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2006 Domaine Brusset Côtes du Ventoux Les Boudalles

Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 | Food & Wine Pairing, France, Red Wine, Rhone, Wines Under $20 | 1 Comment

One night last month I was trying to figure out how to use up some of the delicious vegetables we’d received from our farm share. I thought I’d try making a vegetable tart with zucchini, squash, tomato, and gorgonzola. To make things easy on myself, I simply used a refrigerated pie crust as the base. I couldn’t decide what wine to drink with it. Drew suggested the 2006 Domaine Brusset Les Boudalles ($10). He thought the Rhone blend would go well with our light dinner.

The 2006 Domaine Brusset Les Boudalles is 60% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre 15% Carignan, and 10% Clairette. Its APV is 13%. On the nose we found dried cherry, a hint of cheese, and a good bit of earthy scents like leaves and twigs. The wine was quite thin and watery — it almost seemed diluted (but not in a bad way). When we tasted it, the earthy flavors dominated, but were countered by tart cherry. The finish was quick and dry, but pleasant.

For the price, we agreed that it was a nice wine. It went really well with the vegetable tart. The earthiness balanced out the creamy gorgonzola cheese and made for a perfect summer dinner.

Here is the recipe for the tart. It’s a great way to make use of your garden’s bounty.

Summer Squash & Tomato Tart with Gorgonzola
(inspired by a recipe from Woman’s Day magazine)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb mixed summer squash (zucchini, yellow squash, etc, cut into 1/4-inch rounds)
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tso, chopped garlic
fresh ground black pepper
1 refrigerated pie crust
4 oz. gorgonzola cheese
1 large tomato, sliced and seeded
1 large egg, beaten
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add squash and onions and sautee for 7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from heat, stir in thyme, garlic and pepper to taste, cool to room temperature. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (a silicon sheet works great, too). Unfold pie crust on the parchment and roll out to approximately 13 inches. Crumble half the cheese over crust to within 2 inches of edge. Arrange squash mixture and tomato slices on cheese; fold edge of the crust over filling and brush crust with egg. Bake 35-40 minutes or until pastry is golden. Slide onto a wire rack to cool. Crumble remaining cheese over top. Cool to room temperature before eating.

Operation: Winecrime

Thursday, May 29th, 2008 | Celebrities & Wine, Red Wine, Washington | No Comments

It sounds like instead of playing huge stadium tours, these days QUEENSRŸCHE vocalist Geoff Tate is playing negociant instead. He has teamed up with 3 Rivers Winery in Walla Walla, Washington to produce a red wine called Geoff Tate Insania. The German-born rocker grew up in Tacoma.

Tate said, “Insania is a creative project similar to the process of making music. Wine has been an important part of my life and the creation of Insania is yet another avenue to express my creativity and give my fans something more they can enjoy.”

Personally I’m not sure what is getting more annoying, celebrity chefs or celebrity “winemakers.” I suppose it’s just not enough anymore to do one thing and do it well. (And even though I’m not a big QUEENSRŸCHE fan, I have to admit that Tate has an amazing vocal range.) The entertainment industry wants to create franchises out of celebrites (not just movies) and get their hands into many things as possible: clothing, jewelry, perfume, housewares, and… yes, wine. But I guess as long as people keep buying it, celebrities will keep making up silly names that go on silly labels and slapping them on bottles. I kind of wish celebs would just stick to singing or acting or whatever they do best. But I might be in the minority on that one.

At any rate, back to the wine. I couldn’t find any information about the grapes that will be used to make Insania, or an expected bottle price, so for now that remains a mystery. However, the wine is scheduled to be launched at a concert slated for September 20, 2008 at the winery where Tate will play music from his solo album as well as some QUEENSRŸCHE classics. Tickets are $100 per person and include a picnic dinner and logo wineglass. Gates open at 4:00 p.m., dinner is available from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Geoff Tate will take the stage at 5:00 p.m. There are only 250 tickets available and an early sell-out is expected. (Of the show tickets. I’m not so sure about the wine.) For more information, call the winery at 509-526-9463.

2004 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner

Monday, May 5th, 2008 | California, Dry Creek Valley, Meritage, Red Wine | No Comments

Well, it’s about time I got back to writing about wines, isn’t it? I have a few pages of tasting notes that I really should get around to posting, but for now I’ll start with a really wonderful California red blend that we had with dinner last night: 2004 Dry Creek Vineyard The Mariner(between $40-$50) from Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley. This wine is a meritage blend of 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot. It is 13.5% alcohol, so certainly within the “reasonable” range.

I don’t often comment on labels, but let’s face it: they’re an important part of the wine too. Many people (myself included) will try a bottle of wine based on little more than the label design. Perhaps it is related to my New England upbringing, but I find the label of The Mariner to really gorgeous. Although it’s difficult to read in the picture, the quote on the label says: “In spite of rock and tempest’s roar, in spite of false lights on the shore, sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!” This is pulled from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem, “The Building of the Ship,” a poem I happen to love. My opinion of the wine was off to a good start based on nothing of the wine itself, but it shows you how a label can easily influence opinion.

We decanted the wine and let it breathe while I prepared dinner (grilled strip steak with a tea peppercorn rub, steamed broccoli, and a garden salad — we went for ease on a Sunday night). The wine is a deep shade of purple. It was gorgeous in our decanter, but there was not a chance of it staying in there! On the nose, we smelled cedar, dried cranberries, and a bit of glycerin. It was ripe and plummy and as Drew stated, “subtle, but promising.” We tasted the wine and discovered ripe, plummy flavors. Drew noted that the wine had the sweetness of a honeydew melon. That is, it didn’t really tastelike honeydew, but it had a similar acidic sweetness. After tasting again and thinking about it a bit, we resolved this flavor to ripe blueberry. Plenty of vanilla oakiness was noticeable as well. I caught onto a “grilled” flavor that reminded me of some of the South African wines I’ve tasted. I thought that perhaps I picked up on it because I had been minding the grill and perhaps that scent was “stuck” in my nose, but Drew caught onto it as well. There was bit of dark chocolate as well. The tannins were quite heavy (which was not a surprise), but the long, graceful finish resolved them a bit.

The wine was perfect with the peppery, grilled steak. The flavors complemented each other nicely. It did not, however, pair well with the chocolate cake with caramel mousse that we had for dessert. Perhaps with a piece of dark chocolate or a richer dessert, but not the sticky sweetness of caramel. The Mariner is an elegant wine that is going to mature nicely. We have a couple more bottles in our wine cellar and I am really looking forward to returning to this wine in a few years to see how it develops.

Cascade Mountain Vineyards NV Coeur de Lion

Thursday, April 10th, 2008 | Hudson Valley, New York, Red Wine | 1 Comment

As I mentioned before, April is New York wine month. (It’s also Michigan wine month, apparently, but I’ve never seen a Michigan wine around here.) I have a line-up of wines from most of New York’s wine-growing regions and I thought I’d start with the Hudson Valley, since this is where I live. Believe it or not, even within New York it’s not easy to find wines produced here. Last week I decided to stop by Astor Square Wine & Liquor in Rhinebeck. It had been a long time since I’d last shopped there and I was curious what they’d have for local wines. Their New York section was rather small. They had a few wines from Bully Hill, a few wines from Cascade Mountain Vineyards, and I think they had something from Alison, too.

I quickly decided on a bottle of Coeur de Lion  from Cascade Mountain ($13.99). Drew and I visited Cascade Mountain Vineyards in Amenia, NY a few years ago and tasted many of their wines, including this one. I wasn’t keeping tasting notes at the time, so I looked forward to revisited the wine. It is a light-bodied red, often described as a “country wine.” The grapes are not listed on the label, but the wine is a blend of Marechal Foch and Cabernet Sauvignon.

In the glass, the wine was a lovely shade of burgundy. When I smelled the wine, the first thing that came to mind was banana, followed by dark fruit, and lots of oak. I found the wine to be incredibly dry. It sucked the moisture off your tongue. Personally, I thought it was a bit too dry for such a light-bodied wine. There is a great deal of oak on this wine, but I was able to discern some tart berry flavors. The wine did open up a bit when I tried it again a few hours later and it had softened. Still, I wasn’t crazy about it. I might have liked it better if I’d paid under $10 for it, but that is my frugal nature rearing its head. Drew liked it slightly more than I did and thought it might appeal to people who enjoy wines from Burgundy.

I’m starting to realize that no matter what region, I tend to enjoy New York white wines and dessert wines more than the reds produced here. That’s not to say that New York doesn’t produce decent red wines; I’m realizing that they just don’t suit my tastes. And in the end it does come down to personal preferance. No wine is everything to all people, you know? Next time I’ll pick up a bottle of Summertide ($11.99), which is a semi-dry white made with Seyval and Vidal grapes and see I enjoy that a little bit more.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #44: French Cabernet Franc

Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008 | Cabernet Franc, France, Loire Valley, Red Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday, Wines Under $20 | 5 Comments

The topic for this month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday was picked by Gary Vaynerchuk of Wine Library TV. The topic he chose for WBW #44 is French Cabernet Franc.

Cabernet Franc grapes are grown mainly in the Bordeaux region, where they are blended into the wines. However, the only terroirs that produce pure Cab Franc wines are in the Loire Valley: Bourgueil, Chinon, and Saumur-Champigny. At least in the United States, the Loire Valley might be better known for its Vouvray, and perhaps that’s because the reds might be difficult for some palates to love. Unlike the fruitier Cabernet Franc wines from the West Coast, French Cab Franc tends to be a little more… how shall I say it? “Rustic” perhaps? And I mean that in a good way. It is refreshing to get away from super-fruity wines and enjoy something that challenges your taste-buds a little bit.

I sent Drew on a mission to seek out a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc and he had little difficulty finding one. He purchased a bottle of 2002 Olga Raffault Chinon “Les Picasses” ($18.99) at Arlington Wines & Liquor in Poughkeepsie, NY. Winemaking in  Olga Raffault’s vineyard in Savigny-en-Véron has been a family tradition for over 60 years. Olga passed the vineyard onto her son Jean, and it is currently maintained by Olga’s granddaughter Sylvie and her husband Eric de la Vigerie, who is also the winemaker. Of the 25 hectares of vineyard, 24 hectares are planted with Cabernet Franc. The other hectare is planted with Chenin Blanc.(Trivia: These two grapes are credited as being “parents” to Cabernet Sauvginon.)Here is a bit of information on Les Picasses that I found at The Wine Doctor:

Lastly comes Les Picasses, undoubtedly the most classic and ageworthy wine from the domaine, and some would say also one of the finest examples of the whole appellation. Naturally it comes from a limestone terroir, a lieu-dit where the vines have reached a respectable fifty years of age. The fruit is hand-harvested and the final yield is typically in the order of 30 hl/ha and after fermentation, which is again carried out in stainless steel controlled to less than 30°C, followed by a maceration of 25-30 days, the wine that results goes into large foudres where it will rest for between 12 and 14 months before bottling.

We were very excited to taste this wine. In the glass it is a dark, deep red, and brown-tinged around the edges. It was rather watery, which is characteristic of the wine. The complex nose might have been the most interesting part of the wine for me — it was unlike most wines I drink. There was something metallic (almost bloody) about it. I also was reminded of pine mulch. Imagine standing in the woods in very late fall, or even now in early spring and scooping up a handful of dried pine needles off the ground. After a while I got a hint of marigold, too. Again — a very earthy scent. There was a tiny bit of alcohol on the nose as well, which surprised us as the wine is only 12.5% alcohol.

This is a light-to-medium bodied wine. The metallic scent carried through to the palate and we immediately thought of iron when we tasted this wine. I think Drew put it best when he said that the wine “tastes like a good butcher shop smells.” I know that doesn’t exactly sound delicious, but trust me — it was. After some time we detected sour cherry and unripe raspberry flavors as well. The tannins were present, but certainly not overwhelming, and there was a suggestion of ash on the finish. I found it to be a delicate wine, but Drew argued that “delicate” implies “dainty” which the wine surely is not. Perhaps “elegant” or even “graceful” would be a better a description?

I originally intended to serve the Chinon with roasted pork tenderloin (which would have been great with the wine, I think). However, we’d gone out to lunch on Sunday and were much too full for another big meal. Instead we opted for a snack tray that included Herbes de Provence salami, garlic and red pepper olives, goat cheese rolled in parsley and lemon zest (full credit to Jenn at Last Night’s Dinner for this idea), grapes, honeydew melon, and French bread with butter. I was surprised to find that I thought the wine paired best with the goat cheese bites. The lemon zest brought so much flavor out of the wine and I didn’t expect that. While I think this wine is drinking well right now, I think it will hold up quite well over the next several years. I might pick up another bottle, myself.

Thanks to Gary for hosting. Rumor has it that this might be the WBW with the highest participation level to date, which is exciting. I’m eager to read everyone’s posts. Wine Blogging Wednesday is the brainchild of Lenn Thompson of LENNDEVOURS.

Loire Valley Map Image from Brittany Ferries

WBW #43: Comfort Wines

Wednesday, March 5th, 2008 | California, Lodi, Red Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday, Wines Under $20, Zinfandel | 5 Comments

Joel Vincent, of Wine Life Today, is responsible for choosing this month’s topic for Wine Blogging Wednesday: Comfort Wines:

Choose a wine, any wine, that you love to unwind to and tell us about not only the wine but what makes the experience special and relaxing for you!

At first this seemed easy enough, but when it came down to actually picking one wine to write about, the task became rather daunting. There were several bottles in the running. I had to really think about what “comfort wine” means to me. I considered some of my favorite comfort foods (steak-frites; tuna salad in a pita, dunked into some chicken noodle soup; penne topped with my husband’s marinara sauce) and realized that they’re all pretty accessible foods. They’re all easy to prepare, the ingredients are readily available, and they’re not terribly expensive. Since there are just so many wines that I could pick to write about for this topic, I thought I’d apply the same criteria to wine.

The bottle I would write about had to be readily available (because there’s nothing worse than really wanting a glass of a specific wine and not being able to find it) and not terribly expensive (I decided to cap it at $15). I also wanted to pick a wine that was “quaffable” — that is, a wine that stands on its own and doesn’t really require food to be enjoyable. With that in mind I picked Ravenswood Lodi Zinfandel. It retails for around $12.99 and you can find it pretty much anywhere. I’m a big fan of Ravenswood wines, so really I’d be pleased as punch with anything from the winery, but I happen to be especially fond of the Lodi Zinfandel.

The wine is a blend of 84% Zinfandel, 14% Petite Sirah, and 2% “mixed blacks.” It is a full-bodied wine that is jammy and spicy with flavors of raspberry, plum, and vanilla. It is soft and lush as it rolls around in your mouth. The oaky finish is nice and warm and consistently puts a smile on my face. At 14.5% alcohol, it’s a big wine but I find the alcohol to be well-integrated.

No, it’s not a terribly complex wine, but when I’m thinking about “comfort” I want something that’s easy. I want to kick around in my bunny slippers and to curl up in my favorite chair. I don’t want to teeter on heels and be aware of my posture all night. I don’t want a wine that makes me work. I don’t want to decant or swirl the heck out of the glass, trying to open it up and coax out all the little nuances that make it a fantastic wine. Sometimes I just want to crack open a bottle that I know I can trust, pour it in a glass, and enjoy. I think that Ravenswood has consistently proven it can make quality “no brainer” wines. When I pick up a bottle of Ravenswood anything, I’m confident that I’m purchasing a decent product.

It’s been interesting to see what other wine bloggers consider comfort wines. I’ve noted that Sonadora of Wannabe Wino and Erika of StrumErika.com also picked Zinfandels. Once Joel has had a chance to compose his wrap-up, I’ll be sure to let you know so you can check out what everyone else chooses to help them relax.

WBW #42: Just Seven Words (Carol’s Wine)

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Chianti, Italy, Red Wine, Wine Blogging Wednesday, Wines Under $20 | 1 Comment

This month Andrew Barrow of Spittoon challenged us to describe an Italian wine in just seven words. After going all out for last month’s Friuli which was a challenge to find (and a bit pricey), Drew and I decided to each taste a cheap, readily available Italian wine — one red, one white — and have some fun. Based on a coin toss, I get to post mine first! Here goes:

Wine: 2006 Opici Chianti
Description: Not a bad ten dollar candle holder.

Cheers!

2004 Mettler Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Saturday, February 2nd, 2008 | Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Lodi, Red Wine | 1 Comment

Yesterday was a long, tiring day. School was cancelled on account of bad weather, sleet and freezing rain made our deck and driveway a dangerous mess, and on top of it all, the night before I had dropped my camera and though it works, it’s acting quite fussy. Plus, I still hadn’t packed for our vacation. After we put the boys to bed, Drew asked me if I wanted to try a really great wine. “Seriously,” he said, “this is just… it’s just so good.” Of course, I wanted to try it! But with that kind of build-up, would it deliver? Would my expectations be too high? There was only one way to find out. He handed me the bottle and a corkscrew and I got down to business.

The 2004 Mettler Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Lodi, California) retails for around $25. In the glass, the wine is a gorgeous, deep garnet color. Drew commented that it was a true “blood red” and while that might sound a little macabre, it is accurate. Before I even stuck my nose in the glass, I could tell that this wine has a lot going on. As soon as I had opened the bottle, aromas of spice began to waft out. Upon close inspection we detected notes of cedar in addition to the spice. There was an earthiness, too, that made me think of walking through a forest. A few swirls coaxed out even some clove and vanilla soft-serv. I realize the latter scent might sound like a stretch, but it wasn’t a real oaky vanilla — it was a lot softer and that really seems to be the best way to describe it.

I could have smelled the wine all night, but I was eager to taste it, as well. If I had to sum up this wine in one word: mocha. It tastes primarily of coffee and chocolate, with just a hint of clove and the tiniest bit of raspberry. That raspberry flavor might come forward a bit in coming years; I’ll be interested to come back to this bottle some time in the future. The wine had a smooth, lingering finish. It made me think of coffee ice cream (again, there was this creaminess), and it made Drew think of iced coffee. For a wine that clocks in at 14.6% alcohol, the gentleness was impressive. You can detect the alcohol on the nose, but it is really well integrated.

The wine is a fantastic quaffing wine, and I think it would really stand out when served with dessert. (Perfect for Valentine’s Day!) I indulged in a coffee truffle alongside this wine and it was delicious. I think it would pair really well with any kind of berry dessert as well as dark chocolate. I had a hard time coming up with a food pairing, but Drew suggested roast pork and I can see that. If you’ve had this wine, I’d be interested to know what you ate with it.

Overall, we both were very impressed with this wine. I think that the Mettler ‘04 Cabernet  might be the best $25 bottle we have ever purchased. The wine isn’t a “fruit bomb” by any means — it’s subtle and understated. I would consider it a bottle for wine lovers. Because of the interesting (and very different) mocha characteristics, I wouldn’t necessarily serve this to someone who is looking for a typical Cab because it won’t be what they expect. But if you seek out new and different wines, or you’re in the mood for something luxurious, I think this wine will suit you quite well.

North Fork Granny Smith

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008 | Long Island, Meritage, Red Wine, White Wine, Wines Under $20 | 3 Comments

I just tasted a bunch of wines from Macari in Mattituck. Actually, with 3 exceptions, I tasted all of their current wines. I must say, the wines performed fairly well when compared to the other North Fork stuff I’ve tasted. In general I found them significantly lighter in body than what I am used to from California, France, Chile…well, almost everywhere else. For the most part, the flavors were solid, with a  common earthiness among the reds, and a miscellaneous acidic tang to the whites. These, both, being positive traits. I just can’t get away from the watery mouthfeel common among these wines.

There were two standouts worth seeking out. First, their Bergen Road 2004 is a sort of North Fork Meritage. It’s heavy on Merlot with about a quarter each of Cab Sauv and Malbec, and just a touch of Petit Verdot. Full-flavored and woody with some nice spicy notes and light tannins, it was a pleasant take on the classic Bordeaux blend. Again, a little thin and watery in the mouth. The flavors would suggest a lush, velvety finish, but the body isn’t quite there to deliver. The $40-something price tag is no laughing matter, either, but if you want good, solid flavor from the North Fork, this is worth a try.

The real standout for me, however, was a white called Early Wine, the 2007 vintage. It is Chardonnay with a splash of Sauvignon Blanc that is picked, fermented in steel and bottled rather quickly- all in a matter of months I think. (It was only bottle number 2 of 10 or so I tasted so be kind - my memory ain’t what it used to be.) If I didn’t know this was a wackadoo Chard I would have thought it a Babich-ish New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from the nose. Fairly aggressive aromas of green and unripe fruit. Think kiwi and lime and those little tiny bananas still green on the tree. In the mouth it was all Granny Smith apple. Big, tart, delightfully puckery and totally mouth filling. Somewhere on the finish was a teasing promise of sweetness that was never quite delivered…and for some reason, that made it even better.

Despite its pedigree, this oddball Chardonnay has no business in the Chardonnay section. This is definitely a wine for lovers of crazy-tart Sauvignon Blanc. And at about $15 on the shelf, it’s worth checking out when you’re just in the mood for something different.

2004 Robertson Winery Wolfkloof Shiraz

Saturday, January 19th, 2008 | Red Wine, Shiraz, South Africa, Wines Under $20 | 1 Comment

Last night Drew and I planned for a pretty laid-back, relaxing Friday: pizza (homemade, of course), wine, chocolate mousse, and season two of “Veronica Mars.” The pizza was BBQ chicken and bacon with peppers and onions. I used BBQ sauce instead of tomato sauce and cheddar cheese instead of mozzarella. I was pretty confident that it would be good, but I was struggling with what wine to drink. The BBQ sauce and bacon made it tricky because of the saltiness/sweetness.

I opened the question to my Twitter friends, asking for their ideas. Lenn Thompson (of Lenndevours) suggested a Côtes du Rhône, and initially that sounded good to me. I had a bottle of Chasse du Pape in the wine rack, too. Andrew Barrow (of Spitoon) suggested a Valpolicella which would be easy enough to find. Drew and I went back and forth for a while throwing around ideas. I wanted something that would cut through the sweetness of the BBQ sauce. He didn’t want anything that would be too subtle and overwhelmed by the strong flavors of the sauce and the bacon. Finally we reached what seemed to be a compromise: 2004 Robertson Winery Wolfkloof Shiraz ($19.99) from South Africa.

While we didn’t decant the bottle, we did allow the wine to breath in our glasses for about 15 minutes while getting dinner prepared. Once the pie was in the oven, we set down to business. The nose on this wine is predominantly oaky with some heady aromas of spice. There is very little fruit. In fact, Drew commented that the nose made him think of Côtes du Rhône. This is a fairly high alcohol wine, clocking at at 14.5%, and I thought that was apparent — I wouldn’t say the inside of my nose burned, but the alcohol was certainly present. On the palate, again there was very little fruit (perhaps a hint of blackberry), but plenty of other flavors: cinnamon and leather to name two. A bite of tortilla chips and pineapple-chipotle salsa helped coax out a smokey/ashy flavor as well. It was a very earthy wine, yet not overwhelming. The finish was medium-long and very clean.

We both really enjoyed this wine. It’s well-balanced, full-bodied, and just feels wonderful in your mouth. It’s one I would drink again without hesitation.