#FLXWineDineDistill Part Two: Dinner #SLWT #WBC15

As a part of #WBC15, I was on an excursions to experience the wine and food of New York State's Finger Lakes.  The evening was an alchemy of senses, the perfect blend of four Seneca Lake vineyards, chef Scott Signori and his staff from #Stonecatcafe showcasing local food and the red wines of Seneca Lake.

Known as a region famous for its white wines, we were going off script - and experienced a rich, fragrant, and flavorful marathon of 12 unique red wines from four Seneca Lake vineyards paired with a three course local menu. 

Dinner was at Damiani Wine Cellar overlooking Seneca Lake.  The setting sun set the stage for us to sip great wine, eat delicious local food and hear about making wine in the Finger Lakes. Throughout the evening, we tasted wines from Damiani Wine Cellars, Hector Wine Company, Standing Stone Vineyards and Ventosa Vineyards.

Our host was up first: In the mid-90's, Phil Davis and Lou Damiani hand planted their first vinifera on land that was to become Davis Vineyard and Damiani Vineyard in Hector, NY.  Phil is an engaging man, who told us of his history of the area, the wines and his philosophy on farming, and making wine.

After Phil welcomed us, we heard from Standing Stone Vineyard's Marti Macinski - I had met Marti earlier that week at #FLXWineWomen
and it was exciting to hear her speak more on the evolution of Standing Stone, it's white wine pedigree, planting reds, including Saperavi, and making ice wine.

Flight 1: (Rare Seneca Lake Wines)

Each of the four wines served in this flight were rare and unique - not all are available to purchase.  These wines were a special start to dinner, paired with Leek & Lively Run Chèvre Tart with local greens and blueberry vinaigrette.  I also noted that we were being served dinner on MacKenzie Childs plates - a whimsical - yet heirloom quality local company that holds a special place in my heart.

chèvre

chèvre

Damiani's Pinot Noir Reserve `12 from the Davis Vineyard (Not yet listed for sale)- it was a fresh, fruity medium body wine that complimented the rich goat cheese. Did I taste a hint of truffles? Delicious.

Hector Wine Company Merlot `13  (sold out) - Merlot from Hector is a rare commodity - for this single varietal bottle to happen grapes are hand picked from a steep slope overlooking the lake on only on the years when the weather and yield cooperate. Conditions have to be perfect for this elegant, classic wine to be made.

 Standing Stone Vineyard's Petit Verdot `13 was an eye opener.  A single varietal that I had not yet seen in the Finger Lakes. With spice and elegance, I'd grab a bottle or two of this in a second if I could.

Wrapping up this flight was Ventosa Vineyards Pinot Noir`12 What a difference a lake makes!  Ventosa is on the west side of Seneca Lake, and  there is a cordial east/west rivalry between the shores - almost a left bank/left bank division of subtle taste differences. This isn't France - this is Finger Lakes, New World, classic style, innovative and delicious (without having to learn a new language to decipher the label).  This Pinot is a classic, that is easy to drink and really highlighted the blueberries in the blueberry vinaigrette.

Flight Two
This was when it really sunk in that we were going to be tasting 12 wines with dinner.  The rarity of our first flight led to the diversity of our second flight.  Two single varietals, and two blends that showed that New York is producing wine that is world class. 

Our main course was served, a plate of Stonecat's "Cult Classic" Slow Smoked Pork BBQ with cornbread, honey butter, fresh dill coleslaw and black & black posole.


Damiani Wine Cellar's Cabernet Franc `12 (sold out) Cabernet Franc is one of my favorite varietals, and this is a classic representation.  The rich smokiness paired perfectly with the pork, and a bit of the honey buttered cornbread with a sip of this wine was just MAGIC in my mouth.

Hector Wine Company Essence `13 this Bordeaux style blend of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Cabernet Franc and 33% Merlot proves my point that french style red blends can translate into the new world.  This wine is well balanced, and held it's own against the dill and "vegginess" of the coleslaw.

Standing Stone Vineyards Saperavi `13 (sold out) I had never heard of Saperavi before. It is a ancient Georgian grape that now is thriving at Standing Stone.  I love it when vineyard owners do their research and bring us dark rich wine with many layers of flavor. This wine paired very well with the pork BBQ, but I can only imagine how it would pair with a juicy grilled steak - or classic Sausage and peppers - the whole time Marti was talking about this wine, I was designing menus around it.


Ventosa Vineyards Saggio-x This Italian style red blend (43% Cab Sauv, 26% Cab Franc, 22% Merlot & 9% Syrah) is Ventosa Vineyard's signature wine. It is smooth, easy to drink and at 13.5% ETOH it's a great way to elevate a special evening dinner - or even a tailgate for a big game.

Flight Three
By now, there is some palate fatigue. My tasting notes had been sloshed on, and I seemed to love EVERYONE in the room. Which was a sign that any semi-professional attempt at reviewing was out the window, and this became the most amazing Finger Lakes dinner party that I had ever been to. Good thing that the sun was setting, and dessert was being served. Dark Chocolate hazelnut torte infused with Finger Lakes Distilling Cassis Liquor and drizzled with a spiced Blueberry sauce - served on slate from a local waterfall. Rich, delicious and inventive.

Channing Daughters Mudd `06 $40.00

Wine and Food: The anatomy of a pairing

Planning a meal with a wine pairing shouldn't be daunting. Generally, unless you are a wino like me, you choose the food and then you choose the wine.  Pick out what you are hankering for or in the case of the Test Kitchen, add some variety to the menu. (I really shouldn't make chicken EVERY weekend)

Choose a wine that will enhance the meal, either a varietal/blend that you already like or try something new. The internet is full of wine advice (just searching "lamb,wine" will get you over 50,000,000 results) or just ask at your local wine shop.

I like wine shops, usually the staff are friendly and they like wine.  Let them know what you're cooking, what your budget is and what you like: red or white? dry or sweet? That's all a professional needs be able to recommend a wine, and before you know it, you'll have a wine guy/gal and they'll have a happy customer. (Never be afraid to set a budget. I've ranted for years about when I was timid and let a man sell me two $21.00 bottles of wine for making sangria, I refuse to go back to the shop, and it's been over six years  and 400 bottles since the infamous sangria ripoff.)

Last weekend, I proposed Shepherd's Pie with lamb.  My thought process was that it is a very cold, snowy February, I haven't cooked lamb in a while, the leftovers will reheat well and I have a baking dish from the `60's that I love to use.

When I thought of lamb, I thought Merlot and when I thought about what I had in the wine rack, I picked a bottle of `06 Mudd, a juicy and complex, predominantly Merlot red blend from Channing Daughters in Bridgehampton. A win/win pairing in my book.

I first discovered Channing Daughter's Mudd at a Winery Library Tasting.  If you are lucky enough to live near a vineyard, it's a great opportunity to check out the tasting room, try wines by the glass and decide on what you like. If you don't live near any vineyards, a lot of Wine Shops have tastings too,  but remember, wine and food work together, they bring out the best in each other.  To quote my favorite romantic winemaker Robin Pfeiffer "Wine and food want to be married". After one class with Robin and his wife Danuta, I became a romantic convert. There have been quite a few wines that I have sipped and thought "meh", but then I've had them with a good meal, and my socks have been blown off. (or my buttons undone... it all depends on how much wine)

The `06 Mudd in my wine rack hadn't traveled very far since it was bottled.  Channing Daughter's Mudd Red Blend was grown, hand picked, stomped, aged, blended and bottled less than 30 miles away from the Test Kitchen. The only thing I needed to do was buy groceries.

A lot has been written about buying fresh from the farm and seasonal, but I'm writing this in the dead of winter, the streets are piled high with salt & pepper snow and the trees are glazed in ice. For the next couple of months, I'll be buying my ingredients at the grocery store.  En route to the Test Kitchen, I stopped at Fairway Market in Douglaston, Queens to shop. 
 
I'm a Kitchen Witch -  it's magical for me to plan, shop for and cook a meal.  Choosing the wine is like putting final piece of the puzzle in place - when you add the wine, you reveal the finished picture.

(Yes, I am about to compare the tastes of a meal with art, simply because poetry and eating is sooo 18th Century)

CC Pollock ONE  Wikipedia

Sometimes I get the pairing wrong, and for me, the meal ends up like a Jackson Pollock painting, intense pieces that cause confusion on my palate, but if you concentrate, you can appreciate the work and the subtleties- you just have to dig a lot deeper to appreciate it.
(Please Pollock fans, no e-mail, art is SUBJECTIVE)

CC Turner The Fighting Temeraire Wikipedia

Sometimes I get it right, and a meal can be like a J.M.W. Turner sunset - harmonious with the surrounding ships balanced by the intense focus of the light as it colors the scene. (In my mind, the wine is the light)

Using too much tarragon made
my beet salad
a bit like a Pollock. oops

Reality check: the meal I'm writing about wasn't a Pollock or a Turner, it was a simple hearty meal that was enhanced by Channing Daughter's `06 Mudd - a red blend rich with layers of Merlot, Syrah, Dornfelder, Cabernet Franc and Blaufrankisch. At 12% ETOH, it is well balanced, complimentary to the fattiness of the lamb and the subtle seasoning of rosemary & garlic.

You can't buy the `06, `07 or `08  Mudd anymore, they are all sold out.  It's a small batch wine.  The `08 was only 141 cases and 54 magnums - that's just 1800 bottles (2700 liters or 713 gallons for those non euro types) - The wine can't be bought at the Vineyard, it could be tucked away in cellars, a few bottles may be in restaurants or in wine shops or, like mine, it is already poured and enjoyed.  Mudd is a hand made limited number, which makes it an artisanal wine. Pick some up if you can find it and make yourself an ARTisanal meal (hah! get it? I finally tied in my musings on Turner and Pollock with pairing food and wine)

The upshot on all my musings?  Life is too short not to enjoy every moment.

Menu:
Roasted Beet Salad with goat cheese and candied walnuts on a bed of Mache
Shepherd's Pie
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (I'm a long time fan of bread in a can!)

For dessert, I got to play with fire! (I may be a bit of a pyromaniac...)
I made my very first Crème brûlée.

Dinner at God's Mountain Estate #JoyRoadCatering

Once upon a time, I had romantic dreams of what my life would be like.  Dreams of amazing evenings with friends and strangers whose stories, by morning would add to the tapestry of my life.

Dreams came true at the God's Mountain Estate Sunday Vineyard Dinner, overlooking the mountains and Skaha Lake at sunset, drinking amazing wine, eating delicious, inventive food, and listening to stories filled with intrigue (someone meeting their secret sister for the first time), and laughter (You're from New York?  We're from New York - what train?  - and the conversation went on...) Now, a month later, I pinch myself.  "Did this really happen?" Well, according to the photographs, yes it did.  I am a very lucky woman.

We were in Penticton, British Columbia for our Annual Wine Bloggers Conference, and my friend Valerie (check out her Wine Dog Review) had found this Vineyard Dinner as part of her post conference trip.  I quickly invited myself along to Joy Road Cuisine du Terrior's Alfresco Vineyard Dinner.

When the taxi picked us up at our hotel, we were in pioneering cowboy country, and when it dropped us off a few miles down the road, we stood looking at a huge, Mediterranean manse with an outdoor kitchen and blue striped chaise lounges by the swimming pool.

We had been magically transported to a British Ex-pat's Costa del Sol villa for Sunday Supper, catered by Joy Road, disciples of the venerable Alice Waters, overlooking the vines that grew the grapes for the Riesling that we would be drinking, under the shade of the lucky trees that get to witness this magical convergence weekly during the summer. All this just a few hours east of Vancouver on Canada's west coast.

I should preface what I write about this, knowing that you can't buy any of this Canadian wine in the United States.  There are strict import/export laws, this makes the Oliver/Okanagan region of Canada a hotspot for wine tourism.

It started with bubbly - Blue Mountain Brut.  A crisp, traditional bubbly with strong lemon overtones - I popped a field strawberry in my glass and enjoyed the view as we chatted about Sarah, our elegant proprietress with dancing eyes, and a passion for dogs, and other beautiful eclectic things.  It is no secret that I want to be Sarah when I grow up.

Dana Ewert from Joy Road led us through the evening, and started with a sublime passage from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters, beginning with “Let things taste of what they are....” and then the meal started.

Roasted Spanish style olives, home made bread and a long boards of Cameron Smith's charcuterie, quince paste and mousse de foie. The wine and the conversation flowed in between oohs and ahhs of "taste this" and passing bread, pouring olive oil and and maybe just a little hoarding of the mousse de foie.

(I'm not necessarily blaming the wonderful man from Scotland, but he certainly was an enthusiast!) There was plenty of food to go around, it was just so delicious, we became proprietary!

Then came the home grown Wild Goose Gods' Mountain Riesling, paired with asparagus, and olive oil confit steelhead. As each course was set I was reminded that this moment was very special.  A dream fulfillment really.  These moments are rare in life, but need to be celebrated.  Just writing abut that evening allows me to relive it - did I mention how lucky I am?

I was surprised,because I had already had the chance to have some amazing wine,  the next wine poured was the most amazing wine that I had during my Canada trip. Pentage Hiatus, a Bordeaux blend of 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 29% Cabernet Franc.  WOW. I'll admit it.  My glass was perpetually full, and  I was depressed that I was leaving the next morning at 3am, so I could not swing by their tasting room to buy some contraband bottles to pack in my checked luggage.

Pentage is the vineyard next door, and their wine is estate bottled. When I asked one of the women who works for Joy Road about the Pentage, she smiled... they are friends.  The Okanagan is a small world, and Pentage is owned and run by Paul Gardner & Julie Rennie.  Visiting them is the strongest pull for my return visit.

Our vegetables were radishes, kohlrabi and baby turnips with rhubarb butter and baby chives, and there was a side of Swiss chard with pickled currents.

Our salad was a delicious blend of local greens, and there was a spring pea risotto that elevated the meal, and then, Joy Road cooks  brought out plates of braised green garlic shots with olive oil bread crumbs, lemon and anchovies.  My question to Valerie was "could this get any better?"

The main protein was a ham roasted in organic hay.  This was my first exposure to hay roasting - I grew up in the country, and the smell of newly cut hay is still a trigger memory for me.  Having that happy childhood scent memory entwined with this delicious meal was a part of the alchemy that made this a magical evening.   You really could taste the subtle flavor, it was sublime, and paired perfectly with the chocolatey undertones of the Pentage Hiatus.

Dessert was fresh picked strawberries with wild rose vanilla bean & honey cream meringues with a special hint of ginger added for Sarah (I am now a convert to ginger meringues, and I will be trying to recreate these at home)

There was a tisane of fresh chocolate mint, literally just picked from the garden, washed and put in a tea pot, with boiling water poured over it.  As I sipped, I wanted to have a mint garden to make this tea whenever I wanted it. Then it came to an end; as the sun set on our beautiful evening, our taxi arrived.

Throughout the night, I envied Sarah's dogs.  The were loved by all, and their lives consist of being companions and frolicking in the vineyard, above all, they lived at God's Mountain. No taxi would be bringing them back to the hotel - I guess that is the ultimate sign of a perfect evening...  I didn't want to leave.

Quatro ??? $17.00 Live Blog Red #WBC12

A four grape variety Portuguese wine, Blanche our pourer was very nice, but I have no idea what the name of this wine is.  It is a good burger wine.  I think that I can fix this post after the live blogging when I add the picture, but for Twitter, this is all you will get...  It is a dark fruity wine kind of like a Tempranillo with a light touch.

Tarara Winery CasaNoVA `08 $45.00 WBC11

From the Commonwealth Collection

This is Tarara Winery's power wine. With so much fruit packed in the bottle, then aged in new Virginia oak, this bottle with change over the years.  I expect that it will mature gracefully and carry with it all of the complex dried fruit flavor and tannic structure that define a Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend. We drank it fairly young, and it packed a whollop. This is the wine that the big boys drink with a steak and a cigar. The chocolate undertones are there, and the oakiness just screams for a fatty piece of steak.

(53% Merlot, 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot, 7% Cabernet Franc) 14% ETOH

I also wrote about this wine at the WBC Liveblogging Session: Red
 
This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

Tarara Winery TerraNoVA `08 $45.00 WBC11

From The Commonwealth Collection
This wine was developed to showcase the terroir of Loudoun County.  During the tasting, I noted the full flavor, the berry smell with an overtone of eucalyptus and the tannins - they packed a punch.  But there was plenty of local ham to enjoy with this wine and it tamed the tannins. The local land is lush and fertile farmland - land with promise and history.  In this case, Tarara hit the mark spot on.

A bottle of  TerraNoVA  was gifted to each of us and I will do a proper review when we have it with dinner one night. I think that this bottle will age well, and it will be a great reminder of Tarara and all of the work and pride that went into making it.

(79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Petit Verdot, 10% Tannat) 14% ETOH  

This is my tasting review from the WBC2011 Pre-Conference Tour of Loudoun County, VA Wineries and Vineyards. Tarara Tour Post

R Collection by Raymond, Lot #7 Field Blend `08 $17.99 (Not TJ's) $$

First sip "Wow, S come try this!".  Second sip, my mouth was watering, "JPH, is dinner ready yet?!?";  it does have an intense fruit taste  - I got the blueberry notes for the first time, there was a taste of pepper. I was excited, this wine may be a find!  Third sip "mmmm, now for the Vinturi."

After the Vinturi: Shudder.  My mouth was like a cotton ball had been shoved in it, and my brain could not register that this was from the same bottle of wine. What had just happened?!? The same happened after it was unaerated the next day.  It became a tannic hodgepodge of rough flavors.

Raymond is a savvy businessman (ok, there is no Raymond, it is the name of the original owners of one of the estates).  The bottle says that they use the age old system of interplanting a variety of grapes on their California property, so the grapes are mixed when they are harvested.  "Really?" I ask, because when they list their acreage on the website, all of the fields are described as varietal specific, I wonder, where is this mysterious field of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel (the five primary grapes in this blend of seven)??? 

I say this because this wine, to me, was like a pretty good fake Chanel bag. Looks classy, is smooth, feels good and you could easily pull it off for one event, but pretty soon, the facade will fade and you'll be left with tatters.

The best way to serve this wine to get full impact of the flavor, price and marketing is: Have a few friends over and pour it quick.  Enjoy that first glass, and then move on to another bottle of wine for dinner. It is wholly enjoyable if it does not have time to "open up", because I'll tell you, aerating this wine is like opening Pandora's Box.

Menu:

Roast Chicken

Roasted Root Vegetables

And, since Fall is my favorite season, I'll leave you with the beauty of the compost bucket.  In what other season can we simply toss such beautiful vibrant colors on a pile and wait for them to break down into nutrients to be used again???  To me, Spring is the season of mud; Summer is the season of brightness and sunshine; Winter is the season of darkness and Fall is when the sunshine and trees are golden and nature shows her true colors. 

(Take THAT Monet!)

Carpineto Dogajolo `08, (IGT) $13.99 (Not TJ's) 2nd Review***

When I saw this wine in the wine rack, I thought to myself... "hey, I have reviewed this before!"  Of course it was wine that I had (maybe a bit too much of and played table football...) at a restaurant on the Upper East Side, but it really went well with the meal then.  How would it fare for a Sunday lunch??? Today, I found out.

JPH laid out a spread of smoked chicken, sausage, pate, cheese and fresh bread. After some discussion about the picture - MEH took the first pics, and they were the best (hers in the one on the left - I'll post mine below), I took my first sip.  This Carpineto Dogajolo "Baby Super Tuscan" (13% ETOH)  has Sangiovese (80%) as the predominant taste, strong, fruity, kind of oaky but the finish was definitely Cabernet Sauvignon (20%) making it mellow and long.

We broke bread and munched away at a picnic spread of cold meats, subtle cheeses and bread from the oven. It was a good inexpensive dry red table wine that cut through the rich cheeses:  Bucheron, a goat cheese from the Loire that is MEH's favorite & Queso Manchego, a Spanish sheep's milk cheese that has firmer, riper, buttery flavor.

After the Vinturi:  Yes, it would do you well to aerate this wine.  It not only opens it up, but it evens out the taste, making it a consistent mild acid cherry taste of the Sangiovese with the deep dryer taste of the Cabernet. It is interesting how they make this wine.  The grapes are picked, and then fermented separately  - due to different timing in the fermentation for each varietal and then they blend the wine for a fermentation in oak barrels.  On first sip, the wine has light tannins, but after the Vinturi, it has a much longer finish.

An Italian "Super Tuscan" wine, American smoked chicken breast, French sausage, pate and cheese, along with some Spanish cheese made for an international party of flavors on a beautiful Fall afternoon. There were New York Honey Crisp Apples for Dessert - but I opted for the chocolate meringues that JPH made on Saturday... (Have I mentioned how spoiled I am since I have been staying here?  Expect some very depressed posts when I move to a place of my own.)

Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superieur `05 $19.99 (not TJ's) ***(*)

Thomas Jefferson had his claret, I have my Cabernet Franc blends.  (the only other things president TJ and I have in common is our hair color and our financial acumen)

This is a great versatile wine.  30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% Cabernet Franc makes this a very easy to drink table red that is mild, slightly fruity and has a finish that works with almost any savory meal with a hint of complexity. I really do think that this wine is made so versatile by the 50%Cabernet Franc that lightens the Sauvignon and the Merlot.  You still have a nice wine, but it just mellows the depth and density of the Merlot and the Cab Sauvignon, yet you are still drinking a distinct red wine hence my reference to Claret, an archaic word that evokes in my mind - just what we drank tonight.

After a run through the Vinturi: It has more of a finish and is a bit more cutting, but really, I'd rather just pour it straight from the bottle and swirl it a bit in my glass as I slowly drink it in between bites of a delicious, filling dinner.

Let me put that into a real scenario:  Dinner of leftover Anatolian loin of pork (my favorite roast pork - with butter, cinnamon, thyme and rosemary) re-purposed in a light veloute; White beans and garlic cooked in a beef stock and a sauteed ratatouille with just a hint of crushed red pepper flakes.  Now, THAT is a meal of delicious and complex flavors (and there may have been some fried potatoes with truffled butter...) - the quandary... what to serve with this delicious amalgam of tastes?  Well, nothing so heavy that the cinnamon would be overlooked.  Nothing so acidic that the subtle flavors of the beans with a hint of garlic could be lost, and well, the red pepper highlights of the ratatoullie, well, what wine to serve???

The answer came from the wine-rack.  JPH pulled out this Bordeaux, and a delicious meal was born.  The wine simply highlighted it and made every bit just a bit yummier. Do you think I am waxing on a bit too much? Well, no, because tonight's dinner is a great example of what pairing is all about. (sorry that I am not very good at photo composition)

The Chateau de Macard is a solid all around wine.  But, I wouldn't serve it with a fatty steak. This is a good, safe wine for any type of roast chicken dish, or something that just won't overpower it. That is what a good glass of Claret is for, wouldn't you say Mr. President?  (ok, so maybe we have been watching the John Adams HBO miniseries on DVD, and maybe, just maybe I have had a few glasses of wine before I wrote this, well, the fact is, it's my blog, and I am standing by it - I reserve the right to correct typos in the morning!)

Ménage à Trois Red `08 $10.00 (Not TJ's) ***(*)

Of course I have a lot of fun with the name of this wine - after all, wine is fun! Would you expect anything else? This wine is produced by a winery called Folie à Deux in California - I've had their whites, they are good too.  The discovery tonight was that this is a really delightful pour and it is also a bit of a chameleon.  I am not usually fond of blends, BUT this is a nice blend of Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel. 

First pour:  Yummy.  Light and fruity with a long finish.  Fresh currant and raspberry, with a Cabernet Sauvignon slightly oaky finish.  WOW! A great wine for food. JPH helped me style this first picture.  What a beautiful purple wine.  There had been a breakfast pie baked earlier in the afternoon, and I wanted to show off JPH's handiwork (6:30am coffee is only made better by the promise of pie!).

After the vinturi: WOW - it opened up the wine so that it was light and deliciously fruity - the depth of the finish was gone, but it became sooo easy to drink. Of course as I was nibblish, a plate of goldfish made it to the table, and now I can say that this red goes really well with goldfish crackers!  This red changed dramatically after the vinturi, but BOTH ways, it is extremely palatable. It is also interesting that this wine is blended AFTER fermentation - the flavors don't meld until they are bottled - maybe that is why it is so distinctively layered (any why aeration blends the flavors so completely).


Then the deluge began.  I wish I had taken pictures of the torrential rain that was soaking the lawn and flooding the roads. Wow, it was raining, and I was safe and dry in the kitchen with really good glass of wine in my hand.  It was all good.


The rain slowed down and S went out to inspect the new plantings, then came back in muddied, but satisfied that they had survived and were enjoying a much needed watering.  I went to check on the dog  - she is an octogenarian and does not like thunderstorms - I found her blocking the door and shaking. That was when the lights started to flicker, and the adventure began.  By the time I asked about the power going out, it was out. Supplies were rounded up, candles were lit, plans were canceled and we all settled in for a beautiful Thursday night dinner - of course, I still had to cook it - thank goodness for gas stoves!!! It was my turn - and let's face it I'll trade cooking risotto for a fresh baked pie any day!!

It was late afternoon, but the storm  made it look like nighttime.  I poured another glass of wine, started making my notes by candlelight, JPH opened a beer, S checked on the garden again for storm damage and MEH provided the play list (iBook/iTunes) to set the ambiance. We played with shadows and flashlights. All of a sudden, a small dragon looked ominous.

We had Risotto by candlelight.  Poor traumatized Nell had a dinner of marrow bones, chicken and kibble. We sat around the table enjoying our meal, talking about the wine (there was mention of stocking up on it) and a good time was had by all.

This is a longer than usual review, because we happened to open this bottle on an eventful evening. What was originally going to be a simple dinner of Risotto with bone marrow and porcini mushrooms from Aosta, ended up being an intimate dinner in the dark of a power outage after a deluge of rain and NYC being forced to a grinding halt by tornadoes and thunderstorms. One person died in the storm and millions of dollars of damage was done.  Train lines were stopped and people were stranded in the city. We counted our blessings when the power came back on a few hours later and we saw the news.  We were safe, dry & well fed; and I get to review a very nice bottle of wine named Ménage à Trois.

Tait Ball Buster `08 (not TJ's) $17.99 ***(*)

I'm going to rave about this wine, because it is a total contradiction and I love contradictions - hence the (*) to four star. This blend of 76% Shiraz, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 12% Merlot is incredibly sophisticated.  When I say sophisticated, this wine makes you think.  First sip, whew, rough.  A strong taste of dried fruit, soft tannins, and well, my tongue needed a break - for a second or two.  Of course we opened it as dinner was being cooked, so I was tasting it alone.  Then, on my second sip, the complexity hit me.  It had the taste of dried fruit (blueberry, cherry) with some earthy undertones and then the tannins, which were oak(y) but disappeared quickly. See, sophisticated - like getting a great electronic present and then realizing you have to read the owners manual to really be able to use it.  This wine forces you to stop and think about it and then once your head is wrapped around it, it is totally enjoyable.

The contradiction?  It is called Ball Buster (hee hee - my inner child is stuck at 9) and it is from Southern Australia. This wine is also a screw top. The screw top is a great economiser, which can recoup some of the expenses in producing this blend. Tait Wines have a craftsman/artisinal view to their products.  I appreciate that, and I appreciate their "Ball Buster" humor. A very good wine, but plan appropriately when drinking it. I expected plonk, and what I was served was an enjoyable education in a glass.

After decanting with the Soireee, the Ball Buster became smoother and more velvety.  There were some spice notes that jumped out after decanting (ed. thanks to the comment below cloves + nutmeg), I would say go ahead and decant this before drinking.  It definitely opens up the wine.  I will also be demoing a new aerator in the next two weeks.... it looks like there may be a better one out there than the Vinturi (my current champion).

Now for the menu.  I was a guest on a beautiful Saturday evening. Miranda styled the pictures as her parents cooked in the kitchen, I drank and wielded my new (to me) Nikon. I took the picture above, and then out came the Head Cheese.  There is a story behind head cheese, part of our dinner table conversation over the past month has been the making of head cheese after butchering a pig (all things that I experienced in my childhood in rural Maine).  So, SMF bought some head cheese at Karl Ehmer's, and I am proud to say that for the first time in my life, I have eaten head cheese (really just ham is aspic - not like the stuff of my childhood nightmares).  The wine went well with the Head Cheese.

We then moved inside for a dinner of:

"Herb Garden Pasta" - Fresh Basil, Parsley (picked from the patio as we were tasting the head cheese), tossed in pasta with a chopped tapenade of capers, anchovies, olives, olive oil and tomatoes.  It was an amazing pasta with strong but not overwhelming flavor.  It paired really well with the Ball Buster.

Mouthwatering fresh corn on the cob from Rottkamp Brother's Farm (I will be doing a post about this farm-stand in the near future - it is amazing!), fresh bread and perfectly grilled steak. The wine in the crystal glass on the left is Muldersbosch Rose. For dessert, we demolished an Apple Tart from Leonetti's, and there may have been Limoncello involved!

You can see from the (not so great) picture on the left that we left the Soiree in situ.  I still think that it is the most awkward of aerators that I have tried, but it did the trick as it was all we had.  (Although, I do think that a classic decanter could be found, I am still enamored with toys...)