Veal Stuffed Peppers and Merlot

Merlot has been snubbed a little too often lately as being just one of those all-too-common wines. But this varietal has a lot of flavor that shouldn't be passed on. It's truly versatile, and pairs well with a wide array of meats. So for tonight I chose a meat that is considered white but eats like a red - veal!

Wine: 2004 Reininger Merlot Helix
Meal: Veal Stuffed Peppers

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Inky, dark purple, almost black. The color runs just about to the glass. The liquid is clear, but opaque. Absolutely beautiful.

Nose: 14/15
Unlike the previous post, this is definitely one of those sit-and-sniff-all-day wines. Black cherries, blackberries, plum, leather, vanilla, woodsmoke... just wow. Very complex nose. Just beautiful.

Flavor: 7/10
Not as impressed with the taste of this. It's still really good, and drinks pretty well straight out of the bottle, but after a nose like this one had, the flavor is a bit of a let down. Jammy and tannic, some hints of cocoa come out. Fairly smooth, and after about 20 minutes in the glass, all the heat blows off. Oaky, dark fruits dominate the palate. Pleasant and easy to drink, but not as complex as I was anticipating.

Finish: 8/10
Smooth finish, lasts about 30 seconds. More oak, and once the wine opens up, you get vanilla and plum as well. Nothing special, but it's clean and enjoyable.

Aging: 3/5
It's truly a New World style, and I think there's enough tannic action and fruits going on that this will continue to develop for a few more years. Definitely ready to go now, but will probably drink well for at least another 6-8 years.

Overall: 4/5
A nice daily drinker. Easy to drink, and I can see this one holding up well to stronger meats, as well as being subtle enough for the more delicate cuts. Maybe a little overpowering for poultry and pasta, but pork and veal are just fine, as would be filet or strip.

Total: 91pts

Want to make this meal?

Veal Stuffed Peppers
3/4 lb ground veal
1/4 c white rice
2 large bell peppers
1 Tbsp butter
1 rib celery, diced
1/4 small red onion, diced
1 small tomato, diced
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided
pinch Kosher salt
1/4 cup dried shitake mushrooms
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried sage
1/4 cup panko

Reconstitute the mushrooms in warm water. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Meanwhile, triple wash the rice and put in a small pot with 1/2 cup of water on high heat. When water begins to boil, reduce heat to low and cover, allowing to simmer for 15 minutes.

Slice the tops off of the peppers and remove the seeds and stem. Dice up the tops, leaving the bottoms intact as a bowl. In a medium skillet, melt the butter, and add the diced peppers, celery, onion, and tomato, and sprinkle salt on top. Cook down until onions are translucent and veggies are tender-crisp.

Strain off the mushrooms, reserving the water, then dice the mushrooms. Pour 1/4 cup of the mushroom water into the veggies and allow to simmer uncovered for approximately 5 minutes. Strain the veggie mixture and reserve the liquid.

In a medium bowl, combine cooked rice, mushrooms, lamb, rosemary and sage. Mix in veggies until well combined. Add 1/8 cup cheese and panko, and mix well. Spoon into pepper bowls and place in a loaf pan with about a cup of water on the bottom. Sprinkle a little more panko on top. Bake for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour reserved liquid into saucepan over medium heat and stir in remaining cheese, and reduce by half. Remove from heat until peppers are done.

Once peppers are done, plate peppers, and pour the liquid from the loaf pan (along with any solids) in with the reduced juice. Return to medium heat and reduce again by half. Spoon sauce over top of the peppers and serve.

Enjoy!

Malbec and Veal

Wine: 2006 Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec Alamos Selección
Meal: Grilled veal chop with garlic-sauteed green beans and bell pepper

Tasting notes on the wine:

Color: 5/5
Dark, black plum, clearing out at the edges, clean, with good legs.

Nose: 12/15
Right out of the bottle, bacon predominates the nose. Through time, floral notes show through, along with leather and dark fruits.

Flavor: 8/10
Very fruit-forward, but not quite a fruit bomb. Lots of blueberries and plum, smoke, and violets. It makes me think of a cross between Petite Sirah and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Finish: 8/10
Lasts about 30 seconds. At first it didn't seem very tannic, but as time wore on, the tannins began to show through, which I thought was kind of backwards to what you typically see. I get a good hit of oak and berries.

Aging: 3/5
With the fruits and tannins, I'd say this one will do just fine with some time in the cellar. Drink now - 2015.

Overall: 4/5
Really great wine. Easy to drink, but it does better with food than on its own.

Total: 90pts

With the characteristics of both PS and CS, this wine becomes a very versatile drink. Good with chicken, beef, lamb, veal, pork... Just about anything. It takes about 20 minutes in the glass to really open up nicely, and at about 40 minutes hits its sweet spot and holds steady for quite some time. If you're into the "correct" stemware, I found that this works better in a Syrah glass than a Cabernet - which, as it turns out, is what Riedel recommends.

Want to make this meal?

Grilled Veal with Garlic-Sauteed Veggies
1/4 - 1/2 lb veal chop, cut to 1/2" thickness
kosher salt
1/8 tsp coursely ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup cut green beans
1 yellow bell pepper, diced

Salt and pepper the veal chop and allow to rest for about 10 minutes before placing on the grill. Cook for approx. 8 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and let rest.

In a saute pan, place olive oil and butter and heat until butter has melted. Add garlic and a pinch of salt, stirring gently until garlic becomes fragrant. Toss in green beans and bell pepper, and saute until tender-crisp, or about 5-6 minutes.

Enjoy!