Chapelle St Arnoux Cotes du Ventoux `09 ****

WARNING:  Vegetarians and PeTA Members stop reading now! (read here for a certified vegan review)

Whew, now that it is just us carnivores, let me tell you about one of the best meals I have ever had.  It was an annual Sportsmens Club Game Dinner. Just in case any pesky PeTA members are still reading this (hey, thanks for boosting my stats!) I am redacting all identifying information on the club from this blog post.  Suffice it to say that it was an all American experience (well, there was ONE French guy ooohhhlala to quote other women from our table) that could have been a Norman Rockwell tableau -  if Norman's relatives had hunted, killed, dressed, butchered then cooked that famous Thanksgiving turkey!

It was a Saturday night banquet with a cash bar.  Hiding behind a forest of supermarket brand Cabernet at the corner of the bar were some discrete green bottles.  I wasn't hoping for great wine at this dinner, and I briefly lamented not bringing a bottle of Tiburizi to go with the Bear, Moose, Elk and Venison that was being served, but when the bartender showed me the AOC Cotes du Ventoux label, well, I thought to myself, SCORE! 

The wine was a mellow, delicious Rhone blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault, it was a great table wine - perfect for the evening, and at 14% ETOH, it was a solid pairing for the game; a subtle red with a lovely hint of spice, and a full finish.  It was so easy to sip that I had polished my first glass off even before our table was called to the buffet for dinner.

This was a packed house of 250 Sportsmen and women who hunt for the sake of eating, and have a chef that transforms their game into haute cuisine to share with the community and raise money for local charities; it was the annual tasting of the year's bounty.  After some amazing appetizers of Mini Bear Wellingtons, smoked pheasant, Elk and Wild Turkey Pate, and a special shout out to the Rabbit and Squirrel Ragout, my first glass was gone, and I was heading back to the bar for my second.  All under the watchful gaze of a 11 point buck who more than likely could have been the sausage in that mini venison and elk sausage slider that I so eagerly savored.  I said "Thank you" to the deer, and chewed on.

Drinking this French Rhone at a game dinner in a Sportsmans lodge made me feel connected to the past.  And also connected to the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast.  I may have been caught singing "No one hunts like Gaston" after the tall, dark, handsome Frenchman left our table.


I sipped my wine and surveyed my tasting plate (and cup of delicious venison chili) I heard rumors of salad, but for me, the greens on my plate were Fiddleheads.  I love fiddlehead ferns, they grow on the banks of the stream back home in Maine, and every spring, I am reminded of just how wonderful they are.  It was an amazing night. I'll leave you with a slideshow:

Freixenet Cava Cordon Negro NV $10.99 *(***)

Saturday night.  Hangar Steak from Fairway soaking in Olive Oil Marinade from Thomas Keller's recipe.   Leftover Lasagna: homemade bolognese with béchamel, from Marcella Hazan's Classic and a head of butter lettuce just waiting to be made into a salad. Along with the rolls that I was picking up from Leonetti's, this meal was going to be the highlight of my weekend.  And then I said the fateful words... "Do you want anything else from Leonetti's?"  JPH answered "Get some Lemon or Raspberry gelato. We can have it with something bubbly."

Deep down in the bottom at the beer drawer was this iconic black bottle of Spanish sparkling wine of unknown age with an equally unknown provenance. Our guess is that someone brought it as a hostess gift and it was relegated to the cellar until the day JPH dusted it off and put it in the beer drawer. We had no idea how old it was,  5-10 years maybe?  As we were getting dinner ready, JPH played bartender.

First pour: Kind of sour. Dry, it tasted a bit old. Since we had no idea about how old this bottle was, I attributed the sourness to age, an gave it one star - although a "fresher" bottle may fare better in a future review. S. is in Indonesia on a business trip, we might as well drink the old stuff and save the good for when she gets home; wine just isn't the same when she isn't here to share and reviewing is not as much fun. Freixenet Cava Cordon Negro is a sparkling wine made with Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada grapes. I quaffed the first sip and JPH set about his magical mixology.

Armed with an ice cream scoop, a spoon and a tub of Leonetti's Strawberry gelato, he made our first proper drinks.  Muddling a scoop of gelato in 1/3rd a glass of Freixenet, then topping if off with a final pour produced some amazing bubbles.  It was good. A great way to revive a possibly not so optimum bottle of sparkling wine. The first glass went down easy and it was a great way to end a beautiful Spring day.

But then... his adventure in mixology was not done. Out came the tub of Lemon gelato.  JPH followed the same recipe.  Then he handed me a glass of the Lemon Gelato Cava.

First sip: WOW.

Second sip: Wow, the repeat first sip until you are licking the bubble residue from the rim of the empty glass. (I have no shame - and at 11.5% ETOH - no headache the next morning)

When the bottle was empty, I asked: "Don't we have some Chandon in the fridge?"

Cooler heads prevailed and the Chandon stayed in the fridge. I nursed my last glass gingerly so that I would be able to take a picture of it for the blog. (after all, I planned the whole meal around writing a blog post...) ummm, oops, I forgot to take a picture.  And as far as the amazing dinner that was on my plate...  I ate what I could.

That was when JPH asked "You filled upon gelato and cava, didn't you?"

I solemnly nodded my head yes.

And this dear reader is how you elevate an average mass marketed bottle of sparkling wine to great heights... just add gelato or sorbet.  From one to four stars in a scoop and a half.

All the supplies needed to make ambrosia in a glass...

Novella Synergy Blanc `08 $6.99 ****

I liked it, I really liked it.  I was cooking an impromptu Saturday dinner and I needed a white for cooking and a white to serve with shrimp kabobs from the grill.  This Paso Robles wine was a win/win.  Not too sweet, not too dry, no oak, and a great peach finish - really good for summer.  Very easy to drink (which may be why Sunday morning was so painful when the cat started meowing to be let in at 5:40am)

I made a silly menu mistake for 80 degree NY weather and I made mushroom and pea risotto.  Umm, salad, that was the word that should have come to mind when I was shopping - oops.  Oh well.  The wine was good for making risotto. It also worked well with the spicy Guacamole I made for an appetizer.  I did not mean to make spicy guacamole, but the deceptive peppers that were in the freezer were HOT.  I should have know that, as the owners of the refrigerator like spicy southwestern food  BUT I wasn't expecting to be blasted off the scoville scale. (I am squatting housesitting between apartments). This wine works very well with spicy food.  It also held up to the saltiness of the tortilla chips.

My suggestion: cook with it, pour yourself a glass, then chill it to be served with dinner and when that bottle is polished off, move on to a nice prosecco to go with the chocolate and Grand Marnier crepes for dessert.... But that's just me.

Jason over at Jason's Wine Blog reviewed this wine and posted the blend.  55.6% Sauvignon Blanc, 40.8% Chardonnay, 3.3% Muscat Canelli and 0.3% Pinot Grigio" - Thanks Jason, and as usual, great review. I am in 100% agreement with you.

Menu:

Guacamole with Tortilla chips
Cajun Shrimp Skewers
Sirloin Tip Skewers
Mushroom Risotto
Organic Ciabatta
Chocolate Grand Mariner Crepes

LaCheteau Vouvray `09 $6.99 ****

Impromptu drinks on a late Spring evening.  I grabbed this Vouvray, wet it down, and popped it in the freezer to chill while I whipped up some h'orderves. Meanwhile, in the livingroom, the boy tried to figure out how to add Green Day and U2 to my Pete Seeger/Johnny Cash Pandora Mix.  HAH! Foiled.  (although I do like U2 and some Green Day....)

A very helpful saleslady recommended this wine when I was shopping for Summer white wine - she knew what she was talking about.

This is a fresh, fruity, slightly buttery, semi-dry (sweet(ish)) wine.  It goes great with cheese and crackers.  I could easily see this as a nice chilled picnic wine with a salad.  The dominant taste is pear, with a slight effervescence, and it does have a slight burn in the back of my throat, so I'd say drink it slowly. It is a "thick" and semi-sweet wine, but it is not cloying.  I wish we had some Brie, I think this would be a great wine with Brie and Apple. Umm Asparagus, not so much.  As a matter of fact, it is hard to match asparagus with a white wine. Brooklyn Guy wrote some good stuff about pairing wine with Asparagus.  I think he is spot on when he says:

 "For me, the classic pairing is Sauvignon Blanc. I'm talking about wines from Sancerre or Touraine, for example."

He's right, and I am going to take his advice in the future, as Asparagus is my favorite vegetable.

My final thoughts:  Good wine, well with the money.  Impressive (even with a plastic cork!) It wouldn't hurt to keep a bottle or two on hand.

Menu:
Salmon on crackers with a dill/ no fat sour cream
Deviled eggs with crispy chorizo
Steamed Asparagus with microplaned domestic Parmesan

Chiusa Grande Trebbiano d'Abruzzo Armento `08 DOC $5.99 ****

This wine is ORGANIC!  Perfect for the day after Earth Day....

If you like light, dry, fresh yummy white wine with a hint of citrus, run out and buy this.  It is GREAT. It smells kind of tropical, it is very easy to drink and I think it would be a great wine to have with shrimp.

This morning, after a trip to the dentist (no cavities), I stopped at TJ's to stock up.  I don't know why I chose this bottle.  Maybe because I am trying to expand my exposure to white wine. It was fortuitous, this Trebbiano d'Abruzzo DOC is a really nice wine at a great price.

I made a three grain butternut squash and sage risotto, and served it over a bed of baby spinach.  I used the wine in cooking the risotto, and we drank it with dinner.  It was a great late spring supper.

Lost Angel Muscat Canelli Paso Robles `08 $5.99 ****

This is a VERY SWEET wine.  A dessert wine.  It tastes like sugared Honeydew Melon.  I liked it.  Because of the fruitiness, I would serve it with a salty prosciutto maybe?  The rule of thumb for dessert wines is that dessert wine should be sweeter than the dessert.

We had it very well chilled, with Brie, apples and crackers. I only have a morning after picture of the bottle, because there are some times when the Blackberry needs to stay on the shelf and last night was one of them.

I really was surprised by this wine, and it makes me want to try all of the Lost Angel Wines. They have a pretty comprehensive website (except this wine isn't on it).  This California wine is from EOS Estate Winery but I am not exactly sure of the provenance, as they are now owned by a conglomerate.  Maybe a trip to California is in order - any excuse to travel!!  The price is great, and it is well worth it to have a bottle on hand for when you want to have a sweet addition to a meal.

 UPDATE:  Did I mention that I LOVE comments?  Well, I do.  Since they commented, I now know that they are not owned by a conglomerate (I was terrified that they were Bronco owned)  Whoo hoo, great wine, great price.  I'm gonna try all of them!!

Trentatre Rosso `08 IGT $5.99 ****

33.3% Cabernet, 33.3% Merlot and 33.4% Montepulciano. I really, really like it. It is a dry yet jam like red wine that is great for sipping or dining or nibbling. Last night, we opened it for nibbles after polishing off a bottle of my current wine of choice Villa Cerrina Montepulciano. I really really like Montepulciano wine.This wine is already on a lot of internet top 10 lists Jason, over at Jason's Wine Blog liked the `07 too (and he is a much better reviewer than I).  When I sit down and write my list (maybe in another 100 bottles or so) I can imagine that at this price, and with this depth of rich fruity flavor (with a slight taste of leather - really) with just a hint of tannins - It'll be right up there.  It was great last night, and it is just as good today.  After running it through the vinturi today (the bottle was opened last night and vacuum corked, I wouldn't bother decanting it,  it flattens it a bit. 

Thursdays are my market days, and today I scored a portabello, red onion and mozzarella whole wheat foccacia from Buon Pane, and Spring Ramps from Stannard Farms. I reheated half of the foccacia and sauteed the ramps with a slice of bacon on the cast iron grill.  It was a great dinner.

Ponti Dry Vermouth $4.99 (second review)****

Some days are for drinking wine, others are for cooking with wine.  After roasting a chicken yesterday, I picked the meat today for Chickpea chili with shredded chicken and the rest went into stock, which is bubbling away on the stove as I type this.

I was tempted to open a nice Gamay that I have waiting - but since there has been a fair amount of drinking over the past few days, my consumption today will only be cooking oriented.

I love this vermouth for cooking.  It is fortified, shelf stable, and perfect for any light dish that needs a kick. Thank you Julia Child for turning me on to cooking with good dry vermouth.  And thank you Trader Joe's for stocking Ponti, a great cheap bottle that tastes a lot more expensive. The price has gone up a dollar since my last Ponti review - but it is still a fantastic buy if you want a shelf stable white cooking wine.  (I don't drink martinis so I can't vouch for it as a mixer)

Menu
Chickpea Chili with Chicken

Villa Cerrina Montepulciano DOC `08 $4.99 ****

It is Tuesday night, I just wanted plonk to go with dinner.  I grabbed a bottle off the top of the rack, checked the label and said why not?  WOW!  It was such a WOW, that after I opened it, I thought I screwed up and had to re-read the label (in my rack I have a very expensive Vino Noble Montepulciano I though I opened the wrong bottle by mistake). This is now my new favorite TJ's all around wine.

First sip, kinda fruity, long finish not many tannins. People may say that there is a leathery taste - hmmm, well for me that would be a really soft taste, nice smell - not fruity, deep. It smells and tastes like a wine that has been aged properly in barrels, and cared for.

Like I said, I ran to the rack to check my bottles - I couldn't believe it for the price.  After the vinturi - nah - it makes the wine too open and it enhances the tannins.  I like it straight from the bottle (well, via the glass).  For $4.99 grab a couple of these, keep 'em on the rack and when you are cooking pizza and antipasti for a quick dinner, or pasta, or pretty much anything casual, this is a great wine to pop open.

Menu:
antipasti (Grape tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, Ligurian sausage, buffalo mozzarella and balsamic vinegar)
Lavash pesto pizza

I am still looking for an apartment, so you'll be seeing a lot of food that seems familiar (I'm eating through the pantry and the wine rack).  If I don't find a new apt by 4/1, I'll be sofa surfing.  When I am settled in a new place, I promise that my menus will be back to the usual standard)

La Loggia Barbera D'Alba `08 (DOC) $6.99 ****

A Tuesday night. A fight with Time Warner (Not even over my cable account), and it is freezing outside.  Where to turn??? I was still in a fighting mood.  I was tired, I was hungry.  I had four Lobster Ravioli left in the freezer from Christmas!  Bingo!!

The label on this wine says that it is good with seafood.  HAH.  I was going to test that.

First sip as I was making the tarragon cream sauce.  Yummy.  Light, fruity, no tannins.  Pretty.  A nice light wine. I like it.  So, as I made the sauce, I decadently threw in a slew of frozen shrimp from Trader Joe's and the night began.  This wine even smells nice.  It paired really well with the creaminess of the sauce and the briny taste of the shrimp.

This is simply a beautiful, cheap wine that you could drink alone, or pair with many foods.  It isn't robust, it is refreshing, kinda fruity.  Well worth it.

After the Vinturi, it just gets better.  You can drink it without decanting it with no worries or, to just make that final polish, decant it.  There is plenty left for tomorrow's dinner, so I am going to plan my meal around it.  I'll post an update on day 2.

Until then, here is my stressful Tuesday Supper.  Julia Child once said “The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook”. This is pretty indulgent eating.  But it was GREAT!

Il Valore Chianti Reserva `05 (DOCG) $5.99 ****

WOW!  For six bucks, you get a fruity yet dry good bottle of wine to have with a meal. DECANT THIS! It makes it so much better!!!

First sip undecanted and a little cold... (serve this at room temperature) hmmm very dry, mouth puckering dry. I wasn't sure.  Then I realized that it is 22 degrees out and this wine is chilled (from being in my unheated pantry/entryway).  So, I cooked, the kitchen grew warmer and the wine opened up. It still has tannins and a strong cherry/raspberry taste, but it is yummy.  After a run through the Vinturi (WINNER) and a frustrating few minutes getting the Soiree to work (loser) the drinking began in earnest....

The wine is a food wine.  it is too acidic to be a stand alone sipping red wine.  It does have a bit of a "burn" after drinking.  It is indeed a "robust" wine, for an amazing price (and is DOCG label to prove that it comes from Tuscany) How do they make a profit on this?  I don't want to know, just keep selling it.

Menu:
Skirt Steak
Rotini pasta with home made pesto and fresh grape tomatoes

All I can say is "Cin Cin"!

Chariot Gypsy Red `07 $ 5.99 ****

This is a complex wine. First sip, kind of harsh, sharp on the tongue, but I like it. I taste the hints of chocolate that all the oenophiles write about. This might be the first time that I really understand that reference. Like a bitter dark chocolate with a fruity finish.

What will it taste like after being aerated with the vinturi? Wow. What a change. Still good, but less of the sharpness. This is the kind of wine that the vinturi was made for. Elevating a $6.00 bottle of wine to a $20.00 bottle of wine.

Menu:
Mixed leaf salad
Garlic Crostini
Chickpea Chorizo Chili

Angelfood cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream

L'enclave De Papes Valreas Cotes du Rhone $5.99 ****

I've been taking a butchery class on Saturday mornings, and the good thing about it is that not only do I learn a lot, I get to keep some of the meat. Saturday's class was Beef, and tonight, I am cooking:

Broiled Skirt Steak
Broccoli a la Romana (steamed broccoli sauced with garlic and red pepper flakes cooked in olive oil and then poured over the cooked broccoli.)

And the TJ's Valreas. First sip while cooking (pre vinturi) Really Really good. Full bodied, a little sharp, with some fruit highlights, a slight dry aftertaste. But I like it already. A solid four stars. A great deep red for under six bucks. I love Trader Joe's.

Now for the wine after a run through the vinturi: hmmm. a totally different wine after aeration with the vinturi. Less sharp, but the fruity notes are mellowed. Aerating this wine deepens the flavor - making it almost lush. Still with the dry aftertaste, but with the fattiness of the steak. This is a great wine for beef.

I'll be buying more to keep on hand. Drinking this makes me want to plan full fat menus. But I may serve it undecanted. I like the layers of flavor when it is just out of the bottle.

Villa Maria Chardonnay (unoaked) $8.99 ****

I don't even know where to start on this one. I came home from work with the leftovers from my bosses lunch (1/2 a veggie burrito)

On my walk home, as I was crossing the street, a school bus ignored the red light and drove at me. I looked at the bus 10 inches from my face and realized that I was about to be hit by a bus.

In the perfect convergence of me trying to dash out of the way and the driver realizing that there was a pedestrian in the crosswalk, tragedy was averted. I yelled at him. And then I yelled at him some more. Then I walked up the hill to my house, put the burrito in the oven to heat up and shakily opened the twist top to this bottle of wine.

It tastes good. On my second glass, my hands are no longer shaking. It is a fruity slightly acidic wine that does the trick. $8.99 is all in. I think that the price reflects the quality.

I still have most of the bottle in the fridge, so tomorrow, I'll update this review when I am not traumatized.

Update: It is a good, fresh wine. As it is a screw top, I'd think twice before bringing it as a hostess gift (old snobbery still prevails), but I would have no problem serving it at any meal that I cook.

Chandon Rose $15.99 ****

This is a little bit of a cheat, because I bought it at the Chelsea Wine Vault, BUT it is sold at Trader Joe's in Seattle, so I am reviewing it as a TJ's wine.

This rose is a crisp, fruity, bubbly American sparkling wine with a hint of a sour finish that is refreshing (I hate cloying sweetness). It went well with dinner, and I see it as a perfect all around sparkling wine. Having a final, well chilled glass with the just out of the oven chocolate souffle was the best part of the meal.

Dinner
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
Maine Crab Cakes

Dessert
Chocolate Souffle

Albero Organic Tempranillo $5.99 ****

It's chili time. Well, Turkey Chili... and red wine goes great with turkey chili (it also goes in the turkey chili). So, this afternoon as I was cooking, I opened the Albero Tempranillo, poured myself a glass and started chopping, sauteeing and sipping. (it is a great way to cook)

The Tempranillo on first sip seems lush. But then as it aerates and warms (it was in my unheated pantry, and it is 16 degrees outside -oops) this wine becomes light and fruity. It has a little bit of a tannin aftertaste, but that just adds a layer of depth to the flavor.

Just like my previous commenter said, Albero puts out a good wine - so far I am 2/2. I really like it, and will be buying more bottles to keep on hand. The minute I sipped it, a lot of ideas came to mind - I could imagine it as the base for an amazing sangria in the summer, I can also imagine it as a nice clean sipping wine with a salad.

Albero Organic Sparkling White $4.99****

New Year's Eve was a low key, quiet, candle and x-mas tree lit evening. We drank this Spanish wine to end 2008. We opened the bottle to a satisfying pop and poured glasses as we attacked the tray of appetizers.

It is a lovely dry bubbly white wine. It is crisp and fruity, and I really like it. (skip serving the pigs in blankets with it though - total contrast!) I really am becoming a fan of Spanish wines.

Sipping the Albero Sparkling while nibbling the deviled eggs and melted cheese savory crackers - very good. Festive, and a great way to start the last night of the year.

This is a summer wine though. Heavy foods in winter overpower it. I am going back and buying a couple of bottles tp keep for summer. Four Stars.

Starters
Mini Pigs in a blanket (by request)
Deviled eggs with dill, spinach and bacon (homage to Top Chef)
Carr's Assorted Crackers topped with caramelized onion, sauteed mushrooms and melted cheddar

Main
Waldorf Salad
Seafood Chowder
Portuguese rolls

Dessert
Chocolate Souffle with cinnamon whipped cream

I sent my visitors off to ring in the New Year as a private party in Soho, and I did the dishes, and am now having a quiet, reflective hour to say goodbye to 2008. What a year it has been.

Hess Berg Riesling Kabinett $ 6.99 ****

So in the spirit of "I haven't done any grocery shopping in a very long time", Saturday is declared creative clean out the freezer day. This catch all meal will be paired with the Riesling Kabinette.

Starter:
Beet salad with a French tarragon vinaigrette (the final resting place for my French tarragon plant)

Main:
Panko breaded chicken thighs (roasted. I want to fry them, but my cholesterol has been high)
Frenched green beans in a bacon,mustard,parsley,onion dressing
Jasmine Rice with caramelized red onion and chicken stock.

Verdict:
Nice, semi sweet. After I took my first sip while cooking, I decided to use it in the green beans. The wine isn't crisp and it isn't cloying. It adds just the right yeastiness to add some complexity. It's not sparkling, but it is light on the tongue.

I'd buy more, and now I am kicking myself for not making the Pear Cardamom Sorbet that I had originally planned for dessert.

Oh well, I have to say that this was a four star wine with a four star "clean out the freezer" lunch.

Update:
Have you ever seen the Family Guy, when Peter Griffin falls flat on his face? Well, that was my Monday morning. I actually like to say that I attempted to do a power push-up on 13th street, but the truth is, I am only just learning to walk (that is my excuse and I'm sticking to it) and I tripped on some uneven sidewalk pavement. The upshot is, my hands and knees are cut and bruised, and my shoulders and neck are killing me, so Monday night's Menu was this:

Two glasses of the Riesling, a skinny cow ice cream sandwich and two extra strength Tylenol.

Verdict: The wine keeps it's four stars and goes very well with the Tylenol. The ice cream sandwich soothed my bruised ego and body, and I curled up and went to bed.

Lindemans Bin 40 Merlot $4.49 ****

I am always inspired when I spend the night in the LES. On my way to Nancy & Yori's, I stopped at the Pickle Guy's and bought some not so fresh for passover horseradish (I was too late to get the really good stuff).

On my way back home on Saturday am, I stopped at Jeffrey's in the Essex Street Market for some meat. (Jeffrey is a cook's butcher, great service, good selection, quality meat and fair prices)

He was out of hangar steak, so I bought some skirt steak. Next door at the fruit & veg stand, I bought some mushrooms, leeks and young zucchini - it is gearing up to be a nice afternoon.

It is so beautiful out, when I got home, I opened up all of the windows and hauled out the ice cream maker.

Wine: Lindemans Bin 40 Merlot

Main: Grilled Skirt Steak with mushroom/cream/horseradish sauce
Zucchini sauteed with oregano and lemon
Potato and leek mash

Dessert: limoncello sorbet & ladyfingers

I did my usual, as I was cooking, I poured a glass of the merlot to try. First sip - WOW. I like it. Great fruity taste, soft aftertaste, almost a little sweet.

We really, really liked this wine. It is a gorgeous spring day, so we ate outside in the tiny strip of green that I call my garden. As a matter of fact, as I type this, we are sitting in the yard, just finished our meal - gotta love wireless...(we haven't even had dessert yet) and I'm blogging this. Lindeman's Merlot is a 15 - 20 dollar wine for $4.49 - we, the slightly tipsy jury declare it 4 star.

Root:1 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ****$9.00

Sunday Afternoon/Early Dinner

This is the most expensive wine that I have bought so far at TJ's. I have high expectations for this afternoon.

I opened it while cooking. First sip smooth and mellow. I had stored it in the pantry, and it was a bit cooler than red should be, but the coolness mellowed it. As it sat in my glass, the taste changed slightly. Slight oak, you can taste the alcohol. This clean sharpness goes well with the pasta. The richness of the sausage and Parmesan are balanced well with this Cabernet.

In my ever evolving quest to develop pasta sauces without using tomatoes, I have to say that this meal is a hit. (although I forgot fresh parsley)

Salad: Mesclun, mandarin,walnuts, balsamic and gorgonzola
Main: Pasta with a sauce of Sage, Sausage and Butternut Squash. (Thank you Marcella Hazan Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking)
Dessert: Pot de Creme au Chocolat