Wednesday Reality Check

Last night we were having a glass of one of those 50,000 case production wines that provides no sense of depth or character.  After that glass, I decided it was time to open one of my cellar wines; one where the wine maker actually took the care and time to produce a quality limited production wine.  The Benziger Estate Oonapais red blend showcased what a quality wine can provide.  I think of all those budget wine drinkers that will never venture out of their price point, and therefore never experience what a handcrafted wine can impart.

Tasting Notes:
Each varietal imparts its own distinct flare; ripe black cherry aromas along with plum, blueberry and cassis expose Cab’s rich fruit components while merlot’s well integrated tannins help soften its big mouthfeel and elongate the finish. It is a powerful wine with intense body and texture. Drink now, but it will improve until 2016.

Vineyard Notes:
Erratic climate changes played a huge role in our vineyard management – from frost to drought, high winds to heat waves, smoke from fires hundreds of miles away, we were hard at work from start to finish. Initially, harvest began early in August, but cooler temperatures slowed things down a bit and the rest of the harvest was evenly paced and lasted into October.

Production Notes:
Oonapais showcases the diverse and healthy environment in and around the Benziger Family Estate. In 2008 the blend is made up of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, and 4% Cabernet Franc. This wine is made with traditional, hands-on methods. The grapes were hand sorted in the vineyard, fermented in small tanks and serviced by hand with love and care. Native yeast and malolactic bacteria were employed throughout. The wine was aged for 21 months in French oak and bottled in August of 2010.

Captain Scott's Lobster Dock - New London, CT

I had the opportunity to check out Captain Scott's Lobster Dock in New London, CT this past weekend.  It was worth  the drive and the warm lobster roll was excellent.  Trust me, you will need a Garmin GPS to find this gem.  

St. Patricks's Day Wine & Dinner Paring

Well, the deconstructed corned beef and cabbage meal was a hit.  I grilled the rye bread on both sides prior to assembling the sandwich.  The cabbage was caramelized in a cast iron skillet while the corned beef and Irish Kerrygold swiss cheese were warmed as well.  So all elements of the sandwich were warm and savory.  I did add some of my friend's homemade mustard - "Chef Jimmy's homemade whole grain mustard". 
As you remember, our wine pairings were a 2007 Domaine Carneros Pinot  Noir and a 2007 Helfrich Pinot Gris.  The unanimous hands down winner was the Helfrich Pinot Gris.  The meal and wine complemented each other perfectly, bringing out the rich flavors found in this wine.  See the sandwich results below. 

The Wine Pairing With Our St. Patrick's Day Meal

Here are the two wines I am pairing with our deconstructed corned beef and cabbage meal in honor of St. Patrick's Day.  Below you will find winemaker notes and ratings for the wines pictured above.
2007 Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir
Winemaker's Notes:

Our classic Pinot Noir made to show off the superb qualities of our organic vineyard, is rich with fruit tones of black cherry, raspberry and black current overlaid with notes of chocolate, toast, clove and exotic spices. Luscious flavors end in a very long and silky finish. Ratings: WS 90, WE 90

2007 Helfrich Pinot Gris
Winemaker's Notes: 
Our Alsatian Pinot Gris is very true to its style and terroir. Starting rich and full, its mouthfeel is quite opulent and round. One can detect a slightly smoky flavor with a touch of grass. It has a pleasant and long finish.

Pinot Gris is revered in Alsace as a super-rich wine that can be partnered with many different foods. These grapes come from the Couronne d'Or (Golden Crown), an association of local vineyards and winemakers that run through the middle of Alsace. The vineyards are sloped with a South / South East exposure, while the soil is mostly calcareous and thin. The vines are dry farmed and trained upwards for maximum exposure to the sun. Ratings: WN 90

St. Patricks Day Corned Beef and Cabbage Deconstructed

Well,  in honor of St. Patrick's Day I plan on making a deconstructed corned beef and cabbage dinner for this Saturday's offering.  More on the dinner specifics later this week.  Being true to my blog, I plan to pair the meal with two wine varietals, players to be named later this week.  I know this meal begs for a traditional beer such as a Guinness Stout or an ale, but let's see where this will take us.  

2010 Domaine du Rin du Bois Touraine

With warm weather on the way, I have a sauvignon blanc from the Loire Valley in France you must try.  At $9.99 a bottle it's a great value as well.  Don't be surprised to find a bit of sediment, as it is unfiltered.

My Tasting Notes:
Blackcurrant, grapefruit, a slight grass note, bright acidity and a refreshing finish with wonderful minerality as well. 

Vineyard Tour & Dinner

After receiving my third invitation for the Historic Vineyard Society's 2nd annual vineyard tour and dinner I new we had to go.  Proceeds from this event go to the preservation of California's oldest vineyards.  The event is scheduled for May 19th with dinner being held at Bedrock Vineyard. Information on the vineyard tour is provided below.


The Vineyard Tour, featuring Bedrock Vineyard, Fredericks Vineyard, Pagani Ranch Vineyard, Old Hill Ranch Vineyard and another vineyard to be named, will be led by HVS Board members Mike Officer (Carlisle Winery and Vineyards), David Gates (Ridge Vineyards), Morgan Twain-Peterson (Bedrock Wine Company) and Tegan Passalacqua (Turley Wine Cellars). 

Spring Releases Continued

Busy reviewing my Bedrock Wine Company spring allocation options which opened today for purchase.  A fun time of year for wine lovers!
Also, shipping dates set for Ridge Vineyards and Benziger Winery.

Spring Wine Releases

Lots of emails arriving today on upcoming spring releases and wine purchasing opportunities.
One email of note, is from a rising star in wine making today,  Morgan Twain-Peterson of Bedrock Wine Company.  Here is one of the new Wine Advocate reviews of Bedrock wines that came out on the last Thursday. 

2010 Bedrock Wines Pagani Ranch Heirloom Wine - 93

The 2010 Pagani Ranch Heirloom Wine is stunning. It boasts incredible concentration and depth in its black fruit.

This site sees wider temperature swings than the Bedrock Vineyard, which in large part explains the wine’s flavor

profile and structure. This is a deep, serious wine with many years of aging potential. Sweet exotic spices, licorice

and tar wrap around the eternal finish as this huge wine reveals its dazzling pedigree and explosive personality.

The field blend in Pagani Ranch is 65% Zinfandel, the rest Petite Sirah, Alicante Bouschet, Grand Noir, Carignane,

Mourvedre and assorted red and white grapes, all planted in 1880. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025 

Gorgonzola Pear Pizza & Wine Pairing Review

Last night's pairing of the gorgonzola and pear pizza with the 2010 Conundrum California white table wine provided an interesting result.  Remember that we made two pizzas, one with caramelized onions and one without.  We both enjoyed the sweet and savory aspects of the pizza with onions, and the wine also paired well.  The Conundrum did not fare as well with the other pizza, with the sweetness of the pizza overwhelming the wine.


Wine Note:
Conundrum is made by the Wagner Family of wine.  They also produce such fine wines as Caymus, Mer Soleil, Belle Glos, and Meiomi. 

Grilled Gorgonzola Pear Pizza - Two Ways

Below you will find tonight's dinner offering.  I am making gorgonzola pear pizza two ways, one with caramelized onions and one without. I want to see what the onions bring to an already sweet and savory pizza.  The wine selection for tonight's meal is a 2010 Conundrum California white table wine.  My rationale in selecting the Conundrum with this sweet and savory pizza are the layers of flavor and complexity this wine brings.  Please see tasting notes from a previous post.  


Grilled Gorgonzola Pear Pizza
2   7 inch thin & crispy pizza crusts (I use Mama Mary's)
      for the sauce I use a thin layer of pear butter
1    thinly sliced pear, place on pizza in a single layer - you may need a little more than 1 pear, so you will need to eyeball this during prep
1/4 cup crumbled Amablu gorgonzola - less is more when it comes to this cheese.  I like gorgonzola over blue cheese.  I feel that the gorgonzola provides more depth and complexity to the pizza.


For one of the pizzas I am going to add caramelized onions.  Here again, less is more.  First of all I bake the pizza crust per label directions for 5-7 minutes.  I then remove the crust from the oven and add the above ingredients.  Next I place the pizza's on the grill which is around 500 degrees.  This is about a 3-4 minute process.  Right before I remove the pizza from the grill I add a light drizzle of honey, oh yes, so good!


I will let you know how the wine pairs with this meal. 

Wines Version of March Madness

March is one of my favorite months of the year, and not only for seeing winters end.  I remember all those winery emails I deliberated over this past winter which detailed the available wines and their respective purchasing allocations.                                                                                                       
Well, the spring releases will be arriving to my door this month!  Now I just have to find room for all of them.....