Tapena Garnacha`10 $10.00 Live Blog Red #WBC12

@Tapenawine  Spain. Garnacha. Ten Bucks. The name and price say it all.  ETOH 13% Pena means friend, and tapas is small plates.  Have a bunch of friends over, mix up a lot of food, dig in, kick back drink a few bottles while you eat, talk and dream about the future.  40,000 cases were made.

Shaya Verdejo DO `09 $14.99 ***

Tart is good.  Tart and crisp is yummy.  Tart, crisp with a lingering finish?  You have this 100% Spanish Verdejo, 13.5% ETOH. Minerality with a long grapefruit finish. Which is really strange because their tasting notes say crisp tart apple. hmm, I guess I just disagree on the flavors. It is flavorful, smooth and delicious.

I like it as a stand alone sipping wine (I am sipping as I type this) and also as a foil for heavier meats.  (we had it with leftover Superbowl BBQ, and it worked!)  But I imagine this with a thick slab of rich salmon or even a spicy seared tuna.

Either way, it is a good wine. A slug of flavor with each mouthful, a slowly dissolving citrus finish and a side of the tongue tingling minerality.  A really nice combination.

I am really liking the white wines from Spain's Roueda region. The full Spanish name for this wine is:Bodegas Y Vinedos Shaya Rueda Old Vines.  When they say old vines, they mean between 75 and 112 years old.  For $14.99, it is a great value.

Bodegas LAN Rioja Crianza `06 $10.99 ***

Comfort food and comfort wine.  That was our evening. I've written a lot about my beloved Tempranillo.  This wine is complex, fruity, brooding and well balanced.  It is a mouthful of flavor, and it is better off balanced with food...fatty food.  JPH knocked it out of the park with home made burgers, stewed onion & peppers, roasted cherry tomatoes and pan fried potatoes.  S. sat down at the table and exclaimed "Comfort Food".

Now for the wine.  This is a rustic wine.  Textured, a lot like the unseasonal (57 degrees outside in January?  Really??) grilled hamburgers that we had .  Juicy, but with a hint of char and full of flavor.  I made a comment about "chewing on a mouth full" of this wine, and I stand by it. Flavor and balance all in one bottle, and for $10.99 - we've had a few of these bottles so far this winter, and it really is a great find.

From Bodgeas LAN 100% Tempranillo, 13.5% ETOH. Rioja is an amazing wine region producing some really nice, inexpensive wines. Thank you.

And as an added bonus, their back label actually teaches us something.  I love the graph telling you when the wine is at its peak.  This may be my favorite label of the year (so far)

Mosen Cleto Crianza DO `06 ** $17.99

I really wanted to like this wine.  It was a recommendation from the expensive wine shop in Locust Valley.  But, from the moment JPH presented it, there was a sense of doubt looming.  The bottle was off putting; both S. and I tried to clean it. In a marketing gimmick, Mosen Cleto, the Spanish producer coats the bottles with glue & sand then calls it  "Well Cellared" (we just thought it was dirty).  Gimmicking the bottle harkens back to Chianti in bulbous wicker from my childhood.  Good for ambiance (burning rainbow candles in...) but for drinking? Shudder.

When it was uncorked, the cork smelled really fruity. It does smell great - dark Cherry with a subtle hint of vanilla and leather.  It was a beautiful swirl in the glass, with just the slightest pink tinge in the edge.  The first sip was so full of unsweetened stewed fruit flavor that I thought I had been punched in the mouth by an Australian Shiraz.  Really, I was wondering how it would taste with clotted cream, a fresh biscuit and some sugar... if it were thicker, I'd spread it for breakfast.

It is full of flavor with a long finish. 75% Garnacha and 25% Tempranillo, the undertones of leather and smoke give the wine a heaviness, and as an `06 Crianza, I wonder if we were a couple of years too late. Produced by the Spanish giant Bodegas Aragonesas, I wonder if we should try a younger bottle.  But at $17.99, it simply isn't worth the experiment.

S. made Brisket and Mashed potatoes, good hearty food to go with a hearty wine, but I think that this wine might just be too hearty for me.

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. 

Bodegas Ramirez Rioja Reserva Ramirez de la Piscina `04 D.O.C $19.99 **** #riojabuzz

I have a well documented love for Tempranillo, and over the years I have acquired a taste for Spain - especially the Rioja Region - this wine is a great ambassador for the country and region.

From the Ramírez de la Piscina Family Bodgea in heart of La Rioja Alta, this Rioja Reserva is a smooth, full bodied tempranillo that is easy to drink and very refined. To compare it with other more rustic Tempranillos, I'd say the subtle chocolate and leather undertones and great balance make it more like a bull fighter than a bar fighter. Elegant and at 13% ETOH, it is restrained, which accounts for a lot - after we polished this off, no headache the next morning.

We had it with pan roasted chicken with mushrooms, home-grown garlic, mushroom & pancetta pasta and sauteed spinach. 
Here is the garlic, straight from TGH's mini farm in Locust Valley: 

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".

Javier Sanz Villa Narcisa Verdejo `09 D.O. $17.99 (Not TJ's) ****

I was conflicted today.  I knew that we were having leftover risotto as a main for dinner, but I had no clue as to what we would have for sides. JPH came through by choosing mushrooms & fennel, both to be sauteed separately.  Then it came time to choose the wine...  He and S. had been to Marquis Wines and Spirits to stock up the wine rack last month and this Verdejo was right there -  with its green labels and neon green plastic cork, it was screaming to be picked from the rack.  (Ok, we didn't know that the cork was neon green until JPH unwrapped the foil, but a neon green plastic cork was a first for us...)  JPH grabbed the bottle from the rack and I quickly splashed it down, sleeved it and threw it in the freezer for a quick chill.

First sip:  This is a complex Spanish white wine.  What do I mean by complex?  When you first sip it, it has an acidic bite, JPH noted that it would be really good with Spanish Olives - WOW, would it ever.  But then, in the middle, you get an exotic fruitiness, I would go so far as to say mango, and then boom, the sweet finish that leaves you wanting more. Javier Sanz @ Villa Narcisa, well done.  You make a great white wine. By the third glass, it was just as complex and very easy to drink.

100% Verdejo, a Spanish grape that originated in North Africa, and had been used in a heavier way (historically in Sherry), suddenly, in the 20th Century became a lovely, crisp, complex white wine that has no oak.  (always a hit in my books)  Awarded a DO for being up to national standards in Rueda, Spain, this wine is an excellent ambassador. We'll have it again. 

Dinner Menu: (it was a GREAT leftovers night!)
Marcella's Sauasage Risotto
Marcella's Braised Fennel (yikes, I just saw in their picture @ Pomodori e Vino that I was supposed to caramelize it... oops, it was yummie anyway!)
Sauteed Mushrooms

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...

Almez Tempranillo `09 (Not TJ's) $7.99 **(*)

This is an interesting tempranillo.  It is juicy/fruity and earthy at the same time with a distinct oakiness that gives it depth and dryness. This is a wine that reminds me of Spring.  There is a light wateriness on the first sip, but as it flows through your mouth, it has an earthy, puckering finish that is bursting. Bright and Brooding - to use industry words.

After aeration with the nuance:  It seemed smoother, but it lost some of the complexity that made it interesting.  This is a solid, complex red wine that says it is Tempranillo, but I feel like there is a blend in there, maybe Merlot.

We had this with JPH's riff on Marcella Hazan's rolled Chicken Breast with parsley, garlic and pancetta; gnocchi with a nutmeg cream Parmesan sauce and fresh asparagus baked with butter and Parmesan.

We've had and liked the Almez Garnacha (I can't wait to make Sangria with it) I think that the Tempranillo is a good addition to the wine rack for nights when you want an interesting Spanish wine.

One morning last month, I looked out the window, and there s/he was.

A single swan,
swimming in the lower pond. 

I was smitten,
and then
I went about feeding him 

(I have decided that 
he is a he 
until proven otherwise).  

S. observed that
he not only swims to me
when I go down by the water
 to feed him,
but he also wags his tail.

He is what I first look for
when I wake up in the morning.

I'll even feed him before
I have had coffee.

He doesn't know it yet,
 but he is my pet swan.

 

La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva Tinto `03 (not TJ's) $44.00/$20.00 ****

My 200th Post!  So much has changed in my life since the Christmas Eve when I sat in my dialysis chair and wrote my first review. It s fitting that I started with a Tempranillo. I didn't even know what it was, let alone that it would grow to be one of my favorite varietals.  It is fitting that my 200th be another Tempranillo - but this one was shared with friends, after all, isn't all the BEST wine the wine that you have with friends?

We had dinner in 1974 last night.  Magical, retro, classic Sardi's, an iconic Broadway restaurant that has endured... through the years of Oscar and Hammerstein, through the years of Shrek on Broadway, Sardi's still stands. (and the menu hasn't changed much either! - in a good way) 

S., K., & I sat at the bar while we waited for JPH and the rest of the party (we were 8).  We checked out coats with the coat check girl; then stepped over to the deceptively large Bar, where they serve shelled peanuts and Ritz Crackers with a cheddar spread to accompany your cocktail.  I knew that we were in for a great night when I spread that first glob of cheese product on to a perfect Ritz Cracker. The redjacketed, fresh faced bartender was knowledgeable and he made me my very first "Side Car"; I liked it.  Because my glass was empty well before her trendy pink Cosmopolitan, K. commented "Did that come with a straw?". S. perused the port selection, selected from one of the three bottles offered and sipped her glass as she caught up on the comings and goings of her sister in law. It was a the perfect way to wait for JPH and the ducklings to arrive.

Soon enough, there they were, chilled from the cold of a NYC winter. We were shown to our table. The room was packed with pre-theater crowd out on a Friday night, with caricatures of countless celebrities covering the cranberry walls. I've written before about my indecisiveness when it comes to restaurant wine lists, and I was very appreciative when JPH selected this `03 Tempranillo.

Our waiter doubled as a sommelier and commented on the lightness and versatility of this wine. He poured the first glass and mistakenly, it was mine.  JPH reassured him, "You were right, she's the wine blogger." I sipped. This was the lightest, most ethereal Tempranillo that I have ever had.  It had distinct layers.  The first sip was light, almost watery, and then there was a heaviness of flavor.  Berries and leather with a bit of a burn.  It was 1974. I was on Broadway at Sardi's.  I was half expecting a white staircase to open and a gaggle of showgirls and tuxedoed dancers to descend into the crowd, but instead, the theatrics were left for our dessert.

I sipped my La Rioja Alta Vina Alberdi Reserva Tinto as I nibbled on a roll with fresh butter. Then my starter of Corn Chowder arrived.  It was creamy and delicious.The wine was delicious and was perfect for the occasion and the meal. Interesting enough to drink alone, with a few bites of buttered roll, soft enough not to overcome the creaminess of the corn chowder, but substantial enough to hold up to the Mushroom and Pork that were my main course.

S. had the Sardi's Shrimp.  It was garlicky goodness.  JPH was the rebel in the group.  He started with a glass of the Reserva Tinto, and then when his Crab Cakes arrived, he switched to a delicious glass of  Sauvignon Blanc, I'll admit to sipping the Sauvignon Blanc and thinking that it was delicious and thoroughly enjoying it with the dollop of crab cake he placed on my bread plate. But, by then, the sidecar had kicked in and the two glasses of Tempranillo were fighting their way into my blood stream.  The reviewing was over and the sheer pleasure had begun.

We all had starter portions for meals.  I moved on to Cannelloni au Gratin - a combination of Beef and Pork with Porcini Mushrooms rolled in a French Crepe with Supreme Sauce.  It was good that I didn't have my transplant clinic visit for a few days, after this meal, I had a lot of dietary repenting to do.

We ate, we laughed, we played spot the celebrity picture on the wall.  (MEH sat under Mark Hamill... we had to explain that he was Luke Skywalker... for a moment, I felt old.)

By the time dessert came, we were all enjoying our trip to 1974.  Our meals were finished, the empty bottle had been taken away, and soon, our redjacketed career waiter came to our table with Baked Alaska.  A flaming desert fraught with drama, brandy some good old flames. JPH snuck in an amazingly sweet and pineappley glass of Pacific Rim "Vin de Glaciere" Riesling to end the evening with...but that is for my 201st review!

Here it is, our flaming dessert:

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

I love the idiom "Cheap & Cheerful". It makes me happy.  It makes me think of London. And on first sip, it is how I describe this wine.

Hello Almez Garnacha!  It is like a glass of juicy, unsweetened Raspberries with up front Tannins. It is dry and this wine is screaming to be made into a delicious Sangria! Really, it screamed.  Right in my ear. (ok, maybe not)

There is nothing complex about this wine.  It is a simple, straightforward, honest bottle of flavor with a kick. We had it with left over Elk Ribs repurposed into a tomato based pasta sauce and sauteed spinach. It added a fruity height to the rich meat in the dense Gemelli.  I wouldn't tout this as a winter wine, just because the freshness is a bit disconcerting after you have been drinking dark, full bodied wines all winter, BUT this wine is well worth the $7.99 investment.

We will be having it again.  JPH promised to lay in a few bottle so that in the summer, we can make it into sangria for suppers al fresco.  You can't help but dream about eating outside in warm summer evenings when the house is still blanketed with 18 inches of snow and ice.

This wine is from Spain, specifically, the North East in the Aragón, ancient birthplace of Catherine of Aragón, the surviving wife of Henry VIII. I am thinking that this old world region produces some hardy stock in their wine and in their women.  It is a Garnacha/Grenache varietal that is known for its straight forward flavor. I'll re-review this wine when we make Sangria over the Summer.  I have very high hopes! 

I'll leave you with someone who was also Cheap and Cheerful.  

The man who created Poor Richard, 

and had countless other cultural and historic political influences.  

He said it best when he said:

 "Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, 

with fewer tensions and more tolerance."

and he cautioned:

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing."

  --  Benjamin Franklin

Drinking Wine on Vacation Part II: Vino Volo Three courses/flights $69.00

I always add an hour or so to all of my afternoon/evening departing JFK flights. Not because I particularly like being overly early for flights or even hanging out in in American's Admirals Club, but because I like the wine bar Vino Volo. I discovered it a couple of years ago when I was flying to LA.  And now it is simply my "go to" airport restaurant.

I was en-route to London, my night flight had been canceled; there was a snowstorm raging outside and my fingers were crossed that I would be on the 6:45 pm flight.  I settled in for a 90 minute meal that included three flights of wine.

The menu is small and pairing specific. For my first course, I had the "Sparkling" flight and a small Brie & Prosciutto sandwich on cibatta with fig spread. With the wine comes a tasting sheet. The wines are available for purchase in the retail shop next door. (prices are Vino Volo Retail bottle/internet average)
 

"Celebration Sparklers" Flight $12.00

Juvé y Camps Reserva de la Familio Brut `05 (Not TJs) $25.99/$14.99 ***
Spanish Cava from Penedes:  Their tasting mat said white fruits and toasted bread.  hmm, I thought, fruity, dry and my notes said "tight".  It was very dry, and the finish was bright. It was my favorite of the three. (center in photo)

Loius Roederer Premire Brut NV  (Not TJ's) $53.00/$35.00**
Their tasting notes said Citrus and Ginger.  My thoughts: I liked the after burn of the ginger, the whole thought of a spicy champagne was new to me. It was the crispness that was good and I did taste a slight hint of butter in the finish.  But really, you are paying for the name Roederer, it is a designer old-school Champagne, and honestly, I just don't understand drinking these wines for anything other than the taste. (left in photo)

J Vineyards Cuvee 20 Brut NV (Not TJ's) $33.00/$29.99 *
Their tasting notes: Fiji Apple and Toast.  This was my least favorite.  It was very dry and slightly sour. There was a predominant taste of Fiji apple and grapefruit. But I got the toast note, and that was cool. his was also the richest tasting wine of the three.  I am thinking that it is the California Chardonnay that adds a butteriness, and the toast just is enhanced by the buttery note. It was the sour that put me off.  (right in photo)

Next, I had the "World Noirs" Flight, that I paired with half servings of Chickpea and Chorizo Chili and Pork Tacos.  I love their chickpea and chorizo chili; it is delicious. The Pork Tacos were moist and had a bit of spice  Both dishes were perfectly paired for these wines.  The menu may be small, but it works.

 "World of Noirs" Flight $16.00


Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvee `08 (Not TJ's) $39.00/$30.00 ***
This was my favorite, because it was interesting.  The Vino Volo Mat says "Red Cherry and Tea".  Well, blow my socks off, it does have a subtle taste of tea.  And it smells of it too.  And it is a bright wine, almost effervescent. I am a total sucker for an interesting wine. (center in photo)

ZD Wines Cameros `07 (Not TJ's) $45.00/$33.00 ***
This is a beautiful, full smooth wine.  The tasting notes say "Raspberry and Cedar" and they are spot on. It really is gorgeous and priced as such.  This is a fantastic wine to bring as a hostess gift for a meal, or to pull out when you are cooking to impress.  It doesn't have the haughtiness of a Cabernet, but it does have a flavorful, fruity and juicy taste, with a nice grounding of cedar on the finish. I'm not giving it four stars, simply because I consider it a special purchase wine.  At that price point, there are a lot of gorgeous wines out there. (right in photo)

Gerhard Pittnauer Pinot Noir Fuchsenfeld `06 (Not TJ's) $33.00/ $29.00 ***
The Mat said "Cranberry & Earth" hmmm.  I got the cranberry notes.  Kind of tart.  Ok, really tart, and peppery.  I think that it was a disservice that I tried this wine with two that I loved.  I feel like the comparison was so diverse, that I simply had to sit back, enjoy the wine and just experience it.  Not judge it.  This wine makes me think about my whole ratings system even more.  I may just switch to "Loved it, Liked it, Hated it".  I liked this wine, it was ok.  I think that is is a wine to have with a meal, I wouldn't open a bottle to just sip. I am glad that I got to taste this Old World Pinot Noir.(left in photo)

Well, you would think that after all that wine and food, I would have had enough.  BUT, I was on vacation and I decided that I was going for the full tasting.  I ordered a flight of dessert wine and dessert.  Why not?  I was on my way to London, and it was going to be a 6 hour overnight flight to sober up on!  I would be guaranteed to sleep well.  Dessert was a portion of Cheesecake and a portion of flour-less chocolate cake.  Both were delicious, and the wines, well....  one wine blew my mind. (I'll leave that one for last)

"Just Dessert"  Flight

Casa de Santa Eufemia 10 year old Tawny Port NV (Not TJ's) $56.00/$37.00 ****
I love Tawny Port, and this one is a great one. (left in photo)  It has a distinct coffee undertone, and a date-like sweetness.  It boarders on cloying, but in moderation, this is a lovely end to a meal.  Made by Quinta de Santa Eufêmia this port is a rich, long finish library drink. I am always amazed that the same grape varietal made the Pinot Noir flight in my pairing above, also made this port.  I love versatility.

Viñedo de los Vientos Tannat Alcyone NV (Not TJ's) $39.00/$33.00 ****
This was the mind blowing, amazing experience that makes me love Vino Volo.  I tried my first wine from Uruguay.  I tried my first varietal Tannat and I had my first dessert wine that tasted like toasted marshmallows. I am a pyromaniac that will sit and burn marshmallows and eat them until I am in a diabetic coma. And since I am NOT a diabetic, just imagine me sitting with a stick, in front of a fire with glassy eyes and a perm-a-grin on my face.... To me, this wine was that campfire/marshmallow happiness in a glass (with notes of cherry and vanilla as well.). This wine was the most amazing of the meal, and I will be picking up a bottle to do a full review when I get back from London.

After my meal, I walked to my gate, boarded my plane an hour later than scheduled and then sat on the plane on the runway for three hours due to the snowstorm.  I slept on the plane and when I woke up, 

I was at Heathrow, then I took the train to Central London.  

Here it is, my beloved Paddington Station.

Campo Viejo Tempranillo Reserva `05 $17.99 (Nt TJ's) ***

The scent of pork butt braising in fennel and aromatics makes my mouth water. There is just something about it.  When I wandered into the kitchen, JPH uncorked this bottle.  I grabbed the truffled almonds from the cabinet and the night began.

Maybe it is the pairing.  Maybe it is the fact that this is a BIG, chocolaty, plummy wine that has an undertone of leather.  Maybe because it is so complex yet easy to drink.  Maybe because well seasoned Pork and Tempranillo just work together - or all of the above.

Campo Viejo = old field (with a flashy website). I just want to say thank you to the Spaniards who make this wine and continue to produce those complex, robust flavors that just make me happy. This wine is a blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo (also known as Carignan).

I'll leave you with a picture of my dinner: 
Slow roasted pork and roasted potatoes. 

(at some point, the bread and salad made it to my plate,
but by then, I had forgotten all about pictures!)

Dominio de Eguren Protocolo `08 $7.99 ***(*)

Today was our first day of snow.  I should have taken a picture from my bedroom window because it really was beautiful to wake up to, but the reality was it just made the driveway slippery and the roads crowded with slow moving traffic. First snow in theory is wonderful.  In practice though,  it is cold, wet and slippery. Especially on a day when you have to go to work and not just gaze through the window at the beautiful scenery.

Enough about snow...

I came home to the lovely waft of a brisket simmering in red wine with celery root, carrots & garlic, fresh bread and potatoes being mashed.  S. had taken a snow day and she cooked! JPH was eager to share his finds at Greenvale Grapes; he showed me two bottles and said "One was $7.99, and the other was $17.99 - you pick." Well, I grabbed the bottle that didn't have Reserva on the label and JPH said "$7.99". So that dear readers is how tonight's blog post was born.

I am partial to Tempranillo. When I poured the first glass and took a sip, I shuddered then ran upstairs to get my camera.  I was thinking that this was a blend, and I didn't think that I would like it.  I was WRONG.  This is a wine that needs to open up.  Five minutes in my glass, and it improved to the point that I now believe that it is 100% tempranillo, and it is a good tempranillo at that.  Not too nuanced, there aren't a lot of leathery or tobacco undertones, it is a good middle weight red table wine that has a dark currant fruitiness and just enough of a threat of oak, pepper and leather that you know that you are drinking something that has character. Wine should be interesting as well as flavorful, and it sure is a bonus that this is $7.99!

After the vinturi, there was a dramatic change.  Aeration changed some for the character into a smooth palatable wine that would be a bonus at any table that likes a dark current, spicy/peppery red wine. This isn't a beginner's wine.  I could imagine that people have bought it, had an unaerated mouthful and said "I hate red wine".  This is where time and taste need to develop a persons palate. I was ready to give up on my first swig, and I love tempranillo.  But I was impatient. I needed to wait and see what this wine developed into after opening the bottle.  Sometimes, you can wait and wait and a bad wine just gets worse.  But in a situation like tonight, a few minutes and a little aeration to polish the edges and we came up a really good everyday Tempranillo.

WARNING.  Drink this the first day you open the bottle.  It does NOT age well after opening. By day three, it was undrinkable, even after being vacuum sealed.

Because this wine responded so well to aeration, in January, we decided to use it Round One of the Aerator Death Match: Pitting the Vinturi, Soiree and Nuance aerators head to head.  (Spoiler: the Nuance won the first round)

This wine deserves me using it's full Spanish name:  Dominio de Eguren Vino de la Tierra de Castilla Protocolo 2008.  From the North East region of  Castile-La Mancha, Spain - the land of Don Quixote.  I'm not delusional (at least not in this case...) This wine is plonk, just like we know that Don Quixote rode full tilt at windmills on a skinny, worn out cart horse, his delusions still are a great story and this plonk is a really good table wine. I wouldn't knock it for being cheap and a little rough around the edges at first, it grows on you... just like Cervantes.

Since I'm not one for Christmas Cards, I'll let the puppy say it for me:

Marques de Caceres Rioja (DOC) `08 $9.00 (Not TJ's) ***

Did you notice that the bottle in the picture is empty??? And dinner is just on the table?? And there is a full bottle waiting in the sleeve behind?? Did I mention that Thursday night is my Friday? (I don't work on Fridays)... well, let's just say that there is a time and place for everything, and tonight's bottle(s) were perfect in the space time continuum, and this wine elevated tonight to a spectacular ok, just terrific supper night.

This DOC Rioja was fresh, bright, slightly acidic, with citrus hints. What kind of citrus?  Think bitter orange, and you would come close.  Maybe blood orange?  But GOOD.  Perfect with Truffled almonds, and PERFECT with a riff on Zuppa di Pesche from Marcella Hazan. I also introduced the house to the wonders of a rice cooker tonight.  Really, set it and forget it! Rice the easy way.

Back to the wine.  I did all the labor intensive sipping as JPH cooked dinner (He did use a bit in cooking too...). Hence the empty bottle and the slightly crooked photo. The Fish Stew (Zuppa di Pesche) was made with calamari, bluefish and cod in a garlicky parsley tomato sauce.  The wine held its own against the acid of the tomato sauce, and was a great accompaniment to the Bluefish (a heavy, oily, meaty fish with an amazing flavor when in season and freshly cooked - like tonight!).  There was also fresh bread that made it to the table after I took the picture.

If you want a crisp, slightly sour, dry white wine to cleanse the palate and round out a fish meal, this is a good choice.  I would imagine that it would also be excellent with sushi.

Sitios de Bodega Con Class Verdejo Rueda `07 D.O. $14.99 (Not TJ's) **(*)

I took a sip and went running to the internet. What the heck am I drinking?  What was that taste? JPH was busy cooking dinner, and he looked a bit quizzical as well when he tried a sip. It wasn't bad, it was, well, in a word, different. The internet told me that I was tasting Pink Grapefruit, Lemon and Lime.  I took another well chilled sip and said "Huh?" I get the pink grapefruit, but lemon and lime??? I shook my head and wondered if I was missing something.

My first sip was a surprise, a dry, puckering, citrusy (as yet undefined) mouth cleansing swallow. It is definitely a food wine.  I would go so far as to say it is a white fleshed fish in caper butter sauce wine. Or maybe scallops wrapped in bacon.  This wine does have a place at the table.  But it is for a very specific table.  On second sip, I got the pink grapefruit.  Yes, that is the predominant taste.  Serve it very well chilled is my advice.

Rueda, Spain is known for making crisp, dry, refreshing wine.  Which is a yes on all three for this wine, it is more of a well chilled August refreshing wine than a cold rainy NY October wine. But it could also be considered a bit of Summer in a glass were I feeling generous.

During dinner, I tasted the lime.  It really was a good wine to serve with the fresh porcini/bacon quiche that JPH threw together and the frisee salad that I put too much garlic in.  This was a meal of strong flavors, and this wine held up to them bravely.  It was a good clean palate cleanser in between alternate bites of garlic and porcini.

Ribera del duero Convento San Farancisco Crianza `00 (not TJ's) $34.99 ****

I now live in a world of Sunday Night Dinner.  And with a large dinner table comes a large meal and a large delicious wine. This bottle was a fitting addition to our delicious meal. Since this bottle didn't come from my rack, I had a steep learning curve after dinner was done.

This is an older bottle of Tempranillo (90%) and Merlot (10%). From the Ribera del Duero region in Spain. Made by the Bodega Convento San Francisco.  And I also found out that Crianza is a word for aging/maturation (umm, I thought crianza was a type of wine I had never heard about... did I mention that I have a lot to learn?)  Now, enough of me figuring out how to read a wine label... back to the wine:

First sip:  Intense dried fruit taste - dark cherry or dried unsweetened cranberry?  Not tart, but intense.  Mild leather, no finish.  Complex. I liked it.

After vinturi:  Seemed old.  Flat, depth gone. Do NOT decant if you have an old bottle of this wine.  Let its intensity stay put, when you decant it, it is like you are diluting it.  You lose some of the punch that makes it a fun wine to drink.

I think that this wine may have just been a bit past it's peak, but still it was very good. There was some sediment, and I didn't realize that it predominantly Tempranillo (I love Tempranillo) I think that this is a prize fighter of a wine that was close to retirement age.  I do think that it would be a very safe purchase to lay in a couple of bottles from this producer though.

I liked this wine.  I also liked going into the cellar and finding a dusty bottle to bring up for an amazing meal of Roast Elk Tenderloin, Corn Pudding, Roasted potatoes, Sauteed Summer Squash and Zucchini  - but most of all, I liked being surrounded by a diverse group of people who really love each other, but also will debate, tussle, joke and harangue, then sit down for a great meal on a rainy Sunday evening - just because they have that family tradition. In my book, traditions are good and traditions that involve a bottle of wine... well, that is close to perfect.

Rioja Solnia `07 (Not TJ's) $12.99 ***

The conundrum of the week for me was "What to have for dinner on Friday night?" It was just me, the dog and the cat. Hmmm, I was in a rush to get to the house, as the pets needed to be fed and more importantly, let out.  So, no stopping for takeout.  I would raid the larder.

As I drove along, it occurred to me that the very nice cheese lady at the Harlem Fairway had given me a taste of Bianco Sardo, a Spanish cheese.  I liked it so well, I bought some.  Hmmm, that was in the fridge for sure. With Spanish Cheese goes Spanish wine!  Whoohoo.  I knew that the Rioja was just waiting to be opened. (ok, sitting on the rack trying not to be thrown to the floor by an over exuberant octogenarian dog who will stop at nothing to eat the cat's dinner... but I digress.... ) Dinner was: Bianco Sardo; Salami of unknown origin; from the cabinet some french toast rusks of unknown vintage and Rioja Solnia. A nice, quiet Friday night. And yes, the dog tasted some of the salami. I like to share.

This Solnia is old vine Tempranillo, from La Rioja Spain.  I see this as an ok everyday table wine - but there is cheaper and better to be had, hence the two stars (After a glass the next day, I upped it to three stars)- it is all about the price point. It seems "alive" at the first sip.  Not effervescent, but definitely not flat.  It is lively - for lack of a better description.  It smells of tobacco, yet is fruity - Raspberries.  Once again, I love that wine can smell one way and taste totally different. It is a sharp, dry wine.

After the Vinturi: DON'T DECANT IT! The wine became flat, boring and kind of dense.

As I was reading about this wine, I stumbled across another wine blog, I like it.  It is brief and to the point. The Frugal Oenologist  - He bills himself as a "wine curmudgeon" - I love it! (I am partial to curmudgeons)

Update:  I had a glass of this the next day, and the wine got even better.  I originally gave it two stars because of the price, but it really is a solid three star wine.  A good everyday wine that you can be secure in serving.

Urban Ribera Del Duero `07 (not TJ's) $17.99***

100% Tinta Del Pais (Tempranillo).  I have to say that I am partial to Tempranillo. Maybe because Tempranillo is a genetic mutant like me or maybe because this wine has an added level of rough.  If wines were writers, I think that Tempranillo would be Hemingway (Brief, tightly wound, ready to throw a punch and then smoke a cigar). Cabernet would be Shakespeare (Something that too many people are pretentious about, when done right: smooth, melodious, engaging and soul satisfying, when done wrong: grating, annoying and leaves a bad taste in your mouth).

Now to the wine:  This Urban is a nice, complex (meaning that it makes my tongue work to figure out what all the tastes are) and easy to drink .  I should have saved it for a better meal, but I wanted wine and this came the closest in my wine rack for today.  As I drink it, I think of dried cherries and I am imagining drinking this with BBQ Ribs or Chicken.  My next bottle of Tempranillo, I am going to try it with BBQ.


After the Vinturi, much smoother and easier to drink, but with a harsher finish.  It is almost like the wine tricks you, and after decanting it, you take a deep drink, and then BOOM, you taste a kick, and you realize that you should slow down and take smaller sips. I also think that this wine would go well with cheese.

As it is, three stars.  (It is too expensive to be a 4 star wine for me.) I made Shrimp, Chorizo in an onion, red pepper sauce over white rice.