Heidsieck Heritage Brut Champagne NV £14.24/$21.93 ***

London. This wine made me re-think my star system. This has been my favorite champagne of the week so far and it has been the lowest priced.  (what does that say for my taste-buds?) It was poured for our "Thanksgiving in Knightsbridge" Dinner.

This Heritage Brut is a great example of an off-dry Champagne. It has a slight hint of sweetness. (just a bit of residual sugar).  I have an American palate, to quote Laura Williamson, MW from the seminar "Bubble Mania" at euphoria "We talk dry, but we drink sweet".  It is true.  I have a semi-sweet tooth and I have decided to embrace it. Now I have to go back and review a few of my champagne posts - there really were some very dry Champagnes that I like, but to be honest, I prefer a hint of sweetness.

Heidsieck markets this as their entry level into fine Champagne.  I don't really get designer labels (which is why most of my clothing comes from LL Bean).  But I do understand quality. This really is a good Champagne and for the money, it was a GREAT Champagne to serve as an apéritif at our Thanksgiving Dinner.  Even though it is impossible for me to navigate Piper- Heidsiek's website, I was able to get some winemakers notes:  Pinot Meunier / Pinot Noir / Chardonnay  12% ETOH

What is amazing is that VCE is able to buy great Champagne on offer (sale) from her computer on the kitchen table.  She can research and order on-line then have it delivered to the doorstep.  This bottle came from Waitrose's (a local Supermarket) Wines Direct.  Because of this service, we are tasting quite a few varied Champagnes this week, which is great for multi-tasking.  We're efficiently ordered from the computer on the kitchen table while catching up on the latest Downton Abbey and Desperate House Wives episodes on telly.

As for pairings, Champagne goes with almost anything.  In the case of this bottle, it was opened while I was cooking.  I had to pace myself, as we had already been into the Gin and Calvados.  As VCE handed me a glass, I was making stuffing.  Careful not to get over imbibe too early, I took a delicious sip, tossed the rest of the glass into the bowl with the stuffing, along with the balance of my Calvados Cocktail. I gave the stuffing a final stir and popped it into the oven for an hour.  Then I poured myself a second tall, cold  bubbly glass of the Heritage and moved on to making the candied yams. (The stuffing was the first empty serving dish at dinner!)

cillar ey silos ribera del duero D.O. `03 **** $15.99

This is the best Tempranillo that I have ever had (Maybe it is the rich uncle to all of the cheap and cheerful tempranillo that I have tasted in the past few years?) and it was simply because we didn't know what to open for dinner.  Lurking in the wine rack along with a few other dusty bottles was this `03.  JPH didn't even know where or when it came from.

This dark complex tannic wine mellowed into a deep, rich smooth delicious dark/dried raspberry wine with a high ETOH (14.5%) It makes me want to buy a bunch, leave it in the cellar and be happily surprised in 8 years.

Cillar de Silos of Ribera del Duero, Spain has a reputation for putting out good wine.  This dusty bottle proves it.

It was tight and concentrated on my first sip.  Which made me comment "This needs the Nuance" but I was caught up in making Macaroni and Cheese and the wine had to aerate in the glass and bottle - as S. and I sipped away.    After about 10 minutes, the wine opened up, became smooth and velvety and went perfectly with our Roast Chicken, Fava Beans a la Marcela Hazan and Swiss Style Macaroni and Cheese. 

Cantina del Taburno Falanghina `09 DOC $14.00 ****

Unique, interesting, delicious.  Long finish.  Fruity, yet dry.  Crisp, with the ghost of effervescence that tingles the sides of my tongue.  I'm loving it.

This was my second venture into the world of Falanghina, and so far both have been great wines.

JPH bought this Cantina del Taburno Falanghina at Greenvale Grapes to go along with a sword fish/bluefish riff on a classic zuppe de pesce Marcella Hazan recipe that he cooked for dinner (I made the saffron rice). It was great in the dish and in our glasses.

As we talked about the wine and compared tasting notes, S. reminisced about Naples, I got hung up on Vesuvius, and JPH pondered Benevento.  For one meal, via the sense of taste, we were transported to Southern Italy - even though we were in suburban NY on a cold, wet Fall evening.

For over 15 years a little white dog was there,
watching dinner being cooked, hoping for leftovers.

Nell was a companion, a critic, a calamity and
a reluctant comedienne. 
Countless times after a few glasses of wine,

we would "talk" for her in funny voices.
When we gave her voice, she sounded goofy but loving.
When she protectively barked in her own voice,
she could be intimidating (many a FedEx Man kept clear).
Nell sacrificed a few wine bottles
when digging under the wine rack to get at the cat's food.
(No chardonnay would go unbroken
in the pursuit of Queenie's Fancy Feast )
She haunts this blog as a recurring character in so many posts.
We miss you little white dog. 
R.I.P

 

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG NV $19.99 (Not TJ's) ****

A Birthday Dinner in three bottles:  #3  Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui DOCG

I have written about the Banfi Dynasty before - It really is the "House that Riuniti Built" But they offer so much more.  On the top of that scale is this light, sparkling delicious sweet strawberry nuanced wine.  JPH chose it as the pairing for dessert:  Vanilla and Lemon Panna Cotta.  S. & JPH first had Rosa Regale at a tasting dinner at the Banfi Estate in Old Brookville, not far from their house.  I liked it from the first sip, and after devouring a couple of splits over the summer, we had this bottle waiting in the beer drawer for a special occasion.

From Piemonte, (just like the origins of Panna Cotta) this wine was a hit.  It is sweet (everyone should approve), fresh strawberries with a hint of rose and bubbly with a dark pink/red color that just makes me think of Valentine's Day (which is a stretch, because normally, I think of Valentine's Day and want to eat a Lemon Meringue Pie all by myself, watch George Clooney in anything and then go to sleep, wishing that the day would be over... but I digress...)

Made from 100% Brachetto grapes, it is simply a great sweet/sparkling wine that you can drink to brighten up any occasion.

After we finished dessert, we went back to the terrace and enjoyed the fire pit in full blaze.  We roasted some garlic grown in a family garden and simply relaxed and enjoyed the evening.  Cognac may have been opened and enjoyed by the fireside, but what happens on the terrace, stays on the terrace.  I am done blogging for this evening.

Cheers!

Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07 (not TJ's) Gift/$17.99 ***

Birthday Dinner in three bottles:  #2 Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07

Dinner was about to be put on the table. JPH uncorked the second bottle, a gift from European cousins who enjoy a good table wine.  This was a special occasion and it paired well with the menu win/win.

Cave de Tain is a big producer of French table wine from the birthplace of Syrah, the northern Rhône. From AOC Crozes-Hermitage, this easy to drink, medium weight slightly peppery wine is versatile, either as a sipping wine or a dinner wine and at 13 - 13.5% ETOH made it easy for us to pace ourselves for the celebratory evening.  Popular in London as a table wine, it was listed in Enjoy wine without a hangover in the Sunday Times. (This was good, as we still had another bottle to go)

As we sat in the dining room, eating through the amazing fresh chanterelles, pheasant breast and spätzle, the wine went down smoothly.  Glasses were easily refilled, and the discussion ranged from raising chickens (one firm NO) to upcoming local fairs (Count me IN for the 10/02/11 Annual Sea-Cliff Mini-Mart).

The wine was smooth, dinner was filling and the company was entertaining. Soon enough it was time for dessert and bottle #3 Banfi Rosa Regale NV

Chateau La Touche Muscadet `09 $14.00 ***

A Birthday Dinner in three bottles.

Bottle # 1  Chateau La Touche Muscadet  `07 was opened as the family started to arrive and the fire pit was lit.  Made from Melon de Bourgogne grapes, this wine is light (12% ETOH), bright (hints of melon and a ghost of a taste of tart citrus - grapefruit) and refreshing; there is a crisp minerality that some say comes from proximity to the sea.  AOC Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine is where the Loire river meets the Maine and the Sevre rivers in western France.

The sur-lie fermentation process produces a rustic, flavorful wine with the harvest pressings spending their first winter fermenting with the skins and dried yeasts.  This adds a crispness and a real depth of flavor to the finished product. The wine was a perfect foil for the salty almonds, nuts and crackers that we nibbled on as the pheasant braised.  At 12% ETOH, it was a great was to ease ourselves into the next bottle.

photo by MEH

This was JPH's Birthday Dinner, all hands were on deck.  For the occasion, S. planned the menu, sourced the amazing ingredients from Marx Foods and brought out the good glassware; everything was perfectly in place as we sipped wine and watched the day turn to dusk. 


Our Menu:  Braised Pheasant, Spetzel and fresh Chanterelles sauteed in a butter cream sauce.  For dessert, I made Panna Cotta.

As the fire started outside, the fire was about to start inside:  JPH played with fire as I tried to snap a picture. On the right is what the stove looked like as he poured the flaming cognac onto the pheasant....


As we were about to plate, JPH opened Bottle # 2, our dinner wine: Cave de Tain l'Hermitage Crozes-Hermitage Les Trois Lys `07

Here is dinner just before it came off the stove:

Peter Lehmann of the Barossa Shiraz `08 $12.99 ***

It is unofficially Fall.  We've had gallons upon gallons of rain dumped on us and the sun finally decided to peek out from behind the clouds to say hello. We've been craving comfort food.  For S & JPH, that would be Chanterelles  (opening the box below made me go weak in the knees) and Andouillette (an S. & JPH favorite:  French Tripe Sausage... I agreed to try one bite).

As the smell of sauteing Andouillette filled the kitchen, JPH suggested that I grab a "BIG" bottle from the rack to have with dinner.  We agreed on this Peter Lehmann Australian Shiraz from a mixed case bought at Coves Discount .  I love mixed cases -  there is a discount (JPH declared this case averaged $12.00 per bottle), we get to try some new selections, and have some old favorites.

This Barossa Shiraz is now in the latter category - we will be having more in the future.  At 14.5% ETOH, it was bound to be a prize fight in a bottle, and at first, it was.  First pour straight after unscrewing the top, it was rugged; all you get is a punch in the mouth of flavor and an after-burn. As we cooked, it sat for a while. I didn't get a chance to aerate it, but time did the trick anyway.  Between having time to "breathe" and a swirl in the glass, the magic of natural aeration had a chance to release the rugged concentration in the wine.

Our plates were filled with the powerful flavors of Andouillette with spicy mustard, fresh baked white bread, chorizo potatoes and garlic & bacon dressed with spinach (I called the meal "Pork Three Ways").  Paired with this Shiraz, the flavors worked really well together. By the time S. joined us at the table, it had become a robust, smoother wine - still with a punch of flavor, predominantly chocolate - but blackcurrant was there too.  S. took a sip and declared it a good wine. It became a fruity, chocolaty Shiraz that tamed the wild beast of tripe sausage (well, my one bite at least).  Between the three of us, the bottle was finished before the plates were empty.


Thank you Peter Lehmann, for being the champion of the Barossa Valley.  In 1979, he saw an over production of grapes and a need for wineries.  The original consortium was named Peter Lehmann Wines, and now, 31 years later, Barossa Valley is on the wine map and on my list of places to visit. This is a good Shiraz for a fair price. When you pair it properly and treat it with respect (let it get some air), it will make you very happy.

Savage Cabernet Sauvignon (not TJ's) $37.99 ****

So maybe you heard, we had a hurricane.  It was in the news. Mother Nature and I are on pretty good terms -  I respect her, and in turn, she hasn't swept me away or crushed me with falling debris (so far); but I had to evacuate anyway.  And when you are packing up all of your belongings and heading to non offensive ground (in my case, Kate's house), it important to take all of your good wine. I may have not packed any of my work clothing, but I remembered my wine and my vinegar barrel.  (a girl has to have her priorities straight)

As I wrote a year and a half ago, this Savage Cabernet Sauvignon is for a special occasion.  And what better occasion than being with friends in a hurricane. (after all, when surviving, it is all about who you share your foxhole with)

Right next to Chateau Montelena, is Savage Estate Wine. A family owned and operated, small producer (150 cases a year) of some fantastic Cabernet Sauvignon. If I had my way, one of those cases each year would be mine.

On a blustery afternoon, we had this `04.  It came out of the bottle with a fruity power then mellowed into a subtle, smooth and sublime wine that paired perfectly with our cheese and crackers.  As it opened up, it changed.  I didn't decant it, because room air did that for us.  A swirl in the glass and the wine woke up.  Ten minutes in the glass and it became delicate and delicious.

Elegant and nuanced, this was the perfect foil for a hurricane that turned into a tropical storm. 

This really was a wine for a special occasion.  It reminded me that we should drink the good stuff while we are alive and able to enjoy it.   Thank you Michael Savage, I'll be buying more.  You never know when you'll need to pop a cork and celebrate being alive.

Chateau Trinquevedel Rosé `08 AOP $16.99 ***

Conundrum: Hamburgers need a wine that stands up to their meatiness, but summertime needs a wine that is refreshing.

Solution: A dry yet fruity classic Rosé. Chateau Trinquevedel fit the bill for dinner. It was delicious. Chilled with the flavor of slightly tart strawberries, with the ghost like finish of a dry red wine.

This wine is a great reminder that Tavel AOC is the Cradle of French Rosé.

Made from Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Bourboulenc grapes, this amalgam of varietals is a great blend.

Menu:
Grilled Burgers, Fresh Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, Roasted Red Peppers.

Willm Reserve Riesling `07 $11.99 ***

I bought this as a safety wine. It was a safe bet! Good price, nice crisp apple taste, low ETOH (12%). It paired well with our dinner of Stella's Southern Bistro Signature Shrimp and Grits. After having them at Monticello in July at the Wine Bloggers' Conference, I have become obsessed with Shrimp and Grits. Since I am attending Greenville, South Carolina's euphoria from 9/22 - 25, it is all things Southern this summer. Well, except for this wine. This Riesling is from Northeastern France, Alsace AOC.

Bone dry with a hint of lime, this crisp, chilled white wine was an excellent foil for our Shrimp and Grits. I was given the recipe by one of euphoria's organizers, and the highlight of my day was making it. (of course, in true Yankee style, I cut the butter and cream in half) Even so, it was delicious, and I can't wait to go to Greenville and try the real thing. (lipitor in hand)

This Riesling was perfect with the buttery shrimp, the hint of Cajun spice in the ragout and the creaminess of the grits. It is safe, delicious and a excellent match for a rich seafood dish.

Originally, I had wanted to serve this dish with a Virginia Viognier, but I was stupid when I was visiting Breaux Vineyards last month, and didn't buy any.

Thank you Willm Reserve Riesling for saving the day.

And just so you can see the inspiration for my newly found shrimp and grits obsession, I give you Keswick Hall's Shrimp & Grits with Fresh Corn. I had it at Monticello with a Vidal Blanc, and I am dreaming of it still.

Kermit Lynch Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes `09 $35.99 ****

Photo styled and taken by MEH

It was one of those nights. JPH was head cook and sommelier for the evening. After an ill fated Italian wine misstep, he grabbed this bottle from the wine-rack and said, "Why not open a good bottle, I guess you girls deserve it." (we will never speak again of the first bottle that we opened tonight. One sip, and I was running for the vinegar barrel.) S. and I smiled when he brought out this bottle - S. was willing to suffer through the the ill fated Italian that was opened. I was not so tolerant. JPH put the subject to rest, "Enough of the $7.99 wine - tonight we have the good stuff."

This Beaujolais Cru is made from Gamay grapes, and it has aged just enough to have it be a smooth, deep(yet light) wine with dry fruit highlights (over ripe strawberries) and dark chocolate undertones. This wine and the skirt steak that we had tonight fell in love, and together they made me a very happy consumer. And at 13.5% ETOH, it was a gorgeous, light wine that won't give me a heavy head tomorrow morning. From the first sniff... mellow chocolate buried in fresh fruit, I was hooked. Gamay, when it is good makes an amazing Beaujolais, and this was it. I had to pace myself so that we had some wine left to have with supper.


Go for it, grab a well made Beaujolais Cru and have a perfect summer evening meal. From the first pour with it's bright raspberry color, to the flavorful finish with no tannins; it was worth the $35.99 splurge just to taste a wine that deserves every penny that was spent on it.

Our pre-dinner table conversation centered around "Who is this Kermit Lynch who quotes Jefferson "Good wine is a necessity of life for me" on his wine bottles?" - well, he is a California wine merchant and writer who has established some pretty amazing relationships with Vineyards/Winemakers over the years (wineshop established in 1972) - Guy Breton is one of those French Vineyards, that produced this lovely, light yet flavorful Beaujolais Cru. Well done Kermit, you do deserve your name on the label.

Here is my view from the dinner table tonight.
I love it when the stars align, and everything works.
Tonight we were blessed with good food, good wine, and amazing weather.

Montinore Estate "Almost Dry" Riesling `07 (not TJ's) $13.00 glass/$12.00 bottle retail

Harry's Tap Room, Dulles Airport

From Oregon. Very dry. No sweetness at all. Mildly citrus, and slightly sour. Fruity, long finish. Not a sipping wine, but maybe a food wine. Having it with a Crabcake Sandwich. $13.00 for a 9oz glass.

This is my first mobile post!

Ciconia Vinho Verde `10 DOC $7.99 (Not TJ's) ****

If I had to give a star for each time we drank a bottle of this Portuguese DOC Vihno Verde, it would be a 7 star wine.  Even though this is a wine that we have been drinking all summer long, I seem to only have two pictures of it. Here it is with tamari glazed bluefish, fresh corn on the cob and white rice.

Ciconia Vinho Verde is a bright, light, grapefruity wine with a hint of sweetness on the finish.  VERY REFRESHING and low in ETOH (12.3% according to their tech sheet, it says 10% on the bottle).  Made from strains of the varietals  Antão Vaz, Verdelho and Viognier, it has a minerality that makes it almost effervescent. And you know what?  Opening a screw-top wine bottle in the summertime makes it even more refreshing. (Instant gratification, you don't have to go running to get the corkscrew!)

This wine is a hit; we've had it well chilled with a variety of meals:  grilled fish, a spicy southwestern dinner, fresh morel and asparagus risotto (right), as well as a stand alone sipping wine, with a handful of salted pistachios. What a great summer find.

I wrote about Portugal's Herdade SÃO Miguel when I reviewed their Ciconia Touriga Nacional Syrah Aragones NV $7.99 (not TJ's) ***(*).  They are a huge producer which made me leery, but so far, both of their economical screw top wines that I have tasted were fantastic for the price point.  Really great, inexpensive wine.

It has taken me weeks to review their Vihno Verde because I am in the middle of a very busy summer.  I am off to the Wine Bloggers' Conference in a few days and there will be a flurry of posts.

Until then, here are the sunflowers 

that were bringing summer right into the kitchen 

when I returned home from Maine on Monday:

 

Ciconia Touriga Nacional Syrah Aragones NV $7.99 (not TJ's) ***(*)

photo by MEH

Impromptu, rustic, flavorful.  How's that for a mouthful.  I am LOVING Ciconia wines this week. We had some of their Vihno Verde and really liked it over the weekend.

What made it impromptu:  I wasn't planning on reviewing a wine tonight, but as dinner was cooking on he grill, JPH presented me with this familiar label picturing a folk drawing of Ciconia ciconia, the White Stork of Portugal.  How could I resist trying a sibling to the Vihno Verde that we had liked so much?

What I loved: The light fruitiness up front, and the lovely floral smell, and then the deep slightly oak finish. It is complex, yet served at room temperature on a hot/sticky day (it was muggy 80's) this wine was flavorful and refreshing. So refreshing that I can't imagine it on a cold day.  It is a great, mid weight summer red.

What I didn't love:  DON'T aerate this wine.  It made it bitter, woody and tart.   There is a threatening undertone that could be chocolate or could be bitterness.  It is like you are drinking something that could turn on you, but for the moment, it is really, really easy to drink, and flavorful, with just a hint of spiciness.

Either sip this wine alone or have it with savory food.  I tried a bite of our grilled pineapple with lime, and then drank some wine and it was like brushing my teeth and drinking a swig of orange juice.  Just don't do it. Some flavors just don't play well together.  This wine wants a nice steak with some char and a pristine ear of corn. Or anything with a full flavor that can be complimented by the deep cherry and tart raspberry with a hint of oak taste to this wine.

This wine comes from a major producer in Portugal Herdade SÃO Miguel.  There is a slight discrepancy between their tasting notes and our bottle.  Our bottle said 14.5% ETOH, their notes say 13.2%.  I believe the higher content.  It is a blend of some very interesting varietals:  Aragonês (the joke is on me, that is the Portuguese name for my beloved Tempranillo), Syrah and Touriga Nacional; a varietal used in the production of Port... mmm Port, now that is an after dinner elixir that I enjoy. 

So, there we have it, a cheap, cheerful blend of two of my favorite flavors.  The rustic coffee/leather/earthiness of Tempranillo, the heavy smooth fruitiness of the Touriga Nacional, and a light spritzer of Syrah to give it some highlight.  Well done.  It may be mass produced, and it may be a wine that you drink as soon as you open it - but for $7.99 why not?  I am a fan.

We had a simple dinner tonight.  Grilled skirt steak, fresh corn on the cob and for dessert, grilled fresh pineapple with a hint of lime, salt and rum.

I'll leave you with a shot of our dessert of grilled pineapple.  

I have been told that the leftovers may even go into some 

pineapple upsidedown muffins for breakfast.   

I am a very lucky girl.

Almez Garnacha `09 as Sangria (not TJ's) $7.99 ***

Just a few months ago, in the snowy depths of  February we tried this cheap & cheerful Almez Garnacha  (original review); it made me dream of Sangria. It is good wine.  In anticipation of Summer, S. & JPH laid in a few bottles (ok, half a case, sadly, now down to one lonely bottle). Now, we are in the early days of summer, winter is long gone and this Almez Garnacha is kicking off Sangria Season.

Here is my Almez Garnacha Sangria report:
I've made it three times in the past three weeks using a classic sangria recipe from the Feast of Santa Fe Cookbook.  It is very simple, using just orange, lemon, sugar and triple sec; each time I make it, it gets better and better.

First Batch:  The Great Hudson River Revival, Clearwater.  I made it at home in the morning, put it in a 2 litre plastic carafe then stowed it away in a cooler.  That night, my friends and I  drank it without diluting it (which is a good thing since I had brought sparkling wine to "dilute" it with....)  Even without the added bubbly, it was fruity, strong, and perfect for the occasion.  A friend generously said "it is just like I am back in Mexico".

Second Batch:  We made it one afternoon and started in drinking it before dinner.  We made it lighter by adding seltzer water, but I made the mistake of adding too much citrus, not letting the wine macerate long enough and using lemon flavored seltzer.  All were bad choices.  It made the wine very acidic.  Of course we went through two bottles, but it could have been much better.  On the third attempt, it was.

Third Batch:  The night before, I mixed a bottle with the fruit, covered it with saran wrap and put it in the refrigerator.  The next morning, I added the triple sec and sugar.  In the late afternoon, as we were cooking, I hauled it out, poured a half a glass over ice and filled the other half with plain seltzer water.  It was light, fruity and refreshing.  A perfect spritzer.  By the evening, it had been mellowing for a day, and transformed into a smooth and delicious Sangria.  At dinner, one guest who had been waxing on about Paella and Sangria when in Spain insisted on a glass and decided that she wanted it straight up with  no seltzer water and just a bit of ice.  Her glass was empty quite quickly.  Given enough time, the wine, fruit, sugar and triple sec had mellowed and  morphed into a lush, fruity drink that packed a punch.

Conclusion:  This Garnacha is adaptable.  By varying the fruit, sugar and maceration time, along with how you "cut" it, (I prefer plain seltzer) it can either be refreshingly light, or seductively lush and hangover inducing (so I have been told).  We'll be trying a whole bunch of wines for sangria this summer and this Almez has set the bar pretty high.

I took a lot of pictures at Clearwater, but none of the Sangria. 

Here is one of my favorite memories, 

being barefoot, sailing the Hudson River on the Mystic Whaler, 

listening to Uncle Tiki's rendition of  "Into the Mystic".

Domingo Molina Cabernet Sauvignon `06 (not TJ's) gift/$19.99 ****

Repeat after me.  The grapes for this wine were harvested in April, 2006.  A spring harvest plays with my mind, but if I drink more wine like this I could easily adapt to the Southern Hemisphere's Autumn harvest in Spring.  Down in Salta, Argentina, the Brothers Molina are running an small, but nice Bodega.  I can't wait to try more of their wines.

This Cabernet is a deep berry, dusky flavorful wine that does Argentina proud.  It paired perfectly with our Grilled steak and pasta tossed with Marcella Hazan's Eggplant Sauce with Tomato and Red Chili Pepper.  The earthiness was a perfect foil for the high notes of the chili pepper in the pasta sauce, and the char from the grill on the steak, well... wasn't that was Cabernet was made for? We liked the spicy deep wine, and for some strange reason, I didn't even think to decant it. I think that it would decant well, and also that it is a wine that could stand to breath, and the spice would just mellow.  Maybe because our meal was so flavor forward, I didn't notice the wine opening up. It was good on the first pour.


Last Christmas, Lucie was coming to visit for a weekend in New York, between Polo Camp at El Venado in Argentina and home (London).  As she is the most wonderful house guest in the world (ok, I am biased), she brought wine.  Six months later, we are drinking it.

Thank you Lucie for picking up this tasty bottle of wine
after a week of polo!!

Louis Max Bourgogne Pinot Noir Beaucharme Pinot Noir `09 $12.99 (not TJ's) unrateable

I don't think that wine producer Louis Max would approve of what we drank (I may try a different bottle from a different supplier to test my theory and then re-review)  Somewhere along the line, this bottle of  French Pinot Noir met with a nefarious character. I will give the bottler the benefit of doubt for now.  At first sip, there was a subtle burst of flavor and the finish was... water.

My first reaction:  "JPH, taste this!" (he didn't really want to put down his beer - but he obliged and was equally surprised).  I poured S. a glass.  She pulled a perplexed face.  I said, "I know, doesn't this taste like gatoraide?" This wateriness and anemic finish did not stop us from finishing the bottle, but we could never call this a pinot noir.  I am curious as to how a wine that others review as "deep, berry flavored, needs to aerate..." can be the same wine that I tasted; it was so light at the finish that I laughed at the thought of aerating it.  It would simply disappear!

This was S's garden as we walked along the terrace
smelling the Day Lilies, Orange Tree and Gardenia in bloom.  

With a late afternoon view like this,
who really cares about watered down wine?

Château du Rouet "Cuvee Reservée" Côtes de Provence Rosé `10 $13.99 (not TJ's) ****

We've had this 2010 rose twice now, and I'm liking it more and more.  It is dry, light with a predominantly tart raspberry flavor that was perfect with both our fresh Striped Bass and Arroz Verde (left); and our dinner earlier this month of grilled Langoustines (right) with Mark Miller's Indian Market Cookbook's Roasted Corn and Mushroom Salsa, Black Bean Pancakes and Chipolte Crema (we are on a southwestern kick this summer).

How is it that a classic French Rosé can pair so perfectly with a southwestern menu?  I think that it is the dry fruitiness that cleans you taste-buds after bite of fiery chipotle.  I love that this is NOT sweet.  It is fresh, light and has some depth.  I like it for what it is not. It is not white, it is not red, but it has highlights of each in every sip.  The bottle is feminine, the color is a light salmon, and the scent is fruity, but there is a slight musk that belies how it was made. 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, this is our first 2010 vintage wine.  At 12.5% ETOH it added a slight kick, but all in all this is just a perfect, subtle Rosé at a great price point.

Vigneto di Gino Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi `09 DOC (not TJ's) **** $13.99

Summer is here and we were hankering for fried clams.  Since there are no clam shacks anywhere near us, we consulted Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking and came up with White Clam Sauce to satisfy our craving for bivalves.  As I was shopping for ingredients, JPH chilled this Verdicchio for both cooking and drinking.

Named for grandfather Gino, this classic white wine (DOC Marche  Dei Castelli Di Jesi ) is a really good, complex white that went perfectly with our clam pasta and cucumber salad with lemon and mint.  It was a refreshing meal on a humid summer evening.

Castelli Di Jesi is in Italy's Marche, the province of Ancona on the top eastern calf of the boot.  Castelli Di Jesi is one of the oldest DOC Marche regions (the castle is still there) and this bottle is a fine example of their indigenous 100% Verdicchio varietal, history and quality DOC standards.  Grandfather Gino should be proud to have this wine named after him.

First pour: It has a fruity scent that almost promises sweetness, but when I drank it, there was a minerality that tingled. There was discussion at the table as to what exactly the overwhelming flavor was, and S. hit the nail on the head "Crisp Plum".  I could easily imagine biting into a crisp, fresh plum, and the taste of the wine sudden;y made perfect sense.  There is a little bit of citrus to it as well, and it has a faint sweetness, and a faint bitter finish/aftertaste that adds depth and highlights the upfront fruitiness. A big mouthful of fruit and a slow lingering finish makes it a great food wine, knitting together all of the flavors.  All in all, it is a great summer wine that paired really well with dinner. We'll have this again.

Primaterra Chardonnay Delle Venezie `07 IGT (Not TJ's) $8.33***

First, we really, really liked it.  Crisp, refreshing, a mouthful of green apples.  It was simply delightful to drink.  I commented that I loved Italian Chardonnay because it tastes like Pinot Grigio, no oak, fruity and fresh.  We all agreed that it had a perfect hint of acid and a nice finish.  A very easy to drink white wine, and at $8.33 a bottle (3 for $25) S. suggested that we go buy some more for the Summer.

We had it well chilled with a chicken and artichoke heart fricassee - JPH's riff on the Marcella Cucina recipe Fricasseed Chicken with Garlic, Capers, White Wine, and Jerusalem Artichokes.  Since it was an abnormally cool late spring evening, I jazzed up the mashed potatoes with some black truffles and cream.  This was comfort food for a rainy 60 degree June day, and the wine paired perfectly with the meal.
 
Now for the BUT.  I think that there is something amiss. When I went to the Primaterra website to read their tasting notes, the main marketing listing says that this wine is 100% Pinot Grigio  - could that be a website typo? That is what I said at the table - I didn't think that it tasted at all like a Chardonnay.  But when I went to the PDF of the tasting notes, Primaterra writes100% Chardonnay.  I don't know if we'll ever know what the wine we had for supper really was.  But, what's in a name?  It was a good, crisp white table wine for $8.33; we would have it again.  I'd even suggest that you grab a bottle and let me know what you thought.  Is it a website typo?  Or could it have been a mislabeled lot? I like a little intrigue - especially when it tastes good.