Layer Up, It's Cold Out There!

This final installment of the holiday favorites comes from the man in shadows, InShadows. He has a propensity towards whites, and this meal seemed to want a white, and there was only one wine we had in common in our cellars. Lucky for me, it was the one I wanted anyway!

Wine: 2007 Wellington Vineyards Marsanne Estate Bottled
Meal: Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Color: (5/5)
Pale lemony yellow, like pure lemon juice. Clear, very nice color.

Nose: (12/15)
Vanilla dominates with soft herbal and floral background. Musty oak barrels, like when you walk into a winery's barrel room, a smell I wish I could bottle up and take home. Pretty nose. Not super complex, but pretty.

Taste: (8/10)
Grapefruit and canteloupe are the first things to hit. There is a slightly sweet taste to this, although I believe it is considered dry. Nice summery fruitiness to it. I was a little worried there would be a lot of oak on the palate given the nose, but it really isn't there. Good acidity, crisp and clean. Slightly hot, though.

Finish: (8/10)
Ah, there's the oak. Very subtle though. A nice vanilla finish that stretches on. There's a touch of minerality in the finish as well, and way on the back end, a little vegetal.

Aging: (2/5)
This wine may not have peaked yet - seems like there's still a little integration that could happen in here. Will probably hold up well for another couple of years.

Overall: (5/5)
I must admit, I liked this more than I thought I would. I absolutely adore the combination of smelling that old-musty-barrels and tasting the fruits together more than I anticipated. Really pretty wine, worthy of the Wellington label.

Total: 90pts

I wanted something with a little sweetness and acidity combined together to go with this cheesy dish. For some reason I thought it was going to be spicier than it is, so I wanted a little sweet to counterbalance. Not sure why I thought the Marsanne was a semi-dry, but it works out pretty well. The heavy cheese is balanced out by the acidity, and the flavors complement each other really nicely.

Want to make this meal?

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10 oz.) tomatoes with green chilies
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
3 chicken breasts, cooked (approximately 1 lb.) Pulled or cut into bite size pieces after it has cooled a bit.
1 pkg corn tortillas
long horn* cheese (approximately .82 to 1 lb), grated
1 medium to large onion, chopped

Mix soup, tomatoes and cooked chicken together. Pour a bit of enchilada sauce in a 9" x 13" pan sprayed with Pam. Then a layer of tortillas. Next a layer of chicken soup, breasts and tomatoes with green chilies (about half the mixture). Next a layer of cheese and chopped onions (again, about half). Repeat layers. Top with remainder of enchilada sauce on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Please note that it is absolutely critical that you allow this to sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting or you will have goopy mess all over.

*Long horn cheese is mild cheddar, but it has to be firm.

Enjoy!

Time for Your Just Desserts

Signature dishes are not to be taken lightly. This one comes from a good friend of mine whose handle is nearly impossible to pronounce unless you're Welsh, ddeuddeg. He brought this cheesecake when he came to visit, and it was an instant success. Weighing in at a hefty 6 pounds (though it felt more like 63), this dessert delighted us and tantalized us with its richness and sweetness. It was agreed at the time that a moscato d'asti that we'd had that evening made a fantastic pairing, and I had saved a bottle just for an occasion like this on which to have it again.

Unfortunately, that bottle decided it wanted to spew forth sugary syrupy stuff on my cellar floor and I can no longer trust it. After some discussion with others and with ddeuddeg, we decided a good alternative would be a dry bubbly. After some further discussion with ddeuddeg, I decided I was ill qualified to attempt to actually create this confection, as it does require some skill in baking which I lack horrifically. So there's no pictures of the cheesecake.

However, wine.woot recently put out its first sparkling wine in time for the New Year festivities, and I was fortunate enough to receive this to sample. Upon reviewing it, we decided it would work well with the now-famous White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake. And so that is the pairing I present to you today.

Wine: 2001 Woot Cellars Reboot
Meal: White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake

Color: (5/5)
Good clarity, pale yellow in color, like wheat. A good number of smallish bubbles floated eagerly upwards from the bottom of the glass to the top. Pretty.

Nose: (11/15)
Pleasant but on the plain side. Granny smith apples were the first thing to come to mind. Friend agreed and said like very new granny smiths. Other friend waxed poetic about honeysuckle and pears. I eventually could see the honeysuckle, but not sure I would've gotten there without the suggestion. I also pulled out some wheat toast.

Taste: (6/10)
Again, pleasant but plain. Predominantly pears and sour apples. Friend added really early season white grapes. It was tart, for sure.

Finish: (6/10)
Meh. Salty. Like rock salt. Very minerally finish, and it lasted forever. Not unpleasant, but not really the kind of finish I like to have.

Aging: (2/5)
It's probably peaking now, so I would definitely have these soon.

Overall: (3/5)
I didn't dislike it. It didn't rock my socks, either. But we did finish the bottle in one night. It drinks very easily, and will be just perfect for a party when you have food floating around and everyone's in good spirits. We broke out some Brandini Toffee to have with it, and they complemented really well. Could also see having this with a rich cheesecake, soft sweet creamy cheeses, desserts, strawberries.

Total: 83pts

Want to make this meal?

White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake

CRUST
13 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 50 cookies)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
6 1/2 T. unsalted butter, melted, cooled

FILLING
1 pound good-quality white chocolate, such as Lindt or
Baker's (I use Callebaut), finely chopped
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 c. sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 T. vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
2/3 c. minced crystallized ginger
1 tsp. ground ginger
White chocolate curls

FOR CRUST: Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind cookies, sugar and ginger in processor. Add
butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill while preparing filling.

FOR FILLING: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 300°F. Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler set over hot water until chocolate melts. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and yolk 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla and
ground ginger. Gradually beat in melted white chocolate. Stir in crystallized ginger.

Transfer filling to prepared crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot
water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake puffs
and edges crack slightly, about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

Transfer cake to rack. Run small knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cool completely. Remove
foil from pan sides. Chill cake overnight. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)
Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Top with chocolate curls.

Serves 12 to 14.

Tips for Cheesecake Success
MIXING:
1. Have all the ingredients at room temperature before beginning.
2. Blend cream cheese and sugars at medium speed until smooth and creamy before adding eggs.
Then use the lowest speed of your electric mixer for the rest of the mixing, and mix only as
long as necessary to get everything well mixed.
3. Avoid using the balloon whip on a KitchenAid mixer. It introduces an excessive amount of
air, which tends to cause cracks in the surface.

BAKING:
1. Use a pan of water on the bottom of the oven to add moisture to the oven. (I use an old rusty
13x9 roasting pan. It's ugly, but eventually, every springform pan will leak, and this way I
don't need to clean up the oven.)
2. NEVER open the oven during the first 75% of the baking time. And even after that, don't
open it any more or any longer than necessary.
3. Make sure the oven temperature is correct (Use an oven thermometer), and don't overbake. If the edges are set, even if the center still jiggles a bit, it's probably done. It will firm up as it
cools.

COOLING:
1. As soon as the cheesecake is out of the oven, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan.
This allows the cake to contract properly as it cools.
2. Leave it on a wire rack at least until you can handle the pan with bare hands before refrig-
erating it. Do not cover it until it has thoroughly chilled, at least a few hours. Then cover it
tightly to keep it from drying out.
3. Any garnishes should be added shortly before serving.

Enjoy!

Pinwheels and Bubbles

The next in line for Holiday favorites comes from cjsiege, who has a sparkling personality and a penchant for sparklies to match. CJ has provided a recipe for Chevre Pinwheel appetizers, which can serve as a base to be jazzed up, or can be served as-is. I had a thought pop in mind immediately upon reading the recipe that I knew would work perfectly. And indeed, this comes pretty close to being a perfect pairing!

Wine: N.V. Mumm Napa Brut Rosé
Meal: Chevre Pinwheel Appetizers

Before I get into the scoring, let me just preface by saying that this reminded me very much of being a fizzy version of the grenache rose just recently reviewed, so some of the comments may seem quite alike. Also, because this is a non-vintage, I am not scoring on aging. Aging means nothing to a non-vintage, so the overall rating will be out of 10 points.

Color: (5/5)
Rich pink, almost salmon colored with good clarity. Nicely sized bubbles that trail from the bottom of the glass to the top that make really pretty patterns when you twirl the glass.

Nose: (11/15)
Strawberries and raspberries up front. Summery, pleasant, but simple.

Taste: (8/10)
More fizzy in the mouth than the bubbles would lead you to believe. Tastes very much like a raspberry spritzer, very similar to the grenache rose in the previous post. Nice and dry, clean. Really tasty.

Finish: (6/10)
Short but pleasant. Nothing memorable about it though.

Overall: (7/10)
Really good stuff, very easy drinking. Fun to drink, too, with the fizziness!

Total: 87pts

What led me to choosing this was the chevre cheese that is featured in the pinwheels. I knew it would need something with good acidity to counterbalance the creaminess of the cheese. Since it is an appetizer, it was also a great chance to be able to go with a sparkling wine. And how appropriate that this was for CJ, mistress of sparklies! The wonderful thing about this pairing is that the wine really brings out the herbs in the pinwheels. It cleanses the palate of the cheese, and it just works really well.

I made two versions since the recipe makes two rolls - the basic recipe, and one with salami rolled in. Both were just amazing!

Want to make this meal?

Chevre Pinwheel Appetizers

Makes 32 little appetizer things.

2 cans crescent roll dough (the new Pillsbury one that doesn’t have perforations is ideal)
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
4 oz chevre (goat cheese), room temperature. (Flavored is good, too.)
Herbs/spices of choice (Italian seasoning, or thyme & sage, or dill, or garlic & chive, etc.)
2 T mayonnaise, divided

Thoroughly mix together cream cheese and chevre until they are well blended. Add 2 tsp (dried) or 2 T (fresh) herbs & spices to taste, flavoring the cream cheese.

Lay a long sheet of wax paper on the workspace – at least 24 inches. Open and unroll the crescent roll dough onto the wax paper. If the dough is perforated, squish the perfs back together again. Make sure the long edge of the rectangle faces you and the short edges are to the left & right sides. Using a silicone or rubber spatula, spread 1 T mayo across the surface of the dough, leaving about 1 inch clear on the long edge closest to you. The aim is a micro-thin layer of mayo across the dough – except for the last 1 inch. (You need that edge clean so you can seal the roll.)

Using an offset spatula, pat & smear ½ of the cheese mixture all across the dough – everywhere the mayo is. You’ll need to pat it into place instead of spread, because the mayo will make the dough base slippery. Starting at the long edge away from you, roll the dough toward you in a relatively tight spiral. You should end at the un-mayo’ed edge closes to you. Re-roll the entire dough log in the sheet of wax paper, twisting the ends closed. Place the roll in the fridge for at least 1 hour before you even THINK about slicing it.

Now, make the second roll exactly the same way you made the first roll. Chill it, too.

After thoroughly chilling the rolls, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 jelly-roll pans with parchment paper. Slice each roll into 16 discs. (Be careful doing this. I’ve sliced my fingers too many times while doing this part. Try keeping the roll wrapped in the wax paper. Sometimes this helps. ) Lay each disc flat to bake. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes, rotating the pans as needed about halfway through. Remove to a cooling rack. Serve warm. These can be reheated if wrapped in Release foil and baked for 5-8 minutes from the fridge.

The mayo is actually a critical part of the recipe. If you don’t put the mayo layer on, the cheese is completely absorbed by the dough, and you don’t get the pretty pinwheel effect.

CJ says: The basic recipe (dough, cream cheese, and mayo layer) is a great springboard. I’ve mixed in parmesan cheese, then put a layer of prosciutto on top of the cheese, rolled and baked. That is yummy. I’ve also used veggie cream cheese, then topped with strips of roasted red pepper and shaved slices of provolone for a vegetarian version. I’ve also used feta cheese and minced kalamata olives mixed in to the cream cheese for a greek version.

Chicken a la Sparky

Tonight begins the December special event! This recipe comes to us from MarkDaSpark, affectionately called Sparky. His grandmother used to make this for special events, and the recipe was deciphered by his aunts. When he passed it on to me, we realized there were a few pieces missing. So we figured it out, and here's what happened! The selected wine was chosen from Sparky's cellar. I just happened to have a bottle in my own.

Wine: 2007 Epiphany Grenache Rosé Rodney's Vineyard
Meal: Chicken Fricassee

Color: (5/5)
Salmon pink with good clarity. Seems to have sat on the skins just long enough to impart this beautiful shade.

Nose: (11/15)
Strawberries right off the bat, a touch of citrus and mineral. Grapefruit becomes distinct after a bit.

Taste: (8/10)
Strawberry and raspberry up front with a little creaminess. It has a good rich mouthfeel. Plum follows, turning into Jolly Rancher watermelon. No heat - really easy drinking. Bright, almost crisp, with good acidity.

Finish: (8/10)
Vanilla and cherries, melting away to a little woodiness. Fades away to some green herbs (parsley in particular) then dissipates.

Aging: (2/5)
2 years and holding well, but would recommend drinking sooner rather than later. This is its peak, for sure.

Overall: (4/5)
Really tasty. I'm enjoying this quite a bit. Make sure it gets a good chill before drinking it.

Total: 88pts

The wine really complements this meal by cleansing the palate so that each bite has a nice fresh taste. The recipe yields 4 servings of fall off the bone chicken with enough sauce to drown the noodles. "I remember I used to love drowning the rice or noodles in the sauce," says Sparky. I can see why. I went with egg noodles tonight.

Want to make this meal?

Chicken Fricassee, courtesy of MarkDaSpark
1 fryer, cut in pieces
1 bunch chopped parsley
1 white onion
2 small cloves of garlic
1 cup white wine (your choice, I used leftover Muller-Thurgau)
1 can button mushrooms, drained
1 can pitted kalamata olives, drained
2 bay leaves, whole
1 can chicken broth, 14oz
1/2 stick butter, divided

Chop parsley and garlic together finely. Chop onion separately and brown in 2 Tbsp butter until golden in color, then add parsley and garlic with a shot of olive oil for moisture. Cook together for 5 minutes.

Sauté chicken pieces in 2 Tbsp butter over medium-high heat until the skin is golden brown. Transfer chicken and liquid into a dutch oven or a 4-qt stock pot and deglaze pan with chicken broth. Add parsley mixture and bay leaves to chicken, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add broth, mushrooms, olives and wine to the stock pot, simmering for 10 minutes or so. Serve over a bed of steamed rice/noodles. It doesn't hurt to simmer longer.

Enjoy!

Something Fishy

Not rating the wine tonight as it wouldn't be fair - it's been open for 3 days already. This is more of a "I threw dinner together and it turned out great and I wanted to share" kind of meal.

Wine: 2007 Anne Amie Müller-Thurgau Cuvée A
Meal: Deep-fried Catfish and green bean casserole

The wine is much drier than the last Müller-Thurgau I reviewed, but much of the flavors remain the same. It's quite lovely, and is clearly holding up well after a few days in the fridge. Goes quite nicely with the meal, as well - its light flavor compliments the lightness of the fish.

Want to make this meal?

Deep-fried Catfish
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp white pepper
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/2 lb catfish nuggets

Mix together in a bowl the cornmeal, flour, peppers and spices. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Coat the nuggets in the egg wash and then dredge in the flour mixture.

Heat a deep-fryer to 375 degrees. Place the nuggets in the oil and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden brown.

Dipping sauce
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp horseradish
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Whisk together all ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Side with your favorite green bean casserole (I just heated up frozen Green Giant green bean casserole).

Enjoy!

Holiday Special Event!

Hey guys, special event on a·pair·i·tif coming up in December, and I need you all to participate!

Send me your favorite Holiday recipe and I will prepare it and find something to pair with it either from my cellar and yours (if you have CellarTracker and if I can find it locally or it's something we have in common). If I don't have/can't find the wine in your cellar that I would pair the item with, I will choose something from my own cellar to do a pairing and rating on, but will also suggest the wine from your cellar.

This event will be limited to the first 5 people I receive recipes from, due to time constraints. Please send the recipes to me via email at cheron at apairitif dot net.

Dinner Fit for a Super Hero

This evening's wine comes to us from Super Hero Wines, one of the labels produced by Scott Harvey. This is the latest in his line of InZINerator wines, all zinfandel, with charming, comic-book style labels. The 2006 featured here is represented by the Femme Knight, given a touch of sweetness by the addition of 2% Forte, Scott's own port-style wine. It is because of this that I chose this wine to go along with my port-reduction glazed pork chops, and it works well!

Wine: 2006 Super Hero Wines InZINerator
Meal: Port-reduction Glazed Pork Chops with potatoes and green beans

Color: 5/5
Deep plum, excellent clarity. Color just slightly pulls back from the glass, but only barely.

Nose: 12/15
The first scent to come to mind was of roses, followed by violets. Very floral nose, with a finishing scent of spices, predominantly cinnamon. A very mixed potpourri nose, but kind of simple at the same time.

Taste: 7/10
Start with a bite from a fresh plum. Pop in a few chocolate-covered raspberries and cherries. Take another bite of the plum. That's it. Not very complicated, on the sweeter side, really needs some food to temper it.

Finish: 7/10
The plum continues on the finish along with the sweetness, and a touch of vanilla with a little bit of cherry cough syrup. The finish goes on and on, but it's mostly plum. I like the finish more than the palate.

Aging: 2/5
I'd say this will probably stick around until 2012. 6 years from vintage date.

Overall: 3/5
Certainly not my favorite from Scott Harvey. I liked the 2004 vintage better, which does not have the Forte addition. Apparently when bottling the magnums of the 2006, it was a different blend that is more in the dry style, closer to the 2004. It's tasty, definitely a food wine. Trying to drink it alone is tough.

Total: 86pts

The port sauce really helped to temper the sweetness, as its own sweetness overpowered the wine's, allowing a better flavor to come out. Really good pairing.

Want to make this meal?

Port-reduction glazed pork chop
1 cup Port (or port-style wine)
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 pork chop, bone-in
1 sprig thyme
2 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Season the pork chop with the salt and place on the tray, with the sprig of thyme on top. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small sauce pan, begin heating the port. Once it begins to steam, stir in the sugar and vanilla. Bring to a boil, then allow to reduce until the desired consistency is achieved.

Baby White Potatoes
Melt 1 Tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a can of whole white potatoes, drained, with a pinch of Kosher salt, a sprinkling of ground pepper, and 1 tsp dried rosemary. Heat until golden brown and slightly crispy on the edges.

Green beans
Prepare cut green beans in your favorite method. Mine are canned and microwaved just to give me some delicious green.

Enjoy!

It's Almost Time...

It's coming up on that time of year again, when the most dark and delicious event of the wine world takes place! For full event details and up-to-date information, check out the official event page at PS I Love You.

Farewell to Summer

The end of summer is upon us and fall is fast approaching. I decided to go for a nice transitional meal tonight - grilled pork chops with a garnish reminiscent of summery caprese salad, and polenta on the side. And the grill called for Ty Caton's Field Blend.

Wine: 2005 Ty Caton Field Blend Red
Meal: Herb-crusted Pork Chop with Polenta

Color: 5/5
Deep deep purple, inky dark loveliness

Nose: 14/15
Raspberries, currants, black pepper, mustiness, blueberries, touch of oak, a touch of earth. A sit'n'sniff all day wine!

Taste: 8/10
Blackberries & chocolate at the front, black pepper on the mid-palate. Somewhat herby.

Finish: 8/10
Raisinettes, vanilla, oak.

Aging: 3/5
Drinking beautifully now, seems like it will hold a little while longer.

Overall: 4/5
Arguably one of my favorites. One of Ty's "lower end" bottles, makes a great every day drinker that also works well on special occasions. Lovely, lovely wine.

Total: 92pts

The wine really works well with the meal. They both just seem to complete each other, which is as it should be. It's really well-balanced, and seems like this wine has really come together and is nicely integrated now. What do I mean? Well, I first had one of these in July of 2008, and this is what I wrote about it:

This stuff is fantastic. Lasted me 4 days and held up all throughout. Very fruity nose on day 1, berries on the palate. Day 2 brought out a little bit of oak on the nose, with a spiciness across the palate. Day 3 brought with it a cocoa finish, with slightly more pronounced oak. Day 4 it began to fade, but was still full of flavor. Very well-balanced wine. This is stuff to stock up on.

I scored it at 90pts back then.

Want to make this meal?

Please note that the fresh herbs are important to this dish. Don't use dried stuff. Go get it fresh.

Herb-crusted Pork Chop
1 bone-in pork chop, at least 1/2" thick
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1/4 cup (unpacked) dark brown sugar
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig oregano
12 leaves basil
1 tsp chopped chives

Remove the thyme and oregano leaves from their stalks. Tear up the basil leaves. Place all herbs, salt, and sugar into a bowl and toss well. Pack the mixture onto both sides of the pork and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

Heat grill to medium (~350 - 400 degrees). Do not rub off the herb crust from the pork prior to cooking. Cook pork directly over medium heat for 6 minutes on each side, or until the meat reaches 165 degrees. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes, then top with caprese topping.

Caprese Topping
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp kosher salt
10 leaves basil

Strain the juice from the tomatoes and reserve. Tear up basil leaves, and place in bowl with tomatoes and salt. Toss lightly to mix and place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

This can be served as a side dish with fresh mozzarella if desired.

Polenta
3 slices pre-made polenta
Tomato juice reserved from can

In a small skillet over medium-high heat, heat up tomato juice just until it begins to boil. Gently place polenta rounds into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Top with remaining (and now thickened) tomato juice.

Pre-made polenta - you can generally find this in grocery stores. It comes in packaging reminiscent of sausage. I still have yet to successfully make home-made polenta, but this stuff comes close.

Enjoy!

Wine and Chocolate... in one?

I was wandering through my local wine shop today and happened upon this odd-looking bottle. Not that the bottle itself was odd-looking, but rather, the contents. I just had to get it and share it. No food pairing on this one, but then again, it's kind of a pairing unto itself. Won't be doing the usual scoring breakdown either, because... well... it's just not that kind of wine.

Wine: Europa ChocoVine dessert ...wine...

Yes, it is wine. Sort of. It's kind of a wine cocktail, I suppose. Europa Winery, from what I can gather, is a winery in Holland. This beverage is made from a blend of red wine (don't know which varietal) (Cabernet Sauvignon), dutch chocolate, and cream. On opening the bottle, it just smells exactly like a mudslide, so I'm looking forward to this.

It looks exactly like chocolate milk. Chocolate milk with 14% ABV. This is not your kid's chocolate milk. On the nose, as I mentioned, mudslide. Maybe a white russian. It's really lovely - the chocolate is powerful, but you can definitely smell "generic red wine" in there. The nose is a little hot - the alcohol is definitely present.

Taking a sip - wow, it's thick like chocolate milk, too. And hot. The mudslide theme continues, except it's like mudslide with a little chambord in there. Every percent of that 14% definitely shows up, so it's rather sharp across the palate and down your throat. REALLY tasty though.

After the heat goes away on the finish, there's just a lingering taste of chocolate and orange rind. Yeah, I dunno where that came from, but there it is. Apparently, the owner of the wine shop puts a little of this in her coffee every morning. I can see why.

So there you have it, chocolate... wine... thing. It's quite tasty, and makes a really nice after-dinner treat. Or a spoil-yourself-day treat. If you can't take the heat, though, stay out of the bottle. A little air tempers it, but don't run this through your Vinturi! Now, I'm going to sip on my ChocoVine and watch a little Jeff Dunham.

Enjoy!

Surf 'n Turf

It's surf. It's turf. And they're complete opposites for pairing. So the challenge tonight was to find one wine that would appropriately pair with both the surf of lobster and the turf of NY strip steak. Seafood is traditionally paired with a white. Steak, traditionally, with a red. My immediate thought: Find a dark rose as a compromise. So I went searching through the cellar and came up with this - and it worked just as I had hoped.

Wine: 2007 Quinta da Alorna Vinho Regional Ribatejano (Rose of Touriga Nacional)
Meal: Surf 'n Turf

Color: 5/5
Deep pink, like the flesh of wild-caught Alaskan salmon

Nose: 14/15
Lovely nose of rose hips, tangerine, thyme, mint, fresh herbs and florals. A little sweet, a little tangy.

Taste: 8/10
Summery berries - raspberries, strawberries, mulberries, with earthy undertones, and just a touch of tannin. A wee bit thin on the mid-palate, but otherwise a nicely structured wine.

Finish: 7/10
A little plain - a touch of oak, perhaps like vanilla creme. Short. Pleasant, but not a whole lot there.

Aging: 2/5 - drink now - 2011

Overall: 4/5
I like this wine a lot. I first tried this one at a local wine store with a number of friends. We all walked out with a bottle or two each.

Total: 90pts

How did the pairing go? Really well. Heavy enough that the steak doesn't overpower it, light enough that it doesn't overpower the lobster. Very nice! Definitely the kind of wine you'll want when you have mixed fare like this.

Want to make this meal?

Boiled Maine Lobster

Fill a large stockpot with water and set it to boil. This may take a while. You want a good roiling boil. Pour in a few teaspoons of Old Bay seasoning. When the pot has come to a full boil, drop the lobster in head first, and let it boil for 10-13 minutes (the bigger the lobster, the longer it should cook). Afterwards, pull it out, crack the carapace and allow any liquid to drain out.

NY Strip Steak
No big surprise here - fire up the grill and toss on the steak, and cook to your tastes.

Pile it up on a plate with your favorite veggies, and enjoy! And look who found her camera!

Wine from Home

I have a confession to make. This post is so late and delayed for a few reasons... One, my wine consumption has gone down somewhat in the past couple of months. Two, I was lazy and kept procrastinating getting the photos off my camera. And Three, once I decided to finally get the pictures off, I discovered I couldn't find my camera. It's been missing for a few weeks now. This makes me sad. (I found it!) So if you'll bear with the lack of any pictures until I can get a new camera, I'll resume the posts :)

This wine comes to us from southern New Jersey, near where I went to college just a hop, skip and a jump from Atlantic City. If you're ever there, look them up. Beautiful grounds, great wines, and a wonderful restaurant await - and you simply must try their Blueberry Champagne.

Wine: NV Renault Winery Fresello
Meal: Grilled Pork Chops with mushroom green beans

The Fresello is a white blend of all their whites - which includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Noah, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio.

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Honeysuckle yellow, good clarity

Nose: 10/15
honey, apple, pear, herbs. Very light. A little difficult to pull the aromas out.

Taste: 7/10
Slightly fizzy, crisp and clean, pears, peaches, starfruit. Not complex, just tasty. Semi-dry.

Finish: 6/10
Apricot, a little bit of petroleum, nice. Short, though.

Aging: 1/5
Yeah right. Drink it within a year of purchase. Especially since they're NV. I do have to admit, though, it held up nicely enough in the fridge to be used in a lovely tomato sauce a few weeks later.

Overall: 3/5
Really nice. Not complex, but an easy drinker. Excellent for summer.

Total: 82pts

Decent little wine, which works really nicely for summer. Chill it down - it's better cold. The dish was a nice, light dish which went really well with the Fresello and accentuated all the good stuff. The green beans with mushrooms cut the slight sweetness in the wine and brought out its acidity, making it really crisp and refreshing. The pork chop and wine complemented each other nicely, neither overpowering the other. It's a really simple meal that's perfect for

Want to make this meal?

Green beans and mushrooms

Can of green beans
1 tsp bacon salt
1/4 cup button mushrooms

Put all in microwaveable dish, microwave on high for 3 minutes, stir, microwave one more minute. Simple!

Grilled pork chop

2 tsp Lawry's seasoning salt
1 1/2" thick bone-in pork chop

Sprinkle 1 tsp seasoning salt on either side of pork chop and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Heat grill up to high, allowing for enough time for the grates to get good and hot. Grill for about 7-8 minutes on each side, then close the lid and grill an additional 2 minutes.

Pour, plate, serve, and Enjoy!

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Wine: 2007 Super Hero Wines One Last Kiss Grenache Rose
Meal: Salsa Butter Chicken with Spinach Macaroni

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Really pale pink. Just a hint of a red tint to it. Really pretty.

Nose: 11/15
A little difficult to pull out distinctive scents. A little on the generic side. Citrus with a touch of strawberry. Some orange peel and watermelon.

Taste: 8/10
Smooth vanilla, with cherry as the predominant fruit. Honeydew and pineapple follow with a faint bit of lemon. There's some herbaceousness to it as well. Excellent acidity with good balance.

Finish: 7/10
The cherry carries through to the finish, along with watermelon. Clean and enjoyable, mid-length.

Aging: 1/5
If you have it, drink it now. Doesn't seem like it was made to age (as most roses are not). It's ready to go, but it's probably peaking right now.

Overall: 4/5
Solid effort. Fun to drink. Good rose, especially for the price.

Total: 86 pts

Super Hero Wine Company is owned by winemaker Scott Harvey, who produces wine under this label along with "Scott Harvey" and a label named for his wife, "Jana Winery". I've had the privilege to meet this man, and he is just amazing to talk with. This particular wine is identical to the Jana Winery Grenache Rose, so if you have that one, consider the tasting notes and recommendations to be exactly the same.

I was very pleasantly surprised by how well the meal went with the wine. I think that the pairing could have benefited by a rose where the grapes were left on the skins a little longer, but this worked quite well.

Want to make this meal?

Salsa Butter Chicken

4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup milk
15oz jar mild salsa, drained w/liquid reserved
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp prepared horseradish
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
2 chicken breast halves
1 sprig rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine butter, milk, salsa solids, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, fennel seeds, horseradish, Worcestershire and parsley with 1/2 cup of the reserved salsa liquid. Microwave on high for 30 seconds, and then blend with a stick blender until smooth.

Spray 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Dip chicken into remaining salsa liquid and place in dish. Discard remaining salsa liquid. Cover the chicken with the salsa and spice blend. Place 1/2 sprig of rosemary on each chicken breast half, and bake for 1 hour.

Spinach Macaroni
Prepare your favorite boxed macaroni and cheese shells according to package directions, along with a box of frozen spinach. When both have been cooked, combine in a bowl.

What the *%#&@!

Today is Twisted Oak's Jeff Stai's birthday. I'm celebrating by having Twisted Oak *%#&@! and a fancy-sounding meal. It just sounds fancy. It boils down to fish & chips.

Wine: 2005 Twisted Oak *%#&@!
Meal: Honey Brie Fried Salmon with French Cut Fingerling Potatoes

...see? Fancy name for fish & chips...

Tasting notes on the wine:
Color: 5/5
Dark plum color, good saturation and clarity. Little bit of clearness at the edges. Pretty!

Nose: 12/15
Rust and fruit, dark berries, passionfruit, and a little earthiness. Some tar. Nice.

Taste: 9/10
Tannins are holding firm on this fruit-forward, medium-bodied wine. Tastes like plums and cherries, vanilla and rosemary.

Finish: 7/10
Finishes a little hot, with black pepper and oak and blackberries.

Aging: 3/5
4 years old and still going strong. I decanted this for about a half an hour before pouring. Should hold up for some time still. It's drinking beautifully now though.

Overall: 4/5
I like this a lot. Really pleasant by itself, really awesome with food. Strong, excellent offering.

Total: 90pts

Want to make this meal?

Honey Brie Fried Salmon
4oz filet of salmon
1 cup panko
2 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp salmon rub (your favorite blend of spices)
4 Tbsp oil
3 oz brie, sliced into 1/4" slices (3 slices)

Turn oven on to broil.

Mix together panko and rub in a shallow bowl. Coat salmon with honey and cover with breading. Give the brie the same treatment.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat and cook salmon for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and place on a baking sheet. Lay the breaded brie slices on top, then place in oven under the broiler for about 2 minutes until the brie begins melting.

French Cut Fingerlings
3-4 fingerling potatoes

Slice the potatoes into wedges. Heat deep fryer to 375. Fry potatoes for 4-5 minutes until desired crispiness is obtained. Drain on paper towel, salting lightly.

Enjoy!

Kosher for Passover

Tonight it's about Passover. I'm not actually rating the wine tonight, just showcasing it alongside of my Seder supper.

Wine: 2004 Segal Cabernet Sauvignon Galilee Heights Special Reserve
Meal: Roasted Lamb & potatoes, with Seder

This is an Israeli wine, and Kosher. The color is extremely dark purple, inky. The nose exhibits slight floral aromas, with fruity overtones and a little funk. It tastes delightful - earthy, just enough fruit, just enough tannin, really well balanced. If you've been afraid of Israeli wines, try this one. Amazing!

Special guest appearance by my cat, Truffles, who refused to get off the table when there was delicious lamb available.

Another Strange Wine

I received a sample of Ile de France Brie. Tonight's dinner incorporated this lovely cheese, and I had some leftover for dessert. I pulled out another unusual Italian wine to go with dinner. It paired beautifully with the meal and the cheese, but I don't think I'd drink this one alone. Grapes involved: Fiano and Greco.

The brie is lovely (I said that already, didn't I) - exactly what you would expect of a brie. Slightly bitter rind, creamy texture, excellent meltability. A lot of brie, I tend to discard the rind because it's too bitter. This one is just right and the flavor of the rind actually enhances the cheese itself. And it goes beautifully with the wine.


Wine: 2006 A Mano Fiano - Greco Puglia IGT
Meal: Brie-baked Chicken with pasta

Tasting notes on the wine:
Color: 5/5
Pale honey, almost straw-like. Fantastic clarity.

Nose: 11/15
Minerally, with a hint of honeysuckle and vanilla. Nice, but not complex.

Taste: 7/10
No heat, really smooth. Crisp, with good acidity. Melon and pear notes dominating. Again, very simple, but nice.

Finish: 6/10
Smooth finish, again minerally and clean. Apples show themselves here, but once again, no complexity to speak of.

Aging: 2/5
Will possibly hold up another year, but I wouldn't risk it. Drink it now if you've got it.

Overall: 3/5
I'm neutral about this one. It's nice. I don't know that I'd buy it again. Decent wine.

Total: 84pts

Hey, it's all about the experience, right? I couldn't pass up the chance to try two unusual grapes.

Want to make this meal?
2 chicken breast halves
1 cup wine
4 oz brie, sliced about 1/4" thick, rind on
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in 8x8 dish. Pour in the wine and bake for 35 minutes. Pull out the dish and top chicken with cheese, then return to oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

The pasta dish was just a pre-packaged pasta dish with sundried tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Italian Wine, American Cheese

Pullled out an Italian wine from the cellar tonight after dinner and cut up some cheese to try with it. Yummy stuff!

Wine: 2006 Poggio Alle Sughere Morellino di Scansano
Cheese: Beehive Cheese Co. SeaHive, Les Petites Fermieres Gouda

Color: 5/5
Really dark plum colored, good clarity, and very saturated. Color bleeds to the glass.

Nose: 13/15
Lovely earthy funk on the nose, with undertones of strawberry, tar, licorice/anise, and black pepper. Maybe a little cigar tobacco. Some rust.

Taste: 9/10
And a sip... first thought was "huh, a little thin..." but then these tannins hit. Rich soil, black pepper, green pepper, lightly fruity (indistinct fruits). Cheek puckering!

Finish: 6/10
The finish is a little hot, a little sharp. Might just need some time to open up - I did just pop and pour. Kind of chalky. And quite tannic. Can't pin down any particular flavor on the finish... kind of weird. But in a good way.

Aging: 4/5
I think this needs more bottle time, and I think I'm going to draw very slowly on this glass so that by the time it's done, the open bottle will be ready for a second pour. I also think this is going to age beautifully for quite some time.

Overall: 4/5
I like it. It's not ready yet, but I like it. Quite a bit.

Total: 91pts

The SeaHive cheese really tones down the earthy flavors and draws out the fruit - fresh blackberries and cassis, with slighty underripe strawberries. It also helps to temper the heat on the finish.

Having a sip after the Gouda draws out a massive flavor of black licorice, both on the palate and on the finish. Almost overwhelmingly licorice. After another bite the licorice tones down (must have been the combination of the SeaHive with the Gouda) and similar fruit comes out, with a little bit of watermelon as well.

Man, the tannins on this are just huge. If you have this, lay it down. Leave it for at least another year. It's tasty now if you want to be patient and decant it for a while, and it's great with the cheese.

Farewell to Winter

With Spring now upon us, I decided to have a farewell to Winter today. One of my favorite winter-time lunches is grilled cheese with tomato soup. I pulled out a Michigan white to go with it, and came up with what I consider to be a "perfect pairing".

Wine: Leelanau Cellars Winter White
Meal: Grilled 3-Cheese Sandwich with Tomato Bisque

Tasting notes on the wine:
Color: 5/5
Pale yellow, like rays of sunshine that pour down through clouds. Excellent clarity, and there's no clear meniscus on this - the color bleeds all the way to the glass.

Nose: 10/15
Honeysuckle is the main scent I pull out of this, along with daisies. It's a very pretty, floral nose, but somewhat simple.

Taste: 7/10
For a "semi-sweet" wine, it tastes extremely sweet, almost cloying, but it's nice. It has a velvety smooth mouthfeel. The main flavor components are honey, nectar, and apricot.

Finish: 5/10
Almost non-existent. It's there, then it's not, making it very difficult to pick up on notes here. It's pleasant though.

Aging: 2/5
While this will probably hold up well in the fridge once opened, and will probably hold up in the cellar for a while, I would not recommend trying to age this one. It is a non-vintage wine, which means each year they make it, it's going to taste similar. If you want it, go out and buy it a day or two before you plan to have it. No point in keeping it around.

Overall: 3/5
It's a little too sweet for me, but is tasty. It definitely needs food to go with it to balance out the sweetness. The acidity in the soup really cut through the sweet and made it pretty awesome to have with the meal, and the fattiness of the cheese also helped. Dipping the sandwich into the soup and taking a bite, then having a sip of the wine is just perfect. Fatty semi-soft cheese, tomatoes, white chocolate - all would be wonderful pairings with this. Caprese salad - I'm lookin' at you.

Total: 82pts

Want to make this meal?

Grilled 3-Cheese Sandwich
Melt some butter on a skillet or griddle and place a flat wrap or tortilla on it. On one side of the wrap, place a slice each of your three favorite cheeses - I used colby jack, mozzarella, and parmesan. When the cheese just starts to melt, fold over the wrap. After a minute, flip the entire sandwich. Once the cheese has melted and the wrap has become toasted, cut in half and plate. Sprinkle a little parmesan cheese on top of it.

Tomato Bisque
2 14oz cans diced tomatoes, one drained
1 12oz can evaporated milk
2 Tbsp sugar or sweetener equivalent
1 Tbsp dried chives
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp salt

Drain one can of tomatoes, then pour both cans into a pot over medium-high heat. Add chives, basil, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil and allow the liquid to reduce by about a third.

Add in the milk and stir to combine. Return just to a boil, and remove from heat. Blend together using either a stick or a stand blender, until smooth.

Serve in a bowl, garnished with a sprinkling of dried chives. Refrigerate leftovers.

Enjoy!

Usual Dinner, Unusual Wine

Being lazy tonight and having ended up going out for lunch during the day, I ended up making the lunch I had brought to work, dinner. Spruced up a little. It was a very simple baked chicken Lean Cuisine. I plated it and drizzled a little balsamic vinegar over the chicken and added a side of cheesy broccoli, and went for the most unusual bottle of wine that I could think of in my cellar, to give dinner a special twist.

Wine: 2005 Airlie Winery Müller-Thurgau Estate
Meal: Lean Cuisine Baked Chicken with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cheesy broccoli

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Very pale yellow, almost clear. Perfect clarity, with just the slightest bit of a clear meniscus.

Nose: 12/15
Complex nose, combining elements of herbal greens and minerals, with a touch of floral. Very much like a Gewurtztraminer or a Riesling. The herbal component comes out in the form of fresh cut grass after a spring rain, and the mineral component reminds me of well water. Lavender is the chief floral scent.

Taste: 8/10
Tart and acidic on the attack, mellowing out to fresh, crisp, bright fruit on the mid-palate. There are tones of citrus and apple with a shock of pear. There's a little bit of a bite to it - not alcohol heat... I can't quite describe it, might just be the tartness causing me to pucker my cheeks a little. If summer had a taste, this would be it. The balance is really nice on this - even though this wine is semi-sweet with a residual sugar of 2%, there's enough acidity to round it out.

Finish: 7/10
A good finish on this one - the flavors linger for quite a while. There's a lot of granny smith apple, very prominent, with ginger ale. The feel is a little oily, but it's smooth and clean.

Aging: 3/5
From what I can find of the little there is out there about the Müller-Thurgau grape, it's not meant to age much. I think no one has given this grape a chance to. Clearly it's still holding up strong 4 years after the vintage, and I don't sense any deterioration going on. Perhaps this is a white that requires a little time in the bottle to fully develop into what this wine has obviously become, and I think it will continue to age for at least a few more years. Not too shabby for what seems to be the "reject" grape of Germany.

Overall: 4/5
I had no idea what to expect going into this wine, and I've got to say, I'm pretty impressed by it. It came from a bin end, let's-get-rid-of-it sale, and it was a grape I'd never heard of before so I thought to give it a shot. I'm really glad I did. I don't generally go for sweet wines, so it's really nice that the acidity of this balances out the sweetness and makes it just enjoyable. It's well crafted, and a good solid effort. With only 10% ABV, it's pretty easy to sit and sip on this one. If you're into Rieslings, you'll probably really like this one. Go find it and try it out!

Total: 89pts

This is somewhat of an elegant offering - pair this with elegant meals. The mashed potatoes and cornbread stuffing were a little heavy with it, but the chicken tenderloins and broccoli were perfect. This would go really well with seafood as well, and salads with a light dressing on it. This would also make a lovely brunch wine, seated outside with the sun shining, a light breeze blowing, good friends and fabulous brunch food!

Enjoy!

I'm Blind! Sort of...

Tonight I decided it was time to give Michigan another shot at red wine. We haven't done so well so far in the reds area, even though the Rieslings are fantastic. So I had a 2005 St. Julian Merlot and a 2005 Beaulieu Vineyards Merlot, both of which are in the < $10 category, neither of which are known for being show stoppers, so I figured it'd be a fair fight. I tasted them semi-blind; I have a horrible memory and while I did the labeling of "A" and "B" for the bottles and the glasses they were going into, by the time I finished making dinner and got around to tasting them, I'd completely forgotten which was which.

Wine A: 2005 St. Julian Merlot
Wine B: 2005 Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates Merlot
Meal: Salmon Foccacia

Tasting notes on the wine:
Wine A:
Color: 4/5
Palish rusty... I can see my fingers through it. Good clarity, but paler than I expected.

Nose: 5/15
Lacking. Not really getting anything from it. Really have to dig my nose in there and breathe deeply to get anything, and what I'm getting is kind of like rusty iron with just the barest hints of some kind of indistinct fruit on it.

Flavor: 5/10
Mild flavor, again difficult to really pull anything out of it. Not unpleasant, but nothing remarkable about it. Toasty, with soft tannins and some plum.

Finish: 5/10
Finally something distinct on it, but not exactly what I think of for merlot. There was definitely a pink bubble gum taste, layered with twigs.

Aging: 2/5
Maybe needs more bottle time, or maybe this is as "good" as it gets. Don't think it'll last more than another year or two, but I'd drink it sooner rather than later, if at all.

Overall: 2/5
Not impressed. Drinkable, but just barely, and there's absolutely nothing special about it.

Total: 70pts

Wine B:
Color: 5/5
Darker, much more in line with what it should be. Plum in color. Good saturation and clarity.

Nose: 6/15
Floral, but still lacking, and still very difficult to discern anything out of it. Some fruit, but nothing distinctive.

Taste: 6/10
A little hot. Soft tannins. Plum and cherry predominant, a little tart. Pleasant though, and the heat blows off in time.

Finish: 4/10
Dry. Very dry and short. There's just nothing to it. It's there for a moment, then gone.

Aging: 2/5
There's not really a backbone on this to age. Drink it if you've got it, probably won't hold up more than 2 or 3 more years.

Overall: 2/5
Like the previous, it's very forgettable. Not impressed. It's drinkable, and is the wine I have chosen to have with dinner.

Total: 75pts

No big shocker there. Mediocre wines, one just slightly better than the other, but the BV did work well with dinner, and all in all turned out to be a pleasant enough wine with food.

Want to make this meal?
I purchased a pre-made veggie foccacia from my local grocery store - freshly baked today and topped with onion, red & green pepper, cheese... really great stuff. I popped open a can of salmon and spread it on top, then sprinkled a healthy dose of shredded mozzarella on top and sprinkled some parsley over it. Baked at 350 for 20 minutes, then cut it up and served like pizza.

Enjoy!

St Patty's Day Fare

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you! I'm not Irish, but I love green and all the things that go along with St. Patrick's Day (even if they're not, technically, "traditionally" Irish). So I figured tonight was going to be Corned Beef, boiled potatoes, and carrots. No, no cabbage. I find I don't like cabbage. Plus it doesn't go so well with wine. I have to be honest, I wasn't quite sure what I was going to go with for my wine pairing tonight, because even though it's technically beef, it's sweeter than most beef. Plus there's all those spices... but in the end, I just walked into the cellar and grabbed whatever my hand first landed on. Which turned out to be a pretty good idea!

Wine: 2001 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz
Meal: Corned Beef, Boiled Potatoes, and Buttered Carrots

Tasting notes on the wine:
First off, decant this for at least a half hour. Not because of the heat or the tannins - those are barely present, but because it just needs that time for the fruit to come out and for it to really blossom. I did not, and remembered hearing some great things about it, but the first taste was really "meh". Please give it some air.

Color: 5/5
Dark brick red, with good clarity and the color extending just about to the glass, which is pretty impressive in an 8 year old wine. It's nice and saturated, but maybe not lustrous. Or maybe my glass just has fingerprints all over it.

Nose: 12/15
Powerful nose. I can smell it as it sits in the glass on the table, about a foot away from me. Nice, not super special, but nice. Earthy tones, a little musty at first, but after a while that fades away into a rich scent of dried figs, cracked peppercorns, and mulberries. Given a bit more time, chocolate pushes out with a vengeance.

Flavor: 8/10
Very earthy, leathery, followed shortly after by a snap of fresh fig, sour and black cherries. Tasting after having some of the beef helps to provide the "meat" flavor that is so typical of Syrah & Shiraz that I was just missing. Definitely improves with time and is now producing an intoxicating mix of white and dark chocolate as well. And the tannins, just this minute, showed themselves.

Finish: 8/10
At first this was a little twiggy on the finish, reminding me of much of the Pinot Noirs I've had (which isn't many, mind you) and it turned me off. But I pressed on, had some of the potatoes and sipped again, and that twigginess went away. Time also served to get rid of it. Quite smooth, and there's no heat. You'd never know this wine was 14.2% ABV. Except I just told you. The tannins are really announcing their presence now - I was missing them earlier and I'm so glad they showed up. I'm also beginning to get some dried meat on the finish as well.

Aging: 3/5
This is well balanced, and there's definitely enough tannin, structure, and fruit for it to continue drinking well for at least the next 5 years. Maybe more.

Overall: 4/5
I was not impressed at first sampling of this, but as it opens up and develops, I'm appreciating it more and more. I would have to say this truly is a great "dinner" wine, as the early stages of it go beautifully with food, and as it opens and progresses throughout the meal, comes to its own to become an enjoyable after-dinner conversation wine.

Total: 90pts

Want to make this meal?

I admit, I cheat when it comes to corned beef. I go out and pick up a pre-packaged Vienna Chicago Classic corned beef brisket, so that's what I suggest doing. All of the wonderful flavor of corned beef, less of the hassle of doing it right. Follow package instructions for cooking - mine was a 3.5 lb brisket and I boiled it for 2.5 hours.

The potatoes I like to cook up are fingerling potatoes, simply because of the colors that come out of them. Pretty simply, place potatoes in a pot with about 6 cups of water and a few pinches of Kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Boil 10-15 minutes or until desired tenderness is achieved.

Buttered carrots is a side dish from my youth, and no one made them quite like Mom. And so simple to make! Peel and slice as many carrots as you need, and place in a microwave safe dish with enough water to come just to the surface of the carrots. Microwave on high for about 5 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain, and stir in a pat of butter until the carrots are nicely coated.

All of these items reheat nicely, so you can make them all the day before and just reheat before serving. And if you have any leftover corned beef when it's all done, try making some corned beef hash the next morning for breakfast, or toss lightly with a mild, sweet BBQ sauce and serve on a bun for lunch.

Enjoy!

Wings for the Superbowl

In honor of the Superbowl, I decided to make some wings tonight. After all, that's the only real reason to watch, right? An excuse for wings! I'm finishing off the bottle of de Bortoli Petite Sirah tonight with them, so you can check out the rating on that from the previous post. It's holding up really well and works quite nicely with the wings.

About halfway through cooking the wings, I realized I had forgotten to get bleu cheese dressing for them - so I improvised! Glad I did, too. So here's the lovelies:

Want to make this meal?

Teriyaki Wings with Guacamole-Hummus Dip
For wings:
1 dozen chicken wings, tips cut off and split into drummettes and wings
2 tsp granulated garlic
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter
4 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine garlic, salt, and paprika. Toss wings and drummettes with the salt mixture, cover, and marinate for an hour.

Heat deep fryer to 375. Deep-fry wings until golden brown - about 7 minutes. Remove and drain.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, then stir in remaining ingredients and mix well. Remove from heat. Toss wings with the sauce until thoroughly coated.

For dip:
Combine equal parts of your favorite hummus and guacamole until completely combined. Simple as that!

Serve with celery.

Enjoy!

It's Been a While

My apologies. Been quite busy the past month or so. However, I went wine shop wandering today and found a little gem that I just have to share. I don't have a specific pairing for it, but I'm telling you about the wine anyway, because I'm that impressed by it. So here we go!

Wine: 2006 De Bortoli Petite Sirah dB Selection

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Intense, inky dark black. Dark dark dark. The color bleeds all the way to the glass. No clear meniscus on this one at all. Wow.

Nose: 13/15
Cocoa, cherry, plum, licorice, violets, lavender. Really nice and enjoyable to just sniff.

Flavor: 8/10
Blueberries! plum, smoke, wee bit of chalk.

Finish: 8/10
Wee bit chalky, blood orange, mocha, touch of rubber. Falls a little on the short side, but is pleasant.

Aging: 2/5
Fruity, but considering I'm used to having Petite Sirah that will age forever, I'm not so sure this one will hold up like that. But I could be wrong.

Overall: 4/5
Did I mention this was $8? This was an $8 bottle of wine, from Australia, with a screwcap. And is an INCREDIBLE value. Definitely a daily drinker, good enough for company. Probably will pair just fine with your typical PS pairings (beef, lamb, roasts). The winery suggests hearty casseroles and soups. And it's under $10. Hurray for value!!

Total: 90pts

Solid, solid wine. Go get some.