clean with touches of white pepper.  All in all, a feminine, Old World influenced Pinot.  “Heritage Block Series” Retail: $28.00

At the end of each Wine Review Council tasting, we all rank the wines according to our personal preferences.  For once, the votes were all swayed in one direction: the Wente Way!

First place went to the Wente Reliz Creek  Pinot Noir, with the Morning Fog and Riva Ranch Chardonnay’s sliding into second and third.  Varietal character, value for money and food compatibility lead to most of our conclusions,

So, until next time, happy sipping, whatever the season.

The recipe seems simple: take 2 award winning chefs and one acclaimed restaurateur. Blend with high quality sustainable ingredients, sprinkle liberally with lots of creativity and serve with class. 

The result: Pizzeria Mozza!

A Southern California favorite since they opened the original Los Angeles restaurant in 2006, it seemed only fitting than when owners Nancy Silverton, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich were seeking a location for their new San Diego incarnation, they selected a slice of local social history – the “Headquarters” at Pacific Coast Highway and Harbor Blvd.

From 1939 to 1987 this was the original home the San Diego Police Department. And a stylish complex it was, with a typically SoCal mix of architectural styles, ranging from Spanish Colonial and Pueblo to Classical.  The buildings have been beautifully restored, befitting it’s stature on the National Register of Historic Places, with fountains and shaded courtyards mingled with commercial spaces. 

Pizzeria Mozza, with its respect for history and tradition - enhanced by a modern twist- is a perfect fit for the location.

There are four Pizzeria Mozza locations: Los Angeles, Newport Beach, the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and now San Diego.  Each restaurant shares the same philosophy summed up in this quote from Nancy Silverton : “ Simple, all natural ingredients lead to artful nutrition”.

 This location is green certified and procures its products from green oriented suppliers.  Even the sparkling water is produced ‘in house’.   

There’s a spacious outdoor patio (great for people watching on Sunday’s during the Certified Farmer’s Market!) and an inviting interior dining area.

Several months ago I was invited to a Press Lunch for the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers  Association.  We had a chance to not only sample some of the classic dishes from Pizzeria Mozza but also to meet many of the people who make it all happen    

The menu also features a host of local San Diego draft and bottled beers and a creative wine list focusing on, not surprisingly, Italian vino.  Many are from organic, smaller wineries that you won’t see on your average wine list.  All have been chosen with the menu in mind and we can thank Sommelier LaMont Schroeder for that!   

Each incarnation of Pizzeria Mozza shows a bit of it’s own personality, especially San Diego. With ever changing menu items to suit the season and the chef’s creative streak you could come back time and again and always find something new.

There are, however, some classic staples and we were thrilled to sample them all.

We began with a selection of Bruschetta -White Beans alla Toscana with Saba and Chicken livers, capers, parsley and pancetta.  The bread was perfect – toasty but not so crisp as to shatter into a hundred pieces when you bit into it!  The texture of the white beans was amazing and the savory liver was brightened by a hint of lemon and fresh parsley.

Chef John Stenbakken explained that the Bruschetta are a menu tradition, but the toppings are rotated on a regular basis.  Everything is made in house – an important element in maintaining consistent quality. 

John has been with the company for may years and plans on adding more pasta dishes and grilled items to the menu.

Our next course was a huge plate of gorgeous Pane Bianco, dripping with high end olive oil and garlic – the perfect compliment to probably the most beautifully presented Mozza Caprese I have ever seen! 

The small ‘on-the-vine’ tomatoes were roasted for about 2 – 21/2 hours to concentrate their sweet flavors and worked really well with the ultra creamy Burrata  and fresh pesto.

To cleanse our palates, a colorful Insalata Rosso was served.  Crisp radicchio dressed with a simple lemon vinaigrette, delightfully ‘chewy’ Wisconsin applewood bacon, freshly shredded Peccarino Romano and softly cooked egg.  I could have made a meal of this with some of that wonderful Pane Bianco!

But we couldn’t stop without trying some pizza!  The ‘signature’ pizza, unique to San Diego, is the Kale Pizza.  Beautifully balanced toppings of fresh  baby kale, savory red onion, ricotta cheese, mozzarella and spicy coppa adorned the light, crispy, crust. Delicious.

We were introduced to pastry chef Juli Sinning, keeper of the secret dough recipe!  Julie started with Pizzeria Mozza four years ago in their Singapore location and was brought out to San Diego to open the new restaurant.

Although she could not be bribed to divulge all the secrets of this fantastic pizza crust, she did explain that they make all the dough by hand, twice a day – once in the morning and again in the afternoon.  The dough will sit overnight which aids in developing the texture and flavors.

Wood fired ovens at incredibly high temperatures bake the pizzas in a matter of moments and give them that distinctive deep color.

Julie is also in charge of the terrific dessert selection.  She makes all the Gelato from scratch using a special machine imported from Italy and they even squeeze their own fresh fruit juices to go into the house prepared sorbets.

We were lucky enough to sample some of these cool, creamy confections: a hazelnut gelato and the pineapple/coconut sorbet.  Refreshing, vibrant and true flavors shone through.

These contrasted with the other signature dessert – the Butterscotch Budino – a decadently creamy pudding topped with burnt sugar, softly whipped cream, and Maldon sea salt.  Sinful.  The accompanying pine nut and rosemary biscuit was a savory addition to the sweet and salt of the pudding. Wow.

Whether you visit Pizzeria Mozza for a quick ‘slice’ and a beer or spend several hours sipping your wine and savoring multiple courses, you are sure to leave this terrific location knowing you celebrated “La Dolce Vita”.

Pizzeria Mozza is located in the “Headquarters at Seaport District”, 789 West Harbor Blvd, San Diego 92101 (609) 376-4353 
http://www.pizzeriamozza.com/SanDiego/home.cfm
http://theheadquarters.com/shop-dine

Parking: There are two lots at Seaport Village, across the street, Valet Parking at the Headquarters and metered parking on surrounding streets.

Disclosure: Wine tasting is a highly individual experience and, scientifically, none of us perceive wine in exactly the same way. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine alone and although the wines sampled were supplied by the designated wineries for review I describe them as I see them.

I am so excited to announce that I was selected as the recipient of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association's (aka: IFWTWA) "2013 Emerging Writer Scholarship Award"

This is such an incredible opportunity and I look forward to sharing my wine related adventures. Stay tuned!