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!