Lovingston Pinotage `06 $24.00 #wbc11 live blog reds

Lovingston Winery, Lovingston VA.  This is a Virginia Pinotage made by South African Riaan Rosouw.  As he speaks about this wine, his pride in his product is clear.  This is an excellent example of  Pinotage. It is so nice to see such an international showing here in Virginia.  Jefferson would be proud.  Pinotage is a South African hybrid.  It has a subtle scent, but an intense dried fruit taste.  And only 12.5% ETOH.  Well Done.

Warwick Pinotage `07 (not TJ's) $25.99 ***

This wine is from a tasting at Bacchus.  I brought it home it because I liked it, and I had made notes that it would go GREAT with bacon (but then again, what doesn't go well with bacon???). We had it with pasta in a pancetta mushroom cream sauce, fresh heirloom Brandywine tomatoes, fresh corn on the cob and grilled lamb chops.  Yes, it was a delicious Thursday night!

Yes, a little tipsy... but aren't we all?

This is Old Bush Pinotage from the Warwick Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa. South Africa can lay claim to a lot - some good, some bad. But in the case of this wine, it is all good. This is a well balanced wine. Pinotage is a versatile SA grape - both fruity AND savory. After our first pour, I was trying to to think of how to describe it, and S simply said, it tasted like lovage. She nailed it.  It is a fruity, red berry wine, but it has a depth that is unique in that it is also herbaceous.  That would be the spiciness, and maybe a slight hint of smokiness.  And yes, it tasted of lovage (which is a good thing).  Also, at 14.5% it is a fruity, spicy, well balanced wine that packs a punch.

I was enjoying dinner so much that at one point, I remembered that I had to run it through the Vinturi.  That was a first - was it the meal, the wine or the fact that I may have been on my third glass already???  hmmm.  Welll, I popped up from the table, grabbed the Vinturi and aerated it.  Yeah, a bit smoother, but really, why bother? I finished my glass and went back to my meal.

I'd still like to try a glass with a nice, juicy bacon cheeseburger - but as it stands, this wine was a good dinner wine.  Kind of pricey for everyday dinner, BUT well worth having for a special meal.

And, just because it is always amazing
to come home to stunning flowers on the counter, 

I am leaving you with a shot of the Sunflowers.  

Absolutely gorgeous!

Zarafa Pinotage `09 (2nd review) $3.99 **(*)

This is the second time around for the Zarafa...  People commented that this is a wine they really liked, so I decided to re review... for me, again, this is NOT a sipping wine.  Also not a wine to be decanted (shudder).  I stand by my first review.  BUT...  When I reviewed it in `08, it was May.  Now, it is November `09, and rather than continue drinking the wine after the first few tastes, I decided to mull it.  My first mulled wine of the season.  IT IS A VERY GOOD MULLING WINE. 

I poured the bottle into a pan, set it over low heat, threw in a sliced orange and it's juice, some cloves, cinnamon, sugar and Madeira, and poof - a good mug of mulled wine.

Supper is light tonight, just some spinach, caramelized onions with cheddar cheese toasted on knäckebröd (Swedish crisp bread).  My grandfather was Swedish, and I grew up with a package of knäckebröd on top of the fridge - it is a great staple to have in the pantry for nights like tonight.  In the summer, it is really good with fresh tomatoes and Farmer's Cheese.

The Zarafa is really getting me in the Holiday spirit.  A month from now, the Christmas Tree will be up, and, well, I am excited about the holidays.  For $3.99, the Zarafa can't be beat for a good cheap mulling wine.  I wouldn't serve it as a wine with dinner though...

Zafara Pinotage $3.99 **

Some people have BithDAYs, I have a BirthWEEK, and what an amazing week it has been. (Kerry, it started with your surprise during dessert on Tuesday (most memorable birthday moment in recent memory - details TBA)) So, yesterday may have been the official "day" but today we are celebrating with a nice, quiet lunch.

It is beautiful weather and the roses are in bloom. The steaks are marinading and the grill stands at the ready. Today we'll start with the Zafara Pinotage and then finish with Laurent-Perrier my favorite champagne.

Menu
Crab and Avocado Salad
Grilled Corn on the Cob
Grilled Skirt Steak
John & Aurora Ferreria's Portuguese Verde Sauce

And a Dessert Course
Fresh Fruit
Brie and Raspberries
and I have requested that my Birthday Cake be Croquembouche

I'll let you know the results later today. Now I am off to primp and set up my mise en place.

Ok the wine - first sip - not bad, but it is a threatening wine, it seems fragile like it is just has moments to drink and then it may turn. This wine took a long trip from South Africa to it's consumption in my garden in NYC. I bet that if you drank it at the vineyard after being in a stable environment, it would be a great wine. More after lunch.

Wow, the wine was good with the fattiness of the avocado & crab, not so good with the verde sauce. Two star wine, five star afternoon.