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.

Forget the Milk and Honey

I'll take Lamb and Petite Sirah for my heavenly meal any day! This classic combination is quite possibly one of the best meals you'll ever have the pleasure of consuming. Don't be afraid of the lamb; it really is quite simple to make. Just make sure your grill is fired up and good and ready for it, at medium to medium-high heat.

Wine: 2005 Concannon Vineyard Petite Sirah Limited Release
Meal: Grilled lamb chops with a veggie side

Tasting notes on the wine:
First of all, this wine should be decanted for about 2 hours before drinking. I like to decant and then pour it back into the bottle for serving.

Color: 5/5
Deep, dark violet. Very nearly black. Coats the glass beautifully, with good legs.

Nose: 13/15
Floral and leather, chocolate and spice. Touches of oak here and there if you breathe deeply.

Flavor: 9/10
Very correct PS flavors, and loaded with blueberry. My notes have "BLUEBERRIES" capitalized and underlined about 5 times. Vanilla and spice shine through as well, with hints of other dark fruits. Oh, and did I mention the blueberries? Good, full mouthfeel, jammy. By the end of the glass, expect to need to brush your tongue, and maybe your teeth, too.

Finish: 8/10
Lasts about 30-45 seconds, with a good punch of tannins. Doesn't leave your mouth cotton-dry, but you might want to keep a glass of water handy.

Aging: 3/5
It will be interesting to see how this one develops over the next few years. It's got the body and fruit to last a while, so it should last pretty well in the cellar for quite some time. Drink now through 2017.

Overall: 4/5
Talk about excellent QPR (Quality Price Ratio). Available locally for between $10-$15, this is a massive purchase. An excellent everyday quaffer, provided you have the patience to decant it properly. Love this stuff.

Total: 92pts

As mentioned before, Petite Sirah and Lamb is a perfect combination. PS is one of those immensely flexible wines that goes really well with just about anything, but it really shines with grilled meats and barbecue. And I admit, I cheated on the meal and used pre-packaged veggies, but sometimes you just want something easy.

Want to make this meal?

Grilled Lamb Chops w/veggies
1/2 lb Kosher salt
1/2 lb lamb chops (3-4 3/4" thick chops)
1 pkg Green Giant "Healthy Vision"

On a piece of foil, pour out half of the kosher salt, and arrange the chops on it. Coat the top of the chops with the remaining salt, making sure they are all covered. Close up the foil and allow to sit for about an hour.

Rinse the salt off under water and pat dry, and allow to rest for another 5 minutes. Place chops on grill over medium to medium-high heat, and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side for medium-rare. Allow to rest for 3-4 minutes before serving.

Cook up the veggies according to package directions and serve alongside the chops.

Enjoy!