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VINO
Meet Mead	Aby Bethem
March 2010 VINO Meet Mead By Aby Bethem During a recent tasting, I was introduced to the world of meads. I haven’t yet figured out the way meads will or will not work in our establishment, but it is an interesting type of ‘wine’-making that deserves some attention. Also referred to as ‘honey wine’, the encyclopedia’s definition is an alcoholic beverage, made from honey and water via fermentation with yeast. Its alcoholic content may range from that of a mild ale to that of a strong wine. It may be still, carbonated, or sparkling; it may be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet. Honey flavors are more left to chance and terrior then grapes. Bees are free to travel; therefore, the tastes of honey are clearly affected by the flowers, herbs, and terrior in which the bees travel. I love how sometimes you envision a field of purple lavender because you can taste it with the sweetness of the honey. In the same way, a red wine will have a tinge of rosemary in the taste, because you know there are wild rosemary bushes growing near the vines. Mead comes in an array of flavors, depending on the brewing method, the added ingredients such as fruits, herbs, spices and even peppers that are used. I started by tasting a traditional mead, and it was oak-aged, made with honey and no additional flavorings. It was definitely sweet, but in a nice way. I could see it with nuts. My favorite tasting was Fox Hill Meadery’s Ginger-Apricot-Honey wine. The mead was a wonderful blend of ginger spice, apricot tanginess, and honey sweetness! It was aged with oak, so it had a light woodiness. I ran excitedly to my husband (the chef) and thought I had discovered the perfect ingredient for making a great sauce for a nice piece of Summer fish. Of course, I got that ‘look’ that only a wife of the chef would understand, but ladies, trust me when I tell you, this mead with tuna on a hot Summer’s day would be delicious. It was an interesting tasting that afternoon with Fox Hill Meadery from North Carolina. It is always nice to experience something new, and they have me thinking of ways to use this style of wine making in the future. I’m already envisioning a ‘Mead-Mimosa’ for brunch… Aby Bethem and Bistro Bethem, along with The Virginia Wine Experience and kybecca wine bar & shop, will participate in Virginia Wine Week: Love by the Glass, March 22-28. These three downtown wine restaurateurs/retailers will promote at least 3 Virginia wines by the glass via menu or blackboard specials; retailers with in-store tastings. Visit virginiawine.org for more information.
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