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!