By Kaili McDonnough, Staff ReporterTHE FESTIVITIES for the Yuletide season are under way. There is a whisk of cool Christmas breeze in the air and the carols have started floating from the airwaves.
Christmas, of course, means entertaining and whether you will be hosting a party or two this season, or having a few friends over for dinner or a drink it is essential that you stock up on your
supply of wine.
This week Food investigates how and where to get the finest wines in Jamaica.
Of course you can always scope out the shelves at your local supermarket for a bottle of wine. However, if you are aiming for a finer quality it means looking beyond the shelves. There are several wine dealers you can contact directly to find the perfect bottle of Vino.
Ossie Osman of The Cellars Jamaica Limited distributes wine out of Jo-Jo's Farm Market on 12 Waterloo Road in Kingston. You can also find Ossie's wines at fine eateries such as Norma's, Up On The Roof, Red Bones and Toscanini's.
The Cellars Jamaica Limited prides itself on carrying vintages that can be found nowhere else on the island. New world wines from New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa are all stocked at the warehouse at Jo-Jo's. The Cellars of Jamaica carries a range of bottles from Merlots to Shirazes to Cabernets to Pinot Noirs and Bordeaux in the Rouge or Red category. If white wine is your preference, there are plenty of grape varieties. Chardonnays, Sauvignon Blancs, Chenin Blancs, Terret Sauvignons, Pouilly Fumes, as well as the unusual Verdelhos are all available for purchase on site or by special order for larger quantities.
For entertainment purposes this Christmas Osman recommends the Motif Rouge or Motif Blanc from the Steenberg vineyard in South Africa. He says that when one is entertaining "You must find a wine that is well rounded and not too heavy so that the tannins detract from the taste of the food."
The Steenberg Motif Rouge and Blancs satisfy most palates, he notes. Motif is a mixture of two wines in both the Rouge and Blanc types. One bottle usually serves five to six glasses and
a case of wine can suffice for about 30 people, each person having an average of four
glasses.
Being a seasoned and trained wine expert, Osman encourages Jamaicans to be adventurous and try different and more exciting wines. As a foreigner, Osman says he finds that most of the wines available in Jamaica through major distribution companies are of a generic type. He compares the wines he carries versus those sold in supermarkets as "original paintings versus prints."
FINNIGAN'S CHOICE
Thomas Finnigan knows a thing or two about good wine. He has been distributing fine wines in Jamaica since 1989 at his Central Avenue, Kingston, location. For the upcoming Christmas season Finnigan highly recommends wines from the Colli Euganei Vineyard in Italy for the economics as well as the taste. Colli Euganei is available in both Merlot and Chardonnay. The 1.5 litre bottle of Merlot sells for $625 plus tax and serves between eight and 10 glasses. It is an excellent choice if you are entertaining a sizeable group. Regular wine bottles contain only .75 of a litre of wine.
Temperature is a factor that Mr. Finnigan notes must be taken into consideration. When purchasing wine should be stored in a cool dry area and it is recommended that red wines be chilled. In Northern Europe the suggested temperature for storing sweet and relatively young red wines ranges from 12 to 20 degrees Celsius, which is between 54 and 68 degrees Fahrenheight. The temperature in Jamaica never drops as low as 68 degrees, so in order to enjoy a good glass of red wine it should be chilled before consumption, he advises.
Make note: There is a difference between chilling wine and adding an ice cube, which is a certified no-no! Adding ice to a glass of wine detracts from the taste as ice dilutes the wine.
J. Wray & Nephew was recently appointed the exclusive marketing agent in Jamaica for a new portfolio of world-class wines from the United States. The wines from the Delicato Vineyard in California join several brands of wine carried by J. Wray & Nephew Jacob's Creek and Castillo De Molina from Chile. From the Delicato Vineyard comes a Shiraz, a medium-bodied Merlot, a cherry and plum flavoured Cabernet Sauvignon, a Zinfandel, a Chardonnay, and a crispy and herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. All of the wines have in common 'lively, forward fruit and good varietal definition' with a limited use of Oak. The price range
for these wines is under $800
per bottle.
A WINE FOR JAMAICANS
Wine lovers may also want to check out Nembo wine, created especially for the local market by Jamaican Brian Nembhard and his Italian business partner Marco Bonfante.
Nembo Vino Spumante Dolce red and white sparkling wines are available from Kloran Ltd. Wholesalers (903-0071) by the case for $2,350 + GCT.
So if you are entertaining this Christmas and want to make a good impression or if you have a sneaking suspicion that those bothersome relatives that you have not seen in about five years may turn up unexpectedly on your doorstep, you now know where to get the best wines to delight your guests. Then again, maybe buying great bottles is not such a good idea, as your guests may linger all night until the very last sip.
- Some information taken from www.delicato.com
